ã€ŠThis Is Where I Want To Beã€‹


 1. Notice

    1. Notice

    Juliet

    I walked down the road away from our house with one destination in mind, although no one could see me because I was invisible. My ability allows me to do almost anything I want. My parents weren¡¯t home, so they didn¡¯t know about my ¡®extracurricular¡¯ activity. It had been a few years since we left the compound, and I enjoyed being out in the real world. It left me with no choice but to keep some things to myself.

    Like most days when I had nothing to do, I went back to school. My one destination was Chris¡¯s classroom, one of our teachers. I also knew his schedule and routine by heart; even that late in the day, he would still be behind his desk, working, avoiding going home. I didn¡¯t really feel guilty about what I was doing. It was only this one thing I gave myself. He was married, but it didn¡¯t stop me or make me feel like I was abusing my powers. It did, however, give me insight into his life, and following him around meant I knew nothing was going on between Chris and his wife.

    At first, I peeked around the corner, slowly going to stand in the doorway. I knew he couldn¡¯t see me, but I always felt somebody would eventually figure it out. I spoke and said, ¡°Hi.¡± He didn¡¯t hear me either. I smiled, thinking how funny and absurd the whole situation had become. The little rituals I had made up for us. I slowly walked over to his desk. Chris seemed gloomy as he peered out the window. One hand raked through his hair and stayed there, propping up his weary head. The sad picture he painted, together with lips that naturally curved down at the corners, made him seem unhappier than usual. It didn¡¯t help that he never smiled or was stuck in his thoughts. The only time I saw him sort of relaxed was when he was with his one friend, my geography teacher.

    I went to sit on top of one of the student tables, facing his desk, watching him as he marked papers and worked on his laptop. The phone at his elbow dinged. Chris scanned the message, his eyes closed slowly, bringing down creases between his brows. He made low muttering sounds. I chuckled and hurriedly got up to check the screen over his shoulder while he had his little meltdown. The message was from Sita¡ªhis wife. He threw the phone on the table, complaining, ¡°Can my life not change?¡± I reached out to tuck some of his hair in behind an ear. His eyes closed again; however, at that moment, it was for a different reason. Chris¡¯s head tilted slightly, relishing in the feel as I stroked his worries away. After a moment of bliss, I came to my senses, realizing what happened. He could feel my touch, and his hair had moved under my fingers.

    Chris didn¡¯t move, waiting. How was that possible? I was able to touch him while I was invisible. Usually, I couldn¡¯t do anything. I didn¡¯t go through things or budge them. Neither did people have a sense that I was there¡­ until him. Chris kept still for a long moment. Didn¡¯t he feel it? No, he did, but why wasn¡¯t he saying anything or reacting? Chris sighed and opened his eyes, ¡°Can the love of my life please step up?¡± One corner of my lips rose at his plea. He was married but lonely.

    Probably more than I was.

    Why wouldn¡¯t he get divorced? No one would try anything with him with that kind of baggage, not in our small town. And with baggage, I meant Sita¡­ They worked together, for crying out loud. The only thing he could do was make a clean break and cut his losses. Sita, also a teacher at the school¡­ was¡­ a little stuck up. Luckily not teaching anything I was interested in. We¡¯d lived in that small town for a few years, and as far as I knew, Chris had never cheated.

    He swung the swivel chair to the door, stretching out his legs in front of him, leaning back, letting the breeze blow over him. Heavy eyes stared out over the courtyard. That day, he wore a plaid shirt tucked into light beige chinos. Unkept hair that was getting too long. I took a step forward. I wanted to know if he really could feel me or if it was a fluke of persistent intent on my part. Could I develop my power? Hesitantly, I stretched out my hand and ran bent fingers over his cheek. His hand reacted quickly, but so did mine. Chris scratched his cheek. ¡°I think I¡¯m going crazy,¡± he whispered, rubbing both hands over his face.

    He packed his things, and we walked side by side to his car. I always followed him to watch him drive off. He opened the back door and put his bag on the seat. Whenever I was invisible, I had a split second to decide if I would get into a car.

    ¡°Get in,¡± he said softly. The words startled me, so I hopped in. I couldn¡¯t help myself anyway.

    First, Chris stopped at a liquor store and drove to the outskirts of town. There were no houses, buildings, or anything, only open fields all around us. He parked and took a beer from the plastic bag on the passenger seat. After opening the driver-side door, he swung his feet out and let them drop to the ground. There was a shallow valley in front of us, filled with a gentle stream flowing at the bottom. It followed the main roads all through town. That was his view. He never talked to himself, which was frustrating because I didn¡¯t know what he was thinking.

    He took the last sip and stood to open the back door. ¡°Thank You, so polite.¡± It was why I couldn¡¯t get into a car. There was no way out unless someone let me out. He picked up his work bag and rummaged through it. ¡°That¡¯s the box of the phone I gave you for your birthday,¡± I was intrigued. ¡°What are you still doing with it?¡± There were a bunch of tiny, folded papers inside I didn¡¯t recognize. The little green note I did remember. It was the one I left for him. ¡°Is that what you¡¯re going to look at?¡±

    He picked up mine and opened it.

    Me

    { I see you

    I think about you

    And I¡¯m always there even if you can¡¯t see me }

    He rubbed his thumb over the few words I put on paper. I had no idea something so small could mean so much. I desperately wanted to know about the other letters in there. To oblige me, Chris rested back against the car and slowly unfolded one, blocking my view. I was too curious to help myself and leaned in, more or less making our shoulders touch.

    ¡°Dear invisible,¡± he read. I laughed, my body shaking slightly. He was clearly not a romantic. ¡°You think that¡¯s funny?¡± He asked. I bobbed my head against him.

    Chris

    { Even if I can¡¯t see you,

    I feel you.

    I think about you too }

    After he finished reading, he rested his head on mine. I pulled out from under the feel of him. I had to be careful, even though I wanted to stay like that a little longer¡­ No, I wanted a lot of things. To reveal myself. Talk to him. Sit there with him in silence, having a beer, thinking about how much our lives sucked. I sighed as I turned away. It would never be easy for me. The vacancy my body left made him falter a bit. He folded the note and put it back into the box.

    ***

    It had been a year since that day. I lay on my bed, waiting for my friend so we could walk to school. That particular afternoon¡¯s memory haunted me that morning. I had dreamt about Chris the previous night. It led to daydreaming of what could¡¯ve been. I thought about Chris a lot¡ªunderstatement. Obsessed about him. Still followed him, although I had kept my distance from his¡­ person. A year later, I wished I wasn¡¯t so responsible.

    In the background, our front doorbell rang and brought me out of my musings. I jumped up from my bed, grabbed my bag, flung it over my shoulder, and quickly walked down the hall. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. Charlene is here,¡± I yelled as I opened the big wooden front doors. Beyond that, big black gates cordoned off a little courtyard.

    ¡°Hey, Charlene.¡± Her long blond hair was smoothed tightly back onto her head with a high ponytail. She wore a little makeup, but no one would even know. It wasn¡¯t allowed. She¡¯s shorter than me. Not as skinny as I am, but beautiful and rounder in the right places. We hugged, not having seen each other for months.

    ¡°How are you?¡± I asked and put my arm through hers.

    ¡°Good, and you?¡±

    ¡°Okay! Bye, Mom!¡±

    ¡°See you later, Julie! Remember, we need to buy your father a birthday present after school.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I remember!¡± I yelled back. Just a normal family.

    We began our short trek to school, ¡°We couldn¡¯t speak over the phone last night. Tell me all. How was your holiday?¡± Charlene asked excitedly.

    ¡°You know. Clubbing, beaching, surfers, lifeguards, and late nights. The beach parties were insane¡­ But tell me about Benjamin? The Italian guy you met.¡±

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    ¡°Argh, you know¡­ Holiday romance. Lots of kissing and some other stuff. But that¡¯s all there is to it. I¡¯m here. He lives on another continent. But...¡±

    Charlene¡¯s heart-shaped face rounded even more on her cheeks as the smile reached her eyes. ¡°But what?¡±

    Charlene skipped in place, jostling us, ¡°I¡­ might see him again over New Year.¡± She bit her top lip, smiling.

    ¡°You¡¯re so lucky your parents took you to Europe. A whole summer vacation! You must¡¯ve had the best time. Having a father that travels that much has its perks.¡±

    We talked and laughed till we reached a blue steel bridge separating my neighborhood from the schools. It crossed the same stream Chris and I had been at that day. At the time, I didn¡¯t understand why he was so on my mind that morning. Little did I know the universe had other plans for the rest of my life.

    ¡°Hello, ladies. And how are thy fair maidens today?¡± Carl said, splitting us up by wedging himself between our bodies and linking his arms into ours. We didn¡¯t mind and hugged him together, squashing him from both sides. Carl made some grunting noises in a weak attempt to protest.

    My regular human friends.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s been reading Shakespeare.¡± Carl is our best friend. Well, guy friend. The three of us were and are still inseparable. From the start of high school, the homeroom teacher seated us together. We were from different middle schools and relocated late in the year for various reasons, and we bonded in that regard. The best thing about them was that we all had an open outlook on life with similar personalities, which made our weird friendship easier. Neither of them knew my secret. Well, the biggest one of my secrets¡­ Because I had many.

    When we entered the school, I kicked my shoes on the pavement to get most of the dust off. We wore uniforms consisting of ugly blue dresses over short white-sleeved shirts, dark blue socks that reached our ankles, and black shoes. ¡°What¡¯s the point of cleaning them every day? If they¡¯re only going to get dirty on the way to school?¡± I muttered.

    ¡°It would help if you didn¡¯t drag your feet or kick at every stone that existed,¡± Carl admonished. I stuck my tongue out at him. He shook his head and waved at us. Carl was making his way over to some of his guy friends. ¡°So mature.¡± I heard him say. Charlene also stuck out her tongue. He did give us a smile before he turned around. Charlene patted my shoulder. I let my bag slip off into her hand. She walked off toward the lockers, knowing I took that time to check in on Chris. They both knew I liked him. That I was in love with a teacher.

    I had to find my way around some school buildings to get to where he parked his black BMW. I was disappointed when I didn¡¯t see his car. Every day was a mess of anticipation. Chris would, at some point, leave his wife and resign. He could just disappear out of my life. My thoughts escalated my emotions in the wrong direction, which brought about the constant nagging fear that I would lose control and manifest. Being a teenager was hard. Being a Vampire and a teenager was almost impossible. The fact that I had not killed or sucked on the neck of someone there... ¡°I should get a prize,¡± I whispered to myself. I took a moment to get my act together and headed to assembly. The next half hour would be torture if Chris wasn¡¯t there to fill my thoughts.

    When I walked through the doors, the familiar smell of musty drapes and old wooden floors accosted me. Small windows high up on the wall lined one side of the place. It didn¡¯t give much ventilation in the old building. I wanted to sit close to a door so that if I needed to run, my exit was close. There wasn¡¯t space in our usual spot, which left us with only one option; the middle of the floor somewhere. No chairs for us. We didn¡¯t go to private school. The auditorium was the only indoor area where we could gather as a high school and listen to our principal rattle on every Monday morning.

    ***

    Chris

    It was another day¡­ Another year. My diary lay open on my lap. I checked the list of things I had to do that day and wrote the date- 6 September 2021. In five minutes, the hall would fill up fast. The assembly period would start, and the boring principal would begin his speech. Sure, he rehearsed that stuff in the mirror the whole weekend long. Kids began pouring into the building, filling the doors and taking seats all over the floor around me. Thinking about teaching, I could say, ¡°I enjoy my job,¡± but I simply didn¡¯t want to do it for the rest of my life. I was turning thirty that year. If I wanted to make a move, I had to do it soon, or else I would be stuck there forever.

    I aimlessly stared at the book on my lap, daydreaming about getting out, away from all my troubles, when a smell wafted in the air and pulled me back to reality. Against the backdrop of sweaty teenagers and outdated surroundings, it was out of place and refreshing. As gentle as it was, it struck a cord in me. A sophisticated perfume. It was a scent an adult would use. I liked it immediately. I glanced around, thinking a teacher had sat down next to me. There was no one but students. Some kid must have stolen some of her mom¡¯s. A dimple formed on my cheek, thinking about the kids in the school; everyone wanted to grow up so quickly. The source of the awakening soon wiped the smirk off my face. A girl walked past me, right in front of me, not noticing me at all, too engrossed in a conversation with a friend. She didn¡¯t steal some of her mother¡¯s perfume either. It suited her, and all I could do was stare. The smell became more potent as they passed me, and I could only catch a glimpse. Even in that small school¡­ that was the first time I noticed her.

    Like me, most of the boys around her were gawking, although their thoughts were clearly demonstrated by pointing and gesturing crudely. I didn¡¯t like it. My thoughts wandered as she scanned the crowd, staring down some horny teenagers who withered away at her intense death stare. It made me shudder. If a woman glared at me like that, I would cower, too. There was something in her manner. Confidence, maybe? Poooor schoolboys! You should wait a few years and go for younger girls. Don¡¯t try to date your age in high school. It¡¯s a waste of time. Girls liked older men¡­ It was my experience of school anyway.

    Interested in what she was searching for or for whom, I kept my eyes on her. She began in the front and scanned the hall as she sat down, maybe looking for a boyfriend. Disappointed, she shrugged her shoulders in a kind of fun way. The three of them seemed like they were good friends. I was just out of her line of sight. The guy with them pointed with his thumb in my direction. She had to slightly turn her body to see what he was gesturing at. When she did, she looked right at me. I was waiting for her eyes to narrow and tell me to stuff off. Our gazes locked. Even in those few seconds¡­ What her eyes told me was the total opposite. I sucked in a breath as my core reacted to the unfamiliar feelings... of her appreciation. Eyes; a snare of dreamy, icy blue enticements. She was even more stunning than the glances I caught from the side. Our entanglement was brief. She shifted uncomfortably, averting her gaze. Her friends shook their heads at her. She fisted the guy¡¯s shoulder. I laughed softly and kept my eyes on them. There was an inside joke going on.

    At that exact moment, the principal made his appearance. I murmured under my breath. I wish I could say I was able to concentrate for the rest of the half-hour, but it was futile as my thoughts turned dark rather than control themselves. They were rewarded minutes later when our eyes met again. I knew she was looking at me¡­ That she had searched the hall for me. The hot-blooded energy oozing from her was alluring under hooded eyelids; I didn¡¯t think she realized she possessed- it - because there was no flirting in her manner. Only honest interest. She didn¡¯t seem that young, either. The dimmed light behind her eyes said¡­ she had been through a lot and was all grown up. It didn¡¯t help that she glanced back several times and caught me still fixated on her. She didn¡¯t want to blatantly stare me down. Questions bombarded me; Who is she? Why have I never noticed her? Is she a senior¡­ Will she have a class with me that year? The thought of seeing her every day, having her so close, made me shift around in my seat.

    Unfortunately, the one time I did raise my eyes off the irresistibility in front of me, I saw my wife. The sight drew a groan from me, and my stomach twisted. My heart hardened instantly. I hated that feeling of resentment. Walls I erected out of necessity. I didn¡¯t even want to think about Sita, let alone how she made me feel... I would rather¡­ My eyes drifted back to fix on the girl. There is no feeling like the one where you know someone¡¯s eyes are on you without looking. Your body filled with pulses of anticipation, making it impossible to finish the thoughts I had about my wife. And then, to be sure, she was waiting for me. One look broke down all my defenses.

    The first period was agony for me; scared she would walk into my homeroom class. I wanted her to run through the door, but I also didn¡¯t. That one moment changed my whole outlook on life. It made me feel alive again, thinking that someone saw me! For the rest of the week, during breaks, I caught myself searching the grounds for her, watching the halls just to see her again, hoping she would appear in front of me as she did that Monday morning and make my day a little better. A lot better. But I couldn¡¯t find her. It was as if she disappeared. Of course, catching myself thinking about a student made me uneasy, but not enough, and I couldn¡¯t help myself. Feelings I thought I would never have again- surfaced- and hit me like a wave, plummeting me into the relief I had long forgotten about. I assured myself I would probably see her in assembly the following Monday. I couldn¡¯t wait.

    ***

    Juliet

    I avoided Chris for the rest of the week. Like most days, it was as if I didn¡¯t exist. I never wanted him to know about me. Being invisible around him was one thing. Him looking at me like that¡­ was a whole other story. I had to give myself some space. A way to control my emotions so I didn¡¯t manifest at school or do something stupid that could put him in danger. The following Monday, I was so nervous I didn¡¯t want to enter the auditorium. I waited in the back of the hall, leaning against the doorframe. If all else failed, I would stand right there¡­ so I could run if I needed to or disappear behind a door like I had been doing most of my life.

    I was only anxious because I wanted to see where he would sit, wondering if the last week really happened. I was happy to see him in his new seat, not in his usual place where he had no view out over the hall. That was my past time¡­ fantasizing about Chris. Carl and Charlene thought I was crazy. They said I would fall flat on my face at some point. It was probably true. They also believed I would have my heart broken, leaving me disappointed. What they didn¡¯t know was I had no expectations. I was cruelly aware of my situation. How devastating reality could be. Chris is human¡­ I¡¯m a vampire. My friends also didn¡¯t know that since I manifested and started sucking people dry, I¡¯d killed nearly 300 humans. Besides that, I could boast of my one long-term boyfriend, if you could call -one year- a long-term relationship. In high school, it was probably a big deal. It ended in me already with a broken heart. He had meant something to me. That idiot was probably up on the balcony. So I might be a romantic, my thoughts might be in the clouds, but na?ve and ignorant¡­ not so much. It was harder for me to contain my vampire lust as I got older, and together with all of this and much more, it left me challenged to fit into the adolescent scene.

    Chris was searching the hall, probably for me. Suddenly aware of me. I had seen him come out of his shell that week, out of his class, and smiling. Just out¡­ Present. It did feel good to be the cause of such a sudden change in him. He¡¯s handsome with his light brown hair. A full head of hair I wanted to run my fingers through¡­ again¡­ at some point¡­ He wore it longer than other men his age. He seemed the arty type with his brooding demeanor and the way he dressed. Chris wasn¡¯t at all creative. He played men¡¯s hockey, taught computer science at school, and was into everything IT. So, basically, it made him an average guy.

    I was happy when I thought about him, but it brought me back to my mom and dad and our activities over the weekend. I constantly had to compare his mundane human life to mine. Hunting and killing people was a part of my routine. Urgh, I always bummed myself out, getting so moody about how different I was. I lifted my arm to see how many scratches I had picked up. I went a little overboard. There was some complication with our ¡°hunt.¡± My wounds would soon heal.

    Chris couldn¡¯t find me, and he wouldn¡¯t if I didn¡¯t want him to. I had years of practice in observing from a distance. I also left Carl and Charlene to sit alone on the floor. I wanted to be able to enjoy my view and not have Chris interfere with my fantasies of what could be.

 2. Feelings Develop Over Time

    2. Feelings Develop Over Time

    Chris

    Our staring contest began and went on for months; it had been half a year of toying with each other from a distance. Every Monday was an emotional rollercoaster because, in some assemblies, she wouldn¡¯t even be sitting down; other weeks, she would sit in such a way that we could see each other directly without anyone being able to notice our¡ªinterchange. Those were the most difficult days. She was in one corner of the hall at the back, and I was in the opposite corner across from her. The balcony above gave us cover and put us in a shadow. As soon as everyone¡¯s attention was on the stage¡­ all the rules flew out the window. It was as if she needed the courage to flirt with me, or she was just as confused as I was. The whole situation was frustrating me, waiting from week to week to catch a glimpse. Then there were the holidays. It had been torture not seeing her for some time, but we were back at school after one, and I was almost frantic to know when she would surface.

    The new term was in full swing, and that day after school, I had to coach track and field. High-bar practice times were later in the afternoon, and I hadn¡¯t seen her all week. The situation was ridiculous. Subconsciously, I was thinking of her, and I couldn¡¯t understand how she could avoid me so carefully. It felt like I was going insane. I¡¯m getting emotionally invested- or physically- who knows? ¡°Am I really going to have to wait another week to see her?¡± I whispered to myself. ¡°I should really stop doing that¡­ talking to myself.¡±

    ¡°Did you say something, Mr. Rheed?¡± One of my students asked.

    I shook my head. I never used to talk to myself; somewhere along the line, I got into the habit¡­ as if someone was always listening. I gestured with my chin toward the beam so he could jump the last turn of the day, and we were finally done. The kid walked up to me after. I told him he did great and tried to talk him up for that weekend¡¯s competition. Seemed like he got some encouragement from it. I clapped my hands together. All the students present took hold of a piece of equipment to pack up the gear. It was a priority of mine to have a good relationship with my students, and I walked a long road with some of them as the years passed. Knowing I had impure thoughts about¡ªone of them¡ªwas a serious problem. It was the first time it had ever happened, but it didn¡¯t make my conscience feel any better.

    After locking the door to the store room, all the kids dispersed for home. I grabbed my bag and lifted the strap over my head. I had parked close to the gates of the sports field, so I didn¡¯t have to go all the way back to the school grounds parking lot. I walked toward the top of the bleachers, then looked down at the grassy field where the hurdle athletes were still practicing and making a last hundred-meter sprint down the length of the strip. Six girls were flying over the obstacles, racing against each other. I stopped to watch that year¡¯s talent when I saw her running the closest lane past me. She gave it her all until she crossed the finish line, winning by a good margin. I had stopped breathing again. My heart flopped around like a fish dying on land, seeing her like that, out of the blue¡­ Being able to actually take in all of her from a distance, doing something else than what I was used to. She was her own person, enjoying something, good at something. She bent over, panting, resting her hands on her knees to cool down after the sprint. Her long legs were painfully visible in her tiny athletics shorts, ass in the air. A crop top tightly spanned over her now visible breasts. A long strand of hair from a ponytail hung down next to her face. My mouth was dry. It took me a few swallows to get myself together. ¡°Oh, crap,¡± I muttered. How the hell was I going to move on from that¡­ What irritated me most was that I called her and all the other females in the school ¡°girls.¡± That was what they were. Where did my decency go? Did I have any self-control? The more the year progressed, the worse I felt¡­ ¡°I should go see a priest or something.¡±

    My old friend, Mr. Schneider, approached her with his stopwatch in hand. He touched her shoulder while she was slumped over. I took an involuntary step forward and growled. She looked at the watch and then up at his face, beaming and happy. He nodded, smiled to acknowledge her accomplishment, and patted her on the back, probably congratulating her. They were sharing a moment. I cursed. An occurrence he would¡¯ve had many times with some of his students. Real pride and excitement for them. I had done that before. It was no big deal. There was nothing wrong with it, but my gut didn¡¯t agree.

    Her torso lifted, and her hands came to rest on her hips, painfully revealing the cleft of her small breasts. She circled towards the bleachers, taking a few deep breaths. I did as well, waiting to see her reaction when she saw me. Our eyes met, her body stiffened briefly, and her hands dropped off her sides. She breathed in deeply but turned away quickly to pick up a hurdle in a jerky motion. I cursed again. My friend was trailing beside her, speaking as she picked up another hurdle and rested both on her shoulders. She was so comfortable with him, and they shared more moments. Jealousy surfaced for the first time. If I was having impure thoughts about her, it meant other men were noticing her, too. That usually happened after a certain age, didn¡¯t it? Girls became women.

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    After jealousy, there was a raging need. A desperation she had awakened inside of me, and I wanted satisfaction. I had buried that part of me, and it seemed to react only to her. ¡°Is this a midlife crisis? Is this how it starts?¡± I shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m way too young for that!¡± Scared of my own feelings, I took the safe path and turned on my heels, walking back the way I came, giving myself time to cool down. My friend would¡¯ve called me over if I had gone past them. He might even tell me her name. That couldn¡¯t happen. I would have to stay away from her. No! Avoid her at all costs.

    My ridiculous situation at home didn¡¯t help my resolve. My wife was there¡­ but she wasn¡¯t there¡­ absent in every way. Most days, the house¡¯s emptiness left me drained and lonely. There was nothing left anymore but conflict and problems. Our relationship had been like that for three years, and I couldn¡¯t take it anymore¡­ No, I didn¡¯t want to. We got married, and everything changed. Sita turned into a completely different person overnight. I wanted a relationship, but not the one I got. She didn¡¯t touch me. Never talked to me. Avoided me. We didn¡¯t even sleep together in the same room anymore. Hadn¡¯t for two years. Recently, at night¡­ I locked myself in my study because I had found an escape. A beautiful woman with a gorgeous smile. One who still blushed¡­ when I just looked at her. She didn¡¯t seem like one of those women who would make an issue out of a small thing. ¡°Oh, what do you know? You don¡¯t know her at all.¡± She was only a tiny fantasy, I told myself, opening up thoughts of leaving my wife and starting over. It didn¡¯t have to be with this girl.

    ***

    Some more weeks passed like that, living from Monday to Monday. I wish I could say I was strong and avoided her like I said I would, but before I knew it, I sat in that chair along the wall, letting her eyes undress me. Our staring wasn¡¯t so uncomfortable anymore. It had become¡­ natural. She did it with so much practice that no one would even know. Sometimes, I wondered if I might have had the whole thing wrong. She would be speaking with someone, or she would find me in a crowd, pierce me with a quick glance, and keep talking, pretending to be interested in other things. All I had to do was wait¡­ Those bedroom eyes would always find mine again, ensuring I was still there focused on her.

    Sports practice also got the better of me. After I finished for the day, I would walk over to my friend to greet him and chat like always, wanting to ask him about her. I didn¡¯t. I knew it would make him suspicious. She avoided us and steered clear, walking circles around us, and it made me think she was uncomfortable with me that close. It never went any further than the secret acknowledgment we had going. I had come to a point where I didn¡¯t care... A little closer to her was all I needed.

    I would see my priest in jail¡­

    ***

    Juliet

    Those last few weeks after Chris saw me on the sports field for the first time were difficult. He was moving closer, more and more, and I pulled away little by little, just waiting in the shadows. There were some moments when I was caught off guard. We would make eye contact over the quad or down a corridor. It was brief, but the emotions etched in our eyes were not. My obsession had become tangible, and I knew if I moved only an inch closer, it would spiral out of control. I was addicted to the game and followed him more after school so I could see him alone. Spend time with him.

    Even if I was only a high school student, I knew what love was and felt it was different with Chris. To me, it wasn¡¯t some fling of attraction, and I didn¡¯t want to rush in there and screw it up. Yet, the pull I experienced toward that man was growing. If it was at all possible. I couldn¡¯t explain it. There had always been something about him. He was older and more mature with delicate features, a loner with soft brown eyes¡ªas if he was also not human¡ªsame as me. And somehow, Chris would fit right into my world.

    I didn¡¯t want him to have the wrong idea about us or me, but I couldn¡¯t get myself to break the habit¡­ I was consumed with the desire to see him... The thing was that one could be obsessed from far off. So, I steered clear and was happy to have the fantasy that there was something more going on and the possibilities for the future. The only reason he saw me was because he changed his seat on a Monday.

    I didn¡¯t tell my parents; too scared they would freak out about me liking another human. After my first bout with a one, they would be reluctant. I got more lectures from my friends¡­ Carl and Charlene noticed Chris¡¯s behavior change, yet his wife, on the other hand, seemed too stupid to notice. I still got a funny vibe from her and avoided going anywhere close to where she would be.

 3. They Are Going To Meet

    3. They Are Going To Meet

    Chris

    No matter how old I was, I never got used to being called into the principal¡¯s office. That Tuesday morning was no different¡­ I was nervous when the older man sat behind his desk and watched me for a moment. There could¡¯ve been a million reasons why he would summon me. Not knowing what it was about, my thoughts were a nervous mess. Maybe she reported me. She had been acting differently since I invaded her space. Or even worse, someone had noticed my unnatural interest in a student.

    When he talked, and it wasn¡¯t at all about my sins¡­ I relaxed, exhaling slowly, and sat back in the chair. I didn¡¯t register what he was saying. It only sank in when I left the office, and giving me the task of fundraising wasn¡¯t at all bad, considering. He told me about one of the families of the school who was financially well off. I was tasked to approach the kid for help. The bleachers needed a revamp or even replacement. It was a significant expense the school would probably never be able to afford without outside help. I didn¡¯t understand how he thought approaching the family¡¯s child would be the best course of action, but there I was on my mission¡­ Searching for the daughter of that family.

    Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if the principal did his own marketing? Shaking my head, I walked to the receptionist¡¯s desk to find out what class the kid was in at that moment. At least he said he would step in if I couldn¡¯t get anything done. Maybe that was his strategy all along; using me to do his dirty work and prepping the family for a call from the principal. In that case, I gave him credit. It wasn¡¯t like I could say no.

    Miss Lucas was behind the office counter, sliding a paper across to me. All it contained was a name and a schedule for the day. ¡°Juliet Farrow,¡± I read out loud.

    ¡°Yeah, she is at her second language class with Mrs. Barton.¡± Miss Lucas answered with a very nasally-sounding voice. I thanked her and made my way there.

    Walking into the class a few minutes later, I asked Mrs. Barton if I could briefly talk to that student. She called out to Juliet, but no one stood up or raised their hands. I quickly scanned the room with her. Nothing. We looked at each other simultaneously, ¡°Is she in another class, maybe?¡±

    ¡°No, she was just here.¡±

    A kid raised his hand and spoke at the same time, ¡°Mrs. Barton, Juliet was called to the office earlier.¡± I recognized the student immediately. Carl was that girl¡¯s close friend. He was in my computer class.

    ¡°Oh, yes, that¡¯s right. Juliet hasn¡¯t come back yet.¡± Irritated, I thanked her and walked towards the door. ¡°Sorry, she left about twenty minutes ago¡­ I must have forgotten.¡±

    I turned. ¡°No worries. I just came from there. We must¡¯ve missed each other.¡±

    Mrs. Barton smiled, and as she did, the bell rang for the next period. I muttered under my breath. I couldn¡¯t stay there waiting for her¡­ I didn¡¯t want to take a chance to miss her again; I had a class of my own. I took the second option. The kids hurriedly peeled out the door; I grabbed Carl by the collar and pulled him aside. ¡°Are you seeing Juliet in the next period?¡± I asked and pushed him even more out of the way of the traffic of kids. It was loud from all the chatter in the hallway, so Carl only nodded. ¡°Will you ask her to come and see me?¡±

    The boy in front of me was taller than I was. I¡¯d not realized how big Carl was. Whenever he sat in my class, I wanted to ask him about his friend. It had bugged me for weeks. All I had to do was take one step closer, and I would find out her name. I was determined not to make a stupid mistake and never asked anyone about her. While I waited for Carl to respond, another student joined us. I recognized Charlene immediately, too. She went to stand behind Carl, a little to the side. She also took my class with Carl. Charlene was that girl¡¯s best friend, or so it seemed to me. The three of them were always together. Charlene was a little shorter than me. She was almost as beautiful as her friend, but nothing special about her. Staring at her, she smiled at me while another thousand thoughts ran through my mind. I finally glanced back at Carl because he was laughing. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    He looked back at Charlene. Her eyes drifted anxiously to the floor.  ¡°I don¡¯t think Juliet would believe me if I told her you wanted to see her.¡±

    Shocked at the response, I cocked my head. I was oblivious to his insinuation, having a mental deformity of having my head buried in the sand; it didn¡¯t even cross my mind that the girl on the paper was my girl from the hall.

    Charlene punched Carl on the shoulder and told him to stop messing around, ¡°Come on, Carl.¡±

    They walked past me. Carl followed Charlene out of the sticky situation. ¡°I will try to tell her.¡± He kept joking.

    I lifted my chin, frowning at the two. I didn¡¯t think much of Carl¡¯s behavior or words; he was the class clown, and after that, my day got so busy with work I completely forgot about my task.

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    The bell rang to announce the last period of the day, and I realized no one had come to see me. I didn¡¯t have another class and wanted to get it over with. Give the boss a good report. ¡°Where is this girl?¡± Getting a hold of her was becoming more difficult than I expected. ¡°Did Carl forget to give her the message?¡± I took a deep breath and exhaled, trying to rid myself of the irritation. My fuse had become shorter and shorter. I walked over to my table, resigned my control over the situation, and picked up the paper, checking where Juliet Farrow would be in her last period. I glowered at the sheet; she had geography. That¡¯s Mr. Schneider¡¯s class, on the other side of the school. I was taking another chance but hauled ass, wondering if I would have enough time to get there and talk to her.

    Half walking, half running, I sped through the door faster than usual. The more time I had to talk to Juliet, the better it would be. In the process, I interrupted my friend, who was mid-sentence, while giving his class. I was so used to being informal around him I didn¡¯t think twice. He quickly met my eye, perplexed that I wasn¡¯t waiting at the door until he was at a part of his lesson where he could stop what he was doing. Smiling, I slapped him on the shoulder and told him my mission from the principal and that I  had already wasted the whole day and couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He relented, nodded, and turned toward the class to call out the name, ¡°Juliet! Quickly come to the front.¡± He got no response.

    ¡°Juliet!¡±

    ***

    Juliet

    Earlier That Day

    I made it only halfway through my second period when I returned from the office, sitting beside Charlene. With a foot, she pushed my bag across the floor. ¡°Thank You.¡± I bent down and dug out my books. As I came up, Charlene was about to say something, but Carl leaned over towards me and cut her off, ¡°You would not believe what just happened!¡±

    My pen hit my chin in succession as I pretended to think. Nothing exciting ever happened in that place, not to the degree his face had lit up. I struck a blank and said, ¡°What? Did Mario finally dump Jennifer?¡± Charlene snickered at my dig at the two people in school who broke up and got back together every weekend.

    Carl was indignant, ¡°No!¡± He said, shaking his head.

    Wanting in on the action, Charlene laughed, her hands moving about and up in the air, ¡°No! Way bigger than that! Go big!¡±

    Frustrated, I let my shoulders slump and clucked my tongue, ¡°I don¡¯t know! Nothing ever happens in this place, so tell me quickly!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Rheed¡­ came to our first period and was looking for you.¡± This did get my attention. ¡°He wants you to go and see him as soon as possible,¡± Carl said, feeling so full of himself like I was going to give him a gold star or something. And because of their eagerness, I scoffed. My eyes drifted between the two of them, scrutinizing them for a second. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± I snorted. ¡°You guys are trying to get me to make a total fool of myself.¡±

    ¡°No, really!¡± Carl exclaimed. ¡°Why would we do that?¡±

    ¡°Because you have nothing better to do. Now¡­ leave me alone. I need to catch up on two periods¡¯ worth of work.¡±

    ¡°No, really, Jules¡­ He needs to see you about something,¡± Charlene tried to persuade me.

    Our eyes met¡­ Charlene seemed sincere, but I couldn¡¯t take that chance. I shook my head. ¡°I would believe you about anything¡­ but not about that! I know I¡¯m easy to make fun of. But this is low¡­ even for you two.¡±  Jokingly, I took my pen and tapped Charlene lightly on her nose. The two stared at me, computing how I would make a fool of myself, all by myself. Their eyes met in mutual understanding. Carl shrugged and turned back to his table to face his books, and Charlene did the same.

    ***

    We entered our last period a little late. Mr. Schneider¡¯s class was so far away from the rest of the school¡ªit took a while to get there. Chairs scraped on the floor, pupils chattered; nevertheless, he began his lesson regardless. Everyone settled down as chalk hit the board. Geography was one of my favorite classes and the highlight of my day. I actually looked forward to that period.

    It was about twenty minutes later, while I was diligently scribbling in my notepad and Charlene was still listening in my periphery, that I also noticed Carl looking back over his shoulder. Charlene¡¯s finger jumped up and pointed repeatedly to the front. It distracted me even more. Carl¡¯s reaction didn¡¯t disappoint her. The two made such a fuss the other students wanted to know what was happening. I minded my own business until Carl leaned toward me and whispered, ¡°There, you¡¯ve done it now. Didn¡¯t want to listen to us.¡±

    I shook my head at him out of habit and narrowed my eyes, ¡°What are you on about?¡± I heard my name, but it hadn¡¯t registered yet. I was focused on trying to figure out what Carl meant. I heard my name again more loudly. My head shot up, kind of irritated with them. Mr. Schneider was looking right at me, gesturing with his fingers for me to come to the front. I glanced to his right. Chris was standing next to his friend. My heart stopped¡ªdriving me into an inactive anxiousness.

    I peered at Carl and Charlene, who were snickering at me. ¡°Help me. Tell him you forgot to tell me,¡± I whispered wide-eyed at Carl. He shrugged. Charlene lightly tapped my nose with her pen. They proceeded to push and pull me out of my chair, dragging me halfway down the aisle, abandoning me to my fate. There was no choice but to approach the two men chatting. I snuck a peek at Chris, just to realize he hadn¡¯t noticed me yet. I didn¡¯t want to see his reaction, so I focused on Mr. Schneider¡¯s face. He told me to talk outside so he could finish his lesson, and I would have to catch up. Nodding, my gaze traveled to a dumbstruck Chris staring at me. My heart skipped a beat. No, it raced frantically¡­ It felt like my insides would churn¡ª until they burst. Chris had no clue he would meet me that day. His features were unreadable, but we couldn¡¯t stand there until he was with me again, so I walked out the door. I felt him following me and kept going until we were a safe distance from the class but not so far it would seem weird.

    For a minute, I couldn¡¯t even face him. Stupid, stupid, Juliet! It wouldn¡¯t be this awkward if you¡¯d listened to Carl. He had to come and find you¡­ Again! What to do, What to do? I was biting my lip nervously while Chris stood gawking at me. My sweaty hands were stupidly clasped in front of my body, still unable to lift my eyes at him. My brain was a no-show; I was fumbling, trying to figure out an excuse for why I didn¡¯t go to see him.

 4. They Meet

    4. They Meet

    Chris

    After calling the girl a second time, I was joking with my friend about something he had said in the break room. I wasn¡¯t focused and didn¡¯t notice who walked up to us. He pointed towards the aisle, ¡°Here she is.¡± I was a little ticked off that I had to go all the way there and run after her, entirely forgetting we were in her debt. I swung my shoulder in the direction he was gesturing. Nothing could¡¯ve prepared me for being so close to the¡­ Not a girl, but a woman, standing in front of me. It was her¡­ I stared and speechlessly followed as she walked out the door, glad someone was using their brain.

    She kept going while I tried to think of something to say; talking to her about money seemed like the last thing I should do. I don¡¯t know how long we stood there, me staring at her pretty lips, her avoiding my eyes. Again, it seemed like she had to muster up some courage before lifting her head. She finally did, and my breath caught as our eyes locked like magnets, searching, clinging to the moment we had both longed for. She was only an arm¡¯s length, and her icy blue eyes pulled me in as if being close to each other was normal. Her scent had become so familiar to me. I wanted to remember that moment forever. I probably will.

    I tried to speak, but everything seemed trivial. I didn¡¯t want to sound like a teacher either or even worse, an elder speaking to a young person. Damn, was I that old that I couldn¡¯t talk to the opposite sex anymore? Nervously, I uttered, ¡°Juliet?¡± That made her smile. Little mischievous lines formed from her nose to the corners of her mouth. She shouldn¡¯t have done that. It took all my willpower not to fall at her feet, begging her to be mine. The vision of me in the dirt in front of her didn¡¯t bother me. After Sita, I felt I would never beg anyone to love me again. Juliet¡ªI rolled the name around¡ªmight make me.

    I was hoping for some type of reprieve and consequently clenched my fist around the sheet of paper in my hand; feeling it crinkle, distracted me for a moment. I looked at it again, repeating her name slowly¡­ ¡°Ju¡­liet Farrow?¡± My eyes lifted to ensure I needed to ask my girl for money. Repeating her name a second time made the corners of her mouth lift again. I felt stupid only speaking, but then red blotches caught my attention, spreading across her chest and neck. She was blushing. I was not the only one feeling stupid. Our meeting was embarrassing her. The red kept moving deep into her cheeks.

    Frowning, I  tried to understand the girl. Why was she embarrassed? She folded her arms over her chest. I smiled and chuckled. Embarrassed but still tried to keep face. Her jaw flexed,  gritting her teeth. I didn¡¯t want to embarrass her. I wanted to tell her how beautiful she was and that it didn¡¯t matter¡­ It didn¡¯t look stupid or childish. It made her whole face light up. She was cute, biting her bottom lip between her teeth. The gesture fixed my eyes in place. My thoughts moved from kneeling in front of her to kissing her, and the image of me dragging her mouth onto mine made me glance away, clearing my throat. Talking about money was better than lusting, I supposed.

    ¡°Juliet, I know we don¡¯t know each other at all, and you haven¡¯t had any classes with me, but I have to talk to you about something.¡± She said nothing, so I continued, ¡°I oversee the final sports gathering at the end of the term. With that came the responsibility of asking someone for help. Aa¡­ sponsorship. To make the school aesthetics a little better. A lot of schools are coming to participate.¡±

    It was like she wasn¡¯t listening to me, but I had to keep going, ¡°The bleacher on the upper field needs a do-over or even replacement. I hoped you could talk to your dad and get him to help.¡±

    After my speech, I felt horrible. That was not how I imagined our first meeting going. Juliet¡¯s eyes shot up when my words sunk in. Her arms dropped spontaneously. I couldn¡¯t discern what was written on her face, but she seemed to relax. A heavy breath let her shoulders lower even more. ¡°So, you wanted to talk to me about money?¡± She bobbed her head, answering her own question. Juliet drew in an overdue breath, ¡°I can ask him¡­ My dad. I think he will help.¡±

    ¡°If you could give him this quotation from the supplier,¡± I stopped talking to remove the paper from my pants pocket. Handing it to her, she took it quickly, grasping only the outer edge of the paper, making sure not to let our fingers touch. That slight reluctance unnerved me. I wasn¡¯t lusting anymore because she wanted nothing to do with me. Avoiding my eyes, then my touch. Avoiding me at the sports grounds. Even some assemblies. Not coming to see me that day. Did I really have this¡­ all wrong?

    ¡°I will go now, Sir,¡± Juliet said, stepping away, suggesting that the conversation was over. She wanted to leave¡­? I heard myself say that there was something else I needed to discuss with her. There was no way I was letting her go like that. We had been stealing glances and searching for each other for months, and what? Nothing? It was not how that moment would end. Fed up with my life, I dug deep for some courage; I was a man, after all. Thinking about everything brought me back to the fact that I had to go all the way there to talk to her. I was reminded of what Carl had said, ¡°I don¡¯t think she would believe us if we told her you were looking for her.¡± It kept going around and around in my mind.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come and see me earlier today?¡± I blurted out.

    Her posture changed so quickly, folding her arms over her chest in a defensive stance. She looked away and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Carl did tell me, but I forgot. I got so busy, and it slipped my mind. It won¡¯t happen again, sir.¡±

    For crying out loud, the ¡°sir¡± again. The word went right up my spine. A little too much emphasis there, probably to push me away. Getting back at her, I said, ¡°That is not what Carl said this morning. He said you would not believe him if they told you I wanted to see you. Why is that¡­ Juliet?¡± I emphasized her name a little more than I should have, closing the gap she was creating between us. Again, red spread over her skin. I jerked my head back in surprise. How could anyone be so easily embarrassed? What was going on?

    She cut off my thinking, moving past me, saying, ¡°Oh, he is never serious about anything. Forget about it.¡±

    From, I don¡¯t know where¡­ I grabbed her wrist, feeling even that tiny distance too intensely. The idea of her leaving was too much. Juliet was trying to pull her arm free. Stunned at my own actions, I wanted to let her go. She was yanking her arm. My fingers clasped instinctively over her wrist until she knew she wasn¡¯t going anywhere. She spun around, looking at my hand on her wrist. I was bracing for her death stare. The one that could put anyone in their place. I smiled, thinking about it. I would take it. Anything but letting go. Our eyes met. Instead of disgust, hers were filled with fear. Panic etched on her features. Her head shook slightly, ¡°No, no, no! Not now! Why did you touch me?¡± Her words packed a punch, and they hurt my feelings. She didn¡¯t want me to touch her. I had violated her space. Pained, I reluctantly let go of her. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Her words came out exasperated. She grabbed my hand and held it in hers. We stood there like that for a moment. My eyes were on the feeling of her desperately clutching onto me. Whatever was going on had nothing to do with me. She jerked away and disappeared right in front of me. Gone into thin air. In disbelief, I closed my eyes, shaking my head. I stood there and risked a peek. She was still not... there. The space she had occupied moments ago was empty. I had my answer¡­ I was not expecting that. Dumbfounded, I glanced around, and at the class door, fearful someone might have seen what happened. The wall was covered in windows, but they were all high up because it was a science lab. No one could have seen anything.

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    I turned stupidly in a circle. ¡°What just happened? Where the hell did she go?¡± The bell rang, and students appeared in the doorway, leaving me standing there, trying to keep my composure yet slowly losing it on the inside, holding on by a thread.

    Carl and Charlene came over. ¡°Where is Juliet?¡± Charlene asked.

    I didn¡¯t know. How was I supposed to know? The petrified look on Juliet¡¯s face before disappearing made me shake my head. When I spoke, my voice sounded tight even to me, ¡°She¡­ had to go to the bathroom.¡± I cleared my throat. Not convincing at all.

    Carl and Charlene scrutinized me, ¡°I will take her bag,¡± Charlene said skeptically, as if she suspected there was more I wasn¡¯t saying. She wasn¡¯t wrong. There was a whole lot I wasn¡¯t saying. ¡°Usually, she meets up with us at the south gate.¡±

    I faked a smile and bobbed my head nervously, ¡°If she comes back to class, I¡¯ll tell her¡­ I¡¯m waiting for Mr. Schneider anyway,¡± I said quickly to make them move along.

    ¡°Thanks, Mr. Rheed.¡± They both smiled and left with the rest of the crowd.

    When all the students were out of sight, I hurried to the side of the building to hide until my friend left for the day. It took a while until I at last heard the key turn in the lock. He took the few steps down from the corridor onto the ground. I rested my head on the wall, peering at the sky, waiting for his footfall to disappear completely. I closed my eyes, contemplating my options. Waiting. Still amazed at what had happened.

    I slowly walked over to where we stood earlier, searching the ground for clues¡­ footprints¡­ or dimensional portals that opened in the meantime. I waited some more, hoping Juliet would appear again. Frustrated, I stretched my arm out in front of me, feeling the air like I was searching. All of it felt strangely familiar¡­ I turned slowly in a circle. My palms moved up and down like I would find her if I tried hard enough.

    ***

    Juliet

    I had mixed feelings when Chris began speaking to me about the sponsorship. I was relieved he didn¡¯t foolishly start flirting with me or making advances. His reaction to seeing me was as visceral as mine. Things between us had built up so much. We were already invested¡­ Both of us didn¡¯t really know what to do. I could feel myself wanting to manifest and disappear. I had to do all I could to keep myself under control. I tried to leave. Escape and get space from the situation. I felt stupid, blushing like a child¡­

    Then he told me what Carl had done. I faltered at saying anything coherent after that. I had never been so angry at my best friend in the years we had known each other. Why would Carl say that to Chris? He could¡¯ve been more specific. Idiot, I might have listened to them.

    Done with the embarrassment! Done with the emotions! Knowing my vampire limitation, I needed to get out of there fast. Decided, I stomped off no matter what. Whether he had something to say or if he was my superior, I was leaving. It had been a long time since something like that had happened, and it was a very long time since I felt that out of control. I almost manifested when he grabbed my wrist. The touch of his skin on mine kindled every feeling it had to. Honed my senses to every movement of his fingers. It took all my faculties not to turn into a vampire. Something was going to happen, so I chose my ability rather than Chris seeing me like¡ªthat.

    My back was turned to him, and I reacted by fighting to get loose. He didn¡¯t let go, no matter how hard I tried. I was stuck¡­ How could I explain it to him? When he let go, his eyes were full of hurt. I grabbed onto his hand, wanting the confusion between us gone¡­ It was all a mess! We both disappear at the same time¡­ Geeze! What the hell. I totally forgot I could do that¡­ I yanked my hand away from him. The look on his face changed from confusion to¡­ wtf. He couldn¡¯t see me anymore. I was gone, and he was back in the real world.

    Would Chris see the wonder in all of it? Or would he be disgusted when I tell him what I am? The fear was there that Chris would tell his wife or friend? But... he didn¡¯t leave or freak out, pretending the best he could. I was holding my breath¡­ I didn¡¯t know him¡­ Or how he would react to something supernatural. My whole life could have changed if I hadn¡¯t handled it correctly. Carl and Charlene walked past. My two best friends didn¡¯t even know about my ability, and I was scared about what they would say! The two most open-minded people I knew. We had been friends for so long, but it could all blow up with one simple manifestation. With his hands in his pockets and eyes cast to the ground, Chris waited for all the kids to disappear. He hid around the corner, resting his head against the wall, moving from side to side, muttering to himself. I wanted to put my head on his shoulder and tell him everything was okay¡­ Like I did that day at the stream. He wasn¡¯t freaked out then. It was maybe why I had faith in him¡­ I couldn¡¯t. I needed to wait. To see what he was going to come up with.

    What he did next surprised me. He walked around the area where we were standing earlier, searching for clues. I didn¡¯t understand what he thought he would see there. After that yielded no results, he took another moment to think. He stretched his arm out, moving it up and down and in a circle around him. A bark of laughter escaped me. He looked like a fool, feeling the air like that. Crazy even.

    ¡°Juliet, are you there?¡± He whispered.

    I laughed even louder. My head suddenly snapped at a noise I heard in the distance... There was someone around the corner; leaves and twigs were snapping under feet. Seeing a movement, I hurried over to flush out whoever was there, spying on us. The spot was empty. I could clearly pick up a scent and in which direction they had gone. It even seemed vaguely familiar. I could¡¯ve followed the person, but when I looked back at the useless human still feeling around like a crazy person, it pulled on my heartstrings. I felt terrible for laughing at him. He was worried about me, and I was concerned about him. He¡¯s not going to say anything. Whoever was spying on us, though¡­ either saw us vanishing or just Chris doing weird stuff.

    Resigned, I disappeared and walked back over to him. With my emotions back under control, I had to decide if I would appear in front of him again or leave, waiting for another time to explain. I went to stand really close to him. His fingers raked through his hair, ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to do.¡±

    ¡°Who would?¡±

    It happened so fast. Chris stretched out one last time to see if he could find me. It resulted in his fingers touching my arm. He gasped, wide-eyed, quickly taking a firm hold of me, squeezing my flesh. His face lit up, ¡°I knew it!¡±

    ¡°What the hell?¡± I yelled. I tried to get out of his grip¡ªagain. He didn¡¯t let me go until I relaxed. Slowly, he slid his hand down my arm, ¡°Juliet¡­ I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on¡­.¡± Chris was going for my hand. My breath quickened. Too fast for him, I jumped away. It was getting way too real. Not only could I touch him, but he could find me, and he knew it.

 5. Cowardice

    5. Cowardice

    Juliet

    After my freak-out, I went to the closest bathroom,  found an open stall, and came out of my vanished state behind a door. I checked the time. It was about half an hour after school. Charlene and Carl would be waiting for me. She had my bag, and I needed to go home. I felt lousy that I didn¡¯t go back to talk to Chris; seeing someone else disappear right before your eyes would make an average person go off the deep end. Even if I couldn¡¯t face him, I wanted to know he was okay. Standing around a corner from his class, I waited. A few minutes later, he came from where we were earlier. I sighed, glad it was over for the time being.

    I made my way to the gate, where my two friends were with a big group of kids in the parking lot. Everyone was standing around their cars, talking and joking around. We usually bummed a ride from someone. That day, I didn¡¯t feel like sitting in a car with a bunch of strangers while they dropped everyone off. I took my bag from Charlene and told them I wanted to walk home. She and Carl were too curious to hear all that happened and agreed readily.

    We greeted everyone and made our way out the gate, ¡°Come on, Jules, I¡¯ll give you a ride home,¡± Jerry said as we walked past him. He was my biggest mistake in high school so far. I thought he was a good guy when we first got together; a year later, he turned into an absolute idiot. It had been over between us for a long time. Come to think about it, we broke up over the summer holidays just before Chris and I began our staring contest. Jerry wouldn¡¯t let us go, and he even got a job at the school after he graduated. He was probably still upset I didn¡¯t put out anymore, hoping I¡¯d eventually change my mind. The first time he shouted at me¡­ he also got violent and shoved me on the shoulder. I almost lost it. He should be glad I didn¡¯t have my vampire strength yet; I would¡¯ve killed him and buried his body in another state or donated him to a werewolf pen.

    ¡°That¡¯s never going to happen, you fool!¡± I said so everyone could hear me. ¡°I hope all the girls know that Jerry is one of those men who hit women.¡±

    Jerry pushed off his car to come at me. Carl stepped forward, warning him with one look. Even if Carl was two years younger, he was taller and muscled.

    Pointing at me, Jerry warned, ¡°One day, you will regret leaving me. And one day, your friend isn¡¯t going to be there to protect you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± The day I kill you. I wanted to add but didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m not the one that left! If there was a choice between living and dying, Jerry. I would rather die than go back to you¡­ You¡¯re one of those guys that think small-town girls are stupid and easy¡­ Anyway, I only make a mistake once.¡±

    I knew I was goading him, but I needed to vent, and he was the perfect punching bag. ¡°You¡¯re a bitch!¡± He yelled. ¡°And a whore!¡±

    I flinched at him, pouting my lips for effect, scrunching my face, ¡°But I¡¯m not stupid!¡± I was both easy and stupid¡­ Nevertheless, I wasn¡¯t scared of him and wanted him to know. My reaction had the opposite effect on the rest of the crowd, who burst out laughing at our scrap. Jerry stared down his nose at me with a big smirk, feeling good that everybody took what I said as a joke. Heaven knows what attracted me to the guy in the first place.

    The rest of our friends stood closer, older guys who came to pick up girlfriends and could manage him. One of them walked over to Jerry, leaning in, and said something in his ear. They exchanged some more words. The guy wasn¡¯t taking no for an answer, so he pushed Jerry into his car and told him to get lost. Jerry was cool until that weird night when his personality did a one-eighty.

    We headed down the road, leaving them to sort it out. On the way home, I had to make up some boring tale about Chris, showing Charlene and Carl the sponsorship paper and convincing them that he didn¡¯t even mention anything else. Carl and Charlene were actually disappointed and asked me if my crush was over. As soon as Chris¡¯s hand ran down my arm¡­ The way I felt when he touched me¡­ It was no longer a crush¡­ In an instant, our worlds had collided, and only time would tell what would happen. Chris was attractive even on an off day. Being so near him, seeing his bronze-brown eyes focused on my lips¡­ Just a kiss away¡­ sealed the deal for me. ¡°No, why would my crush vanish when I finally talked to the guy?¡±

    ¡°Because he is obviously not interested,¡± Carl jabbed. It made me chase him, trying to slap him. In turn, he used Charlene as a human shield, gripping her shoulders and pushing her into me. She got so annoyed¡­ In the end, we had a good laugh, even if it was at my expense.

    A car drove past us, one I was so familiar with. Seeing Chris and his wife together left a sour taste in my mouth. They were never together. Why today? Will he tell her anything? Or everything? I should¡¯ve followed him. Make sure he didn¡¯t blab. When they had passed us, Carl stroked my hair, ¡°It will be okay¡­ He is going to leave his wife for you. Don¡¯t worry.¡± I stuck out my tongue at him. Chased him again and gave him a few good swats.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ***

    Chris Earlier

    Without a doubt, I was holding onto something. It was flesh, and seeing  Juliet just disappeared¡­ It had to be her, right? She was trying to free her arm. I held on tighter until she relaxed. I wanted to take her hand to reassure her I was there for her. However, I made the same mistake again, thinking she wouldn¡¯t bolt. Juliet did disappear, and I think even I would¡¯ve run. She jumped back and was gone. Reaching out¡­ there was nothing, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you can hear me, Juliet. I have no clue what just happened. You need to come and talk to me. Soon, okay.¡±

    She seemed as surprised as I was that I could touch her. The whole experience seemed familiar to the feeling I sometimes had when I was alone¡­ That one specific day¡­ I had thought I was going crazy. It was so long ago and never happened again. I didn¡¯t stick around; our moment was over. And what a weird moment it was. I walked back to my class, my head in a muddle.

    I was sitting behind my desk, staring out into space, when a shrill voice came from the door¡­ Droned out by Juliet¡¯s blushing features... Biting her lip¡­ I chose to ignore Sita at that moment. Juliet¡¯s panicked face made me want to find her at all costs and hold her. Had she heard what I said? ¡°Chris!¡± The intrusive voice finally broke through.

    My head jerked to the door. I was irritated because I knew Sita would be standing there, ¡°What?¡± I snapped.

    ¡°We have to get going.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have my car here today, remember. I took it in for repairs.¡±

    ¡°Well, now I do. Go ahead, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± I picked up the car keys and tossed them at her. I was done being the nice guy, but still surprised when she grabbed it without any effort. It left me frowning¡ªgood reflexes for a bookish teacher.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Nothing!¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. I want to get home.¡±

    ¡°Really? Go home? We have no home! And to what, anyway? You drinking and passing out in front of the TV?¡± I had barked out the words rougher than I should¡¯ve. She mentally tilted, spun around, and stormed off again, avoiding my jabs. I was tense all over. Sita had a way of passively driving me insane¡­ My fist hit my desk, ¡°What a freaking day!¡±

    Driving out of the school, we passed some students, and even from afar, I could see it was Juliet and her two friends. She was chasing Carl, smiling and joking around. I exhaled; she was okay! Thank heavens¡­ And she was visible! I was really contemplating if I was losing my mind. Did what happened really happen?

    They were on the road. Charlene heard the car first and yelled at them or something. Carl grabbed Juliet and pushed her onto the sidewalk. For how long will she stun me every time I see her? All three stared at the car. They lifted their hands, apologizing for being on the road and greeting two teachers from the school.

    Sita nor I waved back for two very different reasons¡­ I just kept driving. In my rear-view mirror, I saw them gawking at the car. They disappeared as we went around a bend in the road. It didn¡¯t feel good¡­ My knuckles were white around the steering wheel.

    ***

    Sita

    ¡°What happened?¡± Nick asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Chris was doing something weird.¡±

    ¡°Weird, how?¡±

    ¡°He was looking for something.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s weird about that?¡±

    ¡°He was searching¡­ the air,¡± I tried to demonstrate, getting up and mimicking Chris¡¯s actions earlier. ¡°Feeling around him in a circle. Like this¡­¡± I stretched out my arm as Chris had done.

    ¡°He probably saw her disappear?¡±

    ¡°He might have. It doesn¡¯t explain why he was trying to find her¡­ I was too far anyway and just got there.¡±

    ¡°What happened after that?¡±

    ¡°She heard me.¡±

    Nick¡¯s anger rose; a growl resonated in his throat, ¡°How can you be so careless. We need information about the vampires, and you cannot perform a simple surveillance task.¡±

    ¡°The only reason we know about her is because the man you told me to marry had taken a fancy to her. If he finds out about her¡­ What then?¡±

    ¡°I am tired of this¡­.¡± Nicholas said and sat down on the chair behind him. I was being an ass. He didn¡¯t deserve it. I felt terrible lowering my gaze.

    Nick also calmed down, ¡°Our race is dying out, Sita. The vampires are populating like rabbits. Soon, there will be none of us left. Your job was to marry Chris and have a baby?¡± He studied my reactions, ¡°There¡­ is¡­ no one else.¡± I didn¡¯t have anything to say because I knew he was right. The man in front of me was old, grey, and dying. Nicholas was trying to save me. Leave me with some kind of future after he died, and yes, the pool of suiters was shallow.

    Nicholas is my grandfather, but I¡¯ve never been attached to him or any of my family. I probably would¡¯ve had kids already¡­ If only I could get over myself and sleep with my husband, but I¡¯ve never been really attached to him, either.

 6. To Strangers

    6. To Strangers

    Juliet

    After saying goodbye to Charlene and Carl at the bridge, I quickly ran the rest of the way home. I didn¡¯t have my speed ability yet and could move around like a human person. It had made life easier, pretending to be a normal kid in school. I could participate in sports and not worry about joking with regular friends. Hurriedly, I walked into our yard and headed for the back door. I wanted to ask my mom why someone could touch me when I was invisible. It kinda made sense why I would be able to, but not the other way around.  Although I was going to have to make up some story. ¡°Mom!? Mom!?¡± I yelled as I closed the door behind me. I got no reply. Where were they? ¡°Dad! Dad¡­! Where are you?¡± Still no reply.

    I scanned the house and heard them in the lounge. It was strange that they would be there at all. Slowly, I walked over, hearing an unfamiliar voice. I peeked around the corner. They had all heard me and were looking my way, waiting. My gaze met the unknown face as I came out of hiding. It had been a long time since we had company of any kind. My dad hurried over, took me by the hand, and pulled me down the few steps separating the lounge from the rest of the house. I was making my way too slowly for him¡­ But there was an actual person in our home. I was trying not to stare. His strong jawline and prominent chin caught my attention. I glanced over the rest of him; he was dressed to perfection in a dark grey sweater that complemented his eyes. His hair was styled, and every strand was in place. I had a high standard for guys when it came to looks, but this stranger pushed them through the roof. I quickly made a decision. Attractive¡­ No¡­ Very attractive! He also seemed much older than me but much younger than my parents. Who was he? ¡°This is our new neighbor,¡± my mom said, answering my quizzical brow.

    I smiled immediately, ¡°Wow, really! That¡¯s exciting.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s moving in on Saturday and came to introduce himself.¡±

    I bobbed my head, turned to the guy, and stretched out my arm, ¡°Nice to meet you. My name is Juliet Farrow.¡±

    He smiled, and the corners of his mouth seemed to reach his ears. He had a big, luscious mouth, prominent lips, and light, icy blue eyes¡­ Made him mysterious. He had my attention. Didn¡¯t you just say you were in love with your teacher? I chastised myself. That was an hour ago! I answered myself. The guy had stretched out his hand and clasped mine. He kept smiling; two large dimples formed on his cheeks. I was fixated, ¡°My name is Louis Du Pont.¡±

    I snorted in surprise, coming back to reality, ¡°That¡¯s very generic¡­ I don¡¯t think that¡¯s your real name?¡±

    He chuckled, ¡°Yeah¡­ Unfortunately, it¡¯s very dull. But it¡¯s real¡­ on my mother¡¯s side.¡± I was skeptical and assessing. Vigilant. I had not yet let go of his hand and also didn¡¯t notice while we were talking. He saw that I didn¡¯t believe him, ¡°Really, you can ask your parents. They checked with the registry.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a vampire?¡± My gaze traveled to my mom. She acknowledged by closing her eyes.

    ¡°Well then, welcome, Louis. You don¡¯t know how happy I am to see a fellow vampire in our home. You¡¯re the first one in¡­ forever.¡±

    Surprised, Louis¡¯s eyes darted to my dad, ¡°Really? Why?¡±

    My dad shrugged, ¡°We had issues at the compound. Whenever there are so many vampires together, it brings about other problems.¡±

    ¡°Mm-hmm, I can understand that. Especially with the young ones,¡± Louis said. I rolled my eyes at his jab.

    My dad gestured for Louis to sit, ¡°Yes, but we also had some other issues.¡±

    I wondered why Louis wasn¡¯t moving¡­ I caught a glimpse of our hands and realized I was still holding his. I quickly let go; sheesh, Juliet! Overeager much. It didn¡¯t seem to bother him, and he sat on a wingback chair across from my dad. He could¡¯ve laughed at me. It was as if nothing had happened. My mom wiggled her eyebrows at me¡­ My lips were in an upside-down smile, expressing my embarrassment. My mom shook her head and pulled me in for a hug. We went to sit on the couch opposite them. I leaned over and whispered, ¡°Something happened at school today.¡±

    My mom¡¯s eyes widened, leaving her face worried, ¡°Is it serious?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know? Someone touched me when I was in my vanished state.¡±

    The men stopped talking. The buzz they had created moments ago made the silence very loud. My head turned in their direction. Both seemed worried. ¡°What?¡± I asked my dad. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± I asked again when he didn¡¯t say anything. Guess I¡¯m not going to find out what their theories are.

    ¡°Did anyone see you?¡± My dad asked.

    ¡°No,¡± I lied. Chris saw me and touched me; he told me I should go see him¡ª and soon. And there was someone else there. So, ¡®yes¡¯, I think.

    ¡°What happened? You¡¯ve never displayed your abilities before. Did you need to? Were you in danger?¡± my dad asked hurriedly, sitting forward in his chair.

    ¡°No, no!¡± I exclaimed, waving my hands in front of me. ¡°It just happened out of nowhere,¡± I lied again. The one thing I was good at was faking or at least diverting.

    ¡°How do you know? That someone could touch you?¡± my mom asked.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± my gaze traveled between the three adults in the room, ¡°I was walking to the bathroom to try and reappear¡­ to see if I could control myself. Usually, I go into a stall behind a door. The person moved past me. We bumped into each other.¡±

    My parents seemed relieved. Louis, on the other hand, was staring at me, letting me know I couldn¡¯t park there, calling me on my BS. I might have met my match. ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain why you disappeared in the first place,¡± Louis ventured.

    Really, till a minute ago, you didn¡¯t know I had an ability. I shrugged, ¡°It had been a rough day.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡± Dad asked.

    I was going to have to lie better in the future. ¡°The person was shocked. He looked up from his phone¡­ all around, to see what he had hit. He touched his shoulder, and I definitely felt it. Luckily, he shook it off¡­ kept walking as if nothing had happened.¡±

    Telling my parents about Chris wasn¡¯t an option. They would pack me up, and we would move. I didn¡¯t want to. I had friends there... I liked my life¡­ Carl and Charlene were the ¡®best of friends¡¯ I could¡¯ve asked for; losing them would be like the loss of a family member.

    The events of the parking lot flickered through my mind. Carl stood up for me. He loved me. Maybe not in that way, but he would protect me. Charlene was so angry at Jerry when she heard what had happened that night. Louis¡¯s gaze was still fixed on me. What was the guy thinking about? I smiled at him, waiting for him to say something. He didn¡¯t, so I played with a button on the couch cushion and kept thinking about my earlier altercation with Jerry. My parents were throwing ideas around but nothing interesting. Charlene said some nasty things to Jerry when he called me a whore. Louis choked on the sip of tea he had taken. He placed his cup on the coffee table between us, putting a fist in front of his mouth, and kept coughing. I got up and moved over to slap him on the back a few times. The gesture made him laugh lightly, ¡°Can I get you a glass of water?¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Water would be great.¡±

    I left, walking towards the kitchen. ¡°Louis, why don¡¯t you go with her,¡± my mom suggested.

    I stopped. Louis¡¯s eyes went from my mom to me, wondering whether it would be okay, ¡°Need to stretch your legs? I don¡¯t mind. You¡¯re halfway family already¡­ You might as well make yourself at home.¡±

    Louis seemed eager and followed me, ¡°So, do you hail from France?¡± I asked as we walked.

    ¡°Oui!¡± he joked.

    I turned and gave him a small laugh, ¡°Funny. I¡¯m glad to see you have a sense of humor.¡±

    He frowned, ¡°Are all vampires supposed to be brooding and serious?¡±

    ¡°No, just the French,¡± I quipped.

    He smiled, ¡°Clever!¡±

    ¡°The Vampires I¡¯ve met are far worse,¡± I whispered under my breath, turning to take a glass out of the cupboard above my head. ¡°It¡¯s just you seem much older than me, and trivial things must be boring to you by now¡­ How old are you, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡± I said it all quickly, hoping he wouldn¡¯t ask about my experiences at the compound; thinking about it made my stomach churn. After filling a glass with water from the fridge, I turned and handed it to him. His eyes were still fixed on me, staring and not saying anything, ¡°Everything okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I was just wondering if I should tell you I¡¯m tw¡ª¡± He didn¡¯t finish speaking, but the sound was there. He was checking nervously if his age would bother me, his teeth fidgeting with his bottom lip. That garnered my full attention. He made it worse by suggestively smiling. Shaking myself, I turned around quickly, trying to give my mind a better chance to concentrate. Louis was¡­ too enticing¡­ too everything. Twenty went through my mind, but he was way older than that, ¡°Two hundred years old?¡± I asked, turning back at him.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    He nodded with raised eyebrows, ¡°Two hundred and twenty to be exact. That¡¯s not weird for you?¡± he asked quickly.

    I was taken aback and shook my head, ¡°No, why would it?¡± Louis relaxed and smiled. ¡°To be honest, my first thought was how cool that would be. Living in the 1800¡¯s.¡± He leaned back onto the counter, half sitting against it. ¡°Making it there is insane! Even for us.¡± Louis continued to slowly sip at his water, listening. ¡°We have so many things against our race. And anyway, what has age got to do with good relationships?¡± I had talked so much that his glass was almost empty.

    ¡°Your parents have it really good in that regard, being as old as they are¡ª still together.¡±

    I thought about my parents. How happy they were and how well they got along, ¡°No¡­ what they have¡­ is beyond good or even lucky.¡±

    Louis fiddled with the glass and then lifted his eyes slowly, piercing me with his blue eyes, ¡°Love?¡± Louis offered. Even if his eyes were as blue as the Mediterranean, those dark blue circles around his irises were enchanting¡ªquestioning¡ªtrying to find out what I thought about the subject. Love? Yes, it would be much easier to love another vampire. For a moment, our gazes were locked until my dad came around the corner.

    ¡°Louis, we were thinking, would you like to stay for dinner?¡±

    Louis¡¯s eyes darted to my dad, only to come back to mine, ¡°Yeah¡­ What do you think?¡± I can¡¯t think if you look at me like that.

    Even if we could manage human food and liquids, vampires needed blood to survive. At least once a month, or we would start to deteriorate and then die. That was for sustaining vampires. Young ones like me needed to eat every week, and my father obviously decided that it should be that night. It wasn¡¯t like it was my call or anything. Why did he want me to agree? Tilting my head to the side, I thought about it; hunting was a stressful situation, and not having my abilities yet put a lot of pressure on my parents. We¡¯ve had some close calls. It would be great if he could join us. I looked at my dad and wondered why they trusted this specific vampire/stranger so much. I sighed; no one told me anything anyway, which irritated me so much. It was the hierarchy of the vampire world. Children were supposed to follow their parents¡¯ ways and listen to them. It was also culture not to ask too many questions. Both waited for me to answer. They were being weird. I indulged them, ¡°I think it¡¯s a really good idea¡­ having someone else there,¡±  my dad responded by slamming his hands together in a demonstrative way.

    ¡°The only reason I wanted you to agree is because having a stranger seeing you kill someone is different than your parents helping,¡± Louis said.

    I was thankful for his clarification, but it made me think of Chris. If it was weird with a strange vampire, it would be almost crazy to want Chris to accept it. Will he be okay with me killing people to survive, even if he never had to watch me do it? I had to concede that his reaction could go either way. And if he didn¡¯t like it¡ªwhat then? Realizing how stupid I was, putting him in danger like that. I wanted him, but dragging him into a world he knew nothing about. I was foolish for thinking Chris would ever go hunting with me¡ªanyway. Worried and spacing out again, Louis took the last sip of his water and handed me the empty glass, bringing me back to the present. I took it into the scullery, putting it down in the sink.

    The doorbell rang, ¡°I¡¯ll get it.¡± Louis and my dad were still discussing the organization of the hunt and stuff that I knew nothing about, so I left to get the door. A scrawny-looking kid was waiting on the other side of the gate with his hands in his pockets, jittery and wired, looking over his shoulder. He saw me, ¡°Sup, Jules?¡± I smiled, happy to see him. I could smell the drugs on him. I stepped back to take the key off the hook behind the door and was met with Louis¡¯s hand covering the key. My back collided with his chest, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked, looking over my shoulder.

    ¡°Nothing, just checking what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    I frowned and made a low snort sound, ¡°Okay?¡± I looked at Jerome, staring at Louis through the bars.

    ¡°This your guy, Jules?¡±

    I snorted again, but louder this time, ¡°Just hand me the package!¡± I snapped, not wanting to give Jerome too much attention or Louis might kill him. He passed the envelope through one of the openings between the bars.

    Louis jolted past me and grabbed the envelope from him, ¡°Get lost!¡± He barked.

    Jerome was intrigued by the new guy and answered by chewing on his gum harder than before. A smile played at the corner of his mouth. His jaw moved nonstop, ¡°Money in the same place?¡± I smiled. Jerome waved as he backtracked and left. I turned, closing the door.

    Louis was looking down at me, suddenly tall and imposing. I stared him down, ¡°If you can¡¯t handle me taking a package from another kid through the gate at my house¡­ you should probably not come with later.¡± Louis ignored me and leaned past my person to shut the door. ¡°Sheesh,¡± I contested. His eyes bore into my soul. All I could think about was how good he smelled. While opening the envelope, he kept my eyes prisoner. I didn¡¯t mind. Louis¡¯s eyes alone could make me do anything. His big lips were tempting, constantly begging. He smirked, took out the sheet of paper, and scanned it. I relaxed and breathed. Mysterious and¡­ I couldn¡¯t find another word for him yet. Didn¡¯t know him well enough. I¡¯ve had enough experience with vampires, knowing that some of them could get paranoid as they grew older while others went entirely off the rails. Louis seemed grounded. Had to trust my parents.

    I was shocked when he handed me the paper. For the first time in my life, I was allowed to read what the sheet said. There was a photo of a woman. A mug shot. Hair a mess, bloodshot red eyes. I read on. Jenny McMullen. Nineteen years old. I frowned and grimaced. Jenny was as old as I was, living in a city a few hours¡¯ drive from there. Hours in the car again. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to the trip; it always made me crazy to sit so long in anticipation. Louis¡¯s eyes stayed on me. He had not moved and was strangely patient. Jenny lived on the streets in a homeless community on the south side of the valley¡ªobviously our target for the evening¡ªit would be easy then. There was nothing else on the paper. I lifted it, revealing some photos attached on the back. I took them off, removing the paperclip. It was plain to see Jenny was a loner. In one, she was being beaten up by a guy. The same clothes she had on in the mug shot. A partner or even a regular for a prostitute had caused problems in the past. They reported them missing. The risk was worth taking.

    Holding out his hand, Louis asked for the paper and photos. Chris¡¯s face flashed before me when he handed me the quotation I had yet to discuss with my father. I didn¡¯t need to reach far; Louis was still standing really close to me, just like we had been hand in hand earlier. He felt familiar, and it didn¡¯t bother me as our fingers brushed. Not at all how I tried not to touch Chris earlier. There was no comparison to how I felt when Chris¡¯s hand ran down my arm. I was invisible, but the look on Chris¡¯s face was something I wanted to see again.

    Louis flicked me on the forehead, ¡°Ouch! What was that for?¡±

    ¡°You need to be more careful when you open the door. You don¡¯t have your strength yet. How will you fight off someone, even as small as Jerome?¡±

    I sighed, rubbing the spot where his finger had landed, ¡°My parents take me for self-defense classes. I¡¯ve become stronger and would be able to take on Jerome,¡± I hoped I could, ¡°I can take care of myself.¡±

    He flicked me again, ¡°Ouch! What the hell, Louis! Are you, my brother? I said to make yourself at home, not take over.¡±

    He wanted to flick me again. I was ready that time and too quick, slapping his hand away. He glared at me, ¡°Do I look like your brother?¡± he said with intensity, closing the small distance between us.

    I had to tilt my chin a little higher. Mysterious and intense; add that to my Louis list. ¡°Mom, did you have another child somewhere?!¡± Louis¡¯s eyes lit up and crinkled in the corners. He wanted to flick me again. I slapped his hand away so hard his arm flung sideways. Ticked off, I brushed past him, ramming him with my shoulder, ¡°Stop treating me like your sister.¡±

    He grabbed my wrist. I gasped in mock outrage. ¡°I need to see how far I can push you. How long before you manifest?¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything at first but then sighed and smiled, utterly diverted. ¡°You don¡¯t want to see that. Trust me. It¡¯s not pretty.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I look good when I manifest?¡±

    I gave a burst of laughter. Louis smiled from ear to ear. I took him in for another silent moment, ¡°You have a really easy smile,¡± his big smile turned from amusement into a smirk, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get full of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Okay! Children,¡± my mom said from the couch where I left earlier, ¡°Let¡¯s get ready and be in the car in ten.¡±

    Louis let go of my wrist. I jumped into the air, clapping my hands. Stunned, Louis took a step back, ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s going to get into her hunting outfit,¡± My mom said, shaking her head.

    I was already gone and closing my room door when I heard their voices drumming again. If I had tried, I could¡¯ve listened to what they were saying, but I was too focused on getting ready. All black again. Black jeans. Black stretchy top. Black leather jacket and proper old-school Doc Martins. Combing my fingers through my hair, I ruffled it in front of the mirror, teasing it a bit. While putting on lip gloss, I grabbed my bag and tossed the stick back onto my bed, trying to do everything at once. Would I get the reaction I had hoped for from Louis? I gloated a few moments later when Louis¡¯s eyes drifted to every body part, ¡°Don¡¯t get too full of yourself,¡± he said, smiling, giving me two thumbs up. I had to admit he was fun. So mysterious, intense, and fun.

    The drive there was tedious, as always. My nerves were shot, and thinking about the girl made me jittery. No, not a random girl, Jenny. I felt like Jerome, too amped-up to calm down. I realized why my parents never wanted to include me; knowing the victim¡¯s information made it all too real. Having such good human friends, how could it not bother my conscience? If any of my friends were to discover who and what I was¡ªwhat would happen? Charlene wasn¡¯t really a strong person.

    My arm was resting by my side, halfway on my lap. My other arm and hand held my head on the door as I spaced out into the passing scenery. I felt a soft tap on my arm and glanced over to Louis, ¡°Do you want to challenge me?¡± He waved his phone in the air. I shook my head, gazing from him back out the window. For some reason¡­ that night¡­ my whole world was tumbling down around me¡ªgrowing up sucked. Before I completely lost my mind, I felt the warmth of a hand slide in under mine. I didn¡¯t even react or flinch away; I needed the touch. My fingers curled around his so fast, and I took a tight hold of him. Louis squeezed in response. It felt like I was holding onto a lifeline. He was a two-hundred-year-old vampire and had to understand how difficult it all was.

    For the first time in a long time, I was not okay with being a vampire. Stuck in a world not ideal for humans and us to cohabit. Louis being one was reassuring, and for some reason, I hoped he would never go away. It¡¯s been years since we left the compound, thrust into the human world. I was lonely in this one aspect of my life. I took a moment to fantasize about another future.

    Guiltily, I glanced at him. Louis¡¯s eyes were closed, and his head leaned against the headrest. Was I only using him? Why did his touch feel so different from Chris¡¯s or Marcus¡¯s? I gazed down at our hands and back at his face, his lips taunting me to kiss him. The darkness of the car and the music playing all seemed to work with my baser instincts. I was painfully aware of how easy it would be. His eyes slowly opened and dreamily rested on my mouth¡ªas if he would welcome it. As soon as he lifted his eyes from my lips, I looked away. I couldn¡¯t hold his desirous eye contact; I was a wuss when it came to men and knew what I wanted but had no idea how to get it. I felt stupid; why would Louis like me anyway? He was just being reassuring, like he knew it was different to have someone else there except your parents and all the other things going on in my head.

    My father¡¯s gaze in the rear-view mirror caught my attention¡ªhe chuckled. ¡°Would this be a good time to ask everyone to forgive me because I¡¯m only human?¡±

    My dad smiled and kept his eyes on the road, ¡°Who am I to judge?¡± he said softly. Louis squeezed my hand. Mine responded naturally. It had been a long time since a boy just wanted to hold my hand¡ªcomfort me and show he cared in a small way. ¡°We understand, honey,¡± my dad said, ¡°Even now, after so much time. It never gets easier. It might seem we have it all together, but we don¡¯t.¡±

 7. The Almost Kiss

    7. The Almost Kiss

    Juliet

    My dad parked the car under a bridge supported by high pillars jam-packed with graffiti. The secluded area was riddled with litter as Louis opened his door and stepped out. He bent down and held out his hand to me, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go. Tonight, it¡¯s you and me.¡±

    Skeptically, I searched my mom¡¯s face. I must have been frowning, ¡°It¡¯s alright, Julie. Go with Louis. I trust him with your life,¡± my mom was serious. The statement took me by surprise and made me even more anxious about the night. But she knew how I felt about vampire men, and although her words put me at ease, it didn¡¯t mean Louis and I would be able to do this. Needless to say, something monumental was up! Louis was going to change my life forever. Taking his hand, I wondered who he was. What was his story? And what was he doing there? Questions I should¡¯ve bombarded him with earlier.

    Effortlessly, he pulled me over the back seat, I slid across the leather, and my feet hit the ground. He slammed the door a little too hard. Louis was wound up tight. Why was he so frustrated? Half dragging me, we made our way up a tiny hill, aiming for a road that led away from my parents. Louis¡¯s steps were precise, but I kept stumbling despite being usually quick, ¡°Louis! What¡¯s going on? Slow down.¡± He didn¡¯t adjust his pace or answer me and kept urging me down the road for a while.

    Finally, he stopped, and his eyes went from our car to survey the area. I could see smoke coming from across the valley, ¡°The homeless community must be squatting there. It¡¯s rather hidden away,¡± I pointed towards the grey drifting into the sky. Louis nodded, but it seemed like he didn¡¯t hear me or care.

    We continued walking along a high wall built next to the road. The moon shined in the wrong direction, creating a dark shadow we could hide in. When we were out of sight of my parent¡¯s car and anything else, he abruptly turned to me. Louis watched me for a moment and slowly closed the distance between us. At the same time, he reached out and took hold of my upper arms with a tight grip. I searched his face. Was this where the adult pep talk came in? His eyes held mine and lowered to fix on my lips, ¡°Can I kiss you?¡± he asked in a low, desperate tone.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked in disbelief. Then I lied, ¡°No! Why would you want to?¡±

    He made a slight sound of frustration, rolled his eyes, and fixed his gaze on something over my shoulder. I tried to get out of his hold. Louis¡¯s fingers tightened around my arm, and his eyes came back to me. He leaned in and pulled me closer to his mouth, ¡°I need to kiss you¡­ You were begging for it in the car! It¡¯s been two hours of¡ª¡±

    I knew what he would say (pent-up frustration.) ¡°What? No, I wasn¡¯t! I need to eat,¡± I lied again, pushing him away.

    He easily let me go and retreated a few steps, ¡°Really? Are you going to play games with me? You¡¯re eighteen! What, you¡¯re going to play coy? You were staring at me most of the way here. It was written all over your face.¡±

    Why was he being such an ass, putting me on the spot like that? Like I didn¡¯t know! Yes, I¡¯m easy, and I wanted to kiss him so badly. If he wasn¡¯t so pushy, I might have. My Juliet blush didn¡¯t agree and crept up my chest into my neck. That time, it went to sit in my cheeks so fast I had no time to think about it. Louis noticed and rubbed his chin, following the red blotches from my cheeks to my neck into my chest. He let out a laugh. ¡°Urg!¡± Angry, I stomped off and crept along the wall, hearing the voices of the homeless people.

    Louis grabbed my arm, pulling me in behind him, ¡°Stay with me. Let me go in first.¡±

    I yanked my arm free, getting angrier and angrier. Embarrassing me like that! Laughing at me because I was blushing, pulling me around¡ªlike I was some useless girl who he apparently had no respect for. I needed to teach him a lesson. I waited until he was going to turn around with his next set of orders and vanished just before he could grab onto me. Not that it would have helped; he wasn¡¯t Chris. Louis panicked, ¡°No! Juliet!¡± He whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see what¡¯s what.¡± He was begging¡ªgood! Finally, getting a taste of his own medicine.

    I didn¡¯t want him there with me anyway, not anymore. It was my parents'' idea, and they left me with him, and I didn¡¯t like my babysitter. ¡°I still don¡¯t trust you. Even if my parents do. Why did they suddenly give you authority over me anyway?¡± Louis was unsettling me. My subconscious was reeling out its tentacles, warning me to be careful. He was in our house, in our car, and under my skin. Determined to show him, I left him standing there like a real teenager. ¡°If you treat me like a child¡­ I will act like a child,¡± I mocked and saluted him with two fingers. I knew he couldn¡¯t hear me, so I said what I wanted, ¡°You showed me the paper with the photo on it. I will find Jenny. I will prove to you I can take care of myself. I don¡¯t have to be so dependent on others. Maybe my parents just need some reassurance.¡±

    ¡°Juliet!¡± He pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I made a mistake laughing at you.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not,¡± I rebuked. ¡°You¡¯ve been taking the piss out of me the whole day.¡±

    He didn¡¯t feel around like Chris had that afternoon. Louis¡¯s hand was nervously rubbing his forehead. Had it really only been a few hours since the most significant event of my life? And only a few later, another one? Of course, we wouldn¡¯t even be there if I hadn¡¯t lied to my parents.

    A few exasperated minutes later, I walked through a row of tents and cardboard boxes propped up everywhere with bricks and old furniture. The few dogs who were faithfully guarding their owners barked constantly at me. Dogs, cats, and werewolves could see me when I was invisible. I continued along the rows of people sitting together and talking, but it produced no Jenny. I had to walk for the whole length of the street to the very end, where the last drum was lit on fire, giving some heat and light to an empty evening. Only one woman was sitting on an old, broken chair. ¡°A loner. It must be her.¡± I moved closer, recognizing the clothes she was wearing and the red hair from her mug shot. Eventually, Jenny lifted her head to take a sip from a bottle. Her face was still marked with the same bruises.

    I sat on my haunches across from her, waiting for an opportunity where Jenny could ¡®disappear.¡¯ I listened intently to every sound and every conversation the people were having. I heard Louis¡¯s footsteps above me, walking back and forth, muttering how stupid I was. I snickered and smiled, wondering how he would punish me for my behavior. My hand instinctively jumped to my forehead and rubbed where he had flicked me earlier. Thinking about him so close to me made my thoughts go down that road again. His lips on mine¡­ My indignation rose, ¡°He almost kissed me! What the hell?!¡± I heard my parents¡¯ car driving around us, crisscrossing the streets. They would be near the whole time; Louis was making too much of a deal out of nothing new. He was the one not used to hunting with kids.

    My head snapped up when I heard the tapping of expensive shoes. Something that didn¡¯t belong came walking up the road, dressed well in a dark blue three-piece tailored suit¡ªblack shoes shining. A brown leather bag in his hand. Another handsome man came walking into my life, but this one passed me. I frowned and jumped up to follow him, ¡°You, my friend, are up to something.¡± He made his way down the alley behind Jenny. It got quieter and darker with every step. I kept Jenny in the back of my mind, listening to her sipping on her bottle; it seemed like she was going to take her time with that vodka, so I might as well go see what the guy was up to.

    The other side of the alleyway came out at another main street surrounding the community. It was well-lit. Clean. Women were standing in a line against the wall. Some leaned back, smoking, others huddled together, talking. There were men in cars parked along the road. Pimps, customers, both? Smoke from the cigarettes of a group of young men assaulted me as I walked past. I could do with a smoke. The drugs in their pockets seemed and smelled the same Jerome stank off. They laughed as Mr. Tailored passed them without a word or even a second glance. He had to be a regular if they were going to ignore him; good paying customer on both fronts, maybe?

    The girls gathered around him. Ohhh! I get it. He swore only once and waved them off. They quickly turned away and let him be. My eye caught the neon sign flashing the word vacancies. It was a motel. I sighed. The stranger was not so out of place anymore. He only used the alley to separate his car from his destination. He was there for a hooker. I was still curious to go after him and see what a guy like that was doing in such a dingy place... But being there for a prostitute, he was dodgy at best, and I had Jenny to watch.

    I turned and heard a whelp. It came from the bag Mr. Tailored carried. It made me stop dead in my tracks. My head snapped around, focusing on sounds from the leather. Did I hear that right? A cry from a cub? It¡¯s been years since there¡¯ve been any baby werewolves? Another small cry, so distinct I had no choice. If it was a baby, I had to save him. The child might not be a vampire, but I couldn¡¯t live with letting someone kill a werewolf cub. I rounded the corner to follow him inside. Louis suddenly appeared, running down the street. What the heck was he doing there? Was he circling the block or something? Louis pretended to be another customer, excited about his appointment, following Mr. Tailored inside. Confused, I stood staring at the door for a second. Had Louis heard it too, the cub? I might not trust him yet, but he was older and would know what to do.

    Should I follow them? Help Louis if he gets into trouble. Jenny got up from her chair, and the sound pulled me back into the alley. She was coming closer into the darkness, going in behind a dumpster to relieve herself. The smell of her blood masked even the pee. It dawned on me why I was there. I wouldn¡¯t get a better opportunity. I¡¯d already left Louis¡¯s side, not making any plans for what I was going to do. Two hours of lecturing lay in front of me. If I didn¡¯t drain Jenny, it would be no school for a week. We would have to do it all again. ¡°Damnit!¡± I kicked at a stone. My foot went flying through it, ¡°Stupid rock!¡±

    Jenny pulled up her pants, tightening the button at the top, staggering a little. I was already walking quickly towards her, coming out of my vanished state, and I didn¡¯t see the group of guys on my right opening a door. They cussed loudly at my sudden appearance, ¡®form out of thin air,¡¯ making loud noises around me. The group of three swiftly circled Jenny and me, pushing us up against each other. Louis¡¯s face flashed in my mind. I glanced back over my shoulder, ¡°Where are you when I need you,¡± I yelled.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Their language was disgusting, and they smelled of sweat and booze. Cigarettes in hand, the one flicked his bud at me. I hit it away as it came closer. I thought about Jerome and my self-defense classes. These guys were older and bigger than even the instructor I was training with. Jenny was waisted, slurring her words and stumbling as she tried to get out of the arms of one of the guys. I was on my own. I panicked a little, knowing Louis was inside the motel, but sighed; fake it till you make it. I drew in a nervous breath before speaking, ¡°Well,¡± I said, ¡°You guys have two choices,¡± I waved my finger in the air.

    ¡°Ooo, she¡¯s taking us for granted,¡± they laughed, ¡°Lighten up, lady!¡±

    ¡°No, bro. Hear her out!¡±

    I rolled my eyes, ¡°You can leave and let Jenny and me be¡­ or¡­ you can die.¡± They cracked up. I took it personally, ¡°How am I going to get rid of three bodies? Louis didn¡¯t tell me where to put them after,¡± I postured.

    That kinda got their attention. They moved closer, but it wasn¡¯t because of me. ¡°Four, you mean. What about Jenny?¡±

    My shoulders slumped. I was so relieved to hear Louis¡¯s voice behind me. He walked over, swung me around, and flicked me on the forehead. I threw my arms around him, squeezing him tight. He didn¡¯t move and rested his hands on my waist, ¡°Okay, okay. Were you really thinking you could take on all three of them?¡±

    Louis pushed me away and waited for my answer, ¡°Die trying, right?¡± He smiled, ¡°I¡­ would¡¯ve disappeared again if they got the upper hand,¡± I snickered.

    ¡°Nifty trick you have there. We¡¯ll have to talk about that one,¡± Louis¡¯s hands tightened on my waist. His eyes were smiling. I was happy he wasn¡¯t that angry about my stunt.

    The three men were staring at this scene playing out in front of them. ¡°Hey! You¡¯re getting under my skin. You think we can¡¯t take this little girl?¡±

    Ignoring them, Louis challenged me, ¡°You say you can fight. Let me see.¡± Louis nudged his chin in the air.

    I shrugged my shoulders, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to play the hero? Seeing that you¡¯re here and all.¡±

    Two of the men each grabbed one of my arms. Louis wouldn¡¯t stand it. He manifested and kicked the one guy on his chest. While he was falling, Louis grabbed the remaining wrist, tugging on me, ¡°No one said you could touch her!¡± Louis bellowed. While he flung him off,  he twisted the man¡¯s arm and broke it. He wasn¡¯t shy about his vampire face, and the men were freaked out as he put them all down. The last guy behind us bolted. He was too slow. Louis grabbed him by the collar, fisting the material until he had a proper hold, and pushed him down on his knees. Louis used his other hand to snap his neck. With a ¡®crack,¡¯ the guy went limp. The constant wailing and complaints of the other with the broken arm had not ceased, ¡°Can you shut this guy up, please! He is going to draw attention.¡±

    Louis kicked him with so much force he skidded between the two dumpsters and hit the wall with a heavy thud. I could hear the audible crack of his skull; in a reflex, I closed my eyes. Still one left. I wondered how that poor guy would die. Since Louis kicked him, he had not moved, ¡°Do you want that one? Then Jenny can have the night off?¡± Relieved, I nodded and looked at the woman on the ground. Somewhere in the last few minutes, she had hit the ground.

    I didn¡¯t want to manifest in front of Louis¡­ My skin would pull back so tight that my lips would lift, protruding my fangs that grew twice the length of the others. My nose would change into two long, dark, flat slits up the center of my face connecting with my forehead, which would look like a wrinkled mess, scrunching my features together. Pointy, hairy ears would cover the side of my head. Long, ugly, black nails would grow from my fingertips. The white of my eyes would turn to night. Soft white spiral rings would replace my blues. The eyes are probably the only thing I didn¡¯t mind.

    Louis walked over to the man, begging for his life through a gurgle of blood. He put one foot on his torso, holding him in place. It didn¡¯t take much for my venom to fill my veins and bring on my manifestation. One bite left any human paralyzed.

    Louis waited patiently for me, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he finally asked in a soft voice when I didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Nothing,¡± I lied, jumping forward. I lunged at the man and bit into his neck, finishing it quickly. When there was no movement under Louis¡¯s foot, he stepped back, watching me. Painfully aware of his gaze, I stopped feeding for a moment. I was uncomfortable. Louis turned to pick up the first body and dumped them one by one into the blue steel next to us. I relaxed and gorged myself. I wanted to start stretching my feeds so we didn¡¯t need to hunt so often.

    After finishing, I sat back on my heels, blood dripping down my chin. I wiped my mouth on my sleeve and then my hands on my pants. Louis effortlessly picked up the last body, tossing it over the rim of the open dumpster. He took out his phone and called my parents, ¡°It¡¯s the blue one,¡± he said to my dad, cutting the call.

    ¡°Someone will be here to pick up the dumpster in a minute. We have to go,¡± Louis forcefully grabbed my wrist, tugging on my arm to move with him.

    I pulled myself free, ¡°You have to stop doing that.¡± He paused with his back to me, breathing in deeply. His eyes lifted up to the sky. He seemed irritated. I didn¡¯t understand why.

    Why are you here? I wanted to ask. What the hell is going on? You just killed three guys for me, and we¡¯re not going to talk about it. I couldn¡¯t speak my mind, ¡°You can¡¯t touch me whenever you want to.¡± He still didn¡¯t say anything. I pushed past him as I did earlier in our house, bumping my shoulder into him, trying to get his attention. I was almost at the end of the alley when he grabbed my wrist. He yanked and, with force, spun me to face him. His hands were quick to cup my armpits, and he lifted me into the air. He walked into the shadows of the building and dropped me to the ground, shoving me against the wall. My heart beat frantically. Louis pushed up against me, our thighs intertwined. I did feel that and looked up at him.

    His skin wrinkled along the T-junction of his face, making his features unreadable, ¡°I will always ask. When it comes to that¡­ But the rest of my behavior I can¡¯t account for¡­ So, can I kiss you now?¡± He lowered his lips closer to mine. It felt like my heart would burst out of my chest. Boys never knew how to set up a scene. Louis, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t a boy. The last time I felt like that was with Marcus. Unnerved. Out of my depth. Seeing Marcus¡¯s face again in a flashback, doing the exact same thing, asking, and I had to decide. My brain didn¡¯t want to work. What I wouldn¡¯t do to feel Louis¡¯s tongue boldly caressing me. Louis moaned, and his breathing was labored, waiting for me to close the distance, ¡°You want to¡­ why don¡¯t you?¡±

    I shook myself and tried to pull free, ¡°No!¡±

    He pushed me back against the wall. Louis bunched up his sleeve between his fingers and wiped my cheek. ¡°You smudged blood all over your face. You¡¯re like a little child.¡± I didn¡¯t like anyone belittling me¡­ Calling me a child was the last straw. I flipped, hitting him across the cheek. My hand planted, and his face moved to the side. He didn¡¯t dodge me, although he could have.

    Still manifested, my frustration had gotten the better of me. The venom and the blood were too potent in my veins. The corner of his mouth lifted, and his eyes came back to mine, ¡°See, now I know how far I can push you.¡±

    ¡°Why? Why do you keep pressing my buttons?¡±

    His eyes became strained, and his nails dug into my shoulders. He pressed himself tighter against me, driving his hips into mine. His nose trailed the skin on my neck. ¡°You didn¡¯t eat!¡± I said softly, ¡°You could still finish.¡± I gestured to the dumpster, my lips and his only inches apart. I felt so uncomfortable with my vampire features¡­ Him seeing me like that. Guiltily, he pushed himself away from me, shaking his head. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m hungry for! Can¡¯t you see what¡¯s happening?¡±

    My breathing was ragged, ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, but you treat me like I¡¯m going to fall at your feet¡­ You obviously want to get off¡­ I¡¯m sure you have no lack of partners. You probably have a lot of women waiting for you to call with your looks. Maybe you should stay and visit the motel. You¡¯ll feel better.¡±

    His head snapped at me, and he snarled. I nodded nervously. What the hell was that? No one had done that before¡­ I transformed back into a human. The authority made me submit. I instantly hated the feeling.

    ¡°What happened with that guy and the werewolf cub?¡± I changed the subject. Louis didn¡¯t answer me. I threw my hands up in the air. He wasn¡¯t going to tell me anything. I vanished as tears burned at the bridge of my nose. If he didn¡¯t trust me either, I would find out for myself.

    ¡°Juliet!¡± He tried his authority again. ¡°For f- sake, stop doing that. It¡¯s annoying as hell!¡± I didn¡¯t reappear. His power didn¡¯t work on me when there was no threat. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell you! Just don¡¯t leave without me,¡± he begged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± I screamed. ¡°If there is one thing I can¡¯t handle, it is being treated like a child. Or a whore.¡±

    Louis¡¯s eyes screwed together. He was livid¡­ That made me happy.

    ***

    Louis

    I knew she wasn¡¯t going to show herself again. I pushed her too far. I didn¡¯t treat her at all like I wanted to. I¡¯d never been in a relationship. And Juliet wasn¡¯t going to be the easiest of women. A quick smile played on my human lips. So much for the blind date¡­ Frustrated, I turned to follow her. I knew where she would end up. If she didn¡¯t get any answers from me, she would make sure the cub was okay. I headed for the motel, but a truck turned into the alley and stopped me. I retreated into the shadows, frowning about how I handled her. What was wrong with me? The dumpster lifted into the air, and the contents emptied. Three bodies were going to be a problem and raise questions. It was quick. A few minutes after stopping, they were on their way again.

    Thinking back on my meeting with Samuel six months ago, I never thought my life could change so rapidly. I was stuck for so long, wondering all over. Alone. I had no one. Juliet didn¡¯t know why I was there. I couldn¡¯t tell her. She thought I was only lusting¡­ and that is why she wouldn¡¯t cross that line. I had not given her the ¡°love at first sight¡± experience I wanted to. It was moving in the right direction at their home and on the way there. But I had to open my big mouth¡­ I was on my way to stuffing up any further chance I had with her. She wanted to be in control¡­ I didn¡¯t think she was that strong-willed. How does she have so much self-control? Juliet was unlike any other Vampire woman I¡¯d met before.

    I walked up the stairs to the room I was surveying earlier. I couldn¡¯t enter it then. Didn¡¯t have Juliet¡¯s power of invisibility. I was glad she had it. Wondered what things she got up to being able to go wherever she wanted. She could be standing next to me. How did anyone find her when she was like that? Her parents were worried and kept messaging me. They had indulged her for too long. Let her grow up sheltered, protected¡­ How would she ever adjust to the storms to come? The yelp from the bag was definitely a werewolf cub. A shiver ran up my spine thinking about it. A baby in a bag¡­ Being transported like that¡­ I couldn¡¯t let it go, either.

    Standing in front of the door, I knocked loudly, ¡°Open up!¡± I heard footsteps on the other side approaching the door. The key turned, and a woman stood on the threshold. I frowned. It was not the guy with the bag. I peeked over her shoulder, surveying the room.

    ¡°You want to join me, handsome?¡± she said, rubbing my chest and running her hand up my neck, fingers curling the strands of my hair, ¡°My customer just left.¡±

    Pausing, I looked down at the woman and her bare chest. She took my hand and pulled me inside, closing the door behind us.

 8. Stupid Girl

    8. Stupid Girl

    Juliet

    Going into the building and leaving Louis in the alley was a gutsy idea. What did I know about spying on anyone? I laughed lightly, thinking about Chris and how long I had followed him, but he wasn¡¯t a stranger I needed to find in a maze of a building. There was no point wandering around or waiting for doors to open so I could maybe see Mr. Tailored and the bag. ¡°The bag!¡± I had to listen for the cub. It would eventually yelp or whimper again. Hurriedly, I continued; there were a lot of floors to cover, and my parents were waiting. They would get worried and come looking soon.

    As I walked through the narrow hall of the first floor, it wasn¡¯t hard to hear everything going on in every room; the walls were that thin. I heard things I shouldn¡¯t have or wanted to. The door to the stairs was right in front of me, and I took them quickly to the second story. The carpet was worn in places. The walls were an ugly maroon color, peeling in places. I slowed at every door because all I could do was listen. Eventually, two more floors up, I heard a faint little cry from the pup down the hall. As I got closer, the sounds got louder and louder; each cry was weak but desperate. I reappeared and pressed my ear to the door, hearing the footsteps of two people coming closer. I vanished. Mr. Tailored opened the door with his back to me. He leaned down and kissed the woman one last time. ¡°Weird.¡± I peeked around his shoulder at the naked lady, sending him off¡­ She was pretty and not your typical meth head. His eyes lingered on her for a moment. The cub whimpered, and he let out a frustrated growl as he turned to leave. I followed him down the hall.

    My gift was strange. I could hold on to things and make them invisible as well. When I went back and forth, everything just went with me. Being able to disappear but not be allowed to touch the outside world was frustrating; I couldn¡¯t even impersonate a ghost. I stared at the bag. I could easily save the baby if I could only get my hands on it. The guy¡¯s fingers clutched the handle tightly. What would Chris say if he knew he¡¯d been invisible for a few seconds that morning¡­ when I had held his hand¡­ I laughed lightly, remembering him fumbling around like that. Chris was cute, caring¡­ and¡­ I didn¡¯t have anything else yet. Comparing him to Louis was like soft grass swaying in the wind to a cold rock.

    Mr. Tailored opened the door to the stairs and walked through it. I could luckily sneak in and follow him as he went along. Most of the doors were self-closing, making a lot of creaking sounds. That place was probably an old hotel that had seen better days. We entered a service elevator, and he pressed the basement button to take us down. The doors slid open, revealing a very dark parking lot. I hesitated. It was damp and filthy; overhead was broken lights flickering as he moved quickly over the lot. He bent down at a parked car, feeling around the front wheel. I guessed for a key. My breath quickened as he stretched out a hand, and the car¡¯s lights blinked twice. I had one chance to get in. If I didn¡¯t, the man would drive off with the pup. No! He kidnapped someone¡¯s child. A baby. Werewolf babies couldn¡¯t control their manifestations. It was in pup form at that moment, but it would eventually change back to human.

    He opened the driver-side door and leaned in to put the cub on the passenger seat. Then he strapped him into the safety. ¡°S-.¡± I thought about Louis and my parents, but it was life or death and had nothing to do with responsibility. The guy opened the passenger door in the back and shrugged off his jacket. ¡°What now?¡± Louis had chosen to help me and left the cub with the guy in the motel. He hadn¡¯t told me why or if he knew what was going on. So, I had to draw my own conclusions and made a split decision¡ªI got in the car. I would worry about the consequences later.

    We drove for about half an hour. I carefully took note of what roads we were on and what direction we were going. It seemed further out of the city but not toward home. Consequences quickly came a-knocking when we left the main road to take a small dirt one. It was dark, and he made a few turns. I lost all sense of direction and wrung my hands nervously as I thought about what was to come. I would have to steal the car. How would I get us out of there after?

    Eventually, he took a driveway that led onto an estate towards a beautiful red-bricked building. Painted shutters framed the windows. Lots of garden lights surrounded the grassy area to our left. He only killed the ignition when the garage door behind us shut with a ¡°clang.¡± I was baffled about who the guy and the pup were.

    Opening the driver¡¯s side door, he got out, shutting it again. For that split second, I went in behind the seat and dropped my phone on the floorboards. When he opened the back door, reaching over me to pick up his jacket, I was invisible again. I climbed out quickly and ran for the door to the house. I needed to go through it first when he opened it.

    Mr. Tailored put the bag on the kitchen counter and pressed a button on a remote. Clattering noises abruptly surrounded us. With bated breath, my gaze darted to every exit; white steel shutters rolled down, covering the windows and doors. The guy was utterly hidden away there, and so was I. No one would be able to get in or out. It complicated things, ¡°Stupid, stupid, Juliet.¡± No point

    My eyes were heavy. What the heck. Where am I? What happened. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to see anything, even if they were open. My head was spinning, bile stuck in my throat. It felt like I had done a lot of drugs and got wasted all in one. I tried to move my arm¡ªnothing wanted to work. The floor under me was cold. I heard it again¡­ An earnest cry from a cub being hurt. The yelp was piercing now. My heart constricted at the sound. I remembered: I had followed Mr. Tailored downstairs into the basement. Yet another door closed behind us. Another secret room with an automated lock on the door.

    At that point, I was so far down the rabbit hole I had no choice but to weigh my options. My nerves were taught, waiting for him to be away far enough so that I could grab the cub. That was my plan. All my hope drifted off to sea when he tied the little guy down. I felt terrible for the boy. I should¡¯ve done something earlier. The rest of the room was dark. Only one bright light shone onto the cub. Mr. Tailored had hooked an I¡¯v on him. A yukky, yellow substance dripped down the plastic tube. It took a minute, and he had lit a joint behind my back. Before I could decide what I wanted to do, I was out.

    The cries continued for some time before I could speak, ¡°Stop! Please,¡± I croaked out. Glass shattered next to me. Metal objects fell on the floor. Mr. Tailored swore a string of cuss words. He didn¡¯t know I was there.

    ¡°What the f-¡­ Who are you? Where did you come from?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer. I drifted in and out of consciousness. I felt his hands under my armpits, picking me up like I was a feather. My head drooped, and my lips sagged.

    ¡°You are a pretty thing.¡± I could smell his breath. He sniffed me, pressing his nose into my hair and the crook of my neck. For the first time, I was terrified. It seemed like I wouldn¡¯t be that night¡¯s hero after all. Out of breath, I tried to speak, ¡°Please¡­ stop¡­ hurting him.¡± I drifted away again. He held me up with one hand and slapped me softly on the cheek with the other. It startled me, and I could focus on his face. My vision was slowly coming back.

    Another yelp of pain from behind his shoulder drew my attention away from him. I was scared that the little guy wasn¡¯t going to make it. Shiny objects caught my attention. Surgical blades were drenched in a jellied liquid on the floor. The pup was still alive, breathing and moving slightly. He put me down. I slumped flat on the floor. My eyes met the roof and traveled over the room. I moaned when I saw all the jars lining his walls. Stacked on shelves filled with baby body parts. Disgusted and sickened, tears fell down my temples. A big steel refrigerator door covered the middle of the back wall. I knew what my fate was. A freezer. The little guy¡ªa bottle.

    I looked up at the table above my head only to see Mr. Tailored cleaning the floor. He didn¡¯t care at all, ¡°Why?¡±

    The guy came to crouch in front of me, resting his elbows on his knees, staring at me. His eyes went from me to the table, and he frowned, ¡°I have been doing this for so long¡­ The smells and the cries don¡¯t affect me anymore. Anesthetics leaves a trail, you know.¡±

    Another tear rolled down the side of my face, ¡°Can you please use it this time?¡±

    He got up, regarded me for a while, shrugged, and walked over to a cupboard. He paused, hands on the handles, ¡°You know I thought about indulging you, but you will soon have to go through everything he is¡­ And the thing is, I only have one vial left.¡± Fear wanted to take hold. I would suffer. All the same, the baby on the slab consumed my mind and had to come first. ¡°I will let you choose. You can go through a painless experiment or¡­ I can give it to him¡­ But let me tell you! He will die either way. You might live¡­ You¡¯re a bit stronger.¡±

    Louis¡¯s face flashed in my mind, his manifested features. The dominance he had over me. I wondered if he would find me or only parts of me. My voice croaked, ¡°Give it to him.¡±

    ¡°As you wish¡­ I will have to hurry up before you disappear again. You born vampires are weak. Being infected like me is much better. Stupid girl, you should have known I was smoking weed.¡± I did know. There was just nothing I could do about it.

    ***

    Louis In the Motel

    The prostitute closed the door behind me. I had no smell of Juliet in her vanished state. I wouldn¡¯t even know if she was in there with us. She could be staring at me right at that moment¡­ I didn¡¯t like the idea and tossed the girl a shirt, ¡°Put it on!¡± She didn¡¯t and seductively moved closer. I could smell the guy I was following earlier. He had been in there just moments ago. The room was small, with no windows, and the weird lighting made the place look yellow and pink. ¡°When did your client leave?¡± I asked, clipped. I pushed her off me, and she landed on the bed.

    She looked up at me. Resigned, she pulled the top over her head, ¡°Just now, you just missed him.¡±

    ¡°Where did he go? He didn¡¯t go down the stairs or out the front door. I would¡¯ve seen him.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He comes,¡± she smirked, ¡°He pays and leaves. He¡¯s a regular once a week¡­ Why are you so interested in this guy?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s in the bag?¡±

    She flinched. Her eyes fell guiltily to the ground, ¡°Asked once, never asked again about the bag.¡± She pouted her lips, thinking... ¡°He¡¯s a little weird.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She stood, walked over to her purse, lit a cigarette, and held out the packet to me. Irritated, I hit her hand away, ¡°Get to the point.

    ¡°He¡¯s not like other guys. He has a short fuse. No talking. Five minutes tops¡­ Unless he stays for a second round, like today¡­ Small quirks.¡±

    ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°The pimps leave him alone. He can come and go as he pleases. Did nothing when he slapped me around. They laughed at me and said I deserved it.¡±

    ¡°A bag every week?¡± She shook her head and took a drag of the cigarette. She was jittery, checking the time every now and again.

    Someone knocked at the door, ¡°Lucile! Your next guy is here. Two rooms down.¡±

    ¡°I got to go, don¡¯t let him catch you here. He will think I¡¯m cashing in on the side.¡±

    Stupid woman, what else were you doing when you dragged me in there? ¡°One more question. What is that smell?¡±

    She looked confused, ¡°Oh, that. He likes to smoke weed. A lot!¡± I cussed and nervously checked the room. It confused her, ¡°What¡¯s the problem with him smoking?¡±

    ¡°Vampires are allergic to weed. One sniff knocks one out for hours.¡± At first, she tried to figure out if I was serious. Her laughter was a sure sign she didn¡¯t think I was. The man kept knocking. I walked across the room while Lucile took the last drag of her cigarette. I opened the door roughly. The pimp on the other side almost fell into the room. He was big and worked out. I picked him up with one hand and shoved him against the wall, ¡°Lucile here knows nothing of her previous client. I thought you might know more.¡±

    ¡°Jacko,¡± Lucile helped, squashing her bud in a cheap ashtray.

    Jacko panicked and tried his luck several times to show me who was in charge. He quickly stopped when he got the wind knocked out of him the second time. I wanted to hurt him, but not enough so he couldn¡¯t spill. ¡°Above my pay grade,¡± he tried saying, wheezing out the words. I cussed a few times. Ones I hadn¡¯t said out loud in a while. Immediately reminded of Samuel telling me to watch my tongue. Thinking that Juliet could be there made me shut up, pressing my lips together. I was going to have to try harder. This was going to change me. Juliet would be a challenge.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Higher up. My boss,¡± Jacko, was reluctant to continue. I kicked his knee from the side. The ¡®crunch¡¯ sound made Lucile scream. She ran out the door. At that point, I couldn¡¯t keep killing people. I couldn¡¯t keep wasting time. I let her go and threw Jacko onto the bed, writhing in pain.

    ¡°Get some help. I have a meeting.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll never get past the army outside waiting on the boss.¡± I shook my head and walked out. Humans didn¡¯t seem to know anything.

    I left the room determined to find Juliet. My phone rang for the millionth time. It was Liam¡ªthe father. I paused for a second, staring at the screen. I didn¡¯t know what to say to them. They had to be out of their minds. They knew the pickup had happened. So technically, we should just get in the car and go. They had trusted me with their daughter. She had disappeared on me and was gone.

    For the first time in hundreds of years, I had someone to take care of. After my parents died, I vowed no connections. Juliet had changed that. I had to be a man. I had to find her. My emotions were getting the better of me. I was scared and, in a moment of weakness, thought something terribly might be wrong. That I would be too late. I was hoping she was being a brat. These people had expectations of me. They had to be met, or I would lose out on the best opportunity I would ever have. I didn¡¯t know them. They didn¡¯t know me. Juliet¡¯s face flashed before me, staring at me in the car, our eyes boring into each other. After she had mustered up enough courage. The tension and the attraction were there, but sex was not going to get me what I wanted¡ªnot this time.

    ***

    A Few Months Ago

    I had driven north and entered an estate via a long, winding road lined with trees. It was fall. The place was always beautiful but breathtaking with the orange-colored trees. Being the oldest living vampire had its advantages. Driving up to the massive stone house was one of the trip¡¯s highlights, but every time I came, Samuel had some or other scheme to pitch to me. I knew he did it to check-in. So, I didn¡¯t mind indulging the guy. He was the closest thing I had to family.

    I had never considered a mate or settling down because I didn¡¯t want one. No one held any appeal for me, human or vampire. In my two hundred and twenty years¡ªthere had been no one. Samuel always had someone to put down as a suggestion. I never lived on the compound¡­ My parents and I lived in France until they died. After that, I never left.

    Samuel ushered for me to sit. He sat on a chair across from me, asking me all the polite questions he was supposed to. When those were done, he got down to why he really asked me to come. I snickered¡­ He really was predictable, ¡°There is a family¡­ The Farrows. They live in some small, obscure little town down south.¡± I didn¡¯t know where his story was going, but all I had was time, so I listened with interest, just glad that he hadn¡¯t taken out a photo of his next idea of a mate for me. ¡°The daughter¡­ Juliet¡­ Her parents contacted me about the registry. They are searching for possible mates for her.¡±

    I rolled my eyes and sighed, ¡°No!¡± I blurted out. I had enough respect for him not to get up and walk out the door.

    Samuel didn¡¯t immediately bombard me with a lecture or try to convince me in the conventional way an elder would¡­ Older people had a point where they thought it prudent to lecture one on their marriageless state¡­ The ¡°It¡¯s time to get married speech.¡± Instead, he stared at me for a good while, regarding me¡­ He was changing tactics, and I was curious about what he would come up with. How was he going to convince me to go on a blind date? ¡°Do you know about hybrids?¡±

    That caught me off guard. Totally off-topic! I was glad he had dropped the matchmaking. Intrigued, I nodded. ¡°I have, but isn¡¯t it a myth?¡±

    He chuckled, ¡°So they say, but I¡¯m almost sure there is one among us. I heard via my moles from the few remaining werewolf tribes left that they are looking for him.¡± Stunned, I kept listening, sipping my whiskey. ¡°The werewolves planted a mate with it to see if a union with a hybrid could bring about a cub.¡±

    I put my empty glass down on a coaster, ¡°What has the hybrid got to do with this, Juliet? Or the Farrows?¡±

    ¡°The thing is Louis,¡± he said, standing up, walking over to a decanter, filling my glass. ¡°Her parents have detected a werewolf. A teacher in the girl¡¯s school. Married¡­ to a human.¡±

    I paused, frowning, ¡°The hybrid?¡±

    He nodded, ¡°That¡¯s the word around town, yes.¡± Samuel handed me my second glass.

    ¡°What about the infected vampires? They¡¯re also searching for this guy?¡±

    Samuel sighed and nodded, ¡°That is a problem for another day.¡±

    ¡°So, what do you want from me?¡±

    Samuel took his seat and then a deep breath, ¡°The parents had hoped to introduce the girl to more vampires to see if she could not find a husband, and soon. They fear that the girl¡¯s human relationships will somehow create a problem¡­ later in her life. Soon, that werewolf will realize she is not the only creature in that small town¡ªif she hasn¡¯t already. Afraid for their child with so many obstacles¡­ Can you understand that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but they could move. You could plant a sleeper cell there. Why go this route. Dragging me here?¡±

    He sat staring at me again, ¡°It¡¯s¡­ my brothers¡¯ child.¡± I choked on the strong liquor. Samuel handed me a napkin. I put the glass down and wiped my mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know a lot of guys who are good enough for my niece. And, of course, no one knows who she is¡­ That must stay that way! She would be targeted and get taken.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I cannot even think about that.¡±

    Frustrated, I scratched my scalp with the points of my finger, ¡°So, because the groom pool is low, you¡¯re asking me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not low, Louis. It¡¯s you¡­ I don¡¯t want to wait another hundred years to see if one man in the compound could be brought around... To give her the life she deserves¡­ When things went wrong there, I quickly pulled them out.¡±

    I could see he was avoiding something, but I didn¡¯t want to pry. I knew he had no ¡®pull¡¯ on the compound. ¡°I heard about something big happening a few years back... Care to share what really went down?¡±

    ¡°That is also a story for another day,¡± he said hurriedly, trying to stay on topic. ¡°So, Louis! I am asking you as a friend. Go and meet this guy. Check out which werewolves are so conveniently situated close to my niece and¡ª¡±

    ¡°And in the meantime, see if I do not want to bed her?¡±

    The glass in his hand shattered, cutting Samuel and messing the liquid all over the floor. I jumped to help him¡­ ¡°Too long out of the company of people¡­ Let alone women, Samuel¡­ I apologize. That was uncalled for¡­ You know I don¡¯t have anyone to keep me in line¡­ I might not be the right guy for what you¡¯re planning.¡±

    He had a bout of laughter. I was confused¡­ ¡°You have not met Juliet!¡± He kept laughing. Was this girl crazy? ¡°All you need is a¡­.¡± he chuckled, ¡°A good woman¡­ to restore your faith¡­ It¡¯s not just her. I don¡¯t want to see you so unhappy. When your parents died¡ª¡±

    I spun away from him, ¡°You¡¯ve told me a million times before! Not again, please!¡±

    Resigned, he said, ¡°Okay¡­ Not again¡­ In the meantime, really consider my niece as your... wife,¡± he stared me down until I conceded. I sighed and shook his hand. ¡°My brother has already set up a cover story for you¡­ and a house ready next to theirs. We took the liberty of getting you a job at the school. Report the day before so you can get settled.¡± Shocked, I cussed and turned on my heels; I didn¡¯t like people managing my life. ¡°Come now, Louis! You can¡¯t use that kind of language in front of my family! And¡­¡±

    I turned to face him, ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°If you are not a hundred percent convinced you will never leave her side again¡­ Don¡¯t touch her!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re putting a lot of faith in our two-hundred-year-old relationship, Samuel.¡±

    He chuckled and headed to get another drink, ¡°Like I said. You haven¡¯t met  my Juliet yet.¡±

    ***

    But I had touched her. Tried to kiss her the first day we met. Guiltily, I answered the phone, ¡°Liam. Juliet is gone¡­ She disappeared on me. I¡¯m looking for her. She came into the motel. I have been running around, but she¡¯s not showing herself.¡±

    The other side of the line was quiet.

 9. Complications

    9. Complications

    Louis

    ¡°Okay, we¡¯re coming! What floor?¡± Liam said after a lengthy pause.

    ¡°I¡¯m heading to the top floor. Seems like the owner of the place is here tonight. It¡¯s my best bet¡­ Juliet went after some guy with a werewolf pup in a bag with him.¡±

    There was more silence from Liam, ¡°Quickly now, Louis! We¡¯ll be right there,¡± he hung up the phone.

    I had to pull myself together, ¡°Just give me one more chance to make this right,¡± I whispered as I ran for the stairs, taking them three at a time. You could almost call it a condemned building. I realized Juliet had walked those halls. Knowing she had been in a place like that was already too much for me. She had more guts than wisdom, coupled with that volatile temper¡­ would I ever know how to handle her? ¡°Never tell her she¡¯s acting like a child!¡± I scolded myself.

    Slowly, I opened the last door and walked through. There was a table with five men gambling. They ignored me and kept playing. A gun cocked behind my head. The cold metal pressed against my skull, ¡°Walk.¡± The person pushed me forward. I obliged¡ªhe was steering me in the direction I wanted to go anyway.

    Walking into the room was like transitioning into another world. It was painted and decorated with clean lines and expensive furniture. Although it was just an office, a seating area surrounded a small coffee table. The motel was a front. The guard pushed me further into the room and made me sit on the white suede couches. I had dressed very well that day. No expense was spared for the outfit I wore to meet Juliet for the first time. Decided on a long black coat that hung down to my ankles. Underneath, I had on a smart-casual grey jersey with stylish slim-fit jeans. Black ankle-high boots with dark brown soles. Jewelry to finish off my outfit. Glad about it. I at least fit right into the surroundings. ¡°You seem lost, Louis¡­.¡± A voice said behind me.

    I Jumped up, turning, recognizing it immediately, ¡°Jacklin! What the hell are you doing here?¡± Doubtfully, my mind raced, the pup in the bag, the place, Jacklin, ¡°Where is she?¡± I asked quickly.

    Jacklin frowned, tilting her head in question, ¡°You¡¯re looking for someone¡­ I was wondering why you were here. I knew it wasn¡¯t for a prostitute. You stopped coming to me a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°So¡­ you have finally found someone¡­ Who is she?¡±

    The panic around my heart gripped tighter; everything that was happening was one complication after another, ¡°I¡¯m not asking again.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, I do not know why you are here. But if some woman came wandering in. Don¡¯t you think we would have noticed? The clientele is rather male.¡±

    My chest felt tighter and tighter, ¡°Where is Lucile¡¯s client now?¡± I growled. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t leave the building, where does he go?¡±

    ¡°Lucile¡¯s client? I don¡¯t know every guy every girl sees in here.¡±

    ¡°Let me help you remember. Well-tailored infected vamp with a leather bag that makes the hair on my neck stand up straight¡­ And I hope you have no part in whatever is going on.¡±

    She dared to smirk at me, ¡°There is a service elevator that goes to a basement parking. He takes a car and drives out, a new rental every time. Leaves it at a drop-off point the next day¡ªno trace.¡± That wasn¡¯t just a complication¡­ It was a dead end. I sat down again. My head dropped, and my foot tapped nervously. Jacklin wanted to make her way over to me. She halted from the noises on the other side of the door. People were shouting and fighting. I knew I didn¡¯t have to help or do anything. Shots were fired. A lot of bodies hit walls. The two parents would be done soon. They were the oldest and most potent. The human men didn¡¯t stand a chance. It was over quickly and deadly quiet outside. They knocked. Jacklin stood with a drink in her hand, ¡°Please come in.¡± Cindy and Liam walked casually into the room¡­ ¡°Who is this, Louis?

    ¡°The parents,¡± Jacklin¡¯s head snapped at me, ¡°How old is she?¡±

    Liam and Cindy said nothing, ¡°She¡¯s not here. Or¡­ she hasn¡¯t shown herself. You know her. Would she have reappeared yet?¡±

    ¡°Of course! As soon as she saw us. She can be stupid, but she¡¯s not selfish.¡±

    ¡°What happened, Louis?¡± Cindy asked.

    ¡°Earlier, there was a guy with a bag, like I said. There was definitely a pup inside. I followed him¡­ But there was trouble in the alley. So, I went to help her¡­ She fed¡­ wanted to know what happened to the guy. I took too long to answer her¡­ You two have really sheltered her from everything. Now she¡¯s so frustrated that the smallest thing sets her off.¡±

    ¡°Louis, that doesn¡¯t explain where she is!¡± Liam said, clipped.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where she is! If she followed the guy¡­ And if she got in his car, they¡¯re gone.¡± Saying the words were terrifying. I saw my only way to Juliet disappear. How would we find her? How long would it take us?

    ¡°They could be anywhere,¡± Jacklin interrupted. Liam and Cindy exchanged a quick glance and left the room. Jacklin grabbed at my coat as I made my way out the door. She wanted me to stay and talk. I shrugged her off and went after Liam and Cindy. ¡°I will come and see you soon. It¡¯s not over between us,¡± Jacklin yelled behind me. There had never been anything between us, and there never would be.

    I got in the car and saw Cindy busy on her phone, ¡°Come on, come on!¡± she whispered. A sound dinged. Both sighed with relief. They shared a look, and Liam squeezed his wife¡¯s shoulder as she showed him the phone. Moments later, we were speeding down the highway. ¡°One thing I told Juliet when we moved here was that she always had to have a locator app on her phone. She was so desperate to go to a normal school. She agreed easily.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for losing her¡­ You guys trusted me to look after her, and I let you down,¡± There was silence in the car, ¡°I don¡¯t think this was the best plan¡­ Letting her get to know me first¡­ Before we told her that I came by your request.¡± Still, no one said anything, ¡°What is going to happen if she finds out¡­ I came here¡­ Intending to see if I liked her before I stayed. The idea makes me nervous¡­ She is going to flip out, knowing we lied to her. Not including her¡­ Blind dates suck!¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯ve decided. You have only spent one day with her.¡± Liam said softly, ¡°You seem a bit on edge for someone who only met her once.¡±

    That time, I was quiet. Cindy turned in her seat to meet my eye. There was no point in lying to them,  ¡°I have been here for some time. A month, maybe more. I¡¯ve been following her and keeping an eye on her.¡±

    Cindy didn¡¯t look surprised or that they minded. My head lowered to my hands. ¡°Like you said, we raised her very sheltered¡­ It¡¯s time she grew up, and if she can¡¯t forgive us for this, we will wait. She can¡¯t hate us forever.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just get our baby back unharmed. Then, we can think about spilling the beans. She has forgiven us for much more than setting her up,¡± Liam commented.

    ¡°I just hope she¡¯s with her phone¡­ That she was clever about hiding it somewhere, the guy won¡¯t find it.¡±

    The next half hour seemed like an eternity. We couldn¡¯t be that far behind them, but we got lost a few times when we took the dirt paths off the main road. My nerves were shot, waiting. If we didn¡¯t find her soon¡­ my next option would be to get out of the car¡ªgo further on foot.

    The lane leading up to the house was well hidden in the darkness. It had a long driveway up to the building. Liam decided to park the car somewhere hidden behind some bushes. We were all a bit frantic as we made our way through the thicket of undergrowth until we reached a well-manicured lawn. The house and garden were well-kept. The whole area around the house was lit with garden lights. Every window was covered, shut tight with steel-enforced security roller blinds. The garage was attached to the house, and the door closed. ¡°If they arrived by car¡­ The garage seems to be the place to get into the house.¡± Liam¡¯s idea was to barge in and hope for the best, fearful of what Juliet was going through there.

    ¡°You guys go around the house first. I will go up on the roof to see if there is any way I can get in through the tiles in the attic. See if you guys can get in through the garage. There has to be some weak point in his security.¡±

    I made my way onto the roof and quickly found a place to lift the tiles one by one. It didn¡¯t take long, and I softly made my way down into the crawl space. Glad that the roof was pitched high and that I could walk on the beams. I searched for the trap door, hoping it would give me access to the house. That was my plan anyway.

    I heard the garage door being forced open, ¡°S-¡± Mom and Dad didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. A sudden and alarming sound jolted me where I stood and blared inside the house. Lifting the trapdoor, I looked down into a hall. It was quiet, but the siren was deafening. He was protecting himself from werewolves and vampires, wanting to confuse whoever came in. The frequency was on such a pitch my ears rang until I couldn¡¯t hear anything anymore. I glanced down at my blood-covered fingers, and worry for Juliet drove me to continue to sweep the house from top to bottom. My phone vibrated against my body. It fumbled in my hand as I took it out of my pocket, thinking it was Juliet. My brow furrowed. There were only four numbers on the screen. ¡°What?¡±

    ***

    Juliet

    My eyes lazily opened. The first thing I saw was the wall lined with cages full of exotic animals making rabid noises. None of them looked normal. The smell was horrible¡­ I gaged, trying to get my throat under control. Mr. Tailored had moved us to a new room. It wasn¡¯t as clean as the previous one. The pup was not a werewolf anymore and had transformed into a human baby. The little guy was crying and crying. His voice was hoarsely cracking. I was afraid the wailing would drive him up the wall.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake¡­ I would ask how you feel, but I can imagine,¡± I looked at the same yellow liquid the baby received being pumped into my system. Couldn¡¯t really feel any effects yet. I didn¡¯t understand what he hoped to accomplish but I wasn¡¯t going to tell him to up the dose. ¡°Didn¡¯t your parents tell you how we infected vampires come into existence?¡± I couldn¡¯t talk. I didn¡¯t feel like chatting. All I knew was what they told me as a kid. Like in the movies, some vampires bit people, becoming whatever the guy seemed to be. I¡¯ve never seen one, although the compound had many. I had never believed them. It was a myth, and seeing the hatred on his face for my kind¡­ I guessed that my parents kept something else from me. ¡°Bet they didn¡¯t tell you that all those servants at the compound were abducted, human children. Taken from their homes. Raised and trained until we were as big and strong as possible. Experimented on.¡± He took some stuff out of some cabinets, ¡°I was not bitten, and then this happened. We¡¯re made into the creatures I am¡­ Stuck in time. Unable to live a normal life. No blood in my veins¡­ Forever to serve the chosen race. They also didn¡¯t tell you what happens to a born vampire if they undergo the same treatment I had to endure.¡±

    A stone-cold feeling descended over me. I knew it wasn¡¯t going to be a cushy fairy-tale story. I was lying on a steel bed; the top half was slightly raised so I could see out over the space. Mr. Tailored walked to the wall directly across from me. The upper part was a glass window. He flipped a light switch to reveal a small cubicle. Inside, a woman walked from one side to the other. I gasped when she turned to the glass. A nervous moan escaped my lips. My gaze darted at the drip in my arm, and I yanked it out, making liquid spray like a snake in the air. The rest dripped down my flesh, mixed with blood oozing from the wound. He spun around. I rolled off the bed and fell to the floor, trying to find my feet. I couldn¡¯t and stumbled about, slipping on the messy floor. He came at me. I wanted to fight him¡ªwhoever he was. He was getting vengeance. I realized I had no clue about the world out there. My world.

    Enraged, he pushed the bed out of the way to get to me. The force had sent the table skidding over the floor. Oh no. He pushed my shoulder over and hit me across the cheek. His fingers clenched, and the next pound was a fist. I didn¡¯t yell anymore when someone hit me. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to anyway. He gripped my shirt; I lifted into the air, flailing. The next moment, I crashed into the cages across the room, ¡°Ahh,¡± the pain pounded into every bone that hit something. I wasn¡¯t like him. We still bruised and bled. Towering over me, he wanted to hunch down but was halted when an alarm resounded in the small space. I reacted to the deafeningly loud sound, and the animals went ballistic. A spike of pain bore into my head. My hands jumped to my ears. I lay immobilized¡­ Until I heard nothing more.

    Mr. Tailored was unaffected, walking to the monitors mounted on the wall at the door. I couldn¡¯t see what was on display. I prayed that Louis, Mom, and Dad had tracked my phone. Earlier, I wondered how long they would wait for me to come out of my vanished state or what they would do. But I was glad my mom forced me to get the app. My phone couldn¡¯t be traced as long as I stayed invisible. Leaving my phone in the car, I knew it would only be a matter of time. He swore and turned to me, ¡°I checked you. No phone or tracker. How did they get to you?¡±

    I was out of it. The yellow liquid was now very much taking over part of my system. Feeling drugged, I kept struggling to stand up. Mr. Tailored was frantically packing things in a bag, making his way out of a back door, and leaving me on the floor. Relief washed over me. I wasn¡¯t going to die. I pulled myself up on the cages, the animals raving inside, slamming into the wire mesh. They were more deformed than the woman behind the glass. I took in all of her as I stood. A shiver sent my stomach reeling. She suddenly stopped ramming into the glass, and I guessed the alarm had stopped abruptly. My gaze flickered over the room. My first object was the baby. What if he came back for him?

    The baby¡¯s ears were bleeding, but he was quiet¡­ Still alive¡­ And that was all that mattered. I scooped him up, holding him tight. Tears rolled down my cheeks. A hand on my shoulder made me spin around. I screamed, trying to disappear, thinking it was him. Louis pulled us both into his arms, kissing the top of my head. His arms tightened around me. It was over. I let out muffled cries into his coat and rested my head on his chest. He didn¡¯t let go and kept pressing his lips into my hair. I softened under the comfort. Louis came for me.

    Mom and Dad came into the room, shocked at the scene, and hurriedly walked toward me. Both pulled me into their arms. Louis took a step back,  staring at the woman behind the glass. I pointed at the door. My dad grabbed Louis¡¯s arm, and they rushed out of the room. My mom didn¡¯t let me go, stroking my hair. A blur crossed my vision. I handed her the baby. Neither of us could hear each other. Her face was full of concern and frustration. I knew I would pass out and tried to make it to the bed. I reached out, but my legs wobbled, and I fell on my knees and hit the ground. My mom kneeled next to me, wiping the hair out of my face.

    Suddenly¡­ things that were really important ¡­ became very clear. Chris was and always would be first in my thoughts. His eyes fixed on me. His fingers around my wrist, stopping me from leaving.

    I wanted him in my life.

 10. Wednesday

    10. Wednesday

    Chris

    I felt like a kid again. The previous day was the most outrageous, strangest, newest I had ever experienced. The most exciting day I have had in a long time... Not only did I meet my fantasy girl, the one who had been bombarding me those last few months. But I also saw her disappear into thin air. Above all that, I touched her¡ªtwice. Once, when she was in front of me and when she was not¡­ I was sure I did and had a smile on my face to prove it. I had driven past her after school, and the thought made me sick. She saw me sitting next to my wife in the car. I didn¡¯t want to be married anymore. I couldn¡¯t sleep the previous night. I was in my study most of the time, trying to figure out what to say to Juliet, how to approach her, or if I would at all.

    I stared at my wedding photos on the wall for a long time. I had put them up to convince myself there was still hope for my wife and me. I had tried to fix our relationship. Sita never wanted the same thing as me. She was content with a friendship as a marriage¡­ It wasn¡¯t even that anymore. Since the first day I saw Juliet, I knew I couldn¡¯t handle the farce anymore. I wasn¡¯t that guy who settled and accepted half a life or¡­ I didn¡¯t want to anymore. I stood up and walked over to the wall, taking down each frame. I opened them and put the paper through the shredder; even if Juliet would never be an option, my marriage was over.

    Thoughts about what I would do in the future brought me back to my work at the school. I wanted to leave¡­ I had for months. Sita was there. If we divorced¡­ I wanted to be as far away from her as possible.

    Consequently, I would end whatever was going on with Juliet and me, and she was the reason I hadn¡¯t resigned yet. Our meeting kept playing over and over in my head. The fact that she wouldn¡¯t have believed Carl. Why would she not believe him? Why could she not answer my question or look me in the eye? We had been making eye contact for months until I was in front of her. She was as red as a tomato. I smiled, thinking about how embarrassed she was. There really could be only one reason; it meant she must have feelings for me¡ªthat Carl and Charlene knew of¡­ A crush, maybe? It wouldn¡¯t be the first time a student thought highly¡­ no had impure thoughts about a teacher. I stiffened at the idea. The desire was there¡­ But she had never given me anything more than that.

    No, I couldn¡¯t believe it! Someone like her could never have a crush on me. I was so dull. As I watched her, I took note of some of her mannerisms. Juliet played most of the time, laughed, or was very serious. There were always boys and friends with the three of them¡­ But¡­ if she did¡­ like me¡­ and I talked to her again, it would mean I was pursuing her. Even if I just went to confirm my suspicions. It would be selfish, and pushing the boundaries of propriety was wrong. I could never do that to her, and going to talk to her just about disappearing or why she even could¡ªmeant I only cared about that.

    I parked at the school half an hour later. From my car to the school¡¯s front door was a short distance. That morning, it felt like a walkway to hell. One choice meant how the rest of your life would be. Frustrated, I ran my fingers through my hair. My other hand was stuck in my pocket. My bag with my journal and notes hung around my shoulder by my side. I walked through the offices toward the school grounds and had to pass the receptionist. I stared at Miss Lucas, thinking if I should or should not ask for Juliet¡¯s schedule for the day. She smiled, ¡°Is there something I can help you with, Chris?¡± she asked in her nasal voice. My nerves were shot. I knew if I crossed the line that day¡­ I might as well go to her class, drag her out, and make her tell me what was going on. Tell her that I was in love with her. That I fantasized about her¡­ It was the school clothes she had on standing across from me the day before or that she needed to be summoned by a teacher to come and talk to me at all. My friend. A close friend¡­ The school environment of pimple-faced kids greeting me was a constant reminder of the age difference between us.

    ¡°No, thank you,¡± I said. ¡°Have a good day,¡± I walked past. I was decided. I would not be that guy.

    ¡°You too, Chris.¡±

    ***

    Sita

    That morning, Christopher had left the house earlier than usual.  He didn¡¯t go to sleep the previous night. Something was wrong with him, and whatever happened between him and Juliet shook him. He was in his office most of the time. After the garage door closed, I went in to try to figure out what was going on. Luckily, his laptop was on the desk. Chris had no privacy¡­ I had all his passwords. Not that he gave them to me. It was easy going through every folder and website he had visited. There was nothing strange on his PC.

    I decided to take that time to dump the files of the cameras I had hidden all over the house. I haven¡¯t done it in a while, but it might shed some light. Other than that, I needed to get to school. I was already late.

    I stood at the door, surveying the room to see if everything was in place. I noticed the walls, ¡°Our wedding photos.¡± He had taken them down. Mixed emotions ran through me. He had given up and, in a subtle way, let me know. I had not seen them in the trash. My eyes shot to the shredder. I walked over as my pulse quickened. Lifting the machine part, I got to the basket where the shredded pieces were lying. I didn¡¯t even have to rummage. They were there. Pictures in tiny strands. My throat felt tight. My eyes were burning. I sat there until tears rolled down my cheeks.

    For years, he had pushed and prodded me to go for counseling. To find a way to move forward. The assignment was never something I wanted. I had to do it. It was my duty. Consummated the marriage because it was what I was supposed to do. After that¡­ I just couldn¡¯t. Whenever he touched me, I would close up. Walls would surface, and I ran away. I had noticed him staring at one specific schoolgirl the last few months. How he changed his routine and familiar places so he could watch her. At first, it didn¡¯t even bother me¡­ What did it matter who he used to get off on? It was a fantasy. She was stunning for her age. She stood out among all the girls in school and had the personality to draw anyone¡¯s attention. Younger girls were known to catch the eye of thirty-year-old men before.

    Just because my grandfather thought Christopher was the hybrid did not mean he was. They had no proof but a hunch about something that happened when he was born. Where did the legend come from anyway? I would have known by then if I could get over my issues about sleeping with my husband. It just didn¡¯t feel right.

    I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. My makeup was a mess. My life was a mess. I was stuck in a mess. I tried again to think about how I got through the first time we slept together¡ªall that ever answered was a confused mess in my head.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ***

    Sita And Her Grandfather

    ¡°I think he plans to leave me,¡± I whispered, staring out over the mountains.

    Sighing, Nick sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees, ¡°I am tired and old. Your parents died, and I am going to leave you here alone. This is a good chance for you to be happy, Sita¡­ Go think about it carefully¡­ You have a chance to turn everything around if you want to. You guys spent a lot of time together before the marriage. Everything was fine. You told me you thought he was the one regardless of everything else.¡±

    I sighed, hesitating to tell the truth, ¡°I lied to you. I felt it necessary¡­ To do my duty.¡±

    Shocked, my grandfather got choked up by the revelation, ¡°I would never have forced you. Why didn¡¯t you tell me the truth?¡±

    I turned to him and moved forward, putting my arm around his neck, ¡°I thought I could do it. Many women have married for less. I didn¡¯t know¡­ It¡¯s not your fault.¡±

    ¡°Why did you stay so long? Chris has been miserable.¡±

    I was struck by the question. I did not have an immediate answer. My feelings that morning were proof that I had gotten used to having Chris by my side. He is handsome and at home most of the time. Following him and having people surveying him had shown me he had never cheated on me. Until¡­ Juliet.

    ¡°No, jealousy about this girl?¡±

    My features pulled tight, and my body stiffened in response. When I thought about that little vampire, I did get mad. She had not even done anything, yet she had his full attention. I nodded. Of course, I was jealous. She was on my territory. I felt stupid¡­ I wanted him, but I also didn¡¯t.

    ***

    Charlene

    I rang the bell at Juliet¡¯s house for the fourth time, waiting a few minutes. No one was home. I called her cell, but she didn¡¯t pick up. It was working but just kept ringing. Worriedly, I walked to the side of the house, going through a small side gate and peeking into the garage window. I didn¡¯t see Mr. Farrow¡¯s car. Did they take her to school? Without telling me?

    I left; there was no point in hanging around. Carl was already waiting at the bridge. He waved at me when I walked down the small, hilly road leading to the stream. Waiving back, he gestured questioningly with his hand. I shrugged. ¡°Did she say anything to you?¡± I asked as I came closer. Carl shook his head. ¡°Their car isn¡¯t there either.¡±

    Carl¡¯s eyes dropped down, ¡°I know we said we would not talk about it too much. But this is weird, right?¡± He said eventually. I nodded and stopped walking to rest my arms on the guard rail, staring into the water that lapped below us. Carl kept talking, ¡°There¡¯s been so many times things with her family came up or stuff she couldn¡¯t explain to us.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ Yesterday¡­ After Chris¡­ She was lying. Chris was lying. Did you see him fumble¡­ And that would¡¯ve been okay. If something had happened between them. But no one is home. Chris has nothing to do with them, being AFK every week¡­.¡±

    Carl stood staring at me, ¡°Would it be unfair to make her tell us what she¡¯s hiding? Is it wrong of me to wish she would confide in us? Let us in a little more! You always come up for her, Chars¡­ Tell me not to push. Whatever is going on gets swept under the rug.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything because I was hiding so much from them. I liked Juliet because she was my friend no matter what. I didn¡¯t need to do anything. She didn¡¯t need to do or tell me anything.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want to be late,¡± his tone was clipped at my nonresponse. Carl crossed the rest of the bridge angrily.

    I wasn¡¯t saying what he wanted to hear, ¡°Maybe they went somewhere for breakfast, and Juliet will be waiting at the school.¡±

    Carl gave me the ¡®don¡¯t be stupid¡¯ stare. ¡°You¡¯re just as bad as she is. I can¡¯t cope with you guys acting like teenagers!¡±

    Juliet never pitched. The fifth period was computers with Chris. I was kind of worried that we hadn¡¯t heard anything from her. Not even a text. ¡°Carl, did you get any messages yet?¡± I whispered.

    He shook his head from side to side¡­ Regardless, he checked his phone again. He had been staring at his phone every period. Carl cared even if he was frustrated.

    That morning, when I woke up, I had a funny feeling, and I still didn¡¯t feel a hundred percent. My stomach was upset. Yesterday, when Juliet met us at the gate, I was so emotional when Jerry spoke so roughly to her. It felt like I had no control over my mouth. I said some stupid things to back up my friend; maybe I was also in love. I shook myself. I felt foolish, worrying about my friend who was somewhere with her parents.

    I looked up at Chris behind his desk, shaking my head. What did she see in him? Juliet and Chris made me think about love¡­ Benjamin¡¯s face came to mind. We had such a good holiday together. We got on really well. He was handsome with dark brown hair, highlighted, and it was growing out. It was long and hung over his ears... Having him with me over a white Christmas, a New Year¡¯s ball with dancing¡­ It was the best time I had ever had. We went sightseeing while our parents were busy with business.

    Being back in that small town with nothing to do was depressing, dealing with stupid crap! Irritated, I threw my pen on the desk, checking my phone for the umpteenth time.  No messages from my friend. I hadn¡¯t told Juliet everything about Ben and me. I don¡¯t know why¡­. It wasn¡¯t like Ben was my first time. Maybe it was because she was still a virgin. I jumped up and walked toward Chris¡¯s desk. ¡°Mr. Rheed¡­¡±

    Dumbfounded at my tone and my hands resting on his desk, his eyes said more than he would¡¯ve wanted to, ¡°Yes, Charlene?¡± The poor man had no idea what to do.

    I was chewing my lip nervously, ¡°If there is anything that happened yesterday¡­ we should know of¡­ I would appreciate it. We¡¯re getting a little worried. I haven¡¯t seen Juliet since¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t know the man. I didn¡¯t know his reactions or how to read him. He shook his head slowly. My

    After school, Carl and I walked back home in silence, deciding to go to her house again at the last minute. ¡°Who¡¯s car is this?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ It was here this morning.¡±

    There was still no answer at the door, ¡°Should we go around the house just to make sure?¡± He asked.

    I stepped out and opened the side gate. We headed towards Juliet¡¯s bedroom. The window was open. Carl drew back the curtains. Her room was a mess: clothes on the ground, the cupboard open, her schoolbag standing at the door, and a made-up bed. ¡°She didn¡¯t sleep in her own bed last night?¡±

    ¡°Well, what now?¡± Carl asked.

    I shrugged, ¡°Let¡¯s go home. At least we know she¡¯s with her parents, right?¡±

    Carl looked doubtful and took out his phone to call Mrs. Farrow. There was no answer.

 11. I Still See You

    11. I Still See You

    Chris

    Admittedly, I came to school very proud of myself for not going looking for Juliet the rest of that week. Even after Charlene came and asked me about our meeting. My feelings were still all jumbled up... Mostly, I feared regretting not taking my shot with her. I just couldn¡¯t get over her age. My conscience wouldn¡¯t let me. It was assembly the following week¡­ I wanted to skip it altogether, standing frozen at the hall door. Carl and Charlene were already sitting. That week in their computer class, they had spoken about not hearing from Juliet and seemed worried.

    After she disappeared, I had to stop myself from obsessing¡­ It did seem like she knew exactly what was going on. If she couldn¡¯t come to school because I touched her and made it happen. I felt terrible, but what was I supposed to do¡ªall I could do was hope she was okay.

    I decided to sit down in my usual spot, looking out over the crowd. Sita was staring at me; I frowned at the uncommon bid for connection. She would soon be my ex-wife. I went to see an attorney and got the ball rolling to get the hell out of there. Running from everything seemed like an excellent idea. The bell rang, and the last of the kids sat down. Juliet was still not among her friends. Something in my gut churned. I stared at the spot she would usually fill. I was stupid that day, trying to close the gap between us, pushing her to reveal feelings she was reluctant to share. My actions did change our whole relationship. Maybe she couldn¡¯t face me anymore¡ªtoo scared of what I would do. Would she move schools? If I could just tell her, I was leaving. I had talked to Sita¡­ She didn¡¯t say much about my suggestion of divorce. She ignored me and buried it in a deep hole, like so much of our relationship.

    The principal came up to the microphone to introduce a new French teacher, Louis Du Pont. There was an immediate murmur under the kids around me and in the gallery. He would be popular. Dark brown hair; too long and styled with way too much product for my taste. His clothes were over the top... Where did the guy think he was. Paris? I scoffed at him.

    I scanned the floor¡­ Juliet still hadn¡¯t taken her place. I even checked all the doors around me where she sometimes stood, thinking it probably had to do with her ability. That was what I called it¡ªJuliet¡¯s ability.

    My eye caught movement over the courtyard. A student was approaching a door on the side of the building. She had difficulty walking and seemed weak and sickly. I was shocked when the dark circles around her eyes became more apparent as she got closer. She had a bandage wrapped around one arm and some other cuts. If it was at all possible, Juliet had lost weight. I wanted to get up and run to her. Ask her if she was okay. Despite all my inner conflict, I didn¡¯t move. I had no right to do it. I had not cared that whole week. She was hurt, and I didn¡¯t even know.

    Juliet stood at one of the doors, leaning on the frame like always, staring at the stage. Something had got her attention, and she had moved forward a step and stood frozen. My gaze traveled to what she had seen. Louis Du Pont looked right at her. He lifted his hand a little and waved next to his thigh like he was doing it¡­ in secret. It went along with a dashing smile, and unfortunately, every girl had something to say, trying to find out what was going on. Juliet frowned for a second, lowered her head, and shook it from side to side, smiling. What the hell was that? I almost lost it when she put some of her hair behind her ear like she was¡ªflirting?! I would kill him if he ever touched her. He was older than me.

    Juliet scanned the crowd, fixing on Charlene and Carl, who weren¡¯t paying attention, too busy on their phones. Juliet took out hers and typed something on the screen. Both looked up immediately, trying to find her. They jumped up and made their way across the floor, not caring about what the teachers would say. They both pulled her by the arm out into the courtyard. She winced and staggered a little. My fists balled on my lap for too many reasons. What was wrong with her? It seemed like it was the first time they had seen her since that day. But she was all beaten up, and she had disappeared right in front of me. Were the bruises because of what happened? Is that why she looked so panicked? Did it hurt her to disappear? She looked fine in the street that day. That was why I didn¡¯t worry too much.

    After assembly, I made my way to the principal¡¯s office. I had to take a seat outside his office in the small corridor. There was a couple in with him. I couldn¡¯t hear anything through the closed door, but you could see right through big glass window panes framed in the wood along the wall.

    The door opened, and a woman and a man came out, ¡°Ah, Chris. Just the man I was looking for¡­ This is Mr. and Mrs. Farrow.¡± Inwardly, I jolted. It was Juliet¡¯s parents... Stupidly, I stared at them until Louis Du Pont came out from the office behind them, busy on his phone. What happened between them brought me right back to the present. I was too curious about who he was in their lives. Jealous that even her parents knew him. Mr. Farrow held out his hand to me, and I took it. He seemed friendly. Everybody seemed happy. It couldn¡¯t be about Juliet.

    ¡°Liam just came by to sort out the sponsorship and agreed to help. It seemed that you really got the job done.¡±

    My stomach turned knots again. Yeah, I really got the job done.

    ¡°Oh! Don¡¯t mention it. We¡¯re glad to help. This is my wife, Cindy.¡± Liam pointed to the woman on his arm. She pushed out her hand towards me, smiling. Those people didn¡¯t have a clue who I was. I could see Juliet in their features; the mother was just as beautiful as the daughter. Liam pointed to Louis, ¡°This is Louis Du Pont, a very good friend of the family¡­ He is going to start teaching today.¡±

    The principal had no scruples and added, ¡°A little arrangement we have for a continuation of their support. A mutual agreement for Louis to start work here. He moved from the north to be closer to the family, wanting a quiet town life, and he wants to settle down¡­ Well, this is the best place for it, I say.¡±

    Settle down! Settle down! With who? ¡°I agree,¡± Cindy said. ¡°Exactly why we moved here a few years ago.¡±

    Louis walked past everyone and held out his hand to me. He was a little taller than me. A real pretty boy but still manly. For some reason, when he took my hand, he gripped it a bit too hard, like he was posturing. He pointed at the letter in my hand and said, ¡°Have you come to hand in your resignation.¡±

    Still irritated at the Frenchie¡¯s cocky face, I put the envelope away into my jacket pocket. ¡°No¡­ Just some mail delivered to the school.¡±

    He smirked, ¡°That¡¯s good¡­ Wouldn¡¯t want to lose a fellow faculty member. One that could possibly become a friend. Heard there aren¡¯t many men on the staff.¡±

    ¡°No! There isn¡¯t. It¡¯s just seven now. Chris¡¯s wife, Sita, also works here. You might see her later in the break room.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re married?¡± Louis blurted out¡ªloudly. His beautiful, dark blue eyes taunted me. He was a little too handsome and didn¡¯t fit in there at all, just like Juliet.

    My thoughts weren¡¯t cold when she came walking down the corridor. Louis saw her and pushed past me, making his way over to her, ¡°We told you to take some more time off. Do you want to go home?¡± He asked softly. His voice was tender. I swore inwardly. Something was going on.

    ¡°Juliet was in an accident last week, but other than a few bruises¡­ Liam says she is fine,¡± the principal remarked.

    I hadn¡¯t taken my eyes off her and Louis¡ªbut especially her. She was avoiding me. Not looking at me once. I felt like shaking her. It was what I wanted, but I also had so much I wanted to say to her. Why didn¡¯t I hand in my resignation? Was jealousy really going to make me stay? I shook my head; jealousy was one of the motives for murder. I would let myself off the hook if I waited a few more days¡­ That one moment was another that would change my life. I couldn¡¯t figure her out.

    ¡°I came to say something to my parents before they leave,¡± Juliet said to Louis. The four of them made their way to the parking lot. Juliet put her arm through her mother¡¯s. The scene left me wanting in too many ways.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ***

    Louis

    Seeing the look on Juliet¡¯s face that morning was worth it. We didn¡¯t tell her about me going to work at the school. Moments like that would be invaluable in the future. I wanted to surprise her, and I think I got that done. Whether she would accept me there in her life was another matter. There was no time to talk between last week finding her in that house and that morning. It took a whole day to get our hearing back. Juliet still had none of the answers to all the questions Cindy said she asked, and catching her off guard at the school would make it worse.

    It had taken me a few months to get used to the idea of moving out there just to get to know some other vampires. When Samuel told me about Juliet, I didn¡¯t have high hopes, but I made a promise. So, eventually, I packed my bags and moved to that little place. I will never forget the first time I saw her.

    ***

    Louis A Month Ago

    I had just arrived, having a coffee on the main street. It gave me a good view of everyone coming and going. I thought getting used to the place before meeting Liam, Cindy, and Juliet would be best.

    It was a cold, rainy day. I was pretending to read the paper. It gave me a good cover if I needed to hide. Three kids sat at the table across from me. I didn¡¯t even think twice about them. Samuel had given me no information about his niece or his brother and wife¡­ But¡­ I put the paper down to take the check from the waitress. One of the girls had her back to me. Longish dark hair with blond highlights. Dressed all in black. Black T-shirt, black jeans, and boots. Leathery bracelets and some rings on her fingers, but nothing flashy. I could only see the side of her face now and again. She was stunning, but I had seen beautiful girls before and wasn¡¯t looking for one that could turn my head.

    The guy friend was getting up to do something, and they were laughing at him. She had a boisterous laugh. Her broad smile lingered on her face long after the sounds receded. I couldn¡¯t help laughing with them. For the first time in a long time¡­ I wished I could sit around their table to be a part of the group. Have fun and hear about all they got up to in that place. I never really got a chance to be stupid and young. The girl grabbed my attention. She was down to earth and not faking or putting on a mask¡ªeven in front of her friends. None of them were.

    For some time, I sat there watching. The sun came out, and she took off her jacket¡­ I smelled the faint essence of blood on her arm. Not her blood, either. I chuckled. She had wiped her mouth after her meal¡­ She hung the jacket over the back of the chair. The chances that the girl in that small town was not Juliet were zero. I stared at her for the longest time. Watched her every reaction and kept listening to the conversation. I picked up my paper and ordered another coffee.

    They ate pie and drank milkshakes. Juliet was pretending to be just a normal kid. Their attachment was strong. All of them meant something to the other. But the previous night, she went out hunting and didn¡¯t even bother changing¡­ Her friends probably didn¡¯t know that¡­ When would they find out? Because they would, eventually. What would they say? What would they do? If they couldn¡¯t handle it¡­ Would she kill her own friends?

    Samuel was definitely right in that regard. Her human relationships were beyond the norm for a creature. He was also right about his niece; Juliet was different and got my attention. The thought of us sitting like that after a hunt felt oddly inviting. Others kept popping into my mind¡­ I was intrigued. Samuel¡¯s faith in me was a slight problem. Could I be there for her when her two best friends found out? I thought about her as my wife, and the idea didn¡¯t repulse me as much as it usually did. The way she would cover her mouth when she laughed. All three of them were open and opinionated, loud, and didn¡¯t care about how much they still enjoyed life. It was infectious.

    I followed her home. She was oblivious to me at the coffee shop and had no idea I was snooping for the next month. The idea that she was Samuels¡¯s niece and away from the compound plagued me. I understood why they had wrapped her up in a bubble. He was scared that she would be taken. Why had they raised her like that? Totally unaware of everything that was out there.

    I was outside her window from the moment she woke up that month. I tracked her to school. I watched as she and Chris obsessed about each other from a distance. I got to know him, too. Made sure he wasn¡¯t some creep. Everything was fine until the day she and Chris met. I was jealous. I didn¡¯t think I was in love with her until I saw him grab her arm. Until I saw the look on her face when she did the same. It was like a lightning bolt hit me. I didn¡¯t want anyone to be in her life other than me. She couldn¡¯t even control her abilities because of him.

    Samuel told me I should find out what werewolf was so close to Juliet. That afternoon, Sita showed her true colors when she watched them around the corner. I followed her out to her grandfather¡¯s plot. I saw who her grandfather was. They were the wolves amongst the sheep. Nicholas was harmless, and we¡¯ve even met a few times. It was not some conspiracy for the compound.  Samuel was happy to hear that Sita, Chris, and Juliet were an unhappy coincidence. I chuckled, driving back. Her uncle knew precisely who was around his family. Not that I told him about his niece¡¯s hobby or that she was in love with Chris¡ªwho was the guy I was supposed to follow.  Having that man on my radar as the hybrid accelerated my plans, and I rushed back to the town, determined to start my new life.

    I called Samuel.

    ¡°So, what do you think about Juliet,¡± He asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s pretty.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s feisty¡­.¡± He said nothing. ¡°She¡¯s special¡­.¡± He still didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°She is¡­ Hey, tell me why she never got married in the compound. How did you ever get them out of there? And none of this crap that you pulled strings.¡±

    Samuel was quiet, ¡°Louis, I¡¯m not going to tell you. That¡¯s something you only get to find out if you love her, and she tells you herself.¡±

    I was quiet because I was in love with her. I hadn¡¯t even spoken to her at that moment, but¡­ that morning, standing on that stage, looking down at her¡ªI knew there was very little I wouldn¡¯t do for her. After what had happened to her with that infected vamp¡ªI would never leave her and was determined to make her forget all about the married teacher in her life.

    I just made it back in time that day to be at their house before she came home from school after she met Chris for the first time. I wouldn¡¯t let her go to sleep thinking about him and what happened that day.

    I rang the bell, and it was Liam who opened the door. He had such genuine, friendly features that I immediately felt at ease around him. His eyes were expressive and he carried his feelings on his sleeve, just like Juliet.

    ¡°Hi, Louis.¡±

    ¡°Hi. I want to meet Juliet, if that¡¯s okay?¡±

    His eyes widened ever so slightly, and he called down the hall, ¡°Cindy! Louis is here.¡± He unlocked the gate for me and welcomed me in. She came rushing over, smiling when she saw me. Cindy was gorgeous. Her hair was in a messy bun on the nape of her neck. Their clothes were homely, and they fit right into the scene.

    ¡°Come in, Louis,¡± we let Cindy walk first to sit down on the couches in their living room.

    ¡°We were expecting you a month ago.¡±

    Nervously, I rubbed my neck, feeling guilty already, ¡°I had to be sure. You know.¡±

    ¡°I get that,¡± Liam said. ¡°I think that is to your credit.¡±

    ¡°This is kind of awkward¡­ Doing it like this. Is there a reason you¡¯re the ones pushing this? You don¡¯t want her to meet someone on her own?¡±

    ¡°She will never meet other vampires. This way, you guys get a better shot at it. Don¡¯t you think?¡± Liam asked.

    ¡°Are you sure about this because once we meet, I don¡¯t think I will be able to walk away? Even if she doesn¡¯t like me immediately. I¡¯ll be in your life for a long time.¡± They shared a smile, ¡°I think this means something else to me. You guys want to find a husband and sell her off.¡±

    Their eyes met, and both burst out laughing, ¡°I promise you, Louis¡­ That is the last thing we want. Once you meet Juliet, you¡¯ll see what we mean.¡±

    We heard her coming into the yard. Cindy sat nervously forward, ¡°Don¡¯t tell her anything or say anything.¡±

    ¡°Any abilities we need to know about Louis?¡± Liam asked hurriedly.

    I shook my head, lying, ¡°No. I wasn¡¯t one of the lucky ones. I guess.¡±

    My heart rate was climbing as she walked through the house. Yelling, ¡°Dad!¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Louis. She will think it¡¯s weird. Just follow our lead as we go along.¡± That was easy for him to say¡­ I was the one who was meeting his wife.

    Juliet was standing around the corner watching us. Liam was excited when he went over to her. Confidently, she held out her hand to me. I was just a stranger to her, but to me¡­ she was already a fixture.

    We shook hands, and she didn¡¯t let go while we talked. I could think of nothing else but the feeling of her skin against mine. That was when I knew I wasn¡¯t just in love; I loved her. She didn¡¯t pull away from me and even held on to me. If that was all I got from her for the rest of my life. I would take it.

 12. Aftershock

    12. Aftershock

    Juliet

    ¡°Why is Louis here? And why is he a teacher at my school?¡± I asked my mom as we were walking back to their car.

    ¡°You guys should talk about it later. I think there is a lot he needs to get off his chest.¡± Frowning at my mom, I peeked back at Louis, walking beside my dad. He met my narrowed eyes.

    Louis and I waved them off as they drove out the gates. I wanted to turn to him and make a scene, force him to tell me why he was there, and pushing himself into my life. Before I could, he gripped my upper arms softly and spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry at me anymore...¡± he pleaded, rubbing his thumbs over my skin. ¡°I know I stuffed up in the alley¡­ That whole night was one big misunderstanding¡­ Let me make it up to you.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. I made a choice.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ But I should¡¯ve stopped you.¡±

    ¡°No, Louis! That¡¯s exactly what I mean! I want to be friends with you, but you have to start talking. Treating me like a helpless girl is not going to end well. I need to trust you, and right now, I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your friend¡­¡± he said softly, ¡°and what happened to you that night was not what I meant.¡± His hold on my arms tightened. I was starting to get used to the idea of how he felt. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know what I want from you¡­ And I¡¯m a man. What is wrong with wanting to protect you? I don¡¯t want to do it because you¡¯re a girl, Juliet¡­ It¡¯s because you are important.¡±

    I sighed, not knowing what to do with his declaration. Louis was a bit different that day¡­ Not so intense¡­ Regardless, I wouldn¡¯t give him control because he was being sweet. Well, more than usual. Not that I knew him, ¡°It seems like you keep forgetting that what I want is what matters. Not you.¡±

    He chuckled, his hold on my arms tightened, his fingers kneading into my arms, slowly pulling me closer. His grey-blue eyes were primal, as if he would kiss me right there and claim me¡ªshowing me who was boss. He said he would ask, but at that moment, I didn¡¯t think he would. I wasn¡¯t at all interested, feeling like I did. I pulled out of his grip when he didn¡¯t do anything or say anything, ¡°You can¡¯t do stuff like that here.¡±

    He sighed and stepped back, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in days, and this morning, you seemed a little happy when you saw me on stage¡­ Admit that you at least like me?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°There it is. I knew you weren¡¯t that mad at me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really not mad at you¡­ But you have one more chance to show me that you listen to me and take me seriously, or you might as well forget about ever getting any further with me,¡± he shook his head quickly in shock, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That is not how a relationship works. We are supposed to compromise. You should accept me the way I am and love me regardless.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? And what relationship?¡± Love!? What?

    ¡°You¡¯re only eighteen, Juliet¡­ You don¡¯t know what you want out of life. You have a temper. I can¡¯t share my life with you or what¡¯s happening before¡­.¡±

    Argh, his words irritated me. He had no idea who and what he was dealing with. I knew exactly what I wanted. He was the one screwing up everything, ¡°Before what?¡±

    He didn¡¯t answer. I was suddenly tired, and the stuff that guy pumped into me came back in surges of pain to haunt me. I closed my eyes and gripped my head, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay? Come get in my car! I¡¯m taking you home.¡±

    My head snapped up, ¡°Do not tell me what to do! Ever!¡± I growled at the same time, my sharp teeth showing. Louis snickered... My emotions were all over the place, and when I realized what had happened, I laughed, too. That was the first time I had half manifested at school, ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re here to take all the brunt of my puberty. Did my parents hire you to push me like this? Get in my head?¡± I asked, bending over my hands on my knees. My head was killing me.

    ¡°Stop talking and wait for the spell to go away,¡± Louis waited patiently until I could stand up straight. My eyes found his again, wanting to take him up on his offer. There was nothing but concern on his features. He wanted to help but didn¡¯t know how to offer it. I wanted to go home. I made such a fuss about coming to school the previous night. If he took me back, I would probably not be allowed to leave the house for the next month. ¡°This is where I want to be!¡± Louis said when we just stood there staring at each other. It was unexpected, and I didn¡¯t know at all what he meant by it. Tears pooled in my eyes, mulling the words over. I don¡¯t think I had ever felt I was enough for someone, regardless of anything. His idea of a relationship matched mine to a tee. If he would promise never to leave me. I had to think about if he would be worth it.  Louis¡¯s hand caressed my cheek, ¡°You can be yourself with me, baby¡­¡± Louis smiled when I widened my eyes at the endearment. ¡°You can always be yourself with me! Let go when you¡¯re with me. Let¡¯s see where this can go. That¡¯s a plus point, don¡¯t you think? When you agree to date me?¡±

    ¡°Are you selling yourself?¡±

    He nodded vehemently and smiled. The sharp pain that felt like someone was stabbing me went away. It must have shown on my face, ¡°You feel better now?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it comes and goes. That stuff is not leaving my system easily.¡±

    ¡°Come, I¡¯ll walk you to class. How did it go with your friends?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer. A car sped into the lot¡ª way too fast and stopped. The noise alone was deafening. Jerry got out, slamming the door to his very expensive, souped-up car. The hair on my arms and neck stood up. I didn¡¯t know why, but I moved in behind Louis. His gaze followed my movements. I couldn¡¯t deal with Jerry at that moment. I didn¡¯t have the strength not to bite his head off or kill him. If Jerry found out about me before anyone else¡ªwhat a disaster. It was one of the reasons why I hadn¡¯t even glanced in Chris¡¯s direction. My throat closed up on me, only thinking about Chris. All I wanted to do was have him hold me while I cried it all away. I knew where Chris was. I always knew where he was in a room. I still saw him even if I didn¡¯t look at him. All I thought about lying on that floor was Chris... If we had to look at each other after what happened to me, with the same intensity always beaming between us. I thought I would throw myself into his arms. I didn¡¯t know why I felt like he would be a safe place or space. I wasn¡¯t sure he would be. But if he came to talk to me... gave me even the smallest green light... I would be that girl.

    Louis was staring down the twat, smirking at me as he walked past, ¡°Jules.¡±

    My eyes were nailed to the ground. I stood there behind a man like a coward. Didn¡¯t I just say Louis should treat me like an adult? How could I ask him that if I clearly wasn¡¯t ready to deal? Fight my own battles. Just once, I wished I could say that I was spoken for. That I had someone who would take on Jerry for me. But not officially. No, not me. Well, other than Carl and Jerry knew that, ¡°Your new conquest?¡± Condescension oozed from Jerry as he took in Louis. Jerry reminded me so much of Mr. Tailored that it scared me. I knew I had a little PTSD, but that would be normal, right? I would be fine by that weekend. When Jerry was out of sight, Louis turned to me with murder in his eyes.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked nervously.

    Louis¡¯s stern features were back, ¡°Who the hell was that?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer him. I was too embarrassed to tell him about my exes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he was a boyfriend at one stage.¡±

    I sighed, ¡°Not my finest moment.¡± I lifted a pleading hand in the air. ¡°Anyway! He was okay, and then he wasn¡¯t. He wasn¡¯t always like¡ª that. Why do you think I¡¯m so careful with you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± his fierce eyes softened, and he smiled, ¡°So, you are considering me as a possible suitor? I have to be leagues above that guy.¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­ but you¡¯re so old. And I¡¯m so young¡­ You should hold out for a real woman.¡±

    ¡°Last time I checked,¡± Louis¡¯s eyes drifted down my body and up again, ¡°You were one. And everything still works if that¡¯s what you¡¯re concerned about.¡± I had to laugh. ¡°No matter how old I get, I believe we all deserve a chance to be happy....¡± Happy. My magic word. All I wanted out of life. ¡°We live so long and have a real shot here.¡± Louis got serious, and he put the tendril of hair behind my ear, which was very irritating that morning, ¡°I would never hurt you,¡± he said softly. I knew it. Louis might not be a team player, but I knew he would never physically hurt me.

    I glanced at my watch and realized I had completely missed my first period. Complaining, Louis walked me to my next class, gave me over to the teacher, and gave me an excuse so I didn¡¯t get in trouble. Just before he left me at the door, he gave me something. I took the package, and he made his way to his new job. I still didn¡¯t have any answers. I hadn¡¯t spoken to my parents about everything Mr. Tailored told me. I didn¡¯t understand what Louis was doing there, but I knew it wasn¡¯t a coincidence, and that alone sent red flags waving.

    ***

    Charlene

    I wanted to tell Carl and Juliet I was pregnant. That morning, Juliet came to school all banged up¡ªI couldn¡¯t. Skipping my period was strange, but there could¡¯ve been a million reasons. At first, I thought I was sick, and I was; morning sickness was the worst. Finding out why I was so nauseous made things easier. I could take some medicine and at least still attend school. It had been three months since the New Year, and I would be able to hide it for two more. After that¡­ it had to come out. Before that happened, I would have to come clean to my two best friends.

    Carl and I wanted Juliet to share what happened, but all she told us was that she was in a car accident with another member of their family. She wasn¡¯t admitted to the hospital, which wouldn¡¯t explain why she missed a week of school. We were both hiding things, and I wondered if our friendship would survive whatever was coming.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Scrolling through my contacts, I went to Ben¡¯s name and the photo I added back in December. I missed him at that moment; going through everything alone wasn¡¯t easy. A moment of loneliness, and I figured too many hormonal changes in my body made me check his social media. We didn¡¯t even ¡®friend¡¯ each other. I had to look up his name. It was as if it had never happened. Although the baby was proof that it did. He had been online recently. He posted a lot. Luckily, his status was still single. Ben was a bit older than me. Five years. There were a lot of posts about student life. The dorm rooms he lived in. It seemed like he was in a good situation. I scrolled until January, stopping at a picture of me sleeping.

    The text read {Sleeping Beauty. How did I get this lucky?}

    I haven¡¯t had the guts to contact him or even fantasize about the photos or anything we did together. I didn¡¯t want to pine for a European guy that only saw me as a holiday fling. He hadn¡¯t said anything to me since the day at the airport. He had the decency to come and see me off and greet my parents. I had cried a little. I wasn¡¯t really a strong person. Ben hugged me but didn¡¯t say anything. That was the last I saw of him. He walked away as we went through security.

    Seeing the post gave me a little hope. Maybe, just maybe, he was missing me too.

    ***

    Juliet

    Later that day, we sat in the shade of some trees at break. Charlene, Carl, and I were at our usual spot on the lawn, using our bags as cushions and relaxing. Lying to them about where I had been the whole week was becoming a problem. They weren¡¯t stupid and suspected I led a less-than-ordinary life. Carl especially pushed hard for me to tell them what really happened.

    After I passed out in the room, we stayed in that house because bringing me back wasn¡¯t an option. I needed to detox. It took me three days to wake up, and when I did¡­ I wasn¡¯t myself. The guy didn¡¯t finish his experiment with the baby or me, so I could only hope I was not turning into a mindless ¡®zombie vampire.¡¯ Just thinking about that thing behind the glass made me cringe. A mixture of gunk, oozed out of her leathery skin, where it was disintegrating. Those glowing white eyes and... there was that thing around her jaw, covering her mouth¡­ I shook my head, trying to forget how scared I really was. Ending up like that filled my dreams at night.

    Going to a hospital would have brought about too many questions. Staying away was the best to avoid my friends being dragged into the mess that was my life. The three adults there had outnumbered Mr. Tailored, and he didn¡¯t dare come back. He also had his escape planned. Louis and my dad couldn¡¯t track him.

    When Mom and I came back home over the weekend, Louis stayed there with my dad, helping wipe away the evidence of the experiments the guy was performing. I made sure they put the animals out of their misery. Dad even had to call Uncle Sam to help us find the babies¡¯ parents and tell him everything. Of course, I wasn¡¯t privy to that conversation.

    Saying goodbye to the little cub was bittersweet. The parents were so thankful that everything I went through seemed worth it. It appeared that he used the cub but didn¡¯t inject him with anything. My mom and dad didn¡¯t think my actions were honorable at all. I heard it all week long. How stupid I was. How grounded I was¡ªfor a month.

    I was still too emotional and angry when Louis and my dad finally came home. The way he had handled me in that alley. I had enough to deal with. I couldn¡¯t face Louis and stuck to my room. It seemed that he liked me, but I didn¡¯t like the way he treated me. He wanted control. Only thinking about him made me so mad. I had to shake myself, getting lost in my thoughts.

    That led me to think about Chris, who I was avoiding. If I wanted to, I could push him and find out what he thought about me disappearing in front of him. However, the last thing I wanted to do was come across as childish or overeager, using our interchange as a segue. He had to know I had feelings for him. Going to hurdles practice was out of the question. I couldn¡¯t go on with the year like nothing had happened. Falling into my old routine of staring at him¡­ seemed stupid. Especially after Charlene and Carl told me, he hadn¡¯t come looking for me Wednesday or during the week. So, I concluded that he was also avoiding me. If he didn¡¯t go into a whole meltdown after our meeting¡­ good for him. He was going to ignore the entire episode¡ªit suited me just fine. The two men could go to hell for all I cared.

    A few other kids from another click came to sit with us and talked about going out that weekend. Carl bumped me in my side to get my attention. It seemed I had been daydreaming and staring up into the sky. Going out that Friday was just what I needed. Normal teenager stuff. Clubbing, dancing, drinking, and having fun.

    ¡°Come on! What do you say? Let¡¯s go to that other club in the square. We can usually get in there. It¡¯s such a fun place on the weekends,¡± Mandy said.

    I didn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°I¡¯m in. My parents are having one of their parties at our house. I do not want to be there,¡± Charlene said in a grossed-out tone.

    ¡°Do you think that my parents are also invited?¡± I asked.

    ¡°They always are.¡±

    I frowned, wondering if my parent¡¯s grounding was superficial or were they planning to leave me home alone? I wanted to growl when I thought they might ask Louis to babysit me, ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± I almost yelled. The thought of his condescending tone was too much. Everyone stared at me. ¡°Would it be okay if I used you as an excuse? I would have to lie to my parents and fake a sleepover,¡± I asked Mandy.

    ¡°Yeah, sure. You can drive with us Friday night¡­ Jerry is going to be there,¡± she said in such a way that I should¡¯ve felt honored that she was trying to get us back together. Carl and I shared a concerned glance about the news.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you get rid of him, Mandy?¡± Charlene suggested.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay¡­ Carl won¡¯t leave my side,¡± I said quickly. My ex-boyfriend was a safer option than the old man treating me like an idiot. Carl jumped up and boxed the air I supposed was Jerry¡¯s face. I snorted, ¡°Why are you so uncool?¡± He straddled me. Tickled me until I flinched from pain. Not only was I drugged, but assaulted in the worst way. Hit and tossed around like a rag.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± He got off quickly. ¡°Did I hurt you?¡±

    ¡°Laughing hurts my insides.¡±

    He spun around, ¡°You better prep your friends, Mandy. You might think it¡¯s awesome going out with low lives like that, but Juliet doesn¡¯t. Don¡¯t try to get them back together or help Jerry out¡­ If Jerry¡¯s friends can¡¯t keep him in line, I¡¯ll have to do it.¡±

    Mandy lifted her hands into the air, ¡°I don¡¯t like the guy either... But¡­ Juliet once did.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, not at her, at myself. I had only myself to blame for going out with one of the bad boys. Stupid Juliet! Wasn¡¯t that one of my rules? Or were all men bad¡­ in some way or another.

    ¡°You know Jerry is Owen¡¯s best friend. He bugs me about you all the time!¡±

    I had to sigh, ¡°Is that why you asked us to go with you? Jerry?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I asked because Lincoln keeps nagging us to bring you guys out again.¡± Everybody turned their heads, and all pairs of eyes were on Charlene.

    I laughed, ¡°There you have it. Being beautiful has its advantages.¡±

    Charlene freaked out. Her reaction wasn¡¯t at all fun. Usually, she could come up with a witty remark, but she didn¡¯t and stormed off all mad. Confused, we stared after her as she walked away.

    ¡°What was that all about?¡± Carl asked. ¡°Did something happen with Lincoln we don¡¯t know about?¡±

    I didn¡¯t wait and went after her.

    ¡°Does this mean you guys won¡¯t come with?¡± Mandy asked worriedly.

    ¡°No, we¡¯re going!¡± I heard Carl yell, coming up behind me and helping me.

    Carl and I caught up to Charlene. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. She ignored me. I grabbed her arm, ¡°Charlene¡­ Stop!¡± She shrugged me off and kept walking. Carl stood by nervously. I didn¡¯t know what to do to get her attention.  ¡°It seems we all have secrets we¡¯re unwilling to share with the others,¡± I spat out. She spun around. A single tear ran down her cheek. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it. It doesn¡¯t matter, okay.¡± I pulled her into my embrace. She didn¡¯t fight me and hugged me back. Carl¡¯s eyes spoke volumes. I stretched mine, asking him what was going on. He shrugged, wrapped his arms around us, and enveloped us tightly.

    When she was all cried out, I went with her to the bathroom. She blew her nose and splashed some water on her face. After staring at herself in the mirror for a while, she said, ¡°I just really need a break.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°You mean a break like this weekend?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Let¡¯s go on Friday and enjoy ourselves a bit. We haven¡¯t gone out in forever. I need to have fun.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how I feel too. I want to forget about everything for a few hours¡­.¡± She fixed her hair. ¡°One of these days, we¡¯re going to have to come clean about everything,¡± I suggested. Tears pooled again. She swallowed them back, pressing fingers into eye sockets. How could I judge her? I didn¡¯t want to tell them I killed people to stay alive.

    ***

    Thursday

    Louis hadn¡¯t been to our house that whole week. I saw him at school, but it was like I didn¡¯t even exist. After our talk Monday morning¡­ I was more confused than ever. He basically declared himself to me and forgot that it ever happened. I thought he was doing it on purpose so I could feel his absence. I kind of missed him pushing himself into my life. It felt good having someone who wanted me. I liked him; he was funny and exciting, but I wouldn¡¯t be the only one who opened up and got nothing back. We haven¡¯t spent any time together¡ªit was just one day. So much happened that I couldn¡¯t help wondering why he was avoiding me.

    Then, Thursday evening, he pitched up out of the blue. Louis mainly talked to my parents around the coffee table. I sat and listened as they discussed trivial matters. When Friday came up in their discussion, Louis readily agreed to come and stay with me while my parents went to the party at Charlene¡¯s house. I knew it! My hackles rose¡ªthe three of them were ruling my life.

    ¡°I wanted to ask if I can sleep at Mandy¡¯s house with Charlene? She also doesn¡¯t want to see you guys going on like teenagers,¡± I was lying to my parents again. After what happened, I felt guilty doing it. They always came running when things went wrong¡­. But they still hadn¡¯t talked to me about anything. It was driving me up the wall. I was acting more out of frustration than anything else. A drunken night was all I needed. To be away from all the vampires in my life, trying to control me.

    My mom laughed, ¡°How do you feel today? Do you think you will be able to manage?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I feel much better. No more headaches,¡± another lie. I pulled my legs up underneath me, hoping and wishing nothing was going to go wrong at the club.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Of course, you can go.¡±

    ¡°Thanx, Mom.¡± I excused myself. I was tired and wanted to get out of there.

    Before I even got to the steps, Louis spoke, ¡°She isn¡¯t well enough. Juliet, I still need to talk to you. Friday night would be perfect.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. Yeah right! You had the whole week. I thought to myself. Louis was trying to get my parents to change their minds, and it ticked me off even more. I spun around, ¡°Look, it¡¯s one night. I¡¯m at a friend¡¯s house. We can talk some other time, okay?¡±

    Concerned, my parents¡¯ eyes traveled from Louis to me, ¡°Is everything alright between you two?¡± My dad asked.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know each other at all. How can anything be wrong?¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should spend some time with friends,¡± my mom suggested.

    I left, sticking out my tongue at him behind my parent¡¯s back. He shook his head. I knew it wasn¡¯t my finest moment, but he didn¡¯t deserve my best. I couldn¡¯t deal with another boyfriend like Jerry¡ªnot again! At that moment, Louis made me feel more alone after the whole ordeal. It really didn¡¯t bring us closer together like I hoped it would.

 13. Stupid Drunk Girls

    13. Stupid Drunk Girls

    Juliet

    Friday came. It wasn¡¯t a surprise halfway through the evening when Jerry pitched in the club. He stumbled about the place, messing his drink on people. His glossy eyes and slurring made me want to punch him. It would have been better if he was a mean drunk or flirty. I could¡¯ve hated him more, but he was neither. Jerry turned completely stupid when he was wasted, and I don¡¯t know why, but it made me more patient with him. And for the sake of peace, his behavior worked in our favor.

    Lincoln and Charlene were dancing next to me and kept a close eye on us. Jerry was trying everything he could to get me to kiss him, take him back. I was getting irritated, and Carl had left me for only a second.  Lincoln saw my distress. He and his friends took Jerry out of the club and drove him home. Mandy had enough of Jerry. She felt he always wanted to steal any time she had with her boyfriend, and a fight ensued between the two. Jerry was causing more problems than what was good for him. If he carried on like that, he would be pushed out everywhere.

    Our ride was Mandy¡¯s boyfriend, and when he ditched his girlfriend for his best friend¡­ It left us stranded in the middle of the dance floor with no way back to our neighborhood. The four of us looked at each other and laughed. We bought more drinks and enjoyed ourselves, hoping Lincoln would return for Charlene.

    Twelve o¡¯clock came around, and the dancefloor was getting so crowded with drunk old guys that I couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. Some mean and some touchy. It made my skin boil. Rather than attacking someone, I left the club to go stand outside.

    My possie soon followed to discuss how we would get home. I had Louis in the back of my mind¡­ because who else? But that meant I would have to humble myself. It would raise so many questions with my friends. I could hear Carl complain, ¡°Another teacher¡­ Seriously, Juliet.¡± And that one was ready to jump me. I chuckled. It would be a disaster.

    Mandy had phoned Owen a few times, but it went straight to voicemail, ¡°I swear¡­ I¡¯m dumping this guy tomorrow!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about time! He¡¯s the worst. How could he leave you here?¡± Charlene complained.

    Mandy was livid and couldn¡¯t think straight. We couldn¡¯t drive yet. You only got your license when you were eighteen, so none of us had cars or any means of transport. Maybe one of the reasons we surrounded ourselves with older guys. Charlene took her phone out to call Lincoln, ¡°Hi, Lincoln,¡± she said, slurring her words, ¡°Can you come to pick us up at the club?¡± She had him on speaker; there was talking, yelling, and loud music on the other side.

    ¡°They went to another party?¡± I asked, dumbfounded.

    ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t drive. Too drunk,¡± Lincoln eventually answered. They weren¡¯t coming back for us. Charlene hung up the phone, ¡°Douche¡­ There goes that relationship. They probably took Jerry back to wherever he was before the club.¡±

    I hugged her from behind, ¡°He¡¯s not that handsome anyway.¡±

    Charlene snorted, ¡°Why is that all you care about?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± I giggled behind a hand.

    She hit me on my shoulder, ¡°Come on, Juliet! Who can you call?¡±

    I pouted and shook my head, ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone,¡± I sulked.

    ¡°Your parents are cool¡­ Won¡¯t they come to get us?¡± Mandy asked.

    I opened my eyes big and shook my head, ¡°No! After the accident¡­ I can barely go outside. They would ground me for life. They would find out I¡¯ve been lying to them.¡±

    Carl was next, ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. My dad would beat the living crap out of me. I want to avoid walking around with lashes on my ass.¡±

    We all pouted for his sake¡ªhis story was the most pitiful. Drunk as Charlene and I were, we hugged him, stumbling, trying to rub his butt. He didn¡¯t like it, and we ended up chasing him around. Mandy shook her head at us. She and Carl were reasonably sober, ¡°We can always ask someone in the club who seems respectable. Maybe there will be a good Samaritan.¡±

    We stopped chasing Carl and agreed. Going back to the club was a mistake because everyone was drunker than before, ¡°Is this what our future holds in a few years. Thirty-year-old husbands that flirt with high schoolers,¡± Mandy asked.

    ¡°Gross,¡± Carl said.

    I laughed at the absurdity of the statement. Did my friends forget¡­ I was in love with my teacher? I was really drunk. Carl tapped our shoulders and grouped us up, pointing at the bar, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the new French teacher?¡± My head snapped around, suddenly wide awake. I saw Louis sitting at the bar, talking to a woman behind the counter.  She was the total opposite of me and flirting shamelessly. Much older. Strawberry blond hair. Straightened and every strand in place. A flashy, low-cut top, revealing heavy cleavage that I would never have. What was he doing there? I could feel my insides boiling. Jealousy that I didn¡¯t know I had made my venom overflow. I had to turn quickly and push past my friends, running before I manifested. When it happened with Chris¡­ It was because I was overwhelmed with the situation. I tried to get myself under control. Carl by my side, ¡°Are you okay? Do you need to go to the bathroom?¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I didn¡¯t want him to see us¡­ A teacher¡­ We would be in so much trouble Monday.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! You¡¯re right,¡± Mandy said, ¡°But what other option do we have?¡±

    ¡°Look! Following the highway back, we can walk¡­ It won¡¯t be that bad. Maybe a few hours or even less if we can get a proper lift?¡± Carl said.

    ¡°That¡¯s dangerous,¡± Mandy retorted.

    ¡°Not more than asking one of the drunk guys in the club,¡± Carl bit back.

    Charlene and I were sitting on the curb, busy taking off our very high heels. Barefoot was better than tripping and falling the whole way home. There were no buses and no other way, so we reluctantly took to the road, ¡°I¡¯m regretting my short skirt and this crop top.¡±

    Charlene was peering down at her very short blue sequence dress. It was a one-shoulder, and her hair was hanging loose for a change, ¡°Maybe we should start wearing jeans¡­.¡± We both burst out laughing. There was no way we would ever go clubbing in pants.

    Like any high school student, the road back soon became fun. We shared stories and laughed. Stressing every time Carl put his hand out, hitch-hiking for a ride. In the beginning, no one stopped. The three girls teased him endlessly about how he wasn¡¯t sexy enough. Still, about twenty minutes in, our feet ached, we were sobering up and complaining about ever considering walking. It was pitch black next to the road. No street lights, only the moon when there were no trees, and the cars would shed some as they passed. Heels in hand, I knew I would have to try my luck. With my short skirt, someone was bound to feel sorry for us. I walked over to the road when I heard the next car approaching¡ªthumb in the air. Sure enough, the vehicle slowed down. The headlights blinded us for a moment. We couldn¡¯t see anything until it pulled up beside us. It was a small old yellow pickup with a white cab on. The driver wound down the window, and Carl went over to speak to the man.

    Just before the car stopped, we cautioned Carl heavily to let it pass if it wasn¡¯t deemed kosher. There wasn¡¯t enough space for all of us in the front of the single cab. We would¡¯ve had to sit in the back, which was full of stuff, junk, and pipes sticking out of windows. The exhaust was smoking. We shook our heads when he peeked back at us. As kindly as possible, Carl declined the man¡¯s offer. He was ticked off, ¡°You guys blew a really good chance. We won¡¯t get another like that this time of night. What was wrong with that ride?¡±

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    The girls pouted. We had made ourselves scared with horror stories; hitchhiking and killers seemed to go together. I didn¡¯t want to put my thumb out again, too conscious of my short skirt and the psychos in the world. I didn¡¯t know if I could handle another drama.

    A few minutes later, another car got our attention. Carl walked to the edge of the road and put out his thumb. It actually stopped. The passenger window wound down. Carl did the inspection again before we would go anywhere near the car. He leaned down and put his arm on the windowsill. His head dipped, and he wasn¡¯t happy. Carl also didn¡¯t look back at us and opened the door and got in anyway.

    ¡°Guess he¡¯s not asking again. Hope it¡¯s not his dad,¡± Charlene whispered.

    We did a group glance. Mandy shrugged and got in the back seat, scooting over to the other side. I got in after her, sitting in the middle, and then Charlene beside me. She closed the door, and the driver put his blinker on and got into the first lane to pick up speed.

    I put my arm through Charlene¡¯s and hugged her shoulder. We were both glad that we were safe. We took out our phones to talk to each other in a group we created. Carl wasn¡¯t coming online.

    Me { It must be someone he knows. Charlene, you can see from where you sit. Who is it }

    She peeked, having a direct view from the side. I didn¡¯t want to, knowing that the rearview mirror would probably be directed at my seat. Charlene pumped my side with her elbow. I glanced up to see why she was going on like that. It was Chris. Of course, it was Chris. Of all the possibilities, from Louis to Jerry and some psycho¡­ It had to be Chris. I was so relieved to get into a car safe. Seeing him so suddenly put me on edge. I was humiliating myself again. All he would think about was a teenage girl with a crush on her teacher. A stupid young schoolgirl drinking and making irresponsible decisions. I stared at the mirror, giving me a clear view of his expressions and that full head of hair. He was focused on the road. My thoughts were all over the place, from raking my fingers through his hair to jumping out of the car.

    ***

    Chris

    I was driving back late at night after doing Sita¡¯s grandfather a favor. The last thing I was expecting was to see some teenagers hitchhiking. Being a teacher and having been that young once¡ªI decided to stop trying to be the cool teacher. The chances of them being from a neighboring school were also good. Maybe I didn¡¯t even know them.

    I was furious when Carl put his head down next to the window. I made him get into the car. It didn¡¯t dawn on me that one of the girls was probably Juliet. We hadn¡¯t seen each other since the principal¡¯s office, and I was trying not to think about her.

    Putting the car in drive and getting into the lane, I took a minute to compose myself. Upset with Carl for bringing out girls and then not having a way to get back home. The last thing I wanted to do was be that teacher. I heard a voice that thanked me for picking them up. It sounded like Charlene, but to make sure, I looked back over my shoulder, and sure enough, it was her. Carl was in the car. Charlene was in the car. That meant Juliet was in the back seat of the car¡ªprobably next to Charlene. I turned my head a little more to see. Juliet wasn¡¯t an arm¡¯s length away from me. Startled, I yanked on the steering wheel when I turned back in my seat, making the car swerve. It was jerky. The motion made Juliet grip the seat in front of her, touching my shoulder.

    Carl made a short snorting sound, making me cringe, and Juliet pulled her arm away. I frowned at Carl and flinched at him. He covered his mouth with his hand and stared out the window, still laughing. When I quickly glanced in the rearview mirror, Juliet avoided my eye. I sighed, wanting to shake her. We rarely saw each other at all. Then, in two weeks, we were thrown together at every turn. Was fate playing a very cruel game on us?

    ¡°Sorry! There was something in the road,¡± I lied. That made the girls giggle, except for Juliet, whose cheeks were crimson. I was inwardly relieved, though¡­ I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling stupid.

    ¡°Thanks for the lift,¡± Mandy said. ¡°You saved our lives, Mr. Rheed.¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­ What are you guys doing out so late? Out here, in the middle of nowhere.¡±

    ¡°That would be my fault. My stupid boyfriend ditched me for his friend and left us stranded.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t. It¡¯s my fault. If it wasn¡¯t for Jerry¡­.¡±  Juliet spoke in a somewhat slurred manner. Regarding her in the mirror, I wanted to see if she was drunk. It sounded like she was. My interest was also piqued by this Jerry. I knew a kid in the school called Jerry, but he was bad news. It wouldn''t sit right with me if Juliet had anything to do with him.

    Carl spoke up for everyone, ¡°It¡¯s no one¡¯s fault. Our school is full of really scummy guys.¡± All the girls agreed and said that Carl was the only decent one.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we waited¡­ the previous car that wanted to pick us up was a dodgy-looking old guy, in a clapped-out yellow pickup,¡± Mandy kept rambling. ¡°At first, we wanted to ask someone in the club, but everyone there was really drunk.¡± Her last sentence made me frown, knowing Juliet was in an actual club. I wanted to see her facial expressions. She was still avoiding me, and all I could do was sigh. ¡°We decided to start walking as the only other option was the new French teacher. Mr. Du Pont, but for some or other reason, Juliet didn¡¯t want to ask him for help.¡±

    Wasn¡¯t he a family friend? Did she not trust the guy? Why didn¡¯t she ask him for help? Juliet was still staring out the window. Her neck would be sore tomorrow if she avoided me for the next half hour. Mandy¡¯s ramblings didn¡¯t help my temper. I only got madder with every scenario she put out there. What if something had happened to Juliet? What if she and the French guy did spend more time together. She went on, telling me of all the drunk guys in the club groping at them, and that led to them talking about men grabbing a woman¡¯s ass and why that was their default behavior? I was fuming when I burst out, ¡°I don¡¯t know what came over you lot? How could you be so irresponsible? Don¡¯t you know how dangerous it is out there!?¡± I was ranting, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you call somebody¡­ Your parents! Rather get into trouble than putting yourselves in danger.¡± I gripped the steering wheel, not wanting to lose it completely, ¡°You should have known better, Carl, than putting the girls through that.¡± I glared at him for a moment. He hardened his features, and his jaw flexed, challenging me to do better.

    I wasn¡¯t even a part of their lives. How could I give any kind of opinion? Realizing that I must have sounded like a belligerent fool of a teacher scolding his class. I glanced up again, and Juliet was now staring at me wide-eyed. She had never looked at me like that. I noticed everyone was staring at me. I felt fifty instead of thirty. Just because I was unhappily married and never did anything on a Friday night, like something others would consider stupid, didn¡¯t mean that the club wasn¡¯t full of thirty-year-old men still enjoying life. At least we were back on the right track. For the first time in weeks, we were making eye contact. It at least meant something. My emotions kept changing about her. She made me crazy.

    The last thing I wanted was for her to have the wrong idea of me. They had it all wrong. It was my feelings for her that made me act so stupid. I didn¡¯t want to sound like their parents, but who was I kidding? I had no idea what she must be thinking? She seemed more surprised than mad. I wished I could talk to her alone¡­ somewhere on a remote island where it was only the two of us. I tried to remind myself that I wouldn¡¯t cross the line. Nothing could happen between us, and I could never be with her. Everyone was quiet the rest of the way until we took the off-ramp to our neighborhood, ¡°Where can I drop you guys?¡±

    To my surprise, that question took all the attention away from me, and they immediately talked about what would happen. I had a hard time keeping track.

    ***

    Charlene

    It was the perfect opportunity to throw Juliet and Chris together. I quickly texted Carl and Mandy to make it happen, saying that he must go drop off Juliet at home. They all gave a thumbs-up emoji, and I set things in motion.

    ¡°Look. I¡¯m going home. After tonight, I just want to go to sleep,¡± I got the ball rolling.

    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep at your house, Charlene, if that¡¯s okay,¡± Carl said.

    ¡°And me, I can¡¯t go home now. I was supposed to sleep at one of your houses tonight. Although all of us were supposed to sleep at my stupid boyfriend¡¯s house,¡± Was Mandy¡¯s reply.

    ¡°Juliet, you can¡¯t come to my house. Your parents must probably still be there.¡± Stunned, she stared at me. She didn¡¯t know what to say, quickly figuring out what we were doing, seeing the smiles and giggles between us. She stabbed me in the ribs, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your parents would ground you if you did something stupid tonight? If you go home now, you can make up some story, and we can say we got bored and caught a lift home¡­ My parents are way more relaxed than yours.¡± Juliet bit her lip out of frustration and glared at me. I could have sworn there was a threat in there somewhere. She sat back, frowning or fuming, ¡°Mr. Rheed, you can take a left when we get off here and then left again at the traffic light. The first street right goes over the mountain towards the school. My house is on the uphill on the left.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I know where that is.¡±

    ¡°Mr. Rheed, you can drop all of us at Charlene¡¯s house. You¡¯ve done us such a big favor anyway that we don¡¯t want to cause you more trouble,¡± Juliet said, trying to save her own skin.

    It must have been fate because we took the right turn up the hill, and two cop cars were standing on the lawn in front of my house, together with an ambulance with people drumming all about it. ¡°Juliet. Your parents¡¯ car is still here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can see that,¡± she glared at me¡ªagain, ¡°Mr. Rheed, could you please drive past and not stop in front of the house.¡±

    I felt sorry for her. That must have cost her asking him for help. She wasn¡¯t going to talk to us for days. Carl got out of the car and opened the door for me. Mandy opened hers, and we left quickly so that only the two of them were left in the car. We laughed so hard and ran down the hill. Almost everyone knew that Juliet had a crush on Mr. Rheed. It wasn¡¯t like we were revealing a secret. Mandy just thought that we were trolling her. Carl and I didn¡¯t say anything else for the rest of the night. Mandy had a big mouth. She needed not to suspect anything more than a crush from Juliet¡¯s side.

 14. The Drive Home

    14. The Drive Home

    Chris

    Even though it felt like the drive home was a disaster, it was the best time I¡¯d had in weeks, well, since the last time Juliet was in front of me. Excited, I waited for the others to leave. A silence fell as the last door slammed. I glanced in the mirror again. Juliet was biting the inside of her cheek. It wasn¡¯t awkward for me; I had gotten what I wanted¡ªto be somewhere alone with her. Juliet and I were alone. I gathered I was going to have to take her home. I put the car in gear and quickly drove off, not wanting her to change her mind and jump out. I would¡¯ve done anything to sit with her for five more minutes, ¡°Where do you live?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Shoot, I forgot to say. I live on the other side of the bridge.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°So, we would have to turn around, or I can keep going? But it will take us just a little longer¡­ What do you prefer?¡±

    I didn¡¯t do it to put her on the spot. I could see she was uncomfortable. She couldn¡¯t look at me¡­ Juliet was either staring out the window or rubbing her hands on the seat, and although I wanted to spend time with her, it didn¡¯t mean she wanted the same thing. I wished she would relax around me. I didn¡¯t know if that would ever happen? She didn¡¯t answer me¡­ I was driving slowly forward, giving her time to think or respond. She said nothing. Should I have stopped the car? Take her hand and make her look at me. Would she disappear again if I touched her?

    ***

    Juliet

    Did he just ask me if I wanted to spend time with him?  Was he fishing? I wanted to¡ªso much. I couldn¡¯t be sure that it meant anything, but I was hoping. Of course, I didn¡¯t want him to turn the car around. It would mean that our trip would be twenty minutes shorter. I didn¡¯t want to go home. I wanted to ask him if we could drive around for a bit. I was taking too long to answer. Say something, Juliet, ¡°It¡¯s fine. We can keep going.¡± I watched for a reaction in the part of his face I could see. The car was already moving¡­ I have to say he was being really cool about everything.

    Chris being the one who picked us up, had been the worst. Compared to last week¡¯s night of terror, that night seemed to be running neck and neck. I laughed at myself because it really wasn¡¯t; I was being stupid. He was an obsession. One, I was used to being around but without the talking. It had always been me with him¡­ I chuckled¡­ Chris was never in the equation. Even though I fantasized about him, I didn¡¯t know him or how he would be when we were alone. The thought suddenly dawned on me that we were¡ªand I was excited.

    Nevertheless, I¡¯d never been that uncomfortable in all my life. What about him put me on edge and made me act like that? I wasn¡¯t used to being a na?ve little girl. I was just in a club dancing around a lot of older guys. Grinding up to strange men, I couldn¡¯t care less. Being alone in the car with Chris¡­ I couldn¡¯t even put two words together. Formulate a thought. I could feel his eyes on me, staring at me in the rear-view mirror, like he had been doing for the last half hour, so I moved in behind him. Scooted to Mandy¡¯s old seat so he couldn¡¯t see the giant smile on my mouth. And hiding behind him meant I could ease up a little, sit back, and try to breathe, or else I was going to think myself to death. I had sobered up from all the stress. It wasn¡¯t helping. I had to force myself to relax, but that didn¡¯t mean I would start any kind of conversation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you rather want to come and sit in the front with me? It really feels like I¡¯m an Uber.¡±

    My heart thought of me next to him and pounded a few times... Did I leave him uncomfortable, or did I make myself uncomfortable? No, there was no way I was getting out of the car in that skirt, all eager like a schoolgirl. ¡°I would rather stay in the back if that¡¯s okay, Mr. Rheed?¡± I was glad I couldn¡¯t see his reaction.

    ¡°It seems your parents wouldn¡¯t like it if you showed up at Charlene¡¯s house?¡± He said after a while.

    Was he making chit-chat? I hated chit-chat¡­ It meant I would have to lie to him. Should I be lying to him? I lied so much that I didn¡¯t know who I should tell what to... ¡°No, after the accident last week¡­. They have been a little protective.¡±

    ¡°Are you an only child?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Well, that explains it. And you¡¯re a daughter. So, I think it changes the dynamics a little.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°Are they just protective or conservative?¡±

    Argh! I was so frustrated that I couldn¡¯t speak to Chris. Did I have anything else to say other than monosyllable answers? He knew nothing of my life. Who I was or what I did most days.  I did not expect myself to be that shy in his presence. I could be myself with Louis; I didn¡¯t need to lie to him. He told me to be myself around him. I had utterly forgotten that Chris had asked me a stupid question¡­ My mind was so preoccupied with Chris that I couldn¡¯t¡­ talk to Chris¡­ I chuckled, rubbing my hands over my face and through my hair. I knew I was going to blow up some or other time; that week¡¯s feeding was postponed because I wanted to stretch myself to only eat twice a month¡ªit was making me edgy, maybe not a good idea with everything going on.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± My head jerked up with his voice so close. He had stopped the car and was looking at me around the seat. He had pulled his leg under him so he could talk to me. I froze, and for the second time, our eyes met. Mine darted away, ¡°Are you okay? You¡¯re not going to disappear again?¡±

    I snorted at myself, not at him. I had forgotten that he actually saw me disappear, ¡°If only¡­ that would make this less embarrassing,¡± I whispered. Disappearing was my answer to everything, ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t do that to you again.¡±

    ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t my fault,¡± I gave a small burst of laughter, ¡°Because I touched you. You asked me why I touched you.¡±

    My smile dropped. I felt bad¡­ Chris was human and concerned about me. He had been worrying that he had done something wrong. I shook my head slightly, wondering if I should tell him it was his fault, that my skin was so aware of his touch that I couldn¡¯t control myself. Although I had tried and was just as surprised as him, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant, and I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t want to offend you.¡±

    He stared intently at me, considering my words.  The concern he had a minute ago drained from his eyes as my words sunk in. They grasped onto the awareness we had about each other and became desperate like Louis¡¯s when he wanted to kiss me. Did Chris want to kiss me? I scoffed at myself. He probably thought I was a freak, ¡°What?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    He turned back in his seat and drove on. I still had a stupid smile on my face looking out the window¡ªnot another soul on the road, ¡°Mr. Rheed¡­ thanks for picking us up.¡±

    He was quiet for another moment, ¡°Can we please let the formalities drop? I think if you call me Mr. Rheed one more time, I¡¯m going to scream.¡±

    ¡°But that is who you are. Well¡­ to me¡­ a teacher¡­ Mr. Rheed,¡± I lied. I bit my lip out of frustration. Why did I keep pushing him away? Oh yeah. He¡¯s human, and I eat humans.

    He parked the car, and that time, he moved around until he sat down on the middle cubby so he could see me properly, ¡°My name is Chris.¡±

    My eyes traveled from his to peer, aimlessly out the window again, ¡°I know¡­¡± I whispered softly. I could hear him stop breathing every time I said something. If only I had mind-reading capabilities, ¡°Should I call you, sir? Or teacher? Would that not solve all our problems?¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ***

    Chris

    I was about two seconds away from opening my door and dragging her out of the car¡­ What would I do with her? Would I kiss her like I wanted to? ¡°Solve¡­ all¡­ our problems?¡± I asked skeptically. Every time she opened up to me, every time she had the guts to look at me, it made my heart squeeze in a good way. I would stop breathing to keep myself from doing something idiotic, but the only thing left was staring at her. She smiled, and she disappeared again, ¡°Juliet!¡± I leaned over quickly without thinking¡­ to feel if she would be there¡­ I touched her instantly. My hand landed on her shoulder¡­ I could feel soft skin. Slowly, my fingers made their way over the crevice of her collarbone and neck¡­ until I touched her cheek. Just before I wanted to curl my fingers in the nape of her neck, I pulled away, ¡°Can you come back?¡± I asked, trying to still my ragged breaths.

    She did. Our eyes met for the fourth time that night¡ªI had kept count¡­ I always wanted her eyes on me, like they were at school. ¡°I¡­ can go back and forth as many times as I want. Whenever I want,¡± her voice hitched. All I saw was the quivering desire in her eyes, begging me to make the first move. Matched with my throbbing blood¡­  I was losing control. Not because I was thinking about her ability and what that actually meant but because of how I felt about her. The temptation was becoming too much for me to manage. All the resolutions I had set in place seemed to disappear whenever she was close. A heaviness clouded my mind. One I couldn¡¯t rid myself of. A disappointment because I couldn¡¯t see us going anywhere. I wanted to be interested in her ability. Still¡­ it took all my effort to forget that I had allowed myself that moment of weakness. I had actually touched her, caressed her, and felt the smooth skin under my hand. She had not pulled away, looked away, and for the first time, was who I had been staring at for months. Stupefied, I dared to search hers, wrestling with myself.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sir? Do you think I¡¯m weird?¡± My head dropped, and I slowly shook it from side to side. Should I have told her what I was really thinking? How sweet she was¡­ How I had to fight every day with that need I had. Every time she blushed, it drove me nearly mad! The attraction had become much more. ¡°If we keep stopping like this¡­ I might never get home. My parents might even be there before me.¡±

    She was talking, but I wasn¡¯t listening. I really didn¡¯t want to hurt her. I thought about the line. The line I said I wouldn¡¯t cross¡ªnot with a student. And NOT with a seventeen-year-old girl! It was all I had to think about to get myself in hand. I slid into my seat and drove on, determined it was the last time I would stop the car. Whenever I wanted to bridge the gap, she firmly kept that wall between us in place, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I went off like that earlier,¡± I said, just to think about something else.

    ¡°It¡¯s understandable for someone of sir¡¯s age and position towards us.¡±

    I pressed the brake, irritated, and stopped the car again. She laughed, bending over and putting her head in her hands, ¡°I¡¯m glad you find me funny¡­ Believe me¡­ I just promised myself I wouldn¡¯t stop again, but it¡¯s very distracting talking like this, and you didn¡¯t want to come and sit next to me.¡±

    I turned around again so I could see her. With her head in her hands, my gaze had the opportunity to travel to the rest of her. I looked at her skirt and the length of it¡ªit barely covered her thighs. I realized why she didn¡¯t want to come to sit next to me. She was already shy¡­ I shook myself... ¡°Okay¡­ This ¡®sir¡¯ thing is also not going to work for me. Call me by my name¡­ please¡­ Can we at least agree that we¡¯re¡­ friends?¡± She sighed and sat up, shrugged, and nodded, ¡°You¡¯re very mature for your age. Not like the other girls in your grade.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I grew up differently.¡±

    That statement made me think and made me want to ask a million questions, ¡°You¡¯re very direct. And it seems like you speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°I try¡­ I hate it when people don¡¯t do what they say or say what they mean¡­ I know I lie a lot¡­ But I have to. I hate that, though,¡± I dropped my head. She seemed a little lost that night¡­ Was it the alcohol? For someone her age to go out drinking and dancing at a club seemed like she was looking for an escape. Argh, who was I to talk¡­ I ran away¡­ I had sports and hobbies. My study. Maybe it was me? It was the first time we were talking, really talking, after months and months of staring at each other. It was like we knew each other, but actually, having to speak felt strange. She felt it, too, ¡°Or when people say something, but it takes them an hour to get to the point.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t all people do that¡­ What you just said? Isn¡¯t it normal?¡±

    ¡°I hate normal. Maybe because¡ª¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence. Still staring out the window.

    I finished it for her, ¡°You¡¯re not normal?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll¡­ have to go a little bit further than that¡­¡±

    I paused, thinking. She said¡­ ¡®She wasn¡¯t normal¡­.¡¯ I had thought ability¡­ supernatural power¡­ but what she meant was¡­ It was hard to swallow. She wasn¡¯t human? I took in a deep breath, and my heart beat faster¡­ I didn¡¯t want to directly ask her what she was.

    ¡°Why do you hold your breath every time I say something. Or other times, your heart speeds up? Are you scared of me?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t going to tell her that it was a grown-up thing to have to control your emotions. I couldn¡¯t just act on every thought that came into my mind. Having been dead for three years¡­ and having someone so honest¡­ so interested in me¡­ made me want to do things that wouldn¡¯t be right. That what she wanted from people¡­ would build real connections. If my wife was that direct with me as she was¡­ said what she meant, we might not be in the mess we were in. I wasn¡¯t divorced yet. Sita didn¡¯t want to talk about it. The whole thing wasn¡¯t what I was expecting. A nervousness came over me every time I thought about Sita, that she might actually want to make our relationship work after all.

    ***

    Juliet

    He didn¡¯t answer me¡­ We just sat there. Chris had gone somewhere. I could feel it when I tried to put up a barrier¡­ I knew I was doing it¡­ deliberately saying things that would put him off. Maybe because he was married. Perhaps because he was human. Probably because I was like a dog chasing a car¡­ And I could feel that right there, Chris was putting up a wall¡­ I didn¡¯t like it. He gazed out in front of him. I took a risk and leaned forward, touching his cheek, ¡°Chris?¡±

    His eyes jumped to mine, his body twitched in response, but he didn¡¯t move¡ªthe wall was securely in place. It seemed we were both a little lost that night. Whatever was going on between us had just become tangible. He opened his mouth and closed it again. He turned and slid in his seat, breaking out contact, and kept driving. He drove slowly but was quiet for the rest of the ride home.

    Before I registered, we were turning into my street. For me, the trip was over too quickly. Regrets surfaced. I knew I talked a big game but had fallen flat on my face. Chris had tried, and I was nowhere. By the time I had relaxed, Chris had closed off.

    ¡°That¡¯s my house over there,¡± he drove past and made a U-turn at the bottom of the street, stopping.

    ¡°Should I drop you off in front of your house?¡±

    ¡°No! Here¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°I hope everything goes okay with your parents. How will you get in if they¡¯re not here?¡±

    ¡°I have a key,¡± I took out the dangling bunch from my clutch on my lap. I opened the door, putting one foot on the ground, ¡°Thanks for stopping. Thanks for bringing me home.¡± I put down my other foot and stood up, closing the door slowly and looking into his window. He was staring out in front of him, hands on the wheel. He didn¡¯t even look at me. Could I blame him? I didn¡¯t want to sit in front with him, giving him so many mixed signals that I would also lose it. The conversation wasn¡¯t bad... It just left so many things hanging.

    If I was frustrated with my parents and with Louis¡­ I was almost maddened with Chris and myself for doing the same thing. Why did I even think we were going to be any different. That our relationship would be as easy as the glances we shared. As easy as the attraction we had for each other. No one was open like that... Charlene came to mind. Everyone had secrets. I sighed, knowing he wouldn¡¯t get out of the car to greet me. He wouldn¡¯t be a man and walk me to the door or kiss my cheek. Even so, what did I expect under the circumstances? He was married and probably scared I would make a childish scene with his wife if we got together and things didn¡¯t work out.

    I put my jacket on and pulled it tightly across my chest, covering the bare skin of my middle, suddenly feeling very exposed. Chris drove slowly beside me, winding down his window like he would say something. Hope grew inside of me¡­ I wanted him to stop the car and come talk to me. One last time, open up so we could both be at the same place at that exact moment.

    ¡°Juliet.¡± I kept walking. It took him the longest time to say anything. Would he give me something to hold on to? ¡°Sleep well.¡±

    I laughed lightly at the absurdity of the statement. Did he have any idea what the hell just happened? ¡°You know what, Chris! You have a good night, too. Good luck with that.¡± Fed up with treating him like an adult¡­ when he clearly had less common sense than an eighteen-year-old girl. I turned to walk over our yard towards the front door. He didn¡¯t drive off immediately. He was watching till I disappeared through the walkway.

    The courtyard that led up to the front door was secluded. The kitchen light was on and lit up the dark area. Large plants were growing underneath the window from a built-in flower bed. A hand roughly grabbed my arm and yanked me around.

 15. Two Stupid Guys

    15. Two Stupid Guys

    Juliet

    I was thinking attacker! Flashes of Mr. Tailored hovering over me came to mind, and I cried out for help. Louis pulled me into his chest, wrapped his arms around me, and held me close, muffling my shrieks, ¡°Shhh, your parents are here. They¡¯re waiting for you.¡±

    I didn¡¯t care and tried to get out of his grip, fighting his hold on me. Louis¡¯s grip only tightened around me. After I was tuckered out and knew he wouldn¡¯t give in, I slumped against him, softened, and leaned in. He loosened his grasp and pushed me an arm¡¯s length away from him, still holding onto my shoulders. My face was cast down. The tears I desperately held back broke through the dam wall and kept falling. Louis must have seen them because he went crazy, ¡°Did I hurt you? Juliet! What¡¯s going on? I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± He lifted my face, wiping the tears away. ¡°Did I scare you?¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°I hate you.¡±

    He laughed lightly, ¡°Well¡­ I knew that.¡± His statement made the tears turn into small sobs. Louis pulled me into an embrace, stroking my hair, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t anyone see me?¡± I asked through subsiding breaths.

    ¡°Oh, Juliet! That¡¯s just not true... You¡¯re so special¡­ It¡¯s hard to come up to your standards. Even at this age¡­ you¡¯re intimidating... So sure of who you are¡­ And for me, I¡¯m so afraid of losing you that I might not act the way I should.¡±

    ¡°Does no one understand what I need¡­?¡± Louis said nothing. He was one of the reasons I felt no one would ever love me the way I needed to be loved. Louis kissed the top of my head, ¡°Why are you here tonight? Were you with my parents?¡±

    ¡°I was at Charlene¡¯s house when I saw you not getting out of the car¡­I wanted to make sure you got home safe.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you hook up with the waitress? You two seemed to be having fun,¡± he flicked my forehead.

    ¡°Ouch¡­ she was stunning¡­ Why didn¡¯t you like her?¡±

    He sighed, holding me close to his chest, ¡°What happened tonight?¡± he murmured.

    I opened my eyes and saw Chris staring at us.

    ¡°Juliet? What¡¯s going on?¡± Louis asked.

    Louis¡¯s eyes followed my gaze when I didn¡¯t answer, realizing someone was there, ¡°Who¡¯s that? Is that Mr. Tailored?¡±

    I hit him on the chest, ¡°Does it look like Mr. Tailored?¡±

    We both peered aimlessly at Chris while I was still in Louis¡¯s arms. He held me so close I couldn¡¯t move. His hand slid down to the small of my back and pressed me into him. It felt like he was claiming me in front of another guy. For a moment, Louis¡¯s acceptance outweighed Chris¡¯s indecision. He did not betray one emotion, ¡°I wanted to make sure you¡¯re okay,¡± Chris said. His eyes were fixed on Louis.

    I made a scoffing sound and pulled out of Louis¡¯s arms. A useless cockfight that neither of them had the right to undertake was not something I had the strength for, ¡°Don¡¯t do that again!¡± I pointed my finger at Louis¡¯s face. ¡°You know how to get in my pants. That¡¯s not the way.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­ that¡¯s not what¡¯s going on!¡±  Louis tried desperately to explain, ¡°Juliet, wait!¡±

    My key was already in the lock. I didn¡¯t hesitate to walk into the house, closing the door behind me. I was barely over the threshold when I was accosted again by my mom and dad, ¡°What the heck, Juliet! We were worried sick. Charlene said someone was dropping you off. That was an hour ago.¡±

    I glanced at my watch. Were we really gone an hour? What did I expect was going to happen in one car ride? Was I too harsh on Chris? He did come back. I opened the door, but the two stupid guys were gone.

    ***

    Louis

    We listened as Juliet¡¯s parents laid into her. I felt terrible but had to turn away so that they could talk. I pushed past Chris, ¡°This is all your fault.¡±

    ¡°What!? Who are you? You¡¯re old enough to be her father,¡± Chris retorted.

    I sneered at his stupidity. A wry smile formed on my mouth, thinking about Juliet. She didn¡¯t see me like her father at all, ¡°Don¡¯t make your issues mine¡­ I¡¯m in love with her... Humans! So many hang-ups,¡± I whispered the last bit, just in case. Samuel had told me that Chris was the hybrid, but he was clueless, married to a shapeshifting dog, and he didn¡¯t even notice. I was moving into my house the following day¡ªand I couldn¡¯t wait. As I walked, I sent Juliet a message.

    Me { Your parents told me you would help me move tomorrow. As punishment. Pick you up at 5 }

    My phone dinged a few moments later.

    Juliet { That¡¯s in three hours }

    Relieved, I smiled. Me { Okay, make it seven but no later }

    Juliet { Punching gif }

    I chuckled. Chris had followed me to get to his car, ¡°Did she really just say you were trying to get into her pants?¡± I was fed up with him. He had the most amazing woman yearning for him, and he couldn¡¯t even decide if he wanted her. She could barely control herself in his presence. I wanted to turn to him and growl in his face! Showing him my teeth so he had something else to focus on. I also wanted to say something really mean but thought the better of it. ¡°Who were you texting?¡± he asked.

    I glanced at my phone, confused, ¡°What has that got to do with you?¡±

    ¡°Was it Juliet you were speaking to?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Who else!?¡±

    ¡°You guys are texting?¡±

    I mouthed a cuss word, ¡°Look here¡­ Chris,¡± that time, I put my hand on his shoulder, trying to get through to him, ¡°You have to stop seeing her as a little girl. For one, she doesn¡¯t like it. Two¡­ she¡¯s not as innocent as you think. Maybe you should ask her how many boyfriends she has had since coming to the school for the last few years that you didn¡¯t even know she existed. She is already a woman if you haven¡¯t noticed¡­. But you have¡­ She¡¯s not the problem here; you are,¡± I lifted my hand, flicking him on the forehead. I shook my head when all he could do was stare blankly at me.

    ¡°Are you saying she¡¯s easy?¡±

    Before I knew it, my fist landed on his face. He was such an idiot, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about her like that! Ever!¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t¡­ You dumb-ass. I was talking about you!¡± Chris yelled. ¡°What do you want from her?¡± Chris asked, feeling his lip, trying to see if there would be blood. I had restrained myself and knew he wouldn¡¯t find any.

    ¡°I want everything from her¡­ and I will get her.¡±

    Chris frowned, and he smiled briefly, ¡°Don¡¯t I have her already?¡±

    His statement punched me in the gut, ¡°Where¡¯s your wife, Chris?¡± His mouth opened to say something, but he shut it again, ¡°That¡¯s what I thought¡­ I should ask you what you¡¯re doing here? Why are you not at home with Sita?¡±

    ¡°You know she didn¡¯t want to ask you for help in the club. Why is that? I¡¯m the one that picked her up by chance. Didn¡¯t she say she hated you? Maybe you should leave her alone.¡±

    Every word he spoke was true. I had followed her the whole night. After they left¡­ I even followed them as they were walking down the road. Her not coming to me in the club was an old-time low for me. She couldn¡¯t even turn to me for help. Juliet was right¡ªwe didn¡¯t know each other... or rather I knew her, but she didn¡¯t know me at all¡ªwe met only two weeks ago. The only time we had a good moment was Monday when I told her how I felt¡­ And then earlier, I had her in my arms. She had leaned into me and was confiding... it felt so right. I would do everything I could to change her mind about me.

    ¡°You just stood there in the club and did nothing when she was surrounded by a bunch of drunk guys.¡±

    At least on that, I knew he would have to learn the hard way. Juliet was willfully unyielding, more than anyone I¡¯ve ever met. Which meant she wouldn¡¯t listen to me. I had learned that most painfully. I didn¡¯t think she would listen to him either. He didn¡¯t know what would happen if he pushed her¡­ and I wasn¡¯t going to help him¡ªat all. Chris would have to suffer like the rest of us. I wouldn¡¯t have interfered in her night for all the money in the world. She already hated me. I sighed, sick of justifying myself to the hybrid.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    I pointed my key to my silver SUV. The Range Rover and the BMW contrasted each other, just like Chris and I. I opened my door and drove off. If I had stayed, I might have killed him. Juliet would hate me forever.

    ***

    Chris

    I wanted to make sure she was okay. Juliet had waited for me to say something or do something. All I could say was¡­ ¡®She should sleep well.¡¯ It was dumb and shallow. Juliet wasn¡¯t like that¡­ I couldn¡¯t give her what she wanted.

    When I heard screaming, I ran to the small path she had taken earlier. I slowed down when I heard someone asking her if they had hurt her. I kept ambling and heard Juliet crying. My breath was shallow, not knowing what to expect. There was going to be a guy with her, and it wasn¡¯t her father. I took the last few steps until they came into view. The last thing I wanted to see was her in the arms of the new French teacher¡ªEver! Not in a million years did I want to see her in someone else¡¯s arms. Staring at them talking and him comforting her was unbearable. And then¡­ she asked the most bizarre question, ¡®Why does no one see me?¡¯

    Walking to my car after Louis had left, I tried to figure out what she had meant. Everyone saw her. I think every guy on the planet saw her. I kept playing out our whole trip home in my mind. A whole hour¡­ We were together for so long, but it felt like minutes.

    Louis was right. I had hang-ups about Juliet¡¯s age. But I did ask her to call me Chris. She was the one who stressed the fact that I was a teacher at her school and kept calling me Mr. Rheed. She wasn¡¯t making it easy on me. Also¡­ The fact that I¡®m married¡­

    While driving home, I rubbed my lip where his fist planted. I deserved that punch; it knocked some sense into me, and getting jealous wasn¡¯t going to help. Juliet wasn¡¯t normal¡­ NO! She wasn¡¯t even human¡­ Didn¡¯t the French guy say something about that? Were her parents also not human. I stopped the car and rested my head on the steering wheel. What the hell was going on? Did no one understand where I was coming from? I¡¯m married¡­ My wife is ignoring my divorce papers. A student at school seemed to have a crush on me. What did Louis want me to do?

    I sounded like a broken record player. The same arguments plagued me over and over.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°What happened, Julie?¡± My mom took my hand in hers, turning me to her, ¡°You were crying?¡± I wasn¡¯t paying attention and closed the front door a second time. My mind was on Chris.

    ¡°Jerry pitched up at Mandy¡¯s house and made a scene. Mom knows Jerry and Mandy¡¯s boyfriend are friends. I wanted to come home. Asked someone else to bring me. It was too much for me to handle.¡±

    ¡°Who brought you home? Why did it take so long?¡±

    ¡°We talked¡­ I didn¡¯t check the time. He¡¯s¡­ a¡­ friend.¡±

    When I said the words out loud, it sunk in. Chris thought of me as a friend. The idea alone sent my emotions spiraling. I hated Louis, and the man I wanted didn¡¯t even think of me in that way. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I made you worry,¡± I was getting good at lying, ¡°Why were there police outside Charlene¡¯s house?¡±

    My mom relaxed a little, ¡°Someone drank too much and made a scene. It was really the police who called the ambulance. It wasn¡¯t that bad¡­ Don¡¯t change the subject. You had alcohol again. Were you guys getting drunk?¡±

    I nodded. No point in lying about that one. She shook her head in disapproval, ¡°Come, it¡¯s late¡­ Go to sleep, and you can tell me everything tomorrow.¡± We had moved to the kitchen by then. She handed me a tissue. I blew my nose and walked to the fridge to get some water. My phone dinged.

    ¡°Louis texted me¡­ Let me see what he says,¡± My mom came to stand next to me, reading over my shoulder... I looked up at her, ¡°Did you really tell him I would help him move?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I think it would be good for you to spend some time with him,¡± Her one arm came around my shoulder.

    ¡°Mom! Can you please tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you guys talked?¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°Can you not just tell me about Louis?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing this to frustrate you¡­ You asked me about the werewolves, and you asked me about him¡­ I thought if I told you everything that is going on¡­ What would be the point? Live your own life. All I want from you is¡­ that you should focus on enjoying every moment.¡± I made some noise to show my dissatisfaction. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why we left the compound?¡± she said dramatically, ¡°So we could lead a different life than all the other vampires?¡± I sighed and nodded. ¡°If I start bombarding you with things that are going on¡­ Things that would soon be expected of you. Wouldn¡¯t you feel more overwhelmed?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m not busy growing up. What must I keep myself busy with?¡±

    My mom smirked and tapped on my screen, ¡°Louis seems like a good option. Don¡¯t you like him just a little?¡±

    I lifted my chin up a bit, ¡°Are you telling me that I should fill my head with boys? Again? Bad parenting.¡±

    She shrugged, ¡°Back then¡­ was different. Now, you can do what you want to do. That¡¯s the point of this time of your life. To make mistakes. Do things you won¡¯t be able to do¡­ even in ten years.¡±

    I sighed, ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll help him move. But have you guys already decided that he¡¯s your new son-in-law? We don¡¯t even know him!¡±

    My mom wrapped her arms around me, ¡°Like I said, this time you decide. We won¡¯t interfere again,¡± she kissed my cheek and headed for bed.

    The following day, Louis was at the door at seven. I was ready because I couldn¡¯t sleep. Usually, my bed was like heaven to me; when I laid my head down, I was gone. Not the previous night. I saw Chris¡¯s face over and over in my mind, ¡®Sleep well, Juliet.¡¯ I moved my head from side to side, mocking him. I never felt like wearing black again, so I opted for light blue ankle-length jeans, white sneakers, and a white button-down shirt hanging loosely around my waist. I put my hair up and put simple silver hoops in my ears.

    Opening the front door gave me a full view of Louis waiting on the other side of the gate. Whistling, he licked his lips, ¡°Noice! A little sus seeing that until yesterday you only wore black¡­ What¡¯s going to be next, pink?¡± I laugh inside myself. There was a dress in my closet. It was the brightest pink with tassels. He was impatient, and his long, unstyled hair was unruly that day. He wore casual clothes for a change. He gripped the gate, rattling it so I would hurry up, ¡°Open up! Come on, we got to go!¡±

    ¡°Why are you in such a rush?¡± I turned the key in the gate.

    He yanked it open and pulled me out by my wrist, half running down the road with me in tow, ¡°Come on, come on.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Not far¡­ The very next house, in fact.¡± Louis opened a little brown wooden gate and led me through a small garden into the front door, which was standing wide open. He shut it and locked it. He didn¡¯t stop and dragged me down the hall. There was another closed door at the end of the corridor.

    ¡°Wait! Where are we going?¡± I tried stalling, putting out my feet, ¡°I was only joking last night.¡± He was too strong, and I slid over the tiled floor, ¡°About you ever getting in my pants!¡± Louis smirked and let me go. His lips turned into a beautiful big smile with his gorgeous big mouth. It always reached his eyes. He seemed like a really happy person. I was lying anyway; he could totally get in my pants. Just being with him made me forget about anything else. He opened the door, and what I saw was not what I expected. There was a person tied and bound on the floor.

    ¡°He¡¯s a deaf-mute. A homeless guy from two towns over¡­ Last night, when I left¡­ I went to go get you takeout.¡± I thought it was funny¡­ I wanted to laugh, but my manifestation was so instant that I jumped the guy¡ªI had no control, not realizing how hungry I was. ¡°Yesterday when you broke down crying. I knew this was one of the main reasons¡­ Deciding to stretch your feeds might not be a good idea.¡± I wanted to roll my eyes. At least he didn¡¯t tell me how stupid I was. Maybe he did listen to what I said. Louis was trying. He sat down on some stacked boxes in the corner, picked up a hammer, and played with it while I finished. I could feel his eyes on me.

    At that time, I was too hungry to care or be self-conscious. I went to wipe my mouth. Louis stretched out his hand, ¡°No, don¡¯t use your sleeve again! Here!¡± He held out a wet face cloth to me. I had a moment to decide if I would be angry at his tone. I chose to also try but couldn¡¯t get the thank you to pass my lips. He smiled as I wiped my mouth. He took it from me and disappeared briefly. I relaxed a lot since I could eat, reached for the black tarp, and folded it over the guy. I took the tape lying on the floor and wrapped the body. Louis came back into the room, bending down to help me. After we were done, he threw the guy over his shoulder, disappearing again. With his strength, it was easy.

    ¡°I should¡¯ve put him on the dining room table with some candles lit,¡± he said, coming back. I gave him an uncomfortable, shy smile. Manifesting in front of strangers still felt weird to me. I was more human than vampire. ¡°Do you have no respect for human life?¡± I asked, turning away from him.

    ¡°I do¡­ But I can¡¯t help who and what I am. This is how things are¡­ And unfortunately, this guy¡¯s time and death was¡±¡ª he looked at his watch¡ª ¡°seven o¡¯ five.¡±

    ***

    Louis

    Juliet was awkward when manifested, fidgeting and avoiding me¡­ like at that moment. She wouldn¡¯t be able to transform back for a few minutes, making it my responsibility to help her through it. I walked over to her. I was so used to our faces like that. To me, she was beautiful, whether manifested or not. Didn¡¯t think Chris would readily accept this¡­ Meaning her, and when he didn¡¯t, I would be there.  ¡°You¡¯ve been around humans for too long, and you feel you are the odd one out.¡± I carefully took her face in my hands, lifting her head with my thumbs to meet my eyes, ¡°Can I kiss you?¡±

    She laughed again and pushed me away, ¡°No! What is it with you and my mouth? Is that all you think about?¡±

    I slowly took her face back into my hands. All I did was stare at her lips for the longest time, ensuring her mouth wasn¡¯t all I was after. Sweeping the hair out of her face and tracing her features with my fingers, I let her go to see what she would do, giving her the freedom and control she wanted¡ªallowing her to choose for herself. It seemed like she wanted to kiss me, but she was hesitating. ¡°I can wait for however long it takes for you to trust me,¡± I whispered. Slowly, she slid her arms around my waist¡­ very carefully, pulling me into her for a hug. I froze and stood there, not wanting to move. It was more than I had hoped for. She was thinking about it¡ª about us.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I just did that,¡± she stepped back.

    I was completely caught off guard and spaced out, taking in the feeling. I liked her coming to me. It brought on more emotions I¡¯ve never had to deal with. Her manifestation disappeared. It drew my attention back to her. She had relaxed enough, and it made me smile. Happy that she didn¡¯t hate me anymore. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get busy with work. If I keep staring at you. I don¡¯t know if I can keep my hands off you.¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± Juliet asked, glancing around the room.

    ¡°You can start with those boxes, unpacking and placing the things in the right rooms.¡±

    ¡°How would I know where you want things?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, do whatever.¡± I left her standing there and went out to the truck. I could hear her ripping tape as I moved more things into the house.

 16. Getting To Know You

    16. Getting To Know You

    Juliet

    The day went by¡­ I had such a good time with Louis. He was light-hearted and fun and made everything a joke. He touched me whenever the opportunity gave him an excuse. It felt great to have someone who wanted me. A person in my life who wanted to spend time with me. Who wasn¡¯t going to turn out to be an idiot like Jerry. I took my mom¡¯s advice and stopped asking Louis any serious questions. The things that bothered me stayed in the back of my mind. I had to stop myself from unloading on him, trying to stay in the moment.

    We were taking a break sitting in the lounge. I was on the sofa, and he sat on the carpet, resting against the couch. He was in a serious attitude, playing with something in his hands, ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± He finally said. I pulled my feet in underneath me. Louis regarded my habit, ¡°Can you answer me honestly?¡±

    ¡°Why would you say that?¡±

    He shrugged, ¡°Who was that guy last night?¡±

    ¡°You know him... he¡¯s a teacher at the school.¡±

    He turned to me... ¡°Don¡¯t use my tactics¡­ Just answer the question.¡±

    ¡°You have to promise not to tell my parents. Ever! Not one word. If you ever do. I¡¯ll probably never forgive you.¡±

    His eyes carried a mixture of emotions, seeming to take in the seriousness of my words. ¡°He means a lot to you?¡± Louis¡¯s voice was strained.

    I pouted my lips and shook my head. Louis¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly. ¡°Chris is a fantasy¡­ one that somehow realized. I can¡¯t explain it. I¡¯ve had a crush on him for the longest time. I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯m attracted to him.¡±

    ¡°Is he the one?¡±

    Animated, my eyebrows crinkled at the corners, intrigued to know his thoughts on the subject. Surprised that he would ask that, ¡°No... maybe...¡± I got up and paced the room, ¡°The guy who opens up to me first will be the one. The one that loves me more... because I¡¯m sick and tired of being the person to puts it all out there and then gets hurt.¡±

    ¡°I think you underestimate the power of attraction¡­ What a person would do when the one¡­ seems to be slipping through your fingers."

    ¡°Are you talking from experience?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ but I feel I¡¯ll be able to tell you soon,¡± Louis said with a straight face, piercing me with a stare.

    I stopped pacing to see if he was being serious. The only time Louis wasn¡¯t joking was when he was talking about us or me¡­ What girl wouldn¡¯t be pulled in by all of that? I was lucky in that regard. I wasn¡¯t an ordinary girl... At that moment, I promised myself I would not fall in love with Louis Du Pont.

    ¡°My mom said there was a woman in the motel?¡± I said, trying to change the subject off of us.

    ¡°No! Never! She wanted to get together... Nonetheless, there weren¡¯t any feelings from my side.¡±

    ¡°My mom said she was gorgeous.¡±

    His eyes came up to meet mine, ¡°No... not my type,¡± A playful grin played on his mouth.

    ¡°The bartender last night? Also, not your type?¡±

    He slowly shook his head from side to side. I still didn¡¯t understand why I was jealous at all and turned. Louis stood to his feet and moved over to stop my pacing, ¡°Are you jealous?¡±

    ¡°I was last night,¡± I rubbed a hand over my face, thinking about how I felt. ¡°Not that it matters,¡± I whispered.

    Louis grasped my hand in his, ¡°It does matter¡­ you matter, Juliet! I¡¯m angry that you didn¡¯t ask me for help in the club. It hurt.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t flirt with other girls again! I almost manifested in the club¡­ Yes, I was that jealous. And nothing is even going on between us.¡± Creases formed on his brow, but he held onto my hand, ¡°Are you going to tell me if there has ever been someone out there who is the one for you?¡± I asked.

    Louis¡¯s frown deepened, and he held his breath. Hesitantly, I lifted my hand and rubbed between his brows with my thumb, wanting the lines away. He was reluctant to answer me. I raised my brows questioningly.

    ¡°There have been a lot of women.¡± My hand dropped, and I pulled my other out of his. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie to you about that!¡± He took my hand again and squeezed it, ¡°I didn¡¯t believe in one soul mate out there... for every person. Love¡­ is not for everyone.¡±

    ¡°Should that reassure me of your intentions... It¡¯s not helping.¡±

    He met my eye, ¡°I also believe that we must choose when the time comes,¡± he raked his fingers through my hair, ¡°And I have chosen¡­ I want to be here and with you! I¡¯ve never loved anyone. So far, it¡¯s only you...¡±

    His fingers ran down and traced my cheek. He slid his hand behind my neck, pulling me closer, hovering over my lips¡­ ¡°Can I kiss you?¡± Louis sounded almost desperate.

    I was so scared that I shook my head. How could he say that he loved me? He didn¡¯t even know me. Well, he was two hundred years old. I¡¯m sure if he fell in love with me, he would know. ¡°No,¡± I whispered, ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    He put his forehead on mine and moved it from side to side. I was frustrating him, and Louis would probably never push more than that. ¡°Fine...! I¡¯ll wait until you kiss me. Until you love me back¡­.¡± He let me go.

    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± I sat down again. That time, he sat across from me on the sofa, watching me as we spoke. We talked for a long time, and then he took me home. My mom invited him to stay, and we watched a movie like an average family.

    Sitting on the couch, I stared at him at one stage. He had changed before we left his house. A black leather jacket with a cream polo jersey underneath. Dark blue jeans folded at his ankles with black boots. His hair was messy, but it looked like it took him hours. He didn¡¯t belong there¡­ in that small town with me. I glanced down at my unkempt nails and a wrinkled shirt. He didn¡¯t belong¡­ I had so many issues. Louis smiled at something funny on TV. My parents were laughing, too, sitting a little in front of us on a lover¡¯s bench. Louis turned his head towards me. His piercing blue eyes caught me off guard. I didn¡¯t mind him catching me. He was serious again, ¡°Did you ever open the gift I gave you?¡±

    I frowned. I didn¡¯t immediately remember. Oh yeah, that was the first day back to school after I almost turned into a zombie. So no¡­ I wasn¡¯t feeling so well and had to use all my faculties to keep it together. ¡°At school?¡± I whispered softly to myself. I jumped up, bored with the movie, and ran to my room. I heard him coming after me. I laughed, going for my bag. He stopped at the room¡¯s threshold, leaning on the door frame. I remember putting it away in a safety pocket in the back of my bag. Almost everything I didn¡¯t want anyone to see was in there. The small box was wrapped in beautiful paper, ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin it.¡± He approached me and took the package, ripping off the wrapping. He lifted the lid of the box inside. There was soft yellow felt¡­ underneath a silver chain with a small silver-plated circle at the bottom. My brow furrowed. It was not what I was expecting. He took it out and tied it around my neck. I lifted it to read the few words engraved on it, ¡°This is where I want to be,¡± it caught my heart again. The first time I heard it¡­ it didn¡¯t sink in¡­ At that moment, it really felt that no matter what¡­ I was enough, and that he would always be there. He was right in one regard¡­ We had a real shot here. ¡°Thank you...¡± I said, reaching for his cheek but couldn¡¯t. Louis was standing on his toes, dodging me. I smiled up at him. He leaned down, and I planted a big, fat kiss on his cheek.

    ¡°I thought it would never happen. It was like an hour? You already kissed me.¡±

    I laughed lightly, ¡°That¡¯s not a kiss. I think¡­ warm, wet, and brutal¡­ is a kiss.¡± I wondered if I had crossed a line. Louis¡¯s tongue played between his teeth; he groaned and fell face down on the bed. I laughed, jumping up next to him, ¡°Hey, you scared already. I don¡¯t think you can handle this¡­¡± He laughed, shook his head, and rolled up on his elbow. He bit his bottom lip, trying to avoid smiling too broadly. Louis¡¯s eyes held my gaze. Out of nowhere, the way I felt the first time I saw him came to mind. How I felt in that car, staring at him. How I wanted him was different. I hoped he would show up in that basement and save me. Louis was there; he was pushing himself into my life, pursuing me. It was a welcome relief. My gaze drifted to his mouth, and I thought about kissing him properly. The problem was I was looking for a reason to do it. I shook myself, ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk,¡± I suggested. I let out a frustrated breath. Why was I not crossing the line? Oh yeah¡­ my life. And I said I would not fall in love with him.

    ***

    Sita

    When I heard from our scouts about what happened between Juliet and Chris the previous night. I checked his feed immediately. I didn¡¯t feel for him as I should, but I also didn¡¯t want him to be with that vampire girl. It did hurt my feelings. And why would I give the vamps even more of an advantage over us? If they got together? If she and Chris had a baby¡­ He would be on their side. The scouts also reported that the French teacher was at Juliet¡¯s house, fighting with Chris. Louis du Pont was a vampire. The question was... what was he doing there? The news of another baby abduction a week ago startled the community. There weren¡¯t many couples who had cubs, and when one disappeared¡ªthe information traveled fast. Usually, they were never found, but that time¡­ a miracle happened. The baby was returned. Little Juliet seemed to have more guts than I gave her credit for. She unknowingly unearthed a syndicate of infected vampires. They were revolting against their oppressors... Infecting born vampires right back, creating something uncontrollable. What the guy was trying to do with the werewolves was still unknown. It was only said that the cubs all died in the process. The news was a blow to the few mothers who were hoping their kids were still alive. The community was in an uproar¡­ Talks of creating a compound to protect the few cubs who were still alive were on the table.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Looking through Chris¡¯s things¡­ I still couldn¡¯t find any trace of anything I wouldn¡¯t like... No messages between them, no photos or online searches. He had given me the divorce papers, but I refused to let him off that easy. So, if he wanted them... he could go check his shredder. That evening, he was at a sporting event our school was hosting. He would probably come back late. I wanted to see this girl up close and do some surveillance on her myself.

    So, later, I went and snooped about; walking outside their house in the darkness didn¡¯t give away any secrets. They were like any other family¡­ watching a movie on a Saturday night. Louis was on one couch, and she was on another. After they went for a walk, I quickly jumped through her window, closing her door slowly. I had a good look around the room. Luckily, vampires couldn¡¯t smell as well as us, and they wouldn¡¯t even know I was in there¡ªnot in human form, anyway. Our abilities only came out when we manifested.

    I was searching for a journal but couldn¡¯t find one. It irritated me because I knew she had to keep one. Someone like her would be obsessive about it, living in a fantasy world. She was always staring off into the sky, daydreaming. She would write down everything Chris had ever said to her and what happened between them. Jealousy fueled me. I wanted to hurt her. The sound of the Farrows getting up made me jump back out the window.

    I walked down the road¡­ Juliet and Louis had to be somewhere in the vicinity. I could only turn in the moonlight. It gave me more advantages. Agility, if I wanted to sneak up on someone. I would have to be very careful, but regardless, it was easy to find them. They were loud and made jokes, sitting on the grass. It was a famous lookout point over the valley. What was going on between these two? Was anything really going on between Chris and her? Had I misjudged the situation? Did her parents arrange a marriage for her like Nicolas would¡¯ve had to do for me?

    The familiar footsteps caught my attention. His smell wafted over the water and traveled right into my chest. I used the bridge and slid down the bank to stand underneath. Chris was above me, making his way over the steel. His steps were loud in the stillness of the night. What was he doing there? I growled. He was coming for Juliet... Was he falling in love with her?

    ***

    Juliet

    Louis manifested and quickly stood, pulled me up by the arm, and pushed me into a patch of tall grass, ¡°Shh¡­ werewolf.¡± I didn¡¯t need to look at the sky to see if it was a full moon. We knew when it was¡­ Born vampires didn¡¯t go out on that one specific day. We¡¯re no match for any werewolf on that particular evening. I kept quiet, waiting for Louis to tell me what to do. I didn¡¯t have half the abilities he had, so I would let him take the lead. My hand was in his, ¡°Should I disappear and go see what is going on.¡±

    He turned on his heels, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare!?¡± He grabbed onto my shirt with two fists.

    ¡°I¡¯m joking¡­ calm down! It would be able to see me anyway! What would be the point?¡± He still didn¡¯t look away, piercing me with a stare, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving your side, baby.¡± He snorted and watched me a moment longer to make sure I would stay put. ¡°I didn¡¯t know we had one in the neighborhood. Can¡¯t you use your echolocation thingy to find them?¡±

    ¡°If you were quiet for a second, I¡¯d be able to tell you just by listening.¡±

    I giggled. We were moving through the long strands and reeds that lined the stream. ¡°There is someone else on the bridge,¡± he whispered.

    Parting the grass, we both took in a deep breath. Chris was walking over the blue steel, hands in his pockets, head down. I wanted to push past Louis and warn Chris. What if the werewolf was out finding its next meal. Louis held me back and pointed to the other side of the stream where Chris had come from. ¡°Wow, you don¡¯t see that every day,¡± I whispered.

    The two-legged wolf stood almost two meters high with black grassy fur and a snarling ugly face. I wasn¡¯t pretty when I manifested, but that girl had it bad. It was all sorts of wrong. ¡°Will they go after Chris? We have to help him,¡± I pulled on Louis¡¯s jacket¡ªthe zipper jingled.

    ¡°It knows we¡¯re here. You¡¯re so loud¡­ It won¡¯t do anything to Chris,¡± Louis pulled his jacket out of my hand. I smiled sheepishly up at him. ¡°You can be glad you¡¯re pretty¡­.¡± he said, ¡°Really pretty¡­ Can I kiss you?¡± I pushed him forward. He grasped my arms. ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯m going¡­ You stay here. Don¡¯t move! Please, Juliet. I don¡¯t want to worry about you.¡±

    I pushed him again, ¡°Go! Before something bad happens.¡±

    The woman moved down the bank to hide under the bridge. I saw Louis take a detour to flank her from behind. I disappeared. Chris was almost over the bridge, taking the few steps onto the ground. He walked past me. I couldn¡¯t resist. I fell into step with him, watching him with his head bent down. I wondered what he was thinking, wishing I could ask him, ¡°Chris, why are you so serious?¡±

    He turned right up the hill, ¡°You¡¯re going to my house¡­ but why?¡± Maybe he wanted to know if I got a good night¡¯s rest. I chuckled. I also wanted to stick my hand into his pocket. His hands were always in his pockets. I wanted to know how it would feel... I¡¯d wanted to do that for the longest time, mingling our fingers in there.

    ***

    Sita

    All three of us were looking at Chris. The poor guy really didn¡¯t have a clue. My husband was out there like a schoolboy going to a girl¡¯s house. Louis and Juliet disappeared from my sight into the tall grass. I heard them whispering but couldn¡¯t make out what the two were saying. I slid down the bank. I was going to follow Chris. I didn¡¯t want to take the chance to cross the bridge behind him. My feet were wet. I saw the glow again. Juliet had disappeared and used her ability. What was she planning? I moved along slowly. Chris had picked up his pace. I had lost track of Louis, turning in a circle to scan the area. My curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to know what Chris would do. By the time I treaded through the water and climbed up the other bank, Chris was already on his way up the hill. Juliet was walking next to him. An involuntary growl escaped me. My lips lifted. I would teach her a lesson. She was looking at his hand in his pocket. Would she make a move on him? Revealing herself? I saw her stretch out her hand. Not on my watch, deary! You won¡¯t touch him. I jumped, putting my front feet on the ground to sprint and scare them. I wanted them away from each other. Someone grabbed my leg, and my face hit the dirt. Louis had caught me. He dragged me through the mud and threw me into the water. It all happened too fast to react. I had lowered my guard and paid the price. It didn¡¯t seem he was going to do anything. Soaked and dirty, all I could do was stare at him, ¡°How¡¯s life, Sita?¡± I growled at him, showing him my teeth. ¡°I¡¯m watching you! Stay away from Juliet! If you come anywhere near her, you¡¯ll regret it!¡±

    All I could do was growl. I didn¡¯t know what was going on.

    ¡°What I really hate about your primitive species¡­ You turn into dogs and can¡¯t even communicate with anyone¡­ Tell your grandfather I said hello¡­ Now off you go,¡± Louis lifted his head and screeched at me, making such a noise that all the birds woke up, squawking and flying off into the air.

    ***

    Chris

    I didn¡¯t know why I was walking to Juliet¡¯s house or what I would do when I got there. The school was empty. The last kids were clearing the equipment. Cleaners were busy finishing their work. I was going to get in my car and looked down the road. Knew it would only take me ten minutes if I walked quickly after dropping her off the previous evening¡ªeverything that happened consumed me. Juliet was right¡­ I didn¡¯t have a good night¡¯s sleep. Walking over the bridge was more than halfway, but by the time my feet felt the incline to the hill, I was so close to her house that I hesitated, nervous, and had to stop in the street. As soon as I did, something made me look at my pocket. It didn¡¯t startle me, but it made me think about Juliet¡­ It was the familiar sensation of her skin. She was there, pushing her hand into my pants, sliding her fingers underneath mine. I wanted to stop her, say something. Her fingers laced with mine, and there were more feelings between us. She gripped and pushed me forward. Stupidly, I looked to my left like she would show herself. I pulled my hand free and stepped away from her.

    What was I doing? Going over there. We crossed the line¡ªagain. The previous night, she cupped my cheek and wanted to trace my lips with her thumb¡ªas if physical touch was important. The memory and the idea sent me spiraling out of control. I shook my head to where I thought I had left her. I couldn¡¯t handle her crossing the line so easily. A noise echoed over the water. It was the worst sound I had ever heard in my entire life. It came up the bank in waves. I didn¡¯t even have a word for what I heard. Is that what she was doing? Pushing me away from whatever was down there? Wanting to hold my hand when something like that happened. I nervously stared down the hill towards the bridge, waiting for whatever was down there to come galloping towards us. Nothing happened. The stillness of the night soon came back, and it was peaceful. Juliet still didn¡¯t show herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have come,¡± I tried pleading with my eyes.

    ¡°Hey, Chris!¡± A familiar voice yelled from the bridge. Louis was resting his elbows on the side railing, ¡°Why don¡¯t I take you home?¡± I couldn¡¯t really argue. My best bet was to team up with the French. I looked back one last time at Juliet and didn¡¯t say anything. I just left.

    ¡°And you. Go to my house and wait for me there,¡± I heard him shout.

    I turned around quickly to see Juliet running up the street. Louis grabbed my arm, ¡°She isn¡¯t really going to my house!¡± he snickered. ¡°Although I live next door to them as of today.¡±

    My heart sank. What? How could that be? Why was I so conflicted? Thinking about them was driving me up the wall. I rejected her over and over, yet I wanted to kill that cocky ass guy with his leather jacket and ruffled hair. Why couldn¡¯t I let them be happy? I pushed past Louis and headed back toward the school. He walked with me up the next long hill, all the way to where I parked my car, not saying a word. He watched me get in and grabbed at the door before I could close it, ¡°Have you done everything you could possibly think of¡­ to make your marriage work?¡± Puzzled, I stared at him, ¡°Maybe you¡¯re so double-minded because you haven¡¯t finished what you started. You don¡¯t seem like the kind of guy who wants to give up on his commitments. And I respect you for that.¡±

    It struck me like a brick. I had to decide and push through with whatever choice I made. I shut the door angrily. Louis was all up in my business. I  drove off like a maniac. I was half-assing everything. It hurt Juliet and any chance I had with her in the future. If we were meant to be, we would be. If I went on like that¡­ I was going to lose her. Letting her go at that stage might be the only way to have a future with her. Later, when she was older.

    I got home determined to speak to Sita and have a good talk with her. Honest and straightforward, not beating around the bush. Saying what I mean! And following through on any ultimatums I was going to give her. Juliet helped me realize that I might not have been entirely open and honest with Sita. Letting her dictate our relationship was as much my fault as hers. I could¡¯ve set boundaries years ago. Louis had helped me realize that being doubleminded was the worst thing a guy could do.

    Juliet was unique. Heaven knew I was in love with her¡­ But I was married first. What would she think of me if I cheated on my wife? If I left my wife just like that, not doing all that I could do and ruining one relationship to start another one with a young girl. Wasn¡¯t that for guys who didn¡¯t know who they were? Louis was right. I didn¡¯t want to be like that.

 17. Making A Marriage Work

    17. Making A Marriage Work

    Chris

    I got home, and Sita was in the shower, so I waited for her in the living room. She soon came out dressed in her PJs and greeted me. Usually, she wouldn¡¯t even notice me. Her saying ¡®hello¡¯ was new... but she kept herself busy in the kitchen. Whenever something like that happened in the past, I would get hopeful. She would crush it the very next second when nothing ever did, ¡°I need to talk to you.¡±

    ¡°I am a little busy right now,¡± she said, probably sensing trouble was coming.

    ¡°Sita!¡± I yelled¡­ It didn¡¯t even scare her, ¡°I said¡­ I need to talk to you!¡±

    Calmly, she walked over and sat down, folding her hands on her lap.

    I sat on the coffee table across from her so our eyes were level, ¡°Why are you staying with me?¡± I asked as sincerely as I could.

    ¡°Where is all of this coming from, Christopher?¡± She asked in such a condescending way that I wanted to slap her. I wondered why I had ever married her in the first place. I was irritated and frustrated. It had been a weird weekend.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t talk to me tonight, I¡¯m going to see my lawyer on Monday. Ask him how to move forward from here. I¡¯ll move out, and you won¡¯t see me again.¡±

    She squinted her eyes. I could see her mind was going in a thousand directions, ¡°I am not ready to get a divorce.¡± The words were unwanted. I was disappointed. In the back of my mind, I hoped she would just get out of my life so I could be free.

    ¡°We can¡¯t go on like this! I don¡¯t want to cheat on you¡­ but it¡¯s come to that. Before I do¡­ I would rather leave you.¡± I knew how it sounded, being straightforward and to the point. It just wasn¡¯t normal. My hands rubbed over my face.

    ¡°What?¡± She stood up, yelling. ¡°You¡¯re cheating on me?¡±

    I pulled her back down on the couch, ¡°Sit down! I haven¡¯t! But I need a full marriage, or else I¡¯ll go mad! Do you even understand intimacy? Don¡¯t you long for that?¡±

    ¡°You are being really aggressive tonight.¡±

    ¡°Sita! Stop changing the subject! I¡¯m sick of this! I¡¯m sick of¡ª¡± I cut off before saying the words running around my mind for the last two years.

    She smirked, ¡°Sick of me? Is that what you wanted to say?¡±

    ¡°I tried to talk to you! A year into this mess¡­ And heaven knows I tried. Counseling¡­ Trips¡­ Presents, being at home so you would know I wasn¡¯t going anywhere. What did you do?¡± She didn¡¯t answer the guilt written on her features. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t talk to me. Never! Not even one normal conversation.¡± She stood up and turned away from me. I grabbed her wrist and flung her around, letting go immediately.

    The image of Juliet¡¯s wrist in my hand flashed in my mind. I compared the feeling of Sita¡¯s skin to Juliet¡¯s hand slowly going into my pocket, gripping my fingers. The pulsating warmth flashed through my whole body. Juliet¡¯s willingness to touch me¡­ I shook my head. It was not the time to go down that road. Yes, Juliet is gorgeous, young, and open. She would let anyone in that would take that first step. Why, with Sita, was it impossible to get her to say even one word that meant something? She was still quiet. My blood was boiling, ¡°You¡¯re in love with Juliet Farrow.¡±

    My head snapped up, ¡°What? F¡ª! How do you even know about Juliet?¡±

    ¡°Everyone knows about her crush on you. It seems like you¡¯re the only one not acknowledging the fact. Wait¡­ no! You have noticed. And that is how I know. Do you think I can¡¯t see your eyes on her everywhere¡­ Looking for her¡­ Searching the school grounds like a fool.¡±

    I pulled Sita back down and made her sit. She had crossed a line. She could¡¯ve let it go and focused on us¡­ The final straw was shifting the blame to me and bringing Juliet into it.

    ¡°So what? As if no man has looked at a pretty girl before.¡± I tried to keep it cool. My insides were going nuts. It felt like I wanted to throw up. The fear that it might come out haunted me and began to look like a real possibility. ¡°You¡¯re not changing the subject tonight! Even if I shove you down on that couch the whole evening.¡± I softened my tone, ¡°You say you¡¯re not ready to get a divorce¡­ Are you ready then¡­ to sleep with me?¡± I tried taking her hand in mine, ¡°Because if you¡¯re not¡­ I¡¯m leaving.¡± She recoiled away from me, making the truth of the situation sink in. I got up off the table and stood a little away from her.

    ¡°Tonight? Right now? After all of this?¡±

    ¡°Why not? We can either have make-up sex, or I¡¯m leaving¡­ Waiting till you¡¯re ready for me to touch you isn¡¯t going to happen. I can¡¯t even hold your hand,¡± Sita guiltily rubbed her hands together. ¡°You know I¡¯ve tried! Sita¡­ talking to you now, like this¡­ It makes me realize that I¡¯ve been the only one trying. What have you done? And I¡¯m asking for something so small. Why can you not just give in to this? I¡¯m not asking you to sleep with me once a day or three times a week. All I want is if I need to, I need to¡­ If I repulse you that much, then I ask again, why¡­ aren¡¯t you ready to get a divorce?¡±

    Still, with my back to her, she took the gap I created, nimbly jumped over the back of the couch, and ran to her room. She slammed the door and locked it. I screamed something inaudible, ran my hands over my face and fingers through my hair, frustratingly gripping chunks full. I thought I would go mad with anger. The rejection was too much. I was at the point where I was going to do something stupid to get a release of all the pent-up energy.

    For a split second, I thought about Juliet being a teenager. It was hard having all those needs, wanting to connect, and doing stupid things to find it¡­ Juliet was reaching out to me¡­ and I was slapping her away like my wife had been doing to me for so long. I had flinched from her hand in my pocket. Tears were on the brink of falling. I stopped myself¡ªI wasn¡¯t going to cry anymore. Making Juliet sad the previous night only made me push her into Louis¡¯s arms. I screamed again, slapping myself on the cheeks. I went to the kitchen, splashing my face with cold water. You¡¯ve made your decision, and you warned Sita, I scolded myself.

    I walked to my study and slammed the door open. My bag and keys were waiting on the table. I printed new divorce papers and grabbed them. I walked to and from the garage with a hammer¡ªtoward Sita¡¯s room and loudly nailed the documents into the door. She didn¡¯t make a peep. I slammed the door with my fist, ¡°You leave me no choice!¡± I yelled. Stomping down the hall, I grabbed my bag and walked out the front door, not so much as a glance back at the house. I sped out of there as fast as I could. I kept driving and driving, not knowing where I would end up. I had never lost my cool with her like that¡ªalways avoided conflict.

    Knowing Juliet and I were on the line was fueling me. About us, I hadn¡¯t made up my mind¡­ If Sita knew about her, would other people know? Would I get in trouble? Or worse, go to jail? I shook my head¡ªnothing had happened¡­ It didn¡¯t seem like Louis was worried about that¡­ I wondered why? He was holding onto her like she was a lifeline¡­ He had said something strange the previous night. ¡®Humans had so many hang-ups,¡¯ it meant he was also not human. The noise earlier that night at the bridge and him appearing right after scared me. What were they? And did I really want to get involved in all of that?

    I had been driving for hours and was about four towns over when Sita sent me a text.

    Sita { I have moved out for now

    You can come home.

    I am moving in with Nicholas.

    I am ready for the next step in our relationship. It is just going to take me some time. Just give me two more weeks. If nothing has happened by then. I will sign the papers. We can go on with our lives.

    And you can have your Juliet }

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    I slammed the steering wheel¡ªrepeatedly. Since walking out of the house, I relished the feeling of freedom, and driving away from Sita was a massive part of it! From a job I didn¡¯t want to do anymore and leaving the temptation I knew would catch up to me sooner or later.

    I stayed away until later that week, deciding, while I slept in a motel, thinking¡­ How to go forward from there? I would have to do something to make Juliet understand and end it. Whatever ¡°it¡± was. I would have to avoid her at all costs and resign. Writing a letter would be best¡­ ending it on paper¡­ like divorce papers. That idea didn¡¯t sit well with me, and it took all my strength to do what I had to do.

    It was two days of torture being back at school, planning to break up with my little stalker. It was harder than I thought it would be. I got her schedule, chose the best period, and planned it for Friday. Handed in my resignation¡­ I gave my two weeks¡¯ notice¡­ I had to plan, or I wouldn¡¯t have gone through with it.

    I was going back and forth about kicking Sita to the curb, getting Juliet in my car, and driving away from everything and everyone. I didn¡¯t want to close the future to us, but I had to. Sita asked for two weeks. I would give it to her.

    ***

    Sita

    Chris was hammering into the door. I was so scared he would take it down. Standing in my werewolf form in my own bedroom was terrifying. If he saw me, he would hate me forever. Even be repulsed. I was ugly. The mirror in front of me didn¡¯t lie.

    The incessant pounding stopped, and Chris yelled something, I couldn¡¯t even make it out. One of the reasons I couldn¡¯t sleep with Chris was because I looked like that. I could not imagine him opening his eyes and finding a dog underneath him. I shook myself and headed for the bathroom. Got under the coldest shower and tried to get out of that funk. I heard his car leave and instantly turned back to human. Why was I so out of control? I glanced at the calendar on the bathroom wall¡ªno wonder¡ªnext weekend was a full moon.

    After that, if I had to sleep with him, it could work. It really wasn¡¯t an excuse; I could just do it during the day. I packed my stuff and rushed down the corridor; I wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. I passed the second bedroom and slowed¡ªit was Christopher¡¯s room. I caught a glimpse of the bed and the mess he had made. I pushed the door open and went inside. I haven¡¯t been in there in a while. He tried for one year but gave up and slowly moved on with his life. He had been frustrated, unhappy, and slowly dying inside. I had been drinking and smoking, doing whatever I could to forget him. Being able to manifest and kill people, coupled with losing control on a full moon, gave me a release of some kind¡ªone he didn¡¯t get to experience. Once a month, I had to sleep at Nicholas¡¯s house. At first, Chris complained, but after a while, he relished the time I wasn¡¯t at home.

    He wasn¡¯t coming home; his clothes and all his toiletries were gone¡ªhe was serious. I had tried to blame this on a girl. It was a mistake bringing up Juliet¡­ The only one that was to blame was me; all he needed was something, and I gave him nothing. I texted Chris and told him to come home, that I would think about things, and that he should give me two weeks. I needed to have a long talk with my grandfather. He and Louis knew each other.

    That Wednesday, Chris showed up at school, leaving me relieved that he wasn¡¯t going to give up. I had some time to get over myself and make us work. I would never be able to yearn for him like I saw Juliet do. He deserved real love, but we were in a relationship, and if he was giving up things, I would have to start. I tried to remember why I married Chris. Even on our first date, the physical part was there, or I think it was¡ªI thought it was. I wanted it to happen naturally, and it did. I got a job at the school to see if he would notice me or if something would happen between us. Chris brought his part to the table; he was immediately attracted to me. The attention I gave him was just enough, and I liked the idea of being the one who got to be with the hybrid. The one who got attention from the rest of the werewolf community, saying no to other werewolves who did pursue me.

    We dated, and it all happened so quickly. After the wedding, everything was not the big hype I made it out to be. The first night was over, and I didn¡¯t get pregnant. Our daily lives went on; all I saw was being stuck in a small town with nothing to do, living with a person I didn¡¯t love. I had moved from a big city, and it was hard leaving all my friends behind to take on the duty¡­ It didn¡¯t weigh out in the end. Nevertheless, I had to seriously consider it, giving him a few ultimatums of my own.

    ***

    Juliet

    The last time I saw Chris was the night at the bridge, and I hadn¡¯t spoken to Louis either. He avoided me, knowing I would ask him what happened with Chris Saturday evening. Getting back into routine was boring; Chris wasn¡¯t at the assembly or even at school, and it meant no distraction. I couldn¡¯t follow him.

    When Chris made his appearance, he seemed different. He wasn¡¯t looking for me anymore¡ªno, he avoided me. It was as if nothing had happened, as if Chris had never noticed me all those months ago. That whole year had been exciting, eventful, and if he was going to ignore me completely, it would suck. My mom¡¯s words kept going round and round in my head, ¡®Enjoying life.¡¯ Well, seemed like Chris had become a significant part of it. Even if our little rituals stopped for a time, after that weekend, I was ready to go back to the way it was because Chris seemed to want us but at a distance.

    The rest of the week passed with him not looking in my direction once. That was until the third period on Friday when he came to take me out of class. It caught me totally off guard, a sick sense of dread in my stomach, twisting and not making butterflies anymore. That feeling you got when you knew someone was about to dump you. I¡¯ve had two such guys who I really liked who turned out not to feel the same about me after all. They didn¡¯t humiliate me; they just didn¡¯t see themselves with me¡ªwhich was the worst. But Chris behaving like that was different. I felt like vomiting and running¡­ I wanted him to not say the words out loud, ¡®Leave me alone, Juliet. You are not enough.¡¯

    The process was much the same as the first time. Chris and I walked out of the class together, but this time, I stopped right outside so he could say what he wanted to say and get it over with. He was walking toward the stairs, but I didn¡¯t want to follow him. His mannerism was weird and not in a good way. He came back up a few steps, grabbed my hand, and pulled me forward down the first flight. He had chosen that class specifically¡ªhe thought every detail through. My shyness was gone in an instant; all my nerves about Chris disappeared¡ªhe became just a guy, and offense took root. I wasn¡¯t little Juliet anymore. I went into full-on strong, confident, and fake it till you make it, Juliet. I could read his features and wanted to pull my hand out of his like he did Saturday with me. He didn¡¯t let me, ¡°Just wait!¡± he said in an irritated manner. What did I do to him? Was this all because I pushed a little? Gave into one weakness.

    In his other hand, he held an envelope. He was holding onto me so he could force me to take it from him. Confused and hurt, I stared at the white death sentence. Was he going to explain things in a letter? Stupid Juliet had a sliver of hope that he couldn¡¯t speak to me in person. That he needed to tell me in a note. He let go of my hand, sliding his fingers over mine. Was I misjudging his manners for nerves? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Juliet,¡± There it was. I scoffed at myself. No, I wasn¡¯t wrong. I quickly turned away from him and heard him repeat the words, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡±

    ¡°Coward!¡± I know it was mean. I was only retorting out of anxiety. Everyone knew Chris and his wife had no kind of relationship. There could be no reason other than her, right? If he wanted her, then so be it. The rest of the day was torture, with the letter burning into my back. There was no way I would let my bag out of my sight.

    After school, I kept to my regular routine, walking home with my friends. We had nothing planned after the disaster of last week. Charlene wasn¡¯t herself, and I wanted to spend time with her. Tried, but she wouldn¡¯t budge in opening up to me. Something was up with her; Carl and I had talked about it, but he didn¡¯t know either and was worried. Louis didn¡¯t show himself at our house, kept to his class, and didn¡¯t make our relationship an issue at school. To everyone else, we didn¡¯t even know each other. If he wasn¡¯t my neighbor or if my parents didn¡¯t talk about him every day, I would think my imagination made up his whole existence. I haven¡¯t even told Carl or Charlene about him¡ªhow could I?

    At home, I went to sit on my bed, propping my bag up next to me, and hurriedly unzipped the secret compartment. Once the white rectangle was in my hand, I hesitated. The paper inside wasn¡¯t special¡ªjust a typical sheet with lines on it. It wasn¡¯t going to be a declaration of his feelings; it was way too short for that. I took a breath and read the few lines.

    Juliet.

    Not in my wildest dreams would I have thought someone like you would ever have feelings for someone like me.

    I just know that the struggles our relationship would bring about, would pull us apart sooner than we both want to believe.

    I don¡¯t want to hurt you. I can¡¯t stand that look in your eyes.

    From now on, I won¡¯t give you any indication that something can happen between us. I don¡¯t want to lead you on. I have no hope this can work.

    When you are weak¡­ I will be strong. And when I am weak, you must be strong.

    Please, Juliet.

    C.

    I had no words, no thoughts, but I had tears. Ones I didn¡¯t even know were there. I bit my lip so hard I broke the skin, tasting blood. It hurt, but nothing wanted to get my emotions under control. I manifested in and out. I disappeared and reappeared. I was shaking, and the tears didn¡¯t want to stop. I struggled to breathe, and then my phone rang, making me spin around. I checked the screen, hoping it was an unknown number; maybe it was Chris saying he had made a mistake. Louis¡¯s name popped up. What was it with him? Ignoring me the whole week and on weekends, he wanted to claim my time? At that moment, all I was doing was living from Friday to Friday, waiting for my next fix to get me out of the mundane routine. I wasn¡¯t enjoying my life¡­ I hated school! I hated Louis! I hated Chris!

    A sudden whooshing noise outside my window startled me again. I frowned, walked over, and pulled back the curtains. My eye caught something, but who the hell could be out there. Putting my head out, I didn¡¯t see anything. I closed it, locked it, and drew the curtains again. The letter and the envelope loomed over me. That same searing pain I got from being infected shot through my head. It felt ten times worse. Weak, my knees buckled; I was so tired I fell onto my bed, gripping my pillow and the letter together.

 18. Getting Over It

    18. Getting Over It

    Juliet

    The next time I opened my eyes, my head was killing me. Looking at the date and the time on my phone, I thought it had to be a mistake, ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. You slept for two days.¡± Louis was sitting at my desk, elbows on his knees like always, playing with something in his hands. My hands reached for my head, trying to rub out the throbbing pain. I tried my temples. Louis came over to sit across from me. He gently lowered my hands, taking over the job, lightly massaging the side of my head and my forehead with his thumbs, ¡°Where is the headache?¡±

    ¡°All over. It must be another spell. Someone was here Friday.¡± Louis ignored my paranoia. I didn¡¯t have the strength to give him all my theories. I remembered the letter and tried to look for it. The pain was so intense I regretted moving at all. I closed my eyes again, ¡°It¡¯s on the desk.¡±

    ¡°My mom and dad saw it? And you? How humiliating,¡± I groaned.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯m sorry, baby.¡±

    A tear rolled down my cheek, but not because of Chris. The pain was too much. I shoved Louis aside and ran for the toilet, heaving; I made it just in time to hurl into the bowl. Louis came after me and helped me up when I was done. I couldn¡¯t stand or walk properly. It felt like I was dying. He scooped me up in his arms and carried me to my bed. I fell on him like he was the last thing I would feel in this world. He brought me water and covered me with a blanket, ¡°Your parents left. They were so worried about you. They got in their car Saturday afternoon to go to your uncle.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here this whole time?¡± Louis wasn¡¯t in his usual joking mood.

    ¡°Of course. Where else would I be when you need me?¡±

    ¡°Am I turning into a zombie?¡±

    ¡°I hope so. Then I can keep you caged in my house and have you all to myself.¡±

    I wanted to react. There were a lot of jokes I could make with just that one sentence, but it hurt too much. Everything hurt. The worst was the hole in my chest that felt like it would never be satisfied. I snuggled into my pillow, feeling very lonely, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep again.¡±

    Louis sat next to me and took the hair out of my face and the ones from under my neck, bundling it behind my head as if he knew it was pulling on my scalp and making my headache worse. ¡°Mmhmm¡­ You sleep, baby,¡± his voice was soft. The words felt soothing, and his hand was on my shoulder. It felt like he was disappointed in me. Before I could ask, I was sleeping again.

    My alarm woke me up. I had it set during the week. It was Monday¡ªschool. I had missed my whole weekend. I picked up my phone to put it off. My headache was gone, and I felt better. I couldn''t figure out what would have triggered what was happening to me. I had this strange feeling that even if Mr. Tailored got only a little bit of that stuff in me, it had to affect me somehow¡­ or I was out for much longer than I thought, and he had pumped me full of that yellow sludge. I glanced over the room to see if Louis was still in there. I swallowed the lump in my throat, seeing the white sheet on the desk. My chest felt tight just thinking about Chris and me. It was over.  A knock at the door made me get up. I slid it open.

    ¡°Breakfast in bed before school?¡± Louis asked.

    Only smelling the food made me want to puke. I pushed past him and headed for the bathroom across the hall from my room. Louis quickly walked off, getting the food away from me. I brushed my teeth, staring at myself in the mirror. I didn¡¯t know if going to school would convince Chris his letter didn¡¯t affect me because I looked terrible. Even worse than the first day after the whole ordeal. Louis had come back from the kitchen and was staring at me, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I thought you would feel better.¡± I shook my head, rinsing my mouth. ¡°You going to school?¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to¡­ for so many reasons, but come hell or high water, I was going, ¡°Can I drive with you? Or would that be crossing a boundary?¡±

    Louis¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You seem to not want anything to do with me at school? I don¡¯t know why you began working there in the first place.¡±

    One corner of his lips turned up.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be a second Chris at school. I love you, but you have a lot going on.¡± He was being honest with me. It was new and caught me off guard... I actually didn¡¯t know what to say. It pissed me off. I shoved him out of the bathroom, closing the door. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been easier if you talked to me like this from the start?¡± I didn¡¯t hear his footfalls. He was waiting outside the door, not moving, ¡°Is it that bad¡­ Am I dying? That you have to stand guard?¡±

    He was somber when I came out dressed, ¡°If I ask you to stay at home, would you?¡±

    ¡°I need to prove to Chris that I¡¯m fine. I have to go.¡±

    He pushed me back into the bathroom, ¡°Then today calls for makeup¡­ enough to cover up those circles under your eyes. Promise me you¡¯ll not manifest at school or disappear in front of everyone.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t promise that. If that happened and everyone saw it, I would have to hide forever. Louis waited patiently for me even though we were going to be late. I was moving so slowly. Every now and again, a dark curtain would cloud my vision, and I could feel myself go¡­ somewhere. It freaked me out, but I wouldn¡¯t share that with Louis. My pride was at stake, and I had to keep face¡ªeven if I died that day.

    Louis parked the car at school. I noticed Jerry standing next to his, busy on his phone. I cringed, thinking of the night at the club. I was drunk¡­ and he was stupidly drunk. We had fought again when he had tried to make a move on me. Jerry glanced up from his screen. As our eyes met, concern was all I could see¡­ If Jerry noticed the state I was in, what was the point? I thanked the universe that he didn¡¯t say anything snarky. Jerry bit his bottom lip, his eyes fixed on me, then kept typing on his phone. It was rare that he didn¡¯t say something to me. What was so important on his phone? My curiosity got the better of me, ¡°You have a new girlfriend?¡± I quipped. Jerry smirked but didn¡¯t look up from his phone.

    ¡°Come on, Juliet. I already have one man to contend with, and Jerry there¡­ isn¡¯t gonna get anywhere near you. So forget about it,¡± Louis said next to me.

    ¡°My vanity is a little bruised today. Sheesh. You jealous?¡±

    Louis wasn¡¯t himself, and it freaked me out. Was he overwhelmed being my babysitter the whole weekend? Was he going to stay at our house till my parents came home? We were so late that no one besides Jerry noticed Louis had driven me to school. I didn¡¯t want my two best friends to find out like that. It dawned on me that Charlene hadn¡¯t come to the house that morning. I didn¡¯t even think to tell them I wasn¡¯t walking to school. It felt like we were drifting apart, and I hated it. Growing up was taking its toll. Many clicks broke up as the years went by, after school, going their separate ways. Anyway, I wasn¡¯t going to let that happen, even if I had to tell them all about me.

    ¡°I have to tell my friends about you¡­ today. Could I invite them over? They will have to drive home with us?¡± His pathetic little smile turned into the genuine old one that reached his eyes. He touched my cheek, rubbing his thumb gently over my skin. Louis¡¯s touch was comfortable and comforting. It made me feel better. For a split second, I wanted to turn my face and kiss the palm of his hand. Just before my lips planted, I opened my eyes to see if he had noticed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me.¡±

    His hand lowered, and he played with the chain that hung permanently around my neck, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do anything¡­ If you give me permission. I¡¯ll do all the kissing.¡±

    That made me laugh lightly, ¡°No¡­ not yet.¡±

    Charlene and Carl were curious all day about what I would tell them. They contacted their parents and made an effort to make plans with me. When we walked to the parking and got in Louis¡¯s car, they were stunned and quiet. It was really awkward. Louis didn¡¯t say anything; he was a million miles away¡ªsomething was still bothering him. It had been a long day.

    He parked his car in his garage at his house. Charlene and Carl made a few comments. We made our way to my house. Louis unlocked the front door, and we all went inside. I wasn¡¯t feeling well and aimed for the couch. Charlene came to sit next to me, feeling my forehead. ¡°She has a fever. Were you sick the whole day? Why did you come to school?¡±

    I wanted to tell her about Chris, about his stupid letter and why I had gone to school. I had not seen him once that day. I groaned at my own stupidity. ¡°If I had to miss every day something is going on in my life, I¡¯d probably never get there.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m turning into a zombie,¡± Louis choked on the cigarette in his mouth. I smirked, thinking I could still get a rise out of him. Their heads turned to the kitchen to watch Louis put his phone and bag on the counter.

    ¡°You want us to go?¡±

    ¡°No! Stay, please. I need to talk to you guys.¡± Louis came to sit on the same couch he always picked. ¡°This is Louis Du Pont. He is our neighbor and a friend of my parents. He moved in last Saturday. My parents went out of town and left him here to take care of me,¡± Carl and Charlene shared a look with raised eyebrows and pulled lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you can say whatever you want in front of him¡­ You¡¯re probably wondering why I didn¡¯t want to ask him for a lift from the club.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s only one of the questions I have,¡± Carl said.

    I wasn¡¯t going to bring up anything else that day. All I wanted to do was tell them about Louis, ¡°I can¡¯t say why I didn¡¯t want to. Because I don¡¯t know¡­.¡± I searched Louis¡¯s face for any sign. He was still absent, but I hoped he would talk to us.

    ¡°We¡¯re still working on trusting each other,¡± Louis said. At last, trying to help me out.

    He leaned over to shake Carl¡¯s hand and kissed Charlene on both cheeks. It made me a little jealous. I pulled him away from her. He fell dramatically onto the cushions behind him. My two friends were very suspicious. Louis was watching me, a slight smile on his mouth. ¡°So, yeah. He¡¯ll be here and take us to school every morning till my parents come back.¡±

    ¡°And¡­¡± Carl asked.

    Neither Louis nor I said anything. He was at least looking at me¡­ I went ahead. ¡°He¡­We¡­I¡­¡±

    Louis¡¯s smile broadened. He was two hundred years old and had to deal with all my childish drama. Charlene frowned, ¡°Are you telling me you two are together?¡±

    I shrugged, ¡°Louis doesn¡¯t like talking about¡­ anything! I can¡¯t speak for him.¡±

    ¡°Excuse me!¡± Louis said, ¡°Can I say something?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure, but what the hell? Things were belly up anyway, and I might be dying, so yeah, go for it. I pointed with my hand for him to continue. ¡°I¡¯ve declared my undying love to her¡­¡± Louis fell on his knees before me, holding my hands in his, kissing both of them. I burst out laughing, digging my face into his shoulder. He smelled really good. It took the whole day, but my Louis was slowly coming back to me. My Louis?! He took the chain around my neck and held it up to them. ¡°Look here¡­ I gave her this necklace to tell her I wasn¡¯t going anywhere,¡± he was so sincere. His eyes roamed my face. He was so close to me. Louis didn¡¯t care that we had an audience. I couldn¡¯t help myself; I took his cheeks in my hands and pulled him closer. I was breathtakingly aware of my lips on his. All my worries seemed to disappear when he was that close. It wasn¡¯t a peck¡­ My lips parted, and I stretched it out. I had been so curious to know how full lips like his would feel. I didn¡¯t use any tongue to tease him but moved and closed mine over his. The moment Louis¡¯s lips softened under mine, and he wanted to tilt his head and pull me into him¡­ I realized what I had done and sat back, covering my mouth with my hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered.

    There was a fierce flare of yearning in his eyes. I laughed nervously. The chain was still in his hand, and I could feel the slight pressure on my neck. He was desperately hanging on to it, staring at my mouth. I felt myself blush from my chest to my cheeks. He noticed and was engulfed in emotions. He kept his cool and didn¡¯t belittle me¡­ ¡°Oh, baby.¡± His voice was soft and sensual. The smile on his face made me want to do it again just to make him that happy.

    ¡°Oooh!¡± Cheers came from Charlene and Carl. Hand claps and giggles.

    ¡°Oh! My! Was that your first kiss? It looked like a first kiss,¡± Carl laughed.

    ¡°If all I needed were these two to make you kiss me, I would have made friends long ago.¡±

    I pulled the chain out of his fingers and buried my face in the cushions. All of them mocked me. Charlene was laughing; I knew some truth of my life would bring us closer together. Carl tried to pull me out of my hiding spot with Louis¡¯s help, ¡°Come on, Jules. Show yourself,¡± Carl joked. When they got me to turn around, I covered my face with my hands. They soon pinned my arms. It was a moment I would never forget. These people were important to me. I stood up, getting away from them, ¡°Okay! Okay! A moment of weakness.¡±

    Louis sat down on the couch, watching me. His beautiful blue eyes were smiling. How he sometimes looked at me¡­ made my mind race, my body react in a million different ways, and I couldn¡¯t help thinking about us actually taking it further. If he could take all my cares away with his presence. What would it be like being wrapped up in his arms? His hand came up and covered his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m gonna make you guys coffee. I might not drink anything, but I need an excuse to get my heart from calming down,¡± I winked at Louis over my shoulder.

    A second later, and one step into the kitchen, ¡°I¡¯m pregnant!¡± Charlene blurted loud and clearly. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned around. Charlene¡¯s back was towards me. She burst into tears, putting her hands over her face. I stood there motionless¡­ all the implications of what she said ran through my mind. She had sex. She didn¡¯t tell me. She was pregnant¡­ Benjamin¡­ New Year.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°You¡¯re almost 12 weeks pregnant? That¡¯s like the first trimester gone.¡±

    Louis¡¯s eyes went from me to her, assessing the situation. I think he was as caught off guard as us.

    ¡°That¡¯s almost halfway,¡± Carl said. He walked to Charlene and pulled her into his arms. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything. Oh, Chars¡­¡± Louis lifted a box of tissues on the table.

    After she calmed down, she turned to me. I was just standing there staring like an idiot, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say something?!¡±

    ¡°Are we going to France?¡±

    ¡°Wait, what!?¡± Charlene exclaimed. Everyone was quiet and gawked at me.

    I looked her up and down. That would explain the constant blazer. The moodiness, ¡°You¡¯re going to start showing soon? We will have to get out of here¡­ I¡¯m not letting you do this alone.¡± Charlene came up to me, sniffling, wrapping her arms around my neck. I met Louis¡¯s eye over her shoulder to see whether I had overstepped another boundary. There was nothing but joy¡­ He had lived in France his whole life¡­ It was the first thing that popped into my mind¡ªgetting the hell out of there¡­ with Louis and my friends. I wished I could have been more emotional at that moment, more excited or comforting. Ask Louis if he was really okay with it, but I was doing all I could to not run to the bathroom, disappear¡­ or worse, manifest and kill my friends. I pushed Charlene away, running to the bathroom¡ªso much for holding myself together.

    Everyone followed Louis as he came after me. I waved them off, but they stayed standing at the door. I had nothing to throw up anyway. I was dry heaving until a chunk of blood clot or something came out of me. Carl cussed a string of words. Charlene gasped.  ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°Why do you keep asking me what¡¯s wrong with me¡­ I think I¡¯m dying,¡± I whispered in a pathetic attempt to not break down. Regardless, my cheeks were wet. I had bigger problems than being pregnant.

    Louis walked over and picked me up, ¡°No, you¡¯re not! Take it back!¡± I didn¡¯t say it. ¡°Take it back, baby!¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ I take it back. I¡¯m not dying.¡±

    ¡°Say that again, I dare you,¡± he kissed me on top of my head. I couldn¡¯t defy him even if I wanted to. I fell on his chest, fast asleep.

    ***

    Louis

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Carl asked again.

    ¡°Stop it, Carl. She¡¯s sick; can¡¯t you see that.¡±

    ¡°She has some genetic disease. Her parents went to her uncle up north to go and talk to him,¡± I said to try to give them a reasonable answer, ¡°It seems he knows more of the family¡¯s history¡­ It¡¯s serious and has something to do with her blood and clotting.¡±

    I carried Juliet across the corridor. What happened in the loo sent my emotions spiraling. I had put her down and was staring at her. ¡°Let me put her in bed,¡± Charlene touched my shoulder, ¡°I will get her into some pj¡¯s.¡± I conceded to Charlene¡¯s suggestion. Carl and I left the room. I didn¡¯t want to tell them how I had taken care of her the whole weekend. See her suffer and fight werewolf toxin. Charlene closed the door and soon had her dressed and under the covers.

    She came out concerned, ¡°Her fever is bad¡­ Can¡¯t we take her to a hospital?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to say, ¡°Juliet doesn¡¯t like hospitals,¡± Carl said, staring at her room door.

    ¡°I have a drip I can put on her¡­ I won¡¯t be able to drive you guys home. Is there someone you can call?¡±

    ¡°Can we stay and help you?¡±

    I nodded and went to the hall cabinet where all the medical supplies were. We had the IV hanging in no time. Charlene sat with her, wiping the sweat off her forehead and neck, ¡°Why do they have all the medicine and supplies in the house?¡± She asked when the room was dead quiet.

    ¡°There are things she will tell you eventually. You must have realized Juliet isn¡¯t¡ª¡± I kept quiet to see where her friends were¡­ in figuring out what was going on.

    Charlene was the first to speak, ¡°normal? Is that what you wanted to say.¡±

    ¡°Normal in what way?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°Does it matter¡­¡± Charlene barked at him, ¡°If it comes down to something massive, will you shun her?¡±

    ¡°Never. But how am I supposed to protect her if we¡¯re in the dark.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here¡­ She¡¯s really fortunate to have friends like you in her life¡­ I hope you guys will remember today when everything comes out in the future.¡± Carl was my biggest concern. He was unreadable and gave nothing away unless he wanted to. I had thought he was in love with Juliet or Charlene, but he didn¡¯t show any sign when she kissed me or when Charlene said she was pregnant.

    That night, I sat beside her bed, keeping vigil and thinking. Juliet had kissed me. Her lips had fused with mine and held me in place¡­ One I never knew existed. She did it out of the blue. I didn¡¯t see it coming, and I loved her for it. I was so old that something like that should¡¯ve been overrated by then, but it wasn¡¯t; every bone in my body felt everything I needed to. Her walls were coming down, and she was offering more of herself, regardless of what I was giving¡­ or saying¡­ or doing. That is what I wanted¡­ Juliet to choose me because of me¡­ It felt so good and right. I was glad I had given her space.

    Chris might have helped in that regard. He was pushing her away, and I was there. It wasn¡¯t hard to follow their exchanges at school. They were so obvious if you knew what to look for. Since I arrived, it had toned down a lot, especially the last week before the letter. His face was in a constant scowl. I had known he would give her a note and tell her it was over. When I came out there, I had no idea there would be competition or even considered she might already be in love with someone. Now, she was heartbroken. Samuel and her parents didn¡¯t know about Chris.

    The school was a way for me to keep tabs on everyone; hiding had become a pastime for me, following everyone. With her, I went a little overboard in my snooping, from listening to her conversations under the tree during recess to standing outside her window at night. I wanted to be there with her¡­ close to her, but not able to tell her everything¡­ yet. I wanted her to fall in love with me and was trying to be very careful. Even that night, when I went to their house to try and stop her from going clubbing¡ªshe was so angry. I wasn¡¯t someone that could deter her from doing anything, nor did I want to be that guy that controlled her, not anymore. The vampire way of relationships would not work with Juliet. Regardless, it was a big step for her to ask me if Charlene and Carl could come over¡ªmake an effort to introduce me.

    I didn¡¯t think she realized she had feelings for me. She had been fighting it. Juliet thought I was ignoring her because I was busy with my own things at those times, but I wasn¡¯t. I was obsessed, just like she had become with Chris. I didn¡¯t want to copy what she and Chris had¡­ So, I deliberately avoided her at school. I was standing in an empty classroom close by when Chris gave her the letter, knowing what was about to happen and unable to stop it. He had followed through with it¡­ My therapy session must have sunk in. I couldn¡¯t believe he chose Sita. He was so attracted to Juliet that I thought he would take her from me. I had hoped I would creep into her heart before that ever happened. Her kissing me was proof that I had. It had to be.

    I was trying to keep it together. She was, in fact, dying or turning into something¡ªelse. But still trying to seem strong and go on with her life. She hid a lot of feelings from everyone. So guarded to not get hurt again. Initially, I thought I would have to show her how to love. In the end, she was showing me.

    The following morning, Juliet woke up to her alarm again. The other two emerged out of the guest room, yawning. They came to sit at the breakfast nook of the kitchen, ¡°I don¡¯t know if Juliet is going to eat this morning, but I am so hungry I could eat a horse,¡± Carl said.

    I laughed, ¡°No worries, what can I make you?¡±

    Carl lifted a hand and waved it at me, ¡°No, you sat up with her the whole night. I will make breakfast. You feel up to anything, Chars?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please. Egg on toast will do,¡± Carl went at it.

    Juliet¡¯s door opened. I wasn¡¯t going to bombard her with food again. ¡°Louis!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here. How do you feel?¡± She walked down the hall towards the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

    ¡°Actually¡­ Really good. It seems all I needed was that stuff out of my system.¡± She didn¡¯t realize what she said, nor did the other two. I desperately wanted to believe she was right, and like Liam thought, she would have to fight it, work it out of her system.

    She entered the kitchen dressed in a loose-fitting tank top with very low-cut sleeves, ¡°Wooow!¡± I said softly to myself. Charlene did not consider that we were sharing a domicile when she had put on Juliet¡¯s PJs. Juliet sat down next to Charlene.

    ¡°A little tired but no fever. Did yesterday really happen?¡± I nodded, trying not to stare at her breast, visible from every angle. Had to keep myself busy by making a fresh pot of coffee. It didn¡¯t help; everything kept falling out of my hands. My eyes kept drifting over to her.

    ¡°You okay, Louis?¡± Charlene asked, snickering behind her hand.

    Carl glanced over at them. He didn¡¯t even flinch¡­ What the hell? Was Carl even human? Juliet yawned, stretching her arms out over her head. My jaw dropped, and then my cigarette, ¡°S-.¡± I scrambled to pick it up off the floor. When I got up, she had left as if nothing had happened. Juliet didn¡¯t even know what she was doing half the time. With my hand on my heart, I tried to catch my breath.

    ¡°You got it bad¡­.¡±

    ¡°Your definition of PJ¡¯s is flawed¡­ Next time, put some clothes on her.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that. Are you blushing?¡±

    Was I actually blushing? I shook myself. Charlene and Carl were chuckling. I turned to him, ¡°How do you do it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not in love with her,¡± Carl said, putting down a plate in front of Charlene. I sat across from her, a mug in hand, taking it all in. I was officially a part of her life, sharing moments, making memories, and she was bringing me in¡­

    ***

    Up North: Liam and Cindy

    Liam

    ¡°Samuel!¡± I wrapped my brother in a warm embrace.

    ¡°Liam. I have missed you guys¡­ Cindy,¡± he kissed both her cheeks and gave her a big hug. They liked each other. We wanted to let Louis and Juliet spend more time together, and we needed to know some things.

    ¡°How is my niece¡­? Sam was looking over Cindy¡¯s shoulder to the front door, ¡°Louis?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not here.¡±

    He sighed, ¡°I am disappointed. I thought you were coming to tell me good news about them.¡± Cindy sat down, and I went to sit next to her, putting my hand on her thigh. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are they okay? Is it not working. Do you need me to talk to him?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Juliet. She passed out and didn¡¯t wake up until two days later. Louis phoned us Sunday.¡±

    ¡°So, after her incident¡­ It was headaches, and it is getting worse¡­ I have been trying to get the liquid analyzed¡­ It is all foreign substances. Humans have no reference for them.¡±

    Cindy and I locked eyes in shared understanding, ¡°That¡¯s not good¡­.¡± she whispered, ¡°What are we going to do?¡±

    ¡°Louis was in a panic on Monday when she vomited again. It was a giant chunk of blood,¡± the room was quiet for a moment. I had hoped Samuel would have some answers, but it seemed we were all in the dark. ¡°Do you have any information about the guy? This infected Vampire?¡±

    ¡°I asked at the compound¡­ Could not really tell them enough to get proper answers¡­ His description was so distinct that they immediately knew who I was talking about. Seeing that each family got one servant for life, it wasn¡¯t difficult to figure out who had escaped and was MIA¡­ The thing is, he left many years ago¡­ It seems he was under an abusive family that mistreated him.¡±

    I hated those kinds of Vampires who thought of us as a superior race that could come and go and do whatever they wanted. They were radicals wishing to take over the world, and infiltrating the government was their priority to get a foothold in leadership worldwide. Everyone and everything was beneath them. ¡°What is this guy doing with the werewolf pups? If he is against the born vampires, why is he so against the werewolves?¡±

    ¡°From what you told me¡­ And what Juliet said¡­ This isn¡¯t about the werewolves¡­ The toxin he formulates is not only their venom¡ª¡±

    ¡°He needs something from the cubs?¡± Samuel nodded. ¡°But the werewolves are already so low in numbers. What does he think will happen when there are no more kids to experiment on?¡±

    ¡°I hope I am wrong¡­ but I think he is working on recreating this formula and infecting all of us.¡±

    ¡°We have to find him,¡± Samuel stood up and shook his head slightly. He was as panicked as we were. I knew there was more he wasn¡¯t saying. My brother had his own way of dealing with things and a lot to factor in before he could take any action. He walked over to a decanter and poured us all a drink.

    ¡°This guy is good. Rodrigo¡­ is untraceable. How do you find someone that doesn¡¯t exist? No name, no friends. We didn¡¯t even know what was going on¡­ We thought it was the Compound killing all the cubs so they would have no opposition further down the road.¡±

    Frustrated, I sat forward in the chair, leaning my elbows on my knees. That zombie we encountered and had to kill. Just thinking about Juliet turning into that... I woke up every day afraid that I would open her room door and she would look like that. We would have to keep her locked up until we found a cure. The thought was unthinkable, ¡°No! We have to find this guy. Can¡¯t you put more men on it? Can we not work with the werewolves¡­ Scour every corner. Get your best tracker on him! There has to be a way!¡±

    Samuel came over. He sat on the table in front of me, putting his hand on my shoulder, ¡°Louis is my best tracker¡­ Do you want him to leave Juliet?¡± I shook my head. Samuel squeezed my shoulder, ¡°You have to believe that Juliet is strong and that this is her system¡¯s way of working through it¡­ We don¡¯t know how many doses it takes to get someone to that stage¡­ You should stay a few days and hunt properly here in the area. Go back when you can think straight... You can¡¯t crash like this in that small town or in front of Juliet. You need to be strong for her¡­ Has Louis figured out anything more about the Hybrid?¡±

    ¡°We doubt that the guy really is. He is thirty and has never manifested or even knows anything supernatural around him exists. I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening¡­ how can this source be trusted? The one that told you what they had seen at the orphanage.¡±

    ¡°Just because he has not manifested means something hasn¡¯t caused him to. It does not mean he isn¡¯t the Hybrid. We have no idea how that would even work, look like, or what it would entail¡­ Wait till something drives him far enough¡ªthen we will know who and what he is.¡±

    ¡°Could he not be an experiment of this guy? He is obviously creating new things and species¡­ Maybe one of his experiments had a different outcome than he expected.¡±

    Cindy got up, ¡°I need air¡­ all this conjecture is getting on my nerves. I¡¯m going for a walk¡­¡± I wanted to get up and go with her, ¡°I need some time alone.¡±

    The uncertainty was getting to us all. Cindy left the room.

    ¡°Has Louis chosen yet?¡± Samuel asked.

    ¡°The first time he saw her, he was a goner.¡±

    Samuel smirked, ¡°I knew she was not so beautiful for nothing. ¡°I am glad you have someone else in your camp¡­ Have you told Juliet anything?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I got up and shook my hands nervously next to my body, walking around the room. ¡°She is so frustrated and irritated. I don¡¯t think we did the right thing letting her grow up like that.¡±

    ¡°Versus?¡± I shrugged, too tired to care about all my mistakes. ¡°Did you tell her Louis was a setup?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too scared to tell her¡­ That we interfered and manipulated her. She hates being lied to... after¡­ the last time¡­ If she finds out, she might go off-grid.¡±

    ¡°She dared to go after this guy, save one little werewolf cub, and put her life on the line. I don¡¯t think love and boys are the sole reason for her existence.¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°Juliet has always been different. She isn¡¯t normal and not growing up as we did. Isn¡¯t that what you wanted. Juliet is affectionate and needs someone who is there for her¡­ Give Louis a chance¡­ Give them a chance.¡± I agreed. He poured us another drink. We stood staring out onto green fields, paddocks, and a beautiful lane with trees running on either side.

 19. Strong Girls

    19. Strong Girls

    Juliet

    I was determined to show Chris just how mature I could be. If he didn¡¯t think we could work, I would give him exactly what he wanted. Even if his words hit me to the core, it wasn¡¯t like anything was going on between us¡ªbesides my lonely expectations. It was one hard lesson to learn.  Wishing and hoping and living in a fantasy about a guy who might not feel the same about me. For him, there was much more at stake. He wasn¡¯t ready to give up on his marriage¡­ Chris was still in love with Sita. I was jealous and angry. It felt like my heart was breaking; in reality, I would probably get over him. I would love him forever, be obsessed forever¡­ But I was not going to be that girl¡­ Not that week, anyway.

    Since I had introduced Louis to Carl and Charlene and since her secret was out, the three of us were solid as a rock. The honesty between us had brought us closer together and bridged the gap that separated us for a while. Driving to and back from school that week gave us time to fine-tune our plans about going to France. Louis had an estate there, so it was ideal. We could just get on a plane and go.

    ¡°My dad would be too glad to know he wouldn¡¯t need to see me until next year. Especially if he didn¡¯t need to pay¡­ Charlene, do you want to tell your parents? Or are we faking an exchange student thing?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t know. This is all still unreal to me. Let me think about it.¡±

    ¡°I would have to quit my job or take a leave of absence¡­¡± Louis took my hand, ¡°The headmaster is so enamored with your parents that he would do it with a smile.¡±

    ¡°Your parents, Juliet?¡±

    Louis and I shared a look, and the inside joke was funny, ¡°As long as I¡¯m not the one pregnant, my parents will be fine.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how desperate parents can get for a little baby in the family,¡± Louis gave me a saucy smile.

    ¡°So, you are trying to get into my pants,¡± He laughed, ¡°You want to have babies with me?¡± Louis smiled the broadest smile I had ever seen. I didn¡¯t think it was possible, but he surprised me every time I made him happy.

    As Louis pulled into the schoolyard, the headmaster got out of his car. He greeted us and made polite conversation for a while. It was the perfect opportunity, and Louis told us he would talk to him. As they walked away, Louis glanced back at me. He always made a point of doing it, and I liked that.

    ¡°This is really happening¡­?¡± Charlene came closer, watching Louis and the principal leaving, ¡°We haven¡¯t had any time to talk¡­ Come on, spill.¡±

    ¡°I have so much to tell you guys¡­I don¡¯t even know where to start¡­ But first, I have to say that I¡¯m sorry I lied to you. I¡¯ve been lying about so many things. But from now on, I want to slowly show you guys what¡¯s going on in my life.¡±

    There were worried glances between Carl and Charlene, ¡°I also lied¡­ for months about my pregnancy¡­ Can we make a clean slate about everything?¡± Charlene and I turned to Carl, staring him down.

    He didn¡¯t even have to think about it, ¡°Deal, let¡¯s take this time and start sharing more. No judgments or fear that we won¡¯t be friends after.¡± I agreed, and we hugged it out. ¡°Broh¡¯s before hoes!¡± We laughed and made our way to class.

    ***

    Thursday

    30 March 2022

    The four of us had spent so much time together. Charlene and Carl had been staying at my house. My mom and dad phoned a few times. Louis had a long chat with them, and they decided to not rush back from Canada. It was good for them; they needed the break. That whole week, the only thing anyone talked about was the party on Friday. One of our friends was having his birthday, and I realized my birthday had to be soon¡­ I had to check my phone to make sure of the date. ¡°Today¡­?¡± I whispered to myself. It was my birthday¡­ I had forgotten entirely. Carl and Charlene had not said a word. They usually made such a fuss. Louis was sure to know. Come to think about it, they were all super quiet in the car that morning. I groaned, realizing they were planning something.

    In the first period, some delivery guy brought balloons. It disrupted the class with everyone wishing me a happy birthday. In the second period, I got a big teddy bear delivered. We had math, and our teacher was livid that someone would dare to do it. She was not a happy person. The third period was before break¡ªthey had gone for a big cake. At least we had a study period, and that teacher was fun. We had the best time eating and listening to music, and Louis wasn¡¯t ignoring me at school anymore. Since our kiss, he had been different. For two weeks, he had been everywhere¡­ In that period, he even came to my class, pretending to come for a slice of cake. The teachers loved him. The kids were all over him. I didn¡¯t even get jealous once. Louis had a way of knowing exactly what to say when one of the female students or teachers showed too much interest. Louis did it in such a way that they thought it was their idea and then continued making jokes and entertaining us, sitting with us and also eating a slice.

    Later that day, we sat under our trees during second break. It was my favorite place at school. Charlene and Carl had put out a blanket with a basket. My balloons were there, and we used my teddy as back support. I was feeling so much better and have had no spells since that clot came out of me. I could actually keep down everything I ate during the day. So far, it had been one of the best days in a long time.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t remember your birthday¡­.¡±

    ¡°I think your baby has taken precedence in my mind¡­ I have to say I can¡¯t wait to get out of here and help you change nappies... Tell Ben¡­ and see what happens with you guys.¡± Charlene was quiet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so excited about this¡­ How do you feel? Any nausea?¡±

    ¡°Today is a good day. Today is one of those rare days¡­ I can¡¯t wait to get out of this hell hole. If I never come back to this small backcountry little town¡­ I would be the happiest person ever.¡±

    ¡°No more school¡­ Can you imagine the freedom we¡¯re going to have in France?¡± Carl chimed in.

    ¡°But one last party to say goodbye?¡± I threw the idea out there. My best supporter of having a good time jumped on the bandwagon, ¡°Hell, yes! I need to get drunk!¡± Carl said.

    ¡°You never drink. Don¡¯t start now.¡±

    My parents were at home after school. I was so happy to see them. For the rest of the day, we had family time together. Louis, Charlene, and Carl¡ªall included, of course. We took that time to tell my parents everything¡­ They readily agreed and thought it best for us to get out of there and start with the next phase in our lives. They would join us to make it easier on Charlene¡¯s parents, giving her time to figure out what she wanted to do. We would travel first, the four of us. My mom and dad would sell everything and join up with us later. It was strange when Louis and I took them home that night. We had a taste of how it would be. The four of us got along. I didn¡¯t know how Louis did it. The two of us had some time to talk. Even though nothing was said about the kiss or whether we were exclusive. I was still waiting for him to ask, but it didn¡¯t come.

    Chris popped into my mind from time to time. Knowing it was over made me force myself to let go of him. It was a two-year love interest, but I didn¡¯t have much to hold on to. Maybe Louis wanted me to be entirely over Chris first¡­ I sighed, thinking about when that would be.

    ***

    Chris

    After Juliet walked away from me¡­ I went home, reliving the whole experience over and over. The moment I had to enter the class, my hands were sweating. Wiping them on my pants, I did what I had to. I wanted to get it over with. I grabbed her hand and held it. It was so small in mine. So soft. When I looked up into her eyes, I saw that she wasn¡¯t blushing or being shy. I almost couldn¡¯t go through with it. She stood in front of me for the first time as her equal. I was waiting for the death stare, but all she wanted was to get her hand out of mine and run away like the first day we met. I had pushed her to close the gap between us, and now¡­ I was ending it all.  I shoved the envelope into her palm¡­ It was over. Juliet and I were over. She knew exactly what was going on. I let go of her, feeling her skin for the last time. All I could do was apologize like an idiot, telling her to ¡°sleep well.¡±

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    She left, not showing any emotions. It felt like she never liked me. Maybe I was a stupid fool for even writing the words. Would it have naturally died down if I had just stopped staring at her and quit my job as I should have months ago? I apologized again. I hated myself for letting it get that far. I barely heard the whisper, ¡°Coward.¡± The word stabbed through my heart. She didn¡¯t know how much courage it took to take the high road. I sighed, thinking about it. She would learn the hard way; one day, she would have to make a decision, not for herself¡­ Or I was making the biggest mistake of my life, and the high road was only my stupid pride.

    I had agreed to two weeks, and the time had come. Sita and I were still not talking. It felt strange to be alone in the house. It wasn¡¯t easy¡­ all of it. My computer class was the only time I heard anything about Juliet. It was her birthday that day. The kids had difficulty settling down and discussing what Carl and Charlene had planned that year. I had no part in her day¡­ I was disappointed that I couldn¡¯t even wish her a happy birthday. I even had a present for her. It was something special from my childhood that meant the world to me. When I thought about Juliet, I knew she would love it. I never wanted to let go of it until I met her¡­ Having nowhere to hide it, I put it in my safety deposit box at the bank, along with all the small notes I wrote to my invisible girl. When I took out the old cellphone box with the present, I wanted to give her... I had to read some of the notes, remembering one specific day. That day suddenly made sense. One I almost forgot about. She had been in my class, in my car, and with me at that stream. That look in her eye when I gave her the letter was all I needed to push through and put it all back. Her present was where it would stay until I could give it to Juliet myself, and if I never could¡­. so be it.

    On top of it being her birthday, another student was planning their own party that Friday. The students discussed every detail.

    ¡°Friday night, guys?¡± Carl came into the class all animated.

    The chorus of responses was great¡­ As subtly as possible, I edged closer to listen to their conversation.

    ¡°Are Juliet and Charlene going, Carl?¡± Asked Mandy, ¡°Where is Charlene?¡±

    Carl scanned the room¡­ ¡°She should be here¡­.¡± Concern made him keep checking the door. ¡°Yeah, we all agreed to go. You know Juliet can¡¯t say no to a party.¡±

    ¡°Awesome! Well, it¡¯s going to be a big crowd.¡±

    Carl looked at me fleetingly, seeing that I was listening. He pretended not to notice and kept talking, ¡°Oh, really. Do you know who is going to make an appearance?¡±

    Another student interrupted, ¡°I just hope Jerry¡¯s crowd won¡¯t show up.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s almost impossible. The two neighborhoods are divided by a bridge and a stream. A party is a party. What does it matter who¡¯s there.¡± Some other student gave their two cents.

    ¡°You will have to ask Mandy. Whatever happened to you and Owen anyway?¡± Carl asked in her direction.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t heard from him,¡± Carl shook his head.

    ¡°I just hate it when the older guys start pitching up. They always spoil the fun,¡± one of the students said.

    ¡°I hope Jerry¡¯s advances aren¡¯t wearing Juliet down, and she caves eventually,¡± another one pitched in.

    Carl kept looking over his shoulder at the door. Charlene had not made it to class yet. Worriedly, he got up. Asked if he could go and see if she was okay. Carl seemed serious. I wouldn¡¯t say no, anyway. He slapped my shoulder and ran out the door. I shook my head, but they returned soon after. When Charlene was there, the conversation went from logistics to what everyone would wear. Juliet¡¯s little dress she bought was mentioned. It was my cue to leave. Images of her walking beside the road in almost nothing flashed in my mind.

    For a moment, I was apprehensive about Juliet being at a party. These older guys they were talking about. There was really nothing I could do. She had been in a club two weeks ago.

    I kept observing Juliet¡¯s two friends; something was up with them. Carl even brought Charlene a snack and a bottle of water. Were they dating? Carl didn¡¯t seem like Charlene¡¯s type¡­ but what did I know. Juliet liked me¡­ My mind stopped working when that thought ran through me.

    Later, when checking the kids¡¯ work while walking through the rows of computers, I saw Carl and Charlene in deep conversation. I heard a date. The word ¡°France.¡± It was weird that either of them would be talking about traveling abroad. I sat at my desk, staring at Charlene and Carl talking¡­ wondering why none of them were looking at me funny or judging me. Carl was even treating me like he always had. In the back of my mind¡­ I thought the letter would bring out a childish reaction from Juliet. She would make a scene. I would¡¯ve been justified that someone her age couldn¡¯t handle a serious relationship.

    Juliet had shown the most follow-through I had ever seen in a person¡­ For two weeks, she had treated me like nothing had ever happened. It was me¡­ I didn¡¯t trust her age or thought that she knew anything about real life. No! It would never have worked. My relationship with Sita was the one to rescue¡­ I kept reminding myself¡­ I kept trying to convince myself that Juliet wasn¡¯t serious about me¡­ It was a further blow when we walked past each other once that week, but it was like it didn¡¯t even matter. All I saw was the indifference in her eyes. She looked me straight in the eye, kept eye contact, and nodded. Greeted me respectfully with Carl and Charlene. ¡°Mr. Rheed¡± was back¡­ At that moment, I thought I would die¡­ Seeing that she could go from one to the other so quickly was soul-crushing. In my life, I never had to say no to a girl. Why did Juliet have to be the one I needed to reject?

    Even if it had been just two weeks¡­ she was obviously doing much better than me. It seemed that she was stronger emotionally. Had an ability beyond my understanding¡­ Heck, she might not even be human¡­ and she had a guy that was pursuing her. All of a sudden¡­ Louis du Pont couldn¡¯t care if the school knew they were acquainted. They came to school together. He drove her home. Charlene and Carl were glued to their side. They talked whenever they saw each other. Laughed, and they seemed like genuine friends. I had told Juliet we were friends¡­ Then, I cut her out of my life... I was disappointed in myself, knowing that Juliet would soon be with someone else. It shook me to my core.

    I still watched her¡­ but I made a hundred percent sure she didn¡¯t notice. That Sita and Louis didn¡¯t see. I wasn¡¯t over our routine just yet. What hurt me even more was that she was looking for Louis. She would be on her phone, and he would soon find her. She made a point of focusing on him. They didn¡¯t have to hide their relationship. Every look ended up in some exchange of words. Sometimes, they checked papers with him and exchanged things. I had no idea what was going on. It was clear as day that their relationship was escalating.

    The big blow came when I saw them talking next to his car one morning. He stuck some of her hair in behind her ear. It was quick but intimate. She was talking about something and didn¡¯t even notice or say anything about him doing it at school. Neither of them could care about the age difference between them or that someone would say something. I couldn¡¯t wrap my mind around it. The way he was staring at her¡­ was too much for me.

    Friday night was inevitable. I was sitting on the edge of my bed, waiting for Sita. The evening was quiet until about eight when loud music droned over the wall from next door. The neighbors were having a party. We weren¡¯t invited¡­ again¡­ because of Sita. I had lost so much because of her¡­ No one wanted to deal with her stuck-up city ways and looking down on everything and everyone. Stupid Chris never did anything without her, and with her, it was too uncomfortable. She had been disappointed in marrying me, that was for sure. That night was her two-week deadline. She had said that she would come and we should try and¡­ make the night memorable. Go out for dinner, have a drink, and have fun before... we needed to have sex.

    I was dead inside. Every time I saw her at school¡­ I wanted to pull out of our agreement to try again. Sita was beautiful; any man would want to be with her physically. Just the thought made me anxious, and not in a good way; I would actually have to initiate at the end of the night. The fear of her rejecting me was plaguing me. How that scene played out in my mind. If she didn¡¯t participate¡­ Argh, it was driving me insane. All of it. I had to prepare myself mentally. We had one shot at making us work. To try again. I can¡¯t say that I married her for love because I didn¡¯t. There was just no one else in that place. Maybe that¡¯s why I overlooked Juliet until that year. I was too busy¡­ wanting to be happy that I didn¡¯t notice I wasn¡¯t. Trying too hard to fix my life¡­ I didn¡¯t realize it had gone on without me. I sighed as I thought about the touches Juliet and I had shared. Her hand and mine together in my pocket, her soft fingers caressing my cheek and my hand exploring the curves of her body. I feared it was all I would be thinking about later that night.

    Sita¡¯s old room was now ours again. Seemed like a space I didn¡¯t even want to spend any time in, let alone sleep with her. I had taken out the other bed and emptied the room I had stayed in for so long. Moved all my stuff back into our room¡­ She could make it a hobby room if she wanted. If we were going to make us work, we had to jump into the deep end.

    I was ready to go out to dinner, just waiting for Sita. We were supposed to have been at the restaurant at eight, but she said she was running late. I wasn¡¯t taking her crap anymore¡­ I texted her back to warn her that she had thirty minutes to show up.

    When the time was over, I went to the front of the house to check my phone. From the kitchen window, I had a clear view of the street and noticed a lot of cars parked on the road. I walked to the living room to draw back the curtains for a better view. There were groups of kids standing on the front lawn. Some got out of their cars and moved inside¡­ It was the neighbor¡¯s kid that was having a party¡­ I let out a cuss word¡­ It had to be the one that Carl had talked about. That meant¡­ Juliet would be next door the whole night. I paused, thinking about the irony of the situation. Was she already there? I had to shake myself and let the curtains drape again. It didn¡¯t matter if she was. I had made my decision. I opened my phone a little while later¡­ no messages. Sita was an hour late. I glanced back down the hall, thinking about packing my bags.

 20. Goodbye And Goodnight

    20. Goodbye And Goodnight

    Juliet

    I was determined to enjoy myself that night. The whole grade had been talking about that party. It was kinda serving as the birthday party I didn¡¯t have. Louis couldn¡¯t come with me¡­ not that I had asked, or he had offered¡­ It would¡¯ve been too weird. It felt strange leaving him at home even if we weren¡¯t official yet, but I needed to get out of the house, dance, and have a drink with my friends. Louis had not kissed me after I had kissed him. There was no intimacy from him besides a few touches here and there. It was like he had taken a step back¡­ I felt that I had scared off another man.

    By the time he dropped us off, the place was packed. The living room served as a dance floor with lights and a DJ. We crossed the dancefloor that led out to the backyard. People were standing in groups, talking, drinking, and smoking. We were supposed to bring our own drinks. We found a good place and put all our stuff down. Blankets were laid out everywhere on the grass. It would be a spot where Charlene could camp out if she felt like it. She had decided to come¡­ We were leaving, and the party was a farewell to all our friends, even if they didn¡¯t know.

    Carl and I danced, then took breaks to share a cigarette in the street, spending time together and talking to some other people. Charlene joined us as much as she could. When we were drained, we went to join her on the blankets. It was a good night¡­ I had hoped all the busyness would keep my mind off Chris¡ªbut it didn¡¯t. I lay on the grass, looking up at the trees. They were swaying in the breeze, entrancing all my thoughts on Chris¡­ thinking about what could¡¯ve been. I did want to focus on Louis and put all my energy into our relationship. Regardless, I was determined not to be that girl, especially not with another vampire. I had one moment of weakness, and he had done nothing with it. He was there¡­ but not really there.

    In between the trees hung fairy lights. The garden was almost picturesque, with people enjoying themselves sitting in their different clicks, laughing, and playing games. At one stage, Carl had to fish out a guy with his head hanging into the water after throwing up into the pool and passing out. I didn¡¯t know why Carl was so responsible. He was like a guardian who kept everyone in place. I would have liked to see him hook up with someone¡­ He always seemed to have an excuse. Eventually, I was rather drunk, and it was getting late.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look now, but your ex just walked through the door,¡± Carl whispered.

    ¡°Is it Jerry?¡±

    ¡°Who else?¡± Carl said, and he didn¡¯t seem happy about the idea either.

    ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, will I never get rid of this guy? I complained, ¡°Do you think they will come over?¡±

    ¡°Too late,¡± Mandy said, ¡°Owen is with them. He said that he wanted to talk to me¡­.¡±  Mandy looked at all of us. In one accord, we told her not to give in. It had been weeks since he left her in the club. ¡°We¡¯ll see¡­ I¡¯d like to hear what he comes up with,¡± she giggled. I shook my head in disbelief. Owen sat down next to Mandy, taking her cigarette out of her hand and taking a drag.

    Jerry opened a beer and handed it to his friend. He opened another and held it out to me. For a moment, I scrutinized his face¡­. It didn¡¯t seem like Jerry was drunk, so I reluctantly took it to keep the peace, ¡°Thanks.¡±

    He took more out of the cooler and handed everyone one. ¡°A peace offering,¡± Jerry said when he gave one to Carl.

    Our group was suddenly quiet. We were talking via text if we should make a run for it. More trouble came around when Lincoln and his crowd also showed up. Our blanket was surrounded by large groups of people we didn¡¯t expect to hang out with that night. Jerry sat down next to me and took out his phone. He had sent me a message, seeing I was talking to someone.

    When his message came through, I involuntarily glanced up at him, smiling. He reciprocated, giving me his most genuine smile. The one I fell in love with so long ago. He could be so cute, and I couldn¡¯t help but give him a shrug. It was a simple ¡°Hello¡± message, and I replied, ¡°Hi.¡±

    I was still angry at him for calling me names and lifting his hand towards me, but other than that, I couldn¡¯t really judge him. I killed people for food. If he had some weak moments or emotions, he needed to get a grip on¡­ Who was I to judge? ¡°How are you?¡± Jerry scooted closer, leaning in so no one could hear him, ¡°I have something I would like to get off my chest,¡± he whispered and leaned into me. His shoulder pressed against mine. I pulled away. ¡°Wait¡­ wait¡­¡± he whispered.  I paused. There was something in the tone of his voice, and I was a sucker for that particular bad boy. He had been the only one, always in trouble. Jerry was handsome with his dark blond hair and dark brown eyes¡­ We were just not good together.

    ¡°What do you want to say?¡± I said it out loud.

    ¡°I want to talk to you!¡± he said louder, seeing that I wouldn¡¯t play flirting games with him. He seemed to be in an okay mood. Who was I to hold a grudge?

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it, Jules,¡± I glanced over at Carl and Charlene, widening their eyes at me, ¡°What about Louis,¡± Charlene mouthed softly.

    I put my finger on my lips and did the same thing with my eyes, warning them not to tell a soul about Louis, ¡°Should I go with you, Jules?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be in the street¡­ in the front yard where we can talk in private. I¡¯m not going to do anything to her,¡± Jerry said.

    Jerry¡¯s eyes were bright and full of optimism. I got up but hadn¡¯t answered him yet. He was imploring me to let him come along. I pouted my lips, thinking, ¡°This is your one and only chance for us to even begin to be friends again¡­ For Mandy¡¯s sake. That¡¯s all¡­.¡±

    He smiled, lifting his hands in surrender, ¡°I¡¯ll take it,¡± he jumped to his feet.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Carl. Thx anyway.¡±

    Jerry followed me over the grass, helping me when my heels got stuck. He pushed the people out of the way on the dance floor so they wouldn¡¯t bump into me. We walked through a hallway and out the front door. I stopped when we were on the porch, not wanting to go further away from the house than necessary. He took my hand and gently tugged me further out into the side of the garden.  ¡°This is far enough,¡± I pulled my hand out of his.

    ¡°Juliet, I want you back¡­ I want you back in my life.¡±

    ¡°You do this every time. I thought we would make up tonight so we could at least be friends.¡±

    ¡°Is there nothing I can do to make you change your mind?¡±

    ¡°You forfeited that right when you didn¡¯t apologize or even acknowledge your mistake,¡± I spat out.

    He stared at me for a long time, ¡°Would it have made a difference?¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­ It¡¯s not like you went through with it. You stopped and left, which I think, in that case, was the right thing to do. I¡¯m not stupid¡­ Some men have limits and¡­ I¡¯m also to blame for what happened that night¡­ I was snarky, biting you, and didn¡¯t want to stop drinking when you told me to.¡±

    ¡°I should¡¯ve let you¡­ What was so wrong with you drinking anyway? Now you do it, and no one tells you to stop¡­ And I¡¯m miserable without you,¡± he wanted to touch my hair, but I swatted his hand away.

    ¡°Jerry, we¡¯re no good together. You¡¯re too much like me¡­ we will end up killing each other. If it wasn¡¯t that night, it would be five years down the road¡­The thing is that I don¡¯t like people telling me what to do¡­ You need a sweet girl that will put you on a pedestal.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I want¡­ Some fake relationship,¡± he said softly. ¡°You¡¯ve come to school a few times¡­ where you looked¡­ like hell, Jules, and it¡¯s eating at me¡­ That I can¡¯t be there for you¡­ Are you okay?¡±

    I was puzzled, taking a drag of my cigarette. Jerry was acting like he was when we dated; open, honest, and caring. I didn¡¯t even think he noticed anything, let alone the dark circles under my eyes. I thought about how I felt when I had those episodes¡­ Having more friends than fewer was always good. It really didn¡¯t matter. All I wanted was for him to get the closure I had about us. I was leaving for France, and Jerry wasn¡¯t going to make me stay. ¡°I had some issues¡­ but it seems to be sorting itself out¡­ I didn¡¯t think you noticed.¡±

    Jerry had been leaning against a rock and stood, stepping towards me.  He held out his hand so that I could put mine in his¡­ I stood frozen. ¡°I noticed¡­ I made a mistake¡­ I want to apologize for what happened that night,¡± I just stared at him, ¡°I lifted my hand to¡­ actually hit you¡­ and I have no excuse¡­ The guilt made me¡­ act stupid.¡± I glanced down at his hand. He was holding it out, palm up. Who was this? ¡°Give me another chance.¡±

    I was getting pulled in with his sweet words, too drunk to know the difference, ¡°There is someone else,¡± I blurted out. I knew I was lying. I wanted it to be true, but Louis wasn¡¯t asking me out, and Chris dumped me. I just wanted to see if Jerry was being sincere. Nothing like jealousy to bring out the best in people.

    He tried to keep his cool¡­ ¡°Who is it?¡± He asked, nudging his chin at me. I didn¡¯t answer. He thought for a while¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s that French teacher.¡±

    I smirked, ¡°You don¡¯t like him?¡± Jerry pulled his hand back, and right there, I had my answer. Still selfish¡­ ¡°So, is it him or not?¡± Jerry¡¯s tone had changed. He was annoyed, and the anger in his eyes flared up like always. I scoffed.

    ***

    Chris

    Juliet was a no-show until about ten. I was still waiting to see if they would come. I was nervous, knowing she was going to be next door¡­ I was peeping out the living room window like some stalker. I had given up on Sita coming at all and had given over to entertaining myself. Louis¡¯s car pulled up, and they got out. I took a deep breath and relished seeing her in that dress and heels. I wanted to shake her¡ªcoming dressed like that. Some or other time¡­ even if it was in twenty years or fifty, I knew I would get my chance. Tell her to put some clothes on. The way she dressed made the hair on my arms stand up. Why did Louis drop her off like that? Wasn¡¯t he in love with her? Why were they together all the time? He couldn¡¯t even go to a party with her. How were they going to make it work?

    For two more hours, I was in and out of the house. I had opened my study doors leading out to the garden. From there, I had taken a chair and placed it next to the wall in the garden¡ªin the dirt. It wasn¡¯t my finest moment, but I had nothing else to do. I couldn¡¯t care that Sita had not shown up, that she had given no excuse or what she would think if she saw me there. I could handle being alone again. I could take the constant music and the noise they were making¡­ What I couldn¡¯t handle was hearing Juliet¡¯s name called.

    ¡°Come and dance, Juliet¡­ Let¡¯s take a smoke break, Juliet¡­Here¡¯s a drink for you. Enjoy.¡± I was so jealous, stupid, and peevish.

    When Juliet and a small group of kids sat on the blankets in the garden, I could listen to their whole conversation. Of course, I had peeked over the wall several times to take in the scene. When she left for the dance floor or the front to talk to other people, I followed through the house and watched her. I couldn¡¯t see her dancing, but I wished I could. After a lot of back and forth, they seemed to be tiring out and decided to relax on the blankets. For some time, the group chatted. I peeked again, not hearing her voice. Juliet lay on her back, staring at the sky. It left me wondering what she was thinking about. She wasn¡¯t herself, and something was off.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Her luck worsened when Jerry pitched. Their peace was overrun by many older guys and girls who made themselves at home. Jerry took the liberty of sitting next to Juliet. I couldn¡¯t look and sat down on my chair, listening, rubbing one hand with the other. I didn¡¯t know how I would feel or what I would do if I saw her making out with someone.

    Jerry asked her to go to the front to talk. It took some convincing, and to Carl¡¯s credit, he seemed to really care about those two girls. Juliet made the decision and said she would be back in five minutes. I didn¡¯t like it either¡­ So, I followed her and Jerry to the front yard, positioning myself near them when Jerry gave his speech. I almost lost it when I heard what he did¡ªnearly hitting her, and that¡¯s how their relationship ended. What he wanted from her and him trying to convince her to take him back.

    She said there was someone else¡­ Jerry actually named Louis¡­ I was so scared of everything and no one else gave a fig.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°What does it matter, Jerry. You¡¯re too late! You should¡¯ve apologized the next day. Not kept ignoring me and dumping me over a text¡­ It was the lowest point for me¡­ You know, it¡¯s amazing that men always forget that it¡¯s usually a series of stupid things that drive a woman away and not one big mistake... One that I would¡¯ve easily forgiven. I would¡¯ve given you a second chance. I really¡­ loved you. We were good together¡­ But you have shown me that I¡¯m a fool when it comes to men¡­ I won¡¯t be again. You were the last guy I gave my heart to, getting nothing in return.¡±

    ¡°Who is it, Jules?¡± Jerry kept prodding.

    I sighed, entirely over his ignorance, ¡°Tsk, Tsk¡­ Come on, Jerry. You¡¯re disappointing me. Like I haven¡¯t had a string of guys after you.¡±

    I prepared to leave, flicking my cigarette to the ground and squashing the bud with my shoe. He softly reached for my wrist. I didn¡¯t feel threatened, so I stopped, ¡°We¡¯re not done talking.¡±

    I pulled out from his grasp, ¡°I think we are,¡± my sarcastic tone was back.

    He grabbed my shoulders and spun me around¡­ Being on lace-up stilettos was a difficult task by itself. To keep my balance on the grass was nearly impossible. I couldn¡¯t really brace before he wanted to kiss me. I lifted my arms up in front of my face, getting in there before his lips planted on mine.

    ¡°I need you, Juliet,¡± he whispered.

    I pushed him away¡­ ¡°All you want is to get off¡­ Yeah, I¡¯m not doing that anymore.¡±

    ¡°I think your chat is over,¡± a voice came from the dark.

    Jerry and I jumped when Chris stepped around the big rock that separated the next-door neighbor¡¯s yard from the one we were in. His hands were in his pockets¡­ I couldn¡¯t believe that fate was working so overtime those last few months. What were the freaking chances? My hand flung to my heart; it was beating a million miles per second. He scared the crap out of me.

    ¡°Mr. Rheed!¡± Jerry said loudly. Ashamed, Jerry let me go and stood away from me.

    ¡°Mr. Rheed¡­¡± I said in a sardonic tone.

    Chris¡¯s eyes were cast down. His cold manner was scaring Jerry and me.

    ¡°Jerry¡­ Get lost! And if Juliet doesn¡¯t want to press charges, we¡¯ll all forget about this little incident.¡±

    Jerry and my eyes met in mutual disbelief. I lifted my shoulders, shrugging, ¡°I¡¯m used to it! So, no! I don¡¯t want to press charges, Mr. Rheed¡­.¡± Still a little drunk¡­ I giggled and smiled at the absurdity that was my life, ¡°But thanks anyway!¡±

    Chris¡¯s head snapped up. The look he gave me would have made me cower if I didn¡¯t hate him so much. I didn¡¯t need him to rescue me. And didn¡¯t he say he would stay away from me? I wasn¡¯t blushing. I met his gaze full-on. My insides were melting, though, seeing him that close and in person, outside of school. It brought back what happened in the last few weeks. Be strong, Juliet¡­ Remember the letter¡­ Remember how you felt¡­ Every time he pushed you away. Guard your heart at all costs. He had enough of you and is only being your teacher. I wished and prayed Louis would walk over and get me out of there¡­ that he had been waiting in the car for us.

    Ever since I could remember, I could say what I wanted when I wanted. It was a curse in itself. My on-hand sarcasm,  ¡°I can handle Jerry¡­ there is no need for adult supervision. We¡¯re at a party, and we were just talking,¡± I sneered out the words. Our eyes were still fixed on each other.

    Chris¡¯s breathing became ragged. He was holding back words, biting his bottom lip. Jerry stood confused about the way we were acting. His eyes darted from me to Chris, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s dipping into you too? Two teachers, Juliet?¡± Jerry said.

    Chris flinched at him, making an almost viral noise to get the guy to hit the road. Jerry wasn¡¯t stupid and knew when to call it a night. Chris¡¯s face was all contorted, trying to keep it together. Jerry took a small run toward his car. Chris watched him go. Stupidly, I couldn¡¯t do anything else besides stare at Chris. The man turned me into such a fool¡­ The silence stretched out uncomfortably for a few minutes. He hadn¡¯t turned to me yet, ¡°I think you should go home,¡± Chris said through clenched teeth.

    I laughed lightly, ¡°No way! Why should I?¡±

    ¡°Because that is my house!¡± he almost spat in my face as he came closer¡­ ¡°Because this is where I live. I didn¡¯t expect to see you here tonight¡­ This might be easy for you, but it¡¯s not for me¡­! Okay!¡± His tone was a mixture of condescension and irritation.

    The words stung, and they cut deep. The way he was speaking to me made tears well up. I knew my obsession with the man and my desires¡ª would last forever. He crushed me every time he opened his mouth to put me down. I had promised myself I would never cry in front of him. He was mature and decisive. Knew what he wanted and how to stick to it. Sita had to be in the house¡­ His wife was waiting for him. This was their territory, and I was invading. He could¡¯ve been watering plants and heard me and Jerry¡¯s conversation¡­ I bit the inside of my lip, thinking about everything he must have heard. It didn¡¯t matter¡­ He didn¡¯t want anything like that from me. He had his wife¡­ He was so close to me and so angry.

    Resolved, I swallowed my tears, ¡°Okay¡­¡± I lifted my arms into the air, ¡°I¡¯ll go¡­ I didn¡¯t know¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry¡­ I¡¯m not the type to make a scene.¡± He didn¡¯t turn around when I walked past him. Reaching the street, I had to bend down to unlace my shoe. After removing the one, I got up, hopping on one spot to take off the other, holding them with my two fingers. While walking down the street, what happened sunk in. Chris asked me to leave, and I was. We were going to France, and I would never see him again. That would be my last memory of him; the tears ran freely down my cheeks. Agitated, I swiped over my face and cursed my wet fingers. Why did I have to be so pathetic? Frustrated, I thought about Louis and his acceptance of me. What was the guy waiting for? ¡°Where are you when I need you?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Chris said while he spun me around. When he saw my face, he let go of my shoulder and stepped back.

    ¡°I¡¯m freaking going home! Didn¡¯t you just tell me to?!¡±

    He lowered his head and ran his fingers through his hair, spinning around in an agitated circle, ¡°F-!¡± he yelled, grabbing my wrist and pulling me along until I stood in his house in the foyer. He picked up his wallet, keys, and phone from a table near the door. Chris pushed me out of the house.

    Carl came running around the corner with Charlene in tow, ¡°You okay, Jules?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m taking her home¡­ Get in the car, Juliet.¡±

    Charlene looked worriedly at me. Carl tried to save the situation by saying, ¡°We have a lift home, Mr. Rheed. If it¡¯s inconvenient.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re in love with her, you¡¯re doing a piss poor job of protecting her!¡±

    Carl shook his head in bewilderment. He was caught off guard but rallied, being attacked out of the left field, ¡°Something you will still learn, Mr. Rheed¡­ Seems the hard way. Is that Juliet does what Juliet wants! And  Juliet gets¡­ what Juliet wants.¡±

    Chris stopped walking into the garage, slowly turning to Carl, frowning. ¡°Maybe you should all not give in to her so much!¡± I almost lost it. Carl reached for me and pulled me in behind him.

    ***

    Chris

    The minor gesture of Carl holding Juliet back didn¡¯t escape me¡­ I wondered what she would have said.  Carl¡¯s words were directed at me¡­ I stood no chance of getting out of that grip Juliet had on me... Juliet¡­ wanted me¡­ The term had the opposite effect on me. Carl tried to let me know that he had no claim over her¡­ Nor did I¡­ I glanced at her and back at Carl¡­ I had to shake myself,  ¡°Are you two getting in the car with us or not?¡±

    ¡°Juliet. I already called Louis. He¡¯s on his way. I think you are overreacting, Mr. Rheed,¡± Charlene said.

    ¡°You and Mr. Du Pont on a first-name basis now, Charlene?¡± I was being sarcastic.

    For some reason, Carl lost it and stepped closer to me, almost up into my face, ¡°He was the one that stayed with Juliet¡­ after your letter¡­ She was ill for days. Who do you think took care of her?¡± Stricken, I remember how she looked that week, thin to the bone. Dark-rimmed eyes. What even Jerry had noticed. I don¡¯t even know why I wrote it¡­ I thought it was a crush. ¡°Her parents had to go to their uncle to ask for help¡­ So, they left her here with Louis¡­ Do you even understand the meaning behind that kind of trust? What¡¯s your problem anyway?¡±

    Tears kept running down Juliet¡¯s cheeks. She was futilely trying to wipe them away. Charlene was trying to comfort her. I was hurting her¡­ I kept breaking her. It was too much, ¡°Get in the car, Juliet. We need to talk.¡±

    ***

    Juliet

    I¡¯ve had some crappy moments in my life¡­ But when a car pulled into the driveway, and Sita casually got out¡­ it was a whole new level of low for me. Elegantly, she picked up her handbag and closed the door, smiling when she saw my friends and me. ¡°Hello, Juliet¡­ Carl, Charlene¡­¡± I lifted a hand and waved at her.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    I forgot that I was crying¡­ ¡°I had a fight with a boy. Mr. Rheed came out and helped.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been so much help,¡± Carl said, still close to Chris.

    Sita was an outstanding actor that night. It almost looked like she was outraged, ¡°Who was it? Do we need to report him?¡± she seemed genuinely concerned. I wiped away the tears again. She came over, getting me a tissue from her clutch. Her long blond hair was curled. She was wearing a beautiful one-shoulder black dress. She was taller than usual with her high heels on, and without mine, I looked like a child compared to her.

    ¡°Thank you¡­ but no¡­ It¡¯s my ex-boyfriend. He can¡¯t seem to let go. You know men always want to milk the cow without buying it,¡± Chris¡¯s head jerked up. I saw the scrutiny in his eyes.

    ¡°Not all men just give up on commitments. This is something you will learn with time,¡± she glanced at Chris as if she had given him a compliment. I wanted to slap her. Kill her. Suck her dry. But as stupid as I was, my eyes had to lock with Chris¡¯s like magnets, and he wasn¡¯t staring at his wife.

    She didn¡¯t like it and stepped out in between us, breaking our fixed gaze. ¡°I am sorry, I¡¯m late,¡± she said, walking closer to him, ¡°Something came up, but I am all yours for the rest of the evening.¡±

    Chris had on slacks and flip-flops. She looked at the keys in his hand and then at me, ¡°Were you going to take her home?¡± He looked down at the chain dangling around his finger and nodded, ¡°No matter! She doesn¡¯t look well.¡±

    Sita scanned me from my frazzled, frizzy hair to my bare feet. I felt so small, ¡°No! Please¡­ My friends are still here¡­ I¡®m not alone, and we were going to go home together as soon as Louis¡­ Mr. Du Pont pitches¡­ I wouldn¡¯t want to ruin your evening. You obviously have plans.¡±

    ¡°He is on his way,¡± Carl and Charlene said to appease them.

    I dared to glance at Chris. His features were unreadable. The look on his turned to determination. He walked to the car door and opened it, ¡°Get in the car, Juliet¡­ Sita, you are so late. Our plans are canceled!¡± he said, making eye contact with me again.

    ¡°I really don¡¯t mind. Have a good night, Juliet. I hope you feel better,¡± Even her voice irritated me. She was so accommodating and condescending. What did he ever see in that stuck-up cow?

    With my personality, I probably could¡¯ve just said no. Waited five more minutes and got into Louis¡¯s car. I looked at Carl and Charlene imploringly¡­ Chris got into the driver¡¯s side, and the car rumbled to life. ¡°You better go. It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯ll let up,¡± Charlene whispered into my ear, ¡°Maybe it would be good if you talked. You know.¡±

    ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake!¡± I snarled, turning towards the car. I opened the back door and got in behind him, the same as I did that night after the highway. Deja vu.

    Chris turned in his seat, staring at me scooting in behind him. He snapped, pushed open his door, and then yanked mine open, ¡°Get out and sit in the front!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I whispered through clenched teeth, stretching my eyes, not able to give him a piece of my mind in front of his wife.

    ¡°Right now, Miss Farrow!¡± I hesitated for a second, too long, ¡°Get out!¡± He yelled.

    What the hell was that? I was startled into obedience. I got out, walked around the back of the car, and sat down in the front with him. Juliet didn¡¯t get what she wanted with that guy. Seemed like Chris got everything his way¡­ I loathed the idea of losing control, but how quickly I gave it up by getting into the freaking car. Stupid Juliet.

 21. Letting Go

    21. Letting Go

    Chris

    Juliet was in my car¡ªagain. It seemed to be one of the places where a lot would happen for us. My heart skipped a beat when she sat down and closed the door. I finally had her alone again¡­ I was beyond relieved but also angry, frustrated, and back to anticipation. At first, I kept holding my breath, wanting to get away before Louis showed up. I closed my door quickly and backed out of the driveway as fast as possible. Not just Louis¡­ Sita, as well. Even with the effort she made in that dress, her hair, and makeup¡­ she didn¡¯t compare to a fraction of Juliet, with a red nose, makeup smearing, and hair looking faded and worn. Juliet was sick, and I didn¡¯t even know. My letter had given her a setback to whatever was wrong with her. Did it have to do with her ability? Her not being human? It didn¡¯t matter anymore. I was going to find out.

    Looking in the rearview mirror, Sita stared after us, but I couldn¡¯t care. When I saw her¡ªI felt nothing! Seeing them side by side made me want to take Juliet and run. My heart beat faster and faster the further we got from my house. At that moment, I wondered how far I could get before her parents reported her missing. Kidnapping was a serious offense. Jail time. I wade the options; going to jail or going home and sleeping with my wife. I would¡¯ve chosen prison...  Juliet was so angry with me. She had not returned to the fawning little girl she had been the few times we were together. Even if I suggested eloping¡­ she would¡¯ve refused. I had pushed her away¡­ I had to remind myself that¡¯s what I wanted. Would I really change? Just because Sita was four hours late. How was her timing so impeccable anyway? Did she think she could dictate everything?

    Juliet made sexual references when talking to Jerry. When I thought about them, my skin crawled. She wasn¡¯t innocent. Louis had told me¡­ but I had thought she kissed a guy on her sixteenth birthday or made out with one or two others. I was obviously wrong¡­ For years, I had been celibate, and Juliet had been busy¡­ I should¡¯ve cheated, then; leaving Juliet alone would¡¯ve been easier... I wouldn¡¯t want her as much as I did.

    The words echoed in my mind. ¡®I want her¡­ I want her¡­ I want her to touch me¡­.¡¯

    I hit the steering wheel, yelling something inaudible. Juliet¡¯s eyes nervously glanced at me. I stopped the car abruptly, flinging the door open¡ªI needed to get out¡­ We had been driving, and without me noticing, I had gone to a secluded part of the neighborhood. What was I doing? Subconsciously, I was already taking her someplace where anything could happen. I was just like Jerry¡­ All I wanted from her was the milk¡­ It wasn¡¯t love. It wasn¡¯t love for her either. She had a stupid, innocent crush on me. Wanted me in her naive ways. Did she know how she was tearing me apart? My life? I screamed! Sitting down on my haunches, dragging my fingers through my hair, gripping and pulling on them, fighting my temptations. I heard the door open, and Juliet got out.

    I stood up, ¡°Get back in the car!¡± She stopped moving, and her breathing became shallow¡­ Was she scared of me? Her chin shook as she held back more tears. It almost broke me into pieces, ¡°Get back¡­ in¡­!¡± I yelled, but I was unable to get all of it out. She didn¡¯t and stood still, watching me. I stared right back, deciding what I was going to do. Was I not going to comfort her?

    Then she did the most amazing thing I could ever have asked for. She closed her door, walked around the front of the car, and got into the driver¡¯s seat. She closed and locked it and drove off. A chuckle escaped. She stopped when she was well down the road, rolling down the window, and yelled, ¡°You said I should be strong when you can¡¯t be. You said, please... So here is the space you need.¡± I burst out laughing, bending over and putting my hands on my knees, staring at the car and this girl sticking her head out the window. But it made me want her even more, and not in a carnal way. With all my heart, I wanted her¡­ I stood up, out of breath. Had I not said I was in love with her. It wasn¡¯t just lust¡ªnot from her nor from me. She loved me¡­ She must love me if she could put me first like that.

    Determined to cross that divide between us, I hurriedly closed the distance to the car. She drove a little further, ¡°I think I should leave you here,¡± she said through a crack in the window, ¡°Walk back and go on your date¡­ with your wife.¡± Her tone was so sarcastic. She was jealous. If she only knew¡­. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back!¡± I screamed at the top of my lungs, bending to get it all out. Juliet was quiet and staring at me, going mad in the side mirror, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back!¡± I sat back down on my haunches, struggling to accept my life. Juliet was still idling the car, waiting.

    When I felt somewhat in control, I slowly walked to the passenger side and knocked on the window, ¡°Are you going to take advantage of me?¡± I was amused. The way she suddenly was with me. I shook my head, ¡°You sure?¡± I nodded. The door unlocked. I opened it and looked inside before I got in. I took in the scene to prepare myself to sit next to her. I had forgotten about the dress. Glad that she hadn¡¯t sat next to me that first night. She seemed clever but dressed so inappropriately that it was no wonder everyone wanted to bed her. When the kids talked about Juliet¡¯s dress for the party, that was not what I had in mind.

    I took in a deep breath and sat down. My reaction had made her uncomfortable. While she drove, she tried to pull down her skirt for some time, but the stretching material kept riding back up, desperate to expose her thighs. Before I thought more about mingling ours together, I remembered the blanket I had in the back. It was for sitting on the bleachers during those late-night sports events. I turned in my seat, dug in the back, and grabbed the soft material. I opened it, but when I had to put it over her¡­ I hesitated...

    She stopped the car and took it from me, covering her legs and all the way to her neck, tucking it in behind her shoulders, ¡°How can you walk around like that?¡± I scoffed.

    ¡°I thought I looked pretty,¡± she pouted.

    My eyes fixed on her lips, ¡°Can you cover your face as well?¡±

    Indignantly, she scowled at me, ¡°I know¡ª¡± She wanted to say something but kept quiet and didn¡¯t finish her sentence. I frowned as she just kept driving.

    ¡°You can speak to me¡­.¡±

    She rolled her eyes, and I smiled, ¡°What would be the point?¡±

    ¡°What is the point of anything?¡± I asked and said something I probably shouldn¡¯t have, ¡°Let¡¯s play a game.¡±

    Her head jerked towards me, and her eyes narrowed, ¡°What kind of game?¡±

    I looked at my watch, ¡°For five minutes¡­ only five¡­ you can ask me anything, and I will answer you honestly.¡±

    She pressed down on the brake. I had to reach out an arm to brace myself.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that my suggestion would have this effect, but this is obviously very important to you¡­.¡±

    She stared at me wide-eyed, ¡°Are you pulling my leg? You¡¯ll cop out as soon as the questions get too personal¡­.¡±

    I lifted my hand, took off my wedding band, and tossed it into the glove box, ¡°For five minutes only, and it starts in thirty seconds.¡±

    Juliet faltered, ¡°You¡¯re serious!¡± I loved it when she talked to me like that. No formalities.

    ***

    Juliet

    I had been berating Louis and my family because I couldn¡¯t read their minds and because they weren¡¯t being honest with me, keeping things from me. It was because we were vampires. It was just the way things were. Having Chris give me carte blanche was too surreal for me. A hundred thoughts went through my mind. Do you like me? Are you attracted to me? That was a stupid one because he had to be, or he wouldn¡¯t have freaked out like that¡­ He was tempted¡­ just not enough. It made me cringe at my inadequacies. I compared myself to Sita, and it didn¡¯t feel good.

    Then, the million-dollar question; Are you still in love with your wife? And why did you write the letter? Why did you need to hurt me like that? The questions were endless. But no matter what, I would ask¡­ the outcome was not going to be what I wanted. He wasn¡¯t going to leave his wife. He wasn¡¯t going to kiss me. He wasn¡¯t going to hold my hand while we were driving. He wouldn¡¯t walk me to my door and ask for my number. The next day, when I woke up¡­ I would still be the one he didn¡¯t wake up to. He hadn¡¯t even said he had feelings for me, and I was too scared to ask.

    When my time started, I turned to him and pulled my leg in underneath me. It was a habit. I rested my head on the seat and just stared at him. For years, I had been staring at him and watching him like some stalker. I had him for five minutes, and I couldn¡¯t get over myself to ask him even one question. All I wanted was to look at him¡­ one last time before I got on that plane that week. He didn¡¯t say anything, and after a minute, he mimicked me. The attraction we felt for each other was palpable. It always had been. My eyes drifted to his mouth several times, desperately wanting to close the distance between us. I let the blanket fall to my waist to see if I could get any reaction from him. He didn¡¯t disappoint me. His eyes drifted down to my waist, slowly came back up, taking in every curve, and hovered for a moment on my bulging cleavage. He struggled after that and covered his mouth with a hand. He got his control back and lingered his gaze on my lips. His watch chimed as my time ran out, but neither of us moved¡­ Until I thought about Sita waiting for him. I turned back in my seat, wanted to put the car into gear to drive home. He put his hand on mine to stop me from changing the gears. As I watched his hand on mine, my whole body stiffened at the touch¡­. It wasn¡¯t the first time¡­ but it felt different¡­ He was different that night¡ªa little more willing.

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    ¡°What about my five minutes?¡± He asked.

    My head jerked up, ¡°You¡¯re not serious?¡±

    He chuckled¡­ ¡°Didn¡¯t I say let¡¯s play a game¡­ No fun if just one of us playing.¡± I had not thought it through. I bit my bottom lip, smiling, ¡°Your face¡ªpriceless. Okay, first question.¡±

    I grabbed his hand so I could see the time on his watch. As the seconds ticked by and the long indicator reached the top, I said, ¡°Go¡­ You¡¯re not getting a second longer.¡± Chris wasn¡¯t moving or talking. I peeked up at him through my lashes. He had a strangled expression on his face. He was so close that I could feel his breath on my hair¡­ I had leaned forward and pulled him towards me without knowing it. All I had to do was lift my mouth... I drew in a breath to smell that familiar scent he wore that consumed me. His sensitive brown eyes lingered on me. ¡°Breathe Chris¡­¡± I whispered. He didn¡¯t move, and I felt I had done something wrong, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± The words were barely audible¡­ I sat back, letting go of his arm, ¡°You can start asking now.¡±

    He leaned over and put my hand back onto his. Chris obviously got what Chris wanted¡­ Every second, I lost more and more of the little bit of control I had left.

    ¡°How long have you liked me?¡± I blushed. I wished I didn¡¯t¡­ ¡°Honest answers, and you can¡¯t waste my time.¡±

    I stuck my tongue out the side of my mouth at his comment¡­ ¡°Years¡­ from the first day I stepped into the school.¡±

    ¡°Who were you looking for in the hall that first day?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your own time¡­ You know it was you¡­ it¡­ was always you.¡± Unthinking, my thumb rubbed over his skin. I was nervous, and it soothed me.

    ¡°Not anymore? You changed your mind¡­ just like that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not my fault.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ How do you see this working?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ It hasn¡¯t even started! You don¡¯t even like me¡­ I might be a pretty face, but you¡¯re married. And after that¡­ letter, I feel like some stupid girl, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°And¡­?¡±

    ¡°I promised myself not to make the same mistake twice.¡± The front window became my friend again¡­ I peered out of it, trying to find the resolve I had set in place. I turned away from him and removed my hand from his.

    ¡°If I said that, I liked you,¡± I made a scoffing noise. He reached for my chin and pulled my face towards him. He reached for my hand and placed it back on his, ¡°If I said I liked you¡­ How do you see this working?¡±

    ¡°Carefully¡­¡± I sighed, ¡°After your letter, I was convinced to say goodbye to my fantasy about us. That this was all one-sided, and I still am¡­ A clean break¡­ That is what I needed¡­.¡± I released another breath¡­. ¡°If tonight didn¡¯t happen, we would have been fine... I don¡¯t want to hurt you either¡­ it seems like I am.¡±

    ¡°What is it that you feel for me¡­?¡± he sounded exasperated, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re in love with me?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± I whispered. My finger kept moving on his skin. It was easier to look at myself touching him than to look up into his eyes, ¡°Your time is up¡­.¡± He said nothing and slowly turned his hand in mine till our palms rested together. I responded, sliding back and forth over his, taking in every sensation I had longed for. I kept going higher up his arm until we were at each other¡¯s wrists. Clutching mine, he slowly pulled me closer¡­

    His phone dinged for a message. It was lying close to the gears, and we both glanced down.

    Sita { Chris, when are you coming home? I am waiting. I think we should skip dinner and go directly for dessert }

    I pulled my hand out of his in a jerky motion.

    ¡°What now? You didn¡¯t want to ask me anything. How can you be mad when you know nothing about my life?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry¡­ I¡¯m jealous¡­ there is a big difference,¡±  I hit the steering wheel.

    He made a face, ¡°How can you know so precisely what and how you feel?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m not a coward! Chasing what you want and keeping it¡­ is way harder than doing the right thing,¡± I air quoted.

    ¡°What do you know about doing the right thing? You¡¯re young and would obviously sleep with everything that has two legs!¡± His tone was so, so mocking.

    My brow creased as I paused briefly, letting his words sink in¡­ ¡°So that¡¯s your issue with me?!¡± I snorted, ¡°It¡¯s not your wife¡­ it¡¯s not that you have no feelings for me or that I¡¯m an uncertain nuisance¡­ It¡¯s not because of what I am, but¡­ Let me get this straight¡­ Because I¡¯m too young! And too promiscuous?¡± I laughed lightly, pressing my lips together. I had thought it was about me as a person. That I¡­ was not enough for him to cross that line or that he was destroying a marriage.

    ¡°Where did I say you are a nuisance? And how could you possibly think that I feel nothing for you¡­ After I¡¯ve been staring at you for months.¡±

    It was out in the open¡­ We were putting it all out there. ¡°Everyone knows nothing is going on between you and your wife. And you keep pushing me away¡­ and your letter.¡±

    He rubbed his hands over his face and raised his voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know why I wrote it¡­ I wish I hadn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°But you did¡­And now we are here?¡±

    ¡°You have nothing to be jealous about, Juliet. I¡¯ve only slept with my wife once¡­ Three years ago, on our wedding night¡­ And never again. Nothing¡­ no getting off¡­ or release of any kind¡­ And I didn¡¯t cheat on her either.¡± My mouth gaped¡­ ¡°Two weeks ago, I decided that I was going to try one more time¡­ Because she doesn¡¯t want to divorce me... Because after meeting you, that¡¯s all I have been thinking about¡­ How to get to you.¡±

    Chris was looking up at the roof. Relief flooded his features.

    ¡°She wants to try again. Willing to give me the physical side of a marriage as well¡­ Tonight was supposed to be that night¡­We were supposed to go out to dinner and spend time together¡­ Get a drink and then sleep together¡­ I wrote you that letter because I don¡¯t want to cheat on my wife¡­ Would you really want me if I cheated on her just to be with you?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cheating already? With every thought running through your mind¡ªyou¡¯ve cheated on her. And yes, I would want you¡­ Even being married, I wanted you.¡±

    ¡°Wanted? Not anymore?¡± I didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°What happened between us is not the same as physically crossing that line, Juliet. We weren¡¯t even emotionally involved. How many times have we actually talked?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t!¡± I got choked up trying to speak, ¡°You can¡¯t sleep with her. If you don¡¯t go home, I will give you everything you need.¡± I was dramatic and nonsensical. I knew I was being ignorant and na?ve. But I had this one chance¡­ I promised myself I was going to take it. I was going to be that girl one last time.

    ***

    Chris

    ¡°Why¡­? Our love is not some fairy tale written on the stars.¡±

    Juliet bobbed her head, biting her bottom lip between her teeth. She got out of the car to sit on the bonnet. I tried my best to bring up all the arguments I had with myself¡ªand her. To clear the air once and for all. It felt so good to be able to talk about it¡ªto anyone. I got out of the car, ¡°I have my honor!¡± I said loudly, ¡°Would you respect me if I cheated on her to go out with you? And see if this could work¡­ I don¡¯t even know¡ª¡±

    She glanced at me, ¡°What I am!¡± She bobbed her head again, ¡°I will show you¡­ Don¡¯t freak out.¡± She pointed a finger at me. She slid off the car and stared at me for a while. I sat down, hoping she would confide in me. I tried to prepare myself.

    Nevertheless, she changed into some creature that made her ugly and not at all like¡ª beautiful Juliet. I jumped and stepped away from her. She came right back to her usual self, defeated at my reaction, ¡°Maybe I should¡¯ve shown you that first, before anything else.¡±

    ¡°You think? That is a big thing to leave out,¡± I was processing all it entailed. Fangs¡­ Blood¡­ ¡°You kill to eat¡­? What?¡±

    She was quiet, eyes cast down¡­ Realization dawned that she killed people. ¡°Take me home, Chris,¡± she stepped around me. ¡°Go home to your wife and go sleep with her. You say you don¡¯t want to¡­ but you¡¯ve already decided.¡± I pulled her back and turned her to face me. ¡°Just know that if you do. I¡®m hooking up with Louis. I will probably marry him.¡±

    I gripped her upper arms and squeezed them hard. The mention of her in another man¡¯s arms was enough to make me forget about the fact that she was some creature that sucked on people. The picture of her in Jerry¡¯s arms or Louis¡¯s flashed in my mind, ¡°You¡¯re threatening me¡­ That isn¡¯t a good way to start a relationship.¡±

    Her lip quivered, ¡°We have no relationship.¡± A tear escaped and ran down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away. ¡°There is something else.¡±

    Could there possibly be more? ¡°What? Get it out.¡±

    ¡°I already kissed Louis a few days after you told me to get lost¡­ So it¡¯s just a matter of pushing him a little further.¡±

    I gripped her arms even harder, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? I heard your conversation with Jerry¡­ I will not be your first. You can¡¯t manipulate me with jealousy¡­ I¡¯m married. Doesn¡¯t that mean anything?¡±

    She burst out in tears. She was crying so much that night¡­ I wondered how long she had been holding it all in, ¡°So that¡¯s the right thing¡­ being chaste¡­ getting married in my twenties, and having two kids¡ªlike you? Turned out awesome!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I said, taken aback.

    ¡°Being human and not killing people? You haven¡¯t even asked if I would die if I didn¡¯t¡­ And yes, we do¡­ Well¡­ let me tell you. I¡¯ve slept with fifty guys.¡± I shook her. ¡°I thought it didn¡¯t matter!¡± She scoffed. ¡°Or do you rather want to hear that Louis would be my first¡­ I will stay chaste¡­ Marry him, and we will have two vampire babies and live your life¡­ Would that make you happy?¡±

    I had not let go of her arms. My fingers didn¡¯t want to obey my brain. They were grasping onto her, and a few more sobs escaped. I stepped closer and softened my tone, wiping away the tears I was sick of, ¡°Sita knows about you.¡±

    Her head dropped, ¡°S-! I feel so humiliated,¡± she said softly. ¡°Sita, let me go with you¡­ She was sure you wouldn¡¯t cross any kind of line with me. That she would have you after tonight¡­ It seems she was right.¡± Juliet was worn out emotionally and had had enough. ¡°The one chance I had is over, and you didn¡¯t cave.¡± She shook her head from side to side, ¡°After everything¡­ I had said and done. It wasn¡¯t enough. I am not enough.¡±

    I didn¡¯t understand her way of thinking. My fingers kept moving over her skin. She had one chance to what? And how could she think she wasn¡¯t enough? After everything? We had nothing. She was na?ve, but at least she told me how she felt. If she only knew it was over between Sita and me. I couldn¡¯t say it. Juliet was so territorial that it would be gas on the flames.

 22. Make Love Not War

    22. Make Love Not War

    Chris

    ¡°Do you not understand anything that involves adult lives¡­? Respect for other people and honoring commitments?¡± I shook her again like I wanted to for so long. Juliet got so mad, manifested quickly, and hissed at me. She pushed me away, and I let her go¡­ It felt like I would never get used to it, ¡°I guess you don¡¯t if you eat them for dinner!¡± I muttered¡­ I had no idea what her life entailed.

    Juliet made an incoherent sound of irritation, ¡°She doesn¡¯t even love you¡­ How is she going to get over herself to take that step? How long were you waiting tonight? Three years is a freaking long time not to have sex¡­ What¡¯s wrong with her? It¡¯s just because of me¡­ She doesn¡¯t really love you! Sita sent that text on purpose!¡± Juliet was ranting, saying anything and everything she wanted and needed to get off her chest. Some of it made sense, and I didn¡¯t want to accept more rejection from Sita. I was done.

    ¡°Look at you going on like a child!¡± I sneered. Juliet fell quiet after that. And at last, she gave me that deadpan, cold, furious, down-your-nose, all-in-one look of hers¡ªbone-chilling. My heart felt heavy in my chest. I had said the one thing she couldn¡¯t handle. Her shoulders lowered, her chin came up, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see what would happen. That whole night was one long collision course.

    ¡°You want to play games?¡± she said in such a tone¡­ poking my chest with a finger. ¡°Let¡¯s play a game¡­ For five minutes, you get to do with me what you want¡­ If you don¡¯t¡­.¡± she shrugged, ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡±

    No¡­ I take it back. I don¡¯t want to know what would happen. My heart exploded with every word... my chest rose and fell in anxious anticipation. She noticed and rested her hand on my shirt, ¡°Hmm! Think you¡¯re so in control¡­ But then¡­ I get five minutes in the back of the car with you.¡± My whole body quivered from the thought of Juliet trying to get me to lose control. And I would because only feeling her hand on my chest made me ache. The idea of her hands all over me was almost too much. My gaze flickered at the car, thinking of what could happen. Will happen.

    ¡°Go!¡± She said mockingly.

    It was working, ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing¡­ This is unfair¡­.¡± I swallowed hard, knowing what was coming¡­ Juliet gets what Juliet wants.

    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have ordered me into your car¡­ To talk,¡± She air quoted again.

    I felt like a chump. She was right. I had so many opportunities to let her go. Of being the adult and walking away¡­ It was my fault¡­ Whatever happened in the next five minutes.

    ¡°You¡¯re a hypocrite and coward, and you¡¯re lying to yourself,¡± she went on, ¡°And I¡¯m sick and tired of your fake fa?ade of being master of your fate! Can¡¯t you see? You never knew about me¡­ And at the right time, our paths crossed? You fell in love with me! You want me¡­ with every fiber of your being.¡± Her hand slid from my chest up my neck, and her fingers mingled in between my hair. I wanted to moan and close the distance. The dark night was slowly closing in on me.

    Juliet¡¯s voice was gentler now, ¡°You picked me up after the club¡­ Not Louis, Jerry, or anyone else. Then tonight¡­ You say our love is not written on the stars. You¡¯re not just lying to yourself¡­ You¡¯ve become devoid of any true feelings,¡± her eyes softened, ¡°Your wife has convinced you that love should fit in a box. Or maybe you did that all by yourself!¡± Juliet had to take a breath but continued fast, ¡°At least I have a heart and not rules to govern my life¡­ If I am a child¡­ I have more than you would ever have with your wife¡­ You can¡¯t even recog¡ª¡±

    I kissed her. Juliet¡¯s face was in my hands. My lips were pressing onto hers in desperation¡­ I unlocked our lips and pushed her away as quickly as I had drawn her in. I wanted to make sure she was okay with it¡­ After a moment of surprise and searching my face, Juliet closed her eyes¡­ tilted her head¡­ parted her lips, and waited. I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. She was too ready to give herself to me. A surge of desire took over every part of me. I wanted her, and nothing was in the way anymore. Slowly, I pulled her lips onto mine and took a step forward, closing the distance, and then I buried myself in her. She responded with ragged whimpers and leaned into me. Our tongues didn¡¯t meet in a crash or a fight for dominance; no¡­ in a coalescence of an unavoidable future. One that I had fought and had no more excuses not to submit to.

    My fingers were still hooked in the nape of her neck. My thumb on her cheeks. She lifted her lips and threw her arms around my neck, hugging me, nestling her face into the hollow of my shoulder¡­ The desire turned to affection. It wasn¡¯t just lust. It was more. I did the same, taking in the smell of her hair and absorbing the way she felt in my arms. It was the perfect confession of what we both wanted out of life; someone who sees you. I understood what she meant and was desperate for someone to love me like she did.

    ***

    Juliet

    I was so happy. I couldn¡¯t believe it. Chris did it¡ªwhile we were fighting¡­ I was scared that all he saw when he looked at me was¡­ someone too young for him, that that was really his problem. I slowly drew back, cheek to cheek, my skin prickled as I slid over his beard. My lips were on their way to his mouth. It was my turn to kiss him. It was everything I had wanted for so long. Chris anticipated and tilted his head to meet me, and with rough, long strokes, I showed him how I felt. I hungrily touched every part of him. His breath hitched at my eagerness, and he ran a hand through my hair and deepened my search for more, meeting my yearning. I jumped onto his waist, desperate. Chris caught me, and I pulled my lips away from him. Raggedly, I tried to speak, ¡°My five minutes¡­ now! Let¡¯s go,¡± I squeezed my thighs around his waist.

    He unclasped my feet and made me jump off, ¡°I can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°You have to, Chris. I want you¡­ I need more¡­.¡± I said breathlessly. He stared at me in confusion¡­ ¡°If we sleep together¡­ and the lust and the pent-up frustrations are gone. Then we can assess again¡­ If you still feel it¡¯s wrong¡­ You can say that it was only attraction¡­ I will concede.¡±

    He still didn¡¯t budge, shaking his head nervously.

    ¡°Chris, it¡¯s my five minutes. I guarantee you¡­ Even if you cheat on your wife. The world isn¡¯t going to fall apart. Sita isn¡¯t going to love you less or throw it in your face. If she knows¡­ she¡¯s probably going to shrug it off. If she doesn¡¯t love you now! She never will.¡±

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    ¡°I don¡¯t care about her¡­ I can¡¯t do this to you!¡±

    ¡°What? Have sex?¡±

    Chris released a nervous little laugh, closing his eyes. His hand ran through his hair. I was afraid I was losing him, ¡°I¡¯m not taking your virginity¡­ I¡¯m a thirty-year-old man¡­ I thought¡­ kissing would be enough?¡±

    I laughed, ¡°Enough? No¡­¡± He clearly didn¡¯t understand how long I wanted this and what I would do to get it. ¡°You¡¯re twenty-nine,¡± I tried to lighten the mood. He didn¡¯t think it was funny, ¡°I told you¡­ I¡¯m not a virgin¡­ I¡¯m at fifty, remember,¡± I lied. It was probably wrong¡­ but I was going to do it.

    ¡°F-! If you¡¯re lying to me,¡± Chris said pointedly.

    I needed to do more. Say something to make him understand I didn¡¯t live under human laws and rules. ¡°I can live up to nine hundred years¡­ Time doesn¡¯t matter. My dad is three hundred years old. My mom four hundred.¡± I knew I was being manipulative, but I didn¡¯t care. We were both already there, and all I wanted was to feel every inch of him. To drive my point home, I brought up Louis. Chris hated it when I mentioned the guy, ¡°And of course¡­ Louis¡­ is two hundred and twenty-two¡­ I wonder when his birthday is?¡±

    Chris pulled me into his arms, gazing down into my eyes, ¡°Do not talk about him again.¡±

    It had worked. My whole body relaxed as he dragged my mouth onto his with a maddened need. He had finally let go and was kissing me relentlessly. Hard lips met soft until we were both panting. With hands on his hips, I steered him to the car while our mouths refused to separate. I opened the back door and pushed him down into the seat. Chris¡¯s hands covered his face. It seemed that was his go-to mannerism for frustrating situations, ¡°Are you sure, Juliet?¡± Chris asked as I slowly parted my thighs and straddled him, closing the door.

    I lowered myself down and glanced at our mingling hips. I moved over him once. Chris¡¯s fingertips dug into my waist, ¡°Oh s-, I¡¯m close,¡± I said softly and looked up, ¡°This is going to go really quickly.¡±

    After that, it was rushed¡­ still¡­ I want to think we made love¡­ I didn¡¯t really care if he couldn¡¯t say it or that was what I was telling myself¡­ I would worry about my heart later.

    Chris reached for his shirt, and I went for my dress simultaneously. Our heads bumped. We laughed. I had never been that happy and flushed. His fingers gently touched my head where my hand was rubbing. Our lips locked quickly. His shirt went over his head. I did the same with my dress. Facing me, his hand caressed the back of my neck nervously, ¡°You lied to me.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± I shrugged, laughing. ¡°Can¡¯t take it back now,¡± Chris shook his head but with a smile on his face. Sensitive brown eyes, worrying.

    ***

    Chris

    ¡°So? How do you feel now?¡± Juliet asked with a smile playing on her lips. She was fishing. She had already let it slip when I was inside her. I knew she wanted me to tell her I loved her¡­ Something I¡¯d wanted to say to her for so long. My fingers brushed over the smooth skin of her cheek, cupping her neck and pulling her closer to me. I couldn¡¯t stop touching her. My forehead rested against hers. I closed my eyes, trying to find the right words.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    A noise outside made us both turn to see what it was. Footsteps? Someone was outside the car. A shadow flickered at the door. A terrible roar made Juliet clutch onto me, but not like the screeching sound I heard at the bridge. The door flung open. Or rather, got yanked off its hinges in one smooth motion of power, shaking the whole car. It flung into the air and came crashing down. Juliet and I swore at the same time. She pushed me back against the opposite side of the car, jumping over me. She positioned herself in front of me, protecting me, ¡°This is not going to end well!¡± Juliet whispered.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s not your father or Louis!?¡±

    Juliet was bracing¡­ why was she bracing? I had never seen anyone so scared before. It wasn¡¯t like Juliet at all. I feared we might die that night. A creature burst into the car, roaring, fuming with vicious features. Its mouth foamed with every growl. Juliet got scratched across her arms as the thing clawed at her to get her out. She was covering her face, but there was no blood, only gaping wounds, raw flesh, and the scraping sound on her bones. It seized a chunk of her hair in a claw, pulled her out, and tossed her to the ground like a rag. It roared into the sky, walked over to her, grabbed her hair, and dragged her over the road away from the car.

    I was stunned into inactiveness. Juliet was the non-human¡­ I thought she would know what to do¡­ I wanted to jump out and take his attention off her, but I just sat there. The thing was angry and raging, but she didn¡¯t scream or look scared anymore, ¡°Chris, stay there. Don¡¯t come after me. He¡¯ll kill you. Remember my ability. Get in the car and go. Promise me!¡±

    She wasn¡¯t scared anymore because she was outside the car. I had a way of getting out of there. It was all about me for her. An uncontrollable gasp escaped me. The thing picked her up one more time and threw her down hard onto the ground, scratching at her. Juliet wasn¡¯t disappearing because I wasn¡¯t leaving. She screamed, ¡°Jerry! Stop!¡± He didn¡¯t, and the flesh on her legs split open as he clawed at her. She manifested and tried to fight back. Then I blacked out.

    ***

    Juliet

    Jerry was out of control. I realized it was him when he towered over me. I glanced one last time at Chris, fearing the worst for the next hit I would take. His breathing was deep and building up to doing something. I knew we would both die if he got out of the car. But Chris didn¡¯t climb out¡­ He jumped out like a mountain lion on all fours. It was instant and natural, teleporting to next to Jerry. With one twist of his arm, he got me off, breaking Jerry¡¯s wrist in the process. Chris was not Chris anymore. His eyes were glossy, like a werewolf when they manifested for the first time. Jerry whimpered when Chris grew two heads taller and twice his size.

    Chris made a sound that I had never heard before. Vampire fangs grew long out from his lips, and his teeth doubled in amount. He bit into Jerry¡¯s neck, crushing his spine instantly. He held him up in the air when there was no more life in his prey. Jerry was dangling like a puppet. Chris tossed him against a tree, roaring into the sky. It felt like every person in our town must have heard him. Skittish and snarling, his head snapped right and left¡­. His eyes rested on my arms and legs. For a moment, I thought he would turn back, but he advanced on me. Louis came running through the field, bumping into Chris. He was confusing him. Another werewolf was with Louis. The one we saw at the bridge.

    ¡°Disappear, Juliet. Now!¡± Louis yelled.

    I was scared, but I couldn¡¯t do it. I ran for the car and hid behind it, adrenalin still surging through my veins.  A few other cars stopped around us. My parents got out, and some other people I didn¡¯t know. One pulled out a gun, ¡°No! Don¡¯t!¡± I screamed.

    Louis stood in front of Chris to keep his attention on him so they could take the shot. My mom came up to me, and she took in the state I was in, her face contorted in terror. She manifested, scooped me up, and put me in the back seat of Chris¡¯s car, speeding off towards home. All I saw was Louis and Chris fighting.

    ¡°It¡¯s only a dart gun, Juliet. He¡¯ll be fine.¡±

 23. Like Nothing Happened

    23. Like Nothing Happened

    Juliet

    At home, the pain had settled in, the adrenalin had worked out, and I looked like I was hacked by a chainsaw. My mom dosed my cuts with disinfectant. I cussed as the sting rippled through me. I couldn¡¯t believe what happened. ¡°I have to stitch you up,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°What? That will take forever. I¡¯m going to be one big horror show.¡±

    ¡°You already are, Julie¡­ Lie still and take these,¡± she handed me a handful of pills and water.

    I was lying on the cold, hard kitchen counter, having a difficult time keeping myself together. I was sniffling, thinking about Chris, trying not to start sobbing. My father¡¯s car didn¡¯t want to pull into the garage. Something must have happened, ¡°Where are they?¡± I asked worriedly.

    My mom took my hand in hers and gave it a squeeze, ¡°Who were you with tonight?¡±

    ¡°Chris¡­ What¡¯s going to happen to him?¡±

    ¡°Nothing! They are going to take him home and put him in bed.¡±

    ¡°They are taking him back to Sita?¡± The realization that Sita would be there for him made the tears spill over. My mom pushed the tissue box over towards me.

    ¡°He is quite the legend¡­ Didn¡¯t you see he was a mixture of both vampire and werewolf?¡± I nodded. ¡°He is a hybrid.¡±

    ¡°Hybrid?¡± My brows knit together. I really didn¡¯t know anything if there were other creatures out there.

    ¡°Yeah, seems like the werewolves had known for some time. Have been tracking him all his life. That is why Sita married him¡­ to try and save the werewolves.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°The werewolves are going extinct. They thought that if one of them and ¡°the hybrid¡± could have a baby¡­ their problems would be solved.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe my ears. Sita ruined his life to have a baby and then didn¡¯t sleep with him. She¡¯s so useless. ¡°The werewolf that was there tonight was Sita?¡± My mom nodded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Julie¡­ That we didn¡¯t tell you everything going on around you¡­ But we had no idea you and Chris¡­.¡±

    ¡°Louis didn¡¯t blab?¡±

    ¡°Why would he? Louis loves you¡­.¡±

    ¡°Is that why he¡¯s here? For Chris¡­ the hybrid?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and if Louis knew what Chris meant to you. It¡¯s probably why he didn¡¯t tell you or talk to you... I think all he wants to do is protect you.¡±

    I drew in a deep breath. The painkillers were kicking in, ¡°I can¡¯t keep my eyes open, Mom.¡±

    ¡°Sleep, Julie... I¡¯ve got you. This is going to take a while.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let Louis come and sit with me again. I need some time to process.¡±

    My mom swept the hair from my brow and ran her knuckles over my cheek, ¡°I won¡¯t¡­ send him right home¡­ Juliet¡­ what happened between you and Chris that he manifested like that?¡±

    ¡°Can I tell you everything tomorrow with Louis and Dad together¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ let¡¯s talk tomorrow. Juliet¡­ Chris probably won¡¯t remember what happened tonight. You know how werewolves forget their first manifestation¡­¡±

    I passed out thinking about how stupid I was¡­ Sleeping with him, knowing we will probably never have a day where we could just be together. Now, I had to tell my mom that I lost my virginity¡­ and I had to tell Louis. And the man of the hour wouldn¡¯t even remember. Stupid Juliet!

    ***

    Louis

    Seeing Chris like that. Juliet, out of the corner of my eye, ripped open. It was the worst thing that had happened to me since my father died. The fear of losing her was too much for me. Her dying at the hands of some boy I would¡¯ve killed in a second was unacceptable. Where had I been? Why had I not protected her like I should¡¯ve? I was so on top of everything until I needed to give her space. It was not what I thought was going to happen that night. I had hoped she would go to a party to enjoy herself. That Wednesday, we would leave for France. We would be together. She would have nothing to worry about anymore. I would¡¯ve told her everything there. Regret filled me about keeping her in the dark¡­ about using her. I should¡¯ve warned her¡­ I should¡¯ve made things official between us before I left her alone. I should¡¯ve stayed close like I always had.

    Nevertheless, Chris didn¡¯t rip her open. It was Jerry. The werewolf kid I had been keeping an eye on. I never thought he would go nuts seeing Juliet and Chris together. He was dead¡­ His body was being carried off by the werewolves. Another one of them was gone. Another child who didn¡¯t make it.

    Chris was darted and loaded into a van and taken home to his bed. He wouldn¡¯t remember anything about what happened that night¡­ Regardless, he had manifested. It was true¡­ there was a hybrid. He was under the werewolf¡¯s protection¡­ And there was nothing I could do about it. Or any of us. We had to get out of there. Liam called me to get in the car. I had been talking to two werewolves, Francis and Jack. They were Sita¡¯s cousins. Police sirens were blaring. Blue and red lights were coming towards us in the distance.

    The drive back was torture, wondering how Juliet was doing¡­ dreading finding out what happened between them. I was a minute too late to get her away from Chris. I didn¡¯t want to follow her that night¡­ Not after she kissed me. She was in love with me, and I let her down¡­ I wanted to start sharing everything with her¡­ I was terrified, and it made me weak. I was a coward. Scared that if I opened up to her before I got her to France, she would never go with me. I had lied about so much. She hated that.

    When I arrived at the party, I talked briefly to Charlene and Carl, and they tried to explain what had happened. I was angry that I had taken my time. Charlene had asked me to come. I just thought Juliet had too much to drink. They went to gather their things, and I waited outside for them. We were all on our way to the car when Sita ran out of the house, screaming at me to get into hers. I threw my car keys to Carl, jumping in next to Sita.

    ¡°Straight home. Stay with Charlene tonight,¡± I yelled at him.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m scared for Juliet¡­ We will tell you everything. Be patient and keep Charlene safe.¡± He agreed. It must have been the look on my face. They left at the same time as us, in the opposite direction. Sita drove like hell.

    ¡°Why do you know where they are?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We have been tracking Chris... He manifested.¡± As we came around a bend, we glanced at each other. The sound that Chris had made resonated through the car. ¡°I have been watching the whole night.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want her to tell me¡­ Juliet was with him. I feared the worst. He was pretty impressive and lethal, seeing him from afar, tossing a werewolf body into a tree. He was massive and was looking at Juliet on the ground. I knew he manifested to protect her¡­ It was his line¡­ She was his trigger¡­ it was only a matter of time.

    ***

    Juliet

    When I woke up, it was early in the morning. I thought I would sleep for days. Regardless, my mind couldn¡¯t get over Chris and what had happened. My first thought was about me ranting and going off at him.  My face was in his hands a moment later. He pulled me close and kissed me¡­ We kissed again and again... It felt so good that all of it seemed worth it. I stretched out, feeling satisfied and a little more hopeful about our future ¡ªhe was a creature just like me. I made a stupid decision and got dressed, climbing through my window, invisible. Something caught my eye when my feet hit the ground. It was Louis sitting against the wall, in the dirt. He didn¡¯t even wake up when I pulled back the curtain. ¡°I should¡¯ve let you come in,¡± I whispered. I reappeared. I couldn¡¯t leave him there. I ran my fingers through that thick bush of hair. He opened his eyes and pulled me down into his lap.

    Louis took in all my cuts and bruises. His face contorted in pain for my sake, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby¡­ This is all my fault.¡± He stroked my hair and pressed his forehead into my cheek.

    ¡°I can safely say that you had nothing to do with what happened last night¡­ If anyone is to blame¡­ it¡¯s me and my big mouth. Why am I like this? Always stirring and prodding?¡±

    ¡°Why, what happened¡­?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Jerry happened¡­ And I didn¡¯t know he was a werewolf.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it was Jerry?¡±

    ¡°That stupid necklace,¡± Louis smiled a weak, quick smile.

    I lifted away from him to take in his features, ¡°The question is¡­ did you know?¡± Guilt was written all over his face, ¡°You¡¯ve been tracking everyone. My uncle sent you,¡± he nodded. I drew in another deep breath.

    ¡°You¡¯re not angry at me?¡± He asked nervously.

    ¡°No!¡± I pulled him to his feet and pushed him through the window into my room. ¡°Get off the ground and take a nap.¡± He obliged and got in. ¡°But first I¡¯m going to say something¡­ and we can talk about it¡­ but you have to keep your cool.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try,¡± a frown played on his brow.

    ¡°I slept with Chris.¡± He drew in a breath and raised his head to the roof. There was such a mixture of emotions playing over his features that I didn¡¯t know what would happen. He laid back on my carpet, covering his eyes with his arm. Louis¡¯s breathing was ragged, moving his head from side to side, ¡°It feels like I cheated on you.¡±

    He shook his head, ¡°No¡­ we haven¡¯t made it official¡­ and he was first.¡±

    I was dumbfounded. Taken aback, ¡°I have to say you¡¯re taking this really well.¡±

    ¡°I can read minds, Juliet. You¡¯ve slept with Chris so many times, and I have been sitting outside this window so many nights.¡± Suddenly¡­ And I didn¡¯t know why, but I wanted to cry all over again, just like the previous night. ¡°What I didn¡¯t get from you, I got from your journal¡­ or your dreams¡­. I know every part of you.¡± My hands were shaking. I reached into my shirt for the chain that hung permanently around my neck. He heard it and sat up, ¡°Don¡¯t, baby! Please.¡±

    I hesitated, my breathing shallow. I was so angry¡­ I wanted to rip it off and toss it at him. I couldn¡¯t do it, ¡°So much for ¡®this is where I want to be. You¡ª¡±

    ¡°Baby, no! I wanted you to choose me.¡±

    I raised my voice, ¡°I would have, you idiot! If you weren¡¯t so slow. Where were you tonight? I begged for you. I prayed for you to come¡­ If you always followed me, why were you not there? You could have helped me with Jerry.¡±

    He reached out to me, ¡°This is my fault. I¡¯m sorry, please come to me.¡± Tears ran down my cheeks. I went invisible, staring at Louis sitting on my carpet, staring out the window, ¡°Juliet, don¡¯t leave like this, please.¡±

    But I did. I turned and ran. Well¡­ walked off. If I had appeared before him, I would have said things I shouldn¡¯t have. Didn¡¯t I promise myself I wouldn¡¯t fall in love with Louis? That we weren¡¯t on the same page. Why was I so hurt?

    I was going to go and see Chris¡­ I just wanted to see him¡­ No, I needed to see him. I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t confuse him more than necessary. If at all possible, I wouldn¡¯t even appear before him. It took me so long to walk to his house. The pain got worse, and I was still a little groggy. When I got there, the only thing open was the garden gate. I figured this must be where Chris came from when he heard Jerry and me.

    I walked around their house. A door was open to a room, the curtains blowing out into the cool air with the breeze. I looked around and saw a chair next to the wall, which seemed strange¡­ so I went over to stand on it. I could see our blanket still on the grass. A smile crossed my lips. My butterflies were back, ¡°Stupid Chris.¡± Watching me the whole night and then fighting your urges. I shook my head at how much effort it took him to cave. He was so strong-willed that it must be the reason his body refused to transform without proper provocation. Or I didn¡¯t know¡­ How could he go thirty years without manifesting? If he was some hybrid, how would it work at all? No wonder Sita didn¡¯t get pregnant.

    When the curtains blew open again. I took it as an invitation and went inside. It was a study, Chris¡¯s study, by the looks of it. Sita must not have known what Chris had been doing the whole night watching me. I smiled at the thought of him stalking me for a change. Louis came to mind when I thought about stalking. He had listened to my thoughts¡­ My conversations¡­ Read my journal. I paused, figuring out the most embarrassing thing he might have heard or read. An uneasy hole formed in my stomach. The car¡­ The asking me if he could kiss me over and over. He knew I wanted him. Every thought? I groaned.

    It didn¡¯t really matter; what was done was done. It was him lying to me that was the bigger issue. I made my way down the hall¡­ there was an empty room and one last room at the end with an open door. Slowly, I walked toward it.

    ***

    Chris

    I woke up dizzy, my eyes blurry. I had a splitting headache. Confused about where I was or how I got there. The room came into focus¡­ I let out a groan. The sun was shining in through the curtains and making my headache worse. I walked to the window and yanked on the fabric to escape the heat pouring in. Why did I suddenly hate the sun? What time was it? My eyes darted to the bedside table. Saturday morning? Sitting on the edge of the bed, I tried to remember what had happened the previous night.

    ¡°Juliet¡­¡± Was she okay? Why would I wonder if she was okay? Oh, yes, she and Jerry in the garden. I got angry again, thinking about their conversation. His hands on her. A piercing pain cut through me. It took me a moment until it passed. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I couldn¡¯t remember anything else, ¡°What happened?¡±

    Rummaging through the medicine cabinet, I took a handful of painkillers. After swallowing, brown caught the corner of my eye. There were dirt and mud tracks from our bedroom to the front door. I swore loudly at the mess. I was out of breath just walking the short distance. Struggling back, I made it to the tub, letting the shower water run over me.

    I must have passed out again because when I woke up, someone was shaking me, ¡°Chris, wake up,¡± Juliet said in the water with me, trying to get me to move. She was propping me up on the side of the bath, trying to keep my body upright. Her arms were shaking.

    ¡°I got it¡­.¡± My voice was croaky. I felt a little better, though. It must have been the water and some more sleep. I closed the tap and lifted the plug to let the water drain, sitting until it was all gone.

    ¡°Juliet¡­?¡± I waited¡­ wondering if she would show herself.

    Her voice came from outside the bathroom. It startled me. I thought I had just imagined her there. ¡°I¡¯m here¡­ but I don¡¯t want you to freak out or anything. I got wet just now. My clothes are soaked, so I had to take them off¡­ but I have on shorts and a tank top.¡± I was naked¡­ Juliet saw me naked. I jumped up, grabbed a towel, and wrapped it around me. The mess on the floor was way worse. The water had spilled over the bath¡­ The carpet in the bedroom was soaked. What happened in this house, and what was wrong with me?

    I walked out of the bathroom to a scene out of a horror movie. I got such a fright seeing her with so many bruises and stitched-up cuts¡ªI fell back on the door. It gave way, and I staggered. She caught my arm and pulled me forward, ¡°I told you not to freak out.¡± My hand covered my mouth, haunted by the scene¡­ trying to figure out how she could be so okay while looking like that.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The pain is okay. I can walk a little at a time. I¡¯ve only been here for, like, five minutes¡­ I wanted to see you and when I came in the door was open. I was scared you were going to drown.¡±

    ¡°What happened to you?¡± I asked softly.

    ¡°How much do you remember of last night?¡±

    I tried to remember¡­ What happened after I chased Jerry away? I saw him driving off¡­ ¡°You and Jerry talking about¡­ you know¡­ And me interrupting, and then him leaving.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± She braced on the wall next to her. I grabbed her, keeping her up. I didn¡¯t think her color could get worse. The little red she had drained away. She paled and had a difficult time adjusting.

    ¡°Yeah, why? Come sit down. You don¡¯t look so good¡­¡± I helped her to a sofa in the living room. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Jerry did that to you?¡± She nodded. ¡°Juliet, did he¡­?¡±

    She waved her hands in front of her, ¡°Before that happens, I would rather have let him kill me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say stuff like that¡­ This is not okay!¡± I gestured towards all of her.

    ¡°It really looks worse than it is. My pain doesn¡¯t last as long as¡ª¡±

    ¡°Humans do?¡± She looked uncomfortable and nervous.

    ¡°Juliet, why did you come here?¡± Her shoulders slumped, and her head fell forward. My words hurt, and her chin quivered as she held back tears.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ Can I use the excuse¡­ That I¡¯m only a teenager,¡± She got up to leave.

    ¡°Wait¡­ you have to have a reason¡­ You can talk to me.¡±

    She scoffed like she didn¡¯t believe me. A tear rolled down her cheek. She swiped it away with flat fingers. Something flashed in my memory. That mannerism¡­ I had seen it before.

    ¡°I know¡­ we are friends¡­ I don¡¯t want to make this harder on you,¡± she was comforting me¡­ placating me. I walked over to her. She wasn¡¯t uncomfortable, nor was she angry, not like when I saw her with Jerry. Juliet was snarky the previous night, now the complete opposite. Slowly, she reached out to take my hand¡­ scared that I would pull away. It seemed like the wrong thing to do. She placed it on her cheek, closing her eyes. She sighed when I stroked away another tear.

    I was tired of hurting her, ¡°Juliet¡­ you saying we are friends is more than I had hoped for. After my letter, I thought¡­ you would never speak to me again.¡±

    She shook her head, ¡°No! You were right. If it wasn¡¯t for me, you would have never been pushed like that¡­ This isn¡¯t easy for me. I have really¡­  liked you¡­ for so long and being able to sneak in here¡­ I couldn¡¯t resist seeing if you were okay after you and Jerry fought.¡±

    ¡°Is that what happened?¡±

    ¡°Mmhm¡­¡± she nestled into my hand, ¡°You got knocked out, and I felt so bad.¡±

    My hand reached for my head out of reaction¡­ nothing hurt. Accept that headache I had, ¡°I¡¯m sorry he got to do this to you at all¡­ How did it even happen?¡±

    ¡°You know how I¡¯m not human¡­ Well... Jerry w¡­isn¡¯t either.¡± It was the first time she had said that out loud¡­ That she wasn¡¯t human, and it didn¡¯t sink in. She took my hand away from her face and let it go. It didn¡¯t feel right. Nothing felt right. All I wanted to do was put it back where it belonged. I wasn¡¯t so desperate to make love to her. It was more than that. I wanted to hold her, comfort her, and make her stay. To tell her everything would be okay. She stepped past me to leave and turned at the entrance of the room, ¡°Chris¡­ I ¡­ l love you. And no matter what happens, everything is going to be okay¡­.¡±

    She kept beating me to it¡­ ¡°Juliet! Wait, you can¡¯t go after saying that.¡±

    ¡°I have to¡­ I just wanted five minutes. It¡¯s been ten¡­ Louis is waiting for me in the car.¡±

    ¡°No! Juliet, wait¡­! Don¡¯t leave.¡±

    She stopped, ¡°Seems like you were right. The stars are more in control than we thought¡­ Maybe our love isn¡¯t written on them.¡±

    Why would she say that? I felt my eyes narrow. Juliet regarded me and quickly closed the distance between us. She put her hand on my neck and pulled my lips onto hers. Juliet kissed me so hard that it felt like I would never see her again. She wasn¡¯t going to ask for forgiveness. Her eyes rested dreamily on my lips, thinking about something. She disappeared. My fingers jumped to my lips. I didn¡¯t pull away¡­ or react like I always had. She kissed me¡­ Juliet kissed me¡­ And I let her kiss me¡­ I replayed her words in my mind¡­ She loved me... ¡°What the hell? She was in my house.¡± I ran to the hall to make sure it wasn¡¯t a fantasy. The front door closed slowly while she looked back at me. By the time I opened it, she was gone. Louis wasn¡¯t there to pick her up. She had lied, ¡°Juliet¡­! Juliet, please come back. You can¡¯t leave like that.¡± The pain stabbed through me again. The sun was too bright. I stumbled back inside the house. I couldn¡¯t try to make her come out just then¡­ I had to lie down, ¡°Will you stay?¡±

 24. Telling My Friends

    24. Telling My Friends

    Juliet

    After closing the door on Chris and disappearing, I realized I couldn¡¯t go home; Louis was there, my parents were there, and I wanted to be off-grid away from all of them. They had lied to me from the start about everything. I didn¡¯t know how much my parents kept from me, but they must have known about Louis¡¯s ability. It was an easy decision to go back into the house when I saw Chris wasn¡¯t himself yet. He did ask¡­

    It allowed me to snoop around, waiting for him to wake up. Chris was passed out on the couch in just a towel. My clothes were still in his dryer. I was in his house¡­ I walked around, finding a laptop in the main bedroom¡­ only to find another one in his study. It must be Sita¡¯s, but there was no password for it. Opening a few files made it clear that this PC was used solely for tracking Chris. His study was bugged, his classroom at school, and¡­ his car. I knew why Sita was MIA. I played the last file still open; it was a video of dashcam footage. I fast-forwarded and saw everything as I remembered it. Jumping on Chris after he kissed me, throwing my legs around him. We moved out of view. The car door opened. The noises from there on were self-explanatory. I blushed, ¡°Stupid Juliet.¡±

    I watched our whole conversation¡­ My mind was saying I should show him what happened and let it come back to him. But if he couldn¡¯t remember, I would be crushed. What if he regretted it!? How would I make him open up like he did the night before? Shaking my head, I snapped out of my negativity; I took the laptop and headed for the kitchen, rummaging through the cupboards. I wanted popcorn but gagged as soon as I opened the microwave. I needed blood, and soon. If one was off-grid, how did you go about vetting a person? Find out if they had no connections and won¡¯t be missed? My parents had coddled me¡­ but they probably thought that they had more time before I would leave the nest. I put my hand in front of my mouth, swallowing the bile rising in the back of my throat. The only thing that could remotely help was alcohol, especially beer. Luckily, it seems that Chris did drink.

    I learned a lot about him by going through his things and watching some videos. Louis was coming up in my mind; everything he had done to know what was going on in my life. I felt a little stupid for judging him so harshly. Still, he could have told me. If he had pushed just a little harder as I had done with Chris¡­ But I had also lied and manipulated him into that car¡­ Why hadn¡¯t Louis if he could read my mind?

    I went back to the couch across from Chris to watch more footage. I scanned and searched all the rooms to find all the hidden cameras. One by one, I took them down, crushing them under my feet. I hated the fact that Sita had followed him and pried into his privacy; it was okay that I did it¡­ but she had no right! I went to the car and took those ones out as well, stopping any remote access there might still have been. Yeah, I wasn¡¯t taking that chance¡­ A video wasn¡¯t how Chris would find out about us. Sita had left it there. It was okay for her that he would find out about himself... like that¡­ She left him there¡­ all alone after everything that happened last night! Well, she was a werewolf.

    I was sipping on my beer, thinking of a password no one would guess. Louis would figure it out. I didn¡¯t want him to see it either. How would I get around that one? Charlene and Carl! Perfect, I needed my buddies. I had completely forgotten about them. It was as good a time as any to bring them into the mess? I called them, realizing my parents would probably track my phone at some point. That wouldn¡¯t do. I took out the sim and used Chris¡¯s cell phone, leaving mine off in a drawer in his office.

    ¡°Charlene!¡± I said when she answered.

    ¡°Juliet, where are you? You¡¯re not answering my texts.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m at Chris¡¯s house. Is Carl still there?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing there¡­ never mind¡­ Yeah, we¡¯re watching movies.¡±

    ¡°We need to talk¡­ Is there any way you guys can get here?¡±

    ¡°¡­Okay¡­ we can try.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m not here¡­ I¡¯m sorry for making a fuss¡­ Charlene¡­ don¡¯t tell Louis anything...Tell your parents you¡¯re going to a friend.¡±

    ¡°See you now.¡±

    ¡°Okay, see you now, bye!¡±

    Charlene and Carl stopped outside half an hour later, ringing the bell. I peeked out through the window to see how they got there. I was relieved to see her mother had brought them. As soon as Charlene¡¯s mom drove off, I opened the door.

    When they saw me, they freaked out for about twenty minutes. When they saw Chris in his towel for another twenty. After that, they calmed down. I walked across the room from side to side. Chris snored, and we laughed at the picture he painted. I got back to business by prepping them for the footage of Chris being dragged into the house by creatures and being laid on the bed. Carl grabbed the laptop from my hand and stood away from me, playing the video. He watched for a good five minutes. His eyes kept darting from the screen to Chris, to the mess on the floors. Carl¡¯s gaze locked with mine. There was no shock or questions, only concern¡­ ¡°Are you sure we should show this to Charlene?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so calm?¡± I blurted out.

    ¡°I also have secrets just like you¡­.¡± I blinked slowly; the day had gotten way too long. If Carl manifested into a vampire or a werewolf at that moment, I would¡¯ve lost it. Charlene came over and grabbed the laptop from him. She played the video and sat down at the most significant part, her hand over her mouth. Carl and I shared some more looks. He was concerned. Both of them were taking it really well. Chris didn¡¯t even know what he was. When he saw himself like that, it would rock his world.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to stay calm and not freak out for the baby¡¯s sake¡­ But what the f¡ª Juliet? What is Chris?¡± Charlene asked.

    ¡°I think the better question is¡­ what am¡­ I?¡± Charlene¡¯s eyes were as round as saucers¡­ But Carl¡¯s wasn¡¯t¡­ ¡°Come on, Carl. Just manifest already so that I know what you are.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too young,¡± He said softly.

    I frowned. That was new¡­ Another new race I didn¡¯t know about. I was going to kill Louis if I ever saw him again. Charlene and I stared at him, dumbfounded at his nonchalant answer. Charlene got up and walked over to me¡­ ¡°What do you mean¡­ manifest? So, are you one of those things¡­ Is that why you¡¯re not at school and secretive? I knew you were different¡­ but I thought you might be bipolar or schizophrenic¡­ But never, ever did I think things like that existed.¡±

    I fisted her shoulder very lightly, ¡°Really a schizo Charlene? No¡­ I¡¯m something¡­ but not that,¡± my gaze traveled to Chris, ¡°So far, he is the only one of those.¡± Chris stirred and turned on his side. I went to get a little blanket off of one of the wingback chairs at the window and covered him.

    ¡°But before I tell you what I am¡­ I¡­ slept with Chris last night,¡± They both burst out laughing. It didn¡¯t last long when they noticed I was serious. They stared at us in turn and laughed into their hands¡ªlike two children.

    ¡°Oh, so you can have a holiday romance. Get pregnant, but I can¡¯t sleep with¡­ my teacher¡­ who is a hybrid monster,¡± I burst out laughing, and then we all laughed. Chris let out small moans.

    ¡°Okay, guys¡­ he is waking up¡­ Here Charlene¡­ This is what I wanted you to do for me. Take the laptop and put a password on it¡­ Don¡¯t tell anyone. Let Carl hide it so that you don¡¯t know where it is. Maybe we might be covered in hiding his secret for a little bit or at least till he finds out by himself.¡±

    There was a hooter honking outside, ¡°That¡¯s my mom. I told her two hours.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ if all three of us were here when he woke up¡­ It would be weird, anyway. Remember, he doesn¡¯t know about last night,¡± I said softly.

    ¡°Not even?¡± she asked. I shook my head. Charlene seemed concerned, and I was too. ¡°Are we still going to France?¡± Charlene asked with worry in her voice.

    ¡°Come hell or high water! We¡¯re going! Even if the three of us go alone and find Ben to take responsibility...¡± I hugged her. ¡°Our flight leaves Wednesday at eight... I will be there two hours early. I won¡¯t be online, so... I¡¯ll contact you when I can.¡±

    They had the laptop¡­ Sort of knew about me¡­ It went better than I had expected. One side of my life was moving in the right direction. When I manifested in front of Chris, he had freaked out¡­ It had been stupid of me¡­ It was a bigger deal than I had anticipated. I needed to prepare my friends better. All I could do was wait for this guy to wake up. I put on my sweatpants and pulled a white T-shirt over my head.

    ***

    Chris

    I woke up more confused than ever. The first thing I thought about was Juliet and her kissing me, telling me she loved me. I sat up¡­ It all felt so surreal, ¡°Juliet, are you here? Please tell me you are still here! Don¡¯t leave things like this.¡±

    Everything she had said about the previous evening didn¡¯t make sense. What happened that morning didn¡¯t make sense. The freaking house in a mess didn¡¯t make sense¡­ I checked the time. It wasn¡¯t that late. I wanted to see Juliet. But what would I say? Where was Sita? Could she at least talk to me? I checked my phone. Called her again and again. No answer. I drew in a heavy breath and released it slowly. That woman was testing me.

    I decided to get in my car and go to her grandfather to talk to him. Sita and I had to end¡ªtoday. I opened the garage door and walked to the driver¡¯s side¡­ My back door was gone¡­ Completely off¡­ the car¡­ I stood staring momentarily, putting my hand on the roof and bending down to peer inside. The seats were ripped in some places. I thought about Juliet and the scratches all over her body... On her arms, her legs¡­ Did Jerry do that to her in my car? ¡°I¡¯ll kill him.¡±

    Something on the floor caught my attention. I picked it up, trying to make out what it was. It was an earring ¡­ a very dangly one. Juliet had these on the previous night when I saw her with Jerry, ¡°Juliet, I swear if you and Jerry had sex in my car, I will kill you,¡± I said out loud, hoping she might still be here. I cringed at how mad I got and how snarky she was with me.

    Nonetheless, I got in my car, unsure if I could drive like that. An hour north on the highway was going to be noisy. I sat down in the driver¡¯s seat. The settings were all jumbled. I had to redo them. Juliet knew what was going on; I was almost sure of it. There was more going on than me just getting knocked out¡­ If I could only talk to her again. I was so out of it when I woke up in the tub¡­ I remembered asking her why she had come. No wonder she had left¡­ Or why she wasn¡¯t showing herself.

    Frustrated, I checked the glove box to see if my registration was still there. If I was pulled over, it wouldn¡¯t look good if I had no papers with me. Pulling down on the handle, I took out the documents, catching a glimpse of my wedding ring lying in the corner. My head tilted, trying to remember tossing it inside¡­ I took it out, holding it in my fingers for a long time. I couldn¡¯t put it back on. I had given Sita enough time to decide. She had had three years already.

    On the highway up north, I drove past the spot where I picked up that stupid kid that one time, ¡°You see, Juliet. That is where it all started¡­ You have me talking to myself because I have no idea if you¡¯re here.¡± I slowly reached out my arm, feeling the seat next to me, holding my breath, hoping I would touch flesh. She wasn¡¯t there. I thought about tossing the ring out the window but was too scared the gusting wind would make it fly back in through the back door. I wanted it gone¡ªpermanently. ¡°I hope you¡¯re seeing this, Juliet. If you are here¡­ Now would be a good time for us to talk.¡±

    I pulled the car over, got out, and threw the ring as far as possible into a field next to the road. It was bushy. Barbed wire separated me and my past. At last¡­ I could breathe easier. Whether she signed or not¡­ It was over. I  turned to a sudden wave of dizziness. I was so tired and was struggling to stay awake, swaying on the side of the road. I wouldn¡¯t be able to drive anymore. I staggered to the car, ¡°I just need a nap¡ª¡± I whispered. I hoped my head would fall on her lap and she would be there.

    She yelped as I sat down on her, coming out of her hiding, ¡°Hey! My legs!¡± My vision was already dark around the edges before I could react.

 25. Being The Better Person

    25. Being The Better Person

    Louis

    Juliet disappeared again; we had a fight, and she left. I was sitting in her room on the carpet, staring out the window where she had been just moments ago. I knew where she was going. There was nowhere else she would go. Following her at that stage wasn¡¯t an option.

    Cindy opened the room door when she finally woke up. ¡°Louis?¡± she scanned the room, ¡°Where is she?¡±

    I pointed to the window, ¡°I told you it wasn¡¯t a good idea to keep her in the dark about my ability.¡±

    ¡°You told her?¡± Cindy asked.

    ¡°She slept with Chris last night,¡± I had to say it out loud. I had to hear it for myself.

    Cindy was quiet, taking in the information, ¡°But¡­ he¡¯s married.¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°Not anymore.¡±

    ¡°His wife is the wolf, and you let her get in the middle of that? You knew she loved the possible hybrid, and you didn¡¯t tell us.¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°No! You brought me here to see if I could accept Juliet as a wife. Not spy on her for you¡­ You told Samuel that your daughter needed someone¡­ I came¡­ I¡­ fell in love with her. I wasn¡¯t going to betray her trust¡­ Just because you¡¯re her parents¡­ She forbade me to tell you¡­ We might have been together if you were honest with her.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? I thought your relationship was developing well¡­ Now she is with Chris?¡± Cindy asked, confused.

    I shook my head. What a mess, ¡°It was going really well until last night¡­ I didn¡¯t know Chris and her paths would cross. I didn¡¯t want to control things anymore¡­ make everything play out a certain way. I love her too much to manipulate her.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re her parents. It¡¯s not manipulation making a choice for your child when they know nothing.¡±

    ¡°Why does she know nothing!? Because you chose to raise her like this? Among humans. What did you think was going to happen.¡±

    ¡°You would see her in Marcus¡¯s harem fighting every day of her life? You know we didn¡¯t have any other option. He still wants her, Louis. He wants her there.¡± My heart raced, and all I saw was red at the thought of her being taken. If anyone knew where Samuel¡¯s niece was, the compound would descend. ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s not fight anymore. It¡¯s pointless¡­ Do you know where she is?¡±

    ¡°Where do you think?¡± I spat out. I didn¡¯t want to think about them together. I couldn¡¯t even be angry at her. I pushed myself into her life and didn¡¯t give her anything she wanted.

    ¡°She¡¯s with Chris? She walked all the way there in her state.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really na?ve about the obsession your daughter has for this man. You should¡¯ve read her journal. You take control of everything. Why didn¡¯t you go all out¡­ Letting her experience life and letting her do just what she wanted didn¡¯t make up for what happened with Liam.¡±

    ¡°I would never invade her privacy.¡±

    I grimaced. ¡°But it¡¯s okay that I did? Because you have chosen me as a good candidate for your daughter. Does she even know anything concerning where we come from?¡± Cindy shook her head.

    I sighed. My gaze kept drifting to the window, remembering Juliet¡¯s face when we fought. I had to leave before I went to Chris¡¯s house and made a scene, ¡°I¡¯m leaving¡­ If you want to find Juliet, you can do it yourself.¡±

    ¡°I will just check the app like we did last time,¡± Cindy took out her phone. It showed exactly where I knew she would be.

    ¡°I would leave her alone for a bit. Let her vent some of the anger¡­ Because when she does come back. She¡¯s not going to let things slide anymore.¡±

    ¡°What about France? Don¡¯t you leave Wednesday?¡±

    My mouth pulled at the thought. We were so close¡­ It was a few days¡­ We would¡¯ve been happy. ¡°If you think Juliet will get on that plane with me¡­ you¡¯re mistaken¡­ But I will take Carl and Charlene. She would expect it of me. And I keep my promises.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Go home and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Juliet hasn¡¯t eaten in two weeks!¡± I curtly cut her off, ¡°She is out there¡­ all alone¡­ with no way of doing this on her own. She will start acting recklessly if she doesn¡¯t feed.¡±

    ¡°Should we go get her¡­¡±

    Irritated, I bumped past her, ¡°I don¡¯t care. You guys sort it out! I¡¯ve made enough of a mess¡­ I wouldn¡¯t go there even if you paid me. I will make sure I have someone just in case.¡±

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Thank you, Louis,¡± I waved my hand in the air to shrug off her unwanted appreciation.

    My Car was still at Charlene¡¯s house. I thought a walk was a good idea to clear my mind. I was mostly disappointed in myself. I had four days to keep things together¡­ I couldn¡¯t even do that. I wanted her to make the choice. Juliet was attracted to me¡­ She kissed me¡­ We enjoyed each other¡¯s company. Even if she was so obsessed with Chris, they had no time together¡­ They didn¡¯t know each other, even less than we did. It wasn¡¯t like she was delusional about his situation. After the letter, she was adamant about letting him go. I should¡¯ve made it official. I knew that¡¯s what she was thinking. What she wanted¡­ I needed it to be special and planned a romantic setting in France, ¡°Argh!¡± I don¡¯t know what I was thinking. She was obsessed when I first got there, but the more time we spent together, the more the scales between Chris and me evened out. We were on level playing fields. It wasn¡¯t even a competition¡­ Fate had thrown them together.

    Ringing the bell at Charlene¡¯s house produced her father. He gave me the keys to my car and said, ¡°Thank You for helping them last night. You¡¯re the teacher going with them to France for the exchange program.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Thank you for trusting me and granting Charlene this opportunity. Everything set for Wednesday?¡± I asked, putting on my human fa?ade.

    ¡°The women are very excited packing and preparing. We¡¯re glad Juliet¡¯s parents are also going¡­ makes it all a little easier, you know.¡± I nodded but didn¡¯t say anything, hoping everything worked out for Charlene to get out of there. ¡°Well, okay, thanks again¡­ It seems you are in a hurry.¡±

    That was my queue, ¡°No, sorry¡­ I¡¯m not the best company right now.¡±

    ¡°You want to come in for a beer?¡± I thought about just leaving¡­ but where would I go. I knew I would end up in front of Chris¡¯s house, finding out what she was doing or what they were doing.

    After my beer with Charlene¡¯s father, I ran some errands and went home. Forced myself to have a few more drinks alone ad get my head screwed on straight. I needed to find Juliet a meal so she would feel better if she came home.

    My cell phone rang on my way back to my house. I hoped it was Juliet calling to ask for help. She hasn¡¯t done that so far. It still felt like an all-time low. She didn¡¯t trust me. Samuel¡¯s name flashed on the screen. I wasn¡¯t in the mood to deal and let it ring. A message came through.

    Samuel { Another cub was taken! Tracker needed. Heard what happened. Good time for you to find this bastard before you leave for France. Give her a few days }

    It was precisely what I needed. A way to help Juliet. Find the infected freak who injected her. I dropped off the takeout at my house, and another message came through.

    Samuel { Contact of werewolf you must work with¡­ Does the name Sita Rheed ring any bells? Play nice }

    I hit the steering wheel. Juliet hated Sita. I didn¡¯t particularly like her either; she was a conceited woman. I pushed the gas, frustrated at how I handled the whole freaking business.

    ***

    Liam

    When I came out of the garage, I saw Louis storming off. He would probably get his car, but why was he in such a huff. Did he and Juliet fight? Cindy was sitting at the breakfast nook, a glass of water in her hand, absentmindedly staring out in front of her. She didn¡¯t even realize I was there. I put my hands on her shoulder. She only patted mine, deep in thought. I walked down the hall to Juliet¡¯s room. She wasn¡¯t there either. It struck me. Juliet must have gone off-grid again. Louis and Cindy didn¡¯t know where she was.

    ¡°Did you check the app?¡±

    Cindy blinked slowly and stared at me, ¡°She knows everything now... Louis told her about his ability. She didn¡¯t take it well¡­ We know where she is, but he refuses to go get her.¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to go? Show me¡­¡± Cindy handed me the phone. I opened the app, but there was nothing when I refreshed her location. I let out an exasperated breath and sat down next to my wife,  ¡°Juliet put her phone off.¡±

    Cindy grabbed the phone out of my hand, checking if I was right, ¡°Now we have no idea what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t put her phone off if she was in a sticky situation, means she is safe. Just throwing a tantrum.¡±

    ¡°I suppose¡­ But she hasn¡¯t eaten in two weeks. How could we forget.¡±

    I sighed, ¡°You¡¯re taking this too hard¡­ We just came back¡­ I should¡¯ve sorted that out, but I thought we would have today¡­ Let¡¯s hope she¡¯ll be here by tonight. A lot of things happened in the last twenty-four hours. Let¡¯s give her a day to unwind.¡±

    ¡°There is more Liam¡­ She slept with Chris.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s married¡­ They don¡¯t even know each other!¡±

    ¡°Well, now we know why Jerry tried to kill her¡­ Our daughter almost died last night¡­ So much has happened to her¡­ She doesn¡¯t trust us. Couldn¡¯t even tell her own mother.¡± I pulled her into my arms. For the rest of the day, neither of us could relax or settle down, knowing Juliet could get into trouble at any moment.

    ***

    Sita

    I had to listen to Chris and Juliet have sex in the back of his car. I wasn¡¯t even angry. I felt nothing. It scared the crap out of me¡­ I wasn¡¯t even jealous. It was all about losing¡­ I got up, left him in bed, and didn¡¯t look back. I listened to their conversation¡­ Juliet was right about everything. She had guts. Revealed herself to him. Manifested and laid it all out there. And he still slept with her. More proof that I didn¡¯t give Chris the benefit of my doubt. But I wasn¡¯t going to admit to any wrongs on my part. I had done nothing wrong, and he cheated. I was late Friday on purpose. Wanted to postpone our make-up session. Two weeks had not been enough for me to get over it. I watched him on my laptop that whole night¡­  She was in my territory. So, I got dressed. Drove over¡­ But by that time¡­ Chris was... angry¡­ done¡­ I could see it in his eyes¡­ She had taken my husband, and I would never forgive her for that. It didn¡¯t matter what we were going through. We could have made it work if he wasn¡¯t lusting for a vamp.

    By the time I was back at my grandfather¡¯s farm¡­ I signed the divorce papers out of anger, leaving them with Nicholas. I was going back to the city where I belonged. My phone rang. Julia Thompson was hysterical at the other end. I didn¡¯t need any prompting to turn the car around and keep myself busy with whatever presented itself. The cub was just an excuse. It wasn¡¯t something I was good at. Even so, doing nothing was going to drive me insane.

    I had no more home. I didn¡¯t want to get involved in the middle of everything Chris would have to go through. He had Nicholas. The old guy had a soft spot for him. Maybe if it had happened and they had not slept together¡­ I would have stayed. I felt a sense of freedom, knowing that it was over. I had held on for so long, hoping that it would be me who made him manifest. When he did, I would have told him about myself, about everything I knew. It would have been a new beginning for us.

 26. Poor Chris

    26. Poor Chris

    Juliet

    Chris passed out on me! ¡°Weakling.¡± It took me a while to get him fastened with the seatbelts so he didn¡¯t fall out as I sped down the highway. I didn¡¯t understand why he needed to go to Sita¡¯s grandfather in such a hurry. I was just glad I didn¡¯t leave after we spoke. Seeing that he was done with Sita was reward enough. I fixed the front seat to my settings so I could keep driving; staying next to the highway with him passed out wasn¡¯t going to happen. I checked his phone. Held it up to his face, having to get past his security to get to his contacts.

    I thought back at how stupid I was to give him such an expensive gift for his birthday the previous year. I had noticed he used an old, outdated phone and wanted to do something for him¡ªfrom afar. I was so happy that day to hear about it from everyone. How he immediately took to it. I would¡¯ve wanted to buy him something else that year. Something that could get him that excited again.

    I checked for Sita¡¯s grandfather¡¯s location pin. When the route came up on screen, I pulled onto the highway. He had been driving for half an hour; I would have to go just as far. It was fun driving for a change. Glad he didn¡¯t drive stick. I wondered how long it would¡¯ve taken for my parents to buy me a car of my own. Not that I could blame them¡­ They kept me on a tight leash.

    I stopped outside a closed gate. It meant I was going to have to get out to open it, and I was afraid of being on a werewolf plot. I¡¯d never been up close to one or met one in human form... But I had¡­ Jerry was a freaking werewolf, and Louis knew it was Sita that night at the bridge, ¡°Argh!¡± He lied to me about everything! I  reluctantly opened my door. Sita killing me was a possibility. I heard growling from the other side of the gate. Four eyes glowed brightly in the reflection of the car¡¯s headlights. They were enormous and almost Chris¡¯s size. They transformed when they saw how scared I was. How ripped up my arms were. They knew who I was. I relaxed a bit. The two boys opened the gate and saw Chris in the back seat, concern evident in their features, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±

    ¡°Your dart gun, of course¡­ You had that one planned all along. Maybe you went a little bit overboard¡­ He¡¯s been like this since this morning.¡±

    ¡°You were there. You saw him. We needed¡­ overboard. You can be glad we were close. Now that he¡¯s manifested, we can all breathe easier.¡±

    An older man came out the front door. The house was situated away from the gate and driveway. He didn¡¯t venture off the porch, leaning on his cane, ¡°Who is it, Francis?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that vampire girl we have been watching and Chris. He is still knocked out.¡±

    The old man shook as he tried to stabilize himself on the thin piece of wood, ¡°Let her come in and tell her to park to the side.¡± I did what I was told. The two boys unclipped Chris and carried him inside. I was thankful that things seemed to be going rather well so far.

    I held open the bug screen with the rock placed on the floor. I helped with the front door so they could pass through, following to ensure I knew the house¡¯s layout and to take note of where they laid Chris down for the night. Not that it would help me if I wasn¡¯t welcome; going invisible there was redundant¡ªthey could see me. My strength, speed, and hearing abilities had not kicked in yet¡­ not even when Jerry was attacking me. One would think that if Chris had manifested under dire circumstances, maybe my body could have performed the same miracle to help me. ¡°Come sit, child,¡± the man said after observing me.

    I obliged and helped him into his seat. He patted my shoulder and pointed with his arm for me to a chair across from him, ¡°You must be Juliet.¡±

    ¡°I am. Thank you for letting me into your home, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Call me Mr. Moore. Or Nicholas. It doesn¡¯t matter to me, whatever you prefer. Thank You for bringing Chris here.¡±

    ¡°To tell the truth, I was a stowaway. He didn¡¯t invite me¡­ But then he passed out halfway and¡­ Yeah, here we are¡­ I¡¯m a little scared that Sita might be here,¡±  I glanced around the house.

    He chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s not.¡±

    I relaxed and sat back, breathing out. He held out an A4 brown envelope to me. I was surprised. Another person, including me. Taking it, I removed the contents reading the heading. Divorce papers¡­ for Sita Rheed and Christopher Rheed. Everything about it made me cringe. Frown lines must have creased my brow.

    He smiled, ¡°You don¡¯t like what¡¯s going on¡­ Yes, my granddaughter is selfish¡­ And I have a soft spot for Chris. I have to be honest as well¡­ I am a little irritated with her. How she handled everything¡­ You were only a vampire we needed to track when you came into the picture. And then you and Chris met. Everyone reported something was going on. I was a little angry at Sita for not committing to Chris.¡± I didn¡¯t say anything. Sat there dumbfounded at his declaration, staring at the signed papers¡­ What they meant for Chris and me? He continued, ¡°You love him very much¡­? Want to get married so young? Maybe why your parents introduce Louis to you? I would have done the same if we were vampires¡­ There is a little bit more lust in your veins. Drive for power. Want and needs that have to be met.¡± I blushed a little. It was true. His words made me stare at him. Nicholas knew something I couldn¡¯t even figure out. My parents introduced us. They let us hunt together and pushed us to spend time together¡­ After Marcus¡­ I had thought they would hide me away forever. ¡°Want to be Juliet Rheed instead of Du Pont? Well, you might get your wish granted; from today, Sita is the ex-wife¡­.¡±

    I blew out an exaggerated breath and pushed the papers back into the envelope, ¡°I have decided only to love where I¡¯m loved in return. Men have a funny way of looking at it. All logistical and think things through. It doesn¡¯t seem like I know what love is anyway. And Chris¡­ Isn¡¯t in love with me.¡±

    ¡°You protected him with your life. Everyone told me the injuries you sustained in the attack¡­ Seeing you now¡­ It is much worse than I thought¡­ If that¡¯s not unconditional love, what is?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a decision. I just did it¡­ like I did with that cub I heard in the bag.¡±

    ¡°You have a lot of room in your heart, Juliet. A trait not many people or creatures can boast of. As if justice is the most important thing to you¡­ and to be happy?¡±

    I smiled because of the compliments. It was the truth. I really¡­ just wanted to be happy and make someone else happy in return. Something else my parents understood. I was surprised at the acceptance I was getting from Nicholas. The two boys that were busy in the kitchen came over with a tea tray. They went to sit down in front of the TV not far from us, ¡°You¡¯re not angry at me?¡± I asked nervously.

    ¡°No Child! Sita gave up that right when she decided not to show up last night. She used excuses for years. Left the envelope here and got in her car. She didn¡¯t even stay with him¡­ To see if he would be okay¡­ I was so angry. We were on our way¡­ sent some people over, but we couldn¡¯t reach him.¡± He picked up his cup and sipped at the warm liquid, ¡°I saw it coming... Tried talking to her a few times. Sita kept burring her head deeper in the sand. After a while, I let her be.¡± While he was talking, I watched the two siblings. All of us were just leading everyday lives, trying to anyway¡­ I was suddenly glad Sita and Chris had no kids. There were no other connections between them. ¡°My sister¡¯s two boys. Francis and Jack.¡±

    ¡°How many children are still listed?¡±

    ¡°We have twenty across the country¡­ We try to focus on those close to us. The other continents must care for their own. We are so widespread worldwide it is hard to tell of those who are in hiding¡­ But we have come to a number¡­ There are only about a hundred kids all together.¡±

    ¡°A hundred! The vampires have thousands.¡±

    He nodded, ¡°The cub you saved was the child of close friends of ours. But Jerry would make the count back to ninety-nine now.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about Jerry¡­.¡± I gripped the brim of my nose, forcing myself not to cry again. Sick of crying.

    ¡°You have nothing to be sorry for,¡± Nicholas said. He seemed sincere and patted my knee in a fatherly fashion.

    ¡°Jerry was a jerk, and the species is better off without him,¡± Francis said out of turn.

    Nicholas sighed, ¡°I wish I could correct him. Say that he should show some respect. But all species have evil ingrained in their DNA¡­ It¡¯s a choice of how you want to live your life¡­ I want to thank you for saving that cub and putting yourself in danger for his sake.¡±

    Francis and Jack got up. Francis took my hand and pulled me towards him to put his forehead on mine, ¡°I want to thank you, too.¡± His brother did the same, and I smiled nervously.

    ¡°We Werewolves have a little bit more soul than you vampires.¡±

    I laughed lightly, ¡°That¡¯s for sure. The family unit is always warmer with warm bloods than the cold of having a tiny amount. But we can¡¯t choose how we¡¯re born.¡±

    ¡°You are right about that! But luckily, our species live so amicably together. I have even met Louis a few times over the years¡­ It is to our credit that the nonhumans are standing together,¡± he took another sip of tea, ¡°But what I would like to know is how you feel now after being given that poison?¡±

    I got choked up for a moment. Everyone knew what I had done. Thinking about that night¡­ I was proud of myself for getting in the car. I had done one thing right, and someone did notice. People did care. ¡°To tell the truth¡­ I¡¯m scared. I seem to have been affected to some degree. The consequences are infrequent. Different in severity every time¡­ I get these spells,¡± I air quote my last two words, ¡°He is creating vampire killers, but I still don¡¯t know everything that happened after. Louis and my dad sorted out the¡­ zombie. What it entailed, they wouldn¡¯t say. I¡¯m not included in everything yet.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you grow up at the compound?¡± Nicholas asked.

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°For a while¡­ Then I was ¡­ put up for auction¡­ Things happened, and my parents took the other route.¡±

    ¡°They chose exile?¡± he insinuated, ¡°Yes, we all heard something about what happened with Marcus. Wasn¡¯t really sure.¡± Nicholas eyed me suspiciously. Like he wanted me to tell him.

    I didn¡¯t know how much they knew about what really happened, ¡°It¡¯s been a few years since we moved. I wanted so desperately to go to school. And I did, with humans. I met Charlene and Carl.¡± I felt a little bad about changing the subject. But I didn¡¯t even want to think about Marcus, let alone talk about him or the compound.

    ¡°I can see where you get your heart for the truth. Your parents must love you very much. Doing that for you. Not an easy thing, they say,¡± Nicholas kept prodding.

    ¡°Vampire women at the compound don¡¯t really get to choose their lives¡­ You¡¯re taught to keep out of sight and not speak. Women are treated¡ª¡± I couldn¡¯t finish my sentence, ¡°Maybe a little of that had sunk in for the fifteen years we were there. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t ask too many questions¡­  When my parents don¡¯t tell me everything.¡± My voice was all choked up again, thinking about how much my parents had lied to me but also did for me.

    ¡°And now? Are you rebelling?  Why did you stow away in Chris¡¯s car?¡±

    I sighed heavily and kept peeking at the door where Chris was hopefully sleeping off the last of the drugs, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m acting the teenager today... and maybe tomorrow. Throwing a tantrum like my dad would say,¡± Nicholas laughed, ¡°But then I¡¯m off to France anyway. But don¡¯t tell Chris that.¡± The two boys were listening intently¡­ We all glanced at Chris¡¯s door.

    ¡°What does he remember?¡± Nicholas asked.

    A tear ran down my cheek. I flung it off my skin like it was a perp. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± I said, taking a raggedy breath, biting my lip, trying to stop the tears.

    Nicholas put his teacup on the side table, thinking about what to do, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± he asked softly. Francis came to sit with me, rubbing my back.

    I wasn¡¯t going to tell them I slept with Chris. That it was my first time, and I was freaking out¡ªfeeling like a fool¡­ And I just wished the guy would at least remember. ¡°I can¡¯t say¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ Do you know where Sita is?¡± I asked, changing the subject.

    ¡°She went back to the city. She lived there for a long time before she married Chris.¡±

    ¡°What will happen to him? If he is not married to Sita anymore? Will he stay under your protection?¡±

    Francis chipped in, ¡°Well, his first full moon will be very interesting.¡±

    I yawned as he went on and on about everything that could and could not happen to Chris. ¡°Francis, be quiet. Why do you want to scare the child¡­ Take her to the guest room. You can see how bored she is with your nonsense.¡±

    Francis was immediately quiet and stepped past me. I thanked Nicholas and followed Francis, relishing the idea of passing out and sleeping for two days like last time, ¡°Good night, Mr. Moore.¡±

    ¡°Good night, Juliet.¡±

    ***

    Chris

    I had woken up a while ago, recognizing Sita¡¯s old room. For the first time, I was in her bed. Juliet was talking with Nick. I couldn¡¯t really hear what they were saying. I also couldn¡¯t make myself get up. I was tired of wanting to sleep and not being able to get rid of that feeling. The stabbing pain hadn¡¯t returned yet, and I thanked heaven for that.

    Juliet went into the guest room with Francis. They talked about the bathroom and where they would be sleeping. The familiar cane sound stopped outside the door. Nicholas checked in on me and went to his room. I remembered courting Sita that far out of town. Back then, I had to sleep in the same room Juliet was in. She was there at my ex¡¯s house. Juliet¡¯s cuts¡­ She had seen me naked. Told me she loved me. My mind was racing, constantly trying to figure out what was going on. She didn¡¯t leave and stayed with me the whole day. I wondered what she did in the house and how she decided to come with me. Why wasn¡¯t she with Louis or just home? Did it have to do with Friday? Juliet drove me all the way there. She could drive¡­  I turned on my side, knowing there was no point in fighting it. I closed my eyes, wondering if Juliet would sneak in to see me.

    The following day, I woke up feeling fantastic. Never again would I take a handful of different pain meds and chuck it down my throat. My head was clear. I felt like my old self, only a million times better. I got up to use the bathroom. I almost fell over Francis lying in the hall, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked him.

    He complained, ¡°Have to watch you.¡± His head came up quickly and fell back down onto his pillow.

    ¡°Go lie on the bed. I¡¯m slept out.¡±

    He didn¡¯t hesitate, took his blanket and pillow, and fell on Sita¡¯s bed. I closed the door. At the same time, my gaze drifted across the hall. Juliet was still sleeping. Who was I kidding? It was early. I checked my watch¡­ very early. Passing her door, I hesitated¡­ I put my hand on the lever... I wanted to talk to her. If I went in, I was taking a step towards her¡­ I had written the letter¡­ Gave Sita her time. I first needed the divorce finalized¡­ I opted for coffee instead, not being ready to face these questions before I knew what happened Friday. Didn¡¯t know how Nicholas felt about it all.

    The view from the porch was beautiful at that time of the day, and waking up to the mountains in the background was always a treat. Nicholas would already be awake, and I hoped I would find him outside. I could hear his chair rocking before I stepped through the door. He was staring out into nothingness. I made myself comfortable beside him, trying not to disturb his reverie. I placed a fresh cup on the table; he had heard the clang of the cup on the glass and thanked me for the coffee.

    ¡°Thanks for last night, Nick. Thank you for taking in, Juliet. I know this must be confusing, but¡ª¡± he handed me a brown envelope, cutting me off. I hurriedly opened it and instantly knew what it was. I flipped to the last page to see if Sita had signed¡ªshe had. I bowed my head, closing my eyes¡ªmy lips slightly parted. There was no feeling like that one. I could take back everything she had stolen from me. Nicholas gave me a moment to let it sink in.

    ¡°I find it strange that you¡¯re not asking any questions about what is happening. Everybody''s reaction has been weirdly confusing since I had woken up from a simple accident. I feel like it¡¯s a secret I¡¯m not entitled to.¡±

    The old man took a sip of his coffee, ¡°It¡¯s because telling you is difficult. I know what¡¯s going on and about Juliet¡­ Sita told me everything.¡±

    That explained some of it, ¡°Nothing was going on with Juliet and me when I asked Sita to try and fix our relationship.¡±

    ¡°I know, Chris¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry. Juliet and I had a very long conversation last night¡­ And I feel bad that things between you and Sita didn¡¯t work out, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°But?¡±

    ¡°But there are more important things to talk about¡­ I need to tell you something. You need to know the truth¡­ Three years ago¡­ when Sita joined the school where you worked¡­ it was planned.¡±

    I frowned, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well, we will come to that. More important is¡­ You know about Juliet. That she is not normal¡­.¡±

    I was shocked that their conversation had led to that, ¡°It seems like you knew, Nicholas,¡± he nodded, ¡°Juliet and I haven¡¯t had much time to talk¡­ I know she is different¡­ I know she has an ability,¡± I ventured to say.

    ¡°Juliet is not human¡­ And neither is Sita¡­ They¡­ No! We are not human¡­.¡±

    The silence stretched between us. My hands were sliding over my face. ¡°Sita¡­ You?¡± I stood up in disbelief, ¡°Francis and Jack?¡±

    He nodded and cleared his throat, ¡°That¡¯s not all, Chris. Sit down... You will have to brace yourself. There is a lot more to come.¡±

    Reluctantly, I took my seat. What else could he possibly have to tell me? My wife was something. Her whole family was not human¡­ Juliet was something¡­ Her parents and Louis. My entire world around me had been¡­ I didn¡¯t even know what to call them.

    ¡°Now, what I am about to tell you¡­ I feel I should have told you a long time ago. But so be it¡­You¡­ You are not human, Chris.¡±

    It didn¡¯t register. I thought for a moment, ¡°I am. I have no abilities. I was a baby¡­ born like everyone else.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ We are races of creatures. All of us are also born. ¡±

    ¡°What creatures? What do you mean races?¡±

    ¡°Different species¡­ Juliet is a vampire. My whole family, we are werewolves.¡±

    I laughed out loud. Half scoffed at his words, ¡°Vampire? Werewolf! You¡¯re joking with me.¡±

    Nicholas¡¯s eyes were cast at the floor. He wasn¡¯t lying¡­ it had to be true. Juliet was there, and they had talked. I was the odd one out. The one that didn¡¯t know what was going on around him. ¡°And you are special too¡­ Friday, something happened to make your race come to the surface¡­ You manifested into whatever you are¡­ Your abilities emerged.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember anything about Friday! I got knocked out in a fight, and the painkillers I took Saturday made me groggy.¡±

    He shook his head slowly, ¡°No¡­¡±

    Although I could think clearly, I was floored at the thought of also being a creature. What was I, if not a vampire¡­ or werewolf? I thought about Juliet and Friday¡­ The cuts on her.  If it was me that hurt her, I would never forgive myself, ¡°What happened Friday!?¡±

    ¡°Ahm¡­ there was an altercation between Juliet and Jerry, who was also not human.¡±

    Stupefied, I stared at him. So it was Jerry like Juliet had said. She had not lied to protect me, ¡°Was?¡± I asked. Did he want to hurt her, and that¡¯s when my ability emerged? I was trying so hard to remember what happened. Juliet, Jerry, and me. Sita wasn¡¯t there. It was late. She had not come back for our date.

    ¡°I can see you are figuring things out, and you are right¡­ Jerry was about to kill Juliet when you blacked out, and what we call... manifested into whatever you are.¡±

    ¡°What would¡¯ve provoked him to attack her¡­ And why didn¡¯t she just disappear? I don¡¯t believe you, Nicholas¡­ It doesn¡¯t add up. Where was Sita? If she knew about me? Where the hell was she?!¡±

    He sat back in his chair and rocked slowly back and forth, ¡°Think of it like this¡­ If we are not human, then what? What did you think Juliet was?¡±

    I paused, thinking about the cuts on her arms and her legs. Claws¡­ werewolf claws. I pressed restless fingers into my eye sockets, ¡°Why the hell did I blackout and can¡¯t remember! What am I?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. We call you the hybrid. One of the caretakers saw you manifest before you were two at the orphanage. It only lasted a moment. We have been tracking you ever since.¡±

    ¡°I would¡¯ve known if I was different. Things would have made me manifest, or I would¡¯ve come out before now.¡±

    ¡°Chris, try to breathe. This will be a very long day and will only get more confusing and stressful before it evens out.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to calm down; I needed air, ¡°In that case, I¡¯m taking a walk¡­ We haven¡¯t even begun to discuss that Sita was planned!¡±

    ¡°I know, and I will tell you anything you want to know¡­ But take a break¡­ Don¡¯t worry about Juliet. She is a welcome guest here.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t even thinking about her and wouldn¡¯t feel guilty about it. She didn¡¯t tell me anything either¡­ Not that I warranted her trust. Did she not push me away from the bridge that night? I remember the sound I heard¡­ Creature... werewolf? ¡­ No ¡­ It was Louis. He cannot be a werewolf¡­ Surely not? I was angry at everyone. He just told me I killed some kid¡­ I couldn¡¯t even begin to go down the road of Sita lying to me for four f¡ªing years. My whole life had been a lie.

 27. Sunday Is Not a Fun Day

    27. Sunday Is Not a Fun Day

    Juliet

    Every time I woke up the last few months, something monumental had happened. The weather was changing, and the sun was hotter than ever that year. I couldn¡¯t wait to go to France, where it would snow for months. The sun would just leave me alone, everything would be different, and I would be away from it all. I didn¡¯t have my cell phone. My wristwatch said midday. I didn¡¯t jump up¡ªthere was no point. There wouldn¡¯t be one-on-one time for Chris and me. Nicholas was going to tell him everything. He didn¡¯t remember we slept together or that I manifested in front of him; it was like we took three steps back. It might as well be the day after the letter for him. His heart still resolved that our love was not written on the stars¡ªthe worst word choice¡ªones I would never forget.

    Lying there, I tried to think of anything other than Chris¡­ But the only other thing was Charlene and the baby and telling Ben. Carl, so much as confessed, he is also some creature¡­ The only ones left to think about were my parents¡­ and Louis, who I didn¡¯t want to think about at all. After all the people in my life, it was France¡­ I looked forward to getting on the plane, wondering if Louis still wanted to go. I would have to ask if we were still welcome on his estate. Or maybe he would allow us to live there if he wanted nothing more to do with me. I really didn¡¯t want another guy in my life who didn¡¯t know how he felt about me.

    The only other thing I could do was judge Sita¡¯s house and why she was the way she was. It was well kept, and the decor feminine. It meant Nicholas had a wife or daughter who was the opposite of Sita. Her cold city ways were nowhere near the cozy, homely d¨¦cor of the house. When I went into Chris¡¯s home, it was like walking into a magazine cut-out¡ªsleek and chic with lines everywhere, ¡°I wonder what made her that way. And what happened to her parents,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Come out, and I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Francis said outside my door. ¡°Come on, wake up. We are all bored to death. Chris is out walking after their talk¡­ So we¡¯re all waiting for you.¡±

    I did get up and slowly went outside, still a little afraid of being in a strange house. I stood around the corner that would lead to the kitchen. I smelled the food and raw meat. The last time I fed was with Louis. It felt like forever ago. I couldn¡¯t eat the human food; it would just get stuck in my throat. I held my hand in front of my mouth. Francis jumped around the corner, ¡°When was the last time you ate!?¡±

    ¡°Too long ago¡­ Food wasn¡¯t on my priority list the last two weeks.¡±

    ¡°We have to sort that out,¡± A voice came from the front door. Nicholas wobbly walked through on his cane.

    ¡°Morning, Mr. Moore.¡±

    ¡°Morning, Juliet. How did you sleep?¡±

    ¡°Very well, thank you. I haven¡¯t slept like that in a long time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad¡­ I will let Francis sort you out with some real food. Or do you want to go home?¡±

    The question struck me. I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°No! Stay Juliet!¡± Francis said. ¡°We need some entertainment and would love to take you out to dinner. It¡¯s a rough weekend for you and Chris. You guys need this little break here in the mountains.¡± I rewarded Francis with a smile and nodded. He was cute but already in his twenties. A lot like me. We would never grow up.

    ¡°Does he remember anything yet?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No, nothing,¡± Francis said.

    It felt like¡­ If Chris didn¡¯t remember today or even before I got on that plane¡­ our whole relationship would be over. The idea of saying goodbye to Chris again¡­ was too much for me to think about. I wanted to stretch out the time we had left¡ª just a little longer.

    Nicholas turned back to go outside, ¡°Juliet, you¡¯re more than welcome to stay¡­ When Chris comes back, we will have to continue our discussion anyway. Francis take her northwest. Jack, you go too. Away from the last pickup, see what you can get from the vampire family there.¡±

    I thought about Jenny. Chris¡¯s face when he found out about me killing people for food. I almost wanted to stop eating altogether, but my instincts would kick in before that happened. Only thinking about Jenny in the alley that night made me manifest¡ªright there in the kitchen.

    ¡°Can I come with,¡± a voice said behind me.

    I didn¡¯t hear Chris coming up the porch steps. Going invisible was my defense mechanism and the one I chose at that moment. Francis laughed at me. I quickly came back in front of him and punched his shoulder just to disappear again... ¡°Ouch! Boy, but you¡¯re ugly.¡±

    I hid behind the counter on my haunches, trying to rid myself of that face. I was at Jack¡¯s feet, ¡°Like you mutts are any prettier?¡± Jack kicked me, and I laughed. I liked Jack. He was a lot like Carl. Quiet all the time.

    I didn¡¯t have a clear look at Chris Friday; what I could remember was his size. His face was like ours but different, a weird combination¡ªmore sleek and sophisticated. His ability was teleporting. He had the strength of a vampire and a werewolf combined. The body of a wolf; the claws, feet, and muscles.

    ¡°Juliet, how long are you going to do this? Chris asked.

    ¡°Maybe you should give me two weeks?¡± I said in a sarcastic tone.

    How would he feel when he manifested in front of me for the first time? Or if I was there when he killed his first person. I hoped he would think about what I was saying. That he would realize that somewhere, we spoke about the ultimatum he had given Sita. ¡°I already know most of what happened Friday and what¡¯s going on,¡± Chris said.

    ¡°No,¡± I snorted, ¡°You don¡¯t¡­ you have no idea!¡± I swallowed the lump in my throat, still getting sick of the smell in the kitchen, ¡°Jack, what the hell are you cooking! It¡¯s disgusting.¡±

    ¡°Tripe,¡± he kicked me again.

    ¡°Do that again¡­ I dare you!¡± I flinched at him, challenging him. He smiled down at me. He was attractive and knew his way around the kitchen. But there were no women around. I wondered why. No one really wanted to get involved with the humans. The werewolf pool was low¡ªalmost non-existent.

    ¡°What you gonna do about it,¡± Jack said, gritting his teeth. I bit him on his leg. He laughed and shook me off.

    ***

    Chris

    Nicholas patted me on the back, ¡°Come, Chris. We need to finish our conversation. They have to eat and leave. If she is that unstable, she might eat us all,¡± my face did not think it was funny. Nicholas laughed at me, ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡± He opened the door and turned to me, whispering, ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s comfortable with you seeing her like that yet.¡±

    Juliet had changed into something, and she was afraid of my reaction, ¡°When you come back, we have to talk,¡± I said.

    Juliet muttered under her breath¡­ It was probably something snarky. A smile played on my lips¡­ Juliet was really there, and all of it was really happening. I left her and followed Nick outside, helping him sit down. I could hear Juliet and the brothers still joking. She fit in better with them than Sita ever had. Juliet was going to take a shower. The boys would eat, and the three would make their ¡®run.¡¯

    I had heard Nicholas call her a vampire. The concept hadn¡¯t sunk in yet, not even after my very long walk. Fangs and drinking blood; ¡®The run¡¯ they would make involved killing¡ªbut what? I knew she was different¡­ even so¡­ vampires and werewolves¡­ weren¡¯t what I had in mind. ¡°What happens if she doesn¡¯t eat?¡±

    ¡°We die¡­ Juliet needs the blood, and we need the meat.¡±

    ¡°What do you eat¡­ Don¡¯t tell me she needs to drink blood like in the movies¡­ And why can she walk around in the sun?¡±

    Nicholas sighed heavily, ¡°Really, Chris? I¡¯m too old for this.¡±

    I lifted my hands in the air.

    ¡°Yes, she kills people. We all do¡­ We eat them¡­ she drains their blood.¡± I tried to be quiet¡­ ¡°When you¡¯re faced with the choice¡­ Your animalistic nature will take over, and you will see the natural instinct... Not much you can do about it.¡±

    ¡°Is there no other way? Animal blood? Cows?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work. We have tried. It helps for a while, but we always end up sickly and eventually dying.¡±

    ¡°Juliet will die if she doesn¡¯t eat?¡± I said it out loud. The concept of Juliet dying or another person seemed so foreign. That live-or-die world of theirs was daunting and scary.

    ¡°It¡¯s a full-time job having a creature child¡­ but I won¡¯t tell you about that just yet¡­ As we grow older, we need to feed less regularly¡­ Juliet is still so young. It is a wonder she isn¡¯t provided for every week.¡±

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°A creature child¡­ Sita didn¡¯t want to sleep with me¡­ because she knew what I was.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it!¡± Nicholas took a deep breath, ¡°I told you it was all planned that Sita would marry you. We needed a werewolf to mate with the hybrid to see if it would produce any offspring. Shed light into genetics or maybe save our race¡­ even if we weren¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Pure anymore¡­ Or even if it didn¡¯t work,¡± my anger was climbing up a ladder again¡ªonly talking about Sita. ¡°You played me¡­ And then? Why didn¡¯t she do what she was supposed to?¡± I laughed at the irony, ¡°Our relationship would¡¯ve been totally different if she could just sleep with me¡­ Why would she commit to saving your race and then cop out being undercover? No, don¡¯t tell me. Sita took enough from me. If it wasn¡¯t for her, I would¡¯ve¡ª¡±

    Nicholas¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°You would have pursued Juliet?¡± I ran my fingers through my hair, agitated¡­ It didn¡¯t matter what he said. I would have to let go of the last three years of my life. Sita wasn¡¯t the trigger that made me change into whatever I was. Juliet had been.

    Nicholas got a message on his phone asking me to read it.

    Sita { Another cub was taken. The Thompson¡¯s little girl. I am on my way there }

    Nicholas continued to tell me all I needed to know. About how brave Juliet had been. I remembered how she came to school after her ¡®accident.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t sick, she almost died¡­ That was the morning Louis was at school for the first time.

    Nicholas told me to go look at the laptop in his study and to take all the time I needed. Sita had sent him an email with a file attached. It was of a creature being carried by other creatures into¡­ my house. I at least knew how the mess came about¡­ They placed me on the bed, or what I supposed was me. Then Sita¡­ changed back into a human on video. I whistled. That was stuff that changed the world. Eight billion humans¡ªhow many were creatures? Nothing could have prepared me to see myself change like that, back to my human self. Sita was sitting on the bed, checking a laptop, but it wasn¡¯t her personal one. She placed it on the bedside table, got up, and left. She had seen something that made her go. I have been monitored like that for years. How many cameras did they have on me, and where was that laptop?

    ***

    Juliet

    Before we left, I stood at the door to the study, watching Chris. His whole life was changing right in front of him. I was resigned that maybe that was the better way, not my way Friday night. Only thinking about him and I made my heart swell. I waited a moment to see if he would look up. Make eye contact with me like we always did, hoping the same thing would be written in them. The same thing they said in the car. Maybe something more? That after the divorce papers and throwing away the ring, he would at least consider us¡ªI cleared my throat. The corner of his mouth lifted, but he didn¡¯t look up, ¡°I know you¡¯re there. I¡¯m not stupid.¡±

    ¡°Could¡¯ve fooled me,¡± his smile broadened, ¡°I like seeing you smile, Chris.¡±

    Francis came and picked me up, threw me over his shoulder, ¡°Enough, you two.¡± I didn¡¯t see if Chris¡¯s eyes shot up or not.

    ***

    Louis

    It was another little town with almost no people and a few big cities close by. That seemed to be the norm for creatures not living in a community. A place to feed and one to hide away in. The police were too swamped with actual crime to worry about a homeless guy going missing. The Thompsons were also on a smallholding. The little cub was taken late at night without anyone hearing or smelling a thing. I hadn¡¯t spent any time trying to find the guy; I was too busy with Juliet, and that meant another child was taken.

    His last house was modern, with serious security, well-hidden, and far off the grid. He frequented brothels and hired cars. None of that information had yielded any results for Samuels¡¯ guys. No one knew where he would go next or how he got the children out of a house full of werewolves.

    I was outside the residence, walking the grounds, looking for anything to help with how he got away so fast¡­ When Sita parked her car, I sighed immediately. The two of us working together would cause me unnecessary trouble. She strutted up towards me in a chic pencil skirt and silk top. Reading her thoughts¡­ they weren¡¯t nice about me either. It suited me. I decided not to read her again for the length of time we would be working together. Felt like I was cheating on Juliet¡ªbeing inside, Sita. My shoulders shook at the idea, ¡°New look for you?¡± I commented.

    ¡°Some things are better in the city.¡± That was right¡­ Mr. Tailored, or shall I rename him, Rodrigo Gonzales, liked suits¡ªcostly suits. He was taken from Spain as a boy and smuggled in on a ship, forever to be an infected vampire. Serving as a slave in the compound to the superior race. The only reason they couldn¡¯t escape was the desert that lasted for miles. All around. They couldn¡¯t go out in the sun¡­ So, the compound was a sort of prison for them. Would love to know how¡­ No, I will keep him Mr. Tailored, for Juliet¡­ Would love to know how Mr. Tailored did it back then. He was the first and last to escape. Someone must have helped him on the inside.

    Thinking of Juliet made me look at my phone. Messages from Liam and Cindy but nothing from that woman who drove me crazy. I couldn¡¯t resist, so I sent her a text. I was officially a shmuck in love, sucking up to a girl who slept with someone else.

    Me { Another cub was taken¡­ Solving cases without you. Wish we could have done this one together. I haven¡¯t left you¡­ Never will. Bye, Baby. Stay Safe¡­ Let me know if I should send takeout. Some¡ª is waiting at my house¡­ If you go home }

    It bothered me that she had not eaten and shut off her phone. She was learning fast. And if she wanted to, she could really disappear. Even I would have a hard time finding her.

    I wanted to know what the werewolves planned to do with Chris for the next three weeks. If they were taking precautions. But anyway, I had other things to worry about. A cub was stolen, and I had hours to find him. There was nothing to do but start calling everyone I knew and everyone I didn¡¯t. Describing suits to every tailor I talked to. Ultimately, I found the guy, but he wouldn¡¯t speak over the phone. He was three hours away. He would probably not spill anyway or know more than ¡®That the guy was strange. In and out. Quirky. Only came out at night.¡¯ All I wanted to know was if he had seen him recently. His answer was ¡®no.¡¯

    To look for another house would be pointless. Just because he had one previously didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t in some basement at that moment. Seemed like his kidnappings went along with a night of fun¡­ I knew of him having a bag at the motel two times. Brothels were easier to track. I called the one person I really didn¡¯t want to¡­ And who picked up in two rings¡­ not like Juliet¡­ My lips trilled out of frustration. I needed to put on my game face before I talked to Jacklin.

    ¡°Hello, Darling. Have you reconsidered yet? Or are you still after that little young thing?¡±

    ¡°You know I wouldn¡¯t have called if it wasn¡¯t an emergency¡­ Do you have any motels up North? Like the one I saw you in last time?¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­¡±

    ¡°Any funny, quirky clients who need new cars delivered every time?¡±

    ¡°Are you still after that infected vamp?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a wonder the compound hasn¡¯t come a-knocking, Jacklin! You having known what he was. You know they aren¡¯t allowed in public, yet you¡­ entertained him.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was surprised as well. Thought I would get a visit by now. Maybe something to do with how he got out in the first place,¡± Jacklin said, and she had a point. Something wasn¡¯t right, but that was a mission for another day.

    ¡°So, are you going to call your managers? And call me back in, say¡­ Ten minutes?¡±

    ¡°What! No! Why should I help you?¡±

    ¡°I know you have no love for the werewolves¡­ And that¡¯s why you did nothing when he was kidnapping kids¡­ But another one was taken¡­ And I¡¯m asking nicely.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°What do you want, Jacklin?¡± She didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Let¡¯s just say that I owe you one? How about that? A holiday at my house in Paris, maybe?¡±

    ¡°Bloomingdale street, west end¡­ While you were selling your soul, I had to send two messages to get you what you wanted.¡±

    ¡°Thank You, Jacklin.¡±

    ¡°You have not answered me.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°You still after that¡ª¡±

    I cut her off, ¡°Don¡¯t call her that.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a yes¡­ What is it about her? For two hundred years, girls have been falling over you. Wanting you and no one was ever good enough.¡±

    Just thinking about Juliet made my heart beat a little faster. Worrying about her made me anxious and irritated. Her kissing me was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I knew that if I had Juliet on my side, I would lack nothing¡ªever again. If she gave all of herself¡­ I would never be alone again. She is special. Her good opinion was all that mattered. And that was my goal¡­ at all costs. I wanted her¡­ Charlene was right¡­ I had it bad¡­ And love wasn¡¯t something you could sum up in a sentence. Or pinpoint¡­ Jacklin didn¡¯t deserve the explanation anyway. She wouldn¡¯t even be on the list of possible candidates if Juliet never spoke to me again. Not that there was a list. ¡°That much, huh?¡± she said after my lengthy silence.

    ¡°Yeah... That much.¡±

    ¡°Well, go get your guy¡­ Hurry, the only one that resembles this description has an appointment tonight.¡±

    I hung up the phone and walked up to Sita, and we were on our way. I was going to need help, and I didn¡¯t want to go alone. We would have only one shot. Just maybe he was still there.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°Hey guys, can I borrow a phone,¡± Francis gave his willingly.

    I quickly changed sims to see what was going on. I was assaulted by the number of messages from my parents, Carl, Charlene, Mandy, and even one from Louis. I opened his first, curious to hear what he had to say.

    ¡°Louis is going to help with the Cub,¡± I said excitedly.

    Francis and Jack commented on the fact that Sita would be there. My nose wrinkled in disdain. ¡°You don¡¯t like Sita, do you?¡± Francis asked. I shook my head. I reread the message. It was sweet, and Louis did care. He had some poor guy tied up in his house, just waiting if I might go home. I felt bad. It did feel like I cheated on him. No¡­ I did cheat on him. And¡­ Chris didn¡¯t even remember¡­ I would do anything for Louis to hold me and tell me everything would be okay¡­ Because Chris sure wasn¡¯t going to. I might have thrown away a real chance with Louis.

    It took so much connection for Chris to break and let go. I sighed at the thought of going through that again and whether it was worth it. After we had sex, Chris was going to say something to me. I thought he would say that everything had changed for him. That maybe he could perceive to utter the words ¡®I love you.¡¯ Everything was getting a bit much for me. I couldn¡¯t wait to get on that plane and start over.

    I sent Louis a message:

    Me { Hey. All is well. Have some dogs taking me out to dinner. Not so mad anymore. Kind of missing you. Still, feel bad. More guilty than anything else. I am SORRY Louis¡­ I hate misunderstandings. Anyway¡­ Will you let my parents know? Don¡¯t feel like talking to them. Finding out more from the mutts than my mom, dad¡­ or YOU. You¡¯ve probably already figured out where I am. Thanks for giving me space. Just need some time. But if we still go to France¡­ we will have to do a 180! }

    I didn¡¯t really know or plan the future. I wasn¡¯t trying to keep Louis on a string or lead Chris on. And I wasn¡¯t forcing anyone to stay with me¡­ I was just living one day at a time. I almost died Friday. Twice in the last month¡­ That thought alone was surreal and made me a little more open to possibilities. Francis blasted the radio. We had only fifteen minutes or so to go.

 28. Introducing Marcus

    28. Introducing Marcus

    Louis

    Sita and I had been driving like crazy, and the hour it took to reach the city felt like an eternity, ¡°I just came from here,¡± Sita said out of the blue.

    ¡°Why were you in the city?¡±

    ¡°Divorced¡­ Starting over.¡±

    ¡°Really! That¡¯s not what I wanted to hear¡­ So, you obviously know about Chris and Juliet?¡±

    She seemed stunned, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you hitting the road after Friday?¡±

    ¡°Not really against polyandry,¡± Sita couldn¡¯t seem more shocked. I smiled.

    ¡°You can¡¯t think Chris would stand for that. He didn¡¯t cheat on me for three years.¡±

    That thought wiped my smile away, ¡°Chris can¡¯t even remember what happened Friday. And before that¡­ he rejected her up to the last minute. If you showed up two hours earlier¡­ None of this would have happened¡­! What was it that you couldn¡¯t get over?¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gotten married in the last two hundred years, Louis?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. But you don¡¯t seem like the sentimental type, Sita. You have a guy totally devoted to you.¡±

    ¡°Had¡­¡± she said softly.

    The conversation died down after that. I wasn¡¯t going to pry and had no desire to know what she was thinking¡­ or why she couldn¡¯t sleep with Chris.

    ¡°When we get there. We will have to search the basement and find the car. Hopefully, he will run for it, dump the bag, and flee. If you have to manifest, the basement is the safest place. Let me find him inside the hotel.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± an instant camaraderie formed, knowing how serious the situation was. Sita pointed at a building as the GPS directed us to the garage¡¯s entry. There were 3 floors of basement parking.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Maybe the lowest level. No one parks there,¡± she shrugged.

    There was little light in the dark space of the parking area. They flickered to attention as we drove down the lane. It wasn¡¯t as big as the other levels, and only a few cars were parked. The options were limited, and finding a set of keys on the wheel didn¡¯t take long. I had to repark the rental in a spot where he couldn¡¯t just speed out. I positioned my car in front of it to ensure he couldn¡¯t escape at all. ¡°We need him alive¡­.¡± Sita nodded in my direction, ¡°Be careful¡­ I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to take him on. But the baby takes precedence.¡±

    I had a sick sense of dread in my stomach. Something felt off. Everything seemed way too easy. Jacklin gave me the right club at the right time. I found everything too convenient, ¡°What is it, Louis?¡±

    ¡°Weed.¡±

    The place was a logistical mess. It wasn¡¯t only a brothel or a high-end hotel with benefits. There were so many floors, and one was dedicated to a club. The massive dance floor filled with women and men made it almost impossible to move around. The dance music was too loud and not my style. I couldn¡¯t bypass any of it because cubicles with couches ran along the walls on all sides of the floor. Unfortunately, the doors Jacklin said I had to get to were staring at me on the other side of the room¡ªguarded by bouncers. I hoped they knew I was coming and would let me through. I gave my name, and they spoke to someone through an earpiece.

    ¡°Enjoy,¡± Each opened a door, and I walked through. Jacklin was either really hands-on or had good staff. On the other side was a small lobby. Bouquets of flowers stood everywhere in pots on stands. A table decorated with more in one corner. The elegance continued; the floor was marble, and the walls were painted a soft yellow. A massive waterfall softly fell over a wall of glass behind the reception area. It didn¡¯t disappoint the standard the hotel was trying to maintain.

    ¡°Welcome, Mr. Du Pont,¡± the woman standing in front of the water welcomed me. She was clad in an off-shoulder sequenced dress. It wasn¡¯t the hotel¡¯s reception; it was a private floor.  ¡°To my left is the restaurant,¡± she gestured with an outstretched hand, ¡°And a bar area where you will surely find some company tonight.¡±

    Her eyes lingered on me a little too long. I raised an eyebrow, reading her thoughts, ¡°Thank You. Any news about the client Jacklin arranged for me to meet?¡±

    ¡°He has not checked in, but I will inform you when he does. Please have a drink on the house.¡±

    I tapped the counter¡¯s surface, reading her name tag, ¡°Thank you, Claire.¡± She winked at me. I chuckled, casting my eyes down. I wished Juliet was there. She would be so jealous. She could also have used her invisibility to do some recon because how was I supposed to go about doing everything?  There was nothing for it. I had to get a girl, go to a room, and get some answers. Maybe even get a jump on the guy. If he saw me down there, it wouldn¡¯t have worked anyway. Juliet had told me that Mr. Tailored was given access to the whole place and used service elevators. Jacklin was making me run around in circles and wasting time. Mr. Tailored was paying a lot of money; maybe she wanted to appease me and not give him up. There would be a fight. I was pumping myself up for it. He was just as old as me, but infected vampires were said to have a little bit of an advantage; stronger, faster, and almost unbreakable.

    I sat at the bar beside a woman and got down to it, ¡°Are you free? Or are you waiting?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Waiting¡­ Sorry. But I would happily accompany you if you could wait an hour.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in a bit of a rush¡­ Can you perhaps point me toward your best friend in need of some money?¡± She smiled and pointed her red-painted nail toward a redhead in a booth. The lady eagerly waved me over. It didn¡¯t take long, and Louisa and I walked past Claire. She pouted her lips, disappointed that I didn¡¯t choose her, but smiled at the redhead in my arms. Claire handed me a room keycard. I told her to call me if she had any good news. As Louisa and I entered the elevator, I took a selfie with my new date and sent it to Juliet.

    Me { This could have been you¡­ Not a date! Just cover! }

    Juliet { Sorry, eating. Talk later. Dracula Emoji and a blood drop Emoji }

    Smelling Louisa next to me as a meal seemed like a good idea. I could¡¯ve left Jacklin with a headache if she had stabbed me in the back. It took forever to get to the seventh floor. Louisa led me down the carpeted hall and unlocked a room door. Once she was inside, I listened for a moment, wondering if I would be able to hear anything¡ªnothing. That hotel was a bit more soundproof, and hearing the cub wasn¡¯t going to happen. That was if I was even on the right floor.

    I followed Louisa into the room and messaged Sita at the same time.

    Me { Anything? }

    Sita { Nothing yet... Hiding. Anything on your end? }

    Me { Making progress. Hold on¡­ Be careful. Hide better }

    I closed the door. Had to scare Louisa a little with my vampire face, my strength, and my impeccable manners before she knew I wasn¡¯t mucking about. Questioned her about all the regulars the women were complaining about. ¡°He is tall, well dressed, and his hair is flatly gelled onto his head¡­ Come on¡­ this has to already give you a name.¡±

    She laughed, ¡°You¡¯re kidding. You just described every old guy in here.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not old. Thirty-something. Very handsome and doesn¡¯t mess around. In and out quick. Regular for the last month... More than others.¡± Louisa¡¯s facial future changed. Bingo! She wanted to say but changed her mind, ¡°I will give you a chance to live¡­ This is really important to my¡­ girlfriend. She is into all that vigilante stuff and justice¡­ World peace and everything. This guy owes her some answers.¡±

    ¡°Ruth. My friend downstairs. The one you sat next to first... Her client is coming. For the last month¡­ Twice a week.¡±

    ¡°That has to be him¡­ What room?¡±

    ¡°Two flights up. Room 923.¡±

    ¡°You have any bondage I can tie you up with?¡± Louisa flinched inwardly but tried to keep face, ¡°So, you don¡¯t ruin this for me?¡±

    ¡°Top drawer,¡± she sighed, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe me if I said I wouldn¡¯t spill my guts.¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°No, sorry. I wasn¡¯t born yesterday,¡± I laughed at my own joke. I was really bored without Juliet. Wanted to make things right with her. Talk to her and tell her everything. I tied Louisa¡¯s hands and feet and put her next to the bed on the floor, and then tied her to the headboard, ¡°I will make sure you get paid double for the whole night. Really sorry! This is kinda life or death.¡±

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Now I just had to wait for Claire to phone. She did but gave me the wrong information; kinda sus again. But I would rather be prepared if it was a trap of some kind. I made my way to the ninth floor¡ªI trusted Louisa more than Jacklin and Claire. The elevator door dinged when it opened. I heard Ruth¡¯s voice, ¡°What¡¯s in the bag? Sounds like a puppy.¡± Wrong question to ask Ruth. I listened to the slap and a cry of protest.

    ¡°No Questions,¡± I heard a man say. It had to be him. It seemed to work because she followed him anyway. Stupid Ruth. I took it as the perfect opportunity. I walked past them. Ruth was holding her cheek.

    ¡°You just hit this woman?¡± I asked, putting my hands on his chest.

    When Rodrigo met my eyes, he recognized me immediately. I wondered if he would. He tried to be fast, but I was a little faster. I got the bag from him and tossed it to Ruth. She surprisingly didn¡¯t let the bag fall while I kept him busy.

    ¡°If I were you, I would run. Not want to go into a room with this guy.¡± Ruth was hesitating, ¡°Down in the basement. Last level. Blond. Well dressed. Give her the bag and tell her to go in my car and floor it.¡± When I manifested, Ruth screamed, which made Rodrigo attack her, trying to get the bag back. I warded him off. We were both trained to fight. It was evident from the way he moved. Wonder where he got that from? I yelled again when Ruth stood motionless. That time, adding screeching to get her into action. It seemed to put humans in their place, and she ran for it. ¡°Remember, it¡¯s the third-floor basement, Ruth!¡± I didn¡¯t know if she would go or if she would get the bouncers. Or what would happen, but that was further than I expected us to get. All I had to do was keep Rodrigo busy until Sita called me.

    ¡°Who is funding you?¡± I was trying to talk to him while he advanced at me.

    ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    ¡°Oh wow, he speaks. Will I actually get some answers tonight?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s see if you can keep up with doing both,¡± Rodrigo fought well in his suit and kept fixing his jacket whenever possible. I used these moments to ask him something.

    ¡°What did you give my girlfriend, and how long does she have?¡±

    ¡°Little Juliet¡­ not feeling so well? Poor thing was courageous but stupid.¡±

    ¡°You know what? I tell her that every day. Not to her face, but she keeps doing things that are just really¡­.¡±

    He smiled, ¡°Stupid.¡±

    I nodded. Rodrigo¡¯s boxing was good, but his fancy shoes kept slipping on the carpet. When we both realized, I smiled. He glared at me. We heard the familiar ping of the elevator coming up. We glanced at the indicator that showed it was coming to the ninth floor.

    ¡°Quickly! Tell me what I can give her to make her better?¡±

    He chuckled, ¡°Nothing! All you born Vampires are putting off the inevitable of facing extinction as well¡­ Make sure she doesn¡¯t bite you when she starts turning.¡±

    I wouldn¡¯t say I liked his tone. I had seconds left. When I attacked that time, I didn¡¯t hold back and put him on his ass, pinning him using all my strength. He groaned in pain as I twisted his arm into an uncomfortable position.

    ¡°There is a cure, of course¡­.¡± he croaked out, ¡°But only I have it.¡±

    ¡°How long does she have?¡±

    ¡°Two years with her dose and her age.¡±

    I sighed with relief, ¡°Then you will have to come with me so we can sort this out peacefully. I will let Juliet decide what to do with you.¡±

    The elevator was coming up the last two floors. Stunned at the voice I heard coming up the shaft, I pulled back and let Mr. Tailored go, reading the thoughts of the man about to walk out. Rodrigo didn¡¯t understand and took a deep whiff. His already grey features turned stark white, and Mr. Tailored made a run for it. I was stock-still¡­ not knowing what to do. It was too late anyway; the doors opened, and I figured knowing was better than being in the dark.

    ***

    Marcus

    I  had heard about Rodrigo from Jacklin and got in a helicopter to go and find him. He had been one of my biggest mistakes¡­ The other one was¡ª Juliet. My father had not forgiven me for either. Daily, my estimation went down in his eyes. The last few years had been the worst because losing the Farrow family from the compound was a significant loss. My father took it personally; he felt he had not put me in my place enough and that I was making decisions where I had no business making them.

    The dark skyline came into view, and the helipad on the hotel¡¯s roof became more prominent as the pilot landed. Two of my men and I jumped out. Our steps were quick to get out of the way. The manager ushered us through two big glass doors that slid open. Inside the hotel, I didn¡¯t even pull myself together as I always felt I had to. My guards ran for the elevator. When I reached it, the doors were already opening. I was highly strung and kept tapping my leg, willing the box to move faster. A town car was ready to pick us up outside, and we left immediately. Nervous and, at the same time, excited. I drank some water and chucked the bottle back into the cup holder in the door. My gaze kept drifting from looking out one window to another. The streets were quiet, and we were moving rather swiftly, but my regrets kept haunting me.

    Reports began circulating a few weeks ago about an infected vampire running around outside the compound. Samuel himself made inquiries, and that is how we found out he was planning something against the creatures who created him. My father¡¯s rage kindled all over, blaming me for letting him escape so long ago. It seemed like our Spaniard had gone off the rails, and it was my problem to find him. He had been gone for so long I had forgotten about him. Rodrigo¡¯s hobby was catching and killing baby werewolves, and with their population so low, he was bound to surface. Hearing what he was planning gave me nightmares. Only thinking about him succeeding in his endeavor was a catastrophe not only for the compound but for the planet. Although he wanted revenge, and I get that, this plan he had in mind was beyond the norm.

    The first night I came to see Jacklin was about a week after the whole story came out. She had told me of the French vampire who had made a scene trying to find Rodrigo. He said that he had heard the cub in the bag and his girlfriend had gone after the infected herself. How anyone could do that¡­ was strange. Jacklin also said the girls¡¯ parents joined the French guy in her office a few minutes later after killing all her guards. It was weird that anyone, let alone a girl, would follow Rodrigo¡­ It took only a few seconds before that stone-cold face flashed before my eyes. The one that was so set against me.

    Juliet was almost out of high school at that time¡­ Only a few months if she didn¡¯t skip grades¡­ So, I thought it could possibly be her. Liam and Cindy would die for her and fit the description of the parents. I smiled, thinking about her¡­ She would be the only one away from the compound who would care enough about someone else, let alone a werewolf. The whole thing had her stubbornness written all over it. And for the first time in three years, my stomach was in knots. That entire month, I searched tirelessly and came up with nothing. Vampires were scattered all over; keeping track of them was a full-time job. The compound had to make money, so Qadir gave some of them the choice of leaving. Jacklin? I don¡¯t know how she got out, being a woman, running the club scene, the hotels, and the brothels.

    But going into exile from the compound meant you didn¡¯t want to be found. In the beginning¡­ I didn¡¯t want to see Juliet either¡­ I was a little broken after they left¡­ I couldn¡¯t face her like that. I was scared to death that whatever Rodrigo was doing had ended up making Juliet the same. It wasn¡¯t like I could call Samuel and ask him if his niece had turned into a Zombie. But we didn¡¯t hear anything else¡­ It reassured me that she had made it. And when the news of the saved werewolf cub reached us¡­ I was proud of her. My suspicions were confirmed when the news quickly circulated about the young vampire girl playing the heroin. I listened to men retell the story to my father. He had not put two and two together. I had that stupid smile on my face and relished the fact that Juliet and I were connected. I might have gone about it the wrong way¡ªNo! I didn¡¯t have a choice¡­ And if I ever had another opportunity. I would¡¯ve done anything to fix our relationship like I was trying to do at that moment.

    Finding Rodrigo was now not only for my father but also for Juliet¡¯s sake. If she was really concerned about the werewolves¡­ I thought that maybe I could climb back into her good graces. So, that night was crucial to me. We reached the hotel. Another manager met us and escorted us to wherever we needed to be. She was wearing a grey dress suit with black high heels. When one sees the bottom reception area, you would never think the building was one big club of illegal activity. I had been there before, and particular floors needed an invitation. That night, I needed an escort throughout. I picked up my phone and rode another elevator to the ninth floor, where we needed to be. Kubra was on the other side of the line, giving me feedback about how far he was with the rest of my entourage. He was the only other vampire who knew how much that night meant to me, and he sounded as agitated as I felt. Everybody else was relaxed and just doing their jobs.

    Jacklin had called me quickly, telling me that the French guy was moving; another cub was taken, and he was asking for information. He was heading to one of our hotels at that moment. I couldn¡¯t believe my luck. Kubra and I set out immediately, hoping I would not only find Rodrigo but maybe catch a glimpse of Juliet. If she was with this new boyfriend, jealousy would have to wait. It felt too good to be true as if Jacklin was behind Rodrigo in some way. He would never be that careless if she was not using him. But I didn¡¯t care, and when the elevator doors opened, I hastily wanted to exit. The two bodyguards with me held out their arms when they saw someone standing to the right of the landing.

    ¡°Open up, you idiots!¡± I pushed past them.

    When I stepped out, I was face to face with a stranger. He was crushing his cell phone in his hand. No, he wasn¡¯t only crushing it; he let it fall on the floor and was trampling on its remains. For the second time in three years, I had that stupid smile on my face. Thanked the universe and felt the tiniest sliver of hope that I might be closer to Juliet than I had been in years. But I would have to lure her out¡ªshe wasn¡¯t going to be an easy catch.

    ***

    Louis

    I heard Marcus¡¯s voice on the phone. His thoughts as they rode up the shaft. My fist instinctively closed around my phone. I had confirmed it was him as he called off his men. When I saw his face, I dropped my phone and crushed it. That face and figure that emerged from the elevator was one I thought I¡¯d never see. One that flashed in Juliet¡¯s memory many times every day. I had never seen him in person¡­ He seemed a little bit crueler than Juliet gave him credit for. His Middle Eastern features were distinctive, as were his dark skin and dark brown eyes. When he looked at me and saw my foot¡ªthe smile on his face made me pause. That feeling in the pit of my stomach sent a flare of regret up my throat.  He wasn¡¯t stupid. In seconds figured out what was going on, knew exactly who I was and who I was protecting. Optimistic eyes scanned the little lobby area. Disappointment clouded his eyes as quickly as they had lit up. The scowl was back in full force. Marcus didn¡¯t see the prize he wanted.

    There was almost a constant sadness on his countenance. The full-trimmed beard lined his jaw, chin, and mouth. It didn¡¯t make him look any friendlier. He screamed power and would be a formidable opponent. Above all that, Marcus was attractive. Thinly built like Chris and me. No muscles¡­ Stupid Juliet! She had a type. The only thing he didn¡¯t have was my easy smile. But Chris was also very serious, with an arched pull on his lips¡­ like everything in life bothered him and made him think. All of us were mysterious. Number one on her list of who could possibly be good enough¡­ Even Marcus¡¯s clothes were stylish. He wore a long dark jacket over a dark polo sweater. Dark jeans and black shoes. Luckily, that day, I wore the total opposite of him. Light colors rather than my usual blues and blacks.

    The way Juliet remembered him wasn¡¯t quite like that. In her flashes of him, his hair was long, and he mostly wore a long-sleeved white Kurta with pants. There, he was much more Western. It seemed like he hadn¡¯t given up on his prize. Making changes, Marcus? I was being dramatic, crushing the phone, but I didn¡¯t want Juliet to even hear his voice. He was why Jacklin wasn¡¯t reprimanded; under the ultimatum, she would inform him of any news of me and his prize. Was it only business for her? She knew about Juliet¡­ I didn¡¯t think she knew who Juliet really was or what she looked like. And if I was Marcus¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have spoken of Juliet¡­ especially to Jacklin.

 29. Hierarchy Established Pt 1

    29. Hierarchy Established Pt 1

    Louis

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we know each other,¡± Marcus said, scrutinizing my every move.

    ¡°No. Haven¡¯t had the pleasure¡­ I¡¯m European¡­ French. Don¡¯t think we walk in the same circles,¡± I moved closer and stretched out my hand to him, ¡°Louis Du Pont. Nice to meet you,¡± he shook it. I didn¡¯t think he would.

    ¡°Marcus Ahmed. I¡¯m thrilled to see you here,¡± he seemed so genuine. ¡°I think we¡¯re in closer circles than you might think¡­ In more ways than one?¡±

    His insinuation wasn¡¯t lost on me¡­ Juliet was the reason we would see a lot of each other if his plans played out. He continued, ¡°My mother was British. And my father¡­ Well, you know who my father is. If you know who I am,¡± he pointed at the ground and my crushed phone¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not the dramatic type¡­ there was no need for that.¡±

    I scoffed, ¡°Have you changed in the last few years, Marcus?¡± His eyes snapped up from where he was examining the remains, ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard¡­ You love the dramatics.¡±

    The corners of his eyes crinkled, ¡°So, she thinks about me.¡± The smile on his face was true to his thoughts. He was pleased... I wanted to kill him. Right there and then, but I was somewhat outnumbered. Jacklin wanted to get rid of Juliet by letting Marcus find her¡­ She didn¡¯t consider that I would probably die before letting that happen. Rodrigo came to mind, and that Marcus was after two prizes. Mr. Tailored was gone before the elevator doors had opened; he smelled him, whereas I heard him. I should have made for the stairs¡ªput up a chase. I sighed; stupid Louis! Sita will be well on her way¡­ If the bag got to her. And if she got in the car and left. I was praying that one thing that night would work out, ¡°You¡¯re looking for two lost sheep tonight? Strange that they keep running away from you... After so long¡­ don¡¯t you think you should give up?¡±

    He stepped closer, right into my face, ¡°Jacklin called you the boyfriend.¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes drifted down my person and back up, ¡°I can¡¯t see it¡­ You haven¡¯t made it official, have you?¡± He scoffed and slowly bent down on his haunches, sifting through the rubble. He swiped some of the debris around and slowly came up again. Marcus held out a flat hand with the little card lying there unscathed. I cursed the thing but picked it up. Hopefully, Juliet¡¯s card wasn¡¯t in one of the mutts¡¯ phones or worse, in Chris¡¯s.

    ¡°If you think you¡¯re getting a virgin bride back. I would turn around right now,¡± I thought he would freak out, and was testing him. His thoughts stayed legit. It didn¡¯t make sense, and Marcus¡¯s mouth actually quirked up to one side. The most gigantic-infected vampire I had ever seen came over and held out a phone. ¡°And I kinda feel like making it official should be consensual and not forced,¡± his eyes hardened at my words¡ªweird what got the guy¡¯s attention. ¡°I also know that making it official has everything to do with... winning her heart first,¡± I tapped his chest where his heart was supposed to be.

    He smiled. I didn¡¯t think he could. ¡°You don¡¯t know why I played it so wrong. Humph,¡± he threw his hands in the air.  ¡°If I can go back. I wouldn¡¯t change a thing.¡± That made my blood boil. ¡°But for all intents and purposes¡­ She¡¯s mine.¡± Those words hurt me because I knew how Juliet feared him. And Marcus didn¡¯t know Chris, and I fought about that exact same thing a few weeks ago¡ªI laughed lightly.

    ¡°What?¡± He asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s just funny that you think she¡¯s yours at all. Do you know Juliet?¡± I sighed, ¡°I made the mistake only once. You did as well. Don¡¯t you think we should at least attempt to keep it at one? Let this go¡­ hm.¡±

    Marcus gestured two fingers in the air. The big guy pushed the phone into my face. I stared at it too long, and he growled at me to put the card into the phone. Reluctantly, I did what I was told and handed the phone to Mr. Big Guy¡ªI had to stay true to the naming of the infected.

    ¡°Let¡¯s take¡­ Louis here upstairs. Think I need some company tonight. Would love to know what she sees in you.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t going to be lousy company, ¡°She says, uhm¡­ it¡¯s my easy smile.¡± I gallantly gesture to my big mouth. Which I knew was as smart as Juliet¡¯s at that moment. She was a bad influence on me. I didn¡¯t miss the tightening in his body when I said something he knew came from her.

    He bobbed his head and pressed his lips together, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± I held up my hands when the two infected wanted to force me into the elevator. ¡°No need for that!¡± Marcus reprimanded them. I checked my watch¡ªa little gesture he also didn¡¯t miss. This guy was sharp.

    ¡°Waiting for someone?¡±

    ¡°No! Rather hoping that someone got away...¡± Sita, you better be a million miles by now, I thought to myself.

    ¡°Oh, you managed to save the little cub¡­ I commend you. Noble enterprise. But if it wasn¡¯t our darling Juliet, then who could it be?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what Juliet¡¯s been up to,¡± His head jerked around at the easy manner I used her name, and he was getting tired that I knew her so well, more than him, and I wasn¡¯t holding back anymore.

    The two men ushered me through a large room towards the back wall. They opened a thick steel vault door. Beyond it¡ªcages. Werewolf cages for a full moon. Electric. Entries to feed the beasts in between cells. Wouldn¡¯t want them running around alerting the humans of what was going on. Every werewolf had accountability for that one night a month when they did things they couldn¡¯t control. They turned utterly viral. Maybe Jacklin presented a safe environment for those solo walkers who paid her to look after them. Or perhaps she kept vampires in there. Humans for food. I didn¡¯t know.

    After Juliet¡¯s messages, a little hope rose in my breast. Unfortunately, after meeting Marcus, I wished I had never sent her anything. She didn¡¯t hate me anymore. As the time ticked by, I knew Juliet would message me. When she got no answer¡­ Call Sita. Who would also be worried and not have heard from me¡­ And then? If I knew Juliet at all, she would call¡­

    ***

    Juliet

    We were driving back in the car after the cousins, and I were so graciously welcomed by a vampire family. They had been in alliance with the Moors forever and did each other favors. They were such lovely people as well¡­ Almost human¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for the barn full of people they kept. It was a bit creepy and not our usual scene. Even so, I¡¯ve heard about it, and if humans could do it to animals, why could we not do it to humans? Not that I would ever voice that opinion out loud.

    Jack exclaimed, ¡°Sita did it! She and your boyfriend did it!¡±

    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s awesome! Is the little girl in one piece?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Not even a scratch,¡± We all clapped hands and celebrated. I high-fived Jack.

    I checked the phone in my hand and sat back when I saw I had no new messages from Louis yet, ¡°But that was more than an hour ago. Where is Louis? He hasn¡¯t texted me. The last one was the one in the elevator with the girl.¡±

    ¡°Well, then you know where he is.¡±

    I slapped Francis on the shoulder, ¡°Louis isn¡¯t like that.¡±

    ¡°All men are like that¡­ And some women,¡± he pursed his lips at me. It made me laugh a little. I couldn¡¯t deny the weirdness of my situation, having feelings for two guys.

    ¡°Maybe dogs!¡± I had to dig back something.

    Jack exclaimed at my timely burn and applauded me for putting his brother down. ¡°Call her Jack, please,¡± he hesitated but dialed his cousin¡¯s number. She picked up.

    ¡°Hey, Sita. You heard anything from Louis?¡± Jack asked.

    ¡°No¡­ I haven¡¯t, and I am getting worried. He would have taken the rental and met me at the Thompson farm.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been too long¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know¡­ And I don¡¯t know what to do!¡±

    ¡°We will call you right back¡­ Hang tight, okay.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I heard Sita say, and the line went dead.

    I tried his number three times. It was completely dead. That meant his phone was off. Mr. Tailored could have him¡­ Or he could be out of range¡­ No, that would be a no-service dial tone¡­ Was Mr. Tailored going to pump him full of that stuff he gave me? Louis was going to be a Zombie! I freaked out. I called again. I tapped Francis¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Stop the car until we know what to do... It¡¯s ringing¡­ See, I told you,¡± I whispered. Francis looked annoyed that Louis wasn¡¯t with a hooker. Someone picked up, but they didn¡¯t speak. I was almost peeing in my pants, thinking I would hear Mr. Tailored speak. After a minute of even stubbornness, a voice came out from the other side.

    ¡°Hello, Julie¡­¡± Marcus¡¯s tone was soft, ¡°Long time no see¡­ Before you hang up¡­ I¡¯m glad you haven¡¯t cheated on me. Louis here graciously let me know you haven¡¯t made it official yet. You know how the compound frowns upon spouses who cheat.¡±

    A chill originated in my neck and shot down my spine, making my lungs contract until I couldn¡¯t breathe. My hands shook slightly. Why would Marcus say that? Had he wholly gone mad? We hadn¡¯t talked in years, and the first thing he said to me was that?! ¡°Your boyfriend here, or that¡¯s what Jacklin called him. He¡¯s fine for now, but we¡¯re having some fun getting some information out of him. Don¡¯t you think your presence could, in fact, help him out?¡±

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Oh¡­ There it was¡­ The reason for the sarcasm. He was reeling me in, ¡°Hi, Marcus.¡±

    Francis and Jack spun around hearing the name after my long tale of the compound in the car that night. I put him on speaker.

    ¡°Julie!¡± Marcus sounded so relieved. He took in a deep breath, his voice softened even more, ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would talk to me,¡± so much feeling.

    I took a deep and lasting breath to get out all the nerves before I had to do what I didn¡¯t want to, ¡°I will see you in an hour or so¡­?¡± I asked.

    He must have hit a desk or something next to him because I heard the noise. Marcus was excited, ¡°Yes, Julie! That¡¯s a good girl. I can¡¯t wait to see you¡­ Really missed you. I haven¡¯t found anyone like you and never will¡­ Can¡¯t wait to talk to you.¡±

    Was that his way of telling me that he hadn¡¯t cheated? He was going to be sorely disappointed in me, ¡°It¡¯s about time I face you¡­ I had to do a lot of growing up in the last few months. Might as well get it over with. See you in a bit. Make sure we have an escort at the entrance¡­ And Marcus, if you hurt him. Even a little bit. I will make you regret it. I¡¯m not the girl you fell in love with.¡±

    ¡°All ready for you, Julie... Let¡¯s talk when you get here.¡±

    My chest tightened even more, if it was at all possible, hearing him call me Julie, sounding so sweet. His mouth was like honey when he wanted it to be. He said precisely what you wanted to hear, just like Louis. I hung up the phone. A tear rolled down my cheeks; I was faking again. Francis rubbed my shoulder and took the phone.

    ***

    Chris

    The footage of me as a creature and then turning back to a man burned into my eyeballs. I had watched it so many times, but it didn¡¯t matter. I couldn''t get over it. Trying to figure out what I was¡­ It would make me go mad. Nick and I were still waiting for Juliet and the cousins to return from their meal. I needed to speak to Juliet in private. Have a very long talk with her¡­ I heard a phone ring, and then I heard Nicholas. The conversation wasn¡¯t going well. Nick was raising his voice, hitting his cane on the floor. I heard him clunking along the hall on his way to me. I stood up and hurriedly went out to him. His face was taut, and his manner anxious. I had never seen him like that before. ¡°Put the call on speaker,¡± he said, handing me the phone.

    I heard Francis speaking. Jack was actually giving an opinion, and Juliet was crying... Only a few sniffles in the background. I feared something terrible had happened on their outing. I didn¡¯t like it when she cried. ¡°Juliet¡­ What¡¯s going on? Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Juliet! You really can¡¯t go alone. Let¡¯s wait and call your parents and your uncle. They will know what to do,¡± Nicholas tried reasoning with her.

    I had missed what was going on¡­ again.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be the cause for Louis dying or being taken to the compound,¡± she said, exasperated. Louis? When did he come back into the picture? ¡°Either you let Jack take me. Or I disappear, and I¡¯ll call Marcus to come and get me himself.¡±

    Marcus? I mouthed to Nicholas with questioning eyes. He was quiet, rubbing the nob of his cane, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take Chris with you?¡± Nicholas tried one last time.

    ¡°No! Under no circumstances can he come anywhere near Marcus. Then¡­¡± she scoffed and gave a sardonic chuckle, ¡°I will die. Louis will die. And then Chris will kill them all¡­.¡±

    I didn¡¯t understand what the hell happened Friday. Why was everything such a freaking mess? How could she think I would kill a bunch of people¡­ creatures, or whatever?

    ¡°Okay¡­ Okay, Juliet. Let me talk to Jack.¡±

    Jack came online in the background, ¡°Off speaker, Jack¡­.¡± It took a second.

    ¡°Yes, Grandpa?¡±

    ¡°Take her¡­ But I¡¯m sending Chris¡­.¡± he whispered, ¡°Under no circumstances can she go anywhere with that man! We will never see her again.¡±

    The words made goose flesh run across my arms, ¡°If it comes to that, interfere, stall, do whatever you have to¡­ I will call everyone I know.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Jack hung up the phone.

    The words and the fear behind them had found their way to the pit of my stomach. This was serious. It had something to do with Juliet disappearing forever or getting killed, and Nicholas was sending me. In what world was I going to save her?

    ¡°Who is Marcus?¡± I held my breath. I didn¡¯t really want to know. The following few words out of his mouth would change my life.

    ¡°It¡¯s her husband,¡± F¡ª sake! Did I hear that right? I think my heart did stop that time¡­ ¡°Cruel militant man that branded her, and now she is stuck under his hand forever.¡±

    I took in a breath to control myself, ¡°Bran..ded... What do you mean?¡± My voice pitched, fearing that it meant what I thought.

    He sighed¡­ ¡°Like a cow¡­ Come on, Chris. You have to go. Let¡¯s hope seeing her like that will make you manifest.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t ready, but I didn¡¯t think twice, ¡°Take the other car in the garage and don¡¯t stop,¡± Nick said as I reached the front door. I didn¡¯t even get dressed. Bare feet, I ran for it. Drove like I never had before.

    ***

    Louis

    Juliet was on her way. I had to listen to the conversation. Marcus really had no ill intentions towards her. Nevertheless, he was planning something¡­ I read his thoughts¡­ It was more a regretful, anxious mess than anything else, or he was governing himself. He had left me in a cage. Had not, as I thought, tortured me for information on anything he deemed necessary. When the first security guard hurriedly entered the room, I knew something had happened. Mr. Big Guy walked into the vault with me, and the door closed behind him. I wouldn¡¯t be able to hear anything or tell Juliet to get out of there. And Marcus¡¯s bargaining chip was sealed away.

    ***

    Juliet

    As Jack parked at the hotel entrance, three cars were already outside waiting for us. Five people per car got out when they saw us. I was thankful for an uncle who loved me as much as mine did. I figured they had to be vampires and friends of his. A middle-aged, short, and stocky man approached me. He was friendly and reassured me that they were there to help. Nicholas had also asked some werewolves to come. In the end, it was a small army.

    A woman waited for us at the door and murmured to one of the werewolves. They seemed to know each other. She led us through the revolving doors and towards the elevator. After that, we had to make our way over a dancefloor. The bouncers didn¡¯t hesitate, glanced over the men, and rested their eyes on me. The one quirking an eyebrow. I shrugged. I didn¡¯t know I was that important, either. Our last barrier was down a carpeted corridor. The manager swiped her key card and hurriedly shuffled away. I was in the back of the crowd. My army stepped over the threshold, and I heard Marcus¡¯s voice, ¡°Welcome, ladies and gentlemen. So many of you!?¡±

    I swallowed hard, thinking about what would happen. I glanced down at my person. Tried to straighten my clothes and suddenly cared what I looked like. I still had on my slacks and the white shirt. The same outfit I had on, going to Chris¡¯s house. The thought that I wasn¡¯t good enough crossed my mind. The whole party entered the room and made themselves comfortable. I had stayed in the hall¡ªjust standing there.

    Marcus spoke again, ¡°Where is the person you are all here to safely escort?¡±

    Everyone looked back to the door. My eyes cast down to the ground, gripping the chain around my neck, playing with the little plate with my fingers. The hotel lobby music wasn¡¯t helping. Some DJ mix of Choi Bella and the song made my mind race.

    ¡°Come out, Julie. I have no desire to hurt you. How can you think that I would want to?¡± I scoffed at his arrogance, frowning at the endearing way he spoke to me. Hated his pure unwillingness to either accept who he was or he really just wanted to talk¡ªI couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡°You have so many friends here that it¡¯s almost impossible anyway.¡±

    There it was¡­ The ¡°almost impossible.¡± The fear of going back to the compound nearly made me leave Louis where he was. My heart was pounding. What was I doing? I felt breathing in my neck. My head tilted to the side, exposing the flesh. My shoulders relaxed. My eyes slowly closed. Chris smelled a certain way. The warmth of his breath came closer to my skin. I remembered him kissing me in the car. I would do anything for him to touch his lips to mine¡ªcomfort me. Chris¡¯s hands rested on my shoulders in a friendly manner, squeezing softly. Not at all the way my boyfriend would touch me. He turned me slowly and gently took the chain out of my fingers. He looked at the plate and read the words.

    ¡°Louis?¡± he asked. There was no smile.

    Our appearance was like a pair of hillbillies. My flip-flops, his bare feet, and a button-down wrinkled shirt half tucked in. Dark green corduroy pants rolled up at the ankles. I knew it shouldn¡¯t have bothered me. Chris was there, and it was all that mattered. His lack of style and elegance was one thing that drew me to him. His down-to-earth manner and soft brown eyes.

    He lifted my chin with a finger so our eyes could meet. Like the thousand times we had looked at each other... searched for each other on the school grounds. That feeling when we found the other. No spoken confession. Only the knowing that there was something there played in both our features. It was comfortable and reminded me of better days. He took my right hand with his left and held me tight. With the other hand, he cupped my face and rubbed his thumb over my cheek. The comfort I needed. Something a boyfriend would do. Reassurance that everything would be okay. Slowly, he pulled me into the room¡­ I didn¡¯t want to.

    ***

    Chris

    Juliet¡¯s reception to me had changed entirely, from cold to her kissing me so hard Saturday to exposing her neck to me just now. She wasn¡¯t shy around me anymore. Treated me like an equal. Something had changed in our relationship¡ªsomewhere. She knew I was there before I was even close to her. And I touched her without fear or feeling like I was violating her. I still didn¡¯t understand why¡­ Or what had happened. The way she looked at me¡­ Like she had looked at me a thousand times in the months before we met. There was something special between us in how this all started. We had noticed each other and searched for the other before anything else. It felt like we would know when the other wasn¡¯t around.

    I had to drag her around the corner. She was pulling back, trying to stop me. The sight that welcomed us was that of at least thirty people standing in a half-circle around one man. He was sitting on a big wooden table with a red inlay. He perched himself up with hands next to him. His feet crossed on the floor, his shoes shining. The picture he painted was rather formidable but was too businesslike for Juliet. He was dressed in style.

    In comparison to him and the rest of the room¡­ Juliet and I looked rather sad. The feel of her little hand in mine, gripping so hard, made none of it matter. She had interlaced our fingers, holding on to me as if I was the safest place in the world. Marcus stood when I stopped halfway across the room, walked closer to us, and cussed a few times when he saw the stitched-up scratches on her arms¡ªthe bruises. He said something in another language and had his own minor meltdown like so many of us had.

    Juliet was staring at him. Marcus spoke to her in that other language, and she shook her head. She was not from around here. I didn¡¯t know anything about her and her life. This was her husband. I had never seen her that compliant and wondered if the branding had any supernatural stronghold on her. He came closer, stretching out a hand to her, palm up just like Jerry in the garden. My jaw clenched. Effortlessly, I guided her in behind me.

    Marcus¡¯s body stiffened as he played with his tongue over his teeth. His prize was lost to him. His head snapped at me with something in his eyes that I couldn¡¯t place. His hand was still hanging in the air. The rest of the room growled at him for even trying. The werewolves manifested immediately, and I had to do all I could to not crap my pants. Juliet left my hand and gripped my shirt in the small of my back. I could feel her stepping closer to me, fisting my shirt. I had never had anyone cling to me as she did. And no matter what, I wasn¡¯t going to let anything happen to her.

 30. Hierarchy Established Pt 2

    30. Hierarchy Established Pt 2

    Chris

    Juliet gripping onto me wasn¡¯t lost on all who were there, especially Marcus. He had no idea what was going on, and neither did I. ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked eventually after staring at my shirt.

    So, how did you address the husband of the girl clinging to you for her life? The man that had made Nicholas so anxious that he would send me in there. Make Francis and Jack swear to do all in their power to stop him from laying a finger on her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter. All that matters is what Juliet wants¡­ Juliet needs¡­ and Juliet deserves.¡± He turned around, away from me. That last statement hurt him. Even with his cold features, his emotions betrayed him. ¡°Where is Louis? I need him,¡± I said to get the ball rolling.

    ¡°He¡¯s safe¡­.¡± Marcus pointed to the big round steel door, trying to contain his own emotions. ¡°Juliet promised me a¡­ conversation¡­ I need to talk to her¡ªalone,¡± I could barely hear him. A frenzy ensued, and he lifted a hand. Every vampire bowed, but the werewolves snarled. The situation was weird¡­ There was respect but no loyalty?

    I took in a breath and turned to face the terrified person behind me, ¡°Juliet, do you want to? It doesn¡¯t matter what you said to get here¡­ Only what you want to do right now. We could take Louis back, or you can sit down for¡­ I turned to Marcus¡­ Five minutes.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s head jerked up, expecting me to say something else. When I didn¡¯t¡­ Her sweet smile fell off her mouth, and she shrugged¡ªdisappointed. I had to do all I could not to pull her lips onto mine. It felt like that was all I had to do to make everything better for her. But I couldn¡¯t, and I didn¡¯t.

    He watched our interchange as confused as I was. I led Juliet to the couches, checked my watch, and reminded Marcus he had a time limit to the access he was getting to my¡­ What was Juliet to me¡­? Friend? I shuddered at the thought.

    He tried to negotiate. It must have been something in the way I held my hand that made him sit down. It took a whole minute; then he did something that I would never have thought was even something people did to apologize. Marcus went down on his knees in front of Juliet. The room became animated as everyone had an opinion. Marcus lifted his hand, silencing the onlookers. He bowed down even lower and kowtowed before her. Juliet jumped up, ¡°Get up, Marcus! I would never expect anyone to do that.¡± she yelled. When he came up, his face was contorted in pain¡­ desperation, and need, sitting back onto his feet. His hand on his heart, ¡°Juliet, my obsession with you... It will never go away.¡±

    I felt Juliet¡¯s face turn to me, giving away her own obsession. I just couldn¡¯t look back up at her. Slight creases formed between his brows. For a second, he struggled because she was looking at me and not at him, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything really that bad,¡± he said to get her attention. She turned to him and wanted to say something. He cut her off, ¡°If I didn¡¯t do it. It would have been worse for you.¡±

    That silenced her. I heard her breathing change. Marcus was getting to her, ¡°It means nothing¡­ I might be tied to you for life, but it doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t put another mark on top of this one,¡± the murmurs continued.

    Marcus jumped up, stepping closer to her, ¡°No Juliet¡­¡± he whispered pleadingly. ¡°How can you say that? Don¡¯t you understand¡­¡± He lowered his voice even more, ¡°Do you still not understand what happened that morning. I had no choice¡­ I did it because I love you... I didn¡¯t consummate or hurt you like that¡­ But you were going to be someone¡¯s wife¡­ What I did protected you.¡± His gaze fixed on me, ¡°Even if you take fifty lovers,¡± he was forcing me to say something.

    I lifted my hands into the air, ¡°I haven¡¯t laid a finger on her. Don¡¯t look at me¡­ Burn Juliet like a cow¡­ Never!¡± There were more murmurs.

    Juliet¡¯s lips quivered slightly. Marcus was visibly relieved. He got the information he wanted. He wanted to know if we had consummated¡­ this and if this was serious.

    ¡°You¡¯re older now. You can see how this alliance between the families can change all the generations to come and maybe even bring change,¡± Juliet scoffed at him. Marcus kept going, ¡°If you can, just come back with me.¡±

    Juliet cussed.

    ¡°And I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you what was going on¡­ If you give me half a chance, I will make it up to you.¡±

    Her hand slid into mine. She gripped it and pulled me to my feet, ¡°Thank you for coming with me. Just remember that if you kill him, I die as well.¡±

    I frowned at her, ¡°I think we will get out of here without a fight.¡±

    She smiled and squeezed my hand, ¡°Sometimes I wonder who is more na?ve between the two of us¡­ Kubra isn¡¯t here.¡± She looked at Marcus, ¡°It¡¯s time. Do what you have to. I¡¯ll never go back there. Not in a million years. This is still all about control for you¡­ and not being able to get out from under your father¡­ Your¡­ five minutes¡­ are up,¡± Juliet had a difficult time getting those last few words out.

    ¡°Juliet! There is nothing left for me. Not one person. I¡¯m alone! Only when I¡¯m in the same room with you does it feel like someone sees me,¡± Marcus was desperate.

    The longing that I felt by those words pierced my heart. I wanted Juliet to constantly be looking for me¡­ but I was still denying her any affection, and I didn¡¯t know why. I turned to Marcus, ¡°The last guy that said that to her¡­ also did this to her.¡± Marcus¡¯s jaw clenched, glancing at her arms. ¡°You haven¡¯t even seen the rest of her,¡± I said softly. I shook my head, ¡°So excuse us if neither of us believes you right now. Your time is up.¡±

    ¡°Are you in love with her?¡± The question caught me off guard. I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    Juliet answered for me, ¡°No, he isn¡¯t,¡± she said it so matter of factly like she knew what was going on in my head.

    Marcus turned from us to the steel door and back again, ¡°So what the hell is going on between you, him, and Louis?¡±

    I turned and pushed her out in front of me. We were about to exit the room when a steel barrier thundered down in front of us, right where the door was supposed to be. Quick, instant security. Juliet shook her head, not even scared. She smiled so sincerely, ¡°What did I say. You should start listening to me.¡± I had only a moment to look deep into her eyes before the werewolves wanted to attack him. The vampires waited to see what would happen next, keeping the wolves at bay.

    I had only another moment to take in all the faces. Vampire faces.

    ¡°It takes two people to make any relationship work, Juliet,¡± Marcus said loudly over the commotion in the room. ¡°And if I remember correctly, you weren¡¯t completely against us,¡± he stood and walked towards the desk.

    She turned and gave him her death stare, ¡°Look at what you¡¯re doing. You ask for forgiveness, but your actions make you just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything you know isn¡¯t true,¡± Marcus interrupted and pointed his finger at her.

    ¡°Then open the gate and let me go. You can prove it to me.¡± He turned away from her, opening a bag. Worriedly, we all watched him. He lifted his hand and made a fist. Everyone there was startled, ducking from a gushing sound coming from the ceiling. A foggy hue descended with a spreading sound like that of a fire alarm activating. Bodies began to fall¡­ I tried keeping my eye on Marcus, peeking at Juliet, grabbing her before her knees bent. Francis and Jack were passed out and back in their human form. I was the only thing still standing. Marcus had put on a gas mask and watched me with narrowed eyes. I had Juliet in my arms while he backed up, pressing a display screen on the wall. The vault door slowly slid open. There was only one word for the ¡®beast¡¯ that emerged from the smoke hanging in the air. He walked intently towards us, ready to go into a run to come at me.

    I didn¡¯t know what triggered it. At that time, I was fully aware of my surroundings and I didn¡¯t blackout. The beast was strutting¡­ I was at the door, and then I was behind him, my one paw around his neck, towering over him. All I had to do was extend my claws and retract in one swift action, severing his spinal cord¡­ The beast went limp in my hand. I pulled up into the air, letting gravity work, removing his head from his body. He dropped to the floor while Juliet was pressed against my chest in my other arm. Marcus stood motionless, watching me. I made a noise that made the walls vibrate. Nicholas was right; animalistic instincts had taken over. I chucked the head at the wall and advanced on Marcus. The floor shook underneath me. He lifted his hands in front of his face, ¡°Like that would help,¡± I whispered. My voice sounded foreign to my ears. He let his arms drop slowly. I tore the mask off his face, ¡°That¡¯s better, Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Thud.¡±

    I looked around, panicky about how to get everyone out¡ªquickly. I ran to the vault, breaking open Louis¡¯s prison gate, and pressed the gas mask over his face. I tried to shake him so he could take deeper breaths. His eyes opened slowly, startled momentarily, seeing Juliet and me like that. I grabbed his wrist and pulled him into the air just to put him on his feet like a child. I dragged him towards the main entrance. I gently handed her over to him¡­ I had put her in his arms again, and it went against every strand of nerves in my new body.

    Nevertheless, I turned to the steel barricade and ran my claws through the steel door from bottom to top. The metal bent enough for me to create an opening for them to get through. I scanned the floor, looking for my keys. They had to be there somewhere. I bent down to get them but had a hard time picking them up with my paw-like hands. Louis bent down, shaking his head. I reciprocated with a growl. That was new for me. He smiled, ¡°Leave and don¡¯t look back,¡± and he didn¡¯t.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The only other thing I could think about was to break the glass window. It lined one entire wall to create a vista of the skyline¡­ The vacuum it created sucked out all the smoke. I was going to have to run. I ripped out the whole steel barrier to fit, making my way to the emergency stairwell at the end of the hall. I stumbled down the stairs, hiding in the basement parking. I tried to recognize myself in some glass, touched my face, feeling my way to understanding what I had turned into. It was a mess. I thought about Juliet¡­ How close it was. She could have been taken. When I rushed headfirst into the situation, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Every decision Juliet had to make was really life or death. It was survival first and then¡ªfamily. She had a husband and was branded; it tied them even in death. She was linked to yet another man. I wouldn¡¯t just be competing against Louis. She had been a busy girl. Was there a way of getting rid of Marcus for her? Would she want to after what happened in that room? Was that why she wanted someone older? Argh, all the variables were driving me crazy.

    At least all my thoughts made my manifestation recede, and while I watched, I slowly changed back. I breathed easier when I could run my fingers through my human hair. The feeling of helping and saving Juliet made me smile. I had meant something. I was a being not even Marcus had recognized. Not even his drugs did anything to me. At first, I thought Juliet was stupid, doing something so dangerous alone. I snorted at myself. I didn¡¯t know her at all. She had a whole army of people who would help if she was in trouble.

    I made my way to the front of the building. Vampires and werewolves were druggily exiting the hotel doors and getting into cars. Francis and Jack saw me and worriedly came over, asking me if everything was okay. ¡°We have to go now! Keys! Get in!¡± I didn¡¯t lose time and left. I had no desire to see Marcus. Nicholas could figure out a way to thank all those people for being there tonight.

    The two cousins passed out again, sleeping in the back. The drugs had not worn off completely. I was left to drive back all the way I had just come. I sighed. I thought about my cell phone. It was in the other car Louis took. Where were they? Would she take him to Nicholas? Would they go home to our little town? To his house. I missed her already. I wanted to be with her¡ªtalk to her. I wanted to go on their run with them. If I had been there, I could¡¯ve protected her. I wanted to know where she was and that they were safe. I stopped the car, bent over to the back, and checked for phones. Jack¡¯s was on, and he had a lot of calls and messages.

    First, I needed to call Nicholas. He would have to get in contact with everyone. Only then would I find out what was going on. Half an hour later, he called to tell me Juliet was safe, but she and Louis had gone home. Disappointment and relief clouded my judgment. There was an apparent gap between us, except when I brought down all my walls. Just for a few minutes, we were a couple¡ªtogether. She trusted me with her life. But I didn¡¯t say that I loved her¡­ and she was okay with it. I had to bite my lip just thinking about it. Why could I not let her go? If I didn¡¯t love her¡­ why?

    I tried to focus on myself. What all of it meant for me. I had killed someone¡­ Or something¡­ I would have to get over killing people¡ªeating them¡­ Accepting myself as that thing¡­ If I could¡­ There really was only one way out of all of it.

    It didn¡¯t seem like I was everything to Juliet. Neither was she for me. I had pushed away from her feelings for me for so long¡­ I might as well push through and try to get over her like I was doing before Friday. Nothing really happened anyway. All I did was help her to fight Jerry.

    ***

    Juliet

    My eyes opened in a moving car I didn¡¯t recognize. Not capable of sitting up or having a proper conversation yet. I just peered sightlessly at the roof, lying in the back seat.

    ¡°Hi, baby.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how I felt about Louis being in my head twenty-four-seven. But, with my personality¡­ there was something about it I liked... The idea of him knowing everything. I really didn¡¯t have to hold back, hide or lie. It had its advantages. ¡°Did they do anything to you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No, nothing¡­ You came for me¡­ You came to save me!¡±

    Would he read my mind? Please read my mind¡­ I couldn¡¯t talk yet.

    My thoughts were a jumbled mess¡­ Jumping from Louis and how scared I was that something would happen to him. Remembering that night, we first went hunting when I wanted to kiss him in the car. He knew what I was thinking¡­ That was why he pushed so hard that whole night. I should have let him¡­ None of it would have happened¡­ I pressed my lips together, trying to make sense of everything. My thoughts jumped to Chris¡­ How relieved I was when he came. I told Nick not to send him. Would he have come out on his own? He saved me again¡­ Saved us all.

    Marcus¡¯s face came up¡­ His voice and the way it made me feel. Hearing all he had to say after so long. Bowing down in front of me¡­ I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around what it must have taken for him to do that. Just thinking about it wanted to make me cry. I had forgotten how Marcus really was. That made me think about everything we went through and how ridiculous my life had become. Louis pulled the car over. It didn¡¯t even register until the door opened, ¡°Can you lift up your head?¡±

    I did. Louis helped me and sat down, pushing his arms under my shoulders. He pulled me onto his lap and into his arms. He held me close, wrapping me in a tight embrace. My head fell onto his chest like it always did.

    Like this was where I belonged.

    He did read my mind. I nestled into him, knowing that we were safe. We were going home. ¡°How will we know if they are, okay?¡± I asked softly.

    ¡°They will call,¡± he stroked my hair. ¡°You came for me, Juliet¡­ You were willing to even see Marcus and confront him. To me, that is a huge deal.¡±

    I didn¡¯t feel like talking. After a moment or two, I must have fallen asleep. The drugs were not entirely out of my system.

    We ended up at the Thompson farm. We needed to get Louis¡¯s car and give Sita her grandfather¡¯s car back. Would she and Chris meet if she went back to Nicholas¡¯s farm? Talk? The thought chafed at my insides, making me uncomfortable. I was so jealous I could hardly look at her. I moved around in my seat like a child who couldn¡¯t sit still. Before Chris and I slept together, I didn¡¯t like her. After Chris and I slept together, I hated her¡­ I wanted to be as far away as possible from her¡ªforever.

    Louis made our goodbyes, hopped into his seat, and closed his door, ¡°She wants to talk to you.¡±

    ¡°No! Please, can we leave! You don¡¯t want me to disappear again, do you¡­ Don¡¯t push me into a corner.¡±

    He stared at me, ¡°I told your parents this was going to happen. Now that you¡¯re back and after everything, you¡¯re not going to accept what we say,¡± Louis turned in his seat towards me.

    ¡°I have respect for my parents and for you. But it goes both ways! Yes, things will have to change. I did feel bad for them. What they did for me. From now on¡­ It just can¡¯t be a reason anymore.¡±

    ¡°Starting with?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Starting with going to France and getting the hell out of here.¡±

    ¡°You still want to go? With me?¡±

    ¡°Of course! You don¡¯t want us there anymore? I would understand if you didn¡¯t?¡± I was carelessly gazing out the window into some bushes beside the car. But really I didn¡¯t want to hear his answer.

    Louis leaned over. That time, he didn¡¯t ask. He turned my head towards him. He got my attention and slid his hand in behind my neck. Quickly, he planted his lips on mine. It felt so good that I leaned into him, tilting my head. My response to his kiss made his hand on my neck squeeze hard. I coaxed his lips with my tongue. His fingers ran through my hair, fisting a handful as his lips parted. He pressed us together as our mouths met. It felt so right. We were both breathing heavily when he slowly lifted his lips from mine. I was surprised by the bright eyes of an optimist fixed on me. His gaze wasn¡¯t full of lust or want. He was happy and that made me happy.

    I was in love with Louis. I have been, and he knew. He knows everything I have thought about him. Dirty thoughts. Happy thoughts¡­ It made me blush, but it allowed me to speak my mind, ¡°Your lips are so soft.¡± My eyes darted to his and up again. When we kissed, something had stirred in me¡­ The love fever that connected all the dots of a person to yours. Those dots that weren¡¯t there before¡­ between us. The attraction and feelings were alive and well. He had bridged the gap¡­ And it had left me breathless, wanting more of¡ªthis. He snickered, ¡°No more taking your feelings into consideration, Juliet.¡±

    I scoffed and muttered, ¡°Like you ever have. It¡¯s been all about you, Louis.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Juliet! There were a lot of factors involved. It made me act the way I did.¡± I tried to get out of his grip but couldn¡¯t. ¡°If you want something, you will have to fight for it. And if you disagree, you have to speak up and push. You have to decide faster because as soon as we get on that plane¡­ It¡¯s you and me, baby. Or you guys go alone¡­ Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± No! I thought. Does he want me to choose? Was it about Chris or about us being official? He took both my hands in both of his, ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the details. Or what the future may hold. How I will act or how you will act. I¡­ want you close to me¡­ Will you stay¡­ with me?¡±

    A frown played on my forehead. My one rule in life was to love what was good for me. Louis¡­ is by far the best. He had chosen me, knowing everything. He stayed, and I would not throw that away. I was going to take him and keep him. He bobbed his head, ¡°That is good enough for me. The rest¡­ we¡¯ll figure it out as we go along.¡±

    He let my hands go and turned in his seat, putting the car in gear and leaving Sita staring after us. What she must be thinking¡­ One woman has a problem with sex and love, and the other doesn¡¯t. But I was still just a girl. Nervously, I gripped the door handle for support. My life had just monumentally changed. Louis had kissed me. His eyes bore into me. I could feel him on me, ¡°What is it?¡± I  asked self-consciously.

    The new Louis was treating me like an adult. I would have to get used to it. ¡°What? You don¡¯t like the more assertive male in me?¡± he gestured to my hand with his eyes.

    ¡°You were holding back¡­ Why?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I wanted you to choose me. I meant that¡­ Even so¡­ I was stupid,¡± I smiled a little, ¡°Me waiting was only leaving you with more questions than security. Isn¡¯t that what they say about women? The most important thing is security, stability, and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Money!¡± I laughed when he seemed floored by my answer. ¡°You understand why I was angry, Louis?¡± Guilt was written all over his face as he turned the steering wheel with one hand, glancing quickly at me and then turning around a corner we needed to take.

    ¡°Because I lied. Because you want someone who sees you. Hears you and¡­ listens to you.¡±

    I sighed with relief. He knew what I didn¡¯t like, ¡°Will you lie again?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    I snickered, ¡°Not what I wanted to hear.¡±

    I was only young when it suited me. I gave myself a break being courted by a guy like Louis. He smiled again. That time very smugly... He opened his hand. Instead of gripping onto the handle, I laced my fingers with his. His fingers closed around mine. I never wanted him to let go, ¡°How are you still here? After Chris.¡±

    ¡°Baby! This Is Where I Want To Be. No conditions.¡±

    I left it there and instead thought about our kiss. His hold tightened on my hand.

 31. Preparing for France

    31. Preparing for France

    Juliet

    After the longest drive, Louis and I finally turned into our street. So much for going off-grid and doing things on my own, even if it was only two days¡ªit changed my whole life. He drove past our house and parked in his garage, ¡°Come in for a bit. Let¡¯s see if the guy¡¯s still alive. You have to eat so you can hold properly till we¡¯re settled in France. We should last for at least a week and a half.¡± I was sucking on my bottom lip, spacing out into nothing. ¡°Juliet¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°You that tired.¡±

    I nodded, got out, stumbled inside, and went to Louis¡¯s room, the room I had cleared up and arranged. Packed out all his clothes and put pictures on his dresser; I walked past all that, opened his duvet, got in, and closed my eyes. ¡°Juliet, you¡¯re in my bed¡­ I can¡¯t promise I won¡¯t take advantage of you.¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°As long as I¡¯m thinking of you, go ahead. I might not be able to do anything.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not thinking of anything right now.¡±

    I chuckled again, ¡°Get in with me and sleep. Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± Louis closed the curtains as the sun was already up, shining into the room. My eyes fluttered open, wanting to watch Louis while he took off his jeans and shirt and got in behind me. I was gone before he put his arm around me.

    I woke up, and the sun still shone through the bottom of the curtains. I figured we slept for a few hours; Louis snored beside me, ¡°So much for taking advantage.¡±

    I got up, desperate for the loo. Not having a phone sucked. Louis destroyed his phone¡­ for me¡­ stupid Louis. We would have to go shopping. How much money had Louis gathered in Europe in the last two hundred years? There was still so much I didn¡¯t know about him. Flushing, I went to the next room, finding the door locked. I searched the hall cabinet and found the key. The guy tied up on the floor seemed like an ex-army something, with one leg missing, and his face was all burned. I hated killing people like that; something felt off about it, but we would have to. I felt sorry for the guy who had been there for a whole day and a half, all bound up; he reeked from the mess in his pants. I covered my mouth and pinched my nose; it was just all sorts of wrong. Not clever, Louis. Not nice. Can people not die with dignity around you? I wished we could tap people and steal blood from the hospital, but we couldn¡¯t. At least we should let them die with a lot of pain meds and drug them¡­ for Charlene, or she might never accept me.

    ¡°How could I have known your ex-lover was going to kidnap me and you were going away for two nights on your own.¡± He said behind me, putting his arms around me.

    I scoffed, ¡°One night. You can hardly call that a gap year backpacking Europe.¡± I ran my fingers through his hair. He rested his chin on my shoulder.

    ¡°I won¡¯t take ex-pats again. I have a boatload of money you can spend as much as you like, and we need to get dressed to buy phones. I will clean this up. Go home, talk to your mom and dad, and come and finish when he is presentable. I don¡¯t want to worry about you again for some time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not even your wife, and you treat me like a nuisance already¡­ I want to start fending for myself¡­ What if something happens again?¡± I turned towards him.

    He paused, thinking, hands on my waist, looking down into my eyes, ¡°Fine, I will teach you everything from A-Z when we¡¯re in France. But we¡¯ll talk about that smart mouth of yours later¡­ I¡¯m not Stupid¡­ Now, I can¡¯t stand this smell anymore.¡±

    I left to go next door and rang the bell twice at my own house. My dad came towards the door, ¡°Coming, hold on.¡± I rang twice more just for effect, ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, who would ring like that,¡± he pulled the door open in a huff.

    ¡°Juliet!¡± I was strangely happy to see him. My mother came running from their room and plucked me out of my dad¡¯s grip, squeezing me.

    ¡°How could you do that¡­ No, never mind, stupid thing to say. Let¡¯s not talk about anything for at least a month. Deal?¡± I nodded. ¡°We heard about Marcus¡­ We would¡¯ve come, but Nicholas assured us there were enough people to help.¡±

    ¡°Yes, there was a small army. You wouldn¡¯t have made it anyway.¡±

    ¡°We heard Chris came to save you¡ªagain¡­ When are we going to meet him?¡± All I could think about was him not loving me, telling Marcus he would never touch me. I wanted to love what was good for me but couldn¡¯t get over Chris. I never would. My parents were never going to meet him.

    I held back tears, ¡°Oh, honey. I won¡¯t talk about Chris again or Marcus or anything¡­ Let¡¯s get you cleaned up. I have to check your wounds.¡±

    I showered. Mom cleaned my wounds and wrapped them for our shopping trip. I couldn''t do anything about the blue mark on my face where my face hit the ground; it had already turned dark, and no amount of makeup would cover it. I checked in next door and relieved the guy of suffering, but I let Louis eat first that time; he needed it more than me.

    Louis took me shopping like it was just a typical day. My dad gave me his card, not wanting to completely bankrupt Louis. I wasn¡¯t a big spender, even though I liked nice things. There were just things that were more important than hanging around the mall. However, it was different walking around with Louis in his slim-fit white shirt, black jeans, and stylish shoes; his hair was styled back, leaving his blue eyes open and shining brightly¡ªhis stubble groomed and shaven around his features. There was not a woman whose head did not turn with him around.

    I was not the dressing-up type for a day at the mall, I could have if I wanted to, but not that day; I was sore, tired, and emotionally in tatters. So, when I got in the car, I wore my light blue jeans and a cream long-sleeved jersey. He smiled at me when I compared the two of us. He didn¡¯t care, ¡°You look beautiful. You are beautiful.¡±

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    He opened the cubby, removed a menthol packet, and pushed the car lighter, ¡°Oh, my soul, I could get used to this.¡± He lit the cigarette, took a drag, and handed it to me as I put my bag on the floor at my feet.

    ¡°Desperate for a fag?¡± he teased.

    I shrugged, ¡°What do you want me to think¡­ Wish for a smoke? Need to go buy a cancer stick.¡±

    He got a twinkle in his eye, ¡°I was pulling your leg.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I laughed, peeking at him as he pulled the car out of the garage.

    Louis cleaned up well. He didn¡¯t go anywhere, not dressed his best. I thought about him kissing me, but I realized he would know as soon as I did. I stopped what I was doing, my head snapping away from him, peering out the window. We both chuckled. That was the third time I blushed bright red in front of Louis. He put his hand on my neck and rubbed it, massaging it with his thumb, ¡°You not going to laugh at me again? I am such a child, remember.¡±

    He tugged on my sleeve. I turned to him. He leaned in and kissed me¡ªproperly. I got lost for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t think I will ever laugh at you again¡­ You¡¯re my hero¡­ And I have to treat you with respect.¡±

    I snorted, ¡°Yeah? We will see how long that lasts.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll try. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve ever been in a long-term relationship,¡± Louis kissed me again and drove us towards the mall.

    We spent the next two days like that. It was all I wanted; someone who loved me¡ªunconditionally, no strings attached. We didn¡¯t speak about anything serious: I didn¡¯t plague Louis with questions about his past or how he got through two hundred years without anyone. Louis didn¡¯t even ask me one question about Marcus, and strangely, my mind was tuned out to anything else. If something made my thoughts jump to Chris and him touching me, Louis would kiss me, really kiss me, and I melted into him. Louis could make me think of nothing else and took away all my frustration. He didn¡¯t care because he knew I loved him. I decided to do everything I wanted with Louis, love the one you¡¯re with¡ªor something like that.

    Wednesday morning, when I was packing, Louis came to my room window and stood outside. I didn¡¯t know and was missing Chris, worrying about him. It would be only for a minute every now and again. Nevertheless, I sometimes felt guilty and forced myself to focus on Louis. I was trying to control my thoughts, ¡°Juliet, you¡¯re worrying too much. I¡¯ve been rather desensitized to your thoughts day in day out for the last two months¡­ You, sleeping with Chris¡­ No, everything that happened that night¡­ No!  No one would¡¯ve been able to handle that kind of build-up. So, just let it go. If you think about Chris, think about him. You will make yourself sick; it will get better.¡±

    ¡°Just come in,¡± I pulled the curtain back, and there was the biggest bush of red roses all clumped up together. Thirty of them bounded with a white ribbon.

    ¡°It will also help if you didn¡¯t listen to this depressing Take It Easy DJ mix of yours,¡± Louis climbed into the room, pushed the roses into my hands, and walked over to my phone.

    ¡°No one has ever given me flowers before.¡±

    ¡°Really? Not even Jerry or Marcus,¡± I tried to smile a sad, weak smile. The tears I couldn¡¯t stop anymore dropped uncontrollably. Louis pulled me into his arms. I didn¡¯t know I had tears for Jerry¡ªbut he was dead. One of my exes, who I had loved, was killed. Chris killed him while Jerry was slashing me open. He hated me that much¡­ Jerry didn¡¯t love me at all. I had to say goodbye to Chris¡ªall over! I didn¡¯t know when I would see him again or if I ever would. I had actually seen Marcus after four years, and he still loved me. I cried it out until nothing was left. Louis had put us on the bed and was lying behind me when the door opened.

    ¡°Oh, sorry,¡± I heard my mom.

    ¡°Cindy! Come in, don¡¯t worry. She fell asleep,¡± I heard them, but I wasn¡¯t going to open my eyes... Louis got up, and  I nuzzled my cushion.

    ***

    Louis

    ¡°We will have to wake her up if she is going to finish packing,¡± Cindy whispered, and I sighed, closing the door behind me.

    ¡°I also have to go finish up. Give her another thirty minutes.¡±

    Cindy squeezed my arm, ¡°Thank you, Louis¡­ For everything.¡±

    I kissed her cheek and patted her shoulder, ¡°We¡¯re family now¡­ I¡¯m sorry for being so short with you the other day¡­ This is all new for me¡ªhaving people in my life.¡±

    She nodded, ¡°You were wrong about her. She is getting on that plane with you¡­ Are you sure, Louis?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been more sure of anything,¡±  I left to go close up the house I had just moved into.

    Juliet¡­ Take-off

    Louis and I were making our way through the airport when I heard, ¡°Juliet!¡±

    I turned around, Charlene was running toward us and flung her arms around me. I smiled, hugging her. I let my one arm drop to rub over the little bump forming in her midsection, ¡°Hey little one¡­ Charlene¡­ I¡¯m so happy you guys came. I was worried after everything I showed you.¡± I waved excitedly at Carl, who was having trouble with the number of bags Charlene thought necessary. At least I wasn¡¯t the only creature there; we had a lot to talk about.

    ¡°I was freaked out and worried leaving you with Chris. How do you feel and your wounds?¡± I put my arm into hers, and Louis made his way to Carl, helping with things. I was covered from head to toe with stretch pants, slacks, a polo shirt, and a jacket; my scars were well hidden for the two-day trip.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­ but so much happened over the weekend¡­ Anyway¡­ As long as we¡¯re still friends, everything will be okay.¡±

    We both stared at the guys as they called us for passport checks. Slowly, we walked toward the counter, ¡°How is Louis so okay with everything? He does know about you and Chris?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know how he is okay with it¡­ but yeah, he knows everything.¡± We both watched him; Louis knew, and his eyes fixed on me for a moment. It made me melt when he looked at me like that.

    ¡°You got it bad,¡± Charlene pumped me in my side.

    ¡°You have no idea,¡± never looking away from the guy looking at me.

    We boarded the plane and took our seats to make our way to France. My parents would come later; they were selling everything, making sure there were no loose threads, keeping an eye on Chris, and giving feedback about how they handled his first full moon. The thing was that Chris didn¡¯t think our love was written on the stars... Chris hadn¡¯t turned his heart towards me and I understood he had too much going on. If he really wanted to find out what happened, he would. I just wasn¡¯t going to sit around and wait for him. I had less than two years left, my own life to consider and it didn¡¯t seem that Louis was going anywhere, no matter what.

 32. Meeting The In-Laws

    32. Meeting The In-Laws

    Chris

    It took me three days to get over what happened Sunday night, to decompress and face the world. I went home for the first time with my bodyguards, Francis and Jack, following me everywhere. The two had a lot of opinions to give... about everything.

    Opening the front door made me gag; the smell of the moldy carpet overwhelmed us, and the house needed to be cleaned. My car needed fixing; the door was still on the garage floor. I sighed when I saw it, there was only one way of doing it; I put it in the trunk and would have to find a mechanic to fix it. ¡°We know a guy, Chris. We¡¯ll take your car. You stay here and clean the carpet.¡± I agreed and spent the rest of the day ripping it all up and throwing it all in dumpsters. I contacted a real estate agent and put the house up for sale. The only thing left to do was pack a bag, get everything I wanted out of the house, close the front door, locking Sita away forever.

    I sat on the curb, waiting for Jack and Francis to come and pick me up. I was going to move in with Nicholas, for the foreseeable future. My life change so drastically that I had a hard time keeping up. We dropped the house keys at the real-estate office and only one thing was left to do. I sent the message I was dreading and realized for the hundredth time I still didn¡¯t have Juliet¡¯s number.

    Me { I put the house up for sale.

    Took all I wanted today. The rest is yours and the money for the house, if anything is left, we can split it down the middle.

    Let me know if you have any footage of Friday. I still don¡¯t remember anything.

    Thank you for signing the papers }

    I didn¡¯t get a reply immediately. Sita was a werewolf and we were married for three years, and still, she didn¡¯t want to talk to me. When it finally came through, her tone and manner made me thankful that it was all done.

    Sita { I didn¡¯t really have a choice.

    You left me no choice.

    I didn¡¯t save the footage anywhere else.

    It was only the one laptop }

    I sent Sita the contact information of the real estate agent and told her that my keys were with him and that I wouldn¡¯t be back. Jack finally pitched up, and we left. ¡°Do you have Juliet¡¯s phone number?¡± there was a silence between the two brothers, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°She said¡­ that if you asked, we should say that¡­ ¡®if you wanted her number, you could ask her yourself.¡¯ And personally, Chris¡­ seeing as you haven¡¯t asked and after the letter. We all think you should leave it alone and go on with your life.¡±

    Did everybody know about the freaking letter¡ªhow embarrassing. Juliet was still upset, although out of the blue, she said she loved me. If I couldn¡¯t figure her out before; it was way worse now and it seemed she wouldn¡¯t throw herself at my feet¡ªeven after Sita left! Juliet haunts me when I¡¯m married and then when I¡¯m not, she doesn¡¯t want me anymore. Did I push her too far? Probably. ¡°Go to her house. It¡¯s¡­ that street right there,¡± Jack turned and stopped in front of their garages. I got out and went to the door, ringing the bell. Liam opened, if I still remember his name correctly.

    ¡°Chris. Hi.¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate to open and invite me in. He led me down the two stairs that separated their sitting room from the rest of the house. It was to the left of the front door. It felt oddly strange to be in Juliet¡¯s house¡ªin front of her parents. I sat down, a little frustrated, running my hands through my hair.

    Juliet¡¯s mother came out of the hall and stepped down towards us. She came toward me, pulled me out of my chair, and hugged me. It wasn¡¯t what I was expecting¡ªbut I would take it. ¡°Thank you for saving Juliet. She would have died if you didn¡¯t help her. Twice now, you stepped up, Chris¡­ And we don¡¯t know how to thank you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember anything of Friday night¡­ Sunday with Marcus¡­ was scary¡­ I¡¯ve never seen her scared before.¡±

    ¡°I think you have¡­ We heard you can¡¯t remember anything¡­ I¡¯m sorry about that. Maybe you should give yourself some time. This has been a whole lot to happen in the matter of one weekend. But still, I¡¯m thankful and glad you were with her regardless.¡± Cindy, Liam, and I seemed to be roughly the same age. It felt weird that they were actually her parents. Cindy went to sit down and showed me with an outstretched arm to do the same, ¡°It¡¯s hard raising a child who is a creature in an uncertain world surrounded by other creatures.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s always good to have a lot of friends you can rely on,¡± Liam chipped in from the side.

    ¡°I was hoping I could speak to her¡­ If you would allow it, of course.¡±

    Liam¡¯s gaze fixed on me for a while, just like Nicholas did, before he would drop life-changing truths into my lap. I rubbed my hand with my other thumb to numb the blow, ¡°I¡¯m afraid she is not here.¡±

    ¡°Can I maybe wait for her or come back to see her? I really want to talk to her. She has been avoiding me like I had the plague or something.¡±

    Liam smiled, ¡°Juliet is rather headstrong,¡± I nodded, ¡°Strong-willed,¡± I nodded again, ¡°Opinionated,¡± and yet again. ¡°And she doesn¡¯t like people who do not know what they want out of life, Chris¡­ To me, it seems like you are just going through things rather than choosing what you want out of life.¡± I was caught off guard, I¡¯ve never had parents in my life. Growing up in an orphanage and having someone to dish out advice; wasn¡¯t even possible. Suddenly, I had Nicholas and Liam freely digging into all my shortcomings. Didn¡¯t Nicholas say Liam was three hundred years old? It felt redundant to get offended.

    ¡°You can¡¯t blame him, Liam. He has only been alive for thirty years. The werewolves lied to him for all that time¡­ And they manipulated him.¡±

    They were playing good cop, bad cop.

    ¡°Juliet is my daughter! What I¡¯m trying to say is¡­ She knows what she wants and when she wants it. She has never doubted her decisions, and when she makes them, she won¡¯t go back on them.¡±

    Where was this guy the first time I brought Juliet home? She told me then that she said what she meant and did what she said she would. ¡°I have never met anyone like her.¡±

    They both laughed lightly, ¡°That¡¯s for sure.¡±

    ¡°What Liam is saying Chris is¡­ we don¡¯t want you talking to Juliet or going near her if you¡¯re not one hundred percent certain you can love her¡ªunconditionally.¡± My eyes came up to meet Cindy¡¯s at this statement. Juliet must¡¯ve told them everything. ¡°Especially not knowing what you are or what will happen in the future¡­ What abilities you have, and if you will draw attention.¡±

    ¡°We really don¡¯t want Juliet¡¯s whereabouts out in the open¡­ I can¡¯t tell you all there is to know about Marcus and the compound¡­ She will have to tell you herself,¡± Cindy nodded at Liam¡¯s words, and he stood up and went to sit next to her.

    I really didn¡¯t have any argument against what they were saying. They would accept our relationship¡­ It was something else¡­ something I couldn¡¯t understand yet. Cindy got up and went to make tea, leaving me alone with Liam. I had to decide if I would ask again if I could talk to her. Everybody knew, even Francis and Jack; if I ever approached Juliet again, it would have to be forever¡ªeven if it was only for five minutes. They knew she loved me. Louis knew she loved me. Juliet had told me she loved me and I couldn¡¯t say it back. I didn¡¯t say it back. I was still too much in my head. For someone like Juliet, it really was all or nothing¡ªheart and soul.

    ¡°While you¡¯re deciding, let me tell you something¡­ A while ago, Cindy and I contacted her uncle¡­ He is the oldest living vampire alive today. He holds the registry of all known vampires in the world. Classified by age, family, or any kind of cross-referencing, you¡¯d need to find someone¡­ Anyway, we contacted him because we could see Juliet was ready to settle down.¡±

    I smiled, shaking my head.

    He smiled as well, ¡°You don¡¯t agree?¡±

    ¡°She is a little young but then there is Marcus and that all happened years ago¡­ So, my way of thinking won¡¯t be able to wrap my mind around it just yet.¡±

    ¡°The times have changed for sure. But you have to understand, where we are from, humans had their first kids at sixteen, even younger. Maybe not everyone but young girls have been known to marry older men, Chris.¡± Liam watched for my reaction, ¡°Girls of sixteen was the normal age for a woman to go out and start families¡­ Creatures have needs and they are primal and unpredictable¡­ So a girl like Juliet¡­.¡± Liam gave a heavy sigh, ¡°How can I say this¡­ If she would be married and have a family¡­ It would channel all that loyalty and love she has to give and pour it into the people close to her.¡±

    I saw how she was with Charlene and Carl. I had seen for months how she was with me. I had heard how she was even with Jerry. She was willing to do anything for the people who she loved. She had gone up against Marcus for Louis.

    ¡°Anyway, I will get to the crux of the story eventually¡­ We found Louis¡­ And after much consideration, we thought it best that he come and meet her and make the decision first. In our race, we have some small customs we would like to think about when making this decision.¡±

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Cindy put down the tea tray and poured me a cup and handed it to me. It smelled funny; the milk seemed off, ¡°No, thank you,¡± I put the cup down, ¡°I¡­ Uhm¡­ seem to not be able to drink tea today.¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± She seemed genuinely concerned.

    ¡°I can¡¯t really say. I have these spells after Sunday. Seem like my last manifestation had brought about other changes.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your smell attribute that wants blood and meat.¡±

    I didn¡¯t really care about me changing into a monster. I wanted to hear what Liam would say about Juliet and Louis, ¡°Can you please finish telling me about Louis?¡± When I said it, though. I had a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach as if my head was deliberately screwing off, rather than on right.

    ¡°We introduced Louis to Juliet. They hit it off the first night. They hunted together and, as you heard, went through things together¡­.¡±

    That same pain I had the morning after pierced into my skull, ¡°Stop talking about Louis,¡± I got up, ¡°Bathroom¡­ Please,¡± Cindy helped me up and pushed me toward the guest toilet.

    ¡°Was that necessary, Liam?¡± I heard Cindy rebuke her husband.

    He chuckled, ¡°No better place for him to manifest. We haven¡¯t seen sport in a long time.¡±

    I struggled to hear Liam, my anger almost uncontrollable; chest burning, I splashed cold water on my face. His words kept echoing in my mind, ¡®They hit it off¡­ They like each other. They chose him for her.¡¯ She was ready to get married. The more I thought about Louis and her together, the more pain my head was in. Marcus¡¯s hand reached out to touch her, and I pulled her in behind me. I could feel myself changing; there was nothing I could do about it. Juliet held on to me so close and desperate.

    It didn¡¯t seem that my creature side liked the idea of sharing Juliet with anyone. I fought it; whatever was happening, I fought it with every fiber I had. My head was screaming¡­ and flashes of¡­ images¡­ I had a vision or I guessed a desire. Juliet was naked under me. Her eyes were closed and she touched my neck and grabbed onto me. Her other hand squeezed my shoulder. Her back arched to better accept me. I felt it; I could feel myself inside her like she was there. I could smell her¡­ feeellll her warmth on my skin. She was happy. We were together. The vision disappeared. I had never had such a vivid fantasy in all my life. I fell on my knees against the toilet. Hearing it, Cindy opened the door, ¡°There is no need for you to hide in here.¡±

    I grabbed onto her arm, ¡°It hurts. It hurts so much.¡±

    Liam came past her, picked me up like I weighed nothing and carried me down into the basement, ¡°Go call the Werewolves in the car, just in case.¡± Cindy scrambled and ran for it. I freaked out when my hand grew twice its size and pads formed under my paws. Claws grew out of my fingertips¡­ long, sharp, and black. ¡°You¡¯re fighting it, Chris¡­ If you don¡¯t want it to hurt, stop fighting it.¡±

    I shook my head¡­ ¡°No! I don¡¯t want this.¡± My hand returned to normal. I breathed out the breath I was holding.

    Cindy, Francis, and Jack came down the stairs, ¡°What¡¯s the point of us being here. We can¡¯t do anything until tonight. Isn¡¯t he supposed to be in control of himself?¡± Francis asked.

    ¡°I¡¯d thought you would have your dart gun ready. What¡¯s the point of checking up on him if you can¡¯t do anything?¡± Liam admonished the boy.

    Francis and Jack¡¯s eyes met in mutual understanding. Francis ran back up the stairs. ¡°It¡¯s in the car,¡± Jack said, feeling rather stupid, rubbing the back of his neck. All I heard was ¡®dart gun.¡¯ So that¡¯s what knocked me out like that for days; the reason I missed talking to Juliet. My heart ached and burned some more and I had another vision¡­ Juliet grabbed me around the neck and kissed me all sweaty, throwing her head back so I could kiss her neck. What the hell was that? Now? Why would I see her like that? In her parents¡¯ house; a little inappropriate, Chris.

    ¡°Maybe you need a little push?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, Liam? What about Juliet.¡±

    Liam bent down and whispered in my ear, ¡°She has Louis¡­and he will make her his soon,¡± My claws dug into the cement floor. I dragged them through the concrete like it was sand. It scared me; the strength I had. Killing that enormous man or creature when Juliet was in danger. I could¡­ hurt her parents¡­ Liam was mocking me... His eyes were laughing at me.

    ¡°It would break Juliet if I hurt you!¡± I roared, more to myself than them. The pain flowed away. My paws were gone, and that burning in my heart disappeared. I remember why I wrote the letter and stepped away from her. Because I didn¡¯t want to hurt her anymore, all I did was hurt her and make her cry.

    Liam stood, ¡°Well, that was disappointing. You really didn¡¯t have to worry about us. We could probably take you on.¡±

    Francis came running in with the dart gun, ¡°Don¡¯t shoot me,¡± I sat back on my ass with my hands in the air¡ªstill catching my breath.

    ¡°You were in total control Sunday. What happened just now?¡± Jack exclaimed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe it was Liam and¡­.¡± I kept quiet, not wanting to voice every feeling I had.

    Liam laughed, ¡°The first night in the car when Louis came with us to take Juliet hunting, she had so much pent-up energy that she stared at him the whole way there. If we weren¡¯t in the car, she would¡¯ve jumped him.¡±

    Francis and Jack laughed. Cindy smacked Liam on the arm, ¡°You are really looking for trouble.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my daughter!¡± Liam yelled. ¡°And this guy cannot choose her¡­ She is the one that chooses.¡± Liam got angry and manifested, roaring at me. My eyes must have been like saucers because he came back immediately. ¡°You need to feed Chris and soon¡­ Or you¡¯ll do something stupid. Next time, don¡¯t fight it, okay,¡± he clapped me on the shoulder. Did this guy have a split personality¡­ Well, I suppose we all do.

    Driving back in the car, I stared into nothingness, ¡°So? Did you get her number?¡± Jack burst out laughing. They gave each other high-fives. It was uncalled for; I had no one, I have no one. For three years, I didn¡¯t have a wife. Before that, I didn¡¯t have a family. I was turning into this creature all by myself. ¡°I need to get drunk.¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re talking!¡± they cheered, ¡°Don¡¯t think I have seen you get drunk in three years.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t really like the feeling. But what else are we going to do?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I get you¡­ The next three weeks will be long¡­ for all of us. Why not enjoy ourselves.¡±

    It was almost evening. The sun was setting when we stopped at the bar next to the road. The 26<sup>th</sup> of April looming over my shoulder. I couldn¡¯t get the image of Juliet under me out of my mind, me moaning on top of her. Shot after shot and beer after beer, we sat there in silence. A table of women joined us, telling us how boring we were just sitting there and not asking them to dance or chat... Francis and Jack weren¡¯t really into them.  I was wasted; my face rested in my palm, observing the room, getting lost in the spinning. ¡°I resigned from my job¡­ I¡¯m jobless¡­ homeless, and my¡­ friend...¡± I didn¡¯t want to call Juliet that. Friends were Jack and Francis.

    ¡°My girlfriend,¡± I agreed with myself out loud, ¡°Yes, that sounds better. She is only a teenager.¡±

    The women around the table went really quiet. I burst out laughing at how disgusted they were. ¡°I know, right, a thirty-year-old with a seventeen-year-old. You would think that it was wrong.¡±

    Francis and Jack shook their heads. They were wasted, too, ¡°She¡¯s not seventeen anymore¡­ She wants you. Why fight it.¡±

    ¡°Ewe, you guys are disgusting,¡± one of the women said.

    ¡°She was seventeen only a week ago¡­ And now she is angry at me for not telling her I loved her¡­ and I don¡¯t have her number.¡±

    ¡°That was cold, Chris¡­ And in front of an ex,¡± Francis¡¯ voice slurred.

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of it like that. Probably why she was so disappointed¡­.¡± I scratched my head in frustration.

    ¡°You should have lied,¡± Jack commented.

    ¡°No!¡± I pointed at him¡­ ¡°Not about that.¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve at least said you have her every night.¡±

    I turned to the girls¡­ ¡°I didn¡¯t touch her! Wrote her a letter telling her it will never work.¡±

    They seemed to relax, ¡°So, you¡¯re not some creepy dude who only likes young girls.¡±

    ¡°No! I was married until three¡­ four days ago.¡±

    Francis and Jack nodded when the girls didn¡¯t believe me, ¡°Our cousin,¡± Jack said.

    The girls went crazy at... what was my life, ¡°Sam, bring this guy another drink. I think he needs it. Is Ashleigh here?¡±

    ¡°Coming up¡­ Outback, I think.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± the blond in the very short skirt ran away on her toes. Her heels didn¡¯t even touch the floor. It reminded me of Juliet trying to cover her thigh by pulling down a skirt¡­ her blushing. That stupid dress she had on at the party¡ªcouldn¡¯t even sit on the grass.

    ¡°Chris¡­ Juliet isn¡¯t normal¡­ We don¡¯t care about age.¡±

    I stood up, ¡°No! Obviously not. But I do!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re stupid. Juliet is hot,¡± I grabbed Francis¡¯ shirt, ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my girlfriend like that.¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t! She is gone. She is in France with...¡± Jack put his hands over Francis¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say his name,¡± Jack said.

    ¡°He¡­ that can¡¯t be named,¡± they both burst out laughing.

    ¡°He might just turn and kill us all.¡±

    The ladies didn¡¯t like the turn the conversation was taking. Still, they stayed, having nothing else to do in the backcountry place with bars between towns instead of gas pumps. I shook myself, ¡°What did you say?¡± I grabbed his shirt again, ¡°Where is she.¡±

    ¡°Juliet is in France.¡±

    I staggered back and forth, ¡°France¡­?¡±

    ¡°Oooh¡­ I would love to go to Europe,¡± all the ladies said and agreed with one another.

    ¡°Why is she in France?¡± I asked, remembering Carl and Charlene talking.

    Francis waved his hand, ¡°Not saying. We¡¯re not allowed to say.¡±

    I shrugged, ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to have her number¡­ I¡¯m not allowed to know why she is in France¡­ I¡¯m not allowed to talk to her if I don¡¯t love her¡­ un¡­con¡­.¡±

    ¡°Unconditionally,¡± one of the ladies helped me.

    ¡°Yes, that!¡±

    The blond came back, running into the bar with someone in locked arms with her. A brunette with just as short a dress on.

    ¡°Here, this is Ashleigh,¡± we all waved at her. They placed her next to me and told her my sad tale. Ashleigh was very sympathetic.

    The brunette wasn¡¯t ugly and rather attractive. When she put her hand on my leg and bumped shoulders with me to say ¡°Hi.¡± I smiled¡­ What else was I supposed to do? The blond spoke to Francis and whispered in his ear¡­ he nodded. The blond winked at Ashleigh, who took it as a sign. She pulled me off my feet and dragged me onto the area where a few couples were dancing. She put my hands on the small of her back, reached her arms around my neck, pulled me closer, and moved her body against mine in quick, jerky movements, ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a good time tonight?¡±

 33. Stupid Chris

    33. Stupid Chris

    Chris

    ¡°There is a motel connected to the bar¡­ It has a few rooms; one of them is mine for the night.¡±

    I smiled, putting my head on her shoulder, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to do anything tonight. I am beyond¡­that.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she smiled sweetly at me. Then Ashleigh took a little plastic bag out of her exposed bra. The little white pill balanced on her fingertip, which she stuck into my mouth and poured beer down my throat so I had swallowed it. She reached up, and her tongue found it¡¯s way into my mouth. It had been a long time since I felt a woman¡¯s lips on mine, wanting to kiss me. At first, I would¡¯ve reciprocated, but Juliet¡¯s face flashed in my mind¡­ Her sweet smile before the laughter you knew would come¡­ I could almost taste her cherry lip gloss¡­ When Juliet had her orgasm, our heads rested against the others, and our eyes¡­ I pushed Ashleigh away¡ªrather harshly. She protested, but I staggered to the bathroom, going through the door into a stall and bending in front of the toilet. My body tried to throw up the drugs and alcohol, but nothing came out. Frustrated, I stood trying to sober up, leaning against the wall. I had another flash of Juliet¡¯s face resting against my car seat, staring at me. I fisted the stall wall as hard as I could; the steel hinges rattled.

    ¡°Chris,¡± I heard Ashleigh outside.

    My vision blurred; the pill had kicked in, making every movement slow. ¡°Uh-oh,¡± I opened the door to get out of there.

    Ashleigh pushed herself in, slamming me into the stall wall, reaching for my head, dragging my lips onto hers. I went in and out of it, seeing Ashleigh, being touched by Ashleigh, and then darkness in between. I was being maneuvered around¡ªthe back of my knees hit the toilet.  Exposed thighs straddled me, lips moved from my neck to my ear. She was aiming for my mouth again. I¡¯d been avoiding that specific orifice since the dance floor. If I kissed her¡­ I would have sex in a toilet stall with a hooker. If I did¡ªI would never have a chance with Juliet! Not even a little bit. Why did I drink? I never got drunk. I was going to throw it away for what¡ªsex? I didn¡¯t even want to touch Juliet before! Gave lame excuses about being married, her being too young! I was going to sleep with a complete stranger rather than Juliet... I wanted it to stop¡­ I wanted the strength to get Ashleigh off me. It wasn¡¯t what I wanted, and then¡­ Ashleigh went limp on my lap.

    I opened my eyes; my nails had dug into her back right through her body and pierced her heart, rib bones stuck out through her clothes¡­ Her neck was dangling in front of me, and I bit into it. I sucked on the flesh and drank the blood. I kept drinking until she was white and blue, and then¡­ I ate her. Biting into the flesh, I ripped her apart like bacon. What was left and untouched was her spinal cord¡­ Snapping her neck, I closed my lips over the bones and sucked. Her head was hanging in one paw, her body in the other. That time, it felt good¡­ I felt better. I would¡¯ve felt better if Juliet was there and I could share a meal with her. Because with her, everything made sense. I shook myself at how foreign my own language had become. I was speaking about ¡®a run,¡¯ ¡®creatures,¡¯ ¡®manifesting,¡¯ and a ¡®human as a meal.¡¯ But they were right; it all felt natural, and I kept eating.

    After I was done, I turned back to human instantly. There was almost nothing left of the Ashleigh, only clothes, a carcass¡­ and legs. I was definitely sober and alert, and leaving the stall like that wasn¡¯t an option. Feeling my pockets, I took out my phone to message Francis.

    Me { Clean up on Isle¡­ one. Could Francis please report to assist !!! }

    Seconds later, Jack and Francis burst through the door, ¡°Son of a Bitch!¡± Francis blurted out.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Jack exclaimed.

    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t like Ashleigh,¡± I whispered.

    They laughed, half-drunk, lips pressed together. The smell made them manifest, and they pushed through the door.

    ¡°What now?¡± I asked.

    Francis¡¯s lips turned downwards and he shrugged, ¡°We¡¯ll finish this, and I¡¯ll go and find cleaning stuff after. Don¡¯t let anyone through the doors. Take her clothes and push them into the bin.¡±

    ¡°No! We¡¯ll have to take it¡­ get the cleaning supplies and the key. We desperately need the key!¡±

    Jack rushed for the door and slowly opened it, peering into the dark hallway. ¡°That¡¯s freaky,¡± I heard him say. Francis and I walked over to the door.

    A janitorial trolley with water and a mop was standing outside the bathroom door. A plastic bag hung on the handle, with a key to the bathroom. Jack took a step back. Instinctively, I scanned the roof for cameras; there wasn¡¯t even a sprinkler for fire hazards. I felt myself checking my body and my watch, trying to figure out what could still be bugged, ¡°Do you have anyone else tracking me?¡±

    ¡°Us? No¡­ it¡¯s just Jack and me.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not look a gift horse in the mouth,¡± I said.

    Jack dragged the trolley in, and we locked the door. They ate while I cleaned, shaking my head that that was now my life¡ªand it didn¡¯t bother me one bit.

    ***

    Juliet: France

    After a long flight, we had six hours on the TGV. We rented a car and drove east toward the Alps. We were all quiet in our own little worlds most of the time; going out of that atmosphere changed all of us, and we could all breathe a little easier. Charlene was away from her parents, who she hadn¡¯t told about the pregnancy. Carl was away from his father. Louis was away from Chris. Me? I didn¡¯t have to worry about Marcus finding me and taking me back to the compound or Chris not remembering, not calling, not caring.

    The last bit of the road was narrow and wooded with large trees. Louis said his land was rather extensive for privacy, but even so, it felt like we were driving for an hour before the house finally came into view. It wasn¡¯t grand or ostentatious, but The Alps, as a backdrop, made up for it. It was all hidden away in a valley.

    The house was built out of stone at the bottom, for I guessed the snow in the winter. The rest was logged wood with balconies and a lot of windows. The cute little balustrade made the windows visible, but one couldn¡¯t see into the house. There were garages and a cobblestone driveway big enough to turn a car around, surrounded by neatly cut grass. The lawn expanded around most of the house.

    Inside, it was a different story altogether. The d¨¦cor was so homely, with sheepskin blankets on the couches in front of a big fireplace. The living room led out to the backyard. We all gasped as Louis opened the doors. It was insane to think that places like that existed for some. There were double infinity pools, the higher one flowing over into a lower one on the other end of the yard, built and tiled with white stones.

    Louis had placed square pavers in the grass to create a path leading from the fire pit outside and the barbeque area to the pools. Roundabout huge white stones were placed strategically all over the grass. The covered patio had sofas that would swallow anyone¡ªso lush were the cushions.

    We were standing on the grass and turned back to the house. All you saw were vast panels of glass windows instead of walls. The double story towered up in front of us. ¡°I am glad you like it,¡± Louis whispered behind me. He put his arms around me and I leaned back into him. ¡°The sky seems a little bluer now that you are here, Baby.¡±

    ¡°I doubt that¡­ Louis, it¡¯s amazing and feels unreal.¡±

    ¡°You get used to it after a hundred years,¡± he kissed the top of my head, ¡°I feel like tearing it all down and starting over.¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± Charlene and I exclaimed.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t¡­ It¡¯s breathtaking, everything you¡¯ve done¡­ so precise,¡± Charlene commented.

    I looked at Carl, ¡°And you? What do you think?

    ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡±

    Charlene and I felt offended. Louis held out his fist to the gentle giant that was Carl. They smiled at each other as their fists collided. Louis nudged him away from us and spoke to him about all the things that men needed to know. ¡°Where are you going? Shouldn¡¯t we know about generators and chopping wood, etc? What if you¡¯re not here and the power goes out,¡± I asked. ¡°You said from A to Z.¡±

    ¡°Fine¡­ but I think Charlene should take a break. Let me show everybody the bedrooms first.¡±

    That¡¯s what happened the first day we arrived at our new home. Louis gave us a guided tour of the house and designated all rooms with keys.

    ¡°Where do you sleep?¡± I asked, scanning my room.

    He took my hand and led me up a spiral staircase. There was a third loft room. It was windowed all around and had a panoramic view of all the mountains, valleys, and green woods. His dressing room and bathroom were downstairs and didn¡¯t spoil the atmosphere up there. The room was empty, with just a bed on the floor, stacked on pallets with white bedding and a lot of cushions. My mind jumped to Louis and me having sex in there for the first time and how romantic it would be; darkness and only moonlight beaming in through the glass. Him on top of¡ªI paused¡­ My eyes widened at my own stupidity¡­ When was I going to remember that he was in my head?

    Louis sat down on the mattress; I landed on his chest, and our mouths collided. He rolled me under him and lay down next to me, staring into my eyes. I waited. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen with us?¡± Louis asked softly. His hands roamed my body.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Can I make it official now that we¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°Official? In what sense?¡± He took out a little box from an inside jacket pocket. I sat up, nervous, ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡±

    He came closer, pressing his lips onto mine. He pulled away and stroked my hair, ¡°No, it isn¡¯t that. Don¡¯t be afraid. For you to want me to cover his mark on you¡­ I will not force you.¡±

    I breathed out the breath I was holding, ¡°Is that really the only way?¡±

    ¡°He will still be there. I will just also have a claim on you. No more living in fear.¡±

    ¡°I hate this. Why, no matter what race you are¡­ It boils down to woman and men?¡±

    I grabbed the box and didn''t hesitate to open it. It was the same box with the yellow felt inside. I lifted the soft fabric; another plate waited patiently inside but hung on a different kind of chain. I picked it up and turned it to see the inscription.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°It¡¯s official,¡± I read and chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s really cute. Thank you, Baby¡­ Does this mean you¡¯re my boyfriend?¡± I put the new chain over my head, adding it to the one I already wore. It hung a little shorter than the first one; together, it was beautiful.

    He climbed on top of me, our faces inches apart. He lowered his lips to mine for a few seconds. His fingers ran through my hair; Louis was thinking. Mine climbed up under his shirt, feeling every part of him. He paused, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not answering me¡­ So, I¡¯m treating you like I would a one-night stand.¡±

    ¡°Fi¡­anc¨¦?¡± He bit his lip, holding my gaze. I nodded excitedly. I melded our lips again, and my hands roamed even further.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± He asked again.

    ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re my fianc¨¦. I can touch you wherever, whenever I want,¡± I laughed. My hands kept straying all over his chest and back and lastly to his ass.

    He groaned, ¡°This isn¡¯t fair¡­.¡± he whispered. His hands didn¡¯t do the same¡­ ¡°You want to make it really official? Your father keeps asking me.¡±

    ¡°Why? What has that got to do with anything¡­ Marcus didn¡¯t even know I slept with Chris. I thought he was going to smell it or something and kill me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ that was weird. Maybe it¡¯s because of what Chris is? He knew immediately we hadn¡¯t done it either¡­ I think the vamps take it really seriously that no one cheats.¡± I pondered his words. ¡°Consummation must mean something? Or does it really not mean anything to you?¡± he asked, tracing my face with a finger.

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t mean the same to you. You¡¯ve been with so many women, Louis¡­ And I don¡¯t want our first time to be like this¡­ I would like to take it a bit slower if you don¡¯t mind?¡±

    He minded and jumped me, kissing me hard. He didn¡¯t stop, and I didn¡¯t stop him. ¡°I don¡¯t make you as crazy as you are with Chris,¡± I breathed heavily as he lifted his mouth from mine, kissing my neck and ears.

    ¡°What do you mean. Do you not hear my thoughts right now? The first thing I thought about when we stepped into the room was you.¡±

    ¡°You think you¡¯ll always love both of us?¡±

    ¡°What if Marcus joins us?¡±

    Louis choked and coughed, turned to lie down on his back, dropping me like a hot potato, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say to that.¡±

    I laughed lightly and was glad Louis was also a little jealous, ¡°I would love for him to also come¡­ But I need you to be able to handle him if he starts beating me,¡± I pressed my lips together to suppress my laughter.

    Louis got up and paced the room.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯re not going to ask anymore or take me into consideration? That was a few days ago. You¡¯re back to being really careful around me.¡± I said, seeing that Louis had not thought I was funny.

    He turned to me. I stopped him with an outstretched hand, ¡°I might not want to have sex right now¡­ Because I¡¯m tired. Charlene and Carl are waiting and...¡±

    ¡°And?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I also want this to be different¡­ Like you said¡­ this should mean something! Where is all of this coming from anyways? You change your mind already?¡±

    He left the room, irritated. Just like that¡ªnot answering. I shook my head in confusion, spacing out into nothingness.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go feed your human,¡± he said, walking down the steps.

    ¡°Our humans!¡± I yelled.

    I was exhausted. I needed two weeks to calm down and even out. I fell back onto the mattress. And¡­ ¡°I miss you, Chris¡­ I hope you¡¯re okay.¡±

    My curiosity got the better of me. I checked Louis¡¯s phone for Chris¡¯s cell phone number. For the first time, I scanned over the digits, wondering when Louis got the chance to take his number. Chris had been online not long ago. But I wouldn¡¯t do anything first again. I was tired of running after him.

    I went into the recording app and pressed the button: ¡°Hi¡­ You crossed my mind, and I took it as a sign that I should call and say¡­ Hi. I hope you don¡¯t think I¡¯ve lost my mind or that I¡¯m crazy¡­ No need to reply. I just miss you¡­ I know you don¡¯t know how you feel about me. And bugging you like this isn¡¯t helping, but¡­ No! No buts. If we die today or something bad happens¡­ I want you to know that¡­ I love you. And that you are not alone. If you don¡¯t know what to do. Just don¡¯t do anything, okay! Don¡¯t write any more letters and make things so¡ªfinal. This message is getting too long, but the idea of you at the other side¡­ I don¡¯t want this to end.¡±

    I wanted to cry. I wanted to send it. I didn¡¯t have the guts. And I didn¡¯t have a journal. I wanted it out of my system; moving on was the only way.

    ***

    Louis

    When I told Sita I wasn¡¯t against Polyandry, I did it to cover for Juliet. I didn¡¯t want it to seem like Juliet didn¡¯t know what she wanted. Hearing her actually think the same was¡­ strange and shocking, but not in a disgusting way because I couldn¡¯t blame her. I walked into her life and thought¡ª I couldn¡¯t help the thoughts that rambled through me: Why was I not enough? Did she come to France to run away and not for me? A mixture of hurt and pain clutched at my heart. Will I be able to share her? Watch other men touch her¡­ How will Marcus take that? He would never! Juliet couldn¡¯t even think about him a week ago. Now, she suddenly had all these memories of him flooding her mind. I doubted for the first time: in myself, Juliet, and my future with her. With my ability, I thought I knew her. Does she even understand what¡¯s going on? She missed Chris, but when she was with me¡­ she was really with me. Juliet took note of small things I did or said, filing it away to make me happy. Remembered the few times I touched her or when our lips met and would have all the feelings to go along with the memories. She thought about our future and past things we would need to talk about.

    I didn¡¯t understand what was going on, so I didn¡¯t go down the stairs all the way. I waited and heard her leave Chris the message. I was too old to be jealous of her feelings for him and what they had been through. I knew she didn¡¯t send it and that it would be on my phone. The question was what I would do with all that trust. She was ready to take the next steps with me, and she wanted it to happen naturally. It sounded good to me. I kept waiting until she stood up and slowly came down the stairs, ¡°Can I sleep with you tonight? You probably see all the stars in the whole sky when the lights go out.¡±

    ¡°No! You cannot sneak in here, Juliet. I cannot guarantee what I will do when I am sleepy, and I¡¯ve been dreaming of you.¡±

    She pouted like she always did, moving her lips to one side of her mouth¡ªI found it endearing. ¡°Okay. Fine,¡± She said, stomping down the rest of the stairs.

    ***

    Juliet

    A few days later, almost all the secrets came out in front of the fireplace. Everyone had still been very quiet that week, processing, I supposed, or taking it easy. We had a million things to talk about and discuss. To me, it felt like everything was hanging in the air. ¡°What do you guys say about starting to deal with things? We have been resting and getting over the jetlag¡­ But we haven¡¯t been talking,¡± I said.  ¡°The last time I saw you two were at Chris¡¯s house. Shouldn¡¯t we start discussing something?¡±  Everyone was staring into the fire like they didn¡¯t want to answer. Even Louis was a million miles away, not focusing on me at all. Since our weird talk up in his room, he¡¯d been avoiding me. Our 180 had gone back to Louis not sharing, opening up¡­ I groaned; I really didn¡¯t want a guy I had beg to let me in. He wasn¡¯t even hosting us in any way; during the day, he was quiet, at night, he went to bed early. Louis was somber again, and it was freaking me out. ¡°I could always ask Louis to read your minds so that I know exactly what¡¯s going on.¡±

    I waited¡­ knowing it would sink in eventually. Carl looked up first, ¡°Cool.¡± Louis bobbed his head.

    ¡°What the hell was that?! Is that all?! Come on, you guys! You¡¯re really boring right now. If things don¡¯t lighten up, I am going to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get a drink!¡± They all mocked at the same time. They all burst out laughing. I blushed a little, feeling like the odd one out at that moment. I pouted and gave them all my death stare. They just kept laughing.

    I disappeared right in front of my lame-ass friends, who were laughing at me. Carl jumped up. Charlene¡¯s mouth hung open. I reappeared behind them, ¡°Boo! Yeah, not so funny now.¡± I disappeared again.

    "Wow Juliet. That¡¯s so cool!¡± Carl exclaimed. ¡°Can I touch you?¡±

    I came back, said, ¡°No!¡± and disappeared again.

    ¡°This is some next-level stuff. Creatures are already scary, but you have abilities too! What about us poor humans?¡± Charlene commented.

    ¡°Charlene,¡± I said behind her. It scared the crap out of her. A throw pillow came flying at my face. I glanced at Louis to see what he thought about everything. He was busy thinking, or rather, nervously twirling his phone in his hand¡­ Louis had been staring at it for two days. [ Louis. Earth to Louis. Hello! ] I kept calling him in my thoughts. He smiled eventually, ¡°Stop that.¡±

    I replied by thinking the rest. [ If you don¡¯t talk to me. I¡¯m taking these chains as fake? Fianc¨¦, my ass! ]

    His eyes came up quickly, and at last, he made contact with me, ¡°Hi,¡± I said.

    Louis was guilt-ridden. I understood; two hundred years without anyone to consider was tough¡­ having to deal with me¡­ was self-sacrifice. He laughed. The phone abruptly stopped moving¡­ Louis did something on it, got up, and walked towards me, ¡°Okay! Polyandry it is.¡±

    I blinked a couple of times¡­ ¡°So this was all because of what I said about Marcus? I was kidding, Louis.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Baby¡­ the one thing about my ability is that I know you better than you know yourself.¡±

    My thoughts ran to Marcus actually coming there, wanting to touch me. I clamped up¡ªlike a vice grip¡­ Blocked him out. ¡°No! There is no way!¡±

    Louis lifted his hands in surrender and pulled me into his arms, ¡°What about Chris? What if he comes¡­ will you choose?¡± Louis asked.

    The thought of having to choose made my stomach drop out from under me. My heart was instantly bereft, and I felt robbed of¡ªsomething. I pulled Louis closer and grabbed desperately onto him, knowing he was probably right. All the implications from that spiraled manically through me.

    ***

    Louis

    ¡°Okay¡­ let¡¯s get through all the secrets first. We can revisit this another time.¡± I pulled her off me only to kiss her. Juliet¡¯s eyes closed, and her lips parted as I comforted her. She forgot about everything and wanted me to take her up the stairs. Carl and Charlene were intrigued by whatever happened and had a million things to say but kept quiet.

    ¡°There are so many things that I don¡¯t know. Come on, spill,¡± Juliet said after pulling away from me just before I would¡¯ve marked my territory.

    She wanted me to explain whatever Carl was¡­ I didn¡¯t want to interfere, so I kept quiet. Secrets were going to come out: the biggest one was... who was I kidding? There was a lot all around? Juliet¡¯s parents said she didn¡¯t know anything. Which truth would be the biggest for her? When I saw them at the coffee shop, I had hoped to be a part of her life. Her in my house, with Carl and Charlene was beyond expectations. All the boundaries were down between us, and I was scared and a little nervous about pushing her away or that she would find out about something she wouldn''t be able to get over.

    ***

    Chris

    Like after seeing Sita¡¯s signature on a piece of paper and feeling free¡­ Me having eaten was a hundred times more liberating. I felt content for the first time in my life¡­ I had been holding on so long and fast to moral values¡­ Ideas I had structured my life around¡ªstupid Chris!

    What I did do was wash out my mouth and brush my teeth. That hooker kissing me was too much for me. Scrutinized myself in the mirror, I vigorously scrubbed Ashleigh off me. It had been days, but I could still taste her tongue in my mouth.

    Would I tell Juliet about it one day?

    It was scary how my newfound animal drive made my thoughts more transparent, more primal¡­ I wanted Juliet passionately, fiercely, and sometimes bitterly.

    Everything from that night with Ashleigh was as clear as day. Even being that drunk and drugged didn¡¯t matter. I also remember every vision, and seeing Juliet like that drove me mad¡ªhungry for her. I¡¯ve never felt like that or dreamt like that. I guess I couldn¡¯t blame Juliet for wanting to jump Louis anymore before a feeding. I got in a cold shower to cool off and wake up properly. Slowly, I was going to come into my own. I hoped every time I manifested or ate, it would be that liberating. I wasn¡¯t in control because of the drugs she gave me and at Juliet¡¯s house because of jealousy¡­ Next time, I would be. Everyone can be glad that I¡¯m laid back¡­ I wasn¡¯t violent or raging out of control. Just normal, Chris.

    If that month was over and everyone knew what happened on the 26<sup>th,</sup> every other detail would fall into place. Then, I could decide what the hell I was going to do with my life. Nicholas told me¡­ very nonchalantly that I would probably live for more than nine hundred years. I couldn¡¯t figure out what to do for the rest of the day, let alone go back to studying or getting married again. I didn¡¯t know what Juliet was doing. She was with Louis, and if I was late and their relationship was in any way official¡­ I would have no one to blame but myself.  Will I try and fight for her? Louis couldn¡¯t upset me either¡­ He was one of the things that couldn¡¯t be a trigger. I had to be able to control myself completely before standing in front of him. My phone got a message. I turned towards the sound. I had laid it on the counter behind me. Louis¡¯s name popped up¡­ It was a voice message.

 34. What Do You Think Youâ€™re Doing?

    34. What Do You Think You¡¯re Doing?

    Carl

    Everybody was staring at me, waiting for me to speak and tell them all about myself.  No one had asked a specific question, so I didn¡¯t know where to start. I watched Louis intently to try to determine what he knew and if he would let us younger kids into his confidence. ¡°Just ask Carl,¡± his eyes stayed fixed on Juliet, and he said, ¡°I promised to tell the truth and not hide anything anymore. If you guys do the same, we might actually get somewhere.¡±

    ¡°There is really no point in me saying that I¡¯m a watcher. Because I can¡¯t tell you why the watchers even exist... I have been trained to some degree, but I haven¡¯t been told where you come from.¡±

    ¡°You said you would manifest,¡± Juliet said.

    ¡°I lied. Thought it would be better for Charlene.¡± Charlene and Juliet threw me with a pillow.

    ¡°What do you mean, Carl? All of us were born here.¡± Juliet said.

    There were three pairs of eyes on Louis... He shook his head. Juliet stood up, already frustrated, ¡°Tell me already.¡±

    Louis sat forward, ¡°Our parents were sent here as prisoners. Earth is a prison planet. Watchers are humans who know we¡¯re here and in exchange for certain¡­ things. Secrets, help, whatever it may be.¡± Everyone stared blankly at him, ¡°Look, we¡¯re all born, but where do we come from. We haven¡¯t been here forever¡­ Even in the world today, the legends or stories of vampires and werewolves originated in the seventeen hundreds.¡±

    ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying¡­ it hasn¡¯t always been vampires, werewolves, and humans on Earth?¡± Charlene asked. He agreed. ¡°How long has this been¡­ a prison planet?¡±

    ¡°A few hundred years.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ my mom or my dad is a criminal? Who is it?¡± Juliet asked. Louis didn¡¯t answer. It took her two seconds to understand. Juliet gave a sardonic chuckle, ¡°It¡¯s the brothers. They did something¡­ My mom had no choice. She had to come!¡±

    ¡°Two hundred years is nothing¡­ Aliens aren¡¯t so farfetched after all.¡± Charlene added.

    Louis continued. ¡°It¡¯s the kids of the parents that are watched. I also don¡¯t know exactly how it works because I wasn¡¯t on the¡­ Anyway¡­ If there are no problems, they get to go back. Or so I heard¡­.¡±

    Juliet walked closer to Louis, ¡°Where are your parents?¡±

    He shook his head, ¡°My dad did something. My mom and dad died later here on earth.¡±

    ¡°Are you going back?¡± Louis got up and grabbed her hand. ¡°No! I would never, baby.¡±

    She was puzzled, ¡°Why not? Why would you stay in this place where everything is so difficult? Where we don¡¯t belong!¡±

    Louis¡¯s hand rubbed his forehead¡­ he was stressed, ¡°Our planet is¡­ not like here. I don¡¯t want to scare you.¡± Juliet and Louis were staring at each other.

    ¡°The werewolves?¡± Charlene asked.

    ¡°Their world is very peaceful. It is governed by a queen¡­ So, it is very different. Again, I don¡¯t know everything. They don¡¯t have that many children who make it to that age where they have a choice¡­ So, there are theories about that as well.¡±

    Juliet pulled her hand out of Louis¡¯s, ¡°Don¡¯t read my mind right now,¡± she walked away.

    ¡°Can I come with you?¡± she shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a bath and sleep. It¡¯s been a long day. It¡¯s enough for tonight.¡±

    Charlene got up to follow Juliet. That she didn¡¯t mind¡­ They locked arms and went into one of the rooms. We heard them laughing and talking for the longest time. Later, they quieted down.

    Louis and I were left watching the wood burn in the fireplace, ¡°You¡¯re a watcher?¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Well, the son of one.¡±

    ¡°Your father is¡­?¡±

    ¡°Julius Bertram.¡±

    Louis¡¯s whistled and took a long sip of his beer, ¡°What is being said about Chris?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m here. Or rather, why my father let me come¡­ At first¡­ we were watching Sita and Chris¡­ which didn¡¯t yield anything. But now there have to be tabs on Juliet to see if she¡¯s¡ª¡±

    ¡°Pregnant?¡± Louis drank the rest of his beer in one gulp. ¡°Can I ask you a question, Carl?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I read you?¡±

    I didn¡¯t really want to tell Louis that my father knew everything about everyone. Louis didn¡¯t even know he had a watcher himself. He thought he had grown up away from all the politics. My father knew exactly what was going on in that house. I hoped that my saying anything was okay.

    ¡°When you first came into the neighborhood¡­ My father had tech implanted.¡±

    Louis bobbed his head, ¡°Tonight, let¡¯s do what the girls are doing and do something boys would do.¡±

    ¡°And that is?¡±

    ¡°Have something stronger. Some shots, maybe. Do you play poker?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I do¡­ and why not. What will we bet?¡±

    ¡°Secrets, of course.¡±

    I thought that was a good idea. If I did say something stupid, my dad couldn¡¯t blame me. Louis made his way outside to the bar on the patio. I followed. We made one massive fire in the pit, drank, sat up late, and fell asleep outside¡ªbonding. I liked Louis from that first day at Juliet¡¯s house. My father even said¡­ he was one of the good ones.

    ***

    Charlene

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared? Of the pregnancy¡­ the birth¡­ facing Ben,¡± Juliet asked.

    ¡°I am¡­¡± Juliet was lying on my bed, scrutinizing the roof and twirling her hair with a finger. I was on my stomach beside her, reading a magazine I had bought at the airport.

    ¡°This place is insane¡­ chandeliers are hanging in the bedrooms¡­ Everything is so¡ª¡±

    ¡°Expensive,¡± I said and laughed lightly. ¡°Maybe why¡­ you like Chris so much? In his chinos and cheap button-up shirts. He couldn¡¯t care less about stuff like this.¡±

    ¡°No, except for his car¡­.¡± Juliet said.

    ¡°I know, right? What¡¯s up with that? And now it doesn¡¯t have a door,¡± I said, trying not to laugh. Juliet burst out in her boisterous laugh. We laughed until we cried, imagining when he saw it the first time and them having to drive like that.

    ¡°When do you want to go to talk to Ben? Can I check his social?¡± I nodded and gave her my phone. I was curious, too. I have only checked it once. Juliet smiled brightly when she went through his photos, ¡°Everything is on here. Your whole holiday¡­ And this post with you sleeping.¡± I hit her to stop playing. ¡°I¡¯ve said this before¡­ But Ben¡¯s really handsome. Why haven¡¯t you shown me before?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask?¡± she smiled. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s good-looking, but will he even want to know about the baby?¡±

    ¡°Tricky, what do you think? Let¡¯s check his other posts¡­ Look here¡­ after that one of you sleeping, there is another about the New Year¡¯s Ball¡­ A photo of you in that insane dress with your mask on gazing out at the dark skyline¡­ on a very dark roof.¡±

    I grabbed the phone, ¡°What does it say?¡± I quickly read the few words. ¡°The night that changed my life.¡± My eyes widened. Giddily, I fell back onto the bed, rolling around and kicking the air.

    Juliet enjoyed the moment with me, ¡°I think he will welcome you with open arms. He doesn¡¯t seem stupid. He¡¯s last year in Uni, isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°For all you know, he might even be ready to tackle a serious relationship.¡±

    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to do this alone¡­.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry about that forever,¡± Juliet hugged me.

    ¡°A baby needs a dad, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°Sure, but I know many kids with the worst dads, and they turn out to be their own people.¡±

    We were both thinking of Carl.

    ¡°Juliet¡­ I¡¯m tired. I need to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Can I sleep here, please?¡± she begged me, making little cat feet and puppy eyes.

    ¡°Scared Louis might creep in through the night?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡± she said, but I knew she was bugged out about everything she heard. ¡°I also don¡¯t want to do this alone, Charlene,¡± we both got under the blankets, cut the lights, and slept.

    The next few days were solely spent sorting out small things; online school, schedules for cleaning and making food. Everybody there was easy in doing what they were supposed to do. We all kept Louis¡¯s house as clean as we could and tried to respect his things.

    I was dreading facing Ben after all those months. I kept myself busy reading books on birth and child-rearing. Juliet was with me all the time and read everything I did. We discussed it at length, lying outside on deck chairs in the sun. She would have to wait for the snowy months¡­ I relished the summer¡­ I didn¡¯t like the cold.

    ***

    Juliet

    After a few days of ignoring Louis, knowing he wasn¡¯t in my head. I got to a point where I couldn¡¯t do it anymore; take the uneasy feeling I had in the pit of my stomach. He wasn¡¯t happy, and I wasn¡¯t happy. Suddenly, I was in a serious relationship that would end in a lifelong commitment. One I had made easily. It had never been hard for me to make a decision. The plates around my neck kept ending up in my hand. There were so many questions I had. Not only was I not a vampire as such, but an alien that didn¡¯t belong on Earth. There were actual planets out there with species on.

    Louis sat down next to me on a deck chair. I threw my legs over the side, watching him like I did that night in the car. His stare pierced mine right back. None of it was his fault. We hadn¡¯t known each other very long. He was being honest, and I could¡¯ve kept asking questions. I got up and climbed over him, wrapping him with my legs. His hands rested on my hips, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Louis.¡± He pulled me down onto his chest. I breathed out a ragged breath, feeling him so close. Having someone that was there no matter what. I had to keep reminding myself¡ªthat was all I wanted all my life, a partner who would not walk away. ¡°Can I kiss you?¡± I asked.

    His eyes drifted up into the sky, ¡°Can I read you again?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Not yet¡­ We need to get to know each other, and you have an unfair advantage.¡±

    He smiled and pulled my lips onto his, ¡°I thought you would have a lot more questions.¡±

    ¡°I do¡­ It just can¡¯t be the basis of our beginning. I¡¯m here because of you. If I keep asking questions, we¡¯re going to have a lot of time where we don¡¯t talk or spend time together. I don¡¯t like space.¡± he pulled my lips onto his again, ¡°I hope you are ready,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ But Baby, we gotta talk about Chris and Marcus.¡±

    I had thought about them; I thought about Louis telling me subconsciously I really did want Marcus. Asked me if I would choose if Chris came to France. I was connected to Marcus either way. Chris and I had slept together. It was a big thing to just let go. I had some time to play around with the idea of having two husbands. Chris would never¡ªafter Sita. His celibacy. Honor and commitment. He didn¡¯t even love me. Marcus¡­ would never happen. He would never end up there in France and ask to stay. He was on the compound. A million miles away. Even if he apologized for branding me and told me he missed me, I could never go back there. Leave Louis for Marcus? Never. I made a decision. Love the one that is good for me. ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s not really up to me, is it.¡± I said after a lengthy pause.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You said you¡¯re okay with it. Polyandry and all. I don¡¯t think¡­ I can forget about Chris,¡± Louis didn¡¯t smile and wasn¡¯t happy, ¡°How did you make the decision?¡±

    ¡°I love you. You might die¡­ I¡¯ve been with so many women¡­ How can I stop you from loving someone else? Because of jealousy? Chris was first, and long before him or me, there was Marcus¡­ I walked into your life.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ then it¡¯s easy. You decide when the time comes.¡±

    Louis kissed me¡ªpassionately, forcefully and pulled me under him. I wasn¡¯t going to think about anyone else.

    ***

    Charlene

    The following two weeks passed quickly. It was Sunday the 25<sup>th</sup> of April. Juliet had gotten better; her scars were completely gone, and it was time I gathered all my courage and faced Ben. I didn¡¯t want to call him; I wanted to go there and catch him off guard and see what his natural reaction was when he saw me. Louis and Carl were firmly against that course of action. They said men needed a lot of logistical preparations. Me pitching up like that could make him freak out before deciding for himself. But Juliet was so adamant about supporting me. We both knew the importance of feeling wanted and begging a guy to like us was not something either of us dreamt about. If he didn¡¯t want me, how would we ever share in raising our baby? If he wasn¡¯t happy when he saw me¡­ I wouldn¡¯t tell him. I wasn¡¯t getting an abortion either; it was too late for that anyway. I had decided even before I became pregnant. It wasn¡¯t something I could even consider, and neither would Juliet. We would instead raise a baby together.

    Benjamin and I had too much to drink. Initially, we used a condom, but we kept drinking in the hotel room, and things must have happened again. I couldn¡¯t remember every detail¡­ What I did remember was playing strip poker, and it led to us making out. After we had sex the first time¡­ he stayed and made me laugh. He didn¡¯t run away, and we danced to some music, took more shots, and ordered room service. We even had a smoke outside on the balcony. Ben was fun, just a regular guy. His parents must be wealthy for him to study at such a prestigious university. Before all that happened the night, we were at the same masquerade ball. After he paid for everything.

    What Juliet and I didn¡¯t tell Louis and Carl was that I had asked Juliet to use her incredible ability to follow Ben for a day. Do some sort of ¡®stakeout¡¯ to see if he wasn¡¯t, maybe hiding some serial killer intentions or that he didn¡¯t have a girlfriend. Juliet had made Louis promise that he would not read her thoughts; it was a fifty-fifty shot that he would honor her wishes. It had been going really well with them.

    ¡°Come on¡­ Juliet, we¡¯ve got to go,¡± I said.

    She grabbed her bag and stuffed her face with the last bit of some pastry left on the counter, ¡°I don¡¯t know what is wrong with me¡­ I¡¯m so hungry.

    ¡°Your period must be close. Or you¡¯re pregnant,¡± I said it before I thought about it¡ªpregnancy on the brain.

    Her eyes wide, we both paused... ¡°No! Not going down that road just yet¡­You¡¯re probably right; it¡¯s my period, ugh.¡±

    We were trying to leave about twenty minutes after Louis and Carl. They had taken one car to go to the nearby town and do some shopping. We had our overnight bags hidden away under my bed. Grabbing the keys we needed to get going.

    It was a difficult journey at first. We needed to drive to the closest major city, which in that case was Lyon¡ªwithout Louis! But we managed to park the car at the station, rushing to catch the train to Italy. Bologna was a seven-hour trip with two stops and switching. We tried forcing Louis and Carl to make the trip with us¡­ They would not budge, so Juliet and I thought we would teach them a lesson by keeping us so dominated in that place. ¡°Calling Ben and talking first,¡± like they suggested, was lame¡­ where would the fun be in that?

    When we arrived, we had to find our hotel. We needed to pay with Louis¡¯s card, which meant they would know where we were when they saw the bank¡¯s message¡­ It was only one night, anyway. I was sure Louis would be on his way there the following morning; we would have one day without the spoilsports.

    ***

    Louis

    I had woken up early that morning, watching the sun rise over the mountains. The sky was orange and bright around the peaks, and my life seemed perfect with Juliet in my arms. She had been sleeping in my bed for a few nights since we consummated¡ªthis.  That night had made me quiet the last couple of days, just watching her. She had asked me if I was ready, thinking back¡­ I wasn¡¯t. Juliet was a whole other ball game after she apologized. I had not been reading her for weeks, and it was frustrating, to say the least; it took all my willpower not to go against her request. I desperately wanted to know what she was thinking. If she was regretting what happened.

    So, later that morning, when she asked for some takeout for lunch, I had no scruples in jumping in the car and placating my wife. Yeah, that¡¯s how I saw her; there was no point in calling her my fianc¨¦¡ªwe were beyond even that. I could still not wrap around my head the way she had been with me the last two weeks. Juliet was like a different person. Carl quickly joined me when the girls said they would be skinny dipping and tanning next to the pool, and we weren¡¯t allowed for a few hours. I didn¡¯t think much of it; I felt they needed to talk and have some time together.

    It was almost an hour and a half to town and then back. We needed to buy groceries and some toiletries anyway. Carl was excited to get off the plot, shoot some pool, maybe get a drink at the pub. I wanted to do my part in bonding with him; it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get to know him.

    Later that day, Carl and I drove up the lane towards the house. It was completely dark in the garden, the driveway, and nothing behind the glass from every window. At first, I thought the power had gone out, and maybe Juliet couldn¡¯t get the generator going. Or they were in my room upstairs talking and drinking. That was Juliet¡¯s favorite place; she spent most days there, reading, meditating, or taking in the amazing view.

    We searched the whole house and grounds¡ªthey were nowhere. I got worried halfway through and finally had to stop and think. There were no messages, and they were not answering phones. Carl and I looked at each other simultaneously, thinking the same thing, and ran for the garage. We had never opened it. One of the cars was not in its spot. There was a note on the counter¡­

    I don¡¯t think I had ever been that angry.

    Baby. Don¡¯t be angry. We got on the TGV and will be in Bologna tonight. Tomorrow, Charlene and I will scout out Ben. See if he is a creep or not. Surprise him to see his reaction. We did it because you guys didn¡¯t want to take us¡­ There was no other way¡­ I will keep doing stuff like this¡­ so yeah. See you soon. Know you will come for me. X¡¯s and O¡¯s.

    I crumpled the paper, crushing it in my hand. I tossed it on the floor, stomping and swearing so many times Carl had to put his fingers in his ears. Vented. I fixed my jersey,  breathing deeply. I bent down, picking up the paper; it was her first note to me.

    Carl took his fingers out his ears, ¡°Been a little different between you since you guys slept together¡­ Your eyes haven¡¯t left her for days.¡±

    ¡°I know! I¡­ am, finding it very difficult right now. I¡¯m sorry, Carl.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to explain to me¡­ But tomorrow is a full moon.¡±

    My head snapped to my watch, ¡°Arghh! Juliet, I will give you such flogging when you come home, I swear¡­.¡± I whispered more to myself. I had not thought of Chris for the longest time. Realized why Juliet didn¡¯t want me in her head. So many questions popped up at that moment. She was too smart for her own good.

    Carl snorted, ¡°I would love to see that.¡±

    I climbed the stairs into the house when my phone dinged. It was a message from the bank. She had used the card I gave her. They really were in Bologna. A smile played at the corner of my lips; the hotel they chose was expensive. ¡°Let¡¯s go buy tickets. We¡¯ll catch up tomorrow¡­ How much trouble can they get into? It¡¯s only two days?¡±

 35. We Have No Idea What Weâ€™re Doing

    35. We Have No Idea What We¡¯re Doing

    Juliet

    It was Monday¡­ Full moon day¡­ D-day. I was stressed. It was looming over me like a dark cloud, wanting to call Chris and hear his voice¡­ It was the only thing I was thinking about. Not having Louis poking around my head was for the best. The day was going to be eventful and keep me busy.

    Charlene and I had been searching the campus for hours. She was getting tired; I told her to go back to the hotel to take a break. I was also tired of hoping to catch a glimpse and follow Ben. We decided that I would go invisible and do some recon inside the dormitory.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stare too much,¡± Charlene said.

    I scoffed at her, ¡°You wish. Go and rest. By tonight, I¡¯ll call you and arrange a meet-up with him,¡± I hugged her one last time.

    She smiled and got on a bus. I waved her off. It was better to do it during the day because I had to wait for people to open doors for me. The more traffic made it easier. I had his room number and all the social information I needed, so I quickly found their room. There was a lot of commotion inside. That was why we could not track them down. They were gaming and had been the whole morning. Standing outside of their room waiting for any one of them needing a bathroom break was tedious. After a while, I needed to pee. It couldn¡¯t hurt to just go¡­ no one would know. I found the bathroom and closed the stall door peeing. When I was done, I flushed¡­ I had to open the door before disappearing again. The guy standing waiting was expecting someone to come out and watched the door skeptically. He opened it a little wider; when he saw no one there, he freaked out in Spanish. It was funny, but I wasn¡¯t standing around to hear him taking a dump.

    I was waiting at the room door again. The Spanish guy who freaked out made his way inside. He was one of Ben¡¯s roommates, ¡°A lucky coincidence. Thank You.¡± Unfortunately, it also meant¡­ I was stuck in the room for the rest of the day. Lying on one of the beds and watching them play games at a communal study desk in the middle of the room was super dull. Since I got this wonderful gift that I will be forever thankful for¡­ I realized I hadn¡¯t done really anything with it. Come to think of it, I never really followed Chris. Sure, at school, and that one time when I got in his car, it had been too close, and I stopped. Back then, something felt off about it¡­ almost skeeve¡­ Going to his house or following him to other places, knowing what I knew now, maybe I should¡¯ve. There was really no fear of seeing him and Sita cuddling on the sofa.

    Being bored to death brought around the idea of having some fun. I had learned all their names by then. The guy in the bathroom was none other than¡­ I banged an invisible drum¡­ Mateo, the dark Spanish beauty! The contestant will be scared to death. I was on the top bunk, and getting in under the sheet was easy. All of them wore earphones and I just had to wait for Mateo to get up and make his way to the kitchen area. When he turned around, I came back into my body and sat up.

    The cussing in Spanish I could follow. It was loud. He dropped a cup of coffee. My ghost display had the desired effect. Poor Mateo was staring at the moving sheet. His screaming was so loud that the others irritatingly had to put down their headsets to talk to him¡­ By that time, I had laid back down¡ªinvisible again.  The others were severely ticked off. They were fighting some or other boss in a fantasy game. Mateo slowly walked up to the bunk to feel where the sheet had come up. He was confused and smelled his old cup on the table. He was trying to work out if his friends were drugging him. I laughed and laughed.

    I proceeded to freak them out for the rest of the day, going underneath the table and sensually touching their legs all around. It was hilarious as they turned on each other¡ªfighting¡ªoffended by the turn of events. Or, while they were busy trying to figure out what the hell was going on, I went into an open cupboard and closed it really hard from the inside. Why I had never done that before was just stupid¡­ I wished I could go back and do it to Chris all the time¡­ Or to Charlene and Carl. It had been a long time since I had a good laugh. The day turned out to be the best I¡¯ve had in ages.

    Eventually, though, I got bored. Scared they would leave or call someone¡­  I was also kind of tired after the eventful two days, a long two weeks after coming to France. I was so adamant about knowing what was going on with Carl¡­ but when the real secrets came out¡­ I didn¡¯t want to deal. My parents had lied to me again, and there was more unfinished business between Louis and me. I almost fell asleep on the bed. Luckily, they made such a commotion when it came to nighttime that they woke me running back and forth, getting dressed and ready to go out, shouting for socks, shoes, and whatever was needed. I was prepared at the door when Mateo himself was the last one to lock. I stepped out with him and seemed to gravitate to him. Mateo was kind of the most mature of the four and didn¡¯t rush around; it meant he was easy to follow. For good measure, when he turned from pulling out the key, I came back and disappeared in front of him. He was visibly startled and fell back against the door. Gathering his wits, he stood staring all around him. He spoke a lot of Spanish as he walked down the hall, muttering.

    It was nearly seven o¡¯clock. The sun would be setting in an hour. I kept counting the time difference, thinking about Chris and him changing and whether he was as nervous as I was. These guys were also in a hurry and seemed to have somewhere to be. It was kind of exciting. I got in the car with them, feeling lucky that they weren¡¯t going by bike. It afforded me a space in the middle back seat.

    We were driving out of town for forty-five minutes when something in the pit of my stomach turned sour. The road didn¡¯t seem to end, and my gut twisted into more nervous knots. Mateo got off the main road, and I had flashbacks of Mr. Tailored having the same bad feelings as I did when I had no way out. Mateo kept going further and further off onto minor roads.

    At first, I thought we were going to Argenta, a nearby town. That would¡¯ve been fine; I could¡¯ve made a run for it there. But being so far off the main path¡­ they¡¯d be my only means of coming and going. Meant I had to stick to them like glue. I thought about running, but I would get lost and give Louis more of a reason to be angry, and making more wrong choices would be worse. I had to confess again that I might not have thought it all the way through. Stupid Juliet! Louis was probably on his way. I feared that if he found Charlene alone without me, there would be hell to pay. I was not ready for that conversation. Our relationship was only two weeks old, and fighting or setting boundaries was the last thing I wanted to do.

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    Finally, a smallholding appeared around some trees with outhouses and a big barn; there was also a normal-looking house. On the side lawn, cars were parked, and women and men were standing in small groups. A big bonfire outside made me exhale. It was just a party, ¡°Fun! Let¡¯s see if I can crash it.¡±  The four men got out of the car. Outside, I left them for a few minutes to send Louis a quick message while thinking about pulling more pranks or appearing and joining the crowd.

    I decided to stick to Benjamin rather than Mateo. If all else failed, he would be the go-to guy, I guessed. I could throw Charlene¡¯s name around. I had so many pictures of her on my phone they would probably think twice about killing me. Some other guys handed them drinks and my first regret set in about being invisible. I wouldn¡¯t be able to drink unless I appeared or stole one. Sitting around all day, I realized Louis hadn¡¯t made good on his promise. I had not eaten since the X-pat in his house and although holding out was getting better, I felt it regardless. For the next few minutes, I proceeded to try and steal a drink as the four guys ¡®meeted¡¯ and ¡®greeted¡¯ their way through the crowd.

    ***

    Louis

    The previous night, after I had cooled down¡­ I didn¡¯t know what to message Juliet. I wanted her to be safe. I wanted to scold her. I wanted to leave and let her stew for a few weeks. Let her know how it felt when the other person just disappeared¡­ I sighed, ¡°Who am I kidding?¡± I muttered to myself.

    My fingers did the talking¡­

    Me [ Juliet

    Just tell me if you go anywhere else. Please.

    You know I can¡¯t track the app if you go invisible.

    Remember what happened last time.

    Baby¡­ Please.

    Louis ]

    I hoped she would do that one little thing for me. She read my message. The only thing I got was one Emoji¡­ a naughty face emoji. I drew in a slow breath¡­ Did she feel anything for me? She hadn¡¯t told me she loved me. The commitment was there. We slept together¡­ But physical intimacy doesn¡¯t mean she cares. It was as if she had no regard for my feelings¡­ I was in my room, and it was a beautiful night as I dragged my cigarette. I shook myself out of my negative thinking. Me not reading her was the problem; I felt what it was like to be in a normal relationship. I was lying to myself; it wasn¡¯t true¡­ My fear was playing tricks on me. She was still so young¡ªeighteen. I couldn¡¯t even remember what I did when I was that age. Her manners were proof enough about how she felt. I just didn¡¯t have the confidence yet. Suddenly, I knew how Chris and Marcus must have felt, not knowing what she was thinking. You had to make all your decisions based on assumptions¡ªhow ridiculous.

    I hoped they didn¡¯t go clubbing. Meet Italian guys. Will she come home and tell me she slept with someone. I was jealous about that. Tried to convince myself they wouldn¡¯t go anywhere. Order in. Watch on-demand movies. I should never have given her my card. The freedom for them was too much. Although I knew every transaction, it didn¡¯t help if I was hours away from her.

    The following day, Carl and I were sitting on the train, and I was staring at my phone like a lovesick puppy. Carl had even noticed I was different... Sleeping with Juliet had changed everything. We did really make it¡ªofficial.

    All of us were sitting around the fire. It had been a week and a half since our talk on the deck chairs. Juliet¡¯s touch had increased exponentially. She didn¡¯t hold back one second: She touched my arm as she spoke to me or my back if we were in the kitchen to move around. Hugged me from behind when she had an urge. Took my face in her hands whenever she felt like kissing, and she did it relentlessly, like she wanted to have me right there. Juliet would lay on the bed with me, and we would make out like she would say. A few times, it got hot and heavy. She would pull away at the last moment for some reason, and I couldn¡¯t read her. She sat on my lap in the lounge¡­ just to get off when she was tired and snuggled in next to me as we sat and listened to Carl rattle on. He had suddenly found his voice¡ªliberated by the freedom of speech and not having to hide anything. Juliet even snuck into my room in the middle of the night, thinking I was asleep. I would carry her back to her room before the sun came up.

    Charlene wanted to dance. Juliet soon joined in her pursuit. We put on music for them and cleared the patio. Juliet and Charlene were tipsy and play-dancing together. Juliet pulled Carl and me up to join them. I felt for Carl; he had to dance with Charlene when Juliet rubbed her body all over me. That went on for a few songs, where we just danced together. A slow song came up¡­ Her hands found themselves under my shirt, ran up and down my back, and ended on my ass, pressing a very ready me into her. Lips fervently met mine. Her tongue teased me beyond what I could endure. I groaned inwardly, unable to take one more minute of it, ¡°Juliet,¡± I whispered. They had actually dressed up for the night. She looked stunning in the dress and high heels. Smokey eyes looking deep into mine¡­ pushing me to the brink¡­ without her even knowing or realizing. She was a touchy-feely person by nature¡­ She was young and did what she wanted without thinking. But that didn¡¯t help me¡­ I was the one on the receiving end, not in her thoughts, and I didn¡¯t know how to get her to take that step. Never had I ever had to figure it out. It was like she was waiting for me to take the lead.

    ¡°What,¡± She asked.

    I didn¡¯t want to lose the mood. I was so nervous, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what¡­ You can¡¯t deny me¡­ love tonight,¡± she smiled and snorted, ¡°The way you¡¯re touching me and kissing me¡­ There is only one way to cope with this.¡±

    ¡°Are you quoting my favorite song?¡± I nodded, smiling, moaning against her lips, ¡°I¡¯m in too deep tonight, Baby. I¡¯m too high on you¡­ dancing like that¡­.¡±

    ¡°Your mouth knows just what to say¡­ Will my head lift up? Will I scream?¡±

    She was teasing¡­ but it was a mistake. No. Not a mistake. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± I whispered to her. I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder, strutting to the only destination there was. She laughed, hitting me for effect to put her down. When we walked past the other two, she yelled, ¡°You guys better cover your ears! Louis¡¯s going to make me scream.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t care that they knew. I spun to Carl, ¡°Charlene has to stop drinking. Right now!¡± he nodded, running up behind us and closing the door to the inside. The music became louder as I neared the staircase. They were giving us privacy. In the back of my mind, I thanked him for it. Her words sunk in as I climbed the stairs. I was almost out of control when I laid her down on my bed. The feeling when I came down on her took over my whole body.

    Even sitting on the train, I had no control over my love for Juliet¡­ Or what I wouldn¡¯t do for her.

 36. No One Has

    36. No One Has

    Juliet

    I was trying to observe Ben closely to report to Charlene what he was like amongst his friends. Overall, he was a really nice guy. Friendly and kind. I had yet to see anything wrong with him. His mates seemed cool, too. There was Francesco with the accent. He was Italian. Mateo, the Spanish beauty, and David¡­ I couldn¡¯t place him because he was really quite like Carl... The first thought that popped up was ¡®watcher¡¯¡­ My mind wanted to convince me he couldn¡¯t possibly be one until a loud bell chimed from the house¡¯s porch. Everybody made their way into the barn. My brain and gut tried to warn me not to go into a possible mass suicide situation.

    But on the other hand¡­ it might just be a DJ. A dance floor or something? There were no windows and a very high roof. The ground was covered in soft sand, and no stinky smell other than country dust filled the air. Following Ben inside was a difficult decision. My heart raced because I didn¡¯t know what I was doing. I wished I wasn¡¯t that stupid; apparently, I am. My feet crossed the threshold. A calmness descended over the group, which made me relax a little. Inside, they even stood for a quick roll call¡­ Weird. Maybe a Uni thing, team building, or something?

    The doors closed and were reinforced with clanging metal doors rolling down like in Jacklin¡¯s hotel and Rodrigo¡¯s house. The panic shut my heart down for a second. More noises came from above. I glanced up to see the ceiling slide open on tracks in different directions. Everyone walking to the side of the barn brought my attention back to the people around me. I followed Ben. They were all waiting, but for what? The walls literally opened up, and Ben stepped inside a tiny room. No¡­ I moved closer. It was¡ªa cage. I didn¡¯t know what to do. Eyes fixed on the scene in front of me, I couldn¡¯t believe my luck. What were the chances of Benji being a werewolf? My eyes darted to Francesco¡­ he also entered the wall, and then Mateo. I searched for David but couldn¡¯t find him, realizing all my suspicions were right¡ªDavid was their watcher.

    The gate shut in between us. A minute later, Ben wasn¡¯t Ben anymore, and he could see me. Everyone could see me, and they went ballistic! Roars and howling snarls came from every last werewolf. The bashing of bodies against the gates rattled the whole arena, sending the ferocity out towards me. I struggled to take a step back.

    The cages lined an arena of sand. It was where they fed them one by one. I stepped even further away into the middle. Another bell resounded in the space. My heart pounded when another gate opened. My round eyes were wondering if a full-moon werewolf could touch me. The principal would be the same, wouldn¡¯t it? But it wasn¡¯t a werewolf that came out. A jacked vampire fully manifested with a¡­ weapon and a shield? ¡°What the actual f¡ª is going on?¡±

    Behind me, another noise. The first werewolf¡¯s cage gate lifted slowly, prolonging my demise. It was Francesco. He jumped out, roaring on all fours. His eyes darted first at the challenger and then at me. I decided staying hidden would be fifty-fifty. If I presented myself¡­ I was sure to die. I ran for it. My fight or flight response chose for me. From instinct, Francesco followed, stampeding toward me. All I could do was brace, lifting my arms over my face. He rammed face-first through me and into the wall. I gasped, trying to catch my breath as he turned and clawed at me. I bent down, flinching, scared he might push through the barriers of my ability. The vamp didn¡¯t know what was going on. His eyes darted up at the windows lining the top of the cages. What kind of cage fighting is this? The idea didn¡¯t seem ridiculous when I thought about it. Only that the vamps didn¡¯t stand a chance.

    A light flashed bright red; the round had begun. The hitting of a stick on a surface made the werewolf and I fix our gazes on the sound. The vampire was slamming his weapon against his shield, instantly drawing Francesco to a better target. He didn¡¯t wait for the werewolf to decide and attacked first. His strike didn¡¯t even touch Francesco as he jumped out of the way, kicking the vamp on his back. The retaliation was a prompt blow that hit the dog on the head with a whack. A yelp followed. A low growl and a deafening roar into the air. I had a flashback of Jerry in the car, coming at me. They went at it for a few more minutes. Francesco was too strong. The vamp stood no chance when his shield was broken, and his stick was flung away, clanging into one of the cages. The vamp ran for his life towards the gate in the distance from where he came out. For the first time, I smiled, realizing no one was going to die. It opened, and three other vamps came running around, getting Francesco¡¯s attention. It was a freaking circus, bull riding, clown-stopping rodeo.

    More clanging from Francesco¡¯s cage revealed a person immobilized by fear standing inside. The sounds didn¡¯t stop and drew him in and away. Another human died instantly¡­ his death was at least swift. It was some next-level stuff. I laughed at the absurdity of what boredom could do to creatures that lived as long as we did. The organization almost seemed too good for a few college boys. My subconscious gut churned some more.

    The sequence went on. Every time a bigger vamp would come out. The werewolves also seemed to get stronger. It had to be determined according to who had won the previous matches, strength, or training.

    ***

    Louis

    The train was nearing the station in Bologna. I was agitated being so close¡­ It was already dark, and the moon was out mocking me. I got a text.

    Juliet { Followed Ben 45 min east on a smallholding close to Argenta.

    Big bonfire and a barn. Charlene at the hotel.

    Staying invisible. Don¡¯t worry, the boys seem harmless }

    I swore loudly. A few eyes fell on me to see what was wrong.

    That feeling I got when Juliet did anything stupid¡ªassailed me. I knew that night was going to be one of those nights. Where she changed my life forever¡ªagain! Or she might die¡­ I scrolled through my emails, reading the one I was looking for.

    Dear Mr. Du Pont

    If you are interested in fighting this month, please let us know.

    Location: Argenta.

    Yours sincerely.

    The Collective, Italy.

    Juliet was at a cage fight. For a moment, I wished Chris was there. I would let him loose on the whole place. I rushed for the rental cars. ¡°What¡¯s going on, Louis?¡± Carl asked when my walking speed doubled.

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    ¡°We have to leave right now! Get this address on your phone while I get a car.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Louis. There is always someone with her. She has her own guardian angel... well, watcher.¡±

    I frowned¡­ ¡°So you¡¯re not her watcher?¡±

    Carl laughed out loud, ¡°Me? Take care of all¡­ that¡­ No.¡±

    ¡°Well, whoever it is can¡¯t intervene unless it¡¯s life or death of a compliant, right? I don¡¯t want it to get that far.¡±

    Carl nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right. Do you want me to call?¡± I nodded desperately. Carl seemed flustered that I was that worried, ¡°Why are you like this?¡±

    ¡°Marcus¡¯s father loves fights¡­ Marcus loves fighting¡­ I fear that this time, they might take her away¡­ Your people can¡¯t intervene in that regard.¡±

    Carl got fidgety when the clerk didn¡¯t seem to know what she was doing. He tried calling Charlene but got no answer. ¡°Louis, a message just came through.¡±

    I took the phone.

    Charlene { Juliet isn¡¯t back. I came to find her and couldn¡¯t. She is gone. I¡¯m following Ben out of town because the chances are that she¡¯s in the car. I have no idea where I¡¯m going }

    ¡°You know we leave for one day¡­ Not even a whole day. How is such a woman to be worked on?¡± I muttered to myself.

    Carl smiled sympathetically.

    ***

    Charlene

    It was almost six at night¡­ I had left Juliet hours ago to follow Ben but had heard nothing from her. I was scared she would be stuck somewhere and couldn¡¯t get out. I had gone back to the campus¡­ Kept wondering around to maybe see something. Wait for her phone to come online. I decided I would go to the reception area and ask for Ben himself at seven. Luckily, when I went to wait in the rental car, I saw them. He and three of his friends ran down the stairs out of the dorm. It felt strange. It wasn¡¯t as if I wanted to call out to him. There really was no love lost there. He just needed to know about the baby or not. They got into another car not far from me. There was nothing else I could do¡­ I had to follow them. If I knew Juliet at all, she would probably also be in the car. Where were they going?

    It took an hour; I almost lost them a few times. When they took a small lane into a property, I drove past and parked next to the road. The sun was beyond the horizon, setting. I waited for a while, calling Juliet over and over. Maybe she didn¡¯t come. Perhaps I was out there all alone. Ben was there¡­ If I told him how stupid we were, he would forgive me. He wasn¡¯t a complete ass. So, I got out of the car to get a closer look. It was a mistake. The trees were filled with little red lights, blinking at me. The whole place was full of security cameras. I wasn¡¯t even two steps away from the car when four men came out of the foliage and surrounded me. They grabbed my phone and were being really rough with me, pushing me over the grass, past a bonfire with no one around it.

    Before we went into the house, I could hear animal noises. Or that¡¯s what it sounded like. Growling, roaring¡ªthings going crazy inside cages. Frantically, I wriggled, trying to get out of their hold, ¡°Let me go! Please let me go!¡±

    They gave me a good shake, ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re not going anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Who is this?¡± A guy asked, coming out of one of the rooms. He was dressed all in black. His suit wasn¡¯t your typical three-piece either.

    The four men stopped immediately, ¡°We found her in the road.¡±

    His brow furrowed, staring at me. ¡°I¡¯m looking for my friend. Please let me go. I wasn¡¯t trespassing¡­ I was parked in the street.¡± He scratched the side of his face, scrutinizing me¡­ His mouth opened just before his eyes caught sight of something at the door, changing his body posture. They all stood up straighter, heads bowing bizarrely. A dark cloud had entered the room. I glanced back to see who could have caused them all to act like that. Another man dressed to perfection in a long coat hanging down to his ankles was ushered into the house. Rakishly handsome, older, a cigarette in his hand. He stopped, and his gaze lustily traveled up and down my body. The guy oozed the creeps. I dropped my eyes to the floor and closed my jacket around me. He scoffed¡­ ¡°Give her to my son.¡± The guy in black drew in a slow breath. His eyes flickered to mine as he nodded in acknowledgment.

    My entourage was shooed away by the guy in black. The four men push-escorted me down narrow halls further into darkness. Every room we passed had people in them. All dressed in white, sitting in front of TV screens. It all went by too fast. I was shoved into a pen with other people. These were all grown men, scared to death of the noises coming into the space, which sent a shiver down my spine. I held my breath as flashes of that thing Chris turned into whirled around my head. Sita as a werewolf. That sound we could hear all the way to his house.

    One man tried to scream and make a ruckus, shaking the gate. The four men who dragged me in were sitting at a table just outside. They opened for him but weren¡¯t going to let him go. He got a good beating for doing something he was not supposed to. I was pregnant and young. If I took a few kicks like that¡­ It would be the end of my pregnancy¡­ Trying to get out of there was pointless. ¡°What is going on?¡± I asked an older man who was wholly grey and smelled terrible. He answered me in Italian, rambling on. The gate behind me opened, and I saw one of the prisoners being dragged out as he tried to grasp onto anything he could. ¡°What the hell is going on here?!¡± I yelled. They ignored me.

    It felt like the night went on forever. People being taken. Animal noises. Full moon. It was some kind of feeding place, or some weird idea of gladiator stuff came to mind because there was fighting, grunting¡­ slamming into walls. All those men couldn¡¯t fight. I could certainly not fight. Screams could be heard, and then silence. The men didn¡¯t stand a chance. I didn¡¯t stand a chance.

    I had been sitting down for hours when the tone in the place finally changed. There were new noises. Two sets of roars. Thundering applause and cheers. Different creatures. Watching the fight creatures¡­ I looked up at the full moon. My thoughts followed a train that I didn¡¯t like. Because Juliet ate regular food and because she seemed normal¡­ I didn¡¯t think to ask if she... drank blood¡­ Even if she did, I assumed it would be animal blood or stolen from the hospitals. ¡°Juliet would never kill people to eat, would she?¡± I whispered.

    The guy dressed in all black was not in his uniform anymore. He was clad in armor like a worrier, leaning against the cages,  watching me intently as my eyes came down from the sky. The gate opened next to him. The guards called me over. I was done kicking and screaming. Slowly, I got up, making my way out into the corridor towards the threshold of no return. My eyes peeked back over my shoulder at my only hope. He swore loudly and walked up to us, dismissing the other guards. They obeyed and turned away from us, taking their seats, and continued playing cards.

    ¡°Are you really going to feed me to a werewolf?¡± he actually smiled.

    ¡°You¡¯re American. You¡¯re looking for a friend at a cage fight¡­.¡± I was stunned. Who did he think I was looking for? ¡°The whole night, the werewolves have been attacking an invisible opponent. One with an ability.¡± He tried to read my reactions. My eyes darted to the open space. ¡°You wanted to find her¡­.¡± he gestured to the gate. My eyes kept bouncing from him to a guy in a mask standing across from us in the arena waiting for me. ¡°This is going to get really interesting in the next five minutes¡­ And no, I wouldn¡¯t feed you to a werewolf or a vampire. You¡¯re way too pretty.¡±

    ¡°A hybrid, then?¡± His eyes widened in surprise. He shook his head, smiling, and pushed me into the arena and locked the gate.

    The lights were so bright my arm jumped up to cover my face. Juliet wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to me. Would she? Did they not say the werewolves don¡¯t have control. Could she even do anything?

    When I went after Juliet, I had nothing on but my nightgown and a jacket over it with sneakers. The guys had taken the coat off when they shoved me into the pen. I felt so¡ª naked. My heart was almost beating outside of my chest. Lowering my arm, the first thing I saw was the cages that lined the arena. The sounds were deafening, standing in the middle of it all. I had never seen a full moon werewolf or any creature in real life, for that matter.

 37. My Father In Law

    37. My Father In Law

    Juliet

    It was much later when Benji¡¯s cage finally opened. I was anxious for him because of Charlene. Every one of the werewolves came at me first. What was it about that glow of mine that made them attack me? All the wolves were disorientated when they couldn¡¯t get a hold of me. By that time, I had gotten used to it, only closing my eyes. Keeping my face downwards and waited for the familiar sound of an opponent calling out the challenging wolf. I couldn¡¯t see the next vamp¡¯s face¡­ He had on a mask or helmet. I was surprised at his size¡­ He wasn¡¯t built large. Mr¡­ I didn¡¯t know what to call him just yet. But he didn¡¯t like his face getting scratched. Had to be a dandy.

    I was getting a little bored with the same thing over and over. Not one of the vampires had stood a chance. What was the point if no one could take down a full-moon wolf? And what was this guy going to do¡­ Ben is huge¡­ And the vamp was kind of short and scrawny looking. The fight started like all the others, with a lot of back and forth. That is until Mr. Dandy reached for something behind his back and made sparks fly out the end. He was testing a cattle prod. Benji wasn¡¯t deterred. He lunged at his opponent. I quickly changed his name to Mr. Cheater because the vamp got in a few good shocks, moving swiftly around Ben. His size and speed had its advantages. It only aggravated the dog more. Ben doubled his speed and rapidly grabbed onto the hilt of the prod, flinging it away. There was a smile on the vamp¡¯s face. Long fangs were out. He was ready to attack.

    Having a little more invested in that fight, I couldn¡¯t help but root for Ben and was happy he couldn¡¯t get shocked anymore. My man swiped his claws at the vamp, making his opponent step back several times, needing to lean back to miss the nails glistening in the moonlight. I peered up at the moon, which was dead center in the sky¡ªit was already twelve. I had been there for hours. Only three cages remained¡­ Mateo was one of them.

    The female werewolves had signed an opt-out of the fight clause. Their meals had been delivered. They were sleeping it off in their cages. It was a voluntary thing, maybe even monetary. How much do they make, and who pays? Bored with the fight, I went to sit on the ground with my legs stretched out in front of me. Mr. Cheater and Ben¡¯s battle wasn¡¯t going anywhere. They were obviously equal in strength and kept going at it. I chose a woman at my back who was snoring loudly rather than a guy snarling at me the whole night.

    The vamp wasn¡¯t tiring out¡­ Ben was the first to falter. There was a short burst of clapping noises from the glass on top of the cages, and cheering from a few voices followed. That was new. Onlookers. It seemed the barn was surrounded by an audience behind double-sided glass, tinted and dark on our side, keeping out the harsh lights pointed down onto the red sand on the ground. Benjamin faltered again. I sat up, ¡°No, Ben. What will Mr. Cheater do with you?¡± After another minute, Ben stopped moving altogether, panting heavily. He changed back to plain old Ben and dropped like a potato. I stood up, ¡°What?¡± The victory cry from behind the glass woke up all the cages. The noise was deafening¡­ The victor lifted his hands in the air, bowing his head in recognition. Was that what they were doing? I felt terrible saying this, but¡­ ¡°Awesome!¡± The three vampire runners came out, lifted Benjamin off the ground, and carried him to his cage. The doors locked automatically.

    The winner made one victory lap and came to a stop very close to me. The gates opened, and I frowned. They were also fighting for a meal. The loser doesn¡¯t feed. Not bad¡­ I was a little disgusted when a woman came out in a nightdress¡­ A fancy one. It seemed familiar. Where had I seen it before? Weird¡­ But okay¡­ I¡¯ve emptied young women before.  She held an arm over her eyes, guarding against the bright lights. The vampire growled as the gates closed behind the woman. She lowered her arm. I had to blink a few times to make sure it was really Charlene I was seeing. Her eyes ran over the cages. The snarling creatures. A thundering roar came from the glass up above. It drowned out her screams¡­ She wiped at her eyes. Her terrified features seemed rather pathetic. What was she doing there? She would be dinner¡­ and hadn¡¯t even seen me manifest yet.

    ¡°Well, she¡¯s going to see it now.¡±

    Mr. Cheater, next to me, advanced on Charlene. I surfaced quickly, holding out my leg, tripping him. I burst out laughing as his face planted into the ground, skidding through the sand. Jumping up, he turned towards where he came from... There was nothing there. He didn¡¯t understand. Confused, his gaze drifted until I was standing right in his face, fully manifested. His reaction was not what I expected, smiling so brightly behind the mask. What was that? I thought cocking my head. Not letting the distraction stop me from punching him in the gut as hard as I could. He grunted while another kick hit the side of his knee.

    ¡°Am I that pretty?¡± I said sarcastically.

    He came up fast, smirking. Not that I could really see, but his eyes told me what I needed to know. Was I as pathetic as Charlene? Maybe he was happy that he not only had lunch but a treat after.

    ¡°Not tonight, buddy,¡± another genuine smile reached his eyes. Where had I seen those eyes? I made my next move. The smile fell as he dogged, reciprocating my strikes. Mr. Cheater came at me. ¡°You¡¯re underestimating me, Sir.¡± It seemed that my defensive moves were connected to situations. When his fist came at my face, my hand sprung out and stopped his from landing. He seemed impressed and surprised. So was I because my eyes were closed, waiting for the punch to land. I opened one eye to look at the scene. I laughed back at Charlene, ¡°Did you see that?¡±

    ¡°Can you focus?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes!¡± My feet moved, ready for his attack.

    He eyed my footwork with skepticism. His arm dropped to hang by his side, shoulders shaking, ¡°Are you laughing at me? I dodged that fair and square. Mr. Cheater.¡± No one is allowed to laugh at me. I punched him straight on the chin. It was difficult with the mask on. ¡°You coward, take that off!¡± He shook his head, grabbing my wrist. I stepped forward, rotated my hand, and got out of that quickly. He was making a fool of me¡­ playing with his desert. He quickly got hold of my other wrist and pulled me close to his chest. As I struggled with his tight grip, he smelled my hair rubbing against me. ¡°Oh no, you didn¡¯t,¡± I leaned forward and gave him an elbow strike on his chin. That at least got another grunt from him.

    ¡°You sound like a pig when you do that,¡± I mocked him. He winked and held me even tighter. I turned into him¡­ Our bodies pressed against each other. Mr. Cheater moaned deeply, ¡°F¡ª¡± he whispered in a deep voice, holding me even tighter¡­ Not caring about the blow he knew would come. The uppercut sent him back a step or two, ¡°Tsk, tsk,¡± I admonished. ¡°You¡¯re getting distracted.¡± He sighed and nodded, licking his lips and biting his bottom lip between his teeth. His eyes ran up and down me. ¡°Come on. We don¡¯t have all night.¡± He came at me with two hands. I took both in mine and pulled him closer. He used this momentum to grab the back of my head, raking his hand through my hair before he fisted a chunk. Not deterred, I turned outwards and hit him on the side of the head with my elbow. ¡°E-hem,¡± he coughed, holding his head. Finally¡­ I did something.

    The mask was making all my efforts in vain. I needed to get rid of it. The next time, I waited, not moving. I was too tired anyway. He noticed, jabbing at my face and following up with a roundhouse kick. It was predictable. I slapped away his fist as hard as I could, stepped on the offending leg, and jumped over him, pulling off the mask standing behind him. I was breathing hard from the exercise. Mr. Cheater wouldn¡¯t face me.

    I pulled him by the shoulder, ¡°This one is not going to be your dinner! And I¡¯m not going to be dessert.¡±

    The guy decided to yield to my touch¡­ Marcus¡¯s human face came into view, holding his chin, rubbing it, ¡°You¡¯re rather good at this,¡± he whispered. Our eyes locked. I swore loudly, stepping back from him at the same time, letting go of my manifestation. He didn¡¯t miss the gesture nor liked it. My eyes were dark pools of fear, and he was wounded, biting the inside of his cheek, thinking about what to say, ¡°Why do you keep doing that?¡± he asked genuinely.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked stupidly.

    ¡°Holding it in. Stepping away?¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°Why do you keep running us dry?¡± The words came from somewhere¡­ deep inside me.

    His wounded eyes turned lustrous like that night in the car when I knew Marcus loved me¡ªwanted me. My first taste of sex. The simple thought of having a chance with me made him come undone. The word ¡®us¡¯  might have been a mistake, giving him an ounce of hope. He moved, quickly closing the distance between us, ravenous like he would take me right there. I knew the feeling when you were starved for blood. Charlene¡¯s hand came from behind, pulling him towards her and slapping him through the face, ¡°That wasn¡¯t an invitation!¡± she yelled.

    I burst out laughing, ¡°This is Marcus Chars. He¡¯s not going to eat me.¡± Marcus cocked an eyebrow, smirking. He was¡­ contemplating the idea. I giggled nervously, and¡­ we shared a moment. His shoulders slumped, eyes softening. There was affection, too. Not just sex.

    ¡°This is your husband?¡± Marcus smiled at hearing the words. It was the first time we were in the same room hearing the words aloud. ¡°The one that wanted to kidnap you?¡± His smile fell, and she turned him back around and slapped him again, covering her mouth with her hand once she did. Marcus had manifested. Right in Charlene¡¯s face.

    Marcus was formidable with his dark features. A constant menacing look on his good days. When someone laid a hand on him, manifested¡ªhe seemed a hundred times worse. Unfortunately for Charlene, Marcus was not Louis. He slapped her so hard it sent her flying into the sand.

    ¡°What the hell, Marcus! I told you not to touch her! She is under my protection. If you understood the term us, she would have been under yours as well.¡± He was stricken for a moment, gesturing to Charlene, then at his face. ¡°She¡¯s human. You could¡¯ve hurt her. You could¡¯ve handled a few slaps.¡± I pulled her up and wiped the dirt from her face. Wincing, she lifted her hand from her mouth. There was blood. The cages went mad.

    ¡°Juliet, your face... Is this what you look like?¡± Oh crap, I had manifested, too; I was hungry and not listening to her. Luckily, the fear for my friend was greater than my hunger. Marcus kept staring at Charlene. He needed to feed.

    ¡°Not now, Charlene¡­! How long had you starved yourself for this fight, Marcus?¡±

    He was not responding. I heard an ¡°eeek¡± from behind me.

    ¡°We need help!¡± I yelled, stepping in front of my friend.

    A loud ringing came from one of the cages.  Marcus stopped dead in his tracks. His face turned to his previous opponent, throwing his hands in the air. Ben! The three runners came in, covering Charlene with a cloak, hanging a chain around her neck, and escorted her out. Marcus grabbed my upper arm, pushing me out of the ring as another vampire approached us, ¡°Juliet,¡± he dipped his head at me.

    ¡°Kubra?¡± I wanted to grab onto someone¡¯s hand. Have the safety of a guy who would protect me¡­ Kubra¡¯s face haunted me with Marcus¡¯s. He was there that morning¡­ he had helped.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve gotten yourself killed,¡± Marcus said, pulling me along.

    I wasn¡¯t really afraid of Marcus himself¡­ but what he represented. It had been such a long night. It was almost morning. Being tired helped me not to totally freak out being alone with him. The reality was he could take me away at any moment. He drugged us all to catch me the last time. None of that mattered at that moment because I was all alone. He kept pulling me along the narrow halls, up a set of stairs, into a room and closed the door behind us. He walked around the couch, bent down at a bag, took out a jacket, and tossed it at me. He was already not happy with what I was wearing.

    I grabbed it, sticking my hands in the too-long sleeves. I wasn¡¯t going to argue against putting on more layers. I went to sit on the couch, nervous hands together between my knees, rubbing each other. Marcus was watching me, pacing up and down in front of me. After a moment, he stopped and sat next to me. Slowly, I lifted my bum to move away from him. He bit his fist like he always did. Like he did that night, holding in feelings, ¡°Can you give me¡­ just a little bit, Julie¡­ just something¡­ please!¡± The words sunk in but got stuck in my throat. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I had never dealt with Marcus or what happened. His arm resting on the couch stretched out to touch my shoulder. As soon as I felt him, I shrugged him off.

    I didn¡¯t feel like wiping the tears away or being strong. ¡°You healed me, Julie. With every touch, you fixed me from living with that man¡­ I know I have issues because of him. I¡¯m indoctrinated, but  can you blame me? It stops where you are concerned.¡± I got up, not caring that the soft tears had turned to a sob with every word. I had never forgiven him and had this image in my head of what Marcus did. But it always stopped. Blocking him out completely. ¡°Why are you still so very mad at me, Julie?¡±

    ¡°I just want one second that we are not broken or where there is not some issue between us¡­ Marcus¡­ And why?¡± I sobbed, ¡°Don¡¯t you,¡± sob, ¡°Hear me,¡± sob, ¡°When I say,¡± I pushed through, ¡°It¡¯s not about you¡­ It¡¯s your father. And all you want to do is have me stay there, go back there! Can¡¯t you leave! Why did you not come with us?! Why did you not come for¡­ me!?¡±

    Marcus jumped up, wanting to take me in his arms. There was a voice behind us. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing, boy?¡± it halted Marcus as his head snapped to the door. I scoffed, our eyes meeting in understanding. I tried to hold back my sniffles. I wiped my nose with the sleeve of his jacket. Marcus turned away from me. His face didn¡¯t come back to mine. ¡°I knew it! Nothing has changed!¡± The door flung open, hitting the wall in a loud crash. It made me jump. Marcus¡¯s features were of a constant threat¡­ His father was a hundred times worse. He always dominated the room. Large, tall, and his voice gruff. I didn¡¯t dare talk to him before he addressed me.

    Qadir Ahmed lowered his head, walking over the threshold. A thing I never wanted to see again. The only creature Marcus feared¡­ the only one anyone feared. I felt like disappearing and making a run for it. Charlene''s face came to mind, and getting her out of there undrained, uneaten. She was the only reason I couldn¡¯t. My eyes flickered to Marcus. What would happen to him if I just left again?

    ***

    Marcus

    I wanted to. I tried to look at her. Reassure her that nothing would happen. Stupid Marcus. Coward. My eyes stayed fixed on my master.

    ¡°Not bowing anymore, Juliet?¡± She fell onto her knees and put her head on the carpet between her arms stretched out in front of her body. ¡°That¡¯s better¡­ Being so long off the compound has corrupted you.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t see her face¡­ I was biting my lip nervously, waiting for whatever his punishment was going to be. There would be one.

    His voice rose slightly, ¡°You disgraced our family! That year you left¡­ you made Marcus out to be weak¡­ And even worse! One that couldn¡¯t even control a woman!¡± He took a breath and spoke even louder, ¡°But¡­ you aren¡¯t just any woman, or Marcus wouldn¡¯t have done what he did.¡±

    My heart kept beating faster and faster as he got angrier and angrier. All I could think about was that a moment ago, Juliet was almost in my arms. Juliet didn¡¯t want to go back. Over and over, she tried to tell me. She would rather kill herself.

    I could only watch. She could only hear my breathing. I was scared of what she would have to go through in a minute because I knew I would do nothing.

    ***

    Juliet

    Qadir kept pacing, ¡°You made your parents leave the comfort of their own home. They were living there for hundreds of years¡­ and because of your disobedience¡­ you rebelled like a two-year-old.¡±

    Tears pooled in my eyes, and then he stopped moving. The familiar sound of a belt being undone reached me. It flew out of its place around a waist, snapping in the air. I tightly shut my eyes, and the tears dropped. Don¡¯t get up! I scolded myself. Just take it. Don¡¯t make it worse. Just keep your head down. Get out of there. Let Louis brand you as soon as you see him. He is a safe place. The one who is good for you. Why do I keep looking for trouble? Qadir went to stand beside me. From the corner of my eye, I saw his arm rising; it came back down, lashings over my back¡ªquickly and consecutively. He put power into it. The jacket Marcus had given me didn¡¯t help at all. It ripped open, letting the belt slice into my skin.

    Marcus grunted with every blow released, sending spikes of pain through me. I groaned and gasped for air to take the pain away. Still crying, feeling embarrassed that I couldn¡¯t take whatever he had in store for me.

    The belt went back into place. Bending down, Qadir gripped my hair, pulling me up to be at eye level with him. Feet dangling. Kicking. I refused to hang onto him for support. My skull burned where the hair was tearing out of me. A cry escaped my lips. I didn¡¯t dare look him in the eye. He shook me like a doll, ¡°I would have broken you in a day. Look how pathetic you are. It¡¯s that mouth of yours that¡¯s the problem. You think it can do things.¡± He scoffed, ¡°You are a useless little thing. Your tongue needs to be cut out.¡± He dropped me; on my way down, I hit my head on the side table next to the couch. My ears rang, and Marcus wanted to move. Qadir¡¯s hand jumped up; his reactions too quick. The gesture had its desired effect. Marcus halted, clenching his fists. But still¡­ he didn¡¯t do anything.

 38. Things Keep Happening

    38. Things Keep Happening

    Juliet

    ¡°You are tied to her, Marcus.¡± I heard Qadir go on and on. My head buzzed. ¡°They chose exile after that because you allowed them to go¡­ All you have to do is say the word, boy¡­ You can take her back now as if nothing happened¡­ What do you say? Shall we take her home and make her a part of the family.¡± Qadir laughed and grabbed my face in his palm, ¡°What do you think he will say. I heard of his stunt two weeks ago, trying to catch you. He is so weak when it comes to you! Another situation has presented itself, son.¡±

    Hearing Qadir call Marcus his son was his own undoing. He was desperate to get me back at the compound. But why? Had Qadir finally broken Marcus. When we left, there was no one to show him the way. Qadir was staring at Marcus¡ªwaiting. Marcus¡¯s answer was clear and without hesitation, ¡°She still gets to decide.¡± Qadir struck me. My already pounding head was crying out as I tried to breathe, my mind disconnecting from my body.

    Qadir screamed, ¡°I made it so that you could not have her!! I told you no! You strictly went behind my back and branded her. She was your act of rebellion against me.¡± He walked towards Marcus. My heart was pounding. I was so scared for him. He closed his eyes, bracing. I cried out when Marcus hit the wall. Qadir spun around, ¡°No! Quiet! You don¡¯t get to feel anything for him if you left him like that.¡± A sob escaped me¡ªI did leave him. Qadir came closer when I didn¡¯t want to calm down. I didn¡¯t think I would be able to handle one of those blows Marcus got. Qadir slowly raised his fist. Light flooded the room; a silhouette at the door, and I couldn¡¯t see who it was. My head was pushed back as he had me by the collar. Qadir had also looked back and dropped me, growling as he stomped out of the room.

    Hands and knees, I crawled over to Marcus¡ªhe wasn¡¯t moving. Softly, I took his face in my hands, kissing his lips, rubbing his cheek with my thumbs. He moved a little. I struggled to contain my emotions, holding back sobs of relief¡ªhe was still alive. Kubra walked over and haunched next to us, feeling Marcus¡¯s face, head, and neck, ¡°One day, that guy is going to kill his own kid.¡± I sat in the corner, my head resting on my knees, crying. ¡°You know Juliet. When you left. And he was in his two-week sleep. Marcus had terrible nightmares ¡­ The whole time. Saying things that I can¡¯t repeat. He really had no choice. We all knew it. You heard Qadir. Even he knows it.¡±

    The door burst open, but I couldn¡¯t lift my head. I was too afraid. Someone touched my shoulder softly. I flinched. The hand slowly pushed me forward, revealing my back. My eyes came up to meet Louis¡¯s. Two fingers held my chin, tilting my head to the side¡ªleft and right. There was blood trickling down the side of my face. My lip was cut, ¡°Oh, Baby!¡± his voice was almost inaudible. He lost it¡­ Murder in his eyes, he ran out.

    I heard Louis screaming, ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this Qadir! I¡¯ll kill you! She is not on your compound anymore! How could you lay a hand on her!¡±  Louis must have attacked him because things were breaking. Carl and Charlene came into the room. Kubra left quickly. Charlene was stunned seeing Marcus and me like that. She turned her body into Carl¡¯s arms. Carl¡¯s eyes were blankly fixed on me, holding back tears, ¡°I¡¯m sorry we¡¯re late,¡± he whispered.

    I heard more yelling from next door. ¡°Marcus said you haven¡¯t even slept with her! How could you claim her as your own! He has more claims than you¡­ That means I can do with her what I want!¡±

    ¡°Did Marcus give you consent to touch her?!¡± Louis spat out.

    They were both half right. Marcus didn¡¯t do anything. I managed to get up, grunting, and dragged myself through the door. Walking into the box where they were fighting, more faces I didn¡¯t want to ever see again stared back at me. Lucius was with his father, breaking up the two brawling vampires. Qadir would get the upper hand. I feared for Louis. The other spectators watched the drama unfold. ¡°Stop it!¡± I yelled.

    Qadir smirked, ¡°Not bowing now? You will always be hiding behind someone. You can do nothing for yourself.¡±

    My heart hardened. I attacked him; Louis grabbed me around my waist, ¡°At least I will never be as ignorant as you! You inbred fascist!¡± He manifested coming at Louis and me. His eyes flickered over my shoulder at the door, and Qadir jolted to a stop. Who the hell was it that could control this freaking guy? And why? ¡°I will show you what I can do!¡± I made Louis drop me, taking his hand and pulling him down the stairs that led into the arena. Kubra was waiting in the darkness. I didn¡¯t have to say anything. He barked a few orders at the four men sitting at the table. Their eyes widened in confusion, but they obeyed their sergeant.

    Because of the commotion, all fights had ceased. Kubra opened the gate for us. I kept pulling Louis forward until we stood in the middle, where everyone had a clear view of us.  Louis stood in front of me. Even though he could just read me, he seemed confused, ¡°Baby¡­ what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I should¡¯ve done this that first night in the car when I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes off you.¡± Louis could only conjure up a weak smile. ¡°I love you, Louis! You asked me to marry you. I¡¯m asking you to do this for me.¡± His smile fell as I dug into his pocket, where I knew I would find it. The four men brought in the bonfire pit from outside. ¡°Accelerate the fire, Kubra. We don¡¯t have time!¡±.

    ¡°Baby! Not like this!¡± Louis whispered.

    Never had anyone been branded, let alone had two marks on them¡ªI think. I talked to my dad about it, long after I forgave him for his part in it all. In that one regard, Liam felt I needed to know everything. ¡°I won¡¯t ask again, Louis,¡± I whispered in my most pleading voice. I was begging. His breathing was heavy as he struggled to hold it together, deciding if he wanted to tie himself to me until death. Mine was ragged, knowing what was coming. I had decided the day I got on the plane. Louis¡¯s hands trembled, seeing the fire. It didn¡¯t really compute on a human level. Any level. We weren¡¯t raised with branding as a tradition for married couples.

    Kubra and my eyes met for the briefest moments. Every day, Marcus was with me, Kubra was somewhere close; having him there was, in a way, soothing. Qadir had come running into the arena, ¡°Juliet, you can¡¯t do this!¡±

    I scoffed, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have, but you have only yourself to thank.¡±

    Kubra took Louis¡¯s emblem from me and pinned it onto the front of the poker. How was Kubra that prepared? I would have to wait to find out. The poker was held in the fire as they stoked it with accelerants. It only took a few minutes. The whole arena filled up with vampires. Only the older ones went down on their knees. I guessed those who knew of the secret. The young ones, like Lucius, stood on the outskirts. The ones that didn¡¯t come from our home planet. The last one to bow down was Qadir¡¯s. His lips pulled back in a snarl. Was that sweat I saw on his brow? The recognition dawned on his face¡ªhe had no control. His body was moving for him. Supernaturally, they were all forced down.

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    ¡°Your son bound me to a chair. Gagged me and branded me while I wet myself¡­ I was only a child.¡± Louis¡¯s head jerked up¡­ eyes wide, mouth open. I had never let him in there. That was the first time I spoke the words out loud and let him see the images I had of that morning. ¡°Because of you, his father! He needed to protect me. I always blamed him for being like you¡­ Marcus is more of a man than you would ever be! But thanks to you¡­ I¡¯m not a child anymore¡­ ¡°Belt¡­¡± I struggled to get the word out. Louis¡¯s eyes drifted towards the sky for strength. His hands reached for the one around his waist. ¡°Chair¡­¡± Tears rolled down my cheeks. I pulled down my pants and kicked them away, standing only in my boy shorts. I exposed Marcus¡¯s emblem. There were gasps and murmurs of the Ahmed crest tattoo on my ass. I bent over the seat of the chair. Kubra got down on his haunches in front of me, tying my two hands to the chair so I couldn¡¯t move. He went to the back and did the same to my legs. Our eyes didn¡¯t meet again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± was all I heard.

    I bit into the leather. My body involuntarily fought my mind, trying to get loose. I didn¡¯t want to feel that kind of pain again. Kubra knew and pressed down with his knee on my back. Louis read my screaming thoughts.

    That time, I didn¡¯t wet myself.

    ***

    Louis

    The vampires roared around me. The werewolves were strangely quiet as if they knew¡­ I fell to my knees as the crippling pain rippled in waves through my body, corroding its way to my heart. I held back an agonized moan with every biting gnaw. My hands dug into the sand as the scorching fire surged into my veins. I felt what she had felt. My hand jumped to my heart as the tears rolled down my cheeks. Every last one of the vampires came over to touch my shoulder. They were, after all¡­ rebels who wanted to overthrow the king, and even if I didn¡¯t understand it, something told me we would be able to. Qadir was the only one who didn¡¯t get up. That was the moment he knew he had f¡ªup.

    I tried to get the pain under control but couldn¡¯t. Samuel said it was worse for the men. But Juliet was unconscious, hanging over a chair. It didn¡¯t feel like a victory. I saw Marcus staggering towards us. He fell on his knees beside me, putting his hand on my shoulder, ¡°That was a first, Louis. She must love you very much. Looks like I will have to get used to you.¡± Marcus genuinely meant it. Juliet would be okay. Did it all mean something?

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave her side. Not for a second.¡± Those were my last words. Charlene and Carl came running over with a first aid kit.

    ¡°I won¡¯t. Sleep now. I know I did.¡±

    ***

    Michael: Earlier That Day.

    My phone rang. I picked it up off the table, answering the call. I didn¡¯t recognize the number, ¡°Michael, it is Julius Bertram.¡±

    I jumped up from my chair to move to a more quiet location, ¡°Yes, sir. What can I help you with?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that Juliet girl. Seems she is at that cage fight near Argenta. Carl called, and I confirmed with Kubra. Things are going south quickly.¡± I swore under my breath. I had lost Juliet earlier that day. The last time that had happened, she got infected by Rodrigo¡¯s experiment. I wasn¡¯t taking any more chances¡­ It was a low point in my career, and personally, letting her down like that. She went into the women¡¯s toilets and never came out again. I had been waiting on Campus for her. Went back to my van when it got late. ¡°She disappeared on you again¡­ Tough job you have with that one¡­ Well, the thing is that Qadir is there¡­ You, out of everyone must know the history. If he gets a hold of her, well¡­ The baby is at this stage¡­ Our number one priority. Do you understand? Under no circumstances is he allowed to go too far.¡±

    Immediately, I became tense. What if I was already too late, ¡°I understand. I will sort it out right now.¡± I hung up the phone. Concern drove me to use the technology the vampires gave us for situations like that. In an instant, I teleported to the man we had on location. Although I would have to write a three-page briefing on using it¡­ I didn¡¯t think I would get into too much trouble. I appeared before the watcher assigned to oversee the event. With raised eyebrows, he recognized and saluted, waiting until I addressed him. ¡°How many watchers are here?¡± I asked as I walked.

    ¡°We are a few. David is still in that group of Werewolves, monitoring Ben. He lost against Marcus,¡± I smiled, thinking about the tenacity Marcus possessed. There was a commotion upstairs. I heard someone screaming. I ran for it, knowing the voice well. Nearing the room, I heard Qadir talking down to Juliet. She was sobbing... trying to hold it in. I felt like an idiot for not being there earlier. I should¡¯ve followed Charlene or done something.

    From the outside, I had to assess the situation without interfering unduly or her seeing me. I quickly glanced through the door, going from one side to the other. Qadir was walking over to Marcus and hit him. I winced as his body hit the wall. He didn¡¯t stop. Qadir moved back over to Juliet as I peeked. He picked her up by her jacket, lifting his fist. Blood was trickling down her brow¡ªa broken lip. I swore under my breath. My first thought was to kill Qadir and go have a drink. I walked into the doorway and cleared my throat. Qadir saw the movement quickly. Heard the rumbling in his ears. His manifested features jerked back, making eye contact. I warned him with a sign that he should walk away. He dropped her instantly, knowing what his punishment would be.

    She fell to the floor sobbing, trying to catch her breath. I swore loudly, seeing her like that. Qadir pushed past me. I didn¡¯t interact with him any further; we both had a role in the greater scheme of things. That was mine, and he had his. As I turned around, I came face to face with Bertram¡¯s boy and Charlene, ¡°Thank you for being here, Michael.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even see Louis come or go. I heard him screaming at Qadir. Juliet strutted out of the room. I hid myself behind the door, watching her¡ªalways watching her. I listened as she insulted the man; a small smile made the side of my mouth quirk up. It also made me jump into the doorway to stop Qadir¡­ because I knew there was no way he would stand for her speaking to him like that. He was frustrated with my constant interference. Juliet¡¯s eyes flickered to the door, but I wasn¡¯t there anymore. I was in the next room, pushing things into Kubra¡¯s hands, telling him not to leave her side and to help her. I would take over with Marcus. I didn¡¯t need to ask twice; he was already out the door. A moment later, Louis was pulled by the arm down the corridor. I knew it was coming. The implications of her choice were enormous. But¡­ I wanted her to do it. No, I needed her to do it.

    Carl and Charlene were sitting on the couch, ¡°Juliet is going to have a very rough night. You should go and see what happens and look after her¡­.¡± I pushed a first aid kit into their hands. ¡°Oh, and she¡¯s pregnant. Will you guys tell her?¡± They both nodded.  ¡°We will let Liam and Cindy know. Let her tell Marcus¡­ I¡¯ll tell Louis.¡±

    Neither of them seemed shocked. I pulled Carl up and pushed them out the door. I needed Marcus awake, and the only thing I could do was stab a vile into his neck. He gasped instantly and sat up. I put my arm under his shoulder, helping him to his feet. We made our way outside. The four of us look down on Louis, claiming Juliet. Marcus¡¯s body stiffened next to me. ¡°This is for the best, Marcus. She is free,¡± he relaxed, ¡°You¡¯re free,¡± his shoulder shook. He felt he had lost her. The cost was too great. I didn¡¯t know if he did¡­ I helped him down the stairs. ¡°You must find the courage, Marcus, in the next minute. It will determine the rest of your life. That was the last time he touched her. Do you understand me?¡± Marcus pulled off my body. I knew how he felt. All of it was his own fault. He glared at me, but only for a second. The words sunk in; he turned, walked into the arena, and fell down next to Louis.

 39. What Do You Want to Do Tonight

    39. What Do You Want to Do Tonight

    Chris

    It had been three long weeks since I fed on poor Ashleigh. I was still at Nicholas¡¯s place and practiced day and night to control whatever this manifesting thing was. The cousins had, at infinitum, discussed everything they thought about me. The consensus was that I was¡ªawesome. I drank a lot to help me relax and let go. We would go out at night into the mountains, thinking about what would help me change. It was a slow process, but in the end, I did change and had more control every time. Unlike the werewolves, I could change any time of the day.  But because everyone thought I was half werewolf¡­ They said I might be out of my control on my first full moon. I didn¡¯t want to forget again and not remember what happened the whole night.

    The barn on Nick¡¯s smallholding had three cages for the three men of the house and another for Sita. I would¡¯ve used that one, but they didn¡¯t think it would be sturdy enough to keep me in that night. So, we¡¯d been building a stronger one for me, figuring out what was going to work as we went along. We added electrocuted to the bars, thinking that would be the only thing that might snap me out of it. If nothing worked and I teleported out, someone would have to dart me. There was no one else but vampires who could help. I had to call Liam and Cindy, who were more than happy to come. Strangely, they still wanted to get to know me and seemed to care, no matter what was going on with their daughter and me.

    I was happy to hear that Sita was making other arrangements. The fact that she could pitch up at any stage to come and talk was possible. I didn¡¯t want to see her. I also didn¡¯t want to see her change and eat people. See me change and be a part of my life. Nicholas had told me that he couldn¡¯t do it to Juliet, and he had asked Sita to stay away. I couldn¡¯t understand the little girl¡¯s hold on the creatures around her.

    Liam and Cindy came early and stayed the day and even had lunch with us. I couldn¡¯t eat; my stomach was a nervous mess of anticipation. There would be a delivery of people for us. I couldn¡¯t get over the fact that I was planning on murdering another person. My mind was in turmoil, but the way I felt with Ashleigh and how I felt afterward didn¡¯t compare to the minor irritation in my conscience.

    We were sitting around waiting for the sun to go down. The evening loomed over all of us. Liam was on the porch when he got a call. A loud voice came through from the other side. We could all hear Louis ranting, going off towards Liam. He smiled at Cindy. Everyone knew Juliet had done something again. I was immediately jealous that he was there, and I wasn¡¯t. He had her, could look after her, even if she was being a brat. Liam watched my reactions, observing me intently¡ªthe whole time¡ª assessing my character. He stood up and whispered. ¡°I told you, no! If it¡¯s not unconditional!¡± he whispered to me. I rolled my eyes and murmured under my breath.

    ¡°Who was that, Liam?¡± Louis asked. We could all hear the conversation.

    ¡°We are at the Moore place to help Chris tonight,¡± there was silence on the other side.

    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s safe?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we will dart him if all goes wrong.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know if that will work on a full moon. He wasn¡¯t affected even in a room full of gas that made werewolves and vamps fall unconscious.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave him here alone¡­ You know what he means to her.¡± I drew in a breath. Liam and Cindy had stayed for me. Her parents could have gone to France. ¡°Let us worry about Chris. You focus on finding that daughter of mine.¡±

    ¡°We only got on the train this morning to make the same trip they had. That means that I might be late catching up with them.¡±

    Liam didn¡¯t seem worried, ¡°I think because Charlene is there, she might play it safe. Stay indoors. Maybe order some room service. Has she eaten Louis?¡±

    He was quiet on the other end, ¡°It was a bit difficult with Carl and Charlene there. But regardless¡­ when I find her, I will have to teach her a lesson.¡±

    ¡°No, you won¡¯t! Have you made it official?¡±

    ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, Liam. No!¡± When I heard the words, I sighed. Breathed out a deep breath I was holding. Liam was still watching me like a hawk. I couldn¡¯t care. What did Louis mean by teaching her a lesson? I smiled. How did you teach Juliet a lesson anyway? I still sometimes saw her smiling at me. Had visions. She kissed me so forcefully that I had to hold my breath¡­ feeling her in my arms. I missed her so much. Every day got worse for me. I thought about how she slid her hand into mine in front of Marcus. I wanted her to relax around me. When she did... I did nothing. I¡¯m such a coward.

    I just wanted to get through the night. Then¡­

    Liam came running up the few stairs, ¡°Juliet and Charlene were a little naughty. They fobbed off the boys and went to Italy.¡±

    Cindy smiled, ¡°I¡¯m happy they are enjoying themselves. She needs this.¡±

    Liam nodded, ¡°She has to grow up some or other time. Maybe a scrape or two will teach her.¡±

    Everyone grabbed their phones to send her a lengthy message. Even Jack and Nick. I got irritated and growled at them. They smiled and kept typing away.

    I thought about the first day I entered my friend¡¯s class and called her to the front. Seeing her standing there and unable to move, following her out like a¡ª puppy. Her blushing like that. The feelings that streamed through me were tangible. Irritated, I jumped down the stairs and walked away. I followed the road towards the water. There was a massive river running through the valley. The sound was relaxing if you sat next to it for long enough. It had become my favorite spot.

    But nothing could calm my mind since Louis called. Thoughts about Marcus getting a chance to kidnap her bothered me. Her parents didn¡¯t seem to care that their daughter was running around like an adult in another country. They trusted Louis. Asked him if he had made it official yet. No. Asked him if he had slept with their daughter. Like it was imperative or something. I didn¡¯t know her, but one thought plagued me. It wasn¡¯t going to be long before she caved and ended up in his arm and his bed. That night, outside her house. She was already telling him how to.

    I made frustrated noises as I rubbed my face with my hands, running my fingers through my hair. What the hell was wrong with me? Every thought of her got me hot and bothered. I practically ran into the water to make myself feel better. I hadn¡¯t sorted myself out in a while. I was hard... for her, and it was worse than it¡¯s ever been. The freezing water shocked me out of my lustful thoughts.

    I had an idea to test¡­ I turned, but as I manifested, I couldn¡¯t swim. I struggled in the water, smiling as I sank¡­ Muscles sink. I turned back, swimming hard for the surface. I ran back to the house, wet and dripping. Everyone looked at me strangely. Liam smiled, ¡°Needed a cold shower, Chris?¡± Nick chuckled. I wanted to take the guy on with all my might. It was like he was provoking me every step of the way, testing me.

    I shook it off, growling at him, ¡°Water, I changed in the water and couldn¡¯t swim. I sank like a rock.¡±

    They all exchanged glances. Not Nicholas, ¡°What about your ability,¡± he asked skeptically.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t. I tried. It failed¡­ I don¡¯t know how, but I didn¡¯t have the strength or something.¡±

    He peered up over his reading glasses. He nodded.

    The rest of us jumped into action. We drove like hell to the closest hardware. We were moving the whole thing down to the water. Built a new cage that we could submerge. The stream had a current, but it wasn¡¯t so strong that it could possibly take me down the river. I didn¡¯t know if it was going to work, but one more precaution wouldn¡¯t hurt.

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    Liam and Cindy would sit in the high trees next to the river and wait. Francis, Nicholas, and Jack would be in the barn. I would have loved to see Nicholas changed with his old wanky ass body¡ªeating someone. Nerves were eating at me as the time didn¡¯t want to pass. I kept hoping the werewolf in me would be less dominant than the rest and I wouldn¡¯t be affected at all.

    The time had come, the minute the sun would go down. Cindy and Liam pulled the ropes tight to hold the cage outside the water so I could climb in. The water was even colder than before. I gasped as I jumped in. My whole body submerged under the water. Coming up, I grabbed onto the top bars closing the gate and locking it. Only my head had a small area above the water. Cindy and Liam were on either side of the bank, giving me the signal. They let the ropes go so that the cage could drop down into the deep part of the river. To test the theory, I went under and tried to change¡ªI couldn¡¯t. The cold took over the warm-blooded part of me, just like drugs would.

    A few hours later, the moon was bright in the dark sky, and I had still not changed¡ªinto anything. I  was looking at the outside of my cage with my own eyes. My own hands gripped the steel above my face so I could breathe. The water gushed over me every now and again. For a moment or so, I was underwater. I was getting tired. It felt like a tedious exercise. We were all pleased with the fact that the moon didn¡¯t affect me for so long. Cindy and Liam often shared glances, smiling. I didn¡¯t know why¡­ but I would take it.

    It was already past midnight. A few hours earlier, I was tired, but at that moment, after holding onto the bars for what seemed like an eternity. The water pushing and covering me left me exhausted, almost out of breath. My teeth chattered together as I let go, letting the cold become a part of me. If I was going to drown, Liam and Cindy would save me. Dazed, I drifted underwater, my body curling into the fetal position. All the noise drowned out¡ªsoothing me. My mind was clear of any worry. Juliet¡¯s face flashed in my mind¡¯s eye. I had another vision. She gave me a snarky answer in the street in front of Jerry at my old house. Her earrings dangled as she shook her head at me. Jerry didn¡¯t want to leave, and I had to chase him away. Looking back, I was so close to changing right there in the street.

    I yelled at her to go home. Not even looking at her. Mistreating her. Because of jealousy. When I turned around, she was halfway down the road. She had taken off her shoes and was leaving¡­ I went after her flinging her around to face me. I saw tiny black streaks of tears running down her face. ¡°I¡¯m freaking going home!¡± she yelled at me.

    I screamed out of frustration dragging her into my house. I was moving fast to get us away from everyone. The rest didn¡¯t matter. All that mattered was getting her alone. After a few seconds of being alone with her, temptation came knocking. Made me almost take advantage of her. I had to get out of the car, away from her. It wasn¡¯t easy. Every fiber of my body wanted her¡­ But I fought it. She gave me a moment, making me smile. She wasn¡¯t crying anymore. Her face was clean. The proof that I hurt her, gone. It felt better. We had more moments until there was a message. It caused a massive fight. Screaming, yelling, manifesting. Then the incredible feeling of getting what you want so bad that it is almost all you will ever want. Kissing her. Taking her.

    My body shook at the fact that I had crossed the line. My body was out of control when she kissed me back. She threw her legs around me. The feeling of her against me made me moan into her lips. I shook her off. She didn¡¯t like it. I tried to stop her. Convince her. She pushed me into the backseat of the car. Got on top of me, rubbing herself against me. All I saw was soft thighs. Her dress had ridden up. Black lacey panties against my crotch moving. I almost went right there from the grinding. Schoolkid grinding. She stopped to close the door¡­ Juliet took off her dress and her underwear. Her breasts in full view. I moaned again, begging her to stop when she wanted to push my mouth onto her breast. She took advantage of me. She undressed me herself. Pulled me onto her as if I had no say in the matter. It wouldn¡¯t have helped anyway¡­ I was where I wanted to be. I remember the tiny plate on her chest as I thrusted into her. Louis¡¯s words made absolute sense.

    That close to her, is where I always want to be.

    The visions I¡¯ve been having were of us making love in the back seat of my car. I could still smell her, every part of her. My hand was on her to help her go. She grabbed my neck, desperately holding onto my shoulder with the other, quivering and then relaxing back into the seat, breathing heavily as she finished. I tasted her licking my fingers and thrusted desperately into her to my own release. Her smoldering eyes took in the moment. A cheeky smile after. She didn¡¯t even linger¡ªpushed me off her, saying that her five minutes were up¡ªlaughing.

    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been that happy myself. Juliet reached for her dress. I went for my shirt. Our heads bumped, and she burst out laughing again. Juliet, that happy shook my core. Just because she got what she wanted. Sleeping with me. That sealed the deal. She asked me how I felt. I tried to answer¡­ but we were interrupted.

    All I wanted to say was that this is where I want to be. Nothing more, nothing less. You are my world from now on, Juliet. I love you.

    The agony of her the next day standing across from me crying as I told her I didn¡¯t remember anything stabbed at my heart. Even in that cold water, the pain was too much. I hated myself for not going with my instincts, pulling her into my arms, and crashing my lips onto hers.

    My hand involuntarily sprang to my lips, remembering the desperation on her face. She had saved me from drowning. Came to my house after I took¡­ Oh crap, I took her virginity!

    I manifested entirely out of control, clawing my way up. The cold meant nothing. I jumped up out of the cage, breaking free¡ªchains flying everywhere. I made a sound, a roar mixed with a piercing cry out into the air. It made the cage rattle¡ªthe leaves in the trees shuddered. Cindy and Liam didn¡¯t waver. They flipped their pulley systems. The cage dropped out from under me. They also took their shots, but I was too quick. The darts missed. Both of them swore loudly.

    I wasn¡¯t myself, teleporting from the cage onto land. Liam wasn¡¯t taking any chances. He stayed in the tree, assessing the situation first. I was stalking a challenger. He had no smirk on his face. Only fear and surprise at what I had turned into. Chris took a back seat to whatever took over. But I was lucid. My mind was active. Liam did a stupid thing and jumped down and ran, me pursuing with a fit of anger that no one had told me I had slept with Juliet!

    Everyone knew except stupid Chris! I caught him hitting his feet out from under him. He was quick, dodging every swipe of my enormous paws. Bigger than his face. He didn¡¯t even bother fighting, knowing it would be pointless. He was playing for time. The creature felt the prick in my shoulder. I roared again, turning to Cindy, pointing a gun at me. I lunged at her. Liam wasn¡¯t having any of that. He pulled my leg out from under me. Used all his strength to pick me up and flung me away. I went skidding through the mud, landing against a tree and hitting my head. I shook like a dog. It hurt. He wasn¡¯t messing around when it came to his partner, who shot me again. The animal in me wasn¡¯t happy¡­ I lunged at Liam with an outstretched arm, and he braced. His arms covered his face like Juliet in the car. She was protecting me. Liam was protecting Cindy. But unlike Jerry, I wasn¡¯t in control. What happened to Liam wasn¡¯t going to be on me. My nails scratched right through the flesh on his arm. I would have taken it off if Cindy had not jumped on my back using the tree to push us away. She managed to pull me back in time. I heard his bones splintering as my nails only grazed him. Her attempts only made me take a step back before I flung her off. She grunted as she hit the ground with force and a heavy thud.

    Trees rustled, and the sand on the ground vibrated. It wasn¡¯t my voice. My eyes darted up and down. I was momentarily distracted by a blinding light in the sky flickering from one spot to the other until it rested on me. The branches swayed more and more and the loose soil on the ground lifted into the sky. Dust was everywhere, confusing all three of us. Men jumped down. They were redder than Liam and Cindy with my werewolf eyes. I saw more standing in the branches all around us. A massive one came down, aiming for me. It wasn¡¯t shoes I felt; metal prongs stabbed through the flesh on my shoulder from one side to the other. I cried out as the bones shattered. Cindy screamed at them to stop. Worried as the man flew up in the sky higher and higher. I couldn¡¯t move, hanging motionless. The pain was too much for me to bear. There must have been something on the prongs because it burned like hell. I changed back to Chris and passed out.

    ***

    Liam

    We had watched a young man grab Chris by the shoulders with some mechanism and haul him into the sky. Chris¡¯s body went limp, and the clamps opened and released him. Falling. I liked Chris. We were a  bit distraught, not knowing what was going on. We kept watching as the wind kept sweeping over us. My arm felt like it would come right off. The light brightly shone over the whole area. Cindy was screaming for them to stop. No one would survive that fall. It didn¡¯t matter. Other men in the trees jumped and caught him, one on each limb. We had not even seen them. They flew slowly down and landed with Chris at our feet. The one who had picked him up finally landed beside us, extending a hand. Cindy greeted him. I was on my knees in pain. He gestured into the sky. Two men came up to me and helped me with my arm.

    ¡°Cindy, Liam. Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Warden. Chris¡¯s designated watcher¡­ Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ll be okay. Tomorrow, the wounds will not even be there. We will give him something. We can be lucky he¡¯s so young. This is but a taste of what he will become.¡±

    He made another gesture in the air, a circular motion. The rest of the men disappeared as the wind resided and the helicopter flew off.

    ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± Warden flew up and looked down at me, ¡°Next month, dart him first before putting him in the water. But good idea. He will have to get used to drugs¡­ He remembered what happened Friday with Juliet. That¡¯s all that went wrong today.¡±

    Warden was preparing to fly even higher when another person appeared next to him out of nowhere. ¡°Colonel.¡± Warden came back down and stood saluting.

    ¡°At ease, Sergeant.¡±

    He held out his hand to greet us, ¡°My name is Michael,¡± Cindy shook his hand. He didn¡¯t bother with me, ¡°I¡¯m Juliet¡¯s watcher.¡±

 40. Chris, You Think too Much

    40. Chris, You Think too Much

    Liam

    Cindy and I quickly exchanged looks. The man in front of us was a watcher; all the people who came to help were. Dressed in all-white. Michael and I stood at eye level. I might be as tall as him, but I was nowhere near his size. Bulging muscles and covered in tattoos from his neck to his toes, I supposed. Long hair and those beady eyes were what Juliet would like. Then I remembered him. ¡°I wish I could say I¡¯m here with good news, but I wouldn¡¯t have come if it wasn¡¯t an emergency.¡±

    ¡°Is Juliet okay?¡±

    ¡°Qadir was at the fight tonight, gave her lashings, split her back open, almost gave her a concussion. Put Marcus out for not letting him take her back.¡±

    Cindy covered her mouth with a hand. Michael looked guilty as if he had done something wrong. His hand ran nervously over his hair, eyes cast to the ground. ¡°It seems there is more?¡± I asked.

    ¡°There is. You see¡­ she¡¯s pregnant.¡± That was a possibility, so we weren¡¯t really shocked. Michael¡¯s eyes fell on Chris on the ground, and went quiet again. After a long pause, he looked back at me. ¡°But that isn¡¯t the biggest thing going on right now.¡±

    ¡°What else could possibly have happened?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my place. And I feel strange talking to you about this, but Juliet and Louis slept together.¡± That news made me happy. Why would he be worried? Michael went on. ¡°Then today to get back at Qadir. She stood...¡± Michael smiled. It was quick and only one side of his mouth quirked. He was proud of her. ¡°She stood so Louis could brand her and join Marcus on her.¡±

    Cindy and I gasped. Our eyes met, and she grabbed my hand. Elated, astonished, but taken by surprise. I felt relieved and anxious at the same time for all it entailed for them. My lifelong worry was gone in one moment, ¡°I didn¡¯t think she would ever let anyone do that to her again,¡± I muttered, watching Cindy.

    ¡°No. Neither did I,¡± Michael said softly.

    ¡°I thought it would¡¯ve been Chris... Cindy and I discussed that we might have made a mistake with Louis and that she didn¡¯t love him at all?¡±

    ¡°On the contrary... Juliet loves Louis deeply. He wouldn¡¯t have stayed any other way.¡± Michael seemed full of admiration for their relationship. I stared at the strange man in front of me, who knew everything about us, and yet we didn¡¯t know him at all.

    Chris moved and complained, muttering. Cindy bent down and took his pulse, turning him on his back. She patted his face, ¡°It won¡¯t help, mam.¡±

    Cindy¡¯s eyes shot up to Michael, ¡°Don¡¯t ever call me that again. Just because I¡¯m four hundred years old doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m middle-aged.¡±

    Michael smiled and nodded. ¡°The drugs kicked in. I will have to carry him. Warden, you¡¯re dismissed. I need to talk to them.¡± The other man saluted and flew off as if this was a movie. How could they even do that?

    Michael threw Chris over his shoulder like he didn¡¯t weigh anything. Like Chris wasn¡¯t three times Michael¡¯s size a minute ago. Together, we made our way back to the house and to the barn. We locked him up for the rest of the morning in his original cage, which seemed stupid. I chuckled. He wouldn¡¯t even have fit. Then, for the first time in the two hundred years, I¡¯d been on Earth. We had a very long talk with a watcher. My daughters¡¯ watcher.

    ***

    Chris

    My eyes jolted open. I remembered everything from the previous night. The feeling of falling. Juliet! I manifested and teleported out of that stupid cage onto the porch. Changed back, ran into the house, and rummaged through my stuff, trying to find my passport. I tossed everything into an overnight bag. I got dressed and did it all again, only to get out the door faster. Liam and Cindy sat on the porch, watching me go in and out. I walked past them with one intent but had to stop right before getting in the car. ¡°How do I get Marcus off her?¡± Liam couldn¡¯t meet my eyes. That was strange, and red flags went up. Yesterday, he was still smirking at me¡ªchallenging me. Now he seemed almost defeated. ¡°Chris, we need to talk to you.¡± There was an ominous silence.

    ¡°Just tell me. No more lying!¡±

    ¡°Louis and Juliet consummated their relationship this week.¡± My stomach sank like a bag of bricks. I had a feeling her and Louis having sex wasn¡¯t the real bad news. ¡°Last night... Marcus and his father were in the same place as Juliet.¡± I stepped backward, wondering if he would tell me she wouldn¡¯t make it or that she was gone forever. ¡°Is she okay? Did they take her?¡± I asked, not caring about the fact that she had slept with another man.

    ¡°You see, it¡¯s difficult to explain. But no, she did something else to stop that from happening.¡± I was trying to decipher his words. How could she have? ¡°Juliet asked Louis to brand her. He did. And it was for so many reasons... She has two marks on her now.¡±

    It was one of those moments where I had no thoughts. My mind blank. My body rigid. As if I had died. ¡°She needed someone to save her, and it wasn¡¯t me. I wasn¡¯t there,¡± I whispered.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ¡°Chris! You have to understand that Juliet loves you, there is no doubt! But... you didn¡¯t say anything in front of Marcus, and from what we could see, you seemed indifferent.¡±

    ¡°Could no one just give me one freaking minute to sort myself out!?¡±

    ¡°Juliet doesn¡¯t work like that...¡± Liam got up and yelled. ¡°You live your life, she lives hers, never! She is more the partnership do everything together type. She is intense, Chris, all the time. Our lives¡­ Your new life¡­ Will never allow for you to take a minute!¡±

    I threw my hands in the air. I knew that! She told me as much. If I wanted that ¡®separated¡¯ kind of life, I could have stayed with Sita and slept with Ashleigh. Juliet didn¡¯t like cowards. ¡°What would be the point in me going! She has two husbands now!¡± I laughed, staring up into the sky. I had worried about being married and thirty. Going to jail. Now I had to decide if I would be the third wheel. If I could go at all.

    I got into the car, picking up my phone. The messages I had been avoiding mocked me. Stupid Chris! Louis had started sending me things weeks ago, and I had left them because I couldn¡¯t deal. How I left everything else, and I would have to bear the fruit. I sat down and listened to the first one. It was a voice message. Juliet spoke with a lot of feeling. My hand gripped the steering wheel so tight, seeing her face as I listened.

    Juliet { Hi... You crossed my mind, and I took it as a sign that I should call and say ¡®hi.¡¯ I hope you don¡¯t think I¡¯ve lost my mind or that I¡¯m crazy. No need to reply. I miss you... I know you don¡¯t know how you feel about me, and me bugging you like this is not helping, but... No... No buts. If we die today or something bad happens, I want you to know that I love you. And that you are not alone. If you don¡¯t know what to do, don¡¯t do anything, okay. Don¡¯t write any more letters and make things so final. This message is getting too long, but the idea of you on the other side. I don¡¯t want us to end.}

    I lowered my head and wanted to cry. Her words... I groaned, hitting my head softly on the steering wheel. How could she love me so much and sleep with Louis? How stupid I had been... I pressed play on the next one.

    Louis { Chris¡­ Juliet misses you very much. She wants you to come }

    Next message

    Louis { Chris, I think you should come. We can figure out everything here¡­ with your full moon }

    Next message

    { Chris, for heaven¡¯s sake, you and Juliet slept together that Friday in the car }

    That time, I hit the steering wheel, cursing loudly. ¡°What the hell is wrong with me. Why didn¡¯t I listen to these!¡± I yelled out loud.

    Next message

    Louis { She needs release, Chris. And if you¡¯re not here soon... So help me, I will do it... What am I saying? You¡¯re not even listening to any of these! You must really not love her...! When I was still in town and read your thoughts, you seemed somewhat confused, but you¡¯re still deciding? You would probably not even be up for polyandry. You were so devoted to Sita. Anyway. This is my last message. We¡¯ll probably make it official in one way, maybe not the other.

    Remember I told you she loves both of us. It¡¯s still the case, and you have to remember Marcus will come back eventually... It¡¯s a very long story. She hasn¡¯t even told me. I only see images, and then she blocks him out. I don¡¯t know when she will deal with all of that... So yeah, just giving you all the facts before you rush over here and make her feel like she... had done something wrong. It isn¡¯t her fault. Any of it... She has no choice where he is concerned, and if you come now¡­ I think¡­ I would be able to walk away. } Louis was struggling. { If you really couldn¡¯t handle me¡­ In her life. And if you want her to choose, I think she would be able to... Anyway. I¡¯m rambling... Whatever! Seems like Juliet and I are using your cell as a journal.}

    Last message:

    Louis { She worries so for you for the 26th. Could you not call and talk to her even if it¡¯s on my phone. Tell her you¡¯re okay }

    I sat staring at Liam and Cindy, who heard all of it. He came over and took something out of his pocket. ¡°I had this made for you the night Juliet came home all cut up. The next day she left to be with you. I kinda knew that you were it. You would someway be a part of all this mess.¡±

    ¡°What is this...?¡± I said, turning the metal object in my fingers. I put two and two together. I got up and threw it into the woods. ¡°I¡¯m not putting her through that again... it would be pointless. I stretched out my hand. Liam gripped it and pulled me in for a man hug.

    ¡°Where will you go? You have to at least stay close to Nick.¡±

    ¡°To France!¡±

    Liam¡¯s jaw dropped, shocked, but then he smiled. Tears pooled in his eye, ¡°Chris... there is more.¡±

    My shoulders shook as I held back the tears. I could feel myself laughing and crying at the same time. ¡°What else could there possibly be?¡±

    Liam bit his bottom lip, ¡°She is carrying your baby.¡±

    My cheeks were wet after that. I sobbed before I knew what was happening. Turning, I rested my head on my arm, leaning against the car. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant?¡± I muttered to myself.

    Cindy came over pulled me away from the car and into her holding me until I felt better. ¡°Everything will be okay, Chris,¡± she whispered softly.

    ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t forgive me.¡±

    They both laughed a little. ¡°Makes the chase so much more fun. I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not you,¡± Liam said.

    I had to smile. Liam had in one night gone from doubting me to giving me an emblem to brand his daughter for the third time. Three husbands. Juliet was okay with three husbands. They were okay with it. Louis was okay with it.

    I didn¡¯t want to think anymore. Juliet wasn¡¯t someone I could put on a pro-con list. I was in too deep. Dove right into the deep end of a supernatural world. One where girls disappear, and Louis could read all my thoughts¡­ All I could do was hold on and take it like a grown-up. No more cowardice. No more thinking. I sat in the driver¡¯s seat and closed the door. Liam pulled his wife into an embrace. They cried, waving me goodbye.

 41. Stuck In The Middle

    41. Stuck In The Middle

    Marcus

    I ran my hand over Juliet¡¯s hair. For the first time in years, I was touching her. The night before, when we were sparing in the ring. I had her in my arms. I actually smiled. Seeing her brought a smile to my face. But not like that. Not all cut up. Swollen red lashes, open flesh over her back. I took some more hair out of her face. She was sleeping. The branding sleep. Mine was fitful, but hers seems to be going okay. I wished I knew how it went after I did that to her.

    The previous night, we wanted to get in the car. A man approached us. The same one that woke me up. Covered in tattoos. He didn¡¯t say much but that we had to follow him. That we couldn¡¯t take her all the way to France like that. At first, I didn¡¯t understand. I would have taken her to a hotel. He took us back into the house and into a room. Juliet dangling in my arms. I finally had her, but at what cost? He took a small device that fitted in his palm. He seemed to be pressing buttons, but also not really. It was all on a glass plate. We were in the room, and then we were not.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± I asked when I could make no sense of what had happened. We had moved from one place to another. The girl and boy with us were stunned and kept clinging to each other. Juliet¡¯s friends. I think she said her name was Chars? Short for¡­

    ¡°Technology, your father didn¡¯t tell you about. Vampires invented this. Teleportation. Instantly from one place to another.¡±

    ¡°Charlene and Carl, will you make sure she¡¯s in Louis¡¯s bed when she wakes up.¡± The guy said, leaving without another word.

    Carl helped Charlene walk out of the bushes. I followed. There was a lane that led up to a house. A grand, massive mansion. The Alps behind it, around it. Snowy peaks. It was breathtaking.

    They showed me the way through the front door. It was open, and we just walked in. Juliet was so free there. Charlene immediately climbed the stairs a little to the side of the dining room. The staircase itself was beautiful. Hand-carved wood. Nothing could have prepared me for the view the room at the top had to offer into the valley. The room was magnificent and panoramic. Even the roof was glass, with a bed on the floor. Stacked on simple pallets. Slowly, I placed her down on her stomach. Put a pillow under her head. I sat down and didn¡¯t get up for hours.

    Over the next three days, Charlene and Carl would come into the room a few times. When they did, they flopped down next to her, feeling her for a fever. Cleaning her wounds. The ones my father caused. I had to help fix her up that time. Checking on the burn. Marveling at one that was already there. The first time I saw the tattoo, I stopped breathing for a moment. It wasn¡¯t an ugly mark like I had feared. Another time, when they came in, they took photos with their phones with her passed out.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, a little offended.

    ¡°Oh, Juliet has an album of where she passed out from drinking too much. Carl here takes a photo every time.¡± They both giggled, lying next to Juliet, going through his phone. I grabbed it from him. ¡°Please don¡¯t break it.¡± I pull my lips in annoyance. I scrolled through his photos.

    My heart beat faster with every image, seeing Juliet like that. At the beginning of a party. The middle of the same evening. She does something stupid in some of the photos. The last one would be where she was lying in some awkward position. Carl guarding her like a hawk. In most pictures, Charlene was right next to her, doing whatever Juliet was doing. Juliet was always dressed in nothing but the smallest amount of fabric I had ever seen. My eyes darted to Carl. How and why did he handle it? Should I be jealous?

    As if reading my mind, Carl explained, ¡°Juliet, Charlene, and I are just friends. We met on the first day of school. We were seated together and have been together every day since.¡± Another pang of jealousy. She had more people in her life than I had after two hundred years of living. ¡°Liam and Cindy are coming. It¡¯s not like the teenagers were allowed to completely go off the grid alone. They stayed for Chris.¡±

    ¡°That other guy?¡± Carl nodded. Another pang of jealousy. How would I get over this? My finger kept scrolling. Juliet in skimpy dresses. Lots of make-up. Breasts almost visible in some. I did feel like breaking the phone, seeing her like that. I scrolled even more back over the years. Juliet with guy after guy. Sitting on their laps. Dancing. Doing shots and¡­ I swore loudly and threw the phone on the bed next to him. He picked it up and stared at it. Juliet was kissing a guy looking at the camera with those smoldering eyes. Smokey dark eyes. Her tongue was visibly licked by the same guy, and her hand grabbed his crotch.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s Jerry. The guy that cut her up.¡± Anger rippled through me. She let a guy kiss her like that, and he almost killed her. I didn¡¯t do anything last night¡ªwhen my father punished her. Was that not worse? What was I doing there? My eyes fell on her. She was so peaceful. So beautiful. Charlene pulled down her pants, and Carl applied the ointment to the redness that outlined the picture on her butt. Together, they changed the bandages on her back and face.

    ¡°How can you touch her like that. Is everyone like this with each other? Out there in the world?¡±

    Charlene snorted, ¡°Juliet doesn¡¯t let anyone touch her. ¡°Jerry was her first long-term relationship, and Carl has special privileges.¡±

    They shared a look and were reminded of the same experience. ¡°Remember that guy¡­.¡± Charlene giggled and nodded.

    Hope rose inside of me.  Maybe, just maybe, she hadn¡¯t given all of herself away. But even so, how will both Louis and I fit in?

    On the fourth morning, Juliet stirred for the first time. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. There was no confusion. She knew where she was. She felt safe. Her breathing even. She plopped down again, winching, turning on her side without seeing me. The view was incredible in the mornings. Knowing that was how she woke up every day made me happy. I felt she deserved it.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Julie¡­¡± I whispered with as much feeling as I could. Her body stiffened. She didn¡¯t move for a good minute, and then her breathing changed instantly.  ¡°Carl and Charlene are downstairs. Louis asked me to bring you and to stay with you.¡± She swallowed hard. Her heart was racing. Pounding. She was terrified, and I hated it. That she could feel that way about me, ¡°Should I go?¡±

    She sat up, winching again from the pain in her back. She was sad, biting back tears, ¡°I have to tell you, Marcus. I never, ever thought that you would be in this room.¡±

    She didn¡¯t want me there. But I promised Louis I wouldn¡¯t leave her for a second. I promised that tattooed guy that my father would never lay a finger on her again. ¡°I won¡¯t come up here again.¡± I stood up off the ground, out of the corner I had been hiding in the last day, fearful she might wake up and the first thing she saw would be me.

    She slowly turned towards me and swore loudly when she saw my face. My bruise and cut were as nasty as hers, ¡°Sit down, Marcus.¡± My little Julie wasn¡¯t there anymore. She was a woman in every way. I had missed it. All of her firsts. I wasn¡¯t any one of them. ¡°Are there any painkillers?¡± I picked up the first aid kit and held it out to her with a bottle of water. She rummaged, ¡°What the hell is this? This is over the counter¡ªcrap! Carl! What the hell!¡± Both pairs of feet came running up the stairs. ¡°What is this?¡± They giggled like kids being reprimanded by a drug-addicted mom. Inside, a small smile played at my heart.

    ¡°Your mom said we¡¯re not supposed to give you the good stuff. Only Marcus can.¡±

    Her eyes met mine for the first time. For a moment, there was that even stubbornness. But for me, it was the fact that I wanted to dive into those icy blue eyes. Be a part of every area of her life. I wanted to please her with every fiber. Keep her away from the compound. Without a veil. In nothing but that strappy tank top that revealed the shape of her breasts and her nipples. My eyes roamed her body and landed on her mouth. Juliet¡¯s lips parted to say something, but I pointed to the floor next to the bed before she could, ¡°I put it there so you could get to it easier.¡± Juliet¡¯s fierce, intelligent eyes held my predatory gaze. She turned and checked, picked up the bottle, and opened it. Her eyes came right back to mine. Frown lines played on her brow.

    My phone rang for the millionth time. It was my father. All I wanted was her in my arms. For her to lead me far away from everything. She could do it.

    Charlene and Carl slowly left the room. The tension between us was so thick they must have felt uncomfortable. I wouldn¡¯t touch her for the world. The next time anything happened, she would have to initiate it. All I wanted was to stay, and I wasn¡¯t going to push, ¡°Is there anything else you need, Julie?¡± Whenever I said her name like that, her hands would stop moving. The endearment hit a cord, and I didn¡¯t know if it was good or bad.

    ¡°I want to see my back. I¡¯m going to go to the bathroom. I need to pee.¡± She stood up. The shorts she had on hardly covered her ass. A little bit of plumpy flesh stuck out. I had not seen her out of the covers. My mouth hung open. She didn¡¯t even care that I was seeing her like that. She got up as if it was all natural. I followed her downstairs. Before she went into a room, she turned to me, ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten. I need to, like¡­ today. You haven¡¯t eaten. So you going to take me out to dinner?¡±

    ¡°Should I bring you someone? How do you feel? Can you even walk or run? Your back, Julie.¡±

    She groaned, ¡°You might be right.¡± I snorted. She cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Not something you thought to ever hear from me.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Fair enough.¡± She took a step closer, and my eyes traveled to her lips again. ¡°Charlene and Carl haven¡¯t seen it. Manifesting. First time at the cages. Everything. Let alone killing a person.¡±

    ¡°Human friends, Julie?¡±

    ¡°They are family, Marcus, and at this stage, they¡¯re higher on the pecking order than you.¡± The pain of her words made me ball my fists. She peeked down at my hands, and her eyes roamed my face. ¡°You can be glad you¡¯re this handsome, or I would have sent you packing.¡± She booped my nose. My head jerked back. I glared down at her. It made her laugh. She smiled so brightly that my features softened instantly. My hands relaxed. ¡°That¡¯s better, Marcus. Try happy thoughts. Think about the past only as it gives you pleasure.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re quoting Jane Austin to me.¡±

    She smiled again and stuck her tongue out at me, going through the door. My stomach suddenly flipped into an area  I had never experienced. I had actual butterflies seeing her smile like that. Interacting with me in that way. Knots. Lots of knots in my stomach. I was nervous. Just as much as she was. Was hers also the good kind? She didn¡¯t close the door in my face like I thought she would. She disappeared around a corner. I heard the toilet flush. She cussed, and I quickly stepped in after her. She was standing in front of a full-length mirror, checking out her back. Her eyes caught mine in the mirror. It didn¡¯t even phase her. I dared to take a few more steps and sat on the daybed in the middle of the room. She pulled off her top. I stiffened and turned away from her. I heard a snort and a chuckle, ¡°What? I don¡¯t do for you anymore? You got some big-breasted wives on the compound, Marcus?¡± I heard her move around. She went further away from me, and I heard the falling water.

    ¡°Try not to get the wounds wet,¡± I said.

    More cussing, and the water abruptly stopped, ¡°Well, then you¡¯re going to have to come and help me.¡± It felt like the little blood I had clotted. Every muscle weakened. She had asked me to come and help her get clean. Was she naked? ¡°I can hear your heart racing, Marcus. If it helps, I¡¯ll break your arm before you can take advantage of me.¡±

    ¡°Like that would stop me,¡± I whispered.

    She chuckled, ¡°Was that a joke, Marcus?¡±

    Slowly, I got up. She was hunched over the bath.

    ¡°Can you wash my hair, please? I don¡¯t like oily, dirty hair,¡± She asked so nicely. A soft tone in her voice. Almost pleading. It made me do what I was told. I tried to be as gentle as possible. ¡°After this, I¡¯ll use a washcloth at the basin. If I pass out, you¡¯ll have to sponge bath me. I stink. Why haven¡¯t you yet? Are you not my husband?¡± My hands stopped moving for a second; hearing the words come from her lips was almost too much. After I was done, she sat down next to the tub. I draped the towel over her head, gently running it through her hair, desperately trying to keep my eyes under control. When I lifted the towel. Her eyes were closed. She fell forward onto my torso. She was sleeping. I shook my head. Always full steam ahead. Restless, active, impulsive. Just like me. I was just much older. That had always been our biggest problem. We were exactly the same.

    Carl and Charlene came in. My first thought was they would blame me for hurting her or something. My second thought was that Carl was seeing her naked. They shook their heads. ¡°She will never learn to take it easy, will she?¡± Relieved, I picked her up and took her back upstairs. As if reading my thoughts¡­ ¡°You know we¡¯ve been friends so long that I¡¯ve helped her out of situations like this a lot. Puking drunk. Seeing her naked¡­ It¡¯s really like helping a patient in a hospital.¡± Carl said, trying to sound sympathetic rather than making me feel like I had never been a part of her life.

    ¡°A mental asylum patient,¡± Charlene said. My lips curled into a smile. Even if it was for a second.

 42. Seven Days Too Late

    42. Seven Days Too Late

    Juliet

    Argh. All I remember was passing out half-naked on Marcus¡¯s torso. I cringed inwardly. I never handled anything really well, did I? The mornings were the best in France. I never wanted to leave ever again.

    ¡°Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Julie. I¡¯m here.¡±

    My whole body reacted when he called me that. A pulse between my legs that I had no control over. A brokenness that could only be healed by a touch. I groaned. What was it with me? I sat up and wondered if he was hiding in the corner again. Seeing Marcus like that reminded me of him bowing in front of me. I shook my head at him, seeing him on the floor again, ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, Marcus. Lie down next to me, would you.¡± I fell back onto the bed. ¡°Have you even slept? What about food.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t remember? I brought someone last night. You sucked him dry in your sleep.¡±

    ¡°Did you eat, Marcus? What did you do with my friends? You didn¡¯t make them watch, did you?¡±

    ¡°I ate before I got you, someone. I had a conversation with Carl and told him what was going on. I kind of believe that you should give children all the facts. They are still people and can speak for themselves.¡±

    ¡°Where were you the last three years. My mom and dad don¡¯t feel the same way. They leave me in the dark. That is why I¡­ am the way I am. Constantly doing the stupidest things.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen eye to eye with Liam on the way he raised you. There is control but also no control.¡±

    I sat straight up again, ¡°Right! How frustrating. But why do I still feel hungry?¡±

    He shrugged, and I had to step out of bed and pull him up by the hand. ¡°Julie, I¡¯m not getting in that bed. There is no way. I claimed one of the rooms as my own. It¡¯s the one closest to the dining room and the stairs. If you need me. You just have to call out. But my nursing stops today.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to say to that. Marcus had the self-control of a devout catholic priest. A real one. Or should I say Buddhist? Argh, what did it matter? Charlene and Carl came up the stairs, and he left. They both watched him go. ¡°Juliet. There is something we need to tell you,¡± Charlene said, closing the door behind her. Carl listened for Marcus. ¡°Okay. I think he is gone,¡± he whispered. They both moved to the other side of the room, gesturing for me to follow. I waited patiently as they decided who would tell me. ¡°Jules¡­ You¡¯re pregnant.¡± Carl said it so low that I almost didn¡¯t hear him. I jumped up and down, clapping my hands, regretting it as soon as I did.

    Marcus stayed true to his word. He didn¡¯t come upstairs again. He was quiet and mostly in his room. Later, Charlene and I decided to put on some music and dance. We played all our favorite songs. Carl sat and watched. It went on for about half an hour before I saw Marcus standing at the door, watching us. I couldn¡¯t tell if he was angry, judging me, or¡­ I didn¡¯t know Marcus at all. His face never changed. The few smiles I got behind the mask in the ring seemed to have been a one-time thing.

    Charlene and I moved up and down as our bodies danced to the music. My eyes were on Marcus to see what he would do. The anticipation was sexy. But he would probably point his finger at me soon. Our arms swaying, Charlene caught mine in hers. Marcus slowly walked out and sat next to Carl. He whispered into his ear. Got an answer from Carl. The song stopped playing. I walked over to Marcus and held out a hand to him. Marcus shook his head. ¡°Why do you keep doing that?¡± I asked. His eyes snapped up at me. It took him a moment. With the most reluctance I had ever seen from a guy I had asked to dance. Marcus placed his hand in mine.

    ¡°What do you want to hear?¡± Charlene asked.

    ¡°Something slow. Let¡¯s not scare Marcus. You really just have to stand there. I will do all the work,¡± That got a twitch around his mouth.

    ***

    Chris

    I probably listened to Juliet¡¯s voice message a million times on the plane. I replayed our love-making over and over in my mind. Every word she had said and how angry we both were. But she had pushed me into the car. Every time, it made me smile. My gut would wrench at how stupid I had been. It felt like I would have to use the rest of my life to make everything up to her. If she still felt the same. It had been weeks since I put her into Louis¡¯s arms. Maybe that was where I truly lost her. I could¡¯ve followed them out. But then Marcus, Francis, and Jack¡­ No, she would not have liked that. Love is a choice, they say. Juliet had left me no choice. I smiled again. I looked like a stupid fool, anxious to get to his lover. My thoughts wandered to the baby. I was going to be a father. Juliet was pregnant. Our perfect moment had turned into a perfect surprise. I couldn¡¯t be happier knowing she was carrying our child.

    Driving up to Juliet¡¯s new French home made me feel like a complete loser. I was behind Louis in every way. He had the money. Been there for Juliet throughout everything. Accepting us sleeping together. He had to have known she could be pregnant. Liam had told me where they were, and I didn¡¯t prepare them for my arrival. But neither was I to see the literal Alps behind Louis¡¯s house. The beautiful hand-carved front door loomed before me. I took the few steps up to it and knocked. There was such a commotion inside that I didn¡¯t think they heard it. I felt the door handle. It wasn¡¯t even locked. I pushed it open. The interior was picture-perfect out of a magazine. I walked across the elegant living space in the direction of the music. Seeing Juliet and Marcus dancing together made me feel like I was walking into some alternate universe.

    How could things change so drastically in only a few weeks? She was so scared of him. Her hands were all over him. He wasn¡¯t really into it. It was more her playing than anything else. A feeling that things wouldn¡¯t go how I thought washed away the joy of seeing her. Suddenly, Louis¡¯s words sunk in with full force. Would I be able to share her? Marcus would have her the morning. Would I sleep with her later in the day? I didn¡¯t have a choice to change my mind. Walk back out the way I came. All four saw me. It was an abrupt stop from everyone. Marcus didn¡¯t let go of her, and she didn¡¯t push him away. I frowned. Inwardly groaned at seeing her in the arm of yet another man. The new marks on her back caught my attention. Lashes. Her face had a cut, a fresh bruise. A bandage near her hairline.

    My groaning turned to disappointed rage. I wasn¡¯t there. I had slept with her. For a month, she had to carry around the idea that she might be pregnant¡­ It really wasn¡¯t her fault for choosing the guy who stayed by her side. She gave me so many opportunities to choose her. I could¡¯ve kidnapped her that night. Liam would have given me a prize for manning up.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Chris?¡± Juliet said so matter-of-factly.

    Ohhh, that hurt. The slate blue of her eyes caught me off guard. I had never seen that look before. Her tone made me cower. Felt like I took a punch to the gut. But I deserved it. ¡°What happened to you? Was it him?¡±

    ¡°Does it look like it was him?¡± Oh, my soul, that mouth of hers.

    Marcus smirked at me.

    I saw two options. I could pick her up, manifest run into the mountain, and keep her there. But that would be what Marcus wanted to do. She wouldn¡¯t like it. Or would she? I couldn¡¯t really take the chance.  Seemed I would have to wait at least a hundred years before she forgave me for everything. Accept the two other men that would have her in turns.

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    ¡°I was hoping that I could talk to you.¡±

    ¡°No! Wait! He has to do it in front of everyone,¡± Marcus said out loud.

    Juliet¡¯s eyes met his. She shrugged, ¡°I really don¡¯t care right now. If that¡¯s what you want.¡± Marcus smirked again. I didn¡¯t expect to have to enter a cockfight. But I deserved it. I had sex with her. No¡­ I was her first¡­ Forgot about it. Couldn¡¯t say that I loved her. He branded her without consent. Wanted to kidnap her. At that moment, I thought I was worse off.

    I stepped outside, and Carl handed me a beer, smiling at me, ¡°Welcome to the freak show.¡± That got a laugh from her. I wanted her to look at me so badly. All I wanted was to see what had always been there. That all my hope wasn¡¯t in vain and that we could connect like we always had. She didn¡¯t and, with eyes cast to the floor, said, ¡°You might as well take a seat, Chris.¡±

    ¡°Where is bachelor number three?¡± Everyone didn¡¯t look up or say anything, and Juliet still avoided my gaze.

    ¡°I know you and Louis slept together, Juliet.¡±

    Both their heads snapped up at the same time. Marcus spun towards Juliet in anger. Him she saw, her eyes genuinely full of concern. Liam had prepared me for it. But Marcus had not known. He let go of her. She grabbed his hand, and he flung her off. ¡°When?¡± he asked. So much pain in his voice. Juliet bit her bottom lip and didn¡¯t say anything. He pointed his finger at her, ¡°You could¡¯ve said something! I¡¯ve been here for almost a week.¡± Marcus turned to me. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t love her! What are you doing here?¡±

    I played with the beer bottle in my hand, wondering if he knew we slept together. I didn¡¯t think so. He certainly didn¡¯t know about the baby.

    ¡°A week and a half ago.¡± Charlene intervened and walked over to Juliet, picking up and showing the necklace to Marcus. Two little plates were hanging. Marcus took it and read it. Murder in his eyes. I was left wondering what romantic thing Louis had done. ¡°He asked her to marry him.¡± Marcus¡¯s body was hard as stone. She kept trying to take his hands in hers. He kept flinging her off.

    ¡°But that¡¯s not all,¡± Carl said, looking at me. ¡°You better prepare yourself.¡±

    I cut him off. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant with my child. And Louis branded you.¡±

    Marcus¡¯s face drained of all color. ¡°What the hell were you doing when you went off the compound?! Did you freaking sleep with half the men in the town you were hiding away in?¡±

    A tinge of red stained her cheeks. Then she pointed at Charlene and Carl. ¡°It¡¯s all their fault,¡± all three of them burst out laughing like this was some kind of joke.

    Marcus lost it.

    I put the drink down and turned to go into the house. I walked out the front door the way I came. I had told myself I would do whatever it took. But she had two husbands. Marcus was already there. I was too late, and I didn¡¯t know what to do. We were an instant family. Me and her. I walked down the road, not knowing where I was going. Needed to clear my head. Juliet pulled me around and made me face her. Her eyes were almost closed... pinching the bridge of her nose. It took me by surprise. ¡°Really? So what? That¡¯s it?¡± she said, struggling.

    ¡°You let Louis cover Marcus,¡± my hands flew to my face as I searched for strength in the sky. ¡°All I needed was seven days¡­ You couldn¡¯t wait freaking seven days?¡±

    ¡°How long did you want me to beg you to love me, Chris? You probably don¡¯t even love me now¡­ You¡¯re only here because you remembered we slept together, and you feel guilty because, wait¡­ what was it? I¡¯m too young. Or worse for the baby.¡±

    The words hurt¡­ It wasn¡¯t true. I walked up to her and shook her, ¡°I have always loved you! You idiot¡­! You¡¯re so stupid.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid! You are!¡± She pushed me off her. ¡°How many times?¡± She yelled.

    I cut her off. ¡°One time!¡± I yelled. ¡°I loved you that first day I saw you in the hall in your freaking school uniform¡­ Can you please give me a break? Just this one time¡­ If you can forgive him¡­.¡± I pointed at the house. Three pairs of eyes were on us, sitting at the front door. I had to concede. That was my life from that moment forward. There would always be someone checking up on me. ¡°Can you not forgive me for taking a month to get myself together. How is it my fault that I forgot about sleeping with you?¡±

    ¡°No! It¡¯s much worse than that. It wasn¡¯t one month for me,¡± she struggled to get the words out. For her, it had been years of energy spent. ¡°Why could you not call me¡­ You¡­ make this so much worse for me. I want to die every time you touch me, and I can¡¯t have you. Every time our eyes met, knowing there would be nothing from you. Would you please let me go! You do not love me!¡± She yelled the last part so loudly. All her words were not what I had expected, and a spark of hope ignited.  ¡°You pushed me and pushed me away, Chris. Even though I knew how you felt. You fought me so long. Why must I wait for you¡­ Long for you¡­ Yearn for you until you choose me. It seems a bit unfair for you to come in here and say. ¡®Okay, I am ready now. Let¡¯s do this,¡¯ her hands dramatically gestured next to her.

    I wasn¡¯t even hearing what she was saying. She was venting, and I was okay with that. My mind was going at a million miles a second¡­ I couldn¡¯t say I loved her. It didn¡¯t seem to be enough. I couldn¡¯t tell her this was where I wanted to be because Louis had proven that more than me. They were linked in death. All I had with her was a... I still wasn¡¯t sure what we had¡­ She kept going, ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know why I fell in love with you. But I can¡¯t take the rejection any more! You, out of everyone, must understand it!¡±

    I did understand Juliet, but I didn¡¯t care¡­ I smiled and smirked and exhaled slowly, knowing exactly what I could say. She was indignant and grunted at me, ¡°What the hell is so funny, you ass!¡± she pushed me on the shoulder.

    ¡°Let¡¯s play a game¡­.¡± she instantly smiled, pressing her lips together, giggling nervously. ¡°I got you. You stupid girl¡­ You get five¡ª¡± She didn¡¯t let me finish. Her legs had already wrapped around me at the exact moment her lips were on mine. She was kissing me with everything she got. Every emotion had boiled into one moment. Me acknowledging her. Getting what she wanted.  I cried with relief that I had not lost her. I didn¡¯t even feel like I wouldn¡¯t be able to share her. If she would be like she always was. Even in front of Marcus¡­ I didn¡¯t care. Tears fell over us kissing. She wiped them away with me grabbing her ass and holding her up.

    ¡°So, how is this going to work? Will you sleep with all of us? Because I don¡¯t think I will be able to handle it.¡± She jumped off, throwing her arms around my neck, and pulled me so close to her. I did the same and buried my face in her neck and in her hair. I took in the smell I had longed for. ¡°And! I¡¯m not doing that to you¡­ Because I really don¡¯t want to.¡± She kept kissing me. I pushed her away, ¡°Juliet. This is serious.¡±

    Stepping away from me, she licked her lips. Her eyes were on my mouth, ¡°That was my five minutes. Okay, I¡¯m done.¡± She was happy. Seeing her so happy made my heart beat faster. ¡°Your time starts now. What you do with it is your problem.¡± She laughed out loud, ran flat over the grass and all around the house with me chasing her.

    I had to manifest and teleport to catch her, ¡°Tell me, woman!¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯m not choosing. You tell me what I need to hear.¡±

    I fell at her feet onto my knees, hugging her stomach and holding her close. Juliet and our kid in my arms. ¡°Our love was written on the stars¡­ I¡¯m sorry I hurt you by trying not to hurt you¡­ I love you¡­ I love you so very much! This is where I want to be, no matter what.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    Watching Chris and Juliet fight made me oddly jealous, and not in a way where I wanted to rip his head off his body. I had not even considered him¡­ Seeing him there out of the blue floored us both. But I wasn¡¯t angry. If she would fight with me like that. We were so close a few days ago. To connect in even the slightest way. Like she said¡­ Satisfy that desire.

    When she kissed Chris, I wanted to protest. But I was reminded of our first kiss¡­ No, when she kissed me the first time. She had¡­ It made me smile? My brand was on her for so long, and I have yet to give her one proper kiss. It was worth it¡­ To let her decide. To wait. And even knowing she was kissing someone else didn¡¯t make me feel like running away. It made me want to prove myself. That I could love her like that. Like they did. Chris also asked about it, and it would be interesting to see how it all played out.

    She ran, and Chris chased her, manifesting into that massive creature teleporting as I had seen in the hotel. It was funny as hell, and even I had to chuckle. An enormous creature chasing a small girl over the lawn. I had never seen it. He was a legend. I sighed, knowing that Chris was there. My father wouldn¡¯t be able to ever hurt her again. Chris was suddenly not a competitor but someone who could protect her when I was a coward.

    Their display of affection gave me hope that she and I would one day work out everything. I was more than happy to wait for her to open up that part she had locked up. Juliet had so much love to give. To deny her to do it would be wrong. I looked at Carl and Charlene. We were sharing a moment, knowing all of us were in it for life. I had thought that another covering over me would feel wrong. But it was liberating, knowing I could pursue Juliet freely.

 43. Benjamin

    43. Benjamin

    Carl

    It had been an insane week. I still had difficulty wrapping my head around everything that had happened. Chris had arrived. Juliet and Charlene were talking on the deck chairs. They seem to never run out of things to speak about in private. The three men were playing cards. Chris asked out of the blue, ¡°So how is this going to work, Marcus?¡±

    Marcus¡¯s face was as stoic as ever, assessing, calculating. For a few moments, a cold gaze landed on an anxious Chris. ¡°I believe in providence. To let things play out¡­ You seem a little bit¡­ controlling, Chris.¡±

    ¡°Like you¡¯re not? Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve not been alive for two hundred years.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t? How old are you?¡±

    ¡°Twenty-nine.¡±

    Marcus sputtered, ¡°What? When did you manifest for the first time?¡±

    Chris¡¯s eye caught mine. We all knew which day it happened, ¡°A month ago. With Jerry, when he attacked her. It was Chris¡¯s first manifestation.¡± I answered for a quiet Chris.

    Marcus whistled, ¡°Well, no wonder you are like this. Your head must be a mess. So everything that happened between you and Juliet¡­ Happened in a matter of one night?¡± All three of us looked at the two girls. ¡°Two pregnant girls in one house? How will we do it?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°Carefully¡­¡± I said.

    They both laughed. I watched Marcus. After spending a little time with him, you quickly got past his dark eyes and that depressed look on his face twenty-four-seven. He was so severe.

    ¡°You know Chris¡­ While Juliet had been sleeping. Marcus and I had converted a section of the garage into a gym. Marcus even added a boxing ring. Training and fighting are something Marcus is good at. He spends hours in there every day. He said that Juliet needed proper training,¡± I said, trying to change the topic.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea. If you¡¯ll be gentle with her during the pregnancy.¡±

    Marcus nodded, ¡°It will be mainly self-defense and water exercises¡­ I¡¯m a little worried about the birth¡­ You being what you are. And we don¡¯t know what that means for her.¡±

    ¡°Thanks a lot¡­ Now I¡¯m scared for her.¡±

    ¡°If she is strong and as fit as possible. She could handle any difficulties that might arise.

    ¡°Juliet has been lazy since coming to France,¡± I said. ¡°Not at all the exercise, junky she had been in the years of high school I knew her. Maybe with the two of you working together, we can help her.¡±

    ¡°What about you, Chris? Have any fighting background?¡± Marcus asked.

    Chris shook his head. Marcus immediately took it upon himself to turn Chris into a fighting machine. Controlling his abilities, his strength, and his manifestations. Chris seemed eager. An understanding occurred at that moment; consummation rights were forgotten. It was more important for them to protect everyone in the house. ¡°Chris¡­ I¡¯m not here to fight. We should try and get along. We should try and focus on what we can control.¡±

    I wondered where I fit in with all of this. When would I have to leave for my own training? If I would even give it all up for these people¡ªand stay.

    The front doorbell rang. ¡°What else could possibly happen today?¡± Marcus asked. I got up to go get it. Everyone stared at me because, really, who could it be? When I opened the door, it was a young guy I didn¡¯t know. Not much older than me. He gave me his hand and his name. I had hoped he would stay away. We had decided not to tell Charlene that Benjamin had saved her that night or that he was a werewolf. It had only been a few days since she learned that everyone there ate people. It wasn¡¯t easy for her. She was having a rough time getting used to the idea.

    When Juliet had to eat that night, Marcus brought someone there. Charlene had locked herself in her room. I had tried to take her away. Out of the house, but she wouldn¡¯t go. How she handled it. I didn¡¯t know. What happened in that room¡ªI also didn¡¯t know. I sat in front of her door, hoping she would let me in. The following morning, Charlene and Juliet had hours in front of the fireplace after telling her she was pregnant. Before they decided to dance and forget their worries for a while. I wished Louis was there. He was so good with people and women. He would¡¯ve known what to do. It was his house; wasn¡¯t he supposed to have the most authority. To let Benjamin in would be wrong, ¡°Hey, Marcus. Can you come here?¡± I called the second husband.

    Both Chris and Marcus came closer. When Marcus and Ben saw each other, they embraced. Introductions were made. Benjamin looked back over his shoulder. I saw three more guys standing at the car. ¡°Come in, Ben. You guys, too!¡± Marcus shouted and waved to the others.

    We ushered them to the lounge, where they sat down and made small talk while Chris went outside. I could see him sitting down on his haunches next to Charlene, and I handed all the guys a beer.

    ***

    Charlene

    Juliet and I were talking about everything that had happened. We were closer than ever and our bond was increasing with sharing our lives. I heard Chris¡¯s voice before I saw him next to me, ¡°The doorbell was for you, Charlene,¡± his eyes were level with mine.

    I was confused and frowned, ¡°What do you mean? Is it my parents? If it is. I¡¯m going to go hide? Your parents wouldn¡¯t have blabbed, would they?¡± I peeked a glance at an already guilty-looking Juliet.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your parents. But I don¡¯t know if you would rather it be them or Ben.¡±

    I sat up, ¡°How did he know?¡± Stupid Question.

    ¡°I think you should go talk to him,¡± Chris prodded.

    I had a little bit of a bump, but there was no way I would show him I was pregnant. As if reading my mind, Juliet took off her blazer. I pulled it over my head.  I took a moment to gather my courage, grabbed Juliet¡¯s hand, and dragged her over the grass. She, in tow, did the same to Chris.  He smiled broadly, following. Their eyes were on each other the whole time. It was a little depressing seeing them so happy. Chris was so starved for attention, and that was all Juliet had to give.

    I saw Ben first, walking up the steps and crossing the patio. I halted to take in the scene. Seeing him there in the lounge caught me off guard. Juliet and I collided. Her chest bumped into my back. ¡°It will be okay, Charlene,¡± she said, pushing me through the door.

    All pairs of eyes were on me. Ben smiled so broadly that I had to smile back. He stood, took my face in his hands, and kissed my cheeks. I blushed a little, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Charlene. Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were in France?¡±

    Everybody¡¯s eyes were on us, waiting. Nervously, mine fixed at a place on his shirt, not knowing what to say. We came all the way there to tell him. Juliet and I had a life-changing weekend because I wanted to go and see him. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant!¡± I blurted out, just like with Carl, Juliet, and Louis. There really was no other way of doing it.

    The three friends choked on their drinks. Ben¡¯s stunned hands fell from my cheeks. I dared to look up at him. He blinked slowly, taking in the news.

    Juliet shook her head as she walked past me to the other men. She shook all their hands. Juliet got to the last guy on the couch. He was almost fixated. Juliet was smiling so brightly at him¡ªmischief written in her eyes.

    Giving Ben a moment, I sat beside Chris on the sofa. All pairs of eyes were on a very handsome guy and Juliet. For a moment, I thanked her for being able to take all the attention away from me. The guy had not let go of her yet, scrutinizing her with narrow eyes. Marcus got up and slapped their hands. Juliet giggled, putting her hands in her pockets, ¡°This is my good friend Mateo Marcus¡­ You should stop hitting people that I like.¡±

    ¡°How would I know?¡± Marcus was jealous of the stares Juliet was getting from the guys.

    She disappeared and came back. Mateo jumped up on the couch, legs underneath him, ¡°OH, I knew it. I wasn¡¯t going crazy!¡± He went into lengthy ramblings in Spanish, complaining.

    Juliet loved the reaction too much, ¡°I got you all so good that day!¡± She turned to the next guy, sexually bent, and sensually, she felt her way up his leg, from his knee to his thigh. He jumped up, indignantly ranting, arms flying at her. The others soon put two and two together. She was getting so much attention. Chris got up off the sofa. He pulled her towards him, ¡°I will not be able to handle another addition. Especially not another foreigner¡­ Can you please stop touching other men!¡±

    Juliet didn¡¯t seem to care about being manhandled by Chris. She jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him as he carried her outside. Marcus and Carl followed, taking the three friends with them. Carl closed the door so that it was only Ben and me. He had sat at some point, holding his head in his hands. ¡°I¡¯m not expecting you to do anything,¡± I whispered. ¡°You can see I have more than enough family to help.¡±

    His head slowly came up, ¡°I¡¯m a little surprised¡­ I have to be honest. I didn¡¯t think I would see you again.¡± He held out his hand. I got up from my seat and crossed the distance between us. He made me sit on the couch next to him. ¡°To see you surrounded by vampires is weird.¡±

    ¡°I know you were at the cages. We followed you there. But Juliet didn¡¯t want to say anything. And you mentioning vampires like that means you can only be a werewolf¡­ You were the one in the cage that helped me.¡±

    ¡°I lost my fight. I was worn down and went back to human. That¡¯s what the fights are about¡­ Yes, I saw you.¡± I picked up the chain that hung around my neck. It had a picture of a mountain with a fire in front of it. I took it off and held it out to him. He got up, not wanting to take it.

    ¡°Is there some significance to a chain with plates on? Because Juliet has one, too?¡±

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    He paced a bit and then came to sit down again, ¡°Will you keep it on if I asked?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I like it. It¡¯s not your normal diamond earrings. And I think it means something, even if you won¡¯t tell me.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean you will give me a chance? Give us a chance.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I mean, we were so drunk that night. I saw nothing on your social about the holiday. I didn¡¯t hear anything from you. I didn¡¯t know if I could call you. I should have,¡± Ben said.

    ¡°Look, we didn¡¯t know I was going to get pregnant. But I¡¯m keeping the baby regardless.¡±

    Benjamin pulled me closer, hugging me, ¡°I want the baby, and I want you. If you will have me. This is not the way I saw us coming together. I feel like I¡¯m already disappointing you. In so many ways.¡±

    I hugged him back. He felt the bump for the first time, and his eyes traveled to my midsection. His hand ran over my tummy. He sighed, ¡°I won¡¯t be able to be here. I would only be able to come through on weekends and holidays. I have to finish this year. Then I¡¯ll be all yours.¡±

    I nodded, but I was crying for too many reasons. Ben held me until I got it all out. His eyes were fixed on the people outside. He pushed me out of the lounge and into the driveway towards their car, put me inside, and closed the door. ¡°You have to be careful of Marcus. I don¡¯t know what he is doing here¡­  We know each other but not that well. He is the general of his father¡¯s army at the compound¡­ I can¡¯t go into specifics, but I¡¯m afraid he might not be here for the right reasons.¡±

    That was not what I wanted to hear from him. Juliet was finally letting her guard down with Marcus. If he turned out to be like his father. Hurt her. It would break her. ¡°What do you mean? Did you not see what he did for her at the fight. He left his father there¡­ I don¡¯t think he wanted to take her back like the last time.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean the last time.¡±

    ¡°He had tried to catch her by drugging her.¡± Ben¡¯s face was incredulous. I felt he wasn¡¯t as open-minded as I had thought. ¡°What has this got to do with you anyway?¡± I asked.

    He turned in his seat away from me, ¡°Because of you and the baby.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ that can¡¯t be all.¡±

    ¡°The word has gone around that they are trying to get enough forces together to take on the government¡­ No one knows what goes on in the mind of Qadir Ahmed.¡±

    I frowned, ¡°And you think Marcus is here to¡­ what? Spy on who¡­?¡±

    ¡°Liam! And that new death machine everyone is talking about. The hybrid. That werewolf girl¡¯s ex-husband.¡± The word did get around. The werewolf community was small. I didn¡¯t know a quarter of the politics involved in everything going on.

    ¡°So what now?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Keep your eyes open. It¡¯s all I¡¯m saying.¡±

    Yeah, no biggie. Benjamin seemed¡­ a little too interested in everything going on. As if he wasn¡¯t there for me at all. Didn¡¯t I just ask him why he came¡­ But we didn¡¯t know each other.

    ***

    Carl

    David took me aside and walked down the square stone path close to the pools. He asked me if there were any trails we could take. I had met David that night with the cage fighting. He had introduced himself, knowing exactly who I was. That was probably why I wasn¡¯t hearing anything. There were people everywhere watching us, not only Michael but Chris¡¯s watcher and Marcus¡¯s and Louis¡¯s¡ªI sighed.

    When we had walked for five minutes, he turned and looked back at the house, ¡°Carl, how well do you know Marcus?¡± I thought this would be about Chris.  ¡°I¡¯m sure Ben is speaking to Charlene about Marcus. The thing is that he is Qadir Ahmed¡¯s son.¡± David said.

    The name meant nothing to me. How could it? David was name-dropping. The watchers weren¡¯t sure about Marcus themselves. But how could that be? I didn¡¯t like the tone. Marcus was not in our good graces yet, but did he have evil intentions. I couldn¡¯t see it. Juliet was different towards Marcus. They have hardly spoken to each other. She had tried asking him to dance. From what I saw, he had a constant poker face. He watched Juliet the whole time. No¡­ He sat and watched all of us. But Marcus had stayed. Louis wasn¡¯t there to get a read on him. All her mannerisms. The way she spoke and dressed. I could see it bothered him. He wasn¡¯t used to it, giving an opinion every time. They would exchange words in their native language so we couldn¡¯t understand. Since Chris had come, she had been avoiding him. He, in turn, goaded her so that she would get angry and open up. Nothing he did broke down that wall. Marcus reminded me of Jerry. An uncertain character that could lose control at any moment. I didn¡¯t know what she was waiting for. The fact that she was allowing him to stay was maybe stupid. He might not have let Qadir take her back, but still, he didn¡¯t do anything, and all of us were letting it go.

    David and I got back to the house. It was getting late, and we had to make up guest rooms for everyone. We would have a full house for the rest of the weekend.

    ¡°Hi, can I come in?¡± I knocked on Charlene¡¯s door frame out of courtesy, closing it when she waved for me to come in. I took out paper and wrote to her, knowing there were too many ears in that place.

    Me [ About Marcus ]

    Her interest was peaked. She pulled me closer and onto the bed. She took the paper and wrote.

    Charlene [ What can we do? Should we warn Juliet? ]

    Me [ I got this from my father ]

    I took out my phone and gave it to her.

    The message read:

    Bertram [ Carl. We want you to observe Marcus and report anything and everything ]

    Charlene lifted her eyebrows after reading it. She kept writing on the paper.

    Charlene [ Benjamin said he doesn¡¯t know him at all ]

    Me [ David talked to me as well. We saw what Marcus¡¯s father did to both of them. Why is he not leaving? ]

    Juliet appeared next to me on the bed. I swore loudly, jumping up and away from them. Charlene yelped, putting her hand over her mouth. Juliet kicked into the air like it was the joke of the century, ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?¡± I complained.

    She pointed to her phone and texted on our group.

    Juliet { It seems like Marcus is what¡¯s wrong with me } She was smiling. { You guys talking behind my back }

    Charlene { How can you be so casual about this }

    Juliet sighed heavily. { After everything I¡¯ve been through in the last year, I don¡¯t care anymore. I should probably tell you what happened at the compound. So you guys know where he is coming from. Where I come from }

    Charlene { He tried to kidnap you. If it wasn¡¯t for Chris, you would be missing }

    Juliet { I don¡¯t think so. I think he wanted to talk. Anyway, Marcus didn¡¯t know back then I can disappear. I would¡¯ve escaped }

    Charlene { Do you hear yourself¡­ Running from your husband sounds like a battered woman situation }

    Juliet threw her phone on the bed next to her, frustrated. I went to lie down. She picked up her phone again.

    Juliet { What about Benjamin? What happened? }

    Charlene { We¡¯re together. Going to see what will happen }

    Juliet went crazy. I came up onto my elbows, wanting to see Charlene¡¯s face and how she really felt about it. My mouth opened to say something, but Chris stuck his head into the room, ¡°What are you guys doing?¡±

    Juliet jumped up and pulled him inside, closing the door. She pushed him onto the little chair at the dressing table, handing him her phone. He looked puzzled and then took it, scrolling up and then down, he read through it quickly.

    At first, he didn¡¯t do anything. He just stared at the phone. I gave him mine and the paper.

    ***

    Chris

    After I read everything, I took a moment before I  replied on their group. I didn¡¯t know what I was walking into coming to France.

    Chris { But you and Marcus were dancing when I came in }

    Charlene and Carl shook their heads. Juliet wasn¡¯t making eye contact.

    Carl { She only woke up that morning. Before that, all he did was look after her while she was sleeping }

    I narrowed my eyes at her. She kept ending up in so many sticky situations where she was wholly dependent on others. I knew when a man was in love with a woman, and Marcus was obsessed with Juliet. Not in the wrong way, either. Like Louis. He would do just about anything for her. Like me¡­ But I didn¡¯t know him. Anyone could change at any moment. Marcus might get fed up with all of it and change his mind. He didn¡¯t sign up for any of this. There was no understanding between us at all. I remembered Louis saying, ¡®She would have to deal with Marcus.¡¯

    Juliet was going through a lot, bottling up too much. I needed to step up and sort things out, but what the hell did I know about creature politics? Psychology. I had my head buried in the sand my whole life. The one thing I did know was that I didn¡¯t want to live like that anymore. Liam had told me my new life would be fast-paced¡ªevery day. Juliet was sick, and we still didn¡¯t know what it meant for her¡­ or the baby.

    I gave her phone back to Carl and pulled Juliet out of the room. If she wouldn¡¯t look at me or talk to me, I would force her. After walking down the hall, I pushed her into Marcus¡¯s room and closed the door. I was going to do what Louis had done for me. I was going to love Juliet the way I should.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°Chris, what are you doing?¡± I stood, my lips pressed together, watching Marcus nervously.

    ¡°You told me that you always say what you mean and do what you say. I think it¡¯s time you man up. It¡¯s time to prove it! I love you, and I¡¯m not going anywhere. And after you come out of there, I want your number¡­ Because I still don¡¯t have it!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Chris?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time you deal with Marcus, Juliet¡­ It¡¯s unfair towards him, and you must do this for yourself.¡±

    I  hated Chris being right. Marcus had been reading, but he had sat up in bed, slowly putting down the book. He was almost desperate when he heard what Chris said. His fixed expression made me nervous, ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±

    Chris pulled the door open, ¡°Really, I¡¯m sure I can protect you. All you have to do is disappear. Stop making excuses.¡± He closed the door again. I giggled, loving that Chris was actually there in that house, trying and present. But I still couldn¡¯t believe Marcus was there either. My heart rate was steadily climbing, watching Marcus, his eyes not leaving mine for a second. I had read too many books to not know how this process worked. I knocked on the door. Chris opened it. Charlene and Carl were behind him.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time we tell you all our story.¡± I turned back to Marcus, ¡°You up for laying all bare in front of all these people.¡±

    Marcus jumped up. I had never seen him that enthusiastic. He brushed past us. Got Carl to make a big fire outside. Charlene called everyone while they prepared a lot of drinks. It was a chilly night. Everyone made themselves comfortable under blankets, filling up the couches on the patio. The three werewolves and one watcher didn¡¯t mind being a part of it. I knew Carl and David wanted to hear this. Or was ordered to. Marcus put two chairs on the stage in front of everyone, facing each other. He held out a hand so that we could touch while we talked. I knew how the process worked, but my whole body was fighting it¡ªalmost shaking. Chris was watching. Marcus was waiting¡­ his palm was up, close to me. Dark eyes penetrating mine. Why did all the guys want me to decide?

 44. Lots of Years ago

    44. Lots of Years ago

    Marcus

    It was a freaking hot day in the desert; I was already tired of the unbearable heat, and it wasn¡¯t even summer yet. Wiping sweat off my brow, I walked around the market, taking a break from my father¡¯s house. He had taken another wife that week, and the whole place was in chaos. The wedding was such an affair it would take everyone weeks to calm down.

    Entering the bookstore was always soothing. No one knew of it unless you knew of it. Hidden in the back of a supermarket, you really needed to be interested in the outside world¡­The human world¡­ to get books only that establishment carried. Online was an option, but it was monitored and stopped if you were caught. Well¡­ for the men. If a woman was caught on a computer, they would pay in some way¡­ There was usually a guy or two in the place¡ªregulars. But that day, a girl was standing at the counter having a heated discussion with Soren, debating about some matter happening in the human world. She was animated, and when the teller saw me staring, he stopped talking to her. He shooed her away by lifting his chin. Soren asked me if he could help me. I shook my head, browsing for my next read.

    The girl glared at me fleetingly and ran off to the back as if I just invaded her space, denied her some¡­ I didn¡¯t even know what. Seeing any woman in there was already a shock, let alone a little girl. When I chose my book, I went for my favorite spot. The couch in question was situated further into the little place around a corner, creating a reading nook with a coffee station to the side and a large wooden table in front of the couch. Rounding the corner, that same girl was lying down on that couch.

    It was my couch!

    I went over to her, ¡°Do you mind moving? I need to relax, and those chairs,¡± she interrupted me, ¡°Are horrible. Yeah, I know,¡± she frowned at the two culprits. All I could see were her squinting eyes anyway.

    She checked her watch, ¡°Look, I have an hour left, but you know the couch is big enough for both of us. I won¡¯t eat you.¡±

    It was weird that she was wearing a watch. It was even stranger that she was talking to me like that. I couldn¡¯t see her face or her body; she was covered by a veil and a long-sleeved dress. She couldn¡¯t care what my response would be. She sat up, pulled her feet underneath her, and kept reading.

    I wasn¡¯t going to sit down next to a woman¡­ in a bookstore, in public. I wondered how she got away with it, let alone one with such a tone. I pushed my hand into her veil and grabbed her earlobe, pulling her to her feet while she protested. I pushed her through the back door and threw her out into the alleyway. I would have my couch, but I wouldn¡¯t expose her for reading, either. Her little hand was covering her ear. I closed the door slowly; all I heard was, ¡°Ignorant ass.¡±

    I pushed the door open to scare her; she hiked up her skirts and ran for it. I laughed, and Soren laughed, too. I flinched at him, not liking being laughed at or drawing attention. He was young and quickly cast his eyes down, keeping himself busy with work.

    I tried concentrating, but it was in vain. The next day loomed over me like a dark cloud. If it would only rain once in a while, we could get out of training. I was sick and tired of coaching an army that served no purpose. The number of vampires had grown exponentially with the harem system. Still, it had also turned the compound into a prison with increased laws, especially for women.

    I stretched out on the couch as she had. She had been playing with some hair sticking out of her veil. I tried to remember what she was reading. ¡°What book was she reading?¡± I asked Soren. He came around the corner a moment later, handing me the same book. I frowned, ¡°This is a romance novel¡­ Why would you have this?¡±

    Apologetic, his shoulders shrugged, ¡°She asked, and I got a few¡­.¡± It seemed like he wanted to say more. ¡°She is not the only woman who likes this stuff, so I have it here¡­ they trade it out, and my pa doesn¡¯t mind.¡± He wanted to take it from me, but I opened it rather curious.

    The following day, early in the morning, I had to supervise drills, meetings, and strategic planning exercises. The trafficking of guns, ammunition, and equipment was an organization in itself. The compound had boomed in its enterprise of smuggling. The advantage for my father was many devout followers as they prepared for¡­ I didn¡¯t know what they thought they could do, but it kept me busy and out of the house.

    After my work day, I made my way to the market again, heading for my favorite sweet shop. At the counter, ready to pay, stood a man and his daughter; the only thing that sprang to mind was¡ªhe seemed friendly. He had an easy smile and a little grey at the temples. There weren¡¯t many of us older than two hundred years, and the signs were around the ears.

    He was fiddling with his wallet while who I presumed was his daughter was debating with the teller. I recognized her voice; it was the same girl from yesterday. Staring at them, her father saw me and pulled the girl out of the way, ¡°Someone wants to pay. Get out of there.¡±

    He treated her like any other father would. I wondered if he knew what his daughter got up to. The teller knew who I was, but not everyone did, I was mainly at the barracks, and it wasn¡¯t like I patrolled the streets or ended up in a gossip column. Joe asked if he could help me. She turned around to see who had interrupted her conversation and made everyone so nervous. She gasped when she saw me. Her little hand jutted out to cover her ear. I smiled. As soon as I did, I realized I had. It caught me by surprise. I actually remembered laughing the previous day. She stood back against her father, away from me¡­ I didn¡¯t like it¡ªshe seemed scared of me. He put his hand on her shoulders and squeezed them, reassuring her. ¡°Please, you can pay first,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Oh no, please go ahead. It will take her forever to decide.¡±

    Her blue eyes were so icy I had to stare for a moment. I reached into one of the trays and held it out to her, ¡°My favorite, maybe you¡¯ll like it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re very hot and cold.¡±

    I smiled again¡­ what the hell was wrong with me, ¡°Like¡­ Jack? In...¡± Her eyes grew like saucers, hushing me with her hands. I had read her romance novel. If you could call it that. I lifted an eyebrow. So, her father didn¡¯t know what she was reading. I laughed, pushing the sweet at her.

    She took it, lifted her veil, plopping it into her mouth, ¡°Hmm, not bad. Never wanted to take the chance on something that looked like that¡­ but tasty.¡±

    My eye caught her father¡¯s, and the words spilled from my lips before I knew it, ¡°Will you permit me to buy her a bag?¡±

    Small creases formed between his brows, and he quickly made eye contact with the teller. Joe nodded his approval. Liam stretched out his hand, and I took it. We introduced ourselves¡­ but conveniently left out surnames. Then he did the oddest thing; Liam bent down to her ear, ¡°Can he buy it for you?¡± It had been a long time since I saw a father ask a daughter anything, let alone for permission.

    For a moment, her eyes were so narrow I didn¡¯t think she could see anything. She shrugged, ¡°I will take it as compensation for¡­ trauma.¡± I laughed out loud¡ªit sounded strange even to my ears. Liam was struck by the noise, scrutinizing me. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that funny,¡± she said flippantly. I laughed even louder, not caring who saw me.

    She took the packet from the teller, ¡°Thank you, Joe!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who must say thank you. You¡¯re my greatest patron¡­ Well, next to Marcus.¡±

    They left with her stuffing another one of the sweets into her veil.

    Joe was watching me¡­ watch her. He sighed, ¡°She will have a hard time in here. Maybe not a good idea to draw attention to her,¡± he said, eyes cast down, packing me my usual.

    I sighed too¡­ He was referring to my father¡­ It was the way things were.

    The following Sunday, I came around the corner with a newspaper under my arm, moving toward the coffee station to make myself a cup. She was on my couch. When she saw me, she sat up¡­ stood up, threw the book on the table, and left out the back door, slamming it.

    Bewildered, my eyes darted from the door to Soren behind the counter. He was leaning over, taking in the scene. He pulled his lips in a downward frown, ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± I said, taken aback and irritated. He cowered at my tone, backed down, and continued his work.

    The door swung back open. Both our heads turned in the direction. ¡°I have been coming Sundays for¡­ ever. And now you are here on Sundays. Should I change my slot so I can read in peace?¡±

    Stupefied, I retorted, ¡°My shifts at the base had changed. Sundays are the only day I can get away.¡±

    Her fists were little balls at her side, ¡°Argh,¡± she grunted. ¡°Get me a new slot, Soren.¡±

    He smiled and nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Liam!¡±

    I picked up my coffee as the door closed¡ªshe was gone.

    On the table was a book about traveling Europe.

    The door flung open again. Thinking it was her¡­ I was going to give her a piece of my mind. Instead, Liam pushed through the store. He had her picked up in front of him after she was moving too slowly, half dragging her to the counter while she protested, climbing underneath, muttering incoherently. Liam picked up a book. ¡°Shhh!¡± Soren stepped towards the back to stand in front of her¡ªguarding her. Two grown men protecting a reading girl.

    Something told me soldiers were going to burst through the door. They pushed it open; it came to a crashing halt against the wall.  Arrogantly, they peered into the room until they saw me. As I turned to face them, I spilled some coffee on my hand.

    ¡°General!¡± The two men jumped up and saluted.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I flung my fingers to the floor, cursing, trying to rid myself of the coffee I messed, ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡±

    ¡°We saw a young woman entering this door, and we knew it was a reading room. We wouldn¡¯t mind anyone else being here¡­.¡± They were fumbling. Their eyes darted to Liam.

    Yeah, like reading was illegal. It was discouraged, but not for a girl, and her father would get into a heap of trouble, ¡°How do you know she didn¡¯t just cut through to the supermarket. How would you recognize her anyway? Everyone looks exactly the same?¡±

    The one wanted to defend their actions, but the other halted him, ¡°You are right, General. It was stupid of us; sorry for disturbing you,¡± they saluted.

    ¡°Dismissed¡­ And if you have nothing better to do than chase little girls, I will¡­ No! You know what, who is your Sergeant?¡±

    Their shoulders slumped, and they gave the name.

    ¡°Good luck for tomorrow. Now get lost!¡± I yelled, irritated. They quickly exited the door. I put my coffee and my paper down on the table, grabbing a napkin, I wiped my hand. There was silence behind me. When I turned, there were three pairs of eyes on me.

    ¡°You are General Marcus Ahmed!¡± the girl asked. I was stunned she knew anything about politics, let alone who the army¡¯s General was.

    ¡°How would a girl like you know who I am?¡±

    She looked around the room and pointed at the shelves, ¡°I¡¯m literally in a bookstore, reading. But let¡¯s get back to you. Your father is Qadir Ahmed? That¡¯s bad luck.¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Juliet,¡± her father spat. Her head jerked to him. She was shocked at the way he was speaking to her. Liam pulled her out from behind the counter.

    ¡°It was nothing!¡± I tried to say, but they left swiftly. I sighed; that was the general reaction to the surname.

    Soren didn¡¯t even look at me again.

    The following Sunday, the girl wasn¡¯t there. After sitting a while, I got up. I started to feel¡­ a little bad about ruining her reading time.

    ¡°What is her new time slot?¡±

    Soren seemed surprised. Even a little bit of concern was written on his face, ¡°She didn¡¯t get one. Liam said no more reading outside of the house. Which basically means no reading.¡±

    I felt even worse, ¡°Do you have a surname?¡±

    He didn¡¯t want to say and tried to dodge my questions as I probed. He eventually caved, ¡°Farrow.¡±

    ¡°That was Liam Farrow!¡± Well, well. I wasn¡¯t the only famous one. I didn¡¯t know he had a daughter. I didn¡¯t think anyone knew he did. She would go exceptionally well at an auction¡ªsolely for her surname. But I got the sense that was why Liam was hiding her. Joe warning me.

    When I got home and got called into the study, my father lectured me again about most of my life¡­ I made the mistake of asking him about Liam. There was such an animosity there that he nearly forbade me to ever speak to the guy. He was a radicle and stood against everything my father had built in the last hundreds of years.

    So¡­ I wasn¡¯t the only one who didn¡¯t like the regime.

    A few months later, I walked into a bar and saw Liam at a table with a woman. He didn¡¯t see me, so I made my way to a booth behind them. The woman was hiding in a corner, and they were somewhat in the back of the place; it seemed like Liam knew where he could go and where not. Their conversation was about their daughter, books, and sharing stories. A talking woman was already strange¡ªbut with her husband, in public? And him treating her with respect¡ªwas unheard of. No wonder my father hated him; they were total opposites.

    When they got up to leave, he walked past me, slapped my shoulder, and greeted me, ¡°Marcus.¡±

    I nodded, feeling like a fool. What was I hoping to get out of spying anyway? ¡°Hey, Liam!¡± I called before they left, afraid I would never see them again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys join me for another round¡­ on me.¡± He looked at the woman, again asking for an opinion. Who was this guy? She agreed quickly, and they sat down. I extended my hand to Cindy, falling in with the easy manner, hoping she would take it¡ªshe did. I even got a smile. It was only faint crinkles around the eyes. We ordered another round and another. We had such a good time we ended up a little drunk. Kubra came to help us to the car, and we gave them a lift home.

    That Sunday, the girl was back in the bookstore propped up on one of the offending chairs, so engrossed in her novel she didn¡¯t even see me come in. She sat quietly reading, laughed, and commented about what some idiot did in her book. An hour later, Liam opened the back door. My eyes met his, and we greeted each other. ¡°Thank you. I will look after her every Sunday¡­ making friends isn¡¯t easy.¡±

    He smiled. They greeted Soren, and the girl made a point of avoiding me.

    ¡°Bye, Juliet. I will get those ¡°books¡± for you.¡± He air-quoted the word. She laughed. Those icy blue eyes were full of mischief. She waved at Soren.

    Her name was Juliet.

    During the following week, I bought a couch and placed it opposite the one already there. I made sure I was there the whole Sunday; I didn¡¯t want to miss seeing her reaction. Juliet came in and greeted Soren. They immediately began talking about some book they had both read that week. The discussion went on for quite a while. I got frustrated waiting. Them having so much to talk about. Being friends. He gave her four books. I had been peeking over my shoulder at them through the glass. She came over and sat on the new couch, laying down all the books on the table. Juliet scrutinized everyone for a few minutes until she decided on one, sat back in the corner of the couch, pulled up her legs, and opened the book.

    I ventured a glance at Soren. He was laughing at me. That time, I let him laugh¡ªI was being stupid.

    When the door opened, it was Liam. He had come to pick her up. I stood and walked over to greet him. He looked at the offending couch and then at me. Clenching my teeth, I pulled up my shoulders, whispering, ¡°She hasn¡¯t said anything.¡±

    He smiled, shaking his head at his daughter. He patted me on the shoulder, acknowledging for her, ¡°Juliet, time. Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    She got up, and I went to sit down again.

    Before she stepped down into the alleyway, she turned. I peeked over my book at her. She slowly came over, sat beside me, wrapped her arms around my neck, and hugged me. Liam wanted to intervene, but my arm stretched out so quickly, halting him.

    ¡°Thank You,¡± she whispered.

    I sat frozen with my book in my hand. I didn¡¯t want to move. She let go of me and waved at Soren again, ¡°Bye, remember that other book I asked for.¡±

    Nonchalantly, she opened the door, stepped down into the alley, and was gone. We all stared after her. ¡°What just happened?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Sorry, Marcus¡­ She¡¯s a very affectionate girl,¡± Liam whispered. ¡°Half the time, she just does what feels right.¡±

    I was so taken aback by any display of tenderness or warmth that her actions stabbed into my core. The smile on my face would have powered a small city. Soren came over and gave me a high five, ¡°Very cool. That was smooth.¡±

    The father liked me, the mother liked me, and the daughter¡­ liked the couch.

    But I trusted that I had at least three friends in there.

    Hundreds of Days Later

    Juliet was jumping on the trampoline in the backyard, ¡°You¡¯re getting good at that.¡±

    ¡°Look at my flips. I think I could do a double,¡± she had on long, loose pants and an oversized shirt covering everything it had to¡ªtucked in. Juliet¡¯s veil was pushed into the shirt. As she jumped, the material went up and down with her hands¡ªjust a normal kid enjoying a simple pastime.

    ¡°Hi, Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Liam.¡±

    ¡°Juliet, you have to start doing your online lessons. Schooling will not be easy if you keep jumping your time away.¡±

    ¡°If I could go to a normal school. No one would have to remind me.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Liam and I said at the same time.

    Juliet abruptly stopped jumping, ¡°And I¡¯m way ahead anyway. I¡¯m bored.¡± Exasperated at us and in a huff, she opened the slit in the nets and jumped to the ground. She wasn¡¯t little Juliet anymore. Her whole personality had changed. The more she studied and gained knowledge, the more restless she became. Liam didn¡¯t believe in the compound rules and was secretly educating her. Soren wasn¡¯t helping; he challenged her at every turn, and after a while, I did the same. I had nothing against it. Juliet was intelligent and curious; leaving her to her own devices would have caused more trouble. She needed something to obsess about.

    She walked right past me, ¡°Hey!¡± I said softly,  grabbing her hand.

    She stopped, not looking at me, ¡°If you would support me in going to a normal school, my parents would maybe consider it.¡± She cocked her head, imploring me with her eyes. Beautiful icy blue eyes. That was all I had of her. Eyes and sometimes lines to see what she was feeling.

    ¡°Your parents are not the problem¡­ They are protecting you from the rules of the compound. You know there is no school for girls here, and the outside school is too far. How would your father sneak you out every day? Can¡¯t you just be happy with your situation here?¡±

    She grunted, ¡°Like you?¡±

    ¡°You sound like a pig when you do that.¡±

    She yanked her hand out of mine when I didn¡¯t retort to her jab at my complacency. ¡°Can¡¯t we just leave, dad?¡±

    Liam and I shared a frustrated look. The understanding was there¡­ Liam wasn¡¯t allowed off the compound¡ªever! His whole life. Neither would she be; their history goes back to the origin of the place.

    ¡°Will I see you tomorrow?¡± I asked hopefully

    ¡°No!¡± she shook her head, ¡°I need to study, and next week is my period. I must be experiencing PMS.¡±

    ¡°Will I see you Sunday?¡±

    ¡°No, because then I would¡¯ve started with my period, and I don¡¯t think I would be up for it.¡±

    ¡°Was that necessary?¡± Liam said from the side.

    She shrugged, ¡°Read a book about men using it to blame all our emotional behavior on. I¡¯m just a step ahead like always,¡± she bumped my nose with a bent finger. My head jerked up and away from her. It got her to laugh, though. She walked into the house, grabbed an apple from a tree, and bit into it.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°What did you do to poor Marcus?¡± My mom asked as we watched him greet my dad and then leave.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Dad asked when he came in from watering the little flower beds outside.

    ¡°Why?¡± Dad copied my gesture and tapped my nose with a finger.

    ¡°What? That?¡± I smiled, ¡°I also read that in a Korean romance of the week.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should¡¯ve given her more biology books to read,¡± my mom said, mocking me.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked, biting into the apple again.

    ¡°Marcus is in love with you, Julie?¡±

    ¡°What?! No¡­! Is he¡­?¡± I stopped to think about it¡­ ¡°Oohh, so that¡¯s what Sundays are about.¡±

    ¡°And he is here every day¡­ I can tell you it¡¯s not for me,¡± my dad flashed his eyebrows at me.

    ¡°Ewe, no, I mean, he¡¯s hot and all, but there¡¯s no way in hell I¡¯ll go into that house.¡±

    My parents shared a concerned look.

 45. Get Set, Go!

    45. Get Set, Go!

    Juliet

    ¡°Then you have to tell him, Julie. So he stops wasting his time¡­ What do you know about a guy¡¯s hotness anyway! You haven¡¯t even manifested yet. When is that going to happen, do you think?¡± My dad teased, also biting into an apple.

    ¡°I have never dumped a guy¡­ I¡¯m still young... Maybe it¡¯s time.¡± I ignored his jab at my vampire-less state; killing people wasn¡¯t something I was looking forward to.

    ¡°All seriousness, Julie, why don¡¯t you first go and see how it is. I haven¡¯t seen Qadir in hundreds of years, and I don¡¯t think I ever want to... But, if you really love Marcus, I will make the sacrifice,¡± Liam dramatically placed his hand on his heart.

    My mom and I laughed lightly, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t thought of him in that way. But I will now¡­ Let¡¯s see how it goes¡­.¡±

    My mom and dad seemed happy and a little too eager. ¡°A little advice,¡± my mom came closer and whispered into my ear, ¡°If you can think about kissing him, it¡¯s a good sign.¡±

    ¡°Mom¡­ This is bad parenting!¡± I yelled, leaving the kitchen when she kissed my dad.

    The seed was planted; kissing Marcus was my next goal. But I might have thought differently if I had known that one kiss would bring about the worst days of my short life.

    The next time Marcus knocked on the door, I received him without my veil. Hair long, braided in a flattering way, hanging across my chest. Just a little bit of make-up. He had never seen me before, and he visibly jolted. Marcus¡¯s face was always an inscrutable mask. So, seeing his change from utter astonishment to a genuine smile was rewarding. My stomach flipped and reacted funnily. It was the first time I felt anything sexual.  I smiled and pulled him into the house, ¡°Come, I need to show you something. Don¡¯t worry¡­ You won¡¯t turn to stone¡­ Am I that ugly?¡±

    Marcus¡¯s gaze was darting around nervously, ¡°What are you doing? Where is your father? You can¡¯t just do what you want, you know!¡±

    ¡°You going to point a finger at me?¡±

    I turned around and pushed my latest project into his hands. But he wasn¡¯t listening to me¡­ Marcus just kept staring at me¡­ for the longest time. His eyes took in my hair and slowly met mine. Strangely, I felt very exposed without the veil. His eyes dropped to my lips. He swallowed and let his eyes drift further down my bare neck. I smiled radiantly when he came back to my eyes. My eyes darted at his hands and up at his face. I did it a few more times. He didn¡¯t want to budge. I stood up and down on my toes a few times to get him to lose focus, ¡°Come on, Marcus¡­ look at it.¡±

    He shook his head and immediately laughed when he took in what was in his hands, ¡°What is this? Did you try to knit something?¡±

    ¡°I did. What do you think?¡± he just kept laughing. My mom and dad came around the corner, hopeful and peeking at the two of us; he was as natural around them, and they seemed relieved he hadn¡¯t suddenly changed into a monster about etiquette. All three had a good laugh at my expense; my attempt to knit a scarf had not gone so well. Later, my dad took Marcus outside to have a beer, shoeing me away.

    ***

    Marcus

    ¡°So Marcus, it¡¯s time we speak man to man,¡± I sat up¡ªI knew it was coming, and I was ready to plead my case.

    ¡°You know I can¡¯t leave the compound¡­ Juliet will never be happy here¡­ Over the years, I¡¯ve given you some background into our race. Things your father conveniently didn¡¯t tell you¡­ If you brand her, she will be under your protection! You can allow us all to leave. So¡­ I know this is a lot of pressure, but I see how you are around her. Things have changed¡­.¡±

    I was spinning my beer bottle in my hand, nervously playing with it, ¡°My father is completely against the match. You know it¡¯s been so long, and there were many times he raised his objections.¡± Liam stiffened, ¡°I¡¯m afraid for her, Liam.¡±

    ¡°But if you do it, Marcus. He won¡¯t be able to do anything¡ª¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it to her,¡± I cut him off, ¡°And why would he leave us alone after? She is one of those women who will hate me forever if I tie her down just to make her mine without consent.¡± I got up, putting down my beer bottle, ¡°I won¡¯t do it.¡±

    I went into the house. Juliet and her mother were washing the dishes. They talked in hushed tones and laughed¡­ no, they were giggling. Juliet was still so young. I made my goodbyes and greeted them. Juliet walked out with me. She had never done it before. Her veil was back on. She took my hand like she had so many times¡­ but it felt weird¡ªit felt wrong. I shook her off. I didn¡¯t know what to do. She waved at me and skipped back into the house like a child, relieving me of all doubt that she was ready for anything else.

    But¡­ that was the first time she saw me as a man. She was growing up.

    Sometime Later

    Unfortunately, seeing her face made me think of nothing else. Those caterpillar eyebrows were bushy and lush. Icy blue eyes gripping your attention. A button nose. Soft, clear skin to go with her unthreatening and playful ways. Her lovable character. She was witty, and there was never a dull moment with her. I was trying to convince myself she would choose to come willingly. I would not be the one to make her bend into a box. But trying to convince Juliet to do anything was probably where my troubles started.

    It was her birthday, and I went with high energy to celebrate and spend time with her. I didn¡¯t take anything because there was nothing you could give her. If you did try, she would tell you off, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t want anything from you.¡± When I got to the house, the door was open, and she was in the lounge watching TV. I went to sit next to her, taking in how beautiful she was. Juliet had opened a can of worms when she took off that veil¡ªI was fixated. She could feel my eyes on her. Slowly, hers met mine, a seductive play in her manner, ¡°So, aren¡¯t you going to wish me a happy birthday?¡± She glanced at my hands, ¡°Where is my gift?¡±

    I smiled and gave her a handshake, ¡°There is your present. Where are your parents?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, making me a cake.¡±

    ¡°You asked for cake again,¡± I smiled at her. She seemed so different. For a while, there had been a shift in her towards me. I had noticed she liked me more than just a friend¡ªit scared the hell out of me.

    ¡°Okay, obviously, you will not declare your love for me. So I¡¯m going to have to give you a push.¡±

    And again, she beat me to it, coming right to the point and opening the next can, ¡°There is no need to declare it. You¡¯re not a stupid girl.¡±

    She sat up and rested one elbow on her leg, staring at me. She whispered, ¡°If my parents didn¡¯t tell me¡­ the thought wouldn¡¯t even have crossed my mind.¡±

    Astonished, I gaped¡­ but she was dead serious, ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°You never said anything or did anything or¡­ I don¡¯t know? Is there anything else? You are the same stoic Marcus day in and day out. How can anyone see what you¡¯re feeling?¡±

    Feelings? Where I lived, there were no feelings. How can I bring lovable, joyful Juliet into my house? ¡°Is that why you took off the veil?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m sick of seeing you and the world through that thing.¡±

    My dejection worsened. Juliet kept repeating the same things, and it boiled down to how she couldn¡¯t handle our way of life. She would not budge and that¡¯s why I hadn¡¯t said or done anything. I got up to go greet the parents. She jumped up and grabbed my arm, ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°What would be the point? I¡¯m not enough¡­.¡±

    She frowned; there was a pull around her mouth, ¡°I have decided what I want for my birthday,¡± I kept quiet, ¡°A kiss. A first kiss.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re way too young.¡±

    She burst out laughing, ¡°I will eat people soon and get married in a year, having babies¡­.¡±

    The idea of her with someone else sent me into a whirlpool of emotions, whether I wanted them or not. My jaw flexed involuntarily, and my fingers were fidgety. She noticed and smiled. She really did take my breath away. Unable not to touch her anymore, I stretched out my hand and let my fingers slide over the soft skin on her cheek, my thumb tracing her lips. She blushed from her chest to her cheeks, blotchy red patches all over her neck; I followed them back to her lips. She came closer and quickly pressed her lips to mine. I flinched back and stepped away from her. She nervously wrapped her arms around my waist, keeping me from going too far away.

    ¡°What now? I liked the idea of kissing you,¡± she reached up on her toes and kissed me for longer. I just stared at her¡ªopen-eyed. I wanted to so bad; I unlocked my lips and unclasped her hands from my waist,  ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    She sighed heavily, letting me go, ¡°I ask for one thing from you¡­ you can¡¯t even do this for me. Who¡¯s not enough.¡±

    ¡°You just got your kiss!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the kind I was talking about.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t be getting any other kind from me.¡±

    ¡°I was right. You don¡¯t love me. We will always just be¡ª¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it!¡± I pointed a finger at her. She glared at the offending finger and bit down on it. I pressed my lips together, suppressing the laughter bubbling up. She let me go when there was no reaction. Juliet stepped back and away from me. I didn¡¯t like it; the gesture meant and said so much, ¡°Why don¡¯t you come with me to my house. I want to introduce you to Qadir Ahmed, whom you dislike so much.¡± The words were out before I could come to my senses.

    Juliet nodded, and we walked to the kitchen, where I could pitch the idea to her parents. Liam was quietly thinking about it. Cindy said there was no way she would be going. Liam nervously stared at Juliet, deciding if he should send her into the lion¡¯s den because he knew if he went with¡ªit would be worse.

    Juliet wasn¡¯t stupid, and she noticed Liam¡¯s reaction. She frowned, staring at him, ¡°Dad, you said I should go to see for myself¡­ If I¡¯m stuck here forever, this will be my life. Should I just go meet the man?¡±

    Hope built up in my chest. Just maybe, I will have one person in my life¡­ for the rest of my life¡­ who would actually want to be with me. Liam was still thinking, ¡°Will you bow when you see him?¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°Will you keep that tongue in your mouth?¡±

    ¡°I will only speak when spoken to.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me feel any easier. Are you sure, Juliet? There is still a chance to dump Marcus.¡±

    Imploringly, I stared at her, smiling. Her eyes fell on my lips, ¡°No, not yet,¡± she laughed lightly.

    ***

    Juliet

    Driving with Marcus in the car was the first time I had gone anywhere without my parents. In hindsight, meeting the most ruthless man in that small world of mine for a first outing¡­ might not have been such a good idea. What was Marcus thinking?

    ¡°Why are you taking me to meet your father?¡±

    Marcus seemed uneasy and nervous, ¡°My father had noticed that I go there every day¡­ I think he knows about Sundays as well.¡±

    ¡°Probably that guy that keeps following you, your driver, Kubra.¡±

    Marcus smiled, ¡°You¡¯re very clever. That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s going on. He¡¯s with me all the time. But because he¡¯s paid to be. I don¡¯t get to question my life companion.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re gay? Is that why you don¡¯t want to kiss me?¡± Marcus laughed. I rarely saw him laugh. When he did¡­ it was like seeing a rare bird in the wild. Those days, I had been staring at him a lot because he had been smiling more since I took off my veil. There was something so mysterious about him that you were always left wondering. Since the day I took off my veil, we had both been different. The day before, when our lips touched¡ªit felt all kinds of wonderful; those butterflies I had for him were changing. Marcus, on the other hand, had become distant¡ªcolder in a way, but still there. Hot and cold like always. It was so strange¡­ his behavior.

    Driving through the gates of their estate was an eye-opener. Marcus lived in another tax bracket. The house alone was a mansion with a few stories up and in a Chinese style. Various courtyards around the main building with a different home for each wife.

    ¡°Who lives in the main building?¡±

    ¡°All the kids, servants¡­ and my mother and father.¡±

    Getting out and meeting Agatha and Qadir went down without any problems, but his mother had yet to speak to me. So, as my dad suggested, I followed her example and kept my mouth shut, trying to follow the customs and etiquette to a tee. Head bowed the whole time. I even tried not to lift my eyes when we sat around the table.

    During dinner, we were interrupted by one of the servants. He came to whisper into Qadir¡¯s ear, who was immediately angry. I didn¡¯t think the man¡¯s face could contort more than the constant scowl fixed around his eyes. Being as small as I was, it felt like he towered over me. ¡°Well, Marcus, you want to play house today¡­ Introduce us to a girl you want to take as a wife¡­ No, not a wife¡­ Your first wife.¡±

    Marcus choked on the sip of wine he was taking. It went down the wrong pipe, and he held my gaze while coughing. It was the first time we had made eye contact that day, and I was so happy that I flashed my eyebrows at him. Qadir took a deep breath when he saw my attitude towards his son. Marcus did treat me like a child and indulged me like a child. I could see he was trying not to smile, biting his lip.

    ¡°So Juliet, today you will see how we sort out these domestic situations. One of the maids was caught stealing.¡± Marcus¡¯s whole body stiffened. His eyes changed from amused to horrified. His breath hitched. It scared me¡­ I could sense the situation had taken a sour turn. What could be so bad? What could be the punishment for stealing? I had a million questions.

    Nevertheless, I had just thought for a second that maybe, just maybe, I would be able to follow all the rules my whole life if Marcus could only treat me the same as he always did amidst everything. I could grow up and settle into other people¡¯s opinions¡ªconform to the compound way of life¡­ for that brief moment when Marcus was himself with me again. Marcus¡¯s elbow rested on the table, his head slumped into his hand, and our connection was gone. Qadir looked at me, ¡°You must know we have a hundred wives in my house alone, between my other sons and me. Marcus is the only one old enough who hasn¡¯t married yet.¡±

    Qadir¡¯s eyes drifted over the table to Marcus¡¯s mother, ¡°But just one is allowed at the table with me¡­ So you better hope that Marcus makes it official soon¡­ or else you will always be scraping the barrel.¡± Qadir¡¯s voice had a drawl to it. In general¡­ his manner was slow and steady; to him, nothing was a rush. He slowly pushed his chair out with his legs behind him and stood, wiped his mouth, and tossed the napkin on the table, ¡°Come, Juliet, let Marcus show you how you will deal with your servants.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have servants,¡± the moment I heard myself speak the words, I froze; dread climbed eerily up my spine. Marcus¡¯s head snapped up out of his hand, and he shook it ever so slightly to warn me. I had made a mistake. Qadir stopped and turned to me, pointing a finger right in my face. My eyes fell to the floor. ¡°Watch your tongue, or you¡¯ll lose it.¡± His voice was so menacing. I was too young to understand the threat. It didn¡¯t sink in at that point that he was serious. I wondered how he could say something like that? But it did make me shut up. I had never been afraid of anyone in my whole life, but there was always a first time for everything.

    The four of us made our way to the servant¡¯s courtyard. The maid in question was already on a slab block. A panga blade stuck into a piece of wood next to her. I instantly realized what the punishment was for stealing.

    It was losing a hand.

    Marcus didn¡¯t seem to hesitate or show any weakness. He walked confidently to the blade. Jerkily, he removed it from the wood. Kubra was tying the woman¡¯s arms down. After Qadir¡¯s warning, I didn¡¯t think I would say anything¡­ But¡­ I hysterically yelled and ran over to Marcus, trying to stop him as he lifted the blade. He didn¡¯t even glance at me or try to placate me. His mother gripped my arms and pulled me back to get out of the way. The blade struck down behind me. The woman screamed. I was screaming. Marcus¡¯s mother shook me and opened her mouth. The stump of her chopped-off tongue shook me to the core. I gasped, eyes wide, and realized it wasn¡¯t that she had nothing to say or was forced to be silent; she could literally not speak. Seeing the horror in her mouth or what was left of it had brought me back to reason. I stumbled backward into Qadir, who turned me around and struck me across the face. The force made me fall to the ground.

    There were a lot of firsts for me that day.

    It was also the first time I saw Marcus¡¯s face like that; he had manifested. His teeth gritted in an angry line, and frustrated, he clenched the hilt of the blade he was holding, twisting it relentlessly. Regardless, Marcus didn¡¯t do anything, and I thought I would never speak to him again.

    Lying on the floor, I blenched and struggled to regain composure. The woman on the block had manifested from the pain¡­ or the anger¡­ or I didn¡¯t know why. There was more to come¡­ Other maids moved across the courtyard with a flaming hot iron ready to sear the wound; our eyes met in mutual understanding as she passed out. Tears pooled and spilled over my cheeks, and it felt so strange; I couldn¡¯t remember the last time I needed to cry.

    ¡°Marcus, you have no taste. This chit will never come into this house. She is and will always be her father¡¯s child. If she can¡¯t even handle this! There is no hope for her.¡±

    Marcus didn¡¯t help me up; I think he knew he shouldn¡¯t touch me right then. It would only make me slap him in front of his father, and I would¡¯ve probably also lost an arm. He returned to his human face, casting his eyes down while he cleaned his hand with a rag and walked out.

    Kubra knelt next to me, ¡°Come, Juliet! Just a little bit longer. All you have to do is get up and walk out.¡± Kubra had said just the right thing. I grabbed onto him as if he would help me do it. He did, and I almost ran for the door.

    On our way home, Marcus tried to take my hand in the back of the car. I flinched at the touch. We¡¯ve held hands so many times in the past, but at that moment, I couldn¡¯t stand him anywhere near me. Revolted that he would stand by and let things like that happen. He bit his fist, not knowing what to do.

    My mom and dad waited outside to greet us when we stopped at the house. I sobbed and headed for my mom.

    ¡°You did her a disservice, letting her grow up like this,¡± Marcus yelled at my dad, turning around and walking away.

    I flung him back and hit him on the chest with a fist, ¡°So what you want is for me to be treated like that! To accept stuff like that! Who does your father think he is? Controlling anyone like that! The last time I checked, he wasn¡¯t God! And you are not my guardian! My parents are not the problem here. Apologize!¡±

    He stood staring down at me and wouldn¡¯t budge. Stoic, relentless Marcus was back. I hit him again when he ignored me. Again and again until my hand hit his cheek. I scared myself¡­ I felt so bad that more ragged breaths and tears escaped. Kubra wanted to get out of the car. Marcus stretched out a hand and halted him. He grabbed my wrist furiously, swung me around, and pushed my back against his chest, holding me like a two-year-old who was throwing a tantrum.

    Mom wanted to come, but Dad stopped her.

    I was so angry¡ªlivid that we were stuck at the compound.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hurt or make you sad, Julie,¡± he whispered into my ear. ¡°But this is how things are out there. You have no idea what¡¯s going on. You read all your books, but you know nothing. All you know about is the human world¡­ You get to go out of the house¡­ No other woman gets to leave their houses¡­.¡± Marcus¡¯s head lifted¡­ ¡°How do you think she will make it in here, Liam? How will you get her out?¡±

    Listening to his words made me calm down, ¡°Let me go.¡± Slowly, his arms released me. It wasn¡¯t like they were choosing to stay... There was a reason we couldn¡¯t leave¡­ But why did we not make a run for it?

    I walked into the house, hearing Marcus behind me.

    ¡°Qadir made me cut off a woman¡¯s arm. He hit Juliet for crying and screaming¡­.¡± I saw my mom moving closer to him, ¡°My mother shoved her cut-off tongue into Juliet¡¯s face. She meant it as a warning, but it scared her to death.¡±

    My mom grabbed Marcus around the neck and pulled him into an embrace. He shook as he cried. I was dumbstruck. It was a long while before he calmed down. She let him go, walked up to me, and we went into the house. I saw my dad take him aside. What was it they were always talking about?

    ***

    Marcus

    ¡°You know what to do, but you refuse,¡± Liam scolded.

    ¡°I won¡¯t do it!¡±

    ¡°She will go somewhere eventually. She will be stuck here forever.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s ask her and prepare her.¡±

    Liam sneered at me, ¡°What? Should we tell her that she will be stuck with you for life? Death do you part. Tell her¡ªshe will have to go through a process so painful it will make you alone sleep for two weeks. And then we have to tell her¡ªshe belongs to you. She will live in fear that you will make her stay!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not scared Juliet will not do it. You¡¯re scared that you will be stuck here forever. Is this even about her?¡± If Liam got angry at my words, I would know he had some selfish motive; he scoffed and put his hands in his pockets, playing in the dirt with his shoe, ¡°I know what I did. I know why I¡¯m here. But you and Juliet are not responsible for our choices. You guys can get out of here if that¡¯s what¡¯s stopping you¡­ We will stay, and the two of you can leave. Yes¡­ when we met¡­ I saw you¡­ laughing at her jokes¡­ I got to know you. I see how you treated her¡­ You love her, Marcus.¡±

    I bent down, leaning on my knees. It was all too much.

 46. Life Sucks And Then You Die

    46. Life Sucks And Then You Die

    Juliet

    After that horrific day, I hadn¡¯t seen Marcus for months. My dad had yet to come and talk with me and tell me what happened between them; no one wanted to tell me what was going on. Lying on my bed, I was thinking about everything¡­ that was my first mistake. Most of the time, I would listen to music or read, but lately, I had been bored with everything that had always been enough. It was like I tasted the truth and wanted to know more. The fact that nothing ever happened made it worse; my days were the same from morning to night. To go outside, I had to cover myself. I was not allowed to walk alone¡ªnot that there was anywhere to go. I had no friends because it wasn¡¯t allowed. All girls were locked up in their homes until they got married. Which seemed like that was where I was. My parents would probably have me wait until I was fifty before even considering it; the thought terrified me. To be on the compound for that long, doing what I had been doing¡­ all day long. I sat up thinking about marrying Marcus. It wasn¡¯t like he was the only man I had ever talked to. I didn¡¯t feel about anyone like I did about him, and he was my only real friend¡­

    I remembered my words about going into the Ahmed house. It freaked me out thinking about getting beaten every time I did something wrong. Knowing myself, it would be daily. Marcus wouldn¡¯t be able to help me¡­ No! Like that day, he would simply watch¡ªthat would be worse. I wouldn¡¯t be allowed to read. Watch Tv¡­ talk¡­

    I threw my legs off the bed, ¡°No, not even for Marcus. He was right. He just enough.¡± I would hate him before we had our first child. How would I sleep with him if I was constantly angry at him? Disappointed and hating my life. Would he start forcing me¡­? Cut out my tongue. I would rather die than see his father ever again.

    Jumping up, I paced the room. I was going out of my mind, ¡°This is what happens when parents don¡¯t communicate with their kids,¡± I whispered to myself. All I had was my mom and dad. When it came down to it, my father was incredible. They were great with me. I didn¡¯t know if he would be able to do anything¡­ if something terrible happened. Would he go against the compound for my mom and me? Could he even do anything?

    I didn¡¯t know how I got from not going to the Ahmed house to doing something stupid. Before I could govern myself, chastise myself¡­ I was on a mission out of the house. Alone. Without supervision. Without my veil. I left not covering my head, hair loose¡ªand makeup. I was rebelling like the teenager I was, desperate for understanding.

    Walking down the market¡¯s main street created such a stir that I knew I had made a mistake. Everyone greeted me. Spoke to me, were weirdly friendly, and gave me cards. Ignorantly, I gave my name and my surname. It seemed the eighteen-hundreds were still in existence and that calling cards were still a thing. What they were for¡­ I could only imagine.

    When I got the twentieth one, I thought, ¡°Stuff it.¡± I was already there. If that were the only way things would change, so be it. I would find at least one other man who would treat me like he did and not be Qadir¡¯s son.

    I was sitting at a table, having a cool drink, with Joe hovering nervously in the background, when I saw Kubra across the street staring at me. Of course, that produced Marcus a few minutes later. He came running, and when he saw me, his feet skidded in the dirt to an abrupt stop, breathing heavily. For a usual poker-faced Marcus, the many emotions flashing through his eyes made me shift uncomfortably in my seat. Fear was the worst, but after that came the barely controlled anger; he manifested a few seconds later, struggling to contain himself as his eyes changed and changed. He leaned down, resting his hands on his knees; it took a few minutes before he strutted over. He didn¡¯t greet me and grabbed me around my upper arm. Marcus paused when he saw all the cards and swore loudly; he screamed as he swiped them off the table. I had never seen him like that. I took offense and wanted to say something. ¡°Shhh,¡± Kubra was standing in front of me, his finger on his lips. Kubra helped me at Qadir¡¯s house the last time, so I shut my mouth. He had a veil and pulled it over my head. They escorted me out. There wasn¡¯t one eye that wasn¡¯t looking our way.

    Marcus pushed me into the car and got inside after me. Neither of them said a word; the tension was so thick I didn¡¯t know what to do. Marcus had humiliated me in front of so many people. He grabbed me and pulled me out of my chair. The calling cards were from families looking for another addition. He would not have it. I ripped off the veil and threw it at him. I didn¡¯t understand why my father kept teaching me about the world out there and not about the one I was stuck in.

    Kubra drove quickly as if there was a rush to get home before something happened. When the car pulled up, my mom and dad rushed out. When they saw me, they were furious! More than Marcus¡­ I peeked at Kubra for support. He shook his head, which seemed like the only way they knew how to convey¡ªyou made a mistake. I sighed heavily, lowering mine.

    ¡°She had at least¡­ twenty cards.¡±

    My mother¡¯s hand jutted up to cover her mouth. My father was clenching and unclenching his fists. I will have my answer sooner rather than later.

    ¡°My father knows about her education as well. That¡¯s why I have been lying low.¡±

    My dad strutted up to him, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something.¡±

    ¡°Because if I stayed away, there was no need.¡±

    ¡°It seems like your absence made it worse, Marcus! I told you!¡±

    Marcus was at a loss¡­ ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll do what I can¡­ Can I talk to her alone?¡± My parents went into the house, and Kubra got in the car. Marcus walked away so no one could hear, and I followed him. He was trying to find words, but nothing came out, ¡°Julie... I¡­¡± His breathing was ragged, exasperated; he couldn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, Marcus. Just say it. I¡¯m not a child anymore. Have you not noticed?¡±

    His eyes and mouth twitched, ¡°Your father said you don¡¯t want to marry me.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Because of your father.¡±

    ¡°So, you like me? You think you love me, but you are too scared.¡±

    I nodded again.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you marry me? We will move, and we will live our own lives.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s as good as going into your father¡¯s house¡­ You want what he wants. He will force you to take more wives. You will never be home¡­ I will be left to what, cook, and raise kids¡­ You were right¡­ And I¡¯m sorry for it, but you¡¯re not enough.¡±

    Marcus grabbed his bottom lip between his thumb and index finger, rubbing his hand over his mouth, ¡°But I will come home every day. And what if I take another wife? Are you so against sharing me¡­ I could be sleeping with other women every night, and you wouldn¡¯t know. It doesn¡¯t bother you now... What is the worst that could happen?¡±

    ¡°I will not be allowed to read. My room will be searched daily. I will always be in trouble. Do you not care about what happened to your mother. Beaten and getting raped every night!¡±

    Marcus flinched, put his hand on his heart, and took a step away from me.

    ¡°Would you do that to me or just take another wife? There must be some guy who could get me out of here?¡±

    Marcus narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to me, ¡°You went out to find another guy that would...¡± Marcus drew in a breath, biting his bottom lip. ¡°You wanted to find someone who would get you out of here?¡± He laughed sardonically¡­ ¡°Juliet! All the houses are like that. And you will always be a second wife¡­ You will never get out of here.¡±

    The words deflated me. It hurt me. Tears pooled in the corner of my eyes, ¡°I saw how you treated me today. It is only the beginning. You are too much like him.¡±

    He lifted his hand and pointed his finger at me. I scoffed. He lowered it again and came to stand almost on top of me, ¡°I am nothing like my father,¡± he said through gritted teeth. We stared at each other with an even stubbornness. Marcus¡¯s hands lifted, and he tilted my chin, hovering his mouth over mine. Ever so slightly, I leaned my face away from him so he couldn¡¯t kiss me. His hands became rigid and stiff on my skin. His eyes closed.

    ¡°Take me away. Do something. Is there no other way?¡±

    ¡°For f¡ªsake, Juliet! There is no other way¡­! You should¡¯ve stayed contented that your father gave you so much freedom. He treated you like a person¡­ And today, you spat in his face. You spat in my face!¡±

    A tear escaped and rolled down my cheeks. The emotions were getting to me. Marcus wiped it off, kissing my forehead, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, that was mean¡­ Julie, I have no other woman. There is no one but you. I will never hit you. I have a temper, but we have known each other for so long. Have I ever?¡±

    ¡°The problem is not that you will hurt me¡­ The problem is you do nothing when something happens to me.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    I sighed, praying up into heaven; whatever was there should answer me. She had opened an ocean of problems with one little trip to the market. It wasn¡¯t as if she was dressed inappropriately. She had on a long, thick skirt with many layers. She was covered from neck to toe with the shirt she had on. It had even been long sleeves. Her breasts were even dressed like they should be when she went out¡­ It would not be enough; the way she had looked today with her hair down and the makeup¡­ that mouth of hers. She was beautiful and striking. She oozed sex appeal by just being Juliet. She was not a child anymore, and that day was her debut into society. I had hoped she would stay my Julie for a little while longer, but it was like trying to stop a train from speeding down the track. Some kids just grew up faster than others. She was right¡­ I couldn¡¯t do it to her. Forcing her into a life like that would kill her¡­ if she did not do it herself. I lifted my hands from her shoulders, raised them in surrender, and walked away. I turned away from her. I knocked loudly when I passed the door, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to, and I won¡¯t do it any other way!¡±

    ¡°You will regret it, Marcus!¡± Liam screamed at me, holding onto the frame of the door, ¡°I¡¯m telling you now! You will be the reason it gets worse for her.¡± I turned away from him and glanced back at Juliet standing there. She had no clue what was happening.

    For the rest of the day, I sat thinking, contemplating every scenario that could arise from all the cards she got. What my father would do if he found out. Liam¡¯s words... The compound rules about a woman starting down the path Juliet was on.

    ***

    Juliet

    After Marcus left, I went into the house. My parents were seated, waiting at the little table where we had most of our meals. I had just closed the door behind me when a knock made me turn back. I smiled, thinking it might be Marcus coming back to talk to me. It wasn¡¯t him. I was disappointed. It was a currier with the stack of calling cards from the market¡­ In one neat pile in a box. ¡°Qadir Ahmed sends these with his compliments to your father.¡±

    He handed me another letter¡­ No, it was an invitation¡­ An expensive-looking light brown envelope sealed with a wax mark. I held it close to inspect it, thanked the staring post boy, and closed the door. What was it with men and makeup? I dash a little bit on and let my hair loose; it¡¯s as if they¡¯ve never seen a woman before. My parents also stared at me as I sat down. I put the box in front of my mom and the letter in front of my dad.

    ¡°What possessed you to do that, Julie?¡± His tone was firm, and I swallowed loudly. He might have slapped me if I had told him I was looking for a husband or that I wanted my life to start¡­ if it wasn¡¯t today, I would just die. My father had never raised his hand at me, but I had a feeling that day could be the day; Marcus had already been so close. ¡°I asked you a question¡­.¡± I still couldn¡¯t open my mouth to give him an answer. ¡°You will have to marry Marcus, Juliet.¡±

    The words didn¡¯t sink in. I wondered how we got from me going out and being rebellious to marrying Marcus as punishment. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go into that house. I have no ambition to be a housewife who serves her politician husband.¡± It sounded logical; I was hoping my dad would think I wasn¡¯t just talking. ¡°Marcus seems to love me, and I¡­ feel the same. But this place holds me back from any proper feelings. It¡¯s restricting and confining, and it feels like I can¡¯t breathe¡­ I want to get out of here.¡± My dad sighed and met my mom¡¯s gaze across the table, ¡°Can¡¯t we leave?¡± My mother was wringing her hands.

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    ¡°How many times must we tell you we can¡¯t leave.¡±

    ¡°Then I do not understand what the problem is?¡± My father took a deep breath and opened the letter in front of him.

    ¡°The problem Juliet¡­ Is that if it¡¯s not Marcus, then it¡¯s going to be someone else. But you probably knew this before you went out.¡±

    ¡°When?¡± My mom asked.

    ¡°Tonight.¡±

    ¡°You will soon see what we mean. There is no point in me scaring you.¡± He got up and left, slamming their room door and throwing something against the wall.

    ¡°Come, Juliet, we have two hours to get ready.¡±

    My mom proceeded to scrub me in a tub and did my makeup; that alone took an hour. She then carefully clad me in something I had never seen before. She put jewelry on my head, my ears, my hands, and around my neck; there was so much I felt like a Christmas tree. Standing in front of the mirror, my mother turned me around to look at me. I gasped at the picture I painted; the red of the dress complimented my eyes. My stomach was exposed, and the off-shoulder crop top was made of very stiff material embroidered with a beautiful golden pattern. That night, my breasts would not be wrapped to support my breast like a bra would; it didn¡¯t matter, the piece of cloth might as well have been one. It pushed all the flesh up, making the little cleavage I had bulge. ¡°Mom, I don¡¯t want to wear this.¡±

    ¡°I thought you wanted to go out in the world. This is how they dress. Don¡¯t they¡­?¡±

    ¡°Not like this. This is like a creation in itself¡­ It¡¯s like a wedding dress.¡±

    ¡°You have no choice,¡± my mother¡¯s responses were clipped. She didn¡¯t look at me and said, ¡°You don¡¯t want to marry Marcus. You must have known your actions would bring about other men. Unfortunately, you will learn the hard way¡ªMarcus is the only man here like him. There is not a pool you can dip your finger in and choose from¡­ The compound is not a democracy. So tonight, you will taste the truth¡­ Women are lower than scum, and your father had indulged you. Heaven knows why if he knew you would never leave. Maybe he thought you would grow up,¡± she spat out the words. My mom had never talked to me like that. ¡°But, it¡¯s evident now that you never will unless you get slapped around,¡± tears pooled in her eyes as her tone softened, ¡°And there would be nothing I can do for you.¡±

    I was angry and indignant. Not once did she say anything. Never gave me understanding. Five minutes before my whole life changed, she wanted to advise me. ¡°Bad parenting.¡±

    She scoffed, ¡°You will soon learn women have no say in parenting their children. Your sons may slap you¡­ spit on you, and that is how it is.¡±

    She turned me once more to take a good look at me in the mirror. The red skirt wrapped my soft skin and rested on my hips, exposing my navel. It all fitted like a glove. ¡°Why do I even have a dress like this?¡±

    ¡°For tonight¡­ For some reason, I knew you would need it this year. So, I made it.¡±

    My father came into the room dressed in a black tux. I put my leg out of the slit. Mom bent down to put more jewelry on my ankle. It jingled as I walked. The look on my father¡¯s face had not changed since I had come inside that afternoon. He came towards me and held out his arm. I took it. The front door was open. We walked around the corner. Marcus was already waiting and turned around. He did the same thing as that day when he saw my face for the first time. My father laughed at him. How could he laugh at a moment like this?

    I didn¡¯t know if I was allowed to, but I smiled so brightly at Marcus that his hand flung to his mouth. The reaction felt flattering. Even if tonight would be the worst night of my life, the look on his face was enough. Although he would not be taking me home¡­ I felt regret and fear walking up to the car. Marcus just stood there staring at me¡­ Marcus and my dad¡¯s eyes met for a moment. The one was challenging the other. ¡°You did this deliberately,¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°No¡­ She did this all by herself, but I will not leave her¡­ will you?¡±

    ¡°Never¡­¡± It was all Marcus had to say. My father relaxed a little more.

    He turned to me, ¡°There is one rule for tonight.¡± I looked up at him, licking my lips and biting my lower lip. ¡°Two rules¡­ You are not allowed to do that. Not once. That is a very sexual thing to do.¡± He looked at Marcus. ¡°This is all your fault. You did this.¡± Marcus¡¯s jaw clenched in response. ¡°She would not even have to go through this if you would man up.¡±

    Marcus shook his head.

    ¡°Dad, focus! One rule.¡±

    ¡°Do not say one word¡­.¡± He held my shoulders, ¡°Juliet, it is imperative! No¡­ life or death that you do not say¡­ ONE word! Not even if you feel you have fifty opinions about anything¡­ Not the food, the people, the tedium, anything! No matter where they place you in the room¡­ This is very important¡­ Especially not then.¡± He narrowed his eyes, ¡°How can I drive this home¡ª¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I know what happens to women who talk too much.¡± My chin shook, and I pressed my lips together, thinking about being hit again or something worse happening to me.

    ¡°Everything is okay¡­.¡± He patted my shoulder, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Your makeup will smudge, and then we will be late¡­ It¡¯s one thing. You don¡¯t have to think about anything besides not speaking, okay¡­ All you do is bow your head and ignore every¡­ one who comes and talks to you. Marcus will be on your right, and I will be on your left.¡±

    ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m scared. I don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    My dad¡¯s head fell in front of me, gripping my shoulders even tighter, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Julie. I¡¯m too.¡± The both of us looked at Marcus, ¡°Ready?¡± Marcus shook his head¡ªthe man had nothing to say.

    My dad handed me into the car and got in next to me. Marcus got in on my other side. He glanced down when he felt my hand in his. The last time he wanted to take my hand, I couldn¡¯t. That night, I had no choice. I needed him, and it felt different. I absorbed every part of him and wanted to thread my fingers through his¡ªso I did. He drew in a breath as our eyes met. Since I walked out the door¡­ Marcus¡¯s eyes had been lustful. It is the only word I could describe it as. With him looking down at me¡­ I understood that he wasn¡¯t just in love with me. It was deeply and desperately¡­ obsessively even. I blushed as I thought about kissing him. He bit his balled-up fist, staring out the window.

    I looked at my dad, who could only pat my hand¡­ Marcus cleared his throat. I looked up, seeing Kubra¡¯s eyes dart from me in the rearview mirror back to the road.

    The whole night would be like that. Just a million times worse.

    ***

    Marcus

    Liam had to know I loved Juliet with all my heart. We both wanted the best for her. I just wanted her with me¡­ And then I would give her the best. There was a day in the past when the understanding grew firmer between Liam and me. It was the first day I came over to their house. She spoke to me, and I answered her back without thinking or worrying. She just kept talking and talking. Like a fool, I just nodded at her¡­ I knew Juliet was unique, vivacious, and lively even without seeing her face. And I guess Liam saw something in me. I just wished we could¡¯ve convinced her to marry me. In the car, driving to the venue¡­ I had known Juliet for a long time, and seeing her come out of the house dressed as beautifully as she was¡ªit was brutal. My heart beat faster every time I thought about her so close to me. She was holding my hand. My body wanted to react to her sitting next to me. I craved to make her mine. Keep her. Wait for her to be old enough so I could claim her.

    The following two hours put a screwdriver in my plans. I always believed in providence. I just wished she had waited a little bit longer¡­ only a few more years.

    We drove up to the grand hall entrance. A red carpet was laid out¡ª photographers everywhere. Juliet frowned and wanted to say something; I quickly squeezed her tiny hand. She kept quiet. Liam got out first. He walked around the car, waiting for me to open the door. I was hesitating; too many variables were rushing around in my head. She had no idea what would happen or what she had set in motion; too eager to get on with things¡ªno patience. I had a bad feeling twisting my gut. After a moment, Liam opened the door, and I moved past him. He bent down and held out his hand¡ªJuliet took it. Bare feet, she walked down the carpet with a man on either side. Words were flung at her like a specimen, extraordinarily beautiful, lustful, and too thin¡ªnot enough bust. I had to do all I could not to challenge all of them and fight for her, but I would eventually go up against Lucius. I didn¡¯t know how Juliet kept quiet. I saw her lip quivering a few times. Liam pushed a drink into her hand somewhere during the night, ¡°One sip every five minutes or when you feel like talking. And don¡¯t talk because you¡¯re drunk.¡±

    My own test came quickly when Lucius himself came strutting up. Juliet swallowed loudly as she took in the enormity of the man. He wasn¡¯t bad-looking or even had cruel eyes or an evil countenance, but he already had four wives, all of whom were much older than Juliet. Lucius was already a hundred or something, and he was bored with no purpose but the money his Father could spend. Juliet took two sips when Lucius took her hand in his and kissed it. He wanted to turn her wrist around; a low growl from Liam stopped him. Lucius sighed and looked up at me, ¡°There a reason you¡¯re clinging to this sweet little thing,¡± he kept hovering over her, testing her resolve.

    ¡°Why do you think?¡±

    ¡°Does he have some claim on you, sweetie?¡± Juliet made the mistake of looking up through her eyelashes at Lucius. The moan that originated from him made my blood boil. Unfortunately, she licked her lips right after she drank the last sip of her champagne. His mouth fell open. It would be everyone¡¯s reaction to her in the future. She was just¡­ that available. I could imagine Juliet saying something like, ¡®Who the hell is your sweetie?¡¯ and punching him in the face. I laughed nervously for too many reasons and said, ¡°I do have first rights over her.¡±

    ¡°Body or soul?¡± Juliet¡¯s head jerked up. He had gotten the information he needed, and the hook was planted. Lucius liked a challenge. He wanted to know how lively Juliet was. If she was complacent or feisty. Lucius might not look evil, but down to the core, he needed to break someone to feel in control.

    ¡°Body and soul!¡± I spat. Juliet turned an incredulously look at me. She opened her mouth, but it must have been the desperation in my eyes that made her turn away from him. He took it as an insult and the challenge he craved, ¡°You can¡¯t turn your back on me, little girl.¡±

    ¡°Wait your turn, Lucius¡­ There are procedures for things like this. She is not yours yet,¡± Liam said in a low tone.

    When he left, I turned to her, gripping her arms roughly in mine, ¡°Don¡¯t turn away from anyone again. Bow your head and keep quiet. If you don¡¯t want to get beaten¡­ behave yourself.¡± She gave me a stare I can only describe as the ¡®death stare.¡¯ If she had a knife, she would¡¯ve stabbed me¡ªrepeatedly. Liam also turned on her and said, ¡°You better listen to him, Juliet. Neither of us can help you here. You have to help yourself. You want to grow up. This is it.¡±

    Her shoulders shook as she held back the tears; it was getting too much. It had been hours of groping old men and fat sons with indignant fathers staring down their noses at her, saying how they had wasted their time on her. As if they were trying to play Liam and me for a fool. With the worst luck on my side, my father chose that exact moment to appear out of nowhere as if he was waiting and watching Juliet¡¯s every reaction, calculating when she was worn down to the bone.  ¡°Liam.¡± They shook hands. He glanced at me and acknowledged me with a nod.

    After that day at our house, when Juliet gave such a disappointing performance in his eyes, he had gone off at me for hours. So, I stayed away for months. It resulted in Juliet going off the rails. I was her friend¡­ and I left her because I was a coward.  He concluded she fit better in a lower-down household where she would not be seen or heard. He had political plans for me and being a general in his army¡­ He needed me controlled by him and not her.

    Deliberately Qadir took in Juliet from her feet to her face, ¡°I see why you¡¯re so pent up for her. She is a looker. But she will make for an awful wife. Especially a first one. They should be a little more pliable. This one will need a lot of management¡­ When she is in my house, she can be subdued by any means necessary.¡± He smirked, seeing the visible strain around her mouth. ¡°Liam¡­ Most people here didn¡¯t even know you had a daughter until she went to the market today. Don¡¯t you regret not staying at home, deary?¡± She was a stupid girl but not dumb. She was na?ve but not ignorant like him. He was taunting her.

    ***

    Juliet

    There was no man on earth who I hated more than the one provoking me. It took me hours to realize what was going on. Qadir was going to get rid of me by goading me to react. I knew he was trying to get me to say something wrong or do something so he could punish me in front of everyone. I didn¡¯t know what it would do¡­ but out of instinct, I took Marcus¡¯s hand. Everyone saw it. Everybody was waiting for me to create a scandal. I didn¡¯t know why. They whispered and murmured. The pull around Qadir¡¯s mouth made me smirk. He was infuriated¡ªeyes black and grey, back and forth. Marcus looked down at our hands and gripped me so tight. I was glad I didn¡¯t do something wrong. I breathed easier. I wasn¡¯t allowed to talk, but I knew the worst outcome for Qadir would be for me to join Marcus. It would cause him endless issues with his son.

    After Qadir composed himself, he turned and clapped his hands together. The men took their seats, and I was ushered to a pedestal in the middle of the hall. I climbed on and stood there like a horse up for sale; I had reached a crushingly low point in my life. My mother was right about everything. My father could do nothing but watch it play out. Marcus could do nothing¡­ In that place, I would never be free or live the life I wanted. Have any kind of life, no matter what house I ended up in.

    Chairs surrounded me with a sea of men drooling. The alcohol had made me dizzy, but all I had to do was keep quiet, right? A bidding war started. A money war for me. The board was electronic, and hands kept going into the air without issues. Marcus was not bidding¡ªhe couldn¡¯t. Only the fathers were allowed; they had the final say. Marcus tried talking to Qadir. ¡°It will not help Marcus,¡± I wanted to say. Your father and I are set to avoid each other for the rest of our lives. And I thanked my own stubbornness for once. I had pushed him, and it had worked. I thought about all the names I could place with faces on the board. In the end, it was a large sum going to Lucius, who also didn¡¯t do the bidding himself. His father had not wavered, giving his son all he wanted. It was a stupid process. I didn¡¯t understand why they needed to go this far or where the money went. It was all just for bragging rights.

    After the final bid, it was over quickly. Faltering and stumbling down the podium, my dad gathered me in his arms. Marcus took me from him, but it was a mistake. Lucius strutted over angrily and made him drop me. He pulled me out the front door¡­ down the red carpet. I thought he would take me, but he pushed me into the car Kubra was driving. My dad got in with me. But not Marcus. He stood staring at me. When I denied him my hand in marriage, I never thought the outcome would feel like that. I had not chosen love, friendship, or sacrifice. Didn¡¯t I say I would rather slit my wrists and jump down a mountain? The thought didn¡¯t seem so bad. Lucius or death. Being beaten and raped vs. dying. Sleeping with Marcus wouldn¡¯t have been bad, but what if I ended up alone in a room with his father. I shook my head. I shook my shoulders. There was no way in hell. My father watched me intently.

    When we reached the house, I got out of the car, stumbled to my room, slammed the door, and locked it. I had not spoken. Did it mean I would get a prize?

    I didn¡¯t come out of my room for three days. Lucius called many times, wanting to see me. He brought all manner of things to the house. A date was set for the ceremony. I only listened at the door and heard raised voices between my parents¡­ They rarely fought; when they did, it was some remarks and then nothing. For three days, they were yelling and crying¡­ trying to plan anything. All I heard was¡­ ¡®We could run¡­ take the consequences.¡¯ ¡®Try and hide.¡¯ My mom knocked on my door a few times to try and get me to come out. I wanted my life to start. I wanted to grow up. I wanted to go somewhere. The reality was¡ªI had no life. I meant nothing. There was only one thing for women in that place¡­ I sure was going to go somewhere, but not to Lucius¡¯s house. I made my decision. Suicide was my best bet. I had one day to get it done. One morning. Or else it would be Lucius and me, and if he had me alone, I would never have gotten out of there.

 47. Cowards Versus Heroes

    47. Cowards Versus Heroes

    Juliet

    Early the following morning, I made my escape; I could see no other way. Luckily, both my parents had been drinking for three days straight, and as I walked past the dining room table, saw the documents they had signed for exile. I couldn¡¯t understand why they were so against it. If it was as easy as signing a paper, what was the problem? I tried to read it, but some of the writings were different and in a weird language; there was more they didn¡¯t tell me.

    At least killing yourself was the same for anything in this world. Bleed out¡­ be somewhere no one can find you so they can¡¯t save you. It was as simple as taking a pocket knife. What I didn¡¯t take into account was Kubra. He wasn¡¯t a stupid man, and I didn¡¯t even know he was watching the house. It took me twenty minutes to walk through the wilderness to the gorge.

    ***

    Marcus

    Lucius turned to me, staring at the car after the auction night, ¡°You will not go anywhere near her. She is mine now. Do you understand, Marcus?¡± I could probably fight and win if I challenged him. The repercussions, whether I won or lost, were countless. ¡°She is now a part of our house and our property,¡± he kept going.

    ¡°You can¡¯t touch her for another year. She is too young.¡±

    Lucius scoffed, ¡°It¡¯s only a few months till she¡¯s sixteen, I have four wives to keep me busy. Juliet will love watching and learning what I like. I know the rules. The pregnancy needs to be viable¡­ I have nothing but time.¡±

    There was an instant knot of fear in my belly. Every muscle twitched to do something stupid like Juliet had done. I needed to protect her, and the only thing I had to work with was the branding; the process Liam explained to me¡ªseemed unnatural. I had never heard of it before. It had never been done. I didn¡¯t even fully comprehend the meaning of what he wanted me to do. I either let a fifteen-year-old girl go into Lucius¡¯s house or take her and run, or I trust her father, who wanted me to burn her like a stock animal¡­ and somehow, magically set her free. Why would Qadir leave us alone after? My mind didn¡¯t want to go there. If I didn¡¯t understand it. How will she when I force her to take it?

    I left the hall after the auction, sat down in a chair, and didn¡¯t stop drinking. All I could see was his hands all over her. How she would fight, and what limbs she would lose.

    ¡°Marcus! Marcus! Wake up!¡±

    I could feel a hand on my shoulder, shaking me to open my eyes. I had passed out at the dining room table. My neck was stiff when I sat up and rubbed it, ¡°What!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Juliet. She¡¯s making a run for the gorge.¡± My heart leaped out of my chest. I jumped up and into the car already running outside. It was a ten-minute drive, and when we got there, we had to run up and down to find her in the dark.

    She had been hiding in a bush; a figure in the distance walked out and was aiming for the cliff. I could smell the blood; she had cut her wrists, and red covered her hands, dripping as she ran. Kubra took out his gun and shot her in the leg. I didn¡¯t even have to tell him to do something. I was in no condition to make it to her. She was too far away and too close to the edge. Juliet tumbled into the dirt, turning around on her back, sobbing.

    ¡°Tourniquet her leg.¡± I wanted to wrap her arms, but the bleeding had stopped already. I looked up at Juliet¡¯s face; she had manifested for the first time, ¡°Boy, but you¡¯re ugly as a vampire. Look at that nose, Kubra.¡± He laughed at her. She stopped crying, feeling her features, lifting her arms into the air seeing the dry slits down her wrists and the black nails.

    ¡°What the hell? Why did I stop bleeding?¡±

    I shrugged, ¡°Does it matter!¡±

    ¡°Why are you in such a tiff? I¡¯m the one who should be angry. You didn¡¯t come around for three days.¡±

    ¡°I came around for hundreds! Nothing is good enough for you! You even did this. How selfish are you?¡± I sat next to her, supporting my arms on my legs, and lowered my head into the space between my knees.

    ¡°I was right about you. You are just like your father! Now that you can¡¯t get what you want, you just what¡­ forget about me? We could¡¯ve run! Hell, we could¡¯ve gotten down there and walked into the desert for all I care.¡± I scoffed at her. She didn¡¯t know how fast my father would find us. No money. Me running with a little girl with nowhere to go. Liam and Cindy. ¡°You lied to my father when you said you would never leave me.¡±

    It dawned on me; I was indeed my father¡¯s son. I had a way out. Even if it didn¡¯t make logical sense¡­ If it could work¡­ why would I not even try. But I would have to dig into that side of my personality to do it, something I had fought for two hundred years.  There was a chance I could lose Juliet forever, but I would lose her anyway. Liam¡¯s way might just save her¡­ I had thought about every way out of this; there was nothing left¡­ I got up.

    Gesturing with my hand¡­ Kubra picked her up at the feet. I grabbed her under her armpits, and we put her in the boot of the car. There was a rope in there. When I looked at it and then at her, she said, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t?¡±

    Kubra held her down. The first thing I did was gag her with some cloth. I reached for the duct tape, covered her mouth, and made a few rounds all around her head. The one thing I could not handle was that mouth of hers. If she pleaded and begged, I would lose it. We tied her hands and feet together behind her back; being vampires and killing or even kidnapping people when necessary came in handy.

    She struggled but calmed down after five minutes as we drove straight home, parking at my house. We needed to be quiet and carry her in quickly before any of the guards told my father. It was early morning, and the sun was barely on the horizon. We got her into my study and put her on the couch. I stood there for a very long time, staring at her. Her eyes were full of fear. What must she have thought I was going to do to her?

    I went to my desk. Kubra was already busy with the fire. He walked over and held out the poker to me. I opened the box in front of me, took out the emblem of our family, and attached it to the metal rod, ¡°How are you so prepared.¡±

    ¡°You have been drinking for three days. I have been busy.¡±

    Liam said I would be tied down to Juliet till death. I understood why this practice had all but disappeared. No man would take the chance. I was almost sure the death issue wasn¡¯t all there was to it anyway. Nevertheless, I had an emblem¡­ and had no idea where it came from.  My father had so many kids. He was obsessed with what I did because I was his first wife¡¯s child. I couldn¡¯t understand it. I put the poker on its perch to heat up the emblem in the flames. It still felt wrong. Nothing of it made sense. I thought when I pressed that searing hot iron into her flesh¡­ nothing would happen. She was going to hate me. Liam was very explicit; it had to be heated up in open fire until it was red and glowing. All I could do was wait. I still couldn¡¯t look at her¡­ My heart was racing as I leaned against the mantlepiece, steeling myself¡­ trying to be rigid and unfeeling... heartless.

    Kubra was busy in the room around me. He lifted the carpet and rolled it to the side of the room. I saw him take the chair in the corner and click it into a mechanism on the floor, securing it in place. The noise drew my attention to him, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, I was busy. Don¡¯t want her¡­ getting loose.¡± I groaned at the words. The chair faced away from the fire. We tied her legs and bent her over the seat, tying her hands. Juliet was absolutely going crazy, screaming, trying to move anything she could. I couldn¡¯t cry or have any emotion. Gagged, she made no more than muffled noises. I got up, and Kubra left the room, closing the door. As I walked over to the fire, she heard the poker in its stand, and she wet herself. I could smell it¡­ I knew¡­ that was the moment I had lost her. The emotions involved were too much for someone so young. That was why it took me months to even think about it. Her wanting to kill herself¡­ had pushed me over the line. And it was what made me reach for the waist of her pants to pull them down. I needed to expose one of her buttocks. I heard a commotion outside, fighting, yelling¡­ it was Liam. He and Kubra were screaming at each other; he got Liam to quiet down. There was silence, and the door slowly opened. He took in the scene¡­ The relief on Juliet¡¯s face was visible. I looked at Liam and saw the same emotion I had to have at that moment. It took him only a second to harden his heart. He stepped back and slowly closed the door.

    After seeing her own father turn his back on her, tears ran out of her closed eyes. I cried out, picked up the poker out of the fire, and pressed it into her flesh in one swift motion. It had to be a four-second burn. Juliet was out before I lifted it from her flesh, my mark on her angry and searing. But I knew something had happened, and even before Liam pushed the door open, I screamed, ¡°She will never forgive me for this!¡±

    ¡°You saved her. Her worst fear has been eradicated.¡± I shook my head. Even if I could feel the supernatural connection being formed between us, it would not help. She would hate me for not asking¡­ ¡°I am her father. How will she forgive me?¡± I fell to my knees in pain. I thought I was dying, gripping at my heart. Liam bent down next to me, putting his hand on my shoulder. ¡°Thank you, Marcus. You are nothing like your father.¡±

    The pain Juliet must¡¯ve felt multiplied in my heart until it tore. I didn¡¯t know if it was the regret or the stabbing pain in every fiber of my body.

    ***

    Liam

    I could smell Juliet¡¯s flesh burning. The fact that Marcus had actually done it felt unreal. He had held out so long. Kubra came in after me,  pausing for a second, his tired eyes staring at Marcus on the floor. I walked over to the phone on the table. I had to call Cindy and tell her what had happened and that she needed to come and bring all our documentation with her. I only came because Kubra had called me and told me they had saved Juliet from committing suicide and that they were at Marcus¡¯s house. When I got there, I was upset. The whole way over, I was a nervous wreck. I didn¡¯t want to scare Cindy, so I had just left. By the time Kubra and I fought outside the door¡­ All he had to say was, ¡®Marcus is doing it. H¡¯s moments away from marking her.¡¯ I hoped I had made the right decision. ¡°Where should we start?¡± I asked, talking more to myself than to Kubra.

    ¡°I suppose a first aid kit for Juliet. Calling the council to come and see for themselves the evidence¡­ I¡¯ll make the calls. The medkit is in the bottom drawer. I put it there three days ago.¡±

    ¡°You saw it coming?¡±

    He shook his head, ¡°He wouldn¡¯t relent. Seeing her wanting to jump into the gorge made him realize how different she was. She is so fearless. There was no other way¡­.¡± Kubra said with a pull around his mouth.

    It was true. I had prodded Marcus, but he would not hurt her. Coming to the same conclusion was the only way. He had to do it alone because he could never take it back. We would still have to pay the price for taking exile, but nothing less would pacify her after what I did. There was no way of doing the one without the other. My plan was to take them to an obscure little town out east. Close enough to major cities so we could live in peace.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Kubra came back five minutes later with a roaring Qadir, swearing, ranting, and raving. The council acknowledged it with blessings. Papers were documented, and it was done. I untied my daughter.

    ¡°You can¡¯t take her. She has to stay!¡± Qadir said.

    I got up, stuffing the papers into his hand.

    Kubra turned to the desk and took out more sheets of paper Marcus had signed months ago. Qadir ripped it from his hand. When he read it, he went ballistic. It was papers giving Juliet her life back. It gave us the right to leave under his name and protection.

    The scuff marks on her legs and hands were red, and her flesh was broken as she struggled. I didn¡¯t know how I would make up for all of it¡­ I pulled up her wet pants and picked her up, carrying her to the car.

    The council had taken Marcus for his inauguration, his two-week sleep, and many other customs he would have to undergo. I didn¡¯t envy him. He did what needed to be done with no benefit whatsoever. What would become of him? What course would he take? He was losing all of us.

    When I parked the car in the driveway, Cindy was waiting nervously. ¡°How did you manage?¡±

    ¡°Kubra got me at the gate. I left and drove back as quickly as possible.¡± Cindy was sniffling, but our bags were packed. She cleaned Juliet¡ªwe got her dressed¡ªwe loaded the car, and we left hell for good.

    There was really only one destination we could go to. I would see my brother for the first time in hundreds of years. We didn¡¯t want to stop and made turns driving, first east¡­ and then north, until we reached Canada.

    I picked Juliet up from the back seat and stood with her in my arms while Cindy rang the bell at the front door. A servant opened and ushered me up the stairs. I heard running behind me. Samuel was there peeking over my shoulder, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Qadir¡¯s boys branded her¡­ She didn¡¯t consent, and I made it happen. She is going to be very upset when she wakes up.¡± He stopped walking, staring after me. I followed the servant to a room where I could place her down.

    ***

    Juliet

    I woke up in an unfamiliar place. The room was dark. I hesitated, thinking I was somewhere in Qadir¡¯s house. I sat up and squirmed as the pain in my ass shot through me. I groaned and tried to get up quickly¡ªmy leg gave way, and I stumbled to the floor with a loud thud, ¡°S¡ª!? He shot me!¡± I felt my leg in the dark; it was wrapped with bandages.

    The sun was my only indicator of direction or of what surrounded me. I trembled from the throbbing pain as I shuffled to the heavy curtains that lined almost a whole wall. As I pushed them back I gasped at the view that met me. It was of unending grassy fields until I could see no more filled with horses, sheep, and cattle in different pens, green and lush grass. I had gone from the desert to a fertile oasis. Turning around, I took in the room. Saw crutches at the edge of the bed. I wasn¡¯t at the compound anymore. Frowning, I scanned the massive space. A little TV nook with a couch and a desk with a computer stood against another wall. In the corner stood an oval-shaped full-length brass mirror hanging on hinges. For a moment, I contemplated if I wanted to see what my ass looked like. What had happened and what it meant.

    I made my way to the mirror using the bed and the furniture. I turned to pull down my sleeping shorts and looked at the mark that now covered the right side of my butt. It had healed¡­ there wasn¡¯t any scarring. It wasn¡¯t even red anymore. The beautiful eagle with stretched-out wings looked more like a tattoo. Not black but brownish¡ªalmost golden. For a moment, I had thought it would be a smudged, ugly scar. It was a supernatural process like our manifestations and our abilities. Not at all, like when an animal was tied down and burned for identification.

    While thinking about what happened and wetting myself in front of Marcus, my heart convulsed, and a sob escaped me. Tears rolled down my face. I was so humiliated. Wasn¡¯t I supposed to be strong and independent? Able to handle torture of some kind? But the fear got the better of me, and I felt so useless.

    I didn¡¯t understand what the mark meant. No one had ever told me that a man could do that. My father never said I would be able to leave¡­ If Marcus had told me, would I have let him¡­ We would never know...

    I had more flashbacks¡­ and the feelings connected with them came back. Marcus ignored me. Gagged me and tied me up like I meant nothing¡­ The overwhelming pain brought on a second convulsion in my heart and throat¡­ another sob escaped... more tears flowed. The violation of my body, my choices, and the rights I thought I had. I wanted to crumple down and cry it out, but my leg was killing me. My ass was still on fire. ¡°Come on, Juliet, focus. You¡¯re not there anymore, isn¡¯t that what you wanted. You¡¯re not with Lucius, and you¡¯re still alive.¡± I wiped my eyes and hobbled back to the bed. Lying down on my stomach, I saw a cell phone on the nightstand. I reached for it. The screen lit, and I read the words that came up.

    Liam { Hold the phone up to your face }

    I did. The screen changed. It took me a while, but I eventually got around to reading my first text message.

    Liam { Juliet. Your mother and I are out, too, and okay. We will see you when we see you. I love you, Dad }

    I wanted to throw the phone against the wall. I was so mad at him. He came in and saw me like that. He just left. That is what they had been speaking about. Marcus manning up. My own father had been planning our escape. More tears rolled down my cheeks, and I let it all out.

    ***

    Present-Day: Lounge France

    Marcus

    Juliet was telling the last bit of the story from her perspective. She could hardly speak when she said how humiliated she was¡­ I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. There were a lot of emotions I would¡¯ve understood, but her first thought was ¡®humiliation¡¯¡­ She was only a girl trying to be strong.

    The violation she felt¡­ made me feel like the villain all over again. I couldn¡¯t stand hearing anymore. She should rather hate me. Be angry with me. Seeing me as a person who didn¡¯t respect her crushed me.

    We walked out of the lounge at the same time; she went upstairs, and I went to my room. I fell on the bed with my head buried in a cushion. It had been a long time since I had felt so emotional. The only good thought I could muster was, ¡®I was there.¡¯ It might not have been time for Juliet and me a few years ago, but I wasn¡¯t going to leave her for anything¡ªnot again.

    ***

    Chris

    Juliet and Marcus disappeared into the house, exhausted after hours of sharing. She climbed the stairs to her and Louis¡¯s room. I had not been up there yet. It felt weird. But I couldn¡¯t not go. So, I slowly made my way to her. She sounded asleep as I approached the bed. The hardwood floors creaked under my weight. There was nothing else in the room¡­ Only a bed and surrounded by glass. I went to sit next to her. She was lying on her stomach. There was no time in the car to notice if she had any markings on her. I stretched out my hand and pulled down her sleeping shorts. It was an enormous picture¡­ No¡­ Two images that had merged together. A beautiful eagle with flowers surrounding its feet. It was as if they meshed magically together; the flowers for Louis¡ªthe eagle for Marcus. As if her body knew.  A pang of regret pulsed through me; I would never be there, thinking about the one Liam had made me. Should I have brought it¡­? It didn¡¯t feel right¡­ but what else would tie us all together? If vampires had these kinds of rituals¡­ what did werewolves have? And me¡­? I didn¡¯t even know what I was.

    ¡°I have to say¡­ I¡¯m kind of irritated that men keep pulling down my pants¡­ You think it looks ugly?¡± she mumbled.

    I kept studying it¡­ tracing the pictures with a finger, ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s beautiful, Juliet. It¡¯s something no one would ever be able to take away from you. It¡¯s more than just a marriage certificate or a ring¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmm, maybe.¡± I pulled her shorts up again. She complained, but I reached out to stroke her hair. She crooned¡­ liking the feeling.

    ¡°Juliet¡­ What was your first reaction? Hearing about the baby.¡±

    ¡°I had never been so happy about anything,¡± she whispered.

    I kept stroking her hair until she fell asleep. After some time there, I wasn¡¯t wondering where I fit in anymore. But Marcus? Would he go back? Play politics and general? What was their army for anyway? I didn¡¯t want him to go back. Having someone directly connected to Juliet at the compound, knowing where we were, would be a problem. I needed to see Liam and Cindy. I wanted to talk to Juliet¡¯s uncle.

    I was tired and pulled a sheet and blanket over her. She snuggled into her pillow. I wanted to get in with her but didn¡¯t have the guts. I opted for sleeping on the floor, spreading out a duvet and pillow. I fell asleep staring at her... She was quiet for a change; it was a good moment.

    I woke up with her in my arms; she had come down during the night. I drew in a breath, smelling her hair on my chest. Louis had this for only a few days. Was that how providence would sort everything out; whoever was with her would have her.

    I needed the loo and wanted to get up. Juliet complained and fastened her grip on me, climbing on top of me. ¡°Where are you going?¡± she mumbled, resting her head sideways on my chest.

    ¡°I need to pee.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she slid off, lying on my pillow as I got up. ¡°Hey, Chris! Come back¡­ Okay.¡±

    ¡°Stupid girl, where will I go. I belong here with you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Come back and sort me out.¡±

    I spun around, ¡°Didn¡¯t you just eat? Why are you horny? And no! Not in Louis¡¯s room and not while you¡¯re pregnant. I only just got here¡ª yesterday!¡±

    She sat up suddenly, wide awake, ¡°What? Eight months¡­? I¡¯ll just get Louis to do it.¡± She fell back dramatically, her hands stretched out next to her body.

    ¡°Look, I get why you are so¡­ sexualized¡­ growing up in our small town with nothing to do and being a raging creature with needs. Being introduced to everything by the fifty guys you¡¯ve had¡­  Everything you had to go through has made you¡ª¡±

    ¡°Available?¡±

    I laughed, ¡°Juliet¡­ I really need to pee.¡± She threw me with a pillow. I laughed as I ran out of the room and down the stairs.

    ¡°Go then! Coward.¡±

    ***

    Juliet

    I followed Chris, needing the loo myself. Everyone was awake, it seemed. There was noise coming from the kitchen and outside on the patio. Marcus was in his usual chair reading. Somewhere in my gut, I was afraid that when I woke up, Marcus would¡¯ve left. He was the first thing I thought of waking up. My emotions were raw from the catharsis we both had the previous night. He peeked at me over the rim of the book.

    The truth was, he had fought to the very last minute to do it to me. He fought for years not to put me through that or tie me down to him without my permission. It was somewhat soothing¡­ comforting knowing how difficult it was. And that it was not a compound thing. Something he didn¡¯t even understand¡­ I forgave him for everything on the spot. The images of him hurting me were replaced with him buying me the couch. The way he reacted when he saw me before the auction and for the first time without my veil. The days he came by our house, he was just there¡­ while I grew up. I smiled at him. My heart felt like it wanted to burst; I was free¡­ from all the anger I had towards him for so long. He lowered the book completely. That pensive, smoldering, narrowed eyes looked back at me. Marcus knew me so well¡­ He didn¡¯t even follow me off the compound, bombarding me with apologies after and trying to convince me to forgive him¡­ I was so mad at the time. It took me years to even speak to my father¡­ I would¡¯ve felt like he was pushing me more into a corner rather than helping me out of an impossible situation. For years, I couldn¡¯t understand why he didn¡¯t or maybe why he couldn¡¯t.

    All Louis wanted was for me to choose him. I smiled again¡­ Louis made it so easy¡­

    All Marcus wanted was for me to be free to choose¡­ And the freedom I had came with a price.

    Every one of the men in my life loved me differently.

    Chris came out of the bathroom. My attention moved to him¡­ our gazes met. Chris paused, a small smile turning up at the corner of his mouth... All Chris wanted was¡­ for me to be happy... I looked from him to Marcus, putting my hand on my stomach, and was thankful that this was my life. I didn¡¯t really care that I had three husbands or how it would work out. Louis could figure it out for me. I felt like running and jumping into the pool to even out. So that¡¯s what I did. Marcus jumped up and followed me out, shaking his head, stopping on the patio, watching me. Chris came out with a towel, and then I remembered I had to pee.

 48. Juliet And Marcus

    48. Juliet And Marcus

    Juliet

    The previous day, we had done nothing, nor did we talk about anything because Ben and the guys were still there. I made my way downstairs, hoping Marcus would be in his chair reading; we needed to talk¡­ I needed to say things to him. Even if we were at a place where we could occupy the same space¡­ I wanted him to know how I felt and if he was planning to stay. That morning, I got up with the same pit in my stomach that he might have bolted. He had not signed up for this¡ªnone of us had. Carl had mentioned Marcus was struggling with my behavior and how I dressed, and I didn¡¯t want him to be there just because he told Louis he would.

    Nervous, I peered into the open space and the lounge area; he wasn¡¯t in his chair, the kitchen, or outside with the few people who were awake. On my tiptoes, I went down the hall to his room. The door was ajar, so I pushed it open; there was no one inside. I looked at the two bathroom doors; both stood open¡ªhe was not there either. The only other place he could be was the garage training. I sighed, not wanting to bother him. I bit my lip, thinking.

    Chris had slept upstairs with me in bed, so I snuck out. While standing there, Chris came down past me towards the bathroom, ¡°He wants to talk¡­ Just go and get it over with¡­ And after that, we need to talk as well, and then we need a family meeting.¡± I smiled, chuckling¡­ What happened to Chris? His head was definitely not in the sand anymore. How did he know what I wanted to do anyway¡­ I stomped towards the garage door, pushing myself to get it over with. I flung open the door and heard the stepping, jumping, and landing. Whatever weapon Marcus was wielding was swooshing and clanging. I stepped down the few stairs that led into the garage. He didn¡¯t notice me. I exhaled and sat down to watch him gracefully move around, diligent and precise with every foot placement. I would have to learn from him. I needed to be able to do this when my strength came in¡ªfight. I smiled, thinking about us going at it in the sand. I chuckled at how he toyed with me... He stopped¡­ breathing heavily¡­ casting a skeptical eye at me.

    Being around Louis and Chris, so in touch with their emotions, and looking at Marcus¡¯s face that I could not read was still daunting. I walked over and leaned onto the ring¡¯s ropes, crossing my arms and putting my chin down. When his breathing was calmer, he went to put away the sword on the wall, coming over and standing next to me. My eyes moved with him across the room, ¡°How did you and Carl do all this in three days?¡±

    ¡°Money.¡±

    I turned my head to him as our eyes locked, ¡°I want to talk to you¡­ But it feels like I would have to make an appointment to do it.¡±

    He pushed himself up from the frame of the boxing ring, standing up straight, ¡°Can I go take a shower first?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to go for a hike?¡±

    He seemed keen, ¡°I would love a hike¡­ Give me ten minutes,¡± he ran up the stairs.

    ***

    ¡°Is this even real? It looks like a fairytale picture,¡± Marcus didn¡¯t answer and was still very quiet. We had climbed for a while and were standing on the edge of a cliff, only mountains as far as you could see into the distance. Behind us was a massive lake, so clear you could see to the bottom. ¡°This is so much better than the desert,¡± I said before I could think. I quickly looked at him to see if it meant anything, ¡°I mean, it¡¯s better than where I was after the compound as well¡­ It¡¯s just beautiful¡ªwhat I¡¯m trying to say.¡±

    He met my eyes but gazed back out over the view, ¡°You¡¯re still very careful around me¡­ Your heart is pounding, Julie¡­ Are you still scared of me? After everything?¡±

    He still had on his poker face, and not knowing what he was feeling was hard. I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m not scared¡­ It¡¯s because¡­ I have to apologize to you¡­ Mar¡­ cus. I¡­ find it very difficult to say I¡¯m sorry. I feel¡­ like I owe all of this to you, and I won¡¯t have enough time to make it up to you¡­ We¡¯re here with Louis¡­ and Chris¡­ The baby¡­ I feel like I disappointed you in some way¡­ No¡­ in every way.¡± My voice was tight, ¡°I loved you very much. I wasn¡¯t faithful¡­ To some degree, I understood what it all meant¡­ the branding. But I was so angry and so young. I didn¡¯t know if I¡¯d ever see you again¡­.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    All the way up there, Juliet talked about how much effort Louis had put into the place¡­ I could see it, even appreciate it. How precise everything was that he had done. Placing those bricks all the way up the mountain must have taken years. The little path was beautiful, with the ground on either side lifting a little, covered by manicured grass rounding off the picture. The lane from the main road to his house was also done like that; two neatly packed brick lines running parallel so you could never get stuck in the mud. He made it so convenient that you wouldn¡¯t want to leave in the snowy months but could still come and go in the rainy seasons. His life was about creating a house for his wife. I looked at Juliet; it was exactly what I had done. My ideas and visions were just different of how our future played out.

    She was smiling at me over her shoulder as we climbed. She held out her hand to me and pulled me the last few steps over a little ridge to such a view. For a few moments, I was breathless; I had never traveled or seen other places. All I knew was, like she said, the desert. She didn¡¯t let go of me, and the feeling of her completely consumed me¡ªeven after all the time apart.

    I wondered what Louis¡¯s story was. How did he get off the compound so long ago? How had he been free for the last two hundred years? And I had to be confined with my family. I haven¡¯t even seen her and Louis together¡­ or how they were as a couple. Why did she love him so much that she would ask him to do that? I had seen Chris and her, and he had a way with her that left me feeling wanting; they hadn¡¯t known each other for more than a few hours put together.

    Juliet¡¯s heart was pounding. I thought she was going to ask me to leave¡­ Whatever issues we had were sorted out¡­ but¡­ that it was over between us. She was still so uncertain about me¡­ Then she apologized for everything¡­ All I heard was the word¡ª¡®loved.¡¯ I turned to her and asked softly, ¡°Loved?¡± Her gaze shifted from me to the ground, playing with her shoe in the dirt, holding her backpack with both hands. I took in every little mannerism; all she¡¯s done over the last few days we¡¯ve reunited. Some of it got to me, other things I found endearing.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it, Juliet. I kind of figured that there was no place for me here.¡±

    Her head shot up, and her eyes locked with mine¡ªfull of pain. It caught me off guard; Juliet was an open book, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave¡­.¡± she said softly¡­ ¡°Why am I suddenly Juliet?¡± I frowned. She turned to look out over the vastness and continued, ¡°I¡¯m not going to love what doesn¡¯t love me.¡± Shocked, I drew in a breath. How could she think that I didn¡¯t love her? ¡°You saw me with Chris. Heard what happened. Even if it messed me up to say goodbye to him¡­ I¡¯m not going to wait for someone to choose me¡­ I never want that for my life! Loving what is good for me is all I¡¯m going to do¡­ You know me¡­ Where I¡¯m invested, nothing can break me away¡­ That is why I was so angry at the compound. It wasn¡¯t that you weren¡¯t enough for me but that I wasn¡¯t enough for you to act or do something.¡±

    I wanted to stop her from talking so I could say something¡­ but she kept going, ¡°I know how you grew up, and the fact that you did, in the end, do that for me was amazing! But I will never beg for you to fight for me. Louis¡­ I don¡¯t have to ask.¡± She looked at me again to try and read my eyes, ¡°The question is not if I want you to stay¡­ But if you want to stay. And if you do, you can¡¯t bring your father with you as you did at the cage fight.¡±

    My thoughts were spinning. Qadir was ruthless, and I was filial¡ªalmost to a fault. I felt the only way to protect her was to do as he told me. So that he wouldn¡¯t know she had any hold over me. I tried to manipulate the situation so that everybody could be happy; it was another reason I never went after her. She was quietly staring at me, waiting. ¡°What happened to you because you branded me? What did he do to you?¡± I drew in a breath, and my mouth opened to say something¡ªnothing came out. After some time, she bobbed her head, ¡°Marcus¡­ I love you.¡± She met my gaze to see if the words meant anything. I was so caught off guard, stunned into silence. She smiled, walked towards me, leaned in, and locked lips with me. She didn¡¯t need to stand on her toes anymore. Pulling away, she said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can wait¡­ I can see you¡¯re not ready. It took me so long to leave the compound behind that I would understand if you couldn¡¯t. It¡¯s your whole life¡­ It¡¯s not like you can¡¯t take other wives; go back and lead an army. You know I¡¯m safe and free.¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    I was having difficulty with her being so close to me, the way she smelled, and her beautiful lips. She had not stepped away; all I had to do was lean in ten percent, and my lips would be on hers¡ªI couldn¡¯t.

    ***

    Juliet

    I stood hovering over his lips to see if he would close the distance. His self-control was out of this world¡ªfrustrating. It didn¡¯t even help me that I wore those short pants; nothing made the guy budge. His eyes were on my face and then on my lips¡ªnothing. Marcus also didn¡¯t say anything further. He was floored, and I didn¡¯t push. I might have brought out the heavy, but I needed to know where I stood with him.

    If he had any plans of taking me back one night when he couldn¡¯t handle sharing me with the other two men in my life. We haven¡¯t even spoken about that yet. I was a little irritated walking back down. It was such a beautiful day. The air was so clear it seemed you could touch the mountains if you only stretched out a hand. It would have been perfect if we could¡¯ve come to an agreement, maybe have a first kiss.

    When we returned to the house, the others were on the patio, grilling meat, the table properly set with candles and plates. We were going to have an authentic family dinner, have fun, play games, and get drunk. I stopped before they saw us and turned to Marcus. His eyes were thoughtful, with slight creases between his brows. I met his eyes one last time, ¡°You have anything to say yet?¡± he shook his head. It was more than frustrating. Chris at least yelled back; we could speak to each other. Louis and I didn¡¯t really need to talk¡­ Marcus had never been that quiet.

    Walking up to the patio, Chris smiled at us. His eyes traveled from one to the other. His smile fell when he saw Marcus¡¯s face. I shrugged. An angry guy pushed past me and went into the house. Staring after him, I wondered if he would break my heart again. Was he going to go and pack his bags? I implored Chris with wide eyes, gesturing inside with my head. He seemed reluctant but got up anyway, kissing me as he walked past me, ¡°Everything is going to be okay,¡± he whispered.

    ***

    Chris

    Juliet had gone out that morning with expectations of getting somewhere with Marcus. We all needed to know what was going on in his mind. He had still not told anyone what Qadir was doing with his army.

    His door was closed, so I knocked, ¡°Come in.¡±

    He was in a chair with his head in his hands. I went to sit across from him. He looked up, ¡°Why can¡¯t I talk to her?¡±

    ¡°Can you talk to me?¡± he nodded, ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She¡¯s just so¡­ so¡­.¡±

    I chuckled and grinned, ¡°To the point?¡± I ventured.

    Agitated, he sprung to his feet, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. There is no¡ª¡±

    ¡°Filter,¡± I added again.

    He pointed at me with an outstretched hand and nodded, agreeing with me. ¡°I froze¡­ I thought she was going to ask me to leave. So, I was preparing to say goodbye, but that¡¯s not what she wants.¡± He bit his bottom lip, staring at me, shaking his head slowly¡­ still processing what had happened a few hours ago. ¡°I once compared her with a train bearing down a track; now she¡¯s a hundred times worse.¡± I smiled at him. I felt for the guy. Juliet was intense¡­ When she wanted something¡­ I laughed a little, thinking back on that night. Carl brought us two beers and left again, ¡°She wants me to stay. She loves me¡­ Said she¡¯ll wait for me.¡± He laughed. It was the first time I had seen Marcus relax. Was it me, or was there a small smile lingering on his lips? The love that little girl expressed so easily was daunting; also, accepting you were so deeply under her control. There wasn¡¯t even a pang of jealousy from my side. I had feared that multiple men in her life¡­ would get to me, but it hadn¡¯t yet.

    For Marcus, it meant so much more¡­ Where he had a lifetime of suffering behind him, he knew with Juliet, it would be a lifetime of love for the future. No rejection, no manipulations. She was going to love him to death. He might even get crowded with too much Juliet. ¡°She asked me what my father did to me after I branded her¡­ Apologizing for being so hard on me about the whole thing. That she was young and stupid and asked if I could forgive her ignorance¡­.¡± I smiled again. That was the most I had heard him say in five minutes versus since I had been in France. ¡°She said I did not choose her and put my father above her¡­.¡± his fist clenched, ¡°He is so big. So strong. No one can put him down. The whole compound is behind him. What could I do?¡±

    I sighed but thought that I could give it a go. Sure, I would be able to kill him in a second. ¡°You know what I¡¯m thinking¡­ He wouldn''t stand a chance¡­ If he ever did anything to her, and you¡¯re there. That thought makes me breathe easier.¡± His eyes fell to the ground, struggling to talk. ¡°When¡­ I woke up from the two-week sleep I was taken by my father''s men¡­ It was¡­ only getting locked up for months, so I couldn¡¯t go after her¡­ Mental torture, deprivation of light and sleep¡­ no food. After that, I was too much of a coward.¡±

    The vexation was getting to me; I rubbed my hands over my face. The more I heard about Qadir, the more I wanted to snuff him out. No, just take him and rip his head from his body. He seemed totally depraved. How could Marcus use the word ¡®only.¡¯ The compound was just a society of men who felt nothing¡­ Picturing Juliet bowing to a guy like that made my blood boil. Her on that podium. Marcus and Liam doing nothing.

    ¡°How can I tell her that? Put that on her.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t! It¡¯s not her fault or yours!¡± My voice was loud¡­ Marcus turned, pensively assessing me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marcus, I¡¯m having a tough time controlling myself. Thinking of Juliet in that situation with a guy like that¡­ With a guy like you¡­ Are you going to leave the compound behind?¡±

    ¡°Chris, you can¡¯t blame me¡­ Even you are having a difficult time adjusting. Her in this house with the clothes, the drinking, and doing whatever she wants. I¡¯ve only been here a week, and I want her to put clothes on. Walking up the mountain wearing the shortest jeans I¡¯ve ever seen; with little ruffles hanging on them. A blazer too big for her. Those chains of Louis are a constant reminder of the whole situation. Multiple men. It¡¯s a lot.¡±

    I smirked. The memory I had of Louis¡¯s chains was a good one, ¡°A reminder that you can¡¯t control her,¡± I ventured to say. He was quiet, ¡°Hey, you blamed me for wanting to figure things out. What happened to providence?¡±

    ¡°I thought I was going to leave. But I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not? Then let¡¯s talk about something else¡­.¡± He locked gazes with me, ¡°Benjamin warned Charlene about you. David gave Carl explicit instructions to keep an eye on you. That you were, and I quote, ¡®Here for the wrong reasons.¡¯¡± He snickered and paced back and forth, ¡°Why were you even considering going back?¡±

    He flung around towards me, ¡°I¡¯m not! I¡¯m not going anywhere¡­ When I saw her over that chair. Louis¡¯s hands and knees in the sand¡­ It was a turning point for me. I have left the compound! For good,¡± he sat down again, ¡°I picked her up, and as my father was ranting, I walked past him, holding her close to me¡­ Carl and Charlene were behind me¡­ My father knew he had lost me that day¡­ He lost a lot that day¡­ He didn¡¯t do anything or get Kubra to detain me¡­ I was scared, but he was deflated, standing in the dirt on his knees. I had never seen him like that¡­ I¡­ just need some time.¡±

    I sat back in my own chair, head leaning back. It wasn¡¯t an unfair request. ¡°Your father could have taken Louis and Juliet back¡­ Why does he not have control now?¡±

    ¡°I have no freaking idea what¡¯s going on or why he¡¯s not barging in here. I don¡¯t even know how Louis is living the life he is.¡±

    ¡°What is the army for?¡± Marcus took a swig of his beer but kept quiet, ¡°We have to be able to trust you.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ And I don¡¯t think you will believe me if I say that¡­ I don¡¯t know. I trained soldiers. I¡¯m a fighter and a leader, but what we were preparing for could only be¡­ taking over the Earth. That is my best assumption. He already has many political vampires in place in the government.¡±

    ¡°Humans will never accept it. A society with both humans and vamps¡­ Who¡¯s going to volunteer to be food¡­ Hell, where does the food come from now? The compound seems like a big place.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated, but it doesn¡¯t matter, I just want you and Juliet to believe me. I will¡­ never take her back¡­ I don¡¯t want to go back, ever. It might take me a few years to acclimate to how things work, hiding between the humans¡­ I know my father wants me back, and he¡¯ll do anything to do it. That is the only concern we should have. I¡¯ve never been a threat to her!¡± He ran his hands through his hair, ¡°I really just wanted to talk to her that night. I knew she would never¡­ out of her own free will¡­ I had not seen her in three years.¡± His tone softened, ¡°I couldn¡¯t think about another day without her.¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s okay! I believe you¡­The fact that you¡¯re here says it all. It proves something. You walking away. She will understand that you need some time.¡± I got up to leave, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it, ¡°We have to go speak to everybody and tell them. Carl has to report back to his father.¡±

    I reached for the doorknob and saw the door wasn¡¯t closed properly; three pairs of eyes met me, sitting on the floor outside the room. I looked back at Marcus, glancing over his shoulder at Juliet. She lifted up her arms. I stepped over their legs to pull her up. Carl did the same for Charlene. ¡°Guess there¡¯s no point in talking. Carl, you have everything you need to report?¡± he nodded.

    For the rest of the evening¡­ we tried to enjoy ourselves.

 49. Raas

    49. Raas

    Juliet

    The following day, I woke up thinking about Marcus and everything he had said but couldn¡¯t tell me. My thoughts drifted to the night in the club when he bowed before me and apologized. I jumped up, agitated, running down the stairs. I wanted to see if he would be reading in his usual spot. He was there. I went over and sat across from him on the oversized three-seater couch, picking up my book. After a moment, he lowered his book to peer over the rim at me. I pointed my finger at him and called him over.

    Hesitantly, he got up, glancing at Carl and Charlene making breakfast. ¡°I¡¯m not going to violate you in public¡­ just yet.¡± Carl and Charlene smiled at me, and I blew them both a kiss. Charlene blew me several kisses back.  I had to take Marcus¡¯s hand and pull him closer. He was moving way too slowly. I put him on the couch next to me and laid my head on his lap. I took his hand and placed it on my head, ¡°I have wanted you to play with my hair while we read for the longest time.¡±

    Marcus was quiet¡­ his hand still awkwardly hovering. I gave him a moment to decide. Slowly, he stroked, having no clue what to do. I could feel his eyes on me, so I looked up, ¡°I¡¯m a fool for you. I have feelings for you.¡± His hand stopped moving. I smirked, having gotten the reaction I wanted. I had decided I would have to give him daily affirmation, even if it was only a few words. I went back to reading, and after a moment, he relaxed and took up his book again. His hand soon found rhythm¡­ It felt so good my eyes closed from the sensations pulsing through me. I wanted to drop the book and enjoy the attention.

    ¡°Later, we can switch places. I will do the same,¡± his hand stopped again. I snickered. Carl and Charlene giggled in the kitchen. My head tilted up so I could see his face¡­ Marcus was blushing. You couldn¡¯t really see the red, but the tinge was there. I returned to my book, and we sat for a while, reading like the old times.

    Chris had moved into Louis¡¯s and my bed. Sleeping on the floor wasn¡¯t an option. I told him to choose, and he did. When Louis came back¡­ I didn¡¯t know what would happen.

    Later, when Chris woke up, he came over and took in the scene, pausing to decide what to do. He quickly went around the couch and sat down, picking up my feet and placing them on his lap. He slid down so he could play games on his phone. My heart almost jumped out of my chest. I was that happy. I sighed, relaxing. Charlene and I glanced at each other. My bottom lip happily between my teeth. They were all really taking this too well. Not in a million years did I think Chris or Marcus would be up for this. Charlene and Carl were adjusting. I had gotten everything I wanted.

    We spent most mornings like that while waiting for Louis to wake up unless it was our turn in the kitchen. Benjamin and his three friends would leave over the weekend. The house was packed and lively, and I enjoyed having so many people there... Out of the blue, Marcus suggested we build Charlene a house further down the road. Still on Louis¡¯s land, but she would have her own space. Just the idea made me giddy. I clapped my hands excitedly, running over to him, hugging him, and thanking him. He flinched, watching me with interest. Marcus was slowly getting to know the new me. Childish or girly excitement was something he never got to witness.

    ¡°We would have to get it done before the winter. Her baby is due in September around the 24<sup>th</sup>,¡± Marcus said.

    Everyone was staring at him except Chris. He picked up the plans and made his way to the front door, ¡°Come on¡­ We have to go find a spot.¡±

    Charlene and I smiled at each other. She was as excited as I was. Locking arms like we had done a million times, we trailed behind the guys. They were talking, gesturing about logistics. The two girls laughed and made jokes about how outrageous our lives were. It had been a long time, but it felt like I was home. She felt it, too. We had discussed where both babies would have to go, and her own house was the perfect solution.

    ¡°You know what, Chars¡­ Even if Ben flakes out, you will be set for life here¡­ with me,¡± She smiled, ¡°Is that even something you would want?¡± I asked nervously, eyes cast down to the ground. Hoping.

    ¡°You kidding¡­ I had no plans. We can do online schooling if we really want to study. If not, we could just¡­ live¡­ you know. Travel with the kids. Be happy for my limited time with you guys.¡± I didn¡¯t want to think about saying goodbye to her and Carl. Living for eight hundred more years. ¡°There isn¡¯t some pill you can give me to make me a vampire.¡± I stepped around her, gripping her upper arms. I wanted to say something. She shook her head. The guys joined us, and Benjamin took her hand, leading her away to the site they had chosen.

    Monday, Benjamin and the guys left again. Charlene and Ben seemed to be getting to know each other a little more, but she hadn¡¯t seemed convinced about him, or like she was in love. Chris, Carl, and Charlene had left Marcus and me alone at home. They had driven to Lyon with the guys to the train station. They would be gone the whole day. My mom was coming, and my dad was going to see why Louis wasn¡¯t awake yet. I didn¡¯t want to miss any news about him. That was the excuse I gave.

    We waved them all off at the front door. As soon as the car was out of sight, I turned to Marcus, falling on his chest. My arms limp beside my body, my knees buckling. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he grabbed at me and held me up. I couldn¡¯t hold back the tears. ¡°Julie?¡± he tried to push my head back to get a better look at my face.

    ***

    Marcus

    Juliet wasn¡¯t there anymore. What was going on? She was holding back, waiting to get everyone out of the house because she knew something was wrong. I tried to get her attention¡ªnothing worked. Her eyes were glossed over¡­ almost white. She wasn¡¯t fighting me or being physical. I had lost her for a moment, a ragdoll in my arms. Her eyes returned to their normal color. I tried to comfort her. She pushed me off, running for the loo and throwing up in her shirt. I stayed with her and saw only blood come out. I had forgotten she was infected at all. ¡°What the hell is that! What is going on! What do I do?¡±

    She shook her head, falling down on her butt beside the loo covered in blood, ¡°Shower, put me in there¡ªopen the water freezing cold.¡± I did what she asked and got in with her in my arms. I put her on the wooden bench, letting the water run over her. She was sobbing.

    ¡°It¡¯s that serum you were injected with?¡±

    She bobbed her head, rubbing her face with her hands, ¡°I¡¯ve had spells, but not like this. It hurt,¡± her hand gripped my arm, eyes intently on mine.

    ¡°You want to throw up again?¡± She shook her head and pulled her hair away from her shoulder. I stepped closer, seeing a lesion on her neck. It was small, but it was there. Fear assaulted me for the second time; I was so consumed with her sending me away, I forgot I might still lose her. The water was deafening as it ran over both of us. Juliet leaned onto my stomach, gripping my shirt as she did with Chris in the club. The lesion was strange. It wasn¡¯t eating the skin, but it was there.

    ¡°Take me out.¡± The words brought me back to the present. I picked her up and carried her to my bed. ¡°I need to eat¡­ We have been leaving it because of Charlene¡­But I need to eat.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t leave you here alone!¡± I said while I pulled off the wet shirt I had on. I went to the bathroom, grabbing as many towels as I could.

    ¡°You will have to,¡± she groaned. I stripped the rest of my clothes to get dry. Pulling on a new pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

    Juliet was on her side, watching me. Her eyes darted to the door, ¡°We have an audience.¡±

    I spun, ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±

    A man dressed in only white clothes stood at the door with placating hands in the air, ¡°Jack. Louis¡¯s watcher. He¡¯s awake. Liam is also waiting.¡± Confused, I waited, ¡°The meeting and all. Raas wants both of you.¡± The mention of the name sent an irritation through me¡­ Raas was not friendly.

    Juliet pulled on my sleeve, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go like this!¡±

    ¡°You can hardly stand. We can¡¯t go!¡±

    ¡°I mean, you guys will have to get me dressed.¡± There was no way in hell I was letting another stranger help me get my wife dressed. Turning around, I ushered him out of the room, ¡°Give us ten minutes.¡± Jack left for the lounge. After being there for a week, Chris and I learned about the Watchers. Carl had told us everything. David pitched in where he could. I knew less than a seventeen-year-old boy. My father had left out a whole lot; brandings, teleportation, watchers¡­ Did I have one?

    I walked to her and Louis¡¯s dressing room, ¡°Why did this happen now?¡±  She had rows of clothes. I had no idea what to put on her. I took the first thing I saw. Black jeans, a black T-shirt, and a black jacket¡­ it was all hung up together. At the bottom of the cupboard, there were a pair of black boots and socks inside them. ¡°Okay, convenient!?¡±

    I went back to my room and put the stuff down next to her. ¡°Underwear¡­¡± Jack¡¯s voice came from the hall. Juliet had a hard time breathing and groaned from pain before she doubled over.

    I had to listen to him. ¡°Right!¡± I turned again, going out of the room. I had to rummage through her drawers. There were rows of panties and bras. What the heck was I supposed to choose. I went for black, but the first one I picked up was a G-string that didn¡¯t cover anything. I paused, looking at the thing. Lacy with little bows. ¡°Argh.¡±

    Jack pushed past me, ¡°Really, now is not the time.¡±

    He grabbed two items and held them up. ¡°Sports bra and briefs for day wear with jeans, especially if she isn¡¯t coming home for days,¡± I growled and grabbed them.

    ¡°Thanks, now get lost.¡±

    He huffed and turned away, ¡°Call me if you need help. I¡¯ll be in the lounge.¡±

    I finally got to Juliet, helping her sit up. I lifted her shirt over her head and removed her pants, drying her with the towel while she tried to stay upright. I had to put on her bra and shirt. I took the panties and pulled them over her feet and up to her thighs, then put her arms around my neck, making her hold on. I stood so I could pull them up all the way. When that was done, she fell down on the bed, smiling.

    ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this?!¡± I asked incredulously.

    ¡°You have no idea¡­ I saw you naked,¡± I shook my head, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t feeling this horrible, you would have a horny teenager on your hands to deal with, not all this crap.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we can say ¡®for better or worse,¡¯ right? For us, it¡¯s life or death!¡± Her shoulders shook as tears trickled over her temples. I was pulling up her jeans over her feet. She lifted her butt so I could finish everything. After, I pulled her up and into my arms, sitting next to her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marcus¡­ Nothing is what you wanted for your life. I have ruined everything. If I die from this or if you have to kill me?¡± I held her even closer.

    ¡°This is where I want to be,¡± ragged sobs escaped her lips. She gripped my shirt, her fist clenching the material, burying her face in my chest.

    A voice from the door chastised, ¡°You¡¯re obviously not helping.¡± I looked up at the guy. ¡°We got to go,¡± he walked past me and stabbed her in the neck with what looked like a vile. Startled, her hand shot up. I glared at him. ¡°Give her a second.¡±

    Juliet opened her eyes¡ªwide and sparkly blue. She was breathing normally and nodded, ¡°I feel better. Wow, what is that? More!¡±

    I looked at him in question, ¡°Pain meds¡­ It won¡¯t last long. We need to go!¡± Jack said again. Everyone was always in a rush.

    ***

    Louis¡¯s Two Weeks.

    The first thing I wanted to do when I woke up was check my phone. My heart was still on fire. It left a constant pain in my chest. An uncomfortable pressure, winding tighter and tighter. I went in and out of consciousness like that for the first week. I couldn¡¯t speak or ask anyone what had happened, but be patient with the process. I let images of Juliet and me fill my mind. Sooth me so I could get through it, reminding me why I had done it.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    A few days later, I could keep my eyes open for over a minute and turned around in my bed and onto my side. Picking up my phone that morning was nerve-racking. I wondered if she would have left me any messages. If she didn¡¯t¡­ it would be worse than pushing that hot iron onto her skin¡ªsearing her flesh. She was never good with messaging me. She did send Chris that one long voice note¡­ Lifting my phone, I held my breath. The notifications screen lit up like a Christmas tree. A hundred messages from Juliet made me fall back onto the bed, holding the phone tightly to my chest. A tear escaped and slowly rolled down my temple. For a long moment¡­ I tried to process the attachment that had formed between us. I tried to work through the years of hurt Juliet must have felt¡­  Marcus did all that to her¡­ and then she was separated from him for so long. Not knowing where he was, subconsciously aware of a person out there you loved.

    I had an odd sense of Marcus... He had become a part of me, an awareness that he was¡ªsomewhere. I hoped he had listened to me and did not leave her again. I fell asleep with my phone in my hands, wondering what silly things she said in every message.

    The first day I could sit up and focus, they brought me two tied-up humans to eat; even finishing off both did nothing for the energy depletion I felt. Nothing wanted to restore it. A few more days went on like that. I just sat in bed listening to Juliet¡¯s messages, sleeping the rest of the time¡­ I was coming up on the two-week mark, getting excited about going home.

    Juliet { Baby, I¡¯m awake¡­ You must see my butt. Your Lotus flowers are placed so well. They complement Marcus¡¯s eagle. All around its feet¡­ I¡¯m fine and almost able to get up }

    Next message { Sigh, I¡¯m thinking about you and miss you. }

    Next message { I¡¯m sorry about everything¡­ Thinking about it now¡­ I rather pushed you into it¡­ But it¡¯s a bit too late now¡­ Love you.}

    I cried when I read the first few messages.

    A few messages later:

    Juliet { Louis, I will have to message you about everything, or else I¡¯ll go crazy. Marcus says you might not even wake up after two weeks. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do. }

    More messages later:

    Juliet { Babe, you have to come home! Marcus and Chris are making me exercise, swim, and do self-defense training. }

    That made me laugh and worry at the same time. Chris was there. It meant he got through the 26<sup>th,</sup> and he and Marcus could protect her. Before I passed out, it was all I could think about. Scared, Qadir would force them back to the compound.

    I wanted to call her, but I also wanted to talk to her only when I could see her. We had been through so much that it was still not sinking in what this meant for my life. I remember being with Samuel and denying his niece. Denying women. Then I saw her, followed her, and fell in love with her. I remembered her falling in love with me. For a time, there was a fear of losing her. Then she did this thing for me. She had given herself to me in every possible way. She had begged me to cover her. I knew how Chris must have felt being pushed into the back seat of his car.

    On my last day, I was getting dressed when Liam walked into the room. I was in a medical wing or something at the French embassy for vampires in Paris.  When he saw me, he had a massive smile on his face. I couldn¡¯t help but shrug; I wasn¡¯t in the mood or had any strength to be my happy self. He drew me into an embrace and hugged me for a long time. ¡°Louis, I can¡¯t tell you how relieved I am. How happy we are about what happened.¡± I sat down on the bed behind me. He frowned, ¡°You still tired?¡±

    I nodded, ¡°I can¡¯t seem to regain my strength.¡±

    ¡°Well, it is the first time this has happened. Maybe it has something to do with Marcus, I don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t signify. Is Juliet okay? And Cindy, is she here?¡±

    ¡°Cindy is already on her way to your house. She wanted to see Juliet. Louis¡­ Juliet is pregnant.¡±

    I nodded again. I already knew. I had a visitor who told me but couldn¡¯t tell Liam. ¡°I kinda figured¡­ It could go both ways. I was prepared. Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I said, holding onto his arm while I tried to catch my breath. ¡°I think I would be fine if I could get closer to her.¡±

    ¡°You still have so many things to do here. You must attend that insane information meeting about how everything works from here on out. You know we did something that was banished¡­. And they don¡¯t know, you know.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care¡­  What could they possibly tell us?¡± I didn¡¯t have the strength to deal with any drama. All I wanted to do was go home to my wife.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t talked to Marcus, so I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    Liam and I made our way through long, dark corridors. The whole place was underground in the heart of Paris. Entering an elevator took us up a tall building. We exited into an open space on the top floor, with one large table in the center surrounded by chairs. The room was surrounded by windows with a view of the entire city. I was still tired, staggering forward. A man came towards us, fully manifested and dressed in all black. A full-length coat with a high collar standing stiff around his neck. Somehow, he was different, with bleak, grey skin and snow-white hair styled straight, hanging long over his shoulders. He wasn¡¯t from Earth... His eyes were expressionless not only because they were all black, but there were no emotions on his features. We had different ethnicities in every species, so it would be logical if our home planet had some other types I had not seen yet. For some reason, his face was smooth and sophisticated like Chris¡¯s. He walked like he had a spoon up his ass. It made me nervous. He held his hands together in a triangle in front of his midsection, ¡°I am Ambassador Raas for Earth,¡± he looked at Liam, and they shook hands, ¡°Hello, Liam. Haven¡¯t seen you in a while.¡±

    ¡°Raas.¡±

    He stuck out his hand to me. His manner was cold. I held my stomach, leaning towards him, wincing in pain. ¡°Nice to meet you, Louis.¡± I nodded. Raas slid a stack of papers over towards me as I went to sit down. I didn¡¯t feel like reading all of it. Another man appeared in the corner of my eye¡ª in the corner of the room. My gaze drifted over to him. I couldn¡¯t help but see him; he was dressed all in white: a white shirt, open at least two buttons too low, a white sports jacket, white pants, and a brown belt with brown shoes. His full beard wasn¡¯t trimmed. Body ripped with muscles. He didn¡¯t move or speak... just stood there like a soldier at ease would with his feet apart and his hands behind his back, waiting. Shocked, I took a good look. I had seen him before.

    Raas spoke, ¡°Jack, we need the girl. We need Marcus. Will you see to it?¡±

    He bowed to Raas and didn¡¯t salute like a soldier. What was going on? He disappeared again out from the corner into thin air. My head jerked towards Liam, ¡°How in the world? What is going on? Why is Juliet coming here?¡± I tried reading Raas. He wasn¡¯t thinking about anything unnecessary. Having her there wasn¡¯t standard procedure. I stiffened. Raas sat down, closing his eyes, his back so straight and tight. He had to be uncomfortable.

    A half-hour later, Juliet and Marcus stood in front of us. My jaw dropped. I stood, holding out my arms, but Juliet was already in them, hugging me, burying her face in my chest, crying. I kissed the top of her head, putting my arms around her, ¡°Hi, baby.¡±

    Her arms squeezed tighter. A small groan escaped from the pain. She pulled back, concern on her face.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Why are you crying?¡± We had asked at the same time and smiled at each other.

    ¡°Well, Juliet. You are the one who caused all of this,¡± Raas said from the side. The sarcasm was strange.

    She stood away from me, ¡°Sorry, did I hurt you? Are you still not okay?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Raas addressed her again. ¡°You made him brand you without knowing if there would be any consequences!¡±

    Juliet spun around; he didn¡¯t even look up at her. He was being deliberately disrespectful and lying. They had no idea why I was still feeling sickly. Thank You, Raas... You are the idiot I hoped you would be.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like anybody told me... Anything! Ever! My whole life... I¡¯m sick and tired of everyone telling me what I should¡¯ve known without giving me the knowledge to know it.¡±

    His dark eyes jumped up at her. Marcus moved in closer to both of us. Reading his mind, I pulled Juliet in behind me. Raas smirked. Two more men appeared in the corner of the room one dressed in white, just like Jack, who was still standing at attention. My gaze flickered to the other, dressed in black and in the same style as Raas. There were three of us and three men. Three watchers... Liam didn''t have a person because he was not a ¡®compliant,¡¯ not a child born on Earth.

    Marcus stood staring at one of the men, dumbfounded, just like I had been. I saw this man in Juliet¡¯s mind sometimes. His face just flashed. He was also manifested. It was the guy who held her down. Was he a watcher? ¡°Kubra?!¡± Juliet said loudly. Her eyes darted from him to the other guy. She froze as her gaze locked with the last unknown man. They stared at each other. Her mouth was open as if she wanted to say something, then her eyes narrowed, and she swallowed hard. Her thoughts were a mess. Michael, not a stranger like my watcher.

    Raas clapped his hands together, getting everybody¡¯s attention, ¡°Let¡¯s get the ball rolling.¡± Raas¡¯s gaze locked with Juliet¡¯s, ¡°If you think it was tough at the compound, I advise you not to take option A.¡± He pulled out a chair and sat down. I kept trying to read him, read everyone... but they kept a tight lid on their thoughts. He slid a document over to her.

    Juliet picked it up and read it... her eyes growing wider. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± she sneered.

    Raas looked at Marcus, ¡°Are you going to tell her? Or do I have permission?¡±

    Marcus¡¯s jaw flexed, fists clenched on the table. He felt he was always the one who needed to disappoint her, be the bearer of bad news. I felt sorry for him. They have had no time together, always separated. Taking his shoulder in my hand, I squeezed it, making him relax. It was my first act as a family ambassador. He sighed, and we all sat down. Marcus pulled his chair closer towards hers, taking her hands in his. ¡°That bad, huh?¡± she asked nervously.

    ***

    Marcus

    Juliet running into Louis¡¯s arms... just after she was in mine and naked on my bed only a few minutes ago¡­ was difficult. It was going to be a tough day. It was the first time I saw them together, and the look in her eye... I thought she was in love with Chris... She and Louis were something else entirely. Raas was already up in my face and ugly with her, prodding and jabbing at every turn. I was in over my head, ¡°I was in a room like this after... I did that to you. They asked if I wanted you to be there. They said I could make you be there. But... I didn¡¯t think bringing you back anywhere near the compound was such a good idea.¡±

    ¡°So, they gave me two options... I could take you and leave Earth and return to our home planet, or option two, I could stay... I chose the latter... But that meant I could never go back. It¡¯s a one-time deal.¡± I knew I was lying, but I couldn¡¯t tell her. My eyes were imploring, pleading with Louis not to say.

    Juliet squeezed my hand, ¡°Did you want to go back?¡±

    Raas wanted to interrupt me; I held up a hand and silenced him. I hated that vampire and all he represented for my future... He likes to forget his place. ¡°Julie, the home planet is a hundred times worse regarding women.¡±

    Her brow furrowed to take in what I was saying, ¡°How can any place be worse?¡± I darted a gaze at Liam, narrowing my eyes at him. They could have told her in the meantime.

    ¡°Our planet is ruled by kings... Royal families with hundreds of kids who have territory all over the planet. I don¡¯t know much. The first time I found out we were aliens¡­ was that day,¡± I chuckled nervously,  ¡°I will tell you in detail later, but... I will never go back. The werewolf planet is the total opposite, ruled by a queen. There, the men are nothing.¡± I changed the subject, trying to stop the questions.

    Raas spoke again, ¡°Because you let two men cover you... The three of you have this one-time chance to go back.¡±

    Liam, Louis, and I said simultaneously, ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°No! Wait!¡± Juliet said... ¡°That is not our final decision... If you are pushing them... to not take me back, I want to know why?¡± she was glaring at Raas.

    He met her challenge, ¡°There are consequences to this course... So I will leave you. Let you read all of this. You have a few days... It is the first time this has happened¡­.¡± He looked between the three of us. ¡°How it all got out¡­ Needs to be investigated. So, I have to go back and report to the king.¡± Everybody¡¯s heads shot up, I guessed, for different reasons. That unreal sentence was a kick to the gut. We were under the rule of a man who had our lives in his hands. I knew because I heard all of it... Years ago when Qadir told me some of it. This king could tell us what¡¯s going to happen. Looking at the papers, I hoped we had some options... I wished I had some possibilities because of Louis.

    ¡°Why do I feel like this...?¡± Louis asked Raas.

    ¡°Tsk tsk... Didn''t think it through. Just listened to a woman,¡± Louis groaned. He was as fed up with the man as I was. ¡°First husband for life and death. The second husband shares all pain and ailments. Good luck with the birth.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said this was the first time,¡± Juliet smart-mouthed him.

    He narrowed his eyes at her, ¡°It¡¯s a guess. We ran tests on Louis while he was sleeping. It¡¯s the formula the infected vampire injected you with. Louis feels what you feel... Let¡¯s hope you are as strong as she is... Or else you will soon become a... whatever it is she is turning into,¡± he chuckled sardonically.

    Stress was building in the room. My decisions in the future had two other people¡¯s lives in the balance. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you found him?¡± Juliet admonished Raas.

    He didn¡¯t like her tone and was getting fed up with her challenging him. Getting up, he hit the table, wanting to walk around towards her. One of the men in white stepped forward. Raas stopped and sighed heavily, fist clenched. He hit the table again and swore, but the silver vamp stood and slightly bowed his head. All eyes were on the source of Raas¡¯s deferment.

    ¡°Michael.¡±

    ¡°Liam,¡± all our heads turned to Liam.

    ¡°Dad, we will have a very long discussion when we get home. You tell me nothing.¡±

    ¡°I would have... If I was allowed. I¡¯m a convict, remember.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even tell me about that... Louis had to fill me in.¡±

    Liam¡¯s eyes were cast down, ¡°Juliet, this is Michael, your Watcher.¡±

    Juliet sighed and only glanced up at the three men and then back at Louis, ¡°The guy in the corner is mine. I have seen him a few times throughout my life.¡±

    She looked at both of us, ¡°You guys are two hundred years old. I thought they were all human? And Kubra isn¡¯t human at all... What¡¯s going on?¡±

 50. King Whatshisface

    50. King Whatshisface

    Michael

    ¡°It¡¯s a perk,¡± I said. All eyes in the room were on me when I spoke, but I was looking straight at Juliet and talking to her while our gazes locked. F¡ª I was so happy to see her in person. Her eyes pierced me like daggers. The screws were turning. Her jaw was flexed, which was never a good sign. Maybe because I lied to her. ¡°They let us live as long as our dependents are alive on earth. So this guy over here has been Louis¡¯s Watcher for¡ª¡±

    ¡°Two hundred years? And you have been mine for¡­?¡± she waited for my answer.

    ¡°Since you were born.¡± That was the first time I could talk to her as myself, the real me. It had been years since the last time¡­ when I had no choice but to lie to her... We have met before.

    ¡°You were there with Qadir on full moon¡­ It was you who helped¡­ Why would you let it go so far?¡± Tears pooled in her eyes.

    Why was she upset? Did she not understand. How could she? ¡°We are only to intervene when it¡¯s life or death. Before that¡­ unfortunately, we have to just¡­ watch.¡±

    She scoffed¡ªat me, and it wasn¡¯t a good feeling to know she was somehow already disappointed in me. It was not how I wanted our reunion to go. She was scratching her face from irritation and looked at Marcus, then at Louis, and next was her father; she scoffed at all of us. She picked up the paper and flung it back at Raas.

    ¡°What is the point of being surrounded by men,¡± she looked Raas straight in the eye, ¡°But none of you can do anything. Then, there is a whole world ruled by men who have no idea what¡¯s going on¡­ and they wonder what¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Raas was beside himself and slammed the table with two hands. Juliet had no idea what it was really like out there or who she was dealing with. He stood and pointed his finger at her. She smirked, ¡°A planetary trait, it seems¡­. Be careful! One day, someone is going to bite it off.¡± Juliet¡¯s gaze drifted to Marcus who was the other vampire in her life, usually pointing a finger at her when he was angry.

    Marcus, on the other hand, was about to kill someone, his eyes fixed on Raas. Marcus didn¡¯t like anybody else doing it, and I was happy my words had sunk in; he was done letting anyone hurt her. He got up, slamming the table even harder, ¡°Get lost! Now! And come back quickly with the king¡¯s answer.¡± It was more of an order, and Raas jumped. His head snapped up, teeth gritted in a thin line. It took him only a moment to think about saying anything else. Bowing his head, he remembered who was standing in front of him.

    Juliet was right; none of us could give her the freedom she desired by being at the top of the food chain¡ªnot even Marcus.

    Raas left the room via the teleporter. Once he was gone, the whole room relaxed and took a moment to take it all in. Juliet got up and walked over to the glass windows. The view over Paris with the Eifel Tower in the distance was beautiful. She leaned onto the glass with one hand, and the other rested on her stomach, bracing as a pain assailed her. Louis was in no condition to help her. He didn¡¯t even move, knowing my intentions towards her. I was beside her in an instant, putting my arm around her shoulders and supporting her elbow, ¡°You have to take it easy,¡± I whispered. ¡°Stress can cause a miscarriage¡­ and you have to stop drinking!¡± She didn¡¯t even flinch away from me. Juliet grabbed onto my arms and groaned, putting her head on my chest. It felt so good having her in my arms. When I turned to lead her to a chair¡­ there were three pairs of eyes on me. Only one was glaring, ¡°It¡¯s my job.¡± I was lying. I would do anything to have her, take her away from all this, and let it be only the two of us like it was on the farm.

    ¡°Marcus¡­ my painkillers just wore off,¡± She sat down, falling onto his shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ve never felt like this.¡±

    I fetched some water for her. For those few days at the embassy, the watchers were allowed to be ¡®normal¡¯ towards their complaints. I commanded Jack and Kubra into action. Jack approached Louis, taking his vitals with a small device we all carried in our pockets. Kubra had gotten a prenatal kit and placed it on the table. Opening it, I looked at Marcus. He was still staring at me, frowning, calculating who I was to her, ¡°You have to start reading and using that brain of yours. Now is not the time for anything else. Keep her safe first.¡± Our eyes met for the briefest of seconds. He glanced quickly at the stack, got up, and divided it between the few of us there.

    ¡°My attack¡­ already started at the house?¡± Juliet said softly, pulling on my shirt as I handed her the plastic cup. ¡°Drinking and stress are not what¡¯s going to make my body reject this baby.¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°I know. I saw.¡±

    After taking a sip, she shakily placed the cup down and dry-heaved; her hand came up to cover her mouth. The water might not have been a good idea. I hurriedly reached for a dustbin lined with a plastic bag. She ran to the corner of the room, hiding. I followed her, leaning over to see what we were dealing with¡­ It was just blood coming out; she was getting worse, and I had to fix it, ¡°Yeah! No! This isn¡¯t working for me. We have to get you food¡­ The last time you ate was almost two weeks ago. Puking your guts out won¡¯t make you feel any better.¡± I scooped her into my arms with relative ease. She had lost weight if it was at all possible. Her head fell on my chest, and I carried her into the elevator. I glanced back to see if anyone would care. No one was looking at us. I sighed; they trusted me already. Stress always brought up these fits in her¡­ I wished for a second Chris was there and that she wouldn¡¯t keep him out of the loop.

    We took the elevator all the way down into the basement. While we were alone, I pushed a vile into her neck, praying for the first time in years.  The elevator went down two more floors, even deeper underground. The doors opened into a small room lined with silver metal walls and ceilings, a single menacing fan blowing air into the quiet space, ¡®Whirr, Whirr, Whirr.¡¯ Its shadow flickered on the floor as I headed for another door on the other end. Holding Juliet was a feeling I had missed¡­ but not like that. It was my fault for not finding her in time the night she went after the cub. I greeted the guard. He opened the doors for me, kept following me, and frantically helped us through all the barriers to come. He pushed up a wheelchair in front of a glass window. I lowered her in. She didn¡¯t want to let go, groaning, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Juliet,¡± I whispered, ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±

    I flicked on the light behind the glass, and a freakishly weird being at least a meter and a half from the ground hit the glass sucking on it, jumping down, and running on four tentacles. Its razor sharp teeth were white and lined its whole mouth in a scary, huge circle. I nodded to the guy helping. I didn¡¯t know his name and couldn¡¯t speak French. Rambling, he pushed a red button on a panel at the door and fogged the room. You could hear the ¡®thud.¡¯ The boy slammed another button, and all the smoke sucked out in seconds. We had to wait for the indicators to clear the space, and I pushed her into the room. Juliet manifested from only a tiny whiff of the thing, jumped out of the chair, bit into one of the tentacles, and sucked her little heart out. Relieved, I sat down in the wheelchair, breathing easy for the first time in a long two months, watching.

    About ten minutes later, she fell back like she did at the farm, smiling and laughing. When she sat up, her eyes grew twice the size, actually taking in the creature next to her. She jolted at the prospect and scuttled on her bum away from the beast, ¡°What the¡­ hell did I just do? What is that?¡±

    A chuckle escaped me. Juliet tilted her head at the sound, her black eyes narrowed into slits. ¡°That is a very rare delicacy¡­ but it¡¯s paid for, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Juliet lifted her hands in front of her face, taking in the slimy substance, gluing her fingers together. She didn¡¯t hesitate and pushed them into her mouth one by one, licking them clean, ¡°Yuck,¡± I cringed. I had seen it before, but her doing it was gross. She offered me some, and I laughed out loud. I would love to lick off her fingers, but not covered in that. I shook myself, my thoughts taking a wrong turn. Once, it had landed me in trouble.

    ¡°What do you mean paid for? By whom?¡±

    ¡°It seems like blood is blood, no matter the species. You at least know that much, don¡¯t you,¡± I quipped.

    ¡°Not on Earth,¡± she retorted.

    I smiled as red trickled down the side of her chin. She wanted to wipe her mouth off with her sleeve, ¡°No¡­ Just wait!¡± Juliet did it anyway, challenging me¡­ Cleaning her teeth while glaring at me. I sighed, lifting up my hands.

    ¡°You think we can get Louis down here? He would feel so much better.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± I felt stupid that I didn¡¯t think to bring him too in the first place. Jack didn¡¯t say anything either; we were not in the habit of actually participating in their lives. I knocked on the glass. The French kid came around the corner and manifested as quickly as she did. Juliet didn¡¯t like it and hissed at him like a serval cat.

    I spoke to the boy. He could luckily understand me and hurried upstairs. A few moments later, Louis was doing the exact same thing, just with a little more vigor and tearing. I shudder at the ¡®chomp¡¯ and ¡®crunch¡¯ sounds that echoed through the room. Juliet sat against the wall, watching me. Seeing her from the corner of my eye¡­ I kept my eyes down at the ground as she stared at me. I was sure she remembered me, and although she said nothing, I was scared she would. I cleared my throat. She didn¡¯t stop. I could feel her on me and got up to walk out. She made me uncomfortable. There was no budge in her, and Like Louis said, she wasn¡¯t going to take the lies anymore, but the whole place was bugged. She was a clever girl, and I hoped she left it on purpose. I pretended to go and fetch them both something to wash it down with. She got up, taking the water from me, ¡°Thanks¡­ Michael.¡±

    I snickered nervously. Louis eventually got past the euphoria; those alien beasts they just sucked on had an effect on vampires much like human blood, I guessed. Different in some way. ¡°Juliet, baby, you sure you wouldn¡¯t want to go be my slave for one of these every day on that¡­ mother planet.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t really impressed¡­ ¡°He says it¡¯s expensive, so I don¡¯t think you will be able to afford it.¡±

    I had mental images of their ¡®mother planet.¡¯ They flashed through me and the nightmares I sometimes had of only seeing it once. Louis glanced over at me, and our eyes met. He jumped up and gathered her into his arms, holding her tightly, ¡°Let¡¯s go help them with those papers instead. I take it back. Let¡¯s not leave Earth¡­ Ever.¡±

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°What did you see?¡± she asked.

    He shook his head, ¡°I told you¡­ I won¡¯t scare you. When you need to go, I will prepare you properly¡­ But until then, you can do whatever you want. I won¡¯t say.¡± He pointed two fingers in the air for us to move out, taking her hand.

    She looked back at me as I averted my gaze, ¡°Go get Chris. I want him¡­ He needs to know what¡¯s going on and that we¡¯re fine.¡± I nodded, glad she had asked. With Chris there, the situation would be more¡ªdiplomatic.

    ***

    Juliet

    Could my life be more complicated? All three of us took the elevator upstairs again. Louis wanted to take my hand to leave on the top floor, but I told him to give Michael and me a minute. He regarded us, keeping his hand on the door. He stood awhile¡­ reading us. I smiled. It still didn¡¯t bother me¡­ having him in my head. Michael was humming, staring at the ground, trying not to think about anything, I supposed¡­ Keeping his thoughts in check. I only had to think and didn¡¯t need to say a word¡­ I told him I loved him. We couldn¡¯t talk there, and Michael would help if he could. Louis stepped back and let the doors close. I pressed the button for the floor we had just come from. The elevator moved, ¡°Will phones work?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Those papers are a smokescreen. Their tech is so advanced, and they need to hand us a mountain of documents¡­ I don¡¯t buy it. Don¡¯t I get a lawyer?¡±

    He laughed and wiped his nose with his thumb and index finger as I watched him in the mirror in front of me. Michael was still studying his boots, scuffing at the floor, ¡°Keep going¡­ I¡¯m sure you will get it.¡±

    ¡°Nowhere we can talk?¡±

    ¡°Other than in here, no.¡±

    ¡°Can we go back and forth home?¡±

    ¡°No! Colder,¡± he was getting frustrated. I rubbed my sweaty hands together and wiped them on my jeans. The guy in the mirror was taller than me and was a bulky mass of uncut muscles. Covered in tattoos. He didn¡¯t have so many when I first saw him. Dressed in a white t-shirt that complimented his dark-tanned skin. You knew he was tanned because his face and arms were brown. The tattoos from below his ears to the tips of his fingers stood out because of it. As if he was outside all day on a construction site. Caucasian male with dirty blond hair, shoulder-length, tied in a messy male pony at the base of his neck. Thick silver hoop earrings in both ears and a thinner one in his nose¡­ His neck was so wide I wouldn¡¯t be able to wrap my hands around it¡­ I sighed, thinking about Michael for a minute and the fact that he had watched me from the day I was born. He had been there from the beginning of my life. My thoughts darted to Uncle Sam¡¯s farm, where we met, ¡°I need my uncle!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Good girl.¡±

    I spun around, ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡±

    His mouth arched unhappily, ¡°You do need your uncle! Would you like Marcus to invite him to come?¡± I nodded. ¡°You have to say it. For the record.¡±

    ¡°All this red tape is going to give me a headache.¡±

    The doors opened at the top. Louis was waiting for us. Louis is beautiful in a suave way. He wore a grey T-shirt, dark blue jeans, and a navy blue jacket. Leather straps around his wrists and a ring on one of his fingers. His hair was getting long, but he still styled it backward¡­ It suited him, and I had to take a moment to appreciate his masculine, solid features. Images of us in the bed¡­ popped into my mind. I felt better after that alien, and the way he rocked my world the first night in between the sheets was one memory I liked to dwell on. I yearned to be back at the house¡­ Regardless of my pent-up energy, I felt tired and wanted to stare out at the mountains after we¡ª ¡°Soon, okay!¡± he assured me, pulling me out of the elevator and into his arms.

    ¡°Why do you think they are doing this?¡± I asked him as he put his arm around my shoulder. ¡°I can¡¯t be the first?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re scared. They want us to go back¡­ Or they don¡¯t¡­ We have to figure it out.¡±

    I walked quickly over to Marcus¡¯s chair and told him what I wanted him to do. He got up and asked. Michael promptly showed Kubra and Jack what to do. They stepped into the corner where I came from and disappeared. Teleporting was suddenly a thing. Marcus, Louis, and I watched them as they disappeared. Michael walked over to the corner, eyes cast down. He was avoiding me, probably because he lied to me. I snorted. That got me a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll go get Chris.¡±

    ***

    Chris

    We had just parked the car back at the house when another car pulled in behind us. It was Cindy. Strangely, from deciding to never leave Juliet again, my life had family, friends, and purpose. We hugged, and I was happy to see her. Charlene and Carl also came to receive warm welcomes. We couldn¡¯t find Juliet or Marcus going into the house. His room was a mess; wet clothes and towels everywhere. The bathroom reeked of blood and vomit. ¡°She had another spell,¡± Cindy said softly.  There was another knock at the door. Worriedly, we all glanced at each other.

    It was two men I had never seen before. One dressed in a white T-shirt and white jeans, brown shoes, and a matching belt. The other wore a three-piece suit, also white, with matching brown accessories; the clothes were weird. They both stuck out their hands towards me one by one, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Michael¡­ this is Warden.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    He rubbed his hands over his hair. Michael¡¯s eyes nervously cast down to the floor. Cindy came around the door, ¡°Michael! Warden¡­ Where is Juliet? Why are you not with her? Is she okay?¡±

    He¡¯s Juliet¡¯s watcher. I groaned inwardly. OH NO! This guy?! What the hell?! If it isn¡¯t stylish Louis or Mysterious Marcus, it¡¯s plain old Chris. I realized the other guy must be my watcher¡­ Warden smiled as if reading my thoughts while I tried to process everything. ¡°She¡¯s fine, but she had a spell¡­ Louis woke up. So they are at the meeting.¡± Michael¡¯s seen-it-all eyes met mine, ¡°She needs you... asked for you.¡± All my jealousy dissipated with his genuine manner and the way he spoke about her. My mind was trying to wrap around how much he knew about all of us. But Juliet came first, and she was sick.

    I turned away from the door back into the house, happy and excited that she wanted me. Asked for me to come. I had no right to be there¡­ but if she gave consent¡­ Marcus was okay with it, and Louis gave permission. I wasn¡¯t na?ve about where I was on the food chain.

    I greeted Cindy, glad the kids had someone to look after them. I hurried back to the door, shoes in hand, and pulled them on my feet, grabbing my jersey. I seemed so tiny next to Michael, forgetting that I could turn into a creature twice his size and kill him in an instant. The pain I had felt with those prongs stabbing through my bones made me wither; the tech they had to subdue me or one little shot with a dart and I was useless¡­ Unless I just ate him¡­ I smirked. We were scrutinizing each other as we walked down the road for a bit. Michael held a device in his hand and told me to stand in front of him and wait. It took only a few seconds of being where you started¡­ to get to where you wanted to go... No deforming, to regenerate again somewhere else. It suited me just fine. Used to teleporting, I was relieved the technical side of it wasn¡¯t much different.

    I came out the other end with my back to the room. Juliet¡¯s arms reached around my waist before I could even turn around. I sighed; Michael forgotten. I pulled her close to me, and we hugged like we always did, her arms around my neck. We were in each other hair¡­ nestling. She slid her cheek over mine and found my lips. The taste and smell made me manifest with her in my arms. ¡°What the hell did you eat? What is that?¡± She laughed, glancing over her shoulder at the room. I noticed the table surrounded by men. I turned back to human. Marcus peeked up quickly but kept reading¡­ whatever he was reading. Louis and Liam came over. I shook Liam¡¯s hand first. Louis pulled me in for a hug and I let him. The last time we saw each other was when I put her in his arms. ¡°Thank You for coming,¡± he whispered. I slapped his back as we embraced. He was as close to me as a brother from there on out. Probably even more¡­

    I took Juliet¡¯s face in my hands, ¡°Are you okay? He said you had a spell.¡± Guiltily, she averted her gaze and fixed on someplace on my shirt. ¡°You lied to me. You wanted me out of the house so I wouldn¡¯t see.¡±

    Tears pooled in her eyes as they met mine. I pulled her to me, ¡°You¡¯re scared¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± I tried to keep it together but kept manifesting, going back and forth, unable to control myself. Juliet giggled. Michael walked past us, ¡°I can take him downstairs. We have one, especially for him.¡±

    Juliet scrutinized Michael, processing that information. She bobbed her head, ¡°So, he paid for dinner.¡±

    Michael ignored her and glimpsed at me. Why was he so awkward around her? But I wasn¡¯t going to help him, ¡°What do you mean? I paid for dinner.¡±

    Michael walked off towards the elevator, ignoring both of us, ¡°Follow me. You¡¯ll never be able to control yourself if you don¡¯t eat. The last time you ate was poor Ashleigh.¡±

    My head snapped at him, ¡°Who is Ashleigh?¡± Juliet asked with a curious note in her voice.

    Luckily and thankfully, Warden, my guy, hit Michael behind the head, ¡°No one. The first human he ate is all.¡±

    Juliet repressed a laugh, ¡°I wish I was there.¡±

    I picked her up and carried her, ¡°I wish you were there too¡­ I¡¯m not going alone.¡± The floor shook, and my head almost touched the roof. Everybody protested and grumbled at the papers moving on the table and the loud noises.

    Juliet told me to put her down, ¡°I¡¯m going to read. Take Marcus with you, will you? If we¡¯re all full, we will think better. Marcus needs to be at his best for this.¡±

    Marcus told me everything he could and that we were waiting for Samuel. We got through the documents quickly, with all of us reading. We were comparing notes afterward for a long time, and Juliet kept pacing the length of the room, stretching her legs after sitting for hours. I wondered how long it would take Samuel to get there. Will he even come? Was he even at home? She bit the cuticles on her thumb nervously. Everyone was debating and throwing ideas around. It was all conjecture. Michael was sitting in the corner, his elbows resting on his knees and his head hanging low. It was late. The moon was high in the sky, and it had already been a long day. Getting up, I walked over to her. She was driving us all crazy. I held her in front of me so that she faced me and kissed her properly. She closed her eyes, leaning into me, ¡°Sleep time. You have to think of the baby.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, okay, if you ask so nicely.¡±

    I sat down on the ground with her in my lap. Juliet rested her head on my chest as I stroked her hair; she didn¡¯t struggle to fall asleep quickly. She never fought me. Juliet would complain or even argue when someone else told her to do something; when I asked¡­ or even told her to do something, she would give in. I had noticed. Everybody else had seen it, too, and said as much at the house. I didn¡¯t know how I felt about it. If something happened to me, what would she do? The time Juliet and I have had the last couple of weeks made up for everything I felt I lost or missed out on in life. Even if she did spend a few minutes with Marcus every day, Juliet was with me most of the time. We talked for hours, catching up and creating a new relationship. Testing the waters as to how we would be as a couple. It didn¡¯t take much; we were so comfortable with one another, and she couldn¡¯t keep her hands off me. I was not used to it, but I reciprocated every time, again making up for how lonely I was only a month ago.

    The others soon followed my example. Michael seemed relieved, so he leaned back onto the wall and closed his eyes. Warden did the same, and Jack soon followed after Louis rested his arms on the table. All the watchers were seated in a neat row along the wall. Marcus kept reading, and Liam decided to join him. For a second, I took it all in. We were all in one room¡­ I was okay with it; we all were. This new life of mine.

 51. En-gannim

    51. En-gannim

    Ahasuerus

    My head ached. Usually¡­ days seem to drift into each other like the hundreds before the last one. I opened my eyes. My bed was filled with women. Sitting up, I tossed my legs over the edge. I stood naked and made my way to my ensuite dressing room. The door closed behind me. It was the day Raas would go to Earth to meet with that chit and Marcus¡­ My Marcus. I punched the mirror in front of me, smashing it into a thousand pieces. I was coming up on a thousand that year, and my only grandson was stuck on some godforsaken planet, bound to some young female.

    I smashed my fist into the mirror again, breaking through the wooden frame and ripping the white cabinet from the wall. I turned on the shower, stepped underneath the stream, and let the cold water run over. It shocked and dampened my temper. I wanted to wash away the filth from the previous night. I was tired and laid my head on the wall before me, letting the water run and run. I didn¡¯t want to think about Qadir coming back and taking over. I had banished him to that place because he killed all his brothers¡ªI had only one son left¡­ I never wanted to see him again, let alone give my planet to him¡ªI nearly killed him the last time I saw him. He had killed Danny¡ªruthlessly. My Danny¡­ my heart contracted when I thought about how he suffered and hit the wall in front of me. My already open flesh wounds were almost ripped down to the bone. The tiles shattered, and the wall cracked from the floor to the roof. I was that strong but felt¡­ No, I knew I wasn¡¯t helpless, and if I really wanted to, I could do whatever was needed.

    My temper had been like that for two weeks after I heard that girl had another man brand her. ¡°If I get my hands on you, I will rip you apart!¡± I willed the words to reach her. I wanted her to be scared.

    The water covered my mouth, and my spit hit the wall as I spoke to her, ¡°Even if the consequences are what they are. I will just keep you alive so Marcus doesn¡¯t die. Or¡­ I will sever that connection with as many sacrifices as it takes.¡± I spat out the words loudly as if she could hear me.

    I was so angry and could not get a hold of myself. I could not touch her because she was pregnant with that riphath¡¯s baby. The chances she would carry to full term was what¡­ maybe one percent. A miracle would have to happen.

    I rang the bell next to the shower. Three women came running, washing me. They worked fast. I rinsed off the soap. They held up towels for me as I covered myself from the waist down. Gesturing with my hand, they disappeared. The last one tried to scurry away. I grabbed her at the roots of her hair, flinging her back. I had some human women kidnapped to see what Marcus had to eat. It had grieved me; this thing in my hands was what he was surrounded with. A primitive species that could do nothing for themselves. I tossed her to the floor, a chunk of her hair stuck in my fingers. She crawled away as I flung the hair of my hand to the ground. ¡°Stop!¡± I lifted her up by her neck, tilting her head to the side and biting into her flesh. I cracked the bones to make her stop kicking. My hands only needed to contract, and my prey was dead. I sucked out every last drop she had. Strangely, humans made me feel better¡­ there was something in their blood. But just like every species of beast or thing, their blood affected us differently. I dropped the body. Feeding for a vampire was always a messy story. Taking the towel off my waist, I rubbed it over my face and tossed it next to the corps.

    I made my way to sit in front of a mirror, looking at myself. I did not have much time left; wrinkles and blotches covered my face from my advanced years. My biggest problem was not knowing how to break Marcus¡­ I needed him to come home on his own and take his place before I died. The only way was that chit of a girl. Getting up, I walked over to the window. My rooms were still dark. Our star had not risen yet. The dark skyline of the city spanned as far as I could see. A city I had built. Beyond that, a kingdom I ran. Everyone in its place.

    All my problems began with a rebellion, and after all of them were captured¡­ the overpopulation in the prisons became a problem. I needed space in the jails. We had more and more criminals, and our world needed a reprieve. We needed some more space, and the Earth seemed to be the best place. It wasn¡¯t worse than our world, just different. I sent all the convicts there, the useless men and women who couldn¡¯t cut En-gannim. The colony on earth had flourished... Marcus had proved himself by staying by his father¡¯s side. He was a filial child. I wanted him to come home and rule ¡­ On Earth, he was already the general of an army¡­ ready to bring the planet into subjection. Until that morning¡­ he surprised us all. It does lift up the corner of my mouth. Marcus was master of himself until he showed his hand.

    ¡°Open,¡± I spoke; the doors obeyed and glided, each one to either side of the balcony. I took in a deep breath. I was so high in the sky that I looked down on everything around me. The air up there was crystal clear and clean.

    Once I felt like I could eat anything, I teleported from my quarters to the breakfast room. I stood as the silence washed over me. The quiet of the space assailed me every day, whereas it was once filled with boys. I only had second-wives kids other than Qadir; I have yet to meet one of them. There were hundreds, and they didn¡¯t signify. The door to my right ¡®swooshed¡¯ opened. Tabitha stopped in the doorway. Eyes cast down. ¡°Come.¡± She entered the room. A servant followed her in, and the door closed behind them. I didn¡¯t feel like sitting alone¡­ eating alone. She sat looking down the whole time. She knew her place. The peace she afforded was priceless. I did not need to cut out her tongue¡­ She had never said a word because she was trained before she was given me as a spouse. Our conditioning camps taught our women how to behave. On En-gannim, there was order, hierarchy, and obedience. Some things that happened on Earth would never even occur there. Looking over at Tabitha, I did not even know what she looked like. I never wanted to know. Covered from head to toe, it didn¡¯t really matter. I knew she would be beautiful. If I ever decided to lift up that veil¡­ but so many men have given up kingdoms for a face.

    The servants brought the food, and the feast was laid out as we ate in silence. The news was playing on the glass of the table next to my plate. I didn¡¯t have to look up and could eat and get things done while I ate. As I finished, it was almost mid-morning. Jabin came in, waiting just inside the door. Seeing him, I knew Raas was already there waiting. I took a deep breath, wiped my mouth on a napkin, and pushed out the chair behind me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with.¡± I cleaned my teeth with my tongue. Scratching my forehead, running my hand over my beard. I was fidgeting. Whenever there was news of Marcus, it unsettled me.

    Entering the office, Raas was already bowing on the ground. No one there had ever bowed before Marcus. Something I wanted to change. Show him where his place was. I frowned, my breathing ragged as I thought about the report of him bowing in front of that girl¡ªapologizing.

    Unfortunately, my reports came from the watchers, and they had everything animated. It was the first time he had seen a riphath, and I wanted to see how he reacted. He would have grown up with me if I had taken him when he was born. But Qadir is ruthless and evil, and I thought if anyone could make a child hard enough to take over, it would be him. It was also the only way to protect Marcus from his father, who would¡¯ve killed him by any means necessary. Fortunately, Qadir understood his life was dependent on Marcus¡¯s survival. Unfortunately, neither of us had anticipated Marcus never getting greedy like I hoped he would. His self-control was unfathomable. Never any emotion. Total submission. Those traits had to be broken¡ªand soon. I had raised Danny and his brothers¡­ they were all greedy enough to get themselves killed. Qadir was the most desirous of them all.

    ¡°Get up!¡± I ordered Raas. He jumped up, head bowed. His body stayed tilted a little towards me so our eyes never had to meet.

    ¡°Play the meeting,¡± the man actually shivered, and Jabin thinned his lips as I waited impatiently. Jabin grabbed the device from Raas¡¯s grip and waved the little black tube in front of us. The animation began when Marcus and that chit came through the teleporter. Soon, she had the upper hand, even over Raas. He was thwarted at every turn by that mouth of hers. My fists clenched at my sides as Marcus shut him up, explaining what was happening and yet lying to her. I hissed; this is why women wore veils.

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    Marcus continued to relay the account of what happened when he branded her. They could have come back, but he chose not to because of her. My nails dug into my hands, piercing the skin. Marcus dismissed Raas. The feed stopped.

    ¡°Play the rest.¡± Jabin waved through the air again.

    I saw her making sure Marcus got fed with the riphath. He enjoyed the feast immensely. The two men are friends. They played with their food in that tiny room like two children. I smiled for the first time in years, seeing him enjoy himself. My anger rose as I thought about her taking care of him. Manipulating him. He was with another family. One I was going to crush. Walking over to Raas, I kicked him in the face. He toppled over. She was giving him what I couldn¡¯t. I should never have let him stay once he was born. ¡°You are useless,¡± I spat out, ¡°That place is not run properly. You can¡¯t even control a little girl.¡±

    My biggest mistake was having the werewolves piggyback on the planet with their own criminals, telling them about the Earth. A species that looked exactly like us but could not manifest at all. The repercussions were we had to be diplomatic towards the other races. The rules were different there than they would be on En-gannim. Regardless, back then, trade alliances were more important. They still didn¡¯t know it was us causing the werewolf population numbers to dwindle¡­ or maybe Queen Brylee knew, and like me, she didn¡¯t care about her people on Earth, letting them do whatever they wanted. Qadir was given complete control of the compound and all operations on the planet. He decided to infiltrate from the inside, began negotiations with the humans, and established the watchers. So far, that route had not been his worst plan, and his other one was also not too bad¡­ Seeing that girl suffer was my one consolation. ¡°Is there anything else you are not showing me, Raas?¡± He took out another tube and hesitantly handed it to Jabin.

    It was Marcus and that girl, and everything that had happened in the previous two weeks was condensed into clips. It angered me¡­ Marcus unloading¡­ everything that happened from his point of view after they met. The werewolves heard what was going on in the compound. The watchers knew things they shouldn¡¯t. His conduct confused me. Marcus wasn¡¯t talking to her, kissing her, touching her, unless she made him, and not even then did he always comply.

    In the last clip, she transformed in his arms. I smiled happily as she changed into that creation of Rodrigo. It made me stand up from the table I was sitting on. My eyes were wide, scoffing at her, ¡°Because you wanted to save a werewolf cub,¡± I whispered to myself. ¡°Play it back with Marcus¡¯s face close up.¡± I stared at the rendered image playing out slowly in the air, and Jabin zoomed in on Marcus¡¯s face, every reaction visible. ¡°Has he done anything physical with her?¡± Raas shook his head vigorously. ¡°What is that boy up to? Is he there for her or for us?¡± When Marcus spoke to Chris, he had lied about a lot. Left out vital things.

    Raas wanted to say something, lifting his hand in the air, ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°Marcus is having trouble with the other men. Her conduct and the way she dresses.¡±

    ¡°Jealousy?¡± So, his weakness was not greed. I chuckled¡ªJealousy? My smile fell as I realized why he was there; if he left, she would have no problems letting him go; she even said so herself. Marcus had an out and didn¡¯t take it. I should have known after the branding his desire to have her would be worse. The vampiric need to control everyone, and everything might not have been kicked out of him just yet. I sighed; if this was how Marcus thought he was competing for her and going to make her submit, he was wrong. The boy was still young. Marcus always wanted her on the compound with him, ruled by the laws of Qadir; I would have allowed them to get married if she was not so dead set against every f¡ªing principle we had.

    Luckily for me, it seemed that Louis was now suffering with her. Biting my lip, I thought about Louis du Pont; he was the thorn in my side that had become my biggest obstacle. That chit had taken a course no one had seen coming. The only ones to blame were Samuel and his brother; nevertheless, I did not go around killing everyone who showed me the slightest opposition. You never know when you might need them in the future. A lesson Qadir will never learn. ¡°Watch him closer. Analyze every facial feature¡­ Go now, Raas! You have many meetings to attend. Report to me before you return to Earth.¡± He stood up, bowing, backing out a few steps, facing me before he dared turn around.

    ***

    Michael

    When I went into the army, I didn¡¯t imagine my life would turn out like that, especially not after my training and the countless hours I had slaved away. After running away from a gang, I entered the army as an escape... I quickly climbed the ranks. Did my tours. I was born and bred¡­ I found I was¡­ a patriot. I became an expert marksman. Special forces. Delta team at the age of twenty-three. Then¡­ my world crumbled down around me. My career flushed in an afternoon. Taken from my flat in Brooklyn while on well-deserved leave, hauled into a room in the heart of New York, and stayed there for two months. During that time, I learned about aliens, all three planets, teleportation, and more technology that Earth could only dream of. America needed me; no, Earth needed me. The watchers were the best of the best all over the world. Unified as the first global army that needed to be prepared for when Earth suddenly faced an invasion. None of us could say no. The perks alone were worth it.

    So, I was redeployed to sit behind a desk in the desert, on the border between Utah and Nevada, hidden away in the mountains. A secret army base underground. Covered by America¡¯s biggest Mormon community, the vampires live in their compound. For two hundred years, they were there, and we didn¡¯t know. Unfortunately, social media boomed, and there were meetings with leaders from all countries across the world. Peace treaties signed. Money exchanged¡­ and lots of it. The vampires had money because of their technology and the selling of information the watchers acquired while watching all the children born at the compound. The vamps also owned two hundred years of oil, mining, and minerals and had their fingers in every pie Qadir could think of.

    Of course, the men on Earth thought they controlled the situation. I sneered at them, sitting up there while they knew nothing about the s¡ª the storm that would soon hit our world. Or they knew and thought they would be prepared with their secret bases and organizations. I didn¡¯t really care. When Juliet was born, I was twenty-three. When she was fifteen, I was a millionaire¡­ a few times over¡­ All I had to do was sit behind a screen and train my ass off every chance I got. Everything I did was paid for. I had all the luxury, the freedom¡­ or would have one day, and all I had to do was watch a little girl¡¯s life¡­ twenty-four-seven. I didn¡¯t want to know what they offered Jack, Kubra, and the others for doing it for so long, and they didn¡¯t have some girl to watch. Jack had it best being in Europe, away from prying eyes hidden away in the Alps for most of his life.

    Kubra was the only vampire watcher because Qadir didn¡¯t trust us with his son. He didn¡¯t ever want a human on the compound. So we had the tech to watch, but I have never set foot on their soil. Never to intervene, only to study and make sure Qadir didn¡¯t plan anything. Of course, there was the interstellar travel that only took a moment, not that we were allowed anywhere else than En-gannim. Our alliance was with the vampires, not the werewolves or the riphaths. Their three worlds occupied another system with their own star, Sirius, a blue one when you looked at it with their own rules. I only went once. All of us only went once, and the watchers were all male.

    The consequence of talking or drinking and spilling secrets was immediate death. Execution. Bullet to the head. All money and assets were taken away from any remaining family without question. When we signed those papers, we literally signed away our lives. I thought it was worth it in the beginning because I would live for nine hundred years.

    I looked over to Juliet, who was lying on Chris¡¯s chest, ready to fall asleep. My life would have gone on. They would reset my biological clock, and I would be discharged and allowed to start a family. A life. You could choose the age you wanted to be frozen. I decided at thirty-two. At that time, Juliet was nine. Taking two months off wasn¡¯t an issue. I thought that if I needed to find a wife later in life and start a family, thirty-two was a good age for a man. That was the one time you went. You stayed until the treatment was done. In that time, you got to travel their world. All the vampires there were in a manifested state all the time unless you were still going through puberty. All the species looked like us in every way, yet underneath, their nature was different and not at all like humans. The universe played a sick joke on us, ¡®Who is really on top of the food chain?¡¯ Not us.

    I rested my arms on my knees. I was tired. I sat back, my head resting on the glass behind me. Trained to sleep sitting up, waiting for my dependent to sleep. Programmed to sleep only when she slept. That meant I woke up when she did. A built-in alarm clock; nightmare, clubbing, staying awake at a sleepover when she was invited to one for the first time. She was so excited she couldn¡¯t close her eyes. Or when she slept for three days straight, I slept with her. After the branding, I got to leave the compound¡­ and the desert. I was immersed in her world for weeks, just her and me¡­ on Samuels¡¯s farm. A person I had never met but knew better than I did myself. For the longest time, I was the only one there for her¡­ Well, not the only one. Carl came along and was there when she did stupid things and was drunk at parties. Boyfriend after boyfriend. They had placed him with her for a reason. The humans had freaked out about the branding and Marcus¡¯s actions afterward. We were suddenly surrounded by not only aliens but the supernatural.

    I closed my eyes and slept. Raas would return the following morning with word from Ahasuerus and their courts and councils.

 52. Sitas Back

    52. Sita''s Back

    Juliet

    My uncle came through the teleporter with Jack and Kubra early in the morning, luckily before Raas showed his face. Chris lifted my face and kissed me awake. I complained, and he picked me up like I weighed nothing. I was at least two meters off the ground. His soft fur, broad chest, and comfy lap had kept me warm and cozy for the few hours we could sleep. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to help you relax if I didn¡¯t turn. Your uncle is here.¡± He put me down.

    My dad and Louis were greeting Samuel while I yawned, ¡°What is wrong with me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant,¡± he smiled, with a smug look on his face, ¡°With my baby.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not forget who made that happen.¡± He laughed with that mouth full of teeth I had a hard time looking away from. Uncle Samuel was staring at Chris, taking in his enormity. The muscles and the big black fur tail. His massive paws and the vampire/wolf-like face. It was something to get used to, even if we were also not human.

    Sam came closer and opened his arms, ¡°Not too grown up to be affectionate anymore, I hope.¡± I fell onto him. He patted me on the back, ¡°How are you, Juliet?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer because I didn¡¯t know. ¡°Introduce me to Chris. Your other husbands I¡¯ve met,¡± he said, looking down at me, ¡°You really know how to work fast.¡± I shook my head. He held out a hand to Chris, who changed back and greeted him.

    He turned to Michael, ¡°Get her something comfortable to sit on. Why haven¡¯t you done it yet?¡± Michael got up slowly, visibly tired, mumbling as he walked off¡­ Kubra and Jack in tow. Had they even slept at all?

    ¡°Well, I suppose congratulations are in order. About the baby,¡± Sam pulled himself together. Always dressed fancy in his weird English suits. Plaid, tweed, and wool. Burgundy tie and matching pocket handkerchief. My uncle was shorter than my father and wore ankle-high brown boots that weren¡¯t fully fastened, making him look edgy yet friendly. He walked over to Marcus and sat down next to him. He whispered into his ear. We all knew who was in charge, after all.

    The one who held his niece¡¯s life in his hands.

    Five-ish months later.

    It was a stressful day. Charlene was giving birth in our house. We couldn¡¯t take her to a hospital because we didn¡¯t know how the baby would look once it was born. It could either be a human or a werewolf pup and change whenever. My mom was playing midwife. Ben was in there, and Carl. My dad and Ben¡¯s friends were waiting in the lounge to help at a minute¡¯s notice. My presence was a bit redundant, but she wanted me, and all I did was hold her hand while she leaned into Ben behind her. Charlene was already such a great mother. The baby came out as a human girl and, a few minutes later, changed into a cub and back again. The four men, even David, were ecstatic. Everyone congratulated Charlene, and it took away some of the shock after seeing her baby transform in her arms. Louis was there to read her every step of the way; we needed to know if she would freak out.

    The werewolves didn¡¯t like their males mated with humans because the outcome didn¡¯t produce a cub one hundred percent of the time; with their numbers so low, I could understand the unspoken rule. Ben was there like us¡ªa kid from a convicted parent sent there¡ª and they were letting it go.

    The fact that the baby was a girl was a plus point for Charlene. It meant the two of them would probably only have girls, which put Benjamin in a good light with their queen. If the first baby changed, almost ninety-five percent of their kids would be werewolf girls; that was if Ben and Charlene could make it work.

    There was also a lot of politics surrounding the werewolf men and whether they would have to go back to the home planet to be subject to some female. The three werewolves in the home didn¡¯t share too many details with us, and neither did Nick.

    Nevertheless, I thought about Sita a lot those days. Chris and I phoned Nicholas once a week to share information and stories and to just chat and catch up. Nick had not heard from Sita in almost six months. Why she didn¡¯t go back to her home planet and start her own family was beyond me? I still didn¡¯t want to think about her and still hated her, but for Nick¡¯s sake, I tried to keep it together when he spoke about her.

    That day was our turn to call him.

    ¡°Yeah, Nick, it¡¯s a girl,¡± Chris said into the microphone.

    ¡°That is wonderful news. I¡¯m so happy. How is Juliet¡¯s pregnancy going?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s going well, thanks, Uncle Nick. Just a few more months. Due date Christmas Eve.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hear all about it, Juliet, and I am glad you sound well¡­ I have something I would like to say to Chris¡­ Would you mind giving us some privacy?¡±

    I reluctantly got up, but Chris pulled me down on his bed, putting his finger to his lips, ¡°Yeah, Nick, you can speak. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Sita.¡± Red flags flapped mockingly in my face, and my chest felt instantly tight, making it hard to breathe. Chris rubbed his hand over my thigh, watching me closely. ¡°She is somewhere in France¡­ I heard from her about a week ago when she said she was making her way to you.¡± I jolted up and disappeared. Chris grabbed at me. His reflexes were a bit quicker than before. By then, he knew me so well, taking hold of my upper arm and pulling me onto him. He fell back onto the bed. I braced with outstretched arms. Chris rolled me over so I was pinned underneath him. Jealousy made me turn into a green-eyed monster. Tears burned the backs of my eyes.

    ¡°Why?¡± Chris asked, clipped.

    ¡°She had heard about the baby and the two men in Juliet¡¯s life. So, I think she has changed her mind about you two. The thing is, I never did get to tell you all there is about werewolf mating and rituals.¡±

    I squirmed under Chris, trying to pin me, talk to Nick, and keep himself from pressing on the baby bump, ¡°I can handle Sita¡­ It doesn¡¯t really change anything. So, don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ Don¡¯t tell Juliet we don¡¯t want her to have a spell again. Being so far along is already beyond anybody¡¯s expectations.¡±

    ¡°Mmmh, mmm, I hear you, Nick. Talk later.¡± I was going nuts under him. He tossed the phone onto the bed. His lips came down on my face, well in my eye¡­ It took him a second, but he found my mouth, locking our lips. He kissed me hard and didn¡¯t stop. Tears were trailing down my temples¡­ I didn¡¯t want to see her or have her anywhere near Chris.

    ¡°Juliet, calm down¡­ I have no intention of ever speaking to her¡­ we can send¡­ Marcus.¡±

    I paused my rant, able to breathe again, appearing under him. I hated that I was so emotional about every little thing. The baby was messing with me. The hormones pushed me over my limits too quickly. I dragged his mouth onto mine, kissing him. I tossed him over. Chris gladly went with me so I could straddle him, still heaving from anger, ¡°If she steps foot on this land¡­ I will kill her. Do you understand me!¡± He chuckled, a smug look on his face. He ran his hands over my shoulders and down my arms; gooseflesh covered my body as he continued. ¡°Is the woman mental¡­ What if she did something that ties you two together?¡±

    ¡°She is my biggest mistake¡­ I don¡¯t even think about her. If there was any kind of tie, I would¡¯ve known.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you brand me as well?¡± he shook his head, ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because no one has said anything about what it would do to you. I love you too much to put you through that.¡±

    Hearing him say he loved me was still surreal, even after all those months of waking up and seeing him. It was my biggest want come true¡­ Then I thought about that stupid woman again, ¡°You got to kill Jerry. Why can¡¯t I do the same to your mistake?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to kill Nick¡¯s granddaughter?¡±

    My heart sank, knowing I would probably never be able to do it to Nick. I jumped off him, screaming. He manifested, teleported, and blocked the door. He picked me up, holding me far away from his body to avoid my kicking feet. Chris was so big my legs didn¡¯t even reach him. He licked his lips, ¡°Oh, sweetheart¡­ You¡¯re making it so much better.¡± I laughed, hearing him talk like that. It wasn¡¯t at all like him to try and be sexy or dominant. He slapped the door closed with his tail, locked it, and took the key out. Chris knew how to make me forget all my problems, and my lips found his.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ***

    Sita: France

    My laptop was open on my bed in front of me. I was in my hotel room in Lyon, France. The footage of Chris manifested and being carried into the house played on the screen; after a few minutes, he returns to human form. I was busy editing the feed and cutting up the whole thing, so all the significant parts or secrets were in separate files. I planned to send it in increments to keep the press interested. I had the footage of Juliet in our house with her legs and arms ripped up, sitting across from Chris on the couch. I had all the footage of them in the car.

    Hearing how she had taken a second husband was a shock. At first, I thought she married Louis and Chris. Then I heard Chris wasn¡¯t even in the equation; it was a man named Marcus. My crisis came when I heard Chris had decided to join them; they were all together, and I wanted to know what was going on. I was sick of Juliet having everything while I was alone and unhappy. If she had never come into our lives, Chris and I would still be together.

    The business card with the reporter¡¯s number was lying next to my phone. I was putting the first file on a burner to send to him. At first, I only sent him pictures to see if he would bite. He didn¡¯t. Thought I was playing him. It wasn¡¯t until we met and I showed him the footage of Chris that he almost offered me his soul if he could be the one to leak the story.

    I wanted to talk to Chris. I needed to see him. Being away from him for so long had brought me back full circle to our dating days, and I was convinced we could try again. I walked out onto the terrace of my hotel room and sat down at a little round table, staring at the city skyline. It was beautiful and romantic and spanned into the distance. The change of scenery and finally getting a chance to travel had given me a lot of perspective. I knew most of what happened was my fault¡­ but¡­ I had found out in the meantime why I was the way I was. Nicholas had seen it fit to send me document after document of where we came from and what was really going on. I was supposed to be on another planet where, like Juliet, I would have more than one husband. On Palmyra, I would be in charge and treated like a queen. Although I wanted Chris with me, I had no expectations for him to toe the line.

    Sipping on my wine, I looked at my phone, going over and over the message I wanted to send him.

    Me { Christopher, do you remember when we first met? Our first date. We got caught in the rain. You had bought me flowers, and they were soaked. We laughed as we kissed, trying to hide under a tree. It has only been six months since our divorce, and I want to take it back. I was stupid, and I know more now. Please meet with me. We haven¡¯t even spoken since that night. }

    My plan was simple. Chris would eventually go home¡­ to wherever he came from. He didn¡¯t belong on Earth. He was the only one of his kind, and there was a reason. The vampires had their own plans, and I didn¡¯t want to be there when Qadir took over the Earth. There were no prospects for me. I pressed send. I stared at the screen. Delivered¡­ Two grey ticks¡­ Online¡­ Two blue ticks. My lips lifted into a smile I couldn¡¯t contain. I didn¡¯t think he would read it. I was getting a little closer to my goal.

    ***

    Juliet

    Smiling, I looked up at the three men laying the roof on Charlene¡¯s house. Being in their manifested states, they had worked so fast that building a whole house had only taken a few months. I often wondered how the werewolf planet would be with so many women in charge of households, where strong men could do and finish things quickly. The little baby in my arms was fussing as I patted her back. She was lying over my shoulder, her head resting on the crook of my neck. I loved playing house, and days like that were the best. The table with water and drinks in a bucket was under a tree with chairs, where we could come and watch the guys work. My mom and dad were inside the house with Carl. Charlene was taking a bath and a nap. I didn¡¯t mind taking care of Min¨¦.

    The phone on the table buzzed. I looked over to see Chris¡¯s screen light up. Going over to pick it up, I tried soothing the baby, bending my knees, and rocking her when she complained. The locked screen revealed the name of the messenger. After we spoke to Nick, I had some time to get used to the idea that Sita might make contact, so I wasn¡¯t caught off guard seeing the name on Chris¡¯s phone. Unlocking the passcode, I went into the app and saw the message highlighted at the top. Opening it up, I prepared myself¡­ I was fine until I saw multiple messages going back and forth from her to him.

    Scrolling up to the top, I read the first message she sent him. Every word punched me in the gut. Thinking of them kissing in the rain sent my blood into a frenzy. The little girl on my chest made me suck in a breath and put down the phone. ¡°Marcus!¡±  Louis and Chris didn¡¯t react. Marcus was there in a split second, worried lines on his forehead. I handed him the baby and fell to my knees. I reached for the lesion on my neck, scorching my skin even further, stinging me like a jellyfish. I felt it crawling over my skin, covering me even more. Screeching and writhing from the pain, my bare knees dug into the gravel, grating my flesh.

    I looked up to see if Louis was affected. ¡°Chris!¡± I yelled.

    Louis had passed out and was falling off the roof, sliding down the tiles they had just laid down. Chris was so focused on me he didn¡¯t even notice Louis. He needed to teleport to catch him in time. Chris put him on the table and came to stand over me. He wanted to pick me up, but I slapped his hand away. Chris was confused and hurt. It wasn¡¯t his fault. I wanted to take it back. Louis let out a loud groan, gritting his teeth against the pain as his face contorted. ¡°Aahgh! Help him.¡± My parents and Carl were standing at the door, taking in the scene.

    Michael appeared, and the familiar little black tube stung my neck. The  ¡°swooshing¡± sound made my body limp. His strong arms enveloped me. I was off the ground and away from everything.

    ***

    Chris

    I couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. Juliet was fine a moment ago. I sighed, looking around us to see what made her that angry. My phone wasn¡¯t where I left it. I cursed, seeing my messages open in the conversation with Sita. Marcus covered the baby¡¯s ears. ¡°Did you tell her you were talking to Sita?¡± I pushed the phone into his face. Marcus laughed lightly, shaking his head slowly. Louis complained at the table when Jack wanted to push a tube into his neck.

    ¡°She has been very emotional¡­ since going into her second trimester... How could you do this? You said you would tell her¡­ And why are you laughing?¡± I asked, irritated that Marcus thought it was an excellent time to show his teeth and dimples. Marcus never laughed, and when he did, it was so rare it was almost something to witness. I stared at him as he turned and walked up to the main house¡­ still laughing.

    S¡ª there was so much going on I didn¡¯t know who to focus on, ¡°Warden!? Warden?!¡± The guy appeared out of nowhere with a sandwich in his hand, biting into it. He shook his head.

    ¡°Where did Michael take her?¡±

    ¡°This is what you get for falling for a child.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡± I yelled at him, ¡°Do you want to make it worse or help?¡±

    A force hit me from the side. I went flying, skidding over the gravel. I had to manifest again to compensate for the power. Marcus¡¯s manifested face was distorted as he attacked me with one of his weapons. We went into a full-blown fight. He didn¡¯t let up and was fast. We had never gone at each other without rules. The usually disciplined Marcus was out of control. His fighting was better than mine. His dodging thwarted me at every turn. ¡°How could you do this to her?¡± he screamed. ¡°Did you see what happened to her¡­ It¡¯s your baby. I never thought you were here for the right reasons¡­ You should never have entertained the idea of talking to that woman. Why haven¡¯t you blocked her? You know how Juliet feels about you!¡± All this, he said while I got my ass handed to me.

    ¡°If I didn¡¯t, we wouldn¡¯t have known what she was planning.¡± I gritted out the words as he punched him in the gut. He didn¡¯t like that and upped his game. There was a stab in my ribs a few more times and a shooting pain through my body. When he missed and hit the ground, you could hear the ¡°clang¡± and ¡°thwack¡± of the metal rod hitting the rocks. Marcus was bluffing that night in the club. He could totally have given me a go and taken Juliet. Jumping up, I utilized every move he had taught me in the last five months. I took back some ground, using my ability to catch him in a hold he could not get out of, ¡°This is as much your fault as mine.¡±

    Michael appeared next to us with Juliet in his arms, passed out. ¡°Are you done? She¡¯s fine! She didn''t cross over again¡­ It¡¯s only her shoulder. The baby is fine, too.¡± Michael walked over, hesitating to give her to us. His eyes lingered on her face a little too long. A jealous growl escaped Marcus. I released him, and we both came back to human. ¡°Should I rather take her to Samuel for the remainder of her pregnancy?¡± Michael whispered.

    Louis pushed past us and grabbed her out of his arms, ¡°No! Get lost, Michael! Don¡¯t let me tell them what happened on the farm.¡±

    Michael¡¯s silence was enough, and Marcus and I glared at him. He lifted up his hands, ¡°Do you think he would let me live if it was something like that?¡± Those watchers were quick to lift up their hands in surrender, but they had the most power over us.

    Louis held her tight and carried her inside, struggling all the way. I followed, wanting to help, but when he climbed the stairs, I stopped. I didn¡¯t go up there unless I was invited. He slammed the door. I sat down on the bottom stair, rubbing my hands over my face and through my hair. I waited¡­ Marcus came over with a medkit, cleaning up all the wounds I didn¡¯t even know I had. ¡°What did you mean¡­ You never thought I was here for the right reasons?¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said it¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ You don¡¯t want to make this official¡­ And she keeps wondering when you¡¯re going to leave.¡±

    ¡°Any one of us can leave at any time. A paper or a branding doesn¡¯t solidify this.¡±

    He sighed heavily, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even told her what¡¯s going on. Or what Samuel and you discussed after the meeting. You lied to her, and she is trying so hard. It¡¯s building up,¡± I argued.

    ¡°We can¡¯t, Chris. Not before the baby comes. Maybe not even after. I¡¯m actually glad you¡¯re here. She needs one outlet.¡±

    It seemed like Marcus had more to say. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Are we going to talk about how Michael looks at her? The embassy and his comment just now?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t think about that right now. He isn¡¯t even in the picture. As long as we are with her¡­ I don¡¯t think what he wants matters. You saw Louis¡¯s reaction. There is no way.¡±

    ¡°Then we best keep her happy.¡±

    ¡°Sita isn¡¯t helping. I know that. And I do feel responsible.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Chris. We all have a past that will catch up to us eventually.¡±

 53. Cool Down

    53. Cool Down

    Louis

    The first night we returned after the embassy meeting, we were all tired. It was a stressful situation, but we knew more than ever before. It was an information dump of what was really going on with our two races and why we were on Earth. Raas refused to talk about Chris. The watchers had brought us back via the teleporter, and Juliet headed straight for my room. I was happy she didn¡¯t even ask and was right behind her. A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. Chris was standing in the doorway, his thoughts a nervous mess; I followed what he wanted, and I called him over. He jumped into bed with us, grabbing Juliet and pulling her into him. She smiled, holding me in front of her, thanked me, and we fell asleep immediately. I didn¡¯t think Marcus would join us, and he didn¡¯t. Their morning routine of her and Marcus reading and Chris on his phone at her feet was fine with me. I helped in the kitchen and reviewed the plans to build Charlene¡¯s house; I kept myself busy planning and organizing.

    Chris had been in our bed for five months, every night, until Juliet had her setback, and I took her from Michael. It was draining, and yet I had to leave it. I guess I reached a breaking point when I slammed the door in his face. The next morning, without opening her eyes, she turned into me, playing with the chain around her neck. We were alone for the first time in months. Not like she had not tried; Juliet had been all over me the first few days, like it was before we slept together. I had pushed her away, and it was killing us. ¡°It wasn¡¯t Chris talking to Sita¡­ it was Marcus.¡± Her eyes slowly met mine. I flicked her forehead. Defeated, her eyes closed. One thing about Juliet¡¯s mind was¡­ she judged herself more than she did others. I felt immediately guilty kissing her.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ You¡¯re kinda going nuts on us.¡±

    She nodded and turned onto her back, pressing fingers into her eye sockets, ¡°I don¡¯t know what is wrong with me. Since before the embassy and I changed into whatever I did when you woke up¡­ I haven¡¯t been myself. I feel myself getting worse every day. The smallest things set me off crying, or I¡¯m so angry I can kill someone¡­ The hormones aren¡¯t helping.¡± She sat up, pulling the skin on her shoulder to see how far the leathery patch had grown. Juliet wore only a very loose tank top hanging low over her breasts. When she lifted her arm, the rounding of her side boob peeked out. It was the same one Charlene had put on her that first night we were all together. She pulled me forward, inspecting my shoulder.

    My mind was already down another path, focusing on the soft skin running from her neck into her top. She gasped and ran her finger over the small, leathery spot on my bare shoulder. My first lesion had appeared where hers was¡­ a small one, but it was there. Juliet¡¯s jaw flexed, clenching her teeth as I tried to kiss away her thoughts. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I begged.

    ¡°What? Be so hard on myself? Look at what I¡¯m doing to you! To Chris and Marcus. This is a big stuff up¡­ Everything!¡± I frowned. She meant all of this¡­ All of us. Doubt was clouding her thoughts. The last thing we needed was a depressed Juliet. I pulled her down onto her back and got on top of her. I had left her alone for many reasons; regardless, it was getting to me, and I missed her. ¡°It¡¯s been so long. Do you still remember what to do?¡± she joked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll follow your lead,¡± she giggled, opening her lips for me.

    A knock at the door halted me. I groaned into her neck, ¡°Chris?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me¡­ Marcus is also here,¡± I rolled off her.

    ¡°Come in¡­¡± If this was going to blow up¡­ that day was as good as any other.

    Juliet kept nervously playing with the sheet around her waist and then my chain hanging around her neck, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± she whispered.

    Chris came over and pulled her to her feet and into his arms. Marcus was painfully aware of what she had on. ¡°You get more possessive over him, Juliet¡­ Every time you guys sleep together¡­ And you¡¯ve only been sleeping with him,¡± I complained.

    Juliet and Chris frowned at each other, ¡°We haven¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to while she¡¯s pregnant.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡± I asked. I was reading everyone but couldn¡¯t do it twenty-four-seven to everyone in the house at once. I also stopped myself as soon as their thoughts wandered.

    ¡°We just fool around,¡± Chris smirked, ¡°Where we should have started off¡­ Not pushing people into cars,¡± Chris softly shoved her shoulder. Juliet picked up a cushion and hit him with it. Her breasts were visible for a second, and Marcus had to turn around, wincing as if he was in pain.

    ¡°Hey, Marcus!¡± she got up. He turned around slowly, ¡°You won¡¯t even kiss me¡­ Touch me. Hold my hand. And I¡¯m not forcing another guy to do anything. I¡¯ve made a mess just because you guys listened to me.¡±

    Marcus bit his lip nervously. His thoughts were a jumbled mess of excuses. He couldn¡¯t answer her. ¡°The problem you have, Juliet¡­ We are the three worst cowards you will ever see in life.¡±

    Her eyes rolled, ¡°Liar. But good try.¡±

    She jumped off the bed, pacing, turning to Marcus¡­ ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­? Do you want me to make the first move? Why? This isn¡¯t like you. A few months ago, you would¡¯ve taken the first gap you could.¡± He kept biting his lip. His eyes wandered all over her. Marcus was tempted, but something had happened after the embassy. When Marcus had to fight to get Juliet, he did everything he had to; now he had her, and he was stuck. She was so fragile, and he was scared about the future. I was scared. Chris was scared¡­ and we were lying to her.

    Getting nothing from Marcus, she came at me, ¡°You¡­! You blame me?! I tried¡­ You said you won¡¯t ask anymore. But now you don¡¯t do anything¡­ No one does, and I¡¯m frustrated¡­ It¡¯s as if the branding and the pregnancy stopped you guys from initiating any physical contact. After we came back from the embassy.¡±

    We were quiet because we couldn¡¯t give her the answers she wanted¡ª again¡ªand like the first time, I wasn¡¯t honest with her or included her¡­ It was only a matter of time before she lost all control or found out and killed me.

    ¡°Juliet! You guys come quickly!¡± Cindy called.

    We wanted to go downstairs; Marcus reached out and stopped Juliet before she could run out the door, ¡°Put on some clothes,¡± he wasn¡¯t asking.

    ¡°No!¡± she flung him off her.

    He pointed a finger at her, ¡°Put on some clothes! Now!¡±

    Juliet was in a good mood after the drugs. Slowly, she stepped forward and placed her lips over his finger, sliding forward until it was entirely in her mouth. She licked and sucked forwards and backward. My mouth fell open. Chris¡¯s thoughts ran over the last time they were together, and he slowly stepped out of the room, ¡°I¡®m going to the bathroom¡­ really quickly.¡±

    There went the first coward.

    I didn¡¯t know what to do. Marcus slowly pulled his finger out of her mouth. His eyes were haunted, his body physically straining, ¡°Put on some clothes¡­ Louis, go get something now.¡±

    I sighed; he was like a machine. Juliet¡¯s shoulders slumped, and she stepped back from him. The familiar gesture between them made him visibly convulse and swore loudly. He stomped out of the room, saying things in our language.

    There went coward number two.

    I pulled her into my arms and kissed her for all three of us. It helped, and she smiled, holding my face in her hands, ¡°I love you.¡±

    It was all I needed to hear, ¡°Oh, Baby¡­ I love you way more than you love me.¡± She giggled. I handed her the blazer on the floor she would have put on over her tank top. We walked down the stairs into the open space towards the front door, where she stopped. I went first and walked out down the steps as was the custom. Warden was standing next to a big rattling cage; noises emanated from inside¡ªsounds I¡¯d never heard before. The cage was massive, taller than any average human, and at least three meters wide. Juliet circled the thing¡­ ¡°There are three compartments. With three¡­ things in there¡­.¡± her smile turned upside down.

    ¡°What?¡± I ask.

    ¡°I can¡¯t play because I¡¯m pregnant.¡±

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Warden stepped forward, handing me a device, ¡°Press there to release. We will drop them high in the mountains. You guys can go hunting like proper¡­ Creatures¡­ Aliens or whatever,¡± he pointed up to the sky, ¡°Full moon¡­ Keep Chris busy and all that.¡±

    We had forgotten; we¡¯d been busy with building the house those last few months. Chris had been a real hit at the cages. Marcus was training him, so they both wanted to fight every time. What happened yesterday had put us all on a downer. None of us felt like celebrating or fighting. Juliet was deteriorating, and everyone was freaking out. ¡°Where did this come from?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to say¡­ Just leave some for the wife and in-laws when you¡¯re done. Chris isn¡¯t going to,¡± Warden grinned at his complaint, ¡°You and Marcus will have to share,¡± a smirk played on his mouth¡­ ¡°I will be there watching¡­.¡± Warden pointed a gun finger at Chris and shot at him with imaginary darts. He flew up and landed on the cages, the beasts going mad inside. He teleported out of there, cages in tow.

    ¡°Movie night and takeout?¡± Juliet asked.

    ¡°Carl and I are going to the cages tonight to watch Ben fight,¡± Liam said.

    Juliet and Charlene locked eyes and clapped their hands, jumping up and down, ¡°Girl¡¯s night!¡± I shook my head; Juliet was so cool until she did that. Marcus¡¯s reaction was priceless. He stood back, staring at her, shaking his head like I had done the first day we met. Juliet was and would always act silly. It was hard for Marcus to let the compound Juliet go and how she was there; subdued, pushed down. She skipped over, kissing Marcus on the lips. He was reminded of the day he saw her without a veil for the first time. She had skipped away from him¡­ and he thought she was too young for anything romantic. He didn¡¯t react, but she didn¡¯t care, running back up the stairs and into the house. ¡°I told you to stop running,¡± Chris yelled. She paused and walked up the stairs, locking arms with Charlene.

    Marcus was slowly coming to the conclusion that Juliet was an enigma, and one of the reasons he fell in love with her was because she kept him on his toes¡­ I think he was a little out of his depth with all the emotions bottled into one little girl and two other husbands. Juliet listening to Chris and not to him¡­ being off the compound and what happened with Michael the day before. Cindy was standing with the little baby in her arms; the three disappeared, completely forgetting us. It was probably exactly what we needed; to get out of the house and to eat something proper. Killing humans after eating that beast-type alien at the embassy had been a little disappointing.

    Warden came to drop us off at the cages a half hour before the sun would set. Underneath us, the cages were quiet, not like earlier. There was no ramming into the sides or any sounds. I tried to sneak a peak, but the dusk sunlight made it impossible. Nevertheless, we were excited, and the adrenalin was pumping as Marcus, and I stood manifested. ¡°Let¡¯s make this interesting,¡± I locked gazes with Marcus, ¡°Let¡¯s run in opposite directions. Chris can open the cages. These things will chase us away from him. The first one to kill their dinner and have it back here wins.¡±

    ¡°Wins what?¡± Marcus asked doubtfully.

    I smirked and flashed my eyebrows, ¡°You okay with that, Chris?¡±

    He drew in a breath¡­ his fists clenched next to his sides as the sun disappeared behind him. He nodded quickly, ¡°Go! If I make it back home before you¡­ I win, and she¡¯s mine again. And just third-base stuff, nothing making her go into premature labor.¡±

    I made a face. I pushed Marcus and jumped off, choosing my way to high ground first. Marcus growled. ¡°Count to twenty,¡± I yelled.

    ¡°One, two, skip a few¡­ twenty.¡± I heard Marcus snort as Chris opened one of the gates. We were fast, and whatever was chasing us would have a hell of a time catching up.

    ***

    Chris

    I pressed the button¡­ not caring if Louis had a two-second start or twenty¡ªnot that night. I could feel the moon rising behind me. I hadn¡¯t told anyone I became more and more in control of myself every month on the full moon. I still had minor time-lapses throughout the night¡­ where Chris took a back seat. Still, mostly, I was fully aware of my strength, size, and abilities being added to the ¡°creature¡± side of my body, just like vamps who needed to grow up and get their strength and speed throughout life. My race probably worked under the same kind of law, and one of the things was the horns on my head. Turning around, I saw the bright light coming out behind the Alps. Marcus also noticed and jumped down, running downhill. I didn¡¯t have much time, and I opened the second gate when Marcus was out of sight. The creatures were too fast for me to take in their form. Each one followed their target by instinct. Clicking sounds came from both Marcus and Louis running in different directions. Louis¡¯s sound faded first and then Marcus¡¯s. I knew they were far enough separated to take on my own meal. Curious, I wanted to take a good look at the thing before I completely ripped it to pieces. The cage was eerily quiet. I pointed the device to the door, and it opened.

    Nothing happened. I could hear steady breathing. A spear-like weapon gripped the top edge of the cage. Whatever was in there pulled himself up using the harpoon-like hook as leverage, flipping mid-air and coming to a standstill in front of me. Confusion floored me; it wasn¡¯t a beast at all. It was an alien race¡­ sentient in every way¡­ The moon rose out from behind me. My body jolted into another form. The guy¡­ smirked at me. I advanced quickly, seeing they weren¡¯t there to be eaten but to fight. It would be sport either way¡­ The victor kills the other.

    From the corner of my eye, I saw the familiar white figure. Warden momentarily distracted the bird and me, flying down towards us. Those metal-like prongs extended down from his legs. He came to get me out of there. I raised a hand, ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Warden wasn¡¯t expecting coherency, ¡°I figured this wasn¡¯t what you had planned.¡±

    Fear oozed from the human in the sky¡­ usually so in control. The birdlike alien¡¯s head kept darting from me to Warden, assessing who the real threat was. Shaped almost like an ostrich¡ªtwo long legs, agile teardrop body shape¡ªinstead of wings, two arms stretched out from its sides. Its one arm ended in a hawk-like claw for a hand. One massive middle finger stood out at least forty centimeters in the shape of a blade. The other hand held a spear as tall as them. It lifted both and created sparks above their head, announcing his attack. Its small grey, beady eyes fixed on Warden. I felt a little offended. ¡°Fly, Warden! Get out of here!¡± He did try. The bird pushed the spear into the cage roof and got a good grip. It vaulted onto the tip, balancing until it jumped towards Warden. The bird twirled in the air, slicing with the blade finger. My heart almost stopped as the blood sprayed in a circular motion from his spinning body. It was clean-cut. Warden¡¯s neck had a big gash over the width. I bellowed out my cry, making everything around me shake. The spear fell, giving the bird nowhere to land. It was not deterred, and it chose to decline steadily. I jumped up, slicing outward with both my claws.

    ¡°Clank!¡± I hit a metal-like material.

    The bird let all of its weight drop. It landed elegantly on the cage in front of me, jumping up, it twirled again. Its tentacle-like hair lifted, secreting a spray that burned my flesh. I advanced as he went for Warden hovering in the air¡­ Warden was desperately covering his throat, trying to contain the damage. I pulled the creature down into a wrestling move so my legs and arms locked him in place. A moment later, more watchers took Warden and flew off. Relieved, I put all my focus on the thing in my rear-naked choke. Like Ashleigh, I extended my claws in and out; even so close, I didn¡¯t make a dent in his armor. His legs wriggled loose, bending in the weirdest way, pushing us up, getting itself out of my arms and legs. My thoughts jumped to Louis. Out of the three of us, he was the least likely to survive a fight; I couldn¡¯t see him getting the better of one of them. My heart pounded as we somersaulted into the air. Their legs were strong, and it lifted me in one swift ¡®woosh.¡¯ My mind raced through everything Marcus had drilled into me the last six months; practice after practice would mean nothing if you were up against someone older and more experienced. Every hold I could imagine would be stopped by the one arm ending in a knife. My close combat training wouldn¡¯t help to get rid of a weapon if it was attached to a body¡­ I needed to break its finger off. His spear was out of reach. I teleported for it. Before he even noticed, I was gone. He tried reaching the cage¡¯s other side; I picked it up first, took my fencing stance, and lunged. It was the first time I saw a trace of fear on its face, staring and tilting its head like a stupid turkey.

    They probably didn¡¯t know what ability they would come face to face with. Teleportation wasn¡¯t on his radar. I used it more¡­ confusing him¡­ Marcus would be proud. I lunged vigorously every time I appeared, trying his armor for weak spots. It wasn¡¯t good timing, and I was pushed to the back for a second as my creature side took over; thinking about Louis gave me the strength to fight it, and for the first time, I could completely control myself, not wanting to provide the alien any more leverage over us. I struck a few times on the blade finger¡­ to see if their weapons were a counter. Nothing worked. I teleported far into a tree, retreating. The bird circled itself, searching for me. I needed to think¡­ Louis was more important. I chose and teleported uphill. A stampede of big bird feet behind me.

    ***

    Louis

    I was the first to run and hear whatever was behind me. Chris didn¡¯t give me a twenty-second start. The thing was heavy on my heel. I kept climbing, knowing I would stand a better chance of killing it if I got some advantage over it. My sense of smell was either failing me¡­ or whatever was after us wasn¡¯t anything to eat. The raging beast¡¯s scent at the house was so prominent. It was quiet around me as I stood waiting, surveying my surroundings. Not one twig snapped¡ªnothing. A strange feeling climbed up my spine¡­ It was watching me. I clicked away, trying to sense anything other than a tree, rock, or plant. I had been living in those mountains for so long, and nothing could eat me besides whatever was hiding from me. Why was it not attacking¡­ unless it? I spun around. The thing had flanked and was behind me, attacking. I was too fast. It landed close to me, already in a battle stance¡ªready for a fight. It wasn¡¯t a beast but a soldier. Armor. Weapon. Communication device on its face.

    ¡°You are Louis du Pont.¡± A mechanical device translated the whirring sounds it made. Like, I was going to answer that¡­ ¡°We were hired to kill you. Good luck.¡± He advanced, running and spearing with a lance-like pole. It whistled past my head. The whooshing sound resonated in the quiet. ¡°Thwack,¡± it entered a tree behind me with a sharp blow. His strength was beyond mine, but not his speed. It was no longer a hunting expedition. I opted for the second choice; to get off the mountain ASAP! That day, I would gladly be a coward.

    I dodged him easily and made my escape. A high-pitched whirring sound pierced the sky. A bright pink light followed, illuminating the area. What came down wasn¡¯t flare particles. ¡°Drones? What the¡­?¡± Hundreds were buzzing above me as I ran in the direction I came from, and locking myself in one of the cages would probably be my best bet¡­ I wasn¡¯t taking those things back to the house. Chris was at the cages¡­ While running, I felt the familiar ¡°bamf¡± wind of Chris¡¯ teleportation. I stopped dead in my tracks, waiting for him to sense me. The trees swayed every time he landed, and finally, he noticed me. Chris was in his full moon outfit ¡­ very lucid, thinking. He teleported to me and got us out of there into a high tree. I hung in one of his arms as we watched the two birds come together. The whirring continued. One waved his hand over a bracelet he wore on his wrist. He was tracking the drones.

    They spoke, but the communicator wasn¡¯t turned off, ¡°We need him¡­ leave the riphath¡­ he is skilled in fighting. We need to pick up the vamp and go. We can end him somewhere else.¡± The other nodded, and they split up. Chris didn¡¯t want to talk, but we thought the same thing¡­ We needed Marcus.

 54. There Is No â€œIâ€ In Team

    54. There Is No "I" In Team

    Marcus

    I wasn¡¯t longing for a good fight, and running to higher ground or not didn¡¯t really matter to me. Beast was beast, and I had other plans. I climbed the first highest maple tree I could find. We had been getting the logs ourselves for Charlene¡¯s house, and knowing my vegetation came in handy. I sat high up in the tree, waiting. I heard the ¡°Thud¡­ Thud¡­ Thud¡­ Thud¡± coming closer, louder until it stopped. Looking down, I saw the alien eyeing its surroundings. Slowly, I took the vile out of my inside jacket pocket and made the same bird-like sound I heard it make while running. Hearing the ¡°whirring,¡± it tilted its head. I clicked my tongue in a bat-like sound. The long neck twisted, turning up towards me¡­ I had dropped the vial¡­ it was already falling onto its face. The glass smashed on its beak, breaking, ¡°Poof!¡± the powder was released into the air. ¡°Thud!¡± I smirked. ¡°My work here is done¡­.¡±

    The smell those things gave off in the cages at the house earlier was one thing I wanted Juliet to experience. Even if I needed to cheat. I was going to give her¡­ chicken¡­ I chuckled. I jumped down and approached the bird. A spear came into view. I paused. The smell was also different than earlier. My eye caught the swordlike fingers on the one hand. A communication device in its ear. ¡°What the¡­¡± Lowering down on my haunches, I turned it around. The beady grey eyes tilted back in its head. Armor ran up almost to its chin. A device on its wrist made a constant beeping noise; it didn¡¯t look like a watch.

    Pressing on the screen yielded no result. I waved my hand over it. A menu with an unknown language came up, projected into the sky as a hologram. ¡°Not beasts to eat¡­.¡± Other species of Aliens. I rolled my eyes¡­ Did the watchers think it was funny? I took the device from its ear and pushed it into my jacket pocket. Dropping its head produced a ¡°Thunk.¡± Mmmm, no brains¡­ I shot up onto my feet. Louis! They must be there for him. I swore and ran. Once the cages came into view, I slowed down and heard a weird sound: ¡°Buzzing?¡±

    Above me, in the air, a cluster was forming. A few small silver round balls were hovering. I leaped up onto the cages and into the swarm, grabbing one. It tried to evade me; I was too quick. A drone? I pressed it hard in the palm of my hand, thinking it would shatter. It didn¡¯t even budge. A burning smell made me relax my hold. My skin was searing in some places. Impenetrable armor and self-defense on even their tech. I pushed the thing into my jacket pocket, zipping it in. It was moving around a bit. Relented after a few moments.

    ¡°Thud¡­ Thud¡±

    ¡°Not again!¡± I quickly stepped into one of the cages, watching one of the others running past. I reached for another vial.

    ¡°WHIRRRR!!!¡±

    It skidded to a stop. Those guys were not very clever. ¡°Can¡¯t they even distinguish between the voices of their own people?¡±

    ¡°Not that you can call this thing a ¡°people,¡± Louis said from on top of the cage.

    Relieved, my heart skipped a beat, hearing his voice, although I had to worry, ¡°Where is Chris?¡±

    ¡°Behind it flanking.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Chris has been holding out on us. He is very much in control of himself.¡±

    I smirked, ¡°That¡¯s my boy.¡±

    The last bird came running up towards us, bypassing me inside the cage and jumping up towards Louis. ¡°Oh, did I say¡­ They are here¡­ to¡­ I quote,¡± he tried to speak as he dodged the attacks. ¡°Hired to kill me. And then¡­ this guy wished me good luck¡­Your father seems to think me a danger.¡±

    ¡°If he saw you now, he¡¯d be laughing. Look at you trying to fight that guy. You really need to start training with me.¡±

    ¡°Hey! How do you know this isn¡¯t a girl?¡±

    I thought for a second what would be the worst insult¡­ ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is a girl is getting the upper hand over you.¡± Louis laughed. ¡°Deep breath! And don¡¯t inhale¡­ You might die.¡± I took a baseball pitch stance and aimed. I hit the bird in the face, and the same thing happened. Louis stood watching the thing drop dead at his feet.

    ***

    Louis

    ¡°What is it with you and drugging things?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like fighting¡­ I¡¯m not a fighter,¡± stunned, I stared at Marcus.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the training? Being a general and the¡­ Reading? The cages¡­¡±

    He gestured with his head to the top of the cage. I held out my hand. He jumped, grabbing on, and I pulled him the last bit. We both stood staring at the alien. ¡°My father is the reason.¡±

    ¡°Why did you let him touch her¡­?¡±

    He sighed, ¡°Because if I cross that line, I will kill him. I¡­ won¡¯t stop¡­ I¡ª.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t finish his sentence because he didn¡¯t have to say anything. Since we got back from the embassy, Marcus and I spent most of our time together; I knew what he was feeling and thinking. Most of the time, he was frustrated. I felt for him. We needed to get to know each other if we would be together forever. ¡°They do die easily, don¡¯t they? Probably why they haven¡¯t invaded Earth yet,¡± Marcus said and bent down, inspecting every detail.

    ¡°We all die easily,¡± I retorted, ¡°Rather susceptible to drugs. There is still one left¡­ Where is Chris?¡± Marcus pointed to the right, high up into a tree. Chris was standing on a branch that could actually carry his weight, swaying in the wind. Marcus didn¡¯t even have to lift his head. I was astounded by his depth of awareness of what was going on around him. Marcus took out a small silver ball from his jacket and fiddled with it. Others came flying into the area and created a swarm of drones hovering above us. They twirled into a funnel, becoming smaller and smaller until they dropped one by one into the ball he held in his hand. ¡°How clever are you anyway?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how they get around now.¡±

    Chris teleported out of the tree, ¡°I¡¯m going hunting. Are you guys going to stand around¡­ chatting the night away?¡± His voice had changed. It was deep and gruff. Marcus followed him; they split up into two directions and disappeared over the hill. I didn¡¯t feel like joining and wanted to return to the house to tell Juliet what had happened. I was just about to leave when I heard noises behind me. As quietly as possible, I went into one of the cages and waited. The noise grew louder. I listened to the familiar ¡®whirring.¡¯ It was the last ¡®thing¡¯ alive¡­. ¡°Thud¡­ Thud¡­ Clang¡± overhead. The cage rattled. The thing was impatiently waiting, walking back and forth. I froze when I saw the familiar white clothes of a watcher coming down from the sky, landing across from him. They shook hands.

    ¡°We would have had him if Marcus and the riphath weren¡¯t here¡­ You have to separate them, or else we can¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± The voice blindsided me. Wide-eyed, I stared up at the figure. If we couldn¡¯t trust the watchers, we were more than useless. In the end, Qadir was pulling their strings as well. The two men disappeared, teleporting out together.

    ¡°He played with us! We went full circle.¡± Marcus bellowed as he and Chris came running up to the cages again. I walked out, still stunned at what I had heard. As soon as Chris saw me, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°A watcher and the last alien shook hands, and they disappeared.¡±

    ¡°Which one?¡±

    I wanted to answer but didn¡¯t know if I should say, ¡°Michael¡­ It was Michael.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t read Chris¡¯s thoughts on a full moon. He rubbed his hands over his face and hair as he changed back to human. Marcus and I did as well. ¡°I¡¯m going home¡­ Who killed them?¡± Chris asked. I pointed at Marcus. He had sat down on the cage¡¯s edge, feet dangling down.

    ¡°What did you use?¡±

    ¡°Vials¡­ Michael gave me¡­.¡± Dumbfounded. It was quiet all around for a moment. ¡°Same stuff he used at the embassy to kill that other slimy thing we ate.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Chris asked and turned to me, ¡°Are you a hundred percent sure you saw Michael?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s kinda hard missing the six foot three guy covered in tats and the voice¡­ I don¡¯t know what the hell is going on, but are we going to have to carry these things back? Where is our escort now,¡± I complained

    ¡°Oh yeah, one of these birds sliced open Warden¡¯s neck. I don¡¯t know if he made it.¡±

    ¡°Sheesh, Chris, what is going on with you? First, you don¡¯t tell us you¡¯re in control on full moons. Now it seems like you don¡¯t even care about Warden?¡±

    ¡°They just tried to kill you, Louis!¡± he yelled, ¡°Not me¡­ Not Marcus¡­ Don¡¯t tell me I don¡¯t care!¡± His answer made me feel loved. I walked over and hugged him¡­ picking him up¡­ We were becoming a family even without Juliet there. We were getting in deep. This was real. ¡°What else did they say?¡±

    ¡°That they will have to separate us.¡±

    Chris swore, sitting down on his haunches.

    ¡°We can¡¯t trust anyone,¡± Marcus said, at last, jumping down. ¡°But I do trust the two of you. The problem is, we¡¯re being monitored¡­ and we can only stop being watched if we sign those stupid papers¡­ Have no more watchers to interfere.¡±

    I scoffed, ¡°No! Marcus, you can¡¯t be so naive. With you here, we will never be free. We should go back to the compound and be close to the enemy. We will always have this riphath¡¯s watcher around, and as long as Juliet is pregnant, Michael will be around.¡±

    ¡°What is a riphath?¡± Chris asked.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s you. That was what they called you.¡±

    ¡°So, not hybrid? Not a mix between werewolf and vampire, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Riphath¡­ Yeah.¡±

    ***

    Charlene

    While the guys were on their hunt, the three of us watched a movie and spent some time with little Min¨¦. The house building had halted for the time being. I was still living with Juliet and had to believe the guys would finish it. The fact it had gone so quickly was already beyond any expectations I ever had. Before we came to France, I was ready to live under Louis¡¯s proverbial roof for a long time.

    ¡°So, tell us what¡¯s going on? How are things with Benjamin?¡± Cindy asked me.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I don¡¯t really know¡­ We don¡¯t spend enough time together to really get to know each other.¡±

    ¡°But how do you feel? Will you invite him to move in?¡± I shook my head. Juliet and I shared a look. ¡°What is going on?¡± Cindy¡¯s eyes darted from me to her.

    ¡°I¡­ asked her if there isn¡¯t any way I could change into something else?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Cindy asked in a kind voice.

    ¡°It feels like¡­ You¡¯re all going to disappear on me¡­ What if everyone goes back to their home planets?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Charlene¡­ The only way is to become an infected creature¡­ And that isn¡¯t something I would wish on anyone.¡±

    ¡°What about the process that suspends the watchers?¡± Cindy sighed because she didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°What does it entail to become an infected vampire mom?¡±

    ¡°Well, we would need to be on the compound.¡± Thinking about the compound made me uncomfortable. I could see Juliet didn¡¯t like the idea either. ¡°And then you would live forever, and we will die. And who would be your alien compliant? It¡¯s all too situational.¡±

    ¡°Can I ask another question, Mrs. Farrow¡­¡± She nodded, eating a cherry tomato off the plate on the coffee table.

    ¡°What happens when a werewolf infects a human?¡±

    Her eyes fell to the floor. She was thinking about something, ¡°That is something you don¡¯t want to see¡­ Ever¡­ It¡¯s completely banned.¡±

    ¡°Have you seen it, Mom? Have you seen a person infected by a werewolf?¡±

    Cindy nodded, biting nervously on her bottom lip, ¡°When you saved that baby werewolf¡­ There was a reason those glass jars were filled with only werewolf parts¡­ The rabid creature that emerges after that¡­ can never return to a human face¡­ or walk on two legs. Their eyes turn bright red and never change¡­ They eat and eat and don¡¯t stop. Babies, animals, and anything that crosses their path. Juliet picked up Min¨¦ and held her close to her breast.

    ¡°Charlene, I don¡¯t think you should move out until we have found the baby killer.¡± I bobbed my head vigorously, suddenly scared to death of having a baby who was alive for the taking.

    ¡°How do we know he won¡¯t come for Min¨¦?¡±

    Cindy sat back in her chair. ¡°I think he will¡­ He needs the werewolf toxin to make whatever Juliet is turning into.¡± We both gasped softly. I went to sit next to Juliet, holding her and my baby tightly. ¡°Louis¡¯s father was attacked by the last one.¡± Our heads jerked up.

    ¡°What?¡± Juliet exclaimed. ¡°Eaten?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ his father had to fight it¡ªprotecting him.¡± Cindy¡¯s expression was somber, staring up at the roof.

    ¡°We chose him for you¡­ We called your uncle¡­ Asked if he knew anyone who could take Marcus¡¯s place¡­ Who wasn¡¯t at the compound¡­ We didn¡¯t know you would ask him to cover you. We only wanted you to have someone who would never leave your side.¡±

    A tear ran down Juliet¡¯s cheek, ¡°Louis went through that. How old was he?¡±

    ¡°He was around twenty¡­ In the seventeen hundreds, the legends of werewolves originated among humans. The werewolves let their people live anywhere they wanted on earth. His father was here in France when the first ones were spotted in the Alps.¡±

    ¡°His mother?¡±

    ¡°She took him to Uncle Samuel¡­ died a few days later because she was branded.¡±

    Juliet wiped away her tears in that jerky movement of hers, ¡°Louis wasn¡¯t there to track Chris¡­ was he?¡± Cindy chuckled lightly, shaking her head.

    ¡°Oh, he was there to track¡­ But not Chris¡­ He told us he followed you for a month before coming to the house so we could introduce you to him¡­ Of course, we met with him secretly to get to know him ourselves.¡±

    ¡°He was already in love with me the night on our first hunt?¡±

    Cindy sat up laughing, ¡°He was head over heels. Almost frantic when we couldn¡¯t find you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m jealous, Juliet¡­ The love you share with these three men is different yet true in every way¡­ Ben and I are not connecting like that.¡±

    ¡°The way Ben looks at you, though.¡± Cindy agreed, her head bobbing. She pursed her lips slightly with a smirk at the corner of her mouth.

    I didn¡¯t expect them to pick up on something, ¡°You guys think he has genuine feelings for me? Not just werewolf harem feelings?¡±

    ¡°I think Ben is chomping at the bit,¡± Juliet continued.

    Cindy put her hand on Juliet¡¯s forearm, ¡°That was what I thought, right. He wants this year to end. I think he will completely change; he¡¯s frustrated and jealous, and it¡¯s getting to him. It¡¯s not in a werewolf¡¯s nature to not be all about family.¡±

    Juliet agreed, ¡°Maybe you should talk to him about the possibility of you going with him to their planet¡­ I don¡¯t think he will leave you here if Qadir takes over. The werewolves won¡¯t stay.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t getting infected and being able to protect myself a better idea than¡­ hoping for the politics of the planets to save me just because I had a baby?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I suppose.¡±

    ¡°If you and I train really hard. Every day. Learn all there is about war and combat. We might even stand a chance.¡± My suggestion piqued Juliet¡¯s interest. She got up, little Min¨¦ going along, being soothed in jerky motions, nevertheless loving it¡­ Then she changed into a little furry creature baby, and my breath caught. When Min¨¦ was manifested, she was human in every way, besides the little scrunched-up snout and furrowed upper nose part. Her body was covered in hair as soft as down, and her coat grew longer toward the crown of her head. I could still not get over the fact that my child was a¡­ werewolf.

    ¡°It really isn¡¯t like in the movies, is it¡­? You can¡¯t bite me, and I¡¯ll be happy. The legends must have some origin story¡­ Can you tell us the story of you and Liam¡­ What he did and how you guys got together¡­ You¡¯re older than him¡­ How is it that you lived so long without being sold off?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even told me, Mom. If you tell us some of the history, maybe it will help us in the future. With Sita threatening to expose everything. Qadir and his army¡­ What should we be focusing on?¡±

    ***

    Cindy

    Juliet has asked me a thousand times to tell her my story; for so many reasons, I couldn¡¯t tell her where we came from. I would¡¯ve had to lie to her on the compound and after we left. She wasn¡¯t ready to know¡­ yet at that moment, being pregnant and with all that might happen made it seem like a good time. I also didn¡¯t want her to be influenced by my past while we lived on Earth or by the ways of our home world and the many cultural influences. Raising her on Earth had been more complicated than it would¡¯ve been back home. I sighed after thinking for too long, ¡°Our world is called En-gannim,¡± sitting back, I closed my eyes, allowing myself to remember.

    ¡°If China is where the king lives on our planet¡­ I lived in Rio La Quiaca, Argentina¡­ The further one got from the Capital, the easier it was to breathe.¡±

    I missed my family; I missed my mother most of all, and another reason I never wanted to talk about it. I didn¡¯t even want to think about going back because I believed we never would. ¡°It was not a continent. It was an Island off the coast. Our seas aren¡¯t blue and deep and full of life. The liquid in our oceans is a pinkish hue and deadly to vampires. There was no point in crossing oceans. There is still no point in conquering the waters like here on Earth¡­ So, I grew up so sheltered. My father¡ª¡± Tears pooled in my eyes, and my chin quivered. ¡°Was a wonderful man¡­ And rich¡­ Or his parents were. They bought him a wife, and he was so happy when she arrived. He let her be for the longest time. He never expected anything from her. My mother is so caring¡­ she couldn¡¯t have asked for a better husband¡­ The women didn¡¯t wear full veils on the island like on the compound¡­ My father wanted to let my mother¡¯s affection grow for him.¡±

    ¡°And that¡¯s where feminism comes from¡­ One man who treated a woman like a person,¡± Juliet said, ¡°No wonder I am the way I am.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, Julie¡­ You¡¯re exactly like your daddy. Passionate. Full of drive and zeal for life, love, and¡­ lust.¡± Juliet had no idea what was coming, and if she only knew, she would run for the hills. Her personality would see her through in the end.

    ¡°Go on, mom.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, they obviously fell in love, and they had me¡­ The one thing he did force my mother to do was read and read and read. When I was born, he did the same with me¡­ I grew up in a bubble¡­. You and I grew up the same, but we¡¯re completely different. I didn¡¯t want to grow up and wanted to stay with my parents forever. Being sold was never even discussed until¡­ I was a hundred and something. I was hidden¡­ I never had to go to a conditioning camp.¡± I smiled at the memory of seeing Liam for the first time. He was so young and eager, and he could never stand still. ¡°Your father came to deliver something through the teleporter we had. I was working the station that day, and when he saw me, well¡­.¡±

    Juliet and Charlene giggled at the idea of Liam and me falling in love. ¡°I didn¡¯t like him at first,¡± their smiles fell, ¡°He was so¡­ so young and fresh out of a camp at a hundred.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound like it curbed him at all.¡±

    I laughed lightly and shook my head, ¡°No¡­ I think it did the opposite¡­ Liam was head over heels and pursued me for a long time.¡± Half smiles returned. ¡°Unfortunately, we didn¡¯t know who he was until he was a part of the family. My father was never a radical who wanted to change society. Liam, on the other hand, was ardent about the cause¡­ The turning point on the island was the first time Samuel came to discuss our marriage. My grandfather quickly got swept up in the politics of the situation.¡±

    ¡°They wanted to break down the Monarchy.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Samuel was part of the court, and being a part of the court exempts you from execution, but not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Exile to a prison planet,¡± Juliet added.

    ¡°The king loved his firstborn, and when he died, something snapped in him. The world quickly became worse. The radicles were hunted down until the last one.¡±

    ¡°Our king¡¯s name is Ahasuerus¡­ Will you believe me when I say no one is branded on En-gannim? I didn¡¯t even know about it until your father told me¡­ Well, anyway, when Ahasuerus heard rumors of what was going on, he quickly came to put an end to it. There was a fight, and we lost.¡±

    ¡°What happened to all the women of the island. How did you end up here, Mom?¡±

    That was the sad part of the story. My mother was still alive¡­ Somewhere. My father and grandfather were in some prison. Our island was now deserted, barren, and everything destroyed. I didn¡¯t think they should know more than what I had already shared. Luckily, there was a distraction¡­ The door leading to the garage opened, and Liam and Carl came through, laughing and talking. They came over and joined us. Liam took little Min¨¦ from his daughter. They fought a lot between them about who would hold her. I smiled. None of us could wait to have another little baby in the house.

    ¡°How did Benjamin and Mateo do?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Both won... They ate and are sleeping it off.¡±

    ¡°Was Qadir there?¡± Juliet asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s always there¡­ He wouldn¡¯t miss a fight.¡±

    ¡°I would think he¡¯d know when to steer clear. What if he comes here to see Marcus?¡± Juliet randomly remarked. The two girls glanced at each other. There was a knock at the front door. Juliet giggled nervously, ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± she whispered menacingly.

    Charlene took Min¨¦ and let Liam get the door. We all stood waiting in the Lounge, wondering who it could be...

    ¡°Carl!¡± Liam called. ¡°Come see this.¡±

 55. I Canâ€™t Seem To Make You Mine

    55. I Can''t Seem To Make You Mine

    Juliet

    After my father called out for Carl, I followed, hearing the guys outside, excited to eat and see how it went. Rounding the corner, I took in the scene. Marcus stood off to the side, which was nothing new, but something told me he wasn¡¯t okay. My mom and Charlene made their way down the stairs towards the group of men. I kept my eyes on him, trying to figure out what was wrong. I took the few stairs down, making my way slowly toward him until we were face to face. His hands were behind his back. The black jersey he had on was torn in places. Maybe he got hurt. His head was tilted slightly upward as he peered into my eyes, trying to keep up the appearance. He seemed fine. I subtly gesture with my head for us to go inside the house. If we snuck off, we could disappear into his room. After that morning, we did need to talk. I got excited for a minute, thinking he would tell me how he felt or what had been eating at him for months. Marcus was staring at me, not moving, thinking. Anxiously fighting with himself. He licked his lips, biting the bottom one between his teeth. It was strange seeing him so all over the place, struggling at all with his emotions. He was just not giving me the reason or letting me in. ¡°We¡¯re married¡­ what are you waiting for?¡± I softly mouth. For a second, it seemed like he would give in, lowering his head and letting his hands fall by his side, relaxing his shoulders and dropping his chin.

    Carl talked to me¡­ Irritated, my head snapped at him. My eyes caught a glimpse of the two birdlike aliens on the ground. ¡°What in the world? It reeks¡­ Carl! Ewe, take it away¡­ That¡¯s not what they sent us¡­ Is it?¡± Frustrated, I put my attention back on Marcus and pulled him off to the side. ¡°I Love You¡­¡± I mouthed again. We seemed to disappear for a second. It was dark around us, only me and him. ¡°I¡¯m not enough?¡± I asked. His body swayed back and forth, and then he turned away from me. ¡°I¡¯m trying really hard here, Marcus,¡± I whispered. His back straightened, and he clenched his fists. My brow furrowed.

    I didn¡¯t understand. He would do anything to have me. He almost kidnapped me. Before the embassy, he didn¡¯t do anything because he was still figuring things out. Since then, he had barely spoken to me. After months of trying and giving him affirmation, nothing helped. He would not do anything back. It had to be Louis and Chris. He couldn¡¯t get used to the situation. The idea of us all together. I looked over to the guys talking to my dad. Chris¡¯s hands ran through his hair, telling everyone what had happened. He was not coming to me or even making eye contact like always. Chris was avoiding me¡­ The only one who could tell me what was going on was Louis.

    Louis was¡­ Where did Louis go? I could have sworn I had heard him earlier, ¡°Where is Louis?¡±

    My mom pointed to the house as she turned to me, ¡°You okay, Juliet?¡± I shook my head. I wasn¡¯t¡­ Determined to find out once and for all what Marcus was doing there and what was going on with all of them.

    Walking to our dressing rooms, I entered the space, and since Louis was in the shower, I waited on the daybed for him to finish. When he came out, he had a towel around his waist, another one in hand drying his hair. Louis didn¡¯t say a word. He was also avoiding me. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Nothing, why? Oh, wait¡­ I was almost assassinated tonight.¡±

    ¡°Those two birds came for you. Why?¡±

    ¡°Qadir, I suppose,¡± he smiled.

    ¡°Is that why everyone is acting so strange?¡± Louis stood at the mirror, raking fingers through his hair, picking up product, and applying it. ¡°What are you so happy about.¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡± I gave him one of my death stares, and he sighed, ¡°I¡¯m happy because we bonded.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    He regarded me a while, reading me, ¡°Come on, Juliet. Does everything have to be a big deal? Can¡¯t we live for the day?¡±

    ¡°I was fine this morning. I was fine yesterday¡­ You guys had to make a big deal of me being jealous. You¡­! You created this headache I¡¯m having. You scratched Louis, and now the scab is off¡­¡± Louis¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Are you going to tell me what happened and what¡¯s wrong with Marcus or not?¡±

    Louis abruptly stopped what he was doing and turned to me; there was a tense silence between us. ¡°Before we started, Marcus and I made a bet. Whoever would win in killing one of those things first could have the night with you. Because of this morning, yes¡­ I thought¡­ I would give them a push¡­ Chris okayed it, and it seems we were slowly coming to some kind of understanding... or at least talking about it.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to insult Louis, but did he outbest Marcus, and that¡¯s why he was disappointed¡­ Because it would be Louis and not him. ¡°And I guess you won,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Me¡­! No! Thank you, baby, but no¡­ Marcus killed both of them.¡± It was hard to swallow. That familiar hurt in the middle of my chest. I knew what Louis would say. ¡°Marcus said he felt I needed to spend time with you. So, I thought we could go into town. Get a hotel room¡­ Only you and me?¡± he suggested.

    That¡¯s why Chris wasn¡¯t talking to me. I paused, thinking. My mind persisted in its pursuit. Marcus even gave up a chance to spend time with me. He made an excuse. I felt like I was hit with a brick. Punched in the gut. Rejection was the worst. Continuous rejection was soul-crushing and hadn¡¯t I gone through enough of it? I jumped up, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Louis. This is not how this works.¡±

    I stormed out my anger, almost on red alert. I heard him behind me. ¡°Juliet, calm down!¡± I ignored him, ¡°Juliet, please leave it¡­.¡± I walked even further into the open-plan living area. ¡°Juliet!¡± Louis roared at me. It was so loud, and with such a tone, I was back in that alley with him. The way I felt when he dominated me and pushed back my manifestation reminding me of the creature child I was. I froze in my tracks, fighting the dominance a little. Slowly, my fists at my side were forced open. His manifested authority brought me back to little Juliet. My anger was made to dissipate. My ass suddenly burned; the tattoo¡¯s supernatural power flowed into my core and up my spine¡ªmaking me behave. I pushed down my pants to see if my ass was literally on fire. The tattoo was sparkly and glowing a golden hue. My eyes met his over my shoulder. Louis was still half naked in his towel, almost doubled over at the waist, a strangled expression. I was blushing bright red, knowing everybody was staring at me. My eyes darted out the door. Marcus had come up the stairs, staring at us as if he wasn¡¯t expecting any of it. Did he really think I would accept it? Did Louis really think I could leave it¡­ Did they know me at all?

    All eyes were on me.

    They were treating me like a child. Like a plaything, they could toss around as it suited them. Betting on who would have me. Louis and I had come full circle¡ªagain! He doesn¡¯t tell me what¡¯s going on. He lied about keeping me included. No one was taking me seriously. It felt like we had made no progress. Like Qadir said¡­ I was nothing without a man in my life ruling me. The same questions bombarded me. Nothing settled. Nothing was talked about; everything hung in the air. What was Marcus doing there!? If he didn¡¯t want to be there? Why did he brand me if he didn¡¯t want me? Why doesn¡¯t he want me?

    As I disappeared, Chris grabbed me around my shoulders, holding my arms at my side. He had manifested. His enormous, scary features were not cute that night, squeezing me so tightly I couldn¡¯t go anywhere. ¡°We see you, Juliet¡­ Calm down.¡± His low, feral voice almost growled out the words in my neck, and the feel of his breath on my ears soothed me a little but was not reassuring enough¡­ All I heard was: I needed to calm down. I needed to stop making a big deal out of everything. I¡¯m going crazy on them.

    When would Chris disappoint me? I turned into him, not wanting to think about him leaving me. He teleported us out of there. Out of the room. Very far down the driveway. He picked me up and carried me as I grabbed onto him.

    After, we walked around for a few minutes. I reappeared, wriggling out of Chris¡¯s hold. He grabbed my hand as we went further down the road. ¡°That wasn¡¯t very cool,¡± Chris said. I understood what he meant. My rejection spiraled out to Louis. Hurt people¡­ Hurt people. Our situation was getting out of hand. I felt stupid¡­ like there was an adult understanding I was missing. Why would Marcus not even want to talk to me? Tell me everything was okay. Why did he want me to withdraw? It was subtle, but we were still moving in the wrong direction. He was disturbing my peace. Louis was enabling him. I didn¡¯t want to say it or even think it¡­ but Marcus needed to go for all our sakes. I thought about Marcus getting in a car and going back to the compound. As soon as the thought settled, a tear rolled softly down my cheeks. ¡°What is wrong with me? Please make me stop acting like this. Get me out of here. My mind is going nuts. I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t do it anymore¡­ I¡¯m doing more harm than good. I can¡¯t control my own thoughts or my emotions.¡±

    Chris pulled me into his embrace, ¡°Okay¡­ I can do that for you. If you do one thing for me first.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I asked apprehensively.

    ¡°Make right with Louis. Spend some time with him. Draw close to him and be there with him.¡± I frowned angrily, pulling away from him. I had wondered when Chris would disappoint me. It wasn¡¯t even five minutes. Yanking my hand out of his, I turned around and walked back to the house.

    Chris came to my side and grabbed my wrist. I shook him off. He pulled me closer and kissed me so hard it hurt. I didn¡¯t want to forgive him. When he gave me the slightest chance, I set my jaw and turned my face away from his. He shook me. I flung his hands off me. ¡°You know what, Chris¡­ You push me into Louis¡¯s arms. Marcus pushes me into Louis¡¯s arms. I don¡¯t know¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it!¡± he growled at me.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you let me choose. Why do you guys get to have the last say? Everything is always on your timing. It¡¯s like you three put each other above what I want.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing normal about this situation. I¡¯m trying¡­ No! We¡¯re all trying to keep four people happy, not just you. You wanted this. All of us together. That¡¯s all you wanted¡­ You said you won¡¯t choose. Now what? You changed your mind?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one ruining this! You guys are doing things without me. Something is going on, and I¡¯m not included¡­ I didn¡¯t ask for this doubt. You know how much I hate not knowing what¡¯s going on¡­ I¡¯m not that person. I don¡¯t want that kind of relationship¡­ Now I have three.¡±

    ¡°Life is not that simple. And if you can¡¯t cope now¡­ Wait till it really gets bad¡­ Now you get to deal with us. And we love you. You don¡¯t trust us¡­ Soon, you¡¯ll be dealing with people who aren¡¯t friendly! Want to kill you! And all you can complain about is Marcus not showing you any affection.¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Another tear rolled down my cheek. ¡°Says the guy who left his wife for the same reasons.¡± I left him standing there, and he didn¡¯t stop me.

    ***

    Chris

    The night was too much all around. I discovered I was a species, not some genetically formed experiment. I had people out there somewhere. It confused me, scared the crap out of me, and I took it out on Juliet. I was jealous I had to put her into Louis¡¯s arms, but I had to push her away. How long did we know Louis would still be alive? How long would she still be alive? I turned toward the mountain and walked up the path leading into the woods, doing what I usually did when I needed time. Those last few months had been the best of my life. We as a family. Juliet and me. Sleeping with her and Louis every night. Everyone was happy until one message changed everything. We had grown so close. Got to know each other. Talking and¡­ not talking. She was right. We sucked as husbands, prodding her but asking her to behave.

    I took out my phone. I wanted to look at the messages Marcus and Sita had been sending to one another and make sure we didn¡¯t have it wrong. Juliet was so angry when she saw the message. I thought she found out we agreed to meet with Sita and was jealous because I would see her again. That our lying had been all for nothing. We needed Juliet out of the house to discover how serious Sita was exposing our secrets to the world. The thought freaked me out. Sita was cunning, and what she would come up with wouldn¡¯t be some cushy scenario. What I feared the most was losing Juliet altogether. Marcus had felt it before he branded her. I was feeling it at that moment. Louis felt it every time they went through an episode together.

    Juliet was irrational, and I got it was the pregnancy. Michael had warned us at the embassy going down into the basement to eat allowed us to talk. To speak confidentially, and he laid it all out for us. Qadir and Ahasuerus were watching us. Not sometimes; all the time. If we thought we had any privacy, we didn¡¯t. He also said Juliet was the first vampire to ever be pregnant with a hybrid baby. No, riphath, Michael had lied, and none of it made sense. After six months of pregnancy and how crazy she was acting¡­ I had to wonder what the consequences were all around for her and we were not helping her through it. Neither one of us had ever had a stable relationship. A woman in our lives who was there every day. Present and trying. Let alone pregnant and in those conditions. Marcus had the worst time because it seemed like fate made him pull the short straw every time. I wondered when he would lose it. Join Juliet in the looney bin.

    Walking up to the cabin was always the best part. I built it in front of trees with a view out over a vista of mountain peaks. I had been planning and sneaking off for so long. I had put my heart and soul into it. So we could disappear, even if it was only for a moment. I sighed, going in. I had more work to do on the cabinets. Juliet was so angry with Marcus and me; I doubted she and Louis would still be at the house if I went back. I hated parting with her in anger¡­ I could always make it right. Push her till she broke and forgave me. I couldn¡¯t¡­ I had to allow resentment to take root so she would cling to Louis and leave. It brought me right back to what she had said about Sita. I was doing to her what I loathed. Marcus and I had a drive into Lyon soon. We needed them to be long gone before she suspected anything.

    ***

    Cindy

    Since I arrived in France, it had not been easy to stand by and let Juliet live her life. She was trying so hard, and everything was against her. What Rodrigo had done made her unstable, to say the least. We never knew what would happen from one moment to the next, and she had three grown men to keep happy.

    ¡°Liam, I feel like this is all our fault. We interfered with Marcus¡­ Pushed him into branding her. Into her life. She would never have felt so helpless if we never introduced them. Made him come around to see if he could set her free.¡±

    ¡°We had to do something¡­.¡±

    ¡°We interfered with Louis¡­.¡±

    Liam was sitting across from me with Min¨¦ in his arms. The house was pretty quiet. After Louis yelled at Juliet, everyone headed for their rooms. I did want to say something. Get Liam to talk to the guys. ¡°Did you know he could do that?¡± I asked, ¡°Control her like that?¡±

    Liam shook his head, ¡°It has been so long¡­ I don¡¯t think anyone really knows what it entails. Or Samuel didn¡¯t want to tell me everything. The fact that they tried to kill Louis? They are sure Marcus won¡¯t die?¡±

    ¡°Or they want to hurt them! As you said, no one knows for sure¡­ We didn¡¯t choose Louis to cover her on Marcus. It was never the plan¡­.¡± Liam sighed. ¡°And now they are stuck, and he¡¯s not doing anything. Did you hear them this morning?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°The only guy there for her is the only one who chose to be here. He is so good with her. He anticipates her every move. She listens to him.¡±

    ¡°And Chris will have to leave¡­.¡± Liam whispered, ¡°I think they found out about the third planet tonight.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too much.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I feel it, too. But we can¡¯t do anything. You heard what Michael said.¡±

    I had to agree with Liam, and it was also why neither of us opened our mouths when Louis made her submit. It was time they figured things out for themselves; that¡¯s why we let them come to France in the first place.

    ***

    Juliet

    After leaving Chris in the driveway, I entered a quiet, dark house. I walked to our dressing room and packed a bag for Louis and me and everything we would need. I dressed sexily but still for a whole day of traveling. I washed my face and put on makeup. All the while trying to pull my psycho self together. I failed miserably; tears kept leaking from my eyes¡­ I lived like that because I could die tomorrow. Or have my tongue cut out. Or turn into a masked freak. I reapplied my makeup; it was no use. I left my face like it was. I picked an outfit for Louis and walked out, pausing at the door, peering down the hall at Marcus¡¯s room, my hands rubbing nervously over the leather bag¡¯s handles. He just needed to still be there, in bed, ignoring me, then I would be okay.

    Slowly, I walked closer, stretching out to touch the door handle and pulling it down. I pushed. The door jerked and made a noise. It was locked! ¡°You locked your door?¡± I pushed again, pulling the handle all the way down. I kept trying and jiggling the handle a few times. He wasn¡¯t going to open for me. I loudly slapped the door with an open hand, ¡°You can be glad you¡¯re still here. You better be when I come back¡­ Louis! You have two minutes to get your ass in the car.¡± Louis rushed out of our room and took the stairs two at a time. ¡°Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad! See you in a few days!¡±

    ¡°Bye, Juliet. I will make sure he stays put,¡± my dad said from their room.

    ¡°Thank you, Daddy,¡± I slapped Marcus¡¯s door again. I was so angry I couldn¡¯t even think straight. ¡°Isn¡¯t this supposed to be the other way around? The girl is the one behind the locked door¡­ If you didn¡¯t know!¡± I yelled, slapping his door again. I heard him moving around. I put my ear to the door, trying to listen. I wanted to know if he would say something. I couldn¡¯t make it out. Louis staggered out of the dressing room. He had put on the outfit I had chosen, taking my attention away from Marcus for a split second. His boots were always loosely laced, and he pulled them on, hopping on one leg and then the other. Louis had styled his hair to hang loosely around his face, making him beddable. I took in how good he looked in the long-sleeved black jersey hanging low around his waist. Louis shook his head, walking over to me, ¡°At least you think I¡¯m hot. And still, want me in between the sheets.¡±

    ¡°One thing we will never have to worry about.¡± Louis was still peeved. His manner was cold. I knew by the way he took the bag from me. He put his ear to the door, closed his eyes, and smirked. He grabbed my hand and dragged me into the garage. The sun was coming up outside. It was beautiful and golden all around us. ¡°What did you hear?¡± I asked as we drove down the lane.

    ¡°He was under his covers in a dark room¡­ What do you think he was doing?¡±

    I didn¡¯t understand why Louis told me? It made me even more depressed. Angrier. ¡°Are you going to be like this the whole trip?¡± I barked.

    ¡°Give me the morning¡­ I¡¯ll pull myself together. You have to remember I¡¯m also losing my s¡ª.¡±

    ¡°Are you blaming me?¡± He shook his head and muttered in French. I¡¯d never seen Louis like that, and it scared the crap out of me.

    We traveled to Lyon, got on a train, and headed south towards the coast. I passed out as soon as we sat down. Louis used the window to sleep. I used his shoulder. I soon got uncomfortable and tried lying on his lap with my legs lifted; it didn¡¯t help. I wasn¡¯t tired. Just overtired. I got up, walking from one side of the train to the other, stretching my legs. When I reached the end of our compartment, Jack and Michael were in one of the cubicles. Michael was reading the paper. Jack was sleeping on folded arms, resting on the table between them. I wished I could fold. I yawned. I desperately wanted to sleep.

    After walking past them a few times, I noticed Michaels¡¯s bloodshot eyes and dark circles. What did he do the whole night? When I walked past the third time, he pulled the paper down in a huff. The sound startled me, ¡°Juliet! I swear, can¡¯t you just go to sleep.¡±

    I point to my belly. He snorted, regarding me. ¡°Hey¡­¡± I said softly, shoving nervous hands in my pockets, rocking back and forth on my feet. ¡°You know what I want¡­ Help me out, please.¡± I sounded like a drug addict; regardless, I would take anything if someone would make it all stop, just for an hour.

    For the longest time, he watched me, contemplating if he should give me what I wanted. I flashed my eyebrows at him, giving him a suggestive smile, looking like Jerome behind our gate¡ªtwitchy for a fix. He got up, not taking his eyes off me. ¡°You know what it cost you last time.¡± My eyes almost rolled out of my head, sticking my tongue out the side of my mouth. How illicit he made it sound. My hands clasped and unclasped nervously, hoping he wouldn¡¯t change his mind.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind¡­ Can we make it an IOU?¡± I said quickly and shot gun fingers at him. Michael¡¯s lusty eyes ran over my chest and slowly stopped on my lips as he stood up tall in front of me. I didn¡¯t mind the lingering. I lifted my chin so our eyes could meet. Mine were desperate. He was a part of me¡­ knew everything about me. Michael moved forward. I held his eyes, challenging him. He turned, took his suitcase from the compartment above him, and put it on the table in front of us. Rummaging through it, he took out a small black bag. Inside were syringes, a few vials, and other stuff I didn¡¯t recognize.

    He scanned the train compartment. We were in first class, at the front of the train. Secluded. It was only us and four others; a woman was sleeping, and three men were reading the paper. He filled one of the syringes and gestured for me to take his seat. He took the plastic rubber band and fixed it around my upper arm. Michael explored my skin while waiting for my veins to fill, lovingly caressing me. I remembered everything. Who he was and what he had done for me. The last time, he stopped below the creases of my elbow, pressing down with his thumb, ¡°You sure? Aren¡¯t you supposed to spend time with Louis?¡±

    ¡°Seriously? You giving me relationship advice,¡± I muttered.

    ¡°You like to scoff at me. Like I¡¯m¡ª¡±

    ¡°Suppose to fix everything¡­.¡± It was quiet between us as he stayed fixed on me, thumbing my skin harder, stroking up and down. ¡°Look, I have too many chemicals in my brains screwing with me¡­ Everybody¡¯s energy is messing with me. Can you at least try to understand?¡±

    ¡°I know you better than you know yourself.¡±

    ¡°Then live in my veins, Michael.¡±

    The corner of his mouth tilted up, ¡°One last time,¡± he whispered as his hand resumed evoking those pent-up feelings. I closed my eyes¡­ I couldn¡¯t help my body respond. My flesh was covered with pimples as the gooseflesh spread all over me. He saw it, ¡°Oh, honey.¡± Slowly, he pulled me toward him, gently pushed the needle into my vein, and injected the liquid.

    ¡°Tell him to wait for me. It¡¯s only three days. Then we can spend as much time together as he wants.¡± Michael released the rubber band. The feeling shot through me like a lightning bolt of release. The euphoria was so absolute I almost fell back, like in the movies. A calmness overtook me. Warmth and all my worries drifted away. I shook my head, my vision fussy. Michael put his arm under my shoulder. I tried to hold onto his neck as he picked me up.

    ¡°Sleep¡­ My little Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t... I hate it when you call me that,¡± I mumbled. He put me down next to Louis, placing my head softly on his shoulder and running his hand over my face and hair. I heard him sit down across from us. I knew he was there.

 56. Sorry Babe

    56. Sorry Babe

    Michael

    Juliet was so peaceful when she was asleep. I smiled, looking down at her. The movements had stirred Louis. Groggily, he opened his eyes. They narrowed as he scrutinized me. I didn¡¯t care. There was no point trying to get the guy out of my mind the whole time. I was too tired and let my thoughts run, so he knew what was happening. He read me and rubbed his forehead with his fingers like he always did. I knew I wasn¡¯t at my best. An all-nighter with my ward didn¡¯t help. She slept for about half an hour, then woke up again.

    ¡°It gives you three days to calm down,¡± I told him, kind of ticked off at how he handled her at the house.

    He nodded, agreeing with me, ¡°Yeah. Not my finest moment.¡± Jack woke up across from me. I folded my arms in front of me and slept for the dead, knowing I would have three days of bliss. Thank you, little Juliet.

    ***

    Juliet

    Strange white curtains blew in and out with the breeze next to the bed. Stretching out a hand, I felt the sun¡¯s warmth, smelling the sea air. I couldn¡¯t wait to go to the beach. I closed my eyes and turned around, reaching out. It was a little game I played, ¡°Try to figure out who was in my bed with me.¡± I wondered how it would feel to wake up next to Marcus. What would set him apart from the others? I also thought three days was a long time, wondering what happened.

    I touched hair. It was so distinct from the others. It was also the easiest way to be sure. I slid my hand down his back and scooted closer, spooning Louis. His scent was the next best thing and always gave him away. I ran my hands over his chest and stomach. He moaned and turned to face me, still sleeping as I kept caressing his skin.

    ¡°I need a wedding ring,¡± his eyes popped open, ¡°You should have seen how the people stared at me on the train with three guys and me¡­ Without a ring on. Pregnant. We can be glad they didn¡¯t call the police.¡± He pulled me closer, minding my bump. My lips found his.

    The following week, we lived on a yacht off the coast of Nice, traveling up and down to and from Monaco. Michael and Jack were with us on the boat; there was really no point in them avoiding us anymore, and we needed the protection. Louis wanted them close to read Michael after what happened on the mountain. The men had planned all of it. My three husbands. Not to spend time with me. But instead, to do things that needed sorting out¡­ I sighed, tilting my head up into the sun. It was the last sun we would have going into the winter months. The water was too cold to swim in, so we visited spas and tried to find ones with salt pools to release some of the weight of the pregnancy. I bought a ring and when I put it on¡­ I never wanted to take it off. Louis and I talked about everything and nothing; he soon returned to his happy manners and treated me like he always had. If that was Louis¡¯s worst¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to complain. We fell into our old rhythms¡ªenjoying life. Marcus was on my mind, and I had to ask Louis if he knew what was going on. He didn¡¯t want to say. It was between Marcus and me, and Louis wouldn¡¯t interfere. Did Marcus have the self-control to keep his thoughts to himself¡ªall the time so Louis wouldn¡¯t know what he was really thinking.

    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t,¡± Louis said. I smiled. He was still there with me. We sat with our feet in the water, the sound of the waves lapping against the boat. The shore in the distance seemed like a postcard. ¡°And even then, he can¡¯t control his dreams.¡± I laid back on the towel behind me. Louis ran his hand over my belly, ¡°Juliet¡­ I want to say something¡­ but you have to listen first and try to stay calm.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°I think Michael should take you to Samuel¡¯s place for the next few months.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± I owe him anyway. It¡¯s not like you guys want me. Louis didn¡¯t comment on all the ramblings of my mind.

    ¡°That¡¯s not true, but I¡¯m not going to complain if you go easily.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ being here with you¡­ out of the house makes everything seem normal again. You are the only one not going anywhere. You¡¯re always there, which, in itself, is priceless. You bring me peace.¡±

    He was quiet, ¡°You don¡¯t know what it means to me. To know you actually mean that. From the bottom of your heart¡­.¡± It took a moment before he went on, ¡°We haven¡¯t talked about you thinking all of us together isn¡¯t working.¡± I had not shed one tear in all the time we were alone... Louis reminded me things were still the same; I fought back tears. ¡°Baby,¡± he pulled me up and onto his lap, ¡°What is it that has you like this. You gotta talk to me.¡±

    ¡°You just don¡¯t know what¡¯s it like¡­ I¡¯m so over all this bad luck.¡± I knew there was nothing he could say, and he didn¡¯t. He held me close, kissed the top of my head, and stroked my hair. Growing up sucked, and then every day after that sucked. I wanted to rest my eyes for only a minute but fell asleep.

    ***

    Michael

    I held my breath, listening to their conversation, nervously running sweaty hands over my shorts. Louis asked her if she would go to the farm. She said ¡°yes¡± so quickly. I couldn¡¯t believe it. It was the moment that changed everything. Since the embassy, I felt I was slowly moving closer to her, no longer watching on a screen. It would be the time we needed, and it would either make me a part of her life or I would never see her again.

    ***

    Sita

    I was nervous the moment I sat down. You never know you¡¯ll regret something until it¡¯s too late. I regretted how things ended with Chris. It was loud in the coffee shop. People chatted and laughed, and I couldn¡¯t join France¡¯s morning atmosphere. I checked my watch, took a sip of coffee, and rechecked it. Chris was late. Although I didn¡¯t want to meet Marcus, I had no choice. A very dark Middle Eastern man sat down at the table with me, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    He stretched out his hand toward me. Reluctantly, I took it, ¡°Marcus Ahmed.¡±

    ¡°How did you know who I was?¡±

    He gestured to the car parking down the street, ¡°Chris pointed you out.¡±

    ¡°So, he came?¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Yes, he did.¡±

    I was relieved, ¡°How is he?¡±

    ¡°Chris¡­? He¡¯s nervous. Other than that, he seems fine.¡±

    Chris came walking across the cobblestone road towards us. I almost didn¡¯t recognize him until he helped some old lady cross the street. He would never typically have worn anything like what he had on. His hair was actually short, highlighted and styled, gelled to the side. Flattering him. Beard shaven. A dark blue navy jacket with a black shirt underneath. Silver bracelet. Chris was definitely not wearing his chino¡¯s anymore. He kept his eyes on Marcus. When he sat down, he made eye contact, a coldness in his features. It hurt a little. ¡°Hello, Sita.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Christopher.¡± The greeting was followed by an awkward silence, but he kept his eyes on me. Marcus wasn¡¯t leaving. ¡°Do you think you can give us a minute, Marcus?¡± Chris nodded,  and Marcus left to take a walk.

    ¡°Why am I here, Sita?¡± Chris asked, his tone clipped.

    ¡°I want you to come home.¡±

    ¡°We have no home.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think people have said that before? We were married for better or worse.¡±

    There was a tightness around his mouth. His lips moved over his teeth. Chris had a very expressive mouth. ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯ve come to understand all people have limits. And I have some self-respect left. Juliet¡¯s love has taught me that I do deserve something more than what you could give me.¡±

    ¡°Will she ever be able to focus only on you, though? I¡¯ve heard from Nicholas about the situation there. How can you say it¡¯s better than trying to make our relationship work?¡±

    I reached out to touch his arm. I wanted to show him I was completely over my issues with intimacy. At first, he was startled at the touch. I was relieved when he didn¡¯t yank away from me. I moved my hand over his and squeezed his fingers. ¡°I am better. I saw someone. A therapist. To be honest. I went out with some other people. I might have longed for something else¡­ Greener grass and all that. But I don¡¯t anymore.¡±

    I kept my hand on him, letting the sensation sink in. I wanted him to know how serious I was. ¡°My summons to go back to my planet has come. I can¡¯t get over the idea of never seeing you again.¡± Slowly, he pulled his hand out from under mine. ¡°I want you to come back with me.¡± I reached for his hand and pulled it towards me like he did with Juliet in the car, holding it tightly between mine. I could see the confusion in his features. It had been a long time since I had shown any initiation.

    Chris shook his head as he asked me, ¡°How did it change? What changed?¡±

    ¡°In the beginning, I really did love you¡­ Then I had to lie to you, and the fear of me changing and you freaking out was too much for me. I couldn¡¯t be myself with you or give myself to you. We lived in two worlds, and I was stupid for not telling you. I kind of blame Nick for a lot of our relationship. He was so against me saying anything¡­ Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter¡­ No, it does matter. I fell in love, and I felt guilty lying to you¡­¡± Chris seemed to relax a little. ¡°Chris¡­ doesn¡¯t it change anything for you? Maybe make you understand me a little better.¡± I was still grasping his hand, and his eyes were fixed on me. Expressionless. I had no idea what he was thinking.

    ¡°What about the videos you threatened me with. That was a shallow thing to do if your intentions are to repair¡­ us.¡±

    ¡°I will still release it if you don¡¯t want to come back with me.¡± His hand stiffened in mine. He was trying to pull away. ¡°Look, Chris. I am desperate. I want you to know¡­ I¡¯m not playing a game. From the moment I saw something was going on between you and Juliet¡­ I was jealous¡­ I want you back, and I want to raise your baby with you.¡±

    Chris was speechless. Marcus was staring at us. He could obviously hear our whole conversation. ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen to Juliet. What if she does change into some monster¡­ Who will help you with the baby?¡±

    I gave him a moment.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t made it official with her. Everyone can see you have one foot in the door. Can you honestly say you will stay with Marcus and raise the baby? On the compound? What if Juliet and Louis change? Isn¡¯t it better for me, you, and the baby to get out of here? You both can come with me.¡±

    Marcus seemed tired of waiting on the sidelines and came over to Chris. ¡°Should I go? You guys can talk.¡±

    He stopped Marcus and told him to sit down. ¡°Sita¡­ firstly shows us what you have and how you plan on using it. What are your conditions?¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    I didn¡¯t think Sita would be so beautiful. When I sat down, I took a minute to appreciate her. She looked so sophisticated and striking. Her hair was styled, each strand in place with a slight curl, falling seductively over her face. Her lips were red, which matched the blouse she had on. She had a ring on every finger and earrings running up her ears. Her makeup was flawless and accentuated everything that needed to be. Her V-neck was low-cut and revealed enough to tease anyone around her.

    She slid a phone with earphones over to Chris. It was unlocked and had a video ready to be played. Chris came and stood behind me, giving me one of the earphones. I pressed the play button. We heard a car door open and then another. Juliet sat down on the car¡¯s bonnet, her back to the camera. Chris was evident and sat next to her. They were arguing. Really passionately. Juliet manifested straight into the camera.

    Chris jumped up and away from her, bewildered and shocked. Behind me, he put his hands on my shoulders. Juliet turned back to human, defeated at his reaction. Not her finest moment. It was certainly not how you showed someone what you were. The feed cut out, and another scene played. Juliet was seated in a house, all ripped up. I remembered it. I nearly lost my mind in the club when I saw Juliet so hurt. ¡°That is what I send out if Chris doesn¡¯t come with me. It¡¯s straightforward¡­ He leaves her¡­ And her secret and everybody¡¯s secrets don¡¯t get leaked.¡± Sita said as smoothly as she could. There was an arrogance to the woman. I understood why Juliet didn¡¯t like her.

    ¡°Where did you get this? If you had the footage all this time, why now?¡± I asked regarding her reactions and micro-expressions. She was terrible at hiding her feelings. There was no cover-up story, and she couldn¡¯t answer. ¡°So, you got this recently,¡± I snorted, ¡°And you don¡¯t know how¡­ Well, the only person who could be behind this is my father¡­ You don¡¯t know who you¡¯re dealing with, Sita.¡±

    She leaned over, swiped to the right, and played another video. It was of Juliet killing person after person her entire life. Chris¡¯s grip fastened on my shoulders. The footage goes quickly from frame to frame until the last one. The video slowed to a 1x speed. Juliet was in an alley with¡­ Louis. He killed three people. Juliet proceeded to suck one dry while Louis tossed the bodies into a dumpster. Chris muttered a swear word.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t good news, but they still won¡¯t be able to find her. Understand what¡¯s going on.¡± I reasoned, trying to push her to show us her entire hand.

    She sat for a few minutes staring at Chris. His hands gripped my shoulders tighter. He sighed, ¡°Get to the point. What are your other conditions, Sita?¡±

    ¡°We have to sleep together before we even leave France¡­ Then we have to have sex every week¡­ You have to promise to stay at least 3 months. Give us a fair chance. I want to have enough time to show you how it will be in the future. When I leave, you can decide what you want to do.¡±

    I wanted to speak. Sita slid a stack of photos over to me, halting me mid-sentence. ¡°This information reveals everything there is about Juliet¡­ And Marcus, I¡¯m not the one your father has a problem with. Either way, the little world you created will come crumbling down. I¡¯m not thinking about anyone but Chris and myself.¡±

    I understood why Chris had to get up and stand behind me. He couldn¡¯t sit next to her and have her touch him. We were trying to control our anger. Chris didn¡¯t want to do something stupid.

    The first photo was of the house in France. Some were of her school days. The location of where they lived when she was in high school. Another image of her pregnant belly. More photos of her with Carl, Charlene, and her parents. Everyone involved. Chris¡¯s nails dug into my shoulders.

 57. Meltdown

    57. Meltdown

    Chris

    ¡°Okay¡­ Give me tonight to think about it. I¡¯ll call you in the morning,¡± I said, clipped. I didn¡¯t even greet Sita or look back. Marcus followed my example. Juliet had less than a year and a half left and it wasn¡¯t how I ever thought we would spend that time.

    Marcus closed the car door as he sat down next to me. We were silent for a few minutes, processing. I had the most to consider. Sita still didn¡¯t know everything¡ªjust enough¡­ She looked gorgeous. I remembered why I had married her and how she was those first few months. It grieved me that lies had pulled us apart. The first message she sent me, reminding me of where we kissed for the first time, forced me to think about our marriage. The way she was with me at the table, open and honest, showed me she had changed. All be it a little menacing. Could I blame her? We were all fumbling in the dark, looking for a needle in a haystack.

    I took out my burner phone and texted, leaning forward so the screens were covered.

    Chris { Will Juliet accept this? If I do it? }

    He didn¡¯t have to answer. We both shook our heads slowly. It was a stupid question.

    Marcus { Why are you even considering it? }

    Chris { Because we have to do something¡­ Can we hide her for the next year and a half? Will we give up everything we created in France¡­ Move to Canada? You go back to the compound? Or maybe we could all go back to the compound? }

    Marcus gave me a look. My ideas and ramblings were not helping. I hit the steering wheel, swearing loudly. We had so much to deal with already. Sita, with all her threats, was the last thing we needed.

    Chris { Why do we accept Juliet sleeping with all of us, but we can¡¯t do anything with anyone else }

    Marcus { Do you want to? Are you still in love with Sita? Because that¡¯s Juliet¡¯s criteria¡­ When she wants something, she will fight tooth and nail to get it. So, if you tell her this is what you want, Juliet will let you go. It will be a sacrifice, but you won¡¯t end up alone, Chris }

    I was not expecting Marcus to take such an open-minded view on the subject¡­ Sita seemed so genuine. It wouldn¡¯t be impossible for me to humor her and see what happened. I wasn¡¯t disgusted when she touched me.

    Chris { I don¡¯t want Juliet to go to pieces over losing everything versus losing only me. She would not lose me either. Why do we not see it as cheating, and she does? Would she really not take me back. Even if she understood why I had to. It¡¯s three months; it¡¯s a long time for us to figure things out }

    Marcus { It¡¯s not about the sex, Chris. It¡¯s because it¡¯s her. I don¡¯t know why Juliet hates her so much¡­ but she does }

    He was right; if it was anyone else, there might have been a chance.

    Marcus { And your reason will be, you did it for her? Sacrificed for the greater good. Gave in to the blackmail. You said you were ready to give it all up for her¡­ Why are you second-guessing what you know you should do? }

    Chris { Because she will never speak to me again }

    Marcus { All we can do is go on with deciding for her¡­ You heard what Michael said. Treat her like a real teenager for the rest of her pregnancy¡­ We need to baby her a little }

    Chris { If we can trust him. How do we know Michael isn¡¯t trying to break up our family? }

    Marcus stared out the front window for a long time. I let him be, knowing his brain was doing its magic. He sat back with his head against the seat. He had a weird habit of moving his head from right to left in slow motion. If he stopped, he would have a foolproof plan. I waited. A few minutes later, he did stop. Bobbed his head. We had a secret signal to let things go and to go on pretending.

    ¡°You know what¡­ Juliet didn¡¯t ask me and Louis to force ourselves into her life, but you¡­ she chose you. Maybe, just maybe, she could let it go¡­ You never know¡­ Should we ask her? If she will sell you for the sake of the family?¡± Marcus laughed. ¡°To give you a pass to an open relationship for the next few months?¡± I was ticked off. He wasn¡¯t taking it seriously. ¡°Juliet said she wasn¡¯t happy. The whole situation is a stuff up. She won¡¯t know until the baby is born. The baby will be safe. For the next few months¡­ We can get away with you indulging Sita. When Juliet returns home¡­ I can somehow ease her into the idea.¡±

    ¡°Can we make Sita wait until the baby is born? Then, tell Juliet to make the decision. We can all sit down and talk about signing the papers and the repercussions. Finally, making her decide with us.¡±

    ¡°Sita is a little ignorant nevertheless a narcissist¡­ This was planned to the last t. It gives you no choice¡­ You didn¡¯t tell me Sita was so beautiful.¡±

    I closed my fist around the phone, crushing it to pieces. I wanted to kill Sita, not sleep with her, and I wanted Juliet to do it. Qadir pushing us into a corner made it worse.

    ***

    Juliet: Canada

    I woke up in my bed in Uncle Sam¡¯s house. How did I know I was there? The smell. Uncle Sam¡¯s whole house had a distinct homely odor. It put you at ease, and you kinda knew you were safe. I felt the space beside me, hoping Louis would be there. I wanted to spend more time with him and share stories about things that happened to us there. He said he would bring me; he didn¡¯t. The bed beside me was empty. I sighed. He meant he would drop me off while I was sleeping¡­ guessed he wasn¡¯t staying. It would be Michael and me; I assumed he didn¡¯t mind that, either. It was pitch black in the room like the first day I woke up there after we left the compound. I knew exactly where to go to let light into the room. The view was still the same, and I opened a window. Cold air rushed in. I stood staring out into the distance, letting the chill set in my bones. The wind howled as it swept through the trees. It was sometime during the day. The cloud-covered sky made it impossible to know. It was how Canada made me feel; time would stand still there. I scanned the room and the nightstand for my phone. It wasn¡¯t there. ¡°Wonder whose idea was it¡­.¡± I swore loudly, gripping the window pane. I wanted to get angry. I wanted to throw something. They were treating me like a child. Took my f¡ªing phone! Ticked off, I played with the ring on my left hand. It didn¡¯t help me or make me feel better. Every time, I wanted to yank off the chains, and now I had a ring to toss into the bushes like Chris. How could any one person make you so mad you wanted to rip your hair out¡­ Louis and my time together wasn¡¯t a dream, yet it was over too quickly. I hate space!

    I walked over to the TV and pointed the remote towards it, hoping I would at least have some privileges. I sat down and watched for a bit, trying to wake up, flipping through the news channels, checking to see when Sita would release her hell on us. There was a sound behind me, and the familiar tattooed arm pushed the door open with a tray in the other. He quickly glanced up to see where I wanted it. It was hot chocolate. Michael sat down, and he seemed happy. I regarded him for a long time. Michael had an energy about him. He always seemed busy. He had picked up his own mug, fidgeting.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Warden made it. He is out of his coma and back at his post.¡±

    I smiled, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news,¡± I was relieved.

    ¡°Not only that. I have your ass for two and a half months, all to myself. So, forgive me if I¡¯m going to have this stupid grin on my face.¡± His words cut away all the hurt I felt. The isolation. Being tossed aside. I chuckled, shaking my head and looking back at the TV.

    ¡°Anything interesting?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Nothing¡­ Would you tell me if I ask about Sita and her threats?¡±

    He sipped his drink and leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees and holding the cup in both hands, ¡°I really don¡¯t know.¡± I sighed, believing him. Looked like I wasn¡¯t going to know for the next few months. He got up and took the remote out of my hand. He put the TV off. He leaned over me, placed both hands on either side of my head, and whispered into my ear, ¡°We¡¯ve got better things to do¡­ While you¡¯re here, no worry is going to consume you¡­ I don¡¯t mean to hurry this along, but I got a simple plan... to stick to.¡±

    I leaned back slightly, looking into his eyes, ¡°You still want me like this? It¡¯s not like you can claim what you want. Don¡¯t you want to wait till you can make it a proper IOU?¡± I gestured to my midsection. ¡°Anyway¡­ I thought back then, was ¡®a lapse in concentration?¡¯¡± I air quote his own words to him.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ back then¡­ You forgiven me yet?¡±

    ¡°Only mistakes are meant to be forgiven¡­ Was it a mistake?¡± Michael groaned; however, he looked deep into my eyes and shook his head. ¡°I could¡¯ve said no. You gave me the opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Still¡­ I asked.¡±

    ¡°Like you¡¯re asking now?¡±

    He rested his forehead on mine, ¡°Yes, even like this¡­ I¡­ want you.¡± He couldn¡¯t look at me, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve ever looked better.¡± He lifted off the couch and said, ¡°You have some meat on your bones and¡­ all that,¡± he gestured to my chest. I chuckled as he picked up my feet and swiveled me on the couch, forcing me to lie down. Michael¡¯s eyes slowly roamed over every inch of me, watching me. I stretched out my arms high above my head; I added my legs, pointing my toes, releasing a suuuuper low sexual moan. ¡°Oh, honey... Do you know what you¡¯re doing? Nothing is covering you with only those¡­¡± he struggled, ¡°Tiny shorts and a tank top¡­ exposing your belly. When your arms¡­ stretch above your head¡­ like that,¡±  he still struggled to speak. His eyes finally met mine.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    I scoffed at him¡ªagain. He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not posturing. I¡¯m inviting.¡±

    An audible groan escaped his parted lips. He bent down to pick me up but stopped mid-way, straightening his back again. Before he could even open his mouth¡ª ¡°Michael!¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a coward¡­ Let¡¯s stick to the plan, honey. No worries.¡±

    It was all I needed to say. He knew how I felt, and I didn¡¯t want to talk about it.

    Standing, he picked me up and carried me back to bed. My head was on his chest, arms around his neck like he always did on the farm. It was only six months of friendship, but it did mean something. He put me down and lay beside me. I turned so we could face each other. I ran my hands over his hair and took out the braid in the nape of his neck. His hair fell over his shoulders, ¡°You¡¯re a beautiful man, Michael.¡± The strands were soft between my fingers.

    ¡°Juliet! That mouth of yours¡­ it¡¯s going to get you in trouble.¡±

    I chuckled... ¡°My mouth¡­ is going to do something, but getting in trouble isn¡¯t one of them.¡±

    He gave a short, nervous laugh. I pointed my finger at the tip of the leaf-shaped tattoo below his ear and traced all of the ink on his neck. I¡¯ve wanted to take a good look and study each one, curious to see what he chose to cover up his entire body with¡ªand if it did go¡­ uhm¡­ everywhere. He closed his eyes. It seemed like he wanted to say something. His eyes opened, and I leaned in to kiss him. He turned away, ¡°Not like this.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough, but then you¡¯re not allowed to talk either.¡±

    Contritely, he closed his eyes again. His collar stopped me from going further, and I tugged at it. He turned on his back, getting rid of his white short-sleeved shirt. His eyes were still closed with that stupid smile on his mouth. He put one arm behind his head as I traced every line down his chest, biting at his nipple rings. Michael¡¯s reactions betrayed how he really felt about me. I wondered when he would come clean.

    After Michael fell asleep, I left the house. I walked into town and beyond¡­ entered the woods, and followed the path until I was so tired I had to go home. On my way back, I checked the barn to see if there were any people in there, although I always had a tinge of remorse every time I had to pick up a tarp. The humans were bound and gagged, fearing for their lives.

    Punching in the code on the lock made the doors spring open. I was glad they had not changed anything. It had been years, and yet everything was precisely the same, nostalgic, and reminded me of where I came from. How far I had already come. I made my way to the back, where Sam and his staff hid the cages. It would have a lock. It wasn¡¯t magnetic, and I searched around for the key. They hid it close by, so it wasn¡¯t long before I found it.

    The guy in there was young, buff, and not homeless. His eyes were alert to my every move. It was strange. Regardless, I unlocked the chain and opened the creaky gate. I manifested my teeth first. Slowly, my nose pulled up, and my eyes turned black. It made the guy freak out like everybody did, and he struggled onto his knees and head-butted me. He rammed me with his shoulder. I had not checked if his feet were tied to his hands behind his back. I realized my mistake when the pain shot through my skull, ¡°Frack!¡± I fell over backward. He shuffled past me on his knees, his hands and feet still tied.

    Groaning, I turned on my side. I couldn¡¯t keep my manifestation. The guy was panicking. His eyes were full of fear, glancing at me and scanning the barn¡¯s contents. ¡°Not cool, dude. I¡¯m pregnant¡­ If it¡¯s your time¡­ It¡¯s your time, man.¡± Being with Michael made me sound like a biker¡­ I shook my head¡­ It was freezing in the barn. ¡°My baby needs foo,¡± I tried to get up, struggling to catch my breath. A white haze covered my eyes as I went in and out. Not normal. I tried to stay present, standing on my knees in the dirt, ¡°Oh, man. Not now!¡±

    Bracing for the searing pain, I checked the guy moving his hand backward and forwards, ¡°Are you getting out of those bondages? I actually know how you feel.¡± The wind was howling eerily through the gaps in the wooden panes of the wall. The steel equipment clanged every time a gust sent a convulsive shiver through my whole body. My favorite music flowed through me as I swayed, thinking of Caleb, who was kicking me something fierce that day. He was strong and capable. I didn¡¯t care what anybody else said; his name was Caleb. A few moments later, Mr. Young Guy made his way over to me, strutting with purpose with a long pipe in his hands.

    ***

    Michael

    Darkness surrounded me. I had slept through the morning. It was hard catching up on rest. Once your body knew it was on holiday, a person¡¯s system shut down. I had asked Samuel to put off my sleep cycle with her. I sat up in bed, tossing the duvet off me, ¡°Juliet? You here?¡± No response. Getting up, I felt for my pants but couldn¡¯t see a damn thing. Falling over half the furniture, I made my way to the wall, ¡°Why are there no bedside lamps in this room?¡± The light blinded me for a second. I walked all the way back to the bed to find my pants. Pulling them up, I grabbed my socks and shirt Juliet had thrown across the room. She had me almost crazy earlier, taking her sweet time with me. I shook myself, feeling my body respond, ¡°Get a grip, Michael.¡± I pushed the door open and yelled throughout the house. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t leave. It¡¯s freezing out,¡± I muttered.

    I¡¯d been in the kitchen, the study, and every nook she loved to read. The lounge where she likes to watch TV in front of the fireplace. The house was dead¡­ She wasn¡¯t there. Checking my watch and seeing the time, I went into another gear. The front door creaked as I pulled open the two big doors. Wind burst through, making me step back, ¡°S¡ª.¡± There was a massive storm coming. I grabbed my coat, seeing Juliet¡¯s wasn¡¯t on the hook. Why didn¡¯t I check earlier? I scanned the area for clues, feeling water droplets on my face running down the road. The barn loomed in front of me. ¡°S¡ª! S¡ª! I didn¡¯t have a weapon or anything besides the switchblade knife I kept in my jacket pocket. The door was open, and if she was inside, we were going to have a long chat about locking up behind you and a buddy system. I heard scuffling noises. The hair on my arm stood straight as they turned to groans and moans. Someone was in pain¡­ My boot opened the door slowly, and I darted my head in and out of the small space, taking in the scene as fast as possible. I closed my eyes for a second, breathing in and out, thanking the universe it wasn¡¯t her who was hurt.

    Juliet¡¯s eyes were white and not the standard black. Her mouth was twice the size, filled with pointy shark-like teeth. As a person, Juliet had an¡­ ample mouth with full lips; there, she looked like a demon from Rodrigo¡¯s playbook. The guy was grunting because he was still alive. She had ripped him open, eating him from the inside out¡­ Man, this was the part of my job I didn¡¯t like. Disturbing her would make her turn on me.

    Rummaging through my pockets, I felt for the familiar alien tech I carried. It was for that specific day. I placed the black tube in my palm and pressed my thumb down. It sprung into action and opened like a roller door, spreading quickly into a flat sheet. The golden color was beautiful, and I chose it for her. I waited until she changed position. Slowly, I made my way inside, ready for her lightning reflexes. She didn¡¯t hear me, too engrossed in her meal. The weather outside was helping. The wind made the barn a choir of distorted noises. Cautiously, I approached her, putting my hand with the hard steel over her mouth. It sucked onto her face and covered her jaw. It masked all around her head, locking at the back, tucking away her hair.

    Juliet stood up, hands at her side. She was utterly docile. ¡°Finish what you started. Don¡¯t leave him like that.¡±

    She grabbed the knife out of my hand and pushed it against his temple. She pressed the button to eject the blade into his skull. I cringed and shook my shoulders as the sounds ran down my spine. ¡°Now, come back to me, honey...¡± Her eyes slowly changed color, and before she felt the claustrophobic sensation it evoked, I pressed my fingerprint on the back of the mouthpiece. The alien tech folded up into a little tube again. I saw her lips change into their original human shape, and then she smiled at me, ¡°Hi.¡±

    I laughed nervously, ¡°Yeah! Hi!¡± I pointed down to the ground, ¡°You did that.¡±

    Juliet sniffed a few times and manifested into her regular vampire face. She fell next to him and sucked his neck until the blood dripped down her chin; I could only find a rag and handed it to her, ¡°This is new¡­ A little primal.¡±

    ¡°Thanx. Idiot wanted to kick Caleb¡­ I was already changing... waiting for the pain. It never came.¡±

    I smiled, happy the worst was over, ¡°Do you remember anything while you were out?¡± I waited in anticipation.

    ¡°No. I never do,¡± I sighed, ¡°Where did you get him?¡±

    ¡°Local brothel a little out of town. He keeps cheating on his wife. I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Cool, Michael! I didn¡¯t peg you for¡­ the faithful husband kind.¡±

    ¡°Ha Ha¡­! How¡­ do you feel about one of your husbands sleeping with someone else?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s not really how a harem works, is it? No man would allow it. Why should you?¡±

    ¡°No, I suppose not¡­ I don¡¯t think Louis ever will, even if I take fifty husbands... Marcus¡­ well, Marcus has someone on the side, I¡¯m sure of it¡­ Maybe a secret wife back at the compound.¡±

    I snorted, ¡°His hand, maybe,¡± I mumbled low so she couldn¡¯t hear.

    ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡­ What about Chris?¡±

    She burst out a short laugh, ¡°He didn¡¯t cheat on Sita for three years. Why would he cheat on me? What¡¯s with the questions.¡±

    I was fishing¡­ but I couldn¡¯t tell her Chris would probably sleep with Sita in those next three days and return to America with her. ¡°I wanted to know if I should tell you how many girls I¡¯ve slept with. In the last few years.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a good liar¡­ Not like the rest of them.¡±

    I frowned; she didn¡¯t know everything going on, did she? We busied ourselves with tape, tarp, and cleaning. ¡°I thought you loved Chris the most. Isn¡¯t he¡­? Your soulmate,¡± I asked as I tossed the body onto the back of a truck.

    Juliet walked over to me, pushed her hands underneath my jacket, and pulled me closer, ¡°I thought you knew me better than I know myself?¡± A smile played around her mouth.

    ¡°So, you still don¡¯t believe in soulmates.¡±

    ¡°Bingo. I still believe in unconditional love, though. And If Chris sleeps with someone else, he¡¯s already decided to leave... Because if he does, he¡¯s probably in love.¡±

    ¡°And me? You just using my body?¡± I asked mockingly.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t even kissed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m asking if you feel like you¡¯re cheating?¡±

    She huffed, ¡°You saw Louis and me talking all those months ago. He gets to decide, and¡­ he left me here. I kinda think he knows¡­ And he is the only one who matters.¡±

    I hugged her closer; she stopped me, pushing a little away from me. Two hands ran from behind me with index fingers teasing the hem of my pants. They followed the v of my stomach down into my pants and cupped me and touched me, ¡°I just ate¡­ I feel good¡­ It¡¯s my turn,¡± her voice was low and pleading.

    I kissed her on top of her head, ¡°Yeah, IOU,¡± I joked. Juliet reached for my hand and interlaced our fingers. ¡°Can you at least brush your teeth first?¡± I said as we closed the barn door.

    She loved that. Tried to kiss me. I dodged, and she kept jumping at me, trying to reach my lips, pulling me closer as I thwarted her assaults. She stood on her tiptoes, sticking out her tongue, licking at my face. I had to run away from her into the wind and rain, ¡°Come on¡­ You not going to join the cannibal team?¡± she yelled.

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll have to take a shower then.¡± I stopped dead in my tracks. She passed me to open the doors to the house. Doe-eyed, I stared at her. She came back for me laughing, pulling me through the door and up the stairs. It felt weird as we took the stairs. It felt unreal. I was the happiest guy when she said she would come to the farm. I had no idea her response to me would be so natural. That we would fall into a rhythm, I didn¡¯t understand. I was going to give her what she wanted. I wouldn¡¯t discuss anything or bring up stuff she couldn¡¯t handle. I was going to bond with her. Hold her. Sleep with her in my arms. Sit on the couch. Make her happy because I did know her best. And in the end, when it came down to loving her unconditionally, no one loved her like I did.

 58. Putting Sita In Her Place

    58. Putting Sita In Her Place

    Chris

    My suitcase and I headed down the hall towards Sita¡¯s hotel room. I focused on the carpeted floor and considered how expensive the d¨¦cor and aesthetics seemed. The place was right up her alley. It didn¡¯t scream, ¡®Let¡¯s make our marriage work.¡¯ So what? Was it all funded by Qadir. We had opposition from every side, doing anything and everything to break up our family or to separate us. I knocked on the door.

    ¡°I am on my way. Just a second,¡± Sita said from the other side. I heard click-clacking on the tiles inside. Sita opened the door in nothing but high heels and underwear. My breath caught. She only opened the door quickly and turned back into the room. My eyes roamed over all of her.

    ¡°Hi! I am delighted you are here. I am¡­ as you can see¡­ still getting dressed.¡± She said it in such a playful manner I didn¡¯t know who she was anymore. Sita would never have done anything like that in a million years when we were still married. I couldn¡¯t move standing in the open door. Sita was walking here and there. She glanced my way a few times and saw I was hesitating. The sheer, red, lacy panties and bra were filled out by voluptuous curves and cleavage. It grieved me to compare Juliet¡¯s body to hers, but Sita was more mature and a woman in all the right places. Juliet¡¯s figure was thin, with little breasts and legs for days, but Sita didn¡¯t lack in that apartment either. I also didn¡¯t want to, but my mouth was dry; my body betrayed me as images flashed in my mind.

    She walked towards me, took my hand, and pulled me into the room. The tiny entranceway made us push against each other as the door slowly closed. She placed my hand on her ass, taking a small step toward me. I stiffened¡ªeverywhere, letting go of my suitcase. ¡°We really don¡¯t have to wait¡­ It seems,¡± she grinded up against me, ¡°You want what you see. This is what I meant¡­ Juliet is not all you¡¯re thinking about.¡±

    The dryness of my mouth spread to my throat as I thought about how hurt Juliet would be; even reacting felt like a betrayal. I was a failure. Couldn¡¯t we figure out anything else? I shook myself and stopped thinking about Juliet. If I kept counting the cost, I would convince myself not to do it. Sita¡¯s luscious lips claimed my mouth. Don¡¯t kill this one. Try to control yourself. Not wanting to kiss her, I pulled away and gripped her full ass in my hands, and thrust into her. I kept my eyes on her breasts and tried to see it for what it was¡ªjust sex¡ªnot even going to make eye contact. Although Sita was right, I was going to have to move it along.

    With her hand in mine, I guided her to the bed. She sat pretty compliantly, crossing her legs, trying to be sexy, leaning back on her hands, swinging one leg back and forth. I opened my suitcase on the floor, taking out a small black bag. I moved closer and lifted her one leg, opening a space for me to move into. Sita leaned back so her breast perked up. I leaned down and took hold of her hips, dragging her to the edge. I nudged for her to flip around. Sita was still going along with everything. I slid my hand into her underwear and ripped them at the seams.

    ¡°What are you doing, Chris?¡± Sita asked at last, feeling I was also not the man she married anymore.

    I rested a hand on her ass and squeezed, making my voice sultry, ¡°What do you mean? You wanted to have sex before we leave tomorrow¡­ This is the only way. We will not be making memories¡­ for now. I need to be sure you¡¯re willing.¡±

    She hesitated but forced herself to relax, lying flat on her stomach. I took out a condom from the bag on the bed so she would see what I was doing. She faltered, ¡°Chris, come on. No! That¡¯s not what we discussed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know where you¡¯ve been the last few months¡­ Are you going to be mature about this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want the first time to be with a rubber on.¡±

    ¡°You asked for me... No! You threatened us! I actually got fooled for only a second by your good acting. Your reactions¡­ made your intentions very clear. You never wanted me back.¡±

    She tried to come up; I pushed my knee into her back, ¡°Chris, get off me.¡±

    I snorted, ¡°This was for the sake of security¡­ wasn¡¯t it? To get protection by association¡­ Don¡¯t have a problem with sex anymore, yet still no heart.¡±

    ¡°Chris, get the f¡ª off me!¡±

    ¡°No! You wanted to have sex every week for three months¡­ So, that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to do. I will keep you here, and if I have to rape you every time, I will.¡±

    She actually laughed, ¡°You don¡¯t have the balls.¡±

    I kept my knee pressed down on her back and took out bondage straps from the bag. She tried to push me off. I manifested. The weight alone crushed her into the mattress, ¡°You forget, I have animalistic desires now.¡± I leaned down, my fully manifested face close to her ear. I slid my paw under her chest, caressing her breast. She squirmed, ¡°Stop.¡± I extended my claws slowly, pressing against her skin till I heard the pop of penetration, and waited for the smell of blood. ¡°Chris, no, please.¡± I slowly scratched over her breast as I pulled my paw out. She cried out, swearing, muttering a few things I couldn¡¯t hear.

    I fastened the leather bondages to her wrists, ¡°Get off me! Chris! Let me go!¡±

    I ignored her, wanting to get it done as quickly as possible. I tied her hands together, teleported, and used the leg of the bed to secure her outstretched arms above her head. Marcus had shown me how to use it, and I had practiced. ¡°You still don¡¯t think I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t terrified yet, and it infuriated me. She thought I was bluffing. I slowly trailed a finger down her spine, over her ass, and down her thigh, pushing her legs open, ¡°Don¡¯t, Chris,¡± her ass wiggled.

    ¡°You still think I have no balls to go any further.¡±

    She gasped and cried out, ¡°You do! I¡¯m sorry. Please let me go.¡± While I put the condom on, Sita flailed around like a fish peeking at me through her hair; after, she screamed. I raked my fingers through her hair and fisted a chunk, pushing her mouth into the mattress. She was making too much noise, ¡°Behave.¡± I roughly yanked her head up and down to drive home how serious I was. Tears were making her hair cling to her cheeks. ¡°You better shut up, or I will shove something else into your mouth.

    ¡°This is rape! Chris! Get off me!¡± she yelled.

    I reached into the bag and took out the sex gag, ¡°It¡¯s not rape if you begged for it.¡± She shook her head violently as I forced it into her mouth and tied the straps behind her head. Her eyes widened as her cries turned to muffled complaints. My body was still ready as I got on the bed, standing on my knees behind her, taking myself in hand to push into her. I leaned down and whispered into her ear, ¡°This had to look real,¡± the realization finally set in.

    ¡°Bang!¡± The shot came from the balcony. I rolled over her. At the exact moment, Warden tackled the guy hiding outside, crashing into the hotel room and breaking a table. My heart was racing, lying naked next to her. I wondered for a moment how I got there? In a mess like that. Why was Marcus always right? How did he know Sita was lying? I was almost fooled; she seemed so sincere. ¡°A little help, Chris.¡± I jumped to my feet, manifested, and shook Warden off the guy, holding him out in front of me. ¡°Drop it,¡± I growled. He actually tried to lift up the gun. I chucked him against the wall so hard he was out cold.

    ¡°What were they planning?¡± I asked Warden.

    ¡°The person she has been seeing¡­ Brendon¡­ from Kentucky.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me he¡¯s the schmuck behind this.¡±

    I turned back to human, reaching for my pants. I untied Sita, taking off all her bondages. She sat up, black smears running down her cheeks. I took her chin in my hand. She flung her head away from me and spat in my face. ¡°I was going to apologize¡­ Yeah¡­ not anymore.¡± I laughed nervously as I wiped her saliva out of my eye. Disgusted, she ran to the bathroom.

    While Warden was busy tying Brendon¡¯s hands behind his back, I sat in a chair and let all the pretense go. My hands shook; the bile didn¡¯t want to subside and kept rising in my throat; I ran for the basin in the tiny kitchen area, retching. I rinsed out my mouth and splashed water over my face, tightly closing my eyes. I couldn¡¯t believe I had gone through with it. I wanted to kill her outright. Marcus wouldn¡¯t let me.

    The keypad of the door dinged. Marcus took in the scene, ¡°You actually did it.¡±

    Angrily, I walked over to him and pushed him against the wall, ¡°If you ever use that crap on Juliet¡­ I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Marcus frowned and pushed me off. I shoved him right back, grabbed a handful of his shirt, and pressed my arm against his neck.

    ¡°The compound is where they teach it. How do you think I know how to use it?¡±

    ¡°You better not be into that kind of crap¡­ Juliet doesn¡¯t like it rough¡­ She isn¡¯t like that.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I did what I did. Do you think Lucius would have stayed at this?¡± I lost all my self-control, manifested, and made a gaping hole in the wall next to Marcus¡¯s face. He slowly looked at the hole and back at me, ¡°Chris, go to the bar and get drunk, you were acting. The price you paid was worth it¡­ Juliet is worth it¡­ I did this for you¡­ So you didn¡¯t have to sleep with her.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how far I would¡¯ve had to go!¡± I bellowed.

    ¡°You need to calm down,¡± he might as well have punched me in the gut. We all told Juliet to calm down all the time. Marcus put his hand on my shoulders and squeezed the furry flesh with his fingers, rubbing his thumb over my muscles. I changed back, ripped open the door, and left them at it.

    ¡°We will come to get you later,¡± he said down the hall.

    ***

    Marcus

    Watching Chris leave livid and hurt opened my eyes; he really was one of the softer guys. I needed to get going and see if our efforts would yield any answers. Warden had already tied Brendon to a chair. ¡°Where is she?¡± he pointed to the bathroom. When I found it locked, I manifested and pulled the door off its hinges. She was hunkered down in the shower, crying. I didn¡¯t feel sorry for her; she was vile. Sita needed to be taught a lesson. I understood why Juliet hated her; they were total opposites. ¡°You really do bring out the worst in us all¡­ You have two minutes,¡± Sita ignored me. ¡°Clean up, get dressed, or you¡¯ll sit out there, naked and bound to a chair,¡± I gave her a second to glare at me. S6ita wasn¡¯t winning this fight. She got up and opened the tap, ¡°Good.¡±

    I walked out and got clothes and underwear from her bag. I tossed them on the counter in the bathroom, ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± I opened the shower door and threw a towel at her. I left preparing everything we would need.

    ¡°At least we know where the leak is. I don¡¯t know what will happen to him if he¡¯s reported,¡± Warden commented.

    I wished Kubra was there; however, I didn¡¯t know how far he was up my father¡¯s ass. I couldn¡¯t call on his help like Chris could on Warden, who was on his own and working under Samuel¡¯s guidance. He could do what he wanted, much like Michael.

    ***

    ¡°Two weeks of this? And all you¡¯re going to say is Brendon from Kentucky came up with the idea after hearing Juliet giving the laptop to Charlene and Carl.¡±

    ¡°Did you get it from the Bertram boy?¡± Brendon laughed. His thick lips, big face, and long hair irritated me. Sarcastic eyes sneered at me from underneath bushy eyebrows. He wore a pink shirt with his white suit. It wasn¡¯t pink anymore and covered in blood; he looked more like a painted canvas.

    ¡°No, that idiot doesn¡¯t know anything. His father is keeping him in the dark about everything. All he has to do is stay with Juliet¡­ I traced it¡­ found it and gave it to Raas.¡±

    ¡°Raas! Now we¡¯re getting somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that all we need to know?¡± Chris asked, frustrated.

    ¡°Yeah, I think it¡¯s time we ask for Samuel.¡±

    ¡°Warden, make it happen?¡± Chris ordered.

    Warden left the room in a hurry. A few moments later, there was a knock at the door, ¡°They can¡¯t be back already.¡± Chris opened and Samuel pushed past him into the room, surveying the scene. He walked over to the table where the laptop was and where I had laid out all the information. I played the video on the phone Sita had threatened us with. Samuel adjusted the collar on his shirt, took off his jacket, and hung it over the chair right before I handed him the photos. The sound of teeth grinding and his rapid heartbeat made me a little nervous. Samuel turned around and walked over to Brendon, his facial features contorted in anger. Reaching behind his back, he pulled a gun stuck in his pants. A flat hand was silently directed in Warden¡¯s direction, who replied by throwing a silencer at him.

    ¡°Wait¡­ Samuel¡­¡± he screwed it tight in a few jerky motions, ¡°POP!¡± Brendon¡¯s head jerked, fell forward, and his chin came to rest on his chest.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Chris asked, drowned out by Sita¡¯s muffled screams.

    ¡°There is one punishment for releasing information,¡± Samuels¡¯s cold gaze rested on Sita. He walked over to her. The gun lifted. He pushed it against her head. She closed her eyes tightly and sobbed without making too much noise. We had decided to keep the breathable gag in her mouth when she wouldn¡¯t shut up. It was two long weeks for her; nevertheless, none of us was going to say anything if she had to die. We would all have liked to see her brains scattered on the wall behind her.

    Samuel struggled. He took it away, and Sita gasped, ¡°Clean up this f¡ªing mess!¡± There was another knock at the door. Chris answers it. Four maids push past him with masks on. ¡°Warden, take her to a holding cell at the Embassy in France.¡± He jumped into action, knocking her out with one of those tiny black tubes, picked her up, and put her in the bottom of a trolley the other watchers came in with. It was witnessing the well-oiled machine Samuel had created. As Warden left, Samuel turned to us, ¡°Get your stuff and go to Paris. You guys can stay at Louis¡¯s house there. Wait for me. I¡¯ll let you know when you¡¯re needed at the embassy.¡±

    ***

    Ahasuerus. En-gannim.

    Raas was on the floor in front of me, shaking; his long white hair gave him away. It covered his face as the fear oozed out his pores. He thought it was his last minutes alive. ¡°Jabin, get everything, and let¡¯s start.¡± Raas held out his hand, one small black tube. ¡°You have only one tube this time? It¡¯s been months. I told you to monitor him even more, and you bring less?¡± Raas didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Speak!¡±

    ¡°Marcus has been¡­ different these past few months. Juliet has even gotten to a point where she is withdrawing from him, doubting his intentions¡­ Marcus has her where he wants her. He hasn¡¯t touched or spoken to her unless she initiates.¡±

    ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°Qadir¡­¡± only hearing his name made me want to go to Earth and kill all of them, ¡°Planned an assassination on Louis Du Pont. It failed.¡±

    Two fingers rubbed at my forehead; for a moment¡­ I had thought maybe¡­ Qadir had done something worth my notice. My hopes were squashed. I walked over to Raas, grabbing his hair, ¡°Why am I only hearing about this now? Do you even understand what would have happened if he had succeeded? Can you do nothing right? Do you even know what is going on?¡±

    ¡°I get Marcus¡¯s reports directly from Kubra,¡± I dropped his head and got up. The hair on my arms stood up while I scrutinized Jabin carefully. The man never flinched or showed any fear, not like Raas; it was why he was there and if Kubra was deliberately keeping things from us¡­ it would be a problem.

    ¡°Well¡­ then you are more stupid than I thought¡­ Jabin cut off his arms at the elbows and put the¡­ right side of his head through a level four torture module.¡±

    Raas visibly relaxed, knowing he wasn¡¯t going to die, ¡°There is more Sire¡­ Qadir created a diplomatic situation going after Juliet.¡± I needed to kick something to get the burst of anger out of my system, and Raas was already on the floor. Raas¡¯s voice was low as he strained to talk, ¡°Qadir needs the group split up to get to Louis and then to her.¡±

    ¡°I think there is actually someone out there more stupid than you, Raas. Qadir¡¯s been off the planet for so long he has forgotten we do not make fools of ourselves¡­ What did he do?¡±

    ¡°Evidence of exposing her would force Marcus home. And then they would all have to follow or go their separate ways.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s getting desperate¡­ Why doesn¡¯t he wait till the baby is born?¡±

    ¡°There was a problem with the source¡­ a werewolf woman and a watcher¡­ Marcus got involved and sorted out the problem.¡±

    I cursed loudly and threw Raas with the heaviest thing I could get my hands on, knocking him out. Shakely, I walked around the glass surface, hovering in the air; the thing I wanted the most was giving me the most opposition. Marcus had become my nemesis and had shown himself so worthy of taking my place. ¡°Send Asher as a decoy and stall as long as you can. Let¡¯s see what happens.¡± Jabin nodded and left. Jabin was the only one who didn¡¯t need to bow to the ground or leave my presence backward. But where did his son¡¯s loyalties lie? ¡°Oh, and Jabin,¡± he stopped and didn¡¯t even turn around¡­ always unwavering, ¡°If Asher doesn¡¯t make it¡­ You will have to go and see what your boy is up to.¡± He nodded a quick acknowledgment.

    ***

    Chris

    It was only two weeks later Samuel called us to the embassy. We had been away from home for more than a month. We had not seen Juliet for a month and a half, and I felt it. I didn¡¯t want to be there. I didn¡¯t want to go through all of it. Louis had let us know that he had left her on the farm. She was okay and healthy. Michael was sending him regular messages to report her well-being but not much else. From Louis¡¯s time spent with Michael on the boat, he had learned everything he needed to know, and if he said there was nothing to worry about, we had to believe him.

    ¡°Hey Samuel, how is Juliet?¡±

    He tilted his head and studied me for a second. He didn¡¯t say anything, playing with his tongue over his teeth, ¡°She¡¯s fine. Just fine. Don¡¯t worry about her.¡± It wasn¡¯t really a detailed report. I left it, not wanting to drag him into a domestic dispute.

    The person who met us on the first day at the embassy wasn¡¯t Raas. The vampire who entered the room was a scrawny man, tall with a very V-shaped face and prominent chin. His hair was dark, and a shaggy mess hanging over his eyes. He introduced himself as ¡®Asher West.¡¯ We all shook his hand. He was very monosyllable and talked very slowly, flinging his very long hair out of his eye the whole time. If he wasn¡¯t doing that¡­ Asher kept sweeping it back with a finger.

    The following person who came in scared even me. Samuel sat up straight, recognizing the man immediately. His whole face was a battle scar. A cut laid over his forehead that never healed properly. Wrinkled burns covered his cheek and extended down his neck, pulling his skin taught. His hair was thinned out; I didn¡¯t know if he was so old or if it was from all the damage. Its light grey-blond color made his skin seem even more orange than it probably should look. Dressed in black cowboy boots, black jeans, a black shirt, and a stylish black jacket. Juliet would have loved him immediately.

    He came towards me and bowed in front of me. I abruptly stood to my feet; the man fell to the floor. ¡°Get up! What are you doing?¡± He jumped up laughing, but also not really. My eyebrows arched. Was the guy all there?

    ¡°I am still very nimble¡­ Don¡¯t mind the face¡­ These are all battle scars¡­ I am only five hundred and¡­.¡± he lifted his chin to think for a moment, studying the roof¡­ ¡°Five¡­ Yeah, five hundred and five.¡± My gaze traveled to Marcus for a second. He was watching the new addition we¡¯d never met. I could see his mind processing every little detail. The orange man was shorter than me and held out his hand, ¡°Silvanus Bazin at your service.¡± Then, a tiny chuckle and an ¡°mmm¡± sound. When he spoke, there was a slight wheezing behind his voice. ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be here¡­ I heard there was some trouble with the missus. Can¡¯t have that¡­ no sirree, can¡¯t have that.¡± Then the chuckle and then the ¡°mmm¡± sound.

    Asher invited us all to sit. It happened all at once, and Silvanus went to sit next to him at the head of the table. The former didn¡¯t like it. They glared at each other for a moment, and then they both smiled. Okay, that was the weirdest thing I had ever seen. One was orange, and the other as grey as a pigeon. Shouldn¡¯t Samuel be at the head of the table anyway?

 59. Liv From Palmyra

    59. Liv From Palmyra

    Sita

    The holding cell I was stuck in couldn¡¯t be called a prison. It was so luxurious; it was nicer than some places I had stayed at over those last few months. Our old house sold quickly, and it didn¡¯t leave me with much money. I couldn¡¯t really afford to live like I would have wanted to. Marcus had me tied to a chair for two weeks and another two in that cell. How did I end up there?

    It was all because I had left my grandfather to go out on my own. I had to sleep in my car. I wasn¡¯t afraid; regardless, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to take on armed men or a group if they found me. So, I sat up most nights, checking to see if my CV I sent out to schools had any replies. I had become desperate. At around two o¡¯clock¡ªone morning, a white figure landed outside my window; well, a guy with all-white clothes on. I had heard about them. My logic told me he would be friendly, so I opened the door. He introduced himself rather nicely, keeping his distance, ¡°Hi. My name is Brendon. I¡¯ve been your watcher since you were born. I want to offer you a place to stay for the foreseeable future¡­ They got me in a hotel room where I can monitor you, and there is a room vacant next door.¡± Brendon got in my car, and I got a decent place to stay. After a month of seeing each other daily, he showed me a plan he had been working on. Brendon could see I wasn¡¯t getting back on my feet. It wasn¡¯t as easy in the big city as I had thought. I could have made it if I had never married Chris. The regret of losing my life after living so long in our small town fueled me. Juliet, being the reason, made me say yes immediately.

    I felt terrible thinking about Brendon and his head with a massive hole right through it, the blood behind him on the wall. Brendon was too emotionally involved; it was written all over his face outside my car, and every day, he looked at me and thought I didn¡¯t notice. And even I was surprised by Chris¡¯s acting skills, so I couldn¡¯t really blame Brendon. I was compensated handsomely to ¡®get the job done.¡¯ The stupid idiot would have caved eventually when Chris pretended for the second time or if I was tied to that chair for only five minutes.

    Regardless, Brendon¡¯s plan worked; I was noticed by the powers to be. If all worked out, I could get off Earth¡­ where I meant nothing... was nothing¡ªon my way to Palmyra, where they valued women more than men. Only the idea made me say yes, and I would¡¯ve done anything if I could to go. I had lied to Chris about my summons. It was more a hope; if Chris and I were connected in any way, Palmyra would welcome us. What we didn¡¯t plan on was Marcus. I knew he was behind everything Chris had done. It made me livid; they worked together and treated me like I meant nothing. Unfortunately for them, they didn¡¯t kill me. So, for a month, I had nothing but time, planning, and ready to launch another attack, destroying their little world. Brendon had given me so much information¡ªI felt powerful. All he had to say and show me was how happy they were living in France. In a massive mansion, and¡­ yes, jealousy overwhelmed me.

    The cell was made of glass all around, affording me no privacy. The bathroom had that Korean thing where the glass frosted when you pressed a button. I was monitored by young vampire boys rotating shifts of three. A knock behind me on the glass made me sit up. Was it food time already? I stared at the tiny woman standing behind the glass. She took off a white jacket with beige pinstripes and asked for a chair. The boy jumped up and brought her one, ¡°Glass of Champaign, please,¡± he nodded, ¡°Wait!¡± she looked at me, ¡°Do you want one?¡± I nodded. She shooed him away. Her hair was blond, dreaded into thick, long, flawless strands hanging down her back, pinned up beautifully on top of her head. Jewels were strategically placed and fastened around some of the edges of the twisted strands. She had green tattoos on her left upper arm, running from shoulder to elbow, almost tribal. Her clothes were so beautiful. I had never seen anyone look so good, stylish, yet unique in their own way. She wore a top, a triangle of material over her breasts, cream colored with laced patterns and hand embroidery tied around her neck, and one thin strip around her back. With it, she wore a long handkerchief skirt with high-heeled lace-ups. ¡°Sorry for the way I am dressed. I have to be able to blend in here in some capacity. This is almost the lowest level I can accept,¡± she said, sitting down, one leg crossed over the other, ¡°Si¡­ta¡­ You¡¯ve been a bad girl¡­ Colluding with a watcher¡­ Your watcher. Going into business with the enemy for¡­ financial gain. And let¡¯s not forget you sold yourself for it¡­ Now, the vampires won¡¯t have a problem getting rid of you or care what happens to you. They will probably applaud Marcus for putting you down like a dog¡­ No Woman on Palmyra would ever have stooped so low than what you have done¡­ You are a disgrace to the very name werewolf, or that¡¯s what we are called here; I wouldn¡¯t say I like the name¡­ Anyway, they are waiting for me. I want to know what you have to say for yourself?¡±

    ¡°I want to crush that little vamp. I don¡¯t care if I get put down in the process.¡±

    ¡°Humph! I¡¯ll give you six months, then you have to return.¡±

    ¡°What is the penalty of killing our own kind?¡±

    ¡°Here on Earth?¡± she laughed sardonically, ¡°Nothing. No one cares about any of you lot here. Just! Don¡¯t kill a vampire! Unless it¡¯s in self-defense, or you can make it look like you had no choice.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ so, why do I get to go back?¡±

    ¡°Because your watcher understood the werewolves well. The only way you climb the ladder is by getting noticed, and¡­ you are now in the diplomatic limelight. And we always give a girl with¡­ excuse my wording, ¡®balls¡¯ a second chance. You might be a warrior in the making. We will have to see what you come up with,¡± she stood, putting her jacket back on and taking the last sip of champagne. ¡°Use these months to start training combat; you don¡¯t want to get to Palmyra and be absolutely useless.¡±

    ¡°Like in boxing?¡±

    She laughed lightly, putting her hand elegantly in front of her mouth, ¡°No, not like boxing, with gloves.¡± She tried to think of how to explain it. ¡°With a gun, a bat, a knife, a sword, a spear, and, of course, the most dangerous of all,¡± she lifted up her soft, manicured hands and tapped at her head.

    ¡°So that is what our world is like? Fighting for survival¡­ How many women get raped when you end up in these fights?¡±

    Liv chuckled, ¡°No honey¡­ we don¡¯t fight¡­ our men fight for us. We send them out to conquer, plunder, and take over. We are one of the richest planets in the galaxy. The only time we ever have to fight is if the men are off-planet, and we are left to guard the queen and children¡­ then we fight. Although Palmyra has not been attacked in¡­ a very long time.¡±

    ¡°Then why now?¡±

    Liv looked at me, contemplating something, ¡°You should do your homework with what is really going on. Palmyra has their own issues with Juliet and would like to see you succeed. The problem is Juliet fights¡­ and you¡¯re still thinking about life in a human way. She¡¯s strong and only getting stronger. Why do you think she is?¡± It was true; I was stuck in a system, ready to move to another I knew nothing about. ¡°Up your game if you¡¯re going to go up against them. Be smarter¡­ You were afraid of living in a car, afraid of humans¡­ I was offended when I had to watch your feed,¡± Liv took a deep breath, ¡°And¡­ she has Marcus. Your enemy is not that girl. It¡¯s the wall around her.¡±

    ***

    Chris

    ¡°Samuel, you are allowed to present the evidence to Silvanus,¡± Asher began negotiations.

    Samuel gave a lengthy speech about what had happened, how many violations had been committed, what the threats were, and what the outcome was. Silvanus was still watching me the whole time, which was weird. My mind was more focused on what he was doing there and why I was on Earth. The door to our side bursts open. ¡°Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake!¡± Marcus slammed his fist down on the table, ¡°Are we ever going to get out of here?¡± Silvanus chuckled and shook his head; he didn¡¯t seem to have a care in the world.

    Asher jumped up and bowed to Marcus, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Marcus. This is the werewolf ambassador.¡±

    The look Marcus gave Asher made him sit down, ¡°Really? You think.¡± The woman crossed the floor, shuffling her feet, and stopped at the table, regarding us in turn. She had a stack of papers with her. She plopped it down on the table, ¡°No! Not again!¡± Marcus bellowed.

    She held out her hand, ¡°Liv Soria.¡± We all greeted her. ¡°This is not for you¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m late Marcus, I had to speak to Sita.¡± Liv sat down next to me, choosing that seat out of ten others. ¡°Seeing that we are not going to fall for the vampire stalling tactics, let¡¯s get to the root of the problem,¡± Liv said sarcastically.

    Asher¡¯s manifested gaze was directed at her; I hated the disrespect of it. No one could discern the emotion registered on his features; his eyes were pitch black.

    ¡°Samuel?¡± Liv kept her top lip between her teeth; she felt the same way.

    ¡°Asher,¡± Samuel warned. He immediately returned his features to his human face. Little Liv knew what she was doing.

    Liv. ¡°Qadir used one of our complaints on Earth to do some of his dirty work. That in itself is a breach of the agreements.¡±

    Asher. ¡°She approached him with the information and plan. You can hardly credit this little ploy to him.¡±

    Liv. ¡°Not only that! One of the Watchers made advances on a complaint and gave her the information. That leads me to believe the watcher system isn¡¯t monitored diplomatically but instead manipulated by Qadir and whoever he has in his pockets.¡±

    Asher. ¡°No! We cannot monitor every watcher for the thousands of children here on Earth.¡±

    Liv. ¡°That is not my problem. It¡¯s yours. You promised us a service, and don¡¯t you think it¡¯s time you took some of those vampire kids back to En-gannim... Or is Qadir still not allowed back yet?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Asher jumped up onto the table, manifested, and pounced. Nimbly, he slid over the table towards her. Agile, fast, and aggressive. Nothing like the way he had acted. Sitting next to Liv, I saw a guy coming towards a woman, ready to attack her. Kinda made me feel iffy, thinking if it had been Juliet with her smart mouth, he would have wanted to kill her. I manifested, put my paw out, and grabbed his face as he slid right into it; closing my grip, I extended my claws, edging around his skull¡ªI squeezed.

    ***

    Charlene

    It wasn¡¯t a good day for me. I had to take Min¨¦ the whole night every night. It was damn tiring. With Juliet gone, I didn¡¯t have much help with her. Cindy and Liam had gone into a funk after Juliet had to leave. On my own, I felt the vacuum she had left. I missed her. Without her there, I was a little lost. The estate had become dull and lonely, with no one to talk to but Carl, and it had only been two months. What if they left for good?

    Min¨¦ was also sick from the cold setting around the mountains. Going anywhere wasn¡¯t really an option anymore. My parents wanted to come, but it was such a difficult time for everybody; I didn¡¯t dare ask for more than I should or felt like keeping Min¨¦ hidden while they drank wine, and Louis had to indulge them. I immediately made up some excuse about the roads.

    ¡°I feel out of place, Carl. Can¡¯t you try to understand? Don¡¯t you feel like this isn¡¯t really your home?¡±

    He took Min¨¦ from me, ¡°It¡¯s because Juliet isn¡¯t here.¡±

    There was a knock at the door. I walked through the fantastic house Louis had finished last month. The guilt of bringing absolutely nothing to the table ate at me.

    ¡°Hi,¡± Louis said as I opened the door for him.

    ¡°Come in it¡¯s freezing outside.¡±

    ¡°Thank You.¡±

    ¡°You heard anything from Michael?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°You sure I can¡¯t go join her there? It¡¯s not like I will disturb her peace or make her angry.¡±

    ¡°I know you want to go, but she needs to rest¡­ The more she can, the better for her and the baby¡­ Sorry, Charlene, I know you miss her.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°I¡¯m just tired¡­ What did Michael say?¡±

    ¡°He says she is doing really well. She had an episode.¡±

    Carl and I looked at each other and back at Louis, ¡°You seem fine?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, didn¡¯t feel a thing, kind of happy about it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really relieved for you guys. One of the major things freaking Juliet out was hurting you,¡± Louis scratched the back of his head, not saying anything. I went on, ¡°There is something else I would like to say, Louis¡­ I don¡¯t really know how to thank you for this,¡± I gestured to the house, ¡°You, Carl, and Liam finished everything by yourselves¡­ How am I supposed to make up for this?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t. You¡¯re family, Charlene. With or without Juliet here¡­ I don¡¯t think it matters where we are in the galaxy. We will always have a connection.¡± Louis gazed at Carl for a second, ¡°I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been helping with Min¨¦. I feel bad. Michael sent me a message via Juliet to get me off my ass. I forget how many nights she slept with us. Either between Juliet and me or between her and Chris¡­ So, I¡¯ve come to take her off your hands for a few nights.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll help him, Charlene. You need the rest,¡± Carl came over, giving me a hand hug. I nodded. They didn¡¯t even need to pack a bag. There was so much of her stuff still up at the main house, so they just left.

    I closed the door behind them, resting back against it. I didn¡¯t want more space... I did need help, but not space. The emptiness of the house washed over me. Was this what I wanted for my life? I wished I was still up there, living in my room. I wished Juliet was there.

    The vibrations of loud knocking jarred me out of my reverie. I pulled open the door again, thinking it was Louis, ¡°Is she okay?¡±

    Ben was standing on the porch. I took a step forward and smiled, looking up the road; Louis and Carl waved at me as they went into the house.

    Ben also greeted them and pushed me inside. He kissed me, putting his hands on my waist, ¡°I¡¯m done studying.¡±

    ¡°You are?¡±

    ¡°Yesterday was my last day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy you came. I was freaking out a bit. ¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took so long,¡± Ben seemed different. It was like he was there all of a sudden. Absent and now present.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    He kept kissing me¡­ in my neck, my ear, and my mouth. ¡°I want to move in,¡± Ben whispered. It was like someone had pulled up the needle from a record player and stopped my brain mid-track. I pushed away from him. ¡°Don¡¯t say no right now. Let me stay for a month. I¡¯ll show you we belong together.¡±

    ¡°Ben, we haven¡¯t spent any time together for nearly six months. We had a baby. You were here every other weekend, and on those weekends, you helped the guys with the house. Even before we reconnected, all we had were a few dates.¡±

    He looked around the house, ¡°It really did come out so beautiful. It screams Charlene.¡±

    ¡°How do you even know what that entails?¡± I retorted.

    ¡°You love neutral colors, green being the only exception,¡± he pointed to a wall that brought the room together, ¡°Everything is homey and comfortable.¡± He looked me up and down and smirked. I kinda playfully rolled my eyes. ¡°You are a neat freak and clean. Organized and so clever. You¡¯re a fantastic mother at your age. It means you will only become more serious and family-orientated when you¡¯re older.¡±

    ¡°Okay! I get it. You pay attention.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never seemed the sidekick to Juliet¡¯s story. You were always going to be her sister. Blood bonded and close¡­ but¡ª¡±

    ¡°But?¡± I asked, intrigued.

    ¡°But you guys aren¡¯t always going to be together.¡± Wow! Get right to the point, why don¡¯t you. I was just thinking about my life¡­ The house was probably temporary. Our lives there together were on a day-to-day basis. He came closer and took my hands in his, swinging them softly by our sides, ¡°Charlene, we have a baby together. We have a chance very few people get. Our story also matters. Can we not at least see if it works out?¡±

    I stepped away from him into the kitchen. I took a bottle from a cupboard and put it on the counter. After I poured us a shot, Ben walked over and held up the tiny glass, ¡°Cheers.¡±

    ¡°To what,¡± Ben asked.

    ¡°New beginnings,¡± he smiled and took his shot. He came around and lifted me up on the counter, ¡°I thought we¡¯d get drunk like we did last time?¡±

    ¡°I can still kiss you in between shots,¡± my head rested on his shoulder, feeling a little better.

    ***

    Carl

    Min¨¦ was with me on the couch, drinking a bottle. We were watching some comedy I wasn¡¯t really following. Louis sat down next to me when he returned from dressing more comfortably. He got up a second later, went out on the porch only to light a cigarette, and stood out in the cold for a long time. Louis was always an entertaining guy and laughed and made jokes; seeing him so¡­quiet and forlorn¡­ made me nervous. Now, he was always busy with something, avoiding everyone and secluding himself in weird, subtle ways. Min¨¦ finished drinking, and I put her on my leg, holding her head up. I gently rubbed her back to get her to burp. Louis came in and sat down again. I kinda felt I shouldn¡¯t ask; it was his house, he was a guy; who was I to make him talk? We were good before the branding, and then after¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ he changed. When they entered the house. It was all three of them there together with her.

    ¡°Any news from your Father?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yeah, actually. He calls every day.¡±

    Louis¡¯s eyebrows raised, ¡°To ask you how you are?¡± I laugh lightly, kissing Min¨¦ on her head. She was sleeping between my thumb and index finger, mouth hanging open.

    ¡°No. To convince me to start training. To find out if everything is still fine. To report what you, Marcus, and Chris are up to. Everything¡­ He is keeping Charlene¡¯s parents happy, so there¡¯s that. They know he¡¯s involved in our stay here; means a lot.¡± Louis stared into the fire, ¡°You do know¡­ everything you do for Charlene and me, we appreciate it. And if there was something we could do for you, we would¡­ I know we¡¯re only here because of Juliet.¡± Louis got up and stoked the wood. He crouched down to put on more logs. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, ¡°You¡¯ve been like this since the night at the fights,¡± the poker stopped moving in between the logs.

    Louis peeked back at me, ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t going to pry?¡± I smiled. So he was still reading me. He had just become really good at hiding it. I had asked my father to disconnect the tech. We needed to be able to communicate when necessary. It also meant he knew more about me. I sat back, letting Min¨¦ rest on my chest. She was so tiny and cute when she changed, fluffy and hairy, and then just normal when she was back to being human.

    ¡°She is adorable, isn¡¯t she.¡±

    I nodded, kissing her some more, ¡°When will you tell Charlene?¡± Louis asked out of the blue.

    ¡°I thought we talked about this¡­ Never¡­ Are you going to tell me what¡¯s going on?¡±

    He got up, put the poker on the stand beside the mantle, closed the fire grid, and sat down next to me, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m scared. Have been for months.¡± Okay, it wasn¡¯t what I was expecting. ¡°I know everything going on in everyone. It means I know every aspect and how every detail comes together. I have to focus¡­ and plan¡­ and put it all together. I have to keep everyone happy. I have to dissolve everyone¡¯s cares. I have to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Support everyone? Build a house?¡±

    Louis shook his head, ¡°If I tell you that is the last thing bothering me, would you believe me¡­¡± He turned to me, putting his arm on the back of the couch, ¡°Carl, I first saw Juliet a month before we met. You and Charlene were with her. I sat across from three kids, laughing, drinking milkshakes, making jokes, and sharing secrets. I read you guys for an hour¡­ Not once was there one bad thought about the other. Charlene didn¡¯t know she was pregnant yet. You were all¡­ so happy¡­. There is a glue between the three of you¡­ I don¡¯t understand¡­ If I could bottle it¡­ I¡¯d throw it out on all of us.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­?¡±

    ¡°I desperately wanted to be a part of the three of you. Can you believe, at my age, I had fewer connections than Juliet had with two humans¡­ I promise you; all of you here in my space is the last thing I¡¯m thinking about. It might seem that I¡¯m distant and avoiding everyone¡­ and you might be here only because of Juliet, but you are a part of her. You were there before me. It means we are family¡­ even¡­ if something does happen to her; I will have your back. Me. Marcus and Chris.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how much that means¡­ You saying that. I wish you would tell me what¡¯s wrong so I can at least care about you.¡±

    He rubbed his forehead with his fingers, too nervous to tell me, ¡°You will find out eventually.¡±

 60. Embassy Rules

    60. Embassy Rules

    Chris

    Asher was hardly in my grip when Silvanus manifested, growing about twice my size on a full moon. I was gaping up at the guy who was shorter than me a minute ago. Two massive claws stabbed into Asher¡¯s calves, sticking through his flesh and bones into the table; my tiny ones retracted involuntarily, letting go of Asher¡¯s head. Silvanus dragged Asher towards him, gouging large grooves into the table. He picked him up and flipped him over in the air, slamming him down onto his back and cracking the big wooden table in the process. Even during all of the months amidst all of the supernatural¡ªthings still scared the crap out of me¡­ Was I going to turn into that? Because he was from my world¡­ He was there as an ambassador for the riphaths.

    His voice almost sounded demonic, and with such a low growl, I couldn¡¯t help but stare at everything he had become, ¡°It¡¯s okay that you go after the wolf; however, you forgot next to who she¡¯s sitting.¡± Silvanus put his paw under Asher¡¯s chin. The vampire was kicking¡ªsquirming; it was as swift as when I did it. Extend. Retract. Asher was dead.

    Warden came running into the room with two other watchers, assessing quickly what was needed. He motioned into the air. The other two picked up Asher¡¯s body and carried him out. Silvanus turned to Warden, who jumped at attention. The floor shook. The horns on his head scratch slits in the concrete roof, ¡°Is this how you protect him?¡±

    I¡¯ve only seen Warden flinch from fear one other time. I got up quickly, hoping it would have the same effect as earlier. Acutely aware of my movements, Silvanus¡¯s eyes landed on me over his shoulder. ¡°He is only human. You can hardly blame him,¡± I ventured, testing my authority.

    Silvanus returned to his human form, slapping Warden on the shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s your lucky day. Boss has spoken.¡± [Laugh¡­ mmm sound.] I eyed Warden. He glanced at me, smiling nervously. He left the room again. I liked Warden. I didn¡¯t want to see him hurt.

    Silvanus turned towards Liv as she spoke, ¡°This is another stalling tactic of Qadir. It¡¯s going to take two weeks to get another ambassador here. Why did you guys react at all? Do you think I can¡¯t take care of myself?¡± She shook her head at me; so much for helping her¡ªever again. Flashes of Sita came to mind. Were all werewolves weird? ¡°I want to go home. I want to take Sita home.¡±

    Samuel got up, ¡°Okay, keep your panties on.¡± Liv¡¯s head jerked up. Samuel chuckled and put his hands in the air, ¡°It¡¯s so easy with you, Liv¡­ A little earth joke¡­ I tell you what¡­ You take Sita and get off this planet. And make sure she doesn¡¯t ever come back. Or I¡¯ll kill her personally for going after my niece.¡± Liv bowed her head quickly, picked up her stack of papers, and quit the room. ¡°Now, Silvanus. I think it¡¯s time we attended a fight¡­ Let¡¯s go have a talk with Qadir.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Now you¡¯re talking,¡± Silvanus clapped once, a sound of excitement in the gesture, and walked over to me, ¡°Pack your bags. We¡¯re going to Italy.¡±

    I looked at Marcus. Our eyes met, and we both just stared at each other. More time we are away from home. We would have to wait for the first week in Dec for the full moon. It was only Jack who was at the house to protect Louis. Not to mention Charlene¡¯s baby¡­

    We¡¯ve tried to avoid the Italian branch every time we have been at the cages because Qadir watched his matches in Italy. Marcus nor I wanted to see him. I didn¡¯t know what I would do. I didn¡¯t want to see Marcus¡ªbiddable¡ªcompliant¡ªin the way Juliet described him. We didn¡¯t want him taken back to the compound either, ¡°I¡¯ll go if we can get some more people on Louis. If not, I¡¯m going home right now.¡±

    Samuel walked over to me, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Until the baby is born, I can still surround him with as many watchers as possible.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    ¡°Then why is no one talking about the assassins,¡± I asked.

    ¡°We have Marcus; it¡¯s not easy tracing and keeping track of everything your father does. No one cares if some random vampire dies¡ª¡± I wanted to speak, ¡°Although, after Qadir¡¯s stunt, I personally put people on Louis at the house when you guys left.¡±

    ¡°So everyone is certain Juliet and I won¡¯t die if Louis is killed? Or was that the point¡­?¡± I had not thought Qadir would risk it. Maybe they wanted to do something else with Louis¡­ Samuel didn¡¯t say anything, ¡°Have you guys talked to Michael¡­ What¡¯s his story.¡±

    ¡°You can be glad he was there, Marcus¡­ Who do you think put him in her life to start with¡­ I might not be able to go on the compound, yet I was there watching in, pulling strings from the outside¡­ You have to trust Michael¡­ And you have to no matter what you see.¡±

    ¡°Are we going to talk about what just happened?¡±

    Samuel regarded me, ¡°You are really as sharp as a tack¡­ Let¡¯s not talk about politics anymore¡­ I¡¯m sick of it¡­ and need some time to decompress.¡±

    It was his way of saying the adult had spoken. Chris and I were so frustrated with being told what to do, pushed into a box at every turn. I did sometimes want to lose it. ¡°Samuel, you better have this in hand,¡± he waved me off. The two men left. I don¡¯t know where they were headed, but Chris and I were supposed to go to Italy and wait.

    It was the first time I would see Qadir after leaving him standing in the arena, after ignoring him, when he commanded me to turn around and come home with him or return his calls for all the following months. I was nervous. Chris was scared he would kill the guy.

    Walking in with Silvanus and Samuel was a little comforting¡­ Using words like comforting was weird for me. Still, since I had been living with Juliet for so long, it had been hard not to feel. All she does is feel. Then she thinks. Putting the two together into one little bundle of a person was interesting. She had let me believe I could do it, leave the compound behind, and yet I wasn¡¯t giving her anything back; I felt awful about how I was treating her. I had a stupid grin on my face, thinking about her; Juliet had been trying, and the night she stood across from me, begging me to talk to her and take her to my room, was one of the hardest things I had to walk away from. Chris narrowed his eyes at me. He smirked as we entered the room where all the distinguished guests sat.

    My father¡¯s face was priceless. It seemed he didn¡¯t get the memo, or someone was going to get reprimanded. If he had known¡­ he would have done something. All the older vampires stood up to greet the famous Silvanus of our galaxy. Chris and I felt like two kids who knew nothing.

    Qadir came walking up to Chris and me, scrutinizing him up and down. ¡°So, is this what all the fuss is about?¡± he swiped over his teeth with his tongue and didn¡¯t even greet Chris; then he turned to me, ¡°You still happy with your chit? I hear you have completely lost control there. Such a disappointment, Marcus. Letting other men take your women¡­ No! Much worse. Have her before you.¡±

    Silvanus came over and asked Qadir to sit at a table with Samuel. He invited us as well and cleared the room.

    ¡°Qadir, we are unhappy with your threats against Chris¡¯s wife.¡±

    ¡°Humph! His wife? She is a diplomatic problem all by herself. The compound doesn¡¯t condone cheating. Marcus branded her, and then she slept with two other men. It¡¯s an insult, Silvanus.¡±

    ¡°Says the man who has how many wives? Let¡¯s not try and moralize, okay¡­ And let¡¯s not forget everything the branding involves. There is a reason your men don¡¯t do it anymore. It has become a legend. If it wasn¡¯t for Liam and Marcus¡­ Well, then, Juliet would probably be dead today,¡± Qadir tapped his fingers on the table in a rhythmic motion, glaring at Chris. ¡°Regardless, the baby isn¡¯t up for negotiations. As long as Chris¡¯s child is in her¡­ We agreed you can¡¯t go near her¡­ and after until he¡¯s weaned¡­ You insult us by even thinking about going after her before then.¡±

    The conversation wasn¡¯t going the way I thought. The treaty was only a decision away from being null and void. Silvanus calls Juliet Chris¡¯s wife but doesn¡¯t consider her for protection. Everybody knows Qadir wants to go after her¡­ he wasn¡¯t even hiding it.

    ¡°Marcus! Leave and get ready for your fights,¡± my father demanded. I got up like a school kid. Indoctrinated with obeying him.

    ***

    Chris

    Marcus left and entered the room next door, getting ready for his fight. He would follow orders; it didn¡¯t mean I had to. I stood outside to listen to their conversation.

    ¡°Fine. I will not go anywhere near her. However, if something happens to her¡ª¡± Silvanus wanted to speak; Qadir cut him off, ¡°After the baby is born. It¡¯s out of my hands¡­ Chris being here is a fluke, anyway. As soon as he is off-planet, Juliet falls under vampire laws again. And if the werewolves don¡¯t save their own kind, this whole planet will be under our jurisdiction.¡±

    ¡°Qadir, if anything happens to that baby¡­ You will not only lose your planet, but I will kill you myself and deliver your head to your father. Who, I¡¯m sure, will compensate me for it,¡± Silvanus aimed to leave the room.

    ¡°Not so fast¡­.¡± Qadir said.

    Marcus came around the corner and pulled me into the room with him, ¡°Hey!¡± I whispered, ¡°Did you hear what they said.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    Chris and I were in the room Juliet got hurt in. Now cleaned and free from any evidence of me letting him beat the crap out of her. Thinking about it made me feel like less of a man. Allowing her to get hurt made my skin crawl¡­ I also knew it wouldn¡¯t be the last time I would stand back when she got into a scrape. I was nowhere near dealing with my father or standing up to him, so no, I wasn¡¯t listening to what they were talking about; my mind switched off when I was anywhere near the man.

    ¡°Your father seems like any other guy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s nothing special. He only thinks he is because of the title. And in that regard, he¡¯s entitled to.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°So, who do you think you¡¯ll be fighting,¡± Chris slammed his palms in anticipation, rubbing them together.

    ¡°You, of course. We need to train properly.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s unfair. You know me too well. And you showed me last time you could put me in the ground if you wanted to. This size of mine has nothing against your capabilities.¡±

    ¡°Can you imagine what you will be like when I train you to my level¡ª¡±

    ¡°Silvanus!¡± we both said at the same time and chuckled.

    I laughed nervously, ¡°Did you see the guy? How does that even work? How do I go from what I am now to that?¡±

    ¡°I nearly pissed my pant¡ª¡± the words were out before I knew what I had said.

    Chris came over and pulled me up from digging in my bag, holding my shoulders in his hands, ¡°Let it go!¡± Chris couldn¡¯t finish his sentence because the door opened.

    ¡°You¡¯re up in the first round, Marcus,¡± Kubra spoke into the room and then wanted to leave.

    ¡°What, why? I¡¯m not fighting some newbie werewolf. Chris and I want to fight.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re fighting Silvanus.¡±

    Chris let out a burst of laughter, ¡°Only if we can tag team him, maybe, or else it¡¯s a big fat no.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to make the rules here, big guy. Get ready, Marcus.¡± I sat down on the table where Juliet hit her head when my father threw her into it. I jumped up, manifesting, breaking it in half, and chucking it out the door into the arena below.

    ¡°This is Qadir¡¯s idea,¡± Chris said, ¡°He¡¯s punishing you,¡± he rubbed his hands over his face.

    Kubra¡¯s voice came from the door, ¡°Get ready, Chris. You¡¯re next after Marcus; you¡¯re fighting Qadir,¡± both our heads snapped up at him. Seeing our faces, Kubra tapped the door frame, making sure we heard him. He stayed there for a second, then pointed at me, ¡°Weak legs and top heavy,¡± then Kubra pointed at Chris, ¡°You¡¯re going to die,¡± he laughed, ¡°I¡¯m kidding. No, Qadir has only one weakness¡­ Juliet¡­ Good luck.¡±

    Seeing Silvanus across from me intimidating and terrifying was daunting¡­ I was muscled, but my body was small compared to theirs. I was never going to be a buff guy, but he¡­ was something else entirely. I wasn¡¯t really scared of being knocked about or getting my pride hurt. Heaven knows I¡¯ve felt pain before¡­ torture even¡­ training every day to the point of exhaustion.

    I closed my eyes, head raised to the roof, swaying side to side. Juliet was lying on my lap in the lounge in front of the fire, reading a book and laughing about something that happened in her novel. Not even knowing, all I can do is stare at her¡­ fake my reading. Then, when I was pretending to read, she rubbed away the frown I had on my brow because I was trying my best not to take her right there. She touches my lips. I never thought I would ever see her again after I branded her. I especially didn¡¯t believe I¡¯d ever be in her life as a full-grown woman, knowing how to entice a man. Her hands are soft, and I can¡¯t wait for the first time I will kiss her¡ªproperly.

    I heard the stampeding towards me. My eyes were still up towards the roof. They say you can never really lead until you¡¯ve lost. I lost her once. I¡¯m not making the same mistake again, even if I have to kill every last thing in the galaxy¡­ Stupid Marcus¡­ that I ever thought it was even possible.

    His weapon of choice was a simple stick, so he didn¡¯t have to hurt me, I supposed. I smirked, seeing it, feeling quite offended. I shrugged it off as I dodged his first attacks, dealing blows right back, countering each other in swift motions. Muscles are heavy; however, Silvanus was as agile as a snake and trained to perfection. Every blow met my weapon. I had chosen one of the harpoon-like spears to remember our ostrich friends with. I had practiced with it for a few days. He was not stronger than me. I was surprised at doing so well, keeping up matching his every strike, prod, and swipe.

    I hooked his stick in a swift motion and flung it to the ground, breaking it in two with my harpoon tip. I kicked both parts up towards the roof and used my spear to jump on the bottom end as the sharp knife stabbed into the ground, a trick I took from the birds. I grabbed both the falling sticks and came down on Silvanus¡¯s head, using his horns as stepping stones. He flailed a bit, trying to get a hold of me. He stretched for my spear, but I had left it¡­ just out of reach. I was behind him, hitting him on both of his big ass pointy ears as I jumped to the ground. They hung floppy and hairy, cracking when I whacked them as hard as I could. He was angry and came at me with force¡­ Good, he was an emotional fighter. But still, I thwarted every effort he could deal out. Even if we both got in some shots, we took it in stride. He was irritated. I laughed nervously as he grew taller and massive to his full moon size, thinking I would go flying.

    Juliet fell into my arms, sick and pale. Scratched by a¡­ baby wolf. I cracked my neck from side to side as he advanced on me. If I couldn¡¯t take him down, I had no business being by her side.

    He was so far off the ground it was easy to slide through his legs as he strutted towards me. On the other side, I did the same thing with his ears. I swiftly keep jabbing him in critical areas of his body. Liver. Throat. Paws. One by one with both sticks. It wasn¡¯t that he was not a good fighter; I just liked being very¡ªunpredictable.

    I was done with the sticks, having done the damage I could with them. I stabbed the broken parts into the ground next to one of his feet. He looked down at me cocking his head, eyes big. I winked at him, not going to hurt the guy for real. I jumped back before he could plant his fist in the side of my skull. I grabbed my spear and reciprocated. Silvanus extended and locked his claws. He had changed his focus on doing maximum damage. At last, I felt he was taking me seriously. I let him get in a few blows against the spear¡¯s sharp blade. I studied his style and the way he did things. I allowed him to take the weapon from me and break it so he could retract those deadly spikes on his paws. He did. We weren¡¯t out to kill each other. We¡¯re back to hand-to-hand combat.

    He grabbed my wrists and flung me away from him, hitting me on my tricep and ribs. My gut stung. He clenched me in his arms. I got out of the hold, kicking him on the thigh closest to me¡ªthat leg moved back involuntarily, leaving me space to hit the one he left open. I kept doing it a few times. He flinched with every blow. His legs were standing wide from moving backward. I went for the outside of his leg, back to kicking him on the inside of the thigh hard and consecutively, alternating legs as he staggered back even more; his legs were weakening. I kept advancing at a forceful pace. As he tried to regain balance, I used the opportunity by punching his chest repeatedly on the same spot till I heard the crack of the small floating ribs on either side of his body. He grabbed my throat and lifted me up, having had enough. I waited till we were face to face and smirked, ¡°Thanks for the lift,¡± I croaked out. He narrowed his eyes.

    I wrapped my legs around his neck and twisted myself around, using my weight to make him stumble forward with me on top of him, grabbing his horns to force him that last little bit, rolling forward. He tumbled face-first into the ground¡­ They really were top-heavy. I reached out for the top half of my spear to my right and swiftly pushed the sharp tip into his neck. I would have pierced the blade right through in a manifested rage to get the job done. Kubra had already jumped down into the arena and pulled me off him before I even saw the blood trickle down the cut. The smell made me jump back and change. Penitently, I walked over to him, hoping he wouldn¡¯t kill me.

    Silvanus rolled around onto his back, laughing so loud the whole place vibrated. The cheers of the audience made the arena a chamber of thundering noise. All the vampires stood on the walkway, surrounding us, looking down and clapping.

    All¡­ Accept one.

    I took my victory lap¡­ thankful¡ªI could go home to Juliet. I came to a stop and pointed out my blade to Qadir. And my demon stood staring back at me.

    ***

    Chris

    A curse word escaped my lips as Marcus plummeted Silvanus into the ground, getting the upper hand over him. How the hell did I follow his capabilities. What did I know about fighting? Challenging a few werewolf boys for practice wasn¡¯t the display Marcus had put on. And he wasn¡¯t fighting the one man we all hated. It was too much pressure. I nervously paced the length of the small room. Silvanus¡¯s voice echoed through the corridor, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen fighting like that in centuries, Marcus. It was the best fight I¡¯ve ever had, son. You surely make your race proud. If you can get the upper hand on a full moon, you could take any of us on.¡±

    Marcus wasn¡¯t one for praise. His eyes were cast to the ground as Silvanus kept trying to give him a compliment. Both came in and sat down on the couches when they saw me. I couldn¡¯t think about sitting still. ¡°You ready, boy?¡± Silvanus asked. ¡°Marcus and I were going to have a beer while we watch you¡­ If he¡¯s been training you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do fine. From what I know about Qadir, he isn¡¯t a fighter.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what Marcus says about himself all the time. And look what he did.¡± We both looked to the son of the man I was about to go up against. He was quiet and pensive, not listening to us at all. ¡°Marcus?¡± I said, touching his shoulder.

    He patted my hand, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He got up and pulled a shirt over his head, ready to leave the room. At the door, he looked back at Silvanus, ¡°You ready to protect Chris if it comes down to it? I think you better hold up on that beer. Let¡¯s be ready for anything.¡±

    Marcus left the room anxious. We could hear Qadir in the arena, rattling the cages with a stick, setting off the werewolves. I stepped outside, looking down. Silvanus came to stand next to me. They released the werewolf from its cage. It was Mateo. Enormous. It¡¯s not two minutes of a few blows and scratches¡­ Mateo was down on the ground, being dragged out in his human form. Silvanus walked towards the stairs, making his funny laughing mmm sound after he mumbled something.

    ¡°F¡ª¡± was all I had to say.

    I stepped into the ring. The gates closed behind me. Why would Kubra give me that useless information I couldn¡¯t use?

    Qadir and I stood across from each other in the middle of the ring¡ªunmanifested. We both raised our hands; it seemed like we were¡ªboxing. He jabbed, and I dodged. He uppercut, I avoided it. I jabbed at him, and he escaped. I spun and kicked at him. Qadir stopped my kicks with blocks from his own legs. We matched each other for a few minutes, landing equal blows. It felt like Marcus had an emotional edge to his fighting. He had something to prove himself to. I didn¡¯t have that drive with Juliet or a father who hated me. I wasn¡¯t fighting to not become king on some planet out in the cosmos. What was I doing there? ¡°I hope you know Juliet rules Marcus with only a little effort.¡± Qadir smiled briefly. His hands were high, and he jabbed¡­ just a little harder.

    ¡°It¡¯s funny how easily you let them leave the compound. Seems like you can¡¯t control her either.¡± I felt the next jab to the ribs, but I didn¡¯t let him go; I grabbed his arm, moving over to other fighting styles he might not know so well. I grappled until I had his arm in mine on the ground. I punched him in the side and on the back. He turned out and away from me, getting up angrier. ¡°You know he¡¯s not sleeping with her. He¡¯s choosing to wait and not force her into his bed.¡± He bit his bottom lip, jumping towards me, kicking me hard on the chest.

    Marcus had taught me how to keep my balance. The impact didn¡¯t make me fall. Instead, I used my arms to propel myself forward. I attacked him, hitting away every blow I knew would come, creating an opening, and swiftly gave him an uppercut to the chin. His head jerked up. I used the opportunity to punch him as hard as possible in the liver with a shovel hook. The pain made him cry out, doubling over as he glanced at me through his eyelashes. Manifesting was the only way he would be able to go on. ¡°Seems like you can¡¯t control yourself, never mind a little girl.¡±

    Livid, he jumped at me¡ªwith speed and strength combined. He was too fast... ¡°This is cheating. Maybe the only way you¡¯ll ever get to her.¡± He was behind me and hit up into my ribs, getting my kidney and making me fall over. I groaned, and my eyes closed. The crowd went deadly quiet. I had let him¡­ wanting to feel how Marcus felt every time his father hit him fully manifested. Wanting to know what Juliet went through after I saw her in France¡ªripped open. I rolled away, getting to my feet, staring at him, ¡°You¡¯re weaker than a girl, Qadir; only women play unfair¡­ Oh, and it seems you already lost your place in the food chain to your son. What will you do when he makes her his queen and rules you like a¡ª¡± It was over quickly. He was next to me and punched me on the side of the face, and I went flying. I had to learn to take punches and how they would really feel.

    He leisurely strolled over and stood with one foot on my chest, looking down at me, ¡°I might not play fair. But you will soon realize when you play for life or death, all bets are off. Tell that to your girlfriend.¡±

    I laughed because I was waiting for this¡­ I grabbed his foot in my hand and twisted his leg in one swift motion, moved swiftly around and over Qadir¡¯s body, and got him in a leglock, making his knee crackle under pressure. It looked like it would bend the other way and break his leg, snapping it in half. He was standing with his hands in the sand, trying to balance on one knee, deciding if he would tap. I forced down¡ªhard, ¡°Second time we have you on your knees.¡± I felt the tap, and I let him go. He rolled over, his face contorted from the pain. He changed back to human. I put my foot on his knee, pressing down, ¡°You¡¯re already dead... It¡¯s only a matter of time.¡± I spat next to him in the sand. ¡°The next time you dare to challenge me, I¡¯ll kill you¡­ If you touch her again¡­ I will kill you. The only reason I¡¯m not doing it is because of your son.¡±

    Passing through the gates¡­ Marcus and Silvanus were standing on the threshold of the arena, gaping at me. I had taken the blow in my human form. My ears were ringing. Not used to it. My jaw felt like it might come off. I stumbled forward, falling on the floor, retching from the nerves and pain.

    ¡°S¡ª!¡± Marcus yelled, ¡°Medic!¡±

 61. Baby

    61. Baby

    Juliet

    The mornings were the best on the farm; it was snowing so heavily in Canada I had stayed in my room those last few days, not even getting out of bed. I was so uncomfortable and couldn¡¯t really get a good night¡¯s sleep anymore. My time had come, and I had contractions the whole night and didn¡¯t want to wake Michael and bother him. Looking at his side of the bed, he was fast asleep; the duvet only covered the lower part of his naked body. His internal clock connected to me was turned off, and there on the farm¡­ he was only my bed buddy. He had told me so much about his life and how everything worked for the watchers. Our time together was something no one would be able to take away from me¡ªwe had come together supernaturally.

    I was at a point in my pregnancy where I needed to push myself off the bed, or I wouldn¡¯t be able to get up. A loud ¡®snapping¡¯ sound came from my mid-section; it made me look down; water trickled down my leg. I walked to the bathroom. Michael had put a hospital bed in there, equipped with all the supplies and alien tech we would need for the delivery. It wouldn¡¯t be long¡­ I would have to go back to France. The situation there made me yearn to take Michael¡­ walk up into the wilderness, build a cabin, and live out our lives there forever. If I didn¡¯t go back, nothing would be wrong. With a lot of effort, I got up onto the gurney and had to put the fetal monitor around my stomach; I struggled to get it strapped and still had to do another one to monitor the contractions. It took much groaning and moaning, but I got it done. I pushed the button on the screen next to me. The heartbeat raced as I relaxed back into the bed. If the baby was fine¡­ I would be fine.

    Michael had woken up and came walking over, frowning and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He considered the water trail I had left from the bed to the bathroom, ¡°You have about an hour to change your mind.¡±

    ¡°How far?¡±

    ¡°Seven to eight¡­ I think.¡±

    He shook his head, ¡°I won¡¯t. Ever!¡± Michael walked over to the toilet, closing the door. He emerged a minute later, putting on the clothes he had dropped when we got in the bath with me the night before. While scrubbing his hands and putting on gloves, he said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who should be sure¡­ none of your husbands you want here?¡± he air quotes the word husbands.

    I lifted up my left hand and jiggled my left ring finger, ¡°You jealous?¡± He smiled that wickedly sexy smile of his; only one side of his mouth turned up. ¡°Never been more sure. I don¡¯t want to see Marcus right now¡­ I don¡¯t want him here. I don¡¯t want to see Chris or Louis either.¡±

    ¡°When are you going to sort that out?¡± he peeked up at me.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I groaned as another contraction came. He walked to another machine to check a long string of paper measuring my contraction strength.

    He prodded my stomach with firm fingers, ¡°Marcus¡­ You are so clever and educated, together with your feisty personality¡­ to do all you¡¯ve done throughout your life. Why don¡¯t you sort it out? You never let up¡­ why with him?¡±

    I leaned back into the bed, shrugging, ¡°What about you? Did you ever get the number of that girl at the coffee shop? You know I might die so¡ª¡± he reached out and covered my mouth with his hand, without facing me¡ªI was silenced. He took out a blood pressure machine and checked my vitals¡­ then my temperature and my oxygen. ¡°You sure you want to see my private parts like that? You know what to expect, right? You¡¯re not going to freak out when my ass turns into a cauliflower?¡± He grinned, continuing to stack towels, bowls, and dishes while moving here and there, placing all the surgical tools next to him on a tray.

    ¡°Nothing you can say will change how I feel...¡±

    His eyes were the only thing I had to distract myself from the growing pains, ¡°Don¡¯t say it¡­ please¡­ not you,¡± he chuckled, and his eyes met mine briefly.

    An hour later, Michael told me to push for the last time; the baby¡¯s shoulders gushed out. I gasped, trying to catch my breath as I fell back onto the bed. I wasn¡¯t even sweating. I was born for this. He put the screaming baby in the crib. I watched the little boy like a hawk with the worst behind me, breathing deeply in and out. From the corner of my eye, I saw Michael clamp the cord in two places, not cutting it yet. He took out a needle and vile and pulled out the blood from in between the clamped part of the umbilical cord. When he was done, he finished the normal process of cutting it off at Caleb¡¯s navel. ¡°So this is why you wanted me here,¡± he grinned again.

    We would have to watch Caleb every minute for months to know if he¡­ then Caleb changed, ¡°Michael!¡± His eyes shot up at the little guy¡ªhe couldn¡¯t care. Michaels worriedly said, ¡°Juliet! I need to get the placenta out and stop this bleeding. Lie back, please.¡± He asked so nicely¡ªI listened to him.

    ¡°You got this. I trust you.¡± His frown was strained while he was busy. He took away countless small blue plastic bed sheets and kept putting a new one under my ass every time. He had to change the sheets twice in the last hour; I didn¡¯t want to know what he had seen or not. My privates down there were sore, swollen, and ripped, although it wouldn¡¯t last long. A second gush flowed out of me, and another feeling of release washed over me as I breathed out¡ªit was over. Michael was busy for a few more minutes.

    He picked me up and put me in a chair in the shower, waved his hand in front of the tap, and a screen flashed 34. The water came out perfectly, flowing softly over me. I leaned back in the chair, moving myself in a circle as I cleaned. The blood wasn¡¯t stopping, ¡°Where does all this blood come from?¡±

    ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s all you have.¡±

    He helped me put on disposable underwear, cleaned the blood from my legs, and wrapped me in a towel. He picked me up and helped me to the bed¡ªthe sheets already clean¡ªhe was so efficient. I didn¡¯t know how I would be able to thank him for being there for me those last few months. Caleb was cute and still in his riphath form¡ªbushy and sweet.

    ¡°Louis is going to be livid,¡± Michael stated.

    ¡°He could¡¯ve come¡­ but he didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re growing up fast¡­ Getting tired of these guys already?¡±

    I pumped my hands out towards the baby. Michael had wrapped him and helped me put him on my breast. The guy went at it like a trooper, ¡°Oh, thank heavens. I wouldn¡¯t be able to take latching problems.¡±

    Everything full of blood was taken to a bin. When Michael was finally done, he closed the lid and disposed of everything else in other containers. He moped the floor, put away all the dishes, and placed all the instruments in bowls to sterilize. He went in and out of the bathroom a few times, making space and removing unnecessary things for everyday use. Before he left the room the first time, he even put up the heat.

    After a few minutes, I put Caleb on my other breast. Michael came back, standing at the door with his hands on his hips. ¡°Okay, everything is done¡­ Let me just check my list.¡± When it seemed like he was done fretting, he pulled up his wheelie chair beside me and gazed at me, ¡°You did really well, Juliet. I¡¯m so proud of you.¡± Standing up, he kissed my forehead. He pulled back the blanket around Caleb¡¯s face, and our eyes met in mutual understanding. Caleb was beautiful. Michael knew from there on out he was the most important person in my life. Caleb¡¯s face was now a regular human face. Michael reached for the silver canister and handed it to me, ¡°Qadir wants this for experiments and tests.¡± His eyes met mine, and a flicker of regret played on his features, ¡°It¡¯s your choice.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°There are no interspecies babies. Werewolves and vampires can¡¯t cross bread, just like a lion, and a dog can¡¯t have a baby¡­ Why you also don¡¯t eat each other.¡±

    I stared at him in disbelief, ¡°What?¡±

    He bobbed his head, ¡°You are the first vampire to ever have a riphath baby¡­ or any other species¡¯ baby for that matter.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I looked down at Caleb.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t even know if he would be alive.¡±

    Another thing the guys were keeping from me¡ªit could have gone the other way, and worrying about it would¡¯ve made me more depressed while I was pregnant. I was glad I wasn¡¯t going to have to deal with crazy postpartum issues; all the whirlpool of emotions, the craziness I had to deal with an hour ago, was over. I felt strangely better and even out internally. I didn¡¯t want to cry about everything, and thinking about his words¡­ they didn¡¯t really sink in or scare me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care that you have to ask Michael¡­ You will get into too much trouble for it. Just take it¡­ What can he do with it anyway?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know Qadir. He will find something.¡±

    ¡°Can aliens create clones yet?¡±

    ¡°If Qadir even looked at Caleb funny, he would die¡ªthat same day, don¡¯t worry. If none of your people will do it¡­ I will.¡± Caleb finished trying to get some milk from me and fell asleep.

    Michael picked him up and put him in the plastic bassinet perched on a stand, ¡°He needs to be burped.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it now¡­ Keep him upright for twenty minutes and all that. I know what you like¡­ Can I just get you dressed and dried off?¡± I did what I was told. Hesitantly, he pulled down my underwear and risked a peek, ¡°Yes! You stopped bleeding. Good girl!¡±

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    I giggled, ¡°Like I had anything to do with it.¡±

    He put on my regular undies and helped me put on sweats and a shirt. One of his shirts, I loved. He kissed my forehead quickly and picked me up¡ªa ridiculous smile on his face, ¡°You freak me out being this happy all the time.¡±

    ¡°Thank You¡­ for the time we had. You don¡¯t know how badly I needed this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the one who should say thank you. Everything you did today¡­ my whole life¡­ but you¡¯re not my watcher anymore.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s what they said at the embassy¡­ when Caleb is born¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ we¡¯ll see what happens.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure they can¡¯t come in here? Or see everything we went through.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not allowed. Samuel is the official liaison for all three planets. He¡¯s covered six ways to Sunday. This is the safest place you could ever be.¡±

    ¡°And you? When I fall asleep, will you disappear with my baby?¡± he smiled, ¡°I heard what happened at the cages. You were there¡­ Louis almost got hurt.¡±

    ¡°I know you have wicked discernment, Juliet, but not everything you see is always true. Or what that brain tells you is going on in your life with all the factors from so many directions,¡± he sighed, ¡°Juliet, promise me¡­.¡±

    He was being so serious while he covered me with the blanket and sat beside me on the bed, stroking the hair out of my face¡ªmy eyes already closing, ¡°Promise you what?¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°You won¡¯t doubt Marcus.¡±

    I cast a skeptical eye at him, ¡°In what way?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ he only thinks about you. His every thought is about you¡­ Be patient with him. He has a lot of things on his plate. All he wants is for you to be free. Even if you have to suffer like at the fight with Qadir¡­ trust in him.¡±

    ¡°And you¡­ What do you want? You happy you¡¯ll be free of me? You¡¯re rich and have your whole life ahead of you.¡±

    He got up without answering me walking over to the bathroom. He put a burp cloth over his shoulder and let Caleb rest on it. He came over again, ¡°Get some sleep,¡± I drifted off as he left the room.

    ***

    Michael

    I sat downstairs with Caleb. If only I could tell her how much I loved her. The fireplace was blazing, the wood crackling and burning red and grey. The orange of the flames pulled me deep into my thoughts. I got lost in the memories of those two months. I had to prepare myself to leave the farm behind like last time¡ªI was struggling. It was so different; Juliet was all woman. I was scared I would fade into the background of her life. Caleb was getting fussy; it had been three hours, and he wanted milk. Juliet stood behind me; I didn¡¯t even hear her come down the stairs or into the room, ¡°Penny, for your thoughts,¡± she whispered next to my ear.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know¡­ He needs to feed.¡±

    She pumped her hands, arms stretched out towards him. Her lips found his soft baby cheeks, ¡°He cleaned up nice. Thank You¡­¡± she said, walking around the couch. ¡°You¡¯re one lucky boy¡­ I hope you don¡¯t have one ounce of your mom¡¯s bad luck,¡± she whispered to him.

    She sat down next to me, feeding him, ¡°He will be unmanageable if he¡¯s not with his dad in a day or two. You won¡¯t have any authority over him until¡ª¡±

    She cut me off, ¡°At the age of five hundred.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s normal stupid men¡­.¡± I smiled, loving the way that whole picture made me feel... Me, a woman, and a baby. I rubbed his little soft hair, scooting closer to them, ¡°He is going to be¡­ No! He is very important.¡±

    ¡°I want you to take him back to Chris¡­ now, after this feed,¡± she stroked his little cheek.

    Worriedly, I watched her face for any sign of what she was thinking, ¡°O¡­kay?¡± I couldn¡¯t tell her Chris wasn¡¯t at home. I had not heard from them in so long; the only one talking to me was Louis, who¡¯d been quiet the last two weeks.

    ¡°I¡¯m going hunting. And then take some time for myself. I need a few days¡­ not being pregnant or¡ª¡± she didn¡¯t need to finish the sentence.

    ¡°You really are back¡­ Strong¡­ Independent¡­ Fierce.¡±

    ¡°I want to ask you a question. You have to answer me immediately and honestly.¡± I don¡¯t know why I hesitated; I would do anything for her. ¡°What should I focus on? Combat, education, or interspecies relationships?¡±

    ¡°Combat. Strategy. I will pass you notes whenever I can... If I can¡­ We¡¯ll see what happens after today.¡±

    ¡°Such a fast answer.¡± I feared for her future where she wouldn¡¯t be able to protect herself¡­ It was my number one priority. I got lost in my thoughts again. ¡°Is this the last time I¡¯ll see you?¡±

    My eyes found hers, wanting to read something in them. They gave me nothing. I nodded slowly. The reality was all too much for me. The thought of all those years with her and then nothing. I stared into the flames, remembering the best and worst things, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for last time when you were here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not. Stop saying that!¡± she rebuked.

    ¡°I won¡¯t¡­ Sorry, I didn¡¯t tell you who I was. That the first time you saw me was at the embassy,¡± I smiled, ¡°The look on your face was worth it, though,¡± I chuckled and watched her watch me. Her hand caressed my cheek, ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, and not just your face and body, Juliet, you¡¯re a beautiful person. Never forget that. Any guy is lucky to have you in their life.¡±

    ¡°But not you?¡± I got up quickly, ripping off the Band-Aid. Unable to have that discussion with her.

    Before I exited out of the door, she spoke, ¡°I had a moment of weakness¡­ I thought we could disappear into the mountains. Build a little cabin and stay there¡­ The two of us, even if it is just for a while. You know me so well. I don¡¯t have to try when I¡¯m with you.¡±

    F¡ªit was harder than I thought; I knew exactly how she felt, ¡°Like you said¡­ A moment of weakness¡­ that dream can never be. Focus on fixing your house. Making it strong¡­ But once you¡¯re home like you¡¯re now¡­ everything will make sense again¡­ The baby did a number on you¡­ let yourself off the hook. Having your body filled with so many things didn¡¯t help.¡± I glanced back; Caleb was draped over her shoulder. She had turned on the couch, watching my back to her, ¡°What?¡± I ask, stretching us out a few moments longer.

    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful too. I want to remember you like this. Standing at the door¡­ in earnest.¡±

    I gripped the door frame, ¡°Two minutes, then I take him home.¡± She nodded and smiled. Her sincerest, loveliest smile. My heart was crushed into a million pieces¡­ because I couldn¡¯t make everything better for her. Regardless, I couldn¡¯t fall apart¡ªnot yet; she needed me for a little while longer.

    Five minutes later, I stood feet-deep in the snow outside Louis¡¯s house, pushing through the white blanket up to the door. There was a storm coming, and sudden whips of wind hit me. I wanted to get Caleb out of the cold. I didn¡¯t knock; the door was always open anyway. I walked through. It startled everyone around the Christmas table. I left the door open, and the weather joined me inside. I didn¡¯t say anything and was surprised when I saw Chris there. The whole circus was enjoying the day without Juliet. They were just okay with going on with their lives¡­ it ticked me off; they could¡¯ve said something. I didn¡¯t feel guilty at all anymore. I rounded the table and pushed Caleb into Chris¡¯s arms, turned around, and ran out the door as fast as I could before anyone could even register what was happening or say a word.

    Before I teleported out of there, I glanced over to Charlene¡¯s house, excited to have some good news for Juliet. The house came out great. Juliet¡¯s little cabin in the woods sounded too good.

    I had to meet with Raas, so I ended up entering the same room at the embassy, where everyone was together for the first time as a family. The news was already all over the Milky Way; celebrations had begun for little Caleb. Juliet wasn¡¯t under the protection of the riphaths anymore. If they signed the papers¡ªno more watchers, and then I couldn¡¯t protect her anymore¡ªshe would be all alone. Qadir would come for her¡­ or he would wait until she turned, and he would control her. To whom did I give the magic button? Who did I trust? Who would be left? No one could find Rodrigo because he was back on the compound. Qadir found him a while ago, pulling his strings, and would piggyback on whatever they were going to do together. If Juliet wanted the cure, she would have to go back there.

    The cruelty of her situation was too much for me. I walked towards the table where Jack and Kubra were already waiting. I sat down next to them, across from a new face. Questioningly, I peeked at Jack, who shrugged in answer.

    ¡°So, Juliet is not pregnant anymore?¡± This new person asked. I nodded once. I went from the most important watcher to the one who would be let go. I had to ensure the baby¡¯s safety at all costs during her pregnancy. Significant because of Caleb, not Juliet. ¡°You did excellent work there, Michael¡­ And, of course, you will be handsomely rewarded.¡±

    Yippee! Another million in my account. What was the freakin point?

    ¡°Well, they have two days to decide whether they want to go back to the En-gannim or if they will stay in exile here on Earth. If they don¡¯t¡­ no more watchers for all three of them¡­ not even you, Kubra,¡± he bowed his head in a quick motion. The guy had very little to say. ¡°You two will return for treatment because your contract will end,¡± Jack and I nodded.

    What did Jack feel like; he hoped to live for a thousand years and have eighty to live his life and pass away like everyone else, sitting on the porch with the wife in some suburb, the grandkids running around on the grass. All I could think about was Juliet hunting alone for the first time and what had happened the last time. I almost jumped up when Jabin dismissed us and told us to deliver the news, although I wasn¡¯t headed for France and was sure when Jack and Kubra saw neither Juliet nor me there¡­ they would finalize the arrangements.

    Two more days¡­ Two more days. Where are you? I ran through the house searching. I had her phone in my hand, regretting not giving it to her before I left. It wouldn¡¯t work if she had vanished anyway. I had locked up her phone when we came. We couldn¡¯t risk her finding out about Sita and Chris. The guys agreed when I took her¡ªno contact. I don¡¯t know if it was a good idea. Juliet had become detached from them and clung to whoever was with her. Juliet wanted to disappear. I ran out the front door towards the mountains looming in front of me. Beyond the small mountain range were flat, watery planes. Would she really go on a hike to the end of Canada? I sighed, running around, checking everywhere.

    An hour later, I was deep into the woods, following the trail we always took to find forest dwellers, hunters, or hikers. We never needed to come go so far up the path, though. I decided to turn around. ¡°Clothes!¡±

    I saw bright red material as I crossed a log functioning as a bridge over a frozen stream. I jumped into a blanket of powdered snow; it was freezing as more snow fell on my face. My beard was already covered in icicles. Hesitantly, I pulled on the garment¡ªa body emerged. The guy was blue and drained. She ate¡­ smiling, I pushed him back into the snow, ¡°Good girl.¡± I ran back again, following the trail towards town; at the parking area, the road split in two, going west one way and east the other. West was home. East headed into town.

    Did we miss each other, or did she want to be alone? I needed to consider what to do next¡­ ¡°Okay,¡± the mountains were really my last option. If in two days, she didn¡¯t surface¡­ I¡¯d take out a snowmobile and hope I could track her, so I headed to town first; it was getting late. The sun was setting, and I was exhausted. I stuck my gloved hand into my thick jacket pocket, walking into town down the main street. It was Christmas Eve, and she was all alone¡ªnot that it meant anything to her. There were only two places that would be open. I went to the first one; the doors were locked¡­ the pub was the only other option.

    Walking the two blocks, I already heard the cheers and loud music from down the street. As I rounded the corner, people¡¯s voices became more apparent; they were singing at the top of their lungs in French.

 62. Julietâ€™s Back

    62. Juliet¡¯s Back

    Chris

    Early Christmas morning, there was a knock on the door. Louis opened because I had a miserable baby in my arms. When Kubra and Jack walked in, all our faces fell; it was time to decide what would happen in the future; the time had come to discuss Marcus and Louis returning to En-gannim. Warden also came trailing in, taking Caleb from me; I didn¡¯t know where he took him, but I was thankful to have a few minutes without trying to console the kid. He would not stop crying since he woke up after Michael pushed him into my arms.

    Marcus hadn¡¯t seen Kubra since the fight, and they pound-hugged, spoke in their own language, and patted each other on the back. We invited them in, and they sat around the table.

    ¡°Who is the new ambassador since Asher died?¡± I asked, curious to know what our repercussions were.

    Kubra didn¡¯t look up. My eyes met Jack¡¯s, who was waiting for Kubra to speak. Both had been watchers for two hundred years. Even though Louis and Jack didn¡¯t know each other, Jack knew everything about Louis, and I guessed about all of us. What they must talk about when alone. ¡°Kubra¡¯s father is here for the interim and the foreseeable future,¡± Jack finally said.

    ¡°Jabin? Isn¡¯t he¡ª¡± Marcus asked but didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Kubra nodded; I figured it wasn¡¯t good news for us. We were cautious when we spoke¡ªabout anything.

    ¡°The surveillance will be even worse now¡­ Although I¡¯m still doing all I can to manipulate the feed. I don¡¯t think my father will sit and watch you all day long.¡±

    I sighed in relief, and Marcus matched my feelings. ¡°Have you been editing the feed?¡± Marcus sounded almost desperate.

    Kubra bobbed his head, ¡°The finger-sucking thing¡­ Yeah, and other times... where you gave yourself away¡­¡± Marcus got up and pulled him into an embrace. ¡°She hasn¡¯t really changed, has she.¡±

    Marcus chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°If we go back, we have to follow their rules. We will have some control over Juliet. No one will be able to touch her unless she¡¯s locked up when we¡¯re not looking,¡± Marcus said, sitting down again.

    ¡°Marcus¡­ You¡¯re nowhere near ready,¡± Louis countered, fearful of Marcus¡¯s blind trust in his capabilities. ¡°Look, going back there isn¡¯t even an option¡­ If we do, she¡¯ll run. Michael let me know in so many words. We will literally never find her again. She will make Caleb disappear and never leave her invisible state until he¡¯s Five hundred.¡±

    ¡°What you don¡¯t understand, Louis, is you have to choose who the villain in our story will be. If we¡¯re here¡­ we will be looking over our shoulder anyway. I¡¯d rather not want my father as an enemy.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking long term. I¡¯m thinking about an eighteen-year-old who will lose her s¡ª!¡± Louis pointed at me, and Marcus met my eye. It was true on so many levels. Juliet had not come back yet, and we didn¡¯t even know if she would.

    ¡°If we don¡¯t split up, it will be complicated for them,¡± I offered.

    Marcus jumped to his feet with a huff. It was frustrating; we couldn¡¯t all sit down and discuss every detail anymore. After the fiasco with Sita, Samuel told us we should not talk about anything relating to our futures or go off to secluded places in the mountains like we¡¯ve been doing the past year. It didn¡¯t really matter; we didn¡¯t even have all the variables or know who we were dealing with.

    ***

    Michael

    I went over to the window and stood outside, peering in, hoping she would be in the bar. It was crowded, the people were dancing, and the girls were jumping up and down in a group. Then I saw her, hair bouncing¡­ drunk as a fish. I stood there watching for a few minutes like I had all my life from the outside, looking in. I couldn¡¯t help smiling; she was and always would be a little crazy¡­ My feelings for her had gone from¡­ longing to see her again¡­ to¡­ a need to be a part of her life. It was hot in there¡­ she had barely anything on¡­ The way she was dancing, asking me to take off the little that was left¡­ The other women stood rallied around her, singing songs and doing shots. Her French was good, and she kept up.

    I opened the door; the whole room paused, the music loud in the background as the chatter ceased. Everyone stared at me; I gave a little wave. Juliet yelled loudly in French, ¡°The stripper is here.¡± The crowd went nuts, even the guys. I was tired after hiking for two hours¡­ Ran around looking for her some more, nevertheless, her energy was infectious. She bounced over, poured a shot into my mouth, and wanted to kiss me; I wasn¡¯t there yet, and strangely, she had never been offended by my lack of commitment. However, there would be a punishment: hanging her out to dry; she rallied the crowd to chant for me¡ªthey wanted me to strip¡ªit would be the cost¡­ The thought was playing around in my mind¡­ to indulge her. I had done some stupid stuff in my youth¡­ I wouldn¡¯t see those people again. Soon, everyone would be dead anyway¡­ I liked dancing. She lifted her arms, clapping for me, and the crowd joined her. What the hell is wrong with people? I¡¯m covered in tattoos.

    The crowd separated to the outskirts of the room and made a space for me in the middle. Juliet took off my jacket and hung it up at the door, bent down, and undid my laces; I stepped out of them and ended up in slacks and a vest. I pulled her into the center of the room and pushed her down onto a chair I had pulled out from under some guy. She smiled so wickedly at me¡ªit fueled me to give her what she wanted¡ªfun¡­ I went to the DJ and played her favorite song on my phone.

    I stood facing her, wiping my nose with my index finger and thumb, waiting for the music to start. She opened her legs and sat like a guy would, beer in hand; it made me laugh. When the music suddenly came to life¡­I stretched out my arm and held out my hand to her, asking for permission first¡­ so I could enter her space. She accepted my invitation. I held her hand for a moment, slowly gliding my finger up her arm¡­ continuing further over her shoulder, neck, and down the other arm, circling her and coming back around. I kept watching her while I hovered over her lap, grinding slowly to the beat of the music. Juliet¡¯s eyes were all over me. I lowered my head, smelling her neck. I moved away from her, letting my hands slide over her naked thighs until our faces were inches apart, teasing her for a kiss.

    Slowly, I stood up, rocking in that body-roll strippers used while taking off my shirt. I danced fluently, falling on the floor and humping away as she laughed like she¡¯s never laughed before. All I could do was be happy with her and not let her look away from me, touching her as I moved around her. For three minutes, she had me dancing, stripping, and performing to a crowd of strangers, jiggling my body out to the other ladies. Her reactions were so spot on; every part of me focused only on her. I knew what she liked and what buttons to push. I ended up in only my trunks in front of her. She would kill me if I took off my underwear.

    The song ended. I pulled her up roughly onto my chest, breathing heavily onto her lips, ¡°Ready to go home.¡±

    She nodded, ¡°For that¡­ Oh man, I owe you big time!¡±

    I got dressed, my mind full of ideas for making her pay¡­ She put on pants and a blazer. I got her coat and covered her, reached into the pockets, and handed her the gloves she had pushed in there. I picked her up and flung her over my shoulder, carrying her out against everyone¡¯s protests. She waved and yelled a chant. The group all clapped as we left¡­ the party carried on.

    Juliet wriggled off me; I let her go and dropped her slowly in front of me. She still staggered¡­ being a little drunk and slurry when she spoke. It was freezing, yet she didn¡¯t move, looking up at me, finally reaching on her toes and pressing her lips on mine. My eyes closed. I allowed it for the first time since being at the farm¡­ You could barely call it a kiss¡­ We had done everything but really kiss passionately¡­ like lovers do. I didn¡¯t want to cross that line of intimacy with her; we weren¡¯t going to last. I was afraid for so many reasons. If I did kiss her¡­ I was done for.

    Her tongue begged me to open my mouth; fingers tugged gently on my chin to let go. Lost in the way she smelled and the taste I was getting from her persuasions¡­ I tilted my head slightly and parted my lips. A soft gasp escaped her mouth. I was letting her into my world¡­ just a little bit more. My hands wrapped her in an embrace as I pulled her closer. The kiss got more and more intense as the moments passed; moaning, our lips played with each other until her body shook from the cold. I gently pushed her away; she didn¡¯t want to let me go. ¡°Let¡¯s take this party indoors¡­ okay?¡± She nodded drunkenly at me.

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The house wasn¡¯t far from the town. Inside, we made a b-line for her room, put the air on, and pushed a button for the fire. We both jumped under the duvet. She found me quickly and warmed herself against me. ¡°How long?¡± she asked, a little more sober.

    ¡°Two days.¡± Juliet lay there staring up at the roof in my arms, waiting¡­ I got on top of her, brushing my lips against hers, waiting, asking for permission as she did earlier. Her hands ran into my hair and gripped a fistful, pulling me closer, devouring me¡­ and I let her, giving her every part of me. Straddling me, she pushed me over and under her to take control on top¡­ and I let her. Two days. Two whole days.

    In Samuel¡¯s house, the spot you could teleport from was in the foyer of the home. Juliet and I were staring at one another for what seemed like an eternity. One of us was going to have to end this, and she had no plans to be the one who ended us, ¡°Okay¡­ You ready?¡± I asked before I begged her to stay and disappear.

    ¡°Fake it till you make it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my little Juliet.¡± She was holding my hand, not even remarking on my words; that¡¯s how I knew she was scared.

    ¡°I hate it when you call me that.¡±

    I pulled her closer and enveloped her mouth with mine¡ªone last time. ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ Please,¡± she begged.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I wanted to say¡­.¡± We were standing lips to lips, speaking while our mouths came together.

    ¡°Then what?¡± she whispered.

    ¡°You owe me.¡±

    She chuckled, ¡°I know¡­ what do you want me to do right now, though?¡±

    ¡°Marry me¡­ human certificate and all.¡±

    Her lips pressed together in a surprised, thoughtful smile. She was quiet for a second, our foreheads touching. My hands cupped her cheeks. She turned her head and kissed my palm... The gesture was as good as a yes, and I picked her up, wordlessly expressing my happiness. ¡°You will have to wait, ¡± we both laughed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait as long as I have to¡­ So it¡¯s a date? You want me in your life?¡±

    She nodded.

    I pressed the button, and we emerged outside in the snow. It was early, and we could hear Caleb crying. Her soft little hand gripped tightly into my calloused hand. I gave her a minute¡­ When she let go, I left.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°Sheese Michael... You coward.¡± I gave another little laugh thinking about his striptease; he was anything but a coward. Best two months of my life. Taking in a deep breath, I had to steel myself. I took the stairs slowly, not wanting to fall. Pulling the handle down, I pushed open the door.

    My mom had Caleb in the living room, trying to soothe him¡ªnothing worked. He was wailing¡ªinconsolable. I walked over and took him from her. She was dumbfounded to see me. I sat down, already irritated to be back. I pulled up my shirt and put him on my breast. He was quiet and sucked like a champ, ¡°Hi, buddy. You good? You didn¡¯t like the bottle?¡±

    Mom sat down across from me, staring¡ªnot saying a word; she knew when my face was that contorted to step away. I didn¡¯t feel like dealing. The quiet made all the men come out of their rooms. From the corner of my eye, I saw the figures behind me. ¡°Leave!¡± The quiet behind me was deafening as they hesitantly shuffled around. I eventually turned when my mom shooed them, and they slowly retreated. ¡°And I want my room back¡­ Now that Charlene is out¡­ Make it happen. Get Caleb¡¯s crib in there. I¡¯m not going up and down those stairs every time he wakes up.¡±

    There was a scurry behind me. I heard the furniture move and them talking and going in and out of rooms. After about twenty minutes, I put Caleb on the other breast. My mom had sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. Was she sleeping? What the hell? I thought Chris was going to be needed for this. Why were they not bonding?

    Caleb¡¯s mouth dislodges off my nipple, ¡°You fell asleep... So sweet. Now you¡¯re the only guy in this place who loves me¡­ Right?¡± I took the burp cloth from the chair and put him on my shoulder, rubbing his little back.

    My dad came over and stroked my hair, ¡°Hello, Julie. How are you?¡± I smiled sweetly up at him. He went over to Mom and rubbed his knuckles over her cheek.

    ¡°How do you feel, Grandpa?¡± he looked at Caleb, and his chin quivered. He was getting all choked up, ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, Juliet. He¡¯s the best. I am so happy for you.¡±

    The words warm my heart. ¡°Well, maybe not the only guy,¡± I whisper to Caleb. He picked up Mom and carried her down the hall. I hugged Caleb as I kept patting him, smiling, thinking about the previous night¡¯s drinking games Michael and I played and how drunk we got.

    I walked to the kitchen, took a beer, and threw a rug over Caleb. We made our way outside down the road to Charlene¡¯s. Knocking on her door, I waited, quickly glancing back up at the house. I saw three pairs of eyes on me; I stuck out my tongue at them, and then Charlene pulled me inside. We hug for so long. She stared at Caleb while clinging to me. I kissed her cheek, ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright, Chars¡­ Don¡¯t worry.¡± She nodded tearily.

    We went and sat down on the carpet in front of the fire. Caleb was all burped out, so I put him down on the rug. If he had been crying for so long, he would be out for hours. I finished my beer quickly and finally breathed out the breath I had been holding for the last hour. With closed eyes, I groaned up at the roof. I couldn¡¯t get off that Michael high. I heard voices behind me. The whole crowd was there. Happy to see them, I jumped over the couch, hugging them all.

    ¡°Where is my little girl?¡± Ben handed her over. I walked around the couch and sat down with Min¨¦ holding my finger. ¡°You are so pretty¡­ Just like your mommy.¡± The guys came and sat around us, looking at Caleb and checking him out as he slept for the dead.

    ¡°So what does a girl gotta do to get a drink around here?¡± Mateo jumped up and went to the kitchen. ¡°Beer, please.¡± He brought me my favorite, and I smiled up at him, ¡°Thank You.¡±

    ¡°You still owe me an apology,¡± Mateo quipped.

    ¡°Never. It was too funny.¡±

    Charlene dissected me with her piercing stare, ¡°Juliet! Come on¡­ You were gone for so long¡­ We didn¡¯t think you would come back.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I had no say in the matter. Taken. And no, never. I love you all too much. Just because¡ª¡± I couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. My breathing was already ragged. I thought I would be over it¡ªI wasn¡¯t. No kidding, Juliet. Stupid Juliet was back. Michaels¡¯s words echo in my head. ¡®Why don¡¯t you sort that out.¡¯ I had been racking my brain; how did I keep us all together with the crap storm coming? ¡°What happened? Did they sign the papers?¡± I asked, trying to get off the subject.

    ¡°Of course.¡± I sighed with relief, closing my eyes. I let my head rest back on the couch. ¡°Did you really think they would take you back there?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, I doubted Marcus until a second ago.¡±

    Back on topic.

    ¡°Is that why you didn¡¯t come home¡­ Marcus?¡± she snorted, ¡°You¡¯ve got it bad.¡±

    I laughed lightly as our eyes locked, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m screwed.¡± We burst out laughing, and the guys joined in, listening and probably knowing what was going on. ¡°Well, I figured out what we will do tomorrow, Pinky.¡±

    ¡°What brain?¡±

    ¡°Fighting¡­ We have to fight.¡±

    Charlene groaned, laying her head back. We both stared up at the roof, ¡°Really? I was hoping it would be good news¡­ Like all the aliens will go home and never come back. We could¡¯ve been happy.¡± I looked at Ben and pointed to the kitchen. He brought Charlene the same as me. She downed a big gulp.

    ¡°So, are you going back with Ben? What¡¯s going on between you guys? You know, maybe they will have something for you on their planet?¡±

    Ben came over and sat behind her, rubbing her shoulders, ¡°I think it¡¯s good getting into fighting. On my planet, all our women are warriors¡­ And we haven¡¯t lost a fight against the vampires yet,¡± Ben said. Mateo cleared his throat. Inwardly, I laughed. All of us were being tossed around in the ocean of waves of our new lives. Ben changed the subject, ¡°We¡¯re together¡­ together¡ªship and all. I moved in a month ago. I help with Min¨¦. Help wash clothes, clean, cook anything she needs,¡± he kept massaging her shoulders.

    Charlene smiled so happily I had to lean forward, ¡°Chomping at the bit¡­.¡± I flashed eyebrows at her. We clunked our bottles. ¡°Congratulations.¡± Then I did the same with his. Ben had done a one-eighty. Usually, he would say nothing and be distant. I was glad my mom and I were right about him.

    After a few hours, Caleb stirred, and I picked him up, ¡°I¡¯ll see you bright and early.¡± I pulled Charlene into an embrace, ¡°I missed you so much. I want to spend as much time with you and Min¨¦ as possible.¡±

    The guys were finishing the last round of cards we were playing. I greeted them all, and they all got up to hug me. I pulled my hood over my head and covered Caleb with his rug.

    Outside, when I was alone, I stood there for a moment. White soft flakes fell around me; I lifted my face up into the icy air, sticking out my tongue as I tried to catch some. Love is a decision. The choice is mine, yet I love him so much it hurts. It had been so long. Could we really meet again? I wanted to behave and not be angry, but he was in the house¡­ in my space¡­ Carefully, I walked the rest of the way.

    Inside, it was dark and quiet. I walked past Marcus¡¯s door and stopped. I slapped it loudly, whispering, ¡°Ignorant ass.¡± I was sure he wouldn¡¯t open for me. I waited... nothing. It killed me that there was never a response. I stood away from the door, hearing something. I looked left and right, seeing nothing unusual, and then looked up to scan the roof. I shook my head, remembering what Michael said¡­ Marcus¡¯s behavior was all for me¡­ I didn¡¯t want to hurt anymore, and I didn¡¯t understand his behavior. What did I have to hold onto when I thought of Marcus. I rested my head on the door and ran my hand softly over the wood. ¡°I want you so bad,¡± I whispered and left, going into my own room; I closed and locked the door. I put Caleb on the bed, got undressed, and fed him.

    For the first time in months, I put my phone on. Chris¡¯s name popped up. I couldn¡¯t remember giving him my number¡­ I couldn¡¯t face any of them just yet.

    I went to Marcus¡¯s number and sent a voice note.

    Me [ ¡°Charlene and I are training tomorrow morning early. If you want to help.¡± ] I pressed send.

    Ten minutes later, he sent me a message back. Ten freaking minutes¡­

    Marcus { A couch, a book, a head massage emoji, and a few question marks. }

    Me [ ¡°Sorry, Marcus¡­ Not anymore.¡± ] I pressed sent.

    Marcus { Sad emoji face. }

    I threw the phone on the bed, ¡°What the F¡ª!¡± I picked it up again:

    Me { You¡¯re too hot and cold. Choose one! }

    Marcus: { Sad emoji face. }

    It was cute that he was sending anything.

 63. Whatâ€™s Going On?

    63. What¡¯s Going On?

    Marcus

    I sat on a chair at the dining room table, having chosen the one closest to the front door, waiting for Juliet to come home from her evening with Charlene. She slowly made her way toward the house and stopped; Juliet stuck her tongue out into the air, trying to catch flakes¡­ My world crumbled¡ªher playfulness made me come undone¡ªwanting to be there to claim her mouth and more¡ªfor myself¡ªand finally, consummate the relationship we had. When she headed up the steps, I ran to my room; I was acting like a stupid teenager. Locking my door was also for myself, a barrier between me and my wants¡ªa reminder.

    Juliet strolled into the house; her boots thudded on the hardwood floors and came to a stop outside my room. My heart ached for too many reasons. The ¡®slapping¡¯ sound came; I gripped the armrest of the chair I was sitting in and closed my eyes, leaning my head back. ¡°Ignorant ass,¡± she said. I chuckled with the stupidest smile on my face. As long as she still hated me, I could deal with it. Juliet slowly and sensually ran her hand over the door, ¡°I want you so bad.¡± I jumped up and took a few steps closer, ready to give it all up. I stopped as I heard her footfall going down the hall.

    The familiar buzzing of the watcher¡¯s video equipment droned to life. Groaning, I rested my head on the door, banging my forehead softly on the wood. I had like thirty seconds to put my face on. I was struggling. It had been the most painstaking thing I had ever done. The most conditioning I had ever put my mind through¡­ Picking up my book, I pretend to read, lasting at least ten minutes every time. The buzzing would disappear; it was so subtle you wouldn¡¯t even know it was there.

    I gave so many excuses over those last few months; I didn¡¯t care anymore. If I could spare Juliet one more day without my grandfather rushing down on the place, taking us all back, I was going to do it. I should have left¡­ It would have brought them all peace. I would also appease the powers that be. However, I promised myself I wouldn¡¯t leave her side again; decided I would not go back. So, yes! I was buying time. I wanted to be there when she changed, to help her and Louis to the best of my ability.

    Not seeing her for years was more manageable than her touching me constantly and telling me how much I meant, whispering stuff into my freaking ear I could do nothing about. I hoped I wasn¡¯t doing it for no reason¡­ But that was stupid; I knew I wasn¡¯t. Qadir gave away a lot at the cages. I was more convinced than ever; he wasn¡¯t the real threat, albeit he still was one. The three-way battle going on left me stuck in the middle, Juliet right there with me. The ten minutes were over. Thinking about Juliet in those moments¡­ made it easier when I needed to seem indifferent.

    I had been studying everything I could about the watchers, En-gannim¡¯s history, and war of our worlds¡­ The planets and how they worked. When we were at the Embassy the last time, I asked Samuel for any and all books. He did not deny me. Seemed like my grandfather didn¡¯t mind me getting to know his world. Other than that, Chris and I only walked into the house a week before Christmas, hoping and waiting for her to let us come for the birth.

    Louis was my one consolation; he knew precisely what was going on inside my head and backed me to the point of putting me above Juliet. He knew love must¡­ sometimes be tough. I had to believe it was because we loved her so much. Louis had two weeks with her before we shipped her off to the farm¡­ I was a little jealous. Chris, sleeping with them every night for months made me lie awake for hours; I would have jumped in there if I had half the chance.

    She was furious at us¡­ Telling Juliet why I was acting the way I was¡ªwasn¡¯t an option. She would blurt out everything within five minutes, tell my grandfather to go f¡ª himself, and then move us all somewhere into the woods. It would all be over. Having her irrational for the last nine months didn¡¯t help. Nevertheless, she was back, and we had to face whatever our consequences were for¡­ well, a lot. I walked to my bed excited and dreading tomorrow.

    When Juliet was gone, Louis extended the house and did some remodeling; we needed a room to heat up and train in for the winter months¡ªa gym. So when I walked through the door, Juliet and Charlene were already warming up on the treadmills. Having a lot of time on my hands the night before, I quickly devised a training plan for them. It was going to be intensive and complex. They got off after twenty minutes, drinking some water, coming towards me. The door opened. We heard Louis and Carl coming up the stairs. Carl made a B-line for Juliet, and the two hugged for the longest time. She kissed his cheek, ruffling his hair, ¡°You not going to the army? Don¡¯t you need to start training soon?¡±

    He shrugged, yawning, and shook his head, ¡°I said no.¡±

    She was impressed and happy he was staying. She pushed him toward the treadmill, and he lazily got on. ¡°Where were you last night?¡±

    ¡°In bed.¡±

    Louis came over and wanted to kiss Juliet. She turned away from him before he even came close. ¡°Okay¡­ That¡¯s new!¡± he retaliated. She ignored him, her eyes cast down. He gripped her shoulders and twisted her around.

    She shrugged him off, ¡°We¡¯re back to asking¡­ okay!¡± she spat.

    He narrowed his eyes at her, ¡°I thought I don¡¯t have to anymore.¡±

    ¡°Yeah well, backward is also a direction a relationship can move in.¡± He walked over and pulled her onto his lips, kissing her. She was rigid in his hands, stone cold, and waited till he finished. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ do that¡­ again,¡± she stated coldly.

    Carl, Charlene, and I were staring at the two.

    ¡°F¡ª Juliet! I haven¡¯t seen you for months,¡± her head snapped up at him, and the death stare came out, ¡°Oh, Baby¡­ that doesn¡¯t work on me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Neither does that¡­ Now get the f¡ª away from me before I hurt you,¡± the whole place went quiet as they shot daggers at each other.

    ¡°What the hell did I do to deserve this?¡± he boomed.

    She scoffed, ¡°Really, you going to play stupid? Fine¡­ you say you¡¯ll take me to the farm. You know, I¡¯m thinking you¡¯re going with me, and then you dump me there in the middle of the night¡­ You take my f¡ª phone like I¡¯m twelve and needed to be punished. Two months, Louis!¡±

    Louis walked away before she could go on, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this s¡ª!¡± he yelled. Louis turned abruptly and threw his towel in her face¡ªhard. She manifested and jumped at him. I grabbed her mid-air around the waist, ¡°Chris fought Qadir and won.¡±

    Her head snapped around; an instantaneous smile lit up her face. She changed back, ¡°No way?¡± Her hand covered her mouth as she laughed. She was so excited, jumping up and down and clapping her hands. ¡°How did I miss that? Oh man, I want a play-by-play.¡± She forgot all about Louis and walked to the lockers. She looked back at me, ¡°Basics?¡± I nodded. The door slammed; the sound startled all of us. Juliet¡¯s shoulders jumped.

    ¡°Gloves,¡± I gestured. Charlene walked over to the individual lockers Louis put in. Every person¡¯s equipment was fitted only for them. Juliet helped Charlene and then quickly put on her own. ¡°Bags, let¡¯s go¡­ For the first two weeks, for fitness purposes, you¡¯re going to grind basics: boxing, kicking, and footwork¡­ I don¡¯t want to see one of you stand still for a second. From one foot to the other.¡± I walked over to Charlene, adjusted her waist in front of the bag, and separated her feet a little, ¡°Do this for a few minutes.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s form was perfect. She was jabbing and kicking and moved.¡± When I let go of Charlene¡¯s waist, Juliet watched my hands, but she didn¡¯t say or do anything¡ªonly kept boxing. It was just too easy. I did it again. I held Charlene¡¯s arms to show her how to extend her elbow straight while resting my other on her shoulder, steadying her. Juliet stopped and turned towards me, tight-lipped, ¡°Do that again! I dare you!¡±

    I was so happy to see her. I was being mischievous and not helping. The smile fell off my face as the buzzing activated. I walked away from her, boxing on the other wall. Juliet was confused, staring after me. She jerkily looked from the roof to the floor, scanning outlets along the wall as the noise got louder at its peak. She frowned and shook her head; she didn¡¯t say anything. That wasn¡¯t good. She was clever¡­ S¡ª. Why did she hear it now? They finished their session with another fifteen minutes on the treadmill and some stretching.

    I got them each water. ¡°Thanks, Marcus, for... everything,¡± Charlene said and got up. ¡°I¡¯m going home to feed Min¨¦. See you guys tomorrow morning. She ran her hand over Juliet¡¯s head.

    ¡°Mwah,¡± Charlene got an air kiss, and she reciprocated.

    Juliet didn¡¯t look at me, and whenever the hum droned, she wriggled her finger in her ear. Why wasn¡¯t she saying something or asking anything? Carl was very busy following the program I put in place. I headed over to him, preparing for hand-to-hand combat training.

    ***

    Chris

    I sat in a chair, one I actually made with my own two hands, looking out over the best view of those mountains. When I left teaching to become whatever I was now, building a cabin, a house, and chairs wasn¡¯t even an idea. The crib stood at my workstation; I was going to finish it as soon as I could get my ass off that chair. How I thought I would meet my son was not some dude delivering him to me like a stork at Christmas, shoving him into my arms and notifying me his name was Caleb, running away to who knows where, and Juliet being MIA for another two days. I had thought she would want me there for the birth¡­ She didn¡¯t ask any of us to come and hold her hand like an ordinary woman would! And it made me so angry.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Cindy had to give me a few tips. Liam pulled out a chair close to me, watching the bundle in my arms. Three hours in, Caleb was hungry, didn¡¯t want a bottle, and kept crying. Cindy tried. Liam tried. Marcus tried. Louis tried. None of us could console the kid. He drank some of the milk from the bottle but was nevertheless unmanageable; it didn¡¯t feel like my child; something was missing.

    Michael didn¡¯t even tell us if he had changed or not! I didn¡¯t want this¡­ This was why people were two in a relationship. If it had only been her and me, I would¡¯ve seen him get born and helped pick out a name; we would¡¯ve bonded as a family from the start, figuring things out and being tired together, fighting about who changed the next nappy. I figured because I wouldn¡¯t make it official with her, she was doubting or didn¡¯t think of me as part of the family yet. We were like a one-night stand with a happy accident.

    When Caleb stopped crying, there was a hush in the house, and we all knew the foundation was back. Everyone was off-kilter; even Caleb knew who the boss was¡ªand it wasn¡¯t me¡­ He knew who was the one who would love him until her last breath¡ªdie for him¡ªlike I wouldn¡¯t? How did I connect with him or even compare to the love Juliet gave everyone she had in her life?

    Regardless, she didn¡¯t even want to see us or me... She stuck out her tongue at us¡ªit was all we got. Juliet was angry and back to her old self. If you didn¡¯t love her as you should, she moved on¡­ No, it wasn¡¯t true¡­ I was just as pissed. She went out to have a drink with friends, taking our baby with her. The two of them were a family. I haven¡¯t told her about Sita or why we shipped her off without even one of us. Qadir had stolen something precious from us all, putting pressure on us¡­ making him tap didn¡¯t make up for anything. Being in the mountains was good for me, although I didn¡¯t get much done with all the snow. I could work inside the cabin and, on good days, sit outside. Juliet had not answered any of my texts. We parted angrily. She had my baby, and I wasn¡¯t there. Sighing, I ran my hands through my hair¡­ I just didn¡¯t know how to get her back.

    ***

    Juliet

    I was left alone on the gym mats, on my back, staring at the roof. Carl and Marcus were fighting in the ring. The guys had really done a great job getting so much done. I wanted to go and tour Charlene¡¯s house and see all they did. I quickly fixed my eyes on the corner of the room, and again, I didn¡¯t see anything. Since my episode at the farm, my hearing had bumped up a notch¡ªwell, a few notches. I frowned, putting my finger in my ear and shaking it. Am I getting tinnitus? What is that noise? Where is it coming from? I couldn¡¯t say anything; I couldn¡¯t tell them what had happened or that there was another complication from my infection. That would be super sexy¡­ a deaf girl who screamed at everyone about a buzzing she couldn¡¯t explain and made her jump off a cliff because she thought she was going crazy. I was really worried my brain was affected and turning to mush... I laughed at my own stupid thoughts and sat up. Carl and Marcus stared at me, ¡°You good, Juliet.¡±

    ¡°What did you say?¡± I giggled.

    ¡°I asked if you¡¯re okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t hear you,¡± I jumped up laughing, tired of my own joke, and headed for the cleaning supplies; I would at least contribute in some way. I started with all the mats on the floor and moved to the equipment and the weights. I picked up the soap and sprayed it over the mirrors, using a cloth to buff out the stains. I had my music on and got lost wiping the long wall of mirrors. It made the place look really professional. An hour later, I finished grabbing a basket full of towels. Louis, Marcus, and Carl were still very busy with practice. I took out my one pod, ¡°Hey, Carl. Where is Chris? He was here last night? Why isn¡¯t he training with you guys?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He left last night when you went out to Charlene¡¯s house.¡±

    One less to worry about. You better run, Mr. Rheed.

    For the next few weeks, we faithfully practiced, focused on fitness, and formed a well-oiled routine. The flow in the house had gone back to some normalcy. We were all cooped up, but it didn¡¯t seem like anyone cared. When the house got too much for me, I would go sit outside under a big tree in the woods, dressed in a thick jacket, gloves, and beany, covering myself with a blanket. The cold brought about perspective for me... Reminded me of my time with Michael and got me out of the house, period.

    ¡°Come on, Juliet¡­ It¡¯s clutch and then gear and slowly let go of the clutch and push in the gas,¡± the car answered by dying¡ªagain. I hit the steering wheel, cursing. ¡°You wanted to learn to drive stick¡­ We cleared the driveway and everything!¡±

    ¡°I know. I¡¯m trying.¡± The whole family was outside at the front door with a drink in hand, sitting on the steps, watching me make a total fool of myself. They laughed at me as the car kept dying and starting and dying again. ¡°If I only had a proper boyfriend who could teach me anything,¡± I yelled out the window. They quieted down. ¡°Yeah, I didn¡¯t think so.¡±

    The passenger door opened up. My dad seemed as surprised as I was, getting out when Marcus held out his hand, ¡°Thank heavens. It¡¯s like talking to a wall.¡±

    ¡°I heard that.¡±

    Marcus closed the door again and came around to my side. He pulled my door open and prompted me to get out, so I did. Marcus sat on the driver¡¯s seat and made the chair whirr back until he thought there was enough space. He held out his hand. I frowned and lifted my eyes to meet his. He dragged me down so I was sitting between his legs. We had never sat like that before; me mingled in between his legs was all I could think about. He closed the window and put my favorite music on. I was looking over my shoulder at him. He whispered in my ear, ¡°Trust me and enjoy the process. We have nothing better to do. You have all day.¡± He put his feet on the pedals, ¡°Now, put your feet on mine and feel how I do it.¡±

    It was the first time Marcus had initiated anything from his side. He pressed down on the pedals several times with my feet on top of his. I got the sense of trying to do things simultaneously. After I nodded, he let his feet rest next to mine on the pedals, the car idling in neutral. When I was going too fast, he rubbed my leg to steady me and slow me down. We practiced a few more times. Finally, he took his feet away, and for the first time, I almost got it. His hands rested on my shoulders for a second, squeezing, ¡°Calm down and try again.¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s hard with you touching me all of a sudden,¡¯ I wanted to say. I tried again and got the car to move slowly forward in first gear. There were cheers from outside. Marcus leaned forward and ran his hands down my arms, ¡°See¡­ well done. If you can do that, you can drive.¡± I haven¡¯t been touched in weeks. I took my foot off the clutch, making the car stall, shaking and jolting us into each other. I opened the door to get out. Marcus gripped my waist, pushed me down, and whispered into my ear, ¡°Just before you¡¯ve had enough¡­ Let me know.¡± It was all he said. I turned my chin towards him. He slowly let go of my waist. I didn¡¯t want to, but I got out. I held the door open for him, and he followed me. He bowed to the crowd, which was clapping and chanting his name.

    Yeah, I was not too fond of the reaction and jumped back in. I locked the doors. Marcus heard it and turned to me, hands hanging by his side, looking down his nose at me in the way he always did. His eyes narrowed when I adjusted the seat and blasted the radio to a volume he would hear outside. I started the car and got it in first. He slapped the window with a flat hand as I had done with his door in the house. ¡°Juliet! Stop the car,¡± he said authoritatively, trying to keep up with me as I slowly let the car drift forward. I focused my hands at ten and two¡­ Okay, all I had to do was take my foot off the gas, push in the clutch, and switch it to two; do the control thingy¡­ it worked, and I laughed excitedly. The car didn¡¯t make that awful sound. My excitement grew to more mischievous. Marcus was jogging beside the car at that point. It made me giggle. I pushed on the gas. Marcus upped his pace. He was also getting angrier. I wanted to try third. He slapped the window so loudly, yelling, ¡°Juliet, don¡¯t do it!¡± I didn¡¯t listen and got the car in third. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± The tone in his voice fueled me to see what he would do. I didn¡¯t know how he knew¡­ I would¡¯ve done it. His fist came flying through the window, glass shattering everywhere. Marcus dived in and pulled up the hand brake; the car jerked as my feet lifted off all the pedals. He swore, lying halfway over me halfway out of the car. I was laughing and giggling, my lips pressed together¡ªI thought he overreacted a tad.

    He was furiously staring at me. He wanted to get out. I grabbed his shirt at the collar, fisting it. Twisted the material tightly. Slowly, I pulled him closer, stopping right before our lips would touch. I knew he would do nothing, so I had to do something that didn¡¯t need reciprocation¡­ His breath was deep on my skin¡ªanticipation keen in his eyes. His anger was completely gone¡­ replaced with¡ªdesperation. I stuck out a flat tongue and sensually licked from one side of his mouth to the other. I wasn¡¯t asking for a kiss. He didn¡¯t part his lips. I released my grip on his shirt, letting him hang there, staring at me. His tongue came out, and he slowly licked off my spit from one side of his mouth to the other¡­ then he did the bottom lip. His eyes rested dreamily on my mouth.

    My smug look when I did it¡ªfell right off my face. I thought he would wipe it off on his sleeve¡­ crush the fun I was having. Him licking his lips¡­ no licking me into him was too much¡­ Every muscle that needed to pulse was throbbing, making me want to take it a step further, ¡°One day¡­ I¡¯ll stick my tongue so deep down your mouth you¡¯ll wish you never did that,¡± I snarled. Slowly, he opened his mouth, eyes riveted on my lips, waiting to see if I would do it. The whir softly came to life. Marcus¡¯s face turned numb¡ªfrom lust to absolute agony, and he got out of the car, standing with his back to the house, his chest falling and rising rapidly, and his eyes never left mine. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ going to take a walk,¡± he said as his eyes slowly removed from mine. That was the moment I knew I wasn¡¯t going crazy; it wasn¡¯t about me or him waiting to decide if he could handle all of this¡­

    I yawned as Marcus gave his speech for the day about what we would be doing and how to do it. I was up all night thinking about what happened in the freaking car. ¡°Today, we¡¯ll start getting used to things coming at your face.¡± Marcus was mainly talking to Charlene.

    ¡°If only,¡± Charlene said. I nudged her in the ribs. We giggled. We were both getting cabin fever.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± Marcus ignored the impropriety, ¡°We will add a few hours of theory daily and up your hours in the ring. I¡¯ll increase the time slowly until we work the whole day.¡±

    We both groaned.

    When Charlene and Carl were done, it was my turn. Louis was standing in the ring waiting for me. I couldn¡¯t face him and turned away¡­ ¡°I¡¯m going to get some water.¡± We had not spoken since our fight. ¡°Carl, when you¡¯re ready. Will you fight with me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Jules. Five minutes, please.¡±

    Marcus came over to me, ¡°Will you spar with me? You¡¯re better than Carl and need someone more experienced.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Carl and I said at the same time.

    We stood across from each other. For fifteen minutes, Marcus put me through the wringer. I lay down on my back in the ring, depleted of energy. Marcus came over to help me up. Slowly, I got up onto my knees and then stood up straight. His eyes were on me while he helped me with my gloves. ¡°We will do fifteen minutes until you can keep up and slowly increase your time with me.¡±

    I smirked, ¡°That¡¯s what she said.¡± I stretched out in front of him. His eyes roamed over my chest, slowly drifted up my neck, and landed on my lips. The buzzing started¡ªagain, and Marcus turned away from me a few seconds later. I chuckled¡­ he wasn¡¯t even done with my gloves. With my brain not a psych ward anymore, things fell in place much quicker. I could see the pattern with Marcus¡¯s weird behavior. Louis came into the ring with Marcus. I drank water and tried to catch my breath. I walked to my locker to remove the rest of my gear. Once I was done, I got to cleaning, packing everything we used neatly away, and continued with my routine of mats, weights, mirrors, and anything else that needed a wipe. I gathered all the towels and dumped them into a basket. All the while planning how to put my house in order.

 64. Recognizing Your Mistakes

    64. Recognizing Your Mistakes

    Juliet

    I was going to lie again; it seemed like the only way I got to the bottom of anything was when I did something stupid. I said I would be at Charlene¡¯s place; I did go and took Caleb with me to keep up the pretenses. I left him with her and was on my way out, ¡°You sure you want to start spying on people?¡± Charlene remarked.

    ¡°I¡¯m so bored, Charlene¡­ I want to do something naughty; give me a few hours, please,¡± I lied again. She shook her head, pouting, but nonetheless opened the door for me. I disappeared and came back quickly to say something, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you be doing the exact same thing?¡±

    She smiled and nodded, ¡°Maybe?¡±

    ¡°Anything you want to know about Ben?¡±

    She pushed me on the shoulder, ¡°No, but I would like to know what Carl gets up to so alone in his room.¡±

    ¡°I can do that¡­ bring you some gossip.¡± I disappeared and headed back to the house. Earlier, I had left a window open in the laundry room so I could quickly get in. It was kind of late, and no one would check it or close it¡ªI hoped. Everyone was in their regular routine for that time of the night. Sadly for Charlene, Carl was watching TV. Since I didn¡¯t want to fight with Louis, he had upped his cold shoulder to a scolding glare. When I came out of my room in the morning, and our paths accidentally crossed, he watched me with dull blue eyes. His stoic face ignored me. He would go into our dressing room and close the door on me. He hadn¡¯t asked¡­ and I hadn¡¯t apologized. It had been weeks and weeks, and no one was budging. Louis stayed quiet, Marcus acted weirdly when the buzzing started, and Chris disappeared on me and was still not back.

    So¡­ first, I walked up the stairs to Louis¡¯s room. Every step got heavier as I climbed up towards him. Even if I was invisible, my heart was a little stressed. His door was always open. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, having a cigarette, feet on the floor, his elbows resting on his knees.

    ¡°I would die for a fag,¡± I fell on the bed behind him. ¡°I would die for a shag too.¡± He coughed and took something out of his mouth. ¡°Why do cigarettes do that? You will always have one little piece ending up in your mouth at some stage¡­ Or am I drunk when it happens¡­ and I had it in the wrong way around.¡±

    Louis was more somber than usual. That morning, he at least tried to get in the ring with me, and I turned away from him. I hated seeing him so¡­ so... I didn¡¯t even know what to call it anymore. He just¡­ sat there, dragged his cigarette, and slowly puffed out the smoke. I appreciate his body for a moment. His back and arms were ripped with so many tiny muscles; he¡¯d been training hard and was cut to perfection, making every bulge their own piece of art. I wanted to run my hands over them. ¡°I miss your body.¡± You would swear he was taunting me¡­ with all of him so exposed. There was a snowstorm raging outside. All you could see were the white specks furiously flowing from one direction as the wind pushed them sideways. The howling sound outside was beautiful, making it almost a perfect night to be up there. I missed the room. I missed us.

    ¡°We have so much to talk about¡­ but you don¡¯t talk to me¡­ So, if you were wondering why I¡¯m not making this better¡­ that¡¯s why... So as soon as you can¡ª¡± I was cut off by the sudden hum. I observed Louis carefully, ¡°How can you not hear it?¡± He didn¡¯t even react. Louis pressed the bud into some sand; the bucket hadn¡¯t been cleaned in a while, with many stubs sticking out in every direction.

    ¡°It¡¯s so early. Why are you sitting all alone in this dark room?¡± Louis fell back on the bed, running his hands through his hair. ¡°Your hair is getting long¡­ I like it. Wish I could run my hands through it.¡±

    There was a frown on his brow, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Juliet?¡± Louis whispered softly. I turned on my stomach, so my face was close to his. ¡°So I¡¯m doing nothing¡­ I¡¯m tired.¡± He rubbed his fingers over his eyes, ¡°And I¡¯m scared.¡±

    My mind went blank at his confession. Louis was never scared of anything¡­ His hands traveled from his eyes to his forehead, rubbing one hand over his brow. He turned around, lying down like me on a bent arm, staring out into the darkness. Our faces were inches apart¡­ his lips were right there, ¡°Argh, Louis, come on¡­ You know I¡¯m an ass girl. In only your underwear, you look¡ª¡± He didn¡¯t move and closed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t sleep now¡­ keep talking to yourself like an idiot.¡±

    After a few moments, it seemed like he had fallen asleep¡­ I stood and walked over to the glass window and got lost in watching the soft flakes form a mountain on the bottom corner of the window pane, ¡°Louis¡­ I changed into something on the farm¡­ a demonic freak. I ate someone like a werewolf. I wasn¡¯t like that woman behind the glass¡­ not yet, anyway.¡± I turned around, admiring the view of his back, his ass, and his legs, feet dangling off the bed.

    ¡°Michael asked me to marry him like a real human wedding. It was nice. The feeling of being asked to be someone¡¯s life partner¡­ He is different with me¡ªthan you guys are. Anyway¡­ maybe he¡¯s why you¡¯re mad¡­ I don¡¯t know because you don¡¯t talk to me¡­ You¡¯re getting tired of me, aren¡¯t you?¡± My voice was brittle, ¡°And I¡¯m terrified¡­ You didn¡¯t sign up for all of this. You¡¯re starting to hate me. And I think it¡¯s because you don¡¯t want to choose.¡±

    I was quiet for a moment.

    ¡°I¡­ saw it the night you made me obey¡­ Seeing how angry you were and that¡­ you could make me¡­ do what you wanted¡­ Anyway¡­You didn¡¯t want to talk to me about it on the boat either¡­ I really think our biggest problem is you still don¡¯t see me as an equal partner¡­ Well, you didn¡¯t promise me you wouldn¡¯t lie to me again¡ª¡± Louis sat up and turned in the bed so his head was on a pillow and he was facing me on his back.

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping yet? Why are you having problems sleeping¡ª period?¡±

    His gaze drifted out the window. My mouth was dry from talking and other things. My eyes constantly drifted up and down his body. There was a little light coming in from the stairs, casting a sliver onto the bed and over him¡ªmade him sexy as hell, half hidden in a shadow. All I wanted was for him to run his hands all over my body. I was slowly folding.

    ¡°I could just have sex with you because you¡¯re my husband¡­ No! Juliet, stop!¡± I reprimand myself. ¡°You want to but can¡¯t remember! Have some self-respect¡­ Louis! You didn¡¯t touch me for months. Left me in Canada, all alone¡­ to have a baby¡­ And you don¡¯t include me in your life, maybe because I¡¯m too young... I feel like your sister¡­ No, that sounded weird. Should I rather say, friend? I don¡¯t even know which is worse.¡± I couldn¡¯t move and wished we could bridge this divide between us. ¡°I came on a mission tonight, and your smoking body is distracting me¡­ F¡ª I have to get out of here.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°I miss you laughing and smiling¡­ I¡¯m glad something can still give you a little joy... I remember when one kiss from me could make you so happy¡­ those days are long gone.¡±

    I walked towards the door quickly, hearing Marcus finishing up in the bathroom.

    ***

    Louis

    I hadn¡¯t told Juliet I could hear her thoughts when she was invisible or hear her voice when she spoke¡­ Chris could touch her; it was amazing how all of us fit together. I was waiting for her the whole night. I¡¯d listened to her thoughts, planning her mission. She actually thought I didn¡¯t want to read her anymore¡­ I missed her so much it hurt. She was about to leave, and all I wanted to do was make her stay and speak to her¡ªconfess all my secrets.

    ¡°I gotta go¡­ One last thing¡­ my answer to your question on the boat. About why I think this is a stuff-up¡­ I feel that way¡­ because if¡­ I¡­ had to choose¡­ I will always and forever choose you¡­ Not Marcus¡­ not Chris, and not Michael or whoever comes into my life¡­¡± My lips and my chest tightened; my shoulder shook in the dark as I tried to keep back the sobs, wanting to escape. I had been desperate for words from her. Words I didn¡¯t know she had somewhere in her mind locked away¡­ Any words¡­ But what she had said¡­ closed all the wounds of insecurities I had in my heart. ¡°So¡­ it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t handle it... it¡¯s if you can¡¯t handle this, and it¡¯s a stuff up for you¡­ Say the words¡­ I¡¯m yours. I don¡¯t love anyone as I love you, babe. This is where I want to be.¡± There was a long pause. I gripped the sheets next to me, holding myself back from saying something, ruining months and months of hard work.

    ¡°But until you say it, I will do everything in my freaking power to keep this family together¡­ You¡¯re not the only one who is scared and tired.¡± I heard her running for Marcus¡¯s door. I smiled, wiping away the tears. I knew I¡¯d have to bail her out in a little while, or she would be stuck in there with him the entire night. I got up and got dressed, waiting for my stupid wife¡­ The love of my life.

    ***

    Juliet

    Hearing Marcus open the bathroom door, I ran down the stairs and made it just in time as he turned the key behind us. He was religious in locking his freaking door. The noise I¡¯d become so accustomed to droned in the silence. He sat and read for about ten minutes, then walked to his cupboard and opened it. I gasped, ¡°No Way!¡± He pulled out a whole table filled with books. The wall was plastered with information, photos, maps, and handwritten notes. I stood over his shoulder, watching him scribbling.

    ¡°The history of the Monarchy of En-gannim¡­ Why would he need the history of?¡± A succession scroll was rolled open¡ªlike a real one on embroidered material with old paper.

    Ahasuerus - Alive

    Danny- Dead

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Qadir- Alive

    Marcus- Alive

    My heart sank as the weight of the situation made me sit back on the bed. Qadir wasn¡¯t just any prisoner. And Marcus wasn¡¯t unlucky in his heritage. The only one left was¡ªMarcus? There were other names on the scroll. Dead. Eight of them.

    Marcus read as fast he could, making bullet-point notes. The equipment¡ª which I now understood was how the watchers kept an eye on us¡ªcame to life, and he muttered. No! My parents never said anything¡­ En-gannim was recording everything he did. He counted it down, jumped up, pushed the table back into the closet, and closed the doors. He forgot his book and had to get it. His weight made the bed move as he fell beside me, lying on his back.

    The pages rustled through his fingers until they stopped at his marker. I positioned myself next to him. I bit my lip as a picture of me held his place in the book. He ran his finger over it, ¡°I love you, Julie.¡± A fresh pain in my chest made me sit up and grip at it. My first official chest pain¡ªof love. It was something I had never felt before. I wondered if my heart was breaking. What was wrong with me? Why was I so clueless about the little cues around me. It all started when we came back from the embassy¡­ Also, why he had control over Raas and didn¡¯t tell me¡­ They had all lied about so much.

    Why didn¡¯t he? Why is he hiding in a cupboard? Oh no, I wasn¡¯t allowed to know or anyone watching¡­ They didn¡¯t trust me¡­ Because even then, at that moment, I wanted to reappear in his room without thinking; I wanted to scream at him for letting someone control us¡­ But it wasn¡¯t about control¡­ It was about freaking going back to En-gannim and ruling as king, ¡°F¡ª me,¡± probably worse¡­ I was the problem and why Marcus wasn¡¯t going back¡­ And¡­ I mustn¡¯t appear to be the reason or dominating his decisions.

    Tears built up and rolled down my cheeks. The irritating noise had stopped, and he continued his project in the cupboard. Every day¡ªall day. He didn¡¯t have a wife on the compound. My sniffles turned to ragged sobs, and I lay there for the longest time, watching him do it over and over. At one stage, he was memorizing the information, doing mind mapping, and focusing on cataloging it. If Louis and I were tired, what did Marcus feel like? A knock at the door made me sit up. I didn¡¯t want to leave. Marcus walked over. I ran when he opened the door.

    ¡°Hi, Marcus,¡± Louis said, ¡°Can I come in for a minute?¡±.

    I halted outside the door as the two men disappeared¡ªbonding? They were spending time together because¡­ we were connected¡­ all three of us. Louis didn¡¯t want Marcus to feel too left out¡­ I felt like an idiot. Louis wasn¡¯t touching me because of Marcus¡­ I felt useless and selfish and wanted to rip out my hair. ¡°The baby did a number on you, Juliet. Let yourself off the hook.¡± Michaels¡¯s words echoed in my mind. I bobbed my head at myself, trying to calm down... Live for today¡­ This wasn¡¯t your fault. And nothing was going to make me stop fighting. I would fight till I die, which was soon anyway, right?

    A few more weeks passed. The house went into a completely new rhythm of exercising and studying our asses off; we did it in the dining room, all of us together. I had even coaxed Marcus out of his room so he could be with us and help. Since I figured out what was going on and told Charlene everything I learned (I had to get it out of my system and slept at her house for a few nights), we made a conscious effort to ¡®up our game¡¯ and push ourselves more every day. I had also gone into a mode of ignoring everything and letting it be for the sake of peace in the home.

    ¡°Okay, Juliet. It¡¯s your turn to spar,¡± Marcus ordered.

    I climbed into the ring, fastening my gloves. I turned around, expecting Marcus. Louis stood staring at me. Our eyes met, but I broke it off. I didn¡¯t want to fight with him. ¡°May I have the privilege today?¡±

    My eyes shot up. I was stunned into silence. He was asking. I wasn¡¯t expecting it. He jabbed at me and hit me in the face. I stepped back. It was a hard knock. I doubled over, shaking my head and feeling my nose.

    ¡°Louis!¡± Marcus yelled.

    I lifted up my hand, ¡°My mistake.¡±

    Louis came at me again. My hands came up to cover my face. Louis used all his strength and made me move my feet to block his punches. Sheesh, was this where we had angry sex or what? ¡°Hey, Louis! Do you want me to come in there!¡± Marcus warned.

    Louis flashed his eyebrows at me. The spark in his piercing blue eyes captivated me. I had not seen him so animated in a while¡­ It completely caught me off guard, and I lowered my hands. ¡°No!¡± Marcus¡¯s warning was too late. Louis pounded me in the face; the knock was so hard I fell backward and landed on my back. I groaned, rolling on my side, and rested on my elbow. I was failing. I wasn¡¯t so weak, yet I wasn¡¯t paying attention.

    ¡°Wow! Easy there, tiger,¡± Charlene warned.

    I held up a hand to her, and she backed off, too.

    Marcus wanted to jump into the ring. Louis held out his hand to him, which surprisingly made Marcus stop. Louis reached out to me, pulled me to my feet, and quickly showed me we were not done. I lifted my hands. He moved fast, and a roundhouse kick landed on my middle¡ªhit my ribs¡ªI sucked in a breath. He was pulling out all the stops

    ¡°Louis. Come on!¡±

    He held up his hand.

    He struck out at me. I grabbed him behind the head and kneed him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. Louis rallied and came up. My glove hit the side of his head. He swung around, smashing me in the face with his elbow so hard I flew over the ring and ended up in the ropes. A subtle ringing in my ears gave me flashbacks of Qadir hitting me and how helpless I was. Louis had cut my lip, and blood trickled down my chin. I had a hard time stopping my nerves and glanced at Marcus¡ªweak as a puppy, trying to keep it together.

    I knew what Louis was doing. I needed to feel how it would be in a real fight. We were wearing gloves all the time; it was time they came off. Marcus needed to face his fears. He had been coddling me; I didn¡¯t want to be so weak anymore. I closed the gap between Louis and me, punching at him repeatedly. He grabbed my arm, flinging me over his shoulder, and slammed me to the floor with an extra loud grunt. I groaned. His foot came flying down towards my face. He wasn¡¯t stopping, and I needed to get on my feet. Marcus was beside himself¡ªI had seen the look in his eyes only twice in my life. He was unraveling. I kicked out and hit Louis¡¯s knee from the side, making him falter. He stepped sideways, swearing loudly. I used the gap to jump up and do a flying kick to his face, which he needed to block. It allowed me to wipe his feet from under him. He grabbed my hair in the process, pulling me down with him. The watcher tech came to life, and Marcus bolted out of the room.

    Louis and I were on the ground together, moaning. He rolled onto his side, facing me, resting on his elbow, ¡°You suck.¡±

    I chuckled, wincing from the pain in my lip, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault¡­ this is on you.¡±

    He climbed on top of me, ¡°Can I kiss that better?¡±

    ¡°No! Get off me, you ass.¡± He kissed me anyway, his lips insistent and firm against mine. Too tempted, I opened my mouth. Louis let out a deep, needy sound; I answered with a low whimper. Louis¡¯s hips pushed into mine. We heard the footfalls of two little kids leaving. I had not been kissed in months and got lost in the moment. Louis undid my gloves so my hands could be free. I wanted to reach in under his shirt. I touched every part of him. Louis wanted the same thing and made me remove his gloves so he could roam my body until he couldn¡¯t anymore and reached for my pants.

    ¡°Louis, no¡­¡± I gripped his hand, our breathing ragged. I was desperate from only the kissing.

    He stopped and rested his forehead on my shoulder, taking deep breaths, ¡°It was worth a try,¡± he croaked out. It lasted two seconds, and his lips fused with the skin up my neck in languid, full-lip kisses. Every touch rippled down into my core.

    ¡°Are you going to talk to me?¡± He shook his head back and forth, kissing my jawline.

    ¡°It was worth a try,¡± I copied him, a little disappointed, giving him a taste of how I felt. ¡°So your display was all for Marcus?¡± He nodded. ¡°You¡¯re putting a lot of energy into him¡­ Will there ever be a place for me there?¡±

    His lips crushed down on mine, devouring my mouth, plunging deep with his tongue. He rolled me on top of him, cupping my ass, rocking me into his arousal. I could not respond, and my mind was, for once, controlling my urges. My lips restrained our kiss to a slow halt. I lifted my head and looked into his eyes. Louis¡¯s demeanor had changed, and he stroked passionately up and down my thighs, teasing me with two thumbs, looking deep into my eyes, ¡°I love you, baby¡­ We have all the time in the world. I¡¯m not in a rush.¡± All I could think was¡ªwe were both dying¡ªhe rolled me over, stood, and got out of the ring, landing on his feet. Weird. My heart was still pounding as I stared after him. He stopped at the door¡ªour eyes met one last time, ¡°You sure¡­?¡± His breathing was still uneven. I shook my head, shoeing him away before I caved.

    ¡°Knock! Knock!¡± I tapped lightly on Marcus¡¯s door. He opened it skeptically. I waved a book in front of him. It took him a second, but he went back into his room and grabbed his own. We walked to the couches. He sat down, waiting for me to put my head on his lap. I stood waiting and smiling, shaking my head when he eventually looked up. Slowly, he scooted down, watching me. I sat so he could lay his head down on my lap. I didn¡¯t understand why it was okay as long as I pushed the physical contact, telling him what to do. I pretended to read when the buzzing started, stroking his hair and raking my fingers through the soft strands.

    When the buzzing stopped, my fingers began to wander, feeling soft skin, the ruggedness of his stubble. I played with his ear and massaged his temples and facial muscles. I could see he had forgotten entirely about reading. I bent down, ¡°I¡¯m okay. Sorry, we had to do that.¡± Marcus gripped his book a little firmer; he had one weakness.

    Since he had taught us some behavioral signs of people¡ªin the ring and out¡ªwatching people for those micro-expressions of lying or giving away their own thoughts¡ªlistening to what they said and what they didn¡¯t. It helped me with my training, my fighting, and how to handle people. I observed the whole time and tried to act rather than react.

    It was the first morning I¡¯d asked him to read again. The first morning, I thought I could handle it without giving anything away. I couldn¡¯t catch a break; the front door opened. We both sat up and turned. Marcus jumped to his feet and headed over to Chris. They greeted, talking a bit. I was taking in all Chris had become; rugged with a full beard, manly and woodsy¡ªdirty even¡ªlike a guy chopping wood without a shirt every day. His eyes met mine from the door. I was stunned into immobility. Marcus¡¯s gaze drifted from me to Chris, and he excused himself. ¡°No, Marcus¡­ I¡¯ll go. You guys¡­ catch up.¡± They stared at me like snakes would grow out of my head¡­ which was very possible because me¡­ acting all adulty¡­ made me want to scream.

    My birthday brought about spring around us. Marcus, let us start training with guns and swords. We could go outside and set up a range and places to practice. It kept us busy focusing on new things the whole time; his training program was never dull. Charlene and I had become little warriors able to do almost everything to a decent standard. Since practicing with Louis, who didn¡¯t hold back, I had become¡­ something else. It was still hushed in the house. I didn¡¯t speak to anyone and solely focused on Caleb, going for long walks with him. I watched Chris and Caleb together and how they got on; he was really good with him.

    When I was in Canada, Carl and Charlene had started finishing their EGD, and when I got back, I jumped on the bandwagon. I wanted to at least say I finished high school on Earth. Marcus, Louis, and Chris were always together; it was so funny for me¡­ I was the odd one out. I kept telling myself, ¡®We could go on like that.¡¯ Although it was bizarre when I came into a room, so awkward it made my skin crawl. All of them would keep quiet, stop talking, and stare at me. I forced myself not to react or say one word to any of them¡ªan underlying rule was¡ªI wanted to be left alone. Chris tried a few times¡­ I just couldn¡¯t go there. When any of them approached me¡ªmy body silently recoiled. I couldn¡¯t keep my cool and deal with them. Or sort out all of our relationship issues. Michael had given me too much credit. Knowing what I knew about Marcus and Louis made me want to try. Nevertheless, I was slowly failing and had no one to talk to. Wondered too often if I should take Marcus up on his offer.

 65. Swept Under The Rug

    65. Swept Under The Rug

    Juliet

    It was my birthday; we decided not to make a big deal about it or celebrate; drinking and having to exercise all day long didn¡¯t go well together. There was a knock at the front door, distracting me from my work for a moment. I quickly glanced over to the crib next to me¡­ Caleb was fascinated by sparkly toys going around in circles above his head.

    ¡°Juliet!¡± my dad called me.

    I walked out to see a package on the dining room table. I tilted my head, wondering what was going on because I knew what it was. The scratching gave it away, and the little heartbeat raced; its purr resonated in the box. A stupid smile spread over my face. I bit my bottom lip. It had been a long time since I had felt anything¡­ let myself feel anything. My heart slowly swelled with happiness. Everyone was watching me closely; I hated being scrutinized like every little thing I did could set off a bomb. I thought I¡¯d proven myself in the last three months. I hadn¡¯t thrown one tantrum or had one episode¡ªneither had I done anything stupid¡­ well, not like always. ¡°It¡¯s Catty!¡± I jumped up, clapping my hands together. The emotions finally got the better of me. I ran to the box, took the knife from my dad, and carefully cut it open.

    ¡°The cat you wanted for your tenth birthday?¡± my dad asked.

    ¡°The one you didn¡¯t want to buy me, remember. I begged for days. It was the only thing I ever asked for, and you wouldn¡¯t give it to me.¡± My dad bumped my nose with his finger. ¡°Well, this could only be from one other person if it¡¯s not from the two of you.¡±

    ¡°Happy Birthday, baby girl,¡± he kissed my cheek.

    ¡°Thank you, daddy.¡± A little black and white kitten stood on its hind legs, clawing at the sides to get out. I picked her up and pressed her tiny body into my nose. I closed my eyes, thinking about Michael for a second; he wasn¡¯t my watcher anymore and wouldn¡¯t see how happy he had made me. I¡¯d probably never see him again; I missed him and the fun we had¡­ I wished I could bring him home with me¡­ I paused, pushing the cat into my father¡¯s hands. ¡°Check both my kids for two seconds.¡±

    My dad was already playing with my cat and shooed me away while I ran down the steps into the road. It should¡¯ve been a red flag already. I should¡¯ve stopped right there. I should¡¯ve known better; jumping up and down and delving into emotions always led to a disaster. Nevertheless, the flame was lit. I hoped I could see him again and stopped where the watchers usually came out of the teleporters¡ªthe spot was empty¡ªso I kept running down the lane, thinking Michael might have dropped her off by car.

    I saw nothing as I ran around the bend leading to the rest of the world. Warden appeared in front of me, startling me. I stopped with my hands on my waist, trying to catch my breath. He constantly disapproved of me with a confused expression, judging all I did. I didn¡¯t know why he didn¡¯t like me. ¡°Get to the point. Did you deliver the box?¡± he nodded, ¡°Crap¡­ Thnx.¡±

    I turned back to the house. ¡°Juliet!¡± I stopped. Warden landed and handed me an envelope. I grabbed it and flinched at him, shaking my head, ¡°Why would you not give it to me¡­ Weirdo.¡± He rolled his eyes and flew away.

    I ripped open the plain white envelope. Inside, scattered on the bottom, was glitter and sequence and rice¡­ together, with the most beautiful paper I had ever seen. It was folded neatly. I opened the single sheet and read the golden handwritten calligraphy.

    You are cordially invited to the wedding of:

    Michael Heinz ¨C The loving man

    And

    Juliet Samantha Farrow ¨C The loving woman

    I burst out a loud chuckle. I didn¡¯t think Michael was really serious. Smiling, I read the following sentence.

    ¡°The Physics of Love¡­.¡± My hand stilled around the paper. The hole in my chest became abruptly a little deeper. I missed him so much¡­ I had been so busy, not allowing myself to remember better days... with any of them. My eyes darted frantically around me, searching for him up and down the road, into the woods, like he would be standing somewhere watching me. There was no one. He wasn¡¯t there.

    The Physics of Love

    Mass is not proportional to volume.

    A girl as small as a violet.

    A girl who moves like a flower petal

    Is pulling me toward her with more force than her mass.

    Just then, like newton¡¯s apple,

    I rolled toward her without stopping until I fell on her,

    With a thump¡­ With a thump

    My heart keeps bouncing

    Between the sky and the ground

    It was my first love.

    (Christina Rosetti)

    However, good Michael meant it¡ªhis gesture of a promise of a future too far away¡ªhad the total opposite effect on me. I knew why Warden didn¡¯t want to give it to me. All the memories of what happened on the farm came flooding back. Only the two of us¡ªalone¡ª for so long. The drinking¡­ The freedom to do what we wanted when we wanted. How he treated me. It was so easy with him. I didn¡¯t let myself realize how much the control had gotten to me; the constant faking¡ªpretending¡ªhad snuck up on me. My mind and my heart were floored with the first taste of anything real, something actually worth living for, reminded of all the standards I had for my life. I wanted to kill myself on the compound just to be free¡ªhappy. I had grown up forced to accept my fate, and it sucked. I didn¡¯t want it then, and I didn¡¯t want it now; I only had a year left to live. I was giving it up for what? Being together but not really together. Marcus¡¯s words echoed in my mind daily¡­ ¡®Before you had enough, tell me.¡¯ He meant before I jumped down a mountain; they knew me so well, and yet none of them could make it better.

    ¡°No!¡± I screamed at my own thinking, ¡°Get freaking control of yourself¡­ Right now!¡± I balled my fist and willed myself to return to my human face. I was struggling, unable to curb my manifestation, and screeched into the air so loudly the birds flew away. I didn¡¯t want to live like that. I didn¡¯t want to love¡­ like that. Chris and I haven¡¯t even spoken in months. Whenever his yearning eyes landed on me, I would break it off, hurting the special connection we had.

    A few moments of deep breathing was enough to eventually control my emotions. I fell to my knees out of pure exhaustion and breathlessness. The pain in my heart burned as I fought my impulses to turn into a raging demon eating everything and anything in my path¡­ I kept fighting it until it went away¡­ I was not going to hurt Louis anymore. I coughed up blood and spat it out, pounding my chest with a fist, wishing the burning would stop and not spread into my shoulder and burn my back until I passed out from the pain¡­ I glanced up at the house; everybody was standing and staring. Louis was fine; I closed my eyes, thanking the universe. I was doing a crappy job of sorting out my house. Who would have known a cat and a poem could break down all my defenses? Stupid¡­ little Juliet. Everyone wanted to come and comfort me. I held up a hand, waving them off. I wanted to tell Marcus I couldn¡¯t anymore¡­ I just wanted to make them leave before I threw away months of his efforts in trying to stay there with me. Fighting to stay. Isn¡¯t that what I wanted? Like Chris said¡ªI wanted all of them and these were the consequences. My mom and Louis quickly took everyone away. I forced myself not to cry¡ªI was so sick and tired of crying.

    Pillows behind me propped me up; my legs were pulled up close to my body so Caleb could sit on my lap, looking at me. I smiled when the kitten jumped on us while we were playing with his toys. Caleb had a few hours of awake time before he went to sleep; I  liked to sit with him and just look at him¡ªtalk to him. He fixated on me like I was the best thing since chocolate cake, ¡°I love you to bits, little guy.¡± I liked touching his face, holding his little hand, and playing silly games with him.

    After some time, he would usually yawn; I would get up and rock him to sleep. My body was aching from all the practice; we had learned a new move, and the strain of so many hours had reached every nerve. My emotional outburst earlier didn¡¯t help¡ªsomething felt off; it was more than only muscle pain. I shook my head. It felt like I had been drinking, my vision blurred. I wanted to put Caleb down, too tired to hold him anymore; everything went dark for a few seconds; then, I heard crying in the background as my vision returned. I had Caleb in my arms, already asleep. Confused, I looked down at my empty hands. Caleb was on the floor crying¡ªno bawling. ¡°F¡ª! Marcus!¡± I yelled. He was at my door in two seconds, pulling on the door handle.

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    ¡°Whack. Whack,¡± he banged on the door. ¡°Juliet, it¡¯s locked! Open up.¡±

    I wanted to pick Caleb up. Tears dimmed my vision. I didn¡¯t want to drop him again. ¡°MARCUS!¡± I bellowed out, and he kicked the door open. ¡°Get Caleb quickly.¡± Behind him, bodies flooded the room. He rushed over and bent down towards Caleb. Knowing he was safe, I let go of my control; it was instantly foggy around me. The whole world was covered in a white-glazed auro. Every person in the room was different. I couldn¡¯t really see them, although I knew who was who. I stood still in one place, trying to move. I couldn¡¯t even lift a finger. All I heard was Caleb. I felt the wetness on my cheeks but couldn¡¯t wipe my eyes. So many people together were too loud, coming in and out of the room as I stood frozen.

    ***

    Marcus

    I left my door open to hear what Juliet said to Caleb every night; I didn¡¯t need to lock it anymore. She had not tried to ruffle any feathers for a while. Her routine was the same every day. The two of them will spend an hour together until he falls asleep. She would soon follow, passing out from sheer exhaustion. Caleb only woke her up two more times during the night, and no one was allowed to help her¡ªnot even Cindy. We were all worried about her. She wasn¡¯t stopping at all¡ªor for anything. We were all busy the whole day long, and coupled with her sleepless nights, she had us all watching her every move. She had changed so much in those last few months I didn¡¯t even recognize her anymore. Her spark was gone. She was like a machine. Earlier, when she was happy for the first time¡ªrevealing a sliver of her old self¡ªI couldn¡¯t care who gave her what. We begged Chris to come back the previous month if only to fill the void again, but they weren¡¯t in a good place either, and he had made the situation even worse.

    ¡°Marcus!¡± That cry of hers¡­ for me¡­ always made goose flesh run up my arm and down my back. She was crying out to me as if I was the only one who could protect her. I was jolted out of my chair, running, whether my grandfather saw it or not¡ªI couldn¡¯t care. Breaking through the door was awful; seeing little Caleb on the floor screaming was unbearable. I had never heard a baby make such a noise before. Juliet was silently sobbing. I rushed over to pick him up; I needed to see if he was okay.

    ¡°Get Warden! Chris!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t necessary; the white figure pushed through the door, ready with a device. Warden scanned over the little guy, ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡±

    I scooped him up and put him on my shoulder. Although Caleb couldn¡¯t purposefully lift his little head yet, it involuntarily came up with every scream, his face bright red, not taking enough breaths. I kissed him while rubbing his back, so happy he was okay; it could¡¯ve been much worse. He could¡¯ve died. Juliet wouldn¡¯t be allowed to be alone with him anymore; it was too dangerous. It was going to put even more strain on our situation. Still, that was why I was there. My heart broke for the little guy. It was a very far fall. He was frightened.

    Chris came over and wanted to take him from me, ¡°You okay?¡± he asked as I put Caleb in his arms.

    I shook my head; how could I be? ¡°Where were you?¡±

    I glanced over to Juliet, who was just standing there. Michael wouldn¡¯t be rushing in to come and help stop her spells or monitor her afterward. I was a bundle of nerves approaching her, not knowing what to expect. My eyes darted to Chris, ¡°Louis!¡±

    He handed Caleb to Cindy and ran upstairs. We heard him yell, ¡°Liam!¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t good,¡± I whispered. Cindy left the room. Caleb was loud, and he didn¡¯t want to calm down.

    I had to touch her; hesitating, I lifted my hands, scared to unleash whatever she was turning into; her face scared even me, ¡°Juliet¡­ I¡¯m going to touch you.¡± My hands only grazed her skin, and she shook her head and came back to herself. Her eyes changed back to blue like the last time she had fallen into my arms. That afternoon, we witnessed her fighting it and conquering it. We were relieved and happy, although the episode before we were called to the embassy left her at least still lucid¡ªshe was regressing and dead weight in my arms. I put her gently down on the bed. She wasn¡¯t sick and puking, though.

    The strappy strings of her tank top left most of her skin exposed. I needed to assess the damage; fearing what I might see, I gripped her shoulder roughly, squeezing the flesh before I pulled her forward. I drew in a breath as my eyes widened; her whole back was covered from shoulders to waist. Where the leathery texture met her skin, it peeled up and exposed the inside of her flesh, merging with the new. I pushed her over onto her stomach and ran upstairs. Louis was being sick into a bucket. I walked over to check his shoulder; it seemed he was one episode behind Juliet. Rubbing his back, I took the bucket when he was done. He fell back onto his ass, exhausted and out of it. Chris picked him up and took him downstairs to take a shower.

    I cleaned Louis¡¯s room, where he hadn¡¯t made it to the bucket. When I was done, I went downstairs. Chris turned off the water as I came in. Louis lay back, sitting on a bench in the shower, ¡°We have to start making plans,¡± I said softly. They both nodded. ¡°I know you guys don¡¯t want to split up, but it¡¯s time we find Rodrigo. Even if we don¡¯t, maybe something could slow down the process¡­ I should go. It¡¯s only logical it should be me,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°I can¡¯t leave her,¡± Louis groaned, trying to sit up.

    Chris didn¡¯t say anything, rubbing his hands over his face, ¡°I¡¯m the only protection she has right now.¡±

    ¡°And Caleb¡­¡± Louis rasped, ¡°If you go¡­ and leave Caleb, all sides are protected, like after the birth.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not to say we¡¯ll find the guy,¡± Chris raised his voice slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s getting worse, Chris. We¡¯re running out of options. You have to,¡± Louis countered. ¡°Marcus can¡¯t go alone. She¡¯ll never understand why he left.¡±

    He reluctantly nodded, pulling his mouth in that upside-down frown he did. Chris turned around and left the bathroom. He walked down the hall towards Juliet¡¯s room. I heard him go in. A moment later, he exited the house with her in his arms.

    ***

    Chris

    Juliet had not spoken to me in months, and they wanted me to leave again? When we come back, she might be dead or have turned into something unrecognizable¡­ I didn¡¯t want to go. I wanted it all to be over. Walking up the mountain path with her in my arms was the first time I had been able to get close to her. Something had shifted in her, and I wanted to know what was going on. I wasn¡¯t leaving before she told me. It was better when she was pregnant; at least then, she was begging for attention. Juliet, so hardhearted¡ªscared me. If Louis got two weeks with her, I also wanted to have her before Marcus and I had to leave again.

    After three hours of walking, our Cabin came into view. I carried her into the tiny space towards the bed; it wasn¡¯t much, and yet enough for her and me to disappear. I settled her on her stomach so her back wouldn¡¯t hurt even more. My hands shook as I gently tore off her shirt to release any pressure¡ªtoo overwhelmed by the sight of her. Juliet¡¯s whole layer of skin was peeling¡ªexposed around the edges¡ªraw and white. She was hurt and suffering above everything else we had to endure. I slowly covered her with a sheet up to her waist and jumped up; outside, I called Warden into being. ¡°Give her what Michael gave her last time so she can sleep this off.¡± He bit his lip, staring at her back, and nodded. He disappeared, and it was like an eternity before he came back. He took out a little black pouch and, moments later, injected her. ¡°Can I talk here?¡± he nodded, ¡°You heard what Marcus said,¡± he nodded again, ¡°Is it even possible?¡±

    ¡°Try the 16<sup>th</sup> of April in two weeks when Qadir is off the compound.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­ Can we have something good to eat when she wakes up?¡± He smiled. ¡°This time, don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    He laughed lightly and agreed, ¡°How about I let Samuel deliver it.¡±

    ¡°Best idea. If he would.¡±

    ¡°You kidding? He misses her so much.¡±

    ¡°He saw her for almost three months before the birth and over Christmas. He saw her more than me.¡±

    Warden¡¯s happy countenance turned into a confused expression. He shook his head slowly from side to side, ¡°Samuel wasn¡¯t there?¡± I hadn¡¯t been jealous of Juliet in a long time. But her not saying ticked me off. Her ignoring me for months pissed me off. ¡°It was only her and¡ª¡± I lifted up a hand, stopping him. I turned around. Was my head still so deep in the sand I didn¡¯t even know when she slept with someone else? I lifted my head to the sky, trying to come to grips with it. Warden didn¡¯t leave, ¡°This is all my fault¡­ Michael gave her a birthday present. It caused a setback. I had seen her fighting for so long¡­ I knew one stressful, emotional episode would be bad¡­ She just feels too much.¡±

    ¡°What did he give her?¡±

    ¡°Well, besides the cat¡­ a letter.¡± I held out my hand. Another freaking letter breaking her into pieces¡­ He disappeared and came back, putting it in my hand.

    The following morning, Juliet slowly woke up moaning... Why was she already waking up? Wasn¡¯t she supposed to sleep for three days? I was beside her in the bed and stroked some hair out of her face. I lifted up on my elbow to check her back. The skin had melded seamlessly with the patch that had grown and covered her; it looked so much better. She was mumbling in her sleep, her body twitching, ¡°Caleb¡­! Louis¡­?¡± Juliet said, unsettled, as her eyes jumped open. When she saw me, her gaze drifted past me, and she scanned the room, ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°Caleb is fine. Louis too¡­¡±

    ¡°He is?¡± Tears pooled in her eyes, throwing her arms around my neck. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it. I promise.¡±

    I chuckled softly, ¡°No one would ever think you would deliberately hurt anyone, Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Really? You believe me.¡±

    I pulled away from her and kissed her forehead, ¡°Yes, really¡­ Juliet, something happened.¡±

    ¡°I know. I was there staring at all of you. I couldn¡¯t move. I was trapped.¡±

    ¡°What?! You should¡¯ve seen your eyes and your face... and you¡¯re back¡­.¡± I gesture to behind her.

    ¡°Is it bad?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not bad. It¡¯s just¡­ bigger,¡± I overexaggerate with my hands.

    ¡°You¡¯re not grossed out yet? My skin hasn¡¯t started disintegrating like the zombies on TV.¡±

    I laughed lightly, ¡°No¡­ Not yet¡­ Maybe when I¡¯m done with you¡­ You might have blue marks to conceal¡­ Or maybe I should go get a belt.¡±

    ¡°What did you say? No! You wouldn¡¯t dare¡­.¡± her eyes were tiny slits.

    ¡°So, you sleeping with other people is okay?¡± I muttered.

    Her face hardened; that internal struggle loosened¡­ I took a breath¡ªhere we go¡­ I couldn¡¯t wait¡­Thank you, Michael, for giving me a reason to get her back.

 66. Oh, Yes. Oh, Yes Yes Yes

    66. Oh, Yes. Oh, Yes Yes Yes

    Chris

    Juliet sat facing me in the bed. I had a full view of her perky breasts that were, at that moment, two sizes bigger. It was difficult not to take a peek or indulge myself¡ªforced to hold out as long as I could. ¡°You could¡¯ve gone with me to Canada¡­You or Louis could have gone with me. I asked you to take me, and you didn¡¯t. You put me into another man¡¯s arms¡­ again.¡± I turned away from her, planting my feet on the floor. She was going on and on while I was desperately trying to fight with her, but all I wanted to do was kiss her.

    ¡°I pushed you into your husband¡¯s arms, not some new addition¡­ So what¡­ You can do what you want, and we¡¯re supposed to stay faithful?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you sleep with Sita?¡± I shook my head. ¡°But you did go to meet with her¡­ That¡¯s why I left, isn¡¯t it¡­ And then what?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re avoiding the question. Why can¡¯t I even talk to my ex, but you can sleep with someone else.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m jealous! You know that. And what has she got to do with this?¡±

    ¡°Everything¡­ She is why you¡¯re angry¡­ Now answer the question?¡±

    ¡°You want Sita back in your life?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject; answer me!¡±

    ¡°You can have as many women as you want¡­ You¡¯ll probably go home at any moment and have to marry a hundred riphath girls prettier than me. With bigger breasts,¡± she glanced down at her chest, ¡°Where the hell is my top?¡± I picked it up off the floor and held it out to her. It was all ripped up. Her mouth fell open, ¡°What am I supposed to wear?¡± I walked to the cupboard in the corner. I was disappointed in myself. I would give her something to cover herself up with. Opening the doors, she pushed past me. I did take a peek. ¡°That¡¯s mine¡­! This is all mine¡­! Every time something went missing, it was you?¡± She started taking things out and putting them back into the closet. She grabbed her favorite top I stole first; I loved her in it¡ªdrove me crazy the way it fell off one shoulder¡­ I wouldn¡¯t tell her that. She put it on, and I almost lost control¡­ reaching out¡­ just to take it off again. ¡°What?¡± she asked. I bit the inside of my mouth, staring at her. Stupidly, I shook my head from side to side. ¡°You don¡¯t even want to make our relationship official in any way! I don¡¯t even know what we are? Sita has more claims on you at this stage. At least she¡¯s your x-wife.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not sleeping with her, remember.¡±

    ¡°Then what happened? You going to tell me she didn¡¯t kiss you?¡± I stayed quiet. Juliet¡¯s jaw flexed, nostrils flaring¡­ ¡°You didn¡¯t have your hands on her at any stage in any way?¡± My eyes cast down to the ground. Maybe it wasn¡¯t such a good idea. She just had a setback the previous night, and I talked about the one thing she hated most on Earth; well, maybe the second-most.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t sleep with Michael¡­ I was pregnant, remember.¡±

    My head snapped up, ¡°Really!! We did a lot of stuff that didn¡¯t involve¡­ that¡­ Everything else is still cheating!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well¡­ I owed him for the drugs he gave me.¡±

    I choked out a laugh with indignation mixed in there. My eyes were wide, and my mouth open, ¡°He what? I¡¯ll kill him¡­ I¡¯ve been looking for an excuse to squash him and suck him dry.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± she yelled.

    I spun around before I crossed the threshold to call Warden into existence. ¡°Why not?¡±

    She was grasping at straws; it made me so happy to see her fumble for an actual excuse. Although, it wasn¡¯t an excuse she was searching for¡­ I saw something else in her eyes; she did feel something for him. She was just not saying. And she didn¡¯t know how to say the next part either. ¡°I owe him¡­ again.¡±

    That time, the words stung, like he had some kind of right to her, and we had no say in the matter. I walked over to her and shook her, ¡°You won¡¯t go anywhere near him ever again, do you understand me? I¡¯m also jealous.¡±

    ¡°What is wrong with a few BJs and hand jobs¡­ It¡¯s not like you were the first in everything.¡±

    I shook her again¡ªa little harder this time, ¡°Not the right answer! Try again.¡±

    She laughed lightly, ¡°This is all your fault anyway,¡± her laugh disappeared as quickly as it came.

    ¡°What? How do you figure that?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t¡­¡± tears pooled in the corner of her eyes, ¡°Go with me¡­ You told me to make right with Louis, and then you didn¡¯t come¡­ You could¡¯ve come at any time¡­ I was a one-minute trip away.¡± Her voice was tiny¡ªflooded with emotion, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come? I¡¯m hurt¡­ don¡¯t you understand that! I told you I won¡¯t wait anymore. If you don¡¯t want to be with me¡­ I¡¯m sure I can find someone who wants to be. If you want to be with¡­ Sita¡­ then go! Be¡­ freaking free.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re waiting for Marcus.¡±

    She scoffed and walked past me, ¡°Your head is so far up your ass you know nothing of what¡¯s going on¡­ I¡¯m not waiting for anyone¡­ You ignored me for months. You asked! Asked Michael to hide my phone¡­ You pushed me away¡­ You lied to me¡­ Treated me like a child¡­ There is no pill for stupid people.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying to yourself about Marcus¡­ Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I need to pee! Do you mind?¡±

    I made room so she could pass me and walk outside, ¡°To the back.¡±

    ¡°Where the hell are we¡­?¡± She opened the little wooden door. ¡°Why am I peeing in a long drop?¡±

    ¡°We needed to give you space so you didn¡¯t stress again. Marcus and I had to sort out the whole Sita ordeal¡­ Who¡¯s head is up their ass now. Louis had to finish Charlene¡¯s freaking house. He did everything you see alone, Juliet¡­ Your sister needed a house. We needed a place to train. Do you think we wanted to leave you there?¡±

    ¡°Eeeek!¡± she screamed, running outside, stumbling out with her pants around her ankles. I burst out laughing. Juliet was up lightning fast, frantically picking up her pants all the way. A snake came slithering out.

    Manifesting, I teleport her out of there, ¡°That¡¯s an Aspic Viper¡­ It¡¯s venomous.¡± I held her in front of me, her back pressed against me. I was breathing in the scent of her hair, my arms feeling the curve of her breasts. My lips glided over the soft flesh on her exposed shoulder, ¡°Jul¡ª¡± I couldn¡¯t even finish her name. Her mouth was on mine before I could beg at her feet. Arms wrapped around my neck, hands in my hair. I picked her up on her waist and put her on my hips the way she liked it. She was like a vise grip, hungry, kissing me everywhere as I carried her back into the cabin; my neck, my ears, fueling my own desires, finding my lips again and again. ¡°F¡ª Juliet! Never let me go¡­.¡± Some tears rolled down her cheeks; she didn¡¯t let me get in one more word. My hands ran over her like I¡¯d never kissed every part of her body.

    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s healthy that every time we sleep together, we have angry sex?¡± I asked when it was over way too quickly¡­ She climbed on top of me, kissing me and letting them trail all over my chest, biting my nipples, closing my mouth with her hand. When I was quiet, she stroked me until I was ready again. I put my hand on her cheek when she sat upright on top of me, pushing her lips into the palm of my hand. ¡°Juliet¡­ I have to leave again,¡± her head slumped down. I rake my fingers through her hair, opening her face.

    A few frustrated noises escaped her. She breathed in a deep breath and sighed heavily, ¡°You weren¡¯t there for the freaking birth of our son!¡± She slid up my length and thrust roughly down on me; I closed my eyes and moaned hesitantly, trying to hold it together. ¡°And now you sleep with me, and you¡¯re going to leave again¡­ Where are you going?¡± Another hard grind as her hips moved over me. I grabbed her behind her neck and pulled her down, letting her hair fall over our faces as I whispered into her ear. Her body stiffened around me; she wanted to freak out. I lifted my knees, keeping myself deep inside her, pushing her hips down with my hands. ¡°I will come back,¡± she kept her head at my ear, ¡°And¡­ Marcus and Samuel almost killed Sita. I almost killed her¡­ She didn¡¯t have a good time¡­ Marcus also saw her naked.¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Seriously, Chris. Not helping! With me on top of you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind angry sex.¡± It got a giggle out of the little girl, making me moan.

    ***

    Juliet

    I had only slept with Chris once and then with Louis. My total sexual experiences were wrapped up into two nights of passion. Chris and I had sex twice in a matter of half an hour, and I couldn¡¯t get enough of letting go¡­ indulging in feelings. Chris was treating me like a person again, and it closed a lot of wounds for me.

    ¡°I saw the letter you got for your birthday. Michael asked you to marry him. Are you going to do it?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m never going to see him again. It was¡­ a moment of weakness and a cat. I figured a way to say goodbye or something¡­ Why do you care¡­ is three your limit?¡±

    Chris sat at the edge of the bed, naked; his one hand rubbed the other, ¡°So why did you say this was a stuff up, and now you want to add another addition.¡±

    ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, Michael isn¡¯t another addition. And I said that for Louis¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem like he can handle any of this¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem like you can either.¡± I gestured to the cabin and watched him. Chris was in a serious attitude, his mind fishing for something, ¡°Marcus¡­ well, I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking about all of this¡­ It feels like at any moment, you are all going to stand before me and ask me to choose.¡±

    Chris got up, turning to the bed. He got on, standing on his knees. He pulled me up, taking my upper arms in his hands. We were both at eye level. ¡°That is not what¡¯s going on. I didn¡¯t go to see you because you are too obsessed with me. I hurt you because you love me so much¡­ You do nothing halfway, and accommodating that is difficult¡­.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know how to love you any other way.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to change¡­ I¡¯m scared you¡¯ll fall apart¡­ because, yes, I could leave at any moment¡­ Do you even try to understand what Louis is going through?¡± I yanked my arms in his hands, trying to get out; I didn¡¯t want to talk about Louis! Chris wouldn¡¯t let me go; he shook me slightly, ¡°He knows every little thing about everyone¡­ And he knows things he¡¯s worried about¡­ things he won¡¯t even tell Marcus or me.¡± I relaxed a little¡ªthey were also not talking. Louis was keeping things from everyone! ¡°Since the Embassy, we¡¯ve not been allowed to talk to each other¡­ Marcus is terrified he¡¯ll have to take you and Louis to En-gannim. We¡¯re all walking on eggshells because we might never see each other again¡­¡± Urgh, the pit in my stomach hollowed out into an abyss of never-ending unfulfillment. ¡°We can¡¯t do anything because Marcus is trying to keep his grandfather away until you change so he can be there for both of you.¡± So me changing into a raging lunatic was why Marcus was staying. No! ¡°S¡ª Juliet, there are so many things going on¡­ You having fifty husbands couldn¡¯t make me bat an eye¡­.¡±

    Chris took a breath.

    ¡°I just¡­ want you to have someone you¡¯re honest with. If you could be with me¡­ I don¡¯t care about Michael¡­ What you¡¯ve turned into the last few months isn¡¯t my Juliet, who stalked me for years. Now¡­ tell me the truth, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    I haven¡¯t spoken to anyone in months, only Charlene, although I couldn¡¯t tell her every detail... I was breathless, nervous, trying to find the words, ¡°I¡¯m¡­ in love with Michael¡­ I don¡¯t want to choose¡­ I want all of you¡­ and I love all of you. Yes! I want to marry him. If he was here, I would do it.¡±

    Chris got a cheeky smile, always so sincere with the dimples and his plump cheeks. He pulled me into his arms, ¡°We have to know these things¡­ because¡­ if he is suddenly family, we need to protect him¡­ What else¡­?¡±

    ¡°I ate a person on the farm¡­ while he was still alive.¡± Chris pushed me away so he could see my face and frowned. ¡°And Michael did something to control me.¡± I took a breath and gestured to my mouth, ¡°A plate, tech, or something¡­ and I can¡¯t remember¡­ And now he¡¯s not here¡­ He delivered Caleb all by himself. He took care of me and protected me. Went searching for me for hours while I was getting drunk¡­ He asked me to marry him, and I said yes¡­ but¡­ I¡¯m never going to see him again¡­ I can¡¯t live like this anymore¡­ I only have a year left, and all I do is pretend¡­ I¡¯m back¡­ at the compound¡­.¡±

    Chris hugged me even tighter, ¡°Don¡¯t ever change, please¡­ I love you so much like this.¡± He stroked my hair, ¡°Everything will be okay¡­ I can¡¯t promise when, but at one point in the thousand years, we will be alive¡­ we will be happy¡­ okay?¡± He tilted up my chin and covered my mouth with his.

    After a few nights of good sleep, tons of sex, and a lot of talking, Chris and I finally had time to reconnect. We were at a good place; however, one morning, he was quiet, deep in thought, making us breakfast outside. We ate in silence, and my hackles came up, preparing for whatever he would say. I washed the dishes and sat down in my chair, ready to read while he kept himself busy; I thought our honeymoon was over, and he was getting bored. One page in, he stood in front of me. I closed my eyes, unwilling to look at him. ¡°Juliet,¡± he sat down in his chair and took my hand, ¡°I¡¯m the only riphath on Earth.¡±

    I opened my eyes and turned to him; it was not what I was expecting, ¡°I kinda knew that¡­¡±

    ¡°Not¡­ anymore,¡± he hesitated. It took me a few seconds to figure out he meant Caleb. My tongue played nervously over my teeth, my mind fighting where this was going. ¡°At the cages, Qadir said I was leaving¡ª.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t leave Caleb with me, will they?¡± My body shivered; I tried to hold back the tears. I wrapped my arms around myself.

    Chris opened them and pulled me into his arms onto his lap, ¡°No, Juliet, I don¡¯t think they will¡­ Silvanus said something, and I¡­ came to the conclusion it¡¯s why they¡¯ve not come for me yet¡­ He said until Caleb is weaned¡­ And because we don¡¯t know anything about my planet, I don¡¯t know when it will be.¡± Chris held me tightly, and his body shook with mine.

    For the next two weeks, I had my cabin in the woods and got lost in the solitude and nature, waking up and being with Chris and Caleb. After our talk, we decided to bring him to the cabin where we were a little family for the first time. One that would never last; the fear gnawed at me, but we also decided not to talk about it or think about it so we could enjoy the time we had left. In the back of my mind, though¡­ I waited and waited for the moment he would leave¡­ when Caleb would go away. Chris kept getting things from somewhere and Warden wouldn¡¯t say. The last present was a white fur blanket for Caleb made from the warmest, softest fur I had ever felt, smooth and expertly woven into a sleep sack for a baby.

    A few days later, Samuel came to visit for the day. He brought cages, and we ate something new and delicious. It was fun to hunt with Chris and play with our alien food while my uncle watched over Caleb. Before Sam left, he handed me a box wrapped so beautifully in something foreign and definitely from another planet. The paper was alive and moving¡ªanimated and glowing¡ªmagical. When I opened it, I frowned. I took out a basic leather swatch. It appeared to be a thin, long, soft bookmark. I liked reading. It was darkly colored in browns and blacks, embossed with strange lettering on it. Weird pictures and symbols. None of it was recognizable. I got up to show Chris, who was playing with Caleb. He took it from me. The lettering illuminated the material from within to a radiant glow, from the first words at the top, and went once over everything till the animation reached the bottom, making a round seal appear in the corner. It looked like wax¡­ an emblem pressed onto it, or that¡¯s what we thought it could be. Around the emblem, there was writing in bright red letters. Chris lifted it up and examined the corner where the mark appeared.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    His head lifted, gazing out over the view in front of him, contemplating and then smiling, ¡°Remember this¡­ If anything ever happened to me¡­ That birthday before the car. I had a present for you.¡±

    ¡°You did¡­ What was it?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I still have it¡­ It¡¯s in a bank safety deposit box¡­ I didn¡¯t want Sita to find it¡­ take it or whatever.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the code for the safety deposit box?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll whisper it to you later tonight.¡±

    ¡°Wow, Mr. Rheed, you¡¯re really getting good at this romance thing.¡±

    He eyeballed me, ¡°I hate it when you call me that.¡±

    Chris handed the swatch back to me; in the moment, both our hands were on the leather, it lit up again. This time, with a different color. More scribblings and pictures appeared¡­ in the background of everything else. ¡°What the heck was that? Why does it feel like I just sold myself to you.¡±

    I studied the pretty flowers and leaves in the background of the other writings. Chris was thinking but also playing with Caleb on his legs. He was sitting like I always sat with him. Chris didn¡¯t like that he and Caleb weren¡¯t as bonded as I was with him; he blamed me for the months we couldn¡¯t sleep in the same room, take turns, and raise our baby like a typical family. I did regret a lot of things.

    I had the swatch in my hand and touched Caleb¡¯s face with my other. The same leafy squiggles that covered the swatch ran off the leather onto his little cheek, going into his little shirt and flowing down his skin. I took Chris¡¯s hand quickly and made him touch it, too. Chris¡¯s waxy patch also traveled to Caleb. We both glanced at each other. Chris jumped up, and we took Caleb inside to inspect his body; there it was¡­ glowing on his little butt¡ªa tiny tattoo like mine. ¡°Not slavery contract¡­ Birth Certificate¡­ How lucky the riphaths are, having painless supernatural procedures.¡±

    ¡°This was sent to you¡­ You have to keep this safe.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I think it¡¯s one of those things we should give to Marcus,¡± Chris nodded, ¡°Or to my father, I¡¯m just going to lose it.

    ¡°You¡¯re both wrong.¡± Chris and I jerked around, startled. ¡°Take the swatch and put it over your arm.¡± Warden was in the doorway¡­ Chris took it from me and did what Warden said. The same thing happened; all the markings that lit up when I touched it ran from the swatch to form a band tattoo around my left upper arm. ¡°Chris, you do the same.¡± I took it and did it for Chris. The same thing happened with all the original markings they wrapped around his right arm.

    I took his right hand with my left, ¡°Parents.¡± We pushed our shoulders together.

 67. Scheming

    67. Scheming

    Sita

    Liv and I left the Embassy in haste, making our way back to America. She was taking me back to Nick. I protested. She insisted. And walking into the house felt like a giant setback. The country girl didn¡¯t make it on her own.

    I wanted revenge on Juliet¡­ Nick had a soft spot for that little vamp and Chris. We were a family, but there had never been an understanding between him and me¡ªno connection. We were too different. He was so old, and because my mother had done something stupid, he had come with her when she was banished, not wanting to be separated from his daughters. Or stuck on Palmyra to die alone. Lucky for me, all he wanted was for me to go back as soon as possible and to be happy. Blood was thicker than water, after all.

    Nevertheless, Liv was right; if I wanted to get back at Juliet, I had to do it right this time, and first, I needed to convince Nicholas to help me.

    ¡°Liv¡­? Sita? What¡¯s going on?¡± I stepped up towards my grandfather and greeted him with a kiss on the cheek.

    ¡°Hello, Nick,¡± Liv said as she shook hands with him, ¡°Sita got into some trouble¡­ I think it all worked out for the best.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± he asked, concerned.

    ¡°Nick¡­ Sita tells me you have been on the side of this little vampire girl¡­ Juliet?¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­ She saved one of our own. How could I turn against her? Here on Earth, we have to stand together¡­ Has the truth come out about everything¡­ Have you told Sita?¡± Nick changed the subject.

    Liv¡¯s eyes cast down to the ground. Seemed like there were still things I didn¡¯t know. ¡°It¡¯s beside the point. Sita wants to come home¡­ Are you going to let her go?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course. If she gets the invitation, who am I to stand in her way¡­.¡±

    ¡°The thing is, she needs training, Nick.¡±

    ¡°She is so young, Liv¡­ When she gets there, she can train for years¡­ What does it matter.¡±

    ¡°The thing is¡­ Sita wants something in return for joining the fold.¡±

    My grandfather cast a skeptical eye on me. I guiltily looked away... He had come to enjoy the way humans operated in their relationships and mutual respect under the species. The last two hundred years of mutual understanding were about to change, and there was nothing he could do about it. Nick sat down, tired of balancing on a stick, ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°She wants Chris away from the girl. Get a bit of revenge. Like a proper werewolf should.¡± Nicholas sighed, resigned to the fact that he was dealing with a society controlled by women. The power I actually had over him was a new sensation¡ªI liked it¡­

    He watched me for a long moment. His eyes showed defeat¡ªI would never be like my mother, who went against the system¡ªI would never oppose the hierarchy of the werewolf society. Shaking his head, he asked, ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°All I want is for Juliet to go back to the compound.¡± Jack and Francis wanted to say something. Nicholas lifted a hand to silence them.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°All I need is enough leverage for her to go back all by herself. I won¡¯t do anything to anyone.¡±

    ¡°The thing is, Nick¡­ Sita has never even shot a gun or had anyone hit her¡­ She needs training because Juliet is getting hers from Marcus.¡±

    He scoffed and chuckled, ¡°Oh, so you need the previous general of the army to train his own granddaughter into a mini-warrior. In how many months?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes¡­ In three if possible.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it if you take Francis and Jack with you¡­ Sita?¡±

    I expectantly stood up, surprised that my two cousins were his only requirement. My fate hung in Liv¡¯s next words. ¡°The grandsons of the great Nicholas Moore. I don¡¯t think it would be a problem.¡±

    ***

    Qadir had a slowness about him. A leisurely attitude. He moved around as if nothing in this world was a threat to him¡ªand rightly so. He was the heir to a whole planet, and nothing on Earth was going to stop him. Sitting across from him in his study was nerve-racking. He would have been handsome if he didn¡¯t hate women so much. Qadir was dressed in a black shirt rolled up to his elbows¡ªopen two buttons too low. No chest hair. Black jeans and shiny black boots with a small heel. It suited him so well. His light brown hair was long and styled back. He had a rectangular face with a high forehead and a squared-off jaw area. His eyes were droopy but so light blue with dark rings around the iris that they captivated rather than put you off. Two vertical lines between his brow gave away his age. It was the only thing. His mouth was large with thin lips. It was all so symmetrical and perfect; you had to wonder why he had to be so unavailable. Always a cigarette between two fingers and a thumb resting on the bud.

    His eyes were fixed on me, ¡°So all you want is for Juliet to come back here¡­ Why?¡±

    Our mutual dislike of Juliet had bought me some respect from the man and got me a meeting. Liv was right when she pointed out the wall surrounding Juliet. When I suggested to Qadir that he not force Marcus back but make him come willingly¡ªand in a straightforward manner¡ªhe was intrigued.

    ¡°I¡­ want revenge. Juliet doesn¡¯t want to be here. And it would be the easiest way of breaking up the life they have built there.¡±

    He regarded me for a long time. There was never a smile on his face. Instead, a downturned mouth or a formidable expression. ¡°Why would Juliet do this for the little werewolf cub?¡±

    ¡°Because Juliet¡¯s one weakness is being altruistic when it comes to injustice. She would do anything for her family, or anyone, for that matter. Without a second thought. I can guarantee you Juliet would immediately make Marcus come back if she would be the cause of Min¨¦¡¯s death or even worse¡­ torture.¡±

    Qadir sat back on the oversized brown leather couch. Another man came into the room and waited to be told to sit. ¡°Jabin, this is Sita. Sita¡­ Jabin.¡± I got up to shake his hand; like Qadir, he didn¡¯t deem it¡­ necessary. I sat back down, not really perturbed about their lack of respect for me. ¡°Did you hear what she said?¡± Jabin nodded. ¡°Start making plans for when they are back at the compound.¡± Jabin nodded again, only lowering his head slightly every time. ¡°And? Did you bypass Kubra¡¯s feed yet? Are you seeing everything now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°Marcus is either an outstanding actor, or he is still on the fence like Raas said.¡±

    ¡°Then¡­ Sita¡¯s idea has come at a good time. Now we only need an opportunity.¡±

    ¡°Why I came,¡± Jabin said. ¡°It might help us... They are trying to find Rodrigo. Juliet had a setback. Louis is also getting worse. Marcus and Chris are coming here. It would probably happen over the full moon when you are not. When they know you are at the fights. The timeframe gives us a few days.¡±

    ¡°Make sure they find him.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±

    I had never heard the words outside of movies¡ªso foreign¡ªour mindsets needed to change in the governments of other worlds. Even Qadir¡¯s speech was slow with every answer, ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°Samuel was not on his estate for the months Juliet was sent away¡­ She was there with someone else.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. But there can only be one person Samuel would trust her with.¡±

    Qadir frowned. I didn¡¯t watch them the whole time and only listened intently in on their conversation. Being fully veiled had its advantages.

    ¡°You sure it wasn¡¯t Louis.¡±

    Jabin shook his head. ¡°The recording in the house kept going and didn¡¯t stop even when Marcus and Chris went to meet Sita. Louis was at home the whole time.¡±

    ¡°What happened to Juliet¡¯s watcher when they signed the contract.¡±

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Jabin played with the paper in his hand before he spoke, ¡°He stayed under Samuel¡¯s discretion¡­ He is Caleb¡¯s watcher for the time being.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ What did Rodrigo say is happening to Juliet?¡±

    ¡°He says she will soon turn into one of those things in the glass boxes.¡±

    ¡°Does he know why Louis is going through this?¡±

    Jabin shook his head, ¡°Rodrigo doesn¡¯t understand the branding process. Or he knows just as much as we do, and when they come, he¡¯ll do all his tests.¡±

    Slowly, Qadir stood up, pulling himself together. Jabin followed him to his feet. ¡°Well, Sita. We will soon see if you know Juliet as well as you think you do. You will stay here for the time being.¡± He then shooed Jabin out with the flick of his four fingers. I jumped up, taking it as my queue to leave.

    They had given me a room in the main house. I couldn¡¯t get that veil off my face fast enough. Watching the world through a slit was just how I wanted Juliet to see it. The rigid ways the men were on the compound and how the women were treated were exactly what she needed to learn some manners.

    ***

    Carl

    ¡°Hey, Charlene. Where is Min¨¦¡¯s favorite elephant, toy thingy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why?¡± Charlene said as she came into the room.

    ¡°I want to wash it. It¡¯s getting a little... gross.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I saw¡­ But you really don¡¯t need to... I¡¯ll put it in the washing machine.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t put a hundred-pound teddy in the freaking washing machine.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°Hand wash only.¡± Ben came into the room, holding out the elephant to me. I pursed my lips at her, ¡°See, was that so difficult¡­ He understands¡­¡±

    I left the room very aware of Ben¡¯s hands on her shoulders and him standing behind her, telling her to let it go. We were all just trying to keep Min¨¦ safe and healthy. Charlene followed me into the kitchen and into the laundry room. ¡°Carl, what¡¯s going on with you? You¡¯re more at our house than up at the main house.¡± I wasn¡¯t really listening to her. I wasn¡¯t going to leave unless she told me to leave her and Ben alone. ¡°Carl, I¡¯m talking to you.¡± I glanced up at her, hoping she would let it go. ¡°You might as well move in here¡­ If the other house is getting too crowded.¡±

    My hands stopped washing the little teddy bear in the cold water. I peeked back over my shoulder at the door, seeing Ben leaning against the frame¡­ willing me to make a move. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine with the living situation at the house¡­ There are just not enough hands here¡­ I like helping.¡± I kept washing.

    ***

    Chris

    It was two days before the full moon. Marcus and l would travel back to America all the way inland. Make sure Qadir was on his way to Europe so we could safely go and come back. Juliet¡¯s warmth in my arms calmed me down. Her mouth was nestled against my neck as she nuzzled me. I didn¡¯t want to let go of her and kissed her soft skin, holding her tight. We started saying goodbye a few days ago. It wasn¡¯t helping. The time we had alone was like a honeymoon, and to leave again so soon after left a gaping hole in my chest.

    I had made sure Caleb had his own watcher; Warden assured me he had the right guy for the task. That would mean, in some way, they would be protected¡­ Right?

    ¡°I love you!¡± she said.

    ¡°I love you too.¡± I kissed her one last time on the mouth, lingering. Turned around and got in the car. Her eyes were fixed on us backing out. She ran around to Marcus¡¯s side and wanted him to roll the window down.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, Chris.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll just have to go?¡±

    Marcus didn¡¯t even glance at her. We left her standing there. A few seconds down the lane, Marcus got a text¡­ He chucked the phone at me, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    I clicked her name and read the two words. I smiled, ¡°It¡¯s not bad.¡±

    ¡°What did she say?¡±

    ¡°She said¡­ ¡®Come back.¡¯¡± He answered with a heavy sigh and tapped at the steering wheel with his fist. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry¡­ that girl will wait for you.¡±

    Two Days Later¡­

    Driving onto the compound was difficult. It was almost like an Asian city all on its own. Very clean. The guarded entrance even looked out onto a massive fountain. The size of it all was overwhelming. Well-kept roads were even picturesque to a fault. Flowers on the road lights. Pretty houses. There were even road signs and information boards to tell everyone what area was designated for what. It was a well-oiled machine. Armed guards patrolling the streets. No one manifested. An American community living by their own rules. Even the American flag was flapping on at least ten poles surrounding the fountain, proclaiming the validity of it all.

    ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°Two hundred thousand strong army hidden in that valley and the mountains,¡± My head snapped to Marcus. ¡°Young vampires not older than two hundred. Fifty thousand women are living with fifteen thousand men and counting. You have to be at least a hundred to get married as a man. So a lot has more than one wife.¡±

    ¡°Woman¡¯s ages ranging from?¡±

    Clearing his throat, he said, ¡°Not younger than fourteen.¡±

    ¡°How old was Juliet?¡±

    ¡°She had just turned fifteen.¡±

    A range of emotions played around in me. Made me want to get out and kill all of them. I needed to thank Marcus for getting her out of there. We drove into a neighborhood far out of the city center. It was a small community. The lawns and gardens were well-kept. Families outside. I saw only boys. Marcus drove even further until he was almost at the outskirts. There was a little house separated from the rest. Open fields surrounded it. He stopped the car and got out. I came around and saw him leaning on his arm against the door. My first thought was that he was taking a moment to be back, so I took a look around.

    I heard soft sobs and turned to him. I put a hand on his shoulder. He pushed me off. I pulled him around, seeing tears falling down his cheeks. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this¡­ This was a mistake.¡± I grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. His shoulders shook as his face buried itself in the crook of my neck. He grabbed onto me. What the hell was going on? My arms circled his neck. I held him until he was okay. ¡°I¡¯ve been holding in so much for so long¡­ It feels like I want to burst, Chris... This is the only place I¡¯m free. But this is the only place she¡¯s not. There in France, I¡¯m trapped.¡±

    ¡°Then stay!¡± I tried to convince him.

    He shook his head, pushing himself away from me, wiping under his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt, and blowing his nose into the grass. ¡°That¡¯s their house,¡± he pointed.

    I swung around to look at the deserted little stand. Weeds had taken over a garden and a trampoline. The windows were dusty. Some of the roof tiles were broken. The overgrown stone path up to the house was only small fragments. It was such a sad scene. They were almost secluded from the whole community. It was only one lonely road leading out into nothing. No guards patrolling.... Behind them was a mountain¡­ Fifteen years, she was alone. Hidden. No friends. I wanted to go inside. See her room. The path she took to the gorge, where she tried to end her life and got shot. But I also didn¡¯t.

    Marcus got back in the car. I joined him after a while. We had to drive all the way back to almost the other side of the whole place. The Ahmed estate was huge. A walled property all along a section of road. The guard station at the gate with three men opened without hesitation. ¡°How do they know?¡±

    ¡°Kubra.¡±

    The place was a compound on its own. Gardens. Wall-offed sections split the estate into smaller parts. It echoed a Chinese royal family layout. Even the style was old Chinese¡­ with slanted roofs and painted posts holding up ewes around the main building.

    We parked in front of the main entrance and took the many stairs up into the house. If you could call the building a residence. On a mission, Marcus ignored everyone. So many servants greeted him. Young men came out of other rooms and also bowed. Brothers from another mother. Even younger boys peeked down from a staircase spiraling up at least three floors. ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°A lot.¡±

    A woman came out of the kitchen, fully veiled like all the women there. The color was the same. You didn¡¯t know who was who or how they told them apart. Marcus walked over to her. She greeted him by taking his hands. He held her eyes as they spoke¡­ without saying anything. Juliet had told us Marcus¡¯s mother couldn¡¯t talk. I was even more disgusted with the place.

    ¡°This is Chris,¡± Marcus paused, ¡°I don¡¯t know your surname.¡± A smile played on his mouth.

    ¡°Rheed,¡± I chuckled, ¡°At least I know who Marcus Ahmed is.¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± he exclaimed.

    All the women dropped to their knees and kowtowed in front of him. Even his mother. He quickly stepped closer and helped her up again. Our gazes met. My eyes were big and haunted. I tilted my head. I had always thought Juliet was a drama queen when she told us she could not handle all of it¡­ The compound was not some Indian society where there was still respect for women.

    Thinking back at Marcus bowing in front of Juliet to apologize¡­ Blew my mind¡­ Marcus didn¡¯t belong there. His mother took us into the kitchen and fed us.

    The next thing on the agenda was his quarters¡­ His part of the estate was almost a fourth of the whole mini-estate Qadir had built. We walked through two big red wooden doors. It was like stepping into another world. His tastes were not Qadir¡¯s. The doors opened onto a roofed walkway. Completely open on the left. A beautiful view out over gardens and ponds. A swimming pool. A big yard. On our right, though... So many doors. ¡°So many rooms¡­ For so many wives? How did you get from here to sharing Juliet with us all.¡±

    ¡°How did you?¡± He slapped my shoulder, ¡°The sun is setting soon. You ready.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± We walked into a room that could only be the infamous study where he had tied her down. Kubra came out of the shadows. They shook hands. Marcus pulled him into a hug, whispering into his ear. Kubra¡¯s brow furrowed, ¡°You know there is no watcher tech here or any surveillance.¡±

    Marcus nodded, ¡°I wanted to make sure things have not changed since I¡¯ve been gone. With your father being here and all.¡±

    ¡°Here are the plans for the science building,¡± Kubra laid them out on a desk in the middle of the room. He was reluctant to talk about his father.

    ¡°So you say you know everything going on¡­ So tell us where he would be. Are there other plans we should know of that might reveal hidden areas?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like I can go into Qadir¡¯s office and snoop around. So we¡¯re going to have to study these¡­ go down there and see what doesn¡¯t belong,¡± Kubra retorted. The guy¡¯s fuse was short and not at all like the last time we saw him in France.

    ¡°So you don¡¯t even know if Rodrigo is here?¡± I asked.

    Kubra shook his head, ¡°I have looked everywhere¡­ Hoped when they saw Marcus, they would be more amenable to help.¡±

    Marcus and I studied the plans together, going through all the sheets, trying to figure out where he could be locked up. ¡°Okay, so let¡¯s get down there. We need to find out as fast as possible if he¡¯s here.¡±

 Tricked

    68. Tricked

    Charlene

    ¡°Who is going to be your next husband, Charlene?¡±

    I choked on my drink, messing some on my chin.

    ¡°Is it going to be Francesco, or should I introduce you to Sita¡¯s cousins. Maybe if you have two werewolf husbands, you could definitely go back with Ben.¡±

    I was still coughing while Juliet rambled on.

    ¡°I¡¯m human. We only do monogamy¡­ Look at your parents, Juliet. They are so happy. How you ended up like this. Only you would know.¡±

    ¡°Oh, please. So, sleeping with a different guy every weekend. That I met at a bar. Year after year is okay. But I can¡¯t sleep with the same three once in a while.¡±

    I shrugged. She got me there. There really wasn¡¯t any law to morality. Not in this world, anyway¡­ We were sitting on the patio outside, spring settling in. It was already late.

    ¡°But it isn¡¯t about the sex only. What about the love aspect.¡± I asked.

    Juliet watched me through narrowed eyes. ¡°Chars, you¡¯ve never had a serious boyfriend. Not one¡­ You¡¯ve never even been in love¡­ Every time you spoke about Ben¡­ It¡¯s been about him and how he feels. You have not once said you liked him¡­ Let alone love him¡­ At this point¡­ Me loving three guys is better than you¡­ waiting for¡­¡±

    Juliet had hit the mark. All Ben and I were doing was seeing where we were going. I also didn¡¯t believe in one soulmate for everyone. I didn¡¯t even know what I was waiting for¡­

    It was going well. I enjoyed his company. He was great with Min¨¦ and me.  Ben and I had even gone away for a week. Used Louis Yacht for some alone time. We haven¡¯t been apart for a day or even an hour except for full moons. And I still couldn¡¯t think about uttering any kind of words of affection or love. Neither had Ben.

    There was another full moon the following day. Ben and the guys had already left. It was so quiet on the patio. Liam, Louis, and Carl were watching football inside with both babies.

    ¡°Cheers to graduating early, you guys.¡± Cindy came over, and we clinked glasses. ¡°I¡¯m really proud of you two. Doing what you guys have done this year is impressive.

    We smiled. I yawned, and Juliet soon followed me, putting her hand in front of her mouth. ¡°Why don¡¯t we call it a night. I¡¯m wiped.¡± Juliet suggested.

    ¡°Yeah, me too.¡± I stood, and we moved into the house. Juliet locked the door behind us. I went and stood in front of Carl to take Min¨¦ from him. He fleetingly met my eyes.

    ¡°Just wait two minutes. The game is almost over.¡± I glanced at the TV. They always said a few minutes more. Half an hour later, overtime kept going.

    Since we had come to France. Carl had really embraced European culture. Learning languages, watching what Louis watched. So they would have more common ground.

    ¡°You literally have to hand her over to me. You don¡¯t even have to look away from the screen.¡± He shooed me away with his hand.

    I ignored his shoeing. Bent down to take her. His flat hand came up and covered my face, stopping me. I paused mid-air, lifting up from his hand.  He and Juliet laughed at me. He winked at her and kept watching TV.

    ¡°Carl¡­ Give me my freaking kid.¡± He shook his head. He was playing with me. ¡°Aaa man, I¡¯m so tired. I just want to go to bed.¡± Carl¡¯s head jerked towards me. He got up. Still not giving me my baby. It always worked with him¡­ I only needed to complain, and he did all he could to help me.

    ¡°Okay, guys¡­ we¡¯re out. See you all tomorrow.¡± Carl said.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You said you¡¯re tired. So we¡¯re going home.¡± I cocked an eyebrow. His lips pressed together, realizing what he had said.

    He tried to correct himself. ¡°I mean¡­ I¡¯m going home with¡­ you.¡± He put his hand over his face¡­ I snickered. ¡°I mean¡­ I¡¯m going to sleep at your house because Ben isn¡¯t here.¡± His voice raised slightly. ¡°Chris and Marcus aren¡¯t here.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. I can take care of myself.¡±

    ¡°I know you can, but I want t¡­.¡± He bit his lip. Our eyes locked.

    I eyed him. My BS meter was ticking in the red zone.

    ¡°Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake¡­ Not that I want to take care of you.¡± His teeth clenched. That he didn¡¯t mean¡­ The whole room was so quiet. You could hear a pin fall¡­ on the carpet. ¡°I mean, I want to¡­ F- it.¡± Carl left the room with Min¨¦.

    Standing at the door, I stared after him walking down the road¡­ I frowned a little bit¡­ There was a tugging in my chest. Truth revealed. A warmth spread over me. A squishy feeling of being liked by a guy. That first confession, and you didn¡¯t even know.

    ¡°Did he just cross a line? His reaction was peculiar¡­ Or am I making too much of it?¡±

    The room was still so quiet. The fact that no one said anything confirmed what had happened. I was the only one who didn¡¯t know how stupid I was. Carl was with me all the time. He was with me before Ben even came¡­ I thought it was because Juliet had so many people to help her¡­ Juliet had asked who my second husband would be¡­ Was she trying to tell me something? Fishing?

    I slowly walked out the door. Louis and Juliet started giggling.

    ¡°At freaking last!¡± Louis said.

    ¡°Argh, frak!¡± I whispered to myself.

    Down the stairs I went, hands in my back pockets. Walking towards the house that Carl helped Louis finish. I thought he was lonely¡­

    He had never had a girlfriend. ¡°Shoot!¡± I was the reason¡­ Had he liked me since we met? I opened the front door. The lights were all off. It was deadly quiet.

    ¡°Hey, Carl! C¡¯mon, man, I know you stuffed up. But I didn¡¯t peg you for a coward.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything. I put on the lights. ¡°Mrs. Rheed!¡± Juliet was going to kill me for saying that. But it was a reflex.

    Sita was at my house. Holding a gun. Pointing it straight at Carl¡¯s head. A man was sitting on the couches facing away from the door. A chill ran down my spine. There was only one creature that could make you afraid without doing anything.

    Yeah no! That was not what was going to happen to me that night. My hand moved. I slapped the wall again. The lights went off. The room was pitch black. I fell to the floor immediately, hoping that¡¯s what Carl would do. I heard a scuffle and a shot fired. The bullet hit the wall right above my head. I cursed inwardly. We had practiced being shot at. But outside, the initial bang wasn¡¯t so loud. In the house, it caught me off guard. I was immobilized.

    Carl would take her and run. Baby first¡­ parents second. I closed my eyes. We had even had that conversation. He was referring to him and me. Not what Ben and I would do¡­ Juliet would hear the shots. They would come and help.

    I knew the house and slowly moved to where Sita was standing. Crawling, I heard movement. But no one knew where anyone else was. Unless she manifested. The lights would be on soon. I moved as fast as I could. The night sky was bright. I couldn¡¯t go out the front door again.

    ***

    Chris

    We moved unhindered through the building. It was making our expedition much easier than I had anticipated. I thought we needed to come over a full moon because we would have to bust into the place.

    The elevator went down into the mountain. It stopped at the bottom floor. We made our way inside. The chief scientist showed us around and everything they were working on. When he was done, he hadn¡¯t really shown us anything. Having studied the plans, we knew there had to be more floors. So we didn¡¯t leave until we found the secret passages. He was protesting, but he didn¡¯t really have a choice.

    Another elevator went even further down into the ground. It stopped eventually. It was dark as we walked into the space. The lights automatically went on as we moved. It was a massive open floor with several glass cubicles. In each, there was a person¡­ Or thing that seemed to me like what Louis and Juliet had described. That first time, she had saved the werewolf cub. Each one was rabid. Violent.

    Some were foaming at the mouth. Red glowing eyes. Others'' flesh was rotting like Juliet so feared would happen to her. But not one looked like either of them. No leather skin on any of them. Or white eyes. But one¡­ Did have on a mask. The control cover that Juliet had told me about. I thought I was going crazy. Seeing what Rodrigo was actually working on. Things that could happen to us. Or humans. That experiment led to infected vampires who lived forever and couldn¡¯t go out into the sun. The werewolf toxin created unpredictability. What Qadir wanted with his experiments all of a sudden. I could only imagine.

    We walked down the corridor. There was only one light on in a room to the back. The walls were covered with bottles with body parts drowned in an orange liquid. The adjourning glass cubicle was filled with cages. A lot of exotic animals in each. Last but not least was the freezer door in the back of the room and the table in the middle.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    My skin crawled at the cruelty of it all. That Juliet was once on that table. That he was the cause of her suffering. When Rodrigo came through an open door and saw Marcus, he was visibly startled. His fear-drenched face stared at us in disbelief. The silence went on for a few moments.

    ¡°We¡¯re here about Juliet,¡± I said to get the conversation going. Kubra went to sit on the table, hands clasped in his lap.

    Rodrigo¡¯s shoulders lowered. The hair on my arm stood up straight¡­ Why was Rodrigo so afraid of Marcus. But I was probably naive to think that Marcus, at one stage, wasn¡¯t a little more like his father than he would want to admit. And the fear crept in that Louis knew something that he wasn¡¯t sharing with us¡­ Things about Marcus.

    At the fighting cages, there was such animosity between Qadir and his son¡­ But when Marcus was told what to do¡­ He obeyed without complaint.

    ¡°Poor little Juliet¡­ How is she? Why is she not here for the cure?¡± Rodrigo asked.

    ¡°She won¡¯t come back.¡± He bobbed his head. Busy buffing a glass flask with a paper towel. ¡°We were hoping you could just give it to us.¡±

    He scoffed and chuckled as if he thought we were dumb. ¡°Who are you anyway? Last time, there was a French guy with her.¡± Rodrigo asked.

    I held out a hand to him¡­ ¡°Chris¡­ Nice to meet you.¡±

    He shook it. ¡°Interesting. The company that little girl keeps.¡±

    I still didn¡¯t know what to call Juliet in my life¡­ They were right. I had not made anything official with her. I loved her. I would never leave her. But our whole situation didn¡¯t really have a title. ¡°She gave birth to my baby.¡±

    Rodrigo stood back. Lifted his torso and peered down at me. ¡°So you¡¯re the Riphath¡­ Would love to see that. Take a blood sample¡­ You know the earth is the only place that has infected vampires¡­ So it¡¯s not like we can see alien species. All there is for us is service.¡± He glanced up at Marcus. He was standing still close to the exit. Maybe the problem went the other way¡­ Did Rodrigo torture Marcus?

    ¡°I¡¯ll oblige if you like¡­ I don¡¯t care what I have to do. Just give me what I need to save Juliet.¡± I went to sit on the steel table next to Kubra.

    Rodrigo scoffed and chuckled again. I wished he would just get to the point. He moved towards me and took my blood. ¡°Without what I gave her. She never would have gotten pregnant in the first place. She was not supposed to be able to produce viable offspring from another species.¡±

    I was taken aback.

    ¡°There are no other vampires that have ever carried a Riphath baby¡­ There is a price to pay for that.¡± My heart started beating faster when he spoke about a price to pay. She was paying, not me.

    ¡°You told Louis there was a cure.¡±

    ¡°There is¡­ But it¡¯s here. It¡¯s intensive and of long duration. It¡¯s not a little red pill, and all her problems go away. And if she does get it .. she will never be able to carry your child again¡­ If I were her, I would let the formula take its course.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that? Juliet ate a person and was controlled by a human. She is turning into that.¡± I pointed to one of the cubicles around us.

    He shook his head. Rodrigo walked to the side and tapped on the glass. It was the only female not doing anything. She was just standing there with that thing over her mouth. Her skin wasn¡¯t putrefying. There were no foaming or red werewolf eyes.

    I frowned. ¡°What do you mean? Juliet got that stuff before we slept together.¡±

    He smirked. ¡°Uh-uh,¡± shaking his head slowly. ¡°What I gave her was Lucky number 5.¡± Scared to know what would have happened, I turned to where he was pointing. The woman in that cubicle was half-werewolf, half-monster, rushing into the glass, challenging her opponent next door.

    I manifested and grabbed Rodrigo around the throat. ¡°How do I kill an infected vampire.¡± He gripped my arm and easily bent my hand off his neck, displaying all the strength he had.

    ¡°Nothing as easy¡­ Fire. Or rip off my head.¡± He glanced up at Marcus.

    Bachelor number two was still waiting at the door, standing with his hands at his side. The look on his face was unreadable. I rolled my eyes. Marcus was this badass until he wasn¡¯t. How were we supposed to know who would pitch up for the day?

    Rodrigo was taking in all of me. ¡°The mouth plate and control is for whoever holds the magic button. The eating of people is a Riphath trait, no? Werewolves do it every day¡­ Juliet has spunk. She won¡¯t be put off by eating someone.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s still changing into something else. Other than a vampire. Her skin is like¡­.¡±

    ¡°Leathery snakeskin¡­ Yes. I know. I designed it like that. So that it doesn¡¯t putrefy like lucky number 3 over there. He gestures to another woman. If you could still call her a woman. ¡°The skin¡­ I am working on it.¡±

    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is she will change, but she will¡­ what? I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Look, she will still be Juliet¡­ but different¡­ permanently¡­ But she can always come back and go through the reversal process. It takes only a year or so.¡±

    ¡°She won¡¯t be able to transform back and forth?¡± I asked.

    He shook his head slowly from side to side. ¡°Not without the button. Right now, she has only spells¡­ Why haven¡¯t you brought her back?¡± I glanced over to Marcus. ¡°Oh yeah, this place doesn¡¯t conjure fond memories for some of us. I didn¡¯t think Juliet would fit in here.¡±

    Kubra¡¯s eyes were nailed to the floor, swinging his legs slowly back and forth next to me.

    ¡°What is this magic button you¡¯re talking about?¡±

    ¡°Mind control tech to manage her when she¡¯s like that. She will have so much strength and speed and¡­ maybe other abilities¡­ Can¡¯t just let her  loose, you know.¡±

    ¡°Why are you working on all this¡­ if you have a sure way of creating a secret army.¡±

    He scoffed and chuckled again.

    ¡°No, the men in this place want to control¡­ not give women more. And this secret potion¡­ is only for women. It was an experiment to see if I could make a species interbreed¡­ But it meant that I needed to change so many things in the chromosomes so that the pregnancies would be viable. And that was not my goal. I had other plans before my recapture. And, of course, hybrids like a mule can¡¯t have babies¡­ Vampires hate other races¡­ The werewolves want nothing to do with anybody else. So the only thing I had left to work with was¡­The idea of you. And making them believe it was possible.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you everything, but one thing I will say is.¡± He came closer and whispered into my ear. ¡°Qadir doesn¡¯t know she will live. He thinks she will turn into a monster.¡±

    For just a moment¡­ sometimes¡­ everything was too much for me to wrap my mind around. Little Juliet in her school dress will turn into what? I should have been happy. That all she did was disappear back then. Was eighteen and liked me.

    ¡°Look¡­ I don¡¯t know all the rules that would apply¡­ This is the first and only time this has ever happened. You three species are inadvertently half-human divided by location¡­ meaning environment¡­ Your habitats were never supposed to intermingle¡­ But being in human form made you sexual all the time with a cycle every month, but on your planets¡­ it might not work like that¡­ Then, of course, the Sexual attraction factor¡­.¡± He flashed his eyes at me¡­

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re telling me that my x wife didn¡¯t sleep with me because we are not the same species.¡±

    He bobbed his head and shrugged. ¡°Werewolves are a funny species.¡±

    I laughed lightly. ¡°How could they have been so stupid to think that¡­ Everybody thought I¡­ was Juliet? That you gave that stuff to me?¡± Wow, mind blown. I snorted.

    ¡°The word about my research quickly went around. In the end, there was too much speculation¡­ The legend of the hybrid was there for the kids on the planet¡­ So that they didn¡¯t know what was going on. They just didn¡¯t know who went through the process. They still don¡¯t¡­ I was off compound when you were born.¡±

    ¡°But why does everyone think Juliet could carry my baby.¡±

    ¡°They think it¡¯s a fluke because of my interference. They didn¡¯t know she had a good Samaritan¡­ that cared enough. And changed her treatment.¡±

    ¡°The werewolves on earth know that Palmyra had cut off all ties with them. Every now and again, more criminals are dropped off. But that¡¯s the punishment¡­ Exile¡­ So, they wanted a cure for their declining numbers. They became desperate. They actually still think that you are the link to interspecies pregnancy.¡±

    ¡°But Charlene had a baby.¡±

    ¡°Fifty-fifty¡­ Humans are kind of neutral ground¡­ but¡­ The vamps in exile were a little smarter than the wolves. They evolved quickly and because of Qadir and the way they controlled their woman. The way of living. The compound is now so strong¡­ He will be taking over the earth¡­ is a matter of ¡­ Well, I only need one more cub¡­ maybe then?¡±

    My hands rubbed over my face and through my hair. Frak! I needed to get out of there. We came all this way¡­ At least we knew she wasn¡¯t dying or going to be locked up in a glass cubicle.

    ¡°Wait, what about Juliet and me?¡±

    A few emotions ran over his features. He sat down on the counter behind him, hands perching himself by his sides. He regarded me. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. Maybe love can really go up against even mother nature.¡±

    ***

    Carl

    I couldn¡¯t believe it. The truth was out. Charlene knew I liked her. Didn¡¯t I tell Louis she would never know¡­ Never say never, I guess. And there I was¡­ going to find out what she thought about the idea. My heart was pounding, gripping onto Min¨¦. I kissed her little head on my shoulder. The house was dark. When we left earlier, it was still afternoon. We had a good day¡­

    I heard a noise before I felt the cold steel of the gun against my head. The person pushed me into the room and made me stand still,  clutching my upper arm. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I had a baby on my shoulders. Charlene was behind me and would walk through the door any minute¡­

    Charlene was brave and quick. I was proud of her. She killed the lights. I pushed the gun forward toward Charlene. It was the only way, but away from the baby was all I cared about. I fell to the floor and moved into the hall, crawling into Charlene¡¯s room and closing the door. I made for the window and got the hell out of there. Baby first, or Charlene might have killed me herself. The most important people in the house were the two kids.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°What was that?!¡± I got up off Louis¡¯s lap. We stood at the front door, looking down towards Charlene¡¯s house.

    ¡°Do you think she shot him for liking her?¡± Louis flicked me on my forehead.

    ¡°Carl wouldn¡¯t be practicing shooting at this time of night. Maybe a gas leak.¡± Louis said.

    The sudden white of a figure in the woods was no longer something new. But when Michael walked out towards us, my stomach flipped. Louis and I stood gaping at him. But he didn¡¯t stop. Michael didn¡¯t even glance up at me. He went into a run right past us.

    Louis turned to me. ¡°I don¡¯t think he wants to marry you anymore. He¡¯s dumping you.¡± I laughed. Louis¡¯s sense of humor was coming back. Since Chris and I had made up. I was better. Everyone seemed better. I nudged him in the ribs. We both followed Michael into the house.

    My mom and dad were bewildered coming towards us.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he likes you anymore, Julie.¡± My dad whispered. I snickered.

    Louis gestured to my dad and towards the hallway. Michael had gone through the house. But our smiles soon fell when he had Caleb in his arms, holding him like he was the most precious thing on earth. Michael walked past us into the undergrowth and disappeared. The four of us followed him outside.

    ¡°Juliet¡­ I know you trust the guy. But he just stole our baby...¡± Then we saw Carl running into the woods with Min¨¦¡­ Louis grabbed my hand desperately and pulled me back in behind him. Goose flesh covered my legs. A chill ran up my spine

 Juliet Bows Down

    69. Juliet Bows Down

    Juliet

    The figure that emerged out of Charlene¡¯s house was the last one I had ever thought I would see in the place that was my safety¡­ A refuge. My haven of freedom and protection.

    He strolled so leisurely up the gravel driveway that it seemed like he belonged there. More loud ¡°bang¡± sounds came from down the road. It was gunshots! It was from Charlene¡¯s house. That moment felt like a dream¡­ A horrible one where you were stuck and the fear covered you. Pushed you down, and you couldn¡¯t wake up. I disappeared and jumped down all the stairs running.

    ¡°Juliet!¡± The voice was loud and menacing in the cold night air. I slowed down, having passed him already. ¡°All I want¡­ is Marcus back at the compound.¡± I wanted to burst out crying or scream. There were no tears and no sounds. How could I take him back there? He wouldn¡¯t make it if he had to go back to that way of living.

    I quickly had to count the cost. Did Min¨¦ have a watcher that could protect her from Qadir... No¡­ She didn¡¯t. Carl would run, but did Qadir put people up there? Would Carl¡¯s father intervene? Would they give Min¨¦ to Rodrigo?

    ¡°Getting out of this one is going cost you¡­ Again. Just like last time¡­.¡±

    Qadir knew I was trying to figure this out. My nose burned and immediately closed up. I swallowed hard. I wasn¡¯t so quick on my feet as Marcus. And I couldn¡¯t yell his name¡­ I couldn¡¯t call out to him.

    ¡°I just want to talk¡­ If you make this difficult. Someone will get hurt. At this point, it¡¯s only Sita with Charlene in the house¡­ And I don¡¯t really care who makes it out alive. But little Min¨¦¡­.¡±

    He just needed to say the name. I came back immediately. He turned around. ¡°That¡¯s a good girl¡­ Now shall we.¡± He gestured with his arm towards the house.

    I stood frozen. My eyes locked on the three people on the porch¡­ Louis watched me, reading me. His sullen countenance was back. It broke my heart¡­ Louis¡¯s eyes closed slowly, and he gestured with his head toward the house. I didn¡¯t want to move. He came down, took my hand, and had to pull me the rest of the way.

    ***

    Charlene

    I was crawling on the floor. I had seen Qadir leaving. I didn¡¯t know what would happen in the next few minutes. There was only one option. Fight. Glad that I had months of practice. Training on how to handle a gun. There was one under the sink in the kitchen. That was where I was headed.

    I opened the cupboard and the panel in the back of the wall. I cocked the chamber and took off the safety. The lights in the house went on. I shot in the direction of where I was standing earlier. The return fire was sudden. I kept myself behind the counter in the kitchen.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never killed anyone, Charlene. I don¡¯t want my first time to be some teenager with a baby.¡±

    I aimed at the roof, shooting out the globe. It was dark again. I crawled down the hall toward my room. The door was closed. I got to my feet, went in, and locked the door. The window was open. Glad that Carl had gotten away. I followed Carl out into the dark, with no idea what would happen to Juliet. I was terrified that they were there for Min¨¦. She was the only thing on my mind.

    ***

    Sita

    It was quiet for a long time before I got up. I had never been that scared. Actually, being in a gunfight was different than just shooting one or getting used to the sound when you¡¯re out hunting. I put on some more lights. I cleared the house and saw the window open in the back room.

    I left, taking in the scenery. The massive house that had been Juliet¡¯s home for so long. Two husbands. A mother and a father. Friends. Money and¡­ Chris. A baby with Chris. Seeing the way her story turned out... It was like salt on my wounds. It fueled me to push forward.

    Louis had furnished and finished the house in style. He had money¡­ I had some money, but it meant nothing when I would be going back to Palmyra. There was some consolation when I walked into the space. All of them were seated around the massive wooden dining room table. Juliet stared at me. Louis whispered into her ear. She breathed out a breath. Not that it would help. If Qadir wanted the cub, he would take it. It was all up to her.  The other couple must be her parents. I can vaguely remember seeing them at school at some stage.

    ¡°Juliet¡­ Marcus won¡¯t come back without you. So I need you to willingly come back.¡± Qadir¡¯s gaze drifted to Louis. ¡°It means you have to come as well.¡± Qadir turned to Liam and Cindy. ¡°You¡¯re house is still there¡­.¡±

    To see Juliet¡¯s world fall apart around her was enough for me. ¡°Sita, sit down.¡± I pulled out a chair next to him and sat. One thing Liv told me was to do everything he instructed... Not to talk if you were not spoken to. Where I was, those two rules had made my goals possible. It was quiet around the table.

    ¡°So what¡¯s going to happen now is. Min¨¦ will be fine.  Charlene and Carl, too. When I leave¡­ you will go get them in the woods and bring them back home. Michael will bring back Caleb. And then Marcus and Chris will come back in a few days¡­ When they do¡­ You will have two weeks before Chris returns to his planet with little Caleb in tow. You¡¯ll never see them again. Then you come back to the compound just like it always should have been.¡±

    Qadir¡¯s fingers drummed on the table. Two pairs of eyes boring into each other. One thing I had to give Juliet credit for¡­ She was no coward.

    ¡°You four will not say anything to Marcus. For that little understanding¡­ I will take away all surveillance from the house for these two weeks. We will keep it as is¡­ I will just not check up on you. And it¡¯s only so Marcus doesn¡¯t get wind of anything that happened tonight¡­ Also, I will let this place be. After you are all back at the compound with me. Min¨¦ will be safe. Her parents will be safe. I really don¡¯t care what happens to them.¡±

    No one said anything. So Qadir went on.

    ¡°After two weeks, you will tell Marcus that you are ready to get your treatment for what was done to you¡­ Because that is what Rodrigo is telling them right now. When all of this happens, we will take it from there.¡±

    Qadir had what he wanted. And he knew it. They knew it.

    ¡°Why do you want Marcus back there? You can never go back to En-gannim¡­ He will take over¡­ What is your goal.¡± Juliet¡¯s father asked.

    ¡°Control¡­ What else. Right now, my father is coming after Marcus. Seeing what he did three years ago¡­ And he left the compound¡­ I don¡¯t really care about En-gannin until Marcus takes over¡­ But until then, I need him for my army. And to make Earth mine.¡±

    ***

    Louis

    And just like that, Qadir and Sita left the house. Walked down the stairs and teleported out with someone we didn¡¯t know. I suspected it had to be Jabin. We were all quiet for a few minutes.

    ¡°We will go find Charlene and Carl,¡± Liam said, getting up and walking out the door.

    Juliet just sat, peering sightlessly into the darkness. Her mind was void.

    ¡°Baby!¡±

    She blinked a couple of times and focused on me. The rush of all the things that had happened. All we¡¯ve been through and again, what a mess she had created. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Louis¡­ When I asked you to cover Marcus on me. I thought I¡¯d be free of him.¡±

    ¡°You mean Qadir.¡± She nodded.

    ¡°I thought we would be free. When I came with you to France, I was prepared to put it all behind me. Then I did one¡­ Stupid thing¡­ And made you do it.¡± I kept touching her hair, listening to her, and tucking strands behind her ear. Sitting across from her, I leaned forward so our faces were at eye level. She gripped my hand. ¡°If you were there that night, I wouldn¡¯t have gone with Chris¡­ I kept praying that you would come for me¡­ I didn¡¯t want to go with Chris¡­ I want. I neeed you to stay here in France¡­ Please tell me you will stay.¡±

    I licked my lips. My mouth was so dry¡­ Nerves rampant for having to unburden myself to her.

    ¡°Baby, I need to tell you something¡­ Michael was there that night with Rodrigo when he injected you. He was just too late¡­ Because you disappeared¡­ He couldn¡¯t track you¡­ But he followed Rodrigo and held him captive for a long time. Until it came out that you were pregnant. Rodrigo convinced him he had a way for you to carry the baby. They made a deal. He also wanted you to be stronger when Chris left. So that you could take care of yourself when he wasn¡¯t your watcher anymore. If one day it was just you and Qadir alone in a room¡­ You are not turning into some freak. Or Zombie. You¡¯re becoming a killing machine capable of¡­ he doesn¡¯t even know what.¡±

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    I paused for her. Letting it all sink in.

    ¡°And¡­?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ have¡­ been¡­ dosing myself with the same stuff¡­ I just let it happen when you went through your spells so no one knew.¡± Her chin quivered, and her brows knit together. ¡°Even if we go to the compound, nothing can happen to us. At some point, Marcus can just say that we changed. Put us in a box, and we can leave¡­ We¡¯ll get look-alike people¡­ And no one will know with any of that stuff pumped into them.¡±

    Juliet was speechless.

    ¡°Baby¡­ I love you that much¡­ I don¡¯t care what you do. Who you F-. How many husbands you have. If you want me to brand you a million times. I¡¯ll do it. Go through all of this,¡± I gestured between us. ¡°Over and over.¡± She leaned in and pressed her lips onto mine, pulled me to my feet, wrapped her arms around me, and hugged me. ¡°This has never happened to me before. When I met you that first day at your house¡­ and you held onto my hand¡­ I knew¡­ I was sure¡­ It really didn¡¯t matter what I would have to go through¡­ This is the way it should be. Me and you together¡­ Chris will leave. Michael¡­? I don¡¯t know how to make that happen for you¡­ Marcus¡­ I¡¯m scared of Marcus Juliet. It¡¯s not that there is no space for you there¡­ It¡¯s because¡­ I know he won¡¯t choose you¡­..¡±

    Her shoulders started shaking against my chest. ¡°He doesn¡¯t love me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, baby no¡­ He loves you more than his own life¡­ He is just indoctrinated with two hundred years of torture and conditioning. Filial to a fault. And the fact that he has never stood up for you¡­ Proves that¡­ You might have to suffer a little bit for a little while.¡±

    ¡°Michael said I have to trust Marcus.¡±

    I drew in a slow breath. ¡°I hope we can. I hope he proves himself worthy of you¡­.¡±

    ¡°Why did you not touch me for months?¡±

    ¡°I knew Chris was going to leave¡­ Juliet¡­ I don¡¯t think you will ever see him again. Or Caleb.¡± She grabbed onto me even tighter, making desperate sounds. ¡°I wanted you to have the time with him. And it kept Marcus at bay. You happy for a little bit.¡±

    ¡°Why¡­? Why are you doing all of this for me?¡±

    ¡°My love for you is unconditional. And I mean it. To the very last fiber of my being.¡±

    ¡°But mine is¡­ Why do you accept it?¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s not how this works¡­ That is the way it¡¯s supposed to be¡­ It¡¯s my choice. No! We all chose you.¡± I pushed her away and gazed deeply into her eyes. ¡°Now¡­ come to me¡­ and let it be. I don¡¯t want to hear you say that I can¡¯t handle this. You are this.¡±

    Juliet was in my embrace in the doorway when we saw Michael bringing Caleb back. I was scared for him¡­ He had done so much for Juliet over the years. It was just a matter of time before someone found out. Punished him according to the watcher code.

    Worriedly, he walked up the stairs. Juliet took Caleb. I held out my hand to him. We shook on it. A mutual understanding that we were all family. That he had helped me. Helped me go through the process and put Qadir off our trail. And that he would be there for her. Had been there for her in a larger capacity than anyone of us could boast.

    ¡°Did Rodrigo say anything?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Just what we discussed.¡±

    I nodded. Michael turned to Juliet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I lied to you.¡±

    ¡°I have to thank you, it seems¡­ I owe you again¡­¡± Michael wasn¡¯t smiling, and neither was she. The joke was on us. ¡°Like I said¡­ You¡¯re much better at this than them. I didn¡¯t even suspect anything.¡±

    I took Caleb and gave them a moment alone.

    ***

    Juliet

    I watched Louis leave and had mixed emotions. He was too good for me. ¡°I have to go, Juliet.¡± I followed Michael outside. ¡°Louis is fortunate.¡±

    I scoffed. ¡°Please don¡¯t say that¡­ Everything he had to go through and did for me¡­ Michael, what about the button thing. What will happen when we both change?¡±

    ¡°Rodrigo doesn¡¯t know¡­ The button is just preventative if you¡¯re not in control at any point. Juliet¡­ I haven¡¯t brought them because I don¡¯t know who to give them to.¡±

    ¡°We both know there is just one person we can give it to. And it¡¯s not my father.¡±

    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± He leaned down, hovering above my lips. I kissed him, cupping his neck. Neither of our eyes closed, watching each other.

    ¡°Thank you for Catty and the letter.¡± I pouted my lips. ¡°That was¡­¡±

    He kissed me quick. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. You¡¯re just asking for it.¡± He kissed me again. Harder. ¡°I have a confession.¡±

    ¡°Another one?¡±

    ¡°I sent Katty deliberately. I couldn¡¯t watch you like that anymore¡­ Don¡¯t stop fighting again. I told you to sort it out. And you just stood back.¡± My eyes cast to the floor. I had been weak. If I did confront everything. We probably wouldn¡¯t be going through any of it. I had thought I was doing the right thing. I sighed and nodded. He pulled me closer. ¡°Try and hold onto those things. Don¡¯t let them make you think of what you don¡¯t have. But remind you of everything you do¡­ That we all love you. It¡¯s all a matter of time anyway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡± Michael asked, surprised.

    ¡°Everything,¡± I said with a sigh. He picked me up off the ground and hugged me. My feet dangling. He put me down and left without turning around.

    ¡°Michael!¡± He stopped. ¡°I do love you. There isn¡¯t much I wouldn¡¯t do for you. Well, besides the three things I wouldn¡¯t do for any of you.¡± His chin turned slightly to me, a smile on his lips. ¡°Be careful. And come as quickly as you can. I¡¯m waiting.¡± He stilled for a moment and disappeared.

    ***

    Charlene

    We had a safety zone hidden away in the mountains. If we needed to run and hide. We would all meet up there. When I fled the house, that was where I headed, running and hoping that Carl would be there. That Min¨¦ would be there. That some watchers didn¡¯t come and take my baby away from me. Our life had just become a harsh reality. We were so happy there. Sita, just showing up, had corrupted the place.

    I struggled over rocks and a river that led to a cave I needed to head into. It took about fifteen minutes to get here from the house. I had run all the way. Out of breath, heart racing, I walked around a hill that hid the entrance well.

    ¡°Carl!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here, Charlene.¡±

    ¡°And Min¨¦?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± His voice was low. He hadn¡¯t been there long. None of the lanterns that we had hidden away were lit. Slowly, I made my way through the narrow passage that led inside the cave.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything.¡±

    ¡°Neither can I. That¡¯s why I¡¯m standing here for the moon.¡±

    I walked right into him and threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly. He put his hand on the small of my back, too afraid to touch me but still willing. I pulled away from him a little and placed my lips on his, crossing the line. In the years we were friends, it never even came close. His body stiffened at first. He wanted to pull away from me. I kept him on my lips until he relaxed. ¡°Charlene¡­ what are you doing?¡± He whispered.

    ¡°I almost died, Carl. My baby almost died¡­ You almost died¡­ I¡¯m telling you how I feel.¡±

    He stared at me for a long time. ¡°I don¡¯t think we feel quite the same way.¡±

    Min¨¦ fussed. He patted her, trying to calm her.

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll try and find the lanterns. Stay there.¡±

    ¡°No, take Min¨¦. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Carl said. His manner was irritated.

    We sat silently for a whole hour until Liam and Cindy found us. Carl was never a big talker. He definitely didn¡¯t wear his emotions on his sleeve. I didn¡¯t know what was going on in his mind. So, I left it. His feelings for me come out in an unexpected, unplanned way. He had doubts.

    ¡°Carl.¡± Whispers came from outside.

    ¡°Yeah, Liam. We¡¯re in here.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We have a lot to tell you. But everyone is safe.¡±

    We left the cave and made our way home. Cindy and Liam told us everything we needed to know. Juliet was waiting for us on the porch steps when we came back. The first thing she did was throw her arms around me. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±  She whispered.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault. You didn¡¯t make me sleep with Ben and have a werewolf baby.¡± My eyes darted to Carl to see if that was the issue.

    ¡°Qadir would never have known if it wasn¡¯t for me.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Min¨¦ would have been in trouble regardless. And I think Sita had more to do with this than you might believe.¡±

    ¡°Come. You guys aren¡¯t sleeping in that house tonight.¡± She took my hand. Liam locked the door for the first time. We all made our way to our rooms. Carl just went to bed, leaving me alone with Min¨¦ in Juliet¡¯s room.

    I sat up for hours and couldn¡¯t sleep. When I tried, I had nightmares. Flashbacks kept haunting me. I wasn¡¯t going to sleep if I was alone. So, I was going to have to do something stupid. Like Juliet would.

    I got up and went to Carl¡¯s room, knocking softly. The door opened. It didn¡¯t look like he had slept at all. I took his hand and led him back down the hall. I pushed him onto the bed and got on with him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep alone.¡± He pulled me closer, and I put my arm around him. He kissed the top of my hair. I felt myself relax and drift off.

    ***

    Juliet

    That night, Louis didn¡¯t even ask if I wanted to be alone. He dragged me into his room, and everything fell into place¡­ He had finally talked to me. The dark atmosphere was almost tangible. As if Qadir never left. I felt like we would have to fumigate¡­ If we ever came back.

 Why Did We Fall In Love?

    70. Why Did We Fall In Love?

    Chris

    Driving up to the house in France was a relief. When we left, I feared we wouldn¡¯t get Marcus away again. Thinking Juliet had ever been there was too much for me. I would make it my life¡¯s mission to not take her back there. Kubra¡¯s words haunted me: "You¡¯re not in charge here, big guy.¡±

    We got out of the car. Juliet was on the porch having a cigarette. She hadn¡¯t smoked in a while. It was weird seeing her needing one. Red flags were waving, and my gut was uneasy. She was so happy to see us that she ran down the stairs, grabbed me around the neck and the waist with her legs, and hugged me for so long that I thought she would never get off. Then she didn¡¯t. I had to carry her into the house like that. When we sat on the couch, she kept gripping onto me.

    ¡°Juliet, I¡¯m back. We both are. I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Nothing I said helped. She would not let go of me. So I sat there with her for so long.

    She started kissing me. I didn¡¯t mind that she was herself again¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to tell her she had to grow up¡­ Ever again. I wanted her like that forever. Doing what she felt she wanted to. Everything she did was to make me happy anyway. So I had the best of both sides. After a while, Marcus and Louis even came and sat with us. We glanced at each other. Concern written on their faces. She was acting weird. ¡°Hey, Juliet. You and Chris have been sitting like this for an hour.¡± Marcus mentioned.

    ¡°Do you want to take over Marcus? Because if I get on you¡­ I¡¯m not getting off.¡± She lifted her head in challenge¡­ eyeing him.

    The implications were clear. He could make a choice. She was willing.  He stood there staring down at her. But no. Marcus wasn¡¯t going to do anything. Their first time like that¡­ I shook my head at him. Something else was going on. Marcus sat back down. Defeated.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know what happened on your compound of hell?¡± I asked.

    Juliet¡¯s head lifted off my shoulder, her eyes telling me the last thing she wanted to talk about was the compound. She kissed me so hard and so deeply that I felt awkward¡­ Even in front of Louis and Marcus. There was PDA, and then there was what she was doing.

    ¡°Chris, I think you need to take this upstairs,¡± Louis said. What the hell was going on? But I wasn¡¯t going to shrug her off. So, I took her upstairs. Louis giving me permission was another red flag. I thought he would never. It was their room.

    ***

    We fell down on the bed, me on top of her. Legs and arms still very firmly gripping me. ¡°Hey, I brought you something.¡± She let go a little.

    ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t swayed by materialistic things¡­ It¡¯s in my bag.¡±

    When I wanted to get up, she pulled my mouth onto hers and kissed me. She didn¡¯t stop either? She undressed me and pulled me onto and into her so quickly that I didn¡¯t have time to even think about it. Not that I wanted to stop her. But I had always been a little too much in my mind. And her like that meant she needed release and intimacy¡­ a quicky wasn¡¯t the best way of dealing with it.

    Wanting to get off her and go down on her. She stopped me. ¡°Juliet, I need to sort this out. Now, are you going to let me or not?¡± A tear ran down her temple. Another red flag. There was something wrong¡­

    ¡°Are you pregnant again?¡± She gave a burst of laughter. ¡°Trying to get pregnant again?¡±

    ***

    After she fell asleep so quickly¡­ I held her for the longest time. It was another red flag. There were so many that it was starting to freak me out. She was overtired¡­ She wasn¡¯t sleeping. If I even thought about moving, she would grip onto me again, kissing me and pulling me onto her. That went on the rest of the day and night. Love and water. I was gone for four days. And that was what she was like. The fear started tearing at me. How would she handle my leaving? Even worse if Caleb went with me? If we could know for how long. I needed to talk to Samuel and Warden. Get some answers.

    ***

    ¡°Tell me this is real¡­.¡± She whispered sometime during the night.

    ¡°Juliet, I have given you all my love.¡±

    ¡°Tell me this is love.¡±

    ¡°This is more than just love. Even when I¡¯m far away, I feel¡­ all of it¡­ I know wherever you are¡­ even if you¡¯re with someone else¡­ you¡¯re searching for me. I want to tell you now¡­ that there is nowhere so sweet as right here with you.¡±

    More tears.

    ¡°Remember I told you as long as your honest with me¡­ Are you honest with me right now..¡±

    ¡°Something happened.¡± She said while kissing me. ¡°But I can¡¯t tell you.¡±

    I pulled away from her. That time with force. More tears were rolling down her temples. She was so¡­ sad. Mourning¡­ I had never seen her like that. She was always making a scene¡­ Yelling when she cried. Tears running from her eyes was like¡­ the time in the street. After I told her she needed to go home.

    ¡°I remember the first time I noticed that you liked me.¡± This made her smile. ¡°That morning, my life changed, Juliet. Merely knowing you saw me¡­.¡± She cried even more, and she needed a tissue.

    ¡°Can I tell you now that I made love to you that morning right there?¡± That made her laugh.

    ¡°That¡¯s sus. I was seventeen.¡± I tickled her and wrestled with her because she knew how I felt about her age. ¡°You were two years behind me¡­ I had already had you a million times. Old man.¡± That was the right thing to say. Because it¡¯s where I needed it most. Her wanting me that bad was all the drugs I would ever want. Would I ever get tired of it¡­ as humans did. Start feeling suffocated. Would I meet someone else that I felt that much lust for¡­ She had three other men she felt that way about. But would I do it¡­ Why haven¡¯t I made us official? If species didn¡¯t mix¡­ Why did we fall in love?

    ***

    When I woke up the following day, she wasn¡¯t in bed. The sun was high. I sat up in a jerky motion. I got up and walked hurriedly down the stairs.

    Cindy was at the table with Caleb. ¡°Morning.¡±

    ¡°Hi. How are you?¡± She said, turning in my direction.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay if you tell me she didn¡¯t disappear.¡±

    Cindy smiled, ¡°In the gym.¡±

    I breathed out the heavy breath I was holding. ¡°Is she okay?¡±

    Cindy didn¡¯t answer and kept quiet. I wanted to push. My phone rang, and it was Nick.

    Me [ Hey, Nick. What¡¯s up? You all good there? ]

    Nick [ Hi, Chris. Just wanted to check in to see how things are going. ]

    Me [ I only got back yesterday. But all is good so far. ]

    Nick [ Man, I have some bad news¡­ Another cub was taken the same one as last time at the Thompson farm. It¡¯s been two days. So¡­ tell Juliet if you want to. ]

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Me [ Okay, Nick. Thnx. ] That was weird. There was talking in the background. I could have sworn I heard Sita¡¯s voice. I put down the phone. Not wanting to know if she stayed or not. Samuel was clear with his threats anyway. But why would he call me to tell me that? We all knew where the cub would be. She was probably already dead.

    ***

    When I got up in the gym. Juliet was in the ring with Louis. They were vehemently going at each other. Louis landed punches. Juliet took them in stride. But I was already next to the ring. ¡°Hey Louis, what the hell?¡± I yelled.

    The other three were watching from the side. Juliet got a few punches in and was really giving it her all. Louis landed a punch with force in her stomach. I manifested teleported and put him on the ground. My hand was around his neck. ¡°Chris¡­¡± She tugged on my arm. I was fuming. It took her a good clutch of my fur to make me let go of his throat that was pushed into the floor. My spit fell on his face. ¡°Chris! Get off him and leave the ring.¡± She pushed harder.

    ¡°What the hell! You can¡¯t let him do that.¡± I stood, flinging around to her.

    ¡°Why do you think our time in the gym never overlapped.¡± She whispered.

    ¡°You have been going at it. Like that for months.¡±

    ¡°Chris, get out of the ring.¡± I narrowed my eyes at her. She pushed me out. Her whole demeanor had changed overnight. ¡°Just sit and watch.¡±

    For the next few minutes, they fought even rougher. Louis¡¯s last elbow hit her in the face, and she stumbled sideways her lip split. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough.¡±

    She held out a hand to me when I came towards the ring. She turned to Marcus. ¡°Come on, Marcus! You have to up your game! I¡¯m still leagues behind him. Why are you not teaching me to get the upper hand? What am I missing?¡± She was stern. Her voice rebuked him for not teaching her properly. He jumped into the ring, grabbing his bottom lip and chin in his hand out of frustration like he always did.

    ¡°Juliet¡­¡± He shook his head¡­ ¡°You¡¯re too small¡­ too slow, and too¡­.¡±

    ¡°Young and a girl.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°You will never be able to take on me or Chris¡­ maybe Louis in a hundred years when your strength kicked in. Or if you become faster.¡± She fell down onto her knees. Defeated.

    I got into the ring again and went over to Louis. ¡°You have to tell me what happened when we were gone. Or I¡¯m leaving.¡± Juliet¡¯s head snapped up. Terrified that I would do it. ¡°I told you¡­ you have lines in the sand¡­ I also have one line, and it¡¯s this one.¡±

    ¡°Chris, nothing happened,¡± Louis lied. He went down on his knees to Juliet¡¯s level. Their tired eyes met. He put some of her hair in behind her ear. ¡°You are not in the ring to learn to fight. Your game is not going to be strength¡­ Not now¡­ Only for a little while. You got that brain of yours for a reason. Unfortunately, you¡¯re always going to have to fight with your mind. Take the punches and the kicks in stride. Your one weakness is patience, and¡­¡± Louis bit his bottom lip. He couldn¡¯t finish.

    She was getting irritated. ¡°Come on, Louis! Rip off the Band-Aid.¡±

    Louis held out a hand to Marcus to help him up. He was done for. But he manifested and growled at her. ¡°Bow Juliet.¡± He pushed the words out.

    Juliet¡¯s face was contorted as she fought it. The pain was evident in her features as she winced. We could all see the glow of the tattoo coming up her hip.

    ¡°Louis! Stop!¡± Louis and Juliet¡¯s hands were stretched out to me in exasperation. Even in that state, Juliet stopped me from getting in the ring.

    ¡°For heaven¡¯s sake, Chris! Sit down! You have to go through this if I have to.¡± Juliet spat at me. But she wasn¡¯t bowing. I could see the tears pooling. One ran down her cheek.

    ¡°Now!¡± Louis¡¯s fists were shaking, his knuckles white. He hated doing it more than me having to watch. Her upper body slowly bent down until her head touched the ground, shoulders shaking. Louis turned back to human and kneeled down in front of her. He pulled her up on her shoulders.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it, Louis¡­ I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to stop fighting.¡±

    Desperate, her head was moving from side to side¡­ He was wiping away her tears and stroking her hair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby.¡± He kissed her, and she grabbed onto him. Something was happening between them. I didn¡¯t like it. I got into the ring. Jealous.

    ¡°You have to remember why you''re doing it.¡± She glanced up at me, brows furrowed. ¡°You have to fix the picture in your mind¡­ It has to be permanent. Or else you¡¯re a hypocrite¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t do it¡­ You should have seen Marcus fight Juliet. He¡¯s not even there when he does. He is¡­ a million miles away, focused on his prize¡­ And her biggest problem is not patience¡­ It¡¯s that mouth of hers!¡± I stormed out, adamant about leaving. If they weren¡¯t going to tell me what was going on.

    Juliet came running after me. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you. Stay, please.¡± She begged.

    I was about to pick up my bags. I haven¡¯t even unpacked yet. She pulled me upstairs and closed the door. ¡°You have to promise me that you won¡¯t freak out¡­.¡± Her tongue was nervously playing over her teeth.

    ¡°I can¡¯t promise that,¡± I said softly.

    ¡°We know when you¡¯re leaving....¡±

    I was expecting that was one of the problems¡­ ¡°And¡­¡±

    ¡°Qadir was here.¡±

    I moved over to her. ¡°Did he do something to you?¡± She shook her head, closing her eyes.

    ¡°He wants Marcus at the compound in exchange for Min¨¦.¡±

    I bobbed my head and squeezed her arm to reassure her I wouldn¡¯t freak out or leave, but I had to take a minute and turned to the window. My hands ran through my hair as I stared out over the mountains. The view from that room¡­ I was going to miss this. We, as a family.

    ¡°And you have to go back. Why?¡±

    ¡°Or else Marcus won¡¯t go back¡­ and he¡¯ll leave Min¨¦ alone forever.¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t be trusted. You have to stay out of there¡­ Now I know why Nick called. Another cub was taken. They are assuring that you know. Sita.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice, Chris,¡± She stuttered. ¡°I won¡¯t be the reason they get hurt. It was another threat.¡±

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°Less than¡­ two weeks.¡±

    I rushed her and kissed her. Our mouths met in mutual frustration and disappointment. Our tongues meeting for the last few times. Desperate for one final touch and taste. I didn¡¯t want to let her go. I didn¡¯t care why we fell in love. It felt so right that I didn¡¯t care about anything anymore. When Juliet and I slept together, there wasn¡¯t much foreplay. We were constantly ripping each other¡¯s clothes off. Only when I was in her¡­ was there a moment we both relaxed. Being that close to someone was the ultimate goal. I didn¡¯t know how I would go back to not feeling this love we shared.

    ***

    Carl

    ¡°Seeing Juliet suffer wasn¡¯t fun for any of us, knowing she would be going back to where they all fought so hard to get away from. Charlene couldn¡¯t even sleep without me. I didn¡¯t like what was going on. I couldn¡¯t imagine how Louis had to be feeling. Or, how Liam and Cindy were going to handle everything?

    Being human has its advantages. Every time this happened in the ring, Charlene would hold her breath. We could not comprehend the vampire¡¯s societal ways. I was happy that the truth was out. That Charlene knew how I felt. It was the right time. With Ben not there, we had a few days together. But he was coming back¡­ Later that afternoon. I needed to say something. I had not spoken to her at all. I wanted to know what she thought about it¡­ She was right¡­ I¡¯m not a coward. She had already kissed me. Got me to comfort her. She told me to move in with them¡­ not that she thought I was a nuisance and in her Ben¡¯s space.

    It did feel like she put me first.

    When Juliet ran out after Chris, only Charlene and I were left in the gym tidying up and cleaning. ¡°I think we need to talk, Chars.¡± She kept going at the mirrors with cloth and wipes. I walked over, touching her shoulder. She took out her earpiece. I brazenly stared into her eyes. I had never done it before. Her hand reached for the other one, pushing both into her pocket.

    Minutes ticked by. Charlene patiently waited¡­ I was a coward. I had no clue what to say. My eyes cast down the floor in defeat. For years I didn¡¯t say anything. Why did I think it was going to be different once she knew?

    ¡°I have thought about you in that way.¡± Her voice was low.

    My eyes darted up to hers.

    ¡°Many times¡­ But it never went further. We¡¯re such good friends. The three of us. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing that it came out. Isn¡¯t it better that we can make a proper decision?¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s the problem. It is a decision, and it¡¯s not mine¡­ You have Ben. And I don¡¯t want to share.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± She rubbed my upper arm as she walked past me and out of the room.

    ***

    Charlene

    For those two days, we waited for Chris and Marcus to come back. I was just coping. I had kissed Carl because I had always wanted to. I wanted him to know that even if we were only friends. It could be more. He had always been so sure and stable. Never faltered. I didn¡¯t think he knew how much like Juliet I was or why the two of us were such good friends. Because we saw a lot in the same way. And we convince the other quickly to new ways of thinking. I accepted her for who she was. And she did the same, willingly. She was in love with Chris for so long. He was there long before Louis. And even in that time, she had other people. I had a lot of other people. But before Chris, she and Marcus were already married. She loved all three of them. It didn¡¯t mean she had to choose. They weren¡¯t expecting her to. I had to either change my way of thinking¡­ Or choose Ben. Werewolf women had reverse harems on their planet.  Ben might not care about sharing. But did I want that? Would I be able to handle it? Had she opened up my mind to the possibility of another way of life? Carl had always been there. Would he stay¡­ If I asked. By my side like always. Or was this it? Would I lose Ben, or would I lose my best friend?

 Iâ€™ll See You When I See You

    71. I¡¯ll See You When I See You

    Juliet

    We all went for many walks. Spent so much time together trying to cram in the future. Chris and I didn¡¯t want to disappear into the mountains. We told Marcus about Chris leaving but that Michael came to tell us. Because the buzzing hadn¡¯t stopped, he went on as usual. We trained every day. Neither Charlene nor I had the luxury of sitting still. The two of us always stayed and cleaned when everyone was done. So it gave us a lot of time to talk. ¡°Are you okay, Charlene? Still having nightmares?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I have been getting in bed with¡­ Carl¡­ It¡¯s the only way I can sleep¡­ I¡¯m scared he is going to have to leave too.¡± She stopped working when her thoughts got the better of her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The watcher system will change. They will follow Qadir¡¯s orders. He won¡¯t want any part of it.¡± I suggested.

    ¡°He won¡¯t have a choice¡­ And I won¡¯t see you ever again¡­ I¡¯ll be stuck alone in this place forever. I had thought we would have more time.¡± Charlene sat down on the mats. ¡°I knew things would change. But this isn¡¯t at all what I thought would happen.¡±

    ¡°Louis and I have been talking¡­ Maybe you should move to the Paris house¡­ Or even back home to your parents.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that would go great. Having my kid change into a little furry dog in the middle of family dinner.¡± We both laughed, making jokes about her parents and how they would react. Or being in front of the Eifel tower and claiming it had magical powers. ¡°Paris is too crowded. If Ben left me there. What would I do? Juliet¡­ this is all my fault.¡±

    I laughed lightly. ¡°No! This is no one except Qadir¡­ You and Min¨¦ are blameless.¡±

    ¡°Will you put it on again?¡±

    I had to shake myself to get rid of the heebie-jeebies thinking about my¡­ veil. ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice.¡±

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s dance and get drunk and smoke. Fornicate.¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah! Before I have to cover myself again.¡±

    The sound of the werewolf boys coming into the house was noisy. Charlene and I quickly glanced at each other. Our mouths turned down simultaneously. Ben had been gone for far longer than he should¡¯ve been. He gave an excuse. Said he stayed with his parents for a bit. But I could see it bothered her. He wasn¡¯t there to protect Min¨¦. He wasn¡¯t there to comfort her after. Ben was still a boy, and so was Carl.

    ***

    Marcus

    Locked away in my room. I heard the music before I got the invitation to come out onto the patio. They were going to drink and play games. Grill meat. Two hours later, everyone was drunk except Carl and me. While she was going on with the evening. I was staring at Juliet¡­ Deciding if it would be a good time to take things further. When she challenged me to take over from Chris. I wanted to call her bluff. She danced with Louis, Chris, and Charlene. They were having a good time. Even Liam and Cindy were letting loose. I could¡¯ve joined them. Looking back, I should have. Ben had come back. After we heard what happened between Carl and Charlene¡­ everyone was a little weird around them. Like the werewolves were¡­ maybe not part of the family. Juliet was telling them about Michael¡¯s striptease. I couldn¡¯t help but laugh with them. Charlene liked the story so much and challenged Carl, pointing a finger at him. He flipped her off. Juliet and Charlene burst out laughing. I observed Ben carefully. He wasn¡¯t stupid. The cold shoulder he was receiving made me cringe. But¡­ Charlene wasn¡¯t all over Carl either. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if she dumped both of them for pushing her into a corner. She was a lot like Juliet in that regard. They wanted to be chosen. And felt like love should be unconditional. I didn¡¯t always feel like that. In the past, I would have laid down the law. Boundaries. It took Juliet almost dying and me allowing it to wake up. But I would never strip for Juliet... Carl didn¡¯t seem the type either¡­ Michael, on the other hand. Sure knew how to show her all the human things there were to enjoy. That letter and a simple cat. I had a long way to go in showing affection like that. If I ever could. She really¡­ just wanted to be happy. I would miss all of it¡­ France. The house. The people that loved me.

    They thought I didn¡¯t know¡­ but I did. It was plain in the way she was pushing herself to the point of exhaustion. The fear ran off her. Why we were going back¡­ I had yet to figure out. Even the watcher tech had changed. It was the same as it was before the embassy. The surveillance was there¡­ But different.

    After spending as much time with Carl as I could, I got up and made my way to the bathroom. I needed to check on Caleb and Min¨¦ in her room. They were fast asleep and still so cute. I wanted kids¡­ Desperately. A family with her. As I was coming out of the room, Juliet was stumbling through the hall on her way somewhere. I grabbed her arm to steady her. Pulled her against me, ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked.

    ¡°To bed.¡± Her words slurred.

    It was all the invitation I needed to make up my mind. Sure, my grandfather wasn¡¯t watching anymore. I nudged her into my room, closed the door, and pushed her against the wall. She giggled. My arm rested above her head. I took her chin in my other hand and moved her face to the side. I kissed her ear, sucking the soft flesh between my lips. Bit and licked down her neck and pressed my lips onto hers when I couldn¡¯t keep myself in anymore. She pushed me away. Roughly. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± She ranted. Or tried.

    ¡°What does it look like?¡±

    She was drunk and cute as hell. ¡°Like this?¡±

    I had to smile. Juliet was unavoidable, and it had been months of excruciating control that wanted to come undone.  If I was going to let go. I would show her just how much she meant to me. ¡°Yeah, why not?¡± I said before I took her bottom lip between mine.

    ¡°Our first kiss is going to be when I¡¯m drunk¡­ And won¡¯t remember it... No¡­ Screw you. You had a million opportunities.¡±

    She wanted to leave. I pushed her back against the wall, licking her lips like she did with me in the car. It had been so unexpected. Driven me to comply and open my mouth. Like I wanted her to do at that moment. She turned away from me, exposing her shoulder. It didn¡¯t deter me¡­ I kissed her everywhere she would allow me¡­ ¡°Mmm, Mmh,¡± Her moans were low, and she fisted my shirt. ¡°Why like this?¡± Her voice was ragged. She lifted her chin, standing on her toes¡­ Inviting me to go lower.

    I picked her up and pressed her waist against the wall, closer to my prize. ¡°Why not?¡± My fingers curled around the edge of her shirt. I pulled down to expose the important... Flesh¡­ She dropped her legs and pushed me away. It made me stumble backward. I retaliated, pulling her onto the bed and falling on top of her. ¡°We have to do it now.¡± I kept tenderly assaulting her mouth, tasting the sweet alcohol she had on her lips.

    Her eyes were closed. ¡°Why?¡± She whispered. I could barely hear her pressing my hips into hers.

    ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll be able to do it at the compound for the first time? And you drunk¡­ Is making it very difficult for me. You¡¯re so pliable.¡± I whispered.

    My words didn¡¯t even get her attention. I tried kissing her again, but there was no reaction. Her eyes were closed. ¡°Julie¡­ Julie! I slapped her softly on her cheeks. The corner of her mouth lifted a tiny bit. She had fallen asleep. I rolled off her, wrestling with my need. ¡°F-.¡± I¡¯d waited too long. Maybe I should have done it an hour earlier¡­

    ***

    It was hours before she woke up. Startled that she was in my bed. On my chest while I read. Her eyes darted nervously down her body. Like I would be reading after that. What did she take me for? She sat up jerkily, making sure, sighing, she fell back against the pillows.

    ¡°Are you soberer?¡±

    She laughed lightly. ¡°Marcus Ahmed¡­ What happened¡­ Why am I here?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t remember?¡± I smirked.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have kissed me when I was drunk? You wouldn¡¯t have let me miss out on the one thing I longed for¡­ Since I was fourteen.¡±

    I smirked for another reason¡­ Best compliment ever¡­ Hearing her use the word longing and me in a sentence was the ultimate turn-on. ¡°No¡­ Of course not.¡± I said and pressed my lips together. So I wouldn¡¯t laugh. I was so happy, that stupid smile on my face.

    Juliet got up and headed for the door in a huff, stopping when it all settled in her mind. ¡°Why am I here?¡± She paused. ¡°Did you want to¡­?¡± She spun around.

    I couldn¡¯t get the words out. Have our first time be like that. Another reason I let Chris have her. ¡°You fell in the hall drunk. So I brought you in here because you insisted¡­ Why do you want to¡­?¡±

    That face¡­ She more than wanted to.

    I heard Chris in the hall calling out to her. My shoulders dropped, thinking about it¡­ She wouldn¡¯t see him¡­ For¡­ We didn¡¯t know how long. I didn¡¯t want to take that from her. I got up when she started walking towards the bed. I pushed past her, yelling at Chris to come and get her. Drunk, he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Climbing up the stairs, up towards the loft, laughing.

    Louis walked into Juliet¡¯s room to sleep with Caleb. Stopped at the door and narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°Wicked cool of you, Marcus. You¡¯re a romantic after all, aren¡¯t you?¡± I walked over and pushed him into my room. ¡°Sleep there. I¡¯ll watch the kids.¡±

    I wanted to spend time with Caleb anyway¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to see him either. And Louis wasn¡¯t fit to look after them.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°I think he has your eyes,¡± Chris marveled. Caleb¡¯s little hand gripped his finger, moving it up and down.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ He¡¯s too small to say. It might change.¡±

    We were both propped up in my bed with pillows behind us. Caleb was in my lap. We were taking in all of him, playing with him. ¡°You never gave me that gift that you said you brought me¡­.¡±

    Chris was quiet. ¡°I¡­ had Warden put it back into the safety deposit box¡­ I went to get it. But I¡­ believe when you really need it, you will go find it.¡±

    It was a Sunday late in the afternoon. Such a peaceful day. The weather was perfect. The sky outside was beautiful, playing around with different colors as the sun descended.

    There was a knock at the front door¡­ ¡°Do you think Carlene came back for something?¡± Louis always did the honors. Because it was his house. So no one would jump up. We heard him, the door opening, and then¡­ nothing. A few minutes had passed when all our heads came out of the rooms and stared down the hall. And at each other. We were all on edge¡­ The time for Chris to go would be any second. No one could move. Marcus took this as his cue to see what had happened to Louis.  But Marcus also didn¡¯t come back¡­ The house was now deadly quiet. My eyes met my mom¡¯s and dad¡¯s, whose room was the furthest down the corridor. She nodded at me, closing her eyes. It was time¡­

    ¡°Marcus!¡± Chris called out. No reply. He took my hand. I could hear his heart beating faster. His breathing was shallow. He turned to me¡­ ¡°Juliet, I love you.¡± I nodded. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry that I have to leave.¡± I nodded again. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡±

    The heavy treads came up the stairs from outside.

    Chris pulled me closer. Put his head on the crook of my neck and held me as I clung to him. Caleb was enveloped by us. They came around the corner¡­ Aliens¡­ somewhat like Chris¡­ Fully manifested and huge, bending their heads down to fit, coming into the house. Careful not to break anything. One of them was not manifested. From the orange hue of his skin. The black clothes he had on. It could only be Silvanus. My mom and dad came out behind us. We were all just waiting... Two more came through the door with an unconscious Marcus and Louis, putting them gently on the carpet around the dining room table. Those Riphaths were grown up. Made little Chris seem like a baby. They had horns growing out of their head. Ears large and pointy like Chris¡¯s but limping downward with earrings dangling from the top to bottom. There were five altogether. They came around the table. Went down on one knee, bowing in front of Chris in the shape of a v. Silvanus at the head. The weapon-like spears they carried in one hand planted on the floor next to their bodies.

    The floor shook when they all walked on the wood. But I thought the next one would fall right through. The biggest of them all came around. Walked over to me and held out his massive paw for Caleb. I placed him gently down. The man turned to Chris and stroked his face. ¡°My boys.¡± The voice was rough and low. His paw lifted to Chris¡¯s forehead. He rubbed his thumb from one side to the other. Chris fell to the floor in front of me. The men at his feet caught him. I guessed that it had to be Chris¡¯s father¡­

    The enormous creature peered down at me. ¡°I am sorry. Thank You for loving him so much. But they have to go home now¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for you¡­ I would never have found my son. And now my grandson. We have been searching for him¡­ until he manifested¡­ for you¡­ that night. It was such a celebration. I would have come for him. But we found out you were pregnant¡­ The celebration continued¡­ They can¡¯t stay. You understand why.¡±

    I nodded, my lip quivering. Caleb wasn¡¯t even crying. The love that came from the man for his son and his grandson was unmistakable. Chris was being carried out high on their shoulders. Silvanus watched me for a moment and nodded his approval. I walked quickly to the door¡­ ¡°Wait¡­! Please tell me how!¡±

    Chris¡¯s father turned. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple¡­ You¡¯re a vampire¡­ Species don¡¯t mix.¡±

    ¡°Tell Caleb I love him. That this isn¡¯t what I wanted.¡±

    ¡°I will tell him all about you... Little Juliet.¡±

    They stood in a circle where the watchers always teleported out. They disappeared. It was too quick and like a dream. My world was ripped out from underneath me. My child was gone. Chris was gone. All I saw was suffering at the compound. I didn¡¯t know what to do... So I disappeared as well. I kept running and running further into the woods. I could feel myself turn and not into a vampire. The fear of not hurting Louis anymore set me free. I let it be. Like he said, I should. Let the feelings consume me. If I had to change and be controlled, so be it.

    ***

    Louis

    Opening my eyes, I saw the dining room table from the bottom of the floor. Sitting up, I quickly scanned the room. Marcus was lying next to me. It was only Cindy and Liam sitting on the couches. I didn¡¯t see Juliet. Groggy, I got up, gripping a chair.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Liam¡­¡± I croaked out. They both came over and helped me into a chair. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know¡­ It¡¯s been hours.¡± I sat back in the chair, rubbing my forehead with my hand.

    ¡°Why did they drug us? It¡¯s so weird¡­ I went out. They were friendly. We all knew what was going to happen. We could¡¯ve said our goodbyes.¡±

    ¡°I think it was about the time¡­ They did the same to Chris. They didn¡¯t stay to chat. It was like they were in a hurry.¡±

    I shook my head, trying to wake up. ¡°Should we try and get Marcus off the ground. It feels weird leaving him there.¡±

    Liam bent down and tried to wake him up. He complained. ¡°No, let¡¯s leave him. He is only a few minutes behind you. I got up and made my way to the kitchen. ¡°The only way we will find her is if we get Benjamin to run around and search for her,¡± Liam suggested.

    ¡°Stress makes her turn¡­ what¡¯s going to happen¡­ if she stays like that¡­ and we can¡¯t bring her out?¡± Cindy stuttered. ¡°Even if Ben miraculously finds her in the mountains. How will she come back out.¡± Her voice was breaking. She was emotional. Her thoughts run to Caleb being gone. Liam pulled her into an embrace.

    ¡°It will be okay, love.¡± He coaxed.

    ¡°Has Michael not come by after they took Caleb?¡± Cindy shook her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why he would talk about this magic button. Rodrigo says the same thing, but he didn¡¯t give it to anyone¡­ Of all people, he should have known when Caleb was going. He would have known that she would turn¡­ What is that guy thinking?¡±

    I drank my coffee, sitting down across from them. ¡°Do you feel any pain?¡± I sat up, eyes wide, wondering if I should tell them or use this opportunity for another dose¡­ I hadn¡¯t thought about it.

    ¡°No! Maybe she is still Juliet and fought it like last time... We should go out and help Ben call for her.¡±

    ¡°Are you guys okay?¡± Liam sat next to Cindy with her in his arms and her legs draped over his.

    She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s so unfair. That we will never see Caleb again.¡±

    Marcus sat up. I walked over to him, putting my coffee mug on the table. I reached out a hand, and he grabbed it. He held onto me when the dizziness made him falter. I helped him to the couch and pushed my mug into his hand. ¡°Wake up properly. We have to go.¡±

    ¡°Go where?¡±

    ¡°Juliet disappeared with her ability. She hasn¡¯t come back yet.¡±

    ¡°But she¡­ If she changes while being like that, wouldn¡¯t she¡­ Did she plan this?¡± He asked me.

    I wasn¡¯t taking any chances. I was almost sure Qadir was lying. That the house was still under surveillance. So I ignored him and quit the house. I already said too much about Michael. Hoped the man would edit the feed.

    ***

    The four of us walked down the road to Charlene¡¯s door. I knocked loudly. Almost banging. Carl opened quickly. We went inside, telling them everything that had happened.

    After an hour of waiting for the sun to set and the moon to come out, it was up to Ben to go out and try and find her. We were on their porch when he turned. He stepped down and ran into the woods. He was the only werewolf there that night.

    ***

    Marcus

    The five of us fanned out in different directions to maybe talk her out of hiding. Louis and I were walking together.

    ¡°I thought you guys were exaggerating about the size¡­ Did you see the last one?¡± Louis asked. ¡°They were different from Chris. It seems like they become bigger as they grow up¡­ Have you learned anything else about the planets? I can¡¯t think that they are affected by the moons on their planets. Maybe it has to do with that. Chris took so long to manifest. Forgetting like a werewolf¡­ You can¡¯t tell me the whole of Palmyra had days where they¡¯re uncontrollable.¡±

    I paused and turned towards him. Louis stopped talking. His eyes met mine... ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­ we can force her out?¡± I suggested.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good idea¡­ What if she turned and ate all of us¡­ Are you going to be able to fight her¡­ Is she infectious? Did Rodrigo tell you? What if I turn, and you have two badass killing machines on your hands but no magic buttons?¡± Louis was rambling. It was weird. Avoiding my eye. He wasn¡¯t at all worried about Juliet.

    ¡°We have to do something.¡± I spat.

    ¡°Then you do it. Force her out.¡±

    Just thinking about telling Juliet what to do. In that way¡­ I didn¡¯t want to. I liked the fact that Louis was the head of the house. ¡°You know I won¡¯t.¡±

    Louis scoffed. ¡°You¡¯ll also do nothing when she needs you.¡±

    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°You don¡¯t hurt her. But you also don¡¯t help her.¡± He hissed.

    Were we fighting? For the first time? ¡°What, like you beating her in the ring.¡± I snapped.

    ¡°Like you running away¡­ again.¡±

    I hit him in the face with my fist.  Louis laughed as his feet moved from the punch. ¡°At least we¡¯re getting somewhere¡­ It¡¯s time you man up.¡± He rubbed his face.

    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you? You¡¯re not yourself.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is me¡­ I think our friendship is over. I have given you time. NO! I¡¯ve made you a part of this family. She has given you everything she¡¯s got. We¡¯re going back. And you know it. But you won¡¯t say anything. There is no reassurance from you¡­ What are you going to do, Marcus?¡±

    I had no answer for him. Do they want me to kill my father as soon as we step foot over the threshold? ¡°Well, yes¡­ will you?¡±

    Angry, I pushed past him, going back towards the house. We were getting nowhere in finding her.  ¡°No! I¡¯m not telling her to go back. You all decided that all by yourselves. You left me out.¡±

    He spun me around. ¡°You would let her die?¡±

    ¡°No! She¡¯s not going to die. My father can¡¯t kill her. But I¡¯m also not going to kill him. She needs treatment. She can¡¯t stay like this. Unpredictable. Unstable. To what end? We need him so that we can stay there. She will have to endure it for the time it takes. Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯ve been doing. Toughening her up.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do if we both change? I had no choice. Because I know you. You would rather stand back and make your father decide. You will let her suffer?¡±

    I hit him again. Louis laughed and grunted at the same time. I kept strolling down the path back to the house.

    ***

    Louis

    I had to use the opportunity Juliet created to give myself the last dose of that formula, poison... Whatever. Before we went to the compound. Juliet had gotten it all in one shot. Where I was cautioned to stretch it out as far as I could. There would be no other time. I believed I had sufficiently rattled Marcus. So, I excused myself. I went to our dressing room and took out the little pouch that I kept hidden in a shoebox on my side.

    I wasn¡¯t going into that place unless I could protect her¡­ If he wouldn¡¯t do it. I would. At least had to try. I needed to be stronger, hoping it would have the same effect on me as it had on her. I locked the door and gave myself the shot. Threw away the tiny black tube. Usually, it was only a few seconds.

    That day on the roof, when Juliet had her first episode in ages, was the second time I could do it. Michael and I had planned it so carefully. That I would have something I could carry on me for the occasion.

    ***

    After my two-week sleep. After I put my mark on Juliet. Michael had come into my room at the embassy. I didn¡¯t know who he was until he stood next to my bed. Juliet¡¯s whole life flashed through his mind. All the things he witnessed. What happened with her and Michael on the farm when she woke up after her branding from Marcus. He showed me her and Chris. Years of her and Chris. How Michael thought Juliet really felt about everything and everyone.

    ¡°Juliet is pregnant, Louis. And it¡¯s not yours.¡± I was sickened to my core.  All the time, I had hoped that she would not be. I had thought it would be her and me. Alone. When she asked me if I wanted her to have my babies that day in the car¡­ It was one of the best moments of my life. Her wanting a family with me. I never thought Marcus would stay. I hated the situation. Jealous of not having her to myself. Marcus was already a part of our lives. Permanently and forever. Chris was at my house, and they were having a kid. I would¡¯ve told her¡­ After the branding, it would only be us. She had told me I got to decide.

    Michaels¡¯s thoughts kept going, leading me down another path.

    Juliet wouldn¡¯t be able to carry Chris¡¯s baby. And that scared me more than all of us being together with her. There would be too many complications. She had only gotten pregnant because of Rodrigo. The baby was going to die. Juliet wouldn¡¯t be able to cope with that¡­ losing a child¡­ Then he showed me more of Rodrigo¡¯s zombies and what Juliet was turning into. The only way to save her. Stop the process and keep the baby was this. This one option¡­ He gave me a solution, and I agreed immediately.

    He still didn¡¯t leave, though. His thoughts kept going about Chris and that he would leave. Never come back. The world would change, and Juliet was a ticking time bomb to Qadir¡­ To Marcus¡¯s grandfather¡­ They would come for her. Michael knew he wouldn¡¯t be there for her. If they didn¡¯t find out all that he had done¡­ They would decommission him. He would have no power. No inside information.

    He offered me a choice... and I took it. He told me Liam was on his way to take me upstairs. Juliet was having her next spell at that very moment. I held out my arm, and he did it. We made an arrangement that he would do it. Change her treatment later when we were all upstairs. Michael showed me how closely the house was being monitored¡­ There was no way we would let anyone find out. I needed to be discreet. Lie, do whatever I had to. He said they didn¡¯t know half of what was happening with the brandings. It had been thousands of years since the last vamps had even tried. They would use me as an excuse.

    ***

    It had been a whole year. Chris was gone. The baby was gone. Marcus would disappoint Juliet. I had no faith in him. Michael would fall away or even die. I had gotten what I wanted. But at what cost to Juliet. She blamed it on bad luck. She had told me that I was it. And what a failure I had been. What a disappointment all of us were. Four men couldn¡¯t make her happy. How did I think I could do it alone. Confident in my proposal. I hoped time would give me the opportunity to put it to rights.

    After giving myself the last dose, I walked outside to meet up with Marcus and the others, hoping I had a few minutes if I fought it. I sat on the steps leading down from the front door. Seemed like when anything happened, it was right there.

    ***

    Juliet

    The world around me was that foggy white hue again. Everything had different colors, like infrared goggles, but dull and slow...  My legs moved, and then my arms. My body walked forward. Like on the farm, I knew what I was doing but wasn¡¯t in control.  I knew I couldn¡¯t get out of my invisible state like that. I didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone at the house. So, me like that. Invisible but turned. It was probably better for everyone. It had been two weeks. Michael still hadn¡¯t brought us the alien tech to control me. I didn¡¯t understand why. If it was just about who to give to. Anybody would be better than nobody. We had decided. Me and him. I feared something might have happened to him.

    I heard Ben long before I saw him come up the path I was on. My body sensed the threat and jumped into a tree. It was abrupt and decisive. Ben ran right past me. When he stopped and looked out over the valley, my body thought it was jumping down to challenge this new opponent. Silently, I stalked my prey. I tried to grab onto him. My hands went right through. My body was confused. I was relieved. If I could stay like that. Would Marcus go back to the compound? Would Louis tell him everything? Would Qadir still leave Min¨¦ alone?

    All he wanted was Marcus¡­

    Ben had moved on. My body didn¡¯t really know what to do. So it kinda just shut down¡­ Standing there. I was trying my best to get control of my newfound creature being. Nothing worked. My mom said that when a person got infected by a werewolf toxin, the person turned into an uncontrollable creature. That was what a full moon felt like. It was only that one night that they could bite and infect someone. The familiar tinge on my butt began burning. I had come to recognize when I was being forced to do something. Louis was pulling me back out. Or was it Marcus? I didn¡¯t think he would have the guts. Would it work, though?

    ***

    Marcus

    Ben had just come back from his first run. He said he couldn¡¯t see anything. It was getting later and later. Liam and Cindy had also returned from calling out to her. We thought that she had either changed or was still stuck. Or¡­ she was just upset about losing Caleb. Louis came out to the house and sat down behind me. I joined him on the steps. ¡°Louis, we have to bring her out.¡± He didn¡¯t answer.

    It was quiet between us. It felt like the jabs Louis threw at me earlier meant more than he had said. That I was going to have to do it. I put my hand on his arm. For the most part, Chris and I had spent more time together than Louis and me. I was going to have to make an effort with my other half. His skin felt weird under my touch. It was leathery like Juliet¡¯s. From the corner of my eye, I peeked over at his arm. My heart started beating faster. I thought Juliet had surfaced again. Louis was affected because she wasn¡¯t invisible anymore. Louis¡¯s eyes turned to me. They were white and glossy like Juliet¡¯s when she dropped Caleb. I sucked in a breath. I stood up, walking backward away from him but keeping him in my sights.

    Liam and Cindy came through the door. I halted them when they spoke as they rounded the corner. They stopped in their tracks. Eyes darting at my point of gaze. Liam pulled Cindy in behind him. Louis was like that for a moment until his eyes returned to normal. He could speak again. He stared at the patches of leather that formed over his arms.

    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I asked nervously.

    ¡°Not bad, actually. My skin doesn¡¯t hurt as bad as Juliet¡¯s last time. I¡¯m a little tired, though.¡± Cindy came over to comfort him and helped him inside.

    ¡°Liam, I¡¯m going out to try and force Juliet out.¡±

    His eyebrows raised. ¡°Want me to come with you?¡±

    ¡°She will never forgive me if something happened to you.¡± Take care of everything¡­ I¡¯ll be back¡­ I hope. Lock the doors. Don¡¯t let noise attract her.¡±

    How would I even know where to do it. She could¡¯ve been anywhere by then. There was¡­ A particular tree she loved. A little up the track into the mountain. I guessed that would be as good a place as any to start. It took me ten minutes to get there. By the time I did, my breathing was uneven. I haven¡¯t been scared a lot in my life. But that night, branding Juliet was one. The possibility that I could hurt her again was a close second. I didn¡¯t even understand how it worked or how Louis did it. Force her and magically make the tattoo glow¡­ Manifesting, I balled my fists at my side. Trying to channel any authority I thought I had over her. But I didn¡¯t have any¡­ I didn¡¯t want any¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to be able to do it.

    ¡°Julie¡­ Please come out!¡± I pushed out the word. Desperate and softly. It was almost instant. She wasn¡¯t there. Then she stood in front of me. So close I could feel her breath on my skin. Her hand gripped my neck, squeezing. Juliet wasn¡¯t there. It was only a monster. She pushed me back and effortlessly lifted me onto the tree behind me. My feet dangling. I was going to have to get physical with her. I didn¡¯t want to. ¡°Juliet, put me down,¡± I croaked. Thinking my authority might work. It didn¡¯t. At first, I tried to open up her fingers around my neck. She was too strong and pulled off my hand with ease. I had never touched Juliet like that. When my arm hit the crook of her elbow to bend it. I had to yell and groan about doing it. She didn¡¯t flinch. Her fist came for my face. I dodged.

    The crashing sound made the bark splinter. Everything I taught her came into play with muscle memory. Every jab and kick was countered. My every unpredictable move she knew before I even thought about it. She was like a machine that wouldn¡¯t stop. The first strong punch she got in hit me the same way Qadir had that day at the cages, full force. It sent me flying, sliding through the dirt and grass. A little better prepared. I had braced and was able to jump back up. How a tiny fist like that could knock a grown man around was above me¡­ Guess we didn¡¯t have to worry about her and Qadir anymore.

    Slowly, she walked up to me. Strutting with purpose. I braced again. Her arm pulled back. I caught her fist in my hand, twisting her arm around until it was behind her back. I used the tree behind me to push her face forward into the ground, sitting on top of her. I quickly rolled, put my legs around her waist, and hooked my heels at her thighs, pulling her around and getting her arms in a choke. All I had to do was push up into her chin to get her knocked out. I was so close to her face, seeing her red and gasping for air. It wasn¡¯t how I wanted my legs wrapped around her the first time. That close and intimate.

    Wriggling, she started getting my hold to slacken. I threw my arm around her neck, securing that same hand in the fold of my other elbow so I didn¡¯t have to look at her. It took only a minute of struggling. She went limp in my arms. I released quickly and got off her, listening to her breathing. It was faint, but she was okay. I felt like crying. I haven¡¯t cried many times in my life. The last time was when I was twelve, two hundred¡­ with Juliet, and the other day with Chris. Juliet made me more human. Leaning over her, I rubbed her cheek, begging her to be okay. I remember her leaning over me that day at the cages, touching my cheek, sobbing about seeing me like that.

    I never wanted to cross that line with her. Scared that it would make it easier for me to hurt her¡­ The next time, I pointed a finger at her smart mouth. Her sarcastic answers. The deviant attitude she wore so well. Her eyes fluttered open. Normal eyes. I breathed out the breath I was holding and wanted to get off her. She pulled me back on. ¡°You should teach me how to get out of that one¡­ And get someone into it.¡± She croaked. She pushed my knees out from under me and made me lay flat on her, lifting her own legs into the air, wrapping around me, making me thrust down into her.

    ¡°Is everything about sex for you?¡±

    Her jaw quivered, and tears rolled down her temples. ¡°Just when I lost my baby.¡±

    F-. How could I forget about comforting her? I wished I had Louis¡¯s ability to know everything. To be there for her. I sat back. Crossed my legs and pulled her into my lap. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Julie!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m never going to see him again¡­¡± She started sobbing uncontrollably, gripping my clothes in her fists and burying her face in my neck.

 Belly Up

    72. Belly Up

    Michael

    ¡°Where?¡±

    Jabin pointed with an outstretched arm towards the corner of my cubicle. Qadir walked out in front of him. The glass box I was in wasn¡¯t soundproof, but it was bulletproof. My neighbor looked down on me with a melted face and a snarling werewolf mouth protruding with serious fangs, banging onto the glass¡­ repeatedly. To say that Rodrigo¡¯s experiments were going wrong would be an understatement. Or¡­ he wanted it to be the worst thing a human could fear. What they could become by one simple act of¡­ bioterrorism. How was Qadir going to spread it, and how did they reproduce it? They rounded the corner. I was on my knees, sitting back on my heels. My hands and feet were tied to the wall with chains behind me.

    I was called in to go back to En-gannin. I had been decommissioned after Caleb left. There was nothing for me to do. No one to watch, and all my capabilities needed to be taken away. It could be switched off on Earth but not removed. I would¡¯ve been human again. Not going to live forever or until Juliet died. I would have waited until they were off the compound and joined them. But instead of going, I was brought to the compound. In all my years... It was the first time I had set foot on their soil. In the past¡­ when I really wanted to get something to Juliet. Kubra helped me out. They spent so much time together that we communicated regularly.

    ¡°Hello Michael,¡± Qadir drolled in that manner of his, bending down at the waist towards me.  Hand in his pockets. Ascertaining if I was lucid enough to have a conversation with. The coat he had on was always ankle length. Dark colors to fit with his personality. Nothing really got a rise out of him. Jabin gave him a chair, and both sat down.

    ¡°I would like to know what is going on between you and Juliet.¡± He asked.

    The drugs were clouding my mind. The room was swaying.

    ¡°Relationship.¡± My words sounded slow.

    ¡°Good Michael! I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re a get-to-the-point kind of guy¡­ So, were you the one with her at the farm when she gave birth?¡±

    I nodded, eyes lazily closing and opening.

    ¡°And were you the one that made my assassination attempt of Louis go wrong.¡±

    ¡°Gave Marcus something to save Louis.¡± I was glad they believed me about Louis and Juliet¡¯s connection.

    ¡°Well, this is going better than I thought¡­ His gaze drifted to Jabin for a second. You really are forthright. Nothing to hide, do you? Now, the million-dollar question. What is Samuel planning with the watchers when I take over? What is Bertram planning?¡±

    ¡°Samuel will stay with Juliet¡­ Come back to the compound¡­ If he has to. Bertram will declare war¡­.¡±

    ¡°Does he know what I¡¯m planning¡­? Do you know what I¡¯m planning?¡±

    ¡°Everybody knows¡­ You have to hurry up. They are planning on bombing this place. Bertram knows you can¡¯t go back. That your father hates you.¡±

    Qadir stood up slowly¡­ made a noise, and leisurely walked out of the room. They whispered something to each other. Jabin nodded.

    ***

    Carl

    Bertram [ Hello, Carl. ]

    Carl [ Hello, Sir. ]

    Bertram [ How are things over there? Now that Juliet and everybody are going back to the compound. ]

    It irritated the crap out of me. That my father knew about everything. Didn¡¯t do anything or helped in any way. Nor could I ask. Juliet was on her own. It wasn¡¯t like the government would put Juliet¡¯s welfare above the world.

    Carl [ It¡¯s fine. As long as Min¨¦ is okay¡­ Everyone is okay. ]

    Bertram [ She will be. If Charlene stays put¡­ It¡¯s time you come in. We are making arrangements with Qadir for negotiations. I want you to be there. ]

    Carl [ I understand¡­ Where is Michael? ]

    Bertram [ With Samuel, I think? I will ask around. Why? ]

    Carl [ Oh, nothing. We¡¯ve become friends ] I lied. [ and we would stay in touch after he returned from En-Gannin¡­ Is he still going?]

    We all knew there had to be a reason he wasn¡¯t surfacing. I just hoped he wasn¡¯t in any trouble.

    Bertram [ I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on lower down, Carl. I have bigger things to worry about. We can¡¯t monitor every watcher. You have two days. Juliet has two days. Kubra will come to take everyone where they need to be. ]

    Carl [ Yes, sir. ]

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    He hung up the line. Never a goodbye.

    I was looking out over the grass in the backyard of Charlene¡¯s house. Standing in the kitchen watching her. Since I crossed a line like she wants to call it. She had been different. I didn¡¯t think Ben knew. But she was different with him and not with me. I had to leave. And she would have to stay there with him. I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her kissing me, getting in with me at night because she was afraid¡­ I had everything I longed for and could do nothing about it.

    ***

    Charlene

    I saw Carl on the phone through the kitchen window. I had always been aware of where he was, but at that time, I would make sure he was close. Carl protected Min¨¦ with his life. That meant the world to me. Ben didn¡¯t come home for far longer than usual. He was vague about what kept them. Juliet had told me Nick had called. That Min¨¦ really wasn¡¯t in danger anymore. Rodrigo only needed one more cub¡­ I had a nagging suspicion that Ben knew and had stayed away because of Sita. Qadir was going to change all the rules on Earth. It was going to be chaos soon. I didn¡¯t know where it would leave any of us.

    Since talking with Carl in the gym, I had no idea what to do. ¡°Charlene!¡± Ben called me from the living room. ¡°Come and see this.¡±

    A reporter warned viewers of a quarantine situation on the nine o¡¯clock news. It happened in a small town in Indiana. A disease had broken out. The government didn¡¯t know what they were dealing with. Or how dangerous it was. If anyone showed signs of ¡°irregular¡± symptoms, the person needed to stay indoors and call the police. Whatever that meant. They ended the broadcast by saying they would inform the public when they knew more. I stood with my hands in my back pockets. We all knew what was going on.  The screen was full of people in yellow and white hazmat suits entering and leaving a school building. There were tents everywhere. Police and ambulances.

    ¡°I have bad news,¡± Carl spoke behind Ben and me. We turned to him. ¡°That was my father on the line. He gave us two days. Kubra will come for everyone, including me. I have to leave.¡±

    I was holding my breath. It would be just Ben and me on that massive estate all alone. I ran out of the house. Up the lane to Louis¡¯s place, climbing the stairs two at a time. ¡°Juliet!¡± I called out. They were all around the TV watching the same thing as us. ¡°Carl got the call! Two days.¡± I blurted out.

    Juliet was sitting with Louis, her legs thrown over his, clutched in his arms. Since Caleb and Chris had left. Juliet was¡­ docile¡­ Almost depressed. It was alarming seeing her like that. She was asleep. I stood there watching her. I was also losing my best friend. Not knowing when I would ever see her again. I ran up into Louis¡¯s haven of a room. Not being able to deal with Ben and Carl at the house. I heard Louis come up the stairs. The steadiness of his feet. He put Juliet on the bed, pulled me closer, and made me lay close to her. He left us alone... Louis was a rock¡­ To all of us. He was better with her. They were better. I didn¡¯t know what happened, but they were stronger than ever. I wanted that for myself. I didn¡¯t really have a connection with Ben. A solid one. One where I knew he would do anything to make us work. Put in the effort. I spooned her and pulled her body close to mine. It wasn¡¯t long before Katty came up the stairs.

    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll take her,¡± Juliet whispered.

    ¡°Of course. I will treat her like she¡¯s another addition. She¡¯s family now.¡± Juliet turned around, scooting closer into my arms. I wrapped around her neck. The cat jumped onto us with her little claws, playing with our hair. Neither of us could keep it in. I was glad when a chuckle escaped Juliet. She was still in there somewhere.

    ¡°Can I come in?¡± We heard Carl¡¯s voice from the door. Juliet pulled away. He ended up in between us like he always had. We both laid our heads in his arms on each side of his chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you guys are getting together,¡± Juliet whispered.

    Carl and I were quiet. ¡°Are you guys getting together?¡± Juliet lifted herself onto an elbow, peering over him at me. ¡°So that¡¯s how the wind blows¡­ Well, good luck to you, Carl. Took too long, didn¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°Oh jeez, Juliet! Could you not. Not all of us are like you.¡±

    Surrendering, she lay back down on his chest¡­ But Juliet had nailed the hammer on the head. ¡°You might not be Carl. But Charlene is exactly like me¡­ Maybe you have the wrong idea of her in your head.¡±

    He stiffened and sat up, dropping us. He got off the bed, watching us. His eyes darted from one to the other. We both flashed our eyes at him. ¡°Come on, Carl! She lost her virginity like ages before me. If anyone here is a¡­¡± I covered her mouth with my hand. It was like an egg hit his face. He was asking someone to choose who didn¡¯t like being shoved into a box.  Someone who wanted control and to be free to make her own decisions. ¡°Why do you think we¡¯re such good friends¡­ You don¡¯t see other girls liking us. Because we understand each other¡­

    ***

    Sita

    Interstellar travel wasn¡¯t at all what I thought it would be. It was instant and a simple press of a button. Teleporting from our solar system to another. Inside the Milky Way but to another arm and closer to the center. Other systems had been discovered. She would not share all the information with me. And as far as Liv knew, the vampires hadn¡¯t gone to another galaxy yet. You had to arrive at an embassy on a remote station in whatever system you were teleporting to¡­ But from there you could go anywhere again. Unfortunately, the vampires had power over that form of transport. The Werewolves and the Riphaths had to differ in trade agreements for technological advantages. That was how I knew Chris would never be going back to Earth. He would never see Juliet again, and that was all I wanted.

    Palmyra was more than I could have imagined. Our world was so similar that I felt I had only traveled to a foreign country¡­ One with no plastic and no pollution. One thing was evident. There was no tech on Palmyra. The teleporter I stepped out of was the final form of energy I would encounter. We had beasts and fish. Manipulated the material and food industries for the other two planets in our galaxy.

    All the structures in Palmyra were fused with nature. Inside mountains and over rivers. Connected and beautifully finished. Clean and the water pristine. Walking out onto a landing like a helipad gave a vista of the entrance to the city we were currently in. There were three constant moons around the planet. Making it possible for anytime manifestations. No full moon wolves. All the men were in their manifested state. They wore armor and carried a staff. The colors of the wolves were different. Not everyone was pitch black like me or all those on earth. The armor was made of metal with a goldish color¡­ woven together with leather-type material. Every last detail was thought out with the utmost care.

    None of the women were in their werewolf form. Their appearance was all up to a certain standard. Jack and Francis came with me. They were in awe of all of it. An excited Francis and a quiet Jack. It was the four of us escorted by a watcher to Palmyra. Liv didn¡¯t say much unless you asked.

    At the entrance or¡­ embassy station, you have a beautiful view of the City called Caude. The gate was submerged in the water. You could only enter by water. There were many ships in the harbor. Passenger yachts moved in and out of the mouth of the city. Surrounded by mountains of grey rock. It created a barrier around the city. Shielded from any attack.

    Liv escorted us onto a ferry. As we passed through the gate, it towered above us like a Manhattan skyrise¡­ We were all given identification. A place to stay. Men and women were separated on the training base and in the city. I had yet to hear anything about the Riphaths. Liv had told me it had been hundreds of years since anyone other than a Riphath had set foot on Zoreah. They did not know what was going on there. Trade negotiations with them had ceased. Chris¡¯s mother was the last Riphath to have left Zoreah. Just to get lost on Earth during the delivery and die. Her body was found, but never the baby. I felt for Chris and all he had gone through. But we were nowhere near a love-hate relationship¡­ It was all hate, and I would see them all suffer.

 Going Back To hell

    73. Going Back To hell

    Marcus

    ¡°Where¡¯s Juliet?¡± I asked, jogging up to the car. ¡°We¡¯ve got to go. I just finished boarding up the last room.¡± Liam and Louis were in the front seats. Cindy was in the back, waiting.

    Louis¡¯s head came out the window. ¡°She¡¯s been sitting in our dressing room for an hour. I was just there¡­ nothing I do gets her attention¡­ I was hoping you could give it a try¡­ You guys have the connection at the compound... Going back and everything that happened.¡±

    I tapped the windowsill and nodded. ¡°Oh, and Marcus, now would be a good time.¡±

    I frowned, walking up the stairs thinking. But when I saw her, it touched me. She wasn¡¯t happy. I stood there for a long time, staring at her. Shoulders slumped. An empty suitcase and a cat playing with the tiedown strings. She didn¡¯t even know I was there or heard when I called her name.

    I was going to have to do something¡­

    ***

    Juliet

    The day we were packing for our trip to America. I didn¡¯t speak to anyone. Not that I was in a tiff about going back¡­ I was just that nervous. No matter what Louis tried to do, he couldn¡¯t make me relax. My parents had been quiet for those few days, and I felt guilty. My mother would have no freedom. I saw how she enjoyed it when we first got off the compound. How my father¡¯s behavior instantly changed. He could let go from protecting us twenty-four-seven. I had begged them to stay, but they wouldn¡¯t even argue with me. My father patted my shoulder and told me how proud he was of me.

    Sitting and staring at my suitcase was an excuse. I missed Caleb. I was going to miss my cat. There was no point in packing? What did you take to the place where there was nothing but making food, sitting around, being pregnant, or being abused. My plain black veil lay, staring back at me over the daybed. I wouldn¡¯t be stupid again and take makeup or even one book. It would be taken away when my suitcase was searched at the gates. My stomach was in knots, and a wave of nausea was building up. It was my own fault. I wished from all of my choices that I could be pregnant again. That thought made me even more depressed¡­ All the options of how I could get out of going back were going through my mind. My life had become one of those. Where peace and security were exchanged for fear and dread. Children and being able to bear them was your only bargaining tool.

    Someone touched my shoulders and squeezed them. I would have known who it was if I was paying attention. I only saw Marcus¡¯s face when he lifted me up by my armpits. Slowly, he turned me around to look at him. He took my hand and led me towards the door, closing it so that we were the only two in the room. Marcus left me standing there. He turned to pick up the veil behind him. He came towards me, lifting it into the air and over my head. I drew in a sharp breath. It happened so quickly that I didn¡¯t have the chance to react.

    Two strong hands reached underneath, slowly cupping my face¡­ Fingers felt my cheeks for tears. The little flap of the veil lifted. One thumb trailed my lips till it reached the corner of my mouth, applying pressure¡­ His eyes were fixed on mine until he felt the release of my lips parting. His eyes drifted to my mouth. His finger pressed down even harder¡­ until his whole thumb slid into my mouth and over my tongue. He moved closer to me. His finger kept playing with me until our lips touched¡­ My muscles tensed¡­ Marcus was kissing me out of his own. I wanted to cry and laugh. All in one sweet moment. I let go of everything, enjoying getting lost in all of him. It was enough to make me forget for a few minutes.

    ¡°Mar¡­cus,¡± I whispered. His arm wrapped around my body. His other hand pushed my mouth closer, reaching in deeper with his tongue. His whole body pressed into mine, making me moan¡­ I was so taught that I tilted my head so he could get to every part of my mouth. His fingers on my skin felt so good.

    He yanked off the veil, dropping it on the floor. His hands were free to roam the rest of my body. I kissed him back with fervor. My arms reached around and clasped behind his neck. All I could do was hang on as he kept me up. Our lips kept parting for each other, over and over. Both of us were breathless, heaving from frustration. There had always been a tension between us. One that needed release. He tried speaking¡­ swallowing hard. His breath was heavy on my lips. But what had happened between us¡­ was raw and tangible. I couldn¡¯t even think straight. Dreamy eyes were fixed on mine. His fingers traced my lips. He raised his voice. ¡°I was trying to say¡­¡± He smiled. ¡°I won¡¯t give up, Julie. No matter how hard it gets.¡±

    He bent down and picked up the veil. He extended the black cloth out to me. I didn¡¯t hesitate that time and pulled it over my head. Marcus¡¯s face was full of emotion. I had never seen him like that. There was no mask, no guards up. Slight frowns played across his brow. His hand extended out to me, and I grasped onto him. Finally, knowing how he felt about me. ¡°Julie... Just leave everything. There is no point.¡± His voice was soft and gentle. I wove my fingers in with his and made the hold tighter. His eyes jumped to our hands, and smiling eyes met mine.

    ¡°Marcus¡­ You¡¯re so beautiful when you¡¯re happy.¡±

    ¡°I want you so bad...¡±

    ¡°Is that all you think about?¡±

    He laughed. I almost cried. I knew how he felt¡­ ¡°I love you too, Marcus.¡± His hand gripped around mine even tighter.

    ***

    The car ride was quiet. Not once did I let go of his hand. Sat so close to him that I thought he would get irritated. My hand lifted as we drove past Charlene, hers waving back at me, standing in Ben¡¯s arms. Carl had left early that morning with Kubra. They needed to report at the embassy in Paris.

    Kubra had told us that he couldn¡¯t teleport us to America. Notified us that we would have to make our own way. That he would meet us at the compound. I didn¡¯t care. It meant we would travel for two days instead of minutes to get there. The airport was the worst with how my mom and I dressed. People kept staring at us. Louis in his stylish clothes. Marcus was dressed so well. After the kiss, I could think of little else. He didn¡¯t let go of my hand. At the check-in, it was strange. Louis handled everything. Even all our documentation. I had thought we would be flying in a commercial plane. An airline attendant in a very red dress suit came up to us. She escorted us through some side doors.

    Soon, we were moving through the tunnel that took us from the boarding gate to a plane. It wasn¡¯t that big. We were all welcomed with a glass of champagne. That was the first time I let go of Marcus¡¯s hand. To take a drink. He smiled again. I stared at his mouth.

    I made myself at home. Said nothing and sat staring out into the distance. We only waited a few minutes. The doors closed. We were up in the air after another ten on the runway. Seemed like we squeezed in somewhere. It all happened so fast.

    During the first hour, Louis came to sit next to me. ¡°Now I know how Marcus felt when he bought you the couch.¡±

    I absently smiled, gazing out the window. When it registered, I said, ¡°This is your plane¡­ Of course, it is. You just have an intercontinental plane lying around at Charles de Gaulle. Parked in some hanger.¡± I snorted.

    ¡°You sound like a pig when you do that,¡± Marcus said when he sat down. My eyes darted to his mouth. My cat forgotten.

    ¡°She really isn¡¯t fazed with anything materialistic, is she?¡± Louis joked, putting his hand on my leg.

    Marcus shook his head. ¡°I told you¡­ Maybe later, you¡¯ll get a hug for all your efforts.¡±

    I snorted again.

    ¡°Juliet, you have been thinking about your cat for the last hour, staring out the window.¡± Louis wanted to take my veil off.

    ¡°No!¡± Both Marcus and I said at the same time. The corner of his mouth lifted.

    Marcus had actually smiled so many times in one day. If I knew that going back would make him so happy¡­ I would have gone back a long time ago.

    ¡°He isn¡¯t happy going back, Juliet¡­ Never.¡±

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Marcus¡¯s smile fell. He frowned.

    ¡°You are free there. Isn¡¯t that why you¡¯re happy? Chris told me what happened when you guys stopped in front of our old house.¡±

    Marcus shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not why I¡¯m happy, and you know it! I¡¯ve got this stupid smile on my face because we kissed for the first time.¡± I blushed bright red. The whole plane staring at us. Glad that no one could see me.

    ¡°Then why did you say that the compound is the only place you can be free?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s the only place I can give you what you want.¡±

    I was confused. I pressed Louis¡¯s hand not to say anything. If Marcus felt he had to prove himself. Maybe it was a good place for him to be.

    ¡°And that is not all I said. You should talk to me when you want to know what I mean¡­ When I say something.¡±

    I would have to wait and let him show me because, right then, I doubted that he would even speak up for me. He loved me¡­ just not enough. Sitting with Marcus and Louis was bizarre. The family we had become. The idea that we would always be linked. The next part of my journey was the three of us.

    ***

    Charlene

    ¡°Hey Charlene, I¡¯m doing a load of washing. Are you going to come and help me? We need to get some chores done.¡± Ben said from behind me somewhere¡­

    Juliet was leaving that morning. Carl was packing, walking back and forth across the house. Finding stuff he left everywhere. Going up to the main house and coming back down to mine. I couldn¡¯t deal. Doing chores wasn¡¯t on my list of things that could keep me busy. There had been nothing between Ben and me for the last week. He thought it was about everything that happened with Sita and the guns... We had to tell him. Because we needed an excuse for me to be staying. When Carl left. I was going to have to wait till Juliet also left. Then only could I have it out with Ben? The day was going to¡­ suck. Fear that I might end up sleeping alone made me jump up and check all the locks and the windows. Making sure the guns were loaded.

    Ben eyed me suspiciously. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    I shook my head.

    Carl was also watching me. He knew what was going on¡­ There was nothing he could do. I wouldn¡¯t be as lucky as Juliet to have someone who promised to stay no matter what. How she got three grown men to do that was bugging me¡­ Maybe that was my problem. I went out with boys. Slept with boys and reaped the rewards of dealing with a boy¡­ I groaned at my own stupidity. Too, grown-up for my age.

    After a few minutes, Carl stopped and put his bag at the door. He took my hand in front of Ben and dragged me into my room, locking the door behind us. Half dragging me into the bathroom, running the water so Ben couldn¡¯t hear us.

    ¡°I think Juliet is right. I have this picture in my head of us. I don¡¯t know if we will end up there¡­ I just don¡¯t like how Juliet is sometimes¡­ That I didn¡¯t notice you were exactly like her. I¡¯m so different from you guys, but¡­.¡±

    I breathed in and out slowly.

    ¡°But¡­ I can¡¯t stop thinking about you, Charlene¡­ I never could.¡±

    ¡°Carl¡­ I don¡¯t think you like me. We slept next to each other for so many nights. Went out, got drunk, and not once did you do anything remotely romantic. How could you say that you think about me? What do you think about when I come to mind. You didn¡¯t even react when I kissed you¡­ Let¡¯s not ruin this, huh.¡±

    His shoulders slumped. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything either.¡±

    ¡°But I did kiss you. There was no reaction or passion¡­ I kinda want the guy I finally end up wanting me more than anything else.¡±

    Carl was nervously looking down at the floor. He couldn¡¯t even hold eye contact. I was frustrated with him. He wanted me to choose but gave me nothing to make the decision with. ¡°I¡¯m just too tired today to try and convince myself we will be a good fit,¡± I said at last.

    That brought back the old Carl. He slapped the shower lever down so that the water stopped running. He opened the bathroom door in a huff. Opened the room door and walked right past Ben. He was standing against the wall, waiting for us. I heard the front door open and Kubra¡¯s voice, ¡°Hey Carl. You ready to go?¡±

    ¡°Hi, Kubra. Yeah, let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    I was so used to following Carl, talking to him. But I was too disappointed. He wasn¡¯t going to fight for me. Or us.

    A thought crossed my mind, hoping that Ben would let it go, comfort me, or say something reassuring. But he didn¡¯t. He played with something in his hands and turned away from me without so much as a glance. Why was this my life? How did I make so many wrong decisions?

    ***

    We stood waving at Juliet. It was one of the worst moments. It felt like we had only come to France the day before. And it was all over. Ben was holding me, but only barely. The car disappeared. His hands fell off my shoulders. The distance between me and everybody was too much for me¡­ So much that I wanted to lie to keep Ben there. Would he bolt if I told the truth?

    ¡°Come on¡­ let¡¯s go talk.¡± He said softly.

    I followed him into the house and sat on the carpet before the couch. My hand in my hair, trying to find words. ¡°What happened between you and Carl? You¡¯ve been different since I¡¯ve been back. It¡¯s not about the shooting. Is it?¡±

    ¡°Nothing should have happened.¡±

    Ben¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°Are you saying that he made a move? Or did you make a move?¡±

    ¡°He blurted out that he liked me. Has liked me since the beginning of our friendship. I¡­ kissed him¡­¡± Ben was getting angry. Too quickly. He stood up and paced the room. ¡°He didn¡¯t kiss me back¡­ and told me I had to choose¡­ that he wouldn¡¯t share.¡±

    ¡°Well, neither am I! I¡¯m not going to be the third wheel, Charlene. Even if you wanted to do what Juliet¡¯s doing¡­ You and Carl have this amazing connection. Where would that leave me ¡­ Are you that attracted to him?¡±

    ¡°No, Ben! This isn¡¯t about attraction. Or love¡­ Attraction can fade. I don¡¯t want to ruin a friendship for that¡­ We¡­ have a baby together. Does that mean nothing to you? Does Min¨¦ mean nothing to you?¡±

    Carelessly, his eyes darted to our daughter. She was sitting in a swinging chair under some moving toys. But he didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°What an awesome werewolf you make¡­ You¡¯re just like Sita. You want to make commitments, but there are all these conditions that I have to meet. How can I sacrifice and put my whole life on hold for a man who comes and goes as he pleases.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you kiss him?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ To force the situation. To see if something was really going on. We have been friends for so long, and he¡¯s done nothing¡­ And you know what, I was right¡­ He left. Just like that.¡±

    ¡°A lot of people have problems with cheating¡­ Or sharing. You can hardly blame him. And you forget I live on Earth. You can¡¯t expect me to go on like a normal werewolf in a harem. I¡¯m never going back. That was where I was. Figuring out if I would be able to go back¡­ They don¡¯t care about us here. They don¡¯t care about Min¨¦. They so much as laughed at me.¡±

    ¡°What! Why does that matter¡­ And¡­ What has Min¨¦ got to do with¡­ Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s why you came back after your studies? To see if this can work? Because you thought she was your way off of Earth?¡±

    Ben was steeped in guilt. I picked something up and threw it at him, getting up. ¡°Get out! Get Out! Get Out! You lied to me!¡± I kept throwing him until he was on the other side of the front door. I locked it and tossed his phone and wallet through the window. ¡°Then you wonder why I don¡¯t sit around and wait for you. Or kiss Carl. Not once did you show any signs that we were working? I thought it was¡­ Take one of the cars and leave Ben!¡±

    I was done talking to him.

    ¡°Come on, Charlene!¡± He yelled.  ¡°Who is conditional now. Not everybody has that parental instinct embedded in them. And what does it matter if it didn¡¯t work out between us? We¡¯re obviously not meant to be.¡±

    ¡°I at least gave us a fair shot. And Carl has been more of a father to her than you ever were. Now I know why you welcomed his help. Just one more hand to lessen the load¡­ Didn¡¯t get jealous once. Are all werewolves like this?¡±

    ¡°Do you really want me to leave?¡±

    ¡°The question is not up to me, idiot! You should know if you want to stay. You¡¯ve had enough chance to figure out if I¡¯m worth your time. Or if you want to make this work.¡±

    He was too quiet, and I heard his keys rattling. Steps down the porch.

    I sat down with my back to the front door. I actually heard the garage door open. Then a car drove out. If he left me there, I would never speak to him again. There was a massive house he could stay in¡­ He knew how scared I was. Being alone would make me go nuts. My mind went into overdrive. Where could I go? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to go to Paris and stay in that house? I should have listened to Juliet and made plans. We were too far out there¡­ What if something happened. What if something happened to me and no one knew Min¨¦ was alone. The sound of the car faded into the distance. I yawned, rubbing my eyes. Closed them for a second. I would cry later.

    ***

    I must have fallen asleep. The room was dark. I had to use my phone to shine a light on the chair where Min¨¦ was. She had also fallen asleep. A ragged sob escaped me. For a moment, I thought she was going to be gone. That she would have been taken by Rodrigo. I checked my watch. I had been sleeping for two hours. ¡°Katty!¡± I wanted to open the door. My hand rested on the nob. Outside was as black as night. I put on the porch lights. It didn¡¯t really help. None of the garden lights of the main house were on¡­ because no one was there. Marcus and Louis had closed off the house. I didn¡¯t want to leave Min¨¦. Too scared to go out anyway. There was no way I was waking her up just to go get a cat¡­ ¡°Sorry, Juliet. But I¡¯ll do it when the sun comes up.¡±

 Wake Up!

    74. Wake Up!

    Chris

    The last thing I remembered was holding Juliet¡¯s hand and meeting my father¡­ I thought¡­ She handed Caleb over. Her little hand gripped me so tightly. And¡­ then¡­ we had to let go¡­

    It was the first time she saw what I would become. My father wasn¡¯t as big as Silvanus was. The others were just a little bit bigger than me. I had some growing up to do.

    I was in a wonderful state of euphoria, peace, and dreaminess. I thought that had to be what Juliet felt like getting those shots¡­ She exchanged sexual favors for. If so¡­ I understood why. There was so much wrong with that sentence. I giggled¡­ Even better for her, she was going to marry her drug dealer¡­ And it wasn¡¯t true. I didn¡¯t want to think about what was really going on. I was probably on another planet, and it hadn¡¯t sunk in yet¡­ I smiled at the thoughts floating through my mind.

    I was in motion. I felt the sway left and right of being carried, making me want to fall back to sleep. Opening my eyes, I saw no one with me. I lay on a hard surface with four posters and curtains. The roof was draped. It was pretty. I shook my head, thinking about Juliet going back to the compound. Qadir opened up her back with a belt again¡­ I sighed¡­The unbearable heat swept in with wind and sand that washed over me¡­ I coughed¡­

    ¡°Party over¡­¡± I whispered.

    I sat up, preparing myself for whatever I had to face there. However long it was going to take. My goal was to get back to her¡­ To take her son back to her¡­  She said that her goal was to make her way to me. It was a race to see who loved the other more. Pulling back the curtain¡­ All I saw was¡­ Desert¡­ Sand, rocks, and dunes all around me. I wasn¡¯t that high from the ground. I saw horns. Those were the men in the house that came for me. They were carrying me on their shoulders. I manifested and jumped out.

    The four men bellowed into the sky, making the whole convoy stop. The train of Riphaths stretched from my left to the right as far as I could see. Everybody fell down to the ground. I groaned. I had wished that it would not be the case. I didn¡¯t want to be important. I saw what it did to Marcus. At best, I thought maybe we were just rich. My father came walking up to me. He clapped his hands together in the air. Everybody slowly got up, and the convoy moved again. No one was in human form. I held out my hands to take Caleb. He was fine and sleeping well. I thought we would have issues away from Juliet, but it seemed that the magic of rubbing your thumb over your child¡¯s head came in handy to put him out.

    Out of habit, I changed back to human, putting Caleb on my shoulder. My father picked me up around the waist and hugged me, putting me down and turning me this way and that way. At least he seemed friendly¡­ And he came for me¡­ waited for me.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to say something to your father?¡±

    ¡°Does the whole planet look like this? It¡¯s freaking hot!¡±

    A low rumble escaped his lips¡­ ¡°Yeah. Why do you think¡­ no one wants this place.¡± He laughed out of his stomach and slapped me on the shoulder.

    ¡°What do I call you?¡±

    ¡°King Manaen¡­Father¡­ Dad¡­ My name is Ira.¡±

    ¡°King off?¡± Guess my surname wasn¡¯t Rheed anymore, but Manaen.

    ¡°Zoreah.¡± He lifted his hands in the air. The whole convoy cheered and went into song¡­ Each Riphath sang different parts. Some took out instruments that I had not heard or seen before. It was beautiful and echoed into the desert around us and back again.

    ¡°Is Zoreah a place or the planet?¡±

    ¡°The planet stands united under the name of Zoreah¡­ There are no wars here. No clans and no one else besides who you see here. The city we are walking towards is called Yaroun. We are a peaceful species that doesn''t like to fight. We have no crime and no strict laws like on your¡­ Earth¡­¡±

    The mention of the Earth as a third party made me revisit the idea that I was actually on another planet. In another system. How far was I from¡­ home?

    ¡°You¡¯re a very serious boy¡­.¡± He tapped my head. ¡°Too much in your head¡­ Just like your mother.¡± I peeked up at him to see if I could see any emotion in his features about her.

    I couldn¡¯t really make out what his human attributes would be. Like a Riphath, we all resembled each other in some way. There weren¡¯t really distinctive features to separate us. Not like the vampires¡­ Maybe when I was there for a while, I would start to see what they saw.

    ¡°Where are we going.¡± I started walking in the same direction as the train of Riphaths.

    ¡°We are migrating north for the winter months.¡±

    He handed me a sack for Caleb that I could drape over my shoulder and carry him on my chest. We walked in silence for some time before Silvanus came to join us. They seemed friendly to each other. There were no royalty formalities towards my father.

    ¡°So who am I that they bowed like that¡­ Silvanus bowed the first time, and the four guys yesterday¡­ what¡¯s the deal here?¡±

    ¡°You are the born prince¡­ Riphaths only have one child their entire lives. So you are the next king¡­.¡± The way I always walked was eyes cast down and in my head thinking. Hearing this didn¡¯t make me lift up my gaze to survey all I would rule. On the contrary, my heart sank a little every time he said something... One child¡­ In nine hundred years. Caleb would be my only kid.

    It was quiet between the three of us. Silvanus came closer and patted me on the back. ¡°You okay, son?¡±

    I shook my head from side to side.

    ¡°What¡¯s the problem? You miss that little girl¡­?¡± Hmmm, Chuckle¡­ noise. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we will get you some woman to make you quickly forget about her¡­ Here on Zoreah, we do what we want to with who we want to¡­ There are no commitments here¡­ You fit right in¡­ With the easy way, you accepted your life on Earth.¡±

    ¡°Why did I end up on earth?¡±

    ¡°Your mother paid someone to take her away from here. There was a problem with the communication. She ended up stranded on Earth for some time. She had you¡­. And according to the orphanage you were in. A human one. She had died in childbirth.¡± He slapped me on the shoulder. ¡°A sad business for sure.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I turned around and glared at Silvanus and my father. ¡°The truth!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing like that¡­ She wasn¡¯t running away or fearing for her life¡­ There was a problem with the water supply around that time. Drought for years and years. She got pregnant¡­ We wanted her off-planet¡­ Paid to have her stay somewhere safe.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t remember¡­ but she was doing it all by herself¡­ As I said, no one here gets married or stays together for life¡­ There is no point¡­ We are not that sentimental.¡± Silvanus held out his hand to Manaen. Who nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Why so sentimental about me¡­ could you not have left me there.¡± My father grabbed my shoulder and picked me up again, hugging me.

    ¡°Children are an exception¡­ We love our children to death¡­ We do it as a community. No one is lost, forgotten, or forsaken¡­ The thing is¡­ I trusted your mother with the arrangements. And accidents do happen¡­ but we never lost hope, Chris.¡±

    ***

    We had been walking for hours. Caleb was waking up after a nap. I was glad that I was fit. And that all I had done for months was exercise, fight, and study. It was still only rocks and sand all around us. The scenery didn¡¯t change. A soft breeze that made the sand blow up and into my eyes. My father hadn¡¯t left my side and was walking behind me, and faithfully behind him was Silvanus.

    ¡°He needs to be fed soon. How is that going to work? I don¡¯t see bottles here.¡±

    Ira didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°King Manaen¡­¡± It didn¡¯t sound quite right. I cleared my throat. I tried again¡­ ¡°mm¡­ Father?¡± Silvanus and Ira laughed.

    ¡°Yes, boy?¡±

    ¡°Did you hear me ask about milk?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡± He clapped his hands together. A very young Riphath came running up to him, bending a knee. ¡°Go get the nursemaid.¡±

    My head snapped around. ¡°What?¡±

    That was why he didn¡¯t answer me? That morning, Caleb was still on Juliet¡¯s breast. He would be suckling on a strange woman soon. I stopped walking, making the whole convoy stop. I groaned and rolled my eyes¡­ Irritation made my feet move again. The entire convoy proceeded. What a production for a peaceful nation.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°Here, we nurse the kids in a neighborhood of people. But if you want, we can assign just one to Caleb.¡±

    I wondered what happened to Juliet when we left. Her son was taken away from her. I disappeared. Did she change? Could they control her? Was Michael already taking my place with his special button? I looked up from the small path we were all walking on. Another person came walking toward us. A woman. As she came into view, I blinked several times... She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Stunned into a visible jolt. Silvanus laughed. My father slapped me on the shoulder. ¡°She is one of the ugly ones.¡± He whispered.

    I choked on a burst of laughter. ¡°How can anyone be prettier than this goddess walking toward us.¡±

    ¡°Forgetting about Juliet so soon?¡±

    Who¡¯s Juliet¡­? I thought to myself. Oh yeah, the mother of my child. That girl¡­ who had the body of a boy and small, perky breasts. A mouth you needed to kiss, or else she would say something to put you down. You had to hold on to her, or she would do something stupid. Like, bring another boy home¡­ A little girl with tiny hands. Piercing blue eyes. Ones¡­ that could see BS. a mile away. See right through you. She would be so jealous¡­ I would have to beg for forgiveness. I didn¡¯t mind fighting with her. She liked the fact that it built a connection. But I would never see Juliet again. I didn¡¯t have two hundred years of fornication like Louis and Marcus had before meeting her. It was implied that both of them had several women over the years. But never anyone after¡­ And that they would never have anyone else.

    Even Juliet had more men than I had had women. Before Sita, there was¡­ No one. An outsider in school and a nerd. It didn¡¯t make me the most popular guy around. Studying at a community college on a scholarship. It had me working my ass off to put myself through school so that I didn¡¯t have debt when I got out of there. And all I had to show for it was a teaching job.

    The goddess came closer and closer. It wasn¡¯t one of those pretty from far off but far from pretty up close. She was both and had massive breasts like Juliet said they would. ¡°Does this mean she has a child of her own?¡± I asked but got no answer.

    She fell to the ground in front of me. Bowing. I had such a mixture of emotions coursing through me that my brain worked overtime.

    ¡°If you¡¯re not pleased with me, we can organize someone else.¡± She said it so softly I could barely hear her.

    ¡°Get up!¡± I held out a hand. She took it. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again.¡± She nodded.

    Reluctantly, I took Caleb from the pouch around my neck and handed him to her. She took him from me as if he were the next king. Which he was.

    She didn¡¯t go far and got into the chair I was in earlier. The four Riphath men picked her up¡­ boosting her onto their shoulders. She closed the curtains. You could barely see her outline. But knowing that she was in there half-naked was playing tricks on my mind. The way she and one of the carriers had made eye contact. It seemed that everyone really just did what they wanted. Ira slapped me on the shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s a good boy. You love that girl so much that we thought you three would put up a fight¡­ That you would fight and not want to come.¡±

    ¡°Why you drugged us? Unnecessary¡­¡±

    Ira bobbed his head.

    ¡°So what are the major laws that I should know about? Before I break any of them? Or even something important?¡±

    ¡°Peace should always be the only resolution,¡± Ira stated. ¡°Not to hurt anyone as far as you are able.¡±

    I frowned. That¡¯s vague.

    ¡°Children are the most important thing on our planet.¡± He continued. ¡°And¡­ the fact¡­ that¡­¡± He hesitated and drew in a breath¡­ ¡°One¡­ year¡­ on Earth¡­ is five¡­ on Zoreah.¡±

    Ira had said the last part really slowly. So that it would sink in. It was another one of those moments when my mind went completely blank. That no thoughts were computing. I had hoped he was joking. I stopped. That time, I didn¡¯t care if the whole convoy copied me. My father wasn¡¯t waiting for thirty years¡­ But a hundred and fifty years¡­ For me. If I didn¡¯t see Juliet for a year... Caleb would be five¡­ I didn¡¯t think I could do it. ¡°How do I go back?¡± I spun around.

    ¡°Chris!¡± Ira tried.

    ¡°How do I go back!¡± I yelled. He came out of his Riphath form and stood before me human. The whole convoy did the same. But I didn¡¯t care. ¡°How do I go back?¡± I pleaded.

    ¡°You can¡­ never go back,¡± Ira whispered, trying to grab my shoulders.

    ***

    Michael

    ¡°Michael. Michael.¡±

    My one eye wanted to obey me. The lights were so bright. It wasn''t easy to focus on the person in front of me. ¡°What do you want?¡± My voice was croaky. I coughed, trying to sit up. Kubra helped me get my torso into the air. I was already weak. Hadn¡¯t been there long. It could¡¯ve only been a few days. My body felt it, though. Being locked up in the dark. No food. Just drugs. He held up water for me. Eagerly, I drank down the cool liquid. I had to clear my throat to find my voice. ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked again.

    ¡°Where is that freaking button? That tech to control Juliet¡­ She changed and nearly killed Marcus.¡± That got my attention.  I breathed in a deep breath. Lifted my head to the roof, thanking the universe for making all my plans work out.

    ¡°Safety deposit box. Chris¡¯s box. The old town they lived in.¡±

    Our heads jerked to the left when we saw a figure in the doorway. Jabin didn¡¯t stop and strutted up to Kubra, pulling him up by his jacket, fisting a clump of material in his hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kubra stayed silent. ¡°What have you been doing, boy?¡± Kubra still didn¡¯t answer. Jabin let him go and tossed his clothes back at him. ¡°If you think I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, you¡¯re more naive than I thought.¡±

    ¡°You have your master¡­ And I have mine.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be above this. You¡¯re my son. Helping Marcus in the right direction and not assisting him being stupid!¡± Kubra cast his eyes to the ground. ¡°Where are the feeds for the last two weeks, Kubra?¡±

    ¡°I set it to live feed and not recording¡­ I¡¯ve been watching, but no one will ever know what happened.¡±

    I got the sense that Kubra was lying¡­ But would his father know? Jabin was furious, pointing his finger at Kubra, turning on his heels, and spinning back at his son. ¡°You just killed your own father. Ahasuerus specifically wanted to know what would happen.¡±

    Kubra¡¯s features hardened at the thought. ¡°Like I said. You have your master, and I have mine.¡±

    Jabin laughed with restraint. ¡°You think Marcus is better than Ahasuerus¡­ Why?¡±

    ¡°He is different.¡±

    Jabin smiled sardonically. ¡°You are ignorant. Knowing nothing of what¡¯s going on. They are one family that will never die out¡­ Or let the rule of the planet fall into the hands of another clan¡­ Marcus has been indoctrinated for so long¡­ Do you really think he will be different? So far, he has grown up the worst of all the sons of Ahasuerus. Even worse than Qadir. And look what he did¡­ There is no duty to anyone but themselves¡­ And the throne. Do not let Marcus¡¯s self-control and¡­ nature fool you. As soon as he tastes the power¡­ Marcus will turn into something you don¡¯t recognize.¡±

    Kubra smiled back at his father with the same mouth and face. Their facial features were almost identical. The one was just older, a little bigger, stronger, and had a few lines around the eyes. Scars on his face. Black short hair that both of them wore the same way. Identical black three-piece suits. A shirt collar and a black tie came up high into their faces. They painted an impressive picture. Running alongside a king was an honor. No matter the species.

    ¡°I see you¡¯ve been in the same place for far too long, father¡­ Next to the same person for far too long. You are making decisions based on assumptions¡­ When Marcus kills Ahasuerus and takes the throne¡­ I¡¯ll make sure he gives you an island somewhere far away from me.¡± I thought that Jabin would hit him for the disrespect. The older man turned away towards the door and stopped.

    ¡°Come Kubra, no one is allowed down here.¡± The son wanted to defy¡­ but ultimately walked towards the door. Jabin spun towards Kubra. ¡°Right there, you just proved to me that you are wrong. How many times must Marcus show you who his master is? He is just¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it!¡± Both I and Kubra yelled at the same time. I smiled, hoping Jabin was wrong. That I was right in telling Juliet to trust Marcus¡­ All of us together couldn¡¯t have been wrong about him¡­ That he wasn¡¯t just like his father.

    ***

    Kubra

    I knocked on Carl¡¯s hotel room. My eyes darted to my watch. It was already 8:00 am. We were still in Paris and needed to get to America. Tiny little details needed to be finalized in France. Before we could go to Washington.

    ¡°Hey, you ready.¡± My eyes darted into the room and at him. It was a mess, and he wasn¡¯t close to being anywhere near presentable. The stench of alcohol overwhelmed me.

    ¡°That bad, huh? I thought you and Charlene would end up together¡­ eventually. I actually thought she would come with you.¡± I pushed him into the room.

    ¡°You¡¯re so much livelier than I pegged you for Kubra.¡± Carl¡¯s words slurred.

    ¡°When did you stop drinking?¡± He lifted up the small bottle in his hands.

    ¡°For the last year¡­ I¡¯ve never seen you drink this much.¡±

    ¡°Mmmm, I wanted to know what it felt like¡­ Juliet and Charlene are always drunk. Smoking and with someone.¡±

    I scoffed at his logic. ¡°You could¡¯ve been that someone. Seems like you¡¯re drinking because you were fooling yourself. At least they know what they want. You, my friend, have no clue what¡¯s important to you.¡±

    ¡°Says the guy with a black suit on and has been sucking¡­ someone dry for two hundred years.¡±

    By then, I had pushed him into the shower. Coldwater assaulted him. He screamed and danced around as I kept pushing him under the freezing stream.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make you a cup of coffee. Get undressed and take a proper shower. We need to go.¡± He glowered at me. I pouted my lips and shook my head.

    The last year, we¡¯ve all been watching them. We¡¯ve noticed and seen so many things going on in that house that I sometimes felt a connection with them. Marcus was so invested. I had to be too. So¡­ Not only was Carl Bertram¡¯s son¡­ But my best friend and ally. I also added watcher tech to keep a close eye on Charlene. Seeing her so scared last night¡­ Fighting with Ben. I just couldn¡¯t go back at that moment. She had to stay safe for two days at most.

    The family that Juliet had created went beyond my understanding. How she got Marcus to accept sharing her... I had watched Marcus grow up in horrific conditions. That day, when he met Juliet, something changed in him. I saw it grow. Flourish. I was there when he went against everything he had been taught. Choosing her. It sustained me for a while. Made me believe the universe wasn¡¯t as screwed up as we thought. Maybe we could choose another way. And that year¡­ I decided I also wanted it. Watching how they lived off the compound opened my eyes. Wide.

    I took out my phone and sent a message¡­

    Anonymous { Hey. Everything will be okay. I¡¯m still watching the house. Hang tight. }

    I made Carl a cup of coffee and kept an eye on the news. We needed to report to our fathers. Bertram wanted him¡­ and Jabin wanted me away from Marcus. There was contention between fathers and sons. All around. A fight that wasn¡¯t going to end well for either the older generation or the younger one.

 What The Hell, Marcus?

    75. What The Hell, Marcus?

    Carl

    Kubra and I exited the teleporter in the heart of Washington. Another embassy for alien relations. I followed him through the halls and up an elevator. He led me to a room, and I went inside. It was dark, and an ample conference space was on the other side of the two-way glass. Full of very influential people. Some I recognized, and some I didn¡¯t¡­ And there was my father.

    ¡°Okay, Carl. I¡¯ve got to go¡­¡± Kubra¡¯s voice brought me back to the present. I sighed. Another person I had come to know would disappear out of my life.

    He left but came right back. ¡°I have to go get Marcus. Make sure you listen carefully. I¡¯ll be back in an hour.¡± Kubra patted the door frame like he always did. He was acting so weird... Why would he reassure me? But it did help. And knowing Marcus was coming meant that maybe we wouldn¡¯t split up as much as I thought we would.

    There were a lot of figures in the room. One was Qadir. The other was the Chief of Staff of the United States Army. The last one was a man in a black suit with Qadir. It had to be Jabin¡­ The others were all foreign nationals from other countries. I suspected all the Generals of their countries¡¯ armies¡­ Only major ones... China, Russia, France, Britain, and Spain...

    ¡°We had an agreement, Qadir.¡± One started talking.

    The attitude of a four-hundred-year-old man was just different from the sixty-something men seated around the table. The humans were stressed and anxious. Qadir was strumming his fingers on the table. ¡°Our agreement expired when Chris left the planet.¡± Qadir¡¯s voice drolled.

    There was a murmur around the table.

    America [ If you think we will take this lying down, you have to think again¡­ We know your father won¡¯t come to your aid if we start killing vampires. ]

    The general¡¯s eyes flashed to Jabin, who had to nod. It didn¡¯t phase Qadir. He had his own plans. For a long time,  he had not looked to Daddy for help. That was the wrong tactic to play¡­

    France [ The whole world will rally against you. You will never last. ]

    Qadir [ A few sacrifices are nothing for the greater good. I will last, but you will all die out eventually with the bio-attack¡­ I have already launched in Indiana ]

    Another few murmurs.

    Russia [ We will kill them all. It can¡¯t spread that fast. There was one case, and it has been contained. ]

    Qadir [ Over the last two hundred years, I have diminished the werewolves to almost nothing. I have nothing but time. It will happen, however slow. Not even if you bomb my compound. ]

    More talks among the humans.

    Qadir [ The fear of not knowing if you are faced with a vampire alone will cause massive panic. Not to mention, if we start showing them a full-moon werewolf¡­ This will become a dystopia if we cannot come to some arrangement ]

    America [ What do you want, Qadir? ]

    Qadir [ Now you are starting to ask the right questions¡­ I want control. It is as simple as that. The world is ruled by officials in office. Now, it will be governed by me. I will make it better. There will be peace, and it will be mine. ]

    His speech created a deadly silence in the room, and no one said anything for several minutes.

    Qadir [ What does it matter who rules? ]

    America [ We saw how you rule your compound. It will never work under humans. And who will feed you? Will we have a lottery every day of who dies? Or do you decide who lives or dies? You eat our people for food. That alone is already more than you should be getting. ]

    Russia [ It seems you think humans have never fought in wars. Or have conquered anything in their lives. It seems¡­ that you believe we will be negotiating with a terrorist. ]

    Qadir manifested and moved so fast to behind the Russian man, digging his nails into the man¡¯s neck. The others stood up.

    Qadir [ You forget that I have been creating a general worthy to take on this battle for the last two hundred years. I have been creating an army with guns and gas masks. An army with soldiers much better than yours¡­ And¡­ let¡¯s not forget the tech and the monsters¡­]

    America [ You forget Qadir that the watchers are linked to your men. You¡¯re so-called army¡­ We have already called back the hundreds of thousands of watchers you helped create. We know everything about the enemy. Where you are and how much you have to work with. ]

    Qadir actually scoffed and let go of the Russian. ¡°I commend you for wanting a level playing field. I¡¯ll adopt the thought.¡± He checked his watch. ¡°Right about now.¡± Qadir hinted.

    A soldier in military clothes opened the door to the conference room and rushed the general. His face paled. He bit his lip. Wanted to say something. He lifted his hand into the air and made a fist. Gas fell from the roof. In seconds, Qadir was knocked out.

    My first thought was to call Charlene¡­ tell her everything. But my phone wasn¡¯t working¡­

    ***

    Kubra

    I didn¡¯t want to leave Carl, but I couldn¡¯t take him with me. I needed someone there we could trust. He would have to grow up¡­ And really quickly. He had proven himself paternal¡­ But like the girls¡­ In some aspects. They were only eighteen. Carl had some areas he was lazy in. Needed prodding to do better... Marcus had a way with him. Soon, Carl had grown twice in size. His way of thinking had improved... Marcus had that same way with many of the young men on the army base. He didn¡¯t follow his father¡¯s footsteps of indoctrination. He had treated them with respect.

    The one thing Carl had¡­ He loved those girls to bits. And that meant anything that stemmed outwards from them. Carl was loyal to Juliet and to Charlene. Even though their relationship might not go any further. They would stay friends. I dreaded going back to the compound. None of us wanted to be anywhere near that place. Getting Marcus to leave Juliet on her first night would be a bitter pill. She was going to flip out¡­ I hated doing it. Because there¡­ We didn¡¯t have anyone we could trust.

    ***

    Juliet

    We landed in America¡­ Waited to refuel and flew west closer to our old town. I needed to get into that safety deposit box ASAP. To see if Kubra had the correct information. Louis and Marcus walked into the bank with me. Quickly getting the manager¡¯s attention and having an escort down into the vault. We stood opposite the table when the steel box clanged as it hit the desk. It had a fingerprint screen on the front. The manager stepped outside of the vault door. A security guard patrolled the basement floor.

    ¡°Please, gentleman.¡± He called Louis and Marcus out of the vault. ¡°It¡¯s a personalized box. Only one person allowed in there at a time.¡± He closed a curtain as Marcus and Louis joined him on the other side.

    I didn¡¯t know if my fingerprints would work. I slowly lifted my hand and placed my thumb on the screen. The mechanism automatically unlocked. The little door sprung open. I bit my lip when I saw the old cellphone box carrying all of Chris¡¯s letters to the ¡°invisible girl.¡± I wanted to smile but couldn¡¯t¡­ Thinking about the first and last time I touched him. That day, I found out he could. The first time, I got in his car and went with him. I softly drew in a breath, remembering that was where we ended up having sex in his car. I had completely forgotten it was the same place. I opened the box. All his letters were in there and the present he had talked about.

    Picking it up¡­ I drew in another breath. It was a swatch like the birth certificate. I studied the picture on the top and the emblem. It was Chris¡¯s. Proof that I would be able to¡­ What? Go to Zoreah and tell them I know this guy. Take me to your leader¡­ The same little picture on Caleb¡¯s little butt and on the tattoo on my arm. I placed it on every part of my body to see if this was a marriage certificate. But nothing happened. I sighed.

    I searched between the letters and the old box for something else resembling tech¡­ There was nothing. I felt around in the safety deposit box. No magic buttons.  ¡°It¡¯s not here.¡± Both my husbands were quiet. Marcus pushed open the curtain and past the manager. Double-checking my efforts. His eyebrows raised when he saw the swatch. ¡°Will this make it official? The long last¡­ marriage certificate you were hoping for?¡±

    I shrugged, pumping him in his side with my elbow. ¡°It doesn¡¯t come off. I think Chris has to do it¡­ Or it¡¯s for Chris¡¯s father¡­ Maybe another birth certificate¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t they have done that when he was born? Chris doesn¡¯t have any weird tattoos on his body, does he?¡± Louis asked.

    I shook my head from side to side¡­. ¡°We have to find Michael. Why would he lie?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t lie¡­ Jabin was there, remember¡­¡± Louis replied.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    I turned to the manager. ¡°Is there a log for accessing a box?¡±

    The suited-up guy nodded and typed into a computer next to the vault door. ¡°Do you know someone else connected to the box?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Why? Who was here? A name¡­?¡±

    ¡°The name Warden... comes up.¡±

    ¡°When?¡± Louis asked.

    ¡°Only a day ago.¡±

    We all sighed. ¡°He was also at the cages that night.¡± I was talking to myself

    ¡°He got slashed open¡­ Maybe he was following orders?¡± Louis suggested.

    I shook my head. It couldn¡¯t be¡­ ¡°Warden has never liked me¡­ Has anyone tried to get in touch with my uncle? Does he even know I¡¯m going back?¡±

    ***

    The last time we drove through the compound gates. I was drugged, and my parents were the only ones in the car. From the outside, it seemed like any other gated community. With one exception¡­ It was guarded by men holding massive guns. Marcus was driving. The men saluted as the gates opened even before we were close. He slowed down. All of our identification was checked. They searched the car and my mother¡¯s bag. Marcus was greeting all the men he recognized. Allowed to talk to him through rank. Men who worked for him. The rest of us got back in the car. Even if he said that he didn¡¯t want to be back. He was visibly more relaxed¡­ I even heard a dig about getting his lost wife back. And coming back the victor over me. There were so many red flags going up my spine.

    I peeked back over my shoulder. The gates closing¡­ Made it final. The massive wall connected to it on either side made the compound impenetrable. I saw Marcus trying to get my attention in the rearview mirror from the corner of my eye. He wanted reassurance. But I was the one who needed it. I couldn¡¯t give him any. The wall had watchtowers every hundred meters or so. It spanned as far as the eye could see. My mom was on my one side and my dad on the other.

    We drove in the direction of our old house. It took us a while to even get there. The place was larger than I could remember. More homes than I could remember. Why was my memory of it so distorted?

    Marcus parked the car where he always had when I was just a kid. I would jump the trampoline and see him drive up the street. The memory of how happy I was to see him flashed in my mind. There was something between us¡­ Even back then. Even if I was too young to understand. I could see Marcus trying to make eye contact with me. Again and again. My peripheral vision had improved. But so had my facial expressions. I could be as stoic as he was. And payback tenfold. My resting bitch face was back. Our house... was the same. The garden was done. The grass was cut. It had fresh paint where it needed it. There was even a car in the driveway for my dad.

    Getting out of the car brought back such a flood of emotions that all I could do was grab onto my mom¡¯s hand. Hers was also a little sweaty. She held mine tightly. I knew we both felt the same way. Engines got our attention. Three cars came driving up to the house before we could even step foot on the stone path that led to the front door. We all paused and stared until they stopped. Kubra got out of the one. My heart dropped. My stomach flipped. Louis¡¯s words kept echoing in my mind¡­ ¡°You would have to suffer a little while.¡±  I didn¡¯t want to. Kubra waved for Marcus to come over and get in a car. Kubra whispered into his ear when the door closed.

    I could not hear them. I was sure Louis couldn¡¯t read them from there. Kubra was taking every precaution. There was a moment when it seemed like Marcus would send them all away. Stay with me¡­ They had heated words. Kubra leaned closer and whispered more into his ear. Whatever he said did the trick.

    Marcus walked over to us. I turned around and headed towards the house. Away from him. Unable to face him. Like a woman who would not wait for her husband to come home every day after work. Be deployed for months. One of those women who had no life, and her husband would make his dreams come true. I could hear him greeting my father and mother and, lastly, Louis. Deep in my heart, I had hoped he would run after me. Make me listen to him as he reassured me that everything was okay. Tell me what was happening. But he didn¡¯t. I heard the cars leave. My eyes cast down to the ground. Suddenly, I was back at the compound for real with him not there. Alone.

    The one thing I¡¯d learned about marriage was that everything could be fine one moment. And an absolute disaster the next. Two lives needed to merge. I hated it. I hated not fighting and sorting things out. Chris was the only one that forced me in that way. I thought about him and Caleb in the mountains. My lips pressed together, holding back tears. When I couldn¡¯t hear the cars anymore, I turned back to the street. There was one car left standing in the road with the doors open. The confusion must have shown on my face. ¡°You¡¯re not staying, babe,¡± Louis said.

    ¡°W¡­hat¡­ do¡­ you mean?¡± I stuttered.

    ¡°I can¡¯t live with you there at Qadir¡¯s house... And you can¡¯t live here with your parents¡­ and me.¡± Louis¡¯s voice was as tight as I felt.

    ***

    Marcus

    Juliet and I had always had a difference of opinion about how our relationship would be at the compound¡­ I had always wanted it both ways¡­ Maybe I had made some assumptions. I wasn¡¯t back for two minutes and was already needed because of my father. She would be alone¡­ What she always hated¡­. My leaving would break down what we had tried to build in France. Above everything, it was after we kissed for the first time¡­ After sooo many years. I had to shake myself because I couldn¡¯t believe it really happened. I could think of nothing else. Our kissing¡­ Was fatal in the demise of Marcus Ahmed. She had me¡­ mind, body, and soul. I always knew there was chemistry¡­ But never thought it would be on that level¡­ When our lips parted for each other. How her body responded in all the right ways. Her hands in all the right places. I didn¡¯t know if it was because we had wanted it for so long¡­ Only when it happened again¡­ I would be convinced. If it ever did.

    Suddenly, the fear of losing her was more than it had ever been. All I had was Juliet, and if she decided to take it away¡­ I should have stayed with her¡­ Juliet was already disappointed. She probably thought Louis would stay with us at my father¡¯s house. If I could¡¯ve made that happen¡­ I would¡¯ve.  Louis hated Qadir. He and my father would be at each other the whole time. No one would accept the fact that Juliet had two husbands. Even if she was branded¡­ My biggest problem was trying to keep both her and my father happy.

    Qadir¡¯s capture report gave me an idea. A way out of one part of my predicament. Before I could change my mind, I sent Louis a message. Every minute, there was proving to be a mistake. I wanted to put her in the car and take her back.

    Me { Please go with her to my house. Qadir¡¯s in custody in Washington. }

    I got an immediate reply.

    Louis { Juliet left already with her father. She is livid. She is mourning¡­ How could you not take a minute to think before you left? I was the one that had to explain what would happen... She wanted you to say something, Marcus. }

    ¡°F-!¡± I yelled, hitting the dashboard. Never before did I need to be a boyfriend, let alone a husband¡­ Since Chris had left. Louis had been cornering me at every turn about my behavior towards Juliet. He wasn¡¯t holding back anymore. The understanding he showed me during the last year had run out. Now, only proof would satisfy them, or I would lose both¡­ I was going to have to do better.

    ***

    Kubra and I teleported immediately to Washington. Qadir was still in custody. Jabin was standing at the door to a room. He held out his hands to take my phone and my bags. He was in a hurry, wanting to usher me through. I kept holding onto my phone. Not wanting to let it go. He kept holding out his towards me. ¡°Sorry, no phones.¡±

    I needed to know what was going on at the compound. How could I give him my only means of communication with Juliet? I had sent Louis a message, but he hadn¡¯t replied yet. Angry, I pushed it at him. Every time I gave in, I saw Louis¡¯s disappointed face.

    The room was filled with men. A few big-screen TVs were mounted on the wall in the back of the room. Each to another country. Another news channel told of similar incidents. Reports of a disease that was making people rabid and violent. Qadir was behind it, of course. He was using it as a scare tactic. The last cub had made the difference, it seemed. Rodrigo¡¯s experiments were a success.

    The attacks were so random that as soon as one was killed, another would come out and start causing havoc. They weren¡¯t invincible, but the death toll was mounting up. How was he even executing it? Who was doing his dirty work? If the monsters weren¡¯t infectious, where was it originating from?

    ¡°Marcus¡­¡± Jabin called out to me and introduced me to Carl¡¯s father.

    ¡°I need five minutes.¡± Bertram acquiesced and escorted Jabin and me to a room.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Your grandfather wants you to come home. He does not care what happens to Qadir. Or what he plans with this place. To tell you the truth, I think this is a mistake¡­ If you want to return to En-gannim¡­ I¡¯ll take you, Louis, and Juliet immediately.¡±

    My first thought was that¡­ It was too easy. If I couldn¡¯t be close to Juliet here on Earth¡­ I would see less of her there. If Louis wasn¡¯t allowed close to her there¡­ She didn¡¯t want to be on the compound. How could I take her to a planet way worse?

    ¡°Juliet would be one system closer to getting back to Caleb. One planet away, Marcus. We could take Rodrigo¡­ She can undergo her treatment there.¡± Jabin kept going.

    ¡°What about Carl and Charlene?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°What about Liam and Cindy¡­ Samuel?¡± I stated.

    He shook his head. ¡°They will never go back.¡±

    ¡°Well, then you have your answer.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Marcus. All of this for a girl that doesn¡¯t even love you!¡± My eyes cast down to the floor. ¡°You¡¯re obsessed. She won¡¯t make this worth it. She¡¯s spoilt and selfish. All women are. In the end, you will regret it.¡±

    It was part of his job. The manipulations. The doubt he needed to sow. But he was trying too hard. Too good to be true.

    ¡°Where¡¯s my phone.¡± Jabin handed me a room card and said everything was there waiting. I turned around and left. He followed, but I turned back at him before entering the conference hall. ¡°Where is Kubra?¡± Jabin pointed to an adjoining room.

    I opened the door. Kubra and Carl were sitting in the dark, listening to the conversations. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Qadir wants control¡­ Over everything.¡± Carl mentioned.

    I shook my head. There was a commotion on the other side of the glass. The screens lit up all with the same broadcast. Hawaii had been affected. The island was under severe attack. The army was moving in. They were having a difficult time getting the situation under control. There were too many civilians involved. They couldn¡¯t just open fire.

    ¡°Carl, what do they want me to do?¡±

    ¡°They want to kill Qadir and have you take control of the compound and bring back peace between humans and aliens. Stop whatever he¡¯s doing there. They can¡¯t find the source.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t want the relationship to end,¡± Kubra interjected.

    ¡°I need to see my father.¡±

    We watched Jabin talk to Bertram. He escorted me down into the holding cell, where Qadir sat on a steel chair. His one leg was draped over the other. As if he was very comfortable.

    We sat in locked gazes for the longest time. Said nothing. All I needed to do was look into his eyes. He had one very long and plausible explanation for doing all of it. He would have all his arguments backed by facts supporting his government.

    ¡°You will do this, Marcus.¡± My fist balled on my lap under the table. Again, I was going to do what I was told to do¡­ ¡°It is time you rise to your proper place next to me. Enough of this¡­ Playing house. Once we have control¡­ I¡¯ll even let you keep her.¡±

    Yet again, too good to be true. Liar.

    ¡°You will have to stop the attack.¡±

    He nodded slowly. ¡°Of course, as soon as the negotiations begin.¡±

 First Night Back

    76. First Night Back

    Juliet

    When Louis told me, I was going alone¡­ I nearly broke down. The veil hid a lot of things¡­ Especially that I was holding on by a thread, knowing no one could help me. Knowing I was all alone.

    I didn¡¯t even want to go into the old house to show Louis everything. I just turned away from him and got in the car Marcus left. Louis and my dad talked for a bit. I knew I was being unfair towards him... He wasn¡¯t doing anything wrong. They probably wouldn¡¯t even allow him on the estate¡­ If Marcus could not protect me. What did Louis think he could do?

    ***

    ¡°Will you be okay? I can stay with you a few nights.¡± My dad tried to soothe me¡­

    I was considering it but only took his hand and held it. ¡°No¡­ I best get this over with. I don¡¯t know what I was thinking. How I made the assumption that Louis would join us. No one here would accept it.¡± My dad squeezed my hand. ¡°How do I get over assuming the best in every situation? Or even making wrong assumptions. Trusting that they aren¡¯t lying to me¡­.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°Only by experience, Julie.¡±

    It was quiet for a bit. ¡°We haven¡¯t talked in a while, Dad. Is there nothing you would like to say to me¡­ And not that you¡¯re proud of me, please. Because right now, I feel like an utter failure. Forcing us off the compound and now sending you guys back.¡±

    ¡°Juliet, I was sentenced to stay here for nine hundred years. Whether you were born in that time or not. It didn¡¯t make a difference. In the eyes of En-gannim¡­ I¡®m a criminal. That¡¯s not on you.¡±

    ¡°I feel like all I do is bring drama into your lives. We were so peaceful until we met Marcus.¡±

    My dad chuckled. ¡°Puberty is a bitch.¡± I laughed lightly.

    We were already at the main gate of Qadir¡¯s estate. They opened without question, setting me a little at ease. Maybe my dad would be able to come and visit. Sneak in my mom. I remember when Marcus and I stopped in front of the main house. My dad made a left and kept driving down a lane. We followed the little road until it bent. Coming out to a small parking area in front of big red wooden doors. ¡°How do you know where¡­?¡± I remember my dad was there that morning. He was in Marcus¡¯s study. I would be going into the house where everything happened. Sadness wanted to grip my heart, but thinking about Caleb¡­ Not seeing him ever again made me numb. So, he was a good buffer for me. Not to lose it completely.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Julie.¡± I nodded, examining the front of the gates to Marcus¡¯s house. Two guards opened for us and led us through. My dad walked first, with one guard in front of him and one behind me.

    The style of his house wasn¡¯t at all what I had expected. Outside the gate, it was one world, and in there another. It was beautifully designed. Everything surrounded a pool and yard and a massive patio. I was stunned. That wasn¡¯t at all what I thought Marcus would like. An under-roof walkway surrounded every building and connected the whole house. I frowned when I saw how many rooms there were along one wall. And when the guard showed me into the last one that was a little bigger than the rest, I knew it was for more wives. All the doors were closed, though, and I wondered if Marcus wasn¡¯t hiding a wife after all.

    We walked through the door, but the one guard didn¡¯t leave, watching us. My dad had a look around. The room was spacious. Open plan. The first thing you saw was the koi pond that ran through the middle of the room. A cute courtyard was behind glass doors to the right. From the mountain behind the house, water flowed down the rocks, feeding the pond. A little bridge connected one side of the room with the other. There were cupboards and space for tee service and a desk.

    On the other side of the room, a massive king-size bed was stacked on a small wooden palate close to the ground. It looked almost identical to Louis¡¯s one in our glass cubicle in France. Nothing was behind my room but the mountain that spanned up into the sky. Steep, rocky, and unclimbable. I turned to my dad and shrugged.

    ¡°You want me to go?¡± I wanted to check my watch. Then, I reached for my phone in my backside pocket. Which I didn¡¯t have anymore.

    ¡°It¡¯s around six.¡±

    I bobbed my head. ¡°No¡­ you go ahead. Go and assure Louis that I¡¯m good. That I will see him soon.¡±

    ¡°I hate leaving you like this, Julie.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ It¡¯s going to be tough on all of us.¡±

    He picked me up until my feet were dangling. Something he hadn¡¯t done in years. The guards stared at us. The strange affection was a foreign concept for them. Quickly, he put me down and left before he could change his mind. It wasn¡¯t two seconds before the one guard made his presence known at the door. ¡°My name is Damian.¡± The gun hung off his shoulders. He perched himself against the doorframe with wondering eyes. ¡°I will be here the whole time. So you better get used to it. I don¡¯t want any trouble from you. I have my orders¡­.¡± What was I supposed to say? Don¡¯t speak until you¡¯re told to. He didn¡¯t ask questions. Lifting himself up, he stood contemplating whether he needed to say more. Damian didn¡¯t.

    When he was out of sight, I grabbed the door handle, sliding it closed, wanting to lock it¡­ But there was no lock and no keyhole¡­ Nothing. My hand gripped the handle tightly. At least I had my ability¡­ Not like last time.

    The first thing was first. I was going to have to start recording Damian¡¯s routine. When and how many times they checked in on me and if I would ever be left alone. I didn¡¯t really know what to do with myself, so I walked around my room. The loneliness gradually seeped in. I lived in a house full of people. Not anymore¡­ No tech. No books. No pencil and paper. I could go cook. I snorted. What would I make?

    I took off the veil. The room seemed a little bigger and brighter. The roof was high and gave the idea of space and depth. The lapping water was soothing. The fish seemed to be thriving. Fat and big. I crossed the bridge to the side of the room that didn¡¯t have just a bed. I was trying to find the bathroom. The first door opened to a closet with a few things in it. Clothes, underwear, and more veils. The second door in the middle of the wall was a sliding door, also no lock. I pushed it open. I gasped at the walls lined with books, as high and as far as I could see. A bed in the middle of the room faced towards¡­ My bed. I frowned, my gaze wandering from Marcus¡¯s room back to mine. My head tilted. I was a little taken aback, wondering how many women he¡¯s had in that setup.

    I checked the last door on my right. It was glass and big. It opened into a bathroom carved out into the mountain. Completely outside, plants everywhere. There was a massive glass tub in the middle of the room with a high water spout above it. I reached for the lights and walked in. It was almost magical. I stood close to the tub, my gaze drifted from the glass door I had just come out of and then to Marcus¡¯s room. It had the same door. Both rooms looked out onto the bathroom space. Especially the glass bath. I giggled and shook my head. Marcus, Marcus¡­ Marcus¡­

    I dropped my clothes and let the water run for a bit. It never rained in the desert. It was always freaking hot. Even if it was evening, the summer was coming. Sitting in the stream felt like I was under a waterfall, out in nature somewhere. I could imagine Marcus getting lost in there, wanting to drown out the voices in his head. Drifting in the water when the tub was full.

    I stood up to wet my hair and wash it. Getting a loofah to scrub my body. The sweat under that veil would only get worse. Marcus had thought about everything. I even had toiletries. But I wished I had brought my phone. No one patted me down at the gates. I might have gotten away with hiding it¡­ I would have been able to speak to Charlene.

    ¡°Clank.¡±

    My head jerked towards the dark glass where the sound came from. I climbed out immediately, grabbed my towel, and wrapped it around me. Marcus¡¯s room was dark. With the light on in the bathroom, I couldn¡¯t see in there. I sighed, ¡°great.¡± Slowly, I walked towards the sliding door.

    If I were to put out the bathroom lights¡­ technically¡­ I would be able to see what was going on in his room. It was like a horror movie, thinking I would see Jason in his mask on the other side. My hand reached for the switch, pressing it. The moon¡¯s light fell into Marcus¡¯s room... There was no one.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    I breathed out the breath I was holding. ¡°Stupid Juliet.¡±

    I opened the sliding door, walking over the threshold. I noticed that his room door was open a smidge. I could have sworn that I heard something. ¡°S-,¡± I said softly, slowly walking to the room door. I opened it wide enough so I could peek my head out. Damian was there. Our eyes met when he turned around.

    ¡°Don¡¯t come out like that again.¡± He warned.  ¡°You will get a beating.¡±

    Slowly, I closed the door, shaking the willies off me. I went to my room and to bed.

    ***

    After the previous night, I had a fitful sleep. I kept watching the door the whole night when my eyes would open. Scared, Damian was going to be standing next to my bed. Coupled with Caleb leaving. All I heard was a baby crying. Not being able to go and pick him up¡­ Left me in a kind of fitful limbo mode.

    I woke up more tired than rested. No matter how much I had prepared myself for Caleb''s leaving. It wasn¡¯t enough. How was it my fault that I was a vampire and had a baby with Chris? Why did I have to pay for being in love with Marcus? Depression was setting in¡­ Would I have slept with Chris? If I knew all there was to know about our worlds. The fact that species didn¡¯t mix. The sun was coming up. Startled, I sat up¡­ The door between Marcus¡¯s room and mine was open. I could swear I had closed it¡­ The mental torture of fear¡­ It was not something I was used to. I closed it last night¡­ I wasn¡¯t going insane. Not having locks, though¡­ Might make me go bonkers. At least when there was a barrier between you and an enemy, there was a warning of intrusion.

    Getting dressed, I put on comfortable clothes and my veil. My head popped out of the room. Damian was outside on his chair. Just like he promised.  Softly, I slid open the room door. ¡°It¡¯s about freaking time. We¡¯re hungry.¡± Being snarky was probably not the best idea. Defeated, I walked to the kitchen. Hungry myself, I tried staying focused like Chris had said. Keep my mind on my prize and quiet.

    Damian¡¯s face was one of those you wanted to plant your fist in. A constant smirk played on his mouth. Resting douchebag face. My nose wrinkled under my veil. At least he couldn¡¯t see my expressions. I closed the kitchen door and started with breakfast. Of course, after I had to clean up¡­ My mind was trying to figure out how to escape to see Louis. Marcus didn¡¯t know about my ability when he built the place. Theoretically, there would probably be a weakness somewhere. Right?

    I checked my room. I checked my little courtyard. It was such a small space. There was no way. The mountain kept me inside at my end. My room was utterly cut off from the other ¡°wives¡± rooms. Just thinking about concubines made me shudder. The catfights and the drama. I liked being queen, but not that much. The next possibility was the bathroom. Carved halfway out of the mountain¡­ It was impossible. The place was a fortress.

    I sighed. ¡°Ugh!¡±

    I was determined to go see Louis. My next option was to check every inch of the yard. I put on my veil and left the room. The freaking walls were so tall that climbing them was out of the question. No drains. No openings. My only salvation was the backdoor out of the kitchen. Where deliveries were made. Damian was on my tail the whole time¡­ Unless I was in my room. So, I had only one option¡­I would have to pretend to be in my room. Leave Marcus¡¯s door open a little.  Disappear and just walk out.

    Not so bored anymore.

    ***

    It took me so long to get to our old house that I would use it as exercise if I would do that every day. I walked to the back to peer into my room. There he was on my bed. I opened the window softly and climbed in. ¡°It took you long enough¡­.¡± I jumped on him. He wrapped me in his arms.

    ¡°Am I a very sad case that I can¡¯t live without you anymore?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Pathetic¡­ How was your first night.¡±

    ¡°Fine, and yours?¡±

    ¡°Lonely.¡± He pouted his lips, asking for a kiss. ¡°You didn¡¯t have your ability last time you were here.¡± I shook my head and flashed my eyebrows at him. He smiled. ¡°These walls are really thin, baby¡­ And your parent¡¯s room is right next door.¡±

    ¡°I never heard them. Maybe we should use the car in the garage.¡±

    ¡°No! That¡¯s where you and¡­.¡± I put my hand over his mouth. He laughed softly, wrestling with me. He got on top. I would force him over, straddling him.

    ¡°What else are we going to do in this place?¡±

    ¡°Marcus said I can come to the house for a few days. While Qadir is in custody.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come last night?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to coddle you.¡± I punched him in the gut. He grunted and groaned, turning on his side. I got into the covers with him, spooning him from behind and running my hands all over him. ¡°And then, of course. There is starving you. So I can have you like this¡­ It¡¯s always nice.¡±

    ¡°Nice?¡± I dug my nails into his side. He squirmed. Louis is very ticklish. He soon got the upper hand, pinning me beneath him.

    ¡°Nice¡­ and you still suck at grappling.¡± I laughed lightly, pressing my lips together. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you smiling. You okay?¡±

    I shook my head from side to side. ¡°I need comfort.¡± He showed me his biggest smile that reached his ears and made the side of his eyes crinkle.

    ¡°WHAT ARE YOU  GUYS DOING?¡± My dad yelled into the room and opened the door all in one action. Louis and I both swore loudly, throwing him with a pillow. ¡°Your mom and I will take a drive to the market¡­¡± Louis¡¯s hands tightened around my waist under the sheet, dragging me closer to his body.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say an hour?¡±

    I scooted down until I was covered. Embarrassed beyond measure. Louis laughed. ¡°Really Juliet. I¡¯m two hundred years old. I think your dad knows what his daughter is doing with such an old guy¡­ With only one thing on his mind.¡±

    I punched him in the stomach. He groaned.

    My dad laughed, walking away. A moment later, the front door closed.

    Louis slowly pulled the covers off us. Our eyes met, but all the fun and games were over.

    ¡°This will only be our second time together,¡± Louis whispered. I nodded and dragged his lips onto mine.

    ***

    He wasn¡¯t on top of me long, rolling us over. I stared down at him. ¡°And now?¡±

    ¡°You came into my room¡­ Asking for it¡­ You¡¯re going to have to be on top today.¡±

    I stuck out my tongue at him. ¡°This is manipulation. You have the ability to make this great.¡±

    He stayed quiet for a bit. ¡°You have something to tell me?¡± I didn¡¯t want to talk. So, I stayed on top for punishment.

    It worked to take my mind off everything as I rocked on top of Louis. But it wasn¡¯t going to make me cum. I was only getting more frustrated. Louis¡¯s release didn¡¯t take me long. He pushed me off him, giving me something I could go to the bathroom with. Sitting on the toilet for a while, I went back to the room. I dropped down on the bed, falling asleep. A few minutes later, Louis pulled me back on top of him. ¡°Are you going to talk to me?¡±

    I groaned. ¡°Louis¡­¡± Thinking about having to utter all the words building up inside me was too much. Avoiding meant I stayed on top again,

    having to go at it longer. It had me so close, but I couldn¡¯t get a release like that, not without help. I never could. He knew it¡­ When Louis was done the second time, he dragged me down against him, holding me close. ¡°Baby¡­¡± He whispered. ¡°Please talk to me¡­.¡±

    My legs were burning. My eyes were burning. No words wanted to cross my lips. I fell asleep with him stroking my hair.

    After the third time, he knew I wouldn¡¯t talk. He let me be. I was so tired. The lack of sleep the previous night had drained me. Emotionally I wanted to curl up in a ball and suck my thumb. I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes open. Louis spooned me into his arms. Held me so close to his body. I was thankful because all I needed was to be near him, where everything made sense. Safety and to feel him inside me. It wasn¡¯t about getting off.  He knew that, too. I loved being with him¡­ I fell asleep thinking about nothing but him.

    ***

    The few hours we got were the best, and I felt better opening my eyes. The sun was hot outside. Louis complained when I stretched next to him. Arms high above my head, twisting my naked body. His one eye opened, scanning me.

    ¡°No! Not again¡­ please.¡±

    Guiltily, he quickly closed his eyes, smiling. ¡°You angry that you had to do all the work today.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I wanted comfort, not a gym session¡­ My legs are jelly.¡±

    ¡°I should have told you I¡¯m a lazy lover.¡±

    In disgust¡­ I stared at him, narrowing my eyes. A few seconds later, we both burst out laughing. A knock at the door made Louis pull me against him. Covering us both with the sheet.

    ¡°You got to come and see this, Louis... You to Julie¡­ Quickly.¡±  Eyes wide, we jumped up in mutual understanding. We got dressed, throwing each other with clothes. Before I wanted to open the door, Louis¡¯s hand spun me around. He lifted me up, our eyes meeting. ¡°I have no words, baby. You rock my world¡­ that was¡­ insane¡­ You please me beyond anything¡­ I love you! My head slumped onto his shoulder¡­ thinking that I could do this every day.

    ¡°Yes, please.¡± He begged. His voice was low, kissing my neck. ¡°I¡¯ll make up next time. You know why I did it right.¡± My lips found his¡­ I nodded. I needed to be in control. He didn¡¯t mind. Even though in the beginning Louis¡¯s touch did not set me on fire¡­ I knew it would be lasting. I would never get enough of it. Because he was good for me. And I chose him.

 Marcus Keeps Disappointing

    77. Marcus Keeps Disappointing

    Carl

    Marcus had come back from the basement talking to Qadir a while ago. I didn¡¯t have much time before I would be needed. I was thinking about Charlene and whether they were okay. I had to ask.

    Me { Hey Chars } I waited for a response. It came quickly.

    Charlene { Hi } I was glad that my phone was working again.

    Me { Have you and Ben talked? }

    Charlene { Yeah } My breath caught, thinking that she might have changed her mind about staying with him.

    Me { And? }

    Charlene { He left. }  My eyes closed. That was not what I was hoping for. She was all alone there. I wanted to kill Benjamin. How could he do that to her? Didn¡¯t he know how scared she was?

    Me { Is he coming back? }

    Charlene { No. Facepalm emoji. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m figuring it out. }

    Me { What do you mean? }

    She didn¡¯t reply. I guessed she didn¡¯t want to bother me. I had left her there, too. I could¡¯ve figured something out. Even Kubra told me that he thought I would bring her with me. Felt like a fool. Had no right to judge Ben. I was the one who told her to choose.

    Me { Put on the news. Marcus is going on worldwide. }

    She went offline. I stared out over the interview room. Marcus was being prepped by a lot of people. He was dressed semi-formal. Just like a normal human being. Three people sat under the limelight. One reporter, an alien, and the American General.

    ¡°This broadcast is coming to you live from Washington DC inside the white house¡­ We have with us Marcus Ahmed, joined by the General of the Army. They are going to clarify what is going on in America. Many people have hidden themselves in their homes. Fear is rampant. Gun sales have skyrocketed.¡± Jennifer made her introductions. ¡°Let¡¯s hope talking to Marcus can give us more inside information.¡± She turned to him. ¡°Marcus¡­¡± Jennifer said, taking a breath. ¡°Who are you? And why did you want to address the world tonight?¡±

    Marcus¡¯s eyes cast down for a second. They came up quickly. He bobbed his head in a friendly manner. He was like a different person. Smiling. Engaging. Making eye contact with Jennifer and the General. The scowl was gone¡­ The constant menacing behind his eyes. I shudder to think what a good actor he was. ¡°This might come as a shock, Jennifer. People have not been alone on Earth for the last two hundred years. The American government has had a tight-knit relationship with¡­ Aliens.¡± Jennifer gasped. Her eyes flickered over to the General.

    ¡°Can you confirm that, General?¡±

    ¡°It is true, Jennifer.¡±

    There was a murmur behind me in the room of reporters who didn¡¯t get the seat Jennifer got. My father came to stand next to me. Marcus continued when she sat stupefied. ¡°The thing is, Jennifer. My father wants to take over the Earth. Rule and make the society both human and alien.¡±

    Jennifer was stunned into silence. She bit into the air, trying to figure out what to ask... ¡°So you are an¡­ alien?¡± Both men nodded. Jennifer moved around nervously in her seat.

    ¡°For two hundred years, we have been living off human¡­ blood and eating people.¡± Marcus¡¯s face was as dead serious as it could be. Without being a threat. Still trying to keep Jennifer calm. He and the general were non-fluxed. Their composure stayed reassuring. So much so that no one would doubt that Marcus was telling the truth.

    ¡°May I ask you a question?¡±

    He waited in anticipation.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Thank You, Jennifer¡­ Like I said, my father is a bit of an entrepreneur. Being the youngest of nine children, there wasn¡¯t much space for him left on our planet. He came¡­, and now we want to stay. Have a good relationship with people.¡±

    There was the first lie.

    ¡°And you eat people?¡±

    ¡°Not just people. We want to stop doing that¡­ Bring food from other planets here to Earth. Have people farm with these beasts for us. Creating jobs. Bringing technical and technological advancement from an alien race.¡±

    Marcus never fidgeted. At that moment, he was playing nervously with his hands. It was all an act. His hands moved here and there. He dabbed at his brow and moved around on his chair.

    ¡°Unfortunately¡­ This hostile sign or biochemical attack from Qadir... My father. That started here in America¡­ is proof that we are superior in every way. We would expect everybody to just go on with their lives¡­ Bluntly put, I don¡¯t think there is really time for negotiations. I can¡¯t entirely agree with everything my father is doing. I have some human friends of my own. So, to save human lives, I want to end this era of older generations as quickly as possible. My father¡¯s release from custody will be the immediate stop of the attacks across the world.¡±

    ¡°What about the law that we do not negotiate with terrorists anymore, general? Will there be war?¡±

    ¡°Everything he said is true, Jennifer... Every president, prime minister, and Shaik will address their nation at nine. There will be a confession to the people.¡±

    He sat quietly for a while.

    ¡°It was a worldwide decision. All the countries signed this treaty so many years ago. The opportunity was just too great to pass up¡­ People have to consider that no one knew they were among us. The population of the Earth had not diminished in any way¡­ It proves the necessary evil of the situation.¡±

    Marcus took the reigns to take the focus off the humans. ¡°Most of the government officials in all the countries are aliens already. No one knows. We all look alike. Aliens don¡¯t even know that the person next to them is from another race until¡­ as we all call it¡­ they manifest.¡±

    ¡°Different races?¡± Jennifer exclaimed nervously.

    ¡°Yes¡­ All stronger in various ways. All presented as human.¡± Marcus said lastly.

    ¡°I think we should end tonight, Marcus, by saying¡­ Our planet might not last forever. People should keep in mind that interstellar travel is possible. Space and other worlds are open for us to explore. It¡¯s not only a reality but happens in a matter of seconds.¡±

    The two men stood up. Shook hands and walked out together.

    Jennifer turned her swivel chair to face the camera. Stunned for a moment, stuttering. ¡°Thank¡­ you¡­ Marcus. Thank You, General¡­ Let¡¯s break and let the elect address the nations later today. Thank You all for joining me. I don¡¯t know about you, but I would like some proof¡­. Maybe have one of these aliens manifest on television. Let us know what you all think.¡±

    The red light cut out. Jennifer stood up shakily, making her way out of the room. There was an instantaneous commotion of the staff behind me. It was almost unbearable. The comments of the injustice. Talking turned to a bustle when my father turned around, shoeing everyone back to work. It was an earth-shattering moment. Everything would change. It¡¯s not like they could ever take it back. No one knew what way the wind would blow. My phone rang. I answered quickly.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Charlene asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Can we talk? I¡¯m a little bored¡­ Wished I went with Juliet to the compound as a second wife.¡±

    ¡°Can you imagine? Then I wouldn¡¯t see you again,¡± I said softly.

    Charlene was quiet. ¡°Will you let me know what¡¯s¡­¡± Her voice trailed off.

    ¡°Of course. Will stay in touch every day. Stay safe.¡± She wasn¡¯t saying anything. ¡°Charlene?¡± I pulled the phone from my ear. The call was dropped.

    ***

    Marcus

    Stepping out of the interview room, they let me take the night. Qadir was still in the holding cell. I was on my way to the hotel they booked us into. All of us were staying in the same place. I needed my phone¡­ I tried to shake off the feeling I had. Acting like that went against everything I stood for.

    ¡°Marcus.¡± Carl stopped me. Kubra was short on his heels.

    ¡°Hey. What¡¯s up?¡± I rubbed my eyes.

    ¡°Well, first of all. Ben left Charlene alone at the house.¡±

    My eyes widened in surprise. ¡°I don¡¯t like that, Carl.¡±

    ¡°He did what?¡± Kubra exclaimed out of the blue, muttering something under his breath and gritting his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of her.¡± He spats out, walking away quickly. Carl was worriedly staring after him. ¡°Not good enough for you? If you run, you could catch up.¡±

    His eyes cast to the floor. He took a deep breath. ¡°Just like you, I¡¯m stuck here¡­ Anything anyone can do¡­ would be great. My father isn¡¯t really any help at this stage. Or in that department.¡±

    ¡°I trust Kubra with my life, Carl. Don¡¯t worry. He will see her settled somewhere safe or even bring her here.¡±

    It seemed to calm the boy down. Carl wanted to leave, still deep in thought. Kubra¡¯s reaction was bizarre¡­ even to me. ¡°Hey, Carl! Secondly?¡± I asked as he turned back.

    ¡°Oh yeah¡­ I can¡¯t find Michael anywhere.¡±

    I chewed the inside of my lip. Rubbing my chin with a finger. Trying to calculate how long it¡¯s been. Caleb left two weeks ago. The buttons weren¡¯t in the safety deposit box because as soon as Caleb left¡­ Michael was taken¡­ What else could possibly go wrong? I called him over. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°To the hotel.¡±

    ¡°I think we should stay together¡­ What do you think?¡±

    He smiled. Relief washed over his face. Strangely, it made me feel better, too. We made our way in silence. He walked with me to my room and came in. I picked up my phone. There was nothing. No messages. No calls¡­

    ¡°Hey, do you have reception?¡± I asked, sitting down.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Well kinda. Not when we first came. But I talked to Charlene briefly when you were on the air¡­ Want to use my phone?¡±

    ¡°Please. I want to talk to Louis¡­ here is mine. See what you can do.¡±

    I dialed Louis¡¯s number.

    Me [ Hey¡­ I thought you would never answer. ]

    Louis [ Sorry, we were watching you on the TV. My phone was somewhere in the room. Why are you calling from Carl¡¯s number? ]

    I heard Juliet in the background. My insides churned from jealousy. Why was she there?

    Me [ And? What are Liam and Cindy saying? ]

    Louis [ I get it. We have to stay¡­ We all get it, Marcus. ]

    He was being so clipped with me. My feelings took me by surprise. I had been so busy avoiding Juliet for a year. One kiss had made the difference, and Louis was in the way of everything I had ever wanted. Juliet and me at my house. Together. My inadequacy came full force to the surface. Juliet wasn¡¯t happy with me, and she would not force me to love her.

    Me [ Can I talk to her? ]

    Louis [ Yeah, here she is. ]

    His voice was accommodating. I heard them fighting in the background. Louis struggled to get her on the phone. Liam and Cindy were also trying. Silence.

    Louis [ S- Marcus, she left. ]

    Me [ What do you mean? Why was she there? ]

    Louis [ She walked here this morning. ]

    Me [ She what? Is she looking for trouble? ]

    Louis [ Invisible, of course. ]

    I blow out a breath.

    Louis [ We need to get her a phone, Marcus. Why did you not let her bring hers? ]

    Me [ Louis¡­ things are like this because my father isn¡¯t back yet. It will be worse when we have to take it away later. ]

    He was quiet.

    Louis [ Why did you tell me to go to your house. They wouldn¡¯t even talk to me at the gate¡­]

    Me [ It was worth a shot, I suppose ... I felt guilty. ]

    Louis [ Yeah. Okay. We better get used to it¡­ I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m so hard on you. ]

    Louis¡¯s words meant something. Cut me to the core. They were trying. But just like me, no one could do anything. I couldn''t relieve all their worries. It was building up¡­ slowly.

    Me [ Why did you not answer my message? ]

    Louis [ I did. ]

    Me [ There is something wrong with my phone, Louis. Just bear with me, okay. ]

    Louis [ Bye, Marcus. ]

    Me [ Bye. ]

    ¡°You figure out what¡¯s going on, Carl?¡±

    ¡°Seems fine to me. I¡¯ll try to call you.¡±

    Nothing happened.

    ***

    Juliet

    I could get used to it. I had freedom¡­ Just invisible freedom. I laughed at my own joke. It was late when I eventually made my way back to Marcus¡¯s house. Luckily, the window in the kitchen was still open. I felt stupid for running away when Marcus called. My thoughts were consumed by seeing him like that¡­ How he could change in an instant. It scared the crap out of me. I climbed through invisible and walked towards my room. I didn¡¯t see Damian, wondering where he could be. I left Marcus¡¯s door open a little to come back from my invisible state inside. I didn¡¯t want Damian to see me disappear. He was nowhere. I threw my veil on the bed. I had taken it with me just in case.

    The other guard was constantly sitting at the gate. He hadn¡¯t introduced himself yet. I sat on the bed thinking. Red lights were going off. Damian was out looking for me. ¡°Shoot!¡±

    I heard his low voice echo through the place. He had just come through the gate, talking to the other guard. He was stomping up to my room, slamming the door open. It almost went off the rails. ¡°You better be here.¡± He was visibly startled seeing me. Confusion written on his features. It soon turned to fury. ¡°Where the hell have you been? How did you get out?¡± At first, I didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Answer me!¡±

    ¡°I snuck out¡­ the kitchen.¡± I hesitated, but lying wasn¡¯t going to work.

    ¡°If you do that again, I will have to sort you out.¡±

    I was a little tired of this big guy bullying me. His tone was unnecessary. The cruelty in his eyes scared me. Chris¡¯s words came to mind too late. ¡°Her biggest problem is that mouth of hers.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help you¡¯re doing a piss poor job, dude,¡± I said¡­ stupidly.

    The fist came at me so quickly I couldn¡¯t even dodge. It was hard planting in the side of my face. I landed on the floor in front of my bed, gasping. I lifted both hands in surrender. ¡°My mistake.¡± My hand jumped to my cheek. Damian towered over me. Hunching down, he grabbed my chin, twisting my face left and right.

    ¡°You¡¯ll live. Don¡¯t talk to me like that again. If I ask you a question, answer me properly.¡±

    I nodded. Damian turned and left, closing my door and Marcus¡¯s. I could hear him moving his chair to a better vantage spot. Groaning, I fell down on the bed, screaming into the pillows. Caleb¡¯s little face flashed in my mind. His little fingers around mine. Chris¡­ that was so gentle with me. Louis that morning. Charlene and Min¨¦¡­ Carl. My parents and the fact that they also had to come back. The thing was¡­ Caleb wasn¡¯t dead. Chris wasn¡¯t dead. I mourned their loss. But they were safe¡­ I had to be happy about that. If I had to go through it to keep Min¨¦ safe, I would just have to suck it up... I was lying on my bed for the longest time, waiting for the tears to come. They didn¡¯t. Louis wanted me to talk. I couldn¡¯t. I was pushing everything down again. The flesh was ripped on my cheek. It stung when I touched it. I walked to the bathroom to ascertain the damage in the mirror. Eyeing the bath and whether it was going to be worth it.

 New People

    78. New People

    Charlene

    I don¡¯t think I slept at all the first night I was alone. The following day, when the sun was far out in the sky, I dared to open my front door. Scared of someone coming out of the bushes or a creature attacking me. I was such a coward. Like a door could stop any of them. One thing of Juliet¡¯s that I didn¡¯t have was her courage. It must be a creature thing. Even that day at the cages, I was so scared. She just lifted her hands and fought. Earlier that morning, I got a text¡­ Anonymous said that I was still being watched. Strangely, it helped. And when it was light, I wasn¡¯t that scared. I packed up all our stuff and moved to the main house. Being in Louis¡¯s room would make me feel better. I needed to be with Katty anyway. I didn¡¯t want to be down there. Even if the whole house was boarded up. It was only, so I didn¡¯t have to do it¡­ If I ever decided to leave.

    I also wanted to be near a car. Katty and I were playing with Min¨¦. She would need to see a vet soon. There was so much to do.  I kept watching my phone for any news, but nothing. I couldn¡¯t wait around forever for this ¡°hang tight¡± that came out of nowhere. So, after another night alone, I packed up everything I needed and started to load the car. The battery was flat, and it needed a jump. All I had was a portable pack that Louis had. What did I know about jumping a car¡­ nothing?

    I watched Marcus on TV. Day after day. Resolved to hit the road. I was in the garage watching all kinds of videos on how to jump a car. Louis¡¯s A-Z was lacking. In the end, I think I got it. All I needed was to wait ten minutes. So I had Min¨¦ in my arms, just looking down the lane, waiting. I saw the familiar black clothes. I was used to white with the other watchers. Kubra never wore white. He was in a hurry and didn¡¯t even glance at the main house. He was banging hard on the door, calling for me. What was he doing? Edgy and nervous, he came back into the street with hands on his hips, thinking.

    ¡°Hey!¡± I thought I should say something. Hearing me, his hands fell. Shoulders dropped a little, eyes closing. I was just glad it wasn¡¯t his father. I¡¯ve heard of his dad and him dressing the same. Slowly, he walked up to the garage, skeptically eyeing the packed car.

    ¡°You going somewhere?¡±

    ¡°As you can see. I¡¯m all alone.¡± His eyebrows raised. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here.¡±

    His eyes drifted to the car¡¯s open bonnet, and he slowly moved around to the front, pressing his lips together. His nostrils flaring. I followed his gaze and could see nothing wrong. He unclamped the two colors and switched them. There was a buzz from the battery. I groaned. I sighed dramatically, rubbing my already red eyes. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°So, where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Paris for now¡­ I need to be somewhere closer to shops¡­ I can¡¯t be out here all alone with a baby.¡±

    ¡°Marcus and I heard from Carl about¡­Ben.¡± His eyes cast down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better this way. At least I know what I¡¯m dealing with.¡± I yawned, covering my mouth.

    Kubra¡¯s eyes scrutinized me. ¡°Are you almost done? Is there something I can help you with?¡±

    ¡°No, I would let the car run for about ten minutes¡­ While I locked up and then hit the road.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do that. You get Min¨¦ settled and get in the back with her. I¡¯ll do the first drive.¡±

    ***

    Kubra

    Charlene seemed confused. ¡°I don¡¯t think you should do this alone, Charlene. Juliet would never forgive me if something happened to you. Marcus asked me specifically. You¡¯ll have to drive all the way to Paris¡­ You really want to do that alone?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t going to confess right there. I had just been waiting for an opportunity to play the hero. Or that I was watching her. She shook her head. Opened the door and strapped Min¨¦ in her baby seat. With a bounce in my step, finishing up took me less than five minutes. She allowed me to stay. I couldn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°Katty,¡± Charlene said loudly when I came down the few steps into the garage. ¡°She is in her carrier at the door.¡± I turned to pick up the cat. I had never tasted cat. But she was kinda cute.

    ***

    It wasn¡¯t five minutes, or Charlene was sleeping. Her head rested on the baby seat. I stopped the car, opened her door, and pulled her down onto the seat. Putting one of Min¨¦¡¯s blankets under her head, bending her legs so she could lie on her side. When she was comfortable, I went to Min¨¦¡¯s side and pulled up the car seat so that she was tilted back and could also take a nap. Right at that moment, I didn¡¯t understand what Ben was thinking. Or why Carl was being so stupid.

    ***

    It was a good two hours before Mine was awake, and after another half hour, she became fussy. She had lasted longer than I anticipated. I pulled into a gas station and parked close to the convenience store entrance, locking it as I went inside to get some hot water for her bottle.

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    I rummaged through her bag inside the car and got everything while Charlene snored away. Had she slept at all? I just watched her when I could. Make sure she was fine¡­ I saw her packing her bags. I would have come anyway¡­ Thanx to Carl. I had an excuse¡­ The bottle was made, and I took Min¨¦ to the bathroom to change her.

    When I got back, Charlene was still sleeping. I sat in the front passenger seat and gave Min¨¦ her bottle. Got a few stares about the clothes. It was uncomfortable for traveling. I wasn¡¯t always dressed like that. We were having important meetings in Washington, and they needed to know who was who. I yawned as well, staring at Min¨¦. ¡°When last did I sleep?¡± I asked myself.

    ¡°Do you want to find a motel?¡± Charlene¡¯s voice was soft. She waved at the smiling face, seeing her mother come up in the back. Her little arms moved up and down excitedly. I snickered. She was cute, just like the cat.

    ¡°Kubra?¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡±

    ¡°You want to find a place to sleep¡­ it¡¯s getting late.¡±

    ¡°If you like.¡± The bottle was almost done. Min¨¦ spat out the teat. I picked her up and walked into the store. Bought Charlene food and something to drink. Stepping outside, I heard the barfing in my ear. I felt the liquid and smelled it before registering what was going on. I pushed her away from my body. The milk was everywhere. Not really disgusted but frustrated because I was tired. I walked back into the store, and the cashier ran to help me. Luckily, it was a young girl eager to help the gentleman. She showed me to the back, where I could put her down and clean up.

    ¡°Got a clean shirt for me?¡± She nodded and disappeared.

    ¡°Kubra¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, come in. I¡¯m just getting all her clothes off. Did you bring the bag?¡±

    Charlene walked in and pushed me away, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ll take her¡­ You sort yourself out.¡± I scanned my drenched ankle-length coat. It smelled. I took it off and threw it in the corner. Thankful that I had a reason to take it off. My tie went next. I pulled my shirt out of my pants, letting it hang out. I undid some of the buttons, pulling it over my head. The high collar was choking me. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Charlene was staring at my torso. I peeked down and back at her. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡± She said softly, weirdly pulling her mouth.

    I shrugged. The clerk came in and did the same thing, staring at me while she tossed a souvenir shirt. I thanked her and pushed her out, closing the door. The white cloth went over my head. I sighed. Relieved to be free.

    ¡°What a bondage,¡± I said.

    Charlene frowned, shaking her head.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Says the guy that lives in a place that covers women all day¡­ every day.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°Enlighten me.¡± She said sarcastically, taking my hand and putting it on Min¨¦ so she didn¡¯t roll off the changing station. Charlene bent down to dig in the bag.

    ¡°Just because you can¡¯t see my scars doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t have any. And men are just as caged in as the women. Told what to do. Where to serve and how to live. If you don¡¯t, there is also punishment.

    She shook her head.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why would you stand for that?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. If I find out, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± She came back up. I let go, stepping back so that she could finish. I went outside to the cashier, asking about Inns. We were on our way. But literally down the road and soon parked the car. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± She nodded. I made all the arrangements at the reception. I took out everything from the car she pointed at. Stuff that she would need. We made our way to our room. It would be nice to just sit down.

    ¡°Just one room?¡± She asked when I pushed the key into the hole and opened the door. I nodded and helped her in yawning again. We got settled. I sat on the chair, taking off my boots and my socks.

    She complained, ¡°Do you want Min¨¦ to gag again.¡± Puzzled, I smelled my shoes. Never had anyone complained about my shoes before. Shrugging, I put them outside the door. Went into the bathroom to wash my feet. I heard her laughing behind me.

    ¡°Better?¡± I asked, stepping back into the room.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks. Much better.¡± I made myself comfy on the one twin bed. Yawning again. It was early evening, but I needed to sleep.

    ¡°Do you want to eat again?¡±

    ¡°No, thank you. The massive French loaf you got me is still half-eaten.¡± I turned on my side, intrigued by what she found funny.

    ¡°Do you mind if I sleep?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No. I¡¯ll be fine. How long have you been awake?¡±

    I couldn''t answer. I was already gone.

    ***

    Charlene

    I felt sorry for Kubra. Service wasn¡¯t easy. The hours weren¡¯t easy. When He fell asleep, I brought in Katty and sorted out her sandbox. She relieved herself and immediately started complaining. I put some food in her dish, and she ate the kibble, crunching away. She was adorable, and Min¨¦ loved her. They played a lot.

    I kept staring at Kubra. Sleeping in the bed next to mine. He was a¡­ sudden enigma. That was the first time he had spoken¡­ so much. I didn¡¯t really know he had a personality. A bit testy at times, but I couldn¡¯t really blame him.

    Because Min¨¦ and I slept well in the car, we would have a few hours before she would be tired again. If I were alone, I would¡¯ve tried to reach a town one stop further. Kubra had seemed so tired that I felt guilty asking it of him. He would¡¯ve had to sleep in the car in those clothes. I couldn¡¯t do it. Glad we had stopped. He slept like the dead¡­ My gaze kept drifting to the other bed. Away from my phone screen. Away from the TV screen. Away from playing with Min¨¦. Feeding her, giving her a bottle, putting her down. I couldn¡¯t get a hold of anyone anymore. After Marcus¡¯s debut into society, the world had gone into a communication shutdown. When Min¨¦ eyes finally closed, I was exhausted again. I got into my bed and fell asleep watching Kubra next to me, feeling safe.

    He wasn¡¯t at all what I thought.

 The Seventh Stage of Grief

    79. The Seventh Stage of Grief

    Chris

    Hearing that I would never go back was not an option. I had thought I wouldn¡¯t see Juliet for a month at most. I would have convinced my father¡­ Or, even the people that she could either come here or I go there for a time. If it took me less than ten minutes to get to another system. To another freaking planet, there had to be a way.

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked my father. ¡°Why can I never go back?¡±

    ¡°Do you see any cars, Chris? Do you see any satellites on the houses? Cell phones or communication devices? There is no way. It¡¯s vampire tech. We had to do a lot of trading for you the last hundred and fifty years of my life. It wasn¡¯t easy. They don¡¯t really play nice.¡±

    He stopped talking and greeted someone who came walking past.

    ¡°The vampires only allow you to travel if you trade something. Marcus wouldn¡¯t even have that kind of pull for years.¡±

    What did my dad have to give up? What was trade-worthy in that freaking desert? It felt like I wanted to be sick. When Juliet said, I would never see her again. I thought she was being dramatic. I scoffed at myself. She always said I was na?ve. My head was buried in the sand or up my ass. I glanced around, like all the people there. I fit right in.

    For the first time, I felt the loss. I felt my family slipping through my fingers. Louis and Marcus. Juliet mourning¡­ crying. The blood drained from my face. The world spun around me. I fell but was caught. My father ran his thumb over my forehead. Inwardly, I groaned, recoiled, and wanted to throw a tantrum. I knew why Juliet hated being treated like a child. Everyone making decisions for you without giving you all the facts. The understanding or the time to make a proper decision. Oh, how I had judged her.

    ***

    The next time I woke up. The goddess was with me on the wooden block, holding Caleb and playing with him, singing while we swayed. She had a beautiful voice. It echoed out over the rest of the convoy. They joined her.

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°We have been walking for three days.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even bother getting up. I wasn¡¯t going to jump out from too much excitement. For the first time in a year, I cried. Tears ran down my temples. Shoulders shaking. The goddess didn¡¯t know what to do. She touched me. I shrugged her off. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±

    She sat back. ¡°Comfort is natural for us. Why would you not let me?¡±

    ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°That is not the way of life here, Chris. We take pleasure in each other.¡±

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t grow up here. Give me my child.¡± She handed Caleb over.

    ¡°Get out.¡± She was a little too slow, wanting to talk. Everyone wanted to talk and talk. ¡°Get out!¡± I yelled loudly. Whatever her name was moved slower than a freaking turtle. The four men stopped, and she jumped down. ¡°Get me another girl. A stupid and quirky one¡­ One that looks like a boy.¡±

    ***

    Juliet

    The previous night, I must have fallen asleep, deciding against taking a bath with a perv in the vicinity. My eyes darted toward Marcus¡¯s room. The door stood open. I jumped up and hurried over the little bridge, hoping Marcus would be there. Stopping halfway, suddenly nervous. What if he was home? After, I didn¡¯t even want to talk to him. Slowly, I walked on, mustering up some courage. I was in such a tiff before he left. Why would he want to come home? He was probably mad at me.

    But the room was empty. Frustrated with myself, I went over to the bed to sit down. I regretted not talking to him. There were creases in the linen. It was as if someone was sitting on Marcus¡¯s bed. No¡­ lying down on it.  My head snapped to the door. It was closed.

    Damian¡¯s face staring at me the whole night grossed me out. Does he even know what Marcus would do to him? Would Marcus do anything? I got dressed. Put on my veil and opened the door. Damian was right outside waiting¡­ It was going to be a great day.

    Damian followed me everywhere. ¡°We want breakfast.¡± I thought of about twelve sarcastic things I could have said. Reminded of the knock I got. So, kept my mouth shut. Went to the kitchen and made them some food.

    I had not had human blood for a while. I didn¡¯t know when or how that would happen there at the compound. After Marcus¡¯s interview, I didn¡¯t think it was an option. I couldn¡¯t ask unless I bent down, put my head on the floor, and waited for Damian to give me permission to speak. That wasn¡¯t happening. I was also desperate for a beer and a cigarette to take the edge off. Not knowing what time of day it was didn¡¯t help my equilibrium.

    Standing outside the kitchen, I stared out over the yard, wondering how I would shake the guy that day. Didn¡¯t they ever change shifts? Would Damian never get tired? Oh man, I was so bored. No TV. No phone. No books. Argh, I was going to go insane. What was I supposed to do?

    I heard a car. The gate opened. My dad and mom walked through. The sun was high in the sky. It seemed like lunchtime because I was in the kitchen again. The last place I wanted to be in. They walked up the corridor, eyeing Damian watching me. When they came into the kitchen, they put some groceries on the counter. ¡°I need to eat soon. I¡¯m getting edgy,¡± I said as I hugged both of them, wincing when my mom pressed her cheek on mine a little too hard. My dad closed the kitchen door on Damian. Irritated and angry.

    ¡°What was that?¡± My mom gestured to my cheek.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± I shook my head. Both of them knowingly stared at me.

    ¡°Louis is beside himself because you didn¡¯t come.¡±

    ¡°You will have to tell him that my guards are more vigilant today. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll see him again. ¡± I sighed. ¡°When is Marcus coming back?¡±

    ¡°He is so busy, Julie¡­ There were more TV broadcasts today. He is on every channel the whole day¡­ I don¡¯t think it will be this week. They had a whole schedule mapped out for him. He is to visit every continent.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°They released Qadir. There was nothing else anyone could do. The negotiations have begun. So, no more eating humans. Marcus said they were waiting on supplies from En-gannim to support Qadir¡¯s efforts.¡±

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    ¡°They needed the attack to stop. The body count was getting too much. Qadir had released it worldwide.¡± My mom added. ¡°Qadir has them right where he wants them. He is indulging them at this stage, waiting to see what his father will allow.¡±

    My parents left, promising me to come again the next day. It was at least something.

    ***

    Louis

    I wasn¡¯t coping as well as I thought I would. Juliet had not surfaced, and I felt guilty for encouraging her. I was nervously pacing the hall, waiting for Liam and Cindy. Seeing Marcus on the TV just reminded me that she was all alone. I sat down at the table, waiting. It was going to be a very long and tiring time for us. It became worse when Liam and Cindy came into the house fighting. He sat down immediately at the dining room table, calling Marcus.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Marcus answered. He sounded irritated and busy. There was such a commotion behind him. People were talking and wanting his attention.

    ¡°Marcus, the guard watching Juliet hit her last night.¡± There was silence on the other end.

    ¡°She has to learn to keep her mouth shut, Liam. Juliet is the one who wanted to come for her treatment¡­ I can¡¯t talk now.¡± He hung up.

    Liam drew in a breath, covering his mouth with his hand. His gaze fell across the room, peering wide-eyed out in front of him. My hand reached for my forehead, grabbing my head as it slumped down.

    Indignation filled all of us. ¡°Did that just happen?¡± Liam asked.

    Cindy slowly got up and went to their bedroom, closing the door softly. Liam stood, grabbing a drink out of the fridge. He opened the patio door to go sit outside. Left with my thoughts. I was reminded of my conversation with Juliet the day Qadir came. About Marcus not choosing her. It was already coming true. She would be heartbroken. She would have to suffer for a bit. I wondered how we would get out of that mess? Charlene was the dominating factor¡­ I didn¡¯t know what to do. Marcus always wanted her back there. She was. I followed Liam outside. ¡°We need to talk about the brandings.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. We need to get out of here. Qadir got what he wanted. Marcus is back. It doesn¡¯t seem like he will step up after all¡­ The thing is, I can¡¯t get a hold of Samuel. Now that Chris is gone¡­ It¡¯s like all the rules are out the window.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m scared for her, Liam. She didn¡¯t say anything, but she thinks the guard is ogling her.¡± Liam¡¯s foot started jumping nervously. The drink went flying, crashing into the mountain''s rocks that surrounded and caged us in.

    ¡°Why the hell did we do this?! We can¡¯t even begin with the treatment because Marcus is not here. It¡¯s not like she can walk to Rodrigo¡¯s office.¡± Liam sat forward, his head in his hands. ¡°And if we leave now. She¡¯ll die.¡±

    I was quiet, wondering if now would be a good time to tell them everything.

    Juliet and I could just walk out. Hand in hand. ¡°What is it, Louis. Spit it out.¡± That guy¡­ Juliet¡¯s father knew me. He had been alive longer than me.

    ¡°I¡­ I did something, Liam.¡± His eyes met mine.

    ***

    Juliet

    Around lunchtime the next day, my parents made another visit. I wondered when Damian would tell them to stop.

    ¡°Julie¡­ Louis told us everything.¡± I was stunned. Was he that worried?

    ¡°We want the two of you to just go.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to say. My eyes darted to the door. Would Damian hear us? My dad took me by the arm and walked to the back door. ¡°I can open for you¡­ You take his hand and never look back.¡± His voice was low. My mind was racing. Selfishness was pushing me to take the gap, grab the door handle and leave.

    ¡°What about Charlene and Min¨¦.¡±

    ¡°Marcus is back, Juliet. That is all he wanted. If you¡¯re in the wind. What can Marcus do but stay? If he stayed, which he would if we told him about Min¨¦. They got the last cub. He won¡¯t bother. Sita is gone.¡±

    ¡°Michael?¡±

    ¡°Julie¡­ you have to think about the possibility that¡­.¡±

    ¡°No! Not until I see a freaking body.¡± I didn¡¯t even want to think about Michael with a bullet through his head.

    ¡°What about you guys?¡±

    ¡°We will walk out with you.¡± My mom said.

    ¡°What about Caleb and Chris?¡± My father¡¯s hand slowly dropped from my arm.

    ¡°Oh, Juliet. I don¡¯t know what to do. Did he hit you again?¡±

    I dropped my gaze to his shirt. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell Louis, did you?¡±

    If I were to ever see Chris and Caleb again. The compound was the only place to be. ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t,¡± I said finally. ¡°I was prepared for this.¡± My parents hugged me together.

    ***

    There was nothing else to do but be patient. It was one of my weaknesses. So I practiced. I sat on my bed for the next few days, checking Damian so he couldn¡¯t watch me. His every move and what the two guards talked about. It was weird. They never changed shifts. Even their breaks were taken there. I would have to be clever about it. If I wanted to sneak out again.  Of course, I also tested the boundaries a bit. First, I tried reading. If I could only read, I could actually do it¡­ Damian opened the door and hit me. Twice that time. Harder every time.

    ¡°Women don¡¯t read. Juliet. The library is on his side for a reason.¡±

    They didn¡¯t mind me in the kitchen. Obviously¡­ So I spent most days there. I tried asking in the usual way when I would be fed. That got me a hard knock. Not supposed to ask like that. I have to say that it was terrible. Only Louis could hit me, and it was fine. I was thankful, too. He taught me how to be knocked around a bit and keep sane. It was like practice in the ring, with only a bigger guy and a lot older, fully manifested. It kept me from thinking about Caleb. I should have taken Min¨¦, Charlene, and Louis. Made us all disappear and walk to the end of Canada. The four of us could have been happy. We all could¡¯ve run in different directions. My parents didn¡¯t come again. I didn¡¯t think it was a coincidence. Either Damian heard us talking or didn¡¯t like us talking at all.

    One thing I could do was exercise. Pushups. Planks. Stomach. Arms. Legs. Staying fit was important. Active. But coupled with that and not having showered in a few days. I started to smell. It wasn¡¯t very hygienic either, but I didn¡¯t care. I was scared.

    That night I couldn¡¯t anymore and double-checked that both doors were closed. Put on both the room lights and the one in the bathroom so I could see everything. I took a long bath. My eyes darted to the two rooms a few times. Lying in the tub was almost the only relaxing thing there was to do. I submerged myself in the water for a few minutes, trying to quiet my mind from the constant noise of Damian¡¯s voice. Or the chirping of the irritating grasshopper that I would eat as soon as I found it. I sat up after I felt more like myself. I wiped my hair back, draining the water with both hands. Marcus¡¯s room light had gone out. ¡°F-.¡± I wished Damian would get it over with. Kill Louis and me already. But then Marcus would die. They were playing another game.¡±

    I checked my room. It was empty. Drawing in a breath, I reached out the tub to grab my towel, covering myself quickly before I got up and out. I walked slowly to the door. Again, I just needed to put off the light in the bathroom. I would be able to see into Marcus¡¯s room. Nervously, I slapped the switch for effect, waiting for the lighting to even out. Nothing. I opened the door to check the room. Could my life be any worse? My bad luck had turned into a full-blown nightmare. Getting dressed, I was so angry. I was almost sure Damian had watched me. Put out the light. It grossed me out. I knew I was sexual. But really, did that give any guy the right to ogle me. I paced the room. My brain switched to stupid Juliet. I called it the seventh stage of grief. Going crazy.

    I walked to the door without my veil and slid it open, Damian smirked, seeing me. That glint in his eye confirmed it. ¡°Where is your veil pretty.¡± My teeth compressed together. Crazy full speed ahead. ¡°Put your freaking veil on before you open that door.¡± I flipped him off.  Indignantly, his eyes darted from my hand to my eyes. He came at me. I disappeared, making him fumble forward. Not expecting it. How could they not tell him¡­ Qadir knew¡­ Was Damian not one of his guys?

    I made a run for it. Damian knew where I was going, close on my heels. If he got to the door, I would be stuck. I turned around, tripping him like I did Marcus at the cages. I scoffed at him, watching him fall flat on the floor. I quickly opened the kitchen door, disappearing again just before he could get up.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! You won¡¯t survive. You better not come back!¡± He spat out.

    I just kept running. My heart was racing.

 Moving Forward

    80. Moving Forward

    Kubra

    I don¡¯t know how long I slept, but felt great waking up, stretching out, yawning. Moving in the bed, I turned to Charlene¡¯s side of the room. She wasn¡¯t there. I checked my watch, groaning. I had slept too long. It was almost six in the morning. I had slept for ten hours. I yawned again.

    ¡°Why am I so tired?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because you can actually relax.¡± Her tiny voice said. Charlene came out of the bathroom. I got up and stepped past her, closing the door. I seriously needed to pee and take a shower. Half an hour later, I left the bathroom with only a towel around my waist. I was moving so slowly. I had sat under the water for the longest time. Charlene was startled seeing me like that. I didn¡¯t know if I had done something wrong. Her eyes darted everywhere, trying to find a place to fix on. But they came back to me eventually. I peered down at my body and looked up at her. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡± She said, sighing at the same time.

    ¡°I can take her if you want to get cleaned up.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, that would be great.¡±

    ¡°Let me just get dressed. I went back into the bathroom and put my clothes on. My mouth felt iffy. I needed a toothbrush and eyed Charlene¡¯s.

    ¡°Do you mind if I used your toothbrush?¡±

    There was a small giggle. ¡°No. Not at all.¡±  I shrugged and pushed the brush into my mouth, yawning again.

    Coming out, I took Min¨¦ from her. We made our way outside, taking a walk up and down the road, checking out what was available in that tiny little town. All I needed was underwear, a few shirts, jeans and slacks. I stared at my boots. I didn¡¯t think I could put them on again. Charlene didn¡¯t like the smell. Maybe socks and some sneakers.

    After half an hour, I opened the door again and walked into the room. Charlene was watching the news while brushing her teeth, sitting on the side of the bed. I didn¡¯t think she would use it again. My gaze dropped to her chest, only wrapped in a towel. Fixed above her breasts. I held my breath. Wet hair¡­ I knew how she felt when she saw me without a shirt or coming out of the shower.

    ¡°What?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Are you mocking me? This is not the same?¡±

    ¡°How do you figure¡­ Are you one of those men who think women shouldn¡¯t be sexual? Or notice a guy dripping wet¡­ Just wrapped in a towel. A woman¡¯s thoughts should be pure and chaste. Just for their husbands.¡± She dramatically put her hand on her heart.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never had a girlfriend¡­ How should I know?¡±

    She chuckled, her laugh growing louder.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Is that all you know how to say?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    She fell back on the bed in pieces. The towel pulled up till above her thighs, not noticing. Yeah, that was my cue. Slowly, I turned around, but not before glancing back at her legs. She had amazing legs. My eyes ran from her feet to her claves and stopped at her thighs. I shook myself, knowing she was watching me. I wasn¡¯t going to catch her eye. Not yet.

    ***

    Charlene

    I had such a good sleep. When Min¨¦ woke up at five-thirty, I couldn¡¯t believe it. We had both actually relaxed and slept through the night.

    I smiled when I saw Kubra coming in, with Min¨¦ pausing as he saw me in a towel. I did it deliberately. A dose of his own medicine. Pulling off his clothes in the store! Coming out of the bathroom like we¡¯ve just had a one-night stand. He was so hot. Ripped muscles. Pecks to die for and abs. I stopped brushing for a second, thinking about it. After laughing at him for not being able to control himself, I stood up and walked to the bathroom to rinse out the toothpaste. I got dressed and called him into the room. ¡°What time do you want to get out of here.¡±

    ¡°When you¡¯re ready.¡± He sat on a chair in the corner of the room with Min¨¦ on his one leg. His eyes quickly met mine. Did I do something wrong? He was being reticent. Maybe my games were too much. He was a vampire.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to pack and put everything in the car. Can you take her for a few more minutes?¡± He nodded.

    I didn¡¯t move, staring down at him. It felt like I needed to say something.

    ¡°What?¡± He asked like always.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t thanked you.¡±

    His eyes slowly lifted to mine. ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± They stayed on me.

    ¡°Yes, there is Kubra. For all of this ¡­ Thank You. You have no idea what it meant. What it means.¡± My emotions were still raw, and I meant it. He had saved my life.

    He was instantly back, getting up to put Min¨¦ down on her makeshift bed I had constructed on the floor. ¡°I¡¯ll help you. She¡¯s okay there.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯ll be fine.¡± I was getting to know him. His reactions. Like Marcus, they were happiest when they were doing something. When they stopped, the bells went off.

    I bent down, searching for Katty, who was playing under one of the beds. I tried to catch her, but she ran away, climbing the bed as fast as possible. Kubra came over to pick her up. He just missed her when she ran again, jumping off the bed.

    Every time I went for her, she would dodge. We were up and down. She went left and right. Laughter escaped me when I missed her again. ¡°This isn¡¯t funny. If I catch her. I¡¯ll eat her.¡±

    ¡°Awe, gross.¡±

    ¡°Seriously¡­ Your kid is going to do way worse than a vampire. Ripping something to shreds.¡±

    ¡°But I won¡¯t allow her to eat a cat! And not Juliet¡¯s engagement present.¡±

    He pulled his mouth down. ¡°So that was Michael¡¯s intention. Not very clever¡­ Katty could run away¡­ What would that say?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about what it meant in the first place. There!¡± He bent down quickly and picked her up around the ribcage. His large hand circled her and held her tightly while she protested and wriggled. He manifested and opened his mouth. Large white fangs went to bite her neck. My eyes were as big as saucers. He slowly moved her away from his lips, putting her in the carrier.

    ¡°You¡¯re too easy!¡±

    I giggled. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had a sense of humor. I thought you would really do it.¡±  I threw him with a pillow.

    ¡°Really? Pillow fight. You¡¯ll lose.¡± I lifted up my hands. Not quite ready for that¡­ Did he even know what it meant? Probably not.

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    ¡°What?¡±

    I rolled my eyes. Did he know how to construct sentences?

    ***

    ¡°Where are we?¡± I asked when the boredom set in.

    ¡°Halfway¡­¡±

    ¡°So tell me¡­ You¡¯ve been watching us for some time now. Marcus joined us almost as soon as we got to France. What do you think about everything?¡±

    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Making conversation.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯m intrigued by your relationship with Juliet.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re human¡­ She¡¯s a vampire. How did you accept that?¡±

    For a moment, I was taken back in time. The first time I saw her manifest. ¡°Hey. The first time we saw each other was at the cages that night¡­ With Louis and Marcus.¡±

    It didn¡¯t seem that he wanted to talk about it. Probably because he would have fed me to Marcus. ¡°I¡¯m always where Marcus is.¡± He avoided the question.

    ¡°So what? We¡¯re both best friends?¡±

    Kubra¡¯s eyes glanced over to me. ¡°More than that..¡±

    ¡°Yeah, more than that¡­ I love Juliet. We have a connection.¡±

    ¡°She is like glue, isn¡¯t she.¡±

    ¡°You never¡­ liked Juliet.¡± I flashed my eyebrows at him.

    He snorted, taking the last drag of a cigarette, and flicked it out of the window. I was sitting in the front with him while Min¨¦ took a nap.

    ¡°No, never.¡±

    ¡°How many women does a guy go through in two hundred years?¡±

    ¡°A lot!¡±

    ¡°How did that even work on the compound? Do you take off the veils and coverings and force them to kiss you¡­ And Marcus, you guys never raped a woman?¡±

    His head snapped around at me. His lips parted. A frown between his eyes.  ¡°Women aren¡¯t allowed to just freely walkabout. It¡¯s not like you could go into someone¡¯s house and just rape their wife¡­ Cheating is very serious. Both ways¡­ Rather take another wife than take what belongs to another man. We were¡­ Allowed to go to human brothels. The men in the army.¡± He said hesitantly.

    ¡°So what you¡¯ve slept with¡­.¡± My eyes had to dart to the roof to do the calculation. But I figured¡­ ¡°2160 women?¡± I laughed nervously, thinking it out loud.

    He¡¯s amused. ¡°How did you figure that?¡±

    ¡°Well, say for argument¡¯s sake.¡± I laughed lightly. He lit another cigarette and took a drag of it. I was staring at his mouth, and his lips wrapped around the cigarette. He held it out to me like that was what I wanted. To keep face, I took it¡­ ¡°You started at 20.¡± I gesture with my hands. He smiled broadly. For a moment, my eyes fell on his mouth again.

    ¡°For argument¡¯s sake¡­¡± He joked.

    ¡°After that, say once a month at a brothel would be a hundred and eighty years times twelve.¡±

    He¡¯s laughing, shoulders shaking. ¡°What about Christmas special?¡±

    My eyebrows raised for dramatic effect. ¡°Okay, that would be 2340.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re really witty, aren¡¯t you.¡± He said, glaring down his nose at me. Kubra had that habit of leaning towards the steering wheel when he said something. It was endearing. I held out the cigarette to him. He took it, watching our hands carefully as our fingers touched. It sent a jolt up my arm into every nerve ending of my skin. He noticed my reaction. I felt stupid and turned away from him. I shook myself, changing the subject. ¡°So all vampire women get sold at auction?¡± He nodded. ¡°And your father never bought you anyone.¡±

    He shook his head left and right. ¡°I was bred for service¡­ Just like Marcus. Political advantage and forced filial loyalty.¡±

    ¡°And you? You¡¯re eighteen, and how many men have you been with.¡± He changes the subject back.

    I answered quickly. ¡°I¡¯m at fifty.. roundabout there.¡± Kubra¡¯s head jerked around again. I was joking, of course, knowing that¡¯s what Juliet told Chris. Seemed like a good number to get a rise out of a guy. But I held his gaze, my acting up to par. His tongue played over his teeth, thinking.

    ¡°Well, if you think about it. There were one hundred seniors in the school. A hundred in my grade. Another hundred in the grade below me of which, for argument¡¯s sake, let¡¯s say twenty was¡­.¡±

    ¡°Do-able.¡± He suggested. I burst out laughing. He enjoyed seeing me laugh and watched me with interest.

    I agreed, nodding my head¡­ ¡°So, twenty guys at school. Holidays are like¡­ I look up at the roof again¡­ ¡°Five a year for¡­ three years. That¡¯s already thirty-five¡­ other schools in the area, dances, raves, clubs, etc.

    ¡°Okay! Fine! You¡¯re at fifty!¡± He yelled to shut me up, staring out the window.

    ¡°You¡¯re too easy¡­¡± His shoulders relaxed. He leaned forward, eyes on me. His chest started shaking. ¡°You laugh much easier than Marcus. You¡¯re a little bit looser around the shoulders.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡±

    ***

    Kubra

    We reached Paris sooner than I thought. Talking and spending time with someone really made the time go faster.

    I liked Charlene. She asked me what I had noticed since watching Marcus in the house for the last year¡­ I wanted to tell her that I had noticed her.

    I helped her get everything from the car into the house. We opened all the windows to let the air run through the place. Louis really did have good taste. He also had all the luxuries. The house was in a good location for Charlene and Min¨¦.

    ***

    ¡°Hey, I need to talk to you.¡± I ventured when we settled down.

    ¡°Sure, what¡¯s up.¡± Charlene¡¯s hands were always in her back pockets. It was somewhat distracting. As if she had to keep her hands busy or else they would go somewhere. I thought about sticking my own hands in those pockets. Her eyes were cast down like she was waiting for bad news.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to reach Marcus and Carl but can¡¯t get through. Neither Bertram nor the Compound. It¡¯s like all communications have been blocked off.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I also tried. But what has that got to do with me?¡±

    ¡°Well, that means I¡¯m staying for starters¡­ If you want me to. I just wanted you to know that I¡¯m trying to reach someone at the Compound so we can find out how it¡¯s going with Juliet.¡± Her eyes were still on the floor. She was rocking back and forth on her very white sneakers.

    ¡°Fine. Do you want to go to the Supermarket with me?¡±

    She didn¡¯t say no. So I wasn¡¯t going to push. ¡°Yeah, of course. Let¡¯s go. There is one around the corner. I¡¯ll get the stroller.¡±

    Charlene¡¯s eyes were on me the whole time. Like she didn¡¯t trust me. Or understood me. I would be nervous, too. She didn¡¯t know why I was there. Who I was.

    That morning, coming into Paris, we stopped somewhere to buy me clothes. Being free of my suit felt good. While we walked down the road, it felt weird being with a woman out in the open, pushing a stroller. People keep staring and saying things. Like we couldn¡¯t understand French and hadn¡¯t been living there for a year. Min¨¦ started crying for some reason. I picked her up. She instantly quieted down.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should take her out of the stroller in public. What if she changed?¡±

    It was a rather hot day. Min¨¦ was wearing a short-sleeved onesie. Very pink with a cute headband. I ignored Charlene and walked with her in my arms so she could look out into the world. It was a rough two days in the car. We were all just a little bit bored and not in routine.

    Charlene pushed the stroller going into the store. She bought everything she needed. I didn¡¯t know why, but people kept staring at us. ¡°What do you think they¡¯re staring at. I¡¯m not used to going to the store, if you know what I mean.¡±

    She snorted, staring at me in amazement. The corner of her mouth pulled up. ¡°What?¡±

    A small laugh escapes her lips.

    ¡°They are staring at you. You¡¯re handsome. And you have this relaxed state about you. I don¡¯t know how to explain it. Like¡­ You¡¯re fun to be around. And you¡¯re carrying a baby, so every girl is drooling and jealous.¡±

    ¡°Of what?¡±

    ¡°Of me¡­¡± The thought didn¡¯t even cross my mind. Everyone thought we were a family. That I was her husband and that we might just be happy. I liked the idea and went on shopping. Realizing that I had that stupid smile on my face, I saw Marcus with some time.

    Min¨¦ was in my arms in front of my chest, leaning back and enjoying the store. The stares quickly changed to pointing and whispering. I glanced down to see she had changed. I smiled. Opening the tap to my charisma and told them that she suffered from that disease where a person is born with too much body hair. I gave a very long medical name for it. And added that I didn¡¯t know how we would get her a husband.

    Everyone sympathized with us and said how sorry they were. Charlene was dumbfounded, staring at me like I was a mystery. That me knowing the name of a human disease of too much body hair was the last thing she had expected.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked.

    Her shoulders slumped forward. Her head followed in exasperation.

 Crazy Juliet

    81. Crazy Juliet

    Juliet

    The house was too far. I didn¡¯t feel like walking all the way. The market was just down the road. All I could think about was hiding behind the counter in the bookstore. I quickly made my way there, hoping and praying that Soren was still managing the place.

    I waited till he opened the tarp, sighing seeing him. I walked to the little wooden counter. It seemed so much smaller. I went down on my haunches, hiding like I always did. It wasn¡¯t long before he came around the corner.

    ¡°F-!¡± He paused.

    I waited, but he stood frozen. ¡°Can you please call Liam?¡± Soren cursed some more, fumbled, grabbed the phone, and called my dad. At one time, the guy who was my only friend sat down on his haunches next to me. My hair was still wet.

    ¡°Hi, Julie.¡± He saw my face and rubbed over the scars. ¡°What did you get yourself into today. I thought you got out. Did Marcus really find you? I haven¡¯t seen him in a year.¡±

    Hearing his name and that everybody thought he was, in the end, the bad guy made a few tears roll down my cheeks. He wiped them away with both his thumbs. I fell forward onto his chest, sobbing.

    The backdoor eventually opened. My dad came in and held out his hand. Soren helped me up. I glanced back at him before we left. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    We stopped at the house. I didn¡¯t even care. Got out, running for the door. Louis and my mom were waiting. They were startled when they saw my face. I forgot I had a fresh bruise on my eye from that morning. What did I do again? Oh yeah, I tried writing something in the kitchen to see if they would let me.

    The three people in my life weren¡¯t happy, but neither was I. My hand involuntarily jumped up to my face. Louis slowly walked towards me, stroking his hand on my cheek, cupping my neck to pull me into him. He held me. I needed more to forget about everything. It had been a week since I saw Louis last. He picked me up in his arms and turned away from my parents.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to please you, baby. Love you till all this goes away.¡± Louis did all the work and didn¡¯t mind the waterworks after.

    ***

    Louis lay conflicted on top of me after we were finished¡­ He didn¡¯t need to say anything. There really was nothing he could do. We heard the cars stop in the street and in front of the house.

    ¡°They¡¯ve found me. You¡¯re the only one who can give me my cookie and have yours quickly.¡± He shrugged, pleased with his ability.

    ¡°Do not show yourself. Stay here and let them scramble to find you. Even if  it¡¯s for a few days.¡± He kissed my bruise. There was a loud banging on the door. My dad opened it. Louis was already dressed, watching TV.

    The doors were opened without question. They made a sweep through the house. Everybody said a lot but also nothing while they were being questioned. The guards had no choice but to leave.

    Damian wasn¡¯t here. He wasn¡¯t coming within a mile of Louis. He knew, and he had secrets. Qadir still wanted Louis dead. They were waiting for a reason. Waiting for Louis to do something stupid. They would be able to get away with it¡­ With Marcus, anyway. I shook myself, having had that thought about Marcus. I still didn¡¯t want to believe he would forget about me.

    All the cars left. Louis closed the window and curtains. My mom came in and sat on the bed. I reappeared when the front door locked. ¡°You guys haven¡¯t maybe spoken to Marcus yet?¡±  All three cast their eyes down to the ground. My mouth pulled unhappily in the corner. ¡°So that¡¯s how it¡¯s going to be.¡±

    ¡°Nothing we can do tonight. Let¡¯s all get some rest.¡± My mom said and left.

    I got into bed wiped. Sleeping as soon as my head hit the pillow.

    ***

    It was four days of bliss. Smoking. Drinking and reading. Louis wanted to do something fun. I put on my veil, and we went walking in the market.

    ¡°Come and show me the bookstore and the couch.¡±  I could do with a novel. It wasn¡¯t a bad idea. Although Marcus had every book imaginable. He did not have the latest fantasy romance, nor could I read any of the books at his house.

    We walked into the supermarket. Louis pretended to be browsing. Everyone was staring at the new face. Handsome and friendly. He kept them busy while I stepped through the tarp in the back again. Soren¡¯s eyes shot up.

    ¡°NO WOMEN!¡±

    His long hair hung on his face. He swept it back, only for it to fall again. He muttered some or other swear word. I chuckled, walking past him. Soren was young, early twenties.

    Our couches were still there. They were a little worn, but I went to lie down in my corner. Despite everything¡­ I missed Marcus, hoping that we were all wrong about him. Soren came over and handed me a novel. He held it out as I scrutinized the cover. ¡°Yuk. You¡¯re going to have to do better.¡± I played with my hair, bouncing my foot up and down. He wanted to turn, but I couldn¡¯t keep it in anymore. I jumped up and threw my arms around his neck. He laughed, keeping his arms wide. Like that was the proper response for a guy getting hugged by a girl.

    ¡°You all better?¡± I shook my head and pressed harder into him.

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    Louis came in, watching us leaning on the door frame. Soren was bright red. Blushing. ¡°I thought I¡¯d never see you again.¡± He said.

    I sat down and patted the seat next to me. Soren wanted to sit down. Louis pulled him up at his collar. ¡°She didn¡¯t mean you handsome.¡±

    Louis lay down on my lap. He took out his phone, making us pose for a picture. We were fake reading. I was raking my fingers through Louis¡¯s hair. Soren was next to me on the armrest of the couch, showing a peace sign.

    Louis sent it to Marcus. I got up, standing in front of Soren. I dug underneath my veil and pulled the hair tie off. I slowly picked up my hands and raked my fingers through his hair, gathering it on top of his head and tying it so he wouldn¡¯t be irritated anymore.

    ¡°Did Marcus reply,¡± I asked?

    ¡°We got nothing back.¡±

    Soren sat on his haunches next to the couch, staring up at me. ¡°He thinks you¡¯re beautiful.¡±

    ¡°I have a veil on. And with all these bruises? I think not.¡±

    Soren nodded. ¡°Still really pretty.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this guy?¡± He pointed to Louis.

    I lifted up my hand. At least they never took my ring.

    Soren¡¯s eyes grew large. ¡°What about Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Undecided¡­¡± Louis said.

    ¡°Take it for you to go against everything and reverse it.¡±

    Louis laughed. ¡°You never said Soren was this witty.¡± I giggled.

    ¡°I missed you, Juliet. You were my only friend here.¡± Soren confessed. ¡°Life has been dull. No one to debate with. No one that has two brain cells to rub together.¡±

    ¡°Well, that is the saddest thing I¡¯ve ever heard,¡± Louis commented.

    ¡°Any wives, Soren?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Uh, no. If I can¡¯t marry you, why bother. You need another one?¡±

    Louis cleared his throat.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask the boss.¡± I threw my thumb towards Louis.

    ¡°Undecided,¡± Louis said again.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll be my first option if I ever do. Oh, and maybe Mateo.¡± Soren¡¯s eyes stared dreamily into mine. I was nervously twirling my hair around my finger.

    Louis sat up and cast a skeptical eye at me. ¡°You¡¯re actually thinking about it.¡±

    I giggled. ¡°He¡¯s cute¡­ Don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°You know¡­¡± Louis wanted to say but cut himself off. ¡°Quickly.¡± He didn¡¯t have to ask. I could see that there was something wrong. I disappeared, and Soren didn¡¯t say anything. The door that led to the outside opened. Louis pretended to be reading the novel I had thrown in his lap. His eyebrow quirked when he saw the title. He cleared his throat again. Soren kept his cool. Used to trouble following me.

    A guard walked in and over to Louis. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    He shook his head, the perfect liar. Detecting and thwarting every thought.

    ¡°We got a tip you were here.¡± Louis and Soren¡¯s eyes met in mutual understanding. We were all thinking about it¡­ Marcus.

    ¡°No, she¡¯s not¡­ Louis¡¯s countenance fell with every second. Somber Louis was almost back.

    Soren got up and walked to the counter.

    The guard checked the book in Louis¡¯s hand. His face hardened. ¡°She is making it harder on herself. Marcus wants her home. I will go back and report. But the next step would be to force her out of hiding.¡± The guard¡¯s eyes shot to Soren. ¡°If you get my drift.¡±

    Oh, hell no! They understood me so well. I came back. Louis¡¯s hand rubbed his forehead. He couldn¡¯t protect me, and he was struggling. I just didn¡¯t want him to burst. ¡°Sorry, baby,¡± I said while being dragged out. They pushed me into a car.

    We went back to the estate. Glad when we stopped outside Marcus¡¯s gates. I didn¡¯t want to end up on the chopping block at the main house. The two guards picked me up. Arms hooked my armpits, and my feet dangled in the air. They tossed me into my room, closing the door.

    I heard Damian coming closer, opening the door slowly¡­ ¡°We have her. What do you want us to do with her.¡± He actually handed me the phone. Walked away and stood outside.

    There was that silence again. Both stubborn to a fault. I knew it was Marcus. All I could think about was the kiss. How insane it was and how I felt when we finally crossed that line.

    ¡°Juliet.¡± My chin quivered. He wasn¡¯t calling me Julie. First problem. ¡°Can you please behave?¡± A louder sob escaped me. I killed the call and threw the phone at the wall. It smashed. Fell on the floor in front of Damian. Shattered.

    His eyes studied me with a predator¡¯s attention. I needed the pain, or else I wouldn¡¯t have been able to calm down. He unclasped his belt, smiling. I regretted my actions. The jingling sound was too familiar. I fell to my knees as he started hitting me. All I saw was Caleb smiling. I passed out somewhere at the fifth shot. Damian was a big guy, and I didn¡¯t have the strength to fight. Wondering why my monster wasn¡¯t surfacing.

    ***

    Marcus

    It had been two weeks of meetings. Day in and day out. I was exhausted mentally and physically. The last time I talked to Louis was when he told me he was sorry about being rude. It had been too long. Since then, I couldn¡¯t get hold of them. I tried to get a new phone. Nothing worked. I couldn¡¯t get through. The communications there were probably down. I felt my sixth sense tell me that it wasn¡¯t coincidental; something was up, but I couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Carl couldn¡¯t get through. Not to anyone. He even tried Charlene, but nothing. It was like the two of us were cut off from the world. There was no watcher to take us back and forth quickly. Jabin refused flat out. Bertram wasn¡¯t allowed to do anything. The whole world was at a standstill. There was no reprieve. No talking to Juliet. We had been together every day in France. Being with her and not being able to talk was better than not being close. My only consolation was that Qadir was with me there. Together, all the time meant he wasn¡¯t hurting her.

    I had become a spokesperson for the alien race. I couldn¡¯t leave. People didn¡¯t tend to like Qadir. No one wanted to work with him. It was evident why he raised me on Earth. Why I never went back to En-gannim. He was molding me into a perfect spokesperson. Trained by so many people in public speaking¡­ I was really good at it. When I needed to smile or fake my charisma, I could do it. Be a totally different person. I wondered what Juliet thought about it. I even went with Qadir to Palmyra to negotiate possible viability of creatures we could raise on Earth. Juliet would kill me if she knew I was one planet away from Chris and didn¡¯t pop in to say hi.

    When I suggested it to Qadir, he scoffed.

    I waited. He would give me an explanation eventually.

    ¡°Not this time.¡± Was all I got.

 Palmyra

    82. Palmyra

    Sita

    Men weren¡¯t treated well on Palmyra. I felt terrible for Francis and Jack, who wanted to go back. They were worked to the bone, like slaves. Some of the women were even borderline cruel. But something supernatural would happen. When a man made up his mind to serve one specific woman. It wasn¡¯t even a sexual thing. They would just become servants. Other men were designated to manual labor and couldn¡¯t enter a domestic situation.

    There on the planet, you were either prosperous or not. You were either clever or not. The poor people were shipped off to the outskirts of the planet. Where the military base was. Because of Nicholas, that¡¯s where Francis and Jack ended up. There was no love lost between the women. There were no friends, only enemies and competition. Because the men outnumbered the women four to one. There really wasn¡¯t any overpopulation, either.

    Everyone and everything was governed by one woman. She decided the laws, the structure, and the punishments. If there were any to be dealt with. No one ever saw her. Guarded by a multitude of soldiers and hidden away in a palace surrounded by high walls. It wasn¡¯t like the queen of England. Who¡¯s face was plastered on TV. There was no tech, so I was bored. All I did was train. All Francis and Jack did was train. We studied and read. Oh, my soul, how much I had read those few weeks. The food was delicious, and eating a person had become the last thing on my mind.

    When Liv came to see me and told me that Marcus and Qadir were on their way, I jumped at the chance to see a familiar face. I could not see Jack and Francis whenever I wanted. Seeing anyone from Earth would be a rare occasion. The powers that be had decided that the three of us could help in the negotiations. Be liaisons for Caude.

    ***

    When Marcus shook hands with the boys, and the three of them stepped aside to talk, it was all in hushed tones.

    I wasn¡¯t looking my best when I sat down across from Qadir. We were waiting for Liv, and I kept quiet. The number one rule when it came to Qadir. He sat in his usual way, scrutinizing you. One leg draped over the other. His long coat and sleek hair always left him rakishly good-looking.  He lit a cigarette, drew in, and puffed, squinting his eyes to stop the smoke from irritating him. He oozed rulership. We all knew who ruled this galaxy. It wasn¡¯t the Werewolves, and it wasn¡¯t the Riphaths.

    ¡°How are you, Sita?¡±

    I choked on the drink I had in my hand. ¡°Well, thank you. And you?¡± Surreal. Having a normal convo with the most feared man alive. Well, I would have to wait to meet his father. He had that look on his face that made you want to fall to the floor. There really was nothing else for his countenance. He also didn¡¯t answer me.

    ¡°Want to come back to Earth yet?¡± He drolled.

    ¡°Hell no. You can have it.¡±

    ¡°I do. It is why we are here. Negotiations have begun.¡± I was intrigued. Curious and desperate for a news article or a tablet. A TV screen to tell me the latest gossip on E-news.

    ¡°Do you think we have been too long among the humans?¡± He gestures to his cigarette, lifting it up in the air. I had never been a smoker, but I did miss coffee.

    I nodded. ¡°Maybe.¡± He respected my answer and held out the cigarette to me. I shook my head. ¡°No, thank you.¡± He shrugged.

    ¡°You helped me get Marcus on the compound¡­ You have keen insight into behavior.¡± Heavens! A compliment from the man who cut out his own wife¡¯s tongue. My eyes darted to Marcus, and I wondered why they had never had another child. He would cut out her tongue but drew the line at rape? Liked a woman to do all the work, and one that wasn¡¯t interested and lay there wasn¡¯t something a self-important man like him would enjoy.

    I watched Marcus making small talk. He didn¡¯t know. By Marcus¡¯s easy manner, he had no idea what we did. How we got Juliet back at the compound. I guessed Qadir wouldn¡¯t like me to blab about forcing her hand. My gaze traveled from him to his father. ¡°You ready?¡± He blinked his eyes slowly, acknowledging my question. ¡°Would love to know your plans.¡± I was relaxing, treading on dangerous territory. I felt like I had overstepped. How did I fix it?

    ¡°I would love to tell you.¡± My head snapped up, our gazes locked. What the hell was that? He was unflinching, taking a drag and blowing out the smoke.

    Liv had come walking up and heard, but her game face was on. After that, we were in meetings the whole time. It went on for a few days.  Small breaks in between and sightseeing. They had agreed on the travel and transport of creatures that could adapt to Earth and feed the growing population of vampires. Jack and Francis were even allowed to oversee that part of the negotiations.

    They left as quickly as they came. The platform we were standing on was the only place anyone could come and go via a teleporter. The vampires were particular about creating only one location on each planet for more control.

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    Before they left, Qadir came over and held out his hand to me. ¡°I feel a kindred spirit in you, Sita. Even if it is just in the hate of that Chit.¡± Reluctantly, I took his hand, and he shook mine for the first time.

    He turned to Liv. ¡°What are the chances of Sita being the new ambassador.¡±

    Liv seemed surprised. ¡°I will start her training.¡±

    They disappeared with Marcus¡¯s gaze stabbed into me. Either warning me or threatening me.

    When they were out of sight, Liv turned to me. ¡°That was a first. Careful there.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me? Did I make a friend or an enemy in disguise?¡±

    She patted my shoulder. ¡°The latter, my girl¡­ Report here in two days. It¡¯s time you three start the next stage in your education. Remember that notice is most important here. It seems like he got you off to a good start.¡±

    She walked off looking so good that I felt like a complete failure. It wasn¡¯t like I brought anything with me. I had to work nights and study during the day just to get by.

    ***

    Kubra

    Charlene and I had been in Paris for almost two weeks. It was great. I was enjoying myself. No responsibilities. No cruelty. One thing I could say about Juliet and Charlene was. They respected people. There was always a thank you, an acknowledgment of you as a person. Juliet was slightly more volatile than Charlene, but she also had a temper. There was still no word from anyone. Not Carl or Louis. All we could do was watch the news closely. I was waiting for most of the negotiations to be done. So that we could see what was going to happen. They reported that Qadir had been released, and we even saw Marcus and him on TV together.

    ¡°Is Marcus ever going to go back? Is Juliet with Louis?¡± Charlene asked.

    I shook my head slowly. ¡°Not allowed. Let¡¯s hope Juliet is taking care of herself. She was pretty upset when I came to take him away five minutes after they arrived.¡±

    Charlene pouted her lips and pretended to whistle. ¡°She¡¯s alone at the compound. I should¡¯ve gone with her. At least we would have been together.¡±

    ***

    Charlene

    Kubra was silent. He was thinking¡­ About taking me there? Would I really go with Min¨¦? I would love to see Juliet. Would they eat me..? Feeling stupid that I didn¡¯t stay with her in the first place.

    ¡°Would it be allowed? Are vampires allowed to take human wives? Can we maybe fake it that I¡¯m one of Marcus¡¯s wives?¡±

    He was quiet and playing with Katty at his feet. She was attacking his shoelaces. Sometimes, he didn¡¯t answer me. Like he got lost in his thoughts. Not like Carl, who was too scared to speak, or Ben, with the wrong motives. Kubra weighed every decision, whichever way it may go. Calculating every outcome. The one thing he and Marcus shared.

    ¡°You know, if you let me in, we could chat about it together.¡± His eyes moved away from the cat. He heard me. He heard everything. It wasn¡¯t like he was absent.

    ¡°You want me to leave Charlene?¡± I was dumbstruck. My hands reached for the back pockets of my very white jeans. He smiled at the gesture, watching me closely. Kubra watched me. All the time. Like he didn¡¯t know what I would do next. Self-conscious, I took out my hands and sat on the chair across from him.

    ¡°I¡­ think we should both leave. Wouldn¡¯t you want to see Marcus? Be at his side?¡±

    ¡°When I see him like that on the TV. No. All I¡¯m going to do is run around after him. Be kept busy with more stuff of my father and Qadir.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to go back, and you¡¯re using me as an excuse.¡± I thought he would look guilty, but the smirk on his face wasn¡¯t what I expected.

    ¡°And what if I am¡­¡±

    There really was nothing I could say. I understood where he was coming from.

    ***

    Kubra

    When I turned on the TV the following day, I heard that Marcus and his father had traveled to Palmyra. Marcus was so clever that he had lengthy discussions with physicists, astronomers, and any kind of scientists they could throw at him. He was handling everything so well. I wondered if he might have gone to see Chris.

    ¡°Charlene!¡± I ran up the stairs, rather excited. ¡°Charlene!¡± I wasn¡¯t thinking and pushed open her bedroom door. She was drying her hair naked. She spun around to the bed to grab her towel. My feet were too quick. It was two steps, and I had caught onto the other half of the white cotton. She pulled, and I pulled. My eyes couldn¡¯t stop roaming over her body.

    ¡°Is that all you want from me? You¡¯ve been dancing around this. We have. But I have to tell you that I¡¯m really tired of putting out and getting nothing in return.¡±

    My fingers opened, hearing her words and the tone in her voice. I dropped the towel, spun on my heels and walked out of the room, stopping at the door. ¡°Just know that I wouldn¡¯t think twice¡­ And no. That¡¯s not all.¡± I still didn¡¯t leave, but I also didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°It¡¯s not been 2340¡­ It¡¯s more like under fifty¡­ With everything that happened to Marcus and me¡­ It really wasn¡¯t a fun time, Charlene. En-gannim isn¡¯t a place where all the men have sex all the time. And before I came to Earth, there was no one. It happened maybe when we were drunk. And things¡­ got terrible¡­ Even less for Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Why are you telling me this? What do you want, Kubra?¡±

    ¡°I like you, Charlene. I¡¯m the one who sent you the message that first night. I was watching you. There was really nothing to be afraid of.¡±

    She was quiet behind me.

    ¡°I¡­ have been watching you. Getting to know you¡­ It¡¯s been a year. And all I looked forward to was seeing what you and Juliet got up to. You are just as naughty.¡± I slapped at the door frame and left, closing the door.

 Every Day You are Away

    83. Every Day You are Away

    Marcus

    The morning after we returned from interplanetary travel, my laptop had a few million emails. Over exaggerating, but it felt like it. One stood out, though.

    Subject: Thought you should see this.

    Attachment. I clicked on it.

    It was a video. Louis and Juliet were speaking in France at the dining room table. My defenses went up.

    Juliet [ I¡¯m so sorry, Louis¡­ When I asked you to cover Marcus on me, I thought I¡¯d be free of him.]

    My first reaction was jealousy. Did she want to be free of me? Did she think the one would remove the other? No, she said ¡°add¡± that one night in the club¡­ What was going on?

    The video cut out and started again.

    Louis [ I¡¯m scared of Marcus Juliet. It¡¯s not that there is no space for you there¡­ It¡¯s because¡­ I know he won¡¯t choose you.]

    The second reaction was hurt. How could he say that? After everything.

    I played the next one¡­

    It was Louis in his room. No one was there, but I heard Juliet¡¯s voice clearly.

    Juliet [ I gotta go¡­ But one last thing¡­ My answer to your question on the boat. About why I think this is a stuff-up¡­ I feel that way¡­ Because if I had to choose¡­ I will always and forever choose you¡­ Not Marcus and Not Chris and Not Michael or whoever comes into my life ]

    ¡°F-!¡± I picked up something and threw it at the wall.

    The third reaction was anger. But it was stupid. We all knew her choice would always be Louis. She asked him to brand her. Juliet went to France with him even after she slept with Chris. How she was with Louis at the Embassy. When those thoughts ran through my mind, I had to make the decision again. Like every day, my demons told me to let her go. She didn¡¯t need me. But I had to talk to myself. I promised myself I would never leave her again. Even at the cages, she asked why I didn¡¯t come for her¡­. I swore, muttering to my mind, fighting myself.

    In France, everything was so clear. It was because I had not talked to her. I ran down the hall to Carl¡¯s room, knocking loudly.

    He opened, and I pushed past him. ¡°What happened¡­ Why are we back at the compound? Is it for Juliet¡¯s treatment?¡± Carl shook his head slowly from side to side. I wanted to murder someone. I swore even louder. I fisted the wall and made a dent, biting my teeth together.

    ¡°Your phone? Quickly. Call Louis.¡±

    ¡°I still can¡¯t. I keep on trying. Nothing. I still haven¡¯t heard anything from Kubra or Charlene either.¡±

    ¡°I forgot Kubra went to Charlene¡­ S-! They haven¡¯t come back yet!¡± Nervously, my hand scratched the back of my head.

    ¡°Juliet went for Min¨¦, Marcus. Qadir and Sita were there in France a few days before you and Chris came back. He threatened us with her life to get you back at the compound.¡± I walked to the mini-fridge. Took out a drink and tossed him one.

    ¡°I have to think. I have to think. Why did no one say anything?¡± I glugged down the contents. The brown liquid burned the back of my throat.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t allowed. All he wanted was you back. And¡­ Seeing all this. He needed you back, Marcus. Willing to do what he said.¡±

    I scoffed. ¡°You all forget. That my grandfather wants me back on En-gannim. F-!¡± I tossed the bottle at the wall. ¡°What happened to the watcher¡¯s Carl. Is there any way to get to the compound right now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure if you talk to my father.¡± I  jumped up and walked to the next room, banging on the door.

    Bertram opened. I pushed him out of the way. Carl came in and closed the door behind us. ¡°I need to go back. Now. Tonight.¡±

    ¡°Marcus, you can¡¯t. We haven¡¯t even begun to negotiate or strategize. None of your people have eaten. Juliet has had no food.¡±

    ¡°I know! Who the hell cares about food? It¡¯s been two weeks. I need to go. I¡¯ll come right back. Give me an hour there. Where are all the watchers? What happened to the thousands of soldiers you¡¯ve created?¡±

    He scoffed. ¡°Decommissioned. All of them. It¡¯s a matter of Jabin hitting a button.¡± He can either switch it on or off. Initially, they didn¡¯t care that we were monitoring all the kids being born¡­ Learning how you guys worked¡­ Now it just doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°Is there anyone that isn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Kubra¡­¡±

    I swore loudly. ¡°We can¡¯t get a hold of him.¡±

    ¡°Carl has been training but no teleporter. Jabin has one, and Michael. He is still MIA, and so is Samuel.¡± I had forgotten about Michael and Samuel. It had been two more weeks¡­ I couldn¡¯t do it all. I wanted to, but I couldn¡¯t, not like Louis.

    ¡°Part of the negotiations is the use of the tech. We have been getting used to being able to go somewhere instantly. Now that we haven¡¯t for a few weeks¡­ Qadir has us where he wants us.¡±

    I sat on the couch, defeated. If I left. Fly commercial? Drive? It would take a whole day. Jabin would beat me to the punch.

    ¡°Do you have any numbers of anyone there? Where is all your information stored? Do you know why our communications are down?¡±

    ¡°War Marcus. The first thing to go¡­ This will all be solved if we can get rid of Qadir. You should have left him in custody. Then you would have been in control.¡±

    ¡°Do you understand that we would leave? My grandfather would not allow me to play house here. All the scum would stay. All the people would have turned into monsters¡­ You would be stuck. Everyone would suffer. No tech¡­ No advantage¡­¡± I glanced at Carl. ¡°Is that what you want?¡±

    ¡°We will be okay until you come back.¡± He tried to console.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± My heart was pounding. Something was wrong. Jabin was up to something. I had been so stupid. I promised to never leave her again. So focused on my father not hurting her that I forgot my grandfather would probably be worse.

    If I got back and she had lost an arm. I groaned¡­ her tongue. I¡¯d kill all of them. I walked back down the hall, knocking on Jabin¡¯s room. He opened. I pushed past him.

    ¡°Tell me, or I¡¯ll kill you right now.¡±

    ¡°I have a job, Marcus. Have to get you back to En-gannim. Gave you the out two weeks ago. You didn¡¯t take it.¡±

    My stomach dropped. I think I snapped. I reached out for the steak knife on a plate and threw it at him. It went right through his throat.

    Kubra¡¯s face flashed in my mind. A regret. But I had to deal with that later. I crossed the room. He was falling to his knees. I stood hunched over him. ¡°My strength is unpredictability, Jabin¡­ My weakness is Juliet.¡± I pushed the knife right through his neck, cutting up to his chin, and retracted the skin with my sharp black nails. I reached in and grabbed his spine, crushing it. The color drained from his face. His eyes rolled over in his head. Blood covered my hands. The older we got, the less we had. But I still had blood on my hands. I pushed him back off me. He fell onto the couch behind him.

    I sat next to him. ¡°What did they do to her?¡±  If he was trying to drive a wedge between us, what did they make her believe?

    Immediately, I started searching the room. I found a few things. One was the teleporter device. The second was his laptop with all the recordings and what he sent Juliet and Louis. The voice manipulations and some of the conversation in France. It was weird and edited. The third was two black tubes. There was no time to figure it out.

    I jumped up, running back to Bertram¡¯s room. I grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him down the hall. Carl was following. Bertram gasped, trying to move backward when he saw the mess. Carl pushed his father into the room, closing the door.

    ¡°Here!¡± I pushed the device into his hands. Bertram didn¡¯t even notice me holding it out to him. He took a moment. Carl grabbed it from me.

    ¡°Two weeks enough training, boy?¡± His father said, still trying to wrap his mind around Jabin¡¯s dead body.

    He nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    It was my first glimmer of hope.

    ***

    Carl and I had made our way back to the embassy in Washington. It was just down the road from the white house. Both of us had free passes to come and go.

    There was a corner in a room designated for teleporting. I was anxious. Tired of the people staring at me. Everyone wanted a piece of me since my face was plastered on the news. I had been in so many interviews that I felt like I would scream. And all Louis and Liam saw was my posturing. I cringed at all my months of hard work, making everyone trust me. Maybe having Carl there¡­ I was nervous. And for the first time, he took my hand in his.

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    I gripped tightly. ¡°Will they forgive me?¡±

    Carl smiled. ¡°That¡¯s not how this works, Marcus. You¡¯re family no matter the mistakes you make¡­They love you. Of course, they will.¡±

    We traveled, and we ended up across the country in an instant. It was a miracle, and it alone had the most claim and financial gain in the galaxy. The vampires had done one thing right.

    We ended up coming out in a diner. It was just outside a small town a few miles away from the compound. When we appeared, the vampire sitting there lifted up an arm and held out a key to me. My heart still hadn¡¯t stopped racing. We jumped in the car and sped out of there.

    ***

    Chris

    We had traveled for months at the slowest pace imaginable. I marvel at the fact that these people were even alive. Camping every night. It was getting colder and colder, and I knew why the white sleep sack for Caleb was needed. I had the exact same one there. But every time I put him in it¡­ I was reminded of my two-week honeymoon. All I did was calculate the time. All I did was think about Juliet. Alone for two weeks on the compound. Where was she with her stages of grief? I was still in denial. I haven¡¯t talked to my father yet, even though he and Silvanus stayed by my side. Not leaving me for a minute. Where did they think I would go?

    ***

    One morning, when I woke up, I took a walk and saw water for the first time. I went to stand at the edge. It was beautiful as the shadows of the buildings reflected on the water¡¯s surface on the other side. There was a city in the distance. As far as you could look left and right. A wall surrounded all the buildings.

    ¡°Yaroun,¡± I whispered to myself.

    My promise to Juliet to come to her as quickly as possible was out of the question. Her promise to me would never happen. We would never see each other again. I was, of nature, a skeptic person. A half-glass, empty guy. So, trying to find a way didn¡¯t come naturally to me. Marcus found Juliet in less than three years on earth. Maybe with him by her side, they would get there eventually. I was getting tired of being in Caleb¡¯s company the whole time. I missed having a few hands to carry the burden with me. The big family. It wasn¡¯t only Juliet. My father wanted to help, but I had refused him since our last conversation. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I knew it was Ira. All I wanted to do was cry when he touched me. He did it. He caused it. My mother was dead, and he didn¡¯t even care. She was just the first girl he could get pregnant with. No one understood what I was going through.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chris. You¡¯re grieving¡­ But it¡¯s been months.¡±

    ¡°How do you even know what you''re talking about.¡±

    ¡°We do mourn. Our parents. Children¡­ Is it any different?¡±

    I snorted. But the quiver in my jaw must have told him that it was. He squeezed my shoulder. ¡°Did I make a mistake? Should I have left you there? Pay every day to never meet my own son?¡±

    I shook my head. He pulled me into his arms and held me. I was tired of being angry. Ira might not have had a choice with me. Bringing me there. But he deliberately took Caleb from Juliet and separated us, knowing there would never be a way for us to come together. I didn¡¯t think I would ever forgive him for that.

    ***

    Yaroon

    We entered the city at the same pace. It took days for all the people in the convoy to settle. To fill all the houses. Like a child, I followed my father. We walked freely between the people. There really was no separation between the classes or poverty. Or crime. Everyone was about their business. The streets were always full of people. Everyone was talking to someone. Families with children got houses in the middle of the city. At least four adults around a child at all times. Whenever I saw a child, I saw four grownups, wondering why they would let my mother go all alone.

    When it was our turn to enter our house. He pointed to a part of town. ¡°There is the market.¡±

    ¡°What am I supposed to do here?¡±

    ¡°Right now, you take care of Caleb. Children don¡¯t leave home for a long time, Chris. At least a hundred years. Other than that, we train. We do make sure we would be able to handle an attack. We have been invaded before. But no one has been able to deal with our¡­ size.¡±

    I wanted to ask how they got invaded. But I left that for another day.

    ¡°So if you like, I can show you the arena,¡± Silvanus said when we walked through a door into a hut. I looked around. It was made out of dried mud and probably something to hold it all together. That was all they had. It was sturdy with small windows. There was no wood, though.

    ¡°Farming?¡±

    They nodded. ¡°Oh yes. You interested in that?¡±

    ¡°How does the market work if everyone is equal?¡±

    ¡°Trading¡± Silvanus said.

    ¡°Everyone has a function and something they can trade that someone else needs. Even if it¡¯s a skill. There are no owners. This house will go to another family once Caleb is grown.  We would move further out of the city. Even our pubs are just open. I don¡¯t know how to explain it to you. There is nothing but time here, Chris.¡±

    He pointed me to a bed. ¡°You can put him down there. You must be tired.¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡±

    ¡°Come.¡± I put Caleb down, and he kept sleeping. The new nursemaid, who had been following me since the goddess left, was quiet. I liked it. She put her stuff down in front of Caleb¡¯s bed and took something from her sack that I had seen her busy with. But I didn¡¯t really attend and followed Silvanus down the corridor.

    ¡°This is my room, and this is Silvanus¡¯s room.¡±

    I frowned. My gaze traveled from one to the other. ¡°Any gay people here. Anatomy still the same.¡±

    They laughed, and the girl in Caleb¡¯s room laughed.

    ¡°Like I said. Here, you do what feels right. There really are no rules.¡±

    ¡°What feels right for who?¡± I questioned. ¡°No raping.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No one needs to. It¡¯s for Whoever wants to jump into your bed¡­ I¡¯m not really prime property. All the scars. So don¡¯t worry about walking in on either me or Ira with someone.¡± Silvanus joked.

    I scoffed.

    ¡°But you, boy. Won¡¯t have a problem with that¡­ You got your mother¡¯s looks¡­ And you have that whole brooding, mysterious vibe going on.¡±

    I laughed for the first time in months. They both gaped, seeing a positive emotion. They didn¡¯t want to make it awkward and showed me the kitchen and where the bathroom was.

    ¡°Hmmm!¡± How does that work?

    ¡°A bucket and sand is your new friend and leaves.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°The same as the road?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°We are very social here, Chris. There really is nothing else to do. I think that is the only thing you¡¯ll have a problem with.¡±

    ¡°Books?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Pen and paper?¡± Same gesture.

    I breathed in and blew out the air. So I won¡¯t be able to study to get back to Juliet.

    ¡°Alcohol?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but in moderation. No one gets drunk here.¡± Juliet would hate the place.

    ¡°Smoking? Drugs?¡±

    They laughed. ¡°No. To maintain peace, we can¡¯t allow it.¡±

    ¡°Peace, the number one rule.¡± I reminded myself.

    We had sat down around a table outside. It was on a small porch that faced the street. Every now and again, someone would stop by. But everyone was in human form because it was easier. Traveling with heavy loads. Riphath. Living indoors. Human. The laidback attitude suited me. The days drifted into each other, and my depression had set in. I would sit and stare at the stars in the sky.

    ***

    Maya and I were in each other¡¯s company but never spoke. I had a hard time relating to anything of it. She was breastfeeding my kid, but that was it. When I sat with my knees up and Caleb in my lap, playing with him like Juliet always did. Maya would stare at us. Busy with her work, but her eyes would dart up at me. She thought I didn¡¯t see, but I noticed she was intrigued by the little things that weren¡¯t like her world. She seemed curious and very aware of her surroundings. Sensitive to Caleb and his cries. I liked her more than the goddess.

    I had gotten used to seeing only pretty girls there. Personality soon became the only thing to separate one woman from another. Looks wise, they fell into my own made-up categories. I classified them under Russians crossed with Norwegians. Big faces. Big lips, big noses, and big eyes. Long legs and blond hair.

    The girl across from me fell into the second category. ¡°Big breasts, petite body, small face. Shorter than the Russians. Dark eyes. Brown hair, a small nose, and pretty lips. Easy smile. Friendly like Louis.

    But no one¡¯s eyes drew you in like Juliet¡¯s. No one had that resting bitch face or the dimples when they smiled. You could only see them if you worked for it. I laughed, thinking of her with her pants around her ankles in the dirt. That playful, goofy side would pull her eyes in five different directions. Stick out her tongue or love you to death in one giant breath.

    There, no woman would ever love me. What a sad way of life. I had that with Sita minus the sex. It was the opposite. What were the chances? I would die for one real hug. After all the sex Juliet and I had the last month, I was on Earth. I was going to have to cave. Or decide to stay celibate. I knew if I was going to sleep with someone. It was going to mean absolutely nothing, just like Ashleigh.

    The girl kept staring at me in confusion. ¡°Ask. We haven¡¯t said one word to each other.¡±

    She smiled too quickly. ¡°Who are you thinking of. Caleb?¡±

    Of course, she would think it was my child. I shook my head. Ira and Silvanus were outside, talking to everyone who walked past.

    ¡°Family?¡±

    I shook my head.

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°A girl,¡± I said finally.

    I didn¡¯t want to. But before I knew it. I showed interest in what was going on in someone else¡¯s life. ¡°What are you always working on?¡±

    Maya¡¯s eyes cast down at her hands. ¡°Swatches.¡±

    ¡°Birth swatches?¡± She gestured to my upper arm. ¡°How does that even work? How can you make it act supernatural?¡±

    Her eyes drifted upwards for a bit, thinking about how to explain it to me. ¡°Every family has an emblem. A certain mark. If I work it on here and the woman¡¯s family gives me their mark, I also work it on the swatch. After that, it is out of my hands. The extra marking that makes the tattoo pretty is whatever the couple asked for. It just goes with.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re basically a tattoo artist without ink.¡±

    ¡°What is ink?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ But where does the power come from? Is it the tool you use?¡±

    She examined the thing in her hand. It was thin and long as a pen. Sharp to pierce the material. ¡°This was passed down from generation to generation. It¡¯s made from a particular gem found only in one place on the planet.¡±

    ¡°My mom had a swatch that I left on Earth. But it wasn¡¯t a birth swatch. Ira¡¯s picture wasn¡¯t on there. What else do you make.¡±

    A vertical line appeared between her eyes. She had to be much older than me. Almost Cindy¡¯s age. ¡°Your father didn¡¯t use it to officiate your birth?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No tattoo on my ass¡­¡±

    ¡°That is strange. There are no other certificates on Zoreah except who your mother and father are for inbreeding purposes. Because kids are so limited.¡±

    ¡°How could you make one for a vampire?¡±

    ¡°Oh, every creature on the three planets has a family crest. We tried it. The fact that it worked was out of our control.¡±

    Ira came in, hearing what we were talking about. He gave Maya one shake of his head. I groaned, being treated like a child again. I would never tell Juliet to stop complaining about that again.

 Facing Your Worst Fear

    84. Facing Your Worst Fear

    Juliet

    The agony hit me when I came back to my senses. Not only was I undressed, but I wasn¡¯t alone on my bed. I could smell Damian¡¯s body odor. The pain was almost unbearable. It was worse than it had ever been. It was beyond me how that monster of mine only came out when I was in extreme emotional sadness. Not when I was angry or needed to protect myself. That would¡¯ve been the perfect time for me to rip some guy¡¯s stomach open and bury him in the canyon. He was cleaning my wounds and putting ointment on my back, trailing the wounds as if he got off on them. He touched my hair and stroked my lips with a thumb. I almost died from disgust. I could handle them being mean. Even degrading, but what I couldn¡¯t take was men like him wanting to touch a woman in both ways. It made no sense. It was like he had a split personality.

    ¡°I was ordered to hurt you but still take care of you¡­ Like a good husband should¡­ Like Marcus should have done years ago. You wouldn¡¯t believe how his estimation has gone down in the eyes of the army he spent years cultivating because of one¡­ Little girl. But he will soon learn it doesn¡¯t matter who you are. Even Qadir¡¯s son can be brought down a peg by violating what is his¡­ And you won¡¯t mind¡­ You can see me¡­ As another one of your companions. We heard you have a few.¡±

    He got up and walked over the bridge to Marcus¡¯s side of the room. I could hear him sit down, lifting his feet into the air. He was watching me and knew I was awake. I turned my head away from him to open my eyes.

    He chuckled. ¡°But not yet. Maybe later today. Just waiting for the call. Your in-laws really hate you. From Earth to all the way back home¡­ But try and sleep. I drugged you¡­ Or fight it. I really don¡¯t care.¡±

    The last time I wanted to commit suicide wasn¡¯t about the fear of the struggle. But the fear of the raping and the violation. Just like me wetting myself when I was tied down. I didn¡¯t know if I wouldn¡¯t sacrifice Soren for not getting raped. But what if it was my mom or Min¨¦. Taking it¡­ like a good girl¡­  was the worst thing I could think of. I would rather fight to the death. If it came down to it¡­ Or be knocked out. But lying down, watching him undress, allowing him to get on top of me because of some threat. Just the thought made me shudder. If I died that day, I would be okay with it. We all three would have to die.

    ***

    Later, I woke up clear-headed. The pain was still unbearable. The sun was going down. I had been back at the compound for two weeks, and I was already planning my subsequent demise. I was a coward when it suited me.  Not only had I lost my son, but I would never see Chris or Michael again. Marcus had proven that two weeks was all he needed to completely turn around and go back to his father¡¯s lap. My every fear was realized about coming back there with him. Louis was right¡­ Marcus wasn¡¯t going to choose me. Picking up the bed sheet, I covered myself before I sat up. Damian was gone, and the doors were closed. Guard numbers one and two were fighting outside. It was their voices that had woken me up.

    I didn¡¯t know why the situation had me so immobilized, having difficulty calming down my pounding heart. I would do anything if Louis and my dad came and rescued me before Qadir gave the order. But we were all there because of Min¨¦. They wouldn¡¯t throw all our efforts away. Louis knew that they wanted him out of the way. Even if they couldn¡¯t kill him... They could take him. Louis somewhere in a hole. I quickly ran to the cupboard to pull a sweater over my head, winching. I couldn¡¯t remember it hurting that much the last time. Qadir was much stronger than Damian, but his lashes were all over my new skin. Maybe that was it.

    I hated the situation. Pretending for months in France was better. I wished I could take it back. Just be happy there. How could I have ever been that naive? Damian left me alone for hours as if playing mind games with me. The bath was appealing. Marcus¡¯s door was my other option. I thought about sneaking out. But Damian was just outside. He wouldn¡¯t leave. I had just slept for the whole day and was getting bored. Too scared to venture into the kitchen or show myself in front of the creep outside.

    I guessed it was another few hours of listening to him starting to doze off. When he finally snored, I put on all the lights and took my clothes off, letting freezing cold water run over my back, trying to soothe the pain a little. I just wanted to wash off Damian touching me. I didn¡¯t care anymore. Whether he would be on the other side of the glass in a little while.

    ***

    Marcus

    Carl and I had driven like crazy. The sun had already set. We sped to the compound gates just to be held up. I had to roll down my window before they scrambled to open and let me through.

    After the entrance, it was still a ten-minute drive to the estate. I couldn¡¯t calm down. Anxious that what I would come back to was a broken Juliet. Or one tied down somewhere¡­ I had never thought that torture would be even an option. Neither my father nor my grandfather understood how to use Juliet to their advantage. I had listened to the two calls. And what my supposed answers were. What I said to Liam about the guard hitting her and to Juliet. That she should behave. Did she really believe I cared so little¡­ Did it matter? They couldn¡¯t ask me. I wasn¡¯t there.

    I stopped outside my home. The house that was supposed to be her home. A haven away in this place. High walls so she could walk around naked if she wanted. A swimming pool for exercise and warm days. Deck chairs to soak up the sun. Adjoining rooms so she could watch me. She loved watching¡­ I didn¡¯t even think she knew how much of a guy she was¡­ The other rooms¡­ Were for kids. I chuckled. She must have thought they were for concubines. A kitchen with an escape route so she could get out¡­ If she ever needed to.

    ¡°Carl¡­ can you give me a minute with her, please.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll wait right here.¡±

    ¡°Thank You.¡±

    I pushed open the gate slowly.

    The first guard was seated on a chair to the right inside the gate. I cringed at the thought of men in there with her. No one was supposed to be there.

    He had stood up, aiming a gun, but lowered it when he recognized me. He dropped to the floor, but not before his eyes flickered down the corridor toward our rooms. Where the door stood open¡­ An empty chair right outside. It was enough to make me think of ways I would kill myself if I found Juliet in any situation that I couldn¡¯t deal with. My breath caught. My feet wanted to run. But strategy, patience, and two hundred years of waiting for her¡­ Finally, finding the girl who healed me made me walk quietly up the path. I peeked around the corner. My jaw clenched, but I breathed out the breath I was holding.

    Who I guessed was the other guard was standing at the glass door looking out into the bathroom. He was so transfixed by what he saw, had himself in hand, tugging away¡­ He didn¡¯t even hear me.

    I stood behind him. He was tall and muscled. Strong and heavy. I glanced past him into the bathroom. Juliet was in the tub. She sat up and dried her hair. Her whole body slumped together when her eyes fell on my room door. Her facial expressions gave me all I needed to know. It was not the first time. She swallowed hard. Her mouth was dry from fear¡­ Steeling herself. She slowly got out of the tub and walked up to the door, oozing disgust. Shivering. The water dripping down her back left a faint red trail on the ground. My fists balled at my sides. Her shaking hand lifted, tongue pressed against her teeth. She was trying so hard. The lights in the bathroom went out. It took a moment, but her eyes were turned up, knowing the guard would be two heads taller than her. Her eyes flickered past him to me.

    When he realized she saw someone behind him, he let go of himself and spun around, scrambling to put himself back in his pants. I leaned over in front of him, opening the door slowly. It slid effortlessly. A tear rolled down her cheek.

    ¡°Could you put some clothes on, please? I don¡¯t like him watching you.¡±

    Juliet turned and took one step to reach the little counter against the wall. I suspected for her clothes or at least a towel. After that, I dug deep into the side no one ever wanted to see.

    ***

    Juliet

    There have been a few moments in my life where I doubted my existence and whether it meant anything. Seeing Marcus behind Damian. I knew that¡­ I did¡­ Matter. Seeing his eyes and his mouth¡­ I knew that he had no idea¡­ That my doubt had been unnecessary¡­ And cruel. When I reached for my clothes, the first sound was Damian''s long, loud, piercing cry. The cracking from breaking bones and a low feral roar from Marcus. Shakely, my hands gripped at my clothes. The ferocity of Marcus hit me over and over. Had I ever doubted that he would do anything?

    When I turned back to the room. Marcus had Damian by his hair, dragging him down the cement walkway¡­ He stopped at the other guard, still on the floor, bowing. Marcus bent down, pulled out the man¡¯s gun from a holster, and shot him point-blank.

    I stood frozen.

    Marcus picked up Damian again, strutted out of the yard, and passed a car. I followed and walked through the red gates. I drew in a breath when my eyes met Carl¡¯s. My doubt became crueler and crueler. It took a while for Marcus to cover the distance down the lane to the main gate. Damian was still very alive, kicking and scrambling. Marcus had manifested and was bloodthirsty. He knew how to inflict maximum pain and keep someone lucid. It took only one blow, and Damian settled down to his fate, letting his hair get ripped out of his skull.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    Reaching the entrance to the estate¡­ Marcus stood awhile, just staring down at Damian, groaning. A few moments passed before he had some control of himself and before he turned to me.

    ¡°What did he do, Julie?¡±

    My voice quivered. ¡°He watched me.¡±

    The other guards stood at attention¡­ Those were Marcus¡¯s men.

    He bent down, straddling Damian. His long black nails gouged. Then plucked. He tossed the eye at their feet. He did the same on the other side.

    ¡°What else?¡±

    I was too slow to answer. My shoulders were shaking.

    ¡°What else?¡± He yelled.

    ¡°He¡­ touched me.¡± I stuttered.

    Marcus¡¯s head snapped up at me. He was in pain for a moment.

    It really didn¡¯t matter how he touched me. If it was just a beating or violating me when I was asleep. Marcus stood up and called over two guards to hold up his arm in the air. One stepped down on his elbow. Marcus kicked through the bone, breaking the offending forearm in half twisting the limp side back. Marcus repeated it on the other side. Damian passed out with an agonizing cry. Marcus stood away from him, coming back to his human form, shaking his shoulders. He wasn¡¯t done.

    His hand reached out to me. I didn¡¯t take it. He used his power of persuasion and forced me forward. He didn¡¯t even need to say anything. My body obeyed him immediately. Forever spiritually connected. He took my hand, and the pain went away. He gripped onto me as if he was scared I would leave. Looking at the other guards, he spoke with authority. ¡°Bow¡­¡±

    ¡°Marcus, I don¡¯t want¡­¡±

    ¡°Shh¡­¡± Carl put his hands on my shoulders to quiet me down.

    The guards were confused.

    ¡°Had I not put you in charge of my house. My wife was molested, and you did nothing. The last time I checked, no man was allowed anywhere near another man¡¯s wife. How could you just stand there?¡± He yelled so loud. ¡°You will apologize to her. You will apologize for not valuing her more than your own lives. How can I ever trust you again?¡±

    The guards fell down with every word. ¡°Who gave you the order?¡±

    ¡°Qadir left Jabin in charge¡­ When he left.¡± The one guard pointed at Damian.

    ¡°Where is Jessy?¡±

    ¡°Everyone at the barracks wasn¡¯t allowed to change shifts.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    I ran my hands over my face. I felt a little better when the guys bowed down in front of Juliet. The first obstacle was over.

    My gaze drifted to the stairs leading into the house I grew up in. Lived in for¡­ Too many years. The woman standing at the top took in the scene. My mom that I couldn¡¯t protect at five. The woman lost her speech because she tried to speak up for me when the abuse started. Beatings. Dark rooms for days. Sleep deprivation and drug-induced states of pain and suffering. Starvation and more cruelty. But I didn¡¯t have time to make everything right at that moment. It would take time. But it was going to start right there¡­ I was done.

    ¡°Get up.¡± They all stood at attention.

    ¡°Go to the Furrow house. All three have to come here¡­Now!¡± I took a breath. ¡°Carl, please stay with Juliet until Louis is here.¡± He nodded. His hands were already on her shoulders.

    ¡°You... Hang this guy up there.¡± I pointed to the pillar. ¡°You have to watch him. If it seems like he wants to die, revive him.¡± They obeyed quickly.

    There was something I had to do. It vexed my soul. It meant I had to leave again. I swore loudly¡­ ¡°Would it ever end?¡± I muttered. But what I needed to do had to happen right away... Walking past Juliet, I was going to ignore her. Focus on the task and keep moving forward. The words ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marcus¡± bore into me. Horrified me. She actually felt that it was her fault. Facing her was even harder than just leaving. I slowly turned to her. Carl moved down the lane towards our house. She took my hand, and we walked behind him. I had planted all those trees for her. So that there was someplace she could stroll in the shade. Everything was ruined.

    We were all alone when we reached the car I needed to get into. I didn¡¯t know what to say. I shook my head, thinking of something. Anything. I love you. I¡¯m the one that should be sorry. Can you forgive me? Juliet came closer and picked up my hands, pulling them towards her face. Instinctively, they cupped her neck so I could pull her lips onto mine. My body remembered what happened the last time we kissed. Every muscle in anticipation for her lips on mine. I moaned as I pressed into her, whispering and complaining against her mouth. Her hands slipped around my body. Softly, I kissed her¡­ Pushing her away to meet her eyes¡­ Her lips parted, waiting. Another soft, longer kiss¡­ Moving her away, tilting up her chin with my thumbs, softly kissing her¡­ Apologizing.

    Juliet¡¯s hand reached for my hair, fisted a handful, and shoved me onto her. My whole world spun when her tongue slid over my lips¡­ My mouth was waiting for her to cross that line. I had to hold on to her when I felt her inside of me.  All I wanted was to make love to her. Not at that moment. But one day.

    Her grip loosened when I gave her what she wanted. When I met her halfway, sucking on her, making a mess of our mouths. Soon, we were breathless, panting. Gazes fixed, desire etched in our parted lips, coming in for one last kiss¡­ Again and again as, I tried to leave.

    Finally, I just stepped away from her. Her face hung in the air. Murder in her eyes. Teeth bit hard onto each other. I had to chuckle. It was the biggest compliment. That next to longing for it. My smile broadened, and she relaxed. Disgusted but happily turning her head away from me. ¡°You can be really happy you are so handsome when you smile.¡± I made it even wider and let the mirth into my bones. ¡°Argh. ¡±She gasped with an open mouth.

    She watched me until we both knew it was time for me to go.

    ¡°Go¡­ I love you.¡± She said, turning away from me. I got in the car, watching her, waiting for her to wave at me.

    She showed me to roll down the window. I had to stop. I did what she asked. I didn¡¯t need to pretend anymore. Or hold back. If she wanted a lengthy goodbye or wanted to say something. I was going to give it to her.

    ¡°I just wanted to see if you would.¡± I laughed again and left before I could change my mind.

    Carl was right behind her. She winced when he touched the small of her back. He moved away, apologizing, helping her inside as she gripped onto him, her knees faltering. She was holding out¡­ For me¡­ I still hadn¡¯t seen her back. Or knew what else she had to go through. And I didn¡¯t think I would. I swore loudly that I had let her down. How could I have left without making sure someone was watching her.

    ***

    Half an hour later, I was at the barracks where I had spent most of my adult life. They stopped me again. I was getting sick of it. That no one thought I would be there. Everyone thought I wasn¡¯t coming back. I got out and walked into the strobe light. Jesse jumped down the tall tower. It had a good view down the road in both directions. He saluted.

    ¡°Get the troops in the field.¡± He looked down at his watch. Not to question me but to organize everything. Three men were already awaiting orders. Ten minutes later, two hundred thousand men were seated in the space where all our meetings were held.

    I stood on the stage. There was not one noise.

    ¡°I have something to tell you all. The loudspeaker¡¯s sound traveled down to the last person. A hand lifted, signaling that every person could hear me.

    I went on to tell them all about En-gannim. As kids born there, they may go back if they choose to. Qadir didn¡¯t tell them for the whole sake of what was happening in the world. I showed them every interview on monitors so that they had proof. I told them that Qadir wanted to control the world but that the older generations were criminals and they were using the younger ones.

    That they were using us. There were so many rules for these young men that I knew they didn¡¯t like the regime. It wasn¡¯t only the women being pressed down by the despotism.

    ¡°Tonight. I have declared war against my father. The proof is hanging on the pillar outside his house¡­ You all have three choices¡­ One. You could go back. I would even make it happen for those who want to. But I honestly don¡¯t know how you will be treated there.

    Secondly, you could stay and help him take over the Earth and live your life among the humans.

    Thirdly, you have to choose who you will align with. Me that is next in line for the throne on En- gannim. Or Qadir here.

    But my plan is to first take over everything he built. Put him in his place unless the army in front of me split. Then there will be war. Demons running around eating everyone. Sickness and suffering. And the humans will side with me. But I will not force you. Decide between now and tomorrow. If you sit on my right, you are with me. If you sit on my left, you¡¯re not. May your loyalties bring you peace¡­ Dismissed.¡±

    It was a good feeling. Even before I could turn¡­ Two loud commands from the majors standing in front of the troops made the whole army move to my right. I was speechless. Emotions stirred in my chest. They gave another command. Every last man saluted me. My father was going to freak out. I released them, and the army dispersed. The murmurings created a drumming sound amongst the men.

    I left. Jessy followed close. He was the administrator that night and knew me just as well as Kubra.

    ¡°First order. Move back to the compound. Join your families and sort that out in whatever way you deem fit. Stay close. Armed. The next shift releases the current protection around the compound. And fill them in. Give them¡­ A choice. Do not coerce one man in my army. I do not want anyone serving me that I can not trust. Go get me, Carl Bertram. At my house. Brings him to me unharmed.

    Sort out my freaking phone and get the communications running. Set up the office in the compound. I¡¯ll be gone for a while. Hopefully, I will get you some food. You guys seem starved¡­Has anyone eaten?¡± Jessy shook his head.

    I took out the emblem that controlled the army. It hung around my neck, and I pulled it over my head. Sighing, I put it in his hand. ¡°This is to go to Louis du Pont until I¡¯m back. Jessy, things will change. Go with the flow. Women¡­ Leave them alone and defer to Louis. For all intents and purposes¡­ He is an extension of my arms and my hands. We are one. Dismissed.¡± With every order¡­ Jessy¡¯s eyes had grown about twice the size. Someone behind him was taking down notes. Another was already delving into a cupboard for a phone, and Jessy was on his way to get Carl.

 Louis Gets Promoted

    85. Louis Gets Promoted

    Louis

    After Juliet was taken from the bookstore, I sat for the longest time. Soren across from me, both of us staring at the roof. Not knowing what was happening was the worst. Going there and making a scene and getting arrested wouldn¡¯t help anyone. I had to keep it together. Juliet¡¯s words kept going over and over in my mind. ¡°If you don¡¯t know what to do. Just don¡¯t do anything at all. Okay¡±

    Okay, baby! I felt like a coward. How could she call me her husband if I could not protect her? Being there with her was supposed to be Marcus¡¯s job. I couldn¡¯t count on him. Well, it was his test anyway. ¡°How can you live like this? I know Juliet is worth it¡­ But why did you come back?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know? Right now, Soren, I just don¡¯t know. She doesn¡¯t want to leave¡­ She doesn¡¯t want to give up.¡±

    It felt like I sat there for hours. Liam came in through the back door, sat next to me, and gave me a cigarette. ¡°Soren called me.¡± I took it and lit it, wondering when Juliet would be able to get away again. How long would we be able to go on like that? We had four epic days. The four of us got drunk. Played games and watched TV like the old times. Liam was a fun guy. Cindy was hilarious. They were so liberal that anything could go on, and they would not bat an eye except when it came to Juliet. She was the one thing that made them pull out their¡­ Own moral laws¡­ Against the world.

    ¡°We talked about this, Louis. She¡¯s fine. You prepared her for this. Didn¡¯t you split her lip? Gave her a few punches in the stomach. Juliet is smart. She won¡¯t push it too far.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t like that guy that keeps flashing in her mind. The nightmares she has... I think you should stay there tonight.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure. Come, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll even take Cindy.¡± I sighed in relief.

    Soren was sitting across from us, wringing his hands, worried. I didn¡¯t have the energy to read him at all. I really didn¡¯t care what went on in his mind. But¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything soon, Soren.¡± He nodded and shook my hand. ¡°And don¡¯t feel guilty. She would¡¯ve done that for anyone. Literally anyone.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe not anyone,¡± Liam added. I shook my head. She also lived according to her own moral law. Daddy¡¯s little girl.

    ***

    I was waiting at the house to hear from Liam. I wasn¡¯t expecting them back, but they were. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Why are you guys home? You were gone for an hour? I thought you were staying.¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t let us see her. Said because she misbehaved, she was sleeping off her¡­ beating.¡±

    ¡°F-! I knew it.¡±

    ***

    We sat around the table, going through every possible scenario. Getting shot was all we came up with. It wouldn¡¯t help. Drinking was our second option. I had passed out at the dining room table somewhere along the night. Woken by a loud banging on the door. Groaning, I got up. Liam and Cindy were in their room. I was instantly sober. Scared and worried about what might have happened. Opening the door with trepidation, the guard didn¡¯t give me a chance to speak or read him. ¡°You three have to come with me.¡± There wasn¡¯t much to say. If he would take me in any direction that brought me closer to Juliet. Where else would he take me? I hoped¡­ Maybe she killed him and was in jail. Best case scenario.

    When we got in the car, the driver¡¯s mind flooded with flashes of what had happened. A relieved sob escaped me. I grabbed Cindy¡¯s hand. It was a mess. Gruesome. ¡°She¡¯s okay. Marcus is back.¡±

    We were all so relieved. ¡°What happened?¡± Liam asked the guard, driving.

    ¡°The guards at Marcus''s house misbehaved.¡± Was all he said.

    I wanted to cry. I was so close to drugging her and just going, deciding for her. If she was raped, that was it. I was tired. I couldn¡¯t do it anymore. I would kill Marcus myself if it came down to it.

    ***

    The lane with the trees was weird. All the way to the back of the estate. I didn¡¯t know how he thought the slight separation from Qadir would give him what he wanted. I got to actually see his house for the first time. All three of us were startled to see Carl. He was talking to a man. ¡°What the hell, man? What are you doing here?¡±

    He saw us as looking up from a dead body.

    ¡°Are you going to read me? Or should I blab.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too tired. Just lay it all out there.¡±

    ¡°Come, Juliet is in the kitchen.¡±

    We had to step over the guy.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to be in her room.¡± My fists balled.

    She was slumped over the counter. She had on no top. Her back was worse because of the leather. It had affected her differently than when Qadir did it. Seeing her like that made me really want to cry. ¡°Tell me you brought me a cigarette,¡± She croaked out. ¡°Pain meds. Drugs.¡±

    I turned towards the guard. He showed me a little room off the kitchen with everything she needed. Packing it all out, we all did something. Liam gave her a hand full of painkillers. Cindy was doing the dirty work, cleaning and stitching the wounds. I had never heard her in so much pain. Complaining and whimpering. Soft cries. All I could do was help her to smoke, kissing her as much as she would allow me. But I had to know.

    ¡°Baby, did he?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± she croaked out again. I drew in a ragged breath.

    ¡°So Carl, tell us!¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t heard from you guys for two weeks. Marcus¡¯s phone was broken. It should¡¯ve been a red flag. But Jabin was controlling everything. I haven¡¯t talked to Charlene in two weeks, either.¡±

    Juliet wanted to actually sit up and say something.

    Carl quickly went on. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Kubra was so upset that Ben left her there alone... He went after her. They¡¯ve not surfaced. It was so weird seeing Kubra like that, and I still don¡¯t know... If we can trust him¡­ But anyway.

    The communications here at the compound had been down. Blocked from any outside calls. Marcus killed Kubra¡¯s father when he found out about all the manipulations¡­ Oh yeah, Marcus caught Mr. Creepy jerking off, watching Juliet in the tub. He gauged out his eyes for that and broke his arms for touching her.¡±

    Carl Yawned. He was so tired.

    ¡°Marcus went with Qadir to Palmyra, where his father made a move on Sita.¡±

    That got a chuckle from Juliet. ¡°She deserves it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ That¡¯s about it.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? Bad luck.¡± Juliet said, grabbing my hand as the needle went into her flesh.

    ¡°Take it back!¡± Juliet rolled her eyes but took it back.

    ¡°Did you see him hanging from the pole? He made the guards bow in front of Juliet.¡±

    Liam and I whistled at the same time. Our eyes met.

    ¡°Don¡¯t we feel stupid¡­¡± Liam said.

    ¡°Jabin actually forged Marcus¡¯s voice to confuse you¡­ Did you doubt him?¡±

    I sighed. It was a start, but I was still doubting.

    Heavy footfalls came stomping in. The hair on my back stood up straight. We all stood up straight, frozen, wondering what the hell would happen next. A few heavily armed men came running down the corridor towards the kitchen. There was one in front of the rest. His manner wasn¡¯t opposing. I breathed out the heavy breath I was holding. He stopped in front of us.

    ¡°Louis du Pont?¡±

    I took a drag of the cigarette, putting it back into Juliet¡¯s mouth when she begged with her thoughts. I held out a hand to the guy. It was a reflex. Propper behavior and all. He reluctantly shook it, reaching for something around his neck. He took it off and handed it to me.

    ¡°Marcus is going to En-gannim. You are in charge of the compound until he comes back. That makes you King¡­.¡± They all fell down on their knees in front of me. Chanted something that made gooseflesh cover my arms. They got up directly. ¡°Forgive us for not showing proper respect. We have a lot of things to do¡­ Who is Carl Bertram?¡±

    Carl hesitantly stepped forward.

    ¡°If you can, kindly come with us, Sir. Marcus needs you to teleport him to Washington. Right now.¡± Jessy stepped out of the kitchen with Carl in tow. Carl turned and waved at us. When I didn¡¯t follow, Jessy turned around. ¡°You have to come with us. We have a lot of orders from Marcus. We need to sit down and talk. There are going to be a lot of arrests tonight. You are going to be needed in the office.¡±

    I snorted and glanced from Liam to Cindy. If I didn¡¯t have to. I wasn¡¯t going to leave Juliet¡­ I didn¡¯t want to. What the hell was Marcus thinking! I was the one who stayed with her. I turned away from him and sat down next to Juliet.

    ¡°Baby.¡± I touched her hair. She was out like a log. Cigarette between her fingers. I took it and put it out.

    Cindy rubbed my back in understanding. ¡°Nothing will happen to her again. You can help, Louis.¡±

    I stood up with the talisman in my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave. She will be all alone.¡±

    Jessy handed us a phone. ¡°For her. We can bring you back. We will stay close. Five minutes tops. We all have to listen to you now¡­ Two hundred thousand soldiers¡­.¡± I stood dumbfounded. Blankly, staring at Jessy. But he was waiting. He had to. What did I know about leading an f¡­ing army? Liam pushed me out the door and closed it.

    ¡°Go away, Louis.¡±

    ¡°You better call me!¡± I slapped the door like Juliet had done so many times.

    ***

    Carl

    Unfortunately, we needed to split up again. Louis and I greeted each other. He said some things and was ushered into another car. I was taken to the teleporter station. Well, the diner that wasn¡¯t far from the barracks. There was a stream of men walking. Transport truck going towards the compound. They were fortifying.

    Marcus was waiting, sitting in a chair. His head in his hands. Jessy was with me, and it made me feel better. It seemed that next to Kubra, he would be a friend of sorts.

    ¡°Marcus!¡± I touched his shoulder. Slowly, he sat up.

    ¡°Jessy. If I don¡¯t come back¡­ And¡­ My grandfather invades. You know what to do. Help Louis know what to do. Take Liam in your confidence. He will kill anyone if you don¡¯t want to¡­ I don¡¯t think it will come to an evasion¡­ But the humans will come and help. Play nice. But don¡¯t let them think we don¡¯t know what we¡¯re doing.¡± Jessy nodded.

    Marcus stood. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Carl. Back to Washington. I have to go face my grandfather.¡±

    Jessy and I made eye contact. He knew that I would be his contact with the humans.

    ¡°Oh, and if Kubra comes back with a human girl. Immediately to Juliet¡¯s side or Louis. Kubra can put the watchers back into commission. Tell him to do it immediately. But you lot can figure it out.¡±

    Jessy nodded and kneeled in front of Marcus, and then we left.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ***

    The sun hadn¡¯t even come up yet. Everything happened in one night. I felt overwhelmed. It was getting to me¡­ Just too much¡­ All of the time. I was exhausted, running on fumes. We literally only came back from Palmyra. I hadn¡¯t even told anyone that I went with Marcus. I had actually been to another freaking planet. Seen it. Felt it. Saw so many werewolves that my world became a little bigger.

    I couldn¡¯t help Charlene before¡­ Even if I wanted to. It would change. I had a teleporter. We were in the white house, and my father was already waiting. Qadir was locked away in a cell for the second time. We were moving in the right direction.

    Warden and Jack were waiting. It was like seeing friends. We were all so connected. If all went belly up. Kubra would connect the watchers with their vamps, and the army would suddenly be four hundred thousand. Some flying, teleporting. I knew why my father wanted the relationship to work. The world stood as one against others¡­ It was going to change everything.

    Jack had become Marcus¡¯s personal escort to En-gannim. Seeing that he had been there before. I was thrilled that I wasn¡¯t going to be the one to face his grandfather just yet. I hoped never.

    ***

    Ahasuerus

    It had been two weeks since Jabin was in my study the last time, bringing me everything that Kubra had so cleverly deleted and edited. I had to give Marcus credit for the fortitude he showed the previous year. Not one of my children would have been that patient. Where he got his mental strength from, I still didn¡¯t know. That day, when my interim secretary told me someone had come through from Earth, I expected Jabin.

    Nervously, he told me it was Marcus. I had to ask him to repeat it, wondering if Jabin¡¯s last plan had worked. Had Juliet killed herself.

    ¡°Is Jabin here?¡±

    ¡°No, your majesty,¡± he said, bowing.

    ¡°Well, show Marcus in.¡±

    Marcus and another man walked in, fell on the floor and kowtowed. That was where they stayed, showing proper etiquette.

    ¡°Get up, boy. So I can have a look at you.¡± He was the spitting image of me eight hundred years ago. I was immediately proud of him. His countenance and the way he carried himself made him mine for sure. I sighed. ¡°Good. Where is Jabin?¡± Marcus¡¯s hands were behind his back militarily. That was what he was used to. It didn¡¯t mean he showed me less respect than the guy bowing in the corner, not standing straight in my presence.

    ¡°I killed him, Sir.¡± ¡®Sir¡¯ I had not been called that before.

    ¡°Is ¡°sir¡± an earthly term? Does it show respect?¡± Marcus changed his stance and bowed with his hands in front of him, stretched out but together.

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. It¡¯s filial.¡±

    ¡°Do not be disturbed. I was only asking. At ease, soldier. I was also a military man when I was young. You growing up there will take some getting used to.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± I walked over to the window. The dark skyline was beautiful against the night. The stars were so close and vivid that the Milky Way arm was a constant for us.

    ¡°I take it Jabin¡¯s latest test didn¡¯t pan out.¡±

    ¡°Almost, Sir. By a few minutes.¡±

    I bobbed my head. ¡°Kubra know?¡±

    ¡°No, Sir.¡±

    ¡°You did not think about that relationship when you killed his father¡­ For that Chit.¡±

    ¡°No, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Well, nothing to do about it now. We have been in rule for five thousand years, Marcus. It is the first time a boy from our family has been this clever and determined in what he wants. Your father had that same drive. I hope yours brings you peace¡­ Are you sure she is worth it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    I scoffed. Such a final direct answer. ¡°When did you make the decision?¡± Marcus paused, thinking... I glanced over. ¡°Speak freely.¡±

    ¡°The first time she hugged me because of a couch.¡±

    I snorted, eyebrows raised. ¡°On the footage, she seems like a stupid girl.¡±

    He actually chuckled. ¡°Yes, sir. Very stupid.¡± It was hard seeing him happy. I wanted him happy. But for other reasons. Tangible things. Financial. Generational Hierarchy... Kids.

    ¡°I have to say I would love to meet her¡­ But I don¡¯t think you are that stupid.¡± He didn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°So what will happen now¡­ Is¡­ Your chit will go through another test. And if she survives and comes out victor, we will talk again. I don¡¯t know how she does it, but her good luck is uncanny. Everything works out for her.¡± My eyes covered the expanse of the city. ¡°Come, Marcus.¡±

    He walked over and drew in a slow breath at the view. It was pretty magical at night. The water lit up from within. Made a pink and white glow where there would be streets on Earth. The liquid ran in between the buildings. Everything¡­ Clean.

    ¡°Do you understand what¡¯s at stake? You are supposed to lead these people into the future. Into more prosperity. Garnering more technology from the other planets, we can still trade with. The possibilities are endless. It grieves me that you would give it all up for one girl¡­ Take Marcus away. Show him to his rooms. You will be staying at my house where we can spend some time together. You will not be going back to Earth.¡±

    He turned to me and bowed. My gaze was still fixed on my prize.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on at the compound and with Qadir¡¯s plans?¡±

    Out of the corner of my eye, he turned his hands behind his back again.

    ¡°I have taken over the compound.¡± Impressed, I spun on my heels and clapped my hands together. The first good news in a while.

    ¡°Your father?¡±

    ¡°Jail.¡± I clapped again, laughing for the first time in a very long time.

    ¡°The fact that you are so resourceful, Marcus, makes me very proud. If I could just get rid of that girl, I know you would take your place. Your prize will be mine. How did you do it?¡±

    He didn¡¯t answer. He knew I wouldn¡¯t like his answer. But I wanted to know.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I was protecting her. It¡¯s all for her.¡±

    I shooed them out of the room. Irritated. My fingers rubbed my forehead. ¡°You! What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Jack, your majesty.¡± He bowed even lower than my secretary.

    ¡°You take the food to the troops and the compound. Who is in charge?¡±

    ¡°Louis Du Pont.¡±

    I burst out in a bout of laughter that did not want to disperse. I kept laughing and laughing. My irritation was gone in an instant.

    Louis¡­ I liked.

    ***

    Marcus

    Well, that went better than I had thought. I kept breaking my promise to myself. That I would never leave her again. All I did was step away. Every time, it seemed¡­ I moved further and further away. I had thought that he would have no trust in me. But it seemed I had control of the compound¡¯s fate. If I behaved, Ahasuerus would leave Earth alone. No, he would even support my endeavor. I sighed heavily, sitting on the edge of my bed.

    The troops and Juliet would get food. Qadir was in a cell. Louis was in control of my army. Jessy was there. Kubra would join him, and Juliet would be okay for a while. I was going to spend time with my grandfather. I was on another planet in another system¡­ It seemed too good to be true¡­ Everything just happened too quickly. I had made one split decision and moved forward more than I had in the last four years.

    Juliet was going to have to go through a test¡­ He said. I was trying to rack my brain about what it could be. The only missing piece was Michael¡­ How long had it been¡­ Three¡­ Four weeks?

    What would he want¡­ Juliet¡¯s only weakness was her willingness to lay down her life¡­ Where was Michael? Could he be on the planet with me? Kept safe for later use.

    ***

    Chris

    I had to find something to do, or I would literally lose my mind. Caring for Caleb twenty-four-seven was a noble enterprise, but I had never seen myself as a babysitter. A stay-at-home dad. For a few days, I had been going around the city, doing something different all over to see what I would and could be¡­ good at. There was no wood. So, making chairs and cabins was out of the question. Irritated that I had all the skills with tech and my hands but nothing to do with it¡­ Or very little in that part of the planet anyway.

    ¡°Can I not travel and find new places that may be a little greener? Find a tree that doesn¡¯t resemble a giant succulent¡­.¡±

    Ira smiled. ¡°The planet is just as old as the Earth, and we have been here for generations. I think we know every nook and cranny.¡±

    ¡°You cannot tell me the whole place is like this.¡±

    ¡°Pretty much. And then, of course, we have dangerous beasts and predators. Bigger than us.¡±

    ¡°Do they ever attack the Riphaths?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ we have scouts far and wide. They quickly sort them out.¡±

    Right there, I decided what I wanted to do. Hunter, gatherer, protector¡­ Didn¡¯t seem so bad. It was what I trained for. What Marcus taught me for.

    Maya came over and touched my shoulder when I didn¡¯t notice her. My head tilted up. She was smiling again. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Caleb will be fine for a few hours.¡± I nodded. Her touch didn¡¯t irritate me anymore. Since we spoke, there had been a better understanding between us. She still knew her place and didn¡¯t crowd me. No one there nagged. Or irritated you. Everyone was all about peace. Ira was watching us closely.

    ¡°You guys seem better friends since you started talking.¡±

    ¡°She knows what boundaries are.¡±

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s a good girl. Pretty, too.¡±

    I shot him a look. ¡°Don¡¯t get any ideas.¡±

    ¡°Let me get you someone, Chris. You need release.¡±

    I jumped up. ¡°NO! I really don¡¯t. You did this. So you will have to live with me pent-up and irritated for hundreds of years.¡±

    He scoffed. ¡°You won¡¯t last.¡±

    ¡°Hmpf. Not much faith in me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just¡­ that boring here.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have STDs?¡±

    ¡°That would suck. No, we don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°How do you even know what I¡¯m talking about¡­. Using the word ¡°suck .¡± He didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Well, crap. So you can do what you want when you want, and if the girl has had a baby, you don¡¯t even need to worry about that.¡±

    ¡°Pretty much. Works out. One big harem. Not just one person with multiple partners.¡±

    I was taken aback. That was the first time Ira had spoken about Juliet. Between the lines... And in a negative way. Getting irritated with me not conforming. I sat down. ¡°You have a problem with Juliet having so many men, and we staying faithful¡­.¡± Again, he didn¡¯t answer. ¡°This is the first time you said anything¡­ Do you not approve of your daughter-in-law?¡±

    He stood up and held onto the pillar that kept up the roof made of some kind of grassy substance. Ira peered out into the street. ¡°I don¡¯t like one person controlling others, Chris. Why we keep to ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think she controls us¡­ It¡¯s our choice if we want to stay. She has made that very clear.¡±

    ¡°But will she take you back if you had another woman? Why are you so afraid? That, to me, is manipulation¡­ Control.¡±

    ¡°What if I told you I was a one-woman kind of guy, and I would like to get married here on Zoreah.¡± His head jerked back at me. But he didn¡¯t say anything. I was startled at his reaction. Had no one ever loved anyone else there? ¡°What if I just don¡¯t like not having commitment and loyalty. Until death do us part. Family. Togetherness and connection. What about intimacy? Those are words¡­ You don¡¯t even understand.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think you didn¡¯t make it official with her? At least try a branding? Or human marriage? It¡¯s because you are a Riphath. It¡¯s ingrained in you not to care. You were celibate for three years because of some human paper.¡±

    ¡°Juliet is very jealous¡­ It¡¯s not that she wouldn¡¯t be able to get over it, but that I don¡¯t want to hurt her like that¡­ I know Louis¡¯s love for her and what they¡¯ve done for her. Oh, my soul, what Michael has done and not to mention Marcus¡­ We just fell for the same person¡­ She has so much room in her heart¡­ I don¡¯t know how she does it. Juliet loves us all and would do anything for us.¡±

    He scoffed. ¡°You¡­ Maybe a little more¡­ You she¡¯s obsessed with.¡±

    I had to smile because it was true. Maybe I felt secure in her feelings. Because I had a little more of her¡­ When it came to giving us numbers, I was only 4<sup>th</sup>. Would she add someone or¡­ Replace the void I created? I actually caught myself smiling at the thought. Wondering what the hell she would come up with next.

    ¡°That glint in your eye¡­ Right now¡­ What is it?¡± Ira asked.

    I sighed, pressing my lips together, trying not to cry¡­ ¡°She will come for me¡­ And if that isn¡¯t reason enough¡­ Nothing will ever be.¡±

    We sat in silence for a long time. Many faces walked past the house and greeted us. I had begun to recognize some of them. Building relationships was essential. If I wouldn¡¯t take a lover. I had to replace Louis, Marcus, and Carl. I had to replace it all.

    ¡°So what do I bring to the table for trading¡­ when I become a protector.¡± He jumped up and slapped my shoulder.

    ¡°You decided?¡± I had never seen him that animated. I nodded and gave him my half-smile.

    ¡°Before I do go and do that¡­ You said there is no tech. But we came in a teleporter. There was a soft spot where we entered Zoreah.¡±

    He sat, the animation gone. Me jumping from something he valued to something he would instead never mention again. He regarded me for a long time.

    ¡°It¡¯s three months that way. And it¡¯s too cold there. We have at least a five-year winter here in Yaroun. After that, we go back for the five-year summer.¡± I was so angry at myself for asking. ¡°We were so hurried when we took you because the convoy had already started. I pushed it till the last second, Chris. I really don¡¯t want it to seem that I planned it. Tried to hurt you.¡±

    Every time I asked something life-changing, it really turned out to be.

    It meant that for five years, I was stuck there. A whole year for Juliet.

    I got up. ¡°Check Caleb for me¡­ I¡¯m going for a walk.¡±

    I stopped when I stepped down from the porch. ¡°What you should have done¡­ was bring the nine other people that I valued with me. We would have had five years of peace.¡±

    ¡°You know Juliet asked me just before we traveled¡­ ¡°How?¡±¡­.¡±

    My eyes slowly met his. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the same thing I told her¡­ Species don¡¯t mix. Your party had three humans. A werewolf cub and five vampires.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just a group of individuals, Ira¡­ They are my family. Whether they are another species or not. And really, we are all human fifty percent of the time¡­ I don¡¯t understand why it is such a big deal.¡±

    ¡°You should know more than anyone¡­ Earth has no unity¡­ So much diversity and culture, but they kill each other. They kill their planet. They hurt and destroy. Why would you want that for every planet that doesn¡¯t believe that is how life should be lived¡­ They are a hundred percent human, and the species part of us makes us who we are. Sets us apart. It can never work, Chris.¡±

 Soren and Isla

    86. Soren and Isla

    Isla

    My ear was pushed up against the door of my room. I heard Soren coming home. It was late in the day. Usually, he was already home for dinner time. There had been something different in his manner for a few days. A knock on my door made me step back. I had been waiting for my mother to call me and help her serve dinner. All my days were spent indoors. If it wasn¡¯t for my love of books, I would have gone crazy a while back. Sometimes, being stuck in a small space even got to me¡­ Because my father owned the bookstore behind the supermarket. It was easier for my brother to sneak me the latest novel.

    In the last few years, the pool had diminished a little. We had been reading the same books over and over. Before that, Soren did all he could to sneak in memorable¡­ Spicy novels for us.

    The last few days, he had that glint in his eyes again. The one he lost a few years ago. We were never friends because women didn¡¯t have friends, especially not male friends. I did listen to all the stories much like all the women on the compound did. There was an auction. My father even tried to get him the girl he really wanted. But we couldn¡¯t outbid Lucius¡¯s father. I felt for Soren. I had wondered what would have happened if he could have married that girl. Maybe things could have been different.

    I knew it was for her that the books flowed in. That he sneaked in special DVDs. He had made it worthwhile getting a few of us to read the same books in a group. I remember he even read every trashy novel and every boring war story or autobiography just to have something to talk to her about. I knew she had to be back. The girl had caused such a scandal. Not only did she get sold on auction, but they managed to escape the compound. Well, that was the story that went around. But that night, it was different. There was an energy in the air¡­ A nervousness in the servants and my mom. My father and Soren came home, and then they left suddenly. It was really late when they came back. No one told me anything. I never really knew what was going on. There were only a few girls of my age left who weren¡¯t married. It would be my seventieth birthday that year. I was born before the harem system took on a whole new meaning. I had been there for thirty years before the place became a fort. An army base and the structures had changed.

    I exited my room and greeted my father and brother by bowing down. They sat in their chairs. Soren helped me up, releasing me. He was happy. There was a smile on his face. His eyes fell on our father. They locked gazes until my father nodded, releasing him to speak to me. Soren told me to sit down. I didn¡¯t talk. Women never spoke.

    ¡°Isla, something happened in the whole of the Compound tonight.¡± I didn¡¯t expect much because big news would be¡­ That¡­ No, we never had big news.

    ¡°Marcus came back.¡± My eyes widened a little. That was big news. He had been gone a long time. Soren had always talked about him. Qadir, the leader¡¯s boy. The one to take over. They had high hopes for him. I still didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡°Something happened at his house. At Qadir¡¯s house.¡±

    What could it possibly be? My hands were rubbing in anticipation.

    ¡°He forced guards to bow down to his wife.¡±

    I gasped. My mouth hung open behind my veil.

    ¡°She was molested, and men were in Marcus¡¯s house with her when he came back.¡± I shudder at the thought. ¡°He gouged out his eyes and broke his arm. He is hanging on a pole outside Qadir¡¯s house.¡±

    It was a little above me. I couldn¡¯t really comprehend the meaning. Men were never allowed close to someone else¡¯s wife. Rape was a serious offense. Cheating was a severe offense¡­ One thing women could at least feel safe about. Not that it didn¡¯t happen after you were married. My mind tried to put the puzzle pieces together. In my opinion¡­ Marcus didn¡¯t have a wife. Who would want to go into that house anyway? I had heard that Marcus had gone to the same auction as Soren years ago, but Qadir didn¡¯t offer one cent.

    ¡°The human world out there had taken Qadir into custody a few weeks ago. That¡¯s why Marcus had to come home. But he left her at his house. Qadir didn¡¯t like the fact that Marcus¡­ Loves his wife.¡±

    The animation was back in Soren¡¯s eyes. It must be the same girl he was crushing on. He met her again a few days ago. But if she was Marcus¡¯s wife, Why¡­ was he so happy?

    ¡°Anyway, Isla, things are going to change on the compound. For women especially. The whole army is moving back¡­ Marcus¡¯s army. I don¡¯t know how, but you can go outside. Walk around without a veil, for starters.¡± Soren ended his talk.

    I didn¡¯t know what to think, let alone say anything. My life had a routine. There was structure, safety, and food for the vampires once a month. We didn¡¯t need to go out into the world alone. There was safety in numbers. My father had looked after me my whole life. He had given me freedom without being cruel. And all I had to do was follow the rules. There weren¡¯t many anyway. Not everyone felt like that, but I did. I had never wished for change. My mother was the only wife with two kids. She had never been oppressed or beaten. All that was expected was that we were quiet. Not talk. Not go outside and show respect. My father even let me read. I had never written anything, but I didn¡¯t need to. I had no friends. I didn¡¯t talk to any other women.

    Soren had never felt like me. He was twenty-eight, nowhere near my age. On numerous occasions, he had tried to pull me into a conversation. I even asked my father to give me leave to talk to him. But I never really felt right in doing it. Getting swept up in his enthusiasm to do something. To go somewhere. It always felt like he was going shoot up into the air. He was confined and bored. Going to the same place day in and day out. When he started working at the bookstore, he evened out a little. Had something to live for¡­ But I was sure it wasn¡¯t the books.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you want to be able to go outside Isla? Walk with me in the market. Come to a shop and drink without having your hand held by your father.¡±

    ¡°Soren, your sister isn¡¯t like you. She is contented and peaceful. Just because she is a woman doesn¡¯t mean she always feels oppressed.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, baba? I¡¯m a man, and I feel oppressed.¡± My father didn¡¯t indulge him. ¡°Well, there were announcements the whole night long that an information meeting would be held in the great hall. Women are allowed to go¡­ If you want to, Isla, you can come with Baba and me tomorrow?¡±

    I looked at my father. He was gazing at the TV on some channels the compound allowed.

    ¡°I would like to go.¡± My father jumped up. All our heads turned in unison. It was my mother. She was actually saying something. Soren jumped out of his chair. He went over to her, picked her up, and twirled her in a circle. My mother smiled for the first time in a very long time.

    ***

    Soren

    My whole family went to the Great Hall that day. There were not many faces so early, but my father wanted to stay in a routine. We needed to be at the bookstore by nine. Isla was strangely nervous. It was as if she didn¡¯t welcome the change. I was glad that my mother reacted the way she did. It shocked us all. Sometimes, I wondered how the women did it. Stayed quiet. Stayed still. Stayed home.

    Juliet would never have been able to handle it. No, she never would have to. I was glad Marcus was back. But it did mean that Marcus was probably not undecided anymore. That she really did have two husbands.

    The doors were open. I saw Louis in the corner talking to a guard. They were in a serious discussion. But the guard relented, and they came our way. Louis saw me immediately and came over. I introduced him to my family. He extended his hand to my mom. It took a moment, but she shook it, making eye contact with him and saying ¡°hello.¡±

    The three of us were stunned. Louis smirked and held her hand a little too long. His gaze landed on me. ¡°She thinks I¡¯m attractive.¡±

    My father was immediately indignant. I pushed Louis out of there before he could break down all the progress we had made. And before he could shake Isla¡¯s hand. Louis was so friendly. The smile on his face drew you in. He was happy. ¡°I got to go, Soren¡­ She woke up. She¡¯s in bad shape. Even worse than when you saw her last time.¡± Louis and the guard ran for a car that was already running. They were headed for Marcus¡¯s home.

    It had been my fault. That she was beaten again. When the guard looked at me in the bookstore, threatening Juliet to come out of her ability. I was ready to take it for her. I cringed at the fact that she would do that for me¡­ How was any man supposed to show her that they cared? I sighed, staring after the car. Isla came and tugged on my sleeve. She had done it so many times. Because she never spoke¡­ Frustrated that she had done it so many times.

    We sat on some chairs. There were projectors and screens pulled down. Everything that happened the last two weeks played. After we saw Marcus and all he had said in his interviews¡­ We didn¡¯t think there could be more. But they soon told us that arrangements were being made for us to return home. Some guard gave us a speech about all the lies Qadir had told everyone. They said there would be islands on the outskirts that would happily take us in. Where we could acclimate and share what we had learned from Earth. That Marcus was there and would visit and help with any transitions.

    ***

    ¡°Baba, are we going to go back?¡± I asked as soon as we entered our home.

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    The four of us were sitting around the TV, my mother anxious about what my father would say. Isla still hadn¡¯t said a word. I was getting more frustrated with her. The bookstore was suddenly forgotten. What would be the point?

    ¡°I don¡¯t think there will be novels and entertainment for women there. I don¡¯t think they write stories about love and drama?¡±

    Isla¡¯s hand reached up. We all stared at her. She was asking for permission to speak. In other households, she would have to bow to the floor. My father nodded.

    ¡°I would like to go back. It seems that En-gannim is a little bit more relaxed around women. There are no maimings. It doesn¡¯t seem like there are servants or poverty. Everyone has a purpose¡­ I might even be able to get married if that is the case.¡± The three of us sat staring. I had not heard her voice in a long time. ¡°It seems that talking is up to the father or the husband. It''s not like here where we have to stay indoors. Can only go out with a male present.¡±

    ¡°If we wait, we could live among the humans.¡± I tried to throw out the other side of the coin. No one said anything.

    ¡°I want to have a baby, Soren. Here, I will have to marry a human that would take the chance¡­. He will die in a hundred years and then¡­.¡± She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sure there will be reading. Just different. There will be something for women to do. We can go to more information meetings to find out exactly.¡±

    ¡°Enough! I will go every day. Find out everything and then make the decision. That is still how this house works. Isn¡¯t it?¡±

    His eyes glanced from Isla to mine. I sighed heavily. Our eyes drifted to my mom. She was quiet. Her eyes were closed, and her head leaned back on the couch. I stood up and touched her arm. I went down on my haunches next to her. She slowly opened her eyes and patted my hand.

    ¡°I know, Soren, that you want to stay¡­ But I don¡¯t want you to. Your father and I were born here. I was sold here, and he was good to me. I am one of the lucky ones. You were lucky.¡± She glanced at my father. ¡°But Soren, I would love to go back home. My parents will not be allowed, and your Baba¡¯s parents will stay. But not once had they told us where we came from. Isla is almost seventy¡­ I want to keep moving forward. I had been dreaming of this day. Us going back is not necessarily a bad thing. I think there is a reason the species can¡¯t mix. Forcing ourselves in with the humans¡­ I feel like an outcast.¡±

    My arms wrapped around her neck, and I hugged her. I needed a hug. I also needed a wife. Being there had made me more human. It might not be a good thing. Not all of us can go into a place and feel at home. We haven¡¯t ever felt at home. When I released her, my father and Isla were staring at us. I had gotten my mom¡¯s even temper. But it didn¡¯t mean we didn¡¯t need to talk about things. And she desperately wanted to speak.

    ***

    Kubra

    Louis { Just checking in with everyone. Seems the coms are working again. Charlene okay? Carl was at the compound and said you¡¯re looking after her. Thanks btw }

    Kubra { Good to hear. We¡¯re enjoying your Paris home. Safe to go to Washington with Charlene? Or should we stay here? }

    Louis { Big developments. Charlene can come to the compound }

    Kubra { Good, we have talked about it a bit... see you in a few days }

    ***

    ¡°Hey, Charlene. Louis said I can take you to the compound. You still want to go.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I do. That means Juliet is okay. Do you think I could talk to her?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Will find out her number or how you can get a hold of her. I will know more when we are on the compound.¡±

    ¡°Where did you live when you were there?¡±

    ¡°I had a room with Marcus. In his house.¡±

    ¡°Is it nice?¡±

    I bobbed my head. ¡°Really nice. It¡¯s modern. With cement and wood mixed with clean lines and a flat roof. Very LA, actually.¡±

    ¡°Can we stay a few more days? I want to do all the sightseeing.¡±

    It made me happy that she asked. That she wanted to stay longer. Spend more time with me. Since I told her everything, she had relaxed more around me, and I wanted to build on that.

    ***

    I had taken Charlene and Min¨¦ everywhere Paris had to offer. We visited all the tourist destinations and were busy the whole day. We were walking back home after some sightseeing. Charlene looked down at the ground, a little down in the dumps.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong,¡± I asked?

    ¡°I¡­ enjoy doing things with you¡­ but¡­¡±

    I waited and didn¡¯t say anything¡­

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to do anything tomorrow.¡±

    I was quiet. She and Juliet were so busy. Always lively. It seemed like she would love not sitting still. ¡°Are you tired? Min¨¦ has been sleeping through.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not tired. I just¡­ want to spend some¡­ more¡­ time with you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ve been spending every day with you.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t really talk¡­ being out and about¡­ Min¨¦ is always with us, and¡­ The only time there is¡­ to relax is when she takes a nap and in the evenings after I put her down.¡±

    Was that code for something? I heard human girls had a lot of things going on¡­ Difficult to understand what they really meant. I was trying my best, but I had to take out my phone.

    Who would I ask? I messaged Louis.

    Kubra { Hey. When a human girl says she wants to stay in and talk and not leave the house¡­ what is it code for? }

    Louis { Charlene? Big eye emoji face }

    Kubra { Yeah }

    There was a pause. A minute or two went by.

    Louis { During the day, when Min¨¦ sleeps, she has about an hour to two where she could run a bath¡­ read a book¡­ means she needs to relax. Time for herself }

    Kubra { And at night? After she puts Min¨¦ down. And the talking? }

    Louis { She wants to watch her favorite movie¡­ get her favorite takeout, and ask you a billion questions that you have to answer. Honestly. No matter what time during the day, you are both at home. If you haven¡¯t fought by then and the movie is over¡­}

    Louis {ask her to come to sit on your lap¡­ winky face emoji}

    What the f¡­. what does that even mean???

    ***

    Needless to say, everything was going so well¡­ I put Min¨¦ down for her nap and told Charlene to take a bath. Bought her favorite wine and she had a book on her phone she was reading.

    I heard the bath, and when she came out, she seemed really relaxed in her slacks. The rest of the day, I tried to stay close to her, so she could ask me her billion questions. It didn¡¯t take long of me being quiet for her to start talking. She got really excited when I answered her about everything¡­ almost mesmerized listening. We got takeout, and it went on till Min¨¦ went to sleep.

    I realized there was a lot she wanted to ask me that she couldn¡¯t in a lineup outside the Eifel Tower or in a crowded store.

    Although out there, I had more excuses to touch her. Take her out of the way of oncoming traffic or rub against her, trying not to bump someone on the bus. Sharing food or drinks. At home, she was on one side of the room and me on the other.

    ¡°What¡¯s your favorite movie. I feel like watching something. Maybe it¡¯s on¡­ I can always stream it through my phone?¡± She stared at me, coming back from putting Min¨¦ down for the night. ¡°Would you like to watch a movie with me¡­ I haven¡¯t done this before¡­ So I will watch what you suggest.¡±

    ¡°You have never watched TV.¡±

    ¡°No! Not that¡­ This¡­ Asking a girl to watch a movie.¡±

    She giggled and jumped over the couch. ¡°Yeah¡­ okay.¡± Didn¡¯t sound very convincing. ¡°I kinda feel like the movie ¡°next.¡± Saw it was on. I think you¡¯ll like it.¡± I looked for it and found it. I played it and actually did enjoy it. We haven¡¯t fought, and she seemed to have gotten everything she wanted. I watched her more than I watched the screen, though. It wasn¡¯t really late after the credits rolled down.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    She giggled. ¡°I¡¯ve said this before, but do you even know that all you have to say is ¡°what¡±¡­.¡±

    I paused, thinking about it.

    ¡°Now that you mention it¡­ Again¡­ I suppose.¡± She was quietly playing with her fingernail. ¡°We haven¡¯t fought today. We haven¡¯t fought at all, come to think about it.¡±

    She looked up from her fingers. ¡°Random¡­ But no¡­ I think we get along.¡±

    ¡°Did you have a good day?¡± I ventured nervously.

    ¡°It was exactly what I needed.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ Do you¡­ want to come and sit on my lap?¡±

    At first, she paused and tilted her head. ¡°You obviously want to fight or be pushy.¡± She was angry¡­ ¡°I thought we talked about this, Kubra.¡± She got up and grabbed her phone. Not looking at me again. I wanted to touch her hand when she walked past me. She pulled it up and out of mine in a jerky movement.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Seriously, Kubra! I don¡¯t want to have sex with you. Is that clear enough?¡±

    The look on my face must have been clearer¡­ I had no idea when I ever made that suggestion. She stared down at me for a moment. ¡°Where did you hear what you asked me.¡± I picked up my phone and gave it to her. She smiled from ear to ear. Like I gave her the holy grail. ¡°How do you not know what it means?¡± She asked.

    I shrugged¡­ ¡°Messages¡­ Louis¡­¡± She scrolled and read it.

    I had never seen anyone burst out laughing like that. So much that at one point she was rolling on the couch.  ¡°I hope this is a good thing.¡± She nodded, coughing and trying to catch her breath. I was falling in love with her. Charlene was beautiful and understanding. Her laugh made me smile. Making her laugh felt good¡­ Seeing her happy made me feel good.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m¡­ in love with you, Charlene.¡±

 Louis And Agatha

    87. Louis And Agatha

    Juliet

    The last thing I remembered was being in the kitchen. I was in my bed again. I didn¡¯t want to be there. My mom¡¯s hand was holding mine. I could see the book she held from the corner of my eye. I relaxed a bit ¡­ Trying to focus on the room. Too tired to even lift my head.

    ¡°Julie? You awake?¡±

    ¡°Mommy?¡± I groaned, trying to roll on my back. The pain was too much. I gasped into the cushion. Nothing had hurt that much. It was constant pain, but you would think that my leathery skin would help.

    ¡°Stay on your stomach, Julie.¡±

    ¡°Mmmh. Did it all really happen?¡±

    She laughed lightly. ¡°Yes. Marcus was a badass. The guy is still on the pole.¡±

    ¡°Good! Creep!¡±

    ¡°Urgh!¡± My mom shuddered at the thought.

    ¡°Who else is here?¡±

    ¡°Just your Dad and me. How much do you remember.¡±

    ¡°Not much.¡±

    She laughed again. ¡°Well, then you¡¯re in for a surprise.¡±

    The room door opened, and my mom got up. Louis fell on the bed next to me.

    ¡°Baby? You okay?¡± He kissed me on my neck, running his hand through my hair. Glad that all I had to do was think when he was here. He lay flat next to me, our foreheads pressed against each other. ¡°Marcus made me the leader of the compound.¡± That made me wake up and sit up all in one instant. My dad and mom laughed.

    ¡°You¡¯re joking¡­? Where is Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Marcus went to En-gannim.¡± My shoulders slumped. ¡°He¡¯s not gonna come back¡­ Is he?¡±

    A man came knocking at the door. ¡°Yeah, Jessy, come in.¡± The new face stared at me and at my back and frowned. ¡°I got to go, baby. Marcus¡¯s half-brothers need to be sorted out before news travels.¡±

    ¡°How many are there,¡± Dad asked. We all looked at Jessy.

    ¡°A lot¡­ I think ten that matter.¡±

    ¡°Go. I¡¯m fine.¡± He held out his hand to Jessy, who threw him a packet of cigarettes and gave it to me. I groaned. ¡°I think I love you.¡±

    ¡°Tsk, for cigarettes.¡±

    I shooed him away. He didn¡¯t kiss me. ¡°Thanks for the cigarettes.¡± His head stayed on mine for a moment. He smiled. Louis was happy¡­ really happy. That made me happy. ¡°I want you home by five.¡±

    He jumped up, saluted me, and ran out. Jessy shook his head. My dad came to sit on the bed across from me. ¡°We have to tend to your wounds.

    ¡°Urgh!¡± I fell facedown. ¡°What is it with men beating a girl with a belt?¡±

    ¡°You could have lost that hand.¡±

    I shuddered at the thought.

    ***

    Louis

    I sauntered up the stairs of Qadir¡¯s house. Jessy was with me. It was only the two of us. We had walked down the lane from Marcus¡¯s home to his father¡¯s. The doors were open. We stood at the threshold and rang the bell. All the women had on veils. They all looked the same. You didn¡¯t know who the wife was or who was just a servant.  A tall, slender, figured woman came up to us. I was reading everyone and all the time. My mind was focused. Her thoughts darted to what she saw Marcus doing, seeing the gate behind me. Marcus looked at her. Everything she still had to do today ticked down like a list in her thoughts. She was trying to stay focused but struggling. She was scared that Qadir could come back. The proper etiquette for a woman to receive a man at the door was to bow their heads and wait until they were spoken to. She did all that.

    ¡°Agatha.¡± I ventured to see if it really was Marcus¡¯s mute mother.

    Agatha [Yes, that is me, but it¡¯s not like I can answer. Where are the servants?]

    ¡°Please stand up straight and look at me.¡± Her mind went quiet, and her gaze slowly came up to mine. Our eyes met. She frowned but didn¡¯t recognize me. My hand nervously rubbed through my hair. It had been unruly since the night before, all over the place. I needed a hair tie.

    ¡°My name is¡­ Louis du Pont.¡±

    Her eyes widened. Her hand went to her mouth¡­ As if she was scared, she would say something.

    Agatha [ Marcus and Juliet¡¯s husband ]

    I was so surprised by what she thought that I smiled and chuckled. I nodded.

    She frowned again.

    ¡°Agatha¡­ I have the ability to¡­ read minds.¡±

    A sob and gasp escaped her lips when it sunk in. She stared at me, unable to move or think. I grabbed her arm and yelled at Jessy to take the other. We helped her to a chair.

    Agatha [ Is Juliet okay? ]

    My brow furrowed, shaking my head from side to side. I couldn¡¯t say anything for a moment. Not only because of Juliet. But that Marcus mother¡­ After everything¡­ Thought to ask about Juliet first. She watched me closely.

    Agatha [ I¡¯m so proud of Marcus¡­ Louis. I¡¯m so proud of Juliet. And¡­ you. I listen and know everything going on. I might not be able to read or write, but I still have my ears ]

    ¡°You¡¯re not angry at her for taking another husband.¡±

    It sounded like she was laughing. She shook her head from side to side. We smiled, sharing the moment.

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    Agatha [ When Qadir came back¡­ I heard him talking to one of his men. That Marcus had branded Juliet. He was defeated¡­ But the time with you and her at the cages. You crushed him¡­ It was a good day ]

    I put her hand on my shoulder. She desperately wanted to touch me to show me how proud she was. She didn¡¯t shy away and patted me, gripping my upper arm. She didn¡¯t really know what to do to show affection. She was so happy that she could talk to someone. Tears were pooling in her eyes. I felt like crying. Jessy stared in disbelief. He didn¡¯t know about my ability. But I had kept it from him and the men, trying to figure out who was for us. Not one of them had one thought against Marcus or what he was doing. They were loyal to a fault.

    ¡°We will spend many hours together. From now on¡­ You¡¯re allowed to read and write and take off the veil if you want.¡±

    Two grown men came walking down the stairs. ¡°Who said that she was allowed to do that?¡±

    ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here?¡± The other spat out.

    I breathe in a heavy breath. They walked up to us. ¡°Go do your chores, woman! How can you touch another man? You need a beating?¡±

    Agatha [ Qadir¡¯s oldest child¡­ next wife after me ]

    My fist clenched. ¡°Say, please.¡±

    ¡°No, who the f- do you think you are!¡± Their voices start rising.

    ¡°Jessy¡­ What were Marcus¡¯s orders?¡±

    He bowed down, and I groaned. ¡°Your orders are all that matter.¡±

    My hand was rubbing my forehead. ¡°I¡¯m not used to this, Jessy. If we start arresting people, it¡¯s not going to work.¡± He didn¡¯t get up or say anything.

    ¡°Fine¡­ Get me, four guards.¡± Jessy disappeared and came back.

    ¡°Put these two on the floor. Don¡¯t let them move. Sit them down like children.

    ¡°Is there a way of gathering everyone in the house together?¡±

    Jessy didn¡¯t say anything. Agatha didn¡¯t move, but she thought it.

    Agatha [ There is a gong at the bottom of the stairs. But women aren¡¯t allowed to touch it ]

    ¡°What if I order you to do it?¡±

    She smiled and cautiously walked over. She hit the bell three times.

    The whole floor was filled with people in a matter of a minute. I pushed through, taking Agatha¡¯s hand and ushering her to the staircase so we were raised a few steps above everyone else.

    ¡°Does anyone here know about the planets or our origins?¡± I asked softly.

    She shook her head. How would I convince them of anything or everything?

    ¡°We need a TV.¡± The guards quickly brought one in and propped it up on a table. I looked for every broadcast with Marcus from the first until the previous day. I streamed it through my phone. It was easy. The world made it a lot easier. They watch for about half an hour listening. The young ones sat in the front so the older people could see in the back. The oldest in the room stood forward and asked what was going on.

    I took out the talisman hanging on the inside of my shirt and put it on the outside. The whole floor gasped and fell to the floor. It was like they obeyed the little trinket more than the person. ¡°Marcus gave it to me. He won¡¯t be coming back. Qadir is in prison. Things are going to change around here. When you go outside, the guy on the pole hurt a woman¡­ If anyone touches a woman, maims her, beats her, or points a finger at her. I smile at Agatha. That will happen to you, and even if we have a whole compound full of maimed men sitting on the grass, that will be your future.¡±

    I stared at the two men in front of me. ¡°Try touching a woman¡­ Try throwing your weight around. From now on, men aren¡¯t above women anymore. Not on Earth.¡±

    ¡°There will be daily information sessions in the great hall. It is every hour. The whole day. Women are allowed to go and listen¡­ Other than that, I don¡¯t really have any answers for you right now. Everything goes on as usual¡­ If women want, they can forsake their veils so we can see who the hell we are talking to.¡±

    There was a murmur under the men. The women stood quietly on the outskirts of the room.

    The oldest son, lower than Marcus, stood up to refute what I said.

    ¡°Did you not see your brother? Or what he did last night?¡±

    ¡°My brother is weak and let a woman rule him. We will never go down that path. There needs to be order and hierarchy. Or else everything will fall apart. We have rules for a reason. It isn¡¯t just because we feel like it¡­ Louis.¡±

    ¡°The thing is that you are on a human planet. Your home planet is far from here. And if you want, you can go home right now. Your Father¡­ Qadir was supposed to give you the option, but he never did. Why do you think that is? He killed eight of his brothers and got banished here to earth. He can only work his way back to En-gannim by letting Marcus kill the king. Your king. Not Qadir, not your father, your king.¡±

    ¡°What are the rules for the people on that planet.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost the same.¡±

    There was a loud roar and murmurings.

    ¡°Then why the hell should we listen to you.¡±

    I groaned. ¡°The thing is that the army Marcus leads is following me because they know Marcus will inherit En-gannim. The king is old and desperate for Marcus to take over. That¡¯s why he won¡¯t be coming back. And if Marcus takes over, that¡¯s the way it will be. Here on the compound or on En-gannim¡­ Jessy has orders to fight if the king does invade.¡±

    There was such an uproar. Movement under the men. They huddled and talked among each other. Jessy was faithfully at my side. In one cry, they came at us. Jessy slowly lifted his hand and shot the first guy in the middle of his eyes. It was the oldest son. He dropped. The rest halted. The room flooded with soldiers beating the men down. The women were still frozen against the walls.

    ¡°Permission to speak my league¡­.¡±

    ¡°Was that a joke, Jessy?¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°The soldiers will kill anyone that attacks Louis du Pont. For everyone who does not conform, there is only death. We are not allowed to leave the compound. For the time being, the negotiations with the Earth are still ongoing. That is why there is no food. No more eating¡­ Earthlings¡­.¡±

    Jessy said with a loud voice.

    ¡°We are waiting on further orders from Marcus. Louis is his eyes and ears on Earth, and proper respect will be shown. Even if you disagree with how he runs things. We serve one master. Marcus is the next king. Qadir is in custody because the humans have turned against him. His father will not be coming to help him.

    Marcus will change the whole planet. Because we are sick of the way we are treated, not because of how women are treated. Your parents came here for precisely the same reason. The humans do not know this, but all the parents that came were prisoners sent here with Qadir. Banished¡­

    There will be transport for whoever wants to go back to En-gannim. We need numbers, and we need decisions. So make yours quickly.¡±

    I stared at Jessy dumbfounded. ¡°You could¡¯ve done that in the first place.¡±

    Two guards carried out the body. The mother didn¡¯t even flinch. The thoughts of her son slapping her and spitting on her ran through her mind. She only had one arm. There was only relief when he died in the room. Even for some of the children.

    ¡°Okay, Jessy, I think we are done here. I need to talk to Bertram. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    I stopped and turned back to Agatha. Then to Jessy. ¡°Who has¡­ control over the house? Is there a talisman for that?¡± He ran down a corridor and came back with a box and keys.

    I handed them to Agatha. ¡°Pen and paper.¡±

    I wrote a simple yes and no on two pieces of paper. ¡°Give her a phone.¡± Jessy handed her everything else she would need.

    ¡°Agatha is in charge of the house.¡± There will be four guards here at all times around her. ¡°I dare one of you to lay a finger on Marcus¡¯s mother.¡±

    The room went deadly quiet. There was the knowledge that his filial duty went both ways, first to his mother and then only to Qadir.

    ¡°Can you show me in five pictures? I really need to go.¡±

    She showed me¡­ When Marcus fights for her at five, her tongue gets cut out. After that, how he beat one of his brothers for slapping her. The boy never touched her again. She showed me every time he got put down by Qadir in the dungeons for standing up for her. The last time, Qadir stood over her, lifting his fist into the air. She couldn¡¯t even remember what for. It had been after Juliet left, and Marcus had gone a little¡­ crazy. He had pulled a knife and stuck it underneath his ribs, stopping inches away from his heart. That was the last time Qadir touched her. The one thing Qadir needed was Marcus. And Marcus was never truly his.

 Relationship Tested

    88. Relationship Tested

    Charlene

    Driving up to the compound gates was mind-blowing. It was the size of a small city. The word Compound didn¡¯t do it justice. Just because it was walled and secured, hidden away so cleverly, no one could really see all there was to it.

    They stopped us at the gate, Kubra rolled down the window. He received a firm salute from the soldier recognizing him. The gates opened. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Kubra asked. The soldier¡¯s eyes flickered over to the guard tower. When we saw Louis standing and sorting out issues¡­ We both kinda just took a moment to take in the scene. We had heard that Qadir was in custody again. We hadn¡¯t seen Marcus on the TV either. Louis said significant developments, but Kubra couldn¡¯t reach Marcus.

    One man with Louis came running out down the few steps. Kubra opened the door and greeted the guy with a shake. They had to be the same rank. The other guy went back to Louis, whose head came up from reading some papers. Louis had seen me and came hopping down with a big smile on his face. He pulled me into an embrace, hugging me tightly. Glad that he was there and happy. It meant that Juliet was fine. He let me go and checked into the back to see Min¨¦. ¡°She seems well. Is she well?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s great and healthy. I can¡¯t say that it¡¯s been easy.¡±

    ¡°I can imagine, Charlene.¡± He bent down and whispered into my ear. ¡°Marcus killed Kubra¡¯s father. Marcus is back on En-gannim. Carl is in Washington.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what it was¡­ But I was sad as Kubra glanced over. He had said that he was in love with me. It was going to hurt to see him in pain. We had bonded the last few weeks. He wasn¡¯t a stranger anymore. Or a watcher or a vampire. He was part of the family. He loved Marcus.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell him on our way.¡± I patted Louis¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Okay¡­?¡± Louis seemed doubtful. ¡°Are you sure?¡± He seemed confused but read my mind. His eyebrows raised. ¡°Did not see that one coming¡­.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Neither did I.¡±

    My head gestured towards the car for Kubra to get in.

    ¡°Did Louis tell you Marcus took over the Compound?¡± I nodded. ¡°What is it? You have that face only when you have something serious to say.¡± He already knew me.

    ¡°I do¡­. I think you should stop the car.¡± He was surprised but stopped next to the road, nonetheless.

    ¡°Kubra¡­ Your father died.¡± His brow furrowed. He turned back in his seat away from me, peering sightlessly out the window. Quiet.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°This is the difficult part¡­ It was Marcus.¡± Kubra¡¯s head snapped around to me. His teeth gritted together.

    ¡°Where is Marcus?¡±

    I did that nervous to tell you shoulder shrug. ¡°Another big news¡­ Back on¡­ En-gannim¡­ With his grandfather.¡±

    Kubra put the car in gear and drove on as if nothing had happened. Like Marcus, Kubra was different than Qadir and probably the people that grew up on En-Gannim. They grew up on Earth. Even if Qadir tried to instill the En-gannim way in them. The influences of Earth had been too great. The mistake Qadir made was making Kubra watch all of Marcus¡¯s suffering. Watch him come back to life after centuries and smile for the first time. Laugh.

    Kubra pointed to the gate coming up. ¡°That¡¯s the estate.¡±

    ¡°We have been driving next to the same wall for a while.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s that big.¡± Kubra stopped abruptly. My hand had to stretch out to prevent me from hitting the dash. My eyes followed his gaze. There was a vampire mounted on the pillar. Fully manifested. His face was contorting. Groaning. No eyes. Arms hung by his sides. Kubra had told me some stories of how Qadir dealt with people. But that was out in the open.

    ¡°That¡¯s why my father died,¡± Kubra stated a matter-of-factly. ¡°That is one of his men. Not from Earth. Looking by the hands and eyes¡­ Juliet didn¡¯t have a fun time.¡±

    That time, my head snapped around. ¡°Do you think she was¡­¡±

    He took in a deep breath and blew out the air slowly. ¡°No¡­ Or else it would only be pieces.¡±

    We drove up to the gate. They opened immediately. Louis must have phoned. The place was beautiful. Gardens to die for. Grass green in the desert. Fountains and statues. But it got only better as we drove down a small lane that ran the length of the wall. Trees were planted on the right of the road, making a beautiful canopy of shade.

    Two big red wooden gates with brass handled rings hanging from lions¡¯ mouths. I got out and picked up Min¨¦. There was screaming. Kubra jumped out of the car. Then there was laughter. Boisterous, loud guttural laughter. Juliet did something stupid. He looked at me, and we both smiled. Kubra opened the gate for me to walk through. Smoke came from the kitchen, and Cindy blasted it with a fire extinguisher. I felt like taking his hand. Nothing had happened after his declaration. Typical Charlene, I had abruptly stopped laughing when he said it. Stared at him, thinking about it. I had given him a quick peck on the mouth and ran upstairs. But the following morning, Kubra went on as if nothing had happened. Left me to figure it out.

    It took them a while to look down the corridor and notice us. Juliet¡¯s head came up, and she immediately started running, grabbing Min¨¦ and me, hugging us, squeezing a little too hard. Min¨¦ complained. Juliet kissed her and nuzzled her like it was her own child.

    Kubra¡¯s eyes met with mine again, and I wondered what he would do. His words kept running through my mind. ¡°I would not think twice.¡± ¡°No, that is not all.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m in love with you.¡± Juliet hadn¡¯t greeted Kubra yet. She had yet to look at him. But she would never be angry at him. Juliet sighed and slowly moved her teary eyes up at Kubra. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She whispered. Kubra turned around and walked out without saying or doing anything. I figured it was more a goodbye than us sharing a look.

    ¡°Everything will be okay, Jules.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Chars. Come, let me show you to your room. It¡¯s only been two days, but there is so much I need to tell you.

    ***

    Marcus

    ¡°Am I allowed to talk to you?¡± I asked. A woman was standing at the door waiting. Inwardly, I groaned. My grandfather had not come down for breakfast yet.

    ¡°You may enter¡­¡± I said with so much irritation that I didn¡¯t feel like eating anymore. What was the point of life there? She was fully veiled. Not allowed to talk. I hit my head against the chair.

    Servants came in. All women. Clothed precisely the same. That morning, l was going to do what Chris did. I put my hands over my face and rubbed them up and down, pulling on my eyelids. Made me feel a little better. Made you forget that thought you couldn¡¯t handle. ¡°Speak.¡± Her eyes darted up to me from the plate in front of her. She was old. Had soulful eyes. Little wrinkles on her hands and the blue blotches told me it had to be my grandmother. Qadir¡¯s actual mother¡­ The thought didn¡¯t compute that he had one. I stood up. ¡°If you don¡¯t speak, I¡¯m leaving.¡± She tried to say something. I didn¡¯t think she knew what to say.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Ella.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s pretty.¡± She was absolutely shocked. The servants stared at me like I would turn into a pillar of salt.

    ¡°I have a wife. Her name is Juliet. I think it¡¯s a pretty name.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have heard.¡± I smiled, finally getting a coherent thought.

    ¡°How old are you?¡±

    ¡°Nine hundred.¡± I had a grandmother who would probably die soon. It was the first time I had met her. The servants put down small cages in front of us. They waved their hands in front of a small screen. The cage lining became translucent. I sat back. Startled at the little beast bouncing around inside.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    The girls giggled, and my grandmother¡¯s eyes smiled at me. I knew a smile through a veil. She pressed a button and manifested. Her black nails grabbed into the cage and squeezed the critter¡¯s little neck until its eyes bulged.

    ¡°Ewe.¡± They snickered behind hands¡­ behind veils. They wouldn¡¯t dare laugh at me¡­ But wasn¡¯t that what they were doing. Didn¡¯t I use to hate people laughing at me? Ella lifted her veil. She picked up the eyes with the points of her nails and popped them into her mouth. Mine hung open for a moment before I chuckled. All of them paused and stared at me again. Like laughing was taboo. I had laughed. Since Juliet and I had kissed¡­ She made me understand that all her doubt was gone. I had been allowing myself to be happy. She liked it when I was happy. She pushed the critter under her veil and sucked on its neck until it was just skin left.

    Bracing myself, I did the same, closing my one eye but only sucking on its neck, telling myself, ¡°I¡¯ll eat its eyes later.¡± It was over way too quickly. Fingers in my mouth, I licked my lips.

    ¡°That was delicious. I¡¯ve never tasted that before.¡± The servants scurried, putting a new dish in front of me. The next course was a round plate of cutlets of some weird meat. When they lifted the lid, I knew exactly what it was. I couldn¡¯t control it and pushed it all into my mouth in record time. All the girls clapped their hands. Ella was happy. ¡°It¡¯s been a very long time since we¡¯ve had a baby in the house.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°I¡¯m two hundred years old. A baby is one to two years old.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Yes, one hundred to two hundred.¡± I laughed again, letting myself off the hook for once.

    The doors to the room opened. Instantly, the fear, dread, and persecution riddled the air. The servants stood with their backs to us against the wall. Only the man who followed Ahasuerus into the room stood facing everyone. I took a peek at Ella. She was oozing fear.

    ¡°I told her she could come in.¡± Ella breathed easier.

    Ahasuerus looked up from the glass tablet he was carrying in his hand. He had not even noticed her. ¡°Mmm, as you wish.¡±

    He continued working and giving orders to men coming in and out of the room. How it must have felt, living like that for nine hundred years. Accepting it. I was tired of it. ¡°Am I allowed to make her talk to me?¡±

    Ahasuerus glanced up and gestured with his hand to continue.

    ¡°Hey, you¡­ next course.¡± The one woman scrambled out of the room. I turned to Ella. ¡°Where do you come from?¡± The man who entered with Ahasuerus was on my right, standing in the corner. He came forward, tapping on the glass. He wanted to do something else, but I slapped his hand away. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you!¡± Allowing Ella to show me¡­ She tapped again, and the round planet hovered over the table in a hologram. I shot him a look. ¡°Go away. I don¡¯t like you¡­ Someone else and much younger.¡± His eyes fell on Ahasuerus, who shrugged. ¡°Maybe James?¡± The man bowed low and disappeared. Ella twirled the ball all the way to the other side of where our light was blinking.

    ¡°This little place on this island.¡±

    ¡°And all of this is water?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Not water. Uhmmm¡­ Undrinkable substance¡­ Pink in color, no life.¡±

    ¡°So the surface is limited.¡± She nodded.

    ¡°And you cannot build in the pink water either.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Touch it?¡±

    ¡°Deadly to us. To anything.¡±

    ¡°Good to know¡­ Do you also want something else to eat? You there bring Ella something else she likes.¡± Another maid hurriedly left the room.

    I twirled the globe around again. ¡°This?¡±

    ¡°City of Akko¡­¡± She pointed to a little button. I pressed it. Picture after picture, articles and news about the city came up.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see one of these in my room. Is there a place I can study?¡±

    ¡°When James comes, he will show you to your own private space.¡± The servant put more dishes in front of us. It was desert for me and something Ella seemed to like.

    James came to stand behind me, and I got up. ¡°It was nice to meet you, Ella. Will you be here for lunch?¡±

    ¡°If you want?¡±

    ¡°Be here for lunch¡­¡± I tried to sound authoritative but with a smile on my face. I glanced over to Ahasuerus. He wasn¡¯t happy. A haunted look on his face. Gritted teeth and fuming. I met his gaze straight on. ¡°If you want, we can settle this right now.¡± His features softened. His eyes returned to their average size. As he breathed, the tension left his jaw. I sighed. ¡°You should focus on what really matters. You¡¯re getting distracted by the way I treat women.¡± Ahasuerus¡¯s eyes traveled to the end of the table.  He excused me with a flick of his hand.

    I might have been happy a moment ago, but not even Juliet¡¯s kiss would last long.

    ***

    ¡°James, how is it going on earth?¡±

    ¡°Jack comes daily with reports directly from Louis. He is doing very well. We have established return groups every Friday. They will go to remote islands where the structure is¡­ suggested but not enforced. All the children have been given a choice to come back. Ahasuerus has no problem with that. The prisoners will be unable to return, and Earth seems inclined to keep them.¡±

    ¡°Are there any prisons here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we still have some. Ahasuerus didn¡¯t want Qadir numbers to reach that high.¡±

    ¡°Crimes? What crimes do you have?¡±

    ¡°Theft¡­ of food mostly. Rebels that don¡¯t like the regime. Women that fight against the grain.¡±

    ¡°So there is poverty?¡±

    ¡°No, the off-the-grid vampires are men who didn¡¯t want to go into service to care for their families. Boys are given the option of services for financial aid. But it¡¯s lifelong. They can never leave or get married. Much as your army on Earth.¡±

    ¡°Clean the prisons and send them to Earth. All of them¡­ Fix up the prisons and change them into housing.¡±

    James bowed¡­ ¡°There is something I need to show you.¡±

    ***

    James and I teleport to the other side of the world. I checked the hologram he blew up into the sky. The field in front of us spanned into the horizon.

    ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°This is why we are the richest planet in the galaxy. All of the galaxies.¡±

    I frowned at him. ¡°What could possibly be more lucrative than the teleporters?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡­ But this one can move a million entities at once.¡±

    Needless to say, I was speechless. But did he say all the galaxies?

    ¡°We have been waging war for other planets for centuries.¡±

    ¡°How has no one stolen or recreated this tech?¡±

    ¡°For that, I would have to take you to Zoreah. That you will have to figure out for yourself. You have till next year, April.¡±

    ***

    I had been a little bored on the compound my whole life. Knew everything I needed about war but was never able to implement it during a battle. Working out strategies for other planets and playing a proper general gave me a sudden purpose for my life. There was so much to do on En-gannim that I didn¡¯t know where to start.

 Oh Crap

    89. Oh Crap

    Juliet

    Louis had left for Washington. He would meet Carl and Kubra there. We have not seen Kubra again since he dropped off Charlene. Carl would move in when they came back. To be closer to Louis. All three of them and Bertram would be traveling worldwide for some time... It was the trip Marcus was supposed to make. There were a lot of things that Louis needed to finalize.

    My mom was busy with Charlene and Min¨¦. They were together the whole day. Louis had left my dad in charge of the compound. He and Jessy got along well.  That meant I was alone. Everyone left me alone because I was in pain. Cranky. Still a bit traumatized. Angry when I woke up every morning in the worst kind of nightmare. My back was killing me. It was challenging to get through the day, and every day got worse.

    I could at least sleep in my own bed. One morning, my patience was done. Sick and tired of being sick and tired. I got up desperate. Desperate people called for desperate measures. I disappeared and left out the big gates that didn¡¯t need to be closed anymore. Damian was still hanging. It had been days. Still the mascot for the men who thought they could do anything to women.

    I was walking to the one place I knew I could get answers. I faced my worst fear with Damian. So I might as well find some more closure for another one.

    It wasn¡¯t that far, and it only took me five minutes to reach the science building. There were no signs, but I knew what it looked like. Lots of glass and windows. Tall up into the sky. Just a few floors. It took me a while to wait for the doors to open so I could sneak through. I didn¡¯t want anyone to know where I was. Alone in a corridor or in front of an elevator was easy. I could quickly press a button or open a door and disappear again. But getting to where there were no people was the problem. From what I had seen on the plans in Marcus¡¯s study, I knew where I was going. Coupled with Chris telling me where they hid the entrance.

    The elevator opened to the last floor down into the basement. It was a dark space, open plan, with glass cubicles. I had heard about Rodrigo¡¯s stalls down there, so I wasn¡¯t scared. I had seen his monsters before. If something was going to jump up and hit the glass.

    ¡°Thud!¡±

    I swore loudly. ¡°I thought I would be prepared.¡± I flinched at the monster glaring down at me. As I walked through the cubicles, the lights went on. It was just one narrow corridor with glass on either side. Each stall had a different monster. The ones we saw on TV were definitely the one I was staring at. I had stopped to stare, having such a good view.

    ¡°Juliet?¡± The voice gave me an instant flashback of him picking me up and sniffing me. Another one of Damian touching my back and hair. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant.¡± I spun around, the fear forgotten. The words stunned me into silence for a moment. He didn¡¯t say anything, either.

    ¡°What? How did that happen?¡±

    He laughed lightly. ¡°Really? You need an anatomy lesson?¡±

    ¡°How do you know? Would you know after only three weeks?¡±

    He snickered and nodded. ¡°I can smell it. As clearly as your cherry lip gloss.¡± My lips pressed together. I walked over to him. He wasn¡¯t so scary anymore. He seemed different. Not as twitchy as he was back then.

    ¡°Can you tell me who the father is?¡± He actually smiled and held out his arm. He ushered me into the back, where his lab was. I got on the steel table.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to do a proper exam.¡± I nodded. As a doctor would. He first looked into my ears, nose, and mouth. He felt my glands and took my pulse and all my vitals, circling to my back. ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°It hurts. Couldn¡¯t you have made me bulletproof? Lashingproof. Any proof.¡±

    Walking over to the cabinet on the wall, he opened a glass door with hundreds of tiny bottles lined up perfectly. One thing about Rodrigo. He was painstakingly OCD.

    Filling an injection, he asked for my arm. ¡°I want to keep the baby.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± I gave him my arm. I didn¡¯t even feel it. He lowered the table flat so I could lie on my stomach.

    ¡°You might be out for a while. Anywhere you need to be.¡±

    ¡°Haha.¡± I relaxed, closing my eyes.

    ¡°If your back is better, I will turn you over and find out who the father is. Best you were not awake for that.¡±

    ¡°Thank You.¡± It caught him off guard¡­ ¡°What a simple ¡®thank you¡¯ too hard to accept.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I wondered what it was about you. And now I know.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Juliet.¡±

    I heard Rodrigo call my name, and he softly touched my shoulder. My back wasn¡¯t hurting anymore. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for an hour. They will worry.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ there is no one to worry... And no one would think that I was here.¡± I opened my eyes. ¡°I feel¡­ great, Rodrigo. How do you know just what to do?¡± I sat up, swinging my legs off the table.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing this for two hundred years. If I didn¡¯t know by now. You would have had to call me a quack¡­ Why didn¡¯t you come sooner?¡±

    I took out my phone, shrugging. ¡°Our history¡­¡± I sent Louis a text.

    Me { Hi }

    Louis  { Hi. Make it quick in meet }

    I sighed. Sad that he had no time.

    Me { I want to ask you a favor. Will you not read me for a while. I found out something, and I would like to keep it to myself }

    Louis { Sure baby } He left it there. No reply. Offline.

    It felt weird. Louis busy. Too busy for me. It was the first time I felt the nagging in my gut.

    ¡°Sure, baby?¡± That was all I got.

    ¡°Trouble in paradise?¡± Rodrigo glanced over at me.

    ¡°I wish¡­ What¡¯s the verdict, doc?¡±

    ¡°Chris.¡±

    My eyes grew twice the size. ¡°What the F-!¡±

    ¡°I know. Impossible right? He is supposed to only be able to have one child.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    He nodded¡­ ¡°And here, you guys are defying the laws of nature. Again.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it¡­ Your concoction must work wonders.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a miracle!¡± We both laughed lightly. Sharing a joke and that moment.

    I sat staring at the wall. All the babies that had to die. It didn¡¯t seem worth it. The fact that Caleb would not have made it¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for them ending up in bottles. The freezer on the other side of the room gave me the willies. I couldn¡¯t even imagine what was in there. Cages with exotic animals were still in the room behind us. Loud noises and sounds were still a constant.

    ¡°Still finding it hard, I see.¡±

    ¡°What? Science. Yeah, you could say that. So tell me the deal here?¡±

    ¡°Come see me every month.¡±

    My feet landed on the floor. ¡°Will do, doc.¡± As I walked out the door, I saw one dark room in the corner of the floor space. A little away from everything.

    ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡±

    ¡°Another experiment. But you don¡¯t want to see that one.¡± There was something in the way his voice pitched. The twitch was back. Either he didn¡¯t like what he created or was lying. But I wasn¡¯t going to push him. Thankful that he was helping me.

    ¡°Will I go crazy again?¡±

    ¡°No. That was just because of the time. You¡¯ve crossed that bridge. But now, the change won¡¯t happen when you¡¯re emotional anymore¡­ I hope¡­ It¡¯s just like any other ability. You will have to wait¡­ I still don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be able to control it, though.¡±

    ¡°Not bad. I can live with that.¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°You have the buttons?¡±

    ¡°No! They weren¡¯t in the safety deposit box¡­ Jabin must have taken them. Can¡¯t you make more? You lied to Chris and Marcus. Are you lying about anything else?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t make them. Michael did that all by himself.¡± His eyes flickered past me to the darkroom in the corner. My gut made a flip. The twitch was too prominent. A tell.

    ¡°Show me!¡±

    He held out a hand. I walked out in front of him down the little corridor that led to the room separate from the rest. The motion sensors picked up our movement. The lights flickered on. I could see into the room. There was nothing there but chains and blood on the floor. ¡°Well, this is creepy¡­ But I won¡¯t ask¡­ If you tell me, you don¡¯t chain up kids as sex slaves.¡± He was disgusted by my suggestion. I was relieved that he wasn¡¯t lying about that. ¡°Some friendly information trading, is all?¡± I asked.

    He sighed. I could see he wanted to say, but he didn¡¯t. So he lied¡­ Like I always did. ¡°You can say that.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to push anymore. ¡°Okay. Thanx for the drugs. How do I pay you?¡± We both snorted and laughed.

    ¡°Bye, Juliet.¡±

    Rodrigo helped me get out, walking with me till the sun shone into the foyer. He waved his hand in the air, activating the door and waving again to say goodbye. It was strangely a good moment. He had a past. A traumatic past. He was forced in so many ways to do so many things that he didn¡¯t want to. Who was I to judge? I was a sucker for a bad boy. Rodrigo didn¡¯t seem so bad anymore. Damian was worse. And I had yet to meet Marcus¡¯s grandfather.

    I felt so good. I wanted to enjoy the sun. I haven¡¯t been free in a long time. I didn¡¯t have my veil on, and when I was far away from the science building, I reappeared to see what would happen.

    Two military trucks drove past me. Not only did they not stop and whip me. But they actually saluted. Did everyone know who I was? The compound changing so quickly seemed too good to be true.  Was it really that easy to change a whole planet?

    Louis wasn¡¯t at home. There was only one place I wanted to go. It was just down the street. My feet carried me there. I received a lot of stares. But the roads were empty. Only military and their eyes didn¡¯t linger long.

    I walked into the supermarket and recognized Soren¡¯s father immediately. He was always friendly with me when I was younger. It seems that it didn¡¯t change. There was a nod of acknowledgment, and I would take it. I waved at him.

    Lifting up the tarp in the back, I walked through. Soren glanced up quickly but went on with his work. It took him a second to realize who it was. His gaze slowly came up to mine. We stood there for the longest time, staring at each other. ¡°My mom and sister actually went for the information sessions a few days in a row. No one here can believe it. Is it really true, Julie?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been off the planet, so how would I know. When I go, I¡¯ll tell you. But Marcus has to be somewhere, right? What has your family decided? Are you going back? Maybe you can let me know.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s chaos. I think Liam alone has killed a few guys. Knowing them from long ago. He kind of knew where and who to check up on. We see Louis on the news.¡±

    I had nothing to say about Louis.

    ¡°My sister wants to go back. My father also wants to. They can¡¯t see how this will play out. How it would work. Us and the humans together? I heard that the first manifestations will be broadcast today.¡±

    ¡°Werewolves?¡± Soren nodded slowly.

    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant again. Don¡¯t tell anyone. I¡¯m keeping it a secret for a while. I just needed to get it out of my system.¡±

    His eyes cast down to the counter. His hands went back to being busy. ¡°Congratulations. Is it Louis¡¯s or Marcus¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Neither.¡±

    Soren¡¯s head jerked up. I laughed at him and at myself. ¡°Should I have some guilt because I love more than one person? I don¡¯t fight the fact that I have multiple partners¡­ Anymore. None of them judge me¡­ They made their choice.¡±

    He didn¡¯t move¡­ I felt uncomfortable at the penalty written on his features. I had to turn away from him for a moment. Give my eyes a rest. They traveled to the other side of the store where our couches were and then back at Soren. ¡°It is an alien that would not be manifesting on the TV today¡­ Soren, I think there are so many species out there. But not all of them are half-human. Maybe here in the Milky Way... I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s a guess.¡±

    ¡°But the baby¡¯s father is?¡±

    I chuckled.  ¡°The only other species I¡¯ve seen are weird bird-like aliens? And no, not even I would go there.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Are you going stand there the whole day? Or will you read?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to go buy me some sweets? I don¡¯t have money.¡± I felt terrible for asking¡­ I actually just wanted to spend time with someone who wanted to spend time with me.

    A smile played at the side of his mouth. He thought about it. Hesitated. ¡°I¡¯d rather not. If that¡¯s okay.¡±

    I drew in a slow breath¡­ That hurt. I didn¡¯t know why? Maybe because he wasn¡¯t explaining¡­ Perhaps because I just went through something and needed someone to talk to¡­ Or because he didn¡¯t want to spend time with me¡­ I didn¡¯t want to ask.

    The feeling that I was being dumped as a friend made me bite back tears. Were he and his family angry at me? I had thought that the compound changing was a good thing. But maybe not everyone felt like that. Chris giving me the letter, and how I felt washed through me. I swallowed hard and bobbed my head, trying to keep it together. I wanted to get out of there. He was so different than what he was a week ago. I spun on my heels and stepped out. I heard him swearing under his breath. But that was expected, right. He still had his own feelings to deal with.

    Head down, I almost bumped into someone. My eyes slowly lifted. It was the sweets shop guy. ¡°Joe?¡± If he was going to say something nasty, I would lose it. His hand raised, and he held out a packet to me. Shakely, I took it. ¡°Thank You.¡±

    ¡°I am the one that should be saying thank you, Juliet¡­ I might be here as a prisoner. But now my kids will be able to leave. Out from under Qadir¡­. And that¡¯s your favorite.¡±

    I nodded, trying not to cry, stepping past him. ¡°You know¡­ We never knew what you looked like¡­ Until we went to the auction.¡± I spun around. Joe¡¯s gaze traveled to Soren¡¯s father, who stood closer. ¡°Soren was there that night, Juliet.¡±

    My head snapped to the tarp. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He tried¡­ I even placed a bid.¡± Soren¡¯s father went on.

    I shook my head¡­ ¡°Do you even know how much pain¡­ could have been prevented if I had ended up with Soren? My whole story would have been different.¡±

    ¡°Lucious¡¯s father was just too rich.¡±

    I felt hazy¡­ The last four years of my life flashed before my eyes, having Caleb and losing him. In a daze, I turned away from them. My bag of sweets hung by my side. ¡°Not a breakup. A confession... A regret.¡± I ambled out into the street. Instead of Kubra being there to watch me, it was Jessy. He nudged with his head up the road. My dad was walking down towards me. When he saw me, he knew. He held out his arms. ¡°It¡¯s because I have no daddy issues, isn¡¯t it.¡± My dad snorted and picked me up so I could be at eye level with him.

    ¡°That and your big heart Julie.¡± He put me down.

    ¡°Did you know?¡±

    His eyes darted to the supermarket. He nodded. ¡°We all tried to put money together. It wasn¡¯t enough. I could¡¯ve asked Marcus. But Julie, things worked out the way they should have worked out¡­ Marcus was so in love with you.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that, Dad? I¡¯m half monster. Have three tattoos on me that I didn¡¯t choose. Life-binding tattoos. A child somewhere¡­¡± I took a deep breath to steady myself.

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± I wanted to tell him I was pregnant. I really wanted to. But it seemed like there was already too much going on. So I lied. ¡°I¡¯m probably the reason Michael was taken. Uncle Sam.¡±

    ¡°Even with all these reasons, Julie. What would Qadir not have done to the humans? To this planet. Another En-gannim only much worse. I fought and got sentenced for what you accomplished in four years. You have saved so many people. Will save many more¡­¡±

    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t really me, was it. Only because of me.¡± I stepped past him and kept walking. I needed air.

    ***

    After that day¡­ My depression set in and took on a whole new meaning. I had wondered how long it would take. All the turmoil was over. I was alone and had nothing but time. I woke up and parked on a deck chair under the sorrow tree, letting all the things that happened out. Writing in a journal again. Embracing my half-human side. I sat there from morning to night, staring out into the sky, thinking about Chris and our love that was written on the stars. Wondering if he was missing me at all. I read through all the letters that Louis had kept when we came. Studying the swatch. Holding it. Everyone was apprehensive and came to sit with me for periods, trying to talk to me. But I had nothing left. So they left me when I didn¡¯t say anything.

    ***

    One morning, I was left alone at the house. My gaze fell on the front gate. There was a woman in the doorway. All the women still wore their veils, and I wondered if the change really meant anything. There were four guards with her¡­ It seemed strange. I didn¡¯t really know what to do. She came in, seeing that I wasn¡¯t going to get up. The guards didn¡¯t follow and stayed standing outside the gate.

    My own guardian angel was hovering somewhere. She came and laid down on the deck chair next to me. I thought it even stranger¡­ Who was she? She slowly took her veil off. My eyes drifted to her hands moving over her head. An older woman. Older than my mom even. She had dark skin like Mar¡­cus. My legs swung around off the deck chair. I gaped at her. Long black hair. Beautiful dark eyes and that Middle Eastern nose. ¡°Agatha?¡±

    She nodded. My arms sprung around her neck. I hugged her so tightly. She didn¡¯t push me away or make me feel awkward. She pulled me into her, holding me like a mother would. ¡°I am so sorry. About everything.¡± She shook her head against me. ¡°Louis isn¡¯t here. He told me he went to see you.¡± She patted my shoulder. I wasn¡¯t able to let go of her.

    Why did my father not give Marcus another option of paying for Soren to take me as a wife? He fought and fought my dad not to brand me. Not once did he give him the option of finding me someone on the compound who would love me. How many times did I suggest it? It was why I went out that day. Marcus said there was no one else. Told me all the families were like that. He just didn¡¯t want to find someone. Or he didn¡¯t want me with Soren. I slowly let my arms fall off her and turned to lie back on the chair. She was watching me with interest. Picked up my journal. I knew she couldn¡¯t read or write. Or could she? ¡°Can you read? Because that¡¯s some pretty personal thoughts.¡± She smiled and shook her head. Her fingers softly swept over the pages.

    ¡°I can teach you to read. You will get in like a week. It¡¯s straightforward.¡±   Agatha shook her head and pointed to the sky. My stomach dropped.

    ¡°Is everybody going to leave?¡±

    She shrugged.

    ¡°I guess all the criminals would stay. But the kids would go back. It was strange that any women would want to put themselves under that authority.¡±

    She pointed at me with her index finger. Her hands gestured over her head in a circle. I snorted. ¡°Me? Queen? Nah, that would be the day. How many men would we have to kill to change the planet then?¡±

    She shrugged again.

    My eyes drifted to the sky. ¡°Marcus always believed in providence. That what would be would be. I have four husbands. But none of them are here. All of them treat me¡­ so well. I sometimes don¡¯t understand it. Two are somewhere out there. One is fighting for the human-alien relationship. The other is locked up somewhere¡­ because of me or... I don¡¯t want to say it¡­¡±

    Agatha reached out and took my hand, examining the ring on my finger. ¡°Louis.¡± She smiled.

    ¡°You are catching me on a terrible day. I¡¯m not myself. I am finding it very hard to keep my eyes on the prize¡­ Like Marcus would say. I¡¯m supposed to be his prize. We haven¡¯t even consummated our relationship.¡±

    ¡°I have a child that I would never see again.¡± The darkness took hold of me, and the feelings were too much. I had no hope. There was a constant pit in my stomach that nothing wanted to fill.

    ¡°If you see Marcus¡­ Tell him I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t let him worry.¡± Her eyes were on me. She was worried about me, squeezing my hand.

 All That I Know In My Mind

    90. All That I Know In My Mind

    Soren

    I hadn¡¯t heard from Juliet or Liam since she was at the book store¡­ And I told her that I would not go with her to eat sweets. There had been no books asked for. We were leaving for En-gannim soon. I had hoped that we would at least speak one last time. After filling all of Marcus¡¯s cupboards with books, I had never been back to his house. He built the place after meeting Juliet. And then she left. Marcus kept adding and changing things, living in a dream world where she and Qadir could occupy the same space.

    ***

    I pushed open the red gates. It was quiet inside. I tried knocking, but nothing. At first, I didn¡¯t even see Juliet on the deck chair. She was sleeping. I tried clearing my throat to get her attention. Nothing. I ventured closer. I sat next to her, stretching my legs out and lifting my chin to the sun. There wasn¡¯t really any time to sit and bask. Juliet¡¯s arm reached out to the side, her palm up, fingers open. I drew in a ragged breath. I understood what she wanted but had to decide if I would. I didn¡¯t and swung my feet off the chair facing her. My elbows on my knees. Hands tirelessly trying to keep my hair out of my face. She took her arm away. Eyes still closed.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we didn¡¯t get married¡­ You would¡¯ve been miserable, Julie.¡± She wanted to say something. ¡°No! It¡¯s true. Even if we could have been happy. You wouldn¡¯t have been. Nine hundred years in this place. In a prison. We wouldn¡¯t even have known that there was another way.¡±

    I got up and told her to follow me. We walked to her room. Marcus was so specific about everything. She stayed at the door, watching me with interest. I went in and dropped down on the bed. I was face down on her mattress. Her smell was everywhere. I didn¡¯t know what she was thinking. I reached for the small cabinets on either side of the bed. From outside, it would seem there was no cupboard space, but if you pressed your hand between the mattress and the wood. There was a button. The headboard was hollow and opened up at the top.

    ¡°What?¡± She asked, surprised. She walked closer and peered into the space. It was filled with her favorite books. There were writing pads, journals, and pens. There were so many language books so she could have studied. Start learning all the earthly languages. ¡°Where was I supposed to do all this.¡±

    I walked across the bridge to her cupboard. I opened the doors and pushed the clothes to the side. No one would even notice. On Marcus¡¯s side, it looked like a wall feature. It was actually hollow, and there was a lamp on the small desk. ¡°Even if you couldn¡¯t study during the day, there are no searches at night, Julie. No men were supposed to be here with you. And Marcus¡¯s mother¡­ I¡¯m sure she would have let it slide.¡± I felt immediately guilty for being there at all. I stepped away from her and out of the room, trying to catch my breath.

    ¡°What do you think of the kid¡¯s rooms.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    I pointed from her room down to the gate. ¡°Kids rooms.¡±

    She laughed and bobbed her head, pressing her lips together.

    I felt her arms around my waist, hugging me from the back. I grabbed at her to get them off. In the end, I had to be a bit forceful. Step away when I cleared my throat¡­ I didn¡¯t look at her. I couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°I loved you from a distance. And when I leave, I will just keep doing it. But Julie¡­ It only took a second.¡± I peeked at her. She didn¡¯t like my words. Juliet was already sad and depressed, and her lying down like that, sleeping in the middle of the day, wasn¡¯t how I ever wanted to see her. All I could think was she would have ended up like that anyway if she stayed with me. ¡°I¡¯m leaving Julie. Decided to go live on an island rather than be confined on Earth. Even if you would take me in¡­ And Louis could allow it¡­ Me being here isn¡¯t going to make anything better. I wonder what void you¡¯re filling with all these men?¡±

    ¡°Who says I¡¯m filling a void.¡±

    I turned¡­ ¡°There she is¡­ Where were you?¡±

    ¡°My stages of grief differ every day. There always seems to be something new I have to get used to.¡± She rested her shoulder and head against the door pane. Her hands were in the tiny pockets of her shorts. ¡°It depends on who has precedence in my thoughts. The last few weeks, it¡¯s been you¡­ Soren.¡± My feet stepped closer to her words. They drew me in. Juliet had dark circles under her eyes. She wasn¡¯t sleeping. Heavy lids drooped. I had never thought of hearing anything romantic from her. I never felt that she would even consider me, let alone mourn for something that could have been. Deep down, she really was just soft.

    ¡°Do you want to come in?¡± Her voice was so low. Her eyes were cast to the floor. It had cost her to ask. My mouth was instantly dry. My body alert to her suggestion. I snorted¡­ I had never thought that she would be shy in that department. She smiled, biting her bottom lip nervously back and forth. I could hear her heartbeat. Her excitement was there, but it wouldn¡¯t show on her face¡­ Her breathing was shallow. Silently begging. Seeing her like that tugged at my heart. She was lonely.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like¡­ it would be wrong,¡± I said softly.

    She shook her head, lips glossy from biting on it.

    ¡°Comforting you and then leaving?¡± I asked even softer. She nodded, playing with her toes on the cement floor. It distracted me¡­ I took a moment to indulge myself. To take a good look at her long legs and exposed soft thighs. Open belly¡­ taught¡­ two lines on either side of her midsection. I couldn¡¯t help myself. Slowly, my arm stretched towards her. A finger gently traced that line from the rim of her pants to the crop top she was wearing.  ¡°Giving us both closure?¡± My voice was raspy. I was already there. I might as well. Her breathing deepened as my finger ran over her breast¡­ Up her neck to under her chin, lifting her face. She couldn¡¯t even look at me. Eyes still cast down.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I waited. But she was done¡­ There was nothing left. She needed me. Slowly, my head lowered to hers, and I locked our lips. Her body was stiff. I moved my lips on hers, tilting my head a little. Her hands slowly came out of her pockets. For a moment, they hung at her sides. Her eyes slowly closed, and I did the same. I waited till her lips opened a little¡­ matching mine. There was no tongue.

    I was going to be gentle with her. My hand took hers in mine as she pressed into me. Lips a little firmer. She was getting there. I couldn¡¯t believe I was actually kissing her. How long I had waited, knowing that in a moment, we would¡­ be even closer.

    She pulled away from me, stopping the kiss. Our hands were still locked. She was waiting for me to either do something or leave¡­ I pulled her away from the door frame she was leaning against, closing the door. Her eyes were still on the floor.

    ***

    Isla

    Soren was dragging me somewhere. He told me I had to go because he was going with us to En-gannim. I know he was sacrificing for us, so I thought I would indulge him for the last month we were there. The big red gates stood open. It was quiet inside. Soren pointed to the deckchairs. A young woman was lying in the sun. She had practically no clothes on. My first instinct was to shy away. Soren grabbed my arm and pushed me inside. All the way to the chairs.

    ¡°Juliet! This is my sister. Isla.¡±

    Her one eye opened. Her hand came up to her eyes to stop the sun.

    ¡°It could be anyone¡­ she has a veil on. How would I even know it¡¯s your sister?¡± He slapped her leg. She smiled. Her eyes were still closed, but she moved so he could sit down. ¡°No! Before you sit. Get us something to drink in the kitchen, will you? And not juice!¡±

    ¡°You will be getting only juice!¡±

    I was stunned at the way they were with each other. I didn¡¯t want to talk. I didn¡¯t wish to take off my veil. I would never ask a guy to do a woman¡¯s job.

    Soren was already coming back. ¡°Sit down, Isla.¡± The authority in her voice was a little daunting. ¡°If you want, I don¡¯t care.¡± That was weird.

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    Soren sat down on the chair next to her. He handed Juliet the drink. I had heard her name many times from everyone talking at the meetings. Why had he brought me there? A few moments later, another young woman came out of one of the rooms with a baby on her hip. It was a werewolf cub. Had on a little pink dress. She walked over and reached out her hand to me. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Charlene.¡± I didn¡¯t know what to do. Shaking hands. Slowly, I stretched out mine and nervously took hers. ¡°This is Min¨¦, and I¡¯m human.¡±

    What was going on? Marcus¡¯s house was some kind of safe haven. ¡°You guys don¡¯t talk a lot¡­ I heard about that. But as you can see, my friend here is suffering from severe depression. I haven¡¯t had any good conversations lately. My baby daddy is an ass. He left us. Juliet here took us in.¡±

    Juliet laughed lightly. Her arm stretched, holding out her hand. Charlene took it. Juliet dragged her closer and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°Give me my baby.¡± Charlene handed the excited toddler over. There was a bond between the child and Juliet. ¡°On earth, they say it takes a village to raise kids.¡±

    Another moment later, an older man and woman came out of another room, walking over to us. ¡°Soren? Is that you?¡±

    ¡°Hey, Liam! This is my sister Isla. Hi Cindy. How are you?¡± The woman came over and pulled Soren into a hug. Liam did the same.

    They all dragged chairs closer and soon spoke about all sorts of things. Cindy put on music. It was getting darker, and it wasn¡¯t so hot anymore.

    Juliet had not said one word. From all I heard about her, the behavior she was displaying wasn¡¯t at all what she was like. But she didn¡¯t put the child down. They danced and ate fruit. She joked with her and played games. A few times, it even seemed like Juliet wanted to cry. When they sat on the grass for a time.

    ¡°Juliet had a baby. But the baby is gone. He had to leave with his father.¡± Liam said when he saw my confusion. My eyes darted up to him.

    ¡°Marcus is gone. She will probably never see him again¡­ Or at least for a long time.¡± Cindy added.

    ¡°One of the men¡­ the watchers. That you¡¯ve heard of at the meetings... No, Juliet¡¯s watcher her whole life¡­ Had helped her too many times¡­ When Qadir found out¡­ He took him, and he¡¯s still missing. She feels it¡¯s her fault.¡± Liam said.

    ¡°We only came back because she was saving my werewolf cub from Qadir, who wanted to use her as bait to force Marcus back. And, of course, we came back. That was when everything happened¡­ well¡­ you know.¡± Charlene''s voice trailed off.

    I didn¡¯t know what came over me, but slowly, I lifted the veil over my head. There were so many eyes on me. I didn¡¯t even know what my face looked like anymore. ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t recognize what Marcus had done.¡± I ran my hands over my hair. ¡°He exposed Qadir lying to us. It¡¯s going to take time. But seeing you all together like this¡­ As a family with no ties. I understand¡­¡± My eyes drifted to Soren¡­ ¡°I understand¡­.¡± Soren walked over and hugged me. Charlene did the same, and Cindy. Not Juliet, though.

    ***

    ¡°Will she be okay?¡± I asked Soren as we walked home. He took my hand. Me without my veil and talking. It felt so strange that I was the one saying something, and Soren was quiet. Qadir¡¯s house was built on a hill. The desert expanded in the distance. It made the night beautiful and open. We passed the man who did all that to Juliet. I didn¡¯t feel any pity for him.

    ***

    Chris

    ¡°I just want to go for a walk. It¡¯s been a long day, and you weren¡¯t here.¡± I said to Maya.

    ¡°I had to deliver like ten swatches. Take instructions for ten more. It¡¯s not like I was wasting time.¡±

    ¡°I know, but why don¡¯t you want to take him? We are four adults to one child¡­ Should I ask someone else to help out?¡±

    ¡°No! Chris! I¡¯ll take him.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t going to argue with her. She had something on her mind but wouldn¡¯t budge in saying it. I wasn¡¯t doing that anymore¡­ Stuff it. I just left. It had been Caleb¡¯s first birthday a few weeks ago. I had stopped counting. I had stopped the exchange of time for Juliet. I had to wait to become a protector. The training started at a specific time, and it would be soon. The waiting was frustrating, sitting around doing nothing. That day I kinda flipped. Ira and Silvanus were at some meeting. I had Caleb the whole day, sitting with other people watching kids¡­ The entire freaking day. There was one place I was going¡­ It was the first time I went to the pub. I needed a drink. I never drank before I turned. After with Juliet, it was almost all we did. Not having that downtime was getting to me. The dancing and the cigarettes. I had even gotten used to having one with her. Cigarettes after sex and all.

    I decided to walk the streets. People were everywhere, eating, sitting, and talking. But I was still so bored. Going into the pub, I saw only three people. I went over to the bar area to ask for a drink¡­ You couldn¡¯t really call it a bar. The ground was literally sand. Everything was the same. The clothes were also getting to me. It was all bodysuits with lots of straps everywhere. For the sand, we had heavy boots made from materials other than those we had on Earth. So walking was something to get used to. The winter made it worse with the heavy cloaks that we wore over the suits.

    One man was sitting at the bar talking to the bartender. The other guy was in the corner of the room, all alone. I had never tasted their alcohol. The clear liquid packed a punch. Even though you weren¡¯t allowed to get drunk. It would give you a buzz. It was bitter, almost like gin. Dry, and they didn¡¯t mix it with anything. Two per customer. I chose the table opposite the man in the left corner of the room. He didn¡¯t seem content with his life. Which was weird. Everybody there was contented. Getting all the crystal liquid into my body took me a while. Juliet would have drunk it down in minutes. I wished that I would forget. That I could forget¡­ It would never happen. Every little thing brought me back to her. To us. The guy next to me had opened his suit and let it hang by the waist. He had on a vest underneath. He was muscled and fit. I was freezing, and he was sitting almost naked in the cold, probably used to it. Dirty blond hair cut short and standing in many directions. Messy. Strong jawline and chin. I sighed.

    The thing about loners was that if you wanted to make friends, you would have to act like an extrovert to get it done. Was I the only introvert there? I was too tired anyway. He got up, and I thought I had already lost the one guy that might become a friend. The only one I had seen with the closest energy to mine. Happy when he came toward my table and held his hand in the air.

    ¡°Can I sit with you? He asked.¡±

    ¡°Please¡­ My name is Chris.¡±

    ¡°Jamal.¡± He sat down.

    The bartender brought over a board with pieces.

    They had a game they played, not for gambling but for entertainment.

    Jamal packed the board.

    ¡°What¡¯s your occupation?¡± I asked.

    He shook his head. ¡°Haven¡¯t decided. Not a hundred yet, so I have some time. And you?¡±

    ¡°Hunter-Gatherer.¡±

    He pursed his lips, eyebrows raised. ¡°That would actually be what I should be doing. I¡¯m already in the guards. It¡¯s basically a division.¡±

    ¡°Come with me tomorrow morning and sign up. The training takes forever. Years.¡±

    He snorted. ¡°We live for almost five thousand years, and you¡¯re complaining about two or three. How old are you, Chris?¡±

    ¡°Thirty-something.¡±

    ¡°So sure of things?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so depressed, Jamal?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve always felt this way. Never fit in. Wanted to do something, but no one ever does anything.¡±

    An instant camaraderie formed. I knew I could not be the only younger child who felt frustrated. Or even some of the older people¡­ Sometimes Silvanus seemed a little restless.

    It took Jamal an hour of frustration to teach me the game. But I got it, and we started enjoying ourselves. Not talking about much.

    Our drinks were done. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Jamal said. I shrugged and followed him out.

    He took us to the other side of town, sat down at another bar, and ordered more drinks. I was being pulled in by group pressure to go beyond the king¡¯s orders and drink more than two glasses. If I was going to be treated like a child. I would act like one.

    The whole night went like that. Going to the four corner pubs that accommodated the four areas of the city. At the end of the night¡­ We were drunk. Guards had to carry us home and dumped us both at the king¡¯s feet. Well, Ira¡¯s feet¡­ passed out. Silvanus picked Jamal and me up and threw us into my bed. It was the warmest I had slept in a while. I had gotten used to sleeping with Louis and Juliet. I didn¡¯t like sleeping alone anymore.

    The morning wasn¡¯t even awkward when we heard the sunrise bell and our eyes opened. He smiled. ¡°What¡¯s your name again?¡±

    I laughed, grabbing at my head. The hangover of that clear liquid was a little different than it was on Earth. ¡°Chris,¡± I said, smiling.

    ¡°Thanks for the great night, Jamal.¡±  He chuckled.

    Ira came in and leaned against the door frame, shaking his head. Jamal wanted to jump up and bow, but Ira raised a hand.

    Ira was used to getting everything he wanted. Even without hierarchy, he knew how to throw his weight around. ¡°You guys are gonna get a whipping.¡±

    I groaned. Jamal wanted to jump out the window. He must have known what it meant. Silvanus grabbed him outside and pushed him back in. Zoreah was worse than freaking high school. ¡°Like I said, Chris, till you¡¯re one hundred. Silvanus, will you take them to the barracks.¡± Silvanus¡¯s lips pressed together. It seemed like he wanted to say something. He lifted two hands into the air. He would have to do the honors, and it didn¡¯t seem like he agreed.

    That day, I felt what Juliet must have felt when Qadir split open her back. I felt sorry for myself¡­ It hurt so much, but that day, Jamal and I became friends.

 Family business

    91. Family business

    Sita

    Getting more training and a better job increased my pay, and it came with better living conditions. Things were looking up. Qadir might be the worst being in the galaxy, but he had helped me out. Francis and Jack even got to move back into the city. All be it on the men¡¯s side.

    ¡°I wanted a family and a wife. The werewolves on Earth had that. Why are there werewolves on Earth anyway? What did they do? Have you found out what your mother did, Sita? And mine.¡± Francis said and asked in ramblings as we exited the teleporter in Washington.

    I shook my head. I didn¡¯t really care. All I was focusing on was climbing the ladder. The next spot was Liv¡¯s job or similar, getting into the palace or creating a market and getting filthy rich. I had been racking my brain about what I could bring from Earth to a planet that shunned technology.

    The three of us were checking the loading bay. It was underneath the platform that the teleporter came out of. The beasts were loaded into crates on a ship, dropped off, and sent to Earth regularly. I was in seventh heaven, having the best of both worlds. Traveling to earth, staying a day or two, and going back. All deliveries were made in Washington.

    ***

    Our work was completed ahead of schedule for the day. Francis and Jack were going to go see Nicholas. I greeted them. They were headed for the train station. I would see them in two days. Turning around¡­ Louis, Carl, and another guy stood coming out of the teleporter. Louis saw me first. He nodded and moved past me. ¡°Miss Moore,¡± Carl said, walking past me. I rolled my eyes. Luckily, I wasn¡¯t Mrs. Rheed anymore. The other man dressed in all black came over to me. He extended a hand, and I shook it.

    ¡°Kubra.¡±

    ¡°Sita.¡±

    ¡°Qadir wants to talk¡­ He said I should look out for you with your next delivery.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­. Are you going to take me or someone else?¡±

    He extended an arm out so that I could walk first. ¡°We¡¯re going to the basement.¡± I walked towards the elevators. He was quiet. Tension in the air. I wouldn¡¯t say I liked the vamp next to me. Because he didn¡¯t like me¡­ That was for sure. What did I do to offend him? The doors opened. He walked first. There were a lot of turns and corridors.

    ¡°He¡¯s in that cell. There is a communications booth for one person at a time. You will be completely safe. It¡¯s vampire-proof.¡±

    I scoffed, walking away but glancing back to see if he would leave me alone there. Kubra sat on a chair at the end of the hall.

    The cells were made of glass, like the one I had been in Paris. I stepped into the booth. As the door closed, there was a whooshing sound. The door locked. The glass became translucent. Eyebrows raised, I took in the scene. Qadir was standing on one arm, balancing. Body raised and legs out in the air. I waited. Not going to make the same mistake again of stepping over the line.

    ¡°I need help, Sita.¡±

    ¡°Anything.¡±

    His head came up, and our eyes met. He was scrutinizing me, reading me. Was there something wrong with my answer?

    ¡°I have to get out of here. Are you still on top of all the news of Earth?¡±

    ¡°Thanks to you, yes.¡±

    ¡°I need something to bargain with. You seem to have a good outside perspective on everything going on. Maybe you can throw some ideas at me. I am at a loss for friends. I did have a mutual understanding with Jabin... But Marcus and all.¡±

    ¡°Your contact that released the virus.¡±

    ¡°Got what they wanted.¡±

    I nodded. Marcus wasn¡¯t on the planet. Louis was in charge. The fellow outside was definitely not on Qadir¡¯s side. Most vampires on Earth had turned against Qadir. Werewolves wouldn¡¯t side with him. He had nothing to trade¡­ He had nothing to trade with¡­ The thought kept going through my mind¡­

    Qadir changed arms and kept his balance with both legs out at his side. I had a hard time not glancing at his body. I wasn¡¯t trying to make it obvious that he was attractive. ¡°I can see it in your eyes. You already have my solution.¡±

    ¡°The only one that can get you out of here is¡­.¡±

    He didn¡¯t need to say it. We both knew it was Louis. And to get to Louis, he needed to get to Juliet.

    ¡°Is there nothing of value left on En-gannim?¡± He gracefully came off his arms and crossed his legs in front of him in the lotus position, straightening his back and resting his hands on his knees. He was quiet for a moment.

    ¡°You know¡­ The reason I cut out my wife¡¯s tongue wasn¡¯t because I hate when a woman nags.¡±

    His eyes opened. Our gazes met. She had a secret that he had to keep hidden. But I still wasn¡¯t going to say anything before he talked to me.

    ¡°You know, Sita, you are a beautiful woman. I am not devoid of a pretty face.¡±

    I didn¡¯t really feel his tone had a compliment underlined in his words.

    ¡°Your queen has four sons. Only sons. The first one to choose a wife would be¡­ highly honored. And a little birdy told me the youngest one is on Earth. He was a little naughty when he reached twenty-one¡­ Four years ago. Sentenced to a little downtime among the primitives¡­  Remember that a baby would bring you even more honor. But this time¡­ close your eyes and just do it.¡±

    I was stunned into absolute silence. I would need the registry from Samuel.

    ¡°I naturally do not know who it was. But if you could make your way to Canada.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°MIA¡±

    ¡°I have to say, Sita. You being able to preempt my thoughts¡­ is a turn-on.¡±

    ¡°I liked it better being afraid of you.¡± Why would I say that¡­ The smile on his face and his tongue that played over his teeth had only one meaning. He could make that happen. It would be his pleasure.

    ¡°But maybe I¡¯ll be married when I see you again.¡± I waited...

    He took in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. He lifted his hand and shooed me away. I got up and opened the door, getting out as fast as I could. After I passed his cubicle and only Kubra was in sight, I fell against the wall. My hands were resting on my knees, breathing heavily. My body shook violently. I would not be able to handle all of that. What was I thinking?

    Kubra sat with arms crossed over his chest. His head against the wall. His one eye opened and peeked at me.

    ¡°Making deals with the devil, Sita? Doesn¡¯t seem like you will¡­ come out on top¡­ on that one.¡± His sexual reference wasn¡¯t lost on me. When Chris had bound me to the bed, I had never been so scared. And that was my husband. I had a feeling Qadir got pleasure out of whipping and then f-ing.

    But  I would have to make my way to Canada and find that registry. It had to be somewhere on the estate. If not. I would have to go home. I had a day and a half. A light flashed at Qadir¡¯s cubicle. Kubra got up to go and talk to the devil.

    ***

    Kubra

    I sat down in the same seat Sita had been in.

    ¡°I need to see my father Kubra. Make it happen.¡± I nodded and got up.

    I had to meet up with Louis, but I could quickly go back and forth. It took me a few minutes. I was back home. The one I left when I was fifty. Sworn to silence. Sworn to Marcus. I breathed in the air I had not felt in a very long time. There was constant humidity because of the unending beaches and liquid that caused no rain. Freshwater was almost the most valued commodity on En-gannim. The clan that would oppose Ahasuerus for the throne had the rites to sell water. But because The Ahmeds created the teleporter technology, they had more pull. Because water could be bought from Palmyra, theirs would never run out.

    I stepped into the next booth and went to the house I thought I¡¯d never see again. Ahasuerus¡¯s house had a foyer where all guests were received. There on En-gannim, each household had a teleporter. Or at least there in Nahrima.

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    I didn¡¯t need to tell the guy who I was. The splitting image of my father. My hair had grown out a bit. On the trip Louis and I were on. I changed my outfit as well. I would not be keeping the high-collar fashion¡­ The uncomfortable suit¡­ But I was still in all black.

    He knew who I was. ¡°I would like to meet with Marcus first.¡±

    It took a moment, but he gave the green light. ¡°He is in the east wing.¡± I nodded and made my way to the study I knew Marcus would be in. I had thought about distancing myself from him and everyone on the compound. Take a few months off¡­ The doors slid open when it sensed my presence. Marcus was on the couches. Head in his hands, waiting.

    When he saw me, he stood up. I wanted to bow¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t you dare?¡± I stopped halfway. He stood tall like always. Hands at his side.

    ¡°I¡­ am sorry, Kubra. I probably didn¡¯t have to. There were numerous other things I could have done.¡±

    I waved my hand in front of me. ¡°Just like you will be, Marcus. I am relieved. Felt free. I wasn¡¯t going to do it. But him dying¡­ Didn¡¯t mean anything to me.¡±

    Marcus heard the insinuation in the remark. We were too indoctrinated. Would never be able to choose between anything and our fathers. But¡­ if anyone else did it¡­

    ¡°Can I sit?¡±

    Marcus sat and held out his arm. I didn¡¯t expect him to hug me, but it felt like Marcus was already a bit colder, being there and in coping mode. Over the hundred and fifty years we had known each other, he had often had times like these. Where civility was all he could muster to save face.

    On the other hand, I had been with Carl and Louis for a month. I dropped down on the couch, lying on my back, legs stretched out in front of me. All that was running through my mind was whether I should tell him about Charlene. But Marcus was in ¡°adult¡± mode. I cringed at Juliet having to see him like that. If they ever do meet¡­ I would have to talk to him first.

    In France, he was in training mode but still around Juliet. It was like that three years she was with him on the compound. He was solid but soft. The three years he was not with her¡­ There were a few times I thought we had lost him. I sighed, keeping my secret, forcing myself to come up to his level. I swung my legs off and sat up. ¡°Would you have wanted me to play the Jabin card to our advantage?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Qadir wants to see Ahasuerus. I¡¯m here to ask.¡± Marcus nodded.

    ¡°Have they met in the last two hundred years?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Why? What happened.¡±

    ¡°Sita happened. She and Qadir had a lengthy discussion.¡± I took out the tiny black tubes that have become a part of my life. I tossed it to him. I got up. Not having anything else to say and knowing Marcus wasn¡¯t going to chat. Before I left the room, I stopped at the door.

    ¡°I had hoped I¡¯d never have to see you like this again. If you want me to come.¡± I snorted. ¡°Send an invite.¡±

    ***

    I bowed down to the ground when Ahasuerus allowed me to enter his study.

    ¡°Get up, Kubra.¡± I did as I was told, bowing low, not lifting my head further than was needed to keep my balance.

    ¡°You not taking any mourning days for your father?¡±

    ¡°No, your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. He did you a favor.¡± I didn¡¯t answer. There was no answer. One of us wasn¡¯t going to make it. I chose the right guy.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Qadir asked for an audience with Your Majesty... A proposition, he said.¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go.¡± So used to human ways, my head wanted to come up and meet his eye to see whether he was joking.

    He walked out in front of me. His assistant outside got up and followed. Behind him, we could kinda walk straight. He turned, and we bowed.

    ¡°Get me two guards and you. Let¡¯s change clothes. So that I can walk around undetected.¡± He turned to me. ¡°Would all black be appropriate?¡± I bowed. The assistant didn¡¯t even flinch and striped.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bow when we are there. Everyone stand up straight.¡±

    The guards were also dressed in all black. The assistant was the only one who was dressed differently.

    ¡°Why have you changed your clothes, Kubra. You still represent this house. I put you there for Marcus. He is back now. Will you come back?¡±

    I didn¡¯t answer. We were walking out into the room on Earth. It was filled with people. They saw me and left the formalities and the documentation. What would have happened if I had to declare that the king was there. Would the president come and meet with him? I led the way, and they followed. The one and only time that would ever happen.

    I showed Ahasuerus into the cubicle. He turned to me. Kubra, you can¡¯t be here. He held a flat hand out to his assistant. The man took out a device and stuck it to the glass inside the cubicle. He closed the door. The glass of the booth became clear.

    Qadir was in his meditation pose as I was walking away. His eyes opened. He leisurely jumped up, and for the first time in my life, I saw Qadir on his knees. Head on the floor. Hands stretched out.

    He gave the proper greeting. And then I couldn¡¯t see them anymore. I didn¡¯t even go to the room where the interviews were recorded. There would be no point.

    ***

    Ahasuerus

    ¡°Qadir.¡±

    ¡°Father.¡±

    For all he had done, the endearment did tug at my heart. Marcus would never have that filial duty towards me, or would he?

    ¡°I have captured one of that Chit¡¯s husbands. He is in a secret-holding cell. Father can use him for her death sacrifice.¡±

    I had other plans for her. Some tests of my own, but postponing them would mean nothing.

    ¡°The problem is that Kubra cannot help you take him back. Michael needs to be on En-gannim. In a hole. A conditioning camp. The threat needs to be real.¡±

    ¡°Where is he? I¡¯ll go get him myself.¡± A genuine smile played on Qadir¡¯s lips. For a moment, I caught myself smiling back at my son. My only son.

    ¡°Like the old times.¡± He asked sincerely.

    ¡°Was it my fault, Qadir?¡±

    He fell on his face. ¡°No, Father! It was my own hubris. I pay every day for my sins. You rule with magnanimity. I hope that my boy might live up to your original plans for En-gannim.¡± His tongue was always like honey. Knew precisely what to say.

    ¡°I have to say¡­ I don¡¯t know if your hubris is worse than Marcus¡¯s obsession.¡­ You might have to suffer for a bit in here. Only a few months.¡±

    Qadir¡¯s face was still on the floor. I had not released him yet.

    ¡°When you are out. Come and see me.¡±

    ¡°Thank You, Father.¡±

    ***

    Sita

    I had traveled all the way to Samuels estate. I had to fly and drive, but I did it. The house was locked all around. Windows boarded. I had to pull some strings to even get there. So, breaking an entry wasn¡¯t beyond me. The back door was the best place.

    I smashed the window in the small glass pane closest to the door nob. I didn¡¯t think I would have to search anywhere else but his study. It took me a moment to find the room in the back of the house.

    Shelves. A big wooden desk. A chair behind it. A ledger laid open on the flat surface. The dark leather and everything handwritten¡­ It appeared archaic.

    I walked over and around the table. The ledger laid open with a post-it on one of the pages¡­ A pink one.

    Sita

    If you think it was going to be that easy.

    You should think again.

    One hint.

    It¡¯s one of the three boys in Italy.

    Good luck getting another guy to marry you.

    Sam.

    I couldn¡¯t be angry. Coming that far was already more than I could have hoped for. I took off the post-it note.

    Three names. Aliases.

    Benjamin. Mateo. Francesco.

    I opened the book at the front. It went back thirty years.

    A lot of births happened around the same time. My name. Jack and Francis. I see Juliet¡¯s name. I keep going through our history. The book contained everything. It was detailed, and all of it was recorded. Every child¡¯s lineage and family emblem. What their parents had done.

    The three adults that had come because of my mother, I read the words at my name. ¡°Lack of family leadership,¡± I whispered to myself. What did that even mean? ¡°Not allowed to take a husband with her. All killed.¡±

    My breath caught. I enjoyed the hierarchy of the women over the men, but it was too severe. My father was dead. I paged quickly to the three men. To see what was written. All three had a story. Benjamin. Father. Stole food. Mateo. Father. Stole food. Francesco. Father. Stole food.

    I swore under my breath. That was ridiculous. It was a cover. The other two must be guards or even servants. The queen¡¯s son wouldn¡¯t be allowed to come all alone.

    A paper stuck out in the back. I pulled on the white corner.

    Trade agreement.

    Years for Years

    Two emblems.

    I flipped the small sheet of paper over back and forth. Nothing. Why would Samuel leave it out for me to see? My eyes glanced over to the box next to me on the desk. I opened it. Hundreds of tiny black tubes. My eyes drifted to the floor. There were numerous boxes stacked. Box upon box.

    I picked up one of the tiny tubes, turning it around in my hand. I had seen it before¡­ somewhere. These were what Brendon recorded all my life on. The information we had on Juliet at the house¡­ My eyes darted to the bookcase that wasn¡¯t flush with the wall. It was a door, half-open. The boxes lead inside.

    Slowly, I moved through the space. My eyes darted in a million directions. The whole room was filled with ledgers and boxes. I swore loudly. Hundreds and hundreds. What would Samuel¡¯s system have been, and whose life would be the most important?

 Oh Baby!

    92. Oh Baby!

    Michael

    I heard Juliet the first time she came to Rodrigo. When she was out cold, he talked to me, knowing I could listen to him. She was about two months pregnant with Chris¡¯s baby.

    I heard her again talking with him. She was three months pregnant. Only six more, and she will be a mother again.

    I had been in that hole¡­ not far from her for months¡­ She was depressed because she couldn¡¯t find me. She wasn¡¯t sleeping. He didn¡¯t want to tell her that I was being hidden away in the freezer. It wasn¡¯t really a freezer. A little room that no one wanted to open. If they did, they wouldn¡¯t have seen me anyway. It felt like I was losing my mind. I tried to call out to her. I wanted to tell her that I was so close to her.

    Rodrigo had told me everything that had happened upstairs. If I could just get out of there. I could be with her. I really didn¡¯t know what they were planning with me. Or why he wasn¡¯t telling her where I was. To me, it sounded like she was starting to trust him. Maybe he was angry that I had locked him up all those weeks to get him to tell me how to help Juliet. I was still drugged and still gagged. Tied up¡­ My body was failing.

    That first day she was there, the light in the room next to mine went on. She had even asked him who he had in there. It was the room where they got information from anyone less than willing. The blood in there wasn¡¯t mine.  They were searching for Samuel. Rodrigo and Qadir¡­ Why would he team up with him? He hated Qadir. But if my capture would lead to his death. That was almost the only thing I could think of. That Rodrigo was playing for the long haul. Playing Qadir.

    I heard the screaming and then the silence. The man never said a word. Samuel wasn¡¯t coming for me. He was hiding. I would be bait¡­ She would have to choose.  It didn¡¯t matter who it was. Juliet would do it. She was going to, and I had no way of stopping it. Was that a good enough test?

    She was pregnant again. She would never do that to the baby. That meant she was going to have to play for time. It meant that I would be caged up for a very long time.

    Being human¡­ I didn¡¯t have two hundred years of conditioning. I didn¡¯t have the strength. A sick sense of dread filled me. Lying there on the ground was maybe the safer option versus going through what Marcus had to go through so many times.

    ***

    Juliet

    I went to Rodrigo for my next appointment. Again, I felt terrific. Every time, he would take away some hurt I had. That day, I complained about my depression. It was getting out of hand. My thoughts were darkening, spiraling out of control. He pumped me full of stuff and told me to go and kill a human and remember the first time I drank someone¡¯s blood and how good it felt.

    ***

    ¡°Hey, Julie. How are you feeling.¡± My mom asked as I walked into the TV room.

    ¡°Great¡­ I feel terrific. Getting out of the house seemed to help a bit. Not getting whipped for walking around without a veil is still weird, though.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t going to tell her that I drove an hour north and killed someone. I wondered if Jessy would blab. I did take him with me for the baby and all. What would happen to our human relationships if they knew we still killed people some of the time. Or needed human blood to cure depression.

    ¡°I know. A lot of women are still fighting it. When I go out, I¡¯m the only one walking around without a man.¡±

    We didn¡¯t know what would happen. My mom seemed to have the same concerns as me. That everything was too good to be true. Marcus did one thing. But so much still had to happen.

    ¡°Is Louis not back yet? Was today not the day?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Come watch the news with us.¡±

    The news was the most exciting thing every night. We would gather around the TV to see what the world was coming to. What Louis was doing. Where he was¡­ But that night, he didn¡¯t feature.

    Alien creatures were being farmed with the help of watchers and humans working together. The first time we ate was the second day after Marcus had left. Since that day, regular supplies had come in for relief. Watchers weren¡¯t classified as human soldiers because they could fly. Maybe not as fast as a superhero or as high, but they could still hover a few meters above the Earth. They were managed by a UN agency of all the generals working together. For military purposes alone, the tech would change the world. It was still a grey area, and other humans wanted in on the action.

    Their decommissioned state had been reactivated but disconnected from their hosts. Marcus had been busy up there. Instructions were coming in regularly. The earthlings still didn¡¯t know that Earth was our prison planet. That little secret had yet to come out.

    The human race didn¡¯t really have an option of accepting us there. After the manifestation, there were the radicles that opposed it. Hated it and fought it. Riots and burning of buildings.

    Watchers had become protectors of humans instead. The farms for food for the vamps and werewolves were the most important. When the first slaughter occurred, the government gave the troublemakers to the vamps. We didn¡¯t care, and the issues seemed to die down with every sacrifice.

    Killing people had become a norm even for humans. The death sentence was a worldwide phenomenon for whoever felt like they could cause a stir or stand up for some minority. The world had become one unified nation in the matter of one night when they locked up Qadir, and Marcus took his place and made it all possible.

    ***

    ¡°I¡¯m going to bed,¡± I said after an hour.

    ¡°Night.¡± Mom and Dad said at the same time.

    Eyes cast down, I walked across the yard to my room.

    I was opening the door. Louis¡¯s hands slid around my waist. I hesitated and pulled away. He closed the door while I flipped on the lights. He studied me, waiting¡­ He wasn¡¯t going to let it go.

    ¡°No reading!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t¡­ but baby, that means you have to talk.¡±

    ¡°I went to Rodrigo. You didn¡¯t even ask me how my back felt?¡±

    He walked over, wanting to lift my shirt to check.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I said in a huff. His hands dropped. I raised my shirt, exposing only my back quickly.

    ¡°W¡­ow¡­ You really can take care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure¡­¡±

    He narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°You¡¯re irritated¡­ And I can¡¯t read you. How will we get over this.¡±

    A heavy sigh escaped me¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t like being alone, Louis¡­ I haven¡¯t seen you in a month. You have no idea what I¡¯ve been through.¡±

    I walked to Marcus¡¯s adjoining room door and opened it. I checked that everything was fixed and that the room was clean. The last of the fittings were done, and I wanted to ensure it was done correctly.

    That whole day, Marcus was on my mind. I was still thinking he would be able to commute from another planet to Earth every day. Why hadn¡¯t he come home yet? He sent messages and orders to the guards¡­ But to me¡­ Not even a note. He did one big thing and then ignored me¡­ His love for me was frustrating at best.

    And Louis. Ignored me for a month. No messages. No calls. I was a little more than ticked off.

    It still felt a little iffy in our rooms because of Damian. I didn¡¯t know how to get over it. Louis wasn¡¯t in my mind to help me. Nor did I think he cared.

    I remembered he was actually at home... I took a peek at him. He had followed me into Marcus¡¯s room. It was his first time seeing it. Louis¡¯s eyes drifted from Marcus¡¯s bed to mine. He scratched the side of his face like he was taking it in. Louis walked to the bed, gazing in on the tub, circling through the bathroom to my room. With wide eyes, he said, ¡°Marcus likes to watch.¡± He wiggled his eyebrows at me.

    ¡°Maybe why Damian did it. It¡¯s all Marcus¡¯s fault.¡± Louis frowned regarding me. I lifted my shoulders quickly. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m in my depression stage.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°You¡¯re a smart girl, baby.¡±

    Urgh, I wanted to hit him again. He should be there for me. Not constantly prodding me to grow up or tell me to figure it out on my own. With all the antidepressants that day, I did actually feel a little better. But I was nowhere near being friendly with Louis just because he walked through the door. Wanting him off my back, I said, ¡°Okay, fine¡­ Do you like to watch?¡±

    Louis was patient and didn¡¯t push me. I took his hand and led him to Marcus¡¯s bed. ¡°You can¡¯t get up. You have to have Marcus¡¯s¡­.¡±

    ¡°Fortitude.¡± He suggested.

    ¡°You can tell me later what he has...¡± I said, walking away from Louis.

    I pulled my shirt over my head and undid my bra, chucking them into the laundry bin, and ran my fingers through my hair. Getting undressed made me disappear from Louis¡¯s sight from time to time. I was going on with my regular routine. I was just going to do it naked. He didn¡¯t say anything.

    I was standing a little in the doorway of both rooms. I let my pants and panties drop, walking over the bridge towards my bed. I sat down on the edge, picking up the book Louis had brought with him. I felt immediately guilty. Shocked at the title, my eyes darted playfully up at him. It was the first penetration into my defenses. A raunchy romance novel¡­ Something I would like. He really did think about me.

    ¡°Thank You,¡± I said softly.

    I scooted back against the pillows and the headboard, glancing over the book to see what he was doing. Louis had also pushed himself back against the cushions, arms behind his head. I pulled my knees up so that all of me was exposed, spreading my thighs. I kept reading and playing with my hair. I got lost in my book for a while.

    When I was tired of only reading about romance. I put it down on the bedside table. I walked over to the little bridge, stopped, and went down on my haunches to check on the fish and feed them. They were pretty, fat, and ate well. I enjoyed hearing the lapping water next to the bed. It soothed me as I slept. I wondered how Marcus even knew I would like¡­ all of it. Katty was mesmerized by them. We played for a bit. When she was done and made herself comfortable on my bed, I turned to him, making sure he didn¡¯t fall asleep from boredom. Louis¡¯s face was expressionless.

    I didn¡¯t cross Marcus¡¯s room¡¯s threshold. I kept to my side. Having Louis watch me when I got in the tub felt good. I felt safe. The lights would not be going out again. The door was open¡­ And¡­ the man on the bed was waiting¡­ Waiting for me¡­ To give permission.

    I turned on the water and let it run over me. I felt like standing and letting it wash off everything bothering me... But the tub filled up anyway. Resigned¡­ I floated again, relaxing. My gaze darted to the room every now and again. Breathing out the fear.  I was pushing myself to get Damian out of my system.

    The thought that went into our rooms was a little¡­ obsessive¡­ I chuckled, thinking about what Marcus had planned for me¡­ For us.

    I peeked at Louis. He was lying on his side facing me. One arm bent under his head. I knew if I said one word, he would come in there. It took me a minute of staring at him, sitting up with my arms resting on the tub¡¯s rim. I wasn¡¯t so angry anymore. Louis really didn¡¯t have a choice to leave me. But I missed him, and I was lonely.

    ¡°Any proof in the theory yet?¡±

    Louis threw his legs off the bed. He let his elbows rest on his knees for a second. Face in his hands. Sometimes, I wished I had his ability. He sat up, unbuttoning his shirt. Eyes penetrating mine¡­ He dropped his pants and underwear.

    He came closer and stepped into the tub, grabbing the nape of my neck. His head tilted, lips already parted for mine. Louis¡¯s eyes closed. My legs slid in next to his waist as he pulled me onto him. Louis had never been that drunk with lust, greedy, and kissing me with potency. We were both breathing heavily a moment later. Our lips were fused hard until Louis lifted me up and forcefully pushed me down on him to the hilt, stunning me to cry out. He didn¡¯t even hear me or worry if I was ready. His own voice was loud in my ear. He wrapped his arms around me. One hand cupped my shoulder from behind the other around my waist, lifting me, up and down, on him in the tub. Every plunge harder and harder.

    I did ask for it¡­ didn¡¯t I. I could do nothing but hold on with my arms around his neck. He was being rough and grabbed my hair, exposing whatever part he was hungry for. For the first time, he couldn¡¯t get enough of me. Serious and not asking anymore, it seemed. His hands loosened for a moment to cup my breast, and the other pushed me closer to his body.

    I used the gap to take over, pushing him back to feel the friction moving against him. He complained and moaned. I wasn¡¯t going to let him get off without me. I was so close anyway¡­ That whole display had done more for me than it did for him, having the time to get comfortable. Being in control again. I waited till I was at the edge and pulled him up. Louis wrapped me up again. Chests pressed against each other, he gripped my shoulder and pushed me rhythmically down on him. I shuddered on top of him. His legs and body shook as we came together at the same moment for the first time. His voice was low in my ear as his orgasm stretched longer than usual.

    His lips found mine, tongue deep in my mouth. Slowly, he stood up with me in his arms, carrying me to Marcus¡¯s bed, and softly lay me down. But he was not stopping. I laughed lightly, thinking he would be a little calmer. He wasn¡¯t in the mood for my childishness and kissed me so hard until I was quiet. I didn¡¯t know if I liked the new side of Louis.

    ***

    When my eyes opened. I was very glad Louis wasn¡¯t going to read my thoughts. Regardless of the rough sex, throughout the night, I had slept well. All the bad feelings coupled with Damian were slowly being replaced with whatever happened between Louis and me. With Soren and getting attention. It was helping me forget for a few moments at a time.

    He stirred and pulled me close to his body, ¡°You have to take him off today.¡±

    ¡°No! After last night, I¡¯m going to start punishing him myself. His arms need to be broken again and bent around so that they can never grow back properly¡­ He took something¡­ from what Marcus meant for this place. We all have such good intentions towards you, baby. And everybody wants to ruin it.¡±

    I pulled a face without him seeing. Louis was a little too intense. I did feel guilty that he didn¡¯t know I was pregnant. If Chris was there. He wouldn¡¯t let anyone touch me. Let alone, Louis¡­ Like the previous night. How would I cope with it being that rough and pregnant? ¡°If you say so, boss.¡±

    Louis was groggy and sleepy and didn¡¯t say anything else. There was a knock at the door. Louis made a lot of frustrated noises and dug his head underneath the pillows. I turned towards him. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do it, you know¡­ You could give the talisman to someone else. My dad?¡±

    With flinty eyes, he jumped up, walking to the cupboard around the corner. He was dressed and in and out of the bathroom in record time. I sat in the bed covered with only a sheet. Louis was being cute, kinda funny. He didn¡¯t want to give it up. The power¡­ While he was fixing his hair, he narrowed his eyes at me again, making me laugh. ¡°When can I read you again? I miss being in you.¡±

    I snorted again. Like last night wasn¡¯t deep enough? But I wasn¡¯t going to complain. If I wasn¡¯t pregnant, it would¡¯ve been sexy. ¡°You¡¯ll just have to fill the void some other way.¡± He peered around the wall at me.

    ¡°So? Is Marcus on to something? You won¡¯t get bored of it.¡±

    He walked over to me and pulled off the covers. His eyes ran up and down my body. ¡°I can safely say that I would never get tired of your body.¡±

    Another knock at the door. He leaned down. ¡°Those dark nipples and perky breasts.¡± He stared at them for a while. I thought he might guess, but nothing. They were already sensitive and felt a bit bigger. ¡°Can I kiss you goodbye today?¡± He begged.

    ¡°If you do it properly. No pecking. I¡¯m not a chicken.¡± He regarded me for a second and crept onto the bed, pushing me onto my back, hovered over me, and stared at my lips. He jumped up and walked to the door, not kissing me at all. He started running when he saw the pillow in my hand. It went flying into the koi pond. ¡°S-! I jumped up, running over and getting it out. Louis was laughing, walking down the corridor.

    If all my life could be like that¡­ I thought to myself¡­ Maybe not... Everything.

    ***

    Louis

    Juliet and I had one amazing night¡­. It took her a whole hour to decompress. Walking around naked¡­ I had to grab the sheets so many times to keep myself in place. Most of the time, chastising myself for leaving my nine-teen-year-old wife to fend for herself. Thinking about it during the day¡­ I had to force myself to focus. But that had been weeks ago. I couldn¡¯t even stay with her for one day. I missed her. Just me and her¡­ That time was crucial for us, and I wasn¡¯t there. We wouldn¡¯t have many opportunities where it would be only the two of us. Once Marcus showed up or we found Michael, it would all be over. Juliet not wanting me to read her was a problem¡­ But I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Didn¡¯t have the time to connect and sort it out. I did go home for short periods. Sometimes she was receptive, sometimes not.

    Jessy told me that Marcus had ordered more prisoners to be brought to Earth. With every transport of vampires to En-gannim, they would send the same amount of prisoners to us. It meant a crapload of paperwork. More overnights in Washington.

    I remembered how angry she was when Marcus left that first night. She was already upset about the month I was gone. It had been more time when I was busy, and it would only get worse.

    ***

    The first load of prisoners that came were only women. Although the soldiers on En-gannim weren¡¯t allowed to get married, the many men serving Marcus wanted to change the law that men in the army could not get married. But selling all those women at an auction was also not going to work. What would we do¡­ organize a mixer? Create a dating app. I chuckled.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± A young brunette asked. She seemed young, but you could never tell. Kubra and I were escorting the ladies to the compound. The office at the main gate had a transport station that could handle at least thirty people. The one in the embassy in Washington could handle up to fifty. Carl was on the other side, directing the amounts of ladies coming through.

    ¡°Why does no one want to answer me?¡± She was a little spitfire and reminded me of my wife. I was so close, and the house was a mere ten minutes away.

    ¡°Jessy, take them to Agatha and make sure Qadir¡¯s offspring is on the first shipment out of her house so we can start eliminating threats.¡± He nodded.

    The door was blocked by a man. If you could call him that. He was tall and well-built with massively broad shoulders. He and an older man came into the office. Jessy groaned under his breath. Reading both the men¡¯s minds, it was messy.

    The giant in front of me was Lucius. When he saw me and the pendant, his eyes scanned me from my leather boots to my dress jacket over my jeans. He was disappointed that I was Juliet¡¯s other half. He felt that Marcus and I were wasted on her. I had to agree with him on that. At that moment, I wasn¡¯t much of a husband. Unfortunately, his mind wandered to the auction night and all he wanted to do to her. Planned for her life¡­ Juliet in that red dress.

    I walked down the few steps of the office. I turned to Jessy. ¡°Get him out off. Right now.¡±

    Lucius wanted to say something. Jessy pulled a gun on the man. He quieted down. ¡°What about my wives?¡±

    ¡°They opted for staying. Rather than going with you. What happens on Earth stays on Earth.¡± Jessy commented. The two men had a history.

    I didn¡¯t even think twice. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in half an hour, Jessy. I¡¯ll be with Juliet.¡± I saluted Lucius with my middle finger.

 Helping An Old Friend

    93. Helping An Old Friend

    Soren

    Since Louis came back from his world tour. I avoided being anywhere he would be. I was at the bookstore most days anyway, shipping off all the stock and selling it, giving the money to Juliet. So she could buy sweets. She is sweet.

    There were weekly travels to En-gannin. My family¡¯s date was set for the Friday at the end of that month.

    I had told Juliet that it was closure. But¡­ for me, it was anything but. It had muddled me into a useless pile of desperation. I wasn¡¯t going to be an ass and go begging for more, putting her on the spot, or face Louis¡¯s wrath. But I couldn¡¯t get her out of my mind. She was all over me. She had been all over me for two weeks while Louis was on his tour. We had spent so much time together. I couldn¡¯t concentrate, thinking about all we had done. All I had to do was stay away for another two weeks. I had stayed away for three weeks... ¡°You can do this, Soren.¡±

    ***

    I laughed at myself standing in front of the Red gates before I could convince myself how stupid I was being. Before I could even think about it¡­ Addicted already. It was mid-morning, so the chances that Louis would be there¡­

    ¡°Hey!¡± I spun around.

    ¡°Where did you come from?¡± My head darted nervously left and right. Juliet laughed at me. I was being stupid.

    ¡°You know I might have been nervous before, but you act like a real goof. Scared that my husband would catch us in the act.¡± I ran my hand through my hair, trying to get it out of my face. Juliet grabbed onto me, putting her finger on my mouth.

    ¡°Nobody knows about us. Right now, we¡¯re both invisible.¡± She whispered. My heart accelerated as Louis exited the gates, yelling at Liam. ¡°Tell her I¡¯ll be gone for a week.¡±

    ¡°Tell her you¡¯re self.¡± Liam¡¯s voice came from inside. Liam was angry. Louis swore under his breath, muttering as he walked off.

    ¡°Shhh.¡± Her finger pressed harder onto my lips. We stood really close, and my thoughts wandered until Louis got in the car and left.

    ¡°When will you tell him?¡±

    She shrugged.

    ¡°Should I help you with your denial, Julie?¡±

    Her eyes narrowed. ¡°How would you be able to help me?¡±

    ¡°How can you say that? You don¡¯t even give anyone a chance. You haven¡¯t even told him. Not about the baby or about me.¡±

    ¡°Soren! I¡¯m leaving for the weekend. Are you coming with me or not? Louis won¡¯t come even if I asked him.¡±

    ¡°Prove it.¡±

    She took out her phone and called him.

    ¡°Hey, Baby. I was looking for you.¡± Louis¡¯s voice comes through on speaker.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I was talking to someone. Louis, I need to go help Nick move this weekend. Today actually. Will you come? Please.¡± Her voice was desperate. Pleading¡­ So soft.

    He was too quiet at the other end. There was hesitation, followed by only silence. ¡°I can¡¯t, baby. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    She killed the call. She mocked crushed the phone in her hand. Teeth clenched. She lets loose a string of curse words¡­ I had only made it worse. It wasn¡¯t like she was living in a fantasy world. There were so many things that happened to her. I couldn¡¯t help myself. ¡°We could walk.¡± Her eyes shot up to mine. She basically grabbed my hand and slipped her fingers into mine.

    ¡°Make for a good time for counseling. I¡¯ll unburden myself to you. It¡¯s not like I can go to a human psychologist and tell him everything.¡±

    We stared at each other¡­ ¡°You could, actually. The whole world knows.¡± We both laughed. ¡°But they would lock you up.¡± She punched me in the shoulder. I smiled and then smirked. ¡°Hey, can you have sex anywhere being invisible?¡± She laughed and hit me again. I complained, squeezing her hand.

    ***

    ¡°Juliet!¡± One guy said when they saw us.

    ¡°Juliet!¡± Another did the same.

    The two guys embraced her and lifted her up into the air, holding her up and dropping her, squashing her in between them.

    ¡°You came to get my grandfather?¡±

    ¡°I did. Help pack up. Close the house. What will you guys do with all the bones you buried.¡± She mocked.

    I laughed, and it caught their attention. ¡°Who is this guy, Juliet?¡±

    ¡°Soren. Jack and Francis¡­.¡± We shook hands. ¡°He is a friend going back to En-gannim and wanted to see the world a bit. Stuck on the compound and all that. Not like the werewolves, we weren¡¯t free.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but not so much on Palmyra. Everybody¡¯s fate will change really soon if they ever want us back.¡± Francis said.

    ¡°Is it that bad?¡± They both nodded. She seemed concerned.

    Juliet went inside the house, leaving me to chat with the guys. They were home for two days. They had come with their cousin, who was the ambassador, delivering food.

    ***

    Juliet

    I checked my phone a lot. No messages from Louis. It was becoming harder for me to accept how things were going. It was driving me up the wall. The age gap was too much. I chuckled. After that night, I didn¡¯t see him for days. He comes and goes¡­ Literally and figuratively. I had not wanted that with Marcus. Being the wife of a politician. But I was not going to complain again. If I needed to use Soren to shut myself up, maybe Karma would give me a break.

    ***

    I started loading stuff into the cars and the U-Hall.

    ¡°Jack, you driving in what car?¡±

    ¡°You driving with us, Juliet. We need to spend time together. Soren, there can get to know my grandfather.¡±

    I laughed, getting in the car with them. They said goodbye to their childhood home. It was going to be a long drive back to the compound.

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    ***

    We stopped outside our old house, tired and glad to stretch our legs. I had told Nick he would love the place. I couldn¡¯t discern his features. He had been quiet the whole drive back. We had switched cars a few times between the four of us, but he wouldn¡¯t talk.

    We were unloading for a while when two strong arms grabbed me around the waist and picked me up. It wasn¡¯t Soren. It wasn¡¯t Jack or Francis. The person held me close against their chest. I tried to kick back, but the guy was practiced in the arts. He swung me around and shook me a bit. I laughed when I couldn¡¯t do anything. I disappeared. Mateo freaked out. ¡°That¡¯s unfair¡­ No abilities.¡± I came right back to where I was. I turned. Mateo jumped back, just in case.

    I chuckled and got a stupid grin on my face. My eyes went from Benjamin to Francesco to Mateo, all smiles. ¡°It is really good to see you guys. Even you, Ben.¡± I punched at his stomach.

    ¡°Thought you would hate me.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°I¡¯m literally the last person to tell anyone how to live their life.¡±

    Mateo stepped slowly closer to me and leaned into me. I didn¡¯t mind, and I turned my mouth to his, inches apart. Going all out on the flirting my way into happiness¡­ His eyes lingered on my lips, and then he took a good whiff. His eyes widened, and his brows raised as he stepped back. I shook my head slightly. ¡°Shhh!¡±

    He zipped his lips.

    Soren was unloading with the boys. ¡°Hey, Jack and Francis. Come meet your long-lost cousins.¡± I yelled.

    The three were busy with the last boxes and came over. Soren stood halfway behind me. Introductions were made, and the guys quickly felt at home. I showed them the house and the patio. Nick invited them to stay. We made a fire and had drinks. I didn¡¯t mind sitting between Soren¡¯s legs on the grass. He was stable and reliable. He reminded me of Michael, that could deliver a baby without freaking out about it. But still¡­ He watched me my whole life, and he didn¡¯t kill himself¡­ from boredom. I wasn¡¯t trying to forget him or replace him. Frak, I wanted to start crying. There I was, complaining and sleeping around while he might be dead or locked up somewhere. I jumped up and went into the house. I walked to the bathroom a little drunk. I was pregnant and drinking. Stupid Juliet.

    Closing the door, I sat down on the toilet. My life was a freaking mess. Would it ever even out. Would there ever be a time when I wasn¡¯t desperately worried about someone? Or had problems with the men in my life. I blew my nose and checked myself in the mirror.

    Opening the door, Nick was standing outside waiting for me, balancing on his cane. I went over to help him stand. ¡°I don¡¯t have long, Juliet. These are my last days. Did I tell you that I¡¯m reaching a thousand this year?¡±

    I needed a hug and didn¡¯t really care. My arms wrapped around the guy. He patted my back. ¡°Don¡¯t tell the boys. It might still be this year.¡± My hug got stronger. I started bawling. He patted me and pushed me into a room, closing the door. I fell down on my old bed, crying into the pillow.

    ¡°I had two daughters. Both of them died. You are probably the closest to a little girl of my own I would ever have again¡­. Many times, my girls would break down. They didn¡¯t like Palmyra. Like you, they were different. They didn¡¯t want the cruelty or being tired the whole time. Craved peace and happiness. That¡¯s why I like you so much¡­ So, are you going to tell me who the father is?¡±

    ¡°Chris.¡± Nicholas laughed. It started out small, but it got louder.

    I sat up. ¡°Shhh,¡± His mirth didn¡¯t want to dissipate until he could calm himself. ¡°No one knows. Accept that boy out there. Mateo and You.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Nick asked, rubbing at his eyes.

    ¡°My same old excuse. I don¡¯t want to be a burden. Louis is so busy. Told him not to read me.¡± Nicholas bobbed his head in understanding.

    ¡°Do you want to stay a few days?¡±

    ¡°Can Soren stay?¡±

    ¡°You know what. Our whole planet is harem after harem of women who take men to provide some kind of service to the house. Your small little four men¡­ Reverse Mormon thing you got going is not a problem for me.¡±

    ¡°Thank You¡­ I think I¡¯ll take a nap now. Good night, Nick.¡±

    ¡°Night Julie.¡± The old guy got up, moving slowly out.

    A moment later, Soren came in and plopped down next to me, dragged me into his arms, and wrapped me up. That was the first time Soren and I slept together. On the same bed.

    ***

    After a few good days at Nick¡¯s house, I knocked on Charlene¡¯s door. I wanted to check in with her. Could I tell her before I told Louis?

    ¡°Hi!¡±

    ¡°Hi. Where is baby?¡±

    ¡°Your mother and father have her. It¡¯s as if I don¡¯t even have a child.¡±

    At the same time, we said, ¡°noice.¡± We both laughed lightly.

    ¡°I have big news and then some bigger news, but I can only tell you the first big news today.¡±

    ¡°Out with it. Come, let¡¯s sit down.¡±

    Charlene wanted to go into her room.  ¡°Ben is here.¡±

    She stopped dead in her tracks and turned to me. ¡°Why?¡±

    I almost walked into her. ¡°Have you been watching the news?¡±

    ¡°I just thought they had so much time left to do it. Why would they rush here?¡±

    ¡°Food, I suppose. The government order and all. No point in delaying.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah. You guys killed people up until a few months ago.¡± Charlene turned again, going further into the room.

    ¡°You a little bored, Charlene?¡±

    ¡°I actually decided to go to college.¡±

    I was closing the door, but my hand froze on the handle. She was thinking of leaving. ¡°What, why? Are you moving?¡±

    ¡°We will be on Earth for a long time. I need a job. Something to do. You have to, as well. Why don¡¯t you come with me? I can see how bored you are.¡±

    Should I blab that I was pregnant? That going to college with my Riphath baby would be impossible.

    I snorted. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°Medicine.¡±

    ¡°Have you even talked to your parents?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re somewhere in China for my dad¡¯s work¡­ You know what, Jules. I feel like we are drifting apart. And every time that happens, it¡¯s because you are keeping some secret from me. That is probably why Louis is so distant.¡±

    My head snapped at her angrily¡­ I took out my phone. Being falsely accused was my limit. Louis answered on speaker.

    ¡°Hi, baby.¡±

    ¡°Hi¡­ When You come home, you can¡¯t read Charlene, okay!¡±

    He was quiet and didn¡¯t say anything. I hated it. I hated it with every fiber. I wish he would just freak out. Get it out of his system and leave me. He was supposed to be the one who was good for me.

    ¡°Is everything okay? You talking to her but not to me?¡±

    ¡°I told you. You¡¯re never here.¡±

    He sighed heavily.

    ¡°Fine, see you Friday.¡±

    ¡°F- you will! I¡¯m not sitting around waiting for you.¡± I threw the phone on the bed.

    Charlene¡¯s hand wrapped around her mouth. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry. Did I just cause that?¡±

    ¡°No S-, Sherlock! Yeah, you did. Now sit down and shut up.¡± Charlene shook her head. She didn¡¯t sit down but went to a little fridge in the room and got us drinks.

    I stared at the beer, gritting my teeth. She held it out to me. I shook my head slightly. She pushed it forward at me as she took a sip of her own. I shook my head again¡­ Charlene paused, dropping the bottle from her lips. She had caught on. ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Chris.¡±

    We both stood staring at each other for a while.

    ¡°F- me!¡±

    ¡°You can say that again. But not you ¡­ Soren.¡±

    Charlene choked on her next sip. ¡°You cheated?¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Only you will see it as cheating.¡±

    ¡°Are you ever going to cut that out? Say enough is enough.¡±

    ¡°When Louis says¡­¡±

    Her mouth gaped. ¡°You¡¯re actually serious.¡±

    ¡°You know what¡¯s the worst. I don¡¯t think he ever will. He has fallen in love with politics¡­. He needs me quiet so he can work.¡±

 Louis Is Too Much

    94. Louis Is Too Much

    Juliet

    Soren and I visited my old part of town a lot in the next couple of weeks. It was a place we could hang out free from the confines of my house. I wanted to spend as much time as I could with Nick. I avoided being there when Sita would. Jack and Francis kept in touch and let me know. My old neighborhood had been assigned to the werewolves. Mateo, Ben, and Francesco came around when we were there. They liked Nick and were getting bored not being able to go out into the world yet.

    Soren was leaving the following day, and we were saying goodbye. The fire was blazing. We listened to Nick¡¯s stories about Palmyra and everything he had gone through. The multiple times he had to invade other places. Soren and I sat in a locked gaze. We had talked about the possibility of other planets. But the universe became a little smaller every time we were there. He would be a long way from home, and I didn¡¯t know when I would see him again. My attention was leaving. Louis had not come home like he said. It had been so long since I saw him last.

    A car stopped in the front of the street. The headlights had shone against the mountain. There was a wall around the house, but nevertheless, you could see it. When there was a knock, I got up and went to the front door. I opened it but wanted to close it immediately. Not ready to deal. Louis¡¯s foot pressed in between the door and the frame. I swore loudly. ¡°Go away!¡± Tears were already pooling. My breath was shallow. He pushed the door open, grabbed my wrist, and swung me around, pressing my back against his chest.

    ¡°What did you say¡­ Over the phone? F- I will?¡± His voice had that authority in it. The dominance and menace.

    He picked me up. I was kicking and screaming. ¡°Let me go!¡± I tried to get out, but Louis was strong¡­ Jessy was driving, and my husband was kidnapping me. This one was just succeeding. We fell into the back seat. My back against his chest. He kept kissing my hair and the side of my face. It infuriated me. Jessy closed the door and drove us home.

    Louis got out with me like that and carried me to my room. He threw me inside, closing the door behind us. I was so angry I couldn¡¯t catch my breath. Unexpected tears fell down my cheeks. I wanted to run for Marcus¡¯s room. But he stopped me. I wanted to go for the door. He had enough and caught me, pushing me onto the bed.

    ¡°Juliet. This is going to happen¡­ We have to come together. Even if it¡¯s only in this way.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s convenient for you. Are you going to stay for the night?¡±

    ¡°You know I can¡¯t¡­¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± I stood up and wanted to walk past him.

    He didn¡¯t like it. ¡°Why? Do you hate me again?¡±

    I nodded and turned around. ¡°Yes! I hate you. I can¡¯t handle this half-assed relationship anymore.¡± He wasn¡¯t there for me. I was going through so much, and all he cared about was getting laid.

    I wanted to leave, Louis¡¯s arms wrapped around my middle and picked me up again, throwing me on the bed. He lay himself on top of me, pressing into me, grinding on me, trying to kiss me. ¡°Louis¡­ I don¡¯t want to!¡± I yelled, pushing him away.

    ¡°Then what do you want?¡± He yelled back, slamming his hand next to my face on the sheets.

    I was stunned. Too emotional to even compute. I glared at him. ¡°Get¡­ off¡­ me!¡± He shook his head and kissed my neck. I wasn¡¯t going to fight him. I was more than four months pregnant. I had put off going to Rodrigo, having too much fun. ¡°Louis, so help me, you better get off me.¡± He lifted his head at my tone, watching me. He wasn¡¯t reading me, but he rolled off and moved away from me to the edge of the bed.

    I stormed at the door. I glanced back one last time. Both hands covered his face, elbows rested on his knees in defeat. ¡°I told you. You could give it to anyone else. You¡¯re already filing Marcus shoes. I have two husbands that can¡¯t choose me. You were supposed to be the one that stayed, Louis. The one that never leaves! You knew why I came to France. You were supposed to be good for me. Does it look like I am doing well?¡±

    Louis¡¯s shoulders started shaking. Frown lines played at my brow. ¡°You better not be laughing.¡±

    Louis¡¯s hands dropped from his face. All I could see were wounded eyes imploring me not to leave. His hand stretched out to me. My heart broke instantly. He was actually crying. WTF! I walked over and pushed him back onto the bed, kissing him.

    ¡°If you were that desperate for a lay, you could have said.¡±

    He responded immediately, holding me, kissing me back, hands everywhere. Our relationship had just become its own rollercoaster. I had no idea what the hell was going on. Louis soon took control and turned me over so he didn¡¯t have to look at me... It hurt too much all around.

    ***

    Soren

    I watched through the window as Louis dragged Juliet to the car. I struggled to catch my breath. I had to leave the following day. We thought we would have that one night to say goodbye. Mateo came to stand next to me, watching Juliet struggle. Louis fell into the car with her on his chest. For a long time, we stood there in silence¡­ ¡°You okay, man?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Juliet is one of a kind. You guys have a history or something?¡±

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    ¡°You could say that. Do you think you¡¯ll go back? To Palmyra.¡±

    ¡°I have not lived out my sentence. My mother thought it good for me to live out my days here until I am a hundred.¡± We both chuckled.

    ¡°I think I¡¯m gonna get going,¡± I said.  ¡°Maybe, just maybe, I¡¯ll see you around.¡± We shook hands. ¡°Come, I¡¯m going greet the others. With her gone, there isn¡¯t really a reason for me to stay.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the night just took a turn for the worse and became a little duller without her. Louis is a little too much for my taste. I don¡¯t feel like staying either.¡± Mateo said.

    Light shone into the lounge. My eyes traveled back to the street. A car was approaching. I lifted the curtain. It wasn¡¯t Louis bringing back his wife. ¡°Maybe not¡­ Isn¡¯t that your long-lost cousins getting out?¡±

    ¡°Who, Jack and Francis?¡± Mateo joked.

    ¡°Wow! Who is that babe¡­¡± I said softly.

    Mateo opened the curtain a little, peering into the street. His eyebrow raised. ¡°Not bad¡­ Let¡¯s see who they brought.¡±

    Mateo opened the door. Francis and Jack came in and introduced Sita to us. I could see Mateo stiffen when he had to reach out and shake her hand. A definite pull around his mouth¡­ I went back in with everyone, intrigued to find out who she was. Jack pulled me aside. ¡°I think you should leave. Juliet hates my cousin. Like wants to kill her. Hate her. Like she is the reason she had to come back.¡± I stopped in my tracks, retreated, and left the house.

    ***

    Sita

    I greeted my grandfather. I haven¡¯t seen him in a while. He was getting older too fast. Those were the signs I was told. Everyone was sitting outside around a fire. They were all quiet around me. I had heard that the werewolves were being pulled into the compound. The world at least wanted to know what they were dealing with. When I heard that Francis and Jack had met Charlene¡¯s baby daddy, I thought my luck had increased. But the three men knew that it was me who helped Qadir. So, I was going to have to play the situation in some way. And I still didn¡¯t know who the son was. By their reaction to me, they didn¡¯t like that I had teamed up with the enemy.

    ¡°Should we talk about what happened?¡± I asked as demurely as I could. ¡°You know we would never have hurt Min¨¦.¡± The three men¡¯s faces were as stoic as Marcus¡¯s. ¡°I heard you also didn¡¯t want to stay, Ben? Why don¡¯t I ask Liv and have a talk with her to get you all to go back.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s okay. Thanx Sita. We¡¯re starting to see the value of staying on Earth. Going back means only two choices for men.¡± Ben said.

    The son couldn¡¯t be Ben. If there was a baby. A girl, baby. The queen would have done anything to get them back. So it was between the Spaniard and The other guy. I didn¡¯t know what Queen Brylee looked like, so I couldn¡¯t rely on the family resemblance.

    When the three boys left, it was only family. I turned to my grandfather. ¡°One of those boys is Queen Brylee¡¯s youngest son.¡±

    The disappointment on Nick¡¯s face was evident. But his loyalty ran deep. Even if it was to my dead mother. Francis and Jack stared at me, infuriated glares between our grandfather and me. I didn¡¯t think Jack would be the one¡­ ¡°You couldn¡¯t sleep with Chris. How are you going to sleep with one of those boys? That can be your only plan! To give her the first granddaughter to take over the planet. Get yourself up the ranks.¡± He sneered and stood up in a huff, swore loudly, and threw his beer against the rocks that lined the back of the lawn area. I jumped, not used to Jack throwing his weight around. The glass shattered into pieces. Jack yanked the door open, and we heard him slam the front door. My eyes were cast down. I was not content with my life. My grandfather was quiet. Francis waited for him to speak.

    ¡°Do you know how to find out which one it is?¡± Nick asked. I shook my head. He drew in a deep breath and sighed.

    ***

    Carl

    I had moved into Marcus¡¯s house when we returned from our world tour. Charlene was there, and it wasn¡¯t awkward at all between us. As if nothing had happened. Maybe it was something that needed to come to the surface so that I could realize we were both too young. Before Marcus left, he gave me everything that there was in Jabin¡¯s room that night. The laptop, the teleporter, and the two black tubes. I didn¡¯t know what it was. No one could answer me. But it had to be important.

    I knocked on Juliet¡¯s door. ¡°Come in.¡± She was haunched down on the bridge. She glanced over her shoulder to see who it was. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s good to see you, Carl. How are flying lessons going?¡±

    I smiled. It was actually really cool. ¡°That good, huh? Glad you didn¡¯t tie yourself down?¡±

    ¡°Funny, Jules! I need to ask you something.¡± I took out the black tubes. I held them out in my flat hand.

    She jumped up, almost falling, throwing her arms around my neck. ¡°Is Michael back? Tell me he was hiding somewhere with my uncle.¡±

    I frowned and shook my head as she pushed away from me. Charlene appeared at the door. Juliet walked over to her and put her head on her shoulder.

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Charlene asked, irritated.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. These were in Jabin¡¯s room that night he died. I showed them to her, and now she¡¯s like that¡­.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Charlene asked.

    Juliet¡¯s shoulders slumped. She was biting the inside of her lip and fell down on her bed face first. ¡°I need to tell you guys something.¡±

    ***

    Charlene

    Juliet was about to talk to us. We heard the bell ring at the red gates. All I had to do was walk backward a few steps out of the room and glance down the corridor. My heart skipped a beat. It was Ben. I didn¡¯t really know what to do with my hands in my back pockets. Carl pushed past me to see what was going on.

    ¡°Oh my!¡± Juliet said, wanting in on the action.

    Mateo and Francesco pushed him into the yard and past him. Juliet made a b-line for Mateo, who picked her up and swung her around. She led them to the patio, ran to the kitchen, and got everyone drinks. Carl didn¡¯t have anything to feel guilty about, so he joined them. From his side, he had done nothing wrong. He didn¡¯t even kiss me back. I cheated and fought with Ben. Called him a lousy father¡­ I sighed, took my hands out of my pockets, and walked towards him.

    The lane with all the trees was as good a place as any to talk. I was happy to see him. The months we had apart had made me think a lot about everything. ¡°How are you and Min¨¦?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Fine, thank you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for how we left things. How I left you¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, kinda promised myself I wouldn¡¯t talk to you again if you left me there alone.¡±

    Ben stopped, eyes cast down. ¡°If I asked to see Min¨¦, would you let me?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± His eyes came up and met mine. ¡°I think we should start over. Try to make it¡­ better.¡± He nodded. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back inside.¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­ Whatever happened to you and Carl.¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡­¡± Ben seemed surprised.

 Telling Louis

    95. Telling Louis

    Juliet

    ¡°Hey, Rodrigo. You here?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re late¡­ And two weeks overdue for an appointment.¡± I followed the voice to one of the cubicles where he was cleaning the floor.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t be able to do this walk next month. Send a car.¡±

    Rodrigo came over and picked me up. ¡°Are you tired a lot?¡± I nodded. ¡°You comfy?¡±

    ¡°On this steel table. No. Can¡¯t we get a material one?¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll put it on the budget¡­ Your husband overseas.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, there is something I need to talk to you about. I had some bleeding this morning.¡±

    He looked worried. ¡°I¡¯ll have to do an internal exam. Are you okay with that?¡±

    I shrugged, pulling down my pants. He gave me a gown and helped me into it. He placed a blanket on the table.

    I watched him and snickered. ¡°You planned this.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°You are my first real patient.¡± We both laughed lightly. ¡°So, anything happened that I should know about. Did you stop drinking? Like I said.¡± I nodded. For the last couple of days, anyway. ¡°Smoking and¡­ You and Louis? You guys taking it easy.¡±

    I bit my bottom lip. Slowly shaking my head. ¡°Is that what happened? Is he being rough with you?¡± I was quiet.

    Rodrigo got agitated. ¡°Juliet, you have to tell him. If that monster emerges while¡­ That would break you guys.¡± I was immediately on edge. Louis had shown no signs. His self monstering hadn¡¯t come out yet. Except for the few small patches of leather he had on his body.

    ¡°I had not thought about it. He¡­ is different¡­ actually.¡±

    ¡°Like you were?¡±

    I swore loudly. How could I be that stupid? Louis wasn¡¯t being an ass.

    ¡°Okay. So tonight. No more rough sex. The baby comes first.¡±

    He put a condom on the long, probelike sonar thing. I was on my back, and he prepared me for it.

    ¡°Have you heard from Michael¡­ Rodrigo?¡± He always avoided the subject. ¡°You know something. Why won¡¯t you say? I need to find him. I¡¯m going a little out of my mind. If Qadir took him after finding out¡­ Where would he stash him?¡±

    ¡°Probably the last place you¡¯ll think of.¡±

    ¡°I have had this whole compound searched. Even went through with tech to find hidden rooms. And you¡¯re still the one thing that doesn¡¯t belong.¡±

    ¡°Spooky at a distance.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    The baby¡¯s heartbeat went bonkers next to me. My head turned to the screen. ¡°I¡¯ve even searched in your old house¡­ Where we met. I checked every location that had fighting cages. I let them search Qadir¡¯s study to find any clues. Nothing.¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t tell you. Just know I have a very good reason.¡± The way Rodrigo bit the inside of his cheek when I spoke about Michael¡­ made me nervous. ¡°What is it¡­ that you feel for all of them?¡± He changed the subject.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. If anyone was first, it was Michael. He was there before Marcus, watching me for years. I can¡¯t even wrap my mind around that. Would you not have fallen in love?¡±

    ¡°But Marcus was first for you.¡±

    ¡°Michael was there right after Marcus branded me. When I was all alone.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you he was your watcher?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°The butler.¡± That made both of us laugh. Rodrigo and I were becoming friends. It was the most outrageous thought.

    I feared Marcus for so long. What he could become. I couldn¡¯t live without him anymore. I feared Rodrigo. He was a part of my life. Time really did heal some things. Even if he did know about Michael. I didn¡¯t have all the facts.

    I got off the exam table. I had really tried building a relationship with Rodrigo so he would trust me and tell me. If I told Louis, he would come down on the place and make Rodrigo talk. I didn¡¯t want that anymore. I might be na?ve and ignorant about it. But it felt like damaging that relationship only to find Michael wasn¡¯t the right course of action. But it meant I wasn¡¯t sleeping well at night. All the reasons were building up.

    ***

    Soren

    I was sitting on her couch in the bookstore¡­ Waiting¡­ It was less than a half-hour, or I would have to go. The thought of not seeing her ever again was depressing.

    The back door pushed open. I was too scared to look up. If it wasn¡¯t her¡­ If she couldn¡¯t make it. Juliet sat next to me, taking my hand and leaning her head on my shoulder. She would never ask me to stay. The one thing about her. It was all up to me¡­ She turned to me and stroked her fingers through my hair, tying it on top of my head. She handed me a gift. It was small and wrapped.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to worry. I¡¯m coming home either way. I will come to find you.¡± I drew in a ragged breath. She knew just what to say, and she meant it. My hands cupped her face, and my lips pressed against hers. ¡°You might have to wait a while¡­ And¡­ If you are married by then. I¡¯ll congratulate you.¡± I smiled.

    ¡°Soren!¡± I heard Isla calling me. Juliet didn¡¯t get up. She wouldn¡¯t get up.

    ¡°Hi, Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Isla.¡±

    ¡°Come, Soren. The truck is already waiting. We have to be on the list.¡±

    I nodded and got up. No point in prolonging the inevitable. ¡°Bye, Julie¡­¡±

    Juliet was nervously biting her thumb. Nodding. ¡°You¡¯ll have to do it, Soren¡­ I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± I pulled her up and kissed her, picking her up in my arms, pressing her into me so hard that our lips had to part, letting my hands run over her back into her hair before I dropped her. She drove me wild¡­

    I did it for her. I just left.

    ***

    Juliet

    I walked up to the main gate of the estate. Damian wasn¡¯t hanging anymore but sitting on the grass outside. No eyes, no arms. Constant pain. It felt cruel leaving him there. All I wanted to do was shoot him. My heart was already breaking. I was going to have to tell Louis what was going on. Tell him about Soren.

    I walked up to Jessy and held out my hand. He didn¡¯t hesitate. He put the gun down on my palm. I pointed it down to the ground and took the safety off. I took a few steps closer and held up the gun, pressing it in between Damian¡¯s eyes.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Thank You, Juliet.¡± I shot Damian, and he fell down at my feet.

    The noise had echoed through the estate and down into the valley. But no one batted an eye. That was how things went there. I handed the gun back to Jessy. My eyes caught a figure on the steps in front of the main building. My gaze traveled up to Agatha. At least she noticed. We both nodded at each other. She also thought it was time. I strolled up the lane. The trees were lovely. That two-hundred-meter stretch of road meant so much.

    I heard Jessy behind me. I turned to him. ¡°Who gave the order?¡±

    ¡°Kubra.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°And here I thought it was one of my husbands.¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare¡­¡±

    ¡°Was that a joke, Jessy?¡± He shrugged.

    ***

    Louis was home for a change. I could hear him talking to my parents in the kitchen. I couldn¡¯t deal with everyone, let alone him¡­ For the next five minutes, anyway. I had to get myself together and disappeared until I was in my room. I was fragile, emotional, and mourning another loss. I closed the door and got into bed, diving deep under covers. I just shot a guy¡­ One that was so cruel to me. Frustrated that Louis wouldn¡¯t be able to comfort me but a cause to my turmoil... It was all my own doing¡­ Stupid Juliet.

    The door opened and closed. Louis got into the bed and pulled me underneath him. My pants went and not even all the way. He pulled up my knees, shoving himself in me without asking. Rough and rigid again. I wanted to tell him to stop. I had to.

    ¡°Louis.¡± He did¡­ immediately stopped moving. I was glad that he wasn¡¯t berating me again, making it more difficult to unburden myself. Happy he wasn¡¯t crying¡­ My heart raced. His eyes cast down at my chest. He put a flat hand on my heart.

    ¡°Can you read me, please?¡±

    His optimistic blue eyes shot up at my face. He stared into mine for a moment. His eyebrows raised for a second. The bright eyes turned to grey pebbles. Slowly, he pulled out of me. Louis sat up on his knees and backed off the bed, away from me, pulling up his pants, and I did the same.

    ¡°WHAT THE F-! Juliet!!¡± He roared¡­ So loud that everyone would have heard him. ¡°I was hurting you. Why would you let me?¡± He spat through gritted teeth.

    I swallowed hard. He kept staring at me. Kept reading me. His eyes were as round as saucers. His heart started racing, and his lips formed a thin line¡­ compressed together¡­ almost white. It looked like he was going to explode. He tried to speak. He wanted to say something and then screamed like I¡¯d never heard him before. ¡°JULIET!! What is wrong with you!!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. So much was going on, and I was already three months when you returned from your world trip.¡± He stepped back even further.

    ¡°That night in the tub¡­ Juliet, I was so rough that night.¡± His fingers didn¡¯t rub his forehead as always when he was upset. They went through his hair as he held it back, peering down at me. He turned away from me and back at me. Agitated.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been rough ever since¡­ Quickies and¡­ not asking¡­ Last night was¡­ different¡­.¡± I couldn¡¯t finish talking, so I thought about it. I thought about how I felt about him not even being able to look at me anymore. My visit to Rodrigo that day. The blood.

    He stopped breathing. ¡°I made you bleed.¡±

    He spun around on his heels in one spot. As if moving was the only way he could manage not freaking out anymore. After some time, he turned to me¡­ ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know what to say¡­ I have you all to myself. I¡­ didn¡¯t think¡­ It¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t reading you¡­ I¡¯m sorry baby¡­ Why?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ I don¡¯t mind if that is what you like.¡± He swore loudly, his hand jumping up, covering his eyes... ¡°It just can¡¯t be that way¡­ All the time¡­ I need more, and it¡¯s starting to hurt the pregnancy.¡±

    I don¡¯t think I could have insulted him more. He grabbed his bottom lip between his teeth to stop tears from falling. He was speechless, but he knew I didn¡¯t want him to leave. He walked over and sat down on the bed, holding back tears. Holding back his anger. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You were so busy. You didn¡¯t want to hear me when I tried talking to you.¡± Louis was as emotional as I was back in France. I felt guilty about forgetting what he had done. Louis was going as crazy as I was. And I was pregnant. It wasn¡¯t a good combination. Before he could say anything, a knock came from the door.

    ¡°Come in¡­¡± It was my mom. She seemed worried. Everyone was behind her. She opened the door even wider. Their gazes traveled from Louis to me.

    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant¡­ It¡¯s¡­ Chris¡¯s baby.¡± When I said Chris¡¯s name, a sob escaped me. ¡°Rodrigo knows where Michael is, and he won¡¯t say¡­.¡± Another sob. ¡°I think he¡¯s somewhere in a hole dying.¡± The sadness was too much. ¡°Carl, are you ready?¡± He nodded and walked over.

    ***

    Louis

    We were both crying. I couldn¡¯t watch¡­ as she changed. Gooseflesh covered every part of me as I thought about the last few months. Carl put the mouthpiece on before any more of her would cover up. I didn¡¯t even know they found it. Where had I been? I had never seen her being controlled. It would scare the living crap out of me to see her like that.

    My first episode hadn¡¯t even happened yet. I had never crossed over. I pushed past everyone. Liam grabbed my arm. ¡°You¡¯re leaving now?¡± I yanked myself away from him. There was really only one place I could go. I made my way to the science building. I knew where he was. Just never thought to go. Why would I want to see him? He fixed Juliet, and that was all he should have done. Listening to myself, I already knew the problem. Listening to Juliet telling me I hurt her¡­ I knew the problem.

    I really didn¡¯t like it rough. Not making love, just sex. There was a time for both¡­ But not like that¡­ Not with her. The way I treated her, remembering all of it¡­ I felt like throwing up¡­ I pulled the car over¡­ And I did¡­ At the side of the road. It was only chunks of blood¡­ I swore loudly, coughing¡­ I was turning, but it was different than hers. It was primal when I saw her at night. Or when I came home at all. I didn¡¯t care. I wanted her in a brutal way, and I had been. I retched out the door. Not being in her mind had made it worse. I should never have let her go one that long. But again, I knew why I didn¡¯t ask or push her to say. Why I didn¡¯t, as Chris told me to, ¡°Not let her turn inward again. Don¡¯t let her lie¡­ Sort it out.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t gone for three months, and I couldn¡¯t fill his shoes. Marcus would have stopped it long ago¡­ There would have been accountability. I wouldn¡¯t have fallen for the Alpha role. Marcus could handle it¡­ I was free from judging eyes, and I failed the test horribly.

    ***

    The elevator opened. I walked past all the glass cubicles, entered his workroom, and laid myself on the steel table. Rodrigo was there. He was nervous. Juliet was right. He knew where Michael was.

    I glanced at the corner where Michael had been tied up when Qadir met with him the first time. The second was when Kubra came for the buttons... Michael had been drugged¡­ Tied up and gagged. Rodrigo had no control over his thoughts. Michael wasn¡¯t there anymore. He was taken away just after Juliet came the second time. Michael had been there for so long... But I was on a world tour¡­ Too busy. If I had come myself, I would have found the secret room. When I took over, I would have found him. I knew Juliet was searching her little heart out. It also meant that someone in there had done it. Taken orders that were not from me. So, not only did I feel like I hurt Juliet, but I made Michael suffer. He might be dead.

    ¡°I¡¯ve come for you to end my life.¡±

    Rodrigo laughed. ¡°So, dramatic¡­ You can¡¯t die. Who will take care of her? As you can see, there is no one else, Louis.¡±

    The thought hit me like a bat to the face. I did this in the first place to be able to protect her. And nothing was settled. No¡­ It would get worse¡­ We could be invaded at any moment. Forced to go back. Or Qadir would use Michael.

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing an outstanding job.¡± I sighed. I was going to have to do better. Get control of the new ability that gave me so much power.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see about those injections and whether they have made you a little batty. Juliet was here this morning. Told me she would tell you. I was kinda expecting you. Have some of the good stuff ready¡­ I did tell Michael I had never done this with a man¡­ Why he insisted?¡± Rodrigo kept rambling. ¡°The symptoms are obviously worse for the men. Primal in nature and emotional for the women¡­

    ¡°Who took Michael?¡± I cut him off. ¡°Didn¡¯t you and him have a deal?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really have a say when the big guns show up. Would you believe me if I said that Ahasuerus came himself?¡±

    I had to whistle. ¡°So that is going to be his next play?¡± The banging sound of my head on the table echoed through the small room, making the animals in the other room go crazy.

    ¡°But still. I don¡¯t think they know about you and Juliet¡­ So, if I were you, I would keep some cards up my sleeve. Like you have been doing. And you know I¡¯m not lying about that. I have told no one.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s the thing. If they think we will become zombies? Why bother at all.¡±

    Rodrigo was quiet, thinking about Marcus. ¡°You should rather ask yourself¡­ What could sever the connection of the brandings, so Marcus is safe¡­¡±

    ¡°How much of the branding rights do you know about?¡±

    My head snapped to the side. Juliet¡¯s figure emerged from the corridor into the doorway. I couldn¡¯t look at her. ¡°So what? You can love me, but I can¡¯t love you?¡± I shook my head from side to side.

    I read her thoughts. I needed to know how she really felt. She knew and let me run through that night in the tub and how she enjoyed it.  It had her hotter than hell. She never once felt violated until the pregnancy became a problem. The previous night was the first and last time, and that¡¯s why she stopped me.

    My hand stretched out to her, and she took it, sitting on a stool Rodrigo had pushed closer. ¡°Baby, there is something else.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my soul, Juliet, how could there be anything else?¡±

    She didn¡¯t say it out loud. My eyes were on her. I smiled and squeezed her hand. ¡°I already knew about Soren. His thoughts were really loud¡­ We already talked about that¡­ But¡­ that was the last time you got to play the ¡°no reading card.¡± You had forsaken those privileges.¡±

    She agreed. ¡°I should¡¯ve known you were not yourself. I doubted you¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, baby no¡­ I¡¯m the grown-up here. I should have been more responsible. I had chosen to protect you, not to hurt you¡­.¡± The lights went out. The drugs had finally kicked in.

 Oopsydaisies

    96. Oopsydaisies

    Chris

    Jamal had so much as moved into our home. He still had his own place. Keeping it for when he needed female companionship¡­ I didn¡¯t care about spooning a guy anymore. It was too cold. He didn¡¯t care because he grew up there. I was wondering if I could cheat on Juliet with a guy. Would that get me out of it? Maybe I could convince her to take Jamal in after¡­ I got home. I chuckled as I pulled him closer. Both of us in our Riphath manifestations. It was warmer that way. Didn¡¯t wolves sleep like that in the wild?

    It was the first day we had to report for duty as Protectors. The training we had gone through was rigorous. It took us more than a year to complete, and we only got to entry-level hunter. Our days were divided into drills, manifesting in and out in different situations. In water as well, making it more difficult. Teleporting and wielding our weapon and learning about all the beasts we would encounter.

    Our gear was a little challenging to get used to in the winter. They assured us that the summer uniform would be better for maneuvering. We were in our Riphath form at all times. And with that, the armor we wore covered most of our bodies. Elbow guards. Strong leathered breastplates, almost impenetrable. We wore hoods for the sun and a scarf wrapped around our mouth and nose, like masks. The continual dust blown up by the soft wind was worse in the winter. An icy sting to it.

    There were no weapons. No guns. No laser blasters like the movies. The only thing we carried was a staff with a carved-out gem attached, like a spear. I couldn¡¯t figure out what it was made of, but it wasn¡¯t rock or metal.

    Our eyes were not black like Juliet¡¯s, with soft white irises that spiraled around their pupils. Or dark red eyes like the werewolves with black cat-like irises and pupils all in one... Our eyes were more of a menacing white with grey and a dark circle around our irises with a dark grey pupil. We painted a formidable picture with our gear on. When Silvanus was wearing his full uniform, even his horns were protected.

    I was already a little ahead of all the other Riphath trainees. Seemed like Earth had more of an effect on us than they thought. I was growing up faster than the rest of the men my age. I was also bigger and stronger.

    Silvanus came in to wake us up in the mornings. Caleb came running in and jumped on the bed. I picked him up, playing with him. He was clever and sweet, like his mom. Time was going by too slowly. I still had three years before I could even start fighting to go back to Earth. Wondered if Juliet knew about the time? Did any of them know? Jamal and I had formed a good bond. He thought the same as me. Felt the same way.

    In looks, we were completely opposite. His blond hair went into his eyebrows. Into all his body hair. Thin lips and a strong jaw. His eyes were almost identical to Juliet¡¯s. Blue¡­ very, very blue. But behind his eyes, there was still that constant sadness. He was practically the only thing I would regret leaving behind.

    We got up and dressed. I gave Caleb to Maya. She had also decided to stay after Jamal joined the household. I was glad. It gave me an excuse to be gone the whole day of training. She slept in the same bed as Caleb. When it was freezing, we would all four huddle up. Caleb between us¡­ He loved those nights.

    He waved at me as we headed out of the city, and they left the house to go play with the other kids.

    Jamal and I would always be together. Stationed together out there. At the beginning of training, you had to choose who you wanted in your group. You needed to trust your partner.

    We were on rounds and walked the length of the assigned space. It wasn¡¯t so bad¡­ I actually got out of the house and out of the city, helping in some way.

    ¡°Do you think we will ever see any wild beasts in this lifetime?¡± Jamal commented.

    ¡°It¡¯s our first day¡­ what did you expect¡­ Fighting a new monster in an arena was obviously more exciting than working¡­ But life sucks, and then you die.¡±

    ¡°You say the strangest things, Chris.¡±

    His words weren¡¯t cold, or we heard them stampeding in the distance.

    ¡°You just had to jinx us.¡±

    ¡°Jinx?¡± Jamal asked as we circled ourselves, scanning every direction. ¡°Where is the cloud of dust¡­ these things are supposed to blow up.¡±

    ¡°It depends on what¡¯s coming,¡± I said, low and quiet.

    We used our teleporting, fanning out in a big circle from where we started. There was nothing. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything¡­ maybe they went another way,¡± I said when we regrouped in the way we were trained. I took a guess and looked up. I pointed. ¡°Blow the alarm!¡±

    Jamal swore loudly as his eyes followed mine upward¡­ ¡°Chris, they are headed for the City.¡±

    I was already teleporting, hearing the explosion in the air behind me. Jamal had used a giant slingshot to get the leathery pouch to explode in the sky. A second later, the watchtower bell rang, followed by the alarm that rang throughout the city.

    ¡°Caleb.¡± I pushed myself to move faster.

    I reached the gate. There was already one Ouyui swooping down into the streets. I teleported immediately up to the roof of a tall building and right onto the flying beast¡¯s back. All I had to do was extend and retract my claws through its face. It was my favorite way to finish an attack. The brains and blood splattered all over my face. I didn¡¯t mind, I kinda liked Ouyui. I maneuvered the bird to have a starting point to teleport to the ground. The thing was falling down towards me. All I had to do was grapple it and make it fall where it didn¡¯t hurt anyone. I picked up my weapon and checked the sky¡­ There was a flock of Ouyui flying hard and fast for the city. The one I had killed was the scout. I traveled to the city center to make sure it was empty. All the children were safely in their homes. I rushed to our house to make sure Maya and Caleb were there.

    ¡°Maya?!¡±

    ¡°Daddy!¡± Caleb came running towards me. Maya soon followed into my arms. I grabbed her upper arms and pushed her off before she could even touch me.

    ¡°Where is Ira?¡±

    ¡°He is checking on the elders.¡±

    ¡°I have to go. The flock is still coming. Stay hidden, and don¡¯t come out. Listen to Maya.¡± Caleb nodded, and I was out the door again.

    There were two Ouyui in the air, scouring the ground for prey. I saw Silvanus coming towards me out of the corner of my eye. We worked well together. He signaled me into our next attack. One would be the prey¡­ that was me¡­ And the other would launch the fatal blow as they swooped down. The Ouyui spotted us¡­ One dove right for me. Silvanus rolled from the side and gutted it. It dropped dead next to him. He was fast with his teleporting. In and out. Not even a speck of blood on him. There were still at least twelve to contend with. It didn¡¯t last long. We killed a few more, and the rest saw they were defeated and circled back to where they had come from. The city alarm rang, and most people slowly ventured outside. Everyone was instantly busy cleaning and picking up the dead bodies¡­ There would be feasts that night, usually at the bars. Even if we were big and robust, not all Riphaths were fighters. Those who didn¡¯t had other ways of contributing and knew how to work the meat, skin beasts, and salvage everything else.

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    I went back to the house to make sure Caleb was okay. They were on his bed. ¡°Is Jamal not back yet?¡± She shook her head.

    ¡°Wait here, and don¡¯t come out until Ira or Silvanus is back.¡±

    I had to make my way out to where I last left Jamal. I saw him sitting in the sand, covered in blood. ¡°What happened to you?¡± He pointed into the distance. It was the body of another beast. I was manifesting in and out next to it. Unable to control myself.

    ¡°Try fighting that thing when that happens.¡± I laughed, imagining him having to get the better of a delicacy. The thing lying dead was made for the desert. They were loners and so thin their ribs protruded visibly as with their faces that were almost just skeletons. Light bodied that sloped upwards with the help of short legs behind and long legs in the front. It had a big chest where all the meat was, and also our golden ticket. ¡°Well, you and I won¡¯t have to pay for drinks ever again.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t pay for drinks anyway¡­ It was following the Ouyui and crept up on me while trying to get that stupid bag in the air.¡±

    ¡°I feel you. On earth, it¡¯s as easy as pulling a trigger, and it would have saved time.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait till you are King and make changes to this place.¡±

    ¡°Oh please¡­ You love it here. The whoring.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I could do that on Earth¡­ couldn¡¯t I.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°You would be very popular.¡±

    ***

    Months Later

    ¡°How did your day go?¡± Maya asked when we stepped through the door.

    ¡°Fine.¡± I took Caleb from her. ¡°You can go¡­ I have him for the rest of the night.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anywhere to be. Can¡¯t really work on my swatches at night.¡±

    She was being weird again. As if she thought I would budge and sleep with her eventually. Acting stranger and stranger. Jamal always stared at us when she tried talking to me. I wasn¡¯t a complete imbecile when it came to women. Over the last two years, I had to wave off many¡­ And there really wasn¡¯t anything special about Maya. Jamal, of course, did go there. He even asked me just before to keep the peace and all. He still didn¡¯t understand my celibacy. Maya also reciprocated his attention. That put me off immediately. One harem was enough for me to handle. The planet had helped me not cheat. If I didn¡¯t find anyone I had a connection with, it would probably never happen.

    Marcus¡¯s training had put me leagues above the other men on Zoreah. I was quickly climbing the ranks. Working closely with Silvanus and Jamal on the new recruits. Jamal had also asked me to train him, and it felt good. Silvanus and I had a better relationship than Ira and me. So when Ira came and stood at my door, I didn¡¯t even lift my eyes. ¡°You have to come with me to a council meeting tomorrow, Chris.¡±

    I nodded. I was playing with Caleb. I tried to spend time with him at night. We all just stayed awake until we were tired. I had become accustomed to the boredom. The conversations were also limited. It wasn¡¯t like something new had happened or that there had been gossip or a scandal from a politician. I didn¡¯t think Liam took into account that our planet gave me so many minutes that sometimes it made me want to scream. And sometimes I did¡­ travel out as far as I could and threw a proper tantrum.

    ***

    The following day, I had to forsake my exercise and meditation to follow Ira. It would be a long day if I didn¡¯t have at least something to keep myself busy with. A way to get all the energy I had out of my system.

    A few men and women were sitting on the ground. Ira sat on a small stage in front of everyone. He gestured for me to take a seat next to him.

    ¡°Is there anything anyone wants to bring to light?¡±

    Some men talked about farming issues. They put ideas together to solve it.

    When all the agricultural issues were over, they talked about housing. There were still many women that have not given birth. The pool for suiters that have not had a kid had also diminished. That meant that more people could not care for kids and needed something to do and a place to stay. The population was declining. All eyes were on me¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. I had my kid.¡±

    ¡°But not with a Riphath woman.¡± One lady commented.

    ¡°So what, Caleb isn¡¯t in line for the throne because his mother is a vampire? Then I¡¯m walking back right now and going Earth, giving myself to them.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so dramatic about everything.¡± Ira scolded.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sleeping with twenty women just to see if I could maybe still have a kid with one of them. Ask Jamal¡­ He hasn¡¯t had a kid. He¡¯s from good stock.¡±

    There was a strange silence over the room. It felt eerie. ¡°What if we drug you.¡± My head snapped up at the woman on the ground.

    ¡°Why are you so bent up¡­ on me taking a Riphath woman?¡±

    ¡°For starters, Juliet is a vampire, and the chances that you could produce one offspring here with a Riphath woman is good. You are different because you were on Earth. We take notice and have seen you climb the ranks much faster.¡±

    ¡°Secondly, we do not know where your loyalties lie, Chris.¡± The woman spoke softly. ¡°If you have another child with a Riphath woman, you will think twice about giving our planet to some vamp¡­.¡± My brow furrowed. It all seemed logical. But would I really be able to have another kid? ¡°And it would show us that you care what happens to us. The future.¡±

    I adverted my gaze, nowhere near embracing them as my people. They were right. My loyalties were with Juliet.

    They left the subject there and went on to talk about housing. Expanding the city would be a big enterprise, especially in Yaroon, where there was little water. The last time they had traded with Palmyra. The queen had only one request of the mighty Riphaths. She wanted to conquer another planet or species or something¡­. I kept yawning. I didn¡¯t really know why I was there. It was a tiresome exercise¡­ ¡°If we could only trade with Earth. They have so much water. We wouldn¡¯t have all these issues¡­.¡± I whispered.

    Ira and the others stared at me. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me there is not one other planet with a lot of water. What do we have to trade anyway? Except whoring out our bodies.¡±

    ¡°Silvanus has never lost one man in his battles.¡±

    ¡°How does that even work? We only fight in the summer months.¡± Ira shook his head. I took a deep breath¡­ knowing I would hear something I wasn¡¯t expecting.

    ¡°The vampires have a teleporter that can usher out a million entities for war. That one works in a specific location on Zoreah. The location is remote, but it¡¯s not that cold.¡±

    I sat up suddenly awake.

    ¡°The most we have lent them was¡­.¡± Ira looked at the one woman in the front... She was beautiful. Brunette. Long hair. Much older than me, though. Ira¡¯s age.

    ¡°We gave them five hundred thousand.¡± She said.

    My interest was even more piqued.

    ¡°Who will fight? Will you let me fight?¡±

    Ira was disappointed. ¡°This is the army administrator and general Chris¡­ General Sung.¡± I had never seen her before. My eyes fell on the older lady¡­ Lately, Ira and I had drifted apart. It seemed that his idea of me was not what I was. Too much like my mother, Silvanus said.

    ¡°I will send someone back south to do the communications. We will send the five hundred thousand soldiers east to the site.¡± Ira and the woman were talking. She nodded in agreement.

    ¡°I think we could do with a reprieve on the water for the next three years.¡± Another member said.

    ¡°You are sending someone to the teleporter. And you will not send me with?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sending someone used to the cold. Able to survive in extreme conditions. Teleport for great distances. He will make the trip we took, which was three months walking¡­ in a week¡­ Can you do that, Chris?¡±

    Inside, I was fuming. Thwarted at every turn by a freaking man that didn¡¯t want me to be happy. I felt like screaming, challenging him¡­ Like Liam smirking at me for not choosing Juliet. He knew I couldn¡¯t. I had two years to practice, but not once did he give me the training. How was I supposed to know we could cover greater distances with our teleportation. ¡°I will take the chance!¡± I spat out.

    ¡°You have a choice. Go fight with the army that will be gone for months. That means when you come back, it would have been years here. Or you go to the teleporter and go visit your Juliet¡­ And remember, Caleb stays with me either way¡­.¡±

    ¡°F-!¡± I screamed, getting up and storming out.

    Ira stood up, ¡°Let¡¯s see if you would choose years away from your son¡­ Or confusing Juliet even more¡­. Or will you choose like I had to live this life!¡±

 Invitation

    97. Invitation

    Juliet, Seven Months Pregnant

    Ahasuerus

    ¡°Did everything go well with the campaign?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Send the Riphaths home safe? Any casualties.¡± Kubra shook his head.

    I had dispensed with the formalities. Kubra and I were sitting down on some couches in my office. Since Qadir went to Earth, I had many things brought over to make our lives easier. We didn¡¯t have fertile soil like Earth. No trees.

    But what we didn¡¯t have in natural beauty, we had in minerals and precious stones. All the elements needed to advance in technology. Almost every continent was rich in mining and liquids that helped us create the teleporters. Medical advanced technology¡­ The list went on and on.

    My hand ran over the leather. It was soft¡­ Cows had their uses.

    The door to my study opened. Marcus came closer. He was taken aback when he saw Kubra. Neither of them knew why they were there.

    Kubra got up and bowed in front of my grandson. The ones face as stoic as the others. No emotion was shown. Marcus ignored him¡­ like he should.

    Marcus bowed as well, but he went to the floor. I felt he bended too easily. Did it even mean anything? I released Marcus. He sat next to Kubra across from me.

    ¡°Juliet is coming to En-gannim¡­ Kubra, will you send out the invitation.¡±

    Rising to his feet, he exited the study face towards us.

    Marcus didn¡¯t seem to have any feelings about it. ¡°How have you been finding Nahrima? We haven¡¯t spoken in a while¡­.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s stunning. Even if the seas are poisonous, it still makes the stark contrast to the white sands spectacular. It¡¯s so large that I have not been everywhere. A large enterprise all by itself.¡±

    ¡°Unlike Earth, En-gannim does not have that much diversity. Have you seen all the different areas?¡± He nodded. ¡°Have you been studying?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been months¡­ You haven¡¯t asked to see Juliet or if you could go visit. How is Louis fairing¡­ running the compound?¡±

    ¡°He is doing well. Our relations with the Earth are steadily being secured.¡±

    He avoided talking about Juliet in front of me. Thwarted my questions about her. Without the watcher technology, it was hard to get a handle on the boy. With the patience he had shown, you would not even know where his head was at. Marcus had shown himself diligent, and only good reports had come in from all over En-gannim. He never sat still, and I had even let it go if he wanted to talk to his grandmother.

    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    Marcus was busy on a plate in his hands, and I was ready to discuss whatever he would bring to my attention.

    ***

    Juliet

    For the last three months, Louis had worked from home. He was desperately trying to make it up to me. He saw Rodrigo regularly to govern his new ability and ease up the turning. Our relationship had become work. He was right. It was just the two of us. It wasn¡¯t like our relationship was fun. We couldn¡¯t leave whenever we wanted. He was needed daily somewhere. Strangely, I was okay with my life being a little boring¡­ Louis didn¡¯t touch me, and Carl had moved into Marcus¡¯s room to have a second person there at night. He wasn¡¯t taking any chances.

    Being able to sit with Louis the whole day was enough¡­ There was holding¡­ A lot of massages and foot rubs. Whatever I was craving was brought to me in bed, where I parked watching TV.

    Charlene had started with her studies. She was off the compound for a while. We had not seen Kubra for months¡­ Min¨¦, a year old, had stayed with my Mom and me. That day, Charlene had come home for a break, but she was mostly in her room studying.

    It was interesting to see how humans and the world embraced the vampires. The few psycho¡¯s that always believed in aliens were mostly on TV. Weirdly, some people were vigilant and had noticed. The sudden boom in technology in the fifties didn¡¯t just happen. When Chris¡¯s mother landed, it changed the game to a whole other level. The Riphaths were so desperate to keep him safe that the search was on with the watcher, the vamps, and the werewolves. With what they traded, we still didn¡¯t know.

    ***

    I was on the bed, and Louis was reading.

    ¡°Knock, knock.¡± Jesse came in and called Louis over. They went outside to talk. He called me using his fingers. I followed them to the office where a few of Louis¡¯s men had made themselves at home. I had a comfy chair in the office and plopped down. I felt fat and tired.

    Kubra was ushered to sit across from Louis at the desk. Well, Marcus¡¯s desk. Everybody magically disappeared, and Jessy closed the door.

    ¡°How is he?¡±

    Kubra didn¡¯t want to talk. He ignored me and got down to the point.

    ¡°Ahasuerus is issuing an invitation for Juliet¡­ For a meeting.¡±

    It was quiet in the room. My first thought was that I wanted to see Marcus, whether he was okay and where his head was at. I thought about Michael and whether he was in one of their prisons. My mind jumped to the baby. I didn¡¯t want to go anywhere near Ahasuerus while pregnant. There was no way I was losing another child. Louis did all the talking. Held up a hand before Kubra could even try to change our minds, and he left again.

    Kubra closed the door on his way out.

    ¡°Kubra knew about Michael in the beginning when his father was still here. But because he left to be with Charlene¡­ We all missed that window. Marcus is fine and doing well, traveling¡­ studying, and spending time with his grandmother.¡±

    ¡°Is Kubra still on our side?¡±

    Louis nodded. He pushed his chin in the air. I stood up and walked towards the glass door¡­ Our gazes traveled over the yard. The house was U-shaped, with a view out over the mountains.

    Even though on our left were all the family rooms, Charlene¡¯s guest room was on the other side of the yard. Kubra didn¡¯t leave immediately and went in without knocking. My eyes darted to Louis and back again¡­ Kubra closed the door and stayed for fifteen minutes.

    ¡°Juliet, I didn¡¯t want to blab, but something happened.¡±

    ¡°You got to be kidding me, Louis¡­ This is the most interesting thing that has happened, and you didn¡¯t say?¡±

    When Kubra finally emerged, he was not himself. He made the mistake of running his thumb over his lips. Even if Louis was two hundred years old¡­ He knew how to indulge me with a giggle and flashing eyebrows.

    ¡°I wonder¡­ did he try or¡­.¡± Charlene walked out to the doorway and stared after him. Her eyes were longing and desperate as her head rested on the door frame, watching him leave.

    I was so happy and laughed, ¡°She got herself a vamp¡­ a werewolf just down the road¡­ a human¡­ What a triangle¡­ Don¡¯t you think¡­ our goal should be to embark on a quest for breaking down all the barriers for interspecies relationships.¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re na?ve.¡± His eyes shot to mine. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡± All the enjoyment gone.

    ¡°Maybe just getting along first?¡± He pulled me closer. ¡°My tone is so harsh with you. I¡¯m sorry¡­ How are you going to deal with me?¡±

    ¡°Together? Or am I being na?ve again.¡± He tickled me and made me pay for being sarcastic.

    ¡°Wait! Wait! He will get away.¡± I ripped open the door, running out of the room.

    ¡°I saw that Kubra! Charlene! Come back here, both of you.¡±

    Kubra turned around and smiled at Charlene. She was going to have to do all the explaining.

    ***

    Charlene

    Kubra opened the door to my room. He didn¡¯t knock even though it had been months.

    ¡°Are we not going to talk about what happened?¡± He blurted out and was so blunt and angry. The time we had together¡­ had never revealed that part of him. I gave him the benefit of the doubt.

    ¡°Close the door, Kubra.¡± He did what I said. ¡°Are you going to tell me if you hate Marcus? Because that is almost the only thing standing in the way of¡­ us¡­ talking about it. No one knows where we stand with you. Or how you feel¡­ Do you have feelings?¡±

    A strangled expression flickered over his eyes. But, like always, he steeled himself.  ¡°There! Right there¡­ What was that?¡±

    He fidgeted with his phone, rubbing his fingers together in his one hand.

    ¡°Sit down.¡± He listened again and took a seat on the couch. I sat in front of him on my knees. His eyes were solemn. ¡°Just say it¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry¡­ I¡¯m relieved. I have talked to Marcus. We¡¯re fine.¡±

    ¡°Do you feel guilty?¡± He nodded. I perched myself up on my knees so that my face was flush with his. I had months to think about him telling me he was in love with me. My hand reached for his cheeks, desperate to comfort him. ¡°No one here is going to think less of you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think that¡¯s wrong. Not being filial or even caring about my own father. You are human. Do you think less of me?¡±

    ¡°I think Juliet almost got raped and would have died... And your father thought it the only way to break her¡­ If you weren¡¯t against that¡­ You would be less of a man... to me anyway.¡±

    Whatever was going on between us had jumped a level. He leaned in and kissed me. Hurriedly, he put his phone down so both his hands could be free. I enjoyed the fact that he was there for me. All he wanted was to kiss me... Talk to me¡­ My arms wrapped around his neck. He didn¡¯t even know it, but I would have kissed him the first time I saw him without a shirt. I am easy¡­ It was tough for me not to just dive in¡­ When he came into the room when I was naked¡­ I deepened the kiss, thinking about it. I pressed into him. It was hot and heavy¡­ He pulled me up and sat back so that our chests were flush. ¡°I can¡¯t stop thinking of that night. It¡¯s driving me crazy. Seeing you like that¡­¡± He said while kissing me.

    ¡°Why are you avoiding me¡­ us? Can¡¯t you come and move in here?¡± His eyes shot open.

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because if I do, we have to get married¡­ All I want to do is keep taking steps forward with you¡­ Do you even care about me? You had months to think about it.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to say. I wanted to get to know him¡­ I wasn¡¯t like Juliet in that regard. I couldn¡¯t commit on a whim. Say this is it and actually mean it.

    ¡°What are you waiting for, Charlene?¡±

    ¡°World peace.¡± He smiled. And just like Marcus, when Kubra smiled, you wanted to take out a camera and take a picture¡­ So that you knew it actually happened. He might be more relaxed¡­ But he was just as serious.

    ¡°I¡¯m human¡­ I¡¯m nineteen¡­ There is Min¨¦¡­ You don¡¯t really know me. I¡¯m moving Kubra. I went back to college.¡±

    He stood up with me in his arms. His eyes searched my face.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t come around for months¡­.¡± Kubra scared me¡­ Dating another creature scared me¡­ If he was serious about how he felt¡­  I had my first someone who wouldn¡¯t let go with the first sign of opposition. That would stay without any conditions. He also had months to think about it. He got to know me through watching Marcus, but it¡¯s not the same. I needed him to be sure.

    ¡°What is that?¡± He gestured to my face.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to tell you.¡±

    He kissed me again hard and ran his hands around my waist and up my back. His lips were desperate. Not trying to convince himself of anything. Kubra wanted me. He dropped me on the couch and hovered over me before he pushed off the armrests. ¡°That¡¯s not the only reason I¡¯m here, and if you don¡¯t want to get married. I¡¯ll move in tomorrow. So that when you are here¡­ we can get to know each other?¡± He was asking.

    I nodded. Still dazed by the kiss he had given me. He left me there and walked out. ¡°Hey!¡± I whispered, getting up to stand at the door. ¡°Is that it?¡± He chuckled.

    ***

    Kubra

    I had been waiting for Ahasuerus to call me in before I went home. To test Marcus and me together in the same room. He was really too old and predictable. I also needed an excuse to get back to Charlene. There was no way I was going to put her in danger.

    I rubbed my thumb over my throbbing lips. They were red¡­ felt swollen¡­ I knew, and I didn¡¯t care. For the first time, I knew what Marcus felt like. The only difference was I didn¡¯t have a father anymore. No one to keep happy. Best of both worlds.

    Whenever Marcus made a decision, he was thinking about Juliet. I glanced back at Charlene¡¯s room. She actually depended on me¡­ Keeping my word¡­ Staring after me as I walked away.

    I had never had someone look at me like she did. Juliet yelled at us. All I wanted was to come back¡­ Even if it was Juliet¡¯s family, I badly wanted to be a part of it¡­ All of it. Show them where my loyalty lies. I wanted Charlene. I turned and smirked at my girlfriend... My heart was actually beating faster. I was excited¡­ It was a new feeling¡­ She was there in the compound. She wasn¡¯t wearing coverings. She was human, and she had a werewolf baby. What the hell was I doing? I had lost all control.

    ***

    Ahasuerus

    Kubra came back into the door, bowing. I called him over, but he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t stand up straight either¡­. My lip curved up at the one side, agitated already¡­ My tongue was playing at the corner of my mouth¡­ Marcus was watching me closely.

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°She said she would love to accept¡­ If she can come without¡­ a veil.¡±

    That made Marcus smile. I didn¡¯t know what made me angrier. Him being so obsessed with something. Or her¡­ being so obstinate about something so small.

    ¡°I accept.¡± Marcus¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°When?¡±

    He was quiet, still bowing¡­ Already trying to appease my anger.

    ¡°Just tell me.¡±

    ¡°She said¡­ She would like an expensive dinner¡­ Four.. months.. from.. today.¡±

    That upset me. Juliet was growing up quickly. Learned that patience was better than reactions. My fist pounded on the couch that gave me so much pleasure a moment ago. She is too clever and knows just what to do and when to do it. Her moves are better than any clan adversary.

    ¡°Do you think she can be persuaded to come earlier?¡±

    Kubra was still bowing. My anger kindled in my breast. I stood up, wanting to make my way down to Earth¡­ Sort out that chit, but Kubra sputtered.

    ¡°Your majesty, she¡¯s pregnant¡­.¡± Marcus jumped to his feet. My head snapped around to Kubra.

    ¡°She said that she would rather never come out of hiding than let any of her children¡­ near your majesty¡­ Even if it was Marcus¡¯s child.¡±

    My gaze drifted to Marcus. He was as shocked as me. I couldn¡¯t tell if he and the chit had copulated. His breathing was uneven. His fists were clenched at his side. We were both working it out quickly. It had to have happened in France near the end¡­ It wasn¡¯t Jabin¡¯s man, and it couldn¡¯t be Chris. He already had his baby.

    ¡°Is it yours? Is it my great-grandson? Or is it Louis?¡±

    ¡°Well, grandfather heard what she said. It doesn¡¯t really matter. Neither of us will ever see that child.¡± Marcus sat down in defeat.

    ¡°I could force her here. If that is what you want.¡±

    ¡°How will we find her. She will disappear? Losing one child was all she could handle.¡±

    ¡°I have my ways, Marcus. Remember, she still needs to go through her test.¡±

    He jumped back up to his feet. Gave me a look, tilting his head¡­ Black eyes burned through me. And every time I thought Marcus had maybe moved on, he played his hand with such a tell. She brought out the worst in the man.

    I raised my hands and decided to be as patient as they were being. ¡°I won¡¯t touch her for the next four months. You have become so good at acting that you might as well be the father. I would never do that. But Qadir would¡­ Your father should not know. Hide it well¡­ Kubra. I want you there daily, making sure everything is fine. Make sure no one visits Qadir in prison.¡±

    He bowed, stating that there was, luckily, nothing else. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I¡¯m moving in tomorrow.¡± He turned to Marcus and did the same. Marcus breathed out the breath he was holding and relaxed his fists, dropping his manifestation. He didn¡¯t like walking around manifested. I really did not want to fight to the death for a position. I was hoping that Marcus would step up. I didn¡¯t want to give it to some other clan. The choices I was supposed to make will have to wait. Qadir was yet to get out of that cell. What was he waiting for?

 No Way?

    98. No Way?

    Juliet

    Of course, I ran to Charlene¡¯s room. Well waddled as fast I could. Louis was coming with me, trying to stop me from being stupid and falling, picking me up under my arms and knees, carrying me. I gripped his hair and pushed his mouth on mine.

    Charlene had closed the door.

    ¡°Louis will just read you!¡± I knocked loudly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± She said, laughing.

    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m so bored. You¡¯ve been keeping this from me for months.¡±

    ¡°Keeping what from you?¡±

    I jumped around, startled, hearing Carl behind me, pressing my lips together. I was riddled with guilt. My eyes shot to Louis for help, but he was pretending to see something in the sky. I said some things in my mind that made even Louis blush. Carl¡¯s eyes moved from Louis to me. He knocked on Charlene¡¯s door. The door slowly opened. Charlene was riddled worse than me. Carl¡¯s gaze traveled from me to her. His shoulders slumped. His head dropped. ¡°Who is it? You¡¯ve met someone.¡± Three pairs of eyes were watching him. ¡°Is it Kubra?¡±

    We were all shaking our heads. Little Carl was not so dumb after all¡­ How the hell did he figure that? ¡°How did you know? I didn¡¯t even know.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t see him when I told him Ben left her alone.¡±

    Carl¡¯s eye darted to me. ¡°I took too long.¡± He said solemnly.

    I sighed, feeling so sorry for him. How did anyone follow someone like Kubra? He was tall, dark, and handsome. Older¡­ more mature. When he moved, the girl asked how high they should jump. They were almost the same as well. Charlene had type¡­ Buff and boyish.

    It made me think of Michael¡­ Not that he was boyish. But buff¡­ maybe not anymore. I had to shake myself, or else I wouldn¡¯t sleep. I took Carl¡¯s hand and pulled him across the lawn and into my room, closing the door. Louis went to lie down on the bed. I enjoyed him following me around like that. It was the best feeling ever. If he would only kiss me¡­ My eyes flickered to Louis, and he bit his lip suggestively. I growled at him. Scenes of him being tied up flashed through my head. Louis giggled and rolled around, putting his face under the pillows. I shook myself again and pulled Carl across the little bridge to the little sitting area. He sat down.

    ¡°Nothing happened yet¡­ they kissed today¡­ For the first time.¡± Louis said.

    ¡°Oh, jeez!¡± Carl jumped up and paced.

    ¡°So if you want to get in there. You still have a chance¡­ You were the one that messed this up.¡± I said.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°By not¡­¡± I wanted to say.

    ¡°Throwing yourself at her feet, Carl,¡± Louis interrupted me, walking over and rummaging through the cupboards. I was confused but let Louis search for whatever he was looking for. ¡°You¡¯re either very proud or stupid.¡± Louis kept talking.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Carl said incredulously.

    I turned to Louis¡­ ¡°Is it only vampire guys that go all out for their women?¡±

    ¡°I have a very sarcastic answer to that. But I hurt you once already today with my newfound aggression.¡± Louis opened the door between the rooms, went into Marcus¡¯s room, and kept searching. I shook my head and looked at Carl, twirling my finger next to my head.

    ¡°Can we stay on topic, please?¡±

    ¡°We are Carl. You have to decide whether she is everything to you. If not, let her be happy¡­ Charlene wants the connection. The life-long commitment. Frankly, she wants to feel wanted.¡±

    ¡°Four years not obsessive enough for me to have liked her. Not want her?¡±

    ¡°Years of doing nothing isn¡¯t an obsession. It¡¯s¡­ boring and juvenile¡­ At some point, it needed to change¡­ She needs a man¡­ And you¡­ I¡¯m sad to say¡­ is acting like a child. Hold out for someone else and leave Charlene be.¡± I answered.

    Carl paced some more. ¡°In what way?¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t anymore, Louis. He doesn¡¯t want to understand¡­ Love.¡±

    Louis caught my eye. He was busy in a box on the bed. His hand hovered before he took something out. He held it up. Carl turned to him. Louis lifted bondages up into the air. ¡°Tonight, Juliet will tie me to the bed and have her way with me¡­ Can you do that for Charlene?¡±

    ¡°Why the hell does Marcus have bondages. Does he even know?¡± I asked, indignant.

    Louis ignored me¡­ ¡°Because I can tell now¡­ Not Charlene or Juliet will be the ones tied up¡­ Ever¡­ It will never go the other way. Charlene will never come running after you, Carl. They might be easy¡­ But you probably just had one shot¡­.¡±

    ¡°What about Chris? You ran after him for years¡­ Pushed him into that car, like Chris always said.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we don¡¯t know what we would do¡­ If that person starts slipping through your fingers.¡± Louis and my gazes locked. But my love turned to anger. I glared at Louis about the bondages. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even joke about that. It¡¯s like number three on the list.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­¡±

    ¡°What list?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°The three things I would never do for any of them.¡±

    Carl seemed impressed. ¡°Just three?¡±

    ¡°See Carl! You probably have a massively long list of ultimatums, and it¡¯s a logistical nightmare with you¡­ No romance and¡­¡±

    ¡°Boredom¡­¡± Louis finished my sentence.

    Carl was getting upset. ¡°I¡¯m not boring.¡±

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°You spell the word,¡± Louis said as he pulled me up.

    Carl snapped and stomped out of the room. Louis and I paused outside, watching him. He stood still for a moment, eyeing Charlene¡¯s door across the yard. Finally, Carl glanced back at Louis and me and strutted over.

    I gripped Louis¡¯s hand. ¡°Will he do it?¡±

    Carl pushed open the door, walked in, and closed it again.

    ¡°No way! I thought he wasn¡¯t serious about her.¡±

    Charlene screamed. We burst out laughing. The door rolled open. Carl got pushed out, holding his cheek. Charlene closed the door again, muttering and swearing. Carl was defeatedly walking away. I sighed. It was funny.

    ¡°Louis¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m on it.¡± Louis jogged down the corridor to meet up with Carl. Before Louis disappeared, he looked back at me and smiled. ¡°We have a date tonight?¡±

    ¡°No! Who is going to stand guard? You¡¯ll rip right out of them. They are not vampire-proof.¡±

    Both our eyes drifted to Carl¡¯s room. All the things I could do to Louis played through my mind. His hand gripped the door frame¡­ steadying himself¡­ He knew how to make me feel good.

    ***

    Charlene

    Across the yard, Louis went into Carl¡¯s room and closed the door. Juliet came over and asked me if I wanted to go with her to Rodrigo. We asked Cindy and Liam to watch Min¨¦. Neither of us had a car of our own. It felt weird being almost twenty and not having wheels. Jessy had to drive us down the road.

    ¡°So you want to talk about it?¡±

    ¡°Kubra walked in on me naked in Paris.¡± Juliet giggled. ¡°He came at me like he was going to eat me¡­ I told him I didn¡¯t want to put out anymore without commitment¡­ And he left the room. Said that he wanted more.¡±

    ¡°Charlene¡­ He really likes you¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡­ think he does¡­¡±

    For the first time in a long time, I was happy. The possibility was there with Kubra. He wasn¡¯t a boy, and every word he said meant something. He wasn¡¯t second-guessing feelings or the future.

    ¡°And? Do you like him?¡± Juliet asked.

    ¡°Wait! That¡¯s not all.¡± Juliet¡¯s eyes grew bigger.

    ¡°He told me he was in love with me.¡± Jessy sputtered. ¡°Kubra had been watching me while checking up on Marcus.¡± Juliet got that smirk on her face whenever a guy took responsibility. Got obsessed. ¡°And of course, he¡¯s super hot¡­.¡± Jessy shook his head. I fanned myself dramatically. Juliet giggled, nodding, agreeing with me. ¡°He¡¯s not against Marcus. He is relieved about his father. He had gone on some war campaign. Busy with Louis and on other stuff¡­ He wanted to give me space.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good news. I was so worried that he would hate Marcus¡­.¡±

    ¡°I asked him to move in at the house¡­.¡± Juliet nodded excitedly. ¡°I don¡¯t think he will because of Carl and Ben...¡±

    ¡°I think he will be there tomorrow. Hope you¡¯re ready.¡±

    We stopped in front of the building, and Jessy opened our doors for us. He took his time with Juliet, holding her arm and navigating the terrain. She didn¡¯t mind and leaned on him. I got out and, for safety reasons, put my hands in my back pocket. I could not be scared anymore, so I took them out, shaking my hands. I had to give Kubra and me a fair shot. Was I ready to fall in love? If anyone could do it. It had to be him, and I couldn¡¯t wait.

    We made our way down the elevator. Juliet tried to prepare me for the monsters that lived down there, but nothing could prepare you for that.

    ¡°Rodrigo!¡±

    ¡°Juliet! In here!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here for my seven months. Did we come at a bad time?¡±

    We watch him inject one of the monsters and walk out of the glass cubicle.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time I let them go. At least some of them. How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine?¡±

    ¡°Are you an infected vampire?¡± Rodrigo¡¯s gaze fell on me. He looked me over quickly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it¡­ It¡¯s not worth it. The pain almost makes you crazy.¡±

    ¡°You seem fine.¡± Juliet snickered behind a hand. Rodrigo smiled at her. They were sharing a moment.

    ¡°What does it entail?

    ¡°Lots of injections over a long period¡­ And you need a donor.¡±

    ¡°Who was yours?¡±

    Rodrigo¡¯s eyes flickered to Juliet. ¡°I think it¡¯s time you tell me what happened between you and Marcus.¡± She suggested.

    ¡°He was twenty. I got kidnapped at fifteen. Kept down here until I was buff and big at thirty. Trained all day long and put through that. Marcus had to watch me suffer for years. Qadir made him do it¡­ Every time he had to tie me down in darkness. I was to be his servant at his house¡­ Around Marcus¡¯s fortieth birthday, I had changed and was going insane. I wasn¡¯t adjusting like the other men. He had enough and took me out. He dropped me somewhere in a wooded area. Told me to try and eat only once a month and move around. Left me there. .. So, no, it¡¯s not what you think. Marcus wasn¡¯t some psycho for two hundred years and changed overnight. He had always been¡­ different.¡±

    Juliet was on the table. The sonar seemed fine. When Rodrigo was done, he handed her a rag to wipe off all the gel from her baby bump. I helped her, and she pulled down the shirt.

    ¡°Will you really live forever?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s what they say.¡±

    ¡°How many of you are there.¡±

    ¡°Not many. It is not fun being in darkness your whole life¡­ What are you going to do one day? Become a Pathologist?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll find a planet in total darkness. Live there?¡±

    Louis came running into the room. ¡°Juliet, come on¡­ I wanted to be here.¡±

    She handed him the picture. He tilted it up and down and shook his head.

    ¡°It¡¯s really nothing¡­ Seven months is just another month.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the point.¡±

    ¡°I needed to talk to Charlene, and she wanted to ask Rodrigo some questions.¡±

    ¡°What kind of questions?¡±

    ¡°Can I be Charlene¡¯s host?¡± Juliet asked.

    Rodrigo sat back on the counter, perching himself up with his arms, regarding Juliet. He nodded softly and closed his eyes, biting the inside of his lips. ¡°But I won¡¯t do it¡­¡±

    ¡°Charlene, we could rather make you a watcher and get that tech in you,¡± Louis suggested.

    ¡°That won¡¯t help me protect Min¨¦. Who will I be connected to? Kubra?¡±

    All three of us exchanged glances.

    ¡°You can come with us when we leave. If we ever leave.¡± Juliet said.

    ¡°He did ask me to marry him.¡±

    Juliet was beside herself. ¡°What was your answer.¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°In this regard, Jules. I¡¯m not like you. I don¡¯t know how you do it. But if he moves in tomorrow¡­ I have been thinking, maybe we can get a teleporter on the campus.¡±

    Louis and Juliet stared at each other and smiled.

    ¡°And you, Juliet?¡± We all turned at the sound of Rodrigo¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Me! Study? Are there any classes on how to take over three planets and rule them?¡±

    The room went deadly quiet. Juliet gets what Juliet wants.

 Kubra Moves In

    99. Kubra Moves In

    Kubra

    I stayed true to my word and, the following day moved into Marcus¡¯s house or, rather, back to where I used to live. I even had my old room. There were four rooms on that side of the lot. Charlene had the largest guest room at the beginning of the corridor, and next to her was Min¨¦. I didn¡¯t mind us on either side of her daughter. It made me feel like we were a family. The last room of the four was Liam and Cindy¡¯s, which was closest to the main part of the house at the back of the lot.

    Carl and Charlene were sitting on the deck chairs around the pool when I walked through the gate after a long day. I was instantly jealous. I had seen them together so many times, either in each other¡¯s arms, dancing, or sitting on the couch, her head resting on his shoulder. How scared she was after Qadir was there that night and how they had slept next to each other. But that day¡­ it felt different because we had kissed for the first time, and they were in an intimate discussion before they saw me, leaning toward each other.

    Charlene lifted a hand and waved me over; I reluctantly walked towards them, not knowing how it would be or what Carl would say. I heard Louis and Juliet in the kitchen with Liam and Cindy. Carl and I were always with Louis, but we never crossed that line into friendship. But he knew. I could see it on his face. He was their best friend, and if anyone was going to leave. Wouldn¡¯t it be me?

    ¡°Hi.¡± Charlene held out her hand to me; she obviously did not have the same issues with the situation as I did. I stared at her hand for a while. She waited patiently, and I took it. She pulled me onto the chair behind her, moving back so she could feel my body against hers. Carl sat back on his own chair with no care in the world, and they kept talking. I forgot that he had been there for more years than me and was so used to her with someone else, and again, I didn¡¯t understand why he was so reluctant to start something with her.

    My eyes drifted to Charlene¡¯s face in front of me. She was animated and smiling, putting her hair behind her ear. They had great chemistry and were so easy around each other. They talked about the school where she enrolled and Louis getting clearance for a teleporter. It had stunned me out of my musings when I heard it, and my hand came up to rest on her shoulder. She turned to me. ¡°Are you serious?¡± It would mean that she would not live on campus anymore. We would see each other every day. Charlene had planned it, and I wanted to celebrate.

    It was such a beautiful night, and the way she looked at me made me smile. The moon was bright, and Juliet came walking up to the small patio. The three of us had seen her and were watching her waddle a little. She still had two months ago, but she carried that baby a little differently than with Caleb.

    ¡°Kubra, Carl kissed Charlene yesterday.¡± Juliet blurted out. Carl shook his head, smiling. My back stiffened, but I didn¡¯t have time to do anything because Juliet had abruptly stopped walking and tilted her head slightly. She was hearing something. I stood up immediately, knowing her different faces¡­ We both looked up at the moon at the same time.

    ¡°Louis!¡± She yelled like she always called out to Marcus. He came strolling out of the kitchen, pausing ¡­ He gripped the doorframe, and our fears were realized when the compound alarm resounded throughout the whole place.

    ¡°Carl! Fly, you idiot. A werewolf got out.¡± I spat at him. ¡°Humans are really useless.¡± Charlene spun around to me. All I could do was smile. I didn¡¯t classify her as anything. She was just Charlene. Juliet grabbed Charlene¡¯s hand and dragged her toward Marcus¡¯s room. She nodded at me. I knew I could go. ¡®She got this.¡¯ Liam and Cindy came out with Min¨¦ and followed the two girls in quick strides across the grass. We had built a safe room out the back into the mountain. Juliet wanted to be sure she could keep the babies safe if Louis suddenly turned into a monster. It was only a precaution because we had the buttons.

    ¡°You going to fight tonight?¡± Juliet dug at me.

    ¡°It depends on who it is.¡± I smiled. ¡°Can you please lock yourselves up now?¡±

    She closed the door a little and looked up at Louis. ¡°Go get him tiger.¡± Louis reached for her upper arms, holding her tight. He reached down and pressed his lips onto hers and stayed there for a moment. ¡°Will you be okay?¡± She asked. Louis didn¡¯t say anything and leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers.

    Jessy was already at the gate, ensuring the army¡¯s general was safe. Louis saw Jessy and me waiting for orders. There were about twenty more soldiers outside waiting with Jessy. ¡°I think it¡¯s time¡­ I faced my fear¡­ Well, kinda¡­¡± Louis said.

    ***

    We jumped in the back of a truck. Louis held out his hand to me, and I clasped it. We had formed a good bond over the last few months; even if Charlene and I didn¡¯t work out, I would always be there¡­ Somewhere.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Louis asked.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. The cages were being monitored. Same as the last few months, everything was great until the locks on two cages broke open. The werewolves fled into the city.¡±

    ¡°Which cages?¡±

    ¡°Mateo and Francesco,¡± Jessy answered. ¡°Oh, Frak! Mateo is like a tier-three fighter. Should we go get Marcus?¡± Jessy asked nervously. He was young and inexperienced.

    ¡°I can take them. We have the watchers. If all else fails, they can use that contraption on them that they used on Chris his first night.¡± I countered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll call Carl and tell him.¡±

    ¡°Tell him he has to¡­ Practice,¡± Louis joked. I knew about his past and his father¡¯s death. It was no wonder I had never seen him at the cages.

    The truck was speeding down the road. A watcher was descending down on us. Jessy slapped the side of the truck for the driver to slow down. It was David. What the heck? He landed on the roof. ¡°You guys have to bring them in¡­ humanely.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Louis asked.

    ¡°Because one of them is the Queen of Palmyra¡¯s son. I had never been decommissioned and have been watching them closely. Someone wants to fish out the real prince. So we have to make this pan out.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to tell us who it is?¡±

    He scoffed. ¡°No. Where is the fun in that? And whoever did this. Will hopefully not find out on my watch. Louis¡­ You¡¯re fighting tonight. Kubra, you are stronger than Marcus¡­ You will take Mateo. Louis¡­ all you have to do is keep Francesco busy.¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    David flew back up, signaling with a torch and his hand. The signals went all over in the sky.

    ¡°There! Let¡¯s go!¡± David said.

    ¡°Just remember, if I die, Marcus dies,¡± Louis suggested.

    Jessy and four other soldiers jumped up, taking their guns and jackets off. If they had to. It would be five to one¡­ Louis did the same.

    The truck eventually stopped in the dark part of the town. There was just one solitary street out towards Juliet¡¯s old house. The cages were built into the mountain. Numerous watchers monitoring.

    ¡°We need lights.¡± Louis directed. ¡°Come, Jessy! You guys are failing. Get on top of this.¡± Jessy jumped down and signaled into the air. Two of his men disappeared.

    A few minutes later, more trucks. We heard the crunching and breaking of bones. ¡°What are they eating.¡±

    ¡°We let some beasts loose. So that we could keep them busy.¡±

    Jessy and the other soldiers set up the strobe lights. It lit up the dark backyard of one of the houses. We were trying to corner them. Surround them in a way and make an arena.

    ¡°How would this help whoever figure out who the son is?¡± I asked.

    Louis shrugged. Yawning. ¡°Are you bored already?¡± He sighed heavily¡­ Peering down at his prey. Louis manifested¡­ dove right off the roof onto Francesco¡¯s back. Everyone protested. Jessy and the four men manifested. They followed him to the edge, waiting for orders.

    Louis was like a machine. He had been training. Marcus trained him in France, and he had been perfecting the art. He moved around Francesco with ease.

    We only knew who was who because Mateo was twice the size. I groaned¡­ thinking about the night I had planned with Charlene. We would¡¯ve had our first evening together as a couple. Vs. Fighting some... boy.

    Mateo was getting to the end of his meal, standing back on his feet, towering at the same height as the roof. He caught sight of us, snarling and growling at the lights and the chaos. Long teeth protruding. I dived straight at him. I was a lot of things, but not a coward.

    ***

    Louis got Francesco out so quickly. From the corner of my eye, I had watched him. It was like the challenge was tedious. The watchers dragged Francesco out, going to put him back in his cage. Louis jumped up to the roof. He took a moment, but he was controlling himself. Testing himself¡­

    ¡°You could come and help me, you know.¡±

    ¡°What did David say? Where would the fun be in that? We haven¡¯t seen a good fight in ages.¡±

    It took me a while. Eventually, Mateo staggered and shook his head. He was coming out. I don¡¯t know if it was the lights, darkness, or the air, but when Mateo changed, he had a bright green tattoo on his back. A massive circle glowing and sparkling. It had to be the moon¡­ They had covered him in an instant, trying to keep the secret. We heard David swear. Everybody saw it¡­ Something had gone wrong. If there was a leak, it would be the watchers¡­ There were so many¡­ Marcus¡¯s men would never talk. With my hands on my hips, I saw Carl next to Louis, watching the whole show. I was almost out. I had nearly lost the fight. I had not been training. I was out of shape, and it was a problem. As soon as I caught my breath, I dropped to the ground.

    ***

    Carl

    Louis and I jumped down to go get the vamp off the ground. Jessy and another guy helped us carry him out by the limbs. We put him in the back of the truck.

    At home, we carried him to his room. Louis went to tell Juliet it was safe. Everyone was in the yard but her. Their room door was closed, and he went in.

    Charlene had followed Jessy into Kubra¡¯s room. He had a few cuts and bruises. She was going to take care of him. She glanced over her shoulder at me. Nudged with her head, asking me to come and help. I jumped at the opportunity, not really knowing how I fit into the future of the family.

    ***

    Two hours later, Jessy opened my door and woke me up. I had just fallen asleep. Louis was waiting at the red gates with a cigarette in his mouth.

    I was dressed but half asleep. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°We have to go to Washington¡­ I need you.¡± Louis said.

    ***

    ¡°Show me the footage of last night,¡± Louis said to the first watcher we could get a hold of. It didn¡¯t take long. David had already been in Washington. He had already dumped all his files.

    ¡°Go to the end.¡± The guy forwards to where Kubra gets Mateo to change. The green hue tattoo that covered his whole back was evident in the video.

    ¡°Why would David have left that on.¡± Louis drew in a deep breath.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I need to see the logs at the admin office.¡±

    We made our way up two floors. The teleporter customs station. We were quickly helped. Louis scanned the Screen in front of the documentation officer. He tapped on the monitor. ¡°It¡¯s not a delivery weekend. How many times has this person come and gone from Palmyra?¡±

    The clerk typed on a few keys. ¡°Every month and then twice a month for the last few months.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s her reason for coming the other times. Who gave authorization to her extra entries?¡±

    Another few strokes on the keys.

    ¡°It says ¡®extra quality control.¡¯ Authorization¡­¡± He scrolled on the mouse button to the bottom of the screen. ¡°There is nothing.¡±

    ¡°How did she get through?¡±

    ¡°Is there not supposed to be a watcher with her and her cousins?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no one assigned. She lives on the compound, and it¡¯s not needed. If we know where she is and when she will be back. The flag only alerts if she¡¯s not out by a Sunday night.¡±

    ¡°I need to speak to your father.¡± Louis clapped my shoulder.

    ***

    My father lived at the office those days for international calls and time exchanges. We made our way to the living quarters, knocking on his door. He opened busy on a call. Louis and I went in and sat down in the little lounge area. I walked to the mini-fridge and threw Louis a little bottle. He took it and thanked me. I was going to make coffee. I was hardly awake.

    ¡°We need to talk about Sita¡­ Bertram.¡±

    ¡°What about her?¡±

    ¡°She has been coming in twice as much as necessary. How did she get the clearance? There is no authorization signature. That means it can only be you.¡± Louis had to ask to get someone to start rambling and scrambling in their mind.

    ¡°You know Louis. The deals we have with Palmyra do not include you. Yes, I gave her clearance. She is on a special mission.¡±

    ¡°Does it have to do with the queen''s son taking a break on Earth?¡± Louis got up. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. She is actually setting her sights on another man.¡±

    ¡°What does it matter. If she gets into the palace. So much the better for us.¡±

    Louis got up and wanted to leave. ¡°There is something else, Louis. Qadir wants to talk to Juliet.¡± Louis¡¯s hand gripped the handle firmly.

    ¡°Before you say no. Let¡¯s hear him out, huh. Rather know what he is thinking than not knowing what he is planning.¡±

    Louis and I left again. He had an office there. We both fell down on the couches and took a nap.

 Juliet and Qadir

    100. Juliet And Qadir

    Juliet: Eight Months Pregnant

    Louis

    Carl, Kubra, and I were traveling from Washington back to the compound. The meeting with Qadir was set up. It had been a month of planning, and I had not told Juliet yet, pushing to stall as long as I could.

    Juliet was waiting for me to come home after a few days. They were on the patio area. Music on. Charlene was having a drink. Liam and Cindy were putting up fairy lights all along the corridor, surrounding the lawn area. The four of them were talking. Juliet and Charlene were giving timely input from the side. Charlene was rather tipsy, and Juliet actually had a beer in hand. It had been boring for her. I wasn¡¯t going to make an issue. Juliet was in limbo, but together they were always like that anyway. Charlene indulged Juliet most of the time. It was a Friday night¡­ I was planning on staying that weekend. I had really tried to spend as much time with her as possible, but the last month had kept me out of the house. The many prisoners that flooded the compound were challenging to manage, all women who, for various reasons, had failed their conditioning camps. With the choice of execution or jail¡­ most chose the latter. They had all forsaken their veils instantly and could not slot into the ordinary compound women¡¯s role or live alone.

    It had been challenging to coordinate with Marcus what the rules were going to be for us¡­ Vs. what the rules were on En-gannim.

    The two hundred thousand men wanted the option of taking a wife. They wanted time off. Not just one day a week for the rest of their lives. Forced into service year in and year out. I could understand that. But would Ahasuerus allow it? The auctions had stopped. How would they marry if not given a wife? Who would they marry? None of them wanted to return to En-gannim if Marcus wasn¡¯t in control.

    ***

    ¡°Hey, baby.¡± I sat next to her and took her hand.

    Carl took a beer out of the cooler and, for a second¡­ We were back in France. It had been Juliet and me for months. And even if it was tough, I still enjoyed having her all to myself.

    ¡°Hi.¡± She never kissed me when I came home. So I didn¡¯t push.

    ¡°I need to talk to you. Well, all of you¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t listening to me. Her eyes were fixed on the pair behind me.

    When we entered the gates, Charlene happily jumped up and ran to Kubra. He indulged her by grabbing her in his arms, holding her in front of his chest¡­ He was whispering into her ear and slowly making his way to her room¡­ The scene got Juliet all hot and fantasizing. I felt kinda bad that I would have to bring her¡­ bad news. Boring news. At that stage, our relationship wasn¡¯t very fun¡­ We were all thrown into the deep end, and we either sank or swam. ¡°Baby! Qadir wants to talk.¡±

    The smile on her face fell. Her eyes slowly met mine. ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°He says he knows what Ahasuerus is planning, and he wants out of the cage. Bertram is rather inclined to agree if it means that Marcus is moving in the right direction to be king on En-gannim.¡±

    ¡°How does he know it will be, though¡­ Will you be there?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    She looked to Liam¡­ who was thoughtful and contemplating the news. ¡°You want me to go with Julie?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Can I talk to him behind glass? I don¡¯t want him to hurt the baby? Maybe we should wait. I don¡¯t trust him. If he thinks it¡¯s Marcus¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know.¡± I cut her off.

    ¡°Are you a hundred percent sure. Have you figured out who still wants Qadir to come back and who played both sides back then? Still playing both sides¡­ Mateo and Michael?¡±

    ¡°There hasn¡¯t been anyone with him for months.¡± I didn¡¯t want to tell her about Sita. Have her worry.

    ¡°There has to be someone close to him. A guard. A watcher. Someone that comes and goes. You can¡¯t cover every angle, Louis.¡±

    She stood up and walked back to our room. ¡°And even if he doesn¡¯t know, he will know when he sees me.¡± Katty ran after her, following and going into the room with us. The cat ran to the small waterfall that flowed into the koi pond, licking and washing her face. I saw a stack of books on the bed.

    ¡°Where did these come from?¡±

    ¡°Charlene.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Juliet, what¡¯s wrong. Nothing is going on in your mind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tired, Louis. I want to stop worrying about Michael¡­ I want Marcus. I want Chris and Caleb back. I know I¡¯m supposed to fight with my mind¡­ But I¡¯m finding it really hard¡­ You guys put way too much confidence in me. So, you know what! If I clear my mind for an evening¡­ You can¡¯t blame me that I¡¯m not unloading so you can feel better.¡±

    I could have reminded her that she once said that if I wanted¡­ It could be¡­ just her and me. Could she not just be content with me? But she had been through so much. I just wanted to be selfish and push her down¡­ ¡°S-!¡±

    I turned to the door and yelled out. ¡°Carl!¡± Liam and Cindy jumped up. They had never heard me scream before, not like that. I stepped out quickly, taking the key and locking the door from the outside. Not that it would help, but it would take her a while before she got to Marcus¡¯s door. I felt myself go down that path... Not in control of myself. Juliet banging on the door behind me.

    ¡°Louis!¡± I heard her say. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±

    Cindy ran to Charlene¡¯s room with Min¨¦ in her arms. Liam and Carl stood across from me. My body didn¡¯t like the threat from all angles. It was the first time I was going to change. Kubra came out staring at the scene across the yard. He wasn¡¯t afraid. My body knew who the real challenger was. He took off his coat. Before I was there, he was only in pants.

    ***

    Since the other night with Francesco¡­ I was a little scared of my power. I handled him so quickly. I knew what was going on, but my body had control.

    Kubra was as adapted to fighting as Marcus, if not more. He was bigger and stronger and gave me a good run for my money. I did give him a liver shot that made him double over. Carl used this opportunity to jump on my back and smothered me into submission with a plate that covered my mouth. It felt horrible. I hated it and fought it, trying to get it off. If that was what Juliet felt like, I wanted her out of it. We needed to go through the treatment once she wasn¡¯t pregnant anymore.

    ¡°Louis, stop it,¡± Carl yelled. My body obeyed, and I submitted, shutting down and staring into the abyss. ¡°Come back to yourself, man!¡± My eyes were the first things to return to normal. He quickly got the thing off my face. It was a mistake¡­ I was still too angry. My fist shot out, and I hit Carl in the nose. The blood ran down his face. I didn¡¯t care¡­ Kubra jumped me and held my arms behind my back. ¡°Are you good? Louis?¡± Liam yelled at me, standing in front of me.

    ¡°Arghh!¡± I screamed¡­ I was so frustrated¡­ Having no control. I knew what Juliet went through all those months of pregnancy¡­ Going crazy, and how angry she was after coming back. I ripped out of his arms and wanted to make my way to her.

    ¡°Hell no!!¡± Three guys yelled and jumped at me¡­ Drove me right into the ground. Kubra reached for his pocket and stuck me with the little black tube for the first time. Carl smothered me again, just for good measure.

    ***

    Juliet

    I had a whole entourage teleporting to Washington towards the devil. It was the first time I would see the Embassy. I had dressed for the occasion. Or rather Louis dressed me... Louis, Carl, Kubra, and my dad came with me. Before crossing the threshold, I ensured he was tied to the wall like a dog. That there really was nothing he could push into my stomach.

    I didn¡¯t believe Louis knew what was going on. That was how much confidence I had in him to keep the compound running the way it was. Just as much as I had in Marcus. That he would stand up for me. Marcus had to prove himself. Louis would have to do the same.

    Qadir saw us. He was on his knees, hands and legs tied behind his back. The chains in Rodrigo¡¯s secret interrogation room sprung to mind. Had Michael been tied up like that?

    When I rounded the corner, he took in my frame. The massive baby bump made me walk slower than I would have liked. That little one was taking out more of me than the last one. His face, though¡­ Louis was right. He had no idea. The thought of Marcus being the father made Qadir¡¯s very blue-grey eyes go black, betraying his emotions back to cold and cruel. He had a difficult time controlling himself.

    ¡°It¡¯s not Marcus¡¯s¡­ If you can believe me¡­ It¡¯s actually another Riphath. But I¡¯ll send you a picture in two weeks so you can sleep easier.¡±

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    His top lip curled up to his nose in disgust. ¡°If there is one thing about you, Juliet¡­ It¡¯s that you can¡¯t be trusted¡­ so please indulge me.¡±

    I nodded and sat down in the chair they put by the door. Louis was seated across from me in the corner closest to Qadir. My dad sat in between my enemy and me.

    Technically¡­ If Louis read his opponents, shouldn¡¯t he have an unfair advantage? ¡°It has nothing to do with muscle memory,¡± he whispered.

    Qadir jumped right to the point. ¡°Michael¡­ Juliet!¡± My heart sunk. ¡°He was on the compound for some time. Then Ahasuerus took him¡­ The plan that they have for you is to play Martyr. If you kill yourself, the branding process can be broken between you and Marcus.¡±

    He paused to take a few breaths, realizing Damian was sent to slowly break me and how close it had been.

    ¡°The one thing my father wants¡­ Is Marcus free of any bondage? If you do it. Marcus and Louis would have no bond¡­ He would be out of the picture¡­ Or at least controllable¡­. Getting to know you and your weaknesses¡­ I¡¯m almost sure that you would do it. But¡­ I need Ahasuerus dead. I need Marcus to fight him. I have never been a good fighter¡­

    I need Marcus on earth. I will go back to En-gannim. We will keep the benefits between the planets¡­ You guys can live your lives out here. Just the way you want to run the compound. I wanted Earth because it was the only way to get Marcus back home to his grandfather¡¯s side. I will even tell you that I am using you¡­ using Michael. That my father has no idea of my plans¡­ Of what I¡¯m about to say to you.¡±

    I had such a pregnancy brain that I couldn¡¯t put two thoughts together. One of the reasons I was leaving Louis to do everything. I didn¡¯t trust myself to make any decisions. What Qadir said seemed plausible. That meant that Michael was on En-gannim. Our dinner appointment was only in two and a half months. I found it hard to breathe¡­ I had to step out. Step out of the room. It was almost impossible to juggle everyone¡¯s fate in my hands. My chest was burning¡­ Having to get to Chris and not knowing how I would do it¡­ Having to save Michael or let him suffer for the sake of the baby. Louis turned into a monster last night¡­ We were not in a good place. Was Qadir even telling me the truth? Will Marcus come home if Ahasuerus is dead? He was a teleporter away and hadn¡¯t come home once. If we stayed on Earth, I would never get to Caleb.

    ¡°Juliet!¡± Qadir¡¯s voice was somewhat calming.

    That leisurely droll of my name off his tongue was always disconcerting. ¡°You can challenge Ahasuerus to the throne because of the two brandings. All three of you may fight and kill him.¡±

    We were all staring at him. It made sense why the men made the brandings disappear¡­ If they needed a woman to take control¡­ All my problems dissolved in one sentence. Qadir knew precisely what I needed¡­ Wanted¡­ I frowned. Even if he was gambling. He was going all in.

    ¡°I need to be out of here to do what I want.¡± Qadir¡¯s voice was low.

    He even knew what I was thinking. My gaze traveled to Louis, who hadn¡¯t moved from the corner. His eyes closed slowly to show me that he thought Qadir wasn¡¯t full of BS.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t start the treatment because you¡¯re pregnant again. If you want to stay alive to fight with Marcus and Louis, you¡¯ll have to do this slowly. You can¡¯t let saving Michael be your sole goal here¡­.¡±

    He was talking me into being just like him, calculating human suffering above my own goals¡­ Above another life¡­ Michael had been gone for so long! Every day he was¡­ It would be more difficult to bring him back¡­ To save his mind. If I could bring him back¡­ at all. Life was drifting me out to sea. The dark water was consuming me. Fear gripping me. I doubled over. Louis jumped up, supported my upper arm, and pushed me down the hall.

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it, Louis¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your prize, baby? Are we going to take over three planets?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I didn¡¯t have one in the ring that morning¡­ And I have less of one now. I said that because¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the only way?¡± I nodded¡­ ¡°We have to get Caleb back, baby?¡± My jaw quivered, and my eyes burned, tearing up immediately. ¡°What about being happy?¡± I nodded. ¡°Killing that man in there.¡± A tear escaped down my cheek. I nodded again. I pushed myself into his arms. He never denied me.

    ¡°You keep on thinking that I can¡¯t do this, babe¡­ And you know what¡­ I can¡¯t. I¡¯m not even going to try. Proving myself to you.¡± Louis shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re love might be conditional to me not cheating on you. But I know there is really nothing else that can take me from your side¡­ And you know what, I can¡¯t do this alone¡­. I¡­. really don¡¯t want to. If we don¡¯t do this together and you give your input by my side¡­ working. I don¡¯t want it¡­ Because up until now¡­ all you do is sit around¡­ Not once have you tried coming out with me¡­ Going to meetings with me or standing next to me when I need to kill someone¡­ I want to give you a gap because you¡¯re pregnant. In the beginning, the pressure and the power got to me¡­ We got through that. It¡¯s your last month. But I really hope after that I won¡¯t be so alone anymore. You are not the only one that¡¯s¡­ scared. Everything you want, I want.¡±

    ¡°You know what, Louis¡­ I can¡¯t read your freaking mind¡­.¡±

    He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m thrilled you can¡¯t.¡± A smirk played at the corner of his mouth.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because the girls on the compound¡­ the prisoners coming from En-gannim. And all that they want to do¡­ You know¡­ Are really pretty.¡±

    I let out a chortle. ¡°You should introduce me.¡±

    ¡°I will¡­ Come on¡­ let¡¯s go hear what the Devil has to say¡­ Michael will be okay. And if he is gone, we will bring him back together, okay¡­ I won¡¯t leave you to do that all alone. Or take any of this on your little shoulders¡­ Marcus handled whatever they were doing to Michael for two hundred years¡­ Michael knew the risks and did it anyway¡­. Everything for you. So let him love you, okay.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I would do without you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see that day¡­ ever!¡± I nodded, and we went back inside to make a deal with the Devil.

    ***

    Sita

    Every time I came to Earth, I made a point of visiting my grandfather, making sure I spent time with Mateo after figuring out who he was. Frustrated at myself that I had come full circle. I had to throw myself out there to get Chris¡¯s attention. I had to do it again for Mateo. Unfortunately, I had given them a taste of what I was like.

    ¡°Did everyone hear Juliet is about to give birth? Just a few more weeks.¡± Benjamin said as we sat around a fire outside. It was a bit of a shock. I didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Chris is the father.¡± My heart stopped beating for a second. My anger flaring¡­ I observed Mateo. He didn¡¯t seem shocked. Neither did my grandfather. Both of them were close to the brat¡­ I wasn¡¯t there enough to make my plan pan out. It was going to take forever.

    ¡°Qadir was let go,¡± Francesco added.

    ¡°Will he be coming back?¡± Francis asked nervously.

    ¡°He is not allowed. To be shot on site¡­ or something.¡± Francesco said. ¡°Or that¡¯s what Julie said the last time we spoke.¡±

    Julie¡­ nicknames. I sighed. They were on better terms with her than I thought. I was the odd one out. I was dancing around the idea of just drugging Mateo and sleeping with him. Or just laying down my cards. Either one, I was going to hope for the best.

    Watchers were giving the werewolf men birth control under Qadir¡¯s directions. That little secret came out months ago. The werewolves were livid, and Qadir showing up would mean a fight. There was no way he would be able to take over again.

    A lot more werewolf women were getting pregnant. Mateo¡¯s phone buzzed, and he went inside, opening the sliding door and closing it again. After a moment, I followed him. There wasn¡¯t going to be another chance. I was going to have to be direct or leave it.

    He was in the kitchen alone, sitting on a stool at the breakfast nook.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    He looked up from the screen and greeted me. He pressed the button on the side to make the screen go dark, putting his phone face down on the counter. A little overkill, but okay. Mateo had that no BS. Face. His eyes could see right through you. I felt like he knew why I was there so much. He was dark and Spanish. Thick hair and handsome. Average height. And he dressed well.

    I stood with my back against the kitchen counter. I had done many things to sell my soul over the last few years, so making him an offer would probably not be my lowest point.

    ¡°So now that you know who I am¡­ what will you say to me?¡±

    ¡®He speaks¡¯¡­ Always quiet¡­ You never knew what he was thinking. Or even what he liked.

    ¡°It had to be you¡­ And Nick¡­ He is the only one that would know¡­ how to get the Royal emblem to shine in the light of earth¡¯s Full moon.¡±

    Yeah I was right¡­ straightforward would be my best play. ¡°The question isn¡¯t really what I want, Mateo, but what you want?¡±

    He lowered his head and eyes to the counter, rubbing his hand through the back of his hair. It was long and hung around his face.

    ¡°Why would I tell you? You are a nobody. You can¡¯t even help herself.¡±

    I never pegged him for a mean guy. ¡°It¡¯s not only hard for the men on Palmyra Mateo. It doesn¡¯t really look like you are suffering¡­ Or ever have¡­ I have been here my whole life. What you have been here for four years.¡±

    That seemed to get his attention. Was there some reason he would want to go home?

    ¡°How long is your sentence from mommy dearest. Will you live here in this prison until then? Even if you are free on Earth, what will you do here that will mean anything when you have to go back.¡±

    He picked up his glass and made the ice in his drink clink on the sides of the glass, staring at the brown liquid.

    ¡°It has to be better for the queen¡¯s son to be on Palmyra than this hell hole? And¡­ how old is the cutoff¡­ Before she forces you into service?¡±

    Angry eyes glared at me¡­ He took a big gulp of alcohol, drowning the last of the liquid, slamming the glass down. He pushed the chair out behind him. His eyes didn¡¯t meet mine while he walked around the counter. He came to stand in front of me. His hands grabbed my ass and hoisted me up. I was roughly dropped on the cold surface. He spread my legs, pushing himself in between my knees. I never pegged him for a Dom, either. The short dress I had on left me exposed. His hands started at my knees and moved up towards my thighs. Slowly, he rubbed the flesh of my leg and down my thigh until his thumbs stroked my underwear. His hand slid around my waist, pulling me closer to the edge.

    ¡°Touch me.¡± His voice was menacing and low.

    I reached out my palm to cup his crotch¡­ to feel him. There was nothing¡­ He wasn¡¯t getting hard¡­ Small frown lines crossed my brow. His eyes stayed on my face, but he didn¡¯t look at me. He grinded against me, cupping my breast and feeling me. His face was in my neck, and his lips grazed my skin. It went on for about a minute¡­

    ¡°Touch me again.¡± I press myself against him. There was still nothing.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m your man Sita¡­ You just don¡¯t do it for me¡­ Beautiful as you are. I¡¯m one of those guys that have to feel something mutual¡­ Like attraction.¡± He pushed away from the counter. ¡°Deals and underlying agendas isn¡¯t really what get¡¯s me off. Why do you think I¡¯m here? Why do you think my mother is¡­ so disappointed in me.¡±

    He scoffed.

    ¡°Like you are the first woman to offer me her body for entrance to the palace¡­. What a fine Luna you make.¡± He turned away from me and made his way outside. But not before he picked up his phone, pushing it into his pocket. Way too cautious about his phone. I would actually have to speak to the devil again. My plans were not panning out.

 Giving Birth Again

    101. Giving Birth Again

    Marcus

    Funny enough, Ahasuerus spent a lot of time with me. Even if he had a short fuse with everyone else. It seemed that he had patience with me. And did other things Qadir never even thought of. I could even address Ahasuerus informally when we were alone. It took too much time for all the formalities every day and every time we saw each other.

    I studied everything. I met with every scholar. Oldest generational vampires all over En-gannim. I wasn¡¯t stopped once or sensed that no one wanted to share with me. The technical side was the most interesting. To see how everything developed over the planet¡¯s history was impressive.

    I had my test from James that I still needed to figure out. For that, I had to get a hang of the teleporting tech. Any time I had left besides my daily duties. I put into that¡­ I had to go to Zoreah myself¡­ I was busy the whole time.

    I desperately wanted to go to war with the Riphaths. The campaign was an enormous undertaking. It would have given me insight into Zoreah and other worlds. What Palmyra was fighting for. But I decided not to go. I couldn¡¯t be gone for months. My grandfather and I got along¡­ but I didn¡¯t trust him. And I was trying to find Michael.

    My primary goal, though¡­ was to figure out what the freaking brandings were about. If they were banished and only a hand full of people knew¡­ what was the catch? No one was branded on En-gannim. Mostly everyone didn¡¯t even know what I was talking about. There was a great purge thousands of years ago. Recorded as a great tragedy of illness. They only found the cure long after. That to me, was the great purge of the brandings. The treatment¡­ killing everyone. All the generations after that didn¡¯t know about it. Except for all the oldest vampires on Earth¡­ If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, they all bowed when Louis branded Juliet. My father even let me go. If I challenge Ahasuerus concerning Juliet or even Ella¡­ He budged. Maybe¡­ I had more control than I thought.

    It meant that the day I did it¡­ Qadir and the handful of elders that officiated it knew. They recognized what had happened. They understood the fact that the king¡¯s grandson was tied to someone else¡­ For life. That woman needed to stay alive at all costs. Liam told me. Samuel told him, and Ahasuerus had to have told someone?

    And even if no one could kill Juliet because of me¡­ They could hurt her¡­ Or I just let them¡­ And the test that was coming had something to do with it. The branding gave me total control over her¡­ Qadir had to defer to me¡­ Get permission regarding what happened to her. Above all of it¡­ I had seen that our minds and bodies were linked. I didn¡¯t even have to speak to her the last time I willed her to my side. It was a relationship totally dependent on each other. Did the hold go both ways? What was her perk?

    I thought about that night in the club with Chris¡­ I would have made her¡­ Come into my arms. If only I had known¡­ When Chris pulled her in behind him, I almost lost it. I needed to speak with Samuel... and he was still missing.

    ***

    The sending of an invitation was an easy process. We had a central office that issued it for whoever asked. To whatever planet they needed it to go.

    To figure out how it worked¡­ I sent an invitation to Liv. It was time that I started to learn all there was to know about Palmyra. The only issue was how did I get to all their books? On En-gannim, everything was electronic. Palmyra had trees, seas, water, and land. Beasts ranged from exotic to domestic. Of all the planets, theirs were the closest to earth. I sent one to Chris. Made sure both were delivered.

    ¡°Your Highness.¡± The clerk said before I wanted to leave.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°The invitation that you sent will be delivered today. But they will only receive it¡­¡± He looked up the roof, trying to calculate something¡­ ¡°Five months from now. More or less¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Zoreah has only one teleporter station, and for five years, they will not be in the city of Shumaan.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense, man.¡±

    He seemed nervous. Coming closer to me, he whispered. ¡°Five years there is one year here¡­ Exactly.¡±

    My thoughts started jumping. Stopping and jumping again. I paused, staring at him. The implications were too many.

    He continued whispering¡­ ¡°Just I know¡­ no one else. They have a rough winter and need to travel away from the city of Shumaan north to Yaroun. It takes them three months to travel¡­ They would be there for five years¡­ then travel back south for five years of summer. That¡¯s the cycle¡­¡±

    ¡°So their cycle starts in April¡­ They travel north for about three months.¡± That¡¯s why Qadir didn¡¯t want to stop there. There would have been no point. They were not in the summer city, at the communications station, or the only teleporter. That¡¯s why Chris had not come back¡­ He couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Just one¡­?¡± The clerk nodded.

    ¡°What about the one we used to bring their army through.¡±

    He lifted a hand in the air and waved it nervously back and forth. ¡°No! That one has a special location and falls under the treaty. Only the two kings and one queen can make that one work.¡±

    Caleb was three years old. My eyes cast down to the floor. When I would be able to go, he would be five¡­ In a daze, I walked out. He wouldn¡¯t know we sent an invitation for two more years¡­. That¡¯s why they drugged him¡­. How could it be? Why did no one know? Was that what the wars were about. The vampires wanted long life, and the mixing of species didn¡¯t work out. How would I tell Juliet¡­ When would any of us see them again?

    ***

    Juliet: Nine Months Pregnant

    Louis

    Juliet had birth pains the whole night. She would not say one word. It bothered me that she held out like that. Always wanting to seem strong¡­ I took her hand in mine, waiting for every contraction to be over.

    She wanted Michael. That meant she was close¡­ I picked her up when I couldn¡¯t anymore and put her in the car. We drove straight to Rodrigo. I had made sure that one of the cubicles was made into a hospital room. Where she would have everything she needed.

    Rodrigo was surprised for a moment but stood up and came over.

    ¡°How long?¡±

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    ¡°The whole night¡­ twelve hours¡­ The last one was about three minutes ago.¡± Juliet started groaning. She gripped my shirt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby. It¡¯s almost over¡­.¡±

    When she relaxed against my chest, he nodded, stretching out a hand for me to put her down on the table... ¡°Good. Let¡¯s get started.¡± He walked out, giving me two gowns. I had to put one on and get her into the other.

    He handed me the belt I had to get around her stomach. I did what I was told and monitored the baby¡¯s heartbeat. Rodrigo did a fast sonar and checked the baby¡¯s position.

    All looked good. We just had to wait.

    ¡°About another half hour or so,¡± Juliet reassured me.

    She could see I was nervous. We heard the commotion before a lot of people barged into the room. Everyone was there. Reading Juliet, she couldn¡¯t care less and braced for the next contraction. Cindy went to stand by the side of the bed. Liam, on the other. Carl was hiding so he didn¡¯t have to see. Charlene only yawned; she had no courage, but when it came to blood, it didn¡¯t seem to faze her at all. She was going to make a good doctor.

    ¡°Baby, Charlene is bored. Can you move this along?¡±

    ¡°Carl, come and sit behind me so I have someone to keep me up. Charlene can play nurse and clean up as Rodrigo demands. Go get dressed, Charlene.¡± Juliet¡¯s gaze drifted to her dad¡¯s. ¡°You have to move over. That¡¯s Louis¡¯s spot.¡±

    For a moment, we all just stood there. After my speech¡­ outside Qadir¡¯s cell, Juliet had been different. It was as if she decided when she wanted to take the next step in her growth. Her coming of age¡­ being more mature and in control of herself and her surroundings.

    That day was one of them. I wanted her to stay my Juliet. Scared that growing up was going to change who she was, How she felt about me¡­

    I moved to her side, pulling up a chair as Liam moved in next to Cindy. Both sat down.

    The three of us knew that was why we didn¡¯t want to tell her anything when she was only seventeen. Kept her in the dark. Our eyes met in mutual understanding. That we didn¡¯t do a very good job¡­ She had no time to enjoy her life. Just the three years before Chris and she met¡­ And before me.

    ***

    A half-hour later, we had a strapping¡­ but beautiful young baby Riphath girl, screaming her lungs out. We all had to close our ears to adjust to the high pitch of her cries.

    Carl held onto Juliet¡¯s shoulders as instructed as her head fell back onto his chest. Charlene was so busy and happy that she got a taste of how a hospital would be. Rodrigo had put her through the wringer. He even let her catch little Sammy.

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t she changing back,¡± I asked when I took her from the plastic bassinet.

    Rodrigo shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Want me to run tests?¡±

    Both Juliet and I laughed.

    ¡°Frak, I could do with a drink and a cigarette.¡±

    Everyone burst out laughing. Breathing easier that Juliet was still in there somewhere.

    ***

    Juliet was sleeping next to me in our bed... Sammy was in her cot. I got up and opened the headboard. Checking for journals. I kept up to date with whatever she was writing. Most of it was therapy strategies to help cope. Mind mapping goals and mantras and good thoughts she needed to focus on.

    There were small notes to all the men in her life. I didn¡¯t really mind because I was always included. I read about her and Soren and what happened that day. How she hated Marcus disappointing her and couldn¡¯t be angry at him.

    Juliet had become very able to watch what she thought about when I was around. She wasn¡¯t a child anymore. Almost twenty in two months. It felt almost unreal that it had only been two years¡­

    She had a whole exercise regime worked out for when Sammy was born. Organized and planned to the T. Juliet had a few bullet points that she felt she needed to focus on. Carl needed to train with her¡­ with the masks¡­

    That made me shiver. I was probably included. She wanted to start going out every day to the meetings with me... I paged to the back. The front was where she planned and kept sane. The last pages of the book were where Julie¡¯s dark side came out. How she planned to kill Qadir¡­ Just because he took Michael¡­ How desperate she was to sleep with Marcus.

    Dark pictures of her mind. Ones she needed to write down to get out. A counter to each to keep her eye on the prize. She had never been scared of meeting her demons face-on. But she never let them live¡­

    The worst page was the one with the thought written down¡­ when I wasn¡¯t myself, and she was scared of losing me. When she thought I would¡­ leave her¡­ My hand gripped the book tighter¡­

    She had no counter for that fear¡­ Me leaving.

    All the following pages¡­ Amid the darkness¡­ the black pictures, and the graphic language. There was a small open space. A little cloud circling my name in the middle of each page.

    My eyes darted to her face. She was so serene¡­ She was so young¡­ but she loved so wholeheartedly¡­ Trusted me¡­ I had to take a moment to keep it together.

    After everything and how much she hated me¡­ she loved me even more. She would not let the fear push me away¡­

    My legs fell off the bed, and I sat up. I put back the journal and picked up an empty notebook. Ripping out a paper¡­ Two papers. I grabbed a pen. I went to her closet and sat down at the table. First, I wrote a letter to Marcus and another to Soren.

    Louis [Kubra, can you come to see me please.]

    Five minutes later, he was standing outside the door. He didn¡¯t knock. He knew Juliet was sleeping. I walked out, and he followed me down to the parking area outside the gates. We were standing under trees.

    ¡°I need you to get these to En-gannim... Would you do that for me?¡±

    ¡°Louis, I¡¯ve been meaning to speak to you about Marcus¡­ He isn¡¯t at all who he was when you were in France¡­ Marcus¡­¡± I slapped him on the shoulder.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Kubra¡­ It¡¯s just a letter. When it¡¯s serious, we will talk again. It¡¯s still two months before she meets Ahasuerus. Let¡¯s do all we can do for them¡­.¡± He nodded and took the letters. He read the other name.

    His eyes widened, his eyebrows raised.

    ¡°If there is anything you can do to help Soren towards Marcus and Ahasuerus, I would highly appreciate it.¡±

    Kubra looked at me strangely. I wasn¡¯t reading him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Marcus has him already as a PA. He is in training, but he pulled him in as soon as they landed.¡±

    ¡°Five months¡­ that¡¯s good¡­ Okay¡­ give Soren the letter¡­ And let Marcus find out. He is smart enough to connect the dots. Let¡¯s push him now before she goes¡­.¡±

    ¡°Will do my Liege.¡±

    ¡°Is that really going to stick under all the men?

    ¡°Louis¡­ Juliet had me ask the women who want to train to fight in the army to give up their names. There were actually a lot of them¡­ She suggested the barracks?¡±

    ¡°The old one¡­¡± Juliet was really going to step up and rule next to me¡­

    Kubra nodded. ¡°That would solve a lot of housing problems. They would have freedom and feel like they are fighting for a cause. Most of the women that came opposed the social structures of En-gannim¡­ Juliet is really thinking big¡­.¡±

    I smiled¡­ ¡°I have an idea¡­ Let the men and women live there together. Let¡¯s see what happens. If there are any volunteers, of course.¡±

    ¡°Split the barracks?¡± Kubra suggested.

    I shook my head. ¡°No. Let¡¯s put some pressure on them. Everyone is following Marcus¡­ But does anyone really know what they want¡­ Or how do they see En-gannim being in the future? If they don¡¯t want a king to rule¡­ what do they want? Make everyone start studying the history of Earth.¡±

    Kubra nodded.

    ¡°I have to get back inside.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go deliver these quickly.¡±

    ¡°Thank You.¡±

 Time Is A Test

    102. Time Is A Test

    Chris

    I was glad that Ira didn¡¯t tell me who I could be friends with. Silvanus liked Jamal, so Ira kinda fell in line. When we went out drinking, we behaved ourselves; our one time in the barracks was enough to curb my drinking. Every time, Jamal wanted me to tell him stories about Earth, space travel, and the universe. Like I had all the answers¡­ He listened with interest, mainly fascinated by the difference in the worlds and how they worked¡­ Both of us were intrigued to see how the werewolf planet would be with all the women in charge. What it would look like. Jamal was desperate to get off Zoreah. Go somewhere else. I had told him to go with the Campaign years ago, but he declined when I stayed¡­

    I had fought with myself for days about whether I should go see Juliet¡­ even if it was only for a day. Tell her what¡¯s going on¡­ Or to leave Caleb for years. She would¡¯ve been angry¡­ So I decided to do nothing.

    Because of the limit in education¡­ It was hard for Jamal to understand the difference between the galaxies and the systems within them¡­ And I didn¡¯t even know how far the vamps had gone... The bird men had to have come from somewhere. How many worlds had the werewolves conquered?

    ¡°All I know is that,¡± I draw a picture in the sand. ¡°This is earth in one of these arms of our galaxy. We have a sun, and planets orbit it like the three in this part of the galaxy. There are thousands and thousands of planets. Some habitable and some not at all. The important thing is that there has to be a star wherever you go. A star like that one. I pointed to the very blue star Sirius in the sky¡­ ¡°Ours is just yellow.¡±

    Jamal stared at me. ¡°How do you know all this.¡± I sighed. The place was so primitive. I didn¡¯t even think he knew what a book was. There was probably a reason Earth was the only place in our solar system that had everyone together. Only one race. I wondered if Marcus and Juliet would explore and map other systems? How would they go about it¡­ I still felt stuck there. Killing monsters. Bored to death, most of the time.

    ¡°School.¡±

    ¡°What is school?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Jamal, we are stuck here. We best find ourselves something to do, or we will go nuts.¡±

    ¡°What are nuts?¡±

    I gave a burst of laughter¡­ ¡°Okay, seriously, you can¡¯t ask me everything. I¡¯m not going to explain all of history to you.¡±

    He punched my shoulder hard and made me fumble. ¡°What else are you going to do? You¡¯re not going to sleep with anybody¡­ That could brighten your day¡­.¡±

    I flinched at him. ¡°Kick your ass is a better option.¡±

    ¡°I would love to stay, but I have a date.¡±

    I pouted my lips in irritation at being left alone in the bar. ¡°You don¡¯t even know what the word means.¡±

    ¡°When last were you one date, Chris?¡± Dumbstruck, I couldn¡¯t answer him. I had never taken Juliet on a date¡­ I would have to start planning.

    He turned to leave when he saw I was thinking about Juliet again. Jamal was a good friend. I felt like I had someone normal in my corner. I just had to group¡­ all of the Jamal¡¯s together, and we could revolt. Start a revolution and leave that hell hole. Ira could have it. I would rather be on screwd up Earth than on Zoreah. Every day I had to remind myself that Juliet had to pay to carry Caleb. I will pay in that way and see her in a year...

    ***

    We lined up with the hundreds of other Ripthaths to go out and patrol the surrounding areas. Jamal and I had made it a quest to see if we could log all the species we learned about. Kill them and measure their worth for trading. When it came to information about anything¡­  We were limited to the elders. For the guards, there really was just Silvanus. General Sung rarely made an appearance. I didn¡¯t like her very much, so I steered clear.

    There were new recruits that day. Jamal and I never stood in the front or dressed differently than the lower ranks. I didn¡¯t care what Ira said. I wasn¡¯t going to have people bow the whole day long. A woman came to stand on my left and greeted everyone. If you could call her a woman. My gaze traveled up from her feet¡­ It took me a while to get to her hair. She was at least six feet something. A head taller than me¡­ She seemed strong. Pretty face like all the rest. Model on a runway in Paris¡­ Blond hair¡­ and¡­ small breasts¡­ When our eyes met, I saw a little bit of that attitude in her eyes that Juliet had. That resting bitch face. But on Zoreah, when you stared at someone, checked a girl out¡­ She didn¡¯t care. She was doing the same thing. The mating ritual that I had seen between men and women.

    Jamal did it so many times that it irked me¡­ He would drop me at a moment¡¯s notice. It was instead¡­ A meeting. A judging session¡­ Deciding if you thought you could sleep with them. Spend time together. Go to the market¡­ and forget about each other.

    She didn¡¯t smile at me. I didn¡¯t smile at her either. Glad we felt the same way. Jamal pushed past me and stretched out his hand. They greeted, grasping each other¡¯s elbows.

    ¡°I¡¯m Jamal.¡±

    ¡°Selena.¡±

    ¡°This is Chris. He doesn¡¯t like women¡­¡± I rolled my eyes.

    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± She held out her arm to me. I had to take it. Her eyes didn¡¯t linger... and mine were already watching the front for call-outs.

    I heard Jamal and Selena talking. They exchange a lot of details. She asked if she could join our group that day. Jamal always deferred to me. Selena didn¡¯t know I outranked her at that stage. I shrugged. What was the worst that could happen? We needed more people in our group, and we had yet to find someone with the same outlook on life.

    The three of us set out. We were on hunting duty that day. Silvanus eyed me as we walked past him. His eye drifted to Selena and back at me. I shrugged.

    Hunting entailed bringing back various creatures for their skin, meat, and blood. Or liquids¡­ All of it was sought after. Husks. Scales. Nails. Teeth. Some of them we even had to catch and domesticate. I didn¡¯t mind bringing anything to the table. Ira might treat me like a child, but I knew my knowledge put me above everyone around me.

    We manifested and walked as far as we could around the whole city, tracking and following any signs of life. Since finding out I could stretch my teleporting, I had been practicing. Jamal and I could move at great distances.

    Selena fell behind. Several times I needed to pick her up and push her with me. I didn¡¯t mind. I needed the luggage practice.

    ¡°Why are you guys so advanced? Why are you so big if you¡¯re younger than Jamal and me?¡± Selena asked when we sat down for lunch. We had chosen a small cave to get out of the sand. We had caught some small creatures and were sucking them dry.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later. If you want to stay in the group¡­ You will catch up quickly.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I want to. I¡¯m so bored with patrolling. No one wants to put in extra effort in their training than the bare minimum.¡±

    With those words, Jamal and I shared a glance. We might have found our third.

    ***

    ¡°There are some tracks here. Let¡¯s try and stay focused.¡±

    Selena was a little goofy. Liked making jokes. It was different and distracting. She wanted to train but lacked the focus. Marcus would have a field day with her¡­ Jamal had a very obstinate personality. But when we were outside the city, he treated me like his next in command. Selena noticed, and she followed Jamal¡¯s example.

    So when I spoke, she kinda quieted down. We stopped next to a vague imprint in the sand. The problem was with the wind¡­ you really couldn¡¯t follow anything if your luck didn¡¯t hold. Finding one partial print was easy. It was seeing the next one.

    For those first few moments¡­ it was crucial to teleport and search as quickly as possible. There was training for all of this, and Selena wasn¡¯t quite up to scratch. I felt like I was back in the classroom, having to show her what to do and where her parameters in the group were.

    ¡°Here!¡± Jamal said after a few minutes.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t so hard,¡± Selena said, teleporting to him.

    Jamal kept going¡­ teleported further on, and called out again.

    ¡°Are you going to contribute at all today?¡± She asked me when I came walking up to them. I wasn¡¯t myself. All I could muster was a stroll.

    ¡°Do you even know how footprints work?¡±

    She was mocking me¡­ Lifting her long legs into the air, stomping like a dinosaur around me.  Her flowing golden locks swayed out behind her in the wind. Her Grecian nose and cute mouth. Such a dramatic beauty. For the first time¡­ I was in trouble¡­ She was acting foolish, going on like a clown, making me laugh. My shoulders shook. My hands rested on my knees. It wasn¡¯t as if she was flirting either. She was being herself.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Jamal had noticed our interchange. ¡°That is the first time any girl had made you laugh.¡±

    ¡°You can hardly call her a girl¡­.¡± I challenged. They were staring at me, waiting to say something else. The sand around us was thick. There was movement behind the two of them. The earth softly shook¡­ A beast was coming out from under the top layer¡­ Shaking its skin, getting rid of any residual dust. It was being so quiet¡­

    But the more it came out of the sand, the bigger it became¡­

    I thought about Selena getting rammed. I wanted to leave the beast. Let her learn her lesson. Mocking me. In her Riphath form, she was pretty impressive. There would be minimal damage. Before I knew it, I had teleported to behind her. Jumped up somersaulted in the air landing around its neck. It all happened so fast.

    Jamal got Selena out of the way. I was riding the creature past them. I plunged my weapon into its head. My legs wrapped around it, and we plummeted to the ground. I snapped its neck¡­ not taking any chances.

    It wasn¡¯t the only thing there, though. It was after whatever we were tracking, moving under the sand. We heard the noises. My dead beast¡¯s smell had attracted attention.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve done enough for today. You two can kill that thing.¡± I said while the two blonds ran for the thing stampeding at us.

    I started tying feet together... I would have to haul my bounty I had just killed¡­ All the way to the city. Not even I would be able to pick it up and teleport with it. A truck would have come in handy.

    ***

    Marcus

    Kubra came into my study. It was somewhere in the middle of December¡­ I didn¡¯t lift my head, but I could see him holding something. It was an envelope. He pushed another one into his jacket pocket.

    Kubra¡¯s words echoed in my mind. That he had hoped to never see me like ¡°this¡± again. I didn¡¯t fully understand it. I had changed so much already. Went against my father and took over the compound. The thing about my obsession with Juliet was that I could obsess about her where ever I was. I didn¡¯t need to see her or be with her. If I knew she was safe. At that point, it was more important than¡­ playing house. I took the letter from him and opened it. Kubra sat down on the couch.

    Marcus

    Samantha Agatha Furrow

    Born Today, 10 Dec 2023, 8:00 am.

    Sammy is still in her Riphath form. She hasn¡¯t changed back once. When she cries, everyone knows. It¡¯s rather funny. A little bundle of nervous energy like her mom.

    Juliet is still breastfeeding, but I don¡¯t think it will last long with all those teeth. She will go over to solids soon. Hope she can stomach what you guys send us. We all like the same foods, don¡¯t we?

    Anyway, I wanted to say that you have two months to pull yourself together.

    Juliet is coming, and if I hear you treated her like crap¡­

    Yeah, don¡¯t test me.

    Louis

    ***

    It had caught me off guard. I was almost sure it would be Louis¡¯s baby. That day I had phoned. She had run away from Damian. Gone to her old house and was there with them watching me on TV. Sometimes I didn¡¯t understand how Louis was so okay with everything.

    ¡°You and Louis need to meet soon about what En-gannim expects of the compound.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s wait till after Juliet comes and meets my grandfather.¡±

    Kubra nodded and left.

    ***

    That day became even worse for me. I went over to the teleporter and checked the logs. I knew he had another letter to deliver. Kubra had traveled to my study. There was only one person there. I followed when I saw Kubra going back to the lobby. Soren was sitting on a couch, reading his own sheet of paper. A massive smile on his face. He stood up and apologized for having to go see his father. That he would be right back.

    I was so angry that I would¡¯ve done something had he stayed. After our two kisses, I had thought that I would be next¡­ It seemed that Juliet didn¡¯t feel the same way. They had slept together, and Louis knew¡­ I had not even slept with my own wife yet¡­ And she was sleeping around.

    ***

    Soren

    Being in Marcus¡¯s study was like being in a massive bookstore. Everything was just electronic and digitalized. Categorized and organized.

    I was happy to see a familiar face when Marcus came to the island, checking on the people who were there from Earth, ensuring everything was running smoothly. After that day, I moved into their home. The Tower, everyone called it. Even met the king a few times. It was weird to bow. It was strange to be treated like an equal. Qadir had a very firm hand. In some ways, the compound was better, and in other ways, En-gannim.

    I sat down on the couch when Kubra handed me the letter. He said it was from Louis. At first, I was nervous; didn¡¯t even see when Kubra left. I pushed my finger into the envelope, taking out the paper. Taken aback by the one sentence in the middle.

    For a moment, I didn¡¯t want to read it.

    Soren, what are your intentions towards Juliet¡­?

    My heart skipped a beat. A smile spread across my face. She had told him, and he wanted to know where he stood with me. Only one thing sprang to mind, and I had to go home for that.

    ***

    I rushed past Marcus, forgetting that I owed him an explanation. That I should have told him that first day. I should have told Louis. But I was such a coward. I traveled quickly. Our house was already programmed into the lobby teleporter.

    ¡°Baba!¡± I yelled as the doors opened to our new house.

    It wasn¡¯t big, but we were out in the open, and the women were allowed to walk around. My mom wasn¡¯t even there. For her, it was liberating to be able to talk and make friends. The island was on the other side of the planet and was very easygoing for the people who came from the Earth.

    ¡°In here, Soren.¡± I heard my father say. He was at the dining room table watching the news and eating something. I put down the paper in front of him. Confused, his eyes met mine after reading it. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I need our emblem.¡±

    He was stunned. ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t think your feelings went that deep? What happened?¡±

    Nervously, I sat down next to him. My hair wasn¡¯t a problem anymore. The little book of men¡¯s hairstyles Juliet gave with a bunch of elastics was cute¡­ I now styled my hair, dressed a little bit more formally, and tried to act my age. But that meant my hands gave away my anxiousness, wringing them in front of me. He waited.

    ¡°I slept¡­ with her¡­¡±

    My father jumped up. ¡°Soren! Why did you come with?¡±

    ¡°Mom¡­ Isla¡­ She will be going into a conditioning camp soon. I wanted to be here.¡±

    My father nodded. ¡°I think she will do well¡­. They have already sent the notice¡­ But still, Soren¡­ We don¡¯t know what branding entails. It¡¯s only whispers... No one knows about it¡­ It¡¯s illegal to even mention it.¡±

    He sat down again¡­ ¡°Would Juliet do it? For you?¡±

    I hadn¡¯t thought about it.  ¡°Do you have it Baba?¡± He blew out a frustrated breath but delved into his pocket and handed it to me. I examined it. I had looked at the little thing many times and never really understood why we had it.

    ¡°Why do we have it?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Identification. Everyone¡¯s emblem is different.¡±

    ¡°I have to go. Marcus is waiting.¡±  He stood up and walked with me. The island had only one teleporter in the community hall. It was operated by someone sitting on a chair in the corner.

    I got in and waved at him.

    ***

    I stepped out into the study rather hurriedly but slowed when I saw Marcus at his desk with his head in his hands, elbows resting on the table. Ahasuerus came out after me¡­ I fell to the floor. He was eyeing Marcus, who didn¡¯t even notice. He had to clear his throat before Marcus¡¯s eyes came up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Ahasuerus asked, sounding genuinely concerned. ¡°Get up, Soren,¡± I stood and went on with my duties in the corner where Marcus had put a desk for me.

    ¡°Juliet had her baby¡­ It¡¯s a Riphath.¡±

    ¡°You angry that it¡¯s Chris¡¯s or angry that it¡¯s not yours?¡±

    Marcus drew in a deep breath. ¡°We have not consummated yet.¡± The tone in his voice was¡­ defeated¡­ I had not known¡­ But Marcus obviously knew about us. I had thought that they had an understanding with her¡­ That it would not matter. If Marcus could accept everyone else, why was he so upset?

    Ahasuerus was so happy that he clapped his hands a few times and fell down on Marcus¡¯s couch, resting his head back.

    ¡°Soren¡­ You¡¯re dismissed.¡± Marcus said.

    I tried to gather myself, retreating face to them. Meeting Marcus¡¯s eye briefly. We would probably have it out later. I bowed. I bowed again.

    ¡°Oh and Soren¡­ Send for Kubra. I have something for him. You have till tomorrow.¡±

    ***

    Kubra met me early the following day in the study. I was waiting, and what Marcus had for us were instructions... He would not be coming in that day, traveling to Palmyra with James. I had been demoted.  I handed the emblem to Kubra.

    He ripped it out of my hands. ¡°What the hell did you do?¡± I was quiet. ¡°You slept with her¡­¡± Kubra sat down on the couch. ¡°What¡¯s our instructions?¡±

    I was hesitant. I didn¡¯t know what it meant.

    ¡°Come on out with it,¡± Kubra said.

    ¡°He wants these two couches replaced with the two in the bookstore.¡±

    Kubra¡¯s eyebrows raised, playing with the emblem in his hands. ¡°These are ducks¡­ Isn¡¯t it weird that all the emblems are Earth animals? Earth flowers. Earth something.¡±

    I sat down beside him¡­ ¡°That is weird.¡±

    ¡°How do we get the couches in here,¡± Kubra asked.

    ¡°You just have to have it in your hands when teleporting¡­ It¡¯s not rocket science.¡±

    Kubra laughed¡­ ¡°NO! It literally is¡­ even more advanced.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll get rid of these. See you in an hour.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°What do the couches mean¡­ Why now? Marcus has been here for months. He¡¯s not gone back once!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one that got a letter.¡± Kubra got up and left.

 Meeting Marcusâ€™s Grandfather

    103. Meeting Marcus¡¯s Grandfather

    February 2024

    Marcus

    It had been a rough two months. There was too much to deal with. I wish I could say that I was counting down the minutes until Juliet would be coming¡­ but I wasn¡¯t. I was nervous. Her meeting with Qadir the first time was a disaster, and I had no idea what would happen between my grandfather and her. Why he wanted to meet her if he was so against us, and what her test would be.

    I had taken a few days for myself. Sent Soren home. I couldn¡¯t look at him and focus on Juliet. It was less than an hour. She would be traveling across the galaxy. I wondered what she would make of the place. What would I say? What would I do? How would I feel seeing her?

    I heard the noise of the mechanism. The sound was slight... but my heart was pounding. It almost drowned out everything else. She was alone. At first, she stood staring at me. My hands were hanging at my sides. It had been so long¡­ I kept thinking about what Ahasuerus asked. Why I hadn¡¯t gone back?

    Juliet ran for me. My arm instinctively opened, and I caught her. She pushed off me and plunged her lips onto mine. My core didn¡¯t react like the times we kissed before¡­ I was holding back. For the first time, I had the question nagging at me¡­ Why?

    ***

    Juliet

    I hadn¡¯t been that nervous in a long time. Since we were sure Sammy was Chris¡¯s second child. We didn¡¯t need to fear that Qadir would come for her. No one would ever touch her¡­ And she had Warden. It could¡¯ve been Louis¡¯s. I would have run, leaving Caleb and Chris to make it to Earth. Qadir would never have taken the chance that it might be Marcus¡¯s.

    Kubra had come to get me. It was my second time teleporting off the Compound. Saying goodbye to Louis felt strange. I had hoped he would¡¯ve gone with me, but he declined¡­ I didn¡¯t really know why¡­ Like my parents that day with Qadir¡­

    Coming out in Washington, we had to go through so much red tape that it took us half an hour to teleport to En-gannim. But once I stepped out of the room that separated our system from theirs¡­ I knew I was somewhere else. Just like you knew when you left the city, all the cares of one place faded, and the peace of the countryside washed over you. I can¡¯t explain it. It was like I was home. My beacon of navigation was quiet.

    ¡°Species don¡¯t mix.¡± That phrase kept running through my mind.

    Was it really true? The city of Nahrima was beautiful and vast. Big and never-ending buildings. No roads. No cars. No pollution. Pink waterways and white sand. The vista they had created there, coming out at the embassy, was breathtaking. My heart contracted in a good way. I wanted to stay so badly. For the first time, I felt that I didn¡¯t belong on Earth. Kubra showed me around a bit before I traveled to another place. A balcony where it was only Marcus and me. I was home¡­ body, soul, and spirit. I promised myself that I was not going to cry. So I kissed him instead. Not wanting to be that woman asking¡­ ¡°Where have you been? Why haven¡¯t you called? Not even a good morning message.¡±

    My legs always felt like they wanted to fall out from under me when I was in his arms. He always held me up¡­ The older I got, the more I valued everything they did for me. I wanted what I wanted. But patience wasn¡¯t one of my strong suits. My hands fisted his shirt at the back.

    ¡°I can see why¡­ you are so obsessed¡­ She is full of desire for you.¡± My heart started racing. I thought I was scared of Qadir¡­ But at that moment, his voice jolted me to a whole other level of, fake it till you make it.

    Marcus kissed me one last time and whispered¡­ ¡°Please try, Julie.¡± I nodded. That alone made my defenses go up. Marcus was different, already asking me to bend. Marcus turned around, wanting to introduce me to Ahasuerus. I stood next to him. For a moment, my hand was desperately clinging to his. I heard his heart racing. Was it because of the kissing or something else?

    ¡°Hello, Juliet.¡± The man said, staring at me. Gaze running up and down my person. ¡°You look more stupid than in the footage.¡± That made me laugh lightly. I stepped forward, holding out my hand to him. He was taken aback. A few guards wanted to assault me. But I lifted my hand into the air. They all stopped. Ahasuerus bit on his teeth, scrutinizing me. Being able to command his people. Since Louis¡¯s little sit-down speech¡­ I¡¯ve stepped it up a notch. I had been trying. I really have¡­

    I bent down and kowtowed before Ahasuerus, seeing he wouldn¡¯t meet me halfway. It meant I would have to take a step closer if he wasn¡¯t going to. Marcus bent down and pulled me up. ¡°I thought we talked about it, Julie.¡± Marcus was irritated that I did that.

    ¡°Humility is also a trait, Marcus.¡± My tone clipped as I pulled my arm from his hand¡­ Ahasuerus didn¡¯t like my answer or how I spoke to his grandson. His eyes turned black and back to their grey¡­ He was so old that I didn¡¯t think he could see anything through those cataracts. I snorted at his inability to contain his emotions.

    ¡°I have to say¡­ I feel at home. It¡¯s like stepping into a place you¡¯ve known your whole life.¡± I walked past the king of that place to survey all there was of En-gannim. ¡°And I¡¯ve never even been here. Did you feel it, Marcus?¡±

    His brow furrowed as our eyes met. He shook his head. I was confused about my feelings about loving the place so much. Both our eyes drifted to the only guy who would know if anything supernatural was going on¡­He wasn¡¯t happy¡­ Again.  Marcus stepped up and stood next to me. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful! No wonder my mom wants to come back.¡±

    Marcus took my hand. I turned him to me¡­¡°Can I stay, Marcus? Only one night. Please.¡± Marcus drew in a ragged breath. But he hesitated.

    Only thinking about Marcus and me together ignited all the desires I had ever had. ¡°There isn¡¯t much I wouldn¡¯t do.¡± I tugged at his shirt. Marcus closed his eyes and lifted his chin into the air. The same way he did when we were on the compound years ago. He was going to disappoint me. Or¡­ someone else would do that for him.

    ¡°Well, that won¡¯t happen, dearie. If I had my way¡­ you and Marcus would never copulate.¡± He held out an arm for me to walk first. He knew some Earthly customs. I pulled up my big boy pants and ventured into the next teleporter with Marcus and his grandfather.

    It only took a moment. We were somewhere else in the house. A lady in a black veil was standing there. Not moving. I wanted to walk over, but I didn¡¯t. I waited¡­ ¡°Julie, this is Tabitha? My grandmother.¡± She nodded. I nodded. I knew she would not say anything. Ahasuerus wasn¡¯t going to allow her, either.

    More tears wanted to run down my cheeks¡­ I had a grandmother that I had not met. I wanted to ask Marcus a million questions. If he even thought to find Cindy¡¯s mom¡­ Where was my grandfather? Was he in a hole with Michael? Did Marcus even know? Tried to find him.

    Ahasuerus was really quiet. He was watching me. Calculating and making plans. He was so much older than me. At some point, my luck was going to run out.

    We sat at the table, and we ate. I didn¡¯t say anything unless he asked. I was just happy I could come without a veil. If I ever had to put one on again, I think I would rather die. I shook myself and took it back before Louis came out and made me¡­It was symbolic of so much, though. I hated it. Marcus risked so much to take it off. If I had to stay on Earth, I would¡­ I was dreading what Ahasuerus wanted me there for that night.

    I couldn¡¯t meet Marcus¡¯s eye, although I wanted to. He sat across from me, Tabitha was on my left, and Ahasuerus was on my right.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s talk about Michael.¡± My heart sank, having the same feelings as with Qadir in that cell. All the euphoria of seeing that place and being that close to my people was gone¡­ I wanted to know what had happened to him.

    Hardening my heart, I waited.

    ¡°He is fine. Alive¡­ But he will be the price you pay for giving up your life.¡±

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    My eyes didn¡¯t come up. Dinner was over.

    ¡°The brandings and you and Marcus¡¯s life connection can be severed¡­ If you kill yourself.¡±

    I¡¯ve wanted to do that before. That wasn¡¯t so bad. Qadir had already told us anyway. I dared to glance at Marcus. His spoon was halfway up to his face, and the contents dripped into the bowl in front of him.

    ***

    Marcus

    ¡°The other option is that because the baby is not Marcus¡¯s¡­ And only the firstborn can inherit. Marcus might take another wife¡­ If they had a child together, I would be rid of you either way. The succession is only for first wives and male babies. Not branding rights.¡±

    I was angry about Soren¡­ I didn¡¯t know about the tests Ahasuerus was planning. Watching Juliet listen to his suggestions was weird. She wasn¡¯t reacting. Her face was wooden. As mine always was. She wasn¡¯t giving anything away. I felt bad for telling her ¡°to try.¡± She would have been entirely different if I were different. Louis words¡­ Kubra¡¯s words¡­. I was out of my depth emotionally.

    My grandfather didn¡¯t treat me like Qadir. He was a fascist, but¡­ he tried.

    I remembered what I had asked her long ago. If she would really not be able to share me? I had to share her. I felt like doing it just to get back at her. If she could walk out with Michael and not kill herself. And all I had to do was sleep with someone else. I hated myself for even thinking about it. I had to weigh the options.  When we kissed¡­ were together¡­ nothing would induce me. I wanted to be nowhere else. But not that night.

    ***

    Juliet

    Inside, I scoffed at the stupid man next to me... He was posturing exactly like his son, and he was gambling on my ignorance. My patience would be my prize. I would go throw a party when I got home. But¡­ I would love to know what Marcus thought about it. He had so many women before me¡­ Would one really make a difference? Why was I so jealous?

    ¡°At some point, Marcus¡­ what we love will be taken away,¡± I whispered.

    His jaw flexed. He was gritting his teeth.

    I could see Ahasuerus¡¯s eyes on me. ¡°She has three other men, and you won¡¯t take one woman to have sex with¡­ You could live on Earth. Come to work every day. Conjugal every Friday¡­ Juliet gets to step out with husband number four and live... On her compound.¡±

    I started giggling like the little woman I still was... In so many ways. Nervous and amused. The two men sat staring at me. Ahasuerus smashed his fist on the table. I didn¡¯t even get startled; it made me laugh louder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Marcus¡­ I can¡¯t do it. Not anymore¡­ What I¡¯ve been through¡­ No¡­ If I let you control me¡­ I would become that.¡± I pointed to his grandmother. I could see the wheels turning. ¡°You¡¯re jealous¡­ You think I don¡¯t know you. The way you kissed me tells me all I need to know.¡± I drew in a big breath and let out all my frustrations.

    ¡°I told you¡­ I¡¯ll wait¡­ Heaven knows why¡­ I go against everything I stand for¡­ Not only for you but for everyone I love. I told you it would take you a lifetime to leave this all behind. But¡­ You know what? We¡¯ve come full circle. So not only will I be the one to help you out of your cowardice, but I will be the man of my small four¡­ five-man harem.¡± My gaze was penetrating Marcus¡¯s¡­ ¡°And if Soren is a problem¡­ Then stay¡­ really¡­ I told you¡­ It¡¯s your choice. If you want to take another wife. I won¡¯t care¡­ But don¡¯t think that I will be waiting¡­ then. It is number three on my list¡­ Anyway, not once did I force you to stay. You had all the facts. And not once did you ask me not to¡­ or talk to me¡­ or set boundaries. Or came home.¡±

    I turned to Ahasuerus, pushed my chair out behind me, hardened my heart a little bit more, and let the act drop altogether.

    ¡°You¡¯re a bad gambler, sir. Your son¡­ has stabbed you in the back. You are more stupid than he was¡­ Filial, idiotic, fascist.¡± I grabbed my bag and opened it. The men behind him wanted to stop me. I held up a hand, yelling¡­ ¡°Really? What the hell am I going to do¡­ Idiots. You will be the first to go when I run this place!¡±

    Ahasuerus stood up at my words.

    ¡°Just wait, old man. Keep your panties on.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even care what Marcus was thinking. I took out the little round scroll. I held it out in a flat hand made from material and paper. The same material their generational scroll was made from. Ahasuerus took a step back.

    ¡°I, Juliet Samantha Furrow ¡­ challenge you, Ahasuerus Ahmed, to the throne¡­. On 30 April 2025¡­¡± Ahasuerus grabbed the little scroll, and my gaze flickered up to Marcus. That time, I let my disappointment show.

    ¡°The reason the brandings were banned¡­ The more men were behind a woman, the more power she had¡­ And you can¡¯t do anything about it. Kubra, I want to go home.¡±

    The door opened. Kubra¡¯s eyes were big. He was shaking his head¡­ I winked at him... I didn¡¯t even think Marcus had him anymore.

    ¡°I will make you want to kill yourself before that.¡± Ahasuerus lifted a hand. Two guards brought in a man hanging in their arms. I swore, walking over slowly. A tear rolled over my cheek. I swiped at it. Slowly, I bent down and pushed the hair out of the man¡¯s face. I didn¡¯t need to make sure who it was. I knew.¡­ But I wanted to see if he was still there. His eyes were shut from pain and infection. A sob escaped my lips. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it¡­¡± Michael croaked.

    I rubbed my hand over his cheek.

    ¡°Oh honey, that¡¯s not how this works.¡± I turned to Ahasuerus

    ¡°If you let him go and you win in the ring, I will plunge that knife into my own heart. That is my stake in your game. Take it or leave it.¡±

    Ahasuerus turned to me and wanted to hit me. My eyes closed, and I braced. Marcus¡¯s hand snapped out and grabbed him mid-air. ¡°You will let Michael go,¡± Marcus growled, or I will leave for this year. Ahasuerus¡¯s head snapped around to Marcus. ¡°If you think that I can¡¯t, you have very little faith in me. And I shouldn¡¯t be here regardless. I¡¯m staying because it¡¯s the best for everyone.¡±

    Ahasuerus ripped his fist out of Marcus¡¯s grip.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Julie, I¡¯ve been searching but I couldn¡¯t find him¡­ It¡®s a whole planet with no way of tracking anyone.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one that failed Michael.¡± I rubbed my hands over his face. ¡°Hold on, we¡¯re almost there.¡±

    Marcus did the wrong thing and turned away from me, telling Kubra to take Michael away. Ahasuerus turned to me and struck me so hard that I hit the opposite wall. Marcus swore and jumped over the table. ¡°That¡¯s going to cost you. Your temper is your weakness.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Where is he?¡± I was in my room at my house in the compound.

    It was quiet. I sat up. ¡°Where is he?¡± I couldn¡¯t glance around. My eyes fixed on the door.

    ¡°He was taken again,¡± Kubra said.

    ¡°F-! F-! F-!¡± I picked up something and threw it at the wall.

    ¡°You had one job. If I wasn¡¯t knocked out, it would never have happened. Do I have to do everything myself?¡± I wasn¡¯t speaking to anyone in particular. I got up and walked out the door. Out the gate. Down the long road lined with trees. I felt my face. It hurt like nothing had hurt before. Ahasuerus was strong. So much more than his son. He didn¡¯t even hit that hard. Nerves for the fight bubbled up in me. How were Louis and I going to take on all of¡­ that?

    Qadir had played me. He might have given me a tiny way out, but he planned it. He wanted out of the cage, get Michael off En-gannim, and take him once he was on Earth¡­. He needed Marcus to kill Ahasuerus, and he needed Michael, so we would do it. I knew I was gambling. My life was one big game at that stage. Tears pooled again. I swore under my breath, touching my swollen cheekbone. It was going to be really bad in a day or two.

    I was going to kill Qadir. Get Michael back. Fight Ahasuerus for the throne. Even if it was the last thing I did. I had nothing else to do anyway. My jaw hurt... I felt like vomiting. Two hands rested on my shoulders. I turned. I knew who it was¡­ ¡°Marcus!? What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even see I was in the room.¡±

    ¡°Not used to seeing you in your own house¡­ I have to kill your father¡­ You have to prepare yourself.¡± I pushed away from him and walked away.

    He grabbed my arm. ¡°Julie, you challenged my grandfather to the throne¡­ What the hell?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°It has nothing to do with you.¡±

    His eyebrows raised. ¡°Will you kill yourself?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ If I have to. But thanks for the confidence.¡±

    ¡°Did you see your face?¡± The pain crossed my brow again, darkness and blurred vision.

    ¡°Your whole family will die¡­ because of me.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°They were never my family. That is not family¡­ What you did for Michael is family. And I¡¯m sorry we lost him.¡±

    My eyes teared up. Marcus pulled me into his embrace. ¡°I was so close,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°I know Julie¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°He packs a mean punch.¡±

    ¡°You and Chris had another baby.¡±

    ¡°Mmmm¡­ And he doesn¡¯t even know¡­ I think I¡¯m gonna throw up.¡± I ran for the bushes.

    ¡°You have a concussion.¡± He picked me up.

 The Test of Change

    104. The Test of Change

    Marcus

    I hated being down there. But I needed to get Juliet to Rodrigo. I never wanted to be in that basement¡­ ever again. That day I was there with Chris was one of the worst days of my life. Rodrigo¡¯s screams and crying when he was just a boy¡­ I will never forget. It was the worst years of my life. I put her down on the steel table. I grabbed a lined bin and held it out to her. She puked again. Rodrigo came out of the freezer, visibly startled. His eyes darted from me to her. ¡°Did Ahasuerus do this?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I wouldn''t have let him. But he sneaked it in.¡±

    He came over and took all her vitals. Gave her something to rinse out her mouth. She laid back and passed out. I had thought it would end up bad, but not like that. Rodrigo pushed an injection into her arm. Her body relaxed from the painkillers.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep her here.¡± He pushed past me and picked her up. It felt weird. Didn¡¯t he do the unthinkable to her in the first place?

    ¡°How does she trust you? You infected her¡­¡±

    ¡°She trusts you¡­ and you keep disappointing her.¡± My fists clenched at my side. I followed him to a cubicle that was a fully furnished hospital room. I scanned it. He must have seen my confusion.

    ¡°Sammy.¡± My back stiffened. Rodrigo calling Chris¡¯s child by a nickname¡­ He was more at home than I was. He gently put her down, taking off her shoes one by one. ¡°Are you going to help, or do I have to do everything with¡­ your wife.¡±

    It stabbed at my heart. She was my wife. I pushed him away. I was getting sick and tired of not living up to everybody¡¯s expectations of how they thought I should be treating her.

    ***

    Louis came running into the room, brushing past me. He wasn¡¯t on-site earlier. Carl and Louis went after whoever took Michael. It had happened at the Embassy. ¡°What the hell, Marcus? Didn¡¯t I warn you?¡± Louis yelled, pushing me out of the way.

    He went to her side, taking the hair out of her face, out from under her neck, and softly put a pillow under her head. Rodrigo let the bed fall a little. While Louis pulled a blanket over her.

    ¡°Like I wanted this. He did it when my back was turned.¡±

    Livid Louis spun on me. ¡°Look at her, Marcus¡­ You, Mr. General of an army, could not pick up on his ques or watch her for one second. You always know everything before it even happens¡­ Why did you turn your back on her at all.¡± He pushed his finger into my chest.

    Soren¡­ I didn¡¯t even know it, but that was my first thought. Louis scoffed at me, reading me¡­ ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let them get married when she didn¡¯t want to marry you¡­ She would have been happy. Their house was not like yours?¡±

    Jealousy¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to give her to someone else to save her.

    ¡°But you¡¯ll let her marry Lucius? You¡¯re more screwed up than I thought.¡±

    ¡°I would have had a year to get her out¡­.¡± My gaze darted to Rodrigo. I felt like crap, and Louis laid out all my secrets in front of him. I walked past them to get back to En-gannim.

    Louis grabbed me and pushed me against the wall. ¡°If you were here, she would have slept with you. You judge her, but you are NOT here.¡±

    It has always been my problem, Louis.

    ¡°You will lose her eventually!¡±

    My breathing was instantly ragged.

    ¡°And don¡¯t sleep with that woman. If you do, Marcus¡­ No one will be able to help you. We will lose you completely. There is no coming back from that.¡±

    ¡°What the hell do you want from me. To let Qadir give her the option? Let my grandfather make her tap¡­ so she can kill herself?¡±

    ¡°All I want is for you to use your self-control towards your prize. Just a little bit longer. Please¡­ If she loses you¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why she slept with him?¡± Louis¡¯s eyes cast down, and he let me go.

    He dug into his pocket. ¡°You want to know what my letter said¡­ I asked Soren what his intentions were.¡± He took out the tiny silver plate from his pocket. He held it out to me.

    ¡°That was his answer. The people around her¡­ don¡¯t care, Marcus¡­ You branded her because she wanted to kill herself. It wasn¡¯t something you wanted to do¡­ If I asked her¡­ she would probably say yes¡­ She would willingly bend for him.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it, Louis¡­ I can¡¯t handle another addition. It has to stop.¡±

    He put it back into his pocket. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. Go home, Marcus. I¡¯m here. Go decide what you want¡­ Even if your prize has changed.¡± Louis hesitated. His gaze drifted from Juliet to me¡­ He pulled out a book from his back that was stuck into his pants. Nervously, he twirled it around in his hands. He held it out to me. I took it. I didn¡¯t stay. I couldn¡¯t¡­

    ***

    I went back to En-gannim. My first thought was about Qadir coming home a few months ago, only for a night. I did not understand because I was there, and everyone else was on Earth. I was shocked when I walked into my study, and he was sitting there. I had never been that depressed to see my own father. My grandfather sat across from him. Qadir was on Juliet¡¯s couch.

    ¡°Marcus, come sit down. We need to talk.¡±

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    All they talked about was the succession. It was all they cared about.

    Qadir didn¡¯t even glance at me. The last time I saw him was when we came back from Palmyra. It had almost been a year. Had time gone by so quickly?

    I should have known there was more to his release than simple good behavior¡­ agreements and treaties. Juliet had made a deal with Qadir¡­ again for his release. It was Qadir that took Michael and was going to use him. Make Juliet kill Ahasuerus¡­ It didn¡¯t make sense. There had to be more¡­ Would it ever end?

    I was getting tired of the politics. The backstabbing and the little regard they had for other people¡¯s lives. Ahasuerus might be more humane in some ways, but they were the same. If you were not for them¡­ You were against them.

    ***

    Fighting with Louis about Juliet had made everything worse. I sat at my desk and opened the book he had given me. I didn¡¯t know what it could be¡­ I flipped the first page. Diary entries. Juliet¡¯s¡­ journal. I didn¡¯t know if I wanted to read it¡­ But did I have a choice?

    All the difficulties she went through after I left. How depressed she was. How she wanted me¡­ and I didn¡¯t go back¡­ She found out about Soren¡­ It had¡­ broken her down even more¡­ She met my mom¡­ Who told her she would become Queen¡­ My mother¡­ would come back if Juliet was queen.

    What happened with her and Louis. How angry she was¡­ What Louis did to her¡­ If I had been there, I could have helped. I was mad at her¡­ but she only had Louis¡­ They also had problems. It¡¯s not all fun for them. They fight and don¡¯t see each other at all.

    And Louis was turning¡­ right along with her. I haven¡¯t even gone back to make sure she got the treatment¡­ I didn¡¯t even know she was pregnant until Kubra told us. She had pages and pages of questions she wanted to ask me. Self-help exercises and ways to work through loss and grief. So much research to help herself. Letters to all of us. How she saw every one of us in her life.

    Louis was the love and happiness she never thought she deserved.

    Chris, the obsession that came true¡­ One she never thought would realize. And how it felt to get what you want.

    Michael was the nervousness and excitement of being in love¡­ She always wanted to spend time with him because he made her feel good. It was easy with him. They were friends.

    Me¡­ I was the longing¡­ the desire that she knows will never be satisfied. All the thoughts she has about me. Sexual thoughts¡­ About us and how she felt when I touched her. The approval she so desperately needed from me¡­ but never received. Because we will never be enough for each other. But we couldn¡¯t seem to let go. That relationship where the line was so thin that if you crossed it once¡­ it would turn to hate. And the line was as simple as giving up and walking away. Or me cheating.

    I didn¡¯t understand how I got from staying in France with her. Never going to leave her again¡­ to actually thinking about letting her go for good, giving in to what my grandfather wanted me to do.

    The last question she asked me was¡­ ¡°Marcus, do you think that this feeling will ever disappear?¡± She answered herself. ¡°I hope not.¡±

    I paged to the back of the journal. It was dark¡­ But Louis was there. Louis is always there.

    ***

    Sita

    Since Qadir was released, he lived on Samuels¡¯s farm. I met up with him there. I didn¡¯t go to the compound anymore. There was no point. Until Qadir got back what he lost, things were still in Limbo.

    He didn¡¯t seem to mind the company. We kept ourselves busy, trying to find something important in the ledgers and boxes Samuel had to keep.

    ¡°I thought the next time we saw each other, you would be married.¡± He stated.

    I couldn¡¯t answer him. I felt like I failed. I didn¡¯t know how to get into the palace any other way but drugging Mateo and taking the chance of getting pregnant.

    ¡°The fact that you are not answering means he wasn¡¯t receptive to your proposal¡­.¡± I couldn¡¯t look at him¡­ ¡°No need to feel bad about yourself¡­ You still have one option left if that is the case.¡±

    I drew in a breath at my reluctance to drug him¡­ ¡°Will you come to visit Sita? When I have the compound back?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? I thought you wanted En-gannim?¡±

    He pulled a face. Took a drag of his cigarette. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go back.¡± He shook his head. ¡°What is En-gannim to Earth¡­ If it runs properly, it is the best of all worlds. It is the most important.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s vague¡­ but¡­ with the technology of En-gannim and the Earth¡¯s combined military, trading with the Riphaths to join you in each campaign¡­ You would be unstoppable¡­ Would I still be welcome? Would you keep the werewolves close this time?¡±

    ¡°Now that we know who Mateo is¡­ It opens a lot of doors. I still don¡¯t know why they kept it so under wraps¡­ Did you ever find out what he had hidden away on his phone?¡±

    I nodded again. He waited, taking a drag of his cigarette. ¡°There¡­¡± I cleared my throat. ¡°There were pictures of a woman and a little girl on his phone.¡±

    It took me and Nicholas one whole night to get Mateo that drunk. To take his phone and go through it with a fine comb. He had a lot of things on there. Even notes that were password-protected. Swiping up revealed the most recent thing he did. It was his photo album.

    ¡°He is already involved¡­ Has a baby? A daughter but can¡¯t go home. Banished. That is strange¡­¡± Qadir lifted his eyes, thinking.

    ¡°It means I have to find her¡­ And I am terrible at human relations. Tracking and finding out stuff. I know my weaknesses¡­ If I could get Louis to do it¡­ he would find her in a heartbeat.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not to say she¡¯s on Earth. If she is on Palmyra, you don¡¯t need anything to find her¡­ All you have to do is read. There will be a paper trail somewhere.¡±

    I had already thought about it.

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you started with your harem on Palmyra. Isn¡¯t it as easy as buying a man at a market or something?¡± I didn¡¯t answer him¡­ ¡°You are missing Earth as well. You are content where you are¡­ Having the best of both worlds.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to adjust. I am not a romantic person. Having so many men to keep happy¡­ I think I¡¯ll go crazy.¡±

    He got up, pushing his bud into the ashtray on the table. Qadir and I were trying to find out what happened when Chris came. Why his mother was alone. And why was no one with her at the birth? I had found out a lot from him about Zoreah. They had a policy of four adults to a child¡­ If the future king¡¯s child was on Earth because of a drought¡­ Everyone would have known.

    Qadir picked up one of the last few boxes we needed to get through. ¡°Juliet did have a Riphath.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard. It seems like my son and Juliet have still not copulated. Marcus was always too clever. He could have had her ages ago and secured their future like that¡­ Now he is stuck in that hole¡­ He will never get out.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°She is our one weakness¡­ My father is so stupid¡­ All he cares about is the future.¡±

    We both paused, and our gazes locked¡­ For the first time¡­ Qadir smiled at me.

    ¡°Is it essential to kill that man locked up in the cellar? You could let Juliet kill herself and have even more freedom.¡±

    ¡°She has already signed her own death sentence. I just want to see the look on her face when I rip his head off his body¡­. No, Michael had served his purpose¡­ He will die at the end of the month.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to say it¡­ But Qadir pushed too hard. If he knew she was going to be his downfall¡­ Why would he tempt fate?

 Qadir Vs. Juliet

    105. Qadir Vs. Juliet

    March 2024

    Juliet

    Seeing Michael so close, touching him¡­ losing him again a month ago¡­ Had all of us on edge. With Marcus the way he was at that moment, I wasn¡¯t really myself. It was my twentieth birthday that day, and all of us were at the arena at the barracks. Louis and I had built a Colosseum. A fighting ring for full moons. It would rack in so much money that we could sustain everyone at the compound.

    The werewolves were all too happy to fight. Some of the women also wanted in on the action. So we created a women¡¯s division for vamps and wolves. It was going to be epic fights. Bragging rights. And the humans ate it up like candies.

    We had good seats. Even Rodrigo and Agatha were there to celebrate with me. It was funny walking around the humans. No one knew who was who. Charlene and I were taking a walk.

    The first part of the show was the cages, of course. Seeing the werewolves manifested like that was the best thing. Only the fighting wolves were there. Displayed¡­ The others were still safely guarded in the mountain behind my old house.

    We started at the lightweights. The men were on one side and the women on the other. The room where the vamp fighters sat was glassed. So that the humans had a good view. They were not allowed to de-manifest for show purposes.

    There was betting on the fights. So you could choose both your victor and the wolf they were going up against. Or the other way around. It was the first night. Opening night. The buzz was insane.

    In the distance were strobe lights. You could hear the music. Some people went dancing beforehand, waiting for their fights. A club with DJs all night long. In the desert. A place where you could tent or park an RV.

    I kinda never wanted to leave Earth again. I felt more human than I ever had. Desperately wanted to dance the night away. We were going to wait to see what the night held for us. I felt guilty being out. Qadir nor Michael had surfaced yet.

    Louis and everyone forced me to take one night to have some fun. So I agreed, letting myself off the hook.

    Charlene and I passed Francesco first. Tier one. He was one of the lower-down fighters. Never really into it, but he still enjoyed the financial gain. After that was Ben tier two. ¡°Oh my soul, these guys are ugly like this,¡± Charlene said.

    ¡°Have you ever seen me when I manifest? My nose becomes two dark slits up my face.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and you are prettier than that.¡± Charlene mocked Ben, who rammed the cage. She yelled, jumping back. The guards wanted to say something, but Jessy was still trailing me. Even if it was far behind. I laughed at her. Jessy also had a smile on his face.

    ¡°Will Min¨¦ have to do this?¡±

    ¡°Hell yeah! I¡¯ll train her.¡±

    Charlene hit me in the shoulder. ¡°What if she isn¡¯t like that.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll take her to the mall.¡± We both laughed. ¡°You know what we should do¡­ Have you do shots at your guy. Selfies and a meet and greet after.¡±

    ¡°I have come prepared, my friend.¡± My eyes danced excitedly. She opened up her tiny purse. Took out a steel flask.

    ¡°I¡¯m impressed. What is it?¡±

    ¡°Taste it¡­ it¡¯s your favorite.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes¡­ Thank you. Just to take that edge off before a good fight.¡±

    I walked down a few cages. We stopped outside Mateo¡¯s gate for a second. ¡°You, my friend. Are my wolf for the night. I know it¡¯s you and Kubra again¡­ But please, can you not embrace me.¡±

    ¡°Why is he so calm?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I can¡¯t provoke him¡­ He¡¯ll remember this tomorrow. And I like Mateo.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t remind me. Ben will come and have a word with me.¡±

    ¡°Gives us something to do¡­ I¡¯ll fight him for you¡­ I need the practice.¡±

    ¡°Come, I want to check out the pens with the beast.¡±

    I followed Charlene. Louis had imported some or other weird delicacies for that one night. I stopped outside the board of info on Mateo¡¯s cage. The fighter was not Kubra. My eyes darted to Mateo¡­ ¡°It says unknown¡­ surprise fighter.¡±

    Charlene stood close to me to read it. ¡°That¡¯s a little vague.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ well, let¡¯s hurry. I don¡¯t want to miss that fight.¡±

    We were both in very high heels. Dressed for the occasion.

    The path that led to the pens was lined with Bamboo on either side. So thick that you couldn¡¯t really see anything while walking the long walkway toward a massive building in the distance. It was really well planned, and it trailed off in other directions. Louis had a knack for finishing d¨¦cor.

    The pens were completely glass on the side. All the way up to the roof.  Almost like zoo cages. No bad smells. No harm could be done. The building had a high ceiling. There was no way you could get in there. We stood mesmerized, watching the things.

    A group came walking up... we heard them talking.

    { ¡°How unreal is all of this.¡±

    ¡°Well, they might be half-human, but they are superior.¡±

    ¡°Have you been to one of their information evenings?¡±

    ¡°How can we ever feel safe again?¡±

    ¡°Come on, Sara. You can¡¯t be that na?ve. It¡¯s freaking teleportation across systems in the whole freaking galaxy. Give them a few years, and we could go anywhere.¡±

    ¡°This still feels unreal. How can we suddenly be surrounded by things like this.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, like you felt safe in an alley before you knew there were aliens. You have to be glad. Crime is down like fifty percent just because of the worldwide death penalty.

    ¡°You mean sacrificial vans that pick up troublemakers, and then they get shipped off to this place.¡±

    ¡°If we want to visit other planets, we must embrace them.¡± }

    The whole group stopped outside the glass¡­

    { ¡°Embrace what? Look at that poor guy there¡­ it just sickens me¡­ How could we decide who lives or dies just because of some technology¡­ He¡¯s being trampled by the beasts ¡­ There is no more respect for human life.¡±

    ¡°They eat people¡­ It¡¯s just wrong.¡±

    ¡°Shh, we can¡¯t say stuff like that here. You never know where they are.¡± }

    The group quickly glanced at us, but we were smoking and drinking. So they left it and kept talking¡­

    { ¡°They still sacrifice people like we are back in the pagan era where we would drop kids down volcanoes to gods.¡±

    ¡°How do you know he is human?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, just a guess¡­ He isn¡¯t a werewolf. And the vamps don¡¯t kill each other.¡± }

    They moved on, and my gaze drifted over the floor. I bent down and scanned the surface. Was there really a person in there.

    ¡°Do you see anyone, Chars?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Yeah, there. But he¡¯s way in the back.¡±

    ¡°Do you think we should help?¡± I asked.

    ¡°How?¡±

    I checked the wall for a weak spot. Walk to the edge of the pens. There was a space between the bamboo and the corner of the wall. I bent down and took off my shoes.

    ¡°What are you doing? We are supposed to be having fun. Not save some rando.¡±

    I rolled my eyes at her. ¡°This is my fun. Saving someone is my fuel for existence. And it¡¯s my birthday. Indulge me.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how your moral code works¡­ You eat people but save them, too?¡± She shook her head but pulled back the bamboo for me.

    I got through the tight space. The back wall was entirely built with bricks. I had to go all the way to the other side to find a gate. The gate also reached the roof. Closing every inch of the space. I swore under my breath. I had to walk back to Charlene.

    ¡°And?¡± We heard more footsteps. I didn¡¯t need to wait. I grabbed Charlene and made her disappear.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

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    ¡°Qadir.¡± Her nose wrinkled, and her mouth pulled funny. She looked back at the path. I could smell the smoke. He always had a cigarette in his mouth. One specific brand¡­ And that Cologne he used.

    More footfalls joined the party, coming from the train station and parking area. Bertram walked right past us. Charlene and I drew a slow breath when we saw Carl¡¯s father. ¡°He is the one behind everything.¡± My heart dropped. Charlene¡¯s nails dug into my wrist.

    He met up with Qadir.

    Qadir: ¡°Is Juliet here?¡±

    Bertram: ¡°Yes. They are at the arena. All of them.¡±

    My eyes darted past them and behind us. Jessy was nowhere.

    ¡°Agatha is here,¡± Bertram mentioned.

    Qadir¡¯s let his guard down for a second. His eyes dropped to the ground. The cigarette was forgotten. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Everything organized?¡±

    Bertram: ¡°Yeah. Have you gotten anything from Samuels¡¯s farm?¡±

    Qadir: ¡°A lot¡­ I¡¯ll fill you in after to celebrate.¡±

    Bertram: ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    We stood silent, watching the two men walk away. Louis¡¯s voice sounded through the speaker. He was announcing the first fight. Music started playing in the background. The roars of the werewolf in the arena were the next sound.

    I was trying to put together the puzzle before me. Why would they be here in the first place? What could Qadir be planning? I had a sick sense of dread in my gut. My eyes darted to the pen¡­

    Jessy came out through the bamboo across from us. ¡°I have to follow him.¡± He said¡­ ¡°Will you please not get into trouble in the next ten minutes?¡±

    Nodding, I was already walking away¡­ ¡°I¡¯m going for the guy. You know where to find me.¡± Jessy went into a light run, following Qadir.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone.¡± He turned around and saluted.

    ¡°Come, Charlene. It¡¯s time we test my strength.¡± I pulled her through the bamboo.

    ¡°No, Juliet!¡± She struggled to walk and took her shoes off in protest.

    I kept going. She was short on my heels. ¡°Get ready. You have my little black tube?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like it, Juliet!¡±

    ¡°You have no choice¡­ Tell me to break the gate down and go get that guy.¡±

    It took shaky hands and breaths to put her finger on the tiny screen. The plate opened in her hand like a small roller door. I did it for her and pressed my mouth onto it. It sucked and locked behind my neck.

    ¡°You do look badass in that thing¡­ Break down the gate and save the guy.¡±

    My body obeyed her. My ability kicked in immediately when it was on. There were locks and chains. My hands gripped either side and started pulling. It took a few seconds. The metal ¡°clanged¡± and echoed into the space.

    I rushed for the small gate into the pen, jumping over made the beasts run for the far side away from me. They huddled, exposing the man in the dirt. Inside, my heart beat faster. It was Michael. He seemed nearly dead, limp, and lying next to the wall.

    I picked him up. My little arms were strong, but he weighed nothing. All his muscles were gone. My body jumped over the gate, landing on the other side. Charlene had followed me in. Distraught at seeing him like that, she sputtered and glanced around. There was a small office in the corner. She pointed and told me to put him on the table. Her hand found the back of my neck.

    Gritted teeth and seething, I couldn¡¯t control my manifestations. I felt for a pulse. It was so weak. ¡°Check his pulse¡­ do you know how to do that yet. How far gone is he?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me.¡± Charlene¡¯s voice broke. She was taking his vitals.

    I grabbed her bag for her phone. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure¡­¡± I scrolled to Kubra¡¯s number and called. I pushed the phone to her ear. ¡°Get him here so that Louis doesn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­ where are the two of you? The fights have started?¡± Kubra said on the other side.

    She bit her bottom lip for a second. ¡°Kubra¡­ I¡¯m waiting at the pens where the creatures are. Juliet is doing something. I need you¡­ Don¡¯t tell Louis.¡±

    It was quiet on the other side. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± He hung up the phone.

    ***

    There was running on the walkway. ¡°Charlene, where are you?¡± Kubra whispered.

    Charlene was just outside calling out to him. I wanted to touch Michael, but it felt like he would break.

    ***

    Louis

    I was sitting next to Kubra when he got the call, so there really wasn¡¯t anything he could do. We got up and ran.

    ¡°What are the two of you doing?¡± I asked as Kubra pulled Charlene into his arms, tears rolling down her cheeks.

    I didn¡¯t have to ask. I could hear Juliet¡¯s mind jumping. Furious. Seeing what she was staring at. I rounded the corner. It was Michael. I swore loudly, wanting to take out my phone.

    ¡°No!¡± Juliet yelled. ¡°That is why I didn¡¯t want you here.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill Qadir tonight, Louis¡­ He did this, and it ends right now!¡±

    My eyes darted to the little black tube in Charlene¡¯s hand.

    ¡°You guys have to go back and pretend everything is fine. Qadir is here, and¡­ he is fighting Mateo¡­ He is drugged¡­ Kubra, you have to tell David. Michael would have been the prize. And Qadir would have killed him in front of me¡­ Come on Louis¡­ if he gets a whiff of this¡­ I won¡¯t get another shot!¡±

    Charlene decided for me. She pushed the black plate towards Juliet¡¯s face. I grabbed Charlene¡¯s wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t intervene!¡± Juliet spat. ¡°We need you at the compound. Kubra, get Michael to a medic right now. Someone you can trust.¡± Juliet said. His hand reached for his phone.

    ¡°Jessy¡­ where are you? I told you never to leave her¡­.¡± There was talking. ¡°I need a medic¡­ on the down-low at the pens¡­ No one must know.¡± He ended the call.

    Juliet wanted to take my hand away from Charlene¡¯s wrist. I forced the tube out of her hand. It fell into mine.

    ¡°Juliet, they are expecting a man¡­ you can¡¯t do this part, baby¡­ Meet me in the ring, huh¡­.¡± Her mind was going nuts. I walked forward and kissed her. ¡°Together, okay!¡±

    She shook her head roughly from side to side. ¡°I can¡¯t lose you.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t get another chance.¡±

    Her mind evened out¡­ Ragged breaths. ¡°Okay. But I will deal the last blow. I don¡¯t want Marcus to have an issue with you.¡±

    We agreed. ¡°I can¡¯t give this thing to Charlene. She won¡¯t be able to handle it, Juliet.¡± Three pairs of eyes drifted to Kubra. He drew in a deep breath and nodded, pouting his lips in understanding.

    ¡°Where is mine?¡± Charlene dug into her bag and handed it to Kubra. ¡°Just have it ready¡­ I have a feeling I¡¯m not going to need it¡­. Juliet, give yours to Rodrigo.¡± She nodded, and they left.

    ***

    I went to sit in the mud. My hair wasn¡¯t long, but it was easy to get dirty and change clothes with Michael. The beasts did the rest. For a moment, I didn¡¯t think Juliet would let me do it. Every day, we grew closer together. I loved her more and more. I didn¡¯t know if I would be able to survive without her. And if anything had to happen to me. We would go out together. Killing Qadir and getting the job done without Marcus or Chris was a test of our relationship. If we could do it¡­ We would be one step closer.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the guards came in again. The gate was closed, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Kubra was hiding behind the wall. Juliet and Charlene would be in the stands.

    ¡°We have to take that guy in next¡­ Who is going in there to get him out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± One man opened the pen and came in. He was wearing gumboots and those fishing pants to keep his clothes clean. Those things were messy. It wasn¡¯t some cow pen. He grabbed me under the shoulders and dragged me out, letting me plop on the ground outside the gate.

    ¡°Sheesh, he stinks.¡±

    Both grabbed me under an arm and hauled me down the loading lane for the beasts into the arena. It was walled so that the guards could just let them run down into the arena.  Kubra was following¡­ just in case.

    ***

    Qadir was fighting his werewolf. Mateo was giving him a run for his money, not holding back. Qadir seemed to have improved as well. I heard the yelp. It turned into human groaning. David Quickly intervened and got Mateo out of there. My feet were dragging in the sand.

    Qadir¡¯s head snapped around to me. His smell was a little better than the two chumps next to me. My head lifted, and his eyes turned black. My foggy white eyes threw him off-kilter. He had no freaking clue what was going on.

    Juliet and I had been practicing for months¡­ I just hoped it would be enough. Qadir and I started fighting immediately, hitting each other, kicking, and moving quickly around in the sand. The gates opened, and I spun away from him, holding out my hand to her. Juliet was quick, running into the middle to grab it. I flung her into the air so she could dive down onto Qadir¡¯s face. He dodged. She grabbed him in time, having a firm grip on his shoulders. She picked him up, kicking him in the back, slamming him to the ground. The crowd went wild, standing ovations. Never in a UFC would they fight to the death. That night, we were going against Bertram¡­ The rules of Earth¡­ I didn¡¯t care¡­ They went against us first.

    Qadir got to his feet quickly. His face fell when he saw Juliet with the plate¡­ both of our eyes¡­ precisely the same. We weren¡¯t there. Rodrigo and Kubra were securing the gates so no one could interfere¡­ They came into the ring, watching. Rodrigo was finally getting his revenge¡­ being in control of Juliet. Having a front-row seat.

    We circled Qadir. Attacked him from every angle. He fought well and put in all his efforts. The first jab that almost got through, Juliet stopped with only a hand. She twisted his fist in hers with little effort. Qadir jumped out of it, turning in the air and bending her arm around.

    I didn¡¯t let him get close to her, though. For the first time, I saw Juliet manifesting while under control. Her dark claws grew into his arm, gripping his skin and flesh and tearing through it. He swore and buckled under the pain. She was done, kicking his knees out from under him, pushing him down to the ground. Juliet retracted her arm and struck him in the face so hard that I heard the bones cracking. The crowd gasped. A deadly silence fell on the place. They had no idea what was going on.

    I tried reading her like that¡­ staring at her handling him. Qadir fell face down in the dirt. She cartwheeled over him, straddled him, and with her nails, cut the flesh open along his spine from his neck to his ass. He was writhing and screaming, turning into her, throwing her off with the momentum.

    I didn¡¯t move... She still had control. Qadir¡¯s wasn¡¯t strong enough. He wasn¡¯t fast enough for her close-range attacks. She knew her energy was the problem. She had to exert a lot of power to give crushing blows. Juliet lowered herself and sliced her nails over his joints above his heels, tearing through the flesh on his calves. Qadir flopped down, unable to move but alive¡­ Juliet stood still, waiting. Rodrigo walked over and took off the plate. We were ourselves again. She just stood there. I was wondering what she was waiting for. Her gaze traveled up into the crowd to where our seats were. There was a murmur.

    Juliet quieted them down. Her eyes met Agatha¡¯s, who was the only one standing, staring down at her husband.

    Juliet waited¡­

    The cameras were on both of them. Agatha¡¯s face was full of emotions, and she nodded slightly.

    Juliet walked over to Qadir and looked up at me. Reading her, all she saw was Marcus¡­ How this would not be worth it if he didn¡¯t forgive her.

    I shook my head. ¡°No, baby. That¡¯s not how this works.¡±

    For so long, he couldn¡¯t choose between his father and her. The fear still gnawed at her that it would turn him. Juliet¡¯s eyes turned glossy. A white hue. She was in control without the plate.

    With one smashing blow, she came down at the base of his spine, crushing and severing it. Her hands dug and took hold of his spine. Her foot moved, and she stood on his torso, ripping up, and his head connected to his spine came right off his body, lifting into the air. Her eyes closed, bracing for the blood splatter. The rest dripped down her arm. Even I had to take a step back. Juliet turned back to human, dropping him in the sand, gasping, sobbing. The crowd was quiet. The people had never seen someone murder another¡­ At a show. In real life¡­ On Tv... World wide. We were going to have a lot of backlash about it.

    Something happened that I didn¡¯t expect¡­ The people started clapping. The crowd had stood to their feet and put their hands together¡­ In a low tone. Not sure but still¡­ We all watched in confusion. Bertram came through the gate towards us.

    ¡°You just sealed the fate of every alien on Earth. A vampire killing a vampire because you know who the bad guy is¡­. And now everyone on Earth knows who¡¯s in charge.¡±

    I ignored him. Juliet was already running for a car.

 Trauma

    106. Trauma

    Charlene

    Juliet would not leave Michael alone again. Liam, Cindy, and Jessy had to all three be there before she would even walk back with me, letting Louis get into the dirt.

    She was waiting at the gates when I sat down next to Carl after giving Rodrigo the little tube. I didn¡¯t know what to say to Carl. It had been months of Louis and him trying to find out who was behind everything. No one had suspected Bertram would go that far in playing both sides. How did he keep it all from Louis?

    I was nervous. Carl put his hand on mine. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Chars. Where is everyone? What happened.¡± I interlaced our fingers and gripped onto him as Mateo transformed into a human. Carl¡¯s gaze drifted down to our hands. ¡°It was your father¡­ Carl.¡± His hand clasped mine tighter. ¡°We saw him with Qadir. He took Michael.¡±

    The crowd went nuts when Louis and Qadir started fighting. It wasn¡¯t long before Juliet killed him, and my face was buried in Carl¡¯s shoulder. Her animalistic nature¡­ Being a creature was sometimes too much for me to accept¡­ His hand was on my head and hair. Agatha crying next to him.

    We all sat motionless as Juliet ran out of the arena. There was only one place she was going.

    ¡°I think¡­ I¡¯m not going home with you.¡± Carl said solemnly. He looked up, and my gaze traveled with his. It was Kubra. I jumped up, and he caught me.

    ¡°Carl, I think it¡¯s a mistake¡­.¡± Kubra tried¡­ Carl¡¯s eyes were on the ground, wheels turning. And he left.

    ¡°We have to go home,¡± I said to Kubra.

    He nodded. Helping Agatha up. We still had to navigate the crowd. The night was over.

    ¡°Charlene, I have to go tell Marcus. Will you be okay?¡± Kubra asked as we neared the red gates. Agatha gripped my hand. We both nodded, and Kubra left quickly. I saw Juliet aimlessly staring into the room.

    ***

    Marcus

    It was almost the middle of the night when the request came through, and I saw Kubra¡¯s name¡­ I knew something had happened. A lump formed in my throat. I was still at my office desk, even that late at night. I waited impatiently. It was Juliet¡¯s Birthday, and I didn¡¯t even go over to see her, scared that it would all be ending soon.

    The office door opened¡­ Kubra¡¯s eyes carried a mixture of shock and fear¡­ He went to sit down. No bow, no greeting, nothing.

    ¡°What is it? Out with it!¡±

    ¡°Your father died.¡±

    Strangely I had no immediate feelings about it. Not even relief. Kubra wasn¡¯t saying anything else¡­ I walked over and held out my hand. He hesitated. Irritated, I waved my palm at him. I wasn¡¯t even talking anymore or civil. Everything that happened between us was coming to an end.

    ¡°Remember that time in France¡­ When Jack and I came after the Embassy. You hugged me because I was secretly altering your feed. I want to remember you like that.¡±

    ¡°Give me the stick, Kubra.¡±

    ¡°Remember that time you killed my father.¡±

    The words hurt. I remembered the moment. When I had to face him after¡­

    ¡°Was it you?¡±

    He shook his head slightly. Ahasuerus came into the study. Kubra gave me the tube and fell to the floor. Me falling in front of Juliet in the club flashed in my thoughts. Where was that guy? That would love her even if she had fifty lovers. I shook myself and waved the little tube in the air. The three of them were fighting. Juliet got him down almost all by herself. She had on the mouthpiece.

    ¡°Who was controlling her?¡± Kubra shook his head.

    Rodrigo came and took it off. She trusted him that much. I held my breath as her gaze traveled up to my mom¡¯s.

    Ahasuerus and I were speechless as she waited for Agatha to give permission. Juliet spoke to Louis, and he said something¡­ She was violent and swift. My fists clenched when she dropped him into the dirt, sobbing. All I could think about was that I wasn¡¯t there.

    ¡°Now your chit has done what neither of us could do,¡± Ahasuerus said.

    My fist relaxed at his tone. For a moment, I had thought he would retaliate. I would have had to make another decision. Ahasuerus left. His PA in tow going to make funeral preparations. Kubra got up off the floor.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°It was Bertram and Qadir. He wanted to kill Michael in front of Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Michael¡­? Alive?¡±

    Kubra nodded. I sighed with relief. I was jealous, but not that jealous. I thought about Carl¡­ We were such good friends at one stage. He would have a tough time with it all.

    ¡°Marcus¡­ Please¡­ tell her something. Even if it¡¯s a small note¡­ You could see how difficult it was for her.¡±

    Everything Qadir put her through. Everything I had to go through¡­ To be conditioned¡­ Hardened¡­ He denied our marriage. What he did to my mother¡­ I should give Juliet more than a note. The relief sunk in. He was dead. I felt better than I did that day, Louis claimed her. We were all free¡­ I walked to my desk. He came over and gave me paper and a pen. I didn¡¯t have any.

    Julie, I¡¯m sorry.

    I never meant to hurt you.

    Or wanted you to have to do that.

    I am relieved. You have set us all free.

    I love you.

    I didn¡¯t fold it. Kubra read it. He nodded with tears in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you are still in there. Maybe now you can become your own person.¡±

    He turned around and left.

    ***

    Michael

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    All I remembered was Juliet. She picked me up like I was nothing. Jumping up into the air over the fence. I knew being in her arms, I was safe¡­ I relaxed and passed out. The first jostle that woke me was in a car. Juliet wasn¡¯t there.

    We stopped. Many pairs of hands and arms carried me and lifted me up into a tub. Water started running over me. So many hands on me, washing and scrubbing. But no one was saying anything. I didn¡¯t know where I was or who was around me, in and out of consciousness.

    At one point, I heard Juliet crying. Softly sniffling. I couldn¡¯t open my eyes. I didn¡¯t have the guts to look at her anyway. I wasn¡¯t in the tub anymore. I was warm¡­ They trimmed my beard. Checked me for fleas and lice, cleaning my festering wounds on a table. Stitches, a drip.

    When nothing was going on anymore, there was silence. ¡°Michael¡­ I¡¯m going to drug you.¡± Juliet said softly.

    She wasn¡¯t touching me. ¡°I¡¯m too scared to touch you.¡± Her hand ran over my cheek. Relieved that she would put me out.

    ***

    Juliet

    Michael was already at the house¡­ When Louis and I got there, he was in the bath. He was so thin¡­ My dad was holding him up. My mom was crying and washing¡­ Jessy was following orders. And I guessed a doctor helping, giving directions. Behind me was everyone else that had come from the arena. Charlene and Agatha wrapped their arms around me. ¡°Kubra went to tell Marcus,¡± Charlene whispered. Agatha took my hand in hers and kissed it.

    ***

    After it all, Michael was in my bed. I stood there staring at him. Everything he had to go through because he knew me.

    ¡°Juliet.¡± I heard the voice from the door. I couldn¡¯t react. There was too much going on inside me. ¡°Juliet.¡± My eyes slowly met Kubra¡¯s. I drew in a breath.

    Marcus was next¡­ I would know in a second if I lost someone else. I couldn¡¯t see Michael coming back from this. Kubra handed me a sheet of paper. Nervously my teeth bit down as I opened it and read. I started sobbing uncontrollably. Kubra gathered me in his arms. Louis came and took over. I didn¡¯t stop crying for a long time.

    ***

    Two Weeks Later

    Michael

    I was comfortable¡­ In a bed. There was an arm draped over me from behind. It had to be Juliet. She was nestled into my back, sleeping.

    Lifting my head a little, I could open my eyes. It had been a long time. I tried to figure out where we were. The room was dark, and I was thankful that I still had my eyes.

    My body stiffened as I realized I was in bed with her¡­ and Louis. He was holding her¡­ It was a little weird. I thought I would be okay with it¡­ But I wasn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t deal and lifted her arm. I slowly got up, throwing my legs over the bed. Juliet had woken up and sat up on her elbows. Louis didn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to do¡­ this.¡± I gestured to the bed.

    ¡°You know this is me, right.¡±

    She stood up and took my hand, leading me out to the room next door.

    It was beautifully decorated. All my old stuff from my apartment was there. My helmet for my Harley was hanging, and my leather jacket. Boots at the door. Black satin sheets with my old comforter that I loved. I was such a human.

    She sat down on a couch. The lounge area had a flat screen, consoles,  and remotes waiting on a table. Cup holders in the sofas.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Michael¡­ I have no excuse for not coming for you. I should have found you¡­ And if you want to leave. I¡¯ll understand.¡±

    I knew she needed to say it to get it off her chest¡­ She wasn¡¯t putting any pressure on me¡­ My head was a mess. I was going to need help. I should have left; staying there would have made everyone stressed and uncomfortable, looked at me funny, and treated me differently. Afraid that they were going to pity me. Would I even be able to function?

    My eyes met hers for the first time. The last time was when I dropped off Caleb¡­ That she had told me to come back. She was waiting¡­ I tried to see what I always saw in them. Excitement, adoration, respect. Even though all of that was still there¡­ I was different.

    Did I still feel the same about her? Was I angry? I couldn¡¯t be at her¡­ I knew how hard she had tried. I was on another freaking planet¡­ Why did Marcus not find me?

    ¡°Your old apartment is still there. I can have you set up there in an hour. If you want to go¡­ It will take ten minutes. You¡¯ll be back in Brooklyn. We moved the teleporter station into the compound¡­ Or¡­ You could go to the farm¡­ Or we could go to the farm.¡±

    ¡°Where is Samuel?¡± My voice was dry and croaky. I cleared my throat.

    Juliet stood up, going over to the small built-in bar outside against the mountain. There was a water dispenser, and she brought me a cup.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. MIA since you were taken.¡±

    I was always the fun one¡­ What would my purpose be¡­ There was no more fun left in me. Tired of standing, I went to sit down opposite her. Not next to her¡­ Or close to her.

    ¡°If you want me to leave you alone for a few days so you can chill.¡±

    I said nothing. Juliet got up slowly. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to scare you with the bed situation. We just thought it best you know where we want you.¡±

    The door closed, but I rushed toward it and opened it. She spun around to me. ¡°Don¡¯t close the door.¡± She gave a silent sob, pressing her lips together. She nodded and turned towards her room.

    ***

    For two weeks, I was only in the room. I didn¡¯t leave¡­ I didn¡¯t talk to anyone. The door was always open.

    Even when I slept. I liked to sit on the sofa and just watch¡­ Get a feel for things¡­ I could hear the regular group outside that I so desperately wanted to join a year ago¡­ I heard them struggling with Sammy. Something I could help with, but I couldn¡¯t get up.

    I noticed Kubra and Charlene. Carl wasn¡¯t there. He was feeling bad that his father was the one that took me. Made Rodrigo keep me. I heard how she killed Qadir. Marcus wasn¡¯t there¡­ I wondered what had happened¡­ Where he was? I had not seen him once.

    No one did, in the end, pity me. Or treat me in any way I didn¡¯t want to be. They didn¡¯t even talk to me. I think Louis had a lot to do with that.

    My gaze still followed Juliet¡­ wherever she would go, and I could see her. So used to watching¡­ She... was still¡­ hot¡­ Having her comfort me was a thought. But screwed up as I was¡­ The regrets soon shut down those thoughts.

    She was different¡­ more mature¡­ Me being missing had so much to do with it¡­ I wasn¡¯t there to help her through the birth¡­ Weird¡­ That to me¡­ Was a bitter pill to swallow¡­ Who delivered the baby? Who was there to help her after? I always wanted to help her.

    I wondered how long I was out. After Marcus branded her. She was out for three days. It was just her and me, having to sit and wait till she woke up, touching her for the first time after years of just watching¡­ Help her to the bathroom. Clean her in the bed. Doing everything a¡­ nurse would¡­ do¡­ The humiliation and anxiety hit me. My head snapped up... The embarrassment was too much¡­ I walked to the door, stopping in the doorway. A lot of eyes were on me. It was the first time I had made contact. ¡°How long was I out?¡±

    ¡°About two weeks¡­¡± Juliet answered slowly.

    ¡°Who? Who took care of me?¡± I forced out the words.

    She raised her hand slowly. I could feel the small frown lines form on my forehead. I never¡­ ever¡­ wanted to be that for her. I was supposed to be the one who took care of her and all her needs¡­ I was her watcher.

    ¡°I need to get out.¡± I sneered. I grabbed my helmet and my jacket. I sat down to slip on my boots.

    Like them¡­ I couldn¡¯t hear her thoughts. Hear her breathing and what it told them about her emotional state. I couldn¡¯t hear her heart pounding unless I could feel it with an outstretched hand on her chest.

    Did she want to come with me for a drive? Did I want her with me for a drive? I needed to get out¡­ Out¡­ Far away from where I always wanted to be. She was where I wanted to be. For the first time, it felt wrong¡­ I felt wrong¡­ She killed Qadir because of me. Oh, how messed up I was. I couldn¡¯t get control of my thoughts. And the PTSD was still coming.

    The sleep deprivation was the worst. It nearly made me go crazy. Just before you did go off the deep end, they would give you a good night¡¯s sleep, clean you up, feed you¡­ And it will all start over. The conditioning camps were just that. Rewarded for good behavior, not that I got that treatment. Sensory deprivation to show you who was in control. The second demand was no talking. If you said one word¡­

    Our gazes fixed when I had the guts to bring my eyes to hers. Mine flickered up and down as I pulled on my second boot. Hers were soft and waiting. Louis came out of the office¡­ He frowned when he saw me. ¡°No! Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡±

    ¡°I need to get out.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t get on a bike Michael¡­ Let alone a Harley. You can¡¯t even walk properly. Your physio is just starting to work¡­ Come on man think.¡±

    I paused. I wasn¡¯t thinking¡­ Louis would quickly get in my head¡­ He would be able to help me¡­ Maybe¡­ he could be who I talked to

 Where We Came From

    107. Where We Came From

    Chris

    Caleb had his fifth birthday. Juliet would have had her birthday. She was twenty. When I saw her again, she would probably look a little different. I sure did.

    If my father thought I was sitting around accepting everything. He was in for a surprise. There was one thing I promised myself when I accepted my fate there. I wasn¡¯t going to have my head buried in the sand anymore. When I had free time, I walked the city from corner to corner and documented the oldest people. There was no other way for history to carry on but by the stories they told, word of mouth, and sometimes a picture in the sand. I had made it my mission to spend as much time with those people as possible. To figure out what was going on and whether my father was forthright with me. Just having one guy tell me what was going on wasn¡¯t how I would live my life anymore. I had a lot of questions and nothing but time to get the answers. I wanted to know where the culture came from. Who made the decision that species didn¡¯t mix. Why did they want to stay primitive and not advance? How could it be that our City housed forty million Riphaths? If we could only have one child. We should have never been in existence. When did En-gannim come the first time, and what happened.

    My favorite woman to talk to was the oldest one on Zoreah. Her eyesight was going, and all she did was sit and talk. In her hand was a stone pestle, and on the floor, a big mortar in between her legs. That was what she did all day long, grind away at some type of plant. With En-gannim¡¯s medical advancements, she could have traded for eyes or at least gotten her sight back. Why did everyone just sit around? On some days, I tried to get a few of the older people together to let them speak. Let things flow naturally. I tried to do it on days that I knew Ira couldn¡¯t come and interfere. He probably knew I did it anyway.

    That day, four women sat talking about when the vampires came for the first time.

    Selena had stayed with Jamal and me. Over the last year, the three of us had become close. When she found out who I was¡­ it didn¡¯t bother her. So she had another tick in my boxes and was with us that day. She followed Jamal and me everywhere. I was happy that they were also interested in the truth.

    Their story began about five thousand years ago. Their king, Ira¡¯s father, had honed and mastered his teleportation ability. His guards were with him practicing. He left and was just gone. They searched the whole city and the planet to find him. He never returned.

    A thousand years later, the first vamps showed up. They had a very old man with them. Ira¡¯s father. He had traveled across the system to the closest planet at that moment.

    The vamps had used him to steal the ability. They had everything but a starting point that he gave them. It was instant war¡­ For another thousand more years. Outnumbered and outmatched, the vampires soon ceased to try to infiltrate or attack Zoreah.

    They came with open arms after that¡­ Bringing gifts and technology from all over the galaxy. They brought water. The Riphaths didn¡¯t have a choice but to start trading with them. Vampires mated with Riphath women. When they got pregnant, none of the babies survived. And because a Riphath could only produce one baby. Those women never had a child again. It was soon banned to sleep with a vampire if a woman had never had a baby before.

    On the other spectrum¡­ vampire women were never seen or heard from. The Riphath men became irritated by how their women were dominated. Some women just killed the vampires outright. The trade alliances were in a difficult place. It was nothing but lust that drove the vampire men to yearn after the beautiful women on Zoreah. Ahasuerus didn¡¯t like his men being obsessed with a women¡¯s beauty. Ira didn¡¯t like the vamps coming onto the planet whenever they wanted. Every vampire died that thought they could come onto the sand of Zoreah after the law was passed. The door was permanently closed off. It was strictly on an invitation-only that someone could come and go for all the planets. Ahasuerus¡¯s predecessors had tight reigns on who could go where.

    The woman in front of me was nearly five thousand years old. Riphath¡¯s lived that long because of the time. When she was young. When Ira¡¯s father disappeared¡­ She was hesitant to tell the rest of the story¡­ The Riphaths lived all in one big city on the other side of Zoreah. They were too many to count.

    Living in that city¡­ She hesitated again¡­ Was where we came from.

    ¡°As long as we were there, time stood still. As soon as someone left, they started aging. In there¡­ The women and men had numerous children. And because there was no marriage, the population became too big. There were wars and fights about who would stay and who would go. There was no more space for beasts¡­ farms, or anything. When the vamps came, no one told them about the city. Or else it would have been worse.¡± Beatrice stopped talking.

    Another continued for her. ¡°We were too scared that they would find out. If we decided to send some Riphaths off the city, the truth might come out.  We all left at once. Decided that we valued lives above time¡­ We thought, at first¡­ That we would have enough outside the city.¡±

    Beatrice drew in a heavy breath and started pounding away again. ¡°We just didn¡¯t know that going out of the city was the punishment¡­ The race would die out. Women carried only one child after that.

    ¡°But what if you go in now¡­ would it not work,¡± Selena asked.

    The four women shook their heads. ¡°You can¡¯t. Everyone gets one entry and one exit¡­ Women don¡¯t go back to having multiple babies. They have to be born there.¡±

    ¡°But if we are dying out and Ira lets it happen, why is he so bent on making me king of a species that won¡¯t last long?¡±

    ¡°Not even Caleb will see the end of the species. We still have a lot of time left. A lot of people to govern¡­ And we have to decide if we will ever go back¡­ We need a king for that.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember my mother?¡± I asked.

    They all smiled for a moment. But it was short-lived. ¡°Such a drought.¡± All four women nodded. There was a murmur about how hard it was. ¡°Everyone was desperate.¡±

    Because she carried the next king or Queen¡­ She was seen as an exception. And the women stood together to help her make her way to Earth. Implored Ira to give them both a fighting chance¡­.¡±

    ¡°Because the vampires didn¡¯t allow anyone else on their planet. En-gannim was out. Palmyra didn¡¯t even answer the plea for help. Ira had to meet with Ahasuerus¡­ We think Ahasuerus knew. Because there was minimal trading¡­ He gave Ira information about Earth. They both sent her there.¡±

    ¡°Is that why she was alone¡­?¡± They nodded. ¡°Only two allowed¡­ A life for a life.¡±

    ¡°The thing was that Ahasuerus never told Qadir¡­ She was alone with no friend¡­ The elders signed a treaty with Ahasuerus. We needed assurance, and we got it by paying for it.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Asked Jamal.

    ¡°Ahasuerus can live in that city for as long as he wants.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he almost dying? Desperate to get his grandson back to take over.¡±

    ¡°She nodded. It won¡¯t be long¡­ He had one ultimatum. To bring someone with him.¡±

    ¡°Just one person? Who?¡±

    ¡°Rodrigo Gonzales.¡±

    ¡°He wants to bottle it.¡± The four women agreed.

    ¡°If we don¡¯t do something¡­ We will go extinct eventually. They are waiting it out.¡±

    ¡°Zoreah is the planet everyone wants. The gravitational pull on our planet for sustainable energy¡­ The possibilities are endless.¡±

    I wanted to ask about the werewolves, but they shoed us away. Tired of talking. We gave them all presents and baskets of food. They told us to come back any time.

    ***

    ¡°Are you done packing, Chris?¡± Selena asked as we walked away from Beatrice''s house.

    I snorted. ¡°Yes, I have my son¡­ that is all I¡¯m packing. She pushed me on the shoulder. She was very physical in a playful way.

    ¡°I have to say¡­ I will be first in that convoy tomorrow morning,¡± Jamal said. I was processing everything they had told us. Selena didn¡¯t play with Jamal. He could see I treated her differently. He had not even mentioned it or given her any indication of attraction.

    ¡°The three of us have front row seats. It will take us half the time.¡±

    All three of us were ready for summer. I couldn¡¯t wait to set out for Shumaan.

    ***

    ¡°Hey, Maya! Are you home?¡±

    The three of us went into the house. Caleb was crying. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked.

    Maya was nervous to say. ¡°Spit it out,¡± I ordered.

    ¡°Ira left¡­ with General Sung and that other guy¡­ They are going to Shumaan early¡­ He told Caleb he would be gone for a while. That he will see him there. He started crying.¡±

    Caleb rushed for Selena¡­ ¡°Mommy. Ira¡¯s gone.¡± The words pierced me¡­  Deep into my core. My eyes darted from her to him. She had picked him up and explained that she wasn¡¯t his real mother. ¡°Can I call you mommy? I don¡¯t have a mommy.¡±

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    Maya seemed offended. ¡°We can all see who you favor, Chris. It¡¯s confusing him. You need to decide soon.¡±

    I took Caleb from Selena. ¡°I thought that was the whole point¡­ That I didn¡¯t have to decide¡­ Everyone out!¡±

    ¡°Now you can see why having only one person in your life will never work here. He needs to connect with as many of us as possible.¡± I didn¡¯t even have to look at Selena¡­ I knew she felt the same way as Maya¡­ I would never find someone that would¡­ stay. Be a mother to Caleb in all aspects.

    ¡°Out!¡± I hollered. They cleared the room. I didn¡¯t even have a photo of Juliet to show Caleb.

    ¡°Why are you angry, daddy?¡± He whispered.

    ¡°Because I miss your mommy Caleb?¡±

    ¡°Where is my mommy? My real mommy?¡±

    ¡°She is very far away¡­¡±

    ¡°On¡­ Ear¡­ Ea..¡±

    ¡°Earth.¡±

    ¡°Where is that?¡±

    ¡°I hope only a few months away¡­ Caleb.¡±

    ¡°What does she look like?¡±

    ¡°I can hardly remember¡­ But I can tell you how she was¡­ Juliet was¡­ is¡­ Silly and stupid. She liked to be held. She always wanted attention. Just like you¡­¡± He laughed. ¡°She cried easily, but you had to work to make her smile¡­ give her what she wanted¡­ Just like you... ¡± He laughed again. ¡°She is sweet like you¡­ but a fighter¡­ And she loves reading. She loves the snow¡­¡±

    ¡°She loves daddy?!¡± He asked.

    ¡°Oh, she loves you so much more.¡±

    ***

    Finally, we were on our way to Shumaan. I sighed, hoping and wishing that I would be able to go back when we got there. Just to see her. Even if it was just for a while. Maybe two weeks in the cabin. Caleb with us. She would love that. I didn¡¯t know how to tell her that he was her son. That she missed most of his life.

    The trek back wasn¡¯t so bad as coming up north. The altitude made a difference. Everyone was also happier going back for summer and not having all the cold. Selena and Jamal were with me, making the trip much better and more manageable. But because Ira left, everyone was counting on me. Silvanus had asked me not to rush back but to stay and help protect the convoy.

    We walked for almost three months. The three of us scouting and fighting migrating monsters on the way. The hunters and guards surrounded and patrolled the convoy as we walked. I was very aware of everything at that time and took more in. For the first time on Zoreah, I saw something green. I was instantly homesick.

    There were fields of something that grew next to a river. The river wasn¡¯t big, just a small one, but it flowed, and I longed for a shower, a bath, the snow, and the air in the mountains. Earth was beautiful, and I missed it. I missed all of it. I couldn¡¯t care what I went back to. Hopefully, a Juliet with a tongue. Scared that in the last year at the compound¡­ she hadn¡¯t made it.

    The city was not at all like Yaroun. It stretched out with more space for everyone. And there was no wall. Every house had a little bit of area around it. More of a rural village. Like last time it took a few days for the convoy to move into the city. They did it so respectfully, getting the older people settled. The families were in the middle, so the kids were safe. The hunters lived on the city¡¯s outskirts and protected everyone. There were scout towers randomly placed and a constant guard with shifts.

    I had to say the respect for life there was from another world. The fact that the vamps killed people and I had actually eaten people would probably grieve the Riphaths. I didn¡¯t know what happened on Earth¡­ With Qadir¡­ And him taking over.

    ***

    From that first morning, I followed my father like a shadow. Didn¡¯t leave him alone. I had asked him to tell me why he came back early¡­ He knew what I wanted, and he avoided it. When he was sleeping, I searched the whole city for wherever the teleporter would be. Asked the elders, but they would not say if Ira was keeping it from me. Jamal and Selena even helped. But nothing for more months. Till one day after work¡­ I saw him coming back from somewhere out of the city. A frown on his face. He was confused and deep in thought.

    My gaze traveled up the path he had come down from. I didn¡¯t lose time and walked searching, following his tracks. It took me nearly an hour to find the place¡­ ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± Selena said.

    ¡°Shhhh.¡± Jamal and I said at the same time¡­ We heard talking.

    There was a cave hidden in some small hills around the outskirts of the border. We walked closer and heard Silvanus and someone else.

    ¡°Did you hear what he said¡­. He denied the¡­.¡± They stopped talking. I groaned. Silvanus had the nose of a dog and the ears of a bat. Literally. There was a reason he was the best on the planet.

    ¡°Chris, come on up.¡± His sentences were still ended with that weird humming noise. The three of us slowly walked around the corner. The cave was a sizeable hollowed-out space in the mountain. A circle was carved out of the rock on the floor¡­ It looked like a landing. It was for the teleporter. The excitement started building in my breast.  ¡°Can I go?¡±

    Silvanus¡¯s shoulders slumped. He held out a device, and I knew it was broken when I took it.

    ¡°We just got here¡­ Your father¡­.¡± I swore so loudly, manifested, and roared so that the whole city heard me. I ran out of the cave on my way to our house.

    Silvanus was short on my heels, tackling me. We rolled in the dirt, and Jamal came closer, trying to help me keep him busy. But once Silvanus manifested, he picked little Jamal up and held him in the air. He hit him once to knock him out. I was teleporting. Silvanus was better. He got me down again. I wasn¡¯t going to hold back. ¡°You can¡¯t attack your father, Chris¡­ You¡¯re still too human.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care¡­.¡± I lunged at him. I knew I was faster short-range. I needed to catch him off guard.  I had been training to keep my body low, so I had more control over my heavy torso. Silvanus had the horns¡­ I used them a few times to get him down, straddled him to ground, and pound. He blocked and teleported out from under me. I was still on the floor. He was behind me. I rolled away. My claws fully extended. Both of us were fighting. It sounded like metal scraping and clanging against metal. We both got the other a few times. We were matched and determined. Bleeding. My face was cut, and his shoulder was sliced. We were tired, staring at each other. I had grown, and Silvanus noticed¡­

    ¡°Why do you think he did it?¡± Silvanus asked.

    ¡°Because he knows I want to go home!¡± I bellowed it out. ¡°I¡¯ve waited five years to see her... How could he? I would have come back. What is wrong with him?¡±

    ¡°YOU CAN NEVER GO BACK!¡± He roared into the air.

    ¡°I will go back. It¡¯s just a matter of time¡­ She will come, and you might stop me, but you won¡¯t stop her.¡± I was livid and shaking. ¡°Tell me what he said¡­ Please.¡±

    Silvanus pointed to the device that the general picked up. She had not interfered in our dispute. Selena stood next to her at attention, forced to watch.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have a teleporter, Chris.¡±

    The confusion was evident on my face¡­ ¡°What else is that device for? Why else would he break it?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Communication device with En-gannim.¡±

    I swore again. ¡°I thought he said no tech. He planned to come back early. How could he do it? There was something on there that he didn¡¯t want me to see¡­ Tell me what he said¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t, Chris. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Silvanus had come out of his manifested state. Bruised and bleeding. He walked over to her and took the device. We walked back into the cave. He put it down inside a small carved-out space in the wall. I walked closer and saw that something there charged it or made it work.

    ***

    Silvanus sat down. He nodded to the general. She walked around a bend in the stone. Came out with one of those glass plates that Michael always had.

    I frowned. ¡°To travel from planet to planet requires a big one. It can only be managed from En-gannim. We don¡¯t have one. We send an invitation, and if the vampires accept it. We get to go, or the ambassador comes for a meeting.¡±

    ¡°So she could have sent a message¡­ Why do you have this one?¡±

    ¡°The small one is for the five soft spots Zoreah has. We only have five. From most important to least.¡±

    ***

    I didn¡¯t know why he told me¡­ That didn¡¯t help me¡­ I handed it back to him. I turned and left. Went to Jamal¡¯s and moved in there. Ira didn¡¯t even try to explain or come see me. He was waiting for me.

    After more months, he eventually caved and tried¡­ But my stubbornness had broken down that relationship. I had to make peace that I might never see Juliet again. That I really was never going back home. Selena came into my room at Jamal¡¯s after Ira had left. She sat down next to me and put her arm around me. She pulled me closer, and my head rested on her shoulder. While mine shook as she comforted me.

    ***

    Isla

    Once you decide to go to a conditioning camp. There was no turning back. You belonged to the King and got the opportunity of getting married. If you didn¡¯t, a hundred was the cut-off time. Most of the women who didn¡¯t make it entered too late and were too set in their ways. After that, only service and death awaited you.

    Women were still not allowed to go wherever they wanted¡­ But, like my mother¡­ she could leave the house. As long as she stayed in the village where her husband was. But I also heard some horrifying stories about some of the islands. Not all of them were the same. And the other rulers of the islands across En-gannim could manage their affairs as they liked. Some places were better than the compound, and some were worse. We had heard of the death of the only son left. Qadir had died.

    Soren came to see me regularly before I entered the camp and told me what had happened. Marcus had shown him the footage of Juliet. He had said that it was scary to see. I didn¡¯t understand how any woman could do that?

    The camp I was in was training for fifty years before you could leave. They needed to be sure that you would stay the way you were. That your personality was docile and compliant. I had fit right in. The reading was catching up on me, but other than that, it really wasn¡¯t different than the compound. No talking. No friends. Rewards for good behavior like a dog¡­ Knowing what I know about the Earth and how free anyone could be¡­ It was challenging to change my ways completely. I didn¡¯t have a brother or father who could sneak me little things that made life just that little bit better. But I had made my choice. I wanted a family, and there were at least negotiations for marriage. No auction to whoever would pay the most.

    That day, the leaders invited me into their office. They told me of some of the men from Earth that wanted wives¡­ They didn¡¯t care that we didn¡¯t go through all the training. They were happy with someone quiet and compliant. It meant I would get to go immediately. I wouldn¡¯t be stuck there. But there was a reason why my father had hidden me. I wasn¡¯t going to throw that away¡­ Then, I could have gotten married a long time ago. No, I was in it for the long haul. Maybe even find a good house.

    That night¡­ the leadership felt differently when they gagged me and shipped me off to my new home.

    ***

    Soren

    Marcus was avoiding me. He never did have that chat with me about sleeping with his wife. I had a feeling that even if Louis approved, Marcus had a say¡­ And he wasn¡¯t saying anything. Marcus was different¡­ I had taken a back burner to James, and Isla was in her camp. My parents were living their lives and enjoying the food and the freedom we never had. I regretted coming at all. If I had stayed on Earth¡­ Things would have turned out differently. Life was much more exciting on Earth. Juliet was on earth¡­ I should have talked to Louis¡­ I had not heard anything from him since I sent him our family emblem¡­ I was starting to doubt Juliet ever getting on En-gannim... My patience was wearing thin.

    Marcus¡¯s attitude was the one thing that kept me in place. Reminded me that I had no right to her. I felt that if I had to go near her¡­ I didn¡¯t know what he would do.

 Summer

    108. Summer

    Michael

    Juliet trained most of the morning with Louis in those masks. Carl was giving orders, with Kubra leading the exercises. She was fit and healthy, but her back and shoulders were all leather- snake-like skin- and I didn¡¯t know if I could touch it. The few patches she had at the farm were nothing and easy to avoid. She looked different... I had not seen her naked since our time at the farm¡­ I had heard¡­ Warden had told me she took it badly, dropping Caleb, but seeing her in a thin, strappy top exposed most of her. I was one to talk¡­ I didn¡¯t even want to look at myself in a mirror. All my muscles were gone. All my hard work¡­ Gone. I groaned, thinking that I would have to start all over. Go out there and exercise with them¡­ with her¡­ My physiotherapy was concluding. If I wanted my body back, I would have to do it myself. I was getting to a point where I needed to think about talking to her. She had given me space. So much space¡­ If I stayed, I would have to commit to marrying her¡­. ¡°F-!¡± I completely forgot. Why wasn¡¯t I leaving¡­ I couldn¡¯t even talk to her, face her, or sleep next to them. They were training to fight freaking Ahasuerus and going to use the masks to make her and Louis more lethal. Who was going to talk them through it? I couldn¡¯t do it. I felt so out of place.

    I was the one that worked with Samuel to create it. What a mission it was to get it done through his contacts still on En-gannim. Back then, I was determined to save her life and would have done anything to be with her. I turned to look at myself in the mirror, taking the plunge. It wasn¡¯t pretty, not at all how I saw myself. So thin, and my skin was loose and wrinkled.

    That month between being taken and being let go as Juliet¡¯s watcher, I was mostly with Samuel, under the disguise of Caleb¡¯s watcher. We had spent so much time together, and I wondered where the hell he was or if he had known I would be taken. The only thing I could come up with was that it all happened too fast. Qadir was in France, and somehow, they had figured out all I had done, and with Qadir in charge at that point, there really wasn¡¯t anything anyone could do.

    ***

    Juliet

    Every day, I sat and watched Michael¡¯s door. He left it open, but Louis told me to back off, so I did. Louis and Michael had been spending time together, setting up his shop, making sure he saw his doctors. That he slept and was moving in the right direction. Louis was also reading him the whole time. Michael didn¡¯t mind¡­ Louis didn¡¯t want to share any of it with me.

    I was getting restless. He had been home two months and had yet to speak two words to me¡­ Louis eyed me suspiciously around the fire that night. He was in my mind¡­ And I was thinking about ways to push myself in there. I didn¡¯t mind doing the work. Michael was there, and that was all that mattered. Louis pulled me up out of my chair. We were walking over the grass to our room. He closed the door, rubbing his forehead. ¡°Baby¡­ Michael has a problem with your skin¡­.¡± I frowned. I was a bit hurt for a second. I never thought he would care. Although I did look like some freakshow. Weird green tattoo on my arm. Earth tattoos in random places on my body. My snakeskin back and two other tattoos reminded other men of who I belonged to.

    ¡°So if you¡­ push yourself in there. Or sneak in at night thinking you¡¯re going to temp him¡­. like you do with the rest of us¡­ he might get spooked¡­ He isn¡¯t like us. Used to weird things. Seeing it is different than experiencing it. Feeling it¡­ Remember how you felt when you first had to manifest in front of me¡­ You won¡¯t sleep with anyone like that, would you?¡±

    I sighed. It was not what I wanted to hear. I shook my head. I sat down on the bed, regretting every choice I made. Louis could¡¯ve found Michael if I had only let him meet with Rodrigo. I felt like a failure. Above everything he had to go through, I wanted to push him. I was being selfish. Louis left the room. I heard him knocking at Michael¡¯s door. I stepped out so that I could listen to their conversation.

    ***

    Louis

    I knocked on the doorframe. Michaels¡¯s door was always open. To me, that was a good sign. Juliet was impatient. No, Marcus. Constantly training with no reprieve. She would not even think about drinking or smoking.

    ¡°Yeah, come on in, Louis.¡± He sat up from lying on the couch, Magazine in his hand, yawning. It was already late that night.

    ¡°How are you sleeping?¡±

    ¡°Fine with the pills I have. I think I¡¯ll keep drinking them for a while. The antidepressants had quieted my racing thoughts. I actually feel normal¡­ Some days¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, man.¡± Katty came walking in, mewing, jumping on the couch, and making herself comfy next to him. Michaels¡¯s eyes stayed on her while he rubbed her head and stroked her.

    ¡°The shop got everything you need?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and then some. I¡¯m in heaven.¡±

    I nodded. Since he had been back, I was in his head the whole day, staying close. ¡°You know I have like five Ph. Ds in psychology.¡±

    His head snapped up. I chuckled¡­ ¡°Me¡­ having this ability is great, but¡­ it can¡¯t really help if you don¡¯t use it¡­ I can see what¡¯s going on in your mind¡­ But talking about it is where the real healing starts. Even if it¡¯s one sentence at a time¡­ Me and you¡­ Or someone else. Getting it out in the open is the only way¡­ If you¡¯re okay with talking to me¡­ we will have to spend some time together. I thought,¡­ while you¡¯re working on your bike¡­ but I don¡¯t want to bring that into your shop if that is your safe space.¡±

    Michael grabbed his hair in one hand, dragging it over his shoulder to drape on the side. He was constantly fidgeting, playing with his beard, or taking off the beanie he had on his head and pulling it over his head again.

    ¡°This is my safe space¡­¡± He whispered.

    I was stunned at his answer.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave. If that is what she needs to hear. You can come to the shop with me¡­ I¡¯d actually like talking while I¡¯m working.¡±

    I got up to go. It was more than I had expected him to say.

    ¡°I just can¡¯t talk to her right now¡­.¡± I stopped at the door, trying to figure out why, but there was a wall up around Juliet.

    ¡°I want to ask you something, but¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±

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    ¡°It¡¯s Marcus? Isn¡¯t it¡­¡± I spun around. Michael wasn¡¯t completely gone¡­ He bobbed his head when I didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°He hasn¡¯t been here either. They haven¡¯t¡­¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°She needs to have¡­¡±

    ¡°Fun?¡± He lowered his head.

    I smiled, having the first glimpse into what was bothering Michael. ¡°Marcus¡­ Fun¡­ No!¡± I laughed lightly. Michael chuckled. ¡°How could you think that?¡± He laughed. ¡°No¡­ Juliet and Marcus have some serious issues to sort out¡­ and it can only happen after¡­ I don¡¯t know how you see everything working¡­ Or how you saw it working before¡­.¡±

    He snorted, ¡°I have seen a lot, Louis. I actually had to watch her during those three years of high school. I almost¡­ interfered a few times¡­ and Chris that night. I had to watch her and you.¡± He glanced up at me. ¡°I want to walk away because it¡¯s easy... Me not talking to her¡­ isn¡¯t even about her... or the situation. It¡¯s about me and being human, fragile and useless. You are all above me¡­ I¡¯m not strong and looking like this.¡±

    Another insight into what was bothering him.

    Michael stood up. Neither of us expected it, but Juliet came around the corner and walked up to him, grabbing him around the waist with the thickest jersey I had ever seen her in. A polo underneath and baggy pants covering every inch of her. The only thing exposed was her face.

    The moment she did, Michael¡¯s core contracted. His body stiffened, and his mind went blank. It could go either way. He drew in a deep breath, and instinctively, his arms wrapped around her. It was the first time I saw any emotion on his face¡­ chin quivering. He was embarrassed, feeling less of a man. Slowly, I walked out of the room.

    ***

    Michael

    I never wanted to see her covering herself up again. How much she went through to take off that veil. How she rebelled and wore nothing at all¡­ I had heard what happened with Damian. I picked her up. She was still shorter than me. Smaller. She was still just a girl. My little Juliet. I hugged her. ¡°You want to go for a drive on my bike? Tomorrow morning?¡± I whispered into her ear, taking in the familiar scent of her. One I longed for. She nodded, and I put her down. She wasn¡¯t even looking at me, walking to the door. I laughed lightly at all the clothes she had on. Louis was really making it very easy.

    ***

    The desert was actually a very cool place to take a ride. Juliet had a long-sleeved shirt that covered her arms and back with a T-shirt over it. But she had on those short pants that barely covered her ass, sitting behind me on the bike. Her thighs pressed against me. If I peeked down. All I could see were legs with boots on. It did make me feel everything I needed to. I knew it was only a matter of time.

    We were headed for a bar. There was already a row of bikes parked outside when we stopped. Juliet jumped off, and I let the side stand down. Before she wanted to take off the helmet, I pulled her closer and bumped heads softly. Our helmets made a noise.

    She pulled hers off, and we placed them on the bike. Got a few comments about my ride. Juliet received a few stares¡­ Up those long legs of hers¡­ And I got a few words about the girl with me¡­ I didn¡¯t like it. I wouldn¡¯t be able to protect her. I made the decision right there to get in shape. If I wouldn¡¯t do it for myself and wasn¡¯t going to leave. I needed to mean something.

    That day, we spent out of the compound. She was quiet and let me take the lead. ¡°Do you remember when we first met?¡± I asked. Louis¡¯s words made me take a step forward.

    ¡°I remember you almost falling on your face.¡± One side of my mouth quirked up.

    ¡°I only had a chest full of ink. Nothing on my arms, legs, or feet. I was skinny back then. Still in watcher mode. Sniper mode. Army hair¡­ short.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t remember the way you looked¡­ The pictures on my mirror felt weird to see when Caleb was born. Of us¡­ but anyway, I couldn¡¯t walk properly and kept falling down in the room¡­ I was shot.¡±

    ¡°I heard you crying through the door. Had to listen to you struggle¡­ The third time I heard the ¡°thud,¡± I went inside¡­ I lifted my hands in the air, saying that I was your¡­ butler...¡±

    Juliet smiled¡­ ¡°I thought you were my parents. I didn¡¯t want to see them. I didn¡¯t know where I was or what was going on.¡±

    ¡°I went down on my haunches and picked you up. I took the crutches and showed you how to use them, almost falling.¡±

    She laughed.

    ¡°But I helped you into them. Adjusting the height.

    ***

    Flashback.

    [ ¡°You want to place them down first and swing yourself forward, landing on the good leg. Not the way I did it¡­¡±

    She tried. ¡°Yeah¡­ just like that. Slow and steady.¡±

    ¡°Thank You.¡± She whispered after wiping away some tears.

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome¡­ I¡¯ll be right at the door if you need anything. I¡¯ll be sitting on a chair outside your room. Until you are better. Orders and all. But if you don¡¯t like it¡­ You can say. I¡¯ll leave you be.¡±

    Her eyes roamed my features skeptically. ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Tattoos¡­ I would love to have one¡­.¡±

    I smirked. ¡°Well¡­ that is something I can help you with. I do all my designs myself, and if you like... I would do it.¡±

    She giggled and nodded. ¡°That makes me really happy¡­ for so many reasons. A Secret one¡­ maybe?¡±

    I smiled. Being Juliet¡¯s watcher and seeing her on a screen didn¡¯t mean we would get along in real life, but we got along from the start.

    She stared at me for a while¡­. ¡°You have kind eyes¡­ Like you wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly¡­ What¡¯s your name? What do I call you?¡±

    ¡°Michael. My name is Michael.¡±

    She held out a hand to me. It was so small. We shook, and she tried giving a solid shake.

    ¡°Juliet.¡± She said. As if I didn¡¯t know.]

    ***

    The irony still made me smile. I knew her so well, and having her so close felt almost unreal.

    ¡°I know now why Samuel came to get me himself. It had taken him ages to get the right guy to sit and watch you¡­.¡± I continued our conversation. She was quiet. I had brought up Samuel, and she didn¡¯t want to ruin the day.

    ¡°Pool?¡± I ventured. Too much heavy. She clapped her hands and jumped up and in one place. I laughed out loud, my eyes on the roof. Juliet was already getting sticks from behind the counter. I got another few stares from the same bikers that were outside when we came in. Eyebrows raised at how cool she could seem but then do something silly like that¡­ I shrugged, and they saluted me with a beer.

    ¡°She is a little young for you¡­.¡± The bartender commented. ¡°How old are you, sweetie?¡± Juliet burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that she just left to go pack the table.

    ¡°She is my wife.¡± Juliet spun around. The laugh was gone. She lifted up her hand and wiggled her ring finger. The bartender came around and gawked at the massive diamond on her finger.

    The other people that heard it were also staring. ¡°How long have you been married?¡± The woman asked.

    ¡°I think I was¡­¡± I picked Juliet up and put my hand over her mouth. She was going to say fifteen.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough fun for today.¡± She had that naughty glint in her eyes.

    The bartender eyed us skeptically¡­ Juliet turned around in my arms and hugged me. I kissed her on her forehead¡­ It had always been natural. A rhythm I couldn¡¯t understand. Why had I thought it would be different. After that, the people left us alone. There was no mistaking the connection we had. And I was not going to fight it anymore.

 Your Laughing Now Butâ€¦

    109. You''re Laughing Now But¡­

    Juliet

    Michaels¡¯s hands caressed my naked thighs behind him on the bike. As soon as he relaxed, his hands found my skin unthinking. Sensual stroking soon turned to softly grabbing onto me in a frustrated manner. Every time we returned home, it had been hours of his hands all over me¡­ Hours of driving, and I loved it. The open road and the freedom.

    A few Sundays, we had gone out and drove the whole morning. Had brunch at some obscure pub. Sometimes, we got wasted and had to stay at a motel. Always separate rooms. Louis told us to be careful of intrusion symptoms. We made friends with everybody sitting at the bar and chatting about everything, hearing what they had to say about the aliens, and laughing our asses off when we were alone. I loved spending time with him.

    We stopped in front of the red gates, and when I got off, he hit his helmet with mine softly. Slowly, he got off and parked the bike. He came around and dragged me closer, lowering his lips to mine. It was the first time. When he unlocked his lips from mine. There was something in his eyes. ¡°I must be feeling better. This is really hard¡­ I think I¡¯ll join you and Louis soon.¡± His arms were so long that they wrapped around me when we hugged. I felt enveloped by him. Michael had already gained weight, and he was exercising with us. He had made an enormous leap since we went out the first time.

    ¡°Do you want me to¡­ come to your bed tonight?¡± Only one corner of his mouth lifted.

    ¡°Not tonight. I¡¯m still a little scared¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt you¡­ But soon, okay.¡± I bit my lip, disappointed. He was so close, and I didn¡¯t want to manipulate him.

    ¡°You know Juliet, I will take the bike to the shop. There is something wrong, and I¡¯ll walk back okay. I don¡¯t want to have to push it tomorrow.¡± There was a strain in his voice. A weird tone.

    I sighed a heavy sigh but nodded reluctantly. He was getting back on¡­ Usually, he would invite me to his room, and the three of us would talk¡­ He saluted me with two fingers. Like I was the boss. He turned the bike around and started it... Something was off. It felt for a moment that I wouldn¡¯t see him again¡­ ¡°Hey! You¡¯re coming back, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not gonna hurt you¡­.¡± My brow furrowed. His feet lifted, and he drove off.

    ***

    Marcus

    Kubra had picked me up at the station on the compound. It was the first time I was back. A month ago, Kubra brought me another letter from Louis... More of a suggestion to come to Earth for a night.

    { Marcus¡­ It¡¯s time¡­ If after you still want to leave, I¡¯ll help you¡­. }

    ¡°I know what¡¯s going on, Marcus. I think it¡¯s a mistake. Not like this.¡± Kubra said. After I read the words.

    ¡°It¡¯s been more than a year, Kubra.¡±

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to handle it? You can¡¯t go like this.¡± He said softly.

    ***

    It had taken me a month to get myself in the right mind frame. I was going to have to sneak out. I had let Soren go home for the month. I had let him go home a lot those last few months¡­

    I didn¡¯t know if Juliet knew that I would be coming home for the night. For an hour¡­ She walked through the gate. My jaw flexed at the shorts she had on. The thin button-up shirt hung low. Her bra was visible, and the chains were around her neck.

    ¡°Hey, guys, we¡¯re back. Why is it so dark?¡±

    I had sat there a million times fantasizing about this. Juliet there with me¡­ Coming back from a walk¡­ Coming home to me. She wasn¡¯t expecting me. I smiled. I didn¡¯t know how it was going to go¡­ The last time Juliet and I had seen each other was a crap night.

    It wasn¡¯t entirely dark. They had lined the walkway with tiny fairy lights. It suited her... I didn¡¯t mind her making the place her own¡­ She made her way past me. Didn¡¯t even see me. I was on a deck chair next to the pool. Seeing her healthy was a reward in itself. I cleared my throat. She stopped abruptly, thinking for a second, smelled the air, and ran for her room, closing the door and locking it. I had to chuckle. My door was wide open... She knew what was coming, and if I was her¡­ I would hide, too.

    I smiled again, shaking my head at that stupid girl.

    She had four husbands, and she was still nervous as hell. I had heard Michael outside¡­ I was trying, and I forced myself not to go down that road. The path my jealousy had taken too many times. Slowly, I got up and made my way to the door, leaning against it. She was sitting on the other side. On the floor, her heart pounding. I sat down on the outside so we were across from each other, my elbows rested on my knees, and I leaned my head onto the door. ¡°I thought you¡¯ve done this before?¡± Nothing. Joking wasn¡¯t going to work.

    ¡°Is it the place?¡± I asked.

    A faint ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Is it me?¡±

    Another faint, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a year¡­ except for dinner. And more months.¡±

    She swallowed hard.

    ¡°Should I promise to let you take the lead?¡±

    The last faint, ¡°No.¡±

    Her voice was soft and sweet. It was driving me up the wall. I wanted to break down the door. Fight with her. Tell her how hurt I was¡­ But I didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Is it the kisses?¡±

    A ragged, ¡°Yes.¡±

    I bobbed my head. We were moving in the right direction. ¡°How long has it been?¡±

    ¡°Seven years¡­ Mar¡­cus.¡± I had forgotten¡­ I was so old¡­ time meant nothing to me anymore. The way my name rolled off her tongue made me wild inside. That day, we kissed before we came to the compound; my name had escaped her lips while she pulled me against her¡­ She didn¡¯t even realize it. I had thought she wanted me to stop. I pulled away, but her nails dug into my back to keep me in place. Her head had lifted, her eyes closed, exposing her neck so I could suck on it. I groaned, wanting her so bad. Only thinking about it wasn¡¯t enough¡­ ¡°So, how long do you think this will take?¡± I tried to keep my voice light¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to push her. Everybody¡¯s words were in the back of my mind. She unlatched the lock and slowly opened the door. I kept sitting like that, disappointed that I had said something wrong. I was mucking this up.

    She waited until I got up. Didn¡¯t meet my gaze when I did. Her arms crossed over her chest, rubbing herself as if she was cold. It didn¡¯t seem defensive¡­ She was just that nervous, slightly shaking. I didn¡¯t know what to do. My defenses were failing, seeing her struggle to come to accept what would happen. What she had longed for, and I wasn¡¯t so angry anymore. It meant something to her.

    ¡°I have a lot of regrets, Marcus. I¡­¡± She bit the inside of her mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know why. I feel so bad that everything had turned out this way¡­ You have to share me. I don¡¯t even know why you¡¯re still here.¡± She swallowed hard again. Her heartbeat kept increasing. Juliet reached for her shirt¡¯s buttons and started undoing them one by one. She was pushing through. The gesture of her slow fingers was my weakness. My breathing was ragged, knowing what was coming. I couldn¡¯t help myself. I reached both hands out and slid the fabric off her shoulders. It fell to the floor. My fingers savored every part of her soft skin, over her arms and between her breasts.

    ¡°Did I prove myself to you, Julie?¡± I had to ask, letting go of her.

    Pleading eyes met mine. A ragged, ¡°Yes.¡± She held out her hands for mine. She took both and put them on her breasts. I stepped closer, and my hands slid behind her, unclasping the fabric and coming back to touch her while she shrugged off the bra. I couldn¡¯t wait till she was done or help her; all I wanted was to have her in hand and tease her taught nipples.

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    Her eyes closed, frowning. I let go of her. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°It feels¡­ too good, Mar¡­cus. You make me feel so¡­ good.¡± I drew in a slow breath. ¡°I¡¯m so nervous.¡± She whispered.

    I wasn¡¯t going to tell her that I knew. Why I was being so careful. But I had to do something¡­ ¡°Look at me, Julie.¡± Her eyes opened. I met hers and let my gaze drift down to her mouth with careful consideration of all I saw and how pleased I was. My hand followed my eyes and fingers, slowly caressed and touched her lips¡­ My eyes drifted down her body, my hand following¡­ Over her neck and down to her breasts. My hand was desperately kneading her flesh. My lips slightly parted, my mouth salivating. I came the same way back up. Her hand reached for my neck. She pulled me closer, tilting her head.

    ¡°Open your mouth¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t meet her halfway with my tongue that time. She had to make good on her promise in the car. Her tongue pushed past my lips¡­ past my teeth, greedy inside my mouth until her legs weakened. The fervor of her responses made me catch her around the waist, picking her up. Our lips stayed fused together, and I joined her there. Her arms were around my neck, clutching fistfuls of my shirt. ¡°You taste so good¡­¡± she whispered.

    ¡°I can¡¯t anymore, Julie,¡± I said low and hurriedly. ¡°It hurts¡­ I¡¯m sorry I pushed you.¡± She nodded in small, quick movements, and I closed the door behind us.

    ***

    Juliet

    Marcus carried me to the bed and lay me down. He stood on his knees, gazing down at me while pulling off my pants and panties in slow movements. He got up and took off his shirt. Undid his belt and then dropped his own clothes, watching me¡­ watch him. ¡°Put your hands under your back¡­ if you touch me, I¡¯ll go in like thirty seconds.¡± He lowered himself down on the bed, my legs spreading. ¡°How wet are you?¡±

    I frowned. Flashbacks of so many things. He was being a little demanding and unromantic¡­ And I was taken aback and wanted to say, ¡°You have fingers.¡± But instead, I said, ¡°You could find out.¡± I had to hold back on my sarcasm. I wanted it too much; the anticipation had crippled me. And I didn¡¯t mind that our first time would be a little rushed.

    He shook his head. ¡°If I touch you¡­ Felt how soft and slippery you are¡­ I¡¯ll cum right now.¡±

    ¡°We have the whole night,¡± I said, trying to salvage some of the experience. I didn¡¯t know how he felt. For him, it was probably just sex.

    ¡°I have an hour, then I have to go back. I snuck out¡­¡±

    It wasn¡¯t what I wanted to hear¡­ but I was pushing through, regardless. Before I opened the door, I had made the decision, hoping¡­ praying that sleeping together would make the difference. ¡°Do I make you feel that good¡­ Marcus?¡± He was wordless and grasping at air. Coming back up onto his knees, sitting back on his feet. Did he not know what to say? Was he still¡­ angry about Soren?

    ¡°Do I need to say it?¡± He barely got the words out. ¡°Can¡¯t you see what you do to me? Can¡¯t you feel what happens between us every time?!¡±

    I shook my head. Of course, I knew¡­ Was that why he was so angry?

    ¡°You will have to start telling me how you feel. Since the mountain walk, I laid it all out there. We haven¡¯t had time.¡±

    I lifted my legs and placed my ankles on his shoulders. His eyes darted from my face to the two legs running down his body. His hands urgently clasped my thighs, sliding down to my ass, clutching all of it in his hands, and pulled me closer to his body. His fingers came back up, and he grazed me slightly, feeling me. He swore softly¡­ My eyes closed, and my back arched, and he had barely touched me. ¡°Julie¡­ you are so wet¡­ Are you trying to kill me?¡±

    What was I supposed to say? With him, that was normal. ¡°You like to watch¡­ don¡¯t you want to see.¡± I reached over to the lamp on the bedside table and put the light on. I put my hands back behind my back as he asked. He was frozen, his fingers desperate on me.

    ¡°Lower your legs and spread them.¡± I did as I was told.

    He took himself in hand and pushed into me¡­ in one deep thrust. Whether it was going to hurt or not. My hands wanted to grip onto something. Defenseless, my head and upper body jerked up, gasping and moaning simultaneously. ¡°F-¡­ Mar¡­ cus,¡± I whispered. His lips grabbed mine. Our eyes met in the middle, never letting go even while his mouth was hungry¡­ I was taking it all in as he moved back and forth on me. He didn¡¯t close his eyes¡­ he watched me with every thrust. I did the same until he couldn¡¯t anymore¡­ Unavoidably, his eyelids closed tightly, and he came¡­ his face contorted from the pleasure. Feeling his body shake and his legs twitching on top of me. Soft grunts and moans escaped his mouth. I was still too nervous to even think about cumming. He hadn¡¯t had anybody in forever. He relaxed, opening his eyes again.

    ¡°I love watching you¡­ I love you¡­ Julie. I was very jealous in the beginning. When Chris was with you in that club and protecting you. Louis was there¡­ I had to take you away from them¡­ I didn¡¯t want to share you¡­ But at the fights¡­ My father¡­ what he did to you. I just stood there¡­¡±

    My hands jumped out from behind me, my legs wrapped around his body, keeping him in me when he wanted to pull out.

    ¡°I should have done something¡­ I should have killed him right there¡­ When I woke up and looked down on Louis pushing that thing into your flesh¡­ I can¡¯t explain it¡­ For a second, I knew I lost you. Had to come to terms with it in an instant. But I was relieved to see my father on his knees. Something happened at that moment¡­ When it was Louis saving you¡­ I was set free of any hold Qadir had on me. I knew¡­ I¡­¡± Marcus swallowed, trying to keep himself together.

    My hands started moving over his skin¡­ His eyes closed. He complained in our language, thrusting against me. ¡°I knew I had to love you better.¡± He whispered. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry that it took me so long. I wanted¡­ you to love me the way I thought you should¡­ Even¡­ with¡­ Soren¡­ ¡° He tried to pull away, but I kept him close.

    ¡°I hurt you¡­?¡± I asked softly, caressing his cheek, trailing his lips.

    He shook his head, disgusted with himself. ¡°How? With my past, do I know how to love anybody¡­ Seeing the way Louis loves you. The way Chris thinks he doesn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You giving yourself to me like this should be enough. Nothing else matters to me. But what you want¡­ what you need¡­ and what you deserve¡­ I¡¯ll never forget those words.¡±

    I pushed him out and off me, reaching for the drawer next to the bed. I took out some rags to clean myself and him. Marcus was lying there, spilling his guts while I was busy.

    I got on top of him and kissed him. That time, I did nothing else but kiss him. We had never made out. And I don¡¯t know how long our hands touched each other. How long my lips and his met over and over with fierce desire.

    When I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, I reached down and waited until he was hard again. I climbed back on top of him, rubbing myself all over his length. Using him¡­ Forward and backward until I was so close, letting him slip inside me. His hands gripped my waist and flipped me over, pushing in deeper... Not thrusting, but sliding against me¡­ ¡°I¡¯m so close, Mar¡­cus.¡± He went slowly into me until I moaned, and my hands gripped my hair, and I was thinking of nothing at all... His fingers clamped down on my nipple, exploding me into a loud moan as I cummed. He stayed at the same pace until I stopped shaking, and my breathing evened out.

    ¡°Can I.¡± He begged with parted lips and deep breaths. I nodded excitedly. He started pumping. He went at it longer, deliberate, slow, rhythmic movements, holding out that time to lengthen the experience. I didn¡¯t care. I wanted to feel him inside me forever. We kissed and stopped only when we needed to catch our breath, and his intensity deepened, thrusting harder. Every time, he sounded an audible pant. When he was close¡­ he pushed up onto his knees, lifting up mine so he could grasp them under his shoulders. More control and more depth. Deep in and out until¡­ All I could do was fist the sheets and be consumed by him. He cummed, pounding hard into me, grunting voraciously. It felt for a second that he was getting his anger out¡­ He was hurt¡­ I didn¡¯t mind. He frowned when I pulled my legs from his hold, stretching them at his sides. His worry made me smile.

    ¡°Am I too rough?¡±

    Should I have told him what Louis did to me? Or that I was on a bike for hours¡­ a guy between my legs. It bothered me a little that he didn¡¯t even mention Michael. ¡°No¡­ not too rough¡­¡± But I did have to ask¡­ ¡°Were you holding back? Are you going to want to tie me up at one stage?¡±

    He smiled¡­ Marcus smiled¡­ pulling out of me, dropping down beside me, spent.

    ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s about as much I can handle¡­ And maybe your legs on my shoulders¡­ From behind and you on top?¡± His eyes were closed. ¡°Normal. I¡¯m a very easy guy.¡±

    I snorted. Grabbed another rag and cleaned him and myself. He watched me with interest. ¡°Who taught you that?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t like jumping up after.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything. I bit my lower lip nervously, sitting and staring at him. My eyes roamed over him.

    ¡°Why are you so nervous, Julie? Did you not get your few seconds we were not broken?¡±

    How did he even remember that?

    I laughed lightly. ¡°Did I give you just a little bit, Marcus? Our love is not enough anymore? Too much has happened? The few times I¡¯ve seen you over the past few years are so muddled, and not all of it is happy thoughts.¡± Tears pooled in my eyes at my own words, getting to talk to him at last¡­

    He sat up and wrapped his arms around me. ¡°We were never broken, Julie. We will learn to love again¡­ every time¡­ In a new way if we have to. This¡­ is for life. I should be the one who feels that I ruined this by not changing back then. I¡¯m the one that didn¡¯t fight for you. I branded you. I was a coward¡­ Back then, I thought we were fine¡­ I was so stupid¡­ Pushing you away¡­ And I had a hard time after Louis and hearing you and Chris¡­ It was tough, Julie.¡± Tears were pooling in his eyes as well.

    I pulled his lips on mine and kissed him deeply. He rubbed off the tears that were running into my mouth. His fingers rake through my hair.

    ¡°Julie¡­ You can¡¯t sleep with Soren again¡­ and he can¡¯t brand you¡­.¡± Marcus was nervous, giving me an ultimatum. His hand was twitchy, stroking my hair. ¡°I can¡¯t handle another¡­ I¡¯m still too jealous¡­¡±

    I sighed, pulling away from him. My cheeks wet¡­ ¡°Then you have to come home, Marcus. I don¡¯t want to be that girl, but you¡¯re forcing me¡­ If you want me, you have to put in the work¡­.¡±

    It was quiet between us. Me sitting on one side of the bed, him on the other. Backs to each other.

    I got up frustrated and walked to the shower, letting the water run until it was hot. I got in. Marcus came over. He wasn¡¯t happy. I wasn¡¯t happy. He stepped in behind me and held out his hand, and I handed him the loofah.

 Youâ€™ll be Crying Soon.

    110. You¡¯ll be Crying Soon

    Louis

    We had thought that Marcus would be gone in an hour. I opened the room door and heard them in the shower. I had never seen Juliet with anyone. Only in her thoughts and kissing. But never naked. They were also not talking or laughing. I had to steel myself before I entered the room¡­ I slowly walked over, clearing my throat.

    ¡°Hey, Louis. Come on in,¡± Marcus said. ¡°I have to go.¡± He climbed out rather quickly, throwing the loofah at me, grabbing a towel, and started drying himself off. I was thrown that it meant that little to him. Marcus was already in work mode. My gaze traveled to Juliet, who was shaking and not from being cold. Marcus didn¡¯t even notice. She didn¡¯t want him to go, biting back tears, her bottom lip between teeth. I gave it a minute, hoping he would handle it better that time. Not like when we came to the compound. We didn¡¯t know when we would see him again, and the fear gnawed at her... She closed the water. I took another towel and draped it over her shoulders. She couldn¡¯t even look at me. ¡°Oh, baby. Was it that good?¡± I finally said, knowing he would leave without noticing the waterworks. He stopped abruptly, staring at us. There was a knock at the door.

    ¡°Hey, Louis. I need to talk to you.¡± Michael opened it without waiting, closing it again. He didn¡¯t know what he was walking into. Marcus was still only in a towel around his waist, staring at Juliet and trying to figure out what to do. Michael slowly took in the scene. Juliet was in my arms, sniffling¡­Hair wet.

    His eyes flashed to Marcus. His teeth grinding. ¡°What did I tell you? What did you do?¡± He spat at Marcus.

    Bachelor number two had never had to deal with Juliet. All that she was and needed. He was used to short periods and long absences. Marcus stuttered, ¡°You told me to come, Louis¡­ I thought she understood.¡±

    My head snapped around. Michael walked over and pushed him on the shoulder, telling him to shut up. All three paused when Juliet got out of the bath. Her eyes slowly came up to mine¡­ ¡°He didn¡¯t come by himself?¡± She took a ragged breath. My gut was wrenching. ¡°You asked him¡­ to come?¡± Voice braking¡­ ¡°How could you do that, Louis?¡± I was speechless, clutching onto her arms. Her gaze met with Marcus¡¯s. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to come? You didn¡¯t plan this? F-!¡± She yelled so loud. Her eyes rested on me again. ¡°How could you take that from me. He had to make the choice.¡±

    The whole situation was going downhill fast... All the red flags went up. I had stuffed up. I tried to hold on to her, but she shrugged me off. ¡°Baby, no. Please. I think I made a mistake. I thought I was helping. He needed the push.¡±

    I turned to Marcus. ¡°Do you have any kind of discernment, you idiot! What is wrong with you?¡±

    Marcus¡¯s face was turned away from me. ¡°You know what, Louis¡­ who will get her to Caleb¡­ You?¡± He snorted.

    That time, I walked over and hit him. He wasn¡¯t expecting it¡­ and I didn¡¯t hold back. Manifested used my ability. His lip split, and he went flying and broke the cupboards against the wall. ¡°Did you forget that I am the one that¡¯s going to fight your grandfather with her¡­ We¡¯re making our way there, whether you are a part of this family or not.¡±

    Marcus didn¡¯t like it, staggering back up. ¡°Do you think that this is easy for me?!¡± He got up¡­ picked up his clothes, and started getting dressed.

    ¡°It sure seems easy. You¡¯re not here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re complaining that you are Louis? Is she getting too much for you? Too much to handle?¡±

    Michael grabbed his shirt and fisted it. ¡°You better shut the hell up, or we will take her and leave. You will never see her again.¡±

    Marcus¡¯s face contorted. His chest rose and fell. He didn¡¯t like Michael making demands. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this! Do you even know what would happen if Ahasuerus decides to cut off all transport? Juliet! You have to grow up! This is bigger than your freaking feelings. You have to stop manipulating me.¡±

    Michael¡¯s arm pulled back, and he planted one in Marcus¡¯s nose. Marcus had to take two steps back to keep his balance; feeling his nose, he pinched it at the bridge. Blood trickled down over his lips.

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll see Louis or me again? There are no papers for him. Your other husband¡­ We don¡¯t even know where he came from. No record of his parents or why he got to live the way he did¡­ You¡¯ll stay¡­ alone. Michael will die, and you¡¯ll be alone on Earth.¡±

    ¡°You know what, Marcus¡­ You always have an excuse¡­ I¡¯m sick of it. You have to, at one point in your life, take responsibility. You have been there too long¡­ The power is getting to you, and when push comes to shove, you won¡¯t choose her¡­ It¡¯s why you haven¡¯t been back, and I gave you the one thing you wanted.¡± I retorted.

    Marcus was walking up to me. Juliet stepped in front of me as he pulled back and was going to punch me. Michael had already started moving. Marcus stopped in time¡­ not to hit her. We all stood frozen with his fist inches away from her face. Everything was getting out of hand¡­

    ¡°Ahasuerus isn¡¯t dead¡­. Yet.¡± He whispered and lowered his hand. His eyes softened. ¡°And if he invaded Zoreah and took over, we will have to deal with him for a lot longer.¡±

    We all stood staring, waiting for him to explain himself. But he didn¡¯t. He only ran it by me¡­ Explaining Zoreah, the time, and the seasons. That he only had a few months to maybe get Chris back¡­ He has been waiting for the acceptance of the invitation. He had to be there... He felt he needed to study, train, and work. Find something that Zoreah needed¡­ Figure out the teleporters so he could go anywhere he wanted.

    ¡°Go, Marcus. There is always going to be something. And you could have let me know¡­.¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do first? Please, if you can do this better, take over.¡±

    ¡°I at least know where my home is. I at least come home. You don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Marcus was holding his nose at the bridge. He went into the toilet and blew it hard to get all the gunk out. He swore at the sting it created. ¡°Last night was your fault and was a mista¡­.¡± After realizing what he said, his eyes shot up to Juliet¡¯s. She gave a half-hearted sardonic laugh and walked to her cupboards. Tired of standing. Tired¡­ He covered his mouth, running his fingers over his lips. He was only making it worse¡­ He didn¡¯t mean it like that. Marcus was holding on by a thread. Not used to any of the emotions. Slowly, he walked around the corner. Juliet was getting dressed. She had put a t-shirt on and was pulling up sleeping shorts. She turned around and fell into Michael¡¯s arms.

    Marcus didn¡¯t like it¡­ A scowl on his brow.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Julie. I¡¯m not very good at this.¡± He said softly. Juliet was close to disappearing. ¡°Come with me to En-gannim for the night. That¡¯s all I can give you.¡±

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    I grabbed Marcus in my arms and kissed his cheek, picking him up like a child. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that after, you idiot.¡±

    Michael pulled her back to her closet, took off her shirt, and handed her clothes. She smirked at him while he was watching her.

    I didn¡¯t like the look on Marcus¡¯s face¡­ He was still too jealous. Michael wanted to pick up the hairdryer. Marcus walked past them. ¡°There is no time for that.¡± He glanced at his watch. ¡°I¡¯m late for a meeting.¡± He took her hand, and they ran. Kubra was in the car waiting.

    ¡°You better tell her¡­ Marcus. I¡¯m not doing it!¡± He waved his hand in the air.

    ***

    ¡°Are you going to tell me?¡± Michael asked.

    ¡°Yeah! Why don¡¯t we go sit down? Call everyone out. It¡¯s going to be a long night waiting up for her.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    Juliet was on her couch in my study, lying down, reading a book, and playing with her hair. If there was a knock on the door, she just disappeared.

    She was actually in my office... I didn¡¯t know why Louis had asked me to go. I never thought of our first time like that. Rushed¡­ to get it over with. Her eyes come over the rim of the book. I was staring at her and not concentrating. It didn¡¯t seem to bother her. She had a massive smile on her face. One I didn¡¯t know what to do with.

    I had so much work waiting. It wasn¡¯t like I wanted to. Life was unfair to us all at that stage... There was a knock again. ¡°Come in.¡± Ian came in with what felt like a bucket of little black rolls.

    Currently, I¡¯m trying to figure out what makes the time change from here to there. The history and the wars and what it was about.

    I bumped my knee when Juliet touched me under the table. ¡°What?¡± Ian asked. ¡°Your Highness?¡± I shooed him out. The door closed. I pushed back my chair. She scooted closer on her knees. Her hands ran up my legs until she held onto my waist, pulling me closer¡­ desperation in her eyes¡­ for something I wasn¡¯t giving her.

    My gaze flickered to the door. She was gone. It opened, and Ahasuerus came in. I stood up, bowing. He took two steps into the room and stopped. ¡°Juliet? Come out right now.¡± She sat on the couch but slowly dropped to the floor. He grunted and scoffed at the same time.

    ¡°Get up and sit down.¡± She did what she was told. ¡°Sit down, Marcus. I won¡¯t touch her again.¡±

    He sat down across from her. Juliet¡¯s hands nervously rubbed in her lap, her head bent down. He watched her for a moment. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Don¡¯t tell him. Don¡¯t say anything¡­

    ¡°Marcus and I consummated our relationship tonight¡­ I didn¡¯t want to be away from him.¡±

    He didn¡¯t say anything or get up to slap her.

    ¡°Well. You killed my last child. The one that wiped out my entire family. I would never have been able to do it. Neither would Marcus. But a little girl sliced open his back and ripped out his spine¡­ I really don¡¯t know how to get over the fact that you are a woman. So young¡­ You know¡­ your mother only met your father after a hundred. You¡¯re a child with four men fighting through the galaxy for you¡­ What is it? That you possess?¡±

    Juliet didn¡¯t answer. What did he want her to say.

    ¡°What do you want to ask? I have never had a conversation with a woman. Seeing that you¡¯re coming to take over my throne, we might as well. Feel free to speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Women are good for one thing.¡± Her eyes shot to mine. I cringed. I should never have slept with her.

    ¡°What is a woman¡¯s advantage with the brandings besides being able to conquer a throne.¡±

    ¡°You say that as if it¡¯s not enough.¡± Her eyes met mine¡­ again, and I recoiled. How many times have we ordered her body around using the branding? It wasn¡¯t like it gave her any control.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see the worth in it¡­ All I see is the want for more.¡± Her eyes were still on mine. Meaning that she will never be enough for me. There was always an excuse. She went on. ¡°More children. More power. More wives. More power. More time. More power.¡±

    ¡°We all have to choose our path, Juliet. A woman was never made to understand the path of a man. That is why you belong in the kitchen.¡±

    ¡°That might be. But I would never be happy in a kitchen. And it doesn¡¯t seem that you are happy with your power. Your children and your world.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about being happy. You have been living with humans too long and too much in your human state. There are reasons why we can manifest. We are not human, and we don¡¯t fight for happiness. Or the lives of our children.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡± Her tone rose.

    ¡°The future. Isn¡¯t it worth it for the next generations to have the best possible opportunities available to them? Prepare them. Show them. Teach them.¡±

    ¡°Why did you leave him there? He is as much influenced as I am.¡±

    Ahasuerus¡¯s head dropped in a defeated bob. He sighed. Both their eyes came up to mine. She was right. It had been a mistake. His biggest mistake.

    ¡°Why did you not use me? Why fight against me?¡±

    ¡°The thing is, Juliet. You and I¡­ we are exactly the same. We want to decide what happens in our own lives. There isn¡¯t space for you and me in Marcus¡¯s life... And when I pin you down in the arena and hand you the knife, I will be free¡­ And Marcus will go on as before... Just like today when he wanted to leave after he slept with you the first time. You know deep down you mean nothing.¡±

    She jumped up, staring down at him, forgetting all formalities. It had hurt her¡­ I had hurt her¡­ I could have said no¡­ but I didn¡¯t¡­ Or, I could at least have stayed.

    ¡°He is like that because of you¡­ Qadir was like that because of you. Had a woman raised your children, Danny would still be here...¡± I thought he would get up. ¡°Why do you think I asked Agatha if I could kill her husband. Women make decisions differently¡­ I don¡¯t force myself on others¡­ My opinions and ways¡­¡± She snorted and chuckled. ¡°You forget that I don¡¯t demand anyone to fight for me. They just do¡­ Even if Marcus did want to leave right after.¡± Her voice broke¡­ tears pooling. ¡°And it hurt... I will wait¡­ because Marcus matters¡­ You have nothing left to fight for.¡±

    Juliet wasn¡¯t even angry. She turned around, headed for the door, and called Kubra.

    He was right. I didn¡¯t even care. I didn¡¯t know if I even wanted to go. I jumped out of the bath with a spring in my step. Our first time was over. My gut churned with the possibility that it might have been the last time. Why the hell did I go. The anticipation was something we had to keep us together.

    I was lost in my thoughts. Ahasuerus stood in front of me. ¡°And you? What do you want¡­ You got your chit. She is out of your system, or you wouldn¡¯t be here. No¡­. You could have gone a long time ago. It¡¯s been a year, and you made one decision for her. Took the compound. And then? And now?¡±

    My arm swiped over the table in front of me. The two glasses smashed into the wall. ¡°F-!¡± I was so sick of everything.

    When I think about it¡­ we were amazing together... But it was just sex. Our kissing meant more. My eyes closed when I thought about us kissing and how she melts into my touch.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to compete for her anymore. You had her. You branded her first. You proved yourself, but Juliet will still not choose you¡­ Why¡­?¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to answer¡­ ¡°Why Marcus? Why did she sleep with Soren!¡± I didn¡¯t want to say¡­

    ¡°Are you really going to let her kill herself¡­ You will have to do it¡­¡± My eyes slowly raised to his. ¡°If you think you are strong, I am stronger. I have been training for nine hundred years. Every day because, I know what I¡¯m fighting for. You seem a little lost at the moment... And I am not giving my planet to some twenty-year-old girl... And I am not letting you do it either.¡±

    He turned around and left.

 My First Step To Independence

    111. My First Step To Independence

    Marcus

    I stood in Nahrima''s main teleporter building. I had spent most of my days there since Juliet left after her fight with my grandfather. They had many rooms from which you could teleport. I had chosen one allocated in the back, far away from prying eyes.  Did my homework and punched in the numbers. It was July, and technically, Chris was supposed to have been in Shumaan for almost a year, and yet he had still not come back. The invitation was denied¡­ And no communications were being answered.

    I stood nervous. It wasn¡¯t the first time I did everything by myself, but¡­ it was interstellar¡­ To a place that had only one city with one hot spot... I wasn¡¯t allowed access to those coordinates. They were locked up in Ahasuerus¡¯s office. As I understood it¡­ there were soft spots all over the planets. The fact that Zoreah had just one was physically impossible. But I didn¡¯t know at which one I was going to come out. I had spent all my time figuring out those coordinates myself. I could only find two¡­ I pressed the button without telling anyone where I was going.

    ***

    I had packed a bag. It was insufficient in so many ways¡­ I arrived in the middle of a sandstorm and had to cover my eyes and lay down. The wind was so strong that I couldn¡¯t even walk. It went on for days. The wind would quiet down for little bits at a time, but it didn¡¯t give me any view. The sand didn¡¯t seem to want to fall down¡­ I was stupid to have done it. You couldn¡¯t teleport out with one of the glass plates. You needed someone on the other side.

    I didn¡¯t want to leave where I landed. I could be stranded just outside a city¡­ So I had to wait out the storm¡­ Lying there gave me a lot of time to think. And wanting to sort out my feelings for Juliet made my mind oddly against the process. So, I lay there with no thoughts whatsoever. I heard weird sounds. Crying sounds. Roaring sounds. Screeching and bellowing. All sorts of beasts, wondering if I had brought sufficient weapons.

    The first thing that came for me was under the sand. It pushed me up and was so big that I was on its back. It flung me off. I had to fight in the wind, face completely covered, using only my ears and my senses, clicking away like two year old. Up close, I could see it. It was ugly but smelled so good that I had to kill it. I drank the blood, and it left me satisfied until the storm passed.

    Nothing technological from Earth could work on Zoreah. I didn¡¯t have the time. Their gravitational pull was too much. I didn¡¯t have the constellations to guide me. I couldn¡¯t leave¡­ Someone would come for me eventually, so I marked the spot¡­ appropriately. Built an altar so big that no one could miss it. Even if a creature rammed it. The remnants would be there. After that, I could venture out at night following the stars, walking till their moon was high in the sky, letting me know that I needed to turn back. It took me weeks to go in all the directions and ensure nothing was there.

    ***

    I tried the second location¡­ There was also nothing. I sighed heavily. It was sand¡­ sand and more sand. Rocks, mountains, and more sand. I was frustrated that I had found the two locations that were nowhere near civilization. I stood for a while, not with much faith in myself. How the hell did I get back? At least I was starting to catalog my own book of locations.

    It was another month at the second location before I felt the first presence of something around me¡­ I didn¡¯t know what it could be. It felt like a beast stalking me, but it never made a move. Again, I marked the location with a big altar. The one thing they had was rocks. Giant rocks. That way, whoever came looking would at least know where I had been¡­ Or else no one would ever find me¡­ I would be stuck there for months before anyone even asked where I was back home.

    ***

    Ahasuerus

    Soren was on the floor, waiting for me to speak. I had asked him where Marcus was, but he didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t feel the answer was sufficient. I thought he was lying. ¡°Get up.¡± He stood, and we made our way to the embassy platform. The clerk bowed down and waited for me to tell him where we were going.

    ¡°Earth.¡±

    Soren didn¡¯t come up. He was bowed and came up only when he was behind me. ¡°Don¡¯t do that on Earth. Walk up straight.¡±

    He reluctantly came up. I smirked. We exited the teleporter. We walked to the booth to declare ourselves. ¡°Soren. To see Louis, Carl, or Kubra.¡±

    ¡°Who is the man with you?¡± The clerk asked.

    Soren didn¡¯t falter. He was pretty bright. A little bookish. Thin. ¡°He is my father.¡±

    They gave us passes, and we traveled to the compound. It was well-manned. I could see who was a charge from a mile away. The one who recognized me immediately... Never even saw me before¡­ He cried out a few commands. Everyone fell down. He bowed last and came back up first again, leading the men. Soren bowed down the top middle of his body behind me. ¡°I¡¯m here to see your leader¡­ You are all released. Back to work.¡±

    The one in charge came up to us. He was less formal and treated me as such. The En-gannim way gone from his manner. He was one of Marcus¡¯s men. Marcus had his own way of leading. He ushered me to a car and drove us onto an estate, past the main house down a lane with trees, and parked in front of red gates. I had never been in a car. It wasn¡¯t that bad. Soren opened the door for me and walked with me to the gate. The two men exchanged words. Soren stayed behind at the car. It was weird¡­ but I left it¡­ Seemed like Soren was a sore subject around there. Juliet didn¡¯t have a handle on her harem like Brylee.

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    When Bertram and I had to get Michael, we teleported everywhere. That was why Qadir wanted Earth. Earth was one big hot spot. There was nowhere to set up a door¡­ I would have given it to him¡­ If he hadn¡¯t been that greedy¡­ He should have taken the win. Let Michael go¡­

    I shook my head. The other man walked in and held out his arm for me. ¡°Up this corridor, Your Majesty.¡±

    The young Riphath screamed her lungs out. Juliet was trying to soothe her with something. They were having a hell of a time with the kid. She was sitting up in a high kind of chair in the kitchen.

    When Juliet saw me, she faltered. Her eyes darted to the man behind me. He was her guard¡­ He nodded at her¡­ She thought for a second and fell to the floor. I scoffed. I sat opposite the child, released Juliet, and told the capable person to go get me a human the child could drain.

    He scrambled and, a few moments later, came rushing in. The screaming child didn¡¯t bother me. I actually liked kids. The person was tied and blindfolded. ¡°Put him there on the counter.¡± I picked Sammy up and held her over the man¡¯s neck. It wasn¡¯t two seconds, or she bit into the flesh and sucked. ¡°Here, take your child, Juliet.¡± She scrambled, taking her.

    ¡°Thank You.¡± It caught me off guard. She smirked.

    Irritated by her manner, I turned to the capable guy. ¡°Where is your leader.¡±

    He frowned and gestured with his chin to Juliet. A bellow of laughter escaped me. Juliet was startled at the sound. Astounded that I could laugh.

    ¡°I meant Louis.¡±

    ¡°Oh, he is not the leader.¡±

    Juliet laughed lightly. ¡°He¡¯s in the office next door. Jessy, you¡¯re getting good at your jokes.¡±

    ¡°I try¡­¡± He held out an arm for me to walk before him. I did and entered the other room.

    I had to hold my breath¡­ Brace myself¡­ The man in front of me was wearing some sort of blue pants, a T-shirt, a dark jacket, and boots that were not tied. A cigarette hanging on his lips. Not even properly in his mouth or fingers. His hair was way too long and gelled back onto his head.

    But his face¡­

    ¡°Your Majesty want to go back to the mistress?¡±

    Louis watched us in interest, talking animatedly in some earthly language. His voice was raised. He took the device from his ear and said a few things that sounded like a bunch of curse words into the end of the device¡­ and threw it on the table.

    He had that presence¡­

    ¡°Jessy, what¡¯s up?¡± He walked around the table, holding a hand out to me. I¡¯m Louis Du Pont¡­ what can I help you with.¡±

    Jessy smiled. ¡°This is Ahasuerus Ahmed.¡± His body and arm stretched out and paused for a second¡­ The cigarette in his mouth fell to the floor. He swore again and picked it up, putting it out in an ashtray.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the protocol¡­ What do you want me to do? Bow, Shake your hand. His hand was still outstretched to me. ¡°Kowtow? I can do anything¡­ I just never had to.¡±

    I took his hand, ¡°Yes, I know¡­ Seeing that you are my brother¡¯s child¡­ I rather like you. You do take after him.¡±

    Louis looked at me with a strangled expression¡­ He knew¡­ His gaze flickered past me. Juliet was standing in the doorway with the child in her arms. She did not know. ¡°Looks like I can change my surname to Ahmed.¡± She quipped.

    ¡°Give us a minute, Juliet,¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ah no¡­ Juliet, come in and sit down.¡± I liked his tone and the way he treated her¡­ Not like Marcus¡­ She came in and sat in a comfortable chair next to the desk. Jessy walked out, and he closed the door. Jessy knew what he was about.

    ¡°Where is Marcus?¡±

    Louis frowned, shaking his head. He wasn¡¯t hiding anything¡­ He didn¡¯t have to. ¡°So he is not here. I made the trip for nothing. Soren doesn¡¯t know. He has been gone for weeks¡­ Almost a month now. I thought he had come back after our chat¡­ Wanted to give him some time.¡±

    ¡°I think you should search in the other direction. Something to do with James giving him a task of getting to Zoreah.¡± Louis said.

    The child was still in Juliet¡¯s arms. It seemed Marcus was right. She will not let that one out of her sight. Her words ran around in my head. ¡°If a woman had raised my children.¡±

    ¡°Get up.¡± Juliet stood, and I went to sit down in the chair, sliding into it like humans would do... It was comfortable and soft. Some material and not leather like the one in my office. Juliet stood back into Louis¡¯s person. He rested his hands on her shoulders. There was something between them that wasn¡¯t there with Marcus¡­ I bobbed my head. I immediately saw my brother with his wife. He couldn¡¯t handle the way En-gannim treated her. The way I denied them. Because he was my brother, there was so much red tape for him to take a wife. When he eventually chose. She had no records. No family and was living with Samuel as a servant.

    Louis could read my thoughts anyway¡­ I thought about my brother and sending him to Earth with Qadir, Agatha, Samuel, and Noya¡­ They were pregnant at the same time¡­ I shook my head¡­ ¡°All because of one girl¡­.¡± I stood and left. ¡°I¡¯m going to go and find your other husband,¡± I mumbled, taking in the mountains in the distance. Earth was rather beautiful.

    ***

    Louis

    I sat down on the desk. Juliet was back in her chair. Sammy was oddly quiet. I felt guilty that I kept so much from her. Had always lied to her. Made her feel like I had my own life separate from hers. Not being a team player is what she always reminded herself of. She had all these rules when I met her. But she had gone against all of them. She loved me because I was good for her. I scoffed. I had never been good for her¡­ If I had told her who I was.

    Juliet stood up, walked to the crib, and put Sammy down.

    Why was I always nervous. I knew how she felt¡­ She came to stand between my legs, ¡°Baby, I love you.¡± She whispered, put her arms around me, and hugged me. ¡°Is there anything I can do for you?¡± She asked softly. I pulled her onto my chest. Thankful that I wasn¡¯t alone anymore

 I Need Some Help

    112. I Need Some Help

    Marcus

    I had brought the alien bird¡¯s drones with me, hoping that their tech would be a little more advanced than the Earth¡¯s and actually work on Zoreah. I put on the wristband of the turkey aliens. Activated it by waving my hand over it. It worked and was the first good thing that had happened in months.

    Even though Ahasuerus was very interested in medical advancements. Science. He didn¡¯t really care about conquering more planets, fighting, or weapons. It suited me. We came together in that one thought, conflict was never the answer. But he also didn¡¯t waste his army; he hired them out or used them for his purposes. If there was something he needed.

    I sent out my tiny, silver scouts in different directions, and they quickly picked up on a living entity in the vicinity. For weeks and weeks, it felt like I was being watched. I tried to avoid it rather than figure out what it was. I needed to be more proactive. Started recording and scanning it on my wrist. Whatever was out there was still not making a move¡­ I followed the signal that night. It was the only time it was quiet and didn¡¯t move for several hours. The drones led me into a mountain range and into a cave. I deactivated them and placed the ball in my pocket.

    Fully manifested, I dared to enter the darkness. The beasts on Zoreah ranged from the size of elephants to freaking three-story buildings, but there were no weird sounds, only the rhythmic breathing of something small. My size¡­ People size. Intrigued, I thought it might be a rouge Rithath who had decided that he would survive on his own. Maybe Chris had run away¡­ On the other hand, the planet¡¯s natural conditions were obviously extreme all over. If Chris had to stay in one place for five years because the rest froze over, no one would live alone in those sandstorms or at any of the soft spots I had figured out.

    I walked further into the cave. Whoever it was was fast asleep and didn¡¯t even realize I was there. I moved closer and slowly haunched down. I put my hand on his shoulder and shook slightly. The person was startled but not scared and sat up.

    ¡°Samuel?¡±

    ¡°Marcus? It was you?¡±

    I hugged the guy. Threw my arms around his neck. I was so glad to see him. He laughed. ¡°How long have you been here?¡± Samuel asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think as long as you. You are two weeks shy of Chris.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I didn¡¯t feel like dying¡­ Tell me Michael made it.¡±

    ¡°Juliet brutally murdered Qadir and got him back. It was all providence, but it seems like the universe is on her side.¡±

    He frowned¡­ ¡°The compound?¡±

    I had to smile. ¡°Louis is in charge.¡±

    Samuel gave a bout of laughter. ¡°You took over and went home, didn¡¯t you? And Juliet¡­ Did she come out unscathed?¡±

    I felt guilty all over again. ¡°No¡­ Jabin and Ahasuerus had some ideas of their own, but when I went home, he let it go¡­ She had another baby. A Ritphath girl.¡± My smile fell when I had to say it out loud. I so desperately wanted a family, and no one appreciated the fact that I was sacrificing as much as they had to.

    I met his eyes briefly, ¡°Seems like you¡¯re running away from that little girl.¡±

    I nodded¡­ I didn¡¯t want to lie. ¡°So what, you were just going to die out here? That¡¯s not very clever.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­ James is my main man. It has been a five-year vacation¡­ And you know, time does stand still here.¡±

    My eyes widened, and I bobbed my head. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t me, it would have been someone else. James sent me here, not for educational purposes.¡± I had to chuckle.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad it¡¯s you.¡±

    ¡°Now we wait for my grandfather.¡±

    The two of us had a lot of catching up to do. Samuel was old and getting into his last years. He should be with his family. My father had caused a lot of trouble¡­ The world didn¡¯t even blame Juliet.

    ***

    The following day, the weather was good. I had moved into the cave, and I had decided to go out hunting for us.

    ¡°So, how did you survive out here? I haven¡¯t had food for days.¡±

    ¡°There are creatures¡­ But you have to know where to look¡­. Are you that hungry? How long have you been here?¡±

    ¡°Coming up on five months¡­ Water?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Zoreah has no water. There really are only three cities. And those are the only locations of water. And even then, they trade for it.¡± He crouched down as we walked, and I followed suit. We saw something, and I hoped it would be one of those sand thingies.

    ¡°How did you survive?¡± It was a stupid question. ¡°James sent you water.¡±

    ¡°The question should be, how did you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know me¡­ conditioned to survive. Food, rationing, tech from En-gannim. Succulents all the way out there.¡± I pointed it out in one direction.

    We stalked the prey and killed it quickly between the two of us. It wasn¡¯t half bad. Tiny, little ugly things with scales for skins. We had to wring its neck. Peel off the scales and dig into the slimy skin. Samuel did it with ease. I watched him and followed his actions¡­ There was very little to do but sit and wait after leaving messages at both sites.

    ***

    ¡°So why are you here, Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Chris and Caleb¡­¡±

    ¡°No! You know why they didn¡¯t go home. Why they couldn¡¯t go home. You know you need to send an invitation and wait¡­ Coming to some random site on a planet you don¡¯t know seems a little desperate.¡±

    ¡°Juliet slept with Soren.¡±

    ¡°Who is Soren?¡±

    ¡°Exactly my point.¡± I stretched out my hand to him.

    ¡°You and Juliet are the same¡­ She is jealous¡­ It seems you are very jealous¡­ And you¡¯re in a harem sharing your wife with¡­ four other men. I think you pulled the short straw.¡±

    Hearing it out loud made me want to stay and never go back.

    ¡°I¡¯m tired, Samuel, of everything. I don¡¯t want to rule¡­ I never have¡­ I¡¯ve worked my ass off for so long that I want¡­ to enjoy myself. Especially now that Qadir is dead.¡±

    ¡°What else happened¡­ It can¡¯t be only¡­ Soren.¡±

    ¡°Juliet challenged Ahasuerus to the throne in a¡­.¡±

    ¡°Fight? What was she thinking?¡± Samuel stood up and walked about.

    ¡°Exactly! Where were you this year? If you were there, none of it would have happened.¡±

    He spun on me, ¡°Why were you not there?¡± I sat up after lying down in the sand. Everybody¡¯s been asking me¡­ Telling me. Another person who could not understand the patience of keeping both sides happy. But then again, neither of us is happy at all.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever really loved her,¡± I finally said aloud.

    Samuel snorted and scoffed. ¡°You are such a fool¡­ But I won¡¯t tell you what you need to find out for yourself¡­ What I will tell you is what Juliet didn¡¯t say. With the branding process, all three of you can fight¡­ but it seems there is a reason she didn¡¯t tell you.¡±

    ¡°Ahasuerus did mention¡­ that I would have to do it. But I didn¡¯t think he meant that.¡±

    Samuel regarded me for a long time, waiting. My eyes fixed on his¡­ taking in his words. It had disconcerted me. I proved myself, but it wasn¡¯t enough. She needed more.

    ¡°Juliet and Ahasuerus talked about it in front of me, and I didn¡¯t know¡­ She would never ask me to come back. Or fight for her. She said it wasn¡¯t my problem¡­ and I had to prepare myself.¡± There was a long silence. ¡°She was going to turn. I wanted to give them the space to get the treatment.¡±

    ¡°Juliet isn¡¯t infected, Marcus¡­ Michael held Rodrigo prisoner for weeks. To get him to make a formula for Juliet to be able¡­ to carry the Riphath child. In the process, she became what you saw¡­ when she killed your father¡­ I can only imagine. She was never going to die¡­ or turn into a zombie¡­ Or be stuck like that forever in a glass cube. Louis dosed himself every time with the same stuff. Lied to you guys. Yes, the payment was the skin¡­ but I¡¯m sure Juliet is already working on solving it¡­ And, of course, the sickness and the going crazy part. But I think she handled it pretty well, considering. She was fighting werewolf toxin.¡±

    I tossed the creature I was sucking on against the wall. It splattered everywhere¡­ ¡°Well, that does change¡­ everything.¡± I fell back onto my tarp. Rodrigo had told us that she wasn¡¯t dying¡­ But her turning into that thing we would have to control was always a fear. I even saw it on video. It scared me¡­ Inevitable that she would have to be held captive in that mouthpiece forever. Rodrigo did know what would happen... He lied.

    ¡°And Louis¡­?¡±

    ¡°To throw your grandfather off kilter. Not focused on them, waiting for them to die, playing for time because he loves her. Knew she would not be able to handle the loss of a child.¡±

    I had to take a minute. Louis was right; I kept making excuses.

    ¡°No one knows,¡± Samuel whispered.

    We heard footfalls on the rocky gravel outside. ¡°In here.¡± We heard yelling and another set of footsteps coming into the cave.

    ¡°Go hunt some of those things I showed you. Catch them¡­ don¡¯t kill them.¡± I heard my grandfather say to the men with him before he walked around the bend. His eyes ran from me to Samuel. He shook his head. Samuel stood up and walked over. It was strange to see any affection from my grandfather, but he opened his arms, and they hugged it out. What a weird scene. ¡°Ahasuerus, it¡¯s good to see you.¡±

    ¡°You too¡­ So, you¡¯ve been hiding here¡­ Unfortunately for you, Louis gave away James.¡±

    ¡°You can hardly kill the boy because he helped me.¡±

    ¡°Not kill him¡­ I¡¯ll send him to Earth.¡± They both chuckled. ¡°What are you eating? I¡¯m starving. Been running around after this idiot for days.¡±

    ***

    Ahasuerus

    A Few Months Ago

    I sent out my invitation to Ira Manaen and to Brylee Fehn. We needed to meet before Juliet and I came face to face in the ring... Ira was already in Shumaan. Brylee would not travel, so we had to meet on Palmyra, in the city of Caude. The appointment was set. It had to happen that weekend. There was a rare occasion when the three cities aligned, and we had the same night together. Ella had gone back to her family for the last years of her life¡­ That was the custom and reward for a woman who served as well as her. Not that Ella had any family left, maybe a sister. It does not signify. Vampires became more vigorous as they aged, unlike the werewolves, which turned into useless sacks of meat. Juliet would have a hard time killing me. If it came to that¡­ Either way, I would make sure Marcus was free. So I could move to Zoreah for my trade agreement time.

    ***

    I walked out of the teleporter alone... I made the trip in the dead of night, so Marcus didn¡¯t know. Or anyone that could tell him. The nights were beautiful on Palmyra. The three constant moons and all the stars. I heard Ira walking out fully manifested. The sound of that enormity was loud thuds on the platform¡­ I was, as well. The queen of the planet walked out, and as always, she was wholly veiled. You could never see her face, and she was always in human form. The only thing you could see was her ankles. She didn¡¯t even have guards with her. No one bowed or greeted each other or said anything. We sat down.

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°Juliet found out about the brandings. Challenged me for the throne.¡±

    Ira growled. Brylee was quiet as always.

    ¡°Qadir is dead. She killed him.¡±

    Ira was not pleased and slammed the table with a fist. It was loud, and I supported his outrage. ¡°Will we let her take over all the planets? Change all our cultures and customs until they suit her wild ways.¡± Ira¡¯s voice was more of a growl when he was manifested. ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°Louis du Pont is running the compound on Earth, and Juliet gave birth to¡­  another Riphath girl.¡± Ira¡¯s claws dug into his paw. The blood dripped onto the table. ¡°Her name is Samantha Agatha Furrow¡­ or Sammy¡­.¡±

    ¡°How? How can she carry a Riphath? How could Chris have another child? Have you found out how she carried Caleb in the first place?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°According to me, it must have been that concoction Rodrigo gave her. She is still dying, changing. I saw her face, her skin¡­ But it has made her strong. And she can be controlled like that¡­ It is the only reason she was able to kill my child.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the chit. I have come¡­ to hate her as much as you do. Chris is completely obsessed with her¡­ Can we kidnap the child?¡± Ira suggested.

    ¡°We could try¡­ But she never leaves her side. There is no watcher tech on the compound, and I cannot divert Marcus and Louis anymore. You must know how it feels to have to make way for the next generation.¡±

    ¡°Chris must never know of the child. He would want to go back. He would stay. And the people would be angry if I didn¡¯t allow it. Leave one of our own out there. A child.¡±

    ¡°You understand what happens if she is branded again by anyone else? The third spot is for whoever will dare¡­.¡± Our eyes darted up to Brylee¡¯s. For the first time in hundreds of years, she had spoken¡­ Brylee took her dress and tore at the seem. She took Ira¡¯s hand in hers and bound his paw. He winced and flexed his fingers, pressing the cloth in his fist.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± He growled.

    Brylee shrugged. ¡°Just to remind you, she has the human living with them. If he does it¡­ We might as well give her the keys¡­.¡± She drew in a nervous breath¡­ ¡°It should be another vamp, Ahasuerus.¡± That time, my fist came down onto the table... Soren came to mind. She made a low sound to my disapproval of giving away only my planet.

    She spoke again, her head turning to Ira¡­ ¡°Let it be, Chris¡­? Let¡¯s be done with this¡­ We could have some control.¡±

    Ira pushed his big chair out from under him¡­ ¡°That will never happen¡­ I will make sure he never sees her again¡­¡± Ira sneered. ¡°You will make sure no one brands her¡­.¡± Ira pointed at me with an outstretched paw and black nail.

    ¡°When is the challenge?¡± Brylee asked.

    ¡°30 April next year. Before you leave for Yaroon¡­You will have to come.¡± I said to Ira. ¡°Watch from the shadows. If I don¡¯t make it¡­ It¡¯s up to you to stop her and make her bend.¡±

    ¡°I want to come,¡± Brylee said. Ira and I stared at her, stunned.

    She stood up. Her gaze had to travel up to Ira¡¯s. ¡°Come and pick me up, Ira. I will wear a compound veil... So look out for me on the platform around six.¡±

    He nodded, and she disappeared into the shadows. ¡°Good Luck, Ahasuerus,¡± Brylee said before her presence was gone. Her smell and the sound of her steady heartbeat.

    ¡°She is twenty-one next year¡­ All we have to do is keep them separated for another two years. I don¡¯t think they will even put it together to let Michael brand her¡­.¡± Ira suggested.

    ¡°I think we should let it play out¡­.¡± Ira nodded and left as well.

    ***

    Present Time

    Marcus

    I had been on Zoreah for five months. Samuel for five years, and we were on our way to Earth. I had asked Ahasuerus. Said that I wanted to stay for a while. He and Samuel were in his office for a whole day. After that, he released me.

    I realized that my one decision made a difference. I wanted to start making more. I was going to have a honeymoon¡­ Even if I had to kidnap her. The house in front of me was my house. My house¡­ where my wife lived. The gates were half-open. There was laughter. There was fighting and cheering. One child was crying, and another was laughing and playing. Growling, Sammy had still not changed back.

    My house was full of people. People that I hardly knew anymore. I opened to a scene out of a video game. Juliet and Louis had plates on their faces around their mouths. There but not there. Their eyes were glossy. It was unnerving to see her like that¡­ But I was happy that she wasn¡¯t in danger anymore¡­ Hearing what Louis had done was a turning point for me. I knew there was more I didn¡¯t know about. I glanced at Samuel, taking in the scene next to me. Nothing seemed to ever bother the man, and he always had a smile on his face friendly features like his brother. Jessy was with us. A few men behind him carried crates of tiny creatures. My grandfather said we needed to breed them for Sammy.

    Michael stood directing them. Kubra next to Michael, helping to teach. Michael seemed well. He was on his way to his former self. A little more meat on his body. She had brought him back. They had brought him back. He was staying. It was the three of them. Juliet really would give her life for anyone who stayed. And not even physically but spiritually. We walked through. It was, after all, my house. The crowd quieted down when they saw us.

    Liam, shocked but happy, ran up to his brother. They embraced. ¡°It¡¯s about time,¡± Liam said when he shook my hand. Cindy hugged me. Threw her arms around my neck.

    My eyes kept darting to Louis and Juliet, who stood frozen until Michael spoke. He glanced over his shoulder at me. Not even a proper recognition. He was still angry. Not taking my crap. He knew why he was there. He was sure about protecting her. He couldn¡¯t care if I took all my life deciding. All he knew was how much Juliet meant.

    ¡°Juliet¡­ attack Marcus. Use mid to close-range attacks. Offensive. No time for¡­ defense. Punish him.¡± I didn¡¯t have time to think. She ran skidded. Rested on her hands. Her one foot kicked my shin so hard that I felt it would break, snap in half. I stumbled backward. Her speed was faster than mine. She jumped on my neck, grabbing onto me and flinging me over in one motion. I was on my back before I knew what was going on. I jumped up, ready. I jabbed up at her; the countered move was swift, stepping forward and slamming both her hands into my chest. So complex and with so much force that it cracked a rib.

    ¡°Stop, Juliet.¡± Michael walked over. I was on my knees in pain. He pressed his thumb on the back of her neck. The plate retracted into a little black tube. The tubes I gave Carl. That I got in Jabin¡¯s room.

    I had the wind knocked out of me. My hand on my stomach, my eyes closed. She had slammed my small rib, missing my liver with purpose, I hoped. I would have been in serious trouble if she had hit my organ. Even Ahasuerus would have felt it.

    Juliet stood before me normal, peering down into my eyes¡­ Me on my knees in front of her... I didn¡¯t mind being on my knees. She turned to Michael in a huff¡­ I thought she would slap him. I could see she wanted to. Her chest fell and rose. His cheek turned. He saw it, too. He had a massive smile on his face, waiting for the impact. He cocked an eyebrow. That smolder.

    She snorted, ¡°You will pay for that. But I won¡¯t hurt you.¡± His eyes changed as the smirk fell from his face¡­ Their gazes locked like magnets. They had grown closer¡­ She reached out and touched his cheek.

    For the first time¡­ I realized that their relationship was more than I had thought. It wasn¡¯t just family¡­ She was really in love with him. Michael turned to me, handing me the tube. ¡°She always said you were the safest to give this to. Even before Caleb was born. You were her choice. I felt the same back then¡­ Now I think you will break her heart¡­ But let¡¯s see. I¡¯ll be there to pick up the pieces if you know what I mean.¡±

    A wave of jealousy hit me. My absence had caused another addition. Maybe two¡­ If she decided she wanted Soren after all. We never did complete our chat about him. Juliet rolled her eyes. ¡°You really are such a human, Michael. A pissing contest. Can you please release Louis now?¡± Michael walked off.

    Juliet came over to her uncle and fell into his arms. ¡°You look good, Juliet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really happy to see you, uncle.¡±

    ¡°Have you guys slept together? You and Michael?¡± I asked loudly. Not really knowing if I would be able to handle it¡­ I also didn¡¯t care if anyone knew my struggles. His gaze came back over his shoulder while his hand released Louis. Juliet frowned at me. No one answered. My hand gripped my rib. Juliet helped me up. ¡°You¡¯re getting sloppy. You would have stopped that a mile away in the past. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Ahasuerus doesn¡¯t want me to fight, so he¡¯s keeping me busy. I haven¡¯t been training. But I know why.¡± All eyes were on me as Juliet sat me down on the lounge chair.

    ¡°Kubra, come check him, please.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing, boss.¡± My eyes shot up to his face. He gave me a smile. ¡°Since¡­¡± His eyes cast down. ¡°Since¡­ yea well¡­ that night. Juliet has been a little¡­ You made her edgy. Taking over everything.¡±

    ¡°Seems like if I want to talk to you, I should make an appointment,¡± I said to her. I was trying to get her to look at me. Juliet¡¯s manners were cold. She didn¡¯t think it funny. To bring up the past so easily. What did I expect? She would be waiting with an open heart¡­ She was too busy cleaning Louis''s cuts anyway. They had gone at it pretty hard. When she was done with him. He turned on her and did the same.

    ¡°I went to Zoreah. Uninvited.¡± Louis¡¯s hand stopped mid-air on its way to Juliet¡¯s brow. There was a small cut. I didn¡¯t like it. She was training that hard for next year. It was deadly quiet around me. ¡°Was stuck there the last month here, so for five months. Why I haven¡¯t been back since¡­ that night¡­ At least I took a bag¡­ Before you freak Juliet. I wasn¡¯t close to Chris. There was no one¡­ accept that man over there.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes drifted to Samuel. He nodded. ¡°I was hiding. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Samuel said.

    ¡°What do you mean you were there for five months? Here for one?¡± Juliet¡¯s eyes met mine for the first time. I groaned... Louis had not told her¡­ I shook my head. Swore under my breath. Everyone else knew¡­ except Juliet. Kubra helped me up when I held out a hand. I left the patio and walked over to my room. I closed the door. No one had been in my room. The smell was stale and musty. In France, everyone was in Louis¡¯s room. In his bed. Chris slept with them. He let Charlene sleep there. Even Carl sometimes when they were drunk and passed out. His door was always open. His space was constantly invaded.

    I didn¡¯t want to, but my body begged. I heard the swearing from Louis. Juliet opened the door and closed it behind her. I forced her forward until she was so close to me that I could feel her breath on my lips. I wouldn¡¯t force her to kiss me, of course. Not yet, anyway. So I let her go. She stood even closer. Her hands slowly slid around my waist and up my back.

    ¡°I thought it was just sex¡­ But it wasn¡¯t.¡± I started. ¡°I feel the absence too much, Julie. I have to go to another place in my mind to cope. Not being with you changes me... That¡¯s how I was trained to manage. Fear of losing you makes me worse. I shut down¡­ There has always been space between us¡­ like you said. First on the compound¡­ the branding, then after the club. After the embassy. After we came back. Always space. I hate space. I hate not being with you.¡±

    I took a breath, roaming my eyes over her face. ¡°Ahasuerus told me, you don¡¯t choose me above Louis because I have never chosen you. Like you said on the mountain. You don¡¯t love what¡¯s not good for you¡­ I haven¡¯t been good to you. You also don¡¯t wait for anyone who doesn¡¯t choose you. And the only time I¡¯ve chosen was with Damian.¡±

    Her hands were all over me.

    ¡°But still, you waited. Even at fifteen, you said you didn¡¯t choose me because I never do anything. At that age, you had more common sense than me. You have always been nervous around me. Because you never knew if I would stand up for you¡­ I will keep proving to you that I will¡­ And Julie, I know I have to share you... but it¡¯s not enough to push me over that line. However much I try to hate you¡­ I never will. I¡¯ve accepted my fate. I¡¯m not going to leave anymore... Or sleep with anyone else.¡±

    Juliet wasn¡¯t moving. Her eyes fixed on my lips. Where they had been that whole time. She didn¡¯t once meet my eyes. ¡°Julie¡­ Is that all you want from me?¡±

    She nodded. I smiled and laughed lightly, biting my lip. It was a mistake. She wanted to kiss me, but I dodged her. She fell onto the bed behind me. I laughed at her again. She is so freaking cute. Her bushy eyebrows make her angry face worse.

    ¡°I¡¯m confused when I¡¯m not with you, Julie. I even out when I see you. My heart settles, and I¡¯m contented. But I want to give you Caleb back. I know you don¡¯t have a prize. One you can fight for in the ring. Because you are completely free. And I envy you. But I can still give you all the things you want. And I might be preoccupied with those things. But it¡¯s all for you. It always has been. It always will be. And my prize will always be you.¡±

    I paused, hoping that I was sharing enough with her.

    ¡°Caleb is already five. The time on Chris¡¯s planet is five times faster than here. They have five years of winter and five years of summer. Their summer¡­ this year is the only time I will be able to go to see them or get to them. April next year¡­ I have less than a year.¡±

    Juliet lifted her torso onto her elbows, taking it in. ¡°We¡­ You mean,¡± She asked? She didn¡¯t wait for an answer. ¡°Do you know why he¡¯s not come back?¡±

    ¡°Ira. His father.¡±

    ¡°Does he live only nine hundred years there?¡± I shook my head.

    She was quick to do the math. Quickly taking all the variables into account. The political advantages.

    ¡°I have to tell you¡­ Marcus, I¡¯m so sick of all of it. It never ends.¡±

    I was taken aback that she felt the same way as me. Taken aback that what I had told her didn¡¯t even matter anymore. ¡°Have you and Michael slept together, Julie?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m jealous. And I want to know if you used him to get over my¡­ disappointing performance.¡±

    She shook her head, playing with her tongue over her teeth. Her eyes cast down.

    ¡°What and Why?¡±

    ¡°He has a problem with my skin. He is only going to start with symptoms soon. So I don¡¯t think you have to worry in that regard. Are you against Michael as well? Or is it only Soren?¡±

    I had one chance to say the right thing. ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°And now that you do?¡±

    My eyes darted around the room, thinking. ¡°I¡­ want to know that¡­ we meant something. Making it official and all¡­ Consummation¡­ Because you sleep with so many people. For you, it was probably just sex.¡± I said, looking deep into her eyes to try and figure out what I meant to her.

    She snorted¡­ ¡°You know¡­ While we were busy¡­¡± She laughed. ¡°I had that exact same feeling¡­ Because I think we should do the math¡­.¡± Oh crap, I¡¯ve never had that discussion with her¡­ ¡°How many women have you had, Marcus? And the big question, how many did you have after meeting me?¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to hurt her¡­ ¡°After? No one¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you going to stand there the whole time, or will you touch me at all?¡± She patted the bed next to her. I didn¡¯t move¡­ ¡°Will you come to lie down if I promise not to touch you?¡± I nodded. She moved to the furthest side of the bed.

    Slowly, I lowered myself onto the bed, my face pulling from the pain. ¡°He probably did that so that we couldn¡¯t.¡± She quipped.

    I snorted. ¡°Like that would stop me.¡±

    She didn¡¯t give me a chance. I couldn¡¯t do anything even if I wanted to. Her legs straddled me. Her lips were on mine. I keep mine still and closed.

    ¡°There is a whole lot I can do to you without you opening your mouth. Mar¡­cus.¡±

    I groaned, closing my eyes. ¡°If you keep saying my name like that¡­ things will get a little rougher in the future.¡±

    ¡°Mar¡­cus¡­¡± She kissed the corner of my mouth. ¡°Mar¡­cus.¡± She kissed my neck and sucked on my ear. ¡°Mar¡­cus.¡±

    I wanted to say something. Her tongue was in my mouth so fast. She smiled¡­ ¡°You¡¯re getting sloppy¡­ You need practice.¡± I flipped her over, coming down on her hard. Kissing her relentlessly. It wasn¡¯t just sex. It was never about getting her in my bed. Or getting her out of my system. It wasn¡¯t about the anticipation¡­ It had always been about her¡­ My fears and insecurities.

 Getting Used to Husband Number One

    113. Getting Used to Husband Number One

    Marcus

    Juliet jumped out of bed early the following day. Louis, Juliet, and I had finally slept together in my room. I came up on my elbows. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Michael and I are going for a breakfast run.¡±

    ¡°I only came home yesterday. You going to leave me here the whole day?¡±

    ¡°Did Louis tell you he is your Uncle?¡± I didn¡¯t really care. Juliet was naked, walking around. And my bed was ideally situated. Just the way I fantasized.

    Louis swore into the pillow. Cuss word after cuss word. Juliet laughing. ¡°That can keep you busy. Samuel is here.¡±

    She put on a red push-up bra, scooping her breasts to perk them up¡­ A very lacey red thong¡­ With a very black loose tank top. The shortest black jean shorts¡­ and her boots.

    ¡°If you had a bike, we could all go. There is a big group with us today. About twenty big. I had asked Louis, but he doesn¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Do you have to go?¡± I pleaded.

    She was in and out of the bathroom, styling her hair and putting on makeup. Juliet walked towards me and bent over the bed. The shirt she had on was only a formality. She might as well walk out in that red bra. My eyes were on her breasts, bulging, and they didn¡¯t seem so small. My eyes came up to her face. Her lips were red and glossy. ¡°No. Juliet! Just no. Please.¡± She wanted to smile. She tried to say something snarky. But we heard Michael outside. He was waiting, having a cigarette.

    ¡°Hey, get in here. I need a cigarette,¡± Louis yelled.

    His head was still sideways on the side, hanging half off the bed, joined by one arm. Louis was not a morning person. His hair was so long it hung over his forehead and covered one eye.

    Michael opened the door, and even seeing me in the bed half-naked didn¡¯t  bother him at all. He walked over, lighting one for Louis and putting it in between two outstretched fingers. Juliet had gone into the bathroom and came through the door from her room. Michael turned and jolted at the picture she had painted, ¡°F- Juliet. No! Put some clothes on.¡± He complained.

    Louis came up and had to take a peak. To see what all the fuss was about. He was taking a drag of his cigarette but choked and coughed when he saw her. ¡°Marcus is right. No! It¡¯s not happening.¡±

    Irritated, she pulled off the shirt and the bra in front of us and threw it at us.

    She moved to her closet, got dressed, and came around the corner.

    What she had decided would be better¡­ was a nude bra that pushed up her breasts even more. A long-sleeved knitted jersey. It had such a low v-neck that you could see all of her cleavage. It draped seductively down over her one shoulder. One milky rounding peeked out slightly more than the other.

    The three of us were staring at her. Fixated¡­ She was f¡­ing gorgeous. Young and beautiful. The two men were dragging their cigarettes slowly, taking in the scene. I had no words. It didn¡¯t really matter if she covered up more.

    ¡°You should be happy with yourself. You have three grown men with very lusty thoughts.¡± Louis said.

    She smiled¡­ ¡°Who¡¯s is the best?¡±

    Louis shook his head¡­ ¡°Not saying.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Juliet. Every guy will be gawking at you.¡± Michael said.

    I was starting to like Michael. She flipped us off and stuck out her tongue. She went around the corner again. That time, she came out with a black T-shirt hanging loose over long jeans. It covered all of her. Michael held out his hand, ¡°Thank you. Let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°That deserves a kiss,¡± she pouted. Michael smirked at her, but he left it.

    I liked Michael even more. Juliet mumbled and said some more things. She ran back and kissed me. She wanted to kiss Louis, but he turned his face. ¡°No pecking.¡± She giggled and stole his cigarette.

    ¡°Be careful,¡± Louis whispered.

    Juliet ran out the door, and they disappeared.

    ¡°How do you do it?¡± I asked as they went out of view.

    ¡°I usually go into his room and mess with his gaming profiles. Stuff up his stats and make him drop rank.¡± We both laughed. It was quiet for a moment, and we both jumped up and ran to his room. We were both going to play games all day long.

    ***

    Michael

    Juliet and I were right outside the gates. I caught her in my arms, picked her up, and held her against my chest, kissed her so hard that she moaned. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you left the shorts in the room.

    She chuckled. ¡°And not have you touch me all day long¡­ No, that wasn¡¯t going to happen.¡±

    ¡°Tell me you brought the red bra and the jersey¡­ F- I almost had you right there.¡± I growled, pushing her lips onto mine.

    She laughed against my mouth. ¡°Did you see me pick it up when I kissed Marcus? When do you think you ¡°having¡± me will happen?¡±

    I put her down, sighing, took out my bike, and started it while she got dressed in the small garage. Before she put on the helmet, I pulled her over to me. ¡°I want to wait till we¡¯re married¡­ I want to set a date.¡±

    She seemed stunned. ¡°Okay¡­ When?¡±

    ¡°Get on. We can talk about it later. I need to touch you.¡±

    ***

    We met up with a crowd of locals and drove to our favorite bar. It had a fantastic view. Everyone loved Juliet, and she fit right in. There were some new faces in the crowd. Some weeks, you had those one-timers who joined.

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    When we stopped, I saw the guys checking out Juliet. I should have been used to it by then. And I was¡­ Sometimes, some guys would glance, and it was okay. But other guys were gross about it. You could feel there was something wrong. The way her hand was gripping mine¡­ put me on edge. She had noticed. ¡°Juliet, do you want to go home.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already called Jessy.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re that scared, honey, we should leave.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ We have friends here. I¡¯ll not go anywhere alone.¡±

    We went inside and sat with the group at a long table. The decked patio was built on a ridge with a fantastic view out over the valley. Juliet had sketches of a new tattoo, and we were planning. We ate and drank. We had a good time. She was going to the bathroom. I wanted to get up with her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they left.¡± She kissed me, and I slapped her ass. ¡°I don¡¯t think you can handle all of¡­ this¡­.¡± Juliet saluted me with a rock and roll salute.

    Usually, some of the guys would talk to me when she wasn¡¯t there. ¡°You guys are glued to the hip¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve been through a¡­lot¡­.¡±

    There was a crashing sound from inside the place. ¡°S-!¡± I jumped up. More breaking glasses. Juliet was fighting the sleazy guy. She was very lucid, so she didn¡¯t have her strength. When he grabbed her ass and pushed her against his¡­ crotch¡­ I lost it. The guys behind me were short on my heels. Unfortunately, we did a very human thing and beat all three to a pulp. My anger manifested¡­ I turned on the place and broke the chairs. Michael wasn¡¯t there¡­ That was the first outburst I had after coming back.

    ***

    Juliet

    I was sitting with the crowd we came with watching the show. The guys tried to calm Michael down, but I stopped them. I thought it would be good if he got it out of his system. Breaking things.

    ¡°Is he okay, Juliet?¡± The girl next to me asked.

    ¡°Yeah, I think he needed this.¡±

    Jessy came in at the front door. Marcus followed. ¡°Ahh, shoot.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The girl asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s my husband.¡±

    ¡°I thought Michael was your husband.¡±

    I nodded. Louis walked in slowly¡­ Leisurely with the cigarette in his mouth. He stood next to Marcus. I shuddered at the thought that he and Qadir were actually somewhat the same in mannerisms.

    ¡°Who is that?¡± She asked in a seductive tone¡­ licking her lips. I pumped her in the ribs. Her boyfriend didn¡¯t like it either.

    ¡°That is my other husband.¡± Both gave multiple comments.

    Louis¡¯s eyes caught mine, and I adverted my gaze quickly. Holding my hand over my eyes, pretending to be hiding.

    ¡°He¡¯s coming over.¡± She whispered, and I grasped her hand.

    He cleared his throat, ran his hand into my shirt, and flicked my bra strap, making it shoot back onto my skin. I winced but didn¡¯t meet his eyes on me. He took my chin in his hand and pushed up my face. I still didn¡¯t look at him. ¡°Baby, you have two seconds.¡±

    I took a deep breath, and our eyes met. He pecked me on the lips. ¡°That¡¯s your punishment.¡± His hand slid up my leg into my shorts, squeezing my thighs so tight that I squirmed... ¡°I thought I said no!¡±

    He turned around and walked towards the bar.

    ¡°Wow¡­ he¡¯s intense.¡± She whispered.

    ¡°He¡¯s the nice one.¡±

    Louis paused and looked back at me over his shoulder. Defeated¡­ shoulders slumping.

    The girl and I giggled.

    Michael took drinking glasses off the counter and tossed them into the wall. One by one. Marcus walked up to Michael and tapped him on the shoulder. He flung around and took a shot at him. Marcus dodged. Louis had forgotten about my remark and jumped in. They weren¡¯t going to hit him¡­ No one would ever touch him again.

    ***

    Marcus

    We had to kinda get Michael down without hurting him. It took a while, but we pinned him and pushed a little black vial into his neck. Jessy and a few guys took him home.

    ¡°Who is going to take the bike?¡± I asked. My gaze drifted over the bar. It was a mess. The bartender went up to Juliet. They exchanged a few words, but they seemed on good ground. He shook her hand. She had on the red bra and the shorts. She had taken it without me even knowing. I was glad Michael was knocked out, thinking of him and her on that bike¡­ her in those shorts. I shook myself.

    The three guys Michael took out were being carried outside. Jessy was taking them to a hospital. Drop and go.

    My body was turned in Juliet¡¯s direction. We watched each other for a few seconds. She was driving me nuts¡­ But I loved it¡­ I wanted it¡­ I pointed a finger at her¡­ A saucy smile on her face. I turned around and left. I heard her running after me. It felt good¡­ I walked up to Jessy before he left, and he handed me the glass plate. Before she could see it, I turned towards her, holding it behind my back.

    She wanted to say something. But I cut her off, throwing my arms around her, ¡°Say goodbye to Louis.¡±

    Her head turned, and she held out her hand to him¡­ Louis was close anyway. He walked over, gave her another peck, and nodded at me. I pulled her even closer, put my chin on her shoulder, and pressed some buttons behind her back.

    For months, Chris had built her a cabin in the woods. How he even knew it was something she wanted. Her journal mentioned it a lot. Was everyone just reading her journals all the time? Louis had taken her on his yacht. I had thought about our honeymoon. The only other place she missed was Louis¡¯s room back in France... I had Jessy and the guys air it out, fill the fridges, and build a pen outside with food. Stuff that she hadn¡¯t heard of. It was summer¡­ I knew she wanted snow, but I hoped she would be okay with it¡­ Since I knew the Earth was one giant hotspot, it had opened up a whole other world for me.

    ¡°Close your eyes, Julie¡­.¡± She held on to me, and we came out where the watchers always came out¡­ I pulled her through some of the bushes. It was already late in France¡­ I picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t peak¡­.¡±

    She was being so quiet¡­ I put her down and left her at the bottom of the stairs. ¡°Open your eyes.¡±

    I could hear the intake of a breath. I could listen to her holding her breath every heartbeat. There were candles everywhere up the stairs and all around his bed.

    ¡°I could have taken you where I wanted to go¡­ but I thought that us waking up to that every morning. Alone here¡­¡± She turned around. I couldn¡¯t look at her yet¡­ Didn¡¯t want to see the disappointment on her face¡­ ¡°We are taking two weeks, Julie. I want my honeymoon.¡±

    Her fingers reached for her shorts, and she unbuckled them. They dropped, and she wanted to lift the jersey over her head. I took hold of her wrist¡­ My eyes didn¡¯t need to reach her face. They roamed every inch of her. How the material stopped at just the right place and at the perfect angle. Not minding the red underwear anymore. I lifted my other hand and caressed her open shoulder, thumbing her bra strap and pushing it away, allowing me to explore.

    She abruptly turned around and ran up the stairs, falling on the bed. I laughed and slowly followed, standing at the door and had to watch her for a moment. My shoes creaked on the hardwood floors. I lowered myself, grasping her knees, and eased them apart. I bent down to kiss the hollow of her knee and trailed, licking kisses up the length of her thigh. Juliet¡¯s eyes were closed, her toes curling, and her body squirming. I reached her ass and rested on one arm. My other hand squeezed her ass and slid into her shirt, unclasping the bra.

    ¡°Where did you want to go?¡± She asked. I ignored her; my caress continued towards her breast, and she lifted for me so I could palm her from behind. Her hands gripped the sheets. Juliet wanted to turn around. I had to let go and press her back into the mattress, holding her in place. ¡°There is a place on En-gannim.¡± My hand came out of her clothes and slid over the soft material down her arm till our fingers interlaced. She relaxed a little. ¡°Prettier than this?¡± I lay beside her and placed my head on her back. Because of the candles, you couldn¡¯t see the stars or anything else outside. Only our reflection. ¡°Way more¡­ We do have some amazing scenery¡­ What is it that you felt that night when you were there?¡±

    ¡°I feel home¡­ Drawn there¡­ I miss it so much.¡±

    It was quiet for a while. I wanted it all to sink in, wishing she would calm down a little more. Her heart was still racing in anticipation. ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Mar¡­ cus¡­ Shut up and sleep with me.¡±

    I laughed and laughed. It was a mistake¡­ No, not a mistake¡­

 One Person At a Time

    114. One Person At a Time

    Juliet

    ¡°Rodrigo. Where are you?¡±

    ¡°In here.¡±

    I walked to one of the cubicles with Sammy in my arms. Rodrigo had outfitted it with toys and weird creatures in cages. ¡°What is all this.¡± I chuckled.

    ¡°You bring her every month for a check-up and Min¨¦¡­ I have two creature cubs that I have to monitor.¡±

    I snorted, but Min¨¦ jumped out of Charlene¡¯s arms and walked, half run, to the cages¡­ She was almost two, manifesting in and out, and it really was cute. Desperate to lay her little fangs in the things. The changing would soon stop. She would never turn again until she had a reason.

    The creatures Ahasuerus brought from Zoreah had helped somewhat to control Sammy¡¯s desires. It seemed that she just needed to go home. With Caleb, we never got to that stage.

    ¡°I would like to talk to you about something¡­.¡± I said and sat down on the hospital bed, holding out my arm so he could give me birth control shots.

    Rodrigo seemed intrigued. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to hear what that brain of yours has come up with.¡±

    ¡°I want to know¡­. Can you reproduce what I have in large quantities?¡± He eyed me skeptically. ¡°Without killing anything?¡±

    ¡°The baseline is there, but we would need a donor, like an infected. And you, my dear, are the only one.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s talk more about this donor story. What does that entail?¡± Charlene asked from the side.

    His eyes locked with Charlene¡¯s. They have become good friends, like Rodrigo and me. ¡°Bone marrow.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what you were doing with the cubs! Rodrigo?!¡±

    ¡°What did you think I was doing?¡±

    ¡°Splicing¡­ biotechnology. That liquid you pumped into us¡­ I don¡¯t know?¡± I turned away from him. I had gotten used to Rodrigo but had forgotten what he had done. ¡°Anyway¡­ How did you create that monster formula for Qadir in large quantities.¡± I was so angry I had to give Sammy to him. It didn¡¯t mean I didn¡¯t trust him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He said under his breath.

    Again and again, I had to remind myself how they grew up in that hell hole. All they went through. I laughed lightly when Sammy started clawing at him. They growled at each other, playing. She was only talking, but it was the weirdest thing any human would ever see.

    ¡°How much of my bone marrow do you need for Charlene? And can you separate it to make her infected but not¡­ the leather and the spells?¡±

    ¡°I can do both. I can take away your leather if you don¡¯t like it. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve been doing nothing here day in, day out since I¡¯ve been back. I kinda have unlimited funds from the government¡­ How are your studies going, Charlene?¡±

    ¡°Still basics¡­ but don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll come to get tutored soon.¡±

    ¡°And you¡­ did you know one benefit women have of the brandings is that they can make your other half keep quiet?¡± Rodrigo avoided talking about infecting anybody¡­ I wondered if Charlene would ever get what she wanted. What he had said finally sank in. ¡°They can control you, but you can make them keep quiet!¡± Rodrigo continued.

    Charlene and I both had a burst of laughter. ¡°Shhh! Here they come.¡±

    Marcus and Louis came running down the corridor. ¡°Juliet, you really have to stop doing this. I want to be here. She¡¯s my child, too.¡±

    I checked the corridor out of habit to see if Michael was coming, but he wasn¡¯t. He was in his shop and would probably never come down there again. I stepped closer to Rodrigo and asked him in a whisper. He didn¡¯t look up to meet Marcus¡¯s eye, but a smile played on his mouth. Marcus wanted to say something, but I lifted my finger and pointed it at him. At first, he was quiet because he didn¡¯t know what was happening. One side of his mouth lifted. He wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t. He tried really hard. I flashed my eyebrows at him. His gaze went from me to Rodrigo. Louis wanted to say something, and I did the same thing. He couldn¡¯t speak. Louis wasn¡¯t impressed. Charlene and I burst out laughing. ¡°Later, you don¡¯t have to use your finger anymore like they don¡¯t have to use their voices on you.¡±

    ¡°Where did you hear all this about the branding?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Agatha.¡± We all spun around. Jokes aside. The energy in the room had changed; The one thing we never joked about was Marcus¡¯s mother. Rodrigo¡¯s eyes lifted from Sammy. She was still engrossed in the man holding her. His beard. I missed Chris. Sammy would have loved him.

    ¡°Well, Agatha told all her secrets to Samuel¡­ Why do you think Qadir cut out her tongue? She has so many secrets. He caught her telling Marcus some when he was five¡­ She was Samuels¡¯s wife¡¯s sister. That¡¯s why he got to come and play ambassador. He was also in the court. The no beheadings for court officials helped¡­ It was one of Agatha¡¯s ultimatums coming to Earth. If Samuel could also come.¡±

    ¡°What happened to his wife, her sister?¡±

    Rodrigo shook his head as if he didn¡¯t want to say. ¡°You know what, just like your mother raised you, not to know everything at the age you were at. I¡¯m not going to tell you everything I know when you ask. I also have my limits and loyalties and have a lot of things to factor in.¡± Rodrigo retorted.

    I lifted my hand to him, fisting it and grunting in frustration. ¡°Fine! So how much bone marrow would you need to make me a hundred vials?¡±

    He smiled but not at me¡­ At the princess in his arms. ¡°Not a lot.¡±

    Marcus wanted to speak, but I kept him quiet. ¡°Can you alter mine so I am infectious like you?¡±

    That caught his attention, and he handed the baby to Louis. Sammy liked Louis, and he liked her. For all intents and purposes, he was her father, more than Chris would be. If I couldn¡¯t convince him to come home¡­ He will never know he has a daughter. I¡¯m not giving up another freaking kid.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like the movies Juliet. Can you imagine the havoc of vampires running around biting every person and that person biting the next? We would have a dystopia¡­ I wouldn¡¯t even do that for Qadir, and I will not do it for you.¡±

    I pouted my lips. Marcus wanted to talk so bad, but I kept him quiet.

    ¡°All the women from En-gannim that Marcus so graciously sent us¡­ want to be stronger. I need an army of kick-ass soldiers that can take on Marcus¡¯s little puny vampire men. Marcus came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. He wanted me to release him. I glanced back and gave him a saucy smile. Louis didn¡¯t even try. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to love this.¡±

    ¡°No wonder the vamps made the brandings go away. Can you imagine the chaos in the court setting?¡± Charlene said and laughed.

    I joined her. ¡°The guy makes the woman sit down, but he can¡¯t say anything.¡±

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    ¡°Ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°That is why the bond is only formed if there is love between the two people,¡± Rodrigo said.

    Again, the whole room turned to him.

    ¡°That is what Agatha told Marcus that night when she put him in bed. He needed to find someone who would love him, or he would never be a real prince¡­ So even if Marcus had to push you down¡­ You loved him, and he has the tattoo to prove it.¡±

    Suddenly, I was back in that room. Supernatural bond of love. ¡°My body knew?¡±

    ¡°Maybe your heart,¡± Rodrigo suggested. ¡°That is why Agatha doesn¡¯t have a tattoo and why they didn¡¯t have another baby¡­ And you are the reason Liam would not do it. They wanted someone here with you. Always.¡±

    I released the two men behind me. Marcus walked over, threw me over his shoulder, and carried me out. ¡°What the hell? I wasn¡¯t done talking.¡± He carried me into the lift like a cavewoman and put me down. He waited for the doors to close. Waited till we went one floor up and pressed the button for the lift to come to a stop. He turned around with tender eyes, ¡°I thought it was a forced thing, Julie¡­ I thought you didn¡¯t love me.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°All this time, you thought I didn¡¯t love you?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I thought I did it to save you. To force you¡­¡±

    ¡°All this time, you doubted if you really loved me?¡± I asked, dumbfounded.

    ¡°He¡­ just set me free to a whole other level¡­.¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes drifted aimlessly to the side. He was quiet for some time¡­ Thinking. ¡°You love me,¡± he whispered. Our gazes locked. He kept repeating it. ¡°You love me¡­ Like really love me.¡±

    ¡°Sheesh, Marcus, how could you th¡­.¡± He picked me up and pressed me against the wall, one hand on my thigh, and let me sit on his hips. My other leg steadied me on the floor.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get enough of you.¡± His lips pressed onto mine¡­ Lovingly, he moved over me. ¡°Marcus¡­ we have things to do.¡± His mouth opened fully over mine, and sneaky fingers coaxed on the inside of my tight. It was all I needed to quiet down and melt into him. As if he knew, he clutched my other leg and grinded into me.

    Marcus lifted his lips, ¡°If you want to know how to take over all three planets,¡± Another hard thrust, ¡°don¡¯t you think it would be better to talk to me?¡± His voice was low. My eyes were closed, and at that moment, I didn¡¯t want to think about it. His lips and tongue trailed down my neck. His hands cupped my breasts. My hand ran through his hair, and the other pulled him even closer. If it was possible. His head had to come up, and desperate eyes met in the middle.

    ¡°Are you going to talk strategy with me?¡± I asked, out of breath.

    His head slumped in front of me. He let me go and pushed the elevator button. The lift jerked into motion. ¡°A few weeks ago, all you wanted from me was my lips¡­ What happened?¡± He lifted his chin at me. I laughed lightly.

    On the top floor, he took my hand and pulled me out. Jessy was outside with a car waiting. It was different for Jessy to see Marcus there; they treated him with more respect than Louis. Marcus didn¡¯t do anything in the car. He didn¡¯t even touch me; he kept staring out the window. The car came to a stop outside the house.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Marcus ordered. I sat back and didn¡¯t touch my door. He got out and came around the car, opening the door. Okay, that was weird. What happened to Marcus? He pulled me up and threw me over his shoulder.

    ¡°Good grief, Marcus, I¡¯m not a cavewoman. You should ask permission.¡±

    Marcus was not stopping. There was no one in the yard or at the house. His door opened and closed. ¡°Wait, Katty. Don¡¯t step on her.¡±

    Marcus peeked down. ¡°I keep forgetting about the cat!¡± She was under his feet, and he dropped me on the bed, falling on top of me. Marcus laughed. It was a mistake¡­ No, not a mistake¡­

    He wasn¡¯t on top of me for long. ¡°I loved you when I was fifteen. That night in the club¡­ Marcus, seeing you¡­ I had missed you so much¡­ I cried after you hung up the phone. That morning when I woke up after Louis¡­ You were in the room¡­ Every time you said my name, I wanted you¡­ While we sleep together¡­ I long for you.¡±

    Marcus pulled my lips down on his.

    ***

    ¡°How do I look?¡± Marcus actually asked Louis and not me.

    Louis gave him a once over and tilted his head. ¡°I don¡¯t like the white shirt. What about¡­¡±

    ¡°The black covered placket one¡­.¡± They said at the same time. Marcus disappeared into his dressing room. He was nervous and fumbling, buttoning up his shirt. Louis took over.

    We were all having dinner with Agatha, and it would be the first time Marcus had met with her since seeing her that night with Damian. It would be the first time they were going to talk. Even if it was via Louis.

    ¡°Come, we¡¯ll be late,¡± Michael said from the door.

    I had an instant smile on my face. That stupid smile, hearing his voice. Michael was okay¡­ I was sooo happy. I could sleep. Marcus was there¡­ Louis was there. Almost everyone¡­ My gaze traveled to the door. I was going to scan him quickly, expecting the leather jacket, black jeans, and boots. That was not what Michael had on. He was in a black semi-formal suit with a white shirt unbuttoned just low enough. No chain around his neck. Jewelry around his wrists. A stylish watch, not the leather bracelet one. Fancy shoes. ¡°Wow.¡± I mouthed¡­ My lips pouted, and I got that smirk.

    He raised his chin at me in a quick movement. ¡°Come on, we¡¯ll be late.¡±

    Marcus walked towards him, fastening cufflinks on his sleeves. Michael held out his jacket to him. Louis came around the corner. He wore all black.

    I¡­ had to take a second. The three guys looked too good¡­ Louis slapped Michael on the back, and Marcus fidgeted. Both the other two told him to relax. The three of them walked out without me, forgetting me completely, and I was okay with it. My top lip was between my teeth, giggling¡­ It was a good night.

    After what Rodrigo said, Marcus had been different. It was the last clue to his puzzle¡­ He didn¡¯t have to worry anymore that I wanted him there or that he belonged there; maybe why we were together at all.

    I wore a gold-plated choker with a one-shoulder white little dress that hung asymmetrically. A high slit up to my thigh. I bent down to stroke Katty on my bed. She made that activation noise¡­ It was cute. I grabbed my bag and closed my door. Charlene and Kubra were coming out of her room. We made eye contact from across the yard. My teeth gritted, and as he turned to close the door, she made a little gesture behind his back to tell me she thought Kubra was hot as hell. He had on greyish, stylish linen pants with two shades darker boat shoes and a black shirt, open one button lower than usual, and rolled up sleeves. It looked like he was going on a date. Charlene was in a very lacey, formal black ruffled dress. Low V-neck exposing almost all of her and a bralette tied together between her breasts with a bow.

    My mom and dad came out. I whistled at my mom. She curtsied. My dad bowed. Even my uncle was there¡­ It had been a long time since I felt that contented. My gaze traveled over everyone.

    Since Sammy was born, Warden had come back to take full responsibility. Although he was not allowed to say anything. He worked for Bertram, and they understood that I didn¡¯t want Chris to know before finding out what was going on with him and Zoreah. Warden was babysitting the two girls with some help from Jessy.

    ***

    Agatha had forsaken her veil. Decided not to go back so soon. Louis said she would go home when I was queen. It wasn¡¯t long anymore. She and Marcus embraced each other for a long time. We all gave them space. We only had to walk down from our house to hers. It was hers now. Most of Qadir¡¯s wives had gone back to En-gannim with his kids in tow. Some of the female prisoners had moved into the house to relieve some of the housing issues. Those were the ones who didn¡¯t want to fight nor share a domicile with a man other than her husband.

    I stood at the back as we walked through the front door. Louis was going to focus on Marcus that night. Marcus was going to focus on his mom.

    The view from the front door was beautiful. It looked out over the compound and out over the horizon of the desert in front of us. The sun was setting in the distance. They didn¡¯t have the wall that we had. I was thinking about tearing it down.

    ¡°You do look stunning, Juliet,¡± Michael whispered into my ear. He touched the small of my back softly. Half my back was exposed with the dress I had on. It was the first time he had touched my back... My breath hitched, but I wasn¡¯t going to make a big deal of it. ¡°You don¡¯t want to know what I think about you in that¡­ suit.¡± He smiled. Usually, he would run his hand through his long hair if I gave him a compliment¡­ but he couldn¡¯t. It was fastened on top of his head. The man bun suited him.

    ¡°You know I should probably get over it¡­ I¡¯m covered in tattoos.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same¡­ I get it. It¡¯s not like you can run your hands over my skin, and it¡¯s still soft under your touch. His hand pressed harder and started sliding up the smooth material of the dress, diagonally following it up to my shoulder.

    ¡°In¡­¡±

    ¡°You know what¡­.¡±

    We spoke at the same time. I turned to him. With my heels, I was almost as tall as him. ¡°What did you want to say?¡± I asked.

    His hand reached out and slid around my waist, up and over my back, over my skin, and into my hair¡­ cupping my neck. He pulled my lips on his. I had to step quickly on my toes to balance¡­ My hand landed on his chest, clutch in the other. His other arm around my waist steadied me.

    That night¡­ was a good night.

 The Journal

    115. The Journal

    Chris

    I woke up from a nightmare, sitting up in bed, breathing deeply. It was only Caleb next to me. I had dreamt about Selena again. I had slept with her, and Juliet was in the car next to me, begging me not to¡­ that she would give me everything I needed¡­ But I did it anyway¡­ And she was broken when she found out¡­ Selena and I had only grown closer over the last few years. We spent every day together, and she was always there. ¡°I need Jamal to sleep with her so she can get out of my system,¡± I whispered into the darkness. My five-year mark was a bad time. Coming to Shumaan was supposed to be a good day, maybe see Juliet or at least get the chance to move in the right direction. For those last few years, I had been distancing myself from Juliet, trying to move on. Finally, getting used to the idea that I might never leave.

    I got up and walked to Ira¡¯s house. I went in. We haven¡¯t spoken much. I was getting tired of being angry at him¡­ Tired of fighting another temptation. The routine was getting to me, and I needed to do something. There was always something to do on Earth¡­ I sat down on the porch, watching the early risers moving past. It took some time for Ira to wake up. When he saw me, he came over.

    He was regarding me¡­ ¡°The boredom is getting to you.¡±

    I nodded, rubbing one hand with the other. ¡°I¡­ have been dreaming about Selena.¡±

    Ira sat down; he seemed concerned¡­ He faced me¡­ ¡°It¡¯s been seven years, Chris.¡± He didn¡¯t need to tell me how long it¡¯s been.

    ¡°Is there anything you can do¡­ to help me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ there is.¡±

    I hoped it was a real solution, but I couldn¡¯t get too happy too soon; with Ira, it was always touch and go. Silvanus had woken up and came to sit next to us. Ira got up and came back with something in his hand. It was the little glass plate again. I remembered Silvanus telling me about the five spots Zoreah had¡­ What did they want me to do with it.

    ¡°Take it. Go travel¡­ Go see what the rest of Zoreah looks like¡­ Be back exactly three years from now. So we can go back to Yaroon. There is no other place on the planet habitable in the winter.¡±

    I took it from him, turning it around in my fingers. That¡¯s what they wanted me to do. The summer years were the only time I would be able to. ¡°Ira¡­ We both know I can¡¯t leave Zorea¡­ Can you tell me¡­ what the messages said.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you some of what they said¡­ But not all of it. Your Juliet¡­ challenged Ahasuerus to the throne. Through the brandings¡­ she has the right.¡±

    ¡°That little girl kill the strongest man in the galaxy¡­ Not even I would dare. What was she thinking?¡± Silvanus said.

    My eyes cast to the floor. We all knew what she was thinking¡­ Only a moment ago, it was impossible to believe that anything would happen, yet she was fighting for me. She also had someone standing in her way. I wanted to give up¡­ I was tired. I couldn¡¯t really be happy waiting. And I didn¡¯t know how to cross that line¡­ But she didn¡¯t. Hers was firmly drawn in the sand. Juliet would do it or die trying¡­ She would get to Zoreah, and I would¡¯ve moved on. The worst was not knowing. If I could have the time and date, it would all happen¡­ I would¡¯ve been able to make a decision.

    ¡°Maybe when you get back, she¡¯ll have taken over, and you¡¯ll see her,¡± Silvanus said jokingly.

    Ira didn¡¯t like it¡­ ¡°I¡¯m going to watch the fight,¡± Ira said softly.

    I got a knot in my stomach. If he gave me all that information, what was he leaving out?

    ¡°Will you let me go with you?¡± I pleaded.

    ¡°No!¡± He was adamant.

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°30 April 2025¡­ On Earth. Three years from now.¡±

    ¡°That is almost exactly the day you came for me¡­. That is my ten-year mark. She would fight him, and if she wins, she will come?¡± I questioned.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­. Chris, there is something else¡­ I had a meeting with Brylee and Ahasuerus on Palmyra. When you traveled back from Yaroon. That time when I left early.¡±

    My nails dug into my hands. He was doing so much and left me out of everything.

    ¡°Brylee and I will not let her kill him.¡± I wanted to move out of reflex. Sylvanus lifted his hand so Ira couldn¡¯t see, keeping me in place. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt her, but¡­ He won¡¯t die.¡±

    I relaxed¡­ ¡°Because of me? The trade agreement?¡±

    Ira nodded. But after seven years, I knew he was lying¡­ there were other reasons.

    ¡°Go¡­ Chris, nothing is going to happen in the next three years.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know why, but¡­ the words left my mouth before thinking about it. ¡°You could come with me¡­.¡±

    Ira¡¯s head jerked around, and he smiled. His eyes darted to Silvanus. ¡°Shall we do it?¡±

    The other eagerly nodded. ¡°I have to say¡­ I am getting a little bored myself.¡± The small man walked over and slapped me on the back. ¡°You¡¯re growing up¡­.¡±

    All I had to do was get Jamal to sleep with Selena. Better yet, my father¡­ If I waited for seven, I could wait for three more.

    ***

    Our first site was not an eventful one. There was nothing. A mountain range in the distance. Sand, sand, and an altar¡­ By the look on my father¡¯s face, they didn¡¯t build it¡­ We all stood a step back, checking our surroundings. We teleported and did proper surveillance. Selena and Jamal were with us, and we were all fully geared up¡­ It wasn¡¯t like we were afraid, but it meant someone was there. Or had been. Caleb had come with us. He would always be with Silvanus.

    ¡°How do you monitor the five sites? And how could anyone survive out here in the winter?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The reason we are in Yaroon is for the water¡­ If someone was here, they would have needed help.¡± Ira answered.

    ¡°I think we should stay for a while¡­ Make sure.¡± Silvanus agreed with me and led us to a series of caves hidden away in a mountain range.

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    ¡°Well, this is one way of surviving¡­ Especially if you¡¯re a vampire.¡± I suggested.

    When we entered, we knew something was off¡­ Plastic bottles of water. So many¡­ It was weird seeing plastic again. But that was only a small cave. We entered the one next to it. There was a backpack and blankets and clothes¡­ Ira picked up the bag and searched it. There was a place for a fire. Mountains of wood stacked. He took out a flashlight. ¡°What the heck? What is this?¡±

    ¡°That is something from Earth.¡± I took it from him. It was flat. He emptied the contents¡­ It was camping gear¡­ Everything you would need to survive on Mount Everest. Ira took out a pink A5 little book. I grabbed it from him. My immediate thought was that Juliet had actually been there. ¡°I have an idea what it is¡­ I don¡¯t think you should see it.¡±

    Ira seized it out of my hand. ¡°I can¡¯t have you reading anything I haven¡¯t checked.¡±

    ¡°Why do you want to keep me in the dark if I can¡¯t do anything anyway? What could be so important that you would keep it from me?¡±

    ¡°If I tell you¡­ You would hate me¡­ Let me read it first!¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s first see if it is what I think it is¡­.¡± Ira came to stand next to me, and when we opened the front, there was a collage of me¡­ a whole page of photos cut out and pasted together. Ones she secretly took at school. Some of me in France. One of me sleeping, wrapped in a towel, on my couch at my house. I smiled¡­ I had always wondered what she did that whole day. Charlene and Carl posing with me¡­ I missed them!

    ¡°It¡¯s obviously what you think it is,¡± Ira whispered.

    ¡°I can¡¯t have you read it, Ira¡­ It¡¯s here for a reason. And you¡¯re not that reason.¡±

    ¡°I am not having you find out any more secrets.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just making it worse when I eventually do find out!¡±

    ¡°Chris, you have an option¡­ I read it first, and you get to read it after. Or neither of us does. And I burn it.¡±

    ¡°I would rather fight you for it. There is no freaking way you are treating me like some child. Give me the f¡­ ing book, Ira.¡±

    He had balls. I got to give him that. He lifted his hand into the air like I was too short to get to it... I manifested and dove at him. Into his ribs, and my shoulder made one crack. We were rolling in the dirt¡­ That time, Silvanus didn¡¯t tell me I couldn¡¯t fight my father.

    ***

    We fought for hours. Riphaths could go at it longer than any other species. Our lungs were huge. The solid bones and massive ribcages protected our organs. With our armor, we were probably unbeatable.

    During the fight, Ira tossed the journal to Silvanus. I didn¡¯t want him to rip anything out¡­ Every time I tried to intervene and get to the small man. Silvanus would give Jamal and Selena an order to stop me. It was the best time I had had in two years, getting out all my frustrations fighting for something.

    Silvanus never ripped out anything. But he did read it¡­ Turning the last page, he cleared his throat. Ira lifted his hands in surrender. We stopped fighting, and Silvanus nodded at Ira. I walked over and grabbed the book.

    ¡°Some dark stuff in there¡­ You sure you want to know what¡¯s going on, what she went through.¡± His eyes gazed towards Ira¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s old, don¡¯t worry, there is nothing in there.¡±

    Ira nodded. ¡°I am going to do something else for you, Chris¡­ You have one chance¡­ If you get my meaning.¡± I didn¡¯t need to glance over my shoulder at what his eyes were fixed on. I knew where she was. I drew in a breath. He could read me like a book. My immediate answer was no. Once that happened, I would never. I had fallen a little in love with the goofy girl and having her corrupted by my father¡­  I couldn¡¯t¡­ I shook my head, my breathing ragged.

    He stood back up taller and smiled so brightly. Silvanus was intrigued. They both fixed on the tall blond. Selena was playing with Caleb, oblivious to what was going on. Another reason I liked her. Her face was a little bit softer than Juliet¡¯s. My dreams¡­ she was different. Nicer¡­ I smiled, thinking about Selena, and inwardly laughed at myself¡­ I would have wanted Juliet just a little more pliable. Smoother around the edges.

    Ira was so happy. ¡°So we wouldn¡¯t even need to drug you¡­.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°How would that even work?¡±

    Ira scoffed, and he ordered everyone out. They were going hunting, giving me the room¡­ Caleb¡¯s hand in Selena¡¯s. My eyes traveled down to the journal. I was afraid of reading it. I gathered my wits and opened the first page.

    She got Damian out of her system on the pages¡­ It was hard¡­ Her being violated¡­ I grabbed my hair. Had to take a walk, crying about her being hit and beaten. Marcus not being there.

    I almost lost it reading about Louis¡­ How he was changing and taking advantage of her.

    Her letter to me¡­

    Dear Chris¡­

    Dear gentle Chris. Cute and soft. The total opposite of me. I miss you so much it hurts.

    I try not to think about you. But it¡¯s a lie, I tell myself. Everywhere I go, I look for you.

    Wanting to catch you fantasizing about me. Watching me¡­ Your eyes on me¡­ Like at school.

    At least there I could see you every day. If I knew back then what I know now¡­

    You would have been in serious trouble. It would have happened¡­ everywhere.

    Our love wasn¡¯t only written on the stars. I see you there every night. I look out into the sky.

    You are the sky full of stars. You were always my little light in the dark¡­

    As you can see, I¡¯m not having the best of times¡­ But then I think neither of us is. No, none of us are.

    Hold on, Chris¡­ I¡¯m coming.

    ***

    I broke down sobbing. On my knees, begging anyone to make the time go faster. Praying that there would be some joy for her. I was having a royal time. I was getting selfish. Sometimes, she didn¡¯t even have one husband with her.

    Some of the pages were taken out. Whoever left it didn¡¯t want me to know either. Again, I was the last to know what was going on.

    She was planning on practicing. Detailed exercise regime¡­ but it wasn¡¯t Marcus¡¯s work. I was going to freaking ring his neck. Told us he would never leave her again. She asked him so many questions¡­ But not once why he wasn¡¯t coming back. ¡°F-!¡±

    The crowd came back after I read the dark pages in the back. Michael might be dead already¡­ I wouldn¡¯t even know¡­ That would break her in half. If someone that loyal to her had to die because of her.

    I walked away when they wanted to comfort me¡­ Like I was dying. It felt like I was. I knew how it felt to be in love with two people. And she had a whole family to think about. Worry about. Four husbands to consider¡­ She was so strong¡­ How could I have ever wanted her to be softer?

    ***

    Soren

    I had not heard from Isla since she went to the camp¡­ Messages were not forbidden but discouraged. The women needed to leave their houses and stand on their own feet. Especially if they were to be first wives. They needed to be firm to manage everyone.

    I had been sending messages for months. All I got back was that it was denied. I was getting worried. The only one I could ask was the one guy that hated me. And Marcus wasn¡¯t even on En-gannim anymore. I had not seen my family. Ian and I had taken over all of Marcus¡¯s duties. It had kept me busy.

    Every time I had a moment to sit, I thought of Isla. The only reason I came was for her. If I wasn¡¯t going to do anything, I might as well go back. That was what I did. I got into the teleporter. We didn¡¯t really need to send invitations anymore. If your destination was the compound, they really didn¡¯t care. Jessy was so clued up that no one fell through the cracks there. He didn¡¯t take responsibility for anything else happening.

    I wanted to ask that day when I went with Ahasuerus. But I just couldn¡¯t. Not with Marcus gone. If I approached them again. It would be above board. He was back, and they were settled. It was that day or never. When I came out on the compound, Jessy regarded me for a while. He waved me over.  It was late at night, and I hoped they were still awake

 Jealousy

    116. Jealousy

    Juliet

    Mateo was standing across from me, a fully manifested werewolf, in the arena of the Colosseum we had built. Since Marcus knew we all could fight. He had been training with us¡­ I didn¡¯t ask him, and I didn¡¯t know what would happen in the ring. But I was moving forward. He had taken over, and his training was much better than ours could ever be. Kubra was giving us directions. We had all our attacks planned, coordinated, and practiced. We could use weapons, and we all had our preferred choices. Training at the house was tedious, and when the werewolves said we could practice against them, we didn¡¯t hesitate. Our fight with Ahasuerus would be right there. The environment would help us a lot if we could utilize it. We were going to have to use the walls to corner him.

    Everyone had come to watch us train. A part of the stadium was full of everyone we knew. Other seats were filled with soldiers from the barracks that were interested¡­ Women and men. We made our way out of the main gate when we were done. There was a group of female soldiers talking. Louis and Marcus were in front of me. They were walking past¡­ The one woman turned when she saw Louis and greeted him. Such a smile, though. She was a little shorter than me. Brunette. The total opposite. Cute round face and the girl next door.

    At first, I thought nothing of it. Louis turned to her, and they talked. He introduced her to Marcus. He introduced all of them to Marcus¡­ They weren¡¯t going to bow even though they knew who he was. But they were swooning. The brunette was muscular, and you could see in her mannerisms that she definitely wouldn¡¯t have made it on En- gannim. Louis was speaking animatedly to her. They were talking about the fight and the living conditions. I hadn¡¯t had that much time to get to know everyone that had come and was training. Interested in changing and becoming better fighters.

    With Michael at the house, I had gotten preoccupied with being there. Louis and I tried to leave only when it was vital. Marcus was also back, and we had been spending time together. My gaze traveled from her outstretched arm to Louis¡¯s face. She had taken hold of Louis¡¯s wrist and turned it around to inspect the gashes that Mateo had left. Louis was smiling and flicked her on the forehead.

    I disappeared immediately.

    Everyone knew I was there¡­ And when I vanished, Louis, Marcus, and all the women in the group who were flirting with my two husbands glanced my way. The women liked the fact that I had an ability. Louis actually got a smirk on his face. I was thinking about how I would kill her and how I would kill him¡­ It had been a long time since I needed to disappear. Or use it to run away from something I couldn¡¯t handle. I had thought that I was past it¡­ At that moment, I was so angry that I couldn¡¯t control myself.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? Can¡¯t she control her ability?¡± The brunette asked, sneering at me. Louis snickered. Marcus had no clue what was going on¡­ I stood there¡­ watching her. They were laughing at me and when I came back. I was manifested, and my eyes weren¡¯t black. And I didn¡¯t have my plate on. Marcus was the first to step in between the women and me. Louis had pulled the brunette back in behind him, shielding her.

    I instantly came back to reason... The gesture hit home¡­ and hit hard. I stopped my manifestation and walked past them. Sometimes, I had control.

    I could handle a lot of things. But number two on my list was them cheating on me¡­ All I saw was her and Louis¡­ Months together when I was pregnant. They were so familiar with each other. I remembered the comment he made about the pretty vamps. Or should I say tramps that came from the prisons? It must be her¡­ I had even made a joke that he should introduce me.

    Marcus stopped me halfway down the corridor. When he swung me around, I disappeared again. I had never asked Marcus if he and Ahasuerus had an agreement with the women on En-gannim¡­ I assumed he wouldn¡¯t¡­ take a wife. But maybe he did sleep with her to get back at me.

    He took a step back. ¡°I¡¯ve not seen you disappear like this, Julie. And I have no idea what¡¯s going on.¡±

    I came back. ¡°I¡¯m jealous and can¡¯t control my ability. Did you ever sleep with that girl¡­ or get married? For a first wife.¡±

    ¡°What! Jealous of me? Juliet, how could you ask me that? Of course not. I wouldn¡¯t be here otherwise¡­ Have my kisses not changed? Are they not what they were before I left?¡±

    ¡°You never told me how angry you were. Did you consider it? That night?¡±

    In my mind, I begged him to say no¡­.

    I watched him, and he nodded. ¡°I was so angry¡­ If I have to think about that night. But I would never have to get back at you. It was only because of Michael¡­ Julie, what was one more woman if you could walk out with him? You have us all?¡±

    ¡°Says the guy who can¡¯t get over Soren,¡± I whispered. My gaze traveled to Louis. ¡°I can¡¯t control my jealousy... Louis let her touch him. He flicked her forehead¡­ It¡¯s a very intimate thing for him to do.¡±

    The girl had by then started dragging him down the corridor away from us, probably to the infirmary. I would have taken care of him. It was one of our rituals.

    ¡°Let¡¯s kick him out.¡± I laughed lightly. ¡°He obviously doesn¡¯t know how this works¡­.¡± Marcus picked up Louis¡¯s chains around my neck and let them fall again.  ¡°And what did you say¡­ if one of us leaves, they are in love, and you will let them go. I won¡¯t mind being the last man standing.¡±

    My airway closed off. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I felt so small, thinking of Louis loving someone else. After everything, I got too much for him in the end. I looked at Marcus. If he ever cheated on me¡­ If any of them would. It would be the end¡­ What was wrong with me? ¡°Do you think he¡¯s in love with her?¡± We both watched Louis down at the bottom of the corridor. The girl was talking, and he was listening.

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    ¡°It depends¡­ when last did he want you?¡± Louis¡¯s head snapped up at us before they disappeared down the hall.

    I couldn¡¯t remember when last Louis and I had sex, let alone have a romantic¡­ anything. ¡°I don¡¯t think my weakness is my mouth at all¡­ You¡¯re all going to get tired of me.¡± Marcus wanted to say something, but I was walking away. He fell in step next to me, taking my hand. I clung to him like I was fourteen again.

    We walked to the car, and we drove back to the compound. We went into the heavily guarded gates. Parked the car. He opened the door for me. I didn¡¯t feel like talking. I went into my room and closed the door in Marcus¡¯s face. I walked to the door between our rooms and closed that one, too. It really didn¡¯t matter. He could get to me if he wanted to.

    I heard Michael coming out of his room and talking to Marcus.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Louis is talking to another girl.¡± Michael drew in air through his teeth. I opened the door again.

    ¡°See, even he understands.¡± I pushed past them, walked to Michaels¡¯s bar, and sat on a stool. Marcus sat down next to me, his elbow on the counter, resting his head on his hand regarding me. Michael was making us all a drink¡­ The yard quickly filled up with people.

    Everyone who had watched us practicing went to sit on the patio. My dad came walking over¡­ ¡°Hey, did you see Louis and the girls¡­¡± I laughed lightly. My dad came closer, and Michael handed him a beer. He sat down next to me. Marcus¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t leave me. He was actually smirking.

    ¡°So she did¡­ Is he moving on?¡± My dad quipped.

    ¡°Juliet disappeared¡­ The girls mocked her¡­ She manifested, and Louis dragged that same girl in behind him¡­.¡± Michael and my dad drew in air through their clenched teeth. My head landed on my bent elbow on the counter, burying my face in the crook.

    Louis cleared his throat from the door. I couldn¡¯t look up. Not ready for him to want an open marriage.

    ¡°She¡¯s my cousin.¡± He stated.

    Everyone burst out laughing.

    I got up and ran to him and flung myself around his neck. He carried me hanging on him to the bar. Michael gave him a beer.

    ¡°Oh yeah, Liam, did you know Louis is Qadir¡¯s Cousin,¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°You¡¯re an Ahmed?¡± Michael and my dad asked at the same time.

    ¡°So much for Qadir being an inbred fascist,¡± Louis said.

    ¡°We¡¯re all going to inbreed soon. Your cousin?¡± I snorted. I clung to Louis, not letting go. He sat down, and I was on his lap on the couch. ¡°You have yet to get me pregnant.¡±

    His hands gripped my waist.

    ¡°But you¡¯re on birth control¡­.¡± Michael said from the bar.

    Louis¡¯s nails dug into my sides. I tightened my hold around his neck. ¡°Baby¡­ You¡¯re on birth control?¡±

    I nodded in the hollow of his neck. ¡°I¡¯ll go off after Ahasuerus.¡±

    ¡°For a moment. I forgot about the fight. Just the thought of a baby.¡± Louis kissed me.

    There was no way I would get pregnant again for some time. And we would actually need to sleep together for that to happen. I thought while kissing him.

    ¡°I understand.¡± He flashed his eyebrows¡­ He wanted to get up, but Jessy stood at the door. Louis read his thoughts. Louis swore loudly. He was going to take me to bed. The peaceful moment was short-lived. He lifted a hand. It meant Jessy needed to give him a minute.

    ***

    Marcus

    I didn¡¯t know what was going on half the time. There was a language between everyone. Everyone could read between the lines. Knew how feelings worked. I would have to learn¡­ Louis had a way with people. Where Jessy would bend a knee to talk to me, he only had to think about it, and Louis knew. He seemed troubled seeing Jessy. Juliet was still hanging on to him. Louis tapped her shoulder. She reluctantly let go and sat down next to him. Jessy closed the door. Louis turned to the room, and his eyes came up to mine. ¡°Soren is here.¡±

    I thought that I didn¡¯t have emotions until I was angry. It was why I was always careful with Juliet. Self-control for days until I pictured them together. Funny enough¡­ Louis, I was okay with. The three of us I could handle. Like it was supernaturally okay.

    She got up and walked over to me. My eyes were closed, and the hurt kept coming back. I didn¡¯t know why it was such a big issue. Even Michael was an issue¡­ He understood her. There was a friendship that we might never have. Just like with her, Carl¡­ or Charlene. Jealousy was the one thing we both could not handle.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t I go and wait in the room, and you and the guys sort it out. Maybe he didn¡¯t even ask for me.¡± Juliet¡¯s gaze traveled to Louis.

    ¡°She is right, Marcus. He didn¡¯t ask for her. He¡¯s here to see you. Well, you and me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t come out, Julie¡­ I swear.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t? I know how you feel.¡± My eyes warned her¡­ She left, kissing me. I was immediately cold and didn¡¯t kiss back. When I heard her room door close, I took another shot on the bar counter. Jessy brought Soren in, and I could see something was wrong. I might not have EQ, but I could read his facial expressions. I hoped it wasn¡¯t about the branding.

    ¡°Hi, Soren, how have you been?¡± He and Louis hugged. And I didn¡¯t understand Louis¡­ Soren greeted us. Held out his hand, and I reluctantly shook it. Louis introduced Soren to Michael. His eyes needed to drift up, but not as much as mine... Michael didn¡¯t say anything but shook his hand.

    Soren wasn¡¯t really in the mood nor cared about Juliet¡¯s first husband. He sat down with his hand in his unstyled hair. Back to compound Soren. We waited. ¡°It¡¯s about my sister. I know I don¡¯t have the right to ask, but I was hoping we could go to En-gannim and find her.¡±

    Louis glanced at me. It would be my choice. I was considering leaving Juliet. I did have a past with Soren. I had known him since he was small. I remembered him and Juliet. The relationship they had on the compound. How easy it was for them to click and be happy together. I took another shot. Michael kept them coming. He took a few himself. I wasn¡¯t leaving again.

    Liam was there, playing with the cat, regarding me, challenging me to do better. ¡°I¡¯ll go if Louis and Juliet go with me.¡± Liam smiled and nodded. ¡°Sleep here tonight, Soren. There is an open room next to Michael¡¯s.¡±

    Everybody¡¯s eyes shot to mine. Seemed like I had more say than I thought. Or snakes growing out of my head.

    ¡°We leave first thing in the morning.¡±

    I left for next door. Louis didn¡¯t follow. I was going to sleep with my wife.

 Where Is Isla

    117. Where Is Isla

    Marcus

    Juliet was in bed. She had fallen asleep. I had gotten into the shower. I heard Louis come in. He took off his shoes and his clothes. It was late. He got in next to her and pulled her close. I watched them. She turned to him, and he started talking to her. She didn¡¯t even have to say anything. I had to push in if I wanted to be a part of it all. I got out of the shower, wrapped a towel around my waist, and went to sit on the bed. ¡°I thought you were sleeping?¡±

    Louis shook his head. ¡°She wants to know the worst things that Isla could be going through¡­ Some of the things I saw in Michaels¡¯s memory of the short period he was there were kinda scary.¡±

    ¡°My first thought was that the worst would be if she landed up south. The clan next to ours that have the rights on the water¡­ They are left to their own devices. Ahasuerus didn¡¯t care because he thought them weak. And their leader is weak¡­ A small man with no power would never be able to challenge us¡­ It is probably where the watchers were taken. To get a good look at the whole planet. Because next to them are the factories¡­ That is maybe the worst place¡­ I hope that she ended up with a family, on an island¡­ And the communication was denied. But they didn¡¯t ask Soren¡¯s father. Meant she was taken¡­ It¡¯s not supposed to happen.¡±

    Juliet sat up and rested her head on Louis¡¯s chest. ¡°What did Michael think of that day? At the bottom of the Embassy. That made you act like that?¡±

    Louis sighed heavily and met my eye¡­ ¡°Some women were chained at their workstations. They never leave¡­ That day Michael was there¡­ There was a mass suicide of women¡­ Bodies piled high outside¡­ Almost like it was war. They were just replaced. Because of the teleporters, it happened in a few minutes.¡±

    Louis¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t leave mine.

    ¡°The men are sent into service if they didn¡¯t show promise for army life. But first, you had to survive conditioning camps. You have to be older than a hundred. The thing is¡­ if you survive for that long, you are seen as strong. The men have to be able to support a family, or they can never get married.¡± I didn¡¯t like the way it was on En-gannim. The rich did rule the poor. The strong oppressed the weak.

    ¡°If we take over, would we be able to change anything?¡± Her eyes were on me.

    ¡°Die trying, right?¡± Louis said and looked at me¡­ They were both hoping I would say yes.

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, I think manual labor is the problem with no energy source. There really is no machine or anything working. The little we use, we get from our star¡­ Sirius is stronger than the sun. But we don¡¯t need to cook anything. Slaughter anything. There are no fires. Unless it¡¯s essential. The harem system brings about too many children, and I understand it¡¯s for the future¡­ But it¡¯s too much¡­.¡±

    ***

    The next day was a little awkward. Juliet and Soren didn¡¯t even acknowledge each other¡­ I felt a tinge of regret¡­ Denying her what she wanted¡­ I hoped she could be happy without him. I wanted to ask Louis, but he gripped my upper arm. ¡°Let¡¯s stay focused, okay.¡±

    We traveled and ended up at the camp she was sent to. In my opinion, it was a good one. Better than the rest. We hammered on the door. The guards with me didn¡¯t say anything. They opened up immediately.

    The men that ran the camp were bowing, and the women were fully veiled, on their knees on the ground. Juliet wasn¡¯t wearing her veil. The men were a little distracted. I went to the office immediately and searched their records. An inquiry was sent for women who were in camps that came from Earth. Isla refused.

    My hand covered my mouth when I saw the name. I jumped up and got the info we needed. It was across the planet. But we traveled from the camp. We had to walk for a while. No one asked me where we were going. I think they didn¡¯t want to know.

    I knocked on the gates that led to the courtyard. All the houses had the same designs. The family and kitchens were usually in that space, away from the men and the house.

    A maid opened up, and I walked in without any announcement. ¡°Search everywhere.¡± Juliet went with Louis into an area. ¡°Soren, come with me.¡±

    The guards took the middle block.

    ***

    Isla

    It had been months. I had come to the one house I had been avoiding on Earth. I didn¡¯t know how he knew, but Lucius had approached my father many times on Earth to put me up for auction. He flatly refused.

    The household was wealthy. And we weren¡¯t suffering. I wasn¡¯t suffering. But I had no control. Lucius had already bought him a proper first wife. And without talking, she ruled the house with an iron hand. The only ones that did suffer were the slaves and the servants.

    I still had no freedom, and all I did was sit all day long. It wasn¡¯t what I wanted. It was not what my grandfather fought for. That I hoped I could have found.

    Lucius was used to having four wives. When he was sent there, none of them came with him. The first night, I found out why. I had heard that Juliet almost killed herself that day before she had to marry him. I don¡¯t know if she knew.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    I was sitting at the window staring out, wondering if I should do it. I never thought my situation was terrible until you were in a worse one. The door slowly opened. I was not expecting Juliet¡¯s head to peek in. But when I saw her, I got up and ran into her arms. She was really tall, and her arms wrapped around my neck.

    ¡°I want to go home,¡± I begged.

    She nodded against my face. ¡°Then let¡¯s go home. I¡¯m sorry. I should have made sure you¡¯re okay.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t take care of everybody.¡±

    She sighed. I recognized Louis immediately. Juliet took my hand, and we walked out. There was an uproar. Lucius was screaming. I saw Soren¡­ with Marcus. It was deadly quiet when everyone saw him, and the whole household was on the floor in a second.

    Juliet didn¡¯t glance back. She pulled me out of the gates. The guards were short on her heels. Headed for the teleporter. Lucius¡¯s household had its own, and we stepped in. Juliet could manage it by herself. The guards didn¡¯t say a peep. When we walked out the other side. It was on a platform. She cussed. Fell to the floor and bowed. The guards went with her¡­ I followed.

    ¡°Get up, Juliet.¡± The man said. ¡°You too¡­ Who is this?¡±

    ¡°Soren¡¯s sister¡­ Stolen from a camp.¡±

    The short man grunted and growled. He held out an arm, and we went back into the teleporter. He waited. His eyes darted from one guard to the other. They shook their heads... Juliet hesitated¡­ She punched something on the glass plate, and he growled again.

    When we arrived back at Lucius¡¯s house. I was scared he would leave me there. But before we could move, the man stopped us by holding up a hand. We heard someone talking. It was Marcus. He wanted to listen to what he would say.

    ¡°You are the first wife. Why did you not report it?¡± Marcus spat out. There was a hesitation. I heard another voice. It was Louis. ¡°She was threatened¡­ She only found out the next day¡­¡± Louis hesitated¡­ ¡°It was too late. They were monitored, and she didn¡¯t want to get punished. And they both would have felt his wrath.¡± We were standing on the other side of the wall. The man with us walked around the corner. Juliet pulled me forward with the guards in tow. Marcus saw us, and everyone fell to the floor. Juliet didn¡¯t again, and the guards didn¡¯t either.

    I guessed that it was Ahasuerus. He didn¡¯t hesitate, walking over to Lucius. He stood before him. ¡°You know I sent your grandfather to Earth because he wanted to change things¡­ I think you disappointed him¡­ Do you know what the punishment is for adultery? Unless your wife agreed¡­ Let¡¯s hear from her.¡±

    No one came up. She was too afraid to say.

    ¡°Do you know what the punishment is for stealing a woman that is almost a hundred? Ones that excelled at the camps and could go into a good house. That brings honor to her home¡­ There is a lot wrong with our world¡­ I won¡¯t deny it. But when you have a species that is driven by lust¡­.¡± His gaze fixed on Juliet. ¡°You have to do all to govern them¡­ Come, Juliet. You want to rule my planet¡­ What would you do with Lucius.¡±

    ¡°I will kill him.¡± She held out a hand for a weapon from one of the guards.

    Ahasuerus turned to her. ¡°How does your moral code work?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t hurt anyone smaller than me¡­.¡± She sneered at him. ¡°Justice¡­ is most important in any society. We have to know ourselves¡­ Before we can feign that, we can set rules for others. We cannot hide behind a mask of apathy¡­ If we can govern ourselves, evil will spring up around us¡­ then we can eradicate it¡­ Especially in a species that gets so easily distracted.¡±

    Ahasuerus stepped aside and held out his hand to her. It was outstretched towards Lucius. Ahasuerus was giving her permission to go ahead.

    ¡°Isla, take off your veil.¡± I hesitated. But Soren pushed forward and did it for me. Louis did the same with the first wife. He pulled her up to her feet and ripped it off.

    ¡°You decide¡­ The two of you¡­.¡± Juliet pointed the knife at each of us. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I had never been in control. Never had to make any decision of any kind. The woman next to me was beautiful. She didn¡¯t hesitate. Nodding. Juliet glanced at me. ¡°You have to decide, Isla¡­ Or someone else will decide for you.¡± I nodded. She fisted a handful of the blond locks and lifted Lucius¡¯s head, exposing his neck. ¡°I would rather have killed myself than end up with you.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s fault was it that you did¡­.¡± Lucius said.

    ¡°My own¡­ But they didn¡¯t have a choice¡­ did they? You should respect other people¡¯s property. She belonged to the King¡­.¡± She stuck the knife into his throat from the side and sliced outward.

    I didn¡¯t know half of what was going on. But when she said it, Soren¡¯s hand gripped mine.

    ¡°Now. Juliet. What do you want me to do with this household full of people with no one to support them?¡±

    ¡°What did you do in the past¡­ Just keep doing that. It seems that it¡¯s working. For the future of our children and all.¡± She wiped the knife on her pants, staring at Ahasuerus.

    Louis and Marcus wanted to move, but she held up a hand. Ahasuerus took his shot. His fist jabbed at her. She dodged and spun so quickly into him. Came up right in his face with the knife at his chin, blood trickling down. The guards wanted to move. He held up a hand. ¡°You have been here for nine hundred years¡­ You should at least give me half that much to clean up your mess.¡±

    Ahasuerus slowly placed his hand on her arm and lowered it. He stepped back and walked out.

    The other woman flung her arms around Juliet¡¯s neck. She patted her on the back. ¡°Clean up this mess.¡± She said to the servants.

    Soren turned to hug me. I broke down crying. It had all been a bit much. He walked with me to the teleporter. Soren¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t lift up off the ground.  He and Juliet were completely different with each other.

    ***

    Soren

    I took Isla home. It was a rough two days¡­ When I saw how Juliet and Ahasuerus together, I knew I was out of my depth. The king of the planet was actually nervous. She was young and willing¡­ Open to change and a force to be reckoned with. There was no fear in her.

    I was a coward. Too scared to face her husbands. I didn¡¯t really belong at her side. But seeing her after so long¡­ It was hard. I saw her glancing at me a few times. I just couldn¡¯t¡­ until Marcus okayed it.

    I didn¡¯t even care if he ever did. She said she would find me. Louis had not sent back the emblem¡­ There was still hope.

 Scheming

    118. Scheming

    Sita

    I was in the seventh Library in the city of Caude. Every section had a registry filled with books of records of births and mothers. I was on a mission to find Mateo¡¯s wife and child and why he had hidden them. Since Qadir died, there was no reason for me to stick around. My grandfather was doing better, and it seemed that being close to that infected vamp had its advantages. It meant that I was back to going only once a month.

    First, I studied the teleporter logs for the last few years. Mateo hasn¡¯t been on Earth that long. It was easy to see if a woman and a child teleported to Earth or went later, maybe sent there out of jail¡­ He could have bought someone off. But there was nothing in his watcher feed of him ever meeting up with a woman. On Palmyra, it wasn¡¯t a secret who was on Earth. It was adequately documented. It yielded no results. It meant she was somewhere on Palmyra.

    In the end, finding a baby girl wasn¡¯t that difficult. She had to be a certain age and with a single parent? There were only a few¡­ I had a photo, and I could travel. The problem was that the last one I needed to check was on the other side of the planet. No teleporters, no cars, and no planes¡­ How did they communicate?

    I needed a teleporter¡­ I needed help from a vamp¡­ Or ¡­ Bertram.

    ***

    Carl

    My training with the Watchers had concluded for a few months, and I was officially with duties and pay. It allowed me to live at the housing in the Embassy. Both my father and I were under the same roof, and when I saw Sita that morning, I knew something was up. She immediately asked to speak to Bertram. After Qadir died and he did what he did, I watched him like they had monitored Juliet all her life. Continual feed recorded to a screen. It was the least I could do. Charlene still contacted me, and we were talking, but I couldn¡¯t face Michael yet.

    I had gone on with my day as if nothing was wrong. My father took her to his flat, and she sat down. Sita took out her phone and showed him a photo. Started talking about Mateo and that she needed a watcher and a teleporter. My father was immediately keen. Palmyra was the planet that closely resembled Earth, and our people needed a foothold into the palace, apart from the vamps. He was going to take her.

    My father¡¯s relationship with Louis and Juliet was in tatters. He was desperate not to be replaced if he could not secure a good relationship with the species to help us with Earth¡¯s many problems. If we could get rid of cars and our garbage and make traveling cheaper, the Earth would be on its way to healing itself, besides all the other benefits.

    Sita and Bertram made arrangements to go that night. I jumped up, ran for the teleporter, and made my way to the compound.

    ***

    I was nervous going in, but I called Louis and David, and by the time I stood at the open red gates, everyone was waiting. I wasn¡¯t the only one with a father who let them down. I wasn¡¯t expecting Marcus. He saw me first from the study across the yard. He waved me over. Louis and Juliet were sitting in their usual places. Juliet jumped up and hugged me, pulling me down on her lap. ¡°Why are you this stupid, Carl?¡±

    ¡°Sita and Bertram is going to Palmyra. She has a photo of a woman and a girl on her phone. She wants to find her and give the info to the queen. She wants entrance into the palace.¡± My eyes were fixed on Mateo.  He and David were sitting with Marcus, both deep in thought. Juliet let me go, and I sat down next to her on the couch.

    ¡°Who is the woman, Mateo?¡± Juliet asked.

    ¡°Mother of my kid¡­ My mother disapproved of who I gave my royalty to. I hid them away before I knew my mother would punish me. She banished me here... Until I tell her who it is.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ Isn¡¯t it an honor to have the first female baby?¡± Juliet asked.

    ¡°My mother has to defer the throne to her¡­ The baby¡­ on her fifteenth birthday. She is not ready to step down. Brylee is only three hundred herself. If you think Ahasuerus is bad. My mother is ten times worse.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem worried¡­¡± Louis said.

    ¡°The problem with Palmyra is it might be a lot like Earth, but it has only one hot spot. It takes them a week to teleport out the army and have them gather on En-gannim. I don¡¯t know what Sita and Bertram think they could do. It takes months to travel that far.¡±

    Marcus turned to him. ¡°Palmyra doesn¡¯t have just one spot.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Mateo ventured.

    Marcus took out a stick and waved it in the air. That¡¯s Palmyra¡­ That is Caude¡­ There are at least ten spots that the vamps know about¡­ Where is your wife, Mateo?¡±

    He got up, turned the globe in a circle, and pointed. Marcus pressed some buttons on a glass plate¡­ It lit up ten red lights¡­ One of the lights was close to the village they were hiding in. Mateo got agitated. ¡°I have to go. Is there any way one of you could sneak me on and get me there?¡±

    The room went quiet. All pairs of eyes were on Marcus. His was on Juliet. ¡°It means I have to leave.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°Not if Louis and I come with you¡­ I kind of liked the idea of us working as a team.¡±

    ***

    Michael

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I loved the fact that Juliet and the guys included me in everything. I went with them wherever they were. My presence was such an issue for Marcus that I had wondered what it would mean for me and Juliet as a couple. It had been three months since Marcus had been back; he helped me a lot with coping, making my mind stronger. He was slowly accepting me¡­ Since seeing me struggle, he had a little bit more compassion for me. As a human, he was growing. His challenges weren¡¯t mental anymore or physical. Marcus actually came to the shop and helped me. Learned all there was to know about bikes. He liked tinkering¡­ Talked to me about Carl. I felt for the kid, but he had to grow up. I was happy that day when Carl showed up, telling us what he had been doing. He had become a true watcher, focused on the greater good of relations.

    The group had left for Palmyra... I could have gone with them. But it would be a new place. They would need to fight, and having a human tagging along would have put them at a disadvantage. And honestly, I wasn¡¯t ready. Juliet also didn¡¯t want to leave Sammy with someone she couldn¡¯t trust a hundred percent. I laughed at the grown men babysitting. Watchers to protect the little princesses. Warden for Sammy, and I got James for Min¨¦. Charlene needed to focus on her studies.  All of them ran around after the young girls. Jessy was on high alert at the gates. Juliet and Carl might have thought that the threat was real, but I was so paranoid when we had to split up like that, especially when Sita and Bertram were involved.

    Liam, Cindy, and Samuel were all outside playing with the kids and having breakfast. I was feeling more and more at home. It was a relief when Samuel walked through that door with Marcus. He was the one missing puzzle piece... But overnight, Carl became a new one. When I walked out of my room to go sit outside, the lost piece looked up the corridor towards me and averted his gaze.

    ¡°Come on, Carl,¡± I called out to him. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± He put his hands in his pockets and came to my room. I had always wanted a son¡­ Seeing Carl like that¡­ was close¡­ I hoped that one day Juliet and I could get there. We would have to make a list of who gets to go next. As long as we all got one. Chris was already ahead.

    Carl is as tall as me, but he couldn¡¯t meet my eye. I knew his mother left a long time ago. She couldn¡¯t take the politics. The father wanted to keep the son and fought the mother in court, for the public opinion and all. I sat next to him and pulled him to my chest. There really was nothing else to do. ¡°I am sorry, Michael. I should have known. Found out.¡± He snorted¡­ ¡°Watched him.¡±

    ¡°How long have we known each other, Carl.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°Since I was fourteen. My father was telling me about everything going on. I didn¡¯t believe him¡­ You literally came flying into the yard. Appeared out of nowhere on several occasions¡­. It really didn¡¯t even feel like work. I liked them both from the start. Charlene was just a very happy coincidence.¡±

    ¡°If I were your father¡­ No¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have, but¡­ I understand why he played both sides. The world cannot afford to miss out on its best chances. You have to understand the pressure your father is under.¡± I held his shoulder and squeezed it. ¡°Juliet won¡¯t let anything happen to him. But after, I don¡¯t know. He might lose his job¡­ You can come home.¡±

    Carl jumped up. ¡°I think I¡¯ll come back either way if you don¡¯t mind. Or do you want me there to check up on him?¡±

    ¡°No! Come home. We are so vigilant. And we have Jessy.¡±

    He held out his hand to me. I shook it¡­ Carl was growing up a little slower than the girls¡­ He was already twenty-one. Juliet¡¯s birthday was in three months, and we would not be celebrating¡­They didn¡¯t miss his birthday. I felt terrible when Juliet and Charlene had to go out of the compound to find him and force him to go out with them. We all had to find ourselves and sort out where we belonged. ¡°Why don¡¯t I come to help you pack.¡± Carl and I walked out of the room. Liam was watching us. I lifted my chin at him. Liam smiled; the guy was always busy assessing and managing.

    Carl and I left down the corridor. ¡°I would love to go on rides with you guys. Charlene has been begging.¡±

    That made me smile. I couldn¡¯t wait. ¡°Let¡¯s go buy a bike!¡±

    ***

    Chris

    It had been two years of traveling, out of the city, out of routine. We were enjoying ourselves. Fighting monsters, having competitions, and honing our teleportation to see who could travel the furthest. We lounged around. Ira went back and forth a bit to get water and check in with the elders. Sometimes, we went back with him to have a drink. That night we were at the bar. Since reading Juliet¡¯s journal, my dreams changed, from nightmares where I sleep with Selena to nightmares of Juliet dying in the ring. Louis and Marcus dying with her. I was reminded of my life on Earth¡­ I held out so long I might as well go all the way. Juliet¡¯s suffering was probably the thing that pushed me over. I wasn¡¯t treating Selena any differently, and she was still a very good friend. We enjoyed each other. The bar was full that night. Summer was a little bit more relaxed. People were out late and bored. Jamal would have a conjugal with the first girl who would ask¡­ And they did. Selena watched as Jamal and the girl left. Her eyes were dreamy, and in the little fire they allowed in those areas, she was stunning. I had seen her watching Jamal. The way her eyes searched for him¡­ She was restless, and I didn¡¯t understand what she was waiting for.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you find someone, Selena? I haven¡¯t seen you with anyone in a while? Do you want me to tell Jamal it¡¯s okay?¡±

    Her eyes drifted to the ground, ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go home. See you tomorrow, Chris.¡±

    When she walked past me, my hand wrapped around her wrist. My eyes shot down at the familiarity of the situation... I had done it again. I immediately let go of her. Her skin burned into my conscience. I knew how I felt being married and touching Juliet. It wasn¡¯t the same¡­ I turned away from her and downed my last glass.

    ¡°I know you want to. You¡¯re fighting the inevitable. I was hoping tonight would be that night.¡± She whispered. ¡°It¡¯s not about Jamal at all, Chris. It¡¯s us.¡±

    I scoffed. My head wasn¡¯t buried in the sand anymore. ¡°You¡¯re not the only woman on Zoreah that I wanted to sleep with. I¡¯m a little past inevitable¡­.¡±

    She didn¡¯t leave and stared me down.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve waited, Selena. I know you¡¯ve slept with so many guys. And I can see the way you look at Jamal¡­ Once that happened¡­ There will be no line crossing¡­ I¡¯m using you. Can¡¯t you see that?¡±

    Selena sat down. ¡°Are you going to tell me what you mean?¡±

    ¡°Ira wants me with someone¡­ having you¡­ makes him back off. He thinks I will eventually cave¡­ Just like you¡­ If I don¡¯t¡­ I can at least have a friend watching out for me. Tell me when my father will drug me and force me into it¡­ You are my friend, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Does Jamal know?¡± I nodded. She was a little clueless. That was why Jamal was holding out... I could see him wanting her. And he would have made his move a long time ago if it hadn¡¯t been for me.

    I was sitting, rubbing one hand with the other. ¡°Will you even tell me? Or will you follow the King¡¯s orders?¡±

    Selena got up. I quickly got to my feet to stop her and had to lift my eyes to meet hers; she was just too tall. It was another thing that I didn¡¯t like. Juliet and I fit like a puzzle piece.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I feel about your father drugging you. What if he drugs both of us.¡± She complained.

    ¡°At least I know you want to sleep with me¡­ Does it really matter?¡±

    She moved past me, ¡°At least you want to sleep with me too¡­ So no, not really.¡±

 Past Revealed

    119. Past Revealed

    Louis

    Walking out on En-gannim was a fantastic feeling. Last time with Soren and Isla, I didn¡¯t have time to take it in. Marcus wanted to leave before my uncle changed his mind. The sand-colored buildings complemented the surroundings so much. Juliet had told me how she felt at home there. I had a few moments to try and sense what she meant¡­ We had to immediately travel to Palmyra before Ahasuerus heard about it or could follow and stop us.

    Looking over to Juliet and Marcus¡­ Her hand was in his every time we traveled. She was getting attached. They were spending most of the time together. He didn¡¯t leave her for a second. It was my own fault. I was doing what I did in France, standing back so they could connect. But the second time around, it was different. There was no cause, and Marcus wouldn¡¯t leave, not like Chris. And when she wasn¡¯t with Marcus, Michael was there. Knowing both of them, they weren¡¯t going to give me a gap unless I took it.

    We exited at a spot a little away from the village. There was a lot of water, and most of the traveling would be by boat. It wasn¡¯t hard to find someone to take us downriver. Mateo did all the talking.

    ¡°You are the second group that wanted a boat.¡± The man said.

    ¡°Who was here?¡± I asked.

    The guy saw Sita and Bertram in his thoughts. ¡°A woman and a man.¡± We nodded.

    ¡°But you are not far behind.¡±

    I helped Juliet into the boat, turning my back on Marcus on the shore. When I sat down, challenging eyes stared back at me. I pulled Juliet down next to me and put my fingers through hers. She watched the interchange with interest. Her eyes darted from me to Marcus. Mateo eyed the whole story from his side. Even the boat guy was watching us.

    ¡°Were you guys not trained at school on how to make a schedule?¡±

    Marcus started laughing. Juliet¡¯s heart always beat faster when Marcus was happy. Her thoughts went to his mouth. Since he decided to stay, he was all smiles. A schedule seemed like an excellent idea.

    ***

    It was a small village on the shore. We heard the screams from far away. Mateo manifested and jumped out of the boat onto the beach, running like a wolf. We heard growls, and I sat frozen. It was the same as the day my father died. Someone had released an infected wolf onto the village. Juliet was manifested, eyes glossy and behind Mateo by seconds. She was fast and didn¡¯t even look back. Just wanted to help.

    Marcus jumped to follow¡­ He glanced back at me¡­ ¡°Louis, come on!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t move. That day replayed in my mind. My father fought for so long to get the wolf tired enough to stop and assess the situation. My mother Noya was pregnant with me when they came to Earth¡­ Back then¡­ No one knew. We didn¡¯t even know there were werewolves on Earth... In the twenty years I was with my family, we learned a lot from Samuel.

    At first, my father had thought it was a normal wolf they could get back to human form, but that one didn¡¯t. We realized it was different. We should have known when we saw the eyes. Someone wasn¡¯t watched and bit a human, and they changed. Not that a vampire could get infected¡­ But we could still die. My father was tired, and the wolf came at him.

    Marcus couldn¡¯t wait for me anymore. Juliet was calling out to him. He ran, and I listened to the yelp, followed by another. They were fighting together, getting the better of the creature. Mateo was helping, and they were calling out to each other.

    I saw Bertram and Sita with some more werewolves. They had two bodies with them, approaching another boat up the shore. I could not help Juliet, but I could stop them. I snuck up on the boatman and killed him outright. Dragged him into the bushes when their backs were turned.

    Sita growled and came back to human form. ¡°We¡¯ve got company.¡± I lifted my jacket and took out the gun. I aimed at Bertram and shot him with a dart. I wasn¡¯t going to kill Carl¡¯s father. He fell down in an instant. I couldn¡¯t hear any thoughts from the bags on the boat¡­ I had a bad feeling that the little girl was already dead.

    ¡°Are they dead?¡± I asked, walking up to Sita, gun stretched out in front of me.

    ¡°Of course they are.¡± A voice spoke to my right. The tall grass had hidden a veiled woman and armed werewolves as big as Chris¡­ ¡°Sita had brought me what I wanted most.¡± I frowned; she wasn¡¯t talking about the people in the boat.

    It didn¡¯t take long for Mateo to walk toward us. When Juliet saw Sita, she stormed toward her, dove right into her, and they fell into the water. Juliet was taking her deeper down into the dark. The five guards with the women went after them. Marcus followed, and I did the same. I didn¡¯t have a problem with killing a werewolf¡­ The bodies soon drifted to the surface. There really was no one that could defeat us as a team. I walked out of the water when I knew it was only Sita and Juliet left. Marcus surfaced a moment later.

    The veiled women and Mateo were standing on the shore talking. Juliet had Sita by the throat¡­ She couldn¡¯t do it because of Nick¡­ Juliet dragged her out by the hair. Sita coughed and grabbed onto Juliet¡¯s arms. Juliet straddled her and started punching. She didn¡¯t stop until Sita was bloodied, cut up, and out cold. Juliet stood and spat on her.

    A sudden movement in the water made our heads jerk. We were all jolted and pushed back further onto the shore. The bodies in the water were being dragged down by enormous water beasts, grabbing the dead in one bite and diving down. Juliet ran to me and stood behind me. ¡°What the hell¡­ we were in the water just now.¡± I chuckled.

    ¡°Next time when you are on a foreign planet. Maybe you should ask the people living there if it¡¯s dangerous.¡± The voice behind the veil was so familiar that a shiver ran down my spine. Mateo wasn¡¯t really sad about the bodies in the boat. The woman reached for her veil and pulled it off. The long golden locks hung to her buttocks and her face¡­ I stood staring at her for a long time¡­ The guards took off the robe, and she was clad in almost as little as Juliet would like to wear. Her body was nearly covered in the snake-like skin Juliet had¡­ Shoulders, back, and legs to her knees¡­

    ¡°You don¡¯t recognize your own mother, Louis?¡±

    I remembered her with short hair and much younger. ¡°Noya?¡±

    The woman walked over to Juliet. She was standing off to the side behind me. I wasn¡¯t reading the woman approaching us¡­ Too preoccupied. She grabbed Juliet by the throat and manifested into the most giant werewolf I had ever seen. She was enormous, muscular, and towered above us. She was more creature than Chris¡¯s father. The green royalty glow in their moonlight was prominent, coming from behind her.

    It happened too fast. She had grabbed Juliet, who was dangling and grunting, and I reacted. I jumped onto her arm, threw my legs around her neck, and got her off Juliet quickly, choking her with all my strength. She had to let go of my wife to get me off. She turned to fight me. I was ready and strong. I threw the dart gun at Marcus.

    He shot and didn¡¯t stop and jumped in to help. Noya required two hands or more. Marcus and I had pinned her down, each one on a shoulder. I took out my real gun and shot it into the dirt next to her head. The ¡°bang¡± had made her stop fighting.

    ¡°Ah¡­ guys¡­¡± Our gazes lifted to Juliet¡¯s voice. There were more werewolves around Juliet. Spears pointed at her neck and other parts of her body, pushing her back to the water¡¯s edge. We jumped off, and they lifted their weapons. The woman got up with the help of two of the men. She returned to human form, walked over to the water, and washed her face. She lifted a hand. The men helped her pull out the darts. She flung them at my feet. ¡°I needed to know how much you loved her. It seems you won¡¯t have any issues killing your mother for that chit.¡±

    ¡°My mother is dead!¡±

    ¡°I am not Noya¡­ Not anymore, anyway. My name is Brylee¡­ I am queen on Palmyra. I fell in love with your father. When he came to the palace with Ahasuerus and Samuel¡­ Basaam snuck me to En-gannim, and I ended up at Samuel¡¯s home. I was pregnant when the rebellion broke out. ¡­ All I had to do was put on a veil and never manifest. Ahasuerus thought I was a vampire¡­.¡± She chuckled¡­ ¡°He still doesn¡¯t know¡­ We knew the baby wouldn¡¯t survive¡­ So your father worked tirelessly to figure out something for me¡­ To be able to carry the baby¡­ I did, as you can see¡­ But some idiot didn¡¯t take responsibility on a full moon and bit some human¡­ I was so happy¡­ And then I wasn¡¯t¡­ That concoction made me so strong that I didn¡¯t even have to try really hard to take back the throne¡­ All I had to do was return to Palmyra. The story was straightforward. I died because of the branding¡­ But we never did it. I didn¡¯t want to take a chance on some legend. Knowing what I know now, I would have¡­ Get the girl!¡± She pointed at Juliet. ¡°And get that useless woman there.¡±

    My gaze darted between Juliet and Marcus and rested on the general.

    Marcus { We¡¯re outnumbered, Louis }

    ¡°If you so much as touch her. I will come for you.¡± I pointed my black nail at her. ¡°If you are my mother or not.¡±

    Brylee regarded me. ¡°As you wish. I will keep her in the palace with me and treat her like my daughter-in-law.¡±

    Juliet took my hand. ¡°I think it will be okay. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Juliet kissed me goodbye¡­ It was a peck¡­ I didn¡¯t like it¡­ We were being handled from every direction and had nothing of the truth.

    Juliet thought to me as she walked off¡­

    Juliet { If all else fails. I¡¯ll disappear, and they will be able to see me but do nothing about it. Come get me at Jack¡¯s in two days if you don¡¯t hear anything }

    She glanced over at Marcus for a second. He wasn¡¯t happy.

    ¡°Promise me¡­ not one scratch, baby.¡±

    She saluted Marcus and me with two fingers, walking backward, following my mother into the tall grass. They disappeared. We could have followed, but Mateo kept me back. ¡°What the hell just happened, Mateo?¡± You have to be royalty. We all saw the green emblem.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Your wife and daughter? Real?¡±

    ¡°Safe¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I had no choice¡­ I told you¡­ She¡¯s ten times worse¡­ I used Sita and this island as a diversion.¡±

    ¡°You have to tell us where they are, Mateo¡­ How will you protect her? Just by hiding her?¡±

    Marcus walked up to him. ¡°You protected your own wife, but you put mine in danger. Don¡¯t ask me for anything¡­ Ever again.¡±

    ¡°How did she get a teleporter, Mateo?¡±

    We kept bombarding him with questions all the way home.

    ***

    Juliet

    I have to say¡­ I did not see that coming. There was no view from the chamber we emerged out of. It was large and utterly walled off¡­ No one was supposed to have their own interplanetary teleporter. Energized from En-gannim, which meant Brylee could come and go as she pleased.

    Marcus had told me some of what Caude looked like, but I wished to see it for myself. The splendor of the uncorrupted nature. It would be like going back in time on Earth, with no ruins and every temple preserved and improved upon. But I wasn¡¯t going to be that lucky. I didn¡¯t think I was there for a tour. The walkway from the chamber was covered until it opened up to a bridge and, in the distance, a beautiful staircase into the palace. For a few moments, I had a view of the surrounding area. The palace walls were built and clad from stone. Flat and white. Some places were polished, some places not. Two werewolf statues stood as high as an apartment building next to the gates at the top of the stairs. The floor was marble, shiny, and clean. No clutter anywhere.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    I guessed it was only a side entrance, and the air hit us with every step. A light mist of water fell from the sky. As I turned in a circle, the waterfall towered high from above the mountain surrounding the palace to far down below us. The rushing, thundering sound almost drowned out everything else. I loved it immediately. I had that same feeling about En-gannim, and I knew it was supernatural. The branding was calling me to conquer.

    I stopped when massive bird-like beasts flew over us, screeching and flapping giant wings¡­ Every planet had beasts filled with blood for the inhabitants. I wondered how they ever hunted in all of that water.

    We were about to enter the big gates at the top of the stairs. I stopped dead in my tracks. Brylee had seen my movement and glanced back at me. ¡°What?¡± She spat out.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going in there with Sita. She wanted into the palace. I¡¯m not giving her what she wanted.¡± Sita was being carried over the shoulder of one of the wolves.

    ¡°Take her home,¡± Brylee ordered.

    The wolf turned and went the other way. They had left Bertram with Marcus and Louis. I think it was the end of Carl¡¯s father¡¯s career. After that, I didn¡¯t say anything. I wanted one thing, and she gave it to me. So, I would shut my mouth and let Brylee take the lead.

    The palace inside was even more spectacular. Green everywhere, from moss growing on the rocks to trees and plants. Pillars so high they held up the carved-out roof. The whole palace was built on the base of a mountain. A mountain made from marble. There was water running through from one side to the other. A soft, gentle waterfall feeding it. Werewolf men stood everywhere. The idea popped into my mind that the worlds they conquered must have many moons. And I wonder what it was about the Earth that she didn¡¯t like. The fact that she would have to be caged once a month or that a human killed her husband.

    In the last few months, I had been to En-gannim and Palmyra. Chris was one stop away. But I couldn¡¯t get to him. It was frustrating¡­ I wanted to beg. Brylee had the power¡­ I could ask her if she would send me. No one would know.

    After we followed a lot of narrow corridors, we came out to a massive open floor space. Every inch of our journey had been guarded along the way. I would never be able to find my way there. Guessed, she designed it like that for protection and privacy. Across the open floor, there were two doors¡­ A guard opened for us, and it led to an oasis with a Roman-type bath in the center. Soft steam emanated off the water¡¯s surface.

    She ripped off the veil and tossed it aside. Attendants had replaced the guards at the threshold. All the men at her service were in human form. They followed her and helped her with her clothes. She was beautiful, and I knew where Louis got his looks.

    One man came over to help me. I stretched out my arms like she had. He pulled off my shirt so gently and lifted it over my head, smoothing out my hair after. I liked the feeling, and Marcus would have been riled up. I should never go to Palmyra again. His eyes caught mine on him, and he smiled.

    I chuckled when his expression changed. He had glanced down and saw my bra. His hand raised up to the chest piece. He couldn¡¯t get his fingers underneath. He kept trying, circling me up for the challenge. I bit my bottom lip as he fumbled. Another replaced him, bumping him out of the way. He didn¡¯t like it. He was serious about his work.

    The second man¡¯s hands reached around me. It was effortless. He tossed it to the other and unclasped my belt and button, zipping down my pants, and lowered himself into a squat. I lifted a leg and stepped out. He did the same with my underwear. He tossed it at the previous attendant, who was still standing and watching. He slowly ran his fingers up my legs, over my skin as he came up, stopping when his hands rested on my hips. Slowly, he turned me around. His touch never left my flesh. He pushed me forward. I was getting a bath. The slap came so unexpectedly and rough that I jumped. He had hit my ass. I spun around and stretched out a finger to him. ¡°Never! Do that again.¡± He smirked and nodded. Like he really wouldn¡¯t. He had been gauging me and assessing my personality. Brylee gave a sardonic laugh. ¡°They train for years and years on how to make a woman feel in control. From start to finish¡­ I like men to still be men. I don¡¯t want them on the floor¡­ But you should understand that.¡±

    Marcus was so jealous¡­ I would have to stay away from Palmyra if it was that easy¡­ I had never known Marcus was that bad. On the compound, when I was younger. He didn¡¯t need to fight for my attention. Since Marcus stayed, I gradually felt terrible about Soren. I had hurt Marcus. And I had to take responsibility for the boy. I sighed as I stepped into the water. It was hot and felt good. I relaxed immediately.

    The power I would have on a planet where women were the rulers was dangerous. I obviously felt safer around the men... I snorted at myself. Safer? There, the woman was a constant threat.  If she could have, I think she would have. That same guard that was just flirting with me would wring my neck in a second on her orders. I didn¡¯t even care¡­ I floated in the pool. The sky was open. I loved it. I wouldn¡¯t mind living on any one of the planets¡­ But the road was so long¡­ And every ruler was a little bit scarier than the first. I wet my hair, swam to the edge, and sat down like she was.

    ¡°Feel better?¡± I nodded lazily, staring at the moons. I wished Louis was there. Why didn¡¯t she want him to come? We were both vampires, and he was her son.

    ¡°Can I interest you with a werewolf husband to secure alliances?¡± She snickered. There was something broken in her manner. In the same way, Ahasuerus was just a little off. It was too much confidence. They were too old. Ruled for too long.

    Her hand lifted, and a few men walked out, clad in very little. They sat down across from us, feet in the water. My gaze instinctively sprung to the guy who was dismissed because of the bra. She followed my line of sight and snorted. Her hand raised. He sat down, and the others left. The boy or man couldn¡¯t look at me. I met her gaze and shrugged. Then I looked at the other that replaced him. ¡°I don¡¯t like arrogant.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we have a whole school for the nice guys. I can take you¡­.¡±

    ¡°All though that would be my downfall¡­ I¡¯m sorry, my one husband said no more.¡±

    ¡°Let me guess. Marcus?¡± We both laughed lightly. ¡°Not even for Caleb?¡± My eyes met hers. I shook my head. I would never do that to Marcus. ¡°How many?¡± I asked her, thinking she would have a thousand.

    ¡°Oh, I just have one.¡±

    I was shocked. I sat up bewildered.

    ¡°I treat him like gold and precious silk...¡± Her gaze traveled up to the stars, running her hand through the water. Even in the light of the three constant full moons, the Milky Way was so clear¡­ ¡°I give him everything he wants. But a daughter¡­ After Louis¡¯s father¡­ I didn¡¯t think I would ever love again¡­ Never say never¡­ Is that not a saying on Earth? I don¡¯t have to tell you that it is possible to love more than one person.¡± She was quiet for a while. ¡°If I had met Zavier first¡­ who knows. It happened so fast¡­ I am, after all, just a girl¡­ Werewolves are meant to have a big family.¡± She watches me for a while¡­ ¡°Why are you not saying anything?¡±

    ¡°Speak only when spoken to.¡± My hand rinsed the water from my hair.

    She scoffed. ¡°I hate that world.¡±

    ¡°Well, if I¡¯m allowed¡­ I had heard it¡¯s just the reverse here.¡±

    ¡°Look¡­ how a woman treats her husbands¡­ Her harem¡­ I can¡¯t do anything about it¡­ At some point, you have to let¡­ I will call them people¡­ Let people be¡­ In the end, it doesn¡¯t really matter what anyone does¡­ They will always be human¡­ There is a reason we are half-human¡­ I don¡¯t like to be in my creature state too much. The men here are in a creature state because it keeps them grounded. On En-gannim¡­ Same thing, just the other way around. If the women were in their vampire states more¡­ maybe it would be worse for little Ahasuerus.¡±

    ¡°Women are too ugly like that,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°The lust of a vampire¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, being in any form didn¡¯t help me¡­ I still don¡¯t know where I am most of the time.¡±

    ¡°I envy you¡­.¡± She said softly.

    ¡°Why?¡± I gulped.

    ¡°To be so free¡­.¡±

    My lips turned upside down¡­ a confusion on my features¡­ ¡°I had always felt that I had the worst kind of luck. That life and the universe were against me¡­ I didn¡¯t ask to fall in love with Marcus, but I did¡­ so hard.¡± My eyes closed, thinking about those three years we were apart. ¡°Without even understanding the concept¡­.¡± I drew in a breath. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask to fall in love with Chris¡­ Before I knew it, I was¡­ And at the same time, Louis was there¡­ I don¡¯t know what it was. I was in the middle before I even knew what was going on¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for him¡­ I don¡¯t know where I would be.¡±

    ¡°And Michael? Are you sure you are in love with him¡­ Are you sure he is in love with you? He might be indoctrinated to protect you. You might feel you owe him.¡±

    The corner of my mouth lifted. She had already twice brought up the brandings¡­ The first time she spoke of interracial brandings¡­ And she¡¯s asking about Michael, not Chris.

    ¡°Thinking about it¡­ Anybody can fall out of love¡­ How would that even work? Would my tattoo fly into the air? I really know nothing. Only learning as I go on.¡±

    ¡°No Juliet¡­ That¡¯s not how it works¡­ The supernatural bond only happens if it is true¡­ Everlasting.¡±

    I blinked a few times to take in the enormity of what she was saying. My tattoos would never disappear. Chris didn¡¯t want to¡­ I didn¡¯t know if the time apart had changed his mind or made his lack of commitment worse. I was so jealous of Louis being in love with someone else¡­ What if Chris¡¯s feelings had changed? I would never know if our love was written on the stars.

    Michael¡­ I couldn¡¯t ask that of him. ¡°Hey¡­ how about we try branding and see how it goes. You¡¯re next in line.¡± The thought made me cringe.

    There was Soren¡­ Marcus didn¡¯t want him to¡­ And because he was so against it, I wouldn¡¯t entertain the thought. I knew Louis had their family emblem¡­ And I missed Soren¡­ if I had to be honest. Even if Michael was back, Soren wasn¡¯t a replacement¡­ But did I really love him?

    ¡°I heard there was another guy?¡±

    She said at last¡­ Like reading my thoughts. ¡°Is there a reason you cannot come out and say what you want¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes¡­ But I will paint a little scenario for you.¡± She shook her head like an Indian cab driver, thinking about how to answer¡­ ¡°Ira, Ahasuerus, and I had a secret meeting.¡±

    That got my attention. She smirked at my eagerness.

    ¡°We had discussed only one thing¡­ You¡­ Since then, I have had time to think. I had never met Louis¡­ But when I saw him tonight¡­ I was back there in an instant. That monster was coming for us¡­ Not even I could take it on. Louis¡¯s father made me promise to put our child first¡­ And I did, and I honor my promises. He was twenty and didn¡¯t have any abilities. I couldn¡¯t look at him after that¡­.¡± Her eyes cast down to the water.

    ¡°Blamed a child for his father¡¯s death¡­ We all have our limits¡­ Mine is very shallow¡­ Yours run unlimited¡­ It scares people¡­ But like me, I saw tonight that there isn¡¯t much Louis wouldn¡¯t do for you¡­ And his limits are just as deep¡­ You do make the perfect couple¡­ So¡­ Why I brought you here is to tell you¡­ Not to let Soren brand you¡­ Do not let anyone brand you¡­ Until you¡¯re absolutely sure who should receive the honor¡­.¡±

    F- Me. Did she just tell me that the third branding would mean more than the rest?

    ¡°The one problem you face is that you haven¡¯t seen Chris in a long time¡­ You don¡¯t know what he¡¯s been doing. What he¡¯s going to do in the next ten years¡­ Because I tell you¡­ You won¡¯t be seeing him soon. Ira¡­ will do anything in his power to keep you away from his son.¡±

    Brylee dropped down into the water and waded to the side of the pool. She went to stand in a shallow end. A carved-out round pool. Mr. Arrogant came over and washed her. He never once glanced at her face, knowing exactly how to handle her. She went back into the water to rinse. After he helped her out, it was my turn. Mr. Arrogant didn¡¯t even try. The other man eagerly jumped up and held out his hand to me, helping me to the shallow pool, getting in with me, and washing me. He looked me in the eye the whole time, asking for permission. Marcus once contemplated it. At that moment, I was too.

    Brylee got out, and Mr. Arrogant put a robe around her. She waved her hand. More men brought in clothes and towels.

    My attendant helped me get dressed into the softest piece of fabric I had ever felt. I could feel his breath on me as he moved; every touch was full of purpose.

    My dress was a hand-stitched top. My back and chest were covered in lace. There were small sleeves that stopped a little over my shoulder. The neckline ran up until it sat like a choker. Soft triangle wedges covered only a little of my stomach that was left exposed. The back was laced up with satin. It should have been a corset, but it wasn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t feel suffocated at all. For the skirt¡­ It was made out of layers of soft georgette silk with a slit in the front. I felt like a fairy, not an ugly monster. ¡°You look beautiful,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°Where am I going?¡± I asked softly before I made another stupid mistake.

    ¡°I thought you would have asked by now. Begged¡­¡±

    She held out her hand and led me back to the teleporter.

    ¡°It was nice meeting you, Juliet. I couldn¡¯t have asked for anyone better for him.¡±

    Jack was waiting for me. I was so happy to see him that I ran down the stairs over the bridge, and he caught me and swung in a circle. I hugged him for a long time. He held out his hand, and I took it. We traveled somewhere.

    ***

    Chris

    A few days after Selena and I had our talk at the bar, we were still in Shumaan. Ira had things to do, and we helped out with Patrols. Our last stop would be the city of our origin. Ira wanted to come back to Shumaan to rest and catch up, and I had to say I was getting tired of sleeping outside in the sand. I knew every location by heart. All I had to do was catalog the last one to mind...

    It was a strange day. Ira was being weird. Even Silvanus was watching him from the corner of his eye. I had moved back for the time being.

    Since Selena and Jamal had crossed that line¡­ Yeah, they needed the space. After our talk¡­ I had one with Jamal. In hindsight, that might have been a mistake. What made my father act like that.

    It was late and dark. Caleb was asleep in his room. I heard my father come into the house, talking and sending Silvanus out on patrols. Told him he didn¡¯t need to be watched like a child. My father came into my room. It was so dark. I thought he wanted to talk¡­ The next thing I knew, I felt a stab in my neck. My eyes were still open when they placed someone on the bed next to me. I could smell Selena. Ira had me followed, I supposed. Must have heard our conversation and seen her and Jamal. I hadn¡¯t eaten or drunk anything they would give me since that stupid threat at the meeting... How did he get a little black dispenser? The whooshing sound I would never forget. Ira might not be able to teleport out or communicate with anyone anymore. But someone was coming and going¡­

 Trouble On Zoreah

    120. Trouble On Zoreah

    Juliet

    Jack and I were invisible when we emerged into a cave-like structure. I thought it best for safety. It was unnecessary. The space was deserted. It was a landing, not another teleporter station or as massive as Brylee¡¯s. It was still somewhat large, and the area clean, but the air was dry, and it was sandy around the circle of stone on the ground. I wasn¡¯t on Earth or En-gannim. The only place I could be was on Zoreah. I tightened my grip on Jack¡¯s hand. Our eyes met. He smiled. I was excited about being that close. I could see Caleb¡­ Chris. It felt like everything was coming to an end.

    Jack let go of me when we were at the entrance. ¡°I¡¯ll be back for you in a few hours. Try the center of the city.¡±

    There was only one path to follow. I knew I was safe as long as I stayed invisible. It was late at night. The darkness was consuming with so little moonlight. Luckily, we didn¡¯t have a problem with darkness. How would I find Chris anyway? By the time I reached the city¡¯s edge, it felt like I had walked for an hour. The houses never ceased, and they were scattered. It didn¡¯t seem that they liked to complicate things. I was still on the one main road in and through the city.

    My heart was beating out of my chest. I didn¡¯t want to waste time. And the only thing I could think of doing was screaming, crying out, so that Chris would come running. What did Brylee want me to do? It wasn¡¯t like Chris could brand me in the next hour¡­ Oh, wait! Jack said a couple¡­ So what did I have ten hours on Zoreah? My heart skipped a beat, and my legs followed. At least I looked good, and I was clean... It was all so suspicious that I wondered what would happen.

    Guards were patrolling the city. Watchtowers were strategically placed¡­ I didn¡¯t really want to fight in that dress¡­ Or be manhandled till I was pushed down in front of Chris¡¯s father. But how else would I find them? I walked till I thought I would be in the middle of the place. There were a few more guards there, walking in their Riphath form. It was a little daunting. All of them were enormous. There would be no way I could have gotten information from one of them. But they weren¡¯t guarding just one house. It was as if a section in the city was more important than the rest.

    I waited for any sign¡­ Silvanus exited a door. I knew it had to be where Chris was¡­ It would be hard to miss the orange hue of the man in front of me. He seemed troubled. His eyes cast down, and he was shaking his head, mumbling to himself. His hand ran through his thinned hairline¡­ His head snapped my way. He was smelling the air. He manifested, and I fell backward into the sand. He was bigger than Brylee. Scarier and running, teleporting. I just hoped he didn¡¯t sound an alarm.

    I ran for the house. There were no doors, but material was hanging to cover the entrance. I would have to come back to get inside¡­ I walked around to see if I could find an open window. There were three along one wall¡­ My heart was beating faster and faster. The side of the house was hidden, making it a perfect place to snoop. Someone caught my eye on the ground. Louis came to mind that morning after Chris and I had slept together. My eyes darted to the window and back at him. The blond seemed sad, and like he was in pain. I went into the shadows in front of him and came back from my invisible state. He was pretty with solid features. When his head lifted, his Mediterranean-blue eyes were haunted.

    He watched me with interest. ¡°Who are you?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Juliet.¡± My head tilted a bit regarding him.

    When I said it, he chuckled. ¡°So you really did cross the galaxy for him. You are a little late. Waited one night too long.¡±

    My heart was slowly unsettling, ¡°Who are you? And why?¡±

    ¡°Jamal¡­ His friend¡­ Chris is in there with a girl. Tonight, Chris¡¯s father thought it best to drug both of them. I was supposed to help Chris when his father made his move¡­ She was supposed to stop it when it happened. But I was threatened to get lost¡­ Knew something was up, and when I came to check. I saw them in bed.¡±

    ¡°Have they already?¡± I asked, my mouth dry.

    He shook his head. I breathed out a heavy breath of relief. ¡°I¡¯m waiting to hear and see if it happens. Trying to figure out if I would go against the king¡¯s orders for Chris¡­ Get beaten¡­ Or I don¡¯t know if we have worse punishments. We are actually a really peaceful nation¡­ But this¡­ I don¡¯t like this.¡±

    ¡°Well, then, Jamal. We have a solution, don¡¯t we? You can just blame it all on me¡­ I have no scruples in being the bad guy¡­ There is a reason I got dropped off here so conveniently close to Chris going to sleep with someone¡­ I take it he hasn¡¯t¡­. ever?¡±

    Jamal shook his head¡­ ¡°Never.¡±

    I want to say that I would have been okay with it. But I was relieved to hear he had been waiting. ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t have time for wallowing.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wallowing?¡±

    I told him to help me up into the window. He did and then jumped through with me. They were in bed, but their bodies were still. We could not see much. Their moon was so far from the planet that it illuminated very little, even so late at night. Providence was on my side. If I had to walk in on them sleeping together¡­ And he was drugged¡­ Jamal and I would be crying together¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be able to blame Chris for that. It was funny that one person wanted to make Chris move on, and the other wanted me to witness it¡­. I had no idea what was going on.

    ¡°How does this work if they are drugged?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°No one else is here¡­ It wouldn¡¯t help anyway.¡± His voice seemed loud in the stillness¡­ ¡°Anyone can hear whispering. On this planet.¡±

    I stood up straighter. And talked normally. ¡°Did Silvanus know?¡±

    Jamal shook his head. ¡°He doesn¡¯t really have a say¡­ This is all his father and the elders? They want him to have a pure Riphath baby. So they can secure the lineage¡­ So that he won¡¯t give you the planet¡­ Silvanus has been keeping Ira back¡­ Trying anyway.¡±

    I bobbed my head. ¡°Pick her up.¡± I will make us all disappear, and we will walk out of here. Do you live close by?¡±

    ¡°Not really, but it doesn¡¯t matter. He will wake up soon¡­ In a wild state.¡±

    A frenzy? My body responded appropriately¡­ Throbbing in anticipation for Chris... Ravenous. ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry. I have to get back.¡±

    I took Jamal halfway, not taking any chances, turned, and ran to my window, jumping through. They must have drugged him well because I could have gone for tea before he eventually stirred. I had never touched anyone that much while they were out. I ran my hands through his hair, over his face and the full beard he had grown, watching him, smelling him.

    Chris sat up, confused. I could see he was out of it, like that morning in his house. I giggled¡­ It was actually funny, and I was forcing myself to see the good in the situation¡­ I tapped him on the shoulder, and his eyes were a little lazy when his head turned. But I didn¡¯t give him a chance to think about it. It felt so good when his lips rested on mine. As soon as it did. The sex craze started. Chris¡¯s fingers started at my cheek, running over my skin until they slid under the fabric at my neck. He ripped off my bodice¡­ I could hear the stitching tear. The beautiful white dress was ruined. I would have loved to wear it to my wedding with Michael. It was in pieces. The skirt he got off in one pull. It was all so very delicate. It didn¡¯t matter¡­ I would have done anything for Chris to touch me. I had nothing on underneath. Didn¡¯t want to walk around with wet underwear. Chris was taking off his own clothes.

    My heart was racing. I was blushing. My chest was blotchy up into my face. I knew he could see the pulse beating in my neck¡­ He bit me on the throbbing vein. But, even if he was drugged, he still kissed me with meaning. Chris was a gentle person, but his touches weren¡¯t. They never have been. He gripped my waist and pulled me under him. He was stronger, and I clung to his shoulders, positioning himself. A tear escaped down my temple some of the time. The release was too much when I parted my thighs and lifted my knees, seeing him, feeling every part of him.

    I didn¡¯t really care that I was the only one there. Chris took himself in hand and cushioned against me, waiting. I thanked the universe that fate was a little on my side¡­ Sometimes¡­ That I had no bad luck that night¡­ I was either going to have to thank Brylee, or she was my enemy. And Chris¡¯s father, too. But I didn¡¯t know what would have happened if they had succeeded. If she had a baby. I wondered what he was waiting for and took hold of his wrist and pulled gently; he slowly entered me and moaned and groaned like all of them did. A little more viral. With a deep rumble in his throat. My eyes shot open¡­ I held my breath. I wondered if he would change and crush me¡­ I never thought about that. ¡°S-¡± I whispered. All of a sudden, I was a little scared. Stupid Juliet.

    ¡°Hey, Chris,¡± I coaxed, bracing every hard thrust. I slid my hand over his cheek and pulled his lips onto mine. He slowed down and smelled my neck, my face, and my mouth. I kissed him softly. I breathed out when it seemed he was focusing¡­ I was trying to distract him, hoping my kisses were enough. But I could feel he was close, and he came, and it wasn¡¯t bad at all. My head fell back on the bed, laughing at myself. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± Jamal¡¯s voice came from outside. ¡°I thought about him manifesting¡­ I came to see if you were okay¡­.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m laughing¡­ It was close.¡±

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    ¡°Well, I¡¯m right here. Just call me.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean. He¡¯s done.¡±

    Jamal snickered... ¡°He¡¯s not done. I¡¯ve heard things about why drugs are not allowed on Zoreah.¡±

    He was right. Chris wasn¡¯t going limp¡­ His hands were all over me¡­ groping till he cupped my breast and fondled. He waited till he caught his breath and picked up his rhythm.

    ¡°Then get the hell out of here¡­ Ahha¡­ I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll manifest after that.¡± I tried to say, my breath hitching.

    ¡°You sure?¡± Jamal sounded skeptical.

    ¡°Get out of here... Jamal. Mmmm¡­ It¡¯s getting awkward.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s awkward?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t speak after that. Chris¡¯s tongue kept me quiet. His hands touching every part of me, rolling with me¡­ It went on so long that I helped myself to my own climax. Chris did quiet down after a while, pulled out, and fell down next to me. I couldn¡¯t care. I stretched out in an after-sex slum, so satisfied that I snuggled into him, forcing him to hold me, and he did.

    ***

    Sirius woke me up. I languidly stretched again. It went better than I thought. I climbed on top of him, kissing him. I felt guilty for a second. But I was also sure he wouldn¡¯t mind me having my way with him. Especially after nine years¡­ But he was fast asleep. Nothing was stirring¡­ I sat up on top of him, glancing at the door, my hand running through his beard. I didn¡¯t have clothes. I didn¡¯t want to leave either, scared he¡¯d walk out and sleep with the first woman he saw.

    How did I leave him a message? I searched for something sharp. The walls were plastered, so I dug out a note he would see as soon as he woke up. Colored it in with something edible from the kitchen. I scoured the house for clothes. All I could find were suits like the one he had pulled off. So I took his, and it was a bit big. But I didn¡¯t have a choice¡­ Did I.  My mind was trying to figure out how to make it work¡­ So that I could stay for a while. I rolled up my sleeves and legs. I walked over, sat down next to him, and pushed him flat on the bed. I took his shoulders in hand and shook him like he always did with me. Had to do all I could. I wanted to talk to him. I kissed him. Tried water. Slapping him... More like tapping. Softly. He was gone. I growled¡­ I was getting irritated. ¡°What the hell did they give you?¡±  I yelled and swore loudly.

    I walked around the house, trying to see any signs of my child. There were four rooms¡­ But there was no evidence. I wouldn¡¯t see photos anywhere. No iPad or journals. Books he was interested in. No, favorite comforter or Caleb¡¯s favorite color painted on his walls. Posters of someone or something he liked. I had to go. Jack was probably waiting. I put my ripped dress on the bed next to Chris. I wasn¡¯t expecting to see Jamal again. He wouldn¡¯t risk leaving Selena. Jamal¡¯s eyes wore the same emotions as mine when he looked at her.

    Once I was in the door, I glanced back at Chris one last time. I didn¡¯t want to leave. I ran back and kissed him all over his face¡­ Ended up on his lips, long and liquid. ¡°I love you¡­ I gotta go. One hell of a booty call¡­.¡±

    I walked out of the house, visible, too preoccupied to care. When I looked up, Silvanus was walking down the path. Another bout of relief. He would look after him. I adverted my gaze down and away from him.

    ¡°Juliet? I thought I smelled you.¡±

    I stopped and turned to him with such a smile on my face that he smiled back. I waved and kept walking.

    ¡°Your wolf is waiting. Had been guarding him for hours.¡±

    I could probably stay? I stopped. Jack could wait some more. I wanted to talk to Chris. I wanted to see my boy.

    ¡°No!¡± Silvanus said loudly. ¡°Caleb isn¡¯t in the city¡­ Keep walking. Say thanks that you got this with Chris. It would be much worse if he woke up. And we had to push him down seeing you leave again.¡±

    With ragged breaths, I considered it. My shoulders fell, and I bit the tears back. I bobbed my head slowly. My smile was gone. The heaviness was sinking in. I didn¡¯t know when I would see him again. Them¡­ Would I ever see my child?

    ¡°Good luck on your fight¡­ I am sorry.¡± Silvanus said.

    I walked backward¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t be. I¡¯m not¡­ I¡¯m sooo close anyway. See you soon.¡± I saluted him with two fingers and kept walking. I turned around. ¡°Make sure he doesn¡¯t sleep with anyone else.¡±

    Silvanus shooed me away.

    ***

    Chris

    ¡°Oh no¡­¡± I groaned. I felt like I did that morning in my house after I was darted¡­ How I felt with Ashleigh in the club for the first time. I had drugs.

    ¡°Oh no,¡± I remembered Selena¡­ I stretched out a hand, scared I would feel a body. I felt something¡­ I sat up. Startled, I got up on my knees. I pushed the fabric into my nose. ¡°Juliet¡­ It wasn¡¯t a dream?¡± My head darted around. I read the words above the door and laughed. I wanted to pull up my suit. I couldn¡¯t find it. I found another. My eyes were on the torn dress on the bed as I got dressed.

    I teleported from there to the platform. It was empty. There was no one. She could have still been there¡­ Like an imbecile, I felt every corner. Swearing that if she didn¡¯t show herself, I would pull her over my knee. I thought that alone would force her out to give me some snarky remark.

    Silvanus came in. ¡°Chris, she is gone. It¡¯s been hours.¡±

    ¡°What happened? I thought you were supposed to protect me. I hope Selena is okay.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I have no idea. Ira was here, and he left with Caleb¡­ I saw both of you on the bed¡­ But I chose Ira, Chris¡­ Once I left the house, I smelled a werewolf. I smelled Juliet¡­ I teleporter, and when no one was here, I sat down¡­ Decided to let fate play out¡­ She had a big smile on her face. It couldn¡¯t have been all bad¡­ She said she was close. That she would see us soon.¡±

    ¡°Where are Ira and Caleb?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re at the city. It was obviously planned. Your father had gone a bit far this time.¡±

    ¡°Well, someone stabbed him in the back, or their timing was off. Did you tell him about Juliet?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ I want to.¡±

    ***

    My next stop was Jamal¡¯s. I could hear them talking. Selena seemed fine and was happy. I sighed, clearing my throat.

    ¡°Chris, come in.¡±

    They were sitting on his patio outside. I sat down as if nothing had happened. Jamal squeezed my hand to reassure me. ¡°She is fine... They are both fine.¡± He whispered.

    ***

    Every time I woke up, I saw the message above the door.

    ¡°It¡¯s the second time you slept with me and won¡¯t remember¡­.¡±

    I would smile, thinking about her. Then I would be angry¡­ Livid at my father. I sat there for a long time that day. The white dress was in my hands. Jamal came to the window and jumped in.

    ¡°Okay, what happened was¡­ Juliet pitched up out of the blue. Asked me what was wrong. She planned it, and we quickly exchanged bodies. You didn¡¯t hurt her. Juliet was laughing and¡­ enjoying herself. She¡¯s cute¡­.¡±

    I jumped up. ¡°You watched?¡±

    ¡°No! A little¡­ I was scared, so I came back¡­ She was scared you would manifest and¡­ You know.¡±

    We both smiled and laughed.

    ¡°Your father forced me to leave you guys alone¡­ But I can just blame her. I was never so happy to see someone in my life.¡±

    I sat down again, my eyes fixed on the message.

    ¡°Why are you angry, Chris. Will you ignore your father again? Come move in with me?¡±

    ¡°It must have cost him to get the drugs¡­ How, though, if he has no communicator? And I¡¯m not angry.¡±

    ¡°Then what? You have been sitting here for days¡­ Not talking to anyone.¡±

    ¡°Did you explain to Selena?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry¡­ Are we going to have that talk?¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything. I already knew.

    ¡°We crossed the line as well. You don¡¯t mind, do you? You and Selena had been dancing around it for so long.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°I did give you the go-ahead. I won¡¯t go back on my word.¡±

    He pointed to the wall. ¡°You angry that you can¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°I can remember¡­ All of it. Even you guys talking. Her kissing me back from manifesting.¡± I laughed and fell back on my bed. Replaying the night¡¯s events, ripping off her clothes in my mind. Her breasts spilling out... She wasn¡¯t wearing underwear¡­ I had my way with her... She was so happy¡­ We were snuggling, sleeping next to each other. How I had longed for anyone to tell me they loved me¡­ for a hug. Juliet had done it all.

    ¡°I was there for all of it¡­ I want to go home, Jamal.¡±

    ***

    A few days later, Ira came back to get us. To join him and Caleb at the origin city. I was still sitting on the bed. It didn¡¯t really matter if I sat there for months. No one cared¡­ Forcing myself to remember every detail. Every word¡­ She would remember for much longer than I would. The white fabric was still in my hands. The smell of her was fading.

    Caleb ran to me and sat next to me on the bed. Ira came around the corner. ¡°Chris, we came to get you.¡±

    His eyes darted down.

    ¡°What is that, daddy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a dress, Caleb.¡± My eyes penetrated Ira¡¯s. Frown lines played between his brows. He growled. I smirked. Nudged with my chin up to above the door¡­ How did she get up there? Ira came in and turned around. I squeezed Caleb¡¯s leg to remind him not to read. I put my finger on my lips. He nodded. Ira¡¯s fist hit the wall. The plaster crushed, crumbling to the floor.

    ¡°I want to be angry, but I¡¯ll rather thank you. You showed me that you are a hypocrite. All of you are. Every day, I want to leave more and more.¡±

    He spun around. His mind was racing. He was so sure a moment ago. He didn¡¯t know how it could have happened. ¡°Please tell me when you figure it out. I would love to know.¡±

 Back On Earth

    121. Back On Earth

    Juliet

    It felt good having three men waiting for me when I walked out in Washington. I needed moral support. Louis was pacing. Michael and Marcus were having a discussion. I knew Louis was going to worry. I was in his arms before he knew I was there. I wanted to be where I knew I¡¯d be safe. I couldn¡¯t really confide in Marcus¡­ I couldn¡¯t run to Michael because it would hurt Marcus.

    ¡°I slept with Chris,¡± I whispered and laughed lightly, pulling myself closer. My hands were around his waist.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Nobody would have been able to fight that kind of build-up.¡± I smiled as his lips kissed mine. ¡°I¡¯m so glad she didn¡¯t hurt you baby.¡±

    ¡°Did you know?¡±

    ¡°No. First time I didn¡¯t lie to you... I thought my mother had died. That she was branded.¡±

    ¡°I have so much to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Louis kissed me again¡­ His eyes lingered on my lips. ¡°Baby, we need a schedule¡­ I can smell it¡­.¡± I nodded.

    I had never thought Louis would want that. It wasn¡¯t in our nature to be like that. I didn¡¯t know he would be the one putting fuel to the fire. But I could see that he wouldn¡¯t fight for it, and I wasn¡¯t going to beg. We turned, and Michael and Marcus were watching us. My eyes moved from one to the other. Louis prodded them, and we got into the next teleporter to the compound.

    Jessy wanted to take us to the house in the car... ¡°Can we walk? I need to walk for a bit.¡± I didn¡¯t really have to ask. The three guys followed me. I took a moment. It had taken me ten minutes to make it from Zoreah to there. That fact alone¡­ Made me want to beg¡­ Take her up on her offer.

    ¡°Brylee¡¯s first comment was that she and your father didn¡¯t get around to it.¡±

    Louis nodded... ¡°Which means¡­ Interspecies brandings are possible.¡± He suggested.

    ¡°Her second comment¡­ Was asking if I was really in love with Michael and if we were sure.¡± My eyes were cast to the road. I couldn¡¯t look at anyone.

    ¡°Her third was that I shouldn¡¯t let Soren brand me¡­.¡± They stopped walking for a moment. It was too much that everyone in the galaxy knew about everything going on in our lives. ¡°Then she said¡­ I should be sure¡­ who should receive the honor of the third spot.¡± My eyes darted to Michael. I wanted to see what he was feeling. His eyes were cast down, his thumb rubbing between his two eyebrows, thinking.

    ¡°She as much as told me¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure about Chris and what he had been up to¡­ It was then that they dropped me off, and Ira drugged him and left a girl next to him¡­ I was¡­ just in time.¡±

    ¡°So either Brylee sent you to witness it¡­ so you wouldn¡¯t ask Chris. Or she sent you to stop it so that¡­ it won¡¯t be Michael and the connection won¡¯t be broken between you and Chris?¡± Marcus commented, shaking his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m inclined to think that she doubled crossed Ira¡­ She doesn¡¯t want it to be Michael. She said that Ira would do anything to keep me and Chris apart. It¡¯s going to be more years¡­.¡± I started walking again.

    We were all quiet, waiting to hear Michaels¡¯s thoughts¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to ask him. It¡¯s only been a few months.

    I took out my phone. ¡°Jessy, get me, Rodrigo, and Samuel. If they will. Tell them I am asking nicely for afternoon tea. Don¡¯t tell them that they are all meeting me¡­ At Agatha¡­ Yeah¡­ See you now.¡±

    We quickly walked up the stairs and knocked on the door when we entered the estate. She was happy to see us. Marcus hugged her for a long time.

    ¡°Do you mind if we come in?¡± She opened the door even more.

    She led us to a sitting room. It was beautifully decorated. Someone brought us tea. There was a knock on the front door, and I rushed out to get it. It was my uncle. When we turned from the door, Rodrigo was in the foyer. ¡°How did you get here?¡± He shook his head and walked into the lounge. I took my uncle¡¯s hand and pulled him towards the meeting.

    Agatha stood and went over to him. He took her face in his hands and kissed her cheeks. They sat down, and she poured tea, and the three sipped their cups like we weren¡¯t there to discuss life-altering decisions.

    ¡°Come on out with it. I¡¯m fighting him in a few months. Have some sympathy¡­ Will Marcus and Louis really die if I die?¡±

    All three nodded.

    ¡°What happened when Marcus was five?¡±

    We waited, and Louis started speaking on Agatha¡¯s behalf.

    ¡°She was talking about it¡­ to Marcus¡­ Qadir overheard her. He made her tell him everything. He thought he had a sure way of challenging his father, getting people who could fight into a harem for Agatha. She didn¡¯t tell him that it wouldn¡¯t work if it wasn¡¯t¡­ true love¡­.¡± Agatha drew in a breath. ¡°He did it to me. I have an ugly scar on my butt¡­ Qadir was livid. I had never seen him like that. I don¡¯t know if he was angrier because I didn¡¯t love him or that his plans were no longer secure anymore¡­ To stop me from telling anyone¡­ well, he made sure. He never touched me again, not like that. He started with his own harem¡­ It was never his intention¡­.¡±

    ¡°So that is all that happens if it¡¯s not¡­ true or¡­ pure¡­ everlasting¡­ You get a scar on your ass?¡± The three looked at each other. There was more¡­

    My uncle spoke next. ¡°Julie¡­ We can¡¯t tell you. The next step is crucial. You have five guys¡­ Does it really matter?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°If I had my way, I would let all of them do it¡­.¡±

    I sat with my hands under my thighs. Eyes to the ground. ¡°But Chris won¡¯t, and if it does mean something for the third person¡­.¡±

    They all shook their heads. My eyes went from Rodrigo to my uncle to Agatha.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter when¡­ but if¡­ a human does it¡­ at all. The branding process is really something that brings the species together. What the three of them had fought tirelessly to separate¡­ The problem you have, Juliet, is that it maxes out at three and ends the night of your twenty-second birthday. After that¡­¡± Rodrigo said. ¡°Where did you hear all of this?¡± He asked.

    My eyes darted to Louis and to Marcus¡¯s. Michael was still quiet and staring at the wall across the room¡­ It was Louis¡¯s choice. If he wanted to say¡­ So we waited¡­

    ¡°We met Brylee¡­ She took Juliet to Palmyra and dropped her in Zoreah for an evening of¡­ Yeah¡­¡±

    Everyone followed my gaze towards Louis except Agatha. They all did come to Earth around the same time¡­

    ¡°Brylee is¡­ my mother¡­.¡± Louis said at last.

    Samuel sat forward to the tip of his seat. ¡°I saw her dying¡­ Did we not see her dying, Louis?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know? Her skin is exactly like Juliet¡¯s. She is a werewolf, and her face and voice¡­ It¡¯s her. The pictures in her mind. Stuff that no one could make up. It¡¯s been so long.¡±

    Louis was reading Agatha¡­ He nodded. ¡°She says Qadir helped Noya for alliance in the future. Get her back to Palmyra.¡±

    ¡°Rodrigo, I thought you had started all the experiments. Louis¡¯s father was long gone when you came.¡±

    ¡°Samuel got me when Marcus dropped me off. Took me in¡­ Saw that I had a gift. I loved science. I was bored, and he had all Louis¡¯s father''s books and little black tubes when he worked on a¡­ woman¡­ I didn¡¯t know it was his partner¡­¡± Rodrigo took a long breath. ¡°I had all the time in the world. At some point, I left¡­ I went a little crazy¡­ again¡­ I was hell-bent on punishing the compound with a mutation¡­ Almost succeeded if it wasn¡¯t for a little girl.¡±

    We sat in silence for a while. There wasn¡¯t really anything else they would tell us¡­ Everyone was letting Providence figure it out. It was rather stupid trying to push it anyway¡­ If it all was about ¡°love.¡± If no one else did it¡­ It didn¡¯t matter.

    I changed the subject¡­ My gaze traveled to Michael. ¡°Are you going to tell us what happened that night? Why you were so late. Where were you hiding?¡±

    Michael smiled briefly. It bothered me that he was so quiet¡­ That he couldn¡¯t look at me¡­ He sat forward with his elbows on his knees. Was he reluctant? We waited¡­

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    ¡°Jack and I met up that day¡­ Watched Louis ask you fifteen times if he could kiss you¡­.¡± Michael laughed a little.

    We all laughed.

    ¡°Then see him completely muck it up by calling you a ¡°child.¡± If he only knew what he was getting into. Jack and I were fighting¡­ about who¡¯s complaint was more stupid¡­.¡±

    We all kept laughing.

    ¡°It was funny until you disappeared. Until we heard the cub and until we had trouble tracing the car¡­ We waited¡­ I was about to¡­ intervene¡­ But Jack was clever enough to tell me to rather catch the guy¡­ We were too late anyway when you reappeared after the weed¡­ So we stood outside and¡­.¡± Michael glanced up at Rodrigo, who couldn¡¯t look at anyone. ¡°That was it¡­ I don¡¯t think I have ever seen four people more scared for you, Juliet, than that night¡­.¡± Michael stood up and walked away.

    When we passed him to move to the dining room, he was outside smoking, gazing out over the compound. One hand clutched under an armpit. For as much as Michael knew me¡­ I didn¡¯t know him that well. Since he had been back, we had been busy. We had a few Sundays. But we never talked about anything, really. And lately, we didn¡¯t even have Sundays. He never invited me again or went out riding. I knew it had to be about his outburst in the pub. What I didn¡¯t know was if he blamed me for it. I also realized that he was in a room with Rodrigo, and I had stupidly asked a question about the guy.

    ***

    After the talk, we stayed for dinner. Louis talked with Agatha, conveying all her thoughts to the rest of the table and helping Marcus speak to her.

    I sat with Michael, but he was still withdrawn. ¡°So¡­ we have to make a schedule, and I have no idea where to start.¡± I was fishing to see where his thoughts were. It seemed like they all had issues with our time management. The corner of his mouth lifted quickly. Strangely, since we had been in the midst of things. Michael didn¡¯t smile as much. He wiped his mouth, and a girl from the guards took his plate.

    ¡°Thank You.¡± We both said at the same time.

    ¡°Well, you can start by giving me Sunday mornings.¡±

    So he had been standing back. Same as Louis. I pulled his lips onto mine. I didn¡¯t really know what else to do; kissing seemed a better option than bugging him¡­ And I wanted him to look at me, but he pulled away. It irritated me. ¡°Where were you that night that Jerry wanted to hit me?¡±

    He ran his hand over his beard, making it into a pointy tail¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk anymore, Juliet.¡±

    I felt bad¡­ I was pushing him, being a child¡­ It had been a long day. I stood up and left without saying anything to anyone. I couldn¡¯t really make him do anything. He at least followed me. Outside, we walked under the trees on our way home. His phone was in his hand like always. Michael was on one side of the road. Quiet. Me¡­ on the other side, dragging my feet through the dirt, kicking at stones.

    He stopped abruptly, turned to me, meeting my eyes, and turned back to walking. I didn¡¯t know what to do. Did I do something wrong¡­ He stopped again and turned to me. I couldn¡¯t look at him.

    He slowly walked over to me, putting his phone in his back pocket. He turned me towards him and picked me up like Kubra always picked up Charlene. His face was flush with mine. We retreated into the shadows, and he took my one leg and hooked it over his waist, pushing me against the wall, his lips hovering over mine¡­ ¡°That night, two watchers had to push me down to the ground¡­ My face stuck on the screen with him screaming at you¡­ Pushing you! In the end, lifting his hand to slap you, stopping just before I would have killed him¡­ They let me go when Jerry was in his car, driving away.¡±

    ¡°Who was the other¡­.¡± His lips locked with mine, keeping me quiet. When he finally stopped and lifted his lips. I took the gap. ¡°Why can¡¯t you talk to me?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re always just in the background¡­.¡±

    He laughed lightly, ¡°Do you hear yourself?¡± I smiled as he kissed me again.

    ¡°That night with Chris and him in the garden¡­ I was so scared you would put your hand in Jerry¡¯s. I was actually happy to see Chris¡­ I followed close behind¡­ I had stepped out of the van when you guys got in the car¡­ I was a little lost¡­ I heard your panicked voice, and I only saw Jerry scratching at you and ripping you out of the car. I tried to get there. It all happened so fast. Everyone was there by that time. And Jerry was dead.¡±

    Michael grinded against me, his one hand coming up under my shirt. Lips on mine. ¡°Honey, it¡¯s time¡­ Put your legs around my waist and hold on. I want to know how it feels¡­.¡±

    I knew there were tiny little things that separated them. Small things I did with them all to make them feel special¡­ I didn¡¯t want to make them all the same. Do everything with everyone. I had already done it with Marcus¡­ My one leg was still on the ground. Michael grabbed the ass cheek of that offending leg. I hesitated but jumped, gripping him with my thighs.

    Michael breathed out a raspy breath when he had me in his hands. ¡°I F-ing love you, Juliet. I don¡¯t need anything from you.¡±

    He was so close to me, and we were staring at each other. Michaels¡¯s eyes were dark. If you saw him from far off, it was almost black. So close they bore into me. We didn¡¯t even hear the others coming out of Agatha¡¯s door.

    ¡°I will do it¡­ I know that¡¯s what¡¯s going on¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt you¡­ But if you ask me¡­.¡± He kissed me again.

    Louis and Marcus must have heard him¡­ They stopped, watching us. My eyes flickered over his shoulder to Louis¡­ Remembering how I begged him and how much we all had to go through because I didn¡¯t want to go back home with Marcus¡­ I pushed off Michael and walked into the road.

    Marcus did it without thinking or knowing¡­, which meant that there was no fear. Me begging Louis¡­ I had no fear. He smiled at my thoughts. My eyes darted to Michaels¡¯s¡­ There was no doubt in my mind about him¡­ But what it meant¡­ The consequences. Every time it happened, it became more and more complicated¡­ Giving up on Chris¡­ Soren, making the three men in front of me more special¡­ My hands clasped the chains around my neck¡­ At that moment, fear took root¡­ I wanted to be in control, but I wanted someone to make choices for me. And again, that person was somewhere in another f-desert. Ten years away. It would be easy for them to keep Chris there for the next two years.

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ not again¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt you either¡­. Any of you. I won¡¯t ask.¡± I walked off towards the house.

    ***

    I wanted to sleep in Charlene¡¯s room and headed there when we came home. The three men behind me came in at the gate. My ass started searing¡­ The sparkly lights danced off me. My head flicked around, and both men were forcing me back.

    But not to the room¡­ to the study. They were on their way there.

    ¡°We are sorting out the schedule tonight, Julie. Putting down rules and boundaries. Even if we don¡¯t go to sleep¡­ Forget about everything else¡­ First, let¡¯s take over En-gannim and then worry about your twenty-second birthday¡­.¡± Marcus said, who let go first.

    Louis followed, and he took my hand and pulled me down into my chair. Louis was edgy. Michael was¡­ confusing me¡­ And Marcus was irritated. Probably because Michaels was all over me. I didn¡¯t like any of it.

    ***

    It wasn¡¯t five minutes, or they were fighting. I sat there staring at them. They were trying, giving ideas, and not coming to any conclusion. I didn¡¯t really have a solution myself. I just slept with whoever pushed the most. Michael wasn¡¯t at all. And Marcus had been home for months. Louis had done what he did in France. He stood back because he loved me. Gave me space with Marcus. Freedom to connect with Michael. It had taken Michael so long, and we did, but it was slow. Louis was horny. Marcus was jealous, and Michael¡­ All of the above and getting over a trauma¡­ The fighting wasn¡¯t helping my fear... I didn¡¯t like conflict. I thought about keeping them quiet. Use the branding rights when needed, like at that moment. But no, I couldn¡¯t.

    I knew how to get Louis¡¯s attention. I started thinking about that night. Our first night

    Me [  I was over your shoulder. You put me down in front of you. ¡°Are you sure, baby?¡± You asked.

    The moonlight streamed into the room, over the bed. You had closed the door.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been begging for weeks¡­ You seem to be the slowest guy I¡¯ve ever met.¡±

    You reached down and slipped your hands underneath my dress, hooking it with your thumbs. Slowly sliding it up. Every caress burned my skin¡­ I lifted my arms. ]

    Louis stopped talking. Stopped fighting the other two going at it¡­ He bit his bottom lip nervously, hanging his head down. His eyes darted to me.

    Me [ We were so close to each other already... I could feel your eyes on me, waiting for me. I reached for your shirt and undid your pants. While you kicked them away, I let my panties fall and undid my bra.

    I love how you caught me up in your arms and how I felt against your skin. Flesh against flesh¡­ I closed my eyes¡­ I felt every inch of you as you¡­ thrusted me into oblivion.]

    He chuckled, playing with his tongue on his teeth, smirking.

    I indulged him with some more thoughts I had about that night.

    The other two stopped fighting as well regarding us. I knew it would irritate them even more¡­ But anything was better than us fighting.

    Me [ I think it¡¯s time we run ]

    He contemplated it. I knew he was scared it would send Marcus back¡­ Offend Michael. There had to be a reason he stood back.

    Me [ Oh, baby¡­ No. That¡¯s not how this works ]

    Louis was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s scary when you can start reading my thoughts.¡± He whispered.

    I shrugged.

    Louis stood up. ¡°Okay!¡±

    He held out his hand, and we walked out.

    I heard Marcus throw Louis¡¯s favorite glass ashtray against the wall. I glanced back when we were at the gate. They were in the doorway of the study.

    ¡°Marcus, you had me for months. You¡¯re not going to stand aside for anyone¡­ Michael, I don¡¯t really know what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    Michael looked peeved, actually, not like him at all. He flicked the cigarette into the grass, stomping off to his room. His dark eyes had become daggers.

    Louis pulled me out the gate. Jessy was already there, waiting in a running car. Louis pushed me in, and I sat down. The fear was growing¡­

    ¡°He will be okay. They can spend some time together.¡±

    I missed Louis. And I actually felt guilty¡­ spending time with him¡­ ¡°Can we go to the yacht?¡± I asked, staring aimlessly out the window.

    ¡°Sure¡­ You heard her, Jessy. To the yacht.¡±

    Louis¡¯s hand slid onto my cheek and pulled my face towards his.

    ¡°It¡¯s the first and only time, Louis,¡± I whispered.

    He kissed me. ¡°Thank you, baby.¡±

 Juliet Vs. Ahasuerus

    122. Juliet Vs. Ahasuerus

    30 April 2025

    Juliet

    We were fighting Ahasuerus later that day. It would determine the rest of our lives. A year of relentless practice was coming to an end. Or maybe only the beginning of the following one.

    I sat on the edge of the bed in France. Marcus had brought us, and I was admiring the view. The peaks were still covered in snow. It was cold, and I loved it. Yes, the place reminded me of Caleb. But it was good¡­ I needed it. I needed to remember what I was fighting for. I took out my phone. I was going through all the pictures Chris and I had together. The ones I took of him and the ones before we met¡­ I was already twenty-one. Caleb was ten. If we missed them that day¡­. They would leave for another five years.

    If I didn¡¯t win¡­ what then? My gaze traveled to the bed. Louis was fast asleep. Marcus¡¯s eyes were open regarding me. He sat up and looked at some of the pictures with me, taking the phone from me. He went to the albums. Surprised that there was one of him¡­

    ¡°There isn¡¯t one of us?¡± He remarked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would like your picture taken. So I snuck some in.¡±

    ¡°Me? Of course, I do.¡± He smiled, holding up the phone, and we took our first photo. ¡°Julie¡­ You have to do one thing for me¡­.¡± I was intrigued and turned to him. His eyes shot down to my thighs. One leg was bent, and the other rested on the floor. ¡°Close your legs.¡± I chuckled and shook my head. He grabbed a pillow and put it on my lap. ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡±

    I tried to be serious, holding back a smile. ¡°You have to ask me¡­.¡±

    I got up. ¡°No!¡± I headed for the door and made my way down the stairs.

    ¡°Come on Julie¡­ I need to hear it.¡± His voice started low and ended in a pitch. He stopped halfway when I paused at the bottom. Just having to say it made me vulnerable. It forced me to admit that I needed him. Without him, I knew we all would die¡­ He was planning to kill his grandfather for me. How could I ask him to do it?

    ¡°Then tell me what I need to hear,¡± I said instead.

    ¡°I choose you, Julie¡­ You don¡¯t have to doubt anymore. I will not hurt you again or let anyone hurt you¡­ As far as I¡¯m capable. He might get in¡­ one knock¡­.¡±

    My hand was nervously rubbing on my sleeping shorts. ¡°Mar¡­cus¡­ will you fight for me?¡± He jumped down the stairs and picked me up into his arms. He carried me to his old room. ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°You might die today¡­ Don¡¯t you want to go one last time?¡± He closed the door behind us.

    A few seconds later, Louis slapped on it loudly. ¡°I told you two¡­ if you do this again. I¡¯m joining. And then, baby. You¡¯ll have to get over all three of your rules.¡±

    I giggled and ran to the door. I peeked my head out. ¡°What if¡­ you¡­ wait a little bit? Give Marcus three minutes. Or he can wait for a change, and I¡¯ll give you thirty.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Marcus complained.

    Louis smiled and drew in a breath. ¡°No¡­ I will have you after to celebrate. When you¡¯re drunk, and I can do what I want with you¡­ I¡¯m going home to see my daughter¡­¡± Louis turned around and left.

    I was intrigued. ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t leave like that¡­ what would you want to do that I¡¯m not doing?¡±

    Marcus pulled my arm and threw me on the bed. We heard the front door close.

    ¡°Three minutes? That¡¯s going to cost you.¡±

    Michael was still a no-show.

    ***

    I had not thought the stadium would be that packed. There were so many government officials there. Ahasuerus had his people and guards. I saw Soren, and the rest of the seats were filled with all the aliens from the compound.

    We were all in the locker room. Louis was strapping my hands. Marcus was next to me. The time had come, and Ahasuerus walked past us, glaring down. His eyes were going from me to Marcus¡­ ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t ask anyone to fight for you.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, humility is also a virtue¡­.¡± I had dropped all formalities with him. There was no point. He cracked his knuckles. There was no mistake that he was looking forward to putting me down.

    ***

    The three of us were standing across from him. We would have to work together. Louis¡¯s head turned to me, and he held out his hand. ¡°I want to see you after¡­ Don¡¯t die¡­ There is still a lot I want to do with you.¡± I smiled.

    We both glanced at Marcus. ¡°I¡¯ll babysit.¡±

    How the hell did we get from that hotel room to fighting together. Louis was trapped by Marcus. He gassed everyone¡­ I chuckled.

    Ahasuerus didn¡¯t wait and ran towards us. I jumped into the air, landing behind him... So we could circle him. I had my two short blades in my hands. They were katana and pink¡­ I thought it appropriate, if only to irritate him¡­ Marcus had a spear. Louis and Ahasuerus had chosen swords.

    He was fast to block our attacks, aware of every movement around him. Strong and precise. Metal clanging against metal. We were all manifested. Louis and I were in complete control of our abilities. After we had seen Brylee and spent time with her. I knew it was possible to live with it. To control it.. to master it. For those who wanted the species to mix. Yes, there was a price, but I could never take it away. Chris and I would never be able to have a baby again. I wanted lots of babies¡­ We were going to need extra rooms.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Ahasuerus knew he had to take out one of the men, or else he would never get ahead. He mainly focused on Louis¡­ Their sword fighting took us out of the equation. But neither Marcus nor I let up. Louis advanced, and Ahasuerus countered. With the weapons, we were getting nowhere. He was too strong and pushed them off time after time. I couldn¡¯t get close¡­ I wasn¡¯t helping. Marcus was the one who would have to finish that part of the fight. He had to get Ahasuerus¡¯s sword away from him.

    Louis and I forsook our weapons, tossing them aside. Ahasuerus noticed and fought harder, thinking it was an excellent opportunity to get the upper hand.

    While Marcus closed in on him, Louis used his strength to get me close to Ahasuerus. I was small, and they thwarted his blows while I could deal deadly ones up close, moving around him. Every time I landed a punch, I knew it mattered. Ahasuerus''s eyes drifted to mine. His features were strained as he tried to get to me¡­ The guys wouldn¡¯t let him, and we got his sword to drop. That was half of it. He turned on Louis again. It was a bit harder for me to help Marcus stop his jabs or kicks from landing. We needed to be together, or else one of us would get tired. Marcus jumped in and took the attention off.

    It was time¡­ Marcus was the leader that day... He gave us our ques, and together we pushed forward. We needed him in a corner or at least against the side of the arena. He immediately knew what we were doing. He rolled through us and landed behind me, dealing a crushing blow on the back of my head and neck. I fell to my knees. The pain was excruciating as it ran down my spine, making my legs go numb. I had slipped up. My defense was too slow. I was tired.

    The two men jumped in front of him and pushed him to the other side, away from me. My face fell into the dirt. My father and my mom were in the stands. They both came to their feet. Their eyes drifted from the three men to me. Even my father was crying¡­ All he fought for¡­ It was playing out in front of him. The tears fell, and I closed my eyes for only a second. My parents were not what would make me get up again.

    ¡°Juliet, you got to get up, honey.¡± Michaels¡¯s voice came from down below somewhere. It was dark, and I was drifting. The guy that stared at a TV screen his whole life¡­ He never intended for me to fight for three planets. Just to be able to carry a baby. I didn¡¯t want to cry. I didn¡¯t even know Michael was there. He had said that he would not be able to handle it. Him rushing into the arena and dying wasn¡¯t something that would help.

    There was only one rule. The three of us against Ahasuerus. No outside help or until one conceded. Ahasuerus had a long way to go. Louis would be first until it was only Marcus and him left. After, he would force me to stick that pink blade up into my heart.

    ¡°Juliet¡­ Come back to me.¡± Michaels¡¯s voice drowned out¡­ The stadium and the fighting. Every time I was at the peak of a trial¡­ What was most important to me¡­ became very clear¡­ One face came to mind¡­ Chris standing somewhere at the school. At the gate, waiting for me, talking to someone. His hands would run through his hair. He would glance up and see me. That was the only time he smiled.

    I dug in my pocket. I was going to heal myself. I had a little black tube. There were no rules against that. The memory of that morning before Chris left. We were on the bed, Caleb staring at us¡­ Chris was so happy. I loved the fact that he was happy¡­ And he was waiting for me to make him happy. My hand shakily made it to next to my neck. ¡°Chris, I¡¯m coming.¡± My hand drifted the last little bit, and I stuck myself in my neck. ¡°Swoosh.¡±

    ¡°Good girl. Now get up.¡±

    I slowly did, first to my knees and taking a breath. I glanced over my shoulder. Louis was tired when I took account of how long I had been lying there. I had passed out. Louis and Marcus noticed, and we quickly fell into formation again. I moved into Ahasuerus with new strength. We had practiced it over and over. I loved punishing with a slide, and that¡¯s what I did. But we knew he would roll backward. It was his defense move. To get out of a sticky situation. He had given himself away, and it was a mistake.

    Louis set the trap, waiting behind him. He was fast, and when Ahasuerus came up from his roll¡­ His back was to Louis. He gave him the hardest kidney shot he could. It was the first sound Ahasuerus made that night. I came up with the hardest uppercut I could, precisely where Marcus had taught me to. The blood spews out of his mouth, and he staggered. As his head was up in the air from my blow. Marcus spun inwards and punched him in the liver. I fell down and pulled his feet from under him with my leg. Marcus was already waiting to grapple. He had him in a hold. With the injuries, there was very little he could do. Louis tossed me my short blades, and I stood over him. The hand tapped on Marcus¡¯s forearm.

    ¡°Do it, Julie¡­.¡± Marcus yelled.

    ¡°Kill him!¡± Michael bellowed from the side.

    The two sharp edges pressed the flesh on his neck. There wasn¡¯t a rule for killing him even if he tapped¡­ Only for what we would allow. My arms moved forward. He wouldn¡¯t have given me a second.

    A flash of darkness caught my eye; Brylee had tossed off her veil and had jumped out from the crowd, manifested, and dug me into the ground. We went skidding with her massive body on mine. Her arm smashed into my throat. It was short-lived. Everyone that could fight in the audience jumped into the arena. My father and mother got her off quickly. Jessy and Michael were right behind me.

    The gates clanged open, and Ira came walking in. The whole group went quiet. Marcus had let go of Ahasuerus. They were staring at each other. The one foaming at his grandson for telling his wife to kill him.

    ¡°You were wrong. I never would have killed you. I was trained to help fight. To submit, and I chose the right master¡­ Now you have to let her rule.¡± Marcus scoffed.

    Ahasuerus spit into the ground in front of him. He lifted one hand into the air. He was calling someone¡­ One of his lackeys came running into the arena. He opened the box and took out the Ahmed emblem. His¡­ was made from precious stones. It sparkled in the moonlight. The people in the arena separated from me to him. He flung it into the air towards me. I caught it.

    Ahasuerus¡¯s lackeys dropped down in front of me. Court officials and higher-ups. I couldn¡¯t help myself. I clapped my hands and jumped up and down in the same place. My dad, who was next to me, picked me up and kissed my cheek.

    Ira picked up the older man and made for the gate. ¡°Hey! What do you want for them? I can literally give you anything.¡± Ira paused for a moment. ¡°You haven¡¯t told him about Sammy.¡±

    Ira was breathing deeply.

    ¡°You have stolen ten years from me. And I don¡¯t give a flying f- if you feel the species shouldn¡¯t mix¡­ I can¡¯t imagine he¡¯s okay¡­. You were not there when he was miserable¡­.¡± That got his attention. He spun around.

    ¡°I am there now.¡±

    ¡°Does it really have to be like this?¡±

    Brylee grabbed Ira on the arm and wanted to push him out. Something was going on. It wasn¡¯t about treaties anymore¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t take me with you now¡­.¡± I waited to see what he would do¡­.¡± He kept walking. ¡°I¡¯m coming regardless¡­ I will find a way¡­ You took my child¡­ you took my obsession¡­. You better give him that message¡­.¡±

    Ira stilled for another second, glancing back at me over his shoulder.  ¡°If I see you there¡­ You die.¡± His voice was almost a snarl. ¡°The city is under an order to kill any vampire outright¡­ If I see any of your husbands there, they die¡­.¡± He drew in a breath and kept walking. Rodrigo waved to me from the gate. I frowned and tilted my head. Ira waited and said something to Rodrigo. They left¡­

    ***

    I ran with my emblem towards the opposite gate. We traveled to Washington. We traveled to En-gannim. From there, we needed to find the coordinates. Marcus was searching, forcing anyone that would know to help us. They tried and opened all the places that it could be. There was nothing¡­ I slumped down into my couch. We had been looking for an hour.

    Marcus came over and gave me a small piece of paper with a message. ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy¡­ little girl.¡±

    I groaned, rolling my eyes.

    ¡°Should we force someone to tell us,¡± Louis asked.

    I stood up, rubbing the emblem in my hand. The vamps in the room were bowing. Not having any idea what was going on.

    ¡°No! No forcing! We all know they did everything in their power to keep Chris and us apart¡­ The fact that Brylee and Ira were actually there¡­ What the hell? I need a drink.¡±

 Celebration

    123. Celebration

    Charlene

    We were all sitting at the compound waiting. Juliet and the three men walked into the gates. Juliet seemed depressed. Their plans didn¡¯t pan out.

    But I had made sure we were having a massive party in the yard either way. Everyone was there. Everyone had witnessed their epic fight. The months of tireless training. Stress had built up¡­ But it was over. The music was loud, and the patio was a dance floor. So many chairs. Even Jessy and his men were there. It didn¡¯t take long for me to convince Juliet to dance. She drew me closer. It had been a long time. I had missed her. Slowly, her hands roamed my body. Behind my head. Through my hair over my shoulders. Down my arms until they rested on my hips, clasping her hands. Her lips rested on my ear on the side of the dance floor where no one would see what she was saying.

    ¡°How are you?¡± I giggled. She was acting like she was flirting with me.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, and you?¡±

    ¡°I have a teleporter. Is there anywhere you would like to visit for a day. We can create an international incident.¡±

    I thought for a bit. ¡°I have school.¡± She rolled her eyes and tucked my hair in behind my ear. She kept watching her wristwatch. ¡°What are you planning, Jules?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m waiting to see who will cave first and how long it takes them. Whether we can entice enough¡­ But don¡¯t even peek at the crowd. Keep your eyes on me.¡±

    I gestured with my eyes over her shoulder. ¡°That quick¡­ Is it Kubra? I hoped it would be him.¡±

    The person tapped her on her shoulder. She glanced back. ¡°We didn¡¯t do a good job.¡± She had a big smile on her face and held out a hand. Carl twirled her in a circle. We had danced together so many times. All three of us¡­ It was like second nature. She used him as her own personal dance pole when he didn¡¯t take charge or the song gave way for it. His hands ran over her waist and over her shoulders. Juliet took his hand and twirled him to me. I was waiting with an outstretched arm... knowing he was coming. Carl danced with me a little until he held out his other arm, and she came into his embrace.

    ¡°What do you guys think Mandy is doing?¡± Carl asked.

    We both burst out laughing. Juliet in her loudest boisterous laughter. Doubling over her torso, mouth open. It had been a long time since I saw her that happy.

    ¡°Do you think she is still with Owen?¡± Carl asked. We laughed again.

    ¡°Should we call her and ask¡­¡± I suggested. Carl nodded excitedly.

    Juliet pulled us closer, and we made a circle on the dance floor. Juliet took out her phone. She dialed Mandy¡¯s number.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Mandy, it¡¯s Juliet.¡±

    Mandy went crazy, screaming. ¡°We saw you on TV. Hey everyone, it¡¯s Juliet, Carl, and Charlene¡­ You guys just left us here.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Mandy! You and Owen still together?¡±

    She was quiet. Juliet killed the call. We had such a good laugh.

    ¡°I am so glad we left that place.¡±

    ¡°Thank you guys for sticking with me¡­.¡± Juliet whispered.

    Carl rubbed Juliet¡¯s hair and kissed her head. ¡°Thank you, Jules, for the ride of my life, but I don¡¯t want to have any more excitement for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Dr. Grant¡­ Sounds good, Chars¡­ You excited?¡± Juliet asked.

    I nodded. ¡°I am¡­ Growing up isn¡¯t that bad.¡±

    Juliet and Carl snorted.

    Louis brought us the second round of shots. Juliet didn¡¯t complain, but their eyes spoke volumes¡­ After the shot, he pushed a beer into her hand. Walking away laughing. ¡°If you want me drunk, you should ask Michael. He does it in like half an hour.¡±

    Michael laughed, rubbing his hand over his beard. Louis plopped down next to him, and they whispered to each other. Michael seemed to have relaxed fifty percent after Juliet got that emblem. He took Louis into his room. Juliet started cursing as she walked away. Louis was forcing her into Michael¡¯s room and into his arms.

    It left Carl and me. He held out his arms to me. I wrapped mine around his neck. He was way taller than me. I couldn¡¯t glance at Kubra. Carl¡¯s eyes were on me. I felt it¡­ And after a moment, dared to meet his gaze. ¡°Should we have one proper kiss, Chars?¡±

    My first thought was yes. To plant my lips on his and pull him in close. He had always been close. Find out if all of it was only friendship. I missed him. I missed Juliet. My eyes lingered on his lips.

    Juliet stepped out of the room¡­ Hey, you two get in here¡­ I pushed him away. He held me in place. ¡°Chars, you were so close.¡± I knew I was. ¡°You could have both of us. I¡¯m not so against sharing anymore¡­.¡± It had caught me off guard¡­ He was serious.

    Juliet screamed again, and he let me go¡­ I walked across the yard. He followed, slapping my ass, and ran away immediately. ¡°Hey, you¡¯ll pay for that,¡± I yelled. Carl ran away into the room to hide behind Juliet.

    Kubra and I had spent more time together. He sometimes came to the campus to wait for me. I was the envy of every girl. He was there in the morning when I woke up, and he didn¡¯t freak out when I danced with another guy.

    I held out my hand beside my body a little to the back. It wasn¡¯t a few seconds before his fingers laced in mine. He pulled me closer and picked me up in front of him¡­ ¡°That was torture¡­ I thought you would kiss him.¡±

    ¡°Carl asked¡­ I thought about it¡­ If I wanted to¡­ he wouldn¡¯t have needed to ask.¡±

    Kubra pressed his lips onto mine and fell with me onto Michaels¡¯s bed. The crowd went wild when he kissed me and didn¡¯t let go. I heard Juliet ask Michael if he wanted us all out of there. He pushed a drink into Juliet¡¯s hand. ¡°You owe me, Louis.¡±

    They left the room, and Michael pushed one into Carl¡¯s hand. ¡°For all those nights you looked after her¡­ I¡¯ll watch them.¡± Carl saluted and left with Juliet. His arm around her neck.

    Michael cleared his throat next to us. ¡°I know black sheets are kinda hot, but yeah, Juliet and I haven¡¯t even so¡­ get lost.¡±

    Kubra got up in one roll and picked me up. ¡°I love you,¡± I whispered. Kubra paused at my words. His eyes were on me. Michael¡¯s head came up off the floor, and he smiled.

    ¡°Does this mean you want to sit on my lap?¡± I jumped off him and took my drink from Michael. ¡°Maybe after this. I give consent, Michael¡­.¡±

    ¡°You sure, Charlene? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea. Do you want to become a doctor? Or a mother of a vampire and a werewolf baby. There aren¡¯t any human sicknesses to reason away your baby looking like¡­ that.¡±

    I laughed. Kubra seemed happy. He put me down when I wanted to leave to join Juliet¡­ ¡°You can judge just how drunk I am.¡±

    Michael paused and pulled Kubra back into the room, closing the door.

    I would love to be a fly on the wall. Louis came over and pushed his ear against the wood. ¡°He¡¯s giving him condoms¡­ Juliet Michael has condoms!¡± Louis ripped open the door. ¡°Why do you have protection.¡±

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    Juliet came towards the door. ¡°What the hell, Michael? Who are you sleeping with.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think¡­ honey? They are a few years old, but¡­ should be good.¡±

    Juliet smiled at him. ¡°You would have never needed them. I don¡¯t like it¡­.¡± She turned around and walked back to the crowd.

    ¡°Yeah, like I didn¡¯t know that¡­ I was in the van. All my life.¡± He yelled. ¡°James and I had to watch you and Jerry for six months¡­ Should we tell Marcus about that¡­ And I¡¯m a responsible adult¡­ not a child.¡± He did it deliberately and waited for her. Louis came and grabbed her from behind when she strutted back to the room.

    ¡°No, Sorry¡­ My night.¡± Louis retorted.

    Michael tossed the pack at me. ¡°We¡¯ll keep an eye on you. Go get drunk.¡±

    ***

    We were sitting around the fire pit an hour later. It was quiet. I was still deciding about becoming an infected vamp, but Rodrigo wasn¡¯t there anymore.

    ¡°Hey, did Rodrigo leave behind everything we need to turn me?¡± I asked Juliet next to me. She was lying on Louis¡¯s shoulder, staring into the fire.

    ¡°No, Charlene. I think you should forget about that idea.¡± Cindy said. ¡°We could rather connect you to Kubra.¡±

    ¡°Everyone keeps saying that. But it still means I would be vulnerable.¡± I kept my eye on Kubra. He had avoided the topic for a long time. Gave me an excuse that we needed to wait till Juliet fought Ahasuerus and see what happened.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that we think it would be a bad idea¡­ Are you really going to start killing people?¡± Louis asked.

    ¡°Rodrigo gets away with drinking other creature¡¯s blood¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be killing people¡­ Juliet. I think you should tell us what happened on the farm. When you first changed and how you managed.¡±

    She didn¡¯t mind.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°I was in a depression, sitting wherever I went, at a coffee shop or in the park. I would sit for days in my room. Especially when I was manifested. It was hard to accept the way I looked¡­ I couldn¡¯t even put on the TV because it was all too strange. I didn¡¯t understand half of it except the news channels that quickly became so boring in the amount of time there was to get a hold-off.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to see my dad.¡±

    I kept staring into the fire. I couldn¡¯t meet Marcus or my dad¡¯s eye. I didn¡¯t really want to remember myself like that.

    ¡°I had utterly put Marcus out of my mind. I made a deal with myself that I would never see or talk to him again. No, I would never even think about him. And if I saw my parents, I would do the same. I didn¡¯t belong anywhere, and it made me even more depressed.¡± Charlene and I gazed at each other. ¡°Not something I would want for a friend.¡±

    When my eyes did come up, they fell on Michael as I told the story.

    ¡°I woke up with a commotion downstairs and the house and servants in an uproar one morning.

    For months, I had seen no one. Michael was scared¡­ If I think about it now, I was actually very sick not eating¡­ When I came down to a sea of people and one man everybody was bowing to, I stopped midway down the stairs.

    Samuel glanced up at me, and his countenance was so soft, and the smile he gave was so genuine that I walked towards him. I held out a hand, and instead of shaking it, he took it in both of his and kissed it.

    ¡°Juliet, I am your uncle Samuel.¡± He said. ¡°As you can see, I look just like him, so you can be in no doubt of its validity. So, even though you have never met me, I mean you no harm. I won''t even talk to you unless you desire it¡­ But I hope you will come and spend as much time with me as you want. The study door will be open, the library door will be open, and every other room.¡±

    All the servants bowed.

    ¡°But first, there is something that you need to see and do, and I think you will either hate it or take to it. He snapped his fingers, and two of the servants handed us jackets, gloves, and Wellington boots. We walked down the road and to the barn I had passed so many times.

    When the doors opened, there was just one person in there. Standing unbound in the middle of the floor. Uncle Samuel looked at me. I looked at him and then at the man. All I could do was wait. I was determined¡­ Not to kill someone. If I had to die, I would have¡­.

    The longer I watched the guy¡­ I could feel myself changing¡­ And out of nowhere, I wanted to kill that poor guy. I tried to stop the urges, but there was no way, and I ended up struggling to fight him. I had no training.¡±

    ***

    I paused, thinking¡­ Michael was smiling at Samuel. Their eyes were shining in the firelight... But Michael¡¯s did come back to meet mine. He had been weird the last couple of months. Like he was that first time at the embassy. But since Ahasuerus, that was only a few hours ago¡­ He seemed better¡­ His hand played with his beard as I told the story. His eyes never left mine¡­

    ***

    ¡°I¡¯m sad to say that they stood laughing at me¡­ I was hopelessly getting thrown about. The guy got in one good shot in my stomach. In one swift manifestation and a speedy movement. My uncle hit the guy down on his chest, making him double over as he kicked him in the gut, exposing his neck.

    He did not have to ask, and I bit into his flesh. When I was done, I laid back in the sand in a state of ecstasy. My depression was gone in an instant. I felt almost fantastic. My energy was back, and my brain was working. I could move freely.¡±

    ***

    I stopped talking¡­ Waiting to hear if one of them would finish the story.

    ¡°I was just hangry,¡± Samuel said next to my dad. ¡°That¡¯s what she said¡­.¡± Everyone laughed. I chuckled. Michael smiled at me.

    ¡°Michael told me that I needed to come back because you were so downcast. He could not take the gloominess anymore. It wasn¡¯t his place to give you your first meal, and¡­ your father deferred that special occasion to me.¡±

    I regarded Michael and thought about everything else that happened leading up to it¡­ His eyes were remembering it too and penetrating mine¡­ It was a little more than just that. Louis gripped my hand, reading my thoughts.

    ¡°After that, I was back to my normal self. I talked and talked, and he listened and answered every question I had. I spent months with him training me and making me control my manifestations.¡±

    ***

    Charlene

    ¡°Charlene¡­ You tell us how you coped that first night Marcus brought a person to the house in France.¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°I had forgotten about that¡­ We had never seen Juliet kill someone. Drink someone¡¯s blood till it ran down her chin¡­ That night was one of the worst nights of my life.

    Marcus wasn¡¯t so¡­ courteous as to tie them up and gag them.¡± Juliet laughed again. It was so good to see all of them relax. To tell stories. ¡°So there would be no screaming. They wouldn¡¯t know when it was coming¡­ Or that they could see what was biting into them.¡±

    The guy was struggling¡­ But Marcus just knocked him out. Dragged him upstairs. I ran to my room. There really wasn¡¯t time to make a fuss or make it stop. It didn¡¯t take long, or Marcus took the guy outside again¡­ I guess I just thought about Juliet and her dying vs. someone else dying¡­ No¡­ Moral¡­Code.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a whole other story¡­ killing a person yourself, Chars. It¡¯s not something we want for you¡­ If I had to put an innocent random guy in front of you. Would you be able to stab them to death?¡±

    Of course, I wouldn¡¯t, but she had a point.

    ¡°If you change. You¡¯re not guaranteed of the outcome¡­ It¡¯s not like being born that way.¡± Cindy said softly.

    It was quiet around the fire for a while. Most of them had to do it a first time¡­ I guessed everyone was thinking of it¡­ A good song came up, and Juliet dragged Louis to go dancing. He liked dancing with her¡­ Kubra took my hand and led me to my room.

    ***

    Kubra closed the door behind us. He fell onto the bed. I dropped next to him.

    He was aimlessly staring up at the roof. I scooted closer, and he pulled me onto his chest.  ¡°So, are you going to tell me?¡±

    ¡°I have asked. You said no¡­ So, whenever we get married¡­ I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    I sat up and pulled my leg underneath me. ¡°You were serious. I thought it was about us living together.¡±

    ¡°I actually have self-control, you know¡­ I¡¯m not some stupid human guy who will break your heart¡­ And I love you. It won¡¯t change.¡±

    It was such a matter of fact to him. He was so sure and stable. Nothing fazed him. I was the one that didn¡¯t want to commit. Stuck in a human mindset that monogamy was from the pit of hell. Boring and should only happen when I was thirty-eight. If I didn¡¯t want to die alone. The stupidest reasons to get married in the first place. My parent¡¯s marriage was what killed the idea for me. I was never like Juliet. I never fell in love quickly¡­ I liked the idea of love and romance, but that was it.

    ¡°What if I want to get divorced.¡±

    He sat up. ¡°Then I¡¯ll divorce you. We can cut the cord, and all will go on as normal¡­ Just remember that you¡¯ll be getting what every woman longs for.¡±

    ¡°That is?¡±

    ¡°A guy that doesn¡¯t go to bed¡­ when you¡¯re angry. If you don¡¯t sleep. I don¡¯t sleep.¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine¡­ But only if we have a double wedding with Juliet. I don¡¯t want to walk down the aisle without her.¡±

    Kubra leaned in and kissed me.

 Ten Years And Then Some

    124. Ten Years And Then Some

    Chris

    Caleb was asleep in my arms. I had manifested a long time ago to carry his weight. I was pacing, and Selena and Jamal were waiting with me. It was taking so long¡­ Ira had left hours and hours ago.

    He appeared with a battered guy in his arms. She had won. Rodrigo was there and a werewolf. Larger than Ira. It could only be Brylee. Selena came to take Caleb. Ira was gesturing to Silvanus. He came closer with the glass plate. I had seconds, and the only guy that would ever talk to me was Rodrigo. He tossed a little black tube at me. ¡°They would have taken the coordinates, Chris. She¡¯s not coming¡­ Wave it in the air. It¡¯s for one view only. Make it count.¡± They disappeared.

    I held it for a long time. Would I wait¡­ Wait for two and a half years and then watch it¡­ Jamal and Selena were there. Did I want them to see? Would Caleb wake up? See his mother? Silvanus walked up to Selena and took Caleb. ¡°You stay. If you want to watch it. If not. It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll take him home.¡±

    The two sat down, making the decision for me. I waved it in the air.

    At first, it was her and Louis fighting Qadir¡­. She killed him. I ran my hand over my mouth. She asked some woman for permission. It was gruesome.

    There were so many things going on that I didn¡¯t understand. I had one time to watch¡­ Where were they? After that, it¡¯s the same place. It was that night, fighting Ahasuerus. The three of them worked so well together. Marcus and Michael were there. Michael was okay... He was helping, and they had one mission, getting to me. She was so happy jumping up and down.

    Before they left, she talked to Ira.

    ¡°Who the hell is Sammy?¡± I whispered to myself.

    Juliet had grown up so much. She wasn¡¯t little Juliet anymore. But she was okay¡­ The first thing she asked was about me¡­ I wasn¡¯t happy, and Ira didn¡¯t care. Juliet cared¡­ She knew about the time¡­ I sighed. It was a relief.

    After that, the feed cut out¡­ black for a moment, but I heard her voice, and the night of our first time played. We were fighting. She dragged me into the car. I laughed that Rodrigo thought that was a good thing to show me¡­ But it wasn¡¯t Rodrigo, was it¡­ Michael put it together. There was nothing he could show me that had happened in the last two years because I wasn¡¯t there. We fought at the cabin. The snake and everything else.

    After that, it was Rodrigo¡¯s room down in the science building. Juliet was on the table, talking and talking while he was busy. He looked at the camera and shook his head. She didn¡¯t stop. He had asked her about me¡­ The feed cut out¡­

    I waved the little black tube again when the picture went away. I waved it again. It didn¡¯t want to start. I tossed it at the wall. It shattered¡­ I fell down on my knees in the dirt. That was all I got. I couldn¡¯t move¡­

    ¡°Your Juliet is a little intense,¡± Selena said hesitantly. ¡°I understand a little more.¡±

    She was. She was scary. Trained to perfection. One mistake after an hour of battle¡­ I didn¡¯t fault her for it, ripping Qadir to pieces¡­ I was so proud of her.

    ¡°She is cute and coming, Chris,¡± Jamal said, slapping my back. ¡°They really are so close.¡± The both of them left.

    We would only be traveling the following day. I waited. It took Ira so long to come back. The wolf was there with him. She glanced at me¡­ But also disappeared.

    ¡°You know you shot yourself in the foot. No water trading. No traveling if something goes wrong. No war campaigns. Juliet has all the power¡­ And Brylee stabbed you in the back¡­ She has a teleporter. She can still manage all her planets. What the hell is so important that you would risk all our lives. How would we take care of the kids in Yaroon?¡±

    Ira was irritated and tired. He ignored me. ¡°We can¡¯t even ask for help.¡±

    He stomped out of the cave. That was Ira¡¯s way. He wasn¡¯t going to talk to me¡­ And I wasn¡¯t going to leave.

    ***

    I sat there for months, giving her two weeks to maybe make it¡­ Ira had left me there when I didn¡¯t want to talk to him. It felt good being on my own, hoping that she would still make it some way. Jamal was right. They were one planet away.

    A year ago, Ira drugged me and gave me a night with Juliet. I couldn¡¯t be angry with him about that. I told myself I was done being mad at him¡­ But he outdid himself every time. She was so close to killing Ahasuerus. If Ira and Brylee had not intervened, we would have been free of him.

    After three years in the desert, I could teleport so well that it didn¡¯t matter if they left me. I could probably make the trip in two weeks alone. The cold would only really set in after another few months. I missed Caleb, and I would have to explain to him why his mother didn¡¯t come.

    Only thinking about Caleb made me travel all the way. When I realized where I was, I drew in a breath. Surprised¡­ I had teleported in one shot¡­ I thought about seeing Juliet, and I traveled back to Shumaan. I stood there dumbfounded¡­ All that power and I was useless. Waisted away on Zoreah.

    I did it again. It was draining, and I felt better every time doing something new¡­ Another thing that would set me apart¡­ Make me stronger than Silvanus. Stronger than the best teleporter in the City who could make the trip in a week.

    That last time, I picked up Caleb and traveled back to Shumaan. He thought it was the coolest thing ever. ¡°Mom¡¯s not coming, is she?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s been two weeks. I think if they could have, they would have come by now. If the coordinates are gone, they would have to figure it out...¡±

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    Caleb liked coming to the cave and looking at the broken communicator in the hollowed-out nook in the wall.

    ¡°Guess we don¡¯t need the other plate anymore to go to the five sites. Didn¡¯t you say they were bringing a guy¡­ Maybe you¡¯ll feel better if you talk to him.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell your grandfather ever. I don¡¯t think the five sites work with my personal ability¡­ I think I can go anywhere.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try, but I am only ten.¡±

    It was an option. Going to talk to Rodrigo.

    Caleb was circling the space, looking at all the carved-out things in the stone. ¡°They really did a great job on the wall.¡± His hand was tracing the pictures.

    It was a lot like the tattoo Juliet and I had on our arms.

    He laughed. ¡°Come look here, Dad.¡±

    I walked over. He was down on his haunches. Right at the bottom, there was writing. I pushed him out of the way. Went down on my stomach. It was so well hidden.

    Juliet was here. And Jack. Hi Caleb. Be a good boy¡­

    Oh, and Chris. I¡¯m going to win our bet¡­ xoxo.

    ¡°What does that mean? Xo¡­xo¡­¡±

    ¡°It means she loves you. Hugs and kisses.¡± I hugged him¡­ Come, we have work to do. Let¡¯s go¡­ Can you wait five more years?¡± I asked Caleb.

    ¡°Can you? Don¡¯t be angry with Ira again.¡±

    I picked him up and traveled to the origin city.

    ***

    The last time we were there was after Juliet and my night of passion. We had gone without Ira. We stayed a while, documenting and walking around. Seeing that everything was fine and that no one was inside. Not that they would come out. The city was self-sufficient and had an ample water supply to relieve all our winter stresses. It was close to the equator of the planet¡­ It meant that it was neither cold nor hot all year round with a teleporter hotspot¡­

    The wall alone that circled the place had to have been built for hundreds of years. I didn¡¯t know how they figured out the parameters. Ira was born there and had led the people out.

    Caleb and I sent up flares at the main gate. We decided to stay for the foreseeable future. If we were hungry and thirsty, I just teleported us to Yaroon without Ira knowing. I didn¡¯t really care how he felt. Jamal and Selena would be angry. But I couldn¡¯t transport them yet¡­ they were a little big¡­ I lied about using the plate¡­ But that he gave me without hesitation.

    We sent flares up every morning at dawn and every evening at dusk, blowing a horn as loudly as we could. There really wasn¡¯t much else we could do. We had five years¡­ Caleb didn¡¯t mind. I spent most of that time teaching him.

    One evening, we were doing sums, and a book landed next to me. I almost jumped. I grabbed at the thing. It was paper.

    ¡°Up there, Dad,¡± Caleb said, pointing toward one of the guard towers. It was so high that it was difficult to make out Rodrigo. He tossed a pen down. I laughed; I was so happy. ¡°Nothing to read? In there?¡±

    He came back sometime later and tossed down a book. Caleb picked it up. And read the title¡­ ¡°Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austin.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? I was thinking like Harry Potter or something Caleb would love.¡±

    He tossed down another book. Caleb scrambled. ¡°Western Civilization in the nineteen-hundreds.¡±

    I chuckled.

    Having to teach Caleb at eleven to hold a pen and write the alphabet felt wrong. Juliet was so educated by seventeen that she ran circles around me. Maybe not when she was pregnant.

    ¡°You have to try and save space. Write as small as you can. You¡¯ll get it. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Caleb loved it. Something to do with his mind.

    ¡°Are you going to come to talk to us?¡± I yelled at Rodrigo.

    He had come up every day to watch us.

    It was a few months later when the gate opened. There was a cage on one side and one on the other. Possible to talk but not to enter. A wooden door in the middle with an oval shape cut out. The markings in the wood were embossed like the swatches. The point of no return. He sat on a chair. I frowned, wondering what was wrong.

    ¡°What are you doing with yourself the whole day. Bottled the potion yet?¡±

    He twirled his finger around his temple. ¡°Not going to happen.¡± He whispered. Mocking Ahasuerus.

    ¡°Huh¡­ really? It seems you¡¯re dumber than we thought¡­.¡± He growled at me but smiled.

    ¡°Has he recovered from all the injuries?¡±

    Rodrigo nodded.

    ¡°What is he doing?¡±

    ¡°In the lab most days¡­ There is a whole library in there. Seems like your primitive species were once educated. Going places¡­¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t surprise me.¡±

    ¡°What are you waiting for, Chris?¡±

    ¡°Time to pass¡­ Just a few more years¡­.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could say that.¡±

    ¡°You could just walk out, you know. Why are you in there in the first place?¡±

    Rodrigo¡¯s eyes fell to the endless sand.

    ¡°You seem tired for someone who never sleeps.¡±

    ¡°Would you believe me if I told you I missed her¡­ And Charlene and Louis.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I would.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to tell me why Juliet was here?¡±

    ¡°I think the brandings are the big issue.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°That can¡¯t be all?¡±

    ¡°You want to complicate things, Chris. Your father wants her to turn against you. Or the other way around. Brylee¡­ Who the hell knows? We all thought she was dead¡­ Did you know she is Louis¡¯s mother?¡±

    ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Ahasuerus didn¡¯t know either¡­ They found out when she had to intervene in the fight¡­ Anyway, I¡¯m fixing everything inside. Bring some more creatures so that I can breed with them. Have enough food when your dumb father brings more people in here. And if there are any girls that you could bring around.¡±

    ¡°No! Everyone will be celibate as long I am.¡±

    Caleb giggled.

    ¡°Fine boy, you have there. Has his mom¡¯s blue eyes. Your light brown hair.¡±

    I ruffled the hair on Caleb¡¯s head. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s not bad.¡±

 Family Meeting

    125. Family Meeting

    Sita

    I was nervous when I was summoned to the palace. The last time Liv was with me. Queen Brylee was intrigued by the information about Mateo¡¯s wife. She had made it my sole responsibility to get Louis and Juliet there on a specific day. The day Juliet almost beat me to death. I had fought and manifested. But with her new ability, she was beyond my limited training. She had knocked me out, and I had no idea what had happened that night. Why Brylee wanted to see Louis or Juliet. Fighting was mandatory for the women on Palmyra. I had to practice for two hours every day.  It just didn¡¯t matter¡­ Juliet was more determined than I was, and I didn¡¯t know that Mateo was checking how far I would go. He planned it well in advance. But he eliminated another woman and girl from my list. I had been traveling and searching for his family all that time. I wanted in at the palace and was guaranteed a spot when I gave the queen more information.

    That day, I had dressed up to meet with Brylee again. Sure of my facts, walking up the many stairs towards the palace gates. The grounds were extensive. Whoever worked there lived there. It was beautiful, and I couldn¡¯t wait to move in and climb the ladder.

    Two werewolves stood guard. They recognized me and knew I was coming. I was ushered into the morning room slash garden, where the warmth of our star shone brightly.  The queen was always veiled when she met with someone new. I had never seen her face, and I guessed I never would. Juliet and her two husbands fighting Ahasuerus were broadcast live. I have watched it many times. It had taken me a few days to get over my anger that she held the keys to her world. Everyone saw her become queen. How did she do it? The question haunted me at night, and I was determined to find out their secrets.

    ***

    ¡°Come sit down, Sita.¡±

    The only thing about the veiled woman was that you knew in what direction she was looking. The tiny little rectangle cut out over her eyes was covered with a netted material, and she was staring at me.

    ¡°I hope this time you are sure. There will be no third chances.¡±

    I put down the information file on the table in front of us. Another woman came forward and picked it up. She drew in the same breath as me when I saw the child for the first time. The woman bent down and showed it to Brylee.

    She nodded. The woman left and disappeared into the building. I had just signed a death sentence for two people. I had watched them for months. They were hiding on Earth with Mateo. Because their human form was Asian, he had hidden them in Japan. He had not once gone there to visit them. They always met up in Europe.

    ¡°Make sure you kill them, Sita.¡± My eyes snapped up. Brylee scoffed at me. I had thought she would send someone to do it. Let a wolf loose on the place like last time¡­ ¡°You have a week. But wait. Sit right there and don¡¯t open your mouth.¡±

    A werewolf ushered in Mateo. When he saw me, he smiled. ¡°Made it without me. Not a nobody anymore.¡±

    He bowed down. She released him with a wave of her hand. She wasn¡¯t very motherly. Another wolf walked in. So massive that I gulped. The queen got up, and he pulled her into an embrace. She was another person entirely. After that, Mateo¡¯s manner changed. His father was friendly, and they also embraced each other. The man wasn¡¯t changing back, though. Sat on the ground with his knees in his elbows, clutching his paws in front of him.

    ¡°Why am I here. Can I come home?¡±

    A low growl from the wolf, and he came back to human. ¡°Your mother has already said what she wants. You went against our ways. They will have to pay the price.¡±

    Mateo stood up to leave.

    ¡°Will you marry Juliet¡­ For allegiance?¡± Brylee¡¯s words came out more in an order than as a question. ¡°Then I can leave your wife alone. You will be considered¡­ emancipated or free. And we can all continue with our lives¡­ There will have to be a baby... Doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a boy or girl¡­ Just consummation.¡±

    Mateo¡¯s eyes jumped to mine cruelly. He picked up something from the table, propping it into his mouth. ¡°Or are you so in love with that nobody that you won¡¯t be able to cheat on her?¡± Brylee sneered. ¡°You always were a true wolf.¡±

    His eyes were still on me¡­ ¡°I will go ask Juliet... I¡¯m not against political marriages.¡±

    In a way, he probably spared me. Hearing how cruel she was¡­ I would have been that nobody with another one of his children waiting to die. When he was gone¡­ She turned to me. ¡°Sita, I will let you know. Prepare and stay in contact with your grandfather. If you don¡¯t need to¡­ don¡¯t.¡±

    I nodded as I left. Palmyra didn¡¯t expect any women to bow to one another.

    ***

    Juliet

    After the night we won. We all took a few days to decompress. We had decided to put everything on hold and think things through. But not the future. We gave ourselves a few more nights of fun. No training. Some days, I sat on my bed and read. Marcus was on his bed. On other days, we were together, talking and laughing. I finally had time to start going through all the books in his room. Listen to all his ideas Marcus had of me and the rooms and the house. Finally, I asked him if he ever had anyone else in my room. Watching her¡­ He was disgusted and made me pay.

    Louis was with my dad and Michael next door. They all got drunk a few times, and Marcus and I played watchers¡­ It was fun. Marcus and I actually spent time together, holding hands and sitting around the fire like a regular human couple. If Louis wasn¡¯t with them, he was with me on the bed, taking a nap, or we would talk. He would make me go take a shower. Two men on two beds watching me.

    ***

    One afternoon, Carl and Charlene were at the pool, swimming and playing games in the water. Kubra outside watching¡­ Charlene was very adamant that she wanted to change, and the drugs on En-gannim would make the process easier. I had tried to talk to her. To convince her to forget about it. Charlene told me of their plan to get married¡­ I didn¡¯t know why she was pushing it¡­ There seemed to be a misunderstanding about what would happen. He wanted her to connect to him, and she wanted to become a creature. It had driven a wedge between them.

    ¡°Rodrigo was kidnapped, Carl. It¡¯s different.¡± I sat up, peeking out the door at the threesome. I didn¡¯t want to talk about it because it meant we would have to make decisions. I would have to decide Charlene¡¯s fate. I wasn¡¯t ready.

    At that moment, at the compound, there were the soldiers who had stayed. There were a few vamps that came from the prisons Marcus sent. There were the werewolves that moved there for safety. According to us and the compound and the world¡­ There were no aliens unaccounted for. No one was outside except Mateo¡¯s wife and child. He didn¡¯t take us into his confidence. Scared, and I didn¡¯t blame him.

    Bertram was fired, and the position was still open. We trusted so many humans that would be ideal for the job. Just a promotion and go on with an even better relationship with me¡­ Even a vamp like Kubra¡­ if the world would allow it.

    I heard the familiar walking of the cane on the walkway. I got up and glanced down the corridor. Jessy was ushering in Nicholas, Mateo, and Ben. I waved. He lifted his chin. Min¨¦ ran for her daddy. Ben had changed a lot since the threat was gone. Just not enough. There was something in his manner. He didn¡¯t want to conform to the werewolf way of things. Since we found out who Mateo was. He had told Charlene that many of his actions resulted from having to stay with Mateo. He was sent with Francesco to guard the queen¡¯s son. Confessed that he had wished with Min¨¦ that the queen would let him go back. All three of them. Force the situation.

    Nicholas went directly for the study. I thought he wanted to talk to Marcus or Louis, so I fell onto the bed, closing my eyes for a second. Someone sat down next to me. I smelled him before anything else.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Nicholas is asking your husband if we can form¡­ some sort of an alliance.¡±

    I swore loudly. It was the last thing I wanted to think about. ¡°That was the first thing your Mother asked me. I didn¡¯t think she had you in mind, though.¡±

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    ¡°You guys have been sitting around for two weeks. I know you don¡¯t have to care because you own a whole planet¡­ But there are a lot of us here¡­ So many women are pregnant. We are still not allowed back, and my mother doesn¡¯t care what Earth does with us¡­.¡±

    ¡°So you want me to take you in. Or? You want to go live on En-gannim¡­ There¡¯s lots of space. Sure, we can carve out a spot.¡±

    ¡°Earth is a lot like home, Juliet.¡±

    ¡°So you want me to pay for you to stay?¡±

    ¡°Well, if the army goes back¡­ It¡¯s not like we would be taking up more space¡­ Earth would know where we are. It¡¯s not like we can teleport. The tech hasn¡¯t been made available to anyone.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ It is very controlled.¡±

    I could feel Mateo lie back on the bed. He was resting on his elbows. My curtains were open, and the window looked out over the yard. I was still facing away from him. My eyes were on the waterfall that ran into my koi pond. I was on my stomach, and my arm was hanging off the bed, rubbing Katty.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from me? Do you want to marry me, or do you want us to arrange with Earth for you to stay? Because it¡¯s two separate matters.¡±

    ¡°Both¡­¡± He said hesitantly.

    ¡°Well, then you¡¯re talking to the wrong person. And I don¡¯t know if marriage without a baby would be acceptable to your mother¡­ So, how would you get past that? What will your wife say?¡± I snorted. ¡°One big happy family?¡±

    ¡°Would you believe me if I said it was my mother¡¯s idea? She said that if we would have a child¡­ My other wife would be safe¡­ You would never be able to take over, but it would mean peace between the two worlds.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not answering my question¡­.¡±

    He was quiet for a while¡­ ¡°I¡¯m a guy¡­ You¡¯re a girl. I¡¯m sure I can muster up the courage.¡± He was joking. I laughed lightly. But he didn¡¯t answer about what his wife would say.

    ¡°Still, I don¡¯t know why you are talking to me¡­ You¡¯re in the wrong room. Go open that door. Mateo walked over and slid open the door between my room and Marcus¡¯s. I ventured a peek. Marcus was standing on the threshold. Fuming. Lips white on his dark skin. Fists clenched. Mateo held up his hand¡­ ¡°No marriage, it seems.¡±

    I laughed at Mateo... ¡°At least I will reap the benefits.¡±

    I turned around and rested on my elbows. Marcus¡¯s eyes darted past Mateo to me. That got his attention. My one leg was dangling in the air seductively. I was forcing Marcus not to speak. So that was helpful and fun to see. Mateo stepped back and sat down on a little chair where I was supposed to have tea with Agatha when she visited.

    I lifted my chin at Marcus. He smiled. Oh, Frak. I was losing control. He made it more significant, and I let go completely, digging my head into the pillows.

    ¡°GET OUT!¡± Marcus¡¯s voice boomed out. Mateo jumped up and almost fell over the bridge. ¡°I told you! Never Again! You had your chance¡­ Bunch of dogs.¡±

    Mateo was rushing over the bridge back to my side¡­ He stopped at the door, meeting my eye. ¡°The question is¡­Juliet.¡± He prepared himself to run¡­ ¡°Would you be able to sleep with me?¡±

    Marcus darted for his door. I laughed as he chased Mateo down the corridor and out the gates. I fell back, my eyes aimlessly fixed on the roof. I knew it. The time had come for a Family Meeting. I only hoped it was going to go better than conjugal rights.

    ***

    Louis

    I didn¡¯t trust the werewolves. Just as far and as long as I could see them. They were so changeable. Nick and I watched Marcus chase Mateo out of the yard. I smiled. Nick grunted and sat down again. ¡°Well, you have your answer about that.¡±

    ¡°Are we going to keep the Compound open, Louis?¡± Nick asked me.

    We both got a message at the same time. ¡°Guess the queen has spoken. You will have your answer. Come on. Let¡¯s get you outside.¡±

    Juliet directed Jessy and the men to make a big circle around the fire pit. I left Nick for a moment, helping with who we needed to invite. After a half-hour, more people were coming into the gate. No one on the compound really had anything to do. Everyone was in limbo. So when we sent out invitations, they came for the fellowship. Marcus was walking back with his mom and sat down with Agatha. He was forced to keep the conversation going. They were learning sign language.  After a while, Mateo ventured inside. Juliet didn¡¯t even glance at him. She wasn¡¯t thinking about it. I hated that she could control her thoughts and keep me out. She had been practicing¡­ Focus on something completely off-topic. It wasn¡¯t like I could go searching for answers.

    ***

    Juliet

    When all the chairs were filled. And I thought that everyone who should have a say was there. I started the meeting. ¡°The question has been raised, and it¡¯s time we decide what will happen?¡±

    I scanned the crowd. I was searching for Nicholas. He was the oldest werewolf on Earth. It was strange to me that he wouldn¡¯t have stayed, coming all that way just for a marriage proposal, and left when we were about to discuss their future. My gaze drifted to the gate. ¡°Jessy, where is Nicholas?¡±

    ¡°He left when Mateo came back.¡±

    For the first time that day, my gaze landed on Mateo. Nicholas left when he saw there would be no alliance. ¡°How long had it been since that night with Brylee?¡±

    ¡°Five, six months¡­¡± Louis answered¡­ ¡°Baby, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Was there anyone with your mother that day?¡± I asked Mateo.

    ¡°Sita.¡±

    I swore loudly. ¡°Who is at the Embassy?¡±

    ¡°Carl¡­¡± Jessy said. ¡°He left an hour ago.¡±

    I almost fell over the chairs and people. I was running, trying to get out. ¡°Mateo¡­ With me!¡± How could they leave a twenty-one-year-old in charge of the station? I smiled, thinking that I was in charge of a whole planet.

    I didn¡¯t really care if anyone was following but Mateo. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He asked as we jumped into a car and sped out. I looked back, making sure more cars were following.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°Juliet, I¡¯m not saying.¡±

    ¡°Then their blood is on your hands.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not even telling me what¡¯s going on.¡±

    We ran and nodded at the operator. Jessy was with me all the way. We came out in Washington. Carl was on his phone at the booth. My gaze traveled over the room. Warden and Jack were there. Carl¡¯s head came up. ¡°Jules? Are you guys eloping?¡±

    My hand rested on my heart. I walked over to him and pulled him into an embrace. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get my freaking message? When did she come through?¡±

    ¡°About an hour ago. Told me that I should not go home because there might be trouble.¡±

    I turned to Mateo. Everyone was behind us already, listening to Carl and me. My eyes met Louis. ¡°How is it that you keep anything from Louis?¡±

    ¡°I just make sure I am nowhere near h¡­.¡± Mateo¡¯s voice trailed off.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you think it suspicious at all? Sita is here, Mateo... There are no deliveries scheduled. Nicholas left after we denied the offer¡­ She is on her way to your wife¡­ Your mother had given you one chance¡­ If you told me what had happened, we could have lied.¡±

    He walked to the teleporter. I wanted to go with him. Marcus pulled me back and jumped in with Mateo. They traveled. Louis and I followed. When we came out, it was in an alley. The two men were running¡­ It was dark and noisy. The gunshots rang through the neighborhood. It jolted us all. One followed by another. My arms were covered in gooseflesh. We were too late!

    Louis and I stayed to catch Sita on her way back.

    I got a text.

    Nicholas { Don¡¯t kill her! She is my granddaughter. }

    Louis pulled me into the shadows, holding my hand.

    I heard the footfalls coming closer. I smelled Sita. Her eyes were nervously flickering everywhere. Her hands clutched her jacket in front of her. When her gaze came back from glancing back over her shoulder, I was in front of her.

    ¡°You won¡¯t kill me, Juliet. Get out of the way. You had ample opportunity. Your sentiment is what killed that little girl tonight.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have time to say anything. Louis was behind me, and the gun came up next to my face. He didn¡¯t ask. He didn¡¯t hesitate. It was in one motion, and the gun popped. For all that I was used to, it made me jump back. Louis caught me. I grabbed my ear. He had shot her in the head. She fell down. The ringing drowned out the rest of the busy Tokyo neighborhood.

    We walked forward into the street, looking toward the direction Marcus and Mateo had gone. I couldn¡¯t see Mateo, but Marcus was outside on the road, leaning over onto his knees. His eyes closed. I passed him and took the small flight of stairs. It led up to a dingy little apartment building located above several takeout stands. There were three doors. Two were open.

    Scared, I pushed at the first one. There was a bullet hole right through the door. Chest high. The door was stuck. Louis came up behind me and pushed it open all the way. David was on the floor. He was dead.

    I heard the yelping and a whimper¡­ When Louis pushed open the other door. I followed. He peeked around the door frame. I wanted to see, but he pulled me back. I ripped my arm out of his grip and turned the corner. Both the woman and the daughter were in Mateo¡¯s arms. He sat manifested to be able to hold both of them. The sheets were covered in blood. If he had branded her. He would have died instantly. Louis took my hand, pulling me in under his shoulder. Tears rolled down my cheeks¡­

 Finding Myself

    126. Finding Myself

    Juliet

    The mountains in France will always be a balm to my clamoring thoughts, and after Mateo¡¯s wife and daughter died, there was nowhere else I wanted to be. Jessy had joined me for a while, but there were no more threats, and it was a waste of his time to babysit me. After many arguments, I ordered him to leave. It was time I was alone, with no one to distract me and Louis far away from prying into my head. I never wanted to be alone, but I thought it might be time I grew up.

    After a month on that bed, I couldn¡¯t understand how Chris had done it at all! Year after year, sitting, and all he had to do was think and wait, with no way to ever leave his planet.

    I didn¡¯t know who was worse off, me or Chris. The world had watched as we took over En-gannim live on TV, and everyone wanted a piece of us, with no thought to our personal issues. The UN had bombarded us with invitations and ideas of how to move forward from there. What they didn¡¯t understand was that it meant nothing to me at that moment. I still didn¡¯t have what I wanted; my child was on a planet I was not allowed on and would kill me even if we did figure out the coordinates. Brylee had shown herself to be ruthless and, if not more stubborn than Chris¡¯s father. She didn¡¯t want it to be Michael, and Ira didn¡¯t want it to be Chris who branded me next. Us taking over a freaking planet had meant nothing in the end. I couldn¡¯t come and go as I pleased. I felt it had been a waste. It had brought me nowhere closer to getting to Caleb, and wishing that year would pass quickly was like Louis would say, a little na?ve. It had all built up, and I had run away because I couldn¡¯t deal. With any of it. When would I see Chris again?

    Our biggest problem would be to figure out the other three coordinates on Zoreah, and it had taken Marcus a year to get two. Even if we all worked together, without Rodrigo, I believed it would take us two more. We had so many other things to do. People we needed to take into consideration and depended on us. If we didn¡¯t put all our efforts into getting to Chris. We would get sidetracked. I had blamed Ahasuerus for being busy with his own agenda, not fixing the problems on En-gannim, and there I was, wanting to do precisely the same thing¡­ How many more women were suffering¡­ While I took some time to go get my son.

    I stared at the key in my hand, twirling it around through my fingers. Before they left, Rodrigo had given it to Michael. If we used it, it meant I was weak. Just a child.

    Next to me on the bed was a blank sheet of paper with a pen, and every now and again, when I thought of another thing bugging me, I would write it down. I kept going until there was nothing left I could think of, and knowing I had it on paper relieved me of the worry of forgetting something or having it run rampant in my brain. I glanced at the rectangle. It was full.

    ***

    When I woke up the following morning, strong arms and calloused hands were holding me tightly. Firm muscles pressed into my back. Our fingers laced and unlaced as the sun rose over the mountains.

    ¡°Did you bring your bike?¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°Did you guys figure it out?¡±

    Michael was quiet for a moment¡­ ¡°They don¡¯t know I¡¯m here.¡±

    I turned around to face him. He quickly looked at me. Before I left, I charged them to at least attempt it¡­ Michael and I had never spoken about our relationship. It was always kinda, just assumed. It was natural and¡­ unavoidable. He didn¡¯t share or fight with me¡­ He was the hardest for me to be in a relationship with. His beard was rough under my fingers, and his hair was still wet. He didn¡¯t always have a beard, but I liked him with it.

    ¡°I actually came¡­ to ask¡­ if you would¡­.¡±

    I almost jumped him but held myself back... Didn¡¯t want to scare him with my girly enthusiasm. It was the first time he had asked for anything sexual of me since he came back.

    I wasn¡¯t going to do anything with clothes on, and he watched as my shirt dropped to the floor, followed by my sleep shorts and underwear. Eyes caressed my body, and hands followed as I threw my legs over him. Slowly, I pulled his shirt over his head, admiring all the hard work he had put in over the past few months.  ¡°No sex¡­¡± He whispered, not meeting my eye. If he only knew what I was planning. Been thinking about getting him there¡­ I didn¡¯t know how long it would be until we got around to having a wedding¡­ Waiting was stupid, and we¡¯d never even had sex.

    I had on my poker face, ¡°What are you paying?¡±

    There was a low, suppressed laugh in his chest. He was expecting it. My hand ran up and down his shaved torso. Michael took out a piece of paper from his jeans on the floor and handed it to me.

    ¡°I.O.U? That¡¯s a bit vague. It needs to be more detailed.¡± That smile on his mouth when we played like that made my thighs tighten around him. It was as if he felt guilty and good at the same time. He dug into the other pocket. ¡°One full body massage, no strings¡­.¡±

    His eyebrows raised in question. Sensitive grey eyes waited to see if it would be enough. Michael had beautiful eyes. A black ring with big pupils left little space for his irises. ¡°Would it be enough, though? To tempt you?¡± I smiled as his hands explored my body. I slid off him and settled on my knees in between his legs, pulling on the waistband of his pants. He lifted so I could take them off. My hand pushed down on his torso... It was more than enough.

    ¡°I would have done it for a pack of cigarettes.¡± Our eyes met with meaning until my mouth and hands slowly found him. He touched my body for a while and then gripped my hair. Deep moans escaped his lips. I was going to make him sleep with me.

    ¡°Juliet¡­ I can¡¯t anymore.¡±

    I pretended to take a break using only my hand, making sure his eyes were closed, waiting for that final push¡­ I quickly straddled him, and before he could say anything, I had him in me, slowly sliding down. It was over. Michael lifted his head in surprise, eyes taking in the scene. His hand reached out and closed around my breast. When it all sunk in, he dropped down in defeat; my undulating hips convinced him to let it go. He came up to meet my first urgent thrust, crossed his legs under me, and pushed our bodies together. Our mouths collided, his arms enveloped me, touching me from my ass over my snake-like back. He didn¡¯t care anymore. He was too far gone.

    My legs wrapped around him, and his hold tightened as his need increased, our bodies moving as one. I closed my eyes and focused on the new sensations and the feel of him. How we were together, solidifying what we meant to each other. Michael throbbed inside me, his husky voice mumbling incoherently. We stayed like that for a moment in each other''s arms. I untangled myself, and he plopped down on the bed¡­ His elbow covered his face and eyes. I chuckled. ¡°I have to say that was way easier than I thought¡­ So much for waiting to be married. You could¡¯ve pushed me off.¡± He was still not taking his arm off his face¡­ ¡°It¡¯s just sex, Michael.¡±

    ¡°F- it is Juliet.¡± He pulled me down on him, and I lay nestled close to his chest. ¡°Juliet¡­ Where are the chains and the ring?¡±

    ¡°I took them off.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Not like you to answer like that.¡±

    I rolled onto my back, sighing deeply. The weight of the world was on my shoulders. Literally, I was the queen of a freaking planet. I had never thought Ahasuerus would concede¡­ tap, and bailout. Handing it to me! I didn¡¯t understand it. He was so bent against it. Not that Ahasuerus had anything to do with me deciding to take off¡­ Louis¡­ from my person.

    ¡°Honey¡­¡± Michael¡¯s voice softly broke through my thoughts. I had heard him the first time. But I wasn¡¯t there. My eyes traveled to his. He didn¡¯t deserve me absent¡­ I sat up and turned towards him, crossed my legs, willing myself to focus on him. I was nervous, wringing my hands. Michael¡¯s eyes flickered from my hands to my face¡­ frown lines played on his brow.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about leaving with Louis after we were talking¡­ It feels a bit redundant saying it now¡­ It¡¯s been so long.¡± He gently stroked my hair.

    ¡°I¡­ We haven¡¯t talked since that night¡­ We haven¡¯t talked much for the last¡­ year.¡±

    After a month of doing nothing but stress¡­ I was so tired¡­ I rubbed my eyes, frustrated that I didn¡¯t know what to say¡­

    ¡°Will you brand me, Michael¡­?¡±

    Even the words felt wrong and blurting it out like that. I didn¡¯t know how to talk to him. The astonishment was written on his features. He propped himself up on one arm and pulled my lips onto his with desperation. After he rested his forehead on mine, nodding a yes. ¡°I will¡­ I thought you bailed out in asking me¡­ Because you weren¡¯t sure, Juliet¡­ I was so quiet that day because I didn¡¯t know what would happen. If you didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    I laughed, falling back on the bed¡­. ¡°So, that¡¯s what¡¯s wrong¡­ That wasn¡¯t what I was thinking in the street that day¡­ There is no doubt in my heart, honey!¡± He stared at me, mouth opening and closing. I didn¡¯t know how I was so sure. I just knew. ¡°I want to do it here¡­ With you sleeping right there. Not somewhere else where I can¡¯t take care of you.¡± Tears welled up in my eyes. ¡°Michael, I¡¯ve been here because I didn¡¯t know how to ask you to put yourself through that.¡± My voice was strained¡­ ¡°After all you¡¯ve been through¡­ For me¡­ To make another decision that affects you¡­ Us all! To such a degree. It¡¯s too much¡­ All that responsibility.¡±

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    Michael reached out and cupped my cheek, I turned and kissed his palm. ¡°You¡¯re not alone¡­ When we do it, we will be together¡­ But we would have to wait. And we only have till next year.¡±

    I nodded, glad that we had met somewhere in the middle and our relationship was at least moving in the right direction.

    ¡°Juliet!¡± Marcus¡¯s voice came from the front door.

    Our heads snapped around. I glanced at Michael in concern, wiping at the tears in my eyes¡­ ¡°That I did not think through. I just wanted to talk to you. Get off.¡±

    ¡°F-!¡± We said at the same time.

    Michael covered himself from head to toe with the sheet.

    One of the reasons I had been hiding away was walking through the house. ¡°Marcus. We¡¯re up here.¡± He stopped for a second and moved slowly up the stairs. My gut was twisting. Marcus came into view, and my eyes met his. His fingers opened and closed, and I didn¡¯t want to hurt him again. But Michael wasn¡¯t an option. I didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone¡­ It seemed it was all I did. Marcus¡¯s eyes were darting over the floor. I grabbed my panties and pulled them on, then my shirt and dragged it over my head.

    ¡°Hey, Marcus,¡± Michael said from below the sheet.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    ¡°I need to talk to you,¡± I said as I dragged Marcus out of the room. I pulled on my pants at the bottom of the stairs, jumping into my boots at the front door. We went down the stairs. Across the yard. Past the swimming pools. Into the trail that led up the mountain. I only stopped at my tree. I let go of him and sat against it. Almost crying. Marcus came forward and sat next to me. I climbed between his legs, resting my head back against his chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry, Julie¡­.¡± He whispered in my ear. ¡°I know Michael is different. He¡¯s not like Soren, is he?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Was it your first time?¡± I nodded. His chin rested on my shoulder.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, Marcus!¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ I¡¯m just controlling. Used to be in charge. I think if it¡¯s not so unexpected, it might help. It¡¯s time, Julie. If we can¡¯t make the decision. I¡¯m sorry to say, but you¡¯ll have to.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I know¡­ I will have to set up the schedule, but it¡¯s hard. I want what I want when I want it¡­ Having to force our relationship into a box¡­ I don¡¯t like it¡­  But let¡¯s begin with you¡­.What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I want to have a baby.¡±

    I frowned, turned around, and threw my legs over his. ¡°Is that what is bothering you¡­ Well, that¡¯s not a problem¡­ give me your phone.¡±

    I dialed Louis¡¯s number. ¡°Hi, baby.¡±

    ¡°Hi. How is France? You okay by yourself.¡±

    ¡°Michael is here. And we slept together. Marcus showed up after, and we are sitting under a tree, and you¡¯re on speaker.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Louis.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Is it schedule time¡­ Thank heavens. I was getting a little edgy.¡±

    I never thought Louis would keep pushing. He seemed to even out again when we were alone on the yacht. But he wanted the schedule as much as Marcus. It was very unromantic. But I had to indulge them. At least try. They might not like what happened as a result. ¡°What do you want in the immediate future? Big picture¡­¡± I asked Louis with hesitation.

    He was quiet¡­ ¡°I want Marcus to go back to En-gannim¡­ I want Michael to take over Bertram¡¯s position¡­. I want me and you to work on the coordinates to get to Caleb¡­ It means you can¡¯t get pregnant now, baby¡­ We only have a year...¡± He was quiet.

    ¡°But¡­ what we want can¡¯t be important right now¡­ And I know it¡¯s hard, but¡­. They wanted to give you En-gannim so that you¡¯re busy with other stuff. Because splitting us up is what they wanted, keeping you away from Chris is what they wanted.¡±

    He was quiet again¡­ ¡° I think all Michael wants is to stay by your side... So, sending him off¡­ It might not be the best for him at this stage ¡­ So I agree with Marcus¡­ You will have to decide¡­ But the best would be¡­ If we all work together and forget for a few more months¡­ We could get there. I know you think it will take two years¡­ But I think we can do it before they return to Shumaan.¡±

    We heard the footsteps and the voice coming up the trail. Louis was there. I sighed. He came over and pulled me up. ¡°Why are you so tired? I thought you were resting.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± I croaked out.

    ¡°You¡¯re not getting depressed on me, are you?¡±

    He pulled me into his arms. I should have cried a long time ago, but it seemed that it would be that moment. I wanted to say that I can¡¯t do it. I wanted to say to leave Caleb and Chris there, and when all the dust was settled, they would contact us. I would eventually see them¡­ Did it matter how old Caleb was¡­ If all they were waiting for was my twenty-second birthday¡­ They could have just said or asked¡­ It will be Michael anyway. Louis pressed me into him. I knew Chris was waiting, and the price seemed a little high at that moment¡­ The stress was too much. The morning light dimmed. The day became night.

    ***

    Louis

    ¡°S- I think you might be pregnant already. You might just get your wish, Marcus.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not pregnant¡­ look at her arm! She is still on birth control, remember.¡±

    I swore as the skin grew over her shoulders and covered Caleb¡¯s tattoo. ¡°She¡¯s not going to be happy about that.¡± I carried her back to the house. It was as if she was seventeen again, and it had not been the most brutal three years of my life.

    Michael was sitting on the couch having a cigarette. When he saw me with her, he got up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    He immediately noticed the growth of the skin. ¡°This is all my fault¡­ I thought she was past this.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. It¡¯s mine.¡± Marcus said. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have come¡­ I have more issues than you. Believe me¡­.¡± Marcus wanted to run away.

    ¡°No Marcus! Come take her from me¡­ It¡¯s you she wants when stuff like this happens. No one else. You will take care of her.¡±

    ¡°Come, Michael! We need to start working. We can¡¯t sit around waiting for her anymore.¡± I put Juliet in Marcus¡¯s arms. I could have stayed¡­ I felt like Chris¡­ She always blamed us for passing her on¡­ ¡°Where is that key? She hung it on one of the chains.¡±

    My gaze flickered from her neck to her fingers. I stared at the empty space for a while. It would be the first time she slept with someone and not had it on. I stopped to try and think if she had it on in the shower¡­ after Marcus¡­ She did¡­ My eyes cast to the floor. Michael had immediately noticed that I saw and had left for the front door. Rankled, I glanced over my shoulder at him. Not even with Chris was it a problem. But Michael?

    ¡°What is it, Louis?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°Your freaking clueless.¡± I sneered and pushed past him.

    I walked to our dressing room and closed the door behind me¡­ They were there. In a neat pile on her dressing table¡­. The ring was resting on top of the chains¡­ I sat down, staring at it¡­ I had left her alone after Marcus came back. Until she forced me to go to the yacht¡­ After that, we trained so much¡­ that I left her alone again. Had she finally given up on me? She had said¡­ Only that one time. My head snapped at the door. As if she would be standing there. That she would tell me she was only cleaning it¡­ But she wasn¡¯t. She had too much on her plate, and I would have smelled the cleaning solution. I picked up the jewelry, making sure not to get it all tangled up. I walked towards the door. Marcus was still there, waiting for me. His eyes widened, and his gaze traveled to her neck.

    ¡°Meet up with Michael and me when she¡¯s fine¡­.¡± He pulled his mouth. ¡°We are going back to where it all started.¡±

    ¡°Rodrigo¡¯s house?¡±

    ¡°That is our home for the next year. There is a reason he left her the key. We will come to get you. Call me. Find out about the emblems from Liam and your mom.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    Louis seemed lost. He walked towards the garage and came back out with a hammer tightly fisted. His eyes were cast down, and he headed up the stairs. I heard him hammering. After that, he went crazy... The sheets and pillows were flying down the stairs. He was cursing and yelling in French. It would have been romantic if it wasn¡¯t so heartbreaking. The last thing to hit was the hammer into the glass. Louis was nearing the end of his rant¡­It would not shatter¡­ It was bulletproof. Juliet tugged at my shirt. She wanted me to get her out of there. ¡°What did you do, Julie?¡± I whispered, heading to her room. I put her down on the bed.

    I had never had to deal with so many emotions¡­ It was all the time¡­ Never ending. From every side and from multiple people¡­ Everyone was different.  All I wanted to do was cry¡­ What the hell was wrong with me?

    She was in my arms, and if they left right away¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have taken her upstairs, either. I would have washed the sheets first. If anyone knew how it felt¡­ It was the rest of us.

    I wanted to get up. Juliet grabbed me and pulled me down, throwing her leg over me and snuggling onto my chest. ¡°If you could have chosen, would you have wanted an eagle?¡±

    She and Louis just went through something monumental, and that¡¯s what she wanted to know¡­ I thought about it for a moment. ¡°I would have wanted a book.¡±

    She nodded and started crying. If someone chooses you¡­ what could you do but stand up and be a man? Don¡¯t get lost in the hurt and evil¡­ ¡°I won¡¯t go back to that, Julie¡­ I love you too much. He will be okay.¡± She fisted my shirt. And we cried together.

    ***

    When she was asleep. I ventured upstairs, picking up sheets as I climbed.

    The hammer was lodged into the glass. I walked across the floor. It had been a small nail. It was hammered into one of the window frames. His chains and ring hung there. They did bother me¡­ I won¡¯t lie. She was on the bottom more than I would like because I didn¡¯t like the sound they made... Knowing that she took it off for Michael felt¡­ awful. I took out my phone and called the contractor. ¡°He what?¡± I said. I pushed the little red button. Louis had already called. They would be there as soon as possible.

 Gathering the Family

    127. Gathering The Family

    1 October 2025

    Cindy

    I had been searching for my parents for many months. I wanted to spend time with them before they died. Since we could go back and forth, Soren and I had been scouring the whole of En-gannim. There was nothing left for me on Earth, and I didn¡¯t want to be there. Juliet had been busy, and she was a stop away if I wanted to see her. Liam willingly stayed, and we split up for the first time in centuries. He was on granddaughter duty. Ahasuerus must have hidden them so well because not even Marcus could find them when he was away that first year.

    The day after Ahasuerus had thrown that stone at Juliet, I traveled to The Tower, and Soren was there to meet me. Nahrima had changed so much. There were more buildings, and it stretched further than I could remember. He handed me my own glass plate. I was welcome in Ahasuerus''s home. We were no longer criminals, and I could go where I wanted, and I didn¡¯t need to wear a veil.

    First, we teleported to my old Island. It wasn¡¯t far from Soren¡¯s parents. Like I thought there was no one, the ground was empty. I wanted to fix it up. I was going to rebuild what we once had. Immediately, I started making arrangements. If we had to go through everything¡­ Having my home back was my prize, seeing my parents and living a quiet life¡­ It¡¯s all I ever wanted. Until I met Liam. Soren and I walked around for a bit. The only thing standing was the community hall and the teleporter. It was a start, and it was where I met him¡­ In the beginning¡­ I really didn¡¯t like Liam¡­ He could never sit still. But what could I do¡­ It was my grandfather¡¯s decision to try and take over.

    ***

    That morning, Soren met me in Marcus¡¯s study. I did feel guilty. Juliet had been absent from her duties for months, and it left Soren and some other clerks to take over the day-to-day running of the place. But I had been searching every day, and when he asked me to meet him, I was hopeful, ¡°Have you found them, Soren?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°They are in some small jail¡­ I had not even considered it. It is actually very close¡­They have been there since you left.¡±

    It made me so angry. We were so stupid back then. It was so long ago. ¡°I tried to get them out¡­ But without Juliet, there isn¡¯t much I can do.¡±

    ¡°Let me go to the island quickly and see how far they are progressing. I¡¯ll meet you at the prison. And you ask Juliet to come here¡­¡±

    Soren didn¡¯t argue. I knew it would be hard for him, but he did it anyway.

    ***

    Soren

    Since Juliet saved my sister, I had been standing back, putting my impatience behind me. I had to have hope¡­ that it would work out in my favor eventually.

    When I teleported to Washington and saw Kubra, he greeted me with a smile on his face. It wasn¡¯t that I was unwanted¡­ He was happy to see me. We had known each other for a long time, and for the last few years, we had been working together in some capacity. I was just on a mission anyway, relaying a message.

    ¡°I need to see Juliet.¡± Kubra nodded. It didn¡¯t seem that it might be a problem. He walked me down, and he went with me into another cubicle. We ended up somewhere on a lawn. It was well-kept, and the house was beautiful. Kubra left again, shaking my hand. I walked up to the door. Not so much a coward anymore. After witnessing the fight¡­ Juliet in that sand. It had changed me. I wanted to be by her side and help and not be another problem. I knocked, and Marcus opened the door. I asked for Juliet outright.

    ¡°No! What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Cindy wants her freaking parents out of jail. Are you coming with me to do it, or should I ask the Queen herself?¡±

    He regarded me. ¡°Juliet would want to meet her grandparents.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I kinda figured.¡±

    Marcus smiled. My eyes shot up to his face. Marcus happy was a new one.

    ¡°Juliet, your boyfriend is here,¡± Marcus yelled out into an intercom box mounted on the wall.

    A door opened that led down into a basement. Louis and Michael surfaced, and a second later, Juliet came out. They had yet to open the security gate for me. Louis pushed past Marcus, shaking his head. He opened and pulled me into an embrace. We man-hugged. He slapped my shoulder. One guy liked me¡­ ¡°Soren¡­ You¡¯ve met Michael¡­ Juliet¡¯s first husband.¡± Louis said it with such a tone that it felt awkward. There was confusion on my face. I thought he was the boss?

    ¡°Hmmm, it¡¯s a long story¡­.¡± Louis answered my thoughts¡­ ¡°From now on¡­ If you want something. He¡¯s your man.¡± Louis turned around and stomped away down the stairs. Michael shook my hand regardless. A cigarette in his other. The two of us never officially met. Juliet eyed the floor with curiosity, taking account and listening. They all had lab coats on. I smiled¡­ It wasn¡¯t really necessary, but I figured it was Juliet¡¯s idea.

    When she finally met my eyes, I forced her to hold my gaze. ¡°You know, if you moved this party to En-gannim, we could actually help. You¡¯ve been hiding here for months. People want you there.¡± She smiled at me, and I almost lost all my courage¡­ I missed her so much. I shook myself¡­ Not scared anymore¡­ But that was not why I was there¡­ ¡°Your mom wants you. They want to get your grandparents out of jail. No one wants to budge. The court is still running the day-to-day. But without a higher-up, we can do nothing of significance.¡±

    Juliet cussed, walked, and cussed some more. ¡°You know you send written orders, and nothing gets done. Where the hell is Jessy.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have the general¡¯s emblem. Louis still has it¡­ There are small things that can¡¯t wait anymore¡­ Julie.¡± Her wide eyes shot to mine, and she shook her head. Marcus growled at me¡­. ¡°Get another freaking nickname. That¡¯s mine.¡± Marcus turned and stomped off after Louis. ¡°If you call her Julie again, I¡¯ll chase you away.¡±

    Michael stood off to the side, a cold gaze fixed on me, resting against the wall¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s pack up. It¡¯s come to that.¡± She ordered. ¡°Thanks, Soren. Sorry, you had to come all the way. We didn¡¯t want any interruptions.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t look at her again. But I wasn¡¯t leaving. She noticed that I was standing around.

    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Michael asked.

    ¡°I want to talk to her.¡±

    Michael didn¡¯t move. Juliet had to push him down the stairs. His eyes were on her, but she would only meet the floor.

    ¡°Here it comes. The dumping. It doesn¡¯t seem anyone likes me.¡± I said.

    Her eyes came up at my remark. She walked over, took my face in her hands, and dragged me closer. She hovered over my lips. What was she doing? I stood up straighter, my eyes on her lips. She stared at mine for a while and came back up and gazed into my eyes. ¡°I miss you too. You are not small¡­.¡± I pulled her into a hug and held her. ¡°Can you wait some more?¡± She asked softly. I nodded. We heard someone come up the stairs, and she stepped away from me. Marcus passed us and went outside through the front door, carrying boxes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She felt guilty. ¡°But I can¡¯t say I regret it.¡±

    ¡°No, me neither.¡± I tugged at the waistband of her pants and pulled her closer, running my finger up over her stomach.

    She swatted me away. ¡°Do you want to die?¡±

    Marcus came through the door again. He did not like the proximity. He walked over, picked her up, and threw her over his shoulder. ¡°You know the punishment for going out of schedule¡­ Oh! There is no schedule. We just do what we want to.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so boring, Marcus.¡±

    ¡°I think I should get out the bondages! I won¡¯t be so boring then.¡±

    Juliet wrapped her legs around him and held him close, burying her face in his shoulder. ¡°No! Please, I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do it again. Really, I won¡¯t.¡±

    Marcus stopped¡­ ¡°Do you want to tell him, or should I.¡±

    Her head came up, and she waved at me, resting her chin on his shoulder. ¡°You got to go¡­.¡±

    I smiled and turned to leave, walking out the door. It was more than I had hoped for.

    ***

    It wasn¡¯t long before they greeted Cindy in Marcus¡¯s study. Liam had joined us. There wasn¡¯t much more to do on Earth. Agatha had moved back a while ago. She didn¡¯t mind living there. She could travel where she wanted, still with four guards at her side. I couldn¡¯t keep my eyes off Juliet. She was so happy, greeting everyone and being home. I was glad I would be able to see her again. Help them¡­ Get into the family.

    ***

    We traveled to the prison. It wasn¡¯t only Jessy and me that time. When Juliet and Marcus came into the picture, it was funny that everyone fell to the floor. I had not thought that the vampire world would allow Juliet to play Queen¡­ But it seemed that it didn¡¯t matter. Things changed so quickly that I wasn¡¯t going to complain. The guards scrambled into the jail when Juliet told them who they should release.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Cindy recognized her father immediately. She ran to him, but he was a little wonky, trying to get to her. They shared a loving embrace. The woman next to him, it seemed, wasn¡¯t so old. Her gate was more steady. Cindy turned to her, took off her mother¡¯s veil, and broke down crying, throwing her arms around her neck. Cindy¡¯s mother was beautiful. It ran in the family. She had kind features and was tolerating everything happening. How shocked they must have been to be released and met by a daughter they never thought they would see again.

    ¡°What is going on. Why are we being released?¡± Her father asked Liam. They went into some discussion.

    I glanced at Juliet. It was weird. Not one of her husbands was standing close to her or holding her hand. All of them stood separated from the other. It seemed like she wanted to cry, and the awkwardness at the house was continuing. She didn¡¯t know what to do or what to say. No one was comforting her or encouraging her. I walked over and put my arms around her middle from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder. Her hand reached around, and she desperately clung to me. She shifted and held my hands around her middle when Cindy brought the two older people forward to introduce them. ¡°Daddy, this is Juliet, my daughter.¡±

    His face lit up, and the mother stepped forward. I let go, but she took my hand in hers, not knowing what to do. Her grandfather noticed her reluctance and opened his arms. I was glad to see he was a soft man¡­ He kissed Juliet¡¯s cheek. He held out a hand to me¡­ ¡°Are you her husband?¡±

    Marcus and Michael snorted at the same time. Louis was quiet. I shook my head.

    He swatted our hands. ¡°Then get off her.¡±

    Juliet smiled at me as I moved away. Michael stepped forward and held out his hand. Cindy¡¯s grandfather was surprised¡­ ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Michael.¡± He stood aside, and Marcus came forward.

    Juliet¡¯s grandfather¡¯s face turned stone cold, and he stepped back, steadying himself. ¡°You¡¯re the spitting image of your grandfather¡­.¡± His gaze drifted to Cindy, and she nodded. ¡°Marcus Ahmed, daddy.¡± Marcus held out a hand, and reluctantly, he shook it.

    Louis stepped forward for his turn. ¡°This is Louis Ahmed, grandfather. Bassam¡¯s son.¡± Juliet¡¯s voice drolled out¡­ Louis rolled his eyes.

    He was even more shocked. ¡°Two Ahmeds, and you have three husbands? I think we should go back into the jail, wife.¡±

    I wished she would have looked at me.

    ¡°One is missing,¡± Cindy said finally.

    Her grandfather lifted four fingers into the air.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Let¡¯s get you out of here.¡± Cindy prompted us to move along.

    ¡°We can¡¯t leave. The whole prison is full of people that are in there because of us¡­ Where is Samuel?¡± Cindy¡¯s father said.

    ¡°Babysitting.¡± Marcus stepped forward. ¡°There is a lot we will tell you, but they will all be released. I will stay and make sure of it¡­ Cindy has already started rebuilding your houses on the island. It won¡¯t be long before you can go home. All of you.¡±

    ¡°I will stay, too. From today, we all live in The Tower anyway.¡± Juliet said. She took Marcus¡¯s hand and pulled him into the prison. When he was next to her¡­ His eyes fell on her face. I kinda liked that Marcus better. ¡°We will see them settled for the night,¡± Juliet said and glanced over her shoulder. Jessy knew where he had to be and followed close on their heels.

    ¡°Is that the Royal emblem hanging around her neck?¡±

    We all nodded. I helped Liam with Cindy¡¯s mother. She was reticent to take my arm. Cindy was arm in arm with her father, chatting away like they hadn¡¯t seen each other in over two hundred years.

    ***

    Juliet

    I was sitting on my bed later that night. Ahasuerus¡¯s bed. It didn¡¯t even bother me. We were finally back, and I was taking it all in. I walked around the room. It had such a fantastic view. It was the ruler of the planet¡¯s quarters¡­ And it was mine. But I was alone¡­ I had been for months. Not having anyone to share it with that night was a low point. The men and everyone else were a floor down. Even Sammy had a room with Warden close by.

    I sat down on a chair outside, gazing out over the city. It had been such a great day, but I wasn¡¯t happy¡­ There was just not enough time for everything. I rubbed my upper arm. My beautiful, intricate green tattoo was gone¡­ I was willing myself not to have another spell. There had been no breaks. No drinking or having fun with Charlene and Carl. No Louis for months¡­ Marcus pushed in because he was¡­ Marcus¡­ But there was no talking about feelings. I missed Chris so much at that stage; it was almost the only thing fueling me to continue with our grueling schedule.

    Since the day Michael and I had slept together. And it happened without the chains¡­ Michael had not touched me again. It was like he and Louis were in a war¡­ Seeing who could give me the most space¡­ Or each other the most respect¡­ For the family unit, I supposed. Usually, and some days, I messed up, and I would say, ¡° Screw it!¡± And give it all to Marcus as I did with Chris before he went away¡­ But it was wrong. I was older. I knew better. So it had happened only a few desperate times at Rodrigo¡¯s house.

    So I was alone¡­ Again¡­ I hated being alone¡­ There was no time for a f-ing schedule. I had not created one. Louis didn¡¯t want to be included anyway. So I left it¡­ We were in the lab nonstop. We had shifts to keep going and not lose momentum.

    Louis had decided that day what we were going to do. He and Michael had started, and by the time Marcus and I joined, he didn¡¯t seem so irate anymore, although he ignored me for some time¡­ I didn¡¯t want to fight with him.

    I don¡¯t know how long I had sat out there. I didn¡¯t want to go down for dinner with the new grandparents that I didn¡¯t know¡­ We had hundreds of years to get to know them. The breeze so high up was my only consolation. My knees tucked up against my chest. A cigarette in my hand.

    I had missed En-gannim. Being there gave me peace and soothed me. I wondered if it had something to do with who ruled¡­ I hoped so. I wanted a claim on the place. Something only I felt¡­ I needed to make it better¡­ Change it¡­ But who was I kidding¡­ I couldn¡¯t even sort out my feelings¡­ I chastised myself¡­ Sleeping with Soren was a complication¡­ A heartfelt one. It had only made things more difficult. But Michael¡­ He was never supposed to be in the picture, was he? I didn¡¯t even know he loved me¡­ Our marriage was just paper¡­ a gesture... More a goodbye for being my watcher¡­Or maybe I¡¯ll see you around¡­ I had owed Michael so much in my life, and Brylee¡¯s words kept going around in my head. It was only loyalty and guilt. Our feelings were different¡­ It was hard to understand, and even if he did do it, I didn¡¯t know if it would work. After everything that we went through¡­ It had become so real that I found it hard to juggle my feelings for all of them. They all had a claim on my heart¡­ I loved all of them. I felt that I could handle more when I was younger. When it was simple. I snorted¡­ It had only been two years. I was only twenty-one, and I felt old.

    Louis chuckled behind me. My head jerked up. He wasn¡¯t in my mind anymore, knowing that he had heard some of what I was feeling. That teasing smirk on his face. Tears instantly fell down my cheeks. I broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. It was inevitable that when I wanted to be most vulnerable, I couldn¡¯t be. He didn¡¯t come closer, staring at me until I calmed down. I heard his footsteps moving out of the room. ¡°Chris would have stayed and made me sort it out.¡±

    He flung around. His face was so contorted that a burst of laughter escaped my mouth. I snickered behind my hand. It felt so good that he was showing some emotions. That I haven¡¯t lost him completely. He picked something up and tossed it at the wall. ¡°Look at you acting like a child,¡± I mocked, pushing him.

    He wasn¡¯t budging¡­ ¡°You will soon have your¡­ fifth husband. I will make f-ing sure of that. Then, we¡¯ll see how well you manage to keep him happy. Because I can tell you¡­ When Chris steps into this mess¡­ I don¡¯t want to be you.¡±

    ¡°F- You!¡± I yelled at him. ¡°At least Chris doesn¡¯t withhold intimacy because his feelings are hurt.¡±

    He strutted up to me. Louis was intense. Intimidating. His teeth were clenched, shoulders up. I retreated back against the wall. My gaze darted down to the ground like that first night in the alley. He had dominance over me¡­ He fisted my shirt on my chest. ¡°You¡¯re f-ing right. My feelings are hurt. He pulled it down at the collar. ¡°I¡¯m not there anymore.¡± He poked at my chest and pressed his finger into my flesh where my heart was. His finger slid to the space where his chains used to hang¡­ ¡°With no explanation¡­ Who does that? You took them off and slept with Michael.¡±

    I pushed him off me and past him. He flung me around, gripping my upper arms, eyes burning into mine. Those eyes that were always so happy with me¡­ Beautiful blue became watery.

    ¡°Kiss me, you coward.¡±

    He did. I gasped into his mouth and fisted his hair. His tongue in my mouth gave me a pulsing moment of release. ¡°Thank You,¡± I whispered against him. I threw my head to the side so he would kiss and lick my neck. He did. Everything I wanted, he did. It didn¡¯t stop until his head was between my legs. After I willed him to come inside of me. He did¡­ gently and full of passion. No anger. No resentment. Like I wanted. I wanted all of him¡­ And he gave it to me¡­ He didn¡¯t even run away after¡­ He stayed on top of me, kissing me gently. ¡°Can I get off?¡± He asked. I nodded. He pulled out slowly and slipped off me. He went to the bathroom and brought me a rag. He sat down close to me with a strangled expression. ¡°Have a cigarette with me outside.¡±

    I walked with him, and we sat there. After he stubbed out his bud, he turned to me¡­ ¡°I call a truce for the time being.¡±

    My head turned to him to see if he was serious¡­ I swiped the tears off my cheeks. ¡°Seems like we switched roles.¡±

    He smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not talking, and I¡¯m not letting you touch me.¡±

    I rested my cheek on my knee that was pulled up to my chest. I stared at him.

    ¡°How do you do it, baby?¡± He asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult¡­ I tend to avoid you most of the time. Different shifts. It takes a lot of concentration.¡±

    ¡°You went against our promise¡­ You revoked that privilege when the last time was such a mess¡­ Are you not scared it will blow up again? Me not reading you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of anything anymore¡­ Maybe Chris and Caleb dying like Mateo¡¯s wife and daughter¡­ But you¡­ not loving me¡­ I¡¯m not scared of that anymore¡­There is no fear in love, Louis¡­ Yes, it hurts like hell. I¡¯m constantly thinking about you, trying not to think about you.¡±

    ¡°Should I do it for you?¡± He whispered.

    I didn¡¯t want to, but my eyes were pleading. My head nodded. It would mean a world of difference. If I could sort out my feelings for all of them without worrying about him. He snorted and turned away from me, looking out over all we fought so hard to get to. Louis stood up and held out his hand to me¡­ We walked back into the room¡­ ¡°Fine¡­ No reading.¡±

    He turned suddenly. The dark, solemn eyes bothered me¡­ His lips were inches from mine. ¡°Just tell me one thing¡­.¡± Louis¡¯s eyes closed, and his head swayed slowly. He couldn¡¯t even meet my eye. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re tired of me in your head.¡±

    ¡°Oh baby, no!¡± I kissed him and pulled him closer. ¡°Can you do me another favor?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He stood back. He was naked, and I glanced down and made my way up his body.

    ¡°Can you be nice to Michael again?¡±

    He flipped and yelled in French. I followed what he said and closed one eye, flinching as he rambled, pulling up his pants and walking out. He wanted to come back for his shirt, but I grabbed it before he could. He frowned, letting his hand drop.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like sleeping alone anymore¡­.¡±

    His eyes went from mine to the shirt to the bed. ¡°Is it me you want? Or anyone, baby. Or is it because¡­ no one is sleeping with you anymore.¡±

    ¡°Would you believe me if I said it was you¡­¡±

    He didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Louis, do we have any relationship if you can¡¯t read me? It¡¯s like you just have to make sure? Is my ass not proof enough? Do you really need the chains that much? Is it about the fact that everyone sees them? Or that I¡¯m wearing them?¡±

    His arm lifted quickly with a flat hand pointed at me, but it lowered again. There really wasn¡¯t anything he could say¡­ He rubbed his forehead, walking out. I clutched his shirt and buried my face in it. When I looked up, he was back in the room regarding me. My face slowly came up off the material. He walked over to the bed, laid down, and opened his arm.

 Michael and Juliet

    128. Michael and Juliet

    24 February 2026

    Marcus

    ¡°Come on, Soren! You know that¡¯s not what the book is about... It¡¯s about the personification of death¡­.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that?¡± Soren retorted. ¡°It¡¯s from the viewpoint of a child. It¡¯s about educating people about what really happened.¡±

    I sat back on the chair, staring at them. They had been debating for an hour. It was kinda fun to watch them fight. It never ended pretty. After some time, they both returned to our native language, but by then, it was getting really heated. Juliet got so mad that she always left. Soren had found his spine and didn¡¯t take any crap from her or anyone. It never led anywhere, and I wondered¡­ Louis never said anything regarding the two. Juliet never once brought it up, and the only time I saw them together was at the prison. I had to hold back that day. I couldn¡¯t really make a scene in front of the grandparents.

    Michael was next to me on the couch, and we had to check the list of things we still had to discuss and organize. The door opened, and a tired Cindy and her mom came into the room. Sammy and Min¨¦ were fighting again. The little human girl running for her life, screaming. Sammy was still in her Riphath form, and was simply impossible. She ate like crazy. We had to save Katty a few times. Eating a human was one thing that could calm her down.

    Juliet forgot about Soren. He walked with her, grabbing Min¨¦ and picking her up out of harm¡¯s way. Juliet grabbed Sammy at the scruff of her neck. There was enough fur for her to get a good chunk in. She held her far away from her body. The tiny terror kicked and growled, scratching at her mom like a cat. ¡°Sammy!¡± Juliet shook her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t shake the baby, Juliet.¡± I mocked from the side.

    ¡°This thing is not a baby, and I¡­ am her mother!¡±

    Her terrible two¡¯s were more than a life crisis in the house. It started gradually when she was eighteen months¡­ Around the time¡­ our family started drifting apart. Juliet began to work non-stop¡­ Sammy didn¡¯t like it and had not relented. We had to keep her confined because she would run and run. We were so scared that she would teleport and end up in the freaking pink water. Cindy and her mom would keep her on Earth during the day for safety¡­ Hoping in the desert, she would not get far¡­ We had chipped her, just in case. Her room and the one we were in was a confinement chamber. There was no coming and going from there.

    We were desperate to get her to Chris. We needed a dad to rub his thumb over his child¡¯s forehead and make her sleep, give us authority over her with another marking¡­ It wasn¡¯t about getting Juliet to Caleb anymore but getting Sammy to Chris.

    Louis came walking in. ¡°I think we got it¡­.¡±

    When Sammy saw him, Louis manifested and growled at her. It was almost the only thing that could make her calm down and grab onto Juliet. There were three other people with him. The scientists that we had to find¡­ Ahasuerus was clever in hiding all the people he had accumulated in his office as King... They were scattered, and all documentation was gone. It had taken us many months to set up our own team to get that far. Far enough¡­ that we had one location left. The other two didn¡¯t pan out.

    One was a city with a wall built around it. So big that it seemed impossible to be Yaroon. There was no life¡­ And, of course, the warning on the gate¡­ That once you went in and left, you would die¡­ We kinda didn¡¯t want to take the chance. The last one was a dud. There was just nothing. We had mapped and found it was the only one on the other side of the planet, directly across from the scary city¡­ We didn¡¯t know if the Riphaths would have invited Ahasuerus into their midst¡­ Was he really slumming it with them in Yaroon?

    Juliet and I had even put on our toughest winter clothes to see what the fuss was about¡­ Why the Riphaths need to migrate north like birds. The only spot we could try was the first one I had landed at. We thought about leaving a message for Chris¡­ Seeing if he visited the five sites at all¡­ It was completely iced over. The red sand only left a faint tint underneath the ice. We would have died if we had stayed there for more than five minutes.

    The caves were not so cold. Tolerable. We figured they had to be between Yaroon and Shumaan¡­ When we exited, we made it out just before we got bitten to death¡­ It was well guarded. Ira had made good on his promise.

    Louis handed me a glass plate with the new information on it. The numbers and equations were staggering to comprehend. I flipped through page after page, following it. Soren came over and took it from me when I was done. He scanned it¡­ We both shared a look. We passed it to Michael. He took his time, changed one thing, and stood up... ¡°Let¡¯s test it. Who¡¯s turn is it?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Juliet grabbed the thing from Michael and started running. Everyone jumped up and ran after her. Louis was next to her, and they traveled to the station, waving at us.

    When we came out the other end, they were already pressing the glass plate into the mechanism on the wall. ¡°Wait here.¡± She pointed a finger at me. It wasn¡¯t like I was going anywhere... It was a big deal¡­ ¡°Give us thirty seconds and get us back.¡±

    ***

    Juliet ran out and hugged me around the neck. ¡°It¡¯s Shumaan¡­ and there is no one there! The weather is tolerable.¡±

    I pulled her in. ¡°Now what?¡± I asked.

    She let go of me and locked her fingers behind my neck¡­ ¡°What do you mean?¡± I pushed her away, her fingers let go, and her hands landed on my shoulders.

    ¡°You¡¯re traveling with a child into an unknown situation¡­ What if they take Sammy? Who will you take with you? If something happens¡­ We can¡¯t give that stone around your neck back.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ I¡¯ve been so preoccupied with finding the spot that I hadn¡¯t thought it through¡­ We have some time.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t, Julie¡­ And you want to take Michael, but he can¡¯t eat there. You don¡¯t know how long you might have to hide. Sammy doesn¡¯t disappear with you¡­ I think you must consider the possibility that¡­ I go¡­ Or me and Louis? We can talk¡­.¡± She forced me to be quiet.

    ¡°You¡¯re so boring¡­.¡± She pointed her finger at me. Louis wanted to say something, and she did the same. She did it a lot when we were giving her grief. It was frustrating not being able to talk for a day. It was the longest it had lasted. After that day, she was wasted. But she was probably just bored. She grabbed Michael¡¯s hand¡­ He smirked and waved at us.

    ¡°Juliet! You can¡¯t disappear for an hour or weeks. There it¡¯s months.¡± They got into a teleporter anyway. I didn¡¯t like the way they were together. Before Michael got taken, he was intense, busy, and keeping her safe. And like me, focused, taking everything into account. After the chain incident, I felt like I lived in another dimension. Louis couldn¡¯t be on the same shift as him. They avoided each other to the point of no touch, no talk, no eye contact. Michael had told Louis to get out of his head. And even if he could¡¯ve gone against Michael. Louis would always honor it if you asked. We were all there for the right reason. We just needed to get through the next few¡­ weeks. I had a feeling when Chris was back¡­ Everything would be fine.

    ***

    Michael

    We got out in our little cabin in the woods. En-gannim woods. Not really trees but large plants. It was a small area that she had the coordinates of and no one else¡­ The little place was on such a remote corner of En-gannim that we were lost when we went there. I had thought the whole planet would be the same everywhere. But En-gannim was beautiful, with different physical attributes on each continent, much like Earth.

    Juliet was undressing and naked a few seconds later. I picked her up, and she wrapped around me. I leaned in and melded our mouths together. Her hands took off my shirt. I pressed her into a wall. It ended up hot and heavy, her hands all over me. Mine relentlessly moving over her and fingers pressing into her. Juliet fisted my hair as I kissed her wherever I could. I palmed her breast, and she jumped off so she could unclasp my belt.

    Since that day in France when Louis completely lost it... I had stepped back. What happened that day was not something I wanted or asked for. I was just as surprised as Louis. I didn¡¯t even think it had anything to do with me¡­ It had broken down the mutual respect between the men. But we did put all the pressure on her and were reaping the backlash. It had been the weirdest few months. There was no more hierarchy. She just did what she wanted, when she wanted. And for us, it was whoever pushed the most¡­ I wasn¡¯t the pushy type.

    When we returned to En-gannim, something happened between her and Louis; he could at least talk to her¡­ He was the only one in her bed at night. I think that was why she had brought me there the first time. She knew nothing would happen if we weren¡¯t miles from the others¡­ I knew I had some issues. I also knew that when Chris came back¡­ I would move a peg down.

    At that moment, my mind wasn¡¯t there. My body didn¡¯t want to listen. I willed myself and stilled her hand as she tried to undo the buttons on my jeans. Her hands stopped moving, and she seemed confused. I punched the wall softly behind her, frustrated with myself¡­ How could I walk away from her? ¡°Juliet¡­ honey¡­ it has to stop.¡±

    Stolen story; please report.

    She pulled my mouth onto hers. ¡°I¡¯m not keeping you busy¡­ Michael. I¡¯m trying to convince you¡­ That you will go with me¡­ What do you want me to pay?¡±

    I pushed off her, buckling my belt again. She bent down and handed me my shirt. She was softer since I had come back. The years of watching her. She was demanding and stubborn. With me, she was¡­ nice¡­ I drew in an irritated breath. Not at her, at myself¡­ I would not be able to say no to her.

    ¡°Why do you want me there?¡± She sat down on the bed, and I lit a cigarette, watching her. I would move closer eventually after I had my fill.

    She was running a hand through her hair. ¡°I trust you¡­ You¡¯ve always been there¡­ I don¡¯t want to leave you¡­ I would miss you too much¡­ I want to spend time with you¡­ You¡¯re diplomatic and stable¡­ You don¡¯t make me listen to you. And¡­¡±

    ¡°And¡­ Chris and me?¡± She nodded.

    ¡°Okay, okay!¡± I walked forward and handed her the cigarette.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s because I can¡¯t control you?¡±

    She nodded again. ¡°You will soon¡­ I won¡¯t have to pay anymore.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s cross that bridge when Chris is back. Nothing is settled.¡±

    I fell onto the bed next to her. ¡°But¡­ You¡¯ll have to pay for this¡­ We¡¯ll have to sneak out. Leave a note and tell them that they shouldn¡¯t follow. That we are really taking our honeymoon before you go to Caleb. If they fall for it at all.¡±

    Juliet picked up her own clothes and wanted to get dressed. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    She came up and met my eyes. I dragged the cigarette and smiled. ¡°Dance for me.¡±

    The smile fell. She snorted. ¡°No¡­¡± She picked up her panties in a huff, pulling them up.

    ¡°Why not?¡± She blushed from her chest to her cheeks. I stared at her for a moment and laughed lightly, falling back into the bed. ¡°Thank You,¡± I whispered to the universe¡­ I got up.

    ¡°What? Thank You for what?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t going to tell her that I had been waiting for her to blush. I had thought she was too old. That I would never have the honor. She had a few times before¡­ but not like that. It alone was cost enough. To lie. To travel to go find Chris and make her happy. I shook my head, ¡°Nothing. Let me eat you, and we will call it quits.¡± I picked her up and threw her on the bed. Kneeling down in front of her, I lifted her knees and pushed open her thighs, ripping off the panties. Her eyes were already closed, waiting. I couldn¡¯t get enough of her. I never would.

    ***

    Shumaan

    Juliet and I didn¡¯t go back to the tower. We traveled to Shumaan, and as Juliet had said, there was no one. She hurried over to a little nook carved out in the wall, replacing the communicator. It worked. I kissed her, and she sent Liam a message. We needed to tell someone. They were lying for us and pretending to babysit in France.

    We had snuck out in the most remote teleporter in the chamber. I was kinda excited. It was like an adventure¡­ One that no one would ever be able to look back on¡­ except Juliet and me.

    It had not taken us two years. With all of us working around the clock, it was only the end of February. We were early. But Juliet¡¯s birthday was in March. The branding needed to happen before then, and Chris had to give an opinion. We just hoped that they came south earlier than they did going north. She removed the plate again and put back the broken one.

    She took my hand. I had Sammy in my arms, and we walked. We checked some of the houses as we passed them. We had the city to ourselves, and it was great. They really were all the same. Some were bigger than others. All empty. No clothes. No food cupboards. No freezers¡­ No blankets¡­ Nothing. They took absolutely everything with them to Yaroon. We were wondering why no guards were protecting that specific site. Every other one we had tried in the last year was always a close call.

    The river was already running, and the ice had melted entirely. We had clean water, and that was already a bonus. I could put Sammy down. She ran, but it was so open and the road so long through the city that it didn¡¯t matter... Juliet loved to chase her, and she loved to be pursued.

    Juliet took us to Chris¡¯s house, where he and Ira lived. We decided that we needed to be as far away as possible from there and chose a house on the outskirts with a view of the river. We had no idea how long they would be¡­ So we got settled and got into a routine¡­ It was actually a blessing to be able to acclimate together and get a lay of the land. See how they lived.

    They had fields and plantations. It wasn¡¯t big, and a small variety of plants had germinated and taken root. I could eat some of it¡­ For backup, we had packed for an extended stay¡­ Juliet and Sammy could eat there, so I lived off oats and noodles. Riphath vegetables¡­ Love and Water. It was the first time Juliet and I were together¡­ Alone... Sammy was there. But that didn¡¯t count. The time together would mean so much in the end. I did not regret going with her for one moment until¡­ One morning, I woke up, and Juliet and Sammy weren¡¯t in bed with me. I lifted my head, thinking that they were safe, swimming or searching for little beasts they could hunt.

    I took my time waking up. There was nothing to do there, and after weeks, it became another blessing for us to move at the slowest pace imaginable. After the last two years, it was just what we needed. I took a dip in the freezing water. Hung my clothes out to dry after scrubbing them against a rock. I checked the fields for anything that might be early spring and was meandering back to the house. Juliet and Sammy had been gone for a long time, and I kept looking over my shoulder. Shumaan was so large, and the houses were spread out so that you would not see anything hiding or coming out of the shadows. I was a little nervous. It was the first time I had allowed myself a glimpse into their world, off Earth and in an alien situation. Being human and by her side still made me feel useless, and then I had my first encounter with flying killer birds overhead. I heard them from far off. They came into view, and all I could do was hide. There was really no way I would be able to do anything. My nine-mill pistol seemed a bit redundant.

    They circled the site a few times until they finally decided to leave. It made me walk down the main road, searching for Juliet, hoping they were safe. It wasn¡¯t like we could miss each other. But I couldn¡¯t find her until I passed Chris¡¯s house, I heard them. Slowly, I made my way inside. They were in his room, sitting on the floor. Juliet had a pink book in her hands. It was the infamous diary. I chuckled. She glanced up at me and smiled. I went to sit next to her. I glanced up at the wall and saw her message carved out in the plaster.

    ¡°Is the whole galaxy reading my freaking journals? I wished I never kept any.¡±

    ¡°It is a bit unfair¡­ That Louis gets to be in your head, and we don¡¯t.¡±

    She scoffed at me¡­ I snorted back. I took her chin in my hand and kissed her. ¡°You should have woke me up.¡±

    Sammy was mesmerized by the pictures of Chris in the front of the diary.

    ¡°Daddy.¡± Juliet tried Sammy to say, pointing at all the photos of Chris.

    All she did was get up and come to me. ¡°Daddy.¡± I smiled. The little girl had crept into my heart. She liked me and was strangely okay with calling all of us ¡°daddy,¡± even Marcus, although he was Marcy most of the time.

    ¡°Michael¡­ can I ask you a question.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you talk to me?¡±

    I took a moment, but there were so many reasons. Before, I talked a lot. ¡°I don¡¯t know? I just want to be with you. If I am¡­ I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m a guy¡­ Don¡¯t really want to go digging where it¡¯s not needed.¡±

    ¡°You said you don¡¯t need anything from me. You have been home for so long. The few times we spent together were after you started feeling better. I had to begin serious training when Marcus returned, and after that one day¡­ After Marcus took me on our honeymoon¡­ Everything was different.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ I am¡­ Everything is¡­ different.¡±

    ¡°Is that a bad thing? Or are you thinking of moving on? Have your feelings changed at all?¡±

    I turned to her. Sammy had gone to explore the house. ¡°How could you ask that?¡±

    She closed the diary¡­ ¡°It¡¯s¡­ just not easy between us¡­ Anymore.¡±

    My eyes cast to the floor. It was always effortless. We were friends, and it wasn¡¯t always only physical. We had so much fun together. How could I tell her I would probably never be that person ever again.

    ¡°The branding doesn¡¯t really mean we have to be together. You don¡¯t have to settle for this¡­ You can still go and find that waitress¡­. You could still change your mind.¡±

    Our eyes locked¡­ And I wished that I could read hers. Wished she was still on a screen talking to herself or Charlene¡­ Writing in her diary¡­ She had stopped that a while ago¡­ Together with the chains and the ring that still hung in France. No one knew what she was thinking.

    Juliet manifested and jumped up, running out of the room. She had Sammy in her arms and came back to stand at the door frame around the corner. She nudged me up and over to her. I finally heard the growling. A low roar, sniffing, and an open mouth. The steady footfalls of something¡­ It was a beast. She handed Sammy to me and nudged over to the window. ¡°Go and don¡¯t look back.¡± She whispered.

    The noises were coming into the house. I could hear the tread changing. Juliet had disappeared after she cocked the gun. I stood outside the window and prayed that they didn¡¯t hunt in packs. I started weaving with Sammy through the houses towards the city¡¯s outskirts, avoiding the main road. It was tricky, the terrain uneven, and my heart was pounding. Whatever was there would know where we were. I heard the first shot, pausing for a moment. A second one. Her voice echoed through the emptiness of the place. ¡°It¡¯s dead!¡± She screamed. ¡°It was alone.¡±

    Sammy and I made our way into the street. Juliet was dragging a massive beast down the road. The little girl wriggled in my arm for me to put her down. She could smell it. Her little fangs that filled her mouth were biting into it. They had not eaten in a few days.

    I sat next to them as they fed, and the fear was usually quickly replaced with the sense of us as a family. They smiled at each other, playing with their food. I took out my pocket knife and helped them. I cut open the stomach, and the guts flooded out. It stank so much that I retched.

    Sammy loved it and grabbed at the entrails. I vomited again¡­ Juliet was laughing at me. ¡°That wasn¡¯t very clever¡­ How do you know we won¡¯t attract anything else with this smell.¡±

    ¡°I had not thought of that.¡± I glanced over my shoulder. She came over and held out the water bottle to me. ¡°You need to dig out the bullets. It won¡¯t work if they get back and there is a carcass with two holes in its head.¡±

    The ground started rumbling. ¡°Earthquake?¡± She asked and stepped over to Sammy, who reluctantly went with her.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­.¡±

    We started running when the ground was moving oddly, and Juliet was right. I had attracted another thing. I took Sammy from her. We dared to turn back and take in the scene. A beast twice that one¡¯s size came out of the sand. It grabbed the carcass and pulled it into the sand, disappearing. Juliet giggled nervously. Sammy was brave, but she was clutching onto me while I stroked her back.

 Youâ€™re Just Like Your Mother

    129. You¡¯re Just Like Your Mother

    Caleb

    I was so irritated with my father that morning. I had turned fifteen a while ago, and he still wouldn¡¯t let me go hunting or protecting the city with him and Jamal¡­ My grandfather was on my side¡­ Hell, even Silvanus told my dad he was crazy. And Silvanus was my protector. All Chris would say was, ¡°You¡¯re just like your mother.¡± And, of course, that would be the end of the discussion. Because he still doted on her. I was his love child. And she would literally kill him if she sent us there, and then I died.

    I chuckled, walking out of my room. To supplement, I had joined the guards. To train and to fight and to grow. With that¡­ my father had no issues. ¡°Go at it all day long. Keep yourself busy, Caleb.¡± I shook my head as I mimicked his voice.

    I hadn¡¯t manifested yet, and the worst was that all Ira and Silvanus wanted was for me to find someone and start having sex so I could relax... Chris was such a conundrum for me. For fifteen years, he hadn¡¯t slept with anyone, whereas the other Riphaths had someone different whenever they wanted. I was conflicted between the way my dad was raised and how my grandfather wanted me to live.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Chris asked when I joined them at the table.

    ¡°Mom. Tell me something about her.¡± My dad would get a look on his face when I wanted to ask about her.

    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°When did she lose her virginity?¡± My dad sprayed all the water he had in his mouth over the table. My grandfather snorted and handed him a cloth.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve decided? Who? That little girl with the dark hair?¡± Chris asked.

    ¡°Nah! She¡­ ¡°

    ¡°Smiles too easily.¡± Chris finished my sentence.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it¡­ too preppy.¡± That got a chortle out of them.

    ¡°I remember your wet nurse was like that. Maybe that¡¯s why you don¡¯t want to associate with her in that way.¡±

    ¡°Ewe.¡±

    ¡°Why ewe, you could go sleep with your wetnurse right now.¡± My grandfather stated.

    Chris rolled his eyes. ¡°Okay, so if not her, who?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll tell you when I meet her.¡±

    My grandfather scoffed and got up, ¡°I can¡¯t stand this anymore¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll know when I meet her,¡± makes me nauseous.¡±

    My dad and I shared a look. ¡°Where I come from, you would need serious counseling, Ira. For being addicted to sex.¡± Chris mocked.

    ¡°Where I come from¡­.¡± Ira couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. He really had nothing left to say. My father was right. That was all they did to let off steam.

    ¡°Caleb!¡± My dad stood and said loudly¡­ ¡°Today, you will come with me for the first time on patrols.¡± Out of sheer bundled-up anticipation and getting what I wanted. My hands flew around Chris¡¯s neck. He held me and patted my back. ¡°Be ready in ten,¡± Chris said and got up to walk outside.

    We laughed lightly at him. There were no clocks on Zoreah. And it didn¡¯t really mean anything because it was just that laid-back around there. We moved at a slow pace, and everything happened when it happened, not for Chris. He had always been edgy. Could never really let go of where he came from.

    I didn¡¯t even go to my room. I followed him outside. My dad and my grandpa greeted each other. They gripped the others¡¯ arms at the elbow and pulled close, foreheads touching, staring into each other¡¯s eyes. I was happy when things between them were okay. ¡°Be safe. Bring my boys home.¡± Chris nodded and turned away.

    There was a time when their relationship wasn¡¯t so solid. I didn¡¯t like it, and my father tried his best to put all his issues behind him. He made up with Ira, even if it was for me. I greeted my grandfather. ¡°Stay with someone.¡±

    ¡°I will,¡± I yelled, running to meet up with Chris down the road.

    My father sometimes talked about the outside worlds¡­ but not too much. Ira didn¡¯t like it. Neither of them wanted me to long for another life, like Chris was, waiting for my mom to come back. It was stupid of them because I longed to know more and see more. I couldn¡¯t remember much of what happened five years ago, but since Rodrigo threw that book at us, I had learned to write. I read so many books that I knew more than Ira would¡¯ve wanted.

    ¡°Today, we will be walking to the outskirts of Shumaan.¡±

    A few months ago, we traveled back from Yaroon. But we¡¯d only been back a week or so. Everyone was still getting settled. We were walking down the road lined with houses on either side. It had us stopping every few minutes to greet and talk to almost everybody.

    ¡°Your mom would love it here. If they had alcohol and cigarettes. But the people¡­ she would like.¡± It was going to be a good day if he talked about her.

    ¡°Chris!¡± Jamal called out to us, and our heads turned upwards to see him jumping off his balcony. He landed behind us and put his arms around Chris¡¯s shoulders and mine, pushing himself in the middle of us. Further down the road, Selena came walking out of her house. All-clad in warrior armor and ready for hunting. The two men were happy to see her. I didn¡¯t really have friends. Not like Chris did. Just some kids I hung out with. My grandfather had Silvanus. My dad said I would know when I had a real connection with someone. I wondered when that would happen and what it would even look like or mean.

    That day, we had the northern border. It had the most activity at that stage. All the beasts migrated south for the summer; couldn¡¯t let them get too close to the city. Most days were dull¡­ That¡¯s what Chris said. They encountered a monster a few times, which wasn¡¯t fun and games. It was life and death. He had been lecturing me for days, and I couldn¡¯t understand why until I came out from behind a bush. I went to pee. The thing was staring down at me, three times as tall and massive, high on its hind legs. My heart went into overdrive. The big flaring nostrils sprayed snot all over me. Two very muscled legs, full of scales. The body of a fat red ball with four arms swinging at me. I fell backward, hands in the dirt.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    My eyes glanced over to my spear that was leaning against the tree. It wasn¡¯t that I was careless. It came out of nowhere. I had never seen any of the monsters there were on Zoreah. I had been too protected by the constant surveillance of four adults. It lasted till we were thirteen and never allowed out of the city center.

    The creature fell forward, landing on the four arms, ready to jump on me. Someone touched my shoulder from the side, but I couldn¡¯t lift my head up to see who. I was scared, my breathing uneasy. The creature went from snarling, roaring, and raging to confused, glancing left and right in jerky movements. It turned in a circle all around itself.

    ¡°What the heck?¡± Finally, my gaze traveled up to see the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. I think it was love at first sight. She smiled so mischievously at me, and a dimple appeared on her cheek. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re really pretty.¡± The words escaped my lips.

    She flicked her hair over her shoulder. ¡°Thank you. But don¡¯t get any ideas. Why are you alone outside of the city?¡±

    ¡°First day on the job.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should try something else.¡± We both giggled.

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I have an ability. I can go invisible. No one can touch me, and everything I take hold of goes with me. So we¡¯re invisible now.¡± She squeezed my shoulder.

    ¡°NO WAY?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But I got to go. You think you¡¯ll manage. My daughter is waiting for me with a¡­ friend. Or do you want to come with me?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, my dad would kill me.¡±

    ¡°One of those, huh?¡±

    ¡°You have no idea? Why are you outside the city with a child? I have never seen you?¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°In a city that big? We might have missed each other.¡±

    ¡°How old are you?¡± I asked, the Riphath child out of the city forgotten.

    ¡°Why do you care? Five thousand is a long time to worry about how old you are.¡±

    ¡°You look older than me¡­ Do you mind an age gap?¡± She laughed so loudly that I blushed bright red. I could feel it creep up into my cheeks. She stopped laughing, shocked by the redness, I supposed. I turned away from her, shy and feeling stupid. Her head tilted, and her eyes moved from my chest to my cheeks.

    ¡°Cute.¡±

    I turned back to her, smiling... Glad she said that. I heard Jamal coming toward us. The beast had walked off a while ago. ¡°Your dad?¡± Both of us stared at Jamal walking right past us. She stood up straighter.

    ¡°Yeah...¡±

    ¡°Then you must know Caleb and Chris? Isn¡¯t it cool being so close to the king?¡±

    I sighed. It had been like that for a while. People know who I am¡­ But it didn¡¯t seem like she did. I chuckled. ¡°No¡­ Chris is a bit too much for me to handle¡­ we don¡¯t get along if you know what I mean.¡±

    She giggled, putting some hair behind her ear. She was clothed from her neck to her feet¡­ Weird coverings I had never seen.

    ¡°I got to go. Jamal will start worrying.¡± I said at last.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to let go of you. You will appear, but I won¡¯t.¡±

    She held out a pinky to me. I stared at it quizzically. She took my hand and let me do the same, and we did a pinky swear.

    ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone about me¡­ My ability especially¡­ Like you¡­ I don¡¯t like to be noticed¡­ I am actually hiding¡­ So don¡¯t tell anyone what you saw today. Word will spread, and they will know that I¡¯m here. We can¡¯t have that. Can I trust you?¡±

    I nodded eagerly and held out a fist to her. She seemed confused. I took her hand in mine and taught her how to do a fist pump. Chris showed me some of the things he missed. She was taken aback¡­ ¡°Cool¡­ Bye. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°My dad calls me boy¡­.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to tell her who I was. ¡°But you can call me Elias.¡± It was Ira¡¯s middle name.

    She smiled and let go of me before I could ask her name. Jamal got the fright of his life when I appeared next to him. Startled, he lifted a leg and furiously slammed it down to the ground. His hands flung in the air. I laughed. ¡°Sheesh! What the hell happened to you? I¡¯ve been looking everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ monster¡­¡± I looked up. ¡°Got in the tree to hide. It left. I jumped out.¡±

    For the rest of that day, all I could think about was the girl I had met. I tried to focus on not spilling¡­ I had to keep her secret¡­ She already had a child, and I was not too fond of her being outside the city with one¡­ It was weird. They were hiding. But from what.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°Clever boy. Good at lying and blushing like me. I think I¡¯m going to like him.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t believe it was Jamal. I had wondered if I would recognize him. It was so dark that night. But with those blue eyes and the blond hair. His son was rather nice¡­ I wondered why he didn¡¯t like Chris. I chuckled, thinking about it. Chris was never the cool teacher at school. I got sidetracked when I saw the beast. The boy stood peeing into a bush, humming to himself¡­ He was clueless. Head up his ass. At that moment, I had to turn and run. Michael and Sammy were waiting for me in a cave. No point in telling Jamal I was there.

    ***

    Michael was pacing. Sammy was out sleeping because we drugged her again. We had to when she had her spells, especially during the day when the Riphaths were patrolling. It was difficult bonding with her on a human level¡­ I wanted her to change so bad. To hold her and play with her.

    Michael came over, threw his arm around me, and picked me up. I did the same and squeezed. He held me for a while. ¡°Were you worried?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Did you see those things?¡± My eyes were big, but I gave him a reassuring smile. Michael let me go and pushed me this way and that way, checking me over. Since the Riphaths came into the city, more and more beasts came over our path.

    ¡°I had to save a boy.¡±

    ¡°Oh well¡­ what can I say. You did the right thing.¡±

    ¡°And I brought food¡­ that I had to steal, but anyway.¡± Michael almost grabbed it out of my hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can see I was wrong bringing you¡­ Marcus was right.¡±

    Michael watched me and smirked. ¡°I won¡¯t tell him that¡­ Can you imagine if you start listening to him¡­¡± I laughed, shaking my head. ¡°But not bad. What is this?¡±

    ¡°Bread? I don¡¯t know¡­ Who would have thought it would take them weeks to just enter the city and get settled.¡±

    Michael sat down, resting back against the rock wall. We had been sleeping on the ground with Sammy. He opened the bag and took out water. I had to go into the city often to steal things. I had not seen Chris once. Although I knew where to go and where his room was¡­ But I didn¡¯t want to leave Michael for so long that I couldn¡¯t really sit around and wait. Or go that deep into the city. We had been there for five weeks already... Louis and Marcus thought we were taking our two weeks¡­ In hindsight¡­ Stupid Juliet!

 I Think About You

    130. I Think About You

    Chris

    It was the second day Caleb was going out of the city with us. Since the day before, he had been acting weird, staring off into space. One moment, with a stupid smile on his face. The next, he would be frowning, thinking heavily. Just like at the breakfast table across from me that morning. Humming and happy, and then he would bite his lip nervously¡­ He wasn¡¯t a very bouncy child. But like his mom, when he was excited and on the way to getting what he wanted¡­ Caleb would turn into a total goof.

    ¡°What is wrong with you? Did your grandfather give you something?¡± Caleb blushed. I was shocked. His cheeks were red. He hadn¡¯t blushed¡­ since that girl made a move on him¡­ Ah, a girl.

    ¡°Who is she?¡± His lips pressed together, trying not to smile. ¡°Is she pretty?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Yeah, kinda¡­¡± What did that mean? He held out a hand to me and stretched his pinky out. I tilted my head and stared at it. He pulled my hand closer and made me pinky swear. ¡°Swear you won¡¯t tell my grandfather.¡±

    When I let go, he actually used the word ¡°cool.¡±

    My insides flipped. Butterflies swarming. Remembering that night, she was there¡­ My mind was going a million miles per second. Pinky swear and cool. Kinda pretty girl¡­ Like she wasn¡¯t everybody¡¯s cup of tea. Would he fall in love with his own mother? Did she finally make it? Why would she not show herself? That was stupid. I knew why.

    ¡°So why are you all happy?¡± I followed him eagerly, trying to fish out any information from him.

    ¡°She¡¯s just¡­ different.¡±

    I instantly thought about Juliet, seeing her on top of me at the cabin. Grabbing me around the waist with her legs. She held onto me for a day because I was leaving. I sighed and turned away from him. It was probably nothing, only my imagination. I could¡¯ve used the word ¡°cool¡± somewhere. Or did a pinky swear with Selena, and Caleb had seen it¡­ And I didn¡¯t want to ask him about it because Ira walked into the room. A flicker of fear played around in my thoughts that Ira would actually kill her... I was also jealous... If Caleb started sleeping around¡­ I didn¡¯t know what I would do. That would completely change everything. If he embraced the life there. If he wanted to stay. I never had to think about it like that.

    I missed Juliet¡­ something fierce. It was Shumaan. It got worse because I was close to going home¡­ to her. Making it at last. Earth was still my home. Any place but Zoreah. I had still not connected. After fifteen years of it... It was as if I had emigrated to another country... I couldn¡¯t acclimate. Culture shock¡­ Missing real people¡­ Missing my people. Pretending every day. Fake it till you make it for the wrong reasons¡­ For Caleb. Who I thought would¡¯ve wanted to leave with me in a heartbeat.

    That morning, I waited outside the house to walk out of the city. The day before had gone well, and Caleb was a natural. He found a rhythm in everything he needed to do. Like Juliet, he could train and focus for hours and keep a level head.

    Selena was waiting in the street. The tall blond was waving her arms in the air. She and Jamal were still the only ones I gravitated to. Jamal was awake and knew there was more to life... More human than he realized. A Riphath that didn¡¯t want to put on a mask. When I was with Selena, I could let go. She knew everything about me, and I wanted to believe she loved me. As a friend and for who I was.

    ***

    That day, it was her and me again on patrols. Jamal was with Caleb. I thought it a good idea to give him some space. For some time¡­ since his birthday, he had been angrier and challenging me a bit. A teenager, regardless of his species. I was okay with bringing him because we were close to the city. Selena and I  were sitting under a tree in some shade, taking a little break. Selena lay in my lap. I was leaning back on my hands, enjoying the cool breeze, chewing on a piece of grass. The only ¡°Earthly thing¡± you could do to a piece of straw or whatever it was.

    Jamal and Caleb had switched places with us. The previous day, we had walked endlessly. Selena was talking about something funny, and we were laughing. She was still the only one in that place who could make the best parts of me come out.

    My arms had drifted out from under me, and I fell back into the sand. I knew it¡­ I wanted to freak out. I got the desire to search the air like a maniac and grab onto her.

    Selena sat up and laughed at me. ¡°What are you doing, Chris?¡±

    I kept lying down, my eyes closed, hoping that maybe my invisible girl was back. Selena climbed on top of me. My eyes jumped open. I thought about the irony. If Juliet was there, she was seeing it. Over the last six years, Selena had tried a few times, but not like that¡­ One of her hands was in the sand next to my face. The other traveled down my body on her way to my crotch.

    ¡°Is this an invitation?¡± Selena asked. I giggled¡­ ¡°Why are you giggling like a child? No wonder you do not have sex.¡±

    ¡°The last girl beside Juliet that did that¡­.¡± I glanced at her hand¡­ ¡°I ate.¡± Selena¡¯s hand stopped moving, right on my stomach. She pushed off me, frustrated and angry. I had wished Selena would keep going. Nothing like jealousy to make Juliet show herself. Maybe I should have¡­ Or perhaps that would¡¯ve given her more reason to think she wasn¡¯t wanted¡­ Maybe she was checking¡­ If Selena and I¡­

    I sat up, pulling my feet under me.

    ¡°It¡¯s been fifteen years!¡±

    I didn¡¯t even get up. I felt like Caleb¡­ A stupid smile on my face one moment and the next, worried about her¡­. It was true... It had been six since she was last there¡­ She didn¡¯t know what had happened¡­ But it had to be her. It had to be that year¡­ It had to be. I kept repeating the words to myself. It really didn¡¯t matter how much temptation I was in. The older I got, the easier it was to stay faithful. I had made a choice. It was my choice. And if I was not going crazy, the only girl that would challenge a king¡­ take over his planet¡­ cross the galaxy for me¡­ was there. I swallowed hard¡­ nervous.

    ¡°How long are you going to go on like this?¡±

    We never told Selena what happened that night. I felt terrible about my father doing that to her. My mind was in a daze, not listening. I needed to get away from her, so I got up and walked off.

    ¡°Chris!¡± Selena yelled.

    ¡°What!?¡± I yelled back, irritated. I wanted to be left alone so I could think about Juliet.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°I asked you a question?¡±

    ¡°I had never given you an ounce of doubt regarding my feelings for you¡­ S- Selena, you and Jamal sleep together every day. That¡¯s a little weird.¡±

    She scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re joking! What! Juliet can have a harem, but I can¡¯t have two regulars.¡±

    ¡°No! It¡¯s not that! I don¡¯t care what you do¡­ Why do we have to revisit¡­.¡± I gestured with my hands between the two of¡­ ¡°us¡­ so often, Selena? You know I¡¯m co¡­mit¡­ ted¡­.¡±

    She pretended to dry heave. ¡°You really make your race proud.¡±

    I bowed dramatically in front of her.

    Selena¡¯s eyes rolled, ¡°How you¡¯re ever going to rule is beyond me.¡± She mumbled, walking away.

    ***

    Juliet

    Standing so close to Chris was surreal. He was leaning against a tree, frustrated with the fight he had with Selena. It was not how I thought my plans would play out. That night, Jamal and I had to carry her. I had seen her but not like that¡­ In all her beautiful glory. Golden locks and a pretty face. When I saw Selena lying on his lap. My eyes turned green¡­ I didn¡¯t like anyone that close to him. Chris always pushed me to accept them if they had other people. By the sounds of it, he wasn¡¯t without a lack of women who wanted him. Why did he deny a friend who threw herself at him? After the last time I was there¡­ I didn¡¯t know what he would do? Even before that¡­ I didn¡¯t know what he did. He could have slept with so many people. Jamal could¡¯ve lied. For three years, the only fear I had was him moving on. I felt like a hypocrite, but that was my life.

    I had kicked his arm out from under him to make him fall back. He didn¡¯t even recognize the feeling¡­ It had been too long¡­ He was going to be king. Nevertheless, for fifteen years, he had never cheated. I wanted to show myself, take him right there in the dirt¡­ Give him an outlet and free him from his commitment¡­ No against the tree¡­ I looked up at the plant type of thing¡­ If you could call it a tree.

    He was as handsome as he had always been. His skin was soft and brown. His body was covered in muscles. As if the desert had the opposite effect on him. It was where he belonged. The women were so gorgeous that I felt like a bug. It was supermodel Ville¡­ with big breasts all around. Except for Selena¡­ She was sweet¡­ Not like me. And it did seem that they were attracted to each other. The few times I was in the city were daunting. Everybody was beautiful. His friend Jamal was lovely¡­ But all I wanted was to follow Chris home¡­ get in bed with him, and make him moan like he did that night. Not that we could go to his house. Ira was there.

    Dreamily, I stared at him, deciding. All he did was space out over the valley. I wanted to put my head on his shoulder so he knew I was there. Let him feel me. I spun around. ¡°Frak!¡± Sammy was awake. The crying echoed through the gorge. Chris jerkily pushed off the tree, walking towards the canyon¡¯s edge. I jumped out of the way. I had to be careful, or he would have touched me. How would that go? I was so nervous, telling him we had another kid. Scared he would fight me to leave her¡­ But I wasn¡¯t going to go home without both my children. Even if I never saw him again. All I needed was my birth tattoo and him to change her back. I also had to face the idea that he might want to stay¡­ Did I really have that little faith in Chris¡­ Or was it more fear¡­ The little bit that had taken root that night in the street had grown and grown.

    Chris was peering down into the valley and listening. Sammy had stopped. It wasn¡¯t a continuous noise. It was a short burst and sounded more like a tantrum. Relieved, I walked away, but it was hard. I wanted to stay with Chris for a little while longer¡­ Follow him and watch him like I always did. Michael was in the back of my mind. The city was far away, and they could teleport. I had to walk to get food, steal something, and head back to the cave every time I left. Finding anything for Michael to eat was the most difficult. They didn¡¯t waste and didn¡¯t eat every day, just like vampires.

    We would have traveled back already if they hadn¡¯t caught us so unexpectedly. Michael and I were going on with our day and playing in the water. It had been the best weeks of my life. It was all I wanted. To forget about everything and live the life I had dreamed about. The singing had echoed toward us. For a moment, we were stunned at the unity and choir of voices and instruments. I had heard it first, and it was so loud that we thought they were already in the city. All we could do was grab our stuff and run in the opposite direction. Teleporters would land soon, and catching us there would¡¯ve been a problem. Another one was we were on the wrong side of the city when they started settling. That day, we had to get out and hide. Ira told me that he would kill me¡­ If the Riphaths found us, they would think we stole Sammy. If I manifested, they would kill me on the spot. Going all the way around the city at night wasn¡¯t an option. There were guards everywhere, and the teleporter was at the other end... They were still settling, and I was still deciding what I wanted to do.

    ***

    Caleb

    Doing rounds was tedious. All we did was walk back and forth the length of a space assigned to us. Met in the middle and had to walk it quickly, so there was enough surveillance. Because I hadn¡¯t manifested yet, Jamal and my dad were indulging me. They could do what took me hours in seconds.

    After Jamal had checked in on me the last time, I had heard the child crying. I ran and reached the valley entrance. I glanced up at my dad. He was high up above me, staring down into the gorge. He had heard it, too. He and Selena would check it out soon. I thought about the girl yesterday. I needed to either help her or break my promise.

    I flattened myself under the ridge that ran the valley¡¯s length. Chris couldn¡¯t see me, so I took a deep breath and moved quickly. When I was out of sight, I ran as fast as possible. I searched for a place where a woman and a baby would hide, wondering why they would need to? The kids were so protected that the whole situation made me anxious and worried. Something I wasn¡¯t used to.

    I heard talking. A man¡¯s voice and a child. He was friendly and soothing to her. Gave her things and told her that her mom would be there soon. By the tone in his voice I felt I had made the right decision. The child was theirs, and for some reason, they were in distress. I wanted to know what was going on and cleared my throat, lifting my hands in the air. The weirdest-looking person I had ever seen spun around and reached for an object by his side, pointing it at me. It took a moment, but he lowered it again, putting it back into a leather protector. I had no idea what it was.

    ¡°Where is the girl? With the blue eyes?¡±

    ¡°Stealing food.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here, hiding? Who are you? What is all that.¡± I gestured to all of him. His eyes cast down at his arms, and he lifted his shirt like he was proud of it. There were markings everywhere over his skin, black and up till his ears.

    I scratched my head¡­ ¡°What are you? Where are you from? What are you doing with a Riphath child?¡±

    The weird man¡¯s brows furrowed. He said nothing, and I thought maybe he couldn¡¯t understand me. ¡°You got to get out of here.¡± I tried to show him with my hands. ¡°The protectors heard her.¡± I pointed to the little girl sitting and playing with something square and running pictures on it. Her gaze was locked like she was in a trance. The man¡¯s eyes traveled from mine to her.

    ¡°It¡¯s a phone. An I-phone. With YouTube¡­ Well, downloads¡­ But her battery is on like thirty percent¡­ It¡¯s just for emergencies¡­.¡±

    I had no idea what he was talking about¡­

    ¡°Where can we go? We need to hide¡­ We traveled here by mistake. We¡¯re from another world.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what was going on. Were there other planets with Riphath¡¯s on? And why was she not in her human form?

    ¡°Tell your¡­ friend to use her ability and hide the three of you. Meet me at the gate¡­.¡±

    He cut me off. ¡°We are here because the baby doesn¡¯t want to disappear with her. There¡¯s no place else we can go.¡±

    I tried to think of how I could hide them? Where would I hide them?

    ¡°The most important is food. If we can only get some, it would go a lot better. She has to leave the whole time. She is in danger every time¡­ I don¡¯t like it. I can¡¯t go anywhere like this¡­.¡± He gestured to all of his person.

    ¡°Well, that I can help you with¡­ I can¡¯t come out at night. She will have to sneak in and meet me on the other side. I will wait around.¡± The man nodded.

    ¡°I gotta go. I¡¯ll try to stop them.¡± I dashed out of there, hoping I could still stop Chris and Selena.

 Caleb And Juliet

    131. Caleb And Juliet

    Chris

    The hairs on my arms stood up when I heard the child¡­ Of course, I wanted to teleport down there and push myself in. Sick of being the one that had to wait. Even so, I couldn¡¯t rush in there and take the chance of spooking them. I couldn¡¯t risk it.

    Salena and I were walking into the valley after spending twenty minutes going all the way around. I told her that I didn¡¯t want to miss Caleb. When we got to the entrance, he came out running...

    ¡°What were you doing in there all alone?! Where is Jamal?¡± I yelled.

    ¡°I heard the cry, but I couldn¡¯t find anything. He¡¯s probably looking for me. Come, let¡¯s go¡­.¡± Caleb pulled me by the arm¡­ ¡°Jamal will be worried sick¡­ It was just some weird creature¡­ And Sirius is going down. The next patrol would be here soon¡­.¡± Caleb was rambling. Juliet was with me up on the ridge. Whoever was in the valley was with a child¡­ A child¡­ And Juliet might be back. Why would she flee Earth with a child¡­ Why would she flee En-gannim with a child? Why would she come here? My mind was going nuts. Scared that something worse had happened to her after I last saw her? Who would she be hiding from?

    I was almost sure that Juliet and Caleb had met, but he didn¡¯t know who she was. On the way home, Caleb was acting even stranger. He pulled out an imaginary gun and held it out like in an old Western movie. If nothing confirmed it, that was the proof. Whoever was in the valley had pulled a gun on him. I paused, thinking. Why would they bring a firearm¡­ It was like the worst protection against us¡­ How would they know? Then I remembered¡­ It was probably a dart gun. I chuckled.

    But other than that, Caleb¡¯s countenance had fallen. He met a guy. I had wondered if it might be Charlene and Min¨¦. But there was someone with Juliet, and Caleb wasn¡¯t happy about it¡­ And he was in a hurry. Something was wrong.

    At home, he went into his room and called an early night. From being excited about going hunting to that¡­ I couldn¡¯t just ignore it. ¡°Caleb, I need to talk to you.¡± I pulled back the curtain that was his door. It really wasn¡¯t any privacy, and me opening it was wrong. The room was empty. Frustrated, I walked around, checking out the window.

    ¡°Crap¡­¡±

    Ira came to stand in the doorway.

    ¡°Leave the boy! He¡¯s probably making arrangements with that girl. They''re probably finding a place to have sex right now.¡±

    My face contorted. Yeah, with his mother¡­ ¡°He¡¯s only fifteen! Why is everything about sex for you? Or are we going to fight about the succession again?¡±

    Ira scoffed. ¡°Men of fifteen have had sex before.¡± He lifted his hands in the air.

    ¡°Yes, but you actually have to woo a girl to do it on Earth.¡±

    My father rolled his eyes. ¡°That is why the Earth is like it is... Too many hang-ups. And the last time I checked, it wasn¡¯t at all what Earth is like¡­ Juliet being the model standard of propriety¡­ When are you going to face it¡­. It¡¯s you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going after him, Ira...¡±

    He let it go and left me alone. Why, Juliet, do you not trust me? Why not come to me? It had to be Ira. I should have gotten my own house when Caleb turned thirteen. I sighed. I had to live with Ira till I was a hundred. The fact that I had a child was out of the norm.

    ***

    Juliet

    I couldn¡¯t find anything to eat that day. When I returned to the cave, I had to leave again to make it back to the city gates. I didn¡¯t want Michael to suffer anymore¡­ He was weary and hungry. I could grab anything on the planet, kill it, and suck on it; it was like heaven. Everything I brought human-wise was limited. My dad had sent us stuff for the first few weeks. My gut churned, thinking about Michael suffering again¡­ At all¡­ In any way. But it would be worse if I made him feel like less of a man. We needed to finish our mission¡­ I had to take a chance. It was going to happen the following day. If I died, it was okay. Chris would have to protect Michael. I had been stupid. Not coming alone... Do some recon and let them beam me back and forth¡­ Thought about another plan¡­

    I rushed to the city to meet up with Elias. I was desperately waiting inside the gate. It was easy, and it didn¡¯t take long before he came and stood around.

    Coming back from my vanished state around a corner, I called out to him. ¡°Pssst! Hey boy!¡± His eyes darted my way. ¡°I seriously need help. Can you give me some food?¡±

    He smiled when he saw me. ¡°Yeah, he told me¡­ So you are a Riphath? Are there Riphaths on other planets? That¡¯s why you¡¯re hiding? How did you end up here?¡±

    ¡°That is a very long story. Can I tell you later? Let¡¯s get something to eat, and I¡¯ll take you with me¡­ Hey, are we going to see your dad there?¡±

    ¡°Maybe why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go in my vanished state. Use my ability, just in case.¡±

    He ushered me into a door and told me to take a seat. I sat down on a clay stool. It was weird that there was no wood on Zoreah. Everything was plastered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right here¡­ don¡¯t leave.¡± He was talking into thin air. And really, where was I gonna go.

    I felt a bit awkward when Jamal came out of the room sweaty. He paused, eyes wide. His eyes darted back to his room, and Selena walked out naked.

    ¡°Noice.¡±

    The boy didn¡¯t even flinch.

    ¡°Sheesh, what the hell are you doing here,¡± Jamal asked.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ I need food. I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Jamal seemed confused, and I was as well. Elias was acting strange. He was on edge, and his back was stiff. ¡°Okay, take what you want.¡±

    Selena turned around and went back to the room. She was dressed by the time she came out and was leaving. Jamal followed her, saying, ¡°We will be right back.¡±

    The whole situation was strange. The boy hurried and went to the kitchen. He filled a satchel with food, hung it over my head, and gave me something they kept water in.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what this means to me. I¡¯m so glad I met you.¡± I lifted an arm and softly touched his cheek.

    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡±

    ¡°Sure?¡±

    ¡°That guy in the cave. Your¡­ friend¡­ He your lover too?¡±

    I nodded regarding him. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re irritated tonight? You liked me?¡± He was blushing again, and it put me on edge. He had Jamal¡¯s blue eyes¡­ He was tall like his father¡­ But his hair was dark¡­ I shook myself. Every boy I walked past could be Caleb. I didn¡¯t see Chris with anyone, and the City was enormous.

    ¡°Oh, sweetie, no. That could never happen. There are so many girls here. You could have Selena? Really, why would you not?¡±

    Elias shrugged but didn¡¯t answer.

    We heard Jamal come back up the stairs, and I disappeared. The boy was exasperated, swearing. Or what I thought was a swear word. Flinging his arm in the air, he stormed past Jamal and bumped into Selena. ¡°Hey!¡± They shrugged and came indoors, and I left before Jamal could close the curtain.

    ***

    Caleb

    ¡°You know I find a girl that actually catches my attention¡­ means something, and then¡­ she¡¯s¡­. she¡¯s¡­ with someone else,¡± I yelled, coming back into our house.

    Chris and Ira looked up from what they were busy with... I almost said something I shouldn¡¯t but stopped myself just in time.

    ¡°Selena and Jamal were just here¡­ They said you were acting strange. Wanting food?¡±

    I turned to Ira¡­ ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I sputtered. ¡°I needed it for that¡­ girl I met.¡±

    Ira stood closer. ¡°What do you mean? You wanted to give her something¡­ for what?¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    My eyes darted to the floor. What the hell. I was in over my head. Never had to lie¡­ ever¡­ Accept about my dad¡¯s teleporting and Rodrigo¡­ About reading. Books and Ahasuerus¡­ Okay, fine, there was a lot of lying¡­

    ¡°Thought I could convince her¡­ to sleep with me.¡± Great, Caleb, change the subject.

    Chris choked and coughed.

    ¡°Like dad always say¡­ be nice to a girl¡­.¡±

    ¡°Your father is an idiot¡­ WE don¡¯t pay women to sleep with us here¡­ And why are you so upset? You can still have her. They will have a night, and then you can have a night.¡± Ira said. ¡°If you like, I can help you.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I said loudly. ¡°She said no!¡± I lowered my voice and pouted for effect, sitting down. She did say no, though¡­

    My dad laughed. ¡°I would love to meet this girl¡­ Come on, you got to show us... Where is she? Or bring her here. Tell her the king wants to see her.¡± Ira was very keen on the idea.

    ¡°No!¡± I said a little too loud. That would be the last thing she would want. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ She took all Jamal¡¯s food and left.¡±

    They burst out laughing. ¡°You were going to pay for sex and didn¡¯t get any?¡± Chris tried to speak while laughing.

    ¡°It¡¯s not paying¡­ It¡¯s trading.¡± I spat out.

    My dad kept snickering, but Ira was irritated. ¡°I don¡¯t like this girl!¡± Chris roared again, holding onto his stomach. ¡°She puts you in a mood. Tells you to come out for sex and then¡­ eats your food!¡± Ira mumbled, walking away.

    I went to my room and fell on the bed in a huff. ¡°Pay for sex? Who pays for sex?¡±

    ***

    Chris

    I had a good laugh on Caleb¡¯s behalf, knowing the crap Juliet was getting up to. What were the chances that she and Caleb would meet? Maybe it wasn¡¯t a coincidence. My bout of laughter was gone when the thought settled.

    When Jamal came in, I was scared that Caleb would go with her¡­ They would disappear, and that was why she was there¡­ To take him. I wanted to bolt out of there. Jamal had pushed me down and ran for me. I didn¡¯t care that she took Caleb with her¡­ I just wanted to go with. When Caleb came back, I was relieved. It had to stop. I was going into the valley that next day, come hell or high water.

    ***

    It was the middle of the night.

    ¡°The alarm.¡± I ran past Caleb¡¯s room. ¡°Boy, you coming? There¡¯s a beast near the city.¡±

    I was so scared for Juliet out there. There were no raiders or rapists¡­ But there were monsters. Caleb came out drowsy. But he was thinking the exact same thing. ¡°What direction?¡± He seemed panicked.

    ¡°To the west, come we got to go.¡±

    We ran down the road as fast as we could, meeting up with Selena and Jamal waiting. The gate came into view. A sand monster rushed in and out of the ground. It tried to pass and fight with the few hunters there. I was relieved that it was close to the city and far away from the gorge.

    Caleb also seemed relieved. ¡°Stay here and watch¡­ You need to learn¡­.¡± He nodded. It lifted the one Riphath into the air. The guy teleported and eloquently landed on his feet. We all manifested, took our armor from some young recruits, and joined up with the others.

    It was hours before we drove it out further away from the city. They had thick skins and were almost impenetrable. We never saw them coming. Few and far between over the years I had been there. When it pulled back and rested on its tail, it was as large as a three-story building and as fat and heavy as that same building. The only way to make it leave was to tire it out until it conceded and retreated¡­ Just like a werewolf on a full moon.

    It took a hundred of us to make it burrow down for the last time. We were tired and panting. The three of us grouped up to catch our breath. I was still talking to General Sung when I turned to ensure Caleb was fine. He wasn¡¯t where I had left him. It was still very dark as I searched the crowd. I cursed¡­ He had gone after Juliet.

    A cry came from far out of the city. A chill ran down my spine. It was Juliet. That cry she would give for Marcus¡­ A child screamed and called out to her mother. It was so loud that we all heard it. The next sound was the monster¡¯s screeching coming out of the sand. We all stood motionless, staring into the distance.

    ***

    Caleb

    When my father turned his back, and it seemed that the monster was tiring out, I started walking on my way to the gorge, regardless of whether it was wrong. I needed to know that they were okay. That it had not gone into the canyon before coming for the city.

    I heard screaming. I ran so fast¡­ I had never run like that. It felt like I was being carried by something else, like when my dad had me in his arms, teleporting and coming out far from where I had started. I had manifested. That cry had pulled me out, and I was already there when the sand monster went back into the ground. The girl had dodged, slipped, and went over the edge, her hand hanging on by her fingertips. My legs glided through the sand as I jumped to grab onto her in time. I had caught her other arm by the elbow, and her hand gripped mine so tightly. The baby clutched onto her mother. The girl was desperately trying to hold onto her baby and me. Her eyes darted down to the bottom of the gorge. It was a long way to fall. Her grip was slipping. My heart was pounding. I had lost my manifestation. It was skin on skin.

    ¡°Listen to me. I¡¯m going to hand you the baby. You will take her. I will disappear and fall. Nothing will happen to me¡­ Nod, to tell me you understand me.¡±

    My head obeyed, but I doubted her words. Was she lying? Would she die?

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I will lift you up.¡±

    Our hands slipped a little more until we were at each other¡¯s wrists. Her eyes darted to our sweaty skin, and she used all her strength to push the baby up. I grabbed her around the waist with my other free arm. She was going nuts for her mom. Nuts in general. Why was she not in human form¡­ Was that why they were there? Why did they not teleport?

    I glanced down again to see if she would let go¡­ But she wasn¡¯t a girl anymore¡­ She was another creature. It took me a moment¡­ Chris had told me what the differences were¡­ She was a vampire¡­ My mom was a vampire¡­ But this girl¡¯s features were different. Her eyes were white and not black. Teeth filled her whole mouth like a dog.

    ¡°Juliet¡­?¡± Her eyes jerked up. She changed back to human and frowned. ¡°How do you¡­ Caleb¡­ What?¡±

    ¡°Mom?¡± The mixture of emotions that played over her features proved it.

    The baby in my arms didn¡¯t want to sit still. ¡°Can¡¯t I put her down?¡±

    ¡°No! She will run, and I can¡¯t control her. You have to take her to Chris. Where is he?¡± I glanced back over my shoulder at the sandstorm on its way¡­ ¡°She needs him. She¡¯s your sister¡­ Her name is Sammy.¡± My eyes took in the screaming child. I had a sister.

    Juliet winced, and her face contorted in pain¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t, Caleb. Promise me you won¡¯t tell him.¡±

    ¡°What! Why?¡±

    We heard Chris coming back from his teleportation behind me¡­ Juliet disappeared. She was gone. My mother was there. Sammy had calmed down a little bit, peeking up at me. ¡°Ca¡­ lip.¡± I held her and stroked her head.

    My dad wasn¡¯t the problem¡­ It was the stampede I felt. A hundred Riphaths had followed my father, and we could hear them before seeing them. They stopped dead in their tracks, eyes wide. Everyone was disconcerted to see a child outside of the city. Their gazes darted from me to Chris.

    ¡°Caleb! You¡­ manifested.¡± Jamal said.

    Selena came forward. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°What? Oh yeah.¡± My arms were hairy. I was higher off the ground, my feet big with black toenails. I touched my face. I had manifested again. Too late. I was too late to pick them both up. I pushed Sammy into my father¡¯s arms.

    He was bewildered and indignant. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? She was happy with you?¡±

    I turned back again, irritated at myself, feeling the transformation for the first time. I walked to the cliff¡¯s edge and sank down onto my knees as a person. Angry at myself¡­ for not being able to control it.

    ¡°Get out of here!¡± Chris ordered everyone to leave. He was screaming. I was stunned. I had not seen him like that in a long time. He came and stood next to me when everyone was gone... His hand rested on my shoulder.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Caleb? You¡¯ve been acting really weird the last few days. Did you lose her¡­ mother?¡±

    ¡°Mommy!¡± The girl complained, stretching out her arms. Chris rubbed his thumb over her forehead, and she slept, falling onto his shoulder. She turned to human form.

    I found it difficult to catch my breath. I swallowed hard after a while. A few tears rolled down my cheek as I manifested back and forth¡­ I bit my bottom lip, wanting to say something so bad. Make all hundred hunters come back and find my hurt mother. They wouldn¡¯t do anything to her. Why could I not say? Chris had been waiting for so long.

    ¡°Caleb!¡±

    ¡°What!¡± I yelled so loud that Chris took a step back, his brow furrowed.

    ¡°Leave me alone! I¡¯m thinking.¡±

    I jumped up. Chris turned me around. ¡°Just wait for a second!¡± His hand gripped my arm.

    ***

    Chris

    Caleb was standing with a child in his arms. It was a little girl. When they turned, he pushed her into mine. She was a little crazy but a Riphath. Her eyes met mine, and she said¡­ ¡°Daddy.¡± I quickly ran my thumb over her head just to make sure. Gooseflesh covered my arms and legs that it had worked... She was mine. In her human form, I did a double-take. She had my brown beady eyes and that sad mouth and brown hair. I immediately knew what Ira had been keeping from me¡­ It didn¡¯t happen six years ago¡­ It happened! I left, and Juliet was pregnant. I could have stayed¡­ ¡°Sammy.¡±

    Such a mixture of emotions ran through me. Caleb had manifested. For Juliet. To help her. To save her. I was getting sick of it. I didn¡¯t understand why Juliet was hiding. She couldn¡¯t think that Ira would really kill her¡­ My next thought was that Sammy was the reason. Juliet didn¡¯t want Ira to know they were there at all. Caleb was distraught, peering down into the valley. On his knees¡­ He knew. He just found out. And he wasn¡¯t saying. Anger was fueling him. He was tired. Just as sick of all the lies as I was. Ira and Silvanus would know in the next few minutes¡­ Jamal and Selena didn¡¯t go. They would never leave me, and they had seen it all. Jamal had already put two and two together. We stood staring at each other.

    ***

    Juliet

    After I could let go of Sammy, the pain was immediately better. I opened my hand and disappeared. I didn¡¯t want to see Chris, not like that. All I had to do was fall. I wondered. If I succeeded in committing suicide that day. Would my ability have come to save me? As always, I didn¡¯t feel pain when I landed. Supernaturally, the ground made me stop, and I lay there. Eyes watching their star come up. Our star. Sirius. I could hear them, and I listened to Chris¡¯s voice... I missed him so much. Caleb didn¡¯t understand. I couldn¡¯t believe it was Caleb¡­ That he was so big. He was almost Carl¡¯s size at his age... And pretty. Like his daddy.

    I came back so that Michael could find me. Glad that Sammy was where she belonged. Chris made her quiet. Rubbed his thumb over her forehead. He knew, and the peace that came with that was priceless. It was better for everyone.

 Michael To The Rescue

    132. Michael To The Rescue

    Michael

    ¡°Juliet!¡± I ran when I saw her lying on the ground. She was out and hurt. Juliet had not eaten for a few days and was as tired as I was. I heard her screaming and came as quickly as I could. Sammy didn¡¯t want to budge. Juliet had been walking with her for hours. My hands were shaking. The ground and the walls in the cave had started rumbling. I knew it had to have been a massive monster. I was feeling her all over. I heard Chris¡¯s voice talking to someone and yelling from Caleb.

    ¡°Chris!¡± I put my hands around my mouth. It was quiet. ¡°Chris! Caleb!¡± There was a long silence. She was going to be furious. But she was being stupid. I smiled. I had a way out of her waking up in the next ten minutes. I dug into my pocket for a tube of drugs.

    ¡°Michael?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Chris, she¡¯s hurt.¡±

    ¡°Stay there. We¡¯re coming to you.¡±

    I pressed the vial into her neck. The little princess in my arms was out and dead weight. After having a proper meal that night, I felt better. But I was still weak. It had been too long in that cave. We had a good laugh at Caleb¡¯s expense when she came back with so much food. How she couldn¡¯t see he was hers was beyond me. I didn¡¯t have the heart to tell her. When he walked into the cave, I almost wanted to wrap my arms around him. Maybe it was because he looked exactly like her and not Chris.

    ***

    It was so hot that all I had on was a T-shirt and long cargo pants. I could try and hide all my tats. But really, the secret was out. Whoever was with Chris would know. The entrance to the valley came into view, and Sirius was luckily coming up. It felt like I was dreaming. It was bizarre to see Chris after so long.

    He had given Sammy to a woman walking with them. She wasn¡¯t in Riphath form anymore¡­ I gave Juliet to another blond guy. Chris and I actually hugged for the first time. He was so happy to see me that I knew he would come home. All her fears were for naught¡­ I sighed. We still had Ira to contend with.

    ¡°All I can say is¡­ she¡¯s too stubborn. She wanted to find out everything before talking to you. She just needed to figure it out on her own¡­ You know. We were too scared of that nose of Silvanus¡­ He clapped me on the shoulder. Chris manifested and took Juliet from Jamal and carried her with ease. It would¡¯ve been impossible for me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she wants Ira to know. There are things she had been¡­ investigating.¡±

    Chris didn¡¯t seem surprised. ¡°Jamal, can I leave her with you? Caleb, you will stay with her.¡± They both nodded. The woman was quiet, her eyes drifting between Juliet and me.

    ¡°She¡¯s going to be pissed when she wakes up.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°No, not three days again. Maybe half a day... A few hours. It depends. She¡¯s exhausted.¡±

    ¡°You seem tired, too. How long have you guys been here?¡±

    ¡°About five weeks¡­.¡± I said, yawning. It had been a long night.

    Chris halted and turned to me. ¡°In that cave for five weeks?!¡±

    ¡°No! Just as long as it took you guys to enter the city¡­ So about two and the one we are in¡­.¡± I said, yawning again. ¡°It wasn¡¯t that bad. We had been living in the city¡­ For about three weeks before you came.¡± I smiled. Those were the best weeks of my life. It had all been worth it.

    ¡°Why like this?¡±

    Guiltily, I cast my eyes to the ground, rubbing nervously over my beard.

    ¡°What? Now is not the time to hold back.¡±

    ¡°I was the only one¡­.¡±

    ¡°The only one what?¡±

    ¡°The others don¡¯t know we are here. I think¡­ She didn¡¯t want Marcus and Louis here¡­.¡±

    He smiled¡­ ¡°Because they can control her¡­ Louis¡¯s in her head.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yeah, and she thought Ira would be more receptive if there weren¡¯t any other vampires on Zoreah. I¡¯m more diplomatic, she said.¡±

    Chris laughed. ¡°We will need to cover you up with a bodysuit. Selena, would you please. We have to hurry¡­ Ira would hear about the child soon¡­. About Sammy¡­¡± Chris glanced at his daughter.

    Selena gave Sammy to Caleb¡­ she saluted and teleported.

    ¡°In a nutshell?¡±

    ¡°Mhmm¡­ Well, most of it, you know¡­ Since Ahasuerus handed her the keys, it had been months of finding the coordinates to Shumaan. What don¡¯t you know?¡±

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know I had a daughter.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Samantha Agatha Ahmed.¡±

    He stopped and stared at me¡­ ¡°Long story, but it¡¯s a joke¡­ It¡¯s not like she has a birth certificate.¡±

    Chris was quiet.

    ¡°Well, not yet. That¡¯s another reason we¡¯re here. Juliet needs the swatch for her. Thinks it will give her some authority. But it seems all she needed was her father. It had been a few months of hell. She has never gone into human form. Not once.¡±

    We were coming up to the city. It was early in the morning, and there was little patrol after the monster. Jamal gave me his jacket, and we waited for Selena to come and give me a bodysuit. It covered me up to my neck. I was relieved that I could walk around like a normal person.

    ¡°You feel better?¡±

    ¡°Much¡­ Now I can actually do something¡­ She would have taken one, but you guys don¡¯t have spares lying around. I should¡¯ve packed better¡­.¡± Chris didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I told her she should bring someone that could easily blend. But she would have me. And here I am doing everything she tells me to.¡±

    Chris attempted a smile. ¡°I have really missed you guys. All of you. How is everyone?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to tell him how hard the year had been on all of us. How hard the three years had been¡­ Back and forth¡­. Selena and Jamal were intrigued about everything. Listening to everything. I didn¡¯t know what to say¡­

    ¡°Oh¡­ where are my manners.¡± Chris saw me staring at them. ¡°This is Jamal and Selena.¡± I held out a hand, but they just stared at it.

    ¡°Turn your hand palm up,¡± Caleb said. I did it, and they showed me their greeting.

    My eyes traveled to Chris¡­ ¡°Are they family?¡± Chris¡¯s jaw and lips were tight¡­.¡± He nodded.

    When I reached over, I introduced myself to Selena. Someone just as tall as me. ¡°I¡¯m husband number one¡­ Michael.¡± She didn¡¯t smile.

    ¡°She¡¯s not very friendly.¡±

    Chris chuckled. ¡°I think she fits right in. Just like Charlene.¡±

    Chris kept moving deeper into the small room and laid Juliet on a bed. He took Caleb¡¯s hand and dragged him down next to her. ¡°You don¡¯t move. You don¡¯t leave her side. Not for a second. Let¡¯s give her what she wants, huh.¡± Chris rubbed his cheek, ran his hand to Caleb¡¯s shoulder, and squeezed it. Caleb bobbed his head.

    ¡°You hungry?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Your human?¡± Selena asked. I nodded, biting into something Chris gave me.

    ¡°Not bad¡­ What is it?¡±

    ¡°Fruit, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°You okay, Chris?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m kind of losing my mind over here.¡±

    ¡°She just wants Caleb. If you don¡¯t want to go back¡­ She says it¡¯s her turn with the kids.¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Chris laughed lightly. ¡°Like we¡¯re divorced?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No, never that!¡±

    Chris smiled, ¡°No, never that. And no, I want to go home. So bad it hurts.¡± Chris¡¯s lips pulled tight around his mouth. He was trying really hard to keep it together. The rest of the room went quiet, and our heads snapped to the door. The orange hue coming from the man meant it could only be Silvanus.

    ¡°If you touch her, we will have the first murder on Zoreah.¡± Silvanus lifted his hands in the air.

    ¡°She¡¯s hurt. I¡¯ll get something for her.¡± He turned and went out the door.

    ¡°Do not tell my father.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think kept him busy the last half hour. Told him that they jumped and he should go chasing them.¡±

    Jamal moved to the other side of the bed. He leaned over her, touched her shirt, and lifted it to pull it over her head.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Chris and I yelled.

    Jamal slowly let go. ¡°What? We need to clean her up with water and be ready for when Silvanus comes back.¡±

    Chris and I shared a knowing glance and chuckled.

    ¡°Out! Everyone out, even you, Caleb.¡±

    ¡°What? Why we want to see.¡± Selena said.

    Chris kept shaking his head.

    ¡°I can help,¡± said Jamal.

    I pulled Jamal out by the collar. ¡°You get out first¡­ there is definitely no place for another addition.¡±

    ¡°So she hasn¡¯t added anyone?¡±

    I drew in air through my teeth. Chris¡¯s eyes widened, and he tilted his head.

    ¡°There was a boy¡­ But Marcus¡­ He lost it.¡±

    Chris frowned.

    I lifted my hand to steady the situation. ¡°Uhmm¡­ There is nothing settled yet¡­ We were kinda too busy anyway... Had one thing on her mind¡­ Or one person¡­ Maybe it''s a good thing. But Jamal, you¡¯re so pretty. Let¡¯s stay on the safe side.¡±

    The three left the room, but they stayed right outside.

    ¡°Juliet saw Selena naked coming out of Jamal¡¯s room¡­ I think you¡¯re safe¡­.¡± Caleb commented. Chris opened the curtain and hit him behind the head¡­ ¡°It¡¯s mom¡­ not Juliet, and¡­ I will have to teach you some manners before we leave for Earth.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not leaving me here, are you?¡± Jamal begged.

    ¡°If he¡¯s going, I¡¯m going,¡± Selena said.

    ¡°If she doesn¡¯t challenge you¡­ she saw you straddling Chris¡­.¡± I said through the curtain. ¡°Not happy. She is wondering if you fell in love with someone else.¡± I gestured to the cloth that separated the rooms. I wanted to see his reaction.

    Chris rubbed his hands over his face and snorted. ¡°This place is not about love¡­ So no¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh please, this little vamp¡­ I¡¯ll take her down in two seconds.¡± Selena postured.

    ¡°HEY!¡± Chris yelled. ¡°The problem is not her. It¡¯s the wall you have to get through first. I don¡¯t think you want to meet Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Marcus going to fight Selena?¡± Silvanus said from the door. Chris took the medicines and wraps he brought. Silvanus pushed in and, walked toward the bed, and checked her wound.

    ¡°Caleb¡­ water¡­ put it outside.¡±

    ¡°Already done.¡± I took the leather-like pouch they had to keep water in.

    ¡°How did you do it¡­ it¡¯s so primitive.¡± He took a deep breath as we took off her shirt and turned her on her side.

    Juliet moaned, and Chris gently stroked her hair. She relaxed again. I dipped the cloth in the water, and we quickly cleaned the wound. All they had was a slimy green sludge of a lotion and wraps we had to tie around her waist.

    ¡°We have some stuff in the cave Liam sent us. If this green goo doesn¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go get it,¡± Jamal offered.

    ¡°Bring both packs, please. Everything in there is important.¡±

    ¡°How did you make it for so long?¡± Chris asked.

    ¡°I had to ration for a few weeks, but you should have seen her and Sammy hunting¡­ It was cute. Sammy was free here, and they both could go primal.¡±

    Chris and Silvanus were staring at Sammy.

    ¡°Why does she still have the skin? Is it because Rodrigo is here.¡± I didn¡¯t know how to tell him that we lied¡­ I just kept ignoring him when I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    He was regarding me¡­ ¡°You will have to start talking, Mike¡­.¡± I smiled. That was a first¡­ I liked it¡­ Guessed the secrets had to come out¡­ I watched her as Silvanus held her up. Chris got her dressed again. He put a clean suit on Juliet, which Selena got for us. She looked like a really small Riphath.

    ¡°I lied to everyone. It was me that changed her treatment.¡±

    He frowned. ¡°You?¡±

    ¡°I had to do something when I was her watcher¡­ I held Rodrigo captive and forced him to make her stronger to carry Caleb and get a new ability with it¡­. You saw her with Ahasuerus¡­ You saw Brylee. Why she could carry Louis. Juliet would easily take on Selena and win. It was never going to turn out bad¡­ I got Louis involved, and we both lied to everyone.¡±

    ¡°So Louis isn¡¯t sick anymore?¡± I shook my head.

    ¡°He never was. It was to put Qadir off the scent¡­ It¡¯s more a matter of the consequences of interspecies pregnancy and managing and mastering the side effects.¡±

    ¡°The skin?¡±

    ¡°It would always be there, I think. Unless we work tirelessly for two hundred years like Rodrigo to formulate something to take it away.¡±

    Chris sat down next to her.

    ¡°I know¡­ it¡¯s a lot¡­ We can take it day by day? Just know she is healthy. And¡­ she won¡¯t ever get the reversal, or else she won¡¯t be able to carry your babies.¡±

    ¡°No! I want to know everything. All I had was day-to-day¡­ No more! Please.¡±

    ***

    The rest of the group moved to the kitchen, and I sat down with Chris. I stared at the two of them. Sammy wasn¡¯t asleep anymore and got off, climbing onto my leg. ¡°Daddy.¡± I hugged her. The joy of seeing her so calm¡­ not like an animal. ¡°Go home now.¡± I put a strand of her long hair in behind her ear. We never knew what she would look like. I took in all of her. She had dark hair like Juliet. Even if Juliet¡¯s hair was always blond. It was actually a very dark brown on the compound.

    ¡°Mommy has to work, remember.¡±

    ¡°Mommy always works¡­.¡± She rested her head on my chest.

    ¡°What about a nap? Mommy is napping. You kept Mommy up all night.¡± I bumped her nose.

    Surprisingly, she got off and walked to the bed. Usually, we had to wait till she passed out. ¡°Sit with me?¡± She asked.

    I walked over to the bed, watching Juliet and feeling her forehead for a fever. Her left arm was exposed with the skin I was so used to. How it was ever a problem. I shook my head. I ran my fingers over the little part of the tattoo sticking out¡­ I remembered how it happened. I was hoping the stress of the trip wouldn¡¯t do more damage.

    ¡°You are such a good girl, Sammy.¡± I stroked her hair until she fell asleep.

    My gaze finally lifted to Chris. His eyes were fixed on me¡­ I was so used to someone watching me¡­ with her¡­ Having Chris witness how I felt and what had happened between us¡­ I had to show him what he was coming home to. It was going to be four¡­ five men¡­

    ¡°Are you sure, Chris? We have the coordinates. We can come and go with the kids? We don¡¯t even need to tell Ira.¡±

    Chris sat forward like always and rubbed one hand with the other. I stood up and held out a cigarette to him. His gaze lifted. He took one, and I lit the lighter for him.

    ¡°There has been a lot of contention for her time.¡± I pointed to her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not sorted out, and it¡¯s just gotten worse. You had her so long¡­ You had her the longest.¡±

    ¡°Accept for Louis on the compound? And I¡¯ve not slept with anyone here¡­ but her.¡±

    I stood back regarding him. ¡°Why?¡±

    His gaze came up to mine. ¡°What do you mean, why?¡±

    ¡°After Sita¡­.¡±

    He bobbed his head, ¡°Would you ever?¡± Chris asked.

    I snorted loudly. ¡°There is no way in hell¡­ Not even if she died.¡±

    ¡°I had my temptations¡­.¡± Chris dragged the cigarette. ¡°I found her journal just in time¡­ Then, the universe gave me that night with her. How did she end up here, Mike?¡±

    ¡°We have no idea. She went to Palmyra that night. Had tea with her mother-in-law.¡± That made him laugh lightly. ¡°It¡¯s like we¡¯re all guessing. Brylee stabbed Ira in the back¡­ Nothing is surprising anymore, huh.¡± He shook his head. ¡°What is the stick up your father¡¯s ass. Juliet is such a peaceful girl¡­ I don¡¯t understand it. That day when he came for you¡­ He was nice to her¡­ But he probably didn¡¯t think he would see her again.¡±

    ¡°I think I have much to do with the hate he had built up in his heart towards her. I didn¡¯t want to fall into his way of living. Know how Marcus felt being¡­.¡±

    ¡°Filial?¡±

    He blew out some smoke. ¡°Yeah¡­ but I just couldn¡¯t do it. There were years we didn¡¯t talk to each other. The last time when he drugged me¡­ It was bad. I had almost hurt Selena.¡±

    ¡°Was Selena your temptation?¡±

    He bobbed his head and snorted. ¡°But she was sleeping around¡­ And I couldn¡¯t handle it.¡± We both chuckled.

    ¡°Juliet is the only one that can do it¡­ because she didn¡¯t really want it¡­ I wish I could show you all¡­ What she was like before¡­ I¡¯m angry at Marcus. We all are a little that he was so selfish!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°The boy¡­ Soren¡­ He would have married her¡­ before Lucius, before the branding, and she didn¡¯t even know. Liam didn¡¯t tell her. Marcus avoided the whole topic¡­ Because he was jealous¡­ She would have been happy. Uncorrupted. Reading for a life. Having babies¡­ It¡¯s all she ever wanted¡­ Was to be happy¡­ He is such a good kid, too. He is only a few years older than her¡­.¡±

    ¡°Is Soren still in the picture? You said it¡¯s not sorted out.¡±

    I bobbed my head left and right, moving with my shoulders. ¡°Mhm¡­ like I said, Marcus has her wrapped around his finger. They did¡­¡± I looked up to see his reaction¡­ ¡°Once¡­¡± Chris seemed fine. ¡°It happened when Louis wasn¡¯t there¡­ Marcus wasn¡¯t there. You weren¡¯t there, and I was presumed dead¡­ You won¡¯t blame her, will you?¡±

    Guess it did bother him. Or it just hurt, knowing she was that alone. Chris¡¯s head dropped, and his shoulders shook. I got up and pulled him to his feet. I hugged him and let him get it out.

    Juliet started stirring behind us. ¡°Guess the medicine for Sammy wasn¡¯t as strong as I thought.¡±

    Chris wiped at his eyes, turned around, and left¡­ ¡°I have to sort out Ira anyway. Keep Sammy here.¡±

 Acting

    133. Acting

    Chris

    It had been such a rush of emotions that I had to curb for fifteen years. A person who could actually talk and tell me things that made sense, and I was back on Earth in a second. I was wringing my hands for another hour before Selena came in, and we moved to my room. ¡°She is awake. Don¡¯t worry¡­ we will be there the whole time. You focus on Ira when he comes back.¡±

    ¡°Has she said what she wanted to find out?¡±

    ¡°She needs to go see Rodrigo. And wants to meet with¡­ Beatrice. She said that¡¯s all. Just a few hours.¡±

    I could give her that. Let her and Caleb bond. ¡°That¡¯s all we have before Ira comes back anyway.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Selena said.

    I didn¡¯t want to ask¡­ ¡°Does she want to see me?¡±

    Selena¡¯s lips pouted to the side, and she shook her head.

    It hurt. I wanted to be there. Help her. Protect her. I stormed out in a temper. She came all that way. It took me a minute to teleport to all five sites and meet up with Ira on the other side of the planet. I wasn¡¯t born yesterday. I was quick to get next to him. I took the glass plate out of his hand and teleported away from him.

    I had never told him about how strong I had become. I could go at it all day long. I could even carry Jamal with me. When I stood far away from him, the realization hit¡­ His face contorted. ¡°You have your grandfather¡¯s gift.¡± We stood staring at each other. ¡°Is she here?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Sammy, as well.¡± I sneered. He swore and turned away from me¡­ after a few moments, he turned back. ¡°That cannot be all¡­ What else is going on, Ira?¡±

    ¡°No one can know she is your second child¡­ Can you imagine the havoc! If there is a way for the species to cross? Not only that¡­ But that a girl is in charge of the teleporter tech and is happy to share it with the universe. She would open up all the borders, and they would be streaming in.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sick of you telling me what will happen¡­ You blame her for control and manipulation, but you¡¯re worse! You can¡¯t even see it. You¡¯re just like her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for myself! She is a selfish girl¡­.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea how selfless she is! We could negotiate with her if you could give her a chance.¡±

    ¡°Chris, there hasn¡¯t been a queen on En-gannim for five thousand years. That is five generations of men who have changed and cultivated the society they live in. If you think she will stay in power for long¡­ You are wrong¡­ They are probably planning at this moment¡­ And where is she? She is here. Doing just what she wants.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just speculating! You have no idea what would happen. Marcus is there. Do you not understand that!¡±

    ¡°I HAVE TO! You will not take all the factors into account for your people.¡±

    ¡°They are not my people or Caleb¡¯s! When you put my mother on Earth and didn¡¯t go with her. You signed away any claims your sons had on the throne. You should have brought me back¡­ No one wants me in that position or trusts me to take over¡­ Give it to someone else. Hell, you will be living so long anyway¡­ You have almost two thousand years left, Ira! You could take all the pregnant Riphaths into that city and have them sleep with men willing to come and go and start a whole freaking new era.¡±

    ¡°How would we withstand attacks from the vampires when they invade with that machine and Earth¡¯s guns and bombs¡­ Just to live forever, Chris¡­ Not to mention Brylee. The werewolf army is the one to beat Chris. They are our only rival. Don¡¯t you understand? If an army of vampires, the other half werewolves¡­ and the humans¡­ flying around. Teleporting everywhere¡­ Will you see Riphath mounts of death? Their medicine is to such a degree that we will have deaths, and they would have creatures being sent home fixed and shipped right back.¡±

    Ira sat down in the sand, defeated. I had never seen him like that. My father was taller than me. Jet black hair. Still thick on his scalp regardless of how long he had been alive. Mine was sunkissed brown. Our face shape was almost identical, up to the beards we both had. The same mouth and sad eyes. Ira¡¯s face was just a little softer than mine. A little boyish. Pretty. He was so negative. ¡°What if she sides with us, Ira. What if Earth stands with her, and they stop negotiating with Brylee¡­ She can¡¯t just teleport where she wants to.¡±

    ¡°She can¡­.¡±

    ¡°She might have one, but to travel a five hundred thousand soldier army¡­ No way¡­ Ira, you stole Caleb from her for fifteen years. She¡¯s asking for a day¡­ I haven¡¯t even spoken to her. So I¡¯m leaving you here¡­ I need to be home if she needs me.¡± I left a water pack on the ground. I¡¯ll come to get you tomorrow. I teleported out, taking his glass plate with me.

    ***

    Juliet

    When I woke up, I was in Michael¡¯s arms. We were in a house and not in the dirt. I stiffened. He didn¡¯t let me go. ¡°I¡¯m sorry honey¡­ Ira isn¡¯t in the city.¡± I blew out the only frustration I had. The fathers and mothers of the men I loved. ¡°Where is Chris? I can¡¯t face him yet.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s okay¡­.¡± Michael smiled.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We¡­ are giving you till morning...¡±

    I turned into Michael. He looked good. Better. He seemed his old self.  ¡°Thank You for everything. I couldn¡¯t have done this without you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost nighttime. If you want to go and talk to Rodrigo before the sun comes up, you have to go talk to the elders before dusk.¡±

    I sat up and crossed my legs. The chains were still not around my neck, and I didn¡¯t have anything to keep my hands busy with. My wedding ring was still absent. I picked up his hand and placed it on my cheek, nestling in. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    I shook my head and turned around. Didn¡¯t he understand¡­ The next few hours would determine the rest of my life. I let my legs fall from the bed. I felt my side. It wasn¡¯t too bad. I opened the curtain and walked out of the room. My gaze traveled left, and I saw Caleb sitting at the kitchen table. It was small and round. They didn¡¯t need much space.

    ¡°Caleb.¡±

    His head snapped up. I walked over to him. He came closer, and it was a bit different, knowing who he was. I didn¡¯t know what to say to him. Did he even like being touched. Would he like me, knowing I was his mother? He wrapped his arms around my neck and pulled me onto his chest. ¡°This feels really weird.¡± I laughed lightly. ¡°You are almost my age.¡± I nodded against his chest.

    ¡°Will you take me where I need to go?¡± He pushed me away and helped me put my shoes on. ¡°I need to eat.¡±

    Caleb laughed and got up. I took his hand. Caleb¡¯s eyes drifted downward. ¡°Why are you holding my hand?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°No one has done that in a very long time.¡±

    ¡°Should I let go¡­ are you uncomfortable.¡±

    He shook his head and held onto me.

    ¡°We need to go to see Beatrice.¡±

    Caleb helped me down the stairs, and we walked for a while. Caleb¡¯s eyes traveled down to our hands a few times. The Riphaths that walked past eyed us skeptically.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Intimacy isn¡¯t very big on Zoreah.¡± Caleb tried to explain¡­ ¡°Chris calls it¡­ real connection¡­ I never knew what he meant. But I haven¡¯t met you before, and we¡¯ve been together for only a few minutes¡­ and I feel you more than I do anyone else¡­.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a very sweet boy¡­ I¡¯m glad Chris raised you to be one¡­ That¡¯s why I fell in love with him¡­ He is so gentle even if he is strict or overprotective.¡±

    Caleb agreed with me. ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡± He pointed to a little hut. We were almost on the outskirts of the city.

    There was a very old woman sitting and grinding at something. We stood before her, and I manifested, waited, and her head came up. I dropped my manifestation and sat down. ¡°What do you want, vamp? Heard you were in town.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°World peace and everything that¡¯s nice¡­ Can you please let Caleb visit me on En-gannim?¡± Caleb wanted to say something, but I squeezed his hand. ¡°If there were treaties before. Can¡¯t there just be treaties again? We will come and go by invitation. Help you with water or whatever you need.¡±

    ¡°What about Chris?¡± Beatrice asked.

    ¡°Chris is a big boy¡­ he has to decide for himself. I don¡¯t ask anyone to do anything for me¡­ If I do, they asked me to and need it for some reason.¡±

    Her rhythmic beating in the mortar became strained and louder until the last heavy thud. She stopped and sat back. ¡°I have seen it all. Vampire lust will settle in your veins eventually¡­ Give it a hundred years, Juliet.¡±

    ¡°It would mean a hundred years of peace¡­ Of quiet¡­¡± She regarded me. Not with her eyes. ¡°Can I touch you?¡± Beatrice nodded. I took her hand and put it on mine and Caleb¡¯s, which were clutching each other. She felt our hands. ¡°Species can mix¡­.¡± Her hand pulled away.

    I grabbed hold of her hand again¡­ I put the swatch that Chris¡¯s mother left for him in it. She felt it immediately. The softness and smell were unmistakable. Beatrice ran her fingers over it. ¡°Mhmm. Haven¡¯t felt this in a long time.¡± She smiled. ¡°These are very rare¡­.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a teleportation swatch¡­ Whoever puts it on you will be able to come to you whenever they want¡­ Linked over space and time. No matter the distance.¡±

    I grabbed Caleb¡¯s hand. She snorted. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t give it to my child¡­ they might just come unannounced, if you know what I mean.¡±

    Caleb and I giggled, glancing at each other.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t give it to Chris with two other husbands¡­.¡±

    I cleared my throat¡­ ¡°Three¡­ maybe four¡­¡± Caleb drew in a breath. Beatrice whistled. ¡°That¡¯s if Chris still wants me.¡±

    She chuckled softly. ¡°You are just a little girl. More human than anything else.¡±

    ¡°I keep telling everyone that¡­ What did you plan that night with Selena six years ago.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t like it. Never thought that a peaceful nation should try and delve into that kind of thing¡­ But the council wanted a baby. A Riphath from Chris and Selena. To secure the stance.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel enough reason.¡±

    ¡°Ira always believed Chris just needed to get over you. If Chris embraced the life we had created¡­ Ira believed he would have completely forgotten about you. That night, he wanted to push the situation in that direction.¡±

    ¡°Did Brylee stab him in the back?¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t know what happened.¡±

    ¡°I brought a new communicator. Can I send a message to my vampire husband¡­ Louis is really nice¡­ You will like him¡­ Marcus¡­ maybe you¡¯ll learn to like him¡­.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°You know Juliet, you have proof that what is going on between you and those two vamps is true and pure¡­ But how will you know with the rest? Why don¡¯t you leave Chris here.¡±

    I cleared my throat again. Going to give my second sales pitch of the day.

    She licked her lips and folded her hands on her lap. ¡°I¡¯m very intrigued about what your proposal would be.¡±

    ¡°Well, my mom said I should¡­ Live here¡­ Have one husband with me here for a year¡­ That is a few months on Earth¡­ Marcus wants to have a baby, and  I¡¯m inclined to give him one¡­ The others can come and go if they want to¡­ Will let me see who really¡­ wants me.¡± I squeezed her hand. ¡°I could, for one Earth year¡­ have all five husbands...¡±

    She giggled. ¡°Your mother is a smart woman.¡± I squeezed her hand again¡­ ¡°If I rule En-gannim from here¡­ Would that not put your mind at ease. Bring Zoreah into the mix. I want to change En-gannim completely. My beacon points home continually¡­ But I could go home whenever I want to¡­ No other vamps would be allowed. Not even my mother if you don¡¯t want it¡­.¡±

    ¡°I like you, Juliet. I like your plans. They are basic and straightforward¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem that you really care about world domination.¡±

    I squeezed her hand for the last time and sat back. ¡°I really don¡¯t, Beatrice¡­ I don¡¯t know why Ira hates me so much. Does he even know Brylee is Louis¡¯s mother?¡±

    She drew in a breath. ¡°That was a shock to Ira. It came out at the fight. They fought for hours when they took Rodrigo and Ahasuerus to the city.¡±

    Her cataract eyes were as glossy as Ahasuerus¡¯s, giving away her age. ¡°Brylee didn¡¯t want to relent¡­ Do you think she can be brought to reason?¡± Beatrice asked.

    I scoffed and snorted. Got up and started pacing¡­ walking slowly back and forth. Unable to sit still anymore. ¡°She killed her youngest¡¯s son¡­ Mateo¡¯s wife and their little girl.¡± My chin quivered at how close we were to saving them. Beatrice¡¯s hand covered her mouth. ¡°I was so close to saving them¡­ Chris¡¯s ex-wife did it¡­ Shot them in their sleep.¡±

    Caleb stood up and wrapped his arms around me. ¡°So no¡­ I don¡¯t think she can be brought to reason. She is determined to have her own daughter¡­ Her husband is her one weakness.¡±

    I sat down again, suddenly tired. I didn¡¯t want my other shoulder to cover¡­

    ¡°I can even understand Ira¡¯s reluctance. But I also know you hold a lot of the cards here. And you seem more sensible than that man.¡±

    I was quite¡­ Beatrice kept going with her rhythm into the mush¡­

    ¡°I feel there is one more thing you want to ask about¡­ Or else you wouldn¡¯t be at the oldest Riphath alive¡­ But I won¡¯t tell you¡­ Even if you asked. Unlike Ira¡­ It is something I know we can¡¯t control. It cost so many lives to eradicate the brandings¡­ To split the worlds. The only problem we had back then and what you will face in the future¡­ Is that evil people also fall in love.¡±

    ***

    Caleb

    I loved the fact that Juliet included me in everything. I knew Ira and Chris had their issues over the years. I didn¡¯t see Juliet and me having that kind of problem. She was too¡­ intense. We were walking just a little bit further out of the city. I didn¡¯t think she knew Chris was following us, and I wasn¡¯t going to tell her.

    We needed to be in the teleporter cave to go to the city where we came from. She was quiet and kicking stones along the path, dragging her feet through the sand. ¡°It seems like you have everything figured out¡­ mom.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°It might seem like that, but I can tell you I¡¯m as lost as the next person¡­ It took me a whole year to figure out who I was and what I wanted. I thought I would have to take over Zoreah to get to you¡­ But I like this way better.¡±

    ¡°Me too. If we can just get Ira to come around¡­.¡± She nodded, took the backpack off my shoulder, and reached in for a device. It was a glass plate that was bigger than the small teleporter Ira used. Juliet took out the old one and replaced it. The screen lit up immediately when she lay it down. She stared at it for a while.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    A nervous chuckle escaped. ¡°I have to tell my other husbands what I had done¡­.¡± We giggled. ¡°What do you think I should say?¡±

    I thought about it. ¡°Let me send the message.¡± She pulled her mouth in an upside-down smile and stepped away.

    ¡°I thought you were not allowed to read and write.¡±

    ¡°Chris and Rodrigo took it upon themselves to educate me. I¡¯m very well-read.¡±

    ¡°Do you like Rodrigo?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°We met when I was ten, and we went regularly. He¡¯s not so bad.¡±

    I typed a few sentences into the plate and sent the message. ¡°You are surprising me, Caleb... I didn¡¯t know what to expect.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not angry that I¡¯m this old?¡±

    She didn¡¯t hesitate and shook her head. ¡°When I found out¡­ You were already five¡­ I have to tell you, I was a little sick of all the politics and the lies and how hard it was to get anyone to tell the truth. Nothing surprised me anymore. When I was seventeen, and met Louis. It was the worst thing about him¡­ That he didn¡¯t want to share. Or talk to me. Or tell me what was going on. I was so frustrated when I grew up¡­ It kinda didn¡¯t matter anymore. So much mattered when I was younger¡­ But I won¡¯t do that to you¡­.¡±

    ¡°Why did you fall in love with him if he didn¡¯t make you happy?¡±

    Her thoughts drifted for a moment¡­ ¡°It was his acceptance of me. Who I was. How I was. He didn¡¯t waver in giving me what I wanted¡­ He might have one flaw, but you will soon learn that love¡­ It goes beyond a person¡¯s faults¡­ personality, or where they are in life¡­ If it is unconditional, of course. Reciprocated.¡±

    The plate dinged, and she turned away. She didn¡¯t want to see and circled the platform.

    ¡°The message is from Louis¡­ He says that they will come for you when you are ready. Will have someone at the communication station the whole day¡­ He says¡­ There will be consequences¡­.¡±

    She was shaking her hands nervously. It was funny¡­ ¡°That¡¯s not so bad¡­ What did you say?¡±

    ¡°I said¡­ Hi Louis. This is Caleb. My mom is fine, and she and Michael are here, not on their honeymoon. She lied¡­ I will take care of her.¡± Juliet ran over, kissed my cheek, and wrapped her arms around my neck. ¡°You¡¯re very affectionate.¡±

    She pulled me to the middle of the platform and teleported us out to the city. I knew Chris would be there before us, hiding somewhere.

 Tidying Up Loose Ends

    134. Tidying Off Loose Ends

    Chris

    It was harder than I thought. I wanted to be part of their night so badly. Be a family, not just a father. But they needed the time, and it was going so well. I was so proud of Caleb. So proud of Juliet that I had to hold myself back a few times to let her get it out of her system without interference. All her plans¡­ sounded great to me. She wanted to live there. No, she would prefer to live there¡­ But she was already using the time factor on Zoreah¡­ Ira wouldn¡¯t like it¡­ Just for her to get what she wanted. But nothing was set in stone. She was only gathering information, seeing where she stood with the rest of Zoreah.

    I had traveled quickly to the city and hid in the shadows, waiting for them. They had to walk some distance to get to the gate from the soft spot. My son and my wife came walking over the horizon. The feelings I had seeing them together, talking and laughing, was all I longed for. Juliet, with a bounce in her step, punching Caleb on the shoulder, running and joking. She took her backpack off his shoulder and sent a flare up into the sky. It wasn¡¯t long before Rodrigo was at the gate.

    ¡°Juliet, is that you?¡±

    She waved at him. ¡°You made it, after all. Knew that brain meant something. Did you ever need your army?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll tell you when Ira comes back. It¡¯s going to be hard changing En-gannim without some support. But anyway¡­ How are you?¡±

    Rodrigo sat down on the chair he had placed on the other side of the gate. She and Caleb sat down in the sand.

    ¡°Why are you here, Juliet? You don¡¯t need me for anything¡­.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± She asked.

    ¡°He promised me that I would get off Earth, and I would get to come here.¡±

    ¡°Is that it?¡±

    ¡°You seem surprised.¡±

    She fell down in the sand. ¡°I thought I would need to rescue you, but if you want to sit alone in that place with that guy¡­ by all means, go right ahead¡­ You are probably lying anyway¡­.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not so bad if he¡¯s not giving little girls concussions.¡±

    She pushed her finger into her mouth, pretending to make herself gag.

    ¡°So, are you going to give us the scoop?¡±

    ¡°No scoop¡­ Worked our asses off after the fight. Something you could have done in a day¡­ Thanks a lot.¡±

    Ahasuerus came around the corner and sat down next to Rodrigo.

    ¡°Evening Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°You seem tired.¡±

    ¡°You took everything¡­ I had to start from scratch. It¡¯s unfair.¡±

    ¡°Now you see how important it is to leave a legacy¡­ I would have done the same thing if another clan took over¡­ So what have you done with my planet.¡±

    ¡°Your grandson found another habitable one. We moved all the factories there where they could be run by machines¡­ Not women¡­ Got that little creep of my home¡­. My two husbands and I will fight the other little creep for the water rights. After that¡­ Well, you do the math.¡±

    Ahasuerus actually smiled. ¡°I¡¯m impressed. I thought you would be fighting for women''s lib and all that.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°I have five guys I have to keep happy¡­ I think that ship has sailed.¡±

    ¡°And Marcus? How is he?¡±

    Juliet smiled. ¡°Loves being busy with things he thinks are worth it. He is happy and wants a baby. Louis is very busy on Earth¡­ when he got time¡­ Slowly working on relations there.¡±

    ¡°And you?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I did nothing else but math for the last year¡­ I think I deserve a break. A drink and a cigarette.¡±

    ¡°Your father must be proud. His daughter had to finish what he started.¡±

    She sat up. ¡°See what good relationships can accomplish.¡±

    ¡°Toush¨¦ little girl¡­.¡±

    ¡°Have you figured out the antipodal advantages yet?¡± She asked. Juliet surprised me more and more.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t been doing nothing, Queen Farrow.¡± The two men smiled at each other. That gave her and me the creeps. Those two together were trouble.

    She stood and cleared her throat¡­ ¡°It¡¯s Queen Ahmed for you two.¡±

    Ahasuerus gave a burst of laughter. ¡°Okay, well, I just wanted to see if I should come and give you both these human blood packs.¡±

    Rodrigo stood up and held out his hand¡­ She pouted her lips in a disapproving line¡­ ¡°We all have our antidepressants. Enjoy fella¡¯s.¡± She dropped a cooler bag into the basket that Caleb and I had made so we could pulley things in for the two men. ¡°Maybe I will ask the humans to pay in blood for teleporters¡­ And sell this stuff to the highest bidder.¡±

    ¡°Come, son¡­ we gotta go. I¡¯m done here¡­ Just one last thing I got to do¡­.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Your father¡­¡±

    I had to pause for a moment, swallowing hard. I had been thinking about my date with her. But it was on Earth¡­ Not in that place¡­ I was suddenly nervous. Should I take her to the bar? I laughed at myself¡­ But I was out of there and through the river before they even came to the city border.

    ***

    ¡°Caleb, where do you guys clean up?¡± The side of my mouth quirked up. Seems like I was getting lucky.

    He led her to the river. It was where it flowed the hardest. We were only allowed to bathe every once in a while.

    ¡°So, how do I do this?¡± They stood at the edge of the water.

    ¡°What do you mean. You take your clothes off and get in the water.¡± Her eyes slowly met his. I wondered if it was wrong watching my wife take a bath in a river¡­ I leaned back against a wall.

    ¡°In front of everyone?¡± It was rather busy. Riphath children were swimming. Some washed furs and clothes¡­ Some were bathing. The drinking well sat way upriver at the other edge of the city¡­ where the spring was.

    She hesitated. For all the skimpy dresses that Juliet had worn. The tank tops where her breasts were exposed¡­ She had a problem with a nudist beach¡­

    She was biting the inside of her mouth, and Caleb leaned over and whispered something into her ear. She nodded, and he helped her with the suit. Juliet pulled it over her shoulders and dropped it at her feet. All she had on was boy shorts underwear, and a sports bra. I stood away from the wall¡­ mesmerized, until she went for the rim of her bra with both hands crossed and wanted to pull it off.

    I teleported and caught her around the waist. Got us out of there to higher up the river. She held onto me like she always did, and I took her into the water. We stood there. The water lapped over our shoulders. I wanted to pull off her bra, and she lifted her hands in the air, watching me. She let go of my waist and drifted in the water. I pulled her closer and took off her underwear as well.

    I didn¡¯t particularly appreciate being fully clothed. Juliet let go and wet her hair in front of me, coming up out of the water. Her eyes rested on mine with a smile on her mouth. Neither of us said anything. She laughed lightly¡­ Juliet was happy.

    I heard my father''s voice behind us. She ducked into the water, and I took hold of her, covering her. ¡°Get out of there, Chris¡­ Fun time is over.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t moving. Juliet wasn¡¯t moving. She had wrapped herself around me again. I sighed and kissed her on her head, resting on my shoulder. ¡°Never let go¡­ Not again.¡± I whispered, and she clutched me as I made my way out with her clinging onto me. I thought about having a word with Silvanus about where his loyalties lay. I shooed Ira away. There really weren¡¯t any towels for Juliet to dry off with. I glanced over my shoulder and around to make sure the coast was clear. ¡°He¡¯s gone¡­ You¡¯ll have to get dressed wet. Or else we will be standing here for a long time.¡±

    She let her legs fall off me. My arms wrapped around her body, and hers clung to my neck. After some time, Caleb cleared his throat behind us.

    ¡°Your suit and your pack are here. Ira is waiting. I¡¯ll be there.¡± Caleb left again.

    She hadn¡¯t said one word to me. They had been there for so long, and we hadn¡¯t even¡­ talked. I didn¡¯t want to push her. I didn¡¯t really care about Ira. We usually bridged that gap with fighting. I didn¡¯t think we would ever fight again. Juliet slowly ran her cheek over mine, and every muscle in my body stiffened. She was going to kiss me. Her lips locked with mine. She was naked, and my hands wanted to roam, but I couldn¡¯t. All I could do was push my hand up her wet back and pull her closer. It wasn¡¯t a very sensual kiss. No tongue. She lifted away from me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took me so long.¡± She whispered.

    I kissed her properly. She jumped back onto my hips. I didn¡¯t care, running my hands over her ass, holding her up.

    She jumped off and pulled away. I reached out to check her bandage. It was made from weird waterproof skin the Riphaths had to treat and soak in different things for a long time. ¡°You okay?¡± It was only for compression but served the purpose. Juliet glanced down as if she had forgotten she almost died. She reached into her pack and put on clean underwear. I shook out the suit that was full of sand by that time and handed it to her. Her eyes met mine as she was busy. I watched her and smiled.

    ¡°I want to take you on a date.¡± I held out my hand to her. I took her pack and flung it over my shoulder. ¡°I want to come home, Juliet.¡±

    She stopped and turned to me. ¡°You do?¡± Her voice was almost desperate. She pulled me in and hugged me, her breathing labored. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to expect.¡± I kissed her again.

    We walked hand in hand to my father¡¯s house. Ira was waiting on the porch. We weren¡¯t even at the two steps that led up. ¡°She has to go until we can arrange the meeting with the elders.¡±

    ¡°No Ira¡­ She¡¯s not going.¡±

    Juliet squeezed my hand and turned to me. ¡°No, Juliet, you are not going.¡±

    ¡°I already talked to Beatrice¡­ She had a lot to say¡­ Just give us a few days, Chris.¡± Ira said.

    I turned to him. ¡°You have to understand that your next move will determine the rest of your life. The rest of my life, Caleb and Sammy¡¯s. It will determine if you will ever see me again¡­¡± Ira¡¯s head was slumped over his knees, elbows resting on his thighs.

    Caleb was standing at the door.

    ¡°But we have till the morning, don¡¯t we,¡± Juliet said. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go on our date.¡± Ira wanted to protest, but Juliet dragged me away.

    ¡°Caleb, will you let Louis know to come for me in an hour.¡± Her eyes met mine¡­ ¡°Five hours enough?¡± I pulled her in under my shoulder and tried to give her my saucy smile. ¡°And look after your sister.¡± She told Caleb.

    Caleb lifted his hand and waved. Sammy was inside playing with Silvanus. With Caleb knowing everything¡­ Ira was going to have a harder time fighting the inevitable.

    We walked to Jamal¡¯s place. Juliet ran up the stairs and through the tiny house. I could hear her falling down on Michael. He was grunting and groaning. She kissed him and told him to be ready to go home in five hours. That we were going somewhere¡­ She whispered something, and they kissed again.

    It was weird hearing it. I didn¡¯t think I was ready to see it. I forgot how it was in France. I did have her all to myself. Michael was right. I had her the longest¡­ I wasn¡¯t sharing back then. Everyone had stood back so we could spend that time together. The only time was when she was at the farm, and it wasn¡¯t at all like seeing her with someone. I took a few steps forward and came around the door frame. They weren¡¯t at all deterred. There was no awkwardness, and Juliet even looked up at me and smiled. Her head was lying flat on his chest. She patted the bed. Used to it being more than one.

    In my mind, I wavered. All my inhibitions begged me to choose any other course for my life¡­ than giving myself to a little girl with too many lovers. She will forget about me. She will hurt me. Eventually, I would ask, and she would have to say no because Michael didn¡¯t want to let go at that moment. Or even worse¡­ At any moment, Louis would ask her to choose¡­ And they would pack up and leave.

    It was then that I realized she wasn¡¯t wearing the chains. I didn¡¯t see them in the water. I stood up straighter. Maybe her feelings had changed¡­ Louis wasn¡¯t the one with her¡­ My gaze darted to her hand, and the massive diamond Louis had given her was gone. I took a few more steps and sat down next to them. Not that it changed the fact that we were four men in her life.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°How far can you teleport, Chris?¡± Michael asked.

    I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my legs. ¡°All over the planet, wherever I want. I don¡¯t really need a destination, but I think it¡¯s a little dangerous. I¡¯m still working out the kinks.¡±

    Michaels¡¯s hands were rubbing her back. His one arm bent behind his head. He was watching me. I could feel his eyes on me¡­ ¡°Like I said, Chris¡­ It¡¯s a whole other ball game¡­.¡±

    ¡°Where are the chains, Juliet?¡± I asked softly. I glanced back. Her whole body stiffened. She slid off Michael on the other side, her back to us.

    ¡°She hasn¡¯t told anyone what is going on. I think the only one that knows is Louis¡­ But seeing that the chains and ring were his¡­ It¡¯s probably just fair.¡±

    I turned towards him, bending my leg underneath me. Michael turned on his side, and I frowned. Asked with my eyes what was going on¡­  He shrugged and shook his head slightly. Juliet just sat there with her hands under her thighs. Michael tapped me on my shoulder, and I got up. ¡°Let¡¯s all go for a drink.¡±

    I had thought she would want to spend every second with me¡­ alone. That we would pick up where we left off. Michael held out a hand, and Juliet took it. Leaving the room, Jamal and Selena came out of the other bedroom and said they wanted to go with us. I felt better knowing I had someone there who knew me¡­

    I led them to the closest bar. It was empty for that time of the day. Juliet and I had almost four hours left¡­ Juliet seemed excited, and she and Jamal joked together. She talked to Selena a little. Michael pulled me back. ¡°Give her another hour¡­ Since Damian¡­ Since everything, it takes her a while to... I don¡¯t even know¡­ Decompress, Louis calls it. But she eventually does¡­ The opposite is¡­ it¡¯s just sex¡­ So you could have it either way¡­.¡±

    My eyes darted to Juliet after hearing Damian¡¯s name. I didn¡¯t like the way Michael talked about her¡­ Like it was okay that something was bothering her¡­ Like she was still a child, he was watching on some screen. It shot up my spine¡­ Juliet wasn¡¯t like that.

    ¡°She is growing up fast, and I want her to feel in control as much as possible¡­ If you think it¡¯s difficult for you to accept the situation¡­ It¡¯s even more difficult for her. That¡¯s my best guess.¡±

    I was already irritated with Michael. How would it be at home? We walked over to the back of the place. The back wall was lined with one long bench.  Juliet sat down and grabbed Selena¡¯s wrist, pulling her down next to her. She shooed us away, and the three guys moved to the bar.

    They were talking and whispering. It was the first time I had seen Selena with any other woman. Juliet¡¯s hand was in front of her mouth, and Selena copied it to talk back. I had to chuckle. Give it to Juliet to bring out the best in another person.

    We told the bartender to go and give them their drinks, and Michael walked over and placed a packet of cigarettes and a lighter on the table. She smiled up at him, and he lifted his chin at her.

    It was the first time I took a good look at Michael¡­ He was different¡­ Older¡­ He was always busy. Couldn¡¯t sit still¡­ Fun or working¡­ He sat down next to me. Shoulders slumping. He was tired. Jamal was on his other side. Michael held out a cigarette to me¡­ I took one, and he held the packet out to Jamal. Michael held out the lighter for us. Jamal copied me and was a natural.

    ¡°Your daughter almost ate Katty.¡± I chuckled. ¡°She was impossible like that.¡± Michael regarded Jamal¡­ ¡°Come, best story about Chris¡­ It¡¯s been fifteen years. He had to have done something stupid.¡±

    Jamal told him of our first night together. ¡°You can¡¯t get drunk? No one should tell Juliet.¡±

    Juliet stood up at the back of the bar and loudly yelled¡­ ¡°I can just have two drinks¡­ What the hell?¡± We laughed. The bartender was explaining, but she sat down in a huff.

    Juliet was helping Selena smoke¡­ who started coughing violently. Juliet slapped her on the back. They sat down again when Selena got the hang of it. Selena took Juliet¡¯s hand in hers and checked out all the tattoos that covered her body¡­ The Earthly ones, anyway¡­ Juliet showed her the ones on her hands and on her side. Juliet had unzipped her suit and left it hanging around her waist. Seeing the two of them together¡­ I couldn¡¯t think that I ever thought I wanted Selena more than Juliet.

    I knew I might be making a mistake, but I couldn¡¯t take it anymore¡­ I stood up and walked over¡­ I grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet. I teleported us out of there. We ended up in a cave. The cave where we lived for so long. Where I found her journal. I had quickly¡­ Earlier that day tried to make it a little better. Packed wood for a fire. She walked around for a bit. Saw the floor and the tarp. It would be all we had for bed.

    ¡°I know¡­ it¡¯s difficult, but remember what we agreed on just before I left.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°I have grown up, Chris¡­ I don¡¯t really need to hide anymore¡­ No one has to lie anymore¡­ I don¡¯t want to give you the wrong impression of what you¡¯re coming home to. It¡¯s not the same¡­ After what happened to Michael¡­.¡± Her voice is barely a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m not who you fell in love with¡­ I don¡¯t know how to connect with you¡­ without fighting. Or there being some issue between us that we needed to bridge¡­ I don¡¯t have a lot of issues anymore¡­.¡±

    I squeezed her arms that were in my hands. Her eyes fixed on my shirt.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s been too long¡­ that no one has forced you to say everything you want to say¡­ Writing it all up in a journal is half the work¡­ And even then, you can leave things out.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too much Chris¡­ It will waste all our time¡­ If I had to start being honest.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not a waste of time.¡± Her mouth pulled, and I knew that there was something¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s like I¡¯m in that car that first night you picked me up next to the highway¡­ I don¡¯t know what to say to you¡­ It will take me forever to relax, and when I do, I have to leave again. Or then we¡¯ll fight. I don¡¯t want to fight anymore.¡± Her voice was breaking¡­

    ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­ You don¡¯t want to open up before everything is settled. You don¡¯t want to hurt me?¡± Her eyes came up to mine. She nodded. ¡°You¡¯re scared.¡±

    I put my hands on her cheeks and pulled her closer to my lips, waiting for her to come that last bit. She wanted to kiss me, but I kept her away.

    ¡°Do you still love me?¡± I asked.

    Our eyes were locked, and we stared at each other for a long time¡­ We both had to make the choice.

    ¡°I¡¯m like a dog chasing a car when it comes to you¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do with you?¡±

    ¡°Hell of a car to chase¡­ You want to move back to our town... You can go to college. I will get a position as a professor, and you can watch me... stalk me¡­ Follow me¡­ All you like.¡± She smiled, wanting to kiss me. I shook my head. ¡°I have to tell you¡­ I don¡¯t really care if you tear me apart¡­ Juliet. I had given you my heart a long time ago. I didn¡¯t cheat on you¡­ I can remember every detail of that night you let me have my way with you.¡± Her hands fisted my shirt. My eyes closed at the sensation. ¡°Juliet, I missed you so much.¡±

    I held her¡­ ¡°I have to say that Michael is making me a little scared. Saying things are all wonky. You and Louis?¡±

    ¡°Do you really want to talk, Chris?¡±

    ¡°Juliet, you have three men at home. I think you¡¯re a little over the sex¡­ Or what.¡±

    She shook her head, pouting¡­ ¡°No one touches me unless I initiate¡­.¡±

    ¡°Because there is no schedule. Well, that sucks¡­ How does that make you feel.¡± She chuckled and let go of me, walking.

    ¡°You really want to know¡­ You are probably the only one I can talk to. Are you still going to be that person for me¡­ Because Marcus¡­¡± She chuckled and shook her head¡­ ¡°Doesn¡¯t really care what I do with the others. He¡¯s kinda¡­ intense¡­ The last time I had to go through this was to make peace with the fact that this was my life¡­ I have many husbands, and I can¡¯t do anything about it¡­

    She was pacing. I pulled her down on the tarp. She sat with her knees up.

    ¡°Now?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m really okay with it¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have any favorites¡­ The brandings tell me it¡¯s true love¡­ but how does that even work¡­ How do I factor in you and Michael?¡±

    ¡°Can I be honest?¡± I asked.

    She turned to me.

    ¡°The chains did bother me.¡± She snorted. ¡°But¡­ You¡¯re still in love with him, aren¡¯t you?¡± Her hand came up to the bridge of her nose, pinching hard not to cry. ¡°It¡¯s too unromantic. Too much pressure and¡­ boring¡­ When last did you cry?¡±

    She glanced at her shoulder¡­ ¡°That day and the day I had to ask Louis to let it go¡­ He doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re joking, right?¡± I asked.

    Her eyes came up to mine.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have like five Ph. D.s in psychology?¡±

    ¡°Not when it comes to me. Or our relationship¡­. How to handle me. You figured me out in like five seconds. Am I that predictable?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, kinda.¡± She punched me on the shoulder.

    ¡°Do you have anyone you can talk to¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°I think Louis just goes off the rails when it comes to you¡­ It¡¯s funny, actually. The playing field is level, and they freak out. There should be hierarchy¡­.¡±

    ¡°You want to come back and take that spot again?¡±

    ¡°Juliet¡­ Louis is reading you. Or else he would have gone crazy. He probably lied to you. To get you to let your guard down.¡± She started laughing lightly, falling back on the tarp.

    ¡°What did you think right after telling him to let it go?¡±

    ¡°I thought about how to tell you all that he is my¡­ favorite.¡± Her eyes watched me nervously. ¡°And then I sniffed his shirt I had stolen from him.¡±

    ¡°And he came back, didn¡¯t he.¡±

    ¡°OH, man¡­ I¡¯m so stupid.¡±

    ¡°And Michael?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I have no idea. He can¡¯t talk to me at all. It¡¯s all physical. He¡¯s not the same... If you think we had time¡­ There was no time. There is just a silent knowing. And he doesn¡¯t ask anything of me.¡±

    ¡°So he loves you more than Louis?¡± Her eyes met mine again, and she nodded. ¡°So Louis wasn¡¯t because he loved you the most.¡± She shook her head. ¡°You wanted to see what¡¯s really going on between the two of you?¡±

    She jumped up. ¡°Okay! Man, am I in the Twilight Zone? Do you have mind-reading capabilities?¡± I pulled her down, and she fell on top of me.

    ¡°So tell me what to do? Does this change anything for you? Knowing without the chains and the ring. If Louis asked, I would actually walk away from everyone.¡±

    ¡°You keep saying that. But you know he won¡¯t. That¡¯s why you¡¯re testing him, isn¡¯t it¡­ Michael really wouldn¡¯t¡­ He walked confidently into that mess. What did you call it¡­ A stuff up.¡±

    She laughed and scooted higher up on me and smiled. ¡°Can we get it over with¡­¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I pushed her off and stood up. ¡°You haven¡¯t even told me that you still love me? Maybe you came all the way for Caleb¡­ And to tell me it¡¯s over.¡±

    ¡°If I tell you that my biggest fear is that you will die¡­ And I would have to go through that because you don¡¯t want to connect to me. Would that be enough?¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s the other problem¡­ The brandings¡­ Well, I don¡¯t know what you know.¡±

    ¡°Maxxis at three and ends when I turn twenty-two. Only happens when it¡¯s true love.¡±

    ¡°In a few months?¡± I spun around. ¡°What? True love¡­ Like in snow white?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ We were surprised, too. Marcus¡¯s mother has an ugly scar because of Qadir. She never loved him.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°So you want me to do it. Because you¡¯re not sure you love Michael?¡±

    ¡°No, I do¡­ Very much, and¡­ There is some honor or something special about a human doing it.¡±

    ¡°Ohh, that hurt¡­ You don¡¯t want me to do it.¡±

    ¡°I have asked Michael. He said yes¡­ Obviously.¡±

    ¡°You asked? What if we try doing it at the same time and see whose takes.¡±

    ¡°That would be interesting¡­ Do you¡­ want to take his place. That is why he came. We need to know.¡±

    I sat down again and lay back so that our shoulders touched.

    ¡°What about Soren?¡±

    She chuckled, and her shoulders shook. She ran her hands over her face. ¡°The poor boy¡­ We are only allowed to meet under supervision.¡± We both laughed, and I turned on my side to watch her. She turned to me and started touching me.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Her hand ran through my hair.

    ¡°For what?¡± She asked, running her hand down my neck.

    ¡°Coming for me¡­ We had a bet about who would get to the other first.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we did. Kinda forgot about that.¡± She said.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­ Had a lot of time to think.¡±

    ¡°Are you okay, Chris?¡±

    ¡°Okay, is relative.¡±

    She sighed. ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ Just like fine for a woman.¡±

    She stopped touching me. ¡°Do you love Selena?¡±

    My eyes were closed while she touched me, but they opened. I knew the kind of pressure she was under. Telling people she loved with all her heart that they were not enough. That they were replaceable. That they were not the only ones in your heart. I sat up and put my legs in between my arms.

    If I were to go to Earth, would Selena commit to me? Love me enough to not cheat. Would she love me enough to do anything for me¡­ I didn¡¯t want to brand Juliet when I had the opportunity. She asked me over and over. She just asked me again¡­ The guys even asked me¡­ None of it would have been a problem if I had manned up.

    ¡°Is it that bad? Should I have left you that night?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t love her, Juliet. I once thought¡­ maybe¡­.¡±

    ¡°Just like with me, you were torn in two? Doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t?¡±

    I was quietly contemplating her words.

    ¡°You want to stay with her and hear if she wants an open relationship?¡±

    ¡°It would be crazy,¡± I said.

    ¡°Not really. If we lived here¡­ and we were all Riphaths. No one would have cared. Or do you want to sleep with her and get her out of your system?¡±

    ¡°She and Jamal are sleeping together.¡±

    Juliet sat up and wrapped her arms around me¡­ ¡°Did that hurt you?¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­ Yeah. I don¡¯t like it here. There is really no connection. She doesn¡¯t want me¡­ Not like that.¡±

    ¡°Lonely going from Sita¡­ to us as a family in France and coming to a place where it¡¯s just your marriage all over?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ It¡¯s not like she would stay¡­ You are the only one that wants me.¡±

    ¡°Chris, I need to tell you something.¡± I glanced back at her.

    ¡°Sita died.¡± My head turned to the front. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Juliet said softly.

    ¡°I heard what she did¡­ Was it you?¡±

    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t have¡­ It was Louis.¡±

    I bobbed my head. ¡°I¡¯m relieved¡­ One less person out there that hates you and me¡­ us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± She lay down on her back. I did, too. We stared at the roof. ¡°Chris.¡±

    ¡°Mm.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    I laughed lightly, turned on my side, and leaned over her. ¡°A date does include¡­ dinner.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it does!¡± She got up. ¡°Do you think we could go teleporting?¡±

    ¡°Dating does require¡­ something fun.¡± She held out a hand to me to pull me up.

    ¡°That was really fun. I don¡¯t think I would get used to that¡­ We could go to the cabin whenever we wanted¡­ It wouldn¡¯t take us three hours anymore.¡±

    I shook my head¡­ ¡°We could go anywhere¡­.¡±

    She wanted to kiss me, and I let her. Our lips met, and hers parted a little, tilting her head. ¡°Chris¡­ I love you more now¡­. Even if we have the most boring relationship¡­ I will always love you. I will always want you. I will always come for you.¡± I kissed her back, picking her up. We headed out to go hunting. ¡°And Chris¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t sleep with Selena. No matter how much you want to.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡° I know. I don¡¯t want anyone else. And that¡¯s fine, but then¡­ No Soren¡­ No more.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°Thank You. I hate making the tough decisions.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ I¡¯m back now. I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±

 Finally Going Home

    135. Finally Going Home

    Juliet

    I had been stalking Chris and Caleb for a few days, getting a sense of what their lives were like all those years. Every morning and evening, they gathered around the table. Zoreah was all about relationships, and I couldn¡¯t help being a little jealous of the peace the Riphaths enjoyed. I understood why Ira was so bent on not mixing the species. Nevertheless, Chris and I had two children together. I could do nothing about how things turned out or how Michael¡¯s one decision had changed everything. Chris was such a great father. Sammy had taken to him so well, and she listened to him. As a human, she was doing so much better, but Ira wanted her off-planet, and Michael had taken her home with him. It had all gone much better than what I could¡¯ve hoped for. I didn¡¯t know how much longer it would be before they had that meeting of theirs. I needed and wanted to sit in. I didn¡¯t care what Ira said¡­ I wanted to know the truth. So, most of the time, I stalked Ira, trying to understand what was going on.

    When Michael and I returned to En-gannim, I forced him to send me back immediately. Invisible. He protested and said I was making a mistake. But it was our future¡­ I went to the cave and sent him messages every day to tell him everything was fine. Ira never forbade me to come back¡­ Caleb knew I was there, and sometimes, I would let him vanish with me. He loved the fact that I had an ability. We did some silly things, and we did some stupid stuff, spending time together. I would sit with him till he fell asleep, and afterward, I would stand staring at him like a creepy mom. Chris, Caleb, Sammy, and I would all die simultaneously in nine hundred years... If we all lived in the same place. It wasn¡¯t typical for any of the species. Not even for my mom and dad. They would die hundreds of years apart. Louis¡­ and Marcus will pass hundreds of years before me. If Chris couldn¡¯t go back with me, what would I do? If Ira didn¡¯t let me stay, what would I do?

    Eventually, it became so dark that I could see nothing. Sirrah had set, and the streets were quiet, leaving only faint voices of Riphaths inside their houses. I made my way to Chris¡¯s bed. I didn¡¯t have anywhere else to sleep, and for the few nights I was there, I had risked sleeping next to him.

    ***

    Chris

    I was frustrated and felt like pulling out my hair. Juliet got into my bed again at night, and I felt her there with me. She was not even disappearing because it was that dark. I¡¯ve been waiting for her to be drowsy and forget where she was. Maybe even fall asleep and drape herself over me, clutch onto me like she had been doing.

    So, I would pretend to sleep to see if she wouldn¡¯t cave. If she wouldn¡¯t just touch me¡­ or talk to me. She must have been tired. That night, her breathing deepened for a few hours. I put myself as close to her as I could. Then it happened. She was too sleepy to hold herself back, rolled around, and I had to laugh that she really thought I wouldn¡¯t know the second she got in that bed¡­ That she thought I still had my head up my ass. Not anymore, stupid girl. Her arm had touched my back when she rolled over and instinctively took hold of my waist, creeping closer, spooning me, her face at the base of my neck. I was the little spoon.

    Slowly, I turned into her arm so that I was facing her. I was going to make it my mission to make her enjoy life again. To focus on the small things that made her happy and living on Zoreah wasn¡¯t going to help.

    Yeah, I couldn¡¯t do it anymore. My hand slowly lifted to where I thought her face would be. I touched her cheek. She stirred and, with my finger, guided myself to her lips and put mine on hers. I could feel her body stiffen. Her hand had reached up in surprise. I climbed on top of her really fast. She wanted to protest, but I put my hand over her mouth while pulling my pants down. At least we didn¡¯t sleep in bodysuits. It was hot at night. So I didn¡¯t have much on but sleeping shorts. Or that¡¯s what I would call them.

    She tried to stop me. ¡°Ira will hear us¡­.¡± She whispered

    ¡°Shhh, I¡¯ll be really quick.¡±

    Her legs and feet worked off her pants under me as our mouths collided. I slowly thrusted into her with as much self-control as I could muster. We both moaned, and I covered her mouth with my hand again. ¡°Shhh, it¡¯s almost over.¡± She giggled.

    We heard the footsteps down the corridor. ¡°Chris, is everything okay?¡±

    We both stilled.

    ¡°Yeah, Ira, everything¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°You having a wet dream again?¡± That made her stomach convulse into peels of silent bursts, and I sighed, resting my head on hers.

    ¡°No! Seriously, go back to bed.¡±

    ¡°Ira, Juliet never left... You really should get your nose checked.¡± Silvanus complained from his room.

    Ira walked off, grumbling and mumbling all the way back to his room. ¡°How should I know when she¡¯s in her vanished state¡­ And I¡¯m old¡­ Give me a break.¡±

    Juliet kissed and licked my hand and arm, pulling it along her mouth while I was still inside her. I wanted to pull out, but her legs wrapped around me so tightly that I wasn¡¯t going anywhere.

    ¡°Shhh, just be really quiet.¡± She whispered.

    ¡°You could just make us vanish.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. All I think about is you.¡±

    ***

    The meeting finally came the next day. Ira couldn¡¯t let it go any longer. It was held in a big open room with lots of little windows high up, open at the front and back. The same room I had sat down in so many years ago. Juliet was next to me with her head on my shoulder. Ira told her to leave that morning¡­ but she didn¡¯t. The elders sat all facing us. No one wanted to say anything, so I started, ¡°I don¡¯t think you trust me to take over.¡± It was quiet. I didn¡¯t need to hear the answer. I knew they wanted someone else. Someone who embraced their way of life. ¡°There is no point in denying that things have worked out the way they did¡­ We have to accept it¡­ I propose we decide on another clan to take over. I¡¯m sure there is already someone on your mind.¡± They all looked to the general. Her eyes were cast down to the ground. Her hand was running through the sand, dropping it again in a small stream to the ground. ¡°You have to know with me there on En-gannim¡­ It¡¯s like having a permanent ambassador. Someone you can trust. I would never go against you in any way.¡±

    ¡°How are you so certain that she won¡¯t change her mind.¡±

    ¡°You might have given your life over to her in service... but we would never.¡± Another woman said.

    The general wasn¡¯t saying anything. Ira was quiet, and Beatrice was leaning back against the wall. Silvanus was at the door, leaning against the frame. Jamal and Selena were waiting outside.

    ¡°It¡¯s too final.¡± The General said after a long silence. ¡°We can¡¯t destroy thousands of years of generations, Ira. Not because of fear.¡± She met my father¡¯s eye, dusting off her hands. ¡°If I take over¡­ I will probably accept all her proposals except for them living here. No one should ever find out¡­ what the vamps did to your father to get the technology they flaunt like it cost nothing¡­ We should stay isolated. We should be discussing going back to the city and making decisions about who goes. How long do they stay, and when do they leave¡­ I have no problem with taking over¡­ But the changes would be tremendous and instant¡­ I do not really care if you stay in power, Ira¡­ We live for peace, and if you feel our race should call it quits¡­ You have to be very sure¡­ Because in nine hundred years, when Juliet dies¡­ someone else will take over¡­ The planet will go to someone eventually!¡±

    Beatrice sat up and gazed out over the people. ¡°I would like to propose that we give Chris some time¡­ Nothing will happen in the next few years, let alone the next hundred¡­ Let Chris go home and meet up with his family and friends¡­ We had taken so much from them already¡­ They have proven themselves. As long as Chris comes back once every week. I think I will be okay with giving Caleb some time to go meet his other family. We do not even know how Chris would handle going back.¡±

    ¡°If I get to go back. I¡¯m taking Jamal and Selena with me.¡± Beatrice nodded.

    ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯m going with,¡± Ira said. The words didn¡¯t really sink in. When they did, my gaze traveled to my father. ¡°I made a mistake forty-five years ago¡­ One I regret and have to pay for¡­.¡± He looked at me and placed his hand on my shoulder. ¡°You were right, Chris¡­ And this is the only way.¡±

    ¡°You hate her¡­ How could I put her through that.¡±

    ¡°Who said I hated her?¡±

    Juliet appeared next to me. ¡°Brylee,¡± Juliet said. Ira smirked when their eyes met. He got up and held out his hand to me. ¡°Come on¡­ go send a message. General Sung and her daughter will take over in the meantime.¡±

    I held out my hand to Juliet and pulled her up and in under my shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s just coming to make sure you don¡¯t brand me¡­ You know that right.¡± She said.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine because I won''t.¡±

    ¡°How would I know if you really love me?¡±

    ¡°I have some ideas up my sleeve¡­.¡±

    She was intrigued. ¡°Can you imagine if it was one of each¡­ That¡¯s probably what the perfect ratio was supposed to be.¡±

    ¡°Who did you have in mind.¡±

    ¡°Jerry?

    ¡°Jerry?! Hell no. I would have killed him over and over, thinking about him hitting you¡­.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn''t have mattered. He didn¡¯t love me¡­ I would have had an ugly scar on my ass¡­ Werewolf guys are weird¡­ The women even more¡­ We should take over that planet and drown Brylee.¡±

    Selena and Jamal were going nuts¡­ Not believing they were actually going to Earth. My gaze traveled back over my shoulder to Silvanus. ¡°Are you coming? We need a babysitter.¡± He smiled and followed us.

    ***

    Juliet

    I held Caleb¡¯s hand so tight, but he didn¡¯t even complain. We walked out onto the platform of En-gannim universal travel. Jessy and his men bowed down onto one leg in front of us. I chuckled because they bowed to whoever had the stone around their neck. I tested the theory and put it on Caleb, and they did the same thing. ¡°See, you can take over one day,¡± I said, but Caleb wasn¡¯t even paying attention. It was his first time on En-gannim. His first time anywhere else but the desert. I pulled him forward to the platform¡¯s edge, where the best view was. It was so high off the ground that it felt as if you would be able to see forever.

    His fingers clasped around mine. ¡°It¡¯s so different.¡±

    ¡°It really is¡­ Wait till you see Earth and Palmyra.¡± I pointed to a building. ¡°That is our home¡­ But if you feel suffocated by having no space. I will take you to my favorite spot. There is nothing but space.¡± Caleb was taking it all in. ¡°The pink stuff kills anything. So steer clear.¡± I rubbed his cheek. I was slowly getting used to the weird feelings. Caleb was also getting used to all the touching and nestled into my hand. I pulled him in for a hug. When we peeked back, there was no one else on the platform. It was only the two of us.

    ¡°Come, let¡¯s go. I want to introduce you to someone.¡±

    We traveled to my mom¡¯s old Island and came out at the community center. She was operating the station that day and looked up, seeing an arrival. Her eyes were full of wonder and emotions, and she slowly walked over. Mine were brimming with tears, thinking about how much it had cost us to get him back. She pulled Caleb in for a hug. He didn¡¯t mind and squeezed back so hard, picking her up. She pushed him away, taking in all of him, wiping at her eyes with a flat hand. She took his other hand, and we practically dragged him to my father¡¯s workshop.

    My dad had started some type of business; I didn¡¯t even know what. Soren helped when he could, so he was there that day and not at The Tower. When my dad saw us, he was stunned. He wasn¡¯t expecting us back so soon. He walked up to us and held out his hand to Caleb.

    I nudged him in the ribs. ¡°Like I taught you.¡±

    ¡°Oh yeah¡­ Hi, my name is Caleb. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Caleb¡­¡± Liam¡¯s voice broke a little. ¡°My name is Liam. I¡¯m your grandfather.¡± Caleb gave him a solid shake, and my dad pulled him in for a long hug.

    We were all teary-eyed, and I needed a minute. I turned to step out, and Soren wanted to come to me. I waved him off. I needed to take a minute. He wasn¡¯t going to be a part of it after all. I took a walk all around the Island. It wasn¡¯t big, but it was their home. Everyone on the island had come to meet Caleb. I could hear them in the shop. I didn¡¯t really know what to make of everything working out so well. My mom came to me eventually, giving me a side hug as we stared out over the pink expanse in the distance. The blue star was setting. It made the water so purple that it was a sight to see. ¡°Are you okay, Julie?¡±

    ¡°I hardly know¡­ What are we going to do now?¡± She laughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for everything I put you and Dad through.¡± Her chin quivered, and mine followed.

    She turned me towards her, and we were both crying. ¡°I¡¯m the one that has to apologize. Your father and I have a lot to do with everything that has happened to you.¡± We both tried to smile.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    My dad came walking over, laughing, crying, and pulling me closer. ¡°I am so proud of you, Julie.¡±

    ¡°Can I take some time off now?¡± I asked.

    ¡°No! The fun is only starting. Come, I want to meet this Ira fellow.¡±

    ***

    The five of us traveled to The Tower to join the others. Caleb was tossed around for a while, getting to meet everyone. After some time, I took him around the floors of the house, showed him where he would be sleeping, and introduced him to Warden. We heard voices and two girls giggling. Carl and Charlene were reading bedtime stories to Sammy and Min¨¦. Their narration of the characters was getting better. Caleb and I walked into the room. The two stopped abruptly when they saw us. Charlene¡¯s eye darted from mine to Caleb. ¡°Hot damn!¡± She blurted out. Carl and I chuckled at her. ¡°He is a pretty boy.¡±

    ¡°You can say that again¡­ How old is he again.¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°What is hot damn?¡± Caleb asked.

    Charlene jumped off the bed and came closer. She held out her hand. Caleb did his little introduction speech. ¡°It means she thinks you¡¯re handsome.¡±

    Caleb smiled a little too much.

    Carl stuck out his hand, and he was shaking his head. ¡°This is a little bit unreal¡­.¡±

    ¡°I know, right.¡±

    ¡°The last time we saw you¡­ You were a small little baby¡­ So it¡¯s true about the time.¡±

    I nodded my head. ¡°I¡¯ll take you guys soon.¡±

    Sammy had come over and jumped into my arms. I hugged her tightly. She held out her arms to Caleb, and he hugged her, too. His gaze drifted to the bed. ¡°Who is that¡­ Is it another sister I didn¡¯t know about?¡±

    ¡°Kind of. That¡¯s Charlene¡¯s little girl.¡±

    He looked from Carl to Charlene. ¡°You guys married?¡±

    The three of us were amused. ¡°No¡­ She is a werewolf. We are both humans. And only friends.¡± Charlene answered.

    Caleb¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I have a lot of catching up to do.¡±

    ¡°You do, but we have all the time in the world.¡± I put Sammy down and led her to the bed. ¡°Mommy and Caleb are going downstairs. You go to sleep, okay. We will see you guys tomorrow.¡± I said as we walked out of the room, and Carl and Charlene kept reading.

    ***

    There was a commotion in the dining room. It was packed with everyone I knew. Everyone that meant something. Caleb wanted to go in, but I held him back, putting my finger on my mouth. I waited. Then I heard it. Chris¡¯s voice around the table, telling them some story. My hand gripped Caleb¡¯s again. I heard Michael speaking, and he sounded so happy talking with Chris and recounting all my stupidity. Caleb and I chuckled¡­ I didn¡¯t know how to handle four guys and one that I would have to dump. Louis¡¯s words came back in full force, ¡°When Chris walks into this mess. I don¡¯t want to be you.¡±

    So I ran. We ran.

    I took Caleb to Earth. I took Jessy with us. We came out in Washington. Everyone greeted me, standing still. I was like royalty there. Everyone was to get out of my way and be quiet. We traveled again until we were in the undergrowth.

    ¡°Jessy, can¡¯t we change the location of this one. Really, should I have to change the coordinates myself so that we come out three meters to the right, so we¡¯re actually on the road?¡±

    He laughed. ¡°I think it¡¯s nostalgic.¡± I laughed lightly, making my way out, but Caleb stood motionless.

    His eyes darted¡­ everywhere like a kid in a sweets shop. He pointed at the mountains. ¡°What is that and all of these.¡±

    ¡°Those are mountains just like yours, and these are plants and trees.¡±

    ¡°Those are nothing like ours.¡±

    The snowcapped peaks did leave a picturesque feeling. We all did stare at them a lot ourselves. I pulled him towards the house, his feet dragging a little. ¡°Is that a house? One house.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s our home, Caleb. It needs to be big. Here we are, one family.¡± He squeezed my hand, and the three of us went in. ¡°This is where everything started.¡± I finally let go of Caleb, and he could look around, touching everything. He went outside and stared at the pool for a long time.

    ¡°No, don¡¯t drink that water.¡± Jessy and I said at the same time, laughing. He walked around some more. We went out to the pens and ate. Caleb had to catch his own dinner. We laughed again.

    ¡°Why do you keep laughing at me.¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re so cute.¡± He shrugged and kept trying to get a hold of one of the things running from him.

    After that, I took him upstairs. ¡°Here is my favorite place in the four worlds.¡±

    He was amazed by it all. Walked around the room and felt the glass. The sun was setting. It was beautiful. I had missed it. He marveled at the wood and traveled up and down the stairs until I fell asleep. He got in next to me and draped his hand around my waist.

    ***

    Chris

    Standing on the platform and traveling from Zoreah was the best feeling I¡¯d had in a long time. I could let go and feel again and didn¡¯t have to fake my way through life. Getting out of there was what I¡¯d wanted for fifteen years. Caleb and Juliet were in front of me, my father and Silvanus were behind us, and Jamal and Selena were next to me. Everything and everyone I wanted was there.

    Marcus was waiting alone. I was so happy to see him. Of everyone, we had the best connection, and it showed when he hugged me like I hadn¡¯t been gone for fifteen years. Once I let him go, I got a chance to take in where we were. The platform was so high off the ground that it gave us all slight vertigo. It took some time to get used to, and we dared to walk to the edge to take it in. En-gannim was so clean. So beautiful and serene. It had a constant glow around everything.

    Juliet introduced the rest of the party to Marcus. He was focused on Caleb and shook his hand. It had to be the strangest thing. To see a baby turn into a man in three years. Marcus didn¡¯t kiss Juliet or pull her into an embrace but instead focused on the other people. When Juliet pulled Caleb aside to show him the view, Marcus ushered us into the next teleporter, giving them some time.

    We came out in the corner of a big room. It was probably a family room. There were couches and massive glass plates mounted on the wall. A table in the middle of the room. It took so long to introduce everyone. The room was filled with people. Ira was the model of geniality. He was a different person, and it didn¡¯t even seem like he was faking. He managed the room. Silvanus next to him.

    Louis greeted me, and we spoke for some time. Michael and Marcus joined us, and it was like being reunited with my family. My real family. Louis¡¯s gaze drifted, and he nudged to the corner of the room. Juliet, Caleb, Liam, and Cindy came out. There was a boy¡­ and I knew it was Soren just by looking at him. Liam and Cindy came around to greet me. I was so happy to see them. How much they did for me and everything we went through together came flooding back. My history¡­ I scanned the room. Even if Marcus didn¡¯t permit their relationship. Soren was next to him. They talked, and it seemed that they were on speaking terms. Jerry came to mind. She always liked long hair on a man. Marcus saw my eyes on them, and he smiled, bringing the new addition closer. I shook his hand. He was a little too pretty. A bit boyish. I couldn¡¯t picture them together. Which was a good thing, I supposed. Another guy in my wife wasn¡¯t what I wanted to be thinking about.

    Caleb and Juliet left the room after he met everyone.

    Louis ushered us into the dining room. There were two big tables next to each other. I placed myself next to Marcus. I didn¡¯t know how Juliet would be or where she usually sat. After some time, we all heard her and Caleb outside the door, listening. I wanted to see her so bad, but I kinda knew she wouldn¡¯t come in. After everything, she told me¡­ It would be worse with me there. I was going to try and make it better. They left, and I smiled. I was going to follow them soon. I just needed the awkwardness over. I also knew Louis was probably in my head. We ate, and everyone retired. Louis sent me to Earth. Warden was with me, and it felt like old times. He stayed in Washington.

    It was dark in France, but I knew the way. ¡°Evening.¡± A voice said to my left.

    A guy was on Charlene¡¯s porch. The same one that was bowing in front of her on the platform. His vantage point had an excellent view over the road and the driveway up to the main house.

    ¡°Hi. Who are you?¡±

    ¡°My name is Jessy.¡± He got up and shook my hand. ¡°I¡¯m her other half.¡±

    ¡°On who¡¯s orders?¡±

    ¡°Kubra.¡±

    My head tilted in confusion. ¡°He and Charlene.¡± I smiled, and Jessy shrugged.

    ¡°How do you find your job?¡±

    He glanced up at the house. ¡°Worth it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your service.¡±

    Jessy laughed lightly and saluted. I walked up the familiar path we had climbed a hundred times. The house was quiet, and I could hear them sleeping. I climbed the stairs and stood at the door. My eye caught sight of the chains glimmering in the moonlight, hanging in the far left corner of the room. I made my way over¡­ Touching the steel and the diamond. I got in bed with them, Caleb in between us.

    ***

    ¡°I want to go to school.¡± That was the first thing Caleb said the following morning. I was still sleepy, and his voice was groggy.

    I turned on my back. Juliet was also awake, ¡°Yeah, sure. Where do you want to go.¡±

    I rubbed my eyes.

    ¡°Where did you go?¡± Caleb asked Juliet.

    ¡°Hell no, I¡¯m not moving back to that¡­ place.¡±

    I had to laugh. There was no way I would ever go back.

    ¡°Why? Was it that bad?¡±

    I shook my head¡­ ¡°No, not bad at all.¡± She said.

    ¡°It¡¯s where your mother met me and lost her virginity.¡±

    Caleb sat up all ears. ¡°How old were you.¡±

    I sat up on my elbow to meet Juliet¡¯s eye. ¡°Seventeen.¡± We both said at the same time. Her eyes spoke volumes, and she yelled, ¡°Jessy!¡±

    He came running. ¡°Yes, boss.¡±

    ¡°Take my son on a hike.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Come on, Caleb! Your mom and dad want some alone time.¡±

    Caleb jumped up, eager to do something.

    We lay there staring at each other for a long time. Until Juliet started touching me. Fingers trailed my face and raked through my hair and beard. I opened my arms, and she nestled in. I held her like I knew she wanted. Like I always did. She didn¡¯t let go of me for a long time. Caleb came back and sat with us. He seemed worried. It would be something he would have to get used to. It was going to be a learning curve for all of us. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go keep yourself busy. She¡¯s okay.¡± Juliet was already drifting off. Jessy had put on the TV and was busy in the kitchen. She fell asleep, and when she woke up, I was still there, holding her. Juliet turned into me, burying her face into his chest. ¡°You¡¯re exhausted. You¡¯ve been sleeping for hours.¡± I whispered, pressing my lips onto her forehead.

    ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯m never letting you out of my sight again. No matter what you say. You will never put me into someone else¡¯s arms again.¡±

    I tightened my hold on her, and she lifted her lips. I kissed her back. I kissed her and kissed her until she asked me to stop. Just so she could catch her breath. ¡°You¡¯ll get sick of me. You won¡¯t ever have to ask again.¡±

    Juliet fell asleep again after. I didn¡¯t think I understood what had happened over the last three years for her. How much all of it took out of her. And only after having me back could she relax.

    ¡°Mommy.¡± I heard Sammy from downstairs.

    Two sets of feet were coming up the stairs. One large and one small. Sammy stood at the door and held her arms up to Louis. ¡°Daddy. Up¡­ Who¡¯s that?¡± She asked. Louis picked her up in one swoop.

    Another set of footsteps. ¡°Marcy, who¡¯s that?¡± Louis walked in with her, but she wanted Marcus. He took her, kissed her cheek, and fell down on the bed next to Juliet. Sammy on his stomach. The little girl laughed as he tickled her. Juliet was waking up. She turned and reached out, and Sammy fell into her arms. Louis fell down on my other side, pulling me into his arms. I had missed it. The family¡­ ¡°Mommy, who¡¯s this?¡±

    Juliet rubbed her cheek. ¡°This is daddy. I¡¯ve told you.¡± Sammy shrugged and fell on my chest. ¡°Daddy.¡± I wrapped my arms around her. She didn¡¯t feel like mine yet, but she was such a part of all the men''s lives that who her birth father was didn¡¯t matter. I hoped they would connect with Caleb like that.

    We heard Michael with Caleb downstairs. His voice was so deep that you really couldn¡¯t miss it.

    ¡°Chris, we need to talk,¡± Louis said.

    ¡°What is it? It¡¯s a bit soon for a serious discussion.¡± Sammy got off Juliet to go look out the window. ¡°And no¡­ I won¡¯t manipulate her time.¡± I answered him before he could say something. Everyone was quiet. The tone in my voice told Louis to back off. ¡°And I¡¯m not branding her... Michael will do it.¡± Louis sat up regarding me. ¡°And the schedule is a stupid idea¡­.¡± My eyes traveled from Louis to Juliet. ¡°How the hell could you do that. Above everything else that went on¡­ I think it¡¯s because you are all so old.¡± I fell back on the bed, irritated already. ¡°If I were here, I would have killed you. Doing what you did¡­ Both of you.¡± Juliet laced her finger in with mine. She turned to me and put her head on my chest.

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Chris,¡± Louis whispered.

    I sighed heavily.

    Another set of footsteps. No shoes. Michael took off his boots when he came into the house. He stopped at the door. There really wasn¡¯t any more space on the bed. Juliet got up and went over to him. She reached around his waist, and he kissed the top of her head. Marcus turned around and dug his head into the pillow. I watched the whole show with interest. Everybody¡¯s reactions. Louis was a little ticked off at my outburst. At Michael¡­ There was tension. Maybe I was wrong, and he didn¡¯t read her. For all, Michael had told me about the situation. He had not prepared me for what was really going on. Marcus wasn¡¯t even close to accepting Michael, let alone a young boy.

    Juliet stood on her toes and pressed her lips onto his. Michael didn¡¯t mind and picked her up, pushing her against the glass window. Her legs wrapped around him, holding her up. He kissed her so hard that I was jealous. Marcus had known what was coming. ¡°Seems like I¡¯ve been replaced. What were you ever worried about, Louis?¡± She laughed and jumped off of him. Juliet led him to the bed and pushed him into her space on the bed. Her eyes drifted over all of us. She took in a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed, watching us. Louis wasn¡¯t saying anything.

    Marcus turned around, coming up on his elbows. ¡°Come on, Louis¡­ share.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t read her anymore. Haven¡¯t for months. Since that first day on En-gannim.¡±

    Juliet and I shared a moment, smirking. We were both wondering. Juliet had told me that she could control Louis out of her thoughts. But I couldn¡¯t. And I didn¡¯t think he was reading me at that moment. Because he was confused¡­ She was back to blocking him out. What was she doing? Marcus and Michael were dead quiet. Seems like there was no communication. ¡°It always ends in a fight,¡± Louis said. Answering my thoughts, falling back on the bed, exasperated. He was reading me¡­

    I bobbed my head and sat up. ¡°So then you have to tell us¡­ What are you thinking.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m wondering what I get out of all of this.¡± We all laughed. She stood up on the bed. ¡°You all want something. Have ultimatums,¡± she pointed her finger at Marcus. The glow of the tattoo ran up her open middle. Marcus was forcing her down on him. Made her sit legs over him. He was forcing her arms to move¡­. Her hands lifted towards the seem of her shirt. He was going to make her take off her top slowly. Michael punched him in the stomach. Louis and I told Michael to be quiet. Marcus didn¡¯t listen and kept watching her, sitting up on his elbows. A challenge in his eyes. She was about to lift when he released her. She almost busted out of her seems, falling back onto her back, laughing so hard, lying sideways on the edge of the bed. At our feet¡­ ¡°You¡¯re such a coward¡­ You can be glad I don¡¯t have that power.¡±

    Yeah, it was already better with me there. She was laughing. Juliet was happy.

 The Keys To The Kingdom

    136. The Keys To The Kingdom

    Michael

    ¡°Come on, Michael! You got to do it, man!¡± Louis said.

    I was hesitating. We were in the lounge in France. The fire was blazing behind me. The heat was unbearable and making the fear so much worse. Having Louis and Marcus there holding her down was a little different. At least she wasn¡¯t tied up. I knew how scared she was. I kept having flashbacks of the farm. Of her at fifteen alone with me. After we met that first time.

    ***

    I sat diligently outside her door, just waiting to see if she needed me. The nightmares soon started. She woke us both up several times during the night. Although I couldn¡¯t feel what she felt. I heard the crying after and knew how long it took her to fall asleep again. After spending a few days together, she was well enough to come out of the room. I ventured to speak to her about why she wasn¡¯t sleeping.

    Juliet was one of those people who didn¡¯t want to seem weak¡­ She avoided my questions for a few more days. During another¡­ She was so depressed that she stayed manifested for several days altogether. It meant she couldn¡¯t go out. So, I wanted to surprise her. I had set up a spot for her to get her tattoo. Got all my equipment and sterilized a space.

    I knocked on the door, and she opened it. I held out my hand to her. It wasn¡¯t strange seeing her like that. I wanted her to feel comfortable, so I pretended nothing was going on. I took her to a room and told her to sit down. ¡°Okay, tattoo time¡­ What do you want?¡±

    It didn¡¯t really seem to bring her back to the surface. I was getting scared that I was in over my head. I didn¡¯t want to call for help. I wanted her all to myself¡­ But that meant I was going to try harder.

    She shrugged.

    ¡°What about something small. Somewhere, the teachers at the school won¡¯t see.¡±

    She gave a small smile and shrugged again. I hated the gesture from her. ¡°You have to remember that you¡¯re just here until you can control yourself¡­ It really won¡¯t take that long. Once you¡¯ve¡­ eaten.¡± She turned her head away from me. I knew it was something that was bothering her. Juliet would have a conscience. ¡°Okay, fine, lie down and turn on your side.¡± She did. ¡°Lift up your shirt so I can get to your ribs.¡± She tugged at the hem and pushed it in under her arm. I knew it would hurt a little, and I went to work. She flinched at first and, every now and again, hissed. ¡°Keep still.¡± After a while, she kinda relaxed. ¡°How about a cigarette?¡± I asked.

    She turned on her back and scanned my face with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Why are you being so nice to me?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t answer that truthfully back then. ¡°It¡¯s my job. To make you feel better. To watch you.¡±

    She frowned, eyeing me¡­ I took out the pack and gave it to her. She smiled properly for the first time in days and lost her manifestation. I was so relieved I rocked back and forth on the chair. I waited till I had myself under control¡­ She felt it and ran her hand over her face. Her lips parted, and her body relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m so ugly like that. How can you stand it? I¡¯m not used to it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not ugly like that¡­ And I don¡¯t think insecurity will be your problem¡­ You will soon get used to it.¡±

    ¡°Then what will be my problem?¡±

    ¡°That mouth of yours.¡± I didn¡¯t hesitate. Said it so quick. When I realized I had, my eyes came up to hers. She laughed while I felt terrible and clenched my teeth together in apology.

    ¡°Put it in your mouth.¡± She put the cigarette between her lips. I lit the lighter and held it up to her. Leaning a bit forward, she put it in the flame. ¡°Now, draw in the smoke.¡± She did, and when she didn¡¯t cough at all, I knew I had made a mistake. After a few more drags, she fell back onto the bed, and I kept working.

    ¡°My head feels dizzy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, seems like you¡¯re going to like the drugs.¡±

    ¡°What drugs.¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°Any kind? Except weed. Stay away. It¡¯s bad for vampires.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m done.¡±

    Juliet got up and walked back to her room. She stood in front of the mirror and started laughing. ¡°A bee? A small little bumblebee.¡± She turned around and ran to the bed, jumping on it. ¡°Why a bee?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re as sweet as honey...¡±

    She snorted. ¡°That¡¯s the worst. I would have to prove you wrong.¡±

    I laughed and left her to jump her heart out.

    ***

    I couldn¡¯t do it. I was still hesitating. Louis and Marcus had got up after a while. I didn¡¯t even hear them talking. They left the room. I was staring at the floor. After we started sleeping together, it had been worse for me. All I knew was Juliet¡­ She stood before me and touched my cheek, bringing me back.

    ¡°You gave me one tattoo¡­ you don¡¯t want to give me another.¡±

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    ¡°I gave you all your tattoos¡­ Honey.¡±

    Her brow furrowed in question, and she pressed her lips together, smiling. ¡°Every time? You were the guy in the parlor?¡± She laughed until I suspect she remembered our fight... She tilted her head¡­ ¡°Honey?¡±

    The air was dry. It felt like I couldn¡¯t catch my breath. Chris didn¡¯t even want to consider it. I knew why. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this just to see what would happen.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t. You don¡¯t have to. We can ask Chris again, or no one will do it. I don¡¯t care either way.¡±

    ¡°We both know he won¡¯t do it. It¡¯s been fifteen years.¡± I put the poker back onto the stand, letting it rest in the fire. ¡°I think it¡¯s my human mind that¡¯s having a problem with it. How can I do that to you?¡±

    ¡°Is it about what happened? Do you need more time?¡±

    ¡°We both know I¡¯m fine¡­ I¡¯ve even been off all my meds for months.¡±

    I sat on the table she had just bent over. ¡°Is it because me bending over didn¡¯t go exactly like that in your mind.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°Is everything about sex with you?¡±

    She lifted her hands into the air. ¡°Okay, what must I do for you to get over this? Name your price?¡±

    That was kinda how our relationship worked. So, I indulged the idea. ¡°I want to live with you until you die. I don¡¯t want to leave before you do.¡± There was still a lot that I was figuring out about our relationship. I watched her nervously.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it? But we can fix that. You just connect to me again. Isn¡¯t it as easy as flipping a switch?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind? Cause I¡¯ve been feeling myself getting older. Going through that made my body age¡­ like¡­ too much. You know I¡¯m coming up on forty.¡±

    ¡°I would do anything for you.¡± I pulled her lips onto mine. ¡°You are such a human, wanting to live forever¡­ Why don¡¯t you get Rodrigo to turn you into a Zombie.¡±

    ¡°Ewe no.¡± We laughed, and I kissed her again.

    She didn¡¯t get up. ¡°Anything else? Now''s your time¡­.¡±

    ¡°Even if you have time with the other guys, I want to be on Zoreah with you¡­ I¡¯ll go to work and leave you alone¡­ But I want to be close¡­ I don¡¯t want to live in Washington alone¡­. I want to be there for the birth of all your children¡­ And you have to dance for me¡­.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± She got up and wanted to leave. I grabbed her wrist and chuckled. ¡°That bad, huh? I did it for you in front of strangers.¡±

    Juliet stopped. ¡°That¡¯s different¡­ I suck at dancing. I¡¯m not a good dancer. I have no rhythm.¡±

    ¡°Then take lessons. It¡¯s not hip-hop. It¡¯s a pole and¡­.¡± I moaned just thinking about it and pressed her lips onto mine¡­ ¡°My lap.¡±

    She laughed lightly. ¡°You are naughty. The biker genre is getting under your skin. Why don¡¯t you go to a strip club?¡±

    ¡°My girlfriend is very jealous.¡± She chortled. ¡°I¡¯m ready if you are¡­ but the dancing is not negotiable¡­.¡±

    She was actually weighing it up. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything... for love, but I can¡¯t do that.¡±

    I shook my head lightly from side to side. ¡°That¡¯s not what the song means.¡±

    Juliet paced in front of the fire¡­ I couldn¡¯t believe it¡­ She would do it in front of a crowd. But not for me alone¡­ Would I do it for her, alone? It was a little different, I supposed. Juliet ran to Marcus¡¯s room and knocked on the door. I was impressed. I was getting a lap dance¡­ Both men came out, and I gave my cigarette to Louis. He took it, and they both pushed her down to the table. When she heard the poker, she started squirming. Louis was on Juliet duty. He nodded when our eyes met; I needed to make sure.

    I pushed down into her flesh over the other two. We were taking a chance. I might be ruining her vampire tatts. Who knew if she really loved me¡­

    When it pressed onto her skin, I waited for Louis. He would tell me.

    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    She was out. The smell I was so scared of reached my nose. I flinched back, dropping the poker on the floor. It had worked¡­ I was still doubting Juliet¡¯s feelings for me until a second ago. And I knew it had worked when I lifted my hand and started screaming like a little girl.

    ***

    Louis

    ¡°F-! What the hell is going on!?¡±

    I jumped back from Michael, who was convulsing uncontrollably.

    Marcus was faster than me. Juliet was in his arms, running for the garage. He was going to the panic room and leaving me there. I giggled nervously, flicking the cigarette into the fire. I manifested and activated my newfound ability.

    There was a pink glow coming out from Michael¡¯s back. It turned green, and the colors marbled into a brown-red. He turned around. His back was covered in a tattoo that glowed like Juliet¡¯s when I forced her to obey me. Although his whole back was black from Earthly ink. That one shined over all his other tattoos like Mateo¡¯s that night. His hands gripped the mantlepiece over the fire. I could see his back because he was manifesting. He grew and grew until his head almost reached the roof. He swatted at the chandelier. The glass shattered, and the fixture went flying across the room. He was changing from a Riphath to a Werewolf on all fours. His weight broke my hand-carved coffee table into pieces. For a second, he was a Vampire sitting back on his heels. He quickly manifested into a Riphath again. His black nails dug through the floorboards, getting stuck and ripping them up.

    I pulled out my phone, struggling to get it unlocked. Scared, Michael was going to stand up.

    ¡°Louis, what happened,¡± Chris asked nervously.

    ¡°Co¡­me¡­ Chris! NOW!¡± The line went dead. Chris was next to me. Barefoot.

    ¡°What the¡­¡± He pushed me back towards the door when it seemed Michael would stand up. He had stabilized and was assessing his prey, his eyes white as snow.

    Chris started giggling. ¡°Run.¡± He was out the door faster than I was. He was manifested teleporting up the mountain. I followed, but I heard the beast behind us breaking through my hand-carved front doors. I could hear the wood bursting from the seams. Michael roared into the sky. His body wasn¡¯t a baby Riphath. Fully grown and massive. I swore a couple of times, but I wasn¡¯t looking back. I was yelling for Chris.

    Michael¡¯s eyes were on us from the small porch at the front door. A moment later, I couldn¡¯t breathe. His fingers pressed into my flesh before we knew what would happen. I felt saliva on my face. Michael wasn¡¯t there. He had no thoughts but death.

    Chris was fast and hit him in the face. My feet came up and kicked him on the chest, away from me. Michael had to give a step back. Chris picked me up in his arms, and we were gone. Chris put me down in a tree high above the ground a second later, but he didn¡¯t stay. I heard them fighting. It wasn¡¯t long before the helicopter lights came into view. The sky filled with men dressed in white. Carl landed next to me, sitting down on his haunches, watching the show. Warden came down on Michael with the prongs, but Michael wasn¡¯t having any of it. He jumped up, grabbed the metal, and tossed Warden into the distance. Chris was running toward him. He wanted to keep Michael busy. Just before he could engage. Michael was gone.

 The Honored One

    137. The Honored One

    Michael

    I was freaking out. Utterly lucid but not in control of my body. The terror on Louis¡¯s face made my insides churn. I didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone. But I had teleported without knowing where the hell my body was taking me. If I had known¡­ That I would instantly turn into a creature¡­ No! All three creatures¡­ Would I have said yes? We didn¡¯t know what they meant by honored one. Maybe for that exact f-ing reason.

    I breathed deeply to calm my mind, but my body was heaving. My large chest rose and fell in quick succession. I was so high off the ground that my six-plus feet was a joke. My head was darting from side to side, getting used to my new eyesight. I could see images, but it was like looking through infrared goggles. Well kinda. I recognized Zoreah. I was standing in front of Ahasuerus and Rodrigo. I had always wondered how strong an infected vamp would be. Guessed I would find out.

    I was behind Rodrigo, picking him up by the neck. He wasn¡¯t a fighter. And even if Ahasuerus had no heart, he came at me before I could rip off Rodrigo¡¯s head. I tossed him aside. Ahasuerus had dealt a few good blows to my torso and my legs. Unfortunately for him, I had been training for a year with Marcus. My body knew what to do. My muscle memory of the war and drills every day came back. Boxing for hours. I had never felt that good in all my life. Power, strength, and agility. I felt a little lop-sided, and he knew how to get me to the ground, focusing on my legs to topple my upper body. There was a reason he was the strongest man in the galaxy¡­ We fought for a good while before my body stood back, and I disappeared again.

    What the frak. I was teleporting all over the freaking galaxy¡­ No wonder they kept the brandings a secret. No one should have that much power. I willed myself not to think about Juliet. If I had to end up in that room with her and Marcus¡­  A small panic room¡­ It would be the end of all of us.

    It seemed my body had other plans anyway. When I landed again, I was in a garden. It was almost magical, with the bright light shining down from the three moons. Even the night seemed like day... My eyesight was different. Suddenly, I could see and smell even more. I was over on all fours. A massive dog. The one in front of me didn¡¯t hesitate and jumped at me. We fought like two tigers rolling, scratching at each other¡¯s bellies, trying to get the upper hand by biting the back of the other. Snarling, clawing, and out for blood.

    Guards were coming at me. Werewolf guards. It was Brylee. She was enormous. Matched me to a tee, and with her snake-like strength, I could see her eyes glossed over. We saw a vamp with the ability. Brylee was even more impressive. She kicked me off so far that I skidded and landed on my side, yelping like a puppy. She growled at the guards coming closer. They stopped. The proximity of the threat had aggravated me, and she was having a hard time controlling her ability. Brylee was lazy and hadn¡¯t been practicing for years. I rallied. Used to being hit by Louis. He was the only one who would fight me. That didn¡¯t treat me special after what I went through. At that moment, I thanked him for it. Even if he did hate me for coming into Juliet¡¯s life. It wasn¡¯t like I was tortured with beatings. Blowtorches or even hammers and nails. I didn¡¯t scream or wet myself from waterboarding.

    Brylee came at me again, but I knew I would have to get out of there. I changed and ended up on my hind legs. I was Riphath again. She stopped skidding through the ground. She growled at the guards coming back to human... They howled into the sky. There was such a stampede. It seemed that in my Riphath form, I was too formidable. That not even she would go there. ¡°You won¡¯t die. Just the three of them.¡± That was all she had to say.

    My body teleported again. At that stage, I just sat back in my mind. Kinda bored getting kicked around. I could feel the cuts on my side. I was back in France in the mountains. That time, I went into a run, teleporting. It didn¡¯t matter how wet my landing was or what the surface was; my footing was sure. My claws and cushions on my paws gave me the grip I needed to be swift. I was chasing something. My body stopped smelling several times. Whoever I was after was teleporting.

    I fell down on all fours as a werewolf. My nose was ten times better. My hearing followed the pattern, outlining my prey¡­ When I got the hang of it. I isolated the three targets to the one I wanted. I knew Ira¡¯s smell, and I ran in the opposite direction. Instinct took over to catch him downwind. My eyes could see the Riphath form through the plants. My body was low to the ground, stalking and, at last, pouncing. I jumped, and something knocked me from the side away from Ira. I rolled, and whoever it was moved with me. Claws so deeply embedded in my flesh that I immediately transformed into a Riphath, teleporting out. But they were fast. Trained to stay with an opponent. We rolled one last time, and he got me underneath him, standing on my body. It was Silvanus smiling.

    The helicopter came back into view. The wind, dust, and grass were being swept up around us. My claws dug into his feet. Extended and retracted. The slight pain he had felt from the puncture wounds meant nothing. His fist came down at my face, but I was out from under him. My body was also not deterred by the noise and the chaos of the watchers. Chris was strutting out from some plant growth at my side. Louis and Carl were in front of me.

    Ira came out from behind Chris¡­ My body knew why I was there. To challenge the owners of all the planets. I¡­ could challenge all the worlds. My body decided that it was better to manifest into a vampire¡­ What was I going to do¡­ talk them to death.

    When Silvanus nodded at Chris, he teleported Ira out. My body was angry. My mind was working overtime, taking all the variables into account. How to get to all three and end it quickly. Vampires didn¡¯t go viral in their first transformation. They didn¡¯t run rampant. Michael was back, but I¡­

    ¡°Tell me where he is, or I will return to Brylee.¡±

    ¡°Michael, You have to calm down. It¡¯s only the initial change that will make you like this¡­ After a few hours, you will even out.¡± Louis said. He could read me. He knew my thoughts were focused on claiming my place in the universe.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I will finish it in a few hours.¡± I teleported out. My manifestation was so quick between the species.

    ¡°Oh, s-.¡± I heard Louis mutter.

    I was in front of Ahasuerus again as a vampire... He was jolted seeing me like that. I didn¡¯t know what was going on... But he was scared. A moment later, I felt it¡­ The lust and the hunger¡­ The need to control and rule was running rampant in my mind. I want what I want¡­ With the other two, it was bodily power. As a vampire, I was going to be clever about it. Using every ability to my advantage. Even if I was lucid, I had no control over the power of my creature side.

    ¡°Michael, you have to transform back¡­ Quickly. If you stay like that, you will end up in front of Juliet.¡±

    Why did I come there in the first place? If Juliet was the Queen¡­ If¡­. Juliet was queen¡­

    ¡°I doubt that¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re scared. You and Bertram didn¡¯t care when you took me.¡±

    It was over even before I finished talking. He lay in front of me. I realized what he meant. If he died. Juliet was next. He was supposed to have died that night in the ring. I transformed immediately. I turned back to human. My hands were full of blood. Ahasuerus¡¯s blood. His head ripped off his body.

    Vampire manifestation. The head of the story. I struggled to keep myself human. Rodrigo came out. When I saw him, I lost it. He had kept me in that room for so long. Even if Juliet was searching for me¡­ Just to be able to go to Zoreah. It was over just as quick as Ahasuerus.

    I teleported to Bertram. He was on his couch watching TV. He didn¡¯t even have the chance to speak. I thought about Carl. How would I make up for it? Juliet liked Rodrigo. I was stupid! For a moment¡­ I thought about her, and I traveled. Not really scared in my vampire state. Would my body know that we are connected? Would my creature side care that I would die. I willed myself to stop, but the vamp venom in my veins had already taken over. I was at the bottom of the stairs in Louis¡¯s house. Slowly, I made my way up. She was sleeping in Louis¡¯s bed. Marcus was sitting in the corner on the floor. Head between his knees. He looked up, and our eyes met¡­

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°Hi, Michael.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Marcus. You thought you had control?¡± I scoffed at him.

    ¡°No one can control her. She would have laid down her life for you in a heartbeat. You can¡¯t even control yourself.¡±

    I fell down on my knees. My vampire manifestation was gone. My nails broke the wooden floor, coming back as a werewolf to a Riphath... To human. Michael was fighting his urges.

    ¡°They say it won¡¯t last long. If you can get through the night¡­ You will be able to challenge all the rulers for the seats to the thrones.¡±

    My vampire side didn¡¯t like the words. He manifested again. ¡°I was lucky that she chose me... I will rule everyone.¡± I moved two steps towards the bed.

    ¡°Where do you and Juliet go?¡± He said quickly to stop me¡­ ¡°When she pulls out of a room¡­ And you guys disappear for hours?¡±

    Juliet dancing for me¡­ getting on my lap flashed in my mind. I lost the vamp and fell back down. ¡°Help me, Marcus¡­ I¡¯m not as strong as you.¡±

    ¡°I am helping you... Teleport there and stay there.¡± My head snapped away from him to her. I snatched her so quickly that Marcus couldn¡¯t even get up.

    He had made a mistake. He had given me what I wanted. We ended up in that little shack. It was lifted above the ground. Around it, dark, blue grass glowed different colors in the night. The water¡¯s pink running below a decked walkway up to the door was picture perfect. The small patio in the back had a view of rolling hills. The grass was so long that it swayed in the wind. There was a constant soft breeze. I carried her into the room as the vamp, placed her on the bed, and fell on my knees next to her as Michael. Softly taking the hair out of her eyes. There was no point in turning her around. I would not be able to see if my little bumblebee went to sit on Louis¡¯s flower.

    It wasn¡¯t a moment later before I heard the footsteps on the deck. The familiar tread of his un-tied boots. The smoke smell of his favorite brand. Louis¡¯s leisurely stroll came slowly up behind me.

    ¡°Why did she take off the plates? Why did she take off the ring?¡±

    ¡°She feels bad putting me above everyone else. Marcus complained that if I wanted, I could take her away. This year, she had been deciding if it was still the case. Having you back complicated the future. Marcus heard the recording of her talking that night in my room¡­ Did you listen to it?¡±

    I nodded. I sat down on the bed next to her. My face turned to her¡­ Louis sat down on the chair opposite us.

    ¡°And¡­ has she decided? Are we all equal?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s wishful thinking. A little na?ve. Naturally, she would have a favorite. It was always me¡­ But then you came along¡­.¡±

    ¡°It has been easy for you to just stand back and let her be reminded of who loves her the most. That¡¯s why it has been so difficult for her.¡± I said.

    Louis shrugged. ¡°About that, I can¡¯t do anything¡­ And I did for a time, but it got to me¡­ I know I made mistakes¡­ You probably do love her more than I do. Even more than Chris¡¯s fifteen years of celibacy. Even more than Marcus¡¯s obsession with her¡­ Even more than my unconditional love... More than Soren¡¯s puppy love, he will always have for her.¡± Louis dragged his cigarette. ¡°Unfortunately, love has to have an accumulation. Even if Juliet¡¯s heart can handle all the love in the world¡­ Even if the brandings say she loves you all¡­ Her heart cannot leave me alone. And it¡¯s driving us apart. She was trying to put me away. You have seen how difficult it is for her. She¡¯s torn in two with all of you because of your selfishness.¡± Louis pushed his cigarette out on the floor.

    ¡°Look at what you¡¯re doing, Michael. You had her make stupid promises so that you could get over the fact of doing it for her. Begging her to ask you to brand her¡­ Making her promise that you could always be there whether she was with someone else or not. Playing on her hurt of losing you. The pain of getting you taken and broken down¡­.¡±

    There was silence for a moment.

    ¡°Who¡¯s blood is on your hands? Is it someone she will miss? Will it hurt someone close to her?

    I nodded. ¡°Rodrigo. Ahasuerus. Bertram.¡±

    ¡°No, that she won¡¯t mind. They hurt you¡­ They deserved it.¡±

    My head snapped to him. I thought he was putting me down. I felt like crying. I was hurting her¡­ For the first time in twenty-one years, I thought about myself and not her¡­ To the point of killing her.

    ¡°Now, you don¡¯t need to connect to her again. You will live three thousand years. A thousand for every creature part of you. That was one of your ultimatums. Wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Louis, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m reminding you of how low you really are. How small you were a moment ago. Before you met her. Before you got the privilege of walking into her life.¡±

    He was playing mind games with me.

    ¡°You have to remember what happened on the farm¡­ When you made her kiss you. At fifteen! You manipulated her¡­ Made her bond with you, and then you ripped yourself out of her life. Thought that you and she were playing games. Her paying you with her love for favors¡­ That you could manipulate her with an¡­ I¡­O¡­U.¡±

    S- he was getting in under my skin. He knew my one trigger, and he went there¡­  I stood up and left.

    ***

    Louis

    I almost fell onto the bed, gasping for air. I rushed to her side and dragged her into an embrace. I had never been so scared in my life. All he thought of was ripping off her head. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I held her in my arms. Marcus was beside himself that he had made such a stupid mistake. Chris was angry at Ira. That he didn¡¯t say anything. Caleb was going out of his mind. I was the one that had to tell them that Ira needed Michael to get rid of everyone¡­ But that he didn¡¯t think he would ever hurt her. By that time, it was too late.

    I hoped Michael would forgive me. ¡°I hope you will forgive me, baby.¡± I picked her up and traveled back to the platform and Washington. Marcus burst out in ragged breaths, seeing her safe. He sat down on a chair, his head in his hands.

    Chris was still with Ira. Silvanus and the watchers checking the house.

    ¡°We should have protected her more,¡± Marcus said when I sat next to him, holding her.

    Tears were rolling down my cheeks.

    ¡°Chris and I were a second too late¡­ We didn¡¯t know¡­.¡±

    ¡°Do you think it was enough?¡±

    ¡°I said the one thing I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be able to handle. I don¡¯t know if we will see him again.¡±

    ¡°Good riddance,¡± Marcus whispered at last. The words that had been gnawing at both of us for so long¡­

    ¡°I agree with you. Since he came into the picture...¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t feel like this when Juliet found him that night. When he was there when I finally came back.¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re being honest¡­ You were much more of an issue for me¡­ The way her body responds to you. Physically¡­ you have her in the palm of your hand.¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes met mine. ¡°If things had turned out differently. If it was just you and her. It would have been a love that consumed her. A devoted love between two people. One that went from life to life.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were that person for her.¡±

    ¡°The thing is¡­ I am. Or so I thought¡­ I don¡¯t know Marcus.¡±

    ¡°If I had followed them to the farm, Michael would never have been there¡­ Now¡­ I¡¯m standing at the fragile line that keeps me here. If Soren stays, I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    ¡°I know. But Michael is different. You still don¡¯t understand her. As soon as she knew he had been there every day of her life¡­ For eighteen years¡­ It¡¯s what feeds her. Someone that accepts and puts her first.¡±

    Marcus stood up and took her from me. ¡°Let¡¯s get her to safety. He might just come back.¡±

    I reached out and touched his shoulder and squeezed it. ¡°I know we don¡¯t get along¡­ but don¡¯t let it slip away. Not yet. All of this isn¡¯t fake. Let her prove it to you.¡±

 Third Times A Charm

    138. Third Times The Charm

    Juliet

    I liked waking up the third time. Not alone and in Louis¡¯s arms. I drew in his scent. Wanted his arms to wrap around me, and they did. I wanted him to kiss me and tell me everything was okay. He lifted my chin and kissed me. I felt there was a problem. There was a stiffness in his touch. No words of reassurance that everything went well. Could I really have thought it would be easy? Was I that lucky¡­ No. He pulled me closer. That¡¯s when I knew that it had to be terrible.

    ¡°Did it not work? That¡¯s almost the worst thing you can tell me right now. It¡¯s not been three days and Michael left. That either one of us didn¡¯t love the other.¡± Louis¡¯s shoulders shook. ¡°That bad, huh? You seldom cry¡­ The only time is when you did something wrong. Or you feel bad because it will hurt me.¡± I came up on my elbow, glancing over his shoulder. There was no one on the bed. I sat up and saw Marcus in his corner. ¡°Marcus?! No! I thought we were past this.¡± He didn¡¯t look up at me, just sitting there.

    I walked down the stairs to check the rooms. All of them were empty. The house was quiet. I immediately heard the familiar buzzing. I ran up the stairs, wanting to ask Marcus to leave Louis and me alone, but I didn¡¯t. I walked to the corner and pulled him up. I had to push him towards the bed. Made him lie down and wedged myself in between them. It was what I was used to. I pulled them onto my chest and told them everything would be okay. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t pass out, Julie,¡± Marcus whispered.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t? He¡¯s awake¡­? But not here¡­ That¡¯s weird¡­.¡± I asked, surprised.

    ¡°He¡­ man¡­infested.¡±

    I jumped up, kneeling in front of them. ¡°Into what?¡±

    ¡°All¡­ three¡­ off the bat¡­ then whatever he chose¡­.¡±

    My eyes grew to the size of saucers¡­ I wanted to swear, but it felt redundant. There really wasn¡¯t anything I could say to express my astonishment. Slowly, it sunk in¡­. ¡°That¡¯s why Ira is here. Is everyone okay? Did some¡­ Where is Chris?¡±

    ¡°Chris is fine¡­ He¡¯s watching Ira.¡± Louis sat up quickly. ¡°No one important died¡­.¡±

    ¡°No one important. Who?

    ¡°Rodrigo.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± My voice was shaky from the shock.

    I sat back down on my heels. It was hard to hear. I didn¡¯t think I liked him so much¡­ But I would be able to handle it. He did hurt Michael. If he wasn¡¯t himself¡­. If he manifested like Chris on Earth the first time¡­ He wouldn¡¯t have had any control. ¡°How the hell did he get there?¡±

    ¡°He teleported¡­.¡± My gaze darted to Marcus. I fell on him and hugged him. ¡°Is Ahasuerus dead?¡± He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Marcus. I was actually starting to like the guy¡­ All that knowledge between the two.¡±

    Marcus didn¡¯t want to let me go.

    ¡°Brylee?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t really know, but I¡¯m figuring she was too well guarded. He wouldn¡¯t have been able to get close.¡±

    ¡°Did someone finally tell you guys what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, when he disappeared the first time. Ira told us what would happen.¡±

    ¡°Well, now we know why they didn¡¯t. We would never have, would we¡­ I take it Michael didn¡¯t like it? But he¡¯s not against killing. He probably fed me since I was on the farm. He was a sniper¡­ So he didn¡¯t like the fact of being a creature? Did he leave?¡±

    Louis told me what had happened. That he was unhinged and took me. Marcus felt horrible, but I didn¡¯t blame him. How could he have known Michael would kill me¡­ ¡°I was so scared, baby. That he would hurt you. That little hut of yours is so close to that pink ocean. I didn¡¯t want him to fight me. To manifest again. Scared that we would die...¡±

    ¡°But why are you guys so gloomy?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Juliet? He might never come back.¡±

    I scoffed and jumped up, left them there, and walked downstairs to the bathroom. Absentmindedly got in the shower and stood there for a long time, thinking about all the implications. If he couldn¡¯t get Brylee that night¡­ He probably wouldn¡¯t be able to get her at all. She would be more vigilant. The realization hit me, and I jumped out and ran to the mirror. I completely forgot about the tattoo. Hesitantly, I turned my body so I could see. I gasped and laughed a little. I was so happy, running my fingers over the tattoo. It was so pretty. I stood closer to see the little bumblebee on Louis¡¯s flowers. It glowed a little, with sparkles coming from its flapping wings.

    ¡°That something so small could create such a stir.¡±

    I heard Chris come in with Ira. They were arguing. I got dressed quickly and ran outside. I saw my dad first and ran into his arms. ¡°Juliet, your hair is all wet.¡± He pushed me off. I bumped his nose with my finger. ¡°Glad you are okay, though.¡± My mom didn¡¯t want to hug me either. Caleb didn¡¯t mind and picked me up and squeezed me, manifesting and coming back. ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing. Marcus is very demanding.¡± I bumped his nose, too, when he put me down.

    Sammy and Min¨¦ were playing with Katty, releasing her from her cat carrier. The girls couldn¡¯t care less about me. They loved Katty. Dolls in hand, the two girls followed her everywhere. Since Sammy was human, she was quiet and fun. Happy.

    Marcus and Louis came downstairs. ¡°Who is watching?¡±

    ¡°Warden,¡± Chris said from the lounge where he had flopped down on a couch, tired. I made my way over to him and kissed him. ¡°You okay?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Chris mumbled. I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m angry at Ira for putting you in that much danger. Michael was huge and came after Ira. We needed to fight him. I don¡¯t know what it is about the Earth that makes everybody act differently in their creature forms.¡±

    Louis came over and held out his hand. ¡°Can I talk to you, please?¡±

    He pulled me back into the bathroom, closed the door, and gave me a towel. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± I walked over to him and pulled his lips onto mine. He relaxed, holding me closer.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me what you said to him.¡± He shook his head and took the towel from me, drying my hair. He pushed me down so he could use the dryer on me.

    ¡°Why are you not angry? You¡¯re taking this really well. Better than any one of us.¡±

    ¡°Michael¡¯s at the farm, Louis. Let''s give him some time. Of course, I would love to go in there¡­ Maybe put some Watcher tech on him¡­ He did turn into all three¡­ Probably freaking out. I remember how I felt¡­ Perhaps regular police surveillance? A guy in a car. To tell us he is safe. Put some people in the barn. He will need to eat.¡±

    Louis was already out the door. I shook my head, thinking back on what happened between Michael and me on the farm.

    ***

    Many Years Ago

    ¡°Okay¡­ We gotta talk.¡± Michael stomped into the room.

    I was in a slum again, sitting on the floor. ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°The sleeping. I can¡¯t take it anymore, Juliet... You wake me up every night. You sleep for three hours. I can¡¯t anymore.¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯m not stopping you¡­ Go sleep.¡± He seemed troubled. The dark circles under his bloodshot eyes. I hadn¡¯t looked at him in a few days; I¡¯d been staring out the window. ¡°What is wrong with you¡­ You take your job way too seriously.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea.¡± Michael sat down next to me on the floor.

    That night, when I woke up. The door slammed open. The light in the corridor was on, so I could see his frame. Clothed and barefoot. He was angry, stomped over to the bed, and pulled me into his arms. ¡°I¡¯ve had enough¡­ Scoot down.¡± He wrapped me up in a blanket. It wasn¡¯t a minute before I fell asleep. That following morning, I felt better, and he smiled at me when I woke up. Obviously, I didn¡¯t know that he was connected to me through thick and thin. A little na?ve. All it meant to me was that I was comforted. It was the first taste of having a relationship and what it was all about. Someone else besides my parents and Marcus who cared about me.

    For the next few weeks, it went on like that. Michael slept with me so that we could both have a good night¡¯s rest. I liked the feeling. Slowly but surely, he became himself again. I liked that feeling, too. Helping someone and not being so difficult. Of course, it didn¡¯t cure all my issues¡­ I still needed to eat. But with that, brought back the servants and Samuel. After a few months of training and eating with my uncle, my ability surfaced for the first time.

    Michael wasn¡¯t sleeping with me anymore. I understood why. My uncle would probably have killed him¡­ Or maybe not. But I was over the initial shock and didn¡¯t need it anymore.

    I woke up one morning with a stir in my room.

    ¡°Hey, be quiet.¡± But whoever was in there didn¡¯t let up. Frustrated and in a huff, I sat up. Got out of the sheets and walked over to Michael, who was frantically searching my room. I tried to grab his shoulder to turn him around. I couldn¡¯t touch him. My hand didn¡¯t go through him but kinda bounced off.

    ¡°Michael!¡± I yelled. Nothing.

    ¡°Michael!¡± Again. Nothing.

    My uncle came in and out of the room, hollering orders and making the servants run around. Another two joined Michael in tearing the room apart. I headed for the door when no one saw me. I thought I had died. Maybe eating a person¡­ I was allergic. I laughed lightly at my own joke.

    The doorbell rang, and my mom and dad walked over the threshold. ¡°How long has she been gone, Sam?¡± My dad asked in a panic.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know? The maid told us she wasn¡¯t in her bed, and we all jumped up looking. She had never done this¡­ Or showed any signs. You know I have been here for months.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Maybe¡­ she¡¯s acting out. Let¡¯s fan out. No point in searching the house anymore.¡±

    My eyes kept darting to Michael. His hand was nervously running through his hair. After they left, he checked all the places I usually hid to read. ¡°How do you know where I go?¡± I asked as I followed him all over the house. I stayed with him because I didn¡¯t want to be with my mom and dad. Glad that they were back only after I died. I couldn¡¯t even glance at Liam. I would block it out anyway, and my mind would drift to the people searching.

    ¡°If you guys only knew¡­ I¡¯M DEAD!! I¡¯M A GHOST.¡±

    I wondered how long they would keep it up. It wasn¡¯t like they could call the police. I laughed again.

    Michael did talk to some people on the phone. But I didn¡¯t understand their lingo, and I got distracted by the barn cats. Michael was hiding, making his phone calls. He relieved himself behind the wall, and I¡¯m sad to say that I watched. Got so shy that I ran away, blushed, and fell down on my bed. I couldn¡¯t face him for the rest of the day until that night when I was tired and scared and didn¡¯t want to sleep alone. I went into his room. Michael was beside himself, distraught one moment and eager the next. I watched him looking at photos he had of me on his phone. Ones I didn¡¯t know he took. There were a lot of pictures as he scrolled through. It felt weird, but¡­ That night when I fell asleep exhausted. It was the first time I saw him calm down. A smile on his face. His eyes slowly closed with mine¡­

    After that, he searched with meaning. Like he knew I was somewhere. The only one who wasn¡¯t balling up was Michael. I found it very suspicious. He didn¡¯t give up. He walked around the town where I liked to go sit and watch the people. He walked up the mountain where we went hunting and walked for hours. But it did seem he could sleep. When I fell on his bed at night, he lay there. And as he fell asleep, he had a stupid smile on his face.

    My parents were another case altogether. My mom cried uncontrollably. My dad had gone to drinking. It was the three days after the auction all over again. They fought like they had never fought before¡­ Samuel joined my father in drinking, which left Mom so angry with them for not doing anything to find me.

    On the fourth morning, I was hungry, knew I was probably not dead, and sat at the breakfast table. My dad was passed out, lying on his arms. My mom and my uncle were trying to eat a piece of toast, and occasionally, a tear would run down her cheek. I was at the head of the table opposite my uncle, gaping at the eggs on a plate. ¡°I¡¯m so hungry.¡±

    My uncle jumped up at the sound of my voice. Even Liam woke up hearing me. My arms wrapped around my uncle. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± My mom jumped and came around the table to hug me. My uncle held both of us, crying. Liam wanted to come closer, but I disappeared again. An uncontrollable sob escaped him.

    ¡°Where is she now?¡±

    ¡°She is probably still right here in our arms¡­.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Sam?¡± My mom asked.

    ¡°She has an ability.¡±

    ¡°What? We haven¡¯t seen one¡­.¡±

    ¡°In¡­ centuries. Since that mind reader.¡± My uncle finished my mom¡¯s sentence. ¡°I always said she wasn¡¯t that special for nothing.¡±

    But my dad knew what was going on. He moved away, and I came back. Our eyes locked in mutual understanding. His shoulders shook as he held back tears. But Liam didn¡¯t leave. Defeated, he sat down again.

    We all heard the running down the stairs. The heavy treads of someone coming towards us. The door flung open, and Michael pushed everyone out of the way, grabbed my upper arms, and kissed me. My eyes were closed for a second and slowly opened to meet his when he finished locking lips with me. I licked mine, remembering our first kiss. ¡°Uncle Sam¡­ I think another boy likes me.¡± Samuel cleared his throat. Michael let go of my arms and stood back. He put his hand over his mouth, staring at me. He turned around and walked away. I sighed dramatically. ¡°Will I have this effect on all the boys?¡±

    We stayed only for another few more months or so. I was starting school late that year, and we were leaving.

    Those few months, Michael was a little quieter. I had to practice my new ability. I did follow him a bit. I didn¡¯t really want to sleep anywhere else. He took me back to my own bed every morning before anyone woke up.

    The last morning, my dad was packing the car. I had still not talked to Liam at all. But I could stand him, being in the same house. I was done packing and dressed. One last thing to do. Say goodbye to the butler¡­ the barn cats, and my uncle.

    When I got to Michael¡¯s room, he was sitting on the bed, a little forlorn. Head slumped over his phone. ¡°Are you perving at my photos again?¡± Nervously, he looked up and tossed the phone aside. I walked over. He was guilt-ridden and couldn¡¯t look at me. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± He smiled. I sat down on the work desk across from him. He stood up and opened the drawer next to me, taking out a parcel. It was wrapped in black paper with little skulls on it. I loved it immediately. It didn¡¯t really matter what was going to be inside. It felt like a book anyway.

    ¡°Honey¡­¡± He ventured, peeking up at me to see if the endearment bothered me. I snorted. He relaxed a little. ¡°Can you promise me a few things?¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°You are going to be very popular at school¡­ Just tell me you won¡¯t let anyone be ugly with you¡­ or fall for the bad boys¡­ You shouldn¡¯t be one of those Korean drama girls that run after the rich CEOs.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°I can guarantee you that I will not be falling for anyone. Or running after another guy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid you will¡­ So just promise me that you will love what is good for you and¡­ turn away when someone is not. Don¡¯t hang around¡­ okay. Guys are bad news¡­ Especially where you¡¯re going.¡±

    ¡°Fine¡­ but¡­¡± I smirked. He stood back and regarded me. I licked my lips.

    He frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t like that look in your eyes¡­.¡±

    ¡°You have to do something for me¡­.¡±

    ¡°Out with it.¡±

    ¡°Kiss me again.¡±

    He spun around. ¡°No. That was¡­ a lapse in concentration¡­ Do what you want¡­ I won¡¯t again¡­.¡± Michael walked out of the room. I got off the desk and watched him go down the stairs. He didn¡¯t even glance back. Tears welled up, having to say goodbye to another person in my life. I walked to the edge of the stairs, willing him to look back at me¡­ He didn¡¯t. After that, I didn¡¯t see Michael again. Ever¡­

    I forgot about my first kiss after about a year into high school. After kissing so many boys, I thought I would get bored of it. I didn¡¯t really say no. Wanted to irritate my dad. Wanting to rebel. Get the compound out of my system. And Michael was right. I was¡­ popular. Charlene was even more. With her friendly, girly attitude¡­ She went a little further with the guys than I would have at that stage. Well, for a while. Until she convinced me it wasn¡¯t so bad. And that lasted for a few months. Me being looser¡­ trying more things¡­ We went out with older guys as the years passed... Our crowds changed, and I met Jerry around the time I figured out Chris could feel me in my invisible state... Found out what a good orgasm felt like.

    I forgot about Chris, Marcus, and Michael for a whole year¡­ Jerry and I were inseparable. We fit in every way. The fact that he was so stupid when he was drunk to me was the best. We had an incredible time together, and Carl was always watching us¡­ Jerry never pushed, and I kinda initiated everything¡­ He was never mean¡­ Then, I guess Jerry had his first full moon. He was fighting it¡­ Thinking back¡­ I feel terrible that he couldn¡¯t talk to me. We would¡¯ve been the perfect couple. I never followed him... Kept that only for Chris. Jerry would¡¯ve seen me, and that would have been it¡­ Our babies would have died¡­ but other than that¡­ I actually missed Jerry sometimes. I guess he wasn¡¯t evil at all or a jerk. He just didn¡¯t like killing people or maybe didn¡¯t want to tell me he could turn into a dog. He was scared that he would hurt me, and when he did. He ran like a coward. I always had a soft spot for the good guys¡­ The cowards. The runners¡­ Michaels¡¯s words had more of an effect on me than I knew. Made sure to love what was good for me.

    But they started coming back. Louis didn¡¯t leave at all... He never has. Chris came to France. Marcus stayed after a lot of running away¡­ Michael? I gazed out over the vista into the distance. Katty was on my lap¡­ I smiled. It wouldn¡¯t be long¡­ He would come back.

 Lapse In Judgement

    139. Lapse In Judgement

    Michael

    When Louis talked me down, I traveled to the farm. It was where it all started.

    The worst moment of my life was when my better judgment failed me... Looking back on it¡­ I have to say it was a mistake. Even wrong¡­ For my conscience¡¯s sake or something¡­ After Marcus denied her first kiss at the compound¡­ I was a little overzealous at the farm to take that spot.

    ***

    Lots and Lots Of Years Ago

    ¡°Juliet¡­ Please. You have to eat¡­ You won¡¯t even have to think about it. Your body will take over.¡±

    Juliet was sitting on the window sill of the library. She had been staring out the window for the longest time. When someone is that far gone. Someone you love and cherish¡­ I had to do something. I sat next to her, and she turned to me. ¡°Michael, is there nothing you can do for me?¡± She was so desperate.

    ¡°You have to get over this.¡±

    There was a lot I suppose I could have done. At that moment, my thoughts darted to the little black leather pouch I had in my room.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already called your uncle. He is on his way.¡±

    ¡°My uncle?¡±

    ¡°Your father has a brother. This is his house.¡±

    ¡°Great¡­ My life is going to become worse. Another Liam.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Her expression changed. And she seemed hopeful.  ¡°I do have something, but it will cost you.¡±

    She was incredulous. ¡°There is no way I¡¯m doing you any sexual favors for¡­ I don¡¯t even know what we are talking about.¡±

    My head fell forward in shame. I had phrased it so wrong and was mucking up the thing I thought would¡­ ¡°We are talking about three days of a drugged-induced coma. Sleep with no dreams. Euphoria. An instant hit of release and a dreaminess¡­ You will fall back and wake up better.¡±

    Her lips pressed into a thin line, trying to stop tears. I put my arm around her. At that point, we had been sleeping together for months, and it was normal. ¡°I¡¯m a little offended that you think I would ask you to do anything like that. But I won¡¯t take it to heart¡­ I didn¡¯t really mean you needed to pay like that.¡±

    Her arms wrapped around me tighter. ¡°Then what do you want?¡±

    I sigh, thinking back. I knew our time was coming to an end. I wanted something. When Samuel was back, it would be over between us.

    ¡°I want your first kiss¡­.¡± I said softly. Eyes on the ground. The words were out before I could stop myself.

    She frowned and sat back, regarding me for the longest time. ¡°Why? And who says it would be?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ know where you come from. I¡­ know that kind of thing is¡­.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t allowed¡­.¡± She scoffed and peered aimlessly out the window. I wondered if she thought about Marcus at that moment. It took her a few minutes. I was already regretting asking. I wanted to take it back and drug her for free. Give her a hit of ecstasy.

    ¡°I want to take it back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it¡­.¡±

    We spoke at the same time. My mouth closed.

    ¡°I was going to kiss someone once¡­ I was going to do it for a lot less¡­.¡± She said heavily.

    The words cut me so deep that I wanted to run right there. She had a severe issue with what happened. Marcus had hurt her to the point where she was suicidal. Not only did he violate her, but¡­ Liam watched and walked away. She didn¡¯t even understand what had happened or that she loved Marcus, even if he was the cause of her pain. Broke her heart. No girl should ever feel that kind of disappointment. I wanted to take it back. I didn¡¯t want to hurt her even more. I tried to speak, and she stared at me. Her eyes were calling my bluff. ¡°If you take it back now. You¡¯ll only be making it worse. Don¡¯t be a coward, please. At least you¡¯re asking. Giving me a choice. Talking to me like I¡¯m a person.¡±

    My shoulders started shaking¡­ She sat forward and turned my face to her. ¡°Why the hell are you crying?¡±

    I stood up and wiped my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not. F-.¡±

    She snickered with her hand covering her mouth.

    ¡°It¡¯s a date. At seven tonight. Brush your teeth.¡±

    She smiled so brightly that I couldn¡¯t help myself¡­ I was going to do it.

    I left and took a shower. Got appropriately dressed and brushed my teeth. One moment with a stupid smile on my face and the next judging myself in the mirror. At seven, I forced her to sit at the dining room table. ¡°Give me your hand.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing? You better freaking kiss me! Or I¡¯ll suck you dry, which will be the end of it.¡±

    I stroked her hair and asked for her hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to give you blood¡­ It¡¯s like a human transfusion, right? You don¡¯t have to taste it or even feel it¡¯s wrong. You¡¯re sick, and I¡¯m helping you¡­ Watching out for you¡­.¡±

    She nodded. I strapped her arm and found a vein. She didn¡¯t complain, her eyes on me the whole time¡­¡°So this is a dinner date¡­.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll eat too. You can sip on some beer or something.¡± She nodded excitedly.

    She waited at the table. I made myself a sandwich and sat next to her.

    The blood kicked in so fast¡­ After an hour, she felt so good. We talked and spent time together. We took a walk. She loved the outdoors. I made her laugh, and she made me laugh. Juliet couldn¡¯t sit still, walking around the house. We checked out Samuels¡¯s secret room, which she didn¡¯t even know was there. At that stage, he had removed everything. He didn¡¯t want her to know. The house was Watcher-proof.

    When we went in. There were candles and a loveseat. My little black tube was in my pocket. She liked it and circled the room. ¡°I feel so much better. We could really leave it¡­ If I could do a blood transfusion every time¡­ I will just live like that. I sat down on the loveseat, my beer in hand, lighting a cigarette. Juliet asked for one. I gave her mine and lit another. I felt terrible doing it like that, but she would soon see the down it brought. It wasn¡¯t like fresh, warm blood. I counted the minutes off on my watch. I gave her five more¡­ Especially being that young¡­ I asked her to come to sit next to me. She did and watched me with interest. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯m sorry honey¡­ I¡¯m making so many mistakes today.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Without you, I don¡¯t know what would¡¯ve happened to me.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk again in three minutes, okay.¡±

    Her face was visibly distorted. Manifesting in and out. The high was gone, and she was plummeting. I pulled her onto my chest, waiting for the worst to be over. She held her stomach and groaned, pulling her knees up. Curling up. When she was human and stable, bloodshot eyes looked up at me.

    I lifted her chin with my finger. She sat up. The plummeting was forgotten, replaced with anticipation for what was to come¡­ I took her face in my hand. Her eyes closed. I tilted her head and planted my lips on hers¡­ For the next part, I would also wait a few seconds. Her vampire lust and need would surface. I teased her lips with my tongue, and she opened her mouth. She kissed me back¡­ both getting lost in the moment. I should feel lousy that I did that. I was scared that she would forget about me.

    Her hands pulled my head towards her, and she started moaning, and I knew she had crossed over into a lust craze state. I pulled back.

    ¡°What the hell was that?¡± She asked innocently.

    I  stroked her hair¡­ ¡°That was attraction¡­.¡± I ran my hand over her cheek¡­ ¡°Lust¡­ and love¡­.¡± I stabbed her in the neck. She winced, her hand jumping to her neck. ¡°No¡­ I wanted more¡­¡± I caught her when she fell. Her eyes were on me. She wasn¡¯t there, but she was happy.

    Samuel came back when she woke up from her third day¡¯s sleep. After that, she ate, and everything was back to normal.

    ***

    After I left that day¡­ when they were packing the car¡­ I didn¡¯t look back at her. A guilty person never looked back. And I wanted to kiss her again. Not leave her¡­ And I knew why Marcus didn¡¯t kiss her.

    I only saw her in person at the tattoo shop in the years to follow.

    ***

    I remembered one particular time she came. She was getting a tattoo on her hand. I knew it was gonna hurt a little. She didn¡¯t recognize me. I had bulked up and was gymming six hours a day, watching her¡­ I was huge. Had gotten so many tattoos since the farm, covering myself up. Grew a beard and my hair so long that it hung under my shoulders. I wore colored contacts, and I had bought myself a Harley. Started biking. Making friends. Jerry was with her, and I kinda liked him at that point¡­ But the two of them did make James and me leave the van a lot. I couldn¡¯t blame her, though. I started it. I was her first proper kiss. I had given her the first cigarette and beer.

    I was using the tattoo parlor as a front. She was the only client I worked on. Other than that, I sat in my office or van and watched her¡­ Enjoyed the days she fell asleep in class.

    ¡°It¡¯s funny that the school isn¡¯t saying anything about all your tattoos.¡± I had on a face mask, just in case. Lied about hiding my face. Told them that I had a bad immune system or something.

    ¡°Yeah, I think the principal has a thing for me.¡± I snorted... Her principal was one of Samuel¡¯s guys. A vamp that got off the compound for some reason and was hiding. If she only knew¡­ She was a bit stupid back then. She glanced over at me but winced as I hit some bone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have a heavy hand. Do you want one of the girls to do it?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m okay.¡±

    I shook my head. She was trying to be strong. When she squirmed again, I held out a packet cigarette to her¡­ ¡°Here, take one to keep yourself busy.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have something¡­ stronger?¡± My head snapped up. Like she knew who I was. But she wasn¡¯t looking at me, and I knew she was only fishing for drugs.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to afford it, honey.¡± When the words left my mouth. I almost got up and ran again. Her head came around, her narrow eyes fixed on me. I tossed the lighter onto her lap and kept working.

    Jerry cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m a jealous guy, Juliet.¡± She snickered, giving him the lighter. ¡°And no one is allowed to call you honey¡­.¡± Jerry held out the lighter to her, and she dragged the cigarette to light.

    ¡°I kinda like it¡­.¡± I smiled behind the mask¡­ ¡°My first kiss was a guy that called me honey.¡± My smile broadened.

    I knew I wasn¡¯t really well in the head. But I had made peace with it¡­ The moment Marcus wanted to kiss her, and she had turned away from him. At that exact moment, actually¡­ I made peace that I would make us end up together. In the long run, it would be the little pieces we had.

    Jerry didn¡¯t like it and flopped down on his chair. ¡°Thanks for telling me.¡±

    ¡°Nasty habit¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help myself. Try at least to fix your mistakes, Michael¡­ Every few months, she came for some or another tattoo. A small one, but she was addicted. So, I made sure I was the only place in town. I was so rich that I bought everybody out in all the encompassing cities.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really have a choice.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean¡­ You always have a choice.¡± I said softly.

    She dragged the cigarette and put her head back onto the soft black material of the bench, blowing the smoke into the air.

    I had a hard time concentrating that day. She had her seventeenth birthday a while back, and she was anything but sweet that night¡­ Everything she did kept playing over in my mind¡­ I saw things that I shouldn¡¯t have. Jerry eyed me skeptically. I stared him down. I knew he would turn eventually¡­ His watcher was just behind me... Glad that he didn¡¯t need to stare at a screen for a while.

    James walked over and squeezed my shoulder, sitting next to me. We had become friends. There was really little else we could do. He took the packet from her and pulled her into a conversation, taking the focus off of me¡­ Letting me chat to her without it being weird.

    ¡°I have too many daddy issues.¡± She said at last.

    I scoffed at her.

    She glanced at me. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Every time you come in here, you complain about your dad¡­ I think it¡¯s time you move on¡­ Get over it and forgive him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too young to drink.¡± James and I shared a knowing glance. She drank like a fish¡­ ¡°You¡¯re like my bartender. Have to listen to my sad story¡­ I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m boring you.¡± She was squirming again. ¡°Must be those wrinkles on your forehead. What are you? Almost forty¡­ Letting an underage girl get tattoos at your shop... Isn¡¯t it illegal¡­? If you weren¡¯t the only shop in like two hundred miles, I wouldn¡¯t even come here.¡±

    She was ranting because I brought up Liam. Poor guy. I stopped working and sat back, giving the pen to James. ¡°I can¡¯t finish here. You do it.¡± He moved in quickly. She wasn¡¯t meeting my gaze.

    Before I left out the door, I pulled down the mask and turned¡­ ¡°You¡¯re turning into a real¡­.¡±

    Her head snapped up. ¡°Bitch? Is that what you wanted to say?¡±

    ¡°You always have a choice¡­.¡± I stood ready to leave.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ If it¡¯s not this, then¡­ I might as well go back to where I came from¡­.¡±

    ¡°Your father made one mistake. Before that¡­ You guys were probably really close, and you loved him so much, just like a little girl should¡­ Now you¡¯re the worst clich¨¦ I¡¯ve ever met.¡±

    Her eyes were already tearing up. ¡°Your hatred is going to eat you alive, honey!¡±

    She flung her legs off the chair and headed for the front door. James wanted to talk to her. ¡°I know how to take care of a tattoo. Idiot.¡± When she said it. Her hand sprung to her mouth. Juliet had always respected everyone. The compound and leaving had thrust her into a world she knew nothing about. She turned to him. The tears ran down her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Jerry sat staring at her. His gaze traveled from me to James.

    ¡°Get lost, Jerry, before I send you home in a body bag.¡±

    ¡°What about paying?¡±

    James kicked him out the door. ¡°Never mind that. Go after her, idiot.¡±

    The girls in the parlor and the other clients stared at us. We were swamped because I had spent millions¡­ on that one fight. She left, and I never saw her again. I didn¡¯t really need to¡­ We would meet in a year at the embassy in France¡­ For real and permanently.

    That night, she dug out the present I gave her¡­ She never had the guts to open it. It was a pink journal with a unicorn on top. She opened it perplexed. On the front pages, I had written her a lot¡­ Small messages and ways to cope.

    After she read all of it. She walked over to Liam. He was on his bed watching TV. She stood at the door a long time, watching him. He sat up, and they stared at each other. It had been years of conflict and silence.

    ¡°I need self-help books on how to forgive people¡­ Let go of anger and all of that. Getting through¡­ trauma¡­¡± her voice broke, and I cried. Liam cried¡­ and she cried. She turned around, but he ran after her, picked her up, and held her. She let it all out that night¡­ But she was in his arms.

    For the next few months, Juliet changed¡­ Spent time with Liam. Listened to all he would tell her about the brandings and how it would affect her life¡­ She worked on herself. Journaled. Bought more and read so many books¡­ But¡­ she didn¡¯t stop drinking. She didn¡¯t stop smoking... Or doing drugs¡­ She lost Jerry, and the one thing she wasn¡¯t dealing with was stuck in the desert.

 The One

    140. The One

    Present Day

    Michael

    It had been a week. Juliet would be awake, and I was in control of all my faculties. At first, I was scared of going into vampire mode. So I did it in the barn where I was locked in. The whole place was creature-proof. All types. I thought about anything and everything that would make me want to kill Juliet for the right to rule¡­ But that would mean we all would die¡­ Or wouldn¡¯t I die? Did Brylee speak the truth?

    Magically, there were people in there. I had killed, at that stage, a staggering amount of humans¡­ I Made sure Juliet and her parents ate. I lined them up¡­ and she killed them. I had seen the car parked outside. I didn¡¯t really mind being watched. Especially if it was James. When I did go into vamp mode¡­ I stood there to try and get over the overwhelming feelings... When it didn¡¯t want to subside, I drained three people. Ate them as a Riphath and werewolf¡­ so that I could get over the cravings and lay there for the longest time. I had no problem crossing the line. Little Michael the human was no more. The barn door opened eventually.

    I walked out as a new Michael. Manifested and teleported. I couldn¡¯t get over the fact that I had so much power.

    I ended up in France at the front door. I knocked. Silvanus opened the door and mocked me, holding up fighting fists. I ran my hand through my hair and chuckled.

    ¡°Who is it?¡± I heard Louis ask. ¡°It¡¯s husband number one.¡± Silvanus provoked some more.

    Louis practically dove at me, hugged me, and threw his legs around my waist. I grabbed his ass and kissed his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, man.¡± He whispered.

    ¡°Thank you. I needed to hear that...¡± I said. He let go of me.

    Juliet was watching over the crest of the couch. Our eyes met. She waved at me like nothing was different. Like, I didn¡¯t just literally grow three extra heads. I walked over and pulled her up. She jumped over the back onto me. I held her like Chris always did. We both peeked at him.

    His eyes were narrowed. ¡°If you two do that again¡­ There will be consequences.¡± She jumped off and laughed as I kissed her.

    ¡°How many times has that happened?¡± Chris asked.

    Juliet guiltily glanced at Marcus, who was reading and smirking¡­ His eyes didn¡¯t come up. Her thoughts wandered. Chris fell back onto the couch. Holding his stomach. Groaning. ¡°I told you, Chris.¡± Ira chirped from the side. ¡°Let¡¯s go home. There is nothing for you here.¡±

    Chris stood up and walked up the stairs.

    ¡°Where are Jamal and Selena?¡± I asked Juliet.

    ¡°They are at the cabin.¡±

    I teleported us there. Juliet stood back regarding me in my Riphath form. Her hand reached up, but I was so tall she couldn¡¯t even reach me. I towered over her. I got on my knees, and she traced my face. I changed to my vampire. Her hand stilled, and she pulled back. Stepped away from me. The one thing about adult Juliet was that her face was unreadable. Where she always wore her emotions on her sleeve, she no longer did.

    Jamal and Selena were sitting on chairs outside, gazing out over the view. They turned, and Jamal was happy to see us. He went on and on about my new features. Juliet was still fixed on me. I caught her in an embrace and teleported. Somewhere, it was night. Across the world and back in time. The compound to my room. I manifested into a werewolf and sat down on the bed like that. I didn¡¯t like the reaction she was giving me.

    After some moments, with my head in my hands, she sat next to me. I dared to look at her. One hand was stretched out, and I put a paw in hers. ¡°Are you okay, Michael?¡±

    I transformed back into a human and enveloped her. ¡°Tell me that¡¯s what¡¯s wrong.¡±

    She nodded, and tears pooled in her eyes¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If I knew. I wouldn¡¯t have¡­.¡±

    I took her face in my hands and pulled her lips onto mine, wiping under her eyes. ¡°Show me.¡±

    She jumped up and pulled down her pants. My fingers explored the little bee. ¡°Juliet¡­ When did you fall in love with me? I had loved you for so long¡­ But you had so little time with me. How could you be so sure?¡±

    She turned and straddled me. ¡°You¡¯re just like Marcus¡­ Had no faith in me. Now that you know how I feel, you¡¯re all talkative and open.¡± I fell back on the bed. She went down with me, and we both stared at the roof. ¡°I think it was the first time I saw you at the Embassy. Realizing who you were¡­

    You looked at me, and then you couldn¡¯t. Such a coward¡­ Such a lovely person¡­ I liked the fact that you never did go anywhere. Even if you didn¡¯t look back at me that morning when we left the farm¡­ Instantly, I had a life companion¡­ One that knew so much about me and still¡­ loved me¡­ When you touched me, I knew¡­ I could see it. I could feel it.

    The way you glanced at me. The way we kissed that night. How I felt even after Marcus. I had thought I would never love anyone again. But you saved me just in time. Restored my faith just enough. If it weren¡¯t for you¡­ Liam and I¡­ My life would¡¯ve ended. Or¡­ I would¡¯ve lost Caleb.

    Your body had changed so much¡­ At first, I couldn¡¯t believe it... It took me a moment to accept that you were at the farm at all. The months we spent together there were so confusing. Those two months while I was pregnant. It was like we never left¡­ Michael, I¡¯m really not a complicated person. I love easily, and I don¡¯t like letting go. I don¡¯t like giving up on something I was sure of at one stage in my life. It¡¯s not who I am¡­ And once I¡¯m sure¡­ I will keep fighting for my family. You taught me that.

    It¡¯s what got me to where we are. But I wouldn¡¯t want any of you out of my life. I know it¡¯s hard. I¡¯m more jealous than anyone else. How could I expect it from you?¡±

    She turned on her side and faced me.

    ¡°When did you know you would have to share me? Did you at all. Or were you hoping that we would end up together? Just the two of us?¡±

    Her hand was in mine, clutching.

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    ¡°I could see something was going on between Liam and Marcus. I started watching Kubra¡¯s feed on Marcus when he was alone with Liam¡­ I found out about the brandings. Did all my research and started talking to Samuel about it¡­ I knew it was coming, and I knew when Marcus did that¡­ I would probably lose you for good. There was no way he¡­ You would be stuck on the compound¡­ But he didn¡¯t. He let you go¡­ I can¡¯t tell you, Juliet, how he suffered those three years. How much it took for him to do it. I felt for the guy¡­ And when you clung to Louis as you did¡­ I didn¡¯t know what the hell was going to happen¡­ I read your journals and could see you building up to it¡­ I was the one that was ready that night. Kept everything on hand¡­ Louis also knew and kept it on him¡­ I wanted it because I knew if you could love both of them¡­ maybe I had a chance. I couldn¡¯t care less about sharing. All I cared about was bridging the gap¡­ getting to you¡­.¡±

    I sat up and wrung my hand through my hair.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, honey¡­ that I¡¯ve not given you the space to love where you need to. I¡¯ve become possessive¡­ and selfish. Not talking to you¡­ You might think that we have issues with sharing you¡­ But it really isn¡¯t that¡­ You don¡¯t hurt us. Well, not me¡­.¡±

    She sat up and put her head on my shoulder. ¡°I want to take back what I made you promise¡­ before¡­.¡±

    ¡°Even the dance?¡±

    I turned to her, bending one leg underneath me. ¡°Even the dance.¡±

    She turned on her stomach, playing with the sheets. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I stroked her head and put her hair behind her ear to see her face.

    ¡°Just what I¡¯m saying!¡± Her tone changed. I had made her mad¡­ ¡°You can¡¯t just nullify our promises. It takes two people to make them. Shouldn¡¯t it be both of us to break them?¡±

    She stood up in a huff. ¡°Take me back.¡±

    I laughed at her¡­ ¡°Make me.¡±

    Her eyes slowly met mine. ¡°Please take me back.¡± She was hurt, not mad...

    I opened my mouth to say something but closed it again. ¡°Juliet, I¡¯m sorry. I should have told you that¡¯s what Louis said to me¡­ to calm me down¡­ He told me that I¡­ buy your love. That I¡­ coerced you into kissing me. It was really all he had to say¡­.¡±

    ¡°HE WHAT!! TAKE ME BACK NOW!¡±

    I kinda jumped to attention and traveled her back. We were on the porch. ¡°He apologized¡­ He had to. I made a mistake¡­ Please.¡± I tried to reason with her.

    She touched my cheek¡­ walked into the house, and yelled so loud. ¡°Louis Du Pont! You better freaking show yourself.¡± I heard him running up the stairs. She was hot on his heels. The door slammed so hard that I thought the glass would break and the whole room would crumble down.

    ***

    Juliet

    For the first time, I locked the door. Louis had undressed so quickly he was lying face down on the bed in his underwear. His arm bent, his head resting on his elbow, knowing how to tempt me. I smiled, and he turned his head towards me. ¡°So you do read me in my vanished state¡­.¡± He smiled.

    I really had only one thought when I looked at Louis. When our eyes met. Both sets of piercing blue oceans dug deep into the others.

    I loved him.

    I walked over to a little nail he had hammered into the wood. I pulled both chains over my head and pushed the ring onto my finger. Louis had turned and was sitting up, staring at me. His hands were resting on his legs.

    ¡°I know he loves me¡­ even more than you¡­ But I¡­ love you most¡­ I¡¯m tired, Louis¡­ of running from my feelings¡­ Tell me why I can¡¯t get you off my mind. Is it wrong, or is it right? Why am I unable to put you away?¡± I turned away from him and walked towards the door.

    He didn¡¯t let me get there. His hand was resting softly on my shoulder, stopping me. ¡°Can I kiss you, baby?¡± I nodded.

    ***

    Louis

    She turned slowly. My eyes were on her lips¡­ Our hands didn¡¯t come up to grab onto each other. She didn¡¯t cup my neck to drag my lips onto hers. I didn¡¯t run my fingers through her hair. Unthinking, we moved closer to each other. Our heads already knew where to go. My eyes closed, and I knew hers were as well. It didn¡¯t last long. I lifted my face from hers and pulled away to take off the chains. I lifted her hand and pulled off the ring. I walked back and hung it up.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should flaunt it anymore¡­ Or tell anyone. They don¡¯t deserve it. It will be our secret¡­ I gave you those chains when it was just you and me. It was never meant to be a bondage to you. You taking it off was the right thing to do.¡±

    Rain was falling outside. So heavy that the wind was a constant howl. I sat down on the bed. Elbows clutching my knees because the bed was so low on the ground.

    ¡°Marcus¡­ has no idea what¡¯s going on most of the time. He follows your lead. He¡¯s trying so hard¡­ And he¡¯s who you want the most physically. He¡¯s the reason I was so jealous¡­ And I couldn¡¯t even take it out on him. Didn¡¯t think you would allow it¡­ I know I¡¯m the one who started it, wanting a schedule. But I realized that I wanted to stand aside for the wrong reasons. And I¡¯m sorry. I keep making the same mistakes.¡±

    She was standing, looking down at me. I started out at the falling drops on the window¡­

    ¡°The problem is¡­ that everyone wants to be with you, baby¡­ All the time. I think the sex should be your choice. We¡¯re all different, and you¡¯re the girl¡­ We get off easily¡­ You¡¯re a little harder to please. Hard to get there¡­ These days¡­ It¡¯s all connection for you¡­ so let them work for it¡­.¡±

    That made her smile, and she fell down on the bed behind me.

    ¡°Baby, I don¡¯t know how we will do it?¡± I whispered.

    She moved closer to me and trailed languid kisses over my back. Slowly, she sat up, her hands tracing my spine while her lips found my skin.

    ¡°I will always sleep next to you and one other person. They can have a schedule. But it¡¯s my room¡­.¡± I smirked. Like that was really the reason. I glanced back over my shoulder. Her eyes were on my body.

    She turned me, and we sat chest to chest¡­ She kissed me long and hard and kept going down my neck.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should split up. We should all live here¡­ Zoreah is out¡­ We can build more houses. One for your parents. One for Carl if he and Kubra can¡¯t share.¡±

    Her hand ran through my hair. It was long. Because she liked it long. Her lips kissed my cheek. The corner of my mouth as I spoke.

    ¡°I think we should all work¡­ You and Marcus need to be on En-gannim. Together¡­ I will be here on Earth¡­ Michael can manage Palmyra because he¡¯s the only werewolf¡­ Chris can be on Zoreah. His hours will be difficult¡­ but I think he can manage. If we¡¯re all busy, it might not be so bad¡­.¡±

    She was still kissing me. In my neck and running her hands over my chest and arms. Touching every part of me. Her pulse was racing, and her breath was hot on my skin.

    ¡°I will put them in their places when they get too demanding. I will be there for you¡­.¡±

    ¡°Like my pimp¡­.¡± Her lips planted on mine. She still tasted of cherries¡­ using the exact ChapStick she always had with her¡­ A sliding touch up my thigh. My hand matched hers on her soft skin. My thumb rubbed and pressed ever closer.

    ¡°Your lips are so soft.¡± She whispered.

    ¡°What every guy wants to hear. You¡¯re so soft¡­.¡± She smiled against my lips. It was quick. She was already there, climbing on top of me.

    I didn¡¯t use my ability every time we made love. I didn¡¯t need to tell her if I was... She knew when she was getting what she wanted, and I left that for special occasions.

    At that moment¡­ I felt like being myself. Letting go of the fear that had been plaguing me for the last year¡­ Not reading her had left me in tatters. I touched her the way I wanted. Where I wanted¡­ Used as much tongue as I wanted. I devoured her. Because she was mine.

 Lets Try Again

    141. Let''s Try Again

    Marcus

    The day before, Chris had left the lounge irritated at Ira. Michael had picked Juliet up and left¡­ It was something I would have to get used to¡­ There were two teleporters in the house. I didn¡¯t know what to make of everything, let alone wrap my mind around what happened to Michael and the consequences it would entail for all of us... So I followed Chris.

    When I walked into the room, he stood staring at the chains. I closed the door and sat on the bed. Chris joined me¡­ ¡°How are you, Chris? We haven¡¯t really had time to talk.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ So much has happened¡­ I¡¯m actually very happy.¡± I was surprised. ¡°Marcus. I had a long talk with Juliet¡­ She told me everything.¡±

    Although Chris had been back for a few weeks, all of us went into a lull, like we were, after Ahasuerus threw that stone at Juliet. No one had talked or done much, but give Michael time to decide if he would brand Juliet. Chris had stayed firm in his decision. It left a lot of pressure on Michael to do it. Coupled with all of us having to get to know Caleb and Ira. Liam and Cindy. We were all under the same roof. Charlene and Carl¡­ Kubra¡­ A lot was going on. Our family had grown.

    My eyes drifted to the corner of the room¡­ ¡°Even about that?¡± He nodded. ¡°Will you tell me? Because I still don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I think Juliet has to figure out her relationships with all of us¡­ On her own. Our next prize should be to make her happy¡­ I didn¡¯t like what I saw coming back... The thing is, she doesn¡¯t want to hurt anyone¡­ And the last thing we should do is bombard her with boundaries... Or else it will never work¡­ All of us get up and see where life takes us¡­ You¡¯re driven and like her, very jealous¡­ I always was¡­ But not anymore.¡±

    My eyes cast to the floor. I did feel guilty about all the pressure Louis and I had put her under. Chris had not manipulated her time. Juliet had strangely not clung to him like she would¡¯ve when she was younger. I chuckled. She was growing up.

    ¡°But I¡¯ve already told her that she can¡¯t add Soren,¡± Chris said.

    My eyes jumped up to his¡­

    ¡°I told her¡­ no more¡­ Just us four.¡±

    I was so relieved that Chris touched my shoulder¡­ ¡°I was worried. Soren had been there most of the year. Helping. It felt like they had an understanding. Just waiting for me to give the all-clear¡­ I can¡¯t, Chris. I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to either. But if we take that from her¡­ we have to let up. You have to trust us. You can¡¯t manipulate her time. And I won¡¯t either.¡±

    I could understand that. It had taken a lot of effort for me not to push myself into her space and compete for her time. And it made sense about Soren. ¡°I saw her shoulder cover with skin¡­ She¡¯s still influenced by the stress. I don¡¯t want her whole body to become like that. It scared me¡­ What if¡­¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t think so. Juliet has grown up.¡± I smiled, and our eyes met. ¡°So you¡¯re good with providence figuring it out?¡± Chris asked.

    I fell back on the bed. ¡°With you here, I feel better already¡­ We were friends, and it wasn¡¯t just her that lost you¡­ Next time, we fight to stay together.¡±

    ¡°I think the four of us¡­ need to meet without her. If we¡¯re on the same page. It will be better for her¡­ You have to remember she is only twenty-one¡­ You guys are so old, and you, with your self-control¡­ She¡¯s not there yet¡­ But I don¡¯t mind telling her what to do¡­ And we all know she listens to me¡­ Michael might actually get away with it¡­ But he¡¯s¡­.¡±

    ¡°Different.¡± I drew in a breath.

    ¡°There is one other thing¡­ I¡¯m going to say something, and it will hurt. But you need to know. I don¡¯t know if she will tell you. But at least you can be prepared.¡±

    I turned on my side, watching Chris.

    ¡°Louis will always be¡­.¡±

    I sat up, looking at the chains. ¡°You will have to spell it out for me, Chris.¡±

    ¡°Louis is The One. Her soul mate. She loves him¡­ No¡­ she¡¯s in love with him, and it will never change. Even if she does love us all¡­ In different ways¡­ Like I¡¯m her friend and confidant who makes her talk. That¡¯s maybe why she gravitates toward me¡­ She feels I¡¯m safe¡­ Michael¡­ Well¡­ We will have to see what role he will play. You? Can figure it out¡­ As you go along¡­ But Louis¡­¡±

    I cut him off, ¡°I get it.¡± My tone was a little clipped. It did sting, so I got up and left.

    After Chris spoke to me, I had a lot to think about. It wasn¡¯t easy to hear that Louis was unique in some way¡­ Juliet didn¡¯t take off the chains for Michael at all. It had nothing to do with any of us¡­ Juliet did it for herself. Because she was trying¡­ I would try, too¡­ Louis told me; he was jealous of me¡­ And that our love was something that could¡¯ve consumed her¡­ In the end, I had left too many times¡­ At that point, I didn¡¯t understand where I fit in at all or what I brought to the table if it was all physical for her? Louis told me to give her time¡­ And time was all I had.

    ***

    There was a knock on my door. I knew it was Juliet. I had been waiting for my turn. Juliet had been locked up in the room with Louis since the day before. When she came into the house and yelled his name, everyone in the living room jumped up, thinking that there was something seriously wrong. The door had slammed, and Silvanus said. ¡°Seems the missus is upset.¡± We were a family, but she had to manage us all separately. I still didn¡¯t want to leave. Soren wasn¡¯t staying, and I would also fight for us.

    Eventually, Juliet opened the door. I was on my bed and lifted one arm, inviting her in.

    ¡°You seem better?¡± I prompted, closing my arms around her as she lay down, only to sit up a second later and turn to me. I smiled. Juliet was growing up, but still my Julie¡­

    ¡°I am.¡±.

    ¡°You happy? About Caleb. He¡¯s a great kid. I always had a soft spot for him.¡±

    She fell on my chest, holding me.

    ¡°I¡¯m so happy Chris is back. He was my friend more than anyone else. Rather glad I have someone I can spend time with. Talk to.¡± I said, trying to let her know how I felt.

    ¡°It¡¯s so funny to me¡­ You know exactly how you feel but not what anyone else is feeling.¡±

    ¡°My one weakness.¡± She chortled. But she was still being quiet. ¡°Julie, do you have nothing to say to me?¡±

    She shook her head against my chest. ¡°Is there anything you need to hear?¡± She asked.

    I thought about it. There really wasn¡¯t. Chris had stabilized everything. I wasn¡¯t the only one who felt she needed some guidance. Two men to give her what she wants¡­ Indulge her. And two that will say no. Follow through and¡­ But he was right. I was old. Had to keep reminding myself of the age gap.

    She sat up again, and I had to laugh. Up and down¡­ ¡°I do need to ask you something.¡±

    Oh, that¡¯s what the nerves were about. I smiled. Intrigued.

    ¡°Will you fight for me, Marcus?¡± I laughed lightly. Not what I thought at all. ¡°You¡¯re smiling¡­ Mar¡­cus.¡±

    I smirked. ¡°Really, Julie. If it¡¯s that easy to get you into bed, we¡¯ll have a problem.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not today. I¡¯m kinda sexed out.¡±

    ¡°You know, for guys¡­ there isn¡¯t such a thing.¡±

    She bumped my nose with her finger. I gripped her wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t do that. It¡¯s patronizing.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± She did it with the other hand. I caught that wrist, too.

    ¡°It¡¯s what you did back on the compound... It¡¯s like you¡¯re challenging me¡­.¡±

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    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m doing.¡± She said with a silly smile on her face.

    Challenge accepted. I got her into a hold I had not taught her. Tickled her and made her squirm. ¡°Tell me who I must fight? You got a beast now. You don¡¯t need me anymore.¡±

    She tapped, and I let her go. ¡°I do need you.¡± Juliet adoringly stared into my eyes. ¡°Or you wouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Those simple words had stilled the nagging in my heart. I leaned in, asking for a kiss. She got up and pulled me to the lounge, sending a text as we moved. It''s not so much about the physical anymore¡­ I glanced at Louis. He smiled when our eyes met. Juliet sat next to me as we waited. I dragged her onto my lap. Maybe I was the problem¡­ All physical for me¡­ Louis laughed again. I was glad he was back¡­ It wasn¡¯t long before everyone was there. ¡°Ira, I want to know where we stand,¡± Juliet said off the bat.

    After I came back for good, I prompted myself to push in and be a part of it all. Just to learn that pushing would only make things worse. I was being tossed around. Not used to it. Hiding away in my room or the gym also didn¡¯t work. I didn¡¯t know half of what was going on or what Juliet was thinking.

    ¡°Okay! Obviously, we have to take over Palmyra.¡±

    All eyes were on Ira. Not in a million years would I have thought he would use us¡­ It wasn¡¯t what I thought he would say. And it didn¡¯t seem like it was what anyone else thought he would say. But Ira¡¯s eyes were on me¡­ Seemed that it was my choice... Not once did I think we would so quickly go into another year of fighting some new enemy. Pushed to the brink of exhaustion. I met Louis¡¯s eye¡­ He was as old as me. Yet Ira was freaking thousands of years old, ready to make the system that little more peaceful.

    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re not a fighter, Marcus. We trust you to tell us the variables.¡± Louis said. ¡°If you think we should wait. We wait.¡±

    I closed my eyes and my arms around Juliet, quickly assessing what it would take¡­ It didn¡¯t take long¡­ ¡°What do you want, Julie?¡±

    ¡°Before she answers. Why don¡¯t we get all the facts first? Michael, if you please.¡± Ira asked.

    Michael gallantly bowed and left the house. They had already talked about it. We waited¡­ A few minutes passed. Juliet stood, and I followed her... We walked outside onto the small porch, staring down the road. We waited a few more minutes. But no, Michael.

    ¡°What was he supposed to do?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Get General Sung for a meeting,¡± Juliet said. ¡°We were all waiting for you. If I didn¡¯t come get you¡­¡± I turned to her, but my phone rang.

    ¡°Zoreah is under attack.¡± We heard Kubra on speaker. Ira and Silvanus were next to us. ¡°Michael is fighting. Everyone is stuck in the city. They came out at Shumaan. The cave is destroyed. General Sung is requesting backup.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s phone rang¡­ It was on speaker. She was walking down the stairs. ¡°Juliet! It¡¯s Soren. I¡¯m in Washington¡­ Ahasuerus¡¯s army is gone on En-gannim. They shipped out¡­¡± Soren wanted to say more, but Juliet had killed the call, already running for the teleporter spot... ¡°Juliet, stop right there.¡± She paused, recognizing the voice¡­ Chris was walking down toward her. Juliet turned to Jessy and nodded. He reached for a gun and shot at Chris. It all happened so fast. A giant net flew out from the weapon and spiraled till it enveloped him. Chris wasn¡¯t expecting it. None of us were. It had weights that made the net fall heavily to the ground. Magnets secured at the bottom that pulled together. Chris manifested, and the more he struggled, the more the wired-like mesh closed around him. Juliet saluted him, flailing on the floor. ¡°Amateur.¡± She and Jessy made a run for it. High-fiving as they disappeared. Ira tried to stop her, but they were gone. Silvanus was laughing. Ira turned back to Chris, shaking his head. ¡°She is interesting. I¡¯d give you that. Never a dull moment.¡± Chris lay still, staring at the sky. The massive beast laughed.

    ¡°So much for her listening to you.¡± I quipped. He laughed even louder. I was in the driveway on my way to help. I glanced back. Louis was having a cigarette, leaning against the doorframe, shaking his head. We got Chris loose. He stood up and dusted himself off, and he was gone.

    ***

    Juliet

    I was smiling when we walked out in Washington. Jessy and I were so happy with our creation. Over the last year, I gave the army some extra ideas to work on¡­ To counter the Riphaths so they couldn¡¯t teleport. We rounded the corner. My hands jumped up in front of me. Chris was there, fully manifested. I took a step back, giggling nervously. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Chris said in such a low rumble that it freaked me out. Jessy laughed next to me. My gaze darted to him. ¡°Nifty trick, you got there,¡± Chris growled¡­ His eyes were on Jessy, who shrugged. Chris held out a massive paw. I gave him my hand.

    The three of us teleported to En-gannim. We came out on an unmanned platform. There were bodies everywhere. My men and women¡­ All three of us checked their pulses¡­ Our eyes met with shaking heads. They were all dead. We traveled again. We came out at an army base. But not the main one. Mine¡­ It was full of Marcus¡¯s men that were on Earth. We had hidden them. Whoever was in charge came running up to us. Relieved, Jessy and I shared a glance. I put my hands on my knees and took a ragged breath. Chris watched us with interest. There were huts as far as the eye could see down the valley. Men and some women were everywhere, training, eating, and doing drills. I stood back up and walked over to Chris. He was so tall that my head rested on his stomach, and he pulled me close. I didn¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve done if they had killed all of them. ¡°I thought you were going to Zoreah?¡± His voice rumbled. I shook my head. ¡°Who are they?¡±

    ¡°My army.¡±

    Jessy had given an order. A sound echoed through into a sea of fully manifested vampires. Chris stood staring down¡­ ¡°What is wrong with the women? And how big is¡­ your army?¡±

    ¡°The men are about four hundred thousand... And the woman one hundred¡­ modified¡­.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Like me¡­¡±

    ¡°Ira isn¡¯t going to like that.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Why I ran¡­ I still don¡¯t know if your father is really on board, Chris. He¡¯s so changeable¡­ Should we go see what¡¯s going on?¡± Chris nodded. His horn was sharp little points and had a long way to go. He had grown in size, and his features were even sleeker than when I last saw him as a little baby Riphath. ¡°Jessy, we are leaving you here.¡± I dug in my pocket and took out the general¡¯s token. He didn¡¯t want to take it. I took his hand and pushed it down. ¡°You have ten minutes, Jessy.¡± His eyes shot up, and he scrambled.

    ¡°How do you know you can trust him?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a gut feeling. Not that it¡¯s enough¡­ but in the past¡­.¡± I looked up at Chris. ¡°My gut hasn¡¯t been wrong yet.¡±

    He smiled. The mouth full of sharp, pointy teeth made me titter.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m not sexy like this?¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­ Scary as hell.¡±

    We traveled to Shumaan and were immediately embedded in chaos. Infected werewolf chaos. We had come out on the rubble that was the teleporter cave. The beasts were being pushed through the soft spot thirty at a time¡­ Chris grabbed me so fast, and we were in Ira¡¯s house. It was full of people trying to protect the kids in the center of the city. Chris was gone so quickly, only to come back a few minutes later. ¡°They are everywhere in the city.¡±

    ¡°We need the kids and adults out.¡± He nodded. ¡°Get your men and start clearing a path. We will replace them with the army¡­ Jessy is waiting.¡±

    His paw cupped my cheek¡­ ¡°You really are something.¡±

    I pushed him out the door. ¡°Everyone!¡± I yelled loudly¡­ They were already listening. ¡°Four of you on a kid¡­ Just like you¡¯re trained¡­ Let¡¯s go¡­ Smallest first¡­¡± I stepped out of the house, flickering my gaze up and down the long road. The orders quickly made the rounds. Riphath warriors were scattered in the street, and it seemed safe. They were armored and carrying weapons and would help us get out. Chris was fighting far down the road, clearing the last of the infected off the street. He killed one, and as he stood up, another Riphath approached him, bringing Chris all his gear. He suited up, turned to me, and saluted. The Riphaths leaving with me were women and men who weren¡¯t fighters. I stood for a moment to assess and gave the order. I didn¡¯t know why they were listening to me¡­ But they didn¡¯t hesitate, and we started running. More houses emptied as we passed them with adults and kids. We should¡¯ve known that Brylee was planning something when we fought that one on the island. She had to have been infecting them on Earth and traveling them out. It was thousands of Riphaths teleporting in droves towards the cave. One man had picked me up and traveled to the front of the herd of creatures. Not long after, we neared the massacre. It would be the most difficult. More wolves were appearing, and they didn¡¯t wait. They didn¡¯t assess. It was instinct to kill. I wondered what would happen if one bit a Riphath.

    Riphath¡¯s dropped down, clearing the space. The wolves were flying into the air, speared to death. Other Riphaths were flinging dead bodies into a pile miles away. I ran for the rubble, sent a communication to Jessy, and waited. ¡°Chris! You have to make sure everyone is here. It¡¯s going to be a one-time thing.¡±

    ¡°I love you. Don¡¯t die.¡± He was gone. Chris would travel all along the road we came from to make sure no one was left behind... It took more minutes.

    The warriors had made a massive circular barrier around the rubble. As the wolves came out, they killed them. I ordered the rest to circle them. When Chris came back, the last Riphaths went into formation. I didn¡¯t hesitate, and Jessy was quick to teleport us out and all of my army in. It meant that Chris and I and thousands of Riphaths landed in our base on En-gannim. The Riphaths couldn¡¯t stop fighting because some wolves had traveled with us. Chris was like a machine and so well-trained. My heart swelled with pride and respect for all he had become. General Sung gave orders as she fought. It didn¡¯t take a minute, or it was all over. We all stood staring at each other, waiting. The Warriors took a breath to gather themselves, falling into formation. Chris was next to her to exchange a few words, and they turned around.

    ¡°You have to send us back¡­ Will they be safe here?¡± She asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know? Do you want to take them to Earth? We have a safe location.¡±

    The two came closer. Chris was waiting for her orders. ¡°It had to be a smokescreen. She is planning something else.¡± Sung said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s travel back. And see what¡¯s going on.¡±

    She gave more orders to the remaining fighters who would have to wait.

    I sent us back.

    Unfortunately, we needed to operate it all from En-gannim because Ira was stupid. Thankfully, Jessy and I had hours discussing how we would manage it if the rest of En-gannim turned against the current Queen¡¯s rule. When we emerged, Jessy and the army weren¡¯t wasting time. It was a well-oiled machine on the commander¡¯s and sergeant¡¯s orders. They fell in step with the Riphaths, clearing the city of werewolves fighting the incoming, standing together across species. I had nothing to fight with, so I dodged and scrambled to stay out of the way.

    ¡°There have to be wolves somewhere communicating with Palmyra. We need to find them. Have there ever been werewolves here? Can they manifest in the daytime?¡±

    General Sung shook her head. ¡°That means they will wait till nighttime.¡± Chris and I agreed. ¡°That gives us some time.¡±

    The wolves stopped coming through. The cheers from the fighters resonated in the air.

    General Sung gave the order, and scouts started combing the area. ¡°We need to evacuate anyone else¡­ Round up the elders, and only the army needs to stay.¡± I suggested. ¡°I think Jessy should take the Riphaths to Earth. Tell them what¡¯s going on¡­ Get the watchers involved?¡±

    She nodded.

 Standing Together

    142. Standing Together

    Marcus

    After Chris followed Juliet, Caleb came to stand in between Louis and me. ¡°It¡¯s like they forgot about me.¡± He whimpered.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t¡­ Juliet went to see if her other babies were okay. Chris is chasing your mom¡­.¡± Caleb and I waited for an explanation. ¡°Your army was never on Earth. She increased it with all the men that wanted to join and leave the other clans on En-gannim.¡± Ira and Silvanus were listening with interest. Jamal and Selena were still there, waiting for the king¡¯s orders. Kubra came out at the teleporter spot. He lifted his chin. I was glad that the awkwardness and formalities were over between us. We all went back into the house and sat down in the lounge. Silvanus didn¡¯t want to travel Ira back before we knew what was happening. Liam and Cindy had taken Sammy and Min¨¦ up the trail for hiking. Caleb was at the dining room table, worriedly looking towards the road. ¡°She will be right back.¡± I tried comforting him.

    Kubra handed me the communicator. It was a play-by-play of what was happening. ¡°It¡¯s infected werewolves coming out at the Shumaan.¡±

    Ira immediately got up again to start pacing.

    There was nothing to do but wait. We couldn¡¯t go traveling around and miss Chris and Juliet.

    Eventually, Liam, Cindy, and the kids came through the door. Sammy ran to Caleb. He picked her up. She was holding wildflowers in her hand. More messages came through. ¡°It seems Juliet¡¯s army is already there, and the situation is under control,¡± I said.

    ¡°Can I go join them?¡± Caleb asked from the side.

    ¡°We will have to wait some more. Try to be patient.¡± Silvanus and I shared a look. We were the only generals in the room. So used to waiting for orders. Older than the rest, and the younger ones were constantly busy, fretting.

    My phone rang. ¡°Marcus¡­ Riphaths are dropping down at the compound with kids.¡±

    Ira spun around. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Silvanus! We can¡¯t sit around here while our people are fighting.¡±

    ¡°You have a general for a reason¡­. Your son is there. What do you want to go and do? Seems like they have it all under control. You wanted Sung to take over. Why are you like this?¡±

    He muttered, walking away and picked up his granddaughter.

    ¡°Sung says that they decided to evacuate everyone. But the army will stay¡­ They expect a further attack at night from Brylee.¡±

    ***

    After some debate about who would go where, the seven of us traveled to Zoreah, walking out at Shumaan. Juliet was the first I saw. She was around a table, and the five generals of all the countries of Earth¡¯s armies were with her. The same men who knew me. I chuckled. She was manifested and clad in armor. She looked cute, like a little warrior. When she saw me, she waved me over. I was smiling. She pointed a finger at me. ¡°You¡¯re late. Where the hell have you been? Drinking tea?¡± She glanced over my shoulder at Caleb, and they waved at each other.

    ¡°You do actually have a family back home¡­ A daughter.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s with my father. No one better to protect her.¡±

    Everybody was introduced. Our gazes lifted when we saw the choppers overhead.

    ¡°Sung is waiting for you,¡± Juliet told Silvanus. ¡°They are fighting at the west gate. Seems like Brylee had secretly hidden wolves around Shumaan. They came out at sunset.¡±

    The four Riphaths traveled immediately.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Julie? It doesn¡¯t seem like you need me at all¡­.¡±

    ¡°No! I do¡­ I just needed you focused on getting us here. While you were doing most of the government work¡­ I was busy. And now you will know what to do¡­¡±

    Louis took his place next to her¡­ I walked over to the table. The whole Zoreah was mapped and hovering in the air... Around us, soldiers were scrambling to set up tents. I didn¡¯t want to put on my work face.

    America { We detect that the Origin city is where most of the werewolves are¡­ There are vampires as well }

    He paused, pressing some buttons. They understood our tech and were fluent¡­ The display was animation after animation of aerial photos taken from above.

    America { At least two million soldiers¡­ And counting between the two species }

    Juliet pushed up off the table. ¡°Anything else? No sign of any vamps near Shumaan?¡± She asked.

    ¡°No, not yet. But there is something else. Creatures are protecting the city¡­ We don¡¯t know what we are dealing with¡­.¡±

    ¡°Surveillance?¡± She ordered.

    The general held out his hand. A man walked in and waved a black tube into the air. Enormous beasts stood next to handlers.

    ¡°I need to get in there. Where is Michael?¡±

    ¡°No sign of him yet.¡±

    Her eyes went up to Louis. ¡°You want to go with me.¡± He seemed eager, his features lighting up.

    Juliet was so quick in her decisions. Too fast. Her hands took off the Emblem, hanging it around my neck. ¡°Julie! NO! Wait.¡±

    She bumped my nose. I grabbed her wrist. ¡°Julie¡­¡±

    She locked lips with me. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. He¡¯s in charge.¡± She pointed at all the grown men watching our interchange. They saluted, and Juliet and Louis left the tent. I had not even realized the roof was overhead. Watchers were flying everywhere and not clad in white anymore, perfectly matching the red sand of Zoreah. Carl landed, and he came over. ¡°It seems it will always be the two of us.¡± He said.

    Caleb ran out with her and Louis. ¡°Wait!¡± He was trying to convince them to take him with them. ¡°You said you would include me.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t even control your manifestations.¡±

    He grabbed her hand, and they disappeared. Louis and I were equally surprised. I walked over. They came right back. Juliet was happy, and they hugged. He had her ability.

    ¡°You will have to learn to control that too. It¡¯s not something you¡¯ll master in a week.¡±

    ¡°Please take me with you.¡±

    ¡°Ira would kill me... Your father will kill me twice over.¡± She paused for a second and smiled. The words sank in. Her eyes drifted from Louis to mine. ¡°You guys are his father as much as Chris is¡­.¡±

    ¡°Where is Chris?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I have no idea? He just¡­ up and left.¡±

    ¡°We are not supposed to split up.¡± I chastised. ¡°That should be one rule. You can¡¯t just run out and do what you want.¡±

    ¡°But you two are so slow¡­.¡±

    Louis wasn¡¯t saying much. He was quietly smiling and standing around like he was happy and didn¡¯t really care what would happen. It seemed like they sorted out whatever was wrong between them. Louis¡¯s smile broadened, meeting my eye. He was reading everyone. Not at all taking a back burner. But just like me, Louis didn¡¯t want to cross that vampire line.

    ¡°I say we take him,¡± Louis suggested.

    Caleb was happy, and Louis pulled him in under his shoulder.

    ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll just stay here and be bored to death.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll find something to do. It¡¯s your job to get me out of this mess.¡±

    She pointed another finger at me, and I had to laugh. ¡°Report!¡± A very young vamp yelled next to my ear. Kubra hit him behind the head. He bowed and slowed his pace, moving and bowing. The three left, and I turned around. It seemed that I would have to get in there. The American general held out his hand. ¡°The animation was of the west gate. Shumaan was vulnerable. There was no wall. No parameters, and they could easily infiltrate from every angle.

    ¡°Why did the vamps never use the flying tech on themselves?¡± The Chinese asked me.

    ¡°Have you ever been to En-gannim?¡± He shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be flying around and it malfunctions. Our waters are deadly¡­ And it is everywhere¡­ But I¡¯ll take you on a tour once this mess is sorted out.¡±

    Russia { What¡¯s next? }

    ¡°If Brylee teleports those Two million soldiers here¡­ where will they come out? We will be surrounded¡­ We don¡¯t know how many more she has on other planets¡­ Or who is helping her.¡±

    The generals glanced at each other.

    Russia { We should be fortifying all sides¡­ }

    China { There are thousands at the west gate alone. It will scatter our defenses }

    No one said anything after that, waiting for me to give the order. I glanced at Kubra. He closed his eyes slowly. Already with me in thought.

    ¡°No... Brylee wants the city¡­ Anyone who lives there doesn¡¯t die¡­¡± The quiet in the tent went down a notch¡­ ¡°Shumaan is safe¡­ I have a better idea¡­ But we will need more manpower¡­ See what you can do.¡±

    ***

    Louis

    The three of us came out on a ridge overlooking a city built from red rocks. It was all on different levels. Each story was in the form of a circle, walking up the mountain like a staircase. The last one was almost at the top. Every platform was different and had its own infrastructure and buildings, boundary walls, and towers. All around the mountain base were houses as far as we could see. The paths in between lead out into the mountain.

    The wall that surrounded the city was vast and spanned into the distance. So high that no one would be able to scale it. Every stone was chiseled to perfection and placed in just the right way. The rocks were smooth, and the carvings were down to the last detail.

    The werewolves and beasts patrolling seemed like ants. I didn¡¯t understand the enormity of the origin city. Why Brylee wanted it, was as clear as day. She could manipulate the whole of Zoreah from there¡­ Ahasuerus never bargained on being dead when the invasion started. It was all planned, and Ira knew.

    Michael challenging Brylee a week ago must have been the trigger. Brylee¡­ My mother probably hoped he would kill Juliet in his first fit. So, her plan was never to interfere. It didn¡¯t matter who branded Juliet in the last spot. Only that it wasn¡¯t another vampire. We still didn¡¯t know what would happen if Chris had done it.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    She took my hand. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Very. All the worlds have their unique signature.¡±

    I pointed down. On our right, a river ran through the wall into the city. A half-circle gate was built to accommodate the water and the river bank. Guarded on both sides¡­ It ran down low in a canyon. The walls were so high and carved out. No one would get out of the valley once they were in the water. And by the time you reached the city walls, the scouts would¡¯ve seen you.

    Our interlaced fingers had my attention. My mind was a little preoccupied since our talk. It was the first time we were on a mission together. I liked the feeling. I would read minds, and she would follow suspects without anyone knowing. ¡°Hey, if all else fails. We could go work for the police as consultants.¡± She smiled and liked the idea. ¡°Cracking cases¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t crack me¡­.¡± She joked. ¡°Or¡­ we could rob banks. They would never be able to catch us.¡± She suggested.

    Caleb laughed at us. Caleb there rounded off the contentment that had settled my heart. ¡°I¡¯m too rich and lazy for that.¡±

    ¡°Now you know why I prefer Marcus.¡± I laughed out loud. I turned to her and pushed some hair in behind her ear. ¡°You ready?¡± I asked. My gaze traveled to Caleb. ¡°How good a swimmer are you?¡±

    ¡°Strong. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± He jumped in.

    ¡°Ca..leb!¡± Juliet yelled.

    I picked her up. ¡°One¡­ Don¡¯t let go¡­ Two¡­ Three!¡±

    ¡°Never.¡± We both went into the water. Caleb had used his ability, and I hoped it lasted. The current wasn¡¯t strong, but it did move fast. The gravity on Zoreah that made the time slip possible drove the water downhill in a strong current. It wasn¡¯t long, or we were moving underground, entering the mountain like a slide. Hollowed out and traveling even faster. It finally dropped us into a big pool at the base, and our heads bobbed out of the water.

    ¡°What is that?¡± Caleb asked as we swam closer to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s a waterfall,¡± I said.

    ¡°Where the hell can it go? We¡¯ve dropped down so far already.¡±

    ¡°This stretch of the river seems long. We have to get out.¡±

    Lights were shining along the wall. Hydraulic wheels stuck to the side as the water moved faster and faster through each one we passed.

    ¡°So they do have energy. You want to swim for the side?¡±

    ¡°How would we get down there?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice. We don¡¯t know where the water ends up after the waterfall.¡±

    We tried, but the pull of the turbines was intense. It was everyone for themselves. I neared the first one, my heart beating faster. Juliet was having a hard time dodging the blades, trying to get a hold of the frame or somewhere safe she could grab onto. I let go of mine and drifted towards her. She clutched onto me, and together, we found a good spot. Caleb was already out of the water on the ridge. Teleporting did help, even if it was only a meter¡­ He was trying to get to us.

    ¡°You need some help?¡±

    Michael startled us, and we had both jolted in each other¡¯s arms. Our heads jerked up. ¡°Frak. Michael. What the hell!?¡± Juliet admonished.

    He smiled. ¡°I could see you two a mile away.¡±

    Juliet and I laughed... ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that.¡±

    ¡°Neither did I.¡±

    ¡°The whole city knows you¡¯re here. Why did you bring Caleb?¡±

    I passed Juliet up to him. Michael grabbed her with one hand. It was effortless, and her feet planted on the ground. I was relieved to see Michael, and she was as well. I held out my own, and he lifted me up.

    ¡°Brylee isn¡¯t here¡­ She is also not in her garden at home. I tried to find her for some time, but she must be hidden somewhere.¡±

    ¡°Who is in charge¡­ What does she want?¡±

    ¡°I have been impersonating a werewolf. So I have seen Nicholas and a werewolf general held up in a room¡­ With vampires...¡±

    We were walking as he was talking. ¡°Ahasuerus and Rodrigo had been building one of those massive machines here in the city. It¡¯s in the back, but it works. From here, they can travel five hundred thousand or so at a time¡­ She wants the city. That¡¯s what I gathered. But she also needs the Riphaths destroyed.¡±

    ¡°How did we miss this? Rodrigo and Ahasuerus had to have been really busy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Not my area. Ask your boyfriend.¡± Michael chirped at her.

    Juliet tilted her head, frowning at his tone¡­ ¡°Oh¡­ I haven¡¯t told you two yet¡­ Chris said, NO, Soren.¡±

    Michael and I stopped dead in our tracks. She and Caleb kept walking and, after a moment, glanced back¡­ ¡°Come on, you guys. Now¡¯s not the time.¡±

    ¡°What are we doing here anyway if you know what¡¯s going on. Why didn¡¯t you check in?¡±

    ¡°I did. But you¡¯re so impatient. You keep running off. Marcus told me to come and help you.¡± Michael¡¯s voice was raised as he chastised her.

    ¡°Why are you guys fighting?¡± Caleb asked, concerned.

    ¡°Because Michael doesn¡¯t know how to communicate or work as a team. You guys would be best of friends. Oh, you were until Michael and I slept together.¡± Juliet¡¯s tone went further into sarcasm.

    Chris dropped down next to us. I swore loudly.

    ¡°What the hell? How does everyone know where we are?¡± She yelled.

    We all laughed¡­ Chris pulled Caleb into an embrace. ¡°What are you doing here, boy?¡±

    ¡°Why does everyone think it¡¯s a bad idea that I¡¯m here?¡± Caleb sulked.

    ¡°Okay, she has about a thousand harems settling in the city. Teleporting in all sorts of stuff ¡­ It won¡¯t be long until they send those two million to destroy Shumaan and everyone in it.¡± Chris said.

    The three of us were staring at him¡­ ¡°What?¡±

    Juliet fell into his arms¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are they bullying you again?¡± She nodded against his chest.

    ¡°So much for keeping them in line.¡± She said to me and turned to Michael¡­ ¡°But you know what¡­. From now on¡­ You work for it¡­ I¡¯m tired of you talking when you feel like it.¡± She poked him with a finger against the chest.

    Michaels''s massive creature mouth fell open.

    Chris picked her up and held her up high on his chest. She liked sitting like that. ¡°You ready to have some fun?¡± Juliet was keen. ¡°Marcus is busy setting explosives. Get us here.¡± Chris tossed us a locator. ¡°You wait here. I¡¯m taking you home.¡± Caleb was trying to argue, pleading with Juliet to help him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I have to listen to Chris.¡± They were gone¡­ Caleb swore and sat down.

    Michael and I stared at each other. He opened his arms, and I jumped in. ¡°How do you do it?¡± He asked me.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter. She¡¯s right, and you know it.¡± He growled.

    Michael had a lot of creature feelings to catch up on. ¡°Wait for your¡­ other father,¡± I ordered Caleb. ¡°And hide. Don¡¯t go looking for trouble.¡±

    ***

    We dropped down into a cave with a very busy Marcus. Chris and Juliet were helping. Or rather trying, he was playing with her¡­ Complimenting her armor and how badass she looked. He twirled her¡­ pushing her forward so he could admire how good her ass looked in those pants¡­ He was flirting with her. ¡°Go get your son. Now''s, not the time.¡± Chris kissed her and disappeared.

    I took out my packet of cigarettes, but they were all mush, and my lighter was toast. Michael held out his packet to me... ¡°I could get used to this. Thanks. What are we using?¡± Marcus came over and held out a flame for me.

    ¡°Some explosive form En-gannim,¡± Marcus said¡­ With too much enthusiasm. ¡°Okay, before I light it¡­ Where are we meeting up?¡±

    Chris was back.

    ¡°I can take you and Juliet,¡± Michael said. ¡°Chris can take Louis?¡±

    ¡°I think we should go meet these men in charge¡­ Where are they? Maybe give them an ultimatum of getting the girls out first.¡±

    I suggested. Marcus seemed disappointed.

    ¡°If we do this, they will be stuck here¡­¡± Juliet agreed.

    ¡°Ira won¡¯t like that,¡± Chris added. ¡°We have to get them out of here, or he will kill all of them. If it¡¯s harem women¡­ they are most likely pregnant. Chosen to live here for a long time.¡±

    We heard the familiar droning of a teleporter. With the small ones, it was faint. But on that magnitude, the mountain rumbled. They were bringing more people. ¡°We needed to move.¡± Michael picked up Juliet and Marcus.

    ***

    There was a big commotion in the room when we all landed, but we were all carrying guns, and they didn¡¯t do much else except point their spears at us. We were so high up in the air, probably on the last circle up the mountain. The room almost felt like the platform on En-gannim: clean, open all around, and with lots of windows. Although that space was decorated, the high ceiling was held up by columns, and massive doors led out onto a balcony.

    Nicholas came back from his manifested state. He was seated next to the werewolf general. Juliet didn¡¯t like it¡­ She had trusted him. We all did. But in the end, we all had our moral code. I killed his last thread¡­ He never once left us in doubt of where his loyalty lay. It was Juliet¡¯s warped sense of believing the best until they show you their worst.

    ¡°So what now?¡± Juliet whispered. We were all waiting¡­ It was Marcus¡¯s area.

    ¡°I think we should bargain with something worthwhile¡­ Michael, would you go pick up Brylee¡¯s husband¡­.¡± Nicholas stood up. The general stood up. ¡°And take one of those nets¡­ We can hang him over the water on En-gannim. Let¡¯s see how they feel when we start playing games.¡±

    There was a communicator on the table. I was reading the room and stepped forward quickly to pick it up. A distress signal wasn¡¯t what we needed.

    Michael wasn¡¯t moving. ¡°Why are you not going?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°Oh, you were serious¡­ Will you be able to handle them?¡±

    Marcus snorted¡­ ¡°You¡¯re joking right¡­ The three of us alone killed like five in water¡­ How long will it take you anyway?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea...¡±

    Juliet was still in Chris¡¯s arms.

    { I don¡¯t know if we are using tactics here or if you really want me to get this guy } Michael thought to me¡­ Marcus was dead serious. I nodded. He tilted his head with pouted lips. But he left.

    As soon as he did. The room was a war zone. Chris was so quick, and he didn¡¯t need a gun. The four of us worked well together, and no one touched her. It was over when only two men were staring at us. Nicholas chuckling.

    ***

    Michael

    They had a little bit more faith in me than I had in myself. What net was he talking about? I stopped at the front lines, searching for Jessy. They were in the midst of an attack. Ira, Silvanus, and Jessy were together giving orders. I slapped him on the shoulder. He was glad to see me. ¡°I need a net? Does that mean anything to you?¡±

    They laughed, and Jessy tossed me a gun-like contraption. ¡°Aim and press the trigger. It will do the rest.¡±

    I glanced out over the sand in front of us. It was a sea of wolves waiting for more orders to come in. ¡°What will you do when they send the vamps and the other wolves. This is a small diversion.¡±

    ¡°Earth is sending backup.¡±

    ***

    First, I traveled to the compound, landing directly in front of Mateo. He was in his garden of the tiny house in Juliet¡¯s old street, sitting and drinking¡­ I felt bad asking him for help. Regardless, I was hoping¡­ Hate would be enough.

    He glanced up at me. ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I was tasked to capture your father.¡±

    He jumped up. ¡°Take me with you. Please. I¡¯ll help you.¡± He was stumbling. Not steady on his feet. Desperate. A risk¡­ I picked him up and took him to Marcus¡¯s house, plopping him down on a chair in the kitchen.

    I walked to a cabinet and took out a little black tube. He didn¡¯t even ask. After I stabbed him¡­ he held his neck, rubbing the spot.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened.¡± I tried to say.

    He didn¡¯t reply. I gave it a few minutes. The whites of his eyes cleared up. The red of the alcohol disappeared. It was almost like adrenalin but much better and controlled. It shot him into a standing position. I picked him up again. We traveled to Palmyra. I made sure we landed somewhere in the garden. I didn¡¯t think she would be having tea at that moment. There was a guard who I had to kill. I was a little smaller in my werewolf form and would fit into his armor. Mateo had manifested and was walking with me¡­ It wasn¡¯t far. The garden was private for the bedrooms of the Queen and her harem. Mateo led the way. My PTSD came back to haunt me at that moment. Scared he would stab me in the back. I was terrified they would surprise me before I could change and teleport out of there. My heart was pounding unnecessarily. Mateo''s eyes flickered back at me just before he opened a door. It was a study. A massive room, bright in the daylight. Minimal furniture and werewolf sat in the middle of the floor, meditating.

    ¡°What are you doing here, Mateo?¡± He asked without opening his eyes. The young man walked in. He was only a few years older than Juliet¡­ They were really too young to be dealing with all they had to. We all were in some way. ¡°Who is with you?¡± He asked.

    I wasn¡¯t going to ask. I pointed and shot. Not knowing what the hell would happen. It was so quick, and he was stuck¡­ Nifty. I didn¡¯t hesitate. Picked him up. ¡°Stay here. Tell your mother to check her coms.¡±

    I only relaxed when I dropped him in front of Juliet. My eyes couldn¡¯t meet hers. I changed back to human, not really wanting to do anything anymore. Everyone had their talk with Juliet except me. I didn¡¯t want to talk and was avoiding her. Anger made me stand to the back so Marcus could take over. He had sent me in there without a care in the world. Louis and Chris were watching me, penetrating eyes scrutinizing me¡­ I felt like exploding at that moment¡­ ¡°You need to eat, Michael,¡± Louis said. ¡°You need blood.¡± All I could think about was Juliet¡­ ¡°Get out of here¡­ Go to Earth¡­ You know what to do.¡± Louis yelled.

    I was immobilized for a second, wanting to turn into a vampire. I was probably the worst person we could¡¯ve chosen for her. Unstable. Human. What did I know¡­ Nothing.

 Conquering The Third

    143. Conquering The Third

    Michael

    Marcus was already sending Brylee communications. Nicholas and the general were in a very defensive stance, waiting for our next move. The werewolf on the ground started chuckling. It was a mistake. My patience was zero¡­ ¡°How do we get the net off?¡± I asked. Juliet took the gun I had pressed into my pants. She turned it around and demagnetized the clasps. My arm stretched out to grab hold of Brylee¡¯s husband. ¡°No. Michael!¡± Juliet halted me. My head snapped at her. I was already a vampire¡­ Juliet stepped in between the wolf and me. Challenging eyes dared me to do something.

    ¡°Juliet, stop it!¡± Louis snapped at her.

    ¡°Make me.¡± She was using my own words against me. ¡°We need to know what you will do. And if you kill me¡­ Honey. I¡¯d like to know when it¡¯s going to happen¡­ I don¡¯t want to sleep next to you, and you strangle me in my during the night.¡±

    My manifestation didn¡¯t want to go, and the wolf kept laughing¡­ I pierced him with a predatory gaze. He growled and, in a low voice, said, ¡°You know¡­ There is so much you don¡¯t know about the brandings. The more people you kill, the more you lot are left in the dark. Why don¡¯t you get it over with? Kill Juliet! We can all see what you want.¡± His laughing eyes mocked me.  ¡°You¡¯re all a bunch of children¡­ Brylee played it just right. Confusing the situation¡­ In the end, the three of you will die.¡±

    The problem was the need to prove myself as a werewolf, yet on the other hand, I wanted to take over and rule everyone as a vampire. In my Riphath form, I couldn¡¯t care less about who died. I didn¡¯t trust Brylee or her husband. It could be a ploy, and I would kill her and also die, so I traveled back to Palmyra. If I couldn¡¯t kill Juliet, I would kill Brylee and be one step closer¡­ I went back to where I left Mateo, in his father¡¯s room. Brylee was livid, screaming at him. Mateo was on his knees, head tilted up to his mother. It seemed that he was waiting¡­ I was debating with myself whether to help¡­ It happened so fast. Brylee lifted a hand, and the wolves around him stabbed into him. One at the base of the neck. One into his heart. The other sliced his throat. I recoiled at the site. Even in my vampire state¡­ It went against my nature to kill your own child¡­ So cruelly¡­ It was one thing having your own moral code and fighting to the death for it¡­ But having none¡­ I took the opportunity... Brylee wasn¡¯t expecting it and had walked off to the side. The guards were busy with cleaning.

    I put Brylee down with her husband. The one thing he shouldn¡¯t have said was Brylee had used me as a weapon¡­ The other thing was Juliet being afraid to sleep next to me¡­ I should never have done it¡­ I was the wrong choice. Why did Chris not want to do it? I didn¡¯t want to think about hurting her anymore.

    The rest didn¡¯t expect me back. I exchanged Brylee for Juliet. She didn¡¯t struggle and threw her arms around me. Chris and Louis tried to stop me. They didn¡¯t trust me, but it seemed she did. I took her to Chris¡¯s house, where it was quiet and I could think. Into his room where we sat that one day when it was only the two of us¡­ I didn¡¯t like my vampire face... She was right. I needed to test myself. Not avoid her more¡­ She joined me on the bed. ¡°Are you going to kill me?¡±

    I shook my head, remembering what Louis told me to do. Juliet had eaten once a week, maybe even two or three times initially. She was so desperate. How could I have thought that I would be different? To my body, it was even worse. ¡°I had PTSD symptoms.¡± She seemed surprised that I was sharing. ¡°It was unexpected. My mind is a mess again¡­ Fear completely took over. Human freaking emotions¡­.¡±

    ¡°Can I touch you?¡±

    I turned and opened my arms. Juliet rested her head on my shoulder. ¡°Do you really feel I¡¯m not doing enough?¡± I asked softly.

    She shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I said that. You did so much for so long. I should be doing everything for the next seventeen years.¡±

    A victory cry came from outside. Juliet and I stepped out. Riphaths were traveling back from the west in droves¡­ Shumaan had won. ¡°Michael, we have to go back. Please¡­ I have a bad feeling.¡±

    ***

    Louis

    I was angry that Michael had taken her. It irritated the living daylights out of me that he and Chris could pick her up and freaking disappear. All I could see was my mother¡¯s smug face after desperately trying to get a hold of Juliet. Chris wouldn¡¯t be able to leave to go after them. Not that we needed his protection, but we were vital in Juliet¡¯s survival. No one would take the chance. Brylee and her husband reconciled, hugging each other. I had only seen the woman one time in two hundred years. She was less my mother than Agatha or Cindy was. I felt nothing for her and the way she handled her life. I had also lost my father but didn¡¯t turn into a raving maniac. ¡°Louis! What will you do with us?¡± Brylee asked, turning to me.

    I understood the pressure Marcus had been under with Qadir and his grandfather. But I wouldn¡¯t hesitate¡­ Or would I wait until it was needed, or until it was too late? Until Juliet got hurt like Marcus had done, or one of us got taken. Killed off-planet and die.

    ¡°We want you off, Zoreah. Take everyone and order them back.¡± Marcus suggested, sitting down across from Nicholas at the table. ¡°Get out all the vampires, and we will destroy the teleporter.¡± Marcus¡¯s gaze was fixed on Brylee.

    The doors burst open, and another vampire joined the crowd. Behind him, the hall was filled with werewolves waiting to protect Brylee. It was the guy we marooned on that planet with no wives and no women to work in his factories. He was why Ahasuerus could manage to build it so quickly.  ¡°You have to know that we would never accept Juliet as our queen. We will come back to take over En-gannim.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do on your planet, but from today. The tech will be withheld from you. Ahasuerus¡¯s army can stay with you. Their loyalties are clear to me¡­ You forget that I¡¯m also there. Juliet and I are connected.¡±

    ¡°We all know that you are ruled by that woman. The connection means nothing.¡±

    Marcus¡¯s gaze flickered over to me. It wasn¡¯t only the two of them. It wasn¡¯t about the fact that we were another clan that could challenge Ahasuerus. And no one seemed to take it seriously. Or thought we had more rights on a planet ruled by supernatural customs.

    ¡°We¡¯re one person away from ruling four planets. It seems like none of you know how the brandings work.¡± I spat out.

    ¡°I know exactly how they work,¡± Brylee said. ¡°Michael will kill you all and take over himself¡­ We are ensuring that Ira is on our side. Michael will have a hell of a time killing all of us.¡±

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Will you live in fear, mother? He has a supernatural beacon for the rulers of these planets¡­ Who knows if he will have to other rulers. He can manifest in front of you even if you¡¯re well-guarded.¡±

    ¡°I WILL DIE TRYING!¡± She roared. ¡°You know nothing! I will kill every one of you¡­ Until even little Sammie¡¯s lifeless body is in my hands.¡±

    Chris didn¡¯t need to react. I was her father more than he was. I took out my real gun, aimed it at the useless man sitting on the ground, and took the shot. Brylee was ready for a fight and still too quick. She had pushed the gun out of my hands. The weapon had popped, and a fight ensued between the two of us. The room stood back so we could have it out. With my training and my strength, she was no match for me. Without guards, she was useless. I pressed her down to the ground.

    ¡°We could have ruled together¡­ If she got on board with me¡­ We could have taken over Zoreah in a heartbeat. Earth would have sided with whoever she wanted.¡± My mother tried to reason.

    A sardonic laugh escaped me. ¡°You¡¯re so stupid. She would never go against Chris!¡± I laughed even more. ¡°Do you think I allowed any other men near her for no reason¡­ Juliet wouldn¡¯t be able to live without him¡­ Your mistake was going against Ira in the first place. He knew how to keep them apart¡­ And you walked right into that trap, thinking Michael would kill her!¡±

    I held out my hand for the gun lying on the ground. I was bluffing. Right at that moment¡­ I didn¡¯t know if Michael would do it. A week ago, he was close. But Chris had also been that night. If Sita and I were not there¡­ I still don¡¯t know what he would¡¯ve done. But it would be like blaming a child for spilling his milk at dinner. It was our responsibility to look after him. I took the gun Marcus had handed me. I pressed it against her head, wavering.

    ***

    Chris

    Louis wasn¡¯t going to do it. Marcus ripped the gun from his grasp and shot Brylee point blank. Louis jolted back, but there was no time¡­ That was why Louis was wavering. The wolves went ballistic. Even her lazy husband stood up. Guards flooded in, and we were fighting a funnel of werewolves attacking the room. ¡°Get the others, Chris. We need help.¡± Louis hollered. He was on the other side, and I couldn¡¯t get to him.

    Marcus and I jumped out the window. Louis was on his own. I traveled with Marcus to the cave. We needed that teleported destroyed. If all of them died that day¡­ It was how it would be¡­ We ended up in the underground control center we had rigged with explosives. Vampires and wolves were trying to dismantle the bombs. I left Marcus there... He was on his own¡­ It would be chaos in a second, but it was the safest place.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to Shumaan. We need Silvanus.¡± I said before I left.

    ¡°Get him out, Chris. If something happens to Louis¡­ She won¡¯t survive.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no time! If something happens to him, she¡¯ll be dead... It wouldn¡¯t matter.¡± I left, hoping Louis was clever enough to hold on.

    With his mother dead, we needed Michael. I didn¡¯t think they would automatically listen to him or how their customs worked when a queen died. Her husband was still alive.

    I traveled to the command center. The watchers and the Riphaths were celebrating. Shumaan wasn¡¯t under attack anymore. The tent was filled with all the important people. ¡°Ira, we need to travel into the city. Brylee¡¯s dead. Get ready at the spot.¡±

    I pressed my finger into Carl¡¯s torso. ¡°You have five minutes. Bring the choppers first and as many watchers as possible.¡±

    I opened my arms. Silvanus turned human and jumped in. I was going to drop him in the middle of a war zone¡­ Not knowing what had happened in the last few minutes.

    Michael was raging and raving, blood-covered and his mouth out, killing everyone he thought could come through the door. The dead werewolves were mounting up behind him. Silvanus dove right in. I could not see Louis. My head jerked all around, looking for Louis. He was nowhere on the floor, and I couldn¡¯t ask Michael¡­ I lifted bodies to try and find him. When I picked one up,  Nicholas¡¯s dead face looked up at me. I clutched his armor for a moment, but there was no time. I thought about Marcus all alone in the cave. I walked towards a window. There was no sign of Ira or Carl. The city was quiet. It was still peaceful down in the harem camps.

    In the distance, the millions of soldiers were waiting for orders. Ones they would never get. It was our chance to kill them all.

    The cave was still full of werewolves and vampires. Nothing had changed. Marcus was nowhere. ¡°What the...¡± It was a lot of back and forth, but I had no choice. Someone touched my arm. I jerked around, hoping it was Juliet. Caleb came back out of an invisible state. I jolted back. He was holding on to a bruised Marcus. ¡°How could you leave him here. You can be glad I was here when you left.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Caleb,¡± Marcus said.

    I grabbed his ear, and it seemed that the three of us had disappeared as the wolves came at us. ¡°What is wrong with you? Why are you here and not on Earth with Sammy? Didn¡¯t I take you back a few minutes ago?¡±

    He held up the glass plate. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to tell you¡­ about my ability.¡± I had a flash of Ira¡¯s and my relationship. It was never what I wanted for him. I threw my arm around his neck and pulled him in.

    ¡°Aaaa, how sweet,¡± Juliet said next to us.

    I grabbed at her in desperation, Louis right next to her with not a care in the world. We were all invisible. I clenched my fist, retracted it, and hit Louis in the face. ¡°That¡¯s for that night outside her house. For making me pick up dead people to find you.¡± Louis got ripped out of Juliet¡¯s grasp. Visible. ¡°Seriously, Chris.¡± She yelled.

    ¡°I let go of them and started killing wolves. I was tired, irritated, and needed to vent. They didn¡¯t stand a chance. No one even came close to Caleb, who sat invisibly watching.

    Marcus started teleporting in the watchers. Riphaths and different armies from Earth. We heard the bombs dropping. When his communications with Carl were finished, we joined the fight outside.

    ***

    Their beasts were unleashed inside of the city, each with a handler. Jamal, Selena, and I stood together. We had trained for it and fought them one by one. We had never dealt with whatever they were. Palmyra had things that I had never heard of. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind having one of these,¡± I said to Jamal.

    ¡°Train it to go on patrols¡­ Seems like they know how to domesticate their beasts.¡± Jamal said as we teleported and fought, finishing one after the other. Helping Selena when she cried out.

    ***

    In the end, we destroyed Ahasuerus¡¯s army. With the Riphaths and the watchers, they didn¡¯t stand a chance. Together with Juliet¡¯s army, it didn¡¯t take really long. The backup from Earth were only normal humans with guns who finished off those who came through the front lines.

    When it was only the harem werewolves left. Ira wanted to kill all of them, but Juliet couldn¡¯t do it. The two of them fought for some time, and I decided. ¡°Juliet, I¡¯m going to take you away¡­ It¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    Irate, she scratched at me. ¡°Did all of it not happen because I saved one of them. You want to kill a thousand babies! I will never allow it!¡± She yelled.

    She was the only one that felt that way¡­ Her eyes tried to find someone that would side with her. How would she get over it? Jessy stepped towards her with a tube. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want your breast covered with that skin¡­ You won¡¯t be able to handle it. Look at your shoulder.¡± Her chest rose and fell heavily as her other arm started covering.

    ¡°Now!¡± Marcus yelled. Jessy stepped forward and stabbed her. I tightened my hold and traveled her away. I didn¡¯t stop until we were in France. Jessy followed faithfully, not saying a word, having finally done the one thing he had never wanted to. But she didn¡¯t have the Emblem on¡­ Marcus did. I locked her up in Louis¡¯s room, sitting down on the bed at her feet. My blood-soaked hands stared back at me, and I still had to go back to finish what I started.

 Soren

    144. Soren

    Chris

    It had been a week since Zoreah. The four of us were in the lounge in France. Juliet was with her parents and spending time with Caleb. We were taking some time to talk things through.

    ¡°Now that we¡¯re sitting here. I don¡¯t really have anything to say.¡± My head rested back on the couch.

    ¡°Do you all agree that we live here?¡± Louis asked.

    No one said anything¡­

    ¡°Well, now is the time to speak¡­.¡± I ventured. ¡°Or should we make this a regular thing?¡±

    The atmosphere in the room felt a little weird¡­ Like the four of us were uncomfortable together. Sussing out the situation. When I was with Juliet, it didn¡¯t matter. Even when Marcus and I were together, there was camaraderie. But Louis and I had never clicked like I did with Jamal or Selena. I probably would never feel like that towards Michael either.

    Marcus got a text. He ran his hand over his mouth. ¡°Juliet says she wants to give me a baby.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s too soon,¡± Michael said too quickly.

    ¡°Let¡¯s first talk about our own lives. What we all see for the future¡­ for ourselves.¡± Louis suggested. ¡°If Juliet was not in the picture.¡±

    I sat back and stared at the roof, contemplating¡­ What did I want to do with my life?

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be so boring from here on out,¡± Marcus said. ¡°We can¡¯t be cooped up here all day long. Juliet wants to change En-gannim¡­ but I never wanted to rule. Do you want to, Michael? Take over Palmyra and play king?¡±

    There was no way I was going to rule on Zoreah. Would I stay on Earth? Beatrice¡¯s words echoed in my mind¡­ ¡°Maybe Chris doesn¡¯t even want to stay.¡± I liked being a protector. Fighting. I wouldn¡¯t mind going up the ranks to general and going on campaigns¡­ with Juliet¡­ I smiled.

    My head came down, and the others were watching me.

    ¡°Seems like one of has it all figured out,¡± Michael said.

    ¡°Fine, if no one wants to talk¡­ I¡¯ll talk. I had the most time by myself¡­ so maybe that has something to do with it¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Louis, but I don¡¯t think we will ever get along.¡± He grinned.

    ¡°I want to be a general. Take armies into battle¡­ I want a house for Juliet and me. But away from you all. I could maybe live with Marcus. But it¡¯s not to say he wants to¡­ Selena and Jamal would probably always be with me or go back to Zoreah¡­ I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just talking¡­ Nothing I can¡¯t change my mind about¡­ Seeing that Marcus gets the first baby¡­ that would mean¡­ that they have to stay alone¡­ so we¡¯re sure¡­. Don¡¯t really want to leave it up to chance¡­ I might just get number three as well¡­ So Michael, why is it too soon?¡±

    ¡°Of course to me, her health is the most important¡­ She will live so long does she really have to give us all a baby in the next ten years¡­ We have to think long-term. Marcus and Louis will die first¡­ You and all the kids at once¡­ I will be left alone¡­ with whoever is left. If we don¡¯t live together, Chris¡­ We can¡¯t really call it a family.¡±

    Marcus and I shared a glance. Mutual understanding of figuring out where Michael fit into it all.

    ¡°Chris, I¡­ have no idea how to handle Juliet¡­ I have a lot of catching up to do. Figuring out emotions, and I don¡¯t want to split up. I like the people¡­ It might not seem like it¡­ but I was alone for so long that for Louis and me, this is like heaven¡­ It¡¯s always busy, and she is always happy when we¡¯re all here¡­ You and Louis were fine before you left¡­ What changed?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m jealous,¡± I said.

    They all laughed.

    ¡°I think we¡¯re all jealous¡­ Not only of Louis but of something¡­.¡± Michael said.

    ¡°What the hell do you have to be jealous about?¡± I asked Michael.

    ¡°Seriously Chris¡­ I¡¯m nervous that her obsession with you will manipulate her time¡­ Well, after you came back, it was okay, but then I¡­ became what I did, and she went right back to clinging to you after Zoreah! And to give her something, no one has said anything¡­ And it¡¯s you who made that call. She¡¯s not even angry at you! ¡±

    The others nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to push her away¡­ Not now¡­ And I don¡¯t like the fact that you guys have the branding connection¡­ What if you all die, and I¡¯m left alone? We still don¡¯t know if Brylee was bluffing¡­ Oh crap, does it connect with dying of old age as well?¡±

    Our eyes darted around the room. All eyes landed on Michael¡­

    ¡°No! I won¡¯t go teleporting to another freaking planet just to go ask some old chick if we will all die when Marcus and Louis peg over¡­ I¡¯m not going to play messenger for everyone.¡± He stood up and went to the kitchen. ¡°Anyone want something to drink?¡±

    We all chuckled. He was already serving¡­ He was good at it but didn¡¯t like being told to do it.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I would like one, please.¡±

    The others also asked.

    ¡°Can we talk about Soren because it¡¯s bugging me,¡± Marcus said.

    Michael handed us all a beer. ¡°It seems the two of you¡¯re on the same page about that. Louis?¡± Michael asked.

    He was quiet. ¡°Well¡­ Chris, you should know how well she handles breakups. And we will be forcing her.¡± Louis said. ¡°After Zoreah, it¡¯s immediately Soren. And you want to add telling her she can¡¯t get pregnant again¡­ It won¡¯t end well.¡±

    I had forgotten how she reacted to my letter. ¡°Is it the same, though? Come, Louis, how does she feel about Soren? She¡¯s older, and she seemed okay with it when I told her.¡±

    Marcus was nervously twisting his bottle in his hands. ¡°If we agree to Soren¡­ We will have to agree to further spouses¡­ What if she falls in love again? If she sleeps with someone else¡­ I won¡¯t be able to handle it¡­ It made me almost walk away.¡±

    The rest of us were quiet. Michael was already an issue for Marcus. ¡°I think if something bothers us to such a degree, we should all face the consequences together,¡± Louis said. ¡°We all have limits¡­ Chris, do you know yours?¡±

    There was so much to think about. ¡°Yeah¡­ Soren.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t jealous about the boy, but our family was holding on by a thin line, and adding another addition would complicate it to such a degree that it wouldn¡¯t matter what we did. Juliet wasn¡¯t thinking about all the consequences, and I had told her I would make the difficult decisions. If no one else would.

    ***

    Soren

    The four guys around me were intimidating. I didn¡¯t know what to expect.

    ¡°Soren¡­¡± Chris sat forward. ¡°I told Juliet that you can¡¯t join us.¡±

    It had been so long waiting for Marcus to give in¡­ I never thought it would be the guy who wasn¡¯t there that would stop me. The other three men couldn¡¯t look at me. It took a moment for it to sink in. Louis got up and sat down next to me. He handed our emblem back to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His hand was resting on my back.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°Waiting.¡±

    ¡°Can I say goodbye?¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­ She is up those stairs.¡±

    I was going back and forth if I should even talk to her. I slowly made my way there. The sniffling wasn¡¯t like her... What was the point of it all without her? It¡¯s not like she didn¡¯t want me¡­

    I put my arm around her shoulders, pulling her towards me. All she did was cry. ¡°This is my fault¡­ I should¡¯ve been able to resist you. I took advantage of you¡­ thought I could handle it. I¡¯m sorry, Julie.¡± It just made her dig her face into my chest.

    We sat there until she was quiet. After a while, I got up. She grabbed my hand. ¡°Juliet¡­ love really isn¡¯t unconditional. You can¡¯t live in that bubble anymore. Maybe if it was only Louis.¡±

    She stood to stare out of the window, hugging herself. I wondered who would comfort her? If any of them even would. I heard what happened on Zoreah and all the babies they killed. She had so much to deal with, and I knew she would come back full force to take over En-gannim. I could¡¯ve been there for her. I had our whole future planned.

    I walked over and wrapped my arms around her. ¡°We were never set in stone¡­ Why are you so upset?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re worth it.¡±

    My hands dropped at my side¡­ It was getting real, and I didn¡¯t want to make it harder for her. There was no point in fighting it. I left. Walked out the front door and teleported to Washington and to En-gannim. I went to Marcus¡¯s office and packed my stuff. I wasn¡¯t going to think about it¡­ Up until a half-hour earlier, I had hoped they would say yes. I traveled back home. When I walked into the house, I gave my father back his emblem. He growled low¡­ shaking his head.

    Isla was there. I put my box on the table. No idea what I was supposed to do. Isla held open her arms. ¡°At least you know what it feels like. You will know if it happens again.¡±

    ***

    Juliet

    Soren had left, and I was thankful that he had made the decision. There was no way I would ask him to leave. I wiped my eyes when I heard him at the bottom of the stairs, running down to watch him go. The front door closed while I stood halfway down the stairs, staring after him. I could feel all pairs of eyes on me. There was no point in avoiding them.

    I rested my hands on the back of the couch, taking a moment. Not meeting anyone¡¯s eye. It had been hard. Just the five of us for a week... The tension was high because of what they did. In the end, I stayed close to Chris. Because he actually talked to me¡­ I took a beer out of the fridge and went to sit down next to Chris. ¡°Okay. So what now? What did you guys decide and talk about? Or would I not be privy to what was discussed besides Soren? Oh, and the baby¡­.¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t really get to anything else¡­ I have to say I didn¡¯t think you would handle it this well,¡± Michael said.

    The corner of my mouth lifted. ¡°I knew it was coming. I was prepared. Well anyway. I¡¯m fine¡­ for now.¡± I met Michael¡¯s seen-it-all-all eyes. I thought about our first kiss and the fact that he had asked me. Treated me like a person, and that man wasn¡¯t there anymore.

    There was a knock at the front door. ¡°Just a moment, Selena! I¡¯m going out tonight¡­.¡± I said as I stood up, kissing Chris. ¡°I don¡¯t like the fact that you guys had your little meeting and cut me out. But it seems like I brought this on myself.

    On Monday. I¡¯m going to start working¡­ Will be gone most of the day on En-gannim. Seeing that you guys are going on with your lives. I¡¯ll probably have to, as well. Charlene is studying. Carl is in Washington¡­ None of you are even telling me if I¡¯m allowed to have another baby¡­¡± I waited. There had to be a reason they were avoiding it.

    ¡°Michael doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea,¡± Marcus said. The tone in his voice made my blood boil. After everything? I spun towards Michael, who couldn¡¯t even look at me. Luckily, Selena came in the front door. Rather than venting, I jumped over the couch and pulled her into the dressing room. The anticipation for the night would allow me to forget for a few hours. ¡°It seems you¡¯re my new best friend. Is that a problem for you?¡±

    She shook her head and smiled. ¡°I want a tattoo.¡± I lifted my hand into the air. She gazed at it. ¡°Hit it.¡±

    ¡°Hit it? With what?¡±

    I laughed. ¡°With your hand. Do the same to my hand. Like this.¡±

    She hit my hand, and I winced. ¡°Tomorrow, we start training together. That hurt.¡±

    ¡°Hell, yes.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°You picked up some of Chris¡¯s lingo. How could he never have taught you a high five¡­.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s not really the type.¡±

    Selena was going through my clothes. ¡°I took the liberty to buy you some dresses.¡± You want to try them on. ¡°We¡¯re going out tonight.¡±

    She was animated, and after a little runway show, she chose a little black number. It was short and in a V-neckline. I did her makeup and hair. Selena observed me asking so many questions.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    My dress was a charcoal sequence. The neckline went past my breast and stopped at the top of my tummy. It covered my back and had long sleeves. I didn¡¯t want any humans asking me why I looked like I did. My hair was blonder than usual, and I parted it on the side of my head so that it hung beautifully over my face.

    When we were done, we stood in front of the mirror. ¡°Stunning.¡± It would be hard for the guys when we walked out of the dressing room.

    ¡°Are you ready to turn some heads?¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Watch Chris¡¯s face when we walk out.¡±

    There was a knock at the front door. I smiled, and Selena tilted her head. ¡°You are very dangerous, Juliet.¡±

    I snickered behind my hand. ¡°Bored. Most of the time. But tonight, I will dance the hours and my cares away.¡±

    ¡°Dance?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll love it.¡± I clasped her hand and laced our fingers. She was dumbfounded as Caleb was, but she followed me. Her balance on the shoes was so good that I was jealous. She was a natural, and tonight, she would be the center of attention in the club.

    We walked confidently past all the men still sitting on the couches. I was so happy, but my poker face was on. And I squeezed Selena¡¯s hand when Chris¡¯s eyes rested on all of her.

    ¡°Jessy!¡± I yelled¡­ I knew he was there waiting. The front door opened.

    He was dressed in black pants and a black transparent mesh shirt. It was a low V-neck. I swallowed hard. Matching jewelry around his neck and wrist. Selena squeezed my hand. ¡°You look great.¡± Jessy bowed.

    ¡°Even if I have four husbands. My other half will come with the two of us and protect us. You guys don¡¯t have to worry. Just go on with your lives¡­ Like I¡¯m not even here.¡±

    Jessy held out his arm for me, and I laced mine in his. Selena copied me.

    ¡°Amsterdam. Here we come. Saturday night, and you have it all planned, right.¡± I asked Jessy.

    ¡°You will not be walking home if that¡¯s what you mean. Have a big guy to carry you.¡±

    ¡°Yes! And feel free to take Selena home. Charlene wouldn¡¯t mind. Just remember, she can¡¯t get pregnant¡­ That would be a disaster.¡± I said that last part really loudly. I glanced over my shoulder. The men were on the porch watching us. I only wanted to see where Chris¡¯s attentions were, happy that his eyes lingered on me.

    The three of us were trying to navigate the thicket into the spot where we had to teleport from. Jessy was funny and charmingly attentive. We were joking with him, and it felt good. I needed to have fun.

    The three of us looked back at the house before we left. I stuck out my tongue just for the hell of it. Selena did the same, and Jessy and I shared a laugh.

    ***

    We got out somewhere in North Holland and had to take a car to the club. We had so many guards that we didn¡¯t even need to fend our way through a crowd or a line or anything. Jessy was with me every step of the way, and I could completely let go when we entered the club.

    I pulled Selena onto the dancefloor. She took to it like gasoline on a fire. The DJ was insane. People around us jumping up and down. I would¡¯ve loved to be a fly on the wall at home... Jessy gave me his cell phone, reading my thoughts when we sat down at our cubicle to enjoy drinks. Selena was already tipsy after two drinks and gravitated to making Jessy her object for the night. I took the phone eagerly.

    The men were scrambling. Coming in and out of bathrooms and rooms. They were dressed and on their way. ¡°Do they know where we are?¡±

    Jessy tried to nod, but Selena was all over him. His eyes were big. It was not the En-gannim way. I had to laugh. The big, strong, tall man wasn¡¯t used to being touched like that. His soft brown eyes eventually closed, and his lips found hers.

    Jamal was on the dancefloor surrounded by women. I made my way over and pushed them all out of the way, strutting my awkward dancing in front of him. He obliged me, smiling down at me. ¡°So which one would it be.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really care.¡± His tone was clipped.

    My lips turned upside down. ¡°You¡¯re not happy. Did I do the wrong thing?¡± He shook his head. Jamal was a natural dancer, and by watching the other people, he soon found his own rhythm. I pulled him to the bar. We did a few shots. He liked tequila too much and liked my reaction to the horrible taste. He was having a good time, but his eyes darted to the booth too many times. ¡°It seems that you like her a little more than just a Riphath sleep buddy.¡± His eyes rested on my face regarding me. ¡°Come on. We have to bond. You¡¯re Chris¡¯s friend. Talk to me. I need diversion just as much as you.¡±

    ¡°How do men deal with it here on Earth. If you¡¯re all monogamous? How do you do it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, there is only one way. You have to fight the guy for the girl. Never leave her side. Make sure you¡¯re always there so she doesn¡¯t move on or have the chance to think about someone else.¡±

    Chris clapped Jamal on the shoulder. His eyes rested on my face. They moved over my lips to the dress I was wearing and how short it was. My long legs. Down to my shoes and up again. ¡°You look beautiful, Juliet.¡±

    I tapped the bar and got Chris a drink.

    We didn¡¯t even notice Jamal walking over to the booth. Chris¡¯s eyes grew twice the size, and he ran. Jamal gave Jessy one hell of a punch after picking Selena off his lap and tossing her onto a seat away from the man. Jessy glanced over at me, and I nodded. He hit Jamal in the eye.

    Jamal manifested in the club, and Jessy followed suit. My hand covered my mouth. The rest of the vampire guards made a nice little ring for them to have it out. People were going nuts trying to see what was going on.

    I was doing another shot. ¡°Aren¡¯t you queen of that planet?¡± The barman asked.

    ¡°Finally, someone that recognizes me.¡±

    ¡°I do watch TV. We also saw that other fight where you ripped out that guy¡¯s spine¡­.¡± He made a nervous little gesture with his face. ¡°It was¡­ impressive. Scary! Won¡¯t mess with you.¡±

    I chuckled, and he put another shot in front of me.

    ¡°Thank You.¡±

    ¡°Can I buy you a drink?¡± A random guy asked before I could put my drink to my lips.

    I quickly took in his features and lifted my chin at the barman, who smiled. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Juliet¡­ You¡¯re not from around here.¡±

    ¡°UK.¡±

    I held out my glass, and he clinked mine. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Holiday.¡±

    The uproar on the other side of the room had died down. Jamal and Chris were headed to the bathroom. Jessy had sat down on the sofa. My other two counterparts took their seats at the booth next to him.

    ¡°So what do you make of the aliens among us?¡±

    Marcus''s eyes came up to mine and drifted over to the guy talking to me. I turned away from them and focused on the man next to me. ¡°Did you just get here?¡±

    He nodded. I smiled at the barman busy in front of us. He was listening to the conversation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know, and you?¡± The barman laughed as he took another order.

    ¡°Well, we haven¡¯t seen any benefits yet... Crime is down¡­ Earth is like a different place where all the criminals get sacrificed to half-human aliens. I saw the battle on that planet. Did you see it on the news?¡±

    I nodded, sipping on a cocktail the barman had made me.

    ¡°It was interesting to see. It¡¯s been a few years, but I can¡¯t seem to get used to it.¡±

    We talked for a while, and I drank down the last sip of my drink. ¡°Can I buy you another? Or would you like to dance?¡±

    He stood up straighter. His gaze flickered over my shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t look now, but one of them is coming this way.¡±

    ¡°What does he look like?¡±

    ¡°Muslim.¡±

    I snorted, grabbed the guy¡¯s wrist, and led him onto the dancefloor, leaving Marcus to stand with his back to the bar, watching us.

    The guy dancing with me rested his hands on my hips. ¡°No touching.¡±

    His hands lifted off my waist, grinning. ¡°Why not?¡± He tried again.

    Urgh, guys are all the same, I thought. Louis started rubbing up behind me. I could smell him. Feel his mouth in my neck.

    The English guy seemed offended. ¡°Should we move this party to the other side of the dancefloor?¡±

    I didn¡¯t expect it, but Marcus came over and pushed between the guy and me. He¡­ started dancing¡­ I paused, watching him, and laughed. The guy tapped his shoulder. Marcus was on edge. He cracked his neck before he wanted to turn around. I pulled his lips onto mine. It was the only way I could defuse the situation. His eyes were open, and he watched me. He kissed me back for a moment. Lifted his lips and turned me, pushing me into Louis. Marcus left the dancefloor and stood at the bar facing us.

    The English guy left when Louis¡¯s hands roamed my body. Chris and Jamal joined us after a while. We danced for so long. I didn¡¯t see Michael. Louis pointed to a cubicle on the opposite side of the club. There were four girls in the booth with him. They were fascinated with his tattoos, buying him drinks, and it seemed like he was already a little drunk.

    Selena had joined the dancing, and she and Chris were a little too close to each other, but I wasn¡¯t going to get jealous. Not of them or of Michael. I turned my back on them and, went to the bar, and did more shots.

    I got really drunk until I couldn¡¯t stand anymore and walked to Jessy. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can stand anymore.¡± I fell down next to him. He lifted a hand, and one of the guards standing against the wall came over and picked me up. Jessy stood up and picked up Selena, who had passed out a while ago.

    They carried us out and traveled us home. Jessy wanted to take me upstairs. ¡°No¡­¡± I slurred. ¡°My room¡­ and lock the door.¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate and put me on my bed. I heard the lock turn and closed my eyes.

    ***

    I woke up the following day with my door opening. ¡°It¡¯s wake-up time, Your Majesty.¡±

    I checked my phone. It was already eleven in the morning.

    Marcus was in his chair reading, and Chris was lying down on the couch. Louis and Michael were nowhere. I bent down and kissed Chris. ¡°Mornin¡­¡± He pulled me down on the couch with him. Wrapping me with his arms and legs. ¡°Did you have fun last night?¡±

    ¡°Mmm. When did you guys come home?¡±

    ¡°Right after you. You could have asked me¡­ I would have had you home faster.¡±

    ¡°That would¡¯ve defeated the object.¡±

    ¡°You not going to say hello to Marcus?¡±

    I wriggled out of Chris¡¯s arms and got up, walking past the Muslim. I snorted again. Humans are so ignorant. I plopped down on a deckchair in the shade, letting the cool air blow over me. I had told myself that I would have to relax. Take it one day at a time. I thought about tomorrow and going back to En-gannim. It was going to be hard work, but I missed it. Caleb was there. Sammy was there. We didn¡¯t have the space in France to be together. It would take a while to get everyone settled if we ever could.

    Marcus came over and grabbed my wrist, pulling me up. ¡°Hey!¡±

    He led me up the trail and didn¡¯t stop until we were at my tree. I wasn¡¯t going to say anything. Just glad he wasn¡¯t forcing me with his branding rights. Mimicking me from the last time we were there, he sat down against the trunk. ¡°Everyone says I shouldn¡¯t manipulate your time. But you¡¯re always with Chris. He said my new prize should be to make you happy. And you¡¯re not¡­.¡±

    We sat chest to chest. I threw my legs over his. I ran my thumb over his lips. ¡°Why did you sleep in your room alone? Are you angry at me about Soren?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m angry because we can¡¯t have a baby until the party agrees we can. I¡¯m angry that you didn¡¯t fight for it.¡±

    He sat up, confused.

    ¡°I wanted to give you something, Marcus¡­ I wanted to do something for you. And I could understand that it¡¯s rather quick, but it¡¯s not guaranteed that we would get pregnant. It took my parents two hundred years to have me¡­ That¡¯s the only thing going on in Michaels¡¯s mind¡­ The fact that it would be you and me for a while. There is a reason vampires don¡¯t have that many children.¡±

    Marcus pulled my lips onto his. He lifted my bum so that I sat on his lap. ¡°Why did you do that last night¡­ Why did you let Jessy take you out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m angry that you guys met without me. It¡¯s as if Chris changed everything. No one is fighting anymore¡­ You guys are just deciding, and all I have is¡­ who I sleep with.¡±

    ¡°Your door was locked, or I would¡¯ve joined you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. New rule¡­ You guys have to work for it¡­ Why are you laughing?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even know where to start.¡±

    I kissed him again. ¡°What do you mean. You already have me there.¡± He sat back, intrigued. ¡°This¡­ What you¡¯re doing is all it takes.¡±

    ¡°Talking?!¡± I nodded. ¡°What? No?¡±

    ¡°And maybe¡­ Rubbing my hair while I read¡­ Oh, and smiling¡­ But that you know.¡±

    Marcus stood up in one push, and I grabbed his waist with my legs. ¡°I¡¯m going to have you every night if that¡¯s the requirement.¡±

    ¡°Is that all you care about, Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I dug my nose into his neck and took in that familiar scent, ¡° I wish I hadn¡¯t locked my door.¡± Marcus found my lips, and we kissed while he carried me home. He plopped me back on the deck chair. ¡°It¡¯s a date.¡± He smirked.

    I got the stupidest grin on my face that made Marcus¡¯s head tilt. ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Go read your book. I know that¡¯s all you want to do.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not all I want to do¡­ I¡¯m going hunting¡­ What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Really, breakfast¡­ Our date might have to happen sooner¡­ What planet?¡±

    ¡°You ready?¡± Chris asked, walking out of the house.

    I yawned. ¡°Kiss.¡± Marcus bent down, his lips lingering.

    ¡°We might be a while,¡± Chris said.

    ¡°Kiss.¡± I lifted my chin and waited. Chris came over and kissed me. I still had that stupid grin on my face. ¡°I¡¯m expecting lunch in an hour. That gives you five.¡±

    The two men rushed through the door. I liked them together. They were good for each other¡­ and for me.

    ***

    I had fallen asleep on the chair, waking up with someone fighting. I glanced back into the house. It was Louis and Michael. Intrigued, I listened. ¡°You were so drunk last night, Michael. You almost kissed a woman.¡±

    My head snapped around, and my feet landed on the ground. They saw the movement. ¡°I didn¡¯t. She kissed me, and I pushed her away.¡± Michael held my gaze.

    ¡°Because you weren¡¯t with us¡­ Why would you sit alone on the other side of the freaking place¡­ You¡¯re the one that goes on about family.¡± Louis ranted.

    I walked down to Charlene¡¯s house. I knocked on the door. Jessy opened. Selena was in front of the TV watching some drama. A tissue in hand, wiping at her eyes. I giggled at the scene.

    ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t sleep with her.¡±

    ¡°What do you take me for. She was so drunk. Puked her guts out. It was gross.¡±

    ¡°Do you have surveillance of last night for all of them?¡±

    ¡°What do you take me for. They all have their own watcher. If they do anything wrong¡­ I will know.¡±

    I pushed past him to one of the rooms. The four monitors were there. Chris and Marcus were hunting.

    ¡°Show me, Michael, last night after we left.¡±

    Jessy sat down and pressed a few buttons.

    Michael was still in the cubicle with the four girls. He watched Selena and me being carried out of the club and wanted to follow. The woman pulled his face around and planted her lips on his. He pushed her away but grabbed her arms roughly.

    ¡°Oh, Frak! He tasted blood.¡± We saw him manifest and disappear with the girl in his arms...

    We saw the footage of him in our cabin on En-gannim. He killed her so fast and ate her. ¡°Oh shoot. What are we going to do? The whole club saw it!¡± I spun around at Jessy.

    His hands snapped up. ¡°It happened so fast no one would¡¯ve been able to do anything.¡±

    ¡°I should have watched him¡­ What were they thinking coming out? You know I can¡¯t have one evening to myself.¡±

 The First Murder

    145. The First Murder

    Juliet

    Well, I had my first duty as queen. Michael and I were in a room full of generals who at least knew us. He was leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. Even though I was angry with him and we had some issues, I could see he wasn¡¯t taking it well. The girl he killed in the club was the subject of the meeting. Her parents were there, and we couldn¡¯t really solve it in a courtroom.

    ¡°We want justice.¡± The mother shouted with a tissue in her hand.

    ¡°If they get away with it now, they will never stop picking us off.¡± The father said.

    ¡°Can we compensate you? He is a baby and didn¡¯t know what he was doing.¡± I said it so they would understand. I couldn¡¯t really make it about Michael at that moment or coddle his creature side.

    ¡°Then he shouldn¡¯t have been there. Why was he in a club talking to a human woman?¡±

    ¡°We are all half-human. You can¡¯t exclude us from the Earth like we don¡¯t belong here. There is a reason all the worlds are connected, and he is the proof.¡±

    The parents were quietly thinking. ¡°There is nothing you can give us that will equal the death of a child.¡± The father said under his breath. ¡°But¡­ it¡¯s because you are a child! How could you ever understand.¡± The father jumped up. ¡°I can¡¯t talk to her¡­ It¡¯s not right that their whole world is in the hands of a kid.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have children¡­ You¡¯re not a mother yet. You have no idea how we are feeling.¡± The mother said.

    ¡°Let me put this scenario before you¡­ What if your daughter did sleep with him, and she got pregnant and had a baby with him. The baby would have been half-creature¡­ And what if we were not on Earth and there was no food for aliens here¡­ Would you let the baby starve?¡±

    They were quiet again. ¡°If this is about humans dying or children ruling, it¡¯s one thing. But if you¡¯re saying it¡¯s about losing someone close to you? I can warrant the same thing¡­ He is not in control of himself.¡±

    ¡°You should know better. He should get the death penalty¡­ If there are consequences for humans, there should be for aliens¡­¡± Exasperated, the father threw his hands into the air. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you anymore!¡±

    ¡°Seriously. This is not the first time someone¡¯s child has died in the last hundred years. Us being here has made Earth better. Accidents happen.¡±

    Michael had been trying to say something for the past half-hour, but I kept him quiet with my branding power. It was an emotional feeling I had. As if he was tugging on my insides¡­ I sat down, putting my hand on his leg. ¡°When the news first came out. The government told everyone that it was a necessary evil. People accepted it. What is different now?¡±

    The two parents were really done dealing with me. My gaze traveled to the generals around the table. ¡°We need to talk alone.¡±

    America { Kubra escort them out }

    A moment later.

    America { Juliet, we¡¯ve discussed it and¡­ The only thing that would make the people happy¡­ Is if you all removed from Earth for some time }

    Russia { We will still work with you, and many people are standing with you. But we have to show them how it would be when you are not here }

    ¡°That¡¯s not so bad. I had expected worse.¡±

    Michael took my hand in his.

    China { There are a lot of people signing up for the space program who all want to see the different planets. Scientist. Biologist. Families that wish to relocate }

    Spain { If you are off-planet and focus on the human population there, maybe we could change things }

    UK { You have already okayed that the teleporter tech is implemented in all the neighborhoods around the Earth. The people are excited, and the environmentalists are in your corner. That means all the celebrities and rich people around the world¡­ It is more than we had hoped for. Cars will disappear. People wouldn¡¯t have to pay to travel the world. No more airports and buses. Hell, Schools have doubled in size for foreign kids who want to study in other countries and stay at home¡­ The possibilities are endless }

    France { And you haven¡¯t even been in power that long. Yes, it was unfortunate¡­ what happened yesterday... But the people didn¡¯t experience the battle and the werewolves. The situation on Palmyra should be straightened out. We don¡¯t know what is out there¡­ What if other races do come into the galaxy and attack Earth }

    ¡°How will I build the teleporters if we¡¯re not here?¡± I asked.

    The generals glanced around the room. { It will have to go on hold. That will encourage people to let this go }

    ¡°That family will be crucified.¡±

    China { They will be protected }

    ¡°Okay, then it¡¯s settled¡­ We will be moving. I appreciate your understanding. As I said, we were nervous that it would cause activists to rise up and sever the connection¡­ As you know, I consider Earth my home¡­ So when you tell us, we will come back. I¡¯ll be back in France.¡±

    Kubra entered the room. He had sat down next to Jessy, who was now the general of En-gannim. When I saw him, I thought about Charlene and Carl. Charlene still had a lot of studies left in front of her. What about Min¨¦?

    ¡°What about Charlene? She is still human¡­ Would you let her travel? What about the watchers? Where will they be based? They have grown in size. Every country¡¯s soldiers have now become a UN army. They need to train with us¡­.¡±

    America { Give us a week. Of course, Charlene, Carl, and the watchers can come and go as they please. We will sort out the details. It¡¯s temporary¡­}

    The four of us took our leave and traveled back to France. Michael was clutching my hand. ¡°Kubra, will you see to everything.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± I gave him a look.

    Michael held me back. ¡°I know you have a lot to do¡­ But can we take a walk?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we can sort out everything going on between the two of us in five minutes.¡± I let go of his hand and went for the house. Honestly, I didn¡¯t care if he wanted to talk. Or if he had anything to say in the meeting. The other three men were sitting in the lounge. ¡°We are moving. Pack your bags.¡±

    Louis stood up. ¡°Juliet, are you not even going to tell us what¡¯s going on. Or what happened?¡±

    ¡°Have you decided what you want to do for the rest of your life? Because this is my work. Not yours. Isn¡¯t that what you guys chose. That we work and stay out of each other¡¯s hair¡­ I¡¯m not going to dump my whole day on you guys every night¡­ Michael can tell you if he wants.¡±

    I went to our dressing room calling Charlene. There was no answer.

    Me { Hey! I¡¯m packing your stuff. Come to En-gannim tonight. Will talk there }

    Charlene { Okay, see you later. In class }

    Charlene { The school is bombarding me with questions }

    I groaned. Oh, how one moment can cause such a f- ing mess.

    ***

    Back On En-gannim.

    Ahasuerus¡¯s old office had become mine. Marcus¡¯s was too small. Jessy and I were discussing a way to help the Earth with garbage mounts, plastic... and everything they needed. There was a long list.

    ¡°What have the scientists figured out about the pink stuff that eats everything?¡±

    ¡°They are all on the same page. There is no way to utilize it.¡±

    ¡°Not yet. Work with the people from Earth and come up with a plan. What happened when plastic was submerged.¡±

    ¡°Ate it right up. But we have no idea what it would do to our environment if we start dumping Earth trash into our oceans.¡± Jessy commented.

    ¡°Fine¡­ Tomorrow¡­ We will start going to other solar systems. We need to find another planet where no one can live, and we¡¯ll begin dumping it there in the meantime.¡±

    Jessy and I were preparing documents for banning plastic and going back to how the Earth was forty years ago when milk was delivered to your door. With the teleporters all over, things were going to change. It would create so much work for the lower classes. Hand-to-hand deliveries were going to be a big enterprise, from oil ships to a single tomato.

    ¡°Where do you want to go first?¡± Jessy asked.

    ¡°Set up a meeting in an hour with all the information you have and the mappers. I need to start studying.¡±

    ¡°Did we destroy all the teleporters those creeps had that helped Ahasuerus?¡±

    ¡°Zoreah is clean¡­ Earth can be manned from here. Palmyra¡­ We have no idea what¡¯s going on there.¡±

    ¡°No contact yet?¡±

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    ¡°None.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go. If all fails, I can use my ability. Even if they can see me, they can¡¯t really do anything.¡±

    Jessy shifted in his seat.

    ¡°We have no choice. Someone has to go, and I¡¯m not sending one of our men as a sacrifice. Brylee¡¯s husband has to be somewhere. We need to know who takes over after Brylee.¡±

    Jessy wanted to say more.

    ¡°Just give me an hour.¡± I stood up and left for my room upstairs.

    The tower was so high and had so much space that the whole court worked from one building. It was my home and my offices. It was where I would be most of the time.

    In my room, the patio was the only place I liked, staring out over the city. The door opened. I glanced over, and my dad walked in. He sat next to me. ¡°You okay, Julie?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Why?¡±

    ¡°When Jessy comes to me instead of one of your four husbands, you know something is wrong.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°Jessy has a lot to do¡­ He¡¯s scrambling. To tell you the truth¡­ I¡¯m still a bit hungover.¡±

    My dad¡¯s shoulders shook.

    ¡°How¡¯s mom?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s loving it. Being with her parents. The two girls to look after. I don¡¯t think she wants to do anything else until they have to start school.¡±

    ¡°Well, now Caleb won¡¯t be going to school for some time¡­ But I¡¯ll tell him. He can go here. It¡¯s much better anyway.¡± My dad was quiet. ¡°What kind of shop did you open? I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on in your lives anymore.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s how it should be. You have to live your life. You worked your ass off to get here. Anyway¡­ Soren¡¯s father is helping me put all Earth¡¯s books onto tubes and the information hub here¡­ That will take us a lifetime. We haven¡¯t even started with anything from Palmyra¡­ I will need a bigger shop and people interested in doing mundane work.¡±

    ¡°Is he going to join his dad in the enterprise?¡±

    ¡°Seems like it.¡±

    ¡°I heard you took the breakup really well.¡± He peeked at me through his eyelashes.

    ¡°Have to grow up some or other time. Marcus has his limits¡­ It¡¯s give and take, right?¡±

    ¡°You were never a real give-and-take person, Julie. How are you going to handle being alone here all day? It was never the plan. You always wanted a partner?¡±

    ¡°Honestly¡­ I¡¯m waiting.¡±

    My dad chuckled. ¡°Who do you think it will be?¡±

    ¡°Does it really matter? Maybe Caleb would join me in four years.¡± I sighed heavily. Not wanting to think about how I was still lonely. ¡°I¡¯m going on a recon mission tonight¡­ Don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    My dad stood up. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m on your side. But I¡¯m kinda rooting for¡­ No, I won¡¯t tell you who my favorite is¡­.¡± My eyebrows raised slightly. ¡°Come on, give me a hug. Don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll see you again.¡±

    We embraced, and he left. I stared at the bed. In France, I slept with Louis and one other person every night. There I got to choose¡­ The idea appealed to me. Louis wasn¡¯t in charge anymore; I had some control. A real queen giving out cards to who I wanted in my bed-chamber¡­ I chuckled and checked the time. Half an hour left before my study session started.

    The day before, Marcus and Chris had come back from hunting, and I was too upset to continue our date. I had time to let everything that happened settle, and I was pissed off. Michael had separated himself from us the whole night. Chris had danced with Selena most of the time because I was with Louis and Marcus. To say the least, Marcus was upset and had thrown the comment out there, ¡°You let one relationship that is not going well influence the others, and you¡¯re not capable of managing us.¡±

    Marcus was trying, and I felt terrible, but he had also been on Zoreah and had overruled me. Pushed Soren out and didn¡¯t even want to fight with Michael about the baby. I shook myself; there was too much to do.

    ***

    I waved at Jessy on my way to Palmyra.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this.¡± He said as I stepped into the teleporter.

    ¡°I¡¯m the queen. You don¡¯t really have a choice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to be with you all the time¡­.¡± His eyes were pleading¡­ ¡°You can make me disappear with you.¡±

    ¡°Tsk! Fine, get in.¡±

    He was stunned. I laughed lightly, holding out my arm. ¡°Who will teleport us and take point on the mission?¡±

    Jessy thought for a second. He sent a communication. Kubra came through the teleporter.

    I smiled. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still upset that you promoted Jessy above me.¡± Kubra chirped.

    ¡°You are?¡±

    I held out my hand. Jessy took off the emblem, and I tossed it at Kubra. ¡°Till we¡¯re back. You¡¯re in charge.¡±

    ¡°Gee, thanks.¡±

    Jessy and I laughed.

    Kubra sent us, and we came out hand in hand on the platform. It was empty. Quiet. We walked around, making sure there really was no one at the embassy. ¡°Okay, this is weird. I know we killed their soldiers and some of the harems, but we didn¡¯t kill all of them¡­ Right?¡±

    ¡°Do you think they don¡¯t know what to do without a queen? Don¡¯t they have a court system? Did she really run every little detail,¡± Jessy commented.

    We were gazing down into the harbor. ¡°How the hell do we get on a ship? Do you know how to sail?¡±

    We both laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go down to the loading bay¡­ You should have brought Chris or Michael. They could have teleported you in.¡±

    ¡°The guys are figuring out what they want to do. I¡¯m not asking anyone to come on missions with me.¡±

    We walked out at the loading bay. The water wasn¡¯t still and quiet like on En-gannim. There were waves, and they were crashing into the mountain. The spray hit both our faces. ¡°How the heck do they get anything done. With the moons, it must be like this all the time.¡±

    ¡°We could ask Silvanus?¡± Jessy suggested.

    My eyes widened in excitement, and I patted his arm. ¡°Let¡¯s do it. I don¡¯t want to go in the water.¡± Glad that I had someone impartial to ask for help. Although Ira had used us terribly to get rid of their most significant competition, in the end, it didn¡¯t matter. They had welcomed our help and would never sever the connection with the vamps, and because the Earth stood with us, Ira had allowed the borders to open up again.

    Jessy and I traveled to Zoreah. We waited at the soft spot on Shumaan. A whole squad was patrolling the area since the invasion. Ira had also decided to put small bases at the five sites. Other Riphaths were busy rebuilding what they had lost.

    Silvanus soon appeared before us. ¡°Hello, Queen Ahmed.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Silvanus. How bored are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll basically do anything.¡± Silvanus bowed dramatically.

    We traveled to Palmyra.

    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be able to carry us both and teleport down to the entrance?¡±

    Silvanus was looking down from the platform to the usually busy harbor. ¡°Where is everyone?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. It¡¯s like the planet is deserted.¡±

    ¡°Hey, did you ever figure out what she was doing on her other planets?¡± Silvanus asked.

    ¡°No. Was too busy getting Zoreah¡¯s last coordinates.¡±

    ¡°How long are you going to throw that in our faces.¡±

    ¡°Forever.¡±

    ¡°Did you see Chris when you came to fetch me?¡± He asked.

    The look on my face must have told him what he wanted to know. ¡°So he hasn¡¯t told you what his plans are.¡± He held open his arms. ¡°We will have to do this in stages. Our first object is that boat.¡± I was a little nervous, remembering those giant fish that could be hiding below the surface. The platform was so high up, and instead of going to the loading dock, Silvanus said he would take us from there. Even though I was used to teleporting, that was a little different. Our weight wasn¡¯t a problem for Silvanus; it was rather easy hosting me up onto his shoulder, grasping around Jessy¡¯s waist, and tugging him closer. He slightly bent his knees, and we were in the closest boat down in the water. The landing made the ship rock violently, and Silvanus closed his grip on my legs but had to put me down to find his own footing. Coupled with the waves, it wasn¡¯t stable at all, and we had to grab onto masts to steady ourselves.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the water,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°Neither do I,¡± Silvanus added.

    We all gazed up at the entrance. It was a sight to see. Massive statues on either side of the opening between two mountains. ¡°I thought we would be closer¡­ I can¡¯t see inside¡­¡±

    Jessy sprang into action and was searching to see how they moved the boats. ¡°There is an anchor here.¡± He tugged on the rope hanging over the side, and something moved under the boat. ¡°Woah.¡± I was helplessly clinging to the wooden post in the middle of the deck.

    ¡°What¡¯s it anchored to?¡±

    The boat started moving. ¡°That wasn¡¯t me,¡± Jessy said, lifting his hands in the air.

    Dark silver scales came up out of the water in front of the vessel. A massive fish blasted water into the air. Its heavy tail splashed down. But it didn¡¯t move and kept bobbing on the water¡¯s surface in front of the boat. Spike-like Finns grew up out of its back. From large to small, it gradually descended to its tail.

    Silvanus walked over to the rope Jessy had pulled on. He followed it to the front and lifted it up. The movement was too jerky, and the fish jolted up its head from being pulled in the mouth.

    ¡°No way.¡±

    The fish didn¡¯t like it and leaped forward with so much force we fell on our backsides. The vessel was strong. Even with Silvanus¡¯s manifested weight, none of the wood so much as splintered.

    Jessy had grabbed onto me to stabilize me. I didn¡¯t mind and clung to him; there was no way I wanted to fall into that water.

    The beast was going nuts for a while but swam in the direction we wanted. Its speed was incredible. ¡°It seems that there are more creatures here that are trainable.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t see anyone,¡± Silvanus said as we traveled down the river into the city. As we got deeper into a residential area, the water evened out. As if it knew, the fish stopped at a little alcove into the land.

    ¡°That¡¯s why they don¡¯t need energy. Or communications. They get everything done by beasts.¡± Jessy said.

    The three of us stepped out of the vessel. The fish submerged itself again, waiting.

    ¡°What now? Have you ever been to the palace?¡± I asked Silvanus. His eyes were canvassing the area.

    Silvanus shook his head. ¡°Only Ira was allowed on Palmyra. Strictly followed. Never in the palace.¡±

    Seemed like I should have brought Michael. But I didn¡¯t want him to travel me everywhere just because he could. It was a little unfair¡­ Although if he was at my beck and call, it would be so much easier without the plates and the challenges on Palmyra.

    ¡°Well, we won¡¯t die. Let¡¯s walk. The roads must lead up into the mountain. If anything, the palace would be on high ground.¡± Silvanus said.

    Jessy and I nodded, following him through the city. The roads were paved with stone. Chiseled dark cobalt. There was water coming out of openings all over the city. The mountains and ground leaked it, and the people utilized it for energy.

    We continued to canvass the city, but there was not one single Werewolf. The houses were empty, the streets deserted. ¡°Maybe they go somewhere for a winter like on Zoreah?¡± Jessy said.

    We walked for a long time, following minor roads. Got lost. Eventually, we made it into the palace, only to find it as desolate as the city. We had made ourselves home in Brylee¡¯s quarters for the evening. It was getting late, and there was no point in trying to go back. Although Silvanus was enormous, strong, and an excellent fighter, his teleportation was limited.

    ¡°Okay! Jessy, it¡¯s your job to find that teleporter. I have no clue where it is.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, this place is a maze. We can be glad we found her rooms.¡±

    It had taken me some time to recognize anything.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go find us some dinner,¡± Silvanus said.

    I took a bath in the pool Brylee, and I had been in, wondering what had happened to all the servants she had and the boy who had helped me that night. All her clothes were still in her room. Her husband¡¯s room was as is.

 A Baby For Marcus

    146. A Baby For Marcus

    Juliet

    Silvanus was still out hunting. The city was full of beasts running around, and I didn¡¯t think it would take him too long. After my bath, I made my way over to the table Jessy had set up. It had taken him a year to learn from Kubra. All En-gannim¡¯s tech the armies could utilize. He was scanning the palace and mapping the building.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have a look around the palace,¡± I said.

    Jessy¡¯s head lifted. His eyes drifted down my body. He wanted to say something but kept quiet. About my clothes anyway. I had rummaged Brylee¡¯s closet. ¡°Let me walk with you. I¡¯m finished here. The tech can do its work.¡±

    ¡°Have you got all the ten coordinates for Palmyra?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and tomorrow we¡¯ll have to go to all of them. If we can find the station.¡±

    ¡°I agree. Let¡¯s see if there is something in the offices or find out about their court system and officials. Maybe they had emergency procedures?¡±

    We walked through the many open-plan areas that led into other rooms. Getting a lay of how they structured their spaces. How their servants could come and go unseen. Jessy jumped around swiftly, pointing his gun. Chris growled at him, and he lowered his weapon quickly.

    ¡°I was on En-gannim. You¡¯re not there. What the hell are you doing?¡± Chris said.

    ¡°Hi. Nice to see you too¡­.¡±

    Chris came back to human, lowering his shoulders. He walked up to me. ¡°Give us a moment,¡± Chris ordered. Even if he had no authority¡­ Jessy knew when to listen.

    He held me in his arms for a long time. ¡°I¡¯ve been gone for five days, and you don¡¯t care to be at home, waiting for me.¡±

    I pulled him closer. ¡°How did you get here. Did Kubra spill?¡±

    Chris was quiet¡­ I wanted to search his eyes, but he didn¡¯t let me, pushing my head down. ¡°Why are you not answering?¡± It took me a moment¡­ ¡°Chris? What did you do?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°I¡­ swatched you.¡±

    I laughed lightly, running my hand through his hair. He pushed me away. ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know me at all, do you? It¡¯s the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.¡±

    His smile broadened. ¡°You¡¯ve just changed so much. It¡¯s like you¡¯re all grown up. We haven¡¯t even talked about Soren or what happened in America¡­ I have to tell you¡­ I kinda miss needy Juliet.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still needy. I just can¡¯t complain about it all the time¡­ And it¡¯s going to get tedious really quick if I had to dump my day on four different guys every time I see them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not my problem.¡± His hand ran over my cheek. I leaned in and pressed my lips onto his palm.

    ¡°That¡¯s how you found me so easily on Zoreah¡­ During the fight¡­ Washington!¡± I laughed. ¡°When did you do it?¡±.

    ¡°That first night. When you and Caleb were sleeping¡­ Put it behind your snakeskin.¡±

    ¡°Aaaa no! It could¡¯ve gone on my arm. Where I could see it¡­ You¡¯re not even saying anything about how I look.¡± I twirled in front of him.

    Silvanus¡¯s voice echoed through the rooms. ¡°Juliet, a little help!¡± He was running. There was a stampede of feet following him.

    Chris was laughing. ¡°Good girl. I¡¯m glad you brought back up. But you could¡¯ve asked me. I would¡¯ve come in a heartbeat. Promise me¡­ You will ask.¡±

    Silvanus burst through the doors with a beast around his neck resting on his shoulders. Behind him was a herd of the same things skidding and chasing after him. They weren¡¯t big, and it was rather funny. We all jumped in and had a good meal.

    ***

    Louis

    We had removed everyone to En-gannim. The werewolves on Earth were their problem. They were not allowed to leave the compound.

    I had posed the question to the guys about what they wanted to do with their lives. Chris had left for Zoreah early that first morning¡­ His mind was made up as soon as Juliet started working. He was back to patrolling for five days, and at night, he would come back. We had only seen him once, and he didn¡¯t stay long¡­ I didn¡¯t know what he was doing or where he had been the rest of the week.

    Marcus, Michael, and I were in the family room with no idea what the hell to do with ourselves.

    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± I asked after days in my own room. I had been waiting for her to call me. ¡°Have either of you talked to her at all?¡±

    ¡°Screw it. Let¡¯s go find her.¡± Michael said.

    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something I have to tell you guys,¡± I said as we made our way to Marcus¡¯s old office. They seemed wary about what it could be.

    When we stepped into the office, we all stood stunned. My news was forgotten. The room was empty from wall to wall. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Even our couches are gone.¡± Marcus complained.

    We asked one of the workers where Juliet¡¯s office was. She took us a few floors up to Ahasuerus¡¯s old office. It was a massive space. We were taken aback even more.

    ¡°F-!¡± Michael whispered.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think she would want his old office,¡± Marcus said. ¡°But she is sleeping in his bed¡­ So this was the next step.¡±

    It was decorated in a French style, wallpaper and all¡­ And five identical desks. There was a seating area in one corner with the two infamous couches and wingback chairs. A cordoned-off room for meetings. Marcus stepped through the door and walked over to the table.

    ¡°Guys!¡± He yelled. Marcus never yelled about anything. When he did¡­ it was serious.

    Michael and I quickly stepped into the conference area, ¡°What?¡± I had stopped reading everyone. Tired of it. I wanted some time on my own.

    ¡°She went to Palmyra.¡±

    ¡°Alone?¡±

    ¡°Recon mission. Going in¡­ invisible.¡±

    Marcus picked up more papers. ¡°She¡¯s been busy¡­ Going on a business trip¡­ Into freaking space¡­ Go searching for other planets and finish mapping the Milky Way and then onto other galaxies. Who knows where she is?¡±

    He swiped his hand up into the air, and the solar system we were in came into view. He panned out, so you had a clear picture of the whole Milky Way. ¡°She¡¯s been studying. This is as far as we¡¯ve ever gone. Or that I know of, anyway.¡± Marcus pointed to a line floating in the air. ¡°Juliet¡¯s main goal is to see if there is other life. And if anything is a threat in the future.¡±

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    ¡°What are we going to do? I can¡¯t think you will be happy with being a tattoo artist?¡± I asked Michael.

    ¡°I¡¯ve no freaking idea what I want to do.¡± Said Marcus.

    ¡°What if we each take some tasks on her agenda and start with them and see how it goes?¡± Michael suggested. ¡°It¡¯s not like this year finding the coordinates had been so bad. I rather enjoyed it.¡±

    All our eyes drifted out to the office space. Her table was filled with little tubes. The others were completely empty. ¡°Well, one of them isn¡¯t needed. Chris will never sit at one.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but if she has to fight someone¡­ Who will she run to? Who¡¯s army will she commission? Chris will be general, and they will be working together.¡±

    ¡°That was his plan all along¡­ He knew how to make himself valuable. Where are those bird people?¡±

    Marcus pushed some buttons, and a planet flickered in one of the systems. ¡°In that one.¡±

    ¡°What planet did Brylee need the Riphaths for back then?¡±

    Marcus shook his head. ¡°We will have to get Kubra in here. Maybe Silvanus.¡± Marcus said. ¡°I was too busy at that time. And Ahasuerus kept a tight lip on his dealings.¡±

    I walked out. ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to Jessy. He has to be somewhere, waiting for her to come back.¡±

    They followed me. We couldn¡¯t trace anyone and went to the teleporters. Kubra was at the station, pacing. ¡°Where are they?¡± I asked, irritated.

    ¡°How long have they been gone?¡± Michael asked.

    Kubra didn¡¯t want to say. ¡°I can¡¯t. Direct orders.¡±

    ¡°Travel us.¡±

    ¡°Do it yourself.¡±

    Michael got in with us, and we did. We came out on the platform In Caude. Ready for a confrontation. It was too quiet.

    ¡°Michael, can I ask you a favor.¡±

    He picked me up and dropped me in a room in the palace. He went right back and brought Marcus. We heard them joking and splashing in the water. Jessy and Silvanus¡¯s weird voice and way of speaking echoed through the space.

    There was silence when they saw us. Juliet was in Chris¡¯s arms. Her gaze traveled between the three of us.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? How long have you been here?¡± I asked, even more irritated. She loved me best but had the worst way of showing it.

    ¡°A week.¡±

    I was ticked off.

    ¡°The whole planet is empty. Not one living soul.¡± Juliet exclaimed.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know? They¡¯re gone.¡±

    ¡°How the hell did Chris get here?¡± Michael asked. There was silence until he figured it out. ¡°When did he do it?¡±

    ¡°That first night,¡± Juliet said.

    ¡°He can come and go as he pleases? Find you wherever you are. Whenever he wants?¡± Marcus asked. ¡°So much for not manipulating her time and family meetings¡­ Come on, Chris.¡±

    Chris didn¡¯t look at him or us. He and Juliet were gazing into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Across space and time¡­ Whatever that means. But yeah, I did it.¡± Chris whispered... ¡°Written on the stars and all.¡±

    Juliet bit her bottom lip, smiling.

    ¡°What do Ira and Beatrice say about them being gone?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to like it,¡± Juliet said. ¡°If a ruler is killed by someone with a branding. That species is completely wiped out.¡±

    ¡°When you killed Brylee¡­ All of them died.¡± Silvanus added.

    Shocked, the three of us sat down on a stone bench that faced the water.

    ¡°The only werewolves left are those on Earth?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know how far it goes¡­ Because they didn¡¯t die. So maybe that is why she was conquering other planets. Maybe those places are filled with the rest? I haven¡¯t gotten that far.¡±

    ¡°She was splitting them¡­ How long would you have stayed here?¡± I spat out.

    ¡°Until we figured out how to steer that freaking fish.¡± The three of them burst out laughing. Jessy gave her a high five.

    ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯ve been doing? Training a fish?¡±

    ¡°You say it like it¡¯s a bad thing. I¡¯m the freaking queen of this place, for all intents and purposes. And I¡¯m working. What do you want me to do? Sit at home in my office the whole day? Even Chris expects me to be waiting for him at five with food on the table.¡± Juliet swam across the water to where we sat. She held out her hand to me.

    My mouth hung open when she stepped up on the ledge. Juliet was dressed in the finest, softest material I had ever seen. A crop top sat low on her breasts with the thinnest beaded straps that ran over her shoulders. The full-length skirt hugged her waist. It was patched, and every color and placement was made with precision. The wet material was stuck to all of her. I swallowed hard¡­ ¡°You look F-ing amazing¡­ No wonder Chris didn¡¯t blab¡­ Have you been walking around like this?¡±

    Juliet gave the most genuine smile I hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡°Seems flattery would get me somewhere.¡±

    ¡°I am just a girl¡­ standing in front of a boy.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but Silvanus and Jessy are also boys.¡±

    Juliet snorted, and so did Silvanus. ¡°Silvanus has a planet full of women. Way prettier than me. Jessy had asked for a wife for a while¡­ I don¡¯t know how to make it happen!¡±

    Since Juliet and I cleared up where we stood with each other¡­ She didn¡¯t guard her thoughts against me anymore. She was an open book and dumped some thoughts on me. ¡°You might as well get in¡­ I¡¯m just going....¡± I shook my head softly, telling her not to say anything.

    Juliet leaned in, and I closed the gap. While we kissed, she thought of some things I needed to hear. It was all I wanted. She walked into a doorway and waited. I turned to Marcus and gestured with my head¡­ He jumped up and followed her.

    ***

    Marcus

    ¡°Seriously, you haven¡¯t come looking for me for a whole week,¡± Juliet complained. ¡°I told you¡­ work¡­ You said you would talk to me.¡±

    I smiled. I had been a little lazy that week. Visited with Liam and Caleb. My grandmother and met her family. My mom and I could finally talk¡­ I Made sure they were all okay. The last time we spoke, I was short with her. Irritated and still processing.

    The room she led me to was halfway out in a garden and the other part of the mountain. You had an open vista of the three moons shining brightly. A type of vine provided lights inside, manipulated to grow ideally along the roof. It gave off a golden hue that made Juliet¡¯s skin glow in the darkness. I was tugging at her straps as she was walking. They snapped, and the beads fell to the floor. I wasn¡¯t so angry anymore.

    ¡°So, I haven¡¯t slept with anyone since Louis two weeks ago. Made sure I wasn¡¯t pregnant once I was on En-gannim¡­ Chris and I have been¡­ keeping it PG 13¡­ And he already knows and fully supports us.¡± She was fidgeting. It was weird that she was still nervous. ¡°I stopped taking Rodrigo¡¯s magic birth control.¡± Her jazz hands went up next to her face. I caught her wrist, pulling her slowly closer and onto my mouth. She kissed me quickly and moved away¡­ ¡°I¡¯m making a choice¡­ I don¡¯t really care what Michael says.¡± I wasn¡¯t saying anything, but I was happy¡­ Juliet was in work mode¡­ I had never seen her like that¡­ Like I always was¡­

    My eyes were on the fabric glued to her skin, making every curve visible¡­ Her cleavage and breasts were almost bare under the material clinging to her as she moved away from me. She sat and lay down on the bed. Slowly, I mounted myself on her. Juliet¡¯s knees parted to make space for me. The dress she had on was in the way, clinging to her knees. My hand slid down her leg until I could get a hold of the hem of the skirt. I moved closer as I pushed the material up to her waist. She responded in kind and undid the buttons of my shirt. Juliet wanted to take control and push me over. I sat up and threw my shirt on the ground, stopping her. Her hands roved over my skin, and every touch made the tension build. She wanted my lips on hers¡­ I didn¡¯t let her¡­ I wanted to savor every moment¡­ Focus on her and flood her. I could see the moment she let go. Her heartbeat slowed, and it was all I needed. It wasn¡¯t only physical. She wanted to give me something. My resolve didn¡¯t last long, and I couldn¡¯t get my clothes off fast enough, wanting to feel myself inside her. Juliet wanted to take off the dress, ¡°No. Leave it on. I¡¯ll take it off after.¡± Her skin was still damp as I rested between her thighs. She cupped me and circled my hard length in her hand. I savored the moment, teased by her nipples, slightly visible and taught.

    We didn¡¯t join the others again that night. I was going to make sure that it didn¡¯t take us two hundred years to have a son¡­ I took her again later, as she slept on her side, waking her up with me thrusting into her from behind... Juliet never minded¡­ One thing I loved about her¡­ Her hand reached back for my head so she could feel my breath in her neck¡­ Again, the following morning. She didn¡¯t need to do anything for me to fill her. Make her belly swell with my baby¡­ The idea that she was giving me what I wanted was almost too much¡­ ¡°Julie¡­ I love you¡­ I don¡¯t know what I can give you for this¡­.¡± I finally uttered after I came inside her for the last time. Her eyes on my lips were still in a dreamlike state.

    ¡°Work with me¡­ Please¡­ I don¡¯t want to be alone.¡± She whispered. My lips pressed into hers. At that moment, she could have asked me anything¡­ I would¡¯ve done it. And she was asking¡­ I fell asleep, hoping that the place¡­ The planet¡­ And the stars would align for us.

    Jessy woke us up later that morning. ¡°Breakfast if you guys want in the dining hall.¡± Juliet stretched out next to me with a strange smile on her face that I could not decipher... I gathered her into my arms.

    ¡°Should we go on like that for a month every night? Just to make sure.¡± I nodded, my eyes not leaving hers.

 Repercussions

    147. Repercussions

    Marcus

    ¡°Bring it to us in bed,¡± Juliet yelled at Jessy.

    ¡°Will do. Lots of work to be done.¡± He yelled back.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel bad at all about wiping out an entire race?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know that¡¯s what happened¡­ It¡¯s just a theory¡­ A little harsh for true love, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°What else? Could they really have been teleported somewhere?¡±

    Juliet threw her legs off the bed and stepped out of the room. Jessy was at the door, and I grabbed whatever he had, taking it to her. He was not going to see her naked¡­ As soon as I stepped out of the room, I was met with the infamous garden. It was a sight to behold. Nothing I had ever seen was that beautiful. Not even Louis¡¯s room in France. I plopped the small beasts down on the table. She manifested and bit into its neck like it was her last meal. ¡°Did I tire you out?¡±

    Again, that smile. ¡°No.¡± She said sweetly.

    ¡°This place is amazing¡­ Why don¡¯t we move here?¡± I was circling back to the room. I stepped into Brylee¡¯s dressing room and a closet that seemed to never end. My hands traveled over the delicate clothes until I found something I wanted her to wear. I took it outside and held it out to her.

    ¡°First shower¡­ bath¡­ or whatever.¡± She said. She took the dress and got cleaned up while I ate.

    I did my tour of the garden. The view stretched so far into the distance. Massive mountains on the horizon. Fields and stone structures in between¡­ At the edge of the rounding that ended the garden. A treetop canopy ended right in front of me from a gorge below. I had never seen trees that tall or big. It was why their waters were filled with ships.

    The door on my left opened up. Michael came out with his own breakfast and sat down. Louis came out of another room, and Chris from the last in the half-circle surrounding the garden. It formed a perfect circle. Ending the ideal picture. We sat in silence as they finished their meal. It was the first time we were all together again. It didn¡¯t feel that weird anymore¡­ Brylee had one thing going for her. She had everything she needed to keep a harem happy. Close together and ruled with an iron fist.

    Juliet came out a few minutes later. As soon as Chris saw her, he stood up and walked over. ¡°I got to go¡­ I¡¯ll see you later. I¡¯ve been gone two days already.¡± She nodded, tilting her chin up to him.

    He liked the dress. ¡°I really hope it works for you guys.¡± He planted a kiss on her lips.

    I was watching Michael the whole time. He had not said one word. I didn¡¯t know what he thought they were talking about, or maybe his mind was preoccupied.

    ¡°Go become general so we can go and explore¡­ Be safe. And tell Selena and Jamal to come with you at night. There is enough room anywhere we are.¡±

    He kissed her again and disappeared. ¡°Where is he going?¡±

    ¡°While you guys were busy, we went back and brought some of your army to man the embassy,¡± Louis said.

    Juliet smiled. ¡°You and Michael?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ why?¡± Louis asked.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± She smiled.

    ¡°Juliet, are you going to work in that kind of clothes from now on?¡± Louis¡¯s gaze ran up and down her body.

    ¡°Oh, please! I¡¯ve read your sex journals.¡±

    Louis choked on whatever he was drinking, coughing. ¡°You what?¡±

    She sat down on my lap. ¡°I didn¡¯t do nothing in France. I found your stash and the extensive research you did for your one Ph.D.¡± She flashed her eyebrows at him.

    ¡°And you still love me?¡± Louis asked smugly.

    ¡°Not that it helped.¡± She retorted. Louis¡¯s head dropped, but he was laughing.

    The soft silk did tempt me to touch all her curves. I knew what he meant and stroked and caressed her thigh. It was different than her jeans and black boots, with the T-shirt of the day.

    ¡°Can you guys give Michael and me a minute?¡± My grip tightened around her leg. I couldn¡¯t think of him and her alone at that moment. She turned to me. ¡°Please.¡± I picked her up as I stood and plopped her down in the chair. ¡°Is this going to be how you handle me from now on?¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to be away from her. After the previous night, I knew how she felt after our first time. Every time, Juliet and I grew closer together. I walked off. I was too jealous. ¡°Fine!¡± She said. ¡°Sit down.¡± I paused. I didn¡¯t want to leave her with him when she told him about the baby. He was going to flip out. So I sat down.

    She stood in front of us, turning to him. ¡°Michael¡­ I¡¯m off my birth control. It¡¯s going to be Marcus for a while.¡±

    He swore loudly and tossed his cup at a tree, manifesting into a Vampire. ¡°We needed to talk about this.¡± He hissed, standing in front of her in an instant. ¡°I feel like pointing my freaking finger at you. How can you just decide?¡±

    We all manifested. ¡°Silvanus!¡± I yelled. Jessy was already there before they could even start fighting.

    ¡°Why should I listen to you? Why do you get to say?¡± Juliet¡¯s voice was raised.

    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t want a baby? Do you think Louis doesn¡¯t want a baby?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what you asked for before you branded me.¡±

    Michael¡¯s face contorted. ¡°What about Louis? Didn¡¯t you talk about it long before you guys even got to France? Even on the compound the one night¡­ He¡¯s wanted a baby since the first week you were together.¡±

    Her shoulders slumped. She threw her head up, peering into the sky.

    ¡°Louis is already raising Sammy more than Chris or even you. Where do you think he¡¯s been the last week.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to see her for nine hundred years¡­ what the hell does it matter if I¡¯m at work. It was one week¡­ She¡¯s used to me being busy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the seventeen hundreds! With nursemaids and governesses Juliet. You know the psychology behind spending time with your kids. Hell, Liam and Cindy should be your example. You didn¡¯t hear Sammy ask me why you¡¯re always working.¡±

    ¡°My parents?¡± She yelled. ¡°They excluded me. Treated me like an imbecile for most of my life and made so many decisions for me¡­ I still can¡¯t think about it without getting mad¡­ I was so frustrated about how they handled me... Even if they let me be stupid when we left the compound¡­ Their progressive parenting had caused so many issues.¡±

    ¡°It also made you who you are today!¡± He spat. ¡°We should¡¯ve all taken some time to get used to the family unit. You¡¯re already doing what you want.¡± His arm stretched out, and he grabbed her. Her jaw dropped, glaring down at his hand. Silvanus was next to him with his hand on Michael¡¯s wrist. ¡°Why do you think we didn¡¯t include you in the meeting¡­ You take over everything. None of us want to be controlled.¡± Michael wanted to grab her other arm. Silvanus pried off his hand, and Michael flung him away like he was a mosquito. The orange hue dove at him, and they were gone¡­

    Juliet crumpled down in a heap on the ground. Her one hand clutched where he had hurt her.

    Jessy lowered his gun and left the garden.

    Louis sighed, stepping forward. He put his hands under her arms, picking her up. She wrapped around his neck. ¡°Oh, baby. If he ever does that again¡­ I¡¯ll kill him.¡±

    ¡°I would have killed him a long time ago.¡± I stood up to leave.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I yelled at Marcus. He wanted to leave Louis and me alone. ¡°You wanted to be here¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yes, for that exact reason!¡± Marcus yelled back.

    It hurt that he was yelling at all. It took me some time to calm down, but I was so angry¡­ Pacing after Louis put me down. I went back into the room and dressed in something more durable and armor. When I walked out, Louis and Marcus jumped up.

    ¡°Are you guys coming? Maybe you can help me figure out how to control that freaking fish¡­ That¡¯s if you want to. I don¡¯t want to tell you what to do.¡±

    ¡°Julie, this is my fault.¡±

    ¡°No, Marcus! It¡¯s not¡­ I¡¯m sorry. This is on me.¡± I tried to hold back the tears. ¡°Michael and I¡­ will figure it out eventually.¡±

    They followed me, and Jessy joined us. I turned to him. ¡°Jessy¡­ Could you go get Kubra for me¡­ And if Charlene is available, bring her with you¡­ And Carl.¡±

    ¡°Will do. You guys have her?¡±

    Marcus actually laughed at Jessy¡¯s audacity. Louis shook his head. Jessy did have an odd way about him. But he stopped halfway out the door. ¡°How am I supposed to get there? Without the three Riphaths.¡±

    I let out a frustrated laugh¡­ I was so used to being on En-gannim, where we had transport wherever we wanted. ¡°Have you not found the teleporter in the palace?¡±

    ¡°I have, but it¡¯s off. I need to get back to bring those scientists here.¡±

    ¡°Seems like we will have to figure out the fish first¡­. So much for being a bunch of useless vamps. Without an open planet, we¡¯re left to use our feet.¡±

    ¡°It took us hours to walk through the city just to get here from the fish,¡± Jessy said.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have a choice. Let¡¯s take a jog. You complaining as well?¡± Jessy shook his head quickly. I glanced at Louis and Marcus. ¡°You guys don¡¯t really have on the right clothes.¡±

    ¡°Should we go see what we can get in the men¡¯s courters,¡± Louis suggested.

    ***

    Kubra

    After Michael had turned into all three, Charlene wanted nothing else but for me to try it¡­ She wanted to become what he was and said it solved all her issues. She would be able to protect herself and Min¨¦ and was relieved it would not be necessary to become infected after all. Charlene never did connect to me with the watcher tech. The wedding between Michael and Juliet was never mentioned again. The year had been challenging, and after he turned, a human wedding seemed like the last thing on his mind. Charlene had forgotten entirely about the idea, with school and trying to raise a kid taking up all her attention. Even if I brought it up, she said that a double wedding was all she would consider. It left me with no other choice but to let it go and keep working on letting her get to know me.

    I had not seen her for a week, wanting to be there if Juliet needed me, waiting for communication from them from Palmyra. Quickly popped my head in and out of the house to make sure Charlene was happy. She was studying so hard, and I didn¡¯t want to complain. We were much the same in that regard. Work will always be a part of our lives, and trying to manage it was where I fell short. Charlene was still so young, and time was redundant to me. I was okay with how things were, even if it took us a few years to find a rhythm.

    When Jessy came out, he was soaking wet. I was worried there was trouble on Palmyra. ¡°Hey. The queen wants to see you. And if you will¡­ bring Charlene and Carl with you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I checked my watch¡­

    ¡°Palmyra is empty¡­.¡± I stilled at the words, and my gaze slowly came up to his.

    ¡°We had to¡­ Argh, I will tell you later. I¡¯ll go put on dry clothes¡­ We need a briefing on that campaign you went on to help Brylee and everything you know about her conquering other worlds and everything¡­ Charlene, I think, is needed for moral support.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Michael manifested into a Vampire and grabbed her until he hurt her.¡±

    ¡°He what?!¡± I shook my head, thinking about Charlene wanting me to brand her¡­ She was so impulsive with her decisions. If she turned into all three¡­ how strong would she be. How would she handle it and raise a kid? It would change everything again.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go get Carl... Go to Earth and see if she can take a few days off.¡± Jessy said.

    I knew her schedule by heart and traveled to Earth, waiting in Washington. Her next class was almost done. The station was operated by only a few watchers at that point. It was strange to see it so barren. I didn¡¯t need to go anywhere to text her. The school she was attending was the first to have a teleporter installed. But only she and a handful of other students were using it in kind of a test phase.

    Me { Your presence is requested by Her Majesty }

    Charlene { Great! I¡¯m so sick of school }

    I was surprised. It was the first time she had complained about studying.

    Me { Are you sure you can miss your midterm }

    Charlene { I¡¯ll ask for an extension. Wait for me }

    Like I do anything else? I sighed. Charlene wasn¡¯t thinking. It had been too long since the three of them had let loose. Charlene couldn¡¯t even join Juliet the night at the club. It had been hard for her to say no, and I could see it was where it all started. Juliet was already working and didn¡¯t need to study for years on end to work and live on Earth. With the galaxy open to us, it was bound to become a problem.

    It wasn¡¯t ten minutes, or she walked through. I caught her in my arms and kissed her. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you so much. Seems like we will be going on a holiday.¡±

    ¡°Really? Where?¡±

    ¡°Palmyra.¡±

    ¡°NO WAY!¡± Charlene hugged me tighter as I carried her into the teleporter. Glad that I had brought her some good news and excitement to the last two years of difficulty.

    ¡°Something happened to Juliet¡­ So you might have to spend some time with her.¡±

    ¡°Do you mind? I miss her so much. We haven¡¯t seen each other at all.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t mind¡­.¡±

    ¡°Where is Selena? Isn¡¯t she on Juliet duty?¡±

    ¡°Selena¡­ Isn¡¯t really human. She needs a lot of training. Not really a lady in waiting, if you know what I mean.¡±

    We stepped out, and Jessy and Carl were already waiting. Carl was happy to see her. He and Charlene had grown only closer. The boy was almost always somewhere near.

    After Juliet woke up from her three days, we had to go to Carl¡¯s father¡¯s funeral. The three of them got drunk and lived in a hotel room. Carl had to deal with his mother, and it wasn¡¯t pretty. But I was there¡­ It was the week that Michael was still on the farm. I didn¡¯t know if Michael and Carl had talked at all¡­ And if Michael was that unhinged, he would have hurt Juliet. I didn¡¯t think he would take time like he used to to fix his relationship with Carl.

    Charlene¡¯s fingers slipped in between mine. It was still the best feeling, and I squeezed her hand to tell her I had noticed. Charlene was the only one who had never been to Palmyra. But Carl was shocked at the state of the place. I was, too, and already trying to figure out what happened to the Werewolves after Brylee died.

    ¡°How do we get to Juliet?¡± Charlene said after she had looked down into the harbor.

    ¡°They¡¯re downstairs.¡± Jessy prompted.

    ***

    Charlene

    Juliet almost ran me over, jumping on me. ¡°What about your midterm?¡±

    ¡°How do you remember my schedule and everything else?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll know when you turn into a Vampire.¡± Juliet scowled at Kubra. ¡°I heard you¡¯re fighting her on the branding.¡±

    Kubra gestured to her arm. ¡°Those marks new?¡±

    Juliet rolled her eyes. ¡°Occupational hazard. Never pegged you for a coward¡­ You scared she would dominate in the bedroom.¡±

    I chuckled. Sometimes, it was great having a friend with no filter. All the issues were brought up in the most inopportune times. And with Kubra, time didn¡¯t matter. He would leave it for a hundred years, and it frustrated me.

    ¡°Hey, I was there the first and second time ¡­ Can you blame me?¡±

    We walked towards a boat swaying in the water. It didn¡¯t seem sturdy at all. ¡°What are we doing? Do I really have to get into that thing?¡± I stepped in behind Kubra as the next wave hit the rocks. It looked like it would topple us.

    Juliet dragged me onto the boat and made me sit down. ¡°Carl, would you sit with her, please.¡± Marcus and Louis manifested, and each hung down the side of the boat. They slowly dragged up two rope lines and softly pulled them through their hands. There were posts they could kick against and gently tugged on the line. The boat started rocking from side to side. It lifted and dropped into the water. The biggest fish I had ever seen emerged out of the water in front of us. Carl grabbed my hand. Kubra, Jessy, and Juliet stood holding onto poles. The three were joking and laughing. Carl and I still didn¡¯t entirely belong. I always felt like an outsider, weak and pathetic.

    The fish jumped up once and dove into the water to propel us forward, leaving the cove carved out in a mountain. We entered the large expanse of water¡­ After that, it was smooth sailing. Or as choppy as it could be with the waves.

    Juliet glanced back at me, smiling.

    My eyes grew as I caught sight of an even bigger fish. A whole pod jumped out of the water and dived down next to us. Juliet saw it too late and was caught by the brunt of the water splashing over the deck. She drifted in the water over the wood to the edge. There was another knock on the haul, making the boat almost flip. Juliet went flying into the air and into the water. Jessy and Kubra grabbed at her but missed.

    Carl was up before I knew what had happened. He snatched me around the waist and flew up into the air. There were so many abandoned boats in the water around us that we could land on another one close by.

    When Carl and I found our footing, we saw the blood in the water. That was when I screamed like I¡¯d never screamed before. I completely forgot that Juliet didn¡¯t bleed. Marcus and Louis wanted to dive in, but Kubra and Jessy held them back.

 In The Water

    148. In The Water

    Michael

    Silvanus and I came out fighting somewhere in the city, and like that first night, I wasn¡¯t much of a challenge for him. He was indulging me because I needed to vent and get out all of my frustrations. I tried every creature, using all I had to work with and my three parts together. But he was seasoned and knew how to counter all my tricks. It went on for a long time until we ended up on the embassy platform. We both heard a scream so loud that it resonated up from the harbor below us. Halting mid-fight, we walked to the edge, looking down at the water. I had never seen so much blood and teleported down onto the deck of the boat.

    Juliet¡¯s head bobbed out of the water, and she swam for the side of the boat, trying to get her short blades stuck into the side. Louis and Marcus were hanging down, trying to take hold of her hands. Fish kept bumping the hull from the bottom, making it impossible for them to get at her. Silvanus and I put our weight on one side to make it tilt towards her. Marcus and Louis each grabbed one of her wrists, and I could finally breathe. As they were pulling her up and we stepped back, one of the giants dove at her, biting her around the waist and disappearing into the water.

    All of the men dove down with the two. The water was almost black, making it hard to see anything. Fish came at us from all angles. I had dug my nails into the one that had Juliet climbing towards its head. Marcus was in front, trying to gouge out its eyes. The fish fought back, let go of Juliet, and went after Marcus. I grabbed its tail, pulling it away from him. When he had a hold of her, all I could do was kill them in my Werewolf form as they attacked us. A Riphath in the water would slow me down. If Silvanus was sinking, he would go down too low. I tried to keep track of everyone. I came up to take stock after killing two. Louis was first with an unconscious Juliet in his arms. ¡°Carl! Take her.¡± Louis tried to say. His head was going under the water and surfacing again.

    Carl flew over while I dove again, searching for the rest. The few giants left were feasting on something at the front of the boat. Marcus was drifting in the dark, unconscious and hurt. I pulled him up, ¡°Carl!¡± I yelled.

    He grabbed Marcus from me. Jessy and Kubra surfaced back to back. ¡°Get out of the water!¡± I ordered. They swam for the boat, and it was only Silvanus left¡­ I took a deep breath and dove. Louis was next to me, pointing in a direction. All I could do was plunge deeper as Louis swam back up.

    Silvanus was changing from a Riphath to a human. His eyelids were heavy. I held out my hand, and he clutched it. I dove down deeper, seeing the bottom. I needed footing to teleport. I swam as fast as I could. As soon as my feet touched, we were on the embassy platform, and Silvanus was coughing violently. I was back on the boat, making so many trips up and down, getting everyone there. Louis had Juliet in his arms, running for En-gannim¡­ A tired Kubra and Jessy had Marcus and were following. When I had Charlene and Carl on the platform. No one had gone anywhere. ¡°We don¡¯t have a communicator, and we can¡¯t travel from here,¡± Louis said.

    Juliet was my first priority, and I wanted to take her, but I was exhausted trying to catch my breath. I couldn¡¯t make a planetary jump, scared of the consequences if I didn¡¯t make it, so I opted for the palace, ran to find a communicator, teleported back, and pushed it into Jessy¡¯s hand. It was chaos when we all came out soaked. The administrator staff scrambled to get everyone to the med bay. Juliet and Marcus were still unconscious. I had never been to an En-gannim¡¯s hospital or whatever they called them and had to follow. When the two were in good hands, darkness followed.

    ***

    Louis¡¯s voice was the first I heard. ¡°Is she doing any better?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t say¡­ The best thing for her would probably be draining a person.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to Earth and talk to them,¡± Louis said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not only that. I don¡¯t know what Rodrigo did to her¡­ We had been trying to figure it out, but only he would know.¡± One of the doctors said.

    ¡°What about all his notes and books?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s incomplete. It must be on Zoreah. And even then, how could we figure it out in time?¡± The doctor shook his head and waved his hands as he spoke.

    ¡°Would it help to have Ahasuerus¡¯s scientist back?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a lot to get done¡­ I¡¯m the only one¡­ What¡¯s the most important for both of them?¡±

    The other man was quiet. They didn¡¯t know what to do. I had killed Juliet¡¯s lifeline in a moment of rage.

    Louis walked over to me. ¡°He¡¯s awake. Barely.¡±

    I was rushed by men, being prodded and poked. Louis stood back, waiting. ¡°Jessy, did you find Chris?¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t track him down... I don¡¯t know why?¡±

    The doctors dispersed around me, leaving Louis a gap to help me sit up. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°If you can go to Zoreah, I can go to Earth.¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°But first, you got to eat.¡± Louis helped me to the feeding room. ¡°I¡¯m going to go. Will you be okay?¡± I waved him off, and Carl joined him.

    It took me a while to find my bearings. I was also not going to waste my strength and decided to do the next part, human. Charlene was sleeping in a chair next to Juliet¡¯s bed. I walked over to her. When she came into view, I wanted to reach out and do something. Her skin was almost white, and she had wounds over her stomach and chest. If I had kept my cool that morning¡­ None of it would have happened. I felt terrible walking away from her and past an unconscious Marcus.

    ***

    Kubra had come with me, and the guards on Zoreah welcomed us. They knew us after the fight, and things were different. Without Silvanus there, I would have to go looking for Ira¡­

    Kubra and I made our way into the city and all the way to the center. It was tedious walking like an average human again. I was getting used to instant gratification. No one was at Ira¡¯s house, and we kept going till we reached Jamal¡¯s place. It was empty, too. ¡°What the hell is going on? Where is everyone?¡±

    ¡°Well, you know the place better than me,¡± Kubra said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know where Selena lives,¡± I commented.

    ¡°We will have to forget about Chris. Let¡¯s go to the city and see what Rodrigo left behind. Maybe¡­ just maybe he was a good Samaritan.¡±

    ***

    We had to walk all the way back. I was getting ticked off. ¡°You okay?¡± Kubra asked. He could see my nerves were shot, and they were. ¡°You know you should give yourself a lot of time to get to grips with all of it.¡±

    ¡°There seems to never be time¡­.¡±

    Kubra sighed heavily. ¡°It has been nonstop since you changed. Not that Juliet is giving you any time to get used to it.¡±

    He was right and actually understood it from an outside perspective. I was not being unreasonable¡­ It felt like she didn¡¯t even care about me. That night in the club, she didn¡¯t even talk to me or chase away the girls. I had thought she would at least be jealous. I killed someone on Earth, and she didn¡¯t let me speak like I was a child.

    ¡°Why does it seem that there is more you need to get off your chest,¡± I asked Kubra, trying to get my mind to focus on anything else.

    He seemed hesitant to answer. ¡°I think the reason we were on Palmyra¡­ Charlene and I were there because¡­.¡±

    I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to him. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me?¡±

    ¡°You would think those two would run out of energy at some point.¡±

    ¡°Charlene can¡¯t be serious?¡±

    ¡°Juliet is for it¡­ all the way. You¡¯ve set a new standard.¡±

    ¡°How long will it be until others start branding women to see if they could match us?¡±

    ¡°I think the human-alien relationships will never happen. Not really.¡±

    ¡°Jeez, I hope so. Maybe good, we¡¯re not on Earth anymore.¡± I said.

    ¡°The government is cautious about what information gets out to the public. Can you imagine all the humans branding each other and all of them turning into all three of the bat¡­ What the hell would happen?¡±

    ¡°Is that the f-ing theory?¡±

    Kubra shrugged. ¡°What the hell do we know anyway¡­ Right?¡± We came up to the cave being rebuilt. ¡°What if there are brandings in other parts of the freaking universe?¡±

    ¡°Even if there are. Who else would fall in love with three men before twenty-two?¡±

    Kubra and I traveled to the Origin city. ¡°What if another species is so deadly that one is enough. You¡¯ll wake up, and there would be some guy challenging you with some or other supernatural connection.¡±

    ¡°Okay! You got to stop talking¡­ No wonder you don¡¯t want to brand her. You¡¯re a half-glass-empty kind of guy. How do you know she¡¯ll change at all. What if nothing happens? Then Charlene¡¯s back to connecting to you or infection¡­ You should¡¯ve done that off the bad. Connect to her.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t satisfy her¡­ It¡¯s about more than living longer. She wants the power¡­ You would understand that. And I don¡¯t want my wife suffering at all.¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t your wife yet!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all your fault. We were supposed to have a double wedding.¡±

    I smiled, feeling a little better having a conversation with someone who did understand all the variables and took it seriously. ¡°Really? Was that the idea?¡±

    ¡°Juliet didn¡¯t tell you?¡± I shook my head, my smile gone in an instant. I didn¡¯t think a wedding was going to happen. Why did it upset me so much to only think about her?

    It took us a while to find the lab and the library where Rodrigo was actually staying and working. They didn¡¯t have fridges, which meant Rodrigo wouldn¡¯t have had any vials with him on Zoreah¡­ Would he not have stored some for her?

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    I left Kubra for a while, searching other rooms. It felt like it was going to take forever, and we didn¡¯t have time to waste. I heard the three Riphaths before I walked through a doorway that seemed like a common room.

    ¡°Chris?¡±

    ¡°Michael?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing, Chris? We¡¯ve been looking for you the whole day.¡±

    ¡°After our patrols, we come here.¡± His speech was a little slurred. They were drunk. I turned away from him. He really was going on with his life. I didn¡¯t understand how he could do it? That morning when he and Juliet greeted each other... It was as if they had an understanding. Why was it okay that he was not there? My anger was building again, thinking about her deciding on her own. Chris was the one who said we should meet so that we are on the same page. Then he went and swatched her. There was no accountability¡­ All I wanted was for us to slow down a little.

    I couldn¡¯t tell him Juliet got hurt. Would he travel to her drunk? He would probably end up dead somewhere in space. I left them to join Kubra again. The three Riphaths trailed me like puppies. Chris wanted to take his next sip. Before I knew it, I slapped the drink out of his hand, and it fell on the ground, breaking and spilling beer everywhere. ¡°Stop drinking, Chris!¡±

    ¡°Michael! What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± He kept slurring.

    ¡°Kubra, you don¡¯t have anything on you to wake Chris up?¡± He shook his head. Chris sat down on a chair and passed out.

    It was hours before we had crates filled with things we thought relevant. Jamal and Selena were gone. I could only imagine they were somewhere sleeping together. No one knew that Juliet was hanging on by a thread.

    ¡°Before we leave, we better make sure we have everything,¡± I said to Kubra.

    We kept canvassing some more, and Chris eventually joined us. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Sober. So what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you travel to your counterpart and find out.¡±

    ¡°You have an issue you¡¯d like to get off your chest.¡±

    ¡°What the hell do you care?¡±

    ***

    Chris

    Okay, if he wanted to play it like that¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to hold his hand while he figured out his creature side¡­ Like he did with Juliet on the farm¡­ I groaned. He did help her carry Caleb. Fight her way through the galaxy. I never wanted to become Louis, who held the family together¡­ In everybody¡¯s minds and up in their business. Raising babies. Sighing, I took a deep breath¡­ ¡°If I travel, I won¡¯t be able to come back and help you with whatever you¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°No, you would! It will take you like ten minutes.¡±

    ¡°Michael¡­¡± He didn¡¯t stop, rummaging through tube after tube. Kubra was doing the same.

    ¡°We can be glad that Rodrigo is so meticulous.¡±

    ¡°Kubra, give us a minute.¡±

    He left, and Michael didn¡¯t stop. Softly, I placed my hand on his shoulder. He slumped back into the chair, his head drooping down¡­ For a moment, I thought he was crying. His features changed to a Vampire. My body stiffened. I still had to get used to seeing him in all three of his new faces.

    ¡°Juliet is hurt¡­.¡± He whispered. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault¡­ After you left, I freaked out about the baby¡­ grabbed Juliet.¡± My fingers tightened around his muscles. ¡°I¡­ grabbed her arm and hurt her.¡±

    I was so confused. ¡°That¡¯s not so bad. Do you not remember what Louis put her through¡­ She won¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°She and Marcus are critical¡­ There was an accident in the water of Palmyra, and I wasn¡¯t there.¡± I sat down on a chair¡­ ¡°They don¡¯t know how to help her¡­ I¡¯m unhinged because all she wanted was one baby, and I couldn¡¯t take it.¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you there? Watching her?¡± His eyes slowly met mine. ¡°I can finish here. You go be with her.¡±

    ¡°She usually wants Marcus, but¡­ he¡¯s hurt too. Everyone has their place¡­ I have no idea where I fit in or why I¡¯m even a part of all this.¡±

    I could deal with all his self-deprecation, but if it was that serious, I had to get him to a place where he could think straight. ¡°Is Louis not there?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s busy with other things.¡±

    ¡°One of us has to go. She can¡¯t wake up with no one there. What are you searching for?¡±

    ¡°We need to study her modification.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to bring the scientists here rather than taking it there? We give her five x-tra days.¡±

    While I was still talking, Michael disappeared. It obviously made sense¡­ I also traveled, but Michael wasn¡¯t there. I had come out into a room where Juliet and Marcus were in some weird-looking medical beds. Strange tubes hooked up to them. It seemed material-based¡­ Because they didn¡¯t have plastic. It wasn¡¯t like an Earth hospital at all. A circular machine surrounded the bed and was constantly moving around them. I couldn¡¯t really get a good look at them, and Louis Warden and Carl came into the room with two humans tied up. I had to step back. They held the humans on top of them with the help of the medical staff. Louis cut a small slit in their necks. Marcus didn¡¯t need any prompting. He woke up when he smelled the blood, bit into the guy¡¯s neck, and drained the one human.

    Juliet didn¡¯t even stir. That was the first moment the reality hit me. She might die. The three of them might die¡­ Juliet was only dressed in her underwear, and I stepped closer, holding my breath. The wounds around her midsection were visible. Massive round piercings where the teeth of the fish penetrated her skin.

    Marcus sat up, his eyes adjusting to the dim light in the room. The staff cleared him and threw his legs off the bed, making the machine monitoring him retract and stored itself away in the wall behind him. He made his way over to her, pushing me out of the way. Irritated, he waved in front of the machine. It powered down, retreating to a docking station against the wall.

    The chances that the previous night would yield any fruit for them was almost nothing. He stroked her cheek, and his hand ended up in her hair, softly fisting a bunch, shaking¡­ Marcus wasn¡¯t scared. He was angry, bending down and kissing her. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you done anything to close the wounds and fix her?¡±

    ¡°We have your Majesty¡­ Everything and anything. Nothing works. We have no idea what¡¯s going on.¡± The one doctor said.

    Marcus bent down low, rubbing his thumb over her lips. ¡°Julie¡­ Can you hear me?¡±

    ¡°We drugged her, your Majesty. She will not wake up until we can help her.¡±

    I ventured to touch him, but he shrugged me off. ¡°Marcus, you have to go to Zoreah to find out what Rodrigo was doing and how he always helped her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not f-ing going anywhere. You can go. I¡¯m not leaving her!¡±

    Louis dragged me out by the arm. ¡°Chris, we have to go to the planet where we think Ahasuerus¡¯s scientists are... We need them to come back to En-gannim.¡±

    ¡°The planet with all the vamps that hate us? That¡¯s a little risky.¡±

    ¡°Come, let¡¯s go to Zoreah. We need to talk to Sung and your father.¡±

    I left easily. My Riphath attributes had their advantages. Marcus was taking it much worse than any of us. It had been fifteen years, and before I left, I cared much more about things happening than I did at that moment. Earth had made one way, and Zoreah had turned it around on me.

    ***

    Ira and Silvanus were at the bar having a heated discussion. They waved us over. ¡°How is Juliet?¡±

    ¡°Not getting better, that¡¯s why we are here¡­ I know it¡¯s only been a week, but would you consider commissioning out your soldiers again?¡± Ira glanced at Silvanus, who wasn¡¯t looking too good. ¡°You okay?¡± I asked the orange man.

    ¡°I almost drowned¡­ So feeling a bit down in the dumps for being so stupid.¡±

    ¡°The thing is, we need scouts, and Juliet is the only one that can recon without anyone touching her¡­ So Riphaths are the next best thing we got.¡±

    ¡°Or Caleb,¡± Ira said.

    ¡°That¡¯s out of the question.¡±

    They soon agreed to go with us. Ira also wanted to know what was happening with Ahasuerus¡¯s army. If there were any left and who else defected off En-gannim.

    ***

    We didn¡¯t know what we were walking into. Hessien was dead, and all the soldiers were killed, but it didn¡¯t mean there were more stored away somewhere.

    The planet was dry, and the surface was mostly rock. The sky was an ominous red, making the ground around us reflect that same color. I wouldn¡¯t want to live there. The factories were established and were working, but I would be pretty angry having to leave En-gannim to live there.

    We entered the building. Louis showed the man the emblem. ¡°Who¡¯s in charge?¡±

    The man scrambled and took us up some stairs to what looked like an office.

    ¡°Raas?¡± Louis and I said at the same time. The man had one steel arm, and the side of his head was shaven; a silver plate worked into the flesh. His once-long white hair that hung around his face was combed to one side. He still wore all black, proclaiming his allegiance. He saw we were staring at everything that he had become. ¡°Torture on En-gannim was always rough. You would not want to make mistakes¡­ But I made one.¡± He lifted the arm and moved the new fingers on his mechanical arm.

    ¡°Where is Ahasuerus¡¯s team of scientists?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Where are here for answers. If you don¡¯t talk to us ¡­ we will take you back to En-gannim. Put you in one of the prisons.¡±

    He didn¡¯t like the idea. ¡°They are not here.¡±

    ¡°Where are they?¡±

    ¡°They were sold.¡± That didn¡¯t sound good to me, remembering what Beatrice had said. ¡°You¡¯re guessing right¡­ There are a lot of aliens that want the teleporter tech.¡±

    ¡°Who and where?¡±

    ¡°A man named Fahan¡­ It won¡¯t be long before he makes his appearance¡­ Just before Ahasuerus went to fight Juliet in the ring¡­ He came to see me. Set a plan in motion for destroying her¡­ Even if he didn¡¯t make it.¡±

    ¡°How can they create it without the elements needed on En-gannim.¡±

    ¡°How do the watchers fly?¡±

    We all ran out of there. There was no time to lose. We teleported to Zoreah. The four of us stood in the cave with no roof. ¡°Where is Idris?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Patrolling.¡±

    ¡°Silvanus, take my dad to En-gannim. And stay there.¡± I turned to Ira. ¡°Who was the best teleporter besides my grandfather?¡±

    ¡°Beatrice.¡±

    ¡°F- ¡° I teleported to her hut, but the pestle and mortar were unattended. I ran through the house, scanning it quickly. I went to the neighbors, but she was nowhere to be seen, and she was with none of the women or her family. Everyone started searching. Sung was soon on the scene, asking me what was going on.

    ¡°I think she¡¯s been taken¡­ You always cared that other species would find out how the vamps stole the ability¡­ Well, did you ever think they would sell it?¡±

    ¡°If he did! It¡¯s because of Juliet. We told you what would happen.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have time to go into a debate with the woman. Ira and Silvanus appeared next to us. ¡°I told you to get him out of here.¡±

    ¡°If they had already taken her. They won¡¯t come after me¡­ They would want¡­.¡±

    ¡°Michael¡­¡± I had not thought about that. ¡°But he¡¯s here on Zoreah... In the origin city.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who has Beatrice?¡± Sung asked.

    ¡°Fahan,¡± Silvanus answered, and the three of them were too quiet.

    ¡°Who is he?¡±

    ¡°A worthy rival,¡± Sung said. ¡°Just as big as us. Bodies covered in scales make for natural armor. Anatomy is the same¡­ Legs, two arms. Heads with hair. Looks more like a man-like dragon. Their weapons are the problem. They fight with red glowing swords made from some element or¡­ stone they have on their planet.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the catch?¡±

    ¡°The catch is that if the blade strikes one of us¡­ we can¡¯t teleport¡­ Even the smallest cut.¡± Sung said.

    ¡°When we were fighting the vamps in the thousand-year war, they showed up. But we defeated them. Back then, they didn¡¯t stand a chance. Their numbers were low. But it¡¯s been thousands of years, and the vamps can travel much more than a few at a time.¡± Ira said.

    ¡°Do you have one of these swords?¡±

    Silvanus nodded. ¡°They are heavy like us. They wouldn¡¯t want to fight on Palmyra. Or En-gannim.¡±

    ¡°Why would they want¡­ How long do they live?¡±

    ¡°Not long¡­¡± Silvanus said. ¡°A hundred years like humans¡­ At most.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going for Beatrice.¡±

    Both men were hot on my trail. I was at the cave before them. Louis was sitting on the floor, waiting for us. We had to get back to En-gannim.

    ***

    Michael came out at the same time as us. ¡°I think we have something.¡± He saw me. ¡°Did you guys find something?¡±

    ¡°Just that we might have another problem rising up somewhere in space.¡±

 Fahan

    149. Fahan

    Juliet

    I woke up in the worst kind of pain, gripping my stomach and curling my legs up to my chest. I heard voices around me, but it was faint and distant.

    ¡°Michael?!¡± I cried.

    ¡°Yeah, honey. I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Rodrigo had a tunnel from the lab to the house¡­ There are more rooms down there¡­ Fridge in the back¡­ Please help me¡­ It¡¯s blue.¡± I croaked out.

    He let go of my hand, and I think he disappeared. Someone else replaced him. ¡°Marcus¡­ Is that you?¡±

    He nodded against my hand and pressed his lips on my fingers. ¡°It¡¯s almost over; hold on.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before there was a scurry of people next to me. Michael was back. The shot they gave me coursed through my veins, and all my muscles relaxed. Tears rolled down my temples as the pain left my body. ¡°Put me out for a few hours.¡± Another shot, and my brain went quiet. I was thankful for the dreamlike state before the euphoria hit.

    ***

    Someone was still holding my hand. I tried to open my eyes, but all they could do was flicker. I squeezed my fingers in a weak attempt to notify anyone that I was still alive. ¡°Julie!¡± Marcus pulled me into his arms and held me close. ¡°How long was I out?¡± I tried to move, but he wouldn¡¯t let me go.

    ¡°More than two months.¡±

    ¡°It feels like I can¡¯t move. What¡¯s wrong with me?¡±

    ¡°Give yourself some time. Your muscles are tired.¡±

    He let me go, and I manifested, biting into the neck they were holding up over me. The blood rebooted my mind, and I immediately felt better and stronger. ¡°Did anyone else get hurt?¡± I asked when I was done and fell back onto the bed. Marcus wiped my mouth, his eyes droopy and red. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°He hasn¡¯t left you in two months.¡±

    ¡°Is it because I¡¯m pregnant or because you love me?¡±

    They were quiet. I didn¡¯t see Louis or Chris. ¡°Help me sit up.¡± I felt my stomach where the fish had bit into me. All I could remember was the pain and crying out for Louis under the water until I couldn¡¯t anymore. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes. No one else got hurt. We did almost drown.¡± Jessy said when no one else spoke.

    ¡°Show me.¡± Jessy stepped over and handed me the tube. I swung it through the air. Seeing Marcus so lifeless was awful. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± His voice was slurred.

    ¡°Seems like you got what you wanted,¡± I said to Michael. ¡°Probably no chance that I would be pregnant after that. I ran my fingers over my belly. Michael had sat down next to me. ¡°Why is no one saying anything?¡±

    ¡°You are pregnant, Julie¡­.¡± My eyes shot up to Marcus to see if he would show any emotion about it. ¡°Why are you so sad?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not!¡± He sat down next to me and let his head rest on my leg, his eyes closed. I ran my fingers through his hair. Marcus was sleeping. With wide eyes, I peeked over to Michael. ¡°Like I said. He hasn¡¯t left. We moved everyone in here, and he¡¯s been working tirelessly to help you.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to kiss me?¡±

    He stood up and leaned over me, pressing his lips onto mine. ¡°Thank You¡­ I saw how you helped everyone¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I would never want to leave things like that.¡± I whispered onto his lips.

    Michaels¡¯s arms wrapped around me. ¡°We were so worried¡­ But there is something I have to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Before you do, could you put him in that bed and get them to knock him out for a few days.¡±

    He smiled and lifted Marcus up. The staff gave him several shots. ¡°I¡¯m only happy that it happened so fast. Now I won¡¯t have to wait for two hundred years before I get that dance.¡± Michael started talking.

    ¡°Come on out with the news.¡±

    ¡°Louis¡­ Chris¡­ Is somewhere in space. Someone stole Beatrice¡­ For her teleportation ability¡­ You won¡¯t believe that they saw Raas on that planet you exiled everybody to.¡± Michael was moving around me and picked me up.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to take a shower? You always do when you wake up.¡±

    I smiled, holding onto his neck. The staff was following us like I would crumble down into a pile of sand. Jessy was short on their heels. Michael closed the door on them, put me down in a chair, and helped me to undress. He pushed some buttons, and a perfect stream of water washed over me. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to take it easy.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you think to look at the compound.¡±

    ¡°We did. I didn¡¯t know about the tunnels. You were storing all your stash there?¡±

    I smiled. ¡°It¡¯s kinda all I have. Was scared someone would take it. But have they started replicating it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, in buckets.¡± Michael washed me and swiveled the chair, washing my hair.

    ¡°Are you okay? Did you get hurt at all?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine. I was just tired after.¡±

    ¡°How is your control doing?¡±

    ¡°Better¡­ I¡¯m eating regularly, and with you unconscious¡­ I actually had a two-month break.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°So things are moving too fast for you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, way too fast.¡±

    ¡°You were always such a human guy.¡± I rolled my eyes for effect. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you that wanted to get married so quickly?¡± He shut off the water with a smile. He picked me up and put me down on a bench. ¡°Jessy. New clothes.¡±

    ¡°Waiting.¡±

    Michael put a towel around me and opened the door, taking the clothes. He helped me dry off and hunched down in front of me, drying my hair. I yawned, and skeptical eyes rested on me. ¡°You okay?¡±

    ¡°A little drugged but feeling good¡­ Kiss!¡±

    Michael shook his head. ¡°Why were you not jealous in the club?¡± He pressed his lips onto mine, picking me up.

    ¡°Open, Jessy.¡±

    The door slid to the side. All the staff followed us to the bed. When Michael placed me down, the doctors did all sorts of things. The round machine circled the bed. ¡°I was jealous¡­ Didn¡¯t you see Chris dancing with Selena? Why do you think I drink the way I do¡­ Or that night¡­ You guys drive me off a cliff. How can I throw a scene every time one of you flirts with another girl¡­ I have to grow up.¡±

    ¡°No! No more growing up. I¡¯m sick of this Juliet that is turning into a Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Michael¡­ I¡¯m going to sleep now.¡±

    He sat down next to me, swiping his hand to take away the machine. He shooed away the doctors. He lifted my hand and pressed it against his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Did I say I¡¯m sorry?¡± I whispered as I drifted off. Michael pressed his lips to my fingers.

    ***

    Louis

    Chris and I were traveling to Fahan¡¯s planet. We had been there so many times over those last two months that it had become familiar. At first, we sent in scouts who released drones all over the place. Although the Riphahts could help in the beginning stages, the Watcher army was much more adapted to doing surveillance and camouflage. They also did excellent recon work with the En-gannim tech to gather the information needed but had yet to find Beatrice. The planet was open for teleportation, just like Earth and En-gannim. We hoped it wouldn¡¯t take them two months to steal the ability but years. If Juliet had been there, we would¡¯ve found her quickly. Caleb wanted to help, but it was out of the question. Chris was too scared that their red swords would be able to thwart any ability. Caleb was still not secure in controlling his power. The sword that Ira had from their species was on En-gannim. We were running all sorts of tests. Chris and I even found out where they mined the stones used for creating their weapons. If we could get our hands on it¡­ The possibilities were endless.

    ***

    Fahan

    I pulled my mate into my arms. Jade was still asleep, and our newborn baby lay next to the bed in a cradle. My mind was far away... Our guards had noticed the vamp tech around the city for a few weeks. They were coming for Beatrice. We were so close to harnessing her ability.

    The cave we were in was damp and cold. Our planet was¡­ not ideal. It had no life. It was grey everywhere. Rocky with no plants. Nothing that some of the other worlds could boast of. Beauty. Something to be proud of. It had been generations trying to find another place for us to live. A way out of that hole.

    The alarm went off. Softly, I lifted Jade¡¯s arm that was draped over my torso. She didn¡¯t even stir. The babe was born only a day ago. Our births were painful, and the woman suffered.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Since we found out, she was with child. I had gone mad trying to find a way off the planet. When the vamps landed the first time, I knew my luck had changed. It was a sign that our time was at hand. In the past, when they approached us¡­ they needed something. But then Ahasuerus came himself. We treated them well to hear all they had to offer and wanted. They asked us for help thousands of years ago, but since the last attack, we joined them on Zoreah; their visits were infrequent and only to bring other races to commission us for battles.

    We didn¡¯t need armor or use it. All I needed to do to get dressed was put on a loincloth and fasten it around my waist. I picked up the baby, snuggling into his neck. I put him back down and picked up my sword. There was no way I was letting Beatrice go.

    Our star had just set, and it was dark. I made my way up to the building where she was being held. Our housing was only a series of caves. We slept on cold stones for beds, and it was a tough life. Rough and draining. One I didn¡¯t want for my son. I started running, only thinking about losing Beatrice and all my hope. My feet were heavy, stampeding towards my men waiting. We didn¡¯t move fast, and I was getting worried that we might miss them. They fell in behind me.

    Outside the city, the ground started shaking. Eruptions of rock blew up into the sky around us. We dodged to miss the debris falling heavily while we were running. I didn¡¯t know what or who they would be sending in and if we would be met with an army of Riphaths. But I doubted that they would try to come and fight there on our home planet.

    By the time the building came into sight, it was completely closed off from the outside. They had blasted the entrance, and whoever was inside¡­ was out of our reach.

    ¡°Quickly, we need to clear the rubble before they get her out. Have you found out where they landed?¡±

    ¡°No. It must be a Riphath with a lot of power. It was nowhere close to the city. We have scouts in the whole area.¡±

    ¡°Who would have more power than Beatrice?¡± We were picking up stones and flinging them away. A multitude of men digging. We could hear the screams inside. My men were dying. They weren¡¯t fighters. Ahasuerus scientists were also in there. If we lost them, we would be back to where we started.

    ¡°Where are the guards that were supposed to patrol the building?¡±

    ¡°They must be under the rubble.¡± His words were not cold, or we found the first body. Our skin made us almost invulnerable. It was our heads that were the weakest part of our bodies. One blow could knock us out. We would have made armor if we had anything on our planet that could function as something to protect us. I couldn¡¯t hear anything anymore. My gut churned, thinking the worst. I didn¡¯t know what I would do if all my plans came to nothing.

    ¡°Focus all your energy on one area so we can dig through quicker.¡± I pointed out a spot at the top of the rubble, getting the rest of the men to form a train to take away the biggest boulders. The last one lifted, and the little light left inside shone through a small opening. We dug harder and broke through the last of the dirt. Sword out, I ventured inside, leading the men behind me. I slid down the debris into the open space. There were a few rooms. I heard them talking and fighting. Silence. I rushed forward. Just one man was standing where Beatrice used to be. Hands up in the air. Human. Or anyone of the three¡­ I growled low in my throat when I saw the emblem around his neck. He was a Vampire. I hit my sword on the stone of the wall to activate the red from the rocks it was made of. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The man couldn¡¯t answer. Almost as soon as I spoke to him, a Ripahth was there, and they were both gone. I lunged forward, but whoever it was disappeared in a second, too quick and trained. There was no point in standing around. We rushed to the other parts of the building. Ahasuerus scientists were huddled in one of the rooms. Alive. My shoulders dropped as I put my sword away. It was only a rescue mission. Two men¡­ How could we let that happen? All the guards were dead. First, trapped in some netting, making it impossible to do anything. Executed in the middle of the eyes by another type of weapon. I hunched down next to one of the men to get a look at the wound. I had never seen anything like it. The usual spear that Riphaths used didn¡¯t leave a mark like that.

    ¡°Who was in here?¡± I asked the one scientist.

    ¡°A vamp and a Riphath.¡±

    ¡°Who is the Riphath that he can teleport that far out?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Ira¡¯s son.¡± The one man said.

    I stood up and opened my shoulders. ¡°Ira has a son?¡±

    Ahasuerus couldn¡¯t have known the boy was that powerful, or he wouldn¡¯t have told us to take Beatrice. We helped the scientists up and started cleaning up the space. ¡°How far did you get?¡±

    ¡°Almost, but we would need more time.¡±

    ¡°I will get you Ira¡¯s boy. Would that help? If he was stronger and healthier.¡±

    All the scientists nodded. ¡°Do not be too glad¡­ They will come for you¡­ Either to kill you¡­ Or take you back.¡±

    ¡°We can not go back. You have to help us.¡±

    ¡°Come¡­ You can not stay here anymore. It is not safe. We will keep you with us in the city.¡±

    It was a problem if they did not retaliate. The vamps held all the cards, and I was sick of it. If it was only them, we needed to fight. We could take them on. Ahasuerus had given a lot of information about what was going on, and we did get Beatrice in the end. There were still vamps on En-gannim that did not like the new queen. All I needed to do was get communication out and start planning.

    Nothing else was going to happen that night. I went back to the cave. To see how Jade was doing. She was awake nursing the babe. ¡°We have not even chosen a name,¡± I said, walking in.

    ¡°What happened? Is everyone okay?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but they got Beatrice.¡± Jade seemed upset. She was more desperate than anyone to get out of our world. ¡°I will have to go off the planet again.¡± She lifted her head. I pressed my forehead onto hers, holding her neck.

    ¡°We could make it work here. Our race has lived here forever, and we had yet to die out.¡± Jade whispered.

    ¡°No! We can¡¯t move backward. We are so close.¡± I took out the glass plate I had hidden in our cave. Staring down at it, I didn¡¯t know what to say. What was most important?

    Fahan { I need information about Ira¡¯s son }

    Arvio { Beatrice is back on En-gannim. What happened? I told you to guard her well }

    Fahan { You did not tell us they had someone that could teleport that far }

    Arvio { No matter. Ira¡¯s son is not the most powerful... There is a human that can do much more. And he would be easier to get on En-gannim. Ira¡¯s son stays on Zoreah most of the time. He is well-guarded, and it would almost be impossible to get him }

    I could not believe it. A better option and an easier one. Going to Zoreah was difficult for us.

    Fahan { We need to meet }

    ***

    Louis

    Beatrice was barely holding on. Chris had teleported us to the other side of the planet to be safe. I sent a communication, and Kubra got us back. I carried her into the hospital room, placing her across from Juliet, who was sitting and staring at us with a hundred questions going through her mind. Chris was already there, pulling her into his arms. Her eyes were on me. She was scolding me for taking the risk, for going alone without her. I smirked. Happy that she was okay and out of danger. My eyes drifted to the bed next to her. Marcus was out like a log. Not even dreaming.

    ¡°I drugged him.¡±

    The doctors were busy with Beatrice. She was weak but would make it. They were going to fix her eyes as well. I pulled Chris off Juliet and laid down next to her on the bed. ¡°Why did you sleep so long? I didn¡¯t like it.¡±

    She was playing with the emblem around my neck. I wanted to take it off and put it back around hers, but she stopped me. ¡°Not while I¡¯m pregnant.¡± She whispered.

    I sat up and stared down at her. Chris and I smiled at each other. We had bonded in the last two months. He didn¡¯t hate me so much anymore.¡°You are?¡± I asked content that something had gone right.

    ¡°How did you not know?¡± She asked me.

    ¡°We were busy¡­ They must have just found out.¡±

    Michael came into the room. ¡°Are you certain?¡± I asked him.

    He nodded. ¡°Found out yesterday.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to have to take it easy.¡±

    She nestled into my chest and laughed. ¡°Everyone seems to think I¡¯m moving too fast¡­ Marcus will take over for me. You don¡¯t have to.¡±

    She didn¡¯t think we wanted to work with her. ¡°Baby¡­ we have other problems.¡±

    ¡°If they don¡¯t have Beatrice, they will come for someone else.¡± Chris chipped in.

    ¡°How would they? Did you double-check that Raas doesn¡¯t have one stored away somewhere? Or who helped them get Beatrice in the first place?¡±

    ¡°That planet is clean, and we are trying to find out¡­ But we still haven¡¯t found the Werewolves.¡±

    ¡°What did Kubra say? Where did they go on that Campaign?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t find the planet... Ahasuerus had made sure of that. But you can¡¯t worry about anything.

    ¡°I have to take it easy¡­ Yes, I heard you.¡± I gave her a quick peck on the lips and jumped out of the way. ¡°Louis Du Pont, come here.¡±

    ¡°Make me.¡±

    Chris quickly got on the bed, taking my place. Juliet was laughing, and it was more than enough. Too many things were going on in my mind to talk about. Marcus, Chris, and I were still concerned about Michael changing in an instant, hurting her, and she was leaving it. When Juliet was out, he was another person. His threat was gone, and he could focus on other things. If Michael had not freaked out, none of it would¡¯ve happened. If Chris had been there, none of it would have happened. Marcus and I had a lot of the same issues at that moment, and I hoped Chris realized he could not lead a double life. His Riphath attributes were a problem.

    ***

    Kubra

    It was late at night. I had been sitting on my patio outside my room, stargazing. En-gannim was my home. I enjoyed it there. Charlene had gone back to school after the incident on Palmyra. We were supposed to have a few days off. But instead, we were thrown into a whirlpool of issues. Every time we were together¡­ All Charlene could talk about was the branding. I didn¡¯t understand her motivation for wanting to do it. In the back of my mind¡­ I feared that she didn¡¯t really love me. We were both people that kept ourselves busy¡­ With our own things. Went on with our own lives. She didn¡¯t trust easily¡­ And although I had been there for her ever since we started our relationship¡­ It didn¡¯t seem to set her at ease¡­ Charlene didn¡¯t believe in love¡­ How could she want to test it? The realization hit me¡­ That¡¯s why she wanted to do it¡­ Because she didn¡¯t trust her own emotions¡­ Her own feelings¡­ She needed proof.

    My room door opened, and she came in with Min¨¦, holding her hand. I held open my arms, and the little girl readily jumped in. Charlene sat on the chair next to me. ¡°What are you doing out here?¡±

    ¡°Thinking.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to tell me about what?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    She seemed surprised. Min¨¦ was busy and interrupting us, so Charlene left the conversation. It happened a lot; during the days, we didn¡¯t see each other, and at night, we didn¡¯t have any time alone. There was never a time for a serious discussion¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to tell her how I felt¡­ Tell her the truth¡­ That I thought I didn¡¯t really matter to her. What I wanted or needed¡­ didn¡¯t really matter to anyone.

    Since no one expected anything from me anymore¡­ I didn¡¯t feel I brought any value to this family she was a part of. Juliet had given Jessy all the authority. At that stage, I was drifting. But I suspected we all were moving along one day at a time¡­ Getting used to being in control of our own lives. For the first time in my life, I was at a place where I had to make my own decisions. What was the first thing I did? Pushed myself into hers¡­ So that I had a new purpose. A dream I could pursue, thinking that life was worth living if someone loved you. Wanting her to marry me so that she couldn¡¯t break my heart or leave me. Give me a family like any man on En-gannim.

    ¡°How is school going?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Fine, I guess.¡±

    ¡°What made you decide that medicine was what you wanted to do in life?¡±

    ¡°My parents¡­ They always had high expectations of me. Pushed me to not be blinded by money. To focus on security. Take care of myself.¡±

    ¡°You really don¡¯t believe that a man can take care of you.¡±

    She scoffed. ¡°Men are just big disappointments¡­ Eventually, my parent''s marriage had cured me of that stigma. My mother is miserable.¡±

    Charlene didn¡¯t even think that her words might hurt me. Even if I was there for her every step of the way¡­ She got up and took Mine¡¯s hand. ¡°We are going to bed. I have an off day tomorrow. Going to spend some time with Juliet.¡±

    I knew better than to start a fight when Min¨¦ was with her. And we had never fought. Charlene was testing me. I shook my head and lit a cigarette. I wanted to send Louis another message and ask him what her behavior was code for. I was missing something.

 Tit For Tat

    150. Tit For Tat

    Fahan

    The following day, after my communications with Avrio, I got teleported off my planet onto En-gannim. A short and stocky man was waiting for me. Vampires were the most useless species, ¡°Avrio?¡± I asked, disgusted that I needed to work with someone so meaningless.

    ¡°Fahan. Come, let us sit down. I need to show you everything that has happened.¡±

    He waved a black tube into the air. Pictures played out before us in the air. It was short scenes of different events and didn¡¯t take very long. ¡°What is happening? Why are they holding her down?¡±

    ¡°Wait for it.¡±

    I stood up when the human turned into all three. ¡°I will need one of those nets. We will need a lure.¡±

    ¡°What net are you talking about? But anyway, before we get to the logistics¡­ I want you to consider something.¡± Avrio said.

    I sat down. The chairs were too small for our form. It barely held me up.

    ¡°Does your mate¡­ love you? And do you love her?¡± Our faces were set in one emotion. The skin we had did not allow feelings to show on the outside. But Avrio knew how to read my eyes. I understood from his reference that he wanted to know if Jade and I cared for each other. ¡°If you do¡­ You should consider what they did to that female¡­ If you do and it works¡­ He will come to you alone¡­ It will be almost instantaneous. Although our world is ruled by the one that holds the emblem¡­ The brandings go beyond En-gannim. I still don¡¯t understand why Ahasuerus gave it away¡­ But he did, and we can do nothing without help to fight the Riphaths.¡±

    ¡°You want them to come to my planet.¡±

    ¡°It is a level playing field there,¡± Avrio said. ¡°Beatrice was not incentive enough¡­ But maybe with this man, we might provoke them to a fight.

    ¡°I understand. We know nothing of the process¡­ You will need to get us that orange flames they use.¡± He chuckled and lifted a hand into the air. Another man dressed in black came in with a large sack on his shoulders. Avrio handed me a square box. ¡°Everything you will need is in there. The scientists will know what to do¡­ We do not have fire on En-gannim¡­ But the bag and the case are what you will need to make it.¡±

    It felt strange. Our whole future lay in a bag. Almost too good to be true.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know if it will work. Or what fire would do to Jade¡¯s skin, but if she is willing¡­ Remember to do it in a public place with your swords drawn, ready to cut him so he will be useless.¡± I stood to leave and picked up our future. ¡°Have your army ready, Fahan. They will come for him¡­ It will be our chance.¡±

    ¡°Is Raas busy with our helmets?¡±

    ¡°Yes, soon, give him one more day... Wait until tomorrow... Let them lower their guard and think they have won.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Jade,¡± I said, dropping the bag on the floor of the cave.

    ¡°I am in here.¡± She was watching me. ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°I have something to show you.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    We both sat down on our bed. I took the babe from her. ¡°Have you thought of a name?¡± Jade rested her head on my shoulder. ¡°How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°Better. Do not worry about me¡­ Come show me.¡±

    I took out the little black tube of tech I did not understand. The Vampires might be useless in their shape and size, but in other areas, they excelled and held all the power. All I had to do was wave my hand into the air.

    ¡°What are they doing?¡±

    ¡°Some ritual¡­ that I have never even heard about¡­ It is for mates and creates a special bond.¡±

    ¡°Supernaturally?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ like our swords¡­ it must be connected to whoever does it.¡±

    ¡°Like hitting the material against a surface.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°It seems painful. But look what he turned into.¡±

    She finished the pictures. ¡°So, what do you plan on doing about it? Is it because he is so powerful¡­ Then you must capture him.¡±

    I turned to her. ¡°That is one option.¡±

    ¡°What is the other option?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ It is only for mates who care deeply for each other. Avrio called it love¡­ Do you love me?¡±

    I know she would have smiled if she could. Jade hit me on the shoulder in a playful way. ¡°Who else would?¡± But then the idea sunk in. ¡°You want to do that? Try their bonding process? Would it work?¡±

    ¡°Would you consider it?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I am not the most feared woman in the city for no reason.¡±

    ¡°I know you are strong¡­ But you would go through a lot of pain. Be apart from the babe for three days¡­ Where would we leave him? Who would we trust?¡±

    ¡°I love you¡­ forever¡­ Our family is much more important than a moment of pain. And Aries will be well with my sister.¡±

    I put my hand behind her neck and drew her closer, rubbing my cheek against hers. ¡°Aries?¡±

    ¡°It is a good name. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°It is a fine name¡­ Jade¡­ I have never loved anyone like you¡­ You please me.¡±

    ¡°I will follow you wherever you lead.¡±

    ***

    I had to explain to my men what would happen, and they all seemed as pleased as Jade about the process, ready for a battle after they had infiltrated our home. Dimitrios and I made our way to the five men living in the cave next to ours. I placed the bag in front of them, and Dimitrios handed the leader the box with the tools to create a fire. ¡°Avrio said it would be better if we tried a branding.¡±

    They seemed pleased. One of them picked up the gun. ¡°Why do you have that, and what is it?¡±

    ¡°It is one of those nets they used on us. We will use it on the human.¡±

    We were preparing the space, clearing out any rubble, and building a pit for the fire. I still had to make an emblem and had chosen a sword for the tattoo. It was hard to imagine that it would work at all. Our skin was too rough, and after? Would you even be able to see it? Would anything happen to me if I did it?

    ¡°I will have the gun,¡± I said to Dimitrios, making plans as I thought about what could happen.

    ¡°You can not,¡± Dimitrios answered. ¡°What if you become like the other men in the other pictures.¡± He held out his hand, and I put it down in his palm.

    ¡°You will be in charge. I do not want to wake up, and it had all been in vain.¡±

    ¡°Do you trust me at all?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± We clasped arms and shook on it.

    ***

    The fire was blazing. We gave all the men a chance to inspect it for a moment. We tested our skin on the heat it emanated, resting our hands in the warmth, yet felt nothing. No one had seen anything like it. The Scientist showed us what would happen to their skin.

    Jade bent down on the ground. I was proud of her for not showing any fear, but I had to consider that even if it did not hurt her skin, it might still be a painful process.

    ¡°I will walk you through it. Follow my directions.¡±

    I nodded at the scientist at my side. Jade¡¯s sister left with Aries in her arms. Some men formed a large circle around us to cover a vast area. The rest of the army stood in formation for battle. I lifted my hand, and at the command, swords were drawn and feet planted in a ready stance for a war I might instigate. I swiftly lowered my hand. The men hit their swords on rocks, and the clang resonated into the air, creating a red glow that started on one side until it lit up a ring of what looked like red fire.

    ¡°We are good to go. Once you pick it up¡­ Do it immediately. Keep it there until I tell you to release.¡±

    I hunched over and grabbed the hilt of the poker on its stand. My fingers flexed around the steel. I waited until it was quiet around me, lifted it up, and pressed it against Jade¡¯s skin.

    ***

    Juliet

    I couldn¡¯t believe I was pregnant again. Rodrigo¡¯s formula for the fertility of interspecies pregnancies was as effective as the birth control he fed to the Werewolves for generations. Kubra and Charlene were visiting me in the hospital. ¡°We have to sort this out once and for all, you two,¡± I said. More to Kubra than to Charlene.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you get to decide about this,¡± Kubra said flatly. He had been different lately. I had not seen him many times¡­ but when I did¡­ Kubra was stiff around the shoulders. His tone was a little cold.

    ¡°I¡¯m not deciding, but you¡¯re also not saying no. If you want to say no. Then, follow through on the decision. And Charlene? Are you sure you want to stop studying?¡±

    She had so many years to go. If she did it¡­ She would not be allowed back onto Earth for some time¡­ If at all¡­ And the chances that she would finish her degree if she did turn into all three was never going to happen. I shuddered at another Michael in the mix. Yet another baby to raise and coddle.

    ¡°When I¡¯m better¡­ I¡¯ll finish my studies here. I have been thinking about it a lot. Doing my course there is a bit redundant¡­ Earth¡¯s medicine would be influenced by all your technology¡­ We are half the same, so the advancements here are so far beyond ours.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­. Merging knowledge is going to change everything¡­ Kubra? You want her to connect to you and lead a normal human life¡­ And she wants to change.¡±

    ¡°Her connecting to Kubra is not a permanent solution,¡± Carl said from the side.

    ¡°I agree,¡± said Charlene.

    ¡°Carl? What do you think?¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Will you take care of them after?¡±

    Michael came into the hospital room, taking in the scene. ¡°What are you guys talking about. Don¡¯t tell me you still want Kubra to brand you, Charlene?¡±

    ¡°I do¡­ But it seems that he doesn¡¯t really love me. Or he¡¯s afraid that I don¡¯t and it won¡¯t work.¡±

    Kubra¡¯s back stiffened immediately.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Carl said out of the blue. ¡°If it¡¯s about loving each other. I could¡¯ve done it to Juliet, and it would¡¯ve worked. We all love each other, don¡¯t we?¡±

    Michael sat down next to me, taking my hand and kissing it. He rested his elbows on the bed, smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how it works,¡± Michael said. ¡°I think¡­ Kubra has cause to be wary, but it isn¡¯t about not loving Charlene¡­ It¡¯s about loving her too much. He doesn¡¯t want to hurt her. Put her through that¡­ If we had known what would happen. I don¡¯t know if we would have done it.¡± Michael¡¯s eyes drifted to Charlene.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Kubra said with a hint of irritation. He was leaning forward in his chair, eyes fixed on the floor. I was worried for them. A year ago, I would¡¯ve said they were on their way to a happy relationship. But it all changed when we moved off the compound. When I was too busy with finding Chris...

    ¡°Didn¡¯t we warn you enough to not go dabbling into supernatural power?¡± Beatrice¡¯s voice came from the other side of the room. Michael got up to go to her. He called a doctor, and they came rushing in. They took off the bandages from her eyes. Slowly, she blinked several times and smiled, stroking away some tears a moment later. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would ever be able to see again.¡±

    She took in the room. Michael helped her sit up. It took a while for her to put all the voices with the faces. ¡°You okay? How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Drained but okay.¡±

    ¡°Do you know if Charlene would change, Beatrice,¡± Michael asked her.

    ¡°Have no idea, but I¡¯d like to be there.¡±

    ¡°I think everyone should be there. She will end up in front of Ira¡­ and you, Jules.¡± Carl said.

    Kubra didn¡¯t even look at Charlene once. They were seated far from each other. ¡°I need to speak to Kubra.¡± I got out of bed and made my way out of the room. He followed.

    ***

    I sat down on my couch in my office, propping my feet up. Kubra did help me and made sure I was comfortable, not utterly devoid of feeling, yet. Not in work mode either. He joined me on Marcus¡¯s sofa across from me.

    ¡°It took Charlene three months before she told Carl and me she was pregnant¡­ I don¡¯t think she knew for some time, but still¡­ She did not even tell me that they had slept together¡­ With Ben¡­¡±

    Kubra¡¯s eyes came off the floor for the first time. ¡°Everything seemed to be going well between you two¡­ But what I saw in there was painful. I have the highest respect for you. You¡¯re a brother to Marcus, and I want you to be happy¡­ If Charlene is not making you happy, you have to let her go¡­¡±

    ¡°That is not how it works on En-gannim.¡± He finally said. ¡°You choose a wife, and you stay with her. You don¡¯t cheat, and how you treat her is up to you.¡±

    ¡°Charlene is not from En-gannim. She has no family life¡­ If it weren¡¯t for Carl and me, she would be worse. Her father is selfish in his career. Seldom home and left Charlene with a caretaker¡­ It is why he and Bertram got along so well.¡±

    Kubra got up and paced. ¡°I¡­ I¡­ feel like she¡¯s¡­ using me.¡± I chuckled. He stopped and stared down at me. ¡°Why do you think that¡¯s funny.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not funny. Charlene wouldn¡¯t be with you if she didn¡¯t want to be. She might not fall in love easily or show her true emotions. Charlene is one of those who expect disappointment and usually gets it by pushing everyone away¡­ If you let her push you away¡­ You will only prove her right.¡±

    He sat down again.

    ¡°She¡¯s not strong. She pretends to be¡­ wants to be¡­ But not for the same reasons as you and me¡­.¡±

    ¡°Why does she repress her emotions? She is human¡­ Isn¡¯t she supposed to be all about feelings?¡± He lay down on the couch, staring up at the ceiling. ¡°The studies had made it worse¡­ driven us apart. If I don¡¯t do anything, she doesn¡¯t either¡­ I have to tell you that I¡¯m getting a bit tired of it.¡± He ran his hand over his mouth like saying it out loud made him less moral. ¡°We don¡¯t sleep in the same room¡­.¡±

    I winced but sat up. ¡°Kubra¡­ Have you and Charlene slept together?¡±

    He shook his head slowly.

    ¡°But then you have to brand her¡­ Don¡¯t you see¡­ She hasn¡¯t slept with anyone¡­ Charlene used to fill the void with one-night stands and drunken encounters. You know what it means when two people don¡¯t have sex.¡±

    He was confused.

    ¡°Have you been fighting more and more?¡±

    He sat up and nodded. ¡°All she talks about is the branding¡­ All we fight about is the branding. Before the incident on Palmyra, we were still okay. Since then, she had pulled away even more, if it¡¯s at all possible.¡±

    I got up to sit next to him. My hand resting on my stomach. I still wore bandages and got tired quickly. It had only been two days since I woke up.  He turned to me. ¡°If that¡¯s what she wants¡­ then give it to her.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°Why? What is it that has you so bent up against it.¡±

    He stood up in a huff. ¡°Because¡­ I hate being a creature. I hate my life and living this long. I hate the feelings and the politics¡­ She will come to hate it, and I would be the one that did it to her¡­ She will be all three in one second¡­ You know how hard Michael is taking it, and he knew everything before it happened¡­ Like you said¡­ She is soft and fragile. A real girl that has been forced by her parents to pretend¡­ All she wants is to fit in¡­ Be the same as you¡­ And she thinks¡­ She will magically be able to protect herself.¡±

    ¡°I agree¡­ She¡¯s doing it for all the wrong reasons¡­ But Kubra, it¡¯s the first time since I¡¯ve known her that she has wanted something so bad that it has been gnawing at her for years. I hate people making decisions for me¡­ That¡¯s all her parents ever did¡­ that is all she has experienced all her life¡­ Don¡¯t be the parent in this relationship. If it¡¯s a mistake, you can throw it in her face afterward.¡±

    Kubra laughed lightly.

    ¡°She loves you¡­ And doing everything and anything for you to walk away. Sometimes, one person in the relationship has to love more than the other. That is the card you¡¯ve been dealt. If you can¡¯t make peace with it. Walk away¡­¡±

    ***

    Later that same day, we were all in France. Earth had let us come back for a visit. No one knew we were there¡­ I was happy that more and more people had forgiven Michael for his¡­ trespass. We were warned to keep him close. Michael and I stood at the door, holding hands. Marcus and Kubra were in front of the fire. We had to wake Marcus up, but he didn¡¯t mind. He was a little upset that I let him sleep so long.

    Charlene was bent over the coffee table. My heart was racing. Scared for my friend. Charlene was strangely calm¡­ But not Kubra. His chest was pounding. His eyes were on me, begging me to make it all go away. It was weird being on the other side of it all, seeing what Marcus had to go through that first time¡­ Marcus was formidable. My other hand rested on my stomach, wondering what type of baby would come out from two parents like us.

    We didn¡¯t tell Ira. Chris was with him, just in case. Charlene had said the worst that could happen was she wouldn¡¯t change at all, and it would be another guy thing. I could think of a few more things that could go wrong. Our whole group could dismantle. An ugly scar was another problem. A constant lifetime reminder of what could¡¯ve been. And then, of course, she could go completely nuts... And try to kill me¡­ I chuckled. Louis¡¯s eyes were on mine, and he smiled with me. I thought about how much it had taken for him to do it and if he ever regretted it. Kubra¡¯s words reminded me of Michael one day hating me for turning him into a killing machine. Louis mouthed that he did not regret it. I missed him and said as much, begging him to come to me later.

    It was time, and I squeezed Michael¡¯s hand, trying to forget all my issues that needed to be dealt with. Almost at the exact moment Kubra pressed the poker into Charlene¡¯s flesh, Michael let go of my hand and turned to me, ¡°Honey, I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve come to you on the dance floor.¡± And he was gone. Louis was fast to read me and jumped over the couch. I disappeared, thankful that Chris wasn¡¯t there to grab hold of me. ¡°Juliet, no! He can take care of himself.¡±

    I was running down the road, the pain in my midsection forgotten. Already at Charlene¡¯s house, grabbing a glass plate. Louis missed me by seconds again. ¡°Baby. No. Please! Don¡¯t do this alone. Please!¡±

    Michael¡¯s eyes were a pit of despair... Seeing him that scared¡­ He wasn¡¯t in control of his teleporting out¡­ It was too much for me. I moved as fast as I could, terrified and fueled to get to him before they did anything. There was no way I would let Michael get drained for another seven months while I put the baby first or put anyone else¡¯s life at risk. We also needed to figure out how they got Beatrice in the first place. How could they pull out Michael at all?

    After Beatrice¡¯s rescue, I made sure to know where they would be taking Chris or Michael, preparing myself for the worst. Jessy helped me without anyone knowing. So, I traveled to Fahan¡¯s planet, hoping I had the correct coordinates. The air was dusty, the atmosphere grey and desolate, making it challenging to find your bearings. It was nothing but rocks and hard ground. It was already night, and although Louis had told me what they had been doing to rescue Beatrice, it wouldn¡¯t help if I needed to go searching. The coordinates they had chosen were for a spot a little outside the city where they lived. Luckily, at that moment, I heard a roar in the distance, more like a victorious battle cry. It was ongoing and from a sea of men¡­ I couldn¡¯t run, already spent by the effort of trying to get away from Louis. My middle was hurting, and the wounds were burning. There was no way I could save Michael by strength. I calmed myself down. The last thing I needed was to pass out.

    I walked in the direction of the chatter... The blazing bonfire made me start. Saw the other aliens carry two of them in the direction of the city. The shock had immobilized me¡­ They had pulled him out with a branding. All the implications running through my mind. Michael was not there, probably cut, and already in that thing. I started walking immediately, thankful that I could not see Charlene either. Worried that they might have both. I took another deep breath, calming myself. Saving two people was never even an option. All I could do was follow the two sleeping aliens, listening to the conversations of the men carrying them. They were placed down in a cave together on a stone slab. A bassinet carved out of rock stood next to the bed. Only some hide from some creature lining the bottom. But no baby. Vampire men came into the cave. It was the scientists. ¡°It worked.¡± One said.

    ¡°Yes, it did.¡± The one alien said.

    ¡°Did you catch the other one?¡±

    ¡°We did. He is in the building outside the city. We will be more vigilant. You can get to work as soon as the star rises.¡± Relieved, I tried to control myself. Charlene wasn¡¯t there. Another woman entered behind me, who was carrying a baby. ¡°Is my sister okay?¡± She asked.

    ¡°She will be fine. Just sleeping. Make sure you keep Aries safe.¡±

    The baby wasn¡¯t happy. At that moment, I knew what I needed to do. I would take the child and exchange him for Michael.

    I followed the woman back to her dwelling. It took a while for her to settle the child after they fed it. I waited till they were both asleep. I came back from my vanished state, picked up the baby, and cradled it in my arms. I kicked at the woman until she woke up. Her eyes shot open as she turned her head towards me in confusion. I disappeared a moment too quick before she could get up, but made sure she had seen me. She jumped, trying to grab at me, like Chris did at one time¡­ Desperately searching the air. After a few moments, she ran out, crying loudly down the path we had walked earlier. Those aliens were giants. As big as Silvanus. The one man came running towards the woman. ¡°What is wrong?¡±

    ¡°Aries is taken¡­ I woke up, and there was someone in the room. A Vampire. She had him in her arms, and they disappeared right in front of me.¡±

    I walked away from them until I was at the spot I came out of. I didn¡¯t have much time; my mind was fussy¡­ They were searching frantically in and out of the city, stampeding all over. I traveled back to En-gannim and came back. Louis was waiting with Chris, Ira, and Silvanus. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    I pushed the baby into Louis¡¯s arms and fell down. ¡°Michael should be next to my bed when I wake up. Do an exchange.¡±

    All I heard was Louis saying, ¡°It¡¯s Fahan¡¯s child. Jessy, find out how to send them a communication.¡±

 Not Again

    151. Not Again

    Michael

    I felt myself being pulled away, just like that night with all three of them, being dragged across the universe with no way to stop it. When I stood on my own two feet, the red circle around me glowed brightly in the night. Massive warriors surrounded me. The cut stabbed into my skin before I could do anything. Juliet¡¯s net shot over my body from what I could only describe as a dragon, confining me on the ground. A woman was lying face down next to a fire, and beside her, a man was out cold. I shook my head at our stupidity. We thought of kidnapping. Avrio chose to divulge a secret the Vampires had tried to eradicate for centuries. Fahan had chosen a branding, and it worked. Someone else in the galaxy had tried it. The supernatural bond that gave two souls power over others¡­ Creating unity, which we didn¡¯t even understand. I rolled around to see if Charlene was also there. But it was only me. I tried to change but couldn¡¯t. Stuck in my Riphath form, unable to use my abilities.

    They dragged me away. I didn¡¯t understand what the universe had against me and was rather sick and tired of getting pushed around. The cut was deep in my side and bleeding. Being all three didn¡¯t give me the vamp¡¯s blood supply that needed to be replenished. An alien came strutting into the building. I hated being tied up, and if I ever got out of there¡­ I was going to find and kill every last vamp that knew about the brandings and was against Juliet in any way. Immediately, I had my purpose in all of this¡­ I would sort out all conflict even before it began.

    ¡°The baby was taken.¡± He said.

    ¡°What do you mean? Fahan¡¯s child?¡± A bigger one asked.

    He nodded. ¡°An invisible Vampire came and took the child. He¡¯s gone.¡±

    Their eyes drifted to me. ¡°He must be important. It wasn¡¯t even a few minutes later. What do they want us to do? Should we start the extraction?¡±

    My head fell to my chest. Juliet had already come and had done something stupid. In her state, she had walked around and exerted herself and put the baby at risk. There were so many reasons I didn¡¯t want her to get pregnant again¡­ And I hated that I was the one being held again. It would drive her, and that time, she wasn¡¯t going to sit by. I would have to do something. Other men came into the cave.

    ¡°Untie him, but don¡¯t let that wound heal.¡± He turned to me, and the others tried to get the net loose. They didn¡¯t know what they were doing, and I had to tell them how to get it off. ¡°You won¡¯t be going anywhere for the next two weeks. Might as well get comfortable.¡± The biggest one said. Seemed like the leader.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think Fahan will be happy to know that his child is in the hands of a vamp for two weeks, and you did nothing.¡±

    The giant grey alien peered down at me. His black hair extended out from behind his small ears. They had tiny horns on their heads, pointing outward. Every muscle was defined. Their skin color changed over different areas of their bodies. Together with their dragon-like skin, it was golden in some areas. Patterns running over specific body parts. Fangs protruded out from the top and the bottom. It was something to behold. They were warriors in all senses. Wide, deep-set, beady eyes and flat noses. Large jaws. He was carrying an activated sword, careful not to take any chances. I was their only bargaining chip. His enormous hand and black nails were turning the hilt over in his hand, mulling my words over. He was Jessy to Juliet¡­ Waiting two weeks would be the wrong thing to do¡­ ¡°If my second didn¡¯t do all they needed to do for my child, I would kill them. It¡¯s a simple prisoner exchange¡­ You can always try again later¡­ But taking a chance with your leader''s child¡­ Contemplating not doing everything in your power. It¡¯s a risk.¡±

    His growl rumbled low in his throat. They might be warriors, but politics didn¡¯t seem to be their strong suit. The planet was a hole that anyone would want to climb out of. No one there was contending to take over the land. They were all together and desperate. One of the scientists came over and held out the glass plate to him. That was quick. It meant she was okay¡­ If anything happened to her¡­ I would never forgive myself. Irritated that I was the weak link in the family.

    ¡°You were right. They want to exchange.¡± Fahan¡¯s second said.

    My shoulders dropped. ¡°Who are you that they want you back so bad?¡±

    ¡°Seems that Fahan didn¡¯t give you all the information¡­ I¡¯m her husband. The invisible girl.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s fearless¡­ Coming in here like that¡­ All alone.¡±

    My shoulders shook. ¡°That she is. Puts us men¡­ to shame.¡±

    ¡°How do you do it. Letting your woman save you.¡±

    ¡°Easy. It makes her feel good.¡±

    He made a noise. Whether it was a laugh or a snort¡­ I couldn¡¯t say. Their faces carried no emotion, and I had no idea how far he was from caving. As we were talking, he was typing. It wasn¡¯t long before we were joined by none other than Raas and Avrio. The two vamps didn¡¯t hide the disdain on their faces.

    ¡°A vamp girl came and stole Fahan¡¯s child.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°That is the queen on En-gannim,¡± Raas said to the man. His mouth opened to say something.

    ¡°And that is the man that killed Ahasuerus. You can be glad that he can¡¯t move.¡± Avrio said.

    ¡°Can you please tell me your name¡­¡± I asked.

    ¡°My name is Dimitrios.¡± The alien said. ¡°And it seems that you are more than just the husband¡­.¡±

    I shrugged.

    ¡°You could rule the galaxy if you wanted,¡± Avrio added.

    My gaze traveled to Avrio. ¡°I should have killed you when we sent that scum off En-gannim¡­ I do rule¡­ And it¡¯s as good as us kidnapping Fahan. You have made an enemy.¡± Dimitrios didn¡¯t like my words. I stared him down¡­ ¡°You chose the wrong side¡­.¡±

    ¡°We had no choice¡­ You would not have even known about us.¡± Dimitrios said.

    ¡°You can¡¯t give him back. If you do¡­ We will never get another chance.¡± Avrio said.

    ¡°Their queen will never kill a child. It is her one weakness. She will probably treat Aries better than her own children.¡± Raas sneered.

    ¡°Juliet might never kill a child¡­ but the boy is surrounded by men that would¡­ And the last time when we killed a thousand Werewolf women that were pregnant¡­ They didn¡¯t ask permission either.¡± I said for effect.

    If I could get Dimitrios and Avrio to break their alliance, it would be best for all concerned. My words seemed to make Dimitrios pause for thought. ¡°How can I take that chance? Is there no way of waking up Fahan or even Jade? If he is that important, they will soon invade and kill us all just to make an example of us.¡±

    ¡°Invade? Take on the mighty Chadari? They wouldn¡¯t dare. What did the fire do to Jade¡¯s skin?¡± Avrio asked.

    ¡°Nothing¡­ We even stuck our hands in the flames and¡­ nothing.¡±

    The two vamps were too happy.

    ¡°You should have never made a deal with Ahasuerus. Juliet is more than willing to help other races. We are already in control of four worlds, and you choose the side that has nothing to offer you.¡±

    ¡°Enough. I am not the one making the decisions. Come, let us see if we can wake them up. Nothing is going to happen for the next three days. I need to sleep¡­ Lock him up in a cell.¡±

    I wanted to struggle and kick my feet into the ground like a child being dragged towards a scary place. Instinctively, I tried to teleport, but it was in vain. The cell was small and nothing more than a hollowed-out cave with bars. Dimitrios pushed his sword through and cut my leg for good measure.

    Another message came through. He didn¡¯t seem pleased. All I could think was that Juliet wanted to do a prisoner exchange.

    ¡°Can I send a message?¡±

    Raas and Avrio protested, but Dimitrios pushed the plate through the bars. He wasn¡¯t entirely under their thumb.

    Me { There will be consequences¡­ How could you be so reckless? But I¡¯ll do anything¡­ Even be a sacrifice }

    Louis { Juliet is out. Hold on¡­ I¡¯ll have to come for you. Or she will get up and do it herself }

    I smiled and handed him the glass plate back. ¡°You don¡¯t have much time.¡±

    He read the messages and growled. All of them left the room.

    ***

    Marcus

    I stood right next to Kubra when he stuck Charlene with the poker. I had always seen him as my second in command. Someone I could trust. At that moment, he had become a true brother. Although we had no chance to talk and figure out the new dynamics of our relationship, our family was growing, and I wanted to make more of an effort. Charlene didn¡¯t fall down to the ground. Kubra did. In an instant, I knew it worked. We all did and stood at attention. Even a shocked Beatrice gripped the side of the couch, seeing Charlene convulse and change into all three. Out of control and raging. I didn¡¯t think provoking her would help, so we stood clear, but she teleported and was gone. We had no idea what to do. I looked up to see Juliet¡¯s reaction, but she had also disappeared. So did Michael and Louis. We didn¡¯t know if Charlene would challenge everyone, but we still had to find Brylee¡¯s husband, and the fear that she would end up in front of him or their next ruler was a possibility. Juliet was pregnant, and if Charlene hurt her¡­ I shook my head. No one ever took in all the consequences.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Jessy came running through the door. ¡°Where is everyone?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Michael got pulled out or something¡­ I don¡¯t know what happened, but Juliet went after him, and Louis went after her.¡±

    ¡°Carl, get Kubra to a room¡­ What a freaking mess. Jessy, you better go find her. If something happens to her. I¡¯ll have your head.¡±

    Beatrice was enjoying the show. ¡°I told you! You, young people, have no idea what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°Not to be rude, but old people seem to know just as little¡­¡± She smiled. ¡°And did Ira not learn the hard way that telling young people what to do is usually the catalyst¡­ Urgh¡­ I¡¯ll listen to you later. Are you okay here? I need to go find this new creature we created¡­ Do you have any idea what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Beatrice just laughed, shaking her head. ¡°Juliet said I might not like you.¡±

    ¡°Urgh!¡± I stomped out. ¡°Carl!¡±

    Carl came back from the bedrooms. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go see if she is still on Earth.¡±

    ¡°Kind of cool, isn¡¯t it,¡± Carl said as we walked down the road. ¡°Charlene is going to be stoked.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure. Super Cool. If your girlfriend kills my wife¡­ You¡¯re next, and then we will really see what it all means. Human on human.¡±

    Carl didn¡¯t say anything. We could always talk, and the same was true with Kubra; there was no time to bond with everyone. I realized that there were other relationships I would have to work on. Carl was one of those people in Juliet¡¯s life more important than me. Didn¡¯t she say they were higher on the pecking order? He sat down at the computers and typed in a few things. The GPS chip we had planted into her neck was loading on the screen, but nothing came up.

    ¡°She¡¯s not on Earth. F-,¡± Carl said with a boom. ¡°We should have had that sword ready.¡±

    ¡°Or a net.¡± I picked up a glass plate and sent Chris a message.

    Me { Any sign of Charlene? }

    Chris { Take it she is all three? But no. }

    Me { Yes, and she¡¯s not on Earth }

    Chris { Not good. If she dies at the hands of the werewolves. Kubra dies }

    I also swore loudly, and Carl stood to read over my shoulder and gripped my arm.

    Me { Will you come help. Juliet disappeared as well. Don¡¯t go traveling to find her }

    Chris { We¡¯re coming. Stopping in En-gannim to check in at the command center }

    Me { See you soon }

    ¡°I have no idea what to do?¡± I said to Jessy.

    He was more nervous than anyone and sat with his head in his hands. ¡°I¡¯m going to En-gannim. We can¡¯t do anything from here.¡± Jessy said and jumped up.

    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s all leave.¡±

    ***

    By the time Carl and I settled everything in France and Kubra in his room on En-gannim, Jessy gave us an update on everything that had happened and that Juliet was unconscious and in the med bay. Anger jumped up in my breast. Louis, Chris, and Ira were standing over a bed. There was a baby on it¡­ Nothing I had ever seen¡­ I passed them to check in on Juliet. ¡°Is the baby okay?¡± I asked the doctor who was hovering.

    ¡°Yes, they are both fine. She is only tired.¡±

    ¡°I think we should lock her up,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°For seven months?¡± Louis asked. ¡°Come, we need to get Michael back, and they said tomorrow. We need to start planning how we will exchange the baby for Michael.¡±

    ¡°She did it for him¡­ And here we do not even like the guy.¡±

    Louis took a deep breath. Chris and Ira were playing with the baby. ¡°They aren¡¯t much different from us¡­ Should I go get a wet nurse from Zoreah?¡± Chris asked.

    Louis nodded. Ira and Chris left again with Beatrice in tow. She turned before leaving, ¡°Thanks for the show, boys. And the eyes. And that you came to get me.¡±

    ¡°Any time,¡± Louis said, smiling. He held open his arms for a hug.

    She shooed him away. ¡°Juliet said I would like you.¡±

    I snorted and sat down on a chair. ¡°Any ideas?¡± I asked Louis when he joined me. Jessy and Carl had taken Chris¡¯s place at the baby. Everyone seemed fascinated by yet another race.

    ¡°We can¡¯t do it on their planet,¡± Louis said.

    ¡°No¡­¡± My gaze traveled to the girl on the bed. Her color was gone, and the wounds were bleeding a little. My breath became shallow, and I didn¡¯t know if I could do it. Juliet had put Michael¡¯s life before our child.

    Another thing I wouldn¡¯t be able to do, not yet. He had not proven himself and was a constant uncertainty. Louis reached out and took my hand. The constant touching and reassurance from Juliet, her parents, and Louis had made me a little more used to it. But Juliet was not proving to me that I meant anything. Louis squeezed my hand.

    ***

    Charlene

    Well, I got what I wanted. Out of control and utterly lucid like everyone told me I would be. A hunger that I couldn¡¯t explain. Feelings I had no idea what to do with. Glad that I couldn¡¯t see myself in a mirror just yet. Did I turn to all three like Michael? I lifted up my hand, holding up a paw instead of my tiny human hands. I wanted to flip out¡­ Jump up and down, so I did with a big smile spread across my mouth¡­ Glad that I wasn¡¯t only human anymore¡­ What was I? I sat up. There were carcasses all around me, rotting flesh, and the smell didn¡¯t even overpower me. My legs stretched out underneath me... I was so high off the ground, not on all fours... Riphath. Not bad. Instant guts. My cowardly feelings of not being able to protect myself were out the window. How useless I felt on the boat... It reminded me of how scared I was at the cages that night seeing a full-moon Werewolf for the first time. How pathetic I was¡­ I shook my head, fighting the fog. It should be over¡­ Why wasn¡¯t it going away if I had eaten¡­ I couldn¡¯t remember much¡­ Unless the planet I was on had other effects on us¡­ All the worlds were different.  I didn¡¯t recognize anything around me. I wasn¡¯t on Earth, that was for sure.

    It was all glass around me, framed with a sea blue color of stone. Soft, white sandy floor. Did I teleport to another freaking planet? Was it Zoreah? Their sand was red... Kubra crossed my mind¡­ It had worked. Inwardly, my chest tightened at the thought. The fear was there that he didn¡¯t really know what love was. That Qadir had broken him, and he had no heart left but the need for a family. But he had done it. Whatever he and Juliet had talked about had changed his mind¡­ And¡­ The branding had worked. He really did love me¡­ And I loved him. Another smile that felt off with all the teeth and the strange skin I would have to get used to. I reached out to touch the weird ears, and my tail brushed my side. I jolted, laughing at myself, thinking it was a bug.  ¡°You will not feel good for some time.¡± My body spun around and rammed the glass with a force I was acutely aware of.

    I braced for shattering¡­ Not even a dent or sound. All I created was a thud, and my creature shook its head after the impact. It felt like I was in a severe hangover. I chastised myself that I didn¡¯t teleport¡­ Why could I not teleport? Creature-proof prisons were all of a sudden a thing with Juliet and her nets, and I glanced around, trying to find the voice. It was dark all around me. All I saw was the outline of a figure on the other side of my jail cell. A jolt flowed through my body. My flat paws on the glass changed to hands with long black nails, trying to dig into the glass. It worked, and I scratched heavy dents into the glass. Vampire. Fully grown and powerful.

    ¡°What are you? Why do you change?¡± The voice said from the shadows.

    I turned and pulled down my pants. It was hard to see, but the gold was on my skin. The figure came closer to see what I was looking at. I peeked at my butt under my shoulder, turning to show him. Kubra had chosen something without telling me. I smiled, rubbing my fingers over the tattoo. It was a clock with Roman numerals. A beautiful geometrical sun behind them. The whole picture was framed in two lateral shapes. Lots of frills all around¡­ It was beautiful. The arms on the clock kept moving. Emotions bubbled up again. I was on one hell of a roller coaster.

    The man came slowly forward out of the dark so I could see his face. The roof was also glass, and he was dimly lit in a sliver of moonlight. ¡°Are there humans all over the universe?¡± I whispered more to myself.

    He had dark skin... Bushy, frizzy hair that rested on his shoulders. An afro thick around his face. The hair was soft and almost brown, not black.

    ¡°Where am I? How long have I been here?¡±

    ¡°In there¡­ Only a night. You appeared next to my bed. In a rage, wanting to kill me. But you aren¡¯t a fighter¡­ You have basic skills, but you lack skill.¡±

    I knew that¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have gone to med school¡­ I should¡¯ve stayed with Juliet and learned from Marcus and Kubra. But he was right¡­ I wasn¡¯t a fighter. That was all, Juliet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. Didn¡¯t really have control¡­ Don¡¯t worry. As soon as I can figure out how I work¡­ I¡¯ll probably leave.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I have no freaking clue.¡±

    ¡°If I let you out, will you try and eat me again.¡±

    I laughed lightly. ¡°Probably¡­ Maybe safe to keep me in here for a few more days.¡±

    Even though his brows were upwards and scowling, the corner of his mouth turned up. His skin was so silky and clean. It was weird. I didn¡¯t feel like killing him. He didn¡¯t seem hostile. No little voice warning me¡­ He had to be the planet¡¯s ruler if I came out in front of him¡­ But why? I was just glad that I didn¡¯t go to the next Werewolf ruler. Who would have killed me already.

    He stepped even closer and unlocked the door. I was hesitant to leave the cell. Felt a little safer away from a stranger who could do¡­ who knows what to me. He smiled at my reluctance. I took one step and stopped. My eyes widened¡­ The ugliest, tallest alien creature walked past the cell. My feet stepped back by themselves when the thing glared at me. Its tread was heavy and loud even in the sand.

    The man smiled again, nodding at the alien. ¡°You are not going to turn into that, are you?¡± He frowned and shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re not going to sacrifice me to some god? Throw me down into a volcano?¡±

    He dropped his head and chuckled.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to rape me or give me to your men as a snack?¡±

    ¡°What is rape?¡±

    ¡°Take me by force.¡±

    ¡°Take you where?¡± He leaned on the door frame. Arms crossed over his chest, waiting for me to decide if I would come out.

    I had to laugh. The slight stiffness up my back left me. I was going back to human form. He lifted himself up, peering down at me. I was small and short. He was tall and well-built. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen me like this yet, have you.¡±

    ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± He whispered.

    My eyebrows cocked. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a female of your own?¡±

    His deep-set eyes were transfixed¡­ I waved my hand in front of his face. ¡°You¡¯re not so bad yourself¡­ But really, have you never seen a girl before? Staring is rude.¡±

    He closed the small distance between us. Turned me this way and that way. ¡°You could at least tell me your name before you touch me.¡± My words didn¡¯t seem to have any effect on him. He was feeling my hair, running it through his fingers. His hand hovered over my face.

    ¡°High cheekbones¡­¡± He said as his finger started tracing my features. ¡°Small pointy nose¡­ Expressive eyes.¡± His gaze landed on my lips. ¡°Full and a small grove here¡­. My name is Romero.¡± He said in a low whisper.

    ¡°My name is Charlene.¡±

 A Whole New World

    152. A Whole New World

    Charlene

    Before his fingers brushed my lips, I shied away. ¡°Do you even know what personal space is?¡±

    ¡°Per¡­sonal¡­ space?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, like this. Hold out your arm.¡± He did, and I did the same, doubling the distance between us. I spun in a circle. ¡°This area is mine¡­ Where I come from, entering someone¡¯s space is a form of invasion if the other person does not give permission.¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­ but necessary for mating.¡±

    ¡°Was that a joke?¡±

    Romero gave me a saucy smile.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a mating ritual?¡±

    He didn¡¯t answer. Very cautious with what to tell me. I felt that I was talking more than I should, but it was nothing new. I suffered from verbal diarrhea. He turned so that there was space for me to pass him and held out his arm. I took the gap. The cell was getting a bit heated. None of the other cubicles had anyone in them.

    ¡°Was I your first criminal?¡±

    Romero kept his distance from me, his eyes following my gaze, saying nothing. I tried to stay human. He kept watching me. Vigilant for any sudden movements. Maybe it was necessary. I didn¡¯t feel like I would do anything because I was still a little out of it. But I couldn¡¯t resist. I jumped in the air and scared him with outstretched arms. Not even one flinch. Great, another Marcus¡­

    Outside, Romero passed me and let me follow him. I was a little distracted with taking in the scenery. It seemed that they didn¡¯t have any form of transportation or fish-ridden boats because we only kept walking and walking. I had a hard time moving or keeping up with him. After what felt like half an hour, we moved into a residential area and along a narrow walkway. I could see nothing besides the buildings that covered both sides as far as we traveled. Walking for another hour left me weak and my eyes gauging where to put my next step. Fumbling, I said at last, ¡°I have to take a break.¡±

    Hesitantly, he came back to me. ¡°Charlene¡­ Can I pick you up? To carry you.¡±

    I didn¡¯t protest and nodded. He bent down on one knee and waited so I could get on his back. ¡°A piggyback ride? This is like all Juliet¡¯s Korean dramas,¡± I said.

    ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­¡± I let my head fall on his shoulder.

    He was strong and carried me easily. His hands were holding onto my thighs. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked softly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know? I feel sleepy.¡±

    I closed my eyes and didn¡¯t wake up till the following day.

    Romero was on the bed next to me, shaking me softly. ¡°Charlene. You have to wake up. We need to see if you are okay.¡±

    I felt myself change¡­ Lifted my hand or paw in front of my face. Romero stood up immediately and away from the bed. ¡°What did you give me? It feels like I¡¯m still drugged. Or is it the planet?¡± My voice was more of a growl¡­ I was a Werewolf and lifted my hand to feel the new features. I didn¡¯t like it and pulled my lips up in the one manifestation I could do without. I probably looked like a dog growling at an opponent.

    So I tried to relax, watching Romero¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°How many forms do you have?¡±

    ¡°Just four¡­¡±

    ¡°You were rather big¡­ so we might have overdone the dose. I do not think our environment is the problem.¡±

    He helped me up. I wasn¡¯t as tall as earlier, but I still towered over him. Unlike Marcus¡¯s stoic features, Romero¡¯s face was rather bold and cocky but still pensive in a way. His low-set brows scowled at my new face staring down at him. It bothered me, and he was not telling me why I unsettled him like that. ¡°I¡¯m trying to change, but can you stomach me like this.¡± My voice sounded deep and scary. It was strange that Werewolves could talk on other planets but not on Earth. ¡°Do you have mirrors here?¡± Maybe I was that ugly.

    ¡°Mirrors?¡±

    ¡°Reflection? I want to see myself.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Only water.¡±

    The room I had slept in was spacious and modern. They had furniture and linen, curtains, and ornaments everywhere. It didn¡¯t seem like another world at all. Our human natures must have, at some point, overlapped.

    We left his home... Their star was very close. It was almost scorching outside. I peered up into the sky. They had a massive moon so close to the planet that it seemed almost unreal for the daytime. I turned back to look at the building we exited and gasped. It was beautiful, out of an Arabian fiction. Pillars and dome-shaped roofs.  The sand piled around the sides where there was not an entrance. Built from white stone and metals with a lot of windows that arched to the top. I took in the scenery. All over, there were similar buildings. Some were smaller, and others the same size, with a lot of space in between. In the distance, a palace, grand and ostentatious. No roads, nor any plants or walkways. Only soft white sand.

    We walked again for some time, entering a building not far from where I had slept. It was stunning. Through the entrance, white-barked trees lined a walkway to somewhere. No leaves. Barren branches grew up until they reached another glass roof. I could hear water running as we slowly made our way through the enormous passage. It was a fountain filling a circle around it. The water overflowed from there to other rooms. ¡°Can I drink from here?¡±

    He was being the perfect host. Romero quickly opened a cabinet on the side of the wall, took out a cup, and filled it. I wanted to drink but couldn¡¯t. The cup didn¡¯t really want to play along with the lack of my opposable thumbs. He laughed lightly and held out his hand to the water. I bent down like a dog, drinking until I was satisfied. All the while watching my reflection in the water. Being a dog would be my least favorite manifestation. My gut said that it was too good to be true. He was being too nice. The place, too, like Earth¡­ Being a little more alert and the drugs finally out of my system, my cautious side came back into full swing. Charlene was still there somewhere.

    ¡°Do you believe that it is accidental when two people meet?¡± Romero asked.

    It was a strange question. I just thought I needed to be more aware of him, and there he was, asking me a very normal person-type question. ¡°Like fate?¡± I ventured, wondering what was going on.

    ¡°Fate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the universe or gods has it all mapped out?¡± I suggested. I never believe in any of it. But after being thrusted into a supernatural world, you couldn¡¯t stay ignorant anymore.

    ¡°It was destined to be¡­ Before we even met.¡± Romero said softly, his eyes on the water.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Did Romero think that we were destined to meet? ¡°I¡¯ve come to believe in providence¡­ And time¡­ Everything happens for a reason¡­ Why?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Just asking. Trying to figure out what you are. Where you came from. What your reasons are for living.¡±

    He was only fishing. I relaxed a little. ¡°That is a lot of questions¡­ Where I come from, you can know someone all your life and then¡­ One day. They decide to¡­ change¡­ For better or for worse, and there isn¡¯t anything you can do about it.¡±

    His big, bushy, black eyebrows almost touched. ¡°That is a sad way of life.¡±

    My heart was not racing anymore, and I felt myself change. It would take me a while to figure out how it worked at all. His shoulders lowered a tad when I was human. Fascination in his eyes. Like he had never seen a white person before. ¡°Did I tell you how beautiful you are?¡± He said.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    I giggled, putting my hands in my back pockets. From talking about fate to telling me I was beautiful. He got game.

    We heard voices coming down the walkway. It sounded like women. Two dark-skinned females walked towards us. Intrigued, their eyes drifted up and down my person, speaking to each other about me but not to me.

    ¡°She really is light.¡± The one said.

    ¡°Is everyone dark here?¡± I asked. Romero nodded. ¡°We have never seen someone as fair as you. With hair as soft and white.¡±

    The one woman¡¯s hair was braided and hanging in dreads down her back. The other tied up on her head. Lots of jewelry and paint on their face. One wore a dark dress, and the other was in a creamed color two-piece.

    ¡°Mother wants to meet her.¡±

    It was his sisters. They were a beautiful family. I knew how Juliet must have felt on Zoreah.

    ¡°I will take her as soon as I feed her. It seems she is better when she eats.¡±

    Again, they talked about me in the third person. It pissed me off. My emotions bubbled up too quickly. I didn¡¯t go through all that for others to still treat me as if I couldn¡¯t take care of myself.

    ¡°How do you speak the same language as me?¡± My tone was clipped.

    Romero¡¯s brow creased again. I wondered if it was a common thing for him to frown. ¡°Books. Learning. School¡­¡±

    ¡°Books?¡±

    He held out his hand. Reluctantly, I placed mine in his, not wanting to offend him. He led me upstairs into a room so big that it put our libraries to shame. Not even Marcus¡¯s room at the compound had so many shelves.

    ¡°This is our family¡¯s books. We learn here.¡±

    ¡°Your family?¡±

    ¡°All the houses you saw in the sand are a village. Our family stays together. Each one has a house, but we are all related¡­ Do you have a family?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t remember when I last talked to my parents. At the funeral was the first time I had seen them in years. They didn¡¯t even know about Min¨¦ or Kubra. Had a million questions about Juliet over dinner. After that, we got drunk.

    ¡°Yes¡­ I have a family. Not blood family but people that love me.¡±

    ¡°I understand¡­ Not everybody here has blood families. They live in buildings far away from the villages like ours¡­ I will go show you when you are feeling better.¡±

    I picked up a book, letting go of his hand. For some reason, I felt a little better. It was all information, history, or science.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°Michael?¡± I whispered.

    ¡°He¡¯s not here, baby,¡± Louis said.

    ¡°How long?¡±

    It was quiet around the bed.

    ¡°How long?!¡± I asked louder.

    ¡°A few days.¡±

    I sat up slowly. ¡°The baby?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s here. They opted to wait until Fahan woke up. Or at least the mother.¡±

    I scanned my body. ¡°Get my clothes.¡±

    ¡°Everyone out!¡± Chris ordered in a loud voice. I groaned, my chin lifting to the roof in defeat. He was going to use his authority on me. Keep me there¡­

    The room cleared. ¡°You can¡¯t keep doing this, Chris,¡± I said, irritated.

    When he didn¡¯t answer, I turned around. It was Marcus sitting on the bed. I snorted when our eyes met over my shoulder. He smiled at me. ¡°Using my one weakness¡­ Not fair.¡± Marcus got up and stood behind me, running his hands over my shoulders and down my arms. It did help a little.

    ¡°Julie, can you give us a little bit more credit.¡± He bent down and kissed me on my neck. ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand how worried we all were.¡±

    ¡°Would you die for him? All you care about is the baby.¡± I closed my eyes anyway, enjoying the touch I had not had in a very long time.

    ¡°That¡¯s unfair¡­ And yes¡­ I would, of course¡­ whether I do it or you¡­ Does it matter? When you die, I die. But our baby doesn¡¯t need to¡­ We can at least give him a chance.¡±

    I laughed lightly. ¡°You already sure it would be a strapping, bouncing baby boy?¡±

    Marcus walked around the bed and came to stand in front of me. ¡°Can you at least eat before you make any decisions?¡±

    His hands were roaming my face, touching my cheeks, trailing my lips. ¡°You haven¡¯t even asked about Charlene?¡± My eyes came up to meet his. I had forgotten about her. Michael sitting somewhere rotting away¡­ consumed me. It was half of the reason why I slept with Soren. ¡°She disappeared right after¡­ Teleported, and we can¡¯t find her.¡±

    I slid my arms around him and moved closer to him, happy that Charlene had gotten what she wanted but worried that she might¡¯ve ended up somewhere dangerous. My head rested on his chest. ¡°I can¡¯t leave him there. Not again. I¡¯m not waiting seven months¡­ I¡¯m the only one that can do this safely and bring him back.¡±

    Marcus lifted my chin with his thumbs and pressed his lips onto mine. I pulled away. ¡°You don¡¯t want to kiss me right now. Trust me.¡± My face was still firmly in his hands. He pushed me up and kissed me again, and one hand slid behind my head. My wounds were almost completely healed. Covered by bandages, but I could feel little pain. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s not the only one here¡­ You have to think about us as a whole¡­ You can¡¯t treat every relationship as the only one that matters.¡±

    I pushed him away and got off the bed. A little dizzy, he held me around my waist. ¡°That¡¯s not what you said when you wanted the baby. You didn¡¯t care about Michael then, either. We haven¡¯t even talked about that comment you made¡­¡±

    Marcus held me close to his body, whispering into my ear. ¡°It¡¯s not the same. He wouldn¡¯t want you to go in there alone either.¡±

    ¡°You guys can¡¯t go. Give them more leverage over us.¡± He turned me so that we were face to face.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you¡­ Not to do this alone.¡± Marcus picked me up and took me to the feeding room. I didn¡¯t even have the strength to kill anything. It was one of those creatures we had at the embassy. ¡°Where did you get it?¡±

    ¡°Ira got it for you¡­ They come from Palmyra. They have been going over there. He and Silvanus.¡±

    Marcus was irritated and trying hard not to lose his temper. I didn¡¯t even react to the smell. There was no way I could help Michael without help. He took out his emotions on the poor thing, killed it, and dragged it over to me.

    After, I lay on the floor for a long time. Marcus had joined me and was right next to me. I held up my hand to him. He didn¡¯t hesitate to lick my fingers. Eating did help. Marcus talking to me helped. He pulled me up so we sat facing each other. Legs crossed. He handed me a glass plate.

    ¡°Read it.¡±

    I wiped my hands clean on a rag. Michael had been sending them messages. Michael, who wanted to be another sacrifice, made me want to jump up and run over there. But the rest seemed that they were treating him okay. It wasn¡¯t like Rodrigo. I hoped. ¡°He¡¯s fine¡­ Let¡¯s wait till the mother wakes up from her three-day sleep¡­ We would have exchanged them already, but there seems to be no place. If you weren¡¯t pregnant, I would send you in there. I know you¡¯re able and capable of so much, Julie. You¡¯ve proven yourself¡­ Over and over. But you don¡¯t have to do it alone. I won¡¯t let anything happen to him.¡±

    I was pregnant and emotional and didn¡¯t want to fight with him. Michael and Chris told me I should stay young, and Marcus and Louis wanted me to grow up. The age gap was getting more complicated to manage than I had thought. ¡°Okay¡­¡± I said after thinking it through.

    Marcus seemed surprised, and I chuckled. ¡°I thought I was going to have to get Chris in here to deal with you.¡±

    I reached out and slid my hands up his thigh, thumbing my way to where I wanted to be. ¡°You¡¯re not doing so bad¡­ I love the fact that we¡¯re talking¡­ Marcus, I didn¡¯t send Soren away just because of Chris¡­ You have to know¡­ I would do almost anything for you. If you had asked¡­¡±

    He laughed and stood up. ¡°You might just be horny¡­ Come. You need to take a shower and brush your teeth so you will let me kiss you properly.¡±

    ¡°And sort me out?¡±

    He shook his head, ¡°Talking¡­ Who would ever have thought?¡±

    ***

    Michael

    The mother wasn¡¯t happy at all when she came stomping up to me after her sleep. Dimitrios, trying to calm her. ¡°How could you wait three days. Who knows what they are doing to him. We have to exchange them back.¡±

    They had treated me well. I was even fed a few times.

    ¡°Where would you want us to have this exchange? They do not trust us and refuse to set foot on our soil.¡±

    ¡°You go get him.¡± Her voice was rising.

    ¡°How? They will keep both. Fahan would be furious if I lost the Riphath and his son. Do you think if there was any way we could do it without risk, I would not have done it already? They hold all the cards. Knows everything about us.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to tell me we will have to wait till Fahan wakes up?¡±

    ¡°I am afraid we have no choice.¡±

    Inwardly, I groaned. It gave Juliet two weeks to heal even more. Nothing I said wanted to convince them that we would never go back on our word. I had tried everything. Made plans for them and conjured up scenarios of how to get it done. I wanted out and knew when Fahan woke up. It was going to be a disaster.

 Fate

    153. Fate

    Romero

    Charlene and I entered my parent¡¯s palace. She was very curious, and her eyes took in everything around her. My mother was on her throne as usual when meeting someone new. Her brood of younger children were all around the chair, sitting quietly. A caretaker in the corner. My father was standing next to the chair. All in their finest clothes. Had to make a good impression.

    ¡°Mother. Father¡­ meet Charlene.¡±

    My mother rarely smiled. Her gaze traveled up and down the young woman by my side. The corner of her mouth turned upward when she was done. I pouted my lips, surprised that she was impressed. My father and I shared a look.

    ¡°It is nice to meet you, Charlene.¡± My father said, walking towards her. A massive smile on his face. He was the nice one. Friendly and joked more than he ought. He stretched out his arm.

    Charlene stared at it for a long time. Her eyes narrowed for a second. She took it. ¡°You too.¡± Her voice strained. I wondered what she must be thinking.

    ¡°This is my mate, Imani.¡±

    ¡°My name is Yazen. You can call us by our names.¡±

    Charlene didn¡¯t move. My mother was also not going to get up. She nodded at Charlene, and that was that.

    ¡°Would you like to sit down?¡± I asked.

    She looked around the room. Two servants brought us pillows. I sat down, and Charlene followed my example. My father moved back to his original spot. ¡°So¡­ Tell us more about yourself.¡±

    ¡°What would you like to know.¡±

    ¡°Tell us about your field of expertise.¡±

    ¡°Medicine.¡±

    ¡°Are you a healer as well?¡±

    ¡°In training. A little young to be qualified.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I hope Romero has been treating you well.¡±

    ¡°He has been the perfect host. I have to thank you for welcoming me¡­ The way I arrived and all.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± My father asked.

    ¡°Is there any way that you have ships that can travel into space?¡±

    ¡°Ships?¡± My father seemed intrigued. I was, too. Did not like the fact that she was thinking about leaving. Our lives were rather dull. Charlene was the most exciting thing that had happened in a long time.

    ¡°We do not have the materials that would warrant¡­ space travel.¡± He said.

    Charlene shook her head. ¡°We have seen so many species, and not one has the ability to venture into space¡­ Where I come from. The planet is somewhat obsessed with it.¡±

    ¡°How far has your world come¡­ in that regard?¡±

    Charlene laughed lightly. ¡°It¡¯s up for debate¡­. ¡±

    ¡°But you are here.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I am¡­ More supernaturally drawn here.¡± Charlene¡¯s gaze rested on me. ¡°Why is it that I landed in front of you? And not your parents?¡±

    ¡°Oh, our kingdoms are ruled by the oldest in the family... When they come of age.¡± My father said. ¡°We are retired¡­ Have been for hundreds of years.¡±

    ***

    Our meeting with my parents did not last long. The children soon got bored, and we were excused. Charlene didn¡¯t ask any more questions, and my parents did not either. The three of us knew why she was there¡­ It was more to see how much they understood. Charlene was being very cautious. Although she spoke a lot, she was not opening up¡­ I hoped that time would remedy that.

    For the rest of the day, I let her be at my home. Went about my day and checked in on her when the star was setting. She was not at my house. I found her in the book room, sitting at a table, going through many of our scripts.

    ¡°You have to tell me if you want to practice your manifestations. I can take you to where we train for combat. It would be a controlled environment. You don¡¯t have to be scared that you will do something.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that I would be on an unknown planet after the¡­.¡± She trailed off.

    Unfortunately, Charlene had taken away the one thing I could do to make her feel better. Our abilities were in our touch. It was going to be difficult to put her at ease¡­ I decided to give her a few days. Just let her be. But at the fountain after her Werewolf manifestation, I had no choice. ¡°You know¡­ I do not think you have to trouble yourself too much. When you are ready¡­ like you said¡­ You will go back¡­ just the way you came.¡±

    She sighed, rubbing her palms over her eyes, elbows propped up on the desk. ¡°You¡¯re right. I tend to overthink. Worry too much.¡±

    ¡°That might be the problem in the first place¡­ abilities have a lot to do with inner strength and practice and¡­ letting go.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have alcohol, do you?¡± She asked.

    We did¡­ But her wanting to be less in control was not the way to grow character. And I was not going to drink with her and make it even harder on myself. I was attracted to her. Intrigued. Too curious for my own good.

    ¡°Could we rather try something else¡­ I do not want you to get hurt. If you can travel across planets, you might end up somewhere¡­.¡±

    ¡°Less friendly.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    ¡°You seem to know a lot about the universe, but nothing recorded in any of these books.¡±

    ¡°These books are for children. Basics¡­ The secrets to our race and species are locked up somewhere else. We guard it with our lives.¡±

    She sat back, raising her eyes to the roof. Charlene was a little intense and had no confidence. It was a strange combination to me. ¡°Come, let me make you a home-cooked meal. For a person, not a creature¡­ You have to remember that you will always be¡­ What do you call yourself?¡±

    ¡°Human? Aren¡¯t you human?¡±

    ¡°Human¡­ No, that¡¯s not what we call ourselves.¡± It seemed that she did not want to get up, so I sat  across from her and held out a hand. Her face gave away most of her emotions. She was not in control of herself at all. Slowly, she put her hand in mine. I covered hers with my other. I was not ready to show her my power or tell her about it, but a little would not matter. ¡°You seem like the type of person that judges herself¡­ thinking that others would not if you do.¡±

    The lines on her forehead subsided. Her hand squeezed mine. ¡°You¡¯ve lived for a very long time?¡± She said.

    I nodded.

    ¡°I have only twenty-one years¡­ We only grow up around seventeen if we¡¯re female. Boys tend to wait until they are thirty. We only live till we are a hundred.¡±

    My hand clutched her instinctively. Only twenty-one years. I had thought that she would be hundreds of years old, at least. I was dealing with a child. One that knew more than they ought. How could I expect anything from her? I would have to go slower. It all made sense. ¡°I am¡­ how did you say¡­ Sorry¡­ That you are away from your family and friends. Do you miss them terribly?¡± I kept rubbing my hand over hers, letting the power seep through my skin. If she was that young¡­ Who would have branded her? How could she be so invested in someone?

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    When she smiled and the tiredness and circles under them left, I let her go and got up. She wouldn¡¯t even have known what I had done. ¡°Come. Let¡¯s go eat a proper meal, and we can go to bed early.¡±

    ***

    Charlene

    Every day I woke up was like¡­ Blissful ignorance of anything else. I felt hazy and happy. Contented with whatever may be. The rest of the universe had disappeared from my mind. The few years of study had been tiring. I had very few breaks, and being on holiday felt terrific. Romero was so hospitable that he showed me everything he thought would please me. The beauty that surrounded them. It was strange that they were letting me live with Romero. But I wasn¡¯t going to complain. I felt safest with him.

    Because there was no transport, we were stuck to a specific area of the planet. They didn¡¯t go anywhere other than their village or the neighboring cities. But it didn¡¯t bother me. Walking was a good time to train and to practice my teleporting. Romero was helping me a lot. I was actually glad that I had come out in front of him. I didn¡¯t think Michael or Chris would have had the time to take me under their wing. Juliet was pregnant again, and it would¡¯ve been difficult for her to make time for me¡­ Running an Entire planet didn¡¯t help. I would¡¯ve felt wrong to push myself into her life like that. It wasn¡¯t only her that had let our relationship deteriorate a little. I could have, like Carl, given up my own pursuits to follow her around and learn from them. I understood why Kubra did it. There was a type of safety in loyalty. I just wasn¡¯t ready to bend the knee for her. Listen to her orders. I didn¡¯t even think that was what she would have wanted.

    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Romero asked. ¡°You seem distant today.¡±

    It had been almost two weeks, and when I woke up, I was happy. But by the end of the day, my homesickness sunk in. I missed Kubra. Even if we did have a rocky few months¡­ He had been there for me. And I could not let go of that thought. He would wait for me after school and help me with whatever I needed. I was sure he would¡¯ve been able to help me more with my new creature side than anyone else. He even stayed with us for the funeral and watched us while we got drunk¡­ I took a heavy breath. The branding had done something to my feelings, and in very creature form, I felt different about him.

    I always judged Juliet for running after Chris and being too easy when doing all she had to make the relationship work. She didn¡¯t take crap, but she forgave just as quickly. Her heart was too open¡­ And she had gotten so hurt over the last four years¡­ I wouldn¡¯t have survived. But being away from Kubra¡­ And having Romero do precisely the same thing. I realized that I wasn¡¯t putting any effort into my relationship with Kubra.

    I stopped and stretched out my hand towards Romero. His lips were so thick. His jawline was strong. A big nose. I couldn¡¯t figure out what color his eyes were. For a change, I had taken him by surprise. His eyes met mine, and he drew in a deep breath. I figured if physical touch meant something in their culture, it would be good for me to make an effort to show him that I accepted him. The few days we had spent together had been peaceful. He had given me so much space¡­ But I was getting sick of space. All I had my whole life was space from others. It was my own fault. If it wasn¡¯t for Juliet, who shoved herself into my life. Carl, who followed her and made sure we became the best of friends¡­ I didn¡¯t know where I would be.

    Before he could take my hand, a tear rolled down my cheek. I missed Carl and Juliet. ¡°What is that?¡± He asked as my fingers brushed it off.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you cry?¡±

    ¡°Cry?¡±

    ¡°Sad?¡±

    ¡°Are you¡­sad?¡± I had not seen him worried before. I nodded. ¡°Did I make you sad?¡±

    ¡°You¡­?¡± I chuckled. ¡°No¡­ You make me very happy.¡±

    His brow furrowed. ¡°What has gotten into you?¡±

    My eyes flickered past his shoulder. When he said it¡­ I realized that I had to be close to my period. I had never asked Juliet what it entailed. We didn¡¯t know how anything would work. I was all three. Would I have four periods? My nose wrinkled at the thought. I¡¯d jump off a bridge. I chuckled to myself.

    Romero shook his head. ¡°First, you are sad¡­ Now you are happy.¡±

    I laughed louder. I could understand why he treated me like a child, but I hated it. In four years on Earth, I would¡¯ve been a doctor. Being the factor between life and death for a person. The older the creatures got, the fewer emotions they had. They didn¡¯t trust young ones. Even his parents had been guarded in what to tell me. As if they understood the branding, but we were all walking in circles around the topic. I didn¡¯t even know what Romero was¡­ Or where I was. If I would ever get home. More tears rolled down my cheeks. I was having a meltdown in the street. My face contorted, trying to hold back the tears.

    ¡°I do not care anymore. I am invading your space.¡± Romero strutted purposefully over to me and wrapped me in his arms. I was sobbing when I could cling to someone. What if I never saw Min¨¦ again? Would Juliet find me like she did, Chris? Would we all be hundreds of years old before we saw each other again? His hold on me tightened.

    ***

    Caleb

    ¡°Pssst.¡±

    Michael¡¯s head turned over his shoulder. His eyes widened, and he scanned the room. Then, his jaw flexed. But it was the middle of the night. All the guards were sleeping except the one patrolling outside. ¡°WTF are you doing here?¡± He growled low in his throat. I liked Michael and laughed, sitting back against a table, hiding from the rest of the room.

    ¡°We¡¯re worried about you. And stop cussing.¡± He let the breath go he was holding. ¡°And I¡¯m getting tired of everybody treating me like a child.¡±

    He laughed too loud. He clapped his hand over his mouth. But no one even stirred. Even if he did laugh, would they know what made the noise?

    ¡°You¡¯re so much like your mother.¡±

    ¡°She is distraught, trying to pretend, but she¡¯s not fooling anyone.¡±

    Michael¡¯s head dropped between his knees. ¡°Should I try and get you out?¡±

    ¡°Under no circumstances. I¡¯m fine¡­ Look at me. They haven¡¯t even hooked me up to that thing yet¡­ All I am is bored.¡±

    I took out the iPhone in my pocket and pushed it at him. He laughed again. ¡°Downloads,¡± we said at the same time.

    ¡°Caleb, I would feel a whole lot better if you would leave. I appreciate you coming and checking up on me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been here every night. Had to first make sure of their routine and when was the best.¡±

    It seemed that he would scold me¡­ ¡°Caleb¡­ If anything happened to you¡­ I don¡¯t think your mom would survive.¡±

    ¡°She has to get over it. Kids die.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­. rough¡­. Why would you say that?¡±

    I was quiet.

    ¡°For someone as peaceful as you¡­ I don¡¯t want you to become hardened by everything that is happening¡­ Your mom always wanted to be happy¡­ But that dream of hers was stolen from her. If we treat you like a child, it¡¯s because we want you to stay innocent for as long as possible.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°That¡¯s stupid¡­ And dreams and Zoreah don¡¯t really go hand in hand? There is no ambition there. I was born and bred for survival.¡±

    Michael shrugged. ¡°Maybe¡­ But what has your panties in such a twist.¡±

    My lip curled up in the corner. I at least knew that only girls on Earth wore panties. I liked wearing human clothes. I had on Converse sneakers. My mom gave them to me. Jeans and a T-shirt.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know¡­ Have been edgy lately.¡±

    He snorted again. ¡°I think being off your home planet¡­ has more of an effect on you than you realize. What you went through with Juliet coming for you wasn¡¯t just something that happened. You have been through a lot¡­ You are half-Vampire, after all.¡±

    I liked the thought. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not too fond of Zoreah¡­ Or how Ira is running the place. After seeing all there is to see¡­ How could he be that¡­ stupid?¡±

    Michael laughed again. One of the guards stirred.

    ¡°Your mom hasn¡¯t really had time for you.¡±

    ¡°I like spending time with Liam and Cindy. They treat me differently. They hug me and play with me. So many emotions¡­ Ira always taught me to repress my emotions. And at least my mother is doing something with her life. I can¡¯t wait to join her in the tower.¡±

    ¡°Why wait?¡±

    My eyes met his. ¡°Have you been in her office lately?¡±

    I shook my head. He smiled. ¡°Go have a look when you¡¯re back.¡±

    I heard footfalls and waved at Michael. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± Before he could say anything, I disappeared quickly. I had overstayed my welcome. I called it a night. Michael was already with his back to me.

    ***

    Liam had me reading non-stop. Soren was schooling me in any time I had left. We didn¡¯t tell anyone because Chris might freak out. Soren was younger, and we got along well. He was like a tutor. I also didn¡¯t tell anyone  I had been going to the planet to see Michael and avoided Louis like he had the plague¡­ Spent the rest of the time with my mom in the medbay and left as soon as Louis entered the room. Figured it wouldn¡¯t be long before he confronted me about what was going on.

    I stepped out of the teleporter and rounded the corner. A hand grabbed my shirt and fisted it. I got a slap behind the head. A flick on the forehead, and then he dragged me into his arms. I liked having so many dads. ¡°You must think me a total fool.¡±

    I shook my head against his chest, hugging him back. ¡°I knew it was just a matter of time¡­ Come take me to my mom¡¯s office.¡±

    Louis pushed me away from him and ran his hand over my hair, pulling me in under his shoulder. ¡°How is he?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s fine¡­ I think¡­ What do I know.¡±

    ¡°You know a lot. You¡¯re just as clever as your mom. Fearless¡­ And stupid.¡±

    ***

    We stepped out into her office. I counted the desks. ¡°My poor mother. She really doesn¡¯t like being alone¡­ Does she?¡±

    Louis¡¯s eyes were full of pride. I could see it. ¡°You thinking of taking one of them.¡±

    ¡°If I knew¡­ I would¡¯ve been here already¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for¡­.¡±

    ¡°Soren.¡± Louis blew up his lips, thinking. ¡°You could do both. I¡¯ll help you¡­.¡±

    I lifted my hand into the air. I liked high fives.

 Manipulations

    154. Manipulations

    Romero

    It did not seem I was helping Charlene at all. Every day, I would give her some of my power to make her feel happy and at peace when she woke up. For some reason, it did not last long. At some point during the day, her body would expel it. It was more like controlling the mind for a time. No one there ever got to the point where they were as sad as she had been a few days ago. I had never seen anyone cry. If I could only talk to her, but my parents had forbidden me to. They did not trust her completely¡­ I stood over her bed. My finger lightly touched her scalp. I wanted to but decided that day I was going to leave it. See how she would be and react if she was not half-drugged.

    It was early morning. I had a full day ahead but wanted to be there when she woke up. So, I started making breakfast. It was nothing more than putting a few things on the table. When she walked out of the room, I could smell it. She was bleeding.

    Before she could even say anything. I walked over to a rope hanging on the wall. A servant appeared, and I asked for one of my sisters. When Charlene was more able to control herself, my sister gave her a whole wardrobe of clothes. Seeing Charlene in our garments every day made it even harder for me. My feelings for her were growing. The idea that she would fit into my life was appealing. It could be so easy.

    ¡°Miriam will be here to help you with your cycle.¡±

    ¡°Thank You. I wanted to say¡­ If I could be in my Vampire form for a few days, it might go by faster¡­ They don¡¯t have as much blood in their veins. Or so Juliet told me.¡±

    My eyes cast to the floor. We did not talk to women about things like that. Certain things on our planet were not culturally accepted. She could see my discomfort and left the room. I felt terrible. I had pushed her away. Charlene had been the perfect guest in every way¡­ But a few times, she had brought up Juliet¡­ I could never get myself to start asking her about her life. I wanted her to forget everyone there and begin to think about staying.

    Miriam came in with a few things in her arms. I nodded to Charlene¡¯s room, and she passed me.

    ***

    Charlene

    Well, that couldn¡¯t have been any more embarrassing. I guess he wasn¡¯t going to buy me tampons at the store if I ever needed them, not like Kubra. Since thinking about Kubra waking up from his branding sleep, I knew I had to go back. I just wasn¡¯t. What would Miriam bring me to get over those days? If it was more rags, I would freak out. Going to the toilet and wiping with some scratchy cloth wasn¡¯t my idea of comfort. After I needed to rinse it out. The servants did some of the work, but¡­. Not all of the work. Pooping was already something to get used to. Leaves would¡¯ve been worse¡­ I was missing a toilet, something fierce. At least the vamps had indoor plumbing. Juliet had the best of the planets. I never got around to asking her what they used on Palmyra.

    Miriam walked in with a mountain of rags. I groaned inwardly and changed immediately. For the first time, I had gone back into my Vampire form. If Romero wasn¡¯t going to help me¡­ I would decide. If I had to stay like that for two days, it would be fine. Bleeding for six days and having to clean up and stay in my room bored to death wasn¡¯t my idea of fun. She also had a pot. I rolled my eyes. Did they not get hemorrhoids if they sat on that thing for hours. All their lives¡­ For how ever long they lived.

    She was startled when she saw me like that. I smiled to reassure her I was friendly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± I hissed. Not used to talking like that. My lips were pulled up. I ran my hand over my face. The hairy ears would be something to get used to. The skin around my nose and brow was tight and wrinkled. I reached for the two big slits up my nasal passage that Juliet complained so much about. My teeth nicked my palm. ¡°Ouch.¡±

    On En-gannim and the compound, all the men were always in Vampire form. The women¡­ Always in human form. I didn¡¯t care what species you were. No woman would willingly want to look like that. I liked the feeling of control that came with it... My mind was alert and focused on everything. After that came the power¡­ Not so much strength but the need to dominate¡­ Oh no¡­ The lust hit me like a punch to the stomach. I fell to my knees, unable to control the rush of emotions. Almost dizzy, I clenched my thighs together. ¡°Aaaa. What was that?¡± A stupid rhetorical question from the sheer shock. My body knew what that was. Was that how Kubra felt most of the time. My nails dug into my hands. I laughed lightly, trying to control myself. Kubra would not be able to survive if he were there. Miriam rushed over, placing a hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°What is the matter. Are you having pains?¡±

    I shook my head¡­ ¡°Nothing to do with my cycle¡­ Thank You for helping me.¡±

    ¡°It is a pleasure for me to help you. We see you as family. Romero has never shown interest in a woman before, and we are very happy for both of you.¡±

    My black eyes shot up. The world was strangely gray¡­ My mind was racing. I hoped she couldn¡¯t see the concern on my features. Was I on another planet where the women were forced into marriage? I had been there for almost two weeks¡­ Romero was so meditative, and I never knew what he was thinking. I thought it was a cultural thing¡­ The touching. The comforting. I thought he was being polite¡­ If Romero liked me¡­ would he let me go? Were they lying about being able to get off the planet? At least I had no more fear flare-ups. The confidence I had like that turned my cowardice immediately into something I could not place yet.

    ¡°What do you mean,¡± I asked as sweetly as I could. Nothing was sweet about feeling like that. Looking like that. I wanted something but couldn¡¯t put my finger on it. What was I feeling?

    ¡°Romero has never had a woman.¡± She stated plainly.

    ¡°Had a woman?¡±

    ¡°Mating?¡±

    ¡°What? But he¡¯s ancient.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°Yes¡­ He is almost five hundred.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    She laughed a little.

    ¡°He has never¡­ mated with anyone?¡± I asked.

    She shook her head. When she did, I knew what I was feeling¡­ It was a venomous desire to maliciously turn my head away from compassion. I had no empathy. ¡°How does that even work?¡±

    ¡°We have ways of making ourselves feel better¡­ It is when we stop that we channel our feelings into our mates.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think masturbating for hundreds of years would ever work where I came from.¡±

    ¡°Masturbating?¡±

    ¡°Satisfying yourself¡­ Your needs.¡±

    She smiled. ¡°That is not what I meant. That we keep for the bedroom and is performed by the other person.¡±

    I stared blankly at her. She stretched out her arm and lifted the nightshirt I had on. I didn¡¯t move. Miriam placed a flat hand on my stomach. Her skin started to form golden veins around her fingers, growing across the surface of her skin up her arms until they sat in her eyes and turned a bright, solid metallic color. Glowing. She was doing something to me. The familiar feeling I had getting up every morning washed over me. Immediate contentment.

    I cussed out loud and pulled away from her. I grabbed a rag and pushed it down the underwear they had given me. Panties were another thing I was missing. I wanted to strut out of the room. Her hand rested on my shoulder. I spun around. That time, her eyes were a slight red¡­ My anger was gone in a split second. ¡°F-,¡± I yelled.

    ¡°Is that what he has been doing to me all this time.¡±

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Miriam¡¯s guilt-ridden features looked away from me, and busy hands followed. ¡°Romero is not at home anymore. He has a full day. You have the house to yourself¡­  Men and women here do not talk about everything¡­¡± She stopped moving around, ¡°You would not have seen him do it, either. He is a master at controlling our abilities¡­ The fact that he did it at all¡­ It tells me that he likes you more than we thought.¡±

    I sat down on the floor. If I messed on the bed. I would have to clean it.

    ¡°I will leave. You probably wish me gone.¡±

    When she used her power on me, the feelings were brief, so sudden, and left again as quickly as they came. In Vampire form, no one was going to control me. I understood why the people were so oppressed on En-gannim. It would take a whole lot to make anyone do what they were told. No wonder he never wanted me in my vampire form. The anger and irritation scratched under my skin. I dragged my black nails through my hair.

    ***

    For two days, I sat there cooped up in a room or walked around the house as soon as Romero left. And he did leave early and came back late at night to avoid me¡­ It was biblical times all over. Shunned for being unclean. Miriam told me to stay in the house. Being a Vampire didn¡¯t help my emotional equilibrium, but it stopped my period by the end of the second day. I went to bed, sighing with relief. I also didn¡¯t want to come anywhere near Romero again, thinking how he manipulated me¡­ I also decided to stay a Vampire that night, whether I was going to try and kill him or not. Hated the fact that he had come into my room and touched me while I was sleeping¡­ That was why he was so surprised in the street. When I reached out to him. Why I felt better and stopped crying so quickly. Was I subconsciously wanting it from him? I turned onto the mattress and screamed.

    ¡°Charlene? Are you okay?¡± He asked from the door.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Go away.¡±

    I missed Kubra so much at that moment. At least he was honest to a fault. He would never hurt me or force me in any way. I heard Romero leave and go into his own room. I manifested into a Riphath. I sat up happy and, contented and blissfully ignorant. My human mind scoffed at my one form that could sit in a desert and do nothing all day long¡­ Was being a Vampire the key. I had to tap into my emotions¡­ Not my mind and stupid self-control. Like Romero had been trying to teach me. I had changed a few times. Try to practice teleporting¡­ It was sporadic and happened at the oddest times. At least I knew why. I was being drugged.

    I went back and forth between all three... Stood up as a Riphath and thought about Romero. I was so angry at him. The only reason I could control my manifestations was¡­ Because he could not get close to me for the last few days. All I saw was red. I was in his room. I had teleported. It had worked. My vampire was somehow connected to all my forms.

    His shirt was off, and he was only in whatever they wore for sleeping. It didn¡¯t leave much for the imagination. The pants hugged his waist. His thighs and other parts bulged under the thin material. I turned to a Vampire, just in case he tried his ability on me. His features hardened even more if it was at all possible.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about it,¡± Romero yelled.

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave. Please do not think about leaving¡­ Or you will.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not here for your amusement.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ You¡¯re here for the throne.¡±

    ***

    Kubra

    My eyes flickered open. I was confused, but the unbearable burning in my chest had ceased. Where I was. I waved my hand in the air. If it put the lights on, I was on En-gannim. It worked. I reached out, ¡°Charlene?¡±

    Carl came through the door.

    ¡°Not who I wanted to see¡­¡±

    ¡°We have bigger problems. Charlene has been missing for two weeks. She changed and disappeared, just like Michael.¡±

    ¡°I told her not to do it.¡± I fell back down on the bed.

    ¡°You¡¯re not even worried?¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do. Freak out and run around like a headless chicken.¡±

    ¡°Do you Vampires care at all.¡±

    ¡°You can hardly point a finger. You couldn¡¯t even kiss her in the cave¡­ Leave any opportunity you get. No wonder she clung to me.¡±

    ¡°Oh! We¡¯re having this discussion?! Great lets¡­ You guys haven¡¯t slept together. How long has it been?¡±

    I rubbed my forehead with my hand. ¡°Did Juliet tell you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. I know Charlene better than you. You guys never slept together at the bonfire. She ended up being too drunk. After that, if you guys did¡­ She would¡¯ve been different with you and me¡­ And don¡¯t forget that night we almost kissed again.¡±

    I lost it. More than I usually would. The bond the branding had created had bumped up my drive to a whole other level. I jumped over the bed and grabbed him by the neck. Carl had been training. My arm was off him in a second. I had thought I would pin him easily. He was already a big guy, and we started going at it. Things were breaking, and then the door opened.

    ¡°Kubra?¡± Min¨¦''s little voice rang out over the room. We both stopped immediately. I landed on one knee and held open my arms. She ran into them, hugging me. Then she turned and held out her arms to Carl. He took her smiling, bouncing her up and down. ¡°When is mommy coming home. I miss her.¡± Carl gave her a big hug. Warden was standing at the door, leaning on the frame, shaking his head. ¡°Why are you fighting?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Just wrestling¡­ We were practicing¡­ You¡¯ve seen us fight before.¡± I tried to save the situation.

    She nodded.

    ¡°Mommy will come home very soon,¡± Warden said and came over and took her from Carl. ¡°Come, little one. Let the men¡­ talk.¡±

    ¡°No fighting,¡± Min¨¦ whispered.

    I felt terrible. A little girl held all the power in the world over the men in her life. I sat on the bed and reached for the packet of cigarettes on the side table. The moment I pressed that thing into Charlene, I knew it had worked. I couldn¡¯t actually wrap my mind around it. I was almost sure she didn¡¯t love me¡­ When Carl said he would do it¡­ I almost walked away. I had thought she would say yes, regardless of my feelings. The thought of anyone else touching her made my blood boil.

    ¡°If she was dead. I would be dead. She didn¡¯t appear at the Werewolves. They would have killed her on the spot. All we can do is give her time. Hope she figures it out.¡±

    ¡°Kubra¡­ You¡¯re feelings have changed.¡±

    I loved Charlene¡­ Nothing had changed. Even if I had never known love. She invoked all those feelings in me. I was worried but still too irritated with her. I could be angry and in love. Stupid boy. The thought of her in some compromising position. Maybe alone on a planet wondering. Or even with some new race¡­ I felt she deserved it. Whatever she was going through. When she came back¡­ Things were going to change. I would have to put my foot down. Even if it was only one boundary at a time. The biggest one was standing right in front of me.

    ¡°Kubra¡­ I think we should talk about the possibility that she might¡­ In the end, want more than one husband.¡±

    A pit formed in my stomach, hearing the words out loud. I needed to talk to someone¡­ Charlene was now a creature¡­ And¡­ A Vampire and Werewolf all in one. How would we cross that bridge?

    ***

    I left Carl there, but he followed me anyway.  ¡°Where is everyone?¡±

    ¡°Still in the medbay.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked as the doors opened.

    ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± Juliet said softly. She was still in bed. Everyone got up to meet me and say ¡°hi.¡±

    I stared at Juliet. Something had happened. ¡°What¡¯s going on with you? What did you do?¡± I asked.

    It seemed like Juliet wanted to cry. Carl walked over and hugged her. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. We had a little tiff about Charlene.¡±

    ¡°You did? So he not angry that she¡¯s gone?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Carl wiped under her eyes with his thumbs. He peeked at me over his shoulder. ¡°I forgot to tell you, Juliet is pregnant, and it¡¯s Marcus¡¯s baby.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s what! Why did no one say anything.¡±

    ¡°You were a little preoccupied that day¡­ Felt it wasn¡¯t the best time.¡± Juliet whispered.

    All my anger washed out the window. I picked Juliet up and spun her around. I was so happy for Marcus. Wanted to cry¡­ ¡°Are you really going to be a father?¡± Marcus nodded. I pulled him into my arms. ¡°Congratulations are in order¡­ It¡¯s been a long road.¡± He clapped me on the shoulder. ¡°Where is Michael? Though he wouldn¡¯t let you out of his sight¡­ Where is Jessy, come to think about it?¡±

    ¡°While you were sleeping¡­ a lot happened,¡± Juliet said.

    The cries drew my attention. I knew those cries. ¡°Juliet! What did you do? Is that a Chadari baby?¡± I asked without even turning around.

    ¡°It¡¯s Fahan¡¯s child.¡± I pressed her arms tightly. ¡°They have Michael¡­ I wanted to exchange them, but¡­ Fahan is still sleeping. They didn¡¯t want to do anything after the branding.¡±

    Fahan had branded his mate. I had to sit down. It was all a bit too much. Two weeks was too long¡­ Too much happened in that family. If so much had happened there¡­ What the heck was Charlene going through?

    ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯ve done.¡± I wanted to shake her. ¡°Someone is going to get hurt. The question is just, who?¡±

    The room was quiet after that.

 The Journey Begins

    155. The Journey Begins

    Charlene

    ¡°Are we finally going to have an honest conversation?¡± I asked Romero.

    ¡°I have not lied to you. It is not deceit if I do not give a stranger all the information.¡±

    I paused after that last statement. He was right. I had also kept things from him¡­ Out of caution¡­ My eyes roamed over his body¡­ Seeing Romero like that and being in my Vampire form made me forget why I was there at all. My anger drifted away, replaced with need. I slowly walked toward him. He lifted up two hands. ¡°Stop, Charlene.¡± I didn¡¯t listen to him. I was on the prowl. He turned away from me and ran to behind the bed. I followed him. As soon as I was on that side of the bed, he jumped over to where we started. ¡°I can not touch you for two more days.¡±

    All the lust I felt turned back to murder. A smile crossed his lips. One I hadn¡¯t seen before. I was livid, leaping over the bed. He evaded me again. I turned to a Riphath, teleporting after him until I had him in hand. I walked slowly with him in my grasp and pinned him up against the wall. ¡°You will not sleep with me because of some rule. You ignored me for two days because I was bleeding¡­.¡± He was choking, kicking his feet, and his hands clung to my wrists. ¡°Why are you not fighting me?¡± I plopped him down on the ground. He coughed a few times. I turned back to human. I needed to run my hands over his chest. Feel his smooth skin under my fingers. My hands closed over his pecs and glided up his chest, rubbing my thumb over his nipple. ¡°You don¡¯t want me to leave, but you want me to do everything your way.¡± My hands continued up his neck, and I looked up into his eyes when my fingers felt stubble. ¡°If you do not say anything truthful the next time you speak¡­ I¡¯m leaving.¡±

    He broke the rule, caught my waist with two hands, turned me around, and pushed me against the wall¡­ I hungrily welcomed it, holding his desperate eyes on mine. My hands roamed up and down his arms, over his shoulders, and down his sides. He spread my thighs with his knees and pushed up against me. His head tilted, ¡°Don¡¯t leave. Please.¡± His lips brushed mine. I didn¡¯t pull away or feel guilty. I would¡¯ve done anything to satisfy that hunger.

    There was a knock at the front door. ¡°Romero!?¡± It was Yazen.

    ¡°We are in here, father.¡±

    The man rounded the corner, taking in the scene. ¡°Miriam, let me know that there might be trouble. Wanted to make sure you were both okay.¡±

    ¡°Not quite,¡± Romero said softly. His breathing labored against my lips.

    ¡°She also told me what you had done with your power¡­ Dulling Charlene.¡±

    Romero¡¯s grip on my waist tightened. His thumb worked into exposed skin.

    ¡°You are not allowed to do that again,¡± Yazen said. Romero let me go and lifted off me. ¡°This is not the way, Romero.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve just been telling Romero that he needed to start speaking to me, or I was going home.¡±

    ¡°Then take her to the dark city. Tell her what she wants to know. It is time to end it.¡±

    Romero¡¯s jaw flexed. His nose pulled up in disgust. It was so slight that I hardly saw it. If I wasn¡¯t standing so close to him, I would never have seen the minor gesture. ¡°Get dressed.¡± He said softly. His eyes darted down to the soft fabric hanging over my breasts. My nightshirt didn¡¯t leave much to the imagination, either. Romero struggled but stepped back.

    I walked out of the room and left Romero with his father.

    ***

    Romero

    It was too soon. My heart would not accept that she would be leaving. Once I told her everything. She would leave. As soon as she had less control and missed her home so much. She would leave. Yes, it was not the way, but the way my heart felt for the first time in five hundred years; how could he blame me?

    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± Yazen asked me.

    ¡°How can you ask me that?¡± I said with the little control I had left.

    He sighed heavily, ¡°Hmmm. Go¡­ It is the only way.¡±

    I put on my clothes and waited for Charlene at the door. It was going to be a long journey, at least six days, if everything went smoothly. All the things that could happen to us played around with the fear of losing her, not to leaving but dying. Charlene stepped out of the room; she had put on a dark two-piece suit. The long pants hugged her curves and rested around her middle. The small crop top barely covered all it needed to. My eyes drifted up and down her body¡­ Charlene smiled when her eyes rested on my hair. I had tied it up. ¡°Are you ready?¡±

    She nodded, and I held out my hand. It was a test. I desperately wanted her to take it. I did not want to walk for days with her, still angry. Charlene took it, making my heart leap. I pulled her closer, wrapping one hand around her waist. My fingers brushed over her exposed waist, my eyes fixed on the bulging cleavage right under my nose. The way her body responded to me. Charlene felt something. Not dulling her for a few days might have been the right thing to do after all. I smiled, thinking about being chased by a girl¡­ It was also not the way. But it had made me laugh and giddy.

    ¡°You¡­ have never mated.¡±

    ¡°We mate for life,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°I¡¯m not your girl, Romero. You need someone that has the same culture as you. In my world, that isn¡¯t how it works.¡±

    I did not want to hear it. One of the reasons I had not asked her about her life. I closed the door behind us. It was not random that we met. I would at least try and keep her.

    ***

    We walked the whole night. It would have been too tiring to walk in the day. By dawn, Charlene was exhausted. There wasn¡¯t much in the surroundings that would shelter us from the heat of our star. If I could remember correctly, there was a fountain somewhere in the area. She had fallen a bit behind. I waited and pushed her down into the sand when she caught up to me. ¡°Sit.¡± I took a covering out from my bag and threw it over her. ¡°I will be right back.¡±

    I searched for some time before I heard the gentle lapping of the water. I climbed the last sand dune. It was there. Green trees and a small pond. I hurried back to Charlene. She was asleep. I picked her up and carried her the rest of the way, placing her down in some shade. I sat beside her and pulled her onto my chest. Again, her instincts took hold. An arm draped over my waist, and her head nestled into me. I kissed the top of her head. ¡°Mmmm.¡± She crooned softly¡­ From there, the journey would only become more strenuous. The terrain would change at every league of the path.

    We slept for some time. She stirred first, and I felt her body lifting from mine. I groaned. Too tired to open my eyes. I heard her getting into the water. I rolled onto my arm and looked at her, blinking a few times to wake up and rubbing my eyes. Charlene had taken off her clothes. My breath caught. My body rose in instinct, entirely awake. The water dripped down her back after submerging in the pool. She took handfuls of water and drank. It was not the way¡­ Charlene did not know that. So I left it, not wanting to curb every little thing she did.

    I was also thirsty and went to sit down at the edge, filling my container and drinking. She turned around without even flinching. Like being naked in front of another person was the most natural thing in the world. My mouth hung open. A wicked smile played on her mouth. Her arm lifted into the air. She flattened her hand and slapped the water, making a wave of cold hit me in the face. Laughter gurgled up into my throat. I fell back into the sand. It had been a long time since I had laughed.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only made this trip once in my life before. When we come of age¡­ our parents take you and show you the way. It is our temple. Sacred ground.¡±

    Both our heads jerked up. I turned my face to listen to the noise we both had heard. Charlene spun around. A raider was looking down from a bank, staring at us atop a beast. It was stomping its foot into the sand. I had manifested immediately. Charlene arched an eyebrow at our manifested side she had not seen before. ¡°What do they want?¡±

    ¡°You.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think?¡±

    She manifested. Teleported till she sat on top of the creature behind the raider, snapping his neck. The body fell off, and she grabbed the reins. ¡°Wait for me,¡± I yelled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can manipulate them into submission.¡±

    She held out a paw. The beast stayed in place, prancing a little. I ran towards her, grabbed her hand, and vaulted up behind her. I kicked the thing in its sides. We were stampeding towards the men coming at us.

    ¡°Where did you learn to do that.¡±

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Later.¡±

    I had caused the reluctance between us. I could have bonded with her. Let her experience all the emotions.

    ***

    Fahan

    The cave was empty when I woke up. Jade was not there with Aries. I walked to her sister¡¯s place. No one was there either. The city was eerily quiet. I received some stares from the others as I walked out the gates. I went to the only place I thought they could be.

    The Riphath was not connected yet. My fist clenched around the hilt of my sword. Dimitrios came walking towards me. His body seemed stiffer than usual. It didn¡¯t seem there would be good news after all.

    ¡°What happened? How much time passed?¡±

    ¡°It worked. Jade has the mark on her body¡­ But as soon as you did it, the human came through, and we got him.¡±

    ¡°What is the problem? Where is Jade? Is she okay?¡± My gaze darted around the room.

    ¡°Avrio and Raas are waiting. Jade is with them.¡±

    I didn¡¯t understand why they were there at all or why the Riphath was not hooked up yet. Dimitrios wanted to walk out into the passage. ¡°Stop! Tell me what happened before I see Jade.¡±

    ¡°The queen of En-gannim came. Used an ability and¡­ Took Aries.¡±

    My arm extended. I grabbed Dimitrios by the neck. ¡°Where is my son? Why did you not get him back immediately?¡± I lifted him into the air.

    The man in the cage was watching us with interest.

    ¡°They want to exchange, but we can¡¯t be certain they will give back Aries¡­.¡± He croaked out. I squeezed his neck until his eyes closed. Dimitrios fell to the floor. Another soldier was by my side. ¡°Get the troops ready. Ten men. Swords blazing¡­ Has Raas brought armor?¡±

    ¡°He has Fahan.¡±

    ¡°Suit up.¡±

    I strutted angrily down the corridor into the room. My eyes rested on Jade. I was too angry with her. She had done nothing but sit there¡­

    ¡°Do you have coordinates to their home? I want to be in the same room where Aries is being held.¡±

    ¡°We have everything you need. I did my homework properly.¡± Avrio said.

    I pushed another glass plate into one of my men¡¯s hands. ¡°You do nothing else but communicate with Raas¡­ When we are done, you will bring the babe and me back.¡±

    Raas nodded.

    Dimitrios came walking into the room, suiting up. The armor was half a suit covering my face and resting on my shoulders. It was lightweight and easy to move in. I tied the straps as we walked to the closest traveling spot and waited for Dimitrios to catch up.

    ¡°You are coming out in their medbay. Juliet is there, and the baby is with her.¡± Avrio said. ¡° I do not know who else would be there¡­ The one to look out for is the smallest man in the room. Do not underestimate him. And if you can¡­ Kill her.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I plan on making an enemy today. Ready?!¡± I shouted at my men.

    A battle cry came from all of them, and we traveled.

    First, we came out in a secret location to get onto the planet and confuse their control center. We had to travel again.

    ***

    Marcus

    Since Kubra¡¯s warning the previous evening, I had been nervous. Every day, we received communications and sent some. Juliet wasn¡¯t happy, but she was leaving it. If she could talk to Michael, she was okay. It was touch and go to maintain her peace of mind. Fahan would wake up at any moment. I made sure that we were all at the hospital with her, waiting to hear what Fahan would do.

    We were laughing. Caleb was there playing with the baby. He was cute. Didn¡¯t seem to mind being away from his family.

    Juliet¡¯s eyes were the first to alert me of any trouble. She disappeared. I stood up and peeked over my shoulder. Caleb had also disappeared. There were ten warriors in the room. One of them was frantically grabbing at the air where Caleb had been. He was a beast. Fahan was bigger than I had expected.

    In one accord, they came at us. The red glow in the room was daunting. But avoiding sharp edges was all we knew. The only thing that could turn the situation in his favor was that they would threaten her to come out. If they had Louis or me in a compromising position. Shots fired from over my shoulder. The skin and the armor they wore made the bullets ricochet off them. ¡°Stop that,¡± I yelled. Jessy and Louis had gotten Lazy with their guns. ¡°Get out of here¡­ Juliet, so help me if you come out.¡±

    She was faster than me, coming in and out, helping to get the helmets off their heads. They didn¡¯t know what was happening. Jessy took his shots as she made them vulnerable. Louis and I fought the best we could. All we had was our training, working together, and using whatever there was in the room. Fahan was following her movements. Fear caught me off guard. He would cut her¡­ She would be stuck. The other men weren¡¯t allowing us to get anywhere close to him. ¡°Juliet, be careful. He¡¯s watching you.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I can¡­ see that,¡± She said in intervals, coming in and out. Every time, barely out of reach of a sword.

    ¡°Caleb, you better be gone already.¡±

    ¡°He is,¡± Louis said. ¡°Left as soon as he saw them.¡±

    ¡°Juliet! It will be your opportunity. Go.¡±

    ¡°If you leave, I will kill everyone in the room.¡± Fahan bellowed out.

    ¡°She¡¯s gone,¡± Louis said.

    Fahan¡¯s growled deep in his throat. He knew there was no point in staying. They retreated and traveled out.

    ¡°Jessy, have you figured out who is helping them? It has to end. Juliet, come out.¡±

    ¡°She left Marcus,¡± Louis said.

    ¡°She what?! Where?¡±

    ¡°Where do you think?¡±

    I picked something up and tossed it against the wall. She would drive me mad.

    ***

    Juliet

    I had stood right next to Fahan when they traveled across En-gannim. I didn¡¯t recognize the room or the scenery outside. Who was it that was helping him? We traveled again. I needed to see what he would do with Michael. What Fahan was planning next. They had dared to come onto my planet¡­ We could have resolved it with a simple message. Dimitrios had more common sense than him. Had maintained peace for two weeks. I didn¡¯t know where to go to find Michael. I had to wait.

    Jessy only shot two of them. It was hard to cut the armor¡¯s bindings and move around. I was out of breath¡­ We would need to study their bodies to see how we would counter them.

    As soon as we landed, Fahan lifted his fist into the sky. The men took off their helmets, waiting for orders. No one was moving or saying anything. He was thinking. He knew I was there, trying to figure out what to do.

    If I could get a hold of Michael. I could get him out.

    I went to hide behind some rocks. Sent a message to Jade and whoever was on the other side of the glass plate.

    Me { Your mate made a mistake. It¡¯s time we talked, or you will never see your son again }

    I waited.

    There were several buildings around the city¡¯s outskirts. I had no time to go searching. Jade would be with Michael. The screams came. I followed her cries. Fahan and his men ran. ¡°Amateurs.¡±

    Jade went at Fahan as soon as she saw him. ¡°What did you do. We were negotiating¡­ I would have gotten him back. She would have talked to me. You have no idea what you are doing!¡± She yelled.

    I had sown some discord for the couple. I left them to have it out, entering the building. It took some time to find Michael locked up in a cell. I sighed, seeing him like that. My bad luck was rubbing off on him. It raised my hackles even more. It would not be that easy. There were several guards in the room. Everyone was alert and standing at the ready with swords drawn.

    I crouched down behind some furniture. Came back and catcalled as softly as I could. Michael closed his eyes and tilted his head heavenwards, growling low in his throat. Through gritted teeth, he said, ¡°Did I not tell you I was okay.¡±

    I put my finger on my mouth. ¡°Shhh.¡±

    I heard more voices. One I recognized. ¡°Are you sure she is here?¡± Avrio asked. That little creep was actually still living on En-gannim. We had given him a chance to change his mind. It seemed that he didn¡¯t.

    ¡°Close off the space¡­ she can¡¯t escape if she can¡¯t get out,¡± Raas ordered the men.

    I rolled my eyes. Raas never liked me. Louis thought he was just working the factories. But he had a little ambition of his own. I blew Michael a kiss and disappeared. I was a little quicker than them. Before they could get their ducks in a row and close off the doors, I was out of the building.

    ¡°You better leave, honey.¡± I heard Michael say. I smiled, knowing where he was and that he was still okay. I sent another communication.

    Me { Do not hurt him. I¡¯m not beyond killing a child if you do }

    I sent another one to Louis.

    Me { Avrio and Raas }

    Marcus { You better come back }

    Me { Five minutes. Wait for me }

    I stood at the door outside. Fahan and Jade were still fighting. He was getting worked up. Not liking the way she was talking to him. I knew that look in a man¡¯s eye from experience. Jade was about to get her ass handed to her. Fahan struck her across the cheek. So much for true love¡­ She fell into the dirt. He didn¡¯t even flinch and walked right past her and me. The guards opened up for him. I wasn¡¯t going after him.

    I could hear the gates open to the cell. If he was going to take it out on Michael. Fahan would feel my wrath.

    He had pulled Michael out by the hair, dragging him and pulling him up on his knees. Fahan drew his sword and held it against his throat. ¡°You better come out. I know you are here.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t stupid. He wouldn¡¯t do anything to him. He had done all that to keep Michael. If he could turn into a Werewolf, he would¡¯ve been able to see me. I smiled. I had someone that could see me. Someone who could hear me. And Chris, that could touch me.

    ¡°Honey¡­ Since the day you were born¡­ I knew how strong you would be. Don¡¯t turn back.¡± Michael had to know I was close to breaking point. It was a struggle to leave him there. I was tired of waiting. It had been a long two weeks. My five minutes were almost up, and Marcus¡¯s time was also at an end.

    ¡°You have to leave¡­ Now!¡± Michael snarled.

    I turned around and did what I was told.

 Not Back Yet

    156. Not Back Yet

    Juliet

    The medbay room was full of vamps, cleaning and fixing all the equipment that had broken in the fight. ¡°Caleb!¡± I called.

    ¡°I¡¯m here, mom.¡± He came through the crowd, still holding the baby.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you need to stay anymore?¡± He asked.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡± I couldn¡¯t speak there. We didn¡¯t know who to trust. The common room was the safest place for everyone. I glanced back a few times as we were walking. There was a woman following us. She didn¡¯t seem familiar and was wearing Riphath clothes.

    ¡°Oh, this is Maya. The nursemaid. She¡¯s the one that raised me.¡±

    I stopped walking. I didn¡¯t think it would hit so hard. ¡°You lived with Chris?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Yes. I was the fourth adult with Caleb.¡±

    I hated the fact that I had those stupid emotions to deal with. Like there wasn¡¯t enough going on¡­ Maya was beautiful like all the Riphaths. She reminded me so much of Louis¡¯s cousin. The homely, cute, bubbly girl next door. That woman was only much older and curvy and¡­ ¡°Caleb, can you guys give me a minute. Take her to the common room. I¡¯m going upstairs.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± He eyed me skeptically. I rubbed his arm but left anyway.

    ***

    I went up to my room. Jessy wasn¡¯t even following me anymore. Everything was out of order. I had not seen Louis or Marcus. Marcus didn¡¯t even make sure I came back after the five minutes. Or he didn¡¯t want to be near me to face the wrath I wanted to unleash on him. Did Chris even know what was going on? It was eating away at me¡­ That he was always on Zoreah. Yes, he had come back in a larger capacity and helped save Beatrice. But while we waited for Fahan to wake up, he was gone the whole day¡­ It made things difficult. I was coming to a point where I needed them all with me¡­ All of the time. How could he go on with his life after everything? Selena was another problem. All day with her, drinking every night when their rounds were done. Five days there¡­ I grabbed a glass plate.

    Me { I need you }

    It wasn¡¯t a second later, or Chris was standing in front of me, smiling. The tears were already rolling down my cheeks. He wrapped his arms around my neck, and I did the same. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°They attacked us in the medbay. Ten of them.¡±

    He pushed me away. ¡°They what.¡±

    ¡°Fahan wanted his son¡­ Michael is still there.¡± I closed the gap he created and gripped harder, nestling in his neck. ¡°You weren¡¯t here.¡±

    He pushed me away again and looked me over. ¡°Where¡¯s Caleb?¡±

    ¡°He and Maya are in the lounge.¡± Only saying her name sent a wave of jealousy over me. Chris was not holding me enough. ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t sleep with her, and you weren¡¯t lying.¡±

    He finally relaxed and pulled me in, chuckled against my neck, and kissed the exposed skin. ¡°I never slept with Maya¡­ Ewe.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°She¡¯s so pretty¡­ Selena¡­ You guys still drinking every night? I can¡¯t, Chris.¡±

    ¡°Oh no.¡± His voice pitched.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant again.¡±

    It hit me. I was pregnant again. I pushed away from him, wiping under my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m pregnant. I¡¯m going to get batty.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Yes, and it seems that me being on Zoreah isn¡¯t such a good idea¡­ Jamal and Selena disappear every night. You have nothing to worry about.¡±

    I didn¡¯t care about Selena anymore. Suddenly afraid of him coming back at all. ¡°You can¡¯t stay here¡­ If they take you¡­ I¡¯m glad it wasn¡¯t you. They would all die in an hour.¡±

    ¡°Although I¡¯m flattered¡­ Don¡¯t let Michael hear you say that. It¡¯s a bit mean.¡±

    I pressed my fingers into my eyes. It was terrible to say out loud. How could I be so out of control? ¡°I know¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­ I can¡¯t, Chris. You have to help me. Marcus is not doing anything¡­¡±

    My thoughts jumped to talking it all out on someone or taking over. Marcus had implored me to trust him.

    ¡°If Maya doesn¡¯t leave, I might kill her. Thinking about her raising Caleb and staying with you for thirteen years¡­ Just the idea¡­.¡± Chris¡¯s lips pressed onto mine. Every time I tried to speak, he kissed me again. He didn¡¯t stop until I didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. His fingers gripped the hem of my shirt and lifted it over my head. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked, kissing him again.

    ¡°I¡¯m sleeping with my wife¡­ Juliet, I haven¡¯t seen you for months. Every night I came back, you were in that bed surrounded by people. Before that, it was two months of you sleeping¡­ Every time I¡¯m gone, I leave for five days.¡±

    ¡°That was your choice¡­ You want to become general¡­ Marcus might kill you if he finds out.¡± Chris¡¯s hands were roaming every inch of me. Fingers fumbled with the strap holding up my pants.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t thinking about¡­ that¡­.¡± He said, reaching around me to take off my bra. ¡°You can go down on your knees, can¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°You know what that does for me¡­ We will end up having sex anyway.¡± I whispered over his lips. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re going first.¡± He lifted me up onto his waist. ¡°I think you need it more than me.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t, Chris! Not with everything going on.¡±

    He placed his hand over my mouth. ¡°Shhh¡­ I know what I¡¯m doing. You¡¯re actually asking for help, Juliet.¡±

    ***

    I was in his arms, quiet and thankful. We only nodded off for a while.

    ¡°Where is your other half? He asked, playing with strands of my hair.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know? When Jessy isn¡¯t with me¡­ You know it¡¯s serious.¡± Our voices were low, and our eyes were conveying more than words ever could.

    ¡°Are you sure you can trust him?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think he¡­.¡± My voice trailed off as I burrowed into his chest.

    ¡°Okay. Please don¡¯t cry again. Come with me.¡± Chris said, helping me get dressed. He led me to the common room.

    ¡°Caleb, what happened?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Louis, Marcus, and Jessy immediately went to that planet where the factories are. They will wait for Raas there until he comes back and kill him¡­ Oh, I forgot that I needed to get someone to kill that Avrio guy¡­ But the only one is Kubra, and after he woke up, he and Carl have been MIA. I don¡¯t really know what to do.¡±

    Chris clapped Caleb on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m staying for a while.¡±

    ¡°Have you checked my office?¡± I asked.

    Caleb smiled and shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it. Only had this guy on my mind.¡±

    The baby was in Maya¡¯s arms. ¡°I¡¯m glad they don¡¯t have teeth this young.¡± She said, nursing him.

    ¡°Yeah, I remember with Sam¡­.¡± Chris squeezed my hand in his. I had forgotten that I could not tell anyone he had another child. It seemed that she wasn¡¯t going to ask any questions. A real loyal subject.

    We went up The Tower to my office. Sure enough, Kubra and Carl were there sleeping on our couches. They had been doing so much research on where Charlene might be. They had even traveled to some other planets.

    Kubra sat up when he heard the door open. ¡°You guys missed a show¡­ You were right¡­ Fahan came.¡±

    ¡°Did anyone get hurt?¡±

    ¡°No, not yet, anyway.¡±

    ¡°Juliet¡­ Some or other time, your luck is going to run out.¡±

    I laughed, feeling a lot better after my release and a hand clutching mine. ¡°I have the worst luck¡­ Every morning, I wake up, and everything is great. I get a little nervous. This way, I¡¯m one step ahead of the universe.¡±

    Kubra¡¯s eyes drifted over my shoulder. ¡°Where is Jessy?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s with Louis and Marcus¡­¡±

    Kubra frowned, thinking.

    ¡°Before you say it¡­ It was Raas and Avrio.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain why they know what¡¯s going on in The Tower. Beatrice¡­ If the Riphaths knew the vamps that came for her¡­ How could you explain it?¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to think about it¡­ I trusted Jessy with my life¡­ ¡°Warden also lives here, and we¡¯ve suspected him many times¡­ He takes care of¡­ Sammy.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°If he gives Sammy to Fahan¡­.¡± Chris chimed in. ¡°And the Riphaths said there was some kind of diversion.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not Warden¡­ He has proven himself over the years¡­ How long have you even known Jessy.¡± Carl said, irritated. His eyes were still closed on the couch. ¡°It¡¯s not the watchers¡­ We know what happens to us when we break allegiance.¡±

    ¡°Carl¡­ Will you please go check on her?¡± Chris asked. ¡°Take her and Min¨¦ to Cindy and tell Warden he needs to join us¡­ Having our suspects close at hand will give me peace of mind.¡±

    Carl left the room after hugging me. ¡°Have you found her?¡± He stroked my hair and left. His silence was enough. Oh, Charlene, I hope you are okay.

    ¡°Kubra, we need you to sort out Avrio¡¯s Island. He might even have come and gone already since the attack.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t leave you, Juliet. Chris, you will have to do it. If Jessy isn¡¯t with you¡­ I¡¯ll stay with you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what he looks like,¡± Chris said.

    ¡°I do,¡± Caleb said. ¡°We can go.¡±

    Chris was considering it. He turned to me. ¡°Do you want me to stay or Kubra? What about the baby. What if they come again. We don¡¯t have another bargaining chip up our sleeve¡­ If I were Avrio, I wouldn¡¯t come back. Why don¡¯t you send your hundred women soldiers? There has to be one of them that can take charge.¡±

    ¡°Where are Jamal and Selena when you need them? Why aren¡¯t they coming back with you? Or trailing you like you said they would. We need more people we can trust.¡±

    ¡°After the club¡­ they have been reluctant¡­ Fighting¡­ And making up¡­¡± Chris smiled. ¡°You really did a number on Jamal¡­ And the other thing is being on Earth is safe for us¡­ But the pink ocean is just too dangerous. Ira is a bit skeptical for us to be here.¡±

    ¡°You leave Caleb here.¡±

    ¡°We did fight about it,¡± Caleb said. ¡°I went against Chris and Ira¡­ And Silvanus.¡±

    ¡°You did? Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±

    ¡°He wants to be with his mom. I can¡¯t stop him, but Jamal and Selena still have to follow Sung¡¯s orders.¡±

    ¡°What if I go to Zoreah with Caleb and Maya. You and Kubra take over here. Will Silvanus protecting me be enough for the both of you.¡±

    Kubra and Chris considered this. Kubra nodded. Chris came over, picked me up, and put me on his shoulders. ¡°Come, staying here is too dangerous. Yes, you on Zoreah is the best idea. Thank You.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Thank You.¡±

    My mind was a little clearer, and more help put me at ease. If we stopped Avrio and Raas, sorting out Fahan would be easy. ¡°Caleb, send Fahan a message. If he touches Michael. I want to know.¡±

    ***

    Chris

    Kubra and I traveled to Avrio¡¯s islands. The village was grand and screamed money. It was a mini version of Nahrima. A small coastal city with high buildings. Houses spanning out inland. Juliet¡¯s hundred soldiers came with us. ¡°How did they go through the process so easily?¡±

    ¡°Rodrigo and Juliet were working on fine-tuning the injections.¡±

    We exited the main building and traveled to Avrio¡¯s house. All we could do was wait.

    ¡°Kubra, send a message to Juliet¡¯s army. The men anyway¡­ They have to infiltrate the teleporter station and take everyone into custody. The Tower will become a fortress. We have to start sifting vamps.¡±

    A woman opened the door, not speaking. She still wore a veil. Her eyes were large, scanning the sea of soldiers behind us. ¡°Why are you still wearing a veil? Have you not seen the news.¡± I asked her.

    She didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Answer me.¡±

    ¡°No outside information. No reading¡­ I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡±

    I blew out a heavy breath through open lips. ¡°You can still hear¡­ Can¡¯t you. You must know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Women are not allowed anywhere near the city. Have to stay at home. All I hear has to do with household matters.¡±

    Seemed like Juliet had left a lot of things unchecked, searching for me. She hadn¡¯t gotten around to changing anything she wanted. And there I was, living the life again.

    ¡°Juliet and the guys were supposed to fight Avrio for the water rights¡­ They never got that far.¡± Kubra said behind me.

    I remember her telling Ahasuerus that. And then, when I was back, we had our meeting, and everything was put on hold because the guys were still deciding what they wanted to do. We should never have had that stupid meeting. I told her I would be there for her. And I failed. ¡°How many places are still like this?¡±

    ¡°A lot¡­¡±

    ¡°How many teleporters are there?¡± I asked Kubra.

    ¡°Thousands. Rich neighborhoods have one in every home.¡±

    ¡°There is your problem.¡± I turned to the sea of manifested women behind us. They did not care about looking like that. ¡°Go into every house and take out every one of them. There should be only one on the Island. That would make them squirm. Getting things too easily and not paying for them.¡±

    The woman listened and dispersed. ¡°Do you mind if we come in? We have to wait for Avrio.¡±

    ¡°He lives in the city most of the time.¡±

    ¡°I left people there. Show me to his study¡­ Search the house.¡± I said to the few women who had stayed. They were not going to leave Kubra¡¯s side. We quickly emptied his office of all the papers and documents needed. His wife trailed us. ¡°Is there anywhere else he stores valuables¡­ Where is the family emblem?¡±

    She led us to a safe in a bedroom. We opened it and took out everything. I put it in her hands. ¡°You¡¯re in charge of the water on En-gannim.¡± I didn¡¯t think her big eyes could become any rounder, but they did. ¡°Will you be able to run the household and the finances?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing it for hundreds of years¡­ The reading and the business would be challenging.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. We will send you someone¡­.¡± Soren came to mind, but he hated us at that moment. I felt guilty asking him for anything¡­ Let alone a favor. Liam and Cindy were already raising my daughter¡­ I couldn¡¯t ask him, could I?

    ¡°Another thing¡­ Your husband will probably die.¡±

    Small lines formed around the outside of her eyes¡­ I didn¡¯t know she was smiling or frowning. Where the hell was Louis when you needed him. Sitting on that freaking red planet¡­ they might as well be doing nothing.

    ***

    We waited for another hour. ¡°Nothing is going to happen. He¡¯s not coming back. We need to figure out where they are hiding.¡±

    ¡°Any coms from Louis or Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Send Liam a message¡­ He needs to come. We need to go see where they are. I¡¯m getting worried.¡±

    ***

    Liam, Samuel, and Soren came through the teleporter. There was a woman with them. She was pretty¡­ Really pretty. I stared for a moment too long.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? I brought Soren. Hope it¡¯s okay.¡± Liam asked when he saw my eyes resting on the boy. I greeted them all with a handshake.

    ¡°Hi, my name is Chris.¡± She reluctantly took my hand after staring at it for a bit.

    ¡°Isla, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Soren¡¯s sister.¡±

    Soren was quiet but still taking in his environment. He was sharp. Too sharp.

    ¡°How is Sammy?¡± I asked Liam. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her much.¡±

    ¡°Having the time of her life. Don¡¯t worry¡­ She and Mine are in school and loving it. Cindy knows what¡¯s going on and won¡¯t leave them for a second.¡±

    I had to tell them everything that had happened.

    ¡°Go, Chris. We will take charge here with the soldiers.¡± My gaze traveled to Soren. He still had to say one word. I didn¡¯t know who we could trust. If it wasn¡¯t anyone in the tower¡­ It might be someone who was holding a grudge. Leaving Liam there in the lion¡¯s den felt like a bad idea.

    ¡°I¡­ won¡¯t do anything to hurt her,¡± Soren said. Able to read my reluctance.

    My shoulders slumped. My eyes drifted up to the sky. ¡°Would you take offense if I told Liam to keep a closer eye on you?¡±

    Soren smiled and shook his head.

    I didn¡¯t want to worsen it, so Kubra and I left. Not really knowing what to say to help them figure it out on their end. I was going with my gut.

    I did turn to the woman of the house one last time¡­ ¡°Isla¡­ Seeing that Soren is your brother¡­ You have to be able to read?¡±

    The woman in the veil seemed surprised.

    Isla nodded. ¡°Can I ask you a favor? This is Avrio¡¯s wife¡­ Can you stay here and help her with whatever she needs¡­ And teach her to read.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Isla said. The two women left. Juliet wasn¡¯t using the people in her life. She could have allocated better the year she was looking for me¡­ Was it really that hard getting new coordinates? Running a planet and delegating.

    ***

    ¡°Chris?!¡± I heard Louis say before we could see him.

    ¡°Why are you still here? You just left Juliet on En-gannim.¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t really have time to wait¡­ Is she okay?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°No! You had time. You¡¯re running away. You told us you would handle getting Michael back.¡± I glared at Marcus, who couldn¡¯t even look at me. ¡°You guys could have split up, and one of you went to Avrio Island. I had to sort out the mess you left my son with.¡±

    ¡°If you want to have a say, Chris! You can¡¯t disappear whenever you want. You weren¡¯t even there when they came¡­ Where is she?¡±

    ¡°Now you care! Why don¡¯t you just read me?¡± Louis scowled. ¡°She is with Silvanus,¡± I said. Irritated but unwilling to waste more time. They seemed relieved. ¡°Any sign of Raas?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    I told them everything that had happened. ¡°We need to make a plan for this exchange. They won¡¯t be communicating anymore. If they are not already hurting Michael or whatever they were doing to Beatrice. I think we should travel Fahan and Michael out to the other side of the planet¡­ The watchers can do recon to check the area¡­ One of us goes in with the baby, and it¡¯s a simple exchange.¡± I said.

    Marcus took the glass plate and sent the first message. Why was Marcus not taking charge?

    Fahan { We will not be trading. Extraction has begun }

    Marcus read the words, and we were all deafly quiet.

    ¡°I told her we could handle this. We waited too long. We should have gone that first three days when they were both asleep.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± I met Louis¡¯s eye. He had to know every thought running rampant in my mind. It was like they¡­ I left my train of thought. ¡°Jessy, go get men willing to stay here and guard the place for a few weeks,¡± I said. As soon as I said it, I remembered that Jessy was also under suspicion. Giving him the power to choose men willing to help Raas¡­

    Louis laughed lightly. ¡°Chris thinks you might be a mole.¡±

    Jessy¡¯s face was incredulous. Marcus snorted. But Kubra was serious next to me¡­ And I trusted Kubra more than I did a vamp that grew up on the compound. ¡°Put a watcher on me¡­.¡± Jessy said flatly. ¡°Kubra, you¡¯re the one that assigned me to her.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ when Marcus was still in charge. I know where your loyalties lie¡­ But you could have changed your mind in the meantime. It had to be someone very close to her.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Louis bellowed. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have been¡­ Do you think I sit around and do nothing?¡± He spat out. ¡°You have no idea how hard it is to read everyone all the time. And I¡¯m telling you now. It¡¯s not Jessy!¡± His voice was raised.

    ¡°Are you willing to put Sammy or Caleb¡¯s life on your ability? Everyone knows how to get you out of their minds by now.¡±

    Louis scoffed. ¡°No, they don¡¯t. And Yes! I¡¯m willing to bet my daughter¡¯s life on that.¡± He said, holding my gaze. I didn¡¯t like the words. But I had not embraced Sammy as I should¡¯ve.

    ¡°Fine¡­ Jessy¡­ You take over here¡­ We¡¯re not telling Juliet¡­ She is already¡­ Anyway¡­  I will take a group of Riphaths and Watchers and go get Michael.¡±

    Louis grabbed my arm, clearly aware of where my thoughts trailed off to for a second too long. Guessed he was very aware of everything. He manifested and smelled me. His grip became a lot tighter. ¡°Come, we have to go back to The Tower¡­ It¡¯s time for a family meeting.¡± Louis¡¯s tone was condescending.

    I pulled out of his grip. ¡°You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing. She needs you¡­ Where are you?!¡± I spat out. I had to shake myself. ¡°There¡¯s no time for this¡­ I¡¯m going to Juliet.¡±

 The Journey Continues

    157. The Journey Continues

    Charlene

    My heart was pounding. I had just killed someone, unable to control my breathing. My first living person¡­ creature or whatever the universe called us all. Romero was calm behind me. His breathing was steady. ¡°Calm down¡­ You won¡¯t let anything happen to me.¡± Romero quipped.

    ¡°Another joke¡­ I¡¯m impressed.¡±

    His one arm was around my waist, holding me tightly from behind, kicking the beast below us. I glanced down at his arm. It had turned into a shadowy spirit after his manifestation. Where his skin was usually brown, it had turned completely black and seemed almost on fire. The ends of the black flames drifted off into the air. Where the veins in Miriam¡¯s hand had traveled up from her fingertips¡­ Romero¡¯s whole arm was covered in golden veins. Contrasted on the black background. When I caught a glimpse of the blackness in my peripheral at the oasis, I only had a second to take in his form. Romero¡¯s facial features were utterly consumed with the darkness, and at that moment, he had no colored veins. No eyes. Nothing distinctive.

    ¡°Do not dull me now!¡± I said, seeing the gold patterns rapidly moving around my waist.

    ¡°No. I¡¯ll be good. I need you alert.¡±

    I had thought about turning the beast away from the storm of raiders coming at us. Still, I was sick of being a coward. And Romero didn¡¯t say we should make a run for it. He was ready for the fight. The group in front of us started spreading out, circling, and trying to corner us. It would make it easier to take them on one by one.

    As we came closer to the first two raiders, Romero let go of me, sliding off the back of the beast. I didn¡¯t want him to go. Afraid that something would happen to him. The one man, covered in material from head to toe, kicked his beast into motion, galloping towards Romero. A long sword in one hand. If Romero could manifest¡­. Did everyone on the planet?

    Romero was still walking on two legs. He was solid, but his whole body was covered in those shadows. He wasn¡¯t literally turning to air. I directed my attention at the other man on his own beast. Just like the first one, I would teleport and catch him unaware. I stood up on the moving form beneath me and landed behind the raider. My nails dug upward into his skull. I extended and flexed my long black claws. It splattered his skull and brains over my two hands. I grabbed his sword before pushing him off. I straddled the beast, holding the reins.

    The other raiders gave a cry into the air. I glanced over my shoulder at Romero. The other man had also manifested, thrown his cloak from his person, and the two were fighting with swords. Both their black shadows were moving and covering their swords. The golden veins were gone, and they were both black as night. Black meant murder. Romero wasn¡¯t in distress. His form was flawless. So, I left the two to fight it out.

    Would it be the first time that I saved another person? Killed a group of men. The corner of my mouth lifted. I pushed the reins over the neck of the beast. It moved its feet under me. The other raiders had gathered and stopped in a group, observing me. They had no idea what I was. Their gazes traveled from the dead man in the sand to me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think you will get away¡­ You might as well come at me.¡± Their heads cocked, and they glanced at each other. They didn¡¯t understand me. I hurled the beast forward. They did notice the threat, and I growled loudly, letting loose the animalistic roar stuck in my throat. A low rumble emanated from the group in one accord. They all climbed off their mounts. A frown played over my brow. Wasn¡¯t it better to stay mounted in a fight? That¡¯s what the movies said. I missed my family at that moment. Marcus would have been able to direct me. Juliet wouldn¡¯t have asked and had already been fighting.

    ¡°Where are you when I need you?¡± I whispered as I stopped my beast. The cloaks went next. They all manifested. ¡°What will you do? Lull me to sleep from a distance?¡± I had to ask. They pointed their swords, channeled their veins to the edges, and pushed their power out towards me. The darkness was coming at me, so I manifested into a Vampire. Some of them faltered, seeing me change into yet another creature. And unfortunately, I was still naked¡­ I snorted. The shadowy colors hit me. The beast under me fell to the sand. I dismounted slowly, stepping over its big corps. The beast had died instantly. How could they kill something so fast? Another cry, and they grouped up even closer together.

    While they focused on pushing out a more potent force, I was not going to stand around and take even the slightest chance that I could also get knocked out or even die. I started in the back of the group, manifesting into a Riphath, teleporting to the furthest man from me. Grabbed him, or rather sunk my claws into his sides and traveled as far away from the other men as I could manage. Unthinking, I did this as quickly as I could from one man to the next. Fighting them one by one as a Vampire as soon as we landed in isolation.

    Even if some of them got their hands on me, it meant a moment of pain. Their swords I could easily avoid. If there was one thing Marcus had taught me, it was to keep moving. Romero had used his power to give me a sense of peace and heal my mind¡­ They used it to control me entirely, sending jolts of agony through my body. Romero had finally joined the fight. They didn¡¯t know if they should focus on catching me when I came in again or on Romero yielding his sword, countering their attacks. I killed them all while they decided. I was moving so fast. There were only about six of them.

    The last two tried to run away, but it was no use. I landed in the middle of the two men, hitting them in the throat. They turned to me as one. The first grabbed onto me with both hands. As a Riphath, I had no power to counter the pain that consumed my mind. Nor could I change my manifestation. The other stabbed me from behind. I saw the blade pierced through my chest. Romero sliced down from the side. Hands connected to wrists fell into the sand at my feet. Romero stabbed him and jumped over me to slice down into the last perp. The blood pooled at his throat. I fell to my knees and into the sand, changing into a Vampire, and stared into the man¡¯s dying eyes.

    Romero pulled on the blade slowly. I hissed and screeched with every nudge. I wanted to tell him to stop. To leave it in. Never remove an impaled object and rush to a hospital. There would be no ER for me. He picked me up in one swoop, running to the water. His face was a jumble of emotions, and strangely, I felt the same. I didn¡¯t want to die. Kubra. I groaned. I had made a mistake taking on two at a time. Romero submerged me for a few minutes. My hand held onto his neck, and I clutched and released. He looked at me and smiled reassuringly. Genuine compassion and emotions in his eyes. Miriam had told me they used their own abilities on themselves. It was why he never let any show. He had also stopped dulling himself. ¡°Neccesarry for mating.¡±

    His smile broadened. ¡°It is the first time I have ever wanted anyone.¡± His smile turned sheepish. ¡°I¡­ I do not know how to court yet.¡±

    I closed my eyes, and he lifted me out of the water and laid me on our blanket in the sand. He pushed me onto my side. His hands covered my cuts, one on my back and the other on my middle. It was dark over me. Romero grunted, and the golden veins flowed over me so strongly that I felt no more pain. Ragged, dry sobs escaped my lips. Romero pressed harder, and I looked up into his face. He wasn¡¯t entirely a shadow anymore. His features were defined, set in a light black background to the stark dark flames surrounding his head. His eyes had no definition. Only gold. ¡°So beautiful.¡± He touched my forehead, and the color on him changed to white. The familiar feeling rushed through me. ¡°Sleep for a bit.¡± He whispered. ¡°You will be fine. I will not let anything happen to you.¡±

    ***

    Romero

    When her eyes closed¡­ I sat back, letting the ordeal catch up to me. My hands shook¡­ I had never been so afraid that something would happen to any other person in my life. I let my manifestation go. My feelings for Charlene were¡­ More than I had anticipated, more than I could handle.

    I glanced around and listened, making sure we were alone. I drank some water, splashing my face. It would only be a matter of time before more raiders showed up, searching for their scout party. But not one had escaped. It would give us a day to get a head start. If we could get to the forest before they noticed, they would leave us alone. No one would dare enter after us.

    I stood and left Charlene to sleep it off. All I could do was close the cut and stimulate her mind for healing. The damage on the inside was up to her body to heal. I climbed the bank ridge and put my hands together over my mouth, making a clicking sound in the air, calling out. The beasts soon came waddling towards me. They had an awkward gate walking. I removed all the headgear and saddlebags, letting them all go except two. In the end, the raiders might be what would save us. Having transportation for a stretch of the journey. It was not the way, but I would take the shortcut.

    After that, I had to gather all their bodies. The men were almost unrecognizable after Charlene was done with them. I had thought she was not a fighter¡­ Instincts were a wonderful thing. She had saved my life. Both our lives. I dragged them far away where no sandstorm would unearth them. Dug a pit and began dropping bodies down, hiding all the proof and keeping the decay away from the water source. They would come there first. It was the only water for some time. I had been foolish. The water pit must be somewhere they came regularly.

    By the time I got back, our star was almost setting. Charlene was still asleep, but I could not wait for her to feel better. Never before did I have to dress a full-grown woman¡­ Because even if she was young on our planet¡­ It seemed that she was not a child on hers. That look in her eye when she came at me in my room. She knew without a doubt what mating entailed¡­ If I had not fought her, she would have¡­ I chuckled at the thought of her chasing after me. I couldn¡¯t help myself. I reached out and caressed her hair and slid my knuckles over her cheek, hoping and praying that, in the end, it would all work out.

    I filled our water container one last time, draped Charlene over one of the beast¡¯s backs, and tied it to mine¡¯s saddle. We were off before it was even dark. Every time she stirred or complained about the jostling, I made her sleep. I gave her peace. Let her body believe that she was not hurting at all¡­ But still healing and working together. Even if it was only mental stimulation, the mind could perform miracles. She quieted down with each touch¡­ I hoped she didn¡¯t mind that I kept her quiet.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The next landmark we needed to reach was an entrance to a wooded area. It would be the first change in landscape. It was why we settled in the sandy part of the planet. It was quiet. Open and safe.

    It was two days before she woke up or before I felt I could let her wake up, hoping that her Vampire had helped her heal quicker. It was the end of the second day. I had placed her on our blanket, staring down at her. The journey we were on was what all couples had to make to the dark city. It was a test of fate¡­ A bonding experience if you made it. Honor among the people¡­ I wasn¡¯t going to tell her. At the end of our excursion was a sacred chamber with a bed¡­ One where all couples on our entire planet consummated their union. And if they did¡­ They could never be parted again¡­ My father knew how I felt, and they would bless my choice. And if I made it¡­ Ruler of my world¡­ We would be happy.

    ¡°Romero¡­¡± Charlene said late into the night with her head resting on my chest. I stroked her hair, ¡°I am awake. How do you feel?¡±

    She laid her hand on top of mine, holding it, bringing it closer to her chest. ¡°I feel okay. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?¡± She slowly tried to sit up. I reached out to help her. She gasped when she saw the sky. ¡°Oh¡­ Romero, how beautiful¡­ It¡¯s almost magical.¡±

    The stars in the sky formed a vertical line from the horizon out into space. So close that it lit up the air around us. The crescent moon on our right was bright. The one on our left was so close to the planet¡­ It felt like I could touch it. She got up and walked towards it, stretching out her hand. She kept on walking with her arm in the air. I snorted and chuckled. Charlene turned around and watched me laughing. ¡°I know how it works¡­ I just wanted to see if it¡¯s the same here.¡±

    ¡°It is the same¡­.¡± She stretched out her index finger¡­ That must be the arm¡­.¡± She pointed to the stars. ¡°One of the arms of our Milky Way¡­.¡±

    I frowned and dropped my head. Lay down on the blanket, closing my eyes. I didn¡¯t want to talk to her about their world and where she came from. She didn¡¯t join me. Charlene sat in the sand for the longest time, gazing at the stars¡­ Her golden hair sparkled in the light, glowing almost white.

    If I wanted her to fall in love with me¡­ In the next few days¡­ I was going to have to work harder¡­ I jumped up, going to sit beside her. She was propping herself up with her arms and her legs stretched out in front of her. I placed my hand on hers. She glanced down quickly at the gesture. Her eyes met mine for a moment. Charlene lay down, resting her head on my lap. My heart faltered. She was so close... Would I be able to wait until we had a bed and safety? If I did not¡­ It would mean nothing¡­ I swallowed hard. Her meaningful eyes bore into mine. The green was framed with a dark line. They crinkled at the sides. ¡°You are so beautiful.¡± I traced her face with my finger.

    ¡°Your heart is racing.¡± She snickered.

    ¡°I know¡­¡±

    ¡°Is this all physical for you?¡±

    ¡°Physical?¡±

    ¡°All about mating?¡± I laughed. My head fell back, and I laughed more¡­ ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± She sat up. I couldn¡¯t stop. Her hand slid over my cheek, and her thumb rubbed over my lips.

    I grabbed her wrist and pushed her down into the sand, holding it above her head. The joy forgotten and replaced with need. My one knee pushed up between her legs and pushed them apart. She lifted her other arm so that I could take hold of both wrists¡­ I took a ragged breath. Charlene was giving herself to me... All the signs were there. ¡°We have to talk about who branded you,¡± I said softly.

    Her eyes turned to emotionless pits. As if she did not want to talk about it. My brows furrowed. I was opening up about what we knew. I thought she would not want to stop talking. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡­ What do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°You say you don¡¯t mate for life on your world¡­ Then what? How could there be that kind of connection?¡±

    She bit her bottom lip in between her teeth. As she closed her eyes, a tear rolled down her temple. ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on. Most of the time¡­ We take every day as it comes. Things change at a moment¡¯s notice¡­ Our world is so complicated¡­ I cannot tell you how it feels to have to push thousands of years into eighty¡­ Because that¡¯s what most people reach¡­ What most people do.¡±

    She was right¡­ I had no notion of how I would be¡­ If I had to live every day like it was my last. Or do everything because time would catch up to me.

    ¡°But¡­ I won¡¯t be living for eighty anymore¡­ I¡¯ll live for thousands¡­ Even longer if I go to another place¡­ It will be only Michael and me for thousands and thousands of years. Oh, and don¡¯t forget Chris.¡±

    ¡°Michael, is he the one that branded you?¡±

    She laughed. Charlene¡¯s face was so expressive. So much feeling. Her hands usually moved a lot when she had something to say. ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°Is Juliet your mate?¡±

    She laughed even louder. Rolled on her side and giggled. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Juliet is a woman.¡±

    ¡°What? You have mentioned her so many times¡­ I thought¡­¡±

    ¡°Juliet is my person¡­ But not my mate¡­ Not that I¡¯ve been much of a person to her the last year.¡±

    ¡°Did you fight¡­ Did something happen to break the connection?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Me¡­ Juliet and Carl¡­ Our bond will never break. It does not matter what we go through.¡±

    ¡°Carl sounds like a man.¡±

    She snorted. ¡°Urgh, if you can call him that.¡±

    ¡°So if he is not your mate and Juliet is a woman¡­ then who?¡±

    ¡°A Vampire¡­ His name is Kubra. And he is the reason it worked.¡±

    Her voice was filled with sorrow, not regret or excitement about getting a chance to talk about him. If connections were rarely formed, how¡­ ¡°Have you wanted to go back to him?¡±

    She did not answer, but her eyes flickered. ¡°He and I are fighting¡­ We love each other but haven¡¯t mated yet. I don¡¯t even know why.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help the smile that spread over my mouth. Charlene shook her head, with teeth shining in the moonlight. I watched her pink lips move. ¡°This is the perfect scene in a movie for a kiss.¡± She whispered. Her body was so soft against me¡­ Subdued. I let go of her wrists and laced our fingers. I was not going to kiss her¡­ All I could do was stare into her eyes. Let her get used to my touch and us together. ¡°You were so close to kissing me a few days ago¡­ If your father didn¡¯t come in, you might have let me have my way with you.¡±

    I stood up. Too happy to contain myself. Did a little dance. She laughed again. ¡°You¡¯re so weird.¡±

    ¡°Weird?¡± I asked, moving my feet in the sand, hands moving next to me. I had never been that happy. Her telling me they had not mated was the best news I had ever received. Over the last few days, I had stopped controlling my own feelings.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could be happy.¡± There was a sparkle in her eye.

    I stopped dancing¡­ Reality came back to hit me in the gut. ¡°When you spoke last time, it sounded like you have mated before.¡±

    Her smile fell¡­ She ran an agitated hand through her hair, gripping it on the side of her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I would ever say this¡­ but it¡¯s the first time in my life I regret not being a virgin. Not being unmated¡­ if that¡¯s even a word here.¡± Her hands sprung free again, moving.

    My fists clenched at my sides. ¡°It is!¡± I spat out. I had forgotten how it felt to be jealous. Angry. Disappointed¡­ But as soon as we found the one we wanted, it was necessary to leave that life behind¡­ And to form a connection. A real one. My trouble was doubled¡­ Charlene was making me lose control.

    ¡°I told you, Romero¡­ I¡¯m not your girl¡­ Why don¡¯t you tell me what is so important¡­ And let me go home¡­ Live your life and forget about me. Why do we need to go somewhere for you to talk to me?¡±

    ¡°I am not forcing you to stay. You can leave at any moment¡­ Why have you not?¡±

    I turned away from her. Charlene kept telling me that she was not the woman for me. I don¡¯t know why I was so reluctant to hear about her life. It didn¡¯t matter what she told me. It changed nothing. The white sand stretched out in front of me, touching the horizon. The stars were surrounded by a glow of different pinks, whites, and blues. It was breathtaking. I heard her get up. She came to stand behind me, wrapping her arms around my waist and hugging me. They started to wander and ran up my body. I stilled hers with mine when they reached my chest. Too angry for her to touch me. Scared at the rush of emotions, I had no idea what to do with.

    ¡°Like you said. I¡¯m here for the throne¡­ I don¡¯t know why I ended up in front of you... I¡¯ve not left because I need to know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    I groaned out loud. Almost a cry into the cosmos. It felt like my insides would burst. She was staying because she needed information for her people. I gripped her little hands in mine, wanting to pry them off my person. There was not being the right person, and then there was no mutual affection. Charlene was a new creature, with needs, nothing more. She held onto me. ¡°I¡¯m not done talking.¡± She whispered. ¡°The other reason¡­ Is that I¡¯m¡­¡± She hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ve never¡­.¡± I turned around. Her eyes shone in the moonlight¡­ Bright and sensitive at the same time, piercing mine¡­ ¡°I¡¯m desperately¡­ In love¡­ with you.¡± She had to force out the words.

    ¡°In love?¡± I asked skeptically.

    ¡°I feel deeply connected to you¡­ Fated to have met.¡±

    My lips crushed down on hers. Arms pulling her into me so close that I thought we were already one. She answered my mouth with fervor. Out of breath and moaning into lips. I lost myself in her. We kissed for the longest time. Neither of us wanted it to stop. She tried to lift my shirt. I pulled away from her so quickly and pushed her. I was not in control of myself, but I would not hurt her like that. Use her like that. Or throw away any chance we had.

    ¡°F-,¡± She yelled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? You are just like Kubra. Old.¡±

    I laughed lightly. She was full of passion. No wonder she had several matings behind her. I also had a sudden respect for this Kubra¡­ I tugged on a tendril of hair hanging next to her face. She slapped my hand.

    ¡°Like I said, Charlene¡­ We mate for life.¡± I walked past her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards our blanket under some trees. Maybe Kubra would be willing to let her go. My eyes drifted into the forest that loomed before us. I had made camp under the first trees before we would enter the thick covering of endless canopies. On the other hand¡­ Would I be able to?

    I pushed her down and dragged her against my body. ¡°You will sleep now.¡± She tried to struggle, mumbling something. I ran my hand over her hair and used my power to calm her. Her body relaxed against me. Her breathing slowed till it was deep in her chest. Then, I turned it inward and used some on myself. I know my father forbade me, but what was I supposed to do. She would mount me in my sleep¡­ That I would keep for later when she decided to stay.

 Hold On, Michael

    158. Hold On, Michael

    Fahan

    I left the men there to start with the extraction. I could not believe Jade, and I had fought like that. I did not like myself for striking her¡­ It had been the first time I had ever raised my hand in anger. She was being nonsensical about Aries. I understood that. But if we let the Riphath go¡­ We would never get off that planet. Our food was depleted, and there was no relief on its way. Our numbers were rising because of instinct. Our bodies knew that we needed numbers to survive. To fight a war. The thing that would save us was also the cause of our suffering.

    I had set the scientist to work, stalling. Why would we trade if they were sure that Juliet would not kill Aries? We would wait¡­ And when the extraction was done, we would give him back like the vamps had done all those years ago.

    ¡°You can not do this! He is our child. How do you know what they will do to him after you almost kill her mate.¡± Jade was screaming.

    She had been waiting for me outside, in front of the building. All my men were there. Avrio and Raas were watching us closely. I hated that it was drifting us away from each other. I lifted my hand, and Dimitrios and one of the men picked her up and carried her out. Her legs were kicking. She was weak¡­ Her body was still recuperating from the branding and from the birth. If it was any other time, she would have been able to fight them. I had hit her at her lowest. When she could do nothing to fight back.

    ¡°Watch her and keep her in our cave.¡±

    Avrio and Raas had decided to stay. They would not be able to go back to their planet until we could teleport out all my men and declare war on the Vampire planet. It was the reason I was not going back in there and trying for a second time to get my son. When the boy disappeared with him right in front of my eyes, I knew that they would not do anything to him. The way he was cradling Aries. Just before they knew we were there, he was playing with him.

    If we were close with Beatrice¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be long with even a more robust subject. Dimitrios had said that he had held out admirably the last two weeks. He showed no weakness. I went back inside to make sure they were starting.

    A few men opened his cell, which was the first time he struggled. I could see the fear on his face. He knew what was coming. He had been on the receiving end of some method of torture in his past. I turned away as they started chaining him up. I wished there was another way, but there was not. Avrio was overseeing the proceedings, which would only make it go faster.

    ¡°How long?¡± I asked.

    ¡°A week or two with someone so powerful and young. Our technology has improved.¡±

    I could live with that. In a week, I would go get my son. Even if I had to kill all of them.

    ***

    Chris

    I wanted to leave Louis and Marcus on that godforsaken Red planet. The glow the world carried was ominous. The constant droning of the factories and the plants they had erected to give all of it power. It was indispensable and something I had to get used to. I was angry at them, but I stopped at the door. We were on a strange planet. Once again, in a stressful situation. It made me stop to think.

    ¡°Chris¡­ I know you said that you would rather be on your own. That the family unit wasn¡¯t important to you¡­ You got what you wanted. Soren is out, and you left immediately after. But this is a family problem. You can¡¯t come and take over when she calls you.¡±

    ¡°Why did she call me Louis?¡± I asked and glanced back at him. Kubra had sat down, eyes on the floor. It really didn¡¯t matter that he was there. He was family, after all.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault,¡± Marcus said. ¡°I told her that we would get Michael back. That we had to wait. I had no idea that Fahan would choose both stones.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you done anything on En-gannim? Are you really going to leave her to do everything? If I had known she was all alone¡­ Again¡­ I probably wouldn¡¯t have left¡­ You¡¯re right¡­ It is your fault. You told me not to manipulate her time. I regret not doing it¡­ If you had known what was going on, Avrio would never have gotten away with it in the first place. You didn¡¯t even clear The Tower yet¡­ What have you been doing the last two weeks?¡± My eyes drifted to Marcus. ¡°Did you not promise her you would work with her¡­ And as far as I know, you didn¡¯t mind playing politics when you left Juliet on Earth?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t because I¡­ completely shut down¡­ You don¡¯t know how it feels to do something for so long. You are still young.¡±

    My gaze landed on Louis, and he started speaking. ¡°The only reason I haven¡¯t is that I get addicted to the power¡­ It nearly broke us apart on the compound. And even if Michael did throw his tantrum about the baby, he hit the nail on the head¡­ None of us want to work with her. All of us together¡­ In one room¡­ It¡¯s a recipe for disaster.¡±

    ¡°Fighting is one thing¡­ Challenging someone to a physical fight.¡± Marcus went on. ¡°That we can do as a team¡­ It¡¯s a one-time common goal¡­ There, I have the advantage, and she listens to me.¡± Marcus said, sitting down. ¡°Even now, none of us want to tell her because she will do something stupid without taking anyone into consideration,¡± Marcus complained.

    ¡°All these excuses¡­ They didn¡¯t stop you when you got her pregnant.¡±

    Marcus shrugged. ¡°All three of us knew. You didn¡¯t have an issue with it either¡­ I have to be selfish sometimes, or it won¡¯t work. I couldn¡¯t really go to work with her still in the hospital. And who would¡¯ve protected her? I would have kept my promise. I was just waiting for her. I can¡¯t help that every time we have to start working, something else happens in this freaking family. Michael was right in that regard. We should have taken some time.¡±

    I came further into the room and sat down.

    ¡°Should I go to Ira to hear what they say?¡± I suggested. ¡°It isn¡¯t the time to have another heart-to-heart.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ And we will go to Earth to hear what they say¡­ Meet us in France.¡±

    ***

    Juliet, Silvanus, and Caleb were feet in the water at the river. The baby was in Juliet¡¯s arms. She and Caleb were talking. I sat next to her. ¡°Any news? What did Fahan say?¡± She asked. It bothered her so much. I knew she was holding back, pushing it all down.

    ¡°Fahan¡¯s thinking about it¡­ I don¡¯t think he knows what to do. Have you seen Ira? There is no one at the house.¡± I asked, trying to change the subject.

    ¡°They¡¯re at the origin city¡­ Your father and Sung are negotiating about the winter spent there and not in Yaroon.¡± Silvanus said.

    ¡°Really?¡± My eyebrows lifted. Silvanus nodded. If he was actually there, they were serious about it.

    ¡°I have seen Jamal and Selena, but they are out on patrols.¡± Juliet kept talking.

    I cut her off. ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you here. I need to go talk to my father¡­ Or do you want me to stay?¡± Juliet smiled. ¡°If you need me, just call.¡± I kissed her and stood to leave. She didn¡¯t even open her eyes. Her head tilted to the warmth of our star.

    ¡°See you later.¡±

    I hated lying to her. Sent Kubra a message to meet me in the city. He was waiting at the cave.

    ***

    We had to find Ira. They were busy walking around and cataloging the damage that the fight caused. We greeted them. Ira always had a big smile on his face when he saw me. ¡°Can I talk to you?¡±

    Sung wanted to leave. ¡°Stay¡­ I need to talk to you, too.¡±

    Ira¡¯s back stiffened. ¡°What happened?¡±

    I told them everything. They were quiet for a long time. It was Sung who spoke first. ¡°It will be almost impossible on their home ground. Thousands of soldiers with weapons to counter us.¡±

    ¡°If we wait¡­ They will end up here eventually. If they get on En-gannim and have more tech to their advantage, we would never be rid of them.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t come here¡­ No one has ever dared¡­ And I can¡¯t keep bailing out Juliet when things go wrong.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t hesitate to help us.¡± I retorted. ¡°We got Beatrice back.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I am thankful, but we cannot go into a war where we would lose thousands of soldiers. If we want to move back into the city, we need every man and woman alive.¡±

    I sat down. Since I had gotten Juliet back, my mind had changed about leaving Zoreah behind. Getting our numbers up and the population growing again had become something we discussed in length. Louis was right¡­ Being in the same house¡­ As a family¡­ It wasn¡¯t something I would get used to.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°I understand. We will have to think about something else. It¡¯s more a personal matter¡­ Can¡¯t really expect to create a war for one man.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chris¡­ But you didn¡¯t want to take over from me¡­ I have to make decisions that will give us the best possible outcome.¡±

    I clapped Ira on the shoulder. If he only knew how close I was to bringing up the idea of me taking over. His answer might have been different.

    ***

    Kubra and I traveled to France. Louis and Marcus were already waiting. I plopped down on the couch. How I longed to be back on Earth. The Vampires had the tech that everyone wanted. I hoped that Earth would at least stand with her. ¡°What did they say?¡± I asked.

    ¡°They said no.¡±

    ¡°F-. Ira said no, too¡­ Sending just the Vampires in won¡¯t work, would it?¡± I asked.

    Marcus shook his head. ¡°Our numbers are too low.¡±

    ¡°The only thing we can do is give them the teleporter tech and cut out Avrio and Raas¡­ Or, give Fahan Palmyra?¡± I suggested.

    Marcus stood up. ¡°What! No! It¡¯s madness. The resources of Palmyra alone are worth fighting for. We have no idea what happened to the Werewolves¡­ What if they are not dead, and they can fall under Michael¡¯s rule. Or even better, Charlene¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a better option?¡± Both of them were quiet. They didn¡¯t meet my eye. My suspicion was growing. They had to have some idea of how to solve this¡­ ¡°You want to leave Michael there¡­ Let them take his ability.¡± I ventured.

    ¡°They don¡¯t have the means to build a teleporter. They don¡¯t have the materials they need. They might get the source energy, but then what?¡±

    ¡°You would put Michael through that? No wonder she doesn¡¯t trust you. How can you be sure they didn¡¯t already ship everything out there.¡±

    ¡°Even if they have. It will give us time to make a deal with Earth to launch an airstrike on them as soon as we do the exchange¡­ We will be rid of them¡­ Michael will be back. We will still have the tech and Palmyra.¡± Marcus added.

    ¡°Michael as much as told us in his first communication what to do¡­ He doesn¡¯t mind being the sacrifice¡­ If there is a way for us to extract an ability¡­ There are ways to give it back¡­ Michael will bounce back.¡± Louis said.

    I got up, yawning. I was tired. Had not slept for days. I walked over to the kitchen, lighting a cigarette. I grabbed a beer. When I opened a drawer for an opener. There was a case under the counter filled with those net guns. When I saw them, I knew what I needed to do. For all Michael was¡­ He would never do that to any one of us. He would never go against her like they were doing. And this was different than Zoreah. She loves him. The only problem was finding out what Kubra would do.

    Before Louis could read me and make a decision. I had shot him with one of those nets. Marcus was caught off guard, but he was a bit faster than Louis. My teleportation left him confused. We had not trained together since I had come back. Marcus might not want to rule, but he was letting his fighting deteriorate. I got him cornered and reeled him in like a fish. It felt good. A nice little gadget to have when you want to contain someone with abilities.

    My eyes met Kubra¡¯s. He lifted his hands into the air. ¡°I agree with you¡­ I had never chosen Marcus for doing the right thing. But because he had a cause worth fighting for. And Juliet is that cause¡­ Sometimes, he needs to be reminded of that. This family comes first, no matter the consequences.¡±

    The corner of my mouth lifted. ¡°I don¡¯t really know you. But will you help me with my plan?¡±

    Kubra nodded.

    We dragged them one by one to the safe room. Louis was swearing at me. Marcus was having a go at Kubra, telling us how stupid we were. That my plan wouldn¡¯t work. It might not, but they weren¡¯t thinking straight. Giving up a few things for her to be happy was not stupid.

    I turned to Kubra and told him my plan so that Marcus could hear. ¡°Do you agree with everything?¡±

    Kubra nodded. ¡°Carl and I need to find Charlene. We can¡¯t really do that without Michael.¡±

    ¡°After that, will you come to feed them?¡±

    Kubra nodded.

    ¡°You know Chris, you complain that she is impulsive¡­.¡± Louis yelled.

    ¡°No! Don¡¯t put your hang-ups on me!¡± I yelled back. ¡°I never complained about that¡­ Vampires... So selfish.¡± Louis didn¡¯t think it was funny. It was what he told me that night outside her house. ¡°She would do anything for any one of us¡­ Have you thought about what she would have to go through after he came back?¡±

    I waited for Louis to answer. ¡°She would understand why.¡±

    ¡°You are an idiot if you think that¡­ She¡¯s not going to understand. Your actions are going to break her¡­ Either way¡­ I agree we don¡¯t know where Michael fits in. But him always sacrificing because he loves her the most isn¡¯t fair¡­ I thought the consensus was that no one would touch him again¡­ Had he not done enough?! You two will have some time to sort yourselves out.¡± I raised my eyebrows. ¡°And, figure out what you will tell your wife.¡±

    ¡°Chris, it will be much worse when it¡¯s you!¡± Louis yelled as I closed the door on them and locked it.

    Louis might have been right. And all I was doing was giving him Fahan what he wanted anyway. All I was thinking about was lifting the burden for her. I would have to be the man, and I was taking responsibility. My father was going to be livid, but he left me no choice. At least I would get all the credit. Either way¡­ Juliet was going to have a rough time ahead. But¡­ I disagreed that it would be worse if it were me. It might just save the situation altogether. I sat down on the couch and sent Fahan a message.

    Chris { We need to talk }

    Fahan { Who is this }

    Chris { Ira¡¯s boy }

    Fahan { What do you want }

    Chris { Stop the extraction and meet me. I will teleport you out. Come alone. No weapons. Or I will kill your child myself }

    Fahan { Very well }

    ***

    I had at least learned how everything worked. Since I could come and go on En-gannim and Earth¡­ I studied whenever I had nothing to do. I had to. You could control it to transfer only one thing at a time.

    First, Kubra and I had to dismiss all of Juliet¡¯s troops on Palmyra. With Kubra there, it was easy. I didn¡¯t know who had the amulet for En-gannim or if it mattered anymore. Juliet will be taking over. If it¡¯s the last thing I did. Ira would have to do without me for a while. If Louis and Marcus didn¡¯t want to step up. I would.

    ¡°You have to leave. I need to talk to him alone. Stay in contact with Fahan while I¡¯m on that thing.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, Chris? I don¡¯t know if she would rather it be you or Michael.¡±

    My head dropped. I knew the answer. Everyone knew. Michael knew¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t want her to have to make the choice¡­ And Charlene can come to take over when she is back. For Palmyra, I¡¯m sure everyone will pitch in. It will be easier for us to fight here.¡±

    Kubra¡¯s mouth twitched. But it wasn¡¯t convincing. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If she ever comes back. I don¡¯t know why¡­ But I have a sick feeling in my gut.¡±

    ¡°When I come back. We will find Charlene and do everything else Juliet¡¯s wanted to do for so long.¡±

    Kubra traveled out.

    I waited till Kubra teleported Fahan through. I kept my distance. He eyed me suspiciously. ¡°I have a proposition for you.¡±

    ¡°I am listening.¡±

    ¡°I want to take Michael¡¯s place. Give him to me. And take me instead.¡±

    If he could show emotion, I saw it in his eyes. He was confused. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter? You will get what you want either way. And¡­ You can have this place.¡± I pointed out into the horizon.

    His eyes darted everywhere. Even from up there, Palmyra was beautiful. ¡°May I?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    He walked to the edge of the platform. His fist clenched at his sides, and I knew I had him. No one in his position would give up the opportunity.

    He spun around. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ Nothing is going to happen to your son. Juliet won¡¯t do anything to him. But you knew that.¡±

    ¡°Mmmm,¡± He bobbed his head once. ¡°What will I tell them? It will make no sense.¡±

    ¡°Tell them that you heard about the Werewolves being wiped out if Jade is killed by a branded mate, and you don¡¯t want to take the chance.¡±

    ¡°Is that true?¡± He asked. His voice was shaky.

    ¡°Yes. Do you see anything living around us?¡±

    ¡°Why not kill me?¡±

    ¡°Michael¡­ Is important. You know there is no way for us to get to him.¡± I said. And I truly believed that. She brought him with her to come to get me. She went against Marcus and added him to her family.

    Fahan¡¯s chest rumbled as his lips moved over his teeth. He was angry¡­ Noises were almost the only way you knew they had any emotion. ¡°What about Aries?¡±

    ¡°If I know Juliet. She will probably give him back. It¡¯s a chance we have to take.¡±

    ¡°You are making no strategic sense.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°Yeah¡­ I know.¡±

    ¡°I will do it¡­ But if this is some game¡­ You have to know that I will come for Caleb.¡±

    The thought that he knew about my children and even their names was a bad omen. ¡°We will both be putting our kids on the line then.¡±

    He considered this for a moment and nodded.

    ¡°Michael can under no circumstances know that I¡¯m there. None of them.¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°After. Will you let me go?¡±

    ¡°I will have no use for you? You will still have to get me here. I would need you.¡±

    ¡°You will have to kill Avrio and Raas¡­ And give up on En-gannim.¡±

    He lifted his hand in the air. ¡°If we can have all of this¡­ Who would want that pink sludge? It is dangerous¡­ Cut out war and death. En-gannim was just a means to an end.¡±

    ¡°I have a man working with me. Kubra. Trust him if he communicates with you.¡± I contacted Kubra, and he traveled Fahan out and himself back to the platform. I took out the letter I had written Juliet earlier. Another freaking letter. In that one, I was lying¡­ But hopefully, she would believe it when it was on paper. She knew how serious a note was¡­ I handed it to Kubra.

 The Long Walk

    159. The Long Walk

    Charlene

    Romero and I had been stealing glances at each other that whole morning. First, we picked up our stuff. Saddled the creatures we were riding. Drank some water. Every so often, either he or I would look at the other. Romero helped me up onto my beast. It was a high vault. I could have teleported up¡­ But where would the fun be in that? He held my gaze. His hand rested on my calf, caressingly thumbing my muscles. Even through the material, I felt every movement.

    The previous evening¡­ I had told him that I was in love with him. And I had meant it. At that moment, it felt so right. I could see the hurt in his eyes¡­ That he thought I was there just for information¡­  It had never happened to me before. Falling in love¡­ Just because. Not thinking about it. Or wondering if I thought this could go anywhere¡­ Or having a relationship first and then¡­ The love would follow. Romero had pulled a rug out from under me. For the first time¡­ I was the one wondering if he felt the same. The attraction was there¡­ But whether he was in love with me¡­ was another thing.

    ¡°Do we have to go on this journey?¡± I asked.

    Romero¡¯s lip quirked¡­ ¡°After last night¡­ We don¡¯t have a choice.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. ¡°Whatever that means.¡±

    It probably meant that I needed to keep it in my pants. I was turning into Juliet. Not only sleeping around but falling in love as I went along. I would do anything to be next to her at that moment¡­ To tell her all about Romero.

    Juliet had been in her Vampire creature feelings all during high school. How she ever did it without doing anything to Chris was beyond me. I was going to have to apologize. If all it took was becoming another freaking creature to let go of every human issue I had conjured up in my mind¡­ I was glad about it.

    I lifted my hand into the air, watching to see if I would disappear¡­ I had forgotten that I would travel if I wanted something bad enough. Kubra crossed my mind. When I thought about him, I wanted to cry. Not because I didn¡¯t want him anymore but because it would hurt him¡­ Romero would hurt him. I bit my lip¡­ I was getting too homesick.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you sad again?¡±

    I looked up. Romero was on his creature, steering it into the darkest forest I had ever seen¡­ And Juliet and I watched a lot of horror movies during our school years¡­ Nothing ever good came out of a dark forest.

    ¡°I miss home, that¡¯s all¡­ Scared I would travel and won¡¯t be able to come back.¡±

    Romero pulled back on his reigns till he was next to me. ¡°Kiss me again. Maybe that would keep your mind with me.¡± He leaned in and tilted his head. I pressed my lips onto his. It lingered for a moment until I moved my mouth on his. He pulled away.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to drive me wild before we ever get to where we¡¯re going,¡± I said softly. ¡°I had never had a guy play so hard to get.¡±

    ¡°So it worked?¡± He smiled.

    It did work. Being isolated with him had made the difference. That was why I was so in love with Kubra. He had shown me how he felt from the start. We were alone for weeks¡­ I groaned inwardly, hearing myself. What would I even feel like¡­ When I saw Carl¡­ Oh, Crap! I definitely shouldn¡¯t be thinking about him.

    Romero kicked his beast forward into the darkness. There was only one path in¡­ That was another sign that whatever was in there¡­ Would know undoubtedly where we would be. A little stupid if you asked me. Not even the morning light of their star penetrated the canopy of leaves that stretched above us. It felt wrong to call it the sun¡­ Every system so far has had its own star¡­ ¡°What is your star called?¡±

    ¡°Sirrah.¡±

    ¡°That is a beautiful name¡­ Could we not come up with a better name than the Sol.¡±

    ¡°Sol?¡± Romero asked and thought about it.

    I wondered where their Beatrice was on a planet inhabited all over¡­ Without any transport? Why were their elders not close to the ruler of the planet.

    ¡°How would we know how long we walked?¡±

    ¡°The forest is a two-day journey¡­ With the beasts a day¡­ If we make it out¡­ We will see Sirrah set on the horizon.¡±

    ¡°If?¡±

    ¡°Every¡­ area we are going through has different obstacles¡­ The first was the desert and to survive out there. Second, is the creatures of the forest.¡±

    Oh, I knew it. If it wasn¡¯t going to be a rapist¡­ I would be mauled to death. Eaten alive.

    ¡°That night when I first came to¡­ It seemed that you didn¡¯t take women by force on the planet¡­ But the raiders.¡±

    ¡°You implied that I would take you by force¡­ I would never¡­ Even consider it¡­ The raiders live outside the confines of society¡­ They use their power to fight and plunder, not¡­ Inner strength.¡±

    ¡°But¡­ You did touch me?¡± My voice pitched playfully.

    The corner of Romero¡¯s mouth lifted, but he didn¡¯t give me what I wanted. And stopped talking altogether.

    We were walking for such a long time that my thoughts wandered, thinking about Juliet and what happened. What was going on, and if Min¨¦ was okay? I hoped that Carl would be with her. Kubra would be awake¡­ And wondering why I wasn¡¯t coming home¡­ What must he be thinking?

    Romero didn¡¯t say much. He seemed too old for chit-chat. Wouldn¡¯t be bothered to make conversation¡­ All the dating rules of the Earth were kinda funny when I thought about them. The apps¡­ Going to a bar. Dinner. A guy made a move¡­ Drunk or not¡­ It really was awfully shallow. Being with a guy for years¡­ And then being able to just walk away if you didn¡¯t feel it anymore¡­ On Romero¡¯s planet, they mated for life¡­ How did that even work¡­ On En-gannin¡­ The women weren¡¯t allowed to leave¡­ Zoreah¡­ was one big orgy¡­

    Urgh, I was bored¡­ The walking never ended. The scenery never changed. It was the same trees over and over. Different sizes. Trunks grew as big as I had ever seen a tree could get. The darkness and smells put me in a constant state of fear. Only one way to get instant guts. I practiced my manifestation.

    Romero noticed immediately. ¡°Stop that¡­ Be still!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m bored,¡± I complained.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be bored if you attract every living thing in here with the smells you give off¡­.¡±

    ¡°Do I stink?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Especially as the one creature that can¡¯t talk.¡±

    ¡°Dogs do tend to stink when they don¡¯t get washed.¡± I smiled. Romero had made a mistake. I could speak on their planet. He was still keeping so much from me.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    I heard a chuckle. ¡°What kind of creatures are in here?¡± I asked nervously, forgetting about his lying and focusing on not dying.

    ¡°That thing you saw in prison¡­ Hordes of them.¡±

    I sat up straighter. ¡°What? You¡¯re taking me into a dark place full of that!¡± My eyes darted in all directions.

    He laughed, looking back at me¡­ ¡°Your funning with me¡­.¡± He nodded.

    Something jumped out from the side and dove Romero off his mount. It didn¡¯t even stagger. Landed squarely, and they disappeared into the woods¡­ I wanted to pursue them. Keep teleporting after the noise. I thought about it but looked down at the two beasts. I had to tie our mounts to a tree. My heart was racing, listening for sounds. My hands were shaking, trying to manage the two creatures and get a trunk that would hold them, listening for anything that might jump at me. It was deadly quiet. No birdlife or insects¡­ No plants to rustle in the undergrowth. Just dark brown ground everywhere. Neither of us had heard the thing stalk up to us.

    After being stabbed, I knew I wasn¡¯t invincible. Had a lot of training to do, and what would I be able to do if there really were hordes in there¡­ I slowly walked in the direction it jumped into, venturing through the line of trees. If I thought it was dark and scary on the path, I had no idea until I was deep in the maze and could hardly see further than the next tree. Getting lost was going to be a problem. No footprints to follow. I had to manifest, regardless of my smell. I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it as a human. All fours were my best option, hoping that my Werewolf instincts would kick in.

    As I turned, I immediately heard the scurrying. It was so faint. They had covered a lot of distance. My body kicked into motion and carried me into the dreaded abyss of hell that awaited me. I stopped when I couldn¡¯t hear anything anymore. My head darted in every direction. There was no wind to find a scent¡­ The aura around me was foggy and stuffy from generations of no fresh air. All I could hear was my paws squishing through the sand. What would I do if I couldn¡¯t find Romero? All alone in that place¡­ How would I get out? I couldn¡¯t just leave him and hope I would end up at his parent¡¯s side and be able to come back. I was losing my mind.

    ***

    Romero

    My head kept hitting trunks. I had manifested and tried to use my power on the creature, but nothing worked. Some beasts on our planet were immune. It was built downhill. Tiny legs in the back and longer ones in the front. A thin snout and a mouth full of teeth. No eyes¡­ It didn¡¯t need eyes in the dark. It carried me with little effort. I grabbed onto its neck to keep myself close to its body.

    I worried for Charlene. We would be separated. She would be all alone. Whatever was carrying me was taking me somewhere. I tried to grab my sword. I couldn¡¯t lift it all the way out of its sheath. My one arm was in the beast¡¯s mouth with my body, teeth digging into my skin, puncturing my flesh further with every adjustment of his snout. I focused on myself and my inner healing. It was all too much for my new emotional freedom.

    It stopped running and dropped me on the ground, panting for air. I would get no other chance. I pulled out my sword, fighting the creature, yelling into the air as we fought. It might have attracted the creature¡¯s friends¡­ Or something even more dangerous, but I had to try. I believed Charlene would be able to hear me calling out to her.

    Nothing happened. No Charlene as a dog or a Riphath. I was deliberately avoiding using alien species¡¯ real names¡­ If she knew that I understood what was going on¡­ She might have left. I needed time¡­ With her¡­ From the moment I saw in her human form¡­ I knew she was my mate. That was why I had touched her. Hearing her tell me she had feelings for me¡­ I drove my sword right through the beast as we fought, killing it. The body gushed out a substance into the air as I pulled my sword from its corps. It was the way of our world. Every being had energy, and that one¡¯s essence would travel when it died. It had been searching for its pack, maybe even a hole into an underground tunnel.

    I started running in the opposite direction, back to where I thought I had come from. The trees did not allow me to run in a straight line. The beast itself had been lost, and it lived there. How would Charlene and I find each other? How would I find the path? Would she be waiting there, or did she also come into the trees? We should have eaten something. I should have hunted for her. She could at least have torn something to shreds as one of her forms. If we were stuck in there for days¡­ We would not survive. It had already been so many without food¡­ Just water.

    I felt my waist. My eyes traveled up to the canopy. I had the container with me. I had not tied it to the saddle. Charlene had nothing to drink. I ran faster¡­ Even if I was off course¡­ I had to be going in the right direction.

    It was not long before I was out of breath. The air so deep into the trees was too dense and almost toxic. I stopped to take a breath, lifting my shirt. My wounds were painful but not so deep that I had to stop and heal for hours or to close them off. My eyes kept searching. I could hear nothing.

    Charlene and I had ridden in silence¡­ I wanted to talk to her, but I had to keep concentrating on listening for any beasts¡­ As soon as I relaxed, it pounced. I had made another mistake. I wondered how my mother and father ever did that trek. Miriam¡¯s mate didn¡¯t make it. I sighed. That was why all she had to wear was black. I didn¡¯t want to wear black for the rest of my life.

    I sat half fell on the ground, exhausted, leaning back against a trunk. There would be no hiding in a tree. They had no branches low enough for me to climb up into. I didn¡¯t really know what to do. My life had been simple and easy¡­ From there on out, it would be full of trouble. There was a tightness around my chest. For the first time, well, the second time¡­ I feared losing someone or dying myself... I was actually living. I could see the appeal of letting go of the control.

    I sat for a while, healing myself¡­ Until I could get up and wander further. Time passed as I walked. Even if it was dark all around me¡­ It became even more black as the day progressed. It had to be well into the evening. Charlene and I had missed each other¡­ We would not be sleeping together that night.

    ***

    Charlene

    Romero was nowhere. I was lost. I had circled and circled the same area, marking the trunks as I walked. If I had thought that Sirrah hadn¡¯t penetrated the forest that morning, the darkness of the night had proven me wrong. It had been a whole day¡­ I teleported into the highest branch off the ground that I could manage. It was all I could do. My eyes were droopy, my body weary. I needed to sleep. I rested back and was only going to close my eyes for a second. Romero had controlled me the previous night. At that moment, I would have welcomed the peace he would¡¯ve offered. A few times, my head fell to the side. It startled me awake every time, thinking that I had heard Romero calling.

    The last time I closed my eyes, I traveled. Not to Romero¡¯s side¡­ But into a warm bed. I thought I was dreaming. A warm arm draped over me and pulled me into an embrace. It was a man. The smell was familiar. Too tired to open my eyes, lips touched mine. Two arms pulled me even closer and held me tight, lifting me so I was on top of his naked chest. Hands were sliding up and down my back as we kissed. I was kissing, too. My pent-up lust needed an outlet. Aching breathlessly, I forced my eyes open. It was too dark to see, but my mind was more awake. ¡°Kubra?¡± My voice was husky.

    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± His breath was hot on my lips, and his fingers dug into my back. Kubra¡¯s voice startled me¡­ I shook myself and sat up. Instantly, I thought of Romero¡­ I couldn¡¯t be back. I didn¡¯t want to be. He needed me¡­ As I moved in the dark, the moldy smell overwhelmed me. My hand ran along the branch. It was definitely a tree. I gasped and sobbed and stood there for a moment, only to teleport down to the ground. Luckily, in my Riphath form, the scenery didn¡¯t matter. The pitch-black surroundings didn¡¯t matter. I turned into a Werewolf and pushed myself to keep walking. I couldn¡¯t fall asleep again. Too afraid that I would stay on En-gannim.

    I paused¡­ I was being stupid¡­ I turned back into a Riphath and sat down. I focused all my thoughts on Romero. If Michael had a pull on all the leaders of planets¡­ Maybe I could force myself to his side. Or just by what I wanted most. Nothing worked. It dawned on me that I needed to be a Vampire¡­ Focus on killing him and challenging him. Some time passed, but I did travel. Romero was on the ground, bleeding. I could smell the blood even if I couldn¡¯t see his wounds.

    I softly tapped his cheek. ¡°Romero¡­¡± I whispered.

    ¡°What took you so long?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± I picked him up and teleported him to a branch. Held him in my arms. I forced myself not to sleep.

    ***

    It had been the most harrowing night I had to go through in all my life. When there was a sliver of white in the foggy hue that hung in the air, I knew it had to be morning. Romero had slept the whole night. I shook him in my arms. ¡°Wake up.¡±

    ¡°Charlene?¡± He croaked out.

    ¡°Will you be okay? Or do you want me to take you back to your home? Or even my home?¡±

    His eyes sprung open. ¡°No! We can not go back¡­ You can not take me there¡­.¡±

    I nodded¡­ I wouldn¡¯t force him or make a decision for him.

    ¡°Teleport us down.¡±

    I did, helping him stand. ¡°If we can call those beasts¡­ They would be able to get us out of here.¡± He suggested. He put his hands around his mouth to call out.

    ¡°It won¡¯t work¡­ I tied them up.¡±

    ¡°You what?¡± He spat.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think¡­ I thought it would be better if they didn¡¯t follow me into this maze¡­.¡±

    ¡°How¡­ What possessed you to leave them?¡± His hands rubbed over his face.

    I didn¡¯t like his tone. I was exhausted. Had traveled into Kubra¡¯s arms and felt guilty above it all¡­ I manifested and tried to focus on the path and the beasts. It worked. They were still there¡­ Not eaten. I went back, picked up Romero, planted him down on his feet, returned to my human form, and watched him for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re being really mean. And making me sad.¡± I fell to the ground¡­ hands in the dirt, and passed out.

 What Now?

    160. What Now?

    Michael

    All my mental triggers were going off. The sensation of being bound and drugged. It had been two days on that thing, and I felt like dying. I probably was. I had shut down emotionally. None of them knew what it would do to me. The five men kept talking about me like I wasn¡¯t there or like I was some kind of animal. Juliet would have come already if she had known. They must have lied to her. Not that I blamed them. It wasn¡¯t like a planet was in jeopardy. As long as she didn¡¯t come in there¡­ I was okay with it.

    My body was held up by ropes tied around my shoulders and back. The thread they had on that planet was chafing my skin. It burned the whole time, grinding as my body convulsed. Whatever they had latched onto my person had penetrated into my bones. It was all physical pain and different than being mentally tortured¡­ My only consolation was that it would be over soon¡­ I hoped. I did regret losing my power.

    I passed out when it got too much. It had happened a few times already. Late that night, I felt them pulling out the spikes. Movement on the ropes. I opened my eyes. Dimitrios was standing over me, sword in hand. In one swoop, he cut the cord, and my body dropped to the floor.

    Fahan was there. He and Avrio were fighting. There was so much yelling. ¡°Why did you not tell me that my whole race could be wiped out if one of them killed Jade¡­.¡± Fahan turned to me. ¡°But that is what you wanted. You needed me to secure your planet!¡±

    ¡°No, Fahan. It is not true. They are lying to you.¡± Avrio roared back.

    ¡°I went to Palmyra¡­ There is no one there¡­ All the Werewolves are gone.¡±

    Avrio seemed stunned. I wondered if he was faking. No one knew if that was what happened.

    ¡°I did not know¡­ It does not change our plans. Why would we cut off the only race that can help us.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but it does. I can not align with a traitor. Or take the chance!¡± Fahan pulled out his sword from its sheath. Their swords were large. No human would be able to wield it. Fahan didn¡¯t even blink and sliced Avrio into two pieces. The man fell to the floor. Raas wanted to run. Fahan threw his sword at him. It went right through his chest, making him fall forward onto his hands.

    Fahan towered over me, lying on the ground. I couldn¡¯t move or even speak. He bent down and picked me up, and I fell onto his shoulder. What was he doing? ¡°I will be back.¡± He said to Dimitrios. All he got was a nod from his second.

    I didn¡¯t expect to come out on Zoreah. Fahan didn¡¯t even come with me. I was traveled out all alone... No exchange for his son or negotiations. The Riphaths recognized me. They scrambled to pick me up and teleport me to Ira¡¯s house. A few moments later, Juliet came walking in. She took one look at me. ¡°I will kill him in his sleep.¡± Juliet turned to leave. I stretched out my hand. There was no other way to tell her not to leave. She caught a glimpse of the gesture and stopped. Her eyes darted over my body. Juliet was going through it all again with me. ¡°We have to get him to En-gannim.¡± She fell down next to the bed, sobbing. Caleb came in with the baby in his arms. Did Fahan believe Juliet would give Aries back? My eyes closed.

    ***

    After I felt better and could open my mouth, I told Juliet everything I heard them say. To her, it made no sense either. There was no commotion in the med bay. Or doctors scrambling around. Only one was tending to me. It was only the three of us.

    ¡°Where is everyone?¡±

    ¡°Louis and Marcus are missing. Chris¡­ left me a note.¡±

    I frowned. ¡°Another letter? Was it better than the first one?¡± I quipped.

    Her face said it all. There was no smile¡­ Trouble was coming. ¡°Chris said that he and the other two fought.¡± She whispered with my hand on her cheek.

    ¡°They always fight¡­ What was different?¡±

    ¡°Chris said that it got violent¡­ He almost hurt Louis¡­ And that¡­ He needed time¡­ He said they told Fahan what would happen. Took him to Palmyra, and it was enough for him to change his mind. He is acting in good faith that I would give back his child. When he returned you.¡±

    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t explain where the other two are? Marcus wouldn¡¯t just leave you while you¡¯re pregnant.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Maybe he reached another limit¡­ It seems that the more time goes by¡­ The more things come up, that¡¯s gonna drive us apart.¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not true¡­ Don¡¯t go down that rabbit hole again¡­They will come back eventually.¡± I had to smile, although it was forced.

    She shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re too happy that you have me all to yourself.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t that at all ¡­ I didn¡¯t want to come over too concerned¡­ My radar was going off in a million directions. Louis would never leave her¡­ Not for anything. Maybe the other two¡­ But not Louis¡­ Something was off. Terribly off. The doors opened, and Caleb came in with Kubra.

    ¡°Where is Jessy?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Michael¡­ There is so much that needs to be done¡­ He is still managing the factories, if you can imagine? They just left him there.¡± Juliet complained.

    ¡°He¡¯s probably not happy about leaving you.¡±

    ¡°What did Ira say?¡± Juliet asked Caleb.

    ¡°He is still busy in the city¡­ He¡¯s not really worried about a tantrum from his son. Says he¡¯s used to it. You would have to get over it if he had to. Long bouts of silence.¡±

    ¡°So he isn¡¯t hiding there¡­ I wonder where he could be¡­ Kubra says he¡¯s not in France or at the cabin¡­ Louis is not in Paris or on his yacht.¡±

    ¡°The compound?¡±

    ¡°Nothing but Werewolves,¡± Kubra said.

    I knew him a little bit better than anyone else there. He was avoiding my eyes¡­ They were both lying to her. I didn¡¯t like the idea and wanted to open my mouth. Caleb shook his head¡­ Puzzled, I stared at him¡­ There could be no reason why they would not tell her¡­ Unless? The realization hit me. My head fell back onto the bed. It was worse than I thought.

    ***

    The rest of the day, I was quiet, thinking. I had discharged myself and went up to her room. She was busy with her daily routine, getting dressed for bed. I sat on the balcony, narrowed-eyed, peering out over the skyline. Chris had taken my place? Why didn¡¯t they just give them the tech? Kubra and Caleb had left almost as soon as they told me to keep quiet. I watched her over my shoulder. Sammy was there for a change. They were playing on the floor with some of her toys.

    If I didn¡¯t say anything¡­ I was screwed. If I told her, she would be there in a heartbeat¡­ Killing them one by one. I would not be able to help her. If Chris did it¡­ He had exhausted all our options. I drew in a heavy drag and frustratingly pushed the cigarette into the ashtray.

    Juliet caught my eye. I knew why they didn¡¯t want to tell her¡­ So, I got up and lay on the floor. Sammy came over to me, falling on my chest. She liked tugging on my beard. I would tickle her as punishment. The time we were on Zoreah played through my mind. We have lied to her before. Everyone was just doing a much better job.

    ¡°Did you check the farm?¡± I asked. One last diversion.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ It¡¯s weird thinking everyone is somewhere in the galaxy. Hard to find someone on Earth¡­ Let alone so many planets¡­ Kubra asked that we focus on finding Charlene¡­ Would you help? I had asked Marcus to work with me¡­ But I don¡¯t know¡­ It might have been in the heat of the moment if you know what I mean.¡±

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    I did understand. She had so little trust in us already. There was no way Marcus would say something that he wouldn¡¯t follow through on. But she still didn¡¯t realize. Sammy gave me a good buffer to hide my emotions.

    ¡°You asked him? And not me and Louis? We haven¡¯t had time to discuss our fight.¡±

    Our eyes met. It would give her something to think about. ¡°Do you think that is why Marcus is reluctant? Because you will follow? All of us together too much for everyone.¡±

    I snorted for effect. ¡°I don¡¯t really care.¡± She smiled, but it was halfhearted. ¡°Maybe you should appoint one of us as King¡­ Go join your mother and grandmother on the family island¡­ You could go raise the kids and home-school them¡­ Cook for us.¡±

    She didn¡¯t like that. ¡°Get him, Sammy! Hold him down.¡± They were tickling me and wrestling with me. It was easy to manage them, even together. The little girl had climbed into my heart. Just as Marcus¡¯s kid would. Just as Caleb had.

    ***

    Caleb

    I was taking my role seriously. Being able to vanish and be everywhere without anyone knowing. It would be my mind-reading capability. Louis wouldn¡¯t be the only one who understood what was going on. When I saw Michael was back and my father had disappeared¡­ I gave Aries to Maya.

    It didn¡¯t take me long to figure out what Kubra was doing. Watched as he lied to her. Typed messages to Fahan. Read all of it when he was nowhere near his communicator. One night, I made my way to where they held Michael and saw Chris hanging lifeless on that machine, and there was nothing I could do. Appeared next to Kubra in France when he took Louis and Marcus a meal. He wasn¡¯t even startled.  ¡°Why are you always so collected?¡± I asked when all I got was a glance and a shake of the head.

    ¡°I grew up differently than you.¡±

    I had not expected Louis and Marcus to be tied up in nets. ¡°How do they go to the bathroom?¡±

    Kubra smiled. ¡°I take them out into the woods, and a watcher flies overhead, trapping them again.¡±

    ¡°Why did you trap them?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t. It was all your father¡­ But ask them yourself.¡±

    ¡°We wanted to leave Michael there,¡± Louis said.

    My eyebrows shot up¡­ ¡°If we all stood together¡­ We could have gotten him out.¡±

    ¡°Once you have a wife and she¡¯s pregnant¡­ You¡¯ll understand why we couldn¡¯t.¡± Marcus said.

    ¡°You could¡¯ve given them the tech? Was it necessary to take this route? She would have given it to them for Michael.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know your mother¡­ She doesn¡¯t believe in a no-win scenario.¡±  Marcus said. ¡°If we give away the source¡­ We give away everything. Every teleporter would stop working.¡±

    ¡°I think you don¡¯t know her at all. It¡¯s going to change everything¡­ You should have done something.¡± I couldn¡¯t listen to them anymore, thinking that Chris had to exchange himself because they would not decide.

    I made my way over to see if Chris was okay. They had him hooked up to a machine to check his vitals. Fahan was making sure he wouldn¡¯t die. It looked like he would. I had never seen Chris like that. His body was deteriorating fast. He was thinner every time. After the fourth day, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I wanted to do something. Interfere. Fahan and his second were sleeping there. They were taking no chances.

    I appeared in front of them with my hands held up into the sky. When they saw me, they didn¡¯t even move or say anything. ¡°You are a brave boy,¡± Fahan said.

    ¡°What did you expect? He is my father.¡±

    Chris moved when he heard my voice. ¡°Stop fighting it¡­ You could¡¯ve asked me¡­ I would¡¯ve stolen whatever we needed. We could¡¯ve given it away¡­.¡± Chris¡¯s body jerked and twitched when the activation happened. It wasn¡¯t constant, but he passed out every time, only to open his eyes a few minutes later. ¡°Can¡¯t you drug him?¡±

    ¡°It will take longer,¡± One of the vamps said.

    ¡°Should I bring him something to eat? Human blood has a good effect on us.¡± I looked at the five scientists that were walking around Chris.

    ¡°If it would make you feel better.¡±

    I looked at Fahan. He shrugged. ¡°If he would be able to eat at all.¡±

    ¡°I hope you know what you¡¯re doing¡­ My mother is a little obsessed with my father. She won¡¯t be happy. I¡¯m glad I¡¯m not you.¡±

    ¡°She has four husbands.¡± The one scientist scoffed. ¡°Your father is playing the hero¡­ He will have her respect after this.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t listen to them anymore either¡­ Or see Chris like that. I couldn¡¯t tell Ira and Silvanus. My grandfather would¡¯ve been able to comfort me¡­ But Ira dying wasn¡¯t the answer. I couldn¡¯t talk to my mom. I was also making a decision. We were all lying to her.

    So, I traveled to the next best thing. Cindy was happy to see me, and her arms wrapped around me. Cindy was always liberal with her hugs and kisses. Her mother and father were always with her. They had no clue what was going on or why I was there. Once I could let go and knew I was somewhere safe, my shoulders started shaking, and for the first time, I cried. The two older people wrapped their arms around both of us. At that moment, I was happy to be half-vampire¡­ To have a family that would do anything for me. Vampires did have a lot more emotions to work with. That night, Cindy put me to bed like a child. No one had asked me one question. She just sat with me, stroking my hair until I fell asleep. I wondered how it would have been growing up with both my parents.

    ***

    The following morning, I woke up with a house full of people. I wondered why none of them were ever in their Vampire forms. On Zoreah, everyone was manifested as much as possible. All of them were talking about me. When I came out of the room, Liam was the first to come to me, grabbing a shoulder in each hand. ¡°Come sit down.¡±

    I was still tired. Even if I did sleep, nothing helped my emotions.

    ¡°What happened? Are you okay?¡± Liam asked.

    ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t tell my mom I¡¯m here.¡±

    My eyes drifted over the room.

    ¡°We would never¡­ But if we can help or make it better¡­ We can at least try.¡±

    My head ended up in my hands. Tears threatened again. I didn¡¯t want Chris to suffer like that. But if I told them¡­ It would have all been in vain. My dad had a plan, and there wasn¡¯t much I could do. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you can¡­ Why would we do anything even if you told us.¡± Liam tried for the last time.

    ¡°I need a human person for blood. Is there any way we could steal one from Earth?¡± They stared at me in disbelief. I didn¡¯t know if it would work, but maybe if Chris was done, it would help, even if it was only a little. Liam excused everyone so they could go talk, where the kid in the room would not hear them. It left me with a lonesome Soren in the room.  ¡°Caleb¡­ It¡¯s never good to bottle up your feelings.¡± Soren tried. ¡°Liam said your father was taking some time. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    ¡°Would I be acting like this¡­ If he was on vacation or taking some personal space?¡±

    His eyes narrowed. ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to talk. Then get up and face it. Don¡¯t make the same mistakes I did. It¡¯s your life.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. You might be my teacher, but you don¡¯t know me.¡± I spat out and got up.

    I passed the group on my way off the Island. ¡°Let me know if you find someone¡­ And again! Not a word to my mom.¡± Liam nodded.

    ***

    I stepped out on En-gannim, reluctant but determined to keep myself under control and be there for her in other ways. Something caught my eye behind me in the teleporter. I didn¡¯t need to turn around. ¡°Come, Caleb. It¡¯s time we talked.¡±

    I had forgotten. When I was not invisible¡­ My mother could be. Juliet took us somewhere I had never been before. It was a tiny little hut on En-gannim. I told her everything I knew and what had happened.

    ¡°What will you do, mom?¡±

    She lit a cigarette. ¡°Is that safe for the baby?¡±

    ¡°One in nine months won¡¯t make a difference. I need it.¡± She held it out to me. I took a drag¡­ ¡°It¡¯s minty.¡± She chuckled. ¡°Yeah, my one weakness. Menthols, we call it¡­ Caleb, if I give the emblem to Marcus and step back. What will you do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to school. Come home and spend time with you. We have an alien baby to raise. Two. I hope you won¡¯t be giving Aries back?¡±

    ¡°Hell no! That man will never see his son again. But that means you might be in danger.¡±

    ¡°Fahan can try. I can just disappear. They won¡¯t have any of the coordinates. If we kill the scientists, Fahan will be stuck on Palmyra.¡±

    ¡°You make me so proud, Caleb. We would¡¯ve ruled well together.¡±

    ¡°We still could. Stuff all four of them. They suck as husbands. I hope I will be a  better one¡­ They keep lying to you. Cutting you out like you¡¯re a child. You know Chris will regret his decision¡­ I was so angry. The two of us alone could have saved Michael.¡±

    She nodded and handed me the cigarette again. ¡°You were going to lie to me as well.¡±

    My head came up, and she met my eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t want all his plans to go down the drain. They say it¡¯s almost over¡­ Seeing him like that¡­. Chris always has a reason for what he does.¡±

    Juliet walked over and pulled us together. At last, I had my comfort. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s too much for you. I forget you are still a child. We both are.¡±

 No Power

    161. No Power

    Romero

    I tried to catch Charlene as she went down, feeling terrible about scolding her. She had saved me. Saved both of us... Again. And I had hurt her with my stern words¡­ We didn¡¯t have much time to get out of there. At that moment, it was all I thought about. That thing dying would attract the rest of them. Or other beasts. I picked her up with a lot of effort. My side was burning and aching as I pushed her up and tied her down. Her hair flopped over her face. It wouldn¡¯t be comfortable, but I had no choice. She complained the first time. I was sure she would again. We were not even halfway, and it was our second day in there. All I wanted was to get her to safety. If I had not woken up, what would she have done? Her idea was to take me home or even to her world. What a disaster of a courtship.

    I mounted my own beast and put them in a jog. Charlene was shaken by the motions. I tried to heal myself even more. There was nothing else I could do. We were both hungry and exhausted. My eyes closed several times. I was falling asleep but could do nothing about it. The trial was meant to pressure people. Bring out the worst in them. Our journey had hardly started, and I was failing her. I had snapped at her.

    My head fell forward, jolting me awake for the millionth time. The patter of feet deep in the forest made the beast under me squirm. They were not walking at a steady pace anymore or trotting. They were moving from side to side and in circles. Lazily, my eyes tried to open. The noise in the distance became louder. I knew I had to wake up¡­ It felt almost impossible. My eyes sprung open when the creature beneath me jumped up in the air. We came down with a thump. I yanked on the reins and peeked at Charlene. The two beasts were still tied closely together. I kicked as hard as possible to get us into the fastest gate those fat things could go. The dust cloud was darkening the trees at my side. They were close. With one hand, I loosened the bond between us. Jumped up behind her and let the other beast trail off behind us. It was the only way.

    Screeches and bellowing came from behind me. I ventured to look back. There was a hoard surrounding our lost mount, ripping it to pieces. I pushed harder on the sides of the one I was on. It would have to run until it could not anymore. It was also tiring. But I did not stop driving him forward. We needed as much distance between them as we could get. I only hoped their appetite would be sated and they would not follow.

    We had been running for a while. The creature faltered for the first time, stumbling over its own feet. I pulled back on the reins, making it walk. Its head sunk low to the ground. I untied Charlene. Picked her up and put her arms around my neck. I redid her bondages so that we were stuck together. If I had to. I would let the second beast die. Run as far as I could. Fight as long as necessary. It would be a blow to the next part of our journey. We needed it.

    Charlene stirred as I pulled the rope tight around us. I didn¡¯t know how long the forest path could possibly go on. She was resting on my shoulder. Her hand came up and clutched her head. ¡°Why do I have a headache?¡± She croaked.

    I kissed her hair. Her arms wrapped around me. ¡°Where is my horse?¡±

    ¡°Your horse¡­? It died.¡±

    ¡°No! Really? Would you think I¡¯m stupid if I felt bad about it?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Not at all.¡± I was going to try to soften my tone with her and keep reminding myself that she was only twenty-one years old.  Her chin lifted up. We were so close that our eyes could not even meet. ¡°I know you feel this journey is important¡­ But I¡¯m exhausted. Hungry¡­ Where will we even find food?¡±

    The patter of feet behind us began again. It was distant but moving towards us. ¡°We have company.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    I did not see her turn into a Vampire. The black nail cut through the rope, severing our connection. She lifted her torso up and looked at me. ¡°We have to fight Romero. There is no way we can outrun them all.¡± It might be a mangled-up mess, but as I looked at her, it was all worth it.

    The scurry had turned to loud stomping. Our horse had nothing left and wasn¡¯t even reacting beneath us.

    ***

    Charlene

    I could¡¯ve teleported back to En-gannim and grabbed a weapon. A gun. Anything. I was too tired. I didn¡¯t think I would be able to come back or might not even make it. I braced myself as grey faces with white teeth came into view. I had trained for it. We could do it. ¡°Let¡¯s fight together this time,¡± I whispered to Romero.

    He jumped off and faltered. I saw the blood on his shirt, remembering that he was hurt. He drew his sword. I manifested into a Riphath. ¡°I¡¯m going to toss them at you. High in the air. Get them as they come down.¡±

    He didn¡¯t have time to correct me or make a better plan. The fastest one was in the front of the herd. When I got to it. I whacked it on the side of its face, breaking its stride, and tossed it up so far that it was a second or two before it came down on Romero, gutting it as it fell.

    I turned around for the next one, startled when they only stood staring at me. ¡°What are they waiting for?¡±

    ¡°I think¡­ We got the leader. They are deciding if they should retreat.¡±

    In the back, one scampered off into the trees. The rest followed, jogging lightly into the dark, and finally disappeared.

    My chest rose and fell, catching my breath. I caught the scent of the dead beast. Before I knew¡­ I was eating it raw and bloody. I didn¡¯t even recognize myself anymore. My body didn¡¯t care that I was ripping it to pieces. Romero stood gazing down at me. I gorged myself. Bit into its neck and sucked until my blood lust was gone. After finishing, I stood pointing for him to feast. He chuckled nervously. ¡°We don¡¯t eat raw meat. We are not like you. I am not a creature.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll build a fire. Will you eat if it¡¯s cooked?¡±

    ¡°Fire?¡±

    My eyes darted at the trees and the branches. Would I be able to use that type of wood? Would it even kindle? I scanned the ground for rocks. If only I had a tampon to use as flint.

    ¡°What do you cook with? How do you heat up water?¡±

    ¡°A scalding liquid.¡±

    ¡°Lava? Really? Never got fire from that?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t know if it is the same on your world¡­ But let us call it lava.¡± Romero suggested. He wasn¡¯t himself.

    ¡°Do you know of any sources around here? Lava?¡±

    He shook his head. I swore. It was like being back on Earth. On En-gannim, we imported food or went to Earth to go to the supermarket quickly. For a long time, it was only Carl, me, and Warden. The only humans. Min¨¦ crossed my mind. I had been away for so long. Kubra came to mind. I was actually kissing him the previous night. My cheeks turned red, and my eyes stuck to the ground as I walked past Romero. Too guilty to tell him. He grabbed my arms and lifted my chin. ¡°Your cheeks are red. Are you feeling well? I do not know if that meat was safe.¡±

    ¡°We will find out. I¡¯m fine. Now let me try and make some fire.¡± I pulled my chin from his hand.

    Romero watched me with interest. He had sat and was propped up against a tree. He wasn¡¯t complaining, but I could see he was in pain. ¡°Should you not be healing?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I have nothing left.¡± It bothered me. The journey was so important to him. He went into a rant when I only suggested that I take him to En-gannim.

    It took me ten minutes of rubbing. The bark was receptive. There was no grass or dry leaves on the ground. I had splintered some wood with my nails into such fine pieces that it would be perfect. The first spark ignited, and Romero sat up, astonished. ¡°I thought you had books? Teachings?¡±

    ¡°About our world. Yes. But not that.¡± He scooted closer.

    I stood and pulled out his sword from its sheath. I turned away from him, and he yelped. ¡°What?¡± He lifted his finger into the air. It was red. I laughed lightly. ¡°Not clever.¡± He chuckled, sucking on his finger. ¡°That¡¯s just going to make it worse.¡±

    I cut off some meat leftover meat. Our beast had lay down in the dirt. Pulled its feet under itself, lying like a loaf, sleeping. ¡°We need to feed that thing. And I can¡¯t keep calling everything a beast. From now on, that¡¯s a horse.¡±

    He glanced over and laughed. ¡°As soon as we can get out of this place¡­ Things will go better.¡±

    Romero hesitantly ripped some meat off the stick. ¡°Not bad. Bit chewy.¡± For the first time, our eyes lingered on each other. I took it as an invitation and sat between his legs as he ate. He scrutinized my every move. When I laid my head on his chest, he stopped eating. ¡°So much for personal space.¡± He quipped.

    I pulled his lips onto mine. It was only a short kiss. He devoured the rest of the food. We each took a few sips of water and gave the rest to our steed. Romero kept watching the flames kindling down. I kept trying to keep it alive. Romero tried healing again but failed and fell asleep. I was trying to stay awake. The fire kept us warm, and I drifted off.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    I opened my eyes. It was as dark as the previous night. Kubra pulled me into him and held me close. ¡°Why did you leave?¡± His voice was soft and pleading. ¡°Where are you?¡± Kubra pulled my face towards his. I kissed him. Properly. Like I should have done before he branded me. I should have treated him better. I reached for his shirt, his arms lifted. I dragged his lips onto mine. Kubra''s hand was kneading my breast, the other holding me close. He reached for laces that kept my crop top secure around my chest. ¡°Don¡¯t leave again. Stay with me.¡± His breathing was heavy on my mouth. Why had I been so stupid? I had not even slept with him. Married him. His lips traveled down my neck. His fingers kept pulling on the strings of my bodice. He tugged on the material. It didn¡¯t want to open, and it was too dark for him to get it off.

    I was in blissful ignorance, enjoying the caress of his tongue. ¡°Help me.¡± I snapped out of my yearning stupor. Kubra gave one hard yank on my all-in-one makeshift bra and top. I pushed him off and traveled. A sure destination made it much easier to find Romero in the cosmos. I stood in front of him. He was fast asleep. He didn¡¯t even know I had left. What the hell was I doing. I laced the top again. My fingers fumbling. Why did I keep traveling back and forth? Why when I was sleeping. I wormed myself back into Romero¡¯s arms. He wrapped his around me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Juliet,¡± I whispered. ¡°That I ever judged you.¡± The hoard didn¡¯t bother us again.

    ***

    Kubra

    Charlene was in my arms, undressing me. Desperate to take that next step. I chuckled. If I knew¡­ All I had to do was make her a creature. So she would be¡­ hungry¡­ I would¡¯ve done it a long time ago. She was getting over all her fears. But she wasn¡¯t with me and didn¡¯t stay. Had on weird clothes. Stupid freaking bra¡­ I jumped up and teleported upstairs. It was late. Our moon was high in the sky. I didn¡¯t knock or announce myself. I stopped dead in my tracks, glancing at Juliet¡¯s bed. I wasn¡¯t expecting anyone there. Michael¡¯s head came up. I spun around. ¡°Can we help you?¡± He asked out of breath.

    ¡°Charlene,¡± I said. ¡°And you guys aren¡¯t supposed to be going at it.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± Juliet pushed Michael off her. He swore loudly.

    ¡°She was here! Just now.¡±

    ¡°Again? Did you plant the tracker?¡±

    I stuttered¡­ ¡°Mmm¡­ We weren¡¯t talking.¡± I gestured to the bed. ¡°If you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°What? She sleeps with you and leaves.¡± Juliet giggled. ¡°That girl... What is she thinking.¡±

    ¡°No. I wish. It¡¯s like she¡¯s sleepwalking. She goes at it¡­ But as soon as she wakes up... She runs.¡± Michael propped himself up on the headboard with the sheet over his legs. ¡°We have to find her¡­ I¡¯m worried.¡± I kept talking, too overwhelmed with seeing her and not knowing if she was okay.

    ¡°I know you are.¡± Juliet was getting dressed as I spoke. She followed me out. She stopped and looked back at Michael. ¡°Are you coming?¡±

    ¡°I was.¡±

    She laughed, ¡°I.O.U.¡± Michael threw her with a pillow. She pushed me out, and we made our way to her office.

    ¡°So this was the second time¡­ Do you want to¡­¡±

    ¡°No! We can¡¯t set a trap and keep her here. No nets!¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡± Juliet asked as she lit up the galaxy in front of us. ¡°Look, we have to find out where Brylee has been or not. Doesn¡¯t that make sense? If the Werewolves are somewhere¡­ That might be where Charlene ended up.¡± I nodded. ¡°We need to discuss the different planets and start mapping.¡±

    ¡°If we can just find out where Ahasuerus hid all his information and history of where they had been¡­ Like I said, the planet we were on and fighting came down to an agreement. When we attacked, the vamps started dropping. Silvanus stopped the attack¡­ That is the only one I know of¡­ When I grew up on En-gannim. I was in the barracks. After the revolt, I was sent down to watch Marcus. I know less than you guys.¡±

    ¡°How old are you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a little late to ask now.¡±

    Michael came in through the door and grabbed a communicator. ¡°I¡¯m calling Jessy back. The only place we will find answers is on Palmyra. We need to go¡­ And empty their libraries.¡± He met my eye. It was more than searching for Ahasuerus¡¯s vault. If Fahan got his hands on their history. We needed the control. ¡°This time, your whole army is going with you. We need to take watchers and fly. There has to be a way for us into the city without using a freaking boat.¡± Michael went on.

    I knew this thing with Chris had him on edge. I couldn¡¯t imagine how he was feeling. Juliet and I stared at him. Michael had never been that forceful or overbearing, just kinda in the background. I would have to try to salvage the situation. ¡°Michael is right. That whole place is empty. If anyone gets there¡­ And finds it before us¡­ We will be even further away from finding Charlene.¡±

    Juliet eyed Michael suspiciously. ¡°If that¡¯s what you guys think is best.¡±

    ¡°Ahasuerus¡¯s clan has five thousand years of teleporting behind them. Mapping won¡¯t help us¡­ It can literally be anywhere. But if anyone will have answers, it¡¯s Brylee.¡± Michael said, irritated.

    Juliet didn¡¯t like his tone. Neither did I.

    ***

    Marcus

    ¡°We might as well talk, Louis¡­ Kubra won¡¯t be coming for some time.

    Louis shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we are tied up like dogs,¡± he added. ¡°At least Caleb told him to take off our gags. This is a real low point for me.¡± He tried for the millionth time to get out of the bondages.

    I laughed. ¡°I¡¯ve been chained up before¡­ Worse than this. You know she is really resourceful, having all this gear that can tie us down. For someone that hates bondages¡­ She does create a lot.¡±

    Louis watched me. ¡°It¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve spoken of anything that had happened to you.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t really compare this to my¡­ conditioning.¡± My eyes darted around the built-in safe room. It was filled with stuff. If only we could get loose.

    ¡°I bet nothing prepared you for the life you¡¯re living right now.¡± Louis quipped.

    I snorted and laughed again, shifting up onto my knees. He did the same. Lying on our sides got tedious, and moving around helped. ¡°How long do you think we¡¯ve been here? It seems Chris did go through with it. But how long will we be stuck here?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Louis said with a heaviness in his voice.

    It didn¡¯t, really¡­ Chris was right. We haven¡¯t been doing anything. I promised Juliet to work with her, and I didn¡¯t. I should¡¯ve pushed more. Fought with her about what needed to be done. ¡°Seems like our apathy is getting us in trouble.¡± I finally said. ¡°What did you think about doing¡­ Neither one of us three had an idea what to do with ourselves¡­ In that meeting we had. What was your limit with Juliet¡­? I sometimes don¡¯t understand how you can be so easy with her. Accept everything.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t like this when we first met¡­ On our first night together, I made her submit¡­ It was the worst feeling in the world. Seeing her face like that. She was manifested, and then she wasn¡¯t¡­ I almost lost her because I thought I had everything sorted out. I was going to swoop her off her feet...¡± Louis laughed at himself. I did it again when we were lying to her¡­ Forced my authority on her¡­¡± Louis shook his head. ¡°Just like you, I keep making the same mistakes¡­ I do have one limit with her.¡±

    I waited for Louis to speak.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be here if¡­ she didn¡¯t choose me. Didn¡¯t want me with all her heart.¡± Louis regarded me. I wasn¡¯t going to say anything. My limits were more shallow than his. ¡°And you? Are there any more besides Soren? Maybe Michael?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I won¡¯t ask her to choose. Not again¡­ If one of us does¡­ she will break up with all of us and leave with you. Won¡¯t give you the satisfaction.¡±

    Louis chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m glad¡­.¡± He said. I raised my eyebrows. ¡°No, I am. I think a big family like this is stronger than having just one person. And looking back, I don¡¯t really want to do anything else with my life. I¡¯ve studied enough. I¡¯ve done enough. Had enough girls. Been free for so long¡­ It becomes¡­¡±

    ¡°Redundant.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Has there really never been anyone else, Louis? Even if it was a human? Never been in love, and she died because you outlived her. A baby? A family somewhere?¡±

    Louis was quiet. ¡°You don¡¯t believe me.¡±

    ¡°I find it hard¡­ with your character and your ability.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not like you.¡± He remarked.

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I was conditioned to be humble. Where you were conditioned to hate yourself and others. Pride and being above everyone else¡­ My father loved me. He loved my mother with all his heart¡­ It took me a long time to set myself straight after¡­ I had thought they both died¡­  I didn¡¯t want anyone that I would outlive¡­ I Made a conscious choice¡­ And ended up drinking everyone dry when we were done anyway. Just to make sure.¡±

    I pulled up my lip. ¡°That¡¯s a bit dark.¡±

    ¡°And I had to make money. Steal secrets and businesses. It was interesting.¡±

    ¡°What the hell, Louis? You¡¯re like a serial killer and white color thief in one.¡±

    ¡°And now I¡¯m working for one with far less moral standards than me.¡±

    I laughed lightly. ¡°At least she didn¡¯t kill Soren when she was done with him.¡±

    Louis started laughing, and I joined him.

    ***

    The door opened eventually. Kubra came in and untied us, and finally, we could stretch our limbs. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are we free to go?¡±

    ¡°Michael and Juliet are working hard to get Palmyra empty of all important information¡­ To find Charlene and to keep it safe... She still doesn¡¯t know. They were fighting when I left.¡±

    ¡°Why do you look like that. Did he hurt her again?¡±

    ¡°Who, Michael? No¡­ Chris is done. Fahan said he is staying for two days, and I don¡¯t know¡­ It doesn¡¯t sound good. Caleb is there. It freaks me out that the boy is so brave.¡±

    Louis and I stopped to stare at him. It was done. Chris was not going to come and go as he pleased. No more teleporting at all. We had no idea what the implications were. I felt like I had let him down. Let Michael down and Juliet. We could¡¯ve worked as a family and done something. Even if we fought and lost¡­ It might have been better than the alternative. I wasn¡¯t quite ready to give up everything¡­ For anyone like Juliet would have. But in the end, none of us got what we wanted.

    I walked to my room and closed the door. She had given me a baby. I sat for a long time, thinking if I had more limits. And if Michael wasn¡¯t another. Why it was so easy for me to dismiss his importance. Why I never tried harder to find a solution to a problem? I could lead an army but not connect with a family. I still had a long way to go. The causes of my issues might have been eradicated. But, the symptoms seemed to have already done too much damage to the people around me. Caleb had said we needed to think about what I was going to tell her. I still had no clue.

 Hitting The Fan

    162. Hitting The Fan

    Chris

    Fahan pulled out the last probe from my neck. He and Demitrios put me down on some rock. I could barely breathe. To keep me from dying, the men gave me so many shots they thought could strengthen me. I didn¡¯t know what possessed me. To allow him to take away everything that I had worked for. Went through, for.

    ¡°Chris.¡± Caleb¡¯s voice broke through the fog around me. My eyes were too heavy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s over. I won¡¯t leave again.¡±

    The person¡¯s smell in front of me made me want to manifest, dig my teeth in, and empty them¡­ I couldn¡¯t. Demitrios had tried to help by slicing their neck. The taste of blood didn¡¯t put me off. Maybe I was still in there somewhere. Caleb swore loudly when my manifestation didn¡¯t want to come. I had wondered if it really was Caleb during the process. I had heard his voice a few times... I had thought I was dreaming.

    ¡°What about Palmyra? How will you make that happen?¡± Fahan asked in the distance. I couldn¡¯t even speak. My eyes fluttered open to the scientists all staring, waiting for my answer.

    Caleb spoke up and said, ¡°There is a teleporter on Palmyra. Kubra will be here for only two days. After that, you¡¯re on your own. And then my mother will know.¡±

    They let us stay for those two days. Gave me the best food and supplements. As soon as I could walk around, I wanted to leave and never see them again. Fahan didn¡¯t deny us. Outside, there were strings of Chadari moving out of the city into their closest hotspot. Kubra was managing it from En-gannim. They were going directly to her palace. Since there were no Werewolves left. Juliet didn¡¯t even think to destroy it. It wasn¡¯t a large one. We still didn¡¯t know how Brylee built it in the first place.

    Most of Fahan¡¯s people were off-planet by the time Caleb and I left. ¡°I think you can figure out the rest,¡± I said as we were going. Fahan didn¡¯t say anything further, and Kubra teleported us out to Earth. I was wedged in between them. Still too tired to walk for long periods. We didn¡¯t land in Washington or go to En-gannim. It was safer to exit in France and travel to Louis¡¯s estate. As we stepped out into the thicket, Kubra picked me up like a child. I was thin¡­ No emaciated. If Juliet saw me like that¡­ I had not thought through the aftermath and was suddenly scared she would be covered by more snakeskin when she realized what I had done. To have Michael back and think I was somewhere working through some issues. Then, have the rug pulled out under her.

    They helped me to my room. ¡°I think you can let Louis and Marcus go now. I¡¯m going to sleep for a while. Will you help him, Caleb?¡±

    ¡°We let them go two days ago. Everything is fine. Sleep dad. We¡¯re all here.¡± Caleb sat down on the bed and took off my shoes. He covered me with a blanket. Was Marcus and Louis there? I did not see them.

    They both left, closing the door. There was such a commotion outside between the four men. Marcus and Louis were angry. Caleb was yelling. It was going to be a stressful time forward. For two days, I lifted my arm several times in front of me to see if fur and black nails would materialize out of thin air, but I failed every time. Caleb tried to reassure me about everything. There was no light at the end of this tunnel I had chosen.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°Juliet! Juliet!¡± My head lifted from my desk. Jessy was half-running through the door. ¡°He¡¯s back. His watcher tech is active. All of them.¡±

    I had been acting my little heart since I found out about Chris. There was no point in ruining all of Chris¡¯s efforts. When I went with Caleb the night they would take him off, I almost didn¡¯t make it. I pinched the bridge of my nose to stop myself from crying and rubbed at my brow to make it all look like tiredness.  My eyes dropped to the desk. Jessy stopped with his hands on the wood, leaning towards me. ¡°Why are you not jumping up?¡±

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°They are all in France.¡±

    I picked up my plate. No messages. The only consolation I had was knowing Marcus and Louis were tied up for a few days. Served them right. All of them had been gone for the same amount of time. Did they think I was that stupid? Kubra played along and put off their watcher tech. I didn¡¯t know who I could trust. I understood why Ahasuerus ruled with such an iron hand. Having so many people with the power to come and go as they pleased. But I wouldn¡¯t want it any other way. There was only one thing to do. I had to wait for them to message me.

    ¡°What are they doing?¡±

    Jessy lifted off the table and walked around. ¡°Marcus and Louis are fighting with Caleb¡­ Chris fell asleep.¡±

    ¡°Do they all seem healthy?¡±

    ¡°Their vitals are¡­ normal.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Thank You, Jessy. Please give me the rest of the day. I¡¯ll be upstairs. I¡¯m going to wait¡­ Until they ask for me.¡±

    Jessy pushed himself up from the table, staring at me. He had only come back recently and didn¡¯t know what to make of my attitude. It would soon come to an end.

    When I got upstairs, Michael and Sammy were having tea. I stood for a moment at the door, watching them. He glanced back over his shoulder. ¡°You going to join us?¡± He asked. ¡°My legs are cramping up on these little chairs.¡±

    ¡°Chris is back.¡± I watched him closely. The small cup stopped mid-air. Sammy was feeding one of her dolls a biscuit. Michael had not said one word. He was a good liar.

    ¡°Marcus and Louis?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re all in France.¡±

    ***

    Chris

    My heart was pounding. I had tried to get rid of my habit of nervously rubbing one hand with the other, pressing my thumb deep into the skin. I usually did it before I even realized it. I had looked at myself in the mirror that morning. It wasn¡¯t pretty. My brown skin was pale white, and I had dark circles under my eyes that didn¡¯t want to go away. The wounds on my body were not healing. It didn¡¯t help that one of them was on the side of my neck. Nothing Kubra did helped. He told me to go back to En-gannim. That they would know what to do.

    First, I needed to tell Juliet. Louis and Marcus were in the room with me. They were peering aimlessly out the window. I had the glass plate in my hand. Juliet would immediately know that something was up if I didn¡¯t just appear next to her. If I contacted her via a message.

    ¡°Louis.¡± I held out the device to him. ¡°You will have to do it. Or else she might not make it. Better that she sees me before she can put two and two together.¡±

    He sighed heavily, taking the plate from me. I couldn¡¯t hear his heart anymore or smell the differences as I once could. ¡°At least tell me if you¡¯re as nervous as I am.¡± I ventured a glance at Marcus. He had not turned around. What was he doing? Could he at least try and understand what was going on? My brows creased. He had not said one word to me. My second regret was setting in. I had broken down our relationship even further. Marcus and I had been friends. Good friends. Louis tossed the plate on the bed behind me. I picked it up. She was on her way.

    It felt like the longest few minutes of my life. She wasn¡¯t alone. I heard Michael¡¯s boots falling on the floor at the door. Juliet was coming up the steps. She stopped at the door. There was no smile¡­ So many emotions played around on her features. She might have been able to hide it. But not at that moment. All her training washed away.

    Michael was on the bottom step. It had a weird, distinct creek to it. Juliet winched when she heard it. Her eyes closed slowly and opened again, steeling herself. She stepped towards me and carefully lifted my face with two hands. Her thumbs nervously rubbed over my cheeks. Her eyes drifted to the wound in my neck. She let me go and sat down next to me. ¡°I was there¡­ Followed Caleb when I knew something was off. Thought that if my fifteen-year-old son would let his father play the hero¡­ Then so be it. By the time I knew¡­ You were too far gone¡­.¡±

    Everyone in the room turned toward Juliet, even Marcus. She bit her bottom lip to hold back the tears. It took a moment for her to keep talking.

    ¡°Caleb, take him to En-gannim when we¡¯re done talking. Kubra can help you. He needs to be in the med bay.¡± Caleb appeared and nodded. ¡°Can you give us a moment?¡±

    ¡°Caleb and I talked about it. I have made another decision that you might not like.¡± She glanced up at Michael. ¡°You four can take over the planets. She pulled off the emblem stone and tossed it at Marcus¡¯s feet. You guys are doing a better job than me.¡± Juliet¡¯s hand pulled me closer, and she kissed me softly. ¡°I am so sorry.¡± She whispered.

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving¡­ Marcus¡­ You won¡¯t feel your baby kick for the first time. I¡¯ll decide if you¡¯ll be there for the birth¡­ Michael¡­ You won¡¯t deliver the baby. Not that you care about that anymore.¡± She sighed. ¡°You must think I¡¯m a complete idiot.¡± Michael clenched his jaw. My eyes were imploring hers not to take it out on them. Her head came up to Louis. She was saying something to him in her mind. She got up to leave, squeezing my hand.

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    She stopped halfway to the door and turned, walking up to Marcus. She struck him with all her strength. She didn¡¯t stop. Slamming her fists into his chest. Over and over. He took it. Eyes closed, head tilted away. He was going to take everything. Juliet was grunting with every stroke. She fisted his shirt and pulled and pushed. ¡°Look at me.¡± She groaned.

    Marcus shook his head. ¡°Why did you do that? I didn¡¯t need it.¡± His eyes opened slowly. His head lifted. Their eyes met in the middle, and he released her. I could see her whole body relaxed. He had done it. Forced her to hit him. She fell on his chest, sobbing. Marcus wrapped his arms around her and held her for a long time. He dropped down on his knees, begging. ¡°Please don¡¯t take this away from me.¡± He was clutching her shirt. ¡°Please, Juliet. I¡¯ll do anything. I made a mistake.¡±

    Her hand ran through his hair a few times, thinking. ¡°No, I trusted you. You promised me. You told me to behave¡­¡± She tugged on his hair. ¡°I¡¯ll stay¡­ If you all start working. Start sacrificing and sucking it up. Not one time do you get to go into work mode¡­ Not one time does Louis get to¡­ go cold. Chris will not leave my side or En-gannim until his power is restored. And you will make that happen.¡± Marcus nodded dramatically and grabbed her around the waist, digging his head into her belly¡­ ¡° But that¡¯s only if you all four agree right here and now.¡±

    I didn¡¯t really have a choice. It was what I would have done anyway. One of the reasons why I did it. I was going to stay. Decided to help her rule if they didn¡¯t want to. I had been stupid not to be there in the first place. If I had been in the medbay that day to protect them, I would¡¯ve killed Fahan. None of it would have happened. She was right. We needed to start making sacrifices, or else I should never have waited for her.

    Another glow pulled her out of Marcus¡¯s grip. Michael was doing it. Frown lines on her brow as he tugged on her. She turned her eyes stormy. ¡°Say it.¡± He said through gritted teeth. She shook her head with slightly pursed lips. ¡°I won¡¯t. I could have done something¡­ I made the choice. This is not on you¡­ I love you too much¡­ It seems that I love you all more¡­ Then you love me, anyway.¡± She glanced at Louis for a second.

    ¡°Say it, Juliet! Or I¡¯ll leave. I don¡¯t want you to be like this. I would have rather you freak out and yell. Scream and tell us all what you think of us.¡±

    ¡°So you can drug me again? I won¡¯t. You never talk to me anyway.¡± Her head snapped up. Michael was much taller than her. ¡°You wanted me to stop controlling you. Then I will. Marcus is now king. He has the final say. Let us see you go up against him! None of you want to work with me¡­ So, I will be following orders¡­ If I need to do anything at all. Like a good girl. That¡¯s what you wanted¡­.¡± She pressed her finger into Michael¡¯s chest. ¡°Now, let me go, honey!¡± He did, and she headed for the door. ¡°You can leave, Michael. But it will be your choice if Marcus gets to see his child at all. You have one day to decide, seeing that you and Louis can¡¯t speak up. I¡¯ll be staying in my cabin tonight. You guys will rotate daily. Louis gets two nights. Then we start over. I¡¯ll decide when Chris comes back to a new routine.¡±

    ¡°Juliet, you can¡¯t walk up there in this rain. Pregnant.¡± Louis implored.

    ¡°I won¡¯t. Jessy is going with me.¡± And as stoic as she came, Juliet left down the stairs. Alone.

    ***

    Juliet

    Once, Jessy and I were in the cabin. He sat down across from me. We stared at each other for a long time. I never really knew how I would act or react until I was in the midst of a situation. Only afterward would I be appalled at how I handled it. I didn¡¯t know if my way or Michaels¡¯s was better. I was so numb from them lying to me. The problem was it ran much deeper than a simple lie. How could I force them to sort out their inner struggles with our new way of life? Chris had hardly come back.

    ¡°I need to find you a wife. Someone you can alternate with. You never chose to serve me like this¡­ It¡¯s all you do¡­ So¡­ Who do you want? And who do you trust?¡±

    ¡°Selena?¡±

    I chuckled and laughed for the first time. Fell back on the bed. It had been a painstaking week of faking it, waiting to see what would happen. I barely recognized Chris. He had already done so much for me. His eyes were dull and lifeless. All that spark he had¡­ was drained out. Eyelids heavy and drooping as if he¡¯d aged a thousand years. I was so scared that Chris wouldn¡¯t make it. If he had died¡­ I shook my head. He was okay. And they were all safe. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you had feelings for her¡­ It¡¯s going to take a lot of convincing with Ira. Maybe I can buy her for you?¡±

    Jessy laughed lightly. ¡°Should we go and find out what she thinks?¡± Jessy asked.

    I sat up, open to the idea of being busy while the four of them sorted out the mess they had made. ¡°Yes! I would love to hear what she thinks about going through the treatment.¡±

    ¡°And then we can get rid of your skin. So you can see all your tats.¡± Jessy¡¯s hands were clutched on his knees.

    ¡°I need to find a school for Caleb.¡±

    ¡°You need to keep fit, so training every day.¡±

    ¡°What about Charlene? Will I leave that to the four idiots?¡±

    ¡°I think if you call her to your side. Maybe she would come?¡±

    I frowned. The thought had not even crossed my mind. Michael was pulled out¡­ Maybe if I meditated long enough. ¡°You don¡¯t want to go work for the boys?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Nah! Boring.¡±

    I smiled, but it fell as soon as it came. ¡°I want to talk to Soren.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t, Julie.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I just go and see him?¡±

    Jessy shook his head.

    ¡°I know.¡± I fell back again. ¡°I know¡­ I just needed to say it. Desperate to use the boy again. Someone on the outside¡­ I can run to.¡±

    ¡°Get back at Marcus?¡± Jessy suggested. The guy was really on point. He knew me. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be your sounding board. Your conscience. A living journal¡­ But after what Chris did¡­ You can¡¯t do it to him.¡±

    F- he was right. No more men¡­ I sat up and held out my fist to him. ¡°Thank You.¡±

    ¡°You handled that not at all like I thought you would.¡± He said softly. I blew out a long breath. ¡°Anything else you want to say but couldn¡¯t?¡± Jessy prompted.

    ¡°I wanted to say that I wished it was Michael and not Chris. And he knew it. I wanted to berate Marcus for how useless he was. And that Qadir should never have put his faith in him. How disappointed I was in him. Argh! How shallow can I be.¡± I rubbed my hands over my face and eyes. ¡°I wish I could go back in time. To that first day, I met Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Do you feel what happened to Chris is your fault?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Is that wrong? Should I have done something when I knew? Killed Fahan and destroyed another race?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ It might not seem like it now. But¡­ He¡¯s a big boy. They all are¡­ But you wanted to rule so badly. There were so many adventures you had planned. I was looking forward. What will we do?¡±

    ¡°Better me not knowing than four men.¡± I stood up. ¡°Enough dramatics for one day. Let¡¯s go to Zoreah.¡±

    Jessy jumped up, and we traveled. It was weird being in a thunderstorm and then walking out in the scorching heat. We checked in on Beatrice. She was happy to see us and wanted to know what was wrong, but I first had to tell Ira. I felt like walking, so we made our way through the city, having two drinks on the way and speaking to some locals who recognized us.

    Ira and Silvanus were on the porch like always. The orange man waved at us. ¡°What can we do for you, Queen Ahmed?¡± He said as we came closer. Jessy and I quickly glanced at each other.

    ¡°Mind if we sit?¡± It was quiet for a while. I bit my lip nervously. ¡°Ira¡­ Something happened.¡±

    ¡°You know Juliet. Every time I see you¡­ I know my world will be pulled out from under me.¡±

    ¡°Chris did something stupid.¡±

    Ira slowly got up. ¡°Get to the point.¡±

    ¡°He exchanged himself for Michael.¡±

    The man reacted like I thought he would. He came at me. Silvanus stood up between us, manifested, and held him in place. Ira said some awful things and teleported away, leaving me feeling that I had, in some way, failed again.

    Silvanus sat down. ¡°It¡¯s his own fault.¡± My head jumped up. ¡°You are surprised¡­ Chris came to see Ira. Asked him to help. He said no.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Louis and Marcus even went to Earth. They said no, too.¡± Silvanus¡¯s mouth quirked up. ¡°Chris was never like his father. Not in any way. I¡¯m proud of the boy. At least he has something to live for. Fight for. Ira is too old¡­ For as much as he preaches peace. He holds a grudge too easily... When Chris was with us. All he talked about was connection and intimacy. I think he is a very loyal person.¡±

    I had thought the trip would help me. I felt even worse. Chris had done it for me. Because Marcus couldn¡¯t put Michael first. I changed the subject. ¡°There is something else?¡± Silvanus turned to Jessy and me. ¡°I want Selena. How can we make that happen?¡±

    Silvanus lifted his head into the air, laughing. He got up and prompted us to follow him. At last, I saw where she lived. ¡°Selena? You here.¡± Silvanus¡¯s voice boomed in the quiet of the desert. The long blond was happy to see me. Her eyes drifted to Jessy a few times. ¡°Can we come in?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s sit outside. My house has no space.¡±

    ¡°How is it being back?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Boring.¡± She was a little quirky and pulled her face while she said it. I really did like her.

    I looked at Silvanus for help. ¡°Selena¡­ If Sung gives you leave, will you want to go with Juliet?¡±

    ¡°In a heartbeat. I¡¯ve wanted to go back, but Ira.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind, Ira. I¡¯ll handle him.¡± Silvanus said with a raised hand. Like we shouldn¡¯t be worried about him at all.

    I was skeptical. ¡°I thought you followed orders?¡± I retorted.

    He gave a little laugh. ¡°He won¡¯t mind me going around him about this¡­ You will have to take Jamal. The poor boy will die out here.¡±

    I glanced at Jessy. Silvanus saw and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a two-package deal.¡± He eyed Jessy.

    Jessy nodded. We wouldn¡¯t tell Selena that Jessy wanted to see if she would be his wife. She was a little clueless. They all were when it came to dating. ¡°Okay! So it¡¯s settled. Come to France when you¡¯re ready.¡±

    Jessy and I got up to leave. ¡°Can I go with them now?¡± Selena sounded almost desperate.

    ¡°Before you do. Would you be interested in going through the treatment I had my girls go through? So we¡¯re all on the same page¡­ You will be joining En-gannim. Cross-species unit and all. If you know what I mean. You can¡¯t come back.¡±

    Selena got up and lifted her hand in the air. ¡°A high five to seal the deal?¡± She asked. Without Charlene, my life seemed a bit lonely. It would be nice to have another female in the mix.

 There Is Always Another Level

    163. There Is Always Another Level

    Louis

    ¡°The s- had really hit the fan this time,¡± I said out into the darkness. The rain was still coming down in buckets outside. Juliet and I had gotten to a place where our foundation was as solid as it ever could be. She gave me everything. All of her¡­ I had broken it down again¡­ Caleb and Kubra came in at the same time Juliet left, helping Chris back to En-gannim. There was no point in telling him we ¡°told him so.¡± In the end, he had done more than I had. It wasn¡¯t only Marcus that left Michael there.

    The three of us were left to stare at each other in turn. There was no point in Michael telling us that we should have left him. ¡°It seems like Caleb was right. This did change everything. And we won¡¯t be able to count on Chris to bring her back. To help her through it.¡±

    ¡°It was inevitable,¡± Michael said, sitting down, running his hand over his hair.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°I mean¡­ we didn¡¯t make it easy for her.¡± Michael was nervously playing with her beard. ¡°Can you think that her with two grown men over two hundred? Two more that are just coming into their own as creatures would be easy to handle? It had been non-stop for too long¡­ If a person needs to accept their situation. They¡¯re going to have to set boundaries at some point.¡±

    I half fell onto the bed next to him. ¡°We got our schedule. We got the hierarchy sorted out. Juliet where we wanted her. None of us will have to work with her and fear that the situation will blow up at any moment.¡±

    Marcus sat down in the corner. His elbows on his knees, head hung low.

    ¡°Look, the four of us¡­ We are not the easiest of guys. It was going to be push and pull either way. A fight for dominance and that place in her heart.¡± I continued.

    ¡°Now, none of us has her. And she doesn¡¯t have what she wanted.¡± Marcus said softly. The emblem moved around in his fingers. ¡°Why must it always be something so big that makes us sit down and talk.¡±

    Michael made a nervous sound. ¡°I didn¡¯t even realize she knew¡­ She had me fooled. I had thought she would explode and go crazy, and it would blow over.¡± He held up a vile. ¡°I was ready to stab her if she was going to flip.¡±

    ¡°Anything would have been better than that. I don¡¯t like the idea that she will be handling us with her mind and not her heart from now on.¡± The thought terrified me. At some point, she will not willingly cross a line but be pushed over it.

    ¡°How serious was she, Louis?¡± Marcus asked.

    Juliet had looked at me and wanted to say something or think about something. She just didn¡¯t. I was locked out again.

    We sat there for some time, not speaking again. When Chris came back, Marcus and I knew we had made a mistake. Our decisions had hurt someone. We were both so selfish and full-grown Vampires that we didn¡¯t count the cost. If it was Michael, she never would¡¯ve forgiven us. Juliet thought that it would¡¯ve been better if it was Michael. Her own subconscious thoughts had betrayed her in the heat of the moment. Juliet didn¡¯t want it to be anyone. She would¡¯ve done something. Even if it cost her life and the baby¡¯s. All of us. In that regard, I didn¡¯t think Juliet would ever change. I couldn¡¯t put that on Marcus. She was so close to leaving if he didn¡¯t do what he did.

    When I didn¡¯t answer, Michael ventured, ¡°I want to say that we should take the day¡­.¡±

    Marcus jumped up. ¡°We can¡¯t. Not again. No more days, Michael. Every time you say that. It creates friction¡­ No more time! This is our life. I wanted to rest because my whole life was always something someone else wanted of me. And my complacency has cost me so much already¡­ If I stand back now¡­ After that! I might as well leave. Then, there was no point in sending Soren away. I have to be there.¡±

    Marcus was the first to leave. He was going back to En-gannim. It was up to Michael and me if he would ever see her in the next year.

    ¡°Wait, Marcus¡­¡± Michael said. He stopped at the door. ¡°It¡¯s time you tell me all you have to say. We need to cross this bridge. It¡¯s because I¡¯m the outsider that this happened. One you guys don¡¯t see as part of the family yet. There is this contention between us.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy... It¡¯s because of who you are. You loved her before any of us did. You knew her before any of us did¡­ You love her the most. And she knows it. I don¡¯t think you have any limits with her.¡± I said truthfully.

    ¡°For me¡­ I¡¯ve always had a problem with you. I saw you the same as Soren. Someone we could¡­.¡±

    ¡°Get her to let go,¡± Michael suggested.

    Marcus nodded slightly. ¡°I thought she saw you like family. Not¡­¡±

    ¡°Another addition,¡± Michael said, playing with the ring on his finger.

    Marcus bobbed his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you guys had been physical way before any of us. Or when she was pregnant. I was so stupid. Arrogant. Everything was fine when you were still human. When you guys had not slept together¡­ Nothing was going on with you. And then it slowly escalated¡­ I came back, and you two had¡­ crossed that line in front of me¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever really accepted that you were there. Not even then. I never knew you. You had all your issues, and I was sure you would fall away being an outsider.¡±

    Marcus turned around regarding Michael.

    ¡°Then she did sleep with you¡­ She drew a line in the sand. She honored you with the final branding. Louis made her take off those stupid plates.¡± Marcus looked at the corner where they hung. ¡°With Louis, it¡¯s different. I don¡¯t know if the Vampire dynamic changes anything. Or if I knew that Louis was the only thing she would never let go of. But of course, we are competing for that second place in her heart¡­ And I¡­ have not fully accepted you.¡±

    Marcus paused and didn¡¯t want to finish what he was thinking, so I said what he couldn¡¯t. ¡°And you hurt her. You crossed another line¡­ I wanted to kill you. I still don¡¯t trust you around her¡­ I¡¯m with Marcus on this one. It was fine until she branded you. You became an uncertainty overnight. And like everyone else, Michael. You¡¯re going to have to prove yourself to us. Juliet is going to have a hard time trusting you after this, and¡­ Your relationship isn¡¯t really on solid ground.¡±

    I also stood up, heading for the door. ¡°I said that I would keep you in line. And I will. All of you. Marcus might be king. But when it comes to Juliet, I¡¯m putting my foot down. If you touch her again like that. It will be me and you in that Colosseum.¡± Michael seemed almost defeated. His head hung low. ¡°Look, I get that she might have played the Marcus and baby thing wrong. But it was to get a rise out of you. Because you don¡¯t want to open up. If you keep holding back, you will keep hurting her. And that line is what¡¯s keeping you out of this family. It¡¯s your own fault¡­ You do nothing from your side¡­ You have become a Vampire overnight. Blaming everyone else for your problems.¡± I held out a hand to him. He stared at it. ¡°If we don¡¯t all go to En-gannim. Right now. We might as well break up.¡± He grabbed my hand. I was glad he wasn¡¯t that far gone. ¡°We have all fought for her not to grow up. Since those few months, she had to push down her personality. But¡­ All we do is force her to anyway. It¡¯s inevitable. Let¡¯s not try and break her in the process.¡± I said as I left the room.

    The two men followed me. When we arrived at The Tower, we headed up to Juliet¡¯s office. I grabbed a bucket of tubes and picked a desk. Michael did the same. Marcus sat down on her seat, taking a moment.

    ¡°The first thing we have to do is figure out who is onboard on En-gannim and flush out who stabbed us in the back. It has to be someone who knew Avrio.¡±

    I stepped over to a cabinet and took out the registry for all the workers at that time. I blew it up and went through all the names. One stood out. ¡°Where is Isla? Did she ever come back from helping Avrio¡¯s wife? I think we will get some answers there.¡±

    ¡°Louis, you go¡­ And see if Avrio¡¯s sons are on board with their mother taking over. Michael, you find out where Lucius¡¯s kids are. And make sure you know where every one of my half-brothers is. The ones that came from Earth.¡± Marcus said, taking control. ¡°I¡¯ll be making sure my uncles are all accounted for. I can¡¯t believe that Ahasuerus didn¡¯t meet with his closest bastard before leaving¡­ I¡¯ll meet with my grandmother.¡±

    I followed orders and left. But before I went to Avrio¡¯s island, I went to another one. There was just one Vampire at the station. ¡°Where is Liam?¡± He pointed down the road to the shop. I liked where they had settled down. It was quiet and had a warm, soft breeze. It wasn¡¯t a huge place, but it was Cindy¡¯s home. I hadn¡¯t checked in with them in a while. Liam had also kinda stood back since they came to En-gannim. It sometimes felt weird not having the two grownups there to keep us all in line.

    ¡°Hey, Louis!¡± Liam yelled and waved. He had some tool in his hand. Soren took it from him and kept going with whatever they were doing. He held out a hand and pulled me onto his chest. ¡°How are you? I can¡¯t remember when last we saw each other.¡±

    ¡°Neither can I¡­¡± I scanned the surroundings. ¡°What is Cindy doing?¡±

    ¡°She is with her mother and father most days. They are going on with the business they had before we ever left.¡±

    ¡°Does Juliet ever come and visit with them?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    He shook his head regarding me. ¡°Is it me you came to see or Cindy?¡± My gaze flickered over his shoulder to Soren, who was in earshot. He glanced back. ¡°Soren¡­ Why don¡¯t you give Louis and me a moment.¡±

    Soren came over and shook my hand. He stared at me for a moment and walked away. ¡°She¡¯s not doing too great. Why I¡¯m here.¡± Soren stopped walking. ¡°If I can be honest¡­¡±

    ¡°No! Don¡¯t be.¡± Soren walked away. ¡°I¡¯m going to The Tower to check on the Palmyra deliveries.¡±

    ¡°Why hasn¡¯t he moved on?¡± I asked as soon as Soren disappeared into the teleporter.

    ¡°I think his feelings for her¡­ ran a bit deeper than you all figured¡­ Why are you here? And what¡¯s going on with my daughter¡­ Do I need to move back home¡­ You failing in your duties, Louis?¡±

    It caught me off guard. I did feel like I was failing. All I did was disappoint her. Liam nodded in understanding, clapping me on the back. ¡°I rather feel like breaking down.¡±

    ¡°Is it about Caleb?¡±

    ¡°Caleb?¡±

    ¡°He came here crying. Cindy had to console him like a child. Put him to bed¡­ I had never seen him like that. And you know what¡­ He asked me not to interfere. But it¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t want to go over there and help her.¡± I had seen the anger in Caleb. I didn¡¯t know he was that affected. I was definitely failing. I was quiet for too long. ¡°Louis, are you going to say anything? What happened to Michael? Did he lose his powers, and she¡¯s covered even more? Or what?¡±

    ¡°She shut down again. Like that time in France.¡±

    ¡°F- Louis. I¡¯m rather sick of you guys not treating her right. You knew what you were getting into! When are you going to get it through your skull? She isn¡¯t your average woman.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Michael¡­ Chris tied Marcus and me up. Exchanged himself for Michael and has lost¡­ Everything.¡±

    Liam sat down on a stool behind him, eyes cast down. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Caleb and Juliet knew about it. Or rather, I think she found out he was here, and she was following him. It was too late by then.¡±

    ¡°Those two¡­ They¡¯re made from the same mold. It¡¯s like he¡¯s her twin rather than her child.¡±

    ¡°Your mold¡­ You mean?¡±

    Liam shrugged. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you want to help Michael?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about safety, Liam. Keeping everyone alive is my number one priority.¡± It was my excuse anyway. I was too angry at Michael.

    ¡°All she wanted was to be happy¡­ I made the first mistake with Marcus. None of this is your fault. I just hoped¡­.¡±

    ¡°I would at least help.¡± I sat down beside him. ¡°So much for that idea. All I see is the disappointment in her eyes. She¡¯s shut me out again.¡±

    ¡°Well, that is a Juliet thing. She has high standards¡­ Do you know how I felt after Marcus? She couldn¡¯t even speak to me for years. All I knew was the little girl I once had¡­ Grew up because of me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m scared of losing her. I don¡¯t know what I would do if she decided to take me off that pedestal she has me on.¡±

    Liam looked at me with a knitted brow. ¡°Would you leave?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. If I don¡¯t have her anymore¡­ What¡¯s the point?¡±

    ¡°So all your sacrifices were for naught?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I made them easily. Too easily. I would make them again and again. Juliet has given me this¡­ authority over her life¡­ that I can¡¯t understand. So many times, she¡¯s told me that she chooses me above all of them.¡±

    ¡°So she expects more of you. Do you wish she never had?¡± Liam asked in a low voice.

    I stared out over the pink water. The sun was three-quarters in. I didn¡¯t have much time left if I still wanted to get anything accomplished on Avrio¡¯s island. I stood to my feet. ¡°I got to go. New Regime at the house¡­ Juliet gave the pendant to Marcus, and she won¡¯t be ruling anymore.¡±

    Liam¡¯s head snapped up. ¡°I¡¯ll go see her soon. If it¡¯s that bad¡­ she will plummet when it all settles in.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ She was really holding back on us. Not one emotion¡­Thank You¡­ Tell me, what happened to Isla? Did she ever meet anyone? What is going on with the camps, and how are the vamps getting married these days.¡±

    ¡°Nothing has changed¡­ Isla is still on Avrio¡¯s island with his wife. Soren goes to check up on her. It seems all legit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on my way there.¡±

    Samuel came walking down the road. I lifted my chin to greet him. He knew me better than anyone. I didn¡¯t have the strength for a set down. He would not let me walk away unscathed. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. See you soon.¡±

    Liam followed my gaze and chuckled. ¡°I would run, too, if I were you. But after I tell him. You¡¯ll probably see us tomorrow at The Tower.¡± I drew in a breath and headed for the teleporter.

    ***

    Romero

    The end of the forest was in sight. I had never been that happy to see Sirrah again. We had eaten and had a good night¡¯s rest. There were two more stages to our journey, and we had no water left for the one to come. Charlene and I were walking beside our horse. She was on one side and me on the other. I thought she would be happier getting out of there than she was. Since we woke up, she had been quiet. The previous night, she was so busy making the fire and helping, sitting with me, and kissing me. That morning. Not one touch.

    The trees stopped so abruptly. Almost forming a tight line to our right and left. I could remember it from when I came with my father for the first time. It was an easy journey back then. Having a bundle of emotions and spirit wrapped up in one woman made the difference. I could not blame it all on Charlene. I was also not controlling myself anymore. Emotions were making it so much more difficult. It felt so good that I could say it. But¡­ Charlene¡¯s eyes were fixed on the ground. They had been for some time. There was something wrong¡­ I thought that she might want to be quiet for the beasts in the forest. She stopped when her next step would have been a fall. She finally looked up and physically jolted at the prospect in front of us, stepping back in haste. Her head darted to our left and then took some time to move all the way over to our right. She stood staring out in front of her after it all sunk in.

    As soon as the trees stopped, there was a little sandy edge of space between us and a chasm so far down that you could not see the bottom. It was so vast it seemed to never end. Across it¡­ Stepping stones with flat surfaces that balance on natural pillars. They covered the ravine from us to the horizon. Far enough apart that you could not walk over them. You needed to jump. They were also not sturdy or predictable. The pillars were carved away by millennia of vicious winds.

    She plopped down, defeated. ¡°I thought you would love this. You can practice your teleporting.¡± I joked.

    ¡°And if I miss my target?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll die.¡±

    Her head slowly came up. The horse was still in between us. ¡°Why the hell did you want to bring this fat ass with us to go over that?¡± She pointed out with a finger.

    I hoisted myself into the saddle and gave my steed a kick in the ribs. It nimbly jumped forward with perfect agility. We quickly landed on the first stepping stone. ¡°The poor thing has had nothing to eat for days.¡±

    ¡°It is bred for the desert. It will last. It does not have much stamina to go long distances or fast¡­ But he will keep. And the next leg of our journey will be a reward for you both.¡±

    The first stone surface was at least large enough for us to land on and walk around. I jumped off the beast and stood on the edge, holding out my hand to see if she would take it, giving her another test.

    She didn¡¯t get up, biting her bottom lip. Her eyes were fixed and aimlessly peering out in front of her. ¡°If you tell me, that is all we have to contend with. I¡¯ll consider it. But if you tell me, there is some giant alien monster guarding this¡­ This¡­ Hole. I¡¯m not going.¡± She looked away from me.

    I chuckled. ¡°There is no guardian. No more beasts for the rest of our journey. No more raiders¡­ Only me¡­¡±

    Her eyes came back to me and my outstretched hand. ¡°I need to hear you say that you at least have strong feelings for me. Or I¡¯m going home. I told you how I felt. You¡­¡±

    My smile fell. I blinked slowly, opening my mouth and closing it again. ¡°If you doubt me. Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m in love with you! I told you. I¡¯ve never felt like this before.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m in love with you too. From the first time I saw you. I knew you were my mate, Charlene. I didn¡¯t want you to go home because I didn¡¯t want you to. I want you! I even knew before I stopped controlling myself. Yes, I might have done something stupid to keep you here¡­ Because I needed you to want to be my mate¡­ Fall in love with me¡­ If that is how you say it on your world.¡±

    She was next to me, teleported right into my arms. Not even going to jump for it. ¡°This love word¡­ You use. What does it mean for you? We mate for life, and I had chosen you. Do you not understand that. I am not the one that has to decide here. I have already decided.¡±

    Her lips pressed onto mine. I let go of our horse and wrapped her up. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep with me?¡±

    I pushed her away. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What, why?¡±

    ¡°Because. You said that all I needed to do was tell you I had strong feelings for you. And I did. Other than that. There was no ultimatum.¡±

    Charlene laughed. ¡°You¡¯re so weird.¡±

    ¡°So, you keep saying. But you also keep staying.¡±

    She laughed again. Those lush lips of hers and her cute nose. Those chubby cheeks were so¡­ inviting. ¡°At least tell me you want to sleep with me.¡±

    ¡°No. You should be here not just for that.¡±

    Her mouth fell open. ¡°So you think that¡¯s all I want from you? Your body?¡± Charlene started laughing. She didn¡¯t stop. The rock under us moved. Our horse had jumped to the next stone.

    ¡°Oh, S-.¡± She yelled and teleported to it, getting the reins. ¡°Will it be able to jump with both of us on?¡±

    ¡°We will find out.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not very comforting.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to tell me what you were thinking about while walking out of the forest?¡± I hovered over the edge of the stone, taking the leap and landing on the rock they were on. She grabbed my hand, pulling me close to her body.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Our eyes met. She didn¡¯t want to tell me. I leaned in and closed the gap I felt was there. It would not work if it was all physical for her. But yes, I wanted her in that way. I helped her vault up. It had become a small thing we could do to touch each other. I landed behind her. Our horse took the next jump effortlessly. I was glad we had one of them.

 Moving Worlds

    164. Moving Worlds

    Fahan

    The room we were teleported into on Palmyra was so grand and beautiful that all the trouble we had gone through was worth it. Two days of consistently traveling thirty of my people at intervals had not even made a dent in our staggering numbers. I had traveled a few times, ensuring my army and the women and children had come through safely. But when Kubra left, I turned to the scientist and said, ¡°You have to travel the last people through yourselves.¡± The five Vampires stared at me as if I was mad. ¡°Chris and Caleb left.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You what?¡± They had my full attention.

    ¡°Kubra took the plate with him.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°We mean, it takes a long time to figure out any coordinates on a planet to travel to. We do not have yours. Nor did we even know there was one here in the Palace. It all happens from En-gannim. Why we needed the ability in the first place. And we need plates to make it all work. It will take time.¡±

    ¡°Explain better.¡±

    ¡°Every planet has spots. Palmyra has ten. Zoreah has five. And Earth¡­ Is open, like En-gannim and your old world. Before he died, Ahasuerus hid all his information. He did not want Juliet to have what five generations of Vampires had to work for. Not to mention all the information of all the planets he had cataloged and traveled to.¡±

    ¡°So what you are telling me is that even though we have the ability¡­ It means nothing! You do not have any coordinates? To anywhere? Avrio did not think to copy some? You did not think we would need it?¡±

    ¡°Palmyra was not on the table back then. We were pulled out so fast. Avrio did have some¡­ But he kept it close. And we would never think to take any of it for ourselves¡­ What would we do with it? It would have gotten us killed.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll kill you anyway for wasting my time.¡±

    ¡°We do not have nothing. We know where Ahasuerus hid it. And we know some of the bases of the formulas¡­ If we can get to his vault... You will be the most powerful man in all the galaxies.¡±

    I paused for a moment. I did not want to ask. ¡°Tell me you have the coordinates for that specific site.¡±

    The five men exchanged glances. ¡°We do¡­¡±

    I pulled out my sword and hit it on the ground. The red glow illuminated the blade. They all lifted their hands into the air. ¡°It is in another galaxy.¡±

    I hit my sword again. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°You need a powerful machine. The only one is on En-gannim. It can travel a million entities at once. Or even over great distances like that.¡±

    ¡°So killing Raas and Avrio was maybe not the best idea.¡±

    ¡°It does not matter. En-gannim is¡­ half of what it was. Juliet had eradicated Ahasuerus¡¯s army. Moved the factories to another planet. With Avrio dead, the population would be even more divided. And even if she did keep killing men who did not want to conform. The rest will soon rally. If they have not already. Avrio had many plans in place to take over. Remember, we still have our contact inside the tower. By now, they might have figured out that someone was leaking information, which would have lessened the number of workers trying to find out who it was. It will take time. They will infiltrate again.¡±

    ¡°Time is all I have.¡± I put my sword away¡­ Aries came to mind. I was sure that I would be able to go and get him. Even if I had to steal him in the dead of night. I did not know how I would tell Jade it would be months or years before she would see her son.

    ¡°How will we know where Aries is? If Earth is¡­ open. Should it not be easy.¡±

    ¡°The problem is knowing where they are. Where we want to come out.¡±

    ¡°That is the first thing you should be figuring out. That location should be your number one concern. I don¡¯t care about the vault right now. Start working.¡±

    The men left my presence. They would have to find a place to work. It would take weeks to settle everyone where they needed to be, and if we could not travel around Palmyra¡­ I stepped out after them. My mind instantly diverted from the negative aspects to the future. The chamber we were in opened up onto a walkway and steps leading up into the building. I marveled with my head lifted up at the sky. The Palace was beautiful and towered into the sky. Their blue star was far away from the planet, hardly a dot in the distance. The air was clean and fresh, and there was water¡­ Everywhere. It seemed that everything worked and was focused on water. It even misted onto my scales where I stood. I could feel every drop. It was worth it regardless of losing Aries, and I still had Chris¡¯s agreement that Juliet would give him back. He would not be able to do anything for some time. I needed to give Chris a chance¡­ Or else I would kill Caleb eventually.

    ***

    Charlene

    Romero and I had been jumping from one rock to another for what seemed like an eternity. Landing on the last one, I couldn¡¯t do it anymore. ¡°I have to get off.¡± I tapped his knee next to me.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± He pulled on the reins. Our horse pushed its nose upwards, stopping reluctantly. Romero slid down next to me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I feel strange.¡± I lifted my hands into the air. I didn¡¯t want to travel, but something was nudging on me. If I did go. There would be no way I would be able to come back. How would I be sure where I would land. My breathing accelerated. Who would be pulling on me? It couldn¡¯t be Kubra. The only one it could be¡­. ¡°Juliet! She is challenging me. Searching for me¡­ Knock me out! Quickly.¡±

    Romero reached for the nape of my neck, pulling my lips onto his. He kissed me with everything he had. Gave me all he could at that moment. He manifested into whatever he was, and his black shadow wrapped around me. The gold in his veins shone on the surface, flowing into me. At the last moment, he pulled away and smiled. More veins mingled with the gold. Purple ones. Even his eyes changed color, and he kissed me again. Oh, I was so screwed. He could control my lust. I almost had my release right there before I passed out.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°And?¡± Jessy asked, waiting expectantly at the edge of the seat.

    ¡°I almost had her. You were right. But she was fighting me, something fierce. Like a wall blocked me off. It was a warning.¡± I stood up, shaking my hands in the air. ¡°I won¡¯t be doing that again¡­ What if I¡¯m doing it at the wrong time or something terrible has happened.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s fine. You didn¡¯t get to her.¡± Jessy tried to console me.

    ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t do that again. And you have to forget about trying to help her.¡± Selena said. ¡°Maybe you should just leave her where she is.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. She¡¯s been gone so long. She could¡¯ve come to me at any time¡­ Me going to search for her was maybe selfish. I always think everyone needs saving.¡±

    My head turned to the door. Louis was coming in, taking off a jacket and his shoes. Followed by Marcus and Michael doing the same. I checked my watch. It had taken me hours to get it right. Left me a little drained.

    ¡°What are you three up to,¡± Louis asked, regarding our circle in the lounge.

    I didn¡¯t answer him. ¡°Time for you two to clock off. Finish those books I gave you.¡± Selena saluted in a fun manner, and they left down the lane towards Charlene¡¯s house.

    Caleb came out of the hallway. ¡°Just checking who came through the door.¡±

    After we left Zoreah¡­ Jessy and I came back to settle Selena and Jamal in the house down the road. The boys were all gone, and Kubra reported that they were in my new offices. Each at a desk. So we stayed in France rather than going back to my cabin for the night. I did tell them that Louis would get two nights. They did honor our agreement. Little Aries was in Caleb¡¯s arms. He was a little bit more broody than Chris. More of a family guy. Didn¡¯t mind having a kid with him. Sammy came running out after him, Min¨¦ in tow. ¡°How was your nap?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like naps,¡± Sammy said. I chuckled. She ran to Louis, who picked her up and spun her in a circle, playing with her.

    Caleb came over and put the little boy in my lap. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll go read for a little bit upstairs.¡±

    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll take him for a while and give him to Maya for his feed.¡±

    Aries was so small. I ran my fingers over his skin. He had the most beautiful gold color markings all over his chest and up his neck. Louis sat down next to me with Sammy on his lap. He leaned over and stroked Aries¡¯s face with one knuckle. Louis and Sammy were talking about Aries. He didn¡¯t sit too close¡­ Was giving me time to decompress. It seemed that they were all going to. Marcus and Michael grabbed a beer and headed for the patio.

    I picked up the glass plate and sent Kubra a message, telling him what had happened. It wasn¡¯t five minutes before he walked through the door. I glanced back as he took off his shoes. ¡°So? You think we should leave her.¡± He shook off the water. It was still pouring out.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°Yeah. I do. You¡¯re the one that doesn¡¯t want to trap her here. I¡¯m just agreeing with you.¡± I retorted.

    ¡°You really think she is okay?¡± Kubra asked nervously, sitting down across from us.

    ¡°I do. Sleep here tonight. Let¡¯s see what happens.¡±

    ¡°We really need to build a landing somewhere connected to the house. We can¡¯t keep getting out in that bush. Today is a mess.¡± Kubra raked his fingers through his hair and ruffled some more water out.

    I glanced at Louis. ¡°What do you think?¡±

    His eyes met mine. They spoke volumes, imploring me to let him back in. ¡°You mind if I handle it?¡± I asked. He shook his head slowly. He rested a hand on the couch, palm up. I saw the gesture. It made me get to my feet running away. ¡°Come, Kubra. Let¡¯s go see where we could add it.¡±

    Later that night, Aries was sleeping in between Louis and me. All he did was eat and sleep. I didn¡¯t mind the sleepless nights and, when needed, took him to Maya and gave her time to rest in between feeds. I didn¡¯t know how she handled being a midwife year in and year out... I knocked on her door and opened it slowly, giving her time to wake up. ¡°It had to be tough for you with Caleb. I can¡¯t see Chris helping you like this.¡±

    Maya sat up back against the headboard and let Aries latch. I sat down on the edge of the bed. ¡°Actually, he didn¡¯t let Caleb out of his sight for months. It was hard for him in the beginning. He ignored Ira almost all the way to Yaroon. Me¡­ for much longer.¡±

    It was hard hearing what Chris had to go through. He was all alone for so long. No wonder he had a hard time adjusting when he came back. ¡°There was another girl¡­ But Chris dismissed her. I do not know what happened.¡± I smiled, thinking I would have to ask him what was wrong with her. Maya wasn¡¯t his type. ¡°After Caleb was about two, Chris changed. His heart hardened every time he and Ira fought. I was resigned to look after Caleb during the day. And Chris started his training¡­ I would be at the daycare and nursing there. Doing my swatches in my free time.¡±

    ¡°Why do you do it? Are you going to stop at one point?¡±

    ¡°No. I am happy with our way of life.¡±

    I got up to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll come to get him in a little bit.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not needed... You go get a few hours of sleep.¡±

    ¡°Thank You.¡±

    I left Maya, reluctant to go back upstairs. Aries gave me a buffer between Louis and me. I climbed back into bed. The rain had finally stopped. Only a slight tapping on the roof remained. It was going to be a mess outside for a few more days. My back was to Louis. His hand rested on my shoulder. I shrugged him off. Louis scooted closer and pulled me into his chest, wrapping his arm around my waist. I tried to push him away. His hold tightened. ¡°Baby, we have to talk about Aries¡­ You¡¯ll have to give him back.¡±

    ¡°What I did has nothing to do with you. Not anymore. This is not a partnership. If I have to grow up. You have to, as well. That was the last time you lied to me. And Aries is not going anywhere. You¡¯ll have to get used to him, or I¡¯ll sleep somewhere else.¡±

    ¡°Juliet, you¡¯re making life decisions during your pregnancy. It¡¯s the most emotional state of mind you will ever be in. And coupled with Chris¡­ Don¡¯t do this¡­.¡±

    ¡°I have to. Someone has to have my best interest at heart. And it¡¯s not you.¡± I lifted up his hand. ¡°Now let go, or I¡¯m sleeping on the couch.¡±

    ¡°Juliet! How is keeping someone else¡¯s child in your best interest? You never took him to keep him.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything, and I kept Louis out of my mind. He fell back in exasperation, letting it go.

    ***

    The following day, all three of them left for En-gannim early. It grieved me. It vexed me¡­ Sent my senses spiraling. Jessy was right. All I wanted to do was rule and make life better on En-gannim. It might not have been what I wanted at the beginning, but it had become a bonus to all the trying years I had gone through¡­ I could¡¯ve helped the Earth with all its problems. I was on my couch reading, waiting for Kubra to come out.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t come again,¡± Was his first words that morning.

    ¡°What?¡± I sat up. It wasn¡¯t what I wanted to hear. I was hoping she would come, and I would know she was okay.

    He shook his head. ¡°Maybe tonight. We¡¯ll have to take it day by day¡­ We do not know how the time works wherever she is. I¡¯m going to get Min¨¦ and Sammy ready and take them to your mother. I¡¯ll be back so we can start calling contractors.¡±

    ***

    I walked into the medbay on En-gannim after Kubra, and I had done everything we could in France. Selena and Jessy were alternating days. They would have shifts to look after me. Not that it mattered. I wasn¡¯t queen anymore. Marcus needed the convoy more than I did, but he had Louis and Michael. I figured Marcus had told Jessy to stay because of the baby. Warden had a few days off because we had no more space in France. Chris was still asleep. I sat down next to him, taking his hand, and for the first time, I let myself cry. The last time I did was when he was with me. Comforted me and took over for me. Helped me when I asked. One of the reasons I was keeping Aries was because the guys didn¡¯t even threaten Fahan with his son. Used him the way I wanted. I cried out all my anger, fear, and frustrations. When my cries turned to sobs, Selena came over and laid a hand on my shoulder. I dismissed her, and she ushered all the doctors out. I got into bed with him and checked the wound on his neck. It was still the same. He was not getting better at all. They would have knocked him out the day before, but there should¡¯ve at least been some change.

    After some time, the doors opened. Ira saw us and halted at the scene. He stood for a long time, staring at me. ¡°I really don¡¯t know why I blame you for everything?¡± He said as he sat down. ¡°Like you wouldn¡¯t have done anything in your power to stop it from happening. I didn¡¯t even consider helping.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why Chris didn¡¯t come and talk to me? If he had. The two of us alone could have had Michael out of there.¡± Ira didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°What happened with your father? Did he make it?¡±

    Ira¡¯s head ended up in his hands. ¡°He never even manifested again.¡± More tears spilled over. I stayed for the rest of the day, hoping he would wake up.

    I squeezed Ira¡¯s shoulder as I left. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± Selena came in.

    ¡°Why are you not staying? Where were you last night?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not giving back Fahan¡¯s baby¡­ Not yet, anyway. I can leave him with Caleb during the day. Maya is there. But at night I¡¯d like to be there. And Sammy and Min¨¦ are with us after my mom brings them over¡­ You haven¡¯t really spent any time with Sammy? Neither has Chris.¡±

    Ira didn¡¯t say anything to me about Sammy. He watched the tall blond by my side. ¡°Did Silvanus talk to you? About Jamal and Selena?¡± I asked nervously.

    Ira nodded. Before we got to the door. Ira said, ¡°I think everything might change. You¡¯ll see a lot more of me¡­ Let¡¯s wait until Chris wakes up.¡±

    ***

    The three men came home like clockwork. It was at least some consolation that things were happening over there. I wanted to ask what they were up to. Make sure that they were doing what I had left in my inbox. But when someone else takes over, the task list probably also changes. I was curious about what Marcus thought would be a priority. I had all these simple fantasies about us working together. Traveling the galaxies. Negotiating treaties and figuring out how best to serve En-gannim.

    That night was Louis¡¯s second night. Every time I walked into our room, my eyes caught the chains and my ring that hung on the nail. And every time, I wondered if whatever Louis did would eventually break us apart.

    Louis soon followed and tried to make conversation when we were alone. I wished we were back at the compound where I had my own room. It was a much better setup for the family than Louis¡¯s fancy villa. I could bring my army back, and there was space to train. I could run the Colosseum for money. I would have something to do. Louis was reading me as my thoughts rambled on. I kept thinking about crap so he wouldn¡¯t know how I really felt.

    ***

    Charlene

    When I opened my eyes, I was happy we were still on that same rock. Our horse had its legs pulled in under it and slept like a camel in the desert. Romero quickly pulled up the beast, and we got comfortable on its back.

    ¡°Ready,¡± Romero asked.

    We crossed the chasm that whole day. I had never seen anything like it. Every time our horse made its jump, my heart raced. I was pushing Romero and the beast under us. I didn¡¯t want to fall asleep on one of those rocks. Or spent the night there. I didn¡¯t want to leave Romero there either. Or have to explain why I needed him to dull me.

    In some places, the stepping platforms were smaller and less sturdy under the weight of all three of us. I was waiting for one of them to be too loose to carry us. For some time, we had to get off, and all three of us made the jumps in succession. The horse at least followed us faithfully, and I wondered how long he could go on like that. There was no water. No reprieve.

    ¡°What is the last league of our journey? The one you said would bring us some relief? And what does this thing eat for food?¡±

    Romero stopped and didn¡¯t take the next jump. We had been going for hours in silence because we needed to concentrate. ¡°Do you want to take a break?¡±

    ¡°I want to get out of here. Is it just me, or are the rocks getting smaller? Every landing is more tricky.¡± A gust of air hit us at that moment. Our horse moved around on the small platform. It wasn¡¯t even large enough to move around on. Romero took the next jump quickly to the largest flat surface he could see. The one that looked the most sturdy. The beast followed, and he pulled it down onto its legs. A second gust hit, sending dust into the air all around us. I sat down against the thing. Romero nestled in next to me. He took out his tarp and covered us and the beast¡¯s head. The platform beneath us started swaying. I groaned inwardly. I wanted to get out of there. ¡°Why are you so nervous?¡±

    I shook my head against his chest. ¡°Can we really wait for the wind to subside?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t take the chance to be dragged off. It doesn¡¯t last long.¡±

    ¡°I want to get out of this place before tonight.¡±

    ¡°We will.¡±

    The winds only got stronger. It was so sporadic. ¡°If you want to talk? Now is a good time.¡±

    ¡°Should we give him a name?¡± I suggested.

    Romero chuckled and nodded. ¡°If you like. I thought ¡°horse¡± was his name.¡±

    ¡°Funny. What do you call these things anyway?¡±

    ¡°Vasudu.¡± Romero pulled my face up to his, kissing me. ¡°Can you please calm down. You still have not told me why you were so quiet. You almost fell down there.¡±

    Could I tell him that I was cheating on him? It felt like I was. Would I tell Kubra where I was that night? If I traveled again, he would probably clutch onto me and force me to stay. A heavy gust of wind blew over us, lifting the tarp. We swayed heavily. Our rock didn¡¯t stop drifting. Romero threw off the tarp. ¡°We have to get off.¡±

    As soon as the beast got up, it tilted the rock too far. We were slipping down before we could even find our footing. The reins were still in his hand, pulling him down into the abyss. My hand was in his, dragging me closer, reeling us in closer to the beast. ¡°Change. Use him to teleport us up.¡± I looked into its frightened eyes and kicked down on its face with Romero all wrapped up in my arms.

    We stood peering down at it, falling and disappearing into the dusty, windy darkness. I turned towards the horizon. Without asking, I started teleporting. Each landing was a little further, staying focused on our next target. The wind hit us every so often as I landed. I didn¡¯t stop until my feet hit solid ground, turning to look back on all we had to go through. ¡°I don¡¯t understand where we¡¯re going!¡± I yelled. I was losing my mind. ¡°How could the ruler of this place live so far from the planet¡¯s secrets? You can¡¯t tell me that every time you want to study. You have to make this journey. What is going on, Romero? Your sister told me you had so many things to do¡­ But how do you rule your planet?¡±

 So Much For That Idea

    165. So Much For That Idea

    Charlene

    Romero turned me towards him, his lips locked with mine. I didn¡¯t feel like kissing him, so I pushed him away. ¡°Charlene¡­ I know you are scared. But it is over. The worst is over, I promise¡­ And I want to tell you everything. And I will¡­ Can we please concentrate on us? Just for these few days, we have left.¡± His veins turned purple as he cupped my cheeks. I pulled away from him. It was late, and if I was pent up when I slept, Kubra would not survive. Never before did I have to decide who I would sleep with. My head darted up to Sirrah to see how far she was in the sky. She was already on their horizon. My eyes came back down to the view in the valley below.

    There were so many different herds of beasts running around. Shallow water pools had formed instead of a river. A waterfall fed them from a flat, elevated landscape in the distance. It didn¡¯t fall hard or even far. The sand was as white as the rest of the planet¡¯s deserts. Spiked-like dark rock formations stood out from the ground to one side of the valley.

    I picked Romero up and traveled us into the water, right in underneath one of the falling streams. I lifted my face so that it washed away all the dirt. Ran my fingers through my hair. It was a tangled mess. I missed conditioner. I rinsed my mouth as much as I could and drank water until I felt like bursting. I missed my toothbrush. I could do with beer and a cigarette. I laughed because I sounded like Juliet, who was pregnant. I didn¡¯t even know how she was doing. I haven¡¯t even told Romero about Min¨¦. ¡°I have a daughter,¡± I blurted out softly as the water trickled over my lips.

    Romero had taken off his shirt, rinsing it in the stream. His hands stilled for a second. He stepped out, shaking the material into the air, water spraying everywhere. He draped it over a rock. I followed him. ¡°I said I have a daughter.¡± He still didn¡¯t turn around. He rummaged through his pack and took out sticks. It had bristles. He held one out to me over his shoulder. I almost grabbed it out of his hand, scrubbing at my teeth. ¡°You could have told me you have a toothbrush.¡±

    ¡°You could have told me you had a child.¡± His tone was clipped.

    ¡°Does it change how you feel? Do you want me to leave?¡±

    ¡°Is it Kubra¡¯s? Did you lie to me?¡±

    ¡°No. Min¨¦ is not his.¡±

    Romero¡¯s shoulders slumped even more if it was possible. His chin fell down on his chest. His hands ran over his face. It seemed that it did change things. ¡°You will have to go back.¡± He said flatly. I snorted. So he was going to be that guy. ¡°You will have to go back.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard you!¡± I took off all my clothes and did the same as him. Romero wasn¡¯t turned away from me anymore. He was watching me. I scrubbed the fabric roughly against a rock and rinsed it in the stream, got up, and hung them over the same rocks as his. His eyes followed me everywhere. I manifested and teleported to all the different types of beasts, smelling them to see what would be the tastiest. I killed one as the others scattered away, taking out all my frustration on the twitching body. I took it back and dropped it at his feet. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡±

    He pointed to a herd in the distance. I did the same and tossed his meal at his chest. He stumbled, trying to grab onto the dead ugly thing. A chuckle escaped his lips. Romero placed it down on a stone surface.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any trees. How will I make you a fire.¡±

    ¡°Do you see those dark rocks?¡± My eyes drifted to where his finger was pointing. Water and lava formations. I drew in a breath. I was going to have to move our camp all the way over there. As I went back and forth, Michael crossed my mind. He had been human for far longer than me. Had turned into this and was going through everything I was. He had saved us all that day on Palmyra. Juliet wouldn¡¯t even have made it if he wasn¡¯t what he had turned into. We didn¡¯t even have a name for what we would call ourselves.

    My last trip was taking Romero. I placed him down and came back to human in front of him. His eyes were still roaming my body. ¡°Can you put your clothes back on?¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯m walking around like this until they are dry. You should¡¯ve packed better.¡± I picked up his sack and dropped it again. ¡°Insufficient! For what we had to go through. Not even bread wrapped in cloth. Extra water? How could you not bring one set of extra clothes? Or, at least clean panties.¡±

    ¡°Panties¡­?¡± I flung my hands in the air. ¡°Our journey was suppose to be three days. Not ten¡­.¡± Romero protested.

    ¡°That¡¯s not my problem. A guy should provide better.¡±

    He spun away from me in a huff, pulling out his sword, skinning and gutting his beast. I grabbed mine and ate it as is. Who was I kidding¡­ I was a creature and had to get used to it. After I ate, I went back to the waterfall and washed off in the water. I sat there for a long time. The moon that was so close in the desert, had risen on the horizon. It was further away from us. Did we really travel that far? It was even more beautiful. Almost translucent as the sky behind it illuminated. I didn¡¯t want to leave. I couldn¡¯t even bring myself to think about it.

    I went back to Romero. He had hung up the clothes close to a pit filled with boiling lava. Or whatever it was. It bubbled and made small explosions on the surface. I picked up my crop top and wanted to put it on. Romero grabbed my wrist and took it from me. I had a flashback of Kubra doing the same thing and cringed. His fingers stroked up my arm. His thumb grazed my side boob, and my nipples responded in kind, perking and betraying me. His eyes flickered from my chest to my lips. He wanted to but didn¡¯t. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°You have to leave.¡±

    ¡°F- You.¡± I was finally in a relationship where my emotions drove all my actions. Controlled my tongue and made me act irrationally.

    Romero¡¯s pulled me closer, lowering his lips onto mine, roaming every part of me but where I wanted him to. His other hand had not moved my top still in his grasp. ¡°I said you have to leave.¡± He whispered in my ear, pressing me close to his chest.

    I did a stupid thing. I traveled to Juliet. She was sleeping in her bed with Louis. He had jumped up, gripping my throat, squeezing. I pushed him off me. Louis hit the glass with force. I was fast picking her up, and traveled back to Romero. Her arms clung to my neck. ¡°Oh, Charlene. I missed you. I was so scared that I did something wrong.¡± I came back to human. Her eyes drifted down my body, and she licked her lips slowly, ¡°So this is happening then?¡±

    I hit her shoulder, walking over to Romero. ¡°You did almost get me. But he stopped you.¡± I pointed at Romero, who stood gaping at us. I ripped my top out of his hand and put my arms through the cloth. Juliet and Romero stood regarding each other. ¡°Oh, Charlene.¡± Juliet¡¯s voice was husky. He was a honey. Beautiful. I laughed lightly. ¡°No wonder you don¡¯t want to come home.¡±

    I hit her again. ¡°Stop staring. Mine!¡± I growled.

    ¡°So a threesome is out of the question?¡± Juliet¡¯s eyes ran up and down his person.

    ¡°Oh yeah! You going to tell Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Urgh!¡± She rolled her eyes and moved away from Romero, taking in the place. ¡°You know. Every time I think I¡¯ve seen the most beautiful planet. Another one comes up that trumps the previous one.¡±

    ¡°Believe me. You don¡¯t want to live here.¡±

    She eyed me skeptically. ¡°Why am I here? Seems like you are doing just fiiinnne.¡± Her eyes scanned my clothes as I pulled up the pants. ¡°That is pretty. I want one.¡±

    ¡°Can you focus, please¡­¡± Juliet nodded militarily and saluted me. ¡°He is my Louis.¡± Juliet¡¯s chin and lips pulled together in an understanding way. Her eyes were misty with tears. I wrapped her up in my arms. ¡°But he wants me to leave because of Min¨¦.¡±

    ¡°He what?!¡± She stopped crying just as fast as it started. She walked over and hit Romero in the face with a fist. Fully manifested. White eyes and strong. Romero planted in the ground. He felt his split lip. Her head darted to the lava. His leftover meat was still on the rock. She walked over and sunk her teeth into the flesh.

    ¡°What is wrong with her?¡± Romero barked and stood to his feet. ¡°Are you insane?¡± He spat at Juliet, who ignored him.

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    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant. She has four husbands, and this is her third baby. And we are the same age.¡±

    Romero¡¯s eyes were wide.

    ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t forget the Chadari baby I stole.¡±

    ¡°You what?¡± Romero turned to her.

    ¡°I¡­ am¡­ not¡­ giving him back.¡± She muttered between bites of raw flesh. Blood dripping down her chin. ¡°So, what¡¯s his name?¡± She nudged with her chin.

    ¡°Romero.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot, Romero. You won¡¯t have another chance with her if you let her leave.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want her to leave. But she has to.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean? Don¡¯t tell me¡­ He¡¯s lying to you.¡±

    ¡°Mmmhmm,¡± I countered. ¡°Like I said¡­ He¡¯s my Louis.¡±

    She shrugged her shoulders, cleaning her teeth with her sharp black nails. ¡°Well, if I were you, I¡¯d run in the opposite direction. If I can go back in time. I would kick Louis to the curb.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean that.¡±

    ¡°No, but still. That¡¯s how it will be from now on. He will hurt you. Disappoint you, and you won¡¯t be able to do anything about it.¡±

    ¡°Why are you angry at the poor man today?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Chars. So much has happened since you¡¯ve been gone. Hey! You¡¯re all three.¡± We both jumped up and down in one place, clapping our hands. She gripped mine, and we did a little dance. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Her hands ran down my arms.

    ¡°Too powerful! Juliet, you have to go easy on Michael. It¡¯s so much to take hold of.¡± She was guilt-ridden, nodding softly. ¡°Coupled with everything he had to go through. It¡¯s a wonder he¡¯s not in a mental asylum.¡±

    She bit her bottom lip nervously. ¡°Okay, but let¡¯s stay focused. What do you want me to do? I can¡¯t make him want to take care of Min¨¦. If he¡¯s going to be that guy that can¡¯t accept your child. You have to let him go. Run.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I can accept Min¨¦.¡± Romero¡¯s voice broke through our conversation.

    ¡°Then what¡¯s the problem, dog?¡± Juliet pushed.

    ¡°I can not say.¡±

    ¡°Urgh.¡± She countered. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen. We have another coward. You should sleep with Kubra and leave this guy here.¡± Romero didn¡¯t like her words. The scowl was back around his eyes. ¡°You know what¡­ In our world. You have to take what you want¡­ Or someone else will do it for you. And Charlene¡­ Kubra is going out of his mind.¡± I slightly shook my head. Her eyebrows raised. ¡°So he¡¯s not the only one lying.¡±

    ¡°What is she talking about?¡± Romero confronted. My eyes fell to the sand. My hands wanted to reach for my back pockets, but I had none.

    ¡°Okay! I will sort this out for you both¡­ Stay until you guys are at a place where you know what¡¯s going on. It is a relationship, after all. No need to do anything too hasty. If you haven¡¯t slept with Kubra yet. You get to decide who will have the honor. I¡¯m voting for Kubra.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Romero yelled loudly.

    Both our eyebrows raised at him. ¡°That¡¯s not really how this works.¡± Juliet gestured between him and me. ¡°What do you want her to do? She had a life before she got pulled out here. Kubra will always be in the picture. And not to mention that Carl is still waiting.¡±

    Romero¡¯s eyes got a red tint. His veins looked like blood flowing back up his arm. The black shadow followed and consumed him. ¡°I take it¡­ He¡¯s not human?¡± Juliet whispered.

    ¡°No,¡± I whispered back. ¡°Maybe I should take you home.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± She said hesitantly.

    ¡°But before I do¡­ I have a gift for you.¡± I walked over to Romero and kissed him. His eyes came back to normal, resting on my lips. I whispered into his ear. Romero and I walked over to Juliet. He lifted a hand and placed it on her head. The fog was powerful, and he let it show. Purple tiny veins consumed her whole face, and her head was swallowed by the darkness in between until her eyes darkened. Before she could say anything, I took her back and dumped her on the bed.

    ***

    Louis

    I hit the glass, and my head followed, pounding a loud thud. Charlene was big. She was a monster in her Riphath form. I chuckled. Dark fur and her teeth shone in the moonlight. It happened so fast. Michael was there, and they disappeared. When Marcus burst through the door, it was way too late. ¡°What happened?¡±

    I picked up Aries. ¡°Charlene came in and took her,¡± Michael said.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°How should I know?¡± Michael snapped.

    We headed downstairs. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s a threat. Not after all this time. Something else is going on.¡± I ventured.

    ¡°This house is too small for all of us. Caleb is already living down in Charlene¡¯s house. The kids are in with Maya. Kubra is in the last room.¡± Michael said as Kubra came walking out of the hallway.

    ¡°Yes, Juliet wants to go back to the compound.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s talking to you?¡± Michael asked.

    ¡°I wish. No. Her thoughts are racing at this point. She¡¯s bored. Or¡­ trying to keep me off her back.¡±

    ¡°Where is Juliet?¡± Kubra asked sleepily.

    ¡°Charlene was here Kubra. She took Juliet.¡±

    He let a string of cuss words flow while we all sat down on the couches. ¡°If you want me to sleep back on En-gannim. I can move out. It should be Carl¡¯s room anyway.¡±

    ¡°Where is Carl?¡±

    We all shared glances. None of us knew. We had not seen him in days. Or thought about him.

    ¡°The last time Juliet and I saw him was on Palmyra. He was overseeing the removal of their libraries and searching for any clues on the coordinates of the planets. He¡¯s probably helping Liam and Soren set up somewhere.¡± Kubra said. ¡°Should I make something to drink? We might have to stay up the whole night waiting for her.¡±

    ¡°What if she stays? She is still so angry.¡± Marcus said softly.

    ¡°No. She wants to be here when Chris wakes up. Juliet won¡¯t go back on her deal with us.¡±

    ¡°Did you ask her about Aries?¡±

    ¡°She says he¡¯s staying.¡±

    The other men didn¡¯t like it either. ¡°We have enough on our plate. If Fahan doesn¡¯t have a reason. He might not come looking at all.¡± I stood up. ¡°You know what, Michael. Then you tell her that.¡± I took the little bundle to Maya. She was going to have to take him for the night.

    We all sat for a while in silence. The familiar bamf sound of the teleportation came from my room. Charlene¡¯s heavy treads creaked and cracked every step down. ¡°Uhhh¡­ I did something.¡± Her voice was so low and gruff. We all stared at her. ¡°She gonna want sex... So whoever goes in there should be ready.¡±

    All three of us jumped up, pushing back the other, fighting for it. Charlene eyed us, reaching the bottom stairs together. ¡°What did you guys do? She¡¯s not happy¡­ But this will help. So who needs it most.¡± Her eyes darted over us. Kubra was having a cigarette, calmly waiting. His thoughts were a jumbled mess.

    We were debating. ¡°Rock paper scissors it.¡± Charlene decided for us. ¡°Michael, you and Marcus first.¡± She said. They did, and Michael lost. He swore and made a dent in the wall, walking down the hall and slamming his door. Marcus and I stood ready. It was best out of three. I was going to cheat. Marcus eyed me. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you. Charlene, you play for him. She could play a game with her claws. I still won, thanking the universe. I pushed them out of the way and ran up, closing the door.

    ¡°Why are you still dressed?¡± Juliet sneered and jumped up. My hands went for the hem of my shirt. ¡°There is no time for that.¡± She grabbed the collar of the T-shirt and ripped it down the middle, yanking at my shorts. They stayed around my thighs. Two hands pushed me onto the bed. She mounted me in one thrust. Her head jerked back into the air. ¡°F- Charlene, what did you do to me.¡± I laughed, watching her be consumed as she pulled tight around me. Juliet wasn¡¯t in the mood for games, getting off me and pushing my head down her body. My fingers were barely in her¡­ My tongue hardly licked, and she came again. Her moans were a little loud. ¡°Louis, you better behave yourself.¡± I heard Marcus complain. His door slammed just as hard. Like any of it was my fault. She gripped my hair and pulled me up, guiding me into her. I didn¡¯t move. ¡°What are you waiting for.¡±

    ¡°Say you forgive me,¡± I whispered over her lips, slowly sliding back and forth, urging her to let go of her anger.

    ¡°Louis¡­ I¡¯m so close.¡±

    ¡°Say you forgive me.¡± I palmed her breast and closed my fingers, deliberately prolonging my thrusts. Juliet swore and muttered incoherently. I enfolded her nipple with two fingers and squeezed.

    ¡°I forgive you,¡± she said breathlessly, wrapping her legs around me. Her heels dug into me and thrusted me forward. She shook violently under me, fisting my hair and grabbing onto my shoulder. Juliet¡¯s whole body relaxed.

    ¡°You know it¡¯s always a mission to get you to go. Could we bottle this, please?¡±

    Juliet pushed me off her, stretching out like she always did. ¡°I think I¡¯m done. Thank you, baby.¡±

    ¡°What!? That was like one minute!¡±

    She laughed as she turned on her side. I got rid of my shorts and pulled her shoulder over, resting on top of her, spreading her legs wide with mine. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask.¡±

    Juliet met my eyes with a look I had longed to see in them. Her hand gripped the back of my head and pulled down. ¡°I¡¯m not close to done.¡± My length was already burying itself in her heated flesh. Our lips met long and slow. I had never been that glad to feel her melt into me. We needed it. I needed it.

 Making A Decision

    166. Making A Decision

    Charlene

    Kubra¡¯s eyes had not come up once. He didn¡¯t care what I looked like or what I had turned into. He was slowly dragging his cigarette. I came back to human and walked over to him, standing close. He couldn¡¯t look at me. I touched his shoulder. Nothing. I went down on my knees next to him. Still nothing. I scooted till I was in front of him. He didn¡¯t open his knees, so I pushed in between his legs. His eyes avoided mine. It was rather cute. He was angry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kubra. I was a crappy girlfriend.¡± I took the cigarette out of his hand and pushed it into the ashtray. ¡°I do love you. I don¡¯t know what was wrong with me¡­ I know I pushed you away¡­ Emotionally unavailable.¡±

    His eyes came up at last, and he raked his finger through my hair, dragging me closer. Before he kissed me, he stopped. ¡°I can smell him. Every night you came, I could smell him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m in love with him. I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± Kubra¡¯s hand desperately rubbed the back of my head, pressing my forehead onto his. I didn¡¯t know if he would get angry. ¡°I need to know if you want to end this? Because I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to let him go.¡±

    ¡°Stay with me tonight. Please don¡¯t give him all of you before I even had anything.¡± His words broke my heart.

    ¡°I desperately want to¡­ You know that.¡± He smiled briefly, waiting for my answer. ¡°I¡­ think he doesn¡¯t want me.¡±

    Kubra took ragged breaths. ¡°S- Charlene, he doesn¡¯t want you? You fell in love¡­ This is your first time¡­ And you¡¯re running after him?¡±

    His rubbing had turned into jerky movements. ¡°He said I should leave because of Min¨¦.¡±

    Kubra pulled me closer. I rested my head on his chest. ¡°This is tearing me apart. I want to kill him.¡±

    ¡°He is lying, and there is a reason. I don¡¯t know why I ended up in front of him. But I¡­ Can¡¯t help myself.¡±

    ¡°I want you¡­ I don¡¯t care¡­ We¡¯re committed? Aren¡¯t we. You have to love me because of the branding.¡±

    I sat back and looked at him. Right there, I made up my mind to give Kubra what he wanted, regardless of Romero. ¡°Of course I love you. I won¡¯t choose... Never. If it¡¯s not both, then no one¡­ I miss you so much. But before I sleep with you.¡± Kubra¡¯s eyes seemed a little more optimistic. His hands cupped both my cheeks. I rested mine on his wrists. ¡°I need to know because I will leave after, and I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be back.¡± Kubra pressed his lips onto mine and gently urged me to my feet. His arm circled my waist, and instinctively I jumped. He caught me, carrying me to his room. It seemed that he really didn¡¯t care nor would be angry. ¡°You don¡¯t want to wait to be married anymore,¡± I asked as he closed the door with his foot.

    Kubra went down on the bed with me nestled in one arm, getting comfortable next to me. His other hand unlaced the strings that kept my top strapped over my breasts. Now that it wasn¡¯t dark in the room, he had no trouble with the thing. I wanted him to look at me. ¡°Kubra.¡± I was a little nervous. It had been so long since we connected on any level. I thought about how I felt the two nights I traveled into his bed. I should¡¯ve done it then. He slowly opened the fabric all the way, taking in every inch of me. His eyes never met mine and followed his hands caressing my body. His fingers stroked down my neck, lingered over my breast, slid over my middle, and stopped at the hem of my pants, unlacing the knot around my waist. It slacked, and he pulled to loosen it even more. His hand ran down between my legs. Agile fingers found the first wetness to slide up and down. Every time he reached my entrance, his fingers pushed in, and every time, a little deeper, spreading and wetting me. ¡°Are you going to say anything?¡± His next thrust was deep and purposeful, making my back arch. He dropped his lips hard onto my open mouth, deepening our kiss with his tongue, roving and feasting. I tasted him back and was getting there.

    I lifted my knees and pushed down my pants, kicking them off. Kubra unlocked our lips and roamed down my neck, over my chest, licking and kissing my breast, coaxing me. He didn¡¯t stop probing and stroking until I was out of breath and cumming. Kubra waited for me to finish and made swift work of his sweatpants. I propped up on my elbows to take in all of him. I had never seen him naked, but he was still not looking at me. His hand ran up my leg as he settled over me, stopping at my knee and bending my leg, easing me open. I did the same with the other. His fingers tightened around my hips and slid up my body until I could feel him pressed against me. My heart was pounding. He leaned down and kissed my chest where my heart was. I needed the release. And after that, I needed intimacy, and Romero wouldn¡¯t give it to me. It had been weeks of pent-up anticipation, and I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Kubra was waiting¡­ Touching every part of me. I lifted up, took him in hand, and guided him into me. His eyes followed my hand. Kubra swore, settling inside me, fusing his flesh with mine. His eyes finally met mine, ¡°I love you more.¡±

    ***

    Juliet

    I woke up in Louis¡¯s arms the next morning, not on the side of the bed or scooched as far to the edge as humanly possible. I had forgiven him in the heat of passion. I was too weak. Louis laughed next to me. He was in my head again. I wasn¡¯t fighting him anymore. ¡°Did last night really happen?¡±

    He pulled me closer. ¡°All of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad it was you. I needed it.¡±

    He squeezed tighter, but his heart was racing. ¡°I won¡¯t lie to you again, baby. Or keep you out of the loop. Will you believe me if I said I learned my lesson?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Juliet¡­ Did I finally make you cross the line?¡±

    I didn¡¯t like it when he used my name. It happened so rarely. The last few days, it was all I had heard. ¡°How many times do I have to tell you. Nothing you can do¡­ will ever make you lose your place.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±

    ¡°But it is¡­ And I don¡¯t care that you need to hear it. I love you most, Louis. Always¡­ Charlene!¡± I jumped up and out of bed, pulling on my top as I opened the door. I ran down the stairs and opened the door to Kubra¡¯s room without knocking. I flipped the switch.

    ¡°Juliet!¡±

    ¡°Juliet! No!¡± They both hissed at me. Charlene sat up in her Vampire form. I laughed lightly, seeing her like that, breathing out a slow breath. I didn¡¯t really care what she did. Or who she chose. I was just happy all around. ¡°Boy, but you¡¯re ugly like that.¡±

    She manifested and teleported till she stood towering over me, transforming quickly from one to the other. She didn¡¯t stop and ended up like a dog. ¡°Oh my! I thought you were ugly as a vamp.¡±

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    She growled at me, showing her teeth. I giggled nervously. Charlene¡¯s eyes darted over my shoulder. I glanced back. Carl stood gaping at her. He had seen it all. Charlene came back to human butt naked. Not that Carl had not seen her naked before. His eyes traveled over her shoulders to the bed. His head bobbed, and his tongue played over his teeth. Kubra stared him down.

    ¡°I¡¯m so freaking glad. I¡¯m not the only one with more than two husbands.¡±

    Carl¡¯s mouth played around with the idea. A smile and a smug look. ¡°I¡¯m still young. I can wait. You can have me when you¡¯re tired of that old fart over there.¡±

    I reached my arm around Carl. ¡°You back now? Where have you been?¡± He didn¡¯t answer. I left it for the moment. ¡°Are you not supposed to go back?¡± I asked Charlene.

    ¡°Back where,¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°To my other husband,¡± Charlene said, walking past us.

    ¡°What,¡± Carl said, and he looked at me. The astonishment was there.

    Kubra came running out after her. ¡°You are going to say bye this time.¡±

    She moved to my dressing room. I heard my hangers hitting the cupboard as she pulled off clothes.

    ¡°Juliet, can you pack a bag for Min¨¦? Just a couple of days.¡±

    I followed, and Carl was short on my heels. I pushed both the guys out, closing the door. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Carl said.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to be better at this than me.¡± I sat down in a slump, pouting.

    ¡°Let¡¯s first see if Romero really meant it. Maybe I¡¯ll have my first heartbreak.¡±

    ¡°Why Kubra? The chemistry between you and Romero was off the charts last night.¡±

    She walked closer and whispered. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to sleep with me.¡±

    I laughed lightly. ¡°That¡¯s a good enough reason.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been teasing me for three weeks, purpled me up when you almost got me¡­ And then says no.¡±

    I had to laugh and giggle at the absurdity.

    ¡°I heard that.¡± Kubra pounded on the door. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill this guy.¡±

    ¡°Romero is a little intense,¡± I said.

    ¡°You have no idea.¡± Charlene¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°Well, Louis and I want to thank you for last night.¡±

    ¡°Especially me.¡± Louis¡¯s voice came from the other side of the door. He knocked and came in, picking me up and putting me on his lap. My fingers mingled with his.

    ¡°Can you imagine having those feelings and not having anyone to take it out on?¡± She quickly looked back at Kubra and smiled.

    Kubra met my eye. He was standing at the door. His hand nervously tapped on the frame like always. I flashed my eyebrows at him.

    ¡°But yes, I have to go¡­ I¡¯ll either see you in an hour.¡± Charlene¡¯s eyes met Kubra¡¯s. ¡°Or in a few days, I think.¡± She bent down and kissed me. ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you too.¡±

    She lifted a foot and put it on the daybed, tying her boots one by one. ¡°I¡¯m taking Min¨¦. I¡¯ll bring her back after he meets her¡­ And we had a good talk.¡± Charlene came up, stomping her feet and fixing her clothes. She walked over to Kubra and kissed him. His hands cupped her face. He didn¡¯t want to let go, and she stood there for a moment. Min¨¦ came running out of her room with Carl and a bag. Charlene flung her arms around Kubra¡¯s neck and kissed him desperately. ¡°Bye. I love you so much.¡± There was a tightness in her throat. I knew how she felt. She bent down and picked up Min¨¦. Carl smiled at her as she manifested. ¡°Thank You.¡± He waved at her. Charlene disappeared. Kubra couldn¡¯t handle it and rested his head on the door frame, closing his eyes.

    ¡°She is amazing. Got used to her abilities so quickly,¡± Louis said behind me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I hope she knows what she¡¯s doing. Romero is more than intense. And with his abilities¡­ She doesn¡¯t look brainwashed, does she? He is something I had never seen before¡­ His skin turns to¡­ nothing. Like a¡­¡±

    ¡°Shadow?¡± Kubra ventured. ¡°That¡¯s where we were with the campaign.¡±

    My first inclination was to interfere, thinking of all the implications. I wanted to look at Louis and have him tell me everything that was going on. I chased them all out in anger, remembering Chris was still in the hospital, remembering everything. I got in the shower and dressed as fast as I could. Jessy was already outside waiting. It was his day. Selena was starting her treatment. She would be at my army¡¯s base and report back at night. When I opened the door, all the euphoria of the previous night was gone. I had been on another planet. I saw Charlene and¡­ Louis. I squeezed my thighs together, making frustrated noises. He was waiting outside as I rounded the corner. That smug look on his face.

    The other two doors opened. I narrowed my eyes at Michael, remembering what Charlene had said. I was going to have to make the first move to repair whatever was going on... But not yet. I walked over and slid my arms around him. He wrapped me up and pulled me close. ¡°Can I talk to you, please?¡± He said in a low voice.

    ¡°Soon. Just give me a few days.¡± Michael let me go. My head drifted back over my shoulder. Marcus was watching us. As I walked over, I manifested. He closed his eyes. I snorted. ¡°If I wanted to fight you. I would take you in the ring and do it properly.¡± He opened his eyes again. I picked him up like a girl, carried him into his room, plopped him down on the chair, and hovered over him. His eyes were on my lips. ¡°If it were you last night¡­ Urgh! See you tonight, Marcus.¡± I wasn¡¯t going to look back.

    Louis held out a hand as I passed him. I looked at it. ¡°You said you forgave me. You can¡¯t go back now.¡± I leaned in and pecked him on the cheek. ¡°F- You!¡± He yelled as I ran.

    ¡°Oh, I did. And anyway, that doesn¡¯t work on me anymore, Louis,¡± I scolded, walking away from him. I heard the door slam. Even if I did forgive him. I was having a hard time getting over what happened to Chris.

    Jessy greeted me and started chatting right away. He knew just how to take my mind off things. ¡°Soren is at the tower.¡±

    I paused. ¡°Why.¡± It didn¡¯t really matter. The guys would follow soon. Marcus would be there as a buffer. I checked my watch. ¡°Jessy, please go tell Marcus, will you? I can¡¯t be held responsible for my actions. The way I feel right now¡­¡± He was already jogging away. I waited in the bushes. ¡°What did he say?¡±

    ¡°He jumped up and ran to his closet.¡± I sighed. ¡°One less thing to worry about.¡± It did help that Marcus didn¡¯t blame me for wanting it at all.

    We had gone a little over the time because of Charlene. Yesterday, they were out by eight.

    ¡°Relax!¡±

    ¡°Chris might be awake. I don¡¯t even know what I would say to him.¡±

    ***

    Ira and Silvanus were there that morning. The orange man always greeted me with respect. I liked him. Off Zoreah, he was always in black like me. As if we worked for Ahasuerus. I glanced at the bed. Chris was still asleep. It bothered me, and I scanned the room. ¡°Where is the doctor?¡±

    ¡°We already had an update. Nothing has changed.¡±

    I walked over to check his wounds. It had also not healed at all. ¡°What did you expect? He isn¡¯t much of a creature at this point. He is back to being human. Frail.¡±

    ¡°Should we let him brand Selena?¡±

    Ira¡¯s head jerked up. ¡°What would that help? And how could you even say that?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, Ira. He¡¯s in love with her.¡±

    ¡°Not like that,¡± Silvanus said softly. ¡°It was more the abstinence than anything else.¡±

    ¡°I think neither of you knows what love is¡­ How can any of you on Zoreah be sure? There have been no brandings there, either¡­ What would happen?¡± I was sure Ira knew. He just didn¡¯t want to say.

    Chris gripped my hand and squeezed. I stood up and pressed my lips onto his. ¡°Chris,¡± I whispered. He didn¡¯t say anything.

 New Regime

    167. New Regime

    Marcus

    The first thing I did was send Soren away. Told him he needed to report before he came over. That left me open to breathe. The three of us started the day off with a meeting. We would be doing that every morning. I was a little distracted, knowing later that evening was my time with Juliet. My first thought was that it wasn¡¯t enough. One night a week.

    ¡°What happened on Avrio¡¯s island? Did you find out if his son was working in The Tower that day?¡± I asked to get my thoughts under control.

    Louis nodded. ¡°He is MIA¡­ So if you were looking for the mole, I think we found him¡­ I have a funny feeling about his mother. Her thoughts are controlled¡­ Like Carl¡¯s was when we first met. She says all the right things, but she¡¯s hiding something. Isla is still there. But she¡¯s not trained. Won¡¯t even notice a coup right under her nose. She¡¯s na?ve and ignorant. We could ask my cousin to infiltrate. We would have to ask Juliet to lend us one of her women. If Selena was ready, it would have been perfect.¡±

    ¡°What did she say when you asked her if Avrio ever implanted tech in her?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, she gave some lame excuse that she would have known.¡±

    ¡°And you, Michael? Where are my brothers?¡±

    ¡°They are all accounted for. Made sure there is only one teleporter on each island they were on. They are somewhat scattered but still in the same region.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to start surveillance on them?¡± Louis asked.

    ¡°There would be no point... They would be able to counter it.¡± When I said it, I thought about something else. They knew most of what we were doing. I stood up and held my hand in the air. I gestured for them to follow. We traveled all the way to the compound. Went down into the tunnels that no one knew of and closed ourselves off in one of the rooms. ¡°If I had my guess. They have somewhere they are reinforcing their weapons and numbers. But how do they communicate? We are monitoring all the feeds in The Tower?¡±

    Michael scoffed. ¡°They are using Earth tech¡­ Radio frequencies¡­ Normal recording devices that we won¡¯t think to scan for on En-gannim, dumping normal files.¡±

    Michael was right, ¡°They could have bypassed the tower problems and cables by altering our tech. Mixing it with En-gannim.¡± He nodded. ¡°I think we should move back. Maybe she was right. There is not enough space in France.¡± I ventured. ¡°We could move our offices down here¡­ Still, go to work and put up a front, but manage the most important information from down here.¡±

    ¡°Where are all Ahasuerus¡¯s kids? What did you manage to find out.¡± Michael asked.

    ¡°They are also all accounted for, going on with their lives. It doesn¡¯t really matter. They would still have to make the first move. And¡­ If they have an army, where the hell is it?¡±

    ¡°Your baby is now the biggest threat,¡± Louis said. ¡°The problem is that the army numbers are so low¡­ We don¡¯t know how long they have been plotting and training.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time we did some reconnaissance of our own,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Your army that came isn¡¯t growing. No one is enlisting because they believe the threat is over. No one is going to kill them if they leave. We stopped forcing them into the situation.¡±

    ¡°Numbers are not how you win a war. We have to get to the root and pluck it out¡­ They didn¡¯t have two hundred years to create trust under the men. They don¡¯t have a cause to fight for. Whoever is in charge is using the old methods of coercion. Revolution is always the outcome. We should know that better than anyone¡­ One thing I learned from Juliet¡­ Don¡¯t force anyone to fight for you. If they do¡­ The wall is unbreakable.¡±

    ¡°I hate to even say this. But we need Caleb. If we¡¯re piggybacking on their surveillance, we need it planted without anyone knowing.¡± Michael said.

    ¡°There is only one way to find out.¡± Louis prompted.

    My eyes were fixed on the ground. We were all perched up on the counter running along the wall. I was scared to start a fight with her before we even had a chance to talk. Louis and Michael got up to leave. Reluctantly, I followed.

    ***

    Juliet was reading on the couch. Aries passed out on her chest. Her gaze came up. She wasn¡¯t lying down like she used to. Her arm lifted, and she checked her wrist and frowned. All three of us sat down in our usual spots. She didn¡¯t say a thing. ¡°Is Caleb here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes. He just came back from looking at some schools.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t go with?¡± Louis asked.

    ¡°My mom wanted to take him. She was just here. He¡¯s reading up in your  room.¡±

    ¡°Who was here with you?¡± Louis asked nervously. It was strange, but when I saw Liam come through the door. I had to laugh inwardly. Louis was scared of the backlash from the parents. We all got up to greet him.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go get Caleb,¡± Louis said.

    They walked out together a moment later. Caleb sat next to Juliet, stroking Aries¡¯s little head. There was a little scruff of hair around the back. Liam was about his business in the kitchen and listening.

    ¡°We need Caleb for some¡­ Surveillance. If you will allow him to help.¡±

    Juliet smiled. Mother and son shared a glance. ¡°It¡¯s up to him¡­.¡±

    Caleb smiled. ¡°I want to help you guys. But I¡¯m still a little hurt by what happened.¡±

    I ruffled the hair on the back of my head. ¡°If you think it will impair you to stay hidden for long periods or in a stressful situation¡­ You definitely shouldn¡¯t.¡± I ventured.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­ My allegiance is with my mother, and you guys hurt her. You hurt me.¡± The three of us chuckled. Liam walked over and squeezed his shoulder. Juliet ran her fingers through his hair. ¡°You guys even want to take Aries back¡­ And I agree that he has to stay. Whether Fahan comes for me or not.¡±

    I was stunned. Taken aback. ¡°Look, Caleb. It¡¯s not just about your safety¡­ If we give him back. Fahan would probably give up on any other pursuits.¡±

    ¡°The man sold his son for a better place to live.¡± Liam eventually sat down, listening to the conversation. ¡°I think Aries deserves to know who his father is. If we had talked with Jade¡­ She never would have...¡± Caleb went on.

    ¡°But he did, and now we are here.¡± I clasped my hands in front of me. ¡°All the coordinates are still missing. All of Ahasuerus¡¯s mountain of information is hidden on some planet. And his scientist will probably know¡­ It¡¯s only a matter of time before he ends up with all the power.¡±

    ¡°All the more reason to keep him busy coming for his son. What coordinates do you think they will be going for first.¡± Caleb suggested.

    Liam chuckled and lowered his head, shaking it.

    ¡°Anywhere on Earth.¡± I had to say.

    ¡°Anywhere on Earth¡­.¡± Caleb retorted. ¡°Where are we the safest at this point?¡±

    I cleared my throat¡­ ¡°On Earth.¡± I croaked out and met Liam¡¯s eye, and we both smiled. There was only pride in his.

    ¡°And above all of that. Fahan forced my father into that machine. For that, he has to pay. The fact that you are still sitting back and doing nothing¡­ I can¡¯t help you with that, Marcus.¡±

    My eyes came up. At that moment, I realized I wasn¡¯t a very good ruler at all. Yes, I wanted to be fair. I would make En-gannim a great place¡­ But when it came to family¡­ I found it hard to connect the two. Something Caleb did so easily.

    ¡°You killed all those Werewolf cubs and moms on Zoreah¡­ I would rather kill Aries than give him back.¡±

    Juliet covered the little boy¡¯s ear on the side of his head. ¡°Over my dead body.¡± She said.

    Caleb took her hand. ¡°So no. I don¡¯t¡­ want to help you. You made this mess. You will have to clean it up.¡± Caleb was quiet for a while. ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why you didn¡¯t challenge him? The three of you could have killed him in a heartbeat. Even my mom and I could have killed him.¡±

    I shot up to my feet, pointing my finger at him. ¡°No! It wasn¡¯t going to happen. We couldn¡¯t challenge him because your mother needs to be there. Don¡¯t you understand? For the next five months¡­ Your mother will do nothing but sit there and keep my baby safe.¡± I bellowed out.

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    The room was quiet.

    ¡°Do you think your son, Marcus! Juliet¡¯s child!¡± He scoffed. ¡°Would have let you sacrifice yourself¡­ For anything?¡± Caleb¡¯s voice was rising.

    ¡°I f-ing get it, okay!¡± I spat out.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Juliet stood up. ¡°Don¡¯t talk to him like that.¡±

    Caleb stood with her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. At least we¡¯re getting somewhere.¡± He stormed off. I followed him up the stairs. I realized I had not only hurt Juliet but a lot of other people. And this whole issue wasn¡¯t even about Chris. It was about Michael and that we would have left him there¡­ I grabbed Caleb¡¯s arm and spun him towards me. As his face came into view, all I saw was Juliet at that age. When I chopped off a woman¡¯s hand because my father told me to. His eyes were watery. I pulled him closer. ¡°You haven¡¯t even gone to see him.¡± His words were muffled. ¡°You blame him for making a wrong choice. When you didn¡¯t even make one¡­ You told her that you would handle it together and then left her out.¡±

    I pressed him closer and wrapped my arms around him. ¡°Caleb, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m going to make mistakes. For a few hundred years¡­ I¡¯ll probably make more. And¡­ Chris isn¡¯t blameless in this¡­ I did feel that he threw away our friendship when he went back to Zoreah. When he decided that family wasn¡¯t important enough¡­ We all have to find our place in the world¡­ But we¡¯re all still half-human.¡±

    Caleb¡¯s shoulders started shaking against me. ¡°I will¡­ find out how to get your father''s ability back. Even if it¡¯s the last thing I do. But one thing at a time¡­ You and your mother are impatient. And I am the total opposite. I play for the long haul. Not instant gratification. That will probably never change.¡±

    I pushed him away from me and looked into his eyes. ¡°If you let me train you¡­ I¡¯ll let you kill all those scientists in their sleep, leaving Fahan with nothing.¡±

    He nodded and closed his eyes. I rubbed the tears away under his eyes. Caleb pulled out of my hands. ¡°I need to go blow my nose.¡±

    I chuckled softly. As I turned around, Juliet was watching us from the door. ¡°I am sorry, Julie.¡±

    She drew in a breath. ¡°I have my sixteen-week check-up at the gynae tomorrow. The appointment is at ten. You better be there.¡± She turned to leave. I caught her wrist and spun her around. She flung me off. ¡°Keep that energy for later.¡± I cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Oh no! Not that. You will be massaging my feet, my back¡­ A whole-body massage, and we will be talking the whole night long.¡±

    ¡°What will I have to say?¡±

    ¡°That is not my problem.¡± Juliet was trying, but the line around her mouth wouldn¡¯t relax. I thought back. I didn¡¯t understand that smile she had outside on the deck chair¡­ Just before Chris and I went out hunting. Or the one she carried that morning after¡­ On Palmyra¡­ I understood it at that moment¡­ And I would¡¯ve done anything¡­ If I could have her back. A woman really did put out what men put in.

    ¡°Come on. You have a long day ahead of you.¡± She said.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t just come to talk to Caleb¡­ We need to move back to the compound.¡±

    ¡°By when do you need it done?¡± It seemed that she wanted to smile.

    I bent over, laughing. My hands dug into my pockets. Her head tilted, watching me. ¡°You should stop that¡­ You might get lucky after all.¡± She walked over and kissed me. My hands wrapped around her, and I pulled her into me. Her body relaxed, and her hands rubbed over my back. I thought about a few things I needed to say to her. I wanted to stay so bad and spend time with her. I picked her up, and she rested back into my arms. I carried her downstairs, kissing her. I plopped her down in the chair and hovered over her. ¡°By tonight. You think you can manage, Mrs. Ahmed.¡±

    She pressed her lips together and nodded. ¡°Come on, guys. Back to work.¡± They both stood, and we walked to the door. ¡°Caleb! Are you coming?¡± I yelled.

    ¡°Shhh. You¡¯ll wake up, Aries.¡± Liam complained.

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m coming.¡± He pulled on a jacket, ran over to Juliet, and kissed her cheek. ¡°Mom, you okay with this?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t be prouder.¡±

    He shook Liam¡¯s hand and joined us.

    ***

    Romero

    When Charlene disappeared in front of me, taking Juliet back. It felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest. The nagging suspicion tugged and pulled on my gut¡­ I would never see her again. There was so much we said to each other. But also not enough. Our conversation kept running through my mind the whole night. She had actually brought Juliet. To meet me. Showed me more of what was going on in her world. Wanted council, regarding me. It felt so strange¡­ I had told her to go. Even Juliet told her to run. And she had left. I had no one else to blame. But myself. I was alone again.

    My marital journey had lasted only a few days, and I had come more than halfway. When Charlene told me she had a child, my whole world spun around me. I would never have done what I did if she had told me earlier. I would have forced myself not to build a connection with her. How could I ask her to leave her daughter on a planet and never see her again? But I was not going to start dulling myself. I wanted to feel every part of me shatter. Because for me¡­ It was for life. And I would never know the joy of having a mate. I had been alone for so long.

    She not only had Kubra that branded her¡­ But it seemed that their world had harem systems, and she was checking to see how I would handle it. Juliet had four husbands, and Charlene wanted me as a third. A third? What was I going to do? I would have taken her to the end of this journey and made her mine¡­ She would never have seen any of them again.

    I had opportunities in the past to choose a mate. It couldn¡¯t even compare to what I felt for her. I hardly slept that night. Had no appetite when I woke up. Not like the previous evening when she walked around naked. All I could do was sit there in the sand, wondering what to do. My head hung low. When I heard the familiar sound. I knew she was back. I did not know if it was a good thing. I could not even look up at her. ¡°I thought I told you to leave.¡±

    ¡°Mommy. Who¡¯s that?¡±

    My head jerked up.

    Charlene smiled. ¡°That is¡­ Uncle Romero.¡±

    ¡°Where are we, mommy?¡±

    ¡°A new planet. Have you seen Daddy lately?¡±

    Min¨¦ shook her head. Charlene put the child down. She was walking around, touching and feeling everything. Eventually, Min¨¦ came and stood over me. She held out her hand.

    ¡°My name is Min¨¦.¡±

    I took the little hand in mine and I knew I had made a mistake. Such a big. Monumental mistake. I didn¡¯t know what to do with her hand, but she shook mine. She pulled me up and kept holding on to me.

    ¡°Can we go swimming? I see a waterfall. Your planet is really hot.¡± I wanted to smile. My heart was breaking. I held out my other, and Charlene took it. She joined us, and like a family, we walked towards the water. I picked up her hand to kiss it. A moment of more weakness. As it came closer, I smelled what I did not want to. My hand changed on Charlene¡¯s. The red glow of my anger kindled. Her eyes implored me to accept everything her life entailed. It was not that I could not embrace it. There would be no point. There would be no us. I let go of both of them.

    ¡°Min¨¦¡­ Can you go to the water yourself?¡± My voice was strained.

    She nodded and started running.

    Eyes blazing, I turned to Charlene. Did she not understand how I felt. Tears fell over her cheeks as she held back sobs. ¡°I had not had feelings for five hundred years, Charlene. I had only a few days where I could let go and be happy. I asked you to be with me, and you slept with him?¡±

    ¡°I had to.¡±

    ¡°No! You really did not have to. I told you not to come back.¡±

    ¡°How many times did I tell you I was not your girl. But you kept pushing and pushing. And now I¡¯m here. You sent me away because I had a child¡­ You know what Kubra said when I told him about you¡­ Nothing. And the morning after. He kissed me goodbye without knowing if he would ever see Min¨¦ or me again. Do you¡­ Understand that I love him. Do you even understand the brandings? You¡¯ve been dancing around every issue I brought up. Even your parents avoided talking. I know more is going on than you want to say.¡±

    ¡°Everything changed when you told me you had a child. How could you not tell me? That is a line in the sand that no one should ever leave out, Charlene. Is that what you do on your world? Where is your honor?¡±

    The sobs she had been holding back escaped.

    ¡°All I wanted was a few more days where I would have told you everything. To the last detail of our existence. You had so many opportunities to tell me.¡±

    Charlene walked off, flinging her hands at her sides, probably fighting with me in her head. I was harsh with her again. Too cold. She was so young. Neither of us had the facts. She had just come into a form none of them even began to understand. It was as if they were toying with life and fate. Juliet had such a nonchalant attitude and ideas that her world was the only way. Charlene was human a month ago. I was trying to control myself but couldn¡¯t. All I did not want was for my veins to turn green.

    Charlene was splashing water on her face and rubbing her hands in the water. She had not even washed him off her. How could Kubra be so complaisant as a vampire? From what we knew, cheating was not allowed for women on En-gannim. Not even on my world has it ever happened

    Min¨¦ was enjoying herself in the slow stream. Charlene came back over to me and wrapped her arms around me, holding me until I calmed down. I was not going to dull myself. I gave in to my emotions and let the anger go by itself. It was not her fault. She had given me so many opportunities to let her go. Nothing in our situation was normal. But I still could not take that step to pull her into an embrace.

    ¡°I¡¯m staying, Romero. Min¨¦ and me. I¡¯m not leaving till I hear every argument you can make. I want to know what has you so bent out of shape.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Then let us start walking.¡±

    Charlene had packed a bag for the girl. It was large and was probably filled with things she would need. I carried it. They had a great relationship. Min¨¦ was respectful and asked a lot of questions.

    ¡°What kind of Alien are you?¡±

    ¡°A spooky one.¡± I scared her with my black shadow. Min¨¦ wasn¡¯t bothered at all. She stuck her tongue out at me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not scared. I¡¯m a Werewolf. And one day, I will be a great fighter like Aunty Juliet. And mommy. She is a Werewolf too now.¡±

    She fisted the air. I stilled at the little girl¡¯s words, pausing in my stride. I stared down at her. She was a Werewolf. No wonder Charlene ended up here. Her father was not around. Did he die in the war?

    ¡°Where is your daddy? Why do you not see him anymore?¡±

    Charlene did not interfere at all, watching us with interest. I took the little hand in mine. ¡°My father is on Earth. He lives in the place there¡­ My mom and dad don¡¯t get along¡­ He doesn¡¯t ask for me to come visit.¡± She squeezed my hand. ¡°My mom says I have enough family. I have Uncle Liam and Aunty Cindy. I have Kubra and Carl. Louis, Marcus, and Michael... They all love me.¡±

    I wondered what had happened to Charlene. How had she been in a situation where she had a child with a man¡­ Who didn¡¯t want her or the daughter they had together. How was it that a Werewolf man did not stay with his family?

    ¡°Do you like fighting?¡± I changed the subject.

    She nodded up and down. ¡°Caleb and I fight all the time. And Uncle Marcus teaches us. And we practice.¡±

    It had to be Qadir¡¯s boy. I still had a lot of secrets that I needed to tell.

 Whatever Will Be Will Be

    168. Whatever Will Be Will Be

    Michael

    The three of us were having our morning meeting. Juliet and Jessy did a great job fixing up the place and giving us a decent environment in which to work. Marcus had a lot to handle before he and Juliet left for her Doctor¡¯s appointment.

    ¡°So¡­ Michael, you and Caleb will be together from now on.¡± I nodded. I was ready to figure out who was behind all of this. I wanted to kill them just as much as Caleb. We needed all our enemies sorted out. ¡°You will set up a team as soon as you know and figure out what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Louis, we need you to work with Soren and Isla. They have already infiltrated the island. If you¡¯re there and can help Isla get some backbone. This could go even quicker¡­ Can I leave it to you to sort out the inner circle as well¡­¡±

    ¡°Sounds good. What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to send Fahan an invitation.¡±

    ¡°When I was there¡­ his second wasn¡¯t really on board with what Fahan was doing. And Jade? She will get better after her pregnancy¡­ His problems are just starting.¡± I put in my two cents.

    ¡°I will keep that in mind. We need to exhaust every avenue¡­ After that¡­ I need to start working on our own defenses. We need to build our army. I¡¯ll be traveling a lot, checking up on every continent to see how many vamps we really have in our corner. Besides the obvious threats.¡±

    The three of us dispersed. I went back to the house to wait for Caleb. He was training with Juliet in the mornings for a few hours. Selena was still not back from En-gannim. Jessy and Kubra would be taking shifts watching over her. I sat down on the patio, watching them. Sammy and Warden were in the water with Juliet while she did her exercises. It was mid-summer, and the mornings were hot in the desert. My gaze traveled to my room. I wondered what was going to happen with Juliet and me later. As I glanced back, I saw an outstretched hand. I got up. Juliet held both arms in the air. I pulled her up and out of the pool. I turned to grab the towel and handed it to her.

    ¡°You want to walk with me?¡±

    I was a little fidgety. She took my hand. ¡°You okay?¡± She asked.

    ¡°No!¡±

    I closed the door behind us. She went for the shower, taking off her bathing suit. I sat down on her bed, stroking Katty. The cat curled up into a croissant. Juliet only rinsed off the salt from the pool and got out again. She dried herself off while I watched. Her eyes met mine. I thought I knew her every move. Her every mannerism. But I couldn¡¯t figure out what the hell she was thinking. I lowered my gaze to the floor, wrapping myself with one arm.

    Since I got off that thing¡­ Juliet and I had been together for a few days. I was fine when we were okay. But since Chris came back, I have had trouble sleeping. Almost everything was a trigger and haunted me around every corner. I felt almost out of control. Thoughts racing.

    I could see from the corner of my eye, moving around in front of her closet. Once she was dressed, she picked up the dryer. I jumped up and took it from her. She sat down on the little chair and closed her eyes. Her hair was still long. One thing she never let go of was the bottle blond. Her roots were dark and growing out.

    There was a knock at the door. ¡°I¡¯m done. I¡¯ll shower, and I¡¯ll be out in ten minutes,¡± Caleb said. We heard him running away.

    ¡°Be careful¡­ Today.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Juliet took my wrist in her hand and kissed my palm. My thumb stroked over her cheek.

    ¡°You still love me?¡± She asked.

    I didn¡¯t answer. Took my hand away and kept drying her hair. ¡°Should I make you a messy bun?¡±

    She gave me a half-smile, ¡°Sure.¡±

    When I was done, she stood up and turned to me.

    ¡°I liked you best when you don¡¯t try and act your way out of any situation. Sincerity will get you way further than faking who you are.¡±

    I turned away from her. ¡°You just don¡¯t like the new me.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± She confessed.

    I stopped on the little bridge, arms hanging by my sides. My head turned to the side, my eyes fixed on the water and the fish, taking in her words but not really looking back at her.

    ¡°We were okay when Chris was in that thing¡­ But we never seem to connect properly. Michael¡­ You said you didn¡¯t know what would happen if I didn¡¯t ask you to brand me¡­ And I did. Have I not proved to you how much you mean to me. You were so used to watching me. But I don¡¯t think you ever really wanted to see the real me¡­ I miss Michael, who was in earnest whenever he spoke.¡±

    ¡°Then the question isn¡¯t really if I love you¡­ Is it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s unfair.¡±

    My eyes shot up to the roof. I made some muffled noises. ¡°I don¡¯t think you even know what¡¯s wrong between us anymore. You want to pick a fight¡­ Or you want to be right¡­ All the time.¡±

    ¡°Wrong¡­? Do you think there¡¯s something wrong? Between us?¡± Her voice was low. She wasn¡¯t picking a fight. Juliet was trying.

    ¡°Face it¡­ I was never in the picture for you.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? None of you were.¡±

    ¡°Just Chris? That is why you¡¯re angry¡­ Because it wasn¡¯t me. But him.¡±

    ¡°Not this s- again! I could¡¯ve done something¡­ I made the choice. I stood in front of him on that thing and chose not to do anything.¡± Her voice broke. ¡°What is going on? Are you leaving me?¡±

    My shoulders slumped, shaking my head in exasperation. I turned around. ¡°No! I just can¡¯t deal with you today. You want something from me¡­ That I can¡¯t give you¡­ I don¡¯t even want tonight. Because all you want is for me to¡­ talk. And I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    She quirked an eyebrow. ¡°You know¡­ If you need space¡­ All you had to do was say so. If you need time¡­ Take time¡­ I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±

    ¡°I did try and tell you! But you never listen.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t, though. You spoke to the guys about it. Not to me! And if this is the type of relationship you want. I can handle that¡­ But I need to know Michael. I can¡¯t read your mind¡­ I thought we were okay after you knew I loved you¡­ It seems you¡¯ve changed¡­ your mind?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not!¡± I spat out. ¡°You want me to fight with you and say things that I¡¯ll regret later. I can¡¯t live like that. Have everything between us out in the open.¡±

    Her brow furrowed.

    ¡°You keep challenging me. The baby thing was to manipulate me¡­ The situation. Even throwing that stone at Marcus¡¯s feet was you forcing us into a corner. All you had to do was not be so demanding. And I do try and talk to you¡­ But every time you push me away. After I killed that girl, I asked you to talk to me when we came back. You said no. After Charlene left, I asked if we could talk, and you said no¡­ We¡¯re never on the same page. And I¡¯m sick of it always being on your terms or when you want something.¡±

    She turned away and sat down on a stool in the corner. ¡°What happened to you doing everything for seventeen years¡­ I haven¡¯t even got my dance.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Juliet was playing with her fingernails, staring at them. There was another knock. The door opened. Caleb took in the scene. He narrowed his eyes at me. She lifted her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Caleb. You guys go¡­ You have work to do. Don¡¯t go back on your commitments.¡±

    He nodded and stepped out of the room. I followed without looking back at her.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°fuuuu¡­.¡± I muttered under my breath. Michael didn¡¯t even look back at me. Not that he ever had. I blew up my cheeks and expelled the air slowly¡­ But¡­ The knot in my chest was almost too much. It felt like I was being compressed together in one of those car crushers at a junkyard. Charlene had told me to go easy on him. And I had tried. I stood up and frantically went through every box in my room, checking for my secret stash of drugs. I couldn¡¯t find anything because we hadn¡¯t been there for so long. I checked my headboard. Nothing. I sat down in a huff on my bed, swallowing down the lump in my throat. My heart was racing, a queasy feeling between my ribcage. I was beyond livid. Frustrated to the point where I was going to do something stupid. I just stood there. Let him walk all over me¡­ First, he tells me not to grow up and then asks me not to be so demanding. Insufferable¡­ My eyes caught my closet. I half-ran over the bridge and yanked open the doors, pushing my clothes to the side. My hand reached for the little dangly line. The lights came on. A few black pouches were stacked in the corner. ¡°Well done, Juliet! You do think ahead.¡±

    I grabbed one and unzipped it. It can¡¯t be that hard to shoot yourself up. I rubbed my tummy. ¡°Sorry, baby. But we are going for a little ride.¡± My head darted around at the space. ¡°I could close myself off in here.¡± I didn¡¯t know who I was talking to. I stepped out and fixed the room, ordered the clothes on the hangers, put off the light, and stepped back in. ¡°They will think I went to Chris¡­ He was waking up¡­ But it will be a few days. I thought about not being there. The bridge of my nose started burning. My cheeks were already red. ¡°I hate this¡­ Feeling like this.¡± I pinched it hard.

    ¡°What feeling do you hate?¡±

    I spun around. My hand on my heart. ¡°Dad, what the heck. You almost gave me a heart attack.¡±

    ¡°You and Michael had words.¡± His eyes lowered to the pouch in my hands.

    ¡°Juliet! You always do this. Try and push down who and what you are. It never ends well. You cannot change yourself. How many times do you need to learn this lesson.¡±

    A tear rolled down my cheek. ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt either way. If I¡¯m with them and we fight¡­ It eats me alive¡­ If they are not here, it digs into my core. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with me.¡±

    My dad snorted. ¡°You¡¯re in love, Juliet! With four men¡­ It¡¯s never going to change. It¡¯s always going to be like this.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t always have to be give and take. You can be happy on your own. By yourself.¡±

    I scoffed. ¡°Me!? Happy by myself?! I don¡¯t have four husbands for nothing!¡±

    ¡°Yes! Alone¡­ Make yourself happy and forget about everyone else... Is there no other way for you to grow up without changing your core personality? Changing everything in your life. Look at you.¡±

    ¡°You know there is only change in death¡­ I¡¯m not ready to die. I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    My dad laughed lightly. I pushed the pouch at him. ¡°Then help me, please¡­ I don¡¯t want the rest of my chest to be covered¡­.¡± I gestured to my boobs. ¡°If you know what I mean.¡±

    He chuckled again.

    ¡°That¡¯s why you came to France. You were checking up on me.¡±

    ¡°After everything¡­ Really, Juliet. You should know yourself by now. Crashing was only a matter of time¡­ Faking it till you never make it¡­¡± I had to laugh; he was right. ¡°And¡­ Louis came to me¡­ Because you didn¡¯t even ask me for help¡­ You were fine up until a minute ago. Do not let Michael¡¯s mood get to you. If I¡¯m not mistaken. You sleeping with him covered Caleb¡¯s tattoo¡­ It was his cat that covered your back.¡± My dad pointed at Katty. ¡°I¡¯m getting rather sick of this guy.¡±

    Another tear rolled down my cheek. I shook my head. He pulled me closer and kissed me on my hair. ¡°Fine¡­ What was your idea? Lying there on the floor in your own filth for three days? You want to get a UTI.¡±

    I laughed against his chest. ¡°A kidney infection is the least of my worries.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t look after you in that closet¡­ Do you feel like falling apart right at this moment?¡±

    I nodded dramatically. ¡°Please! Quickly.¡±

    He rushed to the bed while I placed that strappy rubber around my arm and pulled the cord with my teeth. I sat down as he drew up the liquid. He didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°Get Jessy to¡­¡± I was gone.

    ***

    Liam

    I stood there staring at my daughter, shaking my head. She was only twenty-two years old. Could I blame her? Or Michael¡­ It was all my fault. Everything that had happened to her. Why Samuel had to choose Michael and Louis¡­ I picked up the pouch and cleaned the room, stuck my head out the door, and called Jessy. He was on the deck chair, head hanging low. Bored out of his mind¡­ His eyes came up. I waved him over, putting my finger on my lips. I closed the door behind us.

    His eyes flickered over the room. ¡°Okay? What do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°Well, we need to get her out of here without anyone knowing.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easy.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell her. But¡­ she can teleport from right there.¡± He pointed to the corner of the room. ¡°Did it for an extreme case scenario.¡±

    I clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Goodman!¡±

    ¡°Where do you want to take her?¡±

    ¡°It has to be a place that no one will find her¡­ Especially not Michael. If he¡¯s there when she wakes up¡­ I don¡¯t know what she will do¡­ It will be you and me.¡±

    Jessy ruffled the hair on the back of his head. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°She has been building a cabin at the edge of Canada. Out in the middle of nowhere¡­ It was the one thing I was never allowed to say¡­ But you are her father.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s perfect. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    We both pulled one arm around our shoulders, and Jessy traveled us. The room was dark. ¡°Take her.¡± He said.

    I picked her up. He clapped his hands together, making the room dimly light up. I gasped. Jessy walked along the wall of the room, putting on more lights. ¡°This isn¡¯t a cabin, Jessy. Who paid for all of this?¡±

    ¡°Well, she was getting money from being queen. She had a job until a few days ago. Her whole world was ripped out from under her. This place was for her and Michael¡­ For tonight¡­ All their nights.¡±

    ***

    Michael

    Caleb and I teleported, ending up on En-gannim. The sole purpose of our day was to follow all of Ahasuerus¡¯s bastards around and to make sure we knew what they were up to. Try and see if they were hiding something. What they talked about. If nothing panned out, we would have to do it for a few days.

    I dreaded being in anyone¡¯s company at that stage, especially Caleb¡¯s, after the previous day with Marcus. The boy didn¡¯t speak to me at all unless it was about the mission. We cataloged every one of Ahasuerus¡¯s sons that might have been a threat. Searched every building. The whole island. It was rather convenient, having them all in one place. Every tribe altogether.

    In the middle of the day, we sat in some abandoned building, taking a break and eating¡­ Caleb blew up a map of En-gannim. There were so many islands as he spun the globe in a circle. ¡°We will have to get Marcus¡¯s army mobilized. Give some excuse for why they are there and cover all the islands around En-gannim. How many places could they be hiding? If they have an army of their own¡­ They have to train somewhere.¡± He ventured. ¡°The two of us can only do so much.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send the message.¡±

    Marcus [ Give it a day or two. We don¡¯t want to spook them ]

    ¡°Why are all his bastards on this one Island anyway?¡± Caleb asked.

    ¡°Control. I suppose.¡±

    ¡°From the ten guys that we think it might be¡­ I think we should follow this one for the rest of the day.¡± Caleb blew up a picture into the air.

    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s do it¡­ We have to start somewhere. He is the oldest.¡±

    It was dark soon. The man didn¡¯t travel off the island. We planted devices on all of them. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to staring at a screen, monitoring again. I sent Marcus another missive.

    Me [ Can we ask Earth to send some watcher vans to En-gannim. I don¡¯t really want to do the scutwork ]

    Marcus [ Sure. Sort it out ]

    Me [ Will do, boss ]

    Caleb and I went to Washington and made the arrangements. Earth didn¡¯t mind if we were back as long as we stayed on the compound. Jack had taken over Bertram¡¯s position in the meantime. I was happy to see them and talked to a few of the guys I knew from back then. I didn¡¯t see Carl. Caleb soon got bored and told me he was leaving. I shook his hand, and he left.

    James came over, ¡°Hey, man. Long time no see.¡±

    ¡°Not that long¡­ Thanks for watching out for me on the farm.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! You freaked me out¡­ Want to go get a drink?¡±

    Jack came over. ¡°Sounds good to me. There is a bar down the road that we like to go to¡­ Or will the missus complain?¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°No¡­ Let¡¯s do it. I don¡¯t even have to ask for a bodyguard¡­ You guys will be able to handle me?¡±

    James tapped his leg. One of Juliet¡¯s guns was strapped down on his leg. ¡°You won¡¯t be eating anyone on my watch.¡±

    We all had a good laugh as we walked down the road.

 True Colors

    169. True Colors

    Charlene

    After everything we had been through, I didn¡¯t think I would ever see their dark city. Whatever it meant. It was two more days before the three of us walked toward the area we were supposed to be in. The last league of our journey. I thought about the few days at the watering hole Romero had mentioned. He wanted to enjoy comfort and food and spend time together after the ordeal we had gone through. Romero had still not told me what that journey was about. If it was that difficult to get around to their sacred temple. What were they hiding? Even the last two days with Min¨¦ were magical. The scenery became grassy and open, with hills and winding little roads through flowered forest patches and mossy canyons overlooking vast stretches of water and beauty. Maybe I didn¡¯t give Romero enough time. Perhaps those last two days, he would¡¯ve¡­ ¡°It¡¯s up there.¡± That was the first words Romero had said to me that morning. For two days, I did most of the talking. Focused all my energy on Min¨¦. She enjoyed it so much, was up for the adventure, and didn¡¯t complain once. I showed her all my creature sides one by one. She was ecstatic, almost as happy about my newfound abilities as I was. Although Romero was clipped with me, he showed her every attention, and in the end, it felt that we were a family. He made her feel all his abilities, except purple, of course, and to see her go through every emotion and then laugh and laugh when he took it all away was priceless in a way. The three of us fit together so well, I hoped it wasn¡¯t temporary, that Romero and I would be able to overcome their customs. It was the only thing I thought could be the problem. They had two-person households. Not mixed like on Earth¡­ But I only got one-word answers from the man. He didn¡¯t touch me again after our fight or hold me at night. I had not traveled to Kubra again¡­ After my needs were met, I probably didn¡¯t have cause¡­ I chuckled¡­ With everything out in the open from my side, I felt better.

    Romero was pointing to a mountain. My eyes had to travel up to take in the whole scope of the formation. Flat and steep. It would be a heavy climb up to the entrance if you couldn¡¯t teleport. He had told me the worst was behind us¡­ But looking at the thing¡­ Falling to your death was probably not so bad for them. There was only one small opening behind a tiny ledge that led into the depths of the rocks, carved out just big enough for a human. No Riphath would fit in there.

    Romero ignored me when I asked how they got up there, so I traveled us. As we entered the space, it was unilluminated, pitch dark, and no glass roof to let moonlight in. Romero picked Min¨¦ up. I held out my hand and ran it along my side to feel how much room I had left next to me. It wasn¡¯t much, and my fingers could feel the roof when I stretched out a hand. We walked straight and in one way for some time. No light or sight. Min¨¦ wasn¡¯t scared, and all I could do was follow Romero¡¯s footsteps. We began to spiral and walked back and forth sideways. It felt like we were moving downwards. At the end of our tunnel, a light eventually shone in the distance. We emerged. My eyes adjusted to the faint light that came in through the roof. All framed glass. In front of us in the distance was a palace separated from us by a canal of water. More significant than the one his parents lived in. Built into the wall of the cave clouded by darkness. The air was dusty, and the smell was stale from standing water.

    ¡°This is called the dark city,¡± Romero said to Min¨¦. She was holding onto his neck. The children, from Caleb to Sammy, were very trusting. They had all grown up between different creatures. So many other people and faces. The big family. Every grown-up was totally devoted to them. They had teleported and had been to so many planets. They would be a generation that we didn¡¯t even recognize.

    My eyes darted everywhere. There were thousands of houses built into the mountain to our left, but not one living soul. Water canals for roads were so narrow that only a little boat could maneuver down them. Romero helped me into one and handed Min¨¦ to me. I sat her down between my feet. It was more of a punt boat, and he pushed us along as we did in some parts of the Earth.

    ¡°Do you like it?¡± His voice was low.

    I didn¡¯t feel like I had made a mistake sleeping with Kubra that night. But every time I looked at Romero, I thought I had pushed him too far. Too fast. Scared that I would lose him altogether. ¡°I do¡­¡± I desperately wanted him to look at me. Like he always did.

    Romero propelled us forward for a long time, crisscrossing between the houses stacked high on top of one another. When he harbored the boat at a small jetty, he helped me out but didn¡¯t hold my hand like he always did. There was no invitation. We entered a building. Climbed a lot of stairs. The room at the top spanned out into a cave. It was decorated and beautifully done like everything there was. Glass roof so you could see all the stars.

    He made us stand in the middle and asked us to wait. Sirrah had already set. The moonlight streamed into the space, illuminating the floor as it became darker. Pictures of stars filled the air around us, moving slowly in a circular motion, entrancing Min¨¦. She ran around, running her hands through the lights, lifting her hands into the air, trying to catch them. I recognized the Milky Way immediately. I gasped.

    They did know what was going on¡­ But something was off. There was a second galaxy very close to ours. As the last arm of the Milky Way ended, it almost merged with the other. A small dot glowed brightly in that area. Romero waved his hands outwards. The planet became more prominent in front of me.

    ¡°That is my home. Mirach.¡±

    I turned around and walked over to the Milky Way, moving my arms like he had done. Our sun shone brightly. Our system was as visible as a 4K TV. I pointed to Earth.

    ¡°That is Earth.¡±

    I moved over to the system En-gannim was in. ¡°That is¡­¡±

    ¡°En-gannim.¡± He finished my sentence. My head jerked to him. I pointed to Zoreah.

    ¡°Zoreah,¡± He said again.

    I pointed to the last planet¡­ ¡°Palmyra.¡± He whispered softly.

    ¡°Juliet¡­ rules all four worlds,¡± I said softly.

    He wanted to speak. His mouth was half-open, but he only nodded.

    ¡°Not really Earth because she sees it as her home. There are too many¡­ factions on Earth¡­ But the rest. She fought for with the brandings.¡±

    ¡°The Werewolves that are supposed to be on Palmyra are here,¡± Romero said as our eyes met.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here¡­. But why? Where is their king?¡±

    He lifted up a hand, silencing me. ¡°You see¡­ Our galaxies are merging. Colliding, if you will.¡± He focused on the parts that were almost together and touching.

    ¡°Colliding? Like in planets crashing into each other?¡±

    He lifted up his hand again. He was getting irritated with me. I didn¡¯t like the new Romero.

    ¡°There was a lot of space between the two. At one point.¡± He continued. ¡°But over the last thousand years, we had moved closer together. Very fast.¡± The pictures followed his words like they were telling the past. The galaxies were rotating. Romero went on. ¡°Making it possible that you ended up in my galaxy instead of yours¡­. I do not think you would have if¡­ Your branding had happened earlier, and space had stayed the same.¡±

    Slowly, he walked over and rested his hands on my shoulders, turning me away from him towards the door we had just come from. His breath was hot on my neck. ¡°Charlene¡­ You know I am the ruler of this planet¡­ The wolf King is not alive anymore.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not?¡±

    Romero¡¯s hands slid up and down my arms. ¡°You see, when they arrived, he was¡­ But he killed himself. He and Brylee were not branded together. They wanted one of them to be able to save as many of their species¡­ And because they had no female relative, the wolves were without a ruler¡­ He told me everything that had happened on Zoreah... At first, Brylee had come with an army. Riphaths, Vampires, and Werewolves. In a great campaign.¡±

    I wanted to turn and see his face. His voice was low and kept me in place. ¡°They had attacked an area far from my home.¡±

    A lump was forming in my throat. That was the campaign Kubra had led. Years ago.

    ¡°They did not get much done¡­ So Zavier approached the Queen of that city.¡±

    ¡°I am that Queen.¡± A voice said from the doorway.

    The girl that walked in didn¡¯t seem much older than me. Her hair was cut in a bob that framed her perfect features. All her hair was dreaded with gold ornaments hanging off the ends. A Crown with two pointy cones rested on the top of her head. A large, flat golden plate in the middle of her forehead. Jewels adorned her body. She was beautiful. Flawless. I felt out of place in Juliet¡¯s black jeans and leather jacket. She dropped down in front of Romero, staying seated on her knees with her head bowed.

    ¡°You have to know that my family had nothing to do with that. Juliet had nothing to do with that.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we know. Sara, get up.¡±

    He rubbed my arms again as if it was not all.

    ¡°Sara, take the child with you.¡± The girl bobbed her head and held out her hand. Trepidation made me waver, wondering if I should take her and flee. Min¨¦, being as trusting as she was, and the woman looking like a fairy princess made her take her hand. They left as quietly as she had come. I wanted to say something. ¡°She will be fine. Trust me.¡± Romero whispered. ¡°You are what we call... An Ittoqure.¡± I wanted to turn around and face him. He kept me in front of him as if he didn¡¯t want to see me or instead could get it all out if I wasn¡¯t there or looking at him. ¡°You are one part wolf, are you not?¡±

    What he said didn¡¯t make sense yet. ¡°How did you beat back such an army? We heard that the campaign was a success.¡±

    ¡°It was¡­ We made a deal with Werewolves in the end. If we ever needed help, she would save as many of our people as possible. We knew about the colliding and accepted the offer. If we did the same when she died. Brylee told us about the possibility of an Ittogure originating in the future. She was afraid for her people, searching for a home.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ Species do get wiped out if anyone that is branded kills one of the rulers?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s true¡­ The rest of her people vanished when she died. All that were left on the planet¡­ It is why they separated the species so long ago. All the Ittoqures were wiped out when the vamps could teleport. They were just too strong. It had started with the first branding on Earth. They multiplied on a planet of their choice. Could come and go, even over great distances. If you were older, you would have made it anyway.¡±

    I was tired of talking like that. Angry, I pulled out of his grip and turned around. His eyes were as soft as they always were. It caught me off guard. Romero was having a hard time. But why?

    ¡°There is no competing with a cloud of death, Charlene. Our warriors train for years, and when we turn to one united shadow of darkness¡­ No one survives¡­ It is how we defeated the Ittoqure in the first place.¡±

    Romero walked to the other side and blew up Mirach even more. He pulled up Earth and the other three side by side. I stepped closer. Mirach was filled with gold dots. Clusters all over. I glanced over to the other three. Zoreah had no gold dots, Earth had one, and Palmyra had one. I frowned.

    He blew up their planet even more and twirled it in the air. It stopped at a dark spot. A dark city. Inside, just one gold dot was glowing. Brandings? It was Juliet and me. But who was on Palmyra? I wanted to ask.

    Romero held out his hand again, inviting me to take it. Every time he did that, my heart raced. He would let me in just a little bit more. I relented my questions and took it. That time, he didn¡¯t let go and laced our fingers. We walked up to a set of closed doors. He opened them to another freaking chasm down into the water. Over it, one narrow walkway high above the city down below. He pulled me close to his body and wrapped an arm around my waist so I didn¡¯t slip and fall. We crossed, my hand sweaty against the fabric of his shirt. Romero¡¯s fingers dug into my skin as we approached the doors on the other side of the stone path. The scene that awaited me was not what I was expecting. I tilted my head in surprise. It was a room with one bed in the center. A net hanging down from the ceiling. Four columns cordoned off the foyer, separating a small space from the area where the bed was.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    They had glowing stones that served as lights, placed in bowls on the ground, running along the wall, nestled in white sand, and propped up on a low golden stand. Some more were hanging down from the ceiling encased in intricate wiring. The room was built in a circle around the bed. The walls were painted and decorated. Everything was so magical. Magnificent. Places that only rulers of planets would see. The roof was in a dome shape, pitching above the bed.

    Romero let go of my hand, squeezing it one last time. ¡°This is the end destination of our mating ritual. The journey I took you on.¡± I spun towards him and took a ragged breath. ¡°This is where all couples come to consummate their relationships.¡± Romero went and sat on the bed with his knees in the crooks of his elbows. His eyes took in the scenery. As if he had never seen it before. ¡°I am not allowed to sleep with you¡­.¡± He drew in a breath. ¡°Outside of this room for the first time.¡±

    My brow furrowed. I was almost sure there was more.

    His head dropped in between his legs. ¡°Charlene¡­ If I sleep with you¡­ You will also be branded. Get a glowing tattoo¡­ But not forced or hurt. For us, it is a supernatural process that bonds us. I will also get one¡­ And after that¡­ We can never be separated again. And I mean very close... Or it will hurt¡­ You would never be able to go home again. Travel again. You will be rooted here, on my planet, as my mate.¡±

    My mouth opened. It was so quiet up there. His breathing labored. I saw the tears run down his cheeks. I dropped down on the bed. The net hanging above us was white, soft, and lacey. It was supposed to be his first time. With the woman he loved. Who he had chosen for life. It all made sense.

    Romero moved closer to me and hovered over me. I wiped away his tears. His eyes roamed my face and rested on my lips. Romero moved even closer until our lips were only inches apart. He waited, and his lips touched mine and moved. The purple hue came out of his hands, feeling me. I groaned and closed my eyes. His hand ran up under my shirt. Every touch made me quiver. A sensation they had at their fingertips.

    My gut wrenched as I opened my eyes, and he was green. ¡°That¡¯s how I felt, smelling him all over you.¡± Romero was hovering over me. ¡°I felt like murder as Romero turned red. ¡°That¡¯s how angry I was when you took away the one thing I had wanted all my life. It was not that I could not accept you... Or your child¡­ I just could not keep you away from her.¡± Then peace saturated my bones. The gold veins he had always displayed around me. ¡°That was what I gave you when you were sad, hurt, or upset.¡±

    I pulled his lips onto mine, forcing my way in, pushing him over and under me. I wanted all of him. I would have stayed. If my life wasn¡¯t such a mess. But I never even would have known he was alive if it wasn¡¯t for Kubra. I thought about Carl¡­ He had an expectation of me. That we would one day actually sleep together. Be a family. Whoever was in my life. Kubra and Carl would accept.

    I thought about staying. Min¨¦ was already there. The implications of the Werewolves being under his rule. I looked down at his chest. He did wear jewelry. I had never thought anything of the leather strap around his neck with a stone attached to it. He was the king of the Werewolves and they were living on his planet.

    The gold dots were all their mated couples. Juliet and I were the only other branded being in the galaxies. Forced like he said. I didn¡¯t stop kissing him. His hands ran up and down my body. ¡°I want to stay.¡±

    His eyes opened slowly underneath me. They were filled with confusion.

    ¡°Min¨¦ is already here. Can we stay?¡±

    He flipped me around. So that I was underneath him. ¡°I do not think you understand.¡±

    ¡°I do¡­ Is that the only thing?¡±

    Incredulous, he made a funny noise. ¡°The only thing?! Yes, I would have convinced you to stay and forget about Kubra.¡±

    He was a little arrogant about Kubra. I smiled. ¡°Do you want us¡­ Do you want me or not?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Then take what is yours.¡±

    His breathing was deep, chest falling and rising, mind racing. Eyes roaming my features.

    ***

    Romero

    My hand was nervously running through her hair and continued to trail down her neck and over her breasts. Of all the things I thought would happen. Her deciding to stay was the last words I had expected to run over her lips. How could it be so easy for her? She would hate me. Or time will make her hate me. Never to see her family and friends again. How could she leave Kubra¡­ Just like that?

    ¡°Romero¡­ They will find me. Kubra will come for me. If Juliet and Michael don¡¯t end up here in the next few days¡­ Kubra doesn¡¯t care where I am or if I will be stuck there for life¡­ I would live for three thousand years. I will outlive him and probably you too.¡±

    She was right. I had a thousand left. Did I really want to spend it alone? Have her leave and disappear out of my life.

    ¡°If they teleport here? Will you be okay with that? Your family¡­ with my people? Kubra?¡±

    I plunged my lips down on hers, taking off our clothes as we kissed, staring at each other in-between garments. Her shoes took the longest. She cursed when the laces didn¡¯t want to come undone. I laughed, pushing her down on the bed, untying the knot and slowly taking them off. I stared at the cloth around her feet. She laughed lightly. She nudged with her chin. I took those off as well. ¡°Interesting. Feet¡­ coverings?¡±

    ¡°Socks.¡± She laughed.

    I placed a purpled vein finger on her toe, letting my ability do its work. She was frantically pulling her pants over her feet in one swoop, throwing them on the ground. I sat on my heels, staring at her. It was really happening, but I could not move, taking a moment to look at her. Everything about her.

    My hand reached out, and I touched her again with my fingertips, lightly letting them slide up her leg. As I moved up, so did the purple shadow. It circled around her leg, following my thoughts¡­ I kept going.

    ¡°Stop. I can¡¯t take anymore. Touch me.¡±

    ¡°Just let go¡­.¡± I pressed harder, placing my whole hand on her skin. Stroking up her white flesh. She cried out into the stillness. I loved the sound. I lifted off her skin when she was done. It had stopped so instantly that she jerked up, resting on her elbows. ¡°Why are you stopping?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not staying because I can do this?¡± I asked, wriggling my purple fingers in the air.

    ¡°Of course I am.¡± She grabbed a chunk of my hair and pulled me onto her.

    ¡°You¡­ inside of me¡­ now.¡±

    I kissed her softly. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to handle my fingers inside of you.¡± Her hand relaxed, and her lips pressed into mine. She would never be able to run her fingers through my hair. So they traced down my neck and over my shoulder and over my chest, wrapping around to my back. I took myself in hand and pushed into her, closing my eyes to make every second count. Savoring the feeling and the sensations coursing through me. At that moment, I didn¡¯t care if she had been with someone a few days ago.

    I stilled at my own thoughts. Stopped moving and pulled out of her. I was black all over. Death coursed through me. No color in my veins. Charlene touched my face as my hand reached for her stomach. ¡°Don¡¯t. Please.¡± My outstretched fingers formed a fist in the air. It took me a moment to control myself.

    I locked gazes with her. ¡°Let fate figure it out.¡± She whispered. ¡°Can you do that for me? Please¡­¡±

    It was her second plea for a baby that might already be forming. It would either be mine or Kubra¡¯s. Vampires didn¡¯t conceive easily.

    ¡°Will I even be able to carry your baby?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Can¡¯t you give yourself some purple feelings?¡± She started stroking me, and I let the blackness go, relishing in the feeling of her hands on me. I wasn¡¯t that person¡­ Scared of myself, I filled every vein with purple instead. I pushed forward again, groaning loudly.

    ***

    ¡°Can I ask questions now? Because I have a million.¡± She kissed me again, getting up quickly. I nodded. ¡°What would have happened if we slept together outside of this room?¡±

    ¡°We both would have died. Instantly.¡± I said as solemnly as I could. Laughing inside when I saw her face.

    ¡°Glad that I slept with Kubra then. Because I literally couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore.¡±

    I jumped up, wrapping her in my arms. ¡°I was joking¡­ We would not have been able to make us official like this. I do not know why. But after it does not work.¡± I said softly. ¡°You can never go back. Take it back.¡±

    Charlene wriggled out of my arms, turning in a circle, trying to see her tattoo. ¡°One thing I won¡¯t like is that you don¡¯t have mirrors¡­ And how are we going to get back? I¡¯m not taking Min¨¦ through that wood. If I can¡¯t travel anymore¡­ what will we do?¡± I smiled, kissing her, lingering on her mouth. I was addicted to her lips. My hands cupped her face.

    ¡°When did it happen? I didn¡¯t even feel anything.¡±

    ¡°It happened when we both made the decision. Even before I entered you.¡±

    ¡°So, is it something about the room?¡±

    I nodded, kissing her through every question. She pushed me away. ¡°Enough. Start talking.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°More kissing.¡±

    She shook her head, and we both laughed. She bit her bottom lip in between her teeth. ¡°One kiss for one answer,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Fine.¡± She picked up her pants and wanted to pull them up.

    I grabbed her wrist. ¡°Mmhmm,¡± I shook my head slowly. ¡°You have to calm down¡­ You will have to slow down. I know you were always busy¡­ But here we have nothing but time.¡±

    She regarded me and took a deep breath, falling onto the bed. Her arm pulled in under her head, her perfect plump rear on display. I mounted her from behind. ¡°Are you going to lift for me?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s at least five questions.¡±

    I gripped her waist, pulling her closer to me, resting her on my knees. My finger traced the two tattoos that had merged on her skin. ¡°The timepiece you had is set neatly in the palace¡¯s tower, which was my mark. It is the dark city¡¯s palace. You liked it, did you not?¡± She nodded. Eyes closed. ¡°The same one my mom had all her life... They would know when it changed on her that you are my mate. Everyone will know.¡±

    I pushed up on my knees, working her into the air, admiring the view. I pulled her apart and slid into her. Her hands stretched out over the sheets, gripping them. ¡°Am I hurting you?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡± Her voice was low. She was moaning with every thrust.

    After that, I forced myself to leave her alone. Helped her get clean and dressed. ¡°You will have to relieve yourself in there. We will be traveling. Charlene disappeared and came out a few moments later.

    A chain was hanging from the roof, and I pulled on it. Instead of walking back through the star room, I opened other doors leading down a spiral staircase different from the one we had come up with. At the bottom, the gusting air was audible. It was a loud and almost a droning noise. Her hand gripped mine.

    Sara and Min¨¦ were already waiting. Two guards stood on their knees. Charlene opened her arms, and Min¨¦ ran into them. ¡°Mommy, I had so much fun.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Me too.¡± She met my eye. ¡°Do you like it here?¡±

    ¡°I do. Look at my pretty dress.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see. A real princess.¡±

    Sara went down on her knees in front of Charlene. She put Min¨¦ down. Sara¡¯s hands reached around her neck to take off a necklace. She lifted it up to Charlene. She took it and looked at me. ¡°It is the sign that you are Queen now.¡± I took the wolf stone off my neck and fastened it around Charlene¡¯s. I did the other one as well. ¡°Soon, we will travel to every part of the planet, and they will all show their respects. You will be adorned with jewels¡­ Did you take the child to relieve herself?¡± Sara nodded. My heart was swelling with love and excitement. I had a family. One I needed to think about. In every aspect. ¡°You can go, Sara.¡±

    She stood up and kissed Charlene¡¯s cheek. The two men opened two big doors. It was a heavy push against the air, wanting to force its way inside. It took all their strength, feet digging into the ground with every nudge. Wind flooded the room, making dirt swirl up around us. I closed my eyes for a moment.

    The next pod came traveling down the tunnel. It was caught in the web-like mesh at every station. The two guards opened the hatch and helped Sara step in. They then released the mesh, and she went flying down the tunnel. When she was out of sight, the two men fastened it quickly to the side of the mountain, closing the doors again.

    ¡°This is how I travel so fast from one place to another. It will take some time for another pod to arrive.¡± Both of them came closer and huddled in my arms. My heart flooded even more. They were nervous and wanted reassurance. It felt good having someone put all her trust in you. And I would provide for her. Protect them.

    Charlene seemed hesitant when I handed her in. I picked up Min¨¦ and placed her in between her legs. Their hair was swept up in the current. I could hear her heart beating faster. I stroked the back of her head, and I did the same with Min¨¦. ¡°You will be alright. It is safe. I will come in the next one.¡± I said loudly.

    Charlene¡¯s hands folded around Min¨¦¡¯s waist, and I closed the pod. She looked up at me and nodded. I did the same, and the two men released them.

    ***

    Charlene

    ¡°Mommy!¡± Min¨¦ yelled as that first gust of air propelled us forward. ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡±

    ¡°Oh, honey. I¡¯m also scared. Should we close our eyes?¡± Min¨¦ shook her head. The tunnel was large and had those stones placed in a circle around the circumference. Every now and again, it illuminated the darkness for a little bit. Followed by long periods of pitch black. The pod was jerky, but we were seated in a deep basket lined with the softest fur. If we took on a six-day walking journey, I wondered how long a pod ride would be.

    After what felt like an eternity in the dark, Min¨¦ fell asleep on my chest. There were still a million questions I had, but we were going to be together, and we had nothing but time. I wanted to rest my head back, scared that I would travel. My eyes opened again with the next passing lights. I didn¡¯t have to be afraid anymore. I blew out a breath. Relieved that I wasn¡¯t going to leave suddenly. Not guilt-ridden for not telling Romero about ending up in Kubra¡¯s arms every night. Romero could have lied. He could have slept with me and forced me into this life. He didn¡¯t. And I trusted him. So I closed my eyes.

 Mistakes Have Been Made

    170. Mistakes Have Been Made

    Michael

    By the time Jack delivered me at the red gates, I was pretty drunk and stumbling to my room, ready for Juliet in between my black sheets for the first time. I put on the light. The bed was made. I didn¡¯t really care about the location so I made my way next door, opened it, and saw a figure under the sheets. I plopped down and put my arm around her.

    ¡°I think if our relationship escalated to intimacy, Michael¡­ I would¡¯ve known.¡± Louis¡¯s voice was cold.

    I lifted my head, looking deep into the blue oceans. ¡°Where is Juliet?¡±

    ¡°I thought she was with you? It¡¯s your night¡­ Caleb said he left you in Washington hours ago.¡±

    I fell back on the bed, stroking my mustache over my lips. ¡°That brat!¡± I whispered. Louis straddled me and put his hands around my throat. He started squeezing. ¡°You want to know where she is? She drugged herself after your fight. To get over it and not get covered with more skin.¡± His grip tightened. I was drunk and thought he would teach me a lesson, but he didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Now I¡¯m going to miss my two nights I have with her.¡± He squeezed harder. My fight-or-flight instinct kicked in. I manifested. My neck grew under his hands. His eyes turned white in the dark room, and his legs closed around my waist. He was stronger than me like that. Black nails dug into my skin to keep me in place. I started rolling around, and we wrestled. He got me in a choke and didn¡¯t stop. I was tapping, but he popped out my shoulder. I hollered loudly into the dark. I heard the door open between the rooms. Marcus watched us for a second and slowly closed the door again. ¡°Marcus! Come and help me.¡±

    Marcus grinned. ¡°Sure.¡±

    Louis got off me heaving. Not from the exertion. His face was contorted in anger. ¡°She also missed our first doctor¡¯s appointment. I was looking forward to that¡­ But this¡­ I will take it.¡± Marcus¡¯s voice was full of menace. The moonlight streamed in through the glass from the mountains side. I grasped my shoulder, rolling around on the bed. ¡°You know what we did to young vamps that just came into their power and needed to be brought down a peg.¡± Marcus spat.

    I knew exactly what they did. I squirmed. ¡°Don¡¯t teleport out. If you do. You don¡¯t come back.¡± Louis snarled. ¡°If you do¡­ We will go through this every time¡­ Until you submit¡­ I told you!¡±

    I wasn¡¯t in any state to walk, nor would I give them the satisfaction of going willingly. Each moved in under a shoulder and picked me up. They didn¡¯t take me to the barracks. We traveled to Zoreah. They pulled me by my ankles through Shumaan. As a Riphath, all the guards laughed at me. They knew where I was headed.

    Marcus called into the hut. Silvanus pulled back the curtain so Ira could step through. ¡°We need to teach him a lesson¡­ Silvanus, if you would oblige us this one time¡­ I will be grateful.¡± Louis asked.

    Silvanus cracked his knuckles in front of him. ¡°Do you want me to whip him or the second punishment we have for ingrates?¡±

    ¡°What did he do?¡± Ira asked.

    ¡°He came back home drunk. That¡¯s all.¡±

    Ira¡¯s head fell back and laughed. ¡°Well, he knows the punishment for that.¡±

    The thought of submitting kindled all my fears. The universe was open to me¡­ My mind spiraled into a place where I didn¡¯t want to go. I could leave and never come back. Be free of it all. Silvanus came down the few steps, manifesting and growing so large that I didn¡¯t compare.

    I struggled as more thoughts flooded my mind. Hands around her throat¡­ Choking her¡­ Taking the position that belonged to me. I couldn¡¯t help if Louis saw it all. He was going to know everything by the end of that night.

    I groaned. Flashes of me killing all those Werewolves on Zoreah. One by one. Death after death. Women with swollen bellies. Nicholas¡¯s face as I choked the life out of him.

    They kept dragging me through the sand and rocks. It chafed through and into my skin. Silvanus leading the way. Ira helped him open up the big gates to their barracks.

    Mateo¡¯s face as he looked up at his mom. While they stabbed him to death. I retched next to me. I should¡¯ve done something. I always just stand and watch.

    Louis pushed my arms behind my back and tied me down. I hated the feeling. I was tied up for too long. The pain shot through me as they pulled my hands over my head and hooked me to a structure. I screeched into the air. ¡°This is not about you submitting under me. She will rule you. If it¡¯s the last thing I do. You cannot have a normal relationship with her. And out of everyone¡­ You are the last to give excuses. You know she is not normal. If you don¡¯t leave tonight¡­.¡±

    I pulled my face out of Louis¡¯s grip. He lifted his hands in the air and stepped back. Silvanus¡¯s heavy tread circled me. I watched him from the corner of my eye¡­ He picked up the whip, slicing it through the air. The loud noise closed my eyes for me. I was bracing.

    Juliet¡¯s face flashed before me. How I felt about her taking care of me. About her changing how she handled me because I was damaged. She kept standing back, and I was the cause. How she indulged me. How they all treated me differently¡­ Because of her.

    The first shot landed across my hurting shoulder, over my back, all the way down to my ass. My teeth clenched as the pain settled. That was why I ended our Sunday drives. Why I stopped doing what I loved. She was the cause of all my suffering. And I was sick of it.

    The next one followed swiftly, digging deeper into my skin. With each one, the thought of leaving coursed through me. My stomach was in knots. The night in the club¡­ with the girls all around me. I wanted that girl to kiss me. I didn¡¯t care about Juliet. I had subtly begged for it and didn¡¯t eat her because I didn¡¯t want to cheat¡­ I would have if I didn¡¯t taste blood. And I lied to her about it.

    Another hit over my back. I was so angry that night at her. We had set down boundaries! She couldn¡¯t respect us enough to even listen. Nothing I did was ever good enough for her.

    Another hit. But I wasn¡¯t getting special treatment from the men. No one was accepting me. My head lifted into the air as I groaned out into the sky. Silvanus didn¡¯t let up. Every hit got harder. When he was tired, Ira took over.

    Ira was angry at me about Chris. I could feel it. His hand was more intense. He was older and powerful. No one ever said it. But Ira was more potent than all of us. The slices went deeper.

    At last, my head fell to my chest. And it stopped. I had let go of my manifestation and was human. I would not be leaving. Louis yanked off my hands, and I fell to the floor. They undid my ties, and Marcus popped my shoulder back in. Tears streaming down my face.

    ***

    Caleb

    Our operations were put on hold with Michael out of action. He was lying in a bed opposite my father. Everyone knew what had happened, and he wasn¡¯t getting any special treatment. Marcus had refused any pain medication. I didn¡¯t really feel for the guy. He had not spoken to me at all the day before. Michael was doing nothing from his side to make our family a happy one. He had been different on Zoreah when we first met.

    I would be trailing Louis that day. He wanted to know what Avrio¡¯s wife was hiding. We entered their estate. I was invisible, and Louis would get them talking. He said they gave him the run-around when he was there the last time. He mostly scanned the whole island and searched for any clues. Tried to get into Isla¡¯s head.

    Louis gave some excuse for why we were there. The wife was still wearing a veil and had asked Isla to wear one. When Heba excused herself, I followed. Louis and Isla would go over numbers and ask if the wife could really take on the task Chris had given her. Their house was enormous. It wasn¡¯t like anything I had ever seen, not like the huts on Cindy¡¯s island. We passed many closed doors.

    Another thing we would have to figure out. What were they hiding? Heba reached for a key in a pocket and unlocked the door. I scooched through the doorway around her. It was barren, nothing personal but a bed and a woman seated on it. Her back straight. It seemed strange to me.

    Heba sat down next to the other woman. ¡°They came again today.¡±

    ¡°What do they want?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I think it¡¯s time we call your brother.¡±

    That¡¯s what¡¯s in those rooms. Women sitting there¡­ All-day long?

    ¡°He said we should not make contact¡­ For any reason.¡± The other women replied. ¡°What if they find out what my father set in place?¡±

    ¡°I do not care.¡±

    ¡°Neither do I¡­ Juliet stole any chance I had of getting into The Tower. How long have I been sitting here? No one wants me because of who I was supposed to marry.¡±

    ¡°Yes. We were so close.¡±

    ¡°You should have heard her that night. She can not even call herself a woman. Here she would never even have been allowed in a camp. Juliet is against everything we stand for.¡±

    ¡°Rana¡­ You were first in everything in the camps. Your beauty alone would have made Marcus change his mind. If he could only see you.¡±

    ¡°Are women not allowed to work? Should we not seize this opportunity. I can go and make him see me.¡±

    ¡°Rana¡­ I did not want to tell you, but Juliet is pregnant. The child is Marcus¡¯s.¡±

    Rana was quiet, and I listened with interest.

    ¡°Our mission has become a whole lot more difficult.¡± She said at last. ¡°She can not have that child. They both have to disappear.¡± My fists clenched at my side. ¡°Once she is out of the way¡­ Marcus will come around¡­ The marriage between us would benefit everyone. The first child he has will be King. We will be saving En-gannim.¡±

    ¡°I have to speak to your brother.¡±

    ¡°Will you put out the signal?¡±

    ¡°Tonight. When Louis has left.¡±

    ¡°I do not want to be in this room anymore. I want my own home.¡±

    ¡°One more night.¡±

    Heba got up and opened the door, and locked it again. She did some tasks around the house, making sure everyone was working, and went to her own room, closing the door behind her. Heba yanked off the veil. ¡°Hmpf. Not so happy with the coverings as she pretends to be.¡± I muttered under my breath. She took out a box from a safe and opened it, sitting down at a little dresser table in the corner. I peeked over her shoulder. I didn¡¯t recognize the equipment. It was a black metal box with a headset on top. She took out a device that looked like a handheld speaker and pressed a few buttons on the front of the box. It didn¡¯t take long. She was talking with someone in hushed tones. Glad I could hear some of what came through the headset. Heba said only a few words, and she put it all away.

    ***

    Juliet

    I stretched out. Yawing. Smiling. I felt incredible. After everything that had happened, I needed it. I loved that feeling. The ultimate rest potion. All the stress I had magically gone from my body and mind. Even thinking about Michael¡­ I couldn¡¯t really care. I opened my eyes, knowing exactly where I was. It didn¡¯t even bother me that I was there without him.

    ¡°Hello, Princess. You seem better.¡±

    ¡°Hi, Dad¡­ Thank You.¡±

    ¡°You know. It¡¯s not easy looking after someone in this state. Being delirious and having to coax you to a toilet.¡±

    ¡°Urgh, don¡¯t remind me. I know how it feels to wipe someone¡¯s ass when they are like this.¡±

    I rubbed my belly. ¡°How is he doing?¡±

    ¡°Your little nugget enjoyed that as much as you did. How do you know it¡¯s a boy?¡±

    ¡°Marcus wants a boy¡­ Might as well hope for him¡­ I¡¯m starving¡­ Did Chris wake up yet?.¡±

    ¡°Chris is stirring¡­ What will this one¡¯s name be?¡±

    ¡°Jerome.¡±

    My dad laughed heartily. ¡°In remembrance of our body dealer?¡± I laughed. ¡°Jessy has food ready¡­ Louis wants to know if you¡¯re okay?¡±

    ¡°Urgh! Stop being such a bummer, dad.¡±

    ¡°Every time you do drugs¡­ You turn into a high school student. Just like Jerome when he came to the house.¡±

    ¡°Aaaah, the good old days¡­ How I wish I could go back¡­ Knowing what I know now¡­ You would have to fight for the throne yourself. I would play dumb. I would not waste my twenties on all these men.¡±

    ¡°You would still have one of those marks on your ass.¡±

    ¡°Earlier then¡­ Thirteen.¡±

    ¡°Just before you met Marcus?¡±

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    ¡°Yes¡­ I would sit still and keep my mouth shut. Wear my veil. Wait till I can disappear and take you to Uncle Sam.¡±

    ¡°Julie¡­¡± My dad sounded serious.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! You¡¯ve apologized enough. You never left my side. You were always there for me¡­ And whether you hurt at twenty or at forty. Pain is always a part of life.¡±

    ¡°Fine! A beast sounds good, actually ¡­ Come. I can also do with breakfast.¡±

    ***

    The three of us walked into the med bay. Ira and Silvanus were sitting around. My hands rested on Silvanus¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Mornin. How is he?¡±

    ¡°Better. The marks are healing.¡± Silvanus patted my hand.

    ¡°How are you guys doing? I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t here.¡± I met Ira¡¯s eye. He waved a hand in the air.

    A door opened behind us. I glanced over my shoulder. Two men were carrying Michael, helping him to the bed next to Chris. He didn¡¯t look up from the floor. When they passed me, I saw his back. My eyes darted to Silvanus.

    ¡°Husband number one got a beating,¡± Silvanus smirked.

    My gut twisted. Michael¡¯s back was raw and broken. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Michael came home drunk two nights ago. Fell into your bed with the notion of sleeping with you. And when you were not there¡­ Called you a brat.¡±

    ¡°He what?¡± The typical response I had when Michael was hurting was washed away. He not only told me that he didn¡¯t want his one night with me. But he came home after going out and enjoying himself to sleep with me? When I wasn¡¯t home waiting for him¡­ Called me a brat?

    Michael was placed down on his stomach. His head turned to the side, not toward us.

    ¡°Louis was in your bed¡­ He went a little viral on his ass. Brought him to me. I think it went well¡­ Michael has a lot to deal with, and he has to be put in his place. Learn some control. Can¡¯t leave him to his own devices¡­ No seree¡­ As a Riphath, we did what we had to do when someone drank too much.¡± Silvanus explained.

    I snorted. Louis, my pimp. ¡°A flogging¡­ He deserved it.¡± My dad laughed, sitting down next to Ira.

    ¡°Why were you on Zoreah?¡± I asked.

    Ira¡¯s head came up. ¡°I have to talk to you, Juliet. Will you sit down with me?¡±

    ¡°Can you give me a minute?¡±

    He nudged his chin towards Michael.

    As I moved around to the side to where Michael¡¯s face was pointed, and I came into view, he turned his head away from me to the other side. I took in all of his lashes. It wasn¡¯t pretty. Much worse than what I had to go through. I circled the bed to the other side. He did the same thing. The whole room laughed. Who was really being the brat?

    I ran my hands over his hair. ¡°I¡¯m sure you will survive, honey.¡±

    I was intrigued about what Ira wanted to say. Michael did not want to see me or talk to me, and my father¡¯s words kept going through my mind. I was getting to the point where I was done with him.

    I dragged a chair closer, sitting down next to my father. ¡°I have a proposition for you¡­ Selena is back from her treatment, and it all went well. Her system didn¡¯t fight it, and she had no side effects¡­ As you know, we want to establish ourselves in the city in some way. The Riphaths split up when winter set in, and Silvanus and I want to go back for a time¡­ But before we do¡­ I was hoping you would lend me your women. Only those who agree¡­ And they can choose whoever they want¡­ But if we could have new blood in the mix¡­ It will go a long way for every baby born there. Every woman born will be able to have more than one child¡­ Sung and I discussed giving a controlled group of the Riphaths that magic potion and seeing if they could have more kids.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Of course¡­ I will set up a meeting¡­ I am¡­ a little bored myself. And it will only be for five years.¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­ I don¡¯t know how it will work¡­ Every detail. But they will be looked after.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ And I¡¯m sure a lot of them will agree. We¡¯re all just sitting around.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to talk to Marcus first?¡±

    ¡°If you think it¡¯s best. Should we go up and see what he says?¡±

    Ira watched me for a moment. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it would be this easy. Thought you would call me a hypocrite.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting rather sick of everyone telling me how they thought I would act or react.¡± I stood to my feet. He followed. ¡°Have to grow up some or other time.¡±

    My father snorted. ¡°I told you. Stop ruining your own twenties.¡±

    Michael mumbled under his breath.

    ***

    The doors slid open. Marcus was behind my desk. I wasn¡¯t so angry about them lying to me that day. The drugs did more than just get Michael out of my mind. I plopped down on my couch. Marcus shook Ira¡¯s hand and ushered him over. Marcus sat down next to me and lifted my head onto his lap, stroking my hair. I could get used to that. I had missed it.

    The doors opened again. I thought it would be Louis. I glanced up as a woman placed a tray down on the table. She met my eye for a split second. I was instantly jealous. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my entire life. ¡°Thank you, Rana,¡± Marcus said softly. His hand stroked over my hair and my back. She didn¡¯t miss it. I was taking in all of her reactions¡­ And I knew that look. I felt like I needed another shot of drugs.

    Marcus and Ira talked for a bit about his idea. Rana sat down on her knees and poured drinks. She lifted a cloth that was covering a glass box. There were small creatures inside, ones I had not seen before.

    Marcus tapped me on my shoulder, and I sat up. ¡°Come¡­ I want you to try this. It is the first thing my grandmother gave me for breakfast.¡± My eyes shot to his face. The droll in his voice and his manners irked me. He was smiling weirdly. Like a little boy¡­ Who got a treat or one staring at one the whole day long. My jaw hung open.

    Rana did everything with so much grace that I wanted to puke. The way she stood up and moved back in his presence. All the way to the corner. Was she standing there the whole day? For how long had she been there? Since they started working? My gut twisted for a whole other reason.

    Marcus reached in and grabbed one. His hand broke its neck, and it limped into a corpse. He bit into its neck and sucked. Eyes meeting mine suggestively. He held it out to me. ¡°Come now, Juliet¡­ Taste it.¡±

    My jaw closed and flexed. Had I not told him¡­ That not once can he go into work mode? One pretty girl, Chris¡¯s father, and I was back to Juliet.

    Ira had already done the same. He was enjoying it. Marcus smiled again, pushing it towards my lips. I didn¡¯t really have a choice. The smell was overwhelming. I bit in and grabbed it out of his hand. He laughed, took it back, and plucked out its eye. It perched on his black nail, and he held it out to me. He gave me so many mixed signals that I thought I was still drugged. Marcus pushed the eye into my mouth. I wanted to bite his finger¡­ Or suck on it. Just to claim my space, but Ira was watching me. I started chewing.

    ¡°Not bad.¡±

    ¡°I knew you would like it.¡±

    Ira followed suit, and he liked it too.

    Marcus didn¡¯t need any convincing about Ira¡¯s plan. ¡°I definitely agree with the plan. The women would be much better used¡­ Being pregnant than trying to perform in the barracks. They didn¡¯t make it in a camp. Maybe they will make it there.¡± He eyed me with a curled lip, waiting to see what I would do. ¡°Juliet¡­ Why don¡¯t you go home and give the men a chance to sort this out? No need for you to be here.¡± I thought I would slap him. I looked to Ira for help. His eyebrows quirked, and then he frowned. His gaze drifted to the corner and back at me. Eyes suggestively wide.

    I scoffed and got up to leave. Marcus followed, and as I came closer to the door, he slapped my ass. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tonight.¡± Rana turned bright red, gushing like a girl who had never seen anything like that. Or one waiting for her turn. I wanted to turn around. Done with the humiliation. Marcus grabbed my shoulders and pushed me out the door. He spun around quickly.

    I stood there staring into the room, wondering what I was going to do. Marcus and Ira were talking shop. Caleb grabbed my arm just before I wanted to step forward and rip that stone off around Marcus¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Mom! You handled that like a pro. I am so proud of you.¡± He pulled me invisible down the corridor.

    ¡°Oh, Caleb!¡± My chest was rising and falling. Hands on my knees.

    ¡°When you and Ira came into the room, Marcus and I had no time. That was the funniest thing I had seen in a long time. And after Michael. I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t do anything.¡± Caleb laughed. ¡°Marcus was a little too naughty.¡±

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°Avrio¡¯s daughter. The one that was there that night¡­ His wife to be.¡±

    My back straightened. ¡°Her?! What did Marcus do when he first saw her. Come, you got to tell me, or I¡¯ll go crazy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I can never read his features¡­ But it will make for an interesting night. It is his turn.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    I thought I was done with acting, but sitting across from Ira, having to compose myself. I bit the inside of my lip raw that day. All of Juliet¡¯s girls were still on En-gannim. We headed over to the barracks. The general was a tall man. Saluted me and stood on attention. Kubra came around the corner. We all greeted each other. Since Charlene had left, I had asked him to help. Kubra agreed easily. Wanted to help in any way he could. I needed my team full of people we could trust. Selena was back at the compound. I had put my faith in Jessy and her to protect Juliet and my child.

    ¡°We need an audience with her girls. How are they doing?¡±

    ¡°Much better than the men. Stronger, faster, and less complaining.¡± The general smiled. I liked him immediately. Kubra had chosen him and would be acting as a director over the whole army. The emblem was hanging around Kubra¡¯s neck. It was on full display so that everyone knew who was in charge.

    I couldn¡¯t wait to get home.

    ***

    Before I left The Tower, I was in my office. Rana in the corner. I had pulled Soren into my confidence. He wasn¡¯t there earlier to enjoy the show¡­ But I was glad. Juliet would have done something to make me jealous. I still cringed when I saw the boy, thinking about his hands on her. His eyes didn¡¯t even leave his desk. He couldn¡¯t care less about the beauty in the corner.

    It was also not custom for her to be there at all. But Rana didn¡¯t know that. She took her job in stride. I had never seen so much fortitude, standing there the whole day. If she had only chosen the right side, she could have made any of my men happy. That would¡¯ve been an auction and a half. My thoughts drifted as I had to stare at her. Make her think that I was contemplating it. The women didn¡¯t even know how to flirt or what it was. How were they going to do this? Just by her looks.

    We knew they used radio frequencies. And in the meantime, we¡¯d tapped into their channels.

    A few days ago, when Soren pitched up at The Tower. I had to know why. Soren was still very involved in the day-to-day running of some things. Juliet had even told me, and I didn¡¯t mind being the buffer, keeping them apart. If you are a jealous person, it¡¯s one of those things you have to endure. I knew she wanted there to be no confusion that she was meeting with him. The fear came back that she would retaliate when something happened between us. Especially with me¡­ Hurt me and push me over that line. She was definitely scared of the same thing.

    I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Soren. I¡¯m leaving for the day.¡± He stood and followed me out. ¡°Rana, you¡¯re relieved for the night.¡± The girl fell to the floor like she was taught. If she only knew¡­ That one act nullified all her looks in my eyes.

    ¡°Come with me, Soren. I need to go to the med bay.¡±

    I had not been to see Chris yet. I just couldn¡¯t. The way he looked that day. Thin to the bone. It broke me. He was my friend. I let him down, and he had been more of a man than me. It was hard for me to fix something emotional. A problem I couldn¡¯t even see if I stared at it the whole day. I needed Chris.

    There was no one there besides Liam. He would be staying the night. Told me that Caleb had taken Juliet home and would be back to follow Rana. Chris was moving a little. It seemed that he was doing better. I sat down next to the bed, watching him, thinking about everything. Organizing all my thoughts¡­. What I still needed to do.

    ¡°Are you okay, Marcus?¡± Liam asked next to me. He had moved his chair over. I didn¡¯t even realize it. ¡°I think I should ask Samuel to come back and help you. He can set up a new court for you. Manage things until we can trust them. You can¡¯t handle everything on your own.¡±

    I ran my hand over my mouth, sighing heavily. ¡°Would he want to?¡±

    ¡°You kidding. All he does is spend time with Cindy, Soren, and Sammy. After Louis was on the Island¡­ He already went traveling, putting out feelers.¡±

    ¡°Whatever happened to your family Liam? No one else we can trust?¡±

    ¡°There is no one left. It¡¯s just him and me¡­ The only thing that spared his life was his friendship with Ahasuerus and Agatha. While we were on the compound, I feared they would kill him off-planet. Ahasuerus had been so angry at him for going against En-gannim. But I think Basaam had a lot to do with it.¡±

    ¡°Did you know that Louis was an Ahmed?¡±

    Liam chuckled. ¡°No! Can you imagine if Juliet knew?¡±

    We both laughed. Michael joined in. My eyes raised and met his.

    ¡°So?¡± I glanced back at Liam. ¡°Are you okay? You never wanted to rule. On the compound and off, you were sick of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t find it so tedious this time around. I wanted a child. A family¡­ More than anything¡­.¡± I lowered my eyes to the floor. ¡°Is it a stupid dream?¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Family has become more of a motivation for me. Being this free from all my obstacles has changed everything. The work¡­ seems worth it¡­ If that makes sense?¡±

    ¡°It does.¡±

    ¡°I do regret how things worked out. But¡­ We are finally changing things. Taking action and making it better. And¡­ It is all because she made the choices. I didn¡¯t want to hurt her. Or force her hand.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Liam placed a comforting hand on my back. ¡°Juliet has so much time left, Marcus. This little blip will soon fade. She will come around. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±

    ¡°She never did any of it for the sake of ruling¡­ All her thought were to keep us all safe. Make us all happy.¡±

    ¡°All she wanted was to be happy¡­.¡± Liam whispered.

    ¡°And now¡­ If we¡¯re not happy. She¡¯s not happy.¡±

    We both looked at Chris. Soren was still seated in the corner. The only thing that could ever drive us apart. I slapped my hands on my legs. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m going home.¡± I moved past Soren. ¡°Will you keep an eye out?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be here with Caleb.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know tomorrow. When I¡¯m on my way.¡±

    ***

    At the compound, they drove me to the estate. The car stopped at the gate, and the driver turned around. ¡°Sir¡­ Juliet is in the lane, walking back and forth. Has been for some time.¡± I smiled and opened the door.

    She was biting her nail. Eyes cast to the ground. Fidgeting. I checked my watch. I was a bit late. ¡°Hey!¡±

    Juliet froze like that night before we slept together the first time. I wondered if she would run again. She waited till I caught up but didn¡¯t lift her head. ¡°You know what I did¡­ I put Soren in the room. He is back, and I am never alone with her¡­ Caleb hasn¡¯t left her side since he found out who she was. The only reason she¡¯s there is so we can use her.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s arms flung around my neck. ¡°I need to ask you something¡­ For something.¡± She whispered.

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    Her heart was racing. She was squeezing nervously around my neck. ¡°Oh, Julie¡­ Will you ever relax around me?¡±

    She shook her head against mine. ¡°I need¡­ to practice.¡±

    ¡°Practice what?¡± I wanted to push her away, but she clung to me.

    ¡°S¡­ Strip¡­ping. Lap dance with a pole and everything.¡±

    I was quiet. It took me by surprise. Of all the things¡­?

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one¡­ I can do it for¡­ In front of¡­ Without feeling like a complete idiot¡­ Before I¡­ have to do it in front of Michael¡­ And I need you to help me.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. Oh yes, yes yes.¡± She pulled away and met my eyes. ¡°Yes, Julie. Please.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡±

    I pulled her lips onto mine. Juliet was not responding. Her hands reached around me, and we kissed a little. I grinded myself into her. So she could feel what only the idea did to me. Usually, she would be all over me. It was her turn for her kisses to be different. I pulled away. There was too much hesitation from her. ¡°Jump.¡± She did, and I caught her knees under my arm. Her head rested on my shoulder, and I carried her home, hoping Liam was right. The moon was bright and full on the horizon. I started talking about anything we could connect about. I smiled as she relaxed in my arms. I was learning.

 Fish And Dragons

    171. Fish And Dragons

    Fahan

    It had been a few days of settling into our new environment. Not everyone had a house. We were too many, and the city was too small. But the housing was perfect. Their buildings were sturdy, and rooves were high enough for us to fit easily. We always stood head to head with the even biggest wolf.

    I was deciding on where we would go from there. Who I would have to send away to make their own way in this new world. It would divide our forces, but ruining such a beautiful place was not something I wanted. Killing and draining nature. Depleting resources.

    First and foremost was protecting everything we worked for. My men could not figure out what they ate or how they hunted. There was equipment we did not know how to use, and it was too complicated to maneuver anything they had with our heavy hands and fat fingers. There were plants¡­ So many plants that we were not familiar with. We did not know if it would kill us or give us sustenance if we utilized it. The biggest problem was to get off that island we were stuck on. We were surrounded by a mass of water, and we did not swim. If any of us were to fall into the depths. That would be it.

    I sat in a garden. On a chair. Something I had never even heard of. Where we came from, it was chiseled-out rock. Every morning was the same feeling over and over. We had done it. It had taken much, but we were there. And it was magnificent.

    Jade had not come out of her living quarters yet. We had not spoken one word to each other. She had not even come out to look at the place or met with our fellows. I had allowed her sister to live in the palace. She was the only one that Jade had allowed into her room. Dimitrios came in every morning to talk about what had happened during the night and to answer any questions I had. He had the communications plate in his hand. I stood up immediately. ¡°Is it Chris? Are they going to give him back?¡±

    One of the doors along the garden opened. Jade walked out, not looking at me. She was waiting. I gestured for Dimitrios to continue. ¡°Marcus has requested a meeting.¡±

    ¡°Marcus? Ahasuerus¡¯s grandson?¡± I huffed. ¡°The one Avrio warned me about. The strongest one of them all¡­ Where?¡±

    ¡°He says here¡­ The platform where you met with Chris.¡±

    The rumble in my chest showed my disapproval. The patterns on my chest started to glow. ¡°If I go and Marcus kills me. What then?¡±

    Neither of them said anything. I growled, showing my disapproval. They both trusted me, and I had broken that trust. Neither of them would say anything to me or would venture a suggestion. My gaze traveled over Jade. She seemed stronger and was getting over the after-effects of giving birth. But not entirely back to her usual self. I could not send Dimitrios. It will not satisfy Marcus. I could not send my mate. She would say something wrong. Or worse, go behind my back to get her son returned to her. Jade was tired of waiting. She turned around and went back into her room. My patience with her was wearing thin. I sat back down. ¡°Tell Marcus¡­ I will only speak to Chris¡­ It will give me some time.¡±

    Dimitrios sent the message. A reply came through soon after.

    ¡°He says Chris is still unconscious. He will contact us when he wakes up.¡±

    ¡°Ask him about Aries.¡±

    Dimitrios gave me the plate. There were images of my child with Juliet. He was sleeping on her chest. Another in a crib. More of him in Caleb¡¯s arms. My hand wanted to close around the glass and crush it. They had to know I was coming. Another message came through.

    Marcus [ Is there anyone else you will be willing to talk to ]

    Me [ Juliet ]

    Marcus [ It will never happen ]

    My chest rumbled some more.

    Me [ Then I will wait ]

    Even sending a message was difficult. We would have to change everything to suit our bodies.

    ***

    Juliet

    The following morning, I went to work with Marcus. He took me to the med bay and stopped at the door. He kissed me long and hard. I knew I wasn¡¯t really there. He had not even slept with me the previous night or the last time it was his turn. I was trying to keep track. But I was done initiating. ¡°When are we starting¡­ With your training¡­ I don¡¯t think I can wait.¡± He said, hovering over my lips. His hand ran up my neck into my hair.

    ¡°Later¡­ today?¡±

    He pressed his lips onto mine quickly. ¡°No, pecking.¡± We could hear Soren talking to Caleb. Marcus was jealous and shoved me into the room. ¡°I don¡¯t want you near him.¡± He pointed a finger at me. I nodded, turning away, laughing a little. The thought of him, Louis, and Soren staring at Rana the whole day was unfair. I couldn¡¯t even see Soren.

    Michael was watching us, taking it all in. He did know me the best. Just didn¡¯t like me anymore. I didn¡¯t want him to expect the dance. I would try to keep it a surprise. I waved at him. A scowl formed on his features. Was he going to acknowledge my existence? It didn¡¯t last long. He closed his eyes and groaned. He was in pain¡­ I wouldn¡¯t interfere in Louis¡¯s punishment for him. Something was going on with Michael, and I was not capable of getting him to come to terms with it. So¡­ I ignored him and went over to Chris¡¯s bed. I lay beside him and put my head on his chest, closing my eyes. Chris¡¯s arm wrapped around me. I soon fell asleep.

    ***

    Later that day, I went home. Told Marcus where I would be. It didn¡¯t take long before he came running in. He paused at the door. His eyes ran over the room. We were down in the tunnels. I had put in some lighting that I thought would set a better mood. A nice chair on one side. On the other, a tiny stage with a pole. I thought it looked pretty good with a dark carpet and the walls were painted black. Michael would love it. Marcus laughed lightly. It made me feel better. I took him by the wrist and dragged him in, closing the door and locking it.

    ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡± He asked.

    ¡°You can sit¡­ and I¡¯ll show you what I got so far.¡±

    He obliged and sat down. I put some music on, went into a dressing area where I would come out. I had gone all out with the outfit. Super high heels. Did a ton of research and planned my set. I started. My balance and strength made the pole easy. I ended up on his lap. Marcus had not given me one facial expression. One of the reasons I knew I would be able to do it for him. He was so good not judging.

    He gripped my waist. ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s not gonna work.¡± His tone wasn¡¯t condemning or belittling. I smiled, not taking it personally. I looked down at him from where I sat. Marcus kissed me quickly, and I got off. He went to my phone and stopped the music. I followed to see what he was doing. Marcus was going through my playlists. It didn¡¯t take long, and he played a song. I listened for a bit and tilted my head. It wasn¡¯t what I was expecting but was still sexy. I liked it. He played another and another. ¡°These three together give you at least six minutes¡­ maybe a little more.¡±

    He walked over to the red curtains in the corner that opened up to a few outfits I had hanging. He pushed them aside one by one. ¡°No¡­ No!¡± Another in jerky movements. ¡°No! Not one of these.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­? What did you have in mind.¡±

    He turned to me. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about Michael. And what he would like¡­ You shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    My eyes glanced at my phone. Marcus had chosen songs that I enjoyed. How he even knew what I liked was surprising.

    ¡°You don¡¯t go to a strip club and see things you would like¡­ You look at a woman that knows herself¡­ That can perform with style¡­ Make it an art¡­ She is comfortable and does it through sexual feeling.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°I¡¯m the worst actor. What the hell do I know about seducing a guy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing. Because he is not some stranger. You can act out how you truly feel¡­ What is the best-case scenario? You can only make that happen if you push all his buttons. And you know¡­ you do.¡± I groaned. ¡°Try again¡­ Take off all your clothes.¡± I frowned. ¡°You¡¯ll have to think about an outfit later that you feel comfortable in¡­ Remember when we watched you in the jersey and shorts¡­ Not what some girl on YouTube told you would be desirable.¡±

    ¡°How is me being naked going to help.¡±

    He reached around me and started undressing me. ¡°Be confident¡­ naked first¡­. If you can do that. The outfit is just a prop.¡± His hands stroked over my skin. His eyes roamed over my breasts and down my body. Marcus turned me around to the stage and started the music again.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    That time, I didn¡¯t follow my routine; I only followed my instincts. I moved from the stage to the chair. He wasn¡¯t so stoic anymore. Marcus shifted uncomfortably in the chair, gripping the sides when I danced close to him. The last song ended with me in front of him on the carpet. I stood up. The quiet was a little daunting with that new look in his eyes. It was more than just lust. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll work in the way of taking off my outfit¡­ If you think I should change any¡­.¡±

    Marcus¡¯s hands reached for my waist and pulled me close to his body as he got up. He kissed me violently, stopping me from talking. Not caring if I was there or not, moving me towards the wall. He picked me up by the thigh and pressed me against the cold cement. I gripped his waist with a knee as he undid his pants. He thrust into me in a few quick movements. My breath hitched every time. I squirmed, my cheeks burned. Was I blushing? He gripped my waist and pulled me down on him, holding me in place. Marcus manifested and bit my neck. It was a first for me and got my attention. Every deliberate, pounding thrust was accompanied by panting groans and loud moans. I lifted my other leg and held on. His hands cupped my ass, and he finished with a relentless potency, muttering incoherently. ¡°You do remember I¡¯m pregnant,¡± I said, heaving and digging my nails into his back.

    ¡°S-! No, I didn¡¯t.¡± He pulled out of me, setting me softly down on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± His breath was heavy on my skin.

    ¡°That was the best outcome,¡± I whispered. ¡°You thinking about me and not your child.¡±

    ¡°You probably have rags here somewhere¡­ Where are they.¡± He fidgeted away from me.

    ¡°Mar¡­cus¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Calm down.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± He pushed himself back in his pants and tied his belt in jerky motions. ¡°It¡¯s not enough. I need more!¡±

    ¡°More than that?¡±

    ¡°More of you. I can¡¯t, Julie. Once every fifth day. Spending one night with you¡­ And I can¡¯t and won¡¯t have sex with you if things are not right between us.¡± I laughed a little, biting my bottom lip. ¡°Not again.¡± His shoulders slumped. ¡°When Chris is back, it will be so much worse¡­ That made me want to kidnap you again.¡±

    I walked over to the opposite wall and opened a door. It led out into a bathroom. The light was blinding. I sat down on the toilet.

    ¡°No rags needed¡­.¡± He said, leaning against the door frame. ¡°You¡¯ll have to change the lights in here.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    I finished and walked over to him. ¡°When were you planning on dancing for him.¡±

    ¡°Not soon¡­ The way he¡¯s acting. I don¡¯t even think he¡¯d enjoy it.¡±

    ¡°Can I come every time you¡¯re here?¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°Is it Rana making you this horny.¡±

    The side of his mouth quirked up. ¡°I was thinking¡­ You could restrain him in the chair¡­ He shouldn¡¯t be able to get up or touch you. It will make it so much more¡­.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°Is that what you would want?¡± He nodded. ¡°You know more about that than me. Will you choose them?¡±

    ¡°Julie¡­ You¡¯re looking for trouble.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re happy, Marcus¡­ Well, kind of. That¡¯s all I want¡­ Do you want to go away for two weeks?¡±

    He nodded again, dragging me closer and hugging me. He pushed away, and his fingers brushed over my lips. ¡°I have to talk to you. Can you put some clothes on? Or else we¡¯ll be down here too long.¡±

    ¡°You just got me there.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°No¡­ You¡¯re lying, but I deserve it.¡±

    While I was getting dressed, he sat down on the edge of the stage. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should kill them all¡­ Is it really the right way of doing things. They will attack us eventually¡­ I want to stop all the threats there are. Without pushing everyone down and letting them know that they either conform or die. Sent to prison or to the red planet¡­ I want to use the army to start sending messages to all the continents.¡±

    ¡°How many men are there?¡± I asked before thinking. My eyes darted to his. I knew he needed to vent and wasn¡¯t asking for my opinion. I also didn¡¯t want to interfere. He saw my reluctance.

    ¡°About eight hundred and counting.¡± He held out a hand to me.

    I had to dig my nails into my palms not to ask how he had managed it. He didn¡¯t miss the gesture, watching my every move. I sat down next to him. He took my fist in his, unclenched my fingers, and laced both of ours. I let the tension in my shoulders go and rested my head on his shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been recruiting in person. It wasn¡¯t hard at all. Everyone is excited about the changes and that things are happening¡­ Most of the men that knew about you¡­ Didn¡¯t care that a woman had won in the ring. They all saw him throw you with the emblem. But not everyone knows what¡¯s going on.¡±

    He kissed my fingers. ¡°They had not told the women. I don¡¯t think any of the women on En-gannim knows except those who are snoopy.¡± His eyes were on me, but he couldn¡¯t see my face. He turned towards me a bit. I had to sit up again. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should leave it for the men to decide or give the women the information¡­ It would cause such a panic if everything changed in the matter of a day.¡±

    I was quiet. Listening.

    ¡°It will take years to get the army up to scratch¡­ It¡¯s only the two hundred from the Earth who have the training to really go to war. The rest are the two hundred who joined you when you were still in charge, and they came to Nahrima of their own free will. Enlisted to fight for you... But the six will need time. So many years. If only to get their strength and abilities to actually initiate.¡±

    ¡°I wonder how strong I will be when mine kicks in?¡± I asked. ¡°My super hearing and vigilance.¡± I was trying to change the subject.

    ¡°Julie¡­ please tell me what you want to do about the women?¡±

    ¡°You said it yourself. You play for the long run. Stick to your plans. Let that be a long-term goal. You don¡¯t have to fix everything right away.¡±

    Marcus smiled. It made me smile.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ll be surprised that ninety-nine percent of the women would want it to continue as is¡­ Like my mom¡­ And Isla¡­ Rana¡­ Only one percent will not be able to handle it like my army and I. I do care about how the ninety-nine is treated, but¡­ I can¡¯t forget what Ahasuerus said that day. Who is supposed to care for the household if all the men are gone? Avrio¡¯s wife just differed the responsibility to her son¡­ By choice. It¡¯s in a mother¡¯s nature¡­ Especially there. Do we really want another Earth? Where single mothers need to work on the red planet and send money home to their starving children. Just not chained up.¡±

    Marcus turned my face to his. ¡°I also think the harem systems have to stop. If the men want a wife, they should stick to one.¡± Marcus¡¯s hand ran over my cheek.

    ¡°So Rana won¡¯t be your second wife? To secure alliances?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s going to cost you.¡± Marcus was serious. ¡°Your body is not responding to me like it always did¡­ You¡¯re not even asking for release.¡±

    ¡°I am trying.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to try. It was supposed to have been you and me¡­ You¡¯ve not forgiven me?¡±

    I was quiet.

    ¡°You never wanted to be that wife. Who sat home and waited for her husband to come back at the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°I made a hard decision. Michael says I manipulated you. It wasn¡¯t that at all. I have to do what I need to do¡­ to cope. Make everything work out.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to cope. I want you to be happy.¡±

    ¡°I am¡­ I¡¯m giving you a baby. I wanted that. I might be paying a high price for him. But I wanted to do it for you. I would have fought harder for us. If I had to¡­ And for the next five months, I¡¯m going to sit here and protect this child.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m scared, Julie.¡±

    ¡°About what?¡±

    ¡°That I¡¯m losing you. I promised to work with you¡­ I promised to save him.¡±

    ¡°You did, if you think about it. When I had to get to Chris and Caleb. Who took over the day-to-day? I wouldn¡¯t even have woken up after the fish, if it wasn¡¯t for you. And like you said, you made one mistake.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve made more than just one¡­ I want you back. Like you were on Palmyra. Or that day after we slept together for the first time. In my office. Full of life and that adoration in your eyes. That smile on your mouth. The one you used to have just for me¡­ The longing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still free. I can come and go as I please. Do what I want to. We went through so much together. I have nothing to complain about. The rest¡­ I don¡¯t know. I am still hurt and¡­ disappointed.¡±

    ¡°Do you think about Soren?¡±

    I was quiet again, turning away from him. He bobbed his head. ¡°You want to get back at me?¡±

    ¡°I would never. Even if I did want to. But even in that, it was about you. Not him¡­ You regret not taking Rana to your room that night?¡±

    ¡°Who said I didn¡¯t¡± He lifted his torso and looked down on me.

    ¡°I think I¡¯d kill myself.¡±

    Marcus stood up and pulled me to my feet. ¡°Come. Enough dramatics.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t stand you staring at her the whole day!¡±

    Marcus pulled me in under his shoulder. ¡°Just a few more days, I promise.¡±

    ***

    I spent more time at the med bay the rest of the week, knowing Chris would wake up every day for more extended periods. The doctors lessened his medication, and it made him more lucid.

    ¡°Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Chris?¡± I lifted my head from a book I was reading. Michael had also slowly gotten up a few times and could move around the room.

    ¡°Can you help me sit up? I¡¯m sick of lying down.¡±

    I helped him with the bed. Chris caught sight of Michael¡¯s back. ¡°Did he get drunk on Zoreah?¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°Yeah¡­ Something like that. Silvanus and Ira had a hell of a time with him.¡±

    Chris¡¯s sensitive brown eyes could see me not caring about Michael. We just stared at each other for the longest time. His hand in mine. My mouth on his fingers. Tears pooled in my eyes eventually, thinking about everything. ¡°Please don¡¯t cry.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± I sat back and picked up my book again.

    ¡°Read to me.¡±

    I started reading.

 Reality Hits Hard

    172. Reality Hits Hard

    Chris

    Juliet was next to my bed or in it the whole day, every day in the infirmary, as I liked to call it. Some days, Caleb would be there with Aries. Mom and Son really got along well. It seemed that what had happened to me had changed something between them, and their relationship was growing. The boy had a mind for family and keeping it together. My father had also been there and, strangely, making an effort with Sammy, taking her with him when he needed to return to Shumaan or helping Juliet look after her when she was there with me. I didn¡¯t know if he had told the people that I had another child or not. He wasn¡¯t talking to me about the succession anymore or anything happening there.

    I had fought the idea of being a stay-at-home dad for so long. I had sealed my own fate and taken away any chance I had of progressing and climbing the corporate ladder. Ira and I had spoken about it. I would work myself up to general and lead until I could take over from him. My goals changed when I had Juliet and Zoreah. I thought I could do both and have a purpose in my life. I would mean something and have Juliet. I was back to plain old Chris. At least I had a job.

    ***

    It was early in the morning, and I was sick of the place. I could eat and do most of what needed to be done by myself, although it left me feeling drained. My wounds were slight traces on my skin. I was getting dressed to surprise Juliet before she came to En-gannim. ¡°Are you going home?¡± Michael asked.

    ¡°Yes. I have to get out of here, or I¡¯ll go mad.¡±

    ¡°Do you mind if I leave with you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. How do you feel?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m better. My wounds are almost healed¡­ It¡¯s only my bruised ego¡­ that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Why you haven¡¯t said one word to anyone in all the time you¡¯ve been here.¡±

    Michael nodded. He got up as well and pulled on his black t-shirt.

    ¡°I remembered getting whipped like that. Jamal and I hung on that pole next to each other.¡±

    ¡°Silvanus has a mean swing.¡±

    ¡°Brutal¡­ I didn¡¯t talk to Ira a lot when I was there. Sometimes for years. He treated me like a child, and I hated every moment of it. But that is what we are. A bunch of children.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t really blame Louis¡­ We¡¯re not in a human society where our rational minds are always in control. Creatures have to be governed differently. Each to their culture.¡±

    ¡°Not that humans act rationally at all. You have all four¡­ It¡¯s a lot, Michael. No one is expecting you to do everything right.¡±

    ¡°Just to try.¡± I laughed lightly. Michael opened his arms, gesturing for me to jump in. ¡°Should I travel us?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s take the normal ones. The two of us would have given up everything for it. So we might as well use them¡­ You need to conserve energy anyway.¡±

    ¡°Chris¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ We are family¡­ and I love you just as much as Louis and Marcus. I wasn¡¯t trying to...¡± My head lowered to the ground, thinking about what I should say. ¡°It was a way of showing you that you belong here. I accept you. Neither you nor Juliet is alone anymore.¡±

    Michael seemed guilt-ridden, but we traveled anyway; all that was left was to move forward. They had not changed any of the stations on the compound, and we needed to take a car to the estate. The last time I was there, Marcus was driving. It seemed like a lifetime ago. When we got to the main gate, a few women stood guard. I thought it strange to have so much security. Most of them recognized us. I had taken some of them to Avrio¡¯s island. They wanted to report our arrival and drive us up the lane, but I wanted to walk to really get a sense of the place. It would be different to go to Marcus¡¯s home with no threat lingering over our heads. Michael agreed, and we made the walk together. The sun was rising on the horizon. The sky was dark, with slivers of orange and yellow.

    Before I opened the red gates, I could hear weapons clanging, voices grunting from exertion, and Marcus giving directions. They were already up and training. My breath caught when I saw Selena with that plate over her mouth. She and Jamal were fighting each other. My gaze flickered over to Ira and Silvanus. I didn¡¯t think he would allow Selena to join Juliet¡¯s army. I didn¡¯t know how I felt about it either. She was lethal, giving Jamal all his days. Her Riphath form had changed somewhat, and her eyes were not grey anymore but a foggy white. Marcus was in control and directed her. I could see the difference in her combat immediately.

    Caleb and Kubra were next to them, fully manifested and going at it hard. His teleporting was swift as he moved around Kubra. Marcus saw me first and waved. It felt like I had broken down the bond Marcus and I had built up. Louis and Marcus had come to the med bay a few times that week. Although they were making an effort, it felt strained. A push and pull all around. He pointed to a room in the corner of the place. ¡°Come, I¡¯ll show you.¡± I followed Michael down the corridor. He stopped at a door and pointed to another next to his. It was closed. As I slid it open, I drew a breath, taking in all of the room. Juliet was alone in bed. I didn¡¯t know their schedule. There was a light on, and I stepped closer to the bridge and saw Louis in the shower. My eyes went from the bed to the bathroom. I sat down to take off my shoes with a full view of Louis. It felt strange. The setup was a whole other story. The courtyard to my right caught my eye. I followed the stream out, watching the water fall down the rocks from the mountain.

    I had not given Juliet anything. In all the years that we were together, I had not provided for her, nor was I ever really there. We had so little to cling to. Katty was at her feet. I stroked the black and white fur. She responded, curling into a donut. I picked up the covers and moved in behind Juliet, pulling her against my body. Her body started shaking. ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t cry again.¡±

    ¡°How can you keep saying that? Don¡¯t you regret it?¡±

    ¡°No. I made a decision. Maybe I did for a second¡­ But that was all my human nature¡­ We had to give them the ability without losing ours. If only for that. I¡¯ll do it again.¡± I pulled her shoulder over so I could see her face. The sun was slowly making its way in under the curtains. A slight sliver was shining down on the mountains. ¡°This room is magical, Juliet¡­ I don¡¯t know which is better? Louis¡¯s house or Marcus¡¯s.¡±

    She pulled my lips onto hers. I closed my eyes, lingering and reciprocating. Her hands ran through my hair, down my neck, pulling me closer.

    ¡°How is the schedule going?¡±

    She climbed on top of me. My hand ran over her midsection. There would not be a bump for a while. My head rested back on a bent arm. ¡°How far along are you?¡± Juliet was undoing the button of my pants. ¡°Where does everyone sleep? Will I have my own room the rest of the time?¡± She shook her head slowly, tugging on the hem of my pants and underwear. ¡°I don¡¯t have the energy.¡± Her shoulders slumped. She fastened my buttons again.

    ¡°And I don¡¯t want to see you guys going at it,¡± Louis said, walking into the room.

    Juliet checked her watch. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be going to work?¡±

    I heard another door open. The shower went on again, and Marcus got in. I cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen anything yet.¡± She stood and opened doors that I thought might be her dressing room. There was another room. I gasped, getting up.

    ¡°You probably spend all your time in there.¡± My eyes took in all the books and ladders on wheels that could reach the top of the roof. My gaze traveled out to Marcus. Then it dawned on me. That was where Damian watched her.

    Marcus jumped out of the shower and came to get dressed, watching us all. Louis was in and out. Juliet had gotten back into bed. I was still looking at everything. ¡°You don¡¯t mind?¡± I asked Marcus.

    ¡°No! Please make yourself at home. I didn¡¯t get to show you everything the last time we were here. And my room is just as open as Louis was in France¡­.¡±

    ¡°You planned all this?¡±

    Marcus shrugged. ¡°I have a beautiful wife. What can I say.¡± He pulled on a slim-fit blazer. ¡°I¡¯m done, Marcus. I¡¯ll have a smoke outside.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there. Juliet, make sure you follow the exercises. No more slacking.¡±

    She groaned as I got back into bed with her.

    ¡°Bye, baby. See you tonight.¡± She waved Louis away with a hand in the air.

    Marcus leaned over her. For him, she lifted her lips. He kissed her properly and licked his lips, hovering and thinking. ¡°Think about what I said.¡± She plopped down on the pillow. Juliet was also weird with him. His eyes caught mine on them and nudged me to the door.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I just get into bed?¡±

    ¡°You best exercise with her. The sooner you get going, the sooner you can start your training. Get your strength back up.¡±

    He got up to leave and waited at the door. Reluctantly, I followed him. ¡°Walk with me.¡± Marcus loudly pounded on Michael¡¯s door. ¡°You have one day. Tomorrow, I want you back at The Tower.¡±

    When we were out of earshot, Marcus turned to me. ¡°I asked Fahan for a meeting. He will only meet with you.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Juliet doesn¡¯t want to give Aries back. Your son wants revenge. And I need to see where the guy¡¯s headspace is at.¡±

    ¡°Caleb?¡±

    ¡°I promised¡­ he can kill all those scientists.¡±

    My eyes blinked a few times, taking it in. ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    ¡°But I need Caleb to do some recon before we get that far. I thought if he went and had at least one other person there for backup.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t be any backup.¡±

    ¡°No, but you can keep Fahan busy. Michael and Caleb will go together. I have all ten coordinates on Palmyra. And I¡¯m sure they are stuck on that island with their heavy bodies. Kubra said it took forever to get them into the palace.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to trade for. He¡¯s going to flip out about Aries.¡±

    ¡°Look, they have Palmyra, and there is not much we can do about it.¡±

    ¡°You have to start aligning with him somehow.¡±

    ¡°En-gannin doesn¡¯t have half the resources they do. It¡¯s taking its toll. We always traded with them.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Tomorrow then.¡±

    ¡°See you later.¡± He clapped me on the shoulder and jogged lightly down the corridor. Caleb was running out of his room, Kubra in tow, and they all got in a car.

    I went back to Juliet. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, away from the door, sniffling. I shook my head. ¡°You can always take it back. Go with them.¡± She shook her head. Katty had climbed into her lap and was rubbing her chin. ¡°Even the cat knows you¡¯re unhappy.¡±

    She picked up the cat in her arms. ¡°Come, I want to show you everything. I need to go get Aries. Maya had him last night.¡±

    I tugged on her shirt as she passed me, unable to pull her down anymore, grab her, teleport her to the bed, or stop her from doing anything. ¡°We have to talk. I¡¯m so bored. Tell me what¡¯s going on in your world.¡±

    ¡°Liam and Soren have all Palmyra¡¯s books¡­ Every last one on that was on the planet¡­ They are going through the oldest and most sacred writings first¡­ My only goal is to see your powers restored. So, they send over everything they get on a tube. So I read a lot.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t fall in love with me because I was a creature? You addicted to the power?¡±

    ¡°If you want to stay like this¡­ It¡¯s fine with me. I will have you all to myself. You can be my sex slave.¡±

    ¡°Juliet¡­ Why did you mention me branding Selena? Why does she have a plate on her face?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what it would do if two Riphaths branded each other. I would rather do anything. Maybe it would be like with a human. Something else would happen¡­ The plate was not my choice. She wanted it¡­ Why? Do you have a problem with her being able to cross-breed?¡±

    I smiled. At least she was all there with me. Jealous and clingy. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m in love with her?¡±

    ¡°A gut feeling.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t do it¡­ The only thing it would do is leave her with a scar.¡±

    ¡°Is it because you think she¡¯s not in love with you or¡­¡±

    I put my hand over her mouth. She gave me a laugh. ¡°No! I¡¯m not in love with her. And if I didn¡¯t do it for you¡­ There is no one else in the universe that could make me. Not even for the chance of getting back my manifestation. What if it cancels out the teleportation swatch?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t been able to Manifest?¡± She kissed my hand. I ran my fingers over her cheek. I shook my head slightly. ¡°I was thinking¡­.¡± My eyebrows lifted, watching her. ¡°You could move into my room. There is enough closet space. Or should I show you the only room left?¡±

    I took the cat from her and put her on the ground. ¡°Come show me my closet space and where my toothbrush will be. And then, I want to get in that bath with you.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ***

    That was how the rest of the day went. Juliet and me on the bed, watching Tv. Aries with us. Juliet gave me a glass plate, and I started reading to catch up. Outside, Selena and Jessy were on the patio or in the kitchen. She was studying, and Jessy was helping her. They were spending all their time together. Warden was there, and we talked for a bit. He didn¡¯t leave Sammy¡¯s side and brought her in to spend time with us on the bed. Liam was there in the background. He also came in to sit with us. If he wasn¡¯t there. The three of them went to En-gannim to work at The Tower. Warden used that time to take Sammy to see Cindy.

    When I was too tired, I closed my eyes and took a nap in Juliet¡¯s arms. A physio came in to help me. Tell me what to focus on. Juliet was in the water. After that, she did some yoga. I joined her, but we ended up laughing more than being productive. Jessy, Selena, and Maya watched us and laughed with us, getting into the weirdest positions. It felt good being with her. It was like old times.

    When the sun was setting, Jamal and a bunch of the girls relieved Jessy and Selena. He was glad to see me, and I was happy that he had also decided to join us for good. We all sat on the patio around the fire that was always blazing and had a beer. Michael¡¯s door was closed. I assumed he was hiding, but later that evening, he came in at the red gates with his helmet in hand. He had been gone the whole day. I glanced at Juliet. She had seen, but Jamal and Silvanus were keeping her busy. At that moment, it didn¡¯t seem to have bothered her. It bothered me. His eyes were on the ground. He went to his room and closed the door behind him.

    It wasn¡¯t long after before the whole car of people stopped again. It felt good being with family. Everyone together. ¡°See Ira. Species can mix.¡± Juliet laughed properly for the first time. Her boisterous, vivacious self.

    The next day, we needed two cars. We had all gotten up early and trained. The routine at the house was flowing. I expected the rest of the day would also be like that. First, they took me to the tunnels, and we had our meeting. I had a lot to catch up on. After, we had to make our way to En-gannim. I had fleetingly seen Juliet¡¯s office before. Back then, I didn¡¯t think much of it, but at that moment, I stood at the door, taking in its enormity. All the ideas she had for her family. The dreams she had to give up. Marcus took his seat behind the main desk. Louis and Michael were at different tables. There were two open seats. I groaned. All of them stared at me. ¡°Nothing we can do about it. Choose one.¡± Marcus said, knowing how we were all feeling. We had let her down.

    I chose the closest to Marcus. ¡°You going to let Soren sit there?¡± I eyed the open table next to me. Soren was in the corner next to Marcus. His head came up, and he shook it slightly. I wondered how the boy was doing. They were both so young.

    Louis dumped a whole bucket of black tubes on my table. I groaned again. ¡°Nothing we can do about it¡­ Don¡¯t say anything,¡± Louis whispered. I didn¡¯t understand what he meant. It wasn¡¯t long before the doors opened. My head came up quickly, and I reached for the first tube. My hand paused mid-air. A woman was carrying a tray to the conference room. The doors slid open. Caleb was in there studying. She placed it down and came back into the room, shuffling to the corner. Her eyes briefly came up to meet mine. I had seen so many pretty women on Zoreah that she didn¡¯t really compare. I suddenly understood why Soren was there at all and why Juliet was the way she was. I looked back at the boy. Soren forced a down-turned smile and shrugged his shoulders. I nudged my head toward the girl and put two fingers together. Soren put his finger into his mouth and faked a gag. Louis chuckled under his breath. Michael didn¡¯t even see her, notice our exchange, or care about anything going on around him. He got up to leave. I asked Louis in my mind to find out where Michael had been the previous day. Murderous eyes met mine, and his lips pulled in irritation. [ You¡¯re slacking already ] I thought. He growled low in his throat.

    ¡°Fahan is expecting us in an hour,¡± Marcus said with the glass plate in his hand. I nodded but was not quite really ready to meet my maker.

    ***

    We were ready to travel. I stood in the cubicle. Michael was about to get in next to me. ¡°Caleb first.¡±

    ¡°Always.¡± He shook my outstretched hand. ¡°With my life.¡±

    ¡°Leave me if you have to.¡±

    Michael bobbed his head.

    Caleb came over and wanted to take hold of him. Michael grabbed his upper arm. ¡°Not today, buddy. If at any time I let go of you. You better get out of there. That¡¯s the condition.¡± Caleb agreed. He was just too happy to be included.

    The two got in next to me. Marcus and Louis stood, ready to bring us back. First, they teleported Fahan from the palace to the platform. They sent us next. We landed, and Caleb tapped me twice. He and Michael would teleport to the palace. I sighed, knowing even if Juliet was invisible. I had not lost all my faculties. Sure my creature would surface again.

    ¡°Where is my child Chris?¡±

    ¡°You know where he is.¡± I sat down at a big table that stood out in the open. It had a few seats around it.

    ¡°You do not look well,¡± Fahan stated.

    ¡°No kidding.¡±

    ***

    Michael

    Caleb and I landed in the garden. We made our way quickly through the palace. There wasn¡¯t much place they could have set up shop. All they had was the equipment they brought with them. I was almost sure they would be close to the teleporter.

    Caleb and I watched the five men for a while. Followed closely as they moved back and forth. Writing on paper. I scoffed. It would take them much longer if they had no computers to help them. Caleb watched me. ¡°Are you going to tell me what you¡¯re thinking? Will you ever speak to anyone again?¡±

    ¡°I promised myself I won¡¯t until I can talk to your mother. Properly¡­ This time.¡± Caleb smiled so genuinely. He was such a good kid. I ruffled his hair.

    ¡°Everyone thinks you¡¯ll leave.¡±

    Although my emotions were filled with exasperation, I tried to hide it from Caleb. That¡¯s what Juliet had asked me. If I¡¯m going to leave her. The worst was that I had¡­ thought about it. A few months ago, I told Chris I would never, not even if she died. Becoming a creature had changed every resolution I had once thought was a fixed certainty. Caleb tapped my shoulder. The five men were huddled over some papers in the corner. I recognized most of the core formulas for each planet. It was working out the exact spots that took time. The equations on the papers they were discussing already had a complete location written down. It was nothing I even recognized.

    # 1 [ I know Fahan told us to work on getting the coordinates close to the compound. And that¡¯s where our source said the baby is¡­ But¡­. ]

    # 2 [ Wouldn¡¯t it be easier going back to En-gannim and getting Rana to teleport us out to this one location ]

    # 3 [ Even if he doesn¡¯t want Ahasuerus vault¡­ It will contain everything we need¡­ As soon as we are dispensable, he will kill us all. We need to get out of here ]

    # 4 [ Shhh ]

    Dimitrios came into the room. ¡°Are you guys working or talking?¡±

    The men moved away from the table. Caleb took out a device and started taking pictures of each sheet. I turned to listen to the conversation.

    ¡°It¡¯s difficult doing this all by ourselves. We got lazy on En-gannim with all the computers.¡±

    ¡°Computers?¡± Dimitrios asked.

    # 1 lifted up a glass plate into the air. ¡°Things like this¡­ Devices. What does all the work for you.¡±

    Dimitrios sat down at the table. His heavy hand played on the hilt of his sword. ¡°You think it will be easier doing it on En-gannim. Quicker¡­ Too scared to tell him that you want to leave.¡± The guy was sharp. ¡°And I guess you have coordinates for En-gannim.¡±

    # 2 ¡°Yes! Many! Not to mention that we have allies there. If Fahan would only use them.¡±

    ¡°And you can go there from here?¡±

    # 3 ¡°From here, thirty entities at once. Just like we came in.¡±

    Dimitrios played with his pointy ear, pulling it through his fingers. Caleb pulled on my shirt. Jade was standing at the door. The dragon stood up and walked over to her. ¡°Please, Dimitrios. Let one of them go. Even if he doesn¡¯t come back¡­ Does it matter? He could get the coordinates for Earth sooner.¡±

    ¡°You forget that only Fahan can make it work. He made sure that Avrio taught him everything about how the ability is activated and how to keep control of who can use it.¡±

    Her shoulders slumped, and her eyes conveyed more emotions than I had ever seen on any of the Chadari. Jade fell down on a chair. Her big hands ran over her face. Missing Aries was taking its toll on her. ¡°Do none of you know?¡±

    All five of them shook their heads. # 5 ¡°Only the King knew. Ahasuerus only told Avrio because of Juliet. Avrio wouldn¡¯t have told anyone else either.¡±

    ¡°Are you certain? Can you not even bring anyone here?¡±

    The five men exchanged glances. # 5 ¡°Avrio¡­ did have a son. He doted on the boy. Sent to the camps early and did really well¡­ If Avrio did tell anyone¡­ It could be him. And yes¡­ We could bring someone without Fahan.¡±

    We already knew Ian was the biggest problem against En-gannim. If Ian met with Fahan it would be even worse. Dimitrios held out the communications device to the closest man. They changed some settings and checked some papers. We were hovering while Caleb recorded. We would know where Rana¡¯s brother was hiding when we got home.

    # 3 ¡°I sent the message, but it will take a day or two for him to reply. Or even consider coming and taking the risk.¡±

    Jade complained. The five men left into one of the back rooms. Dimitrios sat down next to Jade. He lifted a hand to rest it on her shoulder for comfort but stopped mid-air. He turned away from her. ¡°Please help me, Dimitrios. You once wanted me.¡±

    ¡°Then you turned away from me for Fahan.¡±

    ¡°Ohhhh!¡± Caleb murmured next to me. ¡°Seems like we have a way out of everything after all.¡±

    ¡°Nothing that motivates one more than passion.¡±

    ¡°You mean jealousy.¡± Caleb retorted. I laughed lightly and picked Caleb up, and we left. We landed next to Chris. Caleb tapped him twice on his shoulder. Chris strummed his fingers on the table. It was our sign that he was almost done.

    ¡°Okay, Fahan. I¡¯m getting tired, and you won¡¯t make a decision¡­ You either start trading with us, or you¡¯re people will be stuck there.¡±

    The man smashed his fist down onto the wood.

    ¡°You have no choice¡­ When Aries is back, you will eventually have to start dealing with the vamps. There is a lot Brylee got from En-gannim. You can¡¯t wait till then. And you know he¡¯s fine.¡±

    ¡°It is hard to trust you, Chris. You told me she would give him back.¡±

    ¡°Fahan, look where you are. Look at what I lost. Even if it was only Palmyra, you know it was worth it.¡±

    There was a low rumble in Fahan¡¯s chest. An almost feral growl. His chest lit up. There were no weapons allowed, but I wasn¡¯t going to take the chance. Caleb and I stood closer to Fahan to protect Chris.

    A wry smile formed on his lips. The man was looking for trouble. ¡°Seems like your son is not so valuable to you as we thought. You¡¯ve already made the decision that it was worth it. If Aries makes it¡­ It¡¯s a bonus to you.¡±

    Fahan pushed out of his chair and stood. ¡°Remember what I told you¡­ Caleb will feel my retaliation, and then we¡¯ll see who¡¯s laughing.¡±

    Chris scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think you can do. The boy can disappear before you can make a move. Above that, he can teleport and fight¡­ He¡¯s not an infant¡­ like your son¡­ Why don¡¯t you leave him with us? Aries can make the decision when he¡¯s older.¡±

    ¡°She has no intention of giving him back!¡± Fahan¡¯s voice was raised. ¡°Does she?!¡±

    ¡°I told you it¡¯s fifty-fifty. She¡¯s a little pissed off that you did what you did. Juliet won¡¯t get over it quickly¡­ I told you. Caleb told you. She was open to negotiations, and you attacked us in our home¡­ Fahan¡­ The problem with the primitive species we come across is that you can¡¯t change into a human. Reason. We have a saying on Earth. Don¡¯t burn your bridges.¡±

    ¡°What you are now? It is not impressive at all.¡±

    ¡°The location of your son is on Earth¡­ Filled with humans¡­ Like me. They don¡¯t use abilities. Or swords that glow. They have machines that fly in the sky and send down fire that wipes out anything in its path¡­ And before you say you are immune to fire. You won¡¯t be from that. It¡¯s not the same as a scolding poker in a flame¡­ Earth will stand with En-gannim. And when we teleport those flying machines here. Your precious Palmyra will be gone. Your people stuck on an island will be gone¡­ Tell me have you tried to go into the water yet. Do you sink or swim?¡±

    ¡°Chris, get off my Planet!¡± Fahan yelled. ¡°You made your point!¡±

    Chris lifted his hands into the air and stood, taking out a plate of his own to not look suspicious. We got into the cubicle and traveled.

    On the other end, Caleb and I went ballistic. I picked Chris up and shook him in front of me. Caleb clapped him on the back. ¡°That was awesome, dad!¡±

    ¡°I think you should go into politics, Chris. The guy didn¡¯t know what to do¡­.¡± I shook him some more. ¡°He didn¡¯t know where to dig his grave.¡±

    ¡°Okay! Okay!¡± Chris tapped me on the back. I put him down gently. Chris staggered a bit when I let go of him.

    ¡°Get him home. Will you, Caleb.¡± Marcus ordered. Caleb took him back into the teleporter.

    ***

    The three of us went back upstairs. I had so much to tell the guys. It had been such a productive morning that my spirits were restored. The doors opened, and I stepped through. I felt like going somewhere and getting drunk. I paused. I wouldn¡¯t be doing that anytime soon. A shiver ran up my spine. Louis scoffed under his breath behind me. ¡°If you had taken her with you. It wouldn¡¯t have been a problem.¡±

    Soren caught my eye. Had he been there the whole morning? Did I not even see him. I shook my head. Didn¡¯t really know where my head was at. I had taken one step, and my gaze darted to the corner. I was in front of the girl in an instant, towering over her, and manifested into a Vampire. My black nails wrapped around her neck as I picked her up. Her feet dangled at the bottom. She was short, like Charlene.

    Marcus and Louis went to sit down. ¡°Who are you?¡± I hissed. What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Ra¡­ na¡­ she croaked out.¡±

    I let her go. ¡°Is that supposed to mean something? I asked¡­ Who are you?¡± The girl was petrified, almost shaking. ¡°If you¡¯ve hidden behind a veil for so long, why did you get out of it?¡±

    ¡°I wanted a job. Isla helped me.¡±

    My head snapped around at Soren. ¡°This is Avrio¡¯s daughter?¡± I asked.

    Soren nodded. ¡°I remember you¡­ You were there that night.¡± I leaned in to smell her neck.

    She shook her head violently. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I was in the kitchen with you and your mother. The man that smelled so bad¡­ That happens to vamps that do not have a rich daddy.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°Not so smelly anymore¡­ You were supposed to marry Marcus?¡± I scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s why you¡¯re here. That ship has sailed, sweetheart.¡± Her hand clutched her throat. She didn¡¯t dare look at me. ¡°But you don¡¯t even know what that means. You can¡¯t read or write. You can¡¯t rub two thoughts together¡­ Why do you think he chose her. She¡¯s strong, and you think your pretty face can come close to that¡­.¡± I grabbed her behind the neck. ¡°Get out, Rana¡­ but don¡¯t go far. You¡¯ll stand in the corner and know how you¡¯re lacking for the rest of your life. Your father was always on the wrong side.¡±

    The girl burst out in tears, running out the door. I had to shake myself. My manifestation didn¡¯t want to disappear. ¡°What the hell is wrong with me?¡± I stared at my black hands and nails in front of my face.

    ¡°Do you want another whipping?¡±

    I was instantly back in human form. ¡°Frak. You know if adrenalin brings on these bouts. I¡¯m going to have a hard time.¡±

    Marcus was scowling and thinking. His eyes bore into mine, contemplating. I didn¡¯t know what to do, hoping he didn¡¯t want to send me to a camp. Louis stood up uncomfortably and moved over to the couch. Louis picked up a pillow to cover his crotch with, groaning and rolling around on the cushions. ¡°Marcus, stop thinking! Right now!¡± Louis yelled.

    ¡°Sheese Louis¡­ You hardly ever want to have sex. After your body count, I didn¡¯t think it worked anymore¡­ If you¡¯re actually getting it up. Shouldn¡¯t you go home?¡± I mocked.

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ Marcus said once a week till the end of her second trimester¡­ She¡¯s already had her once a week.¡± Louis¡¯s eyes were the barest of slits as he and Marcus stared at each other. My gaze traveled to Marcus. ¡°What the hell are you thinking about? Louis groaned even louder. ¡°You know she has a mouth,¡± I said.

    ¡°Watch your tongue, Michael!¡± Louis¡¯s features changed in an instant. ¡°First, she¡¯s a brat, and now you want to use her like a whore.¡± I took a step back. Everybody¡¯s impression of me was falling¡­ Down into a ditch. Would I never be allowed to just be human?

    ¡°F-!¡± Soren yelled and got up. ¡°You know it was okay when you needed me to go to Palmyra and collect those books. Organize them and force me to be reminded of where I am. Or be here to keep an eye on Rana when you guys are gone¡­ But this¡­ It¡¯s too much.¡±

    ¡°Oh, sit down, Soren. It¡¯s not all fun and games all around. Look at the pain Louis is in. And nobody told you not to move on¡­ I watched her for fifteen years before I even met her. Your few years and one time¡­ does not compare to any of us. If you love her that much, then commit anyway. That¡¯s how a harem works¡­ Or move the f- on.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Well! She wasn¡¯t stolen out from under you¡­ was she? Be around her and not have her¡­ I¡¯d rather die.¡± The boy stomped out of the room. Just before he left, he turned and looked at Marcus. ¡°And don¡¯t forget what would have happened if I fought just a little bit.¡±

    The two men stared at each other, and Soren turned and left.

    Louis¡¯s hands ran through his hair. ¡°He¡¯s half right¡­ And you¡¯re half right¡­ I¡¯m going home to beg.¡±

    ¡°You have an hour, Louis. You better be back we have a lot of work. And don¡¯t you dare!¡± He waved his hand in the air.

 Royalty

    173. Royalty

    Charlene

    I woke up when the light stones planted along the wall became more frequent, flashing every time we passed. We had to be close. ¡°Min¨¦, wake up.¡±

    ¡°Are we there?¡±

    ¡°Almost. See the lights?¡±

    She pushed her body into me. ¡°What will make us stop?¡±

    We laughed nervously when we saw the net. The ball was not going to slow down, and I wished those hooks would hold. It was jerky, but it all worked out. We didn¡¯t even move out of the basket that was sunk into the bottom of the ball. A slight pressure with my foot was enough to hold Min¨¦ and me back.

    Imani and Yazen were waiting on the platform. Yazen took Min¨¦ from me first and handed her to his wife. He helped me out. We moved quickly out from the landing. The guards closed the doors, and we could breathe easier.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Imani tapped Min¨¦ on her nose.

    ¡°I¡¯m a princess.¡± They both laughed. ¡°My name is Min¨¦.¡±

    ¡°It is good to meet you.¡±

    ¡°And you sure are a princess now.¡±

    They both looked at me. Neither of them had expected me to have a child. I felt guilty all over again. For the first time, I thought about my own parents. I would never see them again. I had not even said goodbye. It felt strange that they didn¡¯t even know they had a granddaughter.

    Yazen gripped my upper shoulders. ¡°Charlene¡­¡± He kissed both my cheeks. It seemed like he wanted to cry. His features were full of emotion. ¡°You are my daughter now. And I am so happy that Romero had chosen. We had lost faith that he would ever experience love.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t mind about my other branding? And¡­¡± I gestured to Imani.

    ¡°No! Just because it works one way here doesn¡¯t mean it would not be different on other planets¡­ I hope you understand why we did not say everything we should have.¡± I rubbed his arm.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Werewolf,¡± Min¨¦ said softly. Yazen¡¯s eyes went from Min¨¦ to my neck. He smiled. It seemed that I was the queen of the Werewolves now. There were still many questions Romero was going to have to answer. If Michael and I were the same species¡­ Where did we fit into all of it?

    ¡°Seems like you will be queen one day.¡± Imani tapped Min¨¦ on the nose again. She liked it. Imani tickled her. She squirmed in her arms but laughed. ¡°I¡¯m your grandmother now. Would you like that?¡± Min¨¦ nodded.

    ¡°How long will we wait for Romero?¡±

    ¡°Let us go up those stairs. He will know where to find us¡­ You will want to get clean. He will not be too long. You would have felt the separation.¡±

    I was desperate for water. I was glad I had packed a bag. Mine had asked for something a few times while we traveled. Didn¡¯t want to give her too much. Just a sip here and there. We didn¡¯t stop once. Wondered how they managed their toiletries in those balls.

    I had not had anything to eat for a few days. It was strange that I could go so long without eating at all. It did make me more irritated. ¡°I need to eat,¡± I said when we started climbing the stairs.

    ¡°How are your manifestations?¡±

    ¡°Romero and I almost died¡­ so many times. I didn¡¯t really have a choice. My instincts kicked in. I feel like I can rule the universe with so much power.¡±

    ¡°We will help you. Do not worry. You will settle because you can not go anywhere.¡±

    I was glad to be back in their village. The opening from the tunnels was in the building where the library was¡­ And the source of their water. Min¨¦ and I almost ran to the fountain. Imani grabbed Min¨¦, and Yazen held me back. One of the servants there brought us each a cup and filled it. Min¨¦ and I looked at each other and giggled while we drank. Our earth ways wouldn¡¯t work there. Romero had let a lot of my behavior slide. Imani and the servant helped us relieve ourselves. We heard the running up the stairs. The door flung open. Romero stood with his chest rising and falling. I thought he would come to me. He ran for the fountain and dunked his head in, drinking hands full. He lifted up and rubbed over his face. ¡°One thing I hate about those tunnels is all the dust.¡± Romero ran his hands over his hair and tied it into a wet afro bun on his head.

    The five of us were staring at him. ¡°What?¡± He asked.

    Min¨¦ lifted the cup to him and wiggled it at him. We all laughed. Imani hit him behind the head. He smiled so broadly that I had to take a moment. The tension he had the last couple of days was gone. I still would have stayed. I didn¡¯t think anything would make me regret it.

    ***

    We were having the time of our lives, traveling all over Mirach in those tunnels. I wished Romero could come with us into one. Sometimes we sat for hours. There were breaks every two when the journey would be a long one. I had learned how they kept time and had a timepiece with me. They were not entirely without technology. Even if it worked like our old watches with the planet¡¯s gravity.

    I met so many people, and as Romero had said, I eventually ended up with too much jewelry, clothes, and trinkets that our servants carried in chests from one place to another. My clothes also represented the palace, and I didn¡¯t feel so left out anymore or out of place, wearing a crown and my hair styled to suit my new look. Juliet¡¯s black leather hunting outfit was packed away in our home back in the village. I did miss them. Wondered why she and Michael had not made it there yet. Hoped that it wouldn¡¯t take them a year to find me. ¡°You still owe me some answers.¡±

    Romero smiled with a mouth full of food. His eyes lifted up to the roof. ¡°I think I owe you about a thousand.¡±

    ¡°Ha Ha. It¡¯s not happened that much.¡±

    He snorted. ¡°You sound disappointed.¡±

    ¡°No! The last two weeks had been the best time of my life.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I love it here, and I don¡¯t miss home.¡±

    Romero frowned and took another piece of bread from his plate. ¡°What do you want to ask? We have to start some or other time.¡±

    ¡°I want to know about the brandings.¡±

    ¡°We think every galaxy has its own rules. It doesn¡¯t work the same everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Why did Michael not end up here. In front of you.¡±

    ¡°Michael?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the other Ittoqure.¡±

    Romero swallowed the last bite. ¡°Well, if I am guessing¡­ It is because you two are not connected¡­ Or because you were second¡­ Supernaturally your threat was here as a woman. Not his¡­ I do not know everything.¡±

    Romero reached out and played with the stone around my neck. ¡°My threat? You?¡± I laughed. ¡°When are you going to start training me for combat.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you will have to. As soon as we finish this tour, we will have enough time.¡±

    My gaze drifted to Min¨¦. She was at the kid¡¯s table with all of Romero¡¯s young siblings. I had hoped that she and Sammy would be best friends like her mom and me. I was also happy that she seemed to be adjusting.

    ¡°Can I ask you a question¡­¡± My eyes came back to meet his. ¡°Why would Juliet have stolen a Chadari child?¡±

    ¡°She would only have done it because someone else was in danger¡­ The only thing I can think of is that she wanted to exchange the baby for someone¡¯s life.¡±

    ¡°Remember those two golden dots on Palmyra¡­ I think the ruler of the Chadari had branded his mate¡­ Maybe that is where Michael ended up at.¡±

    ¡°I hope he is okay¡­ Brylee said that even if they died, he would not.¡±

    ¡°She was not lying¡­ The third in your galaxy has a lot of responsibility. But he¡¯s also not the same species¡­ In a way¡­ It¡¯s the same for me and you.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s the divide. Same species?¡±

    Romero nodded. ¡°Michael was her third branding. They said it¡¯s for whoever would dare. Or an honor or something.¡±

    ¡°You said she has four husbands.¡±

    ¡°Chris is a Riphath and didn¡¯t want to do it.¡±

    ¡°Michael¡­ will have a lot of problems. The third spot is not easy. It is the one that keeps the four together¡­ Over time, his power will increase. His desire to kill will increase¡­ Because he is a different species, his need to rule those species will grow. If he had been a vampire, it would have been his responsibility to sacrifice when the other three were in danger. Fight the hardest. There would not have been that pull to dominate them but wield that strength for his mate.¡±

    ¡°Species really don¡¯t mix¡­ Why do we? Why do the brandings not care?¡±

    Romero shrugged. ¡°My kind¡­ We can mix¡­ Uhmm, sexually.¡± I giggled. ¡°Our ability to rule the mind and our shadow manifestation. And because it is for life and only one, it doesn¡¯t really matter. The two of us will never have to fight anyone¡­ We have tried not to mix with others. It is difficult for any kingdom to be divided. Marriages for alliances never work out.¡±

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°That¡¯s why Brylee attacked you. You couldn¡¯t marry for convenience.¡± Romero wiped his mouth and hands. ¡°So why did you¡­ Go against it? How come your parents didn¡¯t stop us?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m not there anymore, my oldest brother and his kids will continue with the lineage¡­ Does it really matter what child carries on the family line?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not how Qadir felt. About his siblings.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ The Vampire¡¯s greed and lust can not be counted on. It is why they are ruled so tightly. Another reason why Michael will have a difficult time with giving the power over to Juliet¡­ She will also in two hundred years become¡­¡±

    ¡°Unmanageable.¡± Romero frowned. ¡°How do you know so much?¡±

    ¡°Brandings are a way of life. It is history and documented here¡­ If done right. It is a system for the universe. Those who align for the right reasons will rule. It is the ultimate partnership¡­  Ahasuerus¡¯s predecessors ended up here. They came in good faith¡­ Gave us books, and we soon learned English and made it our language for all the royalty to know. They came regularly. It is why all the planets changed the way they spoke¡­ Some still hold on to their foreign tongues. When they realized that the galaxies would collide eventually, they started looking for other life and making treaties¡­.¡± Romero sighed. ¡°Ahasuerus must have sent Brylee here to see if the three of them could take over our world.¡±

    I was quiet. ¡°What is it?¡± He asked softly, stroking my cheek.

    ¡°Kubra led that campaign when we first met. He was gone for months.¡±

    Romero nodded. ¡°It does not matter. Marcus and Juliet will not be like Ahasuerus or the Ahmed kings¡­ It is always better to rule together.¡±

    ¡°You do not know Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you two are exactly alike¡­¡±

    ¡°We are¡­ In some ways. But not in everything¡­ And she is a Vampire. She is much more courageous than me.¡±

    ¡°Not anymore.¡±

    I smiled. It was true. I would give her a good fight on a full moon. ¡°So I will never end up in front of her or Ira.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Not anymore. I have you all to myself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad about that¡­ I never would have done it if I had known we would become enemies.¡±

    ¡°It is better this way¡­ We will have to find a planet for your wolves. They can start new somewhere else. Once I¡¯m dead, of course.¡±

    ¡°Or Min¨¦ can take them¡­ Will my tattoo disappear when you die? Or will I die with you?¡±

    ¡°No, you won¡¯t die. It is not in natural death. Your tattoo will, though.¡± I pulled a face thinking¡­ It was going to be hard letting him go. What then? Everyone will be dead. ¡°Won¡¯t this be breaking some supernatural boundary of the planets? There is not some secret chamber on all planets where anyone can bond with only one other person.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Pain and sleep are the only way for that galaxy¡­ I do not know once we collide¡­ But for now, the parameters of the galaxies are the key. Only ours has love chambers.¡±

    ¡°Have I told you that I love you?¡±

    ¡°Every day¡­ Multiple times¡­ Is it some spoken rule on Earth?¡±

    ¡°You can say so¡­ What do you say here to affirm your mate that you think about them and want them to know you want them?¡±

    He sat a bit closer. ¡°Ina son ka,¡± he whispered into my ear while his hand ran up and down my leg.

    ***

    Soren

    Marcus expected too much from me. I thought it would be easier as time passed that I would even maybe meet someone to get over Juliet. But on En-gannim, no one met each other, and after my outburst, I knew months away from her had meant nothing. If I really wanted a wife, I would have to get my father to negotiate with a camp. It wouldn¡¯t be love. I would end up hating my wife, wanting Juliet more than ever, longing for that closeness and connection, something it seemed that one could only get on Earth. In the back of my mind¡­ I had thought all the women would forsake their veils and way of life and want to read, write, and work, just like on Earth. Listening to Marcus and Louis¡¯s discussions¡­ It wasn¡¯t going to happen. They weren¡¯t planning on telling the women at all. They would manage those few who didn¡¯t make it in a camp and give them other avenues.

    That office was no place for me. Hearing about their lives with Juliet. I know Marcus meant it well, and they trusted me. Isla was in the Lion¡¯s den, and he was only doing it to show me what was really going on. Rana would leave the Tower after what happened. She was too full of pride to stay. So, I traveled back to Avrio¡¯s island. After Michael¡¯s outburst, she would have a lot to say when she came home. I was sitting with Isla, waiting¡­ I needed to talk to her, anyway. ¡°Why are you here. I have not seen you in so long.¡±

    ¡°Isla¡­ The reason Louis has been here so much is because of Avrio¡¯s son. They have an army somewhere, and we can¡¯t find it¡­ Have you heard anything? Read anything that the women would not have been able to understand?¡±

    Isla considered this. She scanned the room around her. ¡°I have been helping with the finances.¡± She whispered. ¡°But there are two sets of books. Heba told me to keep it secret. She is sending money somewhere. Let me believe that she was scared for the future and wanted it to be safe¡­ But now that you mention it. It could be for that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m almost sure it is. That¡¯s good, thank you. We would be able to follow the trail.¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°Nothing you¡¯re not comfortable with. But if you can find out where it¡¯s going. It will help. Or keep your ears open.¡±

    Isla was wringer her hands in her lap. ¡°How are you doing, Isla?¡±

    ¡°I have been talking to a phycologist from Earth.¡± She laughed lightly. I didn¡¯t like her wearing her veil again. ¡°There are a lot of humans everywhere, studying us. And I think maybe Juliet sent him to talk to me.¡±

    ¡°Have you thought about what you want to do in the future? I can take you back home. You don¡¯t have to be here.¡±

    ¡°What happened to Chris? He was the one that left me here. Asked me to stay and help.¡±

    I watched her for a moment. Strange that she would ask. ¡°He is not doing so well.¡±

    ¡°Why, what happened?¡± Her voice rose a little.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­ Why all the questions?¡±

    ¡°I like him. He has a way about him. A gentleness. He treated me like a person. Shook my hand and even noticed me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Isla, no. He is the one that Juliet fought Ahasuerus for. The one she had her first child with. And her second.¡±

    ¡°What? He is why she was so depressed back at the compound?¡±

    I nodded. I couldn¡¯t see her reactions. ¡°I thought he was in the army. I thought he was a Vampire. He never said who he was. Don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    ¡°Of course not¡­ I am sorry that things are so complicated for you. I think it¡¯s time both of us go home and talk to father. Didn¡¯t you want a family of your own? I know there are procedures for women that have been with someone before. But there are a lot of men that would treat you well.¡±

    ¡°I do not know, Soren. I never wanted to be a second wife. It¡¯s awful. I think we made a mistake¡­ In ever coming back.¡±

    I felt exactly the same. I was angry at myself. I should have made more of a fuss that day in Louis¡¯s room. To let Juliet know how unfair it all was. How much I loved her.

    ¡°Isla. They will stop the harem system. To control the population. After that. It might be even harder to get into a good home. You might have to marry a soldier.¡±

    We heard the doors slam. Rana had to be home. I would have to wait for the right time. Isla and I were sitting in the kitchen. Rana came in without even looking at us. She grabbed something to drink. She was getting used to it, not wearing her veil. I could see she liked the attention. Not used to that either. If she was on Earth when Qadir was there. Rana would have had anyone she wanted. Her eyes were red-rimmed. Not used too much, I scoffed. Already throwing tantrums when there is no man to hit you into submission. They didn¡¯t teach them that at the camps. How to handle the freedom.

    Rana glanced up and noticed us. ¡°You¡¯re both from Earth¡­ How do the women get the man she wants. That man said Marcus chose Juliet. It is not the way of En-gannim.¡± Isla met my eyes and rolled hers.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about how you were treated. But Michael is a bit edgy.¡±

    ¡°Edgy? I had never been treated like that, not even by my father. I always behaved and got respect for it¡­ How did he travel to me so fast?¡±

    It was a horrible situation. The women there would never know what the people on Earth did. For Earth, Michael was just a Riphath like Chris. They didn¡¯t understand what Juliet had done. Or that there was a way for a human to change. If they did¡­ Maybe things would be different. A whole planet full of Michael¡¯s. Not that we knew that¡¯s what would happen if two humans branded each other. It didn¡¯t seem that even Juliet and her harem knew what was happening. Michael was just a coincidence.

    My head fell forward, and my eyes closed. It would have been my spot. It would have been better for everyone. I also didn¡¯t want to tell Rana what we knew. ¡°He is so strong because of his size and age. I have seen big Vampires before. Some were even experimented on and have enhanced abilities. They can live forever. Can not go outside at all during the day.¡±

    She regarded me. ¡°Why are you there? Why did they send back the prisoners?¡±

    ¡°Marcus¡¯s secretary. I work there the same as you¡­ We didn¡¯t come back as prisoners. It was a choice for the kids¡­ Later, when Ahasuerus died. I guess they decided it was time.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you get sick of it? Marcus is ruining everything.¡±

    I was sick of something¡­ I wanted sex¡­ No, I wanted to make love to Juliet. ¡°I am rather tired of it,¡± I whispered, picking up my creature in front of me. Isla had gotten up, serving. She knew how to handle a situation. Isla was getting streetwise. I chuckled.

    ¡°I am a hundred and was promised a place in The Tower¡­ I was there that night. Ahasuerus had given me to Marcus¡­ But he followed Juliet off En-gannim to Earth.¡±

    ¡°He did come back. What happened?¡±

    She drew in a breath. ¡°I was waiting in his room¡­.¡± Rana quickly glanced over her shoulder at Isla. Her back was to the room. Rana took it as an invitation. ¡°When he came in, he didn¡¯t even see me. I was against the wall, and he fell onto his bed¡­ I was without my veil. Dressed to perfection¡­ Marcus just stared at me.¡±

    Rana was playing with her snack. A black nail scratching at its skin.

    ¡°Marcus called me over¡­ I was trained. Knew what he wanted, and I was ready to give him everything he desired or asked for. The camps make sure you know what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    My gaze drifted to Isla. Did they really? What did Rana mean?

    ¡°I was too slow¡­ Marcus grabbed my wrist, pulled me down on the bed, and got on top of me¡­ He wanted to kiss me. His lips did come close¡­ But¡­ he seemed in pain. As if his heart was on fire, clutching at his chest. Another man came into the room when he heard the commotion. Ahasuerus soon followed. Marcus was flailing on the floor¡­ I was dismissed.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to push Rana, so I waited.

    ¡°We did not hear from them again. Marcus was so close once that I thought if he just saw me, he would be reminded that he considered it once. I thought he was sick¡­ And maybe they had cured him. I wouldn¡¯t have cared if Juliet was his second wife. Stuck on Earth¡­¡± She sat back on her chair. ¡°I did not know Juliet was pregnant. But even if I could be a second wife¡­ It would not have been so bad.¡±

    ¡°Rana¡­ I don¡¯t think you know what¡¯s going on. Or En-gannim knows what¡¯s going on. Juliet took over the planet, not Marcus. That¡¯s why your father died. Ahasuerus didn¡¯t want her to rule. He almost gave your father the keys to take over if he died. And he did try¡­ But your father made a mistake.¡±

    Rana rested her head on her fist and watched me. ¡°And? Where is she if that¡¯s the case? Of what I saw¡­ Juliet is just a woman¡­ without a veil, being led around by Marcus¡­ She might as well be his whore¡­ And the lot of you from the Earth is his council. Because he was born there.¡±

    I didn¡¯t like the word ¡°whore¡±. It was the second time that day¡­ That Juliet was called one. How did Rana even know what it meant?

    ¡°No¡­ Rana¡­ They are all her husbands. Why Ahasuerus was so angry. Juliet is in charge. And if you were in that room a moment longer, you would have seen what happened.¡±

    Rana sat up and turned to me. ¡°What!? How can that be? Women do not have more than one. It is the other way around. Why would any man, whether they are from Earth or here? Fall under a woman.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have the answer. How could I tell her it was Love. I didn¡¯t want to say too much. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ Does it? Why Michael went so crazy, seeing you there. Juliet has four husbands¡­ And Marcus is one of them¡­ They took over together¡­ She is just taking a break because of the baby.¡±

 Maybe One Day

    174. Maybe One Day

    Louis

    I was back at the compound after Marcus¡¯s thoughts ran me over. There to ask Juliet if she would take me down into those tunnels and give me a six-minute ride¡­ No, I would have begged if it came down to it. She was taking care of Chris after Caleb had brought him back. All three were lying on the bed as a family with one common goal. Chris was hooked onto an IV. My immediate reaction was to let them be. Fall back and let them spend precious time together.

    Juliet smiled when she saw me. We had one wild night¡­ thanks to Charlene¡­ Other than that, we¡¯d spent little time together after Zoreah... After Chris lost his powers, the new schedule Juliet implemented was a problem for Marcus, too. He had thought about their whole conversation after they slept together. Ran me through how she was with him.

    I stepped into Marcus¡¯s room, hoping she would follow. I knew she wouldn¡¯t ask. Not at that time. She didn¡¯t know what I was thinking. Where my thoughts were running off to. I closed the door that separated the two rooms. I had so many arguments with myself. Sometimes, I didn¡¯t even know whose thoughts were whose. When I read so many people all the time, my mind was a little lost. She did open the door and closed it again. Sat down next to me and took my hand. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    Asking for sex was not something I ever had to do. It was probably the first normal relationship thing I would be doing. I don¡¯t think any guy liked having to ask for it. But it was the woman that needed to ¡°put out.¡± They were the ones who had to open that part of their physical body to be taken. A risk of hurting their minds and their souls. Juliet was already on such a fragile line. I felt I was doing something wrong. We didn¡¯t really have that luxury in our harem to draw close. Use the whole day to build up to it, and I didn¡¯t want to use her¡­ ¡°Louis¡­¡± Juliet whispered. I guess my thoughts drifted. My pride was taking a beating. I had to eventually step out of my comfort zone.

    ¡°I¡­ need release.¡± My hand ran through my hair.

    Juliet smiled. ¡°You¡¯re asking!¡± She jumped on me, throwing her legs over me. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re here. It¡¯s still so early. Why not wait till tonight?¡±

    ¡°Uhmm¡­ Something happened at The Tower¡­.¡±

    Her eyes turned to slate, and her tongue ran over her teeth. Her first thoughts were of Rana. It irritated me. I had to try harder.

    ¡°I want to go down into the tunnels¡­ Have you chosen an outfit yet?¡± My eyes lingered on her lips. My fingers rubbed her waist. Juliet¡¯s smile fell again, even worse than when she thought I was pent up about another girl. She felt she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Why¡­? Why Marcus and not me?¡± She swallowed hard just thinking about me in that chair. Judging her. ¡°Why would I? Not like anything you did.¡±

    ¡°You might think that I¡¯m okay with your past, but sometimes it¡¯s a bit daunting¡­ Men are so critical when they have a high body count. Expecting porn star performances¡­¡±

    I chuckled and pressed my lips to hers. ¡°But why Marcus? I would have thought you¡¯d choose Chris.¡±

    ¡°Urgh, no! Neither of you. I almost didn¡¯t let Michael brand me. I was so nervous.¡± She got up and stood in front of me.

    ¡°You¡¯re no coward, baby. Why is this so difficult?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just having a hard time with the rejection¡­ Marcus has a way of compartmentalizing. I knew he would just¡­ see it as something else he had to do. I don¡¯t think I can handle another¡­ setback right now.¡± She said it but thought that she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle one of us hurting her. Juliet was definitely not her chipper self¡­ Her tank was a little low.

    ¡°Your plan failed miserably, baby.¡± I got a chortle. ¡°I¡¯m here because Marcus started thinking about it.¡±

    She laughed some more. ¡°Maybe¡­ I also didn¡¯t think any of you were the type¡­ That would want that. Something like that. Especially not you.¡± She flicked me on the forehead.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give me a chance, huh.¡± I pleaded.

    Her eyes dropped from mine, thinking about the outfit she chose. It got me even harder¡­ Thinking about her taking it off, moving around that pole.

    Her hand was clutching her bottom lip between her fingers. ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    She licked her lips and smiled. ¡°Then it has to happen right now before I change my mind.¡±

    I took both her hands and laced our fingers, pulling her closer. ¡°I¡¯m so ready¡­.¡±

    ¡°You will want a happy ending, so take a shower. After Marcus¡­¡± She held her breath. ¡°I think I should take it easy¡­ I¡¯ll get you there¡­¡± She laughed. ¡°In both ways.¡±

    Juliet opened the door and rummaged in her closet. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Chris asked as I went into the bathroom.

    ¡°Caleb¡­ Can you give me a minute with your dad?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve got a lot of reading to do.¡±

    The two bathroom doors were open. I got in the shower. It was still a little weird for Chris. Us all together. ¡°You know about Michaels¡¯s ultimatums for the brandings?¡± She asked him.

    ¡°Yes, but that kinda fell through the window when he changed into whatever he is,¡± Chris answered. ¡°He¡¯s going to live longer than all of us.¡±

    ¡°There was one thing¡­ that didn¡¯t. He threw it in my face the other day. He threw a lot in my face.¡±

    I was going to end Michael. Why Marcus thought about their time together in the first place. Marcus couldn¡¯t conceive how Michael would be ready for anything like that. I glanced back at Chris. He met my eye and couldn¡¯t possibly connect the dots. Juliet was just as nervous to tell him.

    ¡°Michael asked for a¡­ dance¡­ A lap dance¡­ Stripping¡­ You know.¡±

    Chris smiled. ¡°Yes, I do know. Not that I like watching other women on stage undressing.¡± Chris looked at me again. He was getting there.

    ¡°I asked Marcus to help me prepare¡­.¡±

    ¡°You what?!¡± Chris sat up. ¡°Help you do what?¡±

    ¡°I suck at¡­ it all, and I needed someone to tell me¡­ Honestly! That I wasn¡¯t making a total fool of myself.¡±

    Chris laughed lightly and looked at me again as I got out of the shower. I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°I guess he did¡­ And you didn¡¯t suck as much as you thought you did¡­ And Louis found out.¡± Chris was happy. He knew what was coming. ¡°Louis asked¡­ And you¡¯re going to perform for him.¡±

    Juliet nodded.

    ¡°Well¡­ I can tell you, Juliet. I will be waiting for my turn in expectation¡­ Anticipation and¡­ It will have to be soon.¡±

    She walked around the bed and hit him with the pillow. ¡°I give you my full permission to let Louis watch you.¡±

    She hit him again. ¡°But no judging! And if you laugh one time¡­ I leave.¡± She pointed a finger at Chris.

    ¡°Oh no! I won¡¯t be laughing¡­ Don¡¯t worry.¡± It was actually helping her. Giving her confidence. She held up the outfit. Chris¡¯s smile fell. His thoughts went down the same path as mine. He nodded. ¡°Yes¡­¡± He said in a husky voice. ¡°That will do¡­ Can I come with you right now? You can have an audience.¡±

    ¡°Hell no!¡± I yelled.

    Juliet left the room on her way to the tunnels while I got dressed. I sat down on the bed. ¡°I know we¡¯ve not really crossed that line, but¡­.¡± Chris ventured.

    ¡°Marcus didn¡¯t like her first outfit or the music. It was kinda corny. But like she knew, he handled it perfectly¡­ And made it even better¡­ He changed it¡­ Told her to dance naked to build confidence¡­ He shoved her against the wall¡­ Manifested, losing control. And slept with her like that.¡±

    Chris fell back onto the bed. ¡°This girl is going to drive us all mad.¡±

    I laughed lightly. ¡°That might well happen. I¡¯ll let you know. How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not ready for that anyway. It¡¯s like my soul got sucked out of me¡­ I don¡¯t know how to tell her.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ You handled it perfectly. She wouldn¡¯t know¡­ Just keep telling her you don¡¯t have the energy.¡±

    I got up. ¡°Enjoy the show.¡±

    ***

    I had to take the long way down that corridor. It was dark, and she had chosen a room where no one would have even thought to go looking. It did set the mood, walking in the darkness towards one open door. I rounded the corner and took in the sexy, dimly lit room. Juliet stood waiting in a creation out of Brylee¡¯s closet. I closed the door and locked it. Carl had taken all Brylee¡¯s clothes from Palmyra and left them on En-gannim for Juliet to enjoy. Her room and office were still waiting for her. We were all still waiting for her to forgive us.

    ¡°Do you want me to tie you up?¡± She gestured to the chair.

    I nodded. The cuffs were black, with fur lining and chains fastened to the floor. ¡°Are these creature proof?¡±

    Juliet started her music. She pulled me closer and slowly undressed me. Our eyes never left the others. She pushed me back with one hand until I was down on the chair. She was taking her time tying my wrists and ankles. ¡°You might as well test them.¡± I did and couldn¡¯t move. I manifested and used all my strength, making sure Michael wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of them. Not that I wanted to take the chance. I didn¡¯t want to ruin the mood by asking if he would be able to teleport out of them. It put a damper on my spirits, thinking about Michael. She was doing it all for him, and I was still scared there would be some accident. Juliet wasn¡¯t so nervous anymore. She had practiced, and I wasn¡¯t going to read her again.

    She walked over to the stage, placing one hand on the pole. The gladiator sandals she wore were woven in patches of material up her shin, tied around her leg, hugging her calf. Those long legs disappeared under ruffles hanging diagonally over her thighs in a triangle, following the line draped seductively over one shoulder. A short, soft cotton, mesh dress in the lightest shade of red gave me glimpses of her skin and breasts hugged in a crop top underneath.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    She hung down from the pole in the middle of her set with one leg wrapping around. She dropped her arms, and the material slid down to the floor. Juliet was rather good at it. Too good. She stepped toward me seductively and reached around her back, undoing her bra, holding it up and in place with one arm, and dropping it on the floor. My heart was beating faster when she started dancing in place, coming over and moving around me and touching me.

    To take off her panties, she bent down in front of me, sliding them down. It was difficult for me to hold myself back, not able to touch her when she shifted over me, straddling my legs. Juliet ended up in front of me on the carpet with her ass in the air¡­ Full-on display, with nothing on but those sandals. ¡°Untie me.¡± She looked back at me. ¡°Juliet. Untie me¡­¡± She swiveled and walked over on all fours, sliding her hands up my thighs. The music fueled me to get out of those restraints. ¡°Baby, please¡­¡± She slid a finger into my mouth, took me in hand, and lowered her mouth onto me.

    ***

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to ask¡­ Do you? I was naked the whole time. You could see my reactions¡­ Right now, I want to be deep inside of you.¡± Her hands were on my waist, and she pulled me close while I fastened my belt. She was waiting. ¡°It was¡­ perfect, babe. You still rock my world. Don¡¯t change a thing. I don¡¯t know what you were worried about.¡±

    I checked my watch. She didn¡¯t like it. ¡°You¡¯re not leaving¡­ Are you? Not after all that. Please, Louis.¡±

    I tucked some hair behind her ear. ¡°I don¡¯t have the last say, remember¡­ You¡¯re other husband gave me an hour. As is, I¡¯m late¡­ Come with me.¡±

    ¡°No! I want to go out. Take me somewhere to eat. At a restaurant¡­ Can one of you just take me on one date?¡± Bright eyes were pleading.

    I was reminded of her words. Not once are we allowed to go into work mode. I forced myself to relax and focus on her. It had taken so much for her to do it¡­ And for me to ask¡­ I was going to take her. She wasn¡¯t just asking but begging. She needed it and I was on Juliet duty. I would let her handle Marcus when we got home. ¡°There is a place in Paris.¡± Her smile was reward enough, and her arms wrapped around me. I closed her in an embrace. ¡°Anything else? Mademoiselle¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been up the Eifel- Tower. Or seen your house.¡±

    ¡°What? Then off to Paris, we go. You got something else from Brylee to wear. You need to look the part.¡±

    More smiles and kisses. ¡°Your hair needs coloring.¡± I ran it through my fingers. ¡°I know a guy.¡±

    She pulled my lips towards hers and pulled away at the last second. A nervous laugh escaped me. Juliet was going to make me go mad¡­ I was glad that she was all there with me.

    Juliet and I spent that day and night in Paris. I had the best time. We walked the streets, shopped, and ate whenever Juliet saw something she wanted to try. Near dusk, we ended up standing in line like an average couple to go up the Eifel Tower. In the crowded elevator, we were huddled in the corner, close together, not talking¡­ Just staring at each other, touching and kissing, taking that time to connect. It was the most normal thing we had done in a long time. The sun was setting as we reached the top. I missed her so much. From behind, I wrapped my arms around her. ¡°I would do anything for two weeks on the boat¡­ And before you ask¡­ Yes, even with you pregnant.¡±

    ¡°You know Marcus asked me.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Yes¡­ He says you¡¯re different. When last did you want¡­ to go? I wasn¡¯t reading you while you were dancing. But even after. It didn¡¯t do anything for you¡­ And it is kind of scary if you don¡¯t want Marcus to make you squirm.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember¡­¡± I kissed her neck, trailing up and down her skin while she was thinking. Juliet¡¯s thoughts drifted to Chris coming to her and¡­ not asking. Taking over and sorting out her and all her problems. My fingers closed around her shoulders. I was failing miserably. I had promised that I would keep them all in line, but it was more complicated than I thought. ¡°Isn¡¯t it helping? Being busy the whole day?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Somewhat¡­ But we don¡¯t get to come back and spend time with our wife. And no, it doesn¡¯t bother me as much as Marcus¡­ Michael is still avoiding you, and Chris is still very weak¡­ So it¡¯s all working out. Don¡¯t worry¡­ I¡¯m just telling you that I miss you, baby.¡±

    ¡°Are we okay, Louis? Are you okay? Is there anything you need or want?¡±

    I let her go and turned her around. My hand ran up her neck and massaged the tight muscles in the nape of her neck. Juliet was always thinking about us. How to make things better and make us happy. ¡°No, Babe¡­ I¡¯m so happy. After the other night with you. And today¡­ It¡¯s good. We¡¯re good.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry I didn¡¯t come and untie you and Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Marcus and I actually bonded. We got to spend some¡­ quality time together.¡±

    Juliet hit my shoulder. I laughed. ¡°You know I would completely freak out ¡­ If the four of you started sleeping together.¡±

    ¡°I know. But let¡¯s be realistic. Marcus nor I would sleep with Michael. I don¡¯t think Chris would ever. Marcus and Chris might if they spent enough time together.¡± I got a fist in my stomach. I stroked her hair. ¡°I would never cheat on you¡­ I know I screw up most of the time¡­ And I am sorry for hurting you¡­ I¡­¡± Juliet reached for my lips and kissed me long and hard. ¡°Come, let¡¯s get out of here. We still have to go walk along the river.¡±

    The following day, I woke up a little disturbed, like Marcus. Juliet was outside on the balcony, taking in the view and having a cigarette. Nothing that happened had helped Juliet with that inner struggle going on. She didn¡¯t want to leave and was thinking of ways to make it happen. There was so much we needed to do. Fahan¡¯s branding had tipped the scales. I needed to get back to The Tower.  ¡°Let¡¯s go have breakfast¡­ Before we leave. There is a bakery, and we can get coffee and pastries.¡± Juliet jumped up at the sound of pastries. I laughed again. That wasn¡¯t so hard. Until I had to drop her off with Chris. She was hesitant to let me go, clinging to me like she always did with him. We had a long goodbye. For the first time, we kissed. I glanced over at him for help. He would need to fill that void for that time. He blinked his eyes slowly.

    When I walked in on En-gannim, Marcus wasn¡¯t even angry. I had Jessy give both him and Chris copies of her two sessions. It was the first time we were sharing anything about our sex lives. I had thought it was time. Marcus smiled as I walked in and lifted a chin at me. Michael eyed us suspiciously. ¡°So, are you going to tell me what happened?¡±

    ¡°We have the coordinates for Ahasuerus¡¯s stash. It¡¯s not somewhere we¡¯ve been before. We checked it on the map, and it¡¯s in another galaxy?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Michael sighed, playing with the pointy end of his beard. ¡°The bad news is¡­ The galaxy is very close to ours. Too close¡­ We got some astrologers and scientists in here¡­ Earth has always thought Andromeda and the Milky Way would collide one day.¡±

    Collide? The word sent my mind racing, nor was I sure where Michael was going with it. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°With our technology, they are almost certain it will happen. Soon¡­ Our arms are almost touching¡­ They will work tirelessly to figure out the aftermath and how long we¡¯re looking at.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± Michael hesitated. I sat on the couches, rubbing my forehead. Both of them came over. I noticed Rana wasn¡¯t there, and they didn¡¯t care if anyone was listening. ¡°Caleb and I know where the army is. Unfortunately, their numbers are more than ours. And they are spread out. That¡¯s why I couldn¡¯t track any of them.¡±

    ¡°How can it be?¡±

    ¡°They had more time to prepare,¡± Marcus said. ¡°I don¡¯t think all of Ahasuerus¡¯s army went with Brylee to Zoreah. We might think they shipped out, but¡­ Now¡­ I think Zoreah was another step in their plan. To see what they were up against¡­Covering all possible outcomes. If they do start to plunder small islands¡­ We will have a hard time. It will last for¡­ years. Especially because they have Palmyra and the Chadari¡­ They have some advantage.¡±

    ¡°When Caleb and I were there¡­ The scientist was already planning to come here to use that massive teleporter.¡±

    ¡°They are going for the vault ¡­ It makes more sense¡­ ¡± Michael bobbed his head. ¡°So now we¡¯re in a race?¡±

    ¡°If Fahan allows it. They haven¡¯t approached him yet, but Caleb and I can¡¯t keep waiting there. We can¡¯t surveil from there. It would be pointless. He can¡¯t keep following Rana and her mother. We can¡¯t send him to do all the work... I don¡¯t want to put him in too many dangerous situations. Our luck will run out some or other time.¡± Marcus commented. I felt the same way. Marcus didn¡¯t want to use Juliet because she was pregnant. And Caleb was supposed to help for a few days. Not indefinitely. My good day had just turned into a nightmare. War? Years and years of fighting.

    ¡°The problem is we will need to split up. Ira and Silvanus are already in the city¡­ They left today for good. We can¡¯t count on them for a whole year.¡± Marcus continued. ¡°Louis¡­ Juliet and Chris are on Earth. She is safe there. If Michael goes to this planet. It leaves you and me¡­ I don¡¯t want to miss the pregnancy, let alone the birth.¡±

    ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°The first thing they will do is try and destroy our ability to teleport¡­ I don¡¯t know what will happen if they succeed... Or how the vamps fought wars before we could teleport. My grandfather has hidden a lot of information from us¡­ But if we don¡¯t preempt this¡­.¡±

    ¡°You want to cut off the ability altogether. Make both sides equal? That will give us some time¡­ But what will we do? There will be no traveling. No teleporting on Earth. Not see each other unless Michael is close¡­ Not to mention Earth. The planet is better and healing¡­ They are almost dependent on the quick get-around and just started accepting us again. If it¡¯s years, all our progress will be lost.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the worst,¡± Michael said. ¡°We do not know how to put it on again. Ahasuerus made sure of that. If we wait and see what they will do, and they do decide to put our future in Fahan¡¯s hands¡­ We¡¯re screwed.¡±

    Marcus¡¯s shoulders fell, his hands clasped. ¡°We need to be here.¡±

    ***

    Fahan

    Since Chris had come to see me, I had been preoccupied, thinking about everything and how to go forward from there. I had no choice but to meet with Marcus after all. It did not seem they wanted me dead. Resolved that we were the inhabitants of the planet. I could not think about Aries and not get angry¡­ At myself.

    ¡°Fahan.¡± I looked up at Dimitrios. Jade behind him. The two of them together were never an issue for me¡­ Until she had turned away from me. But she was looking at me.

    ¡°What?¡± I kept my eyes on my mate.

    ¡°The scientist has a proposition.¡±

    I listened with interest. My way out of that mess had presented itself. Aligning with Avrio¡¯s son. It might turn around and come back at us.

    ¡°Has this son answered?¡±

    ¡°He has. They say they are launching their attack.¡±

    ¡°Will he meet with me?¡±

    ¡°He is on his way¡­ Tomorrow. He needs time to get out¡­ There is another thing¡­.¡±

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°One of the men wants to go to En-gannim and do the work from there. He says it will take half the time with only one man there¡­ We can get to Earth sooner than we think. If you will allow it.¡±

    My eyes drifted up to Jade¡¯s. ¡°Give me a minute with my mate.¡±

    Dimitrios left, and we were alone. I would do it¡­ If she would just speak to me. ¡°Come sit with me.¡± I saw the hesitation in her manner. I hated that her manner was so cold. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± I asked as she sat down.

    ¡°I want my son.¡± Jade¡¯s voice rose desperately.

    I lifted my hand slowly to take hers. ¡°If you ever do that again. I will kill you. And I will destroy this whole planet you put above your son and me.¡±

    We did laugh. And she could hear the familiar sound in my breast. ¡°I am not playing with you, Fahan.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ I am laughing because¡­ you would be able to kill me¡­ I know that, too¡­ But¡­ I can not ask for forgiveness.¡± Her nails dug into the wrist she was gripping. ¡°How are you feeling? Are you well?¡±

    She bobbed her head, letting go of me. I grabbed her and pulled her down to the chair she had been sitting on. ¡°Jade¡­.¡± I whispered.

    ¡°I am so angry. You treated me like I was some replaceable rock. One you could order around. At my weakest, when I could do nothing. That was never how we were.¡±

    ¡°You are not replaceable¡­ You know how I care for you. And if you are by my side¡­ I promise you¡­ We will get him back.¡±

    ¡°You promised me when you branded me that it would solve all our problems. I could not do anything without you. I waited¡­ So we could make that decision together!¡±

    ¡°I know. All I thought about was Aries at that moment.¡±

    ¡°If you promise me again. You have to hold true to your word¡­ Not years from now, Fahan. I want to share his days as a youngling.¡±

    I agreed, pulling her a little closer. ¡°Aries, and you are my first and only thought.¡± I was lying¡­ I knew. Chris¡¯s words had forced me to face the truth again, but I needed her. I couldn¡¯t contend with her anger. She needed to trust me. And I needed her not to do something behind my back. Jade was now the most precious thing on that planet. If she was killed, we would die out anyway. ¡°Do not let this one mistake I made ruin us.¡± I meant it. I did care deeply for her. I lowered my face to hers. The pull around my lips told her that I wanted her.

    ¡°I can not. Not yet. When he is back. I will be back.¡± She turned away from me¡­ again.

 Lets Go

    175. Let''s Go

    Juliet

    It was hard saying goodbye to Louis after we had spent two days together. I wouldn¡¯t have let him go if Chris didn¡¯t say something. I was still trying to figure out how to get Louis to stay.

    ¡°Juliet¡­ I figured out something while you guys were gone.¡± I kissed Louis again and lingered, holding his face hostage. ¡°I have been reading.¡± I knew Louis had to get back to En-gannim. ¡°It¡¯s about getting my abilities back.¡± I lowered my head, shaking it from side to side. They were tag-teaming me¡­ Like, I didn¡¯t see Louis imploring Chris for help¡­ I was okay with it. I wasn¡¯t going to be alone. I kissed Louis one last time, and he indulged me with a deep kiss and a groan. I was thinking about our first kiss. How he clung to my chains and how it made me feel. ¡°You¡¯re going to make me stay.¡± Louis¡¯s voice was low on my lips.

    ¡°Go¡­ before I change my mind.¡± Slowly, Louis stepped back, letting go of my hand as he walked away.

    I turned around to Chris. ¡°What has you so animated?¡±

    ¡°I went to talk to Beatrice.¡±

    ¡°Chris¡­¡±

    He patted the bed. ¡°I have to get better. I want my dance.¡±

    I snorted. ¡°You know¡­ If a dance made you all act like this, I would¡¯ve started practicing earlier.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know us at all.¡± He pointed to the room. ¡°You should¡¯ve known it would be Marcus¡¯s one weakness.¡± I chuckled and blushed, thinking about how Marcus lost control. ¡°Our swatches¡­ I asked Beatrice about it. When Maya just started looking after Caleb, it was all she did¡­ Ira didn¡¯t want me to know too much, so she never brought it up again.¡±

    Exhausted, I fell down on the bed. I was going to close my eyes for a few minutes. ¡°Have you never wondered how or why they act supernaturally?¡± Chris went on.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Well, I did. The over ¡°space and time¡± comment she made had me wondering about it for some time now. We never got around to grilling her for answers.¡±

    Chris tapped me on the shoulder. I opened one eye. He nudged me over. I scooted closer and lay my head on his chest. Chris¡¯s fingers gently raked through my hair. ¡°It¡¯s the stones they use at the tips of the embossing pens.¡±

    ¡°Embossing?¡±

    ¡°If you were a normal girl, you would have known what embossing means.¡±

    I lifted my eyes and gave him a quick kiss. ¡°No pecking¡­ Anyway¡­ the stones come from Palmyra.¡±

    I sat up. ¡°What?¡±

    He pushed my head down on his chest. ¡°Beatrice told me that if I go back in time, I will be able to get my powers back.¡±

    I wanted to sit up, but Chris kept me in place. I chuckled again. ¡°So if you could choose¡­ where should I go.¡±

    ¡°If you find me¡­ kill me.¡±

    ¡°Juliet, I¡¯m serious.¡±

    ¡°Really, Chris. Back in time? I can¡¯t even think about that! Not now. Let alone all the implications of something so monumental¡­ If it was for real.¡±

    Chris pushed me over and got on top of me. He lowered his lips onto mine. ¡°I don¡¯t have the energy,¡± I said softly. Chris¡¯s fingers dug into my sides. They ran to just the right spots. I squirmed for my life, begging, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ stop¡­ please.¡± He wasn¡¯t letting up. ¡°Fine!¡± Chris¡¯s ceased his tickling. His hands found other ways to keep themselves busy. ¡°I want you to go back to the night we slept together in the car. Take me out of the garden and kidnap me. First, dismantle all the watcher feed, and we can disappear.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡± He said slowly, and his eyes darted over my face. ¡°That is not what I thought you would say. Louis would find us in about two minutes. Michael and Marcus will not stop until they know where you are. What would be different?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s to say, if the timeline doesn¡¯t change. Or that I¡¯m still your Juliet. Maybe you go back, and none of us know each other¡­ And I¡­ am some human girl working in a coffee shop.¡±

    ¡°Can you be serious for one second?¡±

    ¡°If you kiss me¡­ I¡¯ll think while your tongue is in my mouth.¡± His eyes went to my lips, and he hovered over me. He did what I asked. I could feel movement. He was pulsating. Eventually, he was hard and grinding against me. I looked down at our mingled pelvises. ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Do you know everything that¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I receive detailed reports. The highlights are bullet-pointed¡­ How was my show?¡±

    Chris laughed and rolled off me. ¡°I¡¯m going to fire Jessy.¡±

    ¡°You can try¡­ But no¡­ If I had to be serious. I would choose the day before I met Marcus in the bookstore. Cut the feed and take me away after explaining everything to my father. Raise me¡­¡±

    Chris put his hand over my mouth¡­ ¡°If you call me daddy, I might walk out of that door and never come back.¡±

    I shook off his hand and straddled him. ¡°Oh please, daddy¡­.¡± I kept shaking my head in that porn star way. ¡°I want to cum, daddy. Spank me, daddy.¡±

    Chris covered his ears. ¡°Stop. Please.¡± I was happy to see him better already. ¡°Why do you want to be alone with me? You really want to cut out everyone?¡± He tried to say between laughs that didn¡¯t want to subside.

    My hands strayed, and I cupped him. ¡°You were always the male lead in this story. And I love you.¡± Chris¡¯s laughter stopped abruptly. ¡°You don¡¯t say?¡± He pulled his lips in an upside-down smile. ¡°I thought it was Louis?¡±

    ¡°In my story, the girl ends up with the second male lead¡­ And you know what¡­ You could go, get your powers, and come back. If it is across space and time¡­ You¡¯ll be able to come and go as you please.¡±

    ¡°That would be a little overpowered for even a male lead.¡±

    I cupped even harder, applying unwanted force. ¡°That is the only option I would consider. What about my children? Nothing would make me want Caleb to vanish into thin air.¡±

    ¡°Your children?¡± He smiled, not at all deterred about my rough handling. Chris was becoming even harder. ¡°I won¡¯t be that stupid. I do love our kids. Even if I seem indifferent to Sammy.¡± He rolled me over and straddled me. His hand strayed into my pants. ¡°But for now¡­.¡± He pushed my legs open and took deep dips between my thighs. ¡°He needs attention.¡±

    ¡°A little movement isn¡¯t enough¡­ It¡¯s all in the follow-through.¡±

    Chris laughed. ¡°Should I pull down my pants and show you how ready I am to¡­ follow through. He¡¯ll even dance for you. You can have a cock dance?¡±

    I laughed out loud.

    Chris¡¯s hand reached out for the glass plate on the nightstand. ¡°Read this and tell me what you think¡­ While you were in Paris¡­ And your hair looks great, by the way¡­ I had to go into the library that Soren had been working on. He had not even gotten through half a quarter.¡±

    I took the plate. It was full of images, markings, and writings. ¡°What text is this?¡±

    ¡°Ancient Werewolf writings.¡±

    ¡°How did you translate it?¡±

    ¡°Ahasuerus didn¡¯t take everything.¡±

    ¡°No way? This is so cool. Look¡­ even the cover is the same as some swatch symbols.¡±

    ¡°That was what I looked for.¡±

    ¡°Not bad, Mr. Rheed.¡±

    He slid off me and held the plate up so we could read together. It was quiet for a while.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even asked me where I would want to go. Or what I would do when I go back.¡± I stiffened next to him. I didn¡¯t want to know. Scared of the answer. ¡°Juliet¡­ That night in the garden¡­ If Louis came just twenty minutes earlier¡­ What would¡¯ve happened?¡±

    I wanted to push up on my elbow to answer him. The door opened, and Louis was back. Chris and I stared at him. The look he had before he left was gone. Somber Louis was back. Two more figures appeared and walked through after him. I glanced at Chris. He took my hand, and I knew we were in for a ride. Michael closed the door behind him.

    Marcus told us everything that had happened.

    It was never my intention to start a war. It was only a possibility. All I wanted was my child and my husband. En-gannim was a stepping stone. I thought about just walking away¡­ Letting them have it. If they wanted it so badly¡­ I thought we could all live on Earth. But that would mean that the new leaders on En-gannim and the generals on Earth would have to work together. We would have no idea what they would do with the humans or us. The worst would be if they enslaved all of them.

    Packing up and moving to Zoreah was an option. My army was already in the city¡­ Helping them populate. We would all be together and safe. We would have to evacuate our loved ones anyway. Leaving my mom somewhere undefended. It wasn¡¯t an option. Agatha and Marcus¡¯s grandmother were still out there. I didn¡¯t want to interfere. The three of them were seated on chairs, looking at Chris and me on the bed. Everyone was waiting to hear what we would say.

    We would be throwing all we accomplished in the water. All Palmyra¡¯s books. I did see the Earth as one of my homes. But¡­ I didn¡¯t necessarily trust them with the secrets to the universe. Giving humans the power might be worse. If the answers to restoring Chris¡¯s powers were there¡­ We couldn¡¯t. It had taken us a weeks to empty the libraries and travel it all.

    The other problem was the teleporting ability; we had no idea how to move. Michael was going to some planet we knew nothing about. We didn¡¯t even know where the vault was hidden. How long would it take him to find it?

    I fixed my gaze on Marcus. ¡°I gave you that emblem for a reason. I¡¯m not making this decision. What do I know of war? You¡¯re the general.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about making one decision, Julie. You need to tell me what you want. This is a family discussion.¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    It would be our first one, sitting down together and deciding. ¡°Then you four go first and tell me what you want.¡±

    My eyes traveled over to Michael, wanting to hear what he would say. I needed to hear anything from him¡­ He was going to need to take a lot of risks. Michael sat with his hands under his armpits, propped back in the chair. At least he was looking at me. We all waited.

    ¡°I want to fight.¡± Is all he said. His eyes were cold, and the tone in his voice was still flat and emotionless. It was strange seeing Michael like that.

    My gaze drifted to Louis. His eyes were down on the floor, not looking at anyone. We had spent the previous night together as a couple. It would mean more time apart. We were waiting for him to say something. Louis knew what we were all thinking. He would have all the information already cataloged.

    Me { Baby¡­ It¡¯s only you and me in the room. What do you want to do? I¡¯ll back you no matter what. Do you want to take me and leave? }

    Louis shook his head, and two blue oceans met in the middle. ¡°You know I would never. But thanks for asking¡­ I want to fight.¡±

    I drew in a breath, slowly exhaling. I wasn¡¯t expecting it. I considered his answer for a while. Finally, I looked over at Marcus. We all did and waited.

    ¡°I want to run.¡±

    I turned a little to meet Chris¡¯s sensitive brown eyes. Our hands were still fixed together. ¡°I think I know until when I should wait.¡± I shook my head slightly. I didn¡¯t want him to tell them all what he had learned.

    ¡°I want to run. I can¡¯t come to you, Juliet¡­ We can wait it out. There would be no point in staying, from my perspective. They would never dream of invading Zoreah. You give back the child, and all will be well.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to get drunk.¡±

    Chris stroked my cheek. ¡°It will only be until we know how to challenge them. I can¡¯t protect you¡­ It will drive me mad.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t know without the books.¡± It was quiet in the room. Chris and I were on a whole other level. Our own little world. ¡°We don¡¯t have time to negotiate. Can you be serious for one second?¡±

    Chris gave me a genuine smile. ¡°Fine¡­ we have no time to try anything or figure out something like we always did. There would be no lucky avenue presenting itself. Caleb is in danger if you don¡¯t give back, Aries. And¡­¡± He tapped me on the nose. ¡°You created nets and bondages... Fahan has swords¡­ We all know what you¡¯re going to say. So say it.¡±

    ¡°I want to fight.¡± I was breaking the tie. Chris leaned in. ¡°Now I have my answer.¡±

    My shoulders slumped, and I leaned into Chris¡¯s hand. ¡°Does it change anything?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    As soon as Louis answered, he had two votes and knew which way it would go. My eyes met Louis¡¯s again. { You want to change your mind? } Louis shook his head. { I love you, and I still can¡¯t get you out of my system } Louis¡¯s eyes were fixed on me. I was thinking about that night and wished again that he had followed me. The answer Chris wanted to hear. How twenty minutes changed all our lives. I was going with him on this. We all knew who had the power anyway. And it was him. He had me, and there was nothing for it.

    ¡°Before we jump into action. I need to talk to Marcus¡­ Alone.¡± I dropped my legs off the bed, and he followed me out. I took his hand, and he laced our fingers. I led him down the lane of trees. ¡°I have to talk to Michael. I can¡¯t take it anymore.¡±

    Marcus stopped dead in his tracks. ¡°Immediately, no!¡± I implored with my eyes. ¡°What do you mean, Julie?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the time or place, but if I don¡¯t do it now¡­ I might never have a chance. And after, he might open up.¡±

    ¡°I thought you wanted to wait till after the pregnancy. Protect our child.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m more than four months. I¡¯ll be showing soon¡­ If it¡¯s not today¡­ Then it¡¯s only in eight months¡­ Or till he gets back¡­ If everything works out. The war will go on for years¡­ I did want to wait because I wanted the two of us to get married for real. But now it¡¯s more¡­.¡±

    ¡°Seeing where you two are at¡­ This has been going on for a long time, Julie. Can¡¯t it wait? He¡¯s not going anywhere. This might give him the time he needs.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to take that chance? He¡¯s unhinged. Almost breaking. We would count on a soldier with PTSD and is all three. Just waiting to snap. There will be no whipping him into submission if one of us dies. And even if he didn¡¯t mean it. Could we really blame him¡­ Are we going to leave him to prove himself to us? Like you all want to do¡­ Will his test be somewhere in the near future? When Caleb¡¯s life is on the line?¡±

    ¡°Michael is a lot of things¡­ But he¡¯s not that far gone.¡±

    ¡°Would you have trusted him if he was anyone else?¡±

    ¡°Maybe not¡­ You want to push again. Has my father¡¯s death not taught us anything? If you know, he is our weakness¡­ Then, rather keep him close but have control¡­ Help him through it, rather than pressing him into a corner¡­ Michael asked you to give him space to come and speak to you. Like you said. It¡¯s not the time or place. A lap dance will not solve all your problems.¡±

    I pinched the bridge of my nose and took raggedy breaths. That was precisely what I had been hoping for. Marcus pulled my hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t. Just let it out. Stop bottling up everything¡­¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t say it.¡± Marcus closed his mouth. He was going to say that I was not mature enough to handle them. I knew I wasn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m trying¡­ Why didn¡¯t you want to fight? Is it because of the baby?¡±

    Marcus turned when we heard the gravel under boot soles. Neither of us had seen Michael or knew how much he had heard. That day, his hair was loose, hanging over both of his shoulders, almost touching his pecks. He didn¡¯t look at either of us.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you two a minute,¡± Marcus said. He walked up to me and took my face in his hands, pulling me in and kissing me. He sighed when I didn¡¯t respond like I should have. He bobbed his head. ¡°It¡¯s not me, is it?¡± Marcus stepped back. He turned to Michael, and the two predators stared at each other. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her. Not like that.¡± Michael scoffed and turned away from him. Marcus pulled him around. ¡°I¡¯m serious. No one will hurt her again! That¡¯s what you said¡­ be careful.¡± Michael¡¯s shoulders fell, and he closed his eyes slowly.

    We stood in silence. Michael was moving around, kicking at stones and grabbing his hair behind his head, only to let it go again. ¡°Juliet! Tell me why you are talking to Marcus about my dance?¡±

    My faculties went into defensive mode at the clipped tone in his voice. ¡°I asked him¡­ to help me,¡± I said nervously. Michael bit his bottom lip between his teeth and let out a slow cuss word. ¡°You said I should practice.¡± Eyes closed, his head tilted away from me. The next moment, he swung around, and his fist hit a tree. It irritated me immediately. Why did he have to get violent? Why was he so inflexible. My snarky side bubbled up. ¡°So much for taking time to calm down¡­ You¡¯re avoiding the inevitable, honey.¡±

    He turned and pointed a finger at me. ¡°I told you to go take lessons¡­ From a woman¡­ Take a few pole dancing sessions at a cardio studio¡­ Not from your other husband¡­ It was mine¡­.¡± He pressed his finger into his chest. ¡°I asked for it¡­ And you took it from me.¡±

    I snorted and laughed at the same time. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right. I don¡¯t think you know how a harem works. Isn¡¯t that what you told me¡­ And whether I sleep with him in a bed. Or take him down into the tunnels to help me with music choice and my outfit¡­ What¡¯s the difference?¡±

    Michael glared at me. He paused and lifted his torso. The six-foot-three towered over me. His finger started moving up and down like a teacher in a grade school class with no patience. ¡°That¡¯s what they were talking about¡­.¡± The offending finger waved all over the place. ¡°Marcus and Louis¡­ So not only has all of them had a dance before me, but it doesn¡¯t seem that you care.¡±

    I was almost in tears before he came over. At that moment, I felt like bawling. Nothing I did was ever good enough for him. The hole in my stomach that Michael created twisted and turned from all the stress. The emotional toll I was under because of him¡­ I took a deep breath. I didn¡¯t want to invalidate his feelings. I had not even considered how Michael would take it. His jealousy was new. Marcus was supposed to give me input. I couldn¡¯t help what happened afterward. Or that Louis had my footage floating around. I reached out a hand. Michael slapped it away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. Didn¡¯t you hear your husband tell me to behave? We get to do so little as a couple, and you couldn¡¯t even ask me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Michael.¡± I walked past him. Not ready for him to hurt me again. Done with the conversation.

    ¡°Where are you going? Take me! I want to see it!¡±

    I thought about going down into those tunnels with him. Red flags were flapping at me. My gut told me not to.

    ¡°Now! Juliet!¡±

    I jumped at the pitch in his voice and turned on my heels. He grabbed my wrist and pulled at me. ¡°I¡¯m sick of walking everywhere.¡±

    He placed his hands on my hips. His fingers were soft and gentle, squeezing the exposed flesh. He rubbed my sides with his thumbs, slowly pulling me closer. I wrapped my hands around his neck, and he traveled us. ¡°Further down.¡± He traveled again. It really was just a round tunnel, creating a way through the whole compound. I stopped in front of the room I had chosen, swallowing hard. Michael pushed past me and grabbed the handle. His eyes roamed the room, taking a moment. And I guessed, judging me. Michael¡¯s index finger pointed and rubbed underneath his nose. Agitated, he said, ¡°What did you do, and what did Marcus do?¡±

    I walked over to the curtain to take off my original outfit. ¡°This is what I wanted to wear. He didn¡¯t like it.¡­.¡± I dropped the dress on the stage. ¡°I chose strip club music, and he didn¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°And!¡±

    ¡°He put my favorite music on and told me to choose something that I would like to wear, and I chose this.¡± I yanked the hanger of the railing. The delicate material snagged on a buckle in one of the other garments and tore. Michael came closer. My hand was shaking, trying to untangle the mess. His fingers rubbed the fabric, and he gently took it from me. ¡°This is what you chose?¡± He held it up.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like it¡­ I knew it¡­ You would have wanted me in that.¡± I pointed to the black leather crumpled up. It was pretty. A tight little number with mesh on the sides that pushed up my breasts. A lot of straps around my shoulders and neck. Michael did like the biker vibe. It didn¡¯t matter. My poncho slash dress was ruined. It was so beautiful¡­ Just like that white dress I had on that night with Chris. My head was pounding. When I cried, it always shot up through my skull.

    ¡°What else?¡±

    I swiped at my eyes.

    ¡°Marcus suggested the chains¡­ If you would like it, of course¡­ After everything, it was only an option.¡±

    Michael sat down on the stage, knees high off the ground, playing with the ripped material in his hand. If he had still been the old Michael, he probably would¡¯ve tried to fix it for me. He bent down and ran his hand over the carpet. ¡°You did all of this?¡±

    ¡°Y¡­es¡­¡±

    ¡°The lights? The stage? The chair? The pole?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Michael let out a chuckle, lifted his head in the air, and kept laughing. ¡°What?¡± My tears were gone. Insecurities took their place. He was laughing at me.

    He shook his head and ran one hand¡¯s finger over his eyes, rubbing at his brow. I took a step forward. ¡°I am really sorry. I wanted you to enjoy it¡­.¡± I dared to reach out my hand and touch his shoulder. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me onto his lap. He had stretched out his legs, so I had a place to land. He pushed one arm under my knees and got up.

    I wrapped my arms around his furry neck. The next moment, we were on En-gannim in a field so vast that I couldn¡¯t see the borders. Michael stepped into a small building where we landed. I followed and looked around his shoulder to see what he was doing. Not afraid anymore. ¡°Coordinates? A trip?¡± I asked excitedly.

    He snorted and picked up a glass plate mounted on the wall. It looked different. Michael turned to me. His eyes sparkled. My mouth responded, and the corners lifted. Marcus was right¡­ He was still in there somewhere. We stood there fixed on each other. Michael bent down and kissed me quickly. He grabbed my hand and pulled me out until we were standing somewhere in the middle of the field. ¡°Can you stop yanking me around?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± He pressed some buttons. A loud rumble made the Earth move. I laced my fingers in his, standing closer. Patches in the grass slowly opened. Massive pillars drove up into the sky. I stood even closer and wrapped my arms around his waist. Michael picked me up in one swoop. Even one of his arms held so much power. ¡°Hold on, honey.¡± He pressed me against him.

    My face was buried in the hair of his neck. I took a deep breath¡­ All I smelled was him. His chin turned towards me, and he let out a groan. I watched his fat paw pads trying to push the launch button. His groan turned into a growl. ¡°Help me.¡± He roared softly.

    I chuckled. ¡°Say, please.¡± Michael turned his head, snapping and chomping his white teethy rows at me.

    I licked my lips, biting the bottom one for effect. ¡°When you¡¯re behind me¡­ Yes, please.¡± I challenged in a sultry tone. Michael¡¯s nails dug into me. ¡°Right here in my neck.¡± I bit down on the muscle covered with hair as hard as I could. Michael laughed as I tried to get the strands out of my mouth, spitting and gagging. ¡°You can be glad I love you. You are so stupid.¡± He whispered.

    As he said the words ¡°I love you.¡± I slowly took the last hair out of my mouth. The love you had stabbed right underneath my rib, straight into my heart. My tense stomach turned into butterflies, and I melted into him. I leaned over and pressed the button. I didn¡¯t care where we were going or that it was somewhere neither of us knew.

    When our feet were on solid ground, he was back to human, and his lips were on mine, tongue in my mouth and moving. Arms around me, hand on my ass, clenching and fondling. Hands everywhere, pushing me into him. I was trembling, knowing what I had been waiting for. I pressed myself into his chest, letting his hand run down between my thighs from behind, cupping me and squeezing. I was fisting his shirt and moaning. I knew who I needed release from. Who I was desperate to connect with.

    ¡°Excuse me!¡±

    We were both startled and spun around. ¡°Charlene!¡± She almost ran me over, flinging her arms around me, making us topple over. We landed on the ground with her on top of me. I hugged her so hard. ¡°That was hot!¡±

    ¡°Michael seems reserved¡­ But in the bedroom, he¡¯s really not¡­ Why have you not come back yet?¡±

    ¡°Romero and I slept together. I can¡¯t ever leave. I¡¯m stuck to him. Supernaturally.¡±

    We both burst out laughing.

 La BohÃ¨me

    176. La Boh¨¨me

    Romero

    ¡°Where are we?¡± Juliet asked when she stretched out her arm towards the man with her. Charlene slapped his hand away, manifested, and easily pulled Juliet up, sending her high off the ground.

    Juliet squealed and giggled. ¡°Noice.¡± ¡°I must say it will take a while to get used to all you are.¡±

    ¡°Yeah? Try being¡­ that.¡± The man mumbled. He was the Ittoqure. The markings covering him from head to toe didn¡¯t bother me. His size was a concern. If he was that big human¡­ What bothered me more was his attitude.

    Charlene and Juliet arched an eyebrow, feeling my concern. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re having problems? Well, you¡¯ve come to the right place.¡± Charlene turned and pointed a hand at me. ¡°Michael, Romero. Romero, Michael.¡±

    The man walked over, stretching out his hand towards me. I glanced down and back up at him. Min¨¦ had done the same thing. The corner of his mouth quirked. He held out his hand to Charlene. They clasped hands and shook. Michael tried again. I would have to learn their customs if I wanted to understand them. ¡°Tighter. Firmer.¡± Michael prompted. He closed his fingers around my palm. I reciprocated. ¡°Yeah. Just like that.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± I remembered my father greeting Charlene in that way.

    ¡°Come on, Michael, let¡¯s race and see who can do it the fastest.¡±

    Michael rolled his eyes. ¡°Is this what my life has become.¡±

    ¡°Please¡­ Please.¡± Charlene put her hands together and moved them up and down.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Michael said.

    It was strange. The most powerful man in the universe was indulging a child. Maybe there was hope for us yet. Juliet came to stand next to me and slightly moved in half behind my person. She seemed worried about something. It dawned on me. I had forgotten that she was pregnant. I stretched out my arm, took one step back, and pushed her with me. Then, the idea I have been entertaining hit me again. Charlene might be pregnant already. Only the thought of a child, our child, brought up more feelings I did not know what to do with. Nerves. Excitement¡­ They went at it, changing from a Riphath to a Werewolf to a Vampire and back again. It was too hard to take in his fully grown Riphath form. They did it a few times. Charlene was slow. ¡°Man, how do you do it? I¡¯m at least three behind you.¡± She complained.

    He shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re lazy.¡± It was what I was thinking. Charlene was lazy¡­ because she was there with me and had nothing to fight for. It would be hard to rouse her to do anything.  All the species were so very different, and that is why the Ittoqures were so dangerous. It was too much going on in one person. Michael pulled Charlene in for a hug. It surprised me. He was displaying tenderness. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡­ Where are we?¡± Michael asked. All three of them surveyed the room. The fountain was bubbling next to us.

    ¡°This is like a common hall area. Bathhouse. Library.¡± Charlene walked around and pointed in different directions.

    ¡°It¡¯s stunning. Is the whole place like this.¡± Michael commented and went over to the white-barked trees growing down the corridor. He ran his hand over some of the branches, feeling the smooth surface. His gaze traveled upwards. ¡°Is this real?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s all beautiful¡­ And strange. No leaves on these trees¡­ Why are you here? Where is everybody else?¡±

    Michael and Juliet shared a glance and a smile. ¡°We ran away,¡± Juliet whispered. Michael¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°But no, really. We¡¯re here for Ahasuerus¡¯s vault. And the sooner, the better.¡±

    Michael looked at me. I glanced at the fountain. He followed my gaze. ¡°That easy?¡± Michael suggested.

    I approached the structure and pulled a lever hidden inside the well. Walls rose from the bottom with a slight rumble and cordoned off the water, revealing steps that led down into a small room. It was where the village kept all the most important things. One by one, we took the steps into the underground bunker. There was a large wooden box on the floor. I pointed to it. Michael and Juliet shared a glance and rushed over. He lifted the lid. I stepped closer. A simple piece of paper. Juliet lifted it and read it out loud.

    Dear Juliet

    If you are here. I probably died.

    I didn¡¯t give you enough credit if you made it this far.

    I am not so against you taking over anymore.

    After the last time, you were on Zoreah. I had only pride

    for the life partner Marcus had chosen. A bounded thread is always stronger than one strand.

    That morning in Lucius¡¯s garden,

    I saw a worthy opponent.

    But you will have to keep fighting for it.

    Good luck.

    Take care of him.

    Juliet wiped away a tear and flipped the paper around. There was one word on it. ¡°Iku.¡± Juliet turned, and they all looked at me. I didn¡¯t know what my father had done. He only told me of the hidden box. ¡°What does it mean, Romero?¡± Charlene asked.

    My jaw flexed. ¡°Death.¡±

    ¡°But that gives us no way of knowing where it is. We need it. Like yesterday.¡± Michael stated.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a word¡­ It¡¯s a place.¡± My gaze traveled to Charlene. ¡°Remember that guardian you feared would come out of the chasm.¡±

    ¡°No! Where, though?¡±

    ¡°On the other side of the planet. You and I haven¡¯t traveled that far¡­ It¡¯s at least two days and nights in the pods. And¡­ then a longer journey than what we went through.¡±

    ¡°Is the journey as bad as the one we were on?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°No¡­ It is just a lot of walking. There are no tunnels there. For obvious reasons. And then that thing at the end.¡± I turned around towards the guard. He was the one who had come to tell us two people were kissing at the fountain. They had appeared out of nowhere. Charlene and I rushed over. She was hoping it would be them.

    ¡°I need an audience with my parents.¡± The man fell on his knee and got up quickly.

    ¡°Come with me. It is almost dinner time. We can join my parents tonight. You can tell us everything.¡± I studied Juliet up and down. She had on pants. Loose-fitting ugly greenish color pants. A large girdle that kept them in place. It did not match the pants at all. A tight white crop top. Over it, an oversized shirt rolled up to her elbows, hanging almost off her shoulders. Her shoes were black and with thick soles.

    She followed my gaze down her person and glanced up at Michael. ¡°I thought I looked good?¡±

    ¡°Oh, honey. Should I show you how good you look?¡±

    ¡°You look like a man.¡± I retorted. The three of them had a burst of laughter. I walked over to the wall on the other side of the room and pulled on a cord. Charlene offered them some water while we waited. Miriam did not take long. Our way of walking was slower. The women had a way of carrying themselves. They moved elegantly. I introduced them to Miriam, who scrutinized Juliet and pursed her lips. ¡°Take these two away. And dress her as the Queen of En-gannim.¡±

    Miriam¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°You?¡±

    Juliet¡¯s hands were in her pockets. Her feet were planted wide apart. ¡°Yeah, me.¡± She pushed her pelvis out, rocking from her ball to her heel. Miriam smiled. The three women left. I would give Michael something else to wear, too. Take a bath while the kitchen prepared for the dinner guests.

    Michael was relaxing in the hot water. We were both in separate tubs built from the metal we sourced for all our buildings. The baths were lined with material for comfort. ¡°How are you doing? You and Charlene are the only Ittoqure alive. It can not be easy¡­ Thrust into a new way of life so suddenly.¡±

    Michael submerged in the water and came up again, draining the water out of his hair. ¡°You have regret.¡± I ventured. ¡°Are you angry at Juliet? For what she asked you to do.¡±

    ¡°Ittoqure?¡±

    ¡°Earth was once filled with you. When they started traveling across the galaxies, we killed them all off... You can understand why.¡±

    He nodded, smearing the soap over his arms. ¡°How do I deal with it? You don¡¯t have some magic pill to make all the demons disappear.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ But it is elementary¡­ You embrace it and stop fighting it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill her if I do.¡± Out from underneath eyelashes, Michael ventured to look at me.

    The side of my mouth quirked up. ¡°I do not think you will. If you keep fighting it¡­ Then you might end up doing it in your sleep.¡± My smile broadened.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Charlene is the total opposite of you. She just¡­ does what she feels is right. It was easy for her to focus on what she wanted. Her urges and impulses kicked in¡­ because she embraced them. She wanted it¡­ Just because you did not know what you would become. Does not mean something is wrong with you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy, letting go. Asking Juliet to deal with my demons.¡±

    ¡°Is everyone on Earth like that? Charlene has a hard time calming down and just being still.¡±

    ¡°Most of us, yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what brings about these fits of rage?¡±

    Michael nodded.

    ¡°You can teleport. So¡­ when you feel yourself going down a path you do not want to be on¡­ What are your options?¡±

    ¡°You take a different road,¡± Michael whispered.

    ¡°Yes¡­ And you have the ability to. Use what you have. If you are a dog. You know you will submit under her¡­ If you are a Vampire and the lust and the greed want to take over¡­ Eat and kill. I hear humans kind of help in that regard... Maybe something to do with your origins¡­ Taking out the competition.¡±

    Michael¡¯s eyes were moving all over the room.  ¡°And when I feel nothing¡­ Get a beating?¡±

    I laughed lightly. ¡°Yes, Riphath¡¯s apathy is deadly. We had thought they would have died out already. Especially after the vamps push them out of their origin city¡­ The only reason they were fighting was for the children. Their predisposition for their offspring is strong¡­ And procreation.¡±

    ¡°So once I have a child, what would it be?¡±

    ¡°All three.¡±

    Michael smiled.

    ¡°You want a family, don¡¯t you¡­ Is the child yours?¡±

    He slowly shook his head.

    ¡°Maybe that is why you are so angry. Ittoqure were never meant for harems. The couples were already powerful enough as two. Thank the stars¡­ And, of course. Species are not supposed to mix.¡±

    I lay back against the bath and stretched my arm toward him, opening my hand for him to take it. Michael glanced at it and then at me. I closed my eyes. I felt the pressure of a calloused hand in mine. I let my golden veins flow over him. Let my shadow free to enclose him. I slightly lifted an eyelid to peek at him. His eyes were closed, taking in the sensations.

    ¡°That is what you are working towards. Follow that path. You will get there.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure I won¡¯t hurt her.¡±

    ¡°Juliet does not seem like a coward¡­ Or scared of demons¡­ Even if you do¡­ Will it be that bad? Worse than it is now? There is no running from you playing rough. Michael, you can never go back. If you push away from her, it will only get harder. You will resent her more and more.¡±

    ¡°Why do I? Resent her at all. All I feel is contempt, which disappears as soon as it comes. It¡¯s making me insane.¡± Michael ran his fingers through the water. He was thinking about something.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    I took in a heavy breath. ¡°Come, I am done. The dinner will be soon.¡±

    ***

    The two of us waited for the women at the fountain. The three of them walked out in splendor. Miriam had outdone herself. As a custom, Juliet was dressed the best. She was a guest and an honored one. All in white. Juliet¡¯s skirt hugged her waist. The top was separate from the bottom. It was only two pieces of fabric that barely covered her breasts. Exposing her cleavage in the middle of her torso. It was held together by jewelry and chains woven into the cloth and tied together behind her neck and back.  The jewels were made of gold and of the finest craftsmanship. Around her waist, more draped down the length of the white satin material over her thighs, hanging in strands.

    Charlene¡¯s dress was a subtle gold. She wore her favorite headpiece. It was in the shape of some flying beast. Its feathers came together behind her head and flowed down her back. Next to the bird¡¯s face were big white flowers. Freshly picked. Both were mounted into a small hollow of the golden structure. From there hung white and black stones down next to her cheeks. I dreamily stared at her. She smiled.

    Juliet¡¯s headpiece was softer and hugged her head perfectly. It was first gold flowery cut-outs and then silver ones. Followed by more gold leaf-like ornaments. Pins stuck out into the air behind her. Tiny beaded jewels, hoops, and material hung strategically placed. Her hair was curled and flowing down over her shoulders. I liked that one. It suited her.

    Juliet smiled. ¡°I can see what you mean.¡±

    ¡°You will have to start acting the part.¡±

    ¡°One day, when you come to Earth, you¡¯ll see why I dress the way I do¡­ Charlene, you won¡¯t be able to wear that thing the whole night. It must weigh a ton.¡± Juliet commented.

    ¡°We take them off when the main course is served. We do not dress like this very often.¡± Miriam said.

    Juliet took in our appearance as well. Gladiator sandals. Both of us were in white pants and white shirts lined with gold. They were long sleeves but hung open over our torsos. I gave Michael golden earrings. They were long swords that hung almost down to his cheekbones. I gave him more jewelry for every other body part he had pierced. Our hair was tied up, and we had on headpieces as well.

    Michael held out his arm to Juliet. She placed her hand in the crook of his elbow. He pulled her closer and put it on his forearm. I held out my hand. Charlene took it, and I laced our fingers as soon as I could feel her skin on mine.

    The introductions went well, and there was no lack of conversation. My parents were intrigued by the pair that ended up there. I had mentioned why they came at all. My father was eager to help in any way. He had not known that Ahasuerus had other coordinates for the planet. There was too much information in that vault to go back empty-handed. We were both concerned about the war that was about to break out.

    It took me the whole night to convey most of what I had told Charlene. Juliet and Michael listened with interest. We were back at my home and having drinks.

    ¡°Maybe I should send a message, just in case they are going out of their minds,¡± Michael suggested. Juliet bobbed her head, and Michael left to get the plate he had brought. He sat down and started typing. ¡°It¡¯s not working.¡±

    ¡°It might be too far for communications,¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Marcus is going to kill me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will win in a fight. Maybe it is exactly what you need.¡± He looked at me as if he hadn¡¯t thought about it. Michael was the most powerful among the men. And he was trying to suppress it all.

    ¡°I would love to see that,¡± Juliet said softly. He glanced down at her. I regarded the two of them. There was so much going on, yet that longing gaze in Juliet¡¯s eyes when she looked at him.

    ¡°Should I go back just to tell them where we came out?¡± Michael was constantly touching her.

    ¡°If you want to.¡±

    Michael got up to travel. He closed his eyes when nothing seemed to happen. He tried again. ¡°Nothing. I can¡¯t even move.¡±

    Charlene and I laughed out loud. ¡°Romero drugged you, didn¡¯t he.¡± She quipped. ¡°Yeah, I know the feeling. Why do you think it took me ages to appear before Kubra the first time.¡± Juliet pressed her lips together.

    Charlene slowly turned to me. ¡°You went to Kubra? When?¡±

    Charlene¡¯s eyes fixed on a spot on my shirt. ¡°That night¡­ in the forest. The first night, I wasn¡¯t drugged. I fell asleep high up in a branch and, while I was sleeping, ended up there.¡±

    My hand reached out to her. ¡°The next night, when you were too hurt to use your ability on both of us.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you were so quiet that morning¡­.¡± I felt relieved knowing. ¡°Why you were so scared when we were on those platforms.¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°You should have told me.¡± I stroked her cheek with my thumb.

    ¡°You guys are so cute together. Romero, you must know we¡¯ve never seen Charlene like this. All wound up and¡­ in loooveee. Giddy at the sight of a boy.¡± Juliet drolled. She was getting drunk.

    Michael stood up and pulled her with him. ¡°Sleep time. You shouldn¡¯t have had any alcohol. At all.¡± He scolded.

    She jumped up, and he caught her. I pointed to a door. ¡°Good night, you guys.¡± She said.

    Charlene was resting on her hand, watching me. I lifted my fingers and made only the ends purple. ¡°Tempting, but not tonight. We have guests. You will have to do it the old-fashioned way.¡±

    ¡°I think I will manage. You should not have had any alcohol, either. You might be pregnant.¡±

    ¡°How will we know?¡±

    ¡°You have not bled again.¡± Her eyes widened. ¡°I will take you to our midwives. They have ways to make sure something is cooking.¡±

    ¡°Cooking?¡± She laughed and got up. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡±

    ¡°Not too tired, I hope?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Not too tired.¡±

    I was happy to see Charlene so relaxed. And glad her friends had made their way there, even if it was a coincidence. The time Charlene and I had spent together was worth everything we had gone through. On our travels, I had nothing but pride in showing her off to my world. At night, I had her in my arms and in my bed. I had been waiting for her all my life.

    ***

    ¡°Aunty Juliet! Michael!¡±

    Michael bent down and stretched out his arms. Min¨¦ jumped into them. The bond she had with all of them. It was strange. ¡°Oh, darling, we missed you. How are you?¡± He spun her in a circle and kissed her cheek.

    I glanced at Charlene. How much she had given up.

    ¡°I am well, thank you.¡± Min¨¦ played with the pointy part of his beard.

    Michael cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You have become a real lady,¡± He glanced at Juliet.

    Min¨¦ held out her arms to Juliet. She took her and spun in more circles. Kissed her all over her face. ¡°I missed you too.¡±

    ¡°Where is Sammy?¡± Min¨¦ asked.

    ¡°She is with Louis, Marcus, and Chris. They are spending some time together.¡±

    We all went to the library and sat at one of the workstations. I took the map and rolled it out over the table. ¡°My father and mother... Michael¡­ You and I will be traveling in separate pods. But once we are there, we will stay together.¡± I paused. I glanced up at Charlene, who was laughing lightly.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think this through, did you?¡±

    ¡°I did not have a chance. You tire me out.¡±

    ¡°How far exactly?¡±

    ¡°No, Charlene¡­ It is too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°How far exactly?¡±

    I studied the map. My finger trailed the space I thought it would last. Even in the pods¡­ We were close behind each other. For couples, they send them down sooner. I considered the terrain.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Juliet asked.

    ¡°When I said that we are supernaturally bound¡­ I meant like¡­ glued to the hip.¡±

    ¡°More like we are glued to the planet and each other.¡± I ventured.

    Juliet glanced at Min¨¦¡­ ¡°I will have to bring Sammy for a play date.¡±

    ¡°Or we could move here,¡± Michael said. ¡°Charlene just fixed our home base situation¡­ Neutral ground. Safety. Family¡­ You won¡¯t mind, Romero?¡± I shook my head. Charlene stretched out her fist to Michael, who indulged her again with some weird ritual.

    Juliet pointed to the area on the map. ¡°So this is the beast¡¯s lair¡­ I suppose¡­ Your finger made an area like this.¡± Hers stopped at a rocky mountain. ¡°What if we go with and stay right here? Will we be safe there? Maybe a cave?¡±

    ¡°It could work¡­ The thing is fast. Giant and not really a beast. The terrain is up and down. It can move anywhere, and we would need to follow¡­ But¡­. ¡°I looked at Michael. ¡°With you there, it might work¡­ Or, I stay with them here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready if you are. And Juliet won¡¯t do anything stupid, will you.¡± Michael looked at her.

    ¡°Marcus will already kill you¡­ Can you imagine what he would do to me?¡±

    Michael smirked. ¡°Yes, I could. And I would love to see that.¡± Juliet laughed and kissed him.

    ¡°Will you stay with Miriam for a few days?¡± I asked Min¨¦. She bobbed her head. ¡°Then let¡¯s get ready. I will alert the troops. We won¡¯t be alone this time.¡±

    ¡°Are we leaving right now?¡± Charlene asked.

    ¡°Yes, my father wants to be off by midday¡­ We will stop for the night.¡±

    ¡°Can Juliet and I travel in one pod?¡±

    ¡°I can not see why not.¡±

    They clapped their hands and jumped up and down, leaving us there. ¡°This time, I¡¯ll pack my own bag,¡± Charlene commented over her shoulder.

    ¡°You won¡¯t have to,¡± I yelled. ¡°Your servants will follow you all the way. I shook my head.

    ¡°You two seem happy,¡± Michael said as we got up to follow. ¡°I¡¯ve known Charlene for so long. Watched her just as much as Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Watched?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story¡­ But we¡¯ve never seen her like this.¡±

    ¡°Not even with Kubra?¡±

    Michael shook his head slightly. ¡°Their relationship is very¡­ volatile. Kubra is taciturn and a calculating person.¡±

    ¡°What about this Carl character?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that will ever happen. You don¡¯t have to worry¡­ He is still a child. Much more than they are. She did try, and he didn¡¯t want to. When he tried¡­ She was with Kubra and was studying.¡± Michael clapped me on the shoulder. ¡°Will you be able to handle her with another man? I don¡¯t see any harems here.¡±

    My fingertips went red and green. The veins mingled in color up my arm. I lifted my hand, thinking about her being touched by someone else. ¡°If he survives, it seems.¡± I thought out loud. ¡°And you, how do you do it?¡±

    I touched him to let him know how I felt. He gripped my arm and squeezed. ¡°You will have to choose another path,¡± he said through gritted teeth. I let go. He shook himself. ¡°I¡¯ve watched Juliet with so many men¡­ That¡¯s not what¡¯s wrong with me.¡±

    Michael was struggling to get through the thick sand that surrounded every building. He was large and heavy. It would not be an easy trek for any of us.

    ***

    Carl

    The training for the watchers was rigorous. It was a typical army base with regular ranks. Every country had started its own barrack, but we were all connected under a few generals. Rotations were made so that all the country¡¯s soldiers got time to practice together. My mornings started off with drills. Shooting practice. Or tactical training. The rest of the day, we had our duties. Every teleporter was manned in shifts. The people using it documented as they came and gone. It was a lot of paperwork at the end of the day. Our workload slowed down when Michael ate that one woman... Lucy. It didn¡¯t mean we could sit back and take time off. All our hours were packed, and when I needed to help Juliet with anything, I had to do both.

    Since my father died, it had not been any different for me between the men. None of them treated me like a criminal. Or the son of a traitor. Bertram might have made the wrong decision. But it was political. When he came from Palmyra, he didn¡¯t lose his job. Because he knew so much, they didn¡¯t let him go. It was seen as him trying to create an avenue for future alliance. Like Michael had predicted. War was a general¡¯s job anyway. Not a man behind the scenes or at a desk. The watchers were for war, not politics.

    Our unit and living arrangements were on base. I didn¡¯t have an apartment in Washington anymore. We only worked at the Embassy and had to report back to the barracks. The business was also not lucrative for the soldiers. None of the watchers were connected to a host anymore or had to sit and watch a subject the whole day. The paycheck had gone to a normal one. It was more about prestige than anything else. The risks were still a lot, and if we ever had to go to war on some planet. Our compensation increased for that time, almost like overtime.

    I had not stayed out of the limelight as I had hoped. After my father died, it just got worse. Every reporter wanted an interview. Luckily, being on a base or in a different location every day made it impossible for them to follow or track me. It was only this one woman who was relentless in her pursuit of the truth. She kept digging for answers, and her name would pop up here and there.

    Jack stayed a watcher and took over second in command. They gave him the option of retiring. Two hundred years ago, when he connected to Louis, he was only twenty-nine, so he stayed and figured a career was better than settling down anywhere at that very moment.

    Unfortunately, the confidentiality agreements were still in place. And if you blabbed while drunk¡­ The cost was higher than getting a bullet in your head. You were picked up by a van and never seen again. These criminals or watchers who leaked information were sent to camps or empty prisons. Solely for that purpose. Once you went in. You never came out. The governments worldwide still thought it profitable to have a source of people for the alien creatures. If they ever needed human blood and flesh. Or, if they ended up stuck on Earth, there would be meals.

    We stayed and lived together in teams. We ate together. Went out together. It made for a good source of accountability. Our unit consisted of me, Jack, Warden, and James. Warden was with Sammy every day and connected to her. He was the only one who still had that privilege.

    Louis, Marcus, Chris, and Michael were the only four men constantly surveilled. A team with Jessy did their surveillance. It was a small request from Juliet, and the general had no scruples when allowing it.

    Our unit was very aware of Holly. We believed she was a freelance journalist with no allegiance to any newspaper. Holly had not made any waves, and the consequences for a citizen leaking secrets about the aliens were still debatable. No one so far could get any.

    One of the secrets the government wanted to keep under wraps was that the aliens were criminals and that Marcus and the general had lied to the people about why they were there in the first place. The werewolves on the compound were without a home. They had their different crimes and didn¡¯t pose a threat. What the world would make of them being sent there as the scum of their planets was also discussed.

    Sporadic missing people were a big problem for the watchers and the governments. With the crime so low when a person up and vanished¡­ It was nine o¡¯clock news. The Aliens were almost always blamed by a family member who was seeking justice. We got the fallout for not doing our jobs properly. The humans were ignorant of how impossible it was to find those rogue aliens. A few vampires and werewolves had gotten lost in the cracks. Jacklin was one, and others were vamps Qadir had given amnesty to over the years he was in charge.

    The second secret was the infected vamps. The third secret was that no humans knew of other planets. As far as the Earth was concerned, there were only three species. Fahan getting his hands on his own teleporter tech would send the world into a new frenzy. If they saw them. Or even those bird beings would create a mass panic that Earth could become a target.

    The biggest secret¡­ Was Michael and Charlene. When Michael killed that girl in the club, he was a Riphath. Another Chris. At that time, the government had no choice but to divulge the existence of another being. Jamal manifested himself in the club during his fight with Jessy. It was plastered on the news and had already created too much debate that our future was uncertain. Mainly because it seemed that every being¡­ Ate humans.

    We covered it up. No one knew that a human could be branded. Not even other aliens knew the practice existed. What would happen if people knew they could instantly turn into another creature, let alone all three. Holly was the only one with enough guts to follow every crumb she thought suspicious. Our team was on the hunt to find her.

 I Missed You

    177. I Missed You

    Juliet

    The midwife examining me wasn¡¯t using any tools, only her fingers. She closed her white eyes, concentrating. A black shadow contrasted with bright veins flowed over my pelvis. ¡°Hmmm, the baby is strong. It is too early to know what it is. Healthy. Heartbeat steady. No problems anywhere.¡±

    Her hands lifted off me, and I pulled my pants back up. Charlene was wringing her hands. ¡°Would we even be able to know this early?¡± The woman stretched out an arm for Charlene to get comfortable. ¡°Would you be able to know if it is a Vamp or Dheka?¡±

    The midwife and I laughed lightly. ¡°There is nothing you can do about it, Chars.¡± I took her hand in mine. ¡°If you have unprotected sex, the outcome is usually a child.¡± She squeezed my fingers.

    The woman¡¯s hands rubbed over Charlene¡¯s stomach area. She felt every nook and cranny with her shadow and white eyes, prodding and assessing. A slow, wide smile formed on her mouth. It had to be Romero¡¯s. She lifted Charlene¡¯s legs and pushed them open. Charlene put her hands under her bum and braced for the pain to follow. I looked away when four fingers pulled Charlene apart like they were a speculum. Neither of us had felt a thing. Regardless, was that what she had done to me? I widened my eyes at Charlene, biting my teeth together.

    ¡°And?¡± Charlene couldn¡¯t take it anymore.

    ¡°Both.¡±

    ¡°WHAT!?¡± We said at the same time.

    ¡°How could that possibly happen?¡±

    The woman¡¯s hair hung long and dreaded down her back. Jewels hung from some of the tips. They jingled as she let Charlene go and sat up to wash her hands. She was more my mom¡¯s age or even older. ¡°I do not know. But one sac has a shadow, and the other doesn¡¯t. Charlene fell back onto the cushions, covering her eyes with an arm.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing. What¡¯s wrong? We know where you are¡­ Kubra will be ecstatic¡­ This is like the best thing ever.¡±

    ¡°Pushing out two babies. Are you insane?¡±

    ¡°With their voodoo, you won¡¯t feel a thing.¡± Charlene seemed optimistic.

    The midwife shook her head slightly. ¡°Not allowed. Need the body to do its work¡­ Can heal and close wounds¡­ There will be no complications. We have never lost a baby. But not the pain... I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°I want an epidural. How can they not be able to stop the pain.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you can¡¯t travel drugged. How will you push out a baby drunk?¡±

    Charlene hit me in the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re loving this too much. Unfair.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no.¡± I lifted up three fingers. ¡°This is my third time.¡±

    ¡°You actually wanted kids,¡± Charlene said without thinking.

    I rubbed her arm. ¡°Neither of us thought about it nor cared about it when we slept around. It¡¯s not like I pushed Chris into the car to have a kid.¡±

    Charlene, at least, gave me a little laugh. ¡°I¡¯m going on Rodrigo¡¯s magic birth control after this.¡±

    The two men were waiting outside like some mid-century birthing chamber. Charlene had told me how they were about the sexes. The midwife had left the tent, and we heard the cheers before anything else. When we stepped out, Romero was being congratulated with the broadest smile on his face. I instantly missed Louis. Romero was her Louis¡­ I longed to see him smiling like that. It did bring back all the feelings of guilt I had been carrying around, remembering what Michael said. Louis once had that smile only thinking about a child. I never really believed that a baby would cause such a stir. We should¡¯ve rocked paper scissors it. My hand instinctively went to my tummy, stroking over my midsection. Romero picked Charlene up and kissed her. Romero and Marcus were the happiest guys alive. We never thought about them being so old and how long they had waited to have a family, follow traditions and cultures¡­ I was still selfish¡­ I had gotten on Michael and traveled with the idea of taking a short trip, not even thinking about the consequences. Marcus might miss the pregnancy and the birth if we could not get home. I glanced up. Michael¡¯s eyes were on me. I couldn¡¯t go to him to enjoy the moment, so I turned around and left.

    ***

    ¡°This is the worst bus terminal I¡¯ve ever waited at,¡± I grumbled.

    ¡°Wait till we¡¯re inside with no inflight entertainment,¡± Charlene commented.

    ¡°It will not be long now,¡± Romero said.

    Michael was strangely quiet and calm. Where he would usually be fidgeting, he wasn¡¯t anymore. His eyes were glued to my face, thinking. His long hair draped over the side of his head. One arm rested on a knee with his thumb on his lips. I didn¡¯t know what he and Romero had discussed before dinner¡­ It had changed him. Michael had done a one-eighty. There was no anger behind his features anymore. The previous night, he had held me while I fell asleep in his arms, drunk as I was. The way we used to be on the farm. I was still resigned to giving him the space he didn¡¯t really ask for. His words were so cutting that day. He didn¡¯t even want his night with me. I was bugging him to be something he didn¡¯t want to be. So, I was determined not to ask him one question¡­ At least I would be safe with Charlene and Romero there, who could subdue him if he felt the urge to get physical. Sitting on the ground, surrounded by primitive people, it felt like we were back on Zoreah when Michael and I were there for weeks, all alone. I just didn¡¯t have a friend anymore.

    ¡°Michael, your turn.¡± Romero¡¯s voice broke through to him.

    The familiar sound of the next pod coming down the tunnel droned through the doors. The guards stood ready to push them open. Romero had let us see how it worked with the previous one. It would take a few minutes.

    ¡°I¡­ love¡­ you¡­.¡± Michael mouthed before he got up.

    I knew I had a frown across my brow, and the words ¡°I love you too¡± didn¡¯t come. Michael had not told me he loved me a lot. I could have counted it on one hand before the last two days. He said he didn¡¯t want that type of relationship with me¡­ Where everything was out in the open or maybe where you let someone see right through you¡­ It went against everything my little heart could handle. Where he had his life, and I would have mine. The silent knowing of a fifties marriage. It didn¡¯t really fit in with our family¡­ No, it didn¡¯t fit in with what I wanted. I had never been the type to hold back. Not even with Jerry. Michael was so different before he manifested. He had set a precedent for us, which I had held onto. One where he was honest, and only the truth between us was enough. I didn¡¯t think I could do it. I told him I could. So many times, he said that I should not grow up and change. Everything our relationship was built on had drifted out the window. I didn¡¯t even notice him get up until the doors closed again. I turned my face away and braced for the wind and swirl that hit us every time. ¡°You okay?¡± Charlene asked.

    I took her hand in mine and kissed it. ¡°I missed you so much. We¡¯ve walked a long road together. Thank You for not leaving.¡±

    ¡°We have to thank Rodrigo. If you weren¡¯t sick and your parents were not out of town that week. I don¡¯t think we would¡¯ve made it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe not.¡± Charlene squeezed my hand.

    Romero stretched out an arm. ¡°You two are next. I¡¯ll follow soon.¡±

    He helped us both up, and we waited. Our pod landed in the mesh. The doors opened slowly. Romero supported me as I navigated the gap between the ground and the ball. He kissed Charlene, lingering on her lips. His hands cupped her face, and he whispered something in her ear. She closed her eyes and bobbed her head. Romero took her hand, and she sat between my legs. ¡°See you at the next stop.¡±

    The wind launched us forward. I gripped Charlene tightly around the waist. It was nerve-wracking, hoping the pod would not hit the wall and spin out of control. As soon as we stabilized, we had a lot of talking to do. I had to tell her everything that had happened. She had filled me in on all she had found out.

    ¡°So why do you think Michael can¡¯t teleport off Mirach?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know? Maybe he¡¯s tired. It is very draining to travel so far¡­ That thing they hooked him onto might have done a little damage to his system.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± More bouts of guilt hit me. I really didn¡¯t understand him anymore or wanted to. ¡°How do you feel knowing you are pregnant?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel pregnant.¡± We both chuckled.

    ¡°Not yet¡­ We will be having another pair of kids close together. It is the best news¡­ Are you really okay with being stuck here?¡±

    ¡°Yes! You kidding. Have you seen this place¡­ I¡¯m sure Kubra won¡¯t mind coming and going. We have so much time left¡­ I will live longer than any of you... I don¡¯t have to worry about that anymore¡­ Kubra could still work¡­ I don¡¯t think he would want to sit and do nothing anyway¡­ Kubra isn¡¯t the type.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ But neither are you¡­¡± Charlene didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Would you mind having a relationship like your parents?¡±

    ¡°I think it would be okay if one of my husbands were like that. Romero and I don¡¯t have a choice. It¡¯s everything you¡¯ve ever wanted.¡±

    I sighed heavily. ¡°I¡¯m really happy for you. Romero is great with you. I don¡¯t know him, and he has a funny personality.¡±

    ¡°I want to take you to that room. Their dark city¡­ Well, I suppose it¡¯s my dark city, too. Maybe if you slept with Soren there, he would be unable to leave. You would have one husband that has to stay.¡±

    We both chuckled. ¡°No¡­ I try not to think about him. You forget about Chris¡­¡± She laughed. ¡°Anyway, we can still do all of it... I want to see everything. What about Sammy and Min¨¦? We will definitely move here.¡±

    ¡°You can follow me for a change.¡±

    I laughed lightly. ¡°It will be my pleasure, Queen¡­ What is your surname now?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea,¡± Charlene laughed. ¡°What about Carl? How is he doing?¡±

    ¡°He is taking being a watcher seriously. He is turning twenty-three in a few months. If he was in the army, he would be in his prime. So with his background and his extensive training¡­ I think he is enjoying it. Their unit has a lot of responsibilities and knowledge the other Watchers don¡¯t even know about¡­ Maybe leave Kubra and Carl to do what they want. You can always finish your studies.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t want to make your mistakes.¡±

    I squeezed her shoulders. ¡°Who would have thought we both would have more than one husband? When we were in school, having one boyfriend was a challenge. Whatever happened to the good old days of Lincoln?¡±

    ¡°I have to admit¡­ I didn¡¯t think Kubra really loved me. Or me him. Knowing does change everything, doesn¡¯t it¡­ I changed overnight.¡±

    I could see the change in Charlene. She was more open to possibilities and ready for adventure. I don¡¯t know if I would¡¯ve asked Michael to do it if I knew his change for the worse.

    ¡°You¡¯re like all my husbands¡­ Except for Louis¡­ Hey, if Carl changes when he does it? What do you think will happen?¡±

    ¡°No! I can¡¯t even think about that¡­. I don¡¯t even know if I really love him. We¡¯ve been friends for so long. And I love him anyway¡­ But like that? I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    My alarm went off, and I sat up and immediately looked over at Juliet¡¯s bed. Louis and Chris were also up and shook their heads. They had not come back. Chris threw his feet off the bed and slid open the door. I could hear him walking down the corridor. The day before, I had left Juliet and Michael in the lane. Later they were gone, and we decided to leave them be, thinking Juliet did take him down into those tunnels. Our best guess was that they were in Las Vegas to get married like she wanted to.

    ¡°They are not in his room,¡± Chris¡¯s voice came from outside. He knocked on another door. ¡°What¡¯s up, boss.¡± I heard Jessy say as Louis and I approached the two men.

    ¡°Where is our feed?¡± Chris asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s in the tunnels.¡±

    ¡°Go right now and check if Michael¡¯s are active. And tell me where the hell he was that day.¡± Chris spat.

    ¡°I already know where he was. He teleported his bike out to your old neighborhood and drove around for a while¡­. After, he went to the diner and sat there for the rest of the day.¡±

    ¡°What was he doing?¡± Chris questioned.

    ¡°He was watching a waitress¡­.¡± Louis said softly. ¡°The infamous Stevie.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡±

    ¡°There was no time, Chris. You told me, and I followed up¡­ And that night, we beat him¡­ Michael had a lot of thoughts.¡±

    Chris¡¯s shoulders raised a little. ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°He wanted to cheat on her in the club already¡­ Thought about it. The other day, with the waitress. He ensured the one woman in his past wasn¡¯t a real problem.¡±

    ¡°And!¡±

    ¡°He came back, didn¡¯t he. He cut me out after that¡­ Michael is the best at it.¡±

    ¡°What else?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He is still where he was that night he changed¡­ About killing her. And it¡¯s a lot worse now because of her personality. They are clashing.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re joking, Louis?¡± I yelled. ¡°They are gone, and Michael still has thoughts about killing Juliet.¡±

    Louis turned around. ¡°I¡¯m getting dressed. We got to get to En-gannim¡­ Marcus, we cannot get wrapped up in family matters again. Juliet said it herself. She would rather know where she stands with him. And she is sick of it!¡± Louis said as he stomped off. ¡°And I am beyond that point. He is not distracting us again.¡±

    I drew in a breath and lifted my eyes to the roof. Louis was right. She left me in charge, and I needed to do what I was supposed to do. I nudged Chris, and we went into our rooms. The three of us bustled around to get ready. By the time we were done, Jessy was waiting. ¡°His feed is off. He is not on one of the planets.¡±

    Selena and Jamal came out of their rooms dressed for the day. ¡°You three find my wife. I want to know where she is. If we all die¡­ It¡¯s Louis¡¯s fault.¡±

    Jessy always jumped into Selena¡¯s arms. She was teleporting everywhere she had to go, practicing every chance she got. The three disappeared in an instant. Chris watched them leave with longing in his eyes. ¡°It seems like you also have someone you need to decide about.¡±

    Chris turned to me and raised his voice. ¡°It¡¯s not Selena...¡± His tone lowered again. ¡°I¡¯m not in love with her! It¡¯s the ability¡­ I could have just traveled and been by Juliet¡¯s side in a second. Know exactly where she is¡­ If I regret anything, it¡¯s that. It¡¯s the one thing we had.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°If they can take it out. We can put it back.¡± I said as the three of us got into a car. Of all the creatures, vampires seemed the most useless.

    The Tower was full of our relatives. Everyone evacuated as soon as we told them about the imminent war. The people on some of the islands were also being brought into Nahrima. As many as we could manage. Those who wanted to stay home stayed. I wasn¡¯t going to start taking prisoners or kill innocent people who didn¡¯t know what was going on. That war would change En-gannim for good, even if it took us half a life.

    ¡°Ian copied almost all the coordinates of En-gannim¡­ If they get together and set up base on Palmyra, we¡¯re screwed.¡± Soren said as we walked into the office.

    ¡°Where is Rana? She wasn¡¯t here yesterday either?¡± Louis asked. ¡°We need her here to know what¡¯s going on.¡±

    Soren¡¯s eyes met mine... As if he wanted to say something.

    ¡°What? Spit it out.¡±

    ¡°Should I speak in front of everyone?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I went to their house after I left. I went to talk to Isla and found out what I had already told you. Rana came back after Michael manhandled her. She started spewing out everything.¡±

    I waited. Louis and Chris listened. ¡°She told me about that night¡­.¡± Frown lines formed on my brow. ¡°The night Juliet met Ahasuerus.¡±

    ¡°What about it?! Get to the point!¡±

    ¡°She said you wanted her! Got on top of her and wanted to kiss her. Rana said your chest started hurting like it was on fire. Everyone needed to come in and help you¡­ That¡¯s why she was here. She thought if you once considered it, maybe you would again.¡±

    I chuckled. If that were true¡­ The boy didn¡¯t know I¡¯d be dead. Juliet killing herself and running off into a gorge ran through my mind. Even me wanting anyone else would tear us apart. What the hell was Rana thinking, lying about that? Soren fell for it¡­ No! ¡°What the hell did you tell her? You were angry¡­ Did you give anything away?¡±

    Soren didn¡¯t say anything. His eyes flickered over my shoulder to the two men behind me. ¡°I told her about you all being in a harem. Juliet¡¯s harem.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Soren¡­¡± Louis admonished. ¡°You are so na?ve.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°No one knows about the brandings! No one!¡± Louis said, irritated. They are trying to figure out what is going on. Must have heard something somewhere about the men going into a sleep and pain cycle. And you gave them a huge clue.¡±

    ¡°You know how easy it was for me to find out what happened thousands of years ago¡­.¡± I chipped in. ¡°We don¡¯t need more Fahan¡¯s against us.¡±

    ¡°Fahan could tell Avrio¡¯s son¡­ Avrio could have told any number of vamps¡­ You cannot think that there is anyone on this pink sludge hole that loves one another? What does it matter if they know.¡±

    ¡°That was not for you to decide!¡± I pointed a finger at the boy. ¡°It cannot get out¡­ In the future, keep your mouth shut. There are humans on En-gannim as well¡­ Rana was lying to you. I never touched her! She wasn¡¯t in my room...¡± I paused¡­ Going through that night, hoping I wasn¡¯t drugged after all. Regardless, I remember that night clearly. I came home and sat down and read Juliet¡¯s journal. Qadir died sometime later, and then... I slept with Juliet. But I never saw Rana again. I didn¡¯t even know what she looked like until Soren brought her that first morning.

    ¡°No, Marcus, I would have known by now¡­ The worst case is they find out that we will all die when one of us goes¡­ The only one left who knew was Lucius. And I don¡¯t think he would have told anyone. The rest of the elders from Earth will keep their mouths shut.¡± Louis elaborated.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this¡­.¡± I had to stay focused. Louis¡¯s words repeated in my mind. No more family issues. ¡°Caleb, are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Without Michael?!¡±

    ¡°We have no choice. Those five have to go. Today. Right now!¡±

    He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s you and me.¡± I took off the stone and hung it around Louis¡¯s neck. I didn¡¯t understand the rocks yet. Ahasuerus didn¡¯t toss it to her for no reason. The vamps were not submitted because of it. We had the proof.

    Caleb and I got dressed. We put on armor, only one short blade at our sides, and a gun. Wrapped around a leg was a holder for a net gun. It had to happen as quietly as possible. In the dead of night, even if we had to wait if the time didn¡¯t align.

    ***

    Chris came over to Caleb in front of the teleporter. ¡°Are you sure? Absolutely sure you¡¯ll be able to go through with it. You¡¯ve never killed anyone. There can¡¯t be one second of hesitation, Caleb¡­ It¡¯s not the same as killing a beast for eating.¡±

    Caleb laughed nervously, wanting to say something. ¡°I have¡­ Mom and I killed a woman. Stevie someone¡­ The one  Michael went to see¡­. She made me do it.¡± Troubled eyes glanced at each other around the room. I swore loudly.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Caleb asked.

    ¡°Michael might be in love with this woman¡­ And he still wants to kill your mother¡­ If he finds out?¡± I glanced at Chris. His head lowered to the floor, and his hands ran over his face. ¡°If Juliet had killed Selena, what would you have done, Chris.¡±

    His eyes slowly came up to mine, and he glanced at Louis. ¡°The problem is she didn¡¯t!¡± Chris whispered.

    ¡°Marcus said he would prepare me and train me... We have been busy every second we have available. He took me to kill more¡­ I¡­ have eaten¡­ someone.¡± Caleb said, changing the subject.

    Chris glanced at me. ¡°Where the hell do you guys get time for everything? All of you are more in my kids¡¯ lives than me?¡±

    ¡°Chris¡­ They are both our kids¡­ I¡¯ve got this. I won¡¯t let anything happen to him. His foundations are solid¡­ You taught him well on Zoreah. He¡¯s fast. His teleporting coupled with the invisibility¡­ I can not tell you¡­ He will be the next Silvanus and more. Look at him.¡± I clapped Caleb on the shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s enormous¡­ He¡¯s got Ira¡¯s genes. Not yours.¡±

    Caleb and Chris grabbed each other by the elbow and rested their foreheads against the others. ¡°Come back safe. That is all that matters. I love you.¡±

    I pushed a small plate into my pocket and handed Caleb one. Both had all ten coordinates on. If we had to escape. We each had a communicator as well. ¡°This will happen fast and quick, Chris. Do not leave for anything. Bring us back.¡± I glanced over to Louis. { Be careful. Full steam ahead. Kubra knows what to do } Louis nodded, and I shook all their hands.

    Chris gripped mine a little longer. ¡°I am sorry¡­ About everything I did. I never meant for our friendship to suffer¡­ Wasn¡¯t really thinking straight.¡±

    ¡°I am too¡­ It is all my fault anyway¡­ We good?¡±

    Chris bobbed his head. Caleb walked in, and I clutched his upper arm. Chris pressed the button, and we were off.

    ***

    The palace platform was deserted. Caleb led me to a back room where all the mechanical components were to make the teleporters work. I was sure Avrio prepared Fahan to build more. It was already activated with Chris¡¯s ability. We both stood motionless, staring at the primary component that made it all work¡­ The slight droning vibrated on the walls. I drew in another breath.

    ¡°They are one step further than we thought,¡± Caleb said as he led the way to where the scientists work. I never had a chance to take in all of Palmyra or get a sense of the place. Losing it was a significant setback for us and one of the reasons I wanted to leave Michael there... Our future was now more uncertain.

    The five men were still there. I wondered what happened between Avrio¡¯s son and Fahan. I hoped they hadn¡¯t met yet. We had some time before the men would go to sleep. ¡°Let¡¯s go see where everyone is at. We need to make sure about the guards and their numbers.¡±

    Jade was in Brylee¡¯s old room. I hated it. She was living where Juliet and I slept together. Made a baby together. ¡°If I kill her¡­ They all disappear.¡±

    Caleb¡¯s eyes met mine. ¡°Aries?¡±

    ¡°He will be fine, remember¡­ It¡¯s only those on the planet that are in danger.¡±

    ¡°So we believe. Chris was bluffing, wasn¡¯t he?¡± It was frustrating not to have all the facts. If only the Chadari on the home planet die, there would be no point in killing them all. But we would have Chris¡¯s power back.

    We walked around the garden and the other rooms. A few guards were patrolling outside Jade¡¯s doors, coming and going. ¡°This is a lot of security. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good idea. He won¡¯t let her out of his sight. Look, she¡¯s locked away¡­ Let¡¯s stay focused.¡± Caleb suggested. The boy was right. I wanted it all over in a second. There really was no way to get close to her without failing to complete our mission.

    ¡°This might be to our advantage.¡± I met Caleb¡¯s eye. ¡°They won¡¯t even consider us coming for the scientists. Let¡¯s see if they are guarded as well as his wife.¡±

    We made sure we knew where Dimitrios was. He came and went a few times. Crossed our path as we made our way through the palace. We couldn¡¯t find Fahan. ¡°Where is he? Do you know of any other places?¡±

    ¡°The platform¡­ You don¡¯t think?¡±

    My head tilted, ¡°Would we be that lucky?¡±

    Caleb teleported us from the palace to the platform. We walked out and saw the three men sitting at a table. I gripped Caleb¡¯s arm. It was James and Ian. Ian! I dismissed him because he had no respect for my grandmother. He stayed nonetheless because he was Avrio¡¯s son¡­ So much for being Samuels¡¯s main man! James? What was he thinking? I trusted him¡­ But I didn¡¯t keep tabs on anyone. Had not done my job. He must have jumped ship when Fahan came through the first time. Knew we would find out eventually. No wonder Ahasuerus didn¡¯t do anything to him after he came to find me on Zoreah. We all thought everyone would accept the new management.

    My hope rose in my breast. Their meeting afforded us the perfect opportunity. It was already late, and they were nowhere near done talking. ¡°We have to go back.¡± I rushed Caleb.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we hear what they¡¯re saying?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not waiting. If one of the scientists leaves with Ian, we would have nothing. We have to kill them¡­ These two boys won¡¯t have the ability to figure out coordinates.¡±

    Me [ Louis. Ransack James¡¯s house and take anyone in custody. Make sure to get anything he has. Catch them off guard. Now. Tell Samuel! He can give you more names ]

    We went back to the palace, ready to fulfill our mission. ¡°We need to split them up. Do it somewhere no one would hear anything. Any ideas?¡±

    ¡°Do it slowly. One at a time. Throw the bodies in the water.¡± Caleb suggested.

    The space they worked in had many corridors. Only four guards. Two were patrolling. One in the room and one outside. I let go of Caleb. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Watch the door.¡±

    Caleb hurried over. ¡°You have one minute.¡±

    I pressed some buttons. I might have been making a mistake¡­ I did something to the teleporter to make it shut down. The same thing I wanted to do on En-gannim.

    If Ian gave Fahan a plate, it would be useless. Caleb and I would rely on Chris¡­ The droning stopped abruptly. That alone would bring one of them down there.

    Caleb¡¯s chest was rising and falling. I tried to steady him with a look. The man¡¯s steps were calm down the stairs. It became louder. Caleb was fast and brutal. The vamp didn¡¯t even have time to say anything. Caleb¡¯s hand stretched out and cut into his throat so there would be no screeching. He pushed his blade into his skull. It all happened in two swift motions, and two wide, dead eyes stared up at us. Caleb looked at me. I nodded. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s clean this up and carry him out.¡± There were a few moments we would be visible. My gaze flickered around for scouts. ¡°The next man would smell the blood. We would have to get him earlier in one of the walkways.¡± Caleb¡¯s heart was racing. I took it as a good sign. ¡°Where do you think your mother is?¡± I tried keeping his mind on why we were there.

    ¡°I just hope she¡¯s okay¡­ She didn¡¯t even think about what it would do to kill Stevie. I hope she doesn¡¯t tell Michael¡­ I went down there this morning¡­ There were two outfits on the stage. One was torn.¡±

    My hand tightened around his upper arm. We didn¡¯t even know if Michael had taken her by force. Juliet tried to warn me about him. What was I thinking, leaving them alone? ¡°You¡¯re really involved in everything. She¡¯s lucky to have you. I hope that your brother will be half the man you are.¡±

    Our heads snapped up. ¡°Here he comes,¡± Caleb whispered.

    ¡°No blood this time.¡±

    The second man walked right past us. We waited till his nose caught up. His eyes darted around. I didn¡¯t think they knew how to fight. I let go of Caleb and appeared before the guy. He wanted to open his mouth. Caleb was already behind him, his arms wrapped around the vamp¡¯s head, snapping his neck. We did the same thing and tossed him over the balustrade of the bridge, watching his body disappear into the deep, dark water. ¡°Okay, the next move will have to happen in one shot. All three at once. No matter who comes through the door.¡±

    Caleb and I climbed the stairs two at a time and rushed into the main room. The other three men were around the table. One guard at the door with a helmet. ¡°This will be tricky¡­ I¡¯ll get his helmet off and kill him. You keep your weapon on the three men and shoot Blondie. After, I¡¯ll take the dark-haired guy. You shoot the last one running towards us.¡±

    Caleb pointed his gun at the three men around the table. ¡°On three.¡±

    I let go of Caleb, creating an instant buzz in the room. I pushed my gun into the base of the Chadari¡¯s skull. We both fired. I lifted my gun and shot my vamp between the eyes. Caleb had missed his shot. The bullet had hit the opposite wall. The two remaining vamps fell to the floor, scrambling in under the table.

    ¡°Again.¡± My voice was calm.

    Behind me, the other Chadari was trying to open the door. I pushed against it, bracing as the red tip of his sword stabbed through the wood. Caleb kept it together, walked around the table, and took his shot. I could hear the guy drop. I rushed closer and touched Caleb. The Chadari burst through the door, his red sword glowing. His head lifted into the air, he pouted his lips and made an awful sound. There was a stampede coming towards the room, blocking the entrance to the palace. The last scientist was under the table, moving towards us. The giant dragon stepped slowly through the room, wielding his sword through the air. Caleb dropped down out of my grip. He shot again. I grabbed him and pulled him up. We ran for it.

    ¡°Not as clean as I would have hoped for. But a nice message nonetheless.¡±

    ¡°If he dies¡­ I ruined everything.¡±

    ¡°No, Caleb. I could smell the blood and the gurgling. You must have hit a lung¡­ They won¡¯t know what to do with him. It¡¯s not like they can take him to a doctor.¡±

    We ran back down the steps and entered the mechanism room. We both tried to teleport to the platform. ¡°Why aren¡¯t they working?¡± We tried the other coordinates. My eyes darted to the teleporter that was supposed to work from there. ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± I pushed him out of the room, trying to think what we were going to do. We were on the bridge that separated the teleporter station from the palace. ¡°Do you think Louis and Chris cut the teleporters?¡±

    ¡°No! Let¡¯s not go down that road just yet. We need to get out of here ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Should we jump for it?¡±

    ¡°Down into that water! Are you crazy? The fall alone will kill us.¡±

    He chuckled. I was glad he was staying calm. ¡°I mean, I can teleport us to at least some rock formation.¡± He pointed. ¡°We can keep going as long as I last. That far, I might have one good push with you in my arms.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s worth a try. But after that, we will be stuck here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but you know how the boats work.¡±

    I gave him a quick smile. ¡°All we have to do is get them to give us a window,¡± I said, looking up at the palace door. The Chadari were systematically moving down the stairs, swinging their swords through the air. We had no idea if it would cross the supernatural barrier, and f- it I wasn¡¯t staying to find out.

    ¡°They are clearing the space. Searching for you.¡±

    ¡°Nets!¡± We said at the same time.

    ¡°Don¡¯t miss¡­ Aim properly.¡±

    We walked closer and aimed our guns. I let go of Caleb, and we took our shots. Both dragons fell down, struggling. Their alert had called the others. Seemed that they had a noise for every situation. We only had a moment. Caleb and I jumped on the wall, balancing on the rounded surface of the stone barrier. Caleb focused on the spot he needed to get to. If we didn¡¯t make it, we would fall in the water. Dimitrios had crouched down at the two men caught in the nets. A loud, unified noise resonated from somewhere around the palace. The sound they were making was different than the two previous ones.  It was an awful sound that made me think the whole Caude would come descending¡­ Together, their voices bellowed out and carried until the next group of Chadari made another one further away from us. It was an alarm¡­ They were alerting Fahan on the platform in the only way they could communicate... Still, it didn¡¯t signify. I tried to speak over the cascading waterfall that seemed to drown out my voice. ¡°If you don¡¯t think you can make it!¡±

    ¡°I can make it! Just catching my breath!¡±

    ¡°We trained for this... You¡¯ve done more than that with a heavier load than me! You can be glad I¡¯m small!¡±

    Caleb held out his arm. I clutched around his waist with my legs like Juliet always did. It all happened in one movement. His knees bent slightly. Caleb manifested and traveled. We landed nicely on the first rock in the middle of a pool of water. Caleb traveled again to the edge of solid land. His feet slipped on the wet surface, and I dropped out of his arms. Both our heads jerked around to the walkway. Dimitrios was staring at us, pointing his sword in our direction.

    ¡°Oh no!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Fahan is trapped on the platform. If we couldn¡¯t travel. He can¡¯t travel.¡± I started laughing. ¡°What the hell did I do.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s a good thing!¡±

    ¡°Yes, but now we have to make our way to the platform.¡±

    Caleb thought about it. ¡°Maybe Ian will take him to En-gannim? Or send him home. If they are still there¡­¡±

    ¡°Louis! I¡¯m going to try my communicator again. They can at least go check.¡±

    Me [ I did something stupid ]

    Chris [ What¡¯s new ]

    Me [ Funny ]

    Chris [ Are you okay? ]

    Me [ We¡¯re safe. Not hurt and away from danger. But we are stuck. Our plates stopped working at the palace. I switched off your ability. Fahan might be going to En-gannim ]

    Chris [ Interesting¡­ Won¡¯t know if he¡¯s here. The attacks are brutal ]

    Me [ Fahan is stuck on the platform with James and Ian ]

    Chris [ Should we try and get them ]

    Me [ If they are still there. Caleb and I will wait till tonight and catch a boat ]

    Chris [ Safety first. Caleb first. The five guys? ]

    Me [ Dead ]

    Chris [ I¡¯ll be waiting. No rush. Mind the killer fish ]

    Me [ Have you found my wife? ]

    Chris [ You¡¯re not going to be happy. Can I tell you later? You have to focus ]

    Me [ It will take us a long time to walk. Take a break. I¡¯m setting the time on the communicator. At least five hours or more ]

    Chris [ See you in five ]

 Sticky Situations

    178. Sticky Situations

    Fahan

    We could not send anyone anywhere yet. And as soon as I was able to cut off En-gannin from Palmyra¡­ I would do it. Let them feel how it was to ask permission to come and go. Ian was not impressive at all. The vampires were small creatures. He did not look like his father. Avrio was fat and short and ugly as far as other species were concerned. Ian was slender in his face and thinly structured. His legs were too long for his body. Once he stepped over the threshold, he held out a glass plate. It wasn¡¯t a communicator. My fists balled at my sides. We were one step closer. I took it from him.

    ¡°With this, I can travel on Palmyra?¡±

    ¡°Yes. And you can send anyone out if you have the coordinates.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any?¡± The other man asked.

    ¡°This is James.¡± Ian gestured to the other vamp next to him. ¡°He was our contact in The Tower. You can trust him.¡±

    ¡°We cannot manage these small instruments. Nothing on the planet is made for our enormous hands.¡±

    Ian and James sat down at the table. ¡°It will have to do for now. Keep those scientists safe, and you will not have to do anything. Use them. They can help with a lot of questions you have.¡±

    ¡°How many coordinates are on this thing?¡±

    ¡°There is one for En-gannim. It is where I live. If you send someone there, they will be safe.¡±

    ¡°Only one?¡±

    ¡°I can not have you travel anywhere you want.¡± Ian took in a long breath. ¡°We have started the war on En-gannim. Even as we speak, my troops are moving.¡±

    ¡°What are your plans?¡±

    ¡°We have stationed our army everywhere. At first, we will attack at random. They will have to divide their forces. Our oceans are vast and cannot be crossed. If we hinder their ability to teleport. They would be rendered useless.¡±

    ¡°But so will you,¡± I said.

    ¡°My father has been preparing to take over for far longer than anyone knows. We have spread out already, and they will be stuck¡­ And¡­¡± He pulled out a little black round tube from a jacket pocket. He pushed it over the table. ¡°This is four coordinates on Palmyra. One for the Palace. One for here and two other coordinates around the world. If you allow us to use your station if and when we need it.¡±

    I picked up the tube. My chest filled with pride. We were moving forward. A moment ago, I was at their mercy to travel me where I needed to be. ¡°You have it¡­ Chris came to make alliances. But I do not want to work with them.¡±

    ¡°Then we are well on our way to a good union.¡±

    I stood up. ¡°Show me how this works. Before you leave, I want to visit the other two spots.¡±

    James took his communicator and traveled us out. All we had to do was enter a chamber. The glass plate went into the wall, and you picked it up again. It was as simple as a few buttons. We were in the cubicle, and instantly, somewhere I did not recognize. It was a small, round structure with a roof¡­ open on all sides. I stepped down the few stairs. Guard towers at four corners surrounding the station. A wall from one to the other. We opened the gates to a city that spanned down rolling hills as far as my eyes could see. No streams. No ocean. No roaring waves. Endless open space with houses large enough for our enormous bodies.

    ¡°This is one of the biggest cities on Palmyra. They mostly worked with fabric. The city is known for its craftsmanship. If we keep trading, I will capture workers for you. You will have to learn to utilize the whole planet¡¯s resources. After that, the possibilities are endless.

    We kept traveling until we were back on the platform. They sat down, and we talked for some time. The three of us jumped up when we heard the alarm. It resonated over the harbor in continuous loud cries. I ran to the edge. In the distance, my men were closing the gates. The expanse of water between them and me was great, but you could still see the massive wooden structures moving in the water. My head jerked back to Ian. He and James were already in the cubicle.

    ¡°What is going on?¡±

    ¡°We have nothing to do with it. We have our own war to fight¡­ I had to run the day you came for Aries. Since then, we had no one in The Tower.¡± James said.

    ¡°Except my sister. For a few days.¡± Ian mentioned.

    ¡°Is she as useless as you are?¡±

    ¡°Our women are under us. We know how to control and make them bend a knee. They do what they are told.¡±

    He was insinuating that I did not have control over Palmyra. Or even my own house. I did not like his tone. ¡°Says the man fighting a vampire woman for the throne.¡±

    ¡°None of us know why Ahasuerus threw that stone at her! Why he was fighting them in the first place¡­ We have order! Had order until my father started dealing with you.¡± Ian spat the words out. ¡°Juliet will be brought down from that throne she thinks she sits on. And once we kill her and the child she carries, the Ahmed line will fall into my sister¡¯s lap, and there will be peace again.¡±

    I glanced down at the glass plate. It seemed too good to be true that it would be that easy. James took out a communications device and sent a message.

    ¡°Oh! Did we mention¡­ You have to sync that plate with your teleporter. The scientist will have to do a lot of work getting those four coordinates on your plate. You can not think that you would allow you to piggyback on ours any longer.¡±

    My steps were enormous toward the smug little man. ¡°Send me back first!¡±

    James tossed another communicator toward me. ¡°Maybe you should try a boat,¡± Ian said before he and James disappeared.

    I cursed them and wanted to drive my sword through his chest. I had a plate but could do nothing with it. I spun around at the howling cry that suddenly stopped.

    Me [ What is going on. What happened? ]

    Dimitrios [ Caleb and Marcus killed our five men ]

    I roared into the sky, wanting to crush the glass in my hand. I fell to my knees, hitting the floor several times instead. I didn¡¯t stop until my knuckles were bloody. It had been too long since I had killed a worthy opponent and released my frustrations in a good fight.

    Dimitrios [ They are stuck inside. On the Island ]

    Me [ You have one chance to redeem yourself. I want that boy¡¯s head on a rock. Displayed in my garden ]

    Dimitrios [ Marcus disabled the teleporter. Only you can activate it. I need more trust if you want me to fight by your side ]

    I had dug my own grave for the time being. I hoped I would not be pushing myself in as well. I should have trusted others with my knowledge. It was the one thing Avrio said to me, ¡°Never share your knowledge with anyone.¡±

    ***

    Caleb

    Marcus and I were walking through a jungle. It was thick and lush and hard to get through in some places. We came across some beasts that we had to fight and kill. I was happy that I could eat and drink and get my strength back up. The Chadari had not tried to find us. There would be no point. I was glad I had done it. It felt like enough retribution for Chris. Fahan would be forced to work with us. Even if he had Chris¡¯s ability, he would be able to do nothing with it. ¡°Thank You, Marcus. For helping me.¡±

    ¡°Do you feel better?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°There!¡± Marcus called out, pointing to a small stream with a jetty and a boat. ¡°I just hope the fish is still connected to it.¡±

    He showed me what to do, and we both tugged gently on the ropes. ¡°It¡¯s not that big.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a small boat. We can be glad. They won¡¯t even know we are sailing through the city¡­ Do you think you¡¯ll be able to make it all invisible?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡±

    The fish gently jumped into the water and started tugging forward. We smoothed out once it got going, and the ride wasn¡¯t so jerky. ¡°I don¡¯t think we were so far out last time. I have no idea how long we will be.¡± Marcus checked the plate. We¡¯ve already been gone six¡­ almost seven hours. And it needs to be charged.¡±

    I took mine out. ¡°I still have some time left on mine. Hope it will be enough.¡±

    Marcus and I were quiet for most of the ride. Some of the houses were close to the water. Others were built inside trees along the bank, overlooking the stream. The moonlight shone on the surface. It was rather magical, and I regret Chris giving it away. Juliet never said one word about losing it. I guessed she didn¡¯t care.

    At some point, I was sure we were close to their harbor. The stream became broader the further down we floated. There were more houses and structures and lights everywhere. I lifted my hand to touch the boat¡¯s haul. I disappeared, and it went with me. Unfortunately, the fish could get no traction in the water. ¡°What would happen to a car if Juliet makes it disappear?¡± Marcus lifted his hand and slowly got up. I stopped talking and lifted my hand off the boat so the fish could keep swimming. Marcus gestured for me to help him pull on the ropes. Marcus leaned on his side, and the fish followed his promptings. There was a small alcove in the bank. The fish didn¡¯t need to be told again what to do.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Why are we stopping?¡±

    Marcus was quiet. I caught a glimpse of the entrance and what he had heard long before me. They had closed the gates. Massive waves crashed into the wood, splashing high into the sky. We had not seen or heard the men standing hidden in the gigantic plants along the shore. The sound of the water had drowned it all out. They stepped out in a perfect half-circle, covering the jetty from all angles. They hit their swords on the ground, and the red glow illuminated the area.

    I made us both invisible. Marcus was standing, chest out, watching them. The men started chopping all around them, slicing through the air. We would have no way of turning around and going back upstream. They moved closer in small steps, making sure they touched every area. I picked Marcus up and teleported us behind all of them. They closed around the boat and crushed it, killing the fish as well.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t smart of them.¡±

    Marcus spun around. Another wave of men were closing down on us. A more significant half-circle of dragons was coming towards us. Swords flinging. ¡°You have to show yourselves some or other time. Or you will be stuck on this island with us.¡± Dimitrios said.

    I picked Marcus up again and teleported us to behind the next wave. ¡°You have to stop, Caleb. You will tire out.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    ¡°Use one big jump to carry us across the river. The only bridge we saw was high upstream. We have no choice but to find another way. We walked in between the men to the edge of the bank, stood on the shore, and I had to manifest and teleport. They saw the movement and scrambled to get to us. We barely landed. I had to let go of Marcus for a second, trying not to fall into the water.

    ¡°I see you!¡± Dimitrios bellowed out into the air. The rest of the Chadari answered his call. Our heads snapped up at the sound not far from us. There were more guards on our side of the river, stampeding downstream.

    Jade came walking out of the thicket and stood next to Dimitrios. ¡°All I want is my son.¡± She yelled.

    ¡°That might be what you want. But I can tell you now. Your mate¡­ isn¡¯t thinking about him at all.¡±

    That familiar glow lit up her chest. She had a sword in hand, and her strength was back. No more frailty in the way she walked. She came to stand at the edge. ¡°Fahan is not here right now.¡±

    She glanced back with a slightly tilted head, listening to something. The plants started moving. The thunder of the Chadari¡¯s heavy tread crashed through the plants. Dimitrios was running towards the water. He stepped on the ledge of the bank and jumped. Marcus grabbed my clothes. ¡°We¡¯re going underneath the gates. I hope you can hold your breath.¡± He pushed me, and we dove into the water.

    Dimitrios¡¯s sword dug into the mud, pulling himself to shore. He was a second too late. Jade was already running downstream. Her hand stretched into the air. Our heads bobbed out of the water. The current and waves took us down and up. The last wave crashed us into the wood of the gate. The guards onshore were dropping giant nets into the water. Heavyweights made it sink swiftly around us. ¡°Deep breath. Let go and follow me. Whatever you do. Do not manifest.¡±

    Marcus dove down and cut through the net. His knife sliced through easily. He grabbed my collar and pushed me through the gap between the bottom and the edge of the wooden structure. I looked back, still underneath the water. Marcus¡¯s hands were busy gripping and tugging the ropes. His feet were caught, and they were pulling him up. He was almost out of the water and pulled out his gun. He emptied his clip into the air. I couldn¡¯t hold my breath any longer and swam away from him to the surface on the other side of the gate. The waves slammed me into the wood on that side. Marcus came up behind me and pulled me under again. He tugged and swam under the current until we were clear of the worst. A violent fit of coughing assailed me when we emerged, still treading water.

    There was a droning, a rumble in the distance. Marcus¡¯s eyes were wide. ¡°Swim, Caleb, and don¡¯t look back.¡±

    I could feel the shift in the water; they were opening the gates, and we would be pulled into the mull of the ocean boundary. They would catch us, or we would drown. Marcus nearly dragged me through the water, pushing himself as far as possible. Neither of us looked back until we were clear and far enough from the island that it would not matter.

    I grabbed onto his shirt. ¡°We made it. Marcus, stop!¡± I sputtered, trying to yell to get through to him.

    Marcus slowed and drifted, glancing around the harbor. There were a lot of dormant ships floating in the water. ¡°We got to get out of the water. Right now.¡±

    His voice was even tighter. I touched his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s swim together. Catch our breath.¡±

    Marcus pointed in a direction. We slowly swam to the closest vessel. The waves were still high, picking us up and dropping us down. We used them to grab onto ropes on the side of one of the boats and hauled ourselves up the wood. He was on the deck first and helped me up. Marcus lay down on his back, breathing deeply, trying to catch his breath. I was on my knees and hands. He cursed loudly when it all sank in. ¡°I should have never done this! What was I thinking.¡± His hands were limp by his sides.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault. If I had not missed.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane? That¡¯s not what created this mess. It was me not knowing what the hell I was doing.¡± He cussed again, sitting up and ruffling the water out of his hair. ¡°We¡¯re not even halfway.¡± He pulled out the glass plates and tossed them on the wood. I did the same. I stared at my phone and chucked it next to the pile of useless glass. Marcus threw his gun on the stack. ¡°I had to drop the knife in the water.¡±

    ¡°I still have my clip¡­ I can still take us to all the boats. You have to rally Marcus.¡±

    He bobbed his head and laid back. ¡°Just give me a minute.¡±

    ***

    Carl

    James, Warden, and I were waiting for our orders for the day. Jack came in and told us about the attacks on En-gannim. The watchers were being deployed. All of us. En-gannim was switching off any comings and goings to Earth to prompt us to help. It had worked. Louis had evacuated everyone crucial to the inner circle to The Compound. In turn, the watchers would be teleported out into that massive field. The first chopper went to see if it would even fly there. It did, and they started sending out hundreds.

    While the ground crew was scrambling on Earth, our unit would be the last to deploy. Warden would stay with Sammy, Liam, and Cindy. It was me, Jack and James. I was tying my boots around my ankles. The other two were busy putting on vests and gear. All three of our phones chimed at the same time. We all glanced up, picked up our phones, and opened the messages. I pressed play. The audio was loud so that the whole room could hear. It was a recording of Sita talking about the prisoners. It was cut, but the implications were there. We all huddled. Jack showed us his phone. It was a ledger page. Photos of names¡­ Liam, Samuel, and Qadir were sent to Earth as prisoners. Next to the names were the relative crimes for which they were sentenced. James showed us his phone. It was a video of Qadir and the generals meeting before the first broadcast with Marcus.

    ¡°Jack, you will have to take it to the general and ask him what we should do.¡±

    ¡°We all know it¡¯s Holly.¡±

    ¡°It might be. Should we bring her in?¡±

    ¡°Do we have the time to worry about this small thing coming out? We already know she is a nobody.¡± James ventured.

    ¡°If this is all she has¡­ Let her get it out of her system.¡± I said.

    ¡°I agree. It¡¯s hanging over our heads. Nonetheless, we have to report it. You two go. I¡¯ll catch up.¡± Jack picked up his bag and left the room.

    James and I made our way to the teleporter on base. The last of the American units was shipping out. If we stepped through. We wouldn¡¯t be going back for a while. I didn¡¯t know where I wanted to be. On Earth, sorting out Holly or fighting in another war. ¡°I think we should wait for Jack.¡±

    ¡°I agree. We will leave with the general. We should stay as a unit.¡±

    The two men didn¡¯t take long to walk over the quad. I got another text. I turned away from James to read it.

    An unknown number¡­ { It¡¯s time we meet. Holly }

    My gut churned, and I knew my answer. I didn¡¯t want to stay and sort out some woman. I wanted to be one step closer to getting to Charlene. Helping the guys sort out any threat to other species having the means to travel the freaking galaxy.

    ***

    Lyla

    My van needed a cleaning. The cup of coffee in my hand kept me warm. My computer screen was lit. I had been staring at it for a while. The group was messaging back and forth. All The Watcher bases were seeing activity. It was hard following anyone that could teleport. We had all chosen one person in our countries to keep tabs on. I chose Carl. I saw them for the first time at his father''s funeral. They were on TV. Carl, Juliet, and another woman with them. With my finger, I traced a picture of a woman stuck to my PC screen. My sister¡¯s photo. She was the one that was taken that night. Killed. We still didn¡¯t know what had happened. My parents had fought hard for retribution. All we got was a few weeks of no Aliens and hush money. It wasn¡¯t enough. So, I took the matter in hand. I had to figure out why she died in the first place.

    It was easier following Charlene. She was an average human and went to school. She had received special privileges because she knew Juliet. She was a student up until a few months ago. Never returned to class after asking for an extension. I couldn¡¯t track her after that.

    The lectors and advisors were worried, so they ate up my undercover story. I was a P.I. looking into her disappearance. It wasn¡¯t a complete lie. They all had the same thing to say. Straight A student. Top of her class. First, to use the teleporters. Testing how it would impact a student''s life. Studying and going home at the end of the day. Across the country in an instant. All the schools were excited to have foreign students in their classes. It meant more money and opportunities for many kids from third-world countries. Some could afford the schooling but not the relocation. It meant no one had to worry about scholarships anymore. It had changed so much for the better. Everything was for a brighter future. I was on board until we sat around the table that night. My sister was flirting with a guy. We all were. He was so handsome and tall. Well built and didn¡¯t seem like a threat. He was so nice to us that night. Indulged the group of girls.

    My tiny little dog yelped at the door, scratching. I jumped up to let her out of the van. I was outside at a little table. I let her run around for a wee. I had bought an old RV, gave up the lease on my apartment, and was living in the van permanently. I took the last bite of my breakfast sandwich. The trip to Canada had taken me a few days. I was about to cross the border. I had started with our crusade, sending The Watchers some threats. No actual evidence. Just dropped hints here and there that I was pursuing some leads. Our group was people from all over the world who had lost family¡­ friends. Vanished into thin air¡­ I checked my phone. Carl didn¡¯t bite and declined my offer to meet. I was sure it was about The Watchers deploying and didn¡¯t take it personally. It was better, anyway. If they were not on Earth, we could move around more easily.

    My sister had only died four months ago. My parents were grieving and not getting over it. I couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, so I left. Told my father what I had been doing. All he said was that I should go to the pound and get myself a small dog to alert me of strangers. Then he took me to buy a gun from some guy in an alley. Handgun sales in the world had come to a crashing halt after Marcus came onto TV. Every last one was ceased. If you wanted to protect yourself, you needed to get creative.

    My sister and I had followed everything the aliens were doing on Earth. Had all the clippings and videos. Mountains of regular internet sightings. We had become those conspiracy theorists. That night in the club, when they were there¡­ We were so excited. Saw them fighting like ordinary people about a girl.

    Not long after my sister¡¯s death¡­ I got a typical brown letter in the mail. It was a key and an address in an envelope. It was for a security locker at a train station. Inside was a large black bag. Once I was home, I was surprised to find a weird book inside. Some phones and another key. A lot of documents and notes. The book didn¡¯t look like anything from Earth. And it wasn¡¯t. The cover and the paper were different. Inside, the writing was foreign and translated into English, which was next to the original text. In the back of the book, there was a post-it. All it had on was an address. I opened my laptop immediately and searched for it.

    The location was so remote. It looked like a typical farm with a small town close by. I clicked on the name and any articles written. There had been so many disappearances of missing men and women over the last eight years. It caught my attention. Since then, I put off going, too scared that it was some or other alien base. I didn¡¯t really want to end up being eaten. Thought stalking Charlene was a safer option. If I could just talk to any one of them¡­ Face the guy from the club. Get closure.

    Nevertheless, I had put that off too. Convinced that I had to have a lot more information before I approached Carl. That morning, when they started deploying, it left me with no choice.

    ¡°Passport.¡±

    I handed the man my documents.

    ¡°All clear.¡±

    I drove over the border. Lucy and I had gone to The Netherlands for a two-week adventure. We were going to backpack and take river trips to all the places we wanted to see. We ended up in Amsterdam to go clubbing. It was our last night¡­ She was kissing a guy, and then¡­ she was gone.

 The Right Thing To Do

    179. The Right Thing To Do

    Chris

    The war I didn¡¯t want was officially underway. The first reports of attacks came in almost as soon as Caleb and Marcus left for Palmyra, and they had been off comms since the day before. The last I had heard of him was when they were making their way to the platform. Louis and I could not go. We would be useless in helping them in any way, and we also didn¡¯t know who would be waiting. It would have been a risk neither of us was willing to take. Louis had sent one scout. He had come back and reported that we had missed our chance to get Ian and that Fahan was alone on the platform. Our fight was not with him and we couldn¡¯t spare resources to deal with him. Louis was also very determined not to get sidetracked, and we were needed every few minutes to make another decision. Louis had thought it would be better to get Earth involved. It was a lot of coordination to delegate. We had to trust Marcus to make his way home.

    Juliet and Michael had not surfaced, but we had watched his feed. They were fighting in the lane. He had taken her down into the tunnels. We saw them disappear on the screen. After that, his feed cut out. Louis had checked their hut. Jessy, Jamal, and Selena had searched every nook on Earth. We knew they wouldn¡¯t go to Zoreah, nor would Michael be stupid enough to take her to Palmyra. Once we were settled on En-gannim, Kubra reported back to us. He went out to that field to group up with The Watchers. We had another rude awakening. The glass plate was missing. It took us a day to find another one to activate and manage that massive teleporter... Michael and Juliet had stalled the watchers from deploying sooner. It was the reason we didn¡¯t see his feed any longer. That field was the holy grail. Louis was irate for a while. Not only did Michael take Juliet with him to Ahasuerus¡¯s vault, but we did not know where they would come out. Michael had the coordinates, and Caleb had the pictures on his phone. Even if we wanted to. We couldn¡¯t follow.

    The attacks from Ian were small and scattered. Once we got to where the reports came from, it was a fight for us to make any progress. Ian had copied most of the coordinates for every island. The larger islands with more inhabitable places had a coordinate for every home. Those were stored and managed from a central community hall like the one on Cindy¡¯s island. Ahasuerus had made sure only those who contributed had the luxury, and I had made sure that they didn¡¯t¡­ In the process of trying to control and contain the flow of traffic around En-gannim, we shot ourselves in the foot. By making the quantities smaller, there was no way to deploy troops in thousands.

    Because no one wanted to end up in the pink sludge, everyone fought with handheld weapons. It was standard swords and close combat. There were no guns because they had armor that only caused more problems than progress. No bombs because the vamps did have respect for their buildings and environment. Ian wasn¡¯t going to destroy the place he wanted to rule; on the other hand, Marcus and Louis didn¡¯t want to cause too much collateral damage.

    To cross small channels that ran through islands, they deployed makeshift bridges. Although we had choppers, as soon as they were sent through a teleporter, there wasn¡¯t enough time to get them back into the air, so we could only use them in regions we had control.

    Nahrima, the most populated city on En-gannim, was filled with thin pink waterways. Every available land space had a building, which meant every building had many teleporters. Therefore we couldn¡¯t lessen the amount. We had discussed it at length. Decided we had to stay focused on protecting Nahrima and the ability to ensure every building had soldiers stationed and ready.

    We would be losing all the islands we could not take back and just waiting for them to launch their attack on The Tower. It was the most vulnerable and had the most coordinates to every floor and every room. It was a maze, and Ian had worked there so long that we were sure they would appear anywhere at any moment. The administration and The Watchers were pulled in, and every floor was monitored. It was a logistical nightmare.

    We hoped that Ahasuerus¡¯s vault had war plans in it, more coordinates, and more ideas. The Watchers were used to guns, flying, and equipment to control aliens. Bombs and tactical advantage. En-gannim was never meant to be a war zone. It was probably why Ahasuerus never focused on the military that much.

    We soon realized why Ian had deployed and scattered their people all over the globe, with thousands on every big island and hundreds on smaller ones like Cindy¡¯s island. The problem was that En-gannim had thousands of islands all over the planet, and it was too far to cross by helicopter in some places. No long strips for planes to take off on. No roads and no space for tanks to mobilize.

    The only good news was that Ian was as restricted as we were. Neither could send large troops anywhere. We were fighting a war by sending through thirty people at a time. I had to shake my head. Why had they decided to fight? Two days of no sleep were taking its toll. Louis and I finally gave in and let Liam and Samuel come back and take over for a while. The moment they arrived, I had hope for the first time. We would be working in shifts. Those two men had started all of this in the first place. Liam was going to have the chance to finish what he had started. But both men had been off-planet for two hundred years. They knew nothing of what Ahasuerus had done or implemented since the last revolt.

    ¡°Can we not try and meet with this, Ian?¡± I asked. ¡°Should we not try and stop the war before it gets out of hand.¡±

    ¡°They didn¡¯t leave us with much choice. Our people are being pushed down. Just like Ahasuerus had done with us.¡±

    ¡°But you got sent to prison. Exiled. You didn¡¯t get stabbed in the chest if you didn¡¯t choose the right side.¡± Louis added.

    ¡°Many of our people did die,¡± Samuel said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that Ian will not be making that mistake. The longer we do nothing, the more innocent vampires will die. The women have no idea what is going on. And as far as I know, this all started with one woman that didn¡¯t want to submit. Or be treated the way they were.¡±

    ¡°And the children?¡±

    ¡°Most of them are in camps. They are out of the equation.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t think straight, Chris. I¡¯m going upstairs to sleep.¡± Louis stood up and walked out.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡±

    I glanced at the conference room. The generals and our inner circle were in heated discussions. This war was sprung on all of us. Nothing that Earth seemed to throw at Samuel would work.

    I fell down on the bed. I was asleep before Louis even landed next to me.

    ***

    Soren

    Ian had come home. I recognized him. He was much more with Ahasuerus than he had been with Marcus when I was there. I never knew that he was Avrio¡¯s son. We were closely monitored with nothing but news to read. We lived in The Tower, went to work in The Tower, and, on our off days, were allowed home. The staff was never talked about. I don¡¯t think any of us knew about Ian and James. Marcus was too busy keeping an eye on Essien and Avrio rather than rounding up threats for the future.

    Heba and Rana were on the floor, welcoming him. So was the multitude of other wives Avrio had had. The locked rooms were for his concubines and their children. Ian was one of many kids. The harem system did give their army a lot of soldiers and brothers who could help him in his cause. It was the first island I knew of that had so many wives per husband.

    The island was filled with these men. They had come out of hiding when he arrived. Men we thought were living there and working in the city. Overnight, it turned into a well-forted stronghold.

    Soon after Marcus and Caleb left, Louis approached me. Told me what was going on. I rushed to get Isla out, but it was too late when we tried to escape. I didn¡¯t think Ian knew where my loyalties lay. When I came back, Ahasuerus was still in charge. James had been Marcus¡¯s secretary more than I was. And after he found out about me and Juliet, we had our differences.

    I stood in the corner of the room. Isla and all the other servants were on the floor behind the women of the house, which meant something. A few men were with me, and I thought I would get lost in the crowd. Ian¡¯s eyes slowly scanned the crowd and all the faces. He was taking stock. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± More men came to stand next to him. I didn¡¯t want to tell him that I was there for Isla or mention that she was my sister.

    ¡°I have been stuck here for a day. I worked in The Tower.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I remember you. Answer my question! If I am not mistaken¡­ You are from Earth.¡±

    ¡°I am. Came back with the rest of the children. I knew Marcus and Qadir. He got me a job because I was a familiar face.¡±

    Ian bobbed his head in an understanding way. ¡°What do you do?¡±

    ¡°Research, information, and history. I was a secretary till James took over from me.¡±

    ¡°Why did Marcus demote you?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t get along.¡±

    ¡°No, he did not like me either¡­.¡± Ian was quiet for a second. ¡°It seems like he pulled you back in?¡±

    ¡°I have been on my parent¡¯s Island till a few weeks ago, helping with the family business. Till the Chadari attacked The Tower. Everyone was let go, and Marcus thought it best to have someone there to help that he knew.¡±

    ¡°Come with me to my office.¡±

    The hand of a bowed-down woman on the floor raised into the air. Ian saw the gesture. It was Heba. We only knew who it was because of the hierarchy, and she was the only one not in a row. ¡°Not now, woman! You are all dismissed. Back to work, and nothing changes. I do not want any issues from any of you. And do not bother me.¡±

    Ian walked away, and I followed him. The door closed behind me. Their house and island were only top-of-the-range d¨¦cor and gadgets. Tech for days. Avrio had spent more money on himself than his children¡¯s future. His study was connected to the main house via a small corridor. Built high off the ground in a separate building with a view over the pink water. En-gannim was beautiful in its own way. The advantage that they had was the continuous flat surfaces. The ground was a solid substance that wouldn¡¯t go anywhere. The few hills and rolling planes were on the most remote and inhabitable islands, and therefore, no one wanted to build there. They liked order and symmetry. Every structure, from the huts on Cindy''s island to The Tower, was constructed from the only stone-like material they sourced. A light beige-like color to match the sands of the beaches that stretched for miles.

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    ¡°What is your name again?¡±

    ¡°Soren.¡±

    ¡°So tell me. What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Marcus thought it best to keep an eye on Heba. He didn¡¯t really trust her to be able to keep En-gannim¡¯s water supply coming and going.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we are fortunate to have the only source. And so far, it has been unlimited. Every island has its uses. What does your father do?¡±

    ¡°On Earth, we sold books¡­ When we came back, we continued with it. Documenting and digitalizing information.¡±

    ¡°The men must have embraced it. Wanted to know about other worlds. Not everybody on En-gannim even knows that there are other races.¡±

    ¡°Yes. The information going out was very controlled. Everything is still very controlled. It is easy on En-gannim. We only gave the history of Earth.¡±

    ¡°That is good. No need to bring any of the philosophies to light. Or the science. The vamps didn¡¯t even know Earth was inhabited until we had to broadcast Ahasuerus throwing the stone at that girl.¡±

    ¡°And even that went out only to the higher-ups.¡±

    ¡°So you have heard that the attacks have begun. Where are your allegiances? You have been back for a while now. What do you make of the differences, and did you embrace our way of life?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ My family did not know about the other planets. None of us did. My mother wanted to come back. Qadir had a tight reign on the women. Even more than here. My sister wanted to come back as well. She and my mother embrace the culture. My sister was sent to one of the best camps¡­.¡± It was still a thorn in my side that I let it happen at all. ¡°She was stolen and given to one of the men from Earth.¡±

    ¡°So she is seen as corrupted¡­ I know the feeling. My sister was supposed to marry Marcus. It would have been security and allegiance for the rest of our generation.¡±

    ¡°I have met Rana. She started working in The Tower only a few days ago.¡±

    ¡°She what?¡± Ian hissed.

    ¡°When your father was implicated in having sided with the Chadari. Juliet¡¯s council took it upon themselves to place Isla here. To help Heba with the reading and writing. But that you know.¡±

    ¡°Isla?¡±

    ¡°My sister.¡±

    ¡°Mmmhmmm, now I see. The Earth¡¯s ways have made you compassionate towards your female relations. You came for her before we started attacking.¡±

    The man was sharp, and I couldn¡¯t keep lying. I had to take a moment. Compassionate was not a word I would have used to describe how I felt about Juliet. She would have given me a giggle. F- I missed her. Regretfully, I bobbed my head. ¡°After she was taken. I thought we were better off on Earth. Nothing like that would have happened there.¡±

    ¡°Our world has a lot of problems. It is difficult to rule every Island out there with an Iron hand. Unfortunately, things like that do happen for monetary gain.¡±

    My game face was on. I was not fidgeting like I always was. ¡°So, I came to ensure Isla was doing a good job for Heba¡­ And then she approached me for a job for her daughter. I don¡¯t know how they found out that women could work. Your sister is a strong servant. She did not falter in showing your clan the respect it¡¯s due. Without her veil, she caused quite a stir.¡±

    Ian¡¯s features seem to solidify. My tactics seemed to be working. I didn¡¯t think it was about Rana at all. Or her in a room without a veil. Ian knew they allowed it, only to get information. ¡°I do regret not being here to manage my household.¡± He drew in a heavy breath to calm himself. ¡°But we were lying low. Heba told me that she was put in charge. And to keep the peace for the meantime, I let them believe she was.¡±

    Ian¡¯s black nails clicked up and down on the table in quick movements. ¡°You are not manifested. Why?¡±

    ¡°Not used to it. Never allowed on Earth. Ahasuerus did not force us when we came back. Neither me nor Marcus¡­ He had a soft spot for the boy.¡±

    ¡°That is one of the problems Qadir had. If you all could have been in your vampire state the whole time. It would have been different. So? You are avoiding my question.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to,¡± I retorted quickly. ¡°I just don¡¯t know where I really belong. Stuck in the middle, if you will.¡± It was the truth.

    Ian regarded me. ¡°So you came back because your future was brighter here. More possibilities for marriage. And¡­ Juliet stopped you from fully embracing the culture. Made promises that En-gannim would change.¡±

    My stomach was in knots. I didn¡¯t want to lie. I knew the question was coming. Ian was listening to every heartbeat. I was answering everything truthfully to avoid retribution.

    ¡°So, have you met Juliet?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Yes¡­ Many times.¡±

    ¡°And what do you make of that pejorative piece of meat.¡±

    ¡°Lucky!¡± My upper lip felt strangled. I wanted to smile but instead pulled it up in a sneer. ¡°It is the only word that comes to mind.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an Earthly term for having good fate.¡±

    I sat forward to give my face a rest from pulling so tightly. ¡°I would like to know¡­ why it was so easy for her to challenge Ahasuerus,¡± I said quickly to change the subject.

    Ian¡¯s eyebrows raised as he scrutinized me.

    ¡°I was there that night. Your sister came and would¡¯ve been presented to Marcus. I was in the background. Where I always am. Just there if I was needed. I don¡¯t really know why¡­ Everyone could hear Juliet raising her voice at Ahasuerus and issuing the challenge¡­ Later, we found out that Qadir had given her the information.¡±

    Ian growled low in his throat. That hiss only a vampire could make without any emotions in their black eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not an Earth thing¡­ Challenges and kings. Not anymore. Earth was never structured with rules for everyone.¡± Ian said.

    ¡°No, not anymore. Earth tried. But with that came their own revolutions, democracy, and murders. Women¡¯s rights and governments pushed it even further into socialism. It had changed so much in the last twenty years alone.¡±

    ¡°The challenge for leadership is a sacred ritual. We are half creatures for a reason. Here the strongest rule¡­.¡± Ian¡¯s nails started strumming as he thought about something. ¡°One Samuel and Basaam never wanted to accept.¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything and waited. Ian saw my reluctance to ask.

    ¡°Why am I not issuing a challenge¡­ I have the same question as you¡­ Why was Ahasuerus fighting all three of them? It has been plaguing En-gannim from that moment. Of course, the court and Narihma just bowed to the person with the stone. Essien took Ahasuerus¡¯s army to Zoreah after his death. Raas did not go with them. He stayed to manage that Red planet Essien was banished to¡­.¡± Ian jumped up and stood at the window with his hands clasped behind his back. ¡°I have to agree that it did help the economy. Marcus had some good ideas. We would have followed him. Unfortunately, Ahasuerus¡¯s army did not come back. Marcus did not come back.¡± Ian was quiet and finally spun on his heels. ¡°Juliet was alone in ruling... It was¡­ A low point for all the men in The Tower. That day, when she walked in with that rock around her neck. A vampire soldier with the general¡¯s emblem on. One we did not even know.¡± Ian scoffed. ¡°Women soldiers surrounded her, carrying guns.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I could remember the day she stepped in and took over. You were not there.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I said, animated, letting the first smile play on my mouth.¡± His head tilted. ¡°Juliet and I are not on speaking terms. Like I said, I was on my father¡¯s Island. And with Marcus not there¡­ I don¡¯t think she wanted a secretary that worked for him.¡± I smiled again. Glad that I was able to get it out. My smile fell, and I hardened my features. ¡°She¡¯s controlling. That¡¯s for sure.¡±

    Ian bobbed his head. ¡°That was the day my father swore to take over. He went to meet with Raas. Came back with so much enthusiasm and certainty that I thought it was only a matter of time. He told me that there was no need to challenge her. He had a sure way of killing her, bypassing the Ahmed line altogether and getting the technology for ourselves. So we did nothing but gather troops and plan if it didn¡¯t work out.¡±

    Ian sat down again, leaning back in his chair. ¡°Avrio said that most of Ahasuerus¡¯s army was teleported to another planet. Only half was sent and died on Zoreah.¡± Ian scratched at his chin. ¡°My father was glad that Juliet was focused on Earth. She wanted to help them and keep the relationship strong. We were relieved that she didn¡¯t start traveling the globe to mark her territory and telling all the women what to do. Or killing all the men that didn¡¯t comply with the new regime of a Queen.¡±

    Ian¡¯s head lifted as he laughed. ¡°And that is why a woman should not be in charge.¡±

    ¡°And then she stole the Chadari baby.¡± I had to say to redeem some honor for that stupid girl.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ian pointed a black nail at me. ¡°And then Fahan killed my father and Raas. I still do not know why¡­ After that, we found out Fahan was on Palmyra. There were no werewolves. If we had known¡­ We would have packed up and left. I would have ruled the new En-gannim and further our advances. Left the Chadari and Juliet to fight for this hole.¡±

    All at once, the truth hit me. I knew why I shouldn¡¯t have said anything to Rana. Louis was right. They were trying to figure out what was going on. And not only did I give them a big piece of the puzzle, but they would have a thread to pull once Fahan divulged what he and Avrio had done. I was still her weakest link. If Ian spoke to Rana or Heba and found out what I had said. He would wonder why I didn¡¯t say anything. For the first time, my heart started racing.

    Ian lifted his chin in a slight, quick movement. ¡°Out with it.¡±

    ¡°I spoke to Rana. I know I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± I picked up two hands to make him think that was what I was nervous about. ¡°It¡¯s not custom. But¡­ something happened at The Tower. And I don¡¯t know if you would want to hear it from her or me.¡±

    ¡°Of course, from you. My sister is a silly woman. And my mother is even worse. If I can, I avoid talking to any of them.¡±

    I gripped the hair on my head nervously.

    ¡°What is making you so uneasy.¡±

    My heart started racing even faster. I swallowed hard, hoping I wasn¡¯t making another mistake. ¡°I was there since Marcus came back. Only a few days after, Juliet stepped down. They had found out she was pregnant. He has three men working there.¡± Argh, it grieved me that I made the mistake in the first place. I ran my hands over my face. ¡°The one attacked your sister and said some things.¡±

    Ian¡¯s fists clenched on the table. ¡°You see, Marcus and Louis¡­ The two men in the ring with her¡­.¡± I took in a breath. ¡°Is both Juliet¡¯s husbands.¡±

    Ian pushed his chair out from under him. Or it moved back itself, anticipating his movements.  ¡°Go on.¡± His hands leaned on the edge as his eyes bore into mine.

    ¡°The other man is also¡­ her husband.¡±

    ¡°That man with the markings.¡± Ian¡¯s voice rose. ¡°All vampires from Earth? We saw him in the footage and with them. I never¡­¡±

    I wasn¡¯t going to say anything else if I could help it.

    ¡°We thought Marcus¡¯s head was muddled¡­ But what was the boy thinking! No wonder Ahasuerus was in such a state every time anything happened. All he worked for flushed down a drain¡­ I had wondered why he had tossed that stone at her¡­ Why she was even allowed to hold it in her hands¡­. Jump up and down like a child. Maybe all three of them challenged Ahasuerus, and she just delivered the message.¡±

    Ian stood up and looked out at Sirius, who was sitting on the horizon. Over and over, I cursed myself because there was more I needed to say.

    ¡°When they came back after Ahasuerus fought them. Juliet was nowhere to be seen. Marcus had men helping him, but they were so¡­ tight nit in that lab all day long. Accumulating coordinates that Ahasuerus had taken with him. I never knew why.¡± Ian whispered, more to himself than to me.

    My heart was still racing.

    ¡°There is more. Out with it.¡±

    ¡°There is another man¡­ Juliet has four husbands¡­.¡±

    Ian spun around. I swallowed hard. ¡°He is Ira¡¯s son.¡± My nails dug into my hands. Ian came back to human and at last! I could take in the features I had never seen before.

 All Of Us Are Done For

    180. All Of Us Are Done For

    Fahan

    The embassy was a grand structure on Palmyra. It was only my second time there. The enterprise was as large as any of our mines on our home planet. I had been pacing that blasted rock for¡­ I do not know how long. First, I circled the platform for a day, waiting for Ian to come back and help me. After I slept, I knew he was not coming. He was serious when he told me to learn to sail. I had stayed at the top, avoiding the water at all costs, unwilling to even entertain the idea. It took only another hour of the unbearable heat to force me down the many flights of stairs, which was challenging and strange for my big feet. I struggled to make it down alive. Their human form had its advantages.

    As I took the last flight of stairs and neared the water¡¯s surface, it became slippery, and a strange, soft green plant grew in every crevice. My nerves tightened around my chest. My feet were sliding around. I had to hold onto railings and felt useless and unable to take another step. The room at the bottom of the mountain only had glass between me and the waves that crashed and thundered in anger. I had never experienced vast amounts of water. But an ocean that did not stop moving, over and over, brought me down to a new low of cowardice. A feeling I never thought I would have to overcome.

    I looked to the only exit from the mountain. The doors opened to a walkway of rocks as far as the horizon. I had to stand there for a while. The sear size of the waves and the depths of the water consumed my every thought. The boats were tied to the wall of the walkway. It would not be hard to climb into a vessel. Let the rope go. But how would I manage the waves crashing into the thing? Making it go up and down. For the first time in my life¡­ I was terrified. I did not want to die. I understood why the dogs lived there. If they fell in the water, they just paddled to the surface, drifting along or diving low to catch fish. With their large chests, they could probably be submerged for some time before they even needed to come up for air.

    The day Chris asked me if we sink or swim, I knew I had put it off for too long. After they sent me back to the Palace, I had gone into Brylee¡¯s bath. While I stood there, the water did not even reach my stomach. It was a bath for a human creature. I had let Dimitrios tie ropes around my waist to test our own ability to be able to swim. Our planet¡¯s water was limited. To survive, we did not need to drink and eat every day¡­ all day. The water we did have came out of the rocks in gentle little streams. We had never even been submerged in a waterfall or any amount of water, for that matter.

    I slowly walked into that heated bath, adjusted to the feeling, and settled myself to stare at the water for as long as needed. To see if anything would happen to our skin, our scales, and the flesh underneath. I had made the decision and fell backward. It was like two stones were woven into my shoulders and more all around my hips. I hit the bottom with force, and the clang resonated into the water as I held my breath. I tugged on the rope in desperation as my ears and nostrils flooded. Dimitrios had dragged me out. His chest was full of laughter. It was the first time we had relaxed in each other¡¯s presence. I could not help myself, but I laughed as well.

    I had not heard anything from Dimitrios again. I did not know what had happened after Caleb killed the vamps. Those men were all I had. Another bout of laughter filled my chest, staring at the crashing waves. That water would be cold, deep, and I would drown¡­ The thought that Ian wanted me dead was the only thing playing around in the back of my mind. I puffed up my chest and gathered the little bit of courage I could muster. I had two options. I could enter a vessel and dare to get out of that cave. Or, I could stay and wait. Marcus and Caleb were making their way there. If they had not come and gone already. I wouldn¡¯t even have known. That was if Dimitrios failed in my order to kill them.

    Another avenue I would explore was the red rocks we mined on our planet. I needed to get back there. Make more weapons that could counter them more effectively. Juliet and her son, who could come and go, were a huge issue. I caught myself enjoying the thought of Caleb coming for the men. Avenging his father. Such a son was what I wanted. And Aries being raised by anyone other than me¡­ I would not allow it. I could not stay there. I could not wait for someone to come and save me. How would that look? We have not even figured out how they caught fish. We had tasted the white flesh. They had pools around the city where they bred them. We had taken a liking to the slippery and slimy beasts.

    Sink or swim¡­No¡­ I stay on the boat or die. That was my choice. I walked forward and untied the first vessel to see what would happen. It started drifting sideways, crashing into another one, being tossed here and there. But it was not something I would not be able to handle. The embassy¡¯s dock was large and long. There were ships of all sizes. I walked down the row to look at all the vessels and to choose the right one. I decided that the larger it was, the better. I got on just fine. My footing was shaky at first, but my weight seemed to have much to do with stabilizing and steering the haul. As I walked on the deck, I felt movement. A beast¡¯s movement. I could hear unfamiliar sounds. Splashes and animalistic noises.

    That specific vessel had one large post in the middle. It could be steered! There were ropes tied to it. I touched it to see what would happen. Moved it forward and backward. The jerk was so sudden and powerful that I could only look back on the broken cord that had tied the boat to the rock. My large hands gripped quickly around the pole. I was being pulled out into the dark depths by a¡­ fish.

    ***

    Marcus

    Sirius woke us up. The first faint light flashed over my face, irritating my eyes to open. The boat was still rocking violently beneath us. Caleb had traveled us to the largest vessel in the harbor. I had decided we would make camp first. All the boats left, drifting in the water, were anchored. The smaller ones that were there last time were gone. Thinking back, I could not understand how we made that trip at all. We were in such a small boat compared to the giant we were on at that moment. Their seas must be as influenced by their planet¡¯s rotation as ours. Sita did come to Earth at certain times of the month. I was sure we were in the midst of a gravitational pull. That the waves did not wake us up was a miracle.

    As I lifted my torso, the water crashed into the rocks across the harbor even worse than before. The first thing I looked for was if the boat had its fish attached. There was nothing at the end of the line. With those giant killer fish in the water, they must have eaten anything stuck in one place. We were lucky that we got a boat the previous day. So high upstream into the city, the water was still tranquil. Caleb stirred, hearing me walking back and forth.

    I was still tormented for bringing him without Michael. I was going to kill him when he came back. If he¡­ If they¡­ ever came back. I was going to kill my wife for leaving with him.

    ¡°Is it me? Or is the water worse today?¡± Caleb asked.

    I shook my head and pointed to the embassy far across the water. ¡°There are no more boats. This was the last one. In the dark, I thought there would be more.¡±

    ¡°So we¡¯re stuck on this one? Or?¡±

    The boy was relentless in his optimism. He was just like Juliet. There was no defeat in his vocabulary. And for some reason, they thought¡­I¡­ would have all the answers. Like I was trained for situations like that. We never took our armies to jump out of helicopters into raging seas or take part in water exercises.

    Caleb jumped up, ready for the day. ¡°Well, if we¡¯re stranded. I¡¯m going to take a look around.¡±

    I gave him a dirty look. Caleb shook his head and opened a trapdoor leading down into the haul. He teleported down, and I wanted to grab him by the ear or shake him like Chris always did with Juliet. I longed to be back home. Even if it was in a bed with her and another man. Safe around the fire, drinking a beer. Her head on my shoulder. Her hand always in my hair. Juliet dancing in front of me was still vivid in my memory. The whole afternoon in that room played around in my thoughts. The way her body moved. Dark eyes held mine as she seduced me with elegance around that pole. How we both would have ached if she had been there. If it wasn¡¯t for Michael. I could focus on nothing else but controlling myself and letting her finish her dance. How my blood was humming to bury myself in her.

    Caleb started tossing tools and rods out. I rubbed my brow to rid myself of what she had started down in those tunnels. How brazen and brutal she was. Juliet was growing up in more ways than one. I swallowed hard to get my thoughts under control. Nets and equipment were landing on the wood.

    ¡°If this incessant noise could just stop, I would be able to think clearer!¡± I pushed out the words.

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m not used to it either! On Zoreah, it was so peaceful! In France, even more quiet! At the compound in that desert! I could hear every insect!¡± He hollered from below deck.

    ¡°I never liked the compound! I actually hate it there!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Caleb asked, sticking out his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to live there anymore. I never did like where the Earth banned us to.¡±

    ¡°But your house¡­ the setup. It¡¯s amazing.¡±

    I bent down on my knees and peeked into the space. ¡°It was all for your mother.¡± Caleb picked up a bucket of something and lifted it up to me. I hauled it into the air. It was filled with slimy little beasts squirming and swimming in a thousand directions. ¡°Are you really going to go fishing?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hungry. And¡­ I¡¯ve never had fish before.¡±

    ¡°You can hardly call anything in that water trout.¡±

    I jumped down and made a tour of the space. They had sleeping bunks. ¡°We could have slept in here, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t really have time to look around last night. We were exhausted. Are you at least feeling better?¡± Only thinking about Juliet against that wall and her legs wrapped around my body made me a little more optimistic. I manifested. Caleb tilted his head and did the same. His weight made the wood crackle underfoot. My head had snapped in the direction of the embassy. ¡°What is that?¡± Caleb asked nervously.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ But if I¡¯m not mistaken, it¡¯s another boat.¡± I groaned.

    We stood staring at each other. ¡°Get on my shoulders. First, let me know if we are not losing our minds. We heard more noises. It was their alarm sound. A mimicking, but nonetheless. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me they are looking for us, and the Chadari had decided to test the waters.¡±

    Caleb got on my shoulders, pushed up on his arms, and disappeared. I guessed he was balancing for a while and dropped down. His lips pouted left and right. Eyes darting around. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to say this, but¡­ It is a boat. There is someone on it. But you might not like the answer.¡±

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    I jumped up and grabbed at the edges of the opening, pulling myself up and out back onto the deck. If it was Juliet. I was going to tie her up in that chair. I came up and looked out over the water. ¡°For F- sake!¡±

    ¡°Hey! No cussing!¡±

    I pointed out towards the water with an outstretched arm. Caleb chortled. ¡°I said you won¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°If I tell you to stay where you are, would you?¡±

    ¡°Not a chance.¡± Caleb teleported to next to me.

    ¡°Will you at least stay hidden?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± The side of his mouth quirked just like Juliet¡¯s. I dragged the boy under my shoulder.

    Fahan was having a hell of a time maneuvering the vessel or his fish. It was a strange shape and built for speed. The fish in the front was also not anything I had seen before. It was a bright blue, light color. Its scales glistened in the sun every time it surfaced. Seemed that some of the boats still had their masters attached.

    The dragon had not seen us yet, and Caleb disappeared for good measure. He was having all his days leaning and pulling on the shaft in the middle of the deck. His mouth was in a tight line of nerves. ¡°Guess they don¡¯t swim. Guess Ian left him there.¡± Caleb said. I didn¡¯t know if I should let him pass. Or make myself known. Would we fight in this muddle on wood? Die together in this water. If I challenged him, I could drown him. I let go of Caleb.

    Fahan¡¯s eyes eventually came up. They had no expressions, but the look on his features was priceless. He rocked forward and pushed the pole with his body. The fish obeyed and slowed down until it came to a stop. I hoped we would be lucky. That those giants would not eat his fish while we had it out. He stood for a moment. Two calculating minds staring at each other through thin slits. Guess the challenge was issued. Our boat was a lot bigger than his.

    ¡°If I kill you. All your people will disappear. It¡¯s not only Jade. You two are connected with the branding, and it can be either of you.¡±

    I wondered how old Jade was. Was there a time limit for their species as well? If she added Dimitrios to the trio¡­ It would be worse for us. Luckily, we had Michael. Where was the guy when you needed him? When you wanted him gone, he was everywhere, up in everyone¡¯s business. When you needed him, he was somewhere off cheating.

    ¡°That might be, but we will die anyway. You¡¯ve made sure of that.¡±

    Fahan moved the fish with precision into a swim. It moved slowly as he pulled back slightly. He was edging closer and closer. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re getting the hang of your new home.¡±

    ¡°I think we have talked enough, Marcus. Everyone tells me to be careful of you. But seeing you so close. Taking the time to assess the threat. I regret not meeting with you sooner. I do not think you have it in you.¡±

    The corner of my mouth lifted. I was underestimated¡­ again. I gave him a sardonic chuckle. The only reason I fought lower down in the fights at the arenas was not to give away my true potential. Kubra wasn¡¯t really a higher-tier fighter than me. I always had to hold back. A smile crossed my lips. That night, Juliet appeared out of nowhere, realizing she had an ability. It was one of the happiest moments of my life. A way for her to be safe¡­ Then she didn¡¯t disappear when my father beat her. She was doing it for me. ¡°It has been a long time since I was in a good fight,¡± Fahan said.

    ¡°The stakes are high enough.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want him to come to our ship. So, I took the opportunity and jumped over the railing of the deck. I landed squarely and cracked my neck. Fahan tied the ropes slowly to the post. If Caleb and I could get him away from the vessel. We could turn the whole thing around. The last time I had to fight, I had a cause. At that moment, my motivation was carrying my child.

    Fahan was large and tall. It didn¡¯t mean he had my two hundred years of strength. And I was just growing up. My grandmother called me a baby. I chuckled again, amping myself up. Silvanus stood three meters, manifested on a full moon. I would not need to climb Fahan. He was closer to two and a bit. He didn¡¯t have the enormous horns the Riphaths had, and his body was in proportion. His legs were sturdy. Their skin was a faint blue, dark grey color. They had no flesh, and the muscles seemed on the outside of his body. Every fiber was visible.

    Yes, they had scales. Small and flat, lying almost translucent on their skin but not everywhere. Only the most vital parts were protected. I took in all of him to make sure I knew where his weaknesses lay. The problem was the armor that was infused into their surface. Strategically placed by his creator. Fahan circled me slightly, hunched over. I wondered if they knew anything about fighting hand-to-hand. I kept examining every inch of him as we circled each other. Their thick black nails were constantly out, protruding from the points of their fingers. The armor on his hands started directly after the nail, ascending up his arm in bands. They were the ultimate shell of protection.

    When his feet started moving, I had to reciprocate. No time for thinking anymore. My hands were up. His arms were broader and set next to his face. I closed the gap quickly, punching him in that flat nose of his. Some blood trickled down. He wiped over his eyes. It had stung. I kicked him on the shin. He shuffled away. I slammed at his jaw. He blocked me, lashing out with his other fist, and landed on my side. My head followed, and he clocked down at my ear. It hit, and the ringing followed. I dodged away before he could follow up.

    We fought for some time. It felt like it would never end. The smell of our sweat, blood, and the stinky fishy water penetrated every breath I had to take. The stickiness of the sea air and the sun and waves made it so much harder to calculate and stay focused. Regardless of all his heaviness¡­ Fahan torpedoed past me and moved with precision, bypassed my footwork, evaded, and retreated at the exact moment he needed to. His sheer size pushed me around the boat, forcing me back. I punished him every time for misreading the situation. He had the bulk but not the brain power. My last kick landed in his diaphragm. A gruff, low grunt resonated around me. My blood was pounding to get it done. My knuckles were bruised from the rough exterior of what they were made of. The punches he had landed would leave scars on our skin.

    Fahan¡¯s muscles were tense and sore, trembling. He was shaking his hands next to his body, trying to get the blood to flow. My mouth was dry. The close combat was exhausting. I was used to grappling my opponent to the ground and forcing them into submission. I was at a disadvantage. No other species were made for groundwork. On my last leg, I whacked him right under his ear, confusing him. He pushed back a few steps. I waited until he would come at me again. I jumped up, grabbed his head, and smashed his jaw into my knee. His upper lip pulled up in pain. Large fangs protruded from his lips. I knew I had him. He crashed down on the wood, creaking the beams. I grabbed those small pointy horns, stepped on his face, lifted my leg, and stomped down below his ear. ¡°Double-tap. Always!¡±

    I picked him up over my shoulders. My knees buckled as I walked. Caleb teleported over and stopped me before I threw him into the water. ¡°I¡¯ll take him over. We don¡¯t want to kill Aries¡¯s father and a whole other race¡­ do we?¡±

    I was considering it. We would have both abilities. Have Palmyra back. And like the werewolves on Earth that didn¡¯t die. Maybe it would be just the leftovers on their planet who wouldn¡¯t make it. Jade would be dead, and I was sure Dimitrios would be a more willing leader.

    Caleb took Fahan from me and decided for me. He held him in his arms. I was already busy untying the ropes and maneuvering the fish around.

    Caleb landed next to me. We both looked back to see if the dragon would awaken. My hands were shaking. It was a little different fighting and knowing you held two other people¡¯s lives in your hands. It was not only Juliet and my baby who would die if I did. Having so many people to love had changed me. Fahan would not have thought twice about tossing me into the deep. Caleb¡¯s hand rested on mine. ¡°I think I¡¯ll manage. Sit down, Marcus.¡±

    I fell back and let all the emotions rush over me. I covered my eyes with my arm. It wasn¡¯t long before the embassy towered over us. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. The fish is not listening anymore.¡±

    ¡°Let him be. He will guide us in.¡±

    ¡°Marcus! I never want to fight you for real. I never knew what the fuss was about. You being the trainer and war machine¡­ I had never seen anything like it.¡±

    ¡°Give yourself two hundred years with me. I¡¯ll take you into the ring.¡±

    ¡°I watched my mom and you three fight Ahasuerus. Everyone says that we grow stronger as we age. How lethal was he in that ring?¡±

    ¡°All three of us had never fought that hard. He¡­ was something else entirely¡­ If it was just me and him or your mother.¡± I shook my head. ¡°I would¡¯ve died in five minutes.¡±

    ¡°But Michael killed him so quickly.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ all three together. All that power. Instantly all grown up¡­ I can¡¯t even imagine it. However, I will give him a go when he comes back. No¡­ to get him down, you need to use your brain¡­ I don¡¯t think Ahasuerus saw it coming. I just hope¡­ what I taught your mom is enough when the time comes.¡±

    ¡°She can disappear.¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Yes, she can¡­ But your mom has the annoying arrogance of facing every opponent head-on.¡±

    Caleb laughed. ¡°Just like you.¡± His words brought a smile to my face. Juliet and I didn¡¯t connect in a lot of ways. But in the ways that matter, we were all there.

    Caleb jumped to the rock landing that framed their dock area. I tossed the rope at him. My head dropped while he was busy. I was standing with my hands on my knees. ¡°Why did you stop me? We should have killed them.¡±

    Caleb held out his hand and pulled me onto the slippery surface. I held on to him. We were walking while he was talking. ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t really do anything that bad. The vamps took my great-grandfather and kept him alive for how long to figure out how to harness that ability. Back then¡­ And with his age, he would have been strong¡­ But look what it did to Chris in a few days. And after that! What did they do? They controlled and manipulated their way through the galaxy.¡±

    I sighed. The boy was right. Our species seemed to be the problem all around. Fahan was only trying to save his people. And if we could give back the child, it would all be over. ¡°Can we give Aries back now?¡± I asked.

    Caleb was quiet while we climbed the stairs. We entered the first floor. It was a containment and shipping section. Scary as hell with the water crashing into the glass. The next floor was filled with desks. I expect that was where they monitored the comings and going on Palmyra. ¡°What are we looking for?¡±

    ¡°Anything that resembles tech.¡±

    ¡°Something like that?¡± Caleb pointed at the wall.

    We had been walking through the space. Entered what seemed like a separate office from the rest. It must have been Liv¡¯s office.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±

    ¡°It seems like vampire tech. It¡¯s glass and round, larger than the normal plates. On Zoreah, we have this little nook that charges all our devices.¡±

    My eyes drifted over the space. If she needed to charge it. There would be a spot. The vines that lit all their rooms were manipulated to run along the roof of her office. The stones that grew out of it were dead. It was dark, and only Sirius¡¯s light made it possible for us to see anything.

    ¡°We have to find their electrical current. It would be water generated.¡±

    ¡°The whole place seems dead. Even those vines seem to be taking a beating. Why would they have shut it down?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Brylee¡¯s husband could still be alive. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if we had it all wrong. And somewhere on this planet, some of the werewolves survived.¡±

    ¡°We were down in the basement. I didn¡¯t see any way for the water to flow and cause currents.¡±

    ¡°No, but we are in a mountain.¡±

    I ran up the stairs. Caleb following. We circled the platform regarding the water down below. ¡°Where is their harbor wall?¡±

    ¡°Last time we were here. We had an easy time. The water didn¡¯t meet at the gate. I thought it had to do with rotation or gravitation. The waves were manageable. That¡¯s why I thought the boats would be a good idea. Today, it¡¯s like the Atlantic.¡±

    ¡°Those killer fish weren¡¯t supposed to be there when my mom came the first time... They wouldn¡¯t want all their trained beasts to be eaten waiting at the rope¡¯s end.¡±

 Meeting In The Middle

    181. Meeting In The Middle

    Michael

    The pods were comfortable. Had enough space for my long legs. For two days, I had been alone in the dark¡­ In a ball, traveling down a tunnel, stopping every few hours. Juliet and Charlene weren¡¯t far behind me. I waited every time with the guards to make sure they arrived safely. When I traveled us out. I had not thought of the consequences of bringing Juliet with me, thinking that I could just teleport us back.

    Neither did I think I would meet a man who could help me with all my problems. Every time we stopped, I tried to go back to En-gannim. To Earth. To anywhere. I had tried so many times that night and the morning before we left. Nothing seemed to push me enough to make the jump. If Charlene could do it. Why couldn¡¯t I? Romero¡¯s voodoo should¡¯ve worked out by then. I was getting nervous. What if we were stuck there? I would probably get another beating for putting Juliet in danger. Marcus would miss the birth of his baby and the pregnancy. All of my tantrums would have been for nothing. Louis had definitely taken charge of her care. We were done with the honeymoon phase in all our relationships. Everyone had their chance to leave. And everyone had proven themselves¡­ but me.

    I thought back on her the first night we were there. She had drunk too much. When we were in the room. She was all over me, trying to get me in bed. I just couldn¡¯t after Romero¡¯s speech. I also couldn¡¯t remember the last time we had sex. And when I did, it curbed me even further to wait. We were about to sleep together when Chris was on that thing. I should have known that night something was off. Juliet¡¯s mind wasn¡¯t there, and I didn¡¯t care. Kubra came in and interrupted us just before I would have made another mistake. She even told me that she didn¡¯t want to. Juliet had all that to deal with and still would¡¯ve let me have my way with her.

    She had not said much to me after our fight in her room. I had asked her not to push, and she wasn¡¯t. However, I felt a stab in my side each time I looked at her. She was stiff around the shoulders. I had driven her away for the wrong reasons. I couldn¡¯t even give her a proper intimate connection. It was all lust and sex.

    The first night we stopped and the pods were done, I felt I would go crazy if I didn¡¯t say something to her besides the words ¡°I love you.¡± The servants had traveled before us and set up camp by the time we arrived. Each couple had a tent. Their soldiers circled around us. Yazen and Imani were already there, waiting for us. It was strange to see no fires. Smell no meat grilling. The food packed for the last few days had been cooked or baked. I needed to eat. Charlene needed to eat.

    ¡°How about I go find us something? Will I find something?¡± I asked Romero.

    ¡°Yes, I am sure there will be all sorts of beasts out there.¡±

    I stuck my hand out to Juliet to see if she would go with me. There was a slight hesitation. Her glance at Romero wasn¡¯t lost on me. He slightly bobbed his head. She was asking some stranger if he thought it was a good idea. It sent a dull ache of pain into my bones. That this was what our relationship had come to. No trust. No communication. No freedom for her to love me like she wanted. It made all those bottled-up emotions feel like they wanted to erupt. I knew I was holding back, keeping everything in the dark where my insecurities were safe. She placed her hand in mine. I picked her up, and we traveled out. I tried to stay in a circle and not go too far at one time. Only to the horizon and back to a central location like Chris had taught me.

    Juliet pointed. ¡°I want that!¡±

    I left her and killed as many as possible, dropping them at her feet. When I got back with the last one, she had sunk her teeth into its flesh. I sat down and did the same. We were sharing a meal. It struck a chord, and a small smile played at the corner of my mouth. It soon disappeared. I remembered why I asked her to come in the first place. I had to say something¡­ ¡°I am¡­ sorry about Chris. I¡¯m sorry I lied to you. There is more I lied about¡­ but I¡¯ll tell you later.¡±

    Her foggy eyes glanced up at mine, taking a bite and tearing out a chunk of meat.

    ¡°Can you please just say it? Get it out in the open.¡± I nudged.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad it was Chris and not you.¡± I scoffed. ¡°At that moment, I might have thought otherwise, not anymore¡­ Chris did it because of me¡­ for me. And his sacrifice means more than yours would have.¡±

    I felt the punch in my gut. Stared at her as I sucked my creature, tossing it in the sand.

    ¡°Chris did it because he knows what¡¯s important.¡±

    ¡°I get it. No need to force the subject.¡±

    She swore loudly and got up. ¡°You¡¯re the one that told me you didn¡¯t want that kind of relationship. You asked me a question and then can¡¯t handle my answer. Throwing it in my face that I manipulate you! You¡¯re crazy!¡± Her fist clenched at her sides.

    My head lowered, a thumb rubbing at my brow. ¡°Can I take it back?¡± I dropped my tone. She was right. It was a fight for dominance. ¡°We didn¡¯t both agree about it anyway.¡±

    Juliet came back to human. Her head tilted. ¡°What is wrong with you? You don¡¯t want to sleep with me. We kiss, and you¡¯re all there. When something happens, you would and will protect me with your life. But other than that, you don¡¯t even like me anymore¡­ I hate myself for what I¡¯m about to say, but¡­ You don¡¯t love me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Nothing can make me change the way I feel about you¡­.¡± I yelled out. My attitude was back. ¡°How many times do I have to say it. Show it.¡±

    ¡°F- If that¡¯s the case.¡± Juliet came closer. Her eyes were desperate, and her mouth pulled tight on her features. ¡°Can you please just say what you need to? If you are that unhappy with me, let me at least know what I¡¯m doing wrong before it gets any worse¡­ And not what you lied about. The one thing that is eating you up inside.¡±

    I picked her up and took us to a watering hole. Both our hands were in the water getting cleaned up. It was quiet, and my breathing was shallow. Juliet was waiting so patiently. I didn¡¯t know why it was so difficult for me to get it out of my system. I braced myself and said, ¡°It¡¯s hard¡­ to love and hate you at the same time¡­ All I see is my black hands round your neck, squeezing the life out of you. And after I finish my fantasy¡­ I am happy and free.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s hands slowly came to a stop as I spoke. ¡°You know¡­ some people do that for fun.¡±

    I did laugh a little. ¡°I¡¯ve never needed anything to get off with you.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not getting you off anymore. So we might as well try it.¡±

    My head snapped up at her in irritation. I shook my hands in the air to get rid of the water. Juliet stood up and held out her hands to me. I placed mine in hers, and she pulled me to my feet. She lifted them slowly and carefully placed them on her neck. ¡°Then do it!¡±

    I flung away from her.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Michael! Just do it. Don¡¯t be a coward.¡±

    Another stab in my armor, and my gut was wrenching. The fear I had been holding back wanted to explode. ¡°I don¡¯t want to. I¡¯ve never wanted to cross that line with you.¡±

    ¡°You already have. We can¡¯t take this back¡­ Do it, Michael! I¡¯m done!¡±

    I didn¡¯t like hearing her say she was done. Like she had the right. My eyes turned to steel as I fought the urge. ¡°Done with what?¡±

    She walked over and lifted my hands again. That time, I didn¡¯t let go of the soft skin under my fingers. Hesitantly, I took a step forward, closed my fingers around her throat, and pushed up her chin with my thumbs. We were so close to each other. I had sensed how desperate she had been since our kiss when we landed on that planet. I wanted her just as much. It was what she was thinking. The enticing images of her under me consumed me. I swallowed the urge to delve into her. Get that pent-up energy out of my system in one way rather than another.

    ¡°Manifest.¡± She said quickly. ¡°And don¡¯t you dare fight me as anything else than a vamp.¡±

    She didn¡¯t give me a chance to think about it. I was always two steps behind her. I was thinking about sex, and she was thinking about putting me in my place. Juliet made rapid movements around me. She hit me viciously and harshly before I could even manifest. The angry emotions etched around her eyes and mouth. Once I did, my black claws hungered to get to her throat. Her maneuvers were too fast for me. I tried to counter her. We fought and fought. Through the sand. Through the water. All her blows landed. I tried to use my strength. She would disappear. I would have nothing to hold onto or be hitting into thin air. She would be behind me and then in front of me. Every time, hitting me as hard as she could, in just the right places. I got in a few scrapes and punches¡­ I thought I did. Regardless, she was trained to perfection.

    I figured out her pattern. It aggravated me even more. She would never be that predictable. She was toying with me. The back of my mind was telling me to end it. I manifested into a Riphath, towering over her little body, and my lips pulled up, snarling. Not caring that she had told me not to. I closed my paws around her neck. Juliet had allowed me to get a hold of her. She didn¡¯t disappear, and my grip tightened at every evil thought I had. My claws dug into her skin, the blood dripping out.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    The smell made me lose all control. I wanted her dead. Then she smiled¡­ I let out a loud roar in her face. She didn¡¯t even close her eyes. It seemed like she was enjoying it¡­ too much, not taking me seriously. Or what I had said. Her hands were gripping onto my wrists, hanging. Feet dangling and slightly kicking the air. As a Riphath, she was nothing more than a bug. She took a deep, controlled breath and let go. I was squeezing. I could have snapped her neck. I was changing the positioning of my hands to show her who she was dealing with. It didn¡¯t matter. The pain hit me, and blood sprayed onto her face and over my paws. My fingers loosened. The hold I had was totally gone. No strength in my limbs.

    I glanced down as she landed in the sand, gasping. She had sliced through both my forearms at the same time. I didn¡¯t even know she had blades. The tendons in my wrists were cut off, and I dropped to my knees, unable to move. I turned into a vampire to make the blood stop gushing out. I was utterly useless. When I was still thinking about snapping her in half. She had made deep cuts all over my arms, severing all the right muscles down to the bone.

    She was hunched over, still coughing. My knees were buried in the sand. She bent down over me, ripped my shirt off my torso, and wrapped the material around my arms and wrists. It was so tight to keep it all together. I couldn¡¯t even feel my black nails. The adrenalin was draining out, and the pain hit me.

    She dropped down in the sand in front of me. ¡°You forgot who you¡¯re dealing with.¡± She whispered through ragged breaths. ¡°I would rather kill you¡­ than have anyone hurt me again.¡± Her hand reached out for my face as she spoke. ¡°And that time on Palmyra was the first and only time. I¡¯m not coddling you because of what Ahasuerus had done to you.¡± She sucked back a sob. ¡°I didn¡¯t want our relationship to change. I was trying to protect what we had.¡± She shook me slightly. ¡°I have always had more respect for you than any one of them. I had always treated you differently. If I have to. I¡¯ll cut off your hands.¡± She took a breath and raised her voice. ¡°Do you understand me!¡±

    My head fell onto her shoulder. I wanted to cry, but nothing was coming out. Juliet wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into her. ¡°Since you changed. I¡¯ve never slept without anything to subdue you. Everything changed because I asked you to brand me. I didn¡¯t want to hurt you, and I hate¡­ myself¡­ for it¡­ Look what I did to the love of my life.¡±

    My shoulders started shaking. ¡°And if you can remember. I¡¯ve always challenged you. Even at the embassy. The very first time we met. I was so angry that you didn¡¯t do anything to stop Qadir from hitting me that night¡­ You just stood there¡­ Just like Marcus¡­ I should have treated you like the creature you are.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered into her ear.

    ¡°You¡¯ve always been like this, Michael. You had control over me. Watched me. Took care of me under your own terms¡­ You think you have no limits with me! Everyone, and even I, thought you loved me the most¡­ You don¡¯t. And I¡¯m done.¡±

    I pulled back and returned to human so my sobs could escape. ¡°I did¡­ love you the most. I swear I did¡­ It¡¯s just too much!¡±

    ¡°Come, you have to get back! Michael, now!¡± She shook me. ¡°You¡¯ll bleed to death.¡±

    With no working hands, all I could do was let her hang on my neck and drop down in front of Romero. He and Charlene jumped up when they saw us. My arms were hanging limply at my sides, soaked in blood. They were frantically calling out for help. Even as a vamp, the blood trickled and fell into the sand.

    Romero knelt down. ¡°You will have to change while I work my magic. It does not work on vampires.¡±

    ¡°You have to make a tourniquet first. If he goes back to human, we won¡¯t have enough time to stop the bleeding and close the wounds.¡± Charlene ordered.

    Imani and Yazen and everyone had circled us. The doctor and midwife sat down next to Romero. ¡°It does not matter.¡± His voice was low and calm. As if I didn¡¯t almost die. The three of them gripped my arms. The rest laid their hands on anyone who was touching me. ¡°Now,¡± Romero said.

    I went back to little old Michael. The group¡¯s shadow circled my arm together. The different colored veins ran over me. Gold and white. There was no pain. No blood and my wounds closed quickly. They stood there for no more than a minute, and my fingers could move. After more seconds, I could feel my muscles connect, and the nerves sent jolts of sensation through my body.

    Juliet and Charlene stood off to the side, clutching each other. Juliet bit at her nails. My eyes were on her. When they were done, they all came back to human form. Their doctor checked me. My reflexes were back. He gave me the all-clear. I sat up feeling better than I had before we left. Romero¡¯s eyes drifted over his shoulder. ¡°No wonder she is the Queen. Maybe it¡¯s time you accept that you are not invincible. If you were not here. It would have taken weeks to get back any mobility, even as a vampire. That¡¯s if the other men allowed you to heal at all¡­ I would not have. I would have killed you.¡± Romero pushed out through clenched teeth.

    I glanced at Juliet as the others circled her. She had cuts all over her. In her neck where my nails had dug into her skin. A blue mark on her face. Five scratch marks over her midsection. In my rage, I had not even seen what I had done. Another cord struck. The reason why she didn¡¯t want to say the words. I realized then why it would have been better if it had been me and not Chris. Juliet had lost the one person that could find her in the cosmos. The only one who would not think twice about saving her, killing whoever was in the way of hurting her. Between the four of us. Louis and Chris wouldn¡¯t have stood back for anything. Louis had even attacked Qadir that night¡­ That second place in her heart belonged to Chris for a reason.

    Charlene and Juliet disappeared into a tent with the midwife. If she lost the baby. I would have killed myself. Imani came out and nodded at Romero. Juliet¡¯s cries echoed through the camp, and I teleported away from them. As far as I could.

    The following day, I woke up with a foot pumping into my side. I lifted my head. The train of people was walking in the distance. I glanced up. It was Romero. ¡°Come on.¡±

    He left me and started walking. I sat up, hunched over my legs for a while.

    ***

    Lyla

    My phone was diligently telling me where to go. I had been driving for days. The old RV only went that fast, and I didn¡¯t want to draw attention. I had tried to plan my trip. Sleep at proper camping grounds each night. Lucy and I were always together. Best friends and only a year apart. I missed her. She would have loved to come on a road trip with me.

    I parked next to the road. The massive gates to the property were closed. I sat there for a while, checking and making sure there was no surveillance around. I could see no cameras. The gate didn¡¯t even seem connected to a remote.

    If I went through¡­ and rode up that massive long path, and there was someone there. What would I have said? ¡°Oh, hi. Someone sent me this address with a key to your house. I just want a guarantee that my sister is really dead and not taken prisoner.¡± It was always an option in the back of my mind. That Lucy never died. Versus. Her body was completely ripped apart and consumed. She might have been bitten into and still alive while... I shook myself. I had heard of people losing loved ones to crocodiles, lions, and tigers. It was always such a horrific way to go. I couldn¡¯t even wrap my head around that idea or make peace with it. I jumped out at the thought. There were no cars on the road. It was early morning. I jogged over the street. The little dog yelped behind me. I glanced back. Gigi was standing up on her hind legs, looking out the window. I put a finger to my mouth. Not that it did any good.

    I lifted the chains that hung over the steel bars. It wasn¡¯t locked. Determined, I untangled the mess and pushed the gates wide. Double-checking for cameras in the trees or anything that would alert someone of my arrival.

    The lane up was a long drive by itself. The town wasn¡¯t far from there. If you walked out the back of the plot, it was only down a small road or across a large field. An enormous brick building came into view. It reeked of old money. Time and generations of a long line of surnames. Or one vampire who had lived there all his life. My fists were clutching the steering wheel nervously. The lane became an ash-fault driveway. It led into an archway. On the other side of the bricks was a horseshoe around a fountain. It was deadly quiet, and the place seemed deserted.

    ¡°A perfect place for a blood-sucking demon¡­ Little Gigi¡­ You ready to die?¡± I stroked the little dog on the seat next to me. ¡°They might not want to eat you¡­ I hear they don¡¯t like animals on Earth. Doesn¡¯t work with their systems.¡±

    The key was somewhere in my bag. It was across my chest and over my shoulder. I rummaged through, feeling my way around at the bottom. I had let Gigi out. She was scrambling in any direction her brain could come up with. The little rocks shot into the air behind her.

    I pushed the key into the lock, relieved and surprised that it fit. I turned it slowly and pushed at the handle, opening the door. I swallowed hard before taking the first step, hoping I wouldn¡¯t be tripping some alarm. If they could teleport and be there in seconds. I would have no way out of it. Nothing happened, so I took another step.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like anyone is here.¡± I was talking to a dog. It was better than constantly talking to myself. Or thinking about everything Lucy and I would¡¯ve said in that situation. Gigi sped through the house. I had to take a moment to take it all in. A staircase led up to a second story. A massive foyer. Never had I thought of being in a place like that.

    I turned around quickly and closed the door, locking it. I tossed the key back into my bag. ¡°Where should we start?¡± I cleared the bottom floor first, going through rooms and halls. The last door was a study. It creaked when I pushed it open. There were books stacked on shelves up to the roof. Everything was original first editions. The smell was welcoming. I walked over to the desk and sat down on the leather chair. I leaned into the backrest, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. I felt out of my depth, wondering what I was doing. I swiveled the chair, looking out on endless pastures. There was nothing in them. The grass was cut to perfection.

    Who¡¯s house, was it? I started going through the drawers. Everything was so normal. I couldn¡¯t think that an alien, technologically advanced species had lived there. What would Sita have wanted me to find. I still didn¡¯t know who she was. Or why her information had landed in my lap. I did know what she was.

    I left the room and climbed the stairs. I went through them all. The second one caught my attention. There was an en-suite bathroom. Two doors that led into a¡­ I gasped. It was the size of my room at home, and it was just clothes. Women¡¯s clothes. Shoes for days and a dresser. There were pictures stuck on the side of the mirror. I sat down on the little stool. It was a man and¡­ I jumped up to get a closer look. Juliet was in all of them¡­ much younger¡­ She didn¡¯t look at all like she did at that moment. Her hair was dark and long, braided, almost touching her waist. More pictures. She was at that very dresser with a scissor in her hand, cutting off the braid. In the next photo, she cried like a little baby. It ran almost like a story. Someone was watching her. Documenting a moment in a young girl¡¯s life. One where she wanted to grow up, and having shorter hair was always the first sign. Rebelling and regretting the loss as soon as you did it.

    I thought back on Lucy and me doing the same thing. I was going to college. She was in her senior year, and we decided we wanted a new look. A smile played on my lips. There weren¡¯t many pictures of the man. He was thin and had some tattoos. I didn¡¯t recognize him. Short hair.

    The bathroom called. When I stepped over the threshold, I paused. It was full of medical equipment. A bed. A bassinet for a baby. What was wrong with these aliens. Not like they could go to a hospital, I supposed. If all of it had happened before, we even knew they existed.

    I put off the light in the toilet and looked up while buckling my belt.

 A Bottle Of Sand

    182. A Bottle Of Sand

    Juliet

    The convoy was steadily progressing¡­ I felt like Chris would have on Zoreah all those years. How did they walk endlessly for months? After the previous night, I wished I could send Chris a message and ask him to come. He would have probably been there already and stuck with us. Later that morning, Michael eventually met up with us, falling in line next to me and taking my hand. I couldn¡¯t even look at him. We had fought hard. Michael trained with us, but he had never put in the time Louis and I had to over the years. He was a little behind in some ways. Michael would have gotten a hold of me if it went on. I didn¡¯t have the stamina he had for three creatures. I ended it when I wanted. Used my brain like Marcus had taught me.

    The pressure on my hand tightened. Michael slowed down our speed, so we trailed a little behind everyone. I had been crying the whole night. I was sick of playing strong. Marcus told me to stop bottling up everything, and I took his advice to heart. The consequence was red eyes, a blocked nose, and wet cheeks. Coupled with the sand in the equation, the whole process of dealing with your emotions was way worse than it should have been. Charlene had not left my side. Cradled me like a child in her arms. I could have lost the baby. One wrong kick. Nails dug into my skin. More tears rolled down my cheeks. I was sick of the emotional stress my relationship with Michael put me under. It was time I made a decision. One I never thought I would need to make. If Michael had to be out of my life for another year. Then so be it. Michael looked down at me. ¡°Are you crying?¡±

    I nodded, wiping my eyes. ¡°Juliet, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Charlene was watching us over her shoulder. She met my eyes. There would be no special pouch for me to get over my mood swings during the pregnancy on Mirach. However, I had the next best thing. She and Romero came over.

    ¡°Michael, I think you should let Juliet be,¡± Romero suggested.

    He kept holding onto my hand. ¡°I thought you were done?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t hurt like hell.¡± I yanked my hand out of his.

    Romero pulled me in under his shoulder, pushing me forward. He wrapped me up in darkness, and the dullness hit me. It was instant and flowed through my body. My tears were gone, and my heart was able to think again. ¡°You only pretend to be strong, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°My whole life is one big show¡­ Half the time, I don¡¯t even know where I am¡­ I want to go home.¡±

    ¡°Your only ride is that guy. And I don¡¯t know why he can¡¯t travel.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be stuck here. Is there no way of sending a message? How did you guys do it?¡±

    ¡°We only received visitors when they decided. Sometimes, it was hundreds of years apart.¡±

    ¡°Did they ever go any further?¡±

    ¡°I do not know.¡±

    ¡°So you wouldn¡¯t even know if there are other planets in this galaxy with more species on them?¡±

    ¡°We will know soon. Be patient.¡±

    ¡°You sounded so sure that your way of branding was the only way here.¡±

    ¡°We have never in all our history received challengers. You can understand that it would be something for a team. Not two people¡­ And I will tell you what I told Charlene¡­ I am just guessing.¡±

    The trek that day was hard. It was non-stop walking. They decided to do it during the day. It wasn¡¯t so hot where we were. Walking the whole night would have offset our sleep cycle. It wouldn¡¯t have helped with fighting another giant monster. Michael let me be for the rest of the day. That night, I was so desperate for comfort that I got into bed with him. I felt in control enough. It wasn¡¯t fun. Michael used to be the fun one. The guy who joked with me and made me laugh so hard I wanted to wet myself. Life really didn¡¯t care about our outcome. The universe didn¡¯t care about our journey. He wrapped me up and pulled me onto his chest. He was right. We were never on the same page. Not anymore. ¡°Juliet. I am sorry I lost control.¡±

    ¡°I asked for it. At least I know what¡¯s going on with you.¡±

    The following day was more walking. I was stiff and uncomfortable. Michael didn¡¯t leave my side, and I didn¡¯t ask him to. At one point, he manifested and carried me in his arms. ¡°Do you want to sit on my chest? You¡¯re so light. I don¡¯t even feel you.¡±

    I gave him a genuine smile. He gladly hoisted me up onto his shoulder. I wasn¡¯t really sleepy; I was just not used to walking for hours straight. After more walking, he pushed me off and slid me down his back, letting me piggyback¡­ It was worse. My nose was in his neck, and my lips brushed over his back. ¡°You¡¯re asking for it.¡±

    ¡°My middle name is trouble.¡± His paws squeezed my thighs. Like he used to do on the bike.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you ride your bike anymore?¡±

    ¡°Juliet. I don¡¯t think we can handle anymore. We are both so close to breaking.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t have another chance.¡± I nuzzled my cheek into his fur. ¡°Michael¡­ You have to start talking. Or there will be no more to handle.¡± He stopped mid-stride, swung me around, and looked deep into my eyes. His furry paws were squeezing my ass. My thighs and knees responded.

    ¡°I stopped because you always went with me. The last time was when  I lost control. I wasn¡¯t even what I am now. I¡­ was angry. When I woke up, you were with Marcus. I would have never acted like that if you weren¡¯t in that situation. Lost control like that¡­ Why I didn¡¯t do anything that night with Qadir. I can¡¯t stop myself when it comes to you. When I¡¯m with you¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a bad influence.¡± I laughed and snuggled into his neck.

    ¡°Do you think I didn¡¯t want to kill him? So many times I would have.¡±

    ¡°You would have died.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I was a little selfish¡­ Would rather see you suffer than not have a future with you¡­ Just like Marcus. Not giving you to Soren or protecting you from his family.¡±

    I pulled up on his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. ¡°Put me down. I feel better.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? I can go on all day like this.¡±

    I pushed off and landed in the sand. ¡°That can¡¯t be all?¡± I laced my fingers with human ones.

    ¡°I felt left out¡­ The guys had to come to rescue me like some pathetic person who couldn¡¯t manage his mind.¡±

    ¡°You were embarrassed?¡± I asked nervously.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t like being treated the way they did¡­ No one will ever hurt me again¡­¡± Michael scoffed. ¡°After that. Our rides would have had to be supervised.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s way worse now, honey.¡±

    Michael laughed. ¡°Yes, all my problems are because of you¡­ I thought about leaving¡­ Before they beat me¡­ I would have. Louis told me to go.¡±

    I stopped and made him look at me. ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Juliet¡­ Louis knows every inch of me. I wasn¡¯t raised like they were.¡± Michaels¡¯ eyes wandered over my shoulder as he spoke. ¡°I didn¡¯t have fifteen years to conform like Chris¡­ I wasn¡¯t pushed down for two hundred by an ass of a dad¡­ Louis was free to f- his way through life¡­ All Louis had to say was that out of everyone, I had no excuse¡­ Not to submit¡­.¡±  Michael bent down and hovered over my lips. I pulled away and started walking again.

    He ran up behind me and took my hand. ¡°That was mean.¡±

    The corner of my lips lifted.

    ¡°I thought about a new life¡­. Somewhere alone with new people and a fresh start¡­ But all I could see was an empty shell of a life. No one knew me¡­ Not like you.¡±

    ¡°You said you weren¡¯t going to hurt me.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ And then I had to deal with everything that happened after Marcus came back for good. And I had to do it all human¡­ Like you said¡­ It doesn¡¯t mean it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Michael squeezed my hand. ¡°I don¡¯t like being last in your heart¡­ Now it¡¯s so much worse¡­ I¡¯ve always convinced myself that I would be content just being by your side. There was no place for me. As a human, I was your weakest link. I thought you treated me differently because I was helpless. Not because you saw us differently. Had more respect for me.¡±

    ¡°So you don¡¯t blame me anymore?¡±

    ¡°Oh honey, no.¡± Michael stopped and pulled me around to look at him. ¡°Our fight was a turning point¡­ I¡­ did something stupid.¡±

    Michael had told me that he lied to me about more things. The fear was gnawing at me in the back of my mind. One of my three things.

    ¡°I watched Louis¡¯s feed¡­ of that night when I returned after the branding.¡± My mouth opened. I closed it quickly. Louis and I said so much that night. ¡°You went up into his room¡­.¡± Michael let go of my hand and kicked his shoe through the sand, looking left and right before he went on. ¡°I didn¡¯t know why you took off the chains before we slept together the first time¡­ In the pit of my heart¡­ I had hoped¡­ It was for me¡­ And after¡­ Louis was different. I knew you guys talked about it.¡±

    ¡°Michael!¡±

    ¡°Let me finish¡­.¡± His feet stopped moving, and he turned to me. ¡°That day when you gave Louis the right to decide. I had already lost you. Before I could even win your heart. Heaven knows Louis, and I competed for that spot¡­ The problem was that it was never a competition. You were never some game to be played¡­ My human nature wanted you all to myself¡­ The moment the branding took place. The rules flew out the window. I was a creature, and I didn¡¯t care anymore. The anger and the lust and apathy took that place¡­ I had not even entertained the idea of submitting¡­ Chris had swatched you. You gave Marcus a baby. And what did I do? I gave in to all of it. All I had left was contempt.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t give you the time you needed,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Michael. I didn¡¯t make it easy for you. And I never did want to hurt any of you.¡±

    His hand gently stroked over my hair and ended up cupping my neck.

    ¡°Michael¡­ I know what I said in that room. And I do love Louis in a way that I can¡¯t explain. But¡­ It¡¯s a very thin line. I neeed you to know that. And every day, that line becomes more fragile¡­ The more time I spend with all of you, the more it merges into one¡­ And every day, it¡¯s harder for me. I love you! And nothing you do or want to do will change that.¡±

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°I know. I know that now.¡± He said softly. ¡°And were we in any other situation... We would have gone our separate ways¡­ And was I not the one who lectured you to love what is good for you. I¡¯m the one who planted that seed before you left the farm. I could¡¯ve stayed. I walked away. Your whole life since then was to find someone like him. Someone who would look back at you¡­ Put you first and go out of his way for you. And I couldn¡¯t have asked for anyone more worthy to look after you.¡±

    I knew he was going to disappear before he even left. There was always a certain sadness behind his features. A strange look in his eyes when he was going to leave. He had the same one that day at the farm when I was only fifteen.

    That night, we camped for the last time. Michael had been gone for hours, and they would go for the vault the following day.

    ***

    Michael

    While I stood before Juliet, all I could think about was the farm. Where I wanted to be and where it all started. It was why I could travel at all. The face that looked back at me was one I thought I would never see again. We stared at each other as the little brunette¡¯s eyes grew to the size of saucers. She had gone for the gun by her side, leaving her belt untied, coming out of the bathroom. She pointed it at me. In that moment, I thought she should take the shot. The vamp in me was too selfish... It was probably going to get way worse¡­ I wanted what I wanted. The same as the first time I kissed her¡­ And there was nothing I could do about it. I was never meant to be human. None of us were.

    I lifted my hands in the air. ¡°I am sorry for what I did. In the Library, there is a secret door. Inside is everything you need to know. All you have to do is wave the tubes in the air. No one knows you¡¯re here. But they will come. I¡¯ve made so many mistakes¡­ I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±

    I traveled out to Palmyra before the brunette could say anything. Didn¡¯t even remember her name or the girl I ate¡­ I had promised myself to eliminate every threat against Juliet¡­ Fahan was our biggest problem, and I was also done. But for a whole other reason than what Juliet was done for. I was done watching. It wasn¡¯t my job description anymore.

    Caleb and Marcus¡¯s heads turned to me when they heard me land. Both of them were disheveled from head to toe, rumpled clothes and unkempt hair. Marcus was all beat up and looked worn down. He had bruises on his arms and cuts on his face. The skin on his knuckles was raw and cracked. Caleb ran into my chest. I wrapped the boy up in an embrace. ¡°Happy to see me? Or you got yourself in a little pickle.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea.¡±

    Marcus had that same look on his face that he always had. His elbows were resting on the table. His hands were clasped, and his thumbs played with his bottom lip. His eyes were on me, and then his gaze drifted to the wood in front of him, deep in thought. Seemed that both of us bit off more than we could chew. ¡°I came to kill Fahan. What did you guys do.¡±

    ¡°Fahan and Marcus fought. Marcus wiped the floor with him. I told him not to kill him. He wanted to as well¡­ We came to kill those five guys, and they cornered us, and we almost died. You can¡¯t kill him either¡­ okay?!¡±

    I patted the boy on the back. ¡°How long have you been here?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been stuck for two days.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t here. I couldn¡¯t come back. I tried, but¡­ It seems that traveling has a lot to do with mental stability¡­ Your mom and I fought¡­ I almost killed her¡­¡± I waited for Marcus to come at me. I could see the instant tension in his shoulders, his chest rising and falling, working up to a decision. ¡°She won!¡± I said quickly.

    Marcus¡¯s head flung around, his black eyes spiraling... If Juliet could sort me out¡­ If he could put Fahan in his place. Marcus would kill me in a second. ¡°She cut my arms to shreds, dangling in my grasp. Her cuts were deep to the bone. Severed anything that could make me move a finger.¡±

    Marcus came back to human. A slight smile played on the corner of his mouth, and he bobbed his head proudly. His shoulders fell forward, and his head went with. ¡°I almost died in the process. So¡­ with that out of my system. I know I¡¯m not invincible. And your mother lectured me about how I forgot who I was dealing with.¡±

    I heard amusement coming from Marcus. Caleb laughed under my arm. ¡°The baby is healthy¡­ And Charlene is having twins.¡±

    Marcus was tired of sitting and came over. ¡°Ahasuerus decided to hide his vault on Mirach. Where Charlene is Queen. Kubra is going to be a father, and Romero.¡±

    Caleb and Marcus were so happy. Marcus grabbed my outstretched hand and shook it. ¡°Did you find it?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ We are a night away from fighting a monster¡­ or something for it.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring her back?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to.¡±

    Marcus¡¯s mouth twitched, and a genuine smile played on his lips. ¡°You¡¯re ready to submit, aren¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. And I have¡­ After everything that had happened, my emotions got the better of me.¡± Saying it out loud. I meant it.

    I didn¡¯t think I would ever see Marcus shed a tear. His jaw pulled tight, and the water rolled down his cheeks. As if he had no control over them. He pulled me closer and fell into my chest. My eyes stretched like they had never before. His arms came around my body, and he sobbed like a child. Marcus¡¯s body convulsed uncontrollably. Caleb¡¯s hand ran over his mouth, staring at the man. Realization hit us both.  And I was reminded of how selfish I am. This¡­ was not a game.

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked softly, wrapping up the smallest guy of us all.

    Caleb¡¯s voice was low. ¡°Like I said¡­ I almost died.¡±

    ***

    I took them back to En-gannim one by one, straight to Juliet¡¯s office. It was instant chaos. There were so many people that we didn¡¯t see Louis or Chris at first. Louis was the first to stand up and look out over the crowd. I didn¡¯t know how he did it. I shook my head at myself. How could I ever have thought I was a match for the guy. Chris jumped up, and Caleb was in his arms a moment later. ¡°They are dead. All of them. But we did something. I don¡¯t know what it means.¡±

    The crowd had seen the new arrivals, and everyone quieted down.

    ¡°Can we trust everyone here? Samuel?¡± Marcus asked.

    Louis glanced around the room. ¡°All non-essentials out. Now!¡±

    Marcus sat down on his couch, letting his head fall onto the leather. ¡°There was more vampire tech that I didn¡¯t recognize. Caleb and I got it charged. It was filled with so much that I didn¡¯t have time to take it all in¡­ It had to have been right after Zoreah. The waters were rough when Juliet got bitten by that fish, but not like what Caleb and I suffered.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t even comprehend how the waters could have been worse than that day. How I felt, trying to save everyone. Marcus went on. ¡°Brylee had a fail-safe installed for the city¡­ I made a choice and activated their harbor control. It was an instant barrier that came out of the water. Pillars beamed up and created a harbor wall. It all works with water siphoned out into tunnels under the embassy. All their mechanics work with pumps I had activated¡­ I think it would take days for it all to settle, but the thing is that the tunnels are protected when the harbor isn¡¯t there¡­ They flood¡­ And when the wall came up. The tunnels emptied.¡± Marcus glanced at Caleb.

    ¡°We think it¡¯s their vault¡­ More secrets.¡±

    My hand landed on Marcus¡¯s shoulder. I did want to listen to what they would say. His eyes came up, and he stood to his feet to greet me. I took his hand, and I knew we had crossed a line. Just like with Juliet. If they knew where they stood with you. They would do anything for you. His eyes were full of emotions. ¡°Take care of our child.¡±

    ¡°With my life.¡±

    I left. I was too scared of the time difference. We didn¡¯t know how it was affected from En-gannim to Mirach. From the moment Juliet and I talked, the traveling was easy. I knew where I wanted to be. Where I needed to be. And¡­ where my Queen was. It was strange thinking of her like that. The system had changed, and I was ready for killing and then lust.

    I landed in the sand. The camp was where Juliet and Charlene would be staying. The servants saw me and called out to Charlene. The moment I saw Juliet, I remembered the farm. ¡°Oh shoot.¡± I went back. Disappeared right out from under her nose.

    I landed in the room again. They all laughed. ¡°Did you forget your keys?¡± Louis quipped.

    ¡°Ha, ha. No, but¡­ There is a girl at the farm, Carl. I think you¡¯re up. Oh, and Kubra, you¡¯re going to be a father.¡±

    I shot him with gunfingers and disappeared.

    ***

    Lyla

    My hand was shaking with the gun still pointed. I never wanted to see him again. As soon as he was gone, I wanted him to come back. With a surge of adrenalin fueling me, I ran out of the room. No point in locking the door. Gigi followed me down the stairs. I took them two at a time.

    I yanked the side doors open to the van, grabbed my laptop bag, and forgot the charger. As soon as I was at the door, I had to turn back. I made my way to the library and booted up the thing. ¡°Come on, Come on.¡± It had to connect to my phone. A little jumpy; every sound got me jerking my head up to the room. There would be no point watching the door. They would appear out of thin air. They would be coming, and if they took everything I had. What would all my efforts have been for?

    I uploaded video after video to the group, all the information I had kept from them for months. I didn¡¯t need some foreigner to come and take over my life or make a mess before I had any answers. My screen lit up. They were broadcasting all over the world. I was flooding every site in America. Because I had already started, our group was following my lead. For the first time, I felt like I was doing something.

    Yes, the teleportation, the space travel, and the aliens were a big deal. In the beginning, fear had gripped the world. Theories went out that Disruptive Innovation would cripple industries and that roads would become useless. Everything we had built would become desolate hubs of nothingness. Millions feared their jobs. Others were scared of hostiles who would be able to bomb anyone anywhere. The nations were not deterred, and all the countries around the world would stand together in their unified decisions. They believed they had centuries to adapt and adjust. Roads would become solar fields. Where there were once wars and countries fighting between West and East or even across borders for land and religion, it was a thing of the past. And they might be right. There was nothing like an outside threat to unite the world¡¯s nations. We were like ants standing together in a glass jar. Painfully aware of who shook it. And I was going to make sure the world knew who they were putting their faith in. And some girl who only cut her hair a few years ago was not about to rule me.

    It was done. The world would know. I glanced around, looking for any one of the bookcases that might be a hidden door. There were so many, and the library had a second room with nooks, crannies, and small tables. A second story with chairs and a fireplace. It took me a while, but I found it. The door was a bottom part of rounded shelves. No mechanism or button to find. I swore under my breath. When he told me, there would be black tubes. I envisioned a box. Or maybe a few in a safe. There were millions. No system to the chaos. The ledgers stacked more than the books. The room was enormous, and in the middle of the floor¡­ a loveseat. It was so out of place. Old and beautiful. Handcrafted with wingbacks. A tete-a-tete seat, I think they called it. French, I believed. It looked French.

    I didn¡¯t know where to start. So I went back upstairs. I put on the TV. It had only been a few minutes. Every channel was filled. Every reporter had something to say. My phone dinged.

    Carl [ You have no idea what you started ]

    I tossed the phone on the couch. The news changed to the feed of the empty watcher bases. Images of the war waging on En-gannim. Reports and the general talking directly to the public. They had to keep the people updated on why the teleporters were not working. Our roads were still filled with cars. The oceans were still catching fish and being patrolled. Trucks were safely loading and unloading shipments from factories.

    The regular armies of the countries were still in active service. Navys that once could not let ships cross a line on a map were seen docking next to each other in the middle of the sea. Crew talking and mingling. Together, they were testing new weaponry against all our enemies. The Middle East was quiet. There was no more fighting, and there were no bombs. The Earth was very serious about life at that moment.

    I imagined everyone around the globe was watching the news. My social feed lit up. There were so many varying opinions about what I had released. Some said they didn¡¯t care. Others noted that it was just a matter of time before the lost vampires would be found. If everyone just looked around them and opened their eyes. Report them. We could flush out all of them.

    The opposed were in a state. We were letting our criminals sold for the slaughter while they used us as they wanted. A missing report of a mother in a small town south of Chicago was headlining. World wide. I looked up from my phone. A child was crying. A father trying to console him. The boy was raving about a monster that came and took his mother out of their house. My spine stiffened. It was too random. Usually, if someone did go missing, it was an elderly person out of a nursing home. A dying patient from a cancer ward or some random loner who didn¡¯t pay his rent on time. Those cases could be crossed off as the missing vamps among us. Or Werewolves or Riphaths. The government and the compound didn¡¯t need to hunt among the living anymore. But that felt personal. Her face came up next to my sisters, and I stood up. The reporter went on.

    ¡°In the last two years, missing people have gone from every day thousands to almost nothing overnight. Drug dealers and human traffickers are a thing of the past.¡± Jennifer spoke with emotion. ¡°But now. We have this¡­ One daughter died in a club. We all know the story.¡± They played the footage the club gave out after my sister disappeared. I had seen it so many times. It grieved me. It was of the guys fighting. Juliet dancing. I held my breath¡­ ¡°At last!¡± Our table and that man¡¯s face were plastered on the news. My sister was even in a photo with him. They had seen all my stuff and put it together. Jennifer continued. ¡°Another woman was taken out of her home. Right in front of her child¡­ The monsters.¡± Jennifer Air quoted the word. ¡°Was even nice enough to drop the child at his father¡¯s house. I ask you! When will enough be enough?¡±

    I shook my head. If I had time. I would¡¯ve driven to that town to investigate that murder. Juliet was involved. I could feel it. And if we were dying for crimes. She was going to pay the same price.

 All The Things You Said

    183. All The Things You Said

    Michael

    Juliet was still waiting in the same spot. I felt so stupid that I was ever angry at Chris for swatching her. I could find Juliet with the brandings if I had never focused on fighting my newfound creatures. She wrapped her arms around my waist. ¡°I didn¡¯t know if you would be able to come back. That was risky.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m back, hon. Do you want to go home?¡±

    She tightened her grip even harder and shook her head against my body. My shoulders fell as I enveloped her in my arms. I was so happy to hear it. We weren¡¯t completely dead, and I pressed my lips to the top of her head. ¡°The soldiers, Romero, and his father, have already left. If you travel that way, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll catch up. They haven¡¯t been gone for long.¡±

    The camp was deserted. Even Imani, the midwife, and the doctor had gone with them. It was only Charlene and Juliet. ¡°Are you sure I can leave you guys here? What was Romero thinking? Not even one servant?¡±

    ¡°Did I not prove to you that I can handle myself¡­ And Charlene.¡±

    I hit my head with my hand. ¡°Argh! How could I forget? Charlene and I are Ittoqure.¡±

    Charlene was watching us and gave me a slight reassuring nod that they would be okay. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re sure¡­ You be careful.¡± I kissed her quick.

    ¡°You too... Come back to me¡­ I would rather hurt¡­ than feel nothing.¡± I lowered my lips onto hers. She lingered on mine, not wanting to let go.

    I pulled out of her grasp. ¡°I have to go¡­.¡± Juliet pouted her lips. I walked off but didn¡¯t turn away from her. I kept walking backward, dragging out the meaning I wanted to convey. I smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± I gave her rock fingers and a stretched-out flat tongue. Juliet¡¯s face lit up. It was reward enough. I was done not looking back. Done, not hurting her. I teleported out like that. Us saying so many things but not speaking. The anticipation of what would happen when we had a moment.

    Again, I only traveled as far as I could see, smelling my way in a direction. I didn¡¯t have the time to focus on Romero to know if I could find him in the cosmos. The party was huddled behind rocks all along a ridge. Romero and everyone were looking down toward something. I crouched next to him and leaned over. The view that awaited me was not what I was expecting. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°Quiet.¡± Romero pushed me down.

    The scene was a picture-perfect portrait of different levels of floating islands magically held up in the air, varying in height. There were some solid mountains in the distance. Giant pools of water in between it all. The lakes weren¡¯t consistent and stretched until the horizon met what looked like an ocean on Earth. Some ground landscapes of trees and flourishing greenery rounded off the valley.

    I glanced at one of the floating islands. Some had more water on them and were larger in size. The pools of water didn¡¯t seem deep. Relatively shallow, like a rice paddy. I squinted. It was rice paddies and crop rows. On each floating island, a different color of whatever was harvested. To round it all off, soft streams of water flowed down from each floating surface and fell gently into the various lakes on the ground level. It was beautiful. Breathtaking. It was more a holiday destination than¡­ Death. I was expecting darkness and forests or desolated rocks like on Fahan¡¯s planet. The constant red menace of the sour smell on the red around the factories. The air was clean. Fresh. I had no idea what was going on. Then, the soil beneath our knees started shaking. ¡°Oh no.¡±

    ¡°Quiet!¡±

    Was that all Romero was going to say to me? The Dheka started running in different directions. All directed by an officer in command. Yazen and Imani followed his orders, and the group split up and disappeared. The ground continued to rumble, and the thundering noise became louder and louder. WTF. A massive shadow. Black as night against the blue backdrop of day. It fell down into the water of one of the lakes, as solid as any other being. The crash and water splashing resonated. The shadow rolled around in the pool, cooling himself off from the heat of the sun. Tentacles of smoky black clouds drifted off into the air. His feet were white, and his eyes and mouth were yellow in contrast to the darkness. Thin, skimpy legs. No muscles. He looked like a man. Like Romero did when he manifested. Little did I know those tentacles would turn into arms and hands. They all formed out of his body. He had heard the guards. Silvanus was¡­ the most significant of us all. That guy was three times the size. His head had jerked in the direction of the falling rocks. He ran over the water and sand like it was air, hovering, floating, but not. Each step created massive splashes, and when he hit the ground. It echoed into my bones. His gaze drifted up to the ledge of the mountain cliff. Those arms and hands grabbed and climbed, rocks falling down. He was at the top before I could turn to Romero. ¡°Where would this vault be?¡± Romero shrugged. ¡°How are we going to defeat that?¡±

    ¡°Quiet.¡±

    ¡°Why do you keep shushing me.¡±

    Romero pointed. The shadow was glaring our way, hanging from the ledge in the distance. We slowly crouched down. Nothing happened. We stuck our heads out again. It had left the sounds not finding anyone or hearing anything else. He let go of the ledge and landed as if he had jumped down from a table. It slowly walked towards one of the islands and picked up things out of the fields. It was gardening in miniature form. At first, I didn¡¯t see it, but people were on the floating surfaces. In the plantations, working.

    ¡°Get ready.¡±

    ¡°For what? You haven¡¯t even told me what to do.¡±

    ¡°Now!¡±

    The Dheka had surrounded the massive valley and came out of hiding, pointing their swords at the thing, channeling their power out toward it.

    ¡°While we dull it. You attack it.¡±

    My jaw fell open. ¡°With what? I¡¯m used to a gun.¡±

    ¡°Gun?¡± Romero tossed a sword to me. ¡°Stay a Riphath! Do not let him see what you are! Good luck.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Romero pushed me forward, and before I could fall to my death, I teleported down. The thing was going wild. The attacks were coming from every direction, and it didn¡¯t know which way to go first. When it had a subject to focus on, me, the Dheka, could push forward.

    ***

    Lyla

    I had chosen Juliet¡¯s room. It was the homiest and closest to the stairs. Inside was everything I needed to not go out into the house. No one came again that night. I suspected that cops would show up at any minute to arrest me or one of those famous vans that picked up criminals. Every noise woke me up. I had locked the doors, but really, would it have helped.

    I took a shower in the morning and wanted to borrow some of Juliet¡¯s clothes. Nothing fit me, of course. She was skinny as hell. Almost too thin. Everything was too long. I sat down on the couch. All my clothes were dirty, and there was no time to go find a laundromat in town. I would have to leave, and it felt as soon as I did. I would be missing out on something big. A bucket of black tubes stood on the dresser. It had stared at me the whole night. The fear had crept in. As soon as I experienced anything from their world, I would begin to justify their actions. I might find something to explain it all. Hesitantly, I walked over, grabbing one and slicing it through the air. ¡°How does this even work?¡± I had to step back. The images were so clear and transparent that I was too close.

    There was no system for the tubes or one I could figure out. No labeling or anything. Sure, they had a little robot assistant who knew exactly where everything was. I tried to figure out what was on the screen. It was like a home movie. A whole day of someone¡¯s life. A kid. A small child. I flung the tube again, and it stopped. I took another. It was the same child and home and family. Just older. I grabbed another. Even older. I stared at the bucket. Every bucket was the whole life of one person. I had heard about it from our community. The watchers were once linked to aliens. Saw them grow up and documented how they lived and what they did differently. How their abilities work and checking for weaknesses.

    I stood there staring at the small mountain of tubes. If every kid born there had a bucket. I swallowed the lump. Lucy¡¯s murder would be on one of them. Or where she was at that moment. I still hoped she was alive. I screamed. ¡°How the hell am I supposed to find you in that mess.¡± The anger had just flared up. My stomach made an untimely rumble. I glanced down. I couldn¡¯t remember when I last ate. I looked back at Gigi on the bed, feeling horrible. ¡°S-!¡± I rushed downstairs with her in tow, straight to the kitchen. I let her out at the back door. As I pushed it open, she bolted. Gigi was an active little thing, always running off and zooming all over the place.

    I saw glass shards on the ground. ¡°Weird.¡± It was as if someone had broken in there. I bobbed my head. ¡°Sita.¡± That was how she had gotten the ledger in the first place. How could she not leave me a way of knowing how it worked. I left the door open and circled the kitchen, rummaging through the cupboards. It was empty. There was nothing. Why would they have food anyway if they ate people? I opened the last door. Thought I would find a laundry room where I could wash my clothes. It wasn¡¯t. There were dark stairs that ran down into a cellar. I switched on the light. What was wrong with me? Why would I put myself in these situations? I thought about my gun and phone upstairs and then checked if anyone could lock me in there¡­ If no one was waiting in the darkness. Horror movie scenes flashed in my mind. I shook my head with every step I took down, pushing through.

    I sighed. ¡°A wine cellar.¡± Pantry and another door. I groaned, pushing the lever down. The smell was overwhelming, putrid, and stank of pee and s-. I covered my nose with my arm. I pressed another light switch. ¡°Oh, my soul!¡± I stepped back and closed the door quickly, leaning my back against the door. Someone was kept in there. Chains. Filth. Blood. I was in over my head. ¡°Lucy! I hope it wasn¡¯t you.¡±

    Regardless of the horror scene, my eyes fell on the stocked pantry items. There were glass jars with pickled goods, cans, and rice. Sweets and chips. Everything anyone would have. I checked some of the expiry dates. It was all current. I grabbed a few things. I would have instant noodles without the egg. I didn¡¯t care anymore; I was too hungry.

    After the morning settled, I was back in the library, sitting on the loveseat, staring at the shelves. ¡°Okay, Lyla¡­ Think!¡± Three species. If the man had killed her, his life had to be on there somewhere. I tried for a long time to separate the Vampires and the Werewolves. After I was done, there was a clear line between the two species because the Werewolves were low in number. The whole room was Vampires. I couldn¡¯t understand it. Where were the Riphaths? I sat there staring at it all. One bin caught my eye. It wasn¡¯t different in color but ever so slightly stood aside on its own little shelf.

    I took one out and flung it. Different place. An orphanage¡­ A boy¡¯s life. I went through the tubes quickly until I saw a familiar face. ¡°Sita.¡± The guy was attractive in a homely sort of way. Funny mouth and sensitive eyes. The tube was filled with him seeing her for the first time. I got into the drama that was their life. Sat there eating chips and chocolates. The guy ended up miserable. ¡°Where is the audio? Where is the fast forward button.¡±

    Next tube, I jumped up. Juliet walked straight past him. At the school. ¡°What?¡± I giggled when she turned into a tomato when they noticed each other. I scolded myself. I flung it in the air. I had to pee. I ran back to her room. ¡°You might have been innocent once. But somewhere, you took a wrong turn and went over to the dark side. I closed the toilet door and switched off the light. The steel table in the bathroom was still a little weird. A baby bassinet. What was this place? A watcher base. Not alien?

    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    My eyes lifted in the mirror. I was washing my hands.

    ¡°I was born right here.¡±

    My arms reached out, and I grabbed the sink on either side. It was something I would never get used to. People just appearing out of nowhere. Even when you¡¯re taking a dump. I grabbed the gun and spun around, expecting Michael. That time, I would have shot him.

    ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± I shakily held it out in front of me.

    The boy was so young. My eyes opened and closed slowly. I glanced around when his words sunk in. Looked at the bed and back at him. He was gone. My eyes darted everywhere. I rushed out of the bathroom and scanned the sleeping area. He appeared out of thin air, sitting on the couch.

    ¡°Caleb! Caleb!¡± A voice resonated through the house. ¡°She has a gun. Be careful.¡±

    ¡°It still has its safety on.¡±

    I glanced down and felt like a chump.

    Another figure appeared at the door. ¡°Holly! What the hell are you doing here?¡±

    I was stunned. Carl scanned the room and walked around, taking in everything. As if I wasn¡¯t even there. Caleb followed him. They were laughing at the pictures. ¡°Come, you got to see this.¡±

    Caleb led him to the bathroom. ¡°Your poor mother, giving birth here all alone. You know¡­ I will never forget how she was before your birth.¡±

    ¡°Bitches be crazy.¡± Carl hit Caleb behind the head. He rubbed at the spot. Carl pulled him in and hugged him. ¡°You scared me. Next time, don¡¯t race, okay.¡±

    ¡°I have to practice. Everything is a race these days.¡±

    ¡°You know I changed many of your diapers.¡±

    ¡°Urgh! Not this again.¡± Caleb fell onto the sofa and covered his ears.

    ¡°Hello!¡± I yelled. They both looked at me, still with the gun pointed at them.

    ¡°You¡¯re trespassing. I¡¯m calling the cops. And with that unlicensed gun. It¡¯s going to send you to prison. And you know what happens when you go away for anything.¡±

    ¡°Do it! I have so much evidence against you guys.¡±

    ¡°One ledger hardly constitutes as evidence.¡±

    ¡°You killed my sister, and I was there. I saw it all. You should all be executed as well.¡±

    Carl and Caleb glanced at each other. Eyes wide, Caleb shrugged.

    ¡°Put the gun down.¡±

    ¡°There is no chance¡­ I want to know what happened to my sister. The truth. Is she still alive? I saw the mess downstairs. Where is she?¡± The gun went with my hands. Carl ducked behind the couch.

    ¡°Holly! Who the hell are you? I looked you up and couldn¡¯t find anything. ¡±

    ¡°My name isn¡¯t Holly, you idiot.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Lyla Montgomery.¡±

    Carl¡¯s head came out from behind the couch. His eyes lowered to the ground and then slowly came up to meet mine again. ¡°Your sister is dead. We told your parents that.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to believe it. ¡°Who killed her and why?¡±

    ¡°Your parents know it was an alien that manifested and killed her. He wasn¡¯t in control of himself.¡±

    ¡°I know all that¡­ I think you¡¯re lying. All I saw was one of them manifesting in front of me, picking her up, and disappearing. He could be keeping her as a slave, or hell knows what else¡­ experiments!¡± I waved the gun some more.

    Caleb stood up and manifested in front of me. He wasn¡¯t a vampire and grew so large that I had to look up. The man that was there the previous day was enormous compared. I was short and stocky. Even Carl was an easy six-foot-three, but Caleb was almost two heads taller than him. He came back to human. I lowered the gun. My hands were shaking. There was nothing I could do to them. We were useless. Nothing to them. My knees buckled, and I fell to the floor. ¡°She¡¯s dead?¡± I muttered.

    Carl walked over and put his arm around me. ¡°We didn¡¯t lie. It really was an accident. An unfortunate one¡­ And I am so sorry for your loss. I would¡¯ve met with you sooner if you had told me who you were.¡±

    I dropped the gun on the floor and pushed him off me. I got up and ran down the stairs. I had to get out of there. Out the front door. Fresh air. The months of hoping washed away. The loss settled fully. My sister was dead, and nothing I did would change that. The tears rolled down my cheeks. I looked up into the sky. ¡°Lyla¡­¡± I spun around. Carl was standing in the door.

    ***

    Carl

    The tiny brunette was in tatters. I had never been on the other side of what we were doing. It was always survival. Survival of the fittest. Humans¡­ Us¡­ Me¡­ I raked my hands through my hair. It had gotten long, and usually, I tied it at the top of my head. The sides were shaved on a number two. It needed a cut. That was what our lives were like. War, murder. Then, worrying about when you would get your hair done in the midst of it.

    ¡°Tell me she wasn¡¯t down there, waiting to die¡­ Tortured.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what I was supposed to say. Lyla had already opened up a can last night. She was under scrutiny, and we were there to ¡°tech¡± her. As I sat there, Caleb was installing watcher feed for her. Lyla wouldn¡¯t know, and from that point forward, she would be monitored on a screen by none other than me. The war was going on. Full force all over En-gannim. I was kinda ticked off when the general shunned me to Earth.

    Ian and his men were playing the long game. Their attacks were so far from Nahrima. Ian was gaining control of the Islands furthest away from us first. The ones that mattered. It was as if they wanted control over everyone before they came to The Tower or attempted to overthrow any of our other islands. The ones that had allegiances with Marcus were fighting. We could send men out to help and try to keep them back as they came out of the shadows. I shook myself. I was being a bad person. My mind was literally a million miles away¡­ ¡°No¡­ Your sister¡­ died instantly¡­ I saw it¡­ But the man that killed her was down there.¡±

    ¡°Man! They are not people!¡±

    ¡°Maybe not¡­ But if you think that they had it any easier¡­ You¡¯re wrong.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just saying that! Juliet is your friend. You¡¯re a watcher and one of them. Covering up all the lies. I¡¯m sick of it!¡± Lyla yelled.

    ¡°If you were down there¡­ You know he had a lot to deal with. That wasn¡¯t even the extent of what he went through. That cellar was only the end!¡± I was getting a little irritated with her. I sat down on the step, thinking about what I could say and shouldn¡¯t. Michael was the biggest secret. She was like a dog with a bone. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want to hear from me? How can I make it better for you?¡±

    ¡°I want the truth.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what happens to a watcher who opens his mouth?! We get a bullet to the head. If we¡¯re not sent to prison to wait to die. There is no way I can¡­ Ever! Tell you what is going on!¡±

    Lyla was wiping her nose on her sleeve. She looked a little worse for wear. Her clothes were dirty and wrinkled, and her hair was a mess. ¡°Why do you do it? What could possess you to let yourself be manipulated like this?¡±

    Charlene came to mind. A smile played at the corner of my mouth. ¡°What could be so amusing that you think this is a good time to laugh?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not laughing! You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± I calmed my tone. ¡°Or what¡¯s going on¡­ All I see is a grieving little girl that is not letting go... Not getting the help she needs.¡±

    I wondered if I should say the man who killed her sister also killed my father. The woman I love decided to become that because she was like Lyla a few months ago. The weaker species. The weakest species. I smiled again, thinking about Charlene naked¡­ Manifesting and showing Juliet all her forms. I had seen Charlene naked a few times. It didn¡¯t bother me when I was younger. At that moment in that hall¡­ Her looking at me and loving me back had become a certainty.

    She and Kubra slept together. She had another husband on a planet in another freaking galaxy. All I wanted to do was tell her we were not over. Quiet, that aching hole in my gut. Charlene had changed overnight, just like Michael had. There was nothing Lyla could do about it. Unless she found out. She wouldn¡¯t. His feed wasn¡¯t kept there. Under lock and key in Juliet¡¯s well-guarded tunnels. My mind was drifting to how soon I would get it off the planet. It was the only way I could protect Charlene. I would have to get all their feeds off the Earth. Everyone was there when Charlene changed.

    ¡°Carl!¡±

    ¡°What!¡±

    Lyla stared at me dumbfounded with an open mouth. I did feel guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m a little distracted and don¡¯t want to seem defensive. But you¡¯re playing with my family!¡± I pushed a finger into my chest. ¡°Just like you want justice for yours. I would do anything to protect mine. Juliet is not my friend. I¡¯m not brainwashed by greed and power. She is my sister. She is my Lucy¡­ And I hate saying this¡­ But I love her more than you loved your sister.¡±

    ¡°Tell me why I¡¯m not dead? Tell me why you¡¯re letting me stay here.¡±

    ¡°Because all there is here¡­ Are memories¡­ All the history of children born and raised. It¡¯s nothing more than an old watcher base to keep tabs on everyone. And as you know, they¡¯re not here anymore. It doesn¡¯t matter that you see it. Your little stunt from last night had shown the world why they came to Earth in the first place. And in the end¡­ You did us a favor. It had to come out eventually¡­ And regardless of you wanting to find some conspiracy¡­ You won¡¯t because it doesn¡¯t exist.¡±

    ¡°If you all lied about something so small. What the hell are you hiding? Last night, that woman in that town was up on the news, and I know Juliet had something to do with it.¡±

    I wanted to roll my eyes. If Lyla only knew Caleb had killed the woman under his mother¡¯s orders. Didn¡¯t bat an eye. Caleb had told me that all Juliet had to do was bite the woman, paralyze her, and use one nail to cut into her neck. The blood had sent him into a frenzy. No one would have been able to stop any creature from getting to that smell. And the woman¡­ Juliet¡­ Was pregnant and a psycho-jealous lover.

    ¡°Carl¡­ Why are you here? If you¡¯re not going to talk to me. Why are you sitting there?¡±

    I got up. ¡°Come with me.¡±

    I took her to the library, giving Caleb more time to install the tech. ¡°I pulled off the buckets I knew had the core vamps in. I placed them on the table. She might not know how the buckets worked, but I did. I put my hands on the sides, and the names activated on the front. A whole display of who it was for and the species.

    Together with Samuel, Michael had made sure to cut everything on Juliet¡¯s feed. There was nothing that Lyla could watch that would bring her any closer to the truth. Kubra had edited Marcus¡¯s. Jack had done Louis. Warden had done Chris¡¯s, and the edited parts were in the tunnels. Frak, I needed to get there. And I needed Lyla busy, trying to find anything. Waste her time. I took out a tube, flung it in the air, and showed her how to activate audio. Zooming and how to fast forward and backward.

    ¡°You can watch. But I swear¡­ If you leak anything, you find out¡­ Not even your sister will save you.¡±

    Lyla seemed a weird little person. Dungarees and a strange-looking hat sat on her head, covering almost all of her hair. Light brunette with a nearly red tint in the sunlight. A fringe cut half over her forehead. It suited her oval face. The two pigtails hanging on her collarbones didn¡¯t. It made her look like a child. Caleb came walking in. He scanned the room. ¡°My mom¡¯s feed here?¡±

    ¡°How can you be her child?¡±

    Caleb ignored her. We had given him strict instructions to keep quiet. The boy was a cut-out for his mom.

    ¡°That has nothing to do with you,¡± I said. ¡°Caleb is a special case.¡± The boy scoffed. ¡°And I tell you if you so much as talk about him. I will kill you. If you think that this is some game. I will kill you. If you¡¯re not taking me seriously, you do not know who you are dealing with. You have stepped into a world where lives might not matter¡­ But¡­ It¡¯s war, Lyla. Collateral damage is inevitable. And people die. Children die¡­ We have for centuries, and you getting it off your chest isn¡¯t worth it.¡±

    I clapped Caleb on the shoulder. He was watching Juliet in the compound. I paused, seeing the feed. She was alone in the car with Marcus. It had to have been that day. ¡°Are you sure you want to see this?¡±

    Caleb glanced over at my tone. ¡°Why?¡±

    I let it play out. I wanted to see Lyla¡¯s reactions. Curious about seeing it for myself. It was awful. My eyes were on Lyla. Her hand jumped to her mouth when Agatha showed Juliet her mouth. When Qadir hit Juliet, Caleb grunted a strange growl in his throat. Kubra told her to take his hand. It was weird seeing it all. The women with veils on. Caleb flung it in the air. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see anymore.¡± He left the room.

    ¡°Go home! Be with your mom and dad before they lose another daughter.¡±

    She spun away from me. I placed the tube on the table and followed Caleb out.

 I Need You

    184. I Need You

    Charlene

    Juliet and I were having the time of our lives. We decided to lie on the beach of some watering hole and sunbathe in our underwear. Or Sirah-bathe¡­ It was weird keeping track of the different stars. Not that it mattered. A sun was a sun no matter where you were. The little oasis was close to the camp and reminded me of the one Romero and I slept at on our marriage journey. Juliet and I could hunt our own food and afterward cool off in the water. We chatted away like we always did, having fun, and there was never a shortage of things to say or remember. At that moment, I missed everyone so much. It had been too long, and when I saw Juliet in that room, my little life was complete. It had not taken her years to find me. It also meant Kubra would come to me soon. It brought a smile to my lips. I missed him more than I wanted to admit. Still trying to hide it from Romero. The area we were in on their map wasn¡¯t the prettiest of places. I wondered what the fuss was about. Juliet and I decided to behave and not do anything stupid. Stay put and enjoy the day.

    At some point, we had fallen asleep. I woke up in spikes of piercing pains all over my body. I couldn¡¯t manifest, and confused, I yelled for Juliet. Nothing but soft grunts passed over my dry lips. She wasn¡¯t there. No one was there. I tried to open my throbbing eyes. A constant searing, stabbing pain filled every bone in my body, resonating from my ass that was on fire. I forced my eyes to open. The tattoos were going nuts. That golden glow that always appeared was coming off me in waves of agitation. It enveloped me and wrapped around every limb till it focused on my throat. I fruitlessly tried to grasp at the golden shadow choking me.

    Romero¡­ was too far away from me. He was really not lying about the space between us. The pain wasn¡¯t at all like Juliet described it and was getting worse with every second. Suddenly, I couldn¡¯t even move. My limbs were stiff and contorted like a person having a seizure. How was I going to do anything? Would he not feel it. Was Romero going through the same pain? Michael would have brought him back. I couldn¡¯t think that the day had gone by. Juliet and I would never have slept for so long that it was already night. It was too dark. No moonlight. I had to be somewhere else. I didn¡¯t want to think about it, but the only thing it could be was Raiders. That in the time we slept, they came up and dulled us, knocked us out with a shadow. If Juliet manifested, she would¡¯ve been able to get away or hopefully disappear. The pain didn¡¯t want to stop, and my eyes closed again. It was too much for my body. If I could only go into my vampire form. I had to wait for the voodoo to work out. The pressure around my throat was not giving me time to wait. My thoughts were consumed by the pressure. It became worse and worse until all I could do was beg.

    ***

    Romero

    We did not really have a plan to destroy Iku. No one ever could, and no one ever dared. Our goal was to keep it busy. My parents and I would search for the vault. Talk to the people working there and hopefully find it before Michael runs out of energy. I joined my father in talking to the locals. They were all on the ground, one knee bent. Once we released them, the congratulations for the mating and the baby came in waves from every Dheka. We sometimes traveled out that far. My father and I had to tour the whole planet to meet with the other districts¡¯ rulers. We try to navigate the globe at least once every few decades. Something I looked forward to doing with Charlene.

    At my side, I could hear my mother making more progress in getting the information we needed than my father and I could. The people complained about the raiders and the growth of attacks on all the villages. It would explain why the thing had gone so mad and frantic at our appearance. We didn¡¯t even know they had moved that far out. My father met my eye. ¡°Charlene.¡±

    ¡°We have to hurry, mother.¡±

    ¡°Come! There is only one place they know of that Iku guard with its life.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±

    My mother pointed to the other side of the valley. It was an opening into the mountain. ¡°Will we even fit?¡±

    ¡°Michael, might.¡±

    I blew on the horn. While he was fighting, he glanced up at the island we were floating on. We were so high off the ground that getting down and all the way to the wall would take us the whole day. He teleported up, leaving Iku confused and searching for him. My parents told him what to do. The monster shadow had put all its attention on the Dheka around it. Michael teleported to the other side of the valley and left us on the island. He was standing at the entrance, peering into the slightest sliver of a cavern. From where we were, he was nothing more than a faint figure against the dark backdrop of the mountain.

    Michael disappeared, and I fell down to the ground. I swore as my nails dug into the soil at my feet. I knew the signs and what was going on. My mother¡¯s hand rested on my shoulder, her other fighting the golden shadow moving into my midsection. My father took a horn to alert the others that we were retreating. They had to get me closer to Charlene¡­ If we were even moving in the right direction. Back to camp was the only thing we could do.

    ***

    Lyla

    Carl and Caleb had left. I was glad to see them go. So angry and intrigued at the same time. My curiosity would get the better of me. In the back of my mind, I knew Lucy was dead. Carl wouldn¡¯t have lied, and I knew she was gone. I picked up the tube and played the rest of the scene.

    Marcus and Juliet were fighting in front of her house. When she hit him, I had to hold my breath. No son of Qadir would ever let a woman do that, not after just chopping off a servant¡¯s hand. Marcus was angry. Regardless, all he did was hold her, and I got a taste of what her life was like. Bound to a house. No friends, no family. No talking and veils. I scrambled to find Marcus¡¯s feed of the same scene. It ended with Cindy holding him, crying. It wasn¡¯t easy to get involved in their story. Marcus was screaming at Liam, and the man took the boy aside to talk, and the feed cut out. Marcus was back at his house in the following footage. I scanned the room. ¡°This is the editorial cut. There are secrets!¡± I shook my head. Carl was right¡­ I should¡¯ve gone home. Be with my family and help them through it. Looking at a screen the whole day, seemed like I would be wasting my time. But my parents were sitting around all day. If they never got over Lucy¡¯s death, I would end up like that. Living in the past.

    The woman who died that week was the only thing I could think about. If the vamps were killing humans when they wanted, according to some animalistic moral code. I couldn¡¯t do it. I couldn¡¯t leave it. Someone had to fight for those who didn¡¯t see it coming. It was just like any other crime¡­ Why did it have to be different for them? I fell down on the loveseat. It was the only place to sit in that room. I took off the hat and tossed it on the floor. My gaze kept flickering over the millions of tubes. So many Vampires¡­ so few Werewolves¡­ I jumped up. If Sita had been the one who got this ball rolling¡­ She was in the feed of the only Riphath. Where was the man that killed my sister? Quickly, I placed my hands on some of the buckets. None of them was hers¡­ A few more until only one was left. I took hold of it. Sita Moore. ¡°So much for not hiding anything.¡± For the rest of the day, I watched Sita¡¯s life play out in front of me.

    ***

    Carl

    I rubbed my eyes. The sun was coming up. It had been a long night on the compound in front of a screen. Lyla was so determined and committed. She knew the feed was edited. I needed a break and asked the watcher next to me to take over for a few minutes. He was watching Chris. From there, I could keep a handle on everything going on with the war and know what was going on with everyone. I pushed my gun into its holster. The net gun was on my other leg. I kept myself fully geared up.

    I went to talk to Cindy and her parents and have breakfast with them. Agatha was in the house with Marcus¡¯s grandmother and had her hands full with other relatives. Soren¡¯s parents were still on En-gannim. They had decided to stay. Whatever it was going to entail. All the children that went back didn¡¯t want to return to Earth after being reunited with their families on En-gannim, surrounded by a species they could relate to. It was the revolution their parents had all fought for. What they were staying for.

    Me [ We have to hide all evidence on the compound. What about Aries? ]

    Marcus [ Where do you want to store it? The boy stays till his interim mother comes back ]

    I thought long and hard about where the best place would be. Zoreah was an option. Juliet¡¯s army was the safest option, and Ira wouldn¡¯t mind. I could travel back and forth. It would take me two weeks alone. Move the Palmyra¡¯s library and the edited feed. There was so much I could be doing to help. With my orders to watch Lyla, I couldn¡¯t get up and do what I wanted anymore. Leave everything and protect my family. Those days were over. I should¡¯ve left the watchers when my father died. I would¡¯ve fallen under Juliet, and none of it would have been a problem. I could have joined Selena and Jamal. My training would have been better. I would be more prepared. As soon as the Lyla issue was over, I would hand in my resignation¡­ or rather my transfer.¡± I chuckled, thinking about it. Juliet would have me close, and I would be one step closer to Charlene. My arm clutched at my stomach, and I bent over. All the mirth was pushed aside.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Carl?¡± Cindy asked worriedly.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I feel funny.¡±

    ¡°Are you sick?¡± Cindy put her hand against my forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t have a fever¡­ Is it your stomach?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Yes¡­ The whole night¡­  My chest, my arms, and my head.¡± I rubbed over my forehead, standing up. I pushed the communications plate into my pants. ¡°Cindy¡­¡± I struggled to get the words out. ¡°There is a¡­.¡± I wanted to tell her about Lyla¡­ Tell her that she needs to be watched. I stumbled and staggered. I glanced back over my shoulder at the swimming pool. I was falling towards the water. Cindy stretched out a hand to me. I tried to take hold of her. She went right through me. I also didn¡¯t feel wet when I went into the water. The next moment, I stood across from Juliet, tied up and gagged. There were dusty tear marks running down her cheeks. I heard someone behind me, pulled out my gun, and took the shot. The guy fell to the ground. The next one came through the flap of a tent. I killed as many as I could and netted two. I refilled my clip when the wave stopped. There was movement, but no one was coming. I rushed over and ripped the cloth out of Juliet¡¯s mouth. ¡°Carl, go out the back, underneath the tent. They want Charlene. She is in danger. You have to find her.¡± Juliet¡¯s voice was hoarse.

    ¡°Jules, what am I going to do?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one that brought you here. She needs you.¡±

    ¡°How is that even possible?¡± Juliet¡¯s shoulders shook as I untied her. ¡°Come on. We can do this together. I¡¯m not leaving you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m drugged or something.¡± Her words slurred.

    ¡°You¡¯ll just have to wake up.¡± I pushed her out through the sand. I pulled up the next tent¡¯s side, and we climbed in. I kept her close to my body and removed the glass plate from my pants.

    ¡°It¡¯s too far.¡±

    ¡°Maybe for you.¡± I took out an enhancer and hooked the plate into it.

    ¡°What would it help? They don¡¯t know where we are.¡±

    ¡°Maybe for you.¡±

    ¡°Is that all you can say?¡± Her head was resting against my shoulder. I put a finger to my mouth. The footsteps in the sand were soft, and I held my breath, hoping another wave wouldn¡¯t find us. The treads ran past and drifted away with soft voices. ¡°We have to keep moving.¡± I pushed the plate into her hand and walked over to the flap. I slowly stuck my head out. It was a maze of tents. I turned back. Juliet was face down in the sand. I rushed over and read the message she had sent. I chuckled.

    Juliet [ I need my other half and my Riphaths ]

    I sent out the signal and buried the plate into the sand. Earth was tired of taking forever to figure out a specific location. When you had an open planet. It needed to be more sufficient. More accessible to send one from where you were rather than trying to figure out where you were going. Juliet had set up a whole division on Earth, working with the top scientist on En-gannim. Hackers had worked round the clock and together with physicists¡­ They had done it. It was one of the reasons they allowed us to come back after Michael killed that girl. Marcus had jumped at the information. It meant they could drop one man anywhere on En-gannim, and if he had long enough, they would be able to send people to attack Ian¡¯s bases from other angles.

    I gently slapped Juliet¡¯s cheek. ¡°Jules, wake up.¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°I found Charlene.¡±

    I spun around at the sudden voice next to me. ¡°Caleb! No! How!¡± My shoulders fell. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t hit the water. That¡¯s why I could come at all!¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°Charlene¡¯s in bad shape, and four men are in there. I have my gun and my net.¡±

    ¡°They die just like us. I don¡¯t know when they¡¯re manifested.¡±

    Caleb touched my shoulder and placed his hand on Juliet. The men came in, glanced around, and left quickly. ¡°We¡¯ll have to carry her.¡±

    We both took an end and moved freely around the base. Caleb led me out of the settlement. ¡°I¡¯m going to stay with my mom.¡± A few gunshots resonated in the air. Caleb and I jumped up. I grabbed for the hilt of the sword I had picked up. ¡°Don¡¯t leave so I know where you are. If I don¡¯t come back. Stay hidden.¡±

    A string of rapid shots echoed through the camp. Assault rifles. Men were running in different directions. It was easy to see who was who. The natives wore capes. It was ¡°Jessy!¡± The commands were loud. Some were in English, and the other men were shouting in a different language. I grabbed my radio and started talking, hoping our frequencies would work. ¡°We have Juliet. I¡¯m going for Charlene.¡±

    Caleb pointed in a direction. One of the tents was off to the side and made my bristles stand up. Multiple men were going into the tent. I started shooting them one by one as I moved closer. The men left began scattering, some stumbling to the ground.

    ***

    Kubra

    We were in formation and pushing back a wave of vamps. The fighting was tedious. It had only been a few days, and we were all exhausted. The Earth cleared out its prisons, sending us humans to dry out. After the release of the information, Earth wanted to set an example of how serious they were about creating a better future. Child molesters were sent first. Murderers and rapists. To us who were used to sucking people dry. It didn¡¯t matter either way. We needed the boost, and Palmyra¡¯s stock of creatures we usually waited on would not come. For a year, we would have no help from Zoreah. Ian had strategically taken over the farming Islands. The prisons on Earth were overpopulated, and feeding almost a million soldiers would help.

    I was talking to our general after sucking some guy dry. It was strange for them to see us so easily bite into a man that was freaking out. All it took was one whiff of the blood. ¡°Take the advantage and push.¡± He nodded and started giving out orders.

    I had been feeling strange that whole day like my insides were being pulled into different directions. It had been almost three weeks since I saw Charlene last. It was a relief when she found us. Whenever she came to my bed, I had the same strange feeling. Even so, she didn¡¯t come back with Min¨¦. It was hard to make peace with not seeing her for a while. And then, a few days later, I sensed someone else. It was Romero. That feeling of knowing Charlene and I were connected doubled. She was branded to someone else. We were joined in a life-and-death bond with someone else. She was pregnant, and I wasn¡¯t there. I was going to be a father.

    ¡°Are you feeling well?¡± The general asked me when I didn¡¯t join the men. I was usually on the front lines, fighting. Didn¡¯t like sending the men out and sitting back like a king on his horse.

    The corner of my lip lifted. ¡°The missus is calling me. Hold the fort.¡± I didn¡¯t know how long it would take or why she could do it. Charlene needed me, and if it was that bad. My heart beat faster. I grabbed another soldier¡¯s chest sling and pulled it over my head. He handed me more clips. I pushed an extra net gun into my pants. ¡°Do you have any drugs?¡±

    One of the watchers fished out two tubes. ¡°One is for waking up, the other for knocking out.¡± I chuckled. Like I didn¡¯t know. I held out my hand. He handed me a packet of cigarettes, and I pushed it into my pocket.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be back. Find Jessy and regroup with Marcus.¡±

    The burning got worse. My chest was on fire, and my knees were on the ground. I don¡¯t think I had ever been that angry. Dragged out into a scene I hoped I¡¯d never have to witness. Charlene was bound and convulsing on the ground, gagged, and her eyes tilted back into her skull. Men were hovering over her. In an instant rage but with controlled breaths, I let loose and started shooting them one by one. I plunged Juliet¡¯s drugs into Charlene when there was a window. The golden chain around her neck subsided, like a meat-eating vine retreating back to its source. I didn¡¯t know what was going on. There were noises outside the tent, and I heard the flap open.

    I stood and turned to a few manifested shadows. I tried shooting, but the bullet went right through. ¡°Interesting.¡± They were yelling in some foreign language. I had nothing left but the nets. I pointed and shot. The man thought I was stupid for trying again until he was secured and staring back at me. Not hesitating, I took my knife and pushed it into his neck. Close combat seemed to be the only universal thing. A blade or spear seemed to kill anyone. The others came at me. It was like fighting in the ring but against multiple assailants. The war had prepared me for it. Some were boys, and not all of them knew all the tricks I had picked up in the last four hundred years. If I died, Charlene would die. I fought harder.

    The wave didn¡¯t want to stop, and I was getting tired. I got close to the next one and fought hand to hand, relieving him of his sword, grabbing him around the shoulders, and holding the sword at his neck. The other men at the entrance coming at me abruptly stopped moving. It wasn¡¯t because they cared what I did to the man in my arms. Shots were being fired all over the encampment. The men in front of me started dropping one by one. I pressed the blade deeper against the guy¡¯s neck. Carl walked around the corner with his gun pointed, and I sliced through his throat and let go of him. ¡°Who is in the camp?¡±

    ¡°Jessy.¡±

    I turned back to Charlene. ¡°Get me something to ride. Quickly.¡±

    Carl had taken one look at Charlene and ran out. I dropped down next to her and took her vitals. She was burning up like me. We were having the same symptoms. Hers were only a hundred times worse. Sweat fell down from my brow as I picked her up and carried her in my arms. Our men were clearing all the tents, orders being given over radio¡¯s going crazy. ¡°Don¡¯t let one get away.¡± I heard Jessy order. It was a bloodbath. The men were getting nowhere as soon as the shadows manifested.

    I couldn¡¯t wait to help. I was struggling through the sand. Carl was just outside, struggling to get the beasts to listen to him. The boy was having all the feelings I had. How long had she been seizing? How long could anyone go on like that before their heart gave in? He gave me the reins, and he took her from me. I vaulted on, and Carl handed Charlene back to me. All I could do was press her against my chest. I didn¡¯t even want to look down at her, too scared to see the branding hue draining the life out of her. My beast was already galloping when I saw Carl jump onto another one and heard him ask. ¡°Which way?¡± I was steering in a direction towards the moon on the horizon. It had to be where Romero was. I knew where he was.

    We were galloping for a long time. The mountain had seemed closer than it was. The terrain there wasn¡¯t as easy as the sandy dunes we had been crossing. The things under us slowed down by themselves after stumbling too many times over large rocks. I gave mine the reins, and it stretched its head low.

    ¡°How is she?¡±

    I finally took a moment and looked at her, scared I would see what I saw in that tent. She was already better; my eyes flickered to Carl¡¯s, and I bobbed my head. ¡°You know. Charlene¡¯s birthday is soon. Have you decided?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not for me to decide, is it?¡± I shrugged. Carl still didn¡¯t understand what it meant. ¡°Weird that you would be asking me that question.¡±

    ¡°After everything that just happened¡­ It seems the more men in a woman¡¯s life. The more she is protected¡­ Cared for.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right about that¡­ And I do want to push myself in there, but I was kinda busy with other things. Charlene was here. You didn¡¯t even know where she was until a few hours ago.¡±

    Maybe he did understand. I wondered if the boy had changed. Carl seemed to have grown up in the last few months¡­ I thought about it. ¡°Sucks being a watcher, doesn¡¯t it? Always glued to a screen. Gives you such a different perspective on life.¡±

    ¡°I hate it. I don¡¯t know how you guys did it.¡±

    ¡°Who is the girl?¡±

    ¡°The sister of the one Michael ate. Before I got pulled out, she was watching everyone¡¯s feed¡­ I wanted to start moving the buckets in the tunnels. There is too much on there.¡±

    Carl was worried about Charlene and what would happen if the world found out about her. I frowned, looking down at her. Charlene had stopped shaking. ¡°We¡¯re getting closer. She¡¯s better, and I don¡¯t have that burning in my chest anymore.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any idea what¡¯s going on?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°None.¡±

    ¡°How did she pull us both here?¡±

    ¡°Did she pull you here?¡± He nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m just glad she could.¡±

    The mountain I was aiming for came into view.  ¡°I don¡¯t see a way around? We will have to find a path.¡±

    ¡°But which way? If we take the wrong route, she might get worse again.¡±

    I manifested and handed Charlene to him. I was going to have to focus. Now that the feelings were less, my inner compass was confusing to get a hold of. ¡°Give me a minute.¡±

    I ran in one direction, and it yielded no stirred-up emotions. I tried the other way. There was a small ridge I had to climb. Over the edge was another camp, hidden in an enclosed area. Small. No one was inside, but the pressure on my chest was gone. ¡°Carl, come to my location.¡± I was walking around to see where we would have to go to get there. He had a difficult time managing the two beasts and Charlene. I skidded down and jumped up onto my beast. ¡°That way.¡± We both kicked again. The sensation was back and so profound, and all the pain was gone. I knew Romero had to be close.

    Carl pulled back on the reins as the tents came into view and slid off his beast. The tents were different from the ones where we came from. Luxurious big tents in the middle and smaller ones circled three in the middle. Silence drifted over us and the camp. Nothing. I slid down as well, and we walked into the center. A pitch-black shadow rushed out of the tent towards us. Carl lifted his hands in the air. The woman stopped hovering and covering the distance toward us. She came back to human. At the same time, her shadow had not caught up and drifted into the air around her face. Angry eyes widened and softened. ¡°In there.¡±

    I rushed through the flap the woman was holding up, pointing to an unconscious man lying on thick pillows on the ground. Romero. I recognized his smell and placed Charlene at his side. As carefully as possible, I took Romero¡¯s arm and draped it over her waist. It was a significant moment for me. Acceptance of our new way of life. ¡°What is going on?¡±

    ¡°You must be Kubra.¡± I looked at her in surprise. The woman was back in their shadow form. She was beautiful like that. The golden veins flowed diagonally over her cheekbones. Even the tip of her nose was gold, with a golden vein disappearing into her hairline. Her eyes were solid gold and turned white. She was using her ability. The dark, shadowy hair vanished behind her. She crouched down and placed one hand on each. The shadow flowed over the two, and their bodies relaxed even more. ¡°My name is Imani. Romero is my son¡­ that makes you my son.¡± My mother had died in childbirth. I never even knew her. I had an instant family. People who knew about me before I even knew they existed.

    She stretched out a hand. I shook it, smiling slightly. ¡°Where is Min¨¦?¡±

    ¡°At our home with my other daughters. She is safe there.¡±

    ¡°Will this have hurt the baby?¡±

    ¡°Babies, you mean.¡±

    A frown played on my brow. ¡°Charlene is carrying both your children.¡±

    ¡°One each?¡± Carl asked, sitting down next to me in the sand. He stretched out his arm to her. ¡°Carl. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±

    Imani regarded him for a long time, holding his hand. ¡°Another Ittoqure in the family¡­ Hmmm¡­ I do not know if that is such a good idea.¡±

    Carl smiled sheepishly. ¡°She still hasn¡¯t asked. It might not happen. Her birthday is soon.¡±

    Imani chortled softly¡­ ¡°Here, her birth date does not matter. Romero is five hundred years old¡­ You being pulled out from somewhere so far away¡­ It means she does love you.¡± Carl glanced at me and dropped his head. The corners of his eyes crinkled. ¡°On our planet¡­ it is painless and whenever you want.¡± Carl met my eyes on him. In time, I had to gotten used to the idea of Romero. Carl would also join Charlene¡¯s harem? Charlene¡¯s harem¡­ It was so strange thinking about it. I didn¡¯t know how I felt about it. Marcus couldn¡¯t handle more than three others¡­ Before we slept together, I had the idea of putting down my own boundaries. How stupid I had been. To think that I could tame her. This life was one of supernatural mysteries and consequences. ¡°You never know with Charlene,¡± Carl said. He looked at Imani. ¡°In the past, it would have taken her years to make a choice. Now¡­ I¡¯m rather scared of her.¡±

    Imani and I laughed. ¡°Yes, how long she waited to sit on my lap.¡±

    Carl chuckled. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t even kiss me. She has changed so much. Got everything she wanted. It set her free in a way.¡±

    The boy had grown up. Carl and I had become close when Charlene was missing and after I woke up from the branding. Spent as much time together as we could. There was no more animosity. We had let the anger go, fighting for her instead of fighting about her. She had made the choice for us. Romero had changed everything.

    ¡°Where is Juliet?¡± Imani asked.

    Carl jumped up. He radioed Jessy and Caleb, walking out of the tent.

    I glanced at the two sleeping on the cushions. ¡°Three children.¡± I stroked Charlene¡¯s hair out of her face.

    ¡°You seem happy.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t be happier¡­ I have been alone for so long. I never thought I would have¡­ what she is so willing to give me¡­¡± My voice was strained as the words left my lips. I could not remember when I had last shed one tear. Too many emotions. ¡°It¡¯s been a long journey. It was never easy between us. Too many outside forces and decisions¡­ And all I want is for her to be happy.¡±

    ¡°Did you feel the pain?¡±

    I nodded.

    ¡°We had wondered how it would affect you. My husband and I. We were trying to find the vault, and Romero collapsed. We had left the two girls here. It was so far away. Michael was doing well, and we had to go. We brought Romero back. It took all of us to stop the pain. He was better in the camp; we thought she couldn¡¯t be that far. I was waiting for them to come back. They had turned around immediately. Michael is all alone there.¡±

    ¡°Show me.¡± Why Romero and Charlene were like that had to wait.

    Imani stood to her feet. A hand gripped my arm before I could push up. We both glanced down. Romero¡¯s eyes were shut, and his fingers barely closed around my arm. ¡°Thank You.¡± He croaked out.

    ¡°I would do anything for her.¡± His hand fell limply on Charlene¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    Carl and I mounted our beasts. ¡°Men will be jogging past chanting. Point them in the right direction.¡±

    Imani smiled, and we kicked our beasts into a gallop.

 Follow The Crumbs

    185. Follow The Crumbs

    Lyla

    The room looked like a puzzle or maze, surrounded by coffee mugs. Tubes in neat rows stood everywhere on the floor. I had watched and dated the feed. The piles were organized into sections I thought would be most crucial for the future. When I finished Sita¡¯s, I knew some of what was happening. The one thing I wanted to know about was the compound. Juliet and her parents lived somewhere before she went to school. A lot was edited out¡­ but not everything. The Earth knew about the compound. Not that it was called that on the news, neither was the location ever revealed. The conspiracy theorist had ideas of where the world had locked away the Werewolves. Where the thousands of vamps had lived undiscovered for that long. Marcus had lied and said they were scattered among us.

    It was easy to find Juliet¡¯s old school and connect it to Stevie, the woman murdered in that small town. Sita and Chris had been there. Louis¡¯s feed also showed them traveling from that small town to France. Stevie seemed important in the way she died. I felt it was a dead end. No one would have footage of Juliet coming and going in the middle of the night. I needed to find where Juliet was born and fast. If there were any secrets, they would be there. The frustrating part was that the tubes stopped eventually. They were all in France, and on one specific day¡­ The feed ended for everyone¡­ It was the end of the watchers.

    The most interesting part was that Juliet was¡­ had multiple men in her life. Looking at what they went through in France wasn¡¯t easy. All around, it was a difficult time. Juliet was sick, and it explained the skin. When they fought Qadir and killed him in that stadium they built. It was her and Louis. Everyone knew Louis by then. The Earth watched the two of them killing another vampire. The most powerful one. The Earth thought the two of them were in charge. I paused. My brain had its first decent thought of the night. I checked my watch and pouted, frustrated that it was already midday.

    Juliet ran out of that fight like she had somewhere to be. Marcus wasn¡¯t on Earth. It felt like I knew them. I had watched her and Chris the most. They had some exciting moments. The night she went to that party was the best scene. I sat on the edge of my seat with popcorn when she and Chris fought in that car. That kiss¡­ I shook my shoulders, walking up the stairs. The way he manifested to save her. I cringed at the cuts all over her. I had left everything like that and would fall down on the bed. I was going back to America as soon as I woke up. Gigi was running up in front of me, tail wagging and tongue out. She was a bundle of energy but already knew where she should go.

    ***

    Michael

    I was lost. After Romero told me where they thought the vault could be, I teleported in through the opening and had been dodging Iku the whole night. He had followed me through the opening and put up a chase for a while. I heard it swooshing around late into the evening. At one point, it got quiet. But then I needed to find him. It was tunnel after tunnel. Turn after turn. I could¡¯ve traveled out to anywhere in the freaking cosmos but wasn¡¯t able to find my way in a maze. I had used my claws to mark entrances and was getting somewhere¡­ Just to loop around and see more scuff marks. It was a waste of time. I had been looking for any cavern, hollow, or space where Ahasuerus would have hidden his vault. It was the perfect place. I didn¡¯t understand how he knew about it at all or made the trip and how he got it done. It could have been anywhere. I could be searching for nothing. He could¡¯ve lied, and another clue would be waiting for us.

    I slid down against the stone wall, leaning my head back. I was going to close my eyes for a second. I woke up with my face on the ground, more tired than I realized. I wanted to go back to the camp to see Juliet. I sat up. The black shadow was hovering over me. It was so close to me, sniffing me. It started talking coherently, and I sat up straighter, interested in the progress I could make. Iku flinched back. Why did they not say it was a thinking being. How would I speak to it anyway? Why did Yazen not just talk to it?

    A loud explosion droned into the tunnels, making dust drift down from the ceiling. Iku narrowed its eyes. It left me and moved down the narrow spaces. I followed as fast as I could. The dust was still clearing, drifting out into the air. Iku sped out and over the rubble, making the most horrific noise. I stopped moving at the entrance. The slither I had teleported through was now a giant hole in the mountain. The familiar shadow flowed from high above us. The Dheka was back, keeping it busy. I smiled when I saw men flying around. Selena and Jamal were having the time of their lives keeping Iku busy. ¡°What?¡± I muttered to myself.

    A whirring sound came from up above me. I glanced up, and more men were railing down with ropes from the top, landing next to me. ¡°What have you been doing?¡± I spun around. Caleb, Carl, and Kubra appeared out of thin air.

    ¡°That was scary, Caleb,¡± Carl said.

    ¡°I told you we wouldn¡¯t get hurt if we just fell.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. You shouldn¡¯t do that again.¡±

    ¡°My mother showed me all she can do, and she would say that I should trust my abilities.¡±

    I pulled the boy in for a hug. ¡°Why are you here? How are you here?¡±

    ¡°No time. Tell us you found something.¡±

    ¡°Nothing! It¡¯s a maze.¡±

    Kubra stepped into the mountain and turned in a circle, looking at all the tunnel entrances.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t stop.¡±

    Carl walked over and held out his hand. I took his hand in a tight grasp. There had been no time to ask for forgiveness for his father. I had seen the boy only a few times since I changed and never thought to meet up with him. To make things right. How far gone was I?

    ¡°When you¡¯re a werewolf?¡± Kubra asked over his shoulder.

    I shook my head. ¡°That thing leaves no scent. No trail. Nothing¡­ All I can think is that we need drones. If we could talk to it¡­ I saw him working with the locals. I have no idea what this place is. They have their own dialect, and it said something to me.¡±

    Kubra shook his head. ¡°Yazen says the locals accept his help. They never question or talk to it. It sometimes speaks but never answers.¡±

    ¡°Well, anyone with ideas?¡± Jessy and his men stood at the entrance waiting for orders.

    ¡°How did they hide it. It seems too difficult. Even for the vamp King.¡± Carl added.

    ¡°If they had coordinates. They might have traveled here by chance. Scoping out the land and scenery.¡± Kubra answered.

    ¡°Are you telling me I should teleport to En-gannim for drones? I¡¯m so tired.¡±

    ¡°We can do it the old fashion way¡­ Split up with ropes.¡± Jessy gave his two cents.

    ¡°We could place a tracker on it to see if it will work.¡±

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    ¡°Or¡­¡± Caleb¡¯s voice broke through our discussion.

    ¡°NO!¡± All of us said in one accord.

    ¡°Come on! We have nothing to lose. Everyone backs off, and I follow it. One of you lucky gents can babysit.¡±

    They all looked at me. ¡°We will have packs to eat¡­ An escape route if we need it.¡± Caleb went on.

    I ran my hands over my face. ¡°Where is your mother?¡±

    ¡°No! You decide. You¡¯re one of my dad¡¯s.¡±

    I remembered Marcus clutched in my arms. How he had broken down with the idea of Caleb almost dying. It wasn¡¯t Palmyra. Kubra was close, and I could teleport. It was not the same situation. ¡°Caleb. Our luck will run out eventually. If anything happens to you.¡±

    He put up a hand. ¡°Michael, we have to win. Even if it takes us a few days to get there. The only other option is losing to Ian. If they take that Island with that massive machine on¡­ What if he has the coordinates for this specific spot?¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Juliet and I came out in Romero¡¯s home.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they fooled us. Ahasuerus wouldn¡¯t just give it away, regardless of who¡¯s coming for it. What if Ian had the half to alter the base code and Avrio had gotten something from Ahasuerus?¡±

    ¡°How are you so smart?¡±

    Caleb shrugged.

    ¡°Fine!¡±

    Caleb was a bundle of energy. I thought he would clap his hands together and jump up and down. Kubra and Carl shook their heads at both of us. ¡°You guys zip back up and tell everyone to return to camp. Caleb and I are going on a stakeout.¡±

    ***

    We proceeded to follow that shadow giant the whole day. It wasn¡¯t how I wanted to spend my time. All I could think about was Juliet. We had made progress and needed time together. We were finally on the same page, I hoped, but I needed to be there to be sure. The thing was busy, moving around and surveying all it guarded, farming and traveling from one floating island to the next. Caleb had a very tiring day. I had made him teleport to every surface. He had to follow to keep up. The scenery was spectacular. It was one of the most beautiful places I had seen on all the planets.

    At one point, I could see Caleb was reaching his physical limits. I suggested we sit on one of the highest cliffs on the floating triangles, waiting for it to retreat to its cave. Their star was setting on the horizon, and the Dheka returned to their dwellings. The creatures used one hand to transfer them to the ground, returning his little slaves free. Not that they were enslaved. The symbiotic relationship between them was unmistakable. We thought it would also hunker down for the night after all we could hear was faint music coming from the villages; however, it didn¡¯t retreat to its cave. Caleb and I wondered what he would do the whole night. We soon saw their beasts. Why he was there at all. Fighting and warding off bugs from his lands.

    Their moon was high in the sky, and nothing had come and gone for some time. As soon as it headed for the tunnels, I picked Caleb up and teleported us into the maze. It wasn¡¯t hard following it. All I had to do was stay with it.

    The space he had chosen for its layer was lit from outside by the moonlight beaming in through an oval-shaped window in the wall. It had to be on the other side of the whole valley. There was a sizeable man-size tent next to a water source made from material. I glanced at Caleb. We were both confused. The structure was big enough to house even me in my Riphath form but not his whole body.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think he has a wife, do you?¡± Caleb asked nervously.

    I chuckled. The thing went from its shadow form to a human. ¡°Hmmm. It didn¡¯t sound like Romero knew about this.¡± The man was clad in the whitest robe. He was at the edge of a small beach that circled a watering hole almost the same as the whole planet possessed. His fingers unlaced his robe, and he stripped the rest of his garments, ambling into the water.

    Caleb and I traveled down from the last tunnel to the ground level of the cave. We were searching for that vault. ¡°I can¡¯t think that he would hide it here. It¡¯s too open.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ there has to be somewhere else he keeps his valuables¡­ Romero and his family had a secret chamber hidden in a fountain.¡±

    ¡°Under the water?¡±

    My eyes glanced at the man bathing in the still pool. I really didn¡¯t want to be stuck there for days until he felt a need to survey all his bounty. If he ever would. ¡°How is it possible that he is that large when manifested?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ All the species must have some origin, I suppose. Maybe they were all once that big.¡±

    ¡°Evolution¡­ Into something smaller? Sounds about right. Should we try talking to him?¡±

    ¡°It does seem like the best option.¡±

    ¡°I also don¡¯t want to be stuck here.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I can see you don¡¯t want to be here,¡± Caleb said. I smiled. ¡°I think Marcus and Louis could actually use my ability to move some of the armies around En-gannim¡­ Without Ian even knowing.¡±

    I ruffled his hair. ¡°Will you stay out of sight while I make contact?¡±

    Caleb pushed my hand out of his hair. ¡°You have to stop doing that!¡±

    I ruffled it some more and got him in a choke, rubbing my fist hard over his head. Caleb was squirming to get out from under my noogie. I did the next thing to bully someone. I pulled his underwear up into his butt crack. Caleb squealed and bent his knees, dropping his weight. I laughed. It was a mistake. It made the wedgie so much worse. His holler resonated in the cave. We both stilled at the noise. In his vanished state, it wouldn¡¯t have happened. My head moved, and my eyes landed on dark orbs glaring at us from the water.

    Iku didn¡¯t seem flustered and sauntered back onto land, picked up his robe, and pushed one arm into a sleeve. He spoke, but I couldn¡¯t understand him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t happen to speak English¡­ Do you?¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    My shoulders slumped, and I let Caleb go. His hands were in his pants, pulling on the material of his underwear. Iku was moving towards us. Caleb disappeared again. He stilled as the boy vanished. ¡°So that¡¯s how you found me.¡±

    ¡°Someone left something for us to find¡­ We think you might have what we¡¯re looking for.¡±

    ¡°There was a vampire that asked for my services not long ago. I suppose that is what you are here for. But, he said it would be a woman that came¡­ I have not seen a woman yet. I did not know that was what you were here for, or I would not have attacked you the way I did.¡±

    My back stiffened. A low growl resonated in my chest. Ahasuerus wouldn¡¯t give it away. Would he¡­ His last retort and effort in killing Juliet. The corner of the man¡¯s mouth turned up quickly. ¡°Ahasuerus came with gifts¡­ Brought me so many things.¡±

    I puckered up, hoping that monetary value would make him jump ship. There was no way Juliet would be fighting that thing or coming anywhere close to it.

    ¡°Are you open to negotiations? I¡¯m a little versatile and could probably bring you anything you like.¡±

    He scoffed. ¡°Once I made a deal¡­ I do not go back on my word.¡±

    ¡°May I ask what your contract entailed?¡±

    The man bent down and picked up the dirty clothes from the sand. ¡°Come with me.¡± I followed and stepped into the tent after him. He gestured for me to sit. ¡°Tell the boy to come out¡­ I am not in the habit of killing children.¡±

    ¡°No! Caleb¡­¡± I demanded.

    The boy didn¡¯t listen and sat down next to me. ¡°That was for¡­ What do you call that?¡±

    ¡°A wedgie.¡±

    Caleb laughed. Iku watched us with interest. ¡°Ahasuerus wanted the woman dead.¡±

    I groaned inwardly. Was it not our duty to let this vault go and figure out the rest for ourselves. It would be the price to save Juliet. There was no way she would be able to do anything. What was the old man thinking? If she died, Marcus would die. My hands ran over my face in frustration. ¡°If I challenge you? Would you tell me where it is?¡±

    ¡°You would die¡­ I am undefeated.¡±

    Caleb sighed heavily. ¡°What is it that he gave you?¡± Caleb asked flatly. We were both tired and frustrated

 All That Matters

    186. All That Matters

    Juliet

    The last thing I remembered was sending out the distress message. ¡°Carl!¡± Panicked, I sat up and rubbed my eyes, glancing around. Charlene and Romero were in each other¡¯s arms on some cushions next to me. A raggedy breath escaped as tears sprung to my eyes, glad that we were safe but still processing everything that had happened. The one time Charlene and I decided to behave, crap still found us. She wasn¡¯t with me in the tent, and I didn¡¯t know what they were doing to her. I climbed over her and lay between them, pushing myself in. Romero hugged us both and held us tightly. I did feel like bawling. They could have done anything to us.

    Imani lifted the tent flap and stepped through. ¡° I came to see how you were doing. You have been sleeping for a while. Kubra and Carl went to help Michael... Your son is a fine boy.¡±

    I sat up. ¡°Caleb? Is he here? He went with them?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°A whole entourage of men and women came jogging past. Another Riphath was carrying you. There were three, and the rest were Vampires and some humans.¡±

    I sighed. Selena, Jamal, and Jessy. They had gotten the message and had come.

    ¡°Michael?¡±

    ¡°He has not come back. They all went to try and find him. Come¡­¡± Her voice drolled. ¡°Let me make you something warm to drink.¡± Imani stretched out her arm and helped me up.

    ¡°Is Charlene okay?¡± I glanced back.

    ¡°I hope so.¡±

    ¡°What did they want? I couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying.¡±

    ¡°Raiders¡­ Unfortunately, some of the Dheka don¡¯t believe in our way of life.¡± I had even more respect for Ira. Nothing like this would ever happen on Zoreah. ¡°They don¡¯t want to wait their whole lives to have a mate.¡±

    ¡°They steal women?¡± Imani¡¯s lip pulled in a disgusted manner.

    ¡°They are all dead. Your people killed the whole camp. Did us a favor. We did not even know they were moving out this way. I feel terrible that we left you both here.¡±

    ***

    It was a while before we sensed any activity in the distance. The chatter resonated over the small tents. Yazen and Kubra were at the front of the crowd. Jamal and Selena were there. No, Michael. What was he doing? I stood on the outskirts, waiting for them to catch up. I fell into Kubra¡¯s arms. The next moment, I felt a body pressing against me. Kubra pulled us both in under a shoulder. Charlene was awake. I lifted my hand and ran my fingers over her hair. ¡°Are you okay? Tell me they didn¡¯t do anything to you.¡±

    Charlene shook her head, teary-eyed. ¡°I don¡¯t think they would¡¯ve. I had never been in that much pain. They must have known they had made a mistake¡­ You?¡±

    I shook my head. Kubra was holding us close to his body. I glanced around and wrapped my arms around Carl¡¯s neck. Charlene followed, and we both started crying. ¡°No¡­ why with me will you let the waterworks flow.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I whispered, hugging him tightly. ¡°You guys saved us.¡±

    ¡°You should thank Charlene.¡±

    Charlene peeked at me. ¡°Glad we talked about it.¡±

    We both stepped away, wiping under our eyes. ¡°Charlene and I discussed the supernatural pull we had on each other. We even tried for some time to connect with you guys¡­ Maybe you knew who to pull out when you were in trouble.¡±

    ¡°If I did. It happened by itself.¡± Carl was smug, with a smirk on his face. His eyes fixed on Charlene. She hit him in the shoulder. Charlene turned to Kubra and pulled his lips onto hers. He wrapped her up and picked her up like he always did. ¡°I was hurting with you.¡± He whispered.

    ¡°You were?¡±

    We all glanced at Carl. ¡°I did feel funny but no pain¡­ Are you going to think about it? You knew who to call, and I came.¡± Charlene stretched out a hand and placed it on Carl¡¯s cheek. She nodded. ¡°Seems like love has more pull in the universe than we thought.¡± Carl put his hand on hers.

    Charlene jumped off Kubra and rubbed her hands over her face. ¡°Man, I can¡¯t think straight. Feels like I was drugged.¡±

    ¡°I did stab you with a black tube. You were convulsing, and I did the first thing that came to mind.¡±

    Kubra¡¯s eyes went over our shoulders. We followed his gaze. Romero was waiting and taking in the scene. It would be the first time Charlene was in the arms of another man. With my men, we had years to get used to it. He had one moment. ¡°This is not how I saw this introduction going.¡± Charlene¡¯s voice was shaky. She stretched out a hand, and Romero came closer, taking it. ¡°Romero¡­ This is Kubra¡­. Kubra¡­ This is Romero.¡±

    ¡°I was awake when he put you down next to me.¡±

    The two men shook hands, and he did the same with Carl. ¡°Thank you both. I do not know what would have happened if you fought it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know we could,¡± Carl said. Romero was taking in the two men. His eyes went from one to the other.

    ¡°Where are Michael and Caleb,¡± I asked Kubra.

    ¡°They are going for the vault. Let¡¯s sit down. I¡¯m wiped. Will tell you everything that happened.¡±

    We all chose cushions in the sand. There was an area outside the tents where everyone could socialize. All the vamps and humans had gone to sit down together with the Dheka. They were taking off gear and shoes, unburdening themselves. The servants brought food and drinks and started playing music. The Dheka was celebrating. They seemed like a social planet.

    Selena came to sit with me. ¡°How are you doing? Do you regret coming with me?¡±

    ¡°Me? No! I¡¯m so glad to be off that sand hole.¡± She examined the scene around us. ¡°Just to follow you into another one.¡± We both giggled.

    ¡°Do you regret getting the treatment?¡±

    Selena always spoke with gestures from her hands moving all around. She always gave a thumbs down if she didn¡¯t like something. Expressive eyes¡­ but so soft and friendly that she drew you in. An easy smile on her thin lips. Little round cheek balls. It always seemed like she was happy. No matter where she was or what she was doing. Funnily pulling a face. I was always like that. I can¡¯t remember when I last felt like being silly.

    ¡°No! My training has improved so much, thanks to you and Marcus. The treatment has made me stronger¡­ It was hard in the beginning being in that mask. But now, I¡¯ve gotten over it and can control the change. I feel so powerful.¡±

    I nodded. A thought struck me. We still didn¡¯t know what would happen between the species. If the Werewolves had something different happen to them when they branded each other. Cross-species? If Selena was this strong and got branded by a human¡­ What the hell would we do? What a mess I had created.

    ¡°You can always go back to Zoreah... Join my army there. You must have made some friends with the girls. Were you there when Ira asked them? How was it behind the scenes? I didn¡¯t want to force them.¡±

    ¡°You kidding. You can¡¯t force that bunch to do anything. I have a hell of a time when we spa. They are so strong. Some of them are much older than me. But we¡¯re all only girls, and they liked the idea of getting pregnant. And the fact that they could choose their lover.¡± We both laughed lightly. Her eyes drifted to Jessy a few times. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Ira allowed it.¡±

    ¡°No, me neither.¡±

    ¡°I think Sammy has changed his mind a lot. It¡¯s not like she is a mix of the two. Your babies are either one or the other.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± I chuckled. ¡°If we created hybrids, it would have been another story. I think it has to do with whoever the father is¡­ determines the species of the baby.¡±

    I was trying to fish out how she felt about getting pregnant. She glanced at Jessy again. She was easy to read. Anyone would know where her mind was at. Not that I thought she understood what was happening.

    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡±

    She nodded with a cheeky smile on her lips, ruffling her hair. ¡°Have you slept with anyone since you came with me?¡±

    ¡°No! I¡¯m going to try to be a human for a while.¡± We both laughed. ¡°I haven¡¯t been off Zoreah for that long. Or with you guys. But I got to see how it is between couples. I have seen you and Chris together. I have seen you with everyone¡­ And I can see the appeal. I¡¯ve read so many books. Grown in so many areas. It opened up my whole world to possibilities.¡±

    ¡°You find people interesting?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ There is just more to know about a person than being physical¡­ You wake up with someone next to you every morning. I would like to know what that feels like. Knowing someone will be there for me¡­ Loved me.¡±

    The corner of my mouth lifted. ¡°I¡¯ve been another bad influence. Never let Ira hear you say that you fancy monogamy.¡± We both laughed again¡­ Regardless of the pleasantness between us, there was something I had to get off my chest. ¡°Have you spoken to Chris at all?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Her smile fell. It was strange seeing any manner of sadness on her features. ¡°It was hard seeing him like that. In that bed for so long. And anyway I¡¯ve been busy¡­ Too busy¡­ And I like saying that. We were always so bored. And there aren¡¯t any more long days patrolling together. There will also not be any in the future¡­ Chris and I¡¯ve been friends for so long.¡± The stab of jealousy was brief. ¡°We spent so much time together. It does feel strange to just cut ties. Like they say on Earth.¡±

    ¡°You miss the three of you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°Would you want to go back to patrolling? Go back to Zoreah?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve made my decision. I want to keep learning... Chris and Jamal would never go back.¡±

    Selena wasn¡¯t a na?ve little girl anymore.

    ¡°How is Jamal doing? I¡¯m sorry that I haven¡¯t been there lately. To help you go through everything¡­ Help you adjust.¡±

    ¡°When we were on Zoreah. I didn¡¯t understand what Chris¡¯s problem was. But being in the midst of things. It puts it all into perspective. And I get it. Any relationship has to come from both parties. It doesn¡¯t work if one has a particular way of thinking, unwilling to adjust¡­ Jamal, I think¡­ Is a lot like Chris. Learned a lot from him. He was yearning for something else. I never could understand the two of them. Or why Jamal fought about me in the club.¡±

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    I smiled. ¡°You do now.¡±

    Her eyes darted over the crowd. ¡°They are both happy to be able to decide what they want. And do something about it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one thing about our group. We¡¯re a bunch of misfits to our races.¡±

    Selena pulled a funny face.

    ¡°Can I ask you another question?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°Have you ever had a baby before? On Zoreah?¡±

    ¡°No. Never happened¡­ Not for lack of trying,¡± she chuckled.

    ¡°I wanted to warn you. That stuff pumped into you¡­ Might make it a hundred percent if you¡¯re not on birth control.¡±

    ¡°Like I said. Abstinence is my new name.¡± She smiled and looked at Kubra. ¡°I spent some time with Kubra¡­ He told me how long he had to wait for Charlene to want to sleep with him.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Earth is complicated¡­ The cultural differences¡­ I understand why Ira doesn¡¯t want to do that. The one thing he¡¯s done right. Keeping us together as a nation¡­.¡± Selena raked her fingers through her hair and gripped a bunch on the top of her head. Her elbow rested on a bent-up knee. ¡°But¡­ I want to see what it¡¯s like. I judged Chris about it. Now I have to go through it to experience it.¡±

    I took her hand in mine. ¡°Selena¡­ I want to ask you another question. It might not be the right time.¡±

    She squeezed my fingers in hers. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I¡­ have never been in love. On Zoreah, with Chris... I liked the way he responded to me. Only to me, all those years he was there.¡± Another wave of jealousy hit me. ¡°And everyone thinks I don¡¯t notice things. Or hear everything going on. But I do¡­ I did want to sleep with him¡­ You won¡¯t blame me for that.¡± I rested my head on her shoulder. How could I? None of us asked for the way things turned out. ¡°If I could go back¡­ I might not have slept around. It wasn¡¯t only Jamal. It was me and my inability to see Chris¡¯s way of loving.¡± Selena¡¯s voice was hoarse. She bit back tears. ¡°Jessy said you asked about the brandings and that Chris is in love with me.¡±

    We both looked up at Jessy. He regarded us from across the space between the circles of people. They were both in a place where they had to let time pass before deciding. Jessy didn¡¯t just want a wife or a family. He wanted her. Neither of them had any clue how hard it would be¡­ In a real relationship. And Selena had not once mentioned Jessy as the person I was talking about. She thought I meant Jamal. ¡°You don¡¯t know what will happen if two Riphaths do it? You think it will give Chris his powers back.¡±

    ¡°Chris wasn¡¯t always so committed as he seems now. He had always pushed for me to let them also love others... It took so much from me to break through his Riphath attributes. He fought the love for so long¡­ At one point, Selena, you will change¡­ And after that, it is a matter of who made you cross the line.¡±

    Selena glanced down at me. ¡°I will never do it. And I know that was his answer to you.¡±

    ¡°You guys haven¡¯t had one open conversation. Once you do. I¡¯ll let it go. I told Chris he couldn¡¯t sleep with you. But that doesn¡¯t mean that when you tell him you love him, his feelings for me won¡¯t change. The only reason he didn¡¯t was because¡­ I was the one that loved him first. I pushed and pressed in. I worked for him¡­ It was all he wanted. Chris won¡¯t do that again. Not after Sita.¡±

    I glanced over to Kubra and Charlene. They had been sitting together for some time, away from the rest of the group, on a sandy hill, deep in conversation. His arm was around her shoulder, and her head rested on his chest. I scanned the crowd to see how Romero was taking it all. He wasn¡¯t anywhere. I got up. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Selena moved and sat down next to Jessy. I made my way to Charlene and Romero¡¯s tent. It was quiet inside. His knees were in his elbows like Marcus liked to sit. I wanted to go home. I missed Marcus. He wanted to be there for the pregnancy. Michael and I were on the right track. Chris was getting better.

    I sat down next to the shadowy figure. Romero¡¯s eyes were changing from green to red. Not only those colors but white and gold¡­ It was faint. Romero had little energy left. His ability was low. ¡°If there is one thing I can say¡­ It¡¯s that if you asked¡­ she will choose you.¡±

    Romero looked up at me, emotions edged on his features. ¡°And if I know Kubra at all. If he thinks he is hurting her in the slightest, he will walk away.¡±

    ¡°It is not about them¡­ I made a mistake.¡± Romero¡¯s voice broke. ¡°I left you two here. I¡¯m doing this so I don¡¯t start crying. They could have forced both of you. I would not have been able to forgive myself¡­ I already let her down by leaving her and our children unprotected.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°Romero... Nothing you can do will always protect her. Min¨¦ almost died because of me. Charlene was almost shot. Our way of living is like this¡­ It never ends. And she wanted it¡­ Another thing¡­ If the galaxies are colliding. Will it really matter? We might all die soon.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t die.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°When galaxies collide¡­ They merge. Form one big one. The system might change. Our way of life. The future. The brandings. But dying¡­ Maybe if we are on the wrong planet, we might get flung out into space.¡±

    I laughed nervously. Chris¡¯s time travel might be needed after all. ¡°I want to ask you something.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Fahan took Chris¡¯s ability. They have the tech to teleport¡­ Just like the vamps.¡±

    Romero¡¯s colors even out, and he came back to human. ¡°That¡¯s why you took the child.¡± His mouth lowered to his arm, and he rested down, thinking.

    ¡°Is there any way we can give it back? Do you know how to give someone their creature abilities? Chris swatched me with an ¡°over-space and time¡± piece. He thinks that if he goes back, he might be restored.¡±

    Romero¡¯s arm reached out and gripped my shoulder. ¡°Juliet. Chris can not go back. Ever. Tell him it is not worth it¡­ Remember¡­ With everything in life, there is a price. There are other ways. We have the dark city. Its chambers are supernatural. There are more, and it is not only for mate brandings.¡±

    I sighed, relieved that it would be as easy as putting Chris in a room.

    ¡°The pens they emboss their swatches with come from Palmyra. How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°We are all linked in some way. If you are half-human, your planet has a connection with the other.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ Let¡¯s go outside. You need to spend time with Kubra¡­ and Carl.¡±

    Romero stood up with me. I gave him a side hug. ¡°She¡¯s fine¡­.¡± Romero lifted the tent flap to Kubra and Charlene, kissing in the distance. Their star setting behind the two, making a picturesque scene. He drew in a sharp breath. His fist clenched the material. I grabbed his wrist when his veins turned green in the dark shadows. ¡°She¡¯s tied to you for life¡­ You have the most of her¡­ Heart, body, and spirit¡­ Never forget that.¡±

    His eyes slowly met mine. ¡°Is that how you feel about Louis? Is that what she meant¡­ That I am her, Louis?¡±

    I closed my eyes and opened them on Kubra and Charlene. Carl watched them from under his eyelashes. His eyes came up and met ours in the doorway. Only thinking about Louis wanted me to go back even more. I missed that person who gave himself to me. Always present.

    ¡°Yes¡­¡± I said softly.

    ¡°Juliet¡­ Michael will have a hard time if you do not give him something, too.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡± My mind was reeling to think what I could do.

    ¡°He does not have the background a vamp child must go through to behave. For all our sakes. All the planets¡­ You have to work for him.¡±

    I bit the corner of my lip. ¡°The only one I¡¯ve ever really fought for was Chris¡­ With him, I pushed.¡±

    Charlene and Kubra had joined the crowd again. She saw us and called us over. ¡°You ready.¡±

    ¡°No. How do I do this? Where do I go? Do I sit down next to her¡­ away from her? Should I stay here and give them space?¡±

    ¡°A schedule.¡± I joked. Romero didn¡¯t like the idea at all. ¡°Well, what do you do here if two men fight for one woman¡¯s affection?¡±

    ¡°It has never happened.¡±

    ¡°Then, you should follow your own advice¡­ Charlene will show you how much she loves you. Just be ready to receive it.¡±

    ***

    Charlene

    Kubra had led me out of the camp, away from the bustle of the soldiers. It was quiet between us, but he never stopped touching me. He wasn¡¯t as awkward as I felt. My gaze drifted back a few times. Romero was nowhere in the crowd. ¡°Charlene¡­ You changed your mind?¡± Kubra¡¯s chin was resting on my shoulder. He hesitated. ¡°I¡­ missed you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you really loved me.¡±

    ¡°Proof was all you needed,¡± Kubra asked. I bobbed my head. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you knew what you were doing.¡± We both laughed. Kubra trailed kisses over my neck.

    ¡°How do you feel about me being pregnant. You were so good with Min¨¦. I can¡¯t imagine how you would be with your own child.¡±

    ¡°The same¡­ Min¨¦ is also my child. And I have never been this happy.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± I turned and scooted in between his legs, crossing my legs. All the tension washed away when I peered into his eyes.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Juliet that day. I probably wouldn¡¯t have branded you. You would have left me, and I wouldn¡¯t have the family I so longed for.¡±

    ¡°You should always listen to your wife.¡±

    Kubra¡¯s lips ended up on mine, kissing me desperately. He lifted his head, ¡°Is there anywhere we can go.¡± I didn¡¯t think I would care about hurting Romero or Kubra as much as Juliet did about her husbands. At that moment, I didn¡¯t care about anything but the feeling of him. Focused on all the sensations of his gentle persuasions. All I wanted was to disappear with him. ¡°You can take me anywhere.¡± Kubra kept taunting me. I was still drugged, and after everything that happened. I didn¡¯t want to stop. His hand cupped my neck, and a thumb stroked up and down. My eyes were closed. ¡°Charlene¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmhmm.¡± My hands kept roaming his body.

    ¡°I want you. The last time we were together is all I had to think about.¡±

    My eyes opened, and I saw Romero and Juliet in the tent watching us. Kubra¡¯s eyes followed my gaze. He sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll give him some time. You¡¯re not completely well yet.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    Kubra laughed, his hard thighs pressed against my legs. ¡°I¡¯m used to the harem systems. Maybe we should give him some time to get accustomed to it.¡± I shook my head, thinking about us at the watering hole in the moonlight. ¡°You know it would be tough for me if you were any different with me. But you¡¯re as full of desire as the last time.¡± I shook my head again, biting my lip, watching his mouth. Kubra was damn potent when he smiled like that. ¡°You are a little different, and I do love it.¡± Kubra got up and pulled me to my feet. ¡°One of us has to think straight.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ please. Don¡¯t go. As soon as we are back there, it will be awkward again.¡±

    ¡°It will get better. In a hundred years, maybe.¡±

    ¡°What about Carl? Please tell me what to do¡­ Will you hate me?¡±

    ¡°Sharing you with two other men. Yes, I do hate you for it¡­ I was never meant to share.¡±

    I pressed my chest onto his. ¡°It¡¯s not my choice.¡± Kubra gripped my shoulders and pushed me away. ¡°Do you love him or not?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°Every time I see him, the certainty grows¡­ Carl is different. There won¡¯t be any more stalling between us.¡±

    Kubra¡¯s jaw flexed. ¡°Romero isn¡¯t the only one that has to get used to it¡­ You will have to give us all some time.¡± I tugged on his hand. ¡°I can see you¡¯re still pent-up for me¡­ It¡¯s enough for now¡­ You will have to get used to having three men, and no one wants to sleep with you.¡±

    ¡°Not even if I ask you to¡­ knead my breasts¡­ Entangle our naked thighs¡­.¡± I said in a sexy voice.

    ¡°So much for asking you to sit on my lap¡­.¡± Kubra¡¯s nerves were stretched taut, and his kiss held the promise of things unsaid. Painfully, he unlocked our lips, and we walked back to the festivities. I called Romero and Juliet over. They were talking about me. I knew it. It was a tricky situation. I tried to catch Romero¡¯s eye. We looked at each other, and he broke off the eye contact. My hands wanted to find my back pockets again. I needed to make myself some pants with freaking pockets. I had these flashes of what we had gone through. For some reason, I didn¡¯t think Juliet was telling the truth about what happened. Kubra didn¡¯t want to let go of my hand. He and Jessy were talking about going back to En-gannim. My fingers closed around his. I didn¡¯t want them to go. Having my family back was all that mattered. I sneaked a peek at Carl. My heart leaped a little out of my chest when he looked at me like that. The corner of his mouth lifted, and he stood up. Carl was definitely sure¡­ I breathed out the breath I was holding. Romero and Juliet sat down on some cushions.

    ¡°Can I steal her away from you for just a minute?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please.¡± I grabbed Carl¡¯s hand and started walking away from everything and everyone. Carl tried to keep up with me. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Charlie, I know when you need to be rescued from a sticky situation.¡±

    ¡°Sticky situation!¡±

    ¡°Calm down. You¡¯re still not well¡­.¡± Carl narrowed his eyes. ¡°You know what! Come with me.¡± He pulled me back all the way and pushed me down next to Romero. ¡°You stay there.¡± He pointed a finger at me. ¡°If he is your lifeline from now on. That¡¯s where you¡¯ll be. You¡¯re not allowed to leave his side until you are one hundred percent.¡± Carl sat down next to Juliet and pulled her into his person. ¡°Jules, you don¡¯t know how scared I was seeing you like that.¡± Carl got up again. ¡°I¡¯m getting you both drinks. Whether you¡¯re pregnant or not.¡± Juliet and I laughed. Nothing like Carl to keep the group together. ¡°And after that, I want to dance. With both of you.¡±

    Juliet and I flung our arms around Romero and kissed him on his cheeks. Carl pulled us up, and we followed him to where the booze would be. I had forgotten for a moment what it was all about. The three of us pretended like nothing had happened. The Dheka followed us when we started dancing. Carl¡¯s touches had changed. His fingers lingered longer around my waist. He was flirting with me. Juliet enjoyed the show, giving me knowing glances. We ended up in peels of laughter. Selena soon joined us. Kubra and Romero spent the rest of the night in deep conversation.

 So Much For Honor

    187. So Much For Honor

    Fahan

    That little vamp had given me the fight of my life. My hand stretched out to rub at my jaw where his knee had landed. It took all my effort, and I dug my dark nails into the wood to pull myself up. Marcus had not killed me. Did he not know how to challenge anyone? How could he have let the chance pass? Marcus could have wiped out all their problems by throwing me in the water? The victor had to claim his place¡­ so much for honor. My eyes darted over the haul of the vessel I was on. It was different and larger than the one I had been on. I groaned and spun around. My gaze drifted to the embassy. Even if it was far away, I could see the one I had been on. It was docked where it was the first time. My fists balled at my side. That boat had a fish. Wobbly, I made my way to the front of the ship, hurting with every step I took, hoping that I was not stranded in the middle of that vast ocean of water. I pulled up the rope connected to two posts on either side. The ends dangled in the air. I gritted my teeth tightly and let out a curse word.

    The rocking of the vessel was almost manageable. When I decided to leave the embassy, the waves were nothing like they were at that moment. I circled and took in all that had changed around me. A low rumble in my chest. Although the water was still active, crashing against the rocks¡­ it was mere splashes.

    ¡°Hey!¡± I spun on my heels after taking in the giant wall that had come up out of the water. The voice was so soft in the distance. I covered my eyes with a flat hand, peering up into the sky. It was Dimitrios. He was in one of the watchtowers of the wall that enclosed us on the Island.

    ¡°Find a boat with a fish!¡± I yelled. ¡°Figure out how to steer and get me out of this mess!¡±

    The silhouette of his body disappeared. I faltered and sat down, letting my head rest back on the wood. That world was no place for us. There was a reason it belonged to the Werewolves. I wanted to move all of it to land. How would we even do that after everything that had happened? I rubbed over the cuts on my arms and hands. The corner of my mouth lifted. ¡°Marcus¡­¡± I muttered, closing my eyes. I was drained, hungry, and tired. I needed to eat and didn¡¯t have any water to drink. I would have to wait until Dimitrios could come to me. My thoughts jumped to either accepting the water or what I would have to do to get the plates connected to the teleporter or if Ian would make good on his promise. Whether we would have other creatures that would serve me¡­ Ones that could take over this city and the embassy. I needed help. Angry at myself that I killed Avrio and Raas.

    ***

    ¡°Wake up¡­ wake up! Fahan¡­¡± Dimitrios shook me and held out water and food. I grabbed at it and stuffed it into my mouth, hungrily devouring every morsel, drinking the container halfway, and pouring the rest over my face and the scars on my hands. That vamp had penetrated my armor.

    ¡°You look like you fought in a hundred-day war¡­ what happened?¡± I was happy that Dimitrios was treating me like a friend again.

    ¡°I lost a fight.¡±

    He snorted through that flat nose of his, clapping me on the shoulder. I winced as the pain shot down and up my arm. He pushed his shoulder underneath my armpit and helped me up.

    ¡°So you had just cause to fear Marcus¡­ He would be able to kill you?¡±

    I sighed. ¡°He could have. But did not. I keep trying to tell you and Jade that my intentions are honorable¡­ But you see me as the villain and not your leader anymore.¡±

    ¡°Fahan¡­ If we voted right now on who has to lead. The tally would be unanimous.¡± If I could frown, I would have. ¡°You want to lead us into a new world¡­ It means your ways must change. It is not you against a cause anymore¡­ You can not lead if you do not trust those around you.¡±

    I bobbed my head. I was tired of doing it all alone. Angry for too many reasons. I needed to get a hold of myself, or it would have all been in vain. My thoughts darted to Aries and how much I missed him. I had to forgive myself. Get my son back and make it up to my family.

    I pulled out of his arms and looked around me. ¡°Where is my sword? The plates?¡± My eyes darted at the other boat. Dimitrios pointed to another dragon who held up everything. I growled. Not only did Marcus not kill me, but he left me my plate. I shook my head. Dimitrios was waiting. I gestured for the man to come over. I took the plate and held it out to Dimitrios. ¡°This is a teleporter plate!¡±

    He seemed as happy as I was seeing the thing. ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°Four.¡±

    Dimitrios¡¯s eyes were as relieved as I was. ¡°Let¡¯s go. You need to activate the teleporter, and then you and I will become scientists.¡±

    It was not easy getting into the smaller boat. We were all terrified. The men seemed to know what they were doing and soon helped me onto the first jetty. Jade was waiting and ran into my arms. Her strength was back, and her lips were pressing onto mine. My eyes were open, peeking down at her. ¡°I have missed you,¡± I said.

    Dimitrios gestured for the other men to continue their business and gave us a moment. Jade pulled away from me. ¡°We did all we could to catch them. We really did. Marcus¡­.¡±

    ¡°I know. Do not worry.¡± I rubbed my knuckles over the coarse skin of her cheek. I grimaced and looked at my fist. How long did we fight for? ¡°Not even I could defeat him. I would not hold it against you.¡±

    Jade helped me back to the rooms. She wanted to pass the bath. I stopped and stripped the few pieces of cloth I had on. Jade watched me as I stepped into the hot water and sat down on the step. For the first time, I let the soothing sensation run over me. My scars were burning. It might not be the right thing to do. Cold water would have been better. I felt too sticky. I gestured for her to join me. Jade stood for a while. Crouched down and felt the water. I grabbed her and pulled her in, holding her in my arms. She was petrified, clutching onto me. ¡°Jade¡­¡± I softly whispered her name. Her mouth was on mine before I could say anything. I let her feet go, and she slowly found her footing. Her lips lifted off mine.

    ¡°We should start training in shallow water. Who knows¡­ we might still figure out how to swim. Or move with precision.¡± Jade said nervously, letting the water run through her fingers.

    ¡°You are right. We are not cowards.¡±

    I pulled her back onto me and stripped her coverings. ¡°You do not know how much it means¡­ You accepting everything.¡±

    She took off the last of her leather. Our women had to wear more than the men. In some way, deep down, we looked almost human. Jade was naked, and an acute desire lit up my chest. ¡°Tell me I can have you, or I will die.¡±

    ¡°I want you too.¡±

    ¡°What about Aries?¡±

    She kissed me deeply. Not giving herself a chance to answer.

    ***

    Lyla

    The Colosseum was so enormous in the desert that you couldn¡¯t miss it. I circled it for a while and parked my RV at the campgrounds. There were a few others, and everyone greeted me with a raised hand when I stepped out of the driver¡¯s seat. Gigi jumped out behind me. She ran and smelled every person there. They seemed to accept her. I let her stretch her legs and gave her some food. My sole purpose was to find that compound, and I regretted not having a car.

    The setup was strange. No security. Although I could see more buildings in the distance connected to the Colosseum, I didn¡¯t think it was the compound. I grabbed my bag. If I wasn¡¯t going to be able to drive anywhere, I would have to go on foot. My first object was something to eat. A small diner and a gas station were on the corner of a road not far from there. More cars were parked in a small lot. I stepped around the building, heading to the bathroom. The doors were unmarked. I tried the first one. Nothing. It was only the third one that moved. Slowly, I pushed the door open. A black car was parked in the space. It was a rather large garage. A few chairs along one wall. One of the corners stood open and cordoned off. It was a teleporter spot. A cubicle-like space. My heart skipped a beat.

    ¡°This is a restricted area.¡±

    I spun around. The oldest man I had ever seen came shuffling in. He had difficulty managing his own stride. A little hump made it almost impossible for him to lift his head. Hands shaking. It didn¡¯t seem that he would be able to do anything to me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was looking for the bathroom.¡±

    ¡°Does this look like a toilet?¡±

    ¡°No, but¡­.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Yeah, the doors are unmarked. Don¡¯t you know you have to get keys from the cashier for the restrooms?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not always the case.¡±

    ¡°Well, here it is¡­ So run along.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with the attitude?¡±

    He waved a hand in the air. The jingling of keys around his waist caught my attention. My gaze flickered to the black Mercedes and at the keys. If the garage was a Watcher base for the Colosseum, I needed to get in that car.

    ¡°What are you still standing there for?¡± The guy grumbled.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have a bite to eat at the diner. Do you feel like joining me?¡±

    It was such an effort for the man¡¯s body to obey. The hump slowly straightened a little. His narrowed eyes lifted off the ground. ¡°Are you paying?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Starved for some company. I¡¯ve been on the road for a long time, and it doesn¡¯t seem like you would be able to hurt me.¡±

    The man chuckled softly. ¡°You¡¯d be surprised, dearie. But I¡¯ll join you. As you can see¡­ I haven¡¯t had company in a very long time, too. You go to the restroom. By the time you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll only be sitting down.¡± I wanted to help him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! It¡¯s all I got left¡­ Helping myself around.¡± I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I could try to grab the keys and make a run for the car. ¡°See you in there,¡± He said and turned away from me, heading for the door.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ***

    The old guy was sipping on a coffee. I slid into the booth.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Lyla.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m Nevin.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Nevin¡­ So tell me about yourself.¡±

    ¡°What would you like to know?¡±

    ¡°Any family? How did you come to work here¡­ and what is it that you do?¡±

    ¡°I have a son. His name is Jessy¡­ I had¡­ a daughter.¡± His hand shook as he put the cup down in its saucer. Nevin was grey. His hair was thinned out all over his head. The bushy strands around his ears were a little thicker. He had those big bags under his eyes that old people sometimes got. Freckles and dark spots over his skin. The corners of his eyes and mouth were arched downwards. The sagging of his skin¡­ All together, it made him look¡­ sad.

    ¡°I had a sister¡­.¡± I picked up my own cup after the waitress filled it with the black liquid. Nevin¡¯s eyes came up to meet mine. They were almost black in the dim light of the diner. ¡°Her name was Lucy.¡±

    ¡°My daughter¡¯s name was Willa¡­ She was beautiful. The softest black hair that hung to her waist.¡± Juliet¡¯s hair sprung to mind. Long and gripped in one hand before she cut it. ¡°What happened to your sister?¡±

    I was feeling a little better that day. My clothes were clean, and I had taken a shower before leaving that mansion. The strapless top I had on was covered in flowers, fanning out over my jean shorts. My fingers nervously played with a big silver pendant that hung low on my chest. I didn¡¯t know if Carl would be angry that the van was stacked with those tubes of the most influential creatures. Or if they would even find out.

    ¡°Have you seen the news lately?¡±

    ¡°Mhmm,¡± Nivan closed his eyes briefly.

    ¡°The young girl¡­.¡±

    Nevin¡¯s hand reached out, patting mine on the table. ¡°Death is death, I suppose.¡± His voice was low.

    ¡°May I ask what happened to your daughter?¡±

    Nevin¡¯s hand retracted quickly, and he picked up his cup again. ¡°She got married. Her husband¡­ was a cruel man.¡±

    I did the same thing he had done a moment ago and held his fingers in my hand. ¡°That is awful!¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately¡­ My son and I didn¡¯t know¡­ Until it was too late.¡±

    ¡°He murdered her?¡±

    Nevin took a long breath. ¡°Not exactly. Willa¡­ was strong¡­.¡± He made a little laughing sound. As if being strong is what got her killed. ¡°She¡­ Of what I heard¡­ talked too much.¡±

    That was all the confirmation I needed. Agatha talked too much, and her tongue was cut out. If the vampire women had been pushed down to that degree, Willa might have said the wrong thing and been killed as a result.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t kill her himself¡­ No¡­ too much of a coward.¡±

    ¡°This man sounds like an idiot.¡±

    Nevin scoffed. ¡°That is an understatement! But Lucius is dead now¡­ About a hundred years too late.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± The words were what Michael and Carl had said to me. What Juliet had said to my parents that day in a conference room filled with foreign army generals. It was strange to think that our world was no longer run by leaders but by a round table. ¡°So your sister was killed by that alien?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Such a sad accident.¡±

    ¡°Accident, my ass!¡± I pulled my hand away from his, raking my fringe to the one side with a finger, picking up my cup, and taking a big gulp.

    Nevin watched my every move. ¡°You¡¯re angry.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea... Accidents are someone slipping and falling. No, what happened to my sister was¡­.¡±

    ¡°Murder?¡± He suggested.

    ¡°Maybe not premeditated! But taking an alien that just manifested for the first time into a club filled with people¡­ It¡¯s not something I can understand¡­ Just yet¡­ All I see is my sister being ripped apart. Eaten like a lion would rip off the flesh of a gazelle.¡± A tear rolled down my cheek. Nevin handed me a napkin.

    ¡°What can I get you?¡± The waitress asked at last. I was starving, and if I wanted to find out what was going on. I needed to eat. And I needed Nevin to keep talking. We both ordered, and she left.

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Nevin asked.

    My hand reached for my brown bag on the red bench beside me. I took out a black tube and slid it over the table, wanting to see his reaction. Nevin¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he glanced around the room. Hmph! Everyone knew what those were.

    ¡°What¡¯s on there?¡± He lifted his chin to the little black thing.

    If I could teleport, I would go back and watch his daughter¡¯s murder and find out what happened. Maybe trade for information so he could see his daughter one last time. ¡°It¡¯s a video of Marcus¡­ coming and going out of the compound. He is the only one that could help me find a way inside.¡±

    Nevin¡¯s dull eyes watched me from under unkempt, bushy grey and black eyebrows. The hairs were growing in different directions.

    ¡°Where did you get this?¡±

    I rummaged again and took out the key, sliding it over the table. ¡°There is a room filled with watcher feed¡­ of all the vampire kids.¡±

    Nevin sat forward and rested his forearms on the table. ¡°Why do you want to go in there?¡±

    ¡°Secrets,¡± I ventured.

    ¡°Mhmm¡­ Knowing isn¡¯t always the best thing¡­ Control is only an empty illusion, Lyla.¡±

    ¡°What is good for us¡­ Isn¡¯t always easy. And I have a duty to the human race to find out what they¡¯re hiding.¡±

    He scoffed. The waitress put our plates down in front of us.

    ¡°Your self-righteous seek for justice might not be in the interest of the universe.¡± I frowned. It was an odd thing to say. My thinking would have to change even more. If I wanted to figure out what the guy had to offer. The interest of the universe? Could the secrets Juliet was hiding¡­ really change ¡­ everything? No wonder Carl didn¡¯t care about me in that house. ¡°Tell me? Is this about revenge for your sister?¡±

    Lucy! I clutched the fork in my hand tighter. She wouldn¡¯t even have had time to scream¡­ Did she die instantly? Or was she paralyzed and eaten alive? I placed my fork down on my plate, taking a sip of water. If I found more watcher feed. Would I see her die? ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    ¡°It does if you want my help.¡± A big smile crossed my lips. I picked up my fork again. The corner of his mouth twitched for the first time. We ate the rest of our meal in silence. I paid, and we made our way to his office. Nevin sat down on one of the chairs along the wall. ¡°What is it exactly that you want?¡± I stopped circling the car. The windows were tinted, and I couldn¡¯t see anything inside. ¡°You can forget about driving in there. Or walking up to the gate and asking to come inside. There is no way you would be allowed through the gate.¡±

    ¡°I have watched so many of those tubes. But they are incomplete¡­ edited.¡± Nevin didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°I want to know what¡¯s going on, that¡¯s all.¡±

    His fingers scratched behind his ear. ¡°There is¡­ one way of getting inside.¡± Nevin stood up fast and nimbly walked over to the car. I took a step back. The old guy was faking. He opened the door and pointed his hand toward the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Sit down¡­ I won¡¯t kill you. It took you a second to figure out what was going on.¡± Half running, he made his way around the car and sat in the passenger seat next to me. Keys lay in an outstretched hand. I picked them up and started the car. Nevin pushed some buttons on the touch screen on the dash. Steady hands and fingers knowing what to do. The transformation was rather daunting.

    ¡°Here¡­¡±

    My eyes slowly left the man I was assessing and scanned the map on the screen. ¡°There is nothing there.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ but it¡¯s the compound.¡± His fingers pulled together, and the map shrunk. He gestured to an area. ¡°From here to here.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°There is nothing out here¡­ No one can come close to the wall. Even if someone stumbled on the road that leads straight to the main gate¡­ They never survived.¡± He glanced at me with bright brown eyes. Reactions of a teenager. His gaze returned to the screen, and his finger pulled the map to one side. ¡°Do you see this gorge?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard about it¡­ Did my research on the area. No one goes in there.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Because of the mountain lions.¡± My eyes snapped up. He grunted. ¡°The trek alone to the tunnel¡¯s entrance is two days. Once you enter, there is no way out. The walls of the canyon cannot be scaled. Maybe in some places, you¡¯ll be able to climb out. If you don¡¯t slip and fall to death.¡±

    ¡°Is it that high?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°And around us is just desert. You¡¯ll never make it out. Run out of water before you do. The heat alone will kill you¡­ Because¡­¡± His fingers moved more. ¡°This way is the compound, and that way is¡­.¡±

    ¡°Arizona.¡±

    He nodded and said, ¡°And this way¡­.¡±

    ¡°Nevada¡­ So how am I going to get in there?¡±

    ¡°The tunnels are the only way, and they come out in that gorge.¡±

    ¡°Can I drive up to the entrance of that thing?¡±

    ¡°With a car?¡± He scoffed. ¡°No roads, and even into the gorge, it¡¯s not always broad and a happy place.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you teleport me in?¡±

    ¡°Ha!¡± He laughed. ¡°No¡­ my son is in charge of the comings and goings of the teleporters¡­ Jessy would be here in a heartbeat if I used mine.¡± A proud smile formed on his mouth.

    ¡°How do they monitor it?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ you can¡¯t see where anyone went, but you can see if someone did.¡±

    ¡°That sucks! No control but also¡­.¡±

    ¡°The keeper¡¯s responsibility.¡± He interrupted me.

    ¡°You? Have you been here for two hundred years?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ I was one of those prisoners you unearthed two nights ago.¡±

    I glanced down at my hands on my lap. I was fidgeting. ¡°You are?¡± I asked softly. ¡°Not the only one that summed up the situation in a second.¡±

    He laughed again and got out of the car. ¡°So if they are going to kill us all. I¡¯ll have you to thank.¡±

    My gut dropped. I knew it. The further I delved into their world¡­ The more I had to make decisions I didn¡¯t want to. My quest to set the humans free was going to cost me. I jumped out after him. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Same thing Juliet did. Try to take over the world.¡±

    ¡°You were rebels?¡±

    Nevin smirked. ¡°You thought we were killers and rapists?¡±

    ¡°Maybe?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ We wanted a better life for our children. Ahasuerus didn¡¯t like it. And¡­ if I never got involved in that coup¡­ My daughter would still be alive¡­ In some ways¡­ Qadir was worse than his father. Anyway¡­ thanks to Juliet¡­.¡± Nevin chuckled. ¡°My son will reap the benefits of my little antics in my younger days. I¡¯m just glad I didn¡¯t get to go to prison on En-gannim. I would have been in a hole for two hundred years. Never even had the two brats.¡± He glanced around the room. ¡°This hole was better¡­ In some ways.¡±

    Nevin was busy opening doors and cupboards. He pulled out a large backpack and started stuffing it with things.

    ¡°What are you doing? I can¡¯t go hiking in there. I¡¯ll never make it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡±

 Submission

    188. Submission

    Louis

    The war was already taking its toll. Ian was covering ground, and we needed Caleb to come back. I wanted to get in there and talk to Soren. See where his headspace was at. Find out if being there had made him jump ship. The boy was restless and needed release. When he was sitting in that corner, all he thought about was my wife. He only had a few scenes that ran through his mind. It wasn¡¯t enough, and Rana was so pretty that it would make any man think twice. If Ian had any sensibilities, that¡¯s what he would do. That¡¯s what I would¡¯ve done. I just hoped Soren had brains enough to stay alive for that long and not talk too much.

    Those last few days, none of us were thinking about Juliet. Marcus was out in the field with the general. With Kubra and Jessy gone, he had to pick up the slack. Chris was getting better and constantly at Samuel¡¯s side. He didn¡¯t want to miss anything, and the three men ran the war¡¯s day-to-day from The Tower. None of us had seen Sammy in so long. Liam went back to check in with Cindy and reported that everyone on the compound was doing well.

    My morning was tedious, checking on everyone in Nahrima making so many teleportations from building to building that I felt I would go out of my mind. Nothing had happened where it mattered yet. The giant teleporter island was still ours, and we had some farming islands. The outskirts were the most vulnerable. It was like we were running in one place, making no progress. I was a little tired of faking smiles and pretending to be okay with the situation. I knew what the real problem was. Juliet and Michael had fought¡­ I didn¡¯t know what I would do if I saw him again. What I would see when she thought about it. The war we were fighting was supposed to be her baby. If she had been there, it would¡¯ve been over already. All of us knew where she was. That was the most frustrating. Carl was sending me updates but not really saying anything. The teleporter was available. The last coordinates Jessy punched in were documented, and before I knew what I was doing, I stepped out into that massive field. I would leave Chris and Marcus to fend for a day or two. I was done standing back. I wanted her to be happy. And if I knew my wife at all, she needed us. Missed us.

    It was strange not coming out in a cubicle or anywhere near civilization. I glanced down. The sand was so soft my feet were almost covered. You sunk right in. Around me, it was a scene out of a purge movie. The tents were full of bullet holes and blood spatter on the material. It was not a scene that was a common sight in En-gannim. Slowly, I walked around the camp. I made my way through and out of that maze and circled the whole area. I could smell the decaying bodies before I even climbed the little hill up to its ridge. Juliet had called for the three soldiers, but I had thought¡­ I spun around to the tents stretching out in front of me... She had been in trouble. It wasn¡¯t that she needed them for the vault. That¡¯s why Kubra was called out. Charlene wasn¡¯t joking around to see if she could. Oh no! They had lied to us. Juliet probably didn¡¯t want to bother me. The way she was with me after I dropped her off. I couldn¡¯t get the thought out of my mind. We had made so much progress. She kissed me goodbye and lingered to stretch it out. It felt weird. I had not spoken to her in a week, and it wasn¡¯t the same as when I needed to take control of the compound. Not seeing her for weeks back then had not even bothered me. My power-hungry demon was forced down, and I had control of that part of me. I wanted to see her.

    My tracking skills were not Chris¡¯s. I thought about going back and getting him. I patted my pockets, pouting. I had left my communicator in the teleporter. The only thing I could do was manifest and smell my way out of it. Try and find something. I pulled up my nose to see if it was possible to open those slits up my face any more than they already were. There was a rank smell coming in wafts over the sand. Small sounds from somewhere. It was a pen. Posts were planted into the ground. Beasts tied to it were fully harnessed. Some of the pegs were empty. I was relieved as I untied one. It wasn¡¯t like I could go back. It was graceful in its movements. I vaulted up and kicked. The thing reared up and turned on its hind legs, jumping into a gallop. I was glad that at one point, I had to be an avid equestrian, hoping that the thing was taking me towards Juliet and not in the opposite direction.

    ***

    It was a rather long trek, and after hours, the thing lowered its head to the water. I slid down, happy that it was desperate for the one thing we both needed. I crouched down, and we drank side by side. Juliet¡¯s thoughts were loud behind me. I sighed, closing my eyes. She and Charlene were walking and talking. Both of them stopped when they saw me. I glanced over my shoulder and smiled, getting up. The whole crowd was there.

    Juliet ran the rest of the way and threw her arms around me and her legs around my waist, making us tumble back into the shallow pool. I was soaked. ¡°If Chris was here, he would tell you to stop running. And that there would be consequences.¡±

    Her thoughts jumped to Michael and her fighting. How scared she was and that she could¡¯ve lost the baby. I closed my arms around her and sat up. Juliet had never held onto me like that. She wasn¡¯t going to let go, either. I picked her up and walked out of the little pond.

    ¡°There are many of these things tied to posts at that camp.¡± I glanced at Charlene. ¡°They will die if you guys don¡¯t help them.¡± Juliet thought about being tied up and the men. I wanted to push her off and make her tell me what really happened. Juliet¡¯s grip tightened. She didn¡¯t want to say anything to Charlene and Romero. They had tried. Played with her like she was some prize. ¡°Oh, baby! I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t here.¡± I tightened my grip around her.

    ¡°I guess you¡¯re Louis,¡± Romero said, holding out a hand to me. I glanced at Juliet, but she wasn¡¯t letting go. He met me with an understanding smile, and I shook his hand anyway.

    ¡°Nice to meet you, Romero.¡± His eyes flickered regretfully to Juliet. He had left them, and they were taken.

    ¡°Oh, baby. The one day you guys behave.¡±

    ¡°I want to go home.¡± She whispered. ¡°I want to go to France and never leave.

    ¡°Where is Caleb?¡± I asked, meeting Carl¡¯s eye. ¡°Did we not put him in your care? He was supposed to help us. Why did you bring him.¡± Carl smirked and ran me through what had happened. I bit my bottom lip, trying to control my anger. Seeing Juliet like he had. She nuzzled in my neck, and I kissed her cheek, stroking her hair, glad that Caleb was so quick to act. The boy was amazing.

    ¡°Mom!¡± All our heads turned to the sound. Juliet didn¡¯t move. She knew Michael would be back. Their camp wasn¡¯t far from there. The talking and bustle were loud.

    ¡°Caleb!¡± Charlene called out.

    He and Michael were in front of us in an instant. That man¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t meet mine. Not even an acknowledgment. My top lip twitched in irritation. If I could just get that woman off me, I would have it out with Michael, once and for all. Caleb pushed his head into Juliet¡¯s shoulder, and she pulled him in. The anger I was feeling drifted away into sweet oblivion, making me glance around to find the cause. Romero had made his shadow flow out, and it drifted in quiet waves up my arm. Michael¡¯s eyes came up at last, and he lifted a chin at me. I groaned and rolled mine.

    ¡°It is a lot to take in¡­ Maybe give yourself a day before you kill him,¡± Romero suggested.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to camp,¡± Kubra said. ¡°We just came for a short walk.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I need to sort this out.¡± Juliet¡¯s thighs clenched around me. At last, her head came up, and she tilted her head to meet my lips, already waiting for her.

    ¡°Oh, NO!¡± Michael¡¯s voice boomed out. ¡°No one is sleeping with her before me!¡±

    Juliet and I snickered against each other¡¯s lips. He didn¡¯t like that either and walked up to us. ¡°This time¡­ I¡¯m not standing back, even if we have to fight for it. So be it!¡±

    I didn¡¯t even look up at him. Juliet¡¯s tongue was in my mouth. She was throbbing and throbbing. She needed nothing more than to be on top and get it out of her system. Riding me relentlessly till she was so exhausted she could do nothing else but sleep. All she saw was moving on top of me. My hands touching all over her. ¡°Baby, you¡¯re getting good at that.¡±

    Michael came even closer and shook her shoulder. She jumped off and turned on him. ¡°Did you sleep with her?¡± The words sneered out. It was so out of place and not the time. Marcus had done the same thing to her about Michael. Jealousy would always be a problem. Michael¡¯s eyes widened. The fool didn¡¯t know she knew about Stevie and had left it for another day. Still not talking to her. Everyone was on edge, thinking about the repercussions if Michael had cheated. I smirked when he looked to me for help. His thoughts jumped to Stevie. My eyes narrowed. Juliet had been too scared to tell him anything. Michael didn¡¯t know the waitress was dead.

    The rest of the group was confused. ¡°You slept with someone else?¡± Charlene asked. Michael¡¯s back was to her, and he glanced over his shoulder. Charlene manifested in anger, and her gaze flickered between Juliet and the guy that was going to get his ass handed to him. Romero¡¯s shoulders lifted. The rest of the group followed him and rallied around us. Michael laughed and took a few steps back from the crowd, playing with his beard nervously. A stretched-out thumb was scratching at some part of his face. It was Juliet that would never be touched again. Or hurt.

    ¡°I saw you on your feed, watching her.¡± Juliet went on. Her tone was flat, nevertheless fearing his answer. It had been plaguing her. ¡°I couldn¡¯t take it and left. I don¡¯t know what you two did for the rest of the day.¡± She glanced at Jessy. ¡°Nor did I ask.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that easy to cheat,¡± Michael said.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised¡­ You said you lied¡­ Tell me it wasn¡¯t that¡­¡± We were all quiet, waiting. Michael abruptly stopped fidgeting, dropping his arms by his side. There were no anxious feelings anymore, but there were piercing stares from the two of them, and the quiet unnerved everyone. Michael didn¡¯t like that; not only would he have to talk about what had happened, but he would have to do it in front of everyone. He would have to get used to us watching him with her. The tables have turned. ¡°Why? What is it about her?!¡± Juliet yelled when he couldn¡¯t decide what to do. ¡°You better start talking or¡­¡±

    ¡°Or, what?!¡± He yelled back. The image of her all cut up and bruised flashed in his mind. Michael started speaking immediately. ¡°When I watched you in that small town. She was the only one who saw me¡­ I told you I don¡¯t like being last in your heart¡­ Now it¡¯s so much worse.¡± Michael¡¯s eyes met mine. ¡°I was always content just being by your side. I¡¯m not anymore.¡±

    ¡°And?¡± Juliet pulled at his shirt to make him look at her.

    ¡°She came to talk to me¡­ Nothing in her world has changed. It probably never will¡­ A single human mother¡­ Working a dead-end job to get her kid through school. We were friends for those few years you were living there. I even met the kid. Helped her get a better apartment. I even helped her move, and we did spend some nights together.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s jaw flexed, and her breathing changed. There was nothing she could do with us sleeping around before her. ¡°We packed up and left so quickly. She must have wondered what happened to you.¡± Juliet tried to get the words out.

    ¡°She did¡­ Asked if I was staying?¡± I glanced up at Juliet. She was stoic, thinking. ¡°Why are you not jealous?¡± Michael stepped forward and pulled her shirt like she had done. ¡°Making a scene and disappearing? Is it because you are done? Or because I mean that little?¡± Michael looked down into her eyes. Juliet was anxious to tell him what she had done. She pulled her shirt out of his grip and moved in behind me. Michael¡¯s head tilted. He glanced around at the known faces, waiting for an explanation. Juliet¡¯s heart was pounding. By the downcast eyes around us, I knew Jessy and Caleb were not the only ones who knew Stevie was dead. Everyone was avoiding him. Accept Romero¡­ The guy was vigilant, his fingers black shadows. His hand was already on his sword. Michael¡¯s brow furrowed as he and Romero shared a knowing look. Michael thought Juliet wanted him to leave. His hand was moving again, rubbing over his beard, trying to figure out what had just happened.

    ¡°I killed her,¡± Caleb said, stepping forward. ¡°That¡¯s why my mother isn¡¯t jealous.¡±

    Michael¡¯s whole body went rigid, and he chuckled nervously. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t?¡± He looked at the girl hiding behind me.

    Juliet stepped out. ¡°It¡¯s true. She¡¯s already dead¡­ The kid is with his father.¡± Juliet¡¯s features were stone cold.

    Michael didn¡¯t laugh again. ¡°Juliet! Tell me you didn¡¯t?¡±

    She didn¡¯t give me a chance to read him. ¡°Why? Are you in love with her? Would you have left me for her? If you cheated¡­ I had the right.¡±

    Michael¡¯s head lifted to the sky, and he laughed. The sound was loud and resonated with all of us. He closed his eyes and took in the moment with a smile on his face so broad I had never seen him that happy.

    ¡°Not what I was expecting.¡± She muttered, looking at me. ¡°Is he that angry?¡± I shrugged. I read Michael¡¯s thoughts. His eyes were on her, and they were dark and desperate. ¡°No!¡± I yelled. The rest of the men were quick. Michael wanted to take her and teleport her to their cabin in En-gannim. There were so many hands on him. He stretched out an arm towards her, being jostled and contained. An open hand palm up. She shook her head. ¡°I love you¡­ The only reason I went¡­ was to make sure I wanted to stay. To test myself. I never slept with her or anyone... Not after your first kiss, honey.¡± He pushed his hand into the air closer to her. ¡°It¡¯s the biggest compliment you could ever give me¡­ Slow up even more, will you.¡±

    Juliet stopped breathing. ¡°Baby, please don¡¯t go,¡± I begged close to her ear.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± She turned away from him and into my person. ¡°If he wants me¡­ didn¡¯t he say it will be a fight for it.¡±

    I raked my hands through her hair. ¡°Thank you.¡± She took my hand and kissed my palm.  ¡°And I will gladly put him on his ass for you.¡±

    ¡°Come on! How many times have we actually slept together in the last few years.¡± Michael pleaded.

    Juliet growled. ¡°I¡¯m done, Michael. You need to get it out of your system.¡± She chuckled and walked over to Romero. ¡°Let¡¯s make a circle for them.¡± Romero pulled her closer, and Jessy took out the gun. Selena and Jamal stepped out into their Riphath form. The corner of Michaels¡¯ mouth lifted.

    ¡°No more picking her up and just disappearing.¡± I took my first shot. Michael was always a little slow, something we would have to work on. I would use it to my advantage. He dodged and stepped around my next few hits.

    ¡°No reading.¡±

    ¡°F-you! No teleporting.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be f-ing when I get to her.¡±

    My eyes were glossy, and I had already punched him several times. ¡°I told you to watch your tongue.¡± He manifested into Riphath. Michael¡¯s problem was that he thought¡­ He stopped moving and changed his transformation into a vampire. The side of my mouth quirked up. ¡°You¡¯re finally getting it.¡± But rather than using his brain, he didn¡¯t come at me at all. I moved again and hit him in his diaphragm as hard as I could. He doubled over, gasping for air. He fell forward on all fours and turned into a dog. Michael wasn¡¯t going to fight after all.

    I glanced at Romero, who came walking forward and clapped him on his back. Their conversation ran through Michael¡¯s thoughts. How she nearly killed him and how the line was getting thinner and thinner. The dog wandered off and fell down at Juliet¡¯s feet. Juliet¡¯s astonishment was audible. I walked over and kicked him. Michael¡¯s lip lifted as he growled up at me. ¡°I was looking forward to putting you down. Marcus said you submitted. Had to see it for myself.¡±

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Michael, get up.¡± He came back to human and stood staring down at her. He wanted her to kiss him. She wanted him from behind. I held out my hand. There was no way they were sleeping together. She took it, and I pulled her in under my shoulder.

    Michael followed us. ¡°That was disappointing,¡± Selena said, hitting Michael on the shoulder. He laughed at the tall blond. They were joking with each other. Juliet stopped dead in her tracks. She slowly turned and pointed a finger at Selena. ¡°That was the first and last time. He is not Chris.¡± Selena came back to human. Juliet lowered her finger. ¡°Guys can¡¯t be friends. You should understand at least that much by now.¡± Selena fell into step next to Juliet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m going a little crazy.¡± Juliet said, nudging her in the side.

    Selena laced her arm in with Juliet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry too¡­ I won¡¯t touch him again.¡± Juliet¡¯s gaze met a very smug Michael behind us.

    ¡°We have to talk about the vault,¡± Caleb said.

    ¡°I completely forgot about your mission. Everything went okay?¡± Juliet asked.

    ¡°Yes, but we have a problem. The shadow monster is actually human.¡±

    ¡°That thing?¡± Romero asked, bewildered. ¡°Well, that is how Ahasuerus made his deal with him. What did he say¡­ You spoke to him?¡±

    ¡°We did¡­ He said that only a woman, meaning you, could come for the vault. And the deal was a fight for it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, please. Why didn¡¯t you just shoot him with a net and cut him with a red sword.¡±

    Caleb stopped walking and turned to Michael. They both felt like idiots.

    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll go tonight. Jessy, you guys made short blades of those red stones.¡± Michael asked.

    Juliet fished into her pants pockets and tossed Michael a black rectangle. ¡°You can be glad I didn¡¯t cut you with this one.

    He pushed the button, and the red stone shot into the air. ¡°When did you have this made?¡±

    ¡°The moment you grabbed at me in that garden.¡±

    ¡°This is my knife. The one we¡­.¡± Emotions filled his features, clutching the hilt.

    ¡°Now it¡¯s mine.¡±

    ¡°Honey, you¡¯re making this very hard for me. You and Louis.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone is having a good time, Michael,¡± Romero muttered. ¡°And we never knew he was human. If so, we need him even more. The Dheka in that region would never survive. You and Caleb must have seen what comes out at night¡­ And if he has hidden it away for so long. There has to be a reason.¡±

    ¡°We did,¡± Michael said. ¡°He fought almost the whole evening.¡±

    ¡°What is he?¡± Caleb asked.

    ¡°He has not spoken to anyone in hundreds of years. He never speaks unless you give him something he can use. And we ran out of things to trade with a long time ago¡­ Did you find out what he got from Ahasuerus?¡±

    We all sat down on the cushions that were placed in a circle. Michael played with the knife in his hand, leaning back on the other in the sand.

    ¡°What do you think he would¡¯ve asked for,¡± Juliet said, sitting between my legs and leaning back against me. ¡°He wants to live on Zoreah¡­ Just like everyone else¡­ It seems that teleportation really does get you anything you want.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Romero asked.

    ¡°Ahasuerus was only focused on the future. With that thing with him¡­ Living in that city. Who would have survived? He probably wanted us to go for the vault first and not Chris¡­ That¡¯s why he tossed that stone at me.¡±

    I squeezed her shoulders. ¡°If we got to those scientists before we got to Chris¡­ None of it would¡¯ve happened.¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do now?¡± I asked, running my hands up and down her upper arms. Juliet glanced down at the gesture and over her shoulder at me. She wanted me¡­ Thought about me carrying her into the tent. I grasped tighter at the soft flesh.

    ¡°I can go,¡± Selena said.

    ¡°No!¡± Juliet and Jessy said at the same time.

    Selena scoffed. ¡°What is the point that you turned me into what I am?! And then won¡¯t let me do anything.¡±

    Jessy would never, and Juliet was taking the blame. ¡°I told you. Once you have your conversation¡­ I¡¯ll let up¡­ Until then. I¡¯m not putting your life in danger. Or should I travel back and go ask Chris what he thinks?¡±

    Selena jumped up, ¡°He¡¯s expecting a woman! You can¡¯t send Caleb in there again. If he sees Michael, it will be a fight to the death! Do you want to take that chance?¡± Juliet didn¡¯t reply. Selena walked off into the distance. The only one willing to deal with her was Jamal.

    ¡°I can go,¡± Charlene said.

    ¡°No!¡± We all thundered at the same time.

    Juliet stood up. ¡°Now you can feel how it feels having all the power, and no one lets you do anything. Juliet glanced at Michael. ¡°All of us will have to be managed¡­ Charlie, will you oblige me in a teleport for food? I want Louis to taste that thing I like.¡±

    ¡°Charlie? That¡¯s new.¡±

    ¡°Proper respect for my new queen. A new nickname was fitting.¡± Juliet giggled and bowed in front of her. Charlene manifested, and they disappeared.

    ***

    Soren

    After our long chat a few days ago, Ian had given me the responsibility of finding out why Ahasuerus fought the three of them. Ian never stayed in the same place for long. As far as I knew, he didn¡¯t deem it necessary to talk to Heba about everything she and Rana got up to. What I didn¡¯t like was Ian talking to Isla since he came home. He was so curious about Earth that he made conversation with her whenever he did come home. If he thought he could marry her. As yet, another wife. What the hell was I going to do? If Isla asked me to stay and help¡­ With no communications¡­ I also didn¡¯t know if my parents were still alive or if our island had been attacked. My father had said he would not leave, and my mother was never going back to Earth. Neither Marcus nor Louis had come with Caleb. I didn¡¯t know where Juliet was, how she was doing, or what was happening from their side.

    I sat down in the kitchen again, waiting. All I ever did was sit and wait for others to tell me where to go and what to do. The only thing that kept me sane was thinking about Juliet. Her leg was pinned underneath my side. We lay facing each other. The other leg wrapped me as we stared into each other¡¯s eyes while I moved inside her. I shook my head. Reminiscing wasn¡¯t helping that day. I drained my glass. On Earth, men were allowed to drink. On En-gannim, their alcohol pact a punch.

    Ian stepped through the door. I stood up. There was no way I was falling down in front of him just yet. He sat down and poured himself a stiff drink. His features were strained. ¡°We can¡¯t seem to find a way into that city.¡± He hissed and let his manifestation drop. ¡°I checked out your story. Your parents are fine, and I did not let my men take over. I have completely let the island go. It was not your father who stood up against Ahasuerus so many years ago¡­ When I take over. Men like you and him will be valuable.¡±

    ¡°Thank You.¡± Relieved, I sat down, finding a new respect for the man.

    ¡°Have you figured out why Ahasuerus conceded so easily?¡±

    I slid my glass plate over the table. Ian took a heavy swig and pulled his lips at the sting of the liquid. The screen lit as his fingers moved. His hand stilled as his eyes came up to mine. ¡°Where did you get this?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy. Luckily, on Earth¡­ doing research was one of my past times for years. If you want to keep up, knowledge is most important. Not like here.¡±

    ¡°I have to say, Soren. I am surprised. And impressed. This will change everything.¡±

    ¡°Like I said. I do not really know where I belong.¡±

    The doors opened, and Isla walked through without looking up. She paused and moved to the corner of the room. Ian noticed and turned in his seat. ¡°Isla, we talked about this. You can go about your business in here. And if you like¡­ You can take off that veil.¡±

    My hands were wringing under the table, watching the two. I might not tell Ian about the brandings. If Isla let it slip, would I blame her? The man was clever. He knew where he would get the information. Isla thought about it and slid the black cloth down her back. The corner of Ian¡¯s mouth lifted. ¡°Not the only one with a beautiful sister¡­ Now let us see if you can cook.¡± Isla bowed and got to work. Ian¡¯s eyes lingered, and I hoped that Michael would come soon.

    He turned back to me. ¡°Come, Soren. Let us have that discussion.¡±

    I swore inwardly, trying to keep it together. My heart wasn¡¯t racing anymore, and I had gotten used to the lying. I had to grow up and quickly. ¡°Do you trust me enough to form alliances?¡±

    I scoffed. The alcohol was kicking in, and I decided to let the fa?ade drop for a while. ¡°On Earth¡­ Alliances through marriage never worked.¡±

    ¡°You are not on Earth anymore. Here, we take our customs seriously. The whole planet works tirelessly to keep it that way.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I could ever trust you.¡± I thought he would be angry.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Trust is earned from one¡¯s peers. I do not know you. Or what type of man you are.¡±

    ¡°Vampire, you mean.¡±

    I gestured with my hand in the air. ¡°That is what I mean.¡± I glanced at Isla, busy behind him. ¡°We are too different in our thinking.¡± I thought about Lucius and what he might have done to Isla. What had been so horrible no one even wanted to mention it? What would Ian do to her?

    Ian¡¯s gaze followed mine. ¡°I see.¡± He moved his head slowly up and down. ¡°On En-gannim, we as men have many friends and must rely on each other. Over so many years of life, you tend to see who really cares and what they stand for¡­ No one can pretend for hundreds of years.¡±

    I took the bottle and poured myself another drink. Ian held out his glass. If he got Isla to tell him about Juliet and me, we were both screwed.

    ¡°We value relationships. Even if it is only between the men.¡±

    ¡°Lust is a dangerous thing.¡±

    Ian laughed. ¡°That gets controlled no matter if you want to or not. And lust is not all that drives our race. Emotions flow whether we want to or not. Fathers have been known to care about their households and even their daughters.¡± Ian and Isla glanced at each other as she placed the plate in front of him. There was a smile on her lips. ¡°You know¡­ I can see the appeal of knowing what your wife looks like. Maybe having one Earth-wife would not be that bad.¡± Ian picked up the food on his plate with a black nail and pushed it into his mouth. His eyes perked up. Stunned, he met Isla¡¯s eye, who was waiting. Would Isla fall in love? I knew that look.

    ¡°Your father thinks it might be a good idea.¡±

    ¡°You spoke to him?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Isla blushed and turned away to pick up a plate for me. She placed it down and rested her hand on my shoulder. Ian regarded the gesture with interest. I patted her hand. ¡°Thank You. I don¡¯t need to taste it to know it will be delicious. If there is one thing you can do¡­.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s to cook.¡± Isla smiled. The gesture disappeared as soon as she remembered where she was and moved back into the corner.

    ¡°No! Isla,¡± Ian said softly. ¡°Grab a plate and sit down with us¡­ I will not beat you if you open your mouth.¡±

    Isla¡¯s eyes darted to mine. I shrugged. She had been through so much, and I was not a part of Juliet¡¯s world. If Ian could give Isla a home and a family¡­ I wouldn¡¯t begrudge her that. She was having difficulty finding anyone to make an offer, after they heard what happened. One my father could accept. If it wasn¡¯t for the war, it would be as good a place as any. And because of the war, it would take her longer to find anyone.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the one that bursts your bubble. But what about the war?¡±

    ¡°Burst my bubble?¡±

    ¡°Be the bearer of bad news.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Ian and Isla stared at each other. What was going on? How did he even know how to flirt or seduce?

    ¡°The war does not prevent me from taking a wife. We are allowed to¡­ how do you say on Earth¡­ F*** as much as we want while we fight.¡±

    Isla choked on the piece of meat she was chewing. I growled and manifested. ¡°Did I say something wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not really a term of endearment. How many wives do you have anyway? These are all questions you would¡¯ve answered if you were going through proper channels.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know. The process would have lasted years. The inquiries would have been endless. I would be able to choose from any camp. Watch the woman grow up and make sure she is suitable. And that is why I have not taken a second wife¡­ That is what Isla would be. There is no way around it. Just like my sister¡­ Having that honor will never be for them.¡±

    Isla¡¯s hand stilled, and her hands clutched at her plate. A tear rolled down her human cheek.

    ¡°What is she doing? What is that?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve never seen anyone cry?¡±

    ¡°Cry?!¡± Ian paused and stared at her. ¡°I have never seen any women. It¡¯s not allowed. Not on my father¡¯s island¡­ I have seen your mother.¡± Ian stretched out and wiped Isla¡¯s cheek with a thumb. He placed it on his tongue and licked his finger. ¡°Crying is beaten out of us very early. Boys and girls never mixed.¡±

    Isla lifted a hand. ¡°Speak,¡± I said.

    ¡°May I be excused?¡±

    ¡°Sure. Go to bed. It¡¯s late.¡± I sighed. Relieved that Ian had just made the first mistake in trying to win a girl¡¯s heart. He had hurt, disappointed, and scared her in one moment. After Lucius, Isla would be cautious where she put her own trust.

    ¡°What just happened?¡± Ian asked when the door closed behind her.

    ¡°You made a mistake.¡±

    Ian¡¯s lip pulled, and his manifestation came back. ¡°Is it that difficult to get what you want on Earth¡­ No wonder Lucius did what he did.¡±

    I pushed myself up from the table.

    ¡°Soren, sit down. I am not done talking.¡±

    My fists balled.

    ¡°If you want to make it here. If Isla wants to make it here, you will have to decide soon. I am not completely ignorant of the challenges you two face. And¡­ maybe if we trade a sister for a sister, you will change your mind.¡±

    My eyes narrowed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say your sister will never have that honor?¡±

    ¡°Being a first wife in your house on that little island is as good as Isla being a second here. And even more, if she came to The Tower. The four of us there.¡±

    The guy was good.

    ¡°You know. On Earth, there is a saying. ¡°Choose your words carefully.¡± I stared him down.

    ¡°What does it mean?¡±

    ¡°There is one way of saying a thing, and then there is the best way of saying something.¡±

    ¡°You mean tact.¡± Ian laughed. ¡°Oh, Soren. Vampires would never have to do that¡­ Not men. And I am sure your sister was taught to handle things like that.¡±

    I got to my feet again. ¡°Then I suggest you keep her veil on. It¡¯s the only protection she has. You can¡¯t have your bread buttered on both sides.¡±

    I was almost out of the room. Ian grabbed my shoulder. ¡°What did you mean? You¡¯re going to have to stop talking like that.¡±

    ¡°And if you want to take over. Having a good understanding of other planets will have to be a priority. You are so fixed on having this place that you don¡¯t understand what it entails¡­ It means you can¡¯t have it both ways.¡±

    ¡°Knowing small nuances of other planets will not help me.¡±

    ¡°Did you see what just happened? On Earth, you must, or you¡¯ll fall flat on your face.¡± I was laying it on thick. I had to. I wanted him to focus on other things rather than asking me again if I wanted to marry his sister.

    ¡°Stop it! I¡­ I¡¯ll¡­ learn.¡± He said stupidly. ¡°But first, I need to run the place to care enough to do it. If you have an in with Marcus. I have to know about it.¡±

    ¡°I just gave you all you need to win this war.¡±

    ¡°That stone? Where is it?¡±

    I didn¡¯t say anything. Ian¡¯s hold on me relaxed, and he let go. ¡°I do not think they know what to do either. We are all stuck in some way. Feigning a peace treaty to find them might just work.¡±

    I knew where the stone was. It was around Marcus¡¯s neck. All I had to do was get them close to each other. Marcus would do the rest, and hopefully, we would get out of there before Isla asked me to stay.

 Rocks

    189. Rocks

    Chris

    ¡°More light, over here¡­ No! Closer¡­ Set up one of those tripods in each section of the wall. At every door that seems to be connected to a room.¡± I gestured with an outstretched finger.

    The man in front of me glanced down into the dark corridor stretching before us. ¡°We are going to need a lot more lights.¡± He commented.

    ¡°I want everything cataloged¡­ When you¡¯re done here, go back to En-gannim, gather all the books that might have similar markings on the covers.¡± The man agreed, and we both looked towards the tunnel entrance. The business of the other Vampires had caught my eye. They put down tables and chairs, creating an area where we would work. The carvings on the wall were complex and in the same ancient werewolf script that the book I found had on the cover. Since Marcus and Caleb had found Brylee¡¯s vault on Palmyra, it had been in the back of my mind. All the secrets that could be hidden down there were too important to let go. So I decided to go and see what they had found. I immediately recognized some of the writings the Werewolves had carved out in the stone and knew the answers I was looking for would be there.

    When Brylee infected humans, turning them into bitten Werewolves. She had to have kept them somewhere. The space down in that mountain was secure enough. What was behind the doors? I couldn¡¯t figure out what she could be hiding. What if the doors opened, and there were more of them? Or worse, something else like them. As the lights flickered around me, my gaze drifted over the space. The chamber we were in was a large area built and created at the mountain¡¯s base. I took a few steps closer to the first stone wall glistening in the water. I rubbed over the mossy area I was trying to translate. My eyes followed the source of the water up to the roof. We were standing in a place drowned underwater not long ago. For some time, the men and I tried to stop the constant drip running down the inscriptions, but nothing wanted to make it cease. Reconciled to the working conditions, I forged on with translations. It was harder than I had anticipated, and it didn¡¯t help that my mind was unfocused. I wasn¡¯t getting anywhere and wished Soren was there. It felt like¡­ he was the missing link in our group. Not that I would admit that to anyone. Or let Juliet near him.

    My thoughts wandered from Juliet and Soren to how useless I had become. Watching the men carry the equipment, knowing I couldn¡¯t even help. Picking up a chair seemed too difficult for me. I had to ask others to do everything for me. I didn¡¯t know why my strength seemed to be failing me. I had been fine the few previous days on Earth. Without my abilities, I was futile in so many ways.

    Marcus was still on the battlefield. Louis had left us to see how Juliet was faring. Liam and Samuel had taken control of The Tower. I had decided to make some decisions of my own. However, if Soren was there, he could¡¯ve taken over the role of uncovering all the secrets the planets were still hiding from us. Regardless, I was the one that lost his powers, and Soren wasn¡¯t there. I feared for Isla and him on that Island with Ian. I was the one that had placed her there. I promised myself as soon as Caleb came back, I would ask him to go and get them¡­ if it wasn¡¯t too late. They could be dead¡­ What then?

    Marcus and everyone were encouraging me. They were sure that I would get my abilities back. I just didn¡¯t want to wait till after the war. Who knew when the dust on En-gannim would settle?

    I peeked down at the book in my hand, glancing over the pages quickly only to lift my eyes back up at the wall, finding nothing that wanted to bring the picture together. I thought about going to Earth to get waterproofing to seal the roof. Gather some archeologists and bring them to help. The lead scientists Juliet had used to find me stood at another section. His team was behind us at a table, making no more progress than me. The problem was the paper. We couldn¡¯t let them get wet and needed to protect the books while we worked, trying to manage a plate in the other hand to translate. I closed my eyes and rubbed them with the back of my hands. It had been a long day¡­ I needed that boy to put the books on plates. It was awful how we were all using him! How I wanted him there for my own gain. The only one not manipulating him was Juliet. She had no choice but to stay away from him. I didn¡¯t know what she would do if she found out Soren and Isla were stranded on that Island.

    Another question plaguing me was what Beatrice had said about the time travel. Was she serious? If my teleportation swatch could make me go back in time? Would that even be a possibility? After everything, I didn¡¯t disregard the time travel as quickly as Juliet had. I wanted to know how it would work or if my going back in time would be the only way for me to ¡°find¡± myself¡ªone hell of a self-discovery. No one knew what I was thinking. Louis wasn¡¯t there. The only person left to talk to was¡­.

    ***

    The doors to Juliet¡¯s room slid open. Liam and Samuel were sitting on the balcony. They were both puffing away on a cigarette. I chuckled. It had to run in the family. Liam glanced over his shoulder. ¡°Chris!? Where have you been?¡±

    ¡°I need to talk to you, Liam,¡± I said with some urgency in my voice.

    ¡°It¡¯s serious if the one man comes and talks to me that never asks for permission. Or advice. Or anything. Not even to chat.¡±

    ¡°Should I leave?¡± Samuel asked.

    ¡°No, please stay.¡± I held out a hand.

    Samuel turned in his seat and put his feet back up on a stool.

    ¡°I have been in those tunnels. On Palmyra.¡±

    ¡°Have you found anything?¡± Samuel asked.

    ¡°I might have. It¡¯s difficult to be sure, but I think we need that stone.¡±

    ¡°The one Charlene has?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What will it do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Samuel, do you know anything about the stones? Why do all the planets have different ones with supernatural abilities?¡±

    ¡°I have no clue. We all thought it was an emblem of sorts. The one who had it was the one you bowed to. It is how it¡¯s been in my lifetime.¡±

    ¡°And when you found out about the brandings? How did you know to use the emblem of each house? It¡¯s not like Marcus needed that stone to do it.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ On Earth, we had plates. All the creatures not on the compound needed one for identification.¡±

    ¡°Plates? Juliet¡¯s and Louis¡¯s plates. So that¡¯s why he gave them to her! I didn¡¯t have one.¡±

    Samuel and Liam shared a glance. ¡°You were a special case. Everyone knew who you were.¡±

    ¡°Samuel didn¡¯t even tell me¡­ his own brother, that there was no such thing as a hybrid. He lied to all of us.¡± Liam said. ¡°We didn¡¯t even know other species existed. You were as much of a surprise to us as to yourself.¡±

    Samuel shrugged. ¡°When those of us¡­ Vampires and Werewolves needed to tell someone they were important. You gave them a plate. So others would know not to cross that line. It was an inside secret.¡±

    ¡°Soren¡¯s Emblem, though. It was not steel and had nothing to do with identification. Wasn¡¯t it something from Earth as well? And Liam could make me one, and it would¡¯ve worked.¡± I rambled.

    ¡°The brandings have nothing to do with the stones,¡± Samuel said. ¡°Nor the plates. It¡¯s the same as your swatches, Chris. We make what we want, but the people make it work. The conditions, if you will. I think it has to do with the fire more than anything else. No one ever understood it. We sure didn¡¯t. Suppose I didn¡¯t find out about the brandings before we were exiled. None of it would¡¯ve happened.¡± Samuel leaned forward and pushed his bud into the ashtray. ¡°Look, the Ahmeds had to have known about Earth for a long time. For them, the scenery and animals were just more doodles to work with.¡±

    ¡°So what? Steel for brandings and leather for swatches?¡±

    Samuel shrugged again. ¡°Maybe?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Chris. Why are you so bent up on this?¡± Liam stood to his feet and moved past me into the room. He sat down on Juliet¡¯s bed and pulled on his shoes. ¡°We have to get back downstairs. There isn¡¯t time for this. And it would be best if you were where you¡¯re supposed to be. With us in that command room. The more eyes and ears we can trust, the better.¡±

    I did feel guilty. Juliet wasn¡¯t there to make sure we were helping Marcus. It was the deal. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about going back in time to get my powers back.¡±

    Neither of them batted an eye. Liam tied his last lace, and Samuel scoffed. ¡°What? Your brother didn¡¯t tell you about other species, but you both know about time travel.¡±

    ¡°Juliet would have to be dead before you can go back,¡± Samuel said.

    ¡°What? Why?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think you could go at any time.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for that specific event, to find her again, to save her... Or so we believe. Chris, we don¡¯t have time to sit and figure out all of these theories. The things you want to know are hidden away, and you will have to wait to understand them. It is supernatural. Accept that, and the rest will fall into place.¡±

    I just stood there, staring at Samuel. All my ideas and wishes were washed away and replaced with more frustration.

    ¡°How do you know those stones aren¡¯t exactly what we need? If you needed your daughter branded to push down Qadir. What did Ahasuerus¡¯s predecessors need to win wars?¡±

    Samuel pushed his finger into my chest. ¡°You have to calm down. You¡¯re going to cross a line.¡±

    I guiltily glanced at Liam. He had no choice in what he did. We still didn¡¯t know why the vamps bent the knee. Liam had gambled with the idea of the brandings. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I raked my hand through my hair.

    ¡°Chris, how many of those swatches are there?¡± Liam asked.

    I couldn¡¯t answer him.

    ¡°One¡­ I only know because I asked Beatrice after you put another tattoo on my daughter. I did my homework.¡±

    ¡°Only one? But Beatrice said she had seen it before.¡±

    ¡°And how old is Beatrice?¡± Liam asked.

    ¡°Anyway. How would you go back if you can¡¯t teleport? And how will you go back even if you could?¡± Samuel interjected.

    ¡°Practice. I supposed¡­ If my grandfather had to practice, to travel across the freaking galaxy. I would¡¯ve trained for it.¡±

    ¡°For that to even work, you need your powers.¡± Samuel clapped my shoulder.

    ¡°Argh! This doesn¡¯t make sense. Why would Beatrice tell you one thing and me just some of it?¡±

    ¡°Has anything ever?¡± Liam stood up and walked up to me. He rested a hand on my shoulder. ¡°Rather, tell me how you¡¯re doing. Are you at least feeling stronger?¡± Our eyes locked, and I was quiet. I wasn¡¯t resting and doing my exercises or training. I wanted a quick fix. I didn¡¯t want to take the long road to recovery. ¡°You have to keep your eye on the ball.¡± Liam tried to calm me down.

    ¡°I am Liam. And your daughter is out there, and I can¡¯t get to her.¡± I shrugged out of both their hands and turned away from them. ¡°Fahan is on that rock that seems to be the key to everything, and eventually, Ian will end up there, and then what will we do? Give them all the secrets.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t have the stone. Charlene does. By the time Min¨¦ is old enough to take over. We would¡¯ve figured out how to make them leave. She can bring all the Werewolves back, and we will fight another war.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you young people from Earth don¡¯t like the fighting. It¡¯s not like we have anything else to do.¡± Samuel said. Liam laughed lightly, agreeing with his brother.

    ¡°I know there must be more places to mine all these stones. Just like on Zoreah for the Embossing. I also know that these stones are what will save us. A lot of women worked on the swatches. And Ahasuerus didn¡¯t just keep his for no reason. It wasn¡¯t only for identification. No one on En-gannim has stones!¡±

    Both men shook their heads, done talking to me. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take Aries back? Work on relations in that way.¡± Liam suggested.

    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. Don¡¯t shrug me off as Marcus did with you. Juliet felt a connection to En-gannim and Palmyra. But nothing on Zoreah. And I know the secrets to make Ian bend are down in those tunnels.¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine¡­¡± Samuel said, putting his hands into his pockets. ¡°Let¡¯s play this out. If the stones on Palmyra give you birth tattoos. Another one can make you time travel. What do you think the stone around Marcus¡¯s neck can do? Or the one Charlene has.¡± Samuel asked.

    ¡°What other stones do we know about?¡± Liam asked.

    The three of us stilled and turned to each other. The realization had dawned. We all had come to the same conclusion. Before we could say what we were thinking, our focus was abruptly pulled away. My eyes drifted up toward the roof. Lights were flashing in the corner of the room. No sound. No alarm blaring. Only a dim pink light blinked brightly. Samuel hurried towards the door. Liam was short on his heels.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°How do you think they figured it out?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope they haven¡¯t and that Marcus and the stone are safe¡­ It¡¯s not an alarm for an attack. It¡¯s a planetary siren.¡±

    ¡°A signal? For what?¡± I asked, stepping into the teleporter.

    ¡°That everyone must stop what they are doing and prepare for the worst.¡±

    ***

    The three of us moved quickly over the threshold of Juliet¡¯s office. The generals had gotten reports that the fighting had ceased and were celebrating. ¡°This isn¡¯t good¡­ That¡¯s not the worst that could happen.¡±

    ¡°Where the hell is Marcus?¡± Liam roared over the cheers.

    The whole room fell quiet. ¡°He got a message from Ian. Who wanted to talk.¡± Samuel and Liam glanced nervously at each other. ¡°Marcus sounded the alarm and left. You just missed him. Ian had asked that the fighting would stop for the time being. Sort of a cease-fire, and Marcus gave the order to fall back and regroup our troops.¡±

    Liam spun around in haste. ¡°I¡¯ll be back. Samuel, find out where they are. Get Marcus out of there! If they get their hands on that stone! Who knows what they will be able to do!¡±

    Liam disappeared out the door. I stared after him just as I had when Jessy jumped into Selena¡¯s arms. Everyone was able to help in some way. I hated being unable to be with Juliet whenever I wanted¡ªnot having the strength to do anything.

    ***

    Lyla

    Nevin had finished packing the two backpacks and placed them on the back seat. He tossed the car keys at me and plopped into the passenger seat. I stood staring at him. ¡°Why are you just standing there? Are we going or not? You changed your mind?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ have a dog,¡± I said, wavering. ¡°She¡¯s stuck in my van at the campgrounds.¡±

    ¡°A dog?¡±

    ¡°I never thought I¡¯d get this far. Or that I would go on wild adventures. I can¡¯t just leave her.¡±

    ¡°You will have to take her with you. It would help if you emptied your van anyway. Don¡¯t want them to take everything you have.¡±

    I played nervously with the keys as I walked to the driver¡¯s side. Nevin leaned forward and pressed a button on the dash. The garage doors opened behind us as I slid into the driver¡¯s side. I had to adjust the seat for my short legs to reach the pedals and to be able to see over the bonnet.

    We drove in silence for the short trip to fetch Gigi. I let her out, and she ran around like a maniac, upset at me, barking. It might not be the most brilliant move to take a little noisy, furry friend into the one place that could hear everything. I opened the back door, and Gigi hopped in. Nevin cooed at her, and she leaped into his lap. He opened his window. Gigi stuck her head out, tongue hanging out of her mouth while she panted, trying to catch her breath.

    I paused before closing the boot, staring at everything I had put in there. Nevin might have been lying. All the evidence I had was in the car. If he had faithfully served for so many years, would he really let me steal secrets? Was I walking into a trap?

    ¡°Are you coming? She is a wild little thing.¡±

    I slammed the boot and slid back into my seat. ¡°You¡¯re not going to kill me and make this problem disappear?¡±

    ¡°You are not a problem¡­ Lyla. You want to know what happened to your sister. And after¡­¡± He paused, gazing into the distance. ¡°I might use that key to see my daughter again. Why you didn¡¯t try and trade with me in the first place is a little amateur.¡±

    I smiled brightly. My sunny countenance back. I felt lighter and pushed my foot down on the gas. It would take us a while to get to where we were going.

    ***

    ¡°Here, slow down. There!¡± He pointed. ¡°Do you see it?¡± My gaze darted over the landscape, but I couldn¡¯t see anything but dried-out bushes and rocks. ¡°You have to get off the road and move into that clearing,¡± Nevin agitatedly pushed his finger back and forth to a small patch of dirt.

    ¡°What do you mean? There is no way over there.¡±

    He leaned over and pushed the steering wheel for me. The car jolted into oncoming traffic and off the road. ¡°I thought you said a car can¡¯t get in there,¡± I yelled, gripping the wheel with both hands, trying to get control as the car moved jerkily, skidding over the debris and sand.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to, but I can.¡±

    The main road disappeared in the rearview mirror as a cloud of dust welled up behind us. My only way to civilization was gone. It was the horror movie moment where the girl was usually captured by deformed men living in caves. Never to be seen again. The reality of what we were doing was setting in. I was willingly walking into a place filled with the enemy. Who was I to go up against any of them? Did I not see her kill Marcus¡¯s father? How could Marcus love her after that? She was about to kill Ahasuerus too. Why the Vampires fought for a whole planet was beyond my understanding.

    ¡°There.¡± Nevin pointed again.

    ¡°I see it.¡± There was indeed parking for any vehicle. And out of sight. Nevin opened his door. Gigi took the gap and jumped down to the ground. I picked up my purse and pulled out the key from the ignition. Nevin opened up the back door and grabbed the backpacks. He helped me get into one and fastened it around my chest and waist.

    ¡°Why are you so organized for this specific trip?¡±

    ¡°Runaways.¡±

    ¡°Runaways?¡±

    ¡°This path is the only way out if you don¡¯t want to get shot. It gave those inside some hope of freedom.¡±

    ¡°It was suicide with you around,¡± I said softly.

    ¡°Yes¡­ Running was probably only prolonged suicide. No one had ever escaped. If you didn¡¯t leave out the front gate. You didn¡¯t leave. I was in charge of dealing with anything that went on out here.¡±

    ¡°If you never let anyone slip through the cracks, why would you help me at all.¡±

    ¡°I like you! And who said I never did? If I had, for instance, come upon a young woman running away.¡±

    ¡°You mean Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Or my Willa. If she had only tried.¡± He was quiet, walking into the narrow passage, twisting his body to fit. Both of us scuffled through. My backpack protested and pushed my body tightly against the high walls of the gorge towering over us. We squeezed through sideways until the end of the narrow entrance to a small landing. The ground was even further down than the height of the rocky wall. It didn¡¯t seem to bother Nevin, and he went on, ¡°The thing is. I¡¯ve never been inside the compound for long periods. And even there, no one knew what my job description was. It wasn¡¯t like I could advertise.¡± He pushed his arm between the backpack and my waist and pulled me closer, Gigi in his other and bent his knees to jump before I could protest. I gasped as we landed on a small ledge not a few feet down. He looked at my face and laughed.

    The rest of the way down went slowly, and then we walked and walked. Climbed so many rocky paths that I thought we would never get anywhere. The trail snaked a lot through the ridges, revealing different rock layers. The smooth sandy stretches at the bottom were the most comfortable. Still, they ended soon after announcing the upcoming rocky path we had to climb. Nevin carried Gigi in his arms and helped me as much as possible. He wasn¡¯t the older man he portrayed to be.

    ¡°Too bad we can¡¯t fly,¡± I said.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be something?¡±

    Nevin¡¯s features were that of a stern old grandfather walking around with a whistle hanging from his lips. However, his personality was the total opposite. It made it difficult to figure him out. He was congenial in every way, politely kept the conversation going, treated me with respect, and even threw in a joke at some points in our discussions.

    ¡°May I ask you about Willa?¡±

    ¡°Yes. What do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Why did you let her get married?¡±

    Nevin¡¯s features contorted for a second, ¡°The man¡¯s father was one of my friends back on our planet. We were all together in our ideals. The children that grew up under Qadir were¡­ different in many ways.¡±

    ¡°Some of them. Marcus seemed to have blindsided all of you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. He is still an enigma. When my Willa died, something changed in the compound. Most men hid their daughters away after that.¡±

    ¡°You mean Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You have a soft spot for her.¡±

    ¡°How can I not? She had done what thousands of grown men couldn¡¯t muster up the courage to do. And¡­¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°My Jessy. He works for her. I know you think she needs to be held accountable, but I don''t see it that way. Jessy has only the highest respect for her.¡±

    ¡°You make her sound like a regular Joan of Arc.¡±

    ¡°Well, soon, you¡¯ll have to decide for yourself. When you watch that man¡¯s life flash before your eyes.¡± Nevin got quiet. ¡°Things are not black and white. It never will be.¡±

    ¡°Your son works for her? How closely?¡±

    Nevin gave a small laugh. ¡°Very.¡±

    ¡°What about your wife?¡±

    Nevin didn¡¯t answer me. He glanced up at the sky. ¡°It¡¯s going to be dark soon. We will have to camp. It would be best if you didn¡¯t get hurt. There is a cave up ahead. It will have to suffice as a home for the night.¡±

    I unclipped my pack and dropped it on the ground, putting off the flashlight in my hand. The darkness was almost deafening, yet so many sounds were coming from the depths. Nevin lit a small lantern and put it down on a small aperture. Gigi eagerly drank her water. I put some kibble on a stone, and she crunched away, wagging her tail, looking up at me with satisfied eyes between the bites she took.

    ¡°My wife is on En- Gannim.¡± Nevin said softly. ¡°She was one of the first to leave when Louis took over.¡±

    ¡°Do you ever see her? And Jessy?¡±

    ¡°We do come together when he has some time off. A trip does only take ten minutes.¡±

    I took a deep breath. The situation became more daunting with every minute that passed. Nevin was involved in Juliet¡¯s life. It wasn¡¯t six people away. For him, it was only a beloved son.

    ¡°So, will you tell me what else you want to unearth? It can¡¯t only be to know what¡¯s going on.¡± Nevin glanced up at me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you will help me if I told you the truth.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about leaking every sin they have¡­ It¡¯s a long list. I hope you know what you¡¯re getting yourself into.¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯ll die before she does.¡±

    ¡°I think you sound a lot like Qadir.¡±

    My head snapped up, my eyes filled with disbelief. ¡°How could you compare me to that monster?¡± Nevin stood up and rolled out small mats, laying down our sleeping bags. He tossed me a blow-up pillow. I put my lips over the plastic and blew air into the hole.

    ¡°The question you should ask yourself if you want to be honest. What is putting you in that position of power? Personal vendetta or fate.¡±

    ¡°Fate!? Then fate had made Juliet a murderer?¡±

    Nevin¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled together, and his forehead followed. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The other woman on the TV. Next to my sister.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ You think Juliet had a personal attack on her.¡±

    ¡°Do you deny it?¡±

    ¡°I do not wish to deny it! But if you murder her for that one, she will have to die four hundred times. Because by the time any vamp is eighteen, that¡¯s how many people they have killed. All of us¡­ I stopped counting.¡±

    ¡°You know how Juliet tried to clear away her explanation of my sister¡¯s death? She tried to convince my father that if Lucy had slept with Michael and had a baby. Would they have let the child die? Or let the child drain people.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Argh. You¡¯re worse than she is.¡± Nevins¡¯s shoulders shook as he stirred the fork in the little pot. My noodles were simmering on the little gas stove.

    ¡°You can go after her as much as you like. She¡¯ll even respect you for it. Nevertheless, when it comes to her kids. You might feel her wrath. She¡¯ll kill you your parents, and walk away, wiping her knife on her pants.

    I shuddered at the thought, considering if I wanted to go on. I had never thought about them killing my parents. Wiping us off the face of the earth. I had to get all the information I was about to uncover to the others in our group. My father knew the risks and let me go anyway. My mother would never be the same. If it came to us all dying for Lucy. I was okay with that.

    He nodded. ¡°Juliet didn¡¯t kill that Stevie woman. One of her children did?¡±

    ¡°Caleb?¡±

    ¡°You know him?¡±

    ¡°That fine-looking boy? As young as he is¡­ hmph¡­ She probably told him to kill her. Why?¡±

    ¡°Jealousy.¡±

    ¡°What! Took away someone¡¯s mother because of what?¡±

    Nevin pushed the pot in my direction. Slowly, I scooped a bundle of noodles with the fork. I blew on it before I thrust them into my mouth. He put another container on the little stove and poured water into it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you want to understand how it feels to be half creature. And all of us have one weakness that can bring our lives to a crashing halt if we don¡¯t govern it.¡±

    The fork stilled in front of my mouth with the second bite. ¡°Is that going to be everyone¡¯s excuse?¡±

    ¡°Do you want to know how you control a vampire?¡±

    I chewed and shrugged. ¡°On our planet. The only way to condition that energy is like, have you ever seen the movie Water for Elephants? I stopped chewing. ¡°I guess you think we could be trained like animals with love and care. And we can, to a degree¡­ It just takes so much longer. However, we will always be half-animal. Juliet¡¯s father had only fourteen years.¡± Nevin smiled. ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough. Juliet is nothing more than an infant in my world. She can¡¯t be held accountable for every feeling in that small body of hers. The fact that they grew up among humans and never did anything is because she ate every week. Had to kill a person¡­ Every week.¡±

    My friends and I had done the math of the people that must have died for them to live for two hundred years. One more might not have meant anything to Juliet, but it tipped the scales for me. ¡°Then I want to know why she could leave the compound at all! Why could she become queen if women get killed and maimed for the slightest indiscretion? What happened?¡±

    Nevin poured me a cup of coffee and handed me the small blue plastic cup. ¡°Well, there you have it. It¡¯s the one secret the government and even I will fight tirelessly to avoid getting out.¡±

    ¡°So what? This was my last meal. To fish out what I knew and to kill me.¡±

    Nevin''s eyes penetrated mine, and his lip curved at one corner. ¡°I won¡¯t hurt you. But once you know, I don¡¯t want to be you. And I won¡¯t be able to help you then¡­ I¡¯m a middleman. Help wherever I can. Whoever needs help. It¡¯s all I ever knew.¡±

    ***

    The following day Nevin woke me up early. It was still dark, and we started walking with flashlights pointed at our feet. He had put Gigi in a makeshift sling he had concocted while I was sleeping. We ended up looking at the stars for a long time the previous night. He had shown me where En-gannim was in the darkness and little lights.

    Nevin stopped, putting his hands on his hips. ¡°Come. We¡¯re here.¡± It seemed to be another cave because I didn¡¯t notice anything that looked like an entrance. He took a few steps into the darkness. My feet couldn¡¯t move. I had no idea what I was doing. I heard his keys jingle, the clanging of metal, and the creaking of hinges. There was a lot on that keychain of his. A car that could get you into the compound. A key to a gate of secrets. A teleporter waiting at the gas station. He stepped back out and let Gigi down. ¡°No, don¡¯t.¡± I protested.

    Nevin held out a hand. ¡°Leave her.¡±

    She circled me and ran into the darkness, barking and whining. ¡°Gigi!¡± I yelled after her. My feet were suddenly moving fast. I tried to catch up, but she was gone. ¡°They will hear her. They will kill her.¡±

    ¡°There is no way. It¡¯s too far down. Don¡¯t worry. We will catch up eventually. It¡¯s not like she can push elevator buttons.¡±

    I just shook my head.

 Truth

    190. Truth

    Juliet

    With Louis on Mirach, I didn¡¯t want to go home. He was safe to sleep with. I also enjoyed being away from all the drama and on an adventure of sorts. Charlene and I had gone out hunting together for the first time. It was insane to think she was actually what she was and what she would be able to do in the next few years. All I had was ¡°experience,¡± I chuckled to myself. Like that was some superpower.

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s new.¡± My hand lifted to touch the neckless Charlene was wearing. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you wear it¡­ Is it something special?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the werewolf emblem.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I played with the pink stone fixed around her neck. I tried to remember if I had seen Brylee with it that night.

    ¡°Juliet!¡±

    I spun around, hearing the familiar voice, ¡°Dad?!¡±

    ¡°There you are!¡± He was speaking in his urgent voice. That authoritative tone I knew all too well. ¡°It¡¯s time to come home.¡±

    I jumped in place and saluted him. ¡°Funny.¡± He smiled a little. ¡°I mean now. Right now!¡± He stepped past me and stretched out his hand. He gripped the stone around Charlene¡¯s neck and yanked it off as gently as possible. Her hand reached for the space it had left. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Charlene. I¡¯ll get this back to you in a jiffy.¡±

    ¡°I trust you, Mr. Furrow.¡±

    My dad pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the forehead. ¡°You look good, Charlene. Jessy! Now.¡±

    Jessy was already following him. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you. Bring Sammy soon, okay.¡± Charlene didn¡¯t want us to go. My time on Mirach was over. I hugged her quickly. Kubra was already there, pulling her closer and gripping her face in both hands. ¡°I love you. See you soon.¡± He lingered over her lips, and she kissed him back, stretching her arms around his neck. ¡°I think sooner than later. We have a date?¡± He whispered. Charlene¡¯s eyes were watery. She nodded with his lips on hers. She moved her mouth to his ear. Kubra pulled her into his arms and pressed her into his chest as tightly as humanly possible. ¡°I hate this.¡±

    ¡°We will come back! Go home so we know where you are, Charlie.¡± I yelled. She lifted a hand in the air and waved at me. Kubra had grabbed my arm by then, pulling me towards the little hill over which my dad and Jessy had disappeared. Louis and my dad were talking in hushed tones, and Louis stretched out his hand to me without looking up. Imani and Yazen came over. They greeted my dad, and Romero stretched out his hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you all. I¡¯m sorry it has to be this way.¡± My dad said and looked in my direction. ¡°It¡¯s Marcus, Julie.¡± I had to know when my father came that it was serious. A coldness settled over me. At some point, our luck would run out. Louis tightened his hold on my hand. ¡°Caleb. Come, we need you. All of you.¡± My father ordered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can take you that far just yet,¡± Michael said. He kissed me on my forehead with the familiar ¡°bamf¡± sound of him disappearing into thin air.

    We were one big group that had to travel. Carl came running toward us after he and Charlene had shared a few words. We both waved at her. ¡°It¡¯s worth it,¡± I yelled, hoping it would reassure her until we came back. She sent me air kisses, and we were gone.

    ***

    I had never seen so many people in my office. Loud voices, trying to boom over the last order, still making its way to another recipient. ¡°We should attack them now!¡± Chris yelled and slammed his fist on the table. His hand was shaking, and he had to sit down.

    ¡°How do you propose we do that?¡± The English general whirled around.

    ¡°Caleb is almost back. We will have no other opportunity!¡±

    China [ I agree. If we take over the water supply, their hold is gone ]

    America [ We can¡¯t just send in troops. We don¡¯t even know how many of them are there. This place is a logistical nightmare ] The general slumped his head into his hand. [ We¡¯ve lost so many men already. We haven¡¯t even been fighting for a week ]

    ¡°Ahh, Boys. Do you need some help? This is my planet as far as I can remember.¡± I drolled out the words. Chris jumped up and came over. He took hold of Caleb¡¯s hand and pulled him into the room. ¡°All he needs to do is go to that Island and give us the best location. He¡¯s been there. Michael can go with him and send in as many men as we can afford.¡±

    Russia [ Absolutely not! We have to wait. It¡¯s different if the vamps die ]

    France [ That¡¯s the point. Earth should show its worth now. By the time the vamps are too low in numbers. Who will be able to fight? We can not back down now! ]

    Russia [ That¡¯s if the theory is true ]

    The men were not paying me any mind. My uncle was sitting back in his chair. Samuel¡¯s eyes drifted over the crowd, and my dad nudged him to come with us. He tugged at my shirt. ¡°Let¡¯s go upstairs. Where we can think like Vampires and not¡­.¡±

    We all followed the men out. ¡°Dad, what is going on?¡±

    ¡°Chris figured out why Ahasuerus threw you that stone, and I don¡¯t know how, but Ian found out as well. He asked to meet with Marcus.¡±

    ¡°When he got there. It was an ambush, and they grabbed the emblem. Ian left after telling him some other things.¡± Samuel filled in the rest.

    I stopped dead in my tracks. ¡°Where is Marcus!?¡±

    That Muslim walked through the bathroom door, rubbing a towel through his hair. Relieved, I ran over to him and threw my arms around him. He wrapped me up and held me. I wanted to let go. He kept clutching like a child. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He didn¡¯t want to meet my eye. ¡°Marcus, you¡¯re scaring me.¡± He nuzzled into my hair and kissed my neck until his one hand was on my cheek and his eyes met mine. His heart was racing as he finally met my eye. ¡°Marcus, just tell me.¡± He swallowed hard.

    ¡°It¡¯s Soren, Julie.¡±

    The icy cold feeling spread through my body. ¡°Have you not got him out yet?¡±

    Marcus shook his head. ¡°He is going to¡­ marry Rana. And Isla is going to marry¡­ Ian.¡±

    ¡°What?! He helped them?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on! I can¡¯t think¡­ Julie, that it¡¯s real. That he would. Soren would never betray you.¡±

    ¡°You think he¡¯s bluffing?¡±

    ¡°I think Soren had no choice.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s sacrificing. Isla has no option? Again!¡±

    ¡°Yes, to stay there and¡­.¡±

    ¡°To know what¡¯s going on. Soren is playing double agent.¡± My eyes finally took in all of Marcus. ¡°Are you okay? Why are you so beat up? Did they hurt you?¡±

    ¡°No! This?¡± Marcus lifted up a hand and fingered at his cut lip and broken eyebrow. ¡°I fought Fahan.¡±

    The door opened. Chris and Caleb walked through. My room was suddenly an office. ¡°Okay, so we figured out that the stones activate through some type of friction.¡±

    ¡°With Fahan¡¯s red swords, it¡¯s a clang on any surface,¡± Samuel said.

    ¡°With the embossing pens, the rubbing transfers the supernatural power.¡± My dad said and held out Charlene¡¯s stone to Chris.

    Chris picked it up. ¡°I¡¯m going to Palmyra. If we¡¯re right¡­.¡± Chris had already turned. ¡°It has to be the flowing of the water.¡± I heard him mutter under his breath. Chris didn¡¯t even greet me. He was distant and cold. It wasn¡¯t like him. What was going on? ¡°What activates the vamp stone? And what happens?¡± My eyes came back to my dad¡¯s.

    ¡°We have no idea. But they have it now. Why the commotion in your office.¡±

    ¡°Caleb and I can go.¡± Michael stepped closer. ¡°We get the stone back.¡±

    I reached out my hand and touched his arm. ¡°No,¡± I said softly. ¡°What if it stops abilities. What if it¡¯s¡­.¡± I was quiet for a moment, thinking.

    ¡°Julie?¡± Marcus prompted.

    I glanced up at Louis and told him about the image in my mind of the book Chris and I had a few minutes to read. The pictures of En-gannim in Brylee¡¯s book were strange. ¡°You think that it wasn¡¯t strange at all.¡± I nodded. ¡°It could be¡­ Baby!? I knew we needed you.¡± He kissed me and ran. ¡°And we need that book.¡±

    ¡°Go tell the generals to fortify and recall, just in case. What¡¯s the point in us going there. If they are already¡­.¡±

    ¡°Getting all their forces together.¡± Louis finished my sentence, and the door closed behind him.

    My uncle and father seemed confused. ¡°I think the stone solidifies the pink oceans. ¡°Maybe not all of it. Only where you need water to turn into land. Maybe how they fought wars and why the Ahmeds are undefeated.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why Brylee has a teleporter,¡± Samuel said.

    ¡°Bridges where you want them seems like a fair trade in a planet mostly made of deadly oceans.¡± My dad and his brother shared a look. ¡°How they ambushed us so easily in our first crusade.¡±

    ¡°I thought it would be to control a vampire. Make them bend the knee.¡± Caleb asked from the side.

    ¡°No, when Louis branded me, only a few men were forced down. It has nothing to do with the stone. Come, Caleb. We have to go home. Let the men work.¡± I snorted. I wanted to get home and out of En-gannim. If they were coming. It would be the baby they came for.

    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you. There is something else I need to talk to you about.¡± Carl said.

    ¡°Where do you want me?¡± Selena asked.

    ¡°You stay with Marcus¡­.¡± I regarded her for a moment. ¡°No! You go to Chris. Make sure he has backup and that he¡¯s okay.¡± Selena¡¯s usual friendly features changed. She knew what she needed to do. What I wanted her to do. Once and for all. Jamal, don¡¯t leave Marcus¡¯s side.¡± He gladly complied. ¡°Kubra, you too.¡± He agreed. ¡°Jessy, with me.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to protect Marcus. He¡¯s been holding out on you.¡± Caleb said, putting his arm around my shoulder.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    I glanced back at the two men. Marcus and Michael seemed deep in conversation. The tension between them had vanished. Marcus clapped him on the shoulder. Before Caleb and I stepped out the door, the two men looked my way. I made a small wave with my hand.

    ***

    ¡°Sammy! Mommy¡¯s home.¡± The little footsteps were fast. She came running down the corridor and jumped into my arms. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been gone so long.¡± She clung to me. My mom walked over and hugged Caleb. ¡°Hi, mom. How are things here?¡±

    ¡°The compound is alive again. Everyone moved into either their old houses or occupied empty ones.¡±

    ¡°Having fun playing major.¡± My mom slapped me softly on the forearm. ¡°We should put you in charge of Earth relations.¡± She pulled Sammy and me in and enveloped us in an embrace.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Julie. I hear you were attacked. You okay?¡± I shook my head. It was awful waking up like that. Naked and tied to a block. Men all around us. Charlene was passed out next to me. If it weren¡¯t for the drugs that wore off and Charlene¡¯s convulsing. We would¡¯ve been raped. Right next to each other. The camp after that had gone crazy. I couldn¡¯t understand what was happening or why they would care. The men had turned her over quickly. When they saw that emblem, they stepped away like she was the holy grail. My mom slowly stroked my hair as I told her the story, and Sammy wiped the tears away. I had been holding it together for so long.

    ¡°Caleb, will you check my nightstand for the plate. Put it into Louis¡¯s hands.¡± He watched me with concern.

    ¡°Go, Caleb.¡± My mom said softly.

    ¡°Yes, mam.¡± I chuckled. Caleb kissed Sammy on the cheek. She giggled and squirmed in delight. The moment was so surreal. Three generations together. Even though I wanted a peaceful life. Full of joy and happiness. Everything that had happened might not have brought me peace. Regardless, excitement and short periods of happiness I had in abundance.

    Warden sat on the patio and seemed bored with his lot in life. I approached him cautiously. The man didn¡¯t like me after all. ¡°You and Sammy not getting along? A little different watching so closely?¡± I put Sammy down and took her hand. ¡°You tired of Uncle Warden,¡± I asked her. She shook her head and leaped into his arms. He fell back on the deckchair, lifting her in the air, and held her there. ¡°You can always go join the fight. I¡¯m sure we can work something out if you want to transfer, Warden.¡±

    He placed her on a bent knee. Warden glanced up at Jessy. ¡°No, we are where we need to be. Action always follows you. And being connected to her¡­ Is a worthy life.¡± Warden never gave me an ounce of regard. If I ever needed to hear the truth from anyone. He would be my first choice.

    ¡°Woof! Woof!¡±

    All our heads turned to the red gates. ¡°What the hell?¡±

    A scruffy, thinly built dog came running into the yard. It was going crazy, running here and there. Sammy was jumping up and down and screeching, following it. Her arms moved excitedly next to her body. She probably thought it was a new furry friend. Warden followed and tried to catch up to her. It was under his feet, and he scrambled to not step on it.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Caleb had left my door open. Katty, hearing the commotion, came strutting out. She piled down on the dog. Her hair stood straight up on her back, her tail puffed up in the air, and her legs firmly planted as she hissed forward in catlike leaps of dominance. The little dog turned around and barked at my cat.

    ¡°Sammy, help Katty.¡±

    ¡°Jessy, catch that dog.¡±

    It was a circus, as the men tried to get a hold of it. Sammy picked up Katty around the waist in her chubby arms. She got scratched in the process and shook the cat in her tight grip. Tears soon followed, but she wouldn¡¯t let go. My mom and I were laughing. My mom¡¯s hand covered her mouth. ¡°Where did it come from?¡± She tried to ask.

    ¡°Canada,¡± Carl said.

    ¡°You don¡¯t say. Is it yours?¡±

    ¡°No! That ugly thing!¡± Carl sighed. ¡°It means Lyla is close.¡±

    ¡°Lyla?¡±

    ¡°Jessy, we¡¯ll have to find her. A short brunette with lots of teeth. Her feed is in the tunnels.¡± Carl and Jessy disappeared out the red gates. Warden had the puppy at the scruff of the neck and tossed her into the pool. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sammy yelled.

    The little mutt came up for air and settled in the pool, swimming for her life to find a way out. Warden bent down and lifted the dog in the air, looking at her belly. ¡°She needs to cool down.¡±

    ¡°Put her in one of the rooms.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mam.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. Sammy stretched out her arm. ¡°Ouch!¡±

    ¡°Yeah. You have an ouch. Let¡¯s go make it better. You were so brave. I¡¯m so proud of you. Katty is safe now.¡±

    I glanced back at the gate. Agatha and my mom were signing at each other. I followed the interchange. The dog had appeared in her house out of nowhere.

    ¡°Mommy, come.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m coming. I¡¯m coming.¡±

    Rodrigo, just appearing at that meeting one day, came to mind. There was an entrance to the tunnels in her house.

    ***

    Carl

    Lyla was becoming a pain in my ass. Jessy and I headed for the tunnels. All I had to do was check her feed to know where she was. Jessy stepped into the room. The men scrambled to their feet and stood away from their desks and screens. Chris was on Palmyra. I saw Selena in the feed with him. Louis, Marcus, and Michael were busy with troops all over En-gannim. I drew in a breath at the size of the army they were deploying. How I longed to be there. Not on Earth chasing some girl.

    I glanced at her feed. ¡°There is nothing. It¡¯s dark. When was the last time this was active?¡±

    ¡°About a day ago.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you fixed it? Where was her last location.¡±

    He rewound the feed until we could still see her. Jessy¡¯s hand stilled in the air. ¡°What!? Who is that?¡±

    ¡°My father,¡± Jessy said pensively.

    ¡°Your dad?¡± I stepped closer. ¡°He looks ancient.¡±

    ¡°He is.¡±

    The feed was paused before it went dark. ¡°Where is that?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the diner at the Colosseum¡­ They are in the tunnels.¡±

    ¡°What? Here!? Oh, that¡¯s how the dog ended up above ground. Lyla made one mistake.¡± Jessy nodded and stepped out, glancing down the dark path, listening with his hairy ears. ¡°Why did her feed stop?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think?¡±

    ¡°Your father?¡±

    ¡°Resourceful bloke. You don¡¯t want to cross him.¡±

    Jessy glanced at me. ¡°Are you up for a walk?¡±

    ¡°We have to. Lyla is my responsibility. If she got this far.¡± I glanced back at the room filled with buckets and tubes. ¡°I¡¯ve already failed.¡±

    ***

    Lyla

    Gigi was gone. Nevin couldn¡¯t hear her, and there wasn¡¯t time to go looking for her. I felt terrible for her. They would kill her, or she would get lost in the darkness. Nevin headed down the dark corridor. I was following slowly. It wasn¡¯t long before Nevin grabbed my flashlight and put it off. He pushed me into one of the rooms. ¡°They know we are here. Jessy is coming.¡±

    ¡°What do we do?¡±

    ¡°Stand still. Don¡¯t move or make a sound.¡± He pushed me in behind the large steel door and opened it wide to cover me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave, please.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t. I have weed.¡± I wanted to protest. It wasn¡¯t the best time to light a joint. Carl¡¯s voice faded in and out. How did he find me? The two men¡¯s footsteps grew louder. ¡°Don¡¯t stop puffing! Blow the smoke into the corridor.¡± Nevin held up the small paper roll in front of my mouth. The lighter soon followed after I took the joint and placed it between my lips. Nevin shook the flame slightly. It flickered in the darkness when I wouldn¡¯t puff and light it. Nevin drew in a long, deep breath. I leaned forward and took the first drag. It was so dark around us I couldn¡¯t see a thing, but I supposed he could. I kept smoking and poked my head around the corner with every ball of smoke coming from my lips. Nevin creaked the door. The steps became more hurried, and when I heard them wavering outside, a ¡°thud¡± followed.

    ¡°Lyla, come out.¡± Nevin grabbed the joint. I heard the scrunching of his foot on the floor.

    ¡°I¡¯m in here, Carl.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a gun, do you?¡±

    ¡°You know I do.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s probably got its safety on.¡± Carl quipped.

    I had not seen Nevin move or heard him. Nevertheless, the swift blow to Carl¡¯s head and then a second thud was very audible.

    Nevin¡¯s soft voice came from far down the tunnel. ¡°You can come out.¡± He inhaled deeply to catch his breath. ¡°I¡¯ll have to stay here.¡±

    I giggled. ¡°If I knew weed could knock out a vamp. Can you imagine? Earth would have one way of controlling you.¡±

    Nevin shook his head. The weed had taken effect, and the troubles ahead didn¡¯t seem so great. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have mattered. You would all be high and in some drugged trance.¡± I giggle at the images flashing in my mind. You will have to pull the boys into the room and close the door.¡± It took me a while to manage in my state. ¡°Bolt the door on the outside.¡±

    ¡°Jessy? Your son? You didn¡¯t tell me he was so handsome.¡± I was shining the glare of the flashlight into his eyes.

    Nevin, a little irritated, pushed the flashlight down to my feet. ¡°He¡¯ll learn his lesson.¡±

    He prompted me forward, and we walked down the corridor, made a turn, and walked until we were outside another room. The door was open. The men inside were loud. Something was going on, and they were having fun watching some TV screen. Nevin pushed me into the office. I scanned the room. It was large and well-decorated. What were they doing there?

    The men jumped to their feet when they saw Nevin, and he ordered them to take the day off. There were a few glances between the men. ¡°Now!¡± He thundered. Nevin didn¡¯t look up, and the men left the room.

    ¡°Okay. So now what?¡± I asked stupidly.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time! Why didn¡¯t I think about you being in this condition before I asked you to get high.¡±

    Nevin told me to sit down and hurriedly started waving tubes in the air. He was frustrated as every image in the sky didn¡¯t produce the content he was hoping for. After a few more tries, Michael appeared in the sky. A thin, scrawny-looking resemblance to the man I saw at the farm. Almost emaciated and pale, unrecognizable. It had jolted me out of my stupor, and I grabbed a sugary drink from a small fridge in the corner.

    ¡°For now, we watch. You will have to forward a lot of the feed to find out what happened to your sister.¡± I held out my hand and took the tube from him, holding it for a second. It was all I wanted. The truth. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    The next few months of his life flashed as Michael got better and beat some poor guy in a pub to a pulp. It went on and on in a mundane matter of them bent over books. Michael and Juliet soon traveled to another planet. Caleb was there. Chris was there. I forwarded the next part relatively fast. They were back on Earth. All of them together in France. I forwarded some more. The next scene I couldn¡¯t understand¡­ Juliet bent over a table. Marcus and Louis were holding her down. I frowned, brought the feed back to real-time, stood up, and watched the next part slowly, cranking up the volume.

    Nevin wrung his hands in agitations. ¡°Branding?¡± What could she and Michael be talking about? After a horrific scene of him burning her with a makeshift branding iron¡­ Michael turned into all three aliens. All in succession and disappearing. I had to sit down. ¡°Extraordinary! No wonder they don¡¯t want us to know.¡± I was glad I was not alone.

    ¡°You have not seen your sister die.¡± The words left me bereft of the tiny victory I had in my hands. ¡°You will be safe here.¡± He handed me a veil.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Will make sure the coast is clear. I¡­ think it best you watch the next part by yourself. If you need to get out, all you have to do is take the elevator to the ground floor and walk out with the veil on. No one will care who you are. I will find you.¡±

    Nevin quickly left the room, and the elevator dinged. I kept watching with a veil clutched in one hand and a black tube in the other. I forwarded it again, forgoing all the drama in between. When I saw myself on the screen, I knew the time had come. In a minute, I would see Lucy die. Was knowing better than not knowing. Was it going to change anything?

    It was as if she was there one moment, kissing Michael and him pushing away from her. A moment later, her body was lifeless. One twist of her neck in his big hands and she was dead. For all the dread I had feared, a sigh of relief escaped my lips. She had not suffered. Lucy was dead when he started bleeding her dry and biting into her in a deranged manner. The tears still rolled down my cheeks. I flung the tube through the air and spun around. ¡°I need to get out!¡± Nevin was right. I needed air and space.

    The sunlight was so bright it took me a moment to accustom myself to the outside world. I don¡¯t know how long I walked down the road. A sign said market. It was still quiet around the compound. Only a few vamps were up and about. I walked until I recognized the shop. The one Juliet and Marcus used to go into to get to the bookstore in the back. I lifted the tarp and stepped through. It was barren, and the couches were gone. The door in the back closed and bolted. No books. Nothing.

    ¡°I take it you found what you were looking for?¡±

    Nevin¡¯s steady voice was a balm to my nerves. Would I expose all their secrets? ¡°How do I get the feed on something human?¡±

    ¡°You drag and drop.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll show you. If you are certain.¡±

    ¡°Where did you go?¡±

    ¡°Same as you. I went to the farm. I watched Willa¡¯s feed.¡±

    I checked my watch. It hadn¡¯t been that long since he had left me. I glanced at my bag. He must have taken the key at some point. It didn¡¯t bother me because his face was as white as mine. The shared pain and anguish were written in our eyes. ¡°May I ask?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Do you regret it?¡±

    He nodded. ¡°Jessy was right¡­ She was brutally beaten to death. Kicked, and her face slammed into the floor like she meant nothing.¡±

    ¡°Why? Why did they do that?¡± I asked.

    Nevin¡¯s hand started shaking, and his body trembled. ¡°They asked her if she wanted her tongue cut out and go back to Lucius. Or get beaten to death.¡±

    ¡°She chose the latter.¡± He tried to steady himself. It was in vain. Nevin¡¯s knees gave way, and he fell back.

    ¡°Nevin! Are you okay? Should I get Jessy?¡±

    He clasped my wrist. ¡°Why did she not kill herself? Get a message to me? On En-gannim, the women had so many suicides¡­ Willa had so many opportunities. Choices she could rather have taken.¡±

    ¡°Hope¡­¡± I said. Nevin looked me dead in the eye. ¡°She was your child. If I had a father like you. I would¡¯ve been different as well. Willa was just different.¡± Nevin broke down in ragged sobs. I pulled out my phone. I pressed on Carl¡¯s number.

    Carl [ When I find you. I¡¯m going to kill you ]

    Me [ Please send someone to the bookstore ]

    It was quiet, and the line went dead. I wrapped Nevin up in my arms and held him. ¡°You have to get out, child.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡±

    After some time, the stomping of feet came through the store. The tarp lifted. I glanced up. Jessy took in the scene. Juliet pushed past him.

    ¡°Jessy. What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my father.¡±

    ¡°Your dad?¡± Juliet spat out harshly.

    She stepped closer and touched Nevin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Are you okay? Did something happen?¡±

    ¡°He saw how his daughter died.¡± Juliet¡¯s head turned to Jessy. ¡°Your sister? When? What happened?¡±

    Juliet rested her hand on his back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss, sir. We will find who did this.¡±

    The sheer audacity this little woman possessed. It rankled and made me blurt out, ¡°You already killed the guy!¡± Juliet looked at me.

    ¡°Lucius,¡± Jessy said softly behind her.

    Juliet glanced up at him. ¡°You should have told us.¡±

    I snorted and knew what I had to do. It couldn¡¯t go on like that. Juliet deciding who lived or died. Them fumbling their way around. The literal universe in the balance. ¡°What makes you think you can play god like you do.¡± Juliet looked back at me.

    ¡°What? God?¡± She scoffed. ¡°I have one simple task in my life. Protect those who I love. Just because you couldn¡¯t protect your sister is not my problem. We all have to face death. And¡­ the rest is just a bunch of choices.¡± Juliet got up and stared me down. She was taller than me. Much taller. ¡°You have made yours, Lyla. Now, do what you have to. Leak it all. Let every human try branding and see them eat the people around you. If they do not die when they start hopping from galaxy to galaxy. And you think humans will rally with you?¡± She sneered in disgust at my naivete. ¡°Jessy. Carl. Pick him up and take him away.¡±

    Jessy couldn¡¯t move.

    ¡°Take him to his wife,¡± I said.

    ¡°Your mother is still alive?¡± Juliet asked Jessy.

    Jessy bobbed his head once. ¡°She¡¯s on one of the islands.¡±

    Juliet was fuming. ¡°She better be on one of ours!¡± She poked him in his chest with an outstretched finger. ¡°Or you might as well leave. What is the point of you protecting me but do not take me into your confidence.¡± She spat. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know you had a family. You lied to me.¡± Carl stepped past and helped Nevin up. Nevin¡¯s ragged human steps were back. His back hunched, and his limbs shaking.

    ¡°Jessy, snap out of it.¡± Jessy glanced from his father to her. ¡°Now.¡± He suddenly moved. ¡°Carl, make sure all our feed gets published!¡± Juliet said but paused. ¡°Only the parts Lyla allows.¡± She glared at me. ¡°I¡¯ll await my death sentence with peace. Let¡¯s see them crucify her when Ian invades.¡±

    ¡°We will fight back. You die just as easily as us.¡± I retorted.

    The blow came swiftly and painfully. Juliet had struck me with a flat hand as hard as she could. I stumbled and fell to the floor, looking up at her manifested face. Her eyes were as white as snow. Louis grabbed her around the waist and dragged her out. ¡°Let me go. Louis, so help me.¡± He kissed her on her hair. She went ballistic. I clutched my cheek and tried to rub the pain away. Carl held out his hand to me. ¡°Is she all there?¡±

    Carl laughed. ¡°No¡­¡± the smile stayed on his mouth. ¡°You ready for the s- storm you so wished for.¡±

    ¡°Well, no. Now I¡¯m doubting.¡±

    Louis stepped back through the tarp. ¡°Carl take her to En-gannim.¡±

    Carl¡¯s smile fell. ¡°Louis, no.¡± He protested.

    ¡°Juliet can¡¯t make this decision. Lyla was your responsibility. Do you want a bullet to the head? She is human. They will decide.¡±

    Carl¡¯s glance went from Louis to me, and he shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re going to be judged by the men in charge. If you think Juliet makes any decisions. She doesn¡¯t.¡±

    Another familiar face stepped through the tarp. I shrunk back and moved in behind Carl. ¡°Please. No! Don¡¯t take me.¡± I yanked on Carl¡¯s shirt. ¡°Help me, Carl. Please.¡±

    The stern face hovered over me and picked me up by the shirt. Kubra¡¯s eyes glared at me. Black as night with those unthinkable beautiful spirals of white galaxies in his eyes. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯ve done.¡± Kubra tossed me over his shoulder.

    ¡°We told you. Your parents are going to lose another child. Why did you call me? You could¡¯ve done what you wanted and hidden somewhere.¡± Carl said, trailing behind Kubra.

    ¡°Nevin! Please help me.¡± There was an audience outside of onlookers. Marcus stood to the side, perched on a steel table, gliding his tongue over his teeth. Louis¡¯s relaxed demeanor with a cigarette hanging from his lips. Michael appeared out of nowhere. ¡°Juliet is¡­ contained.¡± He laughed. Marcus bobbed his head.

    Kubra tossed me at Michael. The massive beast caught me in one hand and held me above his head. My feet dangling like Juliet¡¯s had that night with Qadir. Out of nowhere, the warning Sita had left me made sense. A few simple lines on a Post-it. ¡°Do not underestimate the wall around her. Take your time. Be careful. Do not let your goals become your downfall.¡±

 Temptation

    191. Temptation

    Chris

    I had the pink, shiny stone in my hand. The water was still trickling over every crevice I could see. All I had to do was place it in every part of what looked like a door and see if it was a key of some sort. I wished and hoped that one of the rooms would open to reveal more secrets and some answers. I pushed it into the crevice that looked like a keyhole of the first stone arch carved out in the wall. Nothing. I tried the next one. Nothing. The men were trailing me, giving opinions, hovering, and peering over my shoulder. Knowing Soren had helped Ian was a blow to all of us. We all had different theories as to what was going on. Did he not tell me he would not hurt her. Was it so easy for him to push Juliet aside and give the enemy such an advantage? I was desperate, and he was now an uncertainty. Every moment, I felt weaker and weaker. I couldn¡¯t understand it.

    ¡°Try rolling it in the water. Sliding it through it. I don¡¯t think it would be a mechanical thing.¡± The lead scientist said. I bent down and pushed it over the ground. The stone wobbled and rolled through the falling water. It didn¡¯t work. I submerged the rock in the cold pools on the floor, swishing it back and forth a few times. ¡°It¡¯s not water,¡± I said softly. ¡°It¡¯s not the rock of the mountain,¡± I said as I tried hitting it against the surface to maybe ignite the supernatural power it would yield.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try another option.¡± Selena¡¯s voice came from behind me.

    I glanced over my shoulder, smiling. ¡°Any ideas.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you want to open all the doors at once, wouldn¡¯t it make sense that there is a place that could do it. Some distinct surface in the embassy. It¡¯s so big. It could literally be anything in there.

    I glanced over to the men. ¡°She is right. It has to be two specific surfaces that match.¡± The one scientist said.

    My head fell down in defeat. I pushed up on my bent knee, buckling. Selena¡¯s arms reached out, and she helped me steady myself. ¡°We better get started.¡± I glanced around the room for anything strange-looking. Something different than the dark stone the mountain was made of. The only thing down there was the rock and water. I was so sure it would work.

    The plate Marcus had used to operate the tunnels was the only thing that differed from anything we had seen. It was in the shape of a glass ball with an opening at one end. It was filled with water. ¡°Have you found anything on that thing?¡± I tossed the stone at the lead scientist. He fumbled but caught it. He tapped it on the glass. Again nothing. He tried placing it inside and moving it around in the water. Nothing.

    ¡°You guys take the floor with the desks in. See if anything there seems to help, and take that ball with you.¡± Excitedly they scurried off, huddled and murmuring among themselves. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked Selena.

    ¡°Juliet thought you should have someone to protect you. She was right. You look bad.¡± I chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re so useless now. I outrank you.¡±

    ¡°That you do! I¡¯m sure we still bleed the same.¡± I sat down on one of the rocks and looked up at her. ¡°Will you sit with me? I want to catch my breath.¡± I needed to talk to her. We had not had any time together. Selena¡¯s smile was infectious. She punched me on the shoulder. ¡°Ouch! What was that for.¡± I rubbed the spot for effect.

    The water softly dripping around us sounded like light rain in the background. Selena¡¯s smile slowly drifted away. ¡°That was for getting into that thing in the first place.¡±

    I squared my shoulders, turning slightly to her. ¡°You¡¯re upset with me?¡± The side of my mouth quirked up. ¡°That¡¯s new! All we ever fought about was that I wouldn¡¯t sleep with you.¡±

    Selena laughed. ¡°Those days seem so far away¡­.¡± She ran her fingers through the water and gathered some in her palm. She pouted her lips and drank the water. As soon as she swallowed, she coughed and gagged. ¡°Yuk! What is that?¡±

    I snickered. ¡°It¡¯s salt water. You are so stupid.¡± I sighed, chastising myself inwardly. I kept making the same mistake. Doing things I did with Juliet with Selena. I did love her. But was I in love with her. Is there really such a big difference between being in love and love.

    ¡°Just like on Earth? They have oceans too?¡±

    I nodded, still chuckling. Selena gathered some more and threw it at me. I wasn¡¯t going to play with her. I swallowed hard, preparing myself. The words were on the tip of my tongue, and I needed to get them out. Her eyes searched my face. ¡°Selena¡­ I¡¯m sorry about what you had to go through.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°When I saw you with that thing on your face¡­ Being controlled like that.¡± In a way, I was disappointed that Selena had been on Earth. Juliet had made a decision without asking me.

    ¡°It¡¯s the same way I felt seeing you in that bed.¡± I took her hand in mine. ¡°So thin and pale. I had never seen you sick in all the time you were on Zoreah. Human and frail.¡± Selena was looking at everything but me. I took in all of her like I always had. Her hair was longer. She had colored it. A silver chain hung from a stud at the top of her ear to the lobe, connected with two fake gems. Piercings. The silver watch caught my attention. A stylish black leather bracelet rested behind it. Her clothes were black leather pants that hugged and stretched over her long legs. A silk light grey, low-cut v-shape shirt hung loosely over her chest. It was low enough that I had caught glimpses of the smooth and tanned slit down the middle of her breasts. Her outfit was finished off with a charcoal leather jacket that stopped below her elbows. I dared to glance up. She was staring down at me. I smiled sheepishly. ¡°Do I not look good? Is my style wrong?¡±

    I cleared my throat. That is not what I was thinking. Selena on Earth made her suddenly more of a person. Human in the right ways and more tempting than she could ever be in those suits on Zoreah. That night, when Juliet had dressed her to perfection, Selena walked out of that room on high heels with her sweet smile, off to go clubbing. Louis never did say anything about where my thoughts had run off to. It was an instant image of my hands pushing up her dress and seating her on the dining room table. Selena would spread her legs and welcome me¡­. I would finally rest myself between her legs and get it out of my system. I had tried to focus on Juliet. Kept my eyes on her. The night got the better of me. I danced with Selena because Juliet was surrounded by Louis and Marcus. I was happy when Ira told her to go back to Zoreah. Where she belonged. When I went there it was only me and her. Slowly, I shook my head. ¡°No, you do. You look good. It¡¯s perfect.¡±

    ¡°We are a far way from home.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s for sure. Do you miss it? Do you regret coming at all?¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°Some of the memories haunt me.¡±

    I tilted my head. ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°Us.¡±

    I squeezed her hand. ¡°Selena¡­ You can take it away. And you can go back.¡±

    She returned the pressure around my fingers and slid her fingers through mine. I forced myself not to glance down and make a big deal of it. Even so, it was the first time she had done that. The warmth of her touch spread through me. The intimacy of such a small gesture. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. You won¡¯t be there.¡± She said softly.

    What was going on? We were somehow on the same page. It was like talking to another person. She had never spoken to me about feelings. I groaned inwardly, realizing what was going on. If Juliet really wanted to do this. I would indulge her. This had Juliet written all over her. Selena had no idea what intimacy looked like. An honest, lasting connection that spanned over space and time. I swiveled my body even closer, letting our knees touch. She glanced down at the feeling. Her eyes came up to mine, and she quickly looked away. Selena was being uncharacteristically shy and vulnerable. It had caught me wholly off guard. Did Selena know what love meant, and Juliet had seen it? Excitedly, I stretched out a hand and caressed my bent fingers over her cheek. She blushed and nervously looked down at our hands. I let my fingers trail over her soft skin and played with the chain around the nape of her neck. Selena would bolt. I knew it. Push her just far enough, and the old Riphath would come back. Show me why I never crossed the line.

    I let go of the chain and changed hands. I took one finger and pulled her chin toward me. What I saw in her eyes was something that I had longed to see. They were dreamy and tender. Her head was slightly tilted, urging me to take that step. I drew in a small, ragged breath. She was moving slowly and not pushing. She didn¡¯t pounce on me or push and prod. Her lips parted. My eyes darted to her mouth, and my fingers kept moving over the skin I could find. Selena leaned in ever so slightly. A new scent filled the air. It was her. All of her. Everything I wanted all those years. What she would have chosen if she had more options. If she wasn¡¯t so ignorant. Did she finally understand, though? She looked like herself. Talked like herself. But she was somebody else entirely. My breathing deepened, fixed in the moment I had yearned for. I had called her bluff, and she had blindsided me.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Are you going to be able to do what she had done? Because if I kiss you. It¡¯s over between Juliet and me. It will be you and me¡­ For a long time.¡± I moved even closer, lifting her leg and placing it over mine. Our lips only inches apart.

    ¡°Are you only going to pass the time in my arms?¡± She whispered.

    ¡°Se¡­le-na¡­.¡± I huskily murmured out her name. ¡°I have loved you for so long.¡± My fingers closed around the nape of her neck to pull her in those last few inches. ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Every time I look at you, I think about how stupid I was.¡± Her voice was low and hoarse. My breathing became more shallow with the anticipation. The one thing I had wanted was there for the taking. I was not thrust into this, manipulated, or controlled by others. Selena was mine, in a way. A weakness I could not let go of. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean to say that I didn¡¯t love you too.¡± I rested my head on her forehead, taking in the moment. She wrapped her arms around me. Would I fall for her embrace? Her fingers tangled in my hair. ¡°On Earth, they say you only know you love someone when you can let them go. You did that for me, and only now can I appreciate it.¡± Her breath was hot on my ear. She was warm, and she smelled good. It wasn¡¯t all sex in that moment. I wrapped her closer in my arms and pressed into her. Would I take the chance? Be her first love experience? ¡°What about Jessy?¡± The words had just slipped out. I was still too much in my mind. Every avenue of regret that could later come up had to be dealt with. I would not share again.

    She pushed away. Her head tilted. ¡°Jessy?¡± ¡°What about him?¡± Her voice was playful, and the seriousness and attraction had instantly disappeared. I flinched and abruptly got to my feet. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You were so close, Chris.¡± The words stung like fire. As if it had branded a moment of insanity into me. It was the exact words that she had always thrown in my face. I quailed, remembering that Juliet got daily updates on my feed. Bullet pointed. I laughed nervously and rubbed my hands over my face, keeping them there as if I was going to be able to hide. Selena¡¯s hand rested on my shoulder, and she pulled me around. ¡°Chris! What about Jessy? What are you talking about?¡± Juliet killed Stevie because Michael considered it. I had done a little more than consider it. The pushy, tall girl was back, and I had screwed up. I thought about going back in time. Just an hour. Please! I begged the universe. Just an hour. I closed my eyes and willed this mistake to have never happened.

    The world around me stopped, and I did go back. Without my powers, without my ability and manifested state of being. But to where? Right in front of Juliet an hour ago. My eyes were not wide in wonder. It closed, and I cursed my stupidity. Thankful that our connection was as easy as desperation. I glanced over her shoulder and dumped it all on Louis. I had never seen anyone giggle like that. His hand covered his mouth. Juliet and Caleb were moving out the door. ¡°What did you forget?¡± She asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t even notice me. Said ¡®hi¡¯ or kiss me.¡± A slow cuss word crossed my lips. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    Louis stepped forward. ¡°Selena was asking where you want her, baby?¡± Louis laughed even more. I glanced over at the tall blond and recoiled at how close I had come to walking away.

    Juliet followed my gaze. ¡°Is that why you¡¯re back? I would have sent you back up. Are you that scared? Is that why Louis is laughing?¡± Juliet and Caleb shared a glance and laughed, walking out. ¡°Selena was on her way.¡±

    I played with the stone in my hand. Since Juliet had disappeared with Michael, jealousy had taken over. I had become obsessed with getting my powers back. So that I could get to her. For what? ¡°Usually, Chris. A deal is sealed and broken with a kiss of death.¡± The cocky Frenchman was back, all smug that he loved her more than I did. Juliet¡¯s words had hurt me. The fact that she would have gone with Louis that night. She never really wanted me. Louis grabbed me by the arm and pushed me out the door into the teleporter cubicle. He took me to that big field where there was no watcher tech.

    ¡°What did I do?¡± I circled myself, crouched down, and came up again.

    ¡°Chris, nothing happened.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? I have to tell her. She¡¯s going to see it!¡±

    ¡°No! Under no circumstances. Ever. We take this to the grave, and you make up for it the rest of your life.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t! I¡¯m guilt-ridden. How could I so easily, after everything do what I just did?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re all taking Sita to our graves. You haven¡¯t told her about what happened on that bed... And frankly, that was worse. Juliet let it go, not knowing.¡±

    I felt like puking. Another secret of my lack of commitment. How easy it was for me to put my hands on anyone else.

    ¡°Do you know what would happen if you told her! Why don¡¯t you play it out and come back again? You will see what I mean. And you are more stupid than I thought if you think one car ride would have made her forget about you! Isn¡¯t that what you said that night. ¡°You have her already.¡±

    I kept circling myself in a nervous attempt to calm my heart. ¡°You had her Chris long before me. You should rather ask yourself what would¡¯ve happened if I had walked away because you slept with her. And need I remind you¡­ You were her first.¡±

    The back of my throat burned as the bile wanted to make its way up and out. ¡°Then why? Tell me why! Once and for all.¡±

    ¡°Chris! It¡¯s such a thin line. You have no idea how she feels about all of you. And me, for that matter.¡±

    ¡°Indulge me.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t explain it. Can you? You guys were never meant to be. But over and over, you guys defied the laws of all the galaxies combined.¡±

    ¡°I almost walked away. If Selena had put her lips on mine at that moment, I would have¡­¡±

    ¡°No! Selena would¡¯ve ruined your life, and you know it! She¡¯s an idiot and would have, a moment after the kiss broke your heart¡­ You¡¯ve wanted to test Juliet for a long time. From the very first day, you came to France. Do you think I never wanted to? I had two days! Two f-ing days to decide if I would share her with, not just you¡­ but whoever she wanted in the future. She wanted Marcus there long before you came. Do you think I made that choice out of what? Love?¡±

    I stopped moving and spun to him. ¡°Why then?¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to,¡± Louis said matter of factly. ¡°I can¡¯t escape how I feel when I only think about leaving her. The way you feel right now! And our courtship was not easy. I managed her. Pushed her down like all the men in her life. Chris, I have made more mistakes than you! Almost kissing the same girl you wanted to for years¡­ If you think about it¡­ It doesn¡¯t mean you don¡¯t love her. You were never really tempted until today. When Selena showed even an ounce of sense¡­ You can¡¯t think that for five thousand years, you would never have any issues between you.¡±

    ¡°S- I feel like I did those few weeks before my first full moon. The same feelings I had that night in the car. I was so jealous before all of it.¡± My hands covered my face. ¡°I couldn¡¯t think straight. I was so angry about you and her. I had walked away from her so many times by then.¡± I paused at my own words, thinking.

    ¡°You chose Sita. Why Chris?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to hurt her. I¡­ I knew I wasn¡¯t good enough. You¡­ were better for her¡­ That something was wrong. I was so angry and confused.¡±

    Louis looked at his phone. ¡°The only thing that was wrong.¡± He glanced up at me and back at his phone. ¡°Was¡­ you were going to manifest. And after that. Have your first full moon coming up.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think? Tell me it hasn¡¯t been yet.¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°Only the twenty-ninth¡­ Would it be that easy?¡±

    ¡°Jeez, I hope so. Traveling through time was just as easy! One full moon and everything falls into place¡­ And after that, I¡¯ll let Silvanus beat me! Just to get over this feeling.¡±

    ¡°It does explain why you felt like you did on Earth. And got your strength back as soon as you landed when you got out of that bed. You were even ready to sleep with Juliet. Your energy was back¡­ If we had not come back and told you about the war. Why you are moving backward on En-gannim.¡±

    ¡°And why my grandfather never recovered.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Earth!¡± We said at the same time.

    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Juliet¡¯s voice came from the building. I glanced at Louis. He was biting the corner of his lip hard. He felt as guilty as me. Lying to her! Again!

    Me [ Read her, you idiot, and find out if she knows ]

    He waved an impatient hand at me. ¡°Chris did something, baby.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    I held my breath. If Louis wanted to tell her. So be it.

    ¡°He traveled back in time.¡± Louis blurted out.

    I blew out the breath I was holding. He had every opportunity to get me out of his life. Louis smirked with all the power he held over us.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°He was desperate, and it kinda just happened. But he also figured out how to get his powers back. I think. We hope.¡±

    Juliet wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°I¡¯ll just go to the tunnels and check. I know by now when your lying¡­ Louis.¡±

    Louis stepped forward, pretending to go back to the building. To indulge her. As he passed her, Louis grabbed her around the waist. ¡°Go, Chris! Make sure!¡± Louis grunted with every elbow he got in his gut. Juliet squirmed in his arms as I literally ran for my life.

    ¡°Come back here, Mr. Rheed! You won¡¯t get away with this!¡±

    I looked at her, kicking and screaming. I felt the same way as I did in that car. How had I been so stupid? All the feelings were the same. How I struggled to love her. She would always be the one that made me cross that line. ¡°Maybe not!¡± I yelled. ¡°But I am the male lead. And I have to try. Aren¡¯t they all douche-bags anyway.¡±

    ¡°Come back. I won¡¯t let this go.¡±

    I left anyway. I would make sure she never found out that my hands had been on another woman.

 Back In Time

    192. Back In Time

    Chris

    While I traveled back to Earth, all the implications of what that hour had cost ran through my mind. What could have happened in that time to change a life? And who¡¯s life? Hopefully, I saved one. All the side effects of what could have been. The problem was I didn¡¯t think at that moment. I had just done it.

    The tunnels were dark, but the flickering lights from the monitors showed me the way to go. It was deadly quiet as I stepped down the hall. A guy peeked out and stepped forward, saluting when he saw me. The men were calm and hard at work.

    ¡°Did Chris really just time travel?¡± One voice from the room came through in the stillness. I couldn¡¯t place his accent.

    ¡°Bloody hell. We wouldn¡¯t know what they¡¯re capable of. The human race is a bunch of dickheads.¡± A British man said.

    ¡°Unless you burn your girlfriend like a cow. Wowie!¡± Another said in the most southern accent I had ever heard.

    ¡°Show me,¡± I said.

    The soldier waiting on attention, went back into the room and sat down. The other men stiffened and moved around in their chairs uncomfortably, except for the southerner. His eyes looked me up and down. ¡°Come, boys. Let¡¯s take it back a bit.¡±

    I scanned all the displays. One was dark. Michael and Marcus were on En-gannim.

    ¡°It really happened?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, sir. We¡¯ve been here the whole time. Nothing much but the meeting you had in her room. Then¡­ you stepped back into the feed.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the first guy that cheated and got your life back.¡±

    ¡°How did you know? Why is the feed working in the field¡­ Nevermind¡­ Jessy.¡±

    I glanced over to the last screen. ¡°Why are you staring at a black screen?¡±

    ¡°Carl was watching some woman causing trouble. Her feed stopped abruptly. We can¡¯t seem to fix it. We¡¯re waiting for Carl to come back. I¡¯ve been trying everything I could.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you want us to do?¡±

    ¡°Delete it. Forever!¡± The British man sat forward and placed his fingers on the keyboard. Louis and Juliet were still in the field. ¡°Wait! Take me back to where I left. I need to know what he told her.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Louis, let me go.¡±

    ¡°Stop! You know you¡¯re like this because of Michael it has nothing to do with Chris.¡±

    ¡°He slept with Selena, didn¡¯t he! I¡¯ll kill them both.¡±

    Juliet manifested and pushed Louis off her. The corner of his mouth lifted in anticipation. They fought for a time. Louis was avoiding and dodging her. Not doing anything to hurt her. Until his knee forced her to the ground, burying her face in the grass.

    ¡°Does it matter if he did?¡± Louis sneered out.

    ¡°You know it does. He has to leave if he chose her. I won¡¯t, I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to say something, but you can¡¯t freak out.¡±

    She moved desperately under him. ¡°Can you not be so emotional right now. And calm down. You¡¯re acting like a child.¡±

    Juliet fought back fervently and put him on his ass. Louis had a way with her and knew just what buttons to push. ¡°You don¡¯t suck at this anymore.¡± He laughed, resting back on his hand.

    ¡°Tell me to calm down again. I dare you.¡± She pointed a finger down at him. Louis got up, and they stood there staring at each other. ¡°Romero said there would be a price every time Chris went back.¡±

    A price? So she was right. It wasn¡¯t going to be that easy. I might have caused some cosmic rewrite.

    ¡°What did you expect! You¡¯ve not been here to tell us everything. We weren¡¯t with you to figure things out. Come on, Juliet. You have to be used to it by now. For f-sake, can¡¯t you face the fact that we all have our own lives?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!? How well it turned out the last time, you guys wanted to live your own lives¡­ And not as a family. Well, I hope it was worth it. We will never know what the price was¡­ If something bad happens, it¡¯s on you.¡±

    ¡°No, baby.¡± Louis¡¯s voice softened, and he took a step toward her. ¡°We just have to make a decision about what is most important. Every day. And work tirelessly to keep it going. You know that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±

    The first tear rolled down her cheek. She swiped it away in that flat-handed way of hers and cussed.

    ¡°How do you think I get out of bed every day?¡± Louis asked. Juliet let the sob she was holding back escape. ¡°You have to face this here and now. Think about how you would genuinely feel if Chris turned away from you. If Marcus leaves. Or Michael.¡± Juliet pressed restless hands into the sockets of her eyes, thinking.

    ¡°See! No matter what I did. Or Chris. You will never stop loving us. For us, it¡¯s choices. Over generations or days. For you¡­ You can never run from who you are. And I can¡¯t fully explain how you work. How your heart gives and gives and never tires. I¡¯ve never come across it, baby. At some point, people grow up. Not you. You are the only person, alien, being that can love so¡­ intensely. All the time.¡± Louis took another step closer and held out his hand. ¡°And that is why I made the choice¡­ when I asked you to marry me. I promised myself! Not you¡­ in some ceremony. Or some paper. I promised myself. I will love you.¡± Juliet looked up at him, and he took another step closer. ¡°Cherish you¡­¡± He put one hand on her cheek. ¡°Comfort you. In good times and in bad! In sickness and health. For richer for poorer, for better for worse, and I was going to forsake all others! Keep myself only for you, Juliet. And not only while we live. Always!¡±

    Tears rolled down her cheeks. I hated my inconstancy. How I didn¡¯t know who I wanted to be as a person. I did resolve to give myself to her¡­ but like that? Louis had shown me why it was the way it was in so many ways.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to pass you along again. And I won¡¯t. You either come to me or start making some of your own choices¡­ From now on, you choose whether you will walk away¡­ You can go sleep with Michael.¡± Louis used a finger and pushed some of her hair behind an ear. ¡°That¡¯s all you can think about anyway.¡± She shook her head. He smiled. The next moment, she stepped into his person and wrapped her arms around him. Louis did the same and closed her in a tight grip. ¡°Oh, baby. It will be okay. Nothing happened that will make any difference. And whatever did happen was for Chris. Not you. I swear¡­ He will be all yours and soon. I promise.¡±

    Her sobs deepened. Louis picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

    ***

    ¡°Cut their feed. None of you watch Louis¡¯s or Juliet¡¯s feed for the next hour.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. We know the rules.¡±

    I chuckled, hoping they did obey that one rule. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. I¡¯ll tell Carl about the woman when I see him again¡­ And I¡¯ll be back. I¡¯m not leaving Earth for a few days.¡±

    Those walls were lined with secrets. Buckets of things no one should ever know. It was a problem for another day. I thought it was time to get rid of it all. Every last tube. I glanced at the monitors. Every last screen needed to go. We lived way too long to have it all recorded... On the other hand, maybe we should just not record it. It has saved our lives a few times.

    Michael and Selena were talking. ¡°What are they saying?¡±

    The southerner pushed his headset backward, ¡°Marcus gave¡¯em an order. The two of th¡¯m gonna go after that vault.¡±

    ¡°Good. One thing we can check off the list.¡±

    Marcus and Kubra were busy in the conference room with all the generals. Men were coming and going, following orders.

    ¡°The book! I have to get it to¡­.¡± I took out my own plate.

    ¡°Not necessary, sir. When Juliet came after you. Caleb went for the book.¡±

    ¡°You guys are really on the ball. Well done. And I will personally put a bullet in each head¡­¡±

    ¡°If we ever tell the missus.¡±

    They all gestured by zipping their lips.

    ***

    Lyla

    The last stretch of the walk was tedious. We had walked from dark to dark, and my eyes were on the ground, focusing on where I would put down my next tread. Nevin had stopped abruptly and walked into what looked like a cave that seemed blacker than the outside world. After he opened the gate and came back out, he took Gigi out of her sling. He bent down and put her on the ground. I wanted to grab her, thinking she would run either into the tunnels or down the stretch of the valley before us. To my surprise, she had sat down. I frowned, ¡°Weird.¡±

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°She usually bolts around like a woman on crack. Wired to the bone.¡± Gigi scratched behind her ear and looked up at me. She was smiling. ¡°I thought she would alert the whole neighborhood.¡±

    Nevin laughed. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s scared of the dark.¡±

    We had walked for so long that day without stopping once to eat, and it was getting to me. I was tired and hesitant to take the next step, following Nevin into the abyss of what lay ahead.

    ¡°So, how far must we walk down this tunnel?¡± I pointed my flashlight at the round structure. It was nothing but cement and a flat surface on the bottom. ¡°Why did they build it anyway?¡±

    ¡°Infected vamps can¡¯t go out in the sun.¡±

    I stopped and stared at him with apprehension. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re long gone. Those that could get out. I let them go¡­ None of them wanted to stay down here in these tunnels. Or go back to En-gannim.¡±

    We walked past so many rooms and barred cages. Wide-open areas that had chains strategically placed on every wall. ¡°What is this place? All these dungeons?¡±

    ¡°Hell, I suppose.¡± After a few bends and winds in the road, lights started flickering overhead as we passed, finding their way to a solid beam. They turned off as soon as we were a bit further along. Nevin put off his flashlight. Gigi had not left my side and walked as slowly as we were. Nevin¡¯s pace slowed. He put a finger on his lips and motioned for me to stay there. He took off his backpack and passed it to me, leaving me at a bend where I could hide.

    He squared his shoulders even more, and the hump he had exaggerated was nonexistent. Nevin cleared his throat in the room. ¡°Sergeant.¡± I heard men scramble and chairs moving.

    ¡°At ease, boys. I want you to take a break. Give me an hour.¡±

    More feet stomped, and four men sauntered off. In the distance, I could see the first permanent light shining. The men disappeared, and the ding of an elevator sounded down the corridor.

    Nevin pointed his flashlight and put it on and off a few times. He closed the door behind us. Gigi went to lie down on the floor. It was so strange that I felt her whole personality had changed instantly.

    I took a good look at each screen. Marcus on one. I stepped closer. I paused. Michael and Selena were in some strange sandy place. It was beautiful. Then I saw it. The Milky Way in the background of their scene. The moon was so close to them. I couldn¡¯t look away. The prospects of other planets. Beautiful places only they got to see. Nevin patted me on the back. He pressed some buttons, and Louis and Juliet appeared on the monitor in a very precarious entanglement. His finger slammed the same button quickly. I snickered.

    ¡°They are so weird. Do these men watch everything?¡±

    ¡°The screen was off, wasn¡¯t it.¡± He giggled. Nevin had a funny sense of humor.

    ¡°Chris was in some room talking to a woman. Signing to her. It had to be Agatha¡­ Cindy came, and she and Chris hugged each other for a long time. I liked Cindy.

    ¡°What is that one for?¡± I asked.

    Nevin rewound the feed. He sped it up till it went back in hours. Nevin and I  appeared on the screen. I bent down to get a closer view. It was of the previous day. ¡°What? They¡¯re watching me?!¡± I wanted to smash the whole setup into bits. Nevin halted me, ¡°It won¡¯t matter. You don¡¯t have the tube. And your feed is cut, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. That¡¯s why Carl and Caleb came to the farm. Why he kept me busy for so long. The audacity! You people. I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± I wanted to scream, thinking Carl had been sitting watching me take a shower and go to the toilet. How many constitutional rights were they breaking? ¡°Is my feed off. Will they be able to see me again?¡±

    Nevin shook his head. ¡°So what do you want to do? We don¡¯t have that much time.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± I pulled out packs of Ziplock bags from my purse. Took one bucket and wanted to empty its contents.

    ¡°They will notice and what will happen then.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if they know. I will be gone. And they can feel how it feels.¡±

    ¡°Lyla, you¡¯re not thinking clearly.¡±

    ¡°I have no choice. Dump it all. I want to empty this place and get out. Are you going to help me or not?¡±

    He held out his hand, and I gave him a few bags. I rummaged through my purse and held out the key in my palm. He stared at it for a second and opened his own hand. ¡°Before I put it down¡­ Do you really want to see how she died?¡±

    ¡°Do you?¡±

    Exasperated by it all, I pushed the key into his hand. ¡°You could have just asked. I¡¯m sure Jessy would have taken you himself.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I haven¡¯t? He told me it wasn¡¯t something I wanted to see. Many times warned me not to go down that road.¡±

    Nevin helped me, and we filled all my gallon bags. Each with a bucket¡¯s worth of black tubes. As I emptied the last one, he took it and pushed it into the backpack. He picked up the other bag and stepped out of the door. I wanted to follow him the way we came. ¡°No. We¡¯re not going out that way.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Look, if you go that way. It will be a chase that you can¡¯t fathom. If you go this way.¡± He pointed to the lit area with the elevator. ¡°You will be somewhere they will never find you. Or think to look.¡±

    ¡°How will I get out?¡±

    ¡°How did you get in?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll come for me?¡±

    He paired our phones, took me by the arm, and led me out. ¡°They will see me.¡±

    ¡°We will hide in this building for the night. I will get you clothes and a veil and after tomorrow... There is a place I can hide you.¡±

    I smiled. It was the perfect disguise. ¡°No one would even ask why, will they?¡±

    ¡°Not a soul.¡±

    I wrapped my arms around his neck. ¡°Thank you, Nevin.¡±

    ¡°If they find you. I won¡¯t be able to help you¡­ But never mind, that¡¯s the worst-case scenario.¡± He patted my shoulder. ¡°Now come. Let¡¯s go.¡±

    All the screens were still recording, but Nevin had given me even that feed he had dumped up till the last second. The rest I would have to live without.

    ***

    We had made ourselves comfortable on the top floor of their so-called Science building. Gigi was sniffing around the deserted room, and by the time the images flashed quickly through the air, she had lain down and closed her eyes. I took a tube out of the five crucial bags and labeled it for four men and one for Juliet. Juliet¡¯s was the least. I figured it was the best place to start. I swiped the first one through the air. Nevin sat forward, busy making me some oatmeal. Marcus and Juliet came into view. I gasped. ¡°It¡¯s where her feed stopped. After she left the house without a veil.¡±

    ¡°Shhh.¡±

    Juliet and Marcus were having a lengthy discussion.  Marcus almost begged her to marry him. ¡°You got to be freaking kidding me. She was fifteen.¡±

    ¡°Shhh.¡±

    Juliet flatly refused. Marcus and Liam exchanged words. They were talking about something that Marcus needed to do. Juliet¡¯s feed couldn¡¯t capture their conversation as soon as she stood beside her mother. I would have to get his feed to fill in the puzzle.

    Then Juliet and her parents were around a table. Liam was stoic, and his usual friendly features were cold. Something was about to happen. Her mother dressed her in the most gorgeous gown I had ever seen. It was a lehenga masterpiece but without the veil. And just like Juliet said, it was more like a wedding dress than anything else. I glanced at Nevin. The feed went on. My blood boiled as the men stared at her. Insulted her. A tall, muscled man walked up to her. He challenged Marcus, kissing her hand, and almost lost his footing with how Juliet looked at him and licked her lips. Liam warned him. ¡°Wait your turn, Lucius.¡± My head snapped to Nevin. ¡°Willa¡¯s Lucius. What a creep!¡±

    Nevin nodded. My eyes quickly returned to the feed.

    Marcus put her down for turning away from the man. Juliet was close to breaking. A tear rolled over my cheek. The bidding started, and I wanted to recoil. She stood on that stage like the animal she was. Lucius won the bid. My breathing accelerated. ¡°Is he going to take her¡­ Is that why they got out?¡±

    ¡°Shh.¡±

    Lucius warned Marcus, and for three days, Juliet paced her room. She cried nonstop and stared at the roof the rest, thinking. I knew the signs of a desperate girl. The third morning, she picked up a knife and left the house running. More tears fell down my cheek. Juliet cried out as she cut her wrists. Her mouth strained as she pressed the blade into the next arm. The blood flowed out freely. There were voices in the background. Juliet had heard them. She ran for the edge of the gorge. I wanted to glance at Nevin. Ask him where he was. Why he wasn¡¯t helping her. He touched my arm as the shot boomed through the air. Juliet hit the ground, leaving a blood trail behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me it was Lucius.¡± Juliet¡¯s eyes were closed, and her face changed. Marcus and Kubra sat down next to her. Marcus was crying. It didn¡¯t look like he knew his cheeks were wet. Kubra was waiting patiently for instructions, wrapping her wrists.

    ¡°Tell me you got her out and that she didn¡¯t marry him.¡± I willed Marcus.

    They picked her up, and he dumped her in the boot. I felt the smile on my lips, relief that he would make her disappear. It was short-lived. They tied her up and gagged her, taping her mouth so tightly. She and Marcus were staring at each other as he closed the boot¡¯s door on her. ¡°What are they doing?¡±

    Nevin patted my arm and handed me the bowl of gloop. I hungrily shoved spoonfuls into my mouth.

    Kubra drove for a long time. ¡°No! Not your father¡¯s house.¡± Kubra didn¡¯t stop in front of the stairs. They kept going down a barren lane and stopped at an entrance. The men carried her into a study. Kubra took over and moved around the room. First, he took a poker and put it on a stand. Kubra lifted her up and placed her on the chair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He whispered. Only muffled noises were heard coming from Juliet. Her cries were desperate and non-coherent. The tears ran down her cheeks and over the tape. Kubra tied her to the chair and left the room. Marcus just stood there. Screams came from the door. Kubra was fighting with someone. If it was Qadir, I would have lost it. The door opened, and Liam came into view. ¡°Help her,¡± I yelled. Liam leaned forward and slowly closed the door. My mouth closed in horror. Marcus turned around, picked up the poker, and stabbed her on her ass. I jumped off the ground, forgetting where we were or how much noise I was making. Juliet passed out, and Liam opened the door again. Soon after, Marcus fell to the floor.

    I flung the tube through the air. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°He branded her.¡±

    ¡°I can see that. Why did Marcus pass out.¡±

    He nudged at the bags lining the wall next to me. ¡°You will soon find out. It¡¯s a long story¡­ And it leads you to the secret you are so desperate for¡­ But enough for now. I need rest. I¡¯ll take Gigi out before we sleep.¡±

    ***

    The next day, Nevin took me by car through the compound. The veil on my head. I wasn¡¯t wholly unfamiliar with how it felt to have a sari on, but the niqab was a little different. It took us a while to get to the outskirts. Juliet¡¯s house came into view. There was no one there. The street was deserted. She was so full of life in that front yard when I saw her as a young girl. It was still well-kept. Nevin stopped the car and helped me carry everything into the house. Gigi relieved herself on the grass and faithfully came back to the heels of my feet. I shook my head. ¡°What has gotten into you?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t walk around without the veil. If you can, stay indoors. Get a feel of how small her world was before you judge her too severely.¡±

    I reached around his neck and hugged him. ¡°Thank You again. Could you bring me some food? Real food. I¡¯m starving.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I will.¡± He smiled and left.

    I didn¡¯t waste any time. I started watching. It was going to be another long day and night.

 Deals

    193: Deals

    Michael

    Selena and I sat patiently waiting while Caleb had gone for the book Louis needed and was now back pacing in front of us. Marcus had already decided for us, but the boy wanted his mother¡¯s approval. ¡°We can¡¯t wait any longer,¡± Selena said. Caleb stopped walking around and sighed heavily. The three of us came out in that field, hoping we would catch the three talking. It was empty. Louis, Chris and Juliet weren¡¯t there. When Chris had come back through the door, his features were constricted. I knew that face. He did something stupid. There was just no time to find out the gossip of the day.

    I longed to wrap Juliet up in my arms. I had been so angry at her for not giving me time. At that moment, I was mad at myself for not embracing what we did have and how much I had wasted because of pride. I could¡¯ve been there for her more than I had been. Juliet¡¯s words kept going around in my mind. ¡°It¡¯s because I respected you more than any of them. I always had.¡± I had broken that trust she had in me, and that was why she was either with Louis or Chris. I would have to wait even longer to have her because I had to prove my submission to the timing of the family. It felt like I wanted to burst, and the only thing I could do was fight to get the lust out of my system. The sex had never bothered me before I changed. I had been in the army for so long that it had become second nature to channel it¡­ somewhere. At that point, it was almost all I thought about.

    The three of us traveled to Romero¡¯s home, no¡­ Charlene¡¯s home and came out to the spot Jessy had created. They were gone, and the tented area lay barren. Romero and his people had cleaned up the campsite where Juliet was attacked, and it was as if they were never there and nothing ever happened. The bodies were buried in what could only be a mass grave. We didn¡¯t have to walk from the bandit¡¯s tents to the valley. Caleb¡¯s teleporting was good. Selena kept up with me on every travel.

    We were on that ledge before I could register how fast everything was moving. When you had two teleporters with you, it changed the dynamics of any mission. It was late into the night by the time we got there. Caleb looked from me to Selena. We were so quiet, making sure Iku would not catch us, and we gave all our cues with hand signals. Caleb disappeared after I gave him the order. Selena and I ducked down behind the rocks. The shadow was moving about, patrolling and listening for any sound. We figured that he had to be done for the night because no more beasts were coming and trying their luck with the shadow. Selena¡¯s breathing was deep. Anxieties were high because we couldn¡¯t see the boy. Only knew he was somewhere down there alone. Caleb would have to wait to catch Iku off guard or until the guy was still for a second too long, which didn¡¯t seem to be going to happen. I grabbed at the rocks in front of me, ready to teleport to his side if he needed help. I wanted to jump up when Caleb came back from his vanished state. He had assessed the situation and saw what I saw. ¡°What is he doing?¡± Selena pulled me back down.

    ¡°Hey! Iku!¡± Caleb yelled behind the shadow towering over him. Iku was fast over the water. The ground shook until he was in Caleb¡¯s face, speaking in loud tones in that foreign language. Caleb waited and said nothing. What was he thinking? The boy needed a beating. I shuddered at the thought. Caleb would probably never be hooked to that pole.

    The shadow circled him and glanced all around until it stopped moving. Iku transformed into his human face. Caleb was fast and teleported behind him, slicing him across the back. The man spun around. The faint red glow of the small switchblade glistened in the moonlight. Iku faltered forward and tried to grab onto Caleb with unsteady hands. The boy took only a tiny step back, disappeared, and was next to me in a second. We waited to see what Iku would do and if the blades would even work on him. Iku¡¯s hand reached for his back, and he looked at the blood on his fingers. He was trying to manifest but couldn¡¯t. He stumbled forward to the entrance of the cave. Selena didn¡¯t hesitate and teleported down. She pointed the gun. The man protested. ¡°Don¡¯t, please. They need me.¡±

    She smiled, and the net propelled forward. As it leaves the gun, at first, it¡¯s all wound up and opens up in front of its target. The net covers and wraps its target and drags whoever is in it to the ground. He tried to move like they all did. It made it worse. By the time Caleb and I joined Selena, Iku was going nowhere.

    ¡°You said you¡¯re undefeated.¡± I joked.

    ¡°You fight with no honor.¡± Iku sneered.

    ¡°Oh, we will fight¡­ But man to man. And then, if I pin you. You will tell me where the vault is.¡±

    He glanced at Selena. ¡°Are you Juliet?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Are you the one I am supposed to fight for the vault? A deal is a deal. Now manifest into a vampire, so I know you are who you claim to be. And where is the stone you are supposed to have around your neck? Selena¡¯s hand reached for the empty space. We didn¡¯t have the stone. Never even thought about it for identification.

    ¡°You are not Juliet, are you? The three of us turned to our manifested forms.¡±

    ¡°Ahhh. Zoreah. I desperately want to go to that city. If I can align with the people there¡­ Could you not get me to talk to their leader for a trade agreement.¡±

    The three of us laughed. ¡°What?¡± Iku asked incredulously.

    ¡°Ahasuerus had an agreement with Ira¡­ You have no idea how many consequences one small post-it can bring about. It will be beyond your control¡­ Didn¡¯t you say you needed to protect these people?¡±

    ¡°I want to take the chance. They will have to find another way to protect their lands. It is why I made the deal in the first place. He would come back for me.¡±

    It would be too tricky to try to work with Ira. It would take too long.

    ¡°Tell us where the vault is, and I¡¯ll drop you off myself,¡± I said, thinking I could at least do that if he would change his mind about fighting Juliet. ¡°At Ira¡¯s feet, and you can plead your case.¡±

    He pulled his gaze from mine. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Why not? Ahasuerus is dead.¡±

    ¡°On Mirach. All you have is your honor. My honor. Here, your words mean something! It will never happen. I would rather die.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t your agreements¡­ expire after death?¡± Caleb tried.

    ¡°No¡­ Not even then. You will not find a race more worthy to have on your side.¡±

    I picked him up and dropped him in his cave. I went back two more times and put the others down. Caleb wouldn¡¯t be able to go that far, and Selena didn¡¯t know where to go.

    ¡°Then I want to trade with you.¡±

    Iku¡¯s face brightened as Caleb undid the weights, happy he could stretch his limbs. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°Time¡­ for time.¡±

    Caleb and Selena smiled again. ¡°I give you my word. Juliet will come and fight you as soon as she is not with child anymore. Man to woman. Not that thing¡­ If you tell me where the vault is¡­ Afterward, you get to go to Zoreah. I can¡¯t promise Ira will accept you. But you will have a chance.¡±

    Iku laughed lightly, got up, and walked towards the water. He disappeared as he went under. The surface shimmered in the moonlight and soon turned a soft red. Caleb had left a nasty cut. Iku¡¯s head came back up, and he exited the pool. Selena joined him and pulled something out of her cargo pants pockets. We all wore camouflage uniforms, and the usually stylish-clad woman seemed more like a warrior that day. Selena was trying to embrace the new life she was thrust into. She gestured to his wounds. Iku regarded her and turned around. Selena dabbed at the gash. After it was dry, she smeared it with ointment.

    ¡°Ssh.¡± His head snapped around.

    ¡°Keep still. Don¡¯t be such a baby.¡± Iku chuckled. Selena put small bandages over the cut and pulled the skin together. She bent down, picked up his robe, and hung it around his shoulders.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She nodded. ¡°You Riphaths are not very far from our kind. You value peace above all else.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why we never make any kind of deals.¡± She said softly.

    ¡°Just so. It does complicate things.¡± He pulled on the robe¡¯s sleeves and tied it around his waist.

    ¡°And minus the monogamy,¡± Selena added.

    ¡°Yes, I would not have been able to have multiple partners. I did have a wife at one point.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about it myself.¡± She answered.

    ¡°Have you finally realized Jessy¡¯s in love with you?¡± Caleb asked. Selena¡¯s face said more than enough. Caleb and I laughed. The smile I thought would come didn¡¯t. Selena¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°If you were thinking about my father. You¡¯re wasting your time.¡±

    ¡°Juliet said I have to make sure.¡±

    ¡°Selena¡­ You can¡¯t break up my family on ¡°making sure.¡± You might change your mind. Where would that leave Chris?¡±

    She faltered, not having an answer.

    ¡°You¡¯re not sure, are you¡­¡± I added. ¡°You¡¯re just playing with the idea. It is all so new to you. How can you even consider it? Juliet is just jealous and wants closure on the subject.¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°We have always danced around it, like Chris would say. But¡­ when you put it like that... It was her idea from the start. She wants Chris to brand me to see what would happen. Isn¡¯t that worse?¡±

    Iku chipped in. ¡°You would have to do it here.¡± The realization dawned. Selena was way too old to do it on Earth. We had no idea what the laws for brandings were on other planets. ¡°By the looks in your eyes¡­ them mating would be out of the question.¡± I pulled in the air through clenched teeth. Caleb softly whistled. ¡°Nevertheless, this is all very entertaining. Will you join me for supper?¡± Iku stretched out an arm toward his tent.

    ¡°First, tell us. Will you accept the offer,¡± Caleb asked.

    Iku thought about it. ¡°How will I bind you to your word. With Ahasuerus, it was easy. If he lived, he would return for his most prized possession.¡± He glanced at Caleb.

    I pulled the boy in behind me. ¡°No! That won¡¯t do.¡± I thought for a moment. ¡°The queen of this place is her best friend. After Caleb, Charlene is one of the things she will come for. As the queen can¡¯t leave¡­ you have your reassurance.¡±

    ¡°How far along is this, Juliet?¡±

    ¡°Four months.¡±

    He glanced at the moon. ¡°She will not manifest! If she does. I will as well.¡±

    ¡°Michael, wait! Are you sure?¡± Selena asked.

    ¡°Can she use any abilities?¡± I went on. We were on the right track.

    He regarded me and glanced over at Caleb. ¡°You mean the disappearing act¡­ Why not?¡±

    ¡°Weapons?¡±

    ¡°What kind?¡± He glanced at the guns around our legs.

    ¡°Normal steel short blades.¡± I smiled.

    Fine. ¡°How tall is she?¡±

    We all glanced at Caleb. ¡°Good. A young vampire with two short swords. I think I will manage. I won¡¯t be breaking my word. Make sure she knows the parameters of the battle.¡± He glanced up at the moon. ¡°How will we work out the time.¡±

    ¡°Earth has a full moon every thirty days. Give us Eight more, and she will come.¡±

    ¡°Good, I agree. Be warned! Our honor runs deep. But our vengeance is swift. If you decide to go against me. The queen will die on the last day of the eighth moon.¡±

    ¡°She will probably be here by the end of the seventh just to make sure,¡± Caleb said.

    ¡°If she forgives us for making the deal.¡± I ventured.

    ¡°With all the formalities out of the way. Will you please join me? I would like to hear all about this¡­ Jessy, you are avoiding talking about.¡± He smiled at Selena.

    I stepped forward. Iku turned around just before we entered the tent. ¡°Juliet has to come alone. No audience¡­ And¡­ If you intervene in any way, I will kill all of you.¡±

    ¡°She will not have it any other way.¡± I faked a smile. My insides were twisting. What had I done? He didn¡¯t say she couldn¡¯t use her white eyes and big mouth. Regardless, Juliet wouldn¡¯t be able to train for months. He watched me closely. ¡°One last chance to back out.¡±

    I glanced at Caleb. ¡°You make the call. I¡¯m too¡­ emotionally invested.¡±

    ¡°Like I¡¯m not?¡±

    ¡°And she has to bring that stone.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re making a lot of demands. I feel we¡¯re getting the bad end of this deal.¡±

    ¡°You get the secrets of the universe¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an unfair trade at all.¡± If you step through the door. The deal is sealed. Caleb stepped through, and there was nothing for it.

    ***

    After a lengthy dinner and a few drinks, Iku got up. He stepped out of the tent, and we followed. He walked up a small stone embankment on one side of the pool of water. The high wall cordoned off the little pond he bathed in. At the top, there was an opening in the mountain. A sort of window. All be it a large one that gave way to, I guessed, a view. As we came to the top, the gusts of strong winds hit us repeatedly. My feet were unsteady as I saw only water as far as the horizon from left to right. Their ocean fitted out with giant rolling waves. The three of us were speechless, gazing down as the enormous walls of water hit the mountain, shaking the ground under our feet. Selena took several steps back. She grabbed Caleb by the arm and pulled him away from the ledge. ¡°It¡¯s at the bottom of those waves. Under the water, there is a tunnel. It would take me one trip to get it if I was myself.¡± Iku said, glancing at us in turn. ¡°You don¡¯t swim¡­ You will have to wait till I am better and come back.¡±

    I remembered Romero¡¯s warning to stay in Riphath form, but we had come so far. Even though I knew in the pit of my stomach that it might cause problems in the future, I turned into a wolf. Iku stepped back. His mouth gaped for a few moments, then he stuttered out the words, ¡°You! Are¡­ not¡­ a Riphath.¡±

    I shook my head and glanced at the water. ¡°But I do swim.¡±

    ¡°Where exactly?¡± Caleb asked.

    It took Iku some time to answer, and breathlessly, regarding me, he said at last, ¡°Against the mountain, close to the breaking waves.¡± I couldn¡¯t place what his features portrayed or why my Ittoqure form had shocked him. Another wave hit, and the mountain creaked under the pressure of its force. Flashes of our time on Palmyra ran through my mind. When I had to save everyone. It didn¡¯t feel like four months ago. It felt like yesterday that I almost drowned. I waited for the next wave to crash and dove in when the water seemed calm. I drew in a deep breath before I hit the water. The swimming was easy, and I glided effortlessly down into the darkness. I could feel the current pull on me and had to swim harder. I needed to get under it before it smashed me into the rocks. There would be no one coming to rescue me if I got knocked out. How would I have teleported out if I had nothing to find footing on. I kicked hard and dove fast with every stroke of my arms. The next wave barely missed my feet. I swam even deeper. The little tunnel appeared. I wouldn¡¯t have seen it if I weren¡¯t in my werewolf form. My eyes widened in gladness. I willed myself into the circle of darkness, hoping it wasn¡¯t a trap. It wound up into the mountain as the water became quieter and, at last, produced the end of the most challenging part. I gasped and coughed, swimming for the ledge. My eyes caught sight of the chests lining the walls all around me. What did Ahasuerus hide away? Did he have that many coordinates? I pulled myself out with black nails digging into the rocks. Very glad I had to do that only once. I fell down on the rocks, my back on the cold surface, heaving and trying to catch my breath. All the thoughts of Juliet and me between the sheets were banished from my mind.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    I traveled out the first chest and put it down at Caleb¡¯s feet near Iku¡¯s tent. Caleb threw his arms around me. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again.¡± I ruffled his hair.

    ¡°I don¡¯t need to.¡±

    I made the trip several more times. After I put down the last chest, Iku was still glaring at me with a wild expression. If he was not cut. I would¡¯ve died. I changed into a vampire and stared him down. He took another step back and then forward toward me. He touched my face. ¡°It is your kind¡­ that wiped out mine. That much power?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy.¡±

    ¡°I can well imagine. Any more?¡±

    ¡°The Queen. Charlene.¡±

    His teeth gritted, and his upper lip pulled up into a sneer. ¡°Yazen allowed it?!¡± Iku said in a raised voice.

    ¡°The branding took place in the dark city. Romero was besotted.¡±

    He pointed out to sea. ¡°My mate is on an island out there somewhere. They took her and hid her away. Thousands of years ago. It was such a fight, such a war, and out of spite¡­ they left her there. No way for us to get together.¡±

    ¡°You could¡¯ve built a boat,¡± Caleb said.

    He spun around. ¡°Do you think I did not try?¡± Iku snapped.

    ¡°Do you want to change the deal? And I¡¯ll go get her right now.¡±

    The mixture of emotions on his face ranged from excitement to incredulity to utter defeat. So much for honor. Would he cave and give in to what seemed to be his one weakness? ¡°How? You have no point to travel to.¡±

    ¡°Earth has its way of covering water. I can get a seal team here in a few minutes, and we will find her with flying machines.¡±

    Iku spun around, biting the nail on his thumb. The first human thing I had seen him do. ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk to Yazen.¡± He went back into the tent.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this stuff back. He needs to think.¡± Selena prodded.

    I disagreed and left.

    ***

    Lyla

    I had watched all the footage and had to sit down when Michael turned into all three aliens. One after the other. I stared out the window. Although it was only a mountain around the little house. It was enough for me at that moment. They had not even known. The adults played them so perfectly. I couldn¡¯t even fathom the implications.

    If Earth was made aware that two lovers could turn into¡­ something. At the same time. How many couples... human partners would be so unconditionally connected to claim that privilege. Who of us on that god-forsaken rock kept loving the other no matter what. A second marriage had almost seventy percent of failing. Even if it were just a few. The one percent that really loved each other... It would change everything. We, as humans, would have a chance of surviving... No¡­ The Earth would be filled with them in a few hundred years. Humans would all but disappear, be eaten, and killed as rivals in some horrific cannibalistic ritual. I got up and walked through the house. It was smaller than the apartment my parents could afford. They were one of the lucky couples¡­ But true love? Really? And how did we come to be? Who was first?

    I put on my veil and opened the door. I had to get out. The small space was suffocating me. I glanced back as I closed the door, remembering what Nevin had asked me to do. Juliet had lived there for fifteen years. Not allowed to leave the boundary of the small plot. For the first time, I doubted knowing. Nevin had been right. Was it fate that put me in this position?

    As I walked down the road, I saw that there were vampires in almost every house. The others were in human form. They had to be Werewolves. How did it feel to be dumped on a foreign planet? Away from your home, family, and friends because you did something stupid. Freedom of speech took on a whole other meaning for me. I kept walking and walking. The market was bustling that day. There were some women in veils, talking and laughing. Some covered only their hair, and others without anything. The two species had one distinction. One woman was nothing. The other they ruled. And not only was the Werewolf planet empty, but Juliet and her four men had wiped out a race. There were still gaps in what I had learned.

    The familiar supermarket came into view. I stepped in and lifted the tarp in the back. It was barren, and the couches were gone. The door in the back closed and bolted. ¡°I take it you found what you were looking for.¡±

    Nevin¡¯s steady voice was a balm to my nerves. Would I expose all their secrets? ¡°How do I get the feed on something human?¡±

    ¡°You drag and drop.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll show you. If you are certain.¡±

    ¡°What did you do last night?¡±

    ¡°I went to that house.¡±

    I turned to see what his face looked like. ¡°May I ask?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Do you regret it?¡±

    ¡°No. I want to thank you.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°You didn¡¯t watch Willa¡¯s death, did you?¡±

    He shook his head. ¡°I did see her get born. Watched every minute I could of how happy she was. There is still a lot I need to get through. He lifted the bag in the air. I smiled again.

    ¡°I have to say. I don¡¯t think I want to see Lucy die, either.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t watch it?¡± I shook my head. ¡°When I got to that part where I saw us in that club. I skipped ahead. The secrets up until that point were enough. When we get a chance... will you watch it for me?¡±

    He held out his arm. ¡°Come, you have to eat. There are pens with alien cows you can buy. You can taste one.¡±

    Nevin and I spent the day together in that house. In different rooms but watching nonetheless. After we were all done and had even watched the other loved one die. We both advised each other not to do it. I had seen Willa beaten to death just because she made the wrong choice. They had asked her if she wanted her tongue cut out or die. She didn¡¯t want to go back to Lucius. After that, they left her in those tunnels to wither away. How awful were their lives that Willa would choose that and Juliet would choose to cut her wrists and jump off a ledge¡­

    If I released the secrets and Juliet died. Some other vampire would take over. Our fate might be even worse off than criminals finally reprimanded for crimes such as murder. Who knew if we would be enslaved. Conditioned like Marcus was to serve them and become a breeding colony to supply their numbers and fodder for a blood-hungry addiction. I wasn¡¯t na?ve about the outcome. Having my tongue cut out and forced into manual labor was not my idea of fun.

    We sat and made a fire in the pit. It was a lovely evening out in the desert. I had my veil close by just in case. Nevin was explaining how I would get the information off the tubes. Gigi was still fast asleep at my feet. I didn¡¯t like her like that. I missed the old Gigi. Crazy and cuckoo at times. Was she finally accepting me? I stretched out my hand and rubbed her ears. How different things might have been had she run off into those tunnels. Fate seemed to be playing a bigger role in my life than I could ever imagined.

    ***

    Soren

    Ian was away getting the stone from Marcus. I did feel terrible giving him the information. But I only did it after I was sure Juliet would not need it, not in that way, anyway. It wasn¡¯t going to make the whole planet fall at her feet. The decision left me not knowing if it would make them doubt me. It was that, or I had to tell him about the brandings and that, eventually, he would have to take a knee for her anyway. My face was in my palms. All I had done was read and think. I rubbed my two index fingers up and down my forehead in an attempt to focus on the future. In the end¡­ If I married Rana, all of Juliet¡¯s problems would be over. Marcus never had to worry about me again. Juliet could be free of letting me go, knowing I was over her, moving on. I wished I could speak to her. Just for a minute. Have an honest conversation with anyone other than my sister.

    A hand rested on my shoulder. I looked up. Isla¡¯s veil was back. She was so ashamed of breaking down in front of Ian that she decided to never take it off again. Oh, how I regretted everything. Why did I come? Why did I not talk to Louis while Marcus was a million miles away? Marcus would never have come back¡­ I cringed at the thought. Juliet would have had to fight Ahasuerus alone. How would they have gotten over it?

    ¡°Soren¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± I bounced my chin on my thumbs.

    ¡°Are you going to make it?¡±

    I shook my head and stood up to peer over the pink water. I didn¡¯t enjoy the view that day. My hand rested on the window, keeping me up.

    ¡°Do you regret agreeing with the two marriages?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one going into a situation you know nothing about, Isla. After everything, how can I let you go into a house so fast.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to¡­.¡± She wrung her hands in her lap. ¡°I think I know enough of a person to know when the man will turn out to be cruel and abusive.¡±

    I scoffed. ¡°You know nothing. Ian might be using us both, and you¡¯ll be used in worse ways than I will.¡±

    I rested my mouth on my stretched-out arm, looking back at her. She glanced around. The door was closed. She got up and moved as close as possible. ¡°What will Juliet say when she hears you¡¯re marrying Rana?¡± Quickly, I looked back over the water. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like Rana.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that I wouldn¡¯t be able to marry her. It¡¯s that I love Juliet and always will¡­ I do fear that I¡¯m giving away another chance. Juliet would live much longer than Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Soren, that¡¯s seven hundred years if you¡¯re lucky. Maybe Juliet would wait for you.¡± I scoffed. There was no chance of that. ¡°You could come to appreciate Rana.¡±

    I scoffed louder. ¡°She¡¯s shallow. Doesn¡¯t have two thoughts to rub together. We will never talk or have anything in common. How is that worse than waiting¡­ Isla, you have no idea how I feel.¡±

    Isla turned away. ¡°I suppose I don¡¯t. And love is not a custom on En-gannim, and I was always okay with it. All I want is security.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen or if you will find it. Let¡¯s wait and see. Ian might die in the end. So don¡¯t get your hopes up too much. I promise if things don¡¯t work out. I will find you a match.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could go home, Soren. I miss mama et baba.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Ian might even be lying about talking to Baba¡­ I will try to get him to let us go. Even if it¡¯s escorted.¡± I was scared my parents might be dead. I wasn¡¯t going to frighten my sister.

    There was a bustle throughout the house. Servants rushed to the foyer. ¡°Ian is back,¡± Isla whispered.

    ¡°Seems like it.¡±

    ¡°Where is Soren?¡± His steward ushered him into the common room. Ian was animated with a big smile on his face. He pushed his hand into his pocket and pulled out the stone. Ian placed it on the table with a ridiculous grin on his face. I frowned as I picked it up. What had happened? Did they capture Marcus? Or worse?

    ¡°The plan went off with no hitches. You are a genius, boy.¡±

    I kept staring at the stone, rolling it through my fingers. ¡°This is not the right stone.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± Ian¡¯s smile fell. He came back to human. A scowl on his brow. ¡°But this is Ahasuerus¡¯s emblem.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is. I¡¯d recognize the eagles anywhere. I had not seen it close up. I just imagined it would be... pink.¡± I took the plate out of my pocket and slid it over to him. I flipped to the page he needed to see. Look here. The images are in black and white. But if you look closely. It¡¯s different in the slightest way. The carvings are the same. It¡¯s even the same size, but the translation is precise about the color. This one is blue and green.

    Ian rolled the stone around in his fingers. ¡°I have seen this very stone a hundred times. It is definitely the one Ahasuerus wore.¡±

    I paged further and tapped the screen. ¡°This is what you have.¡±

    ¡°What do the writings say?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a key to open doors on Palmyra¡­ Somewhere on that rock, there is a place that holds some power. It doesn¡¯t say what¡¯s inside, but¡­ if the one can make any liquid turn to stone¡­.¡± I turned away to think. ¡°I figure Brylee must have had the stone we hoped it would be.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. She might have used it more regularly than Ahasuerus to manage her affairs or travel around that vast place that was mostly water.¡±

    He nodded. ¡°You think that they had some kind of deal.¡±

    ¡°If she had the other stone at all. We accepted that it was a sign of rulership. Now¡­ I¡¯m not so sure.¡±

    Ian rubbed at his chin. I glanced up. Isla was gazing at Ian in that love-sick way. My stomach churned at the possibility of her getting hurt again. She looked down when she noticed I had caught her. Could she not just confess that she was in love with the man. Would she even recognize what was happening to her? It did complicate things further. If Juliet killed Ian, it would bring about more rifts between us. We were back in the eighteenth century. The door opened for Rana. She waited on the threshold. I wondered if Ian had even apprized her of what was to come. I thought back about her standing in that corner for days. I had so much time to stare at her. I just didn¡¯t want to. Every day, I tried to catch a glimpse of Juliet. To see what was in her eyes that day.

    Ian glanced up at the movement. ¡°Ah, Rana, come here. I need to talk to you.¡±

    She shuffled over. Head to the floor. If I married her, I would forever want her to try and change. She would become an outcast if I tried to conform her to¡­ whatever I wanted.

    ¡°Soren and I have been speaking. You will marry him. And I will marry Isla as my second wife¡­ You two have something in common in that regard. I expect you to treat him respectfully and not humiliate me.¡±

    Rana didn¡¯t dare open her mouth or object. The two women didn¡¯t look at each other either. My heart sank at the weight of the situation. The dreary outlook of my life ahead. If Rana didn¡¯t change, I would have to. I shook my head at the thought of going down that road.

    ¡°It might not be the position I was hoping for you. But Marcus will never come around to the possibility of a union. He even said so when I saw him today¡­ I told him what would happen.¡±

    I turned my head not to give away the feelings written on my face. Marcus was probably ecstatic. So it was over. They were not coming for us and will try for a peaceful resolution. Or the war will just go on.

    ¡°You two are dismissed. I need to talk to Soren alone.¡± Rana retreated backward, and Isla shuffled out in the same manner.

    Ian got up and paced the room. ¡°What am I going to do? How will we get into Nahrima?¡±

    I could give him ten ways off the top of my head. I ruffled my hair in irritation. I would never be able to say my peace. Forever in Ian¡¯s grasp. Maybe I should tell him. If I pushed it from this side. Ian would die, or Juliet and her people would retreat to Zoreah.

    ¡°Speak, boy.¡±

    ¡°First, you need to send Fahan human hands to help him. He needs more scientists to help him with his teleporter if the one he has is off. If you permit me, I could oversee the proceedings. Tell him about the stone we are looking for and what it could mean for him¡­ That chamber must have something valuable in it. If it¡¯s not the origin of all the stones, which is my theory. If I am there¡­.¡± I took a breath. ¡°If Fahan believes there are more stones that could help him in ways none of us could fathom, he might be inclined to help us search for those rooms. He needs that tech implanted so that they can fly. That alone will get you more than the ability to attack Nahrima.¡± Ian observed me carefully. I waited for him to figure it out. ¡°If you can¡¯t get into Nahrima¡­.¡± I said after it seemed he wouldn¡¯t ever realize what he should do.

    He cut me off, ¡°Go around them and keep taking over.¡±

    I nodded eagerly. He was starting to think about the bigger picture. ¡°You already have most of the mineral islands. If you can keep hold of the water¡­ You could build your own big teleporter, and once you do¡­.¡±

    ¡°Take over, Nahrima.¡± Ian shook his head. ¡°You surprise me every time you open your mouth. Do you understand why I¡¯m marrying my sister to you?¡±

    ¡°I think so¡­ There is one thing I would like to ask. If you will permit me, us. I would like to see my parents.¡±

    This would be his test. If he said no¡­ I would try to get Isla out.

    ¡°Of course.¡± My eyes widened in surprise. ¡°And take your sister with you¡­ You will have to forgive me, Soren. I¡­ am not accustomed to the way you live your life. I had not even considered you would want to see them.¡±

    I was stunned.

    ¡°You have helped me so much already. It¡¯s the least I can do.¡± He dug into his pocket. He opened his hand. Inside laid a small round plate. My eyes darted up. Had he found out? ¡°With this, you can go anywhere you want to.¡± He chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s our house signate.¡± I took it and held it up into the light. It was an ocean. ¡°I can¡¯t give your sister one.¡±

    ¡°I understand. When Isla needs to see my parents, will you allow me to take her?¡±

    He nodded. The first genuine smile played over my mouth since I had been stuck there. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you are coming around.¡± I turned to leave. ¡°Soren,¡± I paused. I knew it was too good to be true. ¡°If you want to change Rana in any way. Feel free. If she lives on that island with your family. She needs to fit in. She will do what she is told. If you want to see her face the whole day. I will not deny you the privilege or force you to conform to the way you can not accustom yourself to¡­ In fact, I expect you and your sister will be the making of me.¡±

    I stilled at his words. Our future was not set in stone, and I have been keeping a lot from him. The weight of the situation sunk in. He was being sincere, and it caught me by surprise. Ian wasn¡¯t a complete louse, and Isla could see it. Could I really blame Ian for going up against Marcus? He was trying to preserve a whole way of living.

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    ¡°Are you¡­  a violent man?¡±

    His brows knit together, and then they relaxed. ¡°Ahh, Isla.¡± He smiled. ¡°No. All I expect from her is respect, and I will return that much. Maybe not in the way you understand it. Unfortunately, here, we do not have to earn trust. It happens, and you live either honorable or not¡­.¡± He got up. ¡°Not all of us are like Lucius. I will not even lift my hand if she makes a mistake. I will be patient with her.¡±

    The feelings in my breast swelled. Maybe Isla was right. Ian didn¡¯t seem so bad after all. I bowed for the first time and left. There was nothing for it. If he took over. He would be my family and my king

 Life For A Life

    194. A Life For A Life

    Caleb

    Michael didn¡¯t give Iku any time to decide whether he would want to go look for his wife. He left us standing there with all the chests at our feet. Selena hunkered down at the one closest to her and opened it.

    ¡°Where is he going? I have not agreed.¡± Iku said, coming out of the tent after he heard the familiar ¡°bamf¡± sound.

    ¡°He¡¯s gambling,¡± I said.

    ¡°Gambling?¡±

    I crouched down and opened the chest in front of me. ¡°There is a lot inside. Scrolls, books, tubes. Yours?¡± Selena didn¡¯t answer. I picked up a tiny wooden box and opened it. There was only one black tube in there. I picked it up and flung it through the air. A man was explaining how the teleporters worked. How to harness the ability and implement it. How to stop it. I glanced down into the chest. The container or device the man used on the screen was packed in the corner of the box, together with more technical parts to, I guessed, build your own hub.

    I glanced at Selena. She had not moved since opening hers. Iku was nervous, pacing, and not attending to what we were doing. I walked over to see what had caught Selena¡¯s attention. Her chest was filled with stones. Different colors, shapes, and sizes. I picked one up, ¡°You want to tell me each one has a supernatural ability?¡±

    ¡°You want to tell me Ahasuerus went to so many planets?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    Selena stood up. ¡°I think each planet just has one.¡±

    ¡°How did you come to that conclusion.¡±

    ¡°Just a theory.¡±

    I opened the next chest. It was stacked with so many plates I couldn¡¯t even count them. ¡°These are all flat.¡±

    Michael appeared behind us. He walked past me, paused as he looked down into Selena¡¯s open chest, made eye contact with her, and shook his head. He abruptly shut it and started traveling the chests out one by one, not stopping and not asking. That took a while, and I was the first to go. I heard the choppers in the distance as he placed me down outside the mountain. Michael made the last two trips, and a second chopper appeared. Iku covered his eyes. The helicopter landed, and Jessy and his men jumped out. They picked up the chests and carried them into the cargo hold.

    ¡°It¡¯s time you go home, Caleb,¡± Michael said. I shook my head and stepped back. I wanted to stay. Michael gestured with his hand for Jessy to take off. As soon as they were in the air and far enough off the ground, Michael left me speechless next to Jessy. Jessy patted my shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not going. You don¡¯t see me complaining. You have all this to keep yourself busy with.¡±

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°You are supposed to go to your Aunt. Set up a proper base or station near the village. Get the schoolroom, library, whatever ready to go through all this.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°You have to negotiate with Charlene to allow it. Kubra wants to know where he will live. And lastly, we need somewhere to crash. We need to know if they will have enough space if we pitch up.¡±

    ¡°You mean Lyla. They haven¡¯t found her.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Marcus is preparing for the worst.¡±

    ***

    Charlene came running out of one of the houses, waving at us with both hands high in the air. All the villagers had heard the strange noises and were making their way out of their homes. They stood staring at the flying machine. I felt like that once, touching and feeling anything I could. Earth had a lot that the other worlds didn¡¯t. We didn¡¯t land too near, waiting for the blades to stop whirring and the sand to settle.

    Charlene had a big smile on her face. ¡°Boy, I¡¯m glad to see you.¡± She threw her arms around me. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on or when I will see you again.¡±

    ¡°There is a lot we need to discuss.¡±

    ¡°Come. We can go to my parent¡¯s home.¡± Romero said, staring at the helicopter. ¡°If we had one of those¡­ Our mating ritual would not be necessary.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡± Charlene asked.

    ¡°Fun? You were not happy when we had to take the trip.¡±

    ¡°I am now.¡± Romero pulled her in under his arm.

    ¡°Where did you come from?¡± Romero asked. I liked him, and I liked their race. They were kind and generous and didn¡¯t have many hang-ups.

    ¡°Iku.¡±

    ¡°That far. In one trip.¡± Romero was amazed and took another look at the helicopter.

    Jessy jogged over. ¡°Sorry, we came so unannounced. We didn¡¯t have time to call ahead.¡± Charlene laughed. ¡°We have a delivery for¡­ Uhh, I don¡¯t know your new last name.¡± He looked at Charlene.

    ¡°I¡¯m probably staying ¡°Grant¡± for some time. They don¡¯t have last names here.¡±

    ¡°How do they know who¡¯s who? Oh, wait, the tattoos on your asses. What do you have to strip whenever you need to buy something expensive.¡±

    Romero chuckled. ¡°We do have identification.¡±

    ¡°First things first. We need a spot outside the village where we can connect. Set up a teleporter station close to Charlene. The one in your common room isn¡¯t working well, and we need permission.¡±

    Charlene and Romero met each other eyes. Jessy continued, ¡°Juliet was¡­ engaged¡­ busy when all this happened. So it¡¯s not that she¡¯s taking over. It¡¯s rather¡­.¡±

    ¡°Kubra?¡± Charlene smiled.

    Jessy nodded.

    ¡°Well then? You ready to bring all my stuff to your place?¡± She paused, ¡°And all my people?¡±

    Romero laughed and nodded. ¡°Make it a little further than you landed¡­ Here, let me go with you. I will show you some rocky parts that might be better suited.¡±

    Charlene held out her hand, and I placed mine in hers. ¡°Come. We have a lot to talk about.¡±

    ¡°Kubra says he wants a house. And we need to know if you have a guest house for emergencies or visits... I¡¯m not entirely sure. But a lot of people. And if we can use your library for the chests.¡±

    Charlene beamed at my ramblings. ¡°I don¡¯t think there will be enough space for everyone. We will have to ask if we can build some more houses.¡± Charlene shook her head.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know if I would ever be able to repay Louis for his hospitality. Guess I will.¡±

    ***

    Michael

    Iku was waiting for me after I dropped Caleb off. The chopper didn¡¯t even have to land. I opened my arm. Iku cautiously stepped forward. We were flying out over the horizon, making good time. He held onto the seats for a long time, nervously peering down at the water. I handed him a headset and pushed mine down over my ears. He copied me, and I started talking. ¡°It¡¯s not to say that we will find her today. But we can at least start looking. How far did you get with that ship you built.¡±

    ¡°You saw and felt those waves. Nothing survived. Not even on the days where it was less volatile out there.¡±

    I relaxed back in my seat, staring out over the blue water. How would it feel not to see Juliet for thousands of years? I was determined to make the thousand we had the best I could. After that, I could take over the universe if I still wanted to. I glanced at the men in the chopper. They were the best of the best between the vamps and watchers. The men from Earth were gruff and tatted. Beards and boots. The vamps were dressed differently in their military uniform made from strange material and shoes that looked like they could break at any moment. It was weird how far we had come already by joining forces.

    A pop on the headset made me look to my other side. Of course, the one woman there was as steady as a bullet. Used to all of the excitement. Selena was chewing gum, blowing bubbles, and resting her elbows on her knees. She didn¡¯t notice my eyes on her. Selena was deep in thought. It was scary how much she was like Juliet. If it wasn¡¯t for the eyes. Behind Selena¡¯s eyes was a softness behind Juliet¡¯s daggers. I relaxed back in the seat, wondering how those previous Ittoqure had found a place to banish Iku¡¯s wife to. How did they not take over Zoreah? I hoped again that it wasn¡¯t a trap. Iku could have lied. Maybe there was a continent filled with giant shadows, and Iku was sent into exile, using us to return to his people.

    It was hours before we saw the first sign of land. Iku patted me on my knee. I turned and saw an island stretching out into the distance. Romero had no way to get to other continents. In some ways, they were still primitive. If it wasn¡¯t for all the supernatural elements, they would be as behind as Fahan and his goons. Juliet was busy behind the scenes to see if the flying tech could be utilized on unanimated objects. If Romero could use it with those balls. They could go anywhere.

    As we approached the island, we saw a giant fog-like barrier covering the land. The beach disappeared abruptly into a thick purple and blue cloud. It covered almost every part of the place. I sat forward to get a better look. The enormous waves were crashing onto the beach in abrupt thundering crashes. No¡­ No ship would ever have made it. It was worse than the biggest swells in the North Seas. We wouldn¡¯t have much of an area to land. ¡°Find somewhere to put it down. Do not fly into that thing. There might be hovering islands in the sky. Or who knows what.¡±

    The pilot didn¡¯t say anything. He pulled the lever, and the helicopter veered to fly along the shore. ¡°There doesn¡¯t seem to be an end to it.¡± He commented a few minutes later. I stood up and hung up my earphones. Iku did the same, and the men geared up. The pilot glanced back at me. I made a few gestures in the air, and he nodded. The men scrambled and clicked their ropes into the hooks on the floor, checking gear and equipment. They would repel down, and we would go on by foot. I opened my arm. Iku didn¡¯t hesitate, and we teleported to the beach. Selena landed next to me without problems. We looked up at the chopper as the men glided down the ropes. I turned around to talk to Iku. The shadow towered over me, his face fixed on the path ahead. He had time to heal that cut. I cursed under my breath. He rushed into the fog, not scared of what might be in there. Iku didn¡¯t need to worry. He disappeared as he melded with the cloud.

    The chopper hovered above us. ¡°Test the coms.¡± We all did a check, and the pilot had a clear voice on the other end. ¡°Scout as far as you can and go back to refuel.¡±

    ¡°Copy.¡±

    I grabbed the hilt of my sword and slammed it on a rock. The red glow beamed out. The vamps and watchers readied themselves for whatever we might face in there. It was fun being on a recon mission for a change, searching for enemies in unknown territories. I just hoped we wouldn¡¯t all die in the process. I took the first step towards the thick cloud. Selena stuck her hand in and waved it around. ¡°What is it?¡± She asked. Iku¡¯s cries echoed out in the distance. He was calling out to his wife. Or he was alerting the enemy. I guessed following his voice would be our best bet. It was already barely audible. We needed to get moving fast. I fell into a jog and kept my eyes on the ground. The terrain was rocky and sandy. Up and down. It would go much faster if I could teleport and follow Iku, but making it back alive was more important than speed. I could teleport forward and end up above a bottomless pit. Iku¡¯s cries were almost out of our range. Selena did what I wanted, probably having the same fears as me. We could lose him altogether. She disappeared too. I cursed out loud.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°She will get herself killed.¡± One of the men said.

    Selena wasn¡¯t thinking straight. She was being reckless and didn¡¯t wait for orders. It had to do with whatever she was thinking about on the helicopter. It had to be about Chris and what we had said to her in the cave. I couldn¡¯t leave the men. I was fully geared up in my werewolf form, not taking chances. I needed to smell and hear everything. The vamps were manifested. They were not built scrawny like Marcus; they would be an asset if he trained them. If we had started giving men that concoction of Juliet, the war would have been over before it began. There just wasn¡¯t enough time to do all we wanted to do or even what we had to do.

    The first noise I heard was rustling. I lifted a fist beside my face and pointed my sword in that direction. The men raised their guns and changed their formation so we had eyes in every direction. The noises stopped and started again as we slowly kept moving toward Iku¡¯s soft cries. There had not been any answer. I kept my ears open to whatever was following us. I signaled to the one vamp, and he released drones into the sky. He pressed some buttons on the band on his arm.

    ¡°The chopper found another island not far from here.¡± One of the watchers reported.

    I nodded once. ¡°Tell them to keep mapping.¡±

    He relayed the message. Whatever was following stopped as the two of us spoke. The vamp threw a screen into the air. It was a beast. No, a massive monster. We all swallowed hard at the size of it. ¡°Keep going in that direction. Use the drones if you need to¡­ I¡¯ll lead it away from us. Is that tracker working we planted on Iku?¡±

    The man nodded, and I teleported out. I traveled slowly, small leaps at a time, circling my prey and memorizing the terrain as I moved. After I thought I had confused it enough and led it far away from the men, I appeared before the thing. It was ugly and didn¡¯t smell good. My nose wrinkled in disgust. It followed fast as I ran on all fours through the thicket. I didn¡¯t know how it knew where it was going. It was so dark that only sporadic slithers of light beamed through the trees. When I thought I had tired him out enough, I stopped and sized up the monster. I¡¯ve never fought and killed anything that big before. I also didn¡¯t have the time to get into a brawl with the thing. I cut it with my sword to see what would happen. It stung, and the beast growled. His mouth opened as he stood up on his back legs. He had the mouth of a bear and small eyes. Giant horns grew out where our ears would be. Those made it impossible to get to its face. It was furry and light grey in color. I didn¡¯t see anything wrong with using Juliet¡¯s tactics on the thing, cutting its arms and legs in the right places to make it impossible to follow us. Selena was in the back of my mind. The woman was just as unpredictable as Juliet. Didn¡¯t want to listen to anyone anymore. After a few cuts, the beast was unable to move. I quickly left. I needed to get back to the men. There was no sign of them, nor could I hear anything. They had made good time. I started traveling in the direction they would have gone. I couldn¡¯t hear anything from Iku anymore. I returned to human and tried my comms.

    ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°Two clicks north.¡± The soldier''s voice was low. ¡°Selena came back and said that Iku found something. She said it¡¯s safe to travel and not far.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to think about the possibility that his wife was dead. If we didn¡¯t find her. Juliet would still have to fight him. I caught up, seeing an end to the endless thick cloud of fog. The men stood on the peak of a steep hill, looking up into the sky. There were floating islands, a lot. They made shadows on the valley below. Above the islands, high in the sky, their star shone brightly. We were out of the forest, a completely different terrain. Although the ground was rocky and not green, some waterways flowed between buildings on the ground. It was the total opposite of where we came from. It also felt strangely familiar, another village that was protected. Iku didn¡¯t lie. We were all taking in the giant castle on the most significant island. No Selena and no Iku. ¡°I¡¯m going up there. It must be where Selena had gone. Set up a base and make sure those drones find anything that moves. We need to find his wife.¡± I sheathed my sword and manifested into a Riphath. ¡°You two scout the terrain. I don¡¯t want anyone sitting and doing nothing. Do not let the locals see you.¡± I traveled up to the entrance of what seemed like a palace. It reminded me of Brylee¡¯s home she created. It had a feminine touch to it. Every dark stone was in its medieval place. There were no guards, and the door stood open. Hesitantly, I ventured inside. There were no lights and few windows. I manifested into a werewolf, clearing every possible room I came across. I heard voices. It was Iku. Either every person there would be able to turn into a giant shadow, or it was more Dheka that Romero didn¡¯t even know he ruled.

    I followed the rumbling of his shadow voice. Iku was talking to someone. I didn¡¯t understand a word. The next voice was a woman¡¯s, but not Selena¡¯s. I came back to human and glanced around the doorway. Iku had a woman in his arms. Relief washed over me. The shadow dropped Iku and rushed me. He hollered into the sky to get her to stop. She listened instantly and floated close to me, taking in my face. I guessed she relaxed and transformed into a human. She was beautiful, with voluptuous round curves in all the right places. Didn¡¯t look a day older than forty, and her clothes barely covered the essential parts.

    ¡°Tell me this is your wife.¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    She said something to Iku, but he didn¡¯t care and twirled her around and into his arms, kissing her. They talked for some time, gazing deep into each other¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°Did Selena follow you?¡±

    Iku shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to leave you two alone for a while. We are just outside the settlement. Let me know what you want to do.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t listening. I shook my head.

    ¡°Oh, Michael. Don¡¯t let her see what you are. Don¡¯t let anyone see what you are.¡±

    I didn¡¯t like his tone. ¡°Are you going to tell me if they are Dheka down there? Or did you lie?¡±

    He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. ¡°I do not need to lie. My wife was doing what I was. They are Dheka, stranded here. From the war your kind caused.¡±

    I bobbed my head and turned to leave. I needed to find the tall blond. It would be a waste to scout the palace further if she wasn¡¯t even there. I traveled back to base camp. Two men were seated on the ground, following every drone and its actions. ¡°Have you seen Selena on that thing?¡±

    ¡°No, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Change their targets to Riphaths and find her. She must be somewhere. I¡¯m going back to where we landed to see if I can find anything.¡± Selena was frustrating me. I didn¡¯t want to stay there longer than necessary. Juliet was waiting. Louis needed me, and I still didn¡¯t know what had happened with Chris. Selena wasn¡¯t at the beach, and it was high tide. The sand was gone. I shuddered at the thought of being back in the water. It was already at my knees. The waves were almost touching the foggy cloud. I listened to the men talking on the coms. The ones that had scouted grouped up at the base with no good news. The helicopter had to go back, and we were stranded.

    ¡°I think we found her¡­ She is in the palace.¡± I tilted my head and looked back. Iku had lied, or he didn¡¯t know she was there. I closed my eyes briefly, wishing I could be anywhere but there, thinking about Juliet and seeing her for just a second. I thought about the palace and had to make a choice. Juliet had flipped a switch in my mind. The moment she killed Stevie out of jealousy, she stilled the storm raging in my veins. She loved me. Marked her territory, and nothing was standing between us. She loved us all differently, but love us, she did. I wasn¡¯t last in her heart¡­ It was a fragile, thin line. After getting the chests, I felt better. As if I had purpose again. Iku was right. I had too much power to exercise and not enough outlet. Maiming the beast in the fog and leaving it to die made me feel better; nevertheless, all I could think about was my cock twitching against my pants. It wasn¡¯t just the energy¡­ I needed to have sex, and soon. I teleported to the palace to try and get myself under control. I would hop from planet to planet for an hour before I had her. No point in going to her¡­ into her like that. I needed to think and make it memorable. It couldn¡¯t be like always. We getting each other off and going on with our complicated lives. Juliet and I needed¡­ time. Alone time. I smiled. Juliet had freaked out when Selena only hit me on the shoulder. She wouldn¡¯t kill the blond for Chris, but for me¡­ maybe. Why didn¡¯t she kill Selena?

    ¡°Where in the palace. Do you have my location?¡±

    The drone whirred past me in rapid movements and disappeared into the building. ¡°We have the palace mapped. There are only three bodies, and Selena is on the east side. The other two are in the west wing.¡±

    What was the woman doing? I would have to walk around human to find her. The palace was grand in its simplicity. Nothing was made from material anywhere. No curtains or wood for windows or pillars. No plants, carpets, or ornaments. They really were stranded out there.

    ¡°You¡¯re going in the right direction.¡± The voice was low in my ear.

    I had to climb some stairs. It was the only way forward. I heard scuffling on the ground. It was weird. I had a funny feeling in my bones as I rounded another corner. Selena¡¯s eyes were glossed over, and she stood in her human monster form. Her head snapped around. Selena wasn¡¯t there, and I didn¡¯t have a tube to control her. I had not seen her when she was like that without the plate. She grew to her Riphath form, and the mouth on her was vicious and snarling. Drool dripped down her snout. Her nose pulled tight around her cheekbones and up into her ears. Where her ears would normally droop, they stood erect. ¡°Selena¡­¡± Maybe I didn¡¯t have to go planet hopping after all. I would have the fight I had been longing for. Fighting for Juliet wasn¡¯t an option anymore. If I was submitted under her¡­ it meant I was under Louis. And his rules were law. No more taking her and disappearing. All my emotions of the last few months were catching up on me. Unprocessed thoughts and feelings. Need and hunger.

    Selena pounced forward, and I met her with my Riphath form. I was a head or two taller than her. I was fully grown but needed to spend time with Silvanus to teach me all he taught Chris. After that, it would be Marcus and me. I needed to catch up. I was also not letting anyone get in the first shot anymore. Selena was faster than I expected. Our teleportation was equal around each other. Lightning reflexes and her strength matched mine with every blow. She was better trained than I was. Chris had to have spent time on her, teaching her everything he could. Why did Juliet not kill her? Before the branding, Juliet wasn¡¯t jealous of me at all. After¡­ it could have changed both of us. All that Chris and Juliet needed was a branding. To solidify what they had even more. If Chris needed to brand someone. It was Juliet, not Selena. My vampire side was repelled at the idea as I manifested in and out of my different forms. Sharing Juliet and adding a fourth to our bonding process was unthinkable.

    Selena didn¡¯t have the stamina that I had. It was my one advantage over everyone. I could fight three times longer and pull all my abilities together. It was a lot to keep track of. I needed Louis to help me in that regard. I would need everyone¡¯s help to be the best Juliet could have. After some time, Selena stood back and shook her head. I knew she was coming out of it. I wiped my nose with my arm, and blood smeared over the sleeve of my shirt. She faltered as her eyes turned back to normal. As soon as they did, she dropped down on her knees, sitting to the side, sobbing. I didn¡¯t know what to do. I was still catching my breath. My vampire hate wanted to kill her and get it over with.

    I had not seen Iku and his wife in the doorway but felt the large shadow hand closing around my throat. Iku¡¯s wife whispered low and menacing at my ear. Nothing I understood but imagined the threats she was issuing for my kind. Not only did we wipe out races, but we banished her to a place she could never leave from. Iku tried to reason with her. Or so I hoped. Her hold tightened. I pushed my hand into my jacket and ejected the red knife into the air, slicing over the shadow fingers over my throat. The shadow crumpled into the woman I saw earlier. Her face contorted up at me, blood dripping from her fingers.

    ¡°She says you fight without any honor. But that she could expect nothing less from someone like you.¡±

    It did sting. I knew deep down that hunger that could go bad.

    Iku approached us and took her hand in his, inspecting the cut I had made. While Iku tore at the seam of his robe and bound her fingers together, they kept saying things I couldn¡¯t understand. Iku¡¯s wife¡¯s voice was raised, and anger came through the tone in her voice. Selena had not stopped crying. Iku met my eye, and we shook our heads with the emotions we had to deal with. ¡°What did you do to her?¡± He asked.

    I glanced back at Selena, sobbing. ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°I mean¡­ Why was Selena like that? I have not seen that before.¡±

    ¡°On Earth, a mad scientist once wanted revenge and created a formula to cross-breed species.¡± I chuckled.

    Iku¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If the man only had one of us to work with. He wouldn¡¯t have needed to do that. To anyone.¡±

    I shrugged and ran a frustrated thumb over my brow. ¡°Give me a minute to find out what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Is it about Jessy?¡± Selena¡¯s sobs became more violent. Seemed it did have to do with Jessy. ¡°She was not this emotional when we spoke last time.¡± I gathered my wits about me and placed a hand on her shoulder. Iku had picked up his wife and carried her out of the room.

    ¡°What happened? Did you and Jessy fight?¡±

    Selena shook her head and controlled her breathing. I dug into one of my pants pockets and pulled out the only thing I could think of. She grabbed the material out of my hand and blew her nose. ¡°I can¡¯t remember when I last shed a tear¡­ I was probably still a child¡­ On Zoreah, I never needed to cry. I can¡¯t take all the emotions. Every time Chris cried, I was there and couldn¡¯t understand what was wrong with him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re strong, Selena. This will be one of those things you will learn to control and master. Like we all have to.¡±

    ¡°I remember everything¡­.¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what she was talking about. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Remember what?¡±

    ¡°Chris and I¡­ I remember everything. I followed Iku into the palace and lost him coming through the door. I must have gone the wrong way. As soon as I stepped into this room, I had these flashes of what happened on Palmyra. Chris said he wished he could go back¡­ I didn¡¯t understand what he meant. But now I do.¡± She cried loudly into the air.

    ¡°You¡¯re not making sense.¡±

    ¡°Chris and I almost kissed. He¡­ would have left her¡­ for me.¡± More sobs. ¡°If I had¡­ just kissed him and not asked about... Jessy!¡± More sobs.

    ¡°He what?!¡±

    ¡°He said if we kissed, there was no turning back. It was over between them¡­ And then he asked me¡­ What about Jessy? and I¡­ I messed up.¡± More sobs. ¡°I pulled away. I ruined the only chance I had with him.¡±

    It was a lot of information to wrap my mind around. Chris went back in freaking time because he would¡¯ve left Juliet. The look of utter dismay on Chris¡¯s face made sense. Selena was silently weepy. I thought about comforting her but couldn¡¯t. If Juliet found out. She already had enough on her plate. There was the baby to think about. I crouched down next to her. ¡°Selena. He was never yours¡­ The fact that you did pull away may be for the best. You¡¯re experiencing extreme emotions. You were never meant to deal with any of this... Ira might not have been so wrong?¡± She laughed lightly. ¡°And Caleb was right. Throwing it all away for what? A maybe?¡±

    She sobered. ¡°Your right¡­ And that stuff I took.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°You should have seen Juliet when she was pregnant and on that stuff.¡± It dawned on me. She was pregnant and on that stuff. When would Juliet flip out? When would I flip out again? Did I have myself under control?

    Selena shuddered. ¡°Worse than this?¡± I widened my eyes, thinking about how wacky Juliet had been. I nodded. Selena finally wiped off the tears and got up. ¡°So what happens now with Iku?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! He didn¡¯t talk to Yazen before we came¡­ So I don¡¯t know what will happen to them. Or if there are any others left like them. How much of the planet could Romero really have covered?¡±

    ¡°We could leave Iku here.¡±

    My eyebrow shot up. It was a good idea. Just disappear. ¡°No. What about the Dheka on the mainland. While his wife is still without her abilities. I think it best we go and reason with her before she kills me.¡±

    ¡°And Charlene,¡± Selena commented. She didn¡¯t know that she hit the nail on the head. It would be war all over if Iku and his wife attacked Romero and his family.

    Selena and I made our way through the palace to find them. They were nowhere to be seen. I tried my comms. No one answered the call.

 Consummation

    195. Consummation

    Juliet

    Everyone was out doing something. I was stuck in my room at the Tower. Not allowed to leave by orders of Marcus. He didn¡¯t want to worry about me, but what was I supposed to do? Start a new TV series? Wait on En-gannim till the war was over? Go back to Earth? I thought about Sammy and Warden. My mom and everyone at the compound. I had not seen them for so long, and going back to Earth would have been better than staying at The Tower. Once we heard that Ian was going to attack us, I had no time to think about what I would do while the guys fought in the war.

    Chris had left through the teleporter and had made himself scarce afterward. That was what I was doing, taking care of him and spending time with him. When I pressed that button and Michael and I traveled to Mirach¡­ I had to confess, I didn¡¯t think about leaving him behind. Or about my decrees of him not leaving my side until his powers were back. Marcus didn¡¯t have time to figure it out either, and Louis was right. Chris had to do what he had to do when I just disappeared¡­ I could¡¯ve gone to look for him, pushed him into a corner to tell me what happened between him and Selena. I would have had to sneak out. No problem there¡­ I couldn¡¯t. I decided to do the right thing.

    I went downstairs to my office. Louis was the first to smile and look up at me. The men were so hard at work that no one even noticed me. Marcus had passed out at his desk. I did feel a twinge of regret, dumping it all on him, forcing him to take over all my responsibilities because I couldn¡¯t deal. I wanted to go to Marcus. Louis reached out and held me back, taking my hand in his. ¡°Don¡¯t. He just nodded off and is in a much better place.¡±

    Louis drew me closer. ¡°Tell me.¡±

    His arms wrapped me tightly, resting his chin on my hair. ¡°Marcus is dreaming about¡­ a home. I¡¯ve not seen it. It¡¯s here on En-gannim. A stunning house and amazing fields with exotic plants almost as high as you. In one part, the fields turn into soft, turquoise grass with a little clearing and a beautiful view. You are there¡­.¡± Louis stroked my hair. ¡°And a little boy running around. Still a young little vampire.¡± I smiled, not thinking about Marcus and me. We will have our time soon. I knew the place Louis was talking about. Marcus¡¯s dreams were not many months away. I had instead thought about Louis and me the day before I left and the day before when he threw me over his shoulder. Our relationship had changed so suddenly, and all I wanted to do was be with him in France, with our little baby in the bed with us. Nestled between us. It would be my next goal to give¡­ Louis¡¯s arms tightened around me. ¡°After what you said¡­ Louis, I¡­.¡± He pressed his lips onto mine, kissing me so fervently that a blush crept into my cheeks. His tongue was desperate, and he tilted my head wherever he wanted. The noise in the room had ceased. Go figure! They would notice PDA.

    ¡°Should we clear the room?¡± Kubra mocked.

    A little embarrassed, I pushed Louis away with two hands, keeping him at arm¡¯s length. He didn¡¯t relent in trying to close the gap, lowering his lips closer to mine. ¡°You want to go upstairs?¡± He whispered.

    I shook my head and wriggled around in his arms. ¡°Stop it. Everyone  is staring.¡± Louis reluctantly loosened his grip, eyes still imploring me to give him what he wanted. I was thinking about it. Louis held my gaze and tugged on my shirt. I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the moment¡¯s pleasure, and swatted his hand. Louis laughed, and for the millionth time, I wished I knew what he was thinking. Did he think I was petulant? Did he still see me as a child? His smile broadened in that condescending way. Did he wish for more sex? That I had more of an appetite. For the first time, I thought that I was like any other woman in that regard. This made him bark out a loud laugh. I hit my head, trying to stop the racing thoughts continually bombarding my mind. He had all the entertainment of what was going on in my head while I was left wanting to know how serious he was. I let it go and reminded myself why I had come down to talk to Marcus. ¡°What I wanted to ask was¡­ If you will allow me to take Aries and Sammy to Charlene.¡±

    Louis¡¯s brow, smile, and shoulders dropped all at once. His back stiffened, and he got eerily quiet. The smile had turned into a thin, tight-lipped line. Frustrated hands pulled out a pack of cigarettes from inside his jacket as he took a step back. He tapped the packet against his palm. One white stick jerkily made its way out into the world. He lit it quickly and blew out the first puff. I didn¡¯t understand what he was doing or why he had reacted that way. He stretched out and held the cigarette between two fingers, bud first close to my mouth. I shook my head, ¡°No. I don¡¯t think I¡­¡± Louis pressed it against my lips. I sighed and opened eagerly. It was what I wanted. I didn¡¯t even realize that I needed it. Louis led me to my couch.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like that you came to ask, baby,¡± Louis explained.

    I relaxed and laughed. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re upset? Your acting has gotten better.¡±

    He nodded and got that cheeky smile on one side of his mouth until his smile broadened to that full-mouth happy grin of his. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to but changed your mind at the last minute.¡± He laughed as I shrugged. ¡°I enjoyed having to come and find you... rescue you. I get why Chris is so frustrated¡­ I also like having adventures.¡± Louis was happy. It made me happy. Glad that he was still all there with me, focusing on us and on me amidst all of it. He became serious again. ¡°Not that what happened to you was an adventure.¡± There was a worried look in his eyes.

    Louis had known that I would still have to deal with what had happened in that camp. Both Charlene and I. Why I needed a cigarette. The whole business had been plaguing the back of my mind¡­ I wasn¡¯t ready to think about it. I kissed him quickly, telling him to change the subject. ¡°Okay, so I¡¯m informing you that I am going.¡±

    ¡°Take us with you,¡± Kubra complained. He joined us, sitting on Marcus¡¯s couch and lighting the cigarette Louis had handed him. ¡°It¡¯s going to be days or weeks before Ian makes up his stupid mind.¡±

    I stared at Louis. He was so hyper-vigilant all the time. Would he, at some point, take a break? Put off his brain? How long could he go on like that before he crashed and killed everyone?

    ¡°Or before we figure out what to do.¡± The Chinese general said, walking past us. ¡°They might be on their way now! On giant bridges, we can¡¯t even see coming.¡±

    The three of us laughed. The human men found it difficult to factor supernatural elements into the battles. Terrains they had no idea how to counter.

    ¡°Jessy has to go with you,¡± Louis said sternly. ¡°And take Warden. He also needs a change in scenery.¡±

    ¡°Is he tired of being Sammy¡¯s watcher?¡±

    Louis shook his head. ¡°No, I just want him to also have a life. What if he¡¯s Sammy¡¯s Michael?¡±

    ¡°Hell no!¡± I huffed, flinging my arms in the air, getting up. ¡°We will fight all the time. Warden will scold me¡­ once he has the clearance to do it.¡±

    Kubra laughed, blowing out a cloud of smoke. ¡°Him as a son-in-law!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kubra,¡± Louis said. ¡°You have to stay. We need you.¡± Louis looked up at me. ¡°There will be time enough at one point where we can all take a break.¡±

    Kubra got to his feet and clapped his hands together. ¡°No worries, your league.¡± He bowed and sighed, ¡°I will get some eventually.¡± Kubra said softly, walking away.

    ¡°I know how you feel,¡± Louis whispered.

    I pointed my finger at him. He has had me more times than anyone else in the last few weeks. Louis glared at the offending body part. Nevertheless, the images of us the previous day flashed through my mind. How fingers were essential to our sex life. How his hands had roamed every part of my body. Touch was vital to my sexual satisfaction. That and the feeling of being wanted and connected. Louis had given me everything I craved. Read every thought. Told me everything I needed to hear. The confession of his wedding vows played over and over in my mind. He took my hand and kissed the top of my fingers. ¡°Oh, baby. I love you so much. Go. Go have fun. Eat well and get your check-up with the midwife. Lounge around. Take the kids for a trip. Make sure Caleb and Michael are okay.¡±

    I nodded, my eyes brimming with tears. ¡°The baby is going to make you go batty again¡­ Your thoughts will be a mess. Your sex drive will increase eventually when the hormones kick in¡­¡± He looked up at me. ¡°I will be waiting¡­ As for the other issue, we will deal with it together when we have the time. Let Romero use his ability if it gets too much.¡± I rested my hand on his cheek, shook my head, and left, sniffling. Jessy and Louis shared some words, and we were off.

    ***

    The red gates stood open. My dad and uncle were playing with the kids on the grass. Standing there, I realized that it wasn¡¯t just Louis who was happy. I was too. Yes there was a lot to deal with. Marcus and I had not even spoken one word since I came back. The last time was in the lane when I had left him feeling that Michael was more important than him. The previous day, I was with Louis. Michael¡­ He was angry that I didn¡¯t give him sex. I just couldn¡¯t deal with him that day after what happened to Charlene and me. If Louis had not shown up, we would still not have talked about Stevie. Michael and I had sorted out our issues in some ways. Marcus and I will connect again, and I will look at him differently. I hoped. But regardless, I had family all over the galaxy. People that loved me and cared for me.  If I could only embrace the feeling. Take hold of it in some way. Let it sink from my head to my heart. My gut contended with my contentment. I knew in the time to come. It will blow¡­

    ¡°Julie!¡± My mom¡¯s voice brought me back into the present.

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    I didn¡¯t know if my dreams of being happy were what I wanted after all? Do they not say that what we think will make us happy is usually the opposite. I shook my head. No, that was impossible. We could never go on like we did forever. Troubles, trauma, conflict.

    It didn¡¯t take much to get everyone packed and ready. The strangest thing was to see the little dragon boy in a car seat. Warden had him hanging from one arm. Sammy didn¡¯t want to let go of me. Jessy was carrying Katty in her carrier, and somehow, we were going on an adventure.

    First, we traveled to the field. Louis saw us off, and we came out unannounced where Michael and I had landed not long ago. The boy in the room wasn¡¯t so shocked to see us and took a knee when he recognized me. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, Queen Ahmed.¡±

    I snickered. It would never get old. The acknowledgment didn¡¯t seem to phase Jessy. On the other hand, Warden snorted, muttering that I was not fit to be queen. I rolled my eyes. ¡°Will you please announce our arrival and receive permission for us to enter.¡± I addressed the bowing boy.

    The boy sprang up. ¡°Oh no, Queen Ahmed. You never need to be announced again. I have strict orders to take you immediately to Princess Charlene.¡±

    I stuck my tongue out at Warden. Sammy did the same.

    The boy glanced at Katty. ¡°Is it a meal? Was it a long way to travel?¡±

    ¡°No! Sammy yelled. ¡°Katty, not a snack. Not for eating.¡± It at least made Warden laugh.

    ¡°She is a cat. Do, mes, ti, cated¡­ animal.¡± I tried to explain.

    ¡°Animal? Do¡­mes¡­ticated?¡± The boy frowned.

    ¡°She is a¡­ sacred keepsake.¡± I figured that would make him understand. ¡°Holy and to be looked after.¡±

    He glanced at Katty sitting in a little loaf in her carrier and said. ¡°I will see¡­.¡±

    ¡°She!¡± Sammy said.

    ¡°I will see that she is treated accordingly¡­ Sacred Katty.¡±

    Sammy nodded, pleased that her pavement special cat would be treated right.

    Min¨¦ and Charlene were knees deep in the sand outside their house. Caleb had a bucket in his hand, releasing currents of water into their moat, making Min¨¦ squeal with pleasure. He hadn¡¯t seen me and walked off. The Dheka around them watched in awe, whispering among themselves. How could Charlene think of such a fun pastime for a young child? They had built a massive castle with doorways and tunnels. The windows even had curtains.

    ¡°Min¨¦!¡± Sammy yelled and wriggled out of my arms. She took two steps and fell forward, not quick enough to use her hands to brace herself.

    ¡°What a fine Riphath you make, my dear.¡±

    She spat out the sand she ate going down. Min¨¦ had heard her and was elegantly walking toward us as if she was effortlessly gliding over the sand. A vision of Brylee jumped to mind. How Min¨¦ was destined to rule Palmyra. It would never be mine.

    Charlene had stood up. She would not be showing for a while. I was almost five months and instantly jealous of the clothes she wore, feeling fat already. She could see my glower and lifted her hands in the air, turning in a triumphant circle. ¡°I drew it! They made it for me.¡±

    ¡°I want one.¡± I stomped a foot.

    Min¨¦ had helped Sammy up. She, in return, had thrown her arms around Min¨¦¡¯s neck, not noticing the reserve I had. They were instantly bonded, just like Charlene and I could be. I would not give that up! Not even for Palmyra.

    Min¨¦ had sat down again, showing Sammy all the little things they had included in their creation. ¡°She is different,¡± I said softly.

    ¡°I am a lady now. Grandmother says I need to hold my head up high.¡± Min¨¦ said in a gentle voice.

    ¡°I can¡¯t fault her logic on that.¡± I retorted.

    Charlene and I joined them. The four of us were instantly enthralled in making it the best kingdom in the world. It didn¡¯t take Sammy long, or Min¨¦ had lost sight of who she needed to be and remembered who she was.

    ¡°Seems like all she needed was her vampire friend to show her how fun life could be,¡± Charlene said. I placed a hand on her arm. ¡°I¡¯m worried that this place will affect her werewolf attributes in the wrong way.¡± I tucked a strand of hair hanging over her eye behind an ear. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do if she turns into Brylee.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, when I saw her, that was my first thought. That regal air Brylee had.¡± Charlene glanced up at me. My eyes were on Sammy and Min¨¦ running across the sand in the distance, playing tag and laughing. Pretending that the floor was lava. Their star was setting on the horizon. ¡°You know, you won¡¯t be able to go with her to Palmyra in a few years. When she needs to take the throne. If that¡¯s what you want. To keep their customs and ways of living.¡±

    ¡°Treat the men like slaves.¡± Charlene snorted. ¡°You know I could never do that¡­ You take it!¡± Charlene dusted off the sand clinging to her hand. After that, she gestured wildly as she unburdened herself. ¡°I don¡¯t want her to turn into a werewolf. She needs to experience various social regimes before deciding who she will be. Here¡­ I don¡¯t know. Anyway, Min¨¦ never has to know. The Werewolves on Mirach¡­ I¡¯ll think about that when the time comes. I¡¯m not even the rightful heir.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter anymore. You have the stone¡­ but Fahan is still there.¡± I said soothingly.

    ¡°For now! And, for now, he is just in one place. If I were you.¡± Charlene said, fixing her gaze on me. ¡°I¡¯d make my move soon.¡±

    ¡°If you were me!¡± I laughed. ¡°You are me! It¡¯s not mine, Charlene. It¡¯s yours. If you want to invade. You should do it now.¡± We both laughed. We heard the chuckles from the men inside the house.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not! I¡¯m an Ittoqure. Long lost bloodline destined to die for the second time in a few thousand years. There must be some planet we come from.¡±

    Miriam approached us, bowed, and told Charlene that Yazen and Imani had invited us all for dinner at the main house. I noticed Charlene stiffen. ¡°Thank You,¡± Charlene said with a strained voice. She had not even looked up at Miriam.

    As soon as Romero¡¯s sister was out of earshot, I pounced. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Charlene circled herself, arms waving. ¡°Argh, you know the formalities of it all. The dressing up just to have a meal together. The stuffy ways were fun for a while¡­ that thing on my head¡­ every time! You saw Min¨¦! It¡¯s all a mess. I can¡¯t use my powers. Stuck here¡­¡±

    I realized Charlene was still traumatized by what happened to us. Formalities and customs were not something you wanted to deal with when all you wanted to do was stay in bed and binge a show. Space out and take your mind off everything. We had so much fun the last few days with Carl there that having us all ripped out from under her might have pushed her over the edge. ¡°Charlene¡­ how did you and Romero and the whole party get back so quickly? It took us four days.¡± I said, trying to get her to focus on some positive things.

    ¡°Okay, fine¡­ I do get to use my powers¡­ but¡­¡±

    I nudged my eyes for Charlene to follow my gaze, trying to stop her from saying something she would regret. Romero had come from nowhere and stood behind her, quietly thinking. Their eyes locked for a second. Charlene broke the stare. I guessed she had not told him how she felt. Romero was the one to break the silence, placing two hands on her shoulder. ¡°I have an idea.¡± He smiled when Charlene wouldn¡¯t look at him. He put a finger under her chin, tilting her head up. ¡°We will have a meal in the desert. On cushions and blankets like when we were away from all of this.¡±

    Charlene threw her arms around Romero¡¯s neck. ¡°Can I go in slacks?¡±

    ¡°No! No slacks!¡± He protested. It was fun seeing her having to deal with marital bliss.

    Charlene pouted. ¡°I have an extra pair,¡± I interjected, adding oil to the fire.

    ¡°You do! What I wouldn¡¯t do for a pair of cotton long johns and a T-shirt. All stars and jeans.¡±

    ¡°A little blue sequence dress and go clubbing.¡±

    Charlene burst out laughing. ¡°No! One of the worst nights of our lives¡­ oh, I will never forget it.¡±

    I jumped up. ¡°No, but it was much easier back then. We accept your invitation for music, dancing, and feasting. Because I am sooo hungry.¡±

    Charlene turned red. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I should have offered you something to drink or a snack.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you should have¡­ I forgive you¡­ You have other things on your mind¡­ Why aren¡¯t you hungry?¡±

    Charlene pulled her nose up. ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t do for crackers. Dry crusty crackers.¡±

    ¡°You have morning sickness?¡±

    ¡°I do. And nothing here is dry. It¡¯s all fluffy, and it makes me want to gag.¡±

    ¡°Jessy! My supply, please.¡±

    Jessy, Warden, and Caleb stepped out of the house. He handed her the packet of biscuits I kept on hand. Charlene burst into tears, stuffing the cracker into her mouth and taking the tiniest nibble.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the only one that will be batty with this pregnancy,¡± Jessy said in my ear.

    I hit him on the chest with the back of my hand. ¡°She¡¯s a creature now. Of course, it will be harder. She has so much to deal with.¡±

    ¡°If we don¡¯t make her too angry! She might do something stupid.¡± Warden quipped.

    Romero watched the scene with interest. Jessy leaned toward him. ¡°Can I talk to you for a second? Louis asked me to give you a message.¡±

    ***

    Michael

    Selena and I stood on the precipice of the floating island, looking down onto the village. For one, I had thought Iku and his wife were off making love somewhere. The reverse was that they were off killing our men and would come after me. It was neither of my theories. Shocked, I stood motionless, gawking at the scene on the ground. The two of them were working together in the village. The beast I had maimed had recovered and was out for vengeance. He had followed me. The red stone sword¡¯s effects had worn off. How could it walk after I almost cut it to pieces? Iku was also getting nowhere in thwarting its advances on the village. Even in his brilliance of shadow fighting, he couldn¡¯t control or tire the beast out. Our team was helping in any way they could. I was pleased that they had disobeyed my order. The watchers were flying and shooting at it with nets and guns. The swords the Vampires had were the only thing to break through his thick skin and penetrate the furry beast. It was so big that he stood halfway with Iku and face to-face with his wife. It was why she was there in the first place. To protect the Dheka. The beast¡¯s fur absorbed the watcher¡¯s bullets, pushing them back out with intensity. The stabs the vamps could make didn¡¯t slow it down. The men looked at each other in defeat. They had no idea how to kill something impenetrable.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°His pelt is alive!¡± Selena yelled. ¡°I¡¯ve seen something similar on Zoreah. It¡¯s healing itself.¡±

    ¡°His pelt? Alive?¡± I wanted to finish strategizing before we barged in there. Nevertheless, the tall blond had teleported into the midst of the fighting right next to Iku. At least the village seemed deserted. It was almost identical to the one Iku had been guarding, and it felt strange that the only two of their kind left on the planet were so conveniently placed.

    I reached for the red sword at my side. My eyes grazed over the surface as I held it up. It was not a shiny material like a diamond. A rock you could buff into a smooth surface. It was rugged and crafted to the best the Vampires could manage. Rough edges and prickly in some places. Until you lit it to life. I hit the sword on the perfectly chiseled pavement next to me, sparking it to all its glory. When the red stone was lit, it glowed and transformed supernaturally into a thick, smooth blade. Large and double in size. It was almost Viking-like. For a Riphath, it was nothing. For the Chadari, even less to pick up. Not many could yield it. Only Serena and I had one. The other one they crafted was for Chris. As soon as he was ready to pick it up. The Vampires needed more time to harness the ability of the red stones. After that, the possibilities would be endless. Lucky for us, the Chadari wasn¡¯t on their planet anymore. We could mine the remaining rocks to our hearts¡¯ content.

    Everyone seemed to think that I held so much power. It was just that I could go anywhere in the galaxy. Whenever I wanted. Beyond that? I did not understand how our race had wiped out Iku¡¯s. We also bled and died. As I stared at the shadow, I wondered how, why, and when it all happened. Ahasuerus, Brylee, and Ira had kept more from us. A lot more. How did the Ittoqure not wipe out the Werewolves? The Vampires or the Riphaths. There was something I was missing.

    Calling in the helicopter was futile. It would destroy the village; blasting bullets wouldn¡¯t help anyway. I teleported down and landed behind the giant beast for a second time. It had heard me and glanced around. The red glow of my blade made it falter, its face contorting peculiarly. It was only for a second. Its mouth opened, and giant razorlike teeth came at me. The beast didn¡¯t allow me to strike it again. At least it had forgotten about all the other fighters around it. No one posed a threat. I had wounded it. Made it vulnerable. Even if it was for a small amount of time.

    ¡°Its weakness is water!¡± Serena yelled. I barely heard her. Focused on missing and dodging the beast¡¯s attack, I had no time to consider what to do. I always fought in my Riphath form. It was the easiest to teleport and fight like that. It was what I was used to.

    I changed to a vampire to use my cognitive ability. My speed helped me to move around it more nimbly. The heightened awareness I had when a vampire was all I needed to focus on everything around me. I heard the water in the distance and knew precisely where it was and what source could help me. It also allowed me to catalog where everyone was and where the most casualties would be. The villagers were hiding. Most of them were on the far side of the valley. I used all my forms to lure it to the water, away from hurting anyone. Once, I stood under a waterfall, crashing into a pool deep enough to reach my waist. The beast faltered for the second time, raging at me, crying loudly at the edge of the collection of water. Serena was right. It didn¡¯t like water, but would it avoid it. Not all beasts were the same.

    Anticipating my moves, Serena followed us. She was waiting for a moment when she could strike. She sliced the beast¡¯s legs. The pelt split in two. Serena¡¯s eyes were as white as snow. The power she was able to wield was immense. As soon as she had made the cut, the pelt closed again and started to heal. Her eyes came back to normal. ¡°Get out of there! His pelt is learning to counter the stones.¡± My words were too late. The beast had hit her as it turned, flinging her through the air. She landed unconscious, not far from Iku¡¯s feet.

    When the beast and I had fought the first time, I had cut it many times and in different places across its body. It must be more vulnerable in certain parts. The beast wanted to finish Serena off. I teleported to intervene and cut it over the leg again. The pain was enough to send it reeling at me. It wasn¡¯t enough to stop it, though. I had to let the sword go. What was the point if it would be fine in a second? Our nets were not big enough to hold it. ¡°Iku, follow me closely.¡± Hand to hand was all I had left.

    I focused on my target and fought the beast as a Riphath with long black nails, rolling and scratching it as a werewolf. The tearing of flesh over my chest sent a jolt of pain down my spine. I focused more on my vampire form and lured it slowly up an embankment, teleporting to frustrate it. Far enough, so it had to follow me. It wasn¡¯t very clever, and it landed on all fours most of the time, running at me like a bear, standing up on its hind legs when I was close. There was only one floating island connected to the one I wanted. It took some time to get us both at the top and close to the edge. I teleported over the small gap. The beast didn¡¯t think twice and leaped over after me. The black shadow was shooshing and gliding over the earth around us.

    My shirt was blood-soaked, and my arms were scratched in places. I couldn¡¯t unnecessarily transform anymore. Tired, I wiped over my weary eyes. Unable to focus. I was as drained as I was the day Silvanus whipped me. Human, I could do nothing more than stand as a pawn to the slaughter. Iku was going to have to do the rest. With my last bit of strength, I transformed into a werewolf, fighting close to it. There was nothing on its body I could use as leverage. Its arms effortlessly gripped me when I tried to attack it from behind or get on its back. Blood trickled from a wound on my head over my brow. The smell was enough for the beast to lose control. I teleported to the edge of the Island, hoping it was stupid enough to follow me the last little bit. I maneuvered it into position.

    Finally, it stood up on its hind legs. Iku did what he was supposed to. The black shadow darted past me. Black long waves flowed out toward the beast. Large hands grabbed around its neck. The cloud enveloped the thing, and Iku kicked off the ground, sending him and the beast over the ledge. I crashed onto my knees, hands in the dirt, crawling the rest of the way. My arms trembled, and my hands stung over the jagged rocks. Searing, sharp pains in my chest made me hiss. The beast and Iku had landed in the pool. I held my breath, hoping that the water was deep enough. That the waterfall would confuse it enough. Scare it sufficiently to stop its attack so Iku could drown it. He was swirling around him. The beast sputtered and gasped for air. Iku¡¯s wife joined the muddle and flung herself into the fray. The fall had done nothing; it was too strong, and their abilities didn¡¯t dampen his resolve. Different colors bolted like lightning through the water. The pond was too shallow, their weight together nothing for the sheer size of his bulky body. It didn¡¯t even reach his knees when it stood up on its hind legs. It could not run or move fast in the water but fought and fought, stopping Iku and his wife from coming close to it. The first time it landed a blow on Iku¡¯s wife, she was sent smashing into the side of the floating island.

    Iku looked up at me, heaving and out of breath. Red clouded my vision. I swiped my sleeve over my eyes, trying to think and recoup some of my strength. I stood at the edge, looking at Selena lying on the ground. Iku¡¯s wife huddled in a fetal position. It was a mess. I had angered the beast and not thought of the repercussions. I had lured it there and made it come after me. With resolve, I cried into the air. Screeched as only a vampire could and got its attention. All I had to do was wait. A movement caught my eye. Behind me were several small shadows standing and staring at me. They covered the ground quickly and enveloped me. Their combined abilities healed me, and the blood stopped running into my eyes. The stampede was growing louder. A loud thud shook the earth beneath our feet. It had jumped over to the Island. The shadows disappeared as quickly as they had come. The gashes over my chest were halfway healed, but every time I took a breath, it was in ridged agony. I looked up at the sky, thinking about Juliet. How useless I was on Zoreah when that sand monster had made her fall over the edge. I wasn¡¯t that guy anymore and quickly decided what needed to be done. No matter the cost.

    Again, I waited and fought and lured it closer and closer to the edge. Over and over, I gained new wounds. We were so close. I transformed into a Riphath, dived at the beast, and dug my nails into its fur. The piercing and squelching sounds that followed made the beast rear up, lashing down at me with his mouth. I planted my feet and pushed. At the very moment when the beast was in the air and my feet could push off the ground, I teleported, closing my fist until I had flesh and skin securely in my grasp. I wrapped my legs around it and plunged my teeth into its neck. I didn¡¯t know if it would work or what would happen. I was hoping, more than anything else, that the velocity of our fall and my push off the ground would be enough. I closed my airway. The jolting cold snapped me into action. I let go and ripped out my claws and teeth from its skin. The beast was slow in the water. It looked up at me, slowly swatting its arms through the darkness. It was futile in the depths of the ocean. He could barely move. His weight slowly dragged him down and down into the depths until I couldn¡¯t see him anymore.

    On the other hand, I had changed into a werewolf at the last second and was desperately searching for the mountain. The tiny entrance to the cave where the vault was kept had been my goal. It had been the only landing point on Mirach I could think of. It had worked. The strong current pushed me back and forth as I swam to reach the still waters close to the opening. It was my only way to safety. The mountain became more apparent. As soon as I could, I kicked my feet against the rock and drove myself back against the solidity of the mountain, back into the water, teleporting to the one place I wanted to be. It was our one weakness. Water. I landed on my knees and hands, coughing and choking, red water dripping onto the clean floor. I looked up. The young boy started and jumped to his feet, reaching out and tugging violently on a cord. Bells echoed above us. They carried and became louder and louder. My face hit the floor before I could say anything.

    ***

    Loud music brought me back to reality. I took in my surroundings, wondering where we were. My eyes landed on the beautiful night sky with The Milky Way on the horizon. A moon shone brightly to the side. The large fire brought me back to Juliet and Charlene, who were dancing around it and being silly. They were dragging Caleb and the young girls with them as they moved with the rhythm of the music, mimicking an African tribal way of dancing, bending at the waist and their arms stretched out over their heads following the movements of their bodies. Juliet¡¯s arms almost touched the sand, and she brought them up into the air. I smiled and turned onto my side to have a more comfortable view. They were in grey sweatpants and black T-shirts, barefoot and glowing like only pregnant women could. Charlene was laughing, picking Min¨¦ up, twirling her around in her Riphath form, putting her down, and joining Caleb and Juliet again. Juliet had taken Caleb¡¯s hand, pulled him in, and pushed him out from her body, flaring up her arm at the end of a movement. Caleb soon figured out what he was supposed to do and took charge, leading her around the fire. Sammy clapped excitedly, jumping up and down, dancing in her own little way. Another smile pulled at the corner of my mouth. I was so thankful to be a part of her family.

    The Dheka musicians were enjoying themselves. There were some trumpet noises and some plucking instruments. Imani and Yazen had joined the festivities. Imani and Romero were dancing¡­ weirdly. Yazen and his daughter were next to them. Their dance was elegant and more reserved.

    A hand startled me. I glanced around. The doctor who helped me after Juliet and I fought felt my forehead, running his shadowy hand over my face. It was awkward as his hands glided over every part of me. He lifted a hand in the air as he finished at my toes. The music stopped abruptly. I peeked at Juliet, who was startled and confused until she caught my eye. Those daggers turned to cold ice picks. It was not how I wanted our next meeting to go. My anticipation for our reunion had washed away in the water. The doctor stood and held out a hand. I shakily took hold of his arm. ¡°Slowly now.¡± I used my other arm and lifted my body off the ground, too weak to move quickly, even if I wanted to. Romero swiftly put himself under my shoulder and helped me to my feet. ¡°Selena?¡± I croaked out the word, feeling the gashes over my chest that were not completely healed.

    Romero looked at a tent in the distance. ¡°Jessy is with her. She has not woken up yet.¡±

    ¡°Iku and his wife?¡±

    Romero¡¯s gaze traveled to another tent, and he pointed. ¡°They will talk with my father tomorrow.¡±

    I nodded. Juliet came into view, and she stopped when I looked at her. The ice shards were being shot at me in succession for a long while before she turned around and stomped off toward a tent. She lifted the flap, flinging it closed behind her. I glanced at Charlene for help. She shook her head. ¡°We watched your feed.¡±

    I glanced at the tent Juliet had gone into and sighed heavily. Caleb wrapped his arms around me. ¡°How could you do that?¡±

    I pulled him closer. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t thinking. I was in beast mode.¡±

    Charlene laughed lightly. ¡°I know how you feel.¡±

    Yazen clapped his hands together. A line of finely dressed servants walked through the gathering with plates high above their heads. I took in the food piled on top of each. My mouth watered as the smells drifted through the air. ¡°Romero,¡± He looked at me. ¡°Can you send one to Juliet¡¯s tent? I¡¯m starving.¡± He held out an arm, and the closest server went in that direction. I followed and held open the flap for her. Juliet sat on the cushions, her feet pulled in beneath her, picking agitatedly at her nails. The server put the food down and left quietly. I let the curtain drape and walked over to tower over her. Juliet¡¯s hand swiped over her chin, and she turned away from me. I didn¡¯t have the energy to deal with her. My lust was spent entirely. A few hours ago, I would¡¯ve gladly worked on us. ¡°Is this where you love and hate me at the same time?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The word came out so easily. As soon as I said it, my torturing thoughts ceased. Juliet quickly got up, and I pushed out my arm straight in front of her to bar her from leaving. ¡°You were so happy a moment ago.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s my life. Nothing I can do about it. I have to take the happiness as it comes.¡± Her chest was pressed up against my skin. I needed her. My hand opened and lightly closed around her shoulder. Her whole body relaxed. ¡°I¡¯m starving. Please eat with me.¡± She glanced up and dried her tears, nodding.

    I tackled the food with vigor, shoving handfuls into my mouth. Juliet chuckled at last, and I shrugged. She was right. We had to eat when we could. Enjoy any moment that presents itself. I slowed my chewing after my stomach caught on. Charlene came in and dumped a small beast at my side. ¡°Drain it. It helps.¡± She wasn¡¯t out of the tent, or my teeth were dug into its neck. With my thirst quenched, I fell back onto the cushions, closing my eyes and wiping away the liquid at the corners of my mouth. Maybe I should shave my beard; washing it every time I drained something was becoming irritating.

    I heard Juliet moving around in the tent and scuffling noises next to me. Then, a wet cloth was pressed against my chin and the skin around my lips. I frowned. Slowly, she continued to wipe and rinse. ¡°Let me be the woman in this relationship, just this one time.¡± I laughed, allowing her to tend to me, take care of me... After she felt I was clean enough, all movements stopped. I could still feel her thigh against my chest and then her breath on my lips. I peeked out of one eye. ¡°Are you okay?¡± A little revived, I stared at her lips, considering if I could start something I couldn¡¯t finish.

    I shook my head. ¡°I never knew what you really went through all those years. How it felt and how dangerous it was. How often did I prepare a person for you, and things didn¡¯t go as planned. As a child, you had to fight for survival. Out there fending for yourself and getting hurt in the process. Manage your emotions¡­ I¡¯m sorry I scared you.¡±

    Juliet pressed her lips onto mine. I wasn¡¯t in the mood. Nor had the strength to make it memorable. ¡°I...¡± She leaned in, needy and urgent, until my lips relaxed and folded in with hers. Her lips were soft, welcoming my slow response. I rolled her over so she was underneath my chest but next to me. We stayed like that for a while, staring at each other. Her hand came up to rest on my cheek, rubbing her thumb over my lips. Asking. I was contemplating if this was how I wanted it to be? In that tent? After all we had been through. Rushed and shallow sex¡­ Again.

    My mouth lowered onto hers, deciding for me. If I didn¡¯t take it when she was so available, who knew when I would have another chance. Juliet¡¯s mouth devoured mine with fervor. She wasn¡¯t only available but desperate. Her body adhered to every touch as my hand cupped her breast and pushed behind the nape of her neck, forcing her to give me more of her mouth. I was slowly forgetting my tiredness but knew it would be over too quickly if it went on like that. I slowed my lips and touched her with purpose. She didn¡¯t like my pace and wrapped her legs around me, pushed me over, planting herself on top of me. I smiled and pretended to go for her ass but did the same to her. I was on top of her again. Juliet sat up, bunched up the hem of my shirt, and pulled it over my head. While I was still arms in the air, she caught me and rolled me over. I tossed my shirt aside, came up, took hold of her neck, and thrust my tongue into her mouth, exploring and ravishing her soft, soft lips. In the midst of our enthusiasm, I got rid of her shirt. Her bra pushed up her breast, and I gorged myself on her cleavage.

    I tossed her over again. Juliet went for my pants and pushed them down. I laughed. I had to roll again to get them off. How I missed a bed. Juliet got on top, and my low energy was forgotten. I reared up to unclasp her bra, releasing the objects of my desire. My tongue was out before she could get it off above my head. Stretched out, I groaned, licking the bottom of her breast. Juliet shivered and faltered with every broad stroke I dragged around her nipple, never giving her what she wanted. She had ultimately let go of the idea of getting rid of the bra. As she dropped her arms, the straps still hung around her elbows, intertwined behind my head. It made her breast plump up, and my cock responded in kind. I pushed her over and got rid of her clothes for her until there was nothing left between us. My eyes devoured her soft skin and curves, drifting down to her open thighs. I wanted to rest myself between her legs. Juliet laughed as we rolled over a few more times, kissing and struggling. Neither wanted to give over control. ¡°I¡¯ll go on top. You¡¯re tired, and I don¡¯t want everyone to know I¡¯m having my way with you.¡± She said through ragged breaths.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. So, are you going to give in? I want to have my way with you.¡±

    Juliet cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Never¡­¡± She wanted to roll me over. I smiled and didn¡¯t let her, pushing her down and rocking her backward and forward on my frustrated length. We both knew who would win that fight. I looked deep into her eyes. Juliet used the only other thing she could. Tactics. She pretended to concede and lay down so I could mount her. Still in the air, one hand glided over my ass, and the other cupped me, touching and stroking me the way I liked. My eyes closed, but I kept her underneath me when she tried to push me around. I jerked a few times in her hand, still circling my rigid length. ¡°Okay, what if¡­.¡± She slid down my shaft... ¡°We go fifty-fifty.¡±

    I lowered down to her mouth and bit her bottom lip in between my teeth. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± I kissed the corner of her mouth, licking the side of her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll go first, and you can have your way with me after.¡±

    Only the idea shriveled me up and made a wave of tiredness cross over my eyes. ¡°Urrgh, no!¡± I let her go and fell down next to her. ¡°You take forever; by that time, I¡¯m wiped.¡± I rolled on my side, giving her my back. ¡°I just killed a freaking giant alien¡­ All I want to do is sleep. And this was not how I saw us tussling between the sheets.¡± I thought she would be hurt.

    ¡°You just don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing.¡± Juliet mocked.

    I busted a gut, laughing and groaning as my abdomen contracted around my wounds. Juliet was trying¡­ everything to get me there. Best compliment ever. She killed Stevie for me, and I couldn¡¯t¡­

    ¡°Maybe you should have slept with more people over the years.¡± Juliet quipped.

    I rolled back to her, still laughing and remembering the knife she had kept from our time at the farm. Juliet slowly slid he hands over my chest, following the patterns of my tattoos, tugging at the rings through my nipples. It did nothing for me. I just couldn¡¯t anymore. Our foreplay had drained me. ¡°My girlfriend is very jealous. Juliet I¡­¡±

    ¡°I can help with that.¡± The doctor¡¯s voice startled us. He was peeking in at the entrance of the tent. Juliet yelped and pulled a cushion to cover her bare breasts. We heard the whole camp laughing.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing new here.¡± The doctor said, coming closer. ¡°The women get so used to their powers that the men have no idea how to do anything.¡± Juliet laughed. The women outside laughed. He wriggled his fingers in the air. ¡°One touch.¡±

    Juliet jumped up, addicted already. Juliet gets what Juliet wants. With the pillow clutched to her chest, she dragged him closer, pointing at me. I smiled. She was naked, but her breasts bothered her. ¡°Him first.¡± My smile fell. I had never felt it before. It would be interesting. What if it didn¡¯t work? I wanted to experience it. What if it did work, and I lost control? I was tired enough. What could go wrong? The doctor smiled and gestured with an outstretched hand. Juliet lay down next to me. The man touched both our heads and left us clouded with lust. He retreated quickly, clapping his hands together above his head. The whole camp went into a melodious song. Instruments and voices booming so loud that the noises we were going to make wouldn¡¯t matter. Juliet¡¯s eyes were dark, staring at me. It was like nothing I had ever known. All the pain was gone. All the thoughts. Every last excuse was replaced with only one thing flowing through my veins.

    With absolutely no control, I grabbed her shoulder and pushed her face down into the pillows. Not caring about how rough I was or making it memorable anymore. I moved over her, ready to take her from behind like she had begged. The image that had been chafing at my self-control. My hand pushed in underneath her body, enveloping her breasts with excited squeezes only to slide down her body and rest between her legs. The tips of my fingers were soaked as I teased her entrance, driving out deprived sounds of desperation from Juliet. I slid over her a few times, took myself in hand, and, with a frantic push, plunged into her. I kept myself to the hilt, lowering down on her to bite the back of her neck like she wanted me to. My fingers rested on her silken skin, and I rocked hard and repeatedly against her depths. My teeth nipped up and down the naked flesh that presented itself. Throaty breaths quickened, and Juliet convulsed in waves around me.

    I rolled my hips back, swallowed by warmth, and thrust into her with a few erratic pumps to get myself under control. Once I found my rhythm, I was relentless, in and out. I adjusted my position, came up on my hands, and straddled her other leg, pushing hers together, making my next thrust a pounding second of overwhelming ferocity. ¡°Michael¡­¡± I pounded again, unable to curb myself. ¡°If I lose this baby, neither of us will survive.¡± I slowed down to say, ¡°Honey, that stuff I gave you made you carry another species, child. Your cervix is as thick as I am right now.¡±

    ¡°Then get off so I can get on all fours.¡±

    I kept moving back and forth, lowering down on her. My mouth tugged and sucked at her earlobe. My breathing was uneven in her ear, ¡°Not tonight¡­ I want to make love to you.¡± Juliet melted underneath me and clenched around me. I slowed my pace but kept my thrusts hard, moaning every time I was at the brink. Her hand came around. Soft fingers ran over my shoulder and into my hair. I rested on my elbows and took both breasts in the palm of my hands, squeezed and held them tight, thrusting myself over and over into her. ¡°How does this feel?¡± I didn¡¯t really have to ask. She could not see I was in my vampire state. It wasn¡¯t a conscious decision. It had just happened. My black nails were sliding over the moist skin around her breasts, dragging ripples of pleasure from her. Her heart was pounding, building up to another climax. The smells of our fluids mingling together with the sounds our bodies were making sent me spiraling. It was mind-fing good. I didn¡¯t want to give her what she wanted. Since being a creature, I didn¡¯t have to ask her how she felt anymore¡­ I noticed all of it. The red in her cheeks, the flush in her neck. Her parted lips, silently gasping and begging for relief. The tremble in her voice. ¡°More¡­¡± She fisted my hair.

    ¡°F- Juliet, that mouth of yours¡­ You¡¯re mine. Do you understand that?¡±

    She didn¡¯t say anything. I gave her more. Her muffled moans became louder. Her breath caught every time I drove forward. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m yours¡­ I always have been.¡± I released violently into her, pushing up on my hands and pressing down on her back so she couldn¡¯t interfere with the unbearable heights the drugs had pushed me to. I dropped my manifestation but couldn¡¯t stop. Even after, I scooped her up and was standing on my knees in a second, spreading her legs so I was positioned between her dripping thighs. She was boneless in my solid arms. I held her close to my chest, still hard inside her. Gently, I took her weight on one arm and leaned forward, tilting her with my upper body. With my other hand free, I reached between her legs. I wanted more and started stroking, coaxing her to abandon all self-control.  ¡°Just like that, don¡¯t stop.¡± Her voice was barely audible.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± I hissed in her ear.

    ¡°Pleeease.¡± My brain didn¡¯t want to give in. ¡°Michael, please.¡± Her nails dug into my thigh. It surged frenzy ripples of pleasure through me, but more than getting off, I wanted to keep the space between her thighs under my control. A breathless urgency took over Juliet. Every time I rubbed over her, she would hold her breath in anticipation. I would take my hand away, leaving her writhing. I would have to start all over, and every time, it took less time to build her up and stop right before she could come undone. It went on until only one stoke would send her reeling, and I would lift my fingers for a second too long. Again and again, keeping her at that quivering point. My other fingers clamped around her nipple, tweaking softly. ¡°Ahh¡­ I can¡¯t anymore. Michael¡­¡±

    Juliet¡¯s hand reached for mine. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± My lust craze told me to make her squirm. She felt so good around me, pulsing and jerking every time I teased. Absolutely begging. A soft cry of agonizing desperation made me shake myself, and I came back to human, rested my fingers over her slick heat, and began slowly thrusting in and out of her. Juliet¡¯s hands gripped my thighs. I let my fingers move with my rhythm, urging her to trust me. She surrendered and leaned against my arm, allowing her release to engulf her. My hand closed around her to steady her and stayed like that, holding her and letting her come undone in her own time.

    Juliet came up and rested her head on my shoulder, taking ragged breaths. Her dark, taught nipples begged me to touch them. My mouth watered to get a hold of them. Under my sweeping touches, they flicked. I had never seen them like that.

    I sat back on my heels and let her sit on my lap, giving us both a moment to catch our breath. I took hold of her waist, lifting her up and plunging her down on me, bucking every time the head of my cock got what it wanted. I wrestled with myself to prolong my pleasure. Anticipating coming undone. I moved her hair to one side and wrapped my arms around her, letting my lips and tongue taste her skin. Our bodies were hot against each other, glistening in the dim light. Juliet held onto my arm as I lifted her up and down. Her lips came around to capture mine, one hand in my hair. She complained as our lips parted. Every stroke up and down inside her weakened my thighs. I felt the sting of the wounds on my chest. It would be the last time. The drugs were wearing off. I didn¡¯t want it to end and manifested. My emotions were a mess, and I pushed her forward. Juliet¡¯s hands reached out to stop her fall. I caressed her back, gliding my black tips over her twitching skin toward her shoulder. I gripped and let myself lose all sense for a few unbridled surges, finally crying out with every burst. My finish was long and splintered the torment of ending it there.

    Lethargic and spent, I pulled out and sat back, admiring the view while Juliet caught her breath, hair covering her face. She was exhausted and fell over onto the cushions. I followed her lead and pulled her into the crook of my arm. I felt a slight shaking against my chest. I glanced down till the sniffles and deep breaths were loud in my ears. Juliet was crying. I quickly turned her body. More tears rolled down her temples. One arm came over to cover her face. Eyes wide, I dragged her into my arms and onto my chest. ¡°Honey, are you okay?¡±

    She nodded against me.

    ¡°You¡¯ve never cried after¡­ Has it happened before?¡±

    She nodded, ¡°Too many times. But never with you¡­ I wanted it too much.¡± I threw my leg over hers and wrapped my arms around her. She buried her face in the hollow of my shoulder. Her soft sobs deepened. I held her until she fell asleep. I closed my eyes. Was I too domineering? The realization dawned. I had been in my vampire form. I cursed myself for letting myself get out of control. It was reckless using that purple stuff on me without anyone there. No accountability. My eyes jumped open. Louis would read her thoughts and go over everything I did and¡­ said. I groaned, wiping one hand over my face. I told her to shut up¡­ ¡°Oh geez!¡± She had to say please.

 Aries Goes Home

    196. Aries Goes Home

    Soren

    Isla was happy to see my parents. We were both coming to a place where we thought Ian was sincere in his own way about the wedding and what he said about how he would treat us in the future. His goals for the four of us in The Tower were more and more appealing. He even agreed with me taking over dealing with Fahan after the wedding. It seemed that Ian would respect the cease-fire. My parents were elated that we were safe and that Isla had agreed to the match. My mother was even talking more, and my father didn¡¯t mind. Our lives were coming together. The women left us to go into the kitchen to prepare a meal so that we could celebrate. My father was watching the women walk away. As he turned, there was only contentment written on his face. He placed his hands on his hips and smiled, laughing a little. Doubt at their ignorance filled all my hopes for the future. I would have to pretend like I never had before. If they were happy, it was all that mattered. I took a seat and relaxed into the cushions of the chair. It was the first time I could breathe. ¡°Come, Soren. You are always talking. Why so quiet?¡± I would not mention Juliet once! I would not! But she was all I was thinking about. I wouldn¡¯t burden my parents or anyone else with my sacrifices.

    ¡°It is a good match. For both of you.¡±

    Was it, though? The war continued, and they had made up their minds, sure that Ian would take over. My father never cared for politics. If neither Ian nor Marcus kill prisoners, the rest of the planet could go on as they wanted. As long as you stayed out of it. If there was peace and an arrangement between the men, I supposed it was a good match, but who got married in uncertainty?

    ¡°When is the wedding?¡± He asked, seeing I wasn¡¯t going to share my feelings.

    ¡°End of the month.¡±

    ¡°I was worried about you, but then Ian came, and he gave me all the papers a vampire would give to a camp to get a wife¡­ Can you believe it? He came himself¡­ It was unorthodox. In the end and under the circumstances, it all seems in order. We both know what the requirements are.¡±

    My eyes met my father¡¯s. I didn¡¯t want to bombard him with questions. What was the point? Asking him why Ian was rushing it? No one was thinking it through. Ian was only doing it to use us¡­ me for information.

    ¡°The question is. Is your sister comfortable marrying again?¡±

    ¡°Would you believe me if I told you she¡¯s in love with him?¡±

    My father laughed heartily. ¡°We leave Earth for arranged marriages, and then she falls in love.¡± He laughed even more. ¡°What a story she already has for a life¡­ Now tell me¡­ Will he hurt her in any way? Even in the slightest.¡±

    ¡°The big question is what you would permit¡­ You hid her away for so long on Earth just for her to get taken from a camp here¡­ Have you ever been close?¡±

    My father sat up. ¡°How could you ask me that? Do I have a temper?¡± I smiled and shook my head. ¡°Does Ian have a temper?¡±

    I thought about all the times he was annoyed and manifested or came back to human when his emotions were in turmoil. I didn¡¯t go out the first week when he was in the midst of the war and didn¡¯t know how he was when no one was watching.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Baba¡­ I don¡¯t know him¡­. Any man can reach a limit.¡±

    ¡°You are right. We have to let her go¡­ But this time, no one will come to rescue Isla. Juliet is on the other side¡­ We are back to questioning our way of life.¡±

    ¡°I will not let that happen,¡± I whispered. Not again. Even if I had to marry Rana to keep an eye on Isla. And when Ian refuses me to visit, it will be all I need to know.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. You are a good boy.¡±

    I wanted to get up. ¡°Soren,¡± my father¡¯s voice was tender. I couldn¡¯t. Please don¡¯t say anything. I stood, avoiding his eyes. ¡°I am sorry.¡± I pushed back the tears and demons that wanted to be released into the atmosphere. I felt sick to my stomach. There was that love that came once in a lifetime. I was sure Juliet was it, and I was certain when I slept with Rana¡­ It would be over. Completely and utterly. She would never forgive me for being inconstant. Even Michael told me to commit regardless. I had made the choice to walk away. I could¡¯ve stayed. Seen her. Talk to her. Like it was those months on En-gannim searching for Chris. It was too hard, with no hope at the end of the tunnel. I remember what Juliet said that night. ¡°At some point, Marcus, what we love will be taken away.¡± I kind of understood what she meant. You can only lose something you stopped fighting for. I left the room in a rush. I needed fresh air. I pushed my face into the warm light of Sirius. The rays just weren¡¯t the same as the sun on Earth. My dad¡¯s hand rested on my shoulder.

    ¡°Soren, you¡¯ve given up enough! I don¡¯t want to see you unhappy for the rest of your life. You don¡¯t have to consummate the relationship until you are ready. It is not law here. Or even a custom. It is all up to the man. If it takes you a hundred years to build any type of affection for her. Take it! If we are going to live in this place. Use it!¡± His fist clenched in the air. ¡°Use it till the last drop drips down.¡± My eyes met his. So, he was thinking about everything. ¡°You are responsible for your life.¡± He pointed at me. ¡°You can not blame it on others. Or think you are doing anyone any favors. You are allowed to scheme and work just as hard as you want¡­ For what you want.¡±

    What I wanted¡­ I would never have. And yes, it was about the sex. The intimacy. I wasn¡¯t a f-ing werewolf who was going to sell my soul in service and not get a whole life with children and a sense of family. Marcus would never let me touch her if I ever got to see her. No¡­ ¡°I have no pride left. Nothing to fight for.¡± The first tear rolled over my cheek.

    My father¡¯s chin quivered. ¡°Oh boy. All you have is a broken heart. She has already let you go. No, she didn¡¯t fight for you¡­ It¡¯s been months since you came back with our emblem¡­ Maybe it is time you made a choice¡­ I have made mine. You think I have too much apathy. You are mistaken. We have been tossed around. Used. I am sick of not having any power. We will never be in the inner circle if we do not make moves upward¡­¡±

    I didn¡¯t really know what to say.

    ¡°Has anyone come to check up on you and Isla?¡± I shook my head. ¡°You see. They put Isla there and left her there when the fight broke out. You will always be last on their minds.¡±

    My father was right. Chris knew where we were. It would have taken them one trip to come and talk to us. It is what I had been waiting for¡­ Hearing my father say that we are being used¡­ Both sides were using me. Using my family¡­ It was time I accepted the fact and made some decisions about what I really wanted.

    ***

    Fahan

    It had been too many days since Dimitrios came to save me from that stinking ship. Jade was in my arms, and some peace had settled in the atmosphere of the home and in my heart. Who knew all I needed was a good beating? Bring me down off that throne I thought I was on. I stared at the green plants growing along the wall. The growths on the vine gave off soft lights, dimly lighting the room. They made my mind wander. I needed to get Aries back. Nothing Avrio told me wanted the teleporter to activate again. I had time to deal with my fate that my five scientists were dead and, in some way, accepted that Marcus didn¡¯t kill me. Why didn¡¯t he kill me? I couldn¡¯t understand it, but I had to give the boy credit. I thought he was weak. It had brought me down lower because I was too arrogant in my own estimation. Yes, we had a new home, but I had put us in danger of invasion and starvation, only relying on five men.

    Out of frustration, I sent another message to them.

    Me [ Have you decided what to do with Aries? ]

    Marcus [ All the men here would bring him back today ]

    Me [ What do I have to do? ]

    Marcus [ Here, talk to Juliet yourself ]

    Slowly, I let my arms slide out from under Jade. She mumbly complained. I ran my nails over her skin. It got the reaction I craved from her body. Her skin prickled and moved under my touch.

    Juliet [ I will bring him back today ]

    Me [ Why now? ]

    Juliet [ If you don¡¯t want him. I¡¯ll keep him. The little guy is so cute ]

    Me [ No, I do. Thank You ]

    Juliet [ Sure ]

    I couldn¡¯t believe it. What was wrong with them? They did not kill me. She takes my child and keeps him¡­ And suddenly agrees to bring him back. I had no information about their war. Ian was not communicating with me, and it was frustrating to wait and wait.

    ¡°Sure,¡± I whispered into the cool air. What does that mean? The breeze from outside was pleasing. The curtains swayed in and out of the doorway. Palmyra had so much material. Everything was covered and adorned in some way to make it aesthetically pleasing. I had learned all this from the Vampires. Had to learn all the words we didn¡¯t even know existed.

    Juliet appeared before the bed, and Michael was right beside her. ¡°It¡¯s slang for, yes,¡± Juliet whispered. I drew in a breath as Aries fussed. He was so close. I glanced at Jade, wishing she wouldn¡¯t stir or wake up. If she did¡­ It might make them leave. Juliet stepped forward to Jade¡¯s side of the bed. She nudged her head. I lifted Jade¡¯s arm, and Juliet placed Aries against her chest. He was not fully awake, only making small noises in his sleep. Irritated by being picked up and moved. Juliet laughed lightly, stroking his head. He quieted down.

    My breast glowed so brightly seeing him safe in her arms. Aries¡¯s little chest did the same. He knew he was home. How wonderful it felt. I could not understand¡­ I looked up at Juliet to ask her again why? What had made them all so different from the Vampires I was used to dealing with. Juliet was regarding us both at what must have seemed an unfamiliar display of affection. Her eyes flickered from Aries¡¯s little chest to mine. Her head tilted and roamed my body. The lights dimmed behind my skin. Her eyes came up to mine. I nodded my approval. Her eyes drifted down my body. She nudged at my crotch with a curious smile around her mouth. I pulled the sheet further up my waist. She laughed softly and shrugged. It was strange to see so many emotions. You could read every movement of every muscle if you concentrated. Michael stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, and they were gone. My eyes darted to Aries. I sighed, touching his face and playing with his ears. I gently touched and shook Jade¡¯s arm. ¡°Uhuuu.¡±

    ¡°Jade¡­¡± I said softly.

    Aries stirred again, making more noises. Jade¡¯s arms enveloped the baby and pressed him to her breast. ¡°I thought I was dreaming.¡± Her body shook as the emotions took hold. Jade turned to me, and I gathered them up, letting all my feelings show. Aries complained. His arms moved all over the place. I laughed. ¡°You will smother him. Give him to me. Let me hold my son.¡±

    He was waking up as Jade passed him to me. His eyes slowly opened and closed. I moved back into the bed and held him in one hand. ¡°Please forgive me, little one.¡± Jade rested her head on my chest, touching him as much as I was. I had my family back, not that I would ever tell Jade how far I had gone down the path to sacrificing them. I promised myself that I would put them first from that moment forward. The plate lit up next to me. My first reaction was to pick it up. It could be Ian coming to my rescue. If my day had begun that well, would it not only get better? I curbed my urges and left it be. I thought about letting it go altogether, not dealing with them at all, and trying to make it on our own. Boarding those ships and sending men into the waters to find other places to live by themselves. I glanced out at the view over the planet. But first, we had to celebrate. Aries was back.

    Dimitrios opened the door. ¡°Are you¡­¡± His eyes widened with the shock of what it meant. I motioned for him to come closer. He stepped forward, and I handed Aries to him. He lifted the boy in the air, moving him here and then there. Jade was amused.

    ¡°Thank you both,¡± I said.

    Dimitrios gave the boy back to his mother. They exchanged a look, and he nodded at her like I had done to Juliet. It meant nothing. I picked up the plate and gave it to him. ¡°You will deal with whatever is on there.¡±

    Dimitrios gave one solid bob and quit the room. Jade kissed me. ¡°He is back.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ And so are you.¡±

    ***

    Juliet

    Michael took us back to the embassy on Palmyra. We stopped to see the caves Marcus and Caleb had unearthed. The ones Chris had been so busy with until he went back in freaking time¡­ He was still hiding, and I was burning with curiosity about how he had done it and what it meant. After Ian got the stone, the cease-fire had stopped. It was a short few days of confusion. We were all waiting for them to use it, but they never did, and the men had to get back to fighting like they did the first week. After not seeing or hearing anything but a few words from them, Michael appeared and kissed me stupid for only a few seconds and then handed me the plate. I knew my answer to Fahan¡¯s question when I started typing. Marcus had provoked me with his sarcastic, chauvinistic retort. I laughed and couldn¡¯t wait to see him again. He was reaching out in a way. Aries was in my arms, and with the war going on, we didn¡¯t need another attack of any kind. It was already too stressful all around. I was going to do it for Marcus.

    I could hear the men still trying everything they could to get the stone to activate somehow. ¡°Still no luck?¡± I asked as we walked in.

    My eyes devoured the space and all the writings on the wall. It was as magical as the rest of the planet. I picked up the stone and played with it through my fingers. I still had those same feelings about Palmyra and En-gannim. It was mine, and another species occupying my space was not satisfying my equilibrium of how everything had worked out. It had been hard giving Aries back. Bittersweet. Chris still didn¡¯t have his powers back. But keeping Aries was not going to make that day turn out any differently. Louis and Chris believed the full moon would bring him back, and if it did¡­ What was the point of giving away Palmyra? I lost it without even knowing or being asked. It was Chris¡¯s choice to give it away, and then he and¡­ Selena. I was a little ticked off at the man.

    Mindlessly, I walked out of the cave and up the narrow stairs to the docking area. I took in how calm the water was. Those fish were never meant to be there in the first place. In the distance was the massive stone structure, creating a barrier to the ocean. It had come up out of the water. If only we had that when we all fell in the water. The pink pebble was smooth under my touch. The pink glow was peculiar. Ahasuerus¡¯s stone shown different greens and blues. I glanced over the vast water to the gate in the distance. I thought about the power Ian held in his hand if he could bridge the gap instantly and send thousands of men over a bridge.

    I stretched out my hand, and Michael took it. I crouched down and pushed my fist into the water with force. The earth shook beneath our feet, rumbling, making the water move and part around my fist. The scientist came running up the stairs, taking in the scene. At first, there were small waves, and then they grew and grew. Michael held my arm as I hung over the water. The men behind me were astonished. Rocks appeared from the deep blue depths, moving up and out of the water. It was sporadic across the length of the harbor, and then the structure solidified with only small slushes of sound. It extended until it was near the gate. I quickly pulled out my arm. In one giant crash, the whole formation sunk into the depths, swallowed by the water. We heard the blare of an alarm or, rather, voices creating one. I had an audience. I wasn¡¯t happy, so I did it again. That time, I waited till it reached the rocks that form the main island on the other side, right up to their gate. The one they thought protected them. I pulled out my hand, and it didn¡¯t sink away. It was about giving it a tether. ¡°Michael. Will you do me a favor?¡±

    ¡°He stepped forward and picked me up. ¡°If you ask so nicely, how can I say no? But it will cost you.¡±

    ¡°After the other night? I still owe you?¡±

    Michael leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. ¡°The other night¡­ was¡­ an unforgettable experience.¡± I laughed lightly. That was the understatement of the year. It was one of the best nights of my life. ¡°I¡­ just¡­ feel that it didn¡¯t really bring us together. If you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°I do¡­ So what¡¯s your plan?¡±

    ¡°There are two things you¡¯ve promised to do. And you haven¡¯t made good on those promises.¡±

    I bobbed my head and smiled from ear to ear, resting my head on his shoulder. ¡°Michael.¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡±

    ¡°What happened between Chris and Selena?¡±

    Michael placed a kiss on my hair, contemplating telling me. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have said anything.¡± He sighed. ¡°If it were not for¡­¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°While Selena and I looked for Iku¡¯s wife, Selena went into one of their rooms. She remembered everything that happened.¡±

    ¡°Their rooms do hold a lot of power, don¡¯t they.¡±

    ¡°So yeah, before we meet up with Chris tonight. We should talk, and I have an idea to lessen the blow for you. But right now, we have to get off this bridge¡­ How long do you think it lasts?¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± We traveled to the other end and stood staring up at the guard tower. It was so high I could barely see the outline of figures in the glaring light of Sirius. I lifted my hand and placed it on my brow. Fahan and Dimitrios leaned over the railing, looking down at me. A proper audience. I opened my hand and wished they could see the little thing that could create so much power. I bent down and did the same thing in another direction. The new bridge connected to the harbor wall. I stepped onto it, Michael following nervously. Once we were off, the previous one disappeared. Michael picked me up under my arms and twirled me in a circle. I planted a kiss on his lips. He stopped moving and looked down at my mouth. ¡°Juliet, hon.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Michael.¡±

    ¡°Even though the other night was awesome. I was wondering if we could do it again.¡± My eyes widened at the challenge. ¡°No, what I mean is. When all of this is over. When I¡¯m not tired. When we¡¯re not drugged.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just ask for time? We will take a few weeks, maybe go to Zoreah again when no one is in the village. Do all the things you want to do?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Please.¡±

    ¡°What did Louis say about the other night?¡±

    ¡°Nothing yet. It¡¯s making me nervous.¡±

    We heard yelling. Fahan was desperately trying to get our attention. It was probably not the right time to have the discussion we were having. We both laughed. ¡°Can you imagine what they could do with this stone?¡± I said between my laughs.

    ¡°I am glad we brought back Aries. With this stone¡­ even Fahan will be putty in our hands. Can you imagine what we will do on En-gannim?¡±

    My smile fell. ¡°Save Soren?¡±

    Michael stepped back to take in my features. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re going down a road that will break your heart. I meant to stop, Ian.¡±

    I huffed. ¡°Ian is screwed. He thought he had the right stone. But at the same time, we can save Soren. Can I not just once get what I want when I want it?¡±

    Michael got a smug look on his face. ¡°You do sometimes get what you want when you want it.¡± He stroked my arm, sending chills over my body, gooseflesh that always appeared when he touched me, covering my arms and spreading down into my loins. Memories of the other night were not helping. He sighed. ¡°I... don¡¯t know what will happen with Soren. I don¡¯t want to jinx it.¡±

    I turned to the men on the tower, surveying all the glory of Palmyra. ¡°This was supposed to be mine,¡± I whispered. ¡°It¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°Who knows. Maybe someday it will be. Just not today.¡±

    ¡°Everything always comes with a cost.¡±

    ¡°Well then. Decide. Is the splendor of Palmyra worth it?¡±

    His large paw extended out towards me. I pushed down on it and flung my arms around his neck. He placed one arm under my legs, catching me mid-air, and held me close to his body. Michael traveled us back to Earth, where we had a long talk and afterward placed me down outside Chris¡¯s cabin in the woods of France. ¡°You have about two hours before the sun sets. I would¡¯ve said take it easy on the guy.¡±

    I hit him on the shoulder. ¡°As easy as you made it for me the other night? Making me beg.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough. Make him beg.¡±

    ¡°Come for me when you see no more light in the house.¡± Michael wrapped me up in his arms. We waited for the door to open. I turned to see Chris leave the cabin. ¡°See you soon,¡± Michael said. He didn¡¯t turn around, keeping his eyes on me, and disappeared.

    I spun around. ¡°You¡¯ve been hiding, Mr Rheed.¡± I pointed my finger. ¡°Haven¡¯t seen you in almost two weeks. Last time you were going to erase the feed, I should never see. How did that work out for you?¡±

    Chris averted guilty eyes to the ground. Nevertheless, he opened his arms, inviting me to come closer. I would have jumped on him, wrapping my legs around him, but Chris was still too weak. I also remembered Zoreah and my promise. I didn¡¯t want to fight with him, but it was too hard to let it go, so I walked away from the Cabin into the mountains. ¡°Where are you going? You just got here.¡±

    I ignored him.

    ¡°Juliet, nothing happened, I swear. Do you want me to follow you?¡±

    I said nothing, with a slight smile on my lips. Why was he asking? He knew he should. I headed up the path, walking briskly. He stumbled and fumbled behind me. ¡°Juliet! If you¡¯re going to torture me for two hours, I would have brought water.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to tell me what happened?¡±

    ¡°NO!¡±

    I shrugged and kept climbing every small hill. After a few minutes, he was out of breath. I slowed down the rest of the way. We were almost there anyway. I had to test the stone on Earth, and I wanted to share it with him. He worked so hard. It was such a big win for us.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°Why are you asking these inane questions today. Especially if you can¡¯t even tell me something important.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to be able to let this go?¡±

    ¡°NO!¡±

    The Lake came into view. It was beautiful up there. I missed France so much. The peace and Louis¡¯s room. The snow, the clear water where you could see the bottom. That particular lake was the most extensive on Louis¡¯s land, snaking into the distance of the surrounding mountains. I walked to the edge, bent on one knee, and pushed my fist into the icy water. The Earth rumbled under our feet. The loose soil vibrated on the surface around us. Chris stretched out his arms, trying to balance. It aggravated me that he needed to at all. With all my heart, I hoped the full moon would push him over. If it didn¡¯t work, I was stealing Aries right back. Fahan got off easy after all he put us through. Yes, my brain was a little muddled and back and forth. But I was pregnant, and I gave myself some leeway to be batty.

    The bridge formed a little slower on Earth. I waited until it extended over the massive lake, coming to a quiet stop in the distance. I pulled my arm from the freezing water, stepped over the small gap, and turned. Chris was amazed. His features conveyed all the feelings I knew he was having. ¡°They switched the stones?¡± He said after it all sunk in.

    I nodded and walked over to him. I opened my palm. ¡°This one is pink. You should¡¯ve known. En-gannim is pink. Palmyra is green and blue¡­ Your team has had this for weeks!¡±

    He shrugged but didn¡¯t smile. ¡°I had other things on my mind.¡± His eyes met mine. We stood staring at each other. There would be no more screaming matches or reconnecting through fights. ¡°Nothing happened.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem¡­ Up until nothing happened, something did happen! And it¡¯s that something I have to let go¡­ Chris, do you remember just before you left for Zoreah. I didn¡¯t want to tell you what happened while you and Marcus were gone.¡±

    Chris bobbed his head and turned away from me, his hands on his waist. He took a deep breath and sat down on the ground. ¡°I had a line,¡± Chris said softly.

    ¡°Would you have left if I crossed it?¡±

    He nodded again, tearing a sheath of grass out of the dirt.

    ¡°Do you remember what you told me in the Cabin and on Zoreah?¡±

    He nodded again and sighed. ¡°I asked you to always tell me¡­¡±

    ¡°The truth.¡± I interrupted him. ¡°And now you want to do precisely the same thing as always. You are the one who wants to repeat patterns that I had moved on from.¡±

    ¡°This is different. I wasn¡¯t myself, and I don¡¯t think it will be enough of an excuse if I say I am only human¡­ right now, it isn¡¯t really¡­¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it for now. We don¡¯t have much time.¡± I extended my hand and pulled him up. ¡°Go for a walk with me.¡±

    We walked side by side over the water, not saying anything. ¡°Juliet,¡± he said softly, holding me back from walking any further. ¡°I get it now. This tension between us. I created this. It¡¯s just hard to accept that I went back in time to stop you from finding out¡­ If I tell you now¡­ Louis told me never to say anything¡­ Because this¡­¡± he gestured between us, ¡°will change. Even more than how it feels right now. We will never go back to the way it was.¡± He let go of me and rubbed over his face with both hands, continuing raking his fingers through his hair, peering up into the sky.

    ¡°Chris! I am this, remember.¡± Dumbstruck, he stared at me. ¡°You might be the male lead. But f- be it. I won¡¯t be that girl. I¡¯ve never been and never will be! Not again, anyway. I am not Selena! I am not Sita!¡± I turned around, lifting my shirt. ¡°You put this f- thing on me. You didn¡¯t give me a choice¡­ You made me believe we were special and all that was in the past. Promised me she wasn¡¯t a problem. You told me you don¡¯t love her.¡±

    Chris was quiet. He took a breath and pressed his lips together, a tightness around his mouth. His eyes darted down and up. The veins on his head bulged. ¡°I¡­ I am¡­ in a way¡­ I hurt you! Again.¡±

    ¡°The worst is¡­ that I look like the fool. Selena remembers everything that happened.¡± Chris¡¯s eyes shot up in surprise. ¡°You talked about me as if I was¡­ What?¡± Chris was visibly uneasy, sniffing once before moving closer to me.¡± ¡°I am still¡­ just something you fall back on! How can you be such a coward? You don¡¯t even know yourself!¡± He gasped for air, trying to hold the tears back. ¡°Do you even see me as a person?¡± Chris¡¯s shoulders shook, letting the emotions flow. I glanced at the horizon. The sun was not there anymore. I peeked at the sky on our other side. The moon was high above the horizon.

    ¡°I am the third wheel in this picture, Chris. You let me go for Sita. You¡­¡± I felt the wetness in the corners of my eyes. Chris¡¯s heartfelt display of remorse overwhelmed my anger. ¡°You would have left me again¡­¡± My voice broke. ¡°For what? What is it? I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Juliet, that¡¯s enough!¡± Michael said from the shore. ¡°The only reason it happened is because Chris doesn¡¯t have the connection with you that we have. He was the reason we all had to lie to you last time. He is the problem¡­ He¡¯s never wanted to get that close to you. It¡¯s time you let go of Chris and¡­ Soren.¡± Chris was out of control by this point. Michael was fast. He was next to me, and then we were standing in Louis¡¯s living room.¡±

    Michael held me for a second. ¡°Go. If Chris doesn¡¯t change, he¡¯s in that freezing water by now.¡± He didn¡¯t linger any longer.

    I let my eyes drift over the room and the rest of the house. There was a fire lit. The lights flickered on the surfaces of the furniture. I picked up the remote and pointed it at the TV. I was not expecting it to be on a news channel. My fingers formed a fist around the black plastic. Michaels¡¯s transformation after the branding was playing on the screen. My mouth opened to make it stop. The feed followed him as he moved from planet to planet. Killing everyone. Even Bertram died on national television.

    My breathing deepened. I feared there would be more. The reporter ended the clip and moved to another topic. I changed the channel. Marcus branding me the first time made me involuntarily step forward, hoping I was dreaming. It was a clip of everything that happened. My father appeared in the doorway. He looked so broken as he closed the door. Marcus plummeted down next to me. It ended with both our limp bodies on screen.

    I dreaded what would play next. ¡°F-,¡± I yelled. Louis looked at the sky for strength before I begged him to do it. ¡°Lyla, I am going to kill you myself.¡± The footage of me looking in the mirror at my ass and the glowing tattoo sparkled on the screen. ¡°How?¡±

    My head snapped to the window. Chris¡¯s roar echoed through the mountains and the valley, rolling out over the darkness. It was the same sound he made the first night he manifested on Earth. I felt a tear on my nose. It tickled my skin, and I rubbed it off. ¡°If we all had to run. Charlene would be our haven.¡±

    Chris stood in front of me, soaking. I laughed. His giant form filled my vision. I had forgotten how vicious he looked on a full moon, but... he was drenched and soggy. Chris¡¯s lips twitched. I stepped forward and fell onto his stomach. He sighed deeply, ¡°Thank You. I needed that.¡±

    ¡°Are you back?¡± His black nails pressed into my skin as he watched the screen. It wasn¡¯t stopping. Clip after clip. The bamph sound came again. Michael pulled me out of Chris¡¯s arms. ¡°Do you need a shot? I hoped you wouldn''t see it before I was back¡­¡±

    ¡°No! I don¡¯t! It¡¯s only when you irritate me.¡± I pushed him off me.

    Michael gave me a half-smile, holding my gaze. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. Everything.¡± I moaned, remembering how I had felt in his arms doing all the work. Michael¡¯s smile turned into a smirk.

    ¡°Should I go back and stop it,¡± Chris asked.

    ¡°No!¡± Michael and I said at the same time, tearing our gazes apart.

    ¡°This might have happened because you did.¡±

    Chris¡¯s fear-filled eyes met mine and counted the cost. His mind reeled. He tried to soothe the growling tone in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know there would be consequences.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t even believe you could. We¡¯ll deal with it together.¡±

    ¡°Will you go off-planet if I asked?¡± Michael stroked my hair.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­ I have a choice.¡± My voice broke. ¡°Every person on this planet is going to come after us.¡±

    Michael¡¯s lips pressed into my hair, and he held me tighter when Charlene and Kubra¡¯s branding played out. I buried my head in his furry stomach. Chris came back to human. He pulled his phone out of his pocket.

    ¡°What are they saying?¡±

    His sensitive brown eyes met mine. ¡°Nothing¡­ No one is saying anything.¡±

    I let a slow cuss word roll over my lips.

    We heard the running over the gravel. Chris manifested again. My two guard dogs stepped towards the door, loudly thumping on the floor. It flung open. ¡°Julie?¡± I ran for Marcus¡¯s arms. ¡°I thought they would come for you. It¡¯s not looking good for us.¡± I threw my legs around him and clutched on like a vise grip. He was taken aback for a moment. It was the first time I had seen him in weeks. Felt him.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± Chris said.

    Marcus¡¯s hold on me tightened, stroking my back while he took in all of him. I could feel his chest move up and down against mine. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been this happy to see you,¡± Marcus said breathily.

    ¡°Can you imagine how I feel?¡± Chris answered.

    Louis¡¯s leisurely stroll crunched over the gravel. He took the steps one by one. ¡°Michael, take her now. Chris is right. We don¡¯t have time. Louis¡¯s voice carried a stressed urgency.

    ¡°What about the vamps and Werewolves on the planet,¡± Marcus asked, still not letting me go. I kissed him on his neck, licking and sucking.

    ¡°They¡¯re already gone. Don¡¯t worry. Sammy, Agatha, and your mom were the first to leave. The rest is being evacuated. We have to go.¡± The room went quiet. ¡°Now, Juliet.¡± I dropped down and reluctantly let go of Marcus.

    I looked up at Michael and waited. His eyes questioned mine.

    ¡°Bend,¡± Louis said.

    Michael bent at the waist. I grabbed onto his horns. He pulled me up, and shiny teeth formed a smile. He shook me slowly from side to side. I laughed, and we left.

    ***

    The field was filled with fully manifested creatures, grouped up and ready to leave. I couldn¡¯t see anyone I knew. We moved through the crowd, looking for my mom. I had to use my plate to figure out where they were waiting. Our whole family was together off to one side. I guessed we were not all going to the same place.

    Sammy held her arms out for me to take her from Warden. ¡°Hi, sweety. Did you miss me? You want to go back to Min¨¦¡± She seemed excited. We had come back for Chris¡¯s test, but we were going back under very different circumstances. ¡°What were your orders?¡± I asked Warden.

    ¡°Nothing yet. I don¡¯t think they know what to do.¡±

    I kissed Sammy¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Can I come?¡± Warden asked barely in a whisper. He seemed almost desperate not to stay.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­ You never want to come back? If you don¡¯t wait for orders¡­¡±

    He glanced at Sammy and took her from me. ¡°I won¡¯t see you for a while, munchkin.¡±

    Sammy threw her arms around his neck. ¡°Warden must come, mommy.¡±

    Carl jogged up to us from the teleporter booth. ¡°What do I do?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know? We were just talking about it.¡±

    Carl opened his arms, and Sammy transferred to him. He tugged on her hair and stuck out his tongue. She giggled and kicked in his arms. ¡°Why are they staying, mommy.¡±

    ¡°You have to stay, Carl,¡± Warden said. ¡°They won¡¯t reprimand you. All the generals knew about everything going on. If they threw someone under the bus. It¡¯s either going to be the source or¡­.¡± Warden glanced at Caleb and me. ¡°I hope they don¡¯t find out about Stevie.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about,¡± Carl said, irritated. ¡°I can handle myself. I don¡¯t want to stay. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll see you again.¡± Carl pulled me into a group hug.

    ¡°Carl. Please stay.¡± Caleb entreated. ¡°You¡¯ll be the only one on Earth we can trust.¡± He looked at Warden. ¡°And you and Jack. You have to find Lyla. As soon as possible. Try to keep a communicator on you. Michael has to get her off this planet.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what more she can do,¡± I said.

    Carl hugged me closer. ¡°Protect her if this all goes up in flames.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± He and Warden jogged back to the station. Carl looked back one last time, and I nodded. He had handed me a letter for Charlene. I was reassuring him I would give it to her and take care of her. Not that she needed me. Charlene had her own death cloud attached to her ass.

    Marcus, Louis, and Chris appeared at the booth door, colliding with Carl. There were man hugs and handshakes. Chris was still in his outfit but a lot less wet. I was so relieved that our plan had worked. With the stone and Chris being able to help, we might get somewhere with the war.

    Kubra was moving through the people, splitting the crowd into three sections. Selena and Jamal followed orders to get the vamps off to one side.

    Marcus was the first to reach the family. He kissed me and then Sammy on the forehead. His hand rubbed over my belly. ¡°Bye¡­ I¡¯ll see you soon. I¡¯m not missing this for the world.¡± Agatha and Marcus exchanged words. She told him that she would look after me.

    Louis got his turn. I lifted my face to his. He watched me while I said a few personal things to him. He pressed his lips onto mine, pulling me closer and deepening the kiss. It was new and different for us to part like that. ¡°I love you.¡± He said, rubbing his forehead frustratingly over mine.

    Louis turned to Sammy, who was watching us with wide eyes. ¡°Daddy kissed mommy.¡±

    We both laughed. ¡°He seems to be doing that a lot lately.¡± I eyed him suspiciously. Louis was a little different.

    ¡°Daddy also staying. Bye, Daddy.¡± Louis played with a strand of Sammy¡¯s hair through his fingers. He let go and stepped aside.

    Chris was the last to step forward. Sammy reached out to him and almost jumped out of my arms. ¡°Daddy!¡± She liked him like that. He hugged her as she clung to him. Het little butt in one paw being held up. ¡°Want to manifest.¡± She said.

    Chris chuckled. ¡°You have a few years to go.¡± She kissed his cheek. Chris pulled me into the family that we were. ¡°Take care of mommy,¡± Sammy growled at him. ¡°Yeah, just like that.¡± Chris gave her back and took my hand in his. ¡°We need to talk.¡± I laughed and bobbed my head. ¡°I love you.¡± I raised one eyebrow. Selena walked past, and a shiver ran down my spine. I stepped back into our little crowd of family. Soldiers prompted us to gather closer together, separating us from the men. Michael stepped in with me. I glanced around to make sure everyone was there. ¡°Caleb!? Where are you?¡± Sammy pointed to the men. I drew in a breath as we locked eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± I mouthed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±

    Marcus cleared his throat. My dad kissed my mom quickly, and then Sammy and I. ¡°Take care of my girls.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let them out of my sight.¡± Mom said.

    Marcus¡¯s voice boomed out through a microphone. ¡°The Vampires are going back to En-gannim. Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have a choice. The Werewolves will join their own kind on Mirach. A new planet where Brylee sent them before she died.¡± There was a murmur under the Werewolves. It was a giant bomb to drop out of the blue. None of them knew that their home was invaded. Or that most of the Werewolves were wiped out. ¡°There is a lot to tell you. We will get to it once the dust settles.¡± I glanced at the group of Werewolves. Ben was finally getting what he wanted. He and Francesco were finally leaving. I hoped Jack and Francis made it. I hoped they wouldn¡¯t hate us when they all found out¡­ I was hoping for a lot.

    The last to enter our circle were Selena, Jamal, and Jessy. They formed a line in front of me. ¡°Don¡¯t be too severe on my father.¡± Jessy entreated. Marcus bobbed his head. The three of them had been busy on Mirach to prepare our home away from home, going back and forth to fight Ian¡¯s relentless attacks. I didn¡¯t know where home was anymore. I glanced up at the tall blond, regretting ever giving in to Jessy. It was a mistake. He had made no progress with her. Jamal was still in the middle with me. I kept my eyes on the ground. Not wanting to see Chris looking at her.

 A New Home

    197. A New Home

    Juliet

    At the end of the day, our party was relatively small, considering the size it would be if our whole family was accounted for. Jessy had done his best to prepare temporary housing, secure a teleporter station, and bring everything we would need to Mirach. But when we stepped out of the structure, the only building they were working on was at foundation level, and I had to wonder how we would manage. It felt strange being on the receiving end of Charlene¡¯s hospitality. To push ourselves into their space and lives. Although we were family. Romero, Izani, and Yamen had never signed up for a full-blown evacuation.

    We all took a minute. No one moved until Sammy wriggled out of my arms and made a B-line for Charlene¡¯s house. Jessy nudged me in my side. ¡°You¡¯re up.¡± I was still processing. My mind didn¡¯t want to accept that we might never return to Earth. My parents¡¯ home was on En-gannim. If I was still unmarried, I would have been there. If nothing happened, that had happened. Liam was doing something to make an income on En-gannim, but what the hell were we going to do there to contribute. Their way of life was so different than what we were used to. It would be the first time we had to take a giant step back, especially if Marcus lost the war.

    Sammy¡¯s hand was in Charlene¡¯s. She met my eye and could see that this was not a visit. Charlene¡¯s eye drifted over the crowd. She turned around and went back into the house. The next moment, a sea of servants came out of different houses and made their way to us. Charlene was busy giving orders and splitting us up. The Dheka started pitching tents, and the people dispersed to help. Jamal and Selena were going back to En-gannim. Michael took my hand. ¡°I¡¯m going back with them. Marcus will need all the help he can get¡­ I don¡¯t know where we will hide all the refugees. Will you manage?¡±

    I didn¡¯t answer, nor could I look at him. The sound and small gust of wind brought me back to the present, and Charlene took my hand. ¡°What happened?¡± Charlene asked.

    ¡°We came to protect you.¡±

    ¡°Me? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Lyla leaked everything.¡± I shook my head slightly in disbelief, staring aimlessly out in front of me.

    ¡°What do you mean? Everything.¡±

    ¡°You were on worldwide TV. You were branded on screen. You had Min¨¦. I think it¡¯s safe to say your parents know what happened.¡±

    Charlene¡¯s grip tightened in mine. ¡°It¡¯s just going to be a matter of time before the first woman manifests and pitches in front of me.¡± I nodded slowly. ¡°You should¡¯ve killed Lyla.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. How Carl let her slip through his fingers.¡±

    ¡°Where is Carl?¡± Charlene had a cold look on her face. ¡°You left him there?¡±

    ¡°You think we made a mistake?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know? What if he¡¯s in danger? Should I force him here?¡± I reached for my pocket and took out the letter. Charlene took it and unfolded the single sheet. I took a step toward her, and we read together.

    Charlie

    I know you want to take control. I know you¡¯re frustrated. I am, too. I miss you. I miss us, and I want to come home. I will come home. I promise¡­ And then we will consummate our relationship and take it to the next level.

    We both chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s not eighteen anymore,¡± Charlene said softly. ¡°I think I missed his whole coming-of-age story. I wasn¡¯t really there for you. Or Carl. Or Kubra¡­ Oh, Jules, I was so selfish.¡±

    ¡°We still are.¡±

    She folded the paper. ¡°Now, don¡¯t go into a miff on me. No depression. No snakeskin. No¡­ sulking.¡±

    I shook my shoulders and went to attention, lifting my hand to my head to salute. My arm didn¡¯t make it halfway, and I sighed heavily. I had no silliness left. ¡°Then give me an occupation. Quickly.¡±

    Charlene glanced around. ¡°It looks like the women will have to finish the houses this time. We can move rocks and mix dirt and water.¡±

    ¡°We will need more than one if Marcus loses this war.¡±

    ¡°If you were there, it would have been over,¡± Charlene said.

    I hated to admit it, but I nodded. ¡°Oh, Charlie, did I make a mistake? Trusting Marcus¡­ again!¡±

    Romero had been watching us for some time, giving us space. I waved him over. ¡°When you told me to be ready for all your people.¡± His eyes scanned the crowd. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would bring half of Palmyra here.¡±

    Charlene¡¯s eyes had followed Romero¡¯s over the Werewolves. She had not seen Ben, and their eyes met. Charlene took hold of Romero¡¯s hand. He followed her gaze. ¡°Baby daddy,¡± I whispered. Charlene giggled, and she was back. Romero took her face in his hands and kissed her. ¡°Aaa, how sweet¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ Your political career just started.¡±

    Charlene turned around, ¡°I¡¯m going to talk to Yazen.¡± She dragged Romero with her. He pulled her to a stop and nudged his chin in the air. Charlene laughed, but he jumped into her Riphath arms, and they disappeared.

    Romero was so good for her. He knew how to make her focus on other things. I was so jealous. He would always be there. Could I not have one guy like that?

    ***

    We all had a busy two days. The Werewolves were on their trek to the city where Zavier had left them on Mirach. Charlene had briefly talked to Ben. He didn¡¯t even know what had happened to her until the news. He was angry like always, and I suddenly didn¡¯t like him anymore. The werewolves would hear the rest of the shocking truth once they got settled in the city. Charlene said she would tell them later and make a trip there herself. She had some hard decisions to make. The rest of us started construction for Kubra¡¯s house. It was only fair that we move in with them for a change.

    Earth was now free of all aliens. The lonely ones that were there were on their own. Jacklin seemed to be the missing link in all that had happened. She had contacted Louis several times but fell off the map at some point. Louis and Marcus thought that if Carl found Lyla. Jacklin would be nearby. They had a theory that it was Jacklin who had helped Sita. After Sita¡¯s death, someone had to ensure Lyla started her crusade.

    I was distracted with Soren¡¯s wedding coming up. It felt like I needed to talk to him. No, I wanted to see him. Find out what was going on. Explain why we have not come to speak to them or get them back to their family. I knew it had nothing to do with me¡­ The last time we spoke was the day the guys told him to leave, and I felt guilty that Marcus had brought him in to help and Chris had left Isla there all alone.

    ¡°What¡¯s bothering you?¡± Charlene asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s Soren.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he will go through with it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Charlie, I have no idea what¡¯s going on. The wedding is tomorrow, and the guys are just leaving it. I¡¯ve heard nothing. Michael hasn¡¯t been back since we arrived. All they say is... It¡¯s still quiet over here.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question¡­ What will you do if Soren marries and sleeps with that... goddess.¡±

    The thought repulsed me. It enraged me. I tried to change the subject again. ¡°I¡¯m so jealous of you.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve said this before¡­ but you have the life I longed for.¡±

    ¡°Jules, your one weakness is not Chris anymore. It¡¯s your jealousy. And have we not learned enough through Ahasuerus¡¯s death. Qadir. Count your blessings.¡±

    That was the last thing I wanted to do. Irritated, I stood up, rubbing my hand over the small bump forming around my midsection. ¡°I know, I know. I will try and curb it. As best I can. But I am pregnant. You will allow me to rant a little. I am not happy¡­ It¡¯s like not one of them understands me. Marcus should be here¡­ Why did he tell me if he planned on doing nothing about it?¡±

    ¡°I will allow you to rant, but only to me. You can complain all you want, but don¡¯t put this on the men. No one is happy.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about being happy! It¡¯s about my freaking sanity. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on. It¡¯s been a month, and Marcus is nowhere near making any progress¡­ Earth will leave us to fight all alone, and I¡¯m forced to sit down and protect this child.¡±

    ¡°May I ask why Marcus is in charge?¡± Romero asked hesitantly.

    ¡°They don¡¯t want to work with me.¡±

    Romero frowned.

    ¡°Marcus lied to me to force me to keep the baby safe.¡±

    ¡°After you stole the Chadari baby.¡± I nodded, relieved that they had dropped the subject of Soren.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you call for Chris? He always comes? Romero hasn¡¯t met him. We can make a night of it.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ Jessy said they are too busy in meetings with Earth, and when the Watchers leave, the four of them will have to restructure. It¡¯s not like Ian is going to stop attacking because he¡¯s getting laid.¡±

    Romero and Charlene laughed. ¡°Jules¡­ Don¡¯t let your jealousy make you do something stupid regarding Soren.¡± I looked up at the sky in defeat. It was exactly what I was thinking. I was only twenty-two years old. If I couldn¡¯t make stupid mistakes now when would be a good time?

    ***

    Marcus

    En-gannim was oddly quiet. We had no attacks that day, and we figured the wedding was going on and that they were taking the customary few days to celebrate. The refugees that were on Earth had to come back. We had no choice. Most of them had gone home to their various islands. It had been a grueling day of regrouping and taking our time to figure out what Ian¡¯s next move was going to be.

    Juliet¡¯s office was so quiet without all the men from Earth. The Watchers had left and needed to contain what was happening on Earth. After a few hours of silence, the people were in an uproar, and for the first time, the government couldn¡¯t silence them by feeding them to us. Earth¡¯s only solution was to stop the teleporters and curb the people. Force them to realize what they would lose. With no more teleporting on Earth, the infrastructures were at a halt. It was instant chaos. It was more difficult having it and then taking it away. Earth never had time to fully embrace all the possibilities there could be. Only once a world had the power for itself could there be real change.

    The hospitals were flooded with women coming in with burns on their bodies. Men had tied down their counterparts, destroying relationships in minutes. The world was in distress. There were revolutions all over. The people had no more faith in their governments. There had been no sightings of any Ittoqure on Earth. It was probably a matter of time. Juliet and Ira would be in danger. Charlene, maybe too?

    Our troops were firmly in place, but there would be no rest for us until Ian was sorted out. With the watchers on Earth, our numbers were dangerously low to make any difference. The Islands we had could fall into Ian¡¯s hands. We were still on defense, and not knowing what Ian was planning was a problem. Would he keep going on like that and try to take over Island by Island, working his way toward Narhima. He was playing a long game, and there could only be one reason for this. They also had the stone Ahasuerus had thrown at Juliet and would soon approach Fahan with it. As soon as they figured out it wasn¡¯t the right one¡­ It did take us a while. I hoped it would give me some time to develop a plan. I needed to know what Soren had told Ian and why. They could not penetrate Nahrima and needed us out of there to take over. If Soren was helping them, they would have an even more significant advantage. We still had to figure out where Ian had a teleporter built. He was still teleporting thirty people at a time. Caleb was an option, but after the last time, I didn¡¯t want to put him in danger. I had to be careful if I sent him out. It couldn¡¯t be for just any reason, and talking to Soren was the last thing I would risk his life for.

    Thoughts about Soren brought me full circle to my pregnant wife. I knew Juliet would have trouble with him getting married, especially to Rana. I didn¡¯t want her to do something stupid. If I had to give her answers, we needed to get to Soren and Isla soon before something terrible happened. I didn¡¯t know what was worse. Soren wanting to move on and jump ship or still waiting for us to save them. I was at my wit¡¯s end.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°It¡¯s the only option we have,¡± Caleb said. ¡°It will be information gathering. Nothing else.¡±

    ¡°If something goes wrong, they will know you have an ability. It will make them even more vigilant, and that element of surprise is not something we should take lightly.¡±

    Caleb stood up out of the chair. Irritated that I wasn¡¯t doing anything. I knew they were all waiting for me to make a decision. We were all tired from all our meetings about Earth, closing off everything, and relocating everyone. The generals were disappointed that Carl had not taken care of Lyla. They were furious that Nevin had helped her and that the compound was so easily infiltrated. It was too late to regret or place blame. She was gone and hiding. In any way, they couldn¡¯t blame Carl for being pulled out supernaturally. It was, after all, something they couldn¡¯t plan for. Carl went directly to the tunnels after coming back from Mirach, but by then, the tubes were gone, and so was Lyla. Carl wasn¡¯t even with us, and we didn¡¯t know when we would see him again. He needed to find Lyla before she did more harm.

    Everyone wanted it to be over. I was scared it was only the beginning. Ian had taken much more ground than us. The planet could not stay divided for long. At some point, Vampires were going to jump ship. It would never work if we had no source of water. How would we wage war for years if we had no food and no water? My typical way of playing for the long haul would not get us out of that mess. I also didn¡¯t want to make any rash decisions.

    I had thought about intercepting Ian, going around him, and getting Fahan on our side. Dimitrios had not answered any of my messages. At that point, I was even more irritated that we didn¡¯t wipe them off Palmyra. Caleb had curbed Michael and me, and they still didn¡¯t want to negotiate with us. The boy wanted me to listen to him again. I had hoped giving Aries back would make them more amenable, but I was wrong.

    It was Juliet¡¯s job to find out if there was anything in those chests to help us. Jessy¡¯s father was in The Tower for now, and I was inclined to bring him into our confidence. Figure out why he had helped Lyla. Why Soren was helping Ian. Not everyone seemed to be on board with the new way of life. I understood my grandfather more and more. It was too difficult to govern the vamps.

    ¡°Marcus,¡± Caleb touched my shoulder.

    ¡°Michael, you go with him. And you, Chris?¡± I said softly and glanced up at him. ¡°You back?¡±

    ¡°Full power, yes.¡±

    ¡°Okay, fine. You guys go see what¡¯s what and report back. Find out when Ian might be off-site. If we can cut off their water supply and put all their people in prisons. Even if it is just the main island. We will be one step closer.¡±

    ¡°The prisons are already full, Marcus. This campaign is much larger than the little coup I had tried two hundred years ago.¡± Samuel said.

    My first thought was to take them to the Red Planet. Let them operate all the factories, but sending them off the planet had brought me full circle to do precisely what Ahasuerus had done. Louis was observing me carefully. He would have to go and manage the Red Planet. It would mean we were splitting up, and I needed him there.

    We could steal water from Palmyra for a time, but they would eventually start traveling. It wasn¡¯t a permanent solution. They only had ten coordinates. ¡°If Soren starts helping Fahan,¡± Louis said, continuing my thoughts for me. I took a deep, heavy breath. I didn¡¯t want to think about him. There was too much to consider, and worrying about him and his sister was not on my priority list. He wasn¡¯t even part of the family.

    ¡°Observe them? You make the call if you need to talk to him.¡± Chris nodded, and the three left. Louis wouldn¡¯t be there to figure out what Soren was thinking¡­ Or how far down the road he was.

    I went upstairs. I needed to sleep. I could do nothing if I was too tired.

    ***

    I woke up in the middle of the night. My body was drenched in sweat. Juliet was constantly on my mind. Everything I had to juggle was giving me nightmares. I was back at the compound. I needed to talk to her. I didn¡¯t want to. If she knew nothing was happening. It would frustrate her even more. She wouldn¡¯t want to interfere and have all those emotions to deal with.

    I traveled and went out to the field. Traveled again until I was entirely on another planet. One I had not seen before. She had been having fun, and I was left with the mess on En-gannim. Louis and Michael were the ones who wanted to fight¡­ Why did she throw that stone at me?

    Jessy was at his post. ¡°I¡¯ll take you.¡± He got up, and we left the teleporter building.

    I stopped and turned to him. ¡°I need to talk to my mother.¡± Jessy regarded me momentarily and looked like he wanted to say something. ¡°Now is not the time.¡± My tone was clipped, and it was a red flag. I was on the verge of doing the one thing Juliet had said I can¡¯t do. ¡®Go into work mode.¡¯

    The village was small. Only a few houses spaced out far apart. The architecture caught my eye. It was beautiful, and the sky as a backdrop made me actually feel I was on another planet. Seeing the Milky Way so close was¡­ indescribable. I wanted to run and join her there. I wanted to enjoy that time with her. I knocked softly. I heard the bare feet on the stone floor. My mom opened the door. She nodded to Jessy. The four men always at her side were sleeping in the lounge. She took me to a room and closed the door. I couldn¡¯t look at her and fell into her arms. She hugged me but pushed me away and started signing.

    Agatha [ What¡¯s wrong ]

    I was too tired to try to have a lengthy discussion with her.

    ¡°I¡¯m out of my depth. Scared, we will lose it all.¡±

    Agatha [ Does it matter ]

    ¡°If we lose En-gannim? What would have been the point? Where would we go?¡±

    Agatha [ Getting away from your father was enough for me. At this point, where we will end up is the least of our problems. There are a lot of people counting ] She paused [ on you ]

    I nodded. At one point, it was all I wanted. To get away from Qadir. That and then a family. I told Liam it was a worthy cause, and my family motivated me. I sat down on the bed, looking up at my mom. Juliet had already done so much. Why was it so difficult for me to move.

    Agatha [ You want to run away ]

    My mom knew me so well.

    Agatha [ Even as a kid, you would rather hide than face what you had to. You bend too easily¡­ You avoided a lot of things¡­ feelings. Unless it was about me. But no amount of running will help you in the future. Eventually, the work will catch up to you. You¡¯re lazy, Marcus. You always wait until the very last minute before doing something. And only then do I see what a great man you are¡­ I wish you would have more faith in yourself ]

    The truth was never easy to hear. Or to do something about it at all. I¡¯ve listened to everything she said a thousand times in my head.

    Agatha [ Now off with you. Go see your wife. Talk to your child. And go home and take back what belonged to you in the first place. Take responsibility and¡­ keep your promises. The baby is already five months ]

    Five months. Just four more, and I would be a father. I would bring a child into¡­ what world? She put her hand on my shoulder, and I left. I didn¡¯t want to kill all of them. But not doing it¡­ was only prolonging the inevitable. And if it meant that I had to kill Soren¡­ I shuddered at the thought. Scared that my decisions would push Juliet over that thin line of ours. She was still not there with me before she and Michael disappeared. It had already been a month, and I was missing everything.

    I stopped walking before I got to the door. Juliet¡¯s reception of me at the house came to mind. It was the first time we had seen each other in a month. Oh, no. I was already in work mode, on my way to get off and leave her in bed. Juliet was trying, and I was not there. While I was deciding whether to go to her, my mind jumped to Ian. I needed that stone before they made it to Fahan. I wanted En-gannim to be a safe place for us to live. Now more than ever. How could I be with her if I didn¡¯t sort it out¡­ I just hoped¡­ Not losing her home will outweigh the loss of a loved one. I stretched out my hands in front of me. There was so much blood on them. Blood that was forced upon me. Those women and babies on Zoreah haunted my dreams. Michael was not the only one that felt that day. More war meant more blood. Could I kill Soren and his family? I understood why Ira was so bent upon separating the species. Juliet and Caleb wanted everything to work out perfectly.

    Before I knew it, I had opened the door, and Jessy was waiting outside for me. ¡°I want to see Juliet.¡± That time, he didn¡¯t even look at me. I entered the house without knocking. A man came out of one of the rooms. I guessed it was Romero. He eyed me and pointed across the open space to another door. Juliet and Sammy were fast asleep. I picked up the little bundle of energy and carried her out. Romero and Jessy were talking, and when he saw me, he took Sammy from me.

    The next time I went in, I closed the door. Juliet was wearing almost nothing. Silky light pink sleep shorts still exposing some of her ass cheeks and a strappy top curving nicely around her breasts. In the beginning, it bothered me. While she had been my wife¡­ not so much. Unable to wait anymore, I positioned myself behind her and ran my hand over my child, mapping every inch of her swollen belly, reminding myself of why I was there in the first place. Juliet stirred a little. ¡°Marcus,¡± She mumbled lazily.

    ¡°How do you know it¡¯s me?¡± I asked, kissing her ear. Juliet rested her hand on mine, and together, we held our baby.

    ¡°You¡¯re the only one that does this.¡±

    ¡°I am?¡± I was genuinely surprised. Usually, she woke up with me thrusting into her. Some women didn¡¯t like that. I lifted her knee to prop up her one leg and expose her thighs. My hand slipped underneath her shorts and slid over her backside while I spoke. ¡°You¡¯ve never stopped me or said I shouldn¡¯t.¡± I dipped and delved, stretching her to work her open faster. Juliet¡¯s breath hitched, and she shuddered against me. Her hand came around and gripped the back of my head. I got up to pull down her shorts, undid my belt, and pushed my own down to rest on my thighs. I didn¡¯t have time to get undressed. It was another sign. It was going to be fast. I looked down at her while I was busy. She was not moving, waiting. Still half asleep and not looking at me. I should stop. I know I should. The last time we had sex was down in those tunnels. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to say no.¡± She whispered. Our eyes met, and it was all I needed before I rested behind her. I pushed my arm in under her head and shoved her knee forward, gripping her skin as I showered her shoulder with aggressive tongue-filled kisses. Nipping and licking her with broad strokes. My hand closed over her plump and swollen breast. Her soft skin felt so good under my fingers. All I wanted to do was touch her. Knead her and clamp down on her pert nipples. Have my lips on her. There was no time. Her feet were mingled with mine. My need echoed in every twitch of her skin and moan that escaped her lips. Juliet was hot and willing. I knew she was back with me. She stoked the fire I thought I would need to contain. I didn¡¯t need to see her face to know our excitement was matched. Her back arched, beckoning me closer. I quickly stroked my thumb over her mouth, and she responded by taking it into her mouth. I was aching by the time I shoved myself between her thighs, taking hold of her waist and quickly going to work to get to the bliss I was after. Over and over. Intensely and possessively claiming satisfaction. I took in the sweet smell of her skin and dragged my mouth over her skin. Juliet was audible with every thrust, biting into my wrist under her mouth as I pushed harder and harder and savagely came undone inside her. Shallow, ragged breaths slowed as my movements did, and I pulled out of her. I mingled our bodies and ran my hand through her hair, catching my breath. Those sessions I had with her were to relieve myself of all the burden. The cares and worries. Slowly, I untangled myself from her and left, hoping it wouldn¡¯t offend her. Hoping she wouldn¡¯t hate me if Soren died. If it did hurt us¡­ I would have this to reflect on, wanting to answer her question in the diary. ¡°Marcus, will this feeling ever go away?¡±

    ¡°No, Julie¡­ Not for me. Ever.¡± I whispered into the cold night air.

    At the station, I told Jessy to follow me, and I started giving orders as soon as we stepped over the office threshold. The trio returned and reported that all was quiet and that Ian planned to leave the next day. They had the coordinates for the very center of the city and for the foyer of Ian¡¯s home. The bulk of the men would land and take over the places they had said to be the densest of soldiers. Selena and Jamal, you will be with Michael and me at the house. Louis was watching my every move. Sitting in that manner of his made me doubt every decision.

    ¡°We followed Soren and Isla. The wedding is going on later today, and then Ian and Soren will leave for Palmyra the next day. It was him that told Ian about the stones.¡± Chris said. My eyes were on Louis. ¡°Soren and Ian are always together. Soren was given leave to handle negotiations with Fahan. There was no time to talk to him.¡±

    My hands started wringing in front of my body. It was not good news.

    ¡°So you know where the teleporter is,¡± Louis asked.

    Caleb nodded. ¡°Go to your mother, Caleb. Now. And don¡¯t you dare come back, or I will flog you myself?¡± I said. The boy faltered. I needed him out.

    Chris stepped forward. ¡°Listen to him. Protect your mother. With Jessy here, we need someone there¡­ that¡¯s¡­ level-headed.¡± Chris tried to lighten the tense atmosphere. Caleb left hurriedly. I closed my eyes to gather myself. I didn¡¯t want to hurt him or her¡­ I just couldn¡¯t do both like they could.

    ¡°Jessy, you will lead your men on Palmyra. I do not care who is there or not. You kill them all.¡± I tossed the pink stone at him. ¡°I tested it. It works even with our pink water.¡± His eyes flickered to my hands. Not one scratch or burn. ¡°When Ian is dead, come to help Kubra. You are in charge of that stone. Use it whenever you need to.¡±

    Jessy went down on a knee and left. ¡°Kubra, you will join us and take the city. Not one woman or child survives. Dump the bodies into the ocean.¡± He wanted to say something. I lifted my hand. ¡°Better get geared up. We have one day to get this organized. Give the four of us the room.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, Marcus?¡± Chris pleaded. ¡°Are you really going to kill your own people?¡±

    ¡°If Soren dies¡­.¡± My hands were shaky. ¡°And his whole family¡­ I¡¯ll ask you all for some time. I would need to take Juliet somewhere. Chris, can you keep her contained and deliver her to me? Louis, if you would tell me how far I had gone.¡± I met Louis¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you all agree?¡±

    ¡°Why are you so certain the boy has changed?¡± Louis asked. ¡°You told her that he was doing it to protect Isla. He is playing double agent.¡±

    ¡°I hoped he was¡­ but thinking about it¡­. Isla¡­ She would never have agreed if she wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to. And we know where we pushed Soren to. He would want to protect her at all costs. I¡­¡± I stood to my feet. ¡°I¡¯m getting dressed... I¡¯ll be at the barracks the whole day with Jessy planning.¡± I glanced at Louis. ¡°You never told us how she really feels about him. You might have said she would bend for him. But¡­¡±

    Louis averted his gaze and left the office.

    Chris clapped me on the shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to worry. If Soren has changed his mind completely. Ian would have more information. He would¡¯ve told him about the brandings and Michael.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. Isla will eventually spill when Ian plays her just right. And it seems that his plans are working already. They have killed everyone where they infiltrated. What did we do?¡±

    ¡°What Ahasuerus had done,¡± Michael said.

    I nodded. ¡°Locking people up for two hundred years is cruel. It would drain our resources, and they would be a constant threat. How long would we wait till we think they are reformed. Able to go back into society. Ian is playing one way, and we are trying to be fair. It stops tomorrow.¡±

    Michael stepped to the door. ¡°I have no qualms with what you want me to do. We did it on Zoreah, and we will do it again. The children will eventually become a problem. Who would raise them? At what age will we cut it off, and will they not want revenge for their parents. I think you are making the right decision, Marcus. I still think you should let me go kill Fahan.¡±

    Their support did mean something. Michael and I had an understanding, which helped. ¡°Let¡¯s leave that for last. Let me think about it.¡±

    ¡°I will handle the children,¡± Chris said. ¡°My apathy will not make me care. It didn¡¯t happen on Zoreah, and it won¡¯t now.¡± He and Michael silently took that charge on themselves with a nod.

    ¡°I think when it comes to Soren, Marcus. Let Louis guide us. It¡¯s more a Juliet issue than a decision you must make.¡± Michael stated.

    That was why Louis was so upset. If someone had to kill the boy. It would have to be him.

 Fllickering

    198. Flickering

    Soren

    The wedding was over. Almost the same as going to court and getting a certificate. It was very culturally appropriate. Men were in one room, feasting, and drinking. Mostly the elders of the family, signing papers and documenting the rest of your life. Your wife was waiting alone in another room, not seen at the ceremony. She didn¡¯t have a fancy dress to wear, nor was sold on a podium. Not like on the compound where the men wanted to see their wives and display their newest prize. My mother would never see Isla in a wedding dress or plan the perfect day. Isla was happy to sit and wait.

    En-gannim didn¡¯t have weddings. Men took wives, and I could not understand how we got there. On Earth, it was a much grander affair. Every man who mattered was in attendance in that massive hall where Juliet was auctioned off. I remembered that night. I was there, hiding away in the corner because I had a feeling that if she saw me there, she would be thrown off-kilter. It was one of the worst nights of my life. I shook myself. I had to get over it. Like my father said¡­ I never had to see my bride if I didn¡¯t want to. She would never come to me with problems. It would be a male servant who talked through us, and at the breakfast and dinner table, I could choose if she was allowed to eat with me. I played with the pack of cigarettes in my hand. For the longest time, I carried it wherever I went. The lighter came to life and died again as I spun the wheel. Flicking it and letting it die. I took one out and lit it. I was never a smoker. Most men on Earth had gotten used to the habit. No one cared if you lived so long without the fear of cancer. I dragged the stick and stared at the kindling at the tip. For a thousand years, I would be alone.

    Ian had brought me more and more into his confidence. It did feel strange to be in the midst of all Ian had to deal with for so long. Hearing how much effort and energy he had put into saving En-gannim from Juliet. I had two weeks of reading how the teleporters worked before I would go to Fahan after the wedding and help him with all their problems. I had to gather men and women to work for Fahan in all capacities and train them to manage the things Fahan would never be able to do. I was not on the sidelines like I was with Juliet and her men. There, I could make a real difference. Or that was what I was telling myself. I could work myself up to have a real profession and purpose.

    After a few days of negotiating with the Chadari, Dimitrios told me what happened when Juliet tested the stone in the water. A smile played at the corner of my lip. She was f-ing amazing. We would¡¯ve been great together.

    Being stationed at the Embassy revealed a lot. They had been there before me. In those tunnels with doors so vast and high¡­ you had to wonder what the Werewolves had hidden away. I expected it to be only a vault with the planet¡¯s treasures like Ahasuerus had accumulated. If all of Palmyra¡¯s writings were on paper, hiding secrets would take up a lot of space.

    I took another drag and pressed the pack back into my jacket. I sighed, looking at the lighter. I had designed it myself and had it made for Juliet. She had given me a small gift, and I wanted to return the favor. My hand ran over my hair. I still used the little book to try different styles. An elastic on a wrist for when I needed it. I pushed the lighter into my pocket next to the pack. I picked up my glass and emptied the contents. It had already been my fourth or fifth. I lost count at some point. The last bit of liquid courage had caught me by surprise. The world outside spun. I longed for a fire. Juliet sitting between my legs, listening to stories and sharing moments. My hands would massage her shoulders, unable not to touch her. I loved playing with the soft strands of her hair.

    The evening was over. Ian made his excuses, and the rest of the men departed. My father left with them. It was better that way¡­ I might have said or done something stupid if he had come to talk to me. Once, I felt so at home in that place. For the future, it would be my prison. One way or another. Marcus was taking prisoners. I still didn¡¯t know what Ian had done when he encountered enemies. Neither did I know what was going on. None of them had come. Not to get us out or to find out if we were okay.

    Ian patted me on the shoulder and walked off to his room. I recoiled, knowing what was about to happen. I followed his fuzzy form as he almost hopped to his room in anticipation. I was probably more nervous than Isla. I hoped Ian would honor his word and not ruin her any further. She would have no more therapy or help. If I had to get her out, we would have to hide on some obscure little island and live together for the rest of our lives. It was not ideal, but where else could we go? Back to Earth. Palmyra?

    After another glass, I was drunk, stumbling to find my bed. The door slid open. Rana was there, waiting like she had to. It was custom. I cursed at the idea of rituals. Every night, she would wait, and if I let her stay, that was it. If I didn¡¯t, she would get up and leave. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I asked, plopping down on the bed next to her. I needed to close my eyes for just a second and not have sex. Her touch didn¡¯t put me off completely. Rana was beautiful. I had to admit. That night, she seemed a vision out of a magazine. Her breasts almost spilled out of the nightclothes she had on. The rest hugged her smooth curves. The veil made it all rather sexy, covering her mouth with just enough chiffon, lace, or silk. Whatever. What did I know about materials? I pulled it off and tossed the thing on the ground.

    There was no fear in her emerald green eyes. Big and round. Flawless skin. Blond locks curved her features. Straight and thin. I could feel the strands in my fingers, twirling it around. Her face was round, with a button nose, a small mouth, and perfect lips. She was the epitome of a natural beauty. Girl next door with unthreatening eyes. I touched the face before me. She knew what she was doing. I was undressed in no time. She lay down next to me, waiting. Every time, it would be like that. She would need me to tell her what to do. Where I wanted her and how I liked it.

    The skin of my shoulder was touching soft thighs. I glanced around and let my eyes roam up and down her shapely legs. It sent uncontrolled ripples of pleasure through me. Just imagining touching her was enough to make me twitch. I didn¡¯t need to pretend. I could do what I wanted. So I stretched out a hand with a searing need. A way to quench the thirst. A path to cleansing myself of Juliet laid before me. My fingers stroked up her leg and rested between the apex of her thighs, squelching her to slickness. My head was right there. The wetness and sounds sent me into a frenzy of lust. I reared hot and hard against her. Rana gasped as I forced one sliding thrust into her.

    Impatiently, I went at it, wanting it over. I kept pumping and piercing her desperately. Nothing helped. I couldn¡¯t get myself there. ¡°I can do something to put you at ease.¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± I growled. Rana turned her head sideways.

    I thrust harder and rougher. Rana¡¯s ragged breaths and whimpering did nothing to deter me. She was holding out rather well. The anger was edged in my mouth and eyes. Rana dared to touch my chest and ran her hand up my neck and into my hair. I had to balance on one hand to hit hers away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±

    The flashing images of Juliet laughing after I was done too quickly the first time popped into my mind. My first time. She had touched every part of me. Teased my lips apart. I had tenderly assaulted her with all the love I had that day, throbbing inside her way too soon. I will never forget how she laughed at me.

    ¡°You were supposed to comfort me.¡± She mocked.

    With every thought, my pounding became more deliberate. If I had only held out so long that day. I lifted my eyes, strange flashes pulsed against the wall. What I was doing tempered with my own sanity. I frowned as I kept going. Juliet¡¯s figure came in and out against the wall, continually catching my attention. As if she was disappearing and coming back in blips of time. All I could do was cry out in frustration, closing my eyes in a futile attempt to forget her. My drunken stupor made me want to believe she was there. When we said goodbye, it wasn¡¯t final at all.

    ¡°If you need me to do anything, I will do it.¡± Rana¡¯s breasts were bouncing in front of me. I looked up at her words and saw more flashes in the distance. My eyes came back to Ran¡¯s face. She just wasn¡¯t who I wanted underneath me. I thought about flipping her so I couldn¡¯t see her at all. Just that ass and legs. Lean down and grab one breast in my hand.

    ¡°S- I can¡¯t do it.¡±

    ¡°Just take your time.¡± I wanted to strangle her. Make her stop talking. I picked up a pillow and pulled it over her face. I kept slamming harder, lifting her legs in one way and then another. Anything to get me closer. I looked up again. Juliet¡¯s features were contorted. I kept my burning eyes on the vision my mind was conjuring up. A breathless desire to rid myself once and for all. Or to focus on the image I could get off on.

    Juliet appeared against the wall, in full view, and in person. I stopped abruptly, pushing the cushion onto Rana¡¯s face, not wanting her to see Juliet. My mouth hung open in disgust. I was enraged for so many reasons. How dare she. ¡°Get out!¡± I yelled.

    Juliet¡¯s lip pulled up. ¡°Just leave! Get out!¡± I felt myself go slack and rolled off Rana. Defeated. The small frame darted off the bed and ran for the door. Juliet is selfish and cruel. How could she stand there and watch? ¡°Where are you going. Clean up and come back.¡± I screamed at Rana. I stood up and walked to where Juliet was standing. I slammed my palm against an empty wall. ¡°You better get out and never come back.¡± She didn¡¯t dare appear. The flickering started again. My chest heaved. A moment later, Rana stepped in again. If Juliet wanted to see it. So be it.

    ¡°Get on the bed. All fours. And so help me. I will take you to the block myself if you say anything.¡±

    I knelt behind her, giving myself rugged pumps. I parted her lips. Juliet was next to me. I looked up, and her fist was next to her face. She was fully manifested, a raging storm behind her eyes. The punch landed on just the right spot. The world went dark.

    ***

    Juliet

    Rana screamed, scrambled, and got to her feet. I had the red blade in my one hand and wanted to slice her throat. Instead, I struck her harder than I had Soren. Gave her an uppercut. Her eyes tilted back in her head, and she fell to the ground. Never had I been that repulsed. The way he had treated her. It was her f- first time and¡­ I picked her up and threw her on the bed next to him¡­ In my mind, Soren had just raped a girl. My chest was rising and falling with fury. I wanted to cut him up myself. His hair lay wild over his face, passed out and limp. His whole body reeked of perspiring alcohol.

    I ran for Isla¡¯s room. They had no idea who Ian was. The stupid daft idiot, how could he trust our enemies. And then use her like that. Isla wasn¡¯t in her room. I searched the house. I paused when I heard her voice. Isla was happy. I glanced back at the room I had just come from. Cringed at my own stupidity. Soren had done it for his sister.

    Ian was actually talking to Isla, coaxing her to speak to him. ¡°I do like you.¡± I heard Isla¡¯s tiny voice.

    ¡°May I take off the veil¡­ Soren told me not to¡­ But I already sleep with one veiled woman.¡±

    I heard the material lift. ¡°You are so beautiful, Isla. I want you.¡±

    ¡°I never got to my training.¡±

    Lips-smacking was all I could handle. Isla was in bed with our enemy. My head tilted to the side. What was I doing there? The frustration of all the pain I had caused filled my soul. I slid down against the wall. I wasn¡¯t leaving. Marcus and the men would be there the next day when Ian met with Fahan. Everyone in the house would die. I just wanted to warn them.

    After Marcus had left me in the bed, I jumped up and followed him. The way he was¡­ I knew something was wrong. I listened to his orders. Saw the old Marcus in full view. His doubts about the two siblings plagued him. Louis knew I was there. That was why he was so angry and couldn¡¯t answer the question of how I really felt about Soren.

    The panting soon came. Isla didn¡¯t make a sound. Her breathing was deep and labored as she took every hard thrust. ¡°Are you going to cry again?¡± Ian asked through ragged breaths.

    ¡°No,¡± She said sweetly.

    ¡°Then touch me. Wherever you want.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s a good girl.¡±

    I rolled my eyes. If any of the men¡­ I thought about Michael saying that very thing to me, at least under different circumstances. I closed my eyes as Ian praised her over and over. Instructing her what to do and how good she felt. Did the man really fall in love with Isla? Another branding pair was a possibility. Our enemy discovers all our secrets from the wife he cared for.

    I kept my eyes closed. The man had stamina. I had to give him that much. Soren pounding into Rana was now an image burned into my head. He struggled to get off and kept going and going so long I felt I would die. I started going in and out of my ability. I lost control, and rage filled every part of me. Glad that he felt the same when he noticed me. I didn¡¯t recognize him. Soren was so careful with me that day we slept together. After he had cummed the first time, we had spent time together, talking and laughing. I had to guide him to get me off. It took so long. A wandering smile played on my mouth and turned to an ache in my gut. At that moment, I didn¡¯t want to love him. How easy it was for our race to fall off the scale of what is good.

    The second time I got on top of Soren, I stopped before he was close. Kissed him till he was far enough so we could keep going. We ran through all the positions we could think of at the time. Like two stupid kids experimenting. At that point, I had none. Just what I had learned from school and what I had read and seen. Soren and I had used each other to figure some things out¡­ It brought another smile to my lips. How it had felt to be that comfortable around someone. Things I didn¡¯t have the guts to do with Louis yet. Not wanting to feel like an idiot. And getting feedback was not in the nature of my four cowards. All I got was how they wanted more. Sadness soon followed for how Soren had helped me through that time. Soren had showered with me to get Damian out of my system and the room¡­ I had gone down on him to practice that, too¡­ My insides churned. It was how our marriage would have been. Care, compassion, and patience. Laughter and fighting. Making up and having babies. Reading together and debating for hours around the dinner table. He would have let me read and write. Not let me out of his sight and walked me to the market when I had a need. Soren would let me work alongside him and his father. Even in a veil, I would have been allowed to clean. In the background, when the doors closed, I would help with the books and stock-taking. Soren would¡¯ve taken me to see my parents. I would stay with them when the baby was due, and we would have sat around a fire. Or watch our son play in the street with all his friends. If we had a girl¡­ We would¡¯ve taken her to three different houses to get out of a funk. Or to the market for sweets and a cool drink on those scorching days in the desert. Like my dad had done with me.

    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Ian finally finished. I had to decide what I would do. Ian dismissed Isla. I followed her to her room. She took off the veil, and the smile on her face was all I needed to see. ¡°One thing you will find out. And the hard way is that evil people also fall in love.¡± Beatrice¡¯s words still haunted me. Our enemies also fall in love. I didn¡¯t think Ian really loved Isla. But maybe in a year. Six months of Isla¡¯s sweet and serving nature coupled with her desire to sit and do nothing but be a good wife to her husband. It didn¡¯t really matter anymore. We couldn¡¯t keep the brandings a secret for much longer.

    I scooted in under the bed. It was the only place I could sleep. Isla would not freak out too much if she saw me. Did I really love Soren? Yes¡­ Yes, I do. And Louis knew.

    ***

    I woke up with a start. Soren was knocking and calling softly at Isla¡¯s door. The bed moved above me, and the door opened. ¡°Soren? Are you well?¡± Isla gasped and complained.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m okay, are you? Did Ian behave himself?¡±

    There was a pause. I rolled out under the bed and saw the same smile as the previous night. Soren faked one to appease his sister and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, sister.¡±

    ¡°Get out of here.¡± He smiled again and stepped back.

    I ducked out with him. Rana wasn¡¯t in his room. Soren sat down on the bed. ¡°Julie, are you here? I¡¯ve been calling you for what seems an eternity.¡±

    My shoulders dropped. What did I expect was going to happen? I wanted to see him shun her. Push her away and use her as a cover and stay there still devoted to me. He seemed sober, and the bruise on his face was... ugly. I sat down next to him and put my head on his shoulder. He grasped my hand and kissed it.

    ¡°You raped her.¡±

    He shoved me with his shoulder. I looked at him and had to close an eye, cringing at his bloodshot purple eye. Swollen and cut open over his cheek.

    ¡°Yeah, you pack a mean punch. You know I don¡¯t have any abilities.¡± His fingers lightly traced his features.

    ¡°You deserved it.¡±

    ¡°Like Louis never raped you?¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    ¡°Oh, come one¡­ You going to tell me it was any different? That night when he dragged you into that car. What happened after that?¡±

    I closed my parted lips. I had a lot of excuses for what happened between Louis and me during those few months on the compound. Had it been different? No. When I thought about it, Rana didn¡¯t want to stop. She never faltered in her duty. I closed my eyes and breathed out the ragged breaths I was holding. I turned away from him.

    ¡°Marcus is coming. Today. When Ian goes to Fahan¡­ There will be an ambush. And when he is off planet, they will take over the Island and the water supply¡­ Even the hidden teleporter. I don¡¯t know how much we know. But I guess it¡¯s enough to change things for good.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Soren pressed my knuckles onto his lips.

    ¡°They will kill everyone. Women, children.¡±

    ¡°Julie¡­¡±

    I got up and paced. ¡°I would say. Take Isla and hide. When they come¡­ You could dump it all on Louis, who will let you live. If they know you haven¡¯t crossed over.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s the reason. You wanted to see if I¡­ had turned against you all.¡± He made a sarcastic sound.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. If you tell Ian¡­ You will die, Soren.¡±

    ¡°Julie!¡±

    ¡°What?¡± I spun toward him, recoiling again when I saw his face. He smiled. My Soren was there. How could he change so much from one moment to the next?

    ¡°What will I tell him happened to my face?¡±

    We both laughed.

    ¡°Did you get to finish later?¡± I mocked.

    Soren grabbed my wrist and pulled me closer. He tucked his finger into the hem of my pants. ¡°Every time you¡¯re pregnant, you come to my bed. I¡¯m starting to think it¡¯s all hormones.¡± Soren rested his head on my swollen belly. The bump wasn¡¯t big, but it was there.

    I chuckled. ¡°Could be.¡± I pulled out the hair stuck in some blood. He groaned. ¡°You have to get it looked at.¡±

    ¡°Julie!¡± He said softly.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°What are you avoiding today?¡±

    I took his chin in my hand and tilted his head up. Soft and tender eyes pleaded with me. ¡°The same thing I avoided back then.¡±

    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Losing a loved one.¡±

    ¡°A loved one?¡± Soren got up, poured some water, and downed the contents.

    ¡°You had a real chance to be happy¡­ Why did it have to be like that? Why didn¡¯t you wait? Choose someone on our side?¡±

    ¡°You!¡± He snapped. ¡°I¡¯m angry. No! I¡¯m livid!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a little behind in your stages of grief.¡±

    ¡°Screw you.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°What a decent cuss word for someone so young.¡±

    ¡°I miss you. I¡¯m angry that I didn¡¯t fight that day¡­ I just walked out.¡±

    My heart dropped. ¡°Yes¡­ Me too. If I could go back, I would.¡±

    Soren¡¯s bruised eye darted in my direction. He stepped over the threshold. ¡°Is it too late. Can we fight it now?¡±

    I shrugged. ¡°If you like.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean. Do you love me or not?¡±

    ¡°Of course I do. I¡­ I have these pictures of what our life would have been like in my head that don¡¯t want to go away.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s not me. It¡¯s only the relationship we would¡¯ve had. Regrets of what your life could have been like?¡±

    ¡°Screw you.¡± He laughed at my stupid comeback. ¡°I was fifteen... When I stood on that block, I didn¡¯t once think you would even be an option. Not once did you show me any affection? Or asked. You are just as bad as they are.¡±

    ¡°Marcus was always there¡­ What did you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°Something. Anything. If you came to the house just once¡­ Just one time. I would¡¯ve behaved. You knew what happened at Qadir¡¯s house, but still, you didn¡¯t come.¡±

    Soren dragged me into an embrace. ¡°All, I see¡­ Is you not choosing me. I didn¡¯t even have a chance to get in line. It¡¯s just a matter of me not being enough¡­ I don¡¯t get it. I really don¡¯t¡­ That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t come, Julie. The way you looked at Marcus those Sundays on the couch¡­ You never looked at me like that.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t look at anyone the way I look at him. It¡¯s different. Can¡¯t you understand that?!¡± Soren turned away from me. I tugged at his shoulder to make him look at me. ¡°Do you think if we were normal people¡­ There would never be regret going from one person to another¡­ Even if we are in a happy relationship with one person. Would you never think about what could¡¯ve been with someone from your past? Or maybe you would go through a breakup. And years later, know you made the biggest mistake of your life¡­ It¡¯s just not my story¡­ Why is it wrong to be obsessed with love? And to be loved. If I can handle it. That¡¯s my problem. You are the problem here, Soren. You are doing what you accused me of. Avoiding your fate.¡± I paused to take a breath. ¡°It¡¯s not that you are not enough. But this is MY life. They fought for me¡­ All in their different ways and accepted everything and the time it took for us to get there¡­ And in the end, Soren, it¡¯s not about Marcus but Louis. It will always be. No one! And I mean, no one will make me cross that line.¡±

    Soren stepped closer and ran his thumb over my lips. ¡°I want to be a part of your story¡­ We made a mistake. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t come. I was only a child. Same as you.¡± Soft and tender eyes looked down at me. ¡°All I do is wish that you would be mine someday.¡±

    I disappeared. Soren straightened. The door opened, and Ian walked in. Even fully manifested, he started at the sight of the boy. ¡°Yeah! Watch out, Ian.¡±

    ¡°If that was my sister¡­ She will surely die today.¡±

    Soren held up his hand. ¡°Get your sister in here.¡±

    Ian called out. A servant was directed. A minute later, she came walking in. That steady stride of her elegance still gagged me. ¡°Rana, take off your veil.¡± Soren¡¯s voice was so different when he spoke to her. She didn¡¯t move. Ian yanked at the thing and held it in his hand. He cursed at the sight of her. Soren¡¯s face was as stunned as Ian¡¯s. The two men glanced at each other. ¡°Rana, what happened last night? I was too drunk to remember one second of it.¡±

    She didn¡¯t raise her head. Ian grabbed her hair and hissed in her face. ¡°Out with it.¡± He said pointedly.

    What was Soren doing?

    ¡°He didn¡¯t want to see my face. Soren put a pillow over me¡­ The next moment, he was screaming incoherently. He wanted me out of the room. And then screamed for me to come back. I didn¡¯t understand any of it. The next moment, he was knocked out on the bed. I got up, and there was a woman in the room. And she hit me too.¡±

    Soren tried to keep a straight face. I could see his mouth twitching. ¡°You want me to believe¡­ that there was some invisible girl¡­ in your room. And she hit both of you. Why I never¡­ Guard!¡±

    ¡°Wait, Ian. I was drunk. Even if I hit her. She had every right to hit me back.¡±

    ¡°With what did she hit you to do all that? And no, that is not how it works here, Soren. Every man will mock you if you walk out the door.¡± Ian gestured at Soren¡¯s face. ¡°Guard!¡±

    Another man came in. I cowered a little, and my chicken legs took a step back. He was tall and bulky. Scary as hell. Damian all over.

    ¡°Take my sister to the block.¡±

    ¡°Ian. Please. I don¡¯t want a wife with no hands or no tongue. Where would the pleasure be for me if you took something away? All I have is her face.¡± Soren was piling it on. ¡°She¡¯s the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I might have gotten carried away last night.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t maim women here, Soren. The block means... a courtyard where she will be put in her place¡­ But¡­ Take her home, Soren. She is your problem now. Do with her what you see fit¡­ Just make sure no one sees you. Until all of that is healed.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t going to happen. They would all die.

    Soren grabbed Rana¡¯s arm and pushed her toward the door. He stopped. ¡°Ian¡­ There is something I have to talk to you about. Rana, leave and pack what you will need.¡±

    Ian dismissed the guard. ¡°You know that Marcus doesn¡¯t know where my loyalties lay. After you told him of our arrangement¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡­¡± Soren was faltering. If he left with Rana, Isla would die when Marcus came. If he stayed¡­ they would all die. Soren didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡°Out with it.¡±

    ¡°I think we have to evacuate. If they have the stone¡­ Leaving and going to Palmyra. It might be our only option¡­ They could attack at any minute.¡±

    ¡°You are scared. I do not have the time for doubt. Fahan will come and help us. I am not running away. Even if they cross that pink water in one wave.¡±

    Ian left the room. The doors slowly closed.

    ¡°What are you doing? Do you want them to live? Was Marcus right?¡±

    Soren was eerily quiet. ¡°Ian has done nothing wrong.¡± He finally said. I couldn¡¯t believe it. Ian had convinced him. He had made the decision himself to marry Rana. ¡°Isla is married to the man. What do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°If he finds out, you betrayed him¡­ He¡¯ll kill you. You have no idea who you¡¯re dealing with. Ian has killed millions of Vampires.¡±

    ¡°He what?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not taking prisoners, Soren. And he¡¯s not following customs either¡­ Challenging Marcus as he should¡­ He didn¡¯t even honor the cease-fire¡­ He¡¯s playing you¡­ and Isla! Why do you think Marcus had to make the decision. It ends today. Either way. So what do you want to do? Sacrifice some more? Make another mistake. Because I can tell you. A guy like that will tire of your sister eventually.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that¡­ And this is also my life.¡± He yelled. ¡°My family. Do you not understand that! My future with you is so uncertain... And I can¡¯t take it anymore. Every time I see Ian. I see another way. How would I look Isla in the face?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I do understand. But with this, it¡¯s also an uncertainty, and she can go home and be safe. Your parents had to be aware the war could go either way¡­ You know what? I can¡¯t understand why your father allowed it at all. Gamble on Isla¡¯s future.¡±

    ¡°My father changed his mind... About everything¡­ I was as surprised as you seem to be¡­ Isla was happy for the first time. She wanted it.¡±

    That was a lot of pressure for him. ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± I said, defeated. ¡°If Marcus finds me here. I¡¯m dead.¡±

    Soren¡¯s soft eyes turned in a second into something I had never seen. ¡°Marcus, Marcus, Marcus! It¡¯s all I ever hear. I won¡¯t survive¡­ If I have to go back into that Tower to see you with everyone but not be able to be with you.¡±

    ¡°After last night, Soren. Man up. It¡¯s over.¡±

    Soren¡¯s cold, calculating eyes turned to slate. ¡°Because I dared to dip into another woman.¡± He took a menacing step toward me. ¡°Because I didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. Who do you think you are? Did you not say you would congratulate me?¡±

    I did say I would. My world came crashing down around me. Soren¡¯s eyes and mouth sneered at my hubris. He had opened my eyes to the reality of it all. I had become addicted to getting what I wanted. Used to everyone putting me first and going to such great lengths to be with me. Jealous and thinking I could kill everyone that showed the slightest interest in any of them¡­ Who was I to tell Soren what to do with his life, even if it was choosing our enemies. We left him there. We pushed him out.

    Soren¡¯s shoulders were ridged as he turned away from me, just to turn back to take hold of my upper arms. ¡°I am going to be in your life one way or another. If I can¡¯t be your lover. I¡¯ll be your enemy. I will take your love for me and turn it into hate. I will come at you with everything I have.¡± He grasped my arm tighter and tighter and, with the other hand, slowly let one finger graze over my breasts and down toward my belt. He lowered his head towards my lips. ¡°If you don¡¯t kiss me, Juliet. I¡¯m done.¡± Done. Done. He was where I had been about Michael. I had pushed him too far. The image of Chris almost kissing Selena flashed in my mind. How could I judge him? Charlene was right. I was selfish. I stared at him, deciding what to do.

    I didn¡¯t realize or feel Soren take the blade out of my belt. It popped next to my face. I disappeared, unable to catch my short breaths.

    Soren¡¯s hand faltered as he tried to take hold of me. ¡°You are just like Ahasuerus. All you want is for me not to screw up your plans.¡± He said flatly. ¡°You are cruel and selfish. You keep¡­¡± His words came out hopeless, anguished. ¡°Using me¡­ Now I will join you on that train. I am sick of sitting on the platform waiting¡­ waiting for you¡­ You will lose everything.¡±

    Only love can hurt like that. Rip out your insides and leave a gaping hole that will never be filled again. Disappointment too acute to be processed. I had made a mistake. I reappeared and drew back my fist. I had to at least try to fix it. Soren blocked me. I jabbed again, and he kept stopping every fist, moving around me. I pulled his feet out from under him, taking the blade out of his hand. He fell on the bed. I was over him, pushing the sharp tip against his throat. ¡°You would never be able to do it. Louis will have to.¡± I stuck the point of the knife through his skin. ¡°Not today.¡± He rolled and kicked me off him. I glanced at the little glass plate in his hand. An alarm blared throughout the house. The doors opened, producing that giant vampire in the door.

 Too Slow

    199. Too Slow

    Carl

    The barracks where we were stationed were empty. The watchers were recalled from En-gannim, and our station had gotten leave for a few days. After the non-stop battle on En-gannim, they decided we needed some time off. The four of us sat staring at each other. We had nowhere to go so we had stayed at the base. Our guns were clean. Our boots were polished. Beds were made, and even the four men¡¯s watcher feed was disconnected. It had left us in the dark.

    Earth had decided to ship all the alien food back to En-gannim, leaving the farms empty and deserted. The world had not taken the news well. It felt like every couple had tried it. The masses of people that streamed into the hospitals were staggering. Basic first aid had to be broadcast on TV, and so far, it had not produced one Ittoqure. What it did cause was hatred. I chuckled. Every couple who had tried it had broken up.

    Teleporters were a thing of the past, and the world was in an economic mess. Doctors couldn¡¯t get to hospitals in an instant. Paramedics were back to driving ambulances. Large shipments of food were stranded. Since the teleporters, world hunger had suddenly ceased. Homes and businesses could leave parcels at the stations every night. All the food that usually went into the trash was sent worldwide. People were rewarded if there were no food wastage. Unemployed teachers suddenly had jobs. They could be in some remote village and come back at night. Volunteer workers could dig water wells on a Saturday and still come home for dinner. But those people were back to a waitressing life and stuck in some small town playing video games.

    All the armies had divided again. Countries were back, and diplomats were no longer used for ¡°foreign¡± relations but to represent their countries. The different generals had relocated to their homes, leaving us on the American base. After the people found out aliens were still murdering innocent humans rather than child molesters and murderers. The death penalty was back to what they were in specific countries before all of it happened.

    Women had been paid to have babies. With the fear of the human race dying out¡­ The world had no choice. Since conception was established, they got subsidiaries, healthcare, and time off from jobs. IVF was free. Women who wanted to have children as a career suddenly had the option. They would go to a sperm bank. Choose their donor and got paid to raise a baby. Caretakers were sent to help them. Social workers had little to do. If a family was unfit or abusive in any way. They were sent away. The foster system had become the highest-paying job. The kids had therapy, food, and a roof over their heads. The best education. But that had also stopped. And with abortion being banned worldwide, women were going crazy against Lyla. Some of them needed the money and the support. And for those who were pregnant and had lost a partner because their ass carried the scar to prove it. The situation was getting out of control.

    The world had seemed cleaner. In many instances. No more litter and no more fear. After Lyla, people stopped caring again. There was a lull in the streets. A deadness. The numbness was back. Where society had something to look forward to. Better futures, more prospects, and cheaper education. No one had the options anymore. No one would ever travel to other planets or be able to colonize ones that would still be discovered. Scientists were Lyla¡¯s greatest enemy.

    One night the first accusation of rape was on the news and shocked America. Protesters had stormed the streets. Ones against Lyla and her companions. The rape was followed by a missing child in North Carolina. It left the people livid against all her efforts.

    The watchers were not scattered anymore. Not able to fly and catch anyone trying to flee a scene. Working with local law enforcement to determine how to use teleporters to their best advantage. Every child in America and worldwide was accounted for and checked up on daily. Having a teleporter in every neighborhood meant a watcher was there to operate the station. It had created jobs. The comings and goings were documented; if someone didn¡¯t come home that night, police could quickly follow up with a one-second trip. There was also a watcher and policeman patrolling and listening for screams, whistles, or even basic emergencies. Where women were safe to walk around drunk, they were back to being careful.

    Jack put the TV on. All we had to do was sit and wait. We didn¡¯t think things could get any worse. That night, Lyla was on screen. She had posted a video of her own feed playing on the screen, telling the humans that the watcher could install the tech on anyone they wanted, and no one would ever know.

    Strangely, people were quiet whenever anything came to the surface. As if the whole ordeal had been too much of an up and down. No one knew when things would stabilize. It had started to. After Michael killed Lucy, the aliens were banned for the first time. The humans soon changed their minds about Lucy¡¯s death. And when the aliens returned, there was general consensus and more enthusiasm among the people to change the planet and accept the Vampires¡¯ help. Useless roads were converted into solar farms. Power plants were at half the consumer rate. Conservative groups had banned all and any exotic animal farms. Puppy mills and Zoos. Wales and rhinos weren¡¯t being hunted for what they could give us. Poachers, gang members, and those fighting traditions were sent to prison. We were finally giving back to the planet. In small ways, people who were into anything the least illegal or morally unsound were sent away. Order had come back in a massive way to what was right or wrong.

    At that moment, it was a matter of Juliet not being safe on Earth. Some thought she needed to be brought to justice. Stevie¡¯s death was soon confirmed with some of Juliet¡¯s old footage Lyla had dug out. A coffee shop in her old town had connected them, and the boy did say a monster ate his mother. I ruffled my hair. Juliet¡¯s feed killing person after person, played for those who had the stomach to watch it. Jack changed the channel. Her being infected with Rodrigo and all she had become. Her whole life played on-screen daily, like The Truman Show. It was hard to watch. Lyla had really outdone herself. Not for lack of trying, but no one could find her. She had vanished off the face of the planet. But every day, something new came online. Never traceable.

    Warden was the edgiest. He couldn¡¯t calm down or sit still. Not used to barracks life. Jack was so old that he could sit for hours and stare out in front of him.

    ¡°You know what ticks me off,¡± Warden said. ¡°Not once did Lyla broadcast all the good that the aliens can bring to the table.¡±

    Jack glanced up for the first time. James gave us each a beer. ¡°Let¡¯s go talk outside. I can¡¯t stand this building anymore.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but if we want to go anywhere. We would have to drive.¡±

    ¡°I wonder when the first drunk driver will kill anyone.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°You¡¯re right, Warden. She didn¡¯t tell them the watchers were also connected to their hosts. For life. The people always just assumed that it was a job.¡± I looked at Jack. ¡°Would you be able to prove you¡¯re as old as you are?¡±

    He slowly nodded.

    ¡°Can you imagine what people would do if they could live for nine hundred years?¡±

    ¡°What about the medical advantages?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that is something we won¡¯t be able to prove¡­ We had not even gotten to trading for information. Technology. Mining. Traveling.¡± James said. ¡°Tell me, why no Ittoqures has surfaced yet?¡±

    ¡°Because the people who really love each other would never do it to their partner. They know it would change them. Put their partner in danger. And make them a human-eating maniac in an instant.¡± Jack said, looking up at the stars. ¡°I enjoyed fighting on Zoreah and En-gannim. I wouldn¡¯t have minded moving out there¡­ Marry some vampire woman wanting to escape the men on her planet¡­ Connect to her and live out my days in a place where there is order.¡± Jack sat up. It had been the most he had ever said.

    ¡°We don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on. Have you heard anything?¡± Warden asked.

    ¡°No. There would be no communication either. The plates were disconnected. Marcus was very clear. As long as Juliet was a wanted woman. Earth would never see us again.¡± I said.

    ¡°But would they leave you here?¡± James asked.

    ¡°If we leave. We can¡¯t come back.¡±

    ¡°I wished they at least gave us the option. We have been so loyal. We could¡¯ve traveled out with the fugitives and¡­ I have to tell you. I don¡¯t¡­ I don¡¯t want to come back. We¡¯re the only race that can¡¯t fight for common goals.¡± Jack said. ¡°The slightest shift and we go from one extreme to another. It¡¯s exhausting to keep up with the latest fad.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m with you on this. Juliet asked me, and I regret not going. We could¡¯ve found a planet where the species did mix. Everyone knows kids don¡¯t survive. It¡¯s not like this planet would have been run by savages. All the women could get that formula, and voila. The problem is solved.¡± Warden said. ¡°Humans would jump on that bandwagon in an instant. They don¡¯t need the formula at all.¡±

    ¡°None of us have to worry. Michael will come eventually. They can¡¯t trace him. Or stop him.¡± I said, and I believed it. Although they said I should stay in contact. I hoped Marcus would have time to check in at some point.

    ¡°Yes, but Michael won¡¯t know where we are. And we only got a week off. We are back to being US soldiers. Governing the streets of chaos.¡±

    ¡°Probably get shipped off to the Middle East very soon. It doesn¡¯t look good over there.¡±

    We all sat or stood weirdly, staring at the sky. Our hopes and dreams were out there. Charlene¡­ was out there. Kubra could go to her in an instant. I had just gotten her to think about us. We were getting closer to crossing that line. And in my heart, I knew I loved her. I chuckled. She had slapped me when I tried to kiss her. I will never forget that day. That past year solidified it in me. I had been free, and it sucked. I was away from my family, and it wasn¡¯t what I wanted for my life. I looked at Jack. Never did he have a wife. Or a child. ¡°Hey, tell me¡­ How did you cope with Louis whoring around like that.¡± I asked. The other men seemed intrigued. Jack got a wry smile on his mouth. James threw some more wood on the fire. Warden sat down, all ears.

    Jack¡¯s smile grew. ¡°It was educational.¡± The three of us laughed and clinked our beers. ¡°It was hard to watch, some of the time¡­ He did kill them after.¡±

    James whistled. ¡°That is sick on a whole other level.¡±

    ¡°Once a month, he had to eat. The whole of Europe was open to him.¡± Jack went on.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be. He would¡¯ve had to have slept with so many women that I¡­ I can¡¯t believe you.¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Look¡­ If a guy starts watching porn at twelve, and it goes on and on until he can¡¯t anymore. Is it really any different than what I had done.¡± Jack laughed out loud. It was the first time we had heard the sound.

    ¡°Watching the same porn star every time with a different girl,¡± James said.

    ¡°At least every time would¡¯ve been a different scene and story.¡± I chipped in.

    ¡°Can you imagine¡­ How fast did it take him to choose?¡± Warden asked.

    ¡°Oh, he played with his prey. The whole night would go by.¡± Jack giggled. ¡°Sometimes, he didn¡¯t use his ability.¡± Jack laughed. ¡°Those were the interesting nights.¡± Jack sat up out of his slumped position. ¡°Oh F-!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Lyla¡¯s going to let more information out tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think?¡±

    ¡°Oh, s-, s-, s-!¡± Jack was freaking out. He didn¡¯t like the idea of anyone posting anything about Louis.

    ¡°If the world sees his story¡­ If Lyla puts it on-screen. It¡¯s own channel.¡±

    ¡°What about Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Who cares. It might help if they saw what he had to go through¡­ We must find this woman and fast before she causes irreparable harm.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve looked, Jack. Where do you want us to search?¡±

    ¡°Wait. You had a point. What about Marcus? His feed was supposed to have been cut off on the compound. Is that not what Kubra said. There was no watcher tech in Qadir¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°But yet, she had footage of the branding.¡±

    James pointed a finger at Warden and shook it up and down. ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s right. Was there anywhere else no watcher tech was able to work. Marcus was watched but not¡­ all the time.¡±

    ¡°If only Kubra was here. Jessy¡¯s father had to have left her somewhere no tech would be allowed. Look, there is no way he could disconnect it himself. We only fixed it too late, and then she was off-grid. They couldn¡¯t have gotten far.¡±

    ¡°When we evacuated¡­ Was every house searched?¡±

    ¡°I think so. Se wouldn¡¯t be that stu¡­ That¡¯s how they got out of the tunnel so fast. She was there the whole time.¡±

    ¡°And¡­ even if she¡¯s not in a house. Those tunnels¡­ are very long. And where do they come out?¡±

    ¡°The gorge.¡±

    Jack jumped up and put his phone to his ear. ¡°General. We need transport asap.¡±

    General [ You will have to take the chopper, Jack. Keep me posted ]

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°You can fly?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I can¡­ I can do everything Louis can.¡± Jack said.

    ¡°You must be really rich?¡± I asked as we ran for our bunks.

    ¡°You have no idea¡­ Invested every time he did. Reading minds is one way of doing it¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll donate it to some charity for endangered species.¡±

    ***

    The whole campaign took way too slow. First, we had to fuel the chopper. Then, we had to do preflight checklists. By the time we took off, we were so tired that the three of us fell asleep as Jack flew us hours into the west. The sun was coming up behind us. The barracks at the compound had a helipad, fuel, and everything we would need for the return journey.

    As we stepped out of the chopper, I yawned. ¡°Never would I complain about filling in a small form on a plate for teleporting purposes,¡± I grumbled.

    ¡°Same. Got used to the instant get around.¡± James mumbled. We grabbed our bags and got geared up next to the chopper.

    ¡°How are we going to get to the compound?¡±

    ¡°Jog. Get ready for drills, boys.¡± Jack fastened his last clip, slinging his gun over his shoulder.

    We soon fell in line behind Jack, jogging to a place that was such a part of me that I would never forget it. Juliet¡¯s fish had been sold a long time ago. The power was turned off. Her waterfall wasn¡¯t working anymore. Marcus never liked the place. And for some reason. That day. I knew we would never go back. Juliet loved France. Louis¡¯s home and his room. The cabin she had built for Michael would never be used. I had been busy that year, keeping my ear to the ground.

    The gates were closed. After the location was released, it was almost a tourist destination. The warning was clear. No one was allowed in the area. Not that it would matter. What would they see? Houses and buildings. Roads and well-manicured lawns. Some fanatics thought it had something to do with the location. That Marcus¡¯s study would turn them into an alien.

    ¡°How will we get in?¡± Warden asked as we slowed our pace. The flags were still hanging on the poles. The fountain was dead, and the streets were dusty.

    ¡°How weird it is to see it like this,¡± Warden said.

    Jack walked up to the gate and punched in some numbers. It whirred and clicked and slid open.

    ¡°We have to start at the beginning and work our way through.¡±

    Our guns were drawn, and we followed tactical procedures nonetheless. We had no idea if she had built up a following or who was helping her. It seemed a difficult thing to have done for one little girl. Some weirdoes might have been hiding in there.

    I slowly opened the first door, and the flashlights on our guns cleared every room. We would do it properly and, once and for all, go through every part of that darkness. The first long straight tunnel was where Rodrigo¡¯s lab, the watcher¡¯s room, and the offices. The one she had put together for the men. At the end of the straight part of the tunnel, just before it split in three different directions, was Juliet¡¯s secret room. Warden¡¯s eyes grew when he saw it. ¡°So that¡¯s what they were doing.¡±

    Jack put his finger on his mouth and gestured for us to put off our walkies and go radio silent. He pointed down the tunnel to the right, and I took my queue. Warden and James went down the middle, and Jack had the left tunnel. The power in the whole place was cut. No lights were flickering on as we walked. If Lyla was down there. How did she do it? She had guts.

    ***

    After what felt like three miles of walking down that thing, my irritation was spiraling. We didn¡¯t have much time until that evening¡¯s broadcast. And I had yet to see a room that wasn¡¯t some cage or steeled door dungeon. It was nerve-racking, opening every door and expecting an infected vamp to come out of the shadows.

    I opened the last room and walked in. There was one backpack leaning against the wall. ¡°Strange.¡± The tunnel was empty. I was walking out the big gate into the gorge. The sun was blazing down, and sweat trickled down my brow. I lifted my gun over my shoulder and let it hang by its strap. I didn¡¯t look forward to making my way back. I sat down to take a break, checking my watch. I pulled out a bar from my pants and peeled the wrapper back. Jack had not given us a timeframe before we would make contact again.

    If she wasn¡¯t in those tunnels. Or on the compound. Where was she? I thought about all the places she could go. Juliet¡¯s old house? The Colosseum was close. She wouldn¡¯t hide anywhere near the diner. She would need food and water. Where the hell was she? I took the last bite and turned the round dial on my walkie.

    Me [ Hey guys? Any luck? ]

    Nothing. I would wait until they contacted me. Jacklin came to mind a lot. If Sita had to work with anyone. Would it be her? Infected vamps? Who did she trust to leave all her information with? And what else did Sita have that we didn¡¯t know about. If I had watched Lyla any longer, I would¡¯ve found out what she was up to. Known she had met Nevin. I did blame myself for the whole mess. Wished Charlene would call me out like she did before. But would she? Why would she? I had told her not to. I had a mission and wanted to run. Defect.

    I drank some water and emptied my canaster, reflecting on our days in France when we first arrived. How much time Charlene and I had spent together. We were always together, and I missed her. I missed¡­ France. I stood up. Did we ever check the houses? Wouldn¡¯t France have made sure? The generals were also looking for Lyla. But had they been thorough?

    A static rumbling and voices came through on the walkie.

    Me [ I¡¯m here. Warden? Is that you? ]

    More noises and gunfire. I jumped up and started running. The sounds became more apparent.

    Voice [ Carl¡­ Infected vamps¡­ House ]

    It was enough to put me in a panic. I didn''t want any of them to die. As I reached the fork, I had to decide where I would go. None of us had mapped that place, and which tunnel would lead me to a house? Was it even Warden or Jack?

    ***

    Soren

    What had I done? I had used one of Juliet¡¯s worst fears to get her out of there. I was already at Isla¡¯s door.

    ¡°Soren? You were just here. What¡¯s going on? Why is the alarm going off.¡±

    I pushed past her and locked the door when it closed behind us. ¡°Isla, Marcus is coming.¡± She wanted to speak. ¡°Listen¡­ They will kill everyone. And I mean even us.¡±

    Isla¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Juliet wouldn¡¯t kill us.¡±

    I didn¡¯t have time to explain it to her. ¡°You have thirty seconds to make a choice. Just like in that garden. It¡¯s your choice.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want him to die¡­ Soren, you have to help me.¡±

    I drew in a deep breath and bobbed my head. ¡°I have to go.¡±

    Ian¡¯s office seemed too far from the house that day. He glanced up when I walked in. ¡°Soren? What is all the commotion about?¡±

    ¡°Ian! Marcus is coming. Into this house and taking the Island.¡±

    He wanted to waste time regarding me. ¡°Juliet is the one that hit me. She hit Rana. She has an ability. She can disappear.¡± Ian slowly stood up, leaning on the table. ¡°Ian. Marcus is coming for the Island. When you leave for Palmyra, there will be an ambush on the Embassy, and you will die. Everyone here will die. Right now. Today.¡± The words were out, and I couldn¡¯t take them back. If Juliet was there, she was seeing me give it all away. The one honest conversation I wanted had separated me from her forever.

    ¡°Soren¡­¡±

    ¡°Ian, we don¡¯t have time. You have to trust me. They are coming! We¡¯re already at a disadvantage.¡± I slammed my fist on the table. ¡°Now, Ian, or we all die!¡±

    ¡°You are going to answer for lying to me.¡±

    ¡°No. I am finally on your side. No more lies. It goes both ways.¡± I waited. I could still get out. I could still get Isla out.

    ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°If I were them, I¡¯d land in the city in the North. The canal there is the only way¡­¡±

    ¡°They will cross with the stone.¡± Ian interrupted.

    ¡°It will lead them right into your troops¡­Marcus is done. No more prisoners. We can still stop him.¡±

    Ian came around the table. ¡°How did you know where my troops are?¡± Ian and I were walking and talking as the soldiers followed his directions.

    ¡°There is no time. Evacuate the women and children.¡±

    ¡°Where is Isla?¡± Ian asked. ¡°My wife is still at the other house.¡± He grabbed a man by the collar. If my wife is not where she is supposed to be when I get there. I will kill you myself. I glanced at the two veiled women waiting anxiously at the front door. I nodded at her. Isla grabbed Rana¡¯s hand and pulled her toward the teleporter station.

    ¡°Come, Soren. You will have to man up. As they say on Earth.¡± I recoiled.

 Much Too Slow

    200. Much Too Slow

    Juliet

    I was almost at the teleporter station when an arm wrapped around me. I was in my office the next moment. A lot of eyes on me. ¡°What happened, Caleb?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°She screwed up.¡±

    ¡°Juliet?¡± Marcus asked. I nodded. ¡°They know everything?¡± I nodded again.  Marcus stood to his feet, picked up an ashtray, and hurled it at the wall, swearing loudly. Was there never anything else he could throw? He swiped over the desk, sending tubes flying over the room. ¡°It would have been over! I made a decision. You didn¡¯t like it and¡­ You chose him above... Me.¡± I had to let him work through it. He moved across the room until his face was inches from mine. ¡°I have never been disappointed in you.¡± He whispered breathlessly. I nodded. ¡°You just couldn¡¯t resist breaking me.¡± I played with my tongue over the edges of my teeth, unable to meet his eye. ¡°Not so angry at Chris anymore, are you?¡± I bit my bottom lip and shook my head. ¡°We lost Palmyra. We are back to square one, taking back the ground we lost.¡± I closed my eyes and groaned. ¡°No more help from Earth¡­ F- Juliet, I would be a fool to march in there now!¡±

    I lifted my hand and rested it on his cheek. ¡°Marcus, will you fix this one mistake I made?¡±

    He closed his eyes, and his hand instinctively rested on mine. Marcus¡¯s contorted features softened. He lifted his chin and swayed gently from side to side. I supposed to control himself. Remind himself that he made so many.

    ¡°You knew what would happen.¡±

    He shook his head, ¡°No. No¡­ I trusted you.¡± Oh, that hit me where it had to. His hand moved over mine, rubbing and clutching. ¡°I¡¯m livid. I¡¯m shaking. Soren is not a part of this family!¡± He roared. ¡°What were you trying to do?¡± He squeezed my hand. ¡°Maybe you always thought he would be allowed in. If you gave us¡­ NO, me¡­ Enough time. Is that it?¡±

    All I could do was nod. Agitated, he removed my hand from his person and turned away from me. ¡°Well, you know the consequence.¡±

    I did know.

    ¡°Louis,¡± Marcus said. Louis pushed his cigarette into an ashtray. He walked towards me, stopped to kiss me on my hair, and held me for a while. ¡°I¡¯m happy you¡¯re safe.¡±

    ¡°Chris, Michael.¡± The bamf sound came and went.

    ¡°Samuel, Liam.¡± The two brothers smiled at me and passed us on their way out.

    ¡°Dad? You going to leave me here with him.¡±

    He stopped and came over, handing me a packet of cigarettes. He tapped me on my nose and clapped Marcus on the shoulder.

    ¡°Selena, Jamal.¡± The two teleported out.

    ¡°Kubra, you¡¯re on leave for the time being.¡± Kubra almost ran out of the room.

    Marcus reached around his neck and took off the stone. He fastened it around mine. It wasn¡¯t even ours. It was Charlene¡¯s. It meant nothing.

    ¡°Jessy.¡±

    Jessy chattered his teeth together and nudged for me to move. I thought I would go upstairs. Get tied down. I shivered only thinking about it. Jessy teleported us out to Charlene, who was being twirled in a circle by Kubra. Her arms were wrapped around his neck. His was around her waist, kissing her, and he didn¡¯t stop. ¡°After everything, I should probably forget about Selena. I¡¯m never going to have that, am I?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even tried. One kiss in a bar is not enough. There needs to be a confession. Do you not see that she doesn¡¯t even understand. You¡¯re going to have to do everything. Come, Jessy. Let¡¯s get a drink¡­ I blame you for this.¡±

    Jessy was incredulous. ¡°Me?!¡± I gave him a minute. ¡°Oh, the cabin. I was supposed to keep you away from Soren, and I would get Selena.¡±

    ¡°You left for like five minutes. And what did I do? Now, both of us don¡¯t have what we want.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°Juliet¡­ Not to be mean or the bearer of bad news. But you¡¯re never going to change. You will always be this¡­ stupid.¡± Jessy was running before I could get my hands on him. Kubra and Charlene soon joined us in trying to catch him. I just hoped I could make it right. My disappointment in myself didn¡¯t curb my hurt about everything Soren had said and done. The blow and the repercussions had not set in yet.

    Two giant shadows joined the fun and swept through us and around us. I had stopped dead in my tracks. Although I had seen Iku and his wife. Not like that. They were surrounding Jessy. ¡°So Jessy.¡± The one shadow said. ¡°You made a move on Selena yet.¡± Charlene and I laughed. The shadow¡¯s gaze landed on me. He circled me and transformed into a mid-size man. His eyes held mine. He immediately made me think of my uncle. Older but still young at heart. His hand reached out for the stone on my neck. ¡°Oh, how Ahasuerus taunted me with that small rock.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he has¡­ had a knack for getting what he wanted¡­ in the cruelest ways.¡± I suddenly had sympathy for the guy. ¡°So he had this one at some point?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I know there are two of great importance. But this one would have gotten me to my mate¡­ Juliet?¡± He stretched out an arm, ¡°Iku.¡± I shook it. ¡°You took over?¡±

    ¡°I did. Not much to look at. Still just a child. How could I possibly? At this moment, I¡¯m doubting myself.¡±

    He regarded me, ¡°I wanted to say that I think I would have enjoyed fighting with you. Heard how you killed his son.¡±

    ¡°Yes... I need the practice. We still could. After the baby?¡± Iku smiled. He introduced me to his wife. Not that she could understand us. ¡°I have a good sense of character. Your son says a lot about you as a mother¡­ Why don¡¯t we go sit down and talk.¡±

    ¡°What would you like to talk about?¡±

    ¡°Soren, of course.¡± Charlene looked guilty. ¡°We are all dying to hear what happened.¡± I groaned. The whole universe would know what I had done.

    ¡°Then you have to tell me how you will protect the Dheka¡­ Both of you just left them there.¡±

    Iku smiled. ¡°You have a propensity for management. No wonder you are queen. Remember every detail about everything. And you think you don¡¯t have what it takes.¡±

    Charlene put her arm around me. ¡°Everything will be okay. If Marcus doesn¡¯t want to help you anymore. I¡¯ll send in the wolves.¡±

    ¡°And the shadows,¡± Iku added.

    ***

    Marcus

    After we sorted out everything we could on En-gannim. It was time for me to sort out my wife. I had let her take a breather for a few days. I needed time to cool down. I wanted to go in there and rip Soren to pieces. Louis had told us most of what had happened. He also made me understand that she was his territory. That I had to submit to the choice he made. I always thought I had a good idea of character. But boy, was I wrong about Soren. So I stepped back, waiting for Louis to tell me what I could do. We needed the time anyway. We never did attack Ian. I was hoping that Soren would fall flat on his ass. Ian might have already killed him.

    I decided to move all the prisoners to the Red Planet. They could fend for themselves. A little ticked off that I had to go back and forth. One of them would take over and govern the situation. I was waiting to see who it would be. Who would turn on Ian first? Everyone we would conquer on Ian¡¯s other Islands would be shipped off. My plans had changed rapidly but I figured I could always go back to killing them all later. Juliet didn¡¯t trust me. I couldn¡¯t blame her. I knew I left it too long. Waited too long. I knew she had not gotten over him. She said as much to me in the tunnels. At that point, I was relieved. Neither I nor Louis would have to kill him. Soren did it all by himself. He had sorted out the problem for me. He would have died, and I would have been the bad guy. The two children had, in one moment, sorted themselves out.

    I would find another planet to get my own water and food. I felt like an idiot for not thinking of it sooner. We had the chests. We had all the information. All Palmyra¡¯s books. It was why Michael had gone to such lengths. So we would have an advantage. I had just thought Juliet was working on finding things to help us. But, no, she was sitting around, worrying about Soren on an Island. The boy¡¯s actions forced me to move a little faster. All Ian had was one stone. Even if it did open those doors, we had no idea what would be inside. I was hoping it would not matter without the books.

    Michael and Chris had taken that week and had cut off the teleporter power Ahasuerus had taken from his grandfather. En-gannim was now going to experience the loss. We would have the advantage. Juliet had the stone to keep it safe; I would use it when necessary.

    Ian would have to work with Fahan and beg him to fight the war for him. I could deal with Fahan. I would kill two birds with one stone. I was not going to Palmyra, and Ian would have a hell of a time convincing Fahan to fight next to the pink oceans.

    ***

    That night, we nervously waited for Michael to deliver our wife to us. He dropped Juliet in her room on En-gannim. He had to cut her with the red blade for our plan to work. Even that tiny amount of blood on her skin was almost enough to change my mind. Her swollen belly made me falter. I had conjured up the idea in my jealousy. So much needed to be dealt with. I wanted to know what happened, or I would go mad.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Michael stood against the wall, one arm tucked away against his chest. A cigarette in the other. I stared at her for a moment, our eyes locked. I had thought she would fight it. Kick and scream. Slowly, I stood up. ¡°Can we get to it! Say what you have to say.¡±

    I took a step closer, holding her eyes, bent down, and picked up the straps from the bed. ¡°You know the punishment.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± I nudged at the bed. She spun and took in everything I had laid out.

    ¡°You have one second to tell me what happened. And let¡¯s be precise. I¡¯m not Louis.¡±

    ¡°I just went to talk with him. I didn¡¯t want him to die.¡± I jingled the belt next to her face. ¡°He and Rana¡­ were already going at it. So, does it really matter?¡± I bit the inside of my mouth. Even if I hated the boy at that moment. He had done more than she had. He wanted to move on. If she had not gone, none of it would have happened.

    ¡°So you watched them? Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­¡± Juliet fumbled. ¡°I am selfish and cruel, apparently.¡±

    I put down the chains and rubbed her arms. She seemed to calm down. ¡°What happened to Damian for watching you.¡± I moved past her and picked up the blindfold. ¡°Marcus, please. I won¡¯t be able to handle it. None of it. At this point, don¡¯t you think I learned my lesson?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I have a tube for you. And when you wake up, we will just go on.¡± Michael chimed in. ¡°I have to say. I¡¯m a little bit more jealous after our branding. You did the one thing you were not supposed to. Put yourself and the baby at risk¡­ After everything we have gone through as a family. You killed Stevie. Marcus can¡¯t kill Soren?¡± Juliet¡¯s lips pulled tight. I didn¡¯t know that was how he felt. She had three jealous, angry husbands on her hands and one who could only look at the floor.

    I lifted the blindfold. She grabbed my wrists. ¡°Please don¡¯t do this. I already said I made a mistake. I¡¯ll apologize properly.¡± Juliet thought one kowtow would solve all her problems. I laughed inside, thinking that I once thought it would solve all our problems.

    I pulled her up off her knees and shook my head. ¡°Not this time¡­ Do you remember how jealous you were about Louis and his cousin. Me and Rana¡­ We all take you seriously¡­ Now you will learn to take us seriously¡­¡± Juliet was wavering. I was hitting every nerve. ¡°You went to see him. You made a fool of me¡­ Isn¡¯t that what you told Chris¡­ Means a blindfold. Lower your hands, or they will do it for you. Juliet peeked at the bed. There were restraints, whips, and gags. I had laid it on thick. She shook her head. Michael and Chris each grabbed a wrist. Juliet¡¯s breathing was deepening. I tied the pink satin behind her head. The boys let her go. We glanced back at Louis. He closed his eyes slowly and slightly bobbed his head. She wasn¡¯t really breaking. Interesting. Chris went to sit down, his back to her. He wanted no part of the plan. He had no right after Selena or Sita. The man was a nervous wreck. He never wanted to tie anyone down again.

    ¡°What else? And be quick. We don¡¯t have all day.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s jerked her hands behind her back and clasped them. I didn¡¯t like where it was going. If she touched him. ¡°I sat next to him. We held hands, and he kissed my¡­ hands.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m an idiot?¡±

    Juliet was wavering. ¡°He touched me.¡±

    ¡°I get to tie up your hands. Hold them out.¡± I said in a clipped tone. My anger had dissipated over those few days. It was back. Juliet sat down on her hands to tuck them under her ass. I ran my fingers over her arm down to her wrists. I took hold of one and roughly freed it. Her breathing had changed. Just a little bit more ragged. I fastened the strap and buckled it tight. We all looked at Louis. He lifted one finger into the air. She was getting there. I picked her up and pushed her up against the pillows. For good measure, I tied her arm to the bed. She yanked on the chain. ¡°I can¡¯t. It¡¯s enough.¡±

    ¡°What else?¡±

    Her chest was rapidly rising and falling. She pressed her lips together. I growled, placing my hand on her throat. It was more than enough for me to go on. If she had kissed him¡­. ¡°Soren wanted her to kiss him. She didn¡¯t,¡± Louis said quickly, reading my thoughts.

    ¡°Well, Julie, all that¡¯s left is a beating.¡± She wanted to speak. ¡°And a gag if you don¡¯t behave.¡±

    Her chin lowered to her chest and away from me. We looked at Louis. He held two fingers in the air. I gently took off the blindfold. She couldn¡¯t meet my eye. ¡°Why is everyone here? You won¡¯t sleep with me in front of them.¡±

    ¡°Why not? The watchers see you go at it all day long.¡±

    ¡°They are ordered not to watch us.¡±

    The three of us laughed. Chris was still unable to participate. Juliet¡¯s mouth pulled, and her eyes closed. We were laughing at her. The first sign of emotions bubbled up. She pinched the bridge of her nose with the only free hand. ¡°If you think that four men in a little room all day long is not getting off on you. I have little hope that you will survive what I do in the next hour.¡±

    I glanced at Louis. He sat forward and dragged his cigarette. It was the signal that she was breaking. Juliet glanced at Michael for help. He was the only one watching her. ¡°I told you. I would love to see you get punished. I had to go through it. At some point¡­ honey, you have to start listening¡­ You didn¡¯t care that everyone was watching you dance and sleeping with them.¡± Juliet was numb. No tears. Louis got up. It was the final indication that he would step in. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me. It was Louis. You guys decided to do that. I already explained about the dancing.¡± Chris turned around. He had had enough. If I didn¡¯t stop, he would make me stop.

    ¡°So you have an option. You let me tie you down and do what I want... Without them watching.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t rape me, will you? Because it will be.¡±

    My expression had to change. I was acting my heart out, hardening every part of my features. ¡°It¡¯s not rape if your husband sleeps with you.¡±

    Small pools of water finally formed in the corner of her eyes. Juliet was desperately trying to fight it. Louis moved over. She was done. He pulled me away and sat down next to her. ¡°You have another option.¡± She didn¡¯t say anything. Louis took her loose hand in his.  ¡°Baby, we want you to take back your place as Queen. It¡¯s only fair. You trusted Marcus. He made a mistake. He trusted you, and you¡­ I feel¡­ spat in his face.¡± Juliet sobbed silently. I was staring at Louis. He was as angry as I was. ¡°You wanted this life. We all have one thing¡­ Marcus didn¡¯t deserve that. But you are young, and I am old. Not really in a position to judge. But after Michael Juliet? It was already such an issue for Marcus and me to accept him. And we haven¡¯t even discussed what happened on Mirach between the two of you. If I had to tell Marcus about that.¡± All the weight of her decision came crashing down.

    I wanted to speak. Louis held his hand in the air. ¡°Now! The four of us will sit in that office with you. Follow you until the end of all the galaxies if that¡¯s what you want to do. We want you back where you belong.¡± She wanted to say something. Louis reached for the gag. She clamped her lips together. ¡°Yes, I know we were messed up and had our excuses. But I think it¡¯s time we cross that bridge. Like Michael would like to say.¡± Louis sat for a minute in silence. ¡°You have me. I have gotten over most of my issues. Michael is well on his way to finding a balance. Marcus will get over this, and Chris¡­ You guys have a lot to talk about. Because honestly. I don¡¯t know why he¡¯s here anymore.¡± Chris wanted to speak. Louis held up his hand. ¡°From both of you. You pushed him into that situation because you just had to know. Didn¡¯t like the outcome. You keep playing with fire.¡±

    Confused eyes opened, and a tear rolled softly over her cheeks, regardless of how strong she was trying to be. ¡°You¡¯re trying to change me.¡± He smiled briefly and shook his head. ¡°No. You will give us something in return. To fix this mistake. Marcus never wanted to rule or fight¡­ Do you understand?¡± She nodded. ¡°Marcus will still have to tie you up if you disagree with our plan, but he will never hurt you. Not like I did.¡± She shook her head. ¡°We all know what happened on Mirach and how you feel about being bound up.¡±

    ¡°You told them?¡± She lowered her head.

    ¡°Marcus would never do that to you¡­ One arm isn¡¯t so bad, and a blindfold? You have to get over that fear. You have to start to trust him.¡± It took me by surprise. She had gone to Soren because of the exact reason I went to talk to my mother. ¡° You trust him, don¡¯t you? When it comes down to it?¡±

    Juliet¡¯s shoulders shook as her head fell down on his shoulder. It was hard to hear that she didn¡¯t trust me. I thought we had dealt with all our issues. She didn¡¯t just go to save Soren. She didn¡¯t trust me to fight the war or make the right decision. But when it was about her as a person. She had to know I would never hurt her intentionally. Not again. ¡°Marcus has to teach you how to get out of a situation like that.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have mattered. I was drugged.¡±

    ¡°Still, you need to train. Drugs are just another excuse. You and Marcus need to do it one at a time. I know it¡¯s one of your three things¡­ But baby, it will always be life and death. And we won¡¯t be the ones tying you up¡­ You were locked up in that tent for hours. The fear took hold of you. You completely shut down like you always do.¡±

    ¡°Not today. Please. I will come back to work. I will. Get me out of this thing.¡±

    She yanked on the chain. Louis lifted the buckle, and it released. She had not even noticed I had been faking. Agitated, she rubbed at her wrist and over her face.  ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure the soldiers move the teleporter to Mirach.¡± Juliet nervously took out a cigarette and lit it as she left the room. She stopped at the door. ¡°Give me a few months. I won¡¯t interfere before the war is over. I want to have the baby first and spend some time with him¡­ I need some time after everything that happened. And Marcus, I won¡¯t doubt you again. I¡¯ll wait until you make a decision. It was me that put you there. I never thought it would chafe away at me like it did¡­ I am sorry I hurt you. No, all of you.¡± Juliet had said it with her back to the room and left.

    ¡°That did not go well,¡± Chris said. ¡°It¡¯s worse than I thought. Louis, you are not talking half as much as you should be.¡±

    ¡°It did.¡± He spat out. ¡°Do you think I would¡¯ve allowed it if she didn¡¯t need it¡­ We all need to know we are not invincible. She took such a big risk¡­ The only thing that motivates her is if someone else is in danger¡­ A simple werewolf cub or Charlene. She never thinks about the consequence.¡± Louis was audibly exasperated. ¡°It was so close. Soren had that red knife in his hand. One cut.¡± It took me by surprise. ¡°He threatened her with a man three times her size¡­ She is still in that ring on the ground, thinking she can fight her way out of a situation.¡± A new hatred originated for Soren. I had thought they had one of their fights. ¡°I had no time to tell you everything he said and did¡­ Soren told her that he was coming for her. Which means for us¡­ And now you all know how she feels about him... For Soren to have taken that and broken it down to nothing¡­ Even with my ability, I never saw it coming.¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Chris asked, packing away everything he didn¡¯t like to see. ¡°You sure nothing happened on Mirach?¡± He asked.

    ¡°She was tied up naked.¡± Louis closed his eyes, and the emotions flooded his features. ¡°Men fighting about who would go first.¡± He sat down, pressing his fingers into his eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t get it out of my head.¡±

    ¡°We should never leave her alone again,¡± Chris said, handing Louis a cigarette.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she realizes how close to dying she¡¯s been the last six months¡­ Leaving for Zoreah with a human. Going to Palmyra alone. If Jessy didn¡¯t push to go with her. That freaking fish. The raiders.¡± Louis said and looked at Michael. ¡°She¡¯s finally realized that we need time.¡±

    ¡°I have my powers back,¡± Chris said.

    ¡°Have you tested the tattoo?¡± Louis asked desperately. Chris nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Chris. And I¡¯m sorry that I¡¯m pushing you two into a corner. But you guys need to sit down and think.¡± Chris dropped his eyes and nodded. ¡°Marcus and I are having a real hard time with the three of you moving at lightning speed.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s anyone¡¯s fault, it¡¯s mine,¡± Michael said. ¡°I knew they were alone there. It was my responsibility. I was with her. The one that¡¯s there has to take care of her. Especially if we¡¯re always going to be pushed to split up.¡±

    ¡°If it was anyone¡¯s fault. It¡¯s mine.¡± I went over to the bed, took the last bondage, and handed it to Chris. ¡°All of this started with us and one chair.¡±

    ¡°Juliet thinks the rooms on Palmyra are filled with stones. All with supernatural powers¡­ If they figure it out. They would have a lot of things to play with.¡±

    ¡°Including swatches,¡± Chris said softly.

    ¡°Come, we need to move. We don¡¯t have time.¡± I said, and the rest of them laughed and followed me out.

 All Is Well

    201. All Is Well

    Soren

    Ian and I had waited in the foyer of his home that entire day. His soldiers were geared up at the North end of the Island. Marcus never came. At sunset, Ian turned to me. ¡°Come, Soren.¡± He dismissed everyone there and recalled the troops. Ian sat across from me behind his desk, fingers interlaced. My heart wouldn¡¯t beat faster again, and there would be no more nerves. I was done, and I had meant every word. ¡°Soren, what happened? No one attacked us.¡±

    ¡°You have to forgive me. I¡¯m still young and made an error in judgment¡­ My emotions got the better of me. Marcus¡­ Has a tactical advantage over me.¡±

    ¡°It is not the end of the world. We still have our Island, and if you were telling the truth¡­ You did stop them from gaining a massive advantage over us.¡± Ian patiently waited.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you a story. And after that, you can decide what you want to do with Isla and me.¡± I was numb at that point. I didn¡¯t know who I was or if I could look at myself in the mirror. Juliet said staying would be an uncertainty for us. We could¡¯ve been safe if Isla and I left with her. F- being safe. Either way was going to be... Anyway, I made my choice. I proceeded to tell Ian everything about Juliet and me. My whole life and hers. What happened in the room the previous night. About the brandings. Juliet¡¯s weaknesses. The cross-species breeding. The abilities. How she had gone to talk to Ahasuerus on Zoreah and how they thwarted their plans to take over Zoreah. How Hessien had been too late before Michael turned into a three-headed beast.

    ¡°You are telling me¡­ Ahasuerus died before the war?¡± I nodded. ¡°That, sticking a flaming hot poker onto her ass, had created a creature that can travel¡­ not from planet to planet but across galaxies.¡± I sighed. It all sounded so unreal if you were not there to witness it. ¡°Michael is not the only one.¡± I continued telling him about Charlene and how she had vanished after her branding.

    ¡°So not only is there a new species, but they go to places we do not even know of.¡± Ian dug in his pocket, taking out the blue and green stone. ¡°I understand that Ahasuerus did all he could to stop it. But why? What is so special about this one? Do you still think it opens those vaults?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ What has always bothered Juliet is that the men were forced down when Louis branded her. In some supernatural act of submission¡­ I believe the four of them can make anyone bend. They have never tried it.¡±

    ¡°You said she already had her twenty-second birthday. And it maxes at three?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know everything. I was here for the last month. A lot happens in a month with all they are going through.¡±

    ¡°So Ira¡¯s son is not in the picture? She doesn¡¯t have everything¡­ You want to take it from them. Why? How can I trust you if you are so changeable? Soren, what am I supposed to do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll kill Isla. And if I die. Does it really matter? You have nothing to lose. If you give me a chance to prove myself.¡± I waited.

    ¡°You are right. After everything you disclosed. How can I blame you? You opened my eyes to things I would never even have considered. We had heard things, but I thought it was a fairy tale¡­ My own father did not tell me. It is why he died. I will not make the same mistake. I think we need to hold off on going to Palmyra for now. You have already stationed some men there. If they do go after Fahan¡­ But I don¡¯t think they will. Marcus would further separate their troops. He will not want to leave En-gannim vulnerable.¡±

    I got up to leave. I would not bow anymore or ever put my face on the ground. Ian would have to accept that I would not help him if I didn¡¯t get the proper respect. No more scraping the barrel or submitting. He will not rule me.

    I walked out and traveled to the Island where my father lived. If I were Marcus, the teleporters and communications would go next. I had no time to lose if we would set up our own hub on Palmyra, working with Fahan. Ian had said we should wait. But I was going to prove my worth. My time in the background, listening and hearing everything they had ever discussed, was paying off. Maybe not in the way I ever thought it would.

    My father had bought me a house as a wedding gift. It wasn¡¯t large or ostentatious but had ample space for a family and servants. The lot was surrounded by a boundary wall. At the front entrance, a few steps led up to two large doors. ¡°You two can guard here.¡± Ian had sent me soldiers to protect Rana¡¯s new home. They took their places, and I stepped up to the door. It slid open. It was the first time I was there. The servants and Rana were on the floor, welcoming me home. They were all veiled and waiting. A few male servants stood behind them. It would be my first decision for the rest of my domesticated life. Do I take off Rana¡¯s veil? ¡°You are released.¡± They stood to their feet and waited. ¡°You can all take off your coverings.¡±

    The servants were nervously fidgeting. Rana did what she was told. Images of her beneath me flooded my mind. How I had felt touching her. She was so beautiful. The female servants were bound in duty to the mistress of the house and quickly took off their veils. We had about ten female servants and three males. I scanned the crowd to make sure there was not one familiar face. ¡°Did you check their backgrounds?¡± Rana didn¡¯t answer, her eyes to the ground, hands clasped in front of her. One of the male servants went into the house and brought me the registry of our home. For a moment, I had forgotten that I was not supposed to talk to the women. Especially not about domestic issues. That was why there were servants and separation of the sexes. I took the book. ¡°Where is my office.¡± The man was advanced in years. I followed him. I sat down and checked everyone there to En-gannim¡¯s registry. Pulled up the globe from the table and crossed checked that they had come from Island¡¯s belonging to Ian. ¡°It all seems in order. Did you hire everyone in the house? ¡°Yes, Your Excellency.¡± I glanced up at the styled address. It sounded so strange. ¡°Send Rana to my room.¡± He bowed, shuffled out, and left. The whole house ran so smoothly. I could get used to having a say and running my own little world.

    Rana was standing in the corner. Her bruise looked awful. I had a tinge of regret about not protecting her. I went to stand in front of her and lifted her face in my hands. Her eyes avoided mine. I had not made a good first impression. Juliet was right; I had forced her, and if she didn¡¯t trust me afterward, it was my fault. But it wasn¡¯t about trust. Only submission. ¡°The woman you saw in our room was Juliet.¡±

    Rana¡¯s eyes slowly lifted to meet mine. ¡°How did I not recognize her.¡±

    ¡°She looks a little different than your normal Vampire. Especially when she is like that. Did you see the eyes and the mouth?¡± Rana nodded. ¡°But how?¡±

    ¡°She has an ability.¡±

    ¡°Ability?¡± Rana asked, surprised. ¡°Vampires¡­ with abilities. How?¡±

    ¡°It must be Earth. If no one here has them.¡±

    ¡°Regardless, how would I know?¡± Rana said. It had taken so much for Isla to change her way of thinking, and I sympathized with Rana¡¯s frustration in some small way. Everyone there was clueless and in the dark ages. No matter what I did. Ian wasn¡¯t going to change En-gannim¡¯s ways. I gazed down into Rana¡¯s eyes. I didn¡¯t want to apologize for the night before. If I was going to stay. I wasn¡¯t going to try and change things. I would change myself. ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked softly and stroked her hair.

    Rana seemed hesitant to answer. She also had to make a decision that day. Her first of many. She struggled to decide whether she could or would trust me. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you say. You can speak freely.¡±

    The confusion showed. ¡°Well, I wanted Marcus. I wanted the baby dead.¡±

    I closed my eyes slowly and pressed my forehead to hers. I tightly held the back of her head and pushed us together. I had completely forgotten that she was, in her way, in love with Marcus. The idea of him. She wanted what his name and person could give her. How would Rana ever be mine at heart? It might have been the right thing to say. The mere mention of his name drove me insane.

    ¡°And now?¡± I had to ask to see how shallow she was.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± It was as good an answer as any. ¡°I¡­ wanted out of a room. My own home. I have that now. It might not be the status of being Marcus¡¯s first wife.¡± She felt exactly like Isla.

    ¡°I understand. But Rana, the war. If Ian wins. There will be a new En-gannim. Can you change your mindset and conceive to understand where you would be on top.¡± She cocked her head and stared at me. ¡°The name has no more meaning here. En-gannim has already split in two. Do you see that the old ways died away with Ahasuerus¡¯s death?¡±

    She took a moment. ¡°Ian wants to rule?¡±

    ¡°It seems that way.¡±

    ¡°We thought¡­ My mother and I¡­ that he would honor the old ways and respect the stone and emblem. Follow the customs. My father only wanted Juliet dead. He never wanted Marcus dethroned.¡±

    I smiled. ¡°I also thought that. We were wrong.¡± It felt strange that I would be the only one doing the touching in our relationship. She would never, out of her own, caress me or comfort me. Even think of putting herself in my shoes. I wanted her to touch me. ¡°Rana, place your hands on me.¡± She obeyed immediately. It felt wrong. How would I ever change if I didn¡¯t push through? She opened her mouth to speak but shut it again. ¡°Say what you want to. You can always ask for permission.¡±

    She nodded and hesitantly asked, ¡°Why was she in our room?¡± At last, Rana¡¯s brain seemed to bridge the gap from following everyone¡¯s orders to thinking for herself. How did I explain it? Would she even understand?

    ¡°Juliet is in love with me.¡± Oh, how my heart ached with every word. I was going to be the person that broke Juliet¡¯s heart. Not be that man she had thought I would be. That picture she had conjured up.

    She seemed confused. ¡°In Love?¡±

    ¡°You do not understand love. It has never been a word here, has it.¡± Isla only had those notions because of Juliet and the books. My, how reading can change a whole nation.

    ¡°Another thing I don¡¯t know.¡± It seemed that Rana had a little spark to her. A frustration of being told what to think. ¡°Ian would kill you if you¡¯re working with them.¡±

    A slight sound of laughter didn¡¯t pass my lips. ¡°I am not working with them. They cast me off a long time ago. You saw me sitting in that office. Nothing more than a lackey when they needed another set of hands.¡±

    Rana¡¯s few brain cells seemed to be working. ¡°Yes. I did. Like Ian always was.¡±

    I smiled. She seemed to relax even more. ¡°I want us to have some common ground for now. I think we can meet somewhere in the middle¡­ Do you understand where it leaves you if Ian takes over?¡±

    She was so well trained. Her hands were roaming my chest as I held her shoulders in mine. Not too overbearing and would wait for more orders. ¡°I am his sister¡­ so I would be¡­¡±

    ¡°You can say it. It is what you want.¡±

    ¡°Will be with him at the top. Our house. Our name.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Exactly. And Ian and I had come to an arrangement. Because I know everything about them. I can help him win the war.¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± It would always be that first taste of freedom that brought out a person¡¯s personality. I knew how Rana could be after Michael held her against a wall. I also nodded. ¡°I want to understand more. My mother had a lot of duties in the house that not many women get. My father allowed her a lot of privileges. She also talked to me¡­¡± I grasped her shoulders a bit tighter, willing her over that line. Stroking her with firm thumbs to dive. ¡°Will you help me to change the way I think?¡±

    A flood of relief washed over me, into my gut and soul. I closed my eyes. ¡°Within bounds. Yes.¡± She had a sincere smile on her lips. I placed my hands on her cheek and stroked over the bruise and her lip. She dropped her hands from my chest and covered the bruise. ¡°I forgot for a moment that I may not be pleasing to you.¡± I gently took her hand. If I had free reign over how much sex we had. Didn¡¯t have to ask or dance around the elephant in the room. Do all the mating rituals. My father¡¯s words came to mind. ¡°Take every last drop till there is nothing left.¡± Did I want to go down that road completely? I led her to the bed. I was at a point where I thought I could get off without any effort. I was going to touch her and take my time. I would wait until I was on the brink and cross another line.

    ***

    A few days later, Ian told me he would accompany me to Palmyra with the stone. We would finally test it and see what it could do. He had not wanted to let it out of his sight. It didn¡¯t bother me. I had enough responsibilities, as it were. After the wedding, I scrambled to help Fahan connect with all our teleporters. Ian didn¡¯t believe that Marcus would cut it off. I was redeemed when we wanted to travel to Palmyra, and the guard told us it was not working.

    ¡°Dismissed.¡± The station worker left. There would be no point if we needed it all to work from Palmyra.

    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±

    ¡°Do not be bothered.¡± Ian didn¡¯t even look upset. ¡°One thing my father did right was making Fahan believe we were helping him get the power.¡±

    ¡°You were using him.¡±

    ¡°We had to have a secure place when he took Beatrice. And an army to keep it safe. And what are the chances that Fahan and his one mate figure out how to make a nation bend before Juliet does? Send Fahan a message.¡±

    I took out a plate. ¡°What do you want me to send.¡±

    ¡°It is time.¡±

    I put the plate back in my pocket. ¡°You know the coms will go next.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it seems Marcus is determined to use that stone¡­ Soren, it is your job to figure out how we kill Jade and wipe out a race. My father had the power and a sure way to get rid of the army standing between him and having it all. Because if I were Fahan, I would not let her out of my sight.¡± Ian actually laughed. ¡°No wonder Ahasuerus went to such great lengths¡­ Tell me. Do you think if we kill one Ittoqure? Do they all die? Does all the Earth die out? Oh, Soren, no. I don¡¯t think I will kill you. We are brothers now. And seeing that our goals align. Together, we will have everything we want. By then, it would not matter if I trust you or not. The proof is in the pudding.¡± I smiled. ¡°See! I¡¯ve been reading.¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°And then grandma, what happened? Did you kill Soren and that Vampire guard?¡±

    ¡°No. Your grandmother was a little stupid back then and scared. That massive Vampire made me crap my pants.¡±

    ¡°Scared? You. I don¡¯t believe you.¡±

    ¡°I was so young. You know how it feels to not be as strong as your father.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes. I forgot you were only twenty-two.¡± We were walking across a gorge. The only way to get to the other side was a fallen tree trunk spanning about hundred and fifty meters. The boy jumped over the holes in the trunk. I steadied him with my walking stick when he fumbled his landing. I didn¡¯t need it, but I liked pretending to be old. I let my shoulders slump. Wore a patched-up long grey coat with a hood. My hands were all wrinkled, and my grey hair was long to my shoulders. I tied it on top of my head in a messy bun.

    The view from the tree was magnificent. It sloped a little downwards, and across the small deserted lands in front of us was an ancient city in the distance. The center of the mining town was built into a mountain, and at the peak, smoke emanated from the top. Valleys of green forests encircled the town with a soft mist hanging on their branches. The hills behind the city were blue and purple in the sun setting.

    Green mossy plants grew over the trunk, and it was eroded and dark from all the rain. The boy was young. Around eight or nine. He had a bowl haircut that formed a straight line around his eyes and covered his ears. Light brunette hair with a hint of blonde. A long-sleeved green shirt with long blue pants and a brown backpack hanging over his shoulders.

    Chris landed behind the boy and caught him as he struggled to keep his balance. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡±

    ¡°Not like I could go far.¡±

    ¡°Did you really cause the loss of the first war?¡±

    I sighed heavily. ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t lie to you. It was all my fault.¡±

    ¡°Not all your fault.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Chris?¡± The boy asked.

    ¡°Well, not even your grandfather knew that Soren would win the war. Or what kind of man he was.¡±

    ¡°Louis didn¡¯t know? But he could read minds? How could he not know?¡±

    ¡°Something like that happens in an instant. Someone can change in a moment, and you would never see it coming.¡±

    ¡°It makes life really difficult.¡±

    Chris and I laughed. ¡°Yes, and we underestimated him.¡±

    ¡°You should never underestimate anybody!¡± The boy chimed in. We had drilled it into him from a young age. ¡°Like what happened with Min¨¦ in the great war of Palmyra.¡±

    We were quiet. ¡°Min¨¦ is a werewolf. They are very loyal but shallow. The women especially. You can¡¯t really blame her for going with her nature.¡±

    ¡°Why did you blame Soren? Wasn¡¯t it about the fittest will rule? The strongest won a fight, and the challenger was left standing or dead.¡±

    ¡°In the first war, the customs were not in effect. But you¡¯re right. I shouldn¡¯t have blamed him for tapping into his shadow side of Vampires.¡±

    ¡°Juliet. I know you don¡¯t want to sit still. But I¡¯m getting sick of walking. The boy must be going out of his mind. We have been walking forever.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± The boy said. I turned and held out my fist. He gave me a fist bump and almost lost his footing again. ¡°How long have you been walking?¡±

    ¡°Two hundred years¡­ I think. Is that right, Chris? I can¡¯t remember anymore.¡±

    ¡°Sounds about right.¡±

    ¡°Are you still hiding from Michael, grandmother?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I have to.¡±

    ¡°Never break your promises and keep your commitments.¡± He chimed again.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re as clever as your grandfather was.¡±

    ¡°And Chris has been walking with you ever since then.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a choice¡­ Michael and Charlene are probably on some island making Ittoqure babies as we speak.¡±

    Chris laughed. ¡°The two of them. I can¡¯t see that happening.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have gone there?¡±

    ¡°Ewe. No. Charlene?¡± Chris shook his shoulders. ¡°Then I might as well have slept with Maya.¡±

    ¡°So let me get this straight.¡± Chris and I laughed. ¡°Caleb is on Zoreah. Ruling with an iron fist.¡± He slammed his fist into an outstretched hand.

    ¡°Sammy married some idiot human¡­ named Warden. They live on Earth. She is just as old as you. Doesn¡¯t want to live on Zoreah forever. Roger is ruling En-gannim. And I¡¯m stuck with you until you feel the change of time, and you go sit down and die.¡±

    ¡°Sounds about right.¡±

    ¡°So my father was the last baby you had?¡±

    I sighed. ¡°Yes. Not that it was my fault. Or a lack of trying.¡±

    The boy snickered behind a hand. ¡°Grandmother.¡± I had to pick him up and twirl him in a circle. We had stepped off the wood and onto sand. He giggled. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing I can do about that.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s so sad. You are supposed to be surrounded by family in your last years. That¡¯s what the books say anyway.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not alone. I have Chris. He is all I need. And you to see me off. Remind me of how worthy my causes were.¡±

    ¡°I can go back, and we can start it all over again.¡±

    The boy and I said at the same time. ¡°No!¡± Chris shrugged, manifested, and picked me up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the strongest I will ever be. There is no need.¡±

    ¡°But I want to.¡± Chris wrapped his arm around my leg to hold me in place on his shoulder.

    ¡°So Romero is dead. Kubra is dead. Carl died hundreds of years ago. And what happened to... what¡¯s his name.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s with Roger. His right-hand man.¡±

    Fia, Romero¡¯s child, is on Mirach? What happened to her?

    ¡°She married Roger, remember.¡±

    ¡°What a stupid name. Roger. What were you thinking?¡±

    Chris spun me in a circle. ¡°Because he almost died. It was the first thing Marcus said when your mother was squeezing his hand. Not that I was there for any of the births of my children.¡±

    ¡°A true Riphath.¡±

    ¡°Why did you start walking?¡±

    ¡°It was the day I had my first wrinkle. I was about seven hundred. Michael would live for so long, and I didn¡¯t want him to see me like¡­ this.¡±

    ¡°How shallow.¡±

    Chris and I laughed as he kissed me.

    ¡°If you could go back, Chris, where would you go?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve had a very long time to think about it. Never answered your grandmother when she asked me that very question.¡±

    The boy was jumping at our feet, tugging on Chris¡¯s shirt. ¡°Tell me! Tell me.¡±

    ¡°I will if you give me a chance.¡±

    Chris put me down and looked deep into my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say.¡± He started running. The boy squealed in delight, and we chased him until he began to teleport. ¡°Unfair. Grandma, it¡¯s unfair.¡± I laughed and laughed and laughed.

    ¡°Daddy! Daddy!¡±

    The boy ran into his father¡¯s arms. I always had to take a minute to compose myself. Basaam looked so much like Louis. Chris gripped him at the elbow and put his head on the Basaam¡¯s forehead. They shared a few words. The intimacy was visible in their body language and features. I dragged his wife in under an arm, who rewarded me with a side hug. We were going to spend the night together. And I was okay with that.

    ¡°Mom, Michael was on En-gannin today. He knows I know where you are. It¡¯s just a matter of time.¡±

    I scoffed. ¡°He¡¯s not found me in two hundred years.¡±

    ¡°He says Charlene went to the origin city of Zoreah. She is staying. Helping them populate. She¡¯s going to try and shed all her other creatures.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Chris and I shared a glance. The boy was fast asleep in his lap.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you miss her mom. I can take you right now.¡±

    ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to see Selena and her brood of children.¡±

    Chris held out his hand to me. ¡°She and Jessy and Jamal are happy. You got what you wanted. Why are you still so angry at the poor woman.¡±

    I jumped to my feet and sliced through the air with my short blades. ¡°She might just be the last person I kill¡­ I¡¯m going to practice.¡±

    ¡°For what!? Basaam hollered behind me.

    ¡°Because I still can.¡± I stuck out my tongue at him.

    Chris passed the boy to his mother. ¡°Well, if you want to fight. I¡¯ll fight with you.¡±

    Chris manifested, and I laughed nervously. He had grown up to be enormous. His horns were towering high above his head. Floppy ears with jewelry hanging from top to bottom. But with my ability. Chris being able to teleport. We ran circles around each other. No one ever got the upper hand, and we would fight for hours.

    ***

    My eyes opened. ¡°It was a dream.¡± Strong hands gathered me up into a chest. ¡°I was wondering who they would send to talk me down.¡±

    Chris turned me and pulled my lips onto his. ¡°Why do you look so happy.¡±

    ¡°I had the most wonderful dream. A true ending to our story.¡±

    Chris pulled his lips in an upside-down smile. ¡°You going to share.¡±

    I told him every detail. Chris kissed me and kissed me and didn¡¯t stop. He tenderly assaulted me, and I welcomed it.

    ¡°Juliet. I am really sorry. I made such a huge mistake and tried to fix it by making another one.¡±

    ¡°You are only forty-five years old. Aren¡¯t you supposed to go through a midlife crisis about now?¡± He tickled me until I couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Stop, please.¡± He lay facing me. ¡°I can¡¯t get over how I felt in the dream. I think I get it now. And I have to apologize as well. Can you forgive me?¡±

    He kissed me again and again and didn¡¯t stop. We made love so many times that day that Marcus¡¯s once-a-week was just a foggy memory.

    ¡°I think we should take some time and remember how it all started. How much we went through. I¡¯ve been back from Zoreah for only six months.¡±

    I sat up, ¡°No!¡±

    Chris smiled and laughed lightly. ¡°Yes, six months. Juliet.¡±

    ¡°No! Impossible.¡±

    ¡°Juliet. I¡¯ve only had six months to get over Selena. The way of life I had for so long. And you only six to get over, Soren. They both disappointed us in ways¡­¡± Chris closed his eyes.

    It was my turn to kiss him and kiss him and not stop. Ending on top of him and dragging his mouth onto my breast. My arms were around his neck, and my legs wrapped around his waist. Chris flipped us and stood to hold me up while I moved up and down on him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never done that before,¡± I said, stretching out on the bed.

    ¡°What! Never? Me neither.¡± We both burst out in peals of laughter.

    ¡°Okay, so truce,¡± Chris said.

    I sat up and held out my pinky. Chris looked at my hand and rolled up, facing me. He nodded earnestly. ¡°It seems you understand how serious this next promise will be¡­ Not like Sita.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Not like Selena.¡± He shook his head again. ¡°Not like Soren.¡±

    ¡°For better or worse?¡± Chris asked.

    I shook my head. ¡°No! In the dark city. Consummated and sealed.¡±

    Chris gazed deep into my eyes. He lifted his hand and mingled our fingers. ¡°We should set a date.¡± He said softly.

    ¡°Well, you guys did forget my birthday this year.¡±

    Chris sat back. His hand jumped to his mouth, contemplating and agitatedly ran four fingers over his lips and chin. ¡°That¡¯s why you went to Amsterdam¡­ Oh, Juliet! Louis didn¡¯t even say anything.¡±

    ¡°I know how to keep some thoughts to myself. Everyone forgot about it. Even him.¡±

    ¡°And I danced with Selena the whole night.¡± Chris laughed and rolled around on the makeshift bed in the sand. ¡°Michael was talking to the women at the table.¡±

    I licked my lips, roaming his body up and down. Chris cocked an eyebrow. ¡°So, my birthday. Next year?¡±

    He pulled my head down, and I did what I wanted. ¡°Maybe not next year¡­ No more doubts.¡± He had to force the words out between grunts.

    ***

    Fahan

    Soren had become a fixture in Palmyra. I would rather work with him than with James or Ian. I never wanted to see the man again after he left me stranded on that Embassy platform, hoping I would die. Soren had come to us and helped Dimitrios and me connect the plates and travel to the other two spots Ian had given us. I could connect the core power, but the programming was beyond my understanding. Since we could go to the embassy, our men were stationed there to be able to govern the incoming. Soren and I had noticed all the equipment the vamps had used and left. It seemed they didn¡¯t need any of it after Juliet used the stone for the first time. I had never run that fast in my life. Dimitrios sent me a message, and I had to see it for myself. What we couldn¡¯t do with it. Soren knew about the stones and had told me of Ian¡¯s plan to get a hold of the one Marcus had in his possession. They had mistakenly taken the wrong one. Why the vamps had been there in the first place. Asked if I would allow them to come and see what the fuss was about.

    I was still waiting. Regardless of Ian and his schemes, we had started to clear the city of all the Chadari who would settle in the villages. The island would be where the army lived. They traveled daily to train at one of the two coordinates and would return to their families at the end of the day. It was the best that we could do. Ian would not share information with us. We could not grow in our learning if we had nothing to learn. There were no books or any form of documentation on the whole Island or at one of the other two spots we had. It was as if someone had deliberately cleaned out the schoolrooms and libraries. It was either Juliet or Ian. I felt that we would always be a step behind. Not living long enough to make a difference to our own race. The next generations would have their own ideas.

    Aries would have to take over from me, and I wanted better for him and my people. I wondered if he wouldn¡¯t have been better off with Juliet. She would have forced him to read at a young age. They would have the ability to adapt any equipment to our fat fingers. Aries was in his crib. I was spending some time with him. Dimitrios had taken a few good men and assembled a team for me. They quickly caught on and went through the plates the scientists had left there. They found the coordinates of places I didn¡¯t know, and they found the one for our old planet. I picked Aries up and called Jade over. The three of us made our way back there. Some of our people were still stranded. They were happy to see us. We had to tell them the tale of what had happened. We also asked them to stay to protect the mines. Our red rock would be one of the most essential weaponry in the future. We would send them food and everything they need to improve the planet. They agreed with all of my plans. I was proud that my people still followed me. I had promised them we would alternate and have the army relieve them of their occupation there. It was a quick trip, and we needed to have two bases. There was enough space for everyone to choose a home and make it their own.

    Back on Palmyra, I knew I had made the wrong choice when Juliet brought Aries back. Chris was right. She would have given him back. I was too impatient. She was a woman who needed time to cool off like my Jade. Made the decision herself when she knew the right thing to do. I should have aligned with her and not Ian. Soren asked too many questions and gave us nothing in return. He had not started negotiations for natural resources or for technology, and I knew they viewed us as a stepping stone. Ian wanted us out of there. They would have a hell of a time to fight us. We had a reason to fight. I still didn¡¯t know why Marcus had let me live. But Ian would not have. Jade¡¯s life and mine had signed a contract for the rest of our race. Another reason why I decided to leave some of my people on our home planet. Soren was just a child and had given away much information about the brandings. Which I had kept to myself. I was trying to get Soren to think about cutting Ian out. But something was going on that I did not understand. I decided that it was time to get the boy drunk.

 Days To Come

    202. Days To Come

    Carl

    Our team had taken three different routes when we split up to search the tunnels. The gunfire I heard over the walkie had started and stopped a few seconds later. As I ran down the tunnel, I pressed the button one last time. Nothing. Only silence. It could only be Lyla, and we had no idea who was helping her. One of us might already be dead if they couldn¡¯t sort out the problem.

    Once I reached the fork in the road, I took the tunnel Warden had gone down. It took me hours to filter through and rendezvous back to where we had split up the first time. I had one exit left to cover. I didn¡¯t find any sign of Warden down the path he had taken. It was strange. Where was Jack and James? I bent down to pick up the note I had left, illuminated by a propped-up flashlight. No one was waiting or had left me any reply. All three of them? The flashlight flickered. I felt my pockets. No batteries. I had hours ahead of me if I took the last tunnel. My gaze flickered, quickly lighting up the three directions I could go. My brow was sweaty, so I took off my helmet to wipe away the irritation, pausing to make a decision. I couldn¡¯t go back to the outside world. Leaving my team was not an option, but dying was also not. I had too much I wanted to do. Way too much to sort out and be a part of. If I also got shot, I wouldn¡¯t be able to help them anyway. I peered down the tunnel Jack had taken. It leads to Agatha¡¯s house. Maybe they were wounded, and Warden already caught up to them? I stood for a long while, weighing my options. I took my first step into the darkness.

    ¡°I wished you would have turned around,¡± said a voice. A small, dainty, annoying voice. Two giant hands were around my throat, lifting me up into the air. My gun was cut off my shoulder, and my legs dangled in the air. I would not fight. The light from a flashlight shone into my eyes and obscured whoever was behind it.

    ¡°Put him down. He can¡¯t do anything to us. Strip him and bring him to the cages.¡±

    I found my feet and flung around. An infected vamp. I recognized the giant. It wasn¡¯t hard to remember the few of them that got lost in the exodus.

    ¡°What are we going to do now? Won¡¯t they come looking for them?¡± Another female voice spoke in the darkness.

    ¡°Lyla¡­ if you do what I think you will do. I¡¯ll think again.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you would say that. It is why you¡¯re here. To stop us from revealing all their secrets.¡± The other female voice said.

    ¡°Lyla. What you¡¯ve done has caused havoc, chaos, and destruction¡­ And I can live with it. Maybe the species shouldn¡¯t mix. It doesn¡¯t seem to work.¡±

    ¡°But, if I released Louis¡¯s feed, it would be¡­ What? Crossing a line.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Not really. You did that a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°You are touching the one thing Juliet will not forget. All of this she is fine with. I even saw her leaving. It¡¯s what you wanted. They are not here anymore. But Louis. If you touch Louis¡­ She will come for you. Do you really need to make this personal?¡±

    ¡°Juliet isn¡¯t invincible, Carl. It¡¯s time she realizes it. She bleeds and dies. I have some protection now.¡±

    We had come to the end of our walk. It was a sizeable area, dimly lit with a few lanterns. A sad, dingy way to live for months on end. My eyes drifted over to the walls lined with cages. Jack, Warden, and James were separated into different ones along the wall. A few sets of stairs led up into what I guess were access hatches for the compound. There were beds and a cooking station. Lyla was there the whole time. She waited for Earth to send everyone off and had the entire place to herself. ¡°Do you understand that the few Vampires here are the only ones left? Who are you anyway?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Jacklin.¡±

    ¡°I guessed as much¡­ I thought you had a thing for Louis.¡±

    Jacklin mouth lifted into a slight smile. ¡°Not really. But there¡¯s no harm in trying. I did try¡­ He made another choice. So I did as well.¡±

    ¡°How long are you going to keep us here. Why are you not killing us, Lyla?¡± Warden asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Won¡¯t go down that path myself.¡±

    ¡°Self-righteous! Do you even care what happened to Nevin?¡± Jack asked.

    Lyla had a crack in her armor. Her head snapped around, ¡°Of course I do. You probably won¡¯t tell me.¡±

    I was manhandled into my own gage, and the gate slammed behind me. Yeah, I would not be confined for months while Lyla hid from all her mistakes. I positioned myself on the floor, crossed my legs, and closed my eyes. I was going to nudge until I could nudge no more.

    ***

    I heard Lyla talk to Jacklin, and my eyes opened. ¡°Are you sure you want your encounter with Louis out there?"

    ¡°Shhh,¡± Jacklin looked around them. Warden and James were far away from us. It was only Jack and I. Jack looked at me, and I raised my eyebrows in question. Jack nodded, looking murderous. I swore under my breath. ¡°No one knows who I am. I have my own plans.¡± Jacklin continued.

    ¡°Lyla, please don¡¯t do this,¡± I begged again. It was bad enough that Juliet¡¯s feed was circulating. But if she had to see Louis sleeping with so many women. And she will eventually see it. With her jealousy?

    ¡°Carl¡­ What are you doing?¡± Jacklin asked.

    I had been nudging for a few hours. Wondered if it was working at all. If I had a teleporter with me, maybe it would¡¯ve worked. Where was Caleb when you needed him? ¡°I¡¯m meditating. What are we going to eat?¡±

    The women ignored me and went on with their conversation. ¡°Why are you doubting the decision all of a sudden?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯d press the button right now. It¡¯s different when you see yourself like that, and everyone sees it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Lyla. I¡¯m a big girl. Release both Louis¡¯s and my feed. The world needs to know that vamps will only keep using humans. After your sister, they were angry¡­ After this¡­ The governments will never be able to align with them again after.¡± Jacklin laughed lightly. ¡°One-night stands would¡¯ve been nothing.¡±  She shook her head. ¡°Killing them after.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Lyla asked seriously.

    Jacklin snickered. ¡°Me? No¡­ I only helped him when he came to America with the names of prostitutes that wouldn¡¯t be missed. I thought it was for a¡­ feeding.¡±

    ¡°Your footage is not much better¡­ You guys would¡¯ve been perfect for each other.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­¡± Jacklin sighed and walked over to the kitchen area, ¡°Let¡¯s see them get through this.¡±

    I looked at Jack again. Our eyes met. I can¡¯t believe my father never did anything, and Ahasuerus never reprimanded Louis. Qadir probably applauded him. It wasn¡¯t like Jack could stop Louis or intervene in any way. He had to watch. Jack dropped his head into his hands.

    ***

    3 Months Later

    Juliet

    Of all the places I thought I would be, of all the things human people deemed necessary. Money, climbing the corporate ladder. Children. Looks. Houses. Their lists were endless. At that point, a home would be nice. I chuckled, taking in the scene before me. The small village had to suffice for the time being. I just didn¡¯t want to stay there. No indoor plumbing. I glanced at the teleporter station in the distance. Jessy and the Dheka had constructed that giant field-size teleporter. It had taken Michael a few days to teleport everything after they had dismantled it. If we could move it once. We could move it again. Jessy knew more about the mechanics of the stations than anyone. Jessy could put it on and off. Separate the signals. Program and manage all its aspects. Couple the source power and build his own station to connect with another. He seemed happier doing that than in the few years I¡¯d known him. Not all of them were cut out for army life. I knew he wanted a wife and a family. I could not expect him to be my personal guardian for the rest of my life. I had a lot to wrap my mind around and get used to before it ever happened.

    Charlene, me, and my mom. Cindy¡¯s parents. Agatha and her mom. Marcus¡¯s grandmother and some other family built the house in front of us. We had placed the last stone and stood with our hands on our hips, admiring our work. Iku and his wife were finishing the last bit of detail on the roof. The whole situation left a smile on my face. We did things, made things, plan things. Did it matter what happened in between until we got to settle down? I rubbed over the colossal baby bump along my midsection. Two hands came around my waist. Marcus put his chin on my shoulder. He wouldn¡¯t talk to me. Had not spoken to me since that night... they tied me down. Marcus would say, ¡°Hello,¡± go on his knees, kiss the baby, and whisper to him so no one but the Vampires would understand. But then nothing. I would run my hands through his hair, very happy to see him. Marcus would not respond. There was no sex, no talking, no touching. It was our relationship all over in France when he first joined us. A nagging irritation had kept me back from intruding any further. I was doing everything again.

    The men were taking shifts, coming and going. Marcus got two days, and then they alternated. He had not been there as much as I think he would have liked. As soon as he stood up, he dragged me to my appointment with the midwife. She was tired of having to see me every time that Muslim was on the planet. She couldn¡¯t say anything because Romero was right beside him, Charlene grumbling more than me. Kubra usually took the day Marcus came, and the three men would talk well into the night about their pasts. Share stories and dream about the future. Charlene and I were so tired from manual labor by the end of the day that we fell asleep as soon as they started talking. Marcus¡¯s allowed me to rest on his lap. His fingers didn¡¯t caress my hair, and luckily, I was too pregnant and too tired to say anything. Charlene rested back on Kubra¡¯s chest while Romero rubbed her feet.

    ***

    The following morning, Charlene was lounging on a chair in the shade. If you could call a sand heap with a carpet draped over it, a deckchair. Charlene heard my treads and glanced back over her shoulder. She smiled and waved me over.

    ¡°Do you feel better now?¡± I asked, trying to avoid thinking about all the angry men in my life.

    ¡°No! I feel fat. Humongous. Carl is stuck on Earth. I still have that constant tugging on my insides. But only my life in danger can bring him here¡­ And he needs a person who is able to teleport. It¡¯s been months, and I can¡¯t do anything about it. He is in trouble, and Michael can¡¯t even find him¡­ He is with a woman! This Lyla girl¡­ It¡¯s driving me up the wall. I want to go there and¡­¡±

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°Kill her?¡± I laughed. ¡°He would not be nudging if he was busy with other things.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Charlene said unashamedly. ¡°Regardless, I want to kill her for taking the Earth away from us.¡±

    ¡°But you can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°No! I can¡¯t¡­ Because my husband wanted to sleep with me in a secret room.¡± I had a burst of boisterous laughter. Charlene was losing it. Just like Michael had. And she was pregnant. I counted the months on my fingers. ¡°Yes,¡± Charlene interrupted my thoughts. ¡°It¡¯s been months of you guys staying here. You¡¯re about to pop. No progress in taking back En-gannim or Palmyra.¡± I snickered again. Charlene swatted my shoulder with the back of her hand. ¡°Why are you laughing? This is serious.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°You are where I was years ago¡­ It¡¯s funny that I¡¯m the more mature one.¡±

    An incredulous stare was directed at me. Her eyes softened, and the corner of her mouth lifted. ¡°How many times am I going to complain?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You¡¯re an alien creature now. You¡¯re entitled to do whatever the hell you want.¡±

    Charlene¡¯s shoulders drooped as she relaxed back into her sand pile. ¡°Not really. I have a thousand stuck here.¡±

    ¡°Look. Why don¡¯t we, me and you. After the birth, I mean... We both heal so quickly anyway. You will heal three times faster than me. You¡¯ll probably pop both out in under an hour, lie down for the rest of the day, and be fine by the next.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to get to the point?¡± She mocked.

    I pointed my finger at her. ¡°Anyway! Why don¡¯t we travel Mirach, and you finally tell Ben and the other werewolves everything. When do you think that will happen?¡±

    ¡°You going to leave Marcus and the new baby here. Who¡¯s going to breastfeed him.¡±

    ¡°What!¡± I jumped up. ¡°No! I¡¯m not doing it again. Nursemaid! They should have dozens here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t you hear? Their babies don¡¯t breastfeed. They don¡¯t need food at all. The parents touch them three times daily, and they grow healthy and strong.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to breastfeed,¡± I shouted, pushing her on the shoulder.

    She sat up, and her head jerked around. I stood up and towered over her. She was in front of me in one transformation, grabbing my upper arms and squeezing them. I did the same, and soon, the two fat whales on the beach were wrestling. The best two slow pregnant aliens could. ¡°I¡­ still¡­ do¡­ You idiot. Well¡­ just one, anyway!¡± Charlene grunted while we twirled around each other, trying to kick at each other. Our foreheads pressed tightly together. Hands on the other¡¯s shoulders. Min¨¦ and Sammy were cheering, copying us in their own little match. Caleb was laughing his ass off. Romero made the first appearance and wrapped his shadows around his wife. Next was Louis¡¯s arms around my middle. Charlene¡¯s legs and arms were flailing out at me. I was in a rage.

    ¡°What is going on?¡± Louis asked, irritated.

    ¡°I have to breastfeed¡­ They don¡¯t have nursemaids here or formula. I¡¯m going to have to sit around for six months or more. That¡¯s if I have milk or we don¡¯t have any other complications we would need a doctor for.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and then we all might die anyway. We¡¯ve talked about this.¡± Louis raised his voice.

    I pushed out of his arms and turned around to face him. ¡°Well, I want to talk about it some more.¡± A stabbing pain jolted down my back and instantly made me double over.

    Louis braced as I fell into his arms. ¡°The baby is coming!¡± Louis yelled. ¡°The baby is coming! Marcus! Jessy, get Marcus.¡±

    It was my turn to be irritated. ¡°Why are you in such a panic? It¡¯s just a contract¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t finish my words.

    ¡°Are you okay? I¡¯m sorry I yelled at you. Here, let me pick you up¡­ Romero!¡± The whole village was in an instant uproar. The kids were running at his feet.

    Caleb wore a concerned expression, peeking over Louis¡¯s shoulder at me. ¡°The baby is a bit early. Isn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Where is he?¡± I said as another pain pulled my skin together over my belly. ¡°Arrgh. It hurts. It¡¯s never hurt like this. Somethings wrong.¡±

    ¡°Nothing wrong. It¡¯s just different.¡± My mom said as she took my hand. ¡°Every time is going to be different.¡±

    Charlene was by my side as Louis put me down on the pillows on the floor. Dheka females were ushering the men out while Agatha came in at the same time.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Charlene asked, stroking a strand of hair out of my face.

    ¡°No!¡± I said between grunts as the next contraction burst forth.

    ¡°You¡¯re already sweating.¡± She held out a hand. I gladly took it to brace for the quivering pain. Mirriam handed her a wet cloth.

    ¡°Where is he?¡± I sounded pathetic even to myself. I didn¡¯t even know who I wanted there more. Marcus or Michael.

    Charlene looked at the door. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you. Yazen hasn¡¯t consented that the men can come in during the birth.¡±

    I relaxed back into her arms, drooping my head onto her shoulder. ¡°I want to go home¡­ He has to be here. One of them has to.¡± My head went side to side while tears welled up in my eyes.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t cry, Queen Juliet.¡± Mirriam tried to soothe. ¡°I will make a plan.¡± She jumped up and left the tent.

    ¡°I won¡¯t leave,¡± Charlene spoke softly.

    ¡°He wanted to be here¡­¡± The next pain bombarded me to a point where I forgot where I was, lost sense of my surroundings, and then came back to reality.

    A fight ensued outside the tent. The next moment, Michael pushed in next to the midwife. He looked at me for a second, and I relaxed instantly. It was like having the closest one to a Doctor there with me. Marcus grabbed my hand and rested the other on my belly. ¡° I¡¯m here, Julie. I¡¯m here, baby.¡± It sounded weird coming from him. ¡®Baby¡¯ was my nickname for Louis. ¡°You will have to think of a name.¡±

    Marcus¡¯s face contorted as I squeezed his hand and groaned. ¡°Roger.¡± He croaked out.

    All I had for him was a weak, quick smile. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what it is first¡­ And no, not Roger¡­ Julie, I¡¯m worried. Is this normal?¡± He looked at Michael.

    The last thing I asked for was Chris. It went on like that for hours. The baby didn¡¯t want to descend. I was forced to walk around, held up by solid arms, when another contraction came. At one point, I was dazed and confused. The pain was too much for my body. The last hour, there wasn¡¯t much I remembered. The final push was done. Michael¡¯s hands were frantically busy. He and the midwife stared at each other for a second.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Marcus asked anxiously and let go of me to get up. Michael had already scooped the baby up and ran out of the tent. There was another commotion, lights, and shadows moving back and forth at the door. The midwife helped me with finishing off the birth. Other women came to carry me off the sheet I was on. They wiped and cleaned and bustled around me. The doctor checked me and gave me the all-clear. I didn¡¯t feel well, I was emotional, and too much had happened. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I tugged at Louis¡¯s shirt.

    ¡°The baby isn¡¯t breathing,¡± he whispered.

    Charlene¡¯s hands tightened on my shoulders. ¡°They will save him. Do not worry¡­ Since the werewolves have stayed here. We have learned a lot of human medical techniques. Together with our abilities. You will hear the cry.¡± Mirriam reassured me.

    Louis took Charlene¡¯s place and held me close to his chest. ¡°Everything will be okay. I would hate it if this is where we lose someone, baby.¡±

    All I could do was dig my face into his chest and wait. ¡°Not Marcus. Please, not Marcus.¡± Chris took my hand and laced his fingers with mine. The Vampire screech was so distinctive. Chris squeezed my hand.

    The tent flap opened again, and Marcus stood in the doorway with the bundle in his arms. He took in the scene. Louis stroked my hair while Chris rubbed away my tears. ¡°He¡¯s okay.¡± Louis and Chris congratulated Marcus and left us alone. Marcus sat down beside me, totally engrossed in his son. ¡°Thank You.¡± Marcus lay down, and we both took in everything about him. ¡°Was it a difficult birth?¡± I nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what you had to go through.¡±

    ¡°I would do it again to see you so happy.¡±

    ¡°I am. And I¡¯m so proud of you. Thank You.¡±

    ¡°You said that already.¡± Marcus locked his lips with mine. ¡°Have you thought of a name?¡± I asked drowsily.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to help me choose?¡± He asked in hushed tones.

    ¡°No, he¡¯s your son. You should name him.¡±

    Marcus was quiet. ¡°I¡¯ve had a name in mind¡­ Naji.¡±

    ¡°Naji. What is that? Safe, secure, and friend? Marcus nodded. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Julie. Are we okay?¡±

    ¡°We will be. We have the rest of our lives.¡±

    ***

    For the next few days, I was in a drug-induced state of oblivion. There were so many hands to help, and I was never alone. It made the breastfeeding not so bad, and I got used to it. Gave me time to bond with Naji. Marcus had yet to talk to me. All he did was be quiet and stare at his son. Bath him. Talk to him. Only his mother could get the bundle out of his hands and told him to return to work. Marcus was reluctant. He didn¡¯t seem happy, and I wouldn¡¯t ask Louis what was wrong with him because Louis was also not talking to me. So, I let it go and enjoyed the time I wanted with my son.

    The night Marcus had tied me up had given me a wake-up call. What happened with Soren had made me cruelly aware of how lucky I was with the men in my life. Who would do anything for me. Just because I was in love with someone didn¡¯t mean they would be another hero in my story. It had taken so much for Michael to make the decision. Soren would not wait hundreds of years for me, and I would never be a second wife. Louis had said so much that night and¡­ It had put me in my place. It scared me. Louis was different that night. The one thing I didn¡¯t want to hear him say was, ¡° I am sick of and tired of everything.¡± He had asked me for time, and I had given it to him. Coupled with the slow life on Mirach, I had no choice but to slow down. Just a little.

    ***

    Fahan

    Those few months that had passed were educational. I had seen Ian and Soren fumble around trying to activate the stone. Not even the boy could make it work. Soren didn¡¯t have his books, and I was reminded how important information was to know what was happening and why.

    It seemed that Marcus was playing the long game on En-gannim. He had shut off the power to Ian¡¯s ability and cut all communications. Ian had come to claim what I had promised him for the plates and coordinates; they could use our power to manage their affairs from there. I asked him his timeframe, and he could not answer me. For some reason, Marcus was on defense, and I wished I could send him a message and ask him what he was waiting for. The vamp was strong enough to defeat me. Patient enough to have a woman like Juliet with three other men in her life. I could learn a lot from him. I still could not get over the idea that she had four husbands. I had difficulty with one mate. Every time I saw Jade and Dimitrios together, my chest lit up. A nagging in my gut that something was going on. Soren had spilled all the branding secrets, and I knew that was why Juliet had three husbands and an outsider. The only reason they could defeat Ahasuerus. If Marcus could defeat me, I wondered how strong Ahasuerus had to be to fight the three of them for so long. Soren had said that he would show me the fight one day. I was getting bored. Nothing happens when you have no enemy. My only problem was keeping Jade hidden away from the vamps. I did not think either would take me on, and I was never alone. Always had four men with me, and we monitored their comings and goings as the most important thing to our preservation of life.

    Ian was also not actively pursuing taking over En-gannim. I was sure Ian was waiting until we all died or had other plans. He had shared some of the stories of trying to take over islands that would matter. Their cease-fire ended a long time ago, but they had not taken over another island. He had so many men at his command that he would be able to do it. Another reason I wanted to talk to Marcus¡­ How was the man keeping Ian at bay?

    At one stage, Soren came to me and showed me something that I had not even considered. That we would be able to fly. One of my men was geared up, and Soren placed a spear in his hand. The Chadari had taken a few moments to get used to it, but after that, he could hover over water and spear a fish out of the air. It would change our world in yet another way. I didn¡¯t know if it was worth it to be in Ian¡¯s clutches more than we were.  Regardless, we would not have to go into the water. Soren also showed us what would happen if the power was cut off. The Chadari boy was still in the infirmary. I immediately asked him what he wanted. When I heard what he proposed, Ian¡¯s actions seemed sound. That was what they had been waiting for. They were going to take over the Earth and needed my help. I was bored enough, and Jade was impossible to be around. She was so upset to be confined to our rooms. I tried to move her a few times, but it was worse when I saw her again. We were slowly drifting apart. I had not fulfilled my promise to myself. That my family would come first. The day-to-day running of so many things had taken over my life. How long would I have to keep her locked up? Ian and Soren were not going anywhere. I did not want to live in fear the whole time.

 Lyla Messed Up

    203. Lyla Messed Up

    Carl

    I bent down to try and rouse the young Latina girl, ¡°Lyla! Lyla! Wake up¡­¡±

    ¡°We will have to keep carrying them,¡± Jack said out of breath. Warden and James picked up Jacklin¡¯s unconscious body. One was at her ankles, the other clutched her armpits. Not that I could see anything. A faint rustling of clothes and scuffing of shoes were our only indications we were moving.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time. I can hear someone coming.¡± Warden said as I clutched his shoulder. Lyla was draped over Jack¡¯s back. He held onto my shirt, and like that, we had to navigate the tunnels. I was facing the darkness with an outstretched arm to the walls to guide our procession. We hustled down the tunnels for what seemed like hours and stopped to take a break. I was glad Jack had pushed us to train. Even being stuck in those cages, he forced us to move. Six hours a day, he took us through drilled exercises and kept us sane. Jack was a pillar of our group and a true leader, but being locked up was tough for all of us. There was a tension in his usual calm manner, as if he was at the end of his tether. ¡°Double pace, boys,¡± Jack ordered.

    The two very pathetic women had not made a sound. ¡°Where to?¡± James asked.

    ¡°Straight¡­ Anywhere. How could we get lost in this maze?¡± Warden complained.

    I don¡¯t know how we took a wrong turn somewhere, but the fork in the three tunnels didn¡¯t want to appear. ¡°We have checked every tunnel. It has to be this one. Once we¡¯re out of this hole, it will be better.¡± I said.

    ¡°Out there. I don¡¯t know. After what we saw last night.¡± James said skeptically. Michael had suddenly appeared in the middle of that cellar. As soon as he did, two unknown Ittoqure had also made their presence known. It was an instant blood bath. The infected vamps had jumped in there to help Michael, who was fighting for his life. I was screaming at Lyla to open our gates and throw me a gun. She and Jacklin had tried but got knocked out during the battle. The infected vamps had gotten the woman Ittoqure down to the ground. Once they put her on her feet, she teleported out of there. Michael had the male to contend with. The man had luckily faltered, and Michael had jumped on his back, digging his teeth and claws into his flesh. He bent his knees and was also gone. The infected vamps had opened our cages after the brawl and ran, leaving us there.

    ¡°It¡¯s not our problem. We don¡¯t even know what happened. It¡¯s time we swallow the pill. Whatever it may be.¡± Although Jack¡¯s tone was stern, I bet if I could see his face, I would see self-deprecation. He led us into that mess and felt responsible for making us split up when we came.

    ¡°Do you think we were declared dead? The chances our chopper is still at the barracks are nil.¡± Warden said at my side.

    ¡°It depends. It has been months. I think¡­¡± James answered.

    ¡°We waited too long to take to the tunnels,¡± As I said it, my hand felt the rounding of a corner.

    ¡°I agree. It is all her fault. We should have left her,¡± Jack complained.

    ¡°Wait. We¡¯re at another split.¡± I tried to say above the chatter.

    ¡°For F- sake.¡±

    ¡°No, wait. Look there.¡± The first sliver of light in the distance made us all yelp out loud, hustling toward the gorge. I quickly took over from Jack. We had taken turns to carry the traitor. Lyla was hiding and keeping anything that happened above ground from us. Consequently, we didn¡¯t know why the watchers never came looking for us.

    I¡¯d been so happy to see Michael, but my hopes were destroyed a minute later. We were so close to going home. One thing after another prevented me from getting to Charlene. The tunnels weren¡¯t even our last hurdle to safety. Once we got out between those canyons, it would take us forever to make the journey with the two women there. And after that, we didn¡¯t have anywhere to go.

    The gates into the sun stood open. The bright light blinded all of us. It had been months of darkness and lanterns, and it took all of us a moment to get accustomed. Heads moved about, and eyes abruptly scanned the environment. One after the other, we swore and cursed Lyla for the millionth time. The walls of the valley were blasted to the ground. ¡°This is what we felt a few days ago,¡± James said. ¡°Explosions¡­ Look at all the wreckages.¡±

    ¡°S-. What the hell is going on?¡± Jack exclaimed.

    ¡°No wonder they found us.¡±

    ***

    Lyla

    I regretted my decision as soon as I opened my eyes. The sun was so overwhelming I complained. My head was pounding, hanging down toward the ground. Someone was carrying me. The Ittoqure who landed had pushed his way through us to get to Michael. First, he tossed Jacklin against the wall. I thought she was dead and scrambled to get the keys to Carl¡¯s cage. I had taken a severe knock to the head during Michaels¡¯s battle. ¡°Carl.¡± My voice wasn¡¯t loud enough. ¡°Carl, I¡¯m awake.¡± I pushed out the words.

    Carl squatted on his haunches and laid me on the ground. He stayed next to me and stroked some hair out of my face. ¡°Are you okay? Your skin is split open, but we will try and patch it up.¡± My hands instinctively took stock of all my wounds.

    ¡°With what?¡± Warden scoffed. ¡°She took all our gear, and our packs are still in there.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t even have water. Do you know how long it took us to get out of there? In the pitch black darkness.¡± James commented.

    The other two men put Jacklin down next to me. I was relieved to see her. Carl held out his hand and helped me to sit up. ¡°Slowly. You¡¯re feeling mighty stupid right now, don¡¯t you?¡± I glanced around. The gorge was blown to pieces. It had been so beautiful down there. ¡°We think Earth is trying to fight those Ittoqure. Or they want to level the compound.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Since you guys were down there, a lot has happened.¡± Carl eyed me suspiciously. ¡°Ian¡­ He¡¯s attacking Earth, not En-gannim.¡±

    ¡°Marcus?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s not coming¡­ Fahan and Ian¡¯s people can fly. If you can believe it. They squash us like bugs.¡± The four men stood motionless, looking at each other in turn. ¡°You told me not to make it personal.¡±

    ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t.¡±

    I nodded. ¡°I released it all.¡±

    Jacklin was stirring. ¡°Oh, my head.¡± She sat up and glanced around. ¡°Where are we?¡±

    Warden bent down and stabbed her in the neck. She flinched, and her hand reached for her neck. After a moment, Jacklin fell down with a smile on her face. ¡°Where have you been all my life.¡± Warden laughed. ¡°Where did you hide it?¡±

    He smiled and looked at me. ¡°Where to now, Lyla? How do we get out of here?¡±

    ¡°Ian made a base in the compound. The Colosseum. The barracks. All his. He¡¯s not taking prisoners. If you lift up your hands and don¡¯t fall on the ground in three seconds. You¡¯re dead. FYI.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us. We could¡¯ve escaped.¡± Carl said softly.

    ¡°You know the vamps. Everything happens in one second. It was too late when we stuck our heads out of the ground¡­ Literally.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how they found us after Michael came by,¡± James said.

    ¡°The other Ittoqure? Are there more?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know? That¡¯s new.¡±

    Jack finally said something, turning to me. ¡°How long?¡± His loud command was filled with irritation.

    I felt even more guilty. ¡°It¡¯s been four months. Ian had been coming and going for a few. Sabotaging and launching surprise attacks. But¡­ a week ago, the masses arrived.¡±

    ¡°What the hell happened on En-gannim?¡± Jack was thinking out loud, circling himself.

    ¡°I can tell you what happened,¡± Carl said. ¡°Someone from Earth blabbed. That it¡¯s open like En-gannim, and Ian decided it was a better fit. While they transition, they can eat¡­ us, and then Fahan will send him supplies.¡±

    ¡°Not good. Not good. We have to get out of here. But where do we go?¡± Jack was losing it. He turned to me. ¡°You finally got your common goal.¡± His hand lifted, and he struck me across the cheek.¡± Carl jumped up to get him off me. Warden helping. ¡°You stupid b-¡­¡±

    I wasn¡¯t even offended. My hand clutched my face. ¡°It¡¯s not completely over. Earth will fight back.¡± My hand was shaking. It was the first time anyone had hit me.

    ¡°At what price!¡± Jack roared. ¡°Do you think the watchers have been doing nothing for the last two hundred years!? Do you think we made the decisions and calculations for monetary advantage?¡±

    ¡°I did!¡±

    ¡°You know, we got a bullet to the head for leaking one word. You went and told everyone everything! Well, now I will tell you what your parents told Juliet that day in that room. I don¡¯t want to talk to a child anymore¡­ Come, boys. Let¡¯s get moving. They either make it or they don¡¯t.¡± Jack sneered.

    I shared a glance with Carl. ¡°Like I said. I¡¯m following orders. There is a reason for everything.¡±

    Jacklin had jumped up, stumbling, but she could manifest and was swift to follow. I didn¡¯t have a choice. I staggered to my feet and ran, remembering it was a two-day hike out of there.

    ***

    Juliet

    ¡°So, have you and Romero decided on names?¡± I asked Carlene.

    ¡°We have a few options¡­ Aimee¡­¡± Charlene said.

    ¡°Ooh, I like that.¡±

    ¡°I do, too.¡± My mom interjected. Agatha was seated next to her, engrossed in our little bundle. The pride on Marcus¡¯s face was unmistakable every time he looked at the scene. His mother was free. He had the son he wanted. Although my mistake had made me a bit of an outsider at that moment.

    ¡°Another one is Fia¡­¡± Charlene went on.

    ¡°That¡¯s Pretty.¡±

    ¡°Or Jara.¡±

    ¡°Wow, you have a tough decision to make.¡±

    ¡°You like all of them?¡± Charlene asked.

    ¡°I do¡­ Louis?¡± I glanced over at the other man, who was not talking to me.

    ¡°Romero likes Dalal.¡± Louis quipped.

    I nudged Charlene in the ribs. ¡°You didn¡¯t even mention his option.¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Charlene stuck out her tongue, ¡°Dalal.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be Fia¡­ Louis smiled. I tried to hold his gaze, but he went on eating whatever was in front of him. ¡°Yazen and Imani likes it too much.¡±

    ¡°That is if it¡¯s a girl,¡± Charlene said.

    ¡°Our midwife is quite good. You can be sure you are having one of each.¡±

    Kubra wasn¡¯t there that night and couldn¡¯t tell us what his son would be named. With Marcus on maternity leave for a few days, he was helping on En-gannim. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were worried about,¡± I told Charlene.

    ¡°No, me neither.¡± I smiled and shook my head. Both of us got quiet and looked at each other. The joy of the moment forgotten. One of us wasn¡¯t there. Carl was the only thing missing in our family. ¡°Have you asked?¡± I nodded. ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°They are all worried. Especially Michael.¡±

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°Tomorrow. He will go again tomorrow.¡± I took her hand in mine.

    ¡°So tell us,¡± Romero asked. ¡°Is Roger really going to stick?¡±

    Everyone laughed. Marcus smiled when he looked at me, shaking his head. ¡°No! I have decided. His name is Naji.¡±

    I glanced over at Agatha. ¡°You agree?¡± She was beaming and nodded.

    ***

    Sirrah was slowly rising in the distance. One of their moons still shown brightly. It was the perfect start to the day. I didn¡¯t understand why Marcus had pushed and pushed me to keep exercising. All through the pregnancy. He never spoke to me, but he would make sure that Jessy relayed to me the importance of staying fit. After Naji¡¯s birth¡­ I still had to get used to the name. I was opting for Zayn. I laughed. But Marcus¡¯s choice was unique. So anyway, after the birth, I was on such a strict routine to get my hours in. The sand made running challenging, forcing me to lift my feet. As soon as I got back to camp after my run, I would be paired up with some dude who put me through all my paces. They were on a rotation. That morning, it was Iku again.

    Chris and I would not go to Mirach¡¯s dark city for our marriage journey. Not that year. My birthday was in two months, and I figured it would be one of those things we would do eventually. Like me and Michael actually getting married or his dance. Before I went to Soren, Michael and Marcus asked to spend some time alone together. Nothing so far had been planned. The war was still going on. If it was going to last for years. I would have to be patient.

    For those last four months, not one of them had said a peep about anything. Chris was the only one that came to me. Who talked to me and ensured we were on the same page. I was dreading going back to En-gannim. I was waiting to see Marcus one day and tell me it was time I took over. We were at such a weird place I didn¡¯t know what I would be walking into. They tied me up to force me to go back, but after everything, how could I go back and¡­ take over.

    I was a long way from the camp, jogging in an easy rhythm. I ran for about two hours every morning. Marcus had slept with Naji and me the previous night. I had tried my best to wake him up but left him in bed. Since Naji¡¯s birth, one of them was always there with me during the day. I didn¡¯t think much of it. I was happy to see them make an effort to bond with the little guy. Michael had gone to look for Carl the previous night. Before I had left that morning, Jessy had not heard anything.

    ***

    Louis

    ¡°Marcus.¡± I touched his shoulder after he didn¡¯t respond to my voice.

    ¡°Huh? Shh, Juliet is still sleeping.¡±

    ¡°Marcus. You have to wake up.¡± I shook him roughly.

    He sat up and glanced over his shoulder. ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°You were on Juliet duty. What happened?¡±

    He let his legs fall off the bed, rubbing his eyes. ¡°Romero.¡±

    ¡°Not clever. Come, we got to go.¡±

    I was agitated and wanted to get out of there. Marcus picked up his pants from the floor, pulled a T-shirt over his head, and slipped into shoes. He was following me out into the living area. Agatha was seated on the floor with Naji in her arms. ¡°Did you maybe see Juliet?¡±

    Agatha [ She left for her jog. She should be back any minute. ] She looked up at Marcus coming out of the room. ¡°She asks why you didn¡¯t go running with Juliet? You push her to the brink of exhaustion, but you take drugs to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Morning, Mum.¡± Marcus leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. He picked up Naji and cradled him, sitting down.

    ¡°Agatha, Marcus says there is trouble on En-gannim, and he won¡¯t be back for a few days. If you can tell Juliet.¡±

    She smiled and held out her hand. I took it and kissed her fingers. ¡°Thank you for all your help.¡± I glanced around. Cindy was coming through the door, taking off her shoes. I took a step back and regarded her for a moment. It was another sign that the infected monster inside was rearing its ugly head. She looked up at me. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant.¡±

    Cindy laughed, her fingers jumping to her lips. ¡°Well, I never. It¡¯s all Romero¡¯s fault.¡±

    Marcus giggled behind me. ¡°We have to get off this planet.¡± He said softly.

    Liam came in behind Cindy. We were all very quiet. ¡°Where is my grandson.¡± He held out his hands. Marcus kissed the boy and passed him to Liam. Marcus couldn¡¯t contain his laughter. Agatha slapped him, and he hurriedly left the room. ¡°We are off to work. Good luck.¡±

    As I passed Cindy, I kissed her cheek. She held me back. ¡°I don¡¯t want to interfere. But it¡¯s been too long.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ You¡¯re not asking anything I can¡¯t answer¡­ It¡¯s chaos over there. The war isn¡¯t nearly over, and¡­ Ian attacked Earth last week.¡± Cindy gripped my arm tightly. Liam stilled and looked up from talking to Naji. Agatha got up. ¡°Our numbers are still so low. All the vamps are holding on so we don¡¯t lose anything else. And they keep coming. Ian has the manpower to split his resources. I don¡¯t know what Marcus plans to do.¡±

    ¡°What about Ira?¡± Liam asked.

    ¡°They are focused on repopulation. The young men who went in can¡¯t leave again. They have to train to protect the city. The only ones they can offer us are those who left with Ira all those years ago. Sylvanus has come and gone so many times. So, Sung and he would lead the army, but they would have to fight next to our oceans. We lost so many men already. Ian has millions.¡±

    ¡°Why have they not taken Nahrima?¡±

    ¡°Samuel¡¯s convinced they¡¯re playing for time. Maybe to figure out what their stone does or build their own teleporters. Who knows? They attack only the major islands¡­ and when they did¡­¡±

    ¡°They retreated quickly.¡± Liam finished my sentence.

    ¡°Liam, I know you want to be here. But we could use you.¡±

    ¡°Say no more. I¡¯ll go with you today. I need to hear what my brother is up to. It¡¯s not like him to sit back.¡±

    I didn¡¯t want to tell Cindy about the Ittoqure that pitched up the previous night. Michael had teleported the guy out from Earth and into Juliet¡¯s office. He said he and his partner had considered doing it those last few months. It seems no one has gotten the recipe right or the timing. They had done their research and figured it out. Thanks to Lyla¡¯s release of all the brandings. Ian and his men first appeared months ago, but for a week, the army landed, and they felt they had no choice but to try. Both wanted to get out of there. Figured the worst that could happen is they break up. He didn¡¯t know why neither of them went out to all the planets like the TV said they would. But when Michael appeared on Earth, they had no control over it. It also didn¡¯t help that the couple were martial arts students. Why Michael was in the med bay. They had caught him so unawares, and it was two against one.

    What we really needed Liam for was to find Carl. We knew where they were, and they were in trouble. Locked up in cages¡­ We would need Caleb. ¡°Liam. I didn¡¯t want to say anything. But we need Caleb.¡± I whispered.

    ¡°He¡¯s already in the ring.¡±

    Marcus was waiting at the teleporter. The four of us traveled, and I had to tell them everything that had happened.

    ¡°Brother. What are you doing?¡± Liam scolded the second he saw him.

    ¡°I¡¯m following orders. It¡¯s not my ship to take over. I had my chance. In regards to them building one of the big ones¡­ I don¡¯t know. All our mineral Islands are closed off. Louis runs a tight ship on the Red Planet, and other than that, what did you want us to do?¡±

    Liam turned to Marcus. ¡°You still have no plans to go after Ian?¡±

    Marcus dropped his head, ¡°After this week. I think they¡¯ll just leave.¡± He went to sit down behind his desk.

    Liam spun from him to me, ¡°You¡¯re going to let Earth become their playground. I don¡¯t think Juliet will like it. Didn¡¯t you guys tell her she would come back?¡±

    ¡°She told us not till the war is over. She asked for some time with Naji.¡±

    Liam strutted over to the table, ¡°Still, Marcus. Earth is her home.¡±

    ¡°Ian has already taken over the compound. If we leave now, take the few men we have. What will it help¡­ Earth left us alone in our war.¡± Marcus retorted.

    ¡°He is right, brother. Earth has more men at this point than we have.¡± Samuel said to try to calm Liam down.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take Juliet and destroy their progress on Palmyra. You like blowing things up. Wasn¡¯t it you that said you don¡¯t win wars with numbers.¡± Liam went on, but Marcus was quiet. ¡°What happened on the red planet? No defectors yet. Anyone that will jump ship.¡±

    I shook my head. ¡°Marcus, he is right. We have to do something. All of us have had enough fighting. I¡¯ve been in more battles than I ever would have liked. Juliet is not pregnant anymore. Maybe it¡¯s time we changed strategies.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ Liam, you, Chris, and Caleb, go and see if you can rescue Carl. We have to get him off that planet. Let¡¯s do that first and hear what they say.¡± Liam couldn¡¯t really argue with that, so the three of them left.

    ¡°Has Earth been in contact?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°Not since the last plea for help,¡± Samuel answered.

    ¡°Marcus. I know you still want to run. But it¡¯s harder to colonize a planet than you think. The one we are getting our water from. It would be perfect. It¡¯s far enough from everything. But you want to take all the children there. Charlene will give birth in a few months. It should be our last resort¡­ It¡¯s not a decision you can make by yourself. Juliet wants indoor plumbing, luxuries, and books. We need the minerals here to maintain all we have.¡±

    Samuel was waiting patiently for me to finish. ¡°What is the real issue here, Marcus.¡± He asked. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you done anything?¡±

    ¡°Because I never wanted to fight.¡± Marcus jumped to his feet to pace. ¡°I was bred to lead an army and follow orders. Not save the whole f- galaxy.¡± Marcus stopped walking about and perched on his desk. ¡°What do you want to do, Samuel. If you know, please tell me.¡±

    ¡°I would do what you wanted to do from the start. Take over their main Islands. If we put everything into it.¡± Marcus stood up and huffed. ¡°What is the worst-case scenario? We have to retreat to Mirach. Because I can tell you now. None of us will follow you into a wilderness. I am too old.¡±

    ¡°And Cindy is pregnant,¡± I commented.

    Samuel clasped my upper arm. ¡°She is?!¡± Marcus smiled for the first time. ¡°Come on, Marcus. That alone should give you the motivation to take over En-gannim. And then you kill them all. We take over one planet at a time.¡±

    ¡°In the meantime, Juliet and Michael can start sabotaging Palmyra, and we can force them off. With Fahan helping Ian. It¡¯s a perfect time.¡± I tried to prod him into action.

    ¡°And after that. We still hold the power, and they are stuck on Earth.¡± Samuel added. Marcus was still hesitant, and after a moment of consideration, Samuel asked. ¡°What has you so bent out of shape? The truth.¡±

    ¡°Caleb.¡±

    Samuel and I regarded him in mixed confusion. ¡°It¡¯s Soren. He knows her too well... If I were him, I would use all her weaknesses to destroy her. He is going after Earth¡­¡± Marcus scoffed. ¡°To get her out in the open. Because he knows what it means to her. If I tell her¡­ What do you think is going to happen¡­ That boy is the one using Ian.¡± Samuel and I sat down on the couches. A long silence followed. ¡°If I push them into a corner. They will do something stupid¡­ And if I had to tap into my dark side. Caleb will be taken¡­ If Soren told Ian everything. He knows how to kill her. Ahasuerus might as well have given Soren the key to all the worlds.¡±

    ¡°Her one motivation.¡±

    Marcus sat down next to me, head in his hands. ¡°I wasn¡¯t playing for time or to conserve resources. He as much gave her his gameplay¡­ And¡­ And I can¡¯t do both. I don¡¯t know how to keep the family safe and fight a war¡­¡± Marcus sat back and closed his eyes.

    ¡°He will destroy everything in her world,¡± I said softly.

    ¡°Have you not been reading me?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s too much. I blacked out a long time ago. I keep seeing her tied up and naked¡­ in trouble and alone. My mind doesn¡¯t want to let go. Since that night, we tied her up. It did me more harm than getting her to calm down. Reading everyone for so long. I had to stop or, rather, had no choice in the matter. I was relieved when we had to leave Earth.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say anything.¡±

    ¡°I was playing for time. Hoped you would pick up the slack. It didn¡¯t work out. We¡¯ve both been trying to get a grip on what happened. Dodging her. And she walks on eggshells around us¡­ Even Michael doesn¡¯t want to lie to her again. I haven¡¯t seen him on Mirach once.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s why I¡¯ve been pushing her so hard. I knew it was just a matter of time before some couple appeared before her. If it was her and not Michael¡­¡± Marcus shook his head.

    Samuel was listening to everything with interest. ¡°You guys make a terrible team.¡±

    We both laughed. It was good to lighten the mood.

    ¡°So new gameplay. We kill Soren. You should have gone hunting, Marcus. A long time ago.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried. Caleb has never been so busy. And I¡¯m terrified every time he goes. Soren is never alone. His house is a fort. Ian is always by his side. One of those red swords hanging on their waists. It was the first thing they did. Caleb says Soren¡¯s been training nonstop. One cut, and Michael is another prisoner. Or worse¡­ Caleb. Michael can¡¯t follow Soren twenty-four-seven. Or we need him somewhere else. We can¡¯t afford to lose one of the Islands we have.¡±

    ¡°But we have weed,¡± Samuel suggested.

    Marcus¡¯s head came up. ¡°A kidnapping. I¡¯m good with those. Do you think we have enough?¡±

    ¡°I hope you¡¯ve learned something. Communication is always the key.¡± Samuel got up. ¡°Come, boys. Let the professionals show you how it¡¯s done. We can always tweak our recipe¡­ Chemical warfare will be our saving grace¡­ And then we take men that we can afford to lose. Just a few.¡±

 Attempted Rescue

    204. Attempted Rescue

    Juliet

    I sat beside an oasis, trying to catch my breath. I still had to run all the way back to the village. It was one of the more beautiful spots they had in the desert. It was one of the bigger ones, with massive trees and different fauna growing around the water source. The water snaked into high sandy dunes. The wind was blowing, and the trees swayed from side to side. I wasn¡¯t as attentive as I should have been. Especially after the last time Charlene and I decided to relax. I also didn¡¯t hear anything strange. I felt a few water droplets on my neck and slowly wiped them away, turning my head. A snarling mouth with lips pulled up, snappy white teeth glistened in the light, and a low growl from a chest.

    I rolled forward through the water, and the wolf dove at me. My short blade was in my hand. I sliced over its chest as I rolled out from under it. The yelp was distinctive. The wolf was slow and untrained. She turned into a vampire and sat back on her heels in the water, a giant lash across her chest. I stepped back, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I need your help.¡± Her accent was so distinctly Asian it was hard for her to speak.

    ¡°That¡¯s not really how one asks for help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± She fumbled with her words. ¡°My¡­¡± She tapped her chest. I didn¡¯t know how we would cross the language barrier.

    ¡°Your partner?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°You tried a branding, and it worked.¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°My English not so good. My partner¡­¡±

    ¡°He can speak English. Well, that sucks¡­ Where is¡­¡± The realization dawned. Michael. Charlene. I strutted over and pulled her up. She was dead weight in my arms. ¡°Come, you got to get up,¡± I grunted, trying to get her to at least attempt to stand.

    ¡°Tired.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been jumping planets the whole night. Well great. You¡¯re our ride that way.¡± I pointed. ¡°It¡¯s two hours walking or an hour running.¡±

    ¡°No... Too tired.¡±

    I kicked at the water. No wonder my husbands were being so attentive. It seemed it was time I went back. Whether they were ready for it or not. I had turned my back to her for a second. It was my second mistake of the day. We were traveling. We landed¡­ somewhere. I didn¡¯t have time to assess or take stock of our surroundings. She was pretending to be useless. At that moment, she countered all my strikes and pursuits. Grappled like a master and almost had me a few times. What she didn¡¯t know was that I could disappear. It caught her off guard. I could also stay with her while she teleported, anticipating her thoughts, sinking my nails into her skin. Glad that I had some sessions with Sylvanus over the last few months. As I fought with her, everything Marcus had done made sense. He knew this moment would come, just like with Michael. He was always one step ahead of me.

    She was not fighting to subdue me or get me to surrender. She was out for blood. I disappeared. Her eyes darted in every direction, frantically looking for where I could be. I came back from my invisibility and popped the red blade knife open. The friction of the stone against its metal sheath was enough friction for it to activate. She dived at me. I jumped and made a forward roll over her to be positioned behind her, disappearing again. She was swearing in some language, transformed into a wolf, and stood staring at me. A quick learner. It would be an opportunity. I came back from my invisibility and cut her across the face. She was stuck as a wolf, circling herself when she couldn¡¯t go Riphath and run. ¡°I made two mistakes. You made too many.¡±

    Nevertheless, she came at me. She couldn¡¯t speak to me, so I figured we were either on Earth, Zoreah, or any of the other planets we didn¡¯t know about where wolves could not talk during their manifestation. We were fighting again. She didn¡¯t know what to do in her wolf form. Her body was too long to turn quickly with my movements, too unbalanced standing up on her thin back legs. She would bite, and I would hit her face as she came at me. Not trained in her manifestation but only in human. I had gotten on her back. Her instincts would make her fall on her side. I would take my short blade in hand and drive it into her heart. Her breath gurgled. She spasmed as I was trying to get my leg out from under her. I disappeared and slipped out. Her tongue was hanging out of her mouth as she tried to hold on to life. I bent down and stroked her face. Not wanting her to die alone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He will die with you. May your decisions bring you peace.¡± She closed her eyes, and that was it.

    ***

    Chris

    It was a mission handling all the teleportations from Mirach. Jessy was in control of all comings and goings. It was more controlled than ever, and distribution alone was a full-time job. That was what I had been doing those last few months. I had to feed our islands. I was the one who had to find a planet for water and figure out how to get it from one planet to another. It had been educational. I had fought some of the small fights that would ensue. It was more of an alert, and then we needed to do damage control.

    Although we were not allowed on Earth, they begged us to come and help that last week. So, us being there would not be an interplanetary incident. Not anymore. Michael and Caleb were busy the whole time and had discovered precisely what Fahan could do with the teleporters. But Ian was using Fahan, and we didn¡¯t even know they had any coordinates for Earth. Let alone enough to invade. We guessed Soren was responsible for that.  The three of us were cautious when we appeared at the diner near the barracks. We would walk around invisible. Each one a hand clutching my son¡¯s arm.

    Fahan and Ian didn¡¯t have the forethought to put someone in charge to know who was coming and going. We believed we were moving around undetected. What Michael had said before he passed out was, ¡°tunnel under Agatha¡¯s house.¡± So, were we supposed to find Carl in a maze of tunnels. But we also figured Ian would set up base at the compound. It was a place that was already prepared. It would make it even more difficult.

    The three of us had to walk from the diner to the turnoff towards the compound. ¡°What if we miss him. They might not be there anymore.¡± Caleb asked.

    ¡°Carl is locked up in a cage¡­ We don¡¯t have a choice. So Liam, how do you want to do this?¡±

    ¡°Option one is going to the gate. Wait till someone opens it. Do Recon. Go through the house and figure out how Rodrigo had access.¡±

    ¡°Second option?¡±

    ¡°Is the gorge.¡±

    ¡°The gorge?¡±

    ¡°The tunnels lead out to the gorge through a gate. And before you blame me for not getting my daughter out that way. You will see it¡¯s almost impossible. And Jessy¡¯s father was in charge of the gorge and all the outside activities. If he couldn¡¯t get his own daughter out. You can hardly blame me for propelling my fourteen-year-old daughter down a rope and hoping no one would be waiting at the entrance. And even if we got out the other way, it¡¯s a desert. The compound had helicopters and an army. We had a roll call every day and guards walking around.¡±

    ¡°So, how the hell do you want us to get in there?¡±

    ¡°Carefully. Look here. We either follow the road or walk another ten k and a two-day hike to the entrance of those tunnels. Because it¡¯s not smooth sailing in the gorge.¡±

    ¡°Like Caleb said, we don¡¯t want to miss him. They would never go into the compound. So it has to be the gorge and hope and pray they don¡¯t choose one of the deserts on either side.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Even Lyla should have figured getting the hell out would be in her best interest. Let¡¯s start walking. You know¡­ how do four grown men get themselves in such a mess? Captured by a little girl.¡±

    ¡°Sounds familiar,¡± Caleb said.

    Two hours later, we were nearing the turnoff into the gorge. We walked off the road and followed what looked like nothing. Liam swearing it was that way. A car was parked and camouflaged by a little hill and trees from the road. ¡°Convenient.¡±

    ¡°If the keys are inside.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re not here.¡± Caleb was searching every place someone might have left some keys.

    I felt above the front tires. ¡°Pop the trunk.¡± It slowly made its ascend. ¡°There is nothing in here.¡±

    ¡°I found something.¡± Caleb was feeling the floor of the back seats. He held up a packet. ¡°It says dog treats.¡±

    ¡°Well then, this is Nevin¡¯s ¡°get into the compound car.¡±¡±

    ¡°Come on. We have to go.¡± Liam said.

    ¡°Liam, we are not geared up for a two-day hike there.¡±

    ¡°You should have said that before we chose the gorge. So now, you¡¯ll do it. Caleb and I will wait here.¡±

    ¡°What if they have surveillance in there.¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    ¡°Suppose not. Fine.¡±

    I was making good time, and it wasn¡¯t so difficult if you could see the surface you needed to land on. The gorge wasn¡¯t as tricky to maneuver through as they had said. I had seen worse on Zoreah. The gate came into view. I took in the surroundings. Earth had bombed the compound. Ian might not even be there anymore. I wondered how Ian proposed to attack the Earth? With their swords drawn? How long did it take Qadir to figure out how to make us bend.

    A noise made me step back into the darkness of the tunnel. Two dragons came flying overhead. ¡°That was one way.¡± But still, Fahan and his teammates would never be able to survive a bombing or rapid fire on flying targets. What had happened?

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    I smelled blood. It was getting dark, and had to hunch down to investigate. There were tiny droplets on the ground leading out into the gorge. Carl had made it out.

    The dragon¡¯s disappeared. I decided to go deeper into the darkness. The first steel door on my left was open. There was a backpack on the ground. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be that lucky.¡± I rummaged. ¡°It¡¯s all camping gear.¡± I went through every pocket to see if I couldn¡¯t find the keys. Nothing.

    Well, no point in standing around. If I were Carl, I would not have scaled the blown-up part of the gorge. With Fahan there, cover was the best option. I traveled slowly back to the car. Six sets of footprints were running at a brisk pace. Caleb touched me. ¡°Carl is out. I found blood. Their footprints are still fresh. We must¡¯ve just missed them.¡± I followed the tracks down the road. They had tried to stay off the road. ¡°Good man, Carl.¡± I teleported back. ¡°They got in a car.¡±

    ¡°What was the boy thinking? Where would they go?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that they had a plan. Ian is here. Fahan is flying around. The Barracks must be full of his men. I guess Ian found the tunnels. It looks like Earth bombed the compound. We should get out of here. They could be anywhere by now.¡±

    Liam reluctantly agreed, and the three of us went back to En-gannim.

    ***

    Carl

    The six of us were in the back of a truck. It rattled and jerked over every bump in the road. It was old and had those wood slates on the sides that farmers would use to transport hay or small livestock. Lyla was asleep against my shoulder. It had been a grueling two days, but we had made it out in record time. Jack didn¡¯t let up and pushed us through the day and night. We had run the whole time, and Lyla had surprisingly kept up. Oh, she did complain and fall down. The rest of us had just ignored her. If we had to climb and get over a rocky part. The girls were pushed over first and yelled at to keep running. We would soon catch up, and so it went. Before the sun came up, we had reached the road. Jack had decided that we would hike in the opposite direction. It wasn¡¯t like Ian could patrol the streets. A farmer had seen us, and we got on. I had no idea where we were headed or what awaited us. The boys were quiet. It had been months of being caged up, and it had taken its toll on us. All I could do was close my eyes and nudge on Charlene, out there somewhere. If they knew I was still alive. I believed they would come for me.

    The man driving the truck was not very communicative. He had not asked one question or offered an answer to ours. It was frustrating. I would have loved to put on a TV or take my phone out. I did fall asleep at one point and woke up as the truck came to a bumpy stop. The man got out and stepped around the truck to open the makeshift gate for us. ¡°I live down there. You have to get out.¡± Jack was the first to descend. He gave the man one hell of a punch, and his body dropped to the ground. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have told us where he lives,¡± Jack said. Warden picked him up and tossed him in the back. Jack closed the gate, and the two got into the front. Jack turned onto the gravel road leading into a deserted farm area. Dogs came running up to the gate, and the man started to stir. James and I had bound his hands and feet like we were accustomed to.

    He was told to call off his dogs and tell us if anyone else was on the lot. He swore there wasn¡¯t. He was at least telling the truth. Once in the house, the group dispersed, each finding a water source. I dunked my face into handfuls of water. I probably smelled like a pig sty. Jack opened the fridge and pulled out whatever was on hand. Warden and the girls were getting anything they would deem food, and we stuffed our faces with dry bread dipped in jam and fruit. Jack put a pan on and threw a steak in. He cut it up and gave us each a piece while we each drank the beer we had in hand.

    The spot where Jack had hit Lyla had cut her lip. She had two dirty wounds that had to be looked at. I rummaged through the bathroom and hall cabinets until I found the man¡¯s tub of emergency medicine. ¡°Come, Lyla.¡±

    She had taken the last sip of her beer and placed the bottle on the table. I led her to the bathroom and pushed her into the shower. I closed the curtain and told her to get clean. She handed her clothes to me. I went outside to shake them out and let them air for a while. It was the best that we could do.

    Jack was on the phone. Warden and Jacklin were discussing what would happen with the Earth. Jack shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s dead. It¡¯s all dead. The man says nothing works. No TV. No Phones.¡± James made his way past me into another room. I heard another shower going.

    Lyla was sitting on the toilet with a towel wrapped around her breasts. It barely covered what it needed to. She fumbled with the towel to push it in between her legs. I reached for another one and tossed it at her. She laid it over her legs and relaxed. I was busy with the disinfectant and pulling skin together with plasters. She complained a few times. ¡°You¡¯re not going to talk to me, are you.¡±

    ¡°As soon as I¡¯m able. I¡¯m out of here. I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t leave. I thought I could stop you. So much for that idea. I still don¡¯t know how you did it.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s easy if you have a network all over the world.¡±

    ¡°Jacklin with resources.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was a bonus when you guys left, and she found me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s how you got involved with the infected vamps.¡± She bobbed her head. I finished with the cut on her lip, dabbing some ointment and getting up off my haunches. ¡°Have you spoken to your parents? They must be really proud of you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you mean that as an insult. But did it help? I think so. For a time. I never thought your people would lose the war on En-gannim.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean we did. I don¡¯t know what happened.¡±

    ¡°Do you know who Soren is?¡±

    ¡°Soren! Yes¡­ why?¡±

    ¡°Well then, there you go.¡±

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°He did. And is¡­ was seen in every video of Ian in some fight. They were so clever about it, too. First, they attacked the major Capital cities. Every country was hit at the same time. Who knew they had bombs. The vamps would place one down and travel a thousand miles away. The power went. The communication went.¡±

    ¡°And then?¡±

    ¡°En-gannim seems to have more advanced things than we do. We have guns. They have the equipment to stop anything from flying. No electronics. No radio waves. No navigation. They fought with gas masks on and launched surprise attacks on military bases¡­ Looks like someone knows more about Earth than even we do.¡±

    ¡°So no tanks or aerial attacks¡­ No boats¡­ We have a new ruler. Thought you said we would win.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing as bad as surprise attacks when you¡¯re asleep. The enemy is fast, and the other is bulletproof. And when you get your wits together, they¡¯re not there anymore. The worst is that it didn¡¯t unify us like I thought it would. It became a fight for survival and fighting from the border inward. Every country is focused on themselves and saving their own skins. It¡¯s not like we can ask China for help when they are busy with their own fight¡­ No way to get together anyway.¡±

    ¡°Means Ian put a lot of feet on the ground.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Destroying major roads and food sources. Poisoning our water¡­ Are you really just going to leave? You don¡¯t have any patriotic duty in your bones.¡±

    ¡°What like you? No, sorry. I have been through too much to know what is important in life.¡±

    ¡°And that is?¡±

    ¡°To choose my regrets. Would I regret walking away and letting  you decide what happens to Earth?¡±

    ¡°Not anymore,¡± Lyla answered for me.

    ¡°Not anymore.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t count the cost.¡± She said, lowering her head.

    ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. But like Soren, choosing the wrong side happens at the matter of one decision. One press of a button for some personal goal.¡±

    ¡°She always makes calculated decisions. Doesn¡¯t she.¡±

    I had to laugh. ¡°Juliet! No. Hell no. Her list of regrets is a mile long¡­ But if you live like her, you must be sure you can live with yourself first. She is, unfortunately, very determined to make her own choices. Much like you, I suppose¡­ But when it comes to her family. Once you cross that line and you¡¯re in... It¡¯s a matter of ¡°I have enough bail money.¡±

    Lyla was thinking. ¡°Lyla. Juliet is not your enemy. She is just a girl who grew up in crappy circumstances, with too many traumatic scenarios to count. Fighting her way through the galaxy to find a home that would accept her for who she is. And to make four husbands happy.¡±

    Lyla smiled. It dropped as soon as it came. ¡°Carl. I made a mistake.¡±

    ¡°I know you did. I told you to go home.¡± I left her there to go get her clothes. I was worried all around. Charlene would come face to face with an Ittoqure at some point. En-gannim and Earth were being attacked. We had been in cages for four months. At that point, all I saw was being stuck in that house. Nowhere to go. I walked back to the bathroom. ¡°Here. Go get dressed in the bedroom. I need a shower.¡± She was almost at the door. ¡°Hey, where is your dog?¡±

    Lyla burst into tears. Her hands had sprung up to cover her face. I sighed, walking over and wrapped her in my arms.

    ***

    Marcus

    We were in the lab cooking up our brew for our extraction. It was fun doing something creative for a change. A change of pace. My head lifted, and I had to stand back. ¡°Mum.¡±

    Agatha [ Juliet is not back ]

    A chill began in my gut and spread over my arms, settling in my heart. It was an involuntary feeling. I had not felt anything in a long time. I was still very angry with Juliet. Nothing I did wanted to break down the resentment that had fixed in my heart. Four months had meant nothing. I couldn¡¯t even touch her. Had to force myself to greet her. She had taken away some of my excitement with the baby coming. Our war would¡¯ve been over. I would¡¯ve had my time with her. I wanted to show her the house I had built for us.

    Louis walked past me, bringing me back to reality. We followed him out of the room. He was on his way to the holding cells. Totally creature-proof and teleportation-proof. Louis slowly stepped forward and peeked into the cubicle. I joined him, and my mum and Samuel came to stand next to me. ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± I said and was somewhat relieved. Although I couldn¡¯t conjure up my emotions for her. I didn¡¯t want her to die. All of us die? We were bound until death. At that moment, I didn¡¯t understand the brandings at all or love. Any of it. ¡°How could she? What about Michael? She didn¡¯t know he¡¯s not on Earth¡­ And Earth?¡± Louis turned around, and we followed again to the infirmary. Michael¡¯s vitals were sound. ¡°How did she know?¡±

    Agatha turned to me. [ I was trying to tell you she has not come back. Jessy already went looking for her. He knows where she goes, and he¡¯s been there and back. If the woman took her. She will be stuck ]

    I had too much on my plate to worry about Juliet. Felt I had done enough to prepare her for what would come. Chris, Caleb, and Liam came into the room. ¡°Chris. Juliet is somewhere. You¡¯re up.¡± I said.

    He closed his eyes and concentrated. Nothing. ¡°Are you doing it right?¡± Caleb asked.

    ¡°Really?!¡±

    ¡°She did say there would be consequences.¡± Caleb went on.

    ¡°Not that. Please not that. I¡¯ve tried it before. It worked.¡±

    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s in a different galaxy, and you¡¯re too far,¡± Michael mumbled. We all turned to him.

    ¡°It¡¯s over space and time. I don¡¯t think the distance is the problem.¡± Chris retorted.

    ¡°Well¡­ now we have two missing kids on our hands,¡± Liam said.

    ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t find Carl,¡± I  asked.

    ¡°At least we know neither of them is dead,¡± Chris answered.

    ¡°Did you go see Romero last night?" Michael asked.

    ¡°No¡­ The doctor to help me sleep.¡±

    We all sighed and made frustrated noises. ¡°You¡¯re right, Marcus. We have to get off that planet. How Romero ever fell in love with Charlene in the first place is beyond me.¡± Louis said, irritated.

    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why you guys have not cared so much. Juliet was so quiet? Well, you got your time, Louis. But now. Now we do something.¡± Chris looked pointedly at me.

    ¡°Chris, that is not what¡¯s going on. Well, not all of it.¡± I rubbed at my brow out of frustration. ¡°Come. We need to talk. All be on the same page. We were just hatching up a plan.¡± I didn¡¯t want to discuss our family dynamic at that moment. I had to stay focused. She asked me to fix the mistake she had made. But her one mistake had caused a million others.

 Where Am I

    205. Where Am I

    Soren

    Ian had given me the office of killing Jade or instead finding a good opportunity to do it. It was turning out to be an impossible task. I had been to Palmyra so many times and had access to the palace. Not once did I see Jade or find out where she could be. Fahan kept her somewhere safe. Although I was allowed to stay in common areas, I had no idea where their rooms were. Dimitrios shadowed me everywhere I went.

    There was no way we could kill Fahan unless we trapped him somewhere and overpowered him with a lot of men. He was never alone and had not once traveled to En-gannim. Ian didn¡¯t want to show our hand before he was done using him, and we were sure we could take over their teleportation power. To take over all the planets was Ian¡¯s end goal. Conquer and dominate, just like Qadir. I had more respect for Ahasuerus, who had tried to save everything, than Ian, who destroyed his way there. Regardless, I needed Ian.

    The constant running around, training, and fighting was taking its toll. I was exhausted but determined to push through to reach my goal. Ian had decided to do everything in his power to make Marcus move. If he would hide in The Tower. We would drag him out. So, giving him the information about Earth was well-timed. As soon as I told Ian, Earth was open for teleportation. He jumped. Very high. Knew we could survive a drawn-out attack. His soldiers could literally kill and eat at the same time. They would be stronger and more revived than before they went into a fight. Trained over hundreds of years. Strong, fast, and moved like a machine. They did not fight in water or out in a field, nor did they care about collateral damage. Ian¡¯s men were trained to fight in densely populated areas. Go into a building and clear it out. The heaps of bodies were endless. He also wanted Earth out of the way so there would be no help from them later on.

    Above everything else I had to do, I had no clue what the other stone was worth. I¡¯d been looking for a way to open those doors, and nothing I did worked. The weight of my decision was creeping in. It tugged on my insides, and nothing I did wanted to ease the tension I had. No amount of sex or alcohol could take away the road I had chosen. The fear of dying. The constant vigilance and looking over your shoulder. I knew at some point Marcus would come for me. It was only a matter of time. Marcus had the stone but had not once used it. If Ian had it, the war would be over. It might have been my age or lack of understanding, but I could not figure out what Marcus was waiting for.

    Watching Earth destroyed and in turmoil was not what I had hoped for or even wanted. Nevertheless, I tried to make a list of all the things Juliet cared for, valued and fought for over the years. It was only the people in her life. She had come for me¡­ Anyway, Earth was her home, and with the one thing she cared for out of the way, I was busy taking over Palmyra she wanted¡­ After that¡­ it would be to destroy her family. That was where I was facing a dilemma. Killing everyone I knew. Liam Cindy, who took me in. Caleb trusted me. Michael, that didn¡¯t have an issue with me. Louis asked me what my intentions were. My hatred for Marcus and maybe Chris had driven me to do something stupid, and there was no turning back.

    The door to my study opened. Rana stood at the entrance with a tray. It had snacks and something to drink. I lifted my hand to call her in. The women had to learn how to do their hair and to make themselves more appealing without their veils. Rana had perfected the art in no time. Crouched down and on her knees, I took in all of her. I pushed a button on the table to close the doors, tugged my shirt from my pants, and undid my fly. Rana didn¡¯t flinch and continued with what she was busy with. I nudged her chin toward me and sunk myself into her mouth. Her hands gripped my waist and strayed over every part of me. For four months, I had told her what I liked and didn¡¯t. She had obeyed every word and knew I wanted to be touched. I fisted her hair, and came undone in her wetness. Whenever I closed my eyes and had my release, I thought about Juliet. I didn¡¯t fight it anymore. I embraced it. Revelled in the fact that I would see her again. On her knees, begging me at some point to let her go. And I never will.

    ***

    Juliet

    With the Ittoqure dead, I had only to figure out where I was. My hands moved together to sheath my short swords. I picked up the red knife and cleaned it on my pants. My head lifted to take in my surroundings. It was like an urgent drum had started playing. A wall of vampires were marching down a road past me. Chadari overhead, actually flying. At the front of their platoon were vamps with massive shields at the front, overhead, and at their backs. Earth had sent in a helicopter blasting down on the fortress. I took cover for the ricochet mess that followed. The vampire shield was bulletproof, and they were strong enough to brace against the power of the cannon. A Chadari soldier had jumped from the roof of one of the buildings and hung on the helicopter landing gear. Another did the same on the other side. The chopper pilot had a hell of a time trying to salvage the situation. Yet another Chadari flew in out of nowhere and went right through the passenger hold, slicing through the humans as if they were nothing. He then drove his sword into the pilot and then the co-pilot. All they had to do was jump, let go, and fly away. The chopper circled itself and came crashing into the street.

    I stood closer to see what was happening behind the barrier. Groups of flanking vamps entered buildings on either side of the street. The wall was waiting while they cleared the building, killing everyone inside. And so they moved from building to building. I glanced to the other side to hopefully see the humans with a plan to counter this strategy. There were a few tanks that had been disabled. Heavy machine guns were stationed in their places. A sea of men with assault weapons in hand. What did they think they were going to do.

    My eyes drifted over the streets. The Ittoqure had dropped me in an alley in the middle of some Asian city. She had probably thought about home. A home that was no more. I sighed heavily. Got a little ticked off that Marcus, Louis, Michael, and Chris were still not sharing. I thought we had crossed that bridge. It seemed that I was the only one required to make the journey.

    I squared my shoulders and walked into the street. Stood between the wall the vamps had created and the humans. There was a good piece of distance between the two. I came back out of my vanished state and waited for all of them to notice me. The vamps didn¡¯t move and came to a marching halt. The Chinese behind me were yelling something. I had three Chadari in my periphery. One had guts. He came at me. I ran for the vamp wall, giving him time to get low enough. I used the shields to boost myself up, turning in the air, gripping the Chadari¡¯s leg, hosting myself up, and driving my sword under the armor they wore on their heads. It had to get through his chest to end up in his skull, but I got it done. The beast crashed into the flanking part of the vamps.

    I landed and jumped off the wall, running towards the humans, knowing the other Chadari would follow. He dove at me. I somersaulted over his head, taking off his helmet and tossing my blade through the big fat target on his neck. The second one was down. I walked towards the Earthlings and held out my hand. The one man reluctantly put a pistol in my grip. I flexed my fingers, asking for a belt. I tied it and put the gun in the holster. I turned and walked to the one my sword still had stuck in his head. I yanked it out, sheathing it. I glanced around the sky, waiting for the last Chadari to try. They really had only one way in or out. This one was clever. He came stampeding toward me out of an alley. I smiled. He didn¡¯t think I was going to be a match for him. I waited till he lifted his sword and slid towards him, cutting him around the ankles and making him fall flat on his face. It was a girl thing, and I didn¡¯t care. Needed to incapacitate before you could strike. I walked to his head, pulled off the armor, pushed the gun to his head, and took the shot.

    The vamps had finally joined the fight. The wall had resumed its march and was coming toward me. I started running and jumped over the secure barrier that protected the flankers. Between the wall in the back and the few soldiers that went into buildings, one young vamp didn¡¯t belong. I dove right for him and made him disappear with me. The vamps were trying to find me.

    Another wave of Chadari was coming with their own guns blazing at the humans who were firing at the flying beasts. As the boy and I disappeared, the Chadari lost control of their flying and fell from the sky. One by one. Some broke various body parts, and others dived into the ground. The human men had finally woken up and used the opportunity. I destroyed the square bag the vamp had carried on his back and smashed it to pieces with my boot. Then, everyone always comments on why I¡¯m in cargo pants and thick-soled boots. It¡¯s for situations like this.

    With the Chadari out of the way, the only thing left was penetrating the wall. I jumped on top as they progressed to be close enough to the humans for hand-to-hand combat. I bent down, returned from my vanished state, and drove my sword into the most strategically located vamp. He dropped. I rolled, shooting the one behind him in the face. I kept shooting as they tried to stay in formation. Disappearing, jumping, moving. I kept going until every vamp was dead. It exposed the flankers, and the humans behind me blasted into the groups. The wall at the back was the only one left.

    I walked towards the Chinese and said, ¡°Now you know how to take them out¡­ Relay it to the other countries.¡±

    They did not understand me. I pointed at them. ¡°You need to call.¡± I lifted my hand to imitate a phone and pointed toward the outside world. They had no clue. I stomped my two feet next to each other, throwing a little tantrum. ¡°Translator! Does anyone speak English in this place?¡±

    ¡°No English.¡±

    I stomped my feet again. ¡°This is why Ahasuerus ruled the universe. English!!!¡± I sighed and stepped away, pointed to the men I wanted, and gestured for them to follow me. They looked to their leader, who nodded. I took two of their hands and motioned with my chin for the others to follow. We created our own wall. I started running, pulling them at first until they joined me. Approaching the last barrier, I jumped, and the men jumped with me. I let go, and they all followed my lead, getting the shields separated, and a shooting fire ensued. The vamps were fast and strong but insufficient for bullets from every angle. Luckily, the men could aim. It was quickly over. The men cheered, and it lifted my spirits a little. I stood surveying my job. I held up my hand to the guy closest. He hit it, at least, and I holstered my gun.

    The troops regrouped at the tanks. I was trying to ask for a map. They understood that one word. Another man came running, ¡°Translator, translator.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank heavens.¡±

    ¡°Tell them to take out the box first to immobilize the Chadari or anyone that can fly. Blast them with rockets! Why are there not more rockets? And attack them at close range, getting in underneath their helmets. Their heads are the weakest.¡±

    ¡°He re-laid the order.

    The Chinese were indignant at first, trying to protest his abilities.

    ¡°Tell them to send the information worldwide, not keep it to themselves. Evacuate everyone into rural areas and get everyone out of the freaking cities. The armies should also scatter looking for bases the vamps are scrambling signals.¡±

    The translator tried to keep up between the two of us, saying there was no communication and they couldn¡¯t be all over the place. Switching to Chinese to tell the leader what I had said.

    ¡°I will see what I can do about them being able to teleport. But how the hell do I get home.¡± I had to put my hands on my hips, thinking. No communications. Nothing. The leader spoke, and the translator wanted to say something. I was hurled forward and skidded over the road. My arms and hands were burning. The Ittoqure was a total amateur, unlike the woman I had fought with earlier. I stayed with him until we were somewhere else. I took out my knife and cut him. He didn¡¯t know what was going on, and I drove my sword through his chest. The women wouldn¡¯t follow, and I was relieved I didn¡¯t have to do it one more time. Chest rising and falling, I turned around, wondering where I had come out that time. Jade was staring at me with Aries clutched to her chest. ¡°How could you kill him? Them. What about your mate.¡± I tilted my head, thinking, taking a delayed moment to connect the dots. ¡°Oh, not for those. They are special.¡±

    ¡°You are not here to kill me.¡±

    ¡°No! Completely by accident. Sorry for the intrusion.¡±

    ¡°Hide.¡± I disappeared at the command.

    A dragon came through the door. ¡°Jade. It is time for your walk.¡±

    ¡°I wish you would come with me.¡±

    Dimitrios stared at her. ¡°Of course, I will come with you. I have my orders.¡± I figured she was talking to me.

    ¡°How long do you think I must stay in the garden?¡±

    ¡°You know the answer, Jade. If you were my mate. You would not need to ask such a question. You chose Fahan and let him put that mark on you. Another thing I would never have done¡­¡± The Chadari¡¯s chest started to glow, and he grunted low sounds of frustration. Seems that there are love triangles all over the place. If everyone could just embrace them and go with the flow. Everywhere would be so much more peaceful.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°It has been four cycles, Dimitrios. I am finding it very difficult.¡±

    ¡°The one thing Fahan and I can agree with is that Ian can only be trusted if you can see him. If he can not see you. You are safe.¡±

    ¡°The war on Earth has only begun. What did Ian promise him.¡±

    ¡°Flying. It is rather helpful if you think about it. No more water problems.¡±

    ¡°You do not take me seriously.¡±

    ¡°No. Not my role.¡±

    Jade was kept prisoner. I knew how she felt. ¡°You will sit there and take care of my child.¡± I tried to mimic Marcus. I was at least allowed outside. I laughed at my own joke. It would be very dull being stuck in Brylee¡¯s harem garden. No family but a sister. I took in the other woman who had joined the party, remembering her from that night. Jade had five Chadari on her left and five on her right. Swords drawn, glowing red. Did Fahan think I would come and kill Jade after giving Aries back? What did he take me for? Oh, Marcus would. Would he convince Caleb, though?

    The walk took us through the whole palace out into another garden. It was beautiful. Oh, how I longed to live there. A summer home for every planet and one winter one on Earth. Jade wasn¡¯t allowed much time outside. The whole party followed her back into the palace. ¡°I want to help. I can fight.¡±

    I scoffed with Domitrios. Jade was upset. ¡°If he dies in battle it is right. I am allowed to die when he dies, but not the other way around.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Dimitrios and I said at the same time.

    I knew what her next words would be. ¡°It makes no sense.¡±

    I feel you, girl. You¡¯re a broodmare. If you can¡¯t disappear. I would be as useless as you. Controlled. I shook my shoulders in disgust. Immediately after Naji¡¯s birth, I began taking Romero¡¯s unique formula. It was time that I was not pregnant for some time. Louis had not said anything or told anyone. So, I guessed it was what they all were thinking. Where was Chris? Why had he not come for me? I¡¯ve been gone for a very long time. Does no one care?

    The party was making its way through the foyer when two enormous wooden doors were pushed open. A rush of wind swept over us. Soren was on the threshold, waiting. Dimitrios saw him. The surprise was clearly visible on the dragon¡¯s chest¡­ but not as much as I was. The world stopped for a moment. Soren was so handsome. His hair was tied in a small bun on top of his head. I instinctively drifted closer to him. His acting had become better. He had brought gifts. Dimitrios forgave him on the spot. I took in his new clothes and saw how much muscle he had gained. The scrawny boy had become a man. Seemed like the urge to hate and all the sex you wanted was enough to make any man work on himself. Soren excused himself. Instead of following Jade, I went with Soren. There were vamps at the teleporter. They were there to send and receive vamps and Fahan¡¯s people. It was heavily guarded.

    I saw a tiny chink in their well-laid-out plan. Soren and I traveled to the embassy. It would be my only chance. It happened simultaneously. I appeared and drove my arm out towards his throat. I had never seen such lightning reflexes. His arm had jumped up, and the blade went through his flesh until the point was visible on the other side. He closed his eyes and smiled. ¡°Thank You.¡± I pulled the knife out and disappeared again. Soren had manifested, clutching his arm. He just kept walking. I was dumbfounded and stood gaping at his newfound attitude. How did he stop that? He was in the teleporter looking at where he had left me. ¡°See you soon.¡±

    I was seething. Livid at the amount of arrogance he had accumulated. Is this where we become enemies to lovers. Or, no lovers to enemies. The next vamp entered the teleporter, and I made sure he would go to the palace. My tete-te with Jade was not over. I appeared before her, and she took a step back. My white hue manifestation was back, and I had no control over it. I picked up the closest thing and tossed it across the room. It shattered on the wall.

    ¡°Are you well?¡±

    ¡°A lover¡¯s tiff.¡±

    Marcus and I really were made from the same mold. We needed to vent after irritation. Jade gestured to the sack hanging from the roof. I punched it once, and a gaping hole made the seeds fall to the ground. Jade made some weird noises. I looked at her. Her chest was sending sparks flying. Aries was on the bed, and she was coming at me. I blocked her first punch. She bowed down and side-swiped me in the ribs. I retorted by turning around, my leg bent, and landing my foot on her ear. She rolled away and stood on bent legs. She extended them to her full height. I closed the distance between us, grabbing her forearm as her fist grazed my chin, using my shoulder and body to slam into her torso. She toppled, and I rammed my knee on the inside of her leg. It made her waver. Her claws dug into my scalp as she balanced herself and dragged herself towards me, lifting a knee to slam my face into it. I dove forward, lifting my head, taking the pain of my hair pulling, taking the hit to my chest. My teeth sunk into her scales with ease. I bit and tore one off. She let go of my hair and turned outward and toward me, slamming her fist into my ribs. I could feel and hear a few crack. Jade had no intention of letting that be it. She kept coming. I blocked every blow. Her size was the problem, and she pushed me around with ease to keep moving and spend my energy. I had to reach for my short swords. The blades scraped the scales of her abdomen but left no indentation. I changed my position, turned, crouched, and rammed back and underneath the scales. The blade pierced flesh, and the blood covered the tip.

    As soon as I saw it, I stopped and stepped back a few paces. Jade felt the cut and looked at her finger. I came back to myself. I sheathed my swords. ¡°Thank You. I needed that.¡± She said.

    I smiled. ¡°Me too.¡± I surveyed all my injuries, trying to get tar out of my arm. ¡°Ach.¡±

    ¡°Tea?¡±

    I had to smile, laughingly. We each sat in a chair. Aries lay in a bassinet next to her. The view would never get old from there. She at least had that and water to flush away her poop. What I wouldn¡¯t do for a normal toilet. ¡°Ian and Fahan are on Earth?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It does not sound in favor of the humans.¡±

    ¡°Soren is trying to kill you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Now, my privileges will be less, and I will be moved again. You almost had him?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What will you do now? How will you get back?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea.¡±

    ¡°Do you have coordinates?¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    ¡°No, that won¡¯t work. How would I have coordinates? I will help you¡­ Slavos.¡± The doors opened, and I disappeared. ¡°Can I see Dimitrios?¡±

    The man left, and we waited in companionable silence for Dimitrios to come in. There were no emotions on his features, but his eyes widened, and he seemed to be struggling. ¡°Why are you hurt.¡± He stepped toward her quickly, taking in the wound on her shoulder.

    Jade gestured to her room, ¡°Accident with¡­ that sharp tool over there.¡±

    Dimitrios moved closer and towered over her. He bent down and slowly slid his hand over her waist. They shared a longing look, and I was turned on. He lifted his hand and looked at the blood. ¡°That is more than an accident.¡±

    ¡°No. Accidents can be less or more serious.¡±

    ¡°You know, Jade. When he struck you. I wanted to kill him.¡±

    ¡°Yes, me too. And now we never can. So, will you do something for me?¡±

    ¡°Anything.¡±

    Jade stood up and pushed Dimitrios to his full height, their faces only inches apart. ¡° I want¡­¡± Jade didn¡¯t finish and held his gaze. The man¡¯s chest lit up like a rave. ¡°I want¡­ to send Juliet something.¡±

    Dimitrios did not pull back, nor had one thing changed in his demeanor. ¡°How could you not know who would be better for you. I would die for you. How did you not know.¡±

    Oh man, I felt like Jade was playing with fire. This is why a woman had four husbands. When one is off to war, the other is there to satisfy her. Or if three didn¡¯t talk to you or sleep with you. One was the sacrificial lamb. Poor Chris.

    ¡°Come. I know you will not do anything. That is why we are not together.¡±

    I wondered how it worked. Their lips seemed fleshy. I wished Dimitrios would kiss her so I could see how it all worked. Don¡¯t think Marcus would tie me up if I watched them. It was for educational purposes. But Jade was right. Dimitrios was a cut-out for Carl. Happy to be in the shadows. Never the guts to ruin a good thing with love. Oh, I hoped Michael had found him.

    ¡°Where do you want to send it? We do not have any of theirs.¡±

    ¡°Ask Soren. The same ones Fahan went to when he went to get Aries the first time. Right before he hit me.¡±

    I did feel bad that I had caused the whole fight that day. But was it my fault Fahan could not control his temper.

    Dimitrios lifted the plate. I had to step forward and stand on my toes to see what Soren would say. He had to know that it was me Jade was transferring from Palmyra to En-gannim.

    ¡°No! Jade could have sent it with me¡­.¡± Dimitrios read the message out loud. ¡°Jade, what is going on?¡±

    Soren was pushing me to do something stupid. What was his play leaving me there? I wanted to stomp my feet again.

    Her chest rose and fell, and she sat back in a huff. ¡°A lover¡¯s tiff. I think.¡±

    ¡°A lover¡¯s tiff? Your language is different.¡±

    ¡°Yes, what good friendships can not do.¡±

    ¡°What did you want to send her and why? What does it mean?¡±

    Jade pointed at a beast on the table. ¡°To say thank you for sending Aries back. It is for females to understand. Now, leave me alone. I am tired of not having what I want.¡±

    Oh, Jade, you¡¯re playing with wildfire. Dimitrios was struggling with himself. The man did leave. Coward. Take what¡¯s yours. Jade¡¯s head was resting back on the chair. Her eyes closed. ¡°You need release. How long has it been?¡±

    ¡°Release?¡±

    I made a crude gesture with my hands. If she could laugh, she would have.

    ¡°It has been too long.¡±

    ¡°Monogamy. It sucks.¡±

    ¡°You are fortunate to have someone with you each night.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°If only. No.¡±

    ¡°No!? I would tie them up.¡±

    I laughed. ¡°Funny you mentioned it. They like being tied up. All but one.¡± I also didn¡¯t think even a dance would get a rise from any of them.

    ¡°So, will you stay the night?¡±

    ¡°I wish I could. But I have to go do something. You don¡¯t mind me disrupting Fahan¡¯s plans for a day or two.¡±

    She waved her hand in the air.

    I left, but before I stepped over the threshold, I turned to her. Jade was not happy. When a woman was on the precipice of desperation. It would only end up in a tragedy. ¡°Jade.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°If you ever needed to disappear. Call me.¡±

    ¡°Can I go with you now?¡±

    ¡°Not today. Give me¡­ two days.¡±

    She agreed.

    It was getting late. I was tired and had been waiting at their teleporter for a gap to get it done. Jessy and I had studied those tubes of Ahasuerus together. I knew what I had to do to disable their teleporter. I didn¡¯t have enough time to take back what belonged to Chris, but we could still have Ian stuck on Earth. At the same time, I would send out a distress signal.

    The Chadari were predictable and vigilant but did not have a man at the back of it all, and they had no idea I was there. My distress was sent. I took one part of the machine they would need to replicate before fixing it and putting it on again. I tossed the part up in the air, waiting. The droning stopped suddenly. It was a whirlpool of chaos. I knew they would leave to call someone. Very stupid. I stood and waited. The pain in my ribs and all my other injuries were starting to become acute. I hoped Jessy was at his post.

    He threw his arms around my neck. ¡°I¡¯m never letting you out of my sight.¡±

    I patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t want Marcus to see you.¡±

    He slowly detangled himself from me, letting his hands slide over my shoulders until he took hold of my arms and squeezed. Jessy took in my person, his features contorted. ¡°I wonder if he would even care?¡± Jessy said softly. I stared at him in disbelief. Was Marcus that angry at me? Had I been ignorant to leave it? ¡°You don¡¯t look so good.¡± My knees buckled. Jessy caught me, scooped me into his arms, and held me tight. ¡°Jessy.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Soren was there.¡±

    ¡°Oh boy.¡±

    Everyone was waiting. Marcus took in the scene with his stoic features. Louis was dragging a cigarette. His eyes came up quickly and went back to the ground. No, Michael. Chris took me from Jessy, and the doctor came right over. ¡°Before you put me out. Marcus¡­ I almost had him. Soren. He would¡¯ve been dead. I think he¡¯s taking Rodrigo¡¯s formula¡­ Fahan¡¯s teleporter will be out for about two days. They¡¯re not on Palmyra. It¡¯s time we talk. Whether you¡¯re ready or not.¡± I nodded and closed my eyes.

 Oh, The Sweet Agony

    206. Oh, The Sweet Agony

    Soren

    I walked back into our home, clutching my arm. Juliet would have killed me. It would not be Louis or Marcus who did it. Or even Caleb, like I was hoping, but her. Juliet was there. My mind was racing. She would come for me. She loved me¡­ But I had betrayed her. It was hard to get a handle on. I sat down behind my desk, asking for medical help. One of the men worked on my arm as the message came through. A sardonic laugh escaped reading the message Jade had sent. Juliet had balls, had to give her that. She knew where she stood with me but asked me to help her. It was too much. I stood to my feet in a huff. The man on the ground hung his head. Didn¡¯t she understand she had no more control over us? I sat down again so the man could continue wrapping my wrist. She was stuck there. It would cause problems if I didn¡¯t get her out off Palmyra. If I gave in¡­ it would send the wrong message. How I wished she had followed me. Seen my life and stalked me like she did with Chris. Keep going against her husbands. I didn¡¯t know if I was more upset with her asking for my help or her not coming to finish what she started. I had not even looked at her. I had not seen her, and it hit me that I could have. If I had only turned my head.

    Ian would hear of it. I sent the message. It was done. I would not be that guy anymore.

    The room was empty. I was alone. I understood why she never wanted to be alone. There is nothing remarkable about having it all, but you had no real connections. It made me think about Lyla.  I looked everywhere for her. If it were not for the Ittoqure, we wouldn¡¯t have found them hiding in the tunnels. I wanted her on my side and would have given her the protection I knew they would not. If Samuel got anywhere near her. Lyla would die. It was as simple for him as it was for Juliet. No thoughts. No calculations. No assessment of what the risks could be. The only thing that mattered was family. I looked at my wrist. I had crossed a line, and only death would separate us.

    On Earth, I watched her life and Louis¡¯s. We had found all of Lyla¡¯s tubes. All of their lives. I had focused on Louis, trying to see what was so special about him. Even if Marcus was a problem, she had said she would never, for no one, do it to him. I still didn¡¯t understand what she meant.

    Louis¡¯s feed was hard to watch, even for me. He had, at one point, lost all sensible control of himself. At other times, he had sat down for long periods doing nothing. The first one was right after his father died, and his mother left him with Samuel, making them believe she was dying. He had lost the will to live. I don¡¯t think he would¡¯ve made it if it were not for Samuel. His ability only kicked in later. The noise and the lack of control had driven him into the mountains. He had lived there for a long time, seeing only one person at a time. He got the hang of it, could control it, and then¡­ he had mastered it. Woman after woman he had slept with and bitten into their necks as he spilled himself in each of them. I wondered what Juliet would say if she saw it. Actually, see what happened. Would she still feel the same? If he could be so deranged, what did I ever do? Was it all just a matter of timing. The thought stirred me to do¡­ something. Like she always did to get over those intense emotional episodes. I was going through the same thing, and in a few months or even a year, I would meet them with confidence. My new ability had already saved my life that day.

    Juliet had lay in that medical bay for two months after being bit by a fish. Marcus never left her side. I couldn¡¯t even see her. When the men started reproducing the cause and the help middle to make it more amenable, I took a few vials for myself. At that moment, I wanted to understand what Rodrigo had done and keep myself busy. Prepare for the future if they were ever in another situation where she needed help.

    The images of Louis didn¡¯t want to leave me. I knew she would be haunted by them. So, if I couldn¡¯t kill her family¡­ I would destroy it¡­ I would be as cruel as she was. Not walking away when it was over.  I would show her exactly who and what she had elevated in her mind. Her jealousy would crush their relationship.

    In a rage, I stood and walked to Rana¡¯s room, where I knew she would be waiting on her bed. There was no time to give her what she had asked for, and I didn¡¯t care anymore whether she improved her mind or not. Rana would have to wait until I was over Juliet or one of us was dead.

    I hurriedly approached the bed. Rana¡¯s ample cleavage drove me toward her. I ripped her bodice in half, reaching around and digging out the start of her chest bindings, unwrapping it in a swirl above her head. ¡°Don¡¯t wear these again.¡± She nodded. Heavy, perfectly milky breasts welcomed me. I took one in hand, kneading hard and rubbing her full nipple between my fingers until it was taut. In a rush, I pushed her onto the bed in a frenzied race to enter her. Rana cried out. I looked down at her face. She was scared. At that point, nothing could stop me. I bundled up the hem of her skirt and pushed the fabric up to her waist. With one tug, I ripped off her underwear and tossed them aside. By now, Rana was crying. It was new. Not that I had done anything like it since our wedding night. I had tried to behave myself, but at that moment, Soren wasn¡¯t there. I reached for her breast and clamped down, rougher and more demanding, bruising her. She slapped at my hand, trying to make me stop. It didn¡¯t work. I tried to put my lips on hers, but my mouth was filled with teeth. Rana whimpered and moved under me. ¡°Please, Soren, stop.¡±

    My hand clamped over her mouth. I pushed her head to the side, resting my forearm on her throat. My shoulder pushed her body into the mattress. With my other hand, I grasped her knee and forced it into the air. The other leg was kicking for no reason. The few brazen slaps she gave me I took as I pushed my hips forward in an uncontrollable desire. Rana¡¯s yell was muffled. I groaned. The warm and wet back and forth consumed every part of me. The need to have and dominate her in every facet. I pulsed with every thrust, releasing and closing my hand over her breast every time the sensation coursed through me. Rana put her hands on my chest and lifted up her legs. She pushed them in between us and kicked me out of her and across the room, yelling loudly. My head slammed into the wall. For a moment, I was Soren again. Rana sobbed raggedly as my face turned to normal.

    In that moment, I knew what Lucius had done to Isla. What any man would do when they have lost all of their goodness. Vampire men. Women had the strength to compete. I wanted to tie Rana¡¯s hands to the posts and spread her legs. Keep her confined so I can get on top without backlash or interference. Ready when I needed her. Locked up in a room for when I felt like it. Were they not called comfort women in the wars back on Earth.

    ¡°I apologize, Soren.¡± She fell to the floor, head on the ground. ¡°You have been rough for weeks. I am hurt, and I need time to heal. You told me this would happen. I did not think it would be this bad.¡± Inwardly, I thought about it. Had I been rough. I couldn¡¯t remember all my spells.

    I told Juliet Louis had done that exact same thing to her, and I had seen it on those tubes. Yet, she had stayed with him. How he had flipped her and manipulated her. Man handled the slightest protest and forcefully devastated her. I manifested again and jumped across the room, flattening Rana to the floor. I was too fast and too agile. My legs were where they had to be. I dragged her arm behind her back and put the other one in the same grip, pushing my weight down on her back. I spread her legs with my knees and flung her skirts out of the way, exposing her ass. The sight of her squirming brought on my manifestation. I was rigid and drove myself into her, ignoring the screams no one would dare say anything about.

    Only after rolling off her could I relax for the first time. It was the only way to still that beast Rodrigo had unleashed in me. What not even Louis could manage with two hundred years of self-control. I was nowhere near that. Juliet had handled him well and had played along. Excused it for rough sex. She had loved him and had taken it like a good girl. What a child. Sometimes, she had run. She could run. Rana couldn¡¯t. And Juliet had me to comfort her.

    I jumped up, grabbed a sobbing Rana by the throat, and hoisted her into the air. I tossed her on the bed, ripping the sheets and tying her face down on the bed. Hands extended and feet apart, waiting for the next wave to hit. ¡°If you break them, I will get proper bondages.¡± I wondered what the other guys would do if they saw what Louis actually did. If Louis would still be that important afterward.

    ***

    Louis

    Marcus and Juliet were in her office. The screaming match had been going on for some time. As soon as we realized how complacent we had become. Marcus and I had stayed in our Vampire manifestation to rid ourselves of the Dheka¡¯s influence. It had made us both a little softer towards her. Juliet¡¯s life was in danger, and she was stuck somewhere. It wasn¡¯t so easy for Chris. He had tried but couldn¡¯t help her. The man was out of his mind before Jessy brought her into the room.

    We knew we had to move back to En-gannim. It was time. Juliet was back, and everything was out the window. She had said so herself. It would be the roller coaster of our lives. I sighed, looking at Chris and Michael. We were all waiting for them to sort out four months of pent-up anger, frustration, and manipulations. A few times, Juliet reached a point where she turned into a raving lunatic attacking Marcus. They fought for the first time for real. Marcus had to put in effort and got her pinned every time. She would disappear, he would go entirely to the other side and laugh at her, and she knew the difference. It would start all over. Other times, he would go after her. For the first time, Marcus was crossing that line. It was strange for me to let it all play out. I was not myself and couldn¡¯t help anyone at that moment.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long I can stand here,¡± Chris said. ¡°It¡¯s painful to watch¡­ Do I really need to be here to contain her? Would Marcus hurt her for real? It seems a bit unfair. You lectured her, and what did the two of you do? Same thing you always do. I¡¯m getting rather sick of it, Louis.¡±

    ¡°Not as sick as me!¡± I spat out. ¡°Who has to clean up everyone¡¯s messes? We keep telling her there would be consequences, and no one ever does anything. Marcus is the only one who will actually follow through.¡± Chris¡¯s eyes were filled with bewilderment. I knew what he saw. I knew the moment I sat down on that bed across from her. At two hundred, I was only beginning to understand being a Vampire. I lectured everyone, including Michael. It was time for my traits to come full force to the surface. In a situation that generations had seen would not worked. My uncle had fought so hard to keep order. My ideals were stuck between my father and his brother. Neither way seemed to work.

    I wanted with all my heart to tell her it was an absolute stuff up. It was too much. I was sick of it. She had to choose¡­ I had thought I was mature. I laughed at myself. I was just a child. She had told me it would become too much. Asked when I would plummet. I had been cocky.  ¡°We all have a role to play, Chris. What was yours again? Our new goal should be to make her happy. And what did you do? You almost left her for another freaking woman¡­ We all keep hurting her.¡±

    ¡°This is where I want to be,¡± Chris mocked with his head swaying from side to side. I turned to him, my eyes glossed over. It had been a long time since I had let loose. The Dheka drug, suddenly out of my system, was not helping. The fighting and the power had once again taken over, and Soren was also infected. I understood why Marcus was so angry. She just never lets up.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Michael came to stand in between us. ¡°This is always going to come down to her. There will always be three men who have to wait until she figures things out with the one there is an issue with. She can¡¯t shove it all into a box.¡± Michael complained.

    My manifestation didn¡¯t want to drop. ¡°That¡¯s the problem then. It¡¯s the three of you.¡± Michael manifested into a Vampire. I recoiled at the sight, knowing that he could take her away in an instant. At my word, Chris had also become the beast he was. I dropped my attitude upon hearing something Juliet said to Marcus. She was right, and Chris was the only outsider who could see things clearly. I sighed. Chris was also the only one that made sure they were connected.

    We had gotten reports from Earth. They were begging Juliet for help and had implemented all her suggestions. Charlene had even said she would send the wolves in if Marcus didn¡¯t do something. She didn¡¯t even know if her family was still alive. Going crazy that Carl was still missing and stuck in that mess. I had created this family. I had two days to make the decision. But I had made it. And in the end, if one of us walked away. Even me. Juliet had a whole lot of people and creatures that would fight for her. Would be there for her. Her life was not in danger anymore. For the first time, I had doubts about why I was there. My brain was so back and forth, and I couldn¡¯t go near her. Not because I didn¡¯t want to. But because I was terrified.

    It was finally quiet, and we peeked into the room. Marcus and Juliet¡¯s tongues were fused and sultry. Clothes were being removed in record time. The three of us turned. ¡°You got your wish, Chris. I think it¡¯s safe to say we¡¯re not needed anymore.¡± I relaxed a little, remembering what Marcus had said the first time they slept together. ¡°Is she too much to handle, Louis?¡± I had to shake myself.

    ¡°What if she¡¯s using it to get me out of here. She will run for it as soon as my back is turned.¡± Chris said.

    ¡°We can stay and watch,¡± Michael said, peeking over. None of us had sex in a while. Four months. It was only Chris. Not that I would know. My ability had disappeared. Came and went. If it was a superficial little thought, I had to read. Or meaningful, like with Agatha, it worked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not push it,¡± Chris said, and we headed to the command center.

    Caleb was waiting. ¡°Where did you come from?¡± Chris asked.

    ¡°Is it over? I was there for about five minutes.¡± We all chuckled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go now. I think there will be happy endings all around.¡±

    ¡°I did something stupid,¡± Caleb said in hushed tones. We all turned to the boy. Those few words meant so much for our family. The atmosphere changed. ¡°We only have two days before Jade fixes the part Juliet took, and they are back online.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Chris prodded.

    ¡°Well, I went to Earth.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Caleb, what possessed you?¡±

    ¡°I have bad news and then terrible news.¡±

    We all sat down facing the child. ¡°I went to make sure Charlene¡¯s parents were okay. They are safe, but the vamps are stuck there. They can¡¯t retreat anymore, so it is a blood bath. If we don¡¯t do something today, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°What is the terrible news?¡±

    Caleb turned to me, hesitating to speak. Stared at me, hoping I would read him. ¡°Just say what it is.¡±

    ¡°Your feed¡­ Your whole life¡¯s feed¡­ It was released months ago.¡± I stood to my feet. The tiny amount of blood I had drained from my face. ¡°What you did to my mom¡­ on the compound. Louis, do I really need to spell it out.¡± I wanted to throw up. Caleb had seen it. Why had we not destroyed it? Why was that even on a tube? Marcus! He had ordered that the watcher tech go back online when he arrived on En-gannim.

    ¡°No. No, No! No, you don¡¯t. Come. With me! With me! I¡¯m cashing in all my favors for a change. Anyone have a problem with that.¡± No one said a peep. I ran out of the room, the three following me. I went to Marcus¡¯s lab, and we got geared up for the extraction. If Marcus wouldn¡¯t attack that Island. I would. Kill the boy myself before Juliet even went to Earth. I sent Jessy a message. A minute later, he was there.

    ¡°My feed is playing on Earth. Juliet is on her way there.¡±

    Jessy freaked out. ¡°How many, quickly Louis, how many.¡±

    ¡°Everyone you can spare. Then we need to go to Soren¡¯s home and invade. So, two tactical procedures. The same as we would have done and then all in.¡±

    Jessy was already going to the barracks. Kubra came in and suited up. ¡°How long do we have?¡±

    ¡°You have one hour, and I want it all done. But Kubra, you need to be here.¡±

    He hesitated. ¡°Yes, your league. It will be my pleasure.¡±

    ¡°Selena and Jamal.¡±

    ¡°With Jessy. Don¡¯t worry. We know what we¡¯re doing. You won¡¯t have to do anything but hope Marcus can keep her busy that long.¡±

    We were all in a horrible place. Our family was dissolving. But there was no way in hell. Juliet would see my feed.

    ***

    Soren

    My lust was spent, but I had an immense desire for power. I couldn¡¯t curb my brain working in a way it had never done. I felt invincible. So I made a decision. Our communications and the teleporters were down, and I knew what Juliet had done. I was so angry that I didn¡¯t send her home, but it was a minor inconvenience. Stuck on my parent¡¯s island, I knew they would come, so I scrambled. I ensured we had enough parts to replace anything that needed to be fixed. All I had to do was tinker with the teleporter station on our island, and when someone came in, I would piggyback out. I couldn¡¯t look anyone in the face at that moment, so I didn¡¯t warn anyone, nor could I do anything if Isla or my parents died that day. I had made another mistake.

    I waited and waited. Knew it wouldn¡¯t be long. I traveled. It wasn¡¯t where I thought I would end up. I was in The Tower, with a frown on my brow. It was awfully quiet. I tried going to Palmyra. It didn¡¯t work¡­ Hmmm, I checked some of their coordinates, chose the one that was not like the others and sent a signal. I was instantly transferred. One young man was at his post. I frowned, reaching out and snapping his neck. I put in the coordinates as fast as I could. I had a moment to glance up. A cloud of death was coming at me. Two people had manifested into a shadow of darkness. Four eyes were boring into mine. My eyes grew twice their size as I wished for my body to go faster than necessary.

    I was on Palmyra, breathing out. ¡°What the hell was that!?¡± Ian had more problems than we anticipated. The Chadari and vamps were glad to see me. We scrambled to fix the teleporter. It took me a moment. I had no idea how to activate the power. ¡°F-. Dimitrios, do you know how to do it?¡±

    He was reluctant. ¡°Fahan is trapped on Earth. Marcus is attacking Ian¡¯s Island. No communications if we don¡¯t get it online. Do I really need to say more?¡±

    ¡°Jade knows.¡±

    ¡°What! Will she help?¡±

    Dimitrios ran, and I followed. I saw where to go and how to get to Brylee¡¯s rooms for the first time. It was such a maze and well-guarded that it did not matter if I knew where she was. Jade was untouchable. She looked up at us. ¡°We need you. Will you help Fahan?¡±

    ¡°Why should I? Give me one reason.¡±

    ¡°Aries might die. You need to get him off the planet if anything happens to Fahan.¡± She frowned. I glanced at Dimitrios. He shook his head. Fahan did not tell her. I drew in a frustrated breath, ¡°It is not only for you and him. Your whole race dies out if one of you gets killed.¡± Jade jumped to her feet. ¡°Whoever is not on the planet will survive. You will still die, but Aries can live.¡± I was lying, but she didn¡¯t know that. I didn¡¯t even really know how it would work. Would their home planet¡¯s people or everyone on Palmyra disappear? Jade was already out the door.

    Once we were at the station, she eyed me suspiciously. Dimitrios pushed us out of the space, allowing Jade to finish what I had started. The teleporter droned to life. Jade smiled, and Dimitrios dragged her under his arm. I watched them for a moment with interest. ¡°You know. You can also brand Jade, and the three of you will be connected. I don¡¯t know. How old are you?¡±

    ¡°What!? Twenty Years.¡±

    ¡°No time to explain. Think about it. I got to go.¡± I pushed a communicator into a vamp¡¯s hand. You need to be lightning-fast. He pressed a button, and I came out in The Tower. If they were in the middle of a battle, it would be the best place to do recon. The first thing I did was go to the source of their power. It was gone. They had moved it. All of it. Protected by a giant shadow. I went to the lab to see what they had been working on. I picked up the makeshift explosive and took a whiff. ¡°It¡¯s not for Earth.¡±

    I turned, pulling a mask over my face in case I needed it. I left with the weed bomb in hand, checking the halls to see if anyone even knew I was there. It wasn¡¯t just awfully quiet but eerily. I went upstairs to Ahasuerus¡¯s office. There was no one there. Another frown on my brow. Maybe they were all in the fight on Ian¡¯s island? I heard strange sounds and took a few steps toward the door. What was going on became more apparent. I peeked into the space, stunned by an uncontrollable silence of infuriation. My manifestation was instant. I stepped through the door. Two pairs of angry eyes looked at me.

    All I had to do was throw. Marcus was a little faster than I thought he would be. I stepped back and closed the door, jamming the mechanism on the wall. His eyes were pools of fear as they darted from Juliet to me. He tapped on the glass and wanted to say something but fell down before he could even open his mouth. I reconnected the door and stepped through. I laughed at the footage of Marcus trying to get a hold of Juliet the first time. Instead of killing him because I wasn¡¯t ready to die, I stepped over his naked, flaccid body, kicked him in the face, and walked over to my naked prize. ¡°Where am I going to take you. Where and how will your boyfriend not find you.¡± I had no idea I was going to get that lucky. ¡°You and your bad luck.¡±

    I was taking her to the compound. Got in a car at the diner and was driving to the gates of hell. Ian came walking out of Agatha¡¯s house. I exited and opened the back door, dragging her feet toward me and picking her up. Ian took a step back and smiled. ¡°Oh, Soren.¡±

    Even if Chris came for her. He could die. It would mean one less to worry about.

    I shakily took the stairs. ¡°Cut her! Quickly, Ian.¡± He unsheathed his sword and stood back, slicing down over her arm. I manifested. My hand gripped his neck, and nails dug into his throat. Ian saw my newfound ability and consequences for the first time. ¡°Don¡¯t do that again. A small cut would¡¯ve sufficed.¡±

    Ian and I stared at each other. ¡°You know¡­ I should believe my sister when she tells me outrageous stories of demons. I would cut you, too, but I think I will need you. And you keep honoring your word.¡±

    I let my manifestation go and walked into the house. ¡°They will come for her. We need to figure out how to stop them. Nahrima is very unprotected right now. I don¡¯t know what you want to do. They are taking over your house and coming to mine. Did you not notice our teleporter was off.¡±

    ¡°I did. Soren, you have to calm down. This is war. And didn¡¯t you fix it already?¡±

 207. No Words

    207. No Words

    Kubra

    I felt a little left out while Louis and the guys fought for Ian¡¯s island. My men and I had to protect what we already had. Regardless, I was doing the rounds, hoping Louis and the boys would finish the job. Nahrima was the most fortified, and I needed to keep it that way. In the end, Louis had only taken a handful of men because we didn¡¯t have that much to spare, and if they succeeded, we needed to finish the job on Earth.

    It was a tedious task to check every building in Nahrima. Would Ian even know we were coming? Did they have some other way of communicating with Earth? I paused before I had to travel again. The Tower was not guarded at all if everyone was out. Marcus and Juliet were there, but¡­ I decided to make a quick trip, taking some men with me. We were barely through the lobby, and Ian¡¯s men came through. We were ready and slaughtered them. It was a scouting parting. My mind started working, wondering how they had gotten the information. It meant that they had fixed their teleporter, but how? When? I sent the guys a message. They were deep in there, so they had no time to talk.

    I went upstairs to see if Marcus and Juliet were decent. It was hard to see her give it all away to Soren. I couldn¡¯t blame her for not knowing he would turn, and after, it was even worse to watch Marcus do nothing for months. I walked through the small foyer, passing some other offices to get to Juliet¡¯s. I knew that smell and stepped back, clapping a hand over my mouth and nose. I had to get a mask. Made another trip and came back upstairs. I stepped through the door and tripped over something. ¡°Marcus!¡± I moved into the room and searched the whole office. Juliet would not go that far. It felt off even for her. I walked through the door, dragging Marcus with me.

    The mechanism that worked the door was tampered with, and I couldn¡¯t understand who could come into the tower and do it. I traveled to Juliet¡¯s room, tossed Marcus on the bed, sat down, and raked my hand through my hair. I stood up quickly and went through Juliet¡¯s cupboard, found what I was looking for, and stabbed Marcus in the neck, waiting for the drugs to take effect. It wouldn¡¯t be as quick as getting over a hangover. It felt like an age. I asked the guys how it was going. Nothing. My foot started tapping. ¡°Juliet, where are you?¡± I took another tube and pushed it into his neck. Marcus¡¯s eyes slowly opened. He folded in two, clutching his stomach, groaning. ¡°Aarghh.¡± Marcus was in severe pain. ¡°Kubra. Antidote.¡± He doubled over again, pulling his knees to his chest, unable to speak. His eyes closed.

    Where the hell will I find the antidote. I needed Romero or the next best thing. I traveled. ¡°Charlene!¡± I roared out into the desert.

    She jogged out of Romero¡¯s house. He was right behind her. ¡°I need someone. Anyone.¡±

    Iku drifted over, covering the ground in a few seconds. ¡°What happened.¡± I looked at the shadow. Would he help us?

    ¡°Marcus needs help.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    That was easy. Iku followed and rushed the naked body on the bed. Marcus was drenched in sweat. His veins were starting to pop to the surface of his skin. Iku picked him up and enveloped him in his arms. He kept going until I couldn¡¯t see Marcus anymore. Iku came back to human and gently laid him on the bed, watching to see if he would calm down. It worked. ¡°He won¡¯t wake up for a while.¡±

    ¡°Thank You. I don¡¯t know how¡­ But I will.¡±

    ¡°There is no need. Now, slowly, tell me what happened.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Juliet is gone. I can¡¯t get a hold of the men¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go see what¡¯s going on. Can you trust your men without you?¡± I nodded.

    Iku and I traveled to Avrio¡¯s Island, met with streets filled with bodies. There were men on the ground going through what Marcus had experienced and others whose symptoms had run their course. I started running. The fight wasn¡¯t over, and before we could take a few steps, more vamps pushed through behind us. Not our men. Ian was doing damage control from Earth. Iku didn¡¯t need to ask for a weapon. We fought side by side. They were traveling in thirty at a time. Iku went straight for them, flowing over the men and turning pitch black. No veins. No distinctions. He moved through the first wave, leaving dead bodies to fall to the ground. The next wave, he extended his arms, dragging the vamps to the sand¡¯s edge, pushing them into the air, and throwing them into the pink ocean. The next wave had arrived and vanished as soon as they saw the massacre or what they were dealing with.

    ¡°I do not know why Marcus did not ask for help sooner. The boy is out of his dept.¡± I realized he was. It was too much for Marcus. Too many people depended on him. Too many variables. He only needed to take care of two people in his life. Now, there were many¡­ and Naji. He had too many emotions that he had no idea how to deal with.

    Caleb came out of his vanished state. ¡°We have to go to Palmyra! Right now! We need to take back my father¡¯s power. Once and for all.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a choice.¡± I glanced at Iku.

    ¡°I am willing. Bored out of my mind. Would not mind fighting the Chadari again. It has been a while. Their swords will be a problem. Maybe I should go get my wife. We make it a fair fight.¡± The corner of his mouth lifted.

    ¡°Your wife?¡±

    Iku¡¯s smile broadened. ¡°Come.¡±

    It took us ten minutes, but we came out at the Palace on Palmyra and followed Caleb as he led us to their command center. The Chadari lifted their heads in the air and cried out. Iku¡¯s wife elegantly moved to stand in front of him. He settled behind her and nestled in her neck. She whispered seductively into his ear. Iku let out a low groan. With two hands, he stroked her arms until their fingers were mingled. The first Chadari came at them. She lifted her hands slowly as they manifested into a joint cloud of death, pushing their power toward the oncoming waves of stampeding dragons who were only a sword¡¯s length away. Their extended shadow flowed over each opponent, swirling around their heads, dropping them like flies.

    ¡°Behind you.¡± Caled yelled.

    Iku¡¯s wife was not concerned. They moved as a well-choreographed team, turning slowly, their bodies dancing and sending their shadow out.

    I remembered what happened during the campaign on Mirach. Romero¡¯s army only had to stand together. A cloud of death defeated the front lines. The werewolves were leading the expedition. Silvanus had seen what I had. The Dheka was not attacking but protecting, defending. He had teleported into the middle of the two opposing armies and held up his hand. Silvanus had taken a knee. The queen stepped out, surrounded by a cloud of protection. She walked gracefully over the soil until she touched his shoulder. The man and the woman were the same height when Silvanus got up. It was he who saved us that day. The werewolves had no idea what they had gotten into. Silvanus gestured to the wolves, and Zavier stepped out of the crowd to meet her. I found out later what he had told her, why they had come, and what they predicted would happen. The queen called off the army. The three had a lengthy discussion. We were there for weeks. First, we needed to get to the city to attack, and then we had to wait for the ruler. I never even saw Romero.

    I knew the red swords worked on Iku if he was human, but not when manifested. The first Chadari tried to throw his sword at them. Iku swept out from behind his wife. The sword went right through her. The bridge shook with every step Iku took until he towered above the unlucky dragon. It looked like he could control what parts of him could solidify and when. He reached out, placed his hand on the Chadari¡¯s head, and tossed him over the bridge.

    Caleb and I were busy behind the teleporter. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I just need.¡± I looked around. ¡°It¡¯s not here.¡±

    ¡°I have it,¡± said a voice from the doors at the top of the stairs leading into the palace. Jade tossed the thing up into the air and grabbed it again. Iku¡¯s wife wasn¡¯t happy and pushed Caleb and me out of the way. She folded her arms together, lifted and pulled everything from the ground, crushing the whole structure. The droning stopped instantly, leaving the bridge eerily quiet. As a result, the Chadari retaliated. Iku held off the incoming traffic. The wife moved swiftly towards the stairs. Dimitrios saw the threat, jumped onto the wall, and came down on her with his sword in both hands pointed down. The blade penetrated into the stone. Iku turned death on his features. ¡°I am protecting what is mine,¡± Dimitrios said.

    Iku held out his arm. His wife drifted over and pushed her back into his chest. Caleb came out of his vanished state and yelled, ¡°Enough!¡± Iku and his wife returned to human as we huddled together, teleporting back to En-gannim. His wife was wide-eyed, looking at everything and talking in a strange tongue. She stepped out of the teleporter spot, walking very fast, touching everything she could. Iku followed, smiling. He took her hand and led her back to where she had to be. We traveled again. She was even more amazed and manifested, flowing down the street. Iku sighed and did the same. Caleb and I were running down the road. Avrio¡¯s house came into view. Marcus¡¯s men had taken the island. ¡°General.¡±

    ¡°Have you cleared the island?

    ¡°We will not leave one soul alive. The men are working their way through as we speak.¡±

    ¡°Stay here.¡±

    Iku¡¯s wife was still going from one place to another. She wanted to touch the pink water. Iku grabbed her hand and spun her to him. He murmured to her. Her eyes widened, and she turned into him, taking his hands and wrapping his arms around her. She was a beautiful woman. Flawless dark skin. A strapless, long black dress hugged every part of her. At the waist, it ruffled and flowed outwards. A large cape was tied around her neck with round golden plates woven together. Her hair was loosely braided in rows on her head. The rest hung free, soft, and long to her waist. On both hands, black rings on her middle fingers connected to bracelets with intricately crafted chains and jewels. She had tattoos on her face. White and inked into the dark skin. It followed her upper browline in small dots from one side to the other. Under her eyes, it was the same, framing her most beautiful features across her cheeks bones, and the bridge of her nose. Her eyes were more blue than Louis and Juliet¡¯s combined. ¡°Come, we got to get to Soren¡¯s island to see how Louis is faring.¡±

    We traveled again. Their Island was small. You could see the boundary in the distance. Iku¡¯s wife had calmed down, and we walked along the narrow beached road. En-gannim was worth fighting for. Louis was sitting down, clutching his head in his hands. The three Riphaths huddled in a group outside the house. Michael was cleaning the streets. It was quiet as we walked into the house. Louis gripped Caleb¡¯s wrist and held him back. ¡°Not today.¡±

    I slowly made my way through the cordoned-off courtyard. We moved through the house. Iku¡¯s wife went ballistic, rushing the bed, cutting Rana¡¯s bondages, yelling, and destroying the furniture.

    Iku sat on the bed beside the woman and covered her with a throw. Rana was staring aimlessly out in front of her. ¡°Do you want to live or die?¡±

    Rana sobbed instantly. Iku stood up. ¡°She will be okay.¡±

    ¡°Louis!¡± I yelled as we entered the courtyard. The man came into the house with Caleb next to him. I nodded, and he let the boy go. ¡°Where is Juliet?¡± I asked.

    ¡°With Marcus.¡±

    ¡°Her office was attacked with one of Marcus¡¯s creations. We barely saved him. Some of Ian¡¯s men came. If I had to guess, Soren used the gap.¡±

    ¡°No! How did they get into the tower? How was the teleporter operational again.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on or what happened.¡±

    Louis¡¯s gaze drifted over my shoulder. Rana was shakily descending the stairs on her way somewhere. ¡°None of us could kill her. I don¡¯t know what to do with her?¡± Louis said.

    ¡°Soren¡¯s parents?¡±

    ¡°Dead.¡± Louis seemed defeated.

    ¡°Isla?¡±

    Louis shook his head. ¡°She wasn¡¯t there.¡±

    ¡°We completely destroyed their teleporter. Ian¡¯s troops are stuck there. Should we keep going?¡±

    Louis didn¡¯t want to snap out of it. Caleb disappeared. The gesture brought Louis full circle. ¡°Michael! Werewolf! Caleb! Chris, get him.¡±

    The boy had run, teleporting down the road. Michael had to go from one to the other to catch up. Chris was at the station before either of them could reach the cubicle. He wrapped his arms around his son, and Caleb came back. ¡°Let me go. Soren has mom. Let me go!¡± Chris¡¯s eyes came up, and I nodded.

    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Caleb. I can go get her, remember. But I will need you. Level headed. We can¡¯t go in there without a plan. Soren knows everything about us.¡±

    ¡°She is with Soren, who did that to Rana.¡± Caleb struggled in Chris¡¯s arms, which manifested and tightened his grip on the boy. ¡°She is on Earth with Ian. Dad, we have to go. She will see everything. They will cut her. She¡¯ll be trapped. If we kill all of them. They will have no need for her. Fahan is there¡­ they will all die! It will be just you, me and Michael. Dad let me go. If we don¡¯t go in there now, they will figure something out to counter you.¡±

    ¡°Soren knows I¡¯m coming.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Dad, please. We have to go. If she was drugged with the same stuff, she would die anyway. Soren won¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong. He won¡¯t bring her back.¡±

    ***

    Fahan

    I heard the car pull up to the house. We had recalled our troops after Juliet¡¯s interference, and we were on our way to retreat to En-gannin when the teleporters stopped working again. I was stuck on Earth with my army, and because our system was interlinked, we had no way to communicate with Jade. Soren was holding a naked Juliet in his arms. She had wounds all over her body. Her arms were raw. Her ribs were bruised. She had defensive wounds on her hands and her face. A massive cut on her arm. It was strange seeing her like that. Soren¡¯s face. It was different. What had they done? Juliet¡¯s body pulled together in a weird spasm. Her veins were protruding above her skin. Ian and Soren were arguing. ¡°If we let her die, all our problems will be solved,¡± Ian said.

    ¡°Solved!? Solved?! All your men, dead. No way to get back!¡±

    ¡°We can finally start over, Soren. We have enough men. We will find a way back. It is only a matter of time before Dimitrios and Jade fix the teleporter. Think about it, Soren. It¡¯s what we wanted. We didn¡¯t even have to do anything. The Earth will be ours. En-gannim. Everything.¡±

    ¡°She will die anyway,¡± Soren said to himself. ¡°I thought it was normal weed. If I don¡¯t help her. She will die.¡± The boy was losing all control.

    ¡°Soren, why would you want to help her.¡±

    ¡°I had plans, just like you. I told you what I wanted. She has to suffer. Don¡¯t you understand?¡±

    Ian regarded him for a moment. ¡°You feel they are getting an easy death.¡±

    ¡°Way too easy! We might not have the same goals, but can you at least try to see it from my perspective.¡±

    ¡°Well, Soren, I can¡¯t help you. Like you said, she will die anyway. You did this. You got overzealous.¡± Ian turned to leave, talking to some of his men.

    Soren held Juliet in his arms, his chin on her head, rocking back and forth. The boy did not know what to do. Juliet¡¯s body began to shake uncontrollably. Her limbs were taught and seemed fixed in place. ¡°You can¡¯t die. Julie!¡± He stroked her head, kissing her on the forehead. I finally understood what was going on. All those months. The posturing. Marcus¡¯s reluctance to attack. Soren¡¯s drive to kill Jade. Ian¡¯s patience to take over. I did not like seeing Juliet like that. I did not like the idea of the vamps disappearing and dealing with Ian until my last breath. I did not like being stranded on Earth for weeks or even months. There was no way Dimitrios and Jade could fix the teleporter. I would be stuck there. My men would be stuck on Earth.

    Before Ian could leave the room and Soren still on the ground, another car stopped. We were not used to car sounds on the compound. None of us could fit in one, and the vamps didn¡¯t know how they worked. Ian had turned back to see what was going on. Marcus came walking up the stairs, hands in the air. Bear chest and pants. Nothing on his feet. He looked like he did after we fought on the boat. He was drenched in sweat, his hair fixed to his forehead, and his skin looked like Juliet¡¯s. Ian wanted to move. Marcus went onto his knees, ¡°Please give it to her.¡± He had two black things in his hand. ¡°Please, Soren, give it to her.¡± Soren had already put Juliet down and had gone over to where Marcus was. Hurriedly, he took the two things and stabbed Juliet in the neck with both. He cradled her again, moving back and forth. Ian lifted his hand, and the men took Marcus away. One under each arm, his feet dragging. Marcus looked back to see if Juliet would wake up.

    ***

    Juliet

    I tried to open my eyes, but the shock of what happened and the realization that I was somewhere I was not supposed to be overwhelmed me. I was naked but not cold. Too hot and sweating. I had a consuming fever. The excruciating pain followed. I groaned, and my muscles pulled together in agony. It felt like I would catch fire. All I could smell was blood and sweat. The taste of iron on my tongue. Two arms tightened their hold on me. It was so quiet around us. A strong wind was howling outside, blowing in gusts of dusty wind over us. I moved my head from side to side to try and rid myself of the fog that wouldn¡¯t lift. I remembered the feeling.

    Rodrigo crouched down beside me. Stuck in a room connected to some yellow liquid. My mind went black, and I felt myself immersed in nothingness. Jolted back to life, just to be taken away to the darkness, realizing I was about to die. My body was fighting, not wanting to let go, but I had no strength to make it count. I was on the floor, and I felt the slamming of a fist onto my chest. It was the only thing bringing me back from letting go. I had no control¡­ at the mercy of another person. I wanted it to stop. I wanted them to leave me alone. The quiet and darkness were much better than the pain and vulnerability.

    ¡°Come on!¡± Soren¡¯s voice broke through the last hard pound on my chest. I could open my eyes. He pulled me to his chest, and I stared out over the desert. Two big doors stood open. Marcus would be going through what I had gone through. The little fight I had left made me weakly move around in Soren¡¯s arms, trying to break free. He would not let me go. I could not talk. ¡°Julie.¡± I struggled more with the endearment; he had no right to call me anymore. I wanted to lift my arms and swat him away, push him far away from me. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±

    I turned my head. There were a lot of men in the room. One dressed differently than the rest. ¡°Soren, give her to the men and come with me.¡±

    A fear of what it meant took over. I struggled even more. ¡°I will take her.¡± The voice was so familiar. I was relieved to see him. Fahan bent down and slid his hand in under my waist until his fingers curled around my waist, and I was dangling high off the ground from his grasp. I didn¡¯t want to look at Soren. We were moving through the house. I had not seen those parts. Fahan opened a door and descended several stairs, reaching a landing, turning, and more stairs. It became darker and darker. He had no issues finding his way. He pushed open another door. ¡°Fahan, please. Put her in with me.¡± Marcus was there. I tried to see him. It was too dark. ¡°I can not,¡± was all Fahan said. ¡°Julie, I¡¯m here.¡±

    I still couldn¡¯t speak. I was on a cold cement floor, and the door creaked and shut with a clang of metal on metal. I turned on my side, clutching my stomach. The pain didn¡¯t want to go away. I couldn¡¯t hear Marcus anymore. I could hear nothing but the deafening silence around me. We were down in the tunnels. I was in one of those rooms where you put young vamps to conform. Taken out to be tortured and left for too long. Chris had still not come for me. Why had he not come for me? I¡¯d been in so much danger those last two days.

    ***

    Soren

    I had asked Ian to give me a minute. Sat on Juliet¡¯s bed where we had consummated our relationship. I was shaking, completely losing any coherent faculties. I had dosed myself at one time with that stuff, not like Louis, who stretched it out over months and months. There was no way to get it out. Juliet could kill me. But I was nowhere near killing her, and I did not know how to convince Ian not to do it. What would motivate him to let them all live? It was such a simple solution. Kill her, and all our problems disappear.

    I took a freezing shower, scrubbing the blood off my hands. Juliet¡¯s veins had started bleeding, the corners of her eyes and nose. It was so close. If Marcus did not come. It would¡¯ve all been over. I put on new clothes while walking.

    Ian was in the main house in Qadir¡¯s old room. ¡°Soren, you have to give me a good reason.¡±

    ¡°I was¡­ on another planet. There was another species¡­ A.. The only way I can describe it¡­ The man turned into a cloud¡­ a black cloud.¡±

    Ian¡¯s features paled. I sighed in relief. ¡°The Dheka. So that¡¯s where they were hiding. We have to change strategies. Marcus needs to stay here for as long as possible. Do you have any way of getting us up and running on Palmyra?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Do you think the rest will keep going on En-gannim?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know? Maybe Liam and Samuel will take them out. Use the opportunity.¡±

    Ian came back from his manifestation. ¡°So we lost this round. We will have to focus on Earth for now. Find a way to communicate with Jade and Dimitrios. If we kill them all, we will never leave. We can¡¯t kill Juliet after all. The Dheka has Ahasuerus¡¯s vaults. Their teleportation power. Everything.¡±

    ¡°Who is the Dheka?¡±

    ¡°Death.¡±

    Fahan, walking inside a house too small for him, gave away his location. He struggled to get through the door. ¡°Ian. What is going on? We cannot be stuck here forever? What are we supposed to eat? You eat while you kill. My men?¡±

    ¡°There will not be a lot of eating all around if we can not travel. Your people did not protect the teleporter. It was your one job. And it is your power.¡±

    Fahan gestured to Soren. ¡°Here is the problem. The boy has a bond with Juliet. It has cost us everything¡­ How could you let him run things?¡±

    ¡°He is not much younger than you. And so far, Soren has done nothing but make your life better¡­ You will have to make do with the spoils of war.¡±

    ¡°Spoils! Spoils? Two coordinates are not worth my people dying here. What if the other men decide to go and kill us all. Jade. They were already there if we have no power.¡±

    Ian manifested and slammed his fist onto the table. ¡°Try cow. Let me know if it works with your systems. The provisions we have should last you a month. As for the other issues, Fahan. It is war. You are paid to fight. Leave now.¡±

    ¡°What happened? What else are you not saying?¡±

    ¡°Do you know the Dheka?¡± Fahan said nothing. It was enough for Ian. ¡°It seems you do. Well, not only is Juliet in alliance with them, but we do not know why? I can not kill her.¡±

    ¡°They have everything?¡±

    ¡°Yes. For now.¡±

    ¡°I do not know how you plan to get out of this. But if the Dheka come. We might as well kill ourselves.¡±

    ¡°I am going to send them back. To relieve the pressure. So give me two weeks. In the meantime, we need America. You march immediately. East. For now, we will go to every farm and every house in the vicinity of this place and clear it out. Spoils Fahan. They will come¡­ But we have to take our time. I do not fight for instant winnings.¡±

    ¡°Let us hope our other troops on the other continents can maintain the ground we already took.¡±

    ¡°Precisely. And let¡¯s not forget why we are here. There are already more Ittoqure coming out of this hell hole. Not even you could kill them. We need the humans destroyed. Too many enemies are not a good thing.¡±

    ***

    Louis

    It was chaos in the room. There were so many people talking. Marcus didn¡¯t want to do anything for this exact reason. We had pushed them into a corner. Juliet had disabled their teleporter, and it was enough for Soren to become desperate. It is what I wanted to do.

    ¡°Marcus is not there,¡± Kubra said, coming into the common room.

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know? Iku and I left him there in a terrible state.¡±

    Caleb had calmed down, but he was pacing like his mother would¡¯ve done. ¡°He¡¯s on Earth,¡± Liam said. ¡°He went after Juliet. It was Soren. Marcus took the antidote.¡± Liam dragged Caleb in under his shoulder. The two men seemed relieved.

    I had not wanted Juliet on Earth, and now she and Marcus were there. I got to my feet and picked up a plate. ¡°Michael. Drop it somewhere where there could be absolutely no way for them to counter you. In and out. You have three seconds.¡±

    Michael took it, disappeared, and came right back. ¡°It¡¯s on her bed in the compound. He¡¯s actually living there.¡±

    ¡°So they¡¯re going to be down in the tunnels. How long till they figure out how to make a weapon.¡± Liam asked.

    ¡°Do we have a choice? We have to wait. Chris goes directly to Juliet. It will already be too late. They could be in any one of those rooms. We can¡¯t send back up. Two of our own is better than all of us out of commission.¡± Samuel said. ¡°If they wanted her dead, she would be.¡±

    ¡°Chris, take Caleb to Mirach,¡± I said softly. The boy was protesting in his father¡¯s manifested arms.

    Later that night, I sent a message.

    Louis [ Can I talk to her ]

    Soren [ Not gonna happen ]

    Louis [ So what now ]

    Soren [ Now they stay for a while. Until all your truth is revealed ]

    Louis [ Why ]

    Soren [ I¡¯m moving on ]

    Louis [ I regret not letting you brand her. We would¡¯ve known then what we were dealing with. You never cared about her ]

    Soren [ Since I watched your feed. I could say the same thing ]

    I melted into a pile of disillusionment about myself. The truth didn¡¯t want to let me go. Their branding would¡¯ve worked. Nothing he was doing meant he cared any less about her. I was trying to psychoanalyze a man who would do anything to get what he wanted. He knew her so well.

    Louis [ If you let them go now. You can have everything ]

    Nothing came back after that. Marcus was right. Soren was using Ian.

    ***

    The following day, Chris had disappeared. Decided to try all by himself. He left us a message that he would go and hoped for the best. If he didn¡¯t come back, we should send in Ira and Silvanus.

    Soren [ Chris should¡¯ve come yesterday. You guys are failing her, Louis. ]

    I wanted to break his neck. Send in the Dheka, the vamps, the Riphaths, and the wolves. Finish it once and for all.

    Louis [ I think I should send in Silvanus ]

    Soren [ No need. You can talk to Chris at any point. He is staying for a few days to watch all your sins play out. I¡¯ll send him right back. And when Juliet is done. She will come back. Hope you¡¯re ready ]

    There was no point in creating a massacre for my sins. All lies eventually come to the surface. It was time that Juliet knew the truth, and I would carry the consequences.

 208. Exposure Therapy

    208. Exposure Therapy

    Marcus

    Juliet had started our fight by asking, ¡°Why have you not spoken to me in four months, Marcus?¡±

    ¡°You know why!¡± My voice was already raised. She had stepped back, and I did the same. I wasn¡¯t in the mood for her crap.

    Her eyes brimmed with confusion and hurt, ¡°You feel the same way as when you found out about Soren.¡±

    ¡°NO! Juliet! I feel more! I¡¯m so angry with you that I can hardly look at you. If you were not carrying my child, I would probably have gone down the road of leaving again.¡± My words were cutting, but I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.

    ¡°So what now, Marcus. You asked me if we¡¯re okay? How could you ask that if you¡¯re clearly not.¡±

    ¡°A stupid moment of weakness,¡± I said before thinking. She was quiet and not retorting. ¡°When we slept together the first time. I told you. I put down that line in the sand. You could see what it did to me. You said you didn¡¯t let go of Soren only because of Chris. That you would do anything for me¡­ Maybe the ¡°almost¡± part meant more than the rest.¡±

    ¡°And did I go near him? Did I not have Jessy shadow me and tell you when we would be anywhere near each other. You continually used him. After I let go¡­ You were the one that brought him back. Time and time again¡­ I had done my part, Marcus. All you had to do was get him off the island. Get to him soon enough so he would not die. Look what you did by leaving him there. You knew he was angry. Ian told you, and you already had doubts. Why did you not get him out? Look at where we¡¯re at.¡±

    I had closed the distance between us and, for the first time, lifted my hand to hit her. Her eyes fiercely met mine. She was determined to never let anyone hurt her again. I taught her how to protect herself, and she was prepared and countered my attack. We fought with meaning but not to physically hurt each other. ¡°This is not my fault!¡± I said, pinning her in a hold. ¡°We¡¯re here because of you. You didn¡¯t have to tell him any of our plans.¡± I yelled.

    She disappeared to get away from me. ¡°It is your fault. I¡¯m unhinged, manipulative, controlling, and selfish! You are the adult here, Marcus.¡±

    ¡°I am not your father! And I will never be another Louis!¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s for sure.¡± The condescending tone in her voice irritated me. It made me so angry. Instead of going at her, I laughed at her because it was how I felt. She was being ridiculous in her arguments. We fought again. Juliet had come at me like she did that night in the woods with her first full manifestation, gripping my neck so fast and had me dangling from a hand. ¡°You are still a child. And always will be. No common sense.¡± I kicked her away from me, yelling, ¡°No regard for my feelings!¡±

    ¡°No regard for your feelings!¡± She had come at me with hatred in her eyes. I swatted her off like a fly and laughed at her again for even trying, livid that she would actually want to hurt me. Things were getting out of hand. I had pinned her quickly, not holding back anymore, and waited until she was calm. Only for her to come at me again. ¡°What is wrong with you?¡± I didn¡¯t feel like being an adult at that moment.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯re exactly the same. There is no running from that. This is how it will be. You tell me what to do and do exactly the same thing.¡± I let her go. She rolled away from me, coming to her feet.

    ¡°What does that mean. I would never have anyone else.¡±

    ¡°But that was not my line! How many times do I have to say this? If you want to leave Marcus, leave! But don¡¯t think you will raise your child. I will make him disappear and take what is clearly more important to you than us.¡±

    I had to go after her, wholly pushed over the line of her empty threats. She kept using Naji to get back at me. We fought until I had a hold of her again, laughing as she tried to get free, hurting herself in the process. ¡°You will never make me change my mind about this. All I see is his hands all over you.¡± I squeezed her in the hold I had her in, grappling until she cried out, tapping. I wondered why she didn¡¯t disappear again. ¡°I did not intentionally hurt you with Michael. I¡¯ll apologize for not doing anything. You apologize for cheating on me. For hurting me.¡±

    ¡°I did apologize for hurting you¡­ I did not cheat on you¡­ I did not go to f- the guy¡­ But you know what. I take it back! I wish I had told him to come home with me. I wish I had acted and lied like you could to get what I needed!¡± She screamed out loud. ¡°If you did not let the war go on for months and let Ian attack the Earth. Not doing anything again. Not talking to me again. Wanting to kill all the Vampires again like you decided on Zoreah. Like you did with Michael. Promise me that you will work to see your son and then do NOTHING!¡± She stomped a foot on the ground. I couldn¡¯t believe it.

    ¡°I am so disappointed in you! I cannot get over how you have become this person!¡± My hands flung out to her in exasperation. ¡°I had my reasons. You stood back and sat in that desert without a care in the world.¡±

    Her mouth hung open for a moment, her eyes blinking rapidly. ¡°Sat¡­ Sat in the desert¡­¡± Juliet took a deep breath and calmed herself. ¡°Yes, well, you can be sure that I finally, being bound up and forced down like a dog, learned my lesson. Had my heart ripped out and blamed for it. Learned my lesson. Used as a f-ing broodmare, learned my lesson. No more Marcus! No more!¡± I took a step back from her. She scoffed, ¡°You know what! You keep walking. Keep moving backward. Keep going back to your father¡¯s lap. I don¡¯t know why you ever complained about being controlled by him. You liked it. You want someone who rules you. It just can¡¯t be me! And then you beat Michael to an inch of his life for not submitting¡­ When are you going to submit Marcus?¡±

    There was silence, and I digested her words. Juliet expected me to submit. Listen to her like we were in a werewolf harem. Follow orders and do what I was told. That she would even ask it of me made me retort, ¡°OH, that mouth of yours. It will always be your problem. Saying precisely what you want in the moment. Never able to take it back.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t shoot daggers at me like I thought they would. Her lips didn¡¯t lift in irritation around her mouth. I frowned at the tilt of her head away from me. What was she doing? Her eyes closed, and there was a strain around them. I was waiting for her to come at me or say something. She didn¡¯t. Juliet¡¯s whole body faltered, and her hand reached for the desk to catch her buckling knees. I instinctively moved forward, putting an arm around her waist and steadying her with the other. She was that tired. That was why she could not disappear again. For the first time in four months, my resentment broke. She was shattered and completely drained. Unthinking, I had started our physical encounter. Juliet was just a child who had mine only a week ago. She was not two hundred years old. I took stock of the amount of wounds she had; cuts, bruises, her arms scraped raw. I grimaced as the aching pain settled in my core.

    Juliet had dark circles under her eyes and the redness of too little sleep and too much stress to carry. My arms instinctively tightened around her. Juliet¡¯s lip trembled. We couldn¡¯t drug her at all because they would come again. Told the doctor to make her sleep and nothing more. We could not stab her with another tube and have her out for three days. I could do nothing but watch her get hurt like I always did. I could not protect her, not all the time. I had left it too long, and we had too much to deal with all at once. ¡°Juliet, all we have to do is isolate the issues. Get them out in one sentence and negotiate the rest of our lives.¡± Her shoulders were slumped, and her chin tilted away from me, but she had not pushed me away. It was a bit different when she was fourteen. It had been twelve years. We were well on our way to the teenage phase of our relationship. ¡°Do you know how hard it is for me? I would never look at anyone else. That night with Rana was the first time in our history that the thought had crossed my mind. And it wasn¡¯t at all emotional. Never will it again. Although¡­ I have to say Sita was¡­ stunning. And Iku¡¯s wife. Wow! If Iku was not a giant shadow that could swat me across a planet, I would think about it.¡± A lonely tear rolled over her cheek.

    ¡°That feeling you have right now. It is my life. I will never have a wife, a child, and a home. Us alone against the world. Our principles and standards never aligned. And then I¡¯m not even your first choice.¡± I placed my hand on her cheek and rubbed away the tear. She didn¡¯t even have the strength to fling it away. ¡°But I¡­ love you. I am here in my own capacity, the best I can be. I¡¯m not at a hundred percent or even fifty percent most of the time.¡± I gently nudged her face towards me. Her misty eyes came around. I lowered my lips to hers, holding her gaze and waiting an inch away. Always giving her the choice as she did with me.

    ***

    The door opened. I could only hear it. The cell was pitch dark and cold, and no light streamed in from outside to illuminate the doorway or who was there. I was so used to it. At least I wasn¡¯t chained up to a wall on my knees, left until I passed out. Two arms picked me up under my shoulders. I didn¡¯t know how long I had been on that floor. I was placed in a chair. My hands were tied with soft furry cuffs. I was in Michaels¡¯s dance studio. My legs were next, and then a belt was shoved in my mouth and strapped behind my head. Dim lights illuminated what was going on in the room. Juliet was in another chair in front of me. Her whole body, up to her neck, was tied to the chair. Same thing in her mouth.

    I glanced past her to the stage. Soren was in the room. ¡°I didn¡¯t want things to get so out of hand so quickly, but with you lot¡­ I at least have to try to keep up. Soren held up a tube in one hand and looked at me. Juliet couldn¡¯t see me, and I couldn¡¯t see her face. ¡°So Marcus, I don¡¯t know how you will feel after this. I was a little upset, to say the least. So I¡¯ll leave you here for today. It¡¯s not going to get any better.¡±

    Soren waved the tube in the air and closed the door on his way out. Juliet¡¯s feed was on screen. It started with us outside her house. Kubra had come, and we had left. I was going to see what she had gone through on the compound.

    How scared she was, sleeping with Louis. Getting beat up time after time for the silliest of things.

    It had to be two weeks we sat there, Juliet and I because that was the day Damian had beaten her till she passed out. He had picked her up and undressed her. Fondled her in subtle ways. My teeth ground down till my head ached. A finger would caress a breast, carrying her to the bath, letting the water rinse her wounds. ¡°You like the bath so much, don¡¯t you?¡± Damian said in such a lusty, condescending tone that I was nauseated. Then he washed her whole body with an open hand. My body revolted at the feelings building in my chest. When he was done, he carried her to the bed, drying her with the towel, taking his time, touching her legs, and stroking all over her body. He had turned her around and did the same with her back, gliding his fingers over each deep open wound in her flesh. His hand closed over her ass, and fingers slid down her thighs in between her legs. His face contorted, and he manifested and wanted to pull her legs apart. The door opened. The guards fought, and he pulled the sheet up to her waist.

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    Juliet was crying. I was beyond myself.

    The following day, Damian was there again, sitting next to her bed, taking the hair out of her face, tracing her lips and all the wounds, and applying some concoction to her back that they thought would work. They had their conversation, and Damian threatened her. My grandfather had sent him to slowly break her. Juliet was crying on screen and off.

    I would always go first out of the room in total darkness. I didn¡¯t know what they were doing to Juliet. If Soren would use that time to hurt her in other ways. That night, I cried myself to sleep. I understood what Louis had to deal with, seeing it, living it, and knowing what she goes through with everyone. Witness to all her thoughts and feelings. And then I had issues with one guy. No wonder Louis was losing it¡­ I tried to get out of my chains and the rooms in my younger days. It was no use. So, that time around, I had to accept we were both stuck.

    Every morning, the same thing. Into the chair. That day, Soren made an appearance. ¡°Today, we¡¯re going to move a little ahead. I had edited the next part. It¡¯s still going to take the whole day. And then tomorrow, the tough part begins.¡±

    It was a day of what she had gone through. How she ran to Soren for help and their conversation when she was so depressed she couldn¡¯t even get up. They slept together a few times. Then, there were the worst parts in between what Louis had done. Not even kissing her or looking at her. Using her over and over. Cold and writhing out of control. Rough and not making love, rolling off after and waiting until he was ready again to be even more demanding and cruel, pushing and manipulating her when she said no. The last time, he flipped her over and dragged her up and lifted her till she was on all fours, spreading her and thrusting into her with no preparation. He did not even hear her grunts to take that overwhelming feeling. When he was ready to finish, he slid his hand over her back, grabbed her hair, and went so hard at it that she had to bite her lip to not cry out. Or do something that would make her father come in there. Juliet took it like a good girl because when he was done and next to her, he would drag her into his arms and tell her all the things she would need to hear, holding her while she held back tears. He would fall asleep from sheer exhaustion. Louis was constantly busy with what my father had planned for me to do. The morning after every encounter, the real Louis was back, and she would pretend that it hadn¡¯t happened. The split in personality was so outrageous that even I would have thought he got caught up in the moment. It wasn¡¯t how she was supposed to get used to an intimate relationship, married life. In her journal, she excused it to vampire lust and rough sex that some people liked. Juliet wasn¡¯t like that, and sometimes, she ran. Soren was there¡­ I suddenly felt guilty going to her in the middle of the night. Using her to get off.

    At one point that day, I was losing my mind. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore, hungry, and my gut pulled out of me too many times over and over. I had fought my bondages. Tried to get out of the chair. Used all my strength, making muffled noises. I had not been there. I had left, and I could¡¯ve gone back at any time. Her one line was that I had to be there. And for four months, I had checked out again. My resolve had waned. I had become tired of having to make the decision every day to accept the life I had chosen.

    The time had taken its toll on my body. We had not been fed at all. I had no idea why no one had come for us and where the hell Chris was. I didn¡¯t know how much more I could take, but I was used to it. The torture¡­  And if I felt that way, how was Juliet dealing with it? I suddenly understood why Louis had not talked to her or been with her for the last four months. He could not read her anymore. He was back to where he was all those years ago and scared out of his mind. Juliet had started sobbing in front of me. My outburst had not been good for her. Soren came in and took her out. I was left in the dark, dreading the next day. Because what the hell could be worse than that. Soren had, in a few months, destroyed our lives. Brought us down to such a place that I couldn¡¯t conceive how we would ever move on from it.

    ***

    Juliet

    I had gone after Soren a few times over those weeks. I manifested and would bite through the gag that was constantly in my mouth day after day. He would need to come in, and I would lash out. When we were out of the room, and the door was closed, I used all the strength I had to get my teeth sunk into his neck and rip out his throat. Where I had thought we could¡¯ve had a great life, I knew then that I was sooo wrong. Someone like that changes over time. Just like Isla would see with Ian. Just like Lucius and Qadir. One thing in their lives happened, and everything they had stood for drifted out the window¡­ Or¡­ they never knew who they really were.

    But Soren had, as I suspected, been taking the same thing Louis took. Louis had done it to confuse Ahasuerus. To buy us time, and Soren had done it to be able to stay alive. He was scared, and his nerves taught. He had not gotten over the initial stages and was not on En-gannim to dose himself through tough patches. I also thought about Rana and what had happened over those last few months without a plate to control him. That night of their wedding had to have been a walk in the park.

    I was a little na?ve in what I remembered of what I had gone through on the Compound. My memories were distorted by drugs and intervention and the nonstop fight to stay alive. I had molded and formed my past into something it wasn¡¯t. At that moment, I felt dirty and violated all over. I saw myself in all those situations where I had done nothing but be the better person or the one who would try to accept another for who they were. Make others happy. I had to sit down. I had to lie down. Thought about ending it all because, really what was the point? All I had to do was manifest and rip my arms to shreds. Manifest and rip my throat to shreds. Soren wouldn¡¯t even know until the next morning. Damian had done more than wake me up uncomfortably. Marcus¡­ I thought he would never get over it. He had a problem thinking about me and Soren. Seeing it.

    I was so hungry that I started hallucinating, and with everything I had seen, I was traumatized all over. How many times did Louis tell me he had hurt me and had crossed a line. I didn¡¯t want to believe it, seeing it was taking everything from me, just like Soren said he would. Open my eyes to the truth of my excuses for the rough sex Louis had with me were replaced with¡­ something I could never unsee. Marcus had seen it, too. And that was the worst of all. What would he do to Louis?

    I was okay a few weeks ago. We were okay. Marcus had finally opened up and let the anger go. The only thing I was thankful for was that I was too far gone to let the emotions ruin any more of my body. No snakeskin. No depression. The following day was the same thing. Although he had warned us it would only get worse¡­ I had prepared myself. I knew what was coming. It would be all of them sleeping with other people. It was going to be Louis¡¯s whole life, woman after woman. That morning, I fought and held on to the door frames. I had kicked and lashed out. Bitten Soren a few times. ¡°Like I said, Julie. You will hate me. But I decided I wouldn¡¯t be the only one full of anger and disappointment. You have put Louis on a pedestal. And reading it in journals is not the same as seeing him coming into woman after woman. You probably didn¡¯t even know the full extent of his exploits.¡±

    Soren had stayed that day. ¡°If you want to throw up. Lift a finger.¡± I had tried to close my eyes. Tried to take my eyes off the screen. He snagged my chin and forcefully lifted my head. ¡°It can get much worse for Marcus if you don¡¯t behave Julie.¡± I couldn¡¯t and shook my chin out of his grip. ¡°You either watch what he did, or I will go after Caleb. And then Sammy, and then¡­ what is the baby¡¯s name. Was it a boy or a girl?¡± It didn¡¯t really bother me. My dad would never let him near any of my children. The wall around them was much larger than the one around me.

    Soren moved towards Marcus. I made muffled complaints and moved around. It was all I could get out. I wondered what Louis thought I should do in situations like that. Not even Marcus could do anything. We were both cut and useless. What could Marcus have taught me to get out of there?

    ¡°You ready to watch?¡± I vigorously nodded. Soren pulled up a chair and sat down. It started out with Chris and Sita¡¯s one night of passion. What happened in France with her on that bed. I wanted to throw up. What was different between him and Damian? Soren or Louis? We were all freaking creatures of the night. Sex as an outlet. Then Louis¡¯s life started. Not all of it¡­ The feed went right into a scene of him with a woman in the woods of a mountain. He was all there enjoying it. Up against a tree. His mouth on hers. His mouth on every part of her. His tongue inside her. Everything she wanted.

    You could tell when he was reading them. Women in beds in every possible position you could think of. Sex dungeons and a lot of it. Women in bathroom stalls or up against an alley wall. Women who stayed the whole night and women whom he had a hard time killing.  How he flirted and read them to get them exactly where he wanted them. He would sometimes take the whole night to figure out who was the loneliest. Who wouldn¡¯t be missed? Who he could make disappear after he came into so many women that I lost all sense of what was going on. And then one night when he had not killed the woman after. He, Jacklin, and a group were in one room. It had happened between them. They both had a meal after. The only two left standing¡­ Had he not told me never. Soren was going to play it through.

    Although Louis¡¯s life was hard for me to watch, there was nothing I could do about it. I knew what I had chosen. Whom I had chosen. But then Marcus came on screen. I felt the anxiety rise. A hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. My breath was instantly shallow, and my manifestation was out of control. I bit through whatever was in my mouth. I kept seeing the screen out of the corner of my eye. Marcus was dressed so well and walking with Kubra toward some house in the country. My heartbeat accelerated to get out before he even walked through the door. Soren had gotten up by then. My hands pulled upward and outward and snapped through my restrictions as if it was yarn. I ripped the ones off around my chest and turned to look up at Soren. Our gazes locked. ¡°You have a second to stop it.¡±

    ¡°You will finish if it¡¯s the last thing I do¡­ It seems it wasn¡¯t about Louis at all.¡±

    My eyes flickered to the screen. Marcus stepped through the front door. I broke the first leg strap around my ankle and stood up in a rush. Soren took one step forward. ¡°I will kill myself. Do you understand me?¡± I heard a female voice on the screen. I lifted my hand and forced my nails to grow longer than they could, not hesitating to pierce the skin down my throat. Soren waved his hand through the air. We stood there staring at each other, assessing all the implications of what had just happened. I was out of breath from the monster he had unleashed. A green-eyed one. The realization hit me. For weeks, I could¡¯ve gotten out. If I had only been desperate enough and used my weakness to my advantage rather than trying to get over it. That was why Louis was gone. He knew that night on the bed what we were becoming¡­

    My legs gave way under me, and I fell forward into Soren¡¯s arms, sure that he had not done it for me to kill myself. They had kept us busy for some reason. ¡°So, do you still think we don¡¯t have a chance after everything? You are, after all, no one¡¯s first but mine.¡± He said, helping me sit down. I honestly didn¡¯t know what to think or could put two thoughts together. I fell forward onto his chest, my head resting under his chin. Soren¡¯s arms reached around me. The tears started rolling. Uncontrollable tears with no emotions attached. No sounds. ¡°Now I¡¯m going to be even crueler¡­ Get you to a place to accept the reality you created.¡± My shoulders started shaking. ¡°Oh, Julie. I am sorry. I know you never asked for any of it. It¡¯s not your fault¡­ It all started with Marcus not asking and forcing you over a chair¡­ I feel it¡¯s a bit unfair that I¡¯m the only one who has to grow up. And what did the guys say?¡± Soren looked up at Marcus. ¡°Move on.¡±

    A sob escaped me. Soren stroked my face and ran his hand over my hair. ¡°I¡¯m going to feed you. Clean you up. I¡¯m going to wait and send you back. I¡¯m going to set you free. Like the truth will set you free from Louis.¡±

    My arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, begging him not to do it. ¡°I know you don¡¯t want to. But it¡¯s going to happen. We have to come together in some way.¡± My stomach convulsed at the words Louis had said to get me to a place where I would sleep with him¡­ That Soren would or could be so cruel. ¡°You will never forget me. We will have all this pain and suffering to keep us going.¡±

    He pulled my arms off him and did exactly that. I had a beast and a human. I got to take a bath and get cleaned up. I got new clothes and was back in our old room on the compound. Soren was on the bed watching me. ¡°Soren, why did Chris not come?¡±

    ¡°I figured out what the other stone does.¡± My hand had stopped moving mid-air. ¡°Chris is fine. Caleb, as well. The three of them will be staying for a while. To give you and Louis some time to reunite.¡±

    ¡°How did we get here? Me and You?¡±

    ¡°I fixed the little part you stole and saw where you and the others have been hiding. I have to say that massive shadow.¡±

    I smiled and chuckled. Soren looked up at me through his eyelashes. Our eyes met. Although I hated him with every fiber of my being, I blamed myself for what he had become. A mixture of emotions played over his features. ¡°Is it time?¡± I struggled.

    Soren¡¯s fingers gripped the sheets, and with a shaky voice, mouthed, ¡°A car is waiting.¡±

 209. Negative Conflict Resolution

    209. Negative Conflict Resolution

    Juliet

    The foyer at The Tower was empty. I guessed Soren didn¡¯t tell anyone I would be coming home. I went upstairs to my office. It was packed. The door opened, and all eyes were on me. I scanned the room. No Louis. It was a hard pill to swallow. Also, no, Chris.

    ¡°Caleb?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s safe.¡±

    My feet carried me to the only other man I wanted to confront. He was seated, dragging a cigarette, and the only one avoiding me. I think he knew what was coming. I stood before him. ¡°Get up.¡± He shook his head. I slapped him. My father wanted to intervene. Samuel stretched out an arm to his brother, but when my hand came at him again, he grabbed my wrist. I pulled and yanked. ¡°What were you thinking. Please tell me why?¡±

    My uncle¡¯s face contorted, struggling with himself. ¡°He is an Ahmed Juliet.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s it. You knew Ahasuerus would never touch him.¡±

    His features softened. ¡°No¡­ That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Samuel stood up. ¡°Why do you think Ahasuerus left Marcus with Qadir.¡± My hand started shaking, still fast in his grasp. ¡°Do you think Ella had a wonderful time being married to the man? Her husband sleeping with a new addition every few years. Raping her over and over. And she gave him nine children. One that killed the rest.¡±

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    My uncle let go of my arm. ¡°Everyone out.¡± The room cleared. ¡°She is one of his wives.¡±

    ¡°When did it happen?¡±

    ¡°I knew Louis¡¯s history. Of course. But when I sent him to your side. I told him not to touch you if he wasn¡¯t sure.¡±

    ¡°You took a chance on a man like that. Who lied to me. Keeps lying to me. Runs away and controls me. He¡¯s a coward!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an Ahmed Juliet. Their struggles run deep in their veins. But I knew if you could bring back Marcus¡­ It was only a matter of time. I love Louis like a son¡­ I was his only father, friend, and confidant for two hundred years¡­ Two hundred years, Juliet. Stuck in a prison with no one.¡±

    My eyes were closed, and my fingers were rubbing over my forehead, trying to rid myself of what I had seen. I had thought Louis had multiple partners over the years. His sex journals were detailed, but it was a few entries.

    ¡°What is she doing on Earth? Why did he not tell me?¡±

    ¡°He was scared. He nearly killed himself when his father died, and his mother left him without a care in the world, making us think she was dying¡­ Losing anyone close to him¡­ he will not make it if you do not forgive him¡­ He saw what Marcus saw¡­ What Michael sees and Chris. You are a lifeline, Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying too. It¡¯s all everyone does. Lie, lie, lie. Where is he!?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He left this morning when Soren told him you¡¯re coming home¡­ Juliet, what about Marcus? You can¡¯t leave him there.¡±

    The look I gave my uncle made a hand come up in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you one last time.¡±

    ¡°He was falling in love with her. He sent her to Earth because she got under his skin in his old age. It was a hundred years ago. She is about four hundred years old. Ahasuerus stayed in touch¡­ And rather than pine away, he used her to have another way to control the situation. Information of what was happening on Earth. And she, in turn, was what she was¡­ The only other vamp Louis could relate to. It was one time. And it happened long before you. After her, he stopped. He started building the house. He was waiting, Juliet¡­ For someone.¡±

    ¡°He changed for her¡­¡± My voice broke at the words¡­ ¡°Not me.¡± My uncle wanted to speak, but I interrupted him. ¡°So not only did you not tell us. But we have another enemy out there with let¡¯s play worst-case scenario; all Ahasuerus¡¯s knowledge wrapped up in a woman somewhere on Earth. Another enemy that we could¡¯ve taken out had you only been honest. What do you think will happen if she goes to Ian?¡±

    ¡°Juliet, it¡¯s war. It always has been. Since I went to your mother¡¯s island.¡±

    ¡°Well, you are terrible at it. I think you should try something else.¡±

    My uncle quickly took a few steps closer. I turned away from him only for him to reach out and grab my arm, pulling me into his chest, taking all the backlash until his strength and age had me wrapped up in a tight grasp around my body. He held me while I struggled. Forced me to spend the little energy I didn¡¯t have left. I had nothing left. He tightened his hold, and it was a long time before I could even breathe. Then, when I could, I sobbed. He picked me up and sat on the couch with me in his arms, cradling me like a child.

    We stayed like that for some time until he handed me his handkerchief, which would have grossed me out in any other circumstance. My father came in and took in the scene. My uncle nodded, and he came in and sat across from us. ¡°Where were you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Juliet. Do you know how it feels not to be able to protect you?¡±

    I had three kids¡­ Of course, I knew how it felt. ¡°What does the other stone do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? We don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Why did Chris not come?¡±

    ¡°He did. He went alone and didn¡¯t come back.¡±

    ¡°You promise Caleb is safe.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he is safe. Do you think I would be that stupid?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Daddy! Right now, I don¡¯t trust anyone.¡± My uncle¡¯s arms tightened again.

    ¡°Caleb is babysitting, if you can believe it with Iku. We told the shadow the boy should not leave his side. Chris cut him for good measure¡­ I had been going every day to keep the boy contained. He did lose his mind. If Chris wasn¡¯t there, Caleb would¡¯ve¡­ Anyway.¡±

    ¡°So it¡¯s only Chris and Marcus there.¡±

    My dad frowned. ¡°No, Chris is here. Soren sent him back after watching for a few days. Think he got the condensed version. They had made some makeshift weapon that released shards of that sword crushed up. Chris was useless. No point in him going back. Soren had advised Ian not to kill Chris. He didn¡¯t think a war with the Riphaths would go in their favor.¡± I was trying to put it all together. What Soren said. What I could remember and what not. How did I not see Chris? What Soren lied about.

    ¡°What happened in the last three weeks?¡±

    ¡°First, you fought with Marcus and told everyone you¡¯ll be going to Earth to save them if no one else would¡­ Caleb had gone to see if Charlene¡¯s parents were okay. When he came back, Caleb told Louis his feed was playing on TV. The man lost it. Jessy lost it, and the others wanted to keep their own secrets contained.¡± My uncle¡¯s grasp tightened around me.

    Liam raked his hand through his hair and struggled to continue, letting my uncle help me work through it. ¡°So Louis took over the islands¡­ Killed Soren¡¯s parents and cleared En-gannim of anyone that was in the least a threat. Iku changed the whole situation¡­ We should¡¯ve asked him to help a long time ago. Ask Romero for help¡­ Louis and Kubra had done nothing but fight for three weeks.¡±

    ¡°Where did they go?¡±

    ¡°Some planet to colonize or something. I still don¡¯t know, but Samuel was on board.¡±

    ¡°He sorted out all our problems and left?¡± My uncle added.

    ¡°He will be back. You said it yourself¡­ They always come back.¡±

    ¡°He was never supposed to leave.¡±

    My uncle caressed my hair in gentle strokes. ¡°You can handle everything, but not that.¡± I shook my head.

    ¡°Juliet, what about Marcus?¡± My dad asked.

    ¡°I have a plan¡­ So they are stuck on Earth?¡±

    ¡°Have been for all the time since you got taken. Your son was clever enough to go and destroy the whole structure. Iku¡¯s wife is a little temperamental.¡±

    Only hearing about Iku¡¯s wife brought me back to Marcus, lusting after her. ¡°Carl?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. We don¡¯t know. We think they might be fighting. Charlene still has that nagging feeling¡­  Michael has been there a few times and has taken some men to help. Ian has the compound and the barracks, as well as most of America. Other major cities all over the world. Michael had been reuniting Earth to one location. But as you know. It won¡¯t be easy recalibrating.¡±

    ¡°Has Michael gone looking for Louis at all?¡±

    ¡°Every chance he gets.¡±

    ¡°You sure Soren didn¡¯t take him.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Juliet. There would¡¯ve been no way.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t exchange us. Soren isn¡¯t making him watch his own father¡¯s death over and over with Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Marcus had to watch everything with you?¡± My uncle¡¯s grasp firmed around me, bracing for the worst. ¡°Did you, Juliet.¡±

    More tears ran down my cheeks. ¡°No¡­ That was one thing I could not watch.¡±

    ¡°OH, Juliet, what is Soren thinking.¡± My dad asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s infected... And without a plate to control it. I know Soren is looking at it from a revenge standpoint, but Ian. How and why would he not kill me¡­ All their problems would have been solved..¡±

    ¡°Soren was on Mirach.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s the reason¡­ Charlene just saved our lives. Again.¡±

    ¡°Julie.¡±

    I jumped up at the endearment. ¡°Dad. Please never call me that again.¡±

    He stood and opened his arms. ¡°There is something I have to tell you.¡± His arms closed around me. ¡°Your mom is pregnant.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to a big sister?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all that purple¡­¡± All I could get out was a small laugh.

    ***

    I stayed in The Tower that night. Louis didn¡¯t have a plate with him, and even if he did, he would have to contact me first. I didn¡¯t think he would. Neither could I send him a message on a phone. I had been thinking where he could be. Earth was the only option. Maybe not. But I couldn¡¯t think about Louis at the moment. I had to get Marcus out. Take some time to figure out who Jacklin had as contacts on En-gannim. I had my indoor plumbing at last. I was not allowed off the planet for the last four months. ¡°While I sat in the desert.¡± Like Jade forced to sit and wait.

    My uncle came into the room. My eyes begged him to forgive me. He walked over and patted my cheek. I reached out and rubbed my thumb over the cheek I had hit. ¡°I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a Furrow, Juliet. I understand. You are so young. And your father and I¡­ we planned all this. Hoped for this. But never for you to have gone through what you have.¡±

    He sat down on the bed, stroking my cat. Katty was sleeping on my bed. ¡°Every time I looked at her, I think about how far and wide she had traveled. She had her own servant on Mirach. He needed to follow her and clean up everywhere she pooped or peed in their sand or ensured she wasn¡¯t getting too far away from the village.¡± My uncle smiled. ¡°He fed her anything she wanted. She had the best time on Mirach. All the sand she could dream of. Adventure.¡±

    ¡°You glad to be home in a sense?¡± I nodded, looking out over all we had fought for. I could finally say it after so much time. Our home. Mine. Was it worth it? It didn¡¯t really matter. Chris would never go back, even if I begged.

    ¡°Juliet. I do not want to lie to you again. You are Queen now. And deserve it¡­ Louis asked me only one question.¡± I turned to him. ¡°To tell him when you will be alone here in your room.¡±

    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t see my other husbands making an appearance.¡±

    ¡°Give Chris some time. He¡­ is not taking it so well¡­ You have one left¡­ who might be able to help.¡±

    I regarded my uncle. ¡°You put Michael there.¡± He smiled. ¡°Yes. It was one round of gambling I had gone in deep and¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m reaping the benefits.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Have a cigarette with me.¡± He smiled, and we sat on the balcony. He told me all about his days working for Ahasuerus hundreds of years ago, about going to Earth, and all Louis¡¯s struggles. ¡°You know¡­ I kinda blame you for all this.¡±

    I chuckled. ¡°How did you come to that conclusion?¡±

    ¡°You should have told your father about Chris. I would never have thought about Louis for you. I think¡­ I could¡¯ve asked Ira to take you there. Secretly. No one would ever have known. You and Chris could¡¯ve just disappeared.¡±

    ¡°When did you tell them about the Riphaths and other planets?¡±

    ¡°When Michael told me you¡¯re going to France and that Chris wasn¡¯t sure about you¡­ Then Michael showed me your conversation with Louis¡­ Juliet, I can not tell you; the change in the man was night and day¡­ But you don¡¯t need me to tell you that he loves you.¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    My uncle took out a plate and wanted me to take it. I looked at it for a long time. ¡°Then you know how important it is for him to come back by himself¡­ I can¡¯t, uncle.¡±

    He put the plate away, ¡°I understand.¡±

    ***

    I would be back at my desk as soon as Marcus was home. I had slept all alone, and it wasn¡¯t a good feeling. It was a real possibility that we would not make it. What would the guys do to Louis even if he did come back? If Chris couldn¡¯t even face me. Caleb had seen it all¡­ I would beg. Ask him to go back to the morning I was pregnant with Naji¡­. No, it would have to be the moment the guys came into the room to tell us of Ian¡¯s attacks on En-gannim¡­ No¡­ Charlene and Romero. There really wasn¡¯t a time that could fix it all¡­ I wanted it to go away. A scared and gnawing feeling in my heart, thinking that Soren really did figure out what the other stones¡¯s purpose was. I finally understood why Ira and the guys killed all the Werewolves on Zoreah. There really was no other way. We lived so long. It was like finding a mother spider that laid eggs, and you decide not to kill her and the spiderlings. After that, you could not be disgusted when the hundreds of babies erupted from their sack or be fearful that they would make your home theirs.

    I got up and dressed in one of Brylee¡¯s creations. It would be one of those days where I did my hair and make-up and looked my best. I had chosen a soft golden metallic leather outfit. The top was in the shape of a bikini. A chocker around my throat connected to weaved strands draped regally over my shoulders, flowing down over my shoulders to my ankles. The pants were also covered with twisted strands. Tied around my waist with a dramatic belt. All in the same color. Gladiator sandals fastened around my ankles. Romero would¡¯ve been proud.

    I traveled to Jade¡¯s palace. With hands in the air, I got escorted to her room, and left me with a window to talk to Dimitrios. ¡°There is a package for you at the embassy. Someone will send some of your men back and forth. After that, we will rebuild what you lost.¡±

    Dimitrios watched me for a long time and called off the escort. ¡°You know where it is.¡±

    I found my way to Jade¡¯s room. She was pleased to see me. ¡°Why are you still here. With Soren stuck on Earth, you could do whatever you want.¡± I asked.

    ¡°I did. Drank a lot of alcohol. Went on a boat and into the water. I went flying and killed anyone that wanted to stop me.¡±

    ¡°How many tried?¡±

    ¡°Not one.¡±

    ¡°Good girl¡­ Tell me Dimitrios took advantage¡­¡± Jade laughed. ¡°I need a favor. Brought you gifts to fix what we broke. Heard there was a fight. I was not there to govern the situation.¡±

    ¡°I understand. It does not matter. When you did not come after two days, I figured something must have happened.¡±

    ¡°Thank You.¡±

    ¡°What is the favor?¡± I gestured to Aries. She nodded. I picked up the not-so-little guy and held him up in front of me, nuzzling his neck. His chest glowed as he gurgled and waved his hands about. ¡°He likes you. It is a sign of trust.¡±

    I looked at Jade and back at the little guy. ¡°You should come to school on our planet. I¡¯ll teach you everything about everything¡­ Jade, will you go on a mission with me? Those red swords of yours are now officially the bane of my existence.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we do have some advantage.¡±

    ¡°Soren took Marcus and me hostage. Did some awful things to us, and let me go.¡±

    ¡°Marcus is still in a dungeon? I have to say that I am getting sick of Ian and Soren. And have been thinking.¡± I sat down with the little dragon on my lap. ¡°If I were Soren. I would kill Ian and then me. Or in a different order. He would have everything. Palmyra. The vamps you have as prisoners. Soren needs only to round up those who do not want to follow you¡­ He could have a whole new army in a few years.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Maybe less.¡±

    ¡°We would not be here. So the question is, who is a worst enemy to you? Us or Soren?¡±

    ¡°You were never my enemy. Michael meant so much to me that I went a little overboard¡­ I was angry that Chris had lost his power. But he got it back.¡±

    Jade sat up. ¡°He did?¡±

    I nodded. ¡°All be it at a heavy price. He almost left me and mated with someone else.¡±

    ¡°You did not have anyone in your bed last night, did you?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Why you need to go get Marcus? I told you to tie them up.¡±

    The disgust rose in my throat. I shook my shoulders to rid myself of all the feelings that didn¡¯t want to leave me alone. I never wanted to see a restraint again. ¡°Maybe¡­ Anyway, Fahan is there. Ian and Soren. So I don¡¯t know if you can or will help me.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time we both put the men in our lives in their places. You know what Fahan said to me. He can not ask for forgiveness for what he did.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Jade.¡±

    ¡°Yes. So now I will not ask for forgiveness either. I will leave them there when our teleporter is fixed. I will take control, and Fahan will have to do as I say. And Yes, I will help you. ¡±

    ¡°In and out.¡±

    ¡°In and out. Undetected.¡±

    ¡°Perfect. I¡¯ve had as much fighting as I can handle for now.¡± My voice was continually on the brink of breaking. I got up to put Aries down. ¡°Do you want to come with me? I¡¯ll teach you everything your husband didn¡¯t want to. Clever of him to give certain information to only some of you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Too clever for his own good.¡±

    ***

    Jade and I had landed on Earth. Michael was gracious enough to go to the entrance and set a spot to travel to. The weapons shot out but meant nothing to her. She walked out, and I touched her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that he¡¯s been fed at all.

    ¡°I brought something for him.¡± We walked out of the tunnel where Michael and Caleb were waiting for us outside the gate. I didn¡¯t want to ask them to help, but I did ask for a favor. Ira had sent me one of those slimy things. Jade thrust her sword through its head. I held it out to Marcus, who responded in kind. Marcus couldn¡¯t open his eyes. The color came back into his cheeks, and we let him finish in his own time. I gestured for Michael, and he picked him up. ¡°Wait here. I¡¯ll take you all in turn.¡±

    ¡°Thank You.¡±

    Caleb was next.

    ¡°Jade, I don¡¯t know how to thank you. I am really sorry about taking Aries.¡±

    ¡°I never blamed you. But I had to forgive his stupidity. You have to understand that better than anyone.¡±

    ¡°I do.¡±

    Michael held open his arms. Jade jumped in, making Michael¡¯s knees buckle, and I laughed for the first time. He made some grunting noises, looking at me with wide, imploring eyes. ¡°Do you mind if we take the long way?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Jade replied. I handed Michael a plate, laughingly smiling at him.

    I started walking down the gorge after they disappeared. Not that you could call the valley a canyon or anything anymore. Michael landed and could not see me. He transformed into a werewolf, running up to me and nudging the air, easily traversing the landscape and moving alongside me. Jumping up and past me as I climbed. We walked in silence for some time. He came back to human and walked with me. ¡°Where will you look? If you ask me, he¡¯s somewhere on Mirach in a hut. Chris told us about your dream¡­ Would you really hide from me? I think it is rather shallow¡­ I don¡¯t mind older women¡­ We¡¯ve never talked about you connecting to me¡­ Anyway¡­  And do I not get a kid? What makes you suddenly not be able to have kids anymore?¡±

    I smiled.

    ¡°You know he can be anywhere. I looked. The Alps. His house in Paris doesn¡¯t exist anymore. Chris¡¯s hut. The Farm. The mountains¡­ where he used to live before he could handle his ability. The hut I almost killed you in¡­. Let¡¯s see where else. Your old house. His old house. Even the neighborhood. Rodrigo¡¯s house. The other house Rodrigo had. The whole of Narihma is out looking for him. The whole of En-gannim has him as a fugitive. I even checked where Marcus wanted to take you for two weeks. Juliet¡­ It¡¯s beautiful. The grass is turquoise and long, and the shorter grass on the ground is dark green. The pink ocean makes it all look magical. And the house¡­ Anyway¡­ I checked Palmyra and every teleportation that Jessy could log. But he could¡¯ve gotten away with getting someone else to do it for him. If there is a weak link, I think it might be Samuel. I went to Zoreah. Asked Ira to keep an eye out. I looked in every crevice anyway.¡±

    ¡°And you couldn¡¯t carry a Chadari girl in your arms. Weakling.¡±

    Michael scooped me up. ¡°Oh honey, I¡¯ve missed you. I¡¯m so glad it made you laugh¡­ All I can think about is our night of drugs and sex. All I want to do is take you on a bike ride, which I don¡¯t think will ever happen again.¡± Michael leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. I welcomed him with an open mouth. His tongue was playful with mine.

    I lifted, saying, ¡°You know. I¡¯ve never done it invisible.¡± I continued to kiss him. Michaels¡¯s hands stilled around me. Slowly, he unlocked our lips, licking his and staring at mine. ¡°You won¡¯t get your dance. My room is¡­¡± I shuddered, thinking about it.

    He plopped me down on the ground and walked off in a huff. I had to laugh. ¡°Really, it means that much to you.¡± He ignored me. I ran after him, lacing my fingers with his. ¡°We¡¯re like the ultimate power couple. Can you imagine what we can do together?"

    ¡°Kill Soren.¡±

    ¡°Funny. Glad you remember our conversations¡­ That, yes, but really. We can come and go, and no one would even know.¡±

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for those red swords.¡±

    ¡°Not everyone has them¡­ Michael¡­ Where were you the last few months? You didn¡¯t even come on the nights it was your turn. It¡¯s been so long.¡±

    ¡°Waiting like a good boy. My queen didn¡¯t summon me, so I had to wait.¡±

    I laughed so hard and yanked him around that he stopped abruptly and had to look at me. I gazed deep into his eyes to see if it was true. He was dead serious. ¡°Michael¡­ I need to be touched. I need¡­. A five-minute ride pushed up against¡­ that wall, holding me up with your strong arms and fulfilling one of my fantasies.¡±

    Michael laughed even louder than me. ¡°It¡¯s going to cost you.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Five weeks on Zoreah¡­¡± I wanted to say something. ¡°After we find him.¡±

    ¡°That is not what I wanted to say¡­ You always ask for time¡­ And I¡¯ve never gotten around to giving you any.¡±

    Michael played with his beard and looked up at me. ¡°I was in my werewolf form for three months¡­ It does put it all into perspective¡­ No, No¡­ I wanted to. It does change everything, and I can understand why the boys on Earth had such a hard time.¡±

    ¡°Michael.¡±

    ¡°I have so long to live. And I remembered what Liam told Chris right before he came to France.¡± I was intrigued by what had made Chris change his mind. ¡°Liam said that this life. Chris¡¯s new life doesn¡¯t give you a moment¡­ And it¡¯s true. All we have is now. It¡¯s why you want me to¡­¡± Michael nudged to the wall behind him.

    ¡°Yes. Time for time?¡± Michael smiled. ¡°Do I need to sign anywhere? We don¡¯t have a paper trail this time. Hey, I still haven¡¯t gotten my full body massage.¡±

    ¡°For our first time, when you manipulated and raped me.¡± Michael had not thought it through. The expression on his face changed, and the humor had fallen away. He covered his mouth with a hand.

    ¡°Oh honey, it¡¯s not rape if your wife sleeps with you.¡± Michael met my eye. We stared at each other.

    ¡°I think he regrets saying it. I think that¡¯s why Louis was so angry that night.¡±

    ¡°You were also very angry at me that night.¡±

    ¡°Juliet, I¡¯m sorry for what you went through. I think I¡¯m partly to blame. All of us. I knew my time as a watcher would end.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know they were going to take you.¡±

    ¡°But me not being there. It did make things more difficult for you. I was deliberately doing everything they were not. Made you fall in love with me. I knew there was a chance we would never see each other again¡­ Not only that¡­ I knew my place in all of this was to stop all the threats against us before they even became a problem¡­ I feel like I failed you. This hierarchy stuff is hard. I have to listen. I¡¯m not in control anymore.¡±

    ¡°It does not matter¡­ We¡­ I¡­  I¡¯m just glad Marcus came back in time. If he had stayed away longer, Soren would¡¯ve been allowed in. And¡­ how could we all be so blind? I would¡¯ve had a scar on my bottom.¡±

    ¡°Your¡­ bottom?¡± I giggled. He chuckled. ¡°You still in the mood?¡± Michael¡¯s eyes roamed over my outfit, my hair, and the jewelry around my arms.

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°I understand. Not in the mood¡­ I¡¯ll do anything to make you feel something again. Come back to me.¡± Michael picked me up in one arm. ¡°If you want me to do this properly, I will have to go creature.¡±

    ¡°How did you manage? I didn¡¯t feel the nails?¡±

    ¡°It was tough, but I got it done. Back and forth. Didn¡¯t want the drugs to drain out too quickly. I needed to feel it like that.¡±

    ¡°The nails on my skin were worth it.¡±

    Michael¡¯s finger pulled the bikini triangle down over my breast. His whole hand enveloped my flesh. He squeezed and stroked his thumb over my nipple while we walked. When we reached the desired flat surface, I was undoing his pants and shoved them down over his bulky ass. Michael struggled with my belt, but I helped him and let them drop down, stepping out. The soft strands of the twined caftan hung softly over my skin. His fingers pushed each string sensually over my shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you look better in the outfit or out of it.¡± He cupped my bottom and lifted me to the perfect height. ¡°Are you going to be able to hold on?¡± I took him in hand, and Michael took a small step closer, hovering his mouth over mine, waiting for me to let go. Our eyes were waiting in anticipation. I let go, and he slowly nudged into me. My lips parted, and his tongue came out to meet mine. He nudged again. I let out a moan. ¡°Did you say five minutes?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take anything right now.¡± He bit into my shoulder and entered me slowly till we were one. My knees clamped down around his waist, and my hips pushed toward him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±

    I had to laugh. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to handle even one thrust.¡±

    He shook his head in a frustrated attempt not to spill himself into me. ¡°Let¡¯s just stay like this for a second¡­ At least you¡¯re laughing.¡± He pulled out. I wanted to say something. He barred me, replacing himself with fingers. ¡°I can wait till you join me there.¡± I closed my eyes and forgot about everything.

    Michael pulled up his pants, looked down at me, and began fixing my dress. Every finger moved with precision to get the threads to hang perfectly. He finished by putting the strands of my hair in place. ¡°I got a little carried away.¡± He said sheepishly. I did the same for him. I had disheveled him. My hands roamed his chest and over his shoulders down his arms. I took his hands in mine and put them on my ass. He squeezed. I jumped again, wrapping my legs around him. ¡°Will you do me a favor?¡±

    ¡°Another one. Where do you want to start.¡±

    ¡°No, I want to show you something. First, travel us to the diner.¡±

    Michael obliged. I used a plate, and we traveled into darkness. I clapped my hands, and the room filled with a dim glow of soft light. Michael scanned the space, looked at me, and walked around a bit. He opened the door that led outside and stood, taking in the scene. He lit a cigarette and clutched one hand under an armpit. After a few minutes, he walked around the little cabin. I was biting my nails and stopped when he came into view. ¡°Your moment of weakness.¡± I nodded. ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°It was done right before we had our fight in my room. For that night¡­ For all our nights.¡±

    Michael opened his arms, remorse on his features. ¡°There are black sheets on the bed.¡±

    ¡°I know. I was thinking if we won¡¯t be coming back.¡±

    ¡°Again?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too tired.¡±

    He leaned down. ¡°No. Never. I have to redeem myself.¡±

    ¡°No sex?¡± I asked

    ¡°Just love. It will be our first time.¡±

    ***

    I was lying in the crook of his arm after we took our time and made love. We had kinda consummated our relationship at last, after so many years. A new beginning. It felt so strange that all our previous encounters had been foreplay, abstinence, and, a few times of, quickies. ¡°Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.¡± I laced and unlaced our fingers. We did have our one night on Mirach, where we were clouded with lust. The only thing wrong with it was the timing. Experiencing it again was one thing I was looking forward to. I was trying to think about anything rather than what happened.

    ¡°What will happen now?¡±

    My fingers stopped moving, ¡°You know it¡¯s not up to me. He still gets to decide.¡±

    ¡°Did what you see¡­ change anything?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I honestly can¡¯t think about it right now¡­

    ¡°I was serious.¡±

    ¡°About what.¡±

    ¡°You will have to ask. We can¡¯t go back to Earth customs. We will have to embrace a new way of living¡­ And no, I don¡¯t want to leave¡­¡± Michael¡¯s hands were large, with long, well-proportioned fingers, and the veins gently protruding under the skin made them a perfect specimen. His nails were manicured, and with the rings he always wore, it was one of those things about him I could not get enough of.  ¡°Please don¡¯t give it all up for him. Even if he asks.¡±

    I was quiet. What could I say without lying? I had other plans on how to fix everything. ¡°Michael, you said it yourself. Someone has to be in charge of all this. Have you changed your mind? Is Louis not who you would¡¯ve chosen for me¡­¡±

    ¡°I have never seen his feed¡­ I went to Earth to watch it.¡± His fingers closed painfully around mine.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else, please.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°How will it work?¡±

    His fingers relaxed and continued with slow movements, gently caressing mine. ¡°You can summon me whenever you want¡­ I will send a¡­ request?¡±

    I laughed lightly. ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready.¡±

    Michael rolled up on his elbow, a wicked smile on his mouth. ¡°I can¡¯t wait.¡±

    I licked my lips and stared at his hands, ¡°Can you manifest into a vampire so I can add black nails to my temptations.¡±

 210. Earth

    210. Earth

    Chris

    I had been on Zoreah for months, and I still couldn¡¯t go back to En-gannim. When Soren sent me home, I left immediately. Louis and Michael were there and could handle everything. Louis was going to take over and told us Soren would send them home. So, all we had to do was wait. Louis was on a mission, and I was desperately trying to get a grip on everything that happened¡­ They did not need me. I knew it had to happen at any moment. Juliet would come home.

    My father was still happy for me to come back and take my place as the Riphath¡¯s next king. I was doubting again if I should stay¡­ Ira said I proved myself. Only he knew how he came to that conclusion. I didn¡¯t feel like I was worth anything. Selena and Jamal followed us to En-gannim. What was the point? Our relationship meant nothing anymore. Because I couldn¡¯t let go. Juliet and I were really in the same boat.

    I had my own house in the origin city. It was a little different than the mud huts we lived in outside, and because there was no more traveling, everyone could begin to make their space their own. We lived on the largest platform up on the mountain. Ira had done wonders to the place. It was flourishing everywhere, with the water supply running through the mountain. With energy and no harsh winters or migrating, it was a whole new world. Not to mention, everyone there would live forever. The population would become a problem again. I would have to sort it out. If we ever ended up there. But for the time being, it was as peaceful as all of Ira¡¯s hopes and dreams. He had come to sit with me a few times. But I was not talking again, staring out into the sky. I was back to being a child. Just one with the patience to sit and wait for time to pass, thinking about how different my life would¡¯ve been if I had grown up there.

    Juliet and I had four months together. I had not stayed away like the others. We talked and committed ourselves to each other again. We made love and sealed our relationship with vigor. I saw her belly swell, and then I was there for the birth. It had been a long and complicated delivery that had us all on edge. We had made turns throughout the day to get her to walk around, rub her back, and wipe away her tears. She had asked for me, and I wanted to be there for her, even if it wasn¡¯t my child... When she had come back beaten up and broken. I was the only one that had taken her from Jessy. The only one who stayed with her that night, and then¡­ She almost died¡­ It was too much to see her go through everything¡­ I swiped at the tears that would spring up.

    ¡°Chris? You okay?¡± Silvanus asked, checking up on me like he had done every day for the last few months. I shook my head. I was not okay. ¡°What did he make you watch?¡±

    I hardly wanted to think about it, let alone talk about it, and I was there for two days. ¡°I promised her that in the next thousand years, at some point, we will be happy.¡± More tears, my shoulders shaking as I tried to hold them back. ¡°I¡¯m finding it hard to be a Riphath at this moment. Almost walking away from her.¡±

    ¡°Not all the commitment in the world can change where you come from.¡±

    My head turned to him. It was true. It was the problem. I didn¡¯t have the obsession gene. The lust. The anger. The drive to do anything. I just wanted to sit. Everything that has happened was always a choice, not an inborn need or fight like theirs. I would¡¯ve walked away and tried to make it work with Selena. And after all that¡ªI felt so stupid. I couldn¡¯t even save her because I had chosen to sleep well and get drugged¡­ I couldn¡¯t understand how Michael did it at all. One moment, full of anger. The next, not caring if she died, and then you would feel horrible that you didn¡¯t submit and bow at her feet.

    ¡°Species don¡¯t mix,¡± Ira¡¯s voice came from behind me. He sat next to Silvanus.

    ¡°You keep saying that, but Michael is proof that we do¡­ One day we will figure it out and what will you say then?¡± Ira didn¡¯t answer, so we sat in silence for a long time before I said, ¡°I want to go back.¡±

    ¡°Where would you go? I don¡¯t mind doing it all again,¡± Silvanus said, rubbing his hands together.

    Ira scoffed. It brought a smile to my face. He didn¡¯t think it was a good idea. ¡°Thank You, Ira. For loving me.¡±

    He stretched out a hand and ruffled my hair, ¡°I should¡¯ve done more. I should¡¯ve taken a chance on the rumor and brought you home. No matter the cost¡­ What would it have mattered if you were human and we made a mistake? Here, you would¡¯ve manifested in a second. The vamps were too in control.¡±

    ¡°I understand your hatred for it all. They used me as a bargaining chip for compliance¡­ I know I can¡¯t go back in time to fix it all... But I want to.¡±

    ¡°Chris¡­ Liam came by.¡±

    ¡°How is she?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s actually doing well. Considering.¡±

    I was taken aback. I thought she would crumple like I was¡­ But then again, Juliet was probably avoiding it. Not talking. Using sex as a diversion. The thought made me smile, but I was in no way ready to help her and Louis through the conflict that would ensue.

    ¡°It¡¯s Marcus Chris.¡±

    I stood up, ¡°What about Marcus?¡±

    ***

    First, I had to go see why Juliet was doing so well. It was the first time I couldn¡¯t be there for her, and Michael had said he would pick up the slack. I wondered how it went.

    I came out in The Tower with a broken Marcus being brought into the medbay. I sat while they did all they could. The doctors checked him and went over him with every machine and device they could think of. Injected him with a few things, and after all that, they took him to the shower and placed him in a chair, letting the water do its work. I heard him fall and stepped over quickly. He needed someone to nurse him. Where was Juliet? ¡°I told her, I didn¡¯t want to see her right now.¡±

    ¡°Oh Marcus¡­¡± I picked him up and scrubbed him from head to toe, dried him off, and struggled to get him dressed. ¡°Don¡¯t you have nurses here.¡±

    ¡°Our staff is a bit limited at the moment.¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°How did you get here?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. Juliet, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°I thought you talked to her.¡±

    ¡°Did I? I don¡¯t know... I need to sleep.¡±

    I placed him on the bed. He held onto my hand, ¡°Don¡¯t go. Please.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t. Close your eyes.¡±

    The moment Marcus¡¯s hand relaxed in mine. I sent Juliet a message.

    Me { Where are you? }

    Juliet { With Michael }

    Me { Marcus needs you }

    Juliet { The last person Marcus wants to see right now is me. Believe me. I¡¯m not running away because I want to. You were not even there when I came back }

    I knew I wasn¡¯t. I guess if I couldn¡¯t face her. How would Marcus cope?

    { I saw what you did to Sita. Not impressed! }

    I groaned and was revolted all over, wanting to throw up again. Was Juliet trying to get me to a place where I was so desperate I had no choice? It was one of the reasons I couldn¡¯t face her. What a mess.

    I stayed with Marcus till the following day. When he could open his eyes and sit up in the bed, he asked. ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    I had to take a minute. Things seemed off with him. ¡°Just checking in. I¡¯m gonna go. Where will you be?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to my house. For the foreseeable future.¡±

    I nodded and left.

    I went upstairs. Kubra and Jessy were in the office. ¡°Oh great! Someone that knows what¡¯s going on,¡± Kubra said. ¡°We don¡¯t know what to do or where to go.¡±

    ¡°Kubra, I need to talk to you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡±

    ¡°Marcus¡­ There is something wrong with him.¡±

    ¡°Is he forgetful? Foggy and rude.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say it. But that¡¯s normal.¡±

    ¡°Normal?¡±

    ¡°There has only been one person in his whole life that has made Marcus¡­ not normal. And I can guarantee you. She is the last person he wants to see.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what the hell is going on.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s triggers Chris. Two hundred years of triggers. Why Louis took off. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something you will ever need to understand.¡±

    ¡°Louis isn¡¯t here?¡± I said, surprised but also a little relieved. So she came home with no one there and saved Marcus all by herself. How useless was I?

    ¡°No¡­ Louis left the day she came back.¡±

    I bobbed my head, ¡°Okay, so how can I help.¡±

    ¡°Juliet said Samuel is in charge for now, but he¡¯s in court meetings all day. Juliet is taking a few personal days. Is there a reason why you¡¯re not there?¡±

    ¡°Triggers¡­ Anyway, then I¡¯ll give you leave. I¡¯m back. You and Jessy can rotate on managing the army base. Three days each until she¡¯s back. Go be with Charlene, Kubra. You earned it¡­ Jessy, I think it¡¯s time you put in a request with the camps for a wife¡­ Juliet has too much on her plate and can¡¯t make anyone fall in love with you¡­ If you do want that connection¡­ Go rescue one from Earth and bring her here¡­ Or look at the other girls who can¡¯t make it in a camp. If you keep waiting for Selena¡­ It¡¯s your choice, but Riphaths are a useless bunch.¡±

    ***

    Louis

    The day Juliet would come home, Soren sent me a message, and it took me an hour to decide if I would disappoint her even more. So I made another knowing mistake and left. I had gone to that road where Chris had lost Carl¡¯s trail. I followed it and searched the area for days. If it were not for blood and skid marks. I would never have found the boy.

    I was shot at in the dead of night, ¡°Is that how you treat your friends?¡±

    Carl had run out of the house and thrown his legs around me. The other men had come happily down the steps from the porch. Jacklin soon emerged, leaning against the doorframe. The only feeling she evoked in me was regret. I told Juliet nothing had ever happened between Jacklin and me. Unfortunately, there was one drunken orgie that led to an unexpected encounter. So that lie would also be out in the open.

    They all looked worse for wear. The next face was a little more challenging to handle. Lyla had stepped out to see what the commotion was about. When she saw me, she ran back into the house. Carl had by then jumped off and laughed when the little girl stuck her tail between her legs.

    ¡°What took you so long?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°Soren.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I think there is a lot we need to talk about. We were locked up for four months.¡± Stunned, I stared at him. They knew nothing. Wouldn¡¯t be able to help us even if we wanted to rescue Earth.

    We all moved into the house. ¡°Who¡¯s house is this?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Jacklin drained him the first day,¡± Carl answered.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°You here to take us back?¡± Warden asked.

    ¡°If you like¡­ Look, Carl. I can¡¯t speak in front of everyone. What are you eating?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a farm. So we¡¯re trying to keep it going. There are chickens and cows¡­ Fields with vegetables.¡±

    Lyla came out from her hiding spot. I couldn¡¯t believe that one girl had caused all of it. Or maybe we did. I still couldn¡¯t read anyone. I was happy about it. Once I left, my ability vanished entirely. So I didn¡¯t know what she was thinking. I glanced at Jack; his narrowed eyes were assessing me. Out of everyone, he probably knew me the best. Jack stood and handed me a packet of cigarettes. I almost grabbed it out of his hand. ¡°Where?¡±

    ¡°We go out scouting for supplies¡­ How long?¡± Jack asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s been weeks. I stopped smoking when¡­ Never mind¡­¡±

    ¡°We tried to leave the area. Ian had blown up pipelines, and it meant no gas¡ªboth ways¡­ No electricity, no cooking anymore¡ªonly fires,¡± Carl explained.

    ¡°It¡¯s only going to get worse.¡±

    ¡°Will they come and help us,¡± Lyla asked. I had to do all I could not to get up and kill her. She was precisely like Soren. The arrogance they had coupled with no resolution was the most dangerous character flaws to combine. I stood to my feet in more irritation than I thought I was feeling. Jacklin took Lyla by the arm and ushered her quickly out of the room. I didn¡¯t want to be anywhere near Jacklin. If Juliet knew¡­ She was probably reeling at what she meant to me. Why I lied at all about the one woman I didn¡¯t kill, thinking I was protecting her or something.

    ¡°Come, Louis. Let¡¯s take a walk,¡± Jack said. It was a good idea. I was losing my s-.

    The five of us walked down the gravel road while I told them everything that happened from the moment we left them on Earth. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you leave?¡±

    ¡°There is nowhere to go. No way to communicate. We had to leave everything there the day we escaped. Only one gun.¡± Carl said.

    ¡°We also thought that if you and Chris put your noses together, you¡¯d find us,¡± Jack quipped.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry¡­ The war is a little worse than I thought when I told Juliet we should fight¡­ Earth left us to fend for ourselves¡­ I think we have to get you out of here. We¡¯re too close to the compound, and if they can¡¯t teleport¡ª¡±

    ¡°They will start marching,¡± Jack finished my sentence.

    I agreed with him. ¡°Do you guys want to go back to Mirach?¡± All four shook their heads. I couldn¡¯t read them, but I guessed they were staying for me. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. I¡¯m wiped. I need to sleep.¡±

    ***

    The following morning, I was smoking a cigarette outside. It was a beautiful farm and foggy on the horizon. It wouldn¡¯t be for long. The door slowly creaked open. I glanced over my shoulder, and Jacklin came out of the house. I groaned. I was thinking about killing the two women again. Maybe Juliet wouldn¡¯t be so angry if I did¡­ I laughed at myself. I felt like I cheated on Juliet¡ªwas cheating on her only being in the vicinity of Jacklin. But it wasn¡¯t that¡­ Juliet had told me if I lied to her again¡­ Not that she told me what she would do. Maybe she would see it as one before I sacrificed Michael to that machine. I sighed. If I had known, the boys had taken in the two fugitives. I might have left them to make their own way to safety. I was not fit to make any objective decisions.

    ¡°Can I have one?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t even look at her; definitely didn¡¯t want to share a cigarette together.

    ¡°Louis¡­ I ¡­¡±

    She had helped Lyla, ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. But I need to ask for a favor¡­¡± Jacklin hesitated, and I didn¡¯t respond, ¡°I helped you find that cub. You still owe me.¡±

    I huffed, ¡°You sacrificed me that night¡­ I think we¡¯re even,¡± I waited.

    ¡°I need to use the plate. One time.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have me stuck here?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t care one fig about what happens to me!¡±

    ¡°F- Louis, before that night in that motel, I¡¯d not seen you in fifty years.¡± She laughed, ¡°You slept with me and walked away.¡±

    My nose lifted in disgust, not for Jacklin. I had just remembered that I lied to Juliet about who I was. She didn¡¯t even know I was Marcus¡¯s uncle¡­ Juliet had a lot of love to give and let everything go. She hates being lied to, and I¡­ seemed to love lying only to her¡­ At one point, Juliet will break and¡­ ¡°You knew who I was, Jacklin¡­ And still¡­¡±

    Lyla chose that moment to make an appearance. ¡°Can you please let Carl take us to my parents?¡±

    They were testing my patience. ¡°No, Lyla! You wanted this. Now you have to live it.¡± Carl and the guys came out, ¡°Say goodbye, Carl.¡±

    The boy lifted a hand and waved at the two women staring at us. Warden wanted to move forward, and Jacklin also took a step toward him. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Jack¡¯s voice was firm. I frowned at the man who looked after my daughter but couldn¡¯t judge him. I wanted him to also have a life. Oh, how screwed up the intersections were we found ourselves in. The five of us traveled out. I took us to Europe. It was the furthest from Fahan and Ian, and we might be able to help in some small way.

    ***

    Lyla

    Jacklin and I stood staring at each other. I didn¡¯t know what to do or where to go. She needed to eat soon. It had already been a month since the farmer. I had no one to blame but myself. The day he died, all my decisions were acutely useless. No idea why I had done it in the first place. Juliet had brought beasts for them to eat, and the few people dying¡­ even Stevie or Lucy seemed better than the masses I had killed. Nevin had warned me. I didn¡¯t even know what happened to him. I hoped I would see him again one day.

    I looked out over the farm. Without the guys, we couldn¡¯t stay there. My parents were probably dead, ¡°Where would the infected vamps go?¡±

    ¡°Lyla¡­¡± I glanced up at her. ¡°I have something I have to tell you.¡±

    ¡°I was one of Ahasuerus¡¯s wives¡­ Sent to Earth because¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ There were fifteen thousand infected vamps on the compound. Slaves, servants, or whatever. Every household had one¡­ That¡¯s why there are so many rooms in those tunnels and why they were built... Partially¡­ Every normal vampire boy had to go through conditioning, and with so many kids at one time, Qadir needed a lot of space to tame them and needed servants to help them do it.¡±

    ¡°On En-gannim?¡±

    ¡°Camps. Lots of them. Hundreds of years, you had to be there¡­ If you made a mistake, you got beaten and stuck in a dark room. When you came out, you behaved for a longer period. Until your next mistake, and then you were starved. It goes on like that until you stop talking. For the men until you could control yourself.¡±

    ¡°You were not born here. I figured something must have happened for you to be off the compound.¡±

    ¡°There were a few occasions families were let go. But it was always at Qadir¡¯s discretion, and they would be placed strategically. Exile from the compound was really only for those who had no intentions of going back to En-gannim and posed no threat. Always a reason¡­ Anyway¡­ I rounded the infected vamps up when Lucy died. Gave them a place to stay. I don¡¯t know if they are there. But we don¡¯t really have a choice. Maybe we should start walking¡­ Or how would you feel about surrendering our services to Ian?¡±

    ¡°At the compound? Are you crazy?! I¡¯ll never make it.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, I have my own plans. But it¡¯s whether you can trust me or not?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to offend you. But do I really have a choice? My chances are better with you than alone.¡±

    Jacklin and I geared up and set out on foot. We didn¡¯t need to walk long. The drumming on the road could be heard long before you saw anything. ¡°So this is why the guys left,¡± Jacklin said.

    ¡°Are you going to tell me what happened with Warden?¡±

    ¡°Same thing that happened with you. You have joined the club of being in the middle¡­ You won¡¯t fit into this world ever again. And you won¡¯t be able to join theirs. Everyone in the middle flocks together.¡±

    Jacklin was so old. Four hundred years¡­ I couldn¡¯t even imagine it. Three hundred there¡­ One hundred on Earth. Vamps came flying over us, scouting, but passed us. Jacklin was manifested, and I was cowering behind her. The rest of the army soon came into view. We lifted our hands and stood to the side. It was rows and rows of a never-ending sea of men¡­ The compound would be empty again. What was Jacklin going to do?

    In the middle of the convoy, I saw Soren and Ian. The two men were isolated. The flying vamps went down roads to empty houses and would come back to the check-in. They were exterminating us, taking prisoners for food, and I didn¡¯t know what else. Ian came over to Jacklin and spoke in some foreign language. She reached into her clothes pocket and took something out. She showed it to them. Ian stood staring at the thing. Soren talked to her, and Ian stopped the convoy. He made a few hand gestures, and the whole army turned around. I didn¡¯t know how long we were on the truck or how far we had gone down the road. But we were going back.

    Soren watched me with interest. I had heard my name, and Ian also glanced my way. Jacklin didn¡¯t want to tell me her plans... I guessed they were worthy enough of Ian¡¯s notice. Jacklin and Ian spoke almost the whole time in another language, so I couldn¡¯t understand, and Soren listened intently. I had seen him on Juliet¡¯s feed. He had left with all the children when Marcus put Qadir in prison. I wondered what had happened for him to hate them so much. To go back to En-gannim and totally go in the other direction.

    That night, we were camped out in the desert. No tents. No sleeping bags. No carts were being pulled. No rations. No food. Just tech and a lot of it. Soren was making his way over to me. I was eating some of the last bread we had. The farmer¡¯s freezer was well stocked, and I had taken some things out of the pantry.

    ¡°I was looking for you. The first time we came. I wish you guys didn¡¯t run,¡± Soren said as he sat down.

    ¡°I was knocked out when the Ittoqure came. Jacklin too. Carl had taken sympathy on me. I suppose.¡±

    ¡°Where are they now?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know. Seems like Juliet and the guys are coming to help Earth.¡±

    ¡°Why do you say so?¡±

    ¡°Louis¡­ He came to the house last night. He¡¯s been looking for Carl for a week.¡± I watched Soren¡¯s features change from okay to a stone-cold expression. ¡°Why were you looking for me?¡±

    ¡°I wanted the tubes. All the feed.¡±

    ¡°Guess you got it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Thnx.¡± A smile played at the corner of his mouth. He seemed different. But it was so long ago when he and Juliet started.

    ¡°What are your plans?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think Jacklin¡¯s plans are now our plans. She has a way for us to fix the teleporter, but it¡¯s locked up somewhere. Above that, fifteen thousand infected vamps will change our strategies to fight at night.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re not going to eat me.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t kill that easily.¡±

    ***

    Back at the compound, I stayed with Soren in Marcus¡¯s house. The Chadari was not there, but I was glad. They would¡¯ve freaked me out. We could do nothing but wait. Jacklin had taken a car and a few soldiers and was driving south to retrieve everything Ahasuerus had left her before he went to Zoreah. Ian and Soren had stocked the compound tunnels to capacity with things they would need to fight the war. Food, water, gasoline. Guns, gas, provisions¡­ Nothing to me made sense. I was sure there was more Jacklin wasn¡¯t saying.

    Soren practiced every day for hours. It was all he did. At night, he drank himself into a stupor. His manifestation was the same as Louis¡¯s and Juliet¡¯s. It was so much more formidable than the typical scary vampire features. I was in over my head in too many ways. Constantly afraid¡­ No¡­ Terrified.

    ***

    Two Weeks Later

    Fahan

    We were marching East. Ian was moving west. With the flying, it wasn¡¯t that bad. The Chadari were used to marching for days or even weeks to get to isolated areas. The densely populated cities were easy to take over. It was the ones that were open and had houses far apart from each other. Neighborhoods like that took the longest. Most places were evacuated. A fire had become a common occurrence when we fought. Humans thought it was a great way to deter and confuse us. It only made it easier. We burned everything. Once we left an area, there was nothing left¡­

    That night, we were camped, and I walked among the men. We could eat cows and other things. The smells were coming from every fire. Humans cooked their food, and we were testing the theory. Smoke hung thick over the town and horizon where the fires from the houses we plundered were slowly coming to an end. Humans usually ran, and some got away, throwing us with tiny balls that blew up and made massive holes in the ground. The shields the vamps gave us, and our size and strength, allowed us to endure the loud noises. The men were talking about the sticks some of them threw at us that day. A brown stick with a little rope attached to it. At the end of the rope was a tiny fire that looked like a star in the sky, making weird hissing sounds. The men were laughing at the outcome. The humans who ran would move east to more densely populated areas. It suited our strategies. We were resting before we marched again. Once we reached the sea, we would be moving south.

    Ian¡¯s plan was to go on like that for a year if Jade could not get the teleporter working again. One year, and we would march back to the compound. I had not seen Jade or Aries in a very long time. But knowing Ian and Soren was not able to go to Palmyra was a relief. My chest lit up thinking about how relieved Jade had to be without any worries. My people were going on with their lives. The food would become a problem. The lights on my chest dimmed. All I wanted was to get away from Ian and Soren. Cut the ties and work with Marcus. I had not taken what had happened to Juliet and Marcus well? There was war, and then there was what Soren had done. Starving them so long that any creature would become wild. We fought and killed and let no one suffer. Honor for the strongest species but never vengeance.

    I sat waiting for the time to pass, holding the plate in my hand. I wondered if Jade would be able to get the communications working. I did not even know what kind of damage there was. My thoughts did not want to think about them already dead. The plate lit up.

    Jade { Send me a signal }

    I did it immediately. A few moments later, she was standing in front of me. I could not even lift my head. She looked down at me for a long time.

    ¡°This is how things will work from here. I will be in control for now. Until we can work together. If not. You will stay here¡­ You lied to me¡­¡±

    ¡°I am¡­ Jealous. I¡­ see and know about Dimitrios¡­ But again, I was brought down from my pride.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Soren and Ian. We need to get away from them.¡±

    ¡°I agree.¡±

    I lifted my face. Her chest was dancing. I knew what it meant, ¡°You want me?¡± My need was great. It was too long since our last mating. Was I wrong about them? I wanted to take her into the bushes and¡­

    ¡°I do.¡± My member responded, and all the lights on my chest flowed down my body. Jade snorted, which I knew was her laugh, ¡°Tell Ian that if he needs anything, he can ask me. I have a meeting with the werewolf queen. We need others on our side. I am inclined to work with Juliet if you are.¡±

    I wanted to get up. I did not care about any of them¡­ My hand was halfway in the air to take hold of her. Jade disappeared again. I was so happy and relieved, but I was in pain. Another kind of pain. The other men had watched us, and when they laughed at me, I joined them. We all longed to be back with our females, and we shared the moment. Juliet and Jade together. For the first time, I had hope. I realized I was becoming more human. Everywhere we went, there were books. A big building with so many books. We left those buildings intact. Whenever I had a chance, I read and read and read.

    Marcus had not killed me because for them¡­ Their honor lay in mercy and relations and¡­ what did they call it¡­ ¡°making the world a better place.¡± Strange that it did not seem to be an idea all humans embraced.

    I picked up the plate again. Only a message.

    Jade { You will have to walk back } I laughed and laughed and laughed.

 211. History Put To Rest

    211. History Put To Rest

    Chris

    Charlene had a strapping, healthy, cute human boy (Jaali) who manifested a few days later into a bloodthirsty vampire, honoring a proud father. Charlene, on the other hand, let a string of curse words flow. We didn¡¯t know how it would work, but it didn¡¯t matter what species you were; the father seemed to be the key. The other little shadow was a girl (Fia). A beautiful child with Romero¡¯s smooth skin and wavy, curly hair. Charlene and Juliet demanded they stay in the same house. The two didn¡¯t want the situation to end up like it was in France. The babies slept together and fed together. It was, all in all, the perfect time to get over everything that happened¡ªwell¡­ in a way.

    The boys lived in Kubra¡¯s house, and the women in Romero¡¯s. All the kids were the same age and were growing up together. Caleb enjoyed shadowing me and helping out wherever he could. We were allowed to have dinner at home for about two months with no production, just the family together. Although it was a bit crowded, it was worth it. Ira and Sylvanus made regular trips, and he made an effort with Sammy. She still asked for Warden, and I was worried about the four of them stuck on Earth. They were a part of us; just like Selena and Jamal, they would never fit into what Earth or any of the other planets had become. It was strange not to have Selena and Jamal there all the time. My mistake caused a rift in the relationship between Selena and Juliet. It had been a long time since I had spent any time with them.

    Although we lived on En-gannim, we were also on Mirach as much as we could be. None of us wanted the kids on En-gannim. Liam, Cindy, and her parents had gone back to their Islands. We had heard nothing from Carl or Louis. Marcus¡­ had come back¡­ not the same. He and Agatha had left to live in Juliet¡¯s house, which he had built for her. Agatha would come to get Naji and bring him back after a few days. We had fought hard to become a family and were further from it than ever. I never saw Michael. We were never still enough to sit down together. Juliet was back behind her desk, and Michael and I were faithfully there in our own capacity. Juliet wanted to start at the top and work her way down, focusing on En-gannim and not Earth. Michael and I had our own duties, and it was strange that we were happy but also broken.

    I had my own issues with what Soren had done and shown me. What I knew Juliet had to go through. Two mornings a month, I would go to Zoreah, and by the afternoon, I would be back. I did it to bond with Ira and talk to him about the future. The way of life did slow down those few days I could get away.

    Romero and their doctor were never used again. I had no desire to lose control. I still didn¡¯t know what happened on Mirach between Juliet and Michael. Juliet and I weren¡¯t really talking, and I figured Michael was still picking up the slack or, rather, hoping he was because I had no idea what to say to her.

    En-gannim finally had its long-awaited relief from overpopulation in the major cities. We were in the process of filling the other Islands with capable families who could take over all the different industries. Samuel was in charge of the court and had appointed other officials in various parts of En-gannim to spread out the work. We all felt we were finally making progress, and Samuel was happy in his old age to be able to mold En-gannim to the ideals he had held for so long.

    The harem systems were banned, and the women didn¡¯t have to go into camps for a hundred years anymore. Juliet had decided not to introduce the women to more liberal ideas but to keep the traditions as they were. The conditioning was still in effect but not as harsh.

    Nevin had a long discussion with us, and he decided to take his tribe to the Red Planet so we didn¡¯t pollute En-gannim any further. Juliet thought it was punishment enough for helping Lyla. He had also helped Louis and Samuel in the weeks they took over En-gannim, fighting right alongside them. Nevin was part of the court and the coup two hundred years ago, and the two older men had a lot of strategic plans we never even considered.

    Ian was in a constant state of war. More of Fahan¡¯s men were sent, led by Jade. The Earth was still holding its ground. Juliet had refused to help them. She blamed it on Lyla, but I guessed fighting Soren in another war wasn¡¯t something she seemed up to.

    Our army was our number one priority, although the parameters had changed. It wasn¡¯t forced, and strangely, the men wanted to join independently with the option of marriage. Enrolling generated more households with an income and an easy daily commute to the barracks, making it a worthy occupation. The vamps had embraced the one-wife policy versus the few who had multiple. The camps would empty quickly, and pregnancies were only a matter of time.

    The prisons were turned into housing and schools for those who had no way of generating an income and were taught skills, education, and fighting. These vamps were also keen on fulfilling the occupation of farming. With Rana and all of Ian¡¯s discarded vamps on the colony planet, I was left to find yet another planet fertile enough to farm on¡ªa priority at the top of Juliet¡¯s to-do list. In the end we didn¡¯t know what would happen with Palmyra ¡ªso we were covering all our bases. I enjoyed having the occupation, and even if we were not talking or connecting, we regularly went out to look at other unoccupied planets and meet with those we knew were inhabited. I enjoyed working with Juliet. I couldn¡¯t understand why the guys had been so against the idea. Juliet had been nothing but easygoing and welcomed any help she could get.

    It would take a long time for everything to even out. We had all decided to keep the species separated. Ira went on a very long rant, and watching it was fun. We all got very drunk that night, even Ira.

    Juliet had asked Michael to stop looking for Louis and said he would come back when he was ready. She was never really the same after the whole ordeal. Marcus had left before they even saw each other, and we all wanted to take a limb on Soren¡¯s person and teleport in the opposite direction. Michael, Silvanus, and I trained together every day to get Michael fit, and at the same level, we all were on. Dismembering a beast in this way had become my favorite way to kill.

    One morning, I was arriving on En-gannim and checking up on the barracks. Selena had her own platoon to lead after Juliet¡¯s women returned after their five-year stay on Zoreah. They each had as many children as they wanted and had given Ira hundreds of babies.

    Selena and I had not spoken since I¡­ almost kissed her, and I guessed as she walked over that it was time. Her demeanor towards me had changed. I could see it in the way she moved. It would¡¯ve been much better if Soren was a Riphath. ¡°Hi, Chris. Checking up on me?¡±

    ¡°No. Just in general.¡±

    ¡°Everything is looking good over here. Jessy and Kubra run a tight ship.¡±

    ¡°I know. Just doing the rounds.¡±

    ¡°Is it okay if we sit down for a second?¡± Selena asked.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to apologize. Or clear the air. I don¡¯t know. Relationships are hard.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s very true. But no, I made a mistake. Not you. And not Juliet. She was right to push it. We were always in the back of my mind. I don¡¯t think you will ever understand. I¡­ don¡¯t love easily. Heaven knows it¡¯s not even in our nature. And we had so many years together. Good years¡­ but I let go of the idea of you and me. It will not happen again. I think we both needed it. It would never work between us. It was one of those relationships you have to walk away from.¡±

    Selena was awfully quiet, so I waited to hear what she would say. ¡°I don¡¯t agree with you.¡± I turned to her, floored. I had thought her manners had changed for the better. She smiled quickly. ¡°I¡­ have never been so disappointed in myself. Had regret before, and to have it be about you¡­ Chris, it¡¯s too much. I sometimes wish you would have gone back in time for me. To Zoreah. Accepted who you were and what we had. Slept with me and told Juliet she shouldn¡¯t come for you. And what I regret is that I think we could¡¯ve been happy there¡­ Juliet has a strange way about you. With you, she wouldn¡¯t have killed me. You guys would¡¯ve gone on with your lives. How it should be¡­ The species shouldn¡¯t mix and you don¡¯t make sense here. They¡¯re all vampires, and you¡¯re happy being the outsider. Constantly fighting who you should be.¡±

    It hurt to hear all the things I had thought at that moment. Louis and Marcus weren¡¯t even there anymore, and it all felt off. It felt like we had everything we wanted and more¡­ but somehow, it would never be the same if one of us left. Selena didn¡¯t understand what we had been through. ¡°S¡ª!¡± I said, frustrated.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I got to go. Selena, I¡¯m sorry you¡¯re going through what I had to grieve for years on Zoreah. Because how you feel is how I felt every time you went off with some random guy or Jamal. And me going back for you? I would never¡­ I don¡¯t want that life... I didn¡¯t fight it for fifteen years¡ªfor nothing. How could you¡ª¡±

    ¡°That is so unfair, Chris,¡± she cut me off. ¡°Look what she did. She went to Soren after you told her no more. How can you not be angry? Everyone is focusing on how Marcus feels¡­ What about you?¡±

    ¡°Because I did exactly the same thing. And you know what is worse. You¡¯re doing the same thing with Jessy.¡± She made a face. ¡°Come, Selena, let¡¯s have that discussion. What is wrong with him or even Jamal? They are both waiting for you¡ªlike I did. You can¡¯t shed your Riphath attributes; I don¡¯t think you want to. Maybe that is the only reason why Juliet and I work. Because she wants me like you will never want me. Something or someone will always turn your head or your time. You will never be able to make a decision.¡±

    ¡°F¡ª you!¡±

    ¡°Excuse me!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been among those women too long. But you never loved me enough to wait for me to acclimate. You should at least give me how many years, Chris?  Eighteen¡­ And children and a history that actually means something. How could you expect me to be real in a matter of months¡­ The only mistake I made was listening to her and not waiting till I was ready to love. It wasn¡¯t right of her to push us. And for me, no one else will make¡­ me¡­ fall in love. Not Jessy and not Jamal.¡± Selena was so angry and out of control. Was she going to pull another Soren on us? She spun around, ¡°And you know I¡¯m disappointed in you. You¡¯re fickle. And a hypocrite. You wait for years. You come back, and then, after everything¡­ you decide to give it all up, leaving me to remember what could¡¯ve been. While what¡­ I pass the time in Jessy¡¯s arms. Do to him what you¡¯re doing to her. Because if you could, after everything, give her up for one kiss. One I didn¡¯t even get. Maybe it¡¯s better that it wasn¡¯t you¡­ Perhaps I will get over you.¡±

    Was I like Juliet? Maybe I always thought she would let it go. I would have Selena and her. Was I using Juliet to have intimacy while I waited for the freedom of an open relationship? No. No, no. No! ¡°You forget one thing. In this story, she doesn¡¯t end up with me. You don¡¯t end up with me. I make my own decisions, and I went back. Can I help you went into some room? Maybe you should ask Romero if there is another one that can help you get some common sense. Or you know what, you go spend thirty years! Thirty years, Selena, on Earth! Where all the rules are out the window. Not to mention, I was living on a planet none of us belonged on. This is part of the story. I¡¯m doing my best to not make the wrong choices.¡±

    Selena stepped up to me. She was always too tall for me. It felt weird not being able to look into her eyes without lifting my face. ¡°You know what, Chris¡­ tell me now that if we were on some bed in some room, it wouldn¡¯t work¡­¡± She gave me a moment. Only thinking about the dark city and a branding brought me back to Juliet, not Selena. ¡°You know what, don¡¯t answer it. Come with me. I know it¡¯s a thing for you. You think I¡¯m stupid and clueless and an idiot or something.¡± She pulled me toward a stone block and pushed me on. I was finally looking down into her eyes.

    ¡°I cannot believe we have come full circle. Selena, you¡¯re insane.¡± I had to laugh.

    ¡°Add it to the list.¡± She stepped closer. ¡°I want you to kiss me.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I stepped down. ¡°You being pushy is so off-putting; it makes me want to run. You made the mistake, not Juliet. You should¡¯ve waited. You knew you weren¡¯t ready, but you came anyway.¡±

    ¡°So what? It¡¯s finally over.¡±

    ¡°Yes. You had your chance. Your one chance, and we both know I would have taken it. I was all there.¡±

    ¡°Chris, please give me another chance.¡±

    ¡°No, Selena! Don¡¯t make the same mistake as Soren. Juliet and I sorted out our issues. There will be no more men. I think the gravity of the situation should be enough for you. But it¡¯s never going to be. I can not and will not choose someone that is not sure of me. I had a lot of time to think. And I mean, we all had to grow up the last few months. I remembered my first wife. I was all there, and she was not. We were not even the same species, and I wanted to make it work¡­ I can¡¯t, Selena. I want someone who sees me. They look right into the dark depths and smile. With all I am, no matter what I do or where I am. Or who I love. They¡¯re thinking about me. They can¡¯t wait for me even when we¡¯re in the same room. It¡¯s not even about attraction or affection or connection¡­ Juliet and I met in that way. Unfortunately, we were separated for fifteen years¡­ You have no idea how that messed with my head¡­ It¡¯s just right. It fits. There is no choice. It¡¯s easy to talk and sort out our issues. And you are a friend. And I want to see you happy. But you don¡¯t want to be. You¡¯re looking for me to fix you and fill some void, and I can¡¯t do it.¡±

    ¡°And Juliet does not?¡± She snorted.

    ¡°No,¡± I answered vehemently. ¡°Her not wanting to do it alone is what I want. It is what I always wanted.¡±

    Selena turned around, flinging her arms in the air, and left. I watched her go, remembering all we had been through. Not regret but closure. I turned and left as well. I had to find Jessy. I was glad I had finished it once and for all. Learned a big lesson about ending things properly. As I rounded the corner, Jessy was already there nervously, turning a glass plate around in his hands. His eyes coldly flickered up to mine and dropped down again. In the beginning, I had my doubts about the man, but he had proven himself and I felt a little guilty. It was such a screwed-up situation. I took a seat outside the cubicle and waited to see if he would say anything. We had lived together in the same house for months. Jessy was a man of few words, and like the rest of us, our lives were boring before we met Juliet. He had grown up on the compound, knowing only service and compliance. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to adjust to the new way of things¡­ I either follow En-gannim rules and fall into that rat trap of work, family, and children¡­ Or I stay with her and hopefully one day find someone out there that looks at me like she looks at you.¡±

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Out of everyone, I knew what he meant. Jessy had it even worse because he had been with Marcus for more than a hundred years. Marcus had shown him how one other person could change you forever. Show you how life should really be lived. What she had awakened in me. Normal was not something we would ever want. Ordinary lives and going through the motions. Jessy sat and laid the plate next to him. I wondered why he was there. ¡°Are you in a hurry? Do you feel like it has to happen now? You¡­ we are still very young¡­ I have to tell you, when I think about the future and grasping the concept of living for so long¡­ it doesn¡¯t compute¡ªnot yet. Maybe you have a better understanding of how it will feel. I can¡¯t imagine living so long and shoved into a box¡­ Juliet and I fought it from the start. We are like all her army. I call us misfits to our races¡­ But you¡­ I don¡¯t know Jessy. I can¡¯t really distinguish what your personality is like.¡±

    ¡°Personality?¡± he scoffed, ¡°No¡­ I have no idea who I am. It¡¯s maybe why¡­ Selena can¡¯t really picture a life with me. Jamal doesn¡¯t really care. And she doesn¡¯t care that he doesn¡¯t. It¡¯s why their relationship is so¡­ so¡­¡±

    ¡°F¡ªing irritating.¡± I ventured.

    He chuckled, ¡°Yes¡­ You never know when you¡¯re going to walk into a room, and they will be going at it and then not talk for months on end, and then when they see each other, they can¡¯t help themselves,¡± Jessy ended on a heavy sigh.

    ¡°Charlene told me the only thing that made her fall in love with Kubra was his unwavering commitment to her. She knew he would always be there for her no matter what.¡±

    Jessy took a moment to think about what I said. It would be his choice if he could wait for Selena in that way. ¡°Kubra¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­ He¡¯s like a mixture of Marcus and Louis.¡±

    I laughed lightly, ¡°No¡­ Kubra isn¡¯t jealous and totally devoted because he is so old.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do it,¡± Jessy said frankly. I met his eyes and smiled. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°No, not for Selena¡­ But maybe for someone else. A person who gives you what you need.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean¡­ What does Kubra get from Charlene? I heard what you said about Juliet and you.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Juliet is open and fights for me till her last breath. She shows me how she feels all the time. Her intensity spills over into her relationships, and it makes me hold on¡­ I screwed up in the cave. So badly because it¡¯s that indifference in Selena¡¯s manner that makes me want to gauge my eyes out.¡±

    ¡°What is it about her that made you fall in love with her?¡± Jessy asked softly.

    ¡°She¡­ I¡­ I don¡¯t know? I want to say she¡¯s funny and sweet¡­ But that¡¯s hardly reasons to fall in love with someone¡­ And you?¡±

    ¡°I also don¡¯t know. She is so beautiful. You remember what she looked like that night.¡± I lifted my eyebrows and conjured up the memory. ¡°She is fun and¡­ easy to be around¡­ The only difference between the two is that¡ª¡± I smiled, comparing the two, something I had done too many times. ¡°You always know where you stand with Juliet.¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°Yes, Selena will push but then give up at one point.¡± Jessy agreed with me. ¡°That¡¯s what Kubra sees in Charlene. Once they bite down¡ª¡±

    ¡°You can never get them off¡­¡± Jessy finished my sentence, laughing. ¡°How do you find someone to bite down?¡±

    ¡°You wait fifteen years and not sleep with anyone else.¡±

    Jessy laughed, ¡°So you¡¯re saying I have to wait.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s either that or,¡± I gestured with my thumb toward the wall, ¡°Crap, Jessy, I wanted to talk. Remembering that night¡­ It¡¯s why I came to find you¡­ We forgot Juliet¡¯s birthday¡ªagain. Where was she that day?¡±

    He picked up his plate, ¡°She was out the whole day.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t go with her?¡±

    ¡°Liam told me to back off¡­ So when the father speaks, the children listen.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, look, none of us will ever take Liam on,¡± I got up to leave, ¡°Look, if you want to be a misfit, you have to take the consequences. Take a card from her playbook. If you want something¡­ do whatever you have to get it. Trust me¡­ being married is not the solution.¡±

    Jessy got up and shook my hand, ¡°Thanks, Chris. I¡¯m happy you guys finally sorted it out.¡±

    ¡°I hope so. If she drugs me or kidnaps me. Come and kill me.¡±

    Jessy laughed. I didn¡¯t want to use the swatch, rocking up when she and Michael were in the middle of coitus¡ªno, I would wait and not manipulate my power. I traveled a few times¡ªthe normal way¡ªto look for her. Juliet was nowhere.

    ***

    Juliet

    I was on Palmyra with Jade. I had dropped off toys and things that I thought Aries could handle with his chubby fingers and nails. She wanted him to grow up differently, and I understood that. ¡°Don¡¯t you have Chadari who are scholars or ancient and do rituals or anything? How did you learn to read?¡±

    ¡°A vamp. But no. We never had the opportunity to. This¡­¡± she looked around, ¡°Is a first for us. And Aries will lead the people into a new era.¡±

    ¡°You read some of the books I gave you. Do the plates work better now that they are bigger?¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you. And I did. And Aries loves the kid¡¯s books. Did you take it from Earth? How do they make them so soft.¡±

    I bobbed my head and chuckled, ¡°Plastic.¡± I played with Aries and some blocks while we talked. ¡°How are your campaigns going on Earth? You changed your mind.¡±

    ¡°Mine is always a success¡­ Ian¡¯s numbers are dwindling. I wanted to be in some fights. It is what we are there for. Mercenaries. Our armies are not only men. I traded two more coordinates for food and water, and Fahan wants to come home. He is not so angry with me anymore.¡± I had to smile. There was no mistaking the bond there had to be. ¡°But he is restless because he is not in control.¡±

    ¡°That is a good thing, believe me. It would be best if you guys ruled together. Like you said. A new era. Without you, none of this would¡¯ve been possible. I¡¯m glad his men listened to you. It could¡¯ve gone both ways.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t know. The few in the palace listen to Dimitrios and¡ª¡±

    ¡°He listens to you.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I think he is coming around¡­ Is Marcus well?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He¡¯s quiet again. Even more than he was. I don¡¯t think he knows how much it would take for us to come together again if it goes on any longer. One of us will have to give in. There is an even stubbornness between us.¡±

    She growled, ¡° I know what you mean¡­ Are your other husbands filling the void?¡±

    I laughed, ¡°The one told me that his queen had not summoned him, so he didn¡¯t come.¡±

    She laughed as well, ¡°You have a great life¡­ I thought Fahan and I had that bond. But the wide open spaces and possibilities¡­ Is there any way to take it back?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Jade, no. It doesn¡¯t work like that. The branding wouldn¡¯t have worked if both of you did not care deeply for each other. And I mean forever and second lives searching for each other kind of love.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. It does change things hearing it like that.¡±

    ¡°Why is it not easy? I want him¡­ but I also¡­ do not.¡±

    I had to chuckle, ¡°So well put¡­ I don¡¯t know? If you figure it out, will you tell me?¡±

    ¡°Fahan told me to tell you; Soren does not know that it has to be a branded mate that kills me.¡±

    ¡°Well, that counts in our favor. If they kill either one of us, everyone else will be protected¡­¡± She nodded. I got to my feet, ¡°I have to go. I have a meeting. Maybe we will meet on the battlefield¡­ Charlene gave birth. So she will be ready soon.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to help Earth?¡± She asked, surprised.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°Good luck.¡±

    ¡°You too.¡± I turned to leave but stopped before I reached the door. She regarded me, ¡°Your mind is working.¡±

    ***

    Soren

    For a few days, I sat on the deck chairs as Juliet had done. With all the battles and time that had passed since I sent Juliet home, I had gotten over the worst. I hoped. I was beginning to feel a little like myself again. I had to make peace with my parents passing, and being more sane, thinking about them brought me down to a point of depression. Louis and Juliet did not even see each other when I sent her back, and it had sent me spiraling; I didn¡¯t really do any damage. Although it had kept them busy, they had not come to Earth¡¯s aid.

    Ian had to accept that En-gannim¡¯s troops and people were dead. I had asked him where Isla was several times, but not once did he want to tell me. Ian said his wives and children were very important to him, and I had another bout of jealousy. Once we attacked Earth, Ian had emptied his house and hidden them away. I felt terrible about how I left Rana¡­ I had given up on the marriage altogether¡ªif she was still alive. Ian didn¡¯t care if his sister and mother were dead. The female familial relationship meant nothing to the men. All his brothers were there, fighting with us, and their wives were safe somewhere. En-gannim was now Juliet¡¯s, and our way of life there was over, for now.

    My choices were not bringing me peace. I was desperate to get hold of myself because I had nothing left to fight for. Ian wasn¡¯t really upset about Marcus getting out. Once I told him I figured out what the stone does, none of it really mattered. We had a sure way of wiping them out, even the Dheka. We were so busy planning how to use the stone to our advantage. I didn¡¯t know how Ian proposed to keep the species going on Earth. If we were only men and we wiped out En-gannim, we would be worse off than Zoreah.

    I glanced over as Lyla came out of her room. She was a weird little woman. It had taken her a month and a half to not be terrified of me. I could smell it on her in the beginning. I didn¡¯t care, really. It was amusing when the Chadari came back. Lyla stayed in her room for days.

    ¡°May I sit down?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why is Jacklin not back yet?¡±

    ¡°She has been. Jacklin had a way for us to piggyback off En-gannim. She had to wait for the power to be back on. Marcus moved it to another planet, and I guess they moved it back.¡±

    ¡°Just for one travel. So, not really a way to change everything.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, it will. We are¡­ pretending for Fahan¡¯s sake.¡± Lyla stared at me, not saying anything. I looked her way, ¡°What?¡± Lyla was nervously playing with a pendant on her chest. She had tried to cut her own fringe again. Her hair was thick and braided in pigtails. Lyla only had one set of clothes. ¡°You¡¯re bored, Lyla¡­ I¡¯ll talk with you for a few minutes.¡±

    Her shoulders relaxed, ¡°I was wondering¡­ what happened between you.¡±

    I looked away from her and closed my eyes, ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°On the feed¡­ What you guys went through¡­ It didn¡¯t look like a¡ª¡± she trailed off, not knowing what to say.

    ¡°Fling,¡± I finished her sentence. She laughed and sat back. ¡°People don¡¯t know how much power they have over others. Words hurt. Action and inaction over too long periods of time can break a person. They will never be the same.¡±

    ¡°Who broke who?¡± I looked at her, cocking an eyebrow. We both laughed. I was so broken. I could still not look at myself in the mirror. ¡°You don¡¯t believe in restoration?¡±

    ¡°I did¡­ believe in a lot of things,¡± I answered in a hushed tone, ¡°It didn¡¯t get me anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my limits were tested, and I failed miserably.¡±

    ¡°Failed? I rather think you succeeded.¡±

    ¡°I guess,¡± she said hesitantly.

    ¡°Lyla, we would¡¯ve invaded anyway. The fact that Juliet has not come to help just shows me how fickle she is. She says one thing and doesn¡¯t really mean it.¡±

    ¡°Unless it suits her,¡± Lyla sneered.

    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s a vampire, and there is nothing she can do about it. Our nature will always make everything about ourselves. Juliet can try and fight it all her life¡­ She will, at one point, end up on her knees, and I¡­ want to be there when it happens.¡±

    Lyla met my eye, ¡°You guys are leaving.¡±

    ¡°What will you do?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea.¡±

    Lyla was rather clever; we were leaving the compound that day. Jade had not allowed us access to En-gannim or Palmyra. All the information we got was from scouts we sent to do recon with the help of Jacklin. The plan was to kill either Jade or Fahan in the next attack. We needed them out of the equation. Ian had to give Jade two more coordinates to send us food and water. The distribution system still worked efficiently, but without the teleportation, none of it made sense. Fahan had six coordinates, only four more, and they would be independent. Both of us were more than happy to settle on Palmyra and have the Earth too. We would slowly kill the Humans, even if it took us hundreds of years. They would eventually die out. If we got our numbers up, we would attack En-gannim again. We would go all over the galaxy if we had to and pay like Ahasuerus did.

    We had given the Earth two months for the economy to crash completely. They could not go on with everyday life. The major cities were destroyed, and that day, we were going to launch a surprise attack on Europe. It was one of those areas you needed to control. Ian wanted to exterminate them first and have the center for ourselves.

    A guard appeared at the gate to tell me it was time. I stood and looked down at her. Lyla had big, round eyes and a chubby little face. She was cute in a very, very innocent way. Lyla looked up at me. There was no pleading in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ll wait for Jacklin?¡± Lyla nodded. ¡°What are your plans from here on out?¡±

    She frowned and dropped my gaze, and whispered, ¡°Surviving.¡±

    I turned around to leave. I didn¡¯t want to take her with us. A war scene would only break down the little confidence she had left.

    After Juliet had helped the Earth, they were too afraid to keep all its people in one place and scattered. We had already changed our tactics and worked from the outside in. It was going to be a difficult battle. We planned to start in the North and move slowly down south. Without the tech, we only had the coordinates we accumulated before we launched our attacks, and we had to travel thirty at a time. Still, it didn''t matter if no one was watching random fields. We had been traveling the whole night, and Fahan, Ian, and I were next. Our forces would split into three. We would not be going back to America because there was really no one left. Ian would go after Fahan, and I would go after Jade.

    Fahan had approached me to cut Ian out altogether. Although it was tempting, I needed Ian. I would have nowhere to go if we didn¡¯t have the teleporting power. If Ian did become a problem later, I would flush him out. We had the stone, and the vamps on his side would bend the knee for it.

    I stood ready to teleport, closing my eyes. My life had changed so drastically, but for the first time, I felt alive. Jacklin and Lyla would catch up eventually. Isla was safe, and my father made his choice. I would keep making my own.

 212. Restoration

    212. Restoration

    Chris

    Juliet was sitting on the couch in her office, waiting for Michael and me. I paused after the door slid open, taking in the scene. She was deep in thought, her head leaned low over her knees, picking at her fingernails. I took in a deep breath, feeling a little guilty; I decided not to tell her about my conversation with Selena. For some reason, Juliet didn¡¯t want us to sleep with her at night, and as a result, it didn¡¯t leave much time for us to have long conversations¡­ I stepped over the threshold and joined her on the couch. I pulled her onto my chest. She came willingly and softened in my arms. I had not only thought about Sita and our marriage but Juliet at the beginning of our relationship. Juliet had loved me for so long before I even saw her for the first time. She still loved me and¡­ The smell of her hair under my nose calmed me. The familiar perfume she used still sent me spiraling. Her instant touches to my chest and our fingers joining made me close my eyes and forget about everything. After my talk with Jessy, I felt even worse for what I had done. What she had to go through. ¡°Please go back,¡± she whispered with desperation in her voice. I could feel her breath on my neck, but I didn¡¯t reply.

    My grip tightened around her because Marcus had asked me the same thing. I had gone to see him one time. He had not spoken to me. All he asked was for me to go back. With all the children, it wasn¡¯t that easy. It is only one timeline, and I¡¯m the only one that gets replaced with a future me. I would have to take all of them. It could never work if it¡¯s not an hour or a day. I had thought about it so many times. Three babies. Two toddlers and one teenager. I didn¡¯t believe I could take someone with me, let alone six others. After those considerations, there were the other people in our lives who might not feel the same way. Charlene, Kubra and Romero. Carl would be back under his father¡¯s thumb, and although Michael didn¡¯t take well to manifesting¡­ I didn¡¯t think he would want to give it up. Marcus would still be living with Qadir. I shuddered at the thought. Regardless, Juliet and Marcus would rather want to be back there¡­ in their compound of hell, than go through what they were going through. ¡°Chris.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Michael is here,¡± I snapped out of my planning. Juliet stood to her feet.

    ¡°We ready to go?¡± Michael asked, rubbing his hands together. ¡°My side is waiting. Let¡¯s do this.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind,¡± Juliet said softly.

    ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Michael and I said at the same time. We were ready to go help Earth. Our teleporters were manned to transfer people all over the world to secure locations. Our army was already dressed and waiting on that field. We had no more threats on En-gannim and could send all our men and women to make a significant difference. Michael had figured out where to get food and water for the starving survivors.

    Juliet¡¯s eyes came up and looked from me to Michael, ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ been meeting with Jade.¡± Michael and I shared a look. ¡°I fixed their teleporter,¡± I wanted to say something, ¡°I know¡­ I was gambling, reckless, and put myself in danger. But¡­ Marcus. It was the only way I could get him out¡­ safely¡­¡±

    It was frustrating seeing her like that. My Juliet wasn¡¯t there anymore. Everything we said, everything Soren had said and done, was clouding her judgment. I was not used to seeing her filled with doubt¡­ Too many words were uttered, and too many truths had come to light. ¡°What¡¯s the conditions?¡± I asked. I would at least try to fulfill my role. I would see her again¡ªmy Juliet.

    ¡°To choose who we want on Palmyra¡­¡±

    ¡°Jade is fed up with Ian, isn¡¯t she,¡± I ventured.

    Juliet nodded and answered, ¡°I have to tell you. I want to go in there and wipe them out as we planned. But leaving them on Earth might be better for all of us. We can always help Earth¡­ But I don¡¯t want two Enemies. It seems Fahan wanted to cut the connection between Ian and him for a long time¡­ Soren doesn¡¯t want to kill Ian.¡±

    ¡°You went to talk to Fahan?¡±

    She shook her head, ¡°When we were there, he came to talk to me a few times. Felt bad that he couldn¡¯t get me out. Sat and kept me sane some of the time¡­ One positive is that Ian and Soren think they have to kill a branded mate, and the others die out. Like we believed.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s the other way around. Soren doesn¡¯t know what happened to the werewolves or to Charlene.¡± Juliet nodded. ¡°Look at you making connections and climbing the corporate ladder.¡± I thought it would at least draw out a smile from her¡ªnothing.

    ¡°I¡­ am sorry. Marcus took me out about letting one relationship I struggle with dictate the others. First, it was Marcus and Louis¡­ then it was Marcus, then you. Then Michael¡­ And now¡ª¡±

    ¡°I can see the pattern,¡± Michael interrupted. That made her smile. ¡°But Juliet¡­ Please give yourself a break.¡±

    She looked up for the first time and met Michael¡¯s gaze¡­¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault, none of it?¡± Her voice trembled, ¡°It was always one of you that caused something? I did the best I could. All of us did¡­¡± She huffed and turned around. I had not made her talk after she came back from Soren. Juliet was holding back tears, ¡°He hasn¡¯t spoken to me in eight months.¡± She struggled to compose herself and turned toward us again, ¡°We had one fight¡­ where we said so much, and it wasn¡¯t all good things¡­ We only had sex once and was rudely interrupted.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about Louis, is it?¡± She shook her head. ¡°You know he will come back.¡±

    ¡°The whore pulls me out of bed every night, makes me walk the ten steps to the door, makes me stand there until he¡¯s tired, and lets me go¡­¡± I frowned and shared a look with Michael. ¡°He even knows when I¡¯m alone in bed and on En-gannim. As if he¡¯s counted the amount of steps it would take.¡±

    ¡°Why, you¡¯ve not wanted any of us there.¡± She nodded. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s not Marcus?¡±

    Juliet¡¯s eyes came up, and she shook her head, ¡°Marcus is not the sentimental type¡­ I don¡¯t want to push. My one rule. I won¡¯t force anyone to stay¡­ Every time I do fight to keep them,¡± she held my gaze. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who doesn¡¯t mind.¡± I smiled, but it bothered me that neither of us had fought this time to dig deeper and find common ground on the subject.

    Michael approached her, placed his hand on either side of her face, and lifted her eyes to his, ¡°I think you know that¡¯s not true¡­ anymore. Every time you have, it might not have been what I wanted¡ªbut what I needed.¡± Juliet¡¯s lips pulled tight around her mouth. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time for you and Marcus. Go. Stay there and don¡¯t worry. I think Chris and I can handle things,¡± he glanced at me, and I smiled. Michael had changed so much; I hardly recognized him. ¡°Chris, you need to say goodbye?¡± he leaned down and kissed her, ¡°I¡¯m kind of sexed out.¡±

    Juliet¡¯s lips pressed together, holding back a smile. Instant naughty mirth filled her features. I tilted my head, ¡°Me too.¡±

    Michael¡¯s head turned, and he let her go. She spun around, and we knew. ¡°Every day?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yeah, for the last three months.¡±

    ¡°Me too!¡± Michael answered

    We both glared at Juliet. She was falling face down onto the couch.

    ¡°You trying to get pregnant again, flipping a coin? Is this about your dream?¡±

    Her muffled voice was barely audible¡­¡°No, I¡¯m on birth control.¡±

    ¡°What!¡±

    ¡°Trying to catch up to the whore?¡± I asked.

    Juliet laughed. It was the first time she had in three months. Michael and I were so happy. I had to keep going, ¡°You want to try it together.¡±

    Juliet laughed even more, ¡°That would be so funny. The two of you.¡±

    ¡°We would do it for you. Just to make you laugh,¡± Michael pitched in.

    Juliet turned and sat up, her feet dangling over the side of the couch, ¡°Can you please go back?¡±

    ¡°I would... Marcus asked me too.¡± Juliet let out a raggedy, breathy groan.

    Michael sat down where I was only a few minutes ago, ¡°I don¡¯t think telling you everything will be okay will help at this point.¡± Juliet fell back, and her head landed on his lap. ¡°Every day?¡± he looked at me, ¡°Your celibacy is out the window.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think I go to Zoreah twice a week,¡± they both laughed. ¡°I long for the day my girlfriend crossed the galaxy for a booty call.¡±

    ¡°I will never forget that day. Poor Jamal,¡± Juliet laughed again, ¡°I saw him the other day¡­ with one of the vampire girls.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I had to sit down. ¡°He¡¯s moving on. I¡¯m so happy.¡±

    ¡°She is so pretty and feisty. He introduced me and doesn¡¯t know what to do with her. Asked me for advice.¡±

    ¡°Ira, the other day, when we told him about not mixing the species,¡± Michael said.

    ¡°That was a good day,¡± Juliet jumped up, ¡°Okay! You convinced me. Jessy has all the plans for today. It¡¯s rather simple. Everything here is running smoothly.¡± She handed me a plate, ¡°Jade is the only one you guys can work with... She will explain everything to you.¡± I nodded. ¡°Tell her I will come back, and we will meet with Charlene.¡±

    ¡°We will handle it,¡± Michael slapped her ass. She jumped forward and spun around. ¡°What you gonna do. I¡¯m so ready. Had a lot of practice.¡±

    She laughed, rubbing her ass. She placed a chaste kiss on his lips, ¡°I¡¯ll be either back later today¡ª¡±

    ¡°Or we will see you in a while, My Queen.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she groaned, ¡°I can get used to this,¡± she kissed him again.

    Juliet walked over and stopped in front of me, ¡°You¡­ really¡­ sexed out? Riphath?¡± I pulled her in for a hug. No kiss. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nestled into her hair and relaxed, hoping I would not have to go back.

    Juliet reciprocated and melted against me, ¡°I can never have enough,¡± I whispered. She was reluctant to let me go. I knew what she needed, but I couldn¡¯t give it to her. I was still too angry and hoped that Marcus would have a better idea of how to handle¡ªthis. I pushed her away and out the door.

    Michael and I became serious as soon as the doors closed, ¡°We have to find him,¡± Michael said.

    ¡°Yeah. You didn¡¯t stop looking, did you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ***

    Louis

    The air was brisk that morning; the field covered in a layer of fog. Our spies had told us where Soren and Ian would come out, and we were scouting the area. They were attacking Europe that day. They always had one spot they needed to travel to for days to get enough men on the ground.

    I had been going from continent to continent to regroup the watchers and finish what Michael had put into motion. Tried to talk to the most influential generals. I thought that if Earth didn¡¯t unite the armies left, they would get nowhere. It took them a month to decide where the world wanted to populate, who would be in charge, and how to get it all done without teleporters, boats, or any transportation.

    Soren used Africa as their feeding ground. The nations there had no way to counter the attacks. The people were rushing for the borders like Zoreah did for the winter, traveling for months to reach or even find secluded areas. If you could look at Earth from the air, you would see trains of people walking out in lines from populated cities. Rows of ants in Lyla¡¯s jar. The safest thing was to be somewhere on a boat. Scattering was what Earth called it. America had fled in desperate attempts since Fahan was moving east. And most of Ian¡¯s troops had been there clearing the place for months, crippling the infrastructures of every city, town and farm. It was as if they wanted to start from scratch. The rest of the world was still being targeted with surprise attacks, and the numbers were dwindling.

    For the first time, I regretted not growing up on the compound. Being conditioned into society¡­ was maybe better¡­ than what I had done to pass the time. I didn¡¯t allow myself too much time to go down that road and what it meant for my future. There was too much to do.

    Before I left, I had figured out how to bypass En-gannims'' controlled teleporting system. I used the power without anyone knowing, and no one was helping me. I was coming and going with a plate in hand. The nights I pulled Juliet out of bed were the only thing I had left to convince myself she was still there. However, every time, I was reminded that my life was really a nightmare and I wasn¡¯t stuck in some dream¡­ We were apart, and I couldn¡¯t face her. Samuel and I were in contact. Only to let me know when she would be alone and in her bed. That was all I asked for, and it was all he said. I didn¡¯t know what was going on with Juliet or with En-gannim. It left me empty, and the space she had filled and satisfied was draining out again.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Once the fighting on En-gannim started and I was in my vampire manifestation most of the time, my demons surfaced again, the ones Rodrigo had unleashed. It was the reason I ignored her for three months; I didn¡¯t want to take it out on her. After Soren, it had been more months, so for almost eight months, Juliet and I had not had one decent conversation or sex... Even though I was two hundred years old, and time meant nothing to me anymore, it wasn¡¯t the case for her. She felt every second of every minute. The longer I stayed away, the worse it would get. My past had caught up to me. I couldn¡¯t read her anymore, and I was losing my mind.

    All the destruction I had seen was because of one girl¡­ And my entire future lay in the hands of another. There really was nothing else Lyla could do but watch the world crumble. I did fear Jacklin would go to Soren. It was a possibility. But in the end, it wouldn¡¯t matter; what could she possibly do? I didn¡¯t even know who she was.

    I let out a heavy sigh, waiting, and glanced at Carl next to me. The four men had not left my side. I felt guilty because they didn¡¯t want to go home without me. The five of us were waiting for the first wave. We were always ready. Strangely, Ian didn¡¯t realize we had spies in their midst.  They kept coming, and the numbers rose for a few minutes. If there was insufficient traction, it would stop, and they would move to a different location where we would have more men waiting. Our spies were on the ball, giving us the coordinates of the day. And so it went all over Europe. Traveling, fighting. Back and forth. Piggybacking on where they would go. I had seen Jade a few times, even Fahan. I didn¡¯t think they knew who I was. She had taken much of the ground we thought we could keep but, in the end, needed to retreat.

    At that moment, we were figuring out where to get the men their next meal, let alone do any damage in future attacks. I just teleported to Zoreah, hunted, and came back. People were more challenging to feed. With the water sources poisoned, it was becoming harder and harder to find places Ian and Soren had not gotten their hands on.

    We had to keep Europe¡ªif we lost it¡ªit would be over. Our men had come and reported the day¡¯s events. Ian and Soren were planning three different sites to attack. The five of us would scout all three coordinates and report back while the armies fought with their last breath. With the one plate, we needed to travel one at a time. It was a pain, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.

    We were hiding at the last location. It wasn¡¯t in Europe. Jade dropped down, and the five of us looked at each other in confusion. After that, Chadari groups of thirty dropped down, moving out of the way for the next one until all you could see were thousands of them. Fahan was the last to come. He walked around the group, pushing them together. He met up with Jade, drew her into his arms, and kissed her temple. Jade held up a plate. It was different¡­ I drew in a breath. It was the giant teleporter on En-gannims''. In the blink of an eye, they were all gone. The five of us stood to our feet, stunned. Didn¡¯t know what it meant or how it happened. I traveled back to the other two locations. Ian was at one and Soren at the other.

    I traveled back to Carl and the other men, ¡°Ian and Soren are still fighting.¡±

    Carl walked up to me, ¡°What the hell just happened? The Chadri left them here?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Can we go home now, Louis? What if the Chadari go to En-gannim?¡± Carl asked. I pushed the plate into his hand. ¡°You can¡¯t stay here.¡± Carl glanced around him, ¡°If Ian is stuck on Earth, it will be a never-ending war¡­¡± I turned away from him. ¡°Come on, Louis. It¡¯s time you go back. Don¡¯t run away from your responsibilities.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t look at him, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You were supposed to stay, Louis.¡± I closed my eyes at his words. ¡°She would¡¯ve forgiven you anything if you had stayed.¡± I pressed my fingers into my eyes to make the tears stop. ¡°You always do this. I don¡¯t understand with everything you can do. Why do you always pull away?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Louis¡­ you can¡¯t be scared right now. You have to ask.¡±

    The boy knew us so well, all the little details of my whole life. Everyone knew, and I didn¡¯t think Marcus would accept me anymore. Chris or Michael. It was over, and I could do nothing about it. ¡°Carl¡­ Go, please. Send the plate back when you¡¯re able.¡± I spun around and pointed my finger at him. ¡°And do not tell her where I am! Do you understand me?¡± The boy glared at me in disgust. I knew. It was how I felt about myself. ¡°Go Carl. Charlene is waiting. I¡¯ll wait here for the plate.¡±

    Carl swore and walked around for a while, thinking. He talked to the four men, and one by one, they disappeared. At least I found Carl. It did mean something. Jack was the last to leave. I looked at him and saw his reluctance. We had never talked about all he had to go through because of me. Jack¡¯s face was as composed as Marcus¡¯s. He never showed emotions or seemed ruled by anything that came his way. ¡°I¡¯ve watched you the last few months we were here. You¡¯re stronger¡­ You¡¯re out of control on the battlefield. Never in your normal manifestation¡­ The day Michael gave you that first shot, I knew¡­ It¡¯s not your fault!¡± My eyes filled with tears. ¡°The day Juliet put her hand in yours¡­ Held on to you¡­ and didn¡¯t even realize she was doing it¡­¡± The first tear dropped. ¡°Louis¡­ You can¡¯t save yourself. You need her.¡±

    Jack disappeared, and I crumbled to my knees. The plate came back immediately. I hesitated to pick it up, deciding if I would go home. Stared at it for a long time, wondering what lay down that road... Wherever I was, the sun was bright, and I lifted my head to the warmth¡­ If I didn¡¯t have Juliet anymore, I didn¡¯t want to know. Decided, I picked up the plate and buried it all even deeper.

    A message from Samuel.

    Sam { Juliet is out of The Tower for the foreseeable future }

    I wanted to toss the thing into a rock. Take away the only way I could ever go back. I felt uncomfortable in my own skin. The one and only thing that brought me any peace was a message Juliet had sent. In all the time I had been on Earth, it had kept me sane.

    Juliet { Please come back home }

    It broke me every time I read it. It made my chest shake, and every muscle tightened to not run back¡­ But I wasn¡¯t worried anymore. She wouldn¡¯t completely break down if one of us left¡ªeven me. I was sure she had grown up enough to not be that romantic anymore. She was not seventeen anymore. Her relationships with the other men were her problem, and knowing what she and Marcus had gone through together. It would be the worst time for me to go back.

    ***

    Juliet

    My heart was filled with trepidation all the way to a place I¡¯d never seen. My eyes were not on the landscape or the house. I was making my way from the station towards¡­ Marcus. The intoxicating anxiety I¡¯ve always had about him would never go away. Keenly, it rose in waves with every step I took. The same eagerness I could not curb at fourteen, nor could I take control of it at twenty-three. The instant longing and satisfaction he could give me¡ªI would lose¡ªif it was over between us.

    He was seated in a chair nestled in a cut patch of grass, looking out over the vast pink ocean. No stoic expression on his face. A numbness I had not seen... As his thoughts drifted, a frown played on his brow. His lips tightened, and he shifted around uncomfortably. It was terrifying seeing Marcus so uneasy in his own skin. The three months I had been pregnant, he was at least calm and civil. Agatha was with him, playing with Naji in her arms. The baby was fussing, and Agatha couldn¡¯t get Marcus to look at her or his son. I drew in a breath at the scene. I had taken everything he ever wanted away from him. She was exasperated, signing with one hand. Unfeeling, Marcus would turn his head from her and the baby. Naji would fuss even more, being jerked around by all the movement of her body and arms.

    Agatha was irritated, and her head came up; seeing me, she abruptly stopped her rant. I waved to say hello and signed to ask her to give us a minute. Marcus didn¡¯t even notice our exchange or her shift in behavior. He waited till she was gone and continued his aimless peering into what I could now see was... nothing. Marcus was caught in a mindless spiral of thoughts. Once she was gone, he lay back, and the numbness took hold.

    The grass was long, swaying softly in the wind. I stepped through, gliding my hand over the blades, only a tiny distance left to cover. It was so quiet and peaceful, yet Marcus¡¯s heart was racing. It would slow down and quickly climb again. The following five minutes would either end Marcus and I or¡ª

    I moved closer and closer until I was behind his chair and stood for a while, waiting for him to notice me. It didn¡¯t come. He either didn¡¯t even register or wanted me to go¡­ Reluctantly, I reached out and ran my fingers through his hair. Marcus grabbed my wrist and pulled me down on his lap. He buried his face in my chest and let out an agonizing cry. His fingers closed around my shirt, pulling it tight around my shoulders. For a moment, there were no sounds, and then he wept uncontrollably. Painful guttural sounds broke through the desolate wails escaping his shaking chest. His fingers clutched and unclutched against my skin. He pressed himself against me in frustrated movements, sobbing. I glanced up. Agatha had come out and stood at the door. Her eyes were drooping pits of despair for her child¡ªher only child. She turned, and I soon followed him in his grief, wrapping my arms around him and resting my chin on his hair. Tears mindlessly ran down my cheeks. Marcus tried to breathe but couldn¡¯t. It was too much, and I let it run its course. For a long time, he wept until his breathing evened out, and his head turned to the side, still fixed in my arms. I drew him close, and he pulled me in. My heart was racing. His was suddenly calm. I didn¡¯t know what it meant.

    Agatha stood at the door, and I nodded. She dared to approach us and handed me the baby. She held out some tissues for Marcus. I smiled down at our son. He was so cute until he was not, manifesting in and out while he slept. Marcus rested his head on my chest and looked at the boy. Agatha said she was leaving and ran her hand over Marcus¡¯s hair; he clasped it and pressed his lips to her palm. They both let go, and she was gone. For a moment, I let it all sink in. Waited till Marcus touched his child. He did, and his other arm came around me and drew both of us in for a hug.

    I breathed out my reluctance and stood up to walk around, talking to Naji. He was waking up. Still so small. I kissed his cheek and nestled into his neck, ¡°Boy, but you¡¯re ugly like that.¡± Marcus chuckled. I turned at the sound. Our eyes met, holding each other in that moment, conveying words that were better left unsaid. I¡¯m sorry. Will you forgive me? It¡¯s all my fault. What can I do to make it better? I f¡ª up. My eyes left him and roamed over the landscape and the house. My gaze had to drift high up into the sky. Three stories of beauty. I took it all in and cursed myself for being so stupid.

    Naji and I stepped through the door. I gasped. It was bigger than I thought. I smiled at all the reading nooks in narrow little alcoves. Some had large cushions on the floor at each bookcase. Others had built-in benches with a view against large windows. Candles and coffee tables. Dim lighting and inviting blankets.  Another was sunken into the ground with round couches and a fireplace on one side.

    There were so many books¡ªeverywhere. Paper books. Between the fantasy lay a large kitchen, and in another corner, hidden away between two high walls, was a dining room; I walked around the bend to take in the hidden space, which revealed more books on either side of a big wooden table. It was too much. The sandy-colored stone they used to build all their structures complemented the light interior, pale wood finishings, and clean but homey lines. Plants grew out from every corner or hanging holders that could bring the place to life.

    I heard Marcus in the shower and wondered what the room would look like. I couldn¡¯t find the room or him. It was strange looking for stairs. There would be none. I searched for a booth or a corner that would take me to the next floor. I glanced around and saw a hollow-out space with a plate on the wall.  I stepped in and came out on the second floor. I jolted and had to pause for a moment, taking in every detail. There was no bathroom. It was one large story of the house¡ªjust for the bed. A massive open floor with a mattress laid on a stone slab in the middle of the wall, close to the arched windows. With no glass. None of the Venetian arches framed any security to the elements. The roof was draped with interval curtains on either side of the room, hanging low to the ground, creating a walkway¡ªto the bed.

    The water stopped running. Marcus came out behind me and slid his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. I drew in a breath; this was it. ¡°Juliet.¡± I reached around to feel him one more time. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to stay with me because of¡­ history or a baby¡­ or because we¡¯ve come so far. Or because of that mark on you.¡±

    I turned around quickly to face him. His arms dropped, and his hands hung by his sides. I searched his eyes, ¡°I can¡¯t live without you. Please don¡¯t leave. Please, Marcus. I will do anything. I know I screwed up in ways I can never take back.¡± I went on my knees with our baby in my arms and pressed my head to his stomach.

    He placed a hand on my shoulder and kneaded my skin, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t want to leave.¡±

    Marcus waved his hand in front of the wall. I got up. A glass bassinet appeared. He took Naji, put him inside, and waved again. My baby disappeared¡ª ¡°Whe¡ª¡± Marcus¡¯s lips were on mine, soft and tenderly moving. He held my face in two hands, kissing and releasing, looking down into my eyes. More subtle kisses. Not his usual passion. I had a feeling it wouldn¡¯t be the same as always. It would be like the first time we slept together, pushing through to connect. Other people had to tell us it was time. If Marcus wanted to push through and stay, I would, too. I will let him set the pace and match his touch. He was being so careful with me. I reached around his waist and groaned inwardly, realizing what was going on. Why he had stayed away for months. Why his kisses were different. Why I had slept with Chris and Michael every day. Why I had asked Michael two days later to love me up against a wall. And why Louis left. It was because of what we saw¡­ Not that we were disconnected¡­ It was because of Louis.

    I softened my lips under the gentle persuasion between us. Hands touched me with careful consideration. He lifted his head and led me to the bed, looking back at me. He sat down, and his eyes met mine, begging me to forgive him. I held out my hands. Marcus paused but placed his in mine. I took them and put them on my breasts. Marcus broke our gaze, thinking. It took a moment, and he smiled. He closed his eyes and nodded. I unbuttoned my shirt while his hands cupped my mounds, and his thumbs rubbed over my nipples. Our eyes held fast to the future we knew we had. Once the last button was done, his fingers drifted up to my shoulders, and the material fell to the floor. His hands kept moving, caressing my skin, down between my breasts and over my stomach, back up again in between my breasts, feeling the crevice of my collarbone. His thumb laced in my bra strap and slipped it off my shoulder. His hand kept grazing my skin to the other side, and he did the same. I reached behind me and unclipped my bra, letting it fall to the ground. The chill in the air caught me off guard. My nipples perked up and pebbled. Marcus smiled, and we both looked out over the view. The open windows did not think about that. I looked at the bed. It was covered in thick duvets and blankets. A lot of pillows. It all made sense. I looked down at him and ran my hands through his hair to bring him back to me. He could worry about windows later.

    He looked up, and I took his face in my hands and lowered down on him, hovering my lips above his. I parted my thighs over his legs and stepped onto the bed with my knees. Marcus went with me, lying down and waiting. My thumb slid into his mouth. His lips closed around my skin, playing with my finger, licking and sucking. I shuddered at the feel of the hard strokes of his tongue on my skin. He grinned. I was getting there, and he knew. I tugged down for him to open. He relaxed and waited as I came down on him. Our lips met with mutual desire. My kiss was persuasive and longingly taking possession of my territory. His head came up to deepen the kiss, his hands grasped my breast, and I pressed myself onto his bulging length. He drew in a muffled breath and went directly to unlace the strings at my waist, undid a button, and slowly unzipped my pants. He was holding back but was also getting there as I moved over him. His hand cupped eagerly into my underwear, and one finger felt its way between my folds. He slid in without any friction. Marcus moaned into my mouth. His other hand slid over my back and pushed me down as his finger delved deep, in and out. The next thrust was two. I couldn¡¯t look at him anymore. My face turned and rested on his forehead, matching his rhythm. His lips found my skin and trailed lethargic languid, licking kisses behind my ear and down my throat.

    My pants didn¡¯t leave much room for him to work. He let his fingers slide out of me. Irritated, I looked at him. He smiled and touched my breast at the same time, kneading and rubbing his thumb over the taught dark skin. ¡°I can¡¯t anymore, Marcus. It hurts.¡± It was all I had to say. He lovingly pushed me over onto my back, stepped off the bed, and pulled down my pants and underwear at the same time, holding my gaze. I writhed around, waiting. He flung off the towel and tossed it aside. I took in all of him and fell back on the bed, lifting my eyes to the roof, thanking the universe that I did not lose him after all. I felt him pushing my legs open with his, and I waited. Nothing happened. I came up on my elbows. He rested on an outstretched arm next to me and leaned over me, catching my lips. Our kiss was not soft and slow anymore. He took himself in hand and rubbed soft skin against mine. I moaned as he used himself up and down my heated flesh, letting his mouth leave mine to work its way down to close around my nipple, taking as much of my breast as he could into his lips.

    My knees came up, and I opened my thighs even wider, focused on every movement, willing him closer. I felt his thighs more firmly against mine. He nudged at my entrance, taunting me. He kept sliding over my length in rhythmic, warm strides, nudging inside me to wet and spread every part of me, focused on my most sensitive part, and waited. I was throbbing, wanting his full length to fill every inch of me. ¡°You have to talk to me.¡± I nodded, and the next thrust buried himself in me. He groaned as he retreated and thrust in again, and again, and again. Agile fingers swiped with every firm push, insistent for me to let go. ¡°Juliet?¡± Marcus whispered. I shook my head and grabbed the sheets next to me. My back arched. Marcus laughed softly. I clamped uncontrollably down on him in ripples of pleasure. He waited and slowed his movements while I came down off my high. I nodded, and he lifted his finger off me. ¡°May I.¡±

    I giggled and nodded. Marcus was not going to lose control. He finished slowly and tamely, lying on top of me, breathing ragged, panting breaths. ¡°Do you have nothing to say to me?¡± he asked breathlessly.

    ¡°Thank You.¡± Marcus laughed and pulled out of me, rolling onto his back. I dragged a pillow down and clutched it with my head and arms. I closed my eyes and drifted off.

 213. Love And Water

    213. Love And Water

    Marcus

    Juliet¡¯s breathing deepened quickly after her head hit the pillow;  she was already asleep, that tired from taking over from me. I turned to her, stroking the hair out of her face. She moaned softly, complaining sweetly. I continued to caress her strands the way she liked. I had months to decide if I would leave, and as soon as she touched me, I had my answer. I had gone down that road of leaving too many times. The evidence of our relationship on her body stared back at me as she lay naked beside me. I had done this. I had started this. I will finish this. When Soren said it, ¡°he forced you over a chair.¡± I was reminded of the fact that I gave her no choice; stupidly, I thought I was the one who had a choice... I told her we could learn to love again. I had forgotten for a few months, pushed to the brink by outside forces, considerations no one would ever have to make. What I saw¡­ shocked me¡­ rocked every foundation we had. The hatred, the anger, and the failure I had to come to terms with about how useless I was as a man had consumed me.

    Juliet woke up, reached over, and patted the bed. She was searching for me. Wanted to know if I would be there. It grieved me to know how far back we had stepped. We might as well be in that house when I first joined the family. She still had no one, so used to no one there. Juliet relaxed when her hand found my waist, and it slid up and down my skin. ¡°Chris told me Louis left. Have you found him?¡±

    ¡°Who, my whore?¡± I laughed softly. Juliet smiled quickly, ¡°Where did my child go?¡±

    ¡°Your child?¡±

    Juliet¡¯s smile turned into a broader one, ¡°Our child.¡±

    ¡°That does sound better. Servants quarters. How long before you go back?¡±

    Juliet laughed at our role-play. Well, reversed roll play of the first time we had sex, ¡°As long as I want.¡±

    I instinctively reached over to touch her. The first time we slept together, I had one hour after I snuck out. Juliet stretched out her hand and ran a thumb over my smiling lips. I didn¡¯t want to believe it. We had reenacted our first time, and I thought she had come to find out what would happen and would have to leave to go back to work after we reconciled. ¡°It¡¯s over?¡± She nodded. I pulled the pillow out from under her head and tossed it on the floor. She scooted closer and rested her head on my arm. I enveloped her in a tight embrace, ¡°You really don¡¯t like getting up after.¡±

    ¡°It breaks the whole chain. I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± I let her go and reached over the bed for my towel. I nudged her to get up. She stood on her knees, and I held the cloth between her legs. She laughed, ¡°Who taught you to do that?¡± she playfully bit her bottom lip.

    ¡°You did,¡± I rewarded her with more smiling lips. ¡°Juliet,¡± I looked up at her face to see if it bothered her. She didn¡¯t react to me using her full name. It was the second time I had done it. I couldn¡¯t call her Julie anymore. Our relationship had changed, and we needed to adjust. I guessed the endearment meant very little to her after Soren. ¡°I¡­ Am¡­ So sorry.¡±

    Juliet sat down on her heels. I moved closer, resting my thighs against hers. ¡°I am, too. I don¡¯t think there are words for how I hurt you. What I said and can¡¯t take back.¡±

    ¡°I get it now¡­ I didn¡¯t understand what Soren meant to you. But I do now... Everything you went through on the compound¡­ Why Soren even became a problem¡­ It was my fault¡­ I wasn¡¯t there¡­ and I¡¯m so sorry.¡± My own words caught in my throat. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that your lesson has been the worst thing I think could ever happen to you.¡± My grip tightened around her shoulders, ¡°I want... I want to¡ª¡±

    ¡°You will,¡± I looked into her eyes, searching, ¡°I killed your father, Marcus¡­ in a very grueling way. I think he deserves a worse death. What he did¡­ is not family¡­ He was never part of our family¡­¡± tears welled up and her voice was soft, ¡°I just didn¡¯t know.¡±

    I leaned in and kissed her quickly, bobbing my head in acknowledgment. It was true. She had no more issues with him and would¡¯ve killed him already. It would be a race to who gets to him first. I couldn¡¯t stop stroking her hair, scared of what I needed to say. ¡°Louis told me about his past¡­ I¡­¡± my eyes closed thinking about it, ¡°Thought it was a few women¡­ Reading about your time¡­ You toned it down a lot.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    I looked deep into her eyes to see where she was at, ¡°How will you get over it? Not to mention his past?¡±

    She shook her head, and her voice broke, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°When you were so emotional with Caleb¡¯s pregnancy, I thought you were being too dramatic¡­¡± Another thing I felt bad about. That whole time, I was there in France, but not really there. We were still looking at each other, and Juliet gave me time to say all I needed to. ¡°Each time you had a spell and couldn¡¯t control yourself. It really does mess with your mind on a whole other level. I wouldn¡¯t have survived if it was the same for the men and women.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she smiled.

    ¡°My grandfather would¡¯ve been there¡ª¡±

    ¡°When I sucked your finger.¡±

    I laughed, thinking about it. How I had felt that morning after she was so angry about Sita. She stood on the bed, and I pointed my finger at her. Young, barely dressed. ¡°That day¡­ I wanted to do things to you¡­¡± Juliet laughed, ¡°I wish I could go back and meet your challenge.¡± She laughed again. ¡°The time in the car when you licked me¡­¡± I groaned. I was so desperate that day to give her what she wanted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t stop now. Tell me.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to get in. Sit on my knees,¡± Juliet fell down and pressed her head into a pillow, ¡°Pull down my pants and shove something else down your throat¡­ You would¡¯ve had nowhere to run.¡±

    I pulled the pillow out from under her. She sighed, looking at me, and her smile fell, ¡°We have history¡­¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Yes, we had a lot of good moments¡­ I will never forget our fight in the sand. I¡­¡± she smiled, ¡°Was so happy to see you. You¡¯d changed so much, and you were so beautiful that night¡­ I love you so much¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She came up and stroked my lips again. I figured I should change the subject, ¡°So what do you think?¡±

    Juliet jumped up. With her focus on something else, she was a little happier, ¡°You¡­ If we go back to Earth, you should become an architect. Marcus, it is breathtaking. I don¡¯t think I ever want to leave¡­ Do you have winter here?¡± I shook my head, ¡°No!? I get it then. No rain. No, whether to break the spell.¡±

    I laughed, ¡°We don¡¯t have to go back to Earth for me to build you beautiful houses¡­ How did you do it?¡± I asked, looking at my wife admiring every detail I put in place only for her.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± she said, clipped, her excitement gone in a second. I frowned. ¡°Louis did,¡± it was as if she didn¡¯t want to talk about him. ¡°Before he left. When we¡­ Anyway¡­ After that, I made friends. Gave up on Palmyra for now¡­ there is going to be a¡­ lovers¡¯ tiff between Fahan and Dimitrios.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll wait it out?¡±

    ¡°No. I let it go.¡±

    ¡°You loved it there.¡±

    ¡°I loved what Brylee created there. And all the predecessors. We¡¯re only the next generation enjoying the spoils. The branding makes me yearn for it¡­ but¡­ I think I can manage the desire to rule.¡± Juliet was walking around and letting the curtains run through her fingers, ¡°Marcus¡­¡± she looked at me quickly, ¡°I never wanted to rule either.¡± I took in a deep breath. ¡°Can you come to grips with our future?¡± I couldn¡¯t answer her. We¡¯ve never discussed it openly and honestly. ¡°Can you accept that we were both thrust into the succession?¡± I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s rightfully more yours than it is mine.¡±

    I blew out another reluctance, ¡°Can I think about it?¡± she smiled and nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else¡­ I think with our branding, Romero¡¯s galaxy moved closer. With Louis even more. Michael and Jade. Charlene and all the Dheka.¡±

    Juliet went to a stand at the edge of the room, open to the outside elements, thinking, ¡°It does make sense¡­ Maybe a supernatural pull between the galaxies?¡± She paused before she spoke again, ¡°I figured out what the other stone does.¡±

    I had to get up and step toward her, ¡°Do we need it?¡±

    ¡°If you think an endless supply of water is necessary. Or you want life to multiply and grow and never stop. Then yes.¡±

    I frowned and stepped to stand behind her and looked out over the vast grasslands that lay at our doorstep. I wrapped her up and put my chin on her shoulder, ¡°If that stone could bring this place to life¡­ It¡¯s why Avrio had one place that brought En-gannim drinking water.¡±

    ¡°The possibilities are endless. No wonder they have been scaling back.¡±

    ¡°Have they? It was the wrong time. Letting Soren vent might have killed any chances Ian had¡­ You lost the Earth. You gave up Palmyra. What about your prize?¡±

    ¡°Soren will try to take it away. He knows I want it. All of it. What would be the point of fighting him for it¡­ Where would you have wanted Chris to go? He said you asked.¡±

    ¡°I think to the week before we met on that couch. Chris could tell Liam everything. Teleport you to Zoreah and take you and the kids into the Origin City¡­ Ira¡­ I don¡¯t know? It would be before Michael had any attachments for you. I would have gone on, and the Earth would have been better off than it is now. I would lead the Army and live out the life I was raised for.¡± She had asked me how I saw our future unfolding. When I went back, I could be the general of the army again. Kubra, Jessy, and I, together with Chris and his available men, could mean something. It would leave her in charge, and both of us would be content. I had my child. I had a home, albeit not perfect in the way I envisioned it. I still didn¡¯t know what I would¡¯ve become had I been an average vampire living on En-gannim.

    ¡°Louis might start a revolution, and you two would fight each other.¡±

    ¡°I would go home and take over. Louis and Qadir can fight it out.¡±

    Juliet paused for a long while. It felt like she was assessing every word I said. If my grandfather had taken me home¡­ I would¡¯ve taken over in a heartbeat. Why, now, with her in the picture, was it such an issue? ¡°The problem is Chris is not desperate enough to do it,¡± Juliet said softly.

    It was quiet between us again. We both stared out into the distance of beauty. Her word ¡®desperation¡¯ reminded me of how she must have felt in that room with me. I lifted my chin and gently turned her toward me. I tried to soften my eyes, trying to understand, ¡°Juliet¡­ I¡­ What you did at the end¡­ wanting to kill yourself.¡±

    Her eyes dropped from mine. My fingers closed around her arms. ¡°I would¡¯ve. If you had taken one step on screen.¡±

    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t understand?¡±

    She avoided answering, ¡°Marcus¡­ knowing that¡¯s how you feel and I asked you to accept it¡­ I want to go back and fix it. For you. Even when you spoke just now¡­ You would want to go back and not know me.¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°No¡­ no¡­ That¡¯s not what I meant. Juliet¡­ don¡¯t let me make the same mistake again. I have never wanted anything more.¡± I let go of her and turned around. ¡°But that¡¯s how you feel about Chris¡­ Not me¡­ Sometimes¡­ I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m even there¡­ Is it all physical for you with me? Do we have any other connection?¡±

    Ragged sobs made me spin around and close the distance, ¡°I want to go back and not hurt anyone. Be a good girl and not have gone to the market that day. I spat in your face. Over and over.¡±

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t have been easy. You were only fifteen, Juliet¡­ I am the one that has to apologize. I left you all alone¡­ If I could go back, I would follow you off the compound. Asked Liam to take my body, and we would¡¯ve woken up together and figured it out... as a couple.¡± Juliet flung her arms around my waist. ¡°I only said it to make it all work out for Chris because he cannot make us change our minds twelve years ago.¡±

    I pushed her away and looked deep into her eyes, ¡°Even if you go back and give it all to me¡­ One of us will always be unhappy¡­ And I¡¯ve gotten used to it¡­ Had time to get used to it. I don¡¯t always feel jealous¡­ I made my decision in France when you took me into the mountains and asked me to stay. I decided¡­ that¡­ this is where I want to be.¡± I laughed a little, ¡°It seems it would never have worked the other way around.¡± Her shoulders shook as she held back tears. I was not helping, not saying what she needed to hear. ¡°I let Damian hurt you. I let Louis hurt you. I left you over and over and over¡­¡± Juliet kept shaking her head, tears wetting her lashes. I gently closed my arms around her.

    I wasn¡¯t mature enough to help myself, let alone her. Juliet wasn¡¯t opening up like she always did. She was stuck in the past with too many regrets and threads to manage. I held her for a long time, determined not to bring it up again. I would at least try to help her. ¡°You better?¡±

    Juliet pecked my cheek, ¡°Hey, no pecking.¡± She ran around the room, determined to let it go. I wouldn¡¯t force her. I was reminded of how she was this exuberant all her life. It would never go away. Juliet loved life, and that is why I was drawn to her. She reminded me to embrace the small things and not to go down a path of darkness and hatred.

    She looked at everything, waved her hand at every surface, and weaved through the pillars that framed the windows at the edge of the room. I wanted to reach out and stop her before she fell. It didn¡¯t matter; she could use her ability. After she had taken in the landscape from every vantage point, she drifted back toward me down the path in the middle of the room, moving through the many curtains that hung down the center. I took a few steps and reached out to catch her, pretending to chase her. She laughed and jumped on the bed, running over it, avoiding me. Juliet ran for the corner, teleporting to the next floor.

    I heard loud swearing and mumbling, the pitter-patter of feet above me. Juliet had opened the tap to the tub but appeared in the corner a second later, ¡°I¡¯m going to eat,¡± she disappeared again.

    ¡°You left the water¡ª¡± I sighed but laughed and went upstairs. I crossed the floor and sat on the rim of the bath, looking out over the horizon. It was ours. Finally, after so much, Liam and his daughter had taken over. Did it bother me? All it took was for me not to be there and another man desperate enough. Louis is an Ahmed. He could take over.

    Juliet walked in, sucking a squirming little beast. Her hand gestured to the whole bathroom. I shrugged and pointed a finger at her. She cocked an eyebrow. I turned it around and called her over. She giggled. My fingers laced in the back of her neck and pulled her forward. My tongue rested on the bottom of her chin, slowly making its way up to her lips, licking up the blood dripping down. I pulled away to see where I had missed a spot and closed my lips on her soft skin, sucking and kissing until she gave me her mouth.

    Juliet pushed me into the bath, abruptly breaking our kiss. I dropped into the shallow water, laughing. She held out the beast and cut his neck. I opened my lips quickly as the blood dripped into my mouth. I grabbed her wrist and sunk my teeth into the things, eating for the first time in a long time. I tossed it on the floor. Juliet climbed on top of me and got comfortable, her eyes moving over the space. ¡°You like?¡±

    The bathroom was also open-plan. The whole floor was one continuous, shiny surface. Every boundary wall was open, with columns holding up the roof. No glass. No windows. Just nature. The way she liked it. Between the columns, the windows arched with white-painted trees framing the stone structure. The wood formed small spaces interwoven into a pattern, rounding off each arch. The bath was large and also made of stone sunk into the ground like a Roman bath, looking out into the distance of blues, greens, and purples. Soft curtains swayed in the wind at the arches with no wooden feature. Juliet wasn¡¯t there, deep in thought, looking out at the fantastic view. With a finger and thumb, I clamped down on her nipple. Her shoulders came forward, and it made me pull on her. I laughed, ¡°That was stupid.¡±

    ¡°Ow.¡± The apex between her legs thrusted down on my flaccid length, but she was happy¡­ ish. My fingers had by then rubbed, caressed, and started on another mission of exploration and tender care. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you did it?¡± Juliet was still not there with me. Her mind was a million miles away. When I left Michael with Fahan and hadn¡¯t rescued him, something had already shifted in her toward me. Toward all of us. Now¡­ Would I ever see my Juliet again? If we didn¡¯t have the physical anymore? What was left? Loyalty?

    ¡°Money,¡± I said softly.

    She smiled, ¡°What will we do with ourselves?¡±

    I sat up and slid my arms around her, resting my hands between her shoulder blades, and waited for her to look at me. I slowly drew her closer.

    Our days melded together. We read for hours and talked about the books like we used to do on the compound. Made love for hours, falling asleep and reaching out for the other. I was always there. We spent time with our son and had all our meals together. We walked around the island every day, hand in hand. Our feet sunk into deep white sandy beaches. The island was large enough for different herds to flourish, and we kept them culled so there could be harmony. I kept training her, surprising her at random times during the day. She was getting better and better. I had finally met my match. Juliet let me use the mask on her when we fought to start with her therapy. I had witnessed the power she possessed. It was beyond anything I had ever seen, and she had yet to get the strength and speed a vampire could yield. Juliet had ripped creature-proof bondages like it was nothing while she was cut and shouldn¡¯t have been able to manifest at all¡­ Just so she didn¡¯t have to see me sleep with¡­ I couldn¡¯t even remember the day. The place. Or the woman. All I can remember is her.

    ***

    Romero

    Charlene was strutting up to me. I pursed my lips, sighing. She would manifest, pick me up, and teleport. I had no choice in the matter. We would travel far and wide over Mirach. Every time we traveled further. Charlene wanted to map the world and have it all cataloged in her mind. She even had Michael come and take us to the island where Iku¡¯s wife had been stranded. She used these opportunities to fight whatever there was to fight. She said I promised to train her but was doing nothing about it. She was pregnant. What was I supposed to do? Even my parents were complaining. I had work to do. Needed to attend meetings. Charlene¡¯s behavior changed once the babies were born, and with Juliet leaving that morning to join Marcus, her female companionship was gone. It had taken Charlene a long time to explain to me what had happened to Juliet and Marcus in those tunnels and share Juliet¡¯s history in detail. When I heard about Louis¡¯s life¡­ it was hard to digest. Charlene had grown up there¡­ Not that Louis¡¯s ways were the norm¡­ but still, she was stuck there with me in a life so different from what she was used to.

    ¡°You know,¡± I came back from my musing to look at her, ¡°Where were you just now?¡±

    ¡°Thinking.¡±

    ¡°You know. You can use me. To travel around. I can shop while you have to deal with planetary issues. No more tubes and dust.¡±

    ¡°If you like,¡± I held out my hand, and we would lace our fingers while we walked and took in an area I had not even seen. There was some benefit to having a mate who could teleport across galaxies. It wouldn¡¯t take long, or she would stop walking. My lips welcomed her. They always would. She was as hot for me as our marriage journey. We made love, like she would say, wherever we were. Under a waterfall. On the grass. Up against a tree or in a cave. I did not mind and did not complain. Gave her everything she wanted. She was becoming spoilt. And I loved it. Our child was beautiful and would be the next queen after her father. Fia. ¡°Romero!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Where are you?¡±

    ¡°I am right here,¡± I said breathlessly, trying to get control of myself after spilling all I had into her, moving back and forth in a slow rhythm.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I did not want to tell her. She was in my arms, naked, soft, and available. I had been reminiscing about our time. It was already hard sharing her with Kubra. Even if we accepted the situation, it was not easy. Whenever she went to his house, she would disappear for hours. Kubra was not there as much as I thought he would be. She had told me their relationship had changed. I had heard it. Saw it. Her laugh echoed far enough, and they never fought. He just came and went. It was all up to her. Spoilt. I had thought I would be able to accept it. I felt that a thousand years alone was worse than sharing her. I knew how Marcus felt. It would never be just me and her.

    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°I won¡¯t sleep with him. If you don¡¯t want me to.¡±

    I pulled out of her and sat up, feeling guilty that I was thinking and not sharing like she reminded me so many times. Charlene crossed one leg and lifted her torso to look at me. I glanced down at her naked thighs. The wet crevice of her legs stared back at me. How did a small space like that hold me in the palm of her hand? I smiled. She was pinching me. I laughed and pushed her to the ground, holding her wrists down, ¡°He¡¯s here,¡± I said with frustration.

    ¡°I know. Why do you think I ran.¡±

    I had to laugh, ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°I know. Why do you think I ran.¡±

    ¡°Is that all you can say?¡±

    ¡°Romero. You get to choose. At any moment. At any time. If you want Kubra to go back. I will let it go. I can.¡±

    ¡°You will channel your riphath attributes? I kinda like the vampire in you.¡± she giggled, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want you completely letting go... of the lust.¡±

    ¡°You should¡¯ve seen me when I was human. I would¡¯ve sent you packing, dude. You wouldn¡¯t even have made it past the door.¡±

    ¡°No? So if Chris goes back. Comes to get me. Delivers me on Earth. In front of your door¡­ You would not let me in.¡±

    She laughed. I tightened my grip on her wrists, ¡°I would. But I would also ask you to make like a plane.¡±

    ¡°Make like a plane? Explain.¡± I let her go, and we both sat up.

    ¡°On Earth¡­ there are big, massive, flying machines¡­ Like the helicopters¡­¡± my eyes widened, ¡°They carry hundreds of people across the world¡­ But for them to get in the sky, they have to go very fast on wheels¡­ Like your balls, but they are solid and have a rubber texture.¡±

    ¡°I know what a wheel is.¡±

    ¡°You do¡­ Anyway, the plane has to take off to get in the air. So when you had a one-night stand and don¡¯t feel like¡ª¡±

    ¡°Cuddling.¡±

    ¡°Yes. You say make like a plane.¡±

    ¡°And take off. That is really rude.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it. Not the best thing to hear when you poured out your heart and soul¡­ That¡¯s one of the nice ways to say it¡­ I¡¯ve heard some terrible ones.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I would make it in a place like that.¡±

    ¡°No, you are very pure¡­ virtuous... and true. It¡¯s why I fell in love with you. There is no fear. No hurt coming. No pain or heartache. It¡¯s why I stayed.¡±

    ¡°It is also why you took Kubra¡­ Would Carl accept it? If you asked him to leave.¡±

    ¡°Why does my body know? Why did I call him out? Why did he come that day with the raiders?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about them¡­ It¡¯s about what you are¡­ The power you possess¡­ Love¡­ it has no definition. No boundaries. No limits¡­ You have already decided. It is that simple.¡±

    ¡°No regrets yet? No divorce?¡±

    ¡°Divorce?¡±

    ¡°Breaking the branding?¡± I turned away from her, ¡°There is a way. Isn¡¯t there.¡±

    ¡°Of course, there is a way. Everything in life has a negative aspect¡­ It is balance¡­ The fact that you would talk about it¡­ I would never even mention it.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I mate for life,¡± I had to tickle her and make her beg me to stop. ¡°So no, Carl. I¡¯m okay with it. If there is a way to break the bond, then. I will break it.¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°It can only happen after you have three. It¡¯s for the third person to decide¡­ the sacrificial lamb who has to protect the group. In that galaxy anyway¡­ where ittoqure¡¯s are supposed to rain.¡±

    Charlene leaned closer, fear edged on her features. It was a big secret. ¡°That¡¯s why the dheka never have to. You can¡¯t add anyone, can you?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Why you were so upset about the two men in my life, Juliet mentioned.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°Yes. That galaxy¡¯s brandings are complicated because of¡­ It becomes harder the more there are. If it is only one, it is all bundled into one harmonious, lasting death and life commitment. Our way of life.¡±

    ¡°So romantic, though.¡±

    ¡°Romantic?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. You tick all the boxes. So, are you scared of Carl being the third in my trio¡­ or me sleeping with someone else?¡±

    ¡°Both!¡± I answered vehemently, ¡°I lie in a puddle of gold with my hands over my ears every night you are with Kubra... How will he reconcile to the idea?¡±

    ¡°No, wait! You said it was a decision¡­ In that room¡­ when we made love for the first time. My branding happened the moment I decided. Why was celibacy important if it¡¯s about the rooms¡­ You know Juliet plans to take Chris there to add a fourth.¡±

    Now my eyes were wide, and my mouth opened slightly, ¡°How? Why would she think it was possible? They mate like rabbits, those two.¡± Charlene pressed her lips together and suppressed her laughter. ¡°He must be her favorite.¡± My gaze drifted away from hers to focus on the distance. Was it possible? Could it work for her to add as many as she wanted because the brandings would co-align? ¡°Mhhh, I do not know¡­ Maybe? It will be an interesting experiment¡­ But no, I meant the moment you decided, and then the act seals it.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ What if¡­ it¡¯s a one-time thing. After we sleep together¡­ Carl waits for me. You will know I won¡¯t be alone, and I won¡¯t mind what Carl does in the meantime. It¡¯s a thousand years. Kubra has six hundred left.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Have all of you been to the origin city?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, let me think¡­ Juliet and Caleb, all her men. Kubra and Carl. Not me¡­ What are you thinking?¡±

    ¡°Kubra could have gone in, he could have waited... never mind me. I am trying to keep myself busy by thinking about anything else but another man touching you.¡±

    ¡°Do you have regret? I said I would never have, but I do.¡±

    I turned to her, ¡°What regret? Being bound here with me? You feel stuck¡­ I told you, you would.¡±

    She shook her head and laughed, ¡°No, I love it here,¡± Charlene shook her shoulders, shuddering at a thought, ¡°Earth¡­ is much more binding than Mirach¡­ It is a horrible place¡­ I have no regret about any of my choices when it comes to you and the life I chose.¡±

    I smiled and kissed her, ¡°What then?

    ¡±Sleeping with Kubra. I could¡¯ve ended it. I hate seeing you like this, and I don¡¯t even care when I¡¯m in his arms¡­ The only reason I¡¯m restless is because I want to kill everything I see¡­ I have all this lust and power and no outlet.¡±

    I sighed, ¡°I understand. You are now the most powerful thing in the universe. You don¡¯t need permission, Charlene. You had two babies and a new creature side to come to understand. It is a lot.¡± I placed my hand on her breast and let my purple veins flow over her, ¡°I can at least keep you addicted to things only I can give you.¡±

    She laughed and manifested into a Vampire, undeterred by my threat, ¡°You can try your best. You also have to practice,¡± I dropped my hand, thinking about all the implications, ¡°What? Talk to me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the fire¡­ Your first is always special¡­ It supernaturally means more.¡±

    ¡°Really? What do you mean¡­ Kubra¡­ Marcus?¡±

    ¡°The fact that Marcus and Juliet were so long apart after¡­ Space for the first is never a good thing¡­ And then he went to En-gannim¡­ Juliet is terribly afraid of losing him¡­ It is why you went to Kubra while you were asleep. It is a stronger bond when you give your heart away to one person. She never knew there would be anyone else. ¡±

    ¡°What does it mean for Chris if they do it here? And it works.¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­ Michael will have no hold on him. If Michael knew he had the most power next to her¡­ Maybe it is a good thing he did not watch whatever Soren showed them¡­ I still do not understand completely.¡±

    I thought again about this man Soren¡­ He was there on Mirach, and Iku had seen him. They knew where we were¡­ It was a possible threat to the Dheka¡­  Charlene sniffed. I looked at her. A lonely tear rolled over her cheek, ¡°What is wrong? Forgive me.¡±

    She shook her head, ¡°I was not there. It¡¯s my fault¡­ Min¨¦ was in trouble, and she left France for me¡­¡± I moved closer and pulled Charlene into my lap. ¡°I was even there when Louis was¡­ forcing her¡­ I thought she was being dramatic. Scolded her.¡±

    ¡°Charlene, if that ever happens with you, I will kill them outright. I will not care. I do not have to. And for that reason, I am thankful you came to me. Our bond will protect you as long as I¡¯m alive.¡±

    ¡°I will never be alone anyway¡­ This way is better¡­ The sooner Chris can do it, the better it will be for them. She will have what she always wanted.¡±

    I rubbed her hair and kissed her cheek, stroking the tears away, ¡°They will figure it out...¡±

    ¡°Will Carl change?¡±

    I nodded¡­ ¡°All humans change. Brandings resets the natural order.¡±

    Carlene leaned in, and her lips pushed me to the ground. ¡°What does the second mean?¡± I deepened the kiss and rolled us over. I didn¡¯t want to tell her.

    After I had my fill, she traveled us back. She had put me down, and four men stepped out of my house. Sammy was in the arms of one of them. It had to be Warden. Sammy had been asking for him. Charlene had no control over her actions. I knew she would not. She ran, and Carl flung his arms around her. He was strong and caught her with little effort.

    After a few moments, Kubra came out of the teleporter and took in the scene. He looked at me, and we stared at each other. Kubra and I were close. We had become brothers and had talked about it for many hours. He nodded, and I acknowledged our decision. He turned around and left. I was also going to leave, but I couldn¡¯t go far. Do I have regret? Not one second. It was my burden to carry.

    ***

    Carl

    Charlene¡¯s lips were on mine. I was laughing and happy. Her legs were around my waist, and she wouldn¡¯t stop. I tried to pull away. Her hand kept my lips where they were. The full force of what it meant came crashing down. I had chosen a creature. One with a lot going on. And I had been in war for months. Stuck in a cage for months. Could she at least ask me if I was okay before we rushed into bed? Not that I ever had¡­ I realized what the problem was. I was a virgin. Not cool. She had needs, and I felt like a fool.

    She jumped off abruptly and stared at me while I took in her tanned skin and beautiful clothes that hugged every body part to perfection. The vampire baby screeched behind us from the house. ¡°After everything. You¡¯re still not ready.¡±

    I covered my top lip with my bottom one. I was still a coward. Didn¡¯t fully comprehend what it would entail. She would want to take our marriage journey. I would become what she is. If I didn¡¯t. I would stay plain old Carl. I needed Juliet. ¡°Where is Juliet?¡±

    ¡°Oh no! Not this time, mister. She is with Marcus and is on a hands-off sabbatical with no interruptions.¡±

    ¡°Why, what happened?¡±

    Charlene walked past me, and I followed into the house. ¡°Carl, I¡¯m going to En-gannim. To talk to Michael.¡± Jack said, halting my progress into the house. James was also leaving.

    I looked at Warden. ¡°You? What are your plans.¡±

    ¡°Not going back.¡±

    ¡°I hear you.¡±

    ¡°If they¡¯ll have me. I probably should go talk to the boss.¡± Warden said, asking Sammy if she wanted to go on a trip.

    I quickly walked into the house, ¡°Hey, Charlene. I¡¯m going to En-gannim.¡± As I rounded the corner, she put another baby on her breast, and more realizations hit me. I was there with Min¨¦ when she was born. It was different back then. At that moment, looking at her, she had three kids, and I was running away.

    ¡°Yeah, okay. We¡¯ll catch up later.¡± She was still happy and smiled at me. ¡°I am so happy you¡¯re safe, Carl.¡±

    The four of us left.

    Michael, Chris, Fahan, and Jade were in Juliet¡¯s office. It felt like walking into the twilight zone. We had been fighting them for months, and there they were, best friends.

    ¡°Carl!¡±

    Michael and Chris shot up and came over.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Where were you?¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    Their questions kept coming as we embraced. Chris shook Warden¡¯s hand, ¡°Man, I¡¯m glad to see you guys. We¡¯ve been looking for you. Just missed you the morning you guys escaped.¡±

    ¡°You were there?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, followed your trail until you got picked up. We would¡¯ve gotten you.¡±

    ¡°Everything works out for the best, I suppose.¡± We sat down and told them everything about Louis and that he didn¡¯t want to come back. About the war and what we knew.

    ¡°Hey, did you go to see Charlene?¡± Chris asked. ¡°She was in a panic about you being there. Almost sent in the wolves.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I felt even worse about coming back and leaving right away. I nervously ruffled the hair at the back of my head, not able to look him in the eye.

    Warden laughed, ¡°Boy choked. Big time.¡±

    The room burst into laughter, ¡°He sits there and nudges her¡­ like he calls it for months. And then the girl is in his arms. Kissing him.¡±

    ¡°And he?¡±

    ¡°He says nothing. Doesn¡¯t even kiss back¡­ Takes the escape and comes here.¡±

    They kept laughing at me. Michael came to sit next to me and shook my hand, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Carl. At twenty-three¡­ I don¡¯t think any of us would¡¯ve been able to handle all¡­ that. Three kids stuck on a planet with one woman for the rest of our lives.¡±

    They laughed again, ¡°Warden? You see, Sammy. Was she happy to see you?¡± Chris asked.

    The man blushed bright red, ¡°Yes, I did. She¡¯s downstairs.¡±

    ¡°We should take her back. Juliet doesn¡¯t want the kids here,¡± Warden seemed worried, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you later.¡±

    ¡°Oh no. Warden and Jacklin.¡± I said. The man didn¡¯t want to answer one question about the vamp when we were stuck there. They had spent so much time together. It was time he was cornered about his intentions.

    ¡°NO! You can¡¯t,¡± Michael exclaimed.

    Warden¡¯s features clouded, ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Louis and Jacklin.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Louis never slept with Jacklin,¡± Warden retorted.

    ¡°Yes, he did¡­ Juliet saw it. Samuel got slapped for it,¡± I watched the two men to try and figure out what was going on with all of them. Why was Juliet not there?

    ¡°How? When? Louis told us some of what happened. But not that.¡± Jack looked guiltily away as Warden corned him with a stare. I was with him there. I had heard Jacklin and Lyla talking about it. We didn¡¯t share everything with everyone.

    ¡°Where is Jacklin? We have another issue with her?¡± Chris said coldly, not ready to deal with Warden becoming a problem.

    ¡°She is one of Ahasuerus¡¯s wives,¡± Michael explained when no one answered the question.

    ¡°No!¡± All of us were amazed. It would create a problem, and we left them there. ¡°We let them go.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t kill Lyla?¡± Michael asked incredulously.

    ¡°Hey, Louis almost did. When he was there, we deferred to him to make any decisions. He could¡¯ve done it.¡±

    ¡°What if she helps Soren.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Soren is stuck in Europe. We left Lyla and Jacklin on American soil.¡±

    ¡°Well, Louis has been traveling incognito for months. We need him back to put a stop to this piggybacking nonsense.¡±

    ¡°Our scientists have already figured out how to make it even more controlled. We just need the whore to come home.¡±

    ¡°Oh Chris¡­ He is not doing well. I wish she would go to him.¡±

    ¡°Well, Juliet is not doing too well herself. And we still have to work through everything here. I think it¡¯s best if he stays away for a while. You should¡¯ve left him somewhere so we know where he is and bring the plate back. Even Louis should realize all the implications of him leaving a door open like that.¡± Chris stood to leave the room, ¡°I¡¯m taking Sammy back. Fahan, you coming? If you want to talk to Yazen.¡±

    Louis didn¡¯t want to come back¡­ because of the men, not Juliet.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Michael rubbed my shoulder, ¡°So, what are your plans. You guys want houses. Islands or what?¡±

    ¡°No food for us here. This is like a raw meat keto farm. So we have no idea what to do,¡± Jack answered.

    ¡°When is Juliet coming back?¡± I asked. I needed to talk to her.

    ¡°No, Carl. You have to stay away. She will see you when she comes home. Please give her some time.¡±

    I agreed and felt terrible that I had not been there. I was the odd one out. Charlene had a life. Juliet was queen. I decided to stay on Earth all by myself for fear of repercussions, and look where it got us. It was the biggest mistake of my life. All those months ago, I was ready to take the step with her. I could¡¯ve been her first branding, and we both would¡¯ve changed together.

    Jade stepped forward, ¡°We have fish? And Alcohol.¡±

    The four of us looked at each other in turn, ¡°I could go fishing.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good to me. On a boat for a few weeks.¡±

    ***

    Charlene

    Romero¡¯s gentle treads from his sandals on the floor stepped through the house. I had a hungry vampire on my breast. I couldn¡¯t stop looking at the boy; he was so cute. I was deliriously happy because the pregnancy was over. I would have more kids if I didn¡¯t need to be pregnant and forced to sit still and keep the babies safe. But really, nine months¡­ in a thousand years. Nine months would mean nothing. I would have more kids later. Romero stuck his head past the doorframe. ¡°Can I come in?¡± he looked around, ¡°Where is Carl?¡±

    I sighed, ¡°He left.¡±

    ¡°I will kill him,¡± Romero turned around and walked out. I laughed. He kept forgetting that we were bound to the planet. Then I heard Kubra¡¯s voice. Romero had called his getaround. The two men were talking and yelling, ¡°I¡¯ll go get him right now. Bastard.¡±

    I saw Romero pacing outside the station. It was rather comical. Poor Carl. I felt for him. They didn¡¯t know him or understood him. But he did nudge. He shouldn¡¯t have nudged. He forced me to think about it. Pushed in.

    Kubra came out with a cigarette hanging from his lips, ¡°Hey! Bring me that cigarette right now!¡±

    Kubra guiltily took it out of his mouth. Carl was pushed down, bent at the waist, under one of Kubra¡¯s hands. He was so tall, and it looked uncomfortable. ¡°Here, take the boy,¡± Romero took over, manifested, and let Carl have it. Every feeling. A rainbow of color. Jolts of black pain as the two went into a full-blown fight. My toes curled. My hero was avenging me.

    Kubra came in and handed me the cigarette, ¡°Hey,¡± he sighed, taking in the scene.

    ¡°Hi.¡± Kubra always calmed down when he was with me, and he sat down with a wistful expression on his face. I missed our road trip in France. Kubra had also given up a lot. No, I had taken away a lot. He would never be able to be anywhere with me alone. No vacations. No honeymoon.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we have a kid.¡±

    ¡°No. Me neither. I was thinking about our road trip. Where you grabbed the towel.¡±

    Kubra groaned, ¡°Romantic, isn¡¯t it¡­ I could¡¯ve handled it better.¡± I laughed. It was good to have one husband who could talk to me about Earth and what it was like. Understood my references.

    Carl yelled outside, going after Romero. He had given him green. Kubra followed my gaze out the window, ¡°The boy has not changed at all.¡±

    I had to giggle, changing the baby to the other breast. Fia stirred and complained in the background in her cute little voice. Kubra jumped up. ¡°Oh¡­ hello, little lady. You are so pretty.¡±

    ¡°She is¡­ isn¡¯t she. Both of them. Do you think we¡¯ll have trouble with them?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes. Tight leash for this little one. She is going to be a looker.¡±

    ¡°Kubra. I¡¯m on birth control.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°You do. How?¡±

    ¡°I am four hundred years old. So yeah, I know what¡¯s what.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t even try to get away with something stupid.¡±

    ¡°Oh no. Sorry, my dear. I am too alert. Won¡¯t be fooling me like Juliet fooled Louis.¡±

    ¡°The good old days. Of cage fighting and beatings.¡±

    ¡°Girls in nightgowns.¡±

    ¡°You did say I was pretty.¡±

    ¡°You are! A little fat¡ª¡± Kubra dodged the pillow that went flying. He walked out of the room, ¡°Your kid needs to eat,¡± he yelled at Romero.

    ¡°Take her to my mother. I¡¯m busy,¡± Romero grunted, taking a punch to the gut.

    Kubra looked back at me before he left, ¡°Thank You,¡± I closed my eyes slowly, ¡°Heard you regret sleeping with me.¡±

    ¡°What? Did you tech me? You did not.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t take it personally. I knew what you meant. But you going out into dangerous situations, will take me a while to get used to.¡±

    ¡°Okay... Hey¡­ do you regret it?¡±

    Kubra avoided the question, ¡°You¡¯ve never asked me to train you.¡±

    My lip quirked, ¡°I would love that.¡±

    His smile reached his eyes, ¡°You were waiting for me to ask.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°You have a life¡­ I don¡¯t want to interfere.¡±

    ¡°I love you. I¡¯m still in love with you,¡± Kubra said and left when Fia¡¯s voice broke through with gentle determination.

    Did I regret any of it? No¡­ I don¡¯t. None of it. I was a little antsy, but mastering my skills and abilities would help. I needed to learn, anyway. Romero and Kubra wouldn¡¯t always be there. Neither would Juliet. The death of all my loved ones was my only regret. The fear of losing them and my children because they would die long before me.

 214. In Between

    214. In Between

    Juliet

    Depression. I had tried to skip it, fight it, but my body didn¡¯t agree with my treatment plan. For months, I had pushed everything I saw and what Soren had done out of my mind, filling my time with sex and the duties of En-gannim. It was the place. It was so quiet. No noises. No waves crashing onto the shore. The only thing you heard was the soft, soothing rustling of leaves. So, some days, I sat in Marcus¡¯s chair and let the feelings flow. There was no point in avoiding it anymore. I closed my eyes and lifted my chin to the sun. It¡¯s what I needed: solitude, no distractions, no work, no family problems. And this time, Marcus was there. He had gone through it with me. He had come for me, saved me. We could¡¯ve both died.

    I couldn¡¯t run away from it forever or push it down like I did with Marcus¡¯s branding. I had to get to a place to accept it¡­ But I couldn¡¯t, or rather, my peace didn¡¯t want to come. After a month there, I didn¡¯t even know what I had to come to terms with anymore. Maybe the last twelve years of my life had been too much, too fast, and had broken me in some way. Marcus would bring Naji for me to feed and take him away again. Some days were better than others. Those were good days. Marcus, me, and the family he wanted. This is what he wanted; ¡°us¡± together, and right then, I had to agree with him.

    I read a lot. All the time. I had so many plates and books from Palmyra I had to get through. I had to figure out how to activate the stone, what Soren planned to do with it, and if Jacklin had any way to help Soren get to us. Because if they did, it would all be over.

    After a month, I stood in front of Marcus as he read in one of the nooks. He peeked over the rim at me. ¡°I think it¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? The training with the mask is going so well. I don¡¯t want you to push yourself.¡±

    ¡°I know. But I¡¯ve got the right guy for the job.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about trust at all, is it?¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°How can you say that after I chose you to dance for the first time¡­¡± Marcus gave me a wicked grin. ¡°I¡¯m going to say something, and we can talk about it¡­¡± Marcus put down his book and sat up. ¡°I don¡¯t submit¡­ I never will.¡±

    Marcus looked away from me, thinking, ¡°I see¡­ Therein lies our problem,¡± he gestured between the two of us with an aimless finger, ¡°Because I won¡¯t either.¡±

    ¡°Marcus, if you did not push me over that chair, I would never have allowed you to do it. I always wondered if you talked to me and explained it to me. If I would¡¯ve given myself to you. After what happened with Soren, I know now I would never have. Not because I don¡¯t trust you but because you are a vampire and thinking of you taking another wife¡ª¡± he bobbed his head, sighing heavily, ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to be like this. There are only a hundred women on a planet with billions of vampires in the last thousand years who have gone against the grain. You want me to listen to you and do as I am told because it is in our nature, like the werewolf women. It¡¯s supernatural, and I don¡¯t know why that gene skipped me.¡±

    ¡°It is maybe the only reason our branding worked. I don¡¯t understand it at all; nothing about it makes sense anymore.¡±

    ¡°It does not matter for now. Just keep it in mind for your decisions about the future.¡± I bit the inside of my cheek, hoping he would talk to me about his plans. We didn¡¯t have much time left before we needed to go back to Nahrima. He did not say anything, so I stayed on topic, ¡°You will never hurt me. I know that¡­ My jealousy is something else entirely¡­ This fear I have about being pushed down is something I can work on. I can become more¡ª¡±

    Marcus snorted, ¡°Pliable.¡± His eyes fell from mine, and that numbness took over again. What was he thinking about? Me and our lives together or Louis? For the life of me, I don¡¯t know why I let Louis coerce me. ¡°What about Chris? You listen to him. You didn¡¯t even kill Selena?¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. Chris would never have forgiven me if I did it.¡±

    Marcus frowned¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve wanted to kill her a long time ago.¡± I shrugged; he went on, ¡°It was only because of Caleb¡­ You were taking Chris¡¯s feelings into consideration¡­ You feel we have a right when it comes to the kids.¡± He smiled, ¡°Why you sat in that desert.¡± I gagged at the thought but nodded. ¡°I am sorry about saying it.¡± I laughed. ¡°Where do you want to begin?¡± Marcus said quickly, shaking off the feelings.

    I stretched out my hand for him to take it, ¡°Don¡¯t enjoy it too much.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to hate it. It¡¯s going to be worse for me than it is for you. Trust me.¡±

    Marcus was very gentle with me. He was patient and quiet and knew what to do when. We did it one bondage at a time until I was comfortable with every part. He also didn¡¯t take over the process and sometimes waited days before I was ready for the next submission exercise. It also helped that it wasn¡¯t a sexual thing. I could see it as training, honing my abilities and strength. The goal was to be in total control even when you have none.

    On the other days, Sammy, Naji, Min¨¦, Jaali, and Fia came to our house. We would babysit and be exhausted at the end of the day. I didn¡¯t want to be away from Sammy for the time I was there. Whenever she wanted to see me, Jessy would bring her for a visit. She had talked about Warden a lot, and I was so happy Carl was back, curious about everything happening on the other planets. On the other hand, I didn¡¯t want to leave. It was much easier with one person.

    Louis had not dragged me out of bed again, nor did he come back home after I asked. The flashes of images of him having sex with other people were not subsiding. No new experiences wanted to replace what I saw, and I figured maybe in fifty or a hundred years, I would get over it. Soren really knew me too well, thinking he could destroy us with my jealousy. It felt like I had a dream of a partner cheating; when you woke up, you were angry the whole day, sure they did cheat on you. Louis¡¯s leaving before I came back was worse than his past. He was still a lone wolf who dealt with things on his own. I was more scared he would never come back than us getting past this because why did he leave? Something was wrong. He didn¡¯t pull me out of bed for the fun of it.

    Did my heart still belong to Louis after everything? Yes. I couldn¡¯t let him go, not after everything he had promised me. I would not again lose faith in him even if he did drive me up the wall. He was probably staying away to see if I could go on with my life without him. Idiot. How many times did I have to tell him he was above all the other men for it to stick? From the first chapter of our story, all he said was that he wanted me to choose him, and nothing he did would ever make me let him go. I also figured this was the last thing that could jump out between us. I hoped, anyway. So, at random times during the day, I would focus only on Louis, keeping him quiet for as long as I could.

    The other thing bothering me was my jealousy of Marcus. He had asked me, and I still couldn¡¯t figure it out. He was confused about the brandings and what it all meant. I was even more, and because of this, I kept reading, planning, and waiting. My mom was also reaching the end of her third trimester. It meant they would be coming soon. My father knew I would not miss it for the world.

    Charlene and I were in correspondence. Old-time mailed letters. I sent her a very long written missive, and she responded in kind. We would talk like we always did, and I would lie on Marcus¡¯s lap, reading my letters to him.

    Dear Juliet

    I miss my friend and need a good night of dancing and fun. With Carl back, we need a night where we can let loose. Carl still doesn¡¯t want to make the marriage journey. He doesn¡¯t even want to kiss me. And it¡¯s not like I can manipulate him into sleeping with me.

    I hope you are feeling better. If you get really depressed, go kill someone. If I could, I would kill Soren for you. Putting you through all that¡­ For what? Idiot.

    I miss emojis. I miss indoor plumbing. You are jealous of me, and I¡¯m jealous of you.

    Fia and Jaali are doing well. Romero says thank you for taking them off planet and giving us a honeymoon. They don¡¯t have honeymoons, but he liked the idea, so we went to Iku¡¯s old place and lived in his cave for a few days. It wasn¡¯t two weeks, but it was a lot of fun.

    Can you send me images of the house? Michael and Chris make me jealous that I won¡¯t be able to live there with you. Carl is nipping to see you. He wants to talk to you. I don¡¯t know why. It was so funny the first day I saw him. Romero gave him one hell of a fight until he passed out. I was a little angry, but when he woke up, he held me for a long time, and we talked like we always did. He went through so much over there and kept defending Lyla. Can you believe it? We did fight about it. I wish you were here. I can¡¯t wait to see you. We need to take our trip to the werewolves. Fahan and Jade have been here to meet Imani and Yazen. Romero and Kubra didn¡¯t want me anywhere near them for now. I guessed if you were here, you could alleviate all our fears about the giant dragons.

    When you come back, I was hoping you could go to Earth and get me a phone. I want music and solar panels to charge the thing. I am working on the indoor plumbing. Chris said it¡¯s his mission to contain the pink water on En-gannim and use it in a sewage tank or something. I¡¯m all for it.

    Caleb has been a massive help with the kids. He is always here, and Iku enjoys talking to him about Zoreah. It seems they still want to go. Romero told me he also thinks Iku¡¯s wife is beautiful. I was not impressed and tested the boundary of our branding. I know now how far I can sleep on the other side of the mattress.

    Juliet, I am sorry about not believing you about Louis. I made you feel like a bad girlfriend. But how everyone is acting¡­ I don¡¯t think I ever want to watch it. Carl said he was with Louis for the last three months. So Louis is not doing too well, but at least we know he is okay. I asked Romero if I could tell you about the positions of the brandings. He didn¡¯t want it on paper, so I¡¯ll ¡®warn¡¯ you about Michael and Louis. Maybe handle it¡­ in a timely fashion. Let everyone sort out all their feelings¡­  That¡¯s all I¡¯m going to say about that.

    Although Carl has been nagging to find out what happened. No one is saying anything. No one is talking about it. I know you don¡¯t want to, so I¡¯ll also let it go and wait till you¡¯re ready.

    I¡¯ve been designing more clothes and jewelry and crowns. The Dheka all want a piece created by the queen. I¡¯m thinking about opening a chain store. He He He. Would¡¯ve used an emoji here but really. Where is Apple when you need it? While I¡¯m writing, Romero is looking over my shoulder and he has no idea what I¡¯m talking about. It took me two hours to write this because he keeps stopping me to ask questions. (Devil emoji)

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Do you and Marcus have any new positions we can try? Romero is running out¡­

    Marcus and I Iaughed the whole letter through but had a good laugh when her handwriting scribbled off into incoherency.

    I rearranged the papers and pushed them back into their envelope. I waited only one minute before I asked, ¡°So? Do you¡ª¡± Marcus was on me before I could finish speaking.

    ***

    Marcus

    Naji was six months old when the whole family came for the first time. Juliet ran for Chris¡¯s arms first, but they didn¡¯t even kiss; all they did was hold each other, nestling for a long time. Cindy was about to give birth, and they thought Juliet would want to know. I believe Liam was happier than me with their new addition. Juliet talked to her mom¡¯s stomach for a while. Cindy enjoyed it very much. Michael joined her, and they sang to the little baby and rubbed over the belly. All rock songs. Juliet was laughing. It was so good to see her so full of life again. Our time was over, but it was what we needed. I longed for it to never end.

    Michael and Juliet disappeared while Liam and I set the table. We were going to be civilized for once. Plate settings and d¨¦cor. Chris sat down in the chair I was in for months. Caleb was walking over to join him. Sammy, Min¨¦, and Katty were running on the grass, jumping up in the air, playing with toys they had brought with them.

    Charlene crossed my mind. It would become more challenging for her to be stuck there. Juliet had read all her letters to me. I didn¡¯t think she had thoroughly considered how limited she would be. How difficult it would be to become accustomed to a new culture.

    ¡°Caleb, can you give us a minute.¡± The boy got up and joined his mom, coming up the path from the beach. Her arms were open, and she welcomed him in. He manifested and teleported her all over the place and the house. He was getting a tour. Chris and I laughed. You could see them going from one floor to the next. Michael came to sit at our feet.

    ¡°Were you serious about the dark city?¡±

    ¡°It has been hard on Charlene. Kubra says she is restless. She has no outlet.¡±

    ¡°Did you ask him?¡±

    ¡°He said it might not even work. But if it did, we would be bound to Mirach, yes¡­¡±

    ¡°It is what she wants,¡± Michael said. ¡°Are you ready to make so big a sacrifice?¡±

    ¡°After everything? It¡¯s hardly a sacrifice. And Charlene is there. Carl will be there and also bound to the place. He and Charlene would be the only ones who will die together¡­¡±

    ¡°Have to stay together for three thousand years¡­ And stay there for all that time,¡± I added. Chris looked at Michael. He was staring at the ground. He would also be there. Alone. Chris leaned in and placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°We can still connect to you. Or we could move to Zoreah for two thousand years, and then we could go to Mirach for the branding. We can all die together.¡±

    He nodded, revived, and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think Carl will make it?¡± We all laughed. Poor Carl was probably the only sensible one, considering all the consequences fully.

    ¡°It¡¯s much the same as Zoreah, and Mirach doesn¡¯t have the problem of the species mixing, not like Ira. They have a way to counter the ittoqure who will come. It is the safest place.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right. We could find a place to settle there... The rest of us can still come and go. We can help the kids for generations.¡±

    ¡°Look, we don¡¯t have to decide now. Even if it happens in a hundred years. Does it really matter?¡±

    ¡°No, not for us. But for Carl, it does¡­ And you. We still don¡¯t know what happens to riphaths. Romero doesn¡¯t want to say?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Really? Ira likes his secrets. He will never tell us, will he?¡±

    ¡°No. It seems Ira, Brylee, and Ahasuerus were the only ones who knew all the facets¡­ Brylee¡¯s predecessors had to make the legend go away. It was not what the werewolf women wanted in life. A man who could control them.¡±

    ¡°The thing is, when Mine is fifteen, the trouble will start. The werewolves still don¡¯t know everything, and I can¡¯t think they would want to stay where they are. They¡¯ve had no home for so long and are rapidly populating again.¡±

    ¡°Someone will have to be there to help Mine. And it can¡¯t be Charlene. If Juliet is also stuck, it won¡¯t be good.¡±

    ¡°No. How are relations going with Fahan?¡±

    ¡°Good. We gave them all the coordinates. Helped them with plates, and they help us with food and water. Much the same as it was. So mixing them with the werewolves will be an issue for another day..¡±

    ¡°Any news of the whore?¡± I asked.

    We all laughed, ¡°She still calling him that?¡±

    ¡°Urgh. Juliet¡­ is so happy at this point I don¡¯t want to jinx it. I don¡¯t know why, but¡­ isn¡¯t it easier without him?¡± I ventured to put the truth out there and hear how they were handling what they saw. Not that Michael saw it¡­ I glanced at him. He was pulling grass out of the ground.

    ¡°She seems well, Marcus. You did a wonderful job there¡­ And I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re ready to talk about Louis?¡±

    ¡°I am. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°When we were guarding your study door, Louis was out of control. He said the three of us were the problem, and he was sick of it all. And that was before he knew Juliet would see his feed¡­ We don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a vampire thing, but when is his lust going to come in full force? Are we going to have two teenage vampires on our hands soon?¡±

    ¡°What? Like he didn¡¯t get laid enough?¡± The words were out before I could curb myself. ¡°Yes, these hundred years are going to be rough on all of us.¡±

    Michael was still quiet, hesitant to speak. His domineering attitude was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°The place is amazing. She probably doesn¡¯t want to leave.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she loves it here. But no¡ª¡± Finally, Michael said something but hesitated.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°When Carl came back¡­ The day she left. Months ago. Carl said Louis found them. Saved them. He is on Earth and helping there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know. I heard, but what¡­ You think he¡¯s going after the boy.¡±

    ¡°I want to go after the boy,¡± Michael said.

    ¡°The question is who will kill him in the worst way. Make him suffer,¡± I sneered.

    ¡°Is that what she said,¡± I nodded, ¡°Then it has to be you.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I think Louis has to be the one.¡±

    ¡°It does make sense. Does he still pull her out at night?¡± Chris asked.

    ¡°No¡­ what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°He woke her up after she came back at night when she was alone on En-gannim and made her walk to the door.¡±

    ¡°Really. How does he know? And how did he bypass the system?¡±

    ¡°Seems Ahasuerus left a lot for us to learn. Louis was busy when you were there. Planning his escape. He can piggyback the system without any trace.¡±

    We all looked at the bundle of energy hopping over to her cat. The little head rubbed Juliet¡¯s chin in loving caresses, nuzzling into her owner¡¯s person. She caught three pairs of eyes on her and came over, ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner. You guys done talking?¡±

    I held out my hand. She dropped the cat and sat on my lap, ¡°Juliet. I think it¡¯s time you go looking for our lost sheep.¡±

    Her eyes drifted from mine to Chris¡¯s. She held his gaze for a long time. ¡°You¡¯ve never¡­ fought for him,¡± Chris said hesitantly.

    ¡°No, maybe not¡­ he was always there. But he¡¯s not here anymore. He left and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Juliet,¡± Michael interrupted her. ¡°We have made our peace with what happened. I think you are able to take care of yourself. You¡¯ve proven that much. We¡¯re all guilty in some way and could be blamed for what happened; even Liam feels it.¡± Juliet¡¯s gaze drifted to her father, who was busy in the kitchen. ¡°You would¡¯ve said something if you ever felt it was wrong. The way he controls you.¡± Juliet¡¯s eyes snapped back to Michael, who kept going. ¡°We heard what you said to Samuel. The lying. His past.¡± It seemed I had missed a lot. He told her we had gotten over it, but neither he nor Chris seemed to be over it.

    ¡°You¡¯re right about the lying¡­ I can¡¯t take it anymore¡­ from any of you,¡± Juliet said and stood to her feet. ¡°No one says what they want to say. No one knows what they want or think about it.¡± Juliet looked pointedly at me, ¡°I told you no more¡­ You don¡¯t go back today before you make a decision. You¡¯ve had two months, and you still can¡¯t come close to deciding what you want to do. You spend no time figuring out a way for us to handle the situation¡­ You all run away as soon as I get too much¡­ You said you don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here¡­ Well I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here if I am too much. Whether we are alone or not, it¡¯s not going to change anything. ¡°

    Chris and I stood at this tirade that came out of nowhere, ¡°It did change everything. How were the last months, not the best we¡¯ve ever had.¡±

    ¡°Running away is over, Marcus. You come back fully prepared to deal with all of me, or you don¡¯t¡­ And that is why I¡¯m not going after Louis. He chose to leave. I didn¡¯t go to Zoreah for Chris. I went for my son¡­ Michael is the only one thus far who¡¯s forced himself to change. I¡¯ve forced myself to change. It¡¯s time you, Chris, and Louis catch up, or I think I¡¯ll take him and leave. You can have your planet. Louis can keep his power because it¡¯s so simple for him to go through the reversal, but¡­ he would rather¡ª¡± Juliet scoffed and shook her head, ¡°Leave because he doesn¡¯t want to give it up¡­ After what he did to me¡­ No, how could you ask me to go find him? Coddle you and accept Chris cheating on me.¡± Juliet¡¯s voice was so loud by then the house¡¯s occupants were watching the scene unfold. ¡°Michael is the only one who has an excuse. And he¡¯s the one who gets the short straw every time.¡± Chris took two large steps toward her and gripped her arms, ¡°If you shake me, so help me, I¡¯ll put you on your ass.¡±

    Chris smiled and did shake her. Juliet manifested, and before she could say one more word, Chris stabbed her in the neck. He scooped her up before she dropped to the ground and put her down in the chair. He ripped open her top and checked her skin. Nothing. He then undid her pants and pulled them down. Michael and I stood closer to see another lesion slowly covering a part of her leg. It was a small patch, ¡°S¡ª.¡±

    ¡°F¡ª, how did you know?¡±

    ¡°I know, my wife,¡± Chris pulled up her pants and threw her over his shoulder.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m taking her to The Tower. She needs the maintenance drug now that we¡¯re not on Mirach anymore¡­ She was right about one thing. She and Louis won¡¯t get the reversal, so they have to keep taking the drugs if they can¡¯t give it up¡­ We have to find him¡­ If he¡¯s not covered already.¡±

    ¡°Maybe Mirach is the solution,¡± Michael suggested. Chris stopped walking and turned toward Michael. They stood staring at each other for a long time. It seemed like they¡¯d become friends. There was an understanding between them. Michael and I had been at the same place months ago. Every time I left, I broke down relationships. We were all so close and working together at one time. Chris nodded softly, ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s time she gets what she wants.¡±

    Michael agreed, ¡°After Cindy?¡±

    ¡°After Cindy¡­ Will you go find him?¡±

    Michael smiled, ¡°Do you have her?¡±

    Chris laughed, ¡°I do.¡± Michael disappeared.

 215. I Will Come For You

    215. I Will Come For You

    Juliet

    My explosion of words did come out of nowhere; I could still not control my tongue one hundred percent. ¡®I always get the better of myself,¡¯ which makes no sense, but I guessed I still had a long way to where I was all grown up. I remembered Marcus saying, ¡®It did change everything. How were the last months, not the best we¡¯ve ever had.¡¯ Marcus was right; it had been what we needed and in a way, I was sad our time had to end at all. I felt guilty because I could sit and watch Louis sleep with other people, and yet when it came to Marcus, I lost it. Soren said it was never really about Louis at all, and the hidden meaning behind those words left me wondering¡­ Soren could always call me out on my BS. He would still be that person for me¡­ and maybe Warden.

    A gust of warm, aired air hit the side of a tent, sending dust into the space around us. Someone was behind me, and just then, an arm closed around my waist and pulled me close to a body. I reached around and raked my hand through his hair, ¡°Carl!? You¡¯re finally home.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m also not leaving again.¡±

    ¡°No, never! We have to not split up again.¡±

    ¡°Well, that is stupid. You know we¡¯ll have to¡­ Your leg has a patch of snakeskin,¡± Charlene said.

    I sat up, pushing down the sheet covering me, ¡°S¡ª.¡± She was with us in the bed, and we were finally together again. I threw myself on Carl and kissed him all over his face, took his cheeks in my hands, and kissed him on the lips. ¡°Juliet,¡± Carl said with a sultry tone. ¡°If I knew I was going to have girls kiss me just because I went off to war, I would¡¯ve gone away a long time ago.¡±

    I caressed his cheeks and took in all of him. He buffed up a lot and had a tan. ¡°Tell me you killed her.¡±

    He shook his head, ¡°Well, then you¡¯re fired.¡± I looked at Charlene, who came in for a group hug. ¡°Oh, how far and long we¡¯ve traveled together.¡±

    ¡°Our journey¡¯s only begun. We have thousands of years left!¡± she said, detangling herself from us, and we all sat facing each other. Charlene didn¡¯t notice, or maybe she did, and was hoping one of us would say something. She had been dropping slight hints about things bothering her about the future. Where she was once scared of growing old and leaving us all¡ªshe now had to accept she would outlive all of us. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± she gestured to my leg.

    ¡°Thinking? I wasn¡¯t thinking¡ª¡±

    ¡°You going to go crazy again because¡ª¡± I hit Carl on the shoulder, ¡°Ow! Come, I have a surprise for you.¡±

    ¡°What kind of surprise?¡± I asked¡ªsuspicious.

    ¡°We all have a surprise for you¡­ come on,¡± Charlene pulled me up.

    We were in the doctor¡¯s tent, which was not far from everything. It was where the midwife had kept a close eye on us throughout our pregnancies and where my mom would give birth. Carl lifted the tent flap to a smiling Chris outside, waiting for me, ¡°I have a present for you.¡± I frowned a little, looking at the three faces. ¡°For missing two birthdays¡­ I had to make up for it.¡± Chris led me somewhere, closing my eyes with one hand, ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°What can possibly make up for two birthdays! No anniversary presents! One date, months and months ago,¡± Chris took away his hand, ¡°Oh, Chris¡­ It¡¯s beautiful¡­ How, why?¡± I flung my arms around his neck.

    ¡°Michael and I found a factory that made them, and they are obviously not operational anymore.¡±

    ¡°I love it! Who painted and did all this?¡±

    ¡°Your son.¡±

    Charlene and I jumped up and down and jutted forward. Two porta-potty trailers were standing under one giant tent, covered from the elements. Plants in pots secured the tent on all sides. The men had their own trailer on the other side of the tent, keeping with the customs of Mirach¡ªthe two halves were separated by pretty curtains. A stone path was laid from the entrance to where it separated and led in two different directions. I followed the one toward the trailer covered in a lot of squiggles and patterns painted on the exterior. There were only a few steps to climb to open the door. It was enormous and beautiful, like Louis¡¯s bathroom on Earth, with wood finishings and flooring¡ªextractor fans powered by solar¡ªa wash basin/ mirror area, a few stalls on either side. I reluctantly stepped forward and reached out for the tap¡ªit worked. Charlene squealed with delight. I could wash my hands with soap and dry them after with paper towels. ¡°Come, we got to test them.¡± We used the facilities and were so happy, chatting from one stall to the next. ¡°You should¡¯ve seen Yazen and Imani¡¯s faces when they used them the first time,¡± Charlene said when she came out of her cubicle. ¡°We even have a bidet in that one. No more period crap to deal with¡ª¡±

    ¡°Literally!¡± we both laughed, ¡°Was it all Chris¡¯s doing?¡± she nodded.

    I threw my arms around his neck when we met up with them outside, ¡°This is going to change everything. Thank You!¡±

    ¡°You have a lot of plans; I have to keep up. It took us ages to find a company that rented them out, and we had to go hunting for the best ones. But they were just standing there¡­ so we stole them.¡±

    I laughed, ¡°I think they owe us this much¡­ The service?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing; we have a small truck that cleans it out, and then we empty it on Earth¡­ Your giant teleporter has now become a universal sewage removal tank.¡±

    We all laughed... ¡°For this, I will have to thank you properly.¡±

    Chris didn¡¯t need prompting and scooped me up. ¡°Your mom is close to her delivery. The En-gannim doctors say only two weeks or so¡­ We haven¡¯t slept together in months.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I waved at Charlene and Carl, ¡°Are you at least going to talk to me first? Apologize? Hmmm.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no! I got used to the Juliet, who becomes hyper-sexualized to cope with her trauma.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been reading.¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    The day my mom gave birth, we were still on Mirach. My dad had her in his arms, carrying her through the teleporter. We stood in two lines on either side, ushering them to the tent. Liam looked a little nervous; it was going to be interesting to witness how he handled the delivery. My mom held out her hand to me as they passed us. I quickly fell in step with her, glad she wanted me by her side. Charlene was short on my heels. It felt so strange not to have Louis there; he was always ready to read every one and wouldn¡¯t be able to tell us what my mom or my dad was going through. It was hard for me to accept that he had still not come back, made contact, or at least told us he was okay.

    Miriam was faithfully by the midwife¡¯s side. The doctor and Michael were waiting outside for emergencies. Charlene was there, and in her limited medical training, I was sure we had all angles covered. My mom had contractions for hours before my father decided she had no more choice in the matter. I was on one side of my mom and my dad on the other. ¡°I need to sit up,¡± Mom said after a very strenuous contraction.

    ¡°Help her quickly,¡± Liam clutched under one arm and I the other. My mom didn¡¯t even have to exert herself before we had her on her knees. We shared a concerned glance behind her back. It was different being on this side for a change. I went to work wiping the sweat from her brow, and Liam rubbed her back between contractions. When it was time for the last push, she braced down on both our arms; the baby was caught by the midwife and Miriam, holding a cloth underneath her. He dropped down, with clenched fists screeching his little heart out. My dad took the bundle from Miriam and sat back on his heels. I had not seen Liam cry a lot in all my life, but he was wiping at his eyes. I scooted closer to look at my new brother, ¡°Caleb, come meet your uncle.¡±

    I looked up when the tent flap opened, and Michael pushed through. My gaze flickered past him, ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡±

    I hated moments like that, one of the happiest things to ever happen, and then I also had to worry about my own son, who decided it was best to do¡­ what? And we were still constantly worried about Soren in the back of our minds. Not in a good way anymore but in a deep hole full of snakes and evil things waiting for us to fall into kind of way. I disappeared to see if he was there, maybe too shy to show himself. Caleb and Louis were standing right across from me. My breath hitched as I locked eyes with Louis¡ªso many emotions written on both our faces. He took a small step forward. I reappeared immediately, holding myself back, unable to face him, talk to him, or let the moment become about us. I had missed him so much, and I was angry for too many reasons. The way I felt on the compound when he left me alone for months to fend for myself came back in waves when I thought about him.

    Liam passed the little baby to me, bringing me back to focus on the good at the moment. I looked up at my dad, questioning if it was okay. He smiled. I took the bundle, and once he was in my arms, I couldn¡¯t hold back the tears for so many reasons. It was too much. I had a brother¡ªa very unhappy one. I turned to my mom and rested him on her chest after she was done with the afterbirth.

    The men suddenly surrounded my dad, congratulating him; the Mirach ways pushed aside for a while. It got a bit crowded and I shooed everyone out, giving Louis and Caleb also a chance to make their escape. Then it was only me and my mom left. I shook off all my worries so she could feed the boy in peace. We both stared at him for all that time, ¡°I know you will look after him if something happens to us.¡±

    I stroked her hair and his, ¡°With my life¡­ with everything I have¡­ What is his name?¡±

    ¡°Mael¡­ After my grandfather.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry we didn¡¯t come back in time for you to see him again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m too¡­¡±

    ¡°Your parents are waiting outside.¡±

    My mom looked up at me, ¡°Maybe my mom for now. I¡¯ll see my dad later.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll tell them.¡±

    A minute later, Cindy¡¯s mother relieved me from my mom¡¯s side. We all waited for the little guy to finish latching. My dad took him to get him cleaned up, and after that, he was passed around in Charlene¡¯s house from arm to arm. ¡°Four babies in one house is going to be interesting,¡± Charlene said when it was her turn.

    ¡°This is one part of our journey I¡¯ll never complain about,¡± I answered while Charlene handed the bundle to the next person. We went to sit on either side of Carl on the couch, looking at Mael in his arms. He was going to be such a good father. I kissed his cheek, and Charlene did the same. Carl laughed lightly. It was so good to have everyone there; I wanted to stay like that forever; those moments were all I had. The house was absolutely packed with every last person who meant something¡ªhad some thread to our lives. Even Ira and Silvanus had come for the big day. When we were all together like that, our house was whole and it felt so right. I looked up to scan the crowd. Samuel and Caleb came in at the door. Caleb looked a little guilty. My gut sank that Louis decided to disappear again. My uncle made his way over and scooped the baby out of Carl¡¯s arms. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re ever going to run out of babysitters,¡± Charlene said.

    ¡°No¡­ our family will keep growing,¡± Carl took Charlene¡¯s hand in his and kissed it like he¡¯d done a million times. Thinking back on our high school days, everything Carl did¡ªthe way he reacted was always about Charlene. Carl met my eye, ¡°I think it¡¯s time for a family meeting, Jules.¡±

    I took in a deep breath and breathed out. My uncle glanced down and nodded his approval. There were so many decisions to be made, and I had to make them before I left. It was time I did something for myself and the greater good again. I want to do what I want, get out there, and live this extraordinary life I could live, ¡°Not today.¡±

    ¡°No, not today,¡± Samuel buried his face in the boy¡¯s neck.

    The meeting was in Yazen and Iman¡¯s palace¡¯s massive reception hall that catered for gatherings with all the officials from all over Mirach. ¡°First of all, I want to thank Charlene for making this possible; Romero must have thought you were going crazy,¡± she laughed and nodded. He looked confused. ¡°I asked Charlene to map Mirach with the permission of your parents, so we knew every continent, nook, and cranny of this place. Together with our cartographers, drones, helicopters, Carl, Warden, James, and Jack. The last two months were interesting.¡± Romero laughed and shook his head.

    I raised my hand. It was a cue for Sammy and Min¨¦ to come in with a wooden chest between them. ¡°We need a safe place to live. The humans among us want a spot for themselves... Where the species can mix, and all my ruffians can come and set up a home base for all the creatures who feel like they don¡¯t belong¡­ Because Charlene cannot leave¡­ we don¡¯t really have a choice but to make this our home.¡± Charlene clapped her hands.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°I decided where we will live,¡± Sammy said so loud the whole hall could hear her. I laughed and patted her on the head. She and Min¨¦ walked around the room, showing everyone the island we had found, which was uninhabited and beautiful. It would be a paradise, and I was sure Marcus could design his little heart out and make it the perfect haven for us. ¡°It will be our first interplanetary/intergalactic space station.¡±

    There were cheers and claps from everyone.

    ¡°But we will not be living here for free¡­ For their graciousness, we will help Imani and Yazen with tranquilizing and moving those enormous beasts to other islands and helping the dheka relocate to solid land¡ª until we can help them with transport over their¡­ rough seas.¡±

    ¡° ¡®Rough seas¡¯ is an understatement,¡± Michael complained.

    ¡°We also don¡¯t know what the weather will be like all year round¡­ so it will be eventful¡­ I will unfortunately not be here while everyone settles¡­¡± I drifted my gaze over to Samuel and waited. It took him a moment to nod. ¡°If you need anything¡­ Liam and Samuel will be there to help. For the foreseeable future, the brothers¡ªwho started all this¡ª will be in charge.¡±

    ¡°What about Palmyra and Earth?¡± Warden asked.

    ¡°Yes, while I am away, our queen,¡± There were a few laughs from the crowd, ¡°Will travel to finally take charge of her lost sheep and, together with Michael and Jade, negotiate the future of the werewolves and Palmyra¡­ For¡­ uhmm¡­ let¡¯s say unity, Michael and Charlene will be governing them until further notice.¡±

    ¡°And Zoreah?¡± Jack asked.

    ¡°Chris will be going back with his father, to settle Iku and his wife in the Origin city. The Zoreahians have decided to split the riphaths into two groups. The people who can leave the origin city will be in Shumaan for the summer if we want to go visit their boring bars.¡±

    ¡°Are we welcome?¡± Jack asked.

    ¡°Why? You already decided you want to find a riphath as a wife.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! I Need someone who can teleport and well¡­ I never want to walk again,¡± we all laughed at Jack, ¡°Chris, make a list.¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡± My gaze landed on my uncle, deliberately avoiding Warden¡¯s question about Earth. I didn¡¯t want to think about Jacklin joining our family. At least he¡¯d not asked about leaving, although it was his choice now; the Watchers were no more.

    ¡°Have you figured out what the other stone does?¡± Carl chipped in.

    ¡°No comment! Okay, I think that¡¯s it for now.¡±

    The crowd dispersed. There was a lot of work to do, and everyone had something to keep themselves busy with for the next two weeks, which was all I needed. I took in every face as they huddled in small groups, talking. It was a memory that would sustain me for the¡ªwell, almost half a century of my life to come. I swallowed the lump in my throat, a mixture of grief and excitement coursing through me. One moment, I was looking forward to what was about to happen, and the next, I thought about Louis. I needed to fix everything, and there was only one way to do it.

    The only one in the crowd looking at me was Silvanus. I finally made contact with him, and he sauntered over with a drink in his hand, ¡°What is going on in that pretty little head of yours?¡±

    I couldn¡¯t get even one word out, or my throat closed in around itself, and my eyes pooled with tears. I shook my head slightly, resting my fingers on my mouth, trying to stop myself from bawling. Silvanus put his arm around me, ¡°Let¡¯s go and talk,¡± he pushed me into a corner of the room far enough from the others. ¡°You did figure out what the other stone does, didn¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°I thought I did,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°What did you think it can do.¡±

    I finally looked at him, ¡°I thought it was a water and life stone.¡±

    Silvanus nervously reached out and placed his hand on my shoulder, ¡°How do you know it¡¯s not?¡±

    ¡°I went to Earth to test it. Stole it right off Ian¡¯s neck and tried it in the room¡ªwhile he was drugged.¡±

    Silvanus glanced around us, making sure no one heard me. I nodded and laughed lightly, ¡°Do you understand how scared I was.¡±

    ¡°Thank You. If no one else says it, Juliet. I have always been proud of Chris¡¯s choice¡­ Of you. How you never stop fighting,¡± I smiled a little at the praise, ¡°However, if we¡¯re safe in that regard, what is wrong?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the other stone does. Why it was so important to Ahasuerus, he never let it out of sight. No! Off his person. Then he threw it at me¡­ And I lost it! Tossed it around like some status symbol.¡± I observed Silvanus for those few seconds I told him. Ira would never tell me, even if he knew. My uncle doesn¡¯t know, and the other two people died with the secret, ¡°Do you know what it could be?¡±

    Silvanus shook his head, ¡°Not even Ira knows. We didn¡¯t even know what the one Brylee wore could do.¡±

    ¡°Could it be the teleportation stone?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ that one is here on Zoreah¡ªsomewhere. Only the mother of the next king gets one of those swatches. That is why there were only two in the last five thousand years. The stone is passed down, and only two women know where it is¡­ I guess Chris¡¯s mom made his swatch before she left for Earth.¡±

    ¡°Why make it at all?¡±

    ¡°If you had only one child in five thousand years. Would you not want to be able to save them?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I would. She never got the chance to use it, though.¡±

    ¡°Or thought it best not to have Chris wonder for the rest of his life if he should go back and save her. In your situation where you cannot teleport¡­ it will never go the other way.¡±

    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Chris asked. We both shook our heads. ¡°You ready to leave? Ira is getting restless.¡±

    ¡°To go and sit down and do nothing,¡± Silvanus grumbled.

    ¡°Hey, if you want to come join us here, you¡¯re more than welcome.¡±

    ¡°Thank You, but no. It is time I think about anything else but war and surviving.¡±

    ¡°What will you think about.¡±

    ¡°I still have not had my child.¡±

    ¡°A little baby, Silvanus. Too cute.¡± Chris seemed intrigued by all of this, and I figured they would have a lot to talk about if Silvanus suddenly began dating. With Chris leaving, all my husbands were accounted for; none of them would know what I was planning or would be too busy to notice I wasn¡¯t where I was supposed to be; they all thought I was going to look for Louis.

    The following day was time for me to leave on the secret mission I had assigned to myself. I was going on my walkabout; it would last a little longer than the usual one humans underwent. One thing would stay the same; when I got back, I hoped to be all grown up, and we could make a more informed decision about the future. I had told my uncle to cut the teleportation entirely from Earth. Jade had done the same thing on her side because, for two weeks, we wanted no interruptions or scares. Even if Jacklin could piggyback like Louis was doing, she would have to wait. It meant Louis would be stuck on Earth for some time. I hoped he¡¯d be able to cope. It also didn¡¯t matter anymore if Earth made it or not; I would fix everything.

    My first and only responsibility was Louis¡ªanyway. I needed to save him more than anyone else. I could catch him, put him in jail, and force the cure down his throat. I guessed because Louis and I got the wonky version of that stuff that we were worse off than the rest. Rodrigo had told me he cured the skin and worked on the side effects, but I didn¡¯t know how to fix Louis and me. We also didn¡¯t have time to figure it out, so my trip would solve more than one problem.

    After hearing everything my husbands said when they were talking outside Marcus¡¯s house, I no longer had a choice but to choose. Why? Because I had heard the words I thought Louis would never say, he was sick of it all, and that is why he left. If I went to Louis, I would not be coming back; I would leave it all behind. Michael had asked me to not let Louis decide. He knew, and I knew Louis would ask me to choose. If I could find him at all. Michael had not stopped looking, and it¡¯s been months. I didn¡¯t think I would be able to convince Louis to stay, neither did I want to. He left and, in doing that, forced me to make the choice. How I made it was now a personal matter.

    The men were not going to follow the hierarchy anymore. I would have to manage them all¡ªalone. Marcus was nowhere near submitting under me. He¡¯d not even come back after I left his island. I only saw him the day my mom gave birth and for the meeting to find out what we were planning on a large scale. If we went back and I was in control above him at the Tower, I scoffed, walking out of the teleporter. Michael¡­ was the biggest problem. Romero and I talked a lot about the brandings, and knowing Michael had the authority to push someone out if they were a¡ªliability was unthinkable. Push Louis off my person! The thought sent me reeling of losing him after all. It was one truth Michael should never know about.

    The teleporter wasn¡¯t far from Romero¡¯s home, and even before I got close to the door, Carl stepped out. I ran to him and threw my legs around him and kissed him all over his face, ¡°Juliet!? Again.¡± He stepped away from the door when I didn¡¯t want to get off. ¡°What has gotten into you. Never in all the years we¡¯ve been friends have you kissed me like this¡­ It¡¯s like you¡¯re saying goodbye or something.¡±

    I jumped off him, and it was only then that he took in my clothes and the backpack on my shoulders, ¡°You¡¯ve grown up, Carl.¡±

    ¡°I can say the same.¡±

    Charlene stepped out of the house, and she took his hand quickly, glancing up and down my body, a slight frown formed between her brows. Guess we all grew up a lot, ¡°So, I¡¯m going to the Dark City. If you two want to consummate this and relieve Carl of his virginity. We can take the journey together.¡±

    ¡°Geez, Juliet. How do you know everything and what the problem is.¡± Carl turned bright red. Charlene¡¯s eyes met mine, and for a moment, she thought about it and then snickered. She had not put two and two together. She kissed his hand.

    ¡°Please! I was still one at eighteen. If it wasn¡¯t for Chris. I probably wouldn¡¯t have done it till¡­ I don¡¯t know. You have a way bigger excuse than any of us, pining away for a woman all that time. Sooo romantic.¡±

    ¡°No! Absolutely not!¡± Romero¡¯s voice boomed from the door.

    I didn¡¯t know he¡¯d be there. It might be better this way, ¡°I am going. Right now! And you cannot stop me! You might fool your little princess here. Mrs. Spoilt, I¡¯ll call her. But not me.¡± Romero halted and looked from Charlene to me. ¡°Yes, Sir. I am a reader. All I do is read. And I have all the information now¡­ And I¡¯m getting rather sick of it that every planet is so tight-fisted with all their secrets. It took me months of non-stop studying to figure it out.¡± Romero conceded, and it was one obstacle out of the way, ¡°The question is, am I going alone or what? Where do you two stand?¡± I gestured between Carl and Charlene.

    ¡°Honestly. I¡¯m not ready to turn into an alien monster and tear things apart. The guys are kinda happy that we won¡¯t be sleeping together anytime soon anyway.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°I just got home. The journey is grueling. I¡¯m human. I¡¯ll slow you down.¡± I pouted, ¡°No, Jules. It won¡¯t work. Why didn¡¯t you ask one of your husbands to come.¡± I quickly met Romero¡¯s eye, ¡°Oh¡­ I see. Secrets. They don¡¯t know¡­ You know what? You blame everyone for lying and keeping secrets, and then you do exactly the same thing. I¡¯ve never met anyone who lies as much as you.¡±

    I ignored that jab of truth, ¡°Well, you two can¡¯t come,¡± I gestured between Romero and Charlene, ¡°I¡¯m taking a plate. If I¡¯m near death. I¡¯ll ask for help.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure,¡± Charlene asked, ¡°It¡¯s very far. It¡¯s rough for days on end. Scary as hell.¡±

    ¡°If the dheka needs to do it to have sex... My purpose must make it even more worth it.¡±

    ¡°We have our parents with us,¡± Romero tried one last time, ¡°Children never go alone. Miriam lost her mate on the journey. You have no idea where you are going.¡±

    ¡°I do. Like I said, I read a lot¡­ The question is¡­¡± I looked deep into Romero¡¯s eyes and waited. There were so many reasons I could be going to their sacred grounds; I didn¡¯t think he knew exactly why.

    His eyes rounded when it finally sunk in, ¡°Juliet¡­ I¡­¡±

    ¡°You know, if I need to do this, I have no other choice.¡±

    He looked at Charlene, and the same pain I felt flickered over his features. It was either this, or he might lose her forever. After a moment, Romero smiled. I guessed that was his answer, ¡°We can send you in a ball,¡± Charlene said.

    ¡°No!¡± Romero and I said at the same time.

    Charlene laughed a little at our inside information circle, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll miss you after you¡¯re dead.¡±

    ¡°Oh wow, thx.¡±

    ¡°You packed sufficiently,¡± Charlene asked.

    ¡°I¡­ was cruelly made aware of how long I could go without food¡ªand still survive¡­ The valley will be my goal.¡± I lifted the plate and shook it in the air, ¡°If all else fails, I¡¯ll send for takeout.¡±

    ¡°You really going right now?¡±

    ¡°Yes. And don¡¯t tell anyone.¡± I glanced over to Jessy. He was pleading. Almost desperately. I laughed. He had me wrapped around his pinky, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Nothing would¡¯ve been better, but it will give it away if you suddenly disappear¡­ I have to leave someone in charge, and for the next two weeks, you will have the biggest responsibility out of everyone.¡± I took off the stone and tied it around Charlene¡¯s neck, ¡°It¡¯s time I go get back what¡¯s mine¡­ You¡¯ll need this when you go get your werewolves back.¡±

    ¡°You mean, you¡¯re going to get back what is mine. This one is for En-gannim.¡± A wry smile formed on my lips. All of us were growing up. Luckily, the sky darkened around us, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Iku asked, floating over. He saw the stone around Charlene¡¯s neck. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Juliet no. Why? I don¡¯t think I can let you do this.¡±

    ¡°Soren knows what the other stone does.¡± And right there, I was lying again. And even if there was the slightest chance that Jacklin knew¡ªI needed to go even more. Iku¡¯s features turned even darker, and so did the air around us. It was my proof he thought it was a water and life stone; I sighed with relief, ¡°Well then. All I can say is¡­ Do you want company?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Enjoy the time with your wife. You guys should be on Zoreah already.¡±

    ¡°Thank You. And good¡ª¡±

    ¡°NO!¡± The three of us said in unison. I didn¡¯t need any jinx on me for what was about to come. The last thing I wanted to think about was my bad luck.

    Iku laughed, ¡°Very well.¡±

    I grabbed the two straps of the backpack over my shoulders, didn¡¯t look back up, and turned around. I was a few steps in when, ¡°It¡¯s the other way,¡± the three behind me said.

    I looked up and saw I had the moons wrong. I laughed and course-corrected, ¡°Let¡¯s not tell anyone about this.¡± I turned when I thought about something; walking backward, I asked, ¡°If you and your wife slept together in that chamber, how could you survive so far apart? How do you live so long, and how did the itoqure defeat you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when you get back.¡±

    ¡°I thought all you did was read,¡± Romero quipped.

    I waved my hand nonchalantly in the air and moved ahead one step at a time. I glanced back before I went over a large dune, taking in the scene as they waited for me to disappear. I would not see them for so long and I needed memories like that to keep me pushing through; I will come for you, Louis.

 216. After All Is Said And Done

    216. After All Is Said And Done

    Juliet

    I walked under a scorching sun for hours and well into the night, relieved by the cool air. The stars made it easier to navigate, and for a few days, I would try to sleep longer in the morning. As the last hour passed, my feet struggled to stay with me through the heavy tread of the sand. Struggling to catch my breath, I dropped to my knees and scooped sand out as fast as I could. Once my pit was large enough to shelter me from the elements, I hunkered down. After I realized how strong I could be, I wasn¡¯t so scared of raiders anymore or anything really. I took out a plate and checked a holographic chart of Mirach hovering in the air and, at the same time, pushed food into my mouth, thinking about how Louis was traveling without anyone knowing. We figured it out a while ago, and I quickly scanned Louis¡¯s log and all the places he had gone to; the last was France. Maybe he would wait for me there?

    I couldn¡¯t help myself and sent Jessy a message, asking him to send me to France. I closed my eyes before I left and kept them shut, unable to look up, wishing the lights in the house would be on. I took a deep breath and slowly lifted my head. I jolted, taking hurried steps into the road. It was gone. It was all gone. It wasn¡¯t bombed or destroyed, but every single brick and window had vanished. I looked to the left; Charlene¡¯s house! My knees gave way. Even the pool was gone. Just an open piece of land where the beautiful garden used to be. I glanced down the road; every stone was pulled up, and the driveway was an unlevel mess of holes and grass. The shrubs were overgrown, and they were taking over. I sat there, with my head in my hands, sobbing for the longest time. I had not needed to cry in a very long time; it had been months and months.

    I don¡¯t know what made me get up and walk around, trying to figure out if it was Louis or Soren and what it meant. Where the fire pit used to be, a little pile of rocks was stacked into a totem pole; it was small and barely reached my knees. I bent down and examined the thing but could see nothing¡ªit was weird. Who built this? I dug in the loose dirt all around until my fingers felt little boxes. I knew what it was before I even dusted them off. I opened one. My first chain was placed carefully in the yellow felt. ¡°Louis. You¡¯re making this very difficult.¡± I dug some more and found the other two. The box that held my ring had a little note in it. I opened the paper. I laughed lightly; it was the note I had left Louis when Charlene and I went to find Ben. It felt like a hundred years ago. I dug some more, hoping there would be another box¡ªanything. I did find a paper, a tiny little thing you could¡¯ve missed, rolled up in the smallest of scrolls. I spread it out and read the words in Louis¡¯s handwriting.

    { Down my love and held nowhere }

    I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed frustrated fingers over my brow. My uncle¡¯s words echoed in my mind, ¡®Louis wouldn¡¯t make it,¡¯ like for me, killing yourself was easy; sacrificing yourself for the one you loved. How could the man be so stupid? I looked up at the house I adored; it wasn¡¯t there anymore, and I felt like Louis was tearing down everything and buried us in the ground like a funeral. Louis was trying to tell me something; he didn¡¯t want me to come looking. I pushed it all into one of my cargo pants pockets and pulled up the zipper.

    I traveled back to my hole in the sand and quickly dragged my tarp over me. The soft patter of drops hit the material around me for a minute; they gradually became loud thumps. Wind pockets picked up the tarp, and it flittered over my face. I hurried and frantically tried to construct a makeshift tent.

    It was quiet for a moment, ¡°Knock, Knock.¡±

    I lifted the flap, ¡°Caleb!¡± I laughed, ¡°You could¡¯ve said, can¡¯t you see I¡¯m struggling? And I would¡¯ve had company. Come get in.¡±

    The boy wedged in beside me as we pushed bundles of sand over the edges of the material to make it stay in place. I scooted down and leaned back, resting my head on his shoulder, ¡°Are you tired?¡±

    ¡°Nah, the little bit of walking we did today is nothing compared to what we did on Zoreah,¡± I chuckled, ¡°We could¡¯ve teleported.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m happy you¡¯re here¡­ Keep your strength for the dark forest. Charlene says it is one straight line, and I want to do that as fast as possible,¡± he put his arm around me, and I dosed off.

    We woke up after a few hours, shifting around to get comfortable, unable to sleep like that any longer. It was another day of walking, ¡°How will we know if we are going in the right direction?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m using their stars¡­ By tonight, we will know if we have to adjust course a little¡­ And we should come up on a water source¡ªa mini oasis; it is the breaking point before the forest.¡±

    Caleb ran before I was even done speaking, diving into the water, ¡°Oh, it feels so good.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t get my clothes off fast enough and joined him, falling into the pool, ¡°Yes. This does feel good,¡± I splashed him with water. Caleb submerged and pulled me in under. I sputtered to the surface, ¡°Okay, truce!¡±

    Caleb laughed and scrubbed his hair in the water to get all the sand out, ¡°It does get in everywhere. I thought I was done with deserts. I liked it on En-gannim!¡±

    ¡°You did? Well, what about Earth?¡± Caleb nodded, ¡°You want to go with me.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Earth was a good one.¡± We waited till my underwear was all dried out and took our time eating and resting before we would go. I sent another message to Jessy and we came out in my room at the compound, ¡°What are we looking for?¡±

    I walked toward the koi pond, ¡°A totem pole¡­ of sorts. Rocks, maybe?¡±

    ¡°Okay...¡± Caleb glanced around the room. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.

    He went into Marcus¡¯s room, and I tackled the bathroom. My ears pricked at a scuffling noise. I glanced around, ¡°Whine. Yelp.¡±

    ¡°Wow! De ja vu. If someone left a werewolf cub out here, I¡¯m going to pitch a fit.¡±

    Caleb laughed, ¡°What¡¯s De ja vu?¡±

    ¡°Whine, whine, whimper.¡±

    Caleb manifested, and I followed suit, and we waited. Again, the noise. ¡°There, in the panic room.¡±

    ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to see this,¡± I turned around, heading for the door, and listened as Caleb swung open the steel barricade. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me. Just kill it.¡± Nails clicked on the cement floor, and a little scruffy dog twirled around my feet, running here and there. ¡°What in the world? I thought it was busy dying. How did it survive?¡±

    ¡°Well, it is a mess in there, but it had water, and it ripped open all the supplies. It¡¯s been living the high life.¡±

    ¡°Gigi! Gigi!¡± Caleb and I spun around to see a young Latina girl crossing the lawn towards us. The dog bolted down a straight line and jumped into her arms, licking her face, and couldn¡¯t sit still for a second. ¡°Your back! Where have you been? I thought you were dead¡­ I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Caleb and I stepped out the door. The woman had not seen or heard us or had any perception of movement. Clueless. I cleared my throat. Frantically and oozing with fear, she spun, ¡°Caleb!¡±

    I looked at him and again at the woman. His face was a mess, his thoughts racing. Neither of them said a word, ¡°Okay, is someone going to tell me what¡¯s going on.¡±

    ¡°Mom, if I asked you to¡ªnot¡ª kill someone. Would you do me that favor?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Caleb¡¯s head pivoted on his neck. I grunt/ snorted at his astonishment.

    ¡°This is Lyla.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t really surprised anymore¡­ well, sometimes the emotion snuck up on me, but that day, I couldn¡¯t care less who appeared in front of us. I had other things to worry about, ¡°Well, my son has just pardoned you from every life you¡¯ve taken, which, by the way, is as high as my body count, so what do you say we call it even.¡± She wasn¡¯t convinced.

    ¡°What about Louis¡¯s feed?¡± Caleb said.

    I cringed and groaned, ¡°You know, I am not feeling it today. I¡¯m tired, and in the end, you did me a favor¡­ The way it was forced upon me was not your doing. You were still with Carl back then¡­ Soren tied me up and made me watch it.¡±

    Lyla¡¯s nose wrinkled, and she put the dog down, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s not all there anymore.¡±

    ¡°Bat s¡ª crazy!¡±

    She nodded, ¡°You guys being infected, I suppose, in a way, changed your physiology.¡±

    I released a heavy sigh, ¡°In the end, I still blame it all on my parents.¡±

    Lyla laughed, ¡°Carl was right¡­ He said you had too much trauma to deal with.¡±

    ¡°I believe in going around things rather than through.¡±

    She bobbed her head and looked down. The little dog was going nuts, spinning in a nonstop circle, moving the rotation to different areas on the lawn. ¡°Is she always like this?¡±

    ¡°She was and then one time long ago in the matter of a second,¡± Caleb and I looked at each other, concerned that Chris¡¯s mistake had something to do with Lyla, ¡°She was like a completely different dog for months and months¡­ until today. Guess I have my psycho back.¡±

    Caleb and I were still trying to figure it out, ¡°Maybe because your paths crossed, the consequences are wiped out?¡±

    ¡°Caleb, you¡¯re a genius, so the timeline kinda reset itself?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t go that far, but maybe it will stop getting worse.¡±

    ¡°I will take it,¡± I turned to Lyla, ¡°What are you doing here all alone? Where is your friend? Now¡­ if I see her, she will have one second left to live.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for her. We¡¯ve been using the teleportation, so no one knows, but that ended a few days ago.¡±

    Caleb and I shared another look, ¡°Dad is always right.¡±

    ¡°How will she get back?¡±

    ¡°Drive. She had some kind of plan.¡±

    ¡°Why are you telling me everything? I thought you wanted to destroy me?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ just judged on the same standards.¡±

    ¡°What a terrifying thought.¡±

    Lyla laughed, ¡°I was furious about my sister. But after killing half the population, I can¡¯t be living in a glass house anymore.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry about that. The men were not supposed to be there that night. Back then, they didn¡¯t really respect my boundaries very well¡­ Thought I could be manipulated.¡±

    ¡°Another terrifying thought.¡±

    Caleb and I laughed, ¡°So you will just wait for Jacklin.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice. Walking out into the desert¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t get yourself killed. You¡¯re safer here.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I figured¡­ Soren left a lot of stuff in those tunnels. Every room is packed with supplies of every kind.¡±

    I nodded my head, ¡°Where Jacklin got the gas.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°If you need another car, I could go get one,¡± Caleb ventured.

    ¡°How?¡± I asked incredulously.

    ¡°Magic,¡± Caleb did my jazz hands bit.

    ¡°Funny,¡± I turned to Lyla, ¡°So what do you want to do? We got to get going; I have somewhere I need to be.¡±

    ¡°May I ask what you guys are doing here? Soren is in Europe.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re looking for a totem pole,¡± Lyla pointed to where the fire used to be.

    Caleb and I hurried over, ¡°I don¡¯t remember this,¡± he said.

    ¡°Dig.¡±

    We both did, and Caleb opened the little roll of paper, ¡°What does it say,¡± I asked nervously.

    Lyla had taken the risk and stepped closer, ¡°My love will mourn for me?! What does it mean?¡±

    For that very reason, I was tired, too tired to care about Lyla or Jacklin, ¡°I think Louis is going through a prolonged spell. It¡¯s been months, and he can¡¯t shake it. Rodrigo never meant for a man to do it¡­ I¡¯m scared he might get permanently trapped.¡±

    ¡°Consequences.¡±

    My eyes jutted up at that word¡ªI hated it. It wasn¡¯t even Louis¡¯s fault; he did it for me. Was it stupid? Yes. Was it necessary? I don¡¯t know? Without it, we would never have killed Qadir or gotten Ahasuerus to tap out. He would not want to have it taken away, either. I closed my eyes and lifted my chin, thinking and feeling the scorching sun of where it all started. I was going to be back there in a few days.

    ¡°I saw Louis when he did all this,¡± I looked at her and waited, ¡°He said if I touched it, he would kill me himself.¡±

    ¡°Was Jacklin here?¡±

    Lyla¡¯s gaze drifted as she nodded her head, ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°He told her if she so much as moved, he would kill both of us.¡±

    ¡°Come, Caleb. My charity is running out.¡±

    Caleb grabbed my arm and pushed me to my room, and Jessy traveled us out. ¡°Why are you so jealous?¡±

    ¡°Jealousy is a good emotion¡ª¡± Caleb gave me a side eye as he sat down on his tarp. ¡°It tells you your relationships are under threat. And I just do whatever I can to protect it.¡±

    ¡°Guess that¡¯s true, but I don¡¯t see the riphaths evolving in their feelings about love¡­ they don¡¯t even know what the word means.¡±

    ¡°Neither does a vampire know about empathy.¡±

    We slept under the little greenery the oasis had to offer and walked again as soon as we woke up. It was another grueling day before the forest came into view, and my idea of it was nothing compared to the size of it. The tree line began so abruptly, spanned out to our left and right, and stretched over our foreseeable future into the distance. The night air was cool and pleasant, and we had both paused at the top of the last dune to take it all in. ¡°Oh, mom. Look.¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    I turned and gasped, ¡°How beautiful. No wonder they fell in love¡­ This must be where they kissed for the first time.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep out here for a few hours. I don¡¯t even know what time it is anymore,¡± I agreed, and we placed down the tarps and made ourselves comfortable with a view we would never forget. It was true; the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way were really what felt like only inches apart. I sent Jessy a message to save our location for so many reasons; my scientists were going to have a field day with this. It was also one of those places I would come to regularly¡ªsolely for the view.

    We slept well that night, and I had to wake Caleb up. Charlene had said that even if it didn¡¯t look like it, their star did make a massive difference inside the forest compared to the still dark of night. Before we went in, I nervously looked at Caleb, whose eyes were unmoving and contemplating the eerie sight in front of us. At the apex, on the horizon, our way disappeared into a foggy, dusty mess, and the black-leaved canopy swallowed the path whole, ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Caleb said hesitantly. We took in the skeletal remains on either side of the tunneled narrow lane that couldn¡¯t decide if they wanted to grow up or down. Enormous columns of bark, erratically strewn, cut you off from anything further into the darkling mass¡­ and even then, you were met with a wall of motionless blackness.

    I laughed, trying to pretend to be calm, and tugged on his shirt. He manifested, and I jumped. He flung me easily onto his soft, furry back and took a few steps into the sudden deafly silence that engulfed us, ¡°Romero said their parents made the trip with their kids¡­ I¡¯ll protect you,¡± Caleb giggled nervously. He planted his spear into the rough and packed earth, testing the surface; it wasn¡¯t sandy anymore. The first travel was jerky, and once Caleb landed, he whirled around to look back. We were entirely away from the desert and stars. I tried to listen for any sounds. The quiet consumed the path behind us and in front of us, waning, drifting into greys and blacks, ¡°How did Charlene survive?¡±

    I tapped him nervously on his shoulder. Caleb spun around and traveled again and again and again; his body strained with every landing and takeoff. Sweat was pouring down his brow where there was no fur. After it felt like we had made a hundred jumps because I was kinda counting, I tapped him on the shoulder. He let me slide off and came back to himself and dropped to his knees, panting, ¡°You¡¯re worse than Marcus.¡±

    ¡°A slave driver?¡± he nodded.

    I handed him the water canister and poured out the other over his hair and head. Caleb manifested and shook it off, coming right back. I laughed; it was like having a giant puppy. I sent Jessy a message, and it was such a relief that he was always there. I knew it was him because I got pleading messages to let him join me every time. He sent back full canisters a second later, ¡°He is such an asset, isn¡¯t he?¡± I smiled, forgetting that I once fleetingly thought he might be working against us, ¡°Why not Jessy?¡±

    ¡°Why not Jessy¡ªwhat do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡­ have a propensity to cling to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ the good guys. Jessy is the best and, urgh, so handsome,¡± I smirked and smiled, biting my lip. It wasn¡¯t like I had never thought about it or indulged in a fantasy or two.

    ¡°So? What is it?¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t like me like that.¡±

    Caleb laughed, ¡°So you have? Or would have.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I would¡¯ve gone there a long time ago¡­ But no, Jessy is a lot like your father, I suppose,¡± Caleb waited, ¡°Loyal.¡±

    Caleb bobbed his head, ¡°Selena.¡±

    I agreed and drew in a heavy sigh through my teeth, ¡°She is more¡­ than just the possibility of a wife¡­ You should start focusing on facial features. Has Marcus given you the training?¡± Caleb shook his head. ¡°Once we¡¯re back, you¡¯ll have more people to work with. Sit and observe; look at Jessy when he sees Selena. Really look at his eyes and his mouth and what his hands and body parts do.¡±

    ¡°The way you look when Chris comes into a room.¡±

    I laughed, ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s different with every one of them. When you see them and how you react or behave¡­ if that¡¯s what you mean.¡±

    ¡°It is¡­ I am? Do tell.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s travel first and make camp when we see the ending. I didn¡¯t want to say anything, but I heard a noise when we landed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I heard it too. Didn¡¯t want to freak you out.¡±

    ¡°Your nails gave it away.¡±

    I laughed, ¡°You ready.¡±

    He opened his arms, and I jumped. While in the air, he was ready and caught me, lifting me onto his back like a father would indulge a toddler. Caleb¡¯s head jerked to the right. My gaze followed, and my manifested ears prickled into the darkness. ¡°It sounds huge.¡± Caleb was gone and out of there in a second. He didn¡¯t stop for another hundred travels. I could feel he had pushed himself even more. I tapped him again and told him to stop, ¡°We¡¯ll have to start walking.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°At about the ninetieth travel, I felt a change in the air. It wasn¡¯t so difficult to breathe,¡± I pointed to the front. You could see a dim change in the colors on the horizon, and our hope of getting out of there alive was visible. Caleb dropped me, and we both listened for a while, hoping whatever was tracking us had not gone into a sprint after us. I handed him the water again. He drained it quickly and did the same with the last one, emptying it over his face and scrubbing in between drenches.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why we¡¯re so afraid¡­ both of us can disappear,¡± Caleb said. We both went into peals of laughter.

    We made a small camp when we reached the end of the forest of darkness. It was dusk, and neither of us wanted to jump over those obstacles in the moonlight. I sent Jessy a message and asked him to send us some food. I was cheating horribly, and Charlene let me know by sending me a seriously long note with our takeout. I read it out loud while we ate our dinner. Caleb enjoyed it as much as I did. After I finished reading it, I folded it and shoved it into my backpack, along with all the other things I needed to put in my memory box. Caleb took out his phone and played some music while we drank a beer, and each of us had a cigarette. We danced and laughed, waiting for the time to pass. ¡°Where will we go tonight?¡± Caleb asked, spinning me out and reeling me back in.

    ¡°To the yacht.¡±

    Jessy sent Caleb and me to the harbor where Louis¡¯s yacht was anchored. Caleb teleported us onto the deck of Louis¡¯s boat, a little out in the water; it didn¡¯t even sway under our landing, ¡°It¡¯s larger than I thought.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s still here¡­ Louis doesn¡¯t do things in modest terms.¡±

    We went to work to look around and found another little pile of large, smooth pebbles stacked on the bed. Caleb unrolled the paper. I was hoping the song would change and that the lyrics would mean something other than what I feared. ¡°Oh, girl¡­ I feel so high¡­¡± Caleb looked to me for interpretation. I had a massive smile on my mouth. ¡°There, right there. That look in your eyes,¡± I tucked some hair behind my ear and had all the feels I needed, ¡°What does it mean?¡±

    ¡°Louis is feeling better¡­ It¡¯s my favorite song and¡ª¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°That song was how he convinced me to sleep with him the first time.¡±

    ¡°Like you needed any convincing!¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ I gave him so many hints and opportunities, but still, it took him two weeks¡­ Yes, two weeks to reach¡ª¡±

    ¡°Begging.¡±

    I laughed, ¡°Not begging¡­ confidence, I guess.¡±

    ¡°In what?¡±

    ¡°After everything we saw¡­ Asking was a big problem for him. Initiating sex in an intimate relationship is different than seducing your way into someone¡¯s bed. And maybe he wasn¡¯t sure of my love for him¡­ Our love. Does that make sense?¡±

    ¡°On Zoreah, the mating dance means even less. There is no seduction, no intimacy. It¡¯s all about if you both feel like it at the same moment.¡± Caleb¡¯s tone sounded disappointed, ¡°So yeah, I understand¡­ Will he come home?¡±

    ¡°Do you want him to?¡± I knew Caleb had seen what happened on the compound.

    Caleb shrugged, picking me up and teleporting us back to solid ground. The men were having a hard time with it. Caleb didn¡¯t speak again until we were settled around the fire, ¡°Zoreah frowned upon having sex in public. It was rather a silent rule to keep it indoors. But walking in on someone was inevitable growing up there. Ira might seem aloof, but he had a few women over in the years after my thirteenth birthday.¡± I smiled; I could only imagine¡ªIra was hot. I didn¡¯t know where Caleb would go with it, but I left him to talk in his own time, ¡°Anyone can see when something is done out of love or the opposite¡­ when it¡¯s¡­ not.¡±

    My smile fell; the images of Louis¡¯s face in those moments he had pushed me into it came to mind. It was the same as it was with all the other women he had slept with¡ªjust carnal sex. Seeing everything and having it stored away to come back and bite you in the ass would be difficult for me when I saw him again. I didn¡¯t even know how I would react when we were in the same room. It would be hard on all of us because the footage was about all of us. On the other hand, I guessed when the guys thought about me, it wasn¡¯t all rose petals on white sheets or staring deep into each other¡¯s eyes to create actual intimacy. ¡°The riphaths¡­ don¡¯t make love¡­ Sex is hard; love is even harder. Every species is different, and we¡¯re mixing the species, changing their habitat and lifestyle¡­ And you have four husbands¡­ so, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    Caleb fell asleep while we were still talking. I lay awake for some time thinking about Louis and keeping him quiet; I did it more and more, and he had to know I was coming. I smiled; the anticipation was worth all the trouble. What would happen? I was trying to figure out where I still needed to look for him. The thing about that forest was there were no leaves on the ground. The trees were suspended in time, and you wouldn¡¯t hear anything follow you unless you were manifested. I did just to check our surroundings. My head snapped around. I reached out to Caleb and made him disappear. It had no eyes, walking out from the tree line. It was as large as four big brown bears, with smooth grey skin and no fur; two long fangs protruded from its lips, and in between hung a big pointed snout. It was sniffing the air, trying to find us, walking around our campsite for a bit. I had by then taken out my tech to take pictures while I was invisible. I sent it to Charlene, ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think you saw this when you were here.¡± I couldn¡¯t sleep for the rest of the night. After a few hours, I woke Caleb up to get some shut-eye. He was more than willing to sit up and patrol after seeing the photos. Caleb gave me only two hours, and by that time, the sun was coming up on the horizon.

    ***

    Charlene

    I stood with my hands on my hips, scanning the many trunks on the floor filled with clothes, food, napkins, and diapers, ¡°You can take that one, Shai.¡±

    Our village was now the way it was when I first got there after my branding. The tents that stood everywhere were gone; we had all pitched in the last four days to set up camp at our new home. The scenery was unspoiled once more, and even the teleporter station was removed. The only way to teleport to the village was in what I called the rec center.

    Outside the window stood many of those horses of Mirach, saddled with things we would need. We were waiting for Michael; he was escorting Jade and Fahan. Then, the two of us were going to the city of Akl-hir, where Sara was queen or official or whatever; I didn¡¯t want to get involved in the governing of a whole planet. I would finally talk to the werewolves and see how they had acclimated, how many there were, and how they reacted to all the news I had to deliver. I was nervous. Ben and Francisco were there, and Min¨¦ was going with us. Juliet asked me specifically to look out for Jack and Francis. I wasn¡¯t na?ve to think they knew nothing; I was sure the word had spread after the werewolves on Earth had joined the group from Palmyra. Jaali and Fia were in carriers at the door, and it looked like my packing was done. I closed the remaining crates, and Shai came in to take another one. Kubra picked up his son, and Romero took Fia. We greeted the parents and were off to the nearest ball station able to carry us in another direction.

    Romero was vaulting onto a beast, and I turned to see Michael and the two dragons walking from the building in the distance. I was still nervous around the large aliens. Jade was quite friendly but Fahan was a giant of a man, with a chest so large he seemed to pop off his narrow waist. Chris stepped out from behind the group, and as I handed Fia to Romero, our eyes met. We had both hoped to avoid anyone who would put two and two together. Romero slowly lowered Fia into a sort of satchel hanging over his shoulder and chest. Kubra was next, and he did the same with Jaali. Chris had reached us and asked if we¡¯d seen Caleb. I groaned, sighed, and showed him the plate we had to communicate with. If Caleb was with Juliet, they needed to know. ¡°Do not use the tattoo!¡± Chris shoved it into my hand and turned around the way he came.

    I headed for my horse and teleported on. Min¨¦ grabbed my leg hair, climbed up in no time, and seated herself in front of me. I gave her the rains and sat back¡ªfiguratively. Life there was so dull that I had to think up things all the time to stimulate her and just keep her busy. She liked taming and working with beasts, which was another sign she was meant to rule Palmyra.

    I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked to my right. Kubra was holding out a piece of paper. I took it eagerly and unfolded it.

    Kubra { What if Min¨¦ falls in love with Aries }

    I giggled and folded it again. Kubra was so good with me; he did stuff like that all the time. He knew how I missed texting and technology, and in small ways, he made up for it. I glanced back to see Jade get on a beast. It was a different kind and larger to accommodate their size. Fahan handed Aries to Jade and we were off.

    I felt another tap on my shoulder and looked to my left. Carl handed me a note, ¡°Hey!¡± Kubra complained.

    Min¨¦ and I giggled, ¡°Why don¡¯t I get one?¡± Carl dug in his pocket and gave her one. She beamed.

    Carl { I love you, Charlie }

    I looked at him, and our eyes held for a moment. It was the first time he had said it. Our physical touch was the first thing that changed after he came back. Both of us made more intimate and small gestures throughout the day. Now, when we were on the same bed playing with the kids and lying in each other¡¯s arms, there was a tension between us. A thumb will caress my arm, and when he lets go of me, his hand will slowly glide over my skin. I felt every brush against my skin when we accidentally touched. We held hands when we felt like it. I was myself around him and rested my head on his shoulder when he was talking to someone. He will always open an arm for me, pull me close, and place his hand on my hair. A kiss on my head will soon follow. I¡¯ve even caught him staring when I breastfed, which was never an issue, but not anymore. Since Juliet pointed out Carl had insecurities about his sexual status, I took a step back. All the decisions from there on out had to come from him. He had yet to kiss me, and I knew as soon as he did, things would escalate quickly. I will have to act like Romero to keep Carl from jumping me, or else he¡¯ll never become what I was. Selfishly, I wanted him to choose it.

    Min¨¦ reached into a pocket and took out a pencil and a small notepad. She scribbled and handed the note to Carl. He laughed and ruffled her hair. I took the notepad and wrote back to Carl.

    Me { ten paces at all times }

    Carl took it and cocked an eyebrow.

    He replied:

    Carl { Can¡¯t keep your hands off me? }

    Me {

    I couldn¡¯t write anything, so I crumpled the paper up and tossed it at him. I kicked my beast and drove myself in between Kubra and Romero. Neither of them said a word. ¡°That was mean, Mommy; now Carl is all alone.¡±

    Romero looked back at Carl and pulled back on his beast, falling in step behind us. I snapped at Kubra, ¡°You have anything to say?¡±

    Kubra leaned forward and looked back to see my face clearly. I didn¡¯t want to look at him. He waited, ¡°We don¡¯t fight in front of the kids.¡±

    ¡°No, Mommy, no fighting.¡±

    I huffed and crossed my arms on my chest.

    ¡°I think Charlene needs a break. Some alone time. She needs to relax in a hot bath with a book and a glass of wine and have no one around for a day or two. Have the kids looked after.¡±

    My arms fell immediately, and I made contact with Kubra. I nodded and felt like crying. I was so used to being on my own, figuring things out for myself and only Min¨¦ and me to consider. Even then, there were so many hands who helped me while I was studying. I¡¯ve not done anything for myself in a long time.

    ¡°Will you like that, Mommy? I can help them with the babies.¡±

    I laughed and kissed her, ¡°I will love it if you will help them¡­¡± I glanced at Kubra¡­ ¡°Maybe in the city.¡±

    ¡°Your wish is my command! I will make it happen. I even have a backup book in my bag.¡±

    ¡°No? You do?¡±

    ¡°I do. Before or after you manage planetary affairs?¡±

    ¡°Oh, please tell me you¡¯ll help. I have no idea what I¡¯m doing.¡± Kubra stretched out his hand, and I took it. He loved it when I asked him to help. He even made good on his promise to train me.

    Michael pulled up next to us, ¡°We won¡¯t leave your side, Charlene. We¡¯ll take it day by day. You¡¯re queen now and you can take as long as you want to make any decisions.¡±

    ¡°That does help, thank you, Michael.¡± He dug into his saddle bag and took out a gift. I stared at it, confused. He took out another one and handed both to Min¨¦ and me. She looked at me, her eyes twinkled, and we ripped off the wrappers. It was two obscure boxes. Min¨¦ giggled, and we opened them, ¡°Whaa, Yes. I can¡¯t believe it.¡±

    Min¨¦ squealed, ¡°Phones!¡±

    ¡°Music.¡±

    ¡°Cartoons.¡±

    ¡°Games,¡± we said at the same time.

    ¡°Juliet says Happy Birthday, Charlene.¡±

    ¡°I thought you all forgot.¡±

    ¡°Juliet says she¡¯ll make up for not being here.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Michael.¡±

    ¡°We all have gifts for you. We¡¯ll give it to you throughout the day,¡± Kubra said.

    ¡°I even brought you something from our home planet,¡± Jade said. I turned in my saddle and looked back at the four behind us.

    ¡°Look, she can¡¯t wait,¡± Carl quipped.

    ¡°No! Best day ever¡­ I don¡¯t want to know how she did it.¡±

    ¡°She also says your parents are still doing fine and went to talk to them.¡±

    My head snapped up, ¡°What? And?¡±

    ¡°They are hiding in Brazil. It seems Ian has not moved that far south, and South America is still fortifying, waiting for attacks.¡±

    ¡°Did she ask them?¡±

    ¡°She did and told them everything.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°Your mom doesn¡¯t want to rough it out here. She says she¡¯ll go to En-gannim, but that¡¯s all she can handle.¡±

    I had to laugh, ¡°Thanks, Michael, for making sure they¡¯re safe. Where is Carl¡¯s mom?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s somewhere on a boat in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Africa.¡±

    I had a pang of disappointment and grief. Carl and I had the same type of relationship with our parents. It was one area where we could relate. Liam and Cindy had been more parents to me than my own family.

    The next four days were bliss as we traveled in the balls, slept outside under the stars, and finally reached the city. Sara had our accommodations allocated, and it was different being in a bustling metropolis for a change. I liked it the last time we were there, and being back felt like we were in Manhattan¡ªwell, kind of. Living in a palace and being dressed by a multitude of servants was not something I¡¯d soon get used to. Sara had my whole wardrobe planned. It did feel strange not to share a room with any of the men. They were ancient English in that regard. Separate bedrooms and a communal sitting room for couples.

    I decided to take my two days before the productions began and opened my book in the bath while a young woman poured in slow streams of warm water.

 217. Restoration Part Two

    217. Restoration Part Two

    Juliet

    ¡°How do you want to do the next leg?¡±

    ¡°Slowly¡­ and¡­ carefully,¡± I said at the edge, looking at the depths down below. It was so far to fall you couldn¡¯t see the bottom of the canyon. Stone pillars vibrated and rumbled, sending loose rocks into the abyss.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to take a chance teleporting. How Charlene ever did it, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°No, neither do I... Oh no, wait, Romero drugged her,¡± we laughed as we took our first jump.

    Caleb and I strained from rock to rock till our muscles ached and spasmed. It was grueling, and by midday, we called it quits and sat down. There would be no turning back, and Caleb couldn¡¯t travel so far with me in his arms. For the few days we were on those rocks, we wouldn¡¯t be able to travel to Earth to look for Louis. I used those times I didn¡¯t need to concentrate to keep him quiet and nudge him till I couldn¡¯t anymore. Caleb seemed a little distant and deep in thought as if something was bugging him. ¡°You going to share?¡± he took a bite of his sandwich, ¡°Do you regret coming?¡± he slowly chewed, ¡°Are you scared? I can always ask Jessy to get you out of here.¡±

    Caleb smiled, ¡°How would that look? If I left my mother in the middle of all this,¡± both of us took in the enormity of all our vision could see. It was only flat rocks till the horizon in every direction; no more forest in sight, and we were stuck in a sea of stone. The sun was scorching, and mirages formed wherever my eyes landed. The wind was still, luckily only soft gusts of air.

    ¡°No one needs to know why you left¡­ They probably don¡¯t even know where we are.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Caleb lowered his head and took another bite of the sandwiches Jessy had sent us.

    ¡°Is it the food? Are you hungry? Jessy can send something else.¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    I laughed, ¡°Fine¡­ don¡¯t share.¡±

    Caleb took a long sip of water, ¡°How will I meet someone if I¡¯m not on Zoreah?¡±

    My eyes shot up; Caleb was horny and lonely. He didn¡¯t really have friends his own age, thrust into¡ªmy world. I sighed; I felt instantly out of my depth. What the hell did I know about raising a full-blown riphath teenager. Where was his father? ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡­¡±

    ¡°I could have¡­ before Chris and I left with you¡­ After killing so many people, sleeping with someone doesn¡¯t seem such a big deal anymore. I made such a big issue about it when Ira tried to get me to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Get rid of your frustrations¡­¡± Caleb nodded and laughed. ¡°How does it work anyway? Riphaths are so laid back. Why do they have such a strong sex drive? I would think they never think about it¡­ or anything.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ it must¡¯ve been tough for Chris to go against his nature. It is the one area where we¡ª¡±

    ¡°Have desires.¡±

    Caleb could only laugh and nod, waiting to swallow another bite,  ¡°And I am half vampire.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I kinda forget about that one little detail¡­ Why didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I wanted the connection.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Caleb, don¡¯t let my relationships set a standard for you¡­ Louis¡¯s past is not the bar.¡± I was going to kill Louis when I saw him again. Everything Caleb had seen had made an impression. How could it not? Even I had to admit¡ªseeing Louis sleeping with other women had changed me, and I was prepared. How much worse for the boy. Louis should come home and deal with all the consequences.

    Caleb¡¯s voice was low, ¡°Do you think that¡¯s why he is so empty?¡± My nails dug into my hands, but I had to nod, ¡°How can you forgive him? Let it go¡­¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­ Caleb, my life¡­ has not been easy; I had to make up some principles I live by¡­ The most important one is¡­ if I don¡¯t know what to do, I don¡¯t do anything. And when I do¡­ nothing can stop me.¡±

    Caleb considered my words, ¡°It¡¯s not a perfect rule.¡± I shook my head. ¡°With Louis, you have no choice? Because, like you said, unconditional love goes both ways,¡± I wiped away the stray tear slowly rolling down my cheek. Yes, Louis chose to love me, and I chose to love him¡ªno matter what. Was it wise to love someone regardless of whatever happened? ¡°I want¡­ a relationship. It is why I never did. Chris¡¯s example is what I follow. The way he loves you despite everything. You guys aren¡¯t even the same species¡ª¡±

    ¡°Caleb, you¡¯re going to set me off.¡±

    He laughed, ¡°Come, let¡¯s get to jumping. We might have to sleep on one of these platforms tonight.¡±

    I shuddered at the thought. The sandwich stopped halfway to my mouth. Caleb and I looked at each other, and then we looked back at the way we had come. There was a lonely figure jumping from rock to rock. The silhouette was dark in the distance, only a blur, ¡°What in the actual f¡ª.¡±

    ¡°Stop swearing.¡±

    ¡°Is it a dheka couple?¡±

    Caleb stood, manifested, and put his hands to his brow, trying to see if he could make out two people, ¡°It¡¯s not a dheka,¡± I was scared... If it was¡ª ¡°You know how we just said Chris loved you.¡±

    ¡°No! You¡¯re kidding.¡±

    I had not wanted to look, still sitting focused on my bread. What would I do if Chris stopped me? I bit my lip nervously. Why did he come? He was supposed to be with Ira! It wouldn¡¯t work if he was planning on sleeping with me. We needed to start the journey together and end it together. Romero didn¡¯t even think it would work.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to put us back an hour.¡±

    I stood and looked at the man making the jumps. He was so small compared to our surroundings, ¡°How do you know it¡¯s him?¡±

    ¡°Smell him. The wind is just right¡­ See, he is restoring all the shallow feelings Louis conjured up in me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Caleb. I¡¯m so sorry. I should¡¯ve kept you safer from all the darkness out there.¡±

    Caleb scoffed, ¡°If you did, I would never have seen this.¡±

    The tears spilled over. Caleb turned to me and dragged me into a warm, furry embrace, ¡°I could go get him.¡±

    I clutched him harder, ¡°No, please don¡¯t.¡±

    He patted my back, and we sat there waiting for the man to catch up. When Chris could clearly see our platform, he teleported to us. It swayed with his weight, ¡°Caleb! Turn around! You don¡¯t want to see this.¡±

    ¡°What¡­ Chris, what are you going to do,¡± I asked nervously.

    ¡°I am going to spank you like a toddler! Like I¡¯ve wanted to do since I learned you and Michael fornicated. Now I have a reason.¡±

    My lips pressed together in a stilted laugh. He took one step and roughly grabbed my upper arms. Chris dragged my lips onto his and relentlessly kissed me. Caleb had turned around and covered his ears with his hands. Chris followed my eyes and stopped kissing me. He walked over, grabbed Caleb¡¯s ear, and dragged him in a circle around the small platform. I was just glad it was so sturdy. The scene sent me into peals of laughter. Caleb wasn¡¯t fighting, allowing Chris to take it out on him.

    Chris tossed him forward and stopped walking. He dropped down and rested two hands on his thighs. I ran my fingers through his soft strands of hair. He looked up and pointed with an outstretched arm towards where he came from, ¡°I¡¯m a riphath Juliet¡­ How could you?¡± I was still laughing. He dragged me into his person. Caleb stepped forward, and Chris opened his arm, ¡°How much time did I waste? Charlene forbade me to use the tattoo! Thank heavens I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Two hours.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Shall we keep going?¡±

    ¡°If you feel up to it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Chris sat down, ¡°What do you have to eat?¡± I sent another message, and Jessy sent more food. I was so happy Mirach was open. ¡°What were you guys talking about before you saw me.¡±

    Caleb and I shared a knowing look, ¡°Your son wants to have sex.¡±

    Chris sprayed the water he was about to swallow all over the rock.

    We slept on one of the platforms and took shifts, waiting for the wind to pick up. We were spared that conundrum, and the next day was another one of continued jumping. No one said a word. We were concentrating all the way. Caleb was the first to say he could see the end. Chris picked me up and traveled in one jump. Caleb wasn¡¯t going to take the chance. Chris went back and brought him to solid ground, ¡°Sorry, Juliet. Our trip to a mating room is never going to happen.¡±

    I pouted, ¡°You promised¡­ And we can skip all this¡­ You can travel over those rocks in one go. We could make the whole journey in like two days.¡±

    ¡°And if I miss?¡±

    ¡°It will be worth it.¡±

    ¡°I know it will¡­ I¡¯m pulling your leg¡­ Why didn¡¯t you ask me to come? What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡ªit¡¯s personal,¡± Chris cocked an eyebrow, ¡°Anyway. Not anymore. Our branding is something that will never happen.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to tell me or not?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ And you have to go back,¡± I shooed him away with a hand.

    Chris laughed, ignored me, and traveled through the valley, taking stock and checking the environment. Caleb and I walked down, too tired to do anything else. We were aiming for the first watering hole. I fell in with all my clothes and submerged for a long time. Chris dragged me out and turned me towards him, ¡°Start talking. Now!¡±

    I wiped over my face. The water kept trickling down my brow, ¡°I¡¯m going back. Found a way¡­ You don¡¯t want to¡­ And you don¡¯t talk to me anymore! So why do I have to talk!?¡±

    ¡°I would¡¯ve found a way,¡± he said softly. I shook my head, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you,¡± I shook my head again. ¡°I¡­ am angry, Juliet. So angry, I can¡¯t get desperate enough¡­ How can you put him first after everything?¡± I was quiet and turned away from him. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault. He chose to take Rodrigo¡¯s concoction. And then¡ª¡±

    ¡°What did you tell Selena in the last conversation you had, which you didn¡¯t share with me, ¡®It¡¯s my story, and I made a choice.¡¯ It¡¯s all I am to you¡­ a choice¡­¡± Chris frowned and put his hand on his mouth. I needed to get him to leave and was deliberately pushing him away, ¡°I was never a choice for him. Nor was he for me. Nor were you or Marcus or Michael.¡± His hand fell to his heart; he was concealing a smile when his hand dropped. I laughed and snorted at the same time, ¡°Not working?¡± He shook his head, ¡°Man, it was worth a try.¡±

    Chris took a deep breath, ¡°Okay¡­ After seeing the picture of that thing you sent Charlene, I freaked out and forced Jessy to tell me. Caleb has been gone for the same amount of time, and it was obvious you guys were somewhere. We all thought you were looking for Louis.¡±

    ¡°I am¡­ Caleb, I want to go and check out another place. You staying?¡±

    ¡°No! I want to go with you,¡± Caleb was chasing some speedy beast running away from him, ¡°Can we eat first?¡±

    Chris helped him and sank his claws into the thing in one travel. ¡°Thank You,¡± the boy was tired, and I felt we needed a good night¡¯s rest. I was rather exhausted myself and left the traveling and looking for my other half for the night. We built a large fire, and as if he knew, Caleb said he wanted to have a look around. Chris and I had so much sex in the last year; it felt like the last thing we should be doing. Chris watched Caleb walk away, ¡°Caleb is having a hard time with what happened¡­ I didn¡¯t have many friends growing up. Sita was my first, and thinking back, working at school¡ªI had Matt, but we were never really friends, not like you with Carl and Charlene. Ira has Silvanus¡ªI still don¡¯t understand how they ever connected in a¡­ let¡¯s say, usual way¡­ Then again, I had Jamal¡­ and now I don¡¯t even see the guy anymore¡­ He is staying on En-gannim, and once your girls come over to Mirach, he¡¯ll probably follow. Marcus and I were very close at one point¡­ until¡­ too many things happened¡­ With him, I feel like you in France even before I went to Zorea¡­ I have to do everything¡­ He never asks for help. Sammy sometimes asks for him¡­ She liked living with the two of you for so long¡­ Other times, she has nightmares, and not even Warden can calm her down¡­ She wants Louis. He didn¡¯t only leave you. He was her father more than me¡­ Juliet, we created this life without thinking, and the kids are a big part of that¡­ Do you really want Naji to grow up alone there on an Island with Marcus. Mael will also need a friend¡ª for the kids to grow up together and be a part of a family, we need to be together. Although that doesn¡¯t help, Caleb, and if we take all the kids to your space station, they will be even more isolated.¡±

    ¡°Will Ira start schooling the kids in the origin city?¡±

    Chris was quiet for a long time, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°So Caleb either goes back and works for a living¡ªsleeps around¡ªor he goes to En-gannim to a camp.¡± Chris chuckled. ¡°Their schooling here is very good¡ªI mean, excellent. Romero will be ruling from our new island¡­ Scholars will be flocking to teach all the kids there¡­ We could bring teachers from En-gannim for Caleb and the older children. Imani and Yazen have to stay and protect the gate to their sacred grounds; they won¡¯t mind what we do there.¡±

    ¡°So if you don¡¯t start,¡± he gestured to the rocks we came from, ¡°In their little village, what?¡±

    ¡°The rooms don¡¯t work¡­ The one Selena went into, I don¡¯t know yet.¡±

    ¡°Caleb could make friends here¡­ And even if he does get someone pregnant, it won¡¯t matter,¡± we both laughed.

    ¡°He still wants to do both, which I think is the best for all the kids. They will have a purpose and also have to learn discipline by finishing their schooling. They will travel all over the galaxies¡­ I could set some rules. One could be we have to sleep together in the same place every night. My mom and dad could also build a house there, and we could spend weekends together. Plan trips.¡±

    Chris laughed, ¡°Just a normal family.¡±

    ¡°Chris¡ª¡±

    ¡°Juliet, I feel ashamed about what you saw. What I had to do to Sita to make her break. And in the end¡ªa lesson I hope we all learn eventually¡ªall our decisions have consequences, even the smallest ones, like going back in time for only an hour¡­ What do you think will be our consequences if you go back and change everything.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°And I hate that you had to watch us sleep with other people. You were so jealous of Sita¡­ I¡¯m hurting for you¡­ And¡­ I can¡¯t forgive Louis¡­ I know Michael said you would¡¯ve said if you felt it was wrong, but even now, you¡¯re going to leave it, forgive him, and let it go. Like you do everything anyone ever does to you.¡±

    ¡°Chris, you¡¯re the one who made the decision on Zoreah,¡± he stood to his feet and paced around the fire, ¡°You killed a thousand pregnant women and all their concubines, men who weren¡¯t warriors! How is that not worse than Louis sleeping around and killing them after¡­ And let¡¯s not forget that you told Marcus you would kill the children when he invaded Ian¡¯s island.¡± Chris stopped and stared at me, ¡°Yes, I was invisible, and I heard your whole conversation. Why did you think I went to Soren¡­ Everyone thinks I went because I loved him, but I didn¡¯t want anyone to die.¡± Chris wanted to say something, ¡°I know¡­ now¡­ there is no other way to fight a war¡­ but that also means Rana and all the vamps on our colony planet¡ªhave to go. Before Ian and Jacklin figure out where they are. It¡¯s billions of vamps, Chris. If you think that will have fewer consequences than me going back in time to save and restore everything¡­ then tell me not to do it.¡±

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do it!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to go back!¡± I frowned, and then it hit me; I stood to my feet. ¡°You¡¯ll be choosing, but we¡¯ll both be living our old lives over. And if I¡¯m not in control of where we go, or even if I am, one of us is going to be sorely dissatisfied with the outcome.¡±

    ¡°No! I didn¡¯t know you went back in time.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything, ¡°Oh, if I do it in a room¡­ then¡ª¡±

    ¡°Well, it might be because we¡¯re connected with the tattoo¡­ Let¡¯s just go kill Soren and Ian, and Jacklin¡­ Why haven¡¯t you killed them yet? Silvanus told me what you guys were talking about. You¡¯ve been keeping a lot to yourself.¡±

    ¡°Like you said, Chris, I won¡¯t be doing everything anymore. We¡¯re either on the same page, or I go on with my life. You¡¯ve known that from the start. And you chose to wallow.¡±

    ¡°Wallow?! Wallow!? Seeing the love of my life get raped.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, like no other woman or man in the course of history has ever had sex with their spouse when they didn¡¯t feel like it and went to work the next day. We live so long, Chris¡­ come on, there will be those times when sex will be¡­ just sex and a sacrifice of time and energy. Or another person¡¯s preferences change, or they want to explore, and you have to get used to the idea.¡±

    ¡°This is different. That was different!¡±

    ¡°I know it was! You don¡¯t have to remind me! I saw Louis push and push and push, and I had to watch myself cave because I was too young to know the difference¡­ What do you think? I¡¯m proud I let the people who are supposed to love me walk all over me¡­ My father! None of us have even discussed what our parents did to get us here!¡±

    Chris sighed and had to agree, ¡°How are we still sane?¡±

    ¡°Did you watch Marcus and me have sex the first time?¡±

    He nodded, ¡°It wasn¡¯t very romantic.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Chris, in this regard, I¡¯m going to tell you what Ira told you. It¡¯s you. You¡¯re different. You¡¯re like Kubra when it comes to a mate. You communicate. You let me in. You¡¯re protective yet gentle and soft with me. It¡¯s why I love you, why I fight the hardest for you, why I¡¯m obsessed with you. Why I will never be able to let you go.¡± Chris wanted to say something, ¡°No! Not even for Louis. Is that what you need to hear? Not anymore. Do you want me to tell you I finally realized he doesn¡¯t love me the way I need to be loved? Marcus doesn¡¯t give me what I need. Michael doesn¡¯t give me what I need... Only you¡­ And I knew if I only got you to love me, too, I would have everything I ever wanted¡­but you never did.¡±

    Chris was crying at this point. I should¡¯ve stopped there, ¡°I was never an obsession¡­ enough for you¡­ without me begging for it, working my ass off for it. F¡ª Chris, can¡¯t we say we love each other and it be enough? Even if I get what you¡¯ve always given me, it¡¯s been enough. Your worst¡ªis the best I¡¯ll ever have and all I¡¯ll ever need. If you¡¯re in my life, my story is complete¡­ There is no story without you. And if you want me to prove it. I¡¯ll go kill her right now.¡± Chris snorted through his tears. ¡°I was completely honest with you, and if you go back now, I still want you to take me away before I meet anyone else¡­ Yes, we would never have slept together if Louis arrived fifteen minutes earlier. But like he said, one car ride didn¡¯t change the way I feel about you¡­ All it did¡­ was change the way you feel about me. And that scares the crap out of you because then you¡¯d still be on Earth, unmanifested and with freaking Sita, trying to make it work.¡± Chris groaned. ¡°Is that why you don¡¯t want to go back? I¡¯ll make sure you go home, Chris. Whatever I choose to do, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re happy. Like you make sure I¡¯m happy.¡± I handed him a tissue, and for a few minutes, there was silence.

    Chris came to stand in front of me, looking deep into my eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t have a list of why I love you¡­ I never have. It¡¯s not rational for me¡­ No one! And I mean, no one can replace you!¡± It was my turn to tear up. ¡°It¡¯s unfair to say I don¡¯t. I did not wait fifteen years for you because of guilt and shame.¡± Chris wiped away my tears. ¡°I was as broken about leaving Earth as you were losing Caleb and me¡­ And don¡¯t ever say you came only for your son.¡± I laughed through my tears at my own stupid words. ¡°I wasn¡¯t there for you when you came back. I wasn¡¯t there for you the last few months, and I¡¯m sorry, Juliet. I¡¯m so sorry. It got to me¡ªeverything I saw¡­ I am as confused as you are.¡± I nodded because I was. It was unfair not to let everyone process things in their own time. ¡°If we go back, we will still remember everything. People usually want to go back to forget.¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­ it can be a reason. We either remember everything here, or we go back and save a lot of people.¡±

    ¡°What is it with you and saving everyone?¡± I laughed. ¡°Ira will be upset¡ª he¡¯s gotten everything he¡¯s ever wanted. The guy planned it so well, and everything just works out for him.¡±

    ¡°Because as far as he¡¯s able, he lives at peace with everyone¡­ However, once you cross his line in the sand¡ª¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll do anything.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not forget he drugged you to have sex with an unconscious woman.¡±

    Chris reached out and caressed my cheek, ¡°Why do we have to be half-animal?¡±

    ¡°Urgg, can you imagine if we were all human¡ªhow boring.¡±

    Chris nudged me closer. I took a step forward, and his lips rested on mine. I closed my eyes, and our mouths moved slowly and passionately. His caresses were wandering, although it didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to take it further. We were so comfortable with one another, our breathing steady, a sweet sound of affection. I fell into the moment and how he smelled, letting go and drifting off to the quiet of his loving gesture.

    ¡°Ugghmm!¡±

    Chris tilted my head and deepened our kiss, driving the feelings with a more sensual tongue. My fingers closed around his shirt, and I held on for dear life. Chris let out a moan.

    ¡°Should I leave? I¡¯m kinda tired.¡±

    We broke the kiss and laughed lightly, resting our foreheads against each other. ¡°You know toddlers are usually a mood killer,¡± Chris quipped.

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t have this growing up, so¡ªit¡¯s about time,¡± we laughed again. Chris pulled me into his arms, and I nestled into his neck and hung onto him. He reciprocated, and we stood there until I felt ready to let go.

    I fell asleep in his arms; that was until I woke up in pain, forced to my feet and ten steps away from our camp; my whole body spun together in a tight web of glow from my tattoo. The pain increased as he held me in place. I fought back, spiritually wrestling with Louis, concentrating all my love and energy onto his form out in the cosmos, hoping his heart would at least burn with the effort I was exuding. His hold slackened, my shoulders dropped suddenly, and I could breathe and slowly take in my surroundings. It was the first time he had put so much effort into forcing me to focus on him. I looked up at the clear sky, billions of stars staring back at me, ever-expanding, quieting the anxiety in my soul¡ªyet something was wrong.

    ***

    Louis

    We were in the midst of a battle, guns popping off in every direction, humans fighting for a small piece of land, huddled together, focused on masses advancing on us. Ian and all his men were stuck in Europe. I had stopped counting the days and months since I last had Juliet in my arms, kissed her, or talked to her. I kept reaching for a packet of cigarettes every time things got too much for me¡ªit would not come. Most cities were destroyed, and finding anything man-made and consumable would take hours¡ªwell, for me, it would. I wished Michael was there. I had seen him a few times and wanted to beg him to go and find me a cigarette. Every time he did come, I traveled away, hiding like the coward I was.

    We took ground; Ian would counter swiftly and take it back. I didn¡¯t even know what we were trying to accomplish anymore. We had no way of activating any electronics, radio waves, or any means of communication, and all our spies had been flushed out long ago. Nor could I travel out enough men with my one plate; it was for single use anywhere. We were fighting the war with one plate until mine stopped working a few days ago. I was waiting for Michael to come again and take me back for my punishment.

    France was a desolate scene with smoke hanging in the air. Dead men and vamps lay scattered all over the field. Wails, roars, and soft screeches coming from the wounded, ¡°Louis, what do we do now? Our ammunitions are low.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to start evacuating? Retreat.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Should we meet with China again?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no use; my plate no longer works.¡± The French general seemed defeated because the plate could at least travel supplies from nations with anything left to help us. ¡°Reinforce the¡ª¡± my words stilled mid-sentence. I halted and looked up, opening my mouth¡ªno words came out. The man didn¡¯t understand what was going on, and all I had was¡ªI reached into my pocket to dig out one of the small rolled-up papers and a pen. I tried to speak again and winched. Juliet was on a mission to make me quiet. I struggled to write the few words, cursing at how good she was at giving it back.

    [ Can¡¯t talk. Got to go ]

    I shakily pulled out the plate and asked Jessy for help. Once I did, she would know where I was. I wanted¡­ no¡­ I didn¡¯t know what I wanted anymore; I was so confused, and when I sat down in the chair, I forgot the war and focused on my feelings¡ªJuliet was keeping me quiet, and I didn¡¯t know why. I had been going there a lot, their old home, in the living room where we had met for the first time. I would concentrate on her in those times¡ªshe abruptly let go of our connection, and I looked around the room, wondering if she had finally found me. No one was there, and the house was quiet and still broken down. It was a dreary prospect of what it once was. The only thing standing was a chair the new tenants had left behind. Next to me on the floor lay so many little rolled-up papers¡ªones I still needed to bury in places she would go looking¡­ I was trying not to think, shutting off and silencing the world. It was so quiet anyway¡ªEarth had no hope left. It would be Ian¡¯s soon; he was only five hundred years old and had five hundred more to bide his time.

    I opened my mouth to try and speak, and a faint noise echoed into the quiet room. Juliet was either tired or had been distracted; she usually lasted much longer. I smiled, thinking about her; it fell as soon as it came because I didn¡¯t want to see her conjuring up feelings for me. It had been so long, anyway. She had not come for me and had not been back on En-gannim alone, where I could tell her, show her in a tiny way, I was still there. I was happy for her, but along with letting go, there was an emptiness, a drifting in my soul, a coldness I couldn¡¯t explain. I feared the amount of time we¡¯d been apart and if it would be too much to overcome. I was not the only one in her heart anymore. That fragile line¡ªhad cracked. It wasn¡¯t her fault. It was mine. My past would be too much for her to overcome. The door creaked, bringing me slightly back from my dark thoughts. I didn¡¯t even open my eyes because there was a storm outside.

    The wind was very angry.

    I was lost.

    I felt lips on mine and thought I was wholly going insane. Another pressure of soft lips, and they moved over mine. A wet tongue worked its way through my slack lips. I gripped the armrests of the chair, tasting her. Legs slid in next to mine, straddling me. I opened my eyes. Juliet¡¯s hands rested on my cheeks; her blue, teary eyes were looking deep into mine. She tilted my head and continued her remonstrations with more reach. My arms enveloped her. I crushed her into me and let my tongue fight back every thought, wanting to push her away or ask her to never go back. She reached for my shirt; I lifted my arms, hoping when she saw my body, she wouldn¡¯t crash. Her hands felt their way around, and her eyes jumped open. I forced her mouth onto mine, got to my feet, and carried her to her old room. Juliet cried the whole time as I undressed her and myself. We both took in deep breaths of air as I thrust into her, going from sadness to release and relief of finally being so close to the person you had longed for. I worked us both to climax and slowly moved back and forth; I didn¡¯t want it to end. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Baby. I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    Her contentment was gone in a second. She pushed me off and stood up from the bed. Juliet paced and paced some more. My cum would run down her leg at any moment¡ªshe hated the feeling. After a few rounds, she looked down and swore, stomping out of the room. The outcome might not have gone in my favor, and I would¡¯ve let her beat the crap out of me to get over her jealousy. Juliet didn¡¯t come back. I waited some more¡ªnothing. Her clothes were still on the floor unless she grabbed something on the way out.

    I stood and perked my ear to listen for any sounds. Did she leave? I turned left in the hall and rounded the corner to Liam and Cindy¡¯s old room. It was dark, the windows were smashed, and the wind and rain kept beating down the already dilapidated house. I walked further into the room, kicking away drawers and boxes. The dressing room door stood open, and sniffling noises came from inside. Juliet was standing with her arms stretched out, holding herself up against the shelves with her head hanging down. Her loose, long hair covered her face, ¡°I guess a ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯ doesn¡¯t cut it. Not this time. You must think I¡¯m borderline.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not angry, Louis.¡±

    ¡°Disappointed?¡±

    She looked at me and shook her head; I read her, and my eyes widened, ¡°Oh, Baby, no!¡±

    She nodded, ¡°I thought you were leaving me.¡±

    ¡°No! I would¡¯ve come back¡­ As soon as I got a handle on this demon.¡±

    Juliet finally came up, and our eyes met, holding for a moment; she had no choice but to take in what I had become. I closed the distance quickly. Her body was shaking, limp in my arms. I picked her up and remembered how young she was when I walked into her life. She was so sick and dying. What else could I do but take Rodrigo¡¯s formula? Juliet cried for what seemed an eternity, and out of nowhere, my frustration flared. ¡°So this is why you left?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ what else?¡± Irritated, I took a second to connect with her train of thought, ¡°The house¡­ My notes. I left at all¡­¡± I sighed heavily, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me¡­ the house. I wasn¡¯t saying goodbye or erasing you.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you doing, Louis? Look at you?¡±

    My back and legs were covered entirely. The skin was slowly making its way over my shoulders toward my chest and arms. My mother was so covered in the skin, and she had not kidnapped Rodrigo to take it away. Noya didn¡¯t beg Ahasuerus to make her whole again, and I understood why. It was like having the uncontrollability of a strong, full-moon werewolf¡ªall the time. The ability to devour and never stop and then have the capacity to hone it, manage it, and become a master. I¡¯d kill so many vampires and dragons without even flinching. My already vampire senses combined with a wolf¡¯s gave me too many variables to work with. I could understand how my mother fought her way onto a throne. ¡°I¡¯m scared, Juliet. For the guys.¡±

    Juliet thought about the scene with her and Soren and how she broke out of creature-proof bondages after being starved for two weeks and being cut by a red sword. She had finally realized what I had when I sat across from her, lecturing her about behaving. During the three months, she was still pregnant; there were a few occasions when we fought in the battles against Ian¡­ My strength had surfaced, and my skin began slowly replacing itself. I feared for what I might become. Juliet didn¡¯t say anything, and she controlled her thoughts. We sat in silence for a long time. ¡°What is your plan here, Louis. It looks like you¡¯ve given up¡ªyou have no intention of getting a hold of this.¡±

    ¡°Did you watch it?¡±

    ¡°I had no choice.¡±

    ¡°And.¡±

    ¡°And what? What do you want me to say?¡±

    I turned and flung my legs off the bed, ¡°You blame yourself, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Juliet didn¡¯t need to answer me; it was written all over her face, and her thoughts betrayed her. That self-deprecating streak that kept her on the other side of the vampire line¡ªone I didn¡¯t possess. She sat up and dug into her jacket. The familiar sound roused me out of my melancholy. She tossed the packet at me. I tapped one out and gave it to her. I took one and lit both. ¡°Louis¡­ out of everyone¡­ we are the only ones who understand what Rodrigo did to us. The reasons for taking it and living with the consequences,¡± I nodded, taking another drag. I turned to face her on the bed, watching her while we smoked our cigarettes.

    ¡°We should¡¯ve talked first. Now that we¡¯ve had sex, I don¡¯t really have much to say. You¡¯re not thinking about anything, and all I¡¯m thinking about¡ª¡± She wrapped her arms around my neck, and her lips shattered my depravity. I hadn¡¯t even gone slack after the first round, and she mounted me on my lap with an unrestrained whimper. Two half-done cigarettes went flying into the rubble. ¡°Promise me you don¡¯t think about them anymore.¡±

    I looked down at our mingled thighs and how her body lifted and slid down on me. I gripped her legs, thumbing her naked skin, ¡°It was like fifty years ago. I can¡¯t even remember one of them... When I saw Jacklin in the club, it left a sour taste in my mouth. I knew I f¡ªup. I should¡¯ve killed her¡­ And then I lied about it.¡±

    Juliet didn¡¯t want to ask; her breathing became shallow as the pleasure let her defenses down, and I got a looming insight into how she felt about what she saw. Juliet thought I didn¡¯t kill Jacklin because she meant something, and I mended my ways for her. My fingers closed around her hips; I pulled her down and kept myself deep inside her. I waited till she could look at me. Juliet¡¯s feelings overwhelmed her as she thought about the other women and me in all those images; touching me, Juliet¡¯s nails dug into my arms. How I enjoyed it. Her head dug into my neck, and she screamed. I reached for her ass and raised her body, and stopped before she would slip off, keeping her over my tip, working her over and over my most sensitive part. She couldn¡¯t concentrate, and all she could see was my face: cold, distant, and distracted as I manipulated her body and used her. Seeing the way I had been in those moments of unadulterated lust on the verge of animalistic. Juliet opened her eyes, and I looked at her while I kissed her. She was seeing the same thing. Louis wasn¡¯t there anymore. Her thoughts drifted to the first night we made love vs. now and how big of a difference there was. ¡°It¡¯s why I left, f¡ª sake, can you think of something else.¡± Juliet grabbed my wrists and took over the rhythm and depth. The pleasure rippled through me. My desire was out of control. I could think of nothing else, and my eyes fixed on disappearing inside her and the way her hips rocked over me. I reached for her breasts and stimulated myself, having the mounds in my hands. Juliet wasn¡¯t moving fast enough, keeping me where she wanted me. I slid two hands over her back and over her ass, grabbing both cheeks.

    I stood and flipped her onto the bed. I released harsh grunts as I drove into her and got lost, delving at a frantic pace¡ªconsuming me. The sudden loss of her body made me fall face-first into the mattress. My claws dug into the material, and I dragged my hands frantically through it, ripping it apart. A sob got caught in her throat. ¡°I told myself I would handle the consequences. I had meant it. I will fix this. As soon as I¡¯m able¡­ My mother could do it¡­ Argh! So can I!¡±  Another sob got held back. Juliet thought of the consequences. I had ruined her relationship with Chris. Marcus couldn¡¯t even come home, and she was alone for months without anyone to talk to. All she had was sex, and she was sick of it. No one saw her or cared to push anymore. Everyone had shut down and kept asking her why she kept putting me first.

    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with them on my own. Don¡¯t try and come up for me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re no good to me like this, Louis! You¡¯re turning into your mother! You¡¯re half werewolf, and now even that part of you is being manipulated. I don¡¯t think if Rodrigo knew Noya was your mother, he would¡¯ve done it.¡±

    My senses returned a little. I stood with my hands on my hips, taking a deep breath, ¡°I couldn¡¯t take it back. I¡¯m sorry¡­ After I met you, here in this house¡­ I couldn¡¯t take it back. I wanted you. I wanted the life¡­ a mate. I guess I felt like my life had to begin, or I would go mad. Now, if I were to ask¡­ You won¡¯t choose, will you?¡±

    ¡°No, sorry, Baby. You revoked those privileges the day you left me.¡±

    I dropped my manifestation and sat down on the bed, defeated, deflated, and drained. Juliet appeared well across the room. I locked gazes with her; all I could see was the intensity she¡¯d always had for me; despite everything I had done, she couldn¡¯t let me go. Her heart was breaking for me, and the love was still there, and I still held my place in her heart. ¡°Thank You for saying that.¡±

    ¡°Louis, I won¡¯t be coming back for a while.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± I said quickly, looking away from her, not ready to say goodbye.

    ¡°Yes¡­ I¡­ didn¡¯t know what to expect. I was scared you would ask me to choose.¡±

    I raked my hands through my hair and couldn¡¯t look at her. ¡°I wanted to¡­ I still do.¡± I turned around and looked at her, ¡°I won¡¯t! It¡¯s one of the reasons I¡¯m not coming back¡­ You probably heard everything I said¡­ I¡¯m not sick of it¡­ I¡¯m over the worst¡­ but¡­ I can¡¯t share right now. I want to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Louis, I turned you into what killed your father. Don¡¯t you understand? What you did on the compound or how you are with me right now doesn¡¯t even come close? You being absent and using me like a who¡ª¡±

    ¡°F¡ª, Juliet! Shut up! You were doing so well, but you just had to open your f¡ªing mouth.¡± I stood and manifested, ¡°When are you going to control that tongue! You know, sometimes a guy just wants to plow into a woman and f¡ª her senseless.¡± I turned toward her; she was gone. My body shook with rage, and as my skin peeled, burned, and laid waste¡ªa sudden prick stabbed into my neck on both sides. I flung around and saw two tubes in her hands. I swayed and fell back, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare take me back!¡± my voice trailed off, ¡°I mean it!¡±

 218. The Future Seems Bleak

    218. The Future Seems Bleak

    Juliet

    Louis hit the bed, ordering me to leave him there. Inside, I strained to keep it together, moaning and whimpering. I couldn¡¯t¡­ take it anymore. I grabbed my underwear, struggling to get my feet into each hole, looking up to see if he would wake up. I was scared of him. I was actually afraid he would wake up. I pulled my bra on and my shirt in a hurried way; my pants, socks, and shoes followed. I rushed for the point Jessy had set into the teleporter, and he sent me back to the camp in the valley. Our tarp was empty. All I wanted to do was curl up in Chris¡¯s arms. I felt guilty for leaving at all. He had come to me, talked to me, and made an effort. I sniffled, wiping my nose with two fingers. ¡°He¡¯ll probably be back,¡± Caleb said, his eyes still closed. My tears turned into sharp sobs.

    Caleb sat up, ¡°What happened? Are you hurt?¡± I shook my head, walking away. There was no way I could tell Caleb what happened. Louis would not be out for three days; the drugs didn¡¯t even affect me as much as they used to. I needed¡ªnow¡ªmore than ever, to pull myself together and finish this.

    When I got back, Caleb had breakfast ready, ¡°Guess you found him.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Will you share?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Caleb, we have to go.¡± I didn¡¯t even want to eat. The last thing I wanted was to force myself to eat. My excitement for the trip had all but disappeared. I should never have gone looking for him. I didn¡¯t know why I listened to the guys. Louis is making a choice I can not condone¡ªin any way. It¡¯s why I haven¡¯t gone in all this time, and if the shoe was on the other foot, he would¡¯ve drugged me, tied me up, and forced me. If this experiment didn¡¯t work out and I had to come back, the only thing left would be to send Michael in¡­ I struggled to take the next bite of whatever we were eating¡­ If Louis was stronger than I was, maybe I would need to send in all of them. Caleb appeared in front of me out of thin air. I had to look up. He handed me a beast and I sank my teeth into the thing.

    Caleb and I walked at an excruciating pace. He could not teleport us because the next league was winding tight little paths over sandy dunes covered in foliage as high as we were¡ªthrough beautiful flowered forests and gardens. In other places, we needed to scale rocks and waterfall faces up and down. The scenery would¡¯ve been lovely if I had any inclination to take it in.

    On the third day, Caleb took my hand in his and clasped it. The gesture was as sweet as Chris was for kissing me just because he could. Caleb and I needed this trip as much as any of my other relationships, and focusing on him let my anger subside. Caleb was growing up, and he had Chris¡¯s ability to put himself in other¡¯s shoes.

    ¡°Are you going to tell me what you¡¯re planning? Or where we¡¯re going?¡±

    ¡°Romero¡¯s dark city has rooms. One of the rooms lets you go back in time.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡± he bounced in place.

    His excitement lifted my spirits a little, ¡°It¡¯s not permanent. You can check things out, and if you like a certain outcome better than another¡­ you go into another room, although for that one, you need the tattoo or the stone.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know where the stone is¡­ It could be in one of those vault chests of Ahasuerus.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how long it would take us to figure out what every single one does?¡±

    ¡°I can do it.¡±

    ¡°Your summer job.¡±

    Caleb squeezed my hand, ¡°So I can go back, too? Anyone can?¡±

    I laughed, wondering what he would get up to if he did, ¡°If you started in the village with me, yes. You can go and sleep with that girl you wanted to.¡±

    Caleb blushed, and I had to hold back¡­ No, I couldn¡¯t. I giggled, ¡°You are so much like me. I at least had a boyfriend when all my¡­ needs kicked in.¡±

    ¡°You did? Who?¡±

    My mouth pouted to the side. I would save Jerry in every lifetime I lived. ¡°A werewolf.¡± Caleb burst out laughing¡ªloudly. I joined him.

    The last day went by quickly, and by nightfall, we stood looking up at the tiny entrance we needed to get to and then go into. I glanced at Caleb. He noticed and looked at me and shook his head. I didn¡¯t have the energy to figure it out. We made camp and got a good night¡¯s rest because the next day was going to change my life forever.

    Early in the morning, my ass was on fire again. I was getting sick of it. Who did he think he was. If it was him. Couldn¡¯t they just send me messages or talk to me! After the previous night with Louis, I doubted this was him; he had not dragged me out of bed in months¡­ One of the others was doing it. So, who had the power to hurt me so much? Michael! I guessed if he could push two people off me, he could manage to control me better than the rest. I didn¡¯t want to ask Chris to come¡ªagain. This time, I focused all my energy on Michael, not to keep him quiet but to nudge and call; the pain stopped immediately.

    ¡°Bamf.¡± I chuckled, ¡°You are too powerful. We should put a leash on you.¡±

    Michael scooped me up and pulled my legs out from under me. He spun me around and around and, as he did, finally noticed the surroundings. His gaze landed on the mountain, and his eyes slowly traveled up the at least twenty-story cliff we were supposed to scale. He spotted the little ledge and tiny sliver in the wall with no issues, and it was still dark. He was amazing. ¡°You found him.¡± I didn¡¯t want to meet Michael¡¯s eye, too scared he would see what happened. ¡°I can smell him; where is he?¡± I rested my head on his furry shoulder and reached up to play with his ear.

    ¡°You guys were right. He¡¯s covered. Guessed, I left it too long.¡±

    ¡°No! You don¡¯t blame yourself anymore if he doesn¡¯t talk to you. How were you supposed to know he didn¡¯t run away about his past.¡± My hand trailed up and scratched at his horns. ¡°I¡¯ve been spending a lot of time with Carl. Jack and the guys also talked about the time they¡¯d spent with Louis. Carl took me and Chris out for being so angry and told us he wasn¡¯t doing well. I had some time to think about it¡­ When you were pregnant with Caleb and going insane. You had Chris to coddle you through¡­ Louis didn¡¯t have anyone¡­ If I had to take it¡ª¡± I shook my head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t¡­ only if I had to, it would¡¯ve been me hurting you¡­ I¡¯m sorry... I gave it to him in the first place. If I knew¡­ I would¡¯ve found another way¡­ I have to let this go¡­ I¡¯m not so angry anymore.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Michael, we were all fumbling our way through¡­ I think he might come back while I¡¯m gone. Maybe today or tomorrow¡­ Be careful and keep vials on hand. A lot of them.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°How is Charlene doing?¡±

    ¡°We traveled very far, and when we got there, she decided to take a few days off¡­ Today is the day¡­ Are you sure you don¡¯t want to be there?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure. Thank you for going in my place... I would¡¯ve loved to make the trip with you. Please be ready to protect her.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°Michael, seeing that you¡¯re here, could you do me a favor.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± I pointed to the little ledge, ¡°You need to get up there¡­ I can do that; no problem.¡±

    I made him put me down and woke Caleb up. The three of us cleared the camp, and one by one, Michael picked us up and had us up there in ten seconds. ¡°Thank You. I don¡¯t know how, but I will.¡±

    Michael snagged my chin in a quick, patronizing manner. I glared at him; the gesture was something he had never done before. I also hated it and growled, letting him know, ¡°Just looking for some attention.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Ohhh, the pulling me out of bed¡­ was a request sent.¡±

    ¡°Something like that. Figured if Louis was allowed to do it, I might as well give it a try.¡±

    ¡°Yours hurt more than the others.¡± Michael reached out and stoked his thumb over my cheek. I pressed my lips into his palm, ¡°Try and govern your powers over me.¡±

    ¡°I will¡­ Juliet, you¡¯ll have to tell me to leave if you¡¯re ready to go, or else we will stand here the whole day.¡±

    ¡°Why are you not asking what I¡¯m doing?¡±

    He didn¡¯t answer me and pulled me in for a kiss. What was it with them where making out was suddenly a thing? I didn¡¯t mind. It was refreshing and a change from our usual carnal relationships. Michael lingered, and I was the one who had to pull away, ¡°If you wanted me to know, I would.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t. It¡¯s okay. I know you will tell me eventually.¡±

    ¡°Thank You. And I will. Let me just get through today.¡±

    ¡°Call me¡­ Anytime.¡±

    I laughed lightly. It was kinda like I could pick up the phone.

    Michael disappeared, and I turned to Caleb, who was waiting inside the entrance for me, ¡°Who was that guy?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea? It seems being in his werewolf form most of the time really did change him.¡±

    ¡°Like your dream? Do you think he could shed his other manifestations?¡±

    ¡°Maybe not entirely, but to a degree, work on one more than the others.¡±

    ¡°Sounds plausible¡­ I like this Michael more¡­ He is suddenly good for you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I feel guilty about saying he doesn¡¯t love me the way I need. Michael is turning out to be the stable one,¡± we both laughed.

    ¡°You ready?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± I dug into my backpack, and we pulled headlights on and ventured into the dark.

    ***

    Michael

    It was so easy for me to travel back thousands of miles to the palace, to my room, and be in bed the next second. I had woken up after a dream and thought about Juliet. It wasn¡¯t like I was deliberately manipulating her to follow my commands; my body did it by itself in a half-dream state; I craved, and my heart would be set on her. Seeing Charlene so deliriously happy with her three men and three kids without any worries or conflict made me sit back and compare. Charlene didn¡¯t care so much about hurting anyone else like Juliet. No, she was already different on Earth; happy on her own, self-reliant, and even more so now, with her ittoqure attributes. The men were older, communicated, and gave her everything she needed and wanted on a silver platter. She had the best of both worlds. Chris and I were so young compared to Kubra and Romero¡­ and Juliet had two very Ahmed vampires to contend with.

    I closed my eyes and slept for another few hours. Our meeting was early in the morning. The servants woke you up by hoisting the tented drapes around the bed to the ceiling. Two women would come in with food and clean clothes and begin to fill the bath. Like Juliet, I could get used to this, ruling a kingdom and having servants at your beck and call. If we really wanted to, we could find a planet and create our own freaking civilization. Mirach had a very structured mating system, and you waited your whole life for a fated mate, as Charlene called it. Starting over on our own world would take thousands of years to figure out what that planet¡¯s rules were, if it produced a stone, and how it could be utilized.

    The two women were moving back and forth and, when they were done, came towards the bed. One picked up the tray and my empty plate and left the room; the other stood over me and waited. I stared up at her, knowing she couldn¡¯t speak English. Only royalty and very educated and wealthy people on Mirach knew the language. All of them could speak several languages. She reached for the hem of her blouse. I was on my knees, and her wrists were in my hand in a millisecond. I clasped her tightly, shaking her slightly. The next moment, I had to look up. A wolf towered over me. Because she had dark skin, I figured she was dheka. I teleported right to Charlene, honing in on her presence like I did earlier with Juliet. If I focused, I could sense Charlene¡¯s ¡®group¡¯ as well. I knew where Ira was at all the times; Chris and Caleb because they were the next in succession. Sammy, Naji, and even Min¨¨. ¡°What do you want? A little inappropriate. Juliet will kill me.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    I scanned the room, sniffed the air, manifested into all my creatures, and checked every crevice. I looked out the window and out the door into the hallway; Kubra peeked out of his room, and when I looked left, I saw Romero in his shadow manifestation with his sword drawn. ¡°One of the maids is a werewolf.¡± Romero stayed as is and drifted at a ghostly pace toward my room and came out again. ¡°How could one of you not sleep with her?¡±

    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m here,¡± Carl said.

    ¡°Hmm, time you consider the fact that you can do jack s¡ª to help her.¡±

    ¡°We fell asleep talking about it.¡±

    ¡°Good. It¡¯s time, Carl. Come family meeting.¡±

    ¡°No, if they are close by, they will hear everything.¡±

    ¡°Maybe listening to you guys last night was the catalyst.¡±

    ¡°Why do I have a feeling today is not going to go the way we think it is,¡± Charlene said.

    Carl had stood up and wanted to get past me, ¡°Question is, what was she doing in your room? And what did she want?¡±

    ¡°Trying to seduce me.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kubra also came closer.

    ¡°Romero¡­ How many werewolves are there?¡±

    ¡°About ten billion,¡± he said very nonchalantly. Carl and I shared a look of utter astonishment and bewilderment. Charlene stepped into the hall, and we all stared at Romero, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think that was vital information to share?¡± Kubra chimed in.

    ¡°No. Why does it matter?¡±

    ¡°Because we all thought maybe there was like one million or at the most three.¡±

    Romero laughed, ¡°No! Brylee wanted to save her race, not fan it to life.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a good one,¡± Charlene said and laughed at the same time.

    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m learning all about fires and how you guys speak.¡±

    ¡°Can we stay on topic? How many are females?¡±

    ¡°It is approximately one female to four males.¡±

    ¡°So many women?¡± Charlene reached for her back pockets and pressed her hands into them. Juliet asked me to protect her.

    ¡°Mirach is a large planet, five times the size of Earth. Why did you think she was looking so hard?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t fight all of them if they challenge me.¡±

    Rodrigo laughed, ¡°You will not have to. It is why I am your number two.¡±

    ¡°Are we finally going to know what the second spot is for?¡± Charlene drolled.

    ¡°Oh, oh¡­ that¡¯s why all the vampires bent the knee for Louis.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well done, Carl. Do not fret, Charlene. I am here, and even if there are one or two strong enough to fight the branding¡­ You can take on¡­ one or two?

    ¡°Yeah, I¡ª¡± Charlene glanced at Kubra, asking for an opinion. He nodded.

    ¡°If you struggle, we will fight with you,¡± Romero jumped out of the way of the slap he knew would come. ¡°You have to practice.¡±

    ¡°So Ahasuerus?¡± Carl asked.

    ¡°No¡­ Louis would never have made him bend the knee by the power of persuasion.¡±

    ¡°Nice,¡± Charlene said at Romero¡¯s use of our vernacular.

    He was happy at the praise, ¡°Like I said, maybe one or two. Let us get dressed,¡± Romero pulled a bell, and moments later, secret doors opened from the wall.

    ¡°Primitive security weak spots. No wonder they could sneak in,¡± Carl complained.

    An hour later, we traveled in more balls for another few hours. I was first to arrive and be greeted by several wolves clad in full kit armor. One unhooked the nets, making the ball jut into the dark. The others held open the doors, and one ushered me through. Once the doors were closed, they turned to me and, in a low rumble, growled out a greeting. I manifested to mark my territory. The four took two steps back when I towered over them. These lackeys were not soldiers, ¡°I need armor,¡± they nodded, and one scurried away.

    By the time Kubra¡¯s ball arrived the wolf had come back with a stack of clothing they wore while manifested. Kubra also got out in his vampiric face and dressed in the stiff black En-gannim outfit. The wolves bowed to him. My chest vibrated involuntarily. Charlene might have been right; this was not going to be as easy as we thought. We did not take into consideration how things were four years ago. Jade and Fahan had more problems than any of us anticipated.

    The third time the doors opened, Romero stepped through them. Once they were closed, all four wolves took a knee for the man. He bobbed his head without a care in the world. How was he so composed? I was freaking out, but then I always did when we faced any unknown situation. ¡°Is everything ready?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Excellency. We decided on a representative.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    The wolves opened up the doors and hurried to catch Charlene, landing in a net. They also wanted to be ready to open the ball for her. Three were on one bent knee; the last one went down on both his knees and held out his hand to her. ¡°Can¡¯t you just whisk me out?¡±

    He reached for her armpits, picked her up, and gently brought her to her feet in front of him. The mahogany-colored wolf looked down into her hazel-green eyes. Charlene looked f¡ªing amazing. The wolf was mesmerized. She smiled brightly up at him, ¡°Thank You. I am very lazy.¡±

    He nodded in a jerky, totally swept off his feet kind of way. ¡°I¡¯d like to get out of this wind.¡± He jumped up, and the three surrounded her, blocking the surroundings as best they could. The chosen one guarded her in front. The four fumbled and fell over their feet as they faffed around her, followed so closely, and led her to the last barrier. I cleared my throat, ¡°I will escort her the rest of the way.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± they bowed and let me pass. The wolves followed the hierarchy to a T. There were no questions under the men about who was first in the harem.

    Kubra and Romero would wait for Min¨¦, who wanted to travel in her own ball, and then Fahan and Jade.

    ***

    Isla

    Ian¡¯s other wife was called Nafilak. She was a short woman, blond, with harsh features. The two had been married for two hundred years and had four children. She did not talk to me. The two girls did not speak to me, and the two sons were fighting on Earth with their father. Ian had pulled his two daughters out of their camp and, together with all the men in the war who had done the same, hid us away on an island on En-gannim. It was small, isolated, and, at that moment, cruelly overpopulated. We¡¯ve heard nothing from Ian since the day we fled after our ceremony. I was increasing and most days fighting for my life and for food. We were millions of women and children trying to survive. It was a depleted mining island no one wanted. The vamps who lived and worked there had bred some beasts, and the few left; we couldn¡¯t kill and had to wait till their offspring matured, or we would never survive. We still needed blood, and the provisions Ian had thought would be enough to sustain us between feedings dwindled fast. The kids needed regular food, and those who craved meat had to wait in line. It had taken them weeks to decide to listen to me. We couldn¡¯t make a list; I was the only woman there who could read or write. Organize on any scale. Make logical decisions or even ration resources. Most of them never had to teach their children anything but to listen to the men in their lives.

    The island had little water, no teleporter station, and no communication hub. Chris had destroyed any means to travel to a place where they had no time to patrol and thought taking away the source was enough; he was right¡ªwe were stuck.

    I didn¡¯t even know if Soren or my parents were still alive. It would be interesting to see what happened to a vampire when they turned cannibal and if drinking our own blood would kill us. Once Rana and I were told to evacuate, she left for Soren¡¯s island, and we were escorted there. I kept waiting for a man to appear. My whole life, I¡¯ve been waiting for a man. I did decide to marry Ian. I asked Soren to help me, and when he did, I chose Ian over Juliet. At that moment, I didn¡¯t know if it was the right choice. The men would leave us and not give us a second thought if they had to choose. I was pregnant and would at last have the fulfillment of purpose; however, if my baby didn¡¯t have blood for the first two years of its life, he or she would die, and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.

    ***

    Soren

    Fahan and Jade had decided to leave us stranded in Europe, aligning with Juliet, and it had fueled us to put everything into taking over the region. We killed all the humans we encountered and were moving at a brisk pace East and West, split into a fanned-out wave of vampires working our way south to Italy and would meet there before we moved to the Middle East. Our numbers were not what it used to be. The infected vamp were in our ranks, and we still outnumbered the humans wherever we ended up in a battle. Our only hope was Jacklin, and I didn¡¯t trust her to choose to help us. She had been on Earth for so long; if she needed to choose between the En-gannim way and her own way, she could stay in America and live out her life.

    Ian had finally told me where Isla was. We needed to get them to Earth as soon as possible, or she would also die, and then everything, every last f¡ªing thing would have meant¡ªnothing. He was restless and had hoped we would be on Palmyra by then¡­ I had to think of something¡­ figure out a way out of the mess Ian had created. I still believed he should¡¯ve taken over Nahrima when Juliet and Marcus were in those tunnels. It was also why I wasn¡¯t with the troops marching but digging through rubble, looking for a way down into the basement of our French embassy. There had to be an emergency staircase somewhere. Although Paris was a wasteland, the building was so distinct it was easy to find its remains in all the chaos.

    ***

    Lyla

    The tunnels were so dark I freaked out every time I had to go down there to get food and water. Every noise had me jumping. Every shadow was a creature waiting to lunge out and eat me. I was waiting for mountain lions to roam into the compound and sniff me out, stalk me, and kill me regardless. It was nerve-racking to know I was all alone in the entire compound, yet after talking to Juliet and Caleb, I decided to stay; leaving would mean weeks of walking, and I would probably die before I got anywhere people were gathering.

    My hands were filled with bags as if I had gone shopping when I heard the car pull through the gate. I dropped my groceries and ran down the lane. Jacklin stepped out looking ragged and worn to the bone. ¡°Water,¡± she croaked. I ran back to the house to get a bottle. By the time I turned around, she was behind me. Very unladylike, she drained the bottle, spilling most of the contents over her chin. ¡°I hate Texas! I hate this place! It¡¯s so freaking hot.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, this place is getting to me. Could you at least eat? Are there any people down there?¡± Jacklin made her way to a lounge off the entry of Qadir¡¯s house. She dropped down onto the couch. ¡°Will you now tell me what you went to find?¡±

    She reached into her bag and pulled out a device. It was glass, yet not a teleporter plate or a communicator, and it was cemented into a large frame of metal. Jacklin took out more components and slowly assembled them on the table, ¡°My husband hid all these parts in different locations.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s been months of you driving around, and I¡¯ve been sitting here waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should have used the plate to get somewhere, but after we got split from Ian and Soren, all their coordinates went with them¡­ Where could we have gone anyway?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I also took a seat, ¡°So what is it?¡±

    ¡°This device is a button.¡± I frowned because the last time I pressed a button, all hell broke loose. ¡°It is a fail-safe, in case of an emergency¡­ Ahasuerus told me if someone took over and s¡ª hit the fan. It is a way of destroying the primary power device of all sources for teleportation out there.¡±

    ¡°You want to cut off everyone¡¯s ability to teleport? Forever?¡±

    She nodded, ¡°Look, Ian and Soren will take over on Earth. You might only have 70 years left to live¡­ but I have six hundred years left. I hated En-gannim and was even punished when I did submit and figured out the system to get into The Tower¡­ If Juliet comes back¡­ she can¡¯t fix everything overnight. It¡¯s going to take Earth hundreds of years to get back from this.¡±

    ¡°If Ian can¡¯t leave, who do you think they will sleep with? If you stay, how will you survive?¡±

    ¡°Ian is either taking over, or he will die. They will never let him live¡­ No one knows I¡¯m a vampire. If I¡¯m the only one on this side of Earth¡­ I think I¡¯ll manage¡­ I¡¯ll only kill people who are dying.¡±

    ¡°And this was all Ahasuerus left you?¡±

    ¡°He left me one plate connected to back channels to run... If I ever needed to hide. There is an island on En-gannim¡­ I couldn¡¯t go there after the war broke out... Here, I would¡¯ve given it to Soren to use that stone around Ian¡¯s neck.¡±

    ¡°What does it do?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a water and life stone.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Endless water supply¡­ and if you don¡¯t pick it up¡ª¡±

    ¡°Flooding a planet?!¡±

    ¡°Soren would¡¯ve been able to flood every planet and kill all of them.¡±

    ¡°What is the point? They would evacuate like last time.¡±

    ¡°How would anyone be able to come back from that. They need what only En-gannim has to build the teleporters with¡­ And if they killed Fahan and Jade like they planned in the last attack, they would¡¯ve been on Palmyra by now and have come back for us.¡±

    ¡°They planned to kill the dragons? No wonder Soren was so cocky! The chadari would¡¯ve been waiting on Palmyra?¡±

    Jacklin shook her head, ¡°If anyone with a branding gets killed, the entire species gets wiped.¡±

    I stood and sat right back down; this was world domination on a whole other level. Nevin had warned me about the cosmic balance. ¡°Maybe it is better to cut it off¡­ Let all the planets recalibrate, and the fittest will survive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking. At least we will know where everyone is and that we¡¯re safe. It will take Ian and Soren hundreds of years to cross oceans and figure out how things work here.¡±

    ¡°We are basically safe in America¡ª¡±

    ¡°If we press this button.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s take five minutes.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I need to wash and¡­ have you found clothes yet?¡±

    ¡°No, all the houses here are empty. Those I checked anyway,¡± Gigi came running into the house through the lounge doors and bolted around the coffee table, stopped at Jacklin¡¯s feet, sniffed, and sped away.

    ¡°What in the world?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ask.¡±

 219. Time Is Relative

    219. Time Is Relative

    Juliet

    My fingers felt their way over lines, curves, and carved images on the walls of the passage Caleb and I were in, my headlight illuminating where my eyes fell. From the moment we entered, there were ancient writings to interpret; every detail fascinated me. There were so many secrets to learn about the different species on every planet, and I wanted to know all of them. Why did Ahasuerus never use any of the stones or knowledge from other planets he had at his disposal. I stopped once again at an image of the galaxies colliding, ¡°Do you think it will really happen?¡± Caleb asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Every picture I¡¯ve seen so far has been what the dheka think could happen. Maybe they have, like, prophets or something.¡±

    ¡°Can they go into the future in those rooms?¡±

    ¡°No, not that I know of.¡±

    ¡°How many rooms are there?¡±

    ¡°Again¡­ I don¡¯t know. One of Ahasuerus¡¯s vaults had all the information he and his descendants had gathered on the other species. I only cross-referenced the plates regarding time.¡±

    ¡°Why did Ahasuerus never take this route?¡±

    ¡°The ruler has to give consent for you to start the journey. Ahasuerus was never about conquering worlds anyway; he told me he fought for the future. So, maybe he thought his plans would work out, and he¡¯d be safe on Zoreah. He would rather trade with the dheka or use them than admit he made mistakes.¡±

    ¡°One thing unanimous about all the species; a verbal deal is always honored.¡±

    ¡°Yes, honor is a big thing among thieves¡­ Ahasuerus also knew no one could go up against the dheka. In all their history I read about, no one had even tried¡­ You should see the images in their books of how they wage war and can come together as one powerful force. The dheka do have an army base, like all the other planets. ¡°

    ¡°Vampires can counter their ability.¡±

    ¡°Ahasuerus didn¡¯t need anything here. What would be the point? He never would¡¯ve left En-gannim vulnerable. It¡¯s too valuable. It¡¯s like the vamps spawned on a planet-size asteroid filled with stuff.¡±

    We eventually finished the dark tunnel and exited into a city literally carved out within what looked like a mountain range. ¡°Oh, wow, Charlene was really downplaying its enormity¡­ That whole wall we had to scale was the boundary to the whole place.¡±

    ¡°When she said they traveled down waterways, she also didn¡¯t mention an entire harbor area.¡±

    In front of us, a giant pillar of stone stood in the middle of the extensive lake; it gradually tapered off to the top and was surrounded by spiraled groves filled with stones emanating light. The structure stood on top of a large boulder to which massive ships were anchored. Across the expanse of water lay their temple; to me, it looked more like a palace shrouded in darkness.

    As Caleb steadily rowed us in the direction we needed to go, dense tree parks were randomly cultivated, which were still vibrant and flourishing in the different colors they displayed. The well-tended plant life continued throughout all the structures fed from the sun outside, coming in through the roof lined with stained glass windows. The effect of the coloring on the water and the walls was a brilliant display of light. I understood why Charlene wanted to come with me; it was a place you should share with family and friends and stay there to see all it had to offer.

    ¡°Why do you think they ever left? It¡¯s magical and clean. The water seems to softly flow through the whole place, circulating from some source to wherever.¡±

    ¡°Oh, look there,¡± I pointed to water falling in a circular shape from a source outside into an enormous illuminated bath sunken into the ground, surrounded by pillars and arches. ¡°Maybe we should stop, and I can quickly get clean. We¡¯ve not had time in the last three days.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say anything¡­ but you do stink.¡±

    ¡°This time, I¡¯m going to need some privacy.¡±

    ¡°With their customs so strict, there is bound to be a men¡¯s and women¡¯s bathroom.¡±

    Caleb and I took our time after Jessy sent us new clothes and toiletries. I could finally wash my hair and let it dry while we ate and walked the streets connected to the communal bathhouse. Some roads were broad, and others narrow, lined with houses and shops to the very top of the mountain. We decided to take a beaten down little lane spiraling up through a hill; at the end was a sudden dark expanse of air into¡­ I supposed it was a cave, ¡°Now this is where the dragon sleeps¡­ I think we should go.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, we¡¯re doing this,¡± Caleb grabbed my hand and dragged me into the absolute gates of hell. I couldn¡¯t help myself and manifested; I would at least be able to see movement if something¡ªwere to move. ¡°There is nothing in here¡­ I can see.¡±

    Ten paces in, Caleb turned me to the left; in the distance, a dim light shone into the darkness; our exit was only a round circle in the wall. As we passed through the gate, it was still rather dark, and the light we had seen was coming from above. Two sets of stairs paralleled each other, ¡°Unbelievable!¡± I let go of his hand and ran up the steps to the first landing of an open library with millions of books on every level at different heights connected to one another. The light was coming from small rooms situated within the mountain at the ends of the aisles, each filled with benches and tables. At the very top of the library cave was a sizeable carved-out window in the mountain, open to fresh air and the spray of water from a waterfall. Outside the window, another mountain kept the library cordoned off from the weather and kept climbing higher and higher, letting in natural air and light from outside. ¡°I guess we¡¯re never leaving.¡±

    I pulled a book from a shelf, ¡°Urgh, I can¡¯t read any of it.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you bring your translator?¡±

    ¡°It would take us a million years to translate every word... in all these books,¡± I carefully put it back and let my fingers trail the bindings on some of the covers.

    ¡°It looks like you don¡¯t want to go back in time. You¡¯re stalling.¡±

    ¡°Am I?¡±

    ¡°Yes, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Ever had a bad feeling?¡±

    ¡°All the time¡­ Evil forebodings.¡±

    ¡°Precisely.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll tell you what you drill into me¡­ Never go back on your word and honor your commitments¡­ Is it your responsibility to save everyone?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I huffed and turned around.

    It took us a while to even find the rooms. Each one was magical in its own way. The one we needed was an open floor space covered in a thick layer of white sand, spilling out the door, surrounded and built from metals and stone, ¡°I think this is it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°So, how does this work?¡±

    ¡°You go in; you sit down and focus.¡±

    ¡°On where you want to go,¡± I shrugged, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to wait out here for the first one.¡±

    ¡°Thank You. It will help me let my guard down.¡± Caleb turned at the door, planted his spear, and lifted his chin, ¡°Well, here goes nothing.¡±

    ***

    Romero

    I could not take my eyes off Charlene. She commanded every room she walked into, and with her hand resting on Michael¡¯s forearm, clad in armor in his werewolf form, the two painted the picture of the next monarch couple of the species. Charlene had even designed her own armor for when she would need to fight, and even in that, she was a force of domination. I did not think any of the wolves would even question if she should take over. The dress she chose to wear while meeting everyone was bright red and ruffled into a wide skirt from her waist. Two slivers of material woven into the skirt hung loose over her breasts and were tied behind her neck. Her whole back, sides, and middle was an open expanse of milky skin I wanted to touch, and¡ª ¡°Stop it,¡± Kubra stabbed me in my ribs.

    ¡°Look at her.¡±

    ¡°I am. You shouldn¡¯t have allowed her to wear that freaking thing. Every wolf is going to walk around with a hard-on.¡±

    ¡°A hard-on?¡±

    Kubra balled his hand into a fist and¡ª ¡°Oh! Oh no! I¡¯ll kill them all!¡±

    I got distracted as she greeted all the generals who commanded their armies and the principals of all the regions spanning across Palmyra. Charlene¡¯s hair was swept up onto her head and woven into the crown she chose and designed herself; she said it was lighter for her tiny frame. It was intricate and detailed to the last stone, which suited her red lips and¡ª ¡°Dude, you got to focus,¡± Carl said next to me.

    ¡°I can not. She was born to be here, made to lead and be pampered like the queen she is.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think pampering her is what¡¯s on your mind.¡±

    ¡°I hear pampering is one of Romero¡¯s strong suits,¡± Kubra quipped.

    ¡°How will the boy know he does not even want to sleep with her¡­ How can you look at her and¡ª¡± Min¨¦ tugged on her skirt and pointed wildly into the crowd below. Charlene waved and showed the wolves in the arena to let a group come up to the edge of the stage. Min¨¦ jumped off, and Ben caught his daughter and gave her a long hug. She held out her arms to the other men, and in turn, they embraced her, ¡°Who is that?¡±

    ¡°It is Francis and Jack Moore. The other guy is Francisco. We were all on the compound together for a while. The kids grew up between a lot of people.¡±

    ¡°And the other three wolves?¡± I asked.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know them?¡±

    ¡°Kubra?¡±

    ¡°No idea.¡±

    Min¨¨ didn¡¯t want to let go of Ben, and Charlene spoke to one of the wolves who escorted us from the tunnels to the venue. The seven men were allowed to come up on stage and take a seat¡­ at her feet. Kubra growled, ¡°If she thinks that guy is going to come in now¡ª.¡± Carl laughed and slapped Kubra on the shoulder, cutting him off. Although Carl was younger than us, he was taller and more muscled than both Kubra and I, ¡°Why are you laughing.¡±

    ¡°Because I do want to sleep with her. We¡¯ve all been walking around with raging erections¡­ So, let me show you¡­ why Ben¡ªwill never come anywhere near her again.¡± Carl walked into the group of men and caught her attention. The men got up and turned to Charlene. She nodded once, and they all came back to human. Everyone was glad to see a familiar face, and they greeted the boy with hugs, hard slaps on the back, and big smiles as if they were friends at one point. The group talked for a bit, and then they sat down again in their werewolf form. Carl walked over to Charlene and held out his hand. She took it. He pulled her up, sat down on the chair, and dragged her into his lap. Charlene was happy until she looked down, and Carl rolled his hips towards hers. She wanted to kiss him. He tilted his mouth away from hers. She burst out laughing and leaned down so Carl could whisper into her ear. The single men in the crowd complained, growled, and murmured, creating a cacophony of angry faces as my eyes drifted over the crowd.

    ¡°What did he say?

    ¡°Carl said¡ªin their language¡ªthe harem is closed to any further additions; hence the displeased attendants.¡±

    ¡°The boy is growing up. How did he even know it was a custom to say?¡±

    ¡°Looks like Juliet¡¯s been coaching both of them¡­ How does Charlene know how to manage the men so easily?¡±

    I was tired of not being there with her. I was tired of not seeing her for a few days when she needed alone time. I stepped out into the crowd, and the wolves took a knee one by one until all was bowed down, except for the women. As I walked, the men cleared to either side of me, creating a path. I came to a stand in the middle of the arena and held out a bent arm¡ªwaiting. Charlene walked to the edge of the stage; Francis and Jack jumped down to help her. They then, too, took a knee. Charlene elegantly moved toward me, and men dispersed for her. She laid her hand on my arm.

    I placed my other hand on hers, ¡°This is my queen¡­ As you can see, I wear the stone Zavier gave me to pledge your allegiance to us. I reached for the stone, removed it, and tied it around her neck. I nodded, and Charlene manifested herself into her wolf form. ¡°You have lived in our world, farmed our lands, and it has been a good life.¡± The wolves cheered. ¡°My wife is now your queen, but she is not only a werewolf,¡± I nodded again. Charlene manifested into a vampire, and the crowd became unsettled and agitated. Kubra approached us, clad in his weird black suit, which I did not like at all; it was gross, like Charlene would say. ¡°He is also her husband... We are in a harem of our own, much like your customs, albeit different races,¡± I nodded again. Charlene grew two heads taller and broader, her horns of a fully grown riphath towered on her head. More murmurs and comments. ¡°All you¡¯ve heard is true. The ittoqure are real.¡± I lifted a hand. Michael, in his werewolf form, jumped down the stage, landed as a riphath, and teleported next to Charlene. ¡°He is not in her harem,¡± the two laughed, ¡°Everyone here knows about Juliet and her men who killed Brylee in the war on Zoreah¡­ Unfortunately, with the brandings, there was a price, and every last werewolf you left on Palmyra is dead, as with the women, men, and soldiers on Zoreah.¡± I waited and searched the crowd. The women who were seated in harem clusters of their own in the stands were sharing concerned looks among themselves. ¡°The only ones left of your race¡­ are the ones on Mirach¡­ Who did you choose as a representative?¡±

    Kubra pointed to the other side of the venue, ¡°There.¡±

    The men scuffled on their knees, and a woman surrounded by four wolves came walking out, ¡°Liv?¡± Michael snarled. The woman was blond and fair, like Charlene. Her hair was long and dreaded, tied on top of her head and adorned with jewels. She wore a white dress, silky and smooth, draped over one shoulder, tightly hugging her body. I did not like her. She had an arrogant air around her versus the sweetness in Sara¡¯s disposition next to her. Sara, my delegate for the area and who has been their queen for all purposes, took a knee. I released her, ¡°Your majesty, this is Liv Soria; she was also ambassador to Earth when Brylee was still queen of Palmyra.¡±

    ¡°Have you decided if there will be any challenges to the throne?¡±

    ¡°If I may ask a question,¡± Liv asked. I nodded. ¡°Who is on Palmyra at this moment?¡±

    I raised another hand. We had hidden the dragons and had to wait a moment. Their heavy tread came up a wooden walkway into the arena. The wolves growled in unison. Fahan, ever the warrior, unsheathed his sword and slammed it onto the ground; the red glow burned around the heads as Fahan swung it over them.

    ¡°As Palmyra was left unprotected, Fahan found a way to harness his own power to teleport. He infiltrated the palace, and the chadari is now living on your planet.¡±

    ¡°Kubra, Michael,¡± Liv said in a somewhat irritated manner. The two let their manifestations go and stepped closer, ¡°Show me.¡±

    Kubra took out a device, and Palmyra hovered in the air as clear as our room, where you could look at the planets in the cosmos. In the image, Kubra was rotating and displaying the ten spots, but only two were red, ¡°Here is where the chadari have settled for now.¡±

    Another woman stood in the crowd, ¡°That is my area; it is our textile territory; how could they utilize any of it. They should go back to the rocks they come from.¡±

    Liv held up a hand, and the woman sat down, ¡°Is there any way you could show me?¡±

    Michael held open his arms. The wolves behind Liv complained. I spun around and focused all my inner abilities out toward the men, waiting until they fell to their knees, bent over, and planted their hands on the ground. They tried to fight it. It was no use. ¡°As long as you are on my soil, there will be not one man who thinks he can throw his weight around,¡± Charlene clapped for me. I turned to Fahan and waited. I needed to test it anyway, to see how much power Louis had with three men backing him. I only had one for now; Carl would give in eventually. Fahan took a little longer. He squared his shoulders when he felt the pull. He planted his sword and took a wide stance. His legs shook, and then his hand jumped to his heart. He clawed at it, desperate for the fire to subside. It was worse for them. I pushed only a little more, and the man dropped down and gasped as I released him. Inside, I was smiling; outwardly, I was not going to humiliate anyone. ¡°If anyone thinks we have no power, you are wrong. And I¡¯m not even the strongest one out there.¡±

    I glanced at Liv, who was staring wide-eyed at Fahan and then at her men, who were useless at her feet. Not one could even lift a hand, much less a weapon. ¡°Michael, if you will,¡± Liv stepped cautiously forward. Michael scooped her up and disappeared. The men slowly stood to their feet, shaking their heads and clutching at their temples.

    ¡°I thought you wanted me to practice¡­ Why am I even here?¡±

    ¡°I changed my mind¡­ You look too pretty in your dress.¡±

    ¡°Ah, man, I wanted to practice.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget, he thinks Iku¡¯s wife is beautiful,¡± I spun towards Kubra and thought about sending him to his knees. He was reminding Charlene of the one and only fight the two of us had ever had. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t if I were you,¡± he hissed.

    I manifested. Kubra followed suit. ¡°No fighting in front of the children.¡± Min¨¦¡¯s little voice boomed out from the stage toward us. We both dropped our manifestations, and Charlene chortled behind a hand.

    ¡°You will not be taking off that dress,¡± I growled at Kubra.

    ¡°Are you still on the dress?¡±

    I looked at Charlene, and my gaze drifted over her body; before I could say anything, Michael landed again, gently lowering Liv to the ground and steadying her on her feet, ¡°You okay? The first time is a little jarring.¡±

    Her hand rested on his arm, ¡°Thank You, yes,¡± Liv lifted her eyes and stared at Michael, ¡°What Brylee could have done with you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, she tried, believe me. Almost succeeded.¡±

    ¡°What mistake did she make?¡±

    Michael smiled and rubbed his finger over his lip, ¡°In my werewolf form, I am wholly devoted to my queen.¡±

    Liv laughed lightly and turned to her own men, ¡°Are you all alright?¡± The four nodded. She turned back to me, ¡°You¡¯ve given me a lot to think about, and I need some time to talk to the other women of consequence¡­ We would like to invite you to join us for dinner in the hall. We set up guest quarters for you.¡± She lifted a hand, and the group on stage ushered us out of the arena.

    Left alone and far enough from prying ears, I let the party move out so I could fall in step next to Fahan. Alongside him, I rested my hand on his shoulder, letting my veins flow into his hard exterior. It was challenging to breach his thick skin. My tentacles found places to enter underneath his scales. Once the power hit him, he stopped and turned to me. I let all my colors run through him, and the last one, I jolted him with pain from the darkness our manifestation could produce. He winced and clutched his shoulder. ¡°Take out your sword.¡± Fahan reached for it, and I manifested, ¡°Try to stab me.¡±

    I let him get a clear hit into my body, which I had let become as light as a cloud. Their red swords did nothing if we were not human. He growled, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡±

    ¡°You are not invincible. If you die, all your people might not die; however, the repercussions are too great! Be careful. As you can see, the wolves have no intention of forming an alliance with you. Even if they do go back. They will come for you¡­ If you are not there to lead them, who will save the chadari?¡±

    ¡°Why are you helping me?¡±

    ¡°Because what I did to you¡­ Louis can do four times as strong. Why do you think Ahasuerus fought so hard. Why do you think the werewolves are here at all.¡± Fahan growled, and his chest lit up as we walked behind the group in front of us. ¡°And it seems like Juliet has a soft spot for your mate¡­ Maybe let the women lead us a little,¡± he lifted his head, and their weird, weighty laughter resonated. Once he was calmer, I said, ¡°You were always mercenaries, desperate for any morsel. Here we have only our word and honor¡­ You have to change the way you think¡­ Once you decide to align with a race, stay true to your word.¡± he answered with a firm nod. I hoped we had them on our side.

    Tents were set up for us, and our servants were already there with refreshments, ¡°Fahan before you join the others,¡± he turned to me, ¡°I hear there is another male¡ª¡±

    His hand was lightning fast. His fingers closed around my throat, ¡°I¡¯d rather die.¡±

    The chatter in our camp ceased abruptly. Fahan let go of me, turned, and headed for their tent. ¡°Maybe you should give him some purple,¡± Charlene said.

    Fahan had stopped walking and turned, ¡°What is she talking about?¡±

    I walked over and pushed him into his tent. Charlene clapped her hands. It was a little ritual the dheka had in a race where there was a lot of desire but no privacy. Jade seemed confused and stared out the tent as the music and voices around us found a good melody. First, I had to find a good spot to make my ability work at the same time. They both lifted their arms to expose a very fleshy area. I worked my magic like Charlene would say, and Fahan tossed me out the door. ¡°Now they¡¯re never going to want to leave Mirach.¡± I waved an irritated hand in the air, and Kubra and Carl made themselves scarce, ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on!¡± I reached around Charlene¡¯s and gently nudged her in the direction of our tent, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you guys have¡­ signals.¡± My eyes were fixed on her breasts, bouncing as she struggled to traverse the sand. I closed my hand on her shoulder and, without anyone noticing, let everything I had drain into my spouse. Charlene let out a sweet moan, groaned, and clutched my hand, ¡°You really want to be the one to take off this dress¡­ It¡¯s not the way Romero, we have guests.¡±

    For hours, I had to watch her walk around, enticing man after man¡ªincluding myself. The noises from Fahan¡¯s tent were not helping. It took all my willpower to let go of her and stop walking, ¡°Forgive me, I¡ª¡±

    ¡°You better take me into that tent or so help me, I¡¯ll ask Kurbra to finish what you started.¡±

    ¡°Thank You.¡±

    I closed the flap and stood to soak up her enchanting body, Charlene¡¯s figure from behind beckoning me steadily toward her, the curve of her breast slightly visible. The few steps were both torture and obsessively begging. I reached for the pins in her hair and gently undid each one to take off her crown. The blond curls fell seductively down her back. I softly combed my fingers through them, slowly taking in the feelings building between us, teasing her skin, waiting for her to let the breath she was holding go. Charlene still had a hard time giving herself over to the moment. I swept her hair over her shoulder and exposed the knot at the base of her neck. I took a step forward and, as the fabric came undone, watched as the soft strands slid over her aroused peaks, brushing them to life. Tempted, my fingers slid across her skin, feeling the soft rounding of her breasts, crossing the cusp to feather-soft sensitive tips. The sensations were greedy down my spine, hardening me to rigidity; I dragged her into me. She let out a sharp gasp as I took a firmer hold, kneading and waiting for Charlene to rest her head on my chest, close her eyes, and enjoy the heat between us. I moved around her and went onto my knees, cupping a breast, and my mouth closed about her tight nipple. With broad strokes, I licked and enticed her to quiver against me. I bunched up the hem of her dress and undid my reluctant lips from her body, tossing the fabric over my head. My hands had a mind of their own as I touched her legs and nudged her feet to widen so I could cross my legs, urging her towards my mouth, ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to do this the whole day,¡± I rasped, surrounded by thick fabric and the intoxicating smell between her spread legs. Eager to sample, I tasted her once and licked at her pleasure. She was warm and pliant in my hands, matching my tongue to a rhythm to coax her to abandon all sensibilities. With slow, deliberate caresses, I explored every part of her and savored each moment. Charlene¡¯s hushed moans reached me. I closed my lips around her and drew breathy groans from her, teasing her and letting her go to feast some more with languid kisses. Her legs buckled and shivered against me. I caught her closing my hands around the soft skin of her plump rear. Her back arched a little, and I could imagine her head in the air, her body stretched out. She was almost sitting on my arms, leaning into me. I¡­ slowly¡­ lay back, beckoning her down with me. Her knees bent, and I dragged her onto my open mouth, welcoming her to use me. Charlene hummed, pleased while swirling around my tongue, brazenly dipping over my mouth, sending my senses out of control, daring me to eat her out. Her rolling hips became heavy as her passion built, ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ move¡­¡± In two more lustful strokes, sudden sobs escaped her lips, and the urgency continued until she melted onto my face. I was in heaven.

 220. Turn Back Time

    220. Turn Back Time

    Juliet

    I made myself comfortable in the sand, closed my eyes, and tried to think about Marcus and our days at the compound, my fifteenth birthday, to be exact. With the worst luck on my side, and the only thought haunting my mind when I thought about him¡ªlike a cruel reminder¡ªwas our time in the tunnels and being bound to chairs. It had to have been my desperation to get out of there or not wanting to see Marcus sleep with someone else, or I don¡¯t know what. The room in the dark city took me back there to where I felt it all went wrong. I glanced around, taking in the enormity of what just happened and what would happen in the next few minutes. It was true, and I was in the tunnels, for real. Soren was staring at me. Marcus was bound to a chair while I had broken out of my bondages and had stood up. Soren had said, ¡°It seems it was never about Louis.¡±

    Marcus¡¯s words echoed in my mind, ¡®How you feel right now is my life¡­ I sometimes don¡¯t even know why I am here.¡¯ Oh, how such a detached statement had broken my heart. In my office, even before I was taken, I had already decided what I needed to do. All the hurt and chaos I had chosen because I didn¡¯t know any better and was too young. Too na?ve. An ignorant ass. I was older now, and I would be able to make more informed decisions¡ªI hoped.

    I had to smile when I felt it; I was going to travel again; the room would make me go back even further, and I would have a chance to see if I could fix it. Soren was disgusted at my moment of hilarity. I chuckled again and looked back at Marcus, ¡°Did you see what I did?¡± His feed had luckily stopped, and I could breathe. Marcus frowned, and I said, ¡°I¡¯m going back. It¡¯s what we both want. I know it¡¯s all you can think about, sitting there.¡± Marcus moved in his chair, trying to stand and get out of his bondages, wanting to talk, probably trying to stop me from giving up. ¡°I¡¯m going to choose you this time and see how it all plays out.¡± Soren didn¡¯t know what was going on. I stretched out my hand and rubbed my fingers over his cheek, ¡°I hurt you too¡­ so much¡­ I can¡¯t look at myself in the mirror, can you?¡±

    Soren blinked and swallowed, and for a moment, he was my Soren again, unbroken and only a man. The new Soren came back a second later, ¡°Julie, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°I know you found out about the stone, and before you cause any more deaths... I¡¯d rather take charge.¡± Soren wanted to grab onto me. I pushed him so hard he flew across the room. I looked at Marcus, ¡°Hold on. I¡¯m going to make it all go away.¡± He shook his head, pleading in his features. His usual inexpressive eyes were brimming with the loss of our whole family, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Naji. He will be there with us. I promise.¡± I closed my eyes and traveled; the room was giving me all I wanted and where my heart would be forever changed.

    I reluctantly open one eye, only a sliver to peek out. It was my room at the compound, decorated in light pink and flowery wallpaper, ¡°Urgh, what was I thinking.¡± I didn¡¯t need to worry about consequences or children dying, so I jumped out of bed and up and down in the air, clapping my hands together. The first thing I did was lift my nightshirt over my head and look at myself in the mirror. I turned this way and that way. It was all gone. No snakeskin. No Earth tattoos. No Caleb tattoo. No teleporter tattoo. I twirled in a circle and fell on the bed, kicking my feet and writhing in pleasure. Was this not everybody¡¯s dream at one point in their lives, to be able to go back in time and do it all again. Change that one decision you know messed up your life forever. Was it really happening, though? Or would it be like a dream¡­ I pinched myself and yelped. I hoped Caleb was okay. My parents slowly opened the door, ¡°Julie, you alright?¡±

    I looked down at my naked body, ¡°Oh yes, I¡ª¡± I reached for my nightshirt and pulled it over my head.

    ¡°Well, happy birthday,¡± my dad said and came to give me a hug.

    ¡°Thank You, Daddy,¡± he looked confused as I smiled brightly up at him. Then my smile fell; it was the day I would ask Marcus to kiss me as a birthday present.

    ¡°Are you feeling well?¡±

    ¡°Dad, out. You too, Mom. Thank You, I¡¯ll be out in a little while.¡± I closed the door and hurried over to the curtains, drawing them. The room was dark¡ªenough. I jumped back in bed and pushed my pillows in under the sheets beside me. I covered my head and tried my manifestation and my ability. I sighed heavily when both worked. I scooted up, and my head peaked out of the sheets. I blew some hair out of my face. It only took a second, and I flung the sheets off me and lay there for a while, figuring out if my plan would work. I wanted this test to be before the brandings, but not so far back as what Chris would¡¯ve had to go to make it all go away.

    I got dressed and, without any emotional effort, pulled my veil over my head; if I was going to live with it, I would embrace it. Michael would never form his attachment to me; he had told me it was after my fifteenth birthday when he saw me differently. Chris didn¡¯t know I existed¡­ and Louis¡­ I smiled; he would eventually come for me. Anyway, Louis couldn¡¯t be a factor right now. I had to give it all to Marcus.

    There was a knock at the front door¡ªit was him. My sweaty hands were running up and down my thighs. I was going to be a good girl this time around. I giggled. Michael was still watching me, and in some way, I had to get him to let go of us. Luckily, he would never have met Stevie if we had never left the compound.

    ¡°Julie, Marcus is here,¡± my mom¡¯s voice came from the other side of the door. The nickname I could do nothing about. Another thing I would have to overcome. I slowly opened the door and took in the old Marcus, who widened his eyes, frowned, and opened his mouth to say something, yet shut it again. He didn¡¯t like to see me in my veil. Well, if I had to get used to it, he would have to adapt quickly. I had forgotten what he was like back then. It was bittersweet to see him with long hair tied behind his head and a beard, dressed in a stylish summer kurta matched with off-white pants and sandals. No wonder I fell in love with him. He had an air about him.

    I was still going to be myself in a way¡­ So I bent down and kowtowed before him. Marcus laughed. I was trying desperately to hold in my own mirth. Maybe in three years, it wouldn¡¯t feel so strange anymore. My parents stared at me when I got up, ¡°Julie. What are you doing?¡± my dad asked.

    ¡°Greeting Marcus Ahmed¡­ Proper customs in the compound are expected.¡±

    Marcus¡¯s eyes hardened, and his lips pulled up in irritation. I went down again and lifted a hand. Marcus swore¡ªloudly. ¡°Julie, this isn¡¯t funny,¡± my dad reprimanded.

    I waited with my hand raised in the air. Inside, I was laughing so hard. I couldn¡¯t wait for my life to start. My compound life, letting Marcus have it his way, only one man to keep happy, a new beginning, and maybe even a path out of our current mess. The sex would be a problem for the year I was still ¡®maturing¡¯; I had to wait until I was sixteen. It would be my celibacy before I got married if Marcus still wanted me.

    ¡°You may speak, Julie,¡± my dad said with a raised tone.

    ¡°I would like to talk about my marriage in a year.¡±

    There was such silence in the room, although I couldn¡¯t see anyone because my forehead was on the floor¡ªanother thing I would have to get used to. I had to do all I could not to jump up and ruin it all. ¡®The way you feel right now is my life.¡¯ The words did not want to let me go. It was holding back every emotion. He was not even able to look at his own son. So angry at me when we fought about Soren. How difficult it was for him to accept the other men in my life.

    ¡°Julie, you may get up,¡± my dad said at last. The look on all their faces was one I knew would be there¡ªdisappointment. I had to endure it. My dad and mom would never get out of the compound. Marcus would have it both ways, and I was okay with my choice. He never had to know what my mind had been through. My sorrow for my losses would carry me through the years to come, subdue me, and let me turn into what Chris hated. ¡°Come sit, Marcus. It seems we all need to have a talk,¡± my dad pulled out his chair in irritation and plopped down. Marcus could not keep his eyes off me. I was deliberately avoiding eye contact. He was so discomposed; he was fidgeting; his hand was nervously rubbing over his mouth, through his hair, and two thumbs were twirling around one another on the table. My dad noticed, and he cocked an eyebrow when he looked at me, ¡°You may speak, Julie.¡±

    ¡°I want to prove myself this year. I know¡­ I have to be sixteen to get married. And if we are to live here, I want to make the best of it.¡±

    ¡°Julie, you said you didn¡¯t want to go into that house,¡± Liam said frankly. Marcus¡¯s eyes darted from my father to me.

    ¡°I have come to realize there actually can be worse houses, I suppose. It was only a thought or a realization. And you three can agree.¡±

    I waited. All three nodded.

    ¡°So¡­ I know I have to be sold at an auction,¡± I turned to my dad. I couldn¡¯t give away too much, ¡°With the way you and mom talk about Qadir¡­ there must be some history there?¡± I asked, pitching my voice.

    My dad nodded, ¡°You believe it would cause a problem with your auction. Julie, where did you hear about all of this?¡±

    ¡°I do apologize, Dad. I snooped and found the registry¡­ and some other documents¡­ in your room.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Julie,¡± my mom took my hand in sympathy.

    I was such a good liar. It would be the performance of a lifetime. I would never get bored. ¡°And I found my dress you¡¯re working on,¡± my mom smiled, ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful,¡± my mom squeezed my hand. They didn¡¯t even know there was a third planet, let alone would they be able to figure out the rest. I dared to look at Marcus. I would wait to hear what he would say. I had done as little as possible; maybe I could¡¯ve left it entirely. My parents followed my gaze. Marcus¡¯s mouth was gaping, and his head was in one hand. I hoped he was ready, but no, he was speechless. My dad thought it a good time to intervene, ¡°Maybe we can give Marcus some time to think about it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± I said like the adult I was, suddenly.

    Marcus¡¯s breath hitched. His eyes would have to accept what he wanted. It would be all about him. My dad stood up. I was not going to bow when my father got up; it would be too much. ¡°Marcus, I think you should go. Give us a month here. I will call you.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t even hear him. My dad touched his shoulder. I wondered if Ahasuerus would let him marry me. We would have to wait and see. Or if Rana pitched up or not. I would kill her in her sleep. Marcus got up, and I fell to the floor¡ªelegantly, of course. Marcus cussed again and stomped out the door. I waited, ¡°Juliet, for f¡ª sake, what is going on,¡± my dad exclaimed.

    I wanted to giggle¡ªget excited¡ªhowever, that would never happen again, not in public¡­ I was doing training¡ªconditioning myself; I would not need to go into a camp.

    I would govern myself.

    ¡°Get up,¡± my dad said.

    I did listen, ¡°Mom. I do feel like cake. Can I help you in the kitchen?¡±

    My dad swore as well and left the house. My mom watched him go and spun around. I yanked off my veil and laughed, ¡°Oh, Juliet! That was too naughty,¡± she smacked me lightly on the arm, ¡°Although I think you got your point across.¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°No¡­ Mom¡­ You have to listen to me!¡± I took her arms in my hands, ¡°I want to ask you a big favor.¡±

    Her eyes widened, ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°I need to see this through¡­¡± I said it slowly so it could sink in, pleading with my eyes, ¡°If we are staying here. If I am staying here¡­ It will be me and you, and I would need you.¡±

    My mom took my hand, ¡°You¡¯ve changed¡­ You want to¡­ conform? Juliet, what really happened?¡±

    ¡°I had a¡­ bad dream¡­ One where you wake up and it consumes you. It feels like you don¡¯t know what is real and what is not. I saw myself go down a path¡ª¡± Tears welled up in my eyes; my tongue wet my lips as I thought about how much we¡¯d been through.

    ¡°I understand,¡± she pulled me closer, ¡°I am sorry I didn¡¯t tell you everything or fight harder to not let your father go on the way he has.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± her grasp tightened around me, ¡°I miss you so much. And I will when I move out.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? You have no idea what it will be like!¡±

    The following sentence would be for Michael. He would be at the edge of his seat, or maybe back then, he wasn¡¯t¡ªI couldn¡¯t take the chance. ¡°I¡­ want¡­ Marcus¡­ You told me he is in love with me¡­ If I had to wait for him?¡±

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    My mom bobbed her head, ¡°The man is so self-controlled it sometimes scares me. You¡¯re right; Marcus needs the push.¡±

    ¡°I also manifested for the first time and had little control. I¡¯m not ready for him to see it.¡±

    My mom nodded, ¡°You would do anything for him? You want to do this for him?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I hoped my dad would not push through with the branding and ask me this time. I hoped my behavior would be enough all around. The only thing left was to wait and see what Qadir and Ahasuerus said or if he would come in there and take Marcus to En-gannim. Then another thought hit me, ¡°Mom. On the compound¡­ Do the first wives have a right to decline second marriages?¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± I breathed out the breath I was holding, ¡°The women get so fed up with their husbands they welcome it,¡± I bobbed my head, ¡°The one thing you would not be able to manage.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I laughed, ¡°Then¡­ I would have to think again.¡±

    My mom giggled, ¡°Let¡¯s go bake a cake. Chocolate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, please. And how does it work being fed every week?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. You will be fed by the end of the day. You ready to kill someone.¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°I thought it was all natural. I would have no control.¡±

    My mom smiled, ¡°You are growing up¡­ too fast.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I want my life to start. And it¡¯s only a year. I think this way is better.¡±

    ***

    Marcus

    When I walked out of the house, Kubra was waiting outside the car. His face seemed as confused as I was. How could he know what had happened? It was such a strange feeling I had. We were about to drive off when Liam came out of the house and slammed the door, walking down the road. He had been talking to me about the brandings. Still, after the change in Juliet¡¯s personality, it wouldn¡¯t be necessary anymore. Kubra watched me in the rearview mirror. I glanced up and met his eye, ¡°What? Spit it out.¡±

    ¡°You want to tell me why you came out after only ten minutes?¡±

    ¡°There is nothing to tell¡­ I don¡¯t even know what happened.¡±

    Kubra left it and drove me back to the house. We had so many meetings to attend, and I had canceled everything because I would¡¯ve spent the day with them. Now, I had to sit and think and digest what had happened. Juliet had taken off her veil for months. Liam even talked to me about marriage. Did he break through to her? My finger was tapping on the door handle, trying to make sense of Juliet¡¯s behavior. I would have to wait and see. Maybe she was playing a trick on us.

    The moment I stepped foot in the door, on my way to greet my mother and have a meal, my father called me to his study. He was waiting for me at the top of the stairs. I was too distracted to care. Why had she put the veil back on? I was getting so used to seeing her face. Her beautiful face made me want to get up every morning. She was so adamant about getting out of there and going to school¡ªrestless. I took the stairs one at a time, not looking up at my father, going into the room, and sitting down.

    ¡°Marcus!¡± Qadir¡¯s voice broke through to me; I sat up and paid attention, ¡°Hmm¡­ Kubra tells me you¡¯ve been going to Liam¡¯s house every day for months.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±

    ¡°What is going on?¡±

    ¡°He has a daughter.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ I didn¡¯t even know.¡±

    ¡°I think that was the point.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re so frank about it.¡±

    ¡°Liam approached me about making it official.¡±

    ¡°Why this chit?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know what to tell him. He knew Liam was different. I didn¡¯t know how much Qadir knew or how much Kubra had stabbed me in the back. I knew I was being watched. If Qadir decided to keep a closer eye on the Furrows, their world would become even smaller. I had arranged for the streets out there not to be patrolled at certain times so Juliet could jump her heart out, get to go into the street and walk around. Guessed, it wasn¡¯t necessary anymore; if she would conform, it wouldn¡¯t matter. If Qadir found out she was reading and Liam was schooling her, it would not be good; he would not like it.

    ¡°Marcus!¡±

    I sat up again, ¡°I saw her face,¡± I blurted out. It was all I could say to make it seem plausible. ¡°I went there to talk to him. A few times. Have a drink. Nothing more. It was an accident, and I have been going ever since.¡±

    ¡°I see. So it¡¯s about bedding her?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Nothing more. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been allowed out.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡± I thought I would roll out my chair, Qadir using the words, ¡®I understand.¡¯ ¡°You have not taken a wife. I have asked you many times.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir. I have been to so many auctions¡­ but¡­¡± I took a chance and said, ¡°Like you, I want what I want.¡±

    Qadir actually huffed/laughed, ¡°You know I have plans. If this is one thing I give you¡­ Will you follow without a word?¡±

    Oh, I knew it was too good to be true, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    Qadir got up to walk around, ¡°The auction? Is she so available? Will it be a bidding war?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Well, bring her to meet me, I want to see what she¡¯s like. And not in a month, mind you¡ªthis week.¡± I watched him with interest. How did he know it was a month. He turned his head to look at me over his shoulder. I got to my feet, bowed, and retreated before I got locked up again.

    The following day, I stopped outside their house; Juliet was not jumping. I had to shake my shoulders and prepare myself. Her bowing in front of me was not something I would get used to. It irked me. The¡­ gesture had put me off¡­ I hesitated to open the car door, wondering if I should be doing this. What the hell was going on? I could¡¯ve married any woman if Juliet would turn out to be the same as the rest. Was it her I wanted?

    Kubra opened the door for me, and I had to step out. Hesitantly, I took each paving stone at a snail¡¯s pace, my eyes on the ground. Liam opened the door.

    ¡°Hi.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Marcus. Anything wrong?¡±

    A sardonic chuckle escaped. Yes, a whole lot was wrong¡­ The sound aggravated me. My emotions were all over the place. I was not used to it at all. Juliet was the one who had to unsettle me, make me smile, and someday anger me, not making some decision about whether I wanted a compound wife. No talking. At home on her bed. For the next thousand years. Could I do it to her? She was so against it, fighting us at every turn.

    ¡°Marcus!¡± Liam scolded, just like my father. Why was everyone up in my business suddenly? ¡°Marcus!¡±

    ¡°No, nothing is wrong. My father wants to meet Juliet.¡±

    Liam let out a low hiss, ¡°Oh! Come in then; it seems both of us are on that train. You want to get off?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you in the next five minutes.¡±

    Liam laughed, ¡°That¡¯s better. There you are.¡±

    I had to chuckle again. It was true. Juliet was a train down a track, and there was no point in getting in her way. It did make me feel a little better; he was as conflicted as I was. If it was something Juliet really wanted. I stepped through the door, and her room door was closed. I quickly looked at Liam, ¡°She¡¯s been in there since yesterday.¡± Cindy came out of the kitchen without her veil on. I greeted her like always. I never cared about the veils. They knew how I handled it. Why would Juliet put it back on¡­ What happened in that house?

    ¡°Marcus, you want to sit down. Cindy, will you call Juliet for us.¡±

    Oh, how weird it was to hear him speak like that, treating Cindy more like a servant. I wanted to scream. Juliet usually opened the door for me, touched me, and took my hand for no reason. A whole year of this? A lifetime? I sat down absentmindedly. Her door opened, and she walked over and bowed again. I wouldn¡¯t swear again or make a scene¡ªa little more in control of myself¡ª yet I had not slept at all, and my teeth were chattering in an irritated manner. How could one kowtow put me off¡­ If she took off the veil, would it be different? ¡°Liam. Would you mind if I have a word with Juliet alone?¡±

    Just saying her name and not having the endearment grieved me, but calling her Julie at that moment felt so out of place. I was suddenly the one who wanted to run, propel down the gorge, and see if we could make it. The next thing was even weirder. Liam didn¡¯t ask for permission. ¡°Yes, of course. Juliet, get up and sit down.¡± Oh, how my heart ached. Like it never had before. It is what I wanted. Although having what you wished for¡­ might never be what you needed.

    Juliet did what she was told. Liam and Cindy walked out to the firepit and closed the door. You could see them. I didn¡¯t know if they could hear us.

    ¡°Will you take your veil off?¡±

    Juliet obeyed with a slight hesitancy in her hands, the tiniest pause you could¡¯ve missed. Our eyes met, and there was only tenderness in them. I clasped my hands. There was also a flicker of a smile for a second, and I swear if she was acting, I would¡­ No, I wouldn¡¯t; I rather hoped¡­ She would not talk without permission, and it took all my guts to say the following words, ¡°You may speak freely when I ask you questions.¡± I had to force out the words, clearing my throat. She bit the inside of her cheek, holding back a smile; I laughed out loud, breaking our eye contact and rubbing my hands frustratingly over my face.

    ¡°My father wants to meet you.¡± The light behind her eyes numbed, and I frowned in confusion. She nodded. ¡°He says this week. Not in a month. Do you want to?¡± I would always ask for permission when we were alone. She nodded again. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because¡­ you¡­ are enough.¡±

    The words had come so quickly and so out of nowhere; they floored me. My eyes closed, and my feelings consumed me. A heaviness. A relief. A knowing. Acceptance. She was trying. I would try, too, ¡°It¡¯s really all you had to say.¡±

    ¡°I love you, Marcus.¡±

    My eyes shot up to her face. She was so vulnerable and young, open and honest to a fault, one step ahead of me at every turn. I didn¡¯t know what to say. She would still be my Juliet in some ways, ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°My parents,¡± I bobbed my head.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to put it on indoors.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    My vision blurred as I batted away moisture and composed myself, taking a deep breath. She was giving herself to me in every way. I stood, wavering, and slowly went to sit next to her, holding out my hand.

    She looked at it for a long time¡­ ¡°Marcus¡­ I manifested for the first time on my birthday. I¡¯m still getting used to it¡­ and with it comes all the other aspects, including¡­ desire.¡± I blushed bright red¡ª felt the heat in my core and up into my cheeks. At two hundred and something, I was sitting across from my future for the first time. ¡°So if I have my veil on¡­¡± she looked down at my hand, ¡°Don¡¯t touch you¡­ That¡¯s the reason.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Julie.¡± Her eyes shot up and hardened in an instant at the endearment. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I made a mistake.¡±

    She took my hand and clasped it with both of hers, ¡°May I be excused?¡±

    I wanted to consume every part of her. Take it all back and rewind time. Whatever happened should not have happened. I desperately clutched onto her hand, my inner walls lamenting at the loss of a part of her; I forced myself to let go.

    Before she went into her room, she turned, ¡°This year is going to be the most difficult year of our lives¡­ I know it will be worth it.¡±

    ¡°F¡ª,¡± I got up quickly and left the house, quit it altogether, and made a run for the car. I at least heard her laughing while her door closed.

    I plummeted into the back seat, face down into the leather, ¡°Drive Kubra. He jumped out and closed the door, and we left.

    ***

    Ahasuerus

    Jabin came into my office. I glanced up quickly to see who it was and continued with my work. There were too many prisoners, and I had to think of something. Sending Qadir more of our people would put a strain on the compound; his plans were a few years away, and we both had to be patient.

    Jabin didn¡¯t say anything until I was done, ¡°Speak.¡¯

    ¡°There is a problem with Marcus.¡±

    My head slowly lifted, ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°He¡­¡± Jabin¡¯s mouth actually twitched. My head tilted, ¡°Marcus has chosen a wife.¡±

    ¡°Boy¡¯s lust finally got the better of him?¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t happen at an auction.¡±

    ¡°Show me.¡±

    Jabin waved the tube through the air. There was a condensed version of the last few days. I had Jabin pause every now and again during their conversation, and then I also smiled when he ran for the car.

    ¡°Do you remember how we were after a hundred years of celibacy¡­ Our first wives¡­ The chit is well-behaved for a young one¡­ A little direct¡­ He did give her consent to speak freely¡­ Who is she?¡±

    Jabin growled, ¡°Liam¡¯s daughter.¡±

    My head slowly came around to him, and we stood facing each other. ¡°No wonder! It¡¯s time I meet with Samuel and Qadir¡­ After the meeting at his house. Bring me a tube when they come. I want to see more of her history, too. Someone is educating her. She cannot be so¡­ something is afoot.¡±

    ¡°Yes, your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Who is her watcher?¡±

    ¡°Michael Heinz, some random human. Nothing out of the ordinary.¡±

    ¡°For now. If this goes through, he¡¯ll be promoted. Does Kubra know him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll make sure Samuel brings him in.¡±

    I bobbed my head and cleaned my teeth with a black nail, thinking, and before he could leave, I said, ¡°Jabin, set up a meeting with Avrio,¡± he bowed and left.

 221. Heart Drop

    221. Heart Drop

    Juliet

    Meditating wasn¡¯t so bad, channeling every thought into subjection; it was all I could do, sitting on my bed the whole day. My father had not spoken to me all week¡ªLiam was struggling something fierce. Inwardly, I laughed at him; he didn¡¯t know how to get Marcus to brand me if I was going to be the model of propriety. I had to give a little too much at certain times to make my point come across to my father, and with my mom backing me and putting her foot down, it had been even more challenging for him. He couldn¡¯t be a problem in the future; I didn¡¯t want to do this again; each one of them would only get one shot to make us work. I giggled at my silliness. Rana was my only opposition now. If Ahasuerus didn¡¯t like me, he would send for Marcus. Chris was already Married. I rolled my eyes¡ªmy thoughts were too busy; meditating was agonizing when you had so much to think about.

    The knock came, and my mom opened my door, ¡°Juliet, it¡¯s time.¡±

    I got up and bowed when I saw Marcus. Every time I did it, he would hold his breath. How would he cope? ¡°You can get up, Juliet,¡± my dad said. It was a new routine for everyone, even for me. I had to focus the whole time, bite my lips together under my veil so I didn¡¯t say something I shouldn¡¯t, and dig my nails into my palms when my hands itched to take a beer from the fridge.

    Marcus headed for the front door and held out his hand for me to walk first. I didn¡¯t move. He did that neck thing that men do to display¡­ I don¡¯t know, frustration. He turned and walked first, went around the car, and sat in the front with Kubra. I had to open my own door and close it myself; it was a small thing Marcus was adamant about when we were still on Earth, and he was irritatingly looking over his shoulder to see if I was in the car.

    I¡¯d seen the compound and all its hidden features so many times¡ªknew the place better than any other¡ªyet, I couldn¡¯t help appreciating it all over¡ªso many memories were left behind there. All I had to do was think about Louis when I wanted to scream, and I had total control of myself. On the one hand, he was suffering, and on the other, I still had to hear him speak to me the way he did.

    It was quiet all the way to Qadir¡¯s estate. A servant opened the door. All the women were on the floor. I walked in behind the men. Qadir came out of a room, and I bowed down, face on the ground. ¡°Get up.¡± I did and kept my head down. Agatha was there; would it be the same day one of the maids would be caught stealing.

    I was quiet the whole dinner. Qadir didn¡¯t say one word, and neither did anyone else. The servant came in; Marcus faltered and then hesitated. He looked over at me when Qadir gave his stupid speech about household management and got up. He ordered us to follow. It was the same process. I didn¡¯t even twitch, and Qadir turned to me afterward. He stepped closer and pulled off my veil. I had not manifested or cared; nonplus expression and eyes to the ground. He took my chin in his hand and turned my face this way and that. Marcus was cleaning his hands, eyes on us. The woman¡¯s arm was being seared, and she screamed and manifested and passed out. I didn¡¯t even blink. I was surely going to get my prize this time. Qadir spoke, ¡°She¡¯s so docile¡­ And a looker¡­ How did your father manage to let go of his¡­ scruples? Seems like Liam is finally coming around¡­ I wonder if you would give her to me?¡±

    Again, I didn¡¯t even flinch or swallow. Qadir let me go and stood staring down at me. I did what I had to¡ªI fell to the floor. He had asked Marcus, it wasn¡¯t my test. Marcus calmly lodged the blade into the wood, ¡°Yes, Sir. You do rule.¡± Oh, Marcus, you¡¯re the better player. Don¡¯t let him rattle you because if he did choose to make me his wife¡ªyou¡¯d rip him to pieces.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t mind if I took her upstairs right now and got it out of my system? Heard how you reacted the last time you were with her. She have some hold over you?¡±

    ¡°No, only a chit to curb my lust.¡± Inwardly, I chuckled¡ªat the insult. ¡°Think it¡¯s time I took a wife. If you want to do all you want to do. I would need to be at my best.¡±

    Qadir chuckled, ¡°I think this is an excellent thing. You finally have something to bend for.¡± I heard something but couldn¡¯t make it out. Qadir said, ¡°That is very good, Marcus. You waste a lot of time being locked up when you misbehave.¡±

    Qadir left the room, and I waited, ¡°Get up, Juliet. Time to go home. Kubra, if you will.¡± Unperturbed, I got up and saw Marcus coming up off his knees, my chest steady as a rock. Agatha was in the corner with her head on the floor¡ªher heart¡ªwas going a million miles a minute. Marcus walked over and took her arm.

    In the car, Kubra ignored me as he should have. I thought he would try to talk to me when we were alone. I felt terrible even considering this life as the way out of our current issues. Kubra would never know Charlene, and neither would he and I have the relationship we had. We would be giving up so much¡­ In the end, I was sure it would be better than everyone dying. Michael going through all he had to go through. Chris would go home eventually; I would make it happen one way or another. I had so much to keep myself busy with.

    ***

    Ahasuerus

    ¡°Can you imagine¡­ if this girl was in one of our camps for a hundred years? How old is she?¡±

    ¡°Fifteen.¡±

    ¡°A whole year! How will Marcus make it?¡±

    The door opened, and Samuel and Qadir were on the threshold. Samuel walked right up to me and didn¡¯t scruple to greet me as the friends we were. I was not so angry at him anymore and hugged him back. Could not forget the way we grew up together. At camp. In the army and after taking wives and ruling the court for some time before I had to take over.

    Qadir was on the floor waiting to be released, ¡°Get up. Let¡¯s sit down.¡±

    Samuel smiled and waited, ¡°You don¡¯t know why you¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°I know everything,¡± I had to laugh, ¡°My niece. She is not that beautiful for nothing. Give her a few years. Some children. She will be even more ravishing.¡±

    ¡°Your brother onboard with this?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Liam likes Marcus. He knows she is not indifferent to the man. I think that is the only thing that could prevent us Furrows from taking¡ª¡±

    ¡°Offence,¡± we both laughed, ¡°I have one problem, Samuel.¡±

    ¡°Is it Avrio?¡±

    ¡°How do you know everything before I even say it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been here longer than you have,¡± we both laughed again.

    ¡°By two days.¡±

    ¡°If I have a solution,¡± he ventured, ¡°Will you permit my niece to first rights? She has her heart set on being a first wife.¡±

    ¡°Aiming high here is an understatement. She does not even know who she¡¯s marrying. Will she be a good wife?¡±

    ¡°The Ahmeds never cared where their wives came from. You married solely not to have any political alliances. Why would you want Marcus to have to deal with Avrio and Ian for the rest of his life? It would be better if he had a wife from Earth.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, of course¡­ I am done fighting, Sam. I¡¯m tired. I want Marcus to come back. When he¡¯s done with all Qadir wants to do.¡±

    ¡°And then you¡¯ll be one big happy family.¡±

    ¡°Precisely. Unless¡ª¡± I looked at my son. I still had anger towards the boy. He killed his brothers in his youth¡ªtwo hundred is a challenging hundred years for us. ¡°Unless you have changed your mind?¡±

    ¡°No, Father. I want Earth, and it is more than I deserve. I have raised Marcus for you, and I am sure he will only bring you honor.¡±

    ¡°I still can¡¯t get over this... child! Jabin, play the files.¡±

    The last year is played out, and she plagues Marcus to send her to school. He allows her to walk over him. She talks to him like a man would. I stood up. She talks about periods, and her parents ask her about Marcus, telling her he is in love with her. My fingers dug into my hands. And then they talk about going into Qadir¡¯s house and how she would never even consider it. I looked over at my son to see his reaction; Qadir was fuming. And then she shows him her face like it was a game. She was nothing more than a spoilt human child wanting to get out of the compound. A few clips later, she wakes up and puts her veil on. A low growl escaped my lips, ¡°Samuel! Explain!¡±

    He waved his hands in the air, and the following clip played, ¡°A dream. Samuel, you¡¯re going to stake the next Monarch of En-gannim on a dream.¡±

    Samuel got up, ¡°Ahasuerus, I think it¡¯s time we talk in private.¡±

    ¡°Out.¡±

    The room cleared, ¡°Swatches.¡±

    ¡°Bring her here immediately!¡±

    ¡°Easy now¡­ we have a year. Marcus doesn¡¯t even know. If¡­ if she came back. Don¡¯t you think there is f¡ªing good reason?¡±

    I felt like I had to punch something, ¡°How will we get it around Qadir?¡±

    ¡°I hoped you would¡¯ve met with me first. Now we have to watch all of them.¡±

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Stay on top of this. And put tech on my son¡­ I¡¯ll have to bring him in on this.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±

    ¡°Oh, get out of here,¡± he was almost at the door, ¡°Sam! How is Louis doing?¡±

    The man¡¯s countenance fell, and his fingers played nervously with the little black tube in his hand. I held out my mine, and he placed it down, ¡°I don¡¯t know if you want to see it.¡±

    Sam left and all the tube showed was Louis nesting. I looked at the door. What was wrong with that? He was two hundred years old; it was about time the two of them got on with their lives. Then the feed played of him sleeping with Jacklin. I tossed the thing against the wall, and the feed stopped. I walked out and didn¡¯t go back to work for a few days.

    ***

    Marcus

    The following year passed tolerably quickly. Juliet had asked very politely that I come more than once a month as was customary. She felt there were small details she needed help with, and Liam wasn¡¯t going to do it for her. I understood immediately. Liam¡¯s deplorable upbringing had put her at a disadvantage to the small things that could get her¡­ maimed if she didn¡¯t know them. I was also afraid Juliet would make a mistake at one point, that the old Juliet would not be able to handle all she was expecting of herself. Regardless of my fears, Juliet mainly stayed in her room; she wasn¡¯t jumping or talking as much as she used to. Her reading room time had stopped, and even Soren had asked where she was. I had no idea where she was, but we were both committed. I had taken her books every month, and it seemed like the only thing that could bring a smile to her face. Soren and I were busy all the time trying to find something she would like. Juliet had also, a few days after my father gave his consent, asked if she could hand me something. I had no idea what it could be. I unrolled the papers and paused for a moment. I blushed again. There was a small laugh behind the veil, and I bit my lip between my teeth, ¡°And this needs to be¡ª¡±

    ¡°Glass.¡±

    ¡°This is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Big trees. The bigger, the better. I would need a place to¡­ uhm walk¡­ If that¡¯s okay with you.¡±

    I bobbed my head and stood up, leaving before I did something stupid. Of course, it was okay! She was planning her own confinement and making it still special in a way. It would really be only the two of us locked away and alone.

    I was swamped finishing our house and had stocked my room with so many books she would have a hard time finishing them in her lifetime. Soren had helped me with all the tiny details of how to make a home more accessible for a woman. I think he had put more thought into it than her.

    Juliet¡¯s auction was on her sixteenth birthday. It was common knowledge she was spoken for, and yet, I was nervous. How much money would my father pay for the chit? I had to laugh. Wondered what she had thought about me speaking like that about her. I had been a nervous wreck when the servant came in and told Qadir a maid had been caught stealing. Juliet handled the situation so well, while I had to reconcile¡ªagain¡ªwith who and what I saw was still the real Juliet. Every now and then, my mind would rebel against my wants. All Qadir had to ask was if I would mind if he slept with her. If he had so much as moved, I would¡¯ve killed him.

    My mother had been a mess of anticipation about what might happen. We couldn¡¯t speak to each other afterward, but she patted my hand and went to her room, ¡°Mum,¡± she turned, ¡°Are you disappointed in my choice? In me?¡± She shook her head and slowly took the stairs up. I felt like a failure all around. Agatha probably thought Qadir had finally broken me. Liam had also changed, and there was a shift in the way they were around me after the day my father gave consent.

    Liam had brought Juliet alone the night of the auction. I had prepared myself for what she would look like. Nothing could have prepared me for what she looked like. It had been the most painstaking thing I had ever done. Above the repeated waves of lust I had to curb for a whole year, Juliet handled everything the compound could throw at her better than me. She never once looked up from the floor. When Lucius came over, she was a stone statue of propriety and decorum. He had kissed her hand and even turned her wrist, but there was not even a flicker on her countenance¡ªno disgust, thus no challenge for the man. Liam had offered her a glass of champagne, which she declined¡ªso I also didn¡¯t drink. On the podium, she stood with her shoulders slumped, and the bidding wasn¡¯t what I thought it would be. She had played her part to perfection. Qadir had doubled down early on, and Lucius¡¯s father was rather upset, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. I wondered what had happened for Qadir to be so amenable to the whole affair and where he got the funds. Liam would have a pretty penny to invest or do with what he wanted.

    The wedding was scheduled for three days later. It was nothing more than men gathering and drinking. That night, I couldn¡¯t say no, and I had to play the part of a man getting what he wanted. My skin crawled every moment, and for the first time, I doubted myself. Was this really what I wanted. How could I be okay with doing this to her?

    I waited till late the night to walk back and up the lane. My heart was beating out of my chest; I didn¡¯t know what would happen. I fumbled to open the red gates and closed them again. I had not drunk anything since the night Liam, Cindy, and I got wasted years ago. It was a struggle to walk all the way to my room. It was empty. I looked back, and the door between our rooms stood open. Juliet was waiting on the edge of the bed. Even in my drunkenness, my heart dropped¡ªthinking about her made my whole world stop. Juliet had sat there for hours, waiting for me.

    I took in what she looked like. She sat dressed in some creation of underwear, all black. Her hair was down, and her eyes were smokey, capturing mine with an intensity I didn¡¯t think I would ever see. The old Juliet was back because we were alone, and I was okay again. I had to steady myself on the door pane, ¡°I¡¯m a little drunk.¡±

    Juliet laughed, got up, and helped me to her bed over the little bridge she wanted. It was pretty. I had enjoyed getting used to the place and fantasizing about making it easier on both of us.

    We stood in front of the bed, our eyes fixed on the others. She was so young. Why could she not wait? A few more years. Make it at least humanly possible¡­ ¡°I feel like I¡¯m violating you.¡±

    ¡°Like I would let you.¡±

    It was all she had to say. She had to push up on her toes a bit to get to my lips, and I don¡¯t know if I was that drunk, but it didn¡¯t feel like it was her first time. Juliet pushed me on the bed and had me undressed and writhing in a few minutes. I had passed out after she had gone down on me with¡­ uncanny precision of what I liked.

    I slept for a while and woke up in an unfamiliar room, somewhat confused. Juliet was next to me naked, and I bolted up. Not a stranger¡¯s room¡­ her room. I dared to touch her. She moaned, ¡°You more sober now?¡±

    ¡°Uh hu.¡±

    ¡°Am I that beautiful?¡±

    ¡°More than you¡¯ll ever know.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± she turned on her side and shoved her ass against my already-ready cock.

    ¡°Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Mar¡­ cus.¡±

    I wanted to say something. She turned around quickly and put her hand on my mouth, ¡°I know you¡¯ll be gentle with me. I am ready for whatever might come. Please don¡¯t hold back because you think I am too young. You should enjoy me.¡±

    Her other hand closed around my hard length, stroking. I got on top of her. My lips lowered onto hers, and she kissed me so passionately. It felt like it had happened a million times already. She couldn¡¯t get enough of me; her body quivered at my touch until she was shaking. Her heart had not skipped a beat when my father cut off a woman¡¯s arm, but I made her unsettled, ¡°Are you okay? Should I stop?¡±

    ¡°It will always be like this. You make me¡ª¡± She took my hand and pushed it between her legs. I dared to enter her, watching myself slide into her too effortlessly. My eyes shot up to her face. Juliet¡¯s back arched¡ªwaiting.

    In the morning, we woke up together and in each other¡¯s arms. I had watched her till she stirred and smiled at me. I wanted to say something, and she placed her hand on my mouth again and leaned in, ¡°Manifest.¡± I did, and her voice was barely a whisper, ¡°I think¡­ we need to be very careful. Regardless of being alone. In¡­ moderation, of course.¡±

    I frowned¡ªmy mind racing. It was like I was the child, and Juliet had some knowledge of things I didn¡¯t even understand. There was no way it was her first time¡­ All the little things that had happened during that year. Kubra knew about things even before I did. Qadir¡¯s sudden knowledge of my life made it seem as if I was watched all the time, and she knew. ¡°Juliet¡±

    ¡°Please, Marcus.¡± Juliet threw her leg over my hip, her arm around my chest, snuggling as close as she could get. If I tried to move, she would keep me there. When I wanted to speak, she tightened her hold on me. After an hour, my body relaxed against hers, and only after another could I get up and pretend, ¡°Very well, come breakfast time.¡±

    Juliet jumped out of bed and wanted to get dressed, ¡°Not necessary. It¡¯s quite safe.¡±

    She hesitated and, with reluctance, asked, ¡°No one?¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°Not allowed.¡± She smiled and reached out for my hand. I couldn¡¯t even ask her what was wrong. How could she think I would allow anyone near her.

    Juliet was busy in front of the stove making us breakfast, and I was reading. I wanted to get up and help her so badly¡ªall I could do was peek at her dressed in nothing but an apron. She served and waited. I smiled, ¡°Sit down, please,¡± she giggled and dove into her food as if it were her last meal.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could cook. Thought we would need to get a servant.¡±

    The bite she was about to take stopped halfway to her mouth, and she paused. The old Juliet would have had a lot to say about my remark. I missed her in some ways. It was like I would never really see that vibrant creature lurking beneath the surface. Juliet put her fork down, and a tear rolled over her cheek. I got up and lifted her into my arms. She was so tiny. Only a child. What was I thinking? If I didn¡¯t watch my tongue, it would be harder for her to curb every retort, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. It was in bad taste.¡±

    She shook her head and wanted to drag my mouth onto hers¡ªa knock at the gate startled us both; our heads flung to the offending door. She jumped off and ran for the room. I shook my head and cursed whoever would interfere in our first two days. I pulled on some pants and walked down as is. Qadir had even said he didn¡¯t want to see me for a few days. I walked past Juliet¡¯s room, and she was seated at the edge, fully veiled. I shook my head again (looked like something I would do a lot), walking barefoot down the corridor. It was Kubra and Jessy. ¡°We have takeout.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Because she is so young¡­ you know. Need to keep them fed, or they go off the rails.¡±

    Flashes of the previous night made me laugh. I kinda liked her hungry. ¡°I had not even thought about it. Thank You.¡±

    ¡°Compliments from your father and a note for the missus.¡±

    ¡°Come in. Put them in the kitchen.¡± I knocked on the door, ¡°Juliet, come out and eat.¡± She opened the door with her veil on, ¡°Takeout.¡±

    Juliet froze in puzzled amazement when she saw Jessy. He was busy joking with Kubra. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. This is Jessy¡­ Jessy, come introduce yourself.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know the procedure for guards,¡± she whispered. I smiled. So that was her issue.

    ¡°A nod will do.¡± Her heart was accelerating again. Jessy stood before her and went on a knee in front of me. ¡°My wife.¡± Juliet nodded and held her breath. Kubra looked at me, as baffled as I was. We had talked about it many times but couldn¡¯t come up with an explanation of Juliet¡¯s change in personality in the course of one day. Jessy held out the note to her. She looked at me, ¡°Take it,¡± she hesitated but took it. ¡°Open it.¡± Juliet¡¯s eyes quickly scanned the lines, and her hand covered her mouth. She burst out laughing. I held out my hand for the note; she pushed it against her breast, ¡°Juliet. Give it here.¡± She laughed some more and couldn¡¯t contain her glee; suddenly, she bolted across the yard and jumped into the pool. ¡°Out!¡± The two men shuffled out quickly, looking at her drifting in the water. I stood at the edge, ¡°Now the note is ruined. What did it say?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to catch me first.¡± She flung the wet, drenched paper in her hand up in the air, ¡°Come on. You have to indulge me. I am only a child. You wanted to get married to a young girl. What too much for you?¡±

    I dove straight in and pulled her under the water, ripping off the veil.

    It was strange over the next few years. She would let go and show me a tiny bit of that attitude I knew she had to overcome, and every time I reminded myself of the girl who called me an ¡°ignorant ass.¡±

 222. Thirty Five Percent

    222. Thirty Five Percent

    Juliet

    After Marcus and I consummated our wedding night, I relaxed tenfold. It was such a weight off my shoulders, knowing there were not going to be any Damians waiting for me. The very next day, Ahasuerus sent me the note.

    Juliet

    With Compliments

    Take Care Of Him

    A.

    I was so happy he knew and had figured it out in some way and given me his blessing. If¡­ and only if this timeline worked out, I would be glad to do it, but we still had a long way to go.

    It took us two years, and I was pregnant. Another year, we had our baby. My parents came over regularly. My mom and Agatha got along and were involved in our everyday lives. As soon as Agatha met with Liam and Cindy alone at our house for the first time, it seemed she accepted that their plans were not going to work out. I guessed they had all hoped the branding would set them all free, and Agatha had a lot more riding on the outcome. Marcus wasn¡¯t there anymore to check if Qadir beat his mother; strangely, she never seemed hurt. I saw her every day, and I guessed Qadir had too much planning to do. Agatha was also behaving a little better, especially after she heard I was pregnant. My mom and my mother-in-law suddenly had a common goal.

    I was nineteen, and the time had flown by. Qadir had steered clear, and there were never any men in the house besides Jessy and Kubra, who I trusted with my life. It would be the year Qadir launched his world domination campaign. I wondered if Rodrigo was down in the tunnels. Most of all, I wanted to see him. I was sure no one had told Marcus anything of En-gannim yet. It would be Chris and Sita¡¯s fourth year of marriage, and I wondered with a smile on my face if she had driven him mad yet and wished I could ask Warden to send me his feed. I was laughing lightly, thinking about how I could sneak out and somehow get to Kubra¡¯s tech and ask Warden for it.

    ¡°Why are you laughing?¡±

    Oh, my true life seemed thousands of miles away. I couldn¡¯t believe I was somewhere on a floor and Caleb was waiting for me. I missed them so much it hurt. All of them. And I still had to go through it three, maybe four more times. I didn¡¯t know if it was worth it. What Soren had done had become a distant memory, and the only thing keeping me there was Louis¡­ A tear rolled down my cheek.

    ¡°Are you pregnant again?¡± I laughed so hard. It was wonderful to only be with Marcus. All the stress and pain were gone, and only the freedom to make my own choices.

    Michael had never again sent me anything for my birthday, not even the poem that linked us together. I swiped more tears away, thinking of his grey eyes and me up against a desert wall. Although I knew Michael and Ahasuerus were still watching because the tech was the same as it was back in the house in France, I didn¡¯t mind. No one knew about my ability yet; I¡¯d not even told my parents or Marcus. If I needed to intervene a little at some point, I would. Many times, I got lost in my thoughts, like at that moment, missing everyone I had left in my other life. Marcus would want to ask me what was going on; a few times, he almost didn¡¯t go through with the pretense.

    One night, we were due to have dinner at the main house. Qadir had taken a new wife, and the women were helping her get ready. I walked over the threshold and looked up. Isla was being dressed in a creation for her auction. My mom was busy pinning and folding materials in strategic places. My first sign of anger flared up. In four years, I had been the model of all En-gannim deemed necessary in their women. Yet, I had no control over losing the ability to govern myself; what Soren and Isla had done rolled me around in disgusting waves of dirty, mirky ocean water filled with trash and refuse. My black nails were out, and through the slit, you could see the manifestation so clearly. It was not allowed. Agatha jumped when she realized and pulled me into a room, closing the door and leaving me alone.

    I dug my nails into my hands, thinking how stupid I was, boasting how the past was a distant memory. Ahasuerus and Michael would see it. I closed my eyes and willed myself not to disappear. A knock came, and I dropped my manifestation and pulled my veil straight. Qadir was waiting outside the door. They were swift; did Michael have a direct line to the man. I fell to the floor. ¡°Get up and come with me.¡±

    I did and followed him, shuffling so he knew where I was so he didn¡¯t need to turn around. My hands clasped in front of me, I walked into the room and headed for the corner. Qadir laughed. The sound was so foreign; I¡¯d never heard him even genuinely laugh before. I snapped out of it and looked around me for a reason why the man in front of me would actually find something funny. I checked myself and sighed, dropping my shoulders. I had followed En-gannim customs and not Earth¡¯s. ¡°No matter. Come tell me what is wrong with Isla.¡±

    I dropped down to talk, ¡°Nothing. She¡¯ll make an excellent wife.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Positive.¡±

    ¡°Good. You may go.¡±

    I guessed Isla¡¯s consequence was being married to Qadir. There is no possibility of anyone getting off the compound anymore. I had set the example of going into that house. However, Isla didn¡¯t know the two hundred meters separating me from her would be a lifetime. I wondered what had happened to change her mind. I backed out and stopped inside the doorway. He noticed I wasn¡¯t moving. If they thought it was swatches¡­ permanent and didn¡¯t know I was in a room, ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Consequences.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I will keep her under surveillance.¡± Good, I didn¡¯t want them to know, not yet anyway.

    I shuffled out and didn¡¯t go to the dressing room but to another small parlor where females were allowed to sit on a chair and wait in absolute quiet silence. There were a few others who came and went. No talking. I missed talking. I was always talking. All I had left was thinking.

    Later, the knock came, and I followed Agatha to the dining room. I didn¡¯t understand why the first wives were supposed to be there. Customs were not meant to be understood, I guessed. We were one course into the meal, and I had picked up my water; taking a sip made me lift my eyes for a moment. Agatha¡¯s heart was racing; the cause, my uncle, walked through the door. With my veil still lifted, I sputtered the sip of water I had taken over my chin. Qadir laughed, and I had to take another second to appreciate the sound. It was so surreal to see Qadir with any emotion other than utter disdain for everyone. If I had known a live-acting performance would get him to loosen up, I might have done it sooner.

    ¡°Juliet,¡± my uncle said with a smile on his face. Oh, that is how they knew why I changed so drastically; I had someone in my corner. I got up and fell to the floor; every time, I walked over elegantly, bowed in ceremony, and waited.

    ¡°Get up,¡± Qadir said to Agatha and me.

    I wondered if Sam would even talk to Agatha¡ªhe didn¡¯t. When I stood up, my eyes were on the ground, and we shuffled back to our seats.

    ¡°Louis, why don¡¯t you sit here.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    His voice. My heart stopped dead. I looked at Marcus in alarm, feeling guilty. He was so aware, almost hyper-vigilant, of his surroundings; even if I twitched, he would¡¯ve known. He met my eye in confusion. Crap, I made a mistake¡ªanother one¡ªhow many was it now¡ªthree.

    My first thought was about Louis in our car and me staring at his mouth and... I shook myself, grabbed Agatha¡¯s hand under the table, and squeezed nervously. She gestured twice in return. It was a little thing we had for yes and no and other small communications, particularly for an emergency. Louis couldn¡¯t find out. Agatha stood to her feet; my fear of what might happen to her was enough to make me also stand. I nervously glanced at Qadir, whose head lifted slowly; the spoon on its way to his mouth stopped midair. It was not at all allowed to stand in a man¡¯s presence without consent. Qadir¡¯s mouth gaped, ¡°Have you gone wholly mad, woman?¡±

    Samuel stood up in our defense, ¡°Agatha, you and Juliet are excused.¡± He gave Qadir a look and nudged at Louis. Qadir sighed and put the spoon to his lips; he went on as if nothing happened. Yes, I liked Qadir way more in this life. I met clear oceanic eyes quickly and sang in my mind. Louis smiled down at me. All I could think was the f¡ª word in succession, multiple times. He laughed, and Agatha half dragged me out of the room, not caring about the fact that we left without the rigmarole. I didn¡¯t stay to reassure her or walk down the stairs¡ªI ran away. I had stuffed up; my mistakes had been¡­ too many. Not in a million years did I think Louis would ever be at the compound. I was so stupid. Did I not say he would find me in some way. Where else would we meet? I had pictured in a hundred years maybe on En-gannim. I stopped halfway down the lane, circling myself. ¡°I need help. I need help,¡± I whispered, ¡°I need help right now.¡± My uncle came walking down the stairs. He had luckily followed me. I ran and ran into his arms. He caught me, ¡°Oh, Samuel. Tell me Louis isn¡¯t marrying Isla.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he let me go and glanced around in a fearful, jerky movement. I had forgotten he had never met me or about the customs I had drilled into myself. He walked ahead of me so I could trail behind. The tears were uncontrollable. It had been four years since I had seen Louis, Chris, or Michael. Why did I have to go back and fix things? I had become so accustomed to crying without making a sound, holding it in. Once inside the red gates, I followed into the first open door. Sam didn¡¯t really know what to do. I walked into his arms, and as if on instinct, he sat down and cradled me. The four years of continually working myself to the bone without reprieve had broken down in one second. I cried for a while to let it all out, glad I had at least three people there with me; maybe four if you counted Qadir¡¯s participation.

    I got up and paced, ¡°What is he doing here?¡± I pulled off my veil and flung it to the floor. ¡°I was doing so well. What the hell is he doing here? What are you doing here? I thought you¡¯re not allowed on compound soil.¡±

    ¡°Juliet,¡± my uncle chuckled. I looked at him. I clapped my hand over my mouth, ¡°You have a bit of an advantage over us.¡±

    I took a deep breath, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m okay. Let me drain someone.¡±

    Sam stuck his head out the door and hollered, ¡°Jessy.¡±

    ¡°Did Jessy see me lose my s¡ª?¡± I asked nervously. If four years were down the drain, I would lose it.

    ¡°No matter, he is discreet. I hear it¡¯s not the first time you¡¯ve done something; no one knows why you did it¡­ Like asking for a gun!¡±

    I laughed. It had been a day when we were in the market, and I had bumped into Soren, ¡°You know¡­ I could do with some Orija.¡±

    My uncle laughed again, ¡°Oh, how curious I am.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± my voice quivered, and more tears welled up. I dug my fingers into my sockets to make it stop.

    ¡°That bad?¡±

    ¡°Worse. Never ask, and be happy we get a do-over¡­ It¡¯s what I¡¯m telling myself.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ you know everything?¡±

    ¡°I know how to connect the core power of the teleporters and how to get it out of someone. I know about Chris. I know about the stone around Brylee¡¯s neck...¡± My uncle got up and paced with me. ¡°Yes... You don¡¯t even know what the stone does¡­ So I think¡­ I know everything. Tell Ahasuerus not to mess with Iku and get him to his wife... Or help that Palmyrian b¡ª. Oh yeah. She¡¯s Louis¡¯s mother, so, by the way.¡±

    Samuel stopped pacing abruptly as we passed each other and gripped my shoulders, ¡°What did you say?¡±

    ¡°Noya is Brylee.¡± My uncle let me go, sat down, and laughed again.

    We heard hurried footfalls on the path, silence, and then they slowed coming up the walkway. My uncle scrambled and handed me the veil. Marcus flung open the door and took in the scene. Jessy was bringing in the person, and I gave a lame excuse for postpartum issues and thirst. ¡°You going to introduce me?¡± Marcus said flatly.

    ¡°Oh,¡± I fell to the floor.

    Marcus sighed. ¡°Samuel Furrow. Get up, Juliet.¡±

    I stood and lowered my head. Marcus looked from me to him. ¡°My father¡¯s cousin is here.¡± I had to bite my lip. ¡°The man with Samuel. My uncle.¡±

    I wasn¡¯t going to laugh, although I wanted to burst out laughing; the absurdity of the situation was getting to me... It had been a trying ten minutes. Samuel was going to have to work very hard to keep everyone happy and intervened quickly, ¡°Yes, he came with me to the wedding. He is looking for a wife.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Well, that explains it, then,¡± Marcus said sarcastically, ¡°Nice to meet you at last.¡± My husband was not fooled, and the tick in his jaw was back.

    ¡°You too, Marcus¡­ Do you mind if we stay a few nights.¡± I fell to the floor. ¡°We will stay in the main house. We can¡¯t stay here, woman. Marcus¡­ maybe a good time to take a few days off,¡± Samuel said as he left us alone, ¡°I¡¯ll come see you again, Juliet.¡±

    I lifted a hand. Jessy was still in the room, and to keep up appearances, there was constant back and forth. ¡°Speak. Who is he, Juliet?¡± Jessy closed the door, and I viciously broke the guy¡¯s neck and sunk my teeth in. Marcus took a step back, ¡°Do I need to be worried?¡±

    I was going to ignore him until I could compose myself. I didn¡¯t think having fewer men in my life would make Marcus¡¯s jealousy suddenly worse than mine. I had to be careful. I finished and cleaned my face, ¡°Nobody. I only know he can read minds. It¡¯s a bit intrusive. Didn¡¯t want him to go poking.¡± I gripped my head, pounding too much all at once. I sat down with my head between two fingers, pressing into my temples, ¡°Mar¡­ cus. Please.¡±

    ¡°How do you know him, Juliet?¡±

    ¡°Registry. I asked my father about the whole family of Qadir and why he wasn¡¯t on the compound.¡±

    ¡°And?¡±

    ¡°They know he has an ability. It¡¯s a bit dangerous, don¡¯t you think.¡±

    Marcus wasn¡¯t stupid; how would he manage, having to ask only enough and letting go before I had to be rude? Not to push me too far. I knew things, not even he knew; it had to be aggravating. ¡°What is it you have to hide?¡±

    Hold your tongue, Juliet. Don¡¯t be snippy, ¡°Naked pictures of you.¡±

    Marcus laughed, ¡°Okay, fine. You are only nineteen, and given Liam¡¯s deplorable upbringing, I¡¯ll let it go¡­ If you promise, that¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°I promise,¡± inside, I continued saying for this lifetime anyway.

    ¡°You know I am very jealous.¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± my voice trembled as tears sprang to my eyes. What would¡¯ve been the point of me giving it all to Marcus if he still had doubts about why he was there. ¡°I am, too. It goes both ways. I promise.¡± I whispered, unable to talk, and the human didn¡¯t even want to take away any of the brain fog bombarding me after seeing Louis. Four years have been too long; it wasn¡¯t like we could reconcile.

    ¡°Get up and show me.¡±

    I never had to even try. It was like second nature with Marcus. My body had a way with him¡ªno one would ever understand. Once his hands were on me. Once his lips touched mine, I was swept away with desire. Unless he did something stupid, which he had not. I took off the veil. Marcus slowly walked forward, wiped away my tears, and seemed remorseful seeing the many emotions on my features. He leaned down and waited. I closed the distance violently. His arms came around my waist and picked me up, ¡°You have a headache.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m already there.¡± I ended up in his arms on his bed, blissfully unaware of any more pain, stress, or fear.

    Isla¡¯s wedding went on for a few days, which meant Marcus came home a few times drunk. I didn¡¯t mind and was happy in my own little world. Naji was with the nursemaid, and Marcus was still at the main house. ¡°Hmm hmm hmmm¡­ hmmm hmmm hmm¡­ Look in my eyes...¡± I sang the song plaguing me... ¡°Do you fear the time that comes¡­ And who wants to live forever...¡±

    ¡°Who said we¡¯d live forever?¡±

    I had gotten myself under control and could manage the man. My uncle had sent me someone to drain every day. It was the first time I would see Louis after my disappointing performance. I opened my eyes and looked up. ¡°Uncle.¡±

    ¡°Juliet. This is¡ª¡±

    ¡°Louis Du Pont,¡± he stretched out his arm.

    I looked at the offending body part and looked him straight in the eye, ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to touch other men. You¡¯re not supposed to be in here.¡± I got up and gestured to Jessy at the gate. He hustled over, ¡°Where is Marcus? How could you let a stranger in here?¡± My stomach convulsed at the word ¡®stranger.¡¯ In the back of my mind, I kept singing the same song to keep him out. Neither could I look at him. I was so glad I had the veil on. When I didn¡¯t and needed alone time, I told Jessy to keep the gates locked, and he parked on a chair outside. Naji was crying. Something else to think about.

    ¡°You rather suck at it.¡±

    I rolled my eyes and turned, clutching at my head again. ¡°You found a wife yet, Louis¡­ Don¡¯t waste another life.¡±

    ¡°What should I do? Wait here till the dawn comes.¡± I stared at him. He kept continuing my song and knew every word. I clutched at my head again.

    ¡°You okay, Juliet.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I glared at Louis, ¡°So have you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I think I did. My cousin was so kind as to set me up. The auction is in a week.¡±

    ¡°If I ask you to not read me. Would you?¡±

    ¡°Probably not.¡±

    ¡°S¡ª You surely have enough money¡­ My motto is not to linger in regrets.¡± I closed my eyes and rubbed my forehead. ¡°Uncle Sam. I really don¡¯t want to be a bad hostess, but this is inappropriate. And I am not a good example for Louis¡­ I can¡¯t do both.¡±

    He nodded, ¡°I brought you a present.¡±

    ¡°You did. What is it?¡±

    He held out a box. I turned to open it and flung my arms around his neck, ¡°Thank You. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±

    ¡°Take your time,¡± we will walk the lane.

    ¡°Customs are going out the window. It¡¯s giving me whiplash.¡±

    My uncle laughed.

    That time, I teched myself and fell back onto the bed, ¡°Thank You. Michael¡­ I could do with a shot of creature drugs. Three days of bliss.¡±

    I sat up quickly. Oh, frak, Louis had discomposed everything. My tears and headache were a constant. I wondered if the room would pull me out and have mercy on me. A whole new life with its own pain and suffering. I had already stuffed up so much. Was it even worth going on? Would Michael fall for me because he knew everything. Because Samuel told him to keep an eye on me. I sighed as my shoulders fell; I had said Michael¡¯s name and talked to him. I groaned at having to hide my sorrow. You were right, Juliet. Louis would find you. It was a choice, and there is nothing you can do about it. Where was Marcus? Only when he was there was all of it worth it.

    I got up and walked out in total command of myself. I was becoming spoilt. I smiled. Like Charlene. Oh, how I missed them. What was she and Carl doing, and how would the two of them cope with the Qadir taking over the Earth. I stood at the red gates, looking at the two men in conversation, ¡°Juliet! Come walk with us. I have permission. Your husband is at the barracks. Qadir is still at the house, and we are out in the open now. Jessy is right behind you.¡± I glanced over my shoulders and relaxed, seeing him. My one constant¡ªJessy was like my tether in a weird way.

    I fell into step with them.

    ¡°Come tell us how you are. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll see you again. And I don¡¯t really know you.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm, you¡¯re a good liar, but it would be great if you could stay for a while¡­ Anyway, Naji is great. He looks like Marcus... I think.¡±

    ¡°And.¡±

    I dared to look up from the gravel to take in Louis. He was the same. I wondered who they had chosen for him. Would it work out? He caught me, and I averted my gaze. My headache was gone¡­ Maybe it was because I had to control my thoughts in the dream¡­. I bobbed my head. That was it. Instant headache if you need to do something strenuous. ¡°I¡¯m getting used to cooking. There really is nothing else to do¡­ A woman¡¯s place is in the kitchen, after all.¡±

    Louis snorted. I snorted/grunted right back.

    He stopped and turned to me, ¡°What is your problem with me?¡± I wanted to scream¡ªwhore! I stopped myself and stared at him for a moment. I was reminded of him tossing a towel in my face to get my attention. I pressed my lips together, keeping back a laugh. Louis had said some nasty things to me the last time we were together. I¡¯d not seen him in four years. A surreal moment in two lifetimes¡­ The first month of knowing each other, in the very beginning, was this Louis, who believed I should submit without question. ¡°Are you going to say something?¡±

    I turned around and walked back the way I came. There was so much I wanted to say. ¡°Whore,¡± I whispered. Jessy cleared his throat. I forgot women were still maimed for talking out of turn. I punched Jessy on the shoulder and ran back toward the red gates.

    ***

    Louis

    Samuel went into a fit of laughter. ¡°What did I ever do to the girl? Is all of them like that here?¡± She just hit a guy, and as far as I knew, women were maimed for even thinking about it.

    ¡°No, absolutely not. Juliet¡­ is a Furrow.¡±

    I had to sigh, ¡°Like I¡¯m an Ahmed.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Are we so distinct in our natures?¡±

    ¡°It depends, I suppose, on the circumstances.¡±

    ¡°How did she know I could read minds? And why would she call me a whore.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we got drunk one night, and she was not. Probably got a lot from us.¡±

    ¡°Clever.¡±

    There was nothing but pride in his features, ¡°Yes¡­ She is her daddy¡¯s child, that¡¯s for sure. The fortitude. The stubbornness. The heart.¡±

    ¡°So if I was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Three years.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s only a child.¡±

    ¡°She was sixteen.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡±

    ¡°Things work differently here, Louis.¡±

    ¡°I suddenly feel sorry for her.¡±

    Samuel laughed again, ¡°Sorry?! The one you should feel sorry for is Marcus¡­ So I hear.¡±

    I had to laugh, ¡°That bad?¡±

    ¡°Something about trying to catch up to the whore.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Really? Don¡¯t think I am obtuse about your escapades all those years. You were much worse than her for much longer. I had all my days with you¡ªcleaning up your messes and making them disappear.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, not my finest moments¡­ Boredom is getting to me. I think I should move here. It¡¯s different being around your own people.¡±

    ¡°What about that stunning house you built in France. The new wife. You could live a good life.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she will feel the same. Am I at least to know her name.¡±

    ¡°Rana.¡±

    ¡°Weird, but okay.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to bid Louis. It¡¯s this one, or I don¡¯t know¡ªJacklin.¡±

    ¡°No! Absolutely not. She was a lapse in drunkenness. Can¡¯t even remember it.¡±

    I looked back down the lane; the trees were beautiful, creating a canopy over the fine gravel lane. It was all so well thought through for a young wife not to go entirely out of her mind.

    ¡°What was the present. Why could I not read her after?¡±

    ¡°Marcus is very jealous. Doesn¡¯t like you poking around where you shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. If I were him¡­ I would do exactly the same thing. Keep her happy and hold on for dear life.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go meet Liam. It¡¯s time.¡±

    We drove such a long way it felt like we would never reach the house. When I saw it, I understood why Juliet wanted to leave and put herself up for auction at that age. Someone like her needed an outlet, or she would end up without a tongue. Qadir had not allowed me to talk to Agatha and had locked her up in a room somewhere while I was there. I did feel awful that my ability had caused such an uproar.

    I liked Liam immediately. Cindy shook my hand without a veil, and I understood a little more. They invited me in, and we sat at the table. ¡°Brother. Two hundred years¡­ here?¡± Samuel seemed contrite and full of regret.

    ¡°It¡¯s not so bad. We had a child. We were safe, and Cindy had some freedom. Since Marcus and Juliet got married, Qadir has completely changed, I don¡¯t know what got into him... If you can imagine, we are there more than here. Even have dinners together¡­ He says I¡¯m allowed off the compound.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t say¡­ And now you don¡¯t want to leave.¡±

    Liam and Cindy had no control over their thoughts. Liam laughed, thinking about his daughter. She was his pride and joy. It had taken him a year to get accustomed to the idea, and after they got married and Qadir did not harass her, Liam embraced the new life. Cindy remembered her talk with Juliet and how her daughter had changed in the matter of one morning. How she had been and how she was now were two different people. Cindy was also scared for her at first but was happy the situation seemed to be working out so well and that Juliet could, in the end, let the outside world go. I thought she didn¡¯t do such a great job.

    I laughed, thinking about when I walked into the dining room behind Samuel; it took me a moment to read the room. Agatha jumped to her feet, thinking about my mother and how she regretted how things worked out. Juliet had stood up singing, only hearing my voice. She guarded her mind from me by thinking of something trivial and had run out of the house. Any idiot could see Samuel was hiding something. Juliet knew precisely who I was. It did not matter; for some reason, everyone was letting it go, even her mother and father. And even if I could poke the bear¡­ stirring up trouble for her¡­ I frowned; the idea didn¡¯t sit well with me. All Liam and Cindy could think about was how hard she was trying and how they could make it easier for her. It was strange walking into a room, and half of them had tech implanted to stop me from snooping. Where did they get it anyway? I would¡¯ve invested.

    ***

    Marcus

    My father had sat me down for a week, every day, the whole day¡ªand told me how he was going to take over Earth¡ªexplained why he had me become the man I was and how I would serve him in every scenario and outcome. How he wanted me to handle every person and who they were in the rankings of what was to come. After Samuel told me to take a few days, I did. Juliet and I had disappeared behind closed doors. It made the time to come so much harder to accept. It was the morning I had to leave, and Juliet was in my arms and in bed.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°I have to leave.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­ don¡¯t worry about me.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s going to be for a long time, Juliet. Are you not going to miss me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±

    ¡°Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Marcus?¡± I didn¡¯t say anything,  ¡°Are you ready?¡± she asked.

    ¡°You know more than you should.¡±

    Juliet sat up and leaned over, ¡°The women in the compound talk a lot. Your father isn¡¯t so strict anymore.¡±

    I bumped her nose with a bent finger. She flinched back and opened her mouth, ¡°You didn¡¯t.¡±

    I did it again. Her reactions were quick; she caught my wrist before I was close. My eyes widened at her reflexes. Juliet had killed her meal with technical precision. After Louis came to the compound, she was more like the old Juliet. We both laughed. I could not be jealous of Louis before I left; I needed to make good on my deal with Qadir. My father had let us be in a big way. ¡°Did you see that? Don¡¯t mess with me.¡±

    ¡°Juliet. You make me so happy.¡±

    ¡°No, Marcus. I think you deserve some sunshine in your life.¡±

    ¡°It has been a ride and a half. We already have a kid. It¡¯s everything I wanted.¡±

    ¡°I am happy for you¡­ but¡ª¡±

    ¡°But what?¡±

    ¡°You have to answer me quickly, first thought that springs to mind.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± I was curious to hear her question.

    ¡°If you could rule instead of Qadir, would you?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯d run away and go live in Asia somewhere in a bamboo hut.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ if we could¡­ get away from it all, you would¡¯ve taken the out.¡±

    ¡°In a heartbeat¡­ Why the sudden weird questions?¡±

    ¡°Trying to figure some things out¡­ I feel¡­ sometimes I made a mistake¡­ I gave you what you wanted¡­ in a way¡­ but couldn¡¯t give you everything without¡ª¡±

    ¡°Without what?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, I was wondering if you would change anything¡­ if you could go back¡­ Am I enough.¡± I wanted to say something, ¡°No, I want to know if you regret¡­ well, how your life turned out? Knowing you¡¯ll have to fall in line for the rest of your days.¡±

    ¡°I think this way is better.¡± Juliet smiled and scuttled closer on her bent knees. We were face to face on the bed, ¡°You had to give up a lot. I feel it¡¯s only fair that I also give up¡­ not even a lot¡­ but bend like Qadir said in this one area¡­ I chose you because even if you do wear that veil, you are still who I fell in love with¡­ Honestly, I asked myself if it was you and your resistance to the ways of the compound that drew me to you¡­ or your face,¡± Juliet laughed, ¡°Or what would set you apart from all the other women here¡­ The day you asked me to marry you, I thought, ¡®I could¡¯ve married anyone if you would be like the rest.¡¯¡±

    ¡°What changed your mind?¡±

    ¡°You said I was enough¡­ No one has ever given themselves to me the way you have¡­ The sincerity behind it¡­¡± I took a long pause for effect. ¡°And it was the sketches of the bathroom,¡± Juliet laughed, ¡°Our rooms and how my Juliet is still here¡­ albeit¡­ sporadically¡­ like now.¡± I wanted to bump her nose again. She stopped it again. ¡°Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I need to protect myself when my husband isn¡¯t here. I need an outlet¡­¡± My mouth opened to retort, ¡°Marcus. No one knows. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Are you so scared to be alone here?¡±

    ¡°Only the next two weeks. After¡­ I think I¡¯ll manage¡­ Will you be able to call?¡±

    ¡°No. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°I understand¡­ Now kiss me and go, and then maybe we can move.¡±

    ¡°Where would you want to go?¡±

    ¡°Oh, somewhere you¡¯ve never been before.¡±

    ¡°Vague, but I¡¯ll take it as a surprise.¡±

    I leaned in and kissed her quickly, not knowing the two months I thought Qadir would keep me busy turned into many, many more. First, we were dropped off at the Diner. Qadir had walked in with me and introduced me to Nevin, who shook my hand. We stood in the corner of the garage, waiting. I obeyed Qadir to a fault. He had not gone back on his word, and I would also not go back on my resolve. Juliet had the freedom for the last three years, which I had never seen in two hundred years. I waited and wondered what it could be we were waiting for. In a corner, in a diner garage with black cars parked one after another. One moment, we were there, and the next, we were¡­ I instinctively walked forward to the precipice of the landing. I had to look back at my father like a boy who had seen something new for the first time and wanted reassurance. I looked at the cubicle and back at the view.

    ¡°This is En-gannim. It¡¯s our home world.¡± All the dots connected. My heart was busy, up and down. ¡°Come, Marcus. It¡¯s not all.¡±

    I followed like a good child or dog¡ªI still didn¡¯t know which. We came out on another landing or rather a patio of a building high in the sky. The view was beautiful; I couldn¡¯t get enough of the picture another world could create. A man came out after us. Qadir fell down, and I drew in a sharp breath; never before had I seen him face down. I did the same. Qadir¡¯s heart was as steady as a train. ¡°Get up, boys.¡± Qadir stood up, still bent at the waist, never lifting his body. I followed the etiquette. ¡°At ease, son.¡± My eyes flickered to the man. He smiled. ¡°Yes, Marcus. I am your grandfather. Ahasuerus.¡±

    Another dot. It was too much. I feared for her. She had said she was worried about the next two weeks. I was on another freaking planet, and Juliet was all alone. Did she know even more than I had thought? Who was she? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Juliet. She is quite safe with Jessy. Kubra is there. They are not to leave her side.¡± My shoulders relaxed, ¡°I hear I am a great-grandfather.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re taking everything,¡± he gestured around us, ¡°Rather well. No questions?¡±

    ¡°My father raised me to ask no questions, sir.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now, let¡¯s go sit down and have a very long overdue conversation.¡±

    I was given four months to learn as much as I could about our world. It was an information dump. I stayed in The Tower and traveled all over the planet, meeting all the most influential vampires. I had even met my grandmother, who I avoided making a fuss with. My days and nights were busy¡ªa taste of my life to come. I never wanted to take over the compound, let alone a planet. Juliet was the only thing keeping me sane.

    After I was made aware of what I was working towards, I was to secure the Earth for Qadir, and my grandfather would send provisions to make people more amenable to the idea. I handled all the meetings, learned about the watchers, and understood how my father knew every single thing going on. I met Bertram, who would work directly with me on En-gannim. I met all the generals who would manage the world for Qadir, who took over rather quickly. The relations were in good standing after about six months.

    I figured Liam had told Juliet about our world, and that¡¯s why she had changed so drastically. It all fit; she wanted to come home. I would be the next king, and she would be my wife, not my Queen.

    ***

    Juliet

    During the first two weeks when Marcus was gone, I was in a constant panic, locking my doors and checking them twice. Jessy and Kubra were there in shifts, but I didn¡¯t know if I could trust Ahasuerus or Qadir to that degree that they wouldn¡¯t when they got what they wanted, try and kill me. It wouldn¡¯t even be a sacrifice anymore. It would be a single bullet. Michael had no attachment to me, and although I knew he was watching, I knew there was nothing he could do. I stayed up late and fell asleep from utter exhaustion. By the time I registered, Naji was crying, and I had woken up enough to reach the bassinet; he was already manifested and angry. He was sleeping with me, and I would take him to the nursemaid. I walked over the quad and knocked on her door. She opened with a smile, and I didn¡¯t mind her as much as Maya. I took Michaels¡¯s words to heart¡ªI needed to embrace a new way of living. I would wait outside on the deck chairs and stare at the stars, singing a song to keep myself busy. ¡°In the end¡­ In the end... It¡¯s all you¡­ it¡¯s all you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on your love tonight.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even get up. What was the point? Louis was not a danger to me. Nor could he read me. ¡°How do you get in here?¡±

    ¡°We had a bit too much to drink. Kubra and I. We were outside.¡±

    ¡°If I had known, I would¡¯ve slept better.¡±

    ¡°Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Louis? I thought you had an auction coming up.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s tomorrow night.¡±

    ¡°Who is the lucky girl?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Someone named Rana.¡±

    I dropped my feet over the side of the deck chair in one motion and ended up face-to-face with him, taking in all the implications. It was an alliance with another Ahmed for Avrio. Louis would go back home with his new wife. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I said breathlessly.

    Louis leaned in, piercing me with his most suggestive stare. ¡°Why,¡± he whispered, dropping his eyes to my lips.

    ¡°Not good stock.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know her.¡±

    I huffed and got up. Louis grabbed my wrist. I tugged for him to let go. I couldn¡¯t. Why did he touch me? All I had to think about was Marcus sobbing on my chest about how his life turned out. The sounds he made had settled deep in my soul and kept me grounded, ¡°Please let go.¡± Louis reluctantly let my hand slide through his.

    Two steps away, I heard a crinkling noise, so I stopped walking. Louis dug into his pocket and took out a packet of cigarettes. I had to decide if I would ask¡ªbeg¡­ I wavered, turned slowly, and sat down, ¡°Please, can I have one?¡±

    He smiled, ¡°Not allowed?¡±

    ¡°You kidding, right. I don¡¯t even have a TV.¡±

    ¡°How do you not go insane in here?¡±

    ¡°Like a wise man once said¡­ We all have to choose our path. This is mine. And nothing¡­ will change my mind.¡±

    He held out the packet. I took one. ¡°It¡¯s a pity,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°Louis, for f¡ªsake, what do you want?¡±

    He held out the lighter, not deterred by my tone or my language. I leaned forward and lit the cigarette. My eyes closed, and I realized I didn¡¯t have my veil on. Well, it was too late anyway. ¡°You¡¯re a little spitfire underneath that veil. Two different people. I don¡¯t know how you cope.¡±

    ¡°The psychologist in you trying to figure me out.¡±

    He laughed, ¡°If that¡¯s what you have to tell yourself.¡±

    I turned my head towards him. His elbows were resting on his knees, holding his cigarette between two fingers. Louis was and always will be first in my heart. Yes, I was tempted to ask him to kiss me. The last time, four years ago, we sat in almost the same way and shared a cigarette. ¡°Will you tell me where your mind wandered off to,¡± he asked.

    I laughed, ¡°Hell no.¡±

    ¡°You undressing me?¡±

    The smile fell, and I stood up, not ready for Louis to put all his moves on me. ¡°Thanks for the cigarette. Good luck with your auction¡­ I would not go there¡­ Hopefully, once you see her, you won¡¯t either.¡±

    I left him sitting there.

    ***

    Louis

    S¡ª I was in love with the girl. Had no idea why, or how, or when¡­ She was a mere child. Regardless, every interaction had drawn me in. She wasn¡¯t a mindless woman, and then I saw what she looked like. I had softly and slowly made my way over to the voice singing in the darkness. Her features were lit by the moonlight. She was gorgeous. It was hard to hold myself back from asking if I could kiss her. I took another drag of my cigarette. When I tried to figure out how faithful she was, her face went stone cold¡­ Oh, how I wished I could read her¡­ Even if she was thinking about undressing me, I was sure she would never cheat on Marcus.

    I didn¡¯t know what to do. The whole situation felt off. Above everything, Juliet was scared¡ªterrified. It oozed out of her. We could all smell it when we were manifested. Without Marcus there, she was vulnerable, and she knew it. I had taken away her protection. I was angry at myself for getting Kubra drunk while she was doing all in her power not to fold. I stood up and went to sit next to the man who had passed out a while ago. He was a cool guy, and we got along from the start. I would sit there and make sure she was okay, hoping she knew I didn¡¯t leave.

    The gate opened up, and her head peaked out. She sighed, ¡°Thank You.¡±

    ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll be here. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    ¡°Juliet.¡± A woman¡¯s voice came from inside. I wondered why she was afraid if she wasn¡¯t really alone. It was probably difficult growing up there and very different if you were a woman. Juliet had left the gates open. ¡°Is he done?¡± The smile on her face about her child. She was such a good mother. She pumped her little hands out to her baby and picked him up to put him on her shoulder. The kid threw up all his milk all over her. ¡°Aghh, boy. What is wrong now?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time he drains someone,¡± the nursemaid said.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯ll do it tomorrow. If we only had¡­ Never mind¡­¡±

    ¡°Give him to me and go clean up,¡± the nurse took the baby.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Although the night was clear and warm, Juliet wore a long-sleeved shirt and a big skirt. It was so weird seeing how the women dressed. I raised my voice and sang¡­ ¡°Take me back to the night we met.¡±

    ¡°And then I can tell myself,¡± she finished my lyrics.

    ¡°What the hell I¡¯m supposed to do?¡± We both knew it had a double meaning for the situation I found myself in. What she would answer would be what she wanted me to do.

    ¡°Haunted by the ghost of you.¡±

    Hmm, I didn¡¯t like that but smiled and dragged my cigarette. I was so screwed, feeling like doing something stupid.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think about doing something stupid,¡± she said, closing the door to her room. I laughed nervously... She didn¡¯t just know who I was¡ªshe knew me¡­ I blew up my cheeks and let my breath out slowly. There really was nothing I could do¡­ except kidnap her.

    The door opened again, ¡°I don¡¯t like being kidnapped.¡±

    I stood to my feet and turned to her. She laughed and closed the door. I felt like running over there, flinging the door open and making her talk or... I sat instead. Juliet already had a difficult life. The path she had chosen was Marcus. ¡°In the end¡­ It¡¯s all you.¡± I wondered who or what had made her choose that path.

    The following night, I was at the auction. It was such an affair. Qadir had come back for the event. The woman came walking down the red carpet in all her splendor. The men were disgusting, and I couldn¡¯t think about Juliet on display. The men were instead going crazy; hands were going up in quick succession. Juliet was definitely safer with Marcus. I stood and wanted to leave. Before I got to the door, Qadir gave his bid. I turned. ¡°For my son. He needs a second wife. A present for all the hard work he will have to put in the next few months.¡± The men cheered. I could either outbid him or let it run its course. I was thinking about Juliet and what it would do to her if Marcus took a second wife.

    I raise my hand; Rana was already a pretty sum. It didn¡¯t matter. Qadir smiled, and I knew I had fallen into a trap. I cursed under my breath. The place was a political nightmare of constant vigilance and scheming. Why did he want me to marry the woman? No one outbid me, and suddenly, I had a wife. My cousin seemed to want to control me in some way¡­ I had three days¡­ I think Samuel said. The man who raised me seemed disappointed, glaring at me from one of the seats. I winked at him. I kept singing¡­ ¡°I have no regrets at all¡­ Nothing is meant to last...¡± What¡¯s wrong with me? I¡¯d never felt like this. Samuel was the first to come to congratulate me. Rana was escorted out of the hall. Juliet was right; as soon as I saw her and read her mind, it was a firm no. ¡°Louis, you can¡¯t be serious.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Samuel. It¡¯s all a game anyway.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re doing this to disrupt her life.¡± My head came up, and I gave him a look. ¡°Fine¡­ But do not touch her.¡± Oh, Samuel¡­ I already did.

    ***

    Juliet

    After I found out Louis had bought himself a wife, I was crying, bawling under my sheets, and yet was glad Marcus wouldn¡¯t be home for another few months to witness my meltdown. The news of Louis and Rana had traveled fast among the women about this beautiful paragon no one ever knew even existed. I was alone at home, and there was no moon in the sky. It left my room in pitch-black darkness, and I wasn¡¯t even scared anymore. I had also heard Louis was thinking of moving to the compound. It was okay; Marcus and I would leave for En-gannim as soon as he was done with establishing Qadir¡¯s reign on Earth. All I had to do was get through the next three days and not do something stupid. I should end this farce! My body shuddered, thinking about seeing Louis and Rana together. It would be too much.

    Although I knew choosing only one would leave the rest open to pursue other relationships, I had hoped I wouldn¡¯t need to know about it, see it, kind of out of sight, out of mind¡ªignorant to think my bad luck would not follow me into every life. Or maybe I wished at least I would have time to get used to the idea that I didn¡¯t have all of them anymore. It would be so easy to make the same mistakes, and hurting Marcus in any way during this timeline was out of the question. I would not do it again, even if Louis slept with Rana. Memories of Soren and Rana came to mind. If I killed her, Marcus would know something was off.

    I jumped up and disappeared and walked right past Jessy at the red gates. Michael would see I had an ability. I got to the stairs leading up to Agatha¡¯s house and paused. There would be no way I would be able to find my way through the tunnels; only one way forward. Louis and Samuel stepped out of the house with Qadir and were making their way past me. I could either follow them or go where I wanted. They got in a car, and I stood watching them go; Louis was now his own person with his own life, and we were not a couple. I couldn¡¯t accept it, so I kept walking down the road.

    The science building came into view. How did Qadir get Rodrigo back this time, and how many babies had to die? It was easy to find my way. In the elevator, I thought about Michael. He wouldn¡¯t know what to do about my ability, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Michael, let them see it. It doesn¡¯t matter anyway.¡± No way I would put Michael in danger again and ask him to delete the feed. The elevator opened. I stepped through. ¡°It took you long enough. It¡¯s been four years.¡±

    I frowned and stared at him, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rodrigo smiled and opened his arms. I ran and flung myself on his person. He didn¡¯t mind, and I clung to him, ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not fixed in time, remember. Thank you for bringing me back to life.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t.¡±

    He paused and put me down, resting his hands on my shoulders, ¡°Oh, Juliet, is it that bad.¡±

    I nodded, ¡°After you guys died¡­ it went downhill fast. Like six months, and it was all gone.¡±

    ¡°What will you do? How many?¡± he smiled, ¡°Never mind, you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±

    ¡°Louis is getting married.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ You want three days of bliss.¡±

    ¡°I could do with weed at this point. Knock me out.¡± He laughed. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m so sorry about Michael.¡±

    ¡°No matter. You wanted to save me; I should¡¯ve listened to you. Qadir and Ahasuerus never did have any patience. It is why Marcus ended up with everything.¡±

    ¡°I do hate being right all the time.¡±

    ¡°Tough job¡­ Come on, nothing will happen in the next three days.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking¡ª¡±

    ¡°Oh no! No thinking¡­ What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I want to travel and see him. For five minutes. Please. Or get him here. Has he manifested yet? You would know.¡±

    He shook his head, ¡°Still married.¡±

    ¡°Send him back, for heaven¡¯s sake. Take the plunge, Ira.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you want.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ In this lifetime anyway.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ Go home. I¡¯ll make it happen, even if I have to kidnap him.¡±

    ¡°Funny¡­ Okay, I feel better. Let me know.¡±

    ¡°Come see me once a month. How long do you expect to stay.¡±

    ¡°Question is, will you go with him to Zoreah this time?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Nothing is going to rip off my head.¡±

    ¡°You guys should¡¯ve told us¡­ I still don¡¯t know why and how the lot of you began this crusade.¡±

    Rodrigo was quietly staring, ¡°Sam will have to tell you himself¡­ My own fault for being desperate enough to leave.¡±

    ¡°No! Whatever you guys planned¡ªI screwed it all up going after one werewolf cub¡­ You know, when I think about it... Changing one night would¡¯ve changed everything¡­ Unfortunately, so many things happened I can¡¯t figure out what needs to change that would mean the greatest success¡­ Why I¡¯m here.¡± I turned to leave feeling better than I had going down there. I tapped on the glass at the last monster¡ªshe attacked halfheartedly. ¡°Time you let some go.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Earth will be Qadir¡¯s soon... You sure it¡¯s the best way.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Undoubtedly, it is the best and only thing. The humans are useless and untrustworthy.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t always feel that way¡­¡±

    ¡°No, not about two of them anyway. Could you?¡±

    ¡°I already have.¡±

    I spun around and walked back while Rodrigo pulled out a phone. Charlene was studying. I smiled at all the pictures of her; she was with friends and happy. I grabbed the phone out of his hand, ¡°They?!¡±

    Rodrigo laughed, ¡°They¡¯ve been going out for four years.¡±

    ¡°No! Really. And his father?¡±

    ¡°Never had a need to pull him in.¡±

    He draped his arm around me. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    I stopped in front of Kubra¡¯s chair. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I whispered. Should I ask him what he would¡¯ve done? It¡¯s not real, Juliet. They are happy. They are somewhere on Mirach fighting werewolves for the throne. I groaned, hearing Louis coming, walking up the gravel. He sat down next to Kubra and held out a packet. Kubra lit the cigarette quickly.

    ¡°Is she less scared?¡± Louis asked.

    ¡°I think so, went to bed early.¡± Louis dragged his cigarette. ¡°I was at the auction¡­ You fumbled that one¡­ Rana will make a terrible wife.¡±

    ¡°No, I made a choice and took a path. Qadir wants me off planet. It seems he has other plans for Marcus and me.¡±

    ¡°She cried herself to sleep; it happens a lot,¡± Kubra said softly.

    Louis didn¡¯t answer him, ¡°Why are you not with Marcus?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going¡ªas soon as he¡¯s back from En-gannim¡­ I was ordered to stay,¡± Kubra gestured with a thumb inside.

    Louis nodded, ¡°Marcus and Juliet will leave. Will you go back?¡±

    Kubra dragged his cigarette too long, sat back, and blew the smoke into the air, ¡°I was bred for service. Have to follow my master.¡±

    ¡°Want to start a revolution?¡±

    Kubra laughed, ¡°No. Everyone is trying so hard.¡±

    ¡°You mean one little girl is,¡± Louis retorted.

    ¡°It seems one is all it takes.¡±

    I left them there. It was almost time for me to take Naji from the nursemaid. I stopped and looked up at the closed gates, ¡°Oh, s¡ª! What now?¡± I said out loud. Louis turned suddenly. I pressed my lips together. Should I¡­ ¡°Louis¡­ Could you open the gates for me?¡± He sat staring at my voice.

    Kubra followed his gaze, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You hear something?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re making it really difficult,¡± he said through gritted teeth.

    ¡°If you¡¯re waiting for an apology, you can forget about it. Now open the gate¡­ please.¡±

    Louis huffed and turned away from me, ¡°If you can do that, why the hell are you scared?¡±

    ¡°Tech Louis. The answer is always tech¡­ and time¡­ I don¡¯t want to waste four years of my life!¡± I wanted to strangle him; he wasn¡¯t going to bail me out this time around. An irritated laugh escaped my lips as I sat down. I had to wait.

    The nurse frantically called for Kubra, letting all formalities drop. He jumped and opened the gate. I rushed in, headed for the deck chairs, and came back immediately, ¡°I¡¯m here¡­ Sorry, I dozed off.¡± All three pairs of eyes looked my way. I wasn¡¯t there a moment ago. Couldn¡¯t really get away from it. I got up, rubbing my eyes. I held out my hands and took Naji.

    Marcus stayed away for an entire year. It was the hardest thing I had to do in all the time I had been there. Louis had moved to the compound and was there all the time; at least, I never saw Rana. No one spoke about their marriage, and I didn¡¯t want to know. He had to stay until Qadir¡¯s issues were sorted. We spent more and more time together, and Louis even grew fond of Naji. With Qadir and Marcus gone, Samuel took over the compound, and he never left me alone with the man. Something I was grateful for. After Naji quenched his thirst, his manifestations stopped, and he could only eat human food. The nursemaid was not needed, so I sent her back to her family. It was only me in that massive quad. For the first few months, I locked the gates at night so Louis couldn¡¯t wander in. I enjoyed the summer months and walked around naked most of the time because it was so freaking hot. I was next to the pool most days. I did find packets of cigarettes pushed under the red gates every few days. After I was so bored and alone, I asked my mom and dad to come move in there. They did, and it gave me more accountability to not cheat because even after everything, I wanted the attention. I was so lonely. Samuel ended up also moving in, and at night, we would sit around the fire; Kubra, Jessy, and Agatha were right there while we talked and laughed. The men drank, and the women joined them most nights. When I drank, Louis didn¡¯t, and vice versa¡ªa silent understanding.

    The night Marcus came back and stood at the red gates, the crowd went deadly quiet, and I had another choice to make. I could run into his arms and be the kind of woman I never wanted to be or¡­ I stood up and walked to my room, closing the door behind me. I walked over the bridge and closed the door to his room, too. I couldn¡¯t be happy because he was suddenly home as quickly as I wanted to. I absently took in the room and listened to the water. ¡®I never wanted anything more,¡¯ I don¡¯t know why all Marcus¡¯s words haunted me. It was like they were imprinted in my mind to remind me of why I was doing this. I couldn¡¯t blame him for the choice I made or be angry for the choice he made to bend¡­Regardless this life with him left me empty, and it would only get worse once we went to En-gannim, with stricter customs and more rules.

    Marcus¡¯s room door closed. He tapped on the door between us. Marcus would not have the ability to handle me at that moment. ¡®Don¡¯t let me make the same mistake.¡¯ Did giving Marcus everything in the end make him make the same mistake? It wasn¡¯t really a mistake if this was the only way. I was wrong and wanted too much out of life¡ªI couldn¡¯t submit¡ªnot entirely. Marcus would never have the memories of our life together in the real world. I couldn¡¯t answer him. I heard him sit down on the other side of the door. My heart was pounding as my feet carried me over the bridge. I sat on the other side like the night we first made love. ¡°I was gone longer than I said I would be.¡± Tears dropped down onto my hands. My sniffles turned to gentle sobs. He opened the door and picked me up, laying me down on his bed. Marcus gathered me in his arms, and I cried myself to sleep rather than asking him if we could fight it out.

    The following morning, Marcus tried to kiss me. I pulled away and hurriedly got out of bed. Before I took hold of the handle to close the door, Marcus spoke, ¡°Juliet¡­ If I broke us in any way more than I already have¡­ It would all have been for nothing.¡±

    I looked up at him. I was so engrossed in our fake life¡ªI¡¯d forgotten about the real one. ¡°No, Marcus. You are enough¡­ I just need a minute.¡± I closed the door between our rooms. Marcus didn¡¯t leave again. I stayed hidden in my room for a few days while he bonded with his son. When it was time for sleep at night, he would come in without asking, scooped me up, and wait till I fell asleep before he did. After a few days, no one else was there anymore. My parents had left. Samuel was back in Canada, and I didn¡¯t know what had happened to Louis. Marcus didn¡¯t say anything about seeing me without a veil with all the people around the fire. I guessed the fact that his mom was there had made it okay.

    After the fourth day of wallowing, I woke up and left through the gates, walking down the lane to see if Agatha was okay. Marcus had treated her so differently during that timeline. He knew Louis could read her mind. It was as if their bond was broken when Qadir wasn¡¯t a catalyst anymore. She met me at the door and gave me a letter. I opened it and saw it was in Louis¡¯s handwriting.

    Qadir is not coming back for some time.

    I will stay.

    Don¡¯t worry about me.

    More slow tears absently rolled over my cheeks. Chris was right; if I chose what life we all had to live¡ªa lot of people would be miserable. It was okay now because it wasn¡¯t permanent. However, when I did make the choice, my mom, Agatha, and people like Romero and Kubra would be sorely disappointed. I either saved a lot of strangers, or the ones I loved were happy, free, and living their best lives. And like Chris said, we cope with the hand we were dealt¡ªlet fate play out.

    I looked up at her. It would be the last time I saw her. It had been fun to talk to her around the fire and hear stories about their youth on En-gannim. Marcus had followed me and saw us embracing and crying in each other¡¯s arms. She was the first to pull away and open her arms to her son. Marcus reluctantly let go of the fa?ade I saw he had put up to make Qadir happy. It was as difficult for him. Agatha handed me another note. I smiled and opened it.

    Thank You for loving him so much.

    A strangled sob escaped, and I gave them a moment to say goodbye. Marcus and I walked down the lane in silence.

    Everything worked out in the end. Marcus and I went back to En-gannim, where I lived out my days for six more years. Ahasuerus went back with Chris, and I heard he manifested immediately and fell quickly into the customs of the planet. I smiled, thinking about how he would let loose if it wasn¡¯t for me, sleeping with anyone who gave him the slightest bit of attention, anything with two legs. I also didn¡¯t want to think about it. Michael would have been decommissioned when I left with Marcus. My parents and Sam had to stay on Earth, and it wasn¡¯t like I could visit them. Marcus took over, and En-gannim didn¡¯t change very much. He regularly went to see Ahasuerus and I was curious to ask him if he had met Chris¡ªbut never did. By the tenth full year I had lived that life, I decided it was time. If that was our only course for the future, I could live with it. All the planets were peaceful. Every important person in the story was alive and where they were supposed to be.

    I woke up one morning sitting in a chair, staring out at the ocean, thinking about closing my eyes and seeing Caleb again. Marcus was leaving for the day and came to sit next to me. I didn¡¯t look at him; our relationship had become an ordinary one. There was nothing I could do about the life he wanted. However, as soon as Ahasuerus left and I was no longer being watched, I stopped wearing a veil and didn¡¯t bow anymore. There was never a need because women never went anywhere. I let go of all the customs within limits. It was a dreary, sweet romance with no adventure or issues. I read a lot and asked for books. Marcus brought me many, and I knew where they came from. All the children on Earth would never come home. Marcus handed me a new one for the day. ¡°You should find him a wife,¡± I said.

    ¡°Soren? He has a wife.¡±

    ¡°What? Who?¡±

    ¡°Oh, remember my uncle. He bought Rana remember when I was off the compound.¡± I didn¡¯t want to seem too eager to find out, so I waited patiently. ¡°Louis gifted the bride to Soren.¡±

    I snort-laughed, ¡°You don¡¯t say. How did Avrio handle that little nugget? Sends his daughter to Earth to be paraded, and she ends up with a bookstore owner.¡± After a moment of silence, I realized what I had said and sighed. I sighed a lot those days. ¡°Anyway, why did I hear it was Louis who got married.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who told you?¡± Well, Louis and Kubra talked about it. I never wanted to make sure. ¡°Louis came back around the same time I did. He said he would love to fill his father¡¯s shoes in The Tower. He has been a credit, and together, the transition has been easy¡­ In a way, I¡¯m glad¡­ Louis thought it a good way to put the short, fat guy in his place.¡± I gazed aimlessly out over the pink water. ¡°Juliet¡­ I don¡¯t want to seem ungrateful. Because you have given me so much,¡± he leaned over and rubbed my increasing midsection, ¡°You don¡¯t seem happy.¡±

    ¡°I had to grow up Marcus. It was inevitable. One of us was going to be happy, and this time I chose you.¡± Every time I said something that wouldn¡¯t make sense to him, I sighed at my inability to separate the two lives. It did not matter anymore; I was going to end it in the next few days, knowing the real Marcus was still miserable at forty percent. In that life, I was at thirty-five every second.

    ¡°I miss the girl I fell in love with. We had one good conversation before I left to help Qadir¡­ when I came back¡­ you were never really the same.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Regardless, believe me¡­ That girl would¡¯ve broken your heart. And, like you said, you didn¡¯t want to rule. Is it so bad for either of us?¡±

    Marcus took out a packet of cigarettes. I frowned. ¡°Louis, he said I should give it to you¡­ I didn¡¯t even know you liked it.¡±

    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t approve.¡±

    ¡°Juliet¡­ I am not happy.¡±

    He got my attention; I turned my head towards him at last, ¡°Is there something you need?¡± My gut churned, ¡°If you tell me you¡¯re taking another wife¡ª¡±

    He smiled, ¡°No, never... Don¡¯t think we will ever have a problem in that regard.¡± I breathed out a heavy breath. Marcus laughed. His smiling lips didn¡¯t affect me as they always did, and I realized I had reached the peak of what Chris hated. I guess all of them hated it because Marcus didn¡¯t like that Juliet either. You know, everyone wants you to change, and when you do, they are upset about the way you did it, too. A little irritated, I asked, ¡°Then what do you need more than what I¡¯ve given you?¡±

    He was quiet for some time. He took out a cigarette, handed it to me, and then held out the lighter. Our eyes dug deep into the others as I brought it to life. Marcus was so hot. Every mannerism was with purpose and an alluring air. I moaned, taking the first drag, and he laughed, ¡°Was that for me or the cigarette?¡±

    ¡°I can do both.¡± Marcus cocked a cheeky eyebrow. I leaned back, relishing in the feeling, remembering how Michael had given me my first cigarette. ¡°Do you even like your life,¡± Marcus ventured carefully.

    ¡°Like it? I hate it!¡± I sat up, dumbfounded that I had said it out loud, ¡°Oh, Marcus, I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡±

    He lifted a hand, ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry. Glad you are honest with me. It is the first time in how many years¡­ Will you tell me at last what is going on?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ What would¡¯ve been the point if I did.¡±

    He nodded, ¡°Then the question is not what you can do for me but what I can do for you.¡±

    ¡°Nothing Marcus. The one thing about our relationship is one person was always going to draw the short straw. And I told you. You are enough. It doesn¡¯t matter what you see, only my heart. I would do anything for you¡­ not almost anything.¡±

    ¡°Juliet¡­ I never wanted you to not be at ease¡­ You couldn¡¯t even ask me¡­ for a cigarette¡­ You could make life better for yourself.¡±

    Tears sprung to my eyes, and my head snapped around. Marcus raised two hands in surrender¡­ How did I tell him I missed Chris, Louis, and Michael so much I wanted to throw him under the bus? In the end, it wasn¡¯t even about him not being enough but about the brandings; my body knew who I loved, and I could try and fight it all my life; the hole could only be filled by all of them. Or why I was somewhere in a room to give him what he always wanted and decide how the rest of our lives should¡¯ve turned out. Ten years was all I could give him before I went entirely out of my mind; I would never be able to do anything halfway¡ªsettle. The word made me want to gag.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to Zoreah this March before they go to Yaroon.¡± I sat up and glanced around to see if Louis was there. Was Marcus a mind reader? ¡°If you want to go with me. They are moving into the city. Seems like the prince is going in with all the pregnant women. They asked if we wanted a tour?¡± I nodded eagerly. I would do almost anything to see Chris, even if he and Selena had a brood of kids by the time we got there. My gaze drifted out in front of me, sitting like Marcus had those months. The smile fell off my mouth thinking about it.

    ¡°Juliet.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t¡­ I am happy enough¡­¡± I smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ gotten used to it.¡±

    ¡°You might as well have slapped me.¡±

    ¡°I know how you feel.¡± Marcus reached out and stroked my belly. Why was I pregnant? It was weird that going back in time would show me what? Our second child? Oh, that¡¯s why I wanted to end it¡ªthe delivery¡ªcreating a baby not in our timeline¡ªtoo many consequences.

 223. After Marcus

    223. After Marcus

    Juliet

    The room spun as I was brought back to the present time after ten years with Marcus. Caleb rushed over, catching me before I could fall. I clung to him, desperately taking stock of what was real and what was now my past. My thoughts jumped to then and now, organizing and placing them at the right time. My body shook as I clutched my stomach and retched. ¡°Should I call someone? Get something? Drugs?¡± I nodded frantically, my body shaking. Caleb sent Jessy a message and, a moment later, pierced the skin on my neck; it would only be for a little while.

    Once I woke up, my emotions were next, and my body revolted and fought me at every turn. It was a flood of mixing my twenty-four years before I went and the ten years I was there. Ten whole years. Twenty-four hours every day for the entire time. I figured this was the consequence. Did I really think it would be easy? Michael told me how crazy Selena had been in that room when she went in. It was too much to know you could literally change time and have the whole world in your hands. Maybe another reason Ahasuerus never did it.

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    ¡°Caleb, leave! Give me a second. I don¡¯t want to hurt you,¡± he hesitated, ¡°Now!¡± He disappeared, and I laughed despite the craziness of the situation. Or the way I had to be with Marcus; how much I had to repress my emotions and my reactions and be subject to what others wanted for me. Marcus would be the most difficult. The most painstaking. I didn¡¯t know if I could do it for a thousand years. Here, Marcus was free to come and go as he pleased. One way our lives were better here than there¡­ F¡ª I¡¯d go insane. My mind was an absolute mess. It¡¯s why I chose him first. My sacrifice for him would be the greatest, and why I fought so hard not to marry him and bend to the compound way.

    ¡°You keep forgetting we have abilities¡­ Here, take this,¡± Caleb handed me a drink. He walked to the door, picked something up, and brought me a beast. After I had blood, I felt a little better. ¡°So, I¡¯m dying to know!¡± Caleb urged.

    ¡°It was ten years,¡± Caleb¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°How long was I out here?¡±

    ¡°Ten minutes or so,¡± my eyes jumped open, ¡°You lived all that time?¡±

    I nodded and left the room. I needed a walk to stretch my legs and ground myself in the present. ¡°What happened here while I was out?¡±

    Caleb laughed, ¡°Nothing much. Michael had sent a report of what was going on with Charlene¡­ Liv, someone is the wolves¡¯ representative, and she invited them for dinner. So far, no fights issued. Although he says the women are not inclined to allow the chadari to stay on Palmyra.

    ¡°This is good¡­ It¡¯s helping,¡± I said while we walked the halls. ¡°Any place I can take a bathroom break?¡±

    ¡°Yes... I stayed for the ten minutes, but once you were back and after the drugs, I took a look around.¡±

    As we moved through the halls, I asked, ¡°Any unauthorized travels? No reports of Jacklin or Soren?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Jessy is checking in with everyone every hour, here with us every fifteen minutes. He is not leaving the control center on En-gannim¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry. The vamps helping on Palmyra also check in.¡±

    ¡°That is a relief¡­ I guess I feel I was gone for much longer than I really was,¡± we both chuckled and finally reached the public ablution area. After I was done, I said, ¡°I still have that bad feeling.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to call it quits? Was it worth it?¡±

    ¡°Right now, I don¡¯t know¡­ The mental strain may be for someone older¡­ Marcus would¡¯ve been the best candidate. He could¡¯ve done a hundred¡­ and just go on.¡±

    ¡°I think you were too long with the wrong Marcus.¡± I turned to Caleb and took in his words, ¡°The Marcus you were with is not the same anymore. He had grown so much of what Liam and Cindy shared with me¡­ He feels as much as you do.¡±

    My eyes burned for too many reasons, ¡°You¡¯re right¡­ It¡¯s why I feel I have to make it better.¡±

    ¡°You will¡­ How long will you wait until the next one?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t wait any longer. How long was I asleep?¡±

    ¡°About two hours.¡±

    ¡°What did you do in the meantime?¡±

    ¡°I looked around¡­ I already told you this¡­ Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°No, sorry¡­ Found anything interesting?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no.¡±

    ***

    Michael

    The dinner the werewolves put together was pleasant, yet very dull, and the atmosphere was a little stuck up. Too heavy-handed for me. The Mirach people loved it, and the gentle music in the corner lulled me to sleep. The alcohol was flowing, and everyone joined in with the festivities. Fahan was vigilant, and so was I. With the dheka¡¯s power to corrupt my desire, their ability to stop me from traveling, and the distance I was away from my people had put me on high alert, especially after what happened in my room. I had not seen the woman again, and I couldn¡¯t understand what their goal was.

    Jade and Charlene were very chatty in a group with the men we knew. The three werewolves with Jack and Francis were Bryle¡¯s other sons. Kubra was in a corner with Carl, keeping an eye on their lady while Romero worked the room. Min¨¦ had passed out a long time ago on a rug at my feet; I didn¡¯t mind watching her. Fahan was not really a talkative person or dragon, whatever, and neither of us was drinking or able to let us relax enough to enjoy the night, so we had very little to help with the conversation. I also figured he¡¯d be thinking and planning what would happen once this whole lot decided to go back to Palmyra. ¡°What would happen if they do not come back? If I do not let them come back.¡±

    ¡°Not here¡­ I have to focus.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    I scanned the room, and my eyes landed on the dark-skinned woman who was next to my bed, whispering into Liv¡¯s ear. ¡°Protect Charlene,¡± I stood to my feet, bent down, and picked up Min¨¦. I disappeared and traveled with her to our last location. Sara¡¯s palace and Charlene¡¯s room. Their guards and the maids didn¡¯t get frightened when I suddenly appeared in a room anymore. I scanned the space and checked the cribs. Fia was sound asleep. Jaali would need a feeding soon. I walked to Aries, who was snoring. ¡°Should I take her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m taking the kids back to Yazen. I will take them one at a time.¡± The maid nodded and turned to get the kids ready. I traveled with Min¨¦ to Romero¡¯s home; I traveled right back and didn¡¯t know what to do. A stampede of wolves was coming down the corridor towards us and all the kids. You could hear the jingle of their familiar army token hanging around their waist, ¡°Get up. Ready for battle.¡±

    The guards drew swords and manifested, creating a wall of shadow around me. One pulled a bell on the wall, and the alarm resounded. ¡°Ready, the kids! A satchel each, quickly now!¡± The maids had three kids hanging in leather. I stretched out my arm. They couldn¡¯t reach so high or could get it around my horns. One woman manifested, ripped the material, and tied it around my neck over my chest. They were waking up one by one, fussing. I bent down for the little dragon. She tested the knots and nodded. I left and, in the blink of an eye, was in front of Liam. He jumped to his feet with a bundle of his own in his arm. ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°I wanted to take them to the village¡­ As soon as I was in Romero¡¯s home, the house was in havoc¡­ Outside, Iku and his wife were fighting an onslaught of wolves¡­ I have to go.¡± I hurriedly returned to human and placed Min¨¦ on the floor and the other kids next to her.

    I first traveled to help Yazen and Imani. I landed in the middle of the room. ¡°Will you take the kids out, please, Yazen pleaded. There were at least ten of them. I held out my arms, and the two largest jumped in. ¡°Have the younger ones in satchels when I come back.¡±

    That time, I took them to our new home. It would be easier and safer for me; I felt stupid not taking everyone there in the first place. On planet was quicker than inter freaking galactic. I appeared in the mess hall or tent. No one was there, ¡°Selena! Jack! Another few feet came running through the flap. ¡°Stay here, Selena, with me.¡± Every time I made a trip, I took another adult to the village. Once I was done with the ten kids, I stopped and focused on Chris. He was in the city with Ira. I traveled, appeared in front of him, and held open my arms. He jumped, ¡°I hope we make it.¡±

    ¡°No, wait,¡± Chris jumped down manifested, wrapped his arms around my chest, and held on. I looked down into his eyes and cocked an eyebrow, ¡°She would¡¯ve loved this¡­ On three.¡±

    ¡°One, two, three.¡±

    ¡°Wow! Yeah! That was so easy and¡ª

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let me put my armor on?¡± Chris dodged as a wolf swung its spear over his head, parried and stabbed. I teleported before I got one stuck in my back. ¡°Swords!¡±

    Two dheka tossed us each one. Iku and his wife were working together, never letting the other out of their sites. ¡°Maybe we should try back to back.¡±

    Chris moved his feet and joined me, ¡°Sure, but won¡¯t we need more help?¡± Both of us sliced into the air, killed a wolf, and regrouped with Selena and Jamal.

    ¡°Silvanus?¡± I offered and flung away a spear and stabbed into a throat.

    ¡°No, he¡¯s on a date,¡± Chris grunted as he swung several times.

    ¡°Really? Who?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know her¡­ Ira and I were spying when you came to get me¡­ The two were at the bar¡­ I¡¯ve never seen her in all my life.¡±

    The story amped me up, ¡°Is she beautiful? Does she like him? Come on, man.¡± I killed two more so Chris could go on.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯d also like to know,¡± Iku said as he struck out and impaled three wolves in one long, black, solid shadow.

    ¡°Impressive.¡±

    ¡°Thank You,¡± said his wife.

    ¡°She speaks? Is she still angry with me?¡±

    Iku laughed. ¡°No, he has teaching me english. I understand most.¡±

    Chris and I laughed as we tossed wolves at one another, slicing them as they came down. ¡°Will we ever not kill werewolves? What is it with their race?¡±

    ¡°The women are crazy,¡± Iku¡¯s wife said, and we laughed again.

    ¡°I thought I was done with fighting¡­ I asked you to set me up, Chris,¡± Jack said, warding off his own wolf. ¡°Now Silvanus will have someone before I even get there.¡± The human men were struggling. They could at least keep them busy until we could give crushing blows.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°I asked Ira; he has a few in mind,¡± Chris killed the last of the front line who lay dead around our feet. I looked up in the distance; the wolves kept coming over the hill in a run.. We took stock quickly and walked forward toward the incoming wave in a small cluster of people. All the adults in the village were fighting; we were a few, but the thousands coming at us made me doubt. ¡°Should we make a run for the rec center? We can travel to the island?¡± Iku gave me a look. ¡°Fine, you guys and your honor.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about honor... We¡¯d rather die than give up the gate! Why did you think I stayed so long? I was waiting for this.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something?¡±

    He shrugged, ¡°I was not sure.¡±

    ¡°Next time, reinforce!¡±

    ¡°Can you go get Marcus? Fahan? Someone?¡± Iku pleaded.

    ¡°We can do both¡ªtogether. Hold them off.¡± Chris grabbed my chest, and I put my arms around his shoulders. We both laughed. I counted, and we were at Marcus. We pulled him up, and his book went flying. I turned to Agatha, ¡°Will you please go help Cindy. She looks tired.¡± Agatha waved, and we disappeared.

    ¡°Sword,¡± Marcus yelled.

    ¡°Hold them off,¡± he seemed incredulous as we disappeared again. It was fun doing this together. It was easier, and Chris was well on his way to interplanetary jumps.

    We dropped down in the hall where we had the feast. Romero, Charlene, and Kubra were in the middle of the hall manifested, and the wolves coming at them were piling up in agony. The rest climbed over the bodies of the ones on the floor, trying to get to the group. The three were sending out wave after wave as they held hands, forcing the wolves down. Fahan, Jade, and Carl, each with a sword in hand, were stabbing the writhing wolves in the head. Chris and I teleported into the middle. ¡°Get us out of here, Michael,¡± Charlene begged, ¡°I don¡¯t know how much longer I can last. I reached for my plate.

    ***

    Lyla

    After Jacklin and I talked about what her device did, we decided to take a moment; we took a nap, got cleaned up, and ate a proper meal before making a life-altering decision. Early in the evening, we built a fire and sat around it with a drink in hand. The button lying on a table between us. We discussed every little detail, how we thought the situation could play out, and if we would be able to live with whatever happened.

    ¡°I saw Juliet.¡±

    Jacklin turned to me, ¡°You did¡­ where?¡±

    ¡°Here¡­ She and Caleb came for that,¡± I pointed at the stone structure Louis had erected.

    ¡°What did he hide?¡±

    ¡°One sentence or rather a lyric of a song?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go with her?¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t offer¡­ I was only happy she didn¡¯t kill me.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°Caleb seems to have a conscience.¡±

    ¡°Who is Caleb?¡±

    ¡°Her son¡­ Don¡¯t ask me. He is like sixteen or almost seventeen about now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, our lives are so different. If she had grown up on En-gannim, she would¡¯ve ended up in a factory chained for manual labor.¡±

    I took a moment before I asked, ¡°Did you also fall in love with him?¡±

    ¡°Louis?¡±

    ¡°No, Ahasuerus?¡±

    She laughed, ¡°No! I¡­ figured that was why I ended up here.¡±

    ¡°Tell me the story, please. If only to humor me.¡±

    Jacklin stared at the drink in her hand, ¡°Ahasuerus was heavy on populating En-gannim¡­ It was time for another wife. Every few years, he would add one¡­ Sex to him was like a part of his job. Spread his seed, sow his oats, and if something happened to his first wife¡¯s children¡­ one of his sons would be strong enough to fight for the throne¡­ Keep it in the family once he dies.¡±

    ¡°It is also why we have to make the decision,¡± I pointed at the device. ¡°He wanted no one else on the throne.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ the Ahmeds felt justified in all they¡¯d accomplished in the last five thousand years¡­ I sometimes wondered how Ahasuerus grew up¡­ How did his father treat him? If their customs and small things were passed down from generation to generation because the first night, I sat on a bed while he worked in the room for hours and hours without giving me a second thought¡­ A reminder of how low I was on the hierarchy¡­ I must have fallen asleep and fumbled forward because I jerked awake, and he was staring at me. He didn¡¯t believe in seeing any of his wives, so my face was completely covered, and my body¡­ I didn¡¯t say a word and lowered my eyes¡­ He continued with his work, and the next time I jolted, he was next to me. I will never forget how my heart raced with him so close. He looked down at me for a long time¡­ Everyone had said it would be quick and every time would be the same¡­ We were on rotation with several women per day. When he reached for the hem of my skirt, I wanted to lie down. He told me to sit still and bunched up the material, slowly exposing my legs¡­ Then he sat and stared at my legs for the longest time¡­ I was so tired, and on the other hand, the adrenaline was messing with me. I can still remember how anxious and afraid I was when he bent over and stretched out his hand to touch me. He didn¡¯t, though, and only hovered over my skin all the way up to my waist¡ªnever taking the plunge to actually touch me¡­ He told me to take off my clothes. I wanted to get up. He told me to sit still¡­ as if my getting up would make him change his mind. I fumbled my way through. He did the same with my exposed body¡­ When he reached for my veil, the doors opened, and another man came in and said, ¡°Sire, this is not the way.¡±

    Ahasuerus didn¡¯t look away from me, answering, ¡®I know; leave now, Jabin.¡¯

    Urrgh, I was mortified, sitting there naked and being used as a breeding mule. I didn¡¯t really know what to feel¡­ Feelings were beaten out of you¡­ Especially if you wanted to be married off to a man with more influence.

    After the doors closed, he took off my veil and stood, staring down at me again. I might not have had a lot of words to express my feelings, but I¡¯d never felt so exposed in my life. He said, ¡°Look at me.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t. I just couldn¡¯t¡­ It was not the way. I was afraid of dying or ending up in a prison. His tone changed, ¡°If you don¡¯t look at me, I will pluck out your eyes.¡±

    In that moment, I didn¡¯t know what he wanted to see there or why it was so important to him¡­ Now¡ªI think he wanted to be seen¡­ When I looked at him¡­ and there was nothing there¡­ He saw what every other man does. Conquer¡ªwin at all costs¡ªmake her mine¡ªI am worthy and important... You will worship me¡­ He forced me to look at him while he¡­ you know. And every time afterward¡­ I could never look at him the way he wanted me to¡­ I never got pregnant either, and the last time I saw him, he touched me. Every part of me as I sat there¡­ The sex I could handle¡­ The slow fondling and the noises¡­¡± Jacklin shuddered at the remembrance.

    ¡°I must have flinched and overcorrected out of fear¡­ By the time he touched my lips and I had to look at him, I was trembling, cold to the bone¡­ Dry as sandpaper¡­ My body did not betray me, and in a way, I guess he took it personally because when he felt me ¡­ and I had no response to him¡­ He stood and left without a word.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°A hundred f¡ªing years¡­ every day, the same thing over and over. If it was like five minutes, I would¡¯ve understood¡­ Every day for an hour! No, it was like his porn¡­ I figured¡ªonce I got here and saw what men had to do¡­ Maybe at his advanced age, he needed more to¡­ you know.¡±

    ¡°And here?¡±

    ¡°Qadir met me, traveled me to a penthouse away from the compound, and gave me ten years to find my feet, figure things out, and show him I could be an asset.¡±

    ¡°Samuel took pity on me¡­ If he didn¡¯t, I don¡¯t know what Ahasuerus would¡¯ve done with me¡­ Sam also told me I was being watched by a human in a cubicle somewhere in the desert. It was the worst news for me because I knew Ahasuerus still watched me in every way, only then on a freaking screen.¡±

    ¡°Jeez Jacklin, it was like being stalked, only you could do nothing about it.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ because even if I was free, I was more controlled than ever, so I did work myself up, and then I ran so many brothels and clubs and studios to make money for Qadir. I was surrounded by sex without the ability to indulge in even one conversation¡­ I had no one¡­ Not allowed to talk.¡±

    Jacklin smiled, ¡°Samuel called and gave me a phone number. After a hundred years on Earth, I met Louis. I knew who he was, and even my mind was protected from the man¡­ Fifty years later, after Louis slept with so many women, I made a mistake¡­ He had asked me to get him in a room with multiple people¡­ I organized many such events for higher-up clients. Louis¡­ was one of them¡­ I introduced everyone, and we had a drink¡­ when it was time for me to leave so they could¡­ partake¡­ Louis held me back and ordered me to sit down¡­ I was so disgusted with the words¡­ So uncomfortable for what seemed an age of them fornicating in front of me¡­ It was also when I saw actual mutual sex. Women having orgasms¡­ That night, my body did betray me. Louis must have known¡­ I don¡¯t really know how¡­ He nicked someone¡¯s throat. I manifested uncontrollably¡­ We had no choice. I suddenly had an outlet for every repressed feeling. An open opportunity to get rid of so many pent-up frustrations¡­ Before¡ªI wasn¡¯t even allowed to feed myself like the rest of the creatures on Earth. Constantly fed blood from a beast and my food sent from home¡­ It was the first time I had killed at all; the act in itself satisfies some animalistic urge¡­ Louis let me kill all of them¡­ The blood sent me into a clich¨¦-frenzy; I couldn¡¯t repress the lust anymore¡­ Louis was there. Naked. Waiting¡­ I felt everything¡­ So I kissed him and undressed myself¡­ He had me crying out and begging for it¡­ I never felt so free¡ªsated.¡±

    ¡°How did he not find out?¡±

    ¡°Samuel was there the next day¡­ He drugged Louis and locked him up after his little stunt¡­ How Samuel covered up all those people dying¡­ What a nightmare. He slid the black tube over to me and asked me if I wanted to die? I begged again and told him I wanted Louis and me to work out¡­ Samuel never came back to me and told me Louis was going back to France¡­ I never saw him again¡­ I don¡¯t know how I got through the next fifty years¡­ And then one night, out of the blue, he sat on my couch in a dingy motel, absolutely going crazy about a young girl¡­ a freaking child¡­ I mistakenly thought Marcus would put an end to it. He was Qadir¡¯s freaking son, after all! Ahasuerus¡¯s grandson! How could I have known he would apologize to her¡­ or about their history¡­ I thought Marcus would force her back to the compound, and Louis would never see her again. Boy, how wrong I was¡­ I was, in the end, only a pity-f¡ª¡­ When Marcus took over the compound, I begged Samuel to disconnect me¡­ I disappeared and was really free for the first time in my entire life.¡±

    I leaned over and pressed the button.

    ***

    Louis

    Before I opened my eyes, I knew Juliet had left, and she had not taken me anywhere. I had pissed myself, and the smell was too much for my new nose. It had also not stopped raining, and the wind gusted through the broken windows; I could almost feel the spray of rain on my face. I came up wondering how many days I was out. I took in the room, fell onto my hands on the floor, and puked my guts out; the contents looked like I felt... I didn¡¯t even care about getting cleaned up, so I sat on the bed. The room was disgusting¡­ After so long apart, this is where I took her¡ªto sleep with me¡ªon a dirty old mattress. Revulsion ate at me. My insides rebelling at all I¡¯d become¡­ Juliet had not been herself and kept a lot from me¡­ She was all there, but there was a hesitation in her manner I¡¯ve never seen¡­ Even more cold and controlled than after Fahan took Chris¡¯s ability.

    I reached for the packet of cigarettes and felt paper; my hand stilled. A note. I turned quickly and opened it.

    Louis

    I¡¯m going back. Figured out a way.

    Soren knows what the other stone does, and Romero and Iku gave me their blessing. Together, we think the consequences are worth it.

    I do blame myself for what you¡¯re going through, seeing you like this¡­ It¡¯s all because of me. I can¡¯t help but feel it.

    I¡¯m going to prove to you that no matter who I choose, you will find your way to me. I will live four lifetimes, and I will leave you for last. Because I know it¡¯s the one that will end up being all I need. And maybe even all we need¡­ I at least owe it to all of them to try. I have a nagging suspicion I will be right in this regard. You will make your presence known in all my stories no matter how hard I try to stay away.

    And in the end, I will make one permanent choice.

    This is where I want to be. I love you so very much. You are right for me, and I will prove it to you. Before you took that formula, I didn¡¯t even have to lift a finger. You will not be infected. You will not be hurt or have to fight anymore.

    I am sorry I pushed you into it. Begged you to mark me. This time¡­ I will let you take the lead. If I can¡­ Anyway¡­ I¡¯m rambling¡­

    I had to laugh¡­ Juliet was still in there¡­ She just couldn¡¯t be there with me without guarding herself against me. My laughter died between the tears and my clenched hands. The anger beat down the happiness. The shame and guilt of how I spoke to her¡ªdragged my conscience to an uncomfortable place.

    You have all of me

    I had to get out of there! I had to stop her! I turned to my plate and typed a message for Jessy. I waited¡­ No reply. She wouldn¡¯t leave me there? Juliet already did¡­ I asked her to. I tried Jessy again and again. No answer. It wasn¡¯t like I would see two grey ticks turn blue. Did something happen? Why had I come there? To the middle of nowhere? I didn¡¯t have food. The water in the area was contaminated, and nothing else was left. It was a wonder their house was still standing.

    The reason Michael couldn¡¯t find me was because I had blocked him supernaturally from finding me¡­ Every time I saw him, I knew he could find me if he honed in on my presence. He had practiced and was getting really good at knowing where I would be. I also practiced and found a way to sever the connection. Juliet¡¯s letter lay on the bed¡ªmocking me. It was too big an issue to leave, and now that I had a reason to go back, I couldn¡¯t or was being denied entry¡­ What she said in the letter is why she had kept so much control over her thoughts¡­ Why she never came to look for me¡­ Juliet¡¯s been planning on fixing everything¡ªall by herself¡­ Because I wasn¡¯t there. Did I not promise I would be by her side?

    There was only one way to get back. My body strained against the idea. My demon didn¡¯t want to allow me to reason. Alone was better. Away from everyone who would force me to take away this drug... What if Juliet went back before I could fix things? After the other night, would she change her mind about me? I sat down again and closed my eyes. I would have no blood and no drugs to get me out or through my spell. I dug my nails into my thighs, giving my animal something else to think about, and at the same time nudged¡ªconcentrated on Michael. He would be the only one who could come. Nothing. I tried again. Not even a tiny reply.

 224. Michaels Turn

    224. Michael''s Turn

    Juliet

    To make things play out so it would only be Michael and me would be a little bit trickier¡­ I couldn¡¯t help the smile playing on my mouth as I closed my eyes and thought about him. All our encounters and history played out in my mind in a story. I would have to go back even further, though; I couldn¡¯t have met Marcus yet. I missed Chris so much, and thinking it would be more years before I saw any of them again made me a teary mess. Sammy¡ªI would maybe see during Chris¡¯s timeline in ten years. ¡°Are you sure you have to do this?¡± Caleb asked. ¡°You¡¯ll catch up to Chris¡­ The fifteen years he was gone.¡±

    I nodded. It wasn¡¯t entirely the same situation. I had one of them¡ªChris was all alone with no hope¡­ My story with Marcus had turned out so beautifully in its own way. However, it left me wondering how it would be without all the compound rules and regulations or free from the persecution we all felt for so long. I wouldn¡¯t even recognize Michael without all his tattoos and muscles, not that it mattered; it would be as natural as breathing.

    I thought about the first day I met Marcus. The room took me back, and I opened my eyes in the bookstore. Soren had shooed me away when Marcus came in. Last time, I ran to get out of the way; this time, I ambled and turned to watch them. I wanted to look at Marcus one last time before I knew¡­ I wouldn¡¯t for another ten years. The last time, I didn¡¯t plan on when I would leave, but I figured ten minutes was not too bad in the greater scheme of things. I stood frozen, watching the two men talk for a while. Marcus had taken a book, and his head lifted. He paused, seeing Soren¡¯s gaze on me and looked my way. Our eyes met; I almost couldn¡¯t do it¡ªnot tell him everything and leave him to his own devices. My heart was beating so fast, and my breath quickened as I thought about him getting married or visiting more brothels. I glanced from Soren to Marcus and remembered how my life really turned out. I wanted to remember Soren the way he was before he met me. ¡°Juliet. Are you okay? Do I need to call¡ª¡±

    I cut Soren off before he could say something stupid, ¡°Yes, please.¡± Marcus looked at me as if I was crazy. And I was. What was I doing, wasting my time figuring out which person would make it all work out perfectly? Marcus¡¯s head tilted when I couldn¡¯t move. The two men were so different. The one with all the appearance of goodness. I caused it. I had pushed Soren beyond endurance. Both of them. I adverted my gaze and looked at the couch and the open space across the other. The two offending chairs. I chuckled¡ªtwo chairs changed my life. Marcus came over to lay claim to his couch¡ª I moved quickly, sitting down across from him. I would take the few minutes I had. Marcus moved around the space, making coffee and picking up his book off the table where he tossed it. I read the title and smiled. Oh, how my heart ached. It broke into a million pieces, and no matter what I did, I wanted all of them for as long as I could. I thought about adding one timeline and wondered if I could get it to work, but how? How do you get Marcus to let go of his jealousy? Neither I nor he could do it.

    I had my book open and peeked over the rim a few times. ¡°You know your book is the wrong way around.¡± I laughed. Of course, I knew. But I had minutes. My shoulders shook as the sorrow overtook me. I wanted to go back and be in his arms on En-gannim. Although our relationship wasn¡¯t very deep, being alone bombarded with secrets, we had grown closer in a way I don¡¯t think we ever would¡¯ve in my real life. I closed my eyes when the door opened. I felt the hand on my shoulders and looked up at my dad. ¡°Oh, Daddy!¡± I burst out crying, flinging myself in his arms. The one constant in my life was that man. I¡¯d not seen him since I left him on Earth, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡±

    ¡°Are you hurt? What happened¡­ Did you do something?¡±

    ¡°Me!? No! She¡¯s been weird ever since I came in,¡± Marcus tried to defend himself. I pushed my father away before they could become friends. I took his wrist and pulled him out the door. ¡°Soren, get me another slot.¡± I was not spending four years there without reading. I only hoped Marcus would leave me alone.

    On the drive home, my father tried to talk to me. I couldn¡¯t remember how a thirteen-year-old Juliet would sound. My tears at least subsided. I wouldn¡¯t have a trampoline or visits from Marcus. Once at the house, I focused on Michael. He was there even if I couldn¡¯t see him. I wondered if he would even fall for me¡­ There would be no catalyst if I were stuck in the compound¡­ I couldn¡¯t waste four years. I ran to my room, changing my mind. I closed my room door and stood in front of the mirror to try my manifestation. It worked. I bit my bottom lip and wondered if it was a good time for me to test it and change my plans completely. ¡°Mom.¡±

    The door slowly opened, ¡°Julie!¡±

    I could at least indulge them. For my parents, it was my first manifestation. ¡°Liam! Juliet manifested.¡± My dad came running. I laughed at his eagerness.

    ¡°That¡¯s what was wrong at the bookstore.¡± I nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll see it¡¯s not so bad.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I turned to the mirror. ¡°I think¡ª¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Dad¡­ Do you have any family on Earth?¡±

    Liam shared a glance with my mom. Cindy wouldn¡¯t interfere or tell me anything; it was his decision. I waited, hoping he would open up. The sooner we could leave¡ªthe sooner I could be in Canada. My dad¡¯s eyes were on the ground, thinking. ¡°I do¡­ have a brother. Why the sudden questions?¡±

    ¡°I saw the registry in your room.¡±

    My dad nodded, ¡°Would¡¯ve shown you eventually.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sorry I snooped.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ It¡¯s so boring here¡ªthe smallest thing to you probably feels like an adventure.¡±

    ¡°Daddy,¡± Liam¡¯s eyes came up, still one hand and shoulder leaning on the doorframe of my room. ¡°If there was a way for us to get to Uncle Samuel¡ª¡± my dad wanted to speak, ¡°Without anyone knowing! We would disappear and walk out¡­ Would you take the chance?¡± My mom observed me, and her eyes went to Liam¡¯s. ¡°Will they come for us? Or I don¡¯t know, is there no way we can get exiled without¡­ having to deal with Qadir.¡±

    ¡°Juliet¡­ how do you know so much?¡± I used my ability and disappeared in front of them. They both took a step forward, feeling the air. I came back, and my dad dragged me into his arms, ¡°How, when?¡±

    ¡°Everything happened today.¡±

    ¡°How do you have so much control? It takes years.¡±

    ¡°I would only take months¡­ Dad, there is another thing I know of.¡±

    ¡°Juliet, what could you possibly know?¡±

    ¡°I heard you and Mom talking about the brandings.¡±

    I covered my ear, knowing and remembering what it was like being thirteen. Liam laughed, ¡°Fine¡­ So what, you don¡¯t think there is one guy in this place who could help us.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I know there isn¡¯t, and I don¡¯t think it would work anyway¡­ Because it will cause too many complications¡­ You want to do something that¡ª¡±

    ¡°Will bring down a rain of fire upon us.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Do you want to walk out with me?¡±

    ¡°Or else, you¡¯ll leave alone¡­ Julie, you¡¯re only thirteen.¡±

    ¡°Almost fourteen¡­ and then fifteen, and then what? An auction because what the hell else are we going to do here.¡± My dad bobbed his head. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for so long. What is the worst that can happen? I¡¯m sure if we stay with Uncle Sam¡ª¡±

    Liam chortled, ¡°You don¡¯t even know my brother, and he¡¯s already a favorite.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s your brother,¡± my dad bumped my nose in response.

    ¡°How will we get out? No car. I don¡¯t even know where Sam is¡­ We haven¡¯t spoken in two hundred years.¡±

    I smiled, ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m sure he knows more than you think. If he is out there¡­ There must be a reason.¡±

    ¡°Yes, there is, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°The guy in the bookstore was Marcus Ahmed.¡±

    ¡°Qadir¡¯s son¡­ How¡ª¡±

    ¡°I overheard him and Soren talk.¡±

    ¡°Juliet¡­ Have you been going out with your ability¡­ It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t¡­ But if we stay, I probably will.¡±

    My dad bumped my nose again, ¡°Okay, go on.¡±

    ¡°He runs the barracks outside, doesn¡¯t he. He is the general of the army.¡±

    ¡°Should we go sit down outside?¡± my mom asked, ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of standing.¡±

    My dad led us outside. Before they even sat down, I said, ¡°If you start feeding a third person¡ª¡±

    ¡°They will know about you.¡±

    ¡°Right now¡­ I think everyone has forgotten about you.¡±

    Liam couldn¡¯t sit still. His mind was working out the kinks. ¡°So what does Marcus have to do with it?¡±

    ¡°Well, we get in his car, and they drive us out the gates. Once we are outside¡­ we steal the car.¡±

    My mom laughed, ¡°Julie, what have you been doing?¡±

    ¡°I want to leave! I would go right now into the gorge and walk out to the nearest town and call my uncle. That¡¯s how desperate I am. It¡¯s only going to get worse.¡±

    I looked at my mom for help. ¡°It¡¯s not my choice.¡± I sighed; my mom was still in compound mode.

    ¡°I can¡¯t figure out how we will find him.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t tell them Michael would probably tell Sam, and he would do something¡­ ¡°I can find out¡­ with my ability.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    ¡°Go into¡­ are you insane?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s new¡­ I thought I was overbearing, manipulating, and selfish¡­ but insane? I¡¯ll add it to my list.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡­ Ramblings of a book a read¡­ Come on dad¡­ I can do this¡­ It¡¯s better than waiting for a guy who might never come. A situation that would make us a target for the rest of our lives.¡±

    Liam walked a circle around the fire pit, ¡°We already know where Marcus is.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Let me go. I¡¯ll be careful, I promise¡­ or¡­ is it still about taking over?¡±

    My dad abruptly stopped his pacing and pointed a finger at me. I scoffed and turned my face away. ¡°You know too much. You were lying. You¡¯ve already been there. Figured out everything.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ the walls are thin,¡± my dad¡¯s finger dropped, ¡°You raised me this way for only one reason¡­ Did you think I would never start asking questions?¡±

    My mom laughed, ¡°We thought you might when you reached fifty.¡±

    ¡°I am, unfortunately, my father¡¯s daughter, not my mommies.¡± I reached out a hand. She was, in her own way, the model of all En-gannim could be. I was the odd one out. My father and his brother.

    ¡°Okay, fine. Do it¡­ If you can find out where Samuel lives or how to get in touch with him¡­ We can discuss it again.¡±

    I got up and ran into the house and got dressed in clothes more appropriate for the occasion. I reached for a pair of scissors and cut my hair a little shorter¡ªnot too much¡ªjust the sheer amount was too heavy. I would¡¯ve done it anyway. My mom watched and followed me with round eyes but didn¡¯t say one thing. I tied my hair and turned in a circle. ¡°I¡¯m a little scared of the new you...¡± she said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be. What is the worst that could happen?¡± My mom didn¡¯t want to say. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to leave?¡± She nodded. I ran past them and opened the front door. ¡°Wait up for me.¡± I checked my watch, ¡°Give me three hours.¡± I disappeared and ran. I couldn¡¯t come out and tell Michael everything off the bat¡ªour relationship and life had to happen as naturally as I could manage. The only thing that could go wrong is if he were sitting next to someone who would see. I knew he was in contact with Kubra, so that was where I was headed¡ªthe bookstore. Then follow the one guy who could lead me to a screen, leave his phone unattended, or I didn¡¯t know what; I would figure it out as I went along.

    Marcus was luckily still on the couch. I went in with Soren, lifting the tarp, and plopped down next to my first husband, ¡°Phew!¡± At least I could watch Marcus a little. See what he was doing. I wondered how long he would avoid going home. Another half hour passed before he shifted, and his gaze traveled to the table. My book was still there. ¡°Oh shoot.¡±

    Marcus sat forward and picked it up. ¡°What is this?¡± he asked Soren.

    The boy came around and stood in the doorway, ¡°A novel.¡±

    ¡°That girl was barely a teenager... Why would she¡­ You know what I don¡¯t want to know.¡± He tossed it back on the table. Marcus got up and handed his book to Soren. There was no friendship. Marcus was still in compound mode like my mom. I followed closely, and when Kubra got out to open the door for Marcus, I jumped into the driver¡¯s side and sat on the passenger seat. The moment was weird and uncomfortable¡ªI was going to confuse and manipulate the people I cared about most.

    We drove to Qadir¡¯s house and took the lane with no trees yet¡ªthe scene left a dreary prospect. The unpainted wooden gates stood open. Inside, there were no plants, no pool or deck. It was as barren as Marcus¡¯s life was before he met me. I followed them, and Kubra went to his own room. I waited till Marcus opened his door and followed him in. Our rooms were not linked, and his had no books, only a bathroom out into the mountain where Marcus got into a boring shower. I turned and had to take a breath after seeing him naked. I was not there to stalk Marcus. Both were going to be busy for a while, so I went to his study, rummaged, and didn¡¯t care how I left the place. Found nothing. I checked Kubra¡¯s room and found not one personal item or anything to tell me what I needed to know¡­ His house wouldn¡¯t yield any results; Marcus knew nothing back then. Where was Kubra recording Marcus¡¯s feed to? The tunnels? Would he go there at the end of the day?

    A few moments later, Kubra came out dressed a little bit less military. Guess I would get lucky. I followed him, and he went straight into Qadir¡¯s home and stepped through the house towards where Fahan had taken me down into the tunnels. He unfortunately closed the door on me. I had to wait and tried to open it slowly. I stepped through and disappeared, hearing Kubra¡¯s footsteps hurriedly coming back up the stairs. He heard the noise and saw the door half open. Kubra was so alert. I waited until he finished his examination of who could possibly have come through the door. He ruffled his hair, and we took the stairs down together. Luckily, there were no more barriers. We didn¡¯t move through the tunnels; his little office was right there.

    Michael was probably in high fidgets about what I was doing. Kubra dumped the files and sent them to a tube. What they needed it for beat me. If it wasn¡¯t for all those rolls, nothing terrible would ever have happened. Kubra picked up his phone and swiveled his chair. There was a packet of cigarettes on the table. I ducked down and pulled it off the table. Kubra spun his chair around, hearing the crinkle of paper. I was already gone. His eyes flickered to the table. He pushed his chair forward and looked everywhere, patting the desk down like a maniac. I giggled. Kubra checked the floor and every pocket. ¡°If there is one thing you would not be able to do without is a packet of cigarettes.¡±

    The dumping was taking longer than he would like. He was contemplating going and coming back. ¡°Yes, leave¡­ So I can search your phone.¡± Kubra got up and went into a slow jog out of the room. I grabbed his phone before it locked¡ªscrolled his contacts, and checked if he would have Samuels¡¯s name. It was there. I scribbled it down. Took a cigarette out of the packet and lit it. I disappeared again and went back up the way we came, waiting for him to fling open the door and snuck out. Easy peasy.

    ***

    Michael

    Juliet was insane. What the f¡ª was she doing? F¡ªing hell, I never had such a crazy, nerve-racking day sitting behind that screen. I phoned Kubra repeatedly after she went through his phone, looking out over the floor filled with thousands of small cubicles. The Watchers¡¯s hub was a warehouse consisting of many floors packed with men staring at screens. Each one had a cot next to his desk for when their wards decided it was bedtime¡­ And so we didn¡¯t go insane; we got some time off during the day. All we had to do was check what we missed and report if anything ever happened. With Juliet, nothing ever did. The most exciting thing she did was the reading room. Her sessions with Soren only started a year ago, and every time she went, I was freaking out. Liam was also insane for allowing her to stay there unattended. I wished I could¡¯ve given him a piece of my mind.

    When Marcus walked through the tarp earlier, I had to stand up. Soren¡¯s watcher was across from me. His eyes also came up, and we both made some nervous gestures. Juliet¡¯s reaction upon seeing Marcus was so strange. I wanted to shake her awake¡ªmake her sit down. But she just stood there staring. The fact that¡ª

    Kubra picked up, ¡°Hey.¡±

    ¡°Hi¡­ You seen your feed today?¡±

    ¡°Busy.¡± Kubra was moving around on the other end. I knew he smelled the smoke. I smiled, thinking Juliet had actually had a cigarette. Manifested and had an ability. She got her father to let his almost fourteen-year-old daughter run around unattended.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ feels like I¡¯m being followed.¡±

    ¡°You? I doubt that.¡±

    ¡°NO! Really¡­ Maybe Marcus and I need a break again.¡±

    Happy Juliet was off his trail, I said, ¡°Sure, I can set that up.¡±

    ¡°Who is the girl, and why the hell is she in a reading room?¡±

    ¡°Mine.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that why you¡¯re calling¡­ Don¡¯t think Marcus will talk.¡±

    I didn¡¯t even think about that, ¡°Yes¡­ I kinda want to ask for a favor.¡±

    ¡°You want me to cut it?¡±

    ¡°If you would be so kind¡­ Usually, there is no one there.¡±

    ¡°Me¡­ Have nothing else to do¡­ May I ask?¡±

    ¡°Uhmm¡­ I¡¯m sure you will find out eventually.¡±

    ¡°Okay, won¡¯t ask¡­ How is Sam doing?¡±

    ¡°Great¡­ just great¡­¡±

    ¡°Things going to get heated on my end?¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡­ We will talk when the time comes.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kubra cut the call. He wasn¡¯t a very friendly guy.

    I reached over to Soren¡¯s Watcher¡ªhe placed two tubes in my hand¡ªthey would be replacements for both of them. In exchange, he gave me the actual feed of that day I needed to get rid of and pushed them into my pocket, sitting back but checking my watch. I gave Juliet half an hour to make it back home¡ªif she was running. I was fidgeting more than usual. ¡°I took out my phone and sent Samuel a message. I¡¯d been waiting the whole day, figuring out what the hell I would tell him.

    Me { We have a problem }

    Sam { What? Is it Liam? }

    Me { Juliet¡­ She manifested. Has an ability, and they are going to steal a car and make their way to you }

    I could only imagine what was going on over there. The call came through a moment later.

    Sam [ Michael¡­ If this is some kinda joke ]

    Me [ No joke. She can actually f¡ªing, ] I leaned down and whispered into the phone, [ disappear ]

    Sam [ No!? ]

    Me [ Yes, and it was all her idea¡­ Wait for their call. They want to make it before they order their next feed ]

    Sam [ Get lost for a while¡­ Okay, we need to plan this properly¡­ I have to go¡ªtoo much to do ]

    Me [ Wait! What about me? ]

    Sam [ I¡­ Well, you think of something, and I will¡­ Let¡¯s talk as soon as they leave the house ]

    My first thought was I would also have to disappear or I¡¯ll get a bullet to the head. Or I would have to lie and later get a bullet to the head. Juliet was definitely not thinking about me when she was walking around doing stupid s¡ª.

    I sat forward when her feed appeared on screen; I picked up the headset and pushed it over my ears. I had switched the rest of the night to live feed; it would not be recording for a few days. Juliet was in the shadows, resting back against the wall and knocking on a window. Liam came into view, flinging back the curtain. Cindy was pacing in the background. ¡°Yes, I feel exactly the same.¡± Liam almost dragged his daughter through the window and caught her in an embrace. ¡°Okay, Dad, I¡¯m fine. It was a piece of Cake.¡± How did she know all she knew? I never saw her going through the registry or her father¡¯s files. I was doubting my abilities. How could I have missed anything? Was I getting sloppy? And I never heard Liam and Cindy talking about the brandings where she could hear them. Maybe my equipment was failing¡­ I paused¡­ My equipment was failing¡­ Would it work? I opened a log book on the table. How long has it been? Two years¡­ Yes, it could work.

    Juliet gave Liam the paper. He scanned it, ¡°Juliet, how in the world did you do it?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ followed the plan.¡±

    I smiled. She knew just what to say to put her father at ease¡ªtoo clever for her own good. ¡°Can you at least leave the rest to me?¡± Liam squeezed her shoulders.

    She nodded, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡±

    Cindy took her into the kitchen. I used those few moments to run upstairs to Bertram¡¯s office. The man was almost always there till the late hours of the day. I knocked and handed him a form I had quickly filled in. I had already walked back towards the door when he asked, ¡°Michael, how long?¡±

    ¡°Just now. Came immediately.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± I left, not wanting to miss anything.

    Over the thirteen years I¡¯ve watched her, I grew a little attached to their small world. The first nine were excruciating; I almost begged Sam to let me go. However, the immediate bullet to the head for deserting your post was a large factor in keeping my mouth shut and in my chair every day. The money we received was kept in controlled accounts¡ªanother incentive. All the men who went to En-gannim and came back changed their tunes drastically, knowing what was at stake. And so did I. Juliet wasn¡¯t only a job anymore.

    After Juliet ate, she called it a night and went to her room. I only had a few minutes to get ready and make it to my cot before she closed her eyes, and I did the same. My mind worried, wondered, and couldn¡¯t quiet down. I had been to En-gannim four years ago to get connected to Juliet. Luckily, the upgrading was done at the French embassy. Didn¡¯t really want to meet with Raas again, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Half an hour later, I checked my watch¡ªlooked at the screen, and wondered what she was doing. I got up and scanned the floor; a lot of the men were already sleeping; some were waiting patiently for their compliant¡¯s to go to sleep. The name was given to the thousands who did everything they were told and had no idea they were being watched. One guy was tossing a ball up in the air¡ªrepeatedly. Another scribbling onto a pad, probably doodling. I pulled the headset over my ears and listened. I smiled. Juliet was singing one of my favorite songs. I sat and lifted my feet onto the desk. It seemed the excitement of the day was keeping my ward up.

 225. A Difficult Path

    225. A Difficult Path

    Juliet

    The week had gone on as usual; we had to wait for Sunday for Marcus to make his way to the bookstore again. Kubra would get out of the car eventually, and we would get in. The two men would go home, and while Marcus was in his room and Kubra dumped his files, we would get out of the car and wait inside one of the unused rooms. The next morning, we would get up early and wait in the car. Once they parked at the barracks, we would make a run for it¡­ All we had to do was get to a phone, which I knew would be at the diner. We would leave the compounds as if nothing had happened. My parents didn¡¯t have watchers, and if I had to stay invisible for a while or come out only in a dark room for a month or so, it didn¡¯t matter. Michael was, unfortunately, on his own from my end. Between him and Samuel, I was sure they would think of something.

    Kubra parked the car, ready for work; he and Marcus disappeared through the army base gates. I watched him go with a pang of regret. Maybe it wasn¡¯t such a good idea to do Michael¡¯s and my life after Marcus¡­ I never could place one above the other. Jealous of both. Like night and day? How did one choose between the two? It was impossible. Well, both were army brats¡­ Both calculating and conscientious. The only difference was before Michael turned into an itoqure, he would have done anything for me¡­ Marcus never had the luxury of indulging in a home life.

    Nevertheless, for this lifetime, Michael would also have ten years... Unless¡­ he didn¡¯t show, and our paths didn¡¯t cross. Or he got shot for manipulating my feed. I hoped he would be in Canada once we got there.

    We waited a few more minutes in the parking lot before Liam started the car. Kubra didn¡¯t even take the keys; if it had a problem, we would¡¯ve had to get Nevin involved. My mom and I were in the back seat, still invisible. She was nervously clutching my hand, looking out the window as we drove off. I chuckled, ¡°If they have cameras here. They should see only a man stealing a car¡­ It will be okay.¡±

    Ten minutes later, we stopped at the diner. My dad opened the back door so we could reappear in the bathroom. He would call Sam, and that would be it. We were out. Sam might have someone waiting already. I glanced around¡ªonly a few locals so early for breakfast. What plan did he and Michael come up with?

    My mom and I refreshed ourselves after a night, couped up in a room, washed our faces, and fixed our hair. As we stepped out of the restroom, I started¡ªmy hands came up in a weird surrender, ¡°Damnit!¡± My mom did not know who Michael was, but seeing him so suddenly waiting outside for us was still a surprise. He smiled and held out his hand to my mom, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Michael, your ride.¡±

    Yeah, how was I going to stay celibate till I was eighteen? I didn¡¯t think Michael would have me at sixteen, and that was two years away. What was I thinking? I still had to do this three more times. I didn¡¯t know if I had it in me. It was literally years I lived and kinda wasted if none of this panned out. Michael and I stared at each other; I did the polite thing and reached out my hand, ¡°Juliet. But I guess you know who I am.¡±

    Michael laughed nervously, ¡°I do¡­ I want to say it¡¯s nice to meet you, but¡­ it doesn¡¯t¡ªcut it¡ªin a weird way.¡± He let go of my hand.

    ¡°Thank you for your service.¡±

    Michael laughed, ¡°You had me s¡ªing myself this week. Didn¡¯t consider what your uncle would have to go through¡ª¡± My dad came out of the men¡¯s room, cutting him off. ¡°Hi, Liam... I¡¯m Michael.¡± The two shook hands. ¡°Sam sent me¡­ We need to get into another car,¡± Michael said, turning around, ¡°I wanna get outa here asap.¡± I was also a little edgy, although not from nerves¡ªI needed blood, and eating was the only thing I could think of. Maybe my body on the outside had something to do with it.

    The first few hours were Michael unloading about the watchers and En-gannim to my parents, answering a million questions they had. Also, what he and Sam thoughts about Qadir¡¯s plans in a few years. Every now and again, I could feel Michael¡¯s eyes on me in the rearview mirror. Oh, this was going to be torture. I deliberately stared out the window, avoiding him¡­ Was this what Louis and Marcus felt like being so old. Every year became just another year, and everybody else¡¯s zest for life was more an irritation than motivation¡­ Over and over¡­

    After another hour, I was car-tired, ¡°I¡­ Uhm¡­ can¡¯t keep my eyes open.¡±

    Michael pulled over, and my parents were confused for a minute. Michael didn¡¯t comment on my knowledge about how our relationship worked or how I knew who he was. The two men exchanged places¡ªI made myself comfortable on my mom¡¯s lap. ¡°How can you sleep at a time like this?¡± she commented.

    ¡°First time in a car for this length of time¡­ Who knew? You and Dad will have a lot to talk about.¡± How did my mom learn how to drive? I couldn¡¯t wait to be alone in a room with the man and hear what was running through his mind. It wasn¡¯t five minutes, or I was asleep, listening to Michael explain to Liam why he would sleep while I slept, where to go and to wake us up when the GPS reached its destination.

    ***

    Michael

    Liam was talking in the background, rousing me from a well-deserved nap after a trying week. ¡°Juliet, wake up. We need Michael.¡± Liam was having a hard time waking Juliet; I could feel she was not ready to leave dreamland¡­ We both woke up slowly at the same time.

    ¡°What, why? What did he do now?¡± Juliet answered groggily. I laughed. She didn¡¯t even know me. What was she thinking about?

    ¡°Juliet, you¡¯re talking nonsense. Wake up!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not! He and Chris are in charge¡­ Leave me alone¡­ I want to sleep¡­ You take Naji.¡±

    Who was Chris? Who was Naji?

    Finally, I could sit up and look back over my shoulder at the strangers who were now very real. Juliet¡¯s eyes drifted over her dad¡¯s shoulder to meet mine. Liam had lifted her off Cindy¡¯s lap into a seated position, clutching her shoulders. She giggled and seemed so innocent. Liam realized I was awake, ¡°We need you. Seems we are close.¡±

    I reached for the handle, ¡°Bathroom break¡­ I need to stretch my legs.¡± Outside, I lifted my arms and yawned. Juliet and her mom walked arm in arm towards the shop. I could not take my eyes off her. My job was to watch her¡­ Now, she was her own person. ¡°Do we even have money for a snack? I¡¯m hungry.¡± A smile played on my lips; she would have to wait till we reached the farm. Juliet needed blood. It had been a week since she manifested. Didn¡¯t understand how she held out so well.

    I made my way to the restroom, checking my phone. Samuel had left me a string of texts. Before I read any of it, I placed my phone on the back of the toilet reading while I unloaded.

    Samuel { Kubra has been calling. There is an uproar at the compound }

    We knew this would happen. Liam was one of the men who couldn¡¯t get out or simply disappear. If Samuel ever helped him, there would be trouble. So we were scrambling to figure out what to do. I was sent to get my equipment fixed and was supposed to be heading for France. But after Liam and his wife disappeared, my sudden disappearance would be suspicious. No one on the compound knew about Juliet, but as soon as Qadir met with Bertram, I would be summoned. I could stall for a few days¡­ At that point, I was helping the Furrows escape¡ªmore out of loyalty to Samuel¡ªand still deciding if Juliet was worth getting shot over.

    Samuel { Qadir has called. Seems a car was stolen from the barracks }

    F¡ª this wasn¡¯t good. They were moving a little faster than anticipated. How did Kubra realize the car was gone?

    Samuel { Qadir is meeting with Bertram }

    I zipped up my fly. We had to move. The farm was the first place they would check up on Samuel. Who would they send?

    ¡°Uncle Sam!¡± I heard Juliet¡¯s voice. A heavy sigh escaped me. We weren¡¯t alone. He came to help. Liam was filling the car with gas and looked up. I followed his gaze. Samuel was standing with two girls in his arms. After he had kissed both of Cindy¡¯s cheeks, he turned to Liam, who was already on his way. It was a sad story¡ªtwo hundred years was a f¡ªing long time. No family. No friends. Vampire¡¯s lives were in some ways worse than ours. The two men looked almost identical if it wasn¡¯t for the enormous difference in height and the age difference. Liam stood head-to-head with me. Samuel stood head-to-head with Juliet. She would be a tall girl in a few years.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The five of us huddled after Samuel stretched out his hand to greet me. ¡°We have to get you out of here. Michael, you fried your tech?¡± I nodded. ¡°So, change of plans. We have to hide you, and unfortunately, the only person I know who can help us lives in France.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Juliet said, ¡°No! Absolutely not¡­¡± We all stared at her. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ Didn¡¯t think things would turn out like this.¡±

    ¡°I know you wanted to go to school here and blend, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, I understand. We can always come back when the dust settles.¡±

    Samuel handed me envelopes with all their documentation. ¡°You fly in an hour and then connect from JFK¡­ Straight to the airport.¡±

    I nodded and headed for the car. Juliet followed in a skip run behind me to catch up. I glanced back over my shoulder. ¡°Can I see mine, please?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°My new name¡­¡±

    I glanced down at the envelopes and doubted if I should. Juliet held out a hand and moved it up and down, giving me no choice. I laughed while she opened it, pulled out the passport, and bit her bottom lip between her teeth, also laughing. ¡°Sheila? Oh, man!¡± Juliet headed for the front seat while I took out the nozzle and closed the fuel cap Liam had left like that.

    ¡°What are you doing, Sheila?¡±

    She laughed and closed the door, ¡°I can drive for a while if you¡¯re tired.¡± I chuckled and sat down next to her. How surreal. ¡°So what am I getting for my birthday this year?¡± My head turned slowly toward her. ¡°It had to be you¡­ Every year¡­¡±

    My lips twitched. It was me. Juliet was so clever I didn¡¯t think she would connect the dots so quickly. ¡°I¡­¡± didn¡¯t know what to say. Her gift was in my bag. It was stupid and only DVDs¡­ What else did you give a fourteen-year-old who was couped up indoors all day? The fact that she had a way to watch anything had made her life a little better. ¡°Should I guess?¡±

    Liam and Cindy got in, and Juliet wound down her window for her uncle, ¡°You won¡¯t get into too much trouble, will you? Michael?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Don¡¯t you worry your pretty little head about that¡­ I always have an exit strategy.¡± She pouted her lips but smiled. ¡°If all else fails, you make us all disappear, and we¡ª¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t tell me¡­ let it be a surprise.¡±

    ¡°Very well. You like surprises?¡±

    Juliet hated surprises. ¡°Of course I do. An adventure.¡± Samuel leaned down and kissed her cheek. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon.¡± Sam looked at me, warning me and imploring me to look after them. I gave him the reassurance he needed, and we headed to the airport.

    Before our main flight to France, the girls bought a ton of stuff and disappeared into the bathrooms. Liam had also chosen to take a shower and get more comfortable. Wherever we were going was probably one of Samuel¡¯s rich contacts. Private Jet. Lounges and amenities out the wazoo.

    We boarded, and Juliet ran to the back and took a seat at one of the booths. I thought she would take one of the loungers, start watching movies, enjoying the trip. How did Samuel get the plane there so quickly? Organized every little detail¡­ He probably planned it the moment we got off the phone a week ago. I was so happy getting out of the desert¡ªit didn¡¯t really matter... Anything was better than being stuck in a cubicle. I wanted to sit down and breathe for the first time since Juliet rocked our worlds. I placed my bag in the overhead. Juliet cleared her throat. My eyes traveled down over my shoulder; she gestured for me to sit. I closed the little door and clicked it into place. What was she doing? I hesitated, ¡°Come on¡­ what else are you going to do. It¡¯s a long flight.¡±

    She was right, so I slid into the chair. It was all very comfortable, even at the booth. Juliet stared out the window; I followed her gaze; the plane was already moving. It was as if she had flown a million times and had been traveling all her life. I looked back at her. She had a silly smile on her face. She sat back, and we took off.

    We were hardly in the air, or we were being bombarded with drinks and food. The hostess put a beer down in front of me and a juice box in front of the child. Juliet¡¯s shoulders shook; her eyes wrinkled together. I did laugh with her. I couldn¡¯t remember when juice boxes were still a thing. The hostess came back, ¡°Anything wrong?¡±

    ¡°Yes, can I at least get a can and a glass with ice... I am fourteen.¡±

    ¡°Fourteen? Oh dear, I¡¯m so sorry. You seemed much younger. The owner told us there would be a child on the plane, and we had to make sure of everything.¡±

    The smile fell, and she took the box and opened it, popping the straw in her mouth. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll have this for now.¡±

    ¡°Quite alright. Tell me when you need anything else.¡±

    Juliet had never been so changeable in her moods. Had to be the manifestation and the lack of blood. Hoped Samuel¡¯s contact had a meal ready. Her eyes came back to me from staring out the window; they ended up eyeing the beer. ¡°Oh no! Not a chance!¡±

    She smiled so brightly; the joy on her face was infectious. Another thing out of place. Juliet was always serious, and no BS allowed. Her eyes narrowed mischievously. Before I knew what was going on, she reached for the beer and disappeared. I was too slow, ¡°How!¡± Vampire faces I was used to. Supernatural abilities would take a minute to take into consideration.

    ¡°Juliet!¡± Liam¡¯s voice was rather formidable in that tone. She wasn¡¯t reappearing. The laugh bubbled up. Liam had to put down the tablet the plane provided and stepped over. She came back and slammed the empty glass bottle on the table. I had taken two sips. Liam grabbed it and glared at her. Her hand jumped up to cover her ear, ¡°Vampires¡­ So serious¡­ It will help me keep¡ªuntil I can actually be fed. When do you think that will happen, father?¡±

    Liam relaxed and reached out to stroke her hair, ¡°Soon¡­ Calling my bluff so quickly¡­ You¡¯re all grown up, dear.¡±

    ¡°I had an excellent teacher.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that mouth of yours.¡± Liam turned and went back to join Cindy, who seemed to be a different person. How could the walls of one place make people change so drastically? This Juliet was a different person.

    Juliet¡¯s arm went up, and she pushed a button. The flight attendant came over, and she gestured to my empty. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll get you another.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Juliet said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± She laughed again, dropping her head. Why did everything I said bring a smile to her lips?

    After the flight attendant left again she asked, ¡°You seeing anyone?¡± I had taken a sip of my drink but choked. Juliet handed me a napkin; her smiles were gone. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say. It¡¯s a long flight¡­ Just making conversation.¡±

    ¡°I am¡­¡±

    Her eyes shot up at me, ¡°Who? How?¡±

    I laughed nervously. How did you tell a harem-based culture¡ªteenager¡ªwe were allowed out¡ªonce in a while. ¡°How would you know even if I tell you her name.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re right. None of my business.¡±

    I finished my second beer and drifted out of the seat. We were done eating, and I would relax for a while. A few hours went by. I was so used to watching Juliet on a screen that my gaze drifted over a few times. I had chosen a seat where I had a clear view of my ward. She had been looking out the window since I left. It was getting late, and even if we slept in the car, it had been a long day. It was dark outside, and if only I could read her mind. What I said had upset her. But why?

    Juliet checked the watch on her wrist. She was done spacing out and thinking but didn¡¯t look at me or interact. After a bathroom break, she walked over, scooted past my legs, and sat down on the chair next to me. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep. You have about fifteen minutes.¡± Her tone was a lot like Liam¡¯s¡ªcommanding rather than a friendly reminder. I wanted to thank her but felt it would be weird. We were all a little in the deep end. I jumped up to relieve myself before we hunkered down for a few hours. Back at our cubicles, hers were dark, and the divider pulled up. It wasn¡¯t long before we drifted off.

    It took us two days to get where we were going, and as the house came into view, Cindy was ecstatic¡ªshe had been very talkative since we got off the plane in France. I had to take a moment and stop the car, admiring the scene. Idyllic and secluded. It was perfect. What would Juliet have to say? Juliet was not saying anything. She had not spoken to me in two days. Neither had she looked at me. I glanced in the rearview mirror. Juliet swiped a tear off her cheek. Juliet needed to eat, or it would become a real problem.

    ***

    Juliet

    Yes, I was crying. Urgh, this was not going to work. How did one year make all the difference? It would take Michael forever to see me as a person, and if he was not in front of a screen to see me grow up, how would he ever look at me differently. Marcus was also not there to speed things along. Another guy interested in me, courting and moving in, had made Michael see me as... potential? I was not going to fight for him or go running after him like an idiot. Did I have the time to wait and see how and when or even if we would end up together if it all happened naturally¡­ It was much easier when they were already in love with you before you even met¡­ My time was too precious, and if I had to cut this short because there is no other way Michael would consider me¡­ I would. Maybe I could use Louis¡ªdump it all on him and use him. Too cruel¡­ How would that go anyway? I dreaded going into the house and Louis would be waiting for us. Even if he was there, what would happen? This time around, I couldn¡¯t ask for tech to keep my thoughts at bay, and he would know I was keeping him out.

    Louis was not there, and Michael left the very next day (after making sure we all killed someone) without a single word of when we would see him again... Drove away and didn¡¯t use the teleporter. I sat in the dining room chair, watching him leave. How long would I give him to come around? Would he meet Jack? Would we stay there for years, and I would not see any of them?

 226. Four Years Later

    226. Four Years Later

    Juliet

    Someone¡¯s hand was on my shoulder, gently shaking me, ¡°Juliet.¡±

    Michael. ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Wake up, honey.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I mumbled, trying to shake him off in a playful way. He let go too quickly. I opened my eyes, worried he would leave; two men were staring at me¡ªLouis was standing next to Michael. I sat up quickly, ¡°S¡ª. I¡¯m in your room¡­ Sorry, I¡ª¡± Michael held out his hand, helping me out of the impossible situation. He half dragged me to my feet and hurriedly led me down the stairs. What was wrong with him? I had claimed Louis¡¯s room when we moved in four years ago¡ªmaybe I¡¯d been a little presumptuous. I pulled my hand out of his and headed for the loo. Michael took hold of my shoulders, steering me away from Louis¡¯s dressing room and bathroom door. It would take me some time to get used to Louis being back. Guess I was back in my old room and sharing a bathroom. Michael pushed me into an empty room, closing the door behind us. It was the same one I used when Caleb was born. De ja vu. Still a little groggy from sleep, I crashed onto the bed, ¡°What happened? Why are you back?¡±

    ¡°Usual check-in¡­ And I had to bring Louis.¡±

    ¡°Are we going back to America yet? We¡¯ve been living in a stranger¡¯s house for four years¡­ Where is my uncle?¡±

    ¡°On the farm¡­ You want to go live there for a spell?¡±

    I sat up, ¡°Could we? Nothing would make me happier¡­ Servants! No cleaning¡­ What month are we in?¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anymore¡­ One day seems to drift into another¡­ while I wait¡ª¡± I interrupted myself before I asked Michael if he felt anything for me yet. ¡°How is it going with you and your¡­ ¡®friend¡¯?¡± I air quoted the word.

    ¡°What friend?¡±

    ¡°Your special friend¡­ Come on Michael¡­ you know what I¡¯m asking¡­¡± He said nothing and stared at the floor. ¡°You look good, by the way¡­ Lifting weights is doing you a world of good.¡±

    He smiled, ¡°Yes¡­ I kinda like it.¡±

    ¡°I knew you would.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not doing so bad yourself,¡± Michael took a step closer, looking around the room, ¡°I see you practicing like you¡¯re going into the MMA.¡± I had to laugh¡ªbut stopped abruptly, thinking about the MMA... Maybe I should? I would go out of my mind otherwise¡­ Ohh¡­ Cage fighting! ¡°Did you ask about the werewolf cages this month? Can I go? Please tell me Sam found a way.¡±

    ¡°Samuel said yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding,¡± I jumped up and flung my arms around Michael¡¯s neck. He stiffened at the sudden proximity to my person¡ªI played it cool, letting go of him, falling on the bed, pretending nothing had happened. Michael had had his human-pedo-walls up for the entire four years, unable to even react to any displays of affection I had unknowingly or knowingly tried to get across.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting pretty good on the bike, too.¡±

    I played with the sheet, ¡°Oh, it is the best feeling in the world¡­ Thanks, by the way. Know it had to have cost you a pretty penny, not that you lack money.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he chuckled, ¡°It was for your eighteen birthday.¡±

    Katty jumped on the bed; I picked her up and placed her on my chest; she immediately made biscuits on my stomach.

    ¡°Juliet¡­¡± Michael turned toward the door and put his hand on the handle, ¡°Since the plane¡­ there has been no one¡­ I¡­¡±

    I sat up and gently put Katty on my pillow and pierced Michael with a stare. He wanted to open the door¡ª ¡°Me too¡­ I mean, since the plane¡­ I¡­ liked you from the start.¡± Was this it? Would my efforts be rewarded?

    ¡°I had to wait¡­ You can understand why?¡±

    What a lame declaration of love¡­ Michael, Michael, Michael¡­¡°No¡­ I think it has much more to do with Louis¡¯s sudden appearance¡­ Do you think I¡¯m going to get married?¡±

    Michael blushed bright red; he still had not grown a beard, and his embarrassment was very evident. Sheesh, why was it so hard for men to talk about feelings? I¡¯d gotten used to his clean-shaven look, although I missed his rugged, long hair and vibe. This guy was, in many ways, not my Michael. Like Caleb said, I¡¯m with other versions of themselves. How frustrating, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ I get it¡­ Human laws and all¡­ It¡¯s not like you would¡¯ve kissed me when I was only fifteen.¡±

    He shook his head vehemently, ¡°No, I would never.¡±

    I laughed, getting up off the bed, and cautiously approached him, holding his eyes with mine, ¡°Would you kiss me now, though? Or should I¡­ try to persuade you.¡±

    His hand fell off the handle, ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t need persuading¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ you¡¯re so innocent.¡±

    I repressed my laughter at my self-inflicted chastity. Cautiously, I lifted my lips in the air¡ªhoping. Michael ignored my attempt at asking for a kiss; he took hold of the handle¡ªagain¡ª ¡°Okay! I won¡¯t do anything... until you¡¯re ready.¡± He seemed to relax a little. I reached around him and opened the door a smidge, ¡°Oh, Louis!¡±

    Michael slammed the door, ¡°Juliet, you¡¯re looking for trouble.¡±

    ¡°No, Michael¡­¡± I playfully tugged on his shirt, ¡°Maybe a first kiss¡­¡±

    Without further thought, he wrapped his arms around my waist, picked me up, and hovered his lips over mine. Slowly, I closed the distance, melting into him as our lips met. His arms tightened around me, holding back his apparent desires, gently preserving my innocence with passionless hunger. It was a start. He still wore his hair short; there was not much to play with or feel under my fingers. Michael tilted his head and deepened the kiss¡ªopening his lips. I moaned low when his tongue slid across my lips, all patience drained with one touch, ¡°I need release¡­ Will you?¡±

    He promptly dropped me to my feet, ¡°You said a kiss,¡± he opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind him. I leaned forward and hit my head on the door; Michael was a freaking tease. Why did it take him forever to cross that freaking line? I spun around; he would probably tell me he wanted to get married first. I groaned and fell face-first into the bed. In less than a year, Qadir will take over Earth. I didn¡¯t want to be there anymore¡­ I had plans! It had been four painstaking years of him living with us and keeping a very distant eye on me¡ªnever treating me like a potential lover.

    After a few minutes of pulling myself together, I opened the door and stepped out. Michael and my dad were busy in the kitchen, ¡°I¡¯m going for a run.¡±

    ¡°Be safe.¡±

    ¡°Will do.¡±

    I put my earphones in, tied my shoes, and came up, walking smack dab into Louis¡¯s chest. My hands jumped up and rested on his chest; I paused for a second¡ªclosing my eyes, keeping my mind void; inconsequentially, I took in his smell. Louis used a specific cologne that sent me spiraling. Louis rested his hands on my waist. Naturally, I thought about us dancing together on the night of my birthday at a club. His touch all over me¡ªLouis cleared his throat. I took a step to the right and passed him, not looking back, smiling from ear to ear. I was right¡­ It didn¡¯t matter what I did¡ªLouis would find me. I missed him so much and was happy to see him. What are you thinking, Juliet? Control your thoughts.

    I had taken the steps down off the porch and skidded to a stop, ¡°F¡ª.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Louis asked behind me. Of course, he read my mind and wanted to know how I could miss someone I¡¯d never met. I spun around and took one ear pod out, biting my bottom lip to keep my excitement in check. The anticipation built and exploded. I jumped up and down and clapped my hands, wishing I could cut this journey short. Louis pulled his lips in disgust at my childish display, pretty much the way he did the first day we met. I burst out laughing¡ªso loud I couldn¡¯t catch my breath or calm myself down¡ªglad he had something else to focus on. ¡°Are you all there?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m so happy¡­ So, so, happy¡­¡± I put my hands in the air, and the chill rippled on my skin. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day! You should try it sometime.¡± I put my ear pod back, letting my thoughts run when I was far enough away. I kept thinking about why I was pregnant at the end of Marcus¡¯s timeline. My only conclusion¡ªLouis was going to be a father. It had to be because I was already pregnant. When I was in his arms, it became a certainty. Oh, how I wanted to end it all, find him and tell him. Some days were more difficult than others to stay on course, managing so many variables.

    After my run, I came back sweaty and headed for the bathroom. I wanted to go into the wrong door¡ªLouis¡¯s dressing room¡ªagain. It was so ingrained that Louis and I were one; I was always welcome; what was his was mine¡­ Except maybe that one time he tossed a towel in my face and denied me entrance.

    After my shower, I came out with a book and wanted to head up the stairs. Louis¡¯s room was my favorite place in all the worlds, and in the real world, it didn¡¯t exist anymore. I pouted my lips. Why was Louis back at all? I turned and headed for the lounge and sat down in Marcus¡¯s reading chair. I stared at the couch for a while, thinking about all the times we had read together¡­ Our honeymoon and everything that happened on that very couch... I couldn¡¯t wait for Chris and me. My thoughts drifted to Chris and me kissing under the stars. We were next¡­ I would make sure Chris didn¡¯t marry that idiot and¡ª

    ¡°What are you thinking about? You¡¯re all over the place. I can¡¯t keep up.¡±

    I jerked and spun around, ¡°You know if you can read minds, you should ask permission first.¡±

    ¡°Well, that would suck!¡±

    ¡°Too boring¡­ Unromantic?¡±

    Louis snorted, ¡°Who¡¯s Marcus? Some dirty thoughts you have there¡­ In my house! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve been having men over.¡±

    Unannounced, a hot redness crept into my cheeks. Louis laughed¡ªat me! ¡°Hey, not all of us had a kazillion women before we turned a hundred.¡± Louis¡¯s eyes snapped up. I wagged my finger at him.

    Intrigued, he sat down, ¡°Who¡¯s Chris? So many men at your disposal¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shhh!! Seriously,¡± I glanced around.

    ¡°They left to go buy some stuff.¡±

    I tossed the book at him; Louis caught it, perusing the first page. He flipped to the second page; his eyes flickered up at mine. I gestured for him to continue. Louis read the first page, ¡°Oh¡­ I see¡­ You¡¯re either too clever, or this is the¡ª¡±

    ¡°The truth. I promise.¡± I wasn¡¯t lying. It was the truth either way.

    Louis pulled his lips in an impressed, upside-down smile, ¡°Do you mind?¡±

    ¡°No, but you can¡¯t tell anyone.¡±

    ¡°Who am I going to tell? You guys are the first real people I¡¯ve seen in¡­ a long time.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to the compound for a wife?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know¡­ Samuel has been bugging me to go to an auction. There is one again this week¡­ some woman named Isla.¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    He didn¡¯t even look up and chuckled, ¡°One of your friends?¡±

    ¡°She was¡­ but will you believe me if I say¡­ bad stock.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll believe anything you tell me¡­ So what¡¯s going on with you and Michael?¡±

    ¡°Love of my life.¡±

    Louis stopped reading¡­ His head slowly came up, ¡°You meant every word.¡±

    ¡°Why would I lie about that?¡±

    ¡°Spare my feelings.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any?¡± I said, laughing, and got up just to sit down next to him. I leaned against him as I flipped the pages of the book I wrote to a specific number and tapped on it, ¡°Tell me what you think.¡±

    He read a few lines, and his eyes met mine. He held them and took a good look at me, thinking. Louis went back to the pages and devoured the next two. Suddenly, he snapped the book shut, ¡°It¡¯s very¡ª¡±

    ¡°Romantic?¡±

    ¡°Porny¡­ What is it with you, love and romance?¡±

    ¡°Love and Water¡­ Someone once told me¡­ it¡¯s all you need.¡±

    Louis shakily took out a packet of cigarettes from his pocket and lit one. He didn¡¯t offer me one. I pouted, ¡°May I please share a fag with you?¡±

    The packet was held out to me; I eagerly lit one, sitting back against the cushions facing him. I pulled one leg up underneath me and closed my eyes after the first puff, savoring the buzz. ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°Four years.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t really take a car and drive an hour and a half for a smoke¡­ And your stash was empty in the first month.¡±

    ¡°My stash?¡±

    ¡°Yes, next to your sex journals.¡± Louis coughed on his next drag¡­ he looked at the book and smiled. ¡°Seem familiar?¡± I asked. He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever delve into past experiences for¡­ uhm¡ª¡±

    ¡°Stimulation?¡± I nodded, taking another drag, ¡°No¡­ One thing about my ability is that I can control my own mind better than anyone else could theirs¡­ Or¡­ I would¡¯ve gone mad¡­ Did go mad at one stage¡­ Anyway¡­ I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m talking so much¡­ My journals don¡¯t have all the details in.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not hard to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Fill in the missing bits?¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°Yes¡­ So are you going to tell me?¡±

    ¡°Help you with that guy! No chance in hell! You¡¯ll have to drug him¡­ He¡¯s so clamped up and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Human¡­ Yes, I know,¡± I sighed heavily, ¡°No lust in his veins.¡±

    Louis smiled¡ªhis genuine big smile where the corners seemed to almost reach his ears; the amusement in his eyes lit up his face, ¡°You¡­ that smile alone could make me do things¡­ but I shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your name?¡± I stuttered, remembering we¡¯d never even introduced ourselves. Louis laughed, reading my mind, ¡°Juliet? Peculiar name¡­ Not common.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ Don¡¯t know what possessed my parents¡­ But it¡¯s not Juliet, it¡¯s Sheila.¡±

    Louis laughed, ¡°Sheila¡­? Classic¡­ Samuel,¡± he said between chuckles.

    ¡°Yes, my uncle is a gem in the rough¡­ Loves you like a son.¡±

    Louis¡¯s smile fell. I reached out a hand, ¡°I believe you have to allow yourself to receive love.¡± Louis¡¯s eyes were on my hand on his arm. I removed it and pushed my bud into the ashtray. ¡°Are you coming to watch me fight?¡± After I said it, I realized¡­ I didn¡¯t think, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Where is my head at.¡± He pointed at the book. I laughed, ¡°No¡­ celibacy is my middle name. I¡¯m getting so good at it¡­ I might go fifteen years.¡±

    ¡°Try fifty.¡±

    ¡°No!? Not once after Jacklin?¡±

    He shook his head and put out his own bud, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Something about sleeping with someone and then¡­ walking away.¡±

    ¡°Leaves a sour aftertaste?¡±

    He smiled quickly, ¡°Sour¡­ No¡­ more like regret.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we should never live in regrets.¡±

    ¡°Suppose not¡­ Unavoidable nonetheless¡­ I try to conquer¡ª¡± Louis cut himself off, ¡°How is your French coming along.¡±

    I ignored his question by switching to his native tongue, ¡°Where have been the last four years? Are you not upset about foreigners squatting in your house¡­ It¡¯s beautiful, by the way.¡±

    Louis smiled, sat back, and we were very companiable on the couch together, ¡°I see you like my room¡­ I want to tear it down¡­¡± Louis gestured to the house.

    ¡°I think someone will¡­ One day¡­¡±

    ¡°Question is what then?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I have a million ideas¡­ But it will be your wife¡¯s home.¡±

    ¡°We both know that won¡¯t happen¡­¡±

    ¡°It is uncertain times, for sure¡­ If you go home? Maybe your uncle can give you a job. A wife.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ my summons came when you guys left the compound.¡±

    ¡°It did!? Ahasuerus missing family¡­ Poor guy losing all his children at the hands of another.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my cousin is not¡ª¡±

    ¡°Right in the head¡­ He would¡¯ve been hot if he wasn¡¯t so evil.¡±

    ¡°Hot? I¡¯ve never seen him.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised how much you two are alike.¡±

    Louis picked up the packet and held it out to me; I took another. ¡°Want to have a beer outside?¡± I suggested.

    ¡°Beer?¡±

    ¡°Please¡­ No one¡¯s home¡­ Michael and my parents will be back soon.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but you¡¯re underage.¡± I scoffed. ¡°Why do I feel this won¡¯t be your first.¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s not.¡±

    Louis had gone into the kitchen and opened the fridge. He took out two and popped off the caps, ¡°So what do they think happens to the beer when they get back?¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t say anything.¡± I shrugged. ¡°My mom thinks it¡¯s my dad¡­ My dad thinks it¡¯s Michael¡­¡± Louis handed me my bottle, and we headed out. ¡°You know what I could never figure out¡­ Why we were the only two with abilities¡ª¡±

    ¡°You have one? I thought I was the only one.¡±

    I disappeared, and Louis smiled, ¡°Nifty.¡±

    ¡°Very,¡± I said, coming back.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    ¡°Or it does, and we had a good Samaritan.¡±

    ¡°Samuel?¡±

    ¡°It had to be¡­ I think he and¡ªwell anyway¡ªthe older folk have a lot of... stones¡­ buried in their pockets.¡±

    Louis frowned. ¡°Weird way to say they have secrets¡­ I guess it could¡¯ve been him¡­ If there is a way.¡±

    It was quiet while we finished our drinks, staring at the view. He glanced at his watch, ¡°How do you do it?¡±

    ¡°Meditation¡­ Years of painstaking practice¡­ I¡¯ll do you one better.¡± I flung my feet off the deck chair, disappeared, and spoke. Louis sat up. I came back, ¡°That was speaking. Now¡ª¡± I disappeared again, thought about something, and came back to watch his reaction. Louis¡¯s needy eyes were fixed on my lips¡­ He had that look¡­ As if he wouldn¡¯t ask. Before I threw away four years, I said, ¡°Well, that¡¯s my queue¡­ I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to leave me hanging¡­ After everything that just happened? We fit in every way¡­! If you and Samuel talked about me¡­ You must know how long I¡¯ve waited.¡±

    ¡°I do¡­ But like I said¡ª¡±

    ¡°Michael¡­ What is it about him?¡±

    ¡°He¡­ He¡¯s fun¡­ kind and¡ª¡±

    ¡°Spoils you?¡±

    I scoffed, ¡°You saw the bike.¡±

    ¡°Hard to miss the two standing in the garage.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ª¡±

    ¡°The cat in my room¡­ And he knows every detail about you¡­ If you give me half a chance and let me in.¡±

    I smiled, sitting back again, singing in my head, finding it very difficult not to tell Louis everything. He followed and finished my song, ¡°For a couple of hours¡­ On a beautiful day¡­¡± Louis fidgeted with his bottle, ¡°You¡¯re making it really hard not to ask.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t! If you don¡¯t know what to do, don¡¯t do anything.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know exactly what I want to do.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    I changed the subject, ¡°How I would love to have your ability for a day.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t! It¡¯s a crutch,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°Can¡¯t say the same about mine.¡±

    Louis slapped his hands on his legs and got up, ¡°This has been¡­ the hardest thing I had to endure in two hundred years¡­ So I¡¯m going to leave before¡ª¡±

    ¡°You ask if you can kiss me.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Louis walked away, ¡°You seem to know my thoughts anyway.¡±

    I watched him go. Before he reached the door, Louis hurried back toward me. I stiffened and shifted as he stood over my chair, waited a moment, bent down, and slowly closed the distance between our mouths. He held my eyes and lingered before our lips actually touched.

    The doors to the patio opened, ¡°Juliet!?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mom! Louis was just leaving.¡± He scoffed and tilted his head so we were even closer, his breath soft on my lips¡­ While our eyes had their own conversation, I let my thoughts run, picturing the two of us in some sweaty situations. He gripped the back of the chair and snarled, manifesting. A few foot treads were headed our way; my dad cleared his throat. ¡°Daddy has spoken.¡±

    Louis pushed himself up, spun around, and said, ¡°I think I¡¯ll lock my door tonight.¡±

    ¡°Good idea.¡±

    Louis let a string of French cuss words flow.

    My mom came closer, ¡°It seems we found our beer thief.¡±

    ***

    Michael

    I was about to move and stab Louis in the neck with drugs if he did anything Juliet didn¡¯t like. The creatures around me¡ªtheir sudden mood changes¡ªmanifesting for the slightest provocation was something I¡¯d not get used to. Another reason Louis was way out of my league. He would be able to handle her and share a side of her I never could¡­ Juliet could have him in a heartbeat. It¡¯s why Louis wasn¡¯t allowed to come back before she was mature enough to handle the man¡ªmake proper judgment calls about her future. After I watched his feed, I understood why Sam had asked him to stay away.

    Juliet had kissed me¡­ Asked me to get her off¡­ What did I do? I ran¡­ I couldn¡¯t with all the people in the house; her parents¡ªright there¡ªweird. I caught Liam watching me; would it be inappropriate to talk to him about Juliet and me? He walked past me into the living area, ¡°You have to get in there, or I can¡¯t help you¡­¡± Seemed like he didn¡¯t care.

    Four years ago, after Juliet was so upset on the plane about me sleeping with anyone, I had taken a moment¡­ well, a year to realize how jealous she was. Territorial¡­ about me. It was only small comments¡ªjabs here and there¡ªmockingly asking how long it¡¯s been. Every time I left the house, she would ask if I was going to meet my mistress. Our situation was an adjustment all around. How could I trust she knew anything about serious relationships¡­ After the compound¡ªunderstand anything else going on in the world.

    Back then, I didn¡¯t want to do anything to upset her or the situation... At the time, I was her only friend¡ªthe one closest to her age she could interact with. Going out for the first time to feed and then being there, watching her kill person after person every week. Sometimes, we had to take the train only to put some distance between us and their food. We spent hours on a train together. Juliet would cuddle up against me and fall asleep on my shoulder. I would have no choice but to rest my head on hers¡­ When she was done eating, she would tilt up her head to me so I could clean her mouth¡ªshe knew how much I hated her wiping the blood off on her sleeve. (The stain was too tricky to get out sometimes.) My punishment for nagging was to clean her myself if I didn¡¯t want her to do it. I ended up palming her neck and using my other hand to carefully wipe her mouth while she begged me to kiss her. Had I been tempted in the last four years? Every f¡ªing day.

    I don¡¯t really know when I fell in love with her, but I did. From grueling confinement to unlimited freedom had been a strenuous, chastising learning curve for both of us. It didn¡¯t help that she used every excuse to touch me. Begged me, in the beginning, to ride Princess on my bike after urging me to buy one.

    Soon, I was dragged in to help her study and finish high school. Teaching her to ride a bike¡­ It had been me and her for so long; what would I do if Louis did make his move?

    After we landed in France and I had them settled in the house, I left for some time to meet with Qadir, Bertram, and Samuel. He had come right out and told them about her ability and said that if she were to stay on the compound, it would be too dangerous. Qadir agreed. He didn¡¯t care if Liam was there or not. Samuel was asked to come to En-gannim to see Ahasuerus; after two hundred years, he wasn¡¯t so angry anymore and let it go that we helped them escape¡ªleaving me to stay with all three most of the time while Juliet was still being monitored.

    So, later that night, I watched her feed¡­ and listened to her conversation with Louis. When she told him how she felt about me¡­ I had to get up, pause the feed, and pace¡­ A million questions jumped out at me. Unable to find an answer to any of them, I sent the file to Samuel¡ªJuliet knew way too much. Was too mature in many ways. Although something was off with her from the start. She had been a totally different person overnight¡­

    A smile played on my lips¡ªLouis had pretended to kiss her on purpose¡ªto make me jealous¡­ Jealousy wasn¡¯t going to make me give it all up... It was too dangerous. One of us could die. Probably me.

    It wasn¡¯t a minute after Sam would¡¯ve been done with the feed.

    Samuel { I¡¯ll be there tomorrow for lunch. Don¡¯t make a big deal of it. }

    Me { See you tomorrow. }

    The next day, I waited at the teleporter spot and paced until Samuel came out in the bushed. He looked down and frowned, ¡°Your math is failing you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, was in a rush back then¡­ So?

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know? You¡¯re her watcher! You¡¯ve been here for so long; why didn¡¯t you figure out what really happened that day in the bookstore?¡±

    ¡°She is so different off-screen¡­ Juliet terrifies me.¡±

    Samuel laughed as we walked up the few steps. Juliet had been reading in a specific chair since Louis¡¯s appearance. ¡°Why did you send him back?¡±

    ¡°He needs family. Even if it¡¯s only being related in species.¡±

    Juliet looked up when I pushed open the door. She regarded us for a second, ¡°So Michael is still watching. But not Ahasuerus.¡± Her eyes met mine. I couldn¡¯t look at her, too scared of the daggers piercing me. Samuel walked towards her and sat on the coffee table opposite her. The two were the same mold. Blunt. No fuss. Confident. He leaned forward and waited. ¡°Swatches. Rooms and trouble.¡±

    Samuel jerked to his feet, looking down at her. After some time, he sat again. Juliet held out a packet of cigarettes to him. He took one and lit it, watching her with narrowed eyes. He stood to leave. Juliet pulled him back onto the table, ¡°Sit down, Sam! We have like forty years to figure it out¡­ Nothing¡¯s going to happen in the next two hours¡­ You can go see him later¡­ Have lunch with us and tell us some more stories about Louis.¡±

    Sam relaxed and smiled. I went into the kitchen and got all three of us a beer. If she¡¯d asked me for cigarettes, I would¡¯ve bought some for her. I knew she had a beer every now and again, but I guess there were some things she wasn¡¯t comfortable talking to me about. I didn¡¯t like how easy she was around Louis.

    The gentleman in question appeared on the stairs leading from his room, catching all our attention. He paused when he saw us. Juliet smiled so genuinely, seeing him¡ªall my jealousy was kindled. If she could have us both, it would probably be heaven for her. Louis coughed and stared at me wide-eyed. He had to know what effect he had on her. She was like a giddy schoolgirl around him. And at that moment, she jumped up and dragged him by the arm to sit down with us. Samuel chuckled, shaking the man¡¯s hand, ¡°You made a friend.¡±

    Louis and Juliet shared a look. Louis broke the gaze and said, ¡°I want to go with you later.¡±

    ¡°Really? Ready to leave Earth?¡±

    Louis nodded and took a cigarette, ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± His gaze flickered to Juliet, whose smile had fallen. What was she thinking about? Was she disappointed he would leave?

    Juliet left the room, out the patio doors, and stood outside on the deck. I followed like the idiot I was. I should walk away. They could go together and live on En-gannim... Have a house, kids, some kind of life. What was I going to do? Be connected to my wife and sleep when she sleeps.

    Shoulder to shoulder, I looked down to see her expression¡ªread her mood. Juliet¡¯s lips pulled, holding back tears. To comfort her, regardless of how our story would play out, I put my arms around her waist, standing behind her. Juliet leaned into me, closing the distance between us. I rested my chin on her head. She opened her hand, inviting me to take it. I intertwined my fingers with hers. They moved together, lacing and unlacing; I could imagine it would be one of those things we did after we slept together, lying in each other¡¯s arms. ¡°Michael¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°What happened with Marcus? Do you ever hear from Kubra?¡±

    ¡°I do¡­ Both are still on the compound... Qadir¡¯s plans will be realized in the next year.¡±

    ¡°Get Sam to take him back¡­ Maybe it will be better if he and Louis get to know each other.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­ But how would I have any say?¡±

    ¡°After today, things will change.¡±

    ¡°Are you ever going to tell me what you meant with swatches, rooms, and trouble?¡±

    ¡°Michael¡­ Where is Chris?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard from Warden in a while¡­ He is still being watched¡­ How do you know about¡ª¡±

    Samuel and Louis stepped through the door. Louis walked over to the pit, placing down wood for a fire. Liam and Cindy came down the path from a walk. It was going to be a good night.

    Juliet was sitting next to her mom a few hours later. Sam and Liam were drunk. Juliet had fallen asleep on her mother¡¯s shoulder. I¡¯d been disconnected from her since almost the first day. It felt weird not sleeping at the same time. I enjoyed watching her sleep and sat thinking about everything I had seen. All we had been through.

    Louis was entertaining Cindy; she laughed, her shoulders shaking, and roused Juliet, who sat up¡ªimmediately looking for me and smiled when our eyes met. ¡®Love of her life,¡¯ she had said. Juliet gestured for us to go to her room, and before I could say anything, Samuel clapped me on the shoulder, ¡°We¡¯re leaving.¡±

    ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°Canada.¡±

    I looked at Cindy for support, ¡°You have our full approval, Michael¡­¡± Louis stood and held out his hand to Cindy, who took it, and he led her out of the house. Liam and Samuel followed, leaving only Juliet and me, watching the front door close. I turned to her, stuttered, and sputtered, ¡°I¡­ am only human¡­ Juliet¡­ What am I doing here? Your world is not my world. We won¡¯t make it. It could never work.¡± She smiled. ¡°Louis is a much better option for you¡­ I can see something is going on with the two of you¡­ He¡¯s not even been here for a day, and I¡­ don¡¯t think Ahasuerus will allow you to have his nephew and me as husbands.¡± Juliet lifted her head and laughed. I turned to the door and took a few steps, ¡°I think I should leave as well... You¡¯re too young to understand how dangerous this is.¡±

    ¡°Sit down, Michael,¡± I spun around; she¡¯s never spoken to me like that, ¡°Please, sit down¡­ I have a lot to say... I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to snap.¡±

    Frustrated, she headed for the patio. ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ We all have our bad days.¡±

    ¡°F¡ª I forgot how you were before¡ª No, it¡¯s not a bad day¡­ It¡¯s a new way¡­ One I have to juggle¡­ Michael, I am on a planet called Mirach; in the next galaxy over¡­ They have a room that allows you to go back in time.¡± For this, I had to sit down. Juliet paced slowly in front of me, ¡°I am twenty-four, and we¡¯ve been together since, well, for us in real life¡­ since I was born, you were there¡­ I have¡­ four husbands. You, Louis, Marcus and Chris¡­ In a way, you were right about something going on between Louis and me, but not here¡­ Here¡­ I didn¡¯t want to tell you¡­ But you always need to be in control and,¡± she laughed, ¡°Watch me¡­ Maybe watch out for me? I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re figuring out who of us will give you a favorable outcome¡­. I guess we didn¡¯t get along.¡±

    ¡°No, you did¡­ In the end¡­ figure it out¡­ But then¡­ Soren¡ª¡±

    ¡°Soren¡­ Five? Juliet!¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t even want to touch me¡­ I have been pent up for four years, Michael¡­ I was with Marcus before this, and he took me without question when I was sixteen.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±

    ¡°Ten years.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ I have six years? But then you¡¯re¡ªthirty-eight.¡±

    Juliet stopped moving and turned around, ¡°S¡ª Holy s¡ª! I¡¯m old. I¡¯m going to be ancient when I¡¯m done¡­ I¡¯ll be catching up to you soon.¡±

    ¡°Guess I don¡¯t really have to be jealous¡­ Seems rather redundant¡­ You can stop at any time?¡± She nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to behave myself¡­ Make you stay. Make it work out, and solve all your problems. So, in the end¡­ you¡¯ll choose me.¡±

    Juliet smiled, walked over, and pushed me down on the couch. She mounted me, clenched my sides with her knees, and her mouth came down on mine. I tilted my head away, unable to kiss her the way I wanted to. Juliet laughed and laced our fingers. ¡°The last time I had to manipulate you into sleeping with me...¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡±

    ¡°No, really¡­ it took you years.¡±

    I roughly flipped her onto her back¡ªJuliet yelped on a high pitch, laughing. I stared into her eyes and reached for the buttons of her shirt. Slowly, I undid them one by one, revealing more of her soft skin. When three was done, she came up so I could pull it over her head. I struggled, my eyes gorging on her breast, pushed up and bulging. I stroked a knuckle over them. I had seen her come into them over the years. The thought alone made me doubt¡ªwaver. How would I get over it? Sleep with her when I saw her be born¡­ It was all sorts of wrong¡­ No wonder it took me years. I must¡¯ve been so desperate¡­ I looked up into her eyes, watching me, ¡°Is there any other way? I can¡¯t.¡±

    Juliet thought for a bit, wiggled out from underneath me, and came up on her knees so we could talk face-to-face. ¡°The last time a lot happened before you even considered it... I¡¯m kinda springing it on you.¡±

    I agreed. Juliet smiled, thinking while touching my cheek. Suddenly, she laughed and bit her lip, ¡°I have an idea.¡± Excitedly, she got off the couch, walked to a chair, and placed it in front of the fire. I frowned while she came at me, pulled me up, and led me to sit down. ¡°I don¡¯t know where this is going,¡± Juliet ignored me, walked to the counter, and did something on her phone. A song began to play. What was she doing?

    I shifted in the seat when she moved her body, dancing seductively. I gripped the arms of the chair. All the blood in my body drained to my groin. I couldn¡¯t move. With practice, she swayed her hips across the floor toward me¡ªaround me with teasing fingers, moaning needily in my ear. My eyes were fixed on the vision in the firelight, undressing herself. By the time her underwear dropped, I was biting my thumb between my teeth, holding back with every ounce of self-control I could muster. Juliet moved around me and, from behind, ran her hands over my chest, leaning closer. Even through my shirt, I could feel her nipples brush against my skin. ¡°F¡ª F¡ª F¡ª It¡¯s working.¡± Her hands kept going, reaching for the hem of my shirt, slowly lifting it over my head. Juliet twirled around me, flipped a leg over my lap, and, totally naked and exposed, watched me as I took in all of her. Her hips rocked over me, lifting her hair with her hands stretching out in a sexy way. I was dripping, looking down at her naked thighs¡ª catching glimpses of her shaven lips moving over me. She unbuckled my belt, undid the button, and unzipped my jeans, ¡°You can touch me if you like.¡±

    ¡°Hold on.¡± Juliet¡¯s head jerked up, confused, disappointment in her eyes. ¡°I mean, hold on to me¡­ Don¡¯t let go or¡ª¡±

    She laughed and wrapped her arms around my neck. I got up, Juliet dangling while I pushed down my pants. Her feet helped me work them to the ground. I stepped out, feeling every inch of her skin on mine. I dared to slide my hand over her ass and in between her legs¡ªcupping and stroking wet folds. Juliet drew in a low gasp, ¡°Ahh.¡± My fingers drew a quiver from her, ¡°This is so hot¡­ I want you.¡±

    I carried her to the couch and came down on her. Juliet¡¯s legs were already bent; I took myself in hand and rested my head at her entrance, deliberately and hesitantly working myself into her. She complained sweetly¡ªwhimpered softly with every thrust. I pulled back a little, ¡°I¡¯m okay, don¡¯t stop.¡± I lowered my mouth to hers, teasing her lips to open for me; she was clenching down on me something fierce. I was waiting for her to relax, slowing down a bit. I didn¡¯t mind that we both got lost in the intimacy¡ªgiving the aching tension building between us time to settle. I unlocked our lips and kissed her down her neck, over the curve of her collarbone. Juliet¡¯s body softened. The next thrust was going to hurt¡ªI slid in¡ªfully immersed in ardent love. Juliet bit my neck, her nails dug into my sides. I let out an insistent, hungry grunt, feeling every inch of her¡­ On the verge of surrender, I moved slowly inside her¡­ As if she knew, Juliet moved her hips to get me at the spot. ¡°Right there,¡± she opened her legs a little more. I dipped into her, grinding against her. Her moans deepened, breathing ragged. Juliet reached for my hand and placed it on her breast. I was almost undone by the heat between her legs and the softness of her breasts. I willed myself to make this memorable, teasing and rubbing her nipples, cupping her breasts¡ª building her up to her peak. Her nails dug deeper, ¡°You¡¯re killing me.¡± Juliet couldn¡¯t kiss me anymore, too overwhelmed by her building climax; her breath hitched and sobbed with my next thrust. I tightened my hold on her mounds and took a nipple between two fingers. She convulsed around me, shaking, quietly holding her breath. Again, I waited, slowing down, feeling for her to let go. ¡°I love you, too,¡± I whispered. She opened her eyes. We stared at each other as I pulled out and thrust in again, wholly focused on her. I was as ridged as I could be and, after a few more strokes, savored my own pleasure.

    Spent and sated¡ªabsolutely overcome¡ªI stayed there for a moment, asking, ¡°Did I find you in the previous one? The way I feel about you¡­ is not¡­ normal.¡±

    ¡°You did.¡± I wanted to pull out. Her heels dug into my thighs. I squirmed. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± she said softly. ¡°Don¡¯t let go before I¡¯m ready.¡± I nodded and reached down to take her bottom lip between mine, sucking and asking for more. Juliet let the pressure go. Seeing my opportunity, I slipped out of her. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s cheating.¡± I reached for my jeans and pulled out a packet of cigarettes. ¡°Oh well, for cigarettes after sex, I¡¯ll never say no.¡±

    ¡°I had to coax you through the whole process¡­ You were as nervous as a virgin.¡±

    Juliet laughed, ¡°I was. In a way. Four years is like¡­¡± her shoulders shuddered, thinking about something. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would let me go first.¡±

    ¡°What do you take me for?¡± I shook my head, reaching out and cupping her breast, sliding my hand up her chest to her cheek and holding her face in the palm of my hand. She turned and kissed me. I couldn¡¯t stop touching her, feeling every part, taking in how she looked across from me¡ªflushed and disheveled.

    ¡°Michael, do you mind getting me a tissue or something. I¡¯d hate to stain Louis coaches if we haven¡¯t already left a mark.¡±

    I stood with a contented smile on my face, ¡°We were on one of his throws, so I think we¡¯re safe¡­¡±

    As I opened the door to the house, I noticed a figure in the living room. Louis¡¯s head was in between his legs, hung down low. He was on the floor. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Juliet asked and got up. I thought about stopping her. ¡°What in the world? Why do you do this to yourself.¡±

    Louis jumped up and tossed a blanket in the face, ¡°I didn¡¯t leave with the adults! I wanted to know what was going on. You know too much.¡±

    ¡°What is it with the two of you wanting to know¡­ every, little, detail¡­ Marcus asked me twice in ten years.¡±

    Louis groaned. ¡°Why is he taking it so badly, and I¡¯m not?¡± I asked.

    Juliet smiled, ¡°You were always very open to anything¡­ He didn¡¯t even know about our planet until¡­ well, I escaped¡­ And you loved me more than he did¡­ It¡¯s always been an issue¡­ He says you spoil me.¡±

    ¡°I can see that happening¡­ Is there anything else I can do for you?¡±

    Louis groaned again, ¡°So it¡¯s true? This isn¡¯t even real? How can that be? And why would you need to go back in f¡ªing time to¡­ do what?¡± Juliet had wrapped the throw around her and headed for the bathroom. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Juliet ignored him. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m talking to you.¡±

    He wanted to go after her, ¡°You need to calm down, man.¡±

    Louis turned around, ¡°Urgh, put some clothes on. This is still my house.¡±

    I went outside, reached for my pants, and heard Louis knocking on her door.

    ***

    Louis

    Juliet opened the door and turned away from me, ¡°May I come in.¡± She nodded, swiping at her eyes with a flat hand in a jerky, irritated manner. I felt like going mad, letting everything go, and giving in to all my darkest wants. Why had I come back? I was so curious to see Samuel¡¯s niece and brother. Meet anyone I could have any kind of connection with. A last lifeline to the solitary existence I hated. When I saw her sleeping on my bed with a book laid open next to her¡ªI was already done for. It was the picture, the idea, the dream. She fit into my life in every small way. A little young, but after what I had seen reading Michael from the lounge, it all had to be true. Every move she made in her dance had dragged me down into a pit of despair, knowing none of it was real. I had crumpled when she had cried out the first time. I had read both of them at that moment it would hurt. Why did I put myself through that?

    Juliet sat down on the bed, dressed. She was naked, and I had seen her body. I couldn¡¯t care less about any of it. I would do it again. Be in a harem with the other men for her. Like Michael said, our feelings were not normal toward her or about her.

    ¡°I forgot how you were with me before you knew me¡­ Louis, I¡¯m not one of your whores who you can manipulate. I am not a vampire wife with a veil on who you can command and order about to be about your every whim¡­ Now¡­! The next time you speak to me, you will behave yourself, or I¡¯ll make you behave.¡±

    I laughed sardonically¡ªthe audacity¡ªshe was playing with our lives like it meant nothing, ¡°If there is one thing I hate, it¡¯s when women ask for it and can¡¯t take it when a man actually follows through.¡±

    Juliet was in front of me before I could lift a hand to block her. The first punch landed in my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. Her elbow came down on my ear. She circled me and hit me behind the head. I slowly met the Earth. Juliet was over me, pulled my arm back, and popped out my shoulder. I screamed. The door burst open. Juliet leaned down close to my ear, ¡°Now I¡¯m going to tell you what I told him in our previous life when he tried to kill me¡­ I will cut you to pieces before I let you or anyone else hurt me¡­ Do you understand me?¡± I nodded submissively. Guess a lot happened to change us all¡ªif we ended up together.

    There was a knock at the front door. Juliet stood to her feet and looked at Michael, ¡°My parents?¡± All he could think about was her dancing. I let out a groan and came up on my knees, clutching my shoulder, struggling to the front door.

    I opened it and saw two people I¡¯d never seen before. Juliet ran past me, deliberately bumped my shoulder, and threw herself on one of the men. Her arms went around his neck, her legs around his waist, and she clung on for dear life, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in fourteen years.¡±

    ¡°Do I know you?¡± He tried to shake her off. She clung on harder.

    ¡°Come in. Are you Marcus or Chris?¡±

    He looked bewildered, ¡°Chris. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Marcus, Louis¡¯s shoulder is dislocated,¡± Juliet mumbled, ¡°Will you please help the man.¡±

    I raised a hand, backing up as he stepped toward me on a mission. ¡°Where are you going?¡±

    ¡°It hurts.¡±

    ¡°What happened to you?¡± Marcus asked as he gripped me in the right places and had me fixed in no time.

    ¡°I was disrespectful.¡±

    ¡°You learn fast,¡± Juliet said while Chris carried her to the couch and sat down.

    ¡°Are you ever going to get off me¡­ ¡± Chris groaned from more pressure around his neck.

    Juliet suddenly sat up, ¡°What are you guys doing here.¡±

    ¡°This guy manifested and killed his wife.¡± At first, Juliet laughed softly; it only grew until she was on her feet clutching her stomach, fell on the couch, and laughed her ass off. ¡°He created an interplanetary situation which I was tasked to sort out¡­ This was the only place we could hide him while he gets a hold of himself.¡± Marcus tried to say above her laughter. Juliet held out an open hand. Michael placed a packet of cigarettes down, and I cursed loudly. The guy will become a slave. Juliet laughed some more while lighting the thing, lying down on the couch, staring at the roof, and playing with her hair.

    ¡°Is she crazy?¡± Chris asked.

    Michael approached her, mounted himself on her, and kissed her with repeated languid strokes of his tongue. Juliet let out a filthy noise. He lifted his head, ¡°If none of them want you. I want you¡­¡± He watched her for a moment, ¡°What will you do now? It doesn¡¯t seem like your plans work out¡­ Did this happen in the previous life, too?¡± She nodded. ¡°You can¡¯t run away from it¡­ We¡¯re all destined to be¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°Then what?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re going to finish our ten years, honey.¡±

    ¡°How will we get rid of them?¡±

    Juliet giggled, ¡°You are going to brand me with a flaming hot poker¡­ I¡¯ll sleep while you¡¯re contained until you can control yourself.¡± Michael seemed confused. ¡°You¡¯ll turn into all three of the bad, be able to travel across galaxies¡­ And then you¡¯ll whisk me away to so many worlds¡­ We¡¯re going to so many places and have one grand adventure.¡±

    ¡°With your ability, we would be the ultimate power couple.¡±

    Juliet slapped him on the shoulder, ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡±

    Chris, Marcus, and I said at the same time, ¡°No! Absolutely not.¡±

    Michael and Juliet laughed. She held out the cigarette to him, ¡°Do you want to?¡±

    ¡°More than anything. How will you contain me? Why would you need to? You said all three?¡±

    Juliet pointed at Chris, ¡°Show him.¡± Chris manifested into a creature I¡¯d never seen. I took a step back. ¡°Your ability would be teleportation¡­ Ahasuerus will help us¡­ or else his grandfather will die if he doesn¡¯t,¡± Juliet pointed at Marcus¡­ ¡°Louis¡¯s mother will die if she doesn¡¯t help us, and Chris¡¯s father will die if the three idiots don¡¯t help us¡­ And Ahasuerus knows everything, so he won¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°My mother?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you.¡±

    Juliet never did speak to me again for six long years. We were all whisked to En-gannim and stayed there for some time for the two new creatures to find themselves. Juliet and Michael traveled to so many planets and places, sending us pictures and coordinates. I didn¡¯t know why she wanted Marcus to have them. It¡¯s not like either of them could take it wherever we really were.

    I sat on my bed, looking at one photo that stood framed on my bedside table. Juliet and Michael were hand in hand with their backs to the camera in a room with columns three stories high. The floor and walls built with precious stones and gold. The couple were staring out from a balcony, and in the distance¡ªwhat they were looking at was an alien city with pointy buildings as white as snow against a peach-colored sky. Michael was dressed in cream-colored pants and shirt. He had a long cloak about his shoulders and a staff-like spear in one hand. Juliet¡¯s hair was long and styled back away from her face with a golden plated band over her head, keeping it all in place. Juliet wore cream-colored tight pants and a lighter color body suit tank top. Her boots were laced up to her ankles and white with very thick high heels. She looked absolutely gorgeous¡ªlike royalty.

    We were all pretty jealous of the two, but not one of us could move on with our lives after we met in France. The three of us were frozen in time. Juliet had given me a lot of work via a plate. My first job was to take a guy named Rodrigo to my mother, whom I met and got along with pretty well. Juliet said it was because we were exactly the same¡ªunhinged. I don¡¯t know what happened in our real lives to make her choose this path, but I figured with her underlying tone toward me¡ªI had to have something to do with it.

    Anyway¡­ I had to get Rodrigo to work on a solution around Juliet¡¯s struggle with interspecies pregnancy. All the doses, durations of the formulas, and every little detail needed to be cataloged and shown to Marcus. Rodrigo and Juliet had many lengthy discussions over the course of those six years. We were never allowed to participate in their conversations; she said I talked too much.

    My second job was to join her and the other three on a planet called Mirach for a diplomatic meeting. Once we landed, a man with a heavy, soft, velvety afro met us. Juliet explained to him what was going on, and he almost ran out of the room to gather his things and follow us to Earth. His family cheerfully waved him off. I was tasked to stay with him at my home in Paris, allowing him time to get accustomed to how things worked on Earth. He found it very difficult for a few months, although determined to see it through.

    I had to wait until he was ready to meet a woman named Charlene and then had to set up a house for him close to hers so they could ¡®bump¡¯ into each other. I had to get him enrolled at her university, and from there, I had to read Charlene and help Romero with courting her in a ¡®worldly sense.¡¯ It was fun to see the two meet. Charlene was head over heels within two weeks. I gave Romero access to my accounts, and the two lived the life I had planned to have with my wife. They flew across the world in my plane. Sailed around Europe with my yacht. Charlene quickly gave up her studies and enjoyed the high life with her new partner. The two were pregnant within a year and had a beautiful little girl named Fia. She was a shadow, and the two had to move to Mirach; Charlene was even happier there. Juliet and Michael visited them, and the four became great friends, traveling together across the cosmos.

    By the tenth year, Juliet was round with child¡ªglowing¡ªand even more the picture of what I¡¯d wanted for a life. She sat us down and said it was time she left. Michael cried his eyes out¡ªon his knees, begged her to stay. Juliet stabbed him in the neck with two vials, showing no mercy or remorse. Once he was out, she turned to me, Chris, and Marcus. In turn, she met all our eyes on the verge of tears herself. Her gaze landed on me last, and I braced for some sarcastic remark. Juliet rested a hand on her belly, ¡°This baby is yours¡ª¡± I stood and took a step toward her. ¡°It¡¯s why I can¡¯t stay more than ten years.¡± I reached out a hand. ¡°I¡¯ll fix this.¡±

    ¡°Juliet! Please. Don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t what?¡±

    ¡°Make this decision by yourself¡­ Choosing only one of us¡­ Don¡¯t.¡± She looked away. ¡°You didn¡¯t ask us, did you? What about our children? My child!¡± I touched her belly and felt movement. The idea of our family stirred up so many emotions, ¡°Please go back and fight¡­ You must be exhausted and desperate to do all this¡­ Feel like you¡¯re out of options¡­ And I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not there for you.¡± Juliet¡¯s eyes misted. ¡°You¡¯re angry at me¡­ I¡¯m sure I hurt you in some way¡­ After your set down six years ago, I guess it¡¯s because I have no manners¡­ Blame it on my lonely upbringing¡ªmixed in with some generational curses.¡± Juliet snort-laughed. ¡°Give us another chance¡­ Hey, what did you tell me, ¡®If I don¡¯t know what to do, I should do nothing.¡¯¡± It got her attention, and she turned to me and bobbed her head¡ªagreeing with me. ¡°Now, get out of here so you can tell me you¡¯re pregnant¡­ I¡¯m sure it will make all the difference.¡± The corner of her lips pulled into a weak smile. Juliet closed the distance and kissed me for the first time in ten years.

 227. Somethings Gotta Give

    227. Something''s Gotta Give

    Caleb

    Juliet was in her lotus pose, very relaxed during her time with Michael. During Marcus''s timeline, it was hard to watch her go through so many emotions combined with tears. I gave her five minutes to see how she was doing and decided to also try going back in time; what could go wrong? On my fifteenth birthday, we were still in Yaroon; I remember it because Chris made a big deal every year, something the other riphaths didn''t do. It was the only date I could travel to before Juliet and Michael came to Zoreah and changed my whole life. Going back in time and having the knowledge of your future self and what happened in the time since was what made this so worth it; I couldn''t let the opportunity pass. I was a different person in every aspect¡ªconfident I''d be able to handle it. So I lay down on the sand behind Juliet , closed my eyes, and tried to concentrate on how I felt almost two years ago¡ªon my bed¡ªin the morning before Chris came in to wake me up... Frustration? Why had I been irritated? Anger? Interesting. I chuckled about how much of a human teenager I was at the time, right before my first manifestation¡­ Almost a little psycho. Juliet had it easy, draining people every week¡­ Those feelings were curbed with drugs.

    When I opened my eyes, I was there. I jumped out of bed, "Unbelievable! Wowy!" The room was so small and rural compared to all the places I''d seen and experienced. "Caleb? You already awake?" Chris asked, "Usually, I have to teleport you into the icy water to get you out of bed." I smiled, looking at my father; he was also very rustic there on Zoreah¡ªunstyled haircut, sporting a very long beard¡ªwhat was he thinking? Chris walked over and placed his hands on my shoulders, "Happy Birthday. I really hope this year will be¡ª I would''ve said exciting and one of the best of your life¡­ and I still hope it is¡­ in whatever way Zoreah has to offer for you."

    "Thanks, Dad¡­ I love you too."

    Chris frowned and squeezed my shoulders, "I do love you! If I don''t say it enough¡ª"

    "You do¡­ I¡­ just wanted to say it."

    "Okay, good¡­ Well, let''s go; I have a surprise for you."

    Chris had gone out hunting for a few weeks, searching for something tasty for my birthday. I indulged them by having breakfast together before Chris had to leave for patrols. It was quiet around the table; we never really had anything to talk about, but they did make a lot of effort, and the older ladies had made some sort of cake we had there. It was nowhere near Juliet''s favorite; she did like her chocolate. We both have a sweet tooth, she always says.

    We finished, and I walked out with Chris; he would go in one direction and me in the other. Silvanus was still with me every day, and since I could go to the barracks and practice there, he never left my side. My ability would come in handy; I was not going to waste the next five years of my life. The four of us gathered outside and greeted each other every day in the same way, as if the three adults knew anything could happen to any one of us. The three men did try and give me the best they could.

    "You okay, boy?" Silvanus asked as we walked.

    "Yeah¡­ I don''t feel like going to the barracks¡­ Could I stay in the center with the other kids?"

    "Of course! It''s on the way¡­ You can always go back to training tomorrow."

    "Thanks, Silvanus¡­ for everything. You''ve stayed with Ira all these years, and now you''re looking after Chris and me¡­ I know it couldn''t have been easy."

    The man¡ªnot much taller than me carried himself with sure confidence. His speech was filled with weird sounds and exclamations. "I got to do a lot more than most¡­" [mmm sound and a chuckle] "I have Ira to thank for that, or else I''d still be walking the sands."

    "I never see you¡­ with anyone¡­ Ira had a few¡­ women¡­ over the years. But not you?"

    "Agh, don''t take me as an example¡­ If you were a bit older, I''d tell you why," he poked me in the ribs with an elbow, "But not today."

    "Okay, now you have me curious."

    Silvanus laughed, "It''s not an exciting tale; nevertheless, I don''t want my life to influence how you feel about the opposite sex."

    "In two years, maybe?"

    "Yes¡­ When you go to the bar for the first time." Inside, I chuckled at the irony.

    Silvanus handed me over to the adults sitting in clusters for the day. One group of kids was playing something similar to a board game on Earth. Another group was contributing to making furs and learning the craft. Maya was teaching a few how to make the swatches, and I moved closer to take a good look at the pen she used. If the stone was able to transfer power from one element to another and allocate tattoos when two people touched the same swatch, where did they get it? How did they ever find it in all that sand? Why did Ira not want our history recorded or taught? They really focus on living from moment to moment, not on the future or even advancement, to make life easier. I''d seen some people change professions over the years if they felt unfulfilled in a particular area. Still, they usually evened out somewhere and only made minor changes to their craft¡ªalways keeping with culture and tradition.

    Although Ira didn''t care about the past, Ahasuerus did, and he had more information on Zoreah than we did. Did the vamp know about the teleportation stone? Did he find it and toss it into one of those chests like it meant nothing? "Morning, Caleb."

    I spun around and had to look down into Kaia''s eyes. I stuttered a weak, "Hel¡­lo."

    "Did your father make a big deal about today?" I nodded, unable to utter a word. "He is strange, counting a certain amount of days and then deciding you have to celebrate your birth."

    "I guess."

    "I''m busy at the water; come join us if you want to." Kaia turned and greeted several people as she walked, "Yes, it''s a beautiful day." I watched her go; she was always eager about nothing¡ªhappy about something. "Oh, how well you''re doing with those furs!" She exclaimed in a high voice, "I will definitely have to find something to trade for one¡­ What do you need?"

    My feet slowly moved toward her, and as she took a seat at the many stacks of washing she and her friends had to get done, I hovered behind her. She glanced back over her shoulder, "Why are you here today? Will you join the traders in the city, or do you still want to join the guard?" Before I could answer, she said, "Hey, Ludo, how did my medicine work on your cut?" The other guy lifted his hand and reached out to show her. She took it, turned it over, and examined a sizable lash across his palm. "Ludo here was careless manifesting the first time and clawed himself."

    "I did not! It was a spearhead." Kaia giggled in response.

    "That''s not what we heard," one of the other women in the group said and turned to me, "Have you manifested yet?" I nodded. The others jumped up and made a big deal of it.

    "Show us," Kaia urged. I manifested. The surrounding riphaths gasped and touched my fur. I held out my paw to Kaia, hoping she would take it. She buoyantly jumped forward. I scooped her up and traveled us to the teleporting hot spot in Yaroon. It was somewhat out of the city, in a remote little hut. She looked around as I placed her down, "Where are we?"

    "I want to show you something."

    "Yeah, okay, what is it?"

    I took out the glass plate I stole from Ira''s room that morning and teleported us to the cave in Shumaan. Kaia wriggled out of my arms, "Where are we? What is this place? I''ve never seen a cave! Wow, a cave¡­ I didn''t know we had any." Kaia wrapped her arms around her body, "Why is it so cold? She looked at all the drawings and turned around a few times to change direction, "I''ve never been out of the city, except when we travel for all those months¡­ Are we very far? Will you get into trouble?"

    "I can take you back¡­ Are you too cold?"

    "No, no, I''m only asking¡­ It was just¡­ the first time I traveled and the sudden change in temperature."

    I couldn''t help but think about how Chris described her¡ªpreppy. Kaia was really all over the place and talked so much. She was also so limited in her thinking¡­ Was a cave something to get excited about? There were too many people in my life who did things so differently. Romero was five hundred and still waiting for Charlene¡­ Carl was one of the men in my life who didn''t even think twice about his unreciprocated love for Charlene... I listened to Juliet and Chris''s conversation the other night when they talked about Sita being his fist¡­ While I was standing there, thinking, Kaia was babbling on and on about how cool it was to manifest for the first time. She hoped hers would happen soon. "Kaia," she stopped talking and turned to me, "The other day when I walked with you back to your house¡­"

    "Yes¡­"

    "It seemed like¡ª"

    "You didn''t want to¡­ It''s okay¡­ I tried like my mother taught me and will have to accept if you don''t like me¡­ So I tried with Ludo¡­ He was receptive."

    My eyes slowly came up off the ground, "I see." Why did I feel so, so, rejected? Two days? She already had sex with someone else! Did all riphaths feel the sting the first few times when a woman didn''t like you? I hoped to experience it with someone who''d never done it before. Maybe first kiss¡­. and slowly progress to the¡ª

    "Why? Did you change your mind?"

    "No¡­" I lied. "Curious¡­ There is a first time for everything."

    "Oh, yes! It was what everyone said it would be."

    No kidding! Probably why Ludo manifested for the first time. Nothing like your first orgasm to send you spiraling. "I''ll take your word for it¡­ Maybe we should go back."

    "Okay," Kaia came toward me¡ªsmiling. "Thank you for this."

    "Mmm," I lifted her and took her back¡ªso disappointed and dissatisfied. I gently lowered her.

    "Where did you go?" "You can teleport so far, Caleb?" "None of us could find you guys." We were not standing for a minute before Silvanus appeared beside us. Kaia''s hand jumped to her heart¡ªsquealing. I was so used to everything I calmly looked up at the beast next to me, waiting for orders. He met my eye and cocked a very bushy eyebrow. Silvanus was very vigilant to social cues¡ªnot like the other riphaths or the young woman who couldn''t even see I was upset. This is why Chris had been so miserable for so long.

    I felt like doing something stupid... So I manifested and traveled lightning-fast to the barracks. In one jump, Silvanus would have a hard time catching up or finding me. The arena we practiced in was enormous. One of the areas allocated for sparing was unoccupied. I walked to the wall and picked up a spear, waiting, "Bamf." Before he knew what hit him, I had already struck a few times. Silvanus teleported; I stayed with him, catching him every time. Silvanus went for a spear; I kept him back from reaching for one. It took him a minute to finally take hold of one. Once he did, he swung it elegantly at his side, meeting my challenge with a sly grin, "Is this your way of getting rid of what just happened." He shouldn''t have said that. I retaliated with all the training drilled into me. Marcus had a knack for bringing out the best in a fighter. Silvanus was not giving it his all, of course¡ªindulging me. "Is that why you asked me earlier about my experience? You planned to have sex? I could''ve told you she chose Ludo¡­ Spared you the humiliation!" he said all this while we dealt blows¡­ I didn''t want to talk and fought even harder.

    "Caleb!" Ira bellowed from the side.

    I didn''t even hear him come in or see him land in my periphery. I stopped my attack altogether and panted to catch my breath. I smiled up at Silvanus. "What has gotten into you? I''ll have to tell him about the¡ª"

    "Cave. You can say it. I have nothing to hide."

    "You took someone else there¡­ how?" Ira asked.

    "He stole your plate," Silvanus said, "One of the adults in the center came to tell me you left with a girl."

    "Who did you¡­ Oh Kaia," Ira was suddenly animated, "And?"

    "Oh, please¡­ She was excited about seeing a cave."

    Silvanus chuckled and scratched at his chin and nodded, "I don''t know what happened to you; it''s as if¡ª" His eyes jumped to meet mine, and I shot a gun-finger at him.

    "What is going on?" Ira teleported closer to us.

    "Your son is in Mirach in a room¡­ This is not really happening." Silvanus placed his hand on my shoulder, "Anyway, I didn''t like her. She is too¡­ bubbly."

    "Yeah, but I don''t want to sleep with a four-hundred-year-old woman who will show me the ways. Teach me the ropes¡ªgross."

    Silvanus groaned on my behalf, "Okay, fine. That''s exactly why I never had anyone over like your grandfather... My first experience was¡­ so bad¡­ I fumbled it. We were all over the place, and you have to practice having sex, unfortunately, to get good at it."

    "Hmmm¡­ I don''t think I can do it either."

    "I didn''t want to be focused on one thing and have my attention away from protecting our people¡­ A cause meant more to me than trying to get a girl pregnant."

    I moved into his person and wrapped my arms around his body, "Thank You¡­ I came all this way to have sex only to realize why others want the person to care about you."

    "Because then, it comes naturally. It''s not forced¡­ Mutual attraction does make it worth it in the end¡­ You can both talk about it and figure it out together."

    I nodded, "Guess my mom knew what she was doing when she pushed Chris into that car." Silvanus and Ira laughed, guttural, loud laughter. "I was so sure I''d be able to do it¡­ Get over wanting the relationship and the build-up."

    "Casual sex is not for everyone! Don''t let Ira''s bad habits rub off on you."

    I let go of him and placed my spear back on the wall, "I want to know what happened to my grandmother¡­ And the teleporter stone; where is it?"

    "Why?"

    "Juliet is also in Mirach right next to me¡­ I wanted to be useful, find something so¡­ well important... My mom wants to go back years and fix everything¡­ I don''t necessarily agree¡­ If I can get it, all I have to do is come back to now. Two years is really all she needs¡­ There will be a war on Zoreah, and Juliet never gets over killing so many werewolf babies." Ira and Silvanus stared at one another, taking their sweet time to take it all in¡­ "So? The stone? Is that why she died on Earth? She had the stone and didn''t want to give it up? I don''t buy this ''died in childbirth'' nonsense."

    "Caleb, we don''t know¡­ But if that''s your theory of why Satya died, then it''s worse than I believed¡­ Satya didn''t leave it here with Beatrice¡­ which was our theory¡­ The old woman never gave us a definitive answer."

    "I don''t know about you, but I need to know if Qadir killed her¡­ It could only be him. Ahasuerus wouldn''t have."

    "No¡­ he had no desire to change the past¡­ May I ask why your mother feels she has to?"

    "Louis is turning into a zombie¡­ for real¡­ Marcus still has issues with the harem, and Juliet and Chris have to decide about killing all the vamps who don''t want to conform after she took over. It''s billions, she said."

    "Where are they now?"

    "A colony planet with nothing on."

    "Why not leave them there?"

    "The chadari live on Palmyra and stole Chris''s power¡ª"Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    "They what?!"

    "He got it back."

    "I''m not worried about his power," Ira looked worried, "If they have a teleporter with all those chambers of hers under their harbor water¡ª"

    "It will be a disaster," Silvanus finished his sentence.

    "So you do know what''s in there."

    "Of course I know."

    "Tell me."

    "If I didn''t tell you then, I won''t now¡­ I must have had a reason."

    "Your reasoning was never sound, Ira."

    "Oh really, and making mistake after mistake and then using this to fix it is better? I knew your mom would cause us trouble."

    "Juliet didn''t ask to be pushed over that chair¡­ You, Brylee, and Ahasuerus were the problem. You meddled where you shouldn''t have meddled. And now we have to clean up the messes the three of you created over the last thousand years. Don''t tell me this," I gestured to all of Yaroon, "Is better¡­ Once I take over, you''ll not even recognize Zoreah."

    Silvanus chuckled, "Boy''s got spirit. Some Furrow blood in there."

    Ira cursed and spit on the ground. I was taken aback at the unguarded display of truth, "You never would''ve let me take over, would you? Because I''m not¡­ what pure?" I scoffed, "Well, at least I know how you really feel."

    Ira spun, "It''s not that Caleb, I swear,"

    "Oh please, if I came out vampire, what would you have done¡­ None of you knew what I would be."

    "Of course, we knew¡­ Ahasuerus wanted to be sure as much as us."

    "Argh! I can''t take any more rejections today! I''m leaving to go talk to the old man."

    Ira grabbed my arm, "Caleb, I swear it''s not that your half-vampire¡­ It''s something else I can''t tell you."

    "Argh!" I yelled, "More secrets! I can''t stand it anymore!"

    "Who do you want to go talk to?" Silvanus asked.

    "Ahasuerus. Who else? Qadir''s already dead¡­ Satya''s death would not be on a tube."

    Ira softened his tone, "Caleb, you can''t go! What if something happens?"

    "What do you mean?"

    He looked pointedly at me, "Did Juliet not tell you?"

    "What? Spit it out!"

    "If you die in this dream, you die in real life¡­ This is not some parallel universe or a fake branch you''re testing¡­ For right now¡­ this is your reality¡­ What happens here might become your new life! When she uses the tattoo and makes the same choices¡­ Which I guess is her plan¡­ You! Cannot be replaced¡­ You die, you die."

    "If Juliet dies in one of the dreams?"

    Ira nodded, "Maybe you should go back."

    "Juliet didn''t tell me because she really loves me¡­ And even if she did, I trust her, and she trusts me¡­ I wouldn''t have tried to stop her!"

    Ira dragged me into his arms, "I love you too!"

    I wriggled out of his grip and said, "Are you coming with me or not?"

    "Where? What do you mean?"

    "Ahasuerus is in the origin city¡­ I want to talk to him," Ira was having a hard time keeping up, "Come on, Chris travels all over Zoreah by now¡­ You really didn''t know? I''ve been there since I was ten."

    Silvanus guiltily turned away from us; Ira wanted to get mad, "Urgh, it doesn''t matter¡­ Fine, let''s go."

    The two men were still very much alive. When Rodrigo saw me, he hurried over and picked me up, "What are you doing here? Your mother will not like it!"

    "Eh?"

    "I''m not fixed, remember! Your mom is still with Michael¡­ Which is playing whack f¡ªa mole with my brain. I have this stream of memories barging into my head at all times here, and then I''m on En-gannim... At first, I was like, what is going on¡­ Didn''t know who your mom chose to take with her."

    "How is it going with Michael? She seems peaceful."

    "Oh, you won''t believe what they''re doing. Juliet let Michael brand her with all of us watching, and then the two traveled and did nothing else but explore so many galaxies. They''re not even done yet. It''s incredible to see all the places not even Ahasuerus can get to yet."

    I turned to Ahasuerus to see his reaction to all this. He and Ira were staring one another down, "You''re planning on attacking Zoreah¡­ Didn''t go well the first time¡­ Or the last!"

    "I will do whatever I have to! I will live forever."

    "So that''s what this is all about¡­ You can! You already are."

    "Brylee also wants to live here, you buffoon! Once I get back the water and life stone, Zoreah will be the best place to live."

    "You took it from us in the first place! It was ours!"

    "Well, I can''t help your great¡ªgreat¡ªgreat grandfather was an idiot! Seems it runs in the family."

    Silvanus nestled up to me and asked, "Where am I? Right now, in the other life."

    I smiled, "On a date."

    "He is?" Rodrigo asked. Ira went for Ahasuerus, and the two set out to settle this once and for all, "You don''t have popcorn, do you? I would die for butter popcorn."

    "Hey, wait! Who am I on a date with?"

    I shook my head. This was not going the way I thought it would. I at least wanted to do one thing I set out to do. "Why are you here, Caleb?" Rodrigo asked.

    "I want to know what happened to my grandmother and the stone she had."

    Rodrigo turned away from Silvanus and me. It wasn''t me who grabbed him on the shoulder with a manifested hand and flung him around, "What happened to Satya?"

    Rodrigo couldn''t look at us. Silvanus flexed his claws and, with self-control, let them slowly stab into his shoulder. Rodrigo hollered every inch, "She''s still alive," he yelled.

    Silvanus picked him up by the pierced shoulder while keeping his claws embedded into his skin and slammed him into the ground. It did get Ira''s attention. "What do you mean¡­ she''s still alive? Where the f¡ª is she?"

    I''d never seen the man so angry. "On Earth¡­ I think."

    "Why, where, and what! Now! Or you''ll die again."

    "She didn''t want to give up the stone¡­ Qadir wanted it and faked her death¡­ Until she gives it up."

    "And!"

    "No one knows where she is. Samuel''s been looking all this time!"

    I touched Silvanus''s shoulder and waited for him to look at me, "Earth is a war zone¡ªright now, in our time¡ªIan, a vamp, is taking over, and it''s not pretty."

    Silvanus ripped his claws out of Rodrigo''s shoulders, twisted his wrist, and pushed his fist up against his chin, "Who will know?"

    "No one knows," Silvanus pressed harder, forcing Rodrigo''s chin into the air, "I swear, we don''t know."

    "Then how do you know at all? Why does Samuel know?"

    "Warden! He was Jacklin''s Watcher¡­ On the outside, like Jack¡­ He was assigned another compliant, Chris, when he was born. He was there to take him to the orphanage, and all Warden saw was Qadir talking to Satya after the birth¡­ I don''t know? Maybe he didn''t tell Samuel everything."

    "She might be dead already! If she was stuck in some cell and the war broke out¡­ She might be dead! Chris is going to go crazy." I glanced at Ira to see how he was handling the news. I met his eye and could see he had no idea. It looked like he wanted to be sick. My gaze traveled to Ahasuerus, "I didn''t know! Really¡­ I would never!"

    I kinda believed the old man. "Yeah, but Brylee would!" I whispered.

    Ira and Ahasuerus turned to one another, "Where could she be?"

    Ahasuerus shook his head dumbfounded, "Anywhere," he lifted his hands into the air, "Absolutely anywhere."

    "When I was born, Qadir was still alive! If I go back to when I was a baby what happens?"

    "You''ll replace yourself, same as any other time."

    Ira walked over, "Go, Caleb¡­ No! Don''t go! What if Qadir kills you! He''ll know."

    I disappeared to show them how I protected myself. My grandfather took a step forward, "You got Juliet''s ability, well, I never," he smiled. "Still, Caleb, maybe first, you should go talk to your mom."

    "You''re right," I nodded and closed my eyes. I could wait five minutes.

    I willed myself out of the time warp, sat up, and threw up into the sand, "Yuk!" I didn''t feel as bad as Juliet did or was really confused.

    I slowly got up¡ªwalked to our packs outside the door, and took out the plate, sending Jessy a message. I got no reply. Weird. I checked; he''d not sent anything since the last time, which was already past fifteen minutes. I frowned and sent another message. Nothing. What in the world? I tried talking to Michael. Also nothing. Chris¡­ I waited. Hmmm, Liam was next. I waited. By the time I sent messages to everyone I knew (Marcus, Agatha, Cindy, Samuel, Ira, Jamal, Jack, and even Yazen) and got no reply, Juliet was stirring. I rushed over with another vial; Michael''s ten years were over.

    ***

    Charlene

    A few hours earlier, my toes were curling from pleasure; right then, I was wavering on the brink of death. I told them I couldn''t fight so many women; I never thought it would be the men who came after me. I couldn''t really think about anything else besides focusing on channeling my inner force out to the incoming waves of the enormous warriors of wolves. I had not practiced as much as I should have. I''d been lazy and enjoying my life. I could feel myself slipping when Michael and Chris landed in our little fortress. I begged him to get us out of there. He took out his plate to message Jessy. Nothing happened. We were not moving. "What is it!? Where is Jessy?"

    Michael slapped the thing as if it were an antique that would work if he jostled the inside a bit. The rest were still fighting. I looked at Carl, who had no time to do anything but stab repeatedly into the wolves. Our attempts to keep them at bay had been going on for a while, and we couldn''t go on for much longer. "Michael!"

    "Charlene," Kubra said, "You have to leave."

    "No! If you die, I die; what will be the point!"

    "They won''t kill us, trust me, I''d never put your life in danger."

    Chris turned to me while stabbing right into the eye of one wolf, almost at eye level with him. The pile of dead corpses was so high all around us that it wouldn''t be long before they overpowered us by falling on us, and then¡ª "Charlene, get out of here!" Chris yelled over the noise, "Michael and I will take Carl and come right back."

    "I can''t, I won''t."

    "You have no choice!" He reprimanded rather than pleading.

    Romero squeezed my hand. I dropped my efforts to push wolves down to their knees and positioned myself behind him. I tried to manifest. I couldn''t. "Go, Charlene, now!" Romero whispered over his shoulder.

    "I can''t! I''m trying!"

    Chris dropped his sword and seemed to concentrate, "I can''t travel! I''m stuck!"

    "I''m too!" I yelled, "What is going on?"

    Chris scanned his body and lifted up his pant leg. "I''m nicked. S¡ª Michael, you got to go!"

    He slowly shook his head. Romero let go, and the wolves paused for a second, feeling the brunt of our joint energy''s sudden absence. We all looked at Fahan, "It wasn''t me or Jade."

    A wolf dived at Fahan, who felt like giving up would be the wrong thing to do, "I''ll fight until my last breath; you wanted to practice." The dragon was joking! At a time like this! He sliced into the air and cut the wolf in half. Our circle was shrinking fast. Four wolves overpowered Fahan. Four more went for Jade; she killed them one by one. It was in vain as the next cluster got the better of her. The rest of us huddled together back to back. "Can you manifest?" I asked Romero.

    "No," he said softly.

    A wolf grabbed the plate out of Michael''s hands. Two more gripped his upper arms and pushed him down to his knees. Chris was next until only I was left standing.

    Jade needed her hands and feet tied before she calmed down. The two of us were laughing and enjoying talking to Jack and Francis only a few minutes ago when the wolves closed the doors to the hall and left one open; they marched in, and the first thing they did was detain the seven men with us. It was then that Romero took my hand and submitted the whole room, only stopping them for a moment. I wished I was faster and had left then. They could''ve cut us at any moment within the chaos that followed; how could any of us have known.

    A moment of silence fell inside the building, the wolves and us taking a breather¡ªwaiting. For what? What will they do with us? How does Kubra know they won''t kill us?

    After a minute, a new wolf came through the door and stomped his spear on the ground two times. They were waiting for him. At his command soldiers picked up bodies and carried them out. Some dragged others through the sand. Patiently, he waited until he could move unhindered toward us while the cleaning continued. The man in charge had a ferocious aura about him, with red eyes penetrating mine as he steadily approached. He didn''t believe in wearing a shirt or even chest armor. He was shaven? His entire upper body... How could a wolf be this attractive? I''ve never seen any of them as lucky as he was. Well-built¡ªsporting pecks to die for¡ªbiceps that could lift me with little effort¡ªabs neatly defined. Around his shoulders and his lower arm, he wore spiked steel-like protection, fastened with leather straps accentuating his bulging muscles¡ªevery detail in drooling proportions; even his face was handsome. The rich brown fur usually surrounding their faces he''d sleeked back between his ears¡ªprickling, moving with every sound. I let my eyes drift to his lower body and smiled at the regular Asian-style pants¡ªwider around the tights tapering off towards his calves. In between his legs tied around his waist, hung guard or banner covering his crotch.

    He waited until I lifted my head, and I had to strain my neck to meet his eye. "May I?"

    "Please, my neck will be stiff tomorrow if I have to talk to you like this." His lips curled, revealing pearly white teeth. He came back to human, and my eyes widened, "Wow! You are so handsome! You were probably snatched up very quickly."

    "If I may?"

    "Please."

    "Do you know who I am?"

    I shook my head, "I guess in charge until Liv arrives."

    "I''m Ben''s father. My name is Uzail."

    My lip involuntarily pulled up, thinking about Ben and how he treated me, "That is not a recommendation in my books¡­ Nor does it mean anything to me¡­ Honestly, I don''t know if I''ll be able to deal with another Ben."

    "May I apologize on his behalf if he hasn''t done so yet¡­ And assure you he was severely punished when he stepped back in under my roof."

    My gaze came back to his, "Thank You. I accept. It makes me feel a little better that he was not raised that way."

    The man laughed and stretched out his arm towards the door, "If you will, please come with me."

    "Certainly, thank you." He growled, and his chest rumbled slightly; I turned to him as we walked, "Will you tell me what displeases you?"

    He growled again, "If I may?"

    "From here on out, please speak freely; I would like to have an open conversation."

    He grimaced, "Very well¡­ I¡­ I¡­ I can not," he huffed and ran his hand over his hair.

    Wow, the men were really beaten down among the ladies. Total subjection. He wanted me to command him¡ªeven as a prisoner. What did happen to Ben? Although the last couple of days, he seemed different than he was on Earth, maybe even a little regretful. The seven men who were entertaining us also had no idea what the wolves were planning. Would they have warned us? "You did want to say something."

    "I wanted to advise you to not be so polite with the women you''ll be dealing with."

    "Urgh, I''ve never been good with dealing with other women."

    "A true wolf, then." I chuckled.

    He didn''t say much for the rest of the way as we walked through the city, which, in my opinion, was one of the most spectacular ones I''ve seen throughout all the planets I''ve been on. Romero had chosen another abandoned location to house the wolves. I couldn''t understand how they got tired of any place so beautiful. The dehka who lived there before had migrated to the city Sara lived in, where we had been staying for the last couple of days. Every town had its own architecture, urban design, and infrastructure that were suitable for the terrain of any specific area. Where we were, the air was crisp; every breath visible. The ground was rocky, not sandy, but in the city, it was clean¡ªthe streets smooth and well-kept. Large green trees lived in harmony with tall glass buildings.

    Liv was waiting, sitting on a large sofa bed, her legs stretched out with a book in hand. On the table next to her were so many stacks of papers I was reminded of when I was studying to become a doctor. I headed for a chair and plopped down, tired, almost exhausted from all the energy I had expelled. "You may go Uzail," she said clipped and without looking up.

    For fun, I met his eyes and waved with a smile, "Thank You!" I got a curt nod from Min¨¦''s grandfather. Her actual lineage. I never thought I''d ever meet them¡­ Would her grandmother even be interested to have a relationship with her? How did werewolf women treat their daughters? Liv ignored me, reading whatever she was dealing with. "Can we get to the point!"

    "Oh, you might as well relax, you''ll be¡­ uhm¡­ contained for the foreseeable future."

    "Our wounds will heal eventually."

    "Sure," she laughed sardonically, "But you can''t go anywhere without Romero, and once you''re on one side of this massive city and he on the other¡­ I hear you''ll be in a constant state of pain¡­ Almost comatose until the two of you are reunited."

    I sighed and drifted down into the cushy pillows of the armchair I was in, "I don''t know how you think you''ll win this war once Romero''s army arrives."

    Lived scoffed, "It will take them months to get here. And even then, we have a way of forcing their hand."

    "The dheka do not negotiate. Romero is replaceable."

    "Oh, I know; I was not talking about political schemes. Werewolves do not dabble, or manipulate, or falter¡­ No, I meant subduing their army. Before Zoreah, we were undefeated for many centuries. It only worked out the way it did because there were so many of you involved¡­ Too many variables¡­ So Charlene, as soon as you can ship us back home where we belong, we''ll be out of your hair. Until then, we will never stop waging war."

    "I would indulge you with false hope and empty promises¡­ but¡­ the dheka value honor above all else. You had a deal with them; you broke it. And as far as I know, you''re the first to even try, so good luck. When I kill you, I''ll not be as merciful as Marcus was with Brylee when he put a bullet in her head."

    "Suit yourself," Liv lifted a hand.

    This time, I was not asked to follow but yanked to my feet, picked up under my armpits, and dragged from the building.

 228. Weird Sensations

    228. Weird Sensations

    Marcus

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked Iku as we fought side by side.

    ¡°It¡¯s rather self-explanatory.¡±

    Yazen gave a command to the dheka villagers, who rallied behind Iku and his wife. Manifested, the tiny group melded into a wall of pitch-black air around them. In bursts, as the wolves got too close, their collective energy seemed to grab hold of the attackers, swirl around them, and drop bodies in their wake. The formation was solid, but I had already, when Chris and Michael dropped me in the midst of this chaos, counted our ranks: Selena and Jamal were teleporting randomly through the frontlines, killing from sporadic angles. Jack, Warden, James, and five of Juliet¡¯s women, including me, were fighting the stragglers in between the mele. The dheka were around fifty men and women; servants, family, and a few soldiers. It would not be enough. The desert horizon shrouded with werewolf army men was only the fringe of what lay behind it. Soon, they would increase the number of soldiers sent out to test our defenses. We would fall first. The two riphaths would go next, and I didn¡¯t know how they overpowered the shadows or if they even could.

    And so it happened; the eclipse flickered; the sun behind the wolves filtered through the many bodies steadily marching toward the village, catching all our attention. They had decided to send all the men in at once. ¡°What now?¡± Flanking groups on the outside separated from the main army and surrounded us. The dheka had no intention of standing down, firmly holding their formation.

    A buzz faintly originated from the wolves; the noise grew louder to an overpowered whirr in the air, and before we knew or could run, a vamp fell at my feet, a spear lodged into her chest, sticking out the back. I dropped to my knees, hands in the air, weapons stabbing the sand around me. A dheka fell in between the darkness, breaking the wall they¡¯d created. Selena and the women had followed my lead, surrendering. The wolves sent out more spears into the ignorant or arrogant shadows. The second dheka fell. ¡°Yield!¡± I yelled. Yazen came back to human and lowered onto his knees, commanding even Iku to follow. ¡°What were you thinking taking on all of them?¡±

    ¡°It did not start out this way,¡± Iku said.

    ¡°Does anyone know where Juliet is?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± the whole group answered, cutting me off and subtly telling me to shut up. The wolves had instantly lowered their weapons, relaxed back into ranks, and came to a stand. I scanned the crowd, waiting for their general to emerge. At this moment, he would be the only one allowed to move¡­ We waited¡­ and waited.

    Half an hour later, over the dunes, a single figure emerged, making his way leisurely through the men. Strange¡­ Why would he hide so far away¡ªlike a coward? Behind him, more wolf heads popped out, and a young boy was dangling off the ground between them... Oh, no! Shai. He was the young dheka who we all had taken under our wing. Charlene¡¯s personal guard. The boy was the one who met Michael and Juliet the first time they ever arrived on Mirach. He took care of Katty for months. Iku growled. My own teeth bared, my gaze flickering over the general¡¯s face to figure out what he planned to do. Even though the dheka didn¡¯t negotiate with terrorists, it didn¡¯t mean all of us wouldn¡¯t retaliate if they hurt him.

    Oh, that¡¯s where the general was; on a manhunt for the village communication warning to the dheka army. Well great. No one was coming to help us. Shai was supposed to get away¡­ No one knew Mirach was under attack, and we were stuck in the one village hours away from any town or city¡­ I could make a run for the tunnels under the rec center. How will I release the ball? I reverted back to French and hoped anyone would be able to understand me. ¡°Two people have to make a run for the balls.¡±

    ¡°Through this sand,¡± Jack retorted, ¡°A little late, don¡¯t you think.¡±

    ¡°I was thinking diversion¡­ We have two riphaths to work with.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Iku said, in French, ¡°We already tried. The wolves were waiting.¡±

    All we could do was wait for the four men to make their way to us. The two released Shai; Iku intercepted the young man and pulled him into the middle of the dheka.

    Strangely, the general came to a stop in front of me. ¡°Marcus.¡±

    With raised eyebrows, I said, ¡°I haven¡¯t had the pleasure.¡±

    ¡°No. My name is Xeno¡­ Our only objective today is to get back home.¡±

    Oh, this is interesting. This whole ordeal was to make a statement. ¡°Yazen? Are you inclined to let them go?¡±

    Xeno interrupted, ¡°We have already detained Romero and Charlene if it makes any difference when deciding.¡±

    My brow furrowed for too many reasons, ¡°You know those types of games won¡¯t work here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, frustrating¡­ I told my superior¡­ General Uzail agreed with me; nevertheless, our Queen thought it might be incentive enough for Juliet to¡­ let¡¯s say put her foot down.¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°If she were here.¡±

    ¡°Marcus, if you can arrange it, they may leave,¡± Yazen said.

    ¡°It¡¯s your lucky day. I¡¯ll need a plate, though.¡±

    ¡°No allegiance to the chadari?¡± Xeno asked.

    ¡°We can always go help them fight on Palmyra.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Xeno signaled; one of his lackeys handed the glass to me. I took it and sent Jessy a message.

    Me { The Wolves want to go home. Think you can organize for us }

    My thumb tapped the screen; Jessy was usually quick in his replies, even if it was only to say, ¡®Give me a minute.¡¯ The seconds ticked by. I was not used to being left on read.

    I sent another to Samuel.

    Me { Sam. Jessy not responding. Urgent. }

    I stared at the glass¡ªcouldn¡¯t do anything else. A frown formed between my brows when two minutes passed with nothing but cricket static.

    Xeno held out his hand for the plate and scanned my messages, ¡°Your subordinates are either disrespecting you, which I don¡¯t think is the problem, or?¡±

    My frown found my chest, tightening the building tension at what the cause could be. ¡°Will you allow me to teleport the two of us to where Charlene and Romero are? Maybe the communications are down.¡±

    ¡°Certainly.¡± Xeno turned and addressed the wolf at his side, ¡°Escort everyone into that home and detain them there. Subdue the two riphaths for good measure.¡± My head turned to see what they planned to do with our only escape. Selena yelped. The wolf held a short sword made of Fahan¡¯s red rock. After a moment, Jamal reached for his shoulder, his paw stained red when he removed it and looked down. Jamal put pressure on the wound. The dheka refused to leave their shadow manifestation as the wolves pushed spears at them to get moving.

    Xeno and I walked a little into the desert. I was not going to waste time trudging all the way to the rec center. The spot where our station was outside the village was still clearly marked with a patch of stones placed neatly in a circle. I lifted the plate and sent a signal. After thirty seconds, I growled. ¡°This is what happens if you take any time off.¡±

    ¡°No luck?¡± Xeno remained calm.

    I held his gaze, impressed with the man¡¯s self-control. ¡°I don¡¯t know what is going on. I got here less than fifteen minutes ago.¡±

    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll have to send someone to verify if they are also experiencing¡ª¡± he chuckled, ¡°technical difficulties.¡±

    ¡°Funny.¡±

    ¡°Not to worry¡­ I¡¯ve also not heard anything since the last report came through¡­ I thought maybe you¡¯d know how to fix the coms.¡±

    ¡°I do¡­ We, unfortunately, moved all our equipment back to En-gannim a while ago¡­ It¡¯s all run from there.¡±

    ¡°Pity,¡± Xeno said, ushering me toward Romero¡¯s home.

    He handed out orders, speaking in their native tongue, ¡°These two houses seem closer to each other than the rest¡­ Split them into two groups¡­ Make camp; we¡¯re staying for a few days.¡± Xeno turned to a wolf, ¡°You head for Akl-hir. Tell Uzail Marcus can¡¯t communicate or travel.¡±

    A few guards in the house headed for Iku and his wife. ¡° Touch me! Lose hand.¡± The wolf hesitated and decided to take the rest of the dheka to Kubra¡¯s house and leave only Iku and his wife with us.

    ¡°With the way your heart is pounding, I guess you¡¯re not faking,¡± Selena ventured.

    I shook my head. I had no idea why Mirach was cut off from En-gannim. The uncertainty was worse than knowing En-gannim was under attack from Ian, who had found a way home. ¡°Is anyone going to tell me where my wife is?¡±

    Jack reached into his pocket and pulled out a pencil and a notepad. One corner of my lip curled up; I was back in France when my grandfather was watching me, and we couldn¡¯t talk about anything. The group didn¡¯t want the werewolves to know where she was. Jack handed it to Iku.

    He scribbled and held it up for me to read, ¡®She is on the path to our dark city. She is probably already there.¡¯ Iku wrote again, ¡®Soren knows what the other stone does.¡¯

    Nothing made sense! His random facts didn¡¯t add up. Juliet wasn¡¯t sure about the stone. How could Soren know? I grabbed the pad.

    Me

    [ Why is the stone a problem? What does Juliet plan to do there? ]

    Iku

    [ Water and Life stone. Put it down, endless water¡ªflooding. ]

    I swore¡ªloudly.

    [ Juliet is going back in time ]

    I swore even louder and tossed the pad against the wall. The pencil went next. No wonder Juliet was so reticent during the months we were alone! Was she saying goodbye? How could she decide all by herself? Why not take the stone? Why not kill Ian and get Earth back! She had a million options, yet she¡ª I remembered our talk; Juliet had asked me where I¡¯d want to go. I swore and lifted my chin to the roof, closing my eyes... Chris didn¡¯t want to do it. Juliet had been studying nonstop during those months we were together. Was this what she was planning? Juliet knew how dangerous the stone would be. If Soren dropped it somewhere on En-gannim¡ªthe water would mix with the pink oceans. We¡¯d never be able to pick it up again. My chest constricted¡­ The whole planet would be gone. My breathing was shallow. Is that why we can¡¯t make contact? Had it already happened? Naji!

    Selena could probably sense my visceral reaction. She picked up the pad and read the messages. She scanned the floor for the pencil and wrote.

    [ Juliet cut off any teleporting. Only Jessy can send anyone. Two weeks. Even piggybacking. Whole En-gannim and Palmyra. She wanted no interruptions. ]

    It doesn¡¯t explain the coms! How did I fix this? Where was Michael and Chris? As if she was giving me the answer, Selena winched and placed a hand over the cut on her arm¡­ F¡ª. Once the two landed to protect Charlene, the wolves contained them! So, Louis was on Earth¡­ We were stuck in the village... Chris and everyone there is also captured. If Juliet can¡¯t communicate or talk to Jessy, she will be in some abandoned city¡ªall alone. I rubbed frustrated hands over my face, hoping Samuel could fix this¡ªquickly.

    ***

    Juliet

    My mind was consumed with Louis¡¯s sweet words, urging me to choose all of them. When he opens up and tells me how he actually feels, my whole world falls into place. During our tumultuous relationship, it had only happened a few times, and I desperately needed the reassurance. Unfortunately, that was not my Louis. Nor could I tell the real one I thought I was pregnant only to get him to mend his ways. I softly opened my eyes. My son was deep in thought. In a way, I felt further and further away from this timeline. Distanced from the people and my feelings. Connected to others who will never exist. ¡°Caleb,¡± I said softly. He jumped up and held out a vial, ready to pierce the skin on my neck, ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I need it.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    The room was not spinning; my equilibrium was as tranquil as it was before I went into the dream. I didn¡¯t feel sick, nor was my head an emotional mess. Was my life with Marcus so strenuous it made me lose all my faculties?

    ¡°A ¡®I told you so¡¯ will probably be mean,¡± Caleb said and rested his knees in the sand.

    ¡°Fine, you were right¡­ I can¡¯t choose Marcus.¡±

    ¡°No! Look at you! You¡¯re glowing¡­ So far, I vote for Michael¡­ Did his timeline solve everything?¡±

    I laughed, ¡°Yes, definitely¡­ It would. But Louis found me, and every time screws things up¡­ Gets involved¡­ The rest of them soon follow¡­ I try to make it about one, but it ends up just putting the other¡¯s lives on hold.¡±

    Caleb shrugged, ¡°Louis seems to have you dug out in his bones¡­ You¡¯ve been out for ten minutes again¡­ Same thing as last time?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, ten years¡­¡± I said, smiling. ¡°Ten amazing mind-bending years. I didn¡¯t want to ever leave.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, pregnant in this one?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, again at the end,¡± I rubbed over my very flat belly.

    ¡°Weird.¡±

    ¡°Have you learned anything? But you probably didn¡¯t have time to do anything in ten minutes.¡± I slowly got to my feet, wanting to stretch my legs. The heaviness of my pregnancy followed into this life, and I arched my back as if I would deliver any second.

    Caleb watched the gesture and frowned, ¡°Still difficult to come to terms with your new age¡ªyour old life?¡±

    ¡°Pish Posh! Forty-four feels wonderful.¡±

    Caleb picked up an open book he got from the Mirach library, ¡°I did check a few books about the stones¡­¡± He pointed at some images. ¡°Well, you see here¡­¡± He flipped the pages. ¡°These two pictures are so close to each other¡ªno one would be able to tell¡­ Yet, no mention of the one Ahasuerus carried¡­ The water-stone was clearly described, though¡­ It¡¯s brown, and according to the books, thousands of years ago, Zoreah was really different; plant life everywhere, abundant quantities of beast species.¡±

    ¡°I see. So you think¡ªbrown¡ªZoreah. And the teleportation stone? Any sign of it?¡±

    Caleb dug in his pack, took out the plate, and handed it to me. What did a plate have to do with the stone? I scanned the screen and looked up at him. The threads were riddled with one-way communications¡­ ¡°I guess Jessy fell asleep? It¡¯s only been a half hour since his last message. Why the overreaction on your part?¡±

    ¡°The last time he sent us food was hours ago¡­ And¡ª.¡±

    ¡°And what? What happened?¡±

    ¡°Chris¡¯s mother is still alive.¡± My mouth gaped. I took hold of his arm and waited for an explanation. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me if you died in the dream, you die here,¡± Caleb said softly, looking away.

    My mouth pulled in a way, ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t think you had the guts.¡±

    His eyes snapped back to mine, ¡°What!? Well, I did.¡±

    I laughed lightly, ¡°Did you use protection?¡±

    His features clouded with¡ªwhat? Disappointment. ¡°I¡­ did want to... Argh, anyway, it didn¡¯t work out.¡±

    I frowned and watched him closely, ¡°Caleb! Why did you go?¡± He didn¡¯t say anything. What else could he have planned? If he really wanted it to work out with this girl¡­ He could¡¯ve gone back multiple times and manipulated the situation¡­ Although, Caleb wouldn¡¯t. So, why¡­? Chris¡¯s mother! The swatch, the stone. ¡°You went to find out what happened to the stone. Why?¡±

    Caleb stepped away from me, ¡°It didn¡¯t look like you really wanted to do it. So I thought¡­ if I had the stone without you knowing¡­ I could end all this¡­ You¡¯d never have known.¡±

    I laughed lightly, ¡°No, I guess I wouldn¡¯t have.¡± Caleb handed me water. ¡°So where is she?¡±

    ¡°Earth¡ªbest guess¡­ Or Ahasuerus said absolutely anywhere¡­ But there is more.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    ¡°Warden¡­ was Jacklin¡¯s watcher before he got assigned to two people. He was there when Satya talked to Qadir after the birth. He took Chris to the orphanage.¡± I cleared my throat and drank some more water, feeling rather disgusted. No wonder Warden doesn¡¯t like me. Well, if he¡¯s in love with Jacklin like Carl believes, he should¡¯ve been happy I came into Louis¡¯s life¡­ Although he could¡¯ve told Chris, us, anyone. ¡°Sam knew all this time.¡± Caleb went on, ¡°The two have been looking but can¡¯t find her.¡±

    My nausea was back, ¡°So how do we find her?¡± I placed my fingers against my lips, trying to stop the gag reflex in the back of my throat.

    ¡°We need someone older than the two of us¡ªcombined¡­ Unless¡­ Satya is already dead, stuck somewhere on Earth in a cell, unmanned and trapped.¡±

    I clutched my stomach. Chris didn¡¯t know his mother, but I figured he¡¯d be upset nonetheless if we caused her death¡­ I¡­ caused her death before he even knew she was still alive... She could¡¯ve died already four years ago when I killed Qadir¡­ To focus on anything else, my queasy feeling reminded me Caleb was also hungry. Food would help us both. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go hunting. Is there anything in here to eat, or do we have to travel all the way back to the entrance and then the valley?¡±

    ¡°The dark city has nothing to eat, only freshwater¡­ Maybe we should follow the stream out rather than paddling upstream¡­ Don¡¯t really know how we¡¯ll manage either way¡­ We don¡¯t know how far this place goes. Or if another entrance will lead to¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yeah, okay! I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t think this through. I¡¯m so dependent on Jessy and thought this was going to be an adventure.¡±

    Caleb rubbed my arm, ¡°Seems like the last trip was¡­ You¡¯re in a really good mood¡­ Come tell me all about it¡­ What¡¯s half a day to wait for the last two¡­ Or do you want to call it quits?¡±

    ¡°Are you also worried something else might be wrong?¡±

    Caleb nodded, ¡°It could help just to check in with Michael, maybe.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yes! I can make a quick call; he could help us.¡± I closed my eyes. I thought about Michael and gave him the tiniest nudge. Unexpectedly and immediately, my body became very rigid. My ass stung from his hold on my limbs. Michael was controlling himself but still forcing me to move. My arm lifted. Michael made me put my index finger and thumb together and wave it about. Caleb thought I was going crazy and laughed, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Asking for the bill, I guess¡­ It¡¯s not me!¡±

    ¡°Is there maybe another interpretation?¡±

    ¡°Write! He wants me to write¡­ Do we have paper?¡±

    Caleb dug in his pack, ¡°We¡¯ve been carrying notepads to communicate when we need to speak.¡± He handed it to me, smiling. ¡°Kubra started it for Charlene¡­ Like texts.¡±

    ¡°Why did no one tell me?¡± I nudged again, and Michael, to the best of his ability, let me write¡­

    { I O U }

    Caleb came to stand next to me, reading what I wrote. I nudged again.

    { Bad }

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it,¡± Caleb said.

    ¡°Michael is cashing in on an IOU¡­ I still owe him for¡­ Uhm¡­ Anyway, they¡¯re in trouble, bad trouble. He needs me to come!¡±

    ¡°What will we do?¡±

    ¡°The tunnel system on Mirach is complicated. I didn¡¯t research what terminals to get off and change stations to get to where Charlene is.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to make the whole trip back to Romero¡¯s village¡ªagain?¡±

    ¡°Urgh, I can understand why Michael might be in trouble with the wolves, but En-gannim? My mom? She won¡¯t ignore you. Neither would Agatha. Where is Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Try anyone else,¡± Caleb urged.

    ¡°I¡¯ll nudge on Louis.¡± My arm jumped up, and I made the signal again, ¡°What is going on? How do they all know to make me write.¡±

    Louis waited patiently until I nudged and forced my hand to move.

    { Help }

    ¡°Oh no,¡± Caleb said softly, ¡°Marcus, quickly.¡±

    I tried to nudge. I¡¯ve never done it with him. I pulled and sent energy, closing my eyes. A second later, my arm jutted out. Caleb and I went into peals of laughter. I couldn¡¯t write; my hand was so scribbly. Caleb and I couldn¡¯t figure out what I had tried to put on paper.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to ask again.¡±

    ¡°It might not be the same message,¡± I nudged Marcus, hoping he would understand to repeat his message.

    { Help }

    ¡°His first message was not help; it¡¯s way too long,¡± Caleb pointed at my first attempt.

    ¡°That looks like a B¡ª¡±

    ¡°This is an L if that¡¯s a B¡ª¡±

    ¡°A¡ª

    ¡°Black?¡±

    ¡°And an O or a U¡ª two O¡¯s¡­

    ¡°Blackout!¡± Caleb exclaimed.

    ¡°Heh, En-gannim is experiencing a blackout?¡±

    ¡°I thought their power was sustainable.¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± I frowned. ¡°Unless the planet¡¯s temperature is suddenly cooled down by water.¡±

    ¡°No! Who would have the stone?¡± Caleb turned away from me, ¡°The real water and life stone. How would they get to En-gannim? You ordered no teleportation¡­ We have to stop speculating.¡± Caleb walked around in a circle. ¡°Okay, answer me quickly and without thinking.¡± I nodded, ¡°If you permanently went back in time, who¡ª¡±

    ¡°Chris!¡± I said without thinking.

    Caleb paused amid his pacing, ¡°Then what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Sorting out my shame and guilt.¡±

    Caleb let out a pouted puff of air, ¡°Too deep for me, just yet¡­ Maybe we should finish them quickly¡­ In twenty minutes, you could be done! By then, we¡¯ll have to get out of here either way if Jessy hasn¡¯t come back to us¡­ However, leaving and coming back is going to make our entire trip a waste.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t agree a trip to the dark city could ever be a waste¡­ Although Caleb was right about why. Unconsciously, I would always choose Chris. I walked toward the middle of the room and plopped down.

    ***

    Soren

    I¡¯d been picking up rubble for a whole day and finally found my way down into the Embassy. The building did take up an entire block. What was I thinking? I was wasting time. Didn¡¯t really know what I was looking for anyway. It was dark and dusty, and it took a while to get the generators up and running. The light slowly came to life, and the air switched on. I could breathe and began going through the different floors. Much of it was offices, detaining cubicles for creatures and medical areas for the wealthy vamps on Earth who needed care only En-gannim could offer.

    The rooms I was looking for were ones filled with tech, equipment storage, and plates. When Ian first declared war, they used En-gannim communication mixed with methods from Earth. He¡¯d built and prepared the infrastructure on En-gannim on various Islands under their control to be able to speak incognito. Although Caleb probably found out about it, I was hoping in some way to communicate with anyone¡ªfor now.

    I kept moving down into the basement floor by floor, deeper underground. There were at least seven sub-levels, all the size of the whole block the building stood on. On the last one, I found what I was looking for and also¡ªtunnels; I sighed, seeing another circular dark expanse that led somewhere. I left the exploration for the time being and took apart equipment and connected it with others. Juliet had said there was a division of scientists from Earth and En-gannim working on her ideas down there. Luckily, it was left as is... I found some sort of device that I figured, looking at the PC screens, were enhancers and a way to send signals rather than needing coordinates. Wow, if we had this, things would¡¯ve run much smoother for us. It had Juliet¡¯s laziness written all over it¡ªuser-friendly.

    An hour later, I managed to connect it all and sent out a message.

    Me [ Is anyone getting this? ]

    My screen flooded with communications from, of course, unknown speakers. They had to be key players in the areas we had surveilled on En-gannim.

    [ En-gannim teleporter power shut down ]

    [ Palmyra no teleportation ]

    Ian had kept tabs on Palmyra?

    [ Liam, Agatha is with me. If this is you, please tell us what¡¯s going on and what we¡¯re supposed to do. No one can go anywhere. Have not heard from anyone in half an hour. ]

    Half an hour? What happened in the last half hour?

    [ Who is this? ]

    Probably Samuel or Jessy. Seemed like they could only receive a message from me and reply to me¡­ Or state facts, hoping someone would see¡­ They couldn¡¯t read what everyone else was saying to me¡­ How will we fix it if they don¡¯t know how to change the communications. S¡ª. So I would need to walk them through it or¡ª

    [ Does anyone know where Juliet and Caleb are? ]

    Juliet was stuck somewhere like we were? None of them were together.

    [ Liam, is that you? ]

    Okay, what was going on? I was hoping to ask them to have mercy on Isla, yet no one could teleport. All my efforts were for nothing. They were worse off than we were. Isla would have no way to get off the Island.

    I took a chance: Me [ Use stone? ]

    [ Stone with Charlene ]

    [ Stone with Charlene ]

    [ Stone with Charlene ]

    ¡°Argh!¡± I wanted to smash the thing to pieces.

    I had to try: Me [ Found Ian¡¯s army wives. Hidden on En-gannim Island and dying: Coordinates. ]

    [ Who cares. We will all die if we can¡¯t teleport food and water anywhere. ]

    Me [ Reboot power: Process ]

    [ Tried not working ]

    [ Who is talking and opened this line of communication ]

    [ Michael, Marcus, and Chris in trouble ]

    I put down the device. It was useless to try to fix the communications if they couldn¡¯t put the teleporters back on¡­ Why was the coms down anyway¡­ There really was only one person left without any accountability¡ªJacklin. She¡¯d been running around for months and, if I had to guess¡ªaccumulated all she needed to do whatever this was. Maybe a tactic to force Juliet back to Earth. If she had a device that could render the teleportation obsolete and put it on again¡ªnot bad.

    I, absently and without any control, rolled out of the chair, unable to keep my eyes open anymore¡ªlanded on the floor with a thud. Everything I¡¯d done meant nothing. There was also no coming back from this and restoring what I screwed up. My eyes closed, and my mind was forced to shut down.

 229. Chriss Life

    229. Chris''s Life

    Juliet

    Concentrating was hard the third time around with everything going on. Louis actually asked for help. I left him on Earth all alone. I went through the list: Sammy was with Ira. Naji was with Marcus. Caleb was with me. Mael and my parents were on their Island¡­ And Chris was on Zoreah, I hoped. Maybe he was why I couldn¡¯t focus. I had this relationship with Chris, but there was no way to make sure he was still alive. Michael was okay but in danger. How could I go into a third timeline and leave them stranded somewhere¡ªeverywhere.

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s ten minutes¡­ Do it and get it over with.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying.¡±

    ¡°Maybe when you¡¯re done, Sam and Jessy would¡¯ve sorted out the problem.¡±

    Caleb was right¡­ Caleb, Chris, Caleb¡ªChris¡­ The last time I had been this unsettled was the day Caleb and Chris were taken to Zoreah. I was so young and tossed around by life¡­ It was the worst day of my life. Looking back, we couldn¡¯t have done anything to stop it¡­ I let myself go even further back¡ªto school. School? I chuckled. I was actually in high school at one point; I could hardly remember anything that happened so many years ago; it had all faded. Chris and I¡­ In total, our relationship added up to less than two years. It lifted my mood a little. I always wanted to know how it would¡¯ve been if it was only me and him. The two of us. Would we fight about the dishes? Would he get sick of me? A warm smile filled my chest. No, I don¡¯t think so.

    I willed my mind to go to the time before I met Marcus. The only memory I had was of seeing him for the first time; it would be forever ingrained in my heart. He entered the exact same way as the last time. Marcus took his time to get a book, and I sat on the offending chair, waiting. Although all of them have come into my life every time I¡¯ve gone back, it wasn¡¯t the same, and it felt like I¡¯d not seen him for ten years. Michael and I had been so busy traveling¡­ Before I could help myself, I asked, ¡°May I see what you¡¯re reading.¡±

    The coffee cup stopped halfway to his lips. He thought about it for a second and passed the book to me. I checked the cover and where he was in the book; I made some witty remarks about what I thought the meaning was about. Also, it was totally opposite of his own views, and I smiled when he went into a lecture on how wrong I was. He stopped talking and chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re making fun of me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. I would never dare. You are Marcus Ahmed, and no one should laugh at you.¡± It was so good to see him, how he was back then, and why I had fallen in love with him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask how you know who I am, but rather who is your father¡ªhow could he allow you to be here¡ªalone.¡±

    ¡°They say it takes a village to raise kids. As you can see, Joe and Soren¡¯s Father and Soren and my dad think a little different than yours.¡±

    ¡°Oppressive?¡±

    ¡°Inbred fascist,¡± Marcus choked on his sip and had to wipe his mouth, hiding his amusement. ¡°Another thing¡­ If you have time¡­ Look up Liam Farrow when you have a chance¡­ I think you will be really good friends.¡±

    ¡°Ah, I should¡¯ve guessed.¡±

    ¡°No, don¡¯t lie. You¡¯ve never met him.¡±

    ¡°No, but he is as famous as my father.¡±

    ¡°The brothers, you mean.¡±

    Marcus cocked an eyebrow, ¡°Liam has a brother?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know Samuel and Liam are brothers? You¡¯ve never met Samuel, have you¡­ Maybe you should start asking questions¡­ You are here,¡± I gestured to the bookstore, ¡°For a reason.¡±

    Marcus broke our eye contact, ¡°I was bred to ask no questions.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think your mother agrees on that head, but I can see it will take some time for the seed to germinate.¡±

    I got up and went for the back door, ¡°Juliet, where are you going. You can¡¯t go walking around in the streets unaccompanied. You have to wait for Liam.¡±

    ¡°Soren. Shut up.¡± Marcus laughed. I looked back at the sound, and his smile fell, ¡°Good luck, Marcus.¡±

    I opened the door, ¡°With what?¡± I didn¡¯t answer him. Thought about going back and kissing him, getting that hit of satisfaction only he could give me¡­ He¡¯d probably kill me.

    I would try to speed this life up a little if it was at all possible. I didn¡¯t want to rush through it, but I couldn¡¯t waste time coddling my parents or caring about things that didn¡¯t matter in the end... Two steps later¡ªI probably should have left a note¡ªhow could I let my parents wonder where I was for ten years¡ªcruel. I was so close to the gate, and waiting a week to make my escape was too much. So I kept walking, waited, and left the compound when a car entered.

    I turned and walked backward a few steps, taking in the familiar scene of the compound entrance¡ªthe flags¡ªflowers everywhere¡ªgreen, well-kept grass. I compared it to how it looked in the real world. Much like Louis¡¯s house¡ªdestroyed. One thing about Qadir¡­ I paused, thinking again. I should really stop thinking, but I retraced my steps in the opposite direction, went back into the compound, and walked for ten minutes to Qadir¡¯s house¡­ I almost forgot.

    I made my way to his office and hoped I¡¯d not wasted even more time. I had to wait for a servant to open the door and give him any kind of refreshment. She lingered, taking her sweet time making sure every detail was correct... Leave before he goes off to dinner. I checked my watch and looked about the room for something. A pen. Could work¡­ Qadir was busy with some papers, and for a split second, I felt a tinge of regret about what I was about to do. Qadir had been so different in the last two lifetimes¡ªwhen I wasn¡¯t in his life.

    I appeared in random places in the room, first to get my weapon and then to be in a position where if we needed to fight, we¡¯d have some space. Qadir sat up, intently scanning the room for my flickers, strumming focused fingers on the table.

    ¡°Before I kill you¡­ Will you be so kind as to tell me where Satya is?¡±

    Qadir¡¯s eyes narrowed with an agitated twitch in his jaw. ¡°You want the stone¡­ You¡¯re on Mirach.¡±

    I shrugged, ¡°What can you do¡­ Why do you want to go back in time?¡±

    Qadir quickly looked away. I fixed a puzzled gaze on him. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ in love with Agatha.¡± Qadir softly clacked his teeth together. I chuckled. My soft laugh increased, ¡°You and Daddy both got stuck on girls.¡± Qadir¡¯s eyes shot up, and his upper lip pulled, revealing pointy vampiric teeth. ¡°Hey! I get it¡­ Boy, do I get it¡­ Maybe, just maybe, she would¡¯ve loved you if you gave her a bit more time. Six years on Earth in the eighteen hundreds¡­ Coming from En-gannim¡­ After you killed all your brothers¡­ You guys were screwed before you even knew it¡­ How in the world did you fall in love?¡± Qadir¡¯s expression softened, and he dropped his manifestation, yet reluctant to tell me. ¡°Come on, have you ever told anyone your story?¡±

    ¡°I broke the cardinal rule¡­ First night¡­ I took off her veil¡­¡± He blushed! No, Qadir has a heart? ¡°I¡­ couldn¡¯t sleep with her¡­ Agatha¡¯s eyes¡­ had none of my darkness in them¡­ I didn¡¯t want to¡­ break her.¡± Qadir pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°In one moment, she had curbed my lust, changed my wants, my mind¡­¡± Qadir looked out the window, ¡°I gave her time¡­ Talked to her. I wanted to know everything about her¡­ And then she got used to me¡­ We were on Earth in the midst of all this¡­ A year later, she¡ª¡± He smiled, ¡°Initiated our consummation¡­ Another year later, we were pregnant. Neither of us could believe it¡­ Then¡­ Marcus.¡± Qadir¡¯s features shifted, and his manifestation came back. He stood and walked to the window. ¡°Agatha didn¡¯t like the way I wanted to raise him¡­¡± Qadir spun and raised his voice, ¡°The way I was taught to raise a boy! Ahasuerus gave me clear instructions to mold him to take over En-gannim¡­ If Marcus died, I would die the same day¡­ A life for a life¡­ I had Agatha and thought she would listen¡­ One day, I was¡­ training our young tree¡ªshe manifested and tried¡­ After I hit her the first time¡ª¡± He slightly shook his head. ¡°She almost died¡­¡±

    I was in tears by this time, swiping away Marcus¡¯s hurt. Agatha¡¯s life.

    ¡°Love is very real¡­ but¡ª¡± Qadir took a deep breath, ¡°Can die.¡± His shoulders shook¡ªthe corner of his mouth lifted. He was laughing! ¡°Agatha is the strongest, most determined vampire I have ever come across. Patience like you can¡¯t believe. She is everything I¡¯m not!¡± His hand rested on his heart. I shook my head. He was just like the rest of us. ¡°Must be why I hated you so much¡­ All I see in your eyes is what I saw in hers¡­ So, I won¡¯t tell you¡­ I¡¯m dead already if you made it off Earth¡­ Who are you?¡±

    I laughed lightly, smiling brightly, ¡°Liam¡¯s daughter.¡± Qadir laughed out loud. It was beautiful. He was beautiful¡­ ¡°Will you give me a hint?¡±

    He laughed again, ¡°No! No one should have that much power¡­ It¡¯s why only one female riphath knows where the stone is.¡± My shoulders dropped; how would I find out where Satya was? Twenty years ago, who would¡ªBertram! It was worth a try. ¡°You figured out how to find out¡­ Shall we begin? If I kill you, you won¡¯t make it back.¡±

    Thirty seconds later, Qadir¡¯s head hit the desk, his eyes wide open, and he slid off the edge to the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have too much waiting for me.¡±

    I figured if I was going to test outcomes, I might as well try one where Qadir was out of the equation from the start. Ahasuerus couldn¡¯t get past his bones to kill his last son¡ªmaybe that was where the problem lay. I looked up at the moon, my only company so late in the dark. There was a breeze for a change in the desert. The cool night air was a balm to my tattered nerves. Everyone had a story. Qadir was a person for a second. What will have to happen to make me lose myself? To go to a dark place and never come back.

    I slowly pushed open the door to the garage. Nevin was sitting on a chair, his head hanging low on his chest, sleeping. I took a good look at the man. He did look a lot like Jessy in a way¡ªwell, in seven hundred years. I appeared right in front of him. His fist snapped out, and he tried to move. I had taken hold of the gesture mid-air and was pushing him back in his seat. ¡°I¡¯m Samuel Furrow¡¯s niece. Liam¡¯s daughter.¡± He relaxed the pushback on my hand and let go entirely. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t come back far enough to save Willa¡­ I can help Jessy, who holds a special place in my heart¡­ I killed Qadir.¡±

    Nevin jumped up and danced a jig right there in the dust.

    I laughed, ¡°Marcus will need all the help he can get. There is no one else besides you and Kubra who can go,¡± I pointed up towards the sky, ¡°Relay the message.¡±

    ¡°I guess if you went back in time, it¡¯s true¡­ There is a stone that can do it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s not the one around the master¡¯s neck¡­ You don¡¯t maybe know what that one does?¡±

    ¡°Me? No child¡­ Everything we heard was either coerced out of someone or a theory to be tested.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ My uncle has his ways¡ªtrial and error.¡±

    ¡°Seems like you are adopting the thought.¡±

    I chuckled, ¡°You can say that. May I steal a car from you?¡±

    ¡°It will be my pleasure,¡± he gladly bowed and handed me the keys. I got in a car and drove southeast towards Chris. I don¡¯t know how long he and Sita dated before they got married. I only hoped I would be able to kill her, too.

    When I stopped outside the house, unfamiliar people were playing in the yard. ¡°Chris is not living here yet.¡± It was late again the next day, and instead of waiting inside the house like I wanted to, I went to the school. Nevin was kind enough to give me money and a cushion to sit on so I could drive. People stared at me a lot, but I still had my veil on, and no one did call the police.

    I made a few turns around the school to check if his car was parked. It was there. He had it for so long and I realized I had never asked him what it was with him and that specific vehicle. I stopped in the parking lot and opened the door, waiting. No one had noticed the unfamiliar addition till the end of the day, and with the door open and it being a car no one knew, the police and bomb squad were called. Chris had opened his door while trying to see what the fuss was about, giving me a minute to jump in and wait. He got bored and left.

    Alone yet together, I stared out the window. When I think about how domineering Louis was the first night we met; I can be glad he didn¡¯t take me back to the compound himself. Absentmindedly, I placed my hand on Chris¡¯s leg, rubbing my thumb up and down. He yelped in surprise. I took my hand away. His gaze darted here and there, swearing some filthy words. His fingers opened and closed around the steering wheel. Yeah, I was going to take it further. I reached out and picked his fingers up one by one. By the third, he pulled his hand away from the steering wheel and pressed it against his chest. I wriggled my hand in under his and interlaced our fingers. I yanked and placed our mingled hold on my leg where it belonged. Chris was staring, highly focused on the passenger seat. The car was drifting slowly into oncoming traffic. With my other hand, I pushed his face toward the street. He yanked on the wheel and swerved. Some people don¡¯t know how to drive. Chris stared straight in front of him for the rest of the drive, resigned to the craziness.

    After he parked his car, I let go. He flexed his hand and wiped it on his clothes. ¡°I feel offended.¡± Hurriedly, he got out, slammed his door, and turned his back. I opened my own door from the inside. Chris heard the noise and turned around. I was invisible again. I think he didn¡¯t move for five minutes, deciding what to do.

    He snapped out of it and scanned the streets and the apartments surrounding us. There was no one home at that time of the day. What did it matter anyway?

    Chris locked the car and headed for his front door. His hand shook as he pushed the key into the lock. He hesitated, slightly opened the door, and squeezed through the least amount of space he would need to get in without allowing the demons entry. He was freaking out! I hunkered down and knocked. Nothing. I kept at it until the door flung open. Mistake!

    My pranking continued over the next few days while I squatted in his house to get all my ducks in a row. While he was at work, I had a lot of extra days to chill. They were suddenly heaven-sent to figure out how to make this life yield optimal return on my investment and still make it all about us. Would Michael come for me? What chaos must there be between Earth, En-gannim, and all the men involved? I liked that I was still able to create some drama. One thing I needed was a plate; Warden would have one and be close in a van somewhere... Did I want to see Warden? He didn¡¯t know who I was. Why had he not come to drug me? ¡°Michael, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing!? You suck at your job.¡±

    Chris walked into the house every afternoon, freaked out about the loud TV, his kitchen in a mess, and the bed he so carefully made in disarray. At night, I didn¡¯t even bother and made myself comfortable next to him. The first night I spooned him in his sleep, the neighbors came to ask him why he was screaming at two in the morning. After the third day, he gave up his lease, too embarrassed to call the police. I laughed for the rest of the night.

    By then, I had found Warden, stolen a vial and a plate, and was busy programming in coordinates to The Tower. Before I could kidnap my husband, I needed to do one thing first.

    When Chris left for work, I traveled and came out where I wanted to be and made my way up to Ahasuerus¡¯s office. Jabin was there, and I was the topic of discussion; I felt important; I had made it up the food chain. Footage of me killing Qadir was playing in the air. ¡°Oh, shoot. He already knows¡­¡± On another rendering, my father¡¯s deplorable upbringing was continuing. They were looking for me; Samuel, Michael, and my parents were being questioned on the farm by Raas. It was a big mess, but really, what else was I supposed to do. I could juggle only so many threads. Ahasuerus was deciding if he should bring Marcus back or leave him there. He was in charge of the compound all of a sudden and wholly out of his depth. Marcus didn¡¯t even know about En-gannim yet.

    Jabin stopped the tubes, got orders, and left the office. I stood next to the old man¡ªappeared and grabbed the chain around his neck. His hand clasped lightning-fast around my wrist. I had gotten it done, and it was in my grasp. He wanted to make a move, so I disappeared. ¡°You have no idea what you just did.¡±

    On the other side of the room, I took off my veil and chucked it on the floor, ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m here. What does it do?¡± His dark eyes blinked a few times; the spirals grew and shrank as he sat down. He wanted to say something¡ª ¡°Let¡¯s not waste each other¡¯s time. I know it¡¯s not a waterstone? I tested in fertile soil.¡± He dropped his manifestation, walked over to the couches, and sat there, thinking. ¡°Is it an ability stone?¡± Again nothing. ¡°What could be so important that you would give ours away to Brylee and keep this one.¡± I held it up in my fingers, examining it. I had looked at it so many times but couldn¡¯t figure it out.

    ¡°It¡¯s neither.¡±

    Intrigued, I stepped closer and sat opposite him, ¡°You know I¡¯m in a room on Mirach, so just tell me...¡±

    His eyes came up and met mine, ¡°I thought maybe a swatch.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that stupid¡­¡±

    ¡°Too permanent?¡±

    ¡°It will be, but first, I want to try and save the destruction of everything. I stuffed up, and you died, and this was the only way I could talk to you again¡­ You never do get to bottle it, you know.¡±

    ¡°I would have if I didn¡¯t die. Seems Hessien was the wrong choice.¡±

    ¡°Avrio was even worse. He died in one day. Hessien at least made it to Zoreah.¡±

    ¡°Then who?¡±

    ¡°A little boy on Earth. Who fell in love with the wrong girl and couldn¡¯t send her away to a tower and lock her up.¡±

    ¡°Aaa, you know about Jacklin¡­ So she does benefit me in the end.¡±

    ¡°Benefit?! She slept with your nephew.¡± His manifestation was rapid, ¡°I thought you were impenetrable. Learning that you fell in love with a woman was actually a disappointment.¡±

    ¡°Weaknesses should be mastered¡­ I was never in love with her, like Earth calls it. We never even spoke to each other¡­ It was not love but¡­ a lust I could not control¡­ In my old age¡­ our creature side gets stronger the older we get¡­¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°I wish you would tell me how Marcus and I get over our jealousy because it seems impossible¡­ If you say, it will only get worse¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°It only means what you¡¯re fighting for is not important enough¡­ It is why I sent Jacklin away¡­ She was interfering with my¡ª¡±

    ¡°Concentration,¡± he chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to fight for.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯ve answered your own questions.¡±

    ¡°I should not master it at all but accept it¡­ or send it to another planet? It caused everything.¡±

    ¡°That is why I am where I am, and you are where you are.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re dead, remember.¡±

    He dropped his manifestation again, and his head hung in defeat, ¡°Why did you kill Qadir?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s mean to Marcus, and this time, I won¡¯t be there for him. It¡¯s time you bring him back. Once you do, all your plans fall into place.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°I am taking Chris back to Zoreah and will see you there, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°Juliet!¡± I turned before I stepped through the door. He held out his hand.

    I walked over and placed it down, ¡°You not going to tell me?¡±

    ¡°It separates the creatures¡­ separates the species¡­ When we won the war against Iku and his army at a significant cost¡­ The rest of us decided to divide the planets. The four planets.

    We were so powerful back then; it was easy to travel, and we literally drew four squares in the sand on Mirach, and each one chose where he wanted to go. After that, the stone was used to take away whatever you didn¡¯t want to be.

    ¡°And later, the vamps got greedy because they couldn¡¯t teleport anymore.¡±

    ¡°Yes. And no. We were advancing and growing¡­ It was for the¡ª¡±

    ¡°Future!¡± I scoffed, ¡°Can the stone give it back?¡± he shook his head, ¡°Oh, I see¡­ But then, why is it so important?¡± He didn¡¯t answer me, giving me a minute. ¡°Oh, it can take away even more until there is nothing left¡­ Earth¡­ Why would any of the ittoqure choose to be human?¡±

    Ahasuerus pointedly met my eye, waiting¡­ ¡°Some didn¡¯t agree¡­ You lied and said Earth would be for those who wanted to stay ittoqure, and then¡­ you used the stone to punish them.¡±

    A proud smile formed on his lips, ¡°Yes, so you see, anyone can win a war like that. If you take away the creature, what is left?¡±

    ¡°Useless humans¡­ How do you activate it?¡± He was quiet again, waiting for me to figure it out. ¡°Ooohhhh, water. It¡¯s how you confused them in the first place. You altered the history books to make it so no one would know¡­ Guess you have to ingest it¡­ Also, why no one could figure it out.¡± I sighed heavily¡ªthen stood suddenly. ¡°The branding brings it full circle. So if Chris had done it to me... We would be both¡­ I would¡¯ve been a riphath and vampire¡­ Argh, Ira!¡±

    ¡°What I can guess is that Ira didn¡¯t want Chris to be half-vampire.¡±

    ¡°Makes sense the man is all for peace.¡±

    Ahasuerus actually shuddered. I laughed. He laughed as well and looked up, ¡°Have you figured out what will save us all?¡±

    ¡°No. My lust for getting what I want outweighs all the outcomes. I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m still trying. Our problems don¡¯t stop.¡±

    ¡°Well, it must be horrible if you want to fix it.¡±

    ¡°It is¡­ You¡¯re right¡­ I have to remember I have a lot to fight for¡­¡±

    ¡°Time will do that; distort and take away just as much as it can give and heal.¡±

    ¡°Balance.¡±

    He nodded, ¡°How will you get Chris home.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to drug him and carry him.¡±

    ¡°Good luck. I hope I¡¯ll see you again.¡±

    ¡°Ahasuerus¡­ Take care of him. Marcus¡­ is not like us¡­ He has much more of Agahta¡¯s blood in him than his fathers or yours¡­ If you force him into your ideas¡­ he will do it¡­ but he will slowly die inside, never be motivated, and the next generations will be nothing,¡± the man considered it and nodded. At the door, I stopped, ¡°Hey, do you know how En-gannim might suffer a blackout?¡±

    Ahasuerus hurriedly stood, ¡°I must have been deranged with anger.¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done it yet, and now I can¡¯t tell you when I gave it to her.¡±

    ¡°If you say Jacklin¡ª I can¡¯t get the image of her and Louis sleeping together out of my mind. It¡¯s been twenty years.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Jacklin. There is a device that renders the powers forcefully taken obsolete.¡±

    ¡°Why would you give to her if you knew about her and Louis?¡±

    ¡°I obviously didn¡¯t¡­ Your uncle seems to be running a tight ship down there.¡±

    ¡°If I ever see her, she will end up in pieces.¡±

    He turned and walked to his table, ¡°I¡¯m not there, so does it really matter. You¡¯ll be doing me a favor, it seems. If I was so senile as to give it all up because of one little girl.¡±

    ¡°Qadir branded Agatha; it didn¡¯t work¡­¡± Ahasuerus put both hands on the table, taking a second to digest the news. ¡°You have your harem and yet you still don¡¯t get it.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you do decide to make it permanent. Come for tea and tell me so we don¡¯t waste another life.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t have to¡­ I¡¯ll just take you to a room.¡±

    He flicked four fingers at me, laughing.

    ***

    Chris

    Am I losing my mind? I was losing my mind. It had to happen sooner or later; someone who could check out as much as me had to lose touch with reality at some point. I was too scared to go home. I still had so many days left on my lease. The thing was, my ghost was not malevolent. It was untidy¡­ a downright slob¡ªmischievous. Seemed more like a child than an adult or a white-gowned woman¡ªcarrying her head in one arm. I hesitated to reach out and pull the handle down on the front door. It had been the most harrowing week since the car when I felt like someone was literally touching me. At night, someone draped themselves over me¡ªwith legs and arms¡­ Slowly, I pushed open the door, listening and waiting. No strange noises yet¡­ ¡°Hmmm.¡± What would they have in store for me today?

    ¡°Chris.¡± I took an involuntary step back, closed the door, and wanted to leave, get in my car, and never come back... I was already off the deep end and not in the process of going insane¡ªalready admittable. I was hearing voices. The door opened behind me, and I stopped walking. If it was a ghost, would they be able to open a door? Well, it could turn off the water while I took a shower. So yes. The door didn¡¯t close again. I quickly turned and paused. It was the merest child. She¡¯s not even in high school. ¡°You?¡± She laughed and called me in with four fingers together. I could take her if it came down to a fight. Cautiously, I stepped forward and promised myself I was not going to ask inane questions. I would wait... I closed the door behind me and hesitantly turned into the living room. She was on one of the couches, waiting. ¡°I¡¯m not a ghost¡­ My name is Juliet¡­ I am your wife from the future. Here to save you¡­ in a way¡­ Well, us¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not funny.¡±

    ¡°No, it is¡­ From my point of view, anyway¡­ I guess you must be freaking out. Unfortunately, with you¡ªblurting things out¡ªseems to be the only way I can talk to you.¡±

    ¡°Blurt away.¡±

    I made her laugh, ¡°Funny¡­¡± She held out her hand; in her palm lay a little black tube-like thing. I dared to walk further into the room and sat down next to her. ¡°You¡¯re not going to kill me, are you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Drugs¡­ Have you ever felt you don¡¯t belong?¡±

    ¡°Everyday¡­ Is that my little red pill?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s your choice.¡±

    I picked it up, and she showed me how to use it, ¡°All I do is stab myself in the neck?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and believe me, it¡¯s worth every cent.¡± I lifted my hand. She halted me, ¡°No one you want to say goodbye to.¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°I have no one.¡±

    She let her fingers slide off my arm, and I stabbed myself, ¡°I¡¯m trusting you. I don¡¯t know why.¡±

    Juliet blurred a little. I folded in two, and she caught me in her arms. ¡°I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡± I didn¡¯t know why, but I believed her.

    The next time I opened my eyes, I was not in my apartment. I slowly sat up, giving myself time to adjust to¡­ what was it? A hut? A house? The entrance only had a curtain for a door. The window was an open hole in the wall. The bed was comfortable. I rubbed a hand over a heavy pelt draped over me. It was so quiet. All you could hear was a gentle gush of wind every now and then. Juliet¡¯s voice in a whisper came through the window, ¡°He will. I promise. Just put it in the room and let nature take its course.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you,¡± a man said.

    ¡°Yes, I know you don¡¯t, but it¡¯s not about me or you.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°Toss it in the window, and let¡¯s see some sport,¡± another voice said.

    ¡°How childish.¡±

    ¡°Oh please, like Silvanus wouldn¡¯t like to have some fun.¡±

    ¡°I would, Ira. Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    I tilted my head in anticipation. My heart was racing. ¡°He¡¯s awake. One Two¡­¡± I jumped out of the covers and off the bed. What came through the window was so unexpected and foreign¡ªI couldn¡¯t move¡ªI froze¡ªsad to say, but I did. If it was going to eat me, I was going to die.

    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t kill me.¡±

    ¡°Just give it one¡ª¡± she couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. I was biting into the thing and didn¡¯t care that it was still alive. Its tentacles were slithering around my face, frantically grabbing my neck and squeezing. I buried my mouth deeper into its flesh and sucked and ripped out chunks swallowing too large pieces in succession. The tastes and blood satisfied every craving I had ever had, filled my senses, and pushed me over a line I never thought I would cross. It smelled so good. I felt free as I licked the slimy residue off its skin and quenched my thirst, draining every last drop. My new hands and nails were strange, yet my changes didn¡¯t compute; I was too engrossed in my meal. After the satisfaction kicked in, I dropped down to the ground, drifting my gaze over to the window. Three pairs of eyes were smiling down at me; I joined them, licking off my furry fingers.

    Abruptly, I turned around. Where? I was not in the hut anymore. Creatures were walking past me¡ªtalking. How can they be talking? I fell back and stopped my fall with outstretched arms behind me. My eyes jumped around to the scenery¡­ Some were trading one thing for another. Others were washing clothes at a river, and human kids playing in the water. I shook my head. Maybe what I ate had some acid in it. A moment later, I was in the water, washing off the blood on my hands.

    ¡°He¡¯s over here.¡± I turned around to see the biggest things of them all. He towered over me at the edge of the water. In a split second, he turned into a human. I gaped. Another one of them landed with Juliet in his arms¡ªout of thin air. She could disappear, stalk me invisibly¡­ What are they? He put her down and smiled at me, ¡°Chris.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I am your father.¡±

    Juliet hit Silvanus with a flat hand in the stomach, ¡°What did I tell you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was very entertaining. Thank you for bringing him back.¡±

    ¡°We should put a leash on him. He has his grandfather¡¯s gift,¡± Juliet commented. ¡°Don¡¯t want him to end up somewhere out there,¡± she gestured to the place. Me? Do what? The other thing also became human and stared at Juliet. My gift must be special. I took in his features and had to blink. It was not a lie. He was my father.

    I walked out of the water and towered over the three of them. Couldn¡¯t understand how someone so small could turn into something so big. Then I figured I had turned into something so big because I was very far off the ground. I touched my face and looked at my paws and my feet. Saw I had a tail and tried to get a look at it. I ended up circling myself and had to stop realizing I was acting like a dog. Juliet was laughing. ¡°Am I going to stay like this?¡±

    ¡°You could, or your Father can take it away for a little bit.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ I think I want to be here for this.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t check out again¡­ And don¡¯t worry. You can learn to control it and use it and do whatever you want.¡±

    I smiled at her. She was so small. And young. ¡°How did I get here?¡±

    ¡°I carried you.¡±

    ¡°You! Bah! I would like to see that.¡±

    She obliged and came over. I took a step back. A natural impulse to flee. She laughed again. Silvanus also laughed. Juliet cautiously lifted two hands and approached me. I let her. She put one arm under my hairy legs and one behind my back. With supernatural strength, she lifted my feet out from under me. I looked down at the ground. I didn¡¯t fit, so I rolled out of her arms. ¡°Not my fault. You¡¯re too big... I did get you. So don¡¯t mess with me.¡±

    I shook my head, ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Juliet turned around and ran, ¡°Where are you going.¡± She ran even faster. For some apparent reason, I could follow her and ended up next to her. She kept going, and I moved again and was next to her.

    ¡°Pretty cool? Right!¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I said, landing next to her again. Ira and Silvanus were watching from down the road, and so were all the other things in the street. Well, road. Sandy dirt road. Juliet didn¡¯t stop running and went into a house. I followed and rounded the corner. She was not human anymore and was finishing what I had started. ¡°Is there anything left? Could I get you one?¡±

    Juliet looked up. My eyes widened, and I took another step back. She was not what I was. Demonic. Blood-covered teeth. Her hairline was so far back; her skin taught and ash. Will she crumble? ¡°No. They are scarce. It took us three days to¡­ uhmm¡­ negotiate for this one¡­ I am a vampire.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I sat, and my weird paws turned to regular hands. ¡°You kinda look like one if they were real.¡±

    ¡°No, this,¡± she gestured to her face, ¡°is genetically modified. Maybe I should¡¯ve said, ¡®I was a vampire.¡¯¡±

    Silvanus and Ira were in the room in a flash. Something I would have to get used to. Teleportation was suddenly a thing. ¡°Are you really my wife?¡±

    Juliet stopped eating and wiped her mouth on a sleeve. For the first time, I noticed her clothes. A long-sleeved polo shirt with another short-sleeved floral one over it. It wasn¡¯t very flattering. The two shirts were tucked into a long black skirt that hung in layers. Juliet looked up at Ira. ¡°It depends on your father¡­ Whether he¡¯s willing to let me stay? Or, maybe you could send us to the Origin City.¡±

    ¡°So he doesn¡¯t know you? You¡¯re not some child bride promised to me in some weird cultural setting,¡± I gestured to her clothes.

    ¡°Good guess, but no. I really am from the future, and it¡¯s bleak, and I¡¯m trying to save us all.¡± Ira and Silvanus wanted to say something, so she cut them off, ¡°He hates being treated like a child. Trust me; only the truth will satisfy him. And if you let him make his own decisions¡­ Or we can try it your way again, Ira.¡± The man pouted unhappily but nodded. I was smiling down at her, ¡°I do become prettier if that¡¯s the problem.¡± She looked down at her chest. ¡°Although I never fill out in the way I hoped¡­ You do enjoy it when I¡¯m pregnant, though.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Ira exclaimed.

    Juliet looked at me, shook her head, and twirled a finger next to her head.

    ¡°So, how old are you?¡±

    ¡°I am¡­ well, let¡¯s see. You slept with me when I was seventeen.¡± I stood up to say I would never. She laughed and said she was eighteen. It didn¡¯t make me feel better. ¡°Then we had two kids¡­ I am twenty-four¡­ then ten years each¡ª that¡¯s forty-four, and when you¡¯ll be able to get over the line, I would be forty-nine¡­ Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only twenty-four.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± she flashed her eyebrows at me. ¡°In the real world, you¡¯re forty-seven-ish.¡±

    ¡°How old are you guys?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ I am three thousand¡­ Silvanus is five hundred and something.¡±

    ¡°Three thousand years old?¡± Ira nodded.

    ¡°I will live for?¡±

    ¡°Five thousand. If you go to the city with her. You guys will never die.¡±

    I fell back on the bed, ¡°I could do with a drink.¡±

    ¡°Not allowed to get drunk here,¡± Juliet said with a note of sadness. ¡°Or smoke.¡±

    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re sacrificing a lot for me.¡±

    ¡°I always have¡­ That will never change. You make it up to me in the end.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Well, you swatched me.¡±

    ¡°Swatched you? I¡¯m not even going to ask.¡±

    ¡°No. Don¡¯t. This isn¡¯t real, anyway¡­ Only a dream¡­¡±

    ¡°I wish it was real,¡± I said, staring at the roof.

    ¡°You could go to Earth for one more year, and when you come back, I¡¯ll be nineteen¡­ We could speed this along in a weird way¡­ Five here is one on Earth.¡± I sat up, taking her very seriously. ¡°You just can¡¯t fall in love with anyone¡­ And have to stay celibate. Or else I¡¯ll cut off,¡± she gestured to my crotch. I cupped myself, and they laughed. ¡°Is that what you want to do.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll wait five years for me.¡±

    ¡°In a heartbeat,¡± she smiled and bit her bottom lip.

    ¡°What will I do?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll have to study and train. It will go by in a flash. I will give you three names and a plate, and yeah, after that, you¡¯ll want to come home. Zoreah is the best of all the planets, after all. And if Marcus takes over, it will be the safest place anyway¡­ ¡°I will use this time to find the real water and life stone and give Zoreah back what the vamps stole.¡±

    Ira was animated and came over to me, ¡°You have to go, Chris. Come do it for your people.¡±

    ¡°My people?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you are the next king here.¡±

    ¡°King?¡±

    ¡°Yes, like in ruler,¡± she pointed at Ira, ¡°Protections,¡± Juliet pointed at Silvanus, ¡°And generals,¡± she pointed at me, ¡°I¡¯ll send him with you if you¡¯re scared.¡±

    ¡°Scared? Hmmpf.¡±

    She laughed. ¡°No, Silvanus will enjoy the fighting and grilling you through your training. Earth will help¡­ The big guy likes going to foreign places.¡±

    I realized I was not on Earth, so I stood up and walked outside. It wasn¡¯t much, but there were so many people and things. A woman walked past me; I jolted when I took a good look at her. ¡°Stunning.¡± Juliet hit me behind the head. I blushed and looked guiltily down at her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. All they want to do is sleep with you anyway.¡± I groaned. ¡°I¡¯ll make up for that too¡­ I know you¡¯re still¡ª¡±

    I placed my hand over her mouth. ¡°Leave me some dignity, would you.¡±

    ¡°Nothing to be ashamed of. There is a planet out there with a king on who is a five-hundred-year-old virgin waiting for one of my friends¡­ ¡± she sighed heavily, ¡°Your father, on the other hand, is a whore.¡± Juliet turned to Silvanus. ¡°You want to have some more fun?¡±

    ¡°Juliet!¡± Ira¡¯s voice resounded.

    ¡°It¡¯s not real Ira¡­ When the time comes, I¡¯ll make better decisions.¡±

    ¡°What did you mean ten years, ten years?¡±

    ¡°In the real world, you share me with three other men.¡±

    ¡°What?! And gave up that,¡± I pointed to another absolutely gorgeous woman whose gaze seductively drifted up and down my body in the most sultry way.

    Juliet hit me again. I giggled. My life was strange. A forty-something wife in the body of a thirteen-year-old. A jealous one. I smiled. ¡°Your father even had to drug you to try and make you sleep with one.¡±

    I spun around to the man, ¡°How can I trust you?¡±

    Ira laughed, ¡°I must have been desperate.¡±

    ¡°He was. And don¡¯t blame him; our lives were like that. Is like that¡­ We all had parents who were too old and not all there,¡± Juliet put two fingers against her skull and blew her brains out. ¡°If you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°Well, it gets really boring after the first two hundred years.¡±

 230. Happy Ever After

    230. Happy Ever After

    Juliet

    Chris, Silvanus, and I joined Chris and traveled to Earth for a few days. I had several reasons why I wanted to go with them: First, I wanted to talk to Bertram and hopefully find out where Chris¡¯s mother was. Second, I wanted to see how things would be if Marcus took over and Qadir was out of the picture. Thirdly¡ªbecause Chris asked me to. Although initially, he was okay with the time-traveling aspect of what was going on, after a few days, his brain caught up, and he had a million questions. I couldn¡¯t tell Silvanus and Ira Satya was alive before I knew for sure she was¡­ It would alter the course of things too much if they got involved, and I would¡¯ve had enough to deal with it.

    We arrived at the diner, and Jessy and Nevin were there to greet us. I pulled the old man aside, ¡°Did you tell anyone?¡± He shook his head. ¡°Good¡­ The compound will think we are all riphaths. I want to keep it that way.¡± He absently shrugged. Strange. ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Jabin took over the compound.¡± I drew in a frustrated breath and pouted my lips in exasperation. Of course, he did. That¡¯s what happened last time.

    I spun around, ¡°Where is Marcus, Jessy?¡±

    ¡°At the house.¡±

    ¡°Will you take us, please.¡± For a moment, Jessy didn¡¯t know what to do. Never had a woman given him an order before. Obviously, he looked to his father.

    Nevin laughed at me, ¡°No one said it was going to be easy.¡±

    I groaned audibly. Could all my timelines not have been as easy as Michael¡¯s¡­

    Jessy felt a little left out, ¡°What is going on, sir?¡± Urgh, Jessy calls his father ¡®sir?¡¯ Gag.

    ¡°Nothing!¡± we all chimed together.

    Ira took this as his cue to step up and opened his arms. ¡°Hell, yes!¡±

    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t know where to travel to!¡± Chris complained.

    ¡°Silvanus¡¯s training starts now! Bye, see you when I see you.¡±

    ¡°Some wife you make.¡±

    Ira and I dropped down in the foyer of Qadir¡¯s home. We both looked down at how close we were to landing on some poor servant whose head was plastered to the floor. I slid out of Ira¡¯s arms, looking for the cause of this mess. Every last member of the house, men, women, wives, and children, were stuffed into the space. Ira bent down, ¡°I don¡¯t think this is working.¡±

    The only person standing upright was Marcus. A little to his left was Jabin bent at the waist. Marcus¡¯s eyes were surprisingly big, staring at Ira. I thought nothing could make him gawk. I lifted a hand and gestured with ¡®Spock¡¯ fingers, ¡°We come in peace.¡±

    ¡°We are from the planet Zoltan in a galaxy far, far away.¡±

    It was my turn to gawk at Ira, ¡°How?¡±

    He chuckled.

    Jabin turned his head still half down to the floor and glowered at the two of us. I was rather glad I never met the man. Kubra¡¯s father was a little too straight-laced for my tastes.

    ¡°Who are you? And what do you want?¡± Marcus asked.

    ¡°We are requesting an audience with Your Excellency,¡± I said. Marcus visibly flinched. So it was too much all around. See, the timing of our first timeline was much better than shoving it all into ten years. Note to self. Take your time when you decide what you want to do. I so desperately wanted to take over and tell Marcus what to do. No, Juliet. Wait and see what he will do. If he will do anything. How long have all these people been waiting for him to make a decision?

    After a few minutes, ¡°Okay, really, Juliet¡­¡± Ira whispered.

    ¡°You want that waterstone or not?¡±

    The man dropped his manifestation, walked carefully over the bodies to the stairs, and pushed Jabin out of the way, ¡°You are freaking everyone out! Go home and tell your boss to get off his ass and actually leave his planet for a change.¡±

    ¡°He wants to, as soon as Marcus goes home.¡±

    Ira turned to Marcus, ¡°You don¡¯t want to go home?¡±

    Marcus¡¯s eyes drifted to a woman on the floor. Oh, Agatha. Makes sense. Only two women in his life could make him take a stand.

    I raised a hand and waved, ¡°I have a solution¡­ Agatha¡­¡± I made my way through the crowd. ¡°Will you please get up?¡± She hesitated. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if anyone touches you¡­ I will¡­ uhm, give them to Silvanus.¡± I bent down and pulled her up. She was stiff as a door. Her eyes seemed worried, ¡°Why don¡¯t I take you to¡­ uh¡­ friends of mine¡­¡± I leaned in closer. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to Sam. Will b put the two of you at ease?¡± She nodded. ¡°Good! Marcus. You can entrust your mother with me. I will keep her safe until you can decide what you want to do.¡±

    Carefully, Agatha and I made our way to the door. ¡°Kubra! With me!¡± The man bent on one knee looked up at me. ¡°Yes, you¡­ With me! Chop, chop!¡± The men murmured and complained. I rolled my eyes. ¡°Ira, I¡¯ll meet up with you later.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be here.¡±

    I walked down¡ªdreary lane¡ªto Marcus¡¯s sad little plot of land. The two behind me followed. My room was the only spot inside the confines of Qadir¡¯s home where we¡¯d be able to privately travel from. ¡°Kubra, where is Michael?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± I pulled out my plate and sent our coordinates¡ªand requested to be sent to the farm. Nothing happened. Any minute now. Ugh, how did it work back then? How did one bypass clearance on Earth? Did they really have to fill in a three-page report for every travel. ¡°Phone!¡±

    Kubra handed me his phone. I scrolled through his contacts and pressed my uncle¡¯s name. It rang two times. ¡°Samuel.¡±

    ¡°Uncle Sam, Juliet here.¡± I put my finger on my lips. My uncle was very loud on the other end; I had to take the phone away from my ear. Sam was cross, excited, and complaining. ¡°Sam¡­! Sam¡­!¡± He calmed down. ¡°Will you please open this plate for me? I need to go where I want to go. I¡¯m sure you and the master have spoken, and yes, it¡¯s all true.¡± I waited a few moments. ¡°Done? Thank you. See you in a second.¡±

    I traveled the three of us out, tapping into one of the bigger teleporters. Again, we landed in a foyer. Guess it was polite to have only one place available in a stranger¡¯s home, however, we were facing the wrong way and had to turn. I did and looked right into Louis¡¯s face. ¡°Oh, no.¡±

    Sam walked to Agatha and slowly lifted her veil over her head. She smoothed down her hair a little awkwardly.

    [ Louis! Louis! Louis! ]

    ¡°Stop that!¡±

    I gestured to the couple, [ She can¡¯t speak¡­ It¡¯s going to be a lot for her to be able to communicate for the first time. ] Louis, with a quizzical brow, read Agatha¡¯s thoughts and hurriedly moved towards her. [ Thank You! ]

    It took the adults ten minutes to calm down, greet, reunite, and meet each other for the first time. It took me another half hour to spill my guts to Sam and Agatha while the others talked somewhere.

    ¡°Why do you think Bertram would know?¡±

    ¡°He and Qadir are¡­ were thick as thieves¡­ I want to do this one myself¡­ So I¡¯ll leave you now.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to see your parents.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they never left.¡±

    ¡°Really¡­ But no, I have things to do and have to get back to Zoreah¡­ Tell them to come visit.¡± Sam looked guiltily away.

    ¡°You might as well tell them everything¡­ It¡¯s not real.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you have to do this!¡±

    ¡°Well, I still don¡¯t know why you had to create a coup on En-gannim, get banished, and the only way to free yourselves was to find me, someone who would really love me, either, so, let¡¯s leave the finger pointing for another life.¡± Sam looked to Agatha as if asking permission, ¡°She can¡¯t tell me!¡±

    ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll tell you in another life¡­ Go do what you have to do¡­ But if and only if you ever decide to make this permanent¡­ You better come and talk to me first¡­ I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t tell me what you were up to, or I would¡¯ve locked you up.¡±

    ¡°Pfft. I wasn¡¯t born yesterday,¡± I flung open the door. Louis grabbed my ear and pulled. He dragged me, whimpering, into the next room and slammed the door.

    I hit his arm away, ¡°Ow!¡±

    ¡°Sit down.¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    He manifested and, through the powers that be, made my body obey and forced me down on the couch. How was this possible? To test it, I tried my luck. Louis opened his mouth and couldn¡¯t speak. He stuttered and sputtered. Amazed, I laughed. He pointed a finger at me. Got a little red in the face. ¡°You look funny, so angry. If you calm down and treat me a little better, I might let you get a word in.¡± Louis squeezed his eyes shut, lifted a hand, and rubbed at his brow. He finally dropped his manifestation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± I said for whatever I did wrong.

    ¡°You have no regard for anyone¡ª.¡± His speech stopped mid-sentence.

    [ Try again ]

    He sighed and nodded. I let him go. ¡°Is it all true?¡±

    [ Stupid Question. I can literally make you stop speaking. ]

    He swallowed hard, ¡°Do you understand how hard this is for the rest of us.¡±

    My anger was instantly kindled. My manifestation immediate. ¡°In the real world, you left me. Walked out¡­ I don¡¯t want to hear about how hard it is for you!¡±

    ¡°Why do you look like that?¡±

    ¡°You look like this too¡­ It was us, and then it was me and you, and I had to make decisions by myself.¡± I lifted my hands into the air. ¡°And here we are¡­ This is what happens when you¡ª Agh, forget about it. I¡¯m here for Chris! And I am not going to¡ª¡± I turned away from him.

    ¡°Waste another life on me¡­ You must not love me at all.¡±

    Appalled, I stood to my feet. [ Not love you! ] Helplessly, my chest tightened. I never liked being falsely accused, and my monster didn¡¯t like it either. Maybe I should pop his shoulder out again and make him behave... Did it really have to come down to violence? Louis took a few steps toward me and grabbed my shoulders. ¡°Show me everything!¡± I shook my head, the outline of his body blurring in my creature vision. ¡°Please show me¡­ I want to know.¡± Where would I begin? What did he want to see? It would take too long.

    The door slowly opened. I looked past Louis¡¯s shoulder. Michael stood in the door. I pulled out of Louis¡¯s grasp and headed for the arms I knew would never push me away.

    Louis yelled inaudibly and stormed past both of us, ¡°No! This is not why a woman has more than one husband!¡±

    After Michael held me, kissed my hair, and stroked my back, Kubra and I traveled to see Bertram. We walked into his office at the compound station of all the watchers, and¡ªnot withholding my astonishment at the sight of so many men looking at TVs and what Michael had to go through¡ªI got the shock of my life. Charlene¡¯s father was sitting in a chair across from Carl¡¯s father. ¡°No, no, no. If you tell me Chris and Charlene are brother and sister, I¡¯m going to¡­ to¡­ I don¡¯t know what! But is her mother Satya or not?¡±

    The two men stood, looking from me to Kubra.

    ***

    The first year Chris was away from Zoreah, I got a chance to figure out where the water and life stone really was. Only when I turned seventeen did Ahasuerus deem it time to come into the Origin City, and only then could we put our heads together to figure out what had happened to it.

    Ahasuerus¡¯s great-grandfathers were friends with Avrio¡¯s great-grandfather around three thousand years ago. En-gannim was a desolate place; the two decided to steal the stone from Zoreah. It took them hundreds of years to invade the riphaths and figure out where Ira¡¯s father had planted it into fertile soil. They did find it, but as soon as they picked it up, the water stopped producing. It was what the other spot on Zorea was for on the other side of the planet across from the city. Another magical location on our maps. The water would drain into the soil and through tunnels and crevices like on Earth, kept going and moving all over the planet, filling the ground from the bottom up. Back then, Zoreah was like a forested haven with fields and herds running around.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Ira took over from his father and had to do this once a year, figuring it out through test and trial; the vamps had followed him, ambushed him, and stole it. Between the two men, one chose to be ruler with a stone, and the other decided to live in luxury with another. Avrio¡¯s ancestors who possessed the stone did the same on En-gannim¡ªon every island when they needed water for the foreseeable future. Personally, they would feed the ground and fill the crust. So it meant Avrio probably knew where the stone was and could easily have given it to Ian. It meant they could still kill us with it, or Ian didn¡¯t know because his father died before he could tell him.

    Avrio never went off planet once, and Ahasuerus had left him to manage the stone for their combined lineage alliance. Now that I knew even En-gannim¡¯s water could run out, finding the stone was more than solving another problem or mystery.

    ¡°No wonder you had to trade water with Brylee... Avrio decided to stop feeding each island and forced you to buy water from one source. On his island!¡±

    Ahasuerus sighed, ¡°Yes, we live in a supernatural world with a lot of power hidden away.¡±

    ¡°So, how did Avrio do it?¡±

    ¡°Sporadically¡ªdifferent times of the year¡ªall in secret. No one knew besides me and him.¡±

    ¡°The stone could be anywhere on En-gannim? Well, then, how do we find it?¡±

    ¡°I know a little girl who can walk around invisible and spy on people.¡±

    I stood to my full height, ¡°I¡¯d have to follow him for a whole year?¡±

    ¡°What does it matter if you¡¯re eighteen or nineteen when Chris returns?¡±

    I laughed, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. He¡¯ll never know the difference¡­ I guess I¡¯ll see you guys in five years... I want Jessy as my liaison¡­ I can¡¯t watch Avrio twenty-four-seven, and I can¡¯t put watcher tech on him.¡±

    ¡°You can.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll hear it.¡±

    Ahasuerus shook his head, ¡°A side effect of Earth.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you just tech him?¡±

    ¡°He scanned himself three times a day.¡±

    Wow, power does mean everything. ¡°But now you¡¯re gone, and he knows you won¡¯t tell Marcus about all your secrets yet¡­ Hey, that¡¯s why you never fought Avrio for the water rites!¡±

    Ahasuerus laughed, ¡°Yes, I needed him. He would never have revealed the location!¡±

    So, I went on my mission, and with the help of Jessy, who had to watch him with me in shifts, we found out where Avrio hid the rock. The day we found it, he literally traveled to a hundred different locations on En-gannim and scanned himself before every travel. He cursed¡ªa lot¡ªdisconnected the watcher tech, and at the end of the day, at around his seventy-sixth travel, he ended up on Marcus¡¯s Island. I was so taken aback. It was why that particular island was so beautiful and full of plant life and beasts. It was larger, hilly, and a little different than the rest of the planet¡¯s clean lines. I loved it there! The stone not only gives water but changes even the environment.

    Avrio dug in a specific spot¡ªone no one would ever have thought of¡ªand because the island was uninhabited, it was never found.

    After Chris came back, I took a few years to have babies and enjoy our lives together. It wasn¡¯t fun going through giving birth for no reason. My one consequence of having kids so young and easily. Anyway, there was one thing left I needed to talk to the men about. So I sat all five down in the meeting room on the highest point on Zoreah.

    With Chris¡¯s apathy, I didn¡¯t know if he would even care to find his mother¡­ Mainly because she could¡¯ve revealed herself at any time. I sat across from him and took his hand in mine, ¡°Chris, while I was here¡­ I found out your mother is still alive.¡±

    Silvanus was behind Ahasuerus in a second, his claws around his neck, ¡°Talk.¡±

    Caleb had told me how Silvanus acted after he found out about Satya. Looking at him made me think there was more going on between the two, ¡°Tsk tsk, you would swear you were in love with her, and Chris was your child, not Ira¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense, she is my sister. I was the only riphath who ever had a sibling. We were especially bonded because we were twins¡­ Not identical.¡± No, definitely not identical¡­ Charlene¡¯s mother was beautiful. And come to think a little strange¡­ No wonder. A smile formed on my lips. I was still so happy after finding out Charlene and Chris were brother and sister. Silvanus had a niece. That was why he was so close to Ira and Chris in every way possible. Why didn¡¯t they tell us? I looked at Chris, forgetting about the two men who would give us the best fight ever. ¡°She was on Earth my whole life?¡± I nodded. How hurt he must be. Chris had been alone for so long; he had no one his whole life. Although she was there in a way¡­ Looking in. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we will find out. I know her, and I also made sure they were okay after the war broke out¡­¡± Chris looked at the two men having a heated debate. ¡°Silvanus! Ahasuerus didn¡¯t have anything to do with it¡­ I know where she is. And even with everything going on, she is safe and has been happy.¡±

    Silvanus let go of the vamp and sat down. He sniffled and rubbed over his eyes. I looked to Ira to see if he had any feelings for the mother of his child. For the first time, Ira showed another side of him. He was not impenetrable. Loss. Grief. Gain. Relief. For them, thirty years meant nothing. It would be as if she never left.

    Several years later, while Chris and I were living our best lives in the Origin City, Marcus came to meet with Ahasuerus one evening. I had seen him a few times throughout my investigation on En-gannim. He still didn¡¯t know I was a vampire or about our past. It was probably better that Michael and Louis didn¡¯t tell him. I tried to steer clear of all of them, but that night, we were hosting a feast. One of the protectors outside had caught something scarce, and it was always a good day when there would be music¡ªtwo drinks¡ªand I could initiate some dancing.

    Small fires were lit in sandy clay pots. Plastered seats were cushioned with pelt-covered pillows. The common hall area in the city was the only place where alcohol flowed and where everyone gathered at night. Ahasuerus and I were in a serious discussion when I looked up and into Louis¡¯s eyes. I missed him so much and smiled brightly up at him. I wasn¡¯t so angry anymore. I laughed lightly at my approaching three men. Even Michael was there¡­ It was time to go. It had only been five years, and Chris would not be happy.

    Marcus still had no idea and seemed confused by my happiness at seeing them. Ahasuerus hit me on my arm a little too hard. I held back my lovestruck joy. ¡°I see where the problem lies,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°You old man are too clever¡ª¡± Two small kids pounced me into the sand, trying to wrestle with me in their own little way. Caleb was already four, and Sammy was three. They were the best of friends. We were the happiest little family. I didn¡¯t need to fight for long. The old man would jump in and help me chase them all over the place. He loved the kids and was like another person around a child.

    The two of us joined the group with a kid each on a lap. I searched the crowd to see where Chris was. He was at a table with Jamal and Selena. My jaw flexed involuntarily. I bit my lip angrily but kept myself in check. I didn¡¯t want to manifest and create an incident again in my last moments. Selena came into the city around the same time we did. The first time I saw her, I saw red. I attacked her, and we fought like the two rival species we were. We both got whipped for fighting at all, and Sung had a mean swing. Louis¡¯s gaze followed mine, ¡°No one knows you¡¯re not a riphath.¡±

    My eyes snapped to his, and so did Ahasuerus¡¯s. Marcus seemed surprised. I glanced around to see if anyone would¡¯ve heard him. ¡°You keep your mouth shut, boy,¡± Ahasuerus chastised his nephew.

    ¡°And his back. Thanks a lot, Louis. Do you know how long it takes me to get your uncle to be the best he can be?¡±

    ¡°You should learn to behave.¡±

    I rolled my eyes, ¡°Here, I¡¯m not under vamp rules¡­ What? Have you gotten used to ordering women to walk¡­ talk¡­ and¡ª¡± Ahasuerus jabbed me in the ribs and gestured to Sammy. ¡°Thank You.¡± He nodded. ¡°Anyway, Jack and I are old friends¡­ showed me your feed for entertainment¡­ You do know you were watched every second of your whole life! Maybe I should tell your uncle about the last woman you slept with!¡± Louis¡¯s eyes widened. I chuckled angrily, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t learn anything.¡±

    Louis laughed, ¡°In the end, it¡¯s just¡ª¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say it! Take it back.¡±

    He sighed, ¡°I take it back.¡±

    ¡°I know you have a lot more feeling in you than¡­ this show you put on,¡± I gestured to his person.

    ¡°What¡¯s the point? You seem to be ruling us all.¡±

    ¡°Someone once told me, ¡®It¡¯s all about making one vow to yourself and not for others.¡¯¡±

    ¡°And sticking to it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, once you make a decision, there is no changing your mind.¡±

    ¡°No matter how hard it gets.¡±

    ¡°You are no coward, sir. There is only one thing I don¡¯t like about you... You¡¯re not good at all and downright¡ª¡±

    ¡°Morally corrupt!¡± he finished my sentence for me. Louis was all up in my mind. ¡°We make the perfect couple.¡±

    Ahasuerus laughed. I glanced at him and giggled, ¡°Like not all vampires are.¡±

    ¡°So you really are?¡± Marcus asked. I nodded, smiling at him in a whole different way. Desperation was more like it. Marcus¡¯s head tilted seductively as he stared at my mouth.

    ¡°Now I see¡­ You never did want to say,¡± Ahasuerus said, interested.

    If he only knew about Michael¡­ I looked at Michael, who was strangely quiet. I still couldn¡¯t decide. They all followed my gaze. ¡°Michael?¡± Marcus wanted an answer from the human. He was so out of the loop.

    Michael held my eyes. It was another good moment. ¡°I took over Bertram¡¯s position if it helps you at all.¡± Oh my, Michael was so different before he branded me. I loved him so much.

    ¡°How are the watchers doing on Earth?¡±

    ¡°Bored now that Qadir isn¡¯t there¡­ Marcus shares the technology, and we are more like customs officers.¡±

    ¡°Thank You,¡± I said with a smile¡­ ¡°So Louis, where did your family decide would be a good fit?¡±

    ¡°After my cousin died. Samuel and I went to the compound. Met Marcus, and I¡¯ve been going back and forth.¡±

    ¡°And Soren?¡± I looked at Marcus. It took him a moment to realize we met that day in the bookstore. He smiled, and his gaze was drifting between his grandfather and me. Marcus was slowly putting together the pieces. A little too late. ¡°Are you angry?¡±

    ¡°No. You saved my mom. How could I be angry.¡±

    ¡°Thank You, it means a lot you saying that¡­ So, any wives, Marcus. You didn¡¯t perhaps marry Avrio¡¯s daughter after all.¡±

    His lip pulled up in disgust, ¡°No, thank you. I took Louis with me, and after that, I killed both Avrio and Ian¡­ Helps to have a mind reader with you.¡± Thank goodness he did it after I figured out where the stone was.

    ¡°Not really,¡± Louis chimed in. ¡°Juliet is keeping a tight lid on her thoughts,¡±

    [ I¡¯m not even trying. ]

    I put my focus back on Marcus, ¡°You brought Louis with¡­ to read me? You know something is up¡­ I¡¯m flattered. But no¡­ Louis won¡¯t be getting inside me for a while.¡± Louis choked. I laughed at him. Out of the corner of my eye, Chris got up from his chat with Jamal. My smile fell. Selena had put her hand on his arm. ¡°I did get that!¡± I passed Sammy to Louis. ¡°I will f¡ªing kill her.¡± I got up and rushed the blond whether I was going to get whipped or not.

    ***

    Chris

    I shook my head and sighed, meeting Ahasuerus¡¯s eye. He waved a dismissive hand in the air. ¡°Are you going to help?¡±

    ¡°Leave them. We need some sport.¡± Rodrigo said, coming out from his hole in the ground. The sun had finally set. In the beginning, when I was still on Earth, Juliet sent me regular letters to tell me all she was doing. She was seventeen and in the city with two men. I was jealous, not knowing who they were. I laugh at myself now. Jamal was a bigger issue¡ªthe way the two flirted with one another. I wasn¡¯t even allowed to look at Selena. Why did the woman always have to touch me when Juliet was close by? It¡¯s like she wanted to create an incident. Bored with her brood of brats around her ankles from three different men.

    No, Juliet had nothing to worry about. I was a one-woman kind of guy. And Juliet kept true to her promise; she made my celibacy up to me. After Selena came into the city, Juliet locked me in a room for days¡­ Hence, little Caleb¡­ And then we became very good friends and did everything together. Most days ended with us looking up at the stars.

    I sat down with the new face. ¡°Louis Du Pont,¡± he stretched out his hand.

    I absently took it, taken aback by his name. Juliet had been having horrible dreams and calling out to a ¡®Louis¡¯ in her sleep. It bothered me; we were all her husbands, and even though she was with me, she was still troubled about him¡­ I didn¡¯t want to talk to her about it. It took her a few days to even out after every nightmare. Louis¡¯s gaze flickered over to Juliet. So he¡¯s the mind reader.

    ¡°How is she so strong yet so young?¡± Marcus asked.

    All of us pointed at Rodrigo, ¡°It¡¯s a very long story,¡± I said.

    Louis was looking at Rodrigo. Well, s¡ª! Although Louis knew what was going on¡­ Living through it was different. And Rodrigo had a lot going on in that head of his. Their wordless interchange went on. Louis¡¯s color changed, and he abruptly stood. ¡°Juliet! We have a problem,¡± I called out.

    Silvanus had come and gone, and Rodrigo was taken away. Louis looked at Ahasuerus and then at me and Marcus. ¡°Now Louis, calm down.¡± Ahasuerus tried to reason.

    ¡°Calm down!? She¡¯s playing god with our lives¡­ Choosing one of us!¡±

    Juliet finally made her way over a big gash over her eye. Selena was hobbling off with a smile on her face. Juliet felt her jaw and tried to catch up to what happened, ¡°What? Who called me? I had a good chance of winning.¡±

    I was used to everything by now, ¡°Rodrigo happened.¡± Juliet had told me she wasn¡¯t sure what to do, and if our lives didn¡¯t work out, could we really blame her for having the option.

    Her eyes darted to Louis. ¡°I forgot one detail¡­ Oh crap¡­ How much did he ramble.¡±

    Louis¡¯s hands were moving, and his French was so foreign to me. I had forgotten I once lived on Earth. She answered him with fluency; Louis at least listened for a moment. Then he went on in lifted tones and animosity. Sammy was still in his arms, being jostled. ¡°Not in front of my kids!¡± she yelled. Louis looked down at the little girl. Juliet had said the two had a connection. She was more his daughter than mine. Louis handed her to me and walked off to the bar. How must it be to read minds? Know everything.

    ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m the only one who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on,¡± Marcus sounded a little pathetic.

    And yet, when I came to En-gannim to test my training with Silvanus, Marcus had me out of my manifestation in one minute. His looks were very deceiving? ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­ Some history on Earth. I think.¡±

    ¡°You can say that again. Whore.¡±

    Juliet was a very jealous person. Louis swore from the bar area. Juliet stuck her tongue out to him. ¡°If you keep this up, I might sleep with Selena.¡±

    Juliet laughed, and she kissed Sammy¡¯s cheek. ¡°You can try¡­ But the first murder will be on your head¡­ And don¡¯t think I haven¡¯t killed for love¡ª¡± Juliet¡¯s retort ended abruptly. She closed her eyes, doubled over, and wailed. Her hand frantically clutched her heart. ¡°I¡­ Love you, Chris.¡±

    ¡°No. Five years is not enough¡­ You said I get ten!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sad to say your son is a little smarter than I am.¡±

    I pulled her against me. Her legs bent with every agonizing pain, and finally, she crumpled into my arms. ¡°Please stay.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the problem. It¡¯s because I want to.¡±

    ¡°Let her go, Chris.¡± Ahasuerus¡¯s voice was stern.

    Juliet looked up at Ahasuerus, ¡°I can¡¯t do it¡­ I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°You have to! Think about Marcus.¡± Juliet sobbed and pulled into an agonizing groan. ¡°Tell her, Marcus!¡± Ahasuerus ordered.

    ¡°I have no idea what¡¯s going on!¡±

    ¡°No wonder you¡¯re here,¡± his grandfather chastised in a condescending whisper.

    Juliet laughed through her pain. Guttural, beautiful Juliet.