Eliza had never been the center of so much . . . silence . . . in her entire life. She and her father had been standing and staring at each other for almost a full minute, but it had seemed like an eternity. The surrounding crowd was acting as if they were watching competitive chess, wondering who was going to use which particular opening gambit. Eliza started to say something but the words died on her lips. Her father started to raise his hand as if to wave, but his strength failed him.
It had been over a year since they had last spoke, and those words had been angry in nature. Evlidone had been angry at his daughter for her refusal to take a more traditional and noble role in vampire society and for being disrespectful of her elders. Eliza had been angry with her father for trying to control her life and showing no regard for what she wanted to be. Then the gate between worlds had shut and both had wished for the ability to take back some of those words.
But on top of that, Eliza had endured some . . . life changes. Besides making her homosexuality public knowledge while on Earth (homosexuals tended to be shunned on her homeworld of Terra), she had been transformed by the Living Jewel known as The Alchemist’s Dream into a Hybrid; a super-charged combination of human and vampire. She and her lover Veronica were the only two Hybrids in existence. In a world of vampires, trolls, succubae, lycanthropes, gargoyles, and other creatures of the night, Eliza was the one who had become a monster. She and Veronica may have looked like vampires with strange eye color, but Eliza’s former species could sense their own.
Alyidana (Eliza’s mother) was at a loss for what to do herself. She often felt she had remained too silent when her husband and her daughter had feuded, and past tensions were probably what were contributing to the current uncertainty. She glanced past Eliza at the woman she assumed was her daughter’s . . . partner. The woman seemed almost as confused as Alyidana was. Finally, the mother in her had waited long enough.
[[ For goodness sakes! ]] she almost cried, moving past her husband and closing the gap between her and Eliza, wrapping her elegant arms around Eliza’s body like pythons and squeezing the breath from her daughter.
[[ Mother, ]] Eliza said, actually on the verge of tears.
Eliza’s father looked pointedly to either side, and the crowd parted even further. He summoned a local official and had a quick word with him. Then he turned back to his wife and daughter.
[[ Perhaps we could adjourn to another room? ]] he said formally.
‘That’s my father,’ Eliza thought. ‘A politician to the last.’ As the local customs agent moved towards a side room generally reserved for official use, Eliza’s mother finally and reluctantly let her daughter go and moved back to her husband’s side, while Veronica took her girlfriend’s hand.
[[ Perhaps we could have a moment alone, ]] he said, looking at the interloper.
Eliza clenched her other fist. [[ Where I go, she goes. ]]
Veronica’s own knowledge of the vampire language was broken at best, but even she realized that she had just been involved in the conversation.
{{ Love, what’s . . . }} Veronica started to think. She was a little disconcerted by a buzzing sound in the back of her head. ‘Probably some aftereffect of dimension-hopping,’ she thought.
{{ Just follow me. }} Then Eliza tried to get her thoughts calm again. {{ Please? Just back me up. I’ll try and fill you in as we go. }}
Evlidone gritted teeth and fangs together. ‘Why does she always have to make things so difficult?’ he thought. What was worse, he could tell that Eliza and this other woman were communicating telepathically, and he thought it rude for them to be engaged in a sidebar. [[ Very well, ]] he said, forcing the words out. [[ This way, ]] he said. He led the three women into a small side room usually used for interviews with people of “suspicious origins.” Evlidone had a seat at the desk in the room while his wife stood behind him. Eliza and Veronica sat on a long bench that wasn’t exactly designed for comfort.
[[ You look well, ]] Eliza’s father said at last.
[[ As do you. ]] As Eliza spoke, she began relating the conversation to Veronica mentally.
[[ Valar informed me of some of your . . . adventures . . . when he came through with his prisoner. You seemed to have impressed him, which is no small feat considering your prior treatment of him. ]]
Eliza cracked her knuckles. She didn’t notice her mother rolling her eyes. This is how conversations always went with her father. [[ Valar and I . . . came to an understanding, ]] she said, determined not to be the first to break their fragile truce. [[ He was a valuable ally. ]]
[[ Yes. In that war you started. Trouble just seems to find you wherever you go. ]]
Veronica didn’t need Eliza to communicate telepathically at that point. Eliza’s mind was open to her, and it was an angry place. She had always assumed that Eliza had been exaggerating about her relationship with her father. Now, Veronica was just waiting for somebody to actually throw something.
[[ I would say that trouble found me this time, ]] Eliza replied. [[ Despite rumors to the contrary, not EVERYTHING is my fault. ]]
[[ That’s not what I was . . . ]] Evlidone started. Then he took a deep breath. [[ I just meant to say that you’ve always managed to get mixed up in things you should probably avoid. ]] Without actually meaning to, his eyes had drifted over to Veronica, a fact NOT lost of Eliza.
[[ I was wondering how long that would take, ]] Eliza said.
[[ How long what ‘would take’? ]] He put his hands together and started in a placating manner, [[ Listen, I know things have been a strain on you this last year, but everything is back under control now. You could come back home and apply for that court sorceress position. And now that you and Valar are back on speaking terms . . . ]]
[[ Stop it! ]] Eliza said, standing up quickly. [[ I don’t WANT to be a court sorceress, and there is no chance in the six levels of the underworld that I would EVER accept being courted by Valar again! I am with her, ]] she added, pointing wildly at Veronica who was wishing very much that she was somewhere else.
[[ Watch your tone young lady, ]] Evlidone said, his eyes narrowing. [[ Whatever transformation you underwent has clearly altered your perceptions and . . . ]]
[[ ‘Transformation’? I can’t BELIEVE this! The transformation I underwent when I was dying trying to save the woman I had been IN LOVE WITH for months? I was attracted to females long before I ever stepped foot on Earth. ]]
[[ Nonsense, ]] her father said. [[ You were too young to know what you wanted! Now that you’ve got all this foolishness out of your system . . .]]
Alyidana’s eyes shot open and she stared at her husband. ‘He did NOT just say that?’ she thought to herself. But the expression of anger on her daughter’s face told the story. She hurried out the door, grabbing a stunned looked Veronica by the arm and dragging her along. Even before the door closed, items in the room had begun to levitate and the furniture began to shatter as the two powerful spell casters lost some control of their wills and began to scream at each other.
[[ Foolishness?!? ]] Eliza bellowed as the door closed behind her mother and girlfriend. [[ I knew exactly what I wanted, you overbearing . . . ]]
[[ Watch your tone with me young lady! ]] her father responded, crushing the wooden bench in front of him with an angry clench of his hand. [[ Even if you’re determined to show me no respect . . . as usual . . . at LEAST try to maintain a semi-professional demeanor for once in your life! ]]
[[ I’ve BEEN professional for years! You just never approved of my profession! You never approved of the way I CHOSE to live my life, and I don’t know why I was hoping for you to approve of the things I CAN’T choose! You’re such a self-absorbed . . . ]]
It was Eliza’s father’s turn to interrupt. [[ Self-absorbed?!? How many times have I bailed you out of messes? When you got in trouble at your academies . . . many times? When you were picking fights? When Earth police picked you up when you were visiting France and HAD to go insulting that silly tower of theirs? You are so bound and determined to do everything YOUR way without ever considering the consequences! Now I find that you’ve been gallivanting around Earth with another female, without showing even the slightest bit of discretion! ]]
[[ I’m a homosexual, you sanctimonious . . . ]] Eliza stopped and flung her hand to one side, smashing a lamp that was twenty feet away. [[ I’m not going to hide who I am for the sake of your convenience! I LOVE that woman, ]] she shouted, pointing her finger at the door and making it creak at the hinges under the weight of her will. [[ I wanted to introduce her to you. By the Gods, I wanted your approval, even though your approval is something you’ve NEVER given me! I almost died for her, and the only thing you give a DAMN about is that I might have made you look bad while doing it! ]]
[[ Eliza . . . ]] Evlidone started, but his daughter had spun on her heel and headed for the door.