Eliza decided she didn’t like the look of the jewel. She didn’t like it at all. The hundred-year-old vampire with the body of a twenty-year-old woman was standing in the heavily fortified and guarded military hanger where the United States was keeping the Dead Man’s World. The World was an opal the size of a volleyball, making it the rarest and most valuable one of its kind. But the market price of the gem wasn’t its true value. Less than two months ago, there had been rift in the dimensional wall that divided Earth, the world of the humans, and Terra, the world of the vampires and other “monsters.” For centuries, the rift had been open and the miscellaneous species had lived in relative peace. Then a group of racist religious zealots used another jewel, a diamond called the Heaven’s Eye, to close the rift and separate the two worlds. In their hopes, the separation would be forever. Eliza had been trapped on Earth. The Purity had used a spell devised centuries before the rift open that had been written by a mad sorcerer from Terra who had been influenced by dimensional energy from the thin dimensional wall.
When the Dead Man’s World had been found, some thought it might be the key to opening the portal to Terra again. The Purity had made an unsuccessful raid to try and acquire it, but it turned out that their fears had been misplaced. Using data from the Arcanum, a collection of prophecies, histories and spells about the world of Terra that had been granted to the World Government of Earth, scholars and scientists had discovered that the World was likely the principal component for a spell of lasting darkness (whatever that meant). But a number of other spells had been discovered, written by the insane in the vicinity of the dimensional rift, which also referenced huge stones that didn’t exist on Terra. One of the, which was believed to be a large ruby, sounded promising.
Eliza and her security team, consisting of herself, three humans and a troll, had been placed in charge of the defense of the Dead Man’s World, as well as any future gems the governments of the world might come across. When she had first seen the jewel, she hadn’t paid too much attention to it, as she had been concentrating on a defense plan against the Purity. When it had been placed in this hanger, surrounded by a physical cage as well as kinetic force shields, she had finally stopped to stare at.
“It’s too damn black,” she muttered. “There should be light in everything, but there isn’t any in you,” she said to the gem. The Dead Man’s World didn’t respond. “So what is this ‘lasting darkness’ you are supposed to bring about?”
“You’re talking to yourself again,” came Allyson’s voice behind her. Allyson Murgo was former military and an explosive expert. She and her husband Dennis had met in the military and had hooked up with when the vampire had decided to go into business. Allyson had become a closer friend in the last few months. She was the only other woman in the security team, and had helped Eliza work through some stupid problems she had experienced with her companion. Eliza had been dating a United States envoy named Veronica since this entire mess had begun. Their relationship had been beyond passionate, at least as Eliza understood the concept. Eliza realized she had never really “dated” before, and occasionally needed help in avoiding tripping over herself, and Allyson was the only one she could ask things of. “What’s on your mind?”
“I don’t like this thing. It may not be what the Purity was after, but I’ve got a bad feeling about it nonetheless. I hope Veronica comes back with news soon.” Veronica had been called back to Washington, D. C. for some reason. Electronic communications weren’t to be trusted due to the Purity’s ability to hack just about every computer system or data stream on Earth.
“I’m sure all you’re interested in is her ‘news,'” was Allyson’s reply.
Eliza glared at her. “Believe it or not, I CAN concentrate on business.”
“I believe you CAN, but it doesn’t mean you always DO! I’m just teasing you. How many times to I get to mock someone sixty-five years older than me?”
Eliza stopped glaring and grinned. “Am I that obvious?”
“Clear as crystal, boss. Every time she leaves for any reason, you get moody and introspective. You miss her. Believe it or not, it’s natural. And I’ll bet she’s just as anxious to get back. This isn’t Pamela or any of your other flings. I think she’s serious about you.”
“And I’m serious about her. I never thought I could be. I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. I guess I’m so used to the idea of doomed relationships that I almost let this slip away.” She stood there as Allyson hugged her.
“But you didn’t. And soon, she’ll be coming back to you.”
Eliza sighed. Sometimes, she just needed to say things out loud. “Well, I’m also serious about not liking this thing. And we can only guess at what they do in the first place. Even that blasted ruby they’re looking for may not do what we want.” Eliza heard the door open and turned, hoping it was Veronica. She was sadly . . . VERY sadly disappointed. It was Valar and company.
Valar was a vampire and a scholar. He was also an arrogant prick. He was old-school conservative in regards to the values of her race. He was very big on ceremony and tradition. When Eliza and Veronica began their “intimate relations,” she knew that she would have problems with her own people. After the kiss they shared at the docks, she knew that the word would get out. Every vampire nation on Terra was highly discriminatory in regards to same-sex coupling, and Valar’s region was the worst. What made matters more uncomfortable was that her parents had once actually encouraged Valar to court Eliza back in the Old World. Even if she hadn’t been gay, the man just gave off the impression of being slimy. When he found out that Eliza was a homosexual, he seemed to have taken it quite personally.
Like Eliza, Valar had been trapped on this side. Like him or not, Eliza had to acknowledge that he was probably one of the most magically adept and learned vampires on Earth at the moment, so he had been called in to study the gems and try and translate the ancient spells. Eliza wasn’t sure why he needed to do the former or why he had to be at Fort Crass for the latter. But he and his pack of cronies had been butting heads with Eliza since they arrived, and Eliza was powerless to actually get rid of them.
[[ Is this another one of your ‘friends’? ]] he asked in their native tongue, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he approached.
“Actually, this is Allyson Murgo, a member of my security team. And yes, she is a friend, though not in the way you’re insinuating,” Eliza responded with a bit of an edge. She spoke English, simply because she wanted Allyson to have some idea of what was going on.
[[ I don’t know what you mean,”]] he said with a venomous grin. He would love to humiliate Eliza somehow.
“Yes you do,” she returned. “Don’t insult my intelligence by playing coy. I don’t insult your intelligence,” she said. “I’ll insult everything else about you, but not your intelligence.”
[[ How crass. Maybe being a ‘castle guard’ suits you, ]] he said.
“At least I have a job that my ‘daddy’ didn’t hand feed me. And unlike you, I’m in a position where I’m not an impotent observer of important events. The next time we get into a fight, I’ll make sure you have something to hide behind.”
Valar almost growled. He was actually a very respected diplomat, socialite and sorcerer. But on this side of the great divide, he had only his schooling. [[ I’m not so impotent that I couldn’t take you over my knee and punish you like the insolent child you appear to be. These humans may have embraced you, but your own people know you for what you are . . . a harlot. ]]
Eliza was incensed. Just because Valar was a glorified pencil pusher in her eyes didn’t mean she didn’t take his physical prowess seriously. But while he might be physically stronger, she had much more combat experience than he did. Without his magic and his cronies, Eliza was sure she could kick his . . .
There was a deep noise as another creature materialized on the other side of the cage and made his way around. It was Thug, coming out of his natural camouflage. Eliza reveled in the quick retreat that was made by Valar’s smug expression. Even if he was living under the delusion he stood a chance against Eliza in a non-magical fight, he knew that the eight-foot, three-inch troll could rip his arms off and beat him like a pinata.
|| I THINK THINGS ARE GETTING JUST A LITTLE TOO HEATED HERE, || Thug said. Eliza could detect the weariness in her friend’s voice. || THOUGH I’M SURPRISED THAT THE HONORABLE VALAR WOULD BE SO DISRESPECTFUL OF THE WOMAN WHO IS ACTUALLY IN CHARGE AROUND HERE. AND, || he added, looking straight at Valar, || I FEEL AN APOLOGY IS IN ORDER. ||