ã€ŠThe Children of Atlantis.ã€‹


 Prologue - First Century BC - Pompeii in the Summer

    The pair of twelve-year-old girls were sitting on the edge of a stone dock.  The mountain rising up in the distance behind Pompeii.  The girls were both pale, and slight, they wore identical dresses, both appeared the be the child of a wealthy Roman citizen, but that is where the similarities ended.  The girl on the left had long curly red hair and bright green eyes, the other had long black hair and dark brown eyes.  They sat, overlooked and ignored in the hustle of the busy port.  Shipments of wine and grains were being moved behind them by slaves.  The red haired one turned to the dark haired one after staring up at the mountain for several minutes.

    ¡°That mountain is going to explode one day and we¡¯re going to see it happen.  And there is nothing we can do about it.¡±

    The dark-haired girl looked towards the red haired girl.  The red-haired girl looked towards the aqua ducts and pointed.

    ¡°People are going to try and shelter there, and they are going to suffocate.¡±

    The dark-haired girl wrapped her arm around the red-haired girls¡¯ shoulders.

    ¡°Alright, fine, you win sis, seeing the future is worse than seeing ghosts.¡±

    The red-haired sister shrugged her shoulders.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think either is bad, I just think it is a shame we are stuck seeing things we don¡¯t want too.¡±

    ¡°Maybe the gift will change that?¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°Or make it worse.  I see such things, Mariana.  Things that make no sense.¡±

    ¡°Like what?¡±

    ¡°Like you are sitting in a room made of metal full of glowing lights making war.¡±

    ¡°Sounds silly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m floating above a giant sphere half dark, half light with a bright red ball of fire in the distance.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they were just dreams.¡±

    The red-haired sister shook her head, her eyes staring out at the Mediterranean waters.

    ¡°My dreams are so much worse.  I see blood.  The world drowning in it and my hands are the source.  Or¡­my father.¡±

    Mariana hugged her sister close.

    ¡°Enid, you¡¯re safe here.  No one will hurt you.  Father will make sure of it.  Have you told him about this?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°You should.  Maybe he will have some insight.¡±

    Enid nodded.  Mariana hugged her tightly.

    *****

    Enid sat across from a twenty something brown-haired man with a thick but neatly trimmed beard. He was handsome, but he seemed like he could fit into any crowd.  They were in the gardens of the families Pompeii estate.  It was after nightfall.  They were on benches at the center of the small hedge maze. He leaned forward stroking his beard.

    ¡°I can see how these would be disturbing visions Enid.  I can make them stop, but then I would be robbing you of one of your senses.¡±

    ¡°Please Sextus.¡±

    ¡°I told you, you should call me father, or dad, as I am that for you now.¡±

    Enid blushed.

    ¡°I am sorry father.¡±

    ¡°We are all getting used to this.  You¡¯ve had a rough life. What that man did to you, those were not the actions of a father.  I will never hurt you, and I will never let you down.  Now are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes father, I don¡¯t want to see these things anymore.¡±

    ¡°Look into my eyes Enid.¡±

    The twelve year old girl¡¯s emerald green eyes met the man¡¯s kind brown eyes and he leaned close and whispered to her.

 Dark Ages - A Roman Hunt - Enid - Italy 1100s

    Enid tugged the hood of her cloak over her head, and she sunk deeper into its folds. Her fiery red hair marked her an obvious outsider. She was crouched on the corner of a building, she could feel the cold marble beneath her fingers, rough with age.

    Rome. A millennia later and I still see the touch of my father. The marble still holds the soul of its founders, but it¡¯s older, rougher as am I.

    Her gaze fell upon the fortified manner at the end of the street. She could see silhouettes moving back and forth in front of the lanterns.

    Nine, maybe ten, Vitus must have been warned I would be coming. The fool sends them to their deaths as if it will change his fate. Not that he was ever a smart man. Even a thousand years cannot fix that.

    She leapt off the building and landed on the cobbled street silently. She closed her eyes and willed the power of her blood to draw the shadows to her and vanished from site.

    Silent, or loud, hmm. If there are pugmentia amongst them, they should be given a chance to live, and the chattel can be allowed to survive on their word.

    She covered the distance to the iron gate, unseen and unheard by prying eyes. The guards at the gate were chattel to the vampire within. She could hear the blood pounding through their veins, even within a stone¡¯s throw. They were expecting an attack.

    Best not get them jumpy.

    Enid dropped her shroud of shadows and appeared out of a nearby alleyway. Her deliberate boot steps echoed in the silence of the early morning streets. The guards placed their hands on blades.

    ¡°Halt. Right there, be about your business elsewhere!¡±

    The guard on the left drew his blade. Enid looked at the hand that gripped the sword.

    He looks like he knows a thing or two about how to use that. Perhaps silent would have been best.

    Enid pulled her hood down, keeping her own blade hidden in the folds of her heavy cloak.

    ¡°Be away girl.¡± The guard waved his sword then slid it into its sheath.

    ¡°Now don¡¯t be too hasty let¡¯s hear the girl out, Giano¡±

    I hate that look they get in their eyes; All men are the same lustful idiots.

    ¡°I come seeking an audience with Master Vitus, he has requested my services.¡±

    Giano sheathed his sword at his side and his companion removed his hand from the hilt of his.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t informed, its not safe tonight girl, be gone and come tomorrow eve.¡±

    ¡°Not safe? Why? I was just sent a missive to come as fast as I could.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you here lass.¡±

    ¡°Nor have I, Giano.¡±

    ¡°I usually enter a differen-¡°

    Enid was cut off when a shout arose from behind the gate.

    ¡°She¡¯s here the reaper is here!¡±

    Giano and his partner didn¡¯t hesitate to draw their swords.

    Oh well, loud it is.

    As chattel the two guards didn¡¯t stand a chance as they lunged at Enid, she drew Bloodseeker and with a fluid spin, their heads rolled past her feet. The blood that rushed out of the headless bodies flowed into Bloodseeker and the runes on his blade began to cast a red glow over the glistening now wet cobblestone.

    She heard the rush of footsteps behind the gate and saw an array of twelve men lined up behind it armed with swords and pikes. Enid half closed her eyes and smelled the air, she could pick up the scent of Blood slaves, chattel and pugmentia.

    Fools, they rush to their deaths like so many others.

    ¡°Our glorious Lord and Master Vitus bids us to parlay before we kill you.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    The man who spoke was pale, with blond hair and dark eyes.

    Too attractive to be a mortal, must be the pugmentia I smell.

    ¡°Before you waste your undead breath, let me be clear. You all have one chance to live and save your master¡¯s life, disperse and end this foolish resistance or die and I take your master¡¯s blood as payment for his crimes.¡±

    ¡°Girl, you are hardly in any position to demand such a thing, we have fortifications between us and even a vampire cannot hope to get past so many with five of us on this side and several blood enhanced mortals. Leave while you still can.¡±

    Idiots, see a woman and assume she¡¯s weak, ineffectual.

    ¡°Usually, the smart ones beg for mercy, not death. Your sire has breached the Covenants and he is refusing to stand trial as is his right, he and all his progeny and chattel¡¯s lives are forfeit as Sextus has laid down our law. As the Seer in this crime, I have the right to allow you to take his chattel and leave and be absolved of his crimes. I suggest you do so.¡±

    ¡°I think not child. Who do you think you are? Vitus is an ancient you cannot hope to destroy him and amongst us is seven hundred years of vampiric power you cannot hope to stop us.¡±

    ¡°I saw Vitus presented to the emperor after his second birth. I am the First Seer, Daughter of Sextus, wife to Lucius, heir to the Empire and you will die now.¡±

    The pugmentia¡¯s expression changed, his eyes widening, his grip loosening on his sword, he didn¡¯t have long to ponder his fate.

    As she finished speaking Enid threw her sword through the holes in the gate pinning the disrespectful vampire and one of the chattel to the wooden door of the manor. He screamed and his skin started to shrivel, smoke rose from the edges of the blade. Bloodseeker¡¯s red glow lit up the battlefield as it feasted on him.

    Enid leapt over the wall with ease and reached out her hand. Bloodseeker flew to her outstretched hand with a stroke of the blade the closest pugmentia¡¯s head fell off his body. Enid¡¯s fist punched through the skull of the nearest blood slave.

    She kicked a fallen sword into her hand and flung it at one of the humans piercing his skull. With her next stroke she cut the end of a pike that came at her from the left. She called on the blood again and she became a blur. Striking down four more of the defenders. A blade pierced her back and she twisted ripping it out of its wielder¡¯s hand.

    Too an outside observer it was a blur of two black shadows dancing like a tornado all over the small courtyard. Inside the two vampires were clashing blades.

    He¡¯s good.

    She brought bloodseeker up to block a strong over hand blow. Her hands rung. Her opponent was the taller of the two and by all accounts a mountain of a man. He had wrapped both hands around his hilt. And was trying to overwhelm her with brute strength. She willed blood into her muscles and pushed back. Sweeping low her blade cut into her opponent¡¯s thigh, as she pulled Bloodseeker away there was a gush of blood running from the wound to the blade. He swung his sword down again and even with her blood-enhanced strength Enid stumbled backwards.

    ¡°You can¡¯t keep this up forever girl! You can¡¯t have much blood left, how long before you lose it and I behead you?¡±

    He swung his sword in another wide arc and Enid did her best to deflect the blow, and the sword sent a shower of sparks as it hit the stone beside her. While Enid was off balance he grabbed the blade that was still sticking through her midsection and pulled it towards him, the hilt-guard found purchase on her back and she stumbled towards him. He then brought the pommel of his sword down on her face. Enid fell backwards.

    ¡°All those flashy imperial powers and you still got brought low by, what do you call us? Trash?¡±

    He¡¯s not wrong, I used too much blood being flashy.

    Enid reached out with her mind and asked Bloodseeker to grant her a share of the blood it had drunk. The glowing sword dimmed and was again lifeless silver.

    ¡°Even your glowy sword is broken now.¡±

    He made a grunting sound and brought his sword down in an overhead swing. Enid closed her eyes and willed blood to her muscles once again. And she flitted away from the blow and appeared behind the giant man and cleaved his spine in two with a blow from Bloodseeker which began to glow as it drank deeply the mountain of a man¡¯s skin shriveled as the blood granting him unlife drained from him. She brought the sword down cutting off his head as he fell. Enid straightened. Her skin became flush as she was renewed with the new influx of blood. She bent her head to the side and spun to look at the last few guards. They had dropped their weapons and were struggling to unlock the gate. She shoved the sword back through her with her palm until it clattered on the ground behind her.

    Can¡¯t leave any witnesses or survivors, the law is the law.

    She cut the closest one¡¯s head off with another sweep of her blade. The second she slammed into the bars compressing his chest so much she burst his internal organs and the last she broke the neck.

    She let Bloodseeker drink it¡¯s due and took her share of blood. She turned to the barred wooden doors and with renewed strength burst through them. Vitus who had been listening at them sprawled backwards. He was as Enid remembered him dark skinned, blue eyes and chestnut hair. He was always a handsome man. The finery he wore sported yellow and blue silks.

    ¡°You fool. You knew I would be sent, and you convinced those idiots to defend you. Do you care so little for your children?¡±

    Vitus scrambled backwards, and then crawled further away.

    ¡°Trial! I declare the right of trial!¡±

    ¡°It is too late now, blood has been spilled in resistance to a Seer, the penalty is a second death. Don¡¯t make your last moments pathetic. Die with honor, like your children did, resist further and I¡¯ll make sure you meet the dawn while chained with silver.¡±

    Vitus reached the banister of a set of wide stairs and had pulled himself up. He walked towards Enid, his hand behind his back.

    ¡°Good choice.¡±

    Vitus moved with vampiric speed and strength, and brought a wooden stake down on Enid¡¯s chest, but it splintered against her armor.

    ¡°You were never very smart.¡±

    Enid pulled a stake from a quiver that was secreted behind her cloak. She pierced Vitus¡¯s unarmored heart. Vitus fell to the ground paralyzed. Enid knelt down and whispered into his ear.

    ¡°Now you will burn in the sun, not the death I would have chosen.¡±

 Narfordshire - 1200s - Part 1 - Enid

    Narfordshire ¨C 1200¡¯s

    Three nights before Enid had received a command to travel to the village of Narfordshire.  The message had been cryptic, something was killing human and vampire a like.  A revenant they called it.  Enid had seen many things in her day but had never heard of a revenant.  Apparently, the local vampire lord demanded assistance, which the imperial council was required to render.

    Enid walked into the walled keep of the vampire lord.  She knew nothing of him save his name, Odocar of Savia, he¡¯d signed the missive to the council as if she should be aware of who he was.  He wasn¡¯t imperial and that was obvious from his name and the fact the council had sent her alone.

    Guards at the keep gate crossed their pikes as she approached.  She could hear their hearts begin to pound in their chests.

    Blood slaves, mortals, disgusting.

    ¡°Halt woman.¡±

    She pulled the scroll bearing Odocar¡¯s seal and let it unravel before them.

    ¡°You must leave your blade.¡±

    Enid¡¯s lips became a thin line.

    ¡°As entertaining as that might be, I must decline.  Let me pass or I will drain you both and pass anyway.¡±

    ¡°You can go in, milady.¡±

    Smart choice.

    Enid walked past and into the keep proper.  She barely paid the mortal servant that greeted her any attention while he guided her into the Lord¡¯s hall.  She noticed several vampires arrayed here, eight in all.

    Pugmentia, the lot of them.  Trash was such a good description of the Children of Lilith.

    The lord sat on an ornate throne of all things.  He was a rather chubby man with a black beard and dark complexion, for a vampire.

    ¡°You imperials took your sweet time providing the assistance requested.  And only one comes?¡±

    ¡°If I am not to your liking, I can leave and let you handle this, ¡°revenant¡± yourselves.¡±

    Enid removed her hood, revealing her face.  Her face was freckled, her nose was slightly too small, her mouth was also on the small side, she was pale even by vampire standards.  She was a very slight woman.  And by all estimates was probably eighteen when she died though she could easily be mistaken for younger.

    ¡°We may as well, weeks without word and then they send one imperial and it¡¯s a girl-child.  What are you going to do that my court cannot do?¡±

    Really, his domain is being hunted by a monster and he¡¯s going to swing his dick around?

    Enid approached the lord with deliberate footsteps, purposely invading his personal space. His face twisted with anger.

    ¡°How can I render assistance, Lord Odocar?¡±

    ¡°You dare to treat me with such disdain in my own domain!¡±

    ¡°You are concerned about the delay in assistance arriving, perhaps we could skip the posturing in which you try to impress me with the size of your impotent dick and get to the part where you tell me what is going on so I can kill whatever it is and get out of this shit hole.¡±

    ¡°You fucking cunt.¡±

    Enid clenched her fists tightly, she hated that word, in any language.

    ¡°Lord Odocar, I¡¯m trying my best to be civil with you, you have a monster killing your subjects and your food, and I¡¯m here to kill it, so shall we get on with it?¡±

    Odocar scowled at Enid.

    ¡°It¡¯s a revenant, my child Joiten fed on a passing merchant family and made a mess when we cleaned up the scene we found two of the bodies missing, one was a young girl, the other her mother.  The mother managed to wound Joiten with a dagger.  She was babbling to the villagers about a blood sucking monster, and how her daughter had risen from the dead and started devouring her brother¡¯s body.  There have been attacks, every few nights since. My men found the woman but she escaped into the church where they could not follow.  Then during the next day she was moved to the templar¡¯s keep down the road.¡±

    Fuck

    ¡°You are a fucking moron, who is surrounded by fucking morons, who are all dumber than the last.  You have a Strix lose and a witness and you didn¡¯t manage to kill either?¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t talk to me like that this is my domain.¡±

    Enid¡¯s fist flicked out of existence. Before any of the assembled vampires could blink the pugmentia lord in front of her hit the stone wall of his keep, shattering his ornate throne.  She heard the unmistakable crack that would mean a broken jaw.  He tried to speak again but his mouth was unable to produce audible sound.  The other vampires began to rush forward.  Enid drew Bloodseeker and the silver of the blade flashed in the firelight.  He was thirsty and she resisted his urge to strike the lord.

    ¡°Attack me but know that every single one of you is in violation of the covenant and I can and will kill you all.  And if I¡¯m not able to silence the witness and the templars I will do just that.  So please feel free to drain my reserves before I assault their keep.¡±

    Lord Odocar pulled himself up on the wall and rubbed his jaw which had healed itself by now.

    ¡°Stand down.¡±

    Enid sheathed Bloodseeker.

    ¡°I need to go kill every living thing in a Templar keep which probably has hardened crusaders amongst its inhabitants because your men were too scared to enter holy ground which has absolutely no effect on vampires!  By the time I return I expect the priest and all his deacons to be dead and the church burned to the ground.  If it is not, I will do it myself then kill the lot of you.  Your spawn had best be staked and ready for my return.  And if you still believe in God or Gods you best pray to them that the Templars haven¡¯t gotten word to Rome.¡±

    The trip to the Templar garrison was quick by horseback.  Enid left the horse a half a mile from the keep.  Scaling the wall unseen was also a simple matter.  The problem would come once the killing started.  She could keep the shadows around herself but once she started acting any suspension of disbelief among the cattle would cease and the alarm would be raised and all subtlety would be lost.

    This is going to be messy.  And for it to work the keep will need to be slaughtered and burned.  One witness is too many.  Curse Odocar for his carelessness.  Power vacuums in times of crisis were bad for everyone, wish I could just kill the Pugmentia and be done.

    She used the power of her blood to make the humans disregard her presence.  They could see her if they managed to spot her stepping through the shadows, but their minds wouldn¡¯t process her presence.  That only worked so far as she didn¡¯t make her presence obvious.  She crept up behind the sole guard for the portcullis.  She kicked in the back of the knee and as it collapsed wrapped her hand around his mouth and spun him around shoving him to the ground.  She stared into his eyes.

    Some Mortal minds are so easy to confuse and manipulate.

    ¡°I am a priest; I have information from Rome.  There are Saracens coming, they have invaded England and spies are in the keep they are going to try and open the gates.  You must seal them and break the mechanism and defend it at all costs or their men will get through and raze the keep.  They are dressed as templars and will pretend to be friends but don¡¯t believe them.  Now take Eucharist and drink of his blood, and be strengthened for the fight ahead.  You are drinking from a golden chalice blessed by the pope himself.¡±

    Enid bit her wrist and put it to the templars mouth he drank of her blood deeply.

    ¡°Don¡¯t raise the alarm that will only alert them.  Now defend your post in God¡¯s name and smite the heathens!  You will remember this conversation when the moon reaches its zenith.  That is when the spies will appear.¡±

    Enid imparted one last impression in the man¡¯s mind, that all Templars he saw would be dark skinned under their helmet and armor.

    Fool will die thinking he¡¯s a hero.  Mortals.

    She slipped through the keep setting up oil and candles in various nooks and crannies the candles shortened to act as timers for when her true attack would begin.  Eventually she found what she was searching for, the master¡¯s study.

    Empty. Good.

    She sifted through his desk looking at his various correspondence.

    Keep finances, patrol reports, donations, finally she found what appeared to be an outgoing message.

    Enid lifted the document titled Witness testimony to satanic activity in Narfordshire.  All of the evidence of the Strix laid bare in a written form. And a request for permission to commence an inquisition on the village. The murders, the mother¡¯s testimony, and her mark. Her name was Mary Thatcher.  She held the letter up and pulled fire from the smoldering fireplace with a wave of her hand to incinerate the parchment and dropped it.  Ashes and melted wax hit the wooden keep floor.  She wrapped the shadows around herself again and crept back into the long corridors of the keep.  She looked out of an arrow slit.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Moons almost at its zenith, have only a little time, maybe half an hour, three quarters before the fire starts in earnest.

    She walked past two patrolling knights templar.  They were not in their chain armor, just padding with swords.  The fights would be quick when she started the battle.  As she crept, she looked in the various rooms, she found the one she was looking for, it belonged to the keep¡¯s master.  She slipped into the room and put her hand over his mouth then looked into his eyes when they opened trying to pierce his mind.

    Resistant bastard.

    He began to struggle against her and managed to get his hand around a bronze pitcher.  He hit her with it, with not much effect.  Enid continued to kneel on his chest holding the arm with the basin at bay her other still covering his mouth.

    ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound, I can end you faster than your pathetic mortal mind can perceive.  Tell me what I want to know, and you might wake up with a headache.¡±

    His struggles became more violent; Enid frowned.  She bared her fangs.

    ¡°In that case, I will turn you and you will be cursed by Satan and Lilith and never reach your lauded heaven.  You¡¯ll be forever from God¡¯s graces.  And you¡¯ll tell me what I want to know anyway because you¡¯ll be under my thrall, right after you finish butchering your templar brethren for their blood.¡±

    Fool look how his eyes widen with terror.  Threaten him with death he¡¯s brave.  Threaten him with imaginary damnation he cowers.

    ¡°Do we have an understanding Sir Devorey?¡±

    He nodded and relaxed.  Enid released her grip on his mouth but kept him pinned. With her other hand and knee.

    ¡°Excellent, know that I¡¯m a seer, I will know if you lie and I will get the truth one way or the other.  Where is Mary Thatcher?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I need to silence her permanently; She knows too much.  I give you my word the death will be clean and painless.  It is a mercy. Should she have to live with having to see her family butchered and her daughter turned into a soulless monster, forever out of heaven¡¯s grace?¡±

    ¡°Why do you care monster?  You are the devil¡¯s whore.¡±

    ¡°I was once a mortal woman, I had children, and if one had suffered as hers had I wouldn¡¯t want to live with it, so after I avenge her, I would have fallen on my blade.  I give you my word the Strix will be put down, and its creator will suffer the same fate.  You think us monsters, but I tell you this mortal knight, some of us hunt the real monsters.  So, the choice is yours eternal damnation, or tell me where she is, go to confession and be freed of your sins, or I turn you, I¡¯ll find her anyway and you¡¯ll still be cursed.¡±

    ¡°Fine demon, she is in the cloister with the nuns.  Harm none but her I plead with what human is left within you.¡±

    ¡°Did you get word to Rome, the local Cardinal, or your Grandmaster about the Strix?¡±

    ¡°No, I was still gathering evidence.  The local villagers are innocent and might get caught up in it, I had to be sure.¡±

    Truth, hmm, almost a pity, he actually cares about his fellow man.

    ¡°Do you have anyone who is out investigating?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s pretending to be a traveling deacon. He¡¯s working out of the church.¡±

    Hopefully the Lord and his ilk will deal with that.

    ¡°Thank you Master Devorey for your cooperation.  My great nephew would have liked you.¡±

    Enid placed her hand on his throat and began to strangle him.  A look of betrayal haunted his eyes.  He started to struggle to breathe.

    Better to be betrayed and dead, then to burn alive.

    ¡°I give you my word, I will kill the Strix and stop it from hurting anyone else, and I will ensure its creator suffers.  I apologize but I¡¯m going to have to kill everyone in the keep.  You all know too much. I promise my teeth will touch none and I will turn no one.¡±

    Never promised to keep you alive.

    She pressed her knee down crushing his ribcage and destroying his heart and lungs he died instantly.   She pulled the blanket up over his chest and rolled him away from the door.  She took the pitcher from the bed and placed it back on his nightstand.  She poured oil beneath the bed and placed a candle as a timer.

    Twenty minutes before the fire starts, five minutes before the portcullis is closed.

    She pulled out her knife as she crept into the cloister.  She found the nuns asleep in their beds.  She gave them quick and quiet deaths.  No need for terror.  She found poor Mary Thatcher.  She gently woke her.

    ¡°Mary.¡±

    ¡°What is going on? Who are you? You aren¡¯t one of the nuns!¡±

    ¡°Shh, be calm gentle woman.¡±

    Enid pulled back her hood.

    ¡°You¡¯re but a girl?  Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I am here to tell you that I am going to end your daughter¡¯s suffering.  And that she will go to heaven once I have killed the monster that possessed her.  Know that I walked with Jesus when he lived and that he will forgive her.¡±

    ¡°Are you an angel?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I was sent to set things right for you and yours. The monster that killed your family is a damned thing, and I will end its existence.  It is time for you to rest now.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Suffer no longer good mother.¡±

    Enid met her gaze and willed her to fall asleep.  She reached down and snapped the woman¡¯s neck cleanly.  Enid waited for Mary¡¯s heart to stop beating then pulled the blanket up.

    ¡°Rest well good mother, if there is a heaven, I hope you are there.¡±

    No mother should see their children die.

    She heard the rush of bootsteps outside.  Her new blood slave must have sealed the keep.  Only a few minutes before the first fire starts.  She drew Bloodseeker, using the knife in her other hand.

    Time to begin.

    She kicked the door to the cloister open.  Outside were a pair of knights, they were in their padding, tunics with swords still on their hips.  Her first blow severed the head of the left most.  Bloodseeker gulped the blood in from the wound drinking deeply.  Her knife struck the other under the chin she left it there.  As the second templar fell she picked up his sword and threw it down the hall catching another non-armored templar through the heart. She crouched and picked up the second templar¡¯s blade.   A servant came running out of a room and she cut the woman down with Bloodseeker and moved onward. Willing her blood to alter time around her and rush to her muscles.  An alarm was raised, and she could see glow of a fire in the keep chapel through the arrow slits.

    She was a blur to her surroundings as she ran through the passageways of the keep striking down templar and servant alike.  She was a whirl of blood red, black and steel bringing death to all she came upon.

    The fire was raging by now, most parts of the keep were engulfed.  Thick smoke clogged the hallways, and billowed out of the keep¡¯s front entryway.  The chapel, the stables no part was spared.  Those outside the keep were struggling to put the blaze out and She began to cut them down as well.  She spared no one in her rampage.

    In the end it was four knights who were dressed in their full armor a priest, and several of the servants pressed up against the portcullis trying to lift it.  As she approached the group she glanced into the gate room, and saw her blood slave dead with a number of dead or dying templars around him.

    Enid was drenched in blood and viscera and her hood was down, fangs out and looked every bit the vampire she was.  The group cowered behind the knights save the priest who pushed past them holding up his cross as if it would slow her steady approach.

    Fool.  God won¡¯t help you.

    ¡°Back demon! Back!  The power of our lord wills it!¡±

    Such burning faith in those eyes.  Sad how it¡¯s misguided.

    Enid reached up with her free hand and gripped the priest¡¯s throat with an unseen force.  His shouts of banishment were cut short as she moved her arm quickly and he slammed into the keep¡¯s stone wall his skull smashed.  The ornate cross fell from his hand when he landed on the ground.  The templars started to move forward sword and shield in hand.

    ¡°You will die this day demon!¡±

    Enid met the gaze of the lead knight.  She put her second hand on Bloodseeker and settled into her fighting stance.

    ¡°Let us end this quickly, shall we?¡±

    The knights charged as one.  Enid swept low, relieving the left most of his legs she stomped on his helmet crushing it and his skull beneath her boot. She rolled to the right dodging a blow from the lead knight, another¡¯s blade hit her back, but found no purchase due to her own armor.  She brought bloodseeker up to block another blow.  Another of their blades cut into her arm.  Then another bashed her behind with his shield.  She was unmoved by the blows.

    She held Bloodseeker in her right hand, holding it back-handed with the blade along her forearm blocking a blow from her right flank. She used a telekinetic blast to send the knight in front of her flying, then she rolled backwards between the knights flanking her from behind.   She brought Bloodseeker up between the left¡¯s legs the magic blade combined with her strength cut through him easily. This caused a spray of blood as the blade swung backwards.  The leader lay several feet from her struggling to get up.  The last knight circled around her, keeping his shield up as a guard.

    She feinted forward faking an overhead strike the knight flinched raising his defenses. She used the opening to kick his knee with all her strength, it bent backwards, and he fell on his rear.  She stomped on his chest crushing his ribs. She approached the lead knight who had managed to get to his feet and was backing away.  He¡¯d discarded his shield in his attempt to stand.

    ¡°God will save us!¡±

    His blade wavered as Enid approached him.  She did so in a very slow and deliberate manner.  The knight¡¯s blade drooped, but then he charged.  Enid stepped aside and with a two-handed blow she severed him through his mid-section and with a second swipe beheaded him before his top half hit the ground.  She turned and approached the servants that were still cowering against the portcullis like it would miraculously open for them.

    ¡°Please have mercy.¡±

    The one pleading was an older woman.

    How many times have I heard that request?

    ¡°I haven¡¯t shown mercy once in twelve hundred years of this work, what makes you think you¡¯re special enough that you¡¯re going to be spared?¡±

    Enid cut the woman down.  And proceeded to do the same for the rest.  That was until the last one, a girl, who was perhaps six years old cowered before her.  Bloodseeker hovered over the child.  She could end the small things existence swiftly.  She could feel the blade yearning for the girl¡¯s blood.  Enid closed her eyes and sheathed the blade.  It took a great force of will to do so.

    Fuck.  I can¡¯t leave any witnesses.  I could use this though, spin a story to our advantage.  I can¡¯t kill a child.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see that child.  I¡¯m going to spare you, but you must look at me.¡±

    The girl looked up at her then started to move her head to look around herself and Enid put her hand on her chin to stop her.

    ¡°Focus on me child, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Katherine, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Enid, you have no need to be scared any longer.  I¡¯m going to make sure you¡¯re taken care of, but first you must understand what happened here.¡±

    Their gazes met and Enid stared into Katherine¡¯s eyes.  She willed her blood to start to influence the girls thoughts.

    I¡¯m glad children are so easy to manipulate.

    ¡°It was terribly frightening for you.  You woke and there was fighting all around.  You saw dark skinned men and some lighter skinned men speaking in a strange language. You had seen the lighter skinned men before; They were dressed as templars.  They arrived earlier today.  They said many things none of which you understood it sounded like this.  The dark-skinned men and the strange light skinned men spoke in different languages¡±

    Enid spoke several phrases in both Arabic and French.

    ¡°You may be able to repeat it, but your memory isn¡¯t clear because you were running from the fighting.  It was terrible, the servants were being dragged out and killed.  One of the templars caught you sneaking out and trying to flee.  He got you out of the gate portcullis before he closed it.  He was quite heroic because he managed to get you out.  As you snuck away you saw several of the other men speaking in those languages that would have been able to get to the keep but did not.  You saw the fire start a few minutes after you escaped.  You ran towards the village, and you met a woman on a horse on the road.  She took you the rest of the way, you don¡¯t remember what she looked like because you were very frightened, but she held you close and dropped you at the village edge then road to get help for the keep.  You don¡¯t know which way she went.  The night was very confusing, and you were very frightened. You wandered aimlessly but the merchant took you in, offering you a warm bed.  Go to sleep when you wake up, you will be safe and loved.¡±

    Enid touched Katherine¡¯s forehead and she went limp.

    So much for clean and simple.

 Narfordshire - 1200s - Part 2 - Aftermath

    Aftermath

    Enid made it to her horse, and then to the village.  As she approached, she saw flames on the horizon as she got closer, she could make out the church burning.

    Good, that bit is done too.

    She rode to the gates of Odocar¡¯s estate and the guards let her through without issue.  After tying the horse in the stables she scooped the girl into her arms and went inside.  She placed her on a couch.  And went into see Odocar.  He sat looking triumphant in a smaller chair the remnants of his throne having been piled to the side.

    ¡°We destroyed the church killed all with in as you demanded.¡±

    ¡°Good, the templar garrison has been dealt with as well and a witness selected to tell the story we want.  I need three more things from you: two hundred pounds, the location of the wealthiest merchant in the area and your spawn.¡±

    Odocar waved to one of his blood slaves who dragged in a youngish looking man with the pallor of a vampire.

    ¡°This is your spawn?¡±

    Enid stared at Odocar with a piercing gaze.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Lying sack of shit.

    ¡°Okay the location of the merchant and the two hundred pounds please.¡±

    Odocar waved the blood slave away and relaxed back into his chair.  The blood slave returned with written directions and a pouch of coins.  Enid took them, folded the parchment sliding it into a strange looking pack, and attached the coin pouch to her belt.  And with a fluid blood fueled strike she beheaded the blood slave. She approached Odocar with Bloodseeker drawn.

    ¡°You are more stupid than I predicted, I¡¯m a seer I know this poor soul you had one of your idiot vassals create tonight isn¡¯t your spawn.   I told you the consequences of not producing him, his crimes are now your crimes and I pronounce you guilty of interfering with the enforcement of the Covenant, creating a child vampire and allowing the existence of vampires to become known to the church.  Your sentence is death.¡±

    Odocar tried to get out of his seat but he lacked the speed that Enid¡¯s imperial blood provided and his head rolled down the stairs of his dais. She calmly walked through the front doors of the keep and killed both of the gate guards before they could draw their blades.  She tossed all four bodies in the cellar and pulled the stake from the poor soul they used as a patsy.  He screamed and grasped his chest.

    ¡°Hello, you¡¯re dead, but you¡¯re now a vampire and you can live forever, or you can die again tonight, who turned you?¡±

    He crawled away from her screaming.  Enid rolled her eyes.

    Pathetic.

    She moved swiftly and man-handled him flipping him on his back.  She straddled his chest put her hands on his cheeks and forced him to look in her eyes.

    ¡°Tell me who turned you tonight.¡±

    ¡°It was Richard he told me I¡¯d be able to save my wife Marnie if I were to do what he asked, he said we could live forever together. But then he bit me and when I woke up she were dead and her throat torn out.  Then he said I had to die cause I was rabid and he hit me with the stake, then ye killed the big man in the throne.  Please I ner¡¯ wanted this!¡±

    ¡°Where does Richard live?  I need to punish him for what was done here.  Then you will wait here for two nights and I will come and get you and we will leave this shithole village together.  If you manage to not fuck up you will be able to live forever, or if you can¡¯t live with your wife¡¯s death I can end it.  But Richard must be punished first.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s by the north edge of town, red door, can¡¯t miss it.¡±

    ¡°Real subtle isn¡¯t he.  There is a child in the next room if you feed on her, or harm her I swear I will do things to you that will make you regret ever being born.¡±

    Enid stood and left the room.  She sheathed Bloodseeker and made her way to the north edge of town, and as described there was a house with a red door.  She kicked it in sword drawn.  She cut down the blood slave that came running at her without losing her stride.  When she rounded the corner, she was met by a pair of vampires embracing in a kiss.  She recognized one from Odocar¡¯s court the other she hadn¡¯t seen before.

    Ah love, that¡¯s why Richard protected Joiten, and Odocar abused it.  Sad.

    The pair stopped as she strode into the room.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t quit on my account, feel free to enjoy your last kiss.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt Joiten you¡¯ll have to get through me first.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Enid cut off Richard¡¯s head in one fluid strike.  It was the quickest way to end vampires.  Joiten stumbled back.  Blood tears rolling down his cheeks.

    ¡°You monster!¡±

    ¡°You slaughtered a family, husband and children in front of their mother, turned a six-year-old girl into a mindless blood-sucking strix, had your boyfriend turn a random innocent man who then murdered his wife, let your creator suffer for your crimes and I¡¯m the monster?¡±

    I hate young vampires, so full of power and lack of restraint.

    ¡°I¡­I¡­ Please it was an accident, mercy!¡±

    ¡°At least a hundred mortals have died because of your antics, there will be no mercy, I just wish I could make this more lengthy and painful.¡±

    Joiten tripped over a stool stumbling backwards into the lit hearth.  He started to scream as his body lit up like tinder.  Enid stepped back, sheathing Bloodseeker.  And listened to him scream and burn for a few minutes before only ashes remained.  She tossed Richard¡¯s remains into the fire as well.

    Pugmentia sure do burn well.

    Enid turned and left.

    Just the girl to deliver now.

    Enid made her way back to Odocar¡¯s estate.  She found Katherine still asleep where she¡¯d left her.  Enid scooped her up in her arms holding her close. She hopped onto the horse and tugged the reins it was a short ride to the merchant¡¯s home.  She pounded on the door and when the man answered she looked into his half-asleep eyes.

    ¡°You will take this girl in and treat her as your own.  The money is for her and her alone.  You will ensure she is safe, happy and loved. Go get your wife.¡±

    Enid waited as the man walked back into the home and came back with a woman.

    ¡°Bloody hell!  Why are you waking me in the dead of night?  Oh.¡±

    Enid met her gaze.

    ¡°This girl witnessed a terrible attack and will need your help to recover from it.  You will take her in and treat her as your own, the money is for her and her alone.  You will ensure she is safe, happy and loved. Take her.¡±

    Enid offered up the girl and the merchant¡¯s wife took her.

    ¡°If harm ever comes to her I will return, and make you regret it. She is under my protection.¡±

    Enid touched the top of Katherine¡¯s head and leaned into whisper.

    ¡°I will not forget you child, I am sorry.¡±

    Enid stood and looked at the husband and wife who stood staring at her.

    ¡°She stumbled into your doorway tonight.  You have no idea where she came from but she had money and was scared she was so scared in fact she couldn¡¯t speak.  You knew she needed to be kept safe.  Now put her to bed and go to sleep.  You will wake well rested in the morning, it will be a new day for the three of you.  And you will not remember I was here, but you will remember there are consequences if harm comes to the girl. Go now.¡±

    The merchant closed the door and Enid could hear their footsteps and then silence as they laid in their beds.  Enid turned and mounted her horse.

    ¡°Well, I guess since Lord Idiot-thinks-he-can-screw-over-a-seer is dead you¡¯re mine now.¡±

    Enid patted the war horse¡¯s side.  The horse neighed in response.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll keep the blood coming, mine tastes better, now let¡¯s get back to the newling before he does something stupid.¡±

    Enid rode to Odocar¡¯s estate and set the horse up in the stable.  She had barely beat the dawn.  She had smoke rising from her as she closed the door behind her.   The newling was already in a dead sleep on the floor of the court room.  Enid sat down in Odocar¡¯s chair heavily, she looked down at her blood covered clothing and hands and sighed.

    Need a bath, no way I can walk around like this and keep a low profile.

    She leaned forward and put her face in her hands. She¡¯d lost the ability to get any amount of sleep when she passed the millennia old mark.

    So many dead in one night.  So many innocents, even if they were mortals.  Maybe one day I¡¯ll get used to the ceaseless killing.

    She leaned back and looked at the blood on the floor.  Today would be a long day, only her conscience and memories for company.

    I should get moving, search the house.

    Enid spent the day searching through the house and disposing of the remains of Odocar and his ilk.  She managed to find clothing fit for a more noble pursuit then hers, but they would have to do, her cloak and tunic and breaches were ruined with blood.  She had burned those too.  She cleaned and oiled her fine black mail, fine enough it would easily be hidden under the silk dress she¡¯d found.  It was a rich silk, obviously from the far east, such fabrics were rare on the isles.  Unfortunately, dresses being what they were getting it fastened at the back would be difficult without assistance.  She longed for the simple Roman dresses.  But she¡¯d get further as a nobleman¡¯s daughter then as a peasant girl.  The emerald jewelry she found would accent it nicely.  She also found a large amount of currency.  Some of it Roman gold.  She secreted that away in her pack, it was easily a king¡¯s ransom.  She also placed the rest of the clothing she found in the pack as well.  It was a miraculous thing, her sister Mariana had described it in terms she hadn¡¯t quite understood beyond it¡¯s bigger on the inside.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    No point in letting it go to waste.

    By evening she had cleaned the house out of anything valuable and portable.  And was sitting naked, cross legged by the newling, whose name she hadn¡¯t bothered to ask.  He woke with a hiss and a got on all fours, fangs out snarling at her.  It was always the same with new vampires, the Children of Lilith were the most feral to begin with once their mind woke, they reverted to a human-like demeanor.  Imperials never had such a waking, though they were still territorial. He lunged at her and she backhanded him.  Which sent him flying into a wall.  He started shaking his head and rubbing his eyes.

    That snapped him out of it.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name newling?¡±

    ¡°William Smith, Smithy by trade. Why¡¯d ye hit me like that?¡±

    ¡°You were going to attack me and try and drink my blood, had I let you, you would have been enslaved to me, I figured hitting you was the lesser of the two evils.  Now William the Smithy.  I know this is probably something you consider beneath you but go draw water for a bath I need to get this blood off of me before we go out and hunt the strix.¡±

    ¡°If ye promise not to hit me again, I will do what ye ask, milady.¡±

    ¡°Excellent, I¡¯ll go wait by the bath.¡±

    ¡°But the water will be cold.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and we¡¯re dead, does it matter? Fill the bath.¡±

    ¡°Ye need to put cloths on milady, it isn¡¯t decent for me ta see you such.  I¡¯m a married¡­¡±

    He paused and she could see the reality of last night crash down on him.  He fell to the floor blood tears rolling down his cheeks.

    ¡°What¡¯s done is done, she was a mortal and while you¡¯re still trash as far as I¡¯m concerned, you¡¯re still better then food.  Mortals are no better than cows to us, think of them like a freshly grilled steak; It makes things easier.¡±

    Enid stood up.

    ¡°But ye don¡¯t understand I killed her, she begged me not te, but I did anyway I couldn¡¯t stop I just drank and drank.¡±

    He sobbed into his hands, as if he needed to breathe he was gasping for air. Enid sighed and put her hands on her hips.

    ¡°You are dead, have some dignity, you don¡¯t need to breathe, and crying just wastes blood so you have to drink sooner, you want to hurt someone because you were crying?¡±

    He wiped his face and looked at his blood covered hands wide-eyed.  He scrambled backwards into a wall as if trying to run away from what he was.

    Fucking pathetic.

    Enid slapped him hard sending him crashing to the ground then she kicked him in the chest.  He clutched it and kept gasping like he needed to breathe.

    ¡°Idiot, you¡¯re a vampire, you¡¯re dead, you don¡¯t need to breathe, you drink blood, you cry blood get over it and make yourself useful get me my bath water before I lose my patience and put an end to our misery by beheading you.¡±

    He kept holding his chest and stumbled out of the house coming back with bucket after bucket of water.  Enid bathed herself.  As he brought the last bucket Enid looked up at him, he looked like a boy that had just watched his puppy get kicked to death in the street.  He was covered in grime and mud.

    ¡°By the gods you are a pathetic specimen of a man. Come here.¡±

    She helped him bathe, he sat still and kept looking at his hands.

    ¡°Does this mean I am cursed, am I damned, is there a cure, milady?¡±

    ¡°No, to all three, well maybe yes to the first.  Lilith¡¯s gift is more a curse I suppose then my father¡¯s. Look, I understand this is fucked up, you killed your wife, now you¡¯re hungry and it¡¯s a hunger you can¡¯t ever satiate. You have a monster in you, that is true, but you also are stronger, faster, have better senses, everything feels better, except for eating, you lot will vomit up human food as soon as you swallow it, but still, you will never be poisoned, you will never suffer from a disease, you¡¯ll be able to see empires rise and fall.  I¡¯ve was born before Rome fell.  I met Julius Caesar, I fought beside Augustus, watched as my father chastised Caligula for being a fool, and fled Rome as Nero burned it to destroy our kind.  I met Charlemange, I watched Rome¡¯s slow decline and I helped build Prague.  It may seem like a curse, but it is not, you can see things mortals only dream of. The only cost is you take some blood now and then and follow the Covenants my father set out.  So long as you do, you¡¯re under his watchful eye and that of the Imperial council and Seer¡¯s like myself, though others might call us Reapers.  I am here to kill a strix that has been hunting vampire and human alike.¡±

    ¡°But ye butchered that man last night.¡±

    ¡°He broke the Covenant, I didn¡¯t want to harm him, it leaves a power vacuum in the town, and it¡¯s a problem, power vacuums mean battles for power and influence and then I end up having to clean up those messes too.¡±

    ¡°Ye mean to say that should I break the rules you will kill me.¡±

    He shifted away from Enid as she was picking the lice from his head.

    ¡°Yes, if you break the Covenants, I will kill you and I won¡¯t hesitate.  So don¡¯t break the rules and stop moving, you don¡¯t want lice to keep eating from you, vampire blood does strange things to non-vampires.  We can do it like this, or I can use a poison that smells bad for weeks, your choice.¡±

    William laid back into the tub.

    ¡°What are the Covenants?¡±

    ¡°Now you¡¯re asking the right questions newling. Think of them as the commandments of vampire-life.  Thou shalt not allow the existence of vampires to be known to mortals or church at large, failure brings their wrath upon us as in Rome.  Thou shalt not kill another vampire.  Thou shalt grant shelter to any vampire in need at dawn, though a favor shall be given in return.  Thou shalt accept the rule of the Emperor and the Council.  Thou shalt take responsibility for your creations, their crimes will be your crimes until such time as a Seer deems them their own vampire.  Thou shalt not create vampires younger than an adult.  Thou shalt not hinder a Seer in her enforcement of the Covenants.  Thou shalt aid a Seer as she demands it, her word is the word of the Emperor and should be heeded as such.  Failure to follow the letter and spirit of the covenant makes your second life forfeit, you may surrender yourself for judgment to the Seer that is sent to investigate, and she may choose the punishment up to and including death or eternal imprisonment.  If you request an imperial council trial, she must oblige so long as you surrendered yourself and provided no resistance in the course of her investigation.¡±

    ¡°So, what rule did the Lord break?¡±

    ¡°Several, he hindered my investigation, he helped his spawn, which means he didn¡¯t consider him a free vampire, so we can add, creating a child vampire, allowing the existence of vampires to be found out by the church and mortals at large, and finally deaths of three vampires that were killed by the strix his spawn created.  Your creator hindered the investigation, created you and all around was an asshole, so I killed him as well.¡±

    ¡°You could be merciful your laws allow it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, our laws allow it and I consider all aspects of a crime before I impose punishment.  Because of the mess created by Odocar¡¯s spawn, several mortals and vampires died to a monster. I had to wipe out a templar garrison and the town¡¯s church was burned down.  Now I despise Christianity, but that church is the center of a community and there will be investigations by the Church and the King I have done my best to create an alternate truth, but it remains the town will suffer for some time to come.  And I¡¯m going to have to make a large donation to the clergy that come to town to ensure they don¡¯t look close and just rebuild the church.  In other words, I¡¯m stuck in this shit hole town for at least a month. To clean up the mess.  And I still have to hunt down the strix hopefully it won¡¯t kill anyone else in the meantime.¡±

    ¡°What is a strix?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a term Imperials use to describe a child vampire that has no control.  An adult mind can handle the transformation, think logically, some children though, they can¡¯t process and the hunger for blood overwhelms them, and they become like feral animals tearing the throats of anything that has blood.  Without a logical human mind to control the animal they aren¡¯t limited to normal strength and speed like you would be and can-do things far beyond their age.  You know how fast and strong I am, and I will admit freely that a strix is probably almost my match.  Especially if it¡¯s been feeding regularly which this one has.  They are a cursed creation, like someone¡¯s punishing us for creating them, they devour everything in their path and eagerly seek out the one who turned them to feed on their blood as well.¡±

    ¡°That monster killed my son!  His head was ripped clear off!¡±

    ¡°I am sorry for your loss, losing a child is never easy, I¡¯m a parent myself, or was a long time ago. But now you see why Seer¡¯s exist.  Strix¡¯s have the same vulnerabilities as you, sun, fire, silver.  So, I have an advantage with Bloodseeker.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s that you said?¡±

    ¡°My sword, hard to believe but it has an intellect of its own, feral and hungry, but it¡¯s silver and will make short work of the strix.¡±

    ¡°You said I¡¯m vulnerable to the sun, fire and silver?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re very flammable and it gets worse with age.  The sun, should you spend more than a few minutes in it you will burst into flames and then fall to ash and silver well it leaves lasting wounds.  Normally vampires can heal fast, quite fast, you use blood you repair yourself.  If you, don¡¯t it will happen over the course of the day while you sleep.  Wounds from those three sources they¡¯ll take months to heal and many humans¡¯ worth of blood.  In other words, avoid them all.  And of course, if you get your head cut off, that¡¯s instant death, doesn¡¯t need to be silver, just a normal axe will do, so keep your head on your shoulders.¡±

    ¡°Ye keep saying imperial, and ye, and ye said Children of Lilith, can ye tell me what they mean?¡±

    ¡°There are a few different types of vampires, Imperials like me, you can tell us by our flush skin, the fact we can eat food, and some of the ones created directly by the emperor can still have children, not women though, we¡¯re not able to carry a child in our womb. Your kind, we call them the Children of Lilith, which there is a story behind but I¡¯m not going to go into it.  You can tell other Pugmentia by scent, skin tone, always pale.  Finally, there are the cursed. They can be cursed by someone or call it upon themselves. They are an odd lot and most of the time cannot create spawn, those that do can only go two or three generations before the curse is too weak to propagate. They¡¯re a weird bunch some can walk in the sun, some cause plants to wilt, they¡¯re all pale but it is difficult to tell them apart from mortals.  You won¡¯t meet many of them, they¡¯re a reclusive and sad lot and generally don¡¯t find acceptance in vampire society.  There are orders of strength, for example a cursed who is old might have a few tricks but they¡¯re nowhere near as powerful as even a newling Child of Lilith like yourself, and same goes for the Imperials.  Even if you reach a thousand years old, you¡¯ll never reach the potential of a newly created Imperial.¡±

    ¡°So, your maker was the Emperor of all vampires?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he was my father in more than one respect.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re a princess, like vampire royalty?¡±

    ¡°Yes, in more than one way, my husband is the blood son of my father, and also his creator.  When Sextus goes to his final rest, I am supposed to go sit at his side as Empress.¡±

    Why am I telling him so much, he¡¯s just Pugmentia. Maybe I just feel sorry for him, lost kid, killed his wife.

    ¡°Should, I be calling you your highness?¡±

    ¡°No, my name is Enid, my title is Seer, but for the next month while we¡¯re stuck here you¡¯ll call me milady, with the death of your wife and child you have become overwhelmed with grief and can no longer work the smithy and I, being a kind and generous nobleman¡¯s daughter hired you on as help while I cleaned out my uncle Odocar¡¯s estate after his terrible death from a swift illness.  When asked what really happened you will say he died from a disease on his bits.  You heard he was a pervert and goddless and got what he deserved.  We¡¯ll need to know if any ladies are upset by the last part because we may need to silence them, in case he was doing pillow talk.  They¡¯re likely going to be my size because I found some dresses that fit me.  And there, you look presentable William Smith.  I give you my word if you help me deal with the situation in Narfordshire I can get you a place at the Imperial Court or somewhere else safe and far away from here, where you can start anew as Sir William Smith, or Lord William Smith, or Lord Dinglebarry of Ballsack whatever you want, but I suggest giving up smithing, all that fire and heat probably not good for your health.¡±

    ¡°By silence them you mean kill ¡®em?¡±

    ¡°Yes, or by erasing their memories, or if you have a soft heart they can go with you when you leave as your servant girls and portable blood supply I care not, so long as they do not speak of vampires to anyone but you.¡±

    ¡°I prefer the latter, if it pleases you milady, it don¡¯t feel right killing them cause Lord Odocar couldn¡¯t keep his mouth shut.¡±

    ¡°As you wish.  Now help me into my dress.¡±

    Enid pulled on thin silk padding for her armor then pulled the fine chain links over top and a slip over that.  William helped pulled the string on her dress taut.  She¡¯d picked a dress that was more conservative than the current style, but it concealed her armor well.  She attached a leather strap to her armor just behind her neck and had William stitch her sheath to the left side of her back keeping the hilt low and the bottom of the sword and scabbard through a hole in her dress¡¯s skirt.  She pulled a blue cloak over her shoulders and left the hood down.

    ¡°Please go saddle my horse, it¡¯s the black stallion, he¡¯s a war horse so watch yourself.¡±

    Then she put on the emerald necklace and earrings to complete the outfit.  William returned from outside dusting his hands off.

    ¡°I know it seems like I¡¯m treating you like a servant and I am but clean up any traces of the blood and vampires from this house.  Once you¡¯re done try and find out who Odocar was sticking his dick and fangs in so we can work on neutralizing them. And don¡¯t bite anyone, you don¡¯t know how to control your feeding yet and you¡¯ll kill them and then I¡¯ll have to clean up the mess.¡±

    ¡°I know yer treat¡¯n me like a servant but that is the story isn¡¯t it? And ye could kill me by yer laws and ye didn¡¯t.  I owe ye my life and I am yours until ye release me. Ye have my word on it.¡±

    ¡°Good, I will ensure you are rewarded for your services, I don¡¯t keep slaves, didn¡¯t in Rome, won¡¯t start now.¡±

 Narfordshire - 1200s - Part 3 - Strix Hunt

    Enid walked into the courtyard, looking every bit the nobleman¡¯s daughter she was pretending to be, save her boots, they were still the same sensible riding boots they had always been.  She went to the stable and found that her horse was saddled well and ready to be ridden.  She placed her hand on his cheek and whispered to him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know your name, but I¡¯m going to call you Noctis.¡±

    She bit her wrist and held it to Noctis¡¯s mouth, and he eagerly lapped up the blood. She pulled her wrist away and he neighed stomping is front hoof, and she shook her head and willed the wrist closed.

    ¡°Not too much, it will make you sick Noctis. Now let¡¯s go find the strix.¡±

    Enid mounted Noctis and urged him onwards with her knees.  He obliged and surged forward.  His coat was shinier his muscles more defined now that he¡¯d fed on true Imperial blood.

    He looks good, he¡¯ll make a fine friend for the road.

    She rode through Narfordshire, looking over every inch of the town.  Her ride was slow and methodical.  She stopped by the church; The fire had gone out leaving a burnt-out stone shell surrounded by various marked and unmarked graves many fresh. The space set aside within the low stone wall was far larger than the church had been.  She frowned.

    The fresh graves are likely the work of the strix terrible way to die.

    She pressed her knees the left harder than the right and Noctis moved forward pulling away from the stone wall.  She closed her eyes and urged her blood to make them more attuned to the dark.  Now it looked like it was a cast over day to her and she looked for any tracks or traces.  She saw some near the tanner¡¯s house, she pulled back gently on the reigns and hopped off Noctis, harder then it seems in a noblewoman¡¯s dress and crouched down.

    Small feet, small hands, almost claw-like.  Smells like Pugmentia and blood.  Strix, but how old?

    She scanned the area and saw the tanner come out carrying a pitchfork.

    ¡°Where are you, you blasted fox!  I hear you rummaging.¡±

    He stopped in his tracks pitchfork still pointed out front of him defensively when he looked upon Enid.

    ¡°Milady, what are you doing out so late?  It¡¯s not safe, there¡¯s a beast roaming around, rabid fox it¡¯s attacking folks in their sleep, tearing their throat¡¯s out things a monster.¡±

    Got that right.

    ¡°I know good tanner, I am an experienced fox hunter, I wish I had my father¡¯s hounds, but alas he would not part with them. Nor did I think I needed them.¡±

    ¡°Your father lets you go on fox hunts?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he lets me get away with murder.¡±

    Enid gave a soft giggle as she¡¯d witnessed so many idiot mortal women do in courts.

    If I was still an eater of mortal food I¡¯d vomit right now.

    ¡°My Uncle, Lord Odocar he recently died, and I arrived to look over his estate for my father, I heard about the terrible deeds this fox was doing and I said I simply must help obviously my uncle and his men were lax in their duties to help, they abandoned him to rot in his house, terrible business, but as his niece and a noblewoman I take it upon myself to protect the people of this land.¡±

    I hate mortals.

    ¡°I respect your concern milady, but this is man¡¯s work, perhaps your men-at-arms could be doing this, you should go home and be safe, nights no place for a girl.¡±

    ¡°I cannot, my men-at-arms were killed by bandits!  There was an attack on the templar garrison near here and they rushed to help, and they never returned I rode out there this morning and everyone was dead and the keep a burned-out husk.  As is the church.  And my uncle¡¯s house was stripped bare of valuables.  Who knows maybe it was his men that went on a rampage last night or could have ended him!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s terrible tidings milady, but still you are not safe and should be inside till morning, I¡¯m sure the king¡¯s men will be along soon to investigate, or more templars, or the church, then can deal with the fox I just wanted to keep it away from my animals.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good tanner, you are such a good soul, but don¡¯t worry about me, I know what I¡¯m doing, I wish my riding clothes hadn¡¯t suffered so or I¡¯d be better dressed.  But I can still shoot a bow, though it will be terrible to destroy this dress, but there is more silk where this came from, and lives can¡¯t be replaced.  I will slay this fox and burn it before it can spread its disease further. You have my word on it.¡±

    Or I¡¯ll cut my own head off so I can stop talking like this.

    ¡°Alright Milady if you can¡¯t be dissuaded at least let me come with you.¡±

    Enid turned her head to the side when she heard rustling in the high grass by the church graveyard, it was several feet away.

    ¡°Get inside, now!¡±

    ¡°No, Milady I¡¯ll not leave you alone out here with that monster about!¡±

    For the love of the gods.

    She saw movement out of the corner of her right eye and the strix was on top of her before she could draw her sword.  She fell to the ground and barely stopped it from tearing into her neck.  The child was covered in dried blood and filth and her eyes were set deeply in her head.  Flesh hung from her teeth and her breath was fetid.

    That smell!

    She struggled to gain some form of control over the fight but the strix wias a blur of teeth and clawed boney hands. It was all Enid could do to minimize the wounds.  They¡¯d take forever to heal.

    ¡°What in the name of god is that! That¡¯s no fox¡±

    The tanner struck the strix with his pitchfork the distraction he caused was enough for Enid to get some control and shoved the strix off of her.  Noctis kicked the strix with his rear hooves sending it flying into the tanner¡¯s fence which shattered from the impact.  Enid used her blood to alter time around her, in a fluid motions she drew Bloodseeker, tearing her dress in the process and shoved the tanner behind her, leaving him stuck between her and Noctis.

    ¡°Stay behind me if you want to live tanner.¡±

    Enid looked into the pile of wood and tall grass by the tanner¡¯s fence and could see a shadow fliting back and forth.  Even with time slowed around her she could barely make it out.

    Faster than I expected, little shit.  Need her to make a predictable attack she¡¯s too fast otherwise.  How though.  She¡¯s animalistic, maybe quick movements might make her strike.

    She could see it, flitting about, hesitant to strike. Enid willed blood to her muscles, enhancing her reflexes and strength further.  Then a thought occurred to her.

    Well, he¡¯s mortal, he¡¯s expendable.

    ¡°Noctis protect him like you would me.¡±

    Noctis neighed in response and started pushing and tugging the tanner away, the movement triggered an attack from the strix. It lunged across the ten-foot distance so fast it was a blur to the poor tanner.  When the wound appeared on his arm he cried out.  Enid was moving in a blur too, and while she wasn¡¯t fast enough to cleave head from neck, she managed to sever one of the strix¡¯s legs which twitched on the ground.  The strix landed at the tanner¡¯s feet, he screamed, Noctis stomped the clawed hand that had wounded the tanner.  The strix¡¯s howl of pain was unholy and it hissed and growled clawing towards Enid who stomped on its back and with a swift stroke of Bloodseeker severed its head.  The sword screamed in Enid¡¯s head the cursed things blood was so fowl it was disgusted and a gout of it sprayed onto the ground.  Enid rubbed her temple. And looked down at her shredded dress and arms checking for wounds. There were none, her armor had done its job once again.  The tanner on the other hand was another story his arm was already festering with red and black veins running from the wound. He was blathering incoherently at the sight before him.  Then collapsed.  Noctis still following his mistress¡¯s last command grabbed his tunic in his teeth and dragged him away from the remains.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Enid looked at the ground where the battle had taken place.  The strix¡¯s blood was killing the grass around it and her body was still clawing its way towards Enid.  The head¡¯s eyes stared at her hungrily its jaws chomping.

    Disgusting.

    Enid kicked the head, and leg to the main part of the corpse and threw oil over it and then smashed the Tanner¡¯s lamp on it causing it to burst into blue-green flames that left a foul odor in the air. Where droplets of the strix¡¯s blood had fallen the ground turned black and grass wilted.  Enid used the sword on Noctis¡¯s saddle to push it into the fire, each one caused it to flare up.  Then the flame went out and the night was quiet again only scorched earth remaining where the strix had died.

    She looked at the tanner who lay on the ground his wound wasn¡¯t a bad one as such things go, but it was already festering.

    Gods know what leaving that would end up causing.  I could just kill him.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to kill him and burn the corpse, can¡¯t let that keep going whatever it is.¡±

    She looked at Noctis. He neighed and shook his head slamming his nose into her chest.

    ¡°Two nights you¡¯ve known me and you¡¯re giving me orders now?  Who¡¯s the master here?¡±

    He neighed again.

    ¡°Fine you stubborn animal, and even in horse that was rude.  So glad father taught me how to understand animals, what a useful tool can it be, being able to be cursed at by every single one of the God¡¯s creatures.¡±

    Maybe it might make up for last night.

    She pulled her pack out of the saddlebag she¡¯d placed it in and slung it over her shoulder and scooped the tanner up.

    ¡°No good is going to come of this Noctis.¡±

    She nuzzled his head with hers and carried the tanner inside.  She laid him on the ground then tipped his supper table spilling the contents on the ground.

    Well, he¡¯s not poor.

    Enid lifted him up and put him on the table.  And started to rip the sleeve of his tunic at the shoulder then pulled it free, she heard movement and drew Bloodseeker spinning to confront what she assumed was the Strix somehow reborn from the charred ashes but was faced with a girl of thirteen or fourteen she held a wooden pitcher in her hands defensively.  The girl screamed when faced with what looked like a sword wielding mad noblewoman¡¯s ghost.

    ¡°Calm down. Your¡­.  Father? Has been hurt.¡±

    Enid sheathed Bloodseeker and turned back to the tanner. The girl lunged at her smashing the pitcher over the back of Enid¡¯s head and the wood shattered. Enid spun around hand raised to slap the girl but then stopped short.  The girl held up what looked to be soot covered silver cross rescued from the churches remains pressing it against Enid¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°Get out witch!  Get out!¡±

    Enid casually reached up grabbed the girl¡¯s wrist and pulled it away then grabbed the silver cross with her other hand and tossed it out the door.  She could feel the girl trembling beneath her fingers.  She held her firmly but lightly enough not to hurt the kid.

    ¡°Like I was saying, your father has been bitten by the rabid fox that has been killing people, though it was more like a dog, and he¡¯s going to get very, very sick and he¡¯s going to die unless I help him.  So, you can either be a good kid, boil some water on the fire, or go get your cross and try to scare me away again, though if you pick the latter, I¡¯m just going to kill your father so he can¡¯t spread the disease and be on my way, your choice.¡±

    She released the girl¡¯s wrist and turned back to her pack. The girl stood their trembling for a few minutes.

    ¡°Look kid, help me or don¡¯t but either way get the fuck out. Now!¡±

    Enid yelled the last part and the girl disappeared into another room.  Enid glanced around and then pulled out a glowing slate of glass with a black steel frame. On it scrolled turquoise-blue text and she held it over the wound.  The text changed

    I hate this stupid thing, what did father call it? A tablet?  Dead language of dead languages why he couldn¡¯t just set it up in Latin I will never know.

    Enid squinted at the rapidly changing writing and sighed.  She heard the girl returning and quickly shoved the tablet in her pack. Then pulled out various pouches of herbs and remedies.  The girl held the boiling pot with rags and placed it on the stone close to the fireplace.

    Glad I spent all that time with mother studying her healing arts, even with blood magic I can¡¯t heal this wound.

    ¡°Light some candles. And get me as many basins as you have, and draw clean water from the well, and hurry up, it¡¯s getting worse fast.¡±

    Enid waited, pacing a bit, then stopped herself.

    Pacing and fidgeting is for mortals.

    Enid straightened up and sat at the bench beside the table and was motionless. She turned and started to blink again when the girl returned with a bucket of fresh water and then three basins.

    ¡°It¡¯s all we have milady.¡±

    ¡°It will do.¡±

    Enid carefully mixed boiled water and fresh well water to make two hot but not scalding bowls, she washed her hands in one with a substance her mother had taught her to make, she said it would stop wounds from getting worse. It smelled terrible and medicinal, but Enid had added roses to it.

    ¡°I¡¯m Lady Sarah of Savia, my uncle was lord here before he died, I was out for a ride and noticed your father being attacked by the rabid dog that has been killing people.  I helped him but he was bitten. Wash your hands well, use this.¡±

    Enid offered up the soap to the girl. She washed her own hands.

    ¡°No, you need to scrub, get rid of all the dirt.¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes went wide suddenly. Tears started to drop down her cheeks. She began to scrub her hands harder,

    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do for him if he¡¯s been bit by something rabid, he¡¯s going to foam at the mouth and become a wild man.¡±

    ¡°Calm yourself, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Rosealyn¡±

    ¡°Rosealyn, it¡¯s not that kind of rabid, my mother was a renowned healer before she died, I can stop this but it¡¯s going to be painful and it¡¯s going to get a lot messier before we¡¯re through.  We need to clean the wound, remove the dead flesh and apply the right herbs.  I will need your help for all of it, we can save him, and he will be able to use his arm, but we need to stop it from spreading.  I give you my word I can save him if we get started now.  Are you with me?¡±

    Enid resisted the urge to hug the girl.  Then screamed at herself inside her head.

    What is wrong with me, saving a kid, taking a newling in, this. I need to get far away from humans for a while.

    ¡°Yes, milady.¡±

    ¡°Good, now that your hands are clean, take this knife and hold it in the fire with tongs, then dip it in the clean water. Hurry now.¡±

    Enid willed her blood to enhance her senses again both to see in the dark and pick up finer detail.  She could smell the rot setting in and as soon as the blade was cooled she began shaving off the dead flesh around the wound.  The girl started dry heaving.  Enid ignored her and continued her work.  Once she had removed the necrotized flesh, she tossed it in the fire and there was a flare of blue green fire and it vanished.

    She washed her hands again and silently hoped that Odocar had burned the vampire bodies.

    Going to have to dig up the dead humans and burn them.

    ¡°Rosealyn wash your hands again and help me prepare the herbs to apply the bandages.¡±

    While Rosealyn washed her hands, Enid began mixing herbs putting water in to turn it into a paste.  She motioned for Rosealyn to do the same with another set of herbs. She¡¯d premeasured.

    ¡°Now we apply this paste first, and then clean it off, it will remove the last of whatever it was that dog had, and then we apply that to speed healing.  God willing, he will recover quickly and be back to work, but I will have to change the herbs and bandages often.¡±

    The rest of the process was silent as they worked.  Rosealyn watched Enid carefully, once she got over the shock, she seemed to be a curious girl.  Enid finished applying the last of the bandage, he¡¯d lost a lot of skin.  She washed her hands one last time and motioned for Rosealyn to do the same.

    ¡°Come here Rosealyn.¡±

    Rosealyn moved closer, her fear of Enid having evaporated after helping her save her father.  The whole process had taken a couple of hours. Enid put her hand on the girl¡¯s cheek. She was almost taller than Enid

    These mortals keep getting taller.

    Enid looked into her eyes, willing her words to weave their way into the girl¡¯s thoughts.

    ¡°Rosealyn you will forget seeing my sword, you dropped the pitcher in shock at seeing your father injured.  You saw Lady Sarah, her dress torn.  She told you how she fought off the dog cutting it deeply and it fled into the forest and that she found your father bitten by it.  She, I, helped you clean and tend to his wound.  Once we cleaned it up, we realized it looked much worse than it was and hadn¡¯t gone foul.  I will return tomorrow evening to check on it.  You will forget what happens from now until I snap my fingers and then you will change and go to bed and when you wake up you¡¯ll realize you feel weak because it was such a long night and you were panicking.  You will remember I told you I¡¯d get your nightdress cleaned, and helped you to bed and tucked you in, and you will feel safe there, and your dreams will be about wonderful things.¡±

    Enid removed her hand from Rosealyn¡¯s cheek and placed her hands on the tanner¡¯s arm she drew on the power of her blood as her mother had taught her to pull the injury into herself and she winced as the flesh on her arm melted away revealing muscle.  She then closed her eyes and willed the arm to repair itself. She had taken the wound into herself save for a gash that would heal quickly but wouldn¡¯t look unnaturally so.  She turned to Rosealyn and bent her neck down and bit into it.  She drank a bit more deeply than she would have liked then sealed the wound using a little of the blood she¡¯d taken and then healed the transferred wound on herself.  Enid snapped her fingers.

    Rosealyn turned and walked to her room pulled off her nightdress and pulled on another.  Enid followed after she¡¯d finished changing and tucked her in. Touching her forehead gently.

    ¡°Sleep well.¡±

    Keep seeing my daughter¡¯s face when I help these mortals.

    She carried the tanner to his bed and changed his fowled tunic and burned it.  After collecting her belongings, she went out to find Noctis munching on grass.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go home, such that it is.¡±

    She hopped onto Noctis and rode to Lord Odocar¡¯s keep.

 Narfordshire 1200s - Part 4 - Court Night

    Narfordshire ¨C Court Night

    Enid sat in the rebuilt throne of Odocar with her legs crossed.  Bloodseeker was leaning against the left side of her seat, she was wearing a green silk gown.  She spared a withering glance to her right where William Smith stood.  Then looked to the vampire in front of her.

    ¡°I am Desemir, child of Erik, who was begotten by Toran, who was begotten by Titus, who was begotten by Descis, who was begotten by Hesiod of Sparta.¡±

    Desemir flourished a bow.  Enid nodded to him.

    I was done after the first three went through two names, these Pugmentia sure are full of themselves and their linages.  Suppose I should return the favor.

    Enid stood.

    ¡°I am Enid Aurelius, daughter of Sextus, Emperor of vampires, begotten by himself in times before history, wife to Lucius, Crown prince of our empire.  Thank you all for coming.¡±

    She sat down and leaned back crossing her legs.  The gathered vampires looked at each other.  Their confusion and fear evident for the briefest of moments. Enid glanced up at William.  He stepped forward.

    ¡°Her majesty the crown princess of the empire, has invited you here to discuss the status of Narfordshire and the vampires who dwell within.  Please feel free to bring forward your concerns so she may hear them.¡±

    A woman stepped forward, based on her introduction her name was Agnes, she was perhaps a decade turned, and in her forties before so, the dress she wore didn¡¯t suit her calloused hands.

    Must have been a peasant farmer¡¯s wife. She worked for a living.

    William bowed and stepped back.  The woman hesitated as she was about to speak.

    ¡°Spit it out.¡±

    Enid glared at Agnes.  Not bothering to conceal her annoyance at the pomp and ceremony.

    ¡°I apologize but I¡¯m unsure of how to address you.¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    William seemed to sense his mistress¡¯s annoyance and spoke up.

    ¡°Milady will suffice.¡±

    Agnes nodded to William. She looked up at Enid, still seeming quite hesitant.

    ¡°Milady, I¡¯ve a concern, the revenant has it been dealt with?¡±

    ¡°Yes Agnes, I killed it last night.¡±

    Enid patted the pommel of Bloodseeker.  Agnes tripped backwards a step.

    Hilarious, well it¡¯s not going to be her in charge when I leave.

    ¡°Thank you, Milady.¡±

    Agnes fumbled through a clumsy curtsey and took her place again.  Another vampire stepped forward who looked expectantly at William, who quickly stepped up seeming to realize he¡¯d breached court decorum.

    ¡°The court of her royal highness recognizes, Gawain.¡±

    ¡°Your highness, Please let me say for all the vampires of this fair township how glad we are to have you here in these trying times, and that you were able to clean up the mess caused by our previous leadership so quickly with so little harm to ourselves and our town.  We hope that her highness would understand that we were not involved in any of it and would beg forgiveness for any transgression we may have inadvertently caused in service to our previous Lord and his rashness.¡±

    Someone is kissing up.  How I hate brainless lackeys who assume I¡¯m brainless. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Enid blinked slowly, choosing this time to stand and pick up Bloodseeker stroking the red silk of the hilt.  Gawain stood tall, but she could see the fear in his eyes.  She looked to the twelve vampires assembled in a semi-circle, meeting each one¡¯s gaze briefly.

    ¡°As you know, I¡¯m a Seer, some call us Reapers.  Know that we don¡¯t revel in bloodshed, nor do we kill indiscriminately.  And we take into consideration extenuating circumstances. You are each a citizen of our glorious five-thousand-year-old empire.   You each have rights, as did each citizen of Rome.  Until you give up those rights by violating the Covenants we live by. Even then you have a right to be judged fairly by your actions and have a right to a fair trial by the Imperial council.  I want to be very clear, I¡¯m not here to rid this area of pugmentia, Children of Lilith if you prefer.  My only concern is stability and the continuation of leadership.  Until the Imperial council decides on a successor to Lord Odocar of Savia, I will remain to keep order and ensure you are protected.  Unlike my brother and father, I have no ill will towards your bloodline.  I promise to be as fair and even handed as possible.  And we will hope for a swift decision by the council so you can get things back to normal, and I can continue with my real job, keeping our kind safe from the humans.¡±

    ¡°Has there been any word from the council, your highness?¡±

    Enid frowned, leaning Bloodseeker on her throne again and folded her hands behind her back.

    ¡°No, they are politicians who have been politicians for millennia, they debate endlessly and will likely send a messenger rather than use blood magic. To notify us.  Or perhaps my Husband will slow progress to annoy me.   We are all stuck in this together, so let us make the most of it.¡±

    ¡°Excellent your royal highness.¡±

    Gawain flourished a deep bow and stepped back.  Another of the vampires stepped forward.  He wore a black silk tunic, was fairly broad shouldered.  His hair was blonde with streaks of grey in it, a thick beard graced his chin.  He didn¡¯t bow.  William spoke up.

    ¡°The court recognizes Einar.¡±

    ¡°Milady, what will become of the territories that belonged to the former Lord, his spawn, and Richard?¡±

    ¡°I take it you¡¯re interested?¡±

    ¡°Yes milady, they are prime feeding spots, and with the church burnt down the land could be valuable.¡±

    ¡°The territories that once belonged to Lord Odocar will be maintained by myself and fall to my successor who can do with them what they will.  The territories that belonged to Richard, will go to William once I have released him from his tirocinium.  Any territories that belonged to Joiten and others who died to the strix will be distributed based on merit.  Prove you¡¯re worthy and I will ensure you are rewarded.¡±

    Enid sat back down in the throne.

    ¡°As it should be milady.¡±

    Einar stepped back. William glanced at Enid, she nodded.

    ¡°Does any other vampire have an issue to speak?¡±

    William looked around the room, none stepped forward.

    ¡°Her majesty will address the assembled guests.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes feeling the wood of the chair under her fingers.  She could feel every detail of the surface with her enhanced senses.  She had used such things to calm herself over the centuries.  She opened her eyes.

    ¡°Narfordshire has had a rough time of late.  The church being destroyed and the templar garrison, and the killings, they are all going to draw attention to it.  The church will want the king to step in so we can expect a high noble to show up with troops, and we can also likely expect a bishop or a cardinal with their own personal forces to show up.  Things are going to be very busy here so we must be careful with feeding, watchful of what is going on around us.  I have set myself up as Odocar¡¯s mortal niece and heir.  When the church forces and representatives show up I will invite them to stay at the estate.¡±

    Enid paused, letting her words sink in, she heard several gasps and smiled.

    ¡°Do not worry, unlike you I am able to pass more easily as a mortal, Imperials are flush, warm to the touch and do not sleep during the day.  I can survive exposure to the sun.  And as you all now know holy relics and their bearers have no effect on any of us.  I encourage you all to provide funds so I can provide a larger donation to the church.  The church was the center of this community, we need to ensure it is repaired quickly, and if possible built larger.  A bigger church means more traffic, more trade, and more people, so we have more food.¡±

    Enid met each vampires gaze.

    ¡°With the destruction we wrought on that night we have a chance to lay a foundation for a solid population.  The more funds we provide the more workers the church will bring in, and the more funds will be spent in the town.  With the increase in people, we are better hidden.  And if the local businesses which each of you have a hand in were to profit, you will profit.  Any money put towards the church is an investment into the future of your territory.  I have no respect or love for the church and their ilk, but the people are slaves to it.¡±

    Enid looked down and back up.

    ¡°Finally, by donating to the church we put ourselves above suspicion.  Good people donate to the church, cursed creatures of the night would never do such a thing.  I leave the decision to you.¡±

    Enid looked at each vampire one final time.

    ¡°In short, once the investigators arrive be careful and cautious.  Don¡¯t leave town, just act normally and ensure any of your blood slaves are kept on a tight leash.  Leave the rest to me.  Have a fair evening.¡±

    The assembled vampires started to take their leave and Enid collapsed back in her chair.  When the last had left the estate, she turned to William.

    ¡°At this rate I¡¯ll cut my own head off, so I don¡¯t have to be nursemaid to them any longer.¡±

    William nodded and smiled.

    ¡°Yes, milady.¡±

 Narfordshire - 1200s - Part 5 - The Bishop and The Knight

    Narfordshire ¨C The Bishop and The Knight

    Enid was reading one of Odocar¡¯s numerous books on theological doctrine the library was getting thin after three months of monotony. She heard a pounding at the door. She listened for the footsteps of her lady in waiting and the creak of the heavy oak door. William had suggested taking her on and a couple of other mortal servants to keep up appearance. Enid closed the book and placed it on the table beside her throne. She ensured Bloodseeker was concealed properly behind the chair and sat down, crossing her legs and adjusting her posture to seem the perfect young noblewoman. Enid closed her eyes and focused on the voices of her servant and the visitor.

    ¡°Your excellency the Lady is in her court. Shall I announce you?¡±

    Bishop, already? I thought it would take more than three months.

    ¡°No child, go attend your duties.¡±

    Enid waited for the doors to swing open and they did. The bishop hadn¡¯t been what she expected. She was accustomed to men fat off the donations of their gullible sheep, but he was lean, muscular. He was older, with greying hair. He wore his vestments well. He was flanked by two priests and outside her court she saw two armed men. Enid stood moving down off the dais. She tried to recall proper decorum for such an occasion. The bishop stopped in front of her offering his ecclesiastical ring.

    To bad I can¡¯t just kill them all and be done with this charade.

    Enid went down on one knee and kissed the ring.

    ¡°Gloria in excelsis Deo, your grace. Deo gratias.¡±

    The bishop pulled his hand back. Enid took her seat on the dais.

    ¡°Your Latin is excellent child. Were you tutored in it?¡±

    ¡°My father insisted we speak only Latin at home.¡±

    ¡°Is he here child?¡±

    ¡°No, he still resides in his castle in the highlands. He bid me come and maintain my uncle¡¯s lands in his name until he finds a suitable match for me.¡±

    The bishop looked at Enid intently.

    ¡°You don¡¯t move like a spoiled nobleman¡¯s daughter and your hands are calloused, am I to believe you are who you say you are?¡±

    ¡°Your grace, I am who I say I am, if not my word, take my uncles.¡±

    Enid produced a scroll, the wax seal had the impression of Odocar¡¯s ring, and was signed by himself and the local priest. One of the bishop¡¯s retinue moved forward and took the paper and read it aloud. He then spoke in an Italian dialect.

    ¡°That is Father Leon¡¯s signature your excellency.¡±

    Enid replied in the same dialect.

    ¡°It most certainly is, Father.¡±

    The bishop raised his eyebrow.

    ¡°You are quite the linguist for such a young woman.¡±

    ¡°My father thought it was best I know how to speak several languages, your grace.¡±

    ¡°And did he also see fit to teach you in the ways of war?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he did your grace.¡±

    ¡°The story the Tanner tells of you cutting down a giant hell hound were not as fanciful as we were led to believe?¡±

    ¡°It was hardly a hell hound your grace, just a large dog that had gone rabid, though it was black as pitch and I¡¯m sure the Tanner was delirious from his injury. There was quite a lot of blood.¡±

    ¡°And the tanner¡¯s daughter told us of you tending to the poor man¡¯s wounds. For one so young you are quite accomplished.¡±

    ¡°My mother believed a woman should know how to tend to her husband should he be injured in battle. We scots are have war in our blood or so she said. Bless her soul.¡±

    ¡°Then the people of Narfordshire are lucky to have you as their liege.¡±

    ¡°I do not know about that, your grace, I only hope I can serve them as well as my uncle until such time as a suitable match can take over so I can get on with the business of being a mother and wife.¡±

    ¡°I see you aspire to be a godly woman then.¡±

    ¡°Of course, your grace.¡±

    ¡°Have your men investigated the fire at the church, or the attack on the templar garrison?¡±

    ¡°I am sad to say my retinue were killed trying to assist the templars. There was one witness who escaped the templar garrison, her name is Katherine and she has been taken in by a local merchant and his wife who were childless. She told a story of dark-skinned men, I assume she was describing Saracens, I¡¯ve never seen one in person, but I¡¯d imagine that is what they were. I wrote everything she described down, in hopes she would not have to be interrogated further. She watched her mother get cut down the poor girl.¡±

    Enid rang the bell that sat beside her on a small table. Her lady in waiting arrived quickly.

    ¡°Mary, please go get the sealed scroll that has the templar¡¯s mark on it from the study. Hurry we must not keep the bishop waiting.¡±

    ¡°And the church, do you have any information on what happened?¡±

    ¡°Alas we have not been able to find out much. I have a suspicion however, my uncle passed two days before, and his men abandoned their posts and stole valuables. One of the townsfolk let me know that one of my uncle¡¯s men, Thomas, was seen selling what appeared to be a gold chalice that could be used for the sacrament. In the next village over. The merchant seedy as he was wanted no part of it and Thomas was on his way. But with my men dead and, my uncles having abandoned his post I¡¯ve had no one to go check on it and as much as I think myself quite capable, riding off to chase down a hardened soldier seems like a terrible idea.¡±

    ¡°Worry not child, I have brought men with me and will send them to investigate. We will track these godless heathens down.¡±

    Mary returned offering a rolled stack of parchment to the bishop. She curtsied and left. The bishop broke the seal and began reading.

    ¡°Your written Latin and penmanship rivals that of some of our monks, I gather your father was exacting in that too.¡±

    ¡°Yes, your grace, he was known to say, God created you, and anything you do is a reflection of how you use that gift, nothing short of perfection will please him.¡±

    ¡°Your father sounds like a wise man.¡±

    ¡°And very demanding, your grace.¡±

    ¡°This seems very comprehensive. I should not need to bother the girl further.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that your grace, she has been through quite a lot.¡±

    ¡°I have a missive from the pope, he bid I provide it to your uncle, but with is passing it would fall on you.¡±

    He waved one of the priests forward he offered Enid a leather case. Enid took then end off and looked over the parchment, it did bear the papal seal.

    ¡°My estate is at your disposal, your grace. I have had one of the priests from a nearby village come and provide mass at the chapel, I assume this will no longer be necessary?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°Of course, a priest has been sent with me from Rome to take up the position permanently.¡±

    ¡°Also, your grace if you will indulge me for one more brief moment. This is towards the repair of the church and I hope, to increase its size, I have made arrangements to have extra land granted for it.¡±

    Enid lifted a chest from under the table, and presented it to the bishop who took it, placing it on the ground and opened it.

    ¡°Child, this is quite generous.¡±

    ¡°I feel somewhat responsible as it was my being delayed that led my Uncle¡¯s men to get free of their contracts. And led to the destruction. A church is a spiritual center of a community, how can we hope to be godly without it?¡±

    ¡°Child, you are blessed with a kind and generous soul.¡±

    ¡°I have little in the way of servants, but any service they or myself can be to you, I offer freely in the service of God.¡±

    Enid rang the bell again and her lady in waiting came in.

    ¡°Please see to it the Bishop and his retinue are feed, and ensure their rooms are prepared.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Lady Sarah, we shall rest our weary feet and leave you to your duties.¡±

    ¡°No, thank you, your grace for blessing our humble town with your presence.¡±

    Her lady in waiting closed the doors to the room on their way out and Enid collapsed back in the chair. Rolling her eyes.

    I need to wash my mouth out.

    She sighed and lifted the book she had been reading and picked up where she left off.

    Best to keep a distance from the bishop, no point in tempting fate.

    She was another two hours into the book when she heard a knock on the door.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Enid sighed, she hadn¡¯t meant to sound so angry. She heard her lady in waiting¡¯s heart beat speed up. Imperial vampires could kill a mortal by fear alone if they were angry enough. She marked her place in the book and placed it down. Adjusting to a more civil tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I meant what do you need.¡±

    The doors opened and her lady in waiting, along with the tanner¡¯s daughter entered, both looking white as sheets.

    ¡°Milady, Rosealyn, the tanner¡¯s daughter requested an audience and I didn¡¯t think it would do any harm, please, we can come back later.¡±

    Mary looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here, the same look was mirrored on Rosealyn¡¯s face. Enid waved them forward straightening up in her chair.

    ¡°Come in, I¡¯m sorry I have a headache. Too much reading. How can I help you today Rosealyn? Your father is in good health is he not?¡±

    ¡°Well, yes, milady, I was wondering, that is to say, if you, no I¡¯m sorry I shouldn¡¯t have bothered you milady.¡±

    Rosealyn curtsied hurriedly.

    ¡°You¡¯ve already disturbed my reading, speak and be heard.¡±

    ¡°I was wondering if, you would, teach me how to be a healer, like you are.¡±

    Enid laughed, then laughed some more. Mary and Rosealyn looked at each other and seemed about to flee. Enid held up her hand, as she calmed herself.

    ¡°Inside joke, I apologize. I will have to think that over Rosealyn, it took me several years to master and it is my hope I will not be here that long. If I leave your education half finished, you¡¯d do more harm than good. And to be honest I¡¯m a much better killing people then fixing them. Come back tomorrow at first light, I¡¯ll have an answer. And Mary I don¡¯t care if the pope himself comes to the door, don¡¯t disturb me further today.¡±

    ¡°Yes milady, the girls said in unison.¡±

    Enid stood after they had left and sealed the doors. She folded her hands behind her backs and paced.

    Mother would want me to help her learn. Pass the knowledge on so it can help people. She used to say that she can only mend one person at a time, but if she teaches five people, then she is mending ten people at a time. I always thought she was bad at math.

    Enid sat cross legged on the floor and opened her pack, pulling out the scrolls on healing her mother had given her, the remedies, the treatments. She no longer needed them, she used the tablet father had given her, and had long since put them in it, but the feel of the parchment, the intricacies her mother¡¯s handwriting. She¡¯d have to translate it from Greek. Hopefully the girl could read otherwise it would take far longer to impart her knowledge. She gathered up the parchment and made her way to her study. She¡¯d have to make a copy in Latin, in a book, something that gathered the knowledge her mother had passed on in one place so that she could pass it to Rosealyn.

    ¡°Lady Sarah, I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever witnessed a woman who was so studious or quick with a translation between Greek and Latin. Those parchments look ancient. What do they contain?¡±

    Enid looked up to see the Bishop staring at her. She laid her quill down.

    ¡°They are Roman, Greek, Egyptian, and earlier groups, studies on remedies for injuries and ailments. They are so old I decided it was time to put them in a bound book, before they crumbled to dust. They belonged to my mother before she passed, she did the original translations.¡±

    ¡°I am impressed with your intellect, and your breadth of knowledge. Would you consider returning to Rome with me when our business is concluded here? We have a large wealth of information of our ancient past, and few who are skilled at understanding or translating them. You would be richly rewarded, provided you have knowledge of Hebrew and the other Jewish dialects and languages. The pope has offered a rich reward for anyone who can translate a set of scrolls that were found.¡±

    Enid scrunched her toes inside her silk shoes. Then forced her cheeks to become flush.

    Must not tell him to go fuck himself.

    ¡°Oh, your grace, I am speechless at such an offer, to think I could service the church in such a way. I wish I could, but I promised my father, and my uncle I would serve the people of Narfordshire, and I never break my word.¡±

    ¡°That is sad news.¡±

    ¡°If the Holy see is in such a need, perhaps you could send for them to be brought here? I understand they are rare and priceless and irreplaceable; I would surely love to serve the church in such a way, your grace. I am indeed fluent in reading and speaking the languages you described.¡±

    Stupid, stupid, why are you offering to help the church! Because you¡¯re curious what they say you idiot.

    ¡°When I send word back to the holy father, I will mention I found someone who may be able to do the translations but is unable to travel to Rome. He is very interested in having them translated and has searched for several years to find someone who could.¡±

    ¡°I hope your confidence in me is well placed, your grace.¡±

    The bishop nodded and moved on. Enid continued copying. She could feel the night coming on.

    I cannot wait to get out of here.

    The moment Enid sensed the sun dip below the horizon she slipped out one of the secret exits Odocar had installed in the Estate. Too a casual observer she was wearing a simple tunic and breeches, but under them she wore her familiar armor and on her hip was Bloodseeker. She had no reason to go out she was flush with blood.

    Freedom. However brief.

    She slipped into the stables and found Noctus munching on hey, she gently patted his flank.

    ¡°The bishop¡¯s horses treating you well?¡±

    Noctus nuzzled her hand and pressed his head against her chest.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten it¡¯s time to feed you.¡±

    Enid bit her palm and offered it to Noctus who lapped at it, she let him drink for a few minutes and then willed the wound closed.

    ¡°I would love to take you for a ride tonight, feel the wind on our faces. But with the Bishops men camped outside it would look suspicious. So how about we just stay here and groom you.¡±

    Enid held her hands out and Noctus lifted his rear hoof and she started to scrub it out. Noctus flicked a bit. She laughed.

    ¡°Playful tonight aren¡¯t we.¡±

    Noctus neighed in response.

    ¡°Hey, who¡¯s in there?¡±

    Enid glanced behind her. It was a young man, wearing a full suit of chain, he had a mace propped on his shoulder and he had a swagger about him. He wore the tabard of King Edward, not the bishop. Maybe he was newly arrived. Noctus snorted and stomped his front hooves.

    ¡°That¡¯s the lady¡¯s horse you scamp, are you trying to steal it?¡±

    The man is either has no idea about horse mannerisms, or he¡¯s an idiot.

    Noctus stomped his front hooves again, Enid sensed he was getting ready for a charge. He was a warhorse through and through, probably trained charger for the calvary. Enid placed her hand on Noctus¡¯s nose, closed her eyes willing him to be calm. He let out one more snort of annoyance then stopped stomping. Enid felt a hand on her shoulder. Her body reacted instantly. Muscle memory¡¯s draw back is sometimes the body moves before the mind catches up. Her hand wrapped around his wrist and she stepped back and in a fluid motion the knight was on the ground with her sword tip pressed against his neck. He stared up, his eyes wide. She paused there for a few seconds. Then stepped backwards and sheathed her sword. He pushed himself back across the dirt reaching for his mace. He stood, grabbing the shaft of the mace with both hands.

    ¡°You dare attack a knight. You¡¯ll be hung for this.¡±

    ¡°I have my doubts that will happen.¡±

    ¡°Show your face boy. I want to know who I need to execute.¡±

    I shouldn¡¯t be doing this. Calm Noctus, calm.

    ¡°Make me.¡±

    Enid gave a come get me motion with her hand. The knight gave a howl of rage and she spun to the side and his mace hit dirt and he stumbled off balance.

    ¡°So how did you become a knight? Did they see a stable boy and say, hey he¡¯s alive, let¡¯s make him a knight? A real knight would have just had me there.¡±

    The knight growled, swinging the mace upwards. Enid ducked under it and slipped in behind him kicking him in the ass.

    ¡°Lot of padding there, guess you spend more time eating then training.¡±

    ¡°I will end you.¡±

    The knight stepped back adjusting his footing into a better fighting stance. Holding the mace in both hands then he feinted forward then jogged to the right and swing the mace in a powerful swing. Enid ducked under the blow and danced around him, grabbing his left arm and twisting enough the mace when flying deeper into the stable.

    ¡°Maybe you should try a sword, mace seems like it was a little complicated for you.¡±

    He drew his sword. Enid could see the blind rage in his face and he charged at her. She danced to the side of his blow and elbowed him in the back sending him stumbling forward. He caught himself before he fell on his face.

    ¡°Wow could you imagine how embarrassing this would be if I had my sword out?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re no common thief, you¡¯re an assassin sent to kill the Bishop or the Lady.¡±

    ¡°If I were, they¡¯d be as good as dead with a lout like you standing watch. Here let me get my sword out, maybe you can learn something before I hang you from the rafters in one of the Lady¡¯s dresses. You might want to call for help. If one boy is too much for you to handle. Or do you like boys?¡±

    Enid drew Bloodseeker, who she could feel yearning to feed. She forced her will upon him. Her grin was concealed by her hood. Then made a come get me motion with the sword.

    ¡°You will pay for that peasant.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make go making promises you have no way of keeping.¡±

    The knight growled again and charged Enid parried the blow with ease. He struck again and again, and each blow Enid parried. She let him attack again and again. The noise had attracted an audience of sorts, several of the bishops men-at-arms had rushed to the stable entrance but stopped when they saw the pair crossing swords. Enid spoke quietly as the knight panted after exerting himself with so many quick blows.

    ¡°You can stop now, no need for me to embarrass you in front of the men, hmm?¡±

    The men seeing his exhaustion started to move forward to join the fight. The knight waved them back, speaking between ragged breaths.

    ¡°He¡¯s mine stay back!¡±

    ¡°Come on man, you¡¯re exhausted let them help so I can embarrass the lot of you.¡±

    ¡°No, I will finish you myself.¡±

    ¡°Your funeral.¡±

    The knight having caught his breath lunged forward again Enid reposted, then grabbed his arm and spun him around slapping him in the ass with the flat of her blade.

    ¡°You¡¯re strikes are clumsy and too slow. Do you even know how to use that thing?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to fight, or talk my ear off boy?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you want me to try? Should I use my off hand, or my main one? I wouldn¡¯t want to insult you by not giving it my all.¡±

    ¡°Cease chattering and fight like a man if you¡¯re able.¡±

    Enid attacked with blinding speed, her stabbing attack sliced through the chain near the knight¡¯s abdomen and she sliced downwards. She was careful not to injure him. A glowing red blood seeker would have to end in everyone¡¯s deaths. She hadn¡¯t intended for the fight to last this long. There were gasps from the doorway and weapons were drawn. The knight didn¡¯t slow and attacked her with an overhead swing. Enid parried the blow then disarmed him sending the sword flying. She then slipped past the knight kicked the back of his knees. Forcing him to kneel. The blade of bloodseeker was at his throat.

    ¡°Yield, Sir Knight. You have been bested.¡±

    ¡°Death first!¡±

    Enid sighed.

    Maybe one of these centuries I¡¯ll understand why men are so idiotic and proud.

    The men at the door wavered, then were startled when someone spoke behind them.

    ¡°Milady, if you¡¯re done sparing, we¡¯ve received word that one of the farmer¡¯s wives is in labor and it is going badly, and the midwife was recently killed by the rabid wolf.¡±

    Enid nodded. Releasing her hold on the knight. He fell forward on all fours his hand rubbing his neck.

    ¡°William get my pack and have someone ride ahead to the tanner¡¯s house, I¡¯ll need his daughter¡¯s help.¡±

    Enid pulled back her hood and offered her hand to the knight who stared up at her.

    ¡°Sir Knight, I apologize we have to end our dual, I¡¯ve a baby to deliver.¡±

    The knight took her hand and pulled himself up. His face a deep red. The men at the stable entrance all took a knee.

    ¡°Milady, Had I known.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°Well that wouldn¡¯t have been any fun would it?¡±

    She sheathed Bloodseeker and started getting Noctus saddled. The knight stared at Enid the whole time.

    ¡°Are you trying to catch horse flies, Sir Knight?¡±

    Enid tugged on the leather straps of the saddle with one hand while patting Noctus¡¯s side with the other. The knight blinked a few times.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry milady, I believe I hit my head while we were sparring. You shouldn¡¯t be travelling at night alone; I shall prepare my horse as well.¡±

    Noctus snorted and neighed. Enid laughed patting Noctus again.

    You said it boy, you said it.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay to ride that horse it looks quite spirited and untamed.¡±

    ¡°Noctus is a warhorse he¡¯s supposed to be aggressive and spirited. Aren¡¯t you boy? Now go wait in the courtyard. She patted his rear and Noctus trotted outside and waited for her. As for you Sir Knight, perhaps you stay here and rest. I¡¯m capable of taking care of myself.¡±

    Enid walked out of the stable, William was waiting with her pack and she strapped it to Noctus¡¯s saddle. She hopped in the saddle and urged Noctus on.

    ¡°Come Noctus, run like the wind, let us see if we can save a life instead of taking one tonight.¡±

    She spared a glance back towards the knight who had his helmet off. He wasn¡¯t an ugly man, quite the opposite.

    Not bad, not bad at all probably tasty too.

    Enid galloped off into the night.

 Narfordshire - 1200s Part 6 - A Birth

    Enid looked down at her hands.  They had been covered in blood not thirty minutes before.  She looked to the tanners daughter who had fallen asleep behind her, arms locked around Enid¡¯s waist.  Noctus sensing his passenger¡¯s exhaustion was trotting at a steady pace.  The whole birthing had taken an hour at most once they had arrived.  The tanner¡¯s daughter had performed admirably given the situation.  Enid had barely contained the urge to feed.  There had been so much blood.  It was hard to forget the excitement of the tanner¡¯s daughter when Enid had arrived to pick her up.

    ¡°Milady, does this mean you¡¯re going to train me?¡±

    ¡°It means I can¡¯t do a birthing alone, especially if it is a rough one. Get on.¡±

    Enid offered her hand to Rosealyn, and pulled her up onto Noctus.  She seemed hesitant of the horse.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Noctus.  Hang on tight we need to hurry.¡±

    Use the blood Noctus, I will give you more.  Let it power your legs, and force you forward.

    Enid pressed her knees together and Noctus shot off into the night.  Rosealyn wrapped her arms around Enid¡¯s waisted clutched on for dear life.  Enid grinned as the road became a blur beneath them.  She closed her eyes and wrapped a bubble of slow time about herself and Rosealyn, riding a horse running at the speeds her blood allowed would have been near impossible otherwise.  The ride which should have taken an hour and a half took a quarter of an hour.  Enid pulled back on the reins as they approached the farm.

    Slow Noctus slow.  She patted his side.

    Enid hopped down off of Noctus and lifted Rosealyn down. She grabbed her pack.

    ¡°Rosealyn come.  Noctus go graze, we may be some time.¡±

    Noctus neighed stomped his front hooves and trotted towards the grass.  Enid pulled her hood back and knocked on the door.  A man with dark circles under his eyes and slumped shoulders opened the door.

    ¡°I¡¯m Lady Sarah, I was told there was a woman having a difficult labor and no midwife.  I¡¯m here to help.¡±

    The man looked confused, and relieved, then suspicious until he saw Rosealyn come up from behind Enid.

    ¡°Rosealyn is she truly the Lady? Is she really a healer?¡±

    ¡°Yes Gabriel, she is, she saved my father when he had his arm nearly torn off by a rabid wolf. She can save your Annie, if you let her.¡±

    ¡°Lets not get ahead of ourselves Rosealyn, giving birth is one of the most dangerous things a woman can do.  We don¡¯t want to give false hope.  I¡¯m sorry Gabriel, I¡¯m just being honest.  Where is your wife?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s in here.  Our neighbor¡¯s wife she came but she ain¡¯t no midwife.  Her husband went for help, I wasn¡¯t expecting it so soon.¡±

    ¡°We were in the area.¡±

    Enid shot a warning glance to Rosealyn who nodded along with Enid¡¯s words.

    ¡°Alright, Rosealyn we¡¯ll need boiling water, and fresh water from the well, see to it. Gabriel, please help her with the tasks.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes and with a deep unnecessary breath entered the room where she could hear the screams of pain from.  She was met with a low light of candles.  A woman laid on the bed her belly swollen with child.  She frowned as soon as she saw her.  She could hear her pulse it was moving too fast, she could hear four heart beats, two in her womb, hers, and the neighbor¡¯s wife.  One of the twins heartbeat¡¯s was fast, the other was stopping and starting.  Likely the baby is in the wrong position the cord being pressed and not able to come out and the second not able to get past and likely the one compressing the cord.

    ¡°Hello Annie, I¡¯m Lady Sarah, I¡¯m here to help.¡±

    Annie cried in pain.  The neighbor¡¯s wife looked up at Enid.

    ¡°Oh, milady thank you for coming, I wasn¡¯t sure you would but Annie she¡¯s not doing well.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Marian.¡±

    ¡°Hello Marian, I have asked my assistant and Gabriel for some things could you please go help them?  I¡¯ll look at Annie and see what we can do help.¡±

    Enid waited for Marian to leave the room and slipped the tablet out of her bag, she looked held it over Annie¡¯s swollen belly.  She had been right, one of the twins was a breach the other was stuck above it and pressing on the cord.  Based on what the tablet was telling her the breech baby didn¡¯t have long.  She slid the tablet into her pack and moved towards the head of the bed.  She began to stroke the woman¡¯s hair gently.

    Can¡¯t turn it, would kill them both, need to cut them out.  Might kill the mother.  If I don¡¯t, the babies will die, and the mother might die.  This place is filthy.

    ¡°Annie, I¡¯m Lady Sarah, look at me we have to talk, I know you¡¯re in a lot of pain.¡±

    Annie¡¯s hair was twisted and tangled, sweat bead down her cheeks.  Enid could see the fear in her eyes.  She knew it well, she¡¯d seen in thousands of mortals over the years, usually just before she ended their lives.  When their gazes met Enid tugged on Annie¡¯s mind with hers, pulling her out of the fear and the pain.

    ¡°Annie, the pain isn¡¯t so bad, you aren¡¯t feeling it anymore, you¡¯re going to focus on my words and you¡¯re going to feel your head clear up, there the pain is gone isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Annie nodded her eyes still focused on Enid¡¯s.  She had stopped writhing.

    ¡°That¡¯s right Annie, there is no pain, this is a joyous occasion, but it¡¯s also dangerous and I need you to understand what is going on so you can help me decide what to do.¡±

    Annie nodded again.  Enid released her hold Annie¡¯s mind.  Annie snapped out of the enchantment and looked around herself.

    ¡°Is it over?  I don¡¯t feel the pain anymore.¡±

    ¡°No, its not, I just gave you something so you wouldn¡¯t feel it for a bit, we need to talk Annie, your babies are in danger.  And I needed you to have a clear head.¡±

    ¡°What is the matter?  Babies?¡±

    ¡°Yes, its twins, and one is in the wrong position and the other is pressing against him, and his heart is stopping every few seconds.  If I don¡¯t get them out they¡¯ll both die, and you may follow.  I can cut them out but then you will most likely die.  I can guarantee nothing the boy might already be not right of mind, he may never be normal.  I¡¯ve seen it before.  The girl I can save.¡±

    Enid put her hand on Annie¡¯s shoulder, applying gentle pressure.

    ¡°Save my babies.¡±

    ¡°You understand once I put you to sleep you might not wake up, do you want to see your husband before we do?  We have to be quick time is short.¡±

    Annie nodded tears dripping from her eyes.  Enid walked out of the room.  The water was well on the way to boiling over the fire and she was met with three sets of concerned eyes.  Silence in a birthing room was rarely good.  Enid held up her hands.

    ¡°I gave Annie something for the pain.  She¡¯s calm for now. Marian please go sit with her, hold her hand.¡±

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    Enid waited for Marian to leave the room then walked to Gabriel taking his hand in hers.

    ¡°Gabriel, you need to understand, Annie is with twins.  At the best of times the mother usually dies, but this is not the best of times, one is turned the wrong way and the other is strangling the life out of him.  I can save them, but the boy may never be right and Annie will likely die, or I can try and move the babies so they¡¯ll come out but they will die before I can get them out.  Annie might die, but she¡¯s a better chance that way.  She wants me to save the twins, and she wants to see you before I start.  I suggest you go say your goodbyes before I put her to sleep with a potion because she may not wake up.¡±

    Enid patted his hand gently.  She hated the look he gave her.  She¡¯d killed so many, yet rarely did she deal with a loved one later on who knew what she had done.  It wasn¡¯t a pleasant feeling.  Gabriel hurried into the room where his wife lay.  Enid looked at Rosealyn.

    ¡°Rose, this is going to be bloody.  I¡¯m going to need you in there, this is part of being a healer, if you cannot stomach it then I cannot train you.  We need to make a mix of water that is hot enough to almost scald us, wash our hands.  We need to hurry, or the boy will be better off dead.  Draw the water for our hands.  The prepare another two for the babes, cooler but still hotter then we need by the time they¡¯re out it¡¯ll be the right temperature.¡±

    Once the water was drawn Enid put her knife blade in the remainder of the boiling water holding it there while Rose mixed the waters as she requested.

    ¡°We need to cut in the right place, and once the babies are out, we¡¯re going to need to sew the wound shut.   You need to understand in almost every instance I¡¯ve heard or seen this done the mother dies either from the wound festering, or blood loss.  We¡¯re going into places in the body that should not be exposed to the air.¡±

    Rosealyn nodded.  Enid removed her gloves and began to wash her hands she motioned with her head for Rosealyn to do the same.

    ¡°Scrub well, under the nails too, use the brush.¡±

    Enid demonstrated.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to see a lot of blood, give me a sixty count then come inside with the bowls and the knife.  If you feel sick leave the room and go outside.  I¡¯ll not having you throwing up in the room.¡±

    Rosealyn nodded.  Enid walked into the room.  Her sleeves rolled up.  She¡¯d removed her cloak.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry everyone we¡¯re going to need to start, please leave the room, you don¡¯t need to see this.¡±

    Gabriel pulled away and Annie tugged on his hand, Marian¡¯s face was red with tears. Gabriel grabbed Enid¡¯s shoulder, desperation in his eyes.

    ¡°You can save her right? I will give you anything, my life if I have too.¡±

    ¡°I will do my best to save all three, but if you¡¯re the type to pray, you best start.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do this without the last rites.¡±

    ¡°If you wait for the priest, they¡¯ll all die.  I will hear her last confession and help her ask for forgiveness before I put her to sleep you have my word. Now go, this is going to be bloody and you don¡¯t need to see her like that.¡±

    Enid sat beside Annie putting her hand on her cheek.  Meeting her gaze again, she dropped all pretense and showed her true face and emotion.  Blood tears dripping down her cheeks.

    ¡°Annie, I¡¯m going to put you to sleep now, you may not wake, I¡¯m no priest but I tell you this, I sat with Jesus as he ministered to the sick, performed his miracles.  I¡¯m going to try and save your life but I might not be able to, I will perform every miracle I¡¯m capable of to do so, but there is always a cost to such things, you need to understand that.  But if you feel weighted by anything it is best you speak it now and ask for forgiveness.¡±

    Annie stared at Enid then pulled her closer whispering into her ear.  Enid nodded placing her had back on Annie¡¯s cheek as she pulled away.

    ¡°If that is the worst you have done, you have nothing to fear. Sleep now.¡±

    Enid began to hum the lullaby her mother would sing to her when she was new to Rome.  She sang the words in Latin.  The same song she sang to her children when they wouldn¡¯t sleep.  She kept her eyes on Annie¡¯s weaving her blood magic into the song.  Annie¡¯s eyelids drooped.  Rosealyn stood transfixed at the door. Annie¡¯s head fell to the side.  She wouldn¡¯t wake until Enid made her so.  Enid pushed away the blood from her eyes and washed her hands again, then nodded to Rosealyn who had tears in her eyes.

    ¡°That was beautiful, you sounded like an angel.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for that now, we need to get this done or it was all for not. Pull the nightshirt up, then we¡¯ll do what we must.¡±

    Rosealyn nodded and pulled the garment. Enid closed her eyes, then began to feel with her fingers along the woman¡¯s belly.  Finding the place she slid the knife through quickly.  Rosealyn gasped beside her putting the back of her hand to her mouth.  Blood poured out of the wound.

    ¡°Its just blood, Rose. You can do this.¡±

    Enid handed the knife to Rosealyn who took it by the hilt.  Enid reached into the womb pulling the boy out.  He was blue.  She held him up.

    ¡°Cut the cord Rose.  Quickly now.¡±

    Rosealyn slipped the sharp knife through the cord and Enid tied it off.  Enid handed the baby to Rosealyn who had put the knife down.  Enid continued to speak while reaching in to remove the sister.

    ¡°Put him over your shoulder, hit his back harder than you think you need to, talk to him.¡±

    Enid felt around inside the room and then gently removed the girl.  She clamped the cord with her fingers and then cut it free and tied it off.  By this time the boy had started to cough and sputter and cry.

    ¡°Take him to Marion tell her to bath him and hold him to her chest with a blanket over him. Then return and take the girl, quickly now I need to stop Annie¡¯s bleeding.¡±

    Rosealyn hurried off with the boy. Enid held the girl over to her chest. She hit her back a few times and she coughed and started to cry shortly after.  Rosealyn returned and took the girl.

    ¡°Do the same for her, keep them warm. I¡¯ll be out when I¡¯m done. I¡¯ll need help standing afterwards.¡±

    Enid turned to Annie.

    ¡°It is time for the miracles now.  I hope I have the strength of my mother.¡±

    Enid began to spunge the wound out with clean fabric infused with her mother¡¯s soap.  She then started to stitch up the wound pulling the flesh and muscle together.  She glanced up at Annie¡¯s face it was pale, and she could see the perspiration on her forehead.  She was so focused on tending to the wound she didn¡¯t see Gabriel standing in the doorway.

    Shock, not unexpected.

    Enid placed her hands on the wound and willed her blood to transfer the injury to herself she clutched her abdomen and stumbled backwards.  The wound sealed together but didn¡¯t heal all together.  The shock and pain washed over her. She could feel blood soaking her black tunic.  She could feel herself losing consciousness.

    Damn it.

    Enid woke to Gabriel shaking her.

    ¡°Milady, milady, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Enid pushed him away without thinking.  And pulled herself up. She wobbled and clutched her abdomen again.

    Fuck.

    She willed the injury to heal, the flesh mended itself almost instantly. She felt lightheaded and hungry.  She looked down at Annie color had returned to her cheeks and her wound was looking much less fresh.

    Need blood.  Need it now.

    She tugged Gabriel towards her and looked in his eyes.

    ¡°You will forget what happens from now until I snap my fingers.  You¡¯re feeling lightheaded the night was almost too much. Now stand still.¡±

    Enid bit into his throat and drank deeply of his blood. She took the wound onto herself and then willed it to heal. She snapped her fingers then reached out to catch Gabriel when he wobbled on his feet.

    ¡°Be careful, you almost fainted there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t know what happened, maybe tonight was just too much.  There is so much blood is she alive?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s fine she¡¯ll sleep for a few more hours.  Once the babies are asleep and warm, send Marion and Rosealyn so we can clean up. Then maybe sit down you look pale, I¡¯ll let you know when you can come back in and see her.¡±

    Enid rolled Annie to the side pulling the top layer of hay off and replacing it.  Then she lifted Annie and pulled off the soiled nightshirt.  She then started to clean the blood off her.  Marion and Rosealyn joined her shortly as Enid was washing the blood from her hands.

    ¡°Rose see to this nightshirt and find a replacement please, also check on the babes, and Gabriel he was looking a bit pale. Marion come over here I need your help with something else.¡±

    Rosealyn nodded, as did Marion.  Enid waited until Rosealyn left the room then held onto Marion¡¯s cheek and looking into her eyes.

    ¡°You will forget this happened; you will feel lightheaded you exerted yourself quite a bit tonight.  When I snap my fingers you will remember I asked you to watch carefully so you know how to change Annie¡¯s dressings.¡±

    Enid bit into her throat and began to drink deeply. Then covered her tracks as she usually did, then snapped her fingers. Holding onto Marion¡¯s elbow.

    ¡°Marion?  Are you paying attention, you need to know how to do this.  Use warm water you have boiled wash your hands with this soap.  Look how I do it.¡±

    Enid demonstrated washing her hands properly.

    ¡°Now you do it.¡±

    Marion rubbed her forehead then repeated the process.

    ¡°Good, once you wash them only touch the dressing, nothing else, until you¡¯re done changing them.¡±

    Enid pulled a leather bundle from her pack and then removed some clean fabric.  She sealed it again holding it up.

    ¡°Keep this clean and dry.  Only use this on her wound, nothing else.  You must change them every day, burn them when you¡¯re done, never reuse them.  I¡¯ll send Rose to check every three days.  Make sure you follow my instructions to the letter.  If you¡¯re able Gabriel is going to need help with the twins if Annie lives, she¡¯ll need some time to recover.  I will come in a fortnight and check on things.  If the wound looks red, black or there is any discharge or bleeding summon me immediately.   If I¡¯m not able to come right away, I will send Rose.  I¡¯ll ask a priest to come and provide a blessing.¡±

    ¡°Yes, milady, thank you milady.¡±

    ¡°Now watch how you put the dressing on.¡±

    Enid pulled out a small clean piece of linen and wet it mashing in the soap. And gently rubbed along the sides of the wound, pushing away. She then applied a paste to the wound, put a piece of linen as padding and wrapped another rolled linen around the wound.

    ¡°She is to move only when necessary, spoon feed her as required.  Let her see the babies when she asks, but don¡¯t let her carry them.  She should be okay to feed them.  Take this pouch, put three pinches in a bowl, mix with clean warm water and apply to the wound when changing the dressing.  I¡¯ll send Rose with more, this should last you a couple of days.¡±

    Rosealyn came back in holding a clean nightshirt.

    ¡°Now help me get her dressed.  Rose dispose of the dirty water and spoiled hey please.¡±

    Once Annie was dressed Enid leaned down and whispered into her ear.

    ¡°You will wake tomorrow afternoon, and feel rested and refreshed, you will forget your last confession to me and what I said.¡±

    Enid stood up and motioned for Rose to follow.  She saw the babies sleeping peacefully and Gabriel sprawled out on the floor beside their crib, it was crowded with two.

    I¡¯ll send them another and some blankets and clothes.

    ¡°Rose when you wake tomorrow, I want you to see if you can find a crib, some blankets and clothes to provide for the twins.  When you find them tell them to come to the estate for payment, I¡¯ll ensure they are taken are of.  We should get back.¡±

    Enid looked up from her hands snapped back to the present. She would need to feed again before the night was over, but didn¡¯t want to weaken Rosealyn.  She patted Noctus.

    We did a good thing tonight.  Thank you for being so swift.

    Noctus neighed and continued to trot at a steady pace.  Soon the tanner¡¯s house came into view and she glanced behind her.

    ¡°Rose, wake up child.  You¡¯re home.¡±

    Rosealyn began to shift as she woke loosening her grip around Enid¡¯s waist but then she grasped more tightly realizing she was astride a massive warhorse.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Milady, I didn¡¯t mean to fall asleep.¡±

    ¡°It is alright, it has been a long night.¡±

    Enid pulled back on the reins gently and Noctus came to a stop in front of the Tanner¡¯s front walk.  He came out to greet them.

    ¡°Did all go well?¡±

    ¡°Yes father it did, we delivered twins and it looks like Annie is going to be alright.¡±

    The tanner helped Rosealyn down.  Then looked to Enid, who nodded.

    ¡°Thank you for bringing her back safe milady.¡±

    ¡°I promise if it is my power I will always do so.¡±

    The tanner nodded looking away and blushing.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had the chance to thank you. For what you did.¡±

    ¡°There is no need good tanner.  You are one of my vassals it is my duty to protect you and keep you safe.¡±

    ¡°I wish all nobles were as kind as you.  If it pleases you milady when will you be holding court.  For the people to have their concerns addressed and disputes settled?¡±

    Fuck.

    ¡°I will ensure it is soon, good tanner.  I have been quite busy trying to set things right with the lands and the estate.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, milady, people were concerned, Lord Ococar was and odd chap and did it rarely and only at night.  He was a cruel lord.¡±

    ¡°I assure you my courts will be during the day and I will be as fair as I¡¯m able.  I¡¯ve been a judge for a very long time.  I must be off, Rose please ensure you get those things sorted for Gabriel and Annie and come to the keep day after tomorrow to pick up the herbs, I¡¯ll send you with one of the bishop¡¯s men to ride out and check on her then.  Good eve to both of you.¡±

    Enid pressed her knees together on Noctus who started to trot away.  She patted Noctus.

    Let¡¯s find me something more to eat, then I¡¯ll feed you boy.

 Narfordshire - 1200s - Part 7 - Day Court

    Enid grasped the handles of her throne, there was no better description for it. She glanced at the knight she had fought two nights before. She knew him to be Lord Henry Stewart, third son of the Duke of Westminster. He had dark hair, grey eyes, he was clean shaven today. He wasn¡¯t in his armor, so his well-toned frame was more apparent in the tunic and pants he wore. He hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off her since he entered the court chamber. He had his arms crossed and wore a sword as his hip. She wasn¡¯t usually drawn to mortals especially seeing as she was married and had been for almost fourteen hundred years. It wasn¡¯t like Lucius hadn¡¯t had his fun without her. But that was Rome. She looked to the others assembled in the court chamber. The bishop and a couple of his men who were in armor and armed. He had insisted in case the peasants got out of hand. Her lady in waiting sat to her left. Her herald stood on the floor of the dais to her right. She rang the silver bell at her side.

    ¡°Allow them in, lets get this over with.¡±

    Within a couple of minutes, a line of twenty of her peasant vassals formed along with a crowed behind them. Enid nodded to her herald.

    ¡°Go ahead Siegfried.¡±

    He nodded in return.

    ¡°Please form a line, Lady Sarah of Savia will hear ye concerns and mediate any disputes as she see fit.¡±

    Enid looked over the line. She noticed Gabriel amongst those present. She raised an eyebrow and sat forward. She glanced down at the sword leaned against the arm of her seat. It was no Bloodseeker but the glint of the steel in the lantern light was comforting none the less she stroked the pommel absently. The first in line stepped forward and Enid met his gaze. He went down on one knee. Enid wasn¡¯t familiar with him, she waved him forward.

    ¡°Introduce yourself to the court, good sir.¡±

    ¡°I am Christoff. I was wondering if you had some work for me, I was a squire with the templars before the Garrison was attacked and now, I¡¯ve nothing. I am skilled with a blade.¡±

    Enid sized him up. He had the hands of one who¡¯d trained with weapons, he was smaller but that would come with age, he was perhaps fifteen. She wrapped her fingers around the arm rests of her throne and pulled herself up unpinning her cloak.

    ¡°I shall be the judge of that. Someone, give the boy a sword.¡±

    The assembled all looked at each other in confusion as Enid picked up the sword that leaned against her chair and unsheathed it.

    ¡°Was my king¡¯s English not clear? Give the boy a sword.¡±

    Lord Henry moved forward drawing his sword, offering it to Christoff hilt first. He nodded to Enid.

    ¡°Countess.¡±

    Henry bowed and backed away. Christoff held the blade with an experienced grip, but sweaty palms, his sword hand trembled slightly. She glanced at Henry who grinned widely. The bishop and his men and the rest of the assembled towns folk all stood in various stages of shock and concern.

    ¡°Did you think you would just walk in here, and get a position as man-at-arms with word alone? You need to prove you can protect my family. Surely you aren¡¯t frightened of a woman, in a dress, no less.¡±

    ¡°Nay, I just don¡¯t want to harm you milady.¡±

    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. Let¡¯s do this, hmm?¡±

    Enid waved him forward with her blade he slipped into a fighting stance. And started to slowly step to his left. He feinted to the right and moved forward with a halfhearted stabbing attack. Enid slapped the blade aside with ease and slipped past him slapping him on the cheek.

    Well he knows how to hold a sword and stand. That¡¯s a good start.

    ¡°Surely you can do better than that Christoff, if I¡¯d wanted to your head would be on the ground now.¡±

    The gathered townsfolk were now engaged in the fight happening before them. The bishop held his men back looking to Henry who nodded. He stood nearby arms crossed. Her herald looked like he was about to faint.

    Christoff rubbed his cheek. Then moved forward in a pouncing attack doing a series of rapid blows. She parried them; It would look like she did so easily to those unskilled with battle. Not as easily as Enid would have liked.

    Blasted dresses.

    Christoff attacked again with a slow swipe, Enid parried the blow and used the momentum of it to slide his blade up hers to the hilt-guard then spun her blade around which twisted his hand send the sword flying to the ground. She stepped by smiling. There were cheers from the gathered townsfolk. Enid curtsied to them with a flourish.

    ¡°Valiant effort. I tell you what, I¡¯ll give you another chance if you cut any piece of my dress you are hired, and I¡¯ll train you myself. If I draw blood you have failed and its over.¡±

    There were a few gasps from the crowed along with a few jeers. Henry nodded again, smiling. He couldn¡¯t seem to keep his eyes of her. Christoff nodded and picked the sword up off the ground. He took his fighting stance again. Enid looked him over again, she could see it in his eyes. Life or death now. That¡¯s what she wanted. He¡¯d fight for real now.

    Enid made the come get me motion with her sword again. Christoff was cagier this time, choosing his strikes more wisely. Enid dodged each one but was forced to parry the last as her feet caught in the dress. Enid rolled away taking her stance again.

    ¡°Getting better.¡±

    Cristoff charged again and Enid slapped him on the behind with the flat of her blade after dodging to the side, she hit him hard enough to send him sprawling. Henry chuckled as did most of the crowd.

    ¡°Get up boy. Next time I¡¯ll draw blood and it will be over.¡±

    Christoff pushed himself off the ground and picked up the sword. Enid motioned him to come at her again. His strikes spoke of more desperation now, he was trying to hit her. As opposed to the dress. Enid smiled parrying the blows. They spun around each other, sparks flying as blades met. Enid played with him, she could have ended it a hundred times over, but that would hardly be fair to the boy.

    He¡¯s got spirt, courage, strength and he¡¯s stubborn.

    She dodged and weaved his blows. He was starting to breath heavy. Enid being a vampire never tired from physical exertion she could go all day and all night. His blows were getting clumsy. She took pity on him but didn¡¯t make it easy. She purposely left an opening, so he¡¯d have to strike her arm. He¡¯d been very careful not to hit some place he might hit flesh under the dress. He took the opening and his sword cut through her dress and into her arm. At the same moment, and so he wouldn¡¯t cut too deep she flipped him on his back her blade slicing into his neck just enough to draw a small amount of blood. She released him and he scrambled away sword in hand. Before Enid knew what was happening, he¡¯d been tackled and was on the ground under Henry and the Bishops men. He struggled to escape. There were gasps of shock from the gathered townsfolk.

    ¡°How dare you injure a countess!¡± Henry was yelling now all signs of jest gone from his demeanor.

    ¡°Release him! He cut my dress, he¡¯ll be hired and trained.¡±

    Henry stood immediately but the Bishops men didn¡¯t pay her heed.

    ¡°I said release him, do so or you¡¯ll face my blade.¡±

    They looked to the Bishop who nodded, and they released Christoff who struggled to his feet holding his throat. He kneeled before Enid on one knee.

    ¡°I swear I am your man milady until you send me away, or I die in your defense.¡±

    ¡°Rise Christoff, go get the wound tended to.¡±

    Enid tore a strip off her dress and wrapped it around her own wound pulling it tight with her teeth. Henry retrieved his sword and sheathed it standing closer to Enid, arms crossed again staring daggers at the bishop¡¯s men.

    ¡°Seneschal, the next may be heard.¡±

    Enid recognized him immediately, it was Gabriel he immediately took a knee.

    ¡°Milady if it pleases you, I have come to ask how I can repay you for saving my twins and my Annie?¡±

    ¡°Raise your children with love, and kindness. Teach them to be brave. Treat your wife with affection. And ensure your harvest is bountiful. That is how you can repay me, Gabriel. Tell me, what did you name them?¡±

    ¡°Well the girl, we named Sarah, milady, we could think of no other name that would be proper, and the boy is John.¡±

    ¡°Good strong names, both. May they both grow up strong and healthy.¡±

    Enid gave a genuine smile, rare for her, most were a mask and nothing more.

    ¡°I will Milady, I will, thank you milady.¡±

    Gabriel held his hat tightly as he walked looking to the ceiling then to the Bishop who waved him over. Enid couldn¡¯t hear what they said even with her enhanced hearing, to much background noise. The bishop patted him on the shoulder and made the sign of the cross. The procession of folks moved forward. Enid listened to each of their pleas in turn, all of them minor and transient as she saw it, but to each it was lifechanging. The tanner stepped forward. Enid looked him over. His apprentice carried something covered by a blanket.

    ¡°Milady, I have come to give you two gifts, to honor you for saving me, and slaying the hell hound that hunted to folk of the town. The metalsmith forged a medallion in your honor and I crafted the thong.¡±

    He held out the crest of her noble house lovingly crafted from silver and inlaid with gold. Enid took it with a nod. He stepped back and pulled the blanket off.

    ¡°And I crafted this saddle from the finest black leather fit specifically for you, Milady.¡±

    Enid stood and moved forward looking over the saddle, feeling the intricate crafting and stitch work. Enid took the saddle and carried it back to her seat. Leaving a shocked courtroom in her midst, she retook her seat.

    ¡°I thank you, and humbly accept these gifts though they were not necessary, it is my duty to protect and serve the people of my lands. As my vassals you should all expect that. Though gifts are appreciated.¡±

    She smiled and nodded to the tanner. Her herald motioned the last group forward. Six men, one of them bound, a woman with a cloth sack over her head and a pig. She quirked an eyebrow.

    This has got to be interesting.

    ¡°Speak and be heard.¡±

    ¡°Milady, I am Jameson, pig farmer. This is my pig Milly. This cruel man violated my Milly, then when I called him on it and told people he had a witch hex me! Look at my arms they are filled with boils!¡±

    Enid looked at the other man whose eyes never left the stone floor. She was glad for centuries of experience in dealing with stupid crimes. She would have burst out laughing otherwise. Instead she maintained an air of seriousness.

    Violated a pig? What on earth.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but could you please, describe how you came to the conclusion that this man violated the pig in question?¡±

    ¡°Well I came out cause, I heard the pigs make a heck of a racket and there he was plain as day pants down his ankles and behind the Milly. And he was doing this.¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    The man started thrusting his hips. Enid kept a straight face. The court chamber erupted into laughter and Enid was forced to hold up her hand.

    ¡°Silence, they came to be heard so we shall hear them. And the woman, why is she bound with a cloth over her head.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the witch milady, she has the evil eye. She has commerce with the devil, seeing as she¡¯s a bitter old woman whose husband left her. I want you to make her release the curse she put on me before you burn her at the stake.¡±

    ¡°Be careful with those kinds of accusations. They have a way of running away with themselves and hurting innocents. Pull the sack off so I can look upon her face.¡±

    ¡°No milady! She¡¯ll kill us all with her vile gaze!¡±

    ¡°Nonsense, do as I ask, I¡¯m getting tired of repeating myself today, someone¡¯s going to be beheaded soon.¡±

    One of the men holding the woman¡¯s arm pulled the sack off. Her face had scar, the skin was swollen and covered one of her eyes. It was obvious it was from burns. Her good eye looked around the court in a panic. Enid stood and stepped forward putting her hand on the woman¡¯s swollen cheek, she was perhaps thirty, if that. She looked into the good eye.

    ¡°Focus on me, be calm, I will hear your side. Be calm. Shh.¡±

    The woman stopped hyperventilating and her arms went slack and she nodded.

    ¡°Good, just be calm while I get the rest of this sordid tale, gather your thoughts and I will hear you when you¡¯re ready.¡±

    The woman nodded. The bishop watched Enid actions intently. And whispered something to one of his priests who walked out. Enid continued standing, and picked up her sword pressing the point against the floor hands on the pommel folded over the pommel. The assembled audience seekers before her looked frightened now.

    ¡°Let us start from the beginning and then you can fill in the details I missed. Jameson, your complaint is that this man.¡±

    She pointed to the bound one, he was perhaps sixteen, and lanky, not at all attractive.

    ¡°Had relations in the biblical sense, with your pig Milly. You then developed boils. How long after you chased him away and kept watch over your pigs, and how did you keep watch over them?¡±

    ¡°It was a fortnight milady, and I slept with them, no other way to be sure he wouldn¡¯t do it again.¡±

    Enid blew out, with a long sigh.

    ¡°That is a serious crime. I believe the bible says both the human and animal are to be burned. Is that correct your excellency?¡±

    The bishop gave a nod. She glanced as the man who was bound scratched his crotch and thighs unabashed. One of the men behind him elbowed him sending him sprawling forward. He scrambled to his feet and looked around. His eyes were full of fear. Enid sighed.

    Well the pig was violated there is no doubt. Farmer seems attached to the pig.

    ¡°Jamison, are you sure you saw the boy doing this thing? I would regret the loss of his life and the value of your pig over a mistake. Are you completely certain, swear to the lord our god that it was this boy with the pig? And that there was actual violation happening?¡±

    Jameson scratched the back of his head. The gears slowly turning in his mortal mind.

    ¡°Well, no milady, if you put it that way.¡±

    ¡°Noted and how did you determine this was the witch he hired to curse you?¡±

    ¡°Because when we were hunting for him after the boils started, I knew he had cursed me, we found him there pants down. And her touching him like a woman shouldn¡¯t it was ungodly!¡±

    ¡°So, you have no other proof that she is a witch that cursed you, then she was touching him with his pants down.¡±

    ¡°Aye hands all over him! It was ungodly, who but a witch would do such a thing, and have you seen her face? Burned by the fires of hell she was. Devil¡¯s kiss! Why else would the boy be with such a beast?¡±

    ¡°Surely if you¡¯re certain he violated your pig nothing is beneath such an ungodly monster.¡±

    ¡°But I have witnesses to her¡±

    Enid held up her hand. She was growing more annoyed and her anger was showing. Those assembled started stop back. Even without using blood an imperial vampire¡¯s rage was enough to cower weak willed mortals. She wasn¡¯t there yet but the sense of fear was palpable in the room. Only three people were unaffected, the Bishop, Lord Henry and the accused witch. Enid forced herself to calm down.

    ¡°Silence, I¡¯ve heard enough from your side, now the accused may speak. Make me silence you again there will be consequences.¡±

    She looked to the accused man who was still bound. With two quick fluid strikes she cut his hands and feet free. Then moved back to her position standing with her palms on the pommel of her sword. He stared at her, eyes wide with fear.

    ¡°Tell me boy, why are you hear being accused of sticking your prick in a pig?¡±

    The mood in the room lightened slightly, Henry¡¯s lips curved in a half smile his eyes never leaving her. The bishop frowned, but a few townsfolk chuckled then jeered him on. Enid held up her hand and waved downwards, and the crowd silenced.

    ¡°Did you stick your tongue in as well and got it torn off, or are you going to tell us your story?¡±

    There were more chuckles and she made another motion to silence them. He looked behind him and back to Enid. If his cheeks were any redder she¡¯d swear his head would explode.

    ¡°Come now, you stand accused of a serious crime, violating another man¡¯s pig, use this chance to speak in your defense or I¡¯ll have to pass judgment based on his story alone.¡±

    ¡°Milady, I was, I mean, I thought it would cure me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it must have been serious if you¡¯re willing to risk your third leg to a pig, they are known to eat humans you know.¡±

    ¡°Well its just, I have trouble with women.¡±

    Laughter erupted from the back of the room, Enid motioned for silence again.

    ¡°Let him speak in his defense, it¡¯s his right.¡±

    Enid motioned for him to continue.

    ¡°And well the others they said doing certain things with a pig would fix it.¡±

    ¡°How did that work out for you?¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t, I got boils all over my bits.¡±

    Enid smirked and nodded.

    ¡°Not very bright, are you? But that¡¯s no crime. Now tell me did you actually succeed in violating this pig? Be truthful, and sure of your words, this is the sort of crime you will face torture and then a very painful death for. Be honest about your crime and I will be merciful.¡±

    He was on his knees a this point. Enid walked forward sword in hand, lifting his chin looking him in the eye. He was shaking. She could smell his fear. Those gathered in the court became very silent. He shook his head but couldn¡¯t look away from Enid¡¯s piercing gaze.

    ¡°Speak up boy, did your prick actually penetrate the pig?¡±

    ¡°N¡­ no¡­ milady.¡±

    Enid released his chin and sat back down in her chair crossing her legs. Laying the sword across her lap.

    ¡°Well then the only crimes you¡¯ve committed are trespassing and disturbing a man¡¯s livelihood. Lucky for you, you couldn¡¯t get it up.¡±

    She lifted her sword up straight then laid it back down causing the court to erupt in laughter once again. She motioned for silence.

    ¡°And the woman here, why did you go to see her?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s Cindie, she knows cures. I thought she might have something for them, they hurt something fierce milady.¡±

    Enid glanced at Henry, he was smiling at her, admiration in his eyes. She spared him a small smile then turned back to the young man with the burning bits.

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Jacob, Jacob Mason.¡±

    ¡°Jacob are you sorry for attempting to violate the pig? Will you ever do it again?¡±

    ¡°Yes milady, I will never do it again, it hurts and even if it worked it weren¡¯t worth the pain.¡±

    ¡°Jacob as restitution you will help Jameson clean his pigs and pig pen. And you¡¯ll help him build a new pig pen in a different spot.¡±

    ¡°Jameson, wait after court I have something that will help with your boils, and give you something to wash the pigs down with. They¡¯re diseased but it¡¯s something that can be cured so you can sell their meat at market. You will need to move the pen and burn that area thoroughly with oil, if you require oil or funds to complete these tasks, speak to my seneschal he will see to it you¡¯re provided enough. You can repay me when you are able. I will charge no interest I¡¯m no moneylender. Your pigs are your lively hood I suggest you heed my words. Do you accept my judgment?¡±

    ¡°Yes milady. Yes, I do indeed if you can cure my boils and remove this curse.¡±

    ¡°Its not a curse, it¡¯s a skin condition. Now retract your accusations against this woman she was only trying to treat the boy for the same condition which you both caught from your pigs.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry Milady, I was mistaken about this woman, she is no witch.¡±

    ¡°Remove her bindings.¡±

    The men holding Cindie kept her tightly held.

    ¡°She¡¯s dangerous milady!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just let a witch go free!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll hex us all!¡±

    Enid swung her sword and sliced through Cindie¡¯s bindings. She then pointed the sword moving it between the two men.

    ¡°Cindie, why was the boy in your house?¡±

    ¡°I was helping him with his boils, milady.¡±

    ¡°What was he paying you?¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t paying, he needed help I was helping him.¡±

    Enid nodded then looked between the five men who had accompanied Jamison. Leveling her blade at each in turn.

    ¡°You would have me torture this woman to extract a confession then burn her for the crime of showing mercy to her fellow man? What then should I do to you for invading her home, beating her, and kidnapping her? Tell me, out of the lot of you, who has committed the worst crime?¡±

    The men all took a step back looking between each other. Lord Henry¡¯s men filled in ranks behind them. Enid stepped forward towards them standing next to Cindie. She looked at Cindie.

    ¡°I am sorry these men kidnapped you and accused you of such heinous crimes. Please stay after court so we can talk further. If it pleases you.¡±

    Cindie nodded. Enid motioned for Mary to approach and indicated the pair should go to her private chambers.

    ¡°You lot.¡±

    She looked at the other men who came with Jameson.

    ¡°You should be ashamed, going on a witch hunt. Making such accusations, taking an innocent woman from her home. I should have you all whipped. But I won¡¯t. Never do this again. Remember that Christ would rather us show mercy then provide sacrifice. If you have a concern about someone bring it to my attention and it will be handled properly. Go.¡±

    She waved them away. Lord Henry¡¯s men moved out of their way and they rushed from the court.

    ¡°Jacob, you stay with Jameson after court and I will give you something to tend to your boils as well. Don¡¯t ever show up accused of something in my court again or I swear by god you will regret it. Don¡¯t forget my mercy today, I¡¯m sure the father will have more to say on the matter. Confession is your friend.¡±

    She returned to her seat leaning the sword against the armrest. She nodded to her herald.

    ¡°Does anyone else have a concern to bring to the Countess¡¯s attention today?¡±

    No one else stepped forward. She leaned forward and whispered into his ear he nodded and rushed off. Then turned to address the crowd.

    ¡°Thank you for coming everyone, I bid you good day.¡±

    The seneschal appeared in the chambers beyond the court chambers with other servants and began handing out fresh bread. Enid stood picked up her pack and moved towards Jacob and Jameson. She dug through it as she walked pulling out several pouches wish she placed on the table and began to mix them. She handed both a pouch.

    ¡°Mix a handful with water, rub the paste on, leave it to dry and wash it off the next day, do it for the rest of the week, should you run out come to the keep and request more, I¡¯ll have it prepared, and pray. Won¡¯t cure you but you both need to have a long conversation with god. Come back two days from now and I¡¯ll have the mixture ready for the pigs.¡±

    She waved them away and turned to find Henry still in the court chambers leaning on a pillar arms crossed. He smiled as she approached.

    ¡°Milady you are a font of wisdom the likes of which I¡¯ve never witnessed. You can best me in battle, you know the ways of a cunning woman, and you have a wit to match your blade skills. Then to hear the farmer whose wife you saved say it, the voice of an angel and a healing touch.¡±

    ¡°Lord Henry, the only thing in that statement that was true is that I can best you in battle.¡±

    Henry chuckled.

    ¡°You know peasants. Its either magic, a miracle or the devil. You handled court well, I am truly impressed you have the stoic composure of a statue when you need, yet you can also be compassionate and sensitive. You¡¯re truly an angel given human form I think.¡±

    If he¡¯d ever met one he¡¯d not think them so nice.

    ¡°You should be less cruel with your words, Angels are hardly angels. They¡¯re kind of assholes.¡±

    ¡°Whatever do you mean milady?¡±

    ¡°Pay me no mind Lord Henry, just out of sorts, I despise court, it is boring and I get frustrated with people¡¯s inability to solve their own problems, it¡¯s always Lady help me, god help me. I just want to cry, no help yourselves first!¡±

    Lord Henry laughed again.

    ¡°You are truly a lady after my own heart. You had no need to challenge me last night, or that boy today but you did because you needed that to get your blood flowing. You aren¡¯t some meek lady content to sit by the side of a man and serve him.¡±

    ¡°Never have been.¡±

    ¡°Tell me countess, are you bound by a betrothal?¡±

    ¡°No, why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I assumed such a majestic beauty as yourself would have been since a young age.¡±

    ¡°Hardly, my father was too scared of me!¡±

    ¡°Of that I have no doubt, a woman like you would scare most men away.¡±

    He glanced up noticing Mary waving to Enid.

    ¡°I believe you are being summoned milady, do not let me keep you from your guests. I just wanted to thank you for your hospitality and the entertainment today.¡±

    Henry bowed, Enid nodded and move towards Mary.

    ¡°Milady, Cindie she seems to be panicking, you should come quickly.¡±

    Enid sighed, it had been too long, and her influence had waned.

    ¡°Thank you, Mary, go about your other duties bring something to eat and drink in an hour or so please.¡±

    Enid moved into her private meeting chamber. Cindie was pacing back and forth. She looked about to faint.

    ¡°Cindie, thank you for waiting.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to burn me? Why are you keeping me here?¡±

    ¡°No, never Cindie, you¡¯re here under my protection.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you did that back there but I¡¯m no common folk, I¡¯m a cunning woman and I know you spelled me with magic.¡±

    ¡°You are right, I did use a charm to calm you down, because if I hadn¡¯t you might have done something rash and that would be all the bishop would need to accuse you of real witchcraft and I could never let a fellow cunning woman suffer that fate.¡±

    ¡°You are no cunning woman; You have such power. I can feel it radiating from you. You are a sorceress!¡±

    ¡°Shh, shh, would not do for the Bishop or his men to hear such talk will it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right milady.¡±

    ¡°Let us sit and talk.¡±

    ¡°Why would milady use her time like that?¡±

    ¡°Because you were dragged from your home, held captive, they didn¡¯t harm you, otherwise did they?¡±

    ¡°No, they dared not I told them I¡¯d make their bits shrivel off.¡±

    Enid genuinely laughed.

    ¡°Hardly going to help if you end up on trial for witchcraft. Which will not do either of us any good. How old are you Cindie?¡±

    ¡°Twenty-three seasons, milady. The years have not been kind.¡±

    ¡°How did you come to be burned on the face?¡±

    Cindie looked at the floor and shifted in her seat.

    ¡°When I was a young girl I didn¡¯t know to hide my gift, and my father caught me using it, and pushed my face into the fire. Told me that he was trying to cleanse me of the devil¡¯s taint.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I think I might know something of your gift and it may mean we¡¯re related in a fashion. I might be able to fix the damage, but it will be painful and there is a cost.¡±

    ¡°There always is, that is how it works. Balance must be maintained. How could we be related I sense the royalty in your blood. The dynasty that has spanned all time and before.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is my second father¡¯s blood. But I¡¯m talking about my other blood, you see I have the same gift you do, see the truth in things, get glimpses of the future. I¡¯ve always had it long before the rest. My father abused my gift for his own power. My other father has used me to hunt criminals for centuries. We will always be feared and used by men.¡±

    ¡°You speak the truth. You are truly ancient.¡±

    ¡°And I am no sorceress, the power I wield is the power stored in my blood.¡±

    ¡°You are vampyr.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I knew you would notice which is why I kept you here, its something the Bishop, the townsfolk, my servants, and the world of large cannot know.¡±

    ¡°You mean to kill me if I say no to your offer.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is also true. I hold no grudge against you but the Covenants are involatile and must never be broken again.¡±

    ¡°I see a great fire scorching a city of marble.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Nero burned Rome to destroy my kind, he failed, but he came close, many of my family died.¡±

    ¡°Death might be better than suffering like this.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the flesh is easy to fix once you¡¯re a vampire, as a mortal it would kill you.¡±

    ¡°You mean to turn me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, like I said there is a cost, you will be turned and trained in the ways of the Seer, how to enforce the covenants. In return you¡¯ll have everlasting life, your face will be beautiful once again and you¡¯ll be above all others on this earth save the royal family and council. But you¡¯ll be a woman apart. If you decline, I will kill you, this is not a threat, just the reality of the situation. In many ways your gift is a curse and this one of them. I can¡¯t have you wandering about like you are. The cost either way is death, I cannot tell you what lays at the end of the other path, that¡¯s something my sister would have known more of if she were not already dead again. At the end of the other, you will be bound to me, you will need to feed on blood, no more shall the sun warm your face gently, and servitude. Along with that is a certain amount of freedom, everlasting life and power beyond your wildest dreams. Touch my face and see.¡±

    Cindie touched Enid¡¯s cheek and her good eye rolled back. Her hand released Enid and she leaned heavily on the table.

    ¡°So much power at your fingertips, so much death. How do you not play god?¡±

    ¡°I live by the Covenants and when they show no guidance, I live by the example my second father and mother provided.¡±

    ¡°You are offering this to me? How do you know I¡¯m worthy?¡±

    ¡°Cindie, I have the same gift you do, I see into your soul and I know.¡±

    ¡°It is as much a curse as a gift.¡±

    ¡°That is the truth.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen so much.¡±

    ¡°That is also true.¡±

    ¡°Let me think it over.¡±

    Enid nodded and put her hand over Cindie¡¯s mouth and whispered.

    ¡°Mary is coming with food.¡±

    Soon afterward the door opened, and she motioned a servant to put down a tray. He stared at Cindie¡¯s disfigured face. Mary tugged him out of the room, and Enid could hear her chastising the whole way out of her private chambers.

    ¡°Eat.¡±

    Enid picked up a piece of bread and ate it, taking a sip of wine afterwards.

    ¡°But you¡¯re¡­you cannot¡­¡±

    ¡°Some of the legends are true for some of us, most aren¡¯t for my kind.¡±

    ¡°That would explain what else I saw.¡±

    ¡°What did you see?¡±

    ¡°A child of both life and death. And a silver fruit.¡±

    Fuck.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was the clearest image of all of them, and a woman of darkness whispering that she would take her due for this favor.¡±

    Fuck, fuck, fuck.

    ¡°Her name is Lilith and she is the reason I still live. She has her hand in this Narfordshire business. I knew that clueless idiot couldn¡¯t make a Strix on his own. It¡¯s the darkest of blood magics. I¡¯d hoped it was some new moon, accidental thing, and now he¡¯s dead so I can¡¯t ask him. Well played you old hag.¡±

    ¡°You killed the monster hunting the dark of night. I saw that too. It nearly killed you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was far more powerful than it had any right to be being so young. That kind of power I wouldn¡¯t have expected until it had been hunting for centuries.¡±

    ¡°She must have fed it, and she must have been here, or is here. That cagey bitch.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you should be speaking of her like that, she is very powerful. I can sense that. The kind of power created by eons of rage.¡±

    ¡°If she¡¯s offended, she can blow it out her fucking crusted over she-bitch hole. It¡¯s about the only thing that can come out of there.¡±

    Enid had descended into a mix of Latin and the pictish language when she started making up new names for Lilith. Cindie¡¯s eye widened at the stream of profanity leaving Enid¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Sorry, she is a manipulative¡­being of pure evil, she managed to get my father to execute my sister and got my husband to help. Curse them both.¡±

    Enid took another swig of the wine and chewed on more bread. Not what she wanted to be biting at the moment, but it would do.

    ¡°I have made up my mind, but I will not be able to be trained by you, one will come with a message and you¡¯ll send me with her.¡±

    ¡°I sensed that too. Then tonight we will turn you, after I¡¯ve had my servant gather food. I have just the men in mind.¡±

    ¡°As you say.¡±

    ¡°Go outside, enjoy the summer sun, it will be the last time you can.¡±

    Enid rang the bell again, and a few minutes later Mary showed up.

    ¡°Mary, take Cindie to my private gardens and stay with her, and ensure no one bothers her. Not even the Bishop.¡±

    ¡°Yes milady.¡±

    Enid leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. She ran through the faces of those she¡¯d met while in Narfordshire.

    Which one was her?

 Narfordshire - 1200s-part 8 - The Messenger

    ¡°Keep your guard up Christoff, and don¡¯t overextend when you strike.  Keep your strength in check, use it when you need to but otherwise use your speed.¡±

    Christoff nodded wiping sweat away from his forehead.

    ¡°You¡¯re doing much better, give it another six months I might think you¡¯re ready to actually guard something. Again.¡±

    Christoff sighed and tried to break through Enid¡¯s guard.  Unlike the first time they met she was not making it easy to strike her.  And this time they used practice swords.  He wasn¡¯t making it easy either.  After several minutes of back and forth Enid found an opening and brought the wooden sword in hard against the padding, she used enough force to leave a bruise. Christoff cried out in pain.

    ¡°You need to get used to the pain Christoff, if a blade hits your armor but doesn¡¯t penetrate it, it will still hurt.  That shock, that is what kills.  You need to push through the pain, be above it, focus on the task at hand and use the bruises to woo maidens after the battle.¡±

    He blushed a bit.

    ¡°You are still holding back.  I¡¯m tough I can take it.  Used to be if I didn¡¯t stop a blow from my father it¡¯d be broken ribs.  A bruise won¡¯t kill me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Milady but your betrothed may kill me.¡±

    ¡°Henry is harmless.¡±

    ¡°Says you, he gives me a look like he wants to end me every time he lays eyes on me.¡±

    ¡°He is jealous of all the time I spend training you. Between you and Rosealyn my days are quite full, but a promise is a promise and I shall train you until I trust you with the lives of my family.¡±

    ¡°Milady, I respect you, but I don¡¯t think I could be more ready then you if I had a hundred years to practice.¡±

    If you only knew how right you were.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough for today.¡±

    Enid put her blade in the weapon rack and made her way back to her chambers.  She could hear Christoff speaking to one of the new men Enid had brought on to help defend the Earldom.  Christoff was still breathing heavily from their training session.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand it, six months we¡¯ve been training and she works me like a dog, and I sweat like a pig, and she doesn¡¯t even have a hair of place.  It¡¯s like she¡¯s on a whole other level then us mere mortals.¡±

    ¡°In more way then one lad!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the countess you¡¯re talking about, best be careful Lord Henry doesn¡¯t hear you.¡±

    ¡°That blow hard.¡±

    ¡°That blow hard is the only man I know who would have a chance in a fight against the countess.  They came to blows in the stables once.  As the story goes Lord Henry and she went blow for blow.¡±

    ¡°I heard he got himself spanked with her sword.  Wonder who wears the pants in that relationship.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter, when I asked to be hired as a men-at-arms she kicked my ass in a dress. Only reason I managed to not get kicked out was she let me injure her arm.  I knew she¡¯d done it on purpose but to be trained by someone like that.¡±

    ¡°Someone like who?  The most beautiful maiden in the Duchy?¡±

    ¡°No, the greatest swordsman I¡¯ve ever seen. Its like she was born with one in her hand.  I get the feeling she could take on an army of a hundred men and come out the other side neigh unscathed.¡±

    ¡°Lad, you need to lay off the wine. It¡¯s going to your head.¡±

    Enid shook her head with a smile as she closed her door, silencing the outside world. She stripped her clothes off and slipped into the hot bath.  She washed the mud and grime of the fight off and then washed her hair.  There was a knock at her door.  Enid could tell it was Mary, but the one she was with the scent was unfamiliar.

    ¡°I¡¯m not decent, Mary.¡±

    ¡°William said you¡¯d want to see her right away, milady.¡±

    ¡°Oh, send her in.¡±

    She sank into the tub and pushed up wards to rinse her hair and stepped out of the tub.  The person with Enid was someone she recognized quite well on sight.

    ¡°Hiptsu, what brings you to this shit hole?¡±

    ¡°Your royal highness I have a message from the council, for your eyes only.¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°They sent a Seer as a common messenger?¡±

    ¡°The emperor requested it himself, and that I bid you greetings on his behalf.¡±

    Enid dried herself off and pulled on a robe pushing her hair over the back of it. She reached out for the letter.

    ¡°Also, if it¡¯s bad news they knew I wouldn¡¯t kill my own second daughter.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, your royal highness.¡±

    Enid broke the seal and a wisp of magic escaped.

    Wonder what curse would have befallen a would-be spy.

    Enid unraveled the scroll.  Letting out heavy sigh.

    ¡°They couldn¡¯t just use fucking Latin?  They had to write it in father¡¯s code?¡±

    She scanned the paper.  She hated translating the gibberish she could just use the tablet but then she¡¯d get out of practice doing itself.  When she reached the end her eyebrow arched and the parchment tore under her fingers.

    ¡°Bad news your royal highness.¡±

    ¡°The worst kind.  You are well positioned blah blah blah, the council feels at this time it is prudent to keep you in the position, blah blah blah, stability of the region blah blah blah.  Your skill as a courtier, and your skill with a blade make you a strong pillar to base the region on.  Blah blah blah.  With kindest regards.  In other words, keep sitting on my hands and playing nursemaid to a bunch of Pugmentia.  I¡¯ll need you to return a message for me, and since I¡¯m going to be stuck here, I¡¯ve a new Seer for you to train.  Make yourself comfortable.  Bath?  Blood?¡±

    ¡°I will be fine your royal highness.¡±

    ¡°For the love of the gods, call me Enid.¡±

    ¡°Yes, your royal highness.¡±

    Enid frowned and started writing furiously on a parchment.  Deciding on a mix of Egyptian hieroglyphics, Latin, Greek and for good measure Babylonian.  She rolled it up and sealed it placing it back in the tube.  She pricked her finger and sealed the tube with her blood.  Wishing that all blood eaten by the victim who opens it that is not Sextus tastes of manure and bog water until the suck on a hags still attached toe under the high noon sun on the summer solstice. and if it were a non-vampire their heart stop on the spot.

    ¡°It is for Sextus¡¯s eyes only.¡±

    ¡°As you decree your royal highness.¡±

    ¡°Wait here I¡¯ll get Cindie so you can leave immediately. She¡¯s only six months old, she¡¯s still new to the gift of blood.¡±

    Hiptsu nodded.  She slipped the scroll case into her pack.  Enid made her way to Cindie¡¯s room.  She was unrecognizable now.  Enid had done excellent work on her scar.  Only a normal face remained.  She had already packed her things and was sitting on the bed waiting for Enid to arrive.

    ¡°You know I take it?¡±

    ¡°Yes milady, I¡¯m to go with the one who came before me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, her name is Hiptsu, she is my second daughter as are you, that makes you sisters.  Listen to her as you would me, I can think of no better to train you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, milady, you have made me a new woman.¡±

    Cindie touched her face where the scar used to be and looked in the silver mirror.

    ¡°You were already beautiful Cindie, I just removed the damage your father did to you, nothing more.¡±

    ¡°You did more than that milady, you healed my soul.  I was bitter and angry at the world.  I hated him, I hated everyone for the looks they would give me, but you never looked at me like a monster.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you were never one, just angry and justifiably so, we may not see each other again, Seers tend to lead solitary lives and travel.¡±

    ¡°I will think of you often, and I will live by your example.¡±

    Cindie embraced Enid who then took her arm and lead her to Hiptsu.

    Hiptsu nodded in greeting to Cindie.

    ¡°Greetings sister.  We have far to travel tonight.  We should get started. But before we go¡­  Your royal highness, if I may be so bold as to ask what you wrote in your letter, so I may know if it will be well received or not?¡±

    ¡°I told my father I needed a dowry if the council was going to keep me here and wants me to shift mortal power to a mortal, and he better make it a big one.  Also, an update on matters here. And an introduction for Cindie.¡±

    Hiptsu smiled and bowed low.

    ¡°Fair travels to the both of you, may the sun never warm your faces.¡±

    Enid watched as the pair left through a secret exit.  She slipped off her robe and summoned Mary with the bell.

    ¡°Help me into my dress, we¡¯re going to have guests late this evening.¡±

    Mary helped Enid on with another one of the obnoxious dresses she was forced to wear to keep up appearances.

    ¡°Tell William I need to see him immediately.¡±

    Mary nodded and moved off.  Enid sat at her dressing table and slid the silver hair clips into her hair, pushing it back out of her face.  She smiled at herself.

    They¡¯ll love this at vampire court.

    She stood and walked towards the door of her chamber, William was about to knock, and he stumbled backwards when seeing her hair.  Enid smiled

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just wasn¡¯t expecting the silver, Milady.  Are you sure it¡¯s wise if you¡¯re going to call a court?¡±

    ¡°Well since I¡¯m not allowed my silver sword because it¡¯s a weapon and it violates the law of safe conduct these Pugmentia cling to it¡¯s the next best thing.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯re silver.¡±

    ¡°Hair pins, they aren¡¯t weapons, by any definition of the word.¡±

    ¡°Of course, milady.  I will summon the court immediately.¡±

    Enid made her way towards the court chambers.  And settled down into her seat atop the dais.  It took two hours but the court was soon attended by all thirteen of the vampires that claimed citizenship in the area.

    ¡°Thank you all for coming, I heard from Prague.  The council has asked me to stay on until we can stabilize the area further.¡±

    Enid held up her hands as the vampires erupted into a shouting match as to why this was the worst decision possible. She left them slowly quiet themselves before speaking again.

    ¡°You know my feelings on the matter, I want to be gone as much as you want me gone, but I¡¯m bound by the council¡¯s orders.  It is their feeling that none of you have what it takes to deal with balancing the workers for the church, the banditry we¡¯ve been suffering, and the ability to maneuver a mortal into this chair.  I have given them other recommendations but was ignored.  I have a plan, it is long term but we¡¯re all immortal, so what is a few years right?¡±

    ¡°What is your plan then?¡±

    ¡°I will marry Lord Henry, in a mortal ceremony.  Once he¡¯s established and the church is finished, I¡¯ll have a tragic accident or die for the ¡°pox¡± then my successor whoever that may be will take over and hold court elsewhere leaving mortal matters, to the mortals.  And vampire matters to whoever that might be.  In the meantime, we need to keep everything as the status quo.  Even a year after the Strix the church is sniffing around.¡±

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t translated those scrolls for them, would they still be?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re like dogs sniffing out a bitch in heat.  We all must do our best to limit talk of supernatural, or devilry in the area.  We need this place to be a Christian bastion in a corrupt and evil world.  Where god is responsible for miracles, not the devil with his bargains.¡±

    Wilham spoke up, he was always the loud one.

    ¡°You speak nonsense, milady.¡±

    ¡°If I still ate mortal food even speaking of the church would make me vomit.  However, it is my job to protect you by doing so, so I do so.  Who here hasn¡¯t profited from the church¡¯s reconstruction and expansion? Wilham, have you not had a ten-fold increase in income from your quarry?¡±

    ¡°Yes milady.¡±

    ¡°And you, Victoria, you¡¯ve had how much more of your clothing sell?  My point is, every single one of you has profited.  New territories have opened up, blood has been flowing freely all because of the church and my guidance.¡±

    Enid looked to each of the assembled vampires who all nodded.

    ¡°Then why do you want me gone so badly?  Have I not given you mostly free reign to expand your interests?  I put no limits on your blood slaves, I freely give my assistance to any who request it and I¡¯ve not raised a blade to any vampire in the territory of Narfordshire since my hand was forced by your former leader.  So then why am I so despised and feared?¡±

    The vampires looked each other and the stone floor.

    ¡°I am dangerous, I¡¯m older then then lot of you combined, but I demand no control over you, I expect only that you keep the covenants and heed my advice, all of which is in your own best interests.  If anything I would think you demand I stay.  I control the security forces; I control the church construction and I¡¯ve got the bishop bound to me.  You are safer than you have ever been, and you have more freedom then Odocar ever deemed offer you.  I ensure you get the best contracts from the church and the king.  And I literally ask for you to follow the laws of the empire, with no cut of your money save that demanded by the king¡¯s taxes.¡±

    Enid leaned back in her chair.

    ¡°I apologize for the rant my vampire brothers and sisters, I was expecting to be released from this gilded cage and instead was sentenced to a human lifetime it seems.  Does anyone have any concerns?¡±

    She looked to each vampire in turn once again.  Seeing no takers she stood up and motioned to a table it had an array of chalices holding fresh blood.

    ¡°Please feel free to mingle and partake of the refreshments.  Fresh as it was taken for the mortal who donated it to our feast.¡±

    Bunch of ingrates.

 Narfordshire - 1200s - Part 9 - Uprising

    Enid leaned on the wooden pillar that held up the cover for the pig pen.  She wore her standard black tunic, pants and riding boots.  The hood of her cloak was up and she had the familiar weight of Bloodseeker at her hip.  She had her arms crossed and was tapping fingers the sides of her chest.  She stopped realizing what she was doing.  All this time among the humans, some of their mannerisms had rubbed off on her and she scowled under her hood.  She heard the rumble of thunder and glanced up at the roiling black clouds that concealed the moon and stars.

    Dark and stormy night, how clich¨¦.

    She heard a door close gently and footsteps approached.  A loud whisper called out into the pitch-black night.

    ¡°Are you there milady?¡±

    The pigs grunted in response to the whisper milling about.

    They know the voice, good.

    Enid let the shadows that clung tightly fall away.  She had no intent for it to be for dramatic effect but when the lightning arc across the clouds and her silhouette appeared out of nowhere the person who had summoned her stumbled backwards falling against some buckets making a loud ruckus.

    Enid leaped forward and offered her hand.

    ¡°Yes Jacob, I¡¯m here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank god it¡¯s you milady.¡±

    ¡°Trust me he¡¯d mostly like tell you not to do that where I¡¯m concerned.  What was so important you dragged me out of my estate in the midst of a summer storm eve before my wedding?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ well¡­  You see.¡±

    Enid snapped her fingers.

    ¡°Out with-it Jacob.¡±

    ¡°Well, some of the men, they¡¯ve been gathering forces and weapons to uh, revolt tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°How did you come by this information?¡±

    ¡°Well, you see, they umm, approached me¡­ err¡±

    Enid took his hand gently she could hear the terror in his voice.

    ¡°I wanted to say something, but I was scared of them, of you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay Jacob, I absolve you of any crimes you may have committed, just tell me what you know.¡±

    ¡°Well, they approached me about a month ago.  And they said that they thought I might be interested since you had, well insulted my manhood in front of the village.  They said they weren¡¯t going to allow a new tyrant to enslave them like their parents had been enslaved.  They said now was the time since you were a Lord with no standing army.  And you are a woman, you¡¯d be weak.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes, released Jacob¡¯s hand, and clinched her fists.  Jacob cowered as the waves of anger radiated off Enid.

    ¡°Those were their exact words?  That I¡¯m a woman and I¡¯d be weak?¡±

    ¡°There were other things they said, about what they¡¯d do¡­¡±

    ¡°Did they?¡±

    ¡°Yes, milady, I played along, but when they said what they¡¯d do once they killed your guards, I just couldn¡¯t let them.  You helped me so much, Jameson took me in, I am betrothed.  If it wasn¡¯t for you, I¡¯d still be the weird boy of the village.¡±

    ¡°Jacob, I¡¯m not angry with you, I appreciate that you risked yourself to gather the information you did.¡±

    ¡°But ma¡¯am, there¡¯s one thing.  They took some women and children.  For people who resisted.  They threatened things.  They think I¡¯m with them so the left my betrothed be but there are others they have captured.¡±

    ¡°Tell me where.¡±

    ¡°There in a barn, it used to belong to a family that was killed taking goods home from market.  You know just before the monster attacks started?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a monster Jacob, just a rabid wolf, killed it myself.¡±

    ¡°I know milady.¡±

    ¡°How many are there?¡±

    ¡°Fifteen, maybe sixteen.  There is one he¡¯s the one instigating stuff, kind of a leader, don¡¯t know who he is, he¡¯s a pale man.  Never seen him before by the others they seem to know him, said he¡¯s lived in town as long as they remember.  He¡¯s the one who said they should start kidnapping wives and children to get more men.¡±

    ¡°Oh, did he? Describe him to me please Jacob, spare no detail.¡±

    ¡°I donno, he has a greying beard, long blonde hair.  He¡¯s tall, giant of a man, full six foot, and fifteen stone I¡¯d say.¡±

    ¡°Einar, not content to wait, fool.¡±

    ¡°You know him Milady.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m acquainted with him.¡±

    ¡°Milady, you know most of them, they wouldn¡¯t be doing this if he wasn¡¯t pushing them.  Everyone knows you¡¯re kind and generous.  And merciful.  Look at a poor wretch like me, doing stuff with pigs cause I was told it would make me more of a man.  Now I¡¯m betrothed, and I have a pig farm.¡±

    ¡°Jacob, I will give them a chance to surrender.  Stay inside tonight.  You have my word I will give them a chance, and I will save the innocents among them.  Einar will see his last dawn.¡±

    ¡°Yes Milady.¡±

    ¡°In two days, you need to come to the keep, I want a full list of names of all involved.  Every single one.  We can¡¯t let this fester or leave any free to spread further lies.  What they have contemplated is suicide and if someone decides to be a hero of the people they will die and the King and Duke will demand retribution for the revolt, do you understand?  Tell no one what you know except me, I will deal with is personally, no need for the King¡¯s men to show up and start accusing innocent folks like yourself. He¡¯s been known to execute entire towns for contemplating this.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°I understand Milady.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Jacob. Now go inside and bar your doors and windows.¡±

    ¡°Yes Milady.¡±

    Enid pulled up her hood and walked to Noctus who waited nearby.

    Things are going to get bloody tonight and loud.  Go back to the keep boy.

    Enid patted Noctus, who neighed and shook his head.

    Go, now.  This is work for me and me alone.

    Noctus stomped his front hooves but then began to gallop in the direction of the keep.  Enid wrapped her cloak about her then leapt into the air.  She could feel the fighting wind currents and the thickness of the air.  Lightning flashed across the sky again and she landed beside the barn silently wrapping the shadows around herself.  She leaned against the old wood of the barn closing her eyes and listened.  She recognized Einar¡¯s gravelly voice immediately.

    ¡°Tomorrow you will taste freedom.  Those of you loyal to the cause will be richly rewarded.  I have much power I can share and will.  Drink and we will be blood brothers.  Then we¡¯ll take what we want from the women of the men too weak to keep them safe.¡±

    Enid sighed.  They¡¯ll have to die now.  I hope the women and children aren¡¯t seeing this or hearing this.  He¡¯s plying them with blood convincing them to do things they wouldn¡¯t normally do, make it easy to kill and fight tomorrow when the self-loathing sets in.

    Enid crept along the side of the barn as rain began to pelt her.  She looked through the various  loosely attached boards.  She saw no sign of the women and children.  She looked around and spied the house.  She noticed the guard, it was one of Odocar¡¯s former lackeys.  His death was swift, she flitted to him in a flash and snapped his neck laying his body down gently.  She could hear someone talking inside. Was another voice she recognized, another one of Odocar¡¯s lackeys.  He was right behind the door.

    So that¡¯s where you lot got off to, sucking on Einar¡¯s tit.

    ¡°You all look so tasty, always favored children though.  Who wants to be spared? Give me your daughter and you can leave.  Won¡¯t hurt her much.¡±

    Not tonight.

    Enid kicked the door in. Burst through it.  The force of the action making her hood fall off her head.  Sending the man spawling.  Inside were several women and several children, all cowering together.  Tears, cries of fear filled the tight space of the home.  Odocar¡¯s lackey pushed himself up and drew his blade, which he dropped immediately upon seeing Enid¡¯s face.

    ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like, I uh¡­¡±

    ¡°You think I¡¯m deaf, I heard exactly what you said, you sick son of a bitch. I¡¯m going to hang you from your entrails as a warning to the rest of you lot.¡±

    ¡°Please no!  I was just.¡±

    Enid kicked his sword up, grabbed it with her hand and threw it with more strength than she should have.  She sent him flying back into the wall, the blade buried itself deep leaving him dangling like a puppet.  He coughed and gagged.  It would kill him, but he¡¯d probably last a bit.

    ¡°Suffer you sick disgusting cockroach.¡±

    The silence of the room that the fight had caused was suddenly disrupted by retching and muffled screams of children as their mothers tried to silence them.

    ¡°Go quickly but do it quietly.  Enid motioned to the door.¡±

    The house emptied rapidly, leaving only one woman with two toddlers.  Enid recognized her immediately, it was Annie.  Another hesitated, she had a single child with her, Katherine.  The pair looked at her.

    ¡°Milady will you be alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, hurry you have only a bit of time before the storm gets worse.¡±

    Enid pulled up her hood and made her way to the barn.  The doors were closed.

    Won¡¯t have to limit myself here. Einar made it easy.

    Enid pulled the doors open and walked through them.  She looked around. She recognized several of the men from town and two vampires, Einar, and Rolf.  Father and Son.  The townsfolk didn¡¯t recognize her, but Einar and Rolf immediately reached for weapons.  The closest man drunk from the power of the blood he just drank walked forward.

    ¡°What are you doing here boy?¡±

    Enid didn¡¯t respond, she just reached out her hand towards him, clenched her fist and pulled her fist towards her.  When he landed at her feet she stepped on his head, his skull popped, and blood gushed all over the floor.  There were screams of surprise and terror.  She pulled her hood down her eyes glowed an eerie golden light her fangs where out as she unleashed the fullness of her rage on the room.  Several of the new bound blood slaves had quickly growing puddles at their feet on themselves and one clutched his chest and died on the spot.  Others scrambled into corners shivering.

    ¡°I was kind.  I was patient. I didn¡¯t throw my weight around.  I didn¡¯t take any territory away.  I helped you pugmentia as much as I could.  Then you plot behind my back. Did you think it would be so easy?  Did you think I was oblivious to your plot?¡±

    The axes of Einar and Rolf both wavered.  As the pair stepped back.  They were able to keep their senses unlike the mortals around them.

    ¡°You truly do not understand the power of the royal family, do you?  What we are capable of when driven to anger, unshackled by the covenants that protect you from us as much as us from the mortals.  You made it easy for me, by giving these men blood, revealing yourselves to them.  A barn far from prying eyes.  On a stormy night of all the times you could choose.   Let me show you what my father¡¯s gift can do, then you can fight me, or you can fight each other, and the survivor can be a herald of the wrath an imperial can unleash so you can tell the other Pugmentia who have forgotten why we rule.¡±

    Enid reached her hand up she chanted in a language from time beyond creation¡¯s beginning. Her voice took on an echoing kind as if she spoke with four voices.  The barn¡¯s roof shattered wood raining down from an intense down rush of air that knocked down the surrounding mortals and blew the doors out sent boards from the barn walls flying in all directions.  Then the crackling lightning struck Enid¡¯s outstretched hand, it crackled down her arm and into her other hand which she held out in front of her. It arced out striking each mortal in the barn they all twitched as black char marks etched into their skins leaving only charred remains behind.  The barn roof caught fire.  The crack of thunder sent Einar and Rolf flying.  Enid drew Bloodseeker.

    ¡°So does one of you wish to be my herald or do you both wish to die by my blade, he¡¯s very hungry hasn¡¯t fed in a long time.¡±

    Einar roared with fury and charged Enid, only to be struck down from behind by Rolf¡¯s thrown axe.  Einar tried to lift himself, but his legs refused to respond.  Rolf had pieced much of his spine with his axe with it still there he couldn¡¯t heal the wound.  Rolf approached reaching for the handle of his axe and Enid held up her hand.  Rolf took a knee as Enid approached.  Enid pushed Bloodseeker into Einar¡¯s shoulder twisting it.  His runes glowed red as he started to drink Einar¡¯s blood.  Einar began to shrivel Enid dug the blade deeper.

    ¡°Take it all, Bloodseeker, drain his soul.¡±

    Einar¡¯s body began to twitch and then fell away from Bloodseeker¡¯s blade.  The desiccated remains looked like they had been mummified over several hundred years.

    ¡°Remember the mercy I showed you tonight Rolf, tell all pugmentia you meet of my power and let them know that I am done coddling the lot of you, and the next to defy my authority will suffer a fate ten-fold worse than Einar.  Take your axe and go before I change my mind.¡±

    Enid started throwing the oil lamps on the hay and dry wood that covered the barn.  Within moments the barn was engulfed.  The wind was howling now rain pelted Enid.  The barn had turned into a tornado of fire.  She walked down the road a deliberate pace.  She heard the gallop of hooves and saw the silhouette of several armored men on horseback approaching.  The pulled their reins as Enid¡¯s was outlined when another brilliant flash of sheet lightning arced through the clouds.

    ¡°Halt, who goes there?¡±

    Enid smiled to herself, Lord Henry of course.  Another flash of lightning and she could see his black hair whipped around by the wind.  Enid raised her voice to get above the howling wind and pounding rain.

    ¡°I can be a bandit if you¡¯d like a re-match the night before our wedding, my love.¡±

    Henry shook his head and motioned closer pulling her up on the horse with him.  He snuck a kiss as she climbed past him.  Enid wrapped her arms around his waist.  Leaning her head against his back.

    ¡°Let¡¯s, go home my love.  The rain will put the fire out.¡±

    Henry nodded and turned his horse motioning the men to do the same.  The ride was swift no one seemed to want to spend more time out in the storm then they had to.  Soon after arriving at the keep the night found Henry and Enid wrapped in furs in front of the fire.  Henry shivered while nursing his mulled wine.  Enid, seemed unaffected by the chill, or being soaked to the bone.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you can always be so calm.  You never seem hot, or cold.  You just seem comfortable wherever you are, no matter the conditions.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what happen when you grow up in the highlands.¡±

    Henry shivered again and nodded and looked up at Enid.  Her hair was still soaked in water and clung to her face and cheeks.  He pushed stray strands away from her eyes.

    ¡°When Noctus returned without you and William told me had no idea where you were I grew worried and took the men out in search of you.  Then we ran into some women and children fleeing down the road and they¡¯d said you rescued them from several men who¡¯d taken them captive.  They said you killed two men, one you pinned to the wall with his own sword.  Said you were going into the barn after the rest of the men who¡¯d been involved.  Then we came across two stragglers who said they¡¯d seen lightning strike behind them and that there had been a tornado of fire that lit up the horizon.  I thought I may have lost you on the eve of our wedding.¡±

    ¡°You worry too much Henry.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I worry enough.  You take off all the time at all hours, no guard.  As if you¡¯re invincible.  You seem to fear nothing.  When you set your mind, you¡¯re like a rock unmoving.  When you declare action, you¡¯re like a windstorm leaving destruction in your wake.  When you hold court, you have the gravitas of a King.  Your vassals look up to you.  When they come to you they know you will be fair to them in all things.  Yet they still fear you.  Even I find myself with a flutter in my chest.  You have this presence about you that you will bode no defiance of your will, and that you have the power to enforce it by sheer force of personality.  You are an enigma Sarah of Savia, and I feel I have only scratched the surface.  You can kill someone with a few words as surely as your blade.  And you are barely old enough to marry.  I wonder will happen when you bloom into a regal grandmother. How you¡¯ve consumed my soul.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just a product of my father.  He made me promise I chart my own course in life and allow no other to do so.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to meeting him one day.  I¡¯m sorry he couldn¡¯t come to the wedding.  My father was impressed with the sizable dowry and was looking forwarding to meeting him.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes lazily and nodded.

    ¡°You seem tired, are you alright?¡±

    ¡°It was exhausting dealing with the uprising tonight.¡±

    Henry grabbed her cheeks with his hands and kissed her on the lips tenderly.

    ¡°What happened?   Not what you want to tell me, what really happened?¡±

    Enid inhaled Henry¡¯s scent.  And leaned into his warm hand on her cheek.

    ¡°I reached out my hand in friendship and got bitten, so I bit back.  And too many people had to die because of one man¡¯s arrogance and greed.¡±

    ¡°You fought them all yourself?¡±

    Enid nodded and snuggled into Henry¡¯s embrace.

    ¡°How many?¡±

    ¡°Does it matter?¡±

    Henry shook his head and pulled Enid close leaning against as much as she against him.

    ¡°And the lightning?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened one minute I was standing there the two strongest of them left the next I was picking myself up from on top of a barn door looking at a barn gone up in flames.  No one else survived.  I¡¯ll take it as a miracle and God¡¯s will for us to marry and rule over these lands.¡±

    ¡°Aye, how else would you survive?¡±

    ¡°I can think of no other way.¡±

    Henry kissed the top of her head tugging Enid in closer.

    ¡°You are truly blessed.¡±

 Narfordshire 1200s - Part 10 - A wedding

    Enid slipped through the tunnel she¡¯d had dug to the church.  It was reinforced with stone.  She came out into the crypts.  They were an undercroft to the church above.  The crypt was silent.  She looked over the stone tombs, knights and ladies carved into their surfaces.  The fire that ravaged the church above hadn¡¯t touched them.  She touched the smooth polished surfaces of the most recent one.  A crusader who had died only a few short decades ago.  Beside it leaned the leather sack containing her dress.  Mary had prepared her hair before Enid had left her keep.  She likely could have walked across the distance between her estate and the church and been fine, but the sun hurt her eyes.  And she would have risked a burn.  She pulled off her tunic and pants.  Then retrieved her wedding dress from the sack.  She looked it over.  It was white with elaborate silver embroidery.  The dress itself was a simple thing, not as grandiose as her usual silk dresses. It had more in common with something she would have worn in Rome then King Edward the 2<sup>nd</sup>¡¯s England.  She pulled it over her head and pulled her veil and white silk slippers from the sack.  She pulled the shadows about herself and made her way to the antechamber she was expected to wait in as bride.  She pulled on her slippers and placed her veil over her face.  And for the first time in centuries was startled by a familiar voice behind her.

    ¡°Daughter.¡±

    Enid spun and hugged Sextus burying her face in his chest.

    ¡°Father. Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I felt the echo of a tear in the fabric of reality.  It worried me.  For you to call on such power I thought you may be in danger.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry father.  I was so angry.¡±

    He put his hand under her chin.

    ¡°You are twelve hundred years old, and you still let your emotions rule you.¡±

    ¡°No father, it was just that once.¡±

    ¡°And when you left Lucius?  Swearing you would never speak to him again?¡±

    ¡°He betrayed Mariana.¡±

    ¡°No, she betrayed us.¡±

    ¡°She was trying to save us, but you wouldn¡¯t listen, and he wouldn¡¯t explain.¡±

    ¡°This imaginary necromancer you ranted about that evening.  There was no evidence, nor did I sense him, it would be impossible to hide himself from me if he still existed.  I killed him long ago.¡±

    ¡°Father I saw him myself!¡±

    ¡°You think you saw him, because Mariana told you that¡¯s who he was.  She was obsessed.¡±

    Enid shoved Sextus away with a strength he didn¡¯t seem to realize she possessed.

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown stronger over the years with my gifts.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve grown conceited and cold.  She was your daughter.  She was my sister.  I¡¯ll never forgive any of you.¡±

    ¡°If you feel so strongly why do you still heed my wishes, and the councils?¡±

    ¡°Because someone has to do what you and the rest of the politicians won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s because you know in your heart our actions were just, you just refuse to listen to it.¡±

    ¡°Did you come to lecture me?  Bring up old wounds?  Is that why I¡¯m stuck in this shit pile?¡±

    ¡°No, I came because my only daughter is getting married, again, and I thought she was in danger.  And I kept you here so you could rest, center yourself, get some perspective.  You were becoming cold, treating humans like food.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what they are isn¡¯t it?  Food?¡±

    ¡°No, they are people child, they are short lived but each one is a miracle.  Like your own children.¡±

    ¡°Yet you set me to killing any who find out about us.¡±

    ¡°For our protection, and their protection.  Open war between our kind would kill so many more.¡±

    Enid held up her hand shaking her head.

    ¡°Leave, I need to put on my I¡¯m happy to be marrying a blood sack face.¡±

    Enid frowned, sometimes her gift was a curse, she sensed the hurt she had just caused the only man that deserved to be called her father.  She turned to say something more, but he had left as silently as he had entered.

    Why do I do that?  Hurt them before they can hurt me more.

    Enid wiped the blood tears from her face. She closed her eyes and composed herself, pulling veil back down. When she exited the antechamber, her father stood there waiting for her.  He offered his hand she looked up meeting his gaze through the veil.  He nodded to her and patted her hand.  They could speak volumes with just a look.  Enid smiled under her veil.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°You have always been like my blood daughter Enid.  In both anger and love.  Know that I appreciate all you do for our kind, even this small sacrifice.  When I go to my final rest you will succeed me as Empress.  Lucius isn¡¯t the man I would have wished.¡±

    Enid nodded and straightened her posture.  The pair made their way into the church and down the aisle.  It was packed with nobles and members of the royal family.  Henry was the nephew of the king after all.  Enid kept her head high, even the Archbishop had come from Canterbury.  Yesterday he had consecrated the new altar.  And today he would Mary the nephew of the king.  Sextus kept a steady pace beside Enid and once they¡¯d reached the altar, he gave her a kiss on the forehead and stood in streaming sunlight of a stained-glass window.

    Enid looked up at Henry who had a wide smile.   The archbishop looked to the couple and then back to Henry.  The archbishop led the pair through the ceremony and began to bless the rings near the end when the twang of a bow echoed through the silence of the cavernous church.  Without thinking Enid snatched the arrow out of the air the tip just barely touching the Archbishops vestments.  With more strength then either Henry or the Archbishop thought possible she pushed them to the ground.  Her hand reaching for a non-existent sword at her hip.  Scanning the church, she spotted the would-be assassin being pushed to the ground.  He was shouting something that was muffled by the guards who had tackled him to the ground.  Enid tossed the arrow aside and offered her hands to the men she had just shoved to the ground.

    ¡°My apologies your grace.  I thought there might be more than one.¡±

    The Archbishop stood dusting off his vestments.  Then looked down at Enid.

    ¡°Child you are surely a gift from God to have saved me.¡±

    He made the sign of the cross looking up.  Henry dusted off his clothing as well then straightened up.  He gave a small half smile.

    ¡°What is a wedding without an assassination attempt?¡±

    The archbishop gave Henry a scolding glance.

    ¡°This is a sacramental rite you should treat it with more seriousness.¡±

    To his credit the archbishop continued where he left off and blessed the rings.  The rest of the ceremony finished without incident.  Later, at the reception in the main hall of the keep the archbishop approached Enid.

    ¡°Lady Sarah, I wanted to thank you again for your quick actions today.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry that your grace was involved in that.  I believe the assassin had poor aim and was trying to shoot me.¡±

    ¡°Who would want to do such a thing, from what I¡¯ve been told you are a fair and just noblewoman, and charitable.  The church, and soon to be cathedral owes most of its funding to you.¡±

    ¡°Some of the men who made accusations against a woman, and some of the loyalists of my uncle thought me unfair, and worse a usurper so decided to improve their station by trying to kill myself and my husband.  I dealt with the bulk of them, but it seems one managed to avoid my wrath. I apologize that you almost became a casualty of the minor uprising.  I assure you that any remaining conspirators will be dealt with come tomorrow.  But today is my wedding day, a day of celebration.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, milady, Lord Henry is truly a lucky man.¡±

    Enid curtsied to the Archbishop and moved away.  She looked over the assembled guests.  She noticed her father speaking to the King, and Lord Henry¡¯s father.  She moved closer and smiled nodding to other guests along the way, finally moving to stand by her husband.  She focused her hearing on the spot where her father was, the king was speaking first.

    ¡°I heard the twang of the bow string and I surely thought it was meant for me.  The archbishop is a blow hard but hardly worth assassinating.  Then quick as could be she snatches it out of the air like magic.¡±

    ¡°Hardly magic, your majesty, my daughter has always had quick reflexes.  Had a terrible time trying to teach her swordplay, it was like she knew where my blade was going to be before I swung it.¡±

    ¡°And how she pushed the archbishop and my son down.  Strong woman, with no fear.  My son is in good hands.  Speaking of swordplay, why did you teach her the ways of war, her being a woman?¡±

    ¡°Clan warfare is a constant in the Highlands, everyone needs to know how to protect themselves, women included.  Besides with her mother gone, I had no way of teaching her womanly ways.¡±

    ¡°Yet I here she knows the ways of a mid-wife and herbs.¡±

    ¡°Sarah is a sharp one, learned to read young, on her own.  My wife left a lot of books on those subjects and Sarah read every one of them.  Incredible ear for languages too.¡±

    The king laughed.

    ¡°To hear tell of her exploits I almost wished I¡¯d held out to marry her instead!¡±

    The three men chuckled.  Enid missed the rest of the conversation because Henry was shaking her shoulder.

    ¡°Sarah?  Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Oh sorry, yes was just thinking.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad your father made it, I see why you are who you are, he seems to know everything, and he¡¯s very charming.¡±

    ¡°He is a know-it-all, and he could sell pig shit to a pig farmer, no doubt about it.  Sometimes he¡¯s terrible judge of character.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°It sounds like there is bad blood.¡±

    ¡°He made a poor choice and my sister died.  It is an old wound but it is still fresh to me.¡±

    ¡°People make mistakes, he¡¯s your father, you should forgive him.¡±

    ¡°I already have, but it doesn¡¯t make me any less angry that my sister is dead, and my brother survives.¡±

    ¡°You have a brother?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s a vile backstabbing asshole and if he ever shows his face in front of me again I¡¯m liable to kill him.¡±

    Enid¡¯s voice dripped with venom.

    ¡°I hope you never feel that way about me.  Just hearing you say it sent a chill down my spine.¡±

    Enid looked up at Henry, her eyes deadly serious.

    ¡°Depends on whether you betray me or not.  I don¡¯t take it well.¡±

    ¡°I pray we are never enemies.¡±

    Enid wrapped her arm around Henry, tugging him close and laying her head against his chest.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have it in you to be my enemy Henry, that¡¯s why I married you.  But you will be unfaithful, and that is alright.  She is worth your time.¡±

    Henry quirked his head to the side and looked down to Enid eyes wide.

    ¡°Why would you say that?¡±

    Enid tugged on his tunic and pulled him down for a kiss.  Then whispered into his ear.

    ¡°Because I can see the future.  She is beautiful, more beautiful than me, and she¡¯s a good heart, she will be good for you and I¡¯m glad you¡¯ll have her when I¡¯m gone.¡±

    Henry tugged Enid to the side and looked at her.

    ¡°What do you mean gone?¡±

    ¡°Other assassins will come, and they will succeed where the one failed today, we can¡¯t change it, we can only enjoy the time we have.  Trust me, I¡¯ll make it worth your while.¡±

    Enid kissed him again. Then put her hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes.

    ¡°You will forget what I¡¯ve said, and remember that we discussed our wedding night, and how we are both glad my father is here.  When I am gone you will remember.  You will also remember that I love you and will always remember our time together.¡±

    Enid kissed him again more deeply and Henry pulled her close matching her passion.

    ¡°Its too bad we have to sit through this Sarah.¡±

    ¡°I know my love, but we have a duty, I promise it will be worth the wait.  I have read a lot of books on the subject and I will make you very happy tonight.¡±

    Henry¡¯s eyes went wide, and he hurried to follow Sarah back to the reception proper.  The pair sat through the pomp and circumstance, the gifts, the speeches.  The food and the wine until they could retire to their room, which used to be Sarah¡¯s alone.  She began to pull off her dress.  Henry rushed to get out of his clothes, and they collapsed together on the bed entwinned and lips locked.

    Only this one time, then the marriage is consummated and he¡¯s the new lord of the land and I can get out of here.  Besides, it¡¯d be a waste not to enjoy myself.

    Enid pushed Henry away, and then straddled him.  He looked up at her naked form and smiled.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could look more beautiful, and then I see you like this.¡±

    ¡°You, flatterer.¡±

    Enid leaned down and kissed him deeply.  He tried to roll her over but she pinned him with her hands not letting him move.

    ¡°Oh you thought you got to be on top?¡±

    Henry laughed and struggled more.

    ¡°Don¡¯t exhaust yourself, I need you to keep your energy up.¡±

    She slid back and teased him.

    ¡°You are a cruel woman.¡±

    ¡°Some even say I¡¯m evil.¡±

    ¡°Could you not let me have even this?¡±

    ¡°Oh fine.¡±

    Enid released her hold on Henry and leaned down and kissed him.  He spun her over and was on top.  She felt him press against her, and she gasped.  It had been centuries and as much as she tried to tell herself she was above such things it felt tingled like it used to, the warmth.  Henry had stamina and the pair made love long into the night.  Things ended with Enid astride Henry¡¯s hips pressing herself against him and her leaning down and biting into his neck.  He arched his back thrusting harder and until he finished then passed out.  Enid healed the wound and sat up.

    Shit, I didn¡¯t mean to do that.

    Enid got off of Henry and checked his heart, it still beating.  She sighed contentedly and wrapped her arm around his sleeping form, laying her head against him.

    I wish I could just sleep like this.

 Narfordshire 1200s - Part 11 - Rejection

    Enid spun her golden wedding band.  While she leaned on her other hand watching Henry sleep.  She should feel like she¡¯d betrayed Lucius, but the bound they had shared had been severed twelve centuries ago.  Like a whip slashed through her heart.  A hole had formed in her soul, and she didn¡¯t know why.  The severing of a soldalis bond while both were still alive was unheard of and she had never spoken of it.  Lucius hadn¡¯t seemed to care.  And her gift could get no read on him.  It was as if he ceased to exist that night when they fought at the edge of the world of the dead and the world of the living.  She looked at the ring then back to Henry, he was pale, but he would live.  She couldn¡¯t really love him.  She had a certain affection for him, but she had felt true love, been bound to her soul mate.  Anything else was a pale comparison.  Like water with a drop of wine for color.  The night of passion had been something she didn¡¯t know she missed.  There is a certain unity in sex and then feeding that she had not thought possible.  The blood was so much sweeter.  Morning come and go a few hours ago.   She smiled as Henry opened his eyes and looked at her.  He rubbed his eyes.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re still there, without your clothes on.  I¡¯m not dreaming, we got married yesterday.¡±

    Enid chuckled.

    ¡°Yes, my love we did.  Then I think I broke you.¡±

    Henry groaned as he rolled on to his back. He went to sit up but then fell back down.  Holding his head with one hand, and the bed with the other.

    ¡°You might have, the room is spinning, and I feel like was in a joust without a shield.¡±

    ¡°I told you I¡¯d give you a night you wouldn¡¯t forget.¡±

    ¡°You did, but I can barely remember it.¡±

    Enid laughed and crawled on top of him.  He looked up at her naked form with a smile.

    ¡°Maybe I can jog your memory?¡±

    She leaned down and kissed him on the lips.  While her hands stroked his chest.  She felt him get firm again beneath her and pushed back onto him with a smile.

    ¡°Remembering anything yet?¡±

    ¡°I might be.¡±

    She moved her hips playfully and he groaned and grimaced.

    ¡°Definitely remembering something now.¡±

    The pair continued like that for a few minutes, and Henry was done, Enid wasn¡¯t finished but a knock on the door interrupted them.  Enid snapped at the interloper; She hadn¡¯t meant too.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Milady, Jacob is here to see you, he said you had asked him to come.¡±

    ¡°Take him to my private study I¡¯ll be there in a few minutes, give him some food.¡±

    Enid leaned down and kissed Henry again. Then hopped off the bed with an agility she rarely displayed for him.

    ¡°Sorry, I have to go find out from the destroyer of porcine virtue if I missed any rebels.  Then I need to question the one that tried to kill me in the church.  The work of a cruel noblewoman is never done.  Next thing you know I¡¯ll be dragging babies in the street by horse.¡±

    Henry looked up at her, she could see the mix of disappointment and relief in his eyes.  He started to get up but then fell back down again.

    ¡°I will help.¡±

    Enid pressed his shoulder down.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you want to be involved in my questioning methods; You might not like as much afterwards.  And also you can¡¯t even sit up.  I¡¯ll get someone to bring you breakfast and something sweet, you are pale as a ghost.¡±

    ¡°Yes, milady, you¡¯re the healer.¡±

    ¡°Tell that to the fifteen rebels I killed the eve of our wedding, I¡¯m sure they¡¯d believe you.¡±

    ¡°Fifteen, you¡¯re exaggerating.¡±

    ¡°No actually, it was sixteen I was just rounding down.¡±

    He laughed and then held his side.

    ¡°I will let you do this today, but I¡¯m Earl now, it should be my duty to question prisoners and investigate peasant revolts.¡±

    ¡°No, its your job to look impressive, and pleasure me.¡±

    Enid pulled on a set of pants and a tunic, along with a pair of boots.

    ¡°You¡¯re going out like that?¡±

    ¡°Dresses aren¡¯t meant for this kind of work. And I don¡¯t have three hours to get ready.¡±

    Henry shook his head.  And Enid came back and kissed him.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t put a cloak on, no one is going to think a boy is walking out of here, I could if you wanted though.¡±

    Henry laughed again and threw one of her pillows at her, then held his side and fell back to the pillow.  His face was beaded with sweat.

    ¡°Get your rest, maybe you¡¯re getting sick.  And pull a blanket up I wouldn¡¯t want Mary to get any ideas. You¡¯re my man.¡±

    Henry nodded and sunk into his pillows and pulled the blanket up over his naked form.

    Enid made her way to her private study. Seeing Mary she waved her over.

    ¡°Mary, Henry is looking pretty weak, I think he might have gotten sick being out in that storm, could you bring him something to eat, and some of those sweets as well?¡±

    Mary nodded and moved off.  Enid took a deep breath and pressed her hand on the door to her private study.  She frowned.

    I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m mimicking the cattle now.

    Enid put on her lady of the keep face and smiled graciously to Jacob.  Jacob was pale, eyes wide, and his hands fidgeted with his hat.

    ¡°Jacob thank you for coming.  You look worried, what is the matter? Did someone threaten you?¡±

    ¡°No, no milady.  Its just you said you would let the men get a chance to escape and well, they are saying they found eighteen of ¡®em dead and not one made it out alive.  I was wonderin¡¯ what that meant for me.¡±

    ¡°It means that they can¡¯t threaten your loved ones anymore.¡±

    ¡°But you did give them a chance to surrender, didn¡¯t you?  Like you promised?¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t given a choice.  And to be honest it was the lightning that killed the bulk of them. I¡¯ve no idea how I survived.  And the two that were holding the women, they were the former Lord¡¯s men and they were, well doing things I couldn¡¯t abide.  The quick death I gave them was a mercy compared to the punishment that would have been given them.¡±

    Jacob¡¯s eyes went wide as clinched his hat tightly.

    ¡°And they say you skewered one to the wall with his own sword.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is the truth, but he shouldn¡¯t have dropped it in the first place.¡±

    ¡°But he was unarmed.¡±

    ¡°Jacob, I did what I had to do, I do not expect you to understand, nor do I need to explain my actions to you.¡±

    She sat on her desk pulling his hands close folding hers around his.

    ¡°You did the right thing and have done right by God.  You are firmly in the right and you have nothing to feel guilty for, you protect you and yours and that is all you can be asked to do.  The fact you spied for us like you did went above and beyond.  I plan on paying you a bounty of two pounds per conspirator.  So far that¡¯s thirty-six pounds, more than you¡¯d make in fifteen or sixteen good years of running a pig farm.  And for coming in today as I asked, I¡¯m going to round that to fifty pounds.  You could give up the farm or expand it.  All I need from you today is a list of everyone who took part.  Even the tiniest part.  I will investigate, judge their intent and it is likely just going to end in a conversation on whether they plan on continuing their rebellious behavior.  You know me to be a fair and just Countess.  And you are going to be doing your duty, and any I find to be complicit, well that¡¯s an extra two pounds in your pocket.  I¡¯d say it¡¯s a fair deal for you.  And your help in this matter will be strictly confidential.  But that also means you can¡¯t go flashing the money around, people might talk. Maybe you could go away with your betrothed start a new life as a merchant.  No one need know your history here.¡±

    Jacob¡¯s eyes were wide, and he was nodding along with her words. Enid moved around her desk and unlocked a drawer and started counting out one pound at a time, then counted out another stack of fifty pounds.

    ¡°I see your meaning, milady.¡±

    ¡°I knew you would, you¡¯re a smart man. So, let¡¯s get down to that list shall we?¡±

    Enid smiled and pulled out an ink vial, parchment and a quill.  Jacob listed quite a few names, most of which he admitted were victims have having their families kidnapped, Enid nodded and reassured them that would be taken into consideration.  Three more he identified were Odocar¡¯s men, he told her where they were hiding.  There were a couple he didn¡¯t know, Rolf was one, the other was a woman.  Enid knew who she was, another one of the Pugmentia.

    Probably fled by now if Rolf warned her.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°Thank you, Jacob, very comprehensive.  I appreciate your candor and your help.  You know I need to complete my investigation, but any more information you can provide on the whereabouts of the woman I would pay quite handsomely for.  And of course, I will triple the bounty on my uncles men, they are the ones who burned down the church and raided the Templars.  That leaves the matter of this payment.  Would you like it all now, or do you want me to keep it in the vaults here until you¡¯ve decided what to do?  It will be safe here, and I¡¯m a woman of my word, and I promise you this is yours no matter where it is stored.  If you take it and it gets stolen, I can do my best to enforce the law but with this kind of money they¡¯ll likely escape before we can stop them.  It is up to you.¡±

    ¡°Will I be able to collect it anytime milady?¡±

    ¡°Anytime, day or night.  If I am not around speak to William.¡±

    ¡°And about the lady, is that bounty for any who find her? I¡¯m not so good at looking for folks, but some in town are.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯d like to keep that between you and I.¡±

    ¡°Yes, milady, could you please keep the money in the vault for now?  I¡¯ll take five pounds though.¡±

    Enid nodded, placing the coins in a pouch for him.

    ¡°Remember don¡¯t be flashy with it, it draws attention and it could be dangerous for you.  Not everyone is happy for others to have success where they don¡¯t, and I wouldn¡¯t want you to get hurt.  I like you and wish the best for you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll remember, thank you milady, thank you so much.  With this I can convince my betrothed to marry.¡±

    ¡°Good, stop by the kitchen on the way out, get some of the jam tarts for you and her.  And a bottle of wine, to celebrate.¡±

    Jacob nodded and rushed off.  Enid leaned back in her chair and looked at the list before her rubbing her chin with her index finger.

    Damn Pugmentia they just can¡¯t learn their place.

    She rolled the list up and sealed it with wax.  It was a job for William to deal with now.  She stood and pulled her tunic down.  Odocar had riddled the keep with secret doors and passages.  She made her way down to the crypt.  William somehow enjoyed sleeping here, said he felt more at home with the dead when he was sleeping.  Enid opened his tomb and put the parchment which included the list of names and instructions to investigate their activities.  She then used another secret passage to get to the dungeon.   She pulled the shadows around herself and slipped into the torture chamber.

    She looked around the room, she reviled it.  She didn¡¯t agree with torture, it rarely produced results and was just a way of humans to abuse other humans and feel superior about it.  A Vatican inquisitor was here and had the man on what she believed was called a Judas Cradle.  He couldn¡¯t have been there long his face wasn¡¯t twisted in agony yet, but it soon would be.

    And the Vatican calls us monsters.

    She walked in the door allowing her presence to be known.

    ¡°Who do you think you are? This is an interrogation!¡±

    ¡°I think I own this keep, this land and this torture chamber, and that this man tried to kill me, it is my right to perform the torture.  I suggest you leave before I replace him with you on that thing.¡±

    ¡°You dare speak to an inquisitor like that!¡±

    Behave Enid, behave.

    ¡°You dare question a noble in their own home?  A noble whom I might add the Archbishop of Canterbury owes his life too?¡±

    The inquisitor seemed to contemplate the situation.  Then looked at her. And then waved dismissively.

    ¡°Go back to your kitchen woman.¡±

    I could kill you in so many ways.

    Enid frowned as she looked the inquisitor up and down.  He must have realized his mistake, because he stumbled backwards but it was too late.  He looked around and there was nowhere to run or hide and no witnesses save for someone he was torturing.  Enid leaped at him and sunk her fangs into his throat biting down hard and moving her head back and forth, usually it¡¯s a painless process, but she did her best to make him suffer.  And suffer he did, his screams echoed through the keep.  She drank and drank, draining every bit of him then tossing his body aside like so much trash.  She turned to the rebel who¡¯d tried to kill her.  He screamed and begged for mercy.  Enid was quite scary looking her fangs were out and blood was dripping off her chin.  She was in a near blood frenzy.

    ¡°You are going to tell me everything I want to know, or you will suffer a fate a thousand times worse than him.  He insulted me, you tried to kill me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you anything, anything, just don¡¯t¡­¡±

    Enid stalked towards him.  She paused her head turning to the side and her eyes rolling back in her head.  Her stomach felt like it was revolting.  She could feel the blood being forcibly ejected.  She fell to her hands and knees and started vomiting up the blood she¡¯d just drained, all over the dungeon floor.   She continued to dry heave long after.  The prisoner vomited himself as he was splashed by gore.  She had been so violent with her feeding on the inquisitor chunks of his flesh were coming out with the blood.  Enid stood unsteadily leaning on another piece of torture equipment.  She kept dry heaving.

    What the fuck.

    She dripped with blood now, her clothes hair, hands, every bit of her was drenched in it.  The prisoner had sunk down on the point of the spike of judas chair and he was screaming.  She ripped him out of the hoist and off the chair he landed with the puddle of blood and flesh.  He writhed and screamed.

    ¡°Shut up. I need to think.¡±

    She kicked him in the face, and he stopped moving.  She held her head she was actually dizzy.  Which was impossible she was a vampire. She¡¯d heard of vomiting up fouled blood, but the blood was pure.  She picked up the unconscious rebel and bit into his neck and drank some blood then tossed him back on the floor.  She could feel it again the blood welling up in her stomach, and she vomited it back all over man¡¯s unconscious form. When the dry heaves finished she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.  She stumbled to the rack and shoved it against the door.

    Can¡¯t have anyone seeing this.

    She slid down the wall beside the door holding her stomach.  Her whole body ached and her she could feel unconsciousness creeping on.  The world was black until she awoke with a start, she looked down and a heretics fork was sticking out of her chest.  The prisoner was standing over her.  She reacted instantly.  Pouncing up from the ground.  His eyes widened and before he knew it she was on top of him growling the fork pressed against the flesh of his cheek and almost piercing his eye.  Enid stopped short she was breathing raggedly.  Her hand shaking.  The wound on her chest healed rapidly.

    ¡°The things I¡¯m going to do to you will be legendary.  You will suffer like no man in the history of this world has suffered and you will beg for me to stop but I won¡¯t.  I¡¯ll feed you more blood and you will heal and then you will suffer it all over again. Then I will leave you on the brink of death and you will realize hope, you will have an escape and then I will pull you back and we will start again.  And because you¡¯ll be my blood slave you¡¯ll love me the entire time and wonder what you have done to disappoint me so badly. Part of you will want the punishment, beg for it so you can maybe earn my forgiveness, part of you will cry out for release. And I¡¯m going to do it for a thousand years. I¡¯m not even going to ask you any questions.  So, the next time someone even thinks of attacking me they will piss themselves at the very thought of my retribution.  I¡¯m getting fucking tired of people trying to kill me.¡±

    She smelled urine and felt warmth on her knee. She shook her head and stabbed the fork into the stone floor beside his face with such force the metal prongs bent, and the stone shattered.  The man¡¯s started to sob uncontrollably, his whimpering begging had turned into unintelligible gibberish interrupted by gulps of air. She slapped him across the cheek.

    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic.  You¡¯re an insect.  And you thought you could kill me?  I¡¯m a goddess to you.¡±

    She wrapped her hand around his neck as the rage swept through her again.  He started to choke and struggle for breath.  Then she released him.  He clutched his throat struggling to catch his breath again.  She punched him on the side of his face. She heard teeth shatter.

    ¡°Tell me who else you¡¯re working with.¡±

    She grabbed him by the neck again and pressed him against the wall.  He pulled at her fingers but the may as well have been made of steel to his feeble hands.  His nails broke as he clawed at her.  He twitched and then went limp and she released him, and he feel to the ground.  She screamed and punched the wall shattering another stone.  She realized she was gulping in air.  She tried to stop but  her body refused as soon as she did she began to feel light headed.

    What is happening to me?

    She looked around the room, there was blood everywhere, then down at the prisoner and she gasped holding her hand to her mouth.

    What have I done?  What was I thinking?

    She kneeled down and checked to see if he had a pulse.  He did.

    I can¡¯t let him live after what he¡¯s seen, but I didn¡¯t need to torture him.

    She sat down beside him, leaning on the wall putting her face in her hands.  She pulled away and looked at her blood-soaked palms and fingers.

    What is going on?  I need to find father, he¡¯ll still be here.  But I need information first.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    She shook the prisoner until he woke up.  His eyes went wide when he looked up at her.  She met his gaze.

    He¡¯s lost it, I broke his mind.

    ¡°Hey look in my eyes.¡±

    She held his chin and forced him to meet her gaze.

    ¡°You¡¯re at home, I have men with a sword to your wife¡¯s throat. You can give up your cohorts or she can die.  Or you can tell me what I need to know, and you will be given money and passage to leave here.  Go some place safe, warm.  You¡¯ll be safe from the church.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be safe from the church.¡±

    ¡°Yes, just tell me who told you to kill me at the church.¡±

    ¡°It was a woman, she fed me blood, told me I could live forever, and save my wife, all I had to do was to kill you.  She said I could just shoot one of the windows and it would do it, but I didn¡¯t believe her.  I figured I¡¯d get caught.  So I tried to shoot you, but I missed.  Will you make my wife better?¡±

    ¡°Yes I will make your wife better.  Do you know anything else of use?¡±

    ¡°There was a blond man, he was like you, looked normal, but he was a monster inside too.¡±

    ¡°Was the man you saw, twelve to thirteen stone, taller than you?  Blonde? Blue eyes? Scar on his right cheek like this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is him.¡±

    Enid screamed again punching the wall smashing another stone.  Her actions broke her hold over the man¡¯s mind and she held his chin looking into his eyes again.

    ¡°Stay with me, where is the woman staying?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I¡­ can¡¯t¡±

    ¡°Tell me or my soldier will slit your wife open chin to legs.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I.. can¡¯t she said I could tell anyone.  I love her.  I don¡¯t want her to be hurt.¡±

    Enid frowned and pressed harder against his mind with hers smashing through the barriers her would-be assassin had put up.

    ¡°If you help me, I¡¯ll help your wife, if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll take her to the torture chamber, and you know what happens there don¡¯t you.  We¡¯ll put her on the same thing you were on, and she won¡¯t be as strong as you, she¡¯s a woman, she¡¯ll survive longer.  Just imagine how much pain she¡¯ll be in.  Or my soldiers can leave and I can get my herbs out and she will live a long and healthy life with you, away from this place. Far away.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s staying in the house on the southeast corner of town the one with the red door.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much for your help.  Oh no your wife has a escaped my soldiers, where might she go to hide?  If she is really so sick as to need help you¡¯d best tell me right away so I can get to her quickly and help her.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯d go to our farm, hide in the hollowed-out tree.  That¡¯s where I told her to wait. She¡¯ll be there.  Thank you.¡±

    She reached out and snapped his neck and let go and he fell the floor. She rubbed her hands on her pants.  She was covered in dried blood it was making her skin itch.  She moved the rack and barred the door.  Felt like it was close to dusk, she must have been unconscious for a long time.  She moved to the crypt where William lay sleeping and waiting for him to wake.  When he finally opened his tomb she sighed with relief.

    ¡°William, I need your help.¡±

    ¡°Aye, you do, what manner of blood bath ¡®ave ye got for me to clean up then?¡±

    ¡°Its in the torture chamber.  I need you to dispose of both bodies discretely make sure you melt down the inquisitor¡¯s jewelry add it to the treasury.  If you see my husband tell him I am investigating some new leads.¡±

    ¡°You look unwell if you don¡¯ mind me sayin, milady.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to address that with my father once I get cleaned up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the mess for you milady, ¡®ave no fear.¡±

    Enid patted him on the shoulder and made her way deeper under the keep to a reservoir of water, something built by the Romans, she had recognized the construction immediately during her explorations.  She started to clean herself off with a barrel of water she kept for such a purpose.  She shivered as the cold water hit her skin, her teeth chattering.

    Something is dreadfully wrong.

    She dried off and then pulled on one of her extra sets of clothing.  She made her way through the secret passages to the room where her father had been staying.  She could hear him talking to Henry.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Henry, I haven¡¯t seen her, don¡¯t think I will, she¡¯s got a temper and a long memory. And I¡¯m afraid I said something to upset her. If I see her I¡¯ll let her know you were asking after her.  But if you¡¯ll excuse me, I was just working on a letter to her I¡¯d like to finish before I go to bed, I need to leave in the morning.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Enid heard the door close and her father¡¯s voice shortly after.

    ¡°You can come out now.¡±

    Enid pushed the secret door open and looked down at the floor.

    ¡°What has happened? You do not look well.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know father; I was feeding and I couldn¡¯t keep the blood in.  Then I lost it, killed an inquisitor, almost killed someone I needed to question, I couldn¡¯t control myself. I blacked out and I can¡¯t stop breathing!¡±

    Sextus embraced her tightly, patting the back of her head.

    ¡°Shh, shh, lets take a look at you.¡±

    He started to chant in the same ancient language Enid had used to call down the lighting, the words where different more harmonious, soothing.  He raised an eyebrow as he hovered his hand over her abdomen.

    ¡°That is strange.¡±

    ¡°What is it?  Tell me!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, just pregnant.¡±

    ¡°That is impossible, I¡¯m dead!¡±

    ¡°Well, a better description would be, mostly dead, and also mostly alive.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°When I rescued you, I had to use a special fruit, it is from the dawn of creation.¡±

    ¡°Why are you talking nonsense?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve read the bible I¡¯m sure, read about the Garden of Edan?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Fruit of knowledge, Fruit of life?¡±

    ¡°Yes, what does that Hebrew fairy tale have to do with anything?¡±

    ¡°Well the garden was real, and when man rejected God¡¯s rule, he threw it in the trash. I dug through it and got a fruit of life to save you with.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means you can never truly be dead.  Your body is probably rejecting the blood and forcing you to breath, and likely eat, sooner than later because you¡¯re pregnant.¡±

    ¡°Get it out!¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Get it out of me now!¡±

    ¡°I refuse to take an innocent life.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve taken thousands of innocent lives on your word and you refuse to take one to save me?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean save you?¡±

    ¡°I need blood to live, you should know this you made me a vampire.¡±

    ¡°And did you drink your fill recently?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You could live off your blood if you¡¯ve filled up for decades.¡±

    ¡°But I can¡¯t heal, I can¡¯t use my blood magic, my speed, my time manipulation, those all require blood.¡±

    ¡°So don¡¯t use them, I gave you so many more gifts.  The gift of steel, the gift of wisdom, the gift of magic.  All of these can still serve you.¡±

    Enid grabbed the front of his tunic lifting him up her hands shaking with rage.

    ¡°Get!  It! Out! Of! Me! Now!¡±

    Sextus looked down at her, the look a parent gives a child, one of disappointment and annoyance.  Enid put him down gently.

    ¡°Enid, if you think about it, you don¡¯t want me to do that.  You love children and have always had a soft spot for them.  I know you go out of your way to avoid killing them when you¡¯re covering up vampire crimes.¡±

    Enid¡¯s hands dropped to her side and she looked at the floor, nodding.  Sextus wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

    ¡°What are nine months to someone who is thirteen hundred years old?  Blink and you¡¯ll miss them.  You¡¯ll get to experience what it¡¯s like to be human again, the miracle of life growing in you, the true, unfettered love of a child when they see their mother for the first time.¡±

    Enid buried her face in his chest.

    ¡°I know this is an adjustment, but you can make it, you are capable of so much more then killing.  You have a heart that can love so strongly.  It is why you are so quick to anger.  Your feelings have always been so intense.  Slow down, enjoy this.¡±

    ¡°Yes father.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my little girl.¡±

    ¡°You realize I¡¯m thirteen hundred years old right?  You even just said that.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m hundred times that, you will always be my little girl.  And the heart I was talking about that is why I want you to succeed me.¡±

    ¡°Maybe that is why Lucius tried to have me killed, that he thought some human can do it was insulting through.¡±

    Sextus pushed her away holding her shoulders looking in her eyes. His own eyes widened.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t lying.¡±

    ¡°No, either someone told the human who tried to kill me exactly what Lucius looked like down to the scar, or he is working with a Pugmentia in town to have me killed.  He¡¯s responsible for the uprising, the assassination attempt.  You know I can¡¯t be lied too.¡±

    ¡°There is something else going on here, I will return home and determine the truth of it.  I will send a letter when I know more.  I¡¯ve a couple of things to that need attended to before I leave, tell me about this Pugmentia who tried to have you killed, I¡¯d like very much to speak to her personally.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°Like you spoke to my first father?¡±

    Sextus nodded.  Enid smiled and began to relate to him what she had learned.

    ¡°What is the other thing father?¡±

    ¡°I have one more thing to teach you.  You¡¯ve lost your center of balance.  I will help you find it.¡±

 Narfordshire - 1200s Part 12 - Renewed

    Enid sat in a light summer dress, feet tucked under her, palms folded in her lap.  Her eyes were closed.  She had an even breath.  She could feel her heart, dead for so long pumping in her chest.

    ¡°Center your mind.  Clear it of all distractions.  Feel your heartbeat in your chest.  Feel your breath in and out.  You are a still a product of my blood; You can sense every part of your body down to the smallest hair. Reach out with your gift of foresight.  Sense the subtle shifts in probability.  How if a leaf falls one way, it will lead to a spider being concealed which will kill a fly, which will not bite a child, who will not die.  Steady breaths Enid.  Feel the rage inside you that claws to escape.  That lashes out. Confront it.¡±

    Enid¡¯s breathing began to quicken her heart raced.

    ¡°Steady breath¡¯s Enid!  You could turn this on at a whim a month ago, you can control it now.¡±

    Enid forced her body to comply, slowing her breathing and her heart.

    ¡°Good, now, know the beast inside you.  It is a product of betrayal by those who should have loved you and cared for you.  Your mother, abandoning you, you father, abusing your gift, using you in ways no man should with a child, let alone his daughter.  Lucius and myself betraying your belief that Mariana was innocent.  Every man that has pushed you down, belittled you because you were not male.  That beast will consume you.  You need to understand it so you can control it.  Rage serves no purpose aside from self-harm.¡±

    Enid kept her eyes closed and clenched her fists.  She snarled.

    ¡°It gives me strength.¡±

    ¡°As it drains your will and wisdom.¡±

    Enid opened her eyes and glared up at Sextus.

    ¡°This is pointless father!¡±

    ¡°Only because you do not see the truth yet. Close your eyes and try again. We will continue this until you have mastered it. Begin again.¡±

    ¡°You are just as angry as me!¡±

    ¡°Yes, the fire that slew your mother, consumes my heart and soul. But it does not control me. Like you allow yours to control you.  Close your eyes and begin again.¡±

    Enid glared up at him again and closed her eyes slowing her breathing and heartrate once again.

    ¡°Use the gifts that you were granted by your birth.  Follow the trail of where your rage and anger will take you.¡±

    Enid sighed, folding her hands once again.  She opened herself to the possible futures before her.  There were a few moments of silence before she opened her eyes wide and screamed. Her nose began to bleed.  She shook violently holding her head her scream softened into sobs.

    ¡°I saw death, so much death.  The world drowned in blood. Then it started to blur together, it was too much father I could only make out death.¡±

    Sextus kneeled beside her wrapping his arms around.  Cradling Enid against him.

    ¡°That is why you must not listen to the monster your father created.  You may be a goddess among mortals, but that means you have a responsibility to them, not them you.¡±

    ¡°How do you not squish them when they anger you?¡±

    ¡°I simply realize that I am a single being, no matter how old, or powerful, I am like them in many other ways, I have feelings, I love, I live, they are so short lived, brief flames, but bright flames.  Each one worthy of respect.¡±

    ¡°But do they respect ants?¡±

    ¡°No, but we are not them, as you so bluntly pointed out before you brutally beat a man to death and tore the throat of another.  We are better and we need to be better.¡±

    ¡°You have always had a compassionate center, you just need to listen to that instead of your rage.¡±

    ¡°If I listen to it I could never do the job you¡¯ve tasked me with.¡±

    ¡°If allow myself to feel compassion for one, then I start feeling compassion for everyone, and that leads to insanity.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°Hardly, I will admit there are certain mortals the world is better off without, but we are not their judges, other humans are.¡±

    ¡°Says the man who isn¡¯t the ruler over many human vassals.¡±

    ¡°This is a unique situation.   And you should put yourselves in their place, and not look at it from the perspective of thirteen hundred years of living.  You can defend yourself,  you have the strength to crush those who oppose you, they do not, they are simple humans, living their lives.  When was the last time you feared for your life, truly feared for it?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, humans, a scratch can kill them.  With us what can harm us?  Losing our head?  Fire? Every moment of every day could be a human¡¯s last.  And that is the perspective you need to have.¡±

    ¡°As you keep reminding me it has been centuries since I was in their shoes, how am I supposed to do that?¡±

    ¡°Do you remember how powerless you felt when you first father would beat you, and rape you?¡±

    Enid turned away crossing her arms around herself, she nodded while she stared down at the stone path beneath her feet.

    ¡°When you judge a human, remember that feeling.  As painful as it is, that will ground you in their reality.¡±

    Enid nodded.  Sextus put his hands on her shoulders.

    ¡°Enid I am proud of the woman you¡¯ve become.  You stand tall, you show great wisdom sometimes.  Control of your anger and rage will come in time.  Work on the breathing exercises.  Even after you no longer need to for your child.  Force your heart to beat, allow yourself to feel the heat, and the cold.  If you suffer as they suffer, it will be easier to empathize with them even after you leave her and continue your work as a Seer.  It will also help you once you are Empress.  It is part of the reason you need to stay here, your distance from humanity has turned you into someone you never wanted to be.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m distant, I can¡¯t be hurt.¡±

    ¡°You can fight off an army, but you¡¯re worried about getting your feelings hurt.  That is the pain that makes us alive.  It is also the joy that can warm our dead hearts.¡±

    ¡°Caring about people, humans, vampires, it makes us weak, they can be used to hurt us.¡±

    ¡°And what then will you live for?¡±

    ¡°The next mission.¡±

    Sextus shook his head, his lips turning into a frown he pulled her into a tight embrace.

    ¡°Take my advice daughter, don¡¯t live for your work, live for love.¡±

    ¡°Love is a lie.¡±

    Sextus put his hands on Enid¡¯s cheeks meet her gaze.

    ¡°Just because you¡¯ve been betrayed once, doesn¡¯t mean it will happen the next time.¡±

    ¡°Men will always disappoint women.  It is in their nature.¡±

    ¡°And women will always disappoint men.  And men will always disappoint men, and women will always disappoint women.  But that doesn¡¯t mean you shouldn¡¯t try.¡±

    Enid pushed her arms between Sextus forcing his hands off her cheeks and she turned away again, crossing her arms.

    ¡°Just promise me you¡¯ll try.  I don¡¯t want to believe the gift I gave you is turning into a curse.¡±

    ¡°I will try.¡±

    ¡°I love you daughter.¡±

    ¡°I love you too father.

    Even if you¡¯re a deluded old fossil.

    ¡°I heard that.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°I need to return to Prague.  I will let you know what I find.¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do with Elizabeth?¡±

    ¡°Do what your conscience dictates.  It seems she was mind controlled into helping. If she has a memory of any of even, I couldn¡¯t recover it.¡±

    ¡°You mean set her free.¡±

    ¡°I mean this is your territory, and your responsibility, you be the judge.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the Emperor everything is your territory.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to be Empress one day, so everything will be yours.¡±

    He talks in circles.

    ¡°I heard that too.¡±

    Go home!  Enid shouted the words in her mind.

    ¡°Yes daughter.  When you receive a silver amulet of the sun with a sword in it you will know you are Empress.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like I won¡¯t be seeing you again.¡±

    ¡°You tell me, you¡¯re the Seer.¡±

    Enid rushed towards Sextus and hugged him, for she knew he was right, she would not speak to him in person again.  Sextus stroked her hair gently.

    ¡°All things pass daughter, even me.¡±

    Enid pressed her face against his chest taking in his scent one last time.

    ¡°Be kind, and be wise, be happy and know love.  That is what I want for you.¡±

    Enid nodded into his chest still clutching onto him with all her strength. She released him as he pulled away and vanished into the night.  Enid cleaned up her blood tears with water from the fountain and used a secret door to enter the passages that let her travel unseen.

    She made her way to the keep¡¯s crypt. Where William awaited her.

    ¡°What are you doing here William?¡±

    ¡°I had a feelin ye might ¡®ave need me, I noticed yer fathers belongin¡¯s were gone.¡±

    ¡°I do need you but not for that, bite your hand.¡±

    She stood over a stone tomb it was unmarked and she shoved the top off of it.  She reached in and pulled the stake out of Elizabeth.

    ¡°Feed her.¡±

    ¡°Are ye sure milady?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever known me to waste words William?¡±

    ¡°Ney, milady.¡±

    ¡°Then stop asking stupid questions and feed the lady.¡±

    William reached in and squeezed his palm causing blood to drip into Elizabeth¡¯s open mouth.  She was slightly desiccated already.  Her body started to repair itself sunken cheeks and flesh started to fill in.  She awoke and hissed lunging for William¡¯s hand.  Enid intercepted her grabbing her by the neck and slamming her back down.  Elizabeth started snapping at her.  She was in a blind rage struggling to feed on anything she could reach.  Enid struggled to keep her still then slapped her cheek several times.

    ¡°Snap out of it.¡±

    Elizabeth struggled for a few more seconds and then her eyes cleared of their blind rage and her fangs sunk into her gums.  She looked up at Enid and struggled to sit up.  Enid released her neck.

    ¡°You were complicit in an attempt on my life, and an attack on the territory of Narfordshire.  Your life is forfeit.¡±

    Elizabeth¡¯s eyes were wide as she struggled to move away from Enid while still stuck in the stone tomb.  Enid picked the stake up.

    ¡°You will be allowed to live.  You owe me a life debt. Are we clear?¡±

    Elizabeth nodded.  Enid bent down and pulled out a crystal that cast an eerie blood red glow on the surrounding crypt. She put it against Elizabeth¡¯s cheek and the stone turned a dull red.  Elizabeth looked flush as if she had just fed.

    ¡°You should not need to feed.  As further punishment you have lost a quarter of your territory.  Do not make me regret this mercy.  Next time you will find yourself in the depths of a lake bound in silver praying for release.  Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your highness.¡±

    ¡°Go before I change my mind.¡±

    Enid motioned to an exit from the crypt that would lead to the town proper.  Elizabeth wasted no time in her escape.  Enid put the stone in the bag.  William looked down at Enid.

    ¡°Releasing ¡®er shows weakness.  And twas very uncharacteristic of ye, milady are ye alright?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I let you live also?  Was that weakness as well?¡±

    ¡°Aye, and I thank ye for it. Doesn¡¯t change tha¡¯ fact ye usually wouldn¡¯t ignore a beach o¡¯ the covenants.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t she owes me a life debt and she lost territories.¡±

    ¡°Aye, but usually ye would o¡¯ just beheaded ¡®er for it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying something new; It¡¯s called not being a raving murderer.¡±

    ¡°Aye, milady, tis yer right.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Fill these up.¡±

    ¡°Aye milady.¡±

    William picked up the sack and made is way out into the town.  Enid moved towards the keep.

 Narfordshire 1200s - Part 13 - Edward and Eyre

    It was a crisp sunny day, with a slight chill in the air.  It was the first blush of spring.  Enid watched her six-year-old son run around the courtyard of the keep from the shadows of the stable.  She dared not step into the sunlight.   The boundless energy of youth never ceased to amaze her.  He had his father¡¯s dark hair, her green eyes.  He waved a wooden sword in his hand.  And was chasing his father with it.  His twin sister sat on the stairs up to the keep¡¯s main entrance.  She was doing a cross stitch under Mary¡¯s watchful eye.  Eyre looked like her mother but even now Enid knew she¡¯d be taller than her, more statuesque a testament to her father¡¯s contribution.

    ¡°I will slay you rebel!¡±

    Edward charged at his father who scooped him up and spun him around.

    ¡°Oh? will you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, like mommy did last year!¡±

    ¡°And your father?  Did he not take part?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but everyone talks about how mommy faced down twenty of them herself!¡±

    ¡°Yes, she did, it was a glorious battle.¡±

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t mommy play outside with us during the day?¡±

    Enid frowned sinking further into the shadows of the stables out of the sun.

    I wish I could child.

    Henry kneeled down so he was eye level with Edward.

    ¡°Your mommy gets very bad sun burns, so she has to stay inside during the day.  She wishes she could play with you every moment of every day, but she also says you need to get fresh air. And she¡¯s right.¡±

    ¡°Is she really the greatest swordsman in all of England?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d wager all of the world.¡±

    ¡°When I grow up, I want to be like her!¡±

    ¡°If your mommy were here, she¡¯d say she wants you to grow up to be like you.  She¡¯s really smart that way.¡±

    Enid pushed her bangs out of her eyes, smiling at her family.  She had grown to appreciate Henry over the last seven years.  She watched him, he had flecks of grey in his hair and beard now and it didn¡¯t detract from his handsomeness.  His armor had also gotten slightly tighter.  Though he swore up and down that the smithy had managed to cause the problem when he repaired it.  Enid pet Noctus who nuzzled her.  She kissed the side of his face.

    ¡°This can¡¯t last Noctus.  People like me don¡¯t get to live happily ever after.¡±

    She looked out at her family again with a small frown.  Her children would take it the hardest when she had to leave.

    ¡°Maybe the council has forgotten about me being here.  I can hope.  Or maybe they¡¯ll forget until Edward and Eyre are old enough to understand.¡±

    Noctus neighed pressing against her with his flank.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I have a feeling.  Seeing my own future and those closest to me is always much harder.  Something on the wind maybe.  Hmm they¡¯re going inside.  Be good and be ready old man.¡±

    She patted Noctus again who neighed derisively.  Enid laughed.

    Enid slipped inside the keep through one of the numerous secret passages that Odocar had installed in his tenure as lord.  Managing to beat her children to her study where she sat and pretended to have been working.  She found herself soon engulfed by two bear hugs, then Henry added a third.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m trying to get some work done here. Someone has too.¡±

    Enid kissed both her children on the forehead.  Henry scooped her up into his arms and kissed her on the lips.

    ¡°All these years and you¡¯re still as beautiful as when I first laid eyes upon you.¡±

    ¡°Flatterer.¡±

    ¡°Is it working?¡±

    Enid wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him.  Henry spun her the twins giggled at their antics.

    ¡°Always, my love, now put me down.  Edward, Eyre, run along go find Mary.¡±

    She made a shooing motion and closed the door behind them.

    ¡°Henry, we had a visit from an emissary of Lancaster.  He intoned we should help him fight the Despensers and take back the land they stole, or we¡¯d be considered part of the problem.  I told him to leave, he refused to listen, so I beheaded him and his head is currently on it¡¯s way back to Lancaster.¡±

    ¡°You what?¡±

    ¡°It was only his cousin, and I wanted to make our position clear.¡±

    ¡°Lancaster is a powerful man.¡±

    ¡°And we have a sizable army here, and we¡¯re best to stay on the good side of the King and taking land his favorites have by force seems like a poor politics.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll trust your judgment; Not like you gave me a choice.¡±

    ¡°While everyone around us starved the people of our domain flourished.  Our army is well trained and well fed.  I see no reason to stick our noses in what seems to be a bunch of lords who were too weak to hold their lands stomping their feet and having a tantrum.¡±

    ¡°What if Lancaster attacks us?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll crush him like a cockroach, rout his armies, and take his lands.¡±

    ¡°As if it were so easy.  Couldn¡¯t you have just talked to him?¡±

    ¡°I tried, he said, shut your mouth cunt, I think he was about to say to find you, but I didn¡¯t let him get that far.  I cut his head off after he called me cunt in my court chambers.  It is not like he didn¡¯t know better.¡±

    Henry sighed and threw his hands up in the air.

    ¡°You¡¯re the reason I¡¯m going gray.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the reason you are richer than your father and have an army that makes him envious.  Trust me Henry, I know what I¡¯m doing.  The letter I sent Lancaster was very polite.  The one I sent to the king was illuminating.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said we shouldn¡¯t get involved.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t, I just passed on my greetings to his majesty and suggested that I heard a rumor some of the other local nobility were trying to scratch together forces.¡±

    ¡°He may demand we fight on his side!¡±

    ¡°I also mentioned we weren¡¯t going to take sides in this conflict and that should he try to force our hand those grain shipments we¡¯ve been sending him to help keep the citizenry in line would cease. We¡¯re in the midst of a famine after all.¡±

    ¡°You are playing a dangerous game.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t play games, I make decisions that in our, and our people¡¯s best interest. We¡¯ll protect our lands and our people.  Let the rest fight it out.¡±

    ¡°You act so rashly!  Why must you take every insult to your manhood personally?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You, every time someone says you¡¯re lesser then them because you¡¯re a woman you lose all reason.¡±

    Enid frowned and poked Henry in the chest hard.

    ¡°I knew exactly what I was doing.  You act as if I¡¯m trying to make excuses, justify my actions, I already knew my answer was no as soon as he showed up on our doorstep, any other choice would be disastrous for our people.  I always have a plan.  Everything I do has a reason.  The fact I cut his head off when he called me cunt just means I ended his blathering fifteen minutes before I tired of the pleasantries and did it anyway.  It was a necessary action to tell Lancaster in no uncertain terms we are not going to be his pawns.  He would have taken a no delivered by his cousin to be a maybe and try to bully us with his army.  By sending his head back I have given a very firm message of no, and if you want to come and bully us, we are prepared to fight and that we have the strength to back up our actions.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡±

    ¡°I know Lancaster, he¡¯s not a stupid man, he came to us because we have the largest standing army in the marches and he¡¯s afraid of us siding against him.  I clearly stated in my letter that we¡¯re taking no part on either side, taking any further action in our direction will result in us joining the other side.¡±

    Henry shook his head.

    ¡°You should have spoken to me first.  At least pretend I have a say in matters pertaining to our lands.¡±

    ¡°Henry, I love you, but you are terrible at politics.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ve taught me so much.¡±

    ¡°Let me teach you more before you go sticking your nose into things that could spell disaster for us.¡±

    ¡°How do you know what¡¯s best?¡±

    ¡°My father spent a long time teaching me how to navigate this sort of thing.  He¡¯s studied the politics of Rome, and Greece.¡±

    ¡°My father taught me how to govern!¡±

    ¡°Your father taught you how to gulp ale and pretend to listen to your vassals.¡±

    Henry punched both fists down on Enid¡¯s desk glaring at her.

    ¡°You are the most disrespectful woman I have ever met.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have me any other way, I tell the truth and I don¡¯t dance around it.¡±

    ¡°I wish you¡¯d at least try to soften the blow.¡±

    Enid wrapped her arms around Henry¡¯s waist and leaned against his back.

    ¡°We both have our strengths that is what makes us so formidable.  You need to pay attention to why I do things, I won¡¯t always be here for you.¡±

    Henry turned and looked down at Enid.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I could die tomorrow and then you would need to do this on your own.  Or perhaps with Katherine hmm?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I see how you look at her.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Enid put her hands on his cheeks and stood on her toes to kiss him.

    ¡°Promise me on your honor as a Knight that you will remarry and try to be happy if something happens to me, I don¡¯t want to think of you alone in the world.¡±

    ¡°Why are you talking like this?¡±

    ¡°Promise me.¡±

    ¡°I promise, now what is wrong?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a feeling I have.  Nothing more.  Do not worry about it.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°You should take some of the men out on patrol.  A show of force while Lancaster¡¯s cousin¡¯s retinue are heading back to him wouldn¡¯t hurt us.  Or perhaps catch up with them, Escort them to the border?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, are you going to be okay here alone?¡±

    ¡°Who can protect our children better than me?¡±

    ¡°Not even me, but I¡¯m leaving Christoff behind with a few men.¡±

    ¡°If that will settle your concerns husband, who am I to say no?¡±

    Henry leaned down and embraced Enid sharing a lasting passionate kiss.

 Narfordshire - 1200s - Part 14 - Sacrifice

    Enid sat on the fur rug holding her Edward and Eyre close the nine-year-old twins snuggled against her.

    ¡°Tell us how Grandpa and Grandma met!¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s boring tell us how you killed the Necromancer, you promised you¡¯d tell us when we were older.¡±

    Edward and Eyre started swatting at each other.

    ¡°I want to hear a true story not one mommy makes up!¡±

    ¡°It is a true story!¡±

    ¡°If you two keep this up I won¡¯t tell you any stories. How about the time I killed a Strix?¡±

    The twins looked up at her and said in unison.

    ¡°What¡¯s a Strix?¡±

    ¡°It is a bad little girl or boy who is reborn from the Blood of Lilith!¡±

    Eyre looked up again burning light of curiosity in her eyes. Enid smiled at her, she¡¯d always been the smarter of the two, the more curious.

    ¡°Who is Lilith?¡±

    ¡°She was the first woman.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what the bible says!¡±

    ¡°Who cares? I want to hear about the fight!¡±

    ¡°I care! The bible says the first girl was Eve.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll get to the fight, just let me explain Lilith first.¡±

    ¡°Lilith was God¡¯s first attempt at creating a woman. He made her Adams equal in everything, but then when he told her she need to serve Adam she said no and refused and pushed Adam away. God cast her from the Garden, where she met a man another one of God¡¯s cast offs. The man saved Lilith and showed her the ways of the world outside of Eden. It wasn¡¯t like the world we know today. It was the raw stuff of creation. That Lilith and the man could force their will upon. When Eve succumbed to temptation God also cast her and Adam out of Eden. Through them and the whispers of Lucifer the world became this solid static thing. They created their own version of hell. The world we know today. With strife and evil, where humans have no power over is save crude physical changes. Lilith became jealous of Adam and Eve, and the children Eve bore. God had not finished her creation before she was cast out, she couldn¡¯t have any of her own. She begged the man to give her a child. He refused. She grew angry and resentful. Then she grew desperate. She stole magic from him, and his seed, and created her own child by taking one of Adam and Eve¡¯s babies. A girl. For she had no more use for men if they could give her no child.¡±

    Enid looked at the children and gave a small frown then smiled warmly. They were both wake, Eyre was hanging on her every word and Edward had a look about his eyes if asking when the good part is going to come.

    ¡°The baby died and was reborn, but it stayed that way a baby forever. It also lusted for blood of its fellow man. Always hungry. Lilith was distraught, and lonely her betrayal of the man who had helped her left her all alone in a cold unforgiving world. Next, she tried an older child, and she mixed her blood with the seed she had stolen and used magic. The child turned one again. But she became a monster, uncontrollable, cursed. She was the first Strix. Lilith didn¡¯t have the heart to put the monster down. So, it terrorized the humans, killing them for their blood. They had no hope, so they begged God, help us please! And God did answer. The child wasn¡¯t of his creation, it was created with an ancient power from before creation, something he had little power over. Part of it was the stuff of his creation though so he sent an Angel, Ezekiel, to slay it. Ezekiel failed, and was almost destroyed. Ezekiel seeing what kind of danger this creature posed and desperate beseeched the Morningstar to help. The Morningstar laughed at him. The Ezekiel sought out the man, one of only three who existed outside of creation. He begged him to help set this right. The man agreed but demanded a future favor of the Angel. Ezekiel in his desperation agreed and blood was shared to seal the bargain. The man found the Strix, sensing what it was an unholy union of his seed, Lilith¡¯s blood and blood magic slew it. The man went after Lilith next. Using his own blood magic he cast her into Hell for her crimes. She had pleaded with him for mercy, tried to rekindle their love, but the man refused, stating he could never love a monster that would create such a monster.¡±

    Enid glanced down at her audience both were now listening intently. She stroked their hair and hugged them closer and continued.

    ¡°Once Lilith was in hell, Lucifer saw her for what she was a pathetic lonely creature and he took pity on her as a fellow exile from God¡¯s grace. He explained that while the man was apart from creation, he was also one with it and that her attempts to reproduce his ability to create offspring would keep failing to match his because she was using stolen power and stolen blood. She should use her own and use older humans. He allowed Lilith to leave Hell to create a child. This time it worked, but she ignored Lucifer¡¯s warnings and used the man¡¯s blood again. It was a success the woman she turned rose again. But because of the stolen power and Lilith¡¯s new reality as one of the damned the woman was cursed as much as she was gifted. She could never look upon God¡¯s light again. The food created for humans would never satiate her, only blood of humans would. Things of purity would burn her. Never could she go into the sun, never could she touch silver, never could she eat an apple. And she would never carry a child in her womb. Even this daughter of Lilith would turn her back on her new mother. Lilith retreated back to Hell to plot her revenge against God, man, and her former lover. Leaving her children to their own devices. The daughter created another to have companionship and then they created another. And so on. They spread so far and so fast the man could not stop it and was forced to impose his will and the rule of law upon them before they used the powers they have been granted to rule over the humans. And thus became the ruler of all the creatures of the night.¡±

    ¡°If only Lilith can make Strix¡¯s how did you fight one?¡±

    ¡°Good question Eyre. Lilith¡¯s children can create them by accident. And that is what happened.¡±

    ¡°It was a terrible fight and if not for my armor and my trusty sword Bloodseeker it probably would have killed me. Strix¡¯s aren¡¯t intelligent but they are cunning. While I was stalking it, it was hunting me. Noctis was with me on the fateful night. If not for him it would have end very differently. It was hiding in tall grass and was about to pounce. Noctis neighed loudly and that enough forewarning for me spin and take the attack to my chest. I held it at bay, barely it was strong, stronger than a horse but it was small. It had razer sharp teeth and snapped at me and clawed at my chest tearing my dress.¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Enid reached out and clawed at Edward¡¯s chest with her fingers and he jumped and screamed. Eyre snickered and then looked up at Enid.

    ¡°Mom why were you wearing a dress when you were monster hunting!¡±

    ¡°Style is everything dear.¡±

    Eyre giggled. Enid tickled her.

    ¡°So, the Strix was on top of me, clawing and snapping at me with its teeth, my armor was protecting me for the moment. But Strix¡¯s claws carry a deadly poison. So, one false move I would have been dead. I hadn¡¯t had a chance to draw my sword and it just kept clawing and biting. So I whistled to Noctis and he kicked the Strix sent it flying into a stone wall about ten feet away. It was enough time for me to get up and draw Bloodseeker. She came flying at me and I dodge to the side. I needed to wait for the right time, to kill a Strix you need to behead it you see. And it was a small target. I let it attack me a few more times. I needed to understand how it moved, how it attacked, how it reacted to an attack. Then when the time was right I side stepped and swung Bloodseeker. But it was faster than I anticipated, and I only got it¡¯s legs. So, there it was laying five feet from me, growling and clawing its way towards me while its legs twitched at my feet.¡±

    Enid shook her legs and then grabbed Edward who squealed with both fear and delight. Eyre made a sound of disgust.

    ¡°What happened then mom?¡±

    ¡°I lopped her head off. It was terrible wherever the blood had fallen the grass withered and died on the spot, and nothing has ever grown afterwards.¡±

    The twins both shivered. Enid hugged them close. She senses something. Smelled something to. She looked around and threw the children to the ground. She felt the burning sensation as the first arrow entered her back, then another, she felt five pierce her flesh before she managed to get to cover. Each one burned like acid.

    Death magic. How?

    The children were screaming. Enid was screaming inside the pain was terrible. She forced her voice to sound calm when she whispered to her children.

    ¡°Go, use the passages go to the church through the undercroft and crypts. Tell the father what is happening. Go now, I¡¯ll be alright. I love you both. She kissed them. She could hear her attackers preparing another volley she was reading this time and she willed blood to her muscles and for time to slow down for her, but nothing happened. She was hit several more times. A couple in her chest as she turned.

    Arrows stopping me from using blood.

    Enid held her hand out to the fire chanting in the ancient language her father had taught her the fire was drained from the hearth into her hand which she extended it incinerated the lead two attacks and the heat forced the others to stumble back. Keeping her momentum, she reached out her hand and a sword that was hung on the wall leapt to her hand and charged the lead attacker taking his head off his body. The last two had dropped their bows and were fleeing to the front door of the keep. Enid was losing steam quickly; The arrows weren¡¯t only stopping her from using her blood they were sapping her strength. She picked up a discarded bow and two arrows launching them one after the other in rapid succession at her last two attackers. The Pugmentia weren¡¯t so resistant to the magic as Enid and disintegrated into ash almost immediately.

    Haven¡¯t seen that kind of magic since¡­the Black Sun.

    Enid collapsed; she broke some of the arrows in the process. She began to crawl to the nearest passage. She dragged herself along the floor and reached the stairs to the crypt below and rolled own them each stair burning the cursed arrowheads deeper she screamed as she hit the bottom. Her voice was barely a whisper.

    ¡°William¡­Willi..h¡±

    Her hand reached out and darkness engulfed her. When she awoke again, it was not William looking down at her, it was Rosealyn. Enid¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°Shh, milady. William asked me to help. Explained that you weren¡¯t normal, but he had no choice. That he didn¡¯t have the hands for this kind of work. He said you were special and that evil magic was used against you and that all I had to do was get the arrowheads out and touch you with this.¡±

    Rosealyn held up one of the blood crystals.

    ¡°And you would be fine.¡±

    No, I don¡¯t want to kill her.

    ¡°He also said it was dangerous, because I¡¯d know to much, but if I cared for you at all I needed to come right away. You¡¯re like a mother to me, I never knew mine. I had to come and help. I always knew you were more than human. No one can be as kind as you, as smart as you, as strong as you and be human. But I also know you¡¯ve a good soul and I couldn¡¯t let you die.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone what you saw tonight, ever. It will put you and them in danger.¡±

    ¡°I understand milady. I am not going to say I understand, but I¡¯ve seen you work miracles I know you¡¯ve healed people who had no right to live through their injuries. You¡¯ve the power of Christ in you. And that is all I will ever say if someone asks. If I had my way they¡¯d make you a saint.¡±

    ¡°They can¡¯t you kept me alive.¡±

    Rosealyn laughed, Enid joined her but then groaned holding her side.

    ¡°The wounds aren¡¯t healing like William said they would. He left just before dawn and I¡¯ve not seen him.¡±

    ¡°Does anyone know I¡¯m alive?¡±

    ¡°No when I first got here in your delirium you were begging us to tell everyone you died.¡±

    ¡°Good, keep it that way. I can¡¯t stay any longer.¡±

    ¡°No, milady you can¡¯t leave the children.¡±

    ¡°I must, this attack came from an old enemy I thought was dead, they aren¡¯t safe as long as I¡¯m here. None of you are. I must leave and never come back. And everyone, even William must think you could not save me. Do you understand? It is important.¡±

    ¡°I understand milady.¡±

    ¡°You and Katherine need to look after the twins. Make sure they know their mother loved them more than life. And that her last words were of them.¡±

    ¡°I understand but you can¡¯t leave yet, you¡¯re so weak.¡±

    ¡°I will get stronger and I will heal, it will just take a few years. And then I will hunt down the one who did this and end him once and for all. Then maybe I can return and explain. I should have never gotten so content, it made me an easy target, won¡¯t let it happen again.¡±

    ¡°But your skin condition, the sun is up.¡±

    Enid frowned and laid back down.

    ¡°You have a point.¡±

    ¡°Milady, I should tell you, the attackers, they killed Noctis.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes and clenched her fists.

    ¡°Rose, find the children, I sent them to the church, Henry should be back by now, tell them I died. I¡¯ll move to the healer¡¯s room and spread enough blood around to make it look real. Don¡¯t worry I can look dead if I need. The hardest part is going to be not embracing the twins. Tell Henry the arrows were poisoned, and none should touch me and that I should be put in the crypt as soon as possible. Make sure my pack is down here, I¡¯ll take care of the rest. You can do this, I promise I will repay you.¡±

    Rosealyn nodded.

    ¡°Now help me up. Please.¡±

    Enid reached out to Rosealyn who helped her stand. Enid made her way up the stair slowly and the labyrinth of passages. Enid spread blood on the white cloth of the healing table and slowly sat on it, laying out and closing her eyes. She forced her skin to go paler. Stopped her mimicked breathing, her heart. She laid still as the dead and waited. She heard voices, Rosealyn, Katherine, Henry, and Father Beldan.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry milord, I tried everything I could. I pulled the arrow heads out but her wounds were to grave and the arrows were poisoned. I don¡¯t know by what. They meant to kill her and the children She must have shielded them. She had several in her back. More in her front, probably from when she charged them. I don¡¯t know how she managed to kill them with so many in her. One was in her heart two were in her lungs. She was still alive when William brought me but there was little I could do. I¡¯m so sorry milord.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you did everything you could Rose, my wife said you were as gifted a healer as she¡¯d ever worked with. I appreciate that you tried.¡±

    ¡°You should have summoned me so I could perform the last rites, here her last confession.¡±

    ¡°She was too busy trying to save her life Father Beldan.¡±

    ¡°But her immortal soul.¡±

    ¡°Father you must not touch the body the poison is still there. Like black veins near the wounds. It is leeching out of her. We mustn¡¯t touch her at all, and she should be taken down to the crypt as soon as possible and put in a tomb and wrapped in the sheet. Once some time has passed you can have a proper one prepared but for the safety of everyone, we need her to be removed immediately. If there are any arrows remaining, they must be burned as well, and you must be very careful not to touch the tips. The poison would have killed her had the arrows not.¡±

    ¡°I still must pray for her soul.¡±

    ¡°I will tell the children. This is a conversation I never wished to have, but it was like she knew it was coming, she kept saying that I would have to learn to live without her.¡±

    He sounded shattered.

    Enid wanted to reach out to him. To hug him, tell him she truly did love him but she did neither and laid there still as the dead. She heard someone approach and felt water sprinkle on her.

    ¡°In nominee Patris et Filii et Spiritus Santi, Pater noster, qui es in caelis est ut sibi spiritu tuo. Gloria Dei.¡±

    In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit, I commit your spirit to our father who art in heaven. Glory to God. Not today Father but thank you for trying.

    She soon felt herself being carried inside the sheet that was to become her burial shroud. She heard the stone grinding as they moved the stone over her. The scent of the stone tomb reminded her of which she¡¯d been put in, the fresh blank one she¡¯d put Elizabeth in she waited until the middle of the night when all would sleep and crept into the keep. She retrieved Bloodseeker, her special chainmail and her pack. She¡¯d managed to stash away several thousand pounds over the years and she put that in her pack. Finally she retrieved her bloodstones, she had made ten, nine still held blood, she added those to her pack as well. Handy having something that could hold as much as a house yet fit over her shoulder.

    Still weak. Might be best if I rest in the crypt for a time.

    Enid went back into the tomb and slide the stone over her head, willing the healing sleep on. Soper her father had called it. With it a vampire could heal wounds they normally could not. It was risky because the vampire never knew how long it would take. Enid assumed she¡¯d wake in a month or two. Perhaps the pain of leaving would not be so strong by then and she could check on her family. Enid let the sleep overtake her, she hadn¡¯t realized it. She¡¯d been resisting it since the attack.

 Narfordshire - 1200s - Part 15 - Awakening

    Enid¡¯s eyes opened she saw the light of lanterns. She was in a bit of a panic her hands pressed against the glass that encased her. She saw a woman, there was something familiar about her the grey streaks in her long black hair. She was walking away the gait. It was Rosealyn. Enid slapped the glass. But there was some sort of commotion outside of the church. Which her sleeping form seems to have been moved too. Rosealyn started to rush.

    What the fuck?

    Enid pressed hard against the top of the glass coffin it was heavy, seemed to be made of gold. She struggled with it. Her body was weak from the sopar. Enid felt around her. She was in her black armor and Bloodseeker was laying on her chest. She also had a white tabard embroidered with gold thread.

    Shit.

    She found her pack laid beside her she dug into it thinking of the blood stones and they came to her hand and she sucked two down quickly. She could feel the power flowing through her and she shoved the gold lid aside leaping out. She made a quick grab for her pack and tore off the bright white tabard. She ran for the church exist. She stopped short of throwing the doors open and pushed them ajar. She could see the flicker of torches.

    ¡°Witch! You brought this on us!¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the plague. A sickness, not a curse from God, not condemnation.¡±

    ¡°So many die, yet you and yours, and the children of the keep live your lives. Your precious lady untouched.¡±

    ¡°I told everyone to stay away from the sick, to wash with the soap. You won¡¯t listen.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a witch.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s burn her! That will appease God.¡±

    Don¡¯t interfere. You¡¯re supposed to be dead and every single villager has gawked at you in the blasted church. But if I¡¯m too fast to be seen¡­

    ¡°Please don¡¯t, I¡¯m looking for a cure you just need to give me time I was just praying and asking Saint Sarah of Savia to intercede on my behalf. God will answer I just need time.¡±

    ¡°Why would he listen to you when he ignores us?¡±

    ¡°Please calm down and go home gathering together will just spread it faster.¡±

    ¡°And how would you know that if you didn¡¯t cause it.¡±

    ¡°Because the lady told me pestilence spreads fastest in crowds.¡±

    Enid heard footsteps behind her, and she rolled back from the door wrapping the shadows around herself. She watched as the priest, not one she recognized, younger the father she recalled pushed the doors open.

    ¡°Everyone please calm down. I¡¯ve just witnessed a miracle!¡±

    ¡°Just after Rosealyn prayed I saw flashes of light and Saint Sarah the incorruptible, her body vanished! It is a sign, she is going to intercede for us. Just like Rosealyn has said.¡±

    The mass of frightened townsfolk began to cross themselves.

    Shit, better make it look right.

    Enid flitted back into the church putting the tabard in the glass coffin and sealed it once again. She ducked back into the shadows as the Father lead the people into the church. There was a murmur and exclamations of shock as they saw the sealed tomb with just the tabard left. Enid rolled her eyes and crept away. The father began to speak.

    ¡°Let us pray, everyone, so that our pleas can be heard!¡±

    Enid looked about the town, it had grown since she had last been awake. The church was a cathedral, the houses looked older. She saw the tanner¡¯s house, now adorned with what looked like a poultice sign.

    Rosealyn must have converted it so she could work as a healer.

    She moved onwards and as she passed another home, she heard coughing. She saw no adults around so she crept in, a girl lay coughing. She seemed to be in the midst of a high fever and not in her right mind. Enid took another look around and pulled the tablet from her pack. She held it over the girl.

    Nasty bugger isn¡¯t it. She squinted as she tried to read the glowing blue text it showed her. She glared at it.

    You¡¯re not as helpful as you pretend.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to do my best to help. Rose will save you little one.¡±

    The girl, perhaps eight years old, looked up at Enid.

    ¡°Saint Sarah?¡±

    ¡°Yes, little one, Rose prayed, and God answered. We will find a cure; I just hope it¡¯s in time.¡±

    Enid stood up and held the tablet in front of her as she scanned the contents of the house¡¯s larder. The screen flashed as she came over some cheese. And then some bread.

    ¡°How am I supposed to make enough of that to cure the town you silly thing.¡±

    Enid moved close to the cheese. Looking through the tablet at it.

    ¡°Do you know how long it will take to purify enough of that?¡±

    Enid tapped the screen a few more times. She read the lines, scrolled done. Tapped again.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just show me the spell first?¡±

    Stupid Atlantis tablet.

    ¡°Fruit of life, or blood from three generations of a life bearers.¡±

    What the fuck is a scion of life?

    Enid searched for the term and shook the tablet in annoyance.

    ¡°Three generations of women of someone who has tasted the fruit of life. My daughter is nine you stupid thing. So, produce enough cheese or bread mold to feed the whole town, or wait until my daughter has a daughter, or track down the female linage of my family from Rome. That will all take too long.¡±

    Enid frowned and put the tablet away, spell was easy enough, but the components were a different story. She moved towards the keep slipping into the crypt through a secret entrance and into the keep. The passages were dusty from disuse. She went to enter her personal chambers but she heard voices within.

    ¡°The plague has reached France as well Edward. I don¡¯t think anywhere is safe. Whole villages are dying. King Philip sent me home to try and talk peace with King Edward and try and win David¡¯s freedom, as if I could manage such a thing. I think he thought we¡¯d be safer here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve mother¡¯s gift for politics Eyre.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no saint.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve a point.¡±

    Enid could hear a toddler start crying.

    ¡°Shh Margaret, shh.¡±

    No, how long was it?

    Enid looked through the peep hole and could see her children, both adults, Eyre was holding a toddler in her arms. Enid fell against the wall clinching her fists.

    It couldn¡¯t have been that long.

    ¡°If mother was here, she¡¯d know how to cure this disease. Have you heard from father?¡±

    ¡°No, he hasn¡¯t returned from grandfather¡¯s keep. He left me in charge.¡±

    ¡°I wish he would have stayed, and Aunt Katherine. It is not safe to be out with pestilence riding on the roads.¡±

    ¡°He will be fine. As will we. Aunt Rose is sure she can find a remedy. Though she said she was going to go pray for mother to intercede, I suspect she is not as confident as she is pretending. She is the best healer on the isles so I know she will come through.¡±

    ¡°It was an exhausting trip; I need to get Margaret to bed. Sleep well Edward. I will, after I check on our little brothers, and sister. Mary has taken ill. Aunt Rose said she would be alright, that it wasn¡¯t the bad kind of pestilence. So many are sick.¡±

    Enid waited for a long time, hearing the regular deep breathing of sleep she snuck into her old room proper pulling the shadows around herself. It was the same, but different, she could see new touches added by the new ladies of the house. Edward slept beside a younger woman. She had some similarities with Rosealyn.

    Did she have a daughter?

    Enid wandered the halls of the sleeping keep. It had been improved, better defenses, better kitchen, better servant quarters. She entered the court chambers, which now held two thrones, one larger than the other. Tapestries seemed to depict some of Enid¡¯s victories. All with her looking exceptionally pious. She shook her head.

    Not how that happened.

    Everywhere Enid looked she saw images of her and her godliness.

    I¡¯m going to throw up.

    She shook her head, then sniffed the air. She followed the scent of Eyre through the corridors and slipped into her chambers. She walked up to the bed, looking down at her grown daughter. She was her spitting image if she were a foot taller, and an adult. Beside her lay the toddler with a shock of wild red hair. Enid smiled, then frowned.

    I¡¯d rather not steal their blood but it can save so many.

    She held out the blood stone over her daughter. She whispered a chant and a mist of blood left Eyre¡¯s skin and the stone began to glow. She went to the other side and did the same with her granddaughter, taking far less. She put the stone in a pouch on her belt. She sat down beside Margert. Looking her over, memorizing every little detail. She whispered.

    ¡°May the gods protect you little one. Know that I love you as much as anyone can.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    Enid¡¯s gazes flicked to her daughter¡¯s face when Eyre¡¯s eyes opened.

    ¡°Mother?¡±

    Enid looked into her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m a dream.¡±

    ¡°You are not, that trick won¡¯t work on me, remember.¡±

    Enid frowned, putting a finger to her lips and motioning to the door. Eyre looked at Margaret and nodded. When the pair reached the hallway, Eyre crossed her arms.

    ¡°How is this possible mother?¡±

    ¡°A miracle?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in those anymore, not since I saw the spot where you fought the Strix and saw the grass had still not grown even in fifteen years.¡±

    ¡°I died and got better.¡±

    Enid shrugged holding her hands out in surrender.

    ¡°You¡¯re a vampire.¡±

    ¡°There are no such things.¡±

    ¡°I know far more then you can imagine mother. And here I thought you actually were a saint.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m more.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you?¡±

    ¡°I ate fruit from the tree of life, I¡¯m more alive than dead.¡±

    ¡°So, Eden is real too.¡±

    ¡°Most things are real Eyre, people just don¡¯t believe in them anymore.¡±

    ¡°How old are you mother? Were you really just going to sneak in here and then leave without talking to us? Why did you abandon us? Fake your own death? The whole somehow making a copy of yourself to make it look like you were dead and gone that was a brilliant stroke, we mourned you.¡±

    Enid sighed and reached out to touch Eyre¡¯s shoulders. Eyre shoved her away.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, you lost that privilege when you abandoned us.¡±

    Enid lowed her hands looking at the stone floor.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t fake my death. The arrows they were cursed. If I were anyone else, I would have turned to dust with one of them, but I had to heal and the only way to do that was to sleep. I thought it would be for a month or two.¡±

    ¡°So that was really you, being stared at and prayed to in the church?¡±

    Enid shuddered.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why not come when we are awake, why not wake us? Were you just going to sneak in and sneak out like some thief in the night, father remarried you know? Said you told him you would die and that he should move on afterwards. And now you¡¯ve made him a bigamist, living in sin risked his immortal soul.¡±

    ¡°Should he have waited twenty years for me wake? A hundred?¡±

    ¡°You should have told us what was happening. We had a right to know. We could have stopped them from putting you in the church to be gawked at.¡±

    ¡°So, you could put your lives on hold and wait for me to wake up, maybe not in the lifetime of the next ten generations. Your grandfather is older than creation. He slept for entire epochs! I couldn¡¯t do that to any of you. Better you think I¡¯m dead and move on your lives for all I knew I¡¯d never see you again when I went to sleep.¡±

    ¡°But you said you only expected it to be two months.¡±

    Enid sighed slumping her shoulders.

    She always was the smart one.

    ¡°Look, the truth is, I had two other children, I watched them grow up, have families and die. It was the worst thing I¡¯ve ever had to live through. I couldn¡¯t do it again and someone I thought I¡¯d killed centuries ago was behind the attack on me, and he would have killed you and your father if I had stayed. I planned to leave you are right. You are better off without me. I am the monster that people fear. The one the church tells you lurks in the shadows. You needed a good person, like Katherine. Not someone like me. The blood on my hands could fill oceans.¡±

    ¡°We needed you, you are our mother.¡±

    ¡°Eyre, I don¡¯t have time to argue this point. I need to finish this spell tonight.¡±

    ¡°What spell? Do you plan on making me forget you were here?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m trying to make a healing spring to save your lives.¡±

    ¡°So now you¡¯re a witch? Does the blasphemy never end with you? They make you a saint and you practice witchcraft.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing of Lucifer in my magic. It existed before he was created. Before any of this was created.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you poison this town with your demonic magic!¡±

    Eyre grabbed Enid¡¯s arm. She was stronger than Enid had assumed she¡¯d be, but no match for her. Enid flipped her and gently caught her as she was about to hit the ground.

    ¡°Its not demonic magic, it was a creation of your God. The power in his fruit of life flows through my veins, and yours, and your daughters. It is why you are stronger, faster, smarter, healthier than the humans around you. You are closer to Adam and Eve then any other living human besides your brother. You will live to be two or three hundred years old. You¡¯ll live through this plague, and your children will, but your other loved ones will not. The town will die if I don¡¯t do this and you and your brother and your children will be floating in a sea of disease-ridden corpses. I love you but if you try to stop me again, the next time I put you down you¡¯re going to wake up with a headache.¡±

    Eyre ceased her struggling and Enid released her. Eyre scowled up at her mother.

    ¡°You¡¯re face will stay that way if you keep doing it.¡±

    Enid laughed, and Eyre gave a begrudging smile.

    ¡°I promise I will say goodbye before I leave Narfordshire. You are smart enough to know it is the best choice for everyone. Including you. You have my gift, or you wouldn¡¯t be able to resist my attempts to persuade you with magic.¡±

    Eyre frowned and nodded. Sensing the truth in her mother¡¯s words. Enid offered her hand to her daughter and pulled her up.

    ¡°I will speak to you tomorrow after nightfall. Meet me in the crypt alone. Please don¡¯t tell Edward he seems happy. For the magic to be effective I need to draw the blood and use it before dawn.¡±

    Enid turned a corner without looking back and wrapped the shadows around her. She made her way to the church. Where the priest and townsfolk were holding an adoration. She shook her head. In front of her coffin she found a dip in the floor and shrugged it would do. Her resting place had been in a nook on the side of the church she held up the blood crystal and whispered the spell and a mist of her blood flowed out. She opened her coffin and dropped whispered another spell releasing the blood. The blood pooled at the bottom of the glass coffin and she held her hand over it and began to chant the spell to draw the energy from the fruit of life contained in it. A brilliant ball of white light illuminated her shrine, she pointed at the dip in the floor and the stone broke, earth and stone beneath it pushed away and water sprang forth. She heard a commotion from the church proper. She wrapped the shadows around herself and hid behind her former resting place.

    ¡°It is a miracle!¡±

    Sure, father whatever gets you to drink it.

    Enid saw Rosealyn at the edge of the crowd and while the assembled worshippers were distracted by the blood dosed tabard and newly formed spring she dragged Rosaelyn into another corner of the church looking into her eyes.

    ¡°Rosealyn you are seeing a vision of me displaying the stigmata. That is the reason for the blood in my coffin. I have been transubstantiated into a manifestation of the holy spirit. In the place of my body a healing spring sprung forth. Drink from it and be cured of the pestilence. I thanked you for taking care of my children and told you that to me you are my daughter as well. Go tell the priest.¡±

    Rosealyn rushed to the priest.

    Father I have seen a vision of Saint Sarah. Rosealyn pointed and the priest gasped and crossed himself as the Saint shimmered and vanished before is very eyes. Several of the other townsfolk did the same looking skyward and crying out glory to god, tears falling from their eyes.

    Enid shook her head again while concealed by the shadows of the church.

    Bunch of fools, but they¡¯ll live now.

    Enid made her way back to the family crypt beneath the keep and sat on the tomb that used to be hers. On the stone slab that covered it was written in Latin, here lies Sarah of Savia, beloved Wife of Henry Stewart, Earl of Nardfordshire, mother of Edward and Eyre. Born 1299, died 1324. Pillar of Piety to all who knew her. Warrior of Great Renown. Died while defending her keep and lands from invaders.

    That was sweet of him.

    Enid was tracing the lettering when she heard footsteps coming down the secret passageway stairs. When she looked up, she saw Eyre emerge from the concealed door.

    ¡°Well, three more miracles mother, you¡¯re really living up to the name title saint.¡±

    ¡°Is it working? Are the people drinking?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is. They say there was a flash of light, then they saw your apparition. Bearing the marks of the stigmata.¡±

    ¡°I had to explain the blood in the coffin.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re leaving then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am, I hope I can find out where the Black Sun is hiding and kill him, then come back.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is too dangerous for me to be around here, especially after my miraculous disappearance from the coffin, he¡¯ll know I¡¯ve risen and will be hunting for me again. This really would have been so much easier if I¡¯d just been where I left myself, everyone would assume I was dead and then I could kill him from the shadows.¡±

    ¡°I understand why you need to go, if me leaving could save my children I would leave too.¡±

    ¡°I know, but it being the right thing to do doesn¡¯t make the choice any easier, Eyre.¡±

    ¡°If I can¡¯t return you need to watch yourself, and watch out for your brother, I love him, but you were always the smarter of the two of you. You will understand the need to appear to die at a ripe old age of what seems right. You¡¯re going to be young for a very long time and others won¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Could you just turn us like your father did for you?¡±

    ¡°It is not a life I want for you Eyre, it is hard and secret and it is one bereft of love.¡±

    ¡°But father loved you and you loved him.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is true, but mortals they, you, live such a brief time I blink, and I miss it, loving a human is like torture. You will see when you live long past your children. The first time you think you can take it, the second you dread the passing years, the third you realize you are just torturing yourself.¡±

    ¡°So then why stay, why marry father, have children?¡±

    ¡°Truth be told, I needed him to take over the keep and lands and I was to die and he could remarry and have a happy mortal life. The area was unstable, peasants were revolting, the Pugmentia were in disarray and about to cause a civil war. I was ordered to stay and stabilize things.¡±

    ¡°Who can order you around?¡±

    ¡°Your grandfather, the Emperor of my kind, the council who serve him. I am a princess, but I have duties.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re an Emperor¡¯s daughter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m his heir, when he decides he no longer wants the responsibility it falls to me.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t supposed to be able to get pregnant Eyre. I¡¯m a vampire, sure your grandfather can have children but all he has to do is pass his seed on, a woman has to carry it and my body wasn¡¯t supposed to be able to do that, and then you showed up. I was surprised and distraught. I had no idea what you would turn out to be.¡±

    ¡°So, we were a mistake?¡±

    ¡°It is better to say you were an inconvenient miracle. It doesn¡¯t mean I love either of you less. But you have to understand, there are bad vampires out there, and even worse humans. It is my responsibility to keep them from hurting the innocents around them. Open warfare between vampires and humans would be a bloodbath in every sense of the word. Having you kept me here and would have if the Black Sun had not tried to kill me. And kept me from performing my duties to my father and my people.¡±

    ¡°Who is this Black Sun you keep talking about?¡±

    ¡°It is a person and an organization. He, it? I¡¯m not sure what it is really, is from the same place as your grandfather. A time before time, or creation or what not. Your grandfather called it Atlantis. Apparently, there was some great war the forces of light against the forces of darkness. Father was the leader of the forces of light. He turned himself into a vampire or something similar with magic so he could fight the twisted creatures the Black Sun created. Atlantis had some sort of weapon, or magic, or both that effectively ended everything, your grandfather thought he had defeated the Black Sun. Then God, your God stepped and made his version of reality or well his first, it didn¡¯t work out and he made a second, this one. Father decided to just see what the future brought. The Black Sun somehow survived the weapon and hid in a place between the old creation and the new one.¡±

    Eyre blinked at her mother and rubbed her temples.

    ¡°So why didn¡¯t grandfather just finish him off when last you knew where he was?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±

    ¡°Apparently I have two-hundred more years to live, so tell me, it¡¯s the least you can do.¡±

    ¡°In the year sixty-six after the birth of Christ, he would have been you cousin by the way, the Black Sun tried to end creation by destroying the barrier between the land of the living and the land of the dead. God would have wiped everything out and would have tried to start again, what Mariana told me was that the Black Sun would have stepped in and made his own version of reality. He¡¯s not a good person, and I assume his version of creation would be a terrible place to live. So, we stopped him, well Mariana stopped him I just fought off his minions so she could. Mariana knew how to fight him, I have no idea how. She¡¯s been dead for thirteen hundred years, so I have no idea where to start. Anyway, Mariana tried to tell him, and our father didn¡¯t believe her. So, she built a legion of vampires, undead and blood slaves to fight the Black Sun herself. She asked Lucius and I to help. He was my first husband. We succeeded but then when Father demanded to know why Mariana would risk exposing vampires to the world with the Black Legion and a massive magical battle in the streets of Rome she told him it was the Black Sun. He again did not believe her, but I had seen it with my own eyes and I can sense the truth and she was telling the truth. Lucius denied everything said Mariana was power mad and trying to take over the empire and rule over the humans. I told your grandfather it was a lie and again, he did not believe me. He said it wasn¡¯t possible that the Black Sun still survived. That he had killed him.¡±

    ¡°Jesus was my cousin?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he was Mariana¡¯s grandson.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°You know for yourself you and Edward are capable of things people call miracles, why not your cousins?¡±

    ¡°So, he wasn¡¯t God¡¯s son? I mean God?¡±

    ¡°I could not tell you the answer to that question, all I can say is that as a man he was the best humans had to offer and he used the gifts he had to help everyone around him. He could have been God in human form, or just a powerful scion of life. I cannot say, I could never read him. Either way it was Gods power, he created the tree, and the fruit that Mariana ate came from it, so that power was passed to him.¡±

    ¡°Mother I wish you could stay; You can teach me so much.¡±

    ¡°And what good would that do you? Its all ancient history. Your time is now, you should enjoy it.¡±

    ¡°Promise you will return.¡±

    ¡°When I return you will be older and wiser, and will have seen a generation come and go, and then if you still want the gift your grandfather gave me, I will consider it.¡±

    ¡°Please be careful mother.¡±

    Enid nodded and the pair embraced.

 Narfordshire - 1200s - Part 16 - Return

    Enid walked into Narfordshire, it had grown larger in the intervening decades. The Earl¡¯s estate had been improved to a full keep, with a wall. The Cathedral, now named Saint Sarah¡¯s Cathedral was surrounded by external buildings. The roads were now cobbled. She saw the old Tanner¡¯s house and shop, it no longer had the poultice sign. Instead, it looked to be converted to an Inn. She frowned. There was a stone monument at the sight of her fight with the Strix that declared Saint Sarah had slain a demon. A fence blocked access to the ground where life wouldn¡¯t flourish. She shook her head again and pulled her hood more tightly over her head. She approached the church and pushed the doors open. There were a group of nuns lost in prayers in front of an ornate fountain and the empty glass coffin that once held Enid. She kept herself hidden from mortal eyes and went to the door to the undercroft. The key she held still unlocked it and she entered. She glanced around the chamber. It had more tombs then she had recalled. She entered the hidden passage and made her way to the keep¡¯s crypt. This too had more residents then it once had.

    She saw two ornate tombs that stood out. Henry¡¯s and Katherine¡¯s. She looked at Henrys and ran her fingers along his face. His effigy wore a beard. He looked very dignified.

    ¡°I truly loved you Henry, and I¡¯m glad you found happiness after I left.¡±

    She noticed another tomb with an effigy she approached it hesitantly. It was a man; She could see that much. She read the writing that was chiseled into the stone. Blood tears ran down her cheek and she fell to her knees. The inscription read, Here lies Edward Stewart, fell in Battle of Agincourt, without issue. She lay draped over the tomb for some time, sobbing. She recovered drying up her tears and pushing herself up to look for more tombs desperately hoping that none would bear the name Eyre. She found for Rosealyn, her daughter, but none had the name she feared. She took the time to clean the tears from her face and entered the secret passage into the keep proper. It had changed much in the ensuing decades.

    Enid noticed light coming from her old study¡¯s door and listened carefully. She could only hear the beat of one heart. Soft breathing and the scratch of a quill on paper. She pushed the door open and peaked inside. It was Eyre. No mistaking her daughter¡¯s face, even seventy years later. She looked barely over thirty now. Enid knocked on the door softly.

    ¡°Enter. Do not worry Agnes I am heading to bed soon.¡±

    Enid entered and Eyre hadn¡¯t looked up from her writing. Eyre frowned at her writing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there and gawk girl. What is it?¡±

    Eyre looked up and her eyes went wide. The quill dropped to the table and Eyre rushed to embrace her mother. Enid wrapped her arms around Eyre. She could feel tears dripping on to her hair.

    ¡°Mother!¡±

    ¡°If I was human you probably would have just broken my ribs.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry mother, I just wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d ever return.¡±

    Eyre released Enid and started drying her tears up. Her daughter stood a full six inches taller than her and looked quite regal, even at this late hour.

    ¡°I thought you would be in bed.¡±

    ¡°I was but I could not sleep. I was just writing letters to my remaining children. Before I left.¡±

    ¡°Where were you going?¡±

    ¡°I was taking your advice mother, Edward left five years ago, he was starting to get looks with how young he still looked. The church has been sniffing around for the last few weeks. They had a special interest in us, as your children. I figured ninety-eight years was more than enough for one lifetime. Especially when I barely look thirty.¡±

    ¡°Edward is alive?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, I believe he is in Venice last I heard.¡±

    ¡°So, he didn¡¯t die in France?¡±

    ¡°No, no, he¡¯s alive and well living like a merchant king from last report. Wine, women and song. I thought I should go out and see more of the world, my great grandchildren are almost grown.¡±

    Enid put her hand to her chest. Taking an unnecessary breath.

    ¡°You came in through the crypts didn¡¯t you.¡±

    Enid nodded and sat down in a chair heavily, she sat in silence for a few moments. Then looked up at Eyre.

    ¡°How were you going to fake your death?¡±

    ¡°Oh, William has already procured a body and was going to take care of the cover up.¡±

    ¡°William Smith?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Uncle William has helped us quite a lot through the years. He¡¯s the vampire lord over this territory.¡±

    ¡°How do you even know that?¡±

    ¡°Well, I can apparently see everything¡¯s true form, some sort of gift, power, what not. I hadn¡¯t known it until you confirmed what you were. I started to refine it. Found more than a few actual monsters that I slew over the years. William made a case against killing vampires and I agreed seems that I¡¯m half vampire. I can even heal wounds like one, exhausts me though.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re a hunter now?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a Mother first, Countess second and hunter near the bottom of the list. I can see by your face your wondering what Edward is capable of. I have no clue he wasted his life on women and alcohol. Spent money like it was water and barely cared for the lands. Abdicated them to me and led the life of a Knight Errant. The king loved him for it. He cried actual real tears at the funeral.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°Typical of men, isn¡¯t it? Leave the real work to us women.¡±

    ¡°That has been my experience, yes. Why have you come back mother?¡±

    ¡°I promised to come back in a few decades to see if you wanted to be immortal.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure, but perhaps we could head to Italy together? Get reacquainted I can fill you in on what¡¯s been happening in your absence. You can tell me what you¡¯ve been doing with yourself.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Meet in the crypt then?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I should be ready to leave in a few days.¡±

    ¡°See you in a few days then.¡±

    Eyre and Enid embraced again.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you came back mother, I¡¯ve so many questions.¡±

    *****

    The mother and daughter leaned on the balcony enjoying the warm night air. Eyre was enjoying a bottle of wine. Enid was out of her usual tunic and armor. Bloodseeker was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°So, this is what having obscene amounts of money is like.¡±

    ¡°Nice isn¡¯t it, mom? Apparently, Edward won the estate in a game of chance. Original owners died of the plague and people thought it was cursed.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know there is something to be said about keeping things light and portable, not getting tied down in one spot.¡±

    ¡°And there is something to be said about seeing your children grow up and have children of their own.¡±

    Enid frowned at the slight verbal jab.

    ¡°So how exactly did I become Saint Sarah the slayer of dragons and demons? It¡¯s only been eighty years.¡±

    Eyre laughed then poured another glass of wine.

    ¡°Well Edward was known to tell a tale or two when he had too much to drink. The Vatican investigators who were deciding whether you met the requirements of sainthood ate it up, especially when he showed them the patch of land where you killed that Strix. He told them how a demon had possessed a little girl who had died a violent death and not been buried. The tanner was so old and crazy by then he confirmed everything. Claws, teeth. Said he¡¯d been hit by the demon¡¯s claw and you managed to purge the evil from him by calling on the holy trinity. He made up half the stories the other half he embellished from ones you told. And to hear him tell it you were the most righteous, pious woman who ever lived. You only ever raised your sword against the enemies of God. I can¡¯t believe they fell for the dragon one.¡±

    ¡°Well, that one was your grandfather¡¯s story. Apparently, dragons, griffins and the like were a part of life before Eden. If I saw something as big as a house that breathed fire, I have to be honest I¡¯d run the other way.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it, you¡¯d run at it, especially if innocent people were in danger and you could do it without breaking any of your laws.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Speaking of my laws, have you thought any more about your future?¡±

    Enid swirled the wine in her glass looking out at the rising full moon over the Strait of Messina. Eyre looked down at her own wine and then back to her mother. She abruptly changed the subject.

    ¡°You probably remember the city from Rome.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but its different, some of it was destroyed by an earthquake, there were more Greek buildings.

    ¡°Not much of a vampire population here is there?¡±

    ¡°No, most of them were killed or are in the long sleep here. And to be honest, Rome and now Italy are dangerous to live in. Unstable one could say, between the overabundance of ordained Christians, earthquakes and volcanoes.¡±

    ¡°Volcanoes aren¡¯t that dangerous, are they? They just sort of smoke sometimes.¡±

    Enid nudged her daughter¡¯s elbow with her hand and pointed northwards to a spot on the barely visible mainland. Eyre followed the line of sight from Enid¡¯s finger.

    ¡°There, that used to be a port town, with a harbor called Pompeii. Sextus had an estate there we¡¯d go sometimes in the winter. Very wealthy town, lots of trade, a hub for his financial empire. It was completely obliterated in a volcanic eruption. There were imperial vampires there, all dead. Buried in ash. Happened around noon. It was so dark from the ash we could walk in the day afterwards. The area was too hot to enter. You cannot comprehend the power of that eruption. Not sure how many humans died, but thousands were displaced. It was terrible. I never want to witness something like that again. This whole area is unstable, the with ground quakes, volcanic eruptions. When you¡¯re truly immortal the thought of something that can kill you so quickly and without any warning is terrifying.¡±

    Eyre¡¯s eyes were wide at the picture Enid painted with her words.

    ¡°You were there?¡±

    ¡°No just nearby enough to see the fire showing into the sky. It was a cataclysm in every sense of the word. I have no fear of vampire, mortal, or monster, but that, that I fear.¡±

    Enid pointed at the volcano rising in the distance.

    ¡°Was God angry, why was he so wrathful?¡±

    ¡°God.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°There were no Gods involved. I thought so at first too. Sextus told me though that it was the Earth itself. That underneath the dirt and the rock that great rivers of lava flow. And when pressure builds up it is expelled, I thought he had gone mad. But there is this magic, old magic, you can talk to the land in a way and hear it. Once he taught me, I started to understand. The lava is closer to the surface at some places, Pompeii was one of those places. He knew it was coming, it is why we left when we did by boat. He told me he could hear the land growing angry, feel the heat rising, the pressure building and so he left.¡±

    ¡°But why didn¡¯t he warn people? Bring the other vampires?¡±

    ¡°He tried to warn the imperials but as with me they thought he was nuts. And the people, how do you convince twenty-thousand people they need to leave because the earth is about to spew fire and brimstone?¡±

    ¡°Most of the humans escaped, the vampires were inside, sleeping, and were buried and probably incinerated. So, in short, volcanos are dangerous.¡±

    Eyre nodded, pouring herself another glass of wine and sipping it, her eyes focused on the former location of Pompeii.

    ¡°How are you still sane after so many years?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°It may be a part of the gift of being a vampire. You don¡¯t notice the passing time so much unless you¡¯re around mortals. Its not like your peers change much besides style of dress and even then, its only because they start standing out wearing togas in the middle of Londoninium in 1223 AD.¡±

    ¡°Londoninium?¡±

    ¡°Romans name for London. It was not the city it is now then.¡±

    ¡°Wait you were in London when it was Roman?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but only because Mariana dragged me there when she got tired about moping because the Romans crucified her great grandchild¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Never mind.¡±

    ¡°Okay but why were you in London? I mean Londonimium?¡±

    ¡°Mariana was friends with Augustus, Like the best of friends, and I see that look, not that kind of friend, and while we were not supposed to meddle in human affairs according to father¡¯s rules, she sort of did anyway. Well, her friendship carried on with his family, except Caligula, he was a fucking lunatic. Anyway, during the time she had her own legion. Odd for a woman, but Augustus let her found it. Some were vampires, most were blood slaves, all were undyingly loyal to her. They were called the Black Legion. Terror of the Empire. Nero asked her to intervene for him with a rebellion, Mariana dragged me along. Come see your homeland she said. What she meant was come help me kill this annoying mortal so Nero will stop pestering me. So, we stopped in Londonimum on the way through to chase down Boudica. Not that there was much left, most of it was destroyed by her armies. Mariana beheaded her and we went to Scotland, had a different name then. Not that the history books say she stopped rebellion can¡¯t have a woman saving Rome and all that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen so much mother, done so much. I admit I¡¯m jealous. But part of me wonders if it would seem so exciting without my heart beating fast, or breath in my chest. The sun on my face.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, when I was human, I felt weak, pitiable. The length of my life was measured by how useful I was to my father; I was to give him guidance and get him a good dowry. I didn¡¯t have the benefit of a vampire mother who had eaten the fruit of life, who had thirteen hundred years to realize that just because I have tits doesn¡¯t mean men can tell me what to do or rule my life. Sextus was a firm believer in women having their own course in life. So, you know freedom I never had before I was turned. All I can say is as a vampire you will never have to listen to a man tell you what you can and cannot do, especially if you keep a low profile, stay off the imperial council¡¯s radar.¡±

    ¡°But I have to hunt and drink blood from humans.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it doesn¡¯t have to be like that. I happen to enjoy that more, it¡¯s thrilling. You have your feminine wiles men will fall over themselves to give you the chance to feed. And the rush.¡±

    ¡°But then I can¡¯t eat food, enjoy wine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not true unless you¡¯re turned by a Pugmentia. We imperials we get to enjoy everything the mortals do, except the sun of course. But why would you settle for porridge when you can have ambrosia?¡±

    ¡°You ate a lot when I was young.¡±

    ¡°To keep up appearances. It was torture.¡±

    ¡°But there are rules to follow, I like following my own path.¡±

    ¡°There are human laws too, and as a Seer I should never say this, if you never get caught, you never face the consequences.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Look, as a Seer my main concern is the humans stay in the dark and you don¡¯t go around killing other vampires. If you happen to be seen and clean up your mess before anyone is the wiser, and we find out later I could care less. Its when you make a mess, and leave it for us to clean up, that¡¯s what pisses us off.¡±

    Eyre nodded.

    ¡°Take the crimes that brought me to Narfordshire, idiot Pugmentia creates a Strix out of ignorance or malice. Leaves a witness alive to his attack on the family, who sees Strix wakes up. The lord managed to screw up getting rid of the witness and then the church is involved. Then the Templars get involved. So, we have to burn down a Church, garrison full of holy warriors, and kill a Strix. Then stupid vampire¡¯s lover makes a new vampire for the Lord to pass as his spawn.¡±

    ¡°Wait you burned the church down and wiped out the Templars?¡±

    ¡°I did the templars, the lord and his ilk did the church.¡±

    ¡°That is terrible you killed so many!¡±

    ¡°Before you judge me, imagine how many more would die if the humans declared open warfare on vampires? I killed two hundred in one night, myself with no back up. Most of them trained warriors. Imagine what six of me could do, and realize that everyone on the Imperial council is at least a thousand years older than me and even less concerned with human lives. And realize that Mariana¡¯s black legion, Was only one cohort strong. That¡¯s five hundred men, and they killed ten thousand in one night. And there were only twenty-seven vampires there that night.¡±

    Eyre¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°It is only father¡¯s will and laws that keep the vampires in check, and if mortals started killing them in large numbers his rules would mean nothing. The church gets one or two idiots every so often and they feel like they¡¯re keeping the demons at bay. If they had any clue the power, we wield. It is best they don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°So, you do what you do to keep everyone safe?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I also kill the odd non-vampire supernatural creature that is killing humans because their attention could become our attention. I don¡¯t kill people out of spite, well not often, and never if they don¡¯t deserve it or the death doesn¡¯t serve a greater good.¡±

    Enid wrapped her hands around the railing palms up and looked at the moon that was filling the sky now.

    ¡°I want you to turn me, but not yet, lets meet here in ten years, and I will accept your offer, but I want to enjoy living before I say goodbye to the sun. I¡¯ve been trapped in musty keeps for the last hundred years. I want to live life to the fullest. If I¡¯m not here in ten years, I died, or I¡¯ve changed my mind.¡±

    ¡°Okay Eyre, I hope it¡¯s the latter if it comes to that. In the meantime, give me some of that wine. Do you have any other questions about the world, history, me?¡±

    Eyre poured her mother a glass of wine and both leaned on the balcony¡¯s railing the pair leaned on the railing backs the streets and the moon and talked long into the night, and did so for several nights before parting.

 Prayer - Mariana - Edmonton 2026

    A fat snow flake drifted lazily down through the dark and landed on the freshly carved marble angel¡¯s wing. In front of the grave marker stood Mary in a long black winter coat. A bottle in one hand, a gun in the other. She poured some of the amber liquid in the bottle onto the freshly fallen snow at her feet. She was a plain woman, with unruly brunette hair, and amber eyes. She stumbled and leaned on the angel.

    ¡°Fuck you, for dying without me.¡±

    Her voice carried in the empty graveyard. She looked around and laughed. She took another drink from the bottle.

    ¡°I can fix that, can¡¯t I?¡±

    She waved the gun at the statue and stumbled backwards, barely catching her balance. She put the gun to her head and began to squeeze the trigger.

    ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am.¡± The voice sounded hesitant, yet somehow firm.

    Mary stumbled again her gun-hand lowered. She looked around for the source of the interruption.

    ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m trying to kill myself here?¡±

    Her raised voice echoed through the graveyard.

    ¡°I know, ma¡¯am, I was hoping: may we talk first?¡±

    ¡°Jesus Christ show yourself!¡±

    Mary waved her gun around herself. A slip of a girl in a black taffeta and lace dress stepped out from behind a granite grave marker. Her hair looked pitch black. Her skin was sickly white in the light of the full moon. Her lips tinged blue. Dark lines of fluid ran down her cheeks from her eyes.

    ¡°Please ma¡¯am, do not use his name like that.¡±

    The girl¡¯s voice was firm now. She had an odd accent.

    ¡°What are you supposed to be the ghost of Christmas something or other?¡±

    The gun leveled at the pale young girl. The girl didn¡¯t flinch as Mary had expected.

    ¡°I am not spirito. I am flesh.¡±

    ¡°Well go home emo-kid, your parents are probably worried.¡±

    Mary waved her gun in the direction of the entrance of the graveyard.

    ¡°Once we have finished speaking I will leave you to your business, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°You talk weird.¡±

    The little girl smiled slightly at that and moved further out of the shadows.

    ¡°English was not my first language, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re thirteen what the hell are you doing in a grave yard at this time of night? Are you some sort of goth-vampire-death-worshiping kid?¡±

    ¡°I assure you ma¡¯am, Hell has nothing to do with my presence.¡±

    The girl¡¯s hand rose to a silver crucifix that hung around her next and fingered it gently. She looked up at the sky.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re some sort of angel then? Come to save me from myself?¡±

    ¡°I am not an angel ma¡¯am. Nor am I an ¡®emo¡¯ ¡®goth¡¯ kid.¡±

    ¡°Are you death come to collect me?¡±

    ¡°No Ma¡¯am, I have no claim over your soul.¡±

    ¡°Okay let¡¯s start with your name kid.¡±

    ¡°My name is Maria, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Hi Maria.¡±

    ¡°Greetings to you as well.¡±

    ¡°Well get this over with so I can get on with it.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, Mary, God wants you to live. He wants your unborn child to live.¡±

    The gun was pointed at Maria¡¯s face now. Maria was within arms reach of Mary by now.

    ¡°How the fuck do you know I¡¯m pregnant, and how the fuck do you know my name?¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, please watch your language. I find it quite offensive.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane? I have a gun pointed at your face and you¡¯re telling me not to swear?¡±

    ¡°You will not shoot me, ma¡¯am.¡±

    The girl stroked her silver crucifix again.

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°The same way I know, your name is Mary, and that you are carrying an unborn daughter. You were right I was sent here to speak to you, but I am not an angel, nor am I a holy messenger. I do believe God would not want you to die like this. Steven would not want this either.¡±

    Maria motioned to the grave stone.

    ¡°How do you know what Steven would want?¡±

    ¡°I am afraid I cannot tell you that ma¡¯am. You will have to have faith.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t do this alone!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to ma¡¯am, just ask God for help, that is all you need to do. Pray.¡±

    ¡°Pray, pray, Steven¡¯s parents prayed, his whole church prayed and where did it get him?¡±

    Mary pointed at Steven¡¯s grave with her gun.

    ¡°It was his time.¡±

    ¡°Bullshit, I told them to pull the plug!¡±

    ¡°You simply asked them to leave it in Gods hands. It was his time to pass on.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s supposed to make me feel better? When is my time? Why can¡¯t I pick it?¡±

    ¡°It is your choice to make Ma¡¯am, but consider, God needs you here and she needs you here.¡±

    Marie reached out and touched Mary¡¯s abdomen with her deathly pale hand. Mary could see the blue in the fingernails.

    ¡°Bullshit. God is bullshit.¡±

    ¡°God is not, ma¡¯am.¡±

    For the first time Maria¡¯s voice was tinged with anger.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Do you think when you die you will be with Steven again?¡±

    ¡°No, when you die, that¡¯s it. Food for worms.¡±

    ¡°No ma¡¯am, death is not the end. It is the beginning. Whether you move on, or not.¡±

    ¡°More of your religious crap.¡±

    ¡°I know it to be true ma¡¯am. I see things you cannot.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re crazy.¡±

    ¡°No, I wish it were so ma¡¯am, I have seen such terrible things.¡±

    Maria¡¯s eyes clouded she touched her crucifix again.

    ¡°You really have seen terrible things, haven¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, it is my gift and my burden. My gift means I can help people like you, so I bear the burden with joy.¡±

    ¡°How can you be so full of joy and hope, you look like you are dying.¡±

    ¡°God is with me ma¡¯am, I do not carry my burden alone.¡±

    ¡°God doesn¡¯t exist kid.¡±

    ¡°God exists in everything, and in everyone.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡±

    ¡°You have been baptized, you spent thirteen years in Catholic school, you went to church every Sunday until you were sixteen. Did you hear nothing, ma¡¯am? Feel nothing?¡±

    ¡°How do you know all this?¡±

    ¡°I told you ma¡¯am, I cannot tell you.¡±

    ¡°God told you I suppose?¡±

    ¡°No, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Well whatever it is, I listened to your evangelical spiel, you can go home now.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to kill yourself and your unborn daughter over your pride, ma¡¯am? Is it that hard to ask for help?¡±

    ¡°Guess I¡¯m a sinner till the end.¡±

    ¡°All you have to do is ask God to help you ma¡¯am. If you need a sign, I am that sign. Why else would I be here at this time of night just as you were about to pull the trigger?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about Steven, Ma¡¯am, what was he like?¡±

    ¡°He was perfect. Well okay he wasn¡¯t perfect, but he was perfect for me. We fit together like puzzle pieces. When I was with him it was like I was wearing comfortable old clothes that just belong on me. The universe doesn¡¯t seem right without him.¡±

    ¡°Would he want you to hurt yourself over him?¡±

    ¡°No, he would want me to move on, he asked me to move on.¡±

    Mary¡¯s tears began to drop into the snow below her.

    ¡°Give me the gun ma¡¯am. You do not really want to do this.¡±

    Maria held out her hand palm up, she looked Mary in the eyes. Mary put the gun in Maria¡¯s palm. Maria crushed the barrel of the gun and dropped it in the snow.

    ¡°What the fuck, how did you do that?¡±

    ¡°It is part my curse, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Curse? You can crush metal with your bare hands and it¡¯s a curse? Why did you bother talking to me? You could have just ripped it out of my hand?¡±

    ¡°You are the one who has to choose to live ma¡¯am. I could stop you by force or call the police, and then once you were released you could just do this all over again.¡±

    ¡°Angels call the police?¡±

    ¡°I am not an Angel, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Says you, who can crush guns with your bare hands.¡±

    ¡°I am a monster ma¡¯am, not an angel.¡±

    ¡°You practically have a halo. I don¡¯t have to have be religious to see you have a sanctity about you.¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am it does not matter what I am, what matters is you, and your unborn daughter.¡±

    ¡°It matters to me. You appear out of nowhere preaching God¡¯s word like I should care. Tell me my life matters. Tell me what you are!¡±

    ¡°I am a dead thing, a cursed thing.¡±

    ¡°Cursed? You speak of God as if he¡¯s with you. How can you say that and say you¡¯re cursed at the same time?¡±

    ¡°God is with everyone, ma¡¯am, even the damned.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re so damned, why do you care if I live or die? Are you trying to redeem yourself or something, earn your wings back?¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I cannot be redeemed. I will spend an eternity here out of his grace, and then I will go into oblivion when I die. I will never see heaven. It does not mean I cannot help others find his grace.¡±

    ¡°You are suffering like this, and you still speak like God is with you?¡±

    ¡°I am not suffering ma¡¯am, God is helping me carry my burden. He can help with yours, you just have to ask him.¡±

    ¡°What, say hey God, help me out here?¡±

    ¡°Mary fall to your knees, reach your hands out and pray, he will hear.¡±

    Mary looked in Maria¡¯s eyes, then fell to her knees and looked to the sky. Maria pressed her hands against Mary¡¯s cheeks. Mary flinched at the frigid contact. Maria¡¯s hands had no warmth in them.

    ¡°God hear her prayer, let her suffering be mine.¡±

    Then the worry that creased Mary¡¯s face evaporated and her eyes opened wide.

    Maria released Mary¡¯s face, blood seeped from her hands and she fell to the ground on her hands and knees. Maria screamed into the night, it was a primal noise, the sound a soul makes when it is in pain.

    Mary approached Maria putting a hand on her cheek. Maria flinched away. Mary stumbled backwards when she caught a glimpse of fangs. She looked at the thick fluid on her hand, it had been blood running from Maria¡¯s eyes.

    Mary pressed her back against Steven¡¯s grave marker. The bottle fell from her hand smashing against the marble base.

    ¡°God help me.¡± Mary whispered.

    Maria screamed again her cracking voice echoing off the church walls. Maria¡¯s fists were clinched her knees were hidden by the snow. Maria looked to the sky. Mary had a full view of Maria¡¯s fangs. Mary ran.

    Some time later Maria pulled herself up from the snow using a grave marker for support. She looked to the sky again her hand reached to her silver crucifix.

    ¡°Thank you, father, for helping her.¡±

    ¡°You are the one that helped her.¡± A male voice came from behind Maria.

    ¡°No Steven, she helped herself with God¡¯s assistance I was just his vessel.¡±

    Maria turned looking up at the flicking spirit.

    ¡°That was what was holding you here, Sir, you can go now to be with the father.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for not telling her about me.¡±

    ¡°You asked me not to sir. I would not betray your trust.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re older than either of us, you have such power, why do you treat us with such respect?¡±

    ¡°Respect and politeness are owed to everyone sir. Now go, find peace in his embrace.¡±

    Steven reached out to touch her cheek.

    ¡°I wish I could help you.¡±

    ¡°I know sir, but you cannot. Thank you, I am blessed to have been able to help you save two lives.¡±

    Maria touched her silver crucifix. She closed her eyes and when she opened them, Steven was gone.

    Maria washed her hands and face with the snow. Leaving a pink mess over Steven¡¯s grave. She made her way across the graveyard. Snow began to fall with renewed vigor. Maria touched her silver crucifix again.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She pushed her way through the locked gates, it was easy for a woman as small as her. She saw another shimmer out of the corner of her eye. She frowned. The ghost was a young girl in a yellow dress and was bouncing a ball on the sidewalk. It looked rather odd as there was half a foot of snow it was passing through.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t half as good as you pretend to be puke-face¡±

    ¡°And it was shaping up to be such a wonderful evening. Hello Ethel.¡±

    ¡°God will help you, just ask. Hah. Didn¡¯t help me, or you, did he?¡±

    ¡°Our uncles were just exercising their free will, their choices were awful, but God gave everyone free will to do good or ill.¡±

    ¡°God this, god that, blah. You¡¯re like a broken record since you woke up after blowing up your uncle¡¯s house. I mean you were always obnoxiously polite, but now you¡¯re a goodie-goodie.¡±

    Ethel continued to bounce her ball off the sidewalk. Maria caught the ghostly ball. Ethel looked up at her with a pout.

    ¡°Ethel, he can help you if you are willing, but you are not willing to forgive your uncle, so you cannot forgive yourself. You will never move on.¡±

    ¡°What if I want to stay here? Gimme my ball back.¡±

    Ethel stomped her foot, and began to struggle with Maria, trying to pull the ball out of her hand. Marie released the ghostly ball when she heard the crunch of steps behind her. She turned and watched Father Michael¡¯s approach. He was a balding man whose hair had long since gone grey and thin.

    ¡°What are you doing out here at this time of night Maria, with no coat? You¡¯ll catch your death of cold.¡±

    Ethel laughed and poked Maria in the back.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been dead longer than me.¡±

    Maria squirmed and swatted Ethel away.

    ¡°Shush you¡±

    ¡°What was that Maria?¡±

    Father Michael drew closer.

    ¡°Nothing Father. Just a memory best left forgotten.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I can hear you, you know!¡±

    Ethel threw her ball at the back of Maria¡¯s head. Maria flinched.

    ¡°Are you alright Maria?¡±

    ¡°I am fine father. I just needed some fresh air.¡±

    ¡°Well you should be wearing a coat. Here take mine.¡±

    Father Michael pulled off his heavy winter coat and Maria pushed it away.

    ¡°Thank you but I do not need it Father Michael. Please keep it. Why are you out so late?¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Fortura is at the hospital her family asked me to come to them.¡±

    Maria touched her silver crucifix.

    ¡°I am fine Father Michael. I will head back to my room. I hope you can bring some peace to them.¡±

    ¡°Alright, be careful.¡±

    Father Michael walked towards his car. Maria walked onwards.

    Behind Maria Ethel laughed.

    ¡°Peace? Hah, Peace is a lie.¡±

    Ethel bounced her ball off the back of Maria¡¯s head again. Maria clinched her fists.

    ¡°Ethel Davenport, if you do not stop that I swear to God I will¡­ I will¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll what little Miss Saint?¡±

    ¡°I will bind you to a rock and throw you in the lake where your uncle dumped your body!¡±

    Ethel clutched her ball tightly and fell to her knees she started to sob. Maria kneeled beside Ethel putting her hand on the girl¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°I am sorry Ethel, I did not mean that, I would never do that.¡±

    Ethel spoke through her sobs, her voice broken by them.¡±

    ¡°You promise, you swear to God?¡±

    ¡°I swear to God. I would never do such an evil thing.¡±

    Ethel sniffled some more and rubbed her nose with her sleeve.

    ¡°I forgive you. You shouldn¡¯t be so mean!¡±

    ¡°You should not throw balls at people¡¯s heads and you should not interrupt them. Neither is nice, nor polite.¡±

    Maria stood up and dusted her knees and offered her hand to Ethel who took it. Ethel pulled herself up and began bouncing her ball again.

    ¡°I should confess I have not since my Uncle¡­¡±

    Maria heard Ethel cackle from behind her, she would love to describe it as anything else mentally, but it was indeed a cackle.

    ¡°You, confess, is there enough time in a night? Let¡¯s just add destroy a priest¡¯s faith to your list of accomplishments¡±

    Maria turned to Ethel, her fists clenched.

    ¡°Would you kindly be silent!¡±

    ¡°Oh, oh, big scary necromancer vampire is getting mad.¡±

    Maria lowered her voice.

    ¡°You could try the patience of a saint, Ethel.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m bored¡±

    ¡°I do not care if you are bored. Go pester someone else!¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re my only friend¡±

    Ethel pouted.

    ¡°Surely you speak to other Spirito when you are not with me.¡±

    ¡°No they¡¯re mean! Like you¡¯re starting to get.¡±

    ¡°I am not trying to be mean Ethel, but you are being an obnoxious brat tonight.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know what to tonight is!¡±

    Ethel threw her ball and hit Maria right between the eyes. Maria rubbed her nose gingerly. She might be dead, but the pain was still real.

    ¡°Today is your birthday, I know Ethel.¡±

    ¡°And you wasted half the night saving some stranger instead of being with me.¡±

    Maria rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Ethel, all life is important.¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯m dead, so I¡¯m not important? You¡¯re dead too!¡±

    ¡°Ethel, you need to understand, I cannot dedicate all my time to you. We have been over this.¡±

    Ethel began to cry again and ran off through the graveyard fence. Maria looked to the sky touching her crucifix.

    ¡°God, grant me patience.¡±

    Maria ran at the fence and jumped over it and walked into the misty darkness of the graveyard.

 Florence - 1438 - Enid and Eyre

    Eyre smelled the sea air and smiled. She glanced to her mother who was skipping stones along its surface. Eyre spun in a circle and skipped over to her mother. Enid shook her head gave her a side long glance and skipped another stone out to sea.

    ¡°What are you so happy about? It smells like dead fish and shit.¡±

    ¡°Is it always like this mother?¡±

    ¡°Always like what?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like the world is more vibrant. I can hear the fish swimming under the surface. I can smell the fire and someone frying up fish down the beach. I can see the aura on the moon. My skin is alive!¡±

    ¡°Ya.¡±

    ¡°Ya? Ya? You¡¯ve seen this every night for your entire fourteen hundred years? And your answer is Ya?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°What am I supposed to say? You get used to it.¡±

    Eyre made a scoffing sound and did another spin.

    ¡°You should stop you¡¯re embarrassing yourself, you¡¯re Grandmother for Christ¡¯s sake.¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°And you are a boring old maid.¡±

    Enid¡¯s lips narrowed.

    ¡°Happily.¡±

    Eyre hooked her arm under her mothers.

    ¡°Mom, you are wasting your life.¡±

    ¡°Some of us have a job to do, we can¡¯t all be freeloaders.¡±

    ¡°Mom, would you just take one moment to enjoy the gifts grandfather has given us?¡±

    Enid¡¯s voice was monotone when she spoke next.

    ¡°Yay, I can smell shit at three miles away.¡±

    Eyre elbowed her mother gently.

    ¡°If I¡¯d know it was like this, I would have let you turn me so much sooner.¡±

    The pair walked along the beach and then up to the cobbled road past the low wall that ran along the sea. Eyre tugged Enid into the garden of an abandoned house. It was overgrown with roses. She inhaled again.

    ¡°Smell the Roses mother!¡±

    ¡°Yay, they are roses.¡±

    Eyre elbowed her mother again.

    ¡°Do you take no joy in life?¡±

    ¡°I really enjoy the feeling of my sword catching purchase on troublemaker.¡±

    ¡°Pish.¡±

    ¡°Pish to you too.¡±

    Eyre sat on one of the worn stone benches and looked up at her mother.

    ¡°Tell me about your life before me mom? And not those fairy tales you told Edward and I when we were children. I want to know what it was really like.¡±

    ¡°What brought this about?¡±

    ¡°You have been promising to tell me about where you are from for years. And Rome, you never talk about Rome. Now is as good a time as any.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯d rather not wallow in the glory of Rome¡±

    ¡°Please mom? You danced around your past since I was born. It¡¯s been a hundred years the least you can do is treat me like I¡¯m an adult.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s some glorious heroic journey kid.¡±

    ¡°Kid?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fourteen-hundred years old you will always be a kid to me.¡±

    Eyre sighed and leaned back on her palms. And looked at her mom. Enid frowned.

    ¡°Fine. I was born in the highlands of Scotland..."

 Enid Remembers - Part 1 - Scotland - 103 BCE

    Enid glanced at Eyre through her curly bangs. Eyre seemed to be prepared to hang on her every word. Enid frowned.

    ¡°Do I have to do this?¡±

    ¡°Yes mother, I want to know about your childhood.¡±

    ¡°Fine, where was I?¡±

    ¡°You were born in the highlands of Scotland.¡±

    ¡°Okay, yes, I was born in the highlands of Scotland, though it wasn¡¯t called that at the time. It was divided into tribes and¡­¡±

    *****

    ¡°My little cuachag what has happened?¡±

    Morag wrapped her arms around her adoptive daughter pushing her curled red bangs aside and kissing the forehead of the crying ten-year-old. Enid was inconsolable. Morag looked into her daughter¡¯s eyes she recognized the look of shattered innocence. She clenched her fists. She had ignored the beatings and the touching, but this had gone further. She looked towards the chieftain¡¯s round house. She stared at it long and hard with her arm holding Enid close. Her lips pursed and she kneeled in the grass at the top of the cliffs and pushed her daughter¡¯s hair out of her face once again.

    ¡°My little cuachag, I know what he has done, I cannot do anything to stop him, he is the chief and your father, but what he is doing is wrong. Are you hurt?¡±

    Enid nodded, she was sobbing so much couldn¡¯t get a word out. She lifted her skirt up. Morag saw the bruises and as her eyes moved up past her daughter¡¯s thighs she saw the brand he has burned her with. Her face twisted with anger and Enid stepped back. Morag forced herself to calm down and lifted her hands.

    ¡°Shh, shh, I am angry at him. Not you come, we need to tend to that.¡±

    Morag scooped Enid up in her arms and took the girl to her hut. Morag started gathering the ingredients she would need to soothe her daughters wounds. She could do nothing for the bruises but the angry burned flesh of the brand was another matter. Cela walked in shortly afterwards and looked down at the Enid coving her mouth with a gasp when she saw how hurt she was.

    ¡°By the Gods how does a man do such evil to his own flesh and blood?¡±

    Morag looked up at the apparently older woman.

    ¡°It is what men do, it was the creator intended. Women to serve men. Which breeds comtempt, which breeds this vileness. We aren¡¯t human to them. We exist to birth children.¡±

    Morag sighed putting her hand on Enid¡¯s forehead when she brought it away it was covered in the child¡¯s perspiration. She frowned and glanced at Cela.

    ¡°Please sit with here, I need to gather some ingredients.¡±

    Enid reached out and grabbed Morag¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave me momma.¡±

    Morag smiled at Enid and put her hand over the girls.

    ¡°I will be right back little cuachag. You won¡¯t know I was gone.¡±

    Cela nodded to Morag then took Enid¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Have I told the story about the Tuatha de Danan child?¡±

    Enid nodded shifting in her sweat stained clothing. Cela picked up a wet rag from a bucket and dripped it on Enid¡¯s drying lips.

    ¡°How about the Night Sidhe?¡±

    Enid shook her head and blinked her green eyes up at Cela. Cela pushed Enid¡¯s red curls to the side of her brow and smiled.

    ¡°They are called the pale ones, or the beautiful ones. They are as beautiful as they are deadly in their true form. They take the shape of loved ones to get close and they drink of your blood. They are the fallen daughters and sons of mother earth. They take from the living to protect her even in their death. The first would take the form of a red wolf. They say she was the mother of all the gods and spirits. That she walked among giants. A queen and a mother. She came to the isles and taught our people fire. She protected them. When her son was of age she left him with us and it is from him you got your fiery red hair. He was said to be as much wolf as man. She oversaw your birth wee lass. Saved you from the clutches of death. For what reason she came I know not. She suffered so very much to bring you into this world.¡±

    Enid¡¯s cracked lips opened, and she spoke her voice barely a whisper.

    ¡°Was she, my mother?¡±

    ¡°Nay lass, she was not. Your mother¡­she died in childbirth. Like I¡¯ve told you many times. But you have Morag and your brother, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Enid nodded and her head fell back to the straw matt.

    ¡°She left on the night Morag appeared. As if she knew she were coming. She was wise beyond words. So powerful, she defeated the tribe¡¯s entire war party herself with a wave of her hands. Her skin sparkled in the moon light. She called herself the Empress of the Court of Eternal Night. She fed you milk from her own breast until Morag arrived. You are blessed child even if it doesn¡¯t seem like it tonight.¡±

    Enid blinked slowy, he breathing was difficult.

    ¡°What did she look like Cela?¡±

    ¡°When she appeared, she had long blonde hair, and eyes as blue as the sky. She was tall, and beautiful. But her true form, she was a Goddess. One of the Tuatha no question about it. You could feel the power coming off her. She had long flowing red hair and green eyes, like you. Her skin was flawless. Like she was made of the purest flowing milk. It sparkled in the moonlight and she had such confidence in herself. And she was a warrior beyond measure.¡±

    Cela glanced behind her when she heard the fur at the entrance to the roundhouse rustle and Morag walked in holding a strange pack.

    ¡°Thank you, Cela please leave us, I need privacy to commune with the gods.¡±

    Cela nodded, squeezed Enid¡¯s hand one last time and left. Morag opened the pack and injected the barely conscious Enid with several modern style needles.

    ¡°What are they mother?¡±

    ¡°Potions of the Gods child. When you wake you will feel better. And your father¡¯s seed will find no grass to grow in.¡±

    Enid blinked slowly and lost consciousness.

    *****

    Enid¡¯s head was pushed to the side with the force of her father¡¯s back hand. She stumbled but righted herself before falling to the ground. She had long since become used to the pain. She could not remember a time in her short life she had not been bruised. She had just passed her eleventh winter.

    ¡°Does he tell the truth?¡±

    Enid looked up at her father who was a mountain of a man for all intents and purposes. She didn¡¯t cry anymore when he hit her. Or when he would take her into his round house at night. She had grown used to it. She spit at his feet.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know father, is he?¡±

    He closed his fist this time and hit the side of her face causing her to bite the inside of her cheek. The blow was so hard she fell to the hardened earthen floor of the round house. The world was spinning. She heard him moving something and she knew what that meant.

    ¡°I should have drowned you when you were born you formori wretch. Maybe tonight I should correct that mistake.¡±

    She heard the crack of the whip. She involuntarily tightened her muscles, but she said the words anyway. For she would rather be dead. She was used to the slaps, punches and kicks. The sexual abuse but the whip was a new pain. He would soak it in vinegar. Every time he was drunk and in a rage she hoped he would go to far.

    ¡°Do it then!¡±

    She closed her eyes when she heard the haunting whistle of the whip move through the air. She heard the snap and felt he burning pain as the acid on it seared her back. She clenched her fists trying to not even make a whimper. Tears formed at the corners of her eyes.

    ¡°Mouthy little sow. You will regret those words.¡±

    The whip cracked again, and her flesh was on fire.

    ¡°Did he tell the truth?¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Enid¡¯s voice cracked as she held back sobs.

    ¡°No, he was lying.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    The whip cracked again and again on her back. She cried out and her whole body shook with sobs she lost count with how many times he hit her. Her back may as well have been on fire she could feel nothing but pain now. He kicked her and lifted her up and threw her on to the ground outside his round house then walked to his gathering place leaving her there motionless on the ground. She felt firm hands helping her up and helping her to her home. She looked up and it was Cullen. He was one of her father¡¯s men. He helped her to her bed and left her there. She heard shouting in the village and the sound of weapons clashing. She heard footsteps then felt a gentle hand on the side of her head.

    ¡°Oh, my little cuachag. One day you are going to push him too far.¡±

    ¡°At least the pain would be gone mother.¡±

    ¡°Oh child, you have no idea what you¡¯re contemplating. You need to be cautious. I will not always be here to put you back together.¡±

    Enid felt coolness sooth her burning back. As if the vinegar her father used was washed away. Then she felt a cool weight on the lashes. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply for the first time since the beating began. She opened her eyes suddenly but didn¡¯t dare move beyond that for fear of the pain coming flooding back.

    ¡°What do you mean you will not always be here mother?¡±

    ¡°Your father has told me to leave. He is the chieftain, and I will not risk is wrath falling on you and Liam because he cannot harm me. I am taking Liam and I am going to go home. But I will always be watching you even though you may not see me child.¡±

    Enid felt tears forming in her eyes for the second time tonight. Her body began to shake with sobs. Losing her mother and brother in one night.

    ¡°Shh, my little cuachag. You will always be in my heart child. You are the child of my heart if not my womb. We will see each other again in another place far away from this terrible place.¡±

    *****

    ¡°Enid your father would like to see you.¡±

    Her day began in pain as she often did. Her father had been rough the night before she could barely stand. She looked at Cullen standing at the door. She blinked at him shifting herself so her feet could touch the earthen floor of the round house she had shared with Morag until she left with her brother six months ago. Now she was alone save for Cela who would check on her. She took a deep ragged breath. Cullen stepped back as she stood his hands held up slightly.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t seem to say it was a rush you can take your time Enid.¡±

    Enid pushed herself off the bed and held her head up. Her ribs ached along with many other parts of her, but the ribs were making it a challenge to breath. She had never asked Cullen why he showed such fear of her. She assumed it was her gift. It set her aside from the rest of her tribe. The sight often showed her truths best left undiscovered. Her fellow humans were all liars. She straightened her dress and walked up to Cullen who backed away from her as she approached the entryway. She motioned for him to lead on after she pulled on her fur boots and cloak. He led her to her father¡¯s round house.

    Inside she saw her father sitting on his stone bench drinking what passed for alcohol in the village and he motioned for her to sit to his left on a chair he had made for her. She pulled her cloak close and sat down. Her face was unbruised today, all her injuries were hidden by her dress and cloak. A fire warmed up the room. Across from her father sat another chief and his son and daughter, along with several of his men. Her father patted her on the shoulder and grinned.

    ¡°My daughter Enid.¡±

    Enid held her side the cloak her voice was weak because she couldn¡¯t take deep breaths. So she merely nodded. The other chief looked at her.

    ¡°She¡¯s so thin. You said she was a healthy young virgin. She is sickly.¡±

    He waved his hand at her dismissively.

    ¡°You said she would give my son strong children.¡±

    Her father laughed.

    ¡°Her milk mother recently left she¡¯s been picking at her food since. I¡¯m sure your boy will give her something else to worry about.¡±

    Enid nodded in agreement after she felt her father¡¯s hand tighten on her shoulder. The thought of leaving her even to be someone¡¯s wife inspired her to be more agreeable then usual. She smiled to the other chief¡¯s son. He smiled back looking bashful. She could sense an honesty and gentleness about him. She felt her father¡¯s grip release on her shoulder. She wanted to lay down again all she could feel was pain but she had to sit there through her marriage negotiations. Her father was trying to make an alliance to take down a rival tribe and take their lands and share them and their resources with the man across from him. The man was being honest. He wanted to unite the tribes with the marriage. Her father was negotiating in bad faith. She wasn¡¯t sure what he was lying about but he was being dishonest when he said the marriage would being a new era of peace. She needed to meditate and see if she could discern future events but she needed silence and something for the pain. The negotiations ended and her father said he would need to consider all of it. Enid promptly stood up and walked out. She heard footsteps crunching on the packed snow behind her. She looked back and it was her soon to be betrothed. The pain was becoming unbearable in the crisp cold air but she stopped as he waved his hand.

    ¡°Wait, Enid, wait.¡±

    Enid leaned on her round house looking at him.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I was hoping we could talk seeing as we¡¯re going to be married soon if all goes well?¡±

    ¡°I really do not have the time for that right now.¡±

    She pushed herself off and wobbled on her feet he caught her. He unlike most men smelled good. He had definitely put some effort on making a good impression.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    She struggled him to push him away but she was small and injured and he was larger and healthy. He held her firm and helped her inside. Her cloak came off and he saw the bruises on her arms and he frowned.

    ¡°Who did this?¡±

    She glanced in the direction of her father¡¯s hut.

    ¡°Who do you think?¡±

    ¡°What kind of man would do this to his own child?¡±

    ¡°Look my father is lying, I¡¯m no virgin he¡¯s seen to that repeatedly. You should tell your father to leave, mine is up to something.¡±

    ¡°I will not. I cannot leave you here. I do not care about your purity. You should not be here.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°Save yourself. My father is a lying pig.¡±

    She sat on the bed.

    ¡°Please leave me be I need rest.¡±

    He nodded and left his face had become very serious as their conversation had progressed. Enid sighed. She pulled the magical pain treatment that Morag had left her and the other treatment that would save her from her father¡¯s children. She took both and laid back down and waited for the pain to fade. When it was faded to a dull ache she sat up and she closed her eyes trying to focus on the path before her. They were unclear, clouded. She concentrated trying to push past the fog before her and it blew apart and she stood. One path lead to her looking into the lifeless eyes of her husband two weeks from now as her father decided her gift was too dangerous in someone else¡¯s hands. The other led to the family and guards dying tonight and her following later in the middle of the night. Tears dripped down her cheeks. Death would be preferable to this living hell but the chief and his children were innocent in all of this. She felt something on her lip and lifted her hand and touched it pulling it away she saw it was red with blood.

    She stood and pulled on her boots and her cloak. She walked out of her round house and she saw the boy who would be her betrothed standing with his father and sister seemingly in a heated discussion. She approached them and the father hushed them she smiled and motioned to the boy. He approached her and she pulled him close. The father laughed.

    ¡°Why is your nose bleeding?¡±

    ¡°That is not important you need to listen to me carefully.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You need to take your sister and get out of the village. My father is going to betray you this night. You cannot tell your father or your tribe will die. Do you understand?¡±

    He looked at Enid.

    ¡°You speak nonsense.¡±

    ¡°No, I have the sight. My father will murder you and me and your tribe in two weeks, or your father and I die tonight, and you survive.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    Enid grabbed his shoulders and looked him in the eye.

    ¡°If you do not do as I tell you, you will die tonight.¡±

    He nodded to her Enid felt someone tugging at her shoulder as their gazes remained locked it was Liam, one of her father¡¯s men.

    ¡°Girl your father wants you.¡±

    Enid looked at the boy again.

    ¡°Remember what I said.¡±

    She went along with Liam who was dragging her towards her father¡¯s round house. When she arrived, her father shooed his men out and looked at her.

    ¡°Is he lying to telling the truth, will this negotiation end with my victory?¡±

    Enid stared at him. Her words would choose her time of death. She chose life for the innocent.

    ¡°He is going to betray you. He is telling his children to flee and take me right now and he is going to murder you. You will defeat him because you know of his betrayal. His children will freeze to death. The death of cowards.¡±

    Her father grabbed her shoulders.

    ¡°You might be worth keeping around.¡±

    Enid nodded and made her way back to her home giving the boy a nod before she went inside. She didn¡¯t stay outside to find the outcome. She heard the sounds of men dying. She took the last of the painkillers that Morag had left her and laid and waited for death to claim her. Her father came in a few hours later. Drunk and elated with his swift victory. He started to get handsy and she slapped his hand. He backhanded her. She laughed.

    ¡°Have you gone mad?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m free.¡±

    He grabbed her around the throat and lifted her then back handed her again throwing her down.

    ¡°You have gone mad like your mother. I should put you down.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ve already made sure you¡¯ll go with me!¡±

    His eyes went wide, and he shook her. She giggled madly.

    ¡°I lied, he was negotiating in good faith it was you who was going to betray him. You¡¯re going to kill me tonight in a rage and then you¡¯re going to die in two weeks when his men seek vengeance and to rescue me. His son will cut your manhood off before he watches you die.¡±

    She laughed again. He punched her over and over again, but she just kept laughing. She was past the point of reason. She wanted to die. He finally stabbed her in the back and her laughter died away as she lacked the ability to breath deeply enough. He looked around outside then carried her to a snowbank tossing her in it. The other chief¡¯s knife left in her.

    She lay there waiting for the cold or the knife wound to claim her. But death never came. Something else entirely came to claim her that night.

    *****

    She looked up at the man who wore a white toga and sandals standing in the snow as if it was sand on a sunny beach. He looked down at her with kind brown eyes. She met his gaze with her green ones when he kneeled down elbows on his knees.

    ¡°A woman risks everything to ask me to help a child and what do I find but you, cast off in a snowbank like refuse. Who has done this to you child?¡±

    Enid coughed up blood spraying the snow as she tried to breath in.

    ¡°My father.¡±

    The man frowned and sat down crossing his legs. She could feel warmth surrounding her as his hand touched her shoulder.

    ¡°Then he doesn¡¯t deserve such a title. Tell me child I felt a ripple in reality shortly before the woman I spoke of appeared. What have you done?¡±

    Enid coughed up more blood and smiled.

    ¡°I changed the future. Made my father seal his doom.¡±

    He frowned and nodded.

    ¡°Did you know this would happen to you?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°And why would you do that knowing you would die here, like this, alone in a snowbank?¡±

    She coughed again as she drew another ragged breath into her one working lung.

    ¡°Life.¡±

    He chuckled and touched her hair.

    ¡°That was the right answer child.¡±

    ¡°Are you a god?¡±

    ¡°Some call me that¡±

    He gently lifted her chin and looked in her eyes. He smiled.

    ¡°This will hurt, and I can do nothing for the pain, but I do it so you will live.¡±

    She shook her head tears filling her eyes. Coughing up more blood from her pieced lung.

    ¡°No¡­ Let me die here. I don¡¯t want to suffer anymore.¡±

    Blood tears fell down his cheeks.

    ¡°To hear a child beg for death is not something even a God can hear and not weep over. I promise I will take you somewhere where you will you be safe and loved Enid of the Wolf Tribe.¡±

    He scooped her up and the world turned into a blur around them.

 Enid Remembers - Part 2 - Rome 103 BC

    Eyre leaned on her elbows, chin on her palms staring at her mother.

    ¡°Okay that was Scotland, but what about Rome?¡±

    ¡°You are a persistent child aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯d stuck around instead of almost dying you¡¯d have figured that out.¡±

    Enid made a face and sighed.

    *****

    When Enid was next aware of her surroundings she was face down on a table made of wood. A woman with long flowing black hair was holding her hand and speaking to the man who had rescued her. The words were reassuring.

    ¡°Even with all my gifts I cannot save her my love. She is too far gone. It would take an act of the gods that is beyond even you to save her from dying. Unless you were to¡­give her blood.¡±

    She saw the man pacing. He shook his head vigorously at her last few words.

    ¡°She is too young, not even saving her life is worth it.¡±

    ¡°Then you have brought her here for nothing save that she dies in our arms.¡±

    ¡°It is better then dying alone, abandoned in a snowbank.¡±

    ¡°She is Mariana¡¯s age, we can simply not watch her die.¡±

    ¡°What would you have me do?¡±

    ¡°Petition the Gods as you did for Mariana!¡±

    He frowned.

    ¡°That is the reason we are in this predicament you would have been renew my debt?¡±

    ¡°For a girl who you flew around the world to retrieve. Surely if they sent you they must want her to live?¡±

    He frowned.

    ¡°I was told if I ask again I will regret it.¡±

    ¡°Please husband I ask you for little.¡±

    He nodded and left the room. The woman sat beside her still holding Enid¡¯s hand. She looked at her in much the way Morag would.

    ¡°Dear child. I can tell you have suffered greatly.¡±

    Enid nodded tears dripping down her cheeks.

    ¡°Let me die.¡±

    Her voice was barely a whisper.

    ¡°Oh dear child, you are safe here. You will find only love within this home.¡±

    Enid could feel something she never felt before, a warm breeze in the midst of winter.

    ¡°Where am I?¡±

    ¡°You are in Rome.¡±

    ¡°How can you understand me, how can I understand you?¡±

    The woman smiled and squeezed Enid¡¯s hand.

    ¡°My husband has made it possible; It will not last long and you will need to learn our language, but take comfort that we mean you only the best.¡±

    Enid shook her head. She could sense the truth when she heard it but her mind refused to want to live. She was to die this night.

    ¡°I saw my death.¡±

    The woman quirked her head.

    ¡°You saw a death. But sometimes death is a symbol of rebirth. My husband will return with the fruit of the gods and you will eat it. Your flesh will heal, then my husband will deal with the man who dared call himself father. Jupiter himself fears the wrath of my husband, your father will know he has done great wrong.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°He will die in two weeks.¡±

    The woman smiled.

    ¡°My husband knows of fates far worse than death. I assure you the punishment will fit the crime.¡±

    ¡°I am just one¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, but you are one he already has a soft spot for. I could tell by his eyes.¡±

    ¡°Save someone worthy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, dear child, I can read your mind, I know exactly why you lay here before me, you choose many lives over your own with no hesitation. That takes bravery. Not many people would choose a painful, long suffering death over a quick one. Let alone most children. They would hold out hope fate would spare them. But not you, brave, strong little Enid, no you looked death in the face and said: Come take me instead of them. You will be a great woman one day.¡±

    Enid blacked out again when she woke a fruit was being pressed to her lips. She bit into it, and she felt a tingle on her lips. She felt instantly better and devoured the rest hungrily. The fruit was unlike anything she had tasted before. She closed her eyes and she felt the blood in her lung coming up she coughed it up in a gob the dagger fell out of her back and her eyes opened wide. When she looked around she saw the woman and the man looking down at her. It was like she hadn¡¯t been hurt that night, no stab wound, no frost bite, no pain. The woman smiled at her. The man nodded and threw the core into a pail and offered his hand to Enid.

    ¡°Come Enid.¡±

    She took his hand and he guided her to a room in what seemed to be an endless building of corridors surrounding a garden. He pushed the curtains aside and motioned inside.

    ¡°Your room while you stay with us. You may choose whatever dress you like. They are second hand, but we will have new ones made.¡±

    His eyes glanced at the doorway when the curtains were brushed aside. Enid blinked at a girl who seemed to be her age, but was her opposite in almost every way, save the pale skin. She had blue black hair, and dark brown eyes. Her lips had a blue tinge to them. She looked of death, where as Enid looked like life in bloom. Their eyes met and the girl smiled. The man motioned to the girl.

    ¡°This is my daughter, Mariana, she does not understand your language, but she is eager to find a new friend in you¡­actually no, a sister.¡±

    He smiled. Enid blinked up at him and the girl.

    ¡°In time, Enid, in time. You are safe here. You will come to no harm within these walls.¡±

    Mariana started poking through the assorted dresses and found one and motioned to it nodding to Enid. Enid took it. The fabric was softer than anything she had ever known. The man spoke in a foreign language to Enid and Mariana quickly left. He nodded to Enid and left her there to change. She hugged the dress to herself the feeling against her skin was unreal. She looked at the bed that she thought looked to soft and laid on it. Within moments her eyes closed.

    *****

    Mariana and Enid lay on a blanket in the shadow of a great oak tree. The sun streamed through the branches. The pair of twelve-year-old girls had been inseparable since Enid¡¯s arrival in Rome. Winter had turned to spring and spring had given way to summer. They were just outside Pompeii near the shores of the Mediterranean. They watched the columns of centurions marching towards the city. Enid was propped up on her elbows watching them march in unison.

    ¡°So many men.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have armies where you come from?¡±

    ¡°Not that big, and never that organized.¡±

    ¡°Interesting.¡±

    Mariana was laying on her front chin on her palms.

    ¡°It feels strange to be this lazy.¡±

    ¡°Lazy?¡±

    ¡°Just laying in the sun.¡±

    ¡°Why? I do it all the time. It¡¯s the best part of Pompeii in the summer.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how everyone can be so lazy. I keep feeling like I¡¯m failing at preparing for winter.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the wilds of the Roman Republic Enid. Our father is the wealthiest person in the empire. We can relax and enjoy the passing of the seasons because he worked hard for us already.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem right.¡±

    The legions vanished in the distance and Mariana spun around looking at her sister. The sunlight made the blue tinge to Mariana¡¯s lips and paler starkly apparent.

    ¡°You need to relax Enid. There is plenty of time to worry.¡±

    Enid looked at her sister¡¯s pale face and blue lips. Her concern must have crossed her face because Mariana¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.

    ¡°Do I have something on my face?¡±

    ¡°No, I just, you look so sick all the time. I have seen people look like you before and they were soon to meet their ancestors.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, I don¡¯t look any different then I usually do, do I?¡±

    ¡°No, but the sun makes it far more obvious.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a truth seer so I¡¯ll say it again.¡±

    ¡°I am not sick.¡±

    ¡°Okay, sorry, just, I feel death around you. You wear it like a cloak.¡±

    Mariana laughed.

    ¡°I do, that¡¯s why I see ghosts.¡±

    Enid nodded and lay down staring up at the blue sky through the branches of the oak. Her hands folding behind her mass of curly red hair.

    ¡°I think I¡¯d rather see ghosts then know if someone is lying or seeing the future. It would be nice to just take people on what they are say instead of what I sense. People always lie. I¡¯d rather not have to know that.¡±

    Enid moved to lay on her front chin on her elbows almost nose to nose to Mariana.

    ¡°Except you. You have never lied to me once. Even when it would have been in your best interest. It is a rare gift you give me.¡±

    Mariana smiled.

    ¡°You have a good heart Enid, even if you hide it with a mean face.¡±

    ¡°Mean face.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you get a mean face. When you don¡¯t think anyone is watching. Your nose crinkles up your eyes narrow. Like you¡¯re remembering you¡¯re supposed to be angry. I wish I could help you not be so sad and angry when you are alone.¡±

    Enid felt her cheeks getting red she looked away from Mariana.

    ¡°See always the truth even when it hurts. I think that¡¯s why we¡¯re such good friends, everyone always lies to me. Oh your hair isn¡¯t that red, the freckles are cute. I won¡¯t do it again I promise¡­¡±

    Mariana leaned forward her nose touching Enid¡¯s.

    ¡°We¡¯re not friends Enid, we¡¯re sisters.¡±This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    She showed the almost healed cut on her palm. The one that matched Enid¡¯s own. Enid touched her own palm to hers.

    ¡°Sisters forever.¡±

    Mariana nodded. Mariana put her hand back under her chin. They pair sat silently for a while and then Mariana smirked.

    ¡°You¡¯re making that face again.¡±

    ¡°Oh, stop it.¡±

    ¡°You first, keep making that face it will stay that way.¡±

    Mariana crinkled her nose and did her best angry Enid face copy. The pair rolled over and dissolved into giggles. They struggled to catch their breath when they heard a familiar and very stern voice, her Greek accent was quite apparent.

    ¡°That is where you two got off too. You skipped blade training and Greek lessons!¡±

    ¡°Amara, mother said we could have today off!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk back to me you little she-devil! I won¡¯t be swayed by your innocent looks and silver tongues.¡±

    Amara grabbed the sisters by the top of their ears. She was a tall woman, with tanned skin. The sisters weren¡¯t quite sure who she really was, all they knew is she came from a Greek city-state called Sparta and was several hundred years old.

    ¡°Lazy lay-abouts, would that your father had let me raise you in the Spartan way. You¡¯re both going to run triple laps today. If you do well, I¡¯ll let you throw javelins, if you don¡¯t you¡¯ll be cleaning fish guts. I¡¯m sure I can find a fisherman who would love the help!¡±

    The girls groaned and began to run around the oval track. They both collapsed in the lounge area of the estate after being forced to run a marathon and throwing javelins for the better part of two hours.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why she makes us work so hard.¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s trying to make us strong. I appreciate her using her time to train us. I¡¯ve learned so much, even if my arms feel like they are going to fall off. I can throw a javelin further then most boys and I can actually hit what I want.¡±

    ¡°Enid, we don¡¯t need to know how to throw a javelin, or swing a sword that is what boys are for!¡±

    ¡°I do not ever want to need a boy.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s this about not needing boys?¡±

    Both girls bolted upwards their exhaustion momentarily forgotten at the sound of the voice. Mariana was already moving forward and almost broke the blond-haired boy when she hugged him.

    ¡°I missed you too Mariana, is this Enid, our new sister?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Lucius, this is Enid.¡±

    At the sound of her name Enid peaked out from behind her red curls. Lucius and Enid¡¯s eyes met and for them the world fell away. They stared at each other. They were two halves of the same soul and the bond was formed immediately. Mariana waved her hands in front of their eyes. The connection broken Enid looked away hiding behind her mass of red curls once again. Lucius staggered a bit.

    ¡°Hello?¡±

    Lucius looked at Mariana.

    ¡°What? I¡¯m sorry Mariana.¡±

    ¡°You two were just staring at each other for well forever. I was wondering when the fight was going to start.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t know must be tired from the trip.¡±

    Lucius wrapped his arm around Mariana¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°You stink, what¡¯d you do run back and forth to Rome?¡±

    ¡°Feels like it, Amara was in a rare mood today.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t she always? She told father I should be sent out naked to survive in the wilderness to prove I¡¯m a true warrior.¡±

    Enid avoided Lucius¡¯s gaze and he did the same. Mariana could feel the tension in the air between the two.

    ¡°What is going on with you two?¡±

    ¡°I need to go get changed.¡±

    Enid rushed off.

    ¡°Sorry Lucius, she is usually more friendly than that. She¡¯s amazing. Drives me a bit crazy when we¡¯re sparring. She always seems to know what I¡¯m going to do before I do.¡±

    ¡°So, she can see the future?¡±

    ¡°And this annoying ability to tell if someone is lying, according to everyone else, but I¡¯ve never noticed.¡±

    ¡°That is because you never lie Mariana. Because you tried and you sucked at it.¡±

    ¡°That is true. Hey, did father come with you?¡±

    ¡°No, he is still back in Rome, he will be coming soon though.¡±

    Enid threw herself into training with a new vigor over the next few weeks. Studying and training long past her allotted time. Amara was pleased. Sextus when he arrived and witnessed it was not. It was early evening when Sextus walked on the practice ground to see Amara running Enid through a sword exercise. Enid was drenched in sweat and looked exhausted. Finally, the practice sword fell out of Enid¡¯s calloused hand as she leaned forward hands on her thighs. She was gasping for breath. Amara put a hand on Enid¡¯s back.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough for today Enid.¡±

    Enid shook her head and leaned down and picked up the sword from the dirt of the training grounds. Amara smiled.

    ¡°I ponder if you weren¡¯t born in Sparta, it has been a long time since I¡¯ve seen such drive. But you need food and drink.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°I can eat later.¡±

    Sextus stepped out of the shadows.

    ¡°Amara is right, you need a break, and you will take a few days off to recover.¡±

    Enid shook her head her eyes a bit wide. Sextus frowned. He sensed her fear.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t a suggestion. Put your sword away go get washed up and eat. Go.¡±

    He pointed to the interior of the estate. Enid sighed heavily and put the blade back on the rack leaving Sextus to speak to Amara. Enid slept in late the next day and woke up with every part of her aching. Three weeks of back-to-back twelve-hour training days had left her sore. She ate a late breakfast and the mid-afternoon found her reading a Greek work of fiction in the original language while pacing back and forth in the warm sun that streamed down on the garden path. She caught movement in the corner of her eye. When she looked saw that Lucius was reading something and pacing exactly as she was while he did it.

    The bundle of papers she was reading fell to her side her hand still holding it soundly. She peaked at Lucius through the laurel bushes that separated the garden¡¯s halves. His perfect nose, his clear blue eyes, his long blond hair. Everything about him made her heart flutter. She watched as his lips mouthed the words of what he read. She could tell by the creases in his forehead he was struggling with whatever was before him on the scroll. He looked in her direction and she flitted behind a bush. She heard him start to pace again and she peaked out again. Her heart fluttered again when she caught sight of him passing the small opening in the bushes. She hadn¡¯t noticed he was staring back at her. She stepped back when he pushed throw the opening and met her gaze close up. He reached out his hand and she met it with hers their palms met and each felt a surge of energy as they touched. They stared into each other¡¯s eyes. Lucius finally spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m Lucius.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Enid. Did¡­ did we meet before? When I first arrived?¡±

    ¡°No, but I feel like I¡¯ve seen your face before.¡±

    Enid looked at the ground her cheeks turning a bright red.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen yours before too.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°I have seen you before in my dreams.¡±

    ¡°If we had met before I would have not forgotten. I could never forget seeing such a beautiful girl.¡±

    Enid buried her face in her red curls. Her cheeks were on fire.

    ¡°I¡¯m not beautiful.¡±

    Lucius put his fingers under Enid¡¯s chin and gently lifted it so their eyes would meet again.

    ¡°To me you are Venus made flesh. Its like my heart has always belonged to you, my very soul.¡±

    Enid¡¯s heart skipped a beat as it pounded against her chest. The gift told her every word he said was the truth. She laced her fingers into Lucius¡¯s.

    ¡°I know, I have the same feeling. Like we were never meant to be apart.¡±

    Their eyes met once again. Even having only met so much was said without words.

    ¡°Soldales Bond!¡±

    Lucius¡¯s exclamation jolted Enid out of the spell his eyes were casting on her. She had been soaking in every detail. She had seen him so many times in her dreams she could have drawn him in detail, but it couldn¡¯t match the real him.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We are soul-bound. Father told me about this. How sometimes souls are meant to be together. Not severing that bond is one of his people¡¯s highest laws.¡±

    ¡°So, we were meant to meet?¡±

    ¡°I have never felt so complete.¡±

    ¡°I thought I was.¡±

    *****

    Eyre¡¯s green eyes were like saucers.

    ¡°Oh mom, that is so romantic. What happened to Lucius? Why did you marry father?¡±

    Enid had turned away and was wiping away a few blood tears.

    ¡°I do not know what changed but he turned cold. Look its not something I feel like talking about.¡±

    ¡°But mom, if you were soulmates why are you not with him?¡±

    ¡°Not tonight. Please.¡±

    Enid stood up from the bench and leaned on the stone wall that overlooked the beach and the sea. She got lost in thought. Eyre nodded and sighed walking up and leaning beside her mother.

    ¡°Sorry Mom.¡±

    ¡°It is alright the betrayal still stings. I promise, more tomorrow night.¡±

    Eyre put her arm around her mother¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡±

    ¡°No, you need to know about this so you know why he cannot be trusted but we¡¯re immortal it can wait another night.¡±

    Eyre nodded and the pair looked out at the full moon reflecting off the calm sea before them.

    ¡°Mom, did you meet Jesus?¡±

    Enid groaned.

    ¡°He was my nephew, yes, I met him. Mariana and I traveled with him.¡±

    ¡°Tell me please?¡±

    ¡°Read the bible, brat.¡±

    ¡°Why did you let him die?¡±

    Enid blinked up at her.

    ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°You heard me, I know you, you would never let family die if you could save them.¡±

    ¡°He had a convincing argument.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean I was with him the night before he died. I was ready to drag his ass to Rome to keep him safe.¡±

    ¡°You were at the last supper?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°No, why would I show up for a meal? Besides I barely held myself from snapping Judas¡¯s neck when I saw him giving up Jesus. Eating a whole meal would end in his death I guarantee it.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it?¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    *****

    Enid crouched on the roof, listening to the conversation below.

    ¡°You know he is causing trouble. The Romans are growing impatient we cannot let this fester. We must bring an end to this heresy.¡±

    ¡°I cannot do as you ask he is my brother.¡±

    ¡°All men are your brothers. Would you sacrifice the rest of us for one man?¡±

    ¡°No, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Your father¡¯s taxes are behind, we can pay them, would you make your father homeless to protect this heretic?¡±

    ¡°No, fine I will turn him in, I will lure him to the shine in the gardens. At midnight.¡±

    ¡°Thank you my son, you will be honored for bringing peace to our troubled people.¡±

    Enid snarled clenching her fists. She had the urge to just behead the traitor but she leaped down from the roof and rushed to find her sister and her nephew. She found the pair talking outside the building that housed the group. Supper was done and Mariana was fidgeting.

    ¡°I told you Judas couldn¡¯t be trusted.¡±

    Enid snarled as she flickered out of the shadows.

    ¡°Then he has done it?¡±

    Jesus looked up at his red-haired aunt.

    ¡°Yes, you knew he was going to betray you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, then it is tomorrow then.¡±

    He smiled and nodded.

    ¡°Why are you happy? They are literally going to crucify you!¡±

    ¡°Aunt Enid, calm yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to grab you by your ear and drag you back to Rome you little brat.¡±

    ¡°And what purpose would that serve?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be alive wouldn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°My aunt, you do not understand.¡±

    Mariana reached out to grab Enid¡¯s arm. Enid shrugged her off and grabbed Jesus¡¯s ear.

    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me. We¡¯re both your elders and you will listen to us.¡±

    Jesus laughed softly and hugged Enid tightly.

    ¡°It is nice to be so loved. Come let us walk Aunt, and if you still want to take me back to Rome I will not resist you.¡±

    ¡°You are an insolent welp.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but you are curious, let us satiate that and then we can discuss.

    ¡°Fine, but you¡¯re not going to change my mind, you do not know what¡¯s best for you.¡±

    ¡°Ah but I do Aunt, I do.¡±

    Enid shook her head and released his ear. Jesus started to walk Mariana began to follow. He held up his hand towards her.

    ¡°No Aunt Mary, this is for Aunt Enid¡¯s ears alone.¡±

    Mariana nodded and sat on a bench. She watched the pair disappear into the night.

    ¡°You¡¯re being an idiot.¡±

    ¡°I know it seems that way. However, I ask you, what if you could save all of humanity from suffering with one small sacrifice? What if you could save all of God¡¯s creation? Would you do it?¡±

    ¡°Those are dumb questions, there is no way one person can make that much of a difference.¡±

    ¡°I disagree. One person¡¯s love can make that much of a difference. Answer my question please, if you could, would you? Of your own free will?¡±

    ¡°Of course, the good of the many outweighs the good of the one, that¡¯s not even worth asking. You¡¯re talking nonsense, like you always do.¡±

    ¡°Aunt Mary does not see what I say as nonsense, why do you have such difficulty seeing the truth of it?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve lived four of your lifetimes.¡±

    ¡°Age is not wisdom, it is only experience.¡±

    ¡°So says the thirty-year-old mortal.¡±

    ¡°I love you Aunt Enid. I know you love me as well. You think you know what is best for me, but I ask you to listen and not get angry. I see you, the real you, you are angry and you are scarred. You have suffered as I will soon suffer. You want to save me that suffering. You see me with your human eyes, your ten-year-old human eyes. But you don¡¯t see the truth.¡±

    ¡°I can still spank you.¡±

    He laughed softly placing a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t taking the fact one of your followers just condemned you to be tortured and killed tomorrow very seriously.¡±

    ¡°Tell me Aunt, does Judas still live?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why? Surely your personal code of honor demands he be punished with death for his transgression.¡±

    ¡°You made me promise to keep your followers safe. I keep my word when I make it.¡±

    ¡°Was that the only reason?¡±

    ¡°I suppose I pitied him as well, he wasn¡¯t doing it for selfish gain, the basically threatened his father. I wish he had more balls, but it won¡¯t be his fault if you¡¯ve fled¡­¡±

    ¡°You spared a mortal. That is unlike you Aunt Enid.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t rub it in.¡±

    ¡°You have a good soul, you try to deny it, but you know love for your fellow man that few can feel. Someone taught you that, showed you mercy, showed you that the world is not an evil place and it wasn¡¯t grandfather. It was your mother.¡±

    ¡°My mother died in child birth.¡±

    ¡°Not the mother of your blood, the mother of your heart.¡±

    ¡°How do you know any of this?¡±

    ¡°My father spoke of it to me. He told me many things.¡±

    ¡°Joseph? How the hell would he know?¡±

    ¡°No, Aunt, my true father in all respects, the father of everyone.¡±

    ¡°God, right. Sure, he talks to you. I bet he¡¯s telling you that you need to sacrifice yourself. I can¡¯t imagine a parent asking that of their child.¡±

    Jesus nodded.

    ¡°Why are you listening to the voices in your head? I told you that way lies madness.¡±

    ¡°I know you have never understood.¡±

    ¡°You know you can only perform your miracles because you are literally the descendant of a god? A real god one that is living in Rome as we speak, not some imaginary creator. And that your grandfather and mother ate from the fruit in the garden of Eden, it has nothing to do with some immaterial entity.¡±

    ¡°And who created the garden then? And grandfather?¡±

    ¡°How the hell should I know?¡±

    ¡°Is it so hard to believe that I am the avatar of a greater being? Put here to enact a great plan?¡±

    ¡°Why would such a powerful being let its avatar as you call it be killed by humans, let¡¯s face it they¡¯re a pathetic lot.¡±

    ¡°Love¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a bad answer.¡±

    ¡°Love is the only answer. It is the greatest gift humanity has received.¡±

    ¡°More nonsense.¡±

    ¡°You are looking at it through the eyes of a human, or used to be human mind. My real mind is far too expansive to be contained in a human body. I can see it still in echoes and shadows. I will admit I resisted the reality of the situation for a long time. I wanted to be your nephew, you and Aunt Mary have such love for me, it is easy to want to stay. Not belief and faith, but genuine love. It is an experience I will remember always and I will repay when the time comes. In truth, Enid, it is I who is your father.¡±

    ¡°You really have lost it.¡±

    ¡°Look at me Aunt Enid, listen to my words, use the gift that I gave you. Listen with this. The knowledge I am about to give you is for you alone and must never be shared.¡±

    He touched her chest where her heart lay underneath. Enid looked up at him meeting his gaze.

    *****

    Enid¡¯s voice trailed off. She got a far off look in her eyes her gaze rising to the sky above.

    ¡°What did he say after that?¡±

    Eyre shook her mother.

    ¡°Mom, what did he tell you?¡±

    Enid gave a sad smile to her daughter.

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you daughter.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you write a gospel?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°A gospel written by a non-believer woman. That would float about as well as a brick of lead. Look, I made a promise to not repeat what I was told. Just know he was a wise for his age. Loved his fellow man and was capable of miracles. Just as I am, and you are. Whether you believe he was the messiah or not is on you. I just know he was my nephew, I loved him like a son and he chose his fate as much as you chose yours when you agreed to be turned.¡±

    ¡°So you could know the truth, or some secret of creation and because you promised you will not tell anyone?¡±

    ¡°If you told me a secret would you not want me to keep my promise?¡±

    ¡°Yes but, you know something, I can tell. A secret about me wouldn¡¯t change the world but what you know could.¡±

    ¡°The only secret you need to know was the one I already spoke. According to him, love can change the world. Love will save the world. I think its horse shit but, take it for what you will.¡±

    Eyre sighed at her mother.

    ¡°Wait you said he said he was your father.¡±

    ¡°He called everyone his son or daughter. It was a thing.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Enid spun the rose she had picked earlier in her fingers and looked back over the water.

 Enid Remembers - Part 3 - Rome 64 AD

    Enid sat on the bench under the roses vines that grew over the arch.  She was flush from the night¡¯s hunt.  Eyre sat down beside her looking flush as well.

    ¡°Can you believe that man thought you were my daughter?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°You look old.¡±

    ¡°Considering who is talking I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°You are a pest of a child.¡±

    ¡°Going to shake your cane at me?¡±

    Eyre stuck out her tongue.

    ¡°I wish you were still young enough I could spank the brat out of you.¡±

    Eyre laughed.

    ¡°You promised to tell me what happened with Lucius tonight.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°Hmm I had hoped you¡¯d forget I said that.¡±

    ¡°If you don¡¯t I¡¯ll pester you every night for the next thousand years.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already regretting turning you.¡±

    Enid threw up her hands.

    ¡°Alright, to get the whole picture I¡¯m going to read from Mariana¡¯s journals and fill in what I remember.  Some of it I wasn¡¯t part of directly, she went off on her own.¡±

    Eyre nodded.

    *****

    My name is Mariana Aurelius Sextus.  I am one hundred and sixty-seven years old.  At least by the calendar of Caesar.  I have seen the rise and fall of Emperors.  I¡¯ve seen the four corners of the empire, I¡¯ve fought in the sands of Egypt, froze with my men in Britannia.  I write this as a record of what I¡¯ve seen these last few years.  The Black Sun is rising, my father doesn¡¯t believe me, in his arrogance he thinks it¡¯s just a mortal cult.  I know the truth.  I see the dead and they are acting strange.

    I formed the Black Legion to fight for the soul of Rome.  What I did not realize is that it would fight to save creation itself.  I believe my nephew¡¯s arrival prodded him to act rashly.  He rushed his plan, and he has made a mistake.  I have determined that his greatest weakness is mortal consensus of reality.  Jesus has started a movement, a movement that will make it much harder to for the Black Sun to breach this reality open and end creation.

    I have determined he needs mortal souls to enact his great endeavor.  He has been trying to accelerate the process by buying up slaves and having his cult ritually sacrifice them.  He has been gaining a great deal of power.  The more souls he acquires, the faster he gains power.  I need more knowledge of the necromantic arts to fight this foe.

    Tonight, I enter the nether realms.  Limbo.  Father has told me often of Atlantis frozen in time, stuck at the moment of destruction.  An infinite instantaneous point in time.  Stuck on the razers edge of oblivion.  When he saved Enid, I watched him, studied his spell, saw the mix of blood and chalk.  I will make my own doorway and seek answers that he will not provide from the libraries of Atlantis itself.  Whomever finds this letter seek out Enid, give it to her.  You must save creation because if you find this I did not return.

    *******

    Mariana finished the letter and stood up.  She pulled on her centurion armor, sheathed her gladius.  She looked at herself in a polished silver mirror.  She didn¡¯t bother with her helmet.  She adjusted her black hair.  She was pale, unlike the rest of her kind.  She had always been pale and unhealthy looking, blue tinge to her nails and lips.  Her father¡¯s gift had just enhanced her natural appearance.  She often used black make up to cover her lips.  She never bothered trying to make her cheeks look flush.  No matter how much she fed she could never hope to appear alive.  She looked to the side and raised her chin.  Her skin was a perfect alabaster.  If not for her dark eyes and hair she could be mistaken for a statue.  She was a dark twin to Enid, she was the same age when she was turned.  Par to of her curse meant she was always small for her age and still looked as if she were a teenager. Often mistaken for a child of one her great-great grandchildren now.  She looked down at the silver ring on her finger.  Her sister Enid wore its match each contained a gem with a drop of the other¡¯s blood in it.  She had often been jealous of the rosy cheeks her sister possessed her lust for life.  Death had always been Mariana¡¯s gift. She rubbed the ring with her thumb.

    Sister, I hope I am making the right choice.  God grant me strength and forgive me for the violation of your sanctuary.

    She made her way to the ritual chamber her father kept.  She bit her hand mixing her blood with chalk in a silver bowl.  She drew a door on the wall, writing words of ancient power in its center. She touched the writing with her bloody palm.  She spoke the words of power she¡¯d hear her father use so more than a century ago.  She felt the walls of reality tearing a way and a swirling vortex of green light flashed into existence replacing the granite wall.  She shielded her eyes from the brilliant flash.  The portal dimmed and shimmered there casting a green glow.  She closed her eyes, took an unnecessary breath and stepped through.

    On the other side she was greeted by crumbled marble ruins.  Ornate pillars broken and scattered.  The shining sun blinded her and she instinctively tried to jump back through the portal but found herself slamming into a set of sealed platinum doors. She frantically tried to open them. In her panic she didn¡¯t notice her observer.  She pounded on the doors bloodying her fists, but it was no avail.  She turned and slid down the doors curling up in the fetal position trying to hide as much as exposed skin as possible.  It hadn¡¯t occurred to her she wasn¡¯t burning until she heard a man clearing his throat loudly.  She spread her arms slightly to look at the speaker.  He was an old man, not a speck of clothing on him.  Long hair and long grey beard.  Once he had her attention he spoke.

    ¡°All that panic, I¡¯m not that scary, am I?¡±

    Mariana¡¯s eyes went a bit wider and the old man looked down at himself.

    ¡°Oh, you humans and your whole need for clothing.  Pish.¡±

    He snapped his fingers and a white robe covered him. Mariana still sat with her back pressed against the doors.  She looked about herself quickly one side to the other.

    ¡°There¡¯s no dead here, just those frozen in time.  Get up, get up, get up.  Do I look like I have all day.¡±

    He laughed and slapped his thighs.

    ¡°Actually, we do, we have eternity.  Or we¡¯ve already screwed things up and you¡¯re been gone for a thousand years.  Or maybe you¡¯ll go back a thousand years before.  Wait what were we talking about again?¡±

    Mariana quirked her head to the side and pulled herself up on the ornate silver doors.  He looked her up and down.

    ¡°Have you come to kill me?  Wouldn¡¯t that be fun.  I haven¡¯t been killed in so long, or is it yesterday, maybe it was tomorrow.¡±

    He rubbed his hands together. And slapped his chest over his heart.

    ¡°Stick me right here, make it quick hate when it¡¯s slow.¡±

    Mariana shook her head.

    ¡°I have no wish to harm you, old man.¡±

    ¡°Well poo, I was looking forward to dying again.  Or is that I haven¡¯t died and I¡¯m remembering next year wrong.¡±

    He scratched his head.

    ¡°You¡¯re making no sense, how could have died next year, or yesterday if you¡¯re still alive.¡±

    ¡°You act like you can¡¯t die more than once, why I¡¯ve died at least¡­.¡±

    He started counting his fingers then his toes.  Then he started grabbing Mariana¡¯s hands and counting those.  Mariana pulled them away and backstepped towards one of the broken pillars.

    ¡°Oh, you have cold hands.  Maybe you died yesterday.¡±

    ¡°I died over a hundred years ago, you strange, weird old man.¡±

    ¡°And you said you can¡¯t be alive and dead at the same time.  You say I¡¯m the one who¡¯s strange, old and weird.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡±

    He laughed again, holding his side.

    ¡°You are quite the comedian.  I thought that Eddie Murphy was funny.  But you, you¡¯re a riot.¡±

    ¡°Who are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know who he is?  No of course of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course.  Wait what were we talking about?¡±

    Mariana shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry old man, I don¡¯t have time for this, I need to get to Atlantis and find a way to stop the Black Sun.¡±

    ¡°Time!  Hah, time¡­  Time is always it, you mortals always in such a rush, there and back, soccer practice, and then back to the castle.  Or was it to the battle and back to the condo.  Time doesn¡¯t matter!  Time is time.  Time is time. Time is time.  Hey, you know what, you won¡¯t need those here.¡±

    He snapped his fingers and Mariana found herself completely bereft of clothing.  She covered herself quickly with a gasp-squeal of surprise.

    ¡°Oops too much!¡±

    He snapped his fingers again and she found herself in a long black robe with a scythe that felt like it was hollow.  And a skeleton mask made of some sort of weird flimsy material, she pulled it off and dropped the scythe.

    ¡°Much more you!¡±

    ¡°Please stop that! Just give me my clothes back.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely no fun.  Wait who are you?  Do you want to talk to my manager now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes I want to talk to your leader!¡±

    The old man did a raspberry and danced around in a circle yelling out a long tirade of gibberish.

    ¡°He says go dip your head in lava for all he cares.  Or was it stop being an idiot Ezekiel and give the girl some real clothes and let her on her way.  He¡¯s so hard to understand sometimes.  Especially when he¡¯s mad.¡±

    He looked up as storm clouds formed and he sighed snapping his fingers.  Mariana found herself dressed in more strange clothes, black pants of some description that were skintight but comfy and some manner of shirt that a skeleton on the front and writing on the back she could make no sense of and a pair of boots that looked different than anything she¡¯d ever seen before.

    ¡°These still aren¡¯t my clothes.¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t say what clothes to give you.  Wait, who are you again and why are you wearing my Iron Maiden concert t-shirt?¡±

    Mariana rubbed her temples, took a few deep breaths.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, I am not understanding most of what you¡¯re saying, nor do I know what this tunic is, or what these pants are.¡±

    ¡°Oh, those are leggings, I invented them don¡¯t you know.  Men prayed for something that they could gawk at women in and the women would wear because they were comfortable.  All me, he had nothing to do with it.¡±

    The old man pointed at the sky.

    ¡°Well, they are not very modest.¡±

    ¡°Well, that would spoil the whole point of them, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    He looked up at the darkening sky.

    ¡°Okay, okay I didn¡¯t invent them I stole the idea from Atlantis.¡±

    ¡°You know where Atlantis is?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I do, I was there tomorrow! So were you!  Or were you there tomorrow, and I was there last week.¡±

    He scratched his beard.

    ¡°Sir, please which direction is it in?¡±

    ¡°Pish, what direction is it in?  It¡¯s in every direction.  Up is down, down is up, right is right, left is right, and right is left!¡±

    ¡°Sir, please focus on me, it is very important I find Atlantis, everything in creation is in danger.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re here then isn¡¯t it, we can go relax in the garden, safe and sound.¡±

    ¡°I cannot let all those innocent people down. I have the power to save them, it is my responsibility to do so.  I just lack the knowledge.  Please help me find it.¡±

    ¡°Oh!  You want to be a hero, do you?  Where¡¯s your cape?¡±

    Mariana sighed patting the old man on the shoulder.

    ¡°I am sorry Ezekiel, but I cannot stay I need to find Atlantis, I wish I could do something to cure you of whatever it is you are sick with.  Maybe something in Atlantis will provide a cure.¡±

    Mariana walked into the forest before her, the trees reached skyward thousands of feet in the air.  The canopy was thick yet somehow sunlight shone through.  She held her hands out letting the sunlight kiss them with its warmth.  She hadn¡¯t felt it as a comforting warmth in over a century.  Before today it had been the fires of death. She wandered through the forest, almost aimlessly.  The sun never set, and she never grew tired or hungry.  She could have been there for minutes, hours, or years.  The bushes and trees along her path blurred together, she couldn¡¯t tell which way was east or west, the sun was omnipresent.  She looked up into a stream of sunlight and spoke.

    ¡°Please God, just let me find Atlantis, or a way out if you don¡¯t want me to interfere.¡±

    She continued walking and within a few minutes she reached the edge of the tree line, it changed suddenly into a black beach.  A horde of monstrosities populated it, and men, and half-wolf, half-men.  She started with a jolt when she was suddenly in the midst of the clashing armies.  Every single being was frozen in time.  Some had blades piercing them.  Others had opposing soldiers in their razer sharp teeth, snapping them in half, frozen at the very moment before death.  Dead also lined the beaches.  She saw a bridge in the distance that led over the still waters to a massive city, it rose above the waves it looked like it was made of diamonds.  The sky here was a wall of dark clouds lightning crashing down and making contact with the ground but was frozen.  Vampires with their fangs out were caught midair from the blast.  Others had some sort of device in their hands that shot beams of blue light beams, that would never reach their target.

    She began to cross the bridge.  It was the site of the worst fighting it appeared.  Parts of it had been collapsing but were held there.  As she stepped across the chunks of marble, they sunk a bit further.  From the bridge she could see the main road into the city and at its center, up on the highest tier she saw a great ball of energy frozen in time.  The building that had contained it had pieces of it stuck in the air.  Others chunks of rubble from the building seemed to be caught mid-disintegration.

    She made her way through the streets of the city, it was tiered and had different levels.  It was nothing like Rome.  She saw what looked like civilians in the midst of running in terror.  Some of the flying monstrosities had reached the city and were killing civilians with zeal.   Tears of blood rolled down her cheeks.  She knew she couldn¡¯t change their fate.  They would be here frozen forever.  Their last thoughts were of terror. If her father¡¯s people could have been saved, he would have done it.  And as his daughter they were her people too.  She remembered how he had described the fall of Atlantis in a moment of weakness, how he had made a terrible choice and condemned his people to eternal imprisonment in hopes he could save creation.  To free them would to be to kill them and he didn¡¯t have it in him.  She remembered Enid saying he was weak for his choice.  She was still young at the time.  Mariana understood though.  So long as they were alive even trapped there was hope.  And hope is the greatest gift God had given his creations.

    She did not know how much time she spent in the city searching for a hint as to where the books were stored.  She finally found an unattended tablet, just a white edge over strange glass.  It seemed very durable.  She had seen some of the people who were frozen in time looking at blue writing on the screen.  She fiddled with it for what seemed like an eternity.  Eventually the glass lit up with blue light.  The writing was a language her father had taught her many years ago.  The same language as the runes she¡¯d used to create the portal here.  She poked and prodded it, learning how to navigate with swipes and touches.  She walked through down the street staring at the tablet and bumped into a griffin. Claws extended.  She jumped back before coming to the realization he still hung there frozen in midair one of the claws was buried in a child¡¯s chest.  Mariana turned away quickly.  She saw a house directly in front of her.  The door was open, so she went inside.  The house had been abandoned and there was no sign of the violence outside.

    She sat down in a chair her arms leaning on a table that seemed to be made of a similar material to the tablet¡¯s screen.  She paid it little mind as her eyes scanned the glowing blue text of the tablet.  It seemed to have a wealth of information that would be useful to a healer, but not her, as she dug deeper she found a map of the city.  It pointed out the font of knowledge.  She stood up and started to walk out of the house she tripped over something on the ground.  It was an unassuming pack.  Also of a strange material.  It liked like some sort of fiber, but it was hard.  She opened it and it was pitch black inside.  She reached in and her arm went all the way into the shoulder.  She pulled her arm out quickly. She did it again.  While looking at the outside of the bag.

    ¡°That¡¯s interesting. It¡¯s bigger on the inside.  Great now I¡¯m sounding like Ezekiel.¡±

    She shook her head and turned the bag over shaking it.  A pile of various items steamed out topping out at about three feet high.  Clothes, tablets, some strange sort of armor, and more of those odd weapons that shot beams of light.

    She bent down and started to shovel the contents she¡¯d emptied out of the pack back into it.  She slung the straps over her shoulders and made her way towards the Font of Knowledge.  The part of the building had collapsed in front of the entrance.  She willed her blood to her muscles and with the short-lived burst tossed the slab of marble aside.  She entered the building.  It was in shambles tablets scattered everywhere.  The battle outside had caused chaos inside the Font.  She¡¯d have no hope of determining what belonged to what section, or what topic.  She shrugged and picked up a tablet, sat on what used to be a desk and began to read.  She did that for countless hours trying to get some sense of how to make things work.   Mariana spent what seemed like an eternity in the Font of Knowledge, reading every tablet that she could that was in one piece.  She began to organize them into different areas of knowledge.  Slowly she began to piece together what had happened to Atlantis, and how their magical devices worked.  The transformation of some to vampires to fight the incoming horde.  The special armor to protect them from the sun.  The magical core of the city that the central building housed.  The risk it could be overloaded by an unscrupulous enemy.  The forbidden device her father had employed to stop the utter destruction of Atlantis.  She also came across some information on what may be affecting Ezekiel.  It was something called temporal psychosis.  She also determined as a vampire she¡¯d be immune to its effects.  With that knowledge and the knowledge that she could transfer wounds and illness from others to herself she could cure him.  After what seemed like several more hours she finally found the tablets she had been seeking.  All the information she could want about the Black Sun, and an in-depth treatise on Necromancy.  She had found other books of magic, but that was the one she needed to fight the Black Sun.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Never going to be able to read all of these in the time I have.  But the knowledge must not be lost.¡±

    Mariana sighed.  She decided to collect more of the extra-dimensional packs to get as many tablets as she could.  She also gathered extra armor, and weaponry for Enid, she knew she would love them.  She¡¯d also found out what the amulet did.  It would make her immune to sunlight¡¯s harmful effects at the cost of losing all her vampiric abilities in said sunlight.  She searched the entire city looking for another of its like for Enid, but she came up empty. Once she¡¯d collected everything she could from the Font, she moved on with five of the packs dangling from various body parts.

    Almost don¡¯t want to leave, there is so much more I can learn.  But the Black Sun only grows stronger in my absence.

    Mariana took one last look over the vast reaches of the city and the black ocean from the highest balcony in the city and then made her way through the streets, across the bridge and across the black sands and into the forest.  She focused on her memories of the platinum gateway with her minds eye and began to walk into the forest.  It was nice to feel the sunlight on her skin again, and to be away from the scenes of death and terror that had been her constant companion for what seemed like centuries as she researched. She noticed a change in the forest as unkempt woods gave way to a beautiful garden.  She followed the winding paths, and finally came upon Ezekiel sitting cross-legged in the dirt drawing circles and humming a song she wasn¡¯t familiar with.

    ¡°Ezekiel!¡±

    ¡°Oh it¡¯s you thief of Iron Maiden concert t-shirts, didn¡¯t you make my life miserable enough tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°Ezekiel, I know how to cure you.¡±

    Mariana put her packs down and smiled kneeling beside Ezekiel.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, you¡¯re the one who needs a cure, living dead girl.¡±

    ¡°Shh, I will make it better.  Just give me your hand.¡±

    She gently took his hands in hers and she closed her eyes.  Willing his afflictions and wounds to herself.  She could feel the confusion and mashing of timelines slam into her mind.  She focused on her own identity.  She forced the physical damage to her brain to heal.  She opened her eyes and she was holding the hand of a creature that seemed to be made of pure light.  His hair was long and flowing, but it glowed with the light of the sun as did the wing like projections from his back.  She released his hand and fell backwards.  He laughed; The sound filled her very soul with joy.  He looked to the sky.

    ¡°I win that one boss.¡±

    He offered one of his glowing hands to Mariana. She took it and he pulled her up.

    ¡°He said you¡¯d lose patience with me, he also bet me you wouldn¡¯t risk yourself to cure me.  He lost.  So you¡¯ll be free to go with all you¡¯ve retrieved from the garden.¡±

    ¡°But you¡­¡±

    ¡°I was never sick, Lilith cursed me or tried to so she could get a fruit of life for your sister.  It seemed like an amusing diversion and trick to use on the next visitor which was you.¡±

    ¡°But why did you let her take one?¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°It served the big guy¡¯s purpose.  He wants me to tell you that your kindness and selflessness will not go unrewarded.  You may take one fruit of life and one fruit of knowledge.  Use them wisely this is the greatest gift he can give.¡±

    ¡°The fruit of knowledge is forbidden!¡±

    ¡°If you consider that, then realize the kind of gift he offers. Take his gifts and go in peace.¡±

    Ezekiel motioned to two trees baring silver and golden fruit of various descriptions, he snapped his fingers in Mariana found herself dressed in her centurion armor with sword at her side, the shirt and the leggings remained underneath.  Mariana approached each tree in turn taking one fruit from each and putting them in one of her packs.  She gathered them all and started stringing them over her shoulders. Ezekiel walked between the trees, motioning for Mariana to follow.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Mariana followed after him, finding herself back at the marble entranceway, with the forest behind her and the portal in front of her.  She approached it but the paused looking back at Ezekiel.

    ¡°How long have I been here?¡±

    ¡°A few minutes to those outside, to you, how long do you think you were here?  Does it matter? You¡¯re immortal.¡±

    He smirked and motioned with his hand sending Mariana through the portal.  She stumbled on the other side and fell on her face and heard a woosh as the portal closed behind her.  She picked herself up and shook her head.  She looked back at the wall, no sign of her scribblings.  She rubbed her nose gingerly and walked to her room shaking her head.  She reached down to the parchment on her desk crumpled it up and tossed it into the fire.

    *****

    Mariana was on her elbows wearing the strange black body suit she¡¯d rescued from the ruins of Atlantis.  The helmet lay at her side.  She was using a pair of range finders or so the Atlantis archives had called them.   The magic they possessed let her see things at a distance as if they were close by.

    They are rushing the sacrifices.

    Mariana heard footsteps behind her, she back at her sister.

    ¡°What in the name of the gods are you wearing?¡±

    ¡°Shh, there is an army of cultists down there.¡±

    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re down there, and we¡¯re up here.¡±

    ¡°The dead have ears and there are a lot of them around here.¡±

    Enid crossed her arms, she was wearing her black chain mail, and the sword gifted her by Sextus on her wedding day.  Bloodseeker, the blackened silver blade had always given Mariana the chills.  She could hear the souls it had devoured screaming to be let out.

    ¡°You should have brought the Atlantean weapons and armor.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll rely on trusty metal thank you.¡±

    Enid crouched down, taking a knee.

    ¡°What is the plan sis? This is your battle.¡±

    ¡°I waited until it was storming.  We will come from either side and use the energy from the storm to kill as many of the cultists as we can.  The Black Sun must realize something is up he¡¯s accelerated his ritual sacrifices.¡±

    ¡°What about the witnesses in cages?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re innocents, we should let them go.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so let a bunch of witnesses see us call down the power of Zeus. That will go over well.¡±

    ¡°Thus, the Atlantean armor so they can¡¯t identify us.¡±

    ¡°Okay so no slaves die in the lightning storm, what is the rest of the plan, you were very cryptic in your letter.¡±

    ¡°Then we march the Black Legion into Hade¡¯s realm and break the Black Sun¡¯s hold on the souls so he cannot use their energy to unleash the end of all creation.¡±

    ¡°Okay, and father isn¡¯t here because?¡±

    ¡°You heard him when I tried to get him to recognize the threat.  He didn¡¯t believe me, but I know where the Black Sun is.  I will open a rift and we will end this like he didn¡¯t the last time.¡±

    ¡°Well Lucius is waiting with the Black Legion like you asked, why isn¡¯t he here with us?¡±

    ¡°He has no talent for wielding the power of creation, not like us, he¡¯s never tasted the fruit of life.  Alright, the storm is reaching its peak, we should get started.¡±

    ¡°May the Gods look upon us with favor.  Let us bring the storm.¡±

    Mariana nodded and put her range finders in her pack.  And pulled her helmet over her head.  Enid nodded and pulled up her hood drawing Bloodseeker.  They mounted their horses and galloped down either side of the rise, it was too late for the cultists if they noticed them now.  They were amid a killing field.  Like the disturbed bees of a hive those that were armed in the camp started rushing to either side.  Enid and Mariana raised their hands to the sky in unison, their chants creating an inhuman echoing sound, the words were intelligible save to a very few.  The effect was obvious, lightning stroked down from the sky and hit their upraised palms and in unison they unleashed a storm of death on the cultists of the Black Sun.  In a brief flash and instant the small army was now so much crumbling blackened ash.

    The pair rode down into the midst of the remaining cultists.  Their blades cut many down before they realized what was happening. Mariana rode past Enid, Enid stopped by the massive pyre they were using to burn the bodies.  She reached out her hand, invoking the ancient words again, the fire sucked into a glowing ball in her hand hovering above it, a group of cultists were fleeing ahead of her and she throw the fire into the air in an arch the explosion scorched the ground, there were only parts of the cultists left.  The ones that were lucky enough to be outside of the immediate impact were smashed together as the fire incinerated the air.  There was a giant crack as air came rushing in to fill the void.  Enid¡¯s horse reared at the noise, well trained as it was, she pulled the reins hard and pressed her knees together. And forced her mental will on it.  The slaves who were to be sacrificed were running every which way in terror.

    Stories would later say that Pluto came out of the earth on the back of a flaming horse, and Jupiter flew the sky on a horse of lightning.  The pair slew the heathens of the camp.  Others would say two angels arrived from the heavens and smote the unbelievers.  In either case when the dawn came not a single slave was dead and every servant of the Black Sun had perished.

    The grim work done Enid and Mariana rode like the wind towards the necropolis of Rome.  Where a Legion awaited.  When they arrived, Enid looked to Mariana after they hopped off their horse.

    ¡°Mariana, why do you call the Black Legion a Legion? Its only a thousand men.¡±

    ¡°When we enter Hade¡¯s realm you will see.  For every man here, I have ten on the other side, loyal to the glory of Rome even after death.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°I will need you to step back, once we are through the battle will be on the legion, yourself and Lucius, opening a rift this size will weaken me substantially.¡±

    Enid stepped back Mariana signaled her men to do the same.  Enid took her place at Lucius¡¯s side.

    ¡°I take it the battle went in our favor?¡±

    ¡°We had the storm¡¯s help.¡±

    Enid pointed at the sky.  Lucius nodded.

    ¡°Do we know what to expect on the other side?¡±

    ¡°For the legion to be outnumbered ten to one. Mariana is confident in their strength though.¡±

    ¡°How are we getting out if she dies?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I honestly think she hasn¡¯t planned that far ahead.¡±

    ¡°Not like her.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not, something has her agitated, and I cannot see the other side of this battle.¡±

    ¡°Does it matter as long as we¡¯re together my love?¡±

    Enid took Lucius¡¯s offered hand and squeezed.

    ¡°That is all that matters husband.¡±

    The pair shielded their eyes as a Mariana¡¯s very being flashed with the power, she was calling up from the earth beneath her.  A crackling purple lighting arched along her body the ground began to shake.  A vortex of lighting swirled around her and she reached her arms to her side extending her fingers.  Her voice was echoed by a thousand others.  The lightning arced from arms crackling in the air a brief instant and then reality was torn asunder by the force of her will.  Inside Enid and Lucius could see row upon row of legionnaire who stomped their feet and stood at attention swords held aloft at the sight of their General. Mariana walked through the breach.  Enid and Lucius hesitated for a moment before moving forward.  The legion behind them showed no hesitation they marched straight into the underworld after their immortal General.   The gateway crackled behind them but did not vanish.

    ¡°Black Legion, I address you who would serve Rome onto death and beyond.  This night we will stop the Black Sun, we will tear him down, tear his army down and we will be victorious for if we are not Rome will fall with the rising dawn.¡±

    A roar erupted from the legion as swords slammed on shields.

    ¡°Grey legion you will guard this portal with your very souls not one soul makes it through.¡±

    Half of the legion of ghostly soldiers smacked their shields holding aloft their tattered banners and standards.

    ¡°Black Legion we shall take the battle to the Black Sun.  For Rome!¡±

    ¡°For Rome!¡±

    Ten thousand voices joined her chorus.  Mariana stood beside her brother and sister.

    ¡°If things go wrong you must make it to the rift as soon as possible, it will stay open if I die, but not for long.  I did not exaggerate if we fail here, everything we know is doomed.  You must warn father if we fail.¡±

    The legion marched to the ghostly version of the pit they had wiped out earlier.  Long rows of slaves with chains around their necks marched steadily forward.  The army they had fought as living breathing humans now stood black wisps of energy leaking off of them.  Enid looked to Mariana who answered without looking at her.

    ¡°Not unexpected.¡±

    ¡°You mean we have to kill them again?¡±

    Mariana nodded.  Enid shrugged and drew Bloodseeker, she could feel its eagerness to get on with this battle.  It was almost too eager, and it scared her.  Mariana looked to her brother and sister held her sword up for what seemed like an eternity as the Black Sun¡¯s armies charged at them then she brought it down and in a deafening voice yelled.

    ¡°Charge!¡±

    Her eager army road down the two slopes mowing down the charging ghosts.  When the reached the bottom, the battle began in earnest.  Mariana leaped down into the pit, Enid and Lucius followed.  A ghostly shape with human form and crackling purple lightning arcing through it stood twenty feet tall at the center of the pit.

    ¡°If it isn¡¯t the spawn of my old rival come to stop me too late.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to say just in time.¡±

    Lucius grinned at his wife¡¯s jibe.  Enid held up Bloodseeker who was thirsting to bite into this foe with more lust than she¡¯d ever felt from it.   The creature recoiled away from the blade.  It hissed.

    ¡°No! I destroyed that vile thing.¡±

    ¡°That would explain why it wants to eat you so badly.¡±

    The Black Sun started moving its arms in an intricate pattern, it¡¯s voice mimicking the words spoken by Mariana and Enid when casting their respective spells.  Mariana leaped through at him sword drawn and buried her blade in his thigh. Enid and Lucius leapt to follow but were blown back by a wall of ghost stuff and purple lightning.  The picked themselves up.  Enid cursed.

    ¡°Damnit Mariana, you should have waited for us.¡±

    ¡°No help for it now my love, that battle is hers and we have ours.¡±

    Lucius pointed to the Black Legion, it was steadily losing ground from the overwhelming forces of the Black Sun.

    ¡°You take the left and I take the right?¡±

    Lucius nodded and kissed Enid.

    ¡°Come back to me my love.¡±

    ¡°Always.¡±

    Lucius winked then charged into battle.  Enid was just as eager to see this done and started slicing her way through souls.  Bloodseeker was in a feeding frenzy the touch of the blade was devouring the remnants of the souls it struck.  It started to glow purple.  Enid slowed time around her with her blood and sped herself up.  Bloodseeker refreshed her with the energy it devoured.  It drove her forward mercilessly and Enid didn¡¯t resist.  The souls she was fighting began to show fear and flee from her in terror, right into the waiting blades of the remaining Black Legion.  She looked to the right something felt wrong.  She saw Lucius getting overwhelmed and fell.  Enid screamed out.  And charged drawing power from Bloodseeker a ball of purple lightning formed in her hand and she reached out to the closing forces of the Black Sun who were about to end her husband¡¯s life.  The lightning arced through them their souls bursting into black wisps of energy and evaporating.   She stood above her fallen love Bloodseeker in both hands.  The souls before her hadn¡¯t tasted it bite yet, but they would.

    She began cut all comes down, using the energy from Bloodseeker who gave it willingly to destroy more of them.  She was a rage of purple lightning and black blade across the battlefield.  An unstoppable force of destruction and she did not stop until every last soul who had dared try to injure her husband was disintegrated.  The Black Legion on this side had been wiped out.  A battle still raged on the other side of the pit.  Neither side was gaining ground.  Enid picked up Lucius and put him over shoulder putting his unconscious form behind one of the alters.  She stood up and then was blasted back by a surge of energy.  It was so strong that the armies that still clashed were blown down as well.

    Enid picked herself up and looked at the source of the blast and saw Mariana laying unconscious at the ghostly feet of the Black Sun.  His form looked like it had been disrupted purple gouts of energy were erupting from numerous wounds.  It looked weakened and Enid didn¡¯t hesitate she called on every drop of blood she had to move fast enough to catch it by surprise she jumped up on an alter as part of her charge and leaped through the air holding Bloodseeker in two hands she brought it down in the spot to looked to be the Black Sun¡¯s heart, where purple light pulsed inside.  The Black Sun began to disintegrate from the blade of Bloodseeker outwards.  Its dying words were unintelligible.  Enid landed on her knee as she passed through the miasma that remained.  She held her chest.  She felt her heart break suddenly.  And felt Lucius slipping away.

    ¡°No!¡±

    Enid spun and rushed to where he lay.  His body was there, but she felt no trace of their bond from it.  She could still feel him, but he was distant.  She scooped him up.  She ran towards the center of the pit and the remainder of the Black Legion.  The souls in her way parted driven away by the threat of utter destruction Bloodseeker represented.

    ¡°Father will know how to fix this.¡±

    The Black Legion now had their backs to their General they had formed a circle, even with Enid¡¯s fury they were outnumbered.  Amara knelt beside Mariana¡¯s body.

    ¡°She still lives, but she is weak. We must get out of here.¡±

    ¡°How we¡¯re outnumbered, and the portal will close soon, we can¡¯t leave the Black Legion trapped here like this.¡±

    ¡°This was the plan; They had no intention of leaving.  They knew the sacrifice coming her would mean.  Mariana knew we would be outnumbered.  We will send the Grey Legion to reinforce them.¡±

    ¡°But they¡¯ll starve.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes sacrifices must be made.¡±

    ¡°You always were heartless.¡±

    ¡°I understand the cost of war, you don¡¯t yet, but you will one day.¡±

    ¡°Give Lucius to me, I will carry them, you make a path with that sword of yours.¡±

    Enid gave Lucius to Amara with a bit of hesitance.  Then the pair stormed through the souls who scrambled to escape Enid¡¯s blade.

    *****

    ¡°This crime cannot go unanswered Sextus!¡±

    Sextus sat amid the Imperial council.  Among them Lucius and Enid.  They surrounded Mariana¡¯s sleeping form.

    ¡°She cannot be judged without being able to defend herself.¡±

    ¡°You cannot wake her she is too dangerous.  She ripped a hole into the land of the dead herself!  She could kill us all.¡±

    ¡°With your cursed magic.¡±

    If you raise a finger to harm her that cursed magic will burn you to ash Kapitos.

    Enid glared at the councilors who were trying to have her sister executed for saving the world.  The arguing continued. Enid tried to take Lucius¡¯s hand who swatted it away in annoyance.  She recoiled him like he had slapped her.  Angered she slammed her fists on the marble slab her sister rested on causing a large portion of it to shatter. The fires surround them flared and intensified.

    ¡°I will not let you do this; Try to execute her I fucking dare you.¡±

    ¡°Silence woman, know your place.¡±

    Lucius¡¯s voice spoke the words and it was like he stabbed Enid through the heart.  Enid¡¯s eyes flashed with Rage and she felt firm hands grab her shoulders.  The strength was such she couldn¡¯t escape and she looked back to see her father holding her still.

    ¡°Calm yourself Enid, the law was broken, no matter the reason we must hash this out it applies to all equally, or to none.¡±

    Enid struggled for a few more seconds.  Sextus looked at his son speaking with a firm voice.

    ¡°Respect must be maintained in this council chamber, even if she is your wife. You should know your place.¡±

    ¡°Enid if I let you go will you cease breaking things?¡±

    ¡°Yes, father.¡±

    Enid spit the words out.  Sextus released her and returned to his spot at the head of the council.

    ¡°Our law states that all are due a trial by their peers and a right to speak in their own defense.  We cannot execute her without waking her up.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s call a vote on it.¡±

    ¡°There will be no vote she will be woken up and we will have a trial.¡±

    ¡°No, we won¡¯t wake her up.  There will be a vote, as crown prince I will call it if you don¡¯t have the courage to do what needs to be done.¡±

    There were nods and cries of agreement from the council and Sextus frowned.

    ¡°Very well, that is your right.¡±

    ¡°All in favor of waking her for trial. State your vote.¡±

    Only Sextus and Enid raised their hand.  Enid tried to raise Lucius who slapped her in the face now, Enid raised her fist. Sextus shook his head.

    ¡°She¡¯s your sister!¡±

    ¡°She broke the law and is a threat, she must be dealt with now.  If you keep this up we¡¯ll declare you complicit and put you on trial.¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡±

    Sextus¡¯s booming voice cowed the assembled council.

    ¡°You have violated the sanctity of this council chamber with violence!  You are ejected Lucius!¡±

    ¡°You know he was going to back our vote, so you¡¯re getting rid of him?  Nice application of justice old man.¡±

    Enid glared at Kapitos.  The man had always listened to his fear.

    ¡°And what of you Kapitos, what if you break the law, would you like a trial?  This sets a precedent where we can just skip one for those, we consider too dangerous. What about the rest of you cowards?  As a Seer I will be happy with those changes. Especially with you lot.¡±

    The assembled council pondered Enid¡¯s words and Sextus silenced everyone again.

    ¡°All in favor of executing Mariana state your vote.¡±

    Lucius raised his hand, Kapitos, and four other counselors.  Sextus¡¯s brother abstained.

    ¡°Execute her now.¡±

    ¡°No, she will die with dignity. Amara!¡±

    Amara entered the chambers.  Sextus met her gaze and there was a pause.

    ¡°Please see to it that Mariana is beheaded and placed in the family crypt.  With all her belongings.¡±

    Amara bowed and moved towards Mariana¡¯s sleeping form.  Enid lost it at those words.  Her fingers clinched and she leaped forward pushing Amara back.

    ¡°You were like her second mother!  Don¡¯t you touch her! I will kill you Amara, I swear to the Gods I will end you.¡±

    Enid¡¯s words cut into Amara deeply, she could tell by the look in her eyes.

    ¡°Please move out of my way Your Highness, the Emperor has spoken.¡±

    Lucius grabbed Enid who struggled violently against him.  He whispered in her ear.

    ¡°I told you to learn your place woman, behave or I will make you.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes went wide, and she struggled even harder.  Kicking Lucius in the knee then striking him in the face and between the legs and stomping on his chest.  When she looked into his eyes there was nothing of the man she¡¯d fallen in love with and married.  Another councilor tried to grab her. She threw him into a wall shattering the marble.

    ¡°Enid calm yourself!¡±

    ¡°No, I will not calm myself, I¡¯m going kill every fucking one of you who voted to kill my sister.  Starting with that thing!¡±

    She pointed at Lucius who was on the ground his spine snapped.

    ¡°Enid you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying you¡¯re just suffering from grief.¡±

    ¡°That thing is not my Lucius!¡±

    Sextus moved with such speed that none in the room could perceive it and pieced Enid¡¯s chest with a stake.  Enid lay there paralyzed with her eyes open watching Amara carry her sister away she was screaming in her mind.

    ¡°We should execute her as well!  She assaulted the crown prince!¡±

    ¡°You will respect your crown princess, or I will execute you Kapitos, you¡¯ve already taken one of my children this night, do you care to try to make it a second?¡±

    The emperor¡¯s piercing gaze cowed the councilor.  Tears welled in Sextus¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°This session is over; Someone tend to my son, while I tend to my last daughter.¡±

    *****

    ¡°They killed her just like that?¡±

    Enid was standing by now fists clenched.  Even now she wanted to punch something.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Was Lucius always like that?¡±

    ¡°No, he never once talked down to me or treated me lesser then him.  I do not know what injury changed him, but I feel nothing for him except hatred.¡±

    ¡°Well, they do say that the quickest way to have someone hate you to is to have them fall in love with you.¡±

    Enid chuckled.

    ¡°Stronger the love, stronger the hate.¡±

    ¡°Did you kill the council that voted to execute your sister?¡±

    ¡°Not yet. As soon as father is gone though I¡¯ll be Empress and then I will watch Bloodseeker devour each and every single one of them.¡±

    ¡°Who will be empress after you?¡±

    ¡°You, I assume.¡±

    ¡°If you do not become Empress, and I do, I will execute them on your behalf.¡±

    ¡°Well, maybe I didn¡¯t go all wrong when raising you.¡±

    ¡°They were quick to kill someone who saved their lives, how long before you or I are the target if they think they can get power?¡±

    ¡°Another reason they need to go.  Lucius is probably not pleased with my taking his place, but father knows he¡¯s changed too.  He is not he son he knew.  He told me as much just before I left Rome.¡±

    ¡°You left Rome?¡±

    ¡°After the fire and mother being murdered.  There was nothing left for me.  My children took their families elsewhere.  Lucius betrayed me.  Mother was the only reason I stayed as long as I did.  Also, the council were so paranoid about me killing them they had started sending assassins.¡±

    Enid interlaced her fingers.  She looked over the sea.

    ¡°So, by mother you¡¯re talking about Aurelia?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what happened to Morag?¡±

    ¡°No.  I never saw her again after she left the village.¡±

    ¡°Where did you go after Rome?¡±

    Enid wrapped her slender fingers over the rough stone of the sea wall.  She smiled slightly at the memory.

    ¡°Oh, that is a much longer story kid.¡±

    ¡°Looks like it was a good memory.¡±

    Enid would be blushing were she alive.

    ¡°You could say I had fun.¡±

    Eyre leaned on her palms, elbows on the wall.

    ¡°Are you going to tell me about it or just keep fantasizing.  I need details.¡±

    ¡°By the gods, I¡¯m your mother.¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    Enid shook her head and motioned to the horizon.

    ¡°Tomorrow, the sun is coming up.¡±

 Enid Remembers - Part 4 - Gaul 68 AD

    Enid crossed her legs and looked at the moon that hung low on the horizon.  Eyre elbowed her gently.

    ¡°What happened after Rome?¡±

    ¡°I went to live in Gaul.  Germania to be specific.¡±

    ¡°So, Alemany?¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that Rome?¡±

    ¡°Not technically, it was ruled by the the Goths.  Barbarians to the Romans.  Strangely closer to my tribal heritage then I would have believed.  I picked it because Lucius and the council would assume I wouldn¡¯t lower myself to consorting with barbarians.  Lucius forgot of my heritage often.  And whoever he was when I left had no clue, I was from a pictish tribe.  Sextus would remember but wouldn¡¯t think to look for me there.¡±

    *****

    Enid¡¯s acceptance into the Germanic tribe was a strange one.  It had started in a bloody battle, not against the Germanic tribe of Gaut, but with them.  Lucius and the council had sent troops after her.  She had spent the better part of the last month evading them.  Her luck ran out about twenty-seven days into her journey.  Likely because the centurions who found her had pugmentia trackers with them.  She hadn¡¯t developed the gift of flight yet and the weather was calm, making for a fight where the odds were against her.   They had played a game of cat and mouse for days.  She had hurt their number, but the exchange was she had less and less blood to use to defend herself.  She was so harried she could scarce get enough sustenance let alone get enough to put up a strong offense.  Her capacity was still low and she needed to feed often to keep up even a minimum of strength.

    It was two hours after dark and she found herself outflanked by the some of the legion.  She saw the banner for the first time.  It was the symbol of Minerva.

    An entire legion just for me.  They must be really pissed, frightened, or both.

    She could smell the pugmentia elder mixed in with overwhelming stench of the mortals.  She picked him out of the crowd.  He had a feral look about him.  Enid growled.  She recognized him immediately.  One of the shifters.  Bloodhounds.  They would turn into wolves and various flying animals.  Bats, Eagles, ravens.

    Couldn¡¯t even bother to send an imperial, or maybe they couldn¡¯t.  Maybe Sextus has no idea about this whole thing.  If this was unsanctioned then I can kill them all without repercussions, and if it is sanctioned then I¡¯m an outlaw anyway.  I¡¯m going to rip the power from his blood.  His fault for getting involved.

    The pugmentia sniffed the air in her direction then shouted a command. The centurions in front of him locked shields and formed a phalanx.  They had caught her trying to get out of the grassland and into the dense forest.  Where they would have the advantage, an open field.  She snarled again and drew bloodseeker.  The pugmnetia bloodhound smirked.

    ¡°Drop your weapon your highness and come willingly and out of respect we will not stake you.¡±

    ¡°Who sent you?¡±

    ¡°Your husband, he was worried you might do something rash.¡±

    ¡°You mean like cutting my way through his legion?¡±

    ¡°We have six thousand men, and three of us, you are one, little girl with a sword.¡±

    ¡°I like my odds, do you like yours?¡±

    ¡°Enough of this pointless banter, you three grab her and let¡¯s be done with this.¡±

    He pointed to three of the centurions in the phalanx.  Enid warped time and cut them down before anyone could react.  She let Bloodseeker drain the last to completion then tossed the desiccated husk at the bloodhound.  She saw the phalanx step back as a unit.  The Bloodhound¡¯s eyes grew wider.

    ¡°Like I said, I like my odds, do you like yours?  You should have brought two legions then you might have stood a chance.¡±

    Enid¡¯s bravdo was a show.  She knew she didn¡¯t have the blood to cut through a legion.  Thankfully the flank was still a ways off and this was fifty men at an outside maximum.  She could see them.  It would take them at least fifteen minutes at a full run to reach the current battle.  She picked up one of the shields.  She¡¯d need the protection.  She pointed her sword at the pugmentia elder.

    ¡°Your reinforcements are a long way out and there is no way you¡¯re stopping me from getting into that forest where your legion will be at a massive disadvantage.  So, I have a counter proposal for you.  Stand aside and these men get to go home to their families, and I won¡¯t swallow your soul with my sword.  What do you say?¡±

    The pugmentia elder rolled his eyes and waved his hand.

    ¡°Attack, make sure her head stays attached to her body, otherwise do what you will.¡±

    The soldiers advanced long spears out.  Enid closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the crisp night air.  It bit into her nose and lungs.  She called upon her blood to warp time around her and she bashed her way through the phalanx with sword and shield.  Fifteen of their number lay dead the rest of the centurions closed in on her.

    Blood magic is my only chance.  Sorry Uncle Remus. This is a last resort.

    ¡°Last chance bloodhound.¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°You¡¯re already half dead for a second time. Let¡¯s end this.¡±

    ¡°You asked for it.¡±

    Enid reached her hand to the sky and started chanting in Atlantean.  Purple lightning arced from the fallen soldiers into her hand and she punched the ground.  A blast wave of purple lighting flew outwards from her. At it¡¯s front a wall of death lightning crashed through the soldiers and the pugmentia.  The mortals died instantly their faces twisted in agony.  The pugmentia collapsed on the ground trees decayed instantly. Leaving a fifty-foot circle of blackened earth.  All life was gone from it.  She looked down at her hands.  Black veins were spreading from her fingers into her hands and then under her tunic and armor.  She clutched her chest as pain raced through her to her core.  The pain was worse than that inflicted by her father on her when she was a child.  She staggered to the fallen pugmentia who was writhing in agony.  His words were broken.

    ¡°Wh..what¡­was that?¡±

    Enid collapsed to her knees beside him Bloodseeker fell to the blacked earth.

    ¡°Forbidden magic.  I warned you.  I tried to stop you.  But you refused to listen.  Your suffering will be over soon.¡±

    She grabbed him and her teeth tore into his neck.  She was ravenous.  The toll blood magic took on the body and soul were immense and the only way to repair the damage would be potent blood like that of an imperial or a pugmentia elder.  She drank and drank until the light of undeath left his eyes and she dropped his pale shriveled corpse to the ground.  The black veins vanished, and she felt renewed and she could feel the new perceptions she¡¯d stolen from him at the edge of her senses.  She could hear the entire forest.  Smell the approaching legion.  Even with the elder¡¯s blood she wasn¡¯t able to heal all her wounds after dealing with the damage the blood magic had caused.  She picked up blood seeker and stumbled into the forest.  Snow started to drift down through the trees.  She stumbled on for what seemed an eternity.  She could hear her boots crunching in the frozen ground.  She ran out of the will to move on and leaned on a tree.  She slid down it and collapsed in the dirt.

    Its no good I need to sleep for at least a day to recover from the blood magic.  Now I see why Uncle said it was magic of the last resort.  If I had another pugmentia elder to drain¡­

    It was no good.  She would be no match for the other elders who stalked her steps.  And their legion.  They still had almost six thousand men to her one sword and now broken body.  The forest would give her cover and split up their numbers but weakened like this it was hopeless.  She smelled them on the wind now as it howled from the plains into the thickening forest of evergreens.   It was hours until daylight and they were close enough that even if she could evade them, they would be able to pounce on whatever shelter she found within minutes of the sun going down.  The pugmentia couldn¡¯t move fast with the army though.  Her new super heightened senses heard the crunch of twigs nearby.  She pulled herself up the tree and lifted Bloodseeker wearily.   They would win, but she would make it costly.  She leaned against the tree.  Another one of the elder¡¯s tracking her appeared from the browning foliage accompanied by several more Roman soldiers.

    ¡°Where is Xerin?¡±

    Enid looked up at the woman, she had cat eyes and her hair was almost a mane.

    ¡°My child, where is he?¡±

    ¡°I drained him dry you old dust bag.  Just like I¡¯m going to do to you.¡±

    Enid pushed herself up straight and leveled Bloodseeker at the elder vampire.

    ¡°Impossible you¡¯re just a child, he was centuries old.¡±

    ¡°I am the daughter of the Emperor, did you really expect it to be easy?  I¡¯m a god compared to you.  He tasted like trash, just like you will, he whimpered as my teeth sank into his neck. He begged me to end him so he didn¡¯t have to live any longer with the rancid, pathetic blood you gave him.  Pugmentia scum.¡±

    Enid spit.  The elder¡¯s eyes started glow red and she snarled.  Teeth and claws coming out.  She pounced at Enid, lost to her vampiric rage as Enid had hoped.  The Roman Soldiers as disciplined as they were, lost all cohesion and Enid used the last of her energy to leap aside and behead the elder.  The loss of her powers and blood would be regrettable but she would not have been able to drain her and fight off the soldiers once they got over the shock and reformed ranks.  She sliced her way through several, by the end she had two broken long spears sticking out of her and a gladius.  The Romans lay dead or dying.  She collapsed shortly after the last feel forcing the spear in her stomach to push further in.  She lay there still in the hallow of a tree.  She would be protected from the sun here.  A day¡¯s sleep would help her recover most of her wounds but right now she just lay there, every bit of her energy spent. She could feel the snow on her face.  It brought back the memory of a winter decades ago when she lay dying with a dagger in her back.  Sextus wouldn¡¯t be coming to find her.  She¡¯d taken steps to prevent him from scrying her location.  Mariana could have found her, but she was dead.  No one else had the skill to find her with magic.  Hence the bloodhounds.  She heard the sound of more boots crunching the frozen leaves and snow beneath them.  She lay motionless.  Hoping the darkness of the hallow would shield her.  She tried to pull the shadows around her, but she lacked the strength.  The language she heard being spoken wasn¡¯t Latin.  It was more akin to her native tongue.  She could make out a few words.  They were not pleased to see Roman soldiers in the midst, they wondered who or what had killed so many.

    Asking for help from the cattle.  This is a new low.

    Enid pulled herself out of the hallow.  To them she would look like a child.  She was short and slight for an eighteen-year-old when she had been turned.   She spoke her native tongue.

    ¡°Help.  They are hunting me.¡±

    The group of men all turned from the looting of the bodies and looked at the source of the sound.  Enid could make out eight.  She was lifted up by one of them.  He gently put his arms under her and avoided the weapons she had stuck in her.  He didn¡¯t pull them out, a sign he knew that she would bleed out, if she were mortal that was.

    ¡°Did you do this child?¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°How many are there?¡±

    ¡°A legion minus one hundred.¡±

    ¡°So many? Why are they here?¡±

    ¡°For me.¡±

    ¡°For you? One girl-child?¡±

    Enid gave a slight nod it was all she could muster, she let her natural vampiric charisma loose.  She could see him looking at her in the way mortals always did when she didn¡¯t try to contain it. He would fall over himself to engender himself to her.  The rest of the men moved closer.  He held her closer to his chest.

    ¡°Your hair marks you as one of us.  We will protect you child.  Only the gods can decide if you will survive your wounds.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes and buried her face in the man¡¯s furs.  After several minutes of walking the man carrying her spoke.

    ¡°She sleeps.  Do think it was she that killed so many at the forest¡¯s edge?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a child.¡±

    ¡°A child who carries a dark burden.  The sword I could feel it trying to devour me.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps she is a child of the gods.¡±

    ¡°Maybe that is why the Romans want her so badly that they would send a legion into our territory against treaty.¡±

    ¡°She is a child of the gods could you not feel it when you looked on her?  We must protect her as if she were our own daughter.  Lest we anger the gods.¡±

    ¡°Will she survive?¡±

    ¡°If the gods will it.¡±

    ¡°What will happen if we don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Did you see the blackened earth?  That would be our village.  We must protect her and do our best to tend her wounds.  We will not make the same mistake the Romans have.¡±

    He pulled her tighter to him.  He spoke quietly.

    ¡°I will guard you as I would guard my own daughter had she not died from the fever.¡±

    Enid could fell his pace quicken.

    ¡°We must reach the village quickly.  She needs a healer and I will not have her die on my watch.¡±

    The rest of the men seemed to grunt with approval, and they broke into a quick paced jog.  She wasn¡¯t sure how long they travelled or in what direction.  As much as she pretended the pain didn¡¯t bother her she let her consciousness slip away from her to be free of the pain of the weapons as they shifted in her with the jostling of the run.  Should the sun hit her skin the burning would waken her and she would take shelter, but the burning never came.  She found herself awake in a smokey round house.  She felt herself tightly bound in fabric around her torso.  The pain was gone.  Her healing sleep had done its job.  It was dark and she shifted and felt a strong hand hold her down.  It was a woman with long blonde hair that was tied out of her face with a leather strap.

    ¡°Do not move child, you¡¯ll reopen your wounds.  Rolf would not be pleased.¡±

    Enid nodded and lay back into the wooden and straw bed.  Then she felt around suddenly the woman noticed and made a shhing sound and pulled a bundle of rough woven cloth and placed it down.

    ¡°You do not need your weapon here.  You are among friends.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    ¡°As Rothger found out.  He tried wield it and it slew him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    She hrmphed.

    ¡°Rothger was a drunk and a thief.  He toyed with an object of the gods and got his just reward.¡±

    Enid nodded and calmed herself.

    ¡°Are you a warrior?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    Enid pondered for a long moment.

    ¡°Eyre.¡±

    ¡°I have heard this name spoken on the lips of trade partners from the isles.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°She is one of their goddesses.¡±

    Enid nodded again.

    ¡°You are young to be so far from your people.¡±

    ¡°The Romans took me.¡±

    The old woman nodded and sat on a stump of wood that had been placed beside Enid¡¯s bed of straw.

    ¡°You are strong.  I thought you dead at the first light of dawn on the first day, but then you stirred in your sleep as evening came on.  You are truly the daughter of the Gods.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°You do not need to stay with me.  I am healed.¡±

    The woman quirked her head to the side.

    ¡°Impossible.¡±

    Enid shook her head and the woman gasped when Enid tore the bandage off of her abdomen.  The wounds from the Roman weapons were completely gone without a scar.  Though it was difficult to tell with all the scars she did have from her father¡¯s tender mercies.

    ¡°Not even a scar!¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I am a daughter of the gods, one in particular.  My brother worked with the other gods to have my sister killed and I escaped before I met the same fate.  It is why the Roman¡¯s hunt me.  They seek to bring me back so he can finish.  It is my destiny to replace our father the ruler of the gods when he tires of his burdens.  My brother is jealous and wants to remove me, so our father has no choice.¡±

    ¡°Surely your father can save you.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°He mourns for his fallen wife and my sister.  He is too distracted.  For it was he who gave the order to kill my sister.  They say she broke our laws, but we were fighting the destroyer of everything.  She had no choice.  Our father would do nothing.  By the time my father knew of the plot against me it would be too late.  The men of your tribe saved me.  Once he comes out of his grief, he will reward you greatly.  In the meantime, I will do what I can to repay your kindness.¡±

    The woman¡¯s hands were shaking as she watched Enid stand up to her full height.  Which was all of five feet.  Enid pulled off the rest of the bandages. And stood naked for several seconds, then started looking around for her clothes and pack.  Her pack was leaned against the wall of the round house.  Enid walked over to it and started rummaging for clothing.  She pulled out another tunic and breaches.  The woman watched her with wide eyes.

    ¡°It is like you were never hurt, yet you have scars.¡±

    ¡°Weapons of the gods can hurt me permanently, weapons forged by man are painful and can slow me down, but they cannot truly kill me.  I have been in many battles, even if I am young for a Goddess.¡±

    ¡°Surely you must recover more strength.¡±

    ¡°I am as strong as I will be without taking what I need to get stronger from your village and that I shall not do.  There is another hellhound out there still tracking me.  Once I deal with it, I will be safe.  My brother cannot track me without them and only had three.¡±

    ¡°What is this hellhound?¡±

    ¡°A beast from the underworld.  It will track its prey tirelessly.  It wears the skin of a feral man.  If it finds me here it will bring the legion.  I must hunt it as it hunted me.  Then your village will be safe.  I killed the rest of its pack it will not stop until it or I am dead. Do you have scouts?  Hunters? Anyone who might know where the legion is right now?¡±

    ¡°Rolf came back tonight from a scouting trip.  He says the legion searches the forest an hours march from the village.¡±

    ¡°Where is Rolf?  I need to speak to him.  Is it late?¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°The sun has just set.¡±

    ¡°Good, Where is Rolf?¡±

    ¡°He is in the long house discussing the Romans.¡±

    Enid nodded and left the round house.  She breathed the chill night air in, she could catch the scents of the village and the forest on the wind.  No sign of the pugmentia, but there was something else, something primal.  She shook it off as she walked to the long house.  She pushed aside the skin that acted as a barrier to the cold outside air.  The inside was smokey and drunken Gauls were all over the place.  She noticed Rolf talking to an older gentleman.  She hadn¡¯t been noticed yet, she let her natural vampiric charisma off its leash as she approached the conference of scouts and war chief.  When she appeared beside Rolf all eyes turned to her.

    ¡°You should not be out of bed, your injuries.¡±

    ¡°I am fully healed.¡±

    They all looked at each other wide-eyed.  Then stared at her.

    ¡°This should be no surprise.  You know what I am.¡±

    ¡°Please go on I did not mean to interrupt.¡±

    After a few tense moments the murmur of laughter and conversation picked up again once the first person took a drink.  Everyone slowly turned back to their conversations, the chief and Rolf and the other scouts started discussing the Roman legion.  They didn¡¯t have much information on who they were, what their strength was, or how long they would be there.  They were worried they would attack the village as they would need other tribes to help.  Enid patiently waited for a lull in their conversation to interject.

    ¡°They are a hardened legion, formed a few years ago.  They have seen battle in Egypt.  If they run out of supplies, they will attack the village to resupply, or if they find out you aided me.  They aren¡¯t on a slave hunting mission.  They are looking for me.  They are led by an agent of my brother.  He is no normal man.  He could kill this entire village himself.  I will hunt him.¡±

    The chief looked Enid up and down.

    ¡°Surely it is too much risk, you are but a child.  Let the men handle this.¡±

    Enid would usually bite back with a snarky comment at this point, but these were mortal men.  They weren¡¯t used to woman who could uproot trees and throw them at full strength.

    ¡°With respect, this is a mission guile and stealth, I am small, and I can move swiftly, and I can become part of the shadows.  Also, my blade is the only one that can slay him.  And as you know by now no mortal can hold it without dying.¡±

    The chief laughed.  Enid sighed.  She couldn¡¯t show them her power, she had to conserve her blood until she could feast on the Legion.  She did not want to harm the villagers.  She thought for a moment and then glanced at the chief.  He had a wooden mug that had been empties of its ale sitting beside him.  She reached out her hand and clenched her fist the mug shattered in her telekinetic grasp.

    ¡°Can any of your men do that?¡±

    The assembled warriors jumped back at the loud popping sound.  And looked towards her with wide eyes.

    ¡°I can handle myself.  I will not be fighting the legion myself.  Just the one that leads them.  I will slip into their midst and behead him and be gone before anyone realizes what happened.¡±

    ¡°You say this, but Rolf found you almost dead.¡±

    ¡°I was not almost dead, just weakened.  I wasn¡¯t recovered from my battle with the destroyer when I was forced to flee.  There were three of the hunters when they started the journey.  Now there is one.  Once he is gone the Legion will have no means to find me and will be forced to return to Rome.  If you provide the information I need, I will kill the hunter, and the legion¡¯s leaders, they will return to Rome broken.  I will make it obvious it was me so your tribe should not fall under suspicion.  If you don¡¯t provide the information, I¡¯m going to have to scout myself and it will be challenging.¡±

    Rolf glanced at the chief who didn¡¯t seem convinced.  Rolf spoke anyway telling her of the landmarks around the forest and where he had seen the Legion, where the leadership had made camp.  And of the strange feral human with glowing red eyes, he had seen stalking them.  Enid listened to all he had to say and nodded.

    ¡°Thank you, Rolf.  I will ensure you are richly rewarded for your assistance.¡±

    Without further word Enid walked out of the long house and closed her eyes forcing her blood to transform her into the new shape she¡¯d learned from draining Xarin.  Her body shrunk and red feathers formed out of her skin.  She had expected the transformation to be painful but found it to be just different.  She flapped her wings struggling to lift off.  She practiced gliding and landing and taking off several times before taking to the night skies.  Rolf and several others watched from the shadowed doorway of the longhouse.  Rolf had tears in his eyes as the bird of prey flew into the sky.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°She is a goddess.  May our enemies blood run as red as her hair.  If she hunts the Romans so shall we.  Make the call to war.  If the chief fails to see reason, then he is a Roman already and will be first to fall to our blades!¡±

    Enid had not intended to start a coup in the tribe.  Had she known what was a foot she would have dissuaded Rolf.  This was the exact reason Sextus limited their interactions with Humans to feeding or necessity.  It was easy for them to see vampires as Gods, or worse monsters.  Enid was still young and even lacked the subtlety she would develop with maturity.   A woman looked up from her table as Rolf confronted the chief and accused him of being a servant of Rome.  She sighed as his axe split the chief¡¯s skull.  She took a long drink from her ale and approached him.

    ¡°Rolf, I am milk-mother to Eyre.  She would not want you to risk your people¡¯s lives.¡±

    ¡°Milk-Mother to the Red goddess why did you let her suffer?¡±

    ¡°She is like all children, she suffers from the folly of youth. And as a youth she is having a tantrum, running away from her God-blooded father, such choices have costs, she must learn of those costs, but I would not have your people¡¯s blood on her hands.  It is too soon for her to learn that cost.¡±

    ¡°What would you have us do?  What is your name?¡±

    ¡°I am Lilith, you must say nothing to her of my presence.  Know that in two thousand years she will save this world, and that you will help form her into the champion the world needs.   She needs to see not all men of your tribes are like her mortal father.  Show her that mortals are worth respecting, that you can love, and be loved.  That you can tend to children with love and respect.¡±

    ¡°I will mother goddess, but my wife is dead and my children.¡±

    ¡°My daughter will see to that.  Just trust in her.  Even now she ponders how to assist you in finding a new wife.  She believes a child that is immune to disease is your greatest desire.  She will do her best to provide it.  Just trust in her wisdom.  She looks young but she is older than any living person on this world.¡±

    ¡°I will trust in you and the Red goddess.¡±

    ¡°Then dispose of your chief.  You were right he was a coward and was ready to send word to Rome, had you not slew him, I would have.¡±

    Lilith dropped her hood.  She was more beautiful than the most beautiful human woman any in the room had ever seen.

    ¡°Hear me, your chief was a coward, a betrayer of the gods.  Rolf slew him at our behest.  He is chosen.  Any who oppose shall die a terrible death.  Rolf keep your people inside your village walls.  My daughter will call down death this night and his minions will stalk these trees.  Any mortal in these woods will be dead by dawn.  My daughter is young, but she is the most powerful being that walks these roads. Mark my words.¡±

    The assembled Gauls cowered in their seats.  Lilith tore a hole through space and time and left the room through it. As she left Rolf caught a glimpse of a shimmering golden building made of mirror glass.  He averted his eyes and when he looked back it was again just a dark, smokey long house.  Where Lilith had sat was a cloak and empty honey-mead jug and an image of Eyre dressed in strange clothes pulling her sword out of marble. He scooped it up in his hand and held it to his chest.  He turned to the assembled.

    ¡°Tell everyone in the village what you¡¯ve witnessed and that any who leave the village tonight will die at the hands of the gods.¡±

    He left he long house. He looked at the sky as purple lightning crackled across it.  Several minutes later anything not lashed down was blown off its moorings by a wave of air.  Rolf who was watching the sky was knocked off his feet as were several others.  A few rushed inside.  The rest watched the sky.

    ¡°The mother goddess spoke true.  The Red goddess calls down death on her enemies.  I pray to the rest of the gods that she is victorious.¡±

    *****

    Enid exalted in the freedom of flying as a falcon.  She could see the tiniest detail as she flew over the forest.  Picking out the traces of the army she hunted.  She traced them back to their camp.  She could feel the wind picking up, and the charge in the air.  If there were gods, they were on her side this night.  She could kill the entire legion with a storm at her disposal.  That would send a message to Lucius, one he could not ignore.  Nor could the empire.  They would send scouts and find the charred remains and they would know that their gods were displeased with their sticking their noses here.  It would be the only explanation.  Sextus would know what had happened.  Lucius and the council would face repercussions and he would also know that Enid didn¡¯t want to be bothered at the moment.  She couldn¡¯t recall ever seeing a lightning storm in winter, but she didn¡¯t care at this point, it was a blessing she would not ignore.

    She flew around and her keen senses found the scent of the pugmentia she hunted.  He was listening to scouting reports outside of his tent.  The fool.  She flew of and hunted lone Romans taking their blood and filling herself.  She heard the first crash of thunder.  It was time.  She flew back to the camp. She swooped down and clawed at the eyes of the pugmentia elder with her talons.  He screamed in pain.  The soldiers stumbled backwards out of shock, by the time they had weapons drawn she had shifted back into her human form.  She stood with her foot holding the elder down.  He was no match for an Imperial at full strength. She spoke in Latin.

    ¡°You do not belong in this land.  He is my prey.  Leave and live, stay and die with him.¡±

    The elder¡¯s eyes had healed by now he was trying to get free and had grown claws she crushed rib cage and shoulders with her foot to delay his attack. He cried out in agony.  The soldiers hesitated then retreated she looked down at the elder.

    ¡°I could have killed you quickly, but I want you to witness the power of an unleashed Imperial before I drain you dry.¡±

    The elder was trying to heal his wounds she could tell.  She saw more soldiers starting to form up.  It looks like they had just gone to get reinforcements.  She growled and screamed at the sky.

    ¡°You want to die!  You want this?  I¡¯ll give to you!  You mortal cattle!  You dare hunt me, you should be worshiping me!¡±

    She reached up to the sky and started chanting in Atlantean calling the electricity in the air into her hands.  She then leaped off the elder and smashed her fists into the ground.  Forcing her telekinetic energy into the slam along with the lightninging she held nothing back and the ensuring explosion obliterated the entire camp leaving a smoking crater.  The bodies of the roman legion, those that hadn¡¯t been devoured earlier by the hungry vampire burned at the edge of it, thousands of charred and burning remains.  The pugmentia elder had been sparred some of the blast.  He had been partially protected by the circle of safety at the center created by Enid¡¯s presence.  He was still broken and charred.  He tried to claw his way across the smoldering earth with his burned and smoking hand.

    Enid picked herself up and looked down at the pathetic form before him. His legs were burned off below his lower thighs, one of his arms was missing and she could see his skull through one side of his face.  He was saying something she couldn¡¯t make out as his face was too damaged to form words.  She walked to him and rolled him over.  She could see his half missing lips trying to form words.  His one remaining eye looked up at her with a primal fear she had never seen.  She looked around herself at the carnage she had just caused in her anger.  Tears of blood rolled down her cheeks as the true cost of her rage had been.  Trees were smashed. Most of the bodies were limbless.  She looked down at the broken pugmentia before her and she didn¡¯t feel rage.  She felt pity.  For the first time in a century of undeath she felt sick to her stomach, but she could not throw up.

    She kneeled down.  She cupped his neck her in hand.  She could feel the pugmentia vibrating with fear.  His one good eye was wide with terror.  She bit her hand and put it to the remains of his mouth.  Her blood poured into his mouth and he began to heal rapidly.  Her blood was potent and was able to heal most pugmentia wounds rapidly.  It would also bind him to her, but if she did nothing, he would suffer like this until dawn and she could not stomach that, nor could she stomach more death this night.

    ¡°Remember this mercy blood hound.  I will never show it to you again.¡±

    He healed rapidly and fell to his knees.

    ¡°I am your servant forever Princess.  Please forgive me I did not know who I was hunting.¡±

    ¡°You are not to blame, my husband is.  Return to Rome, seek out Sextus, tell him what transpired here and who paid you for your services.  Tell him of my mercy to you.  Tell him that if anyone else seeks me out I will not be so merciful next time.  And to tell the council that one day I will drain each of them dry for their part in this massacre.  Never return to this land tell all who you meet that this is my territory now.  Any vampire who dares enter it will find it¡¯s life is forfeit.¡±

    He nodded, he shifted into the form of a raven and flew into the air.  Enid turned and shifted into her falcon form and flew towards the village.  She did her best not to look at the carnage she had caused.  When she landed she was met by Rolf.  She didn¡¯t feel like speaking to anyone let alone a mortal, but he seemed to be agitated.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Is the forest safe now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, your people are safe for the foreseeable future.  The Romans know the wrath of the gods.  I need someplace to rest.  Someplace away from the sun and I should never be disturbed during the day.  I need the day to focus my mind and control my power.

    ¡°This way.¡±

    He led her to a nearby cave that had a wooden wall with a door built into it.  Then deeper inside where a pool of water stood past another wooden wall with a door.

    ¡°None shall bother you here Red Goddess.¡±

    ¡°Call me Eyre.¡±

    ¡°As you wish, Eyre.¡±

    Enid paused as she turned to close the door then looked at Rolf.  Rolf seemed hurt?  She wasn¡¯t sure.  Something was different about his demeanor.

    ¡°I do appreciate your help.  I had to kill a lot of people tonight.  The aftermath was unpleasant to witness.¡±

    He nodded.  She closed the door and curled up on some furs that were laid here for some reason.  She wasn¡¯t sure what this was used for, but it would be shelter from the sun.  While she slept Rolf took a scouting party into the forest.  Both to ensure the Romans were gone and to see what weighed on the child goddess so heavily.  When they found the remnants of the Roman encampment, they were witness to destruction on a scale no human had seen short of a natural disaster up to that point.  A modern human would assume a bomb had gone off.  Trees were felled for a few hundred feet at the edge of the crater itself.  Body parts littered the fallen trees.  The bulk of the bodies were near the edge of the crater.  They were twisted, smashed and charred.  Most were unidentifiable save for shreds of armor and parts of swords.  Rolf looked at the devastation and heard the words of Lilith in his head.  She must learn the cost, she will need you to teach her compassion for mortals.  Tears rolled down his cheeks.  The child probably hadn¡¯t been aware of the outcome of her actions last night. These soldiers had no chance against her, and he had been pestering her about his people¡¯s safety.  She had been dealing with having been responsible for this¡­  The rest of his scouting party were similarly affected.  The looked at each other than to Rolf.  He spoke.

    ¡°She is a child, we have been tasked with teaching her mortals are not monsters.  We must tread gently; This is what happens when she is angry.¡±

    The rest nodded.

    ¡°Tell our people that this place is cursed.  They do not need to see this kind of death. It was worse than they deserved.  Warriors deserve honorable death in battle, not to be slaughtered at the hands of an angry god-child.  I will speak to Eyre this not acceptable behavior for any being.  Mortal or God.¡±

    The group returned to the village and when night came on Rolf waited by the cave entrance for Eyre to make her exit.  She did so, she looked refreshed.  He had no expected that.  She quirked a red eyebrow at him, he spoke.

    ¡°Eyre, may I speak plainly?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°What you did last night was wrong.¡±

    She blinked at him.  Enid couldn¡¯t believe the words she was hearing and wondered if she was translating wrong.

    ¡°You are questioning my actions?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just telling you it was wrong.¡±

    ¡°You dare?¡±

    She grasped him by the front of his armor and lifted him up in her rage.  Rolf could feel the waves of rage roiling off her like the broken surface of boiling water.  He felt a primal fear in the pit of his stomach.  She blinked and realized what she was doing and put him down.  He felt weak in the knees but kept his balance. He tried to keep a stern look on his face.

    ¡°I will respect you as a goddess Eyre, but if you slaughter helpless people I will speak up.  It is wrong.  They were helpless before your power.¡±

    ¡°They would have killed your entire village.  They hunted me for a month!¡±

    ¡°And you were still wrong to slaughter them like suckling pigs.¡±

    Enid glared at him.  Rolf could feel the fear welling up in him again.  He was starting to question the wisdom of this approach.  He watched her face slowly unclench from her anger and she nodded.

    ¡°You are not wrong.  I just not expect a man from your tribes to feel such compassion for anyone let alone their enemies.¡±

    ¡°All men are not the same as the one who hurt you child.¡±

    ¡°I was starting to believe that right up until my brother betrayed my trust.¡±

    ¡°Every man is their own.  Judging all by a few is wrong.  What if I were to judge the gods based on what you did last night?  Would I find them worth worshiping?¡±

    Enid frowned.  Damn this human was pricking at her failings, he was an artist at it.  It infuriated her in the same way Sextus¡¯s insights into her behavior often did.  Rolf reminded her of him, which endeared him to her.  She sighed heavily and threw her hands up.

    ¡°You have made your point Rolf with wisdom of the Emperor of the gods himself.  Truth be told I am unsettled by what I did as well.  I had only intended to call down lightning on them, not whatever happened.¡±

    ¡°Every child has to go through the phase where they underestimate their strength.  If I had a piece of grain for every time, I¡¯ve seen a child break something or harm another because they did not know their own strength I would never want for bread.¡±

    Enid nodded.  Though being called a child was vexing she was at least three times this man¡¯s age.  But as a vampire she was a child and she really did not know her own strength.  She had not meant for the lightning to do that.

    ¡°Come I have prepared a feast in your honor.¡±

    ¡°You have?  What did your chief think of that?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, he is dead.  I killed him he was going to betray you to the Romans.  He was a coward and a betrayer of the trust of a guest.  He did not deserve to draw breath any longer.¡±

    Enid looked up at Rolf with a new appreciation.  Several months passed thusly.  Enid would feed on the villagers only as she needed, preferring to hunt travelers.  No more was heard from Rome save for a single messenger who delivered a letter apologizing for a rogue general veering into the territory and a renewed promise of trade and peace.  Rolf had read it himself.  Enid had been teaching him the art of reading and writing Latin so he would be at less of a disadvantage with the Romans.  He was near their borders so being able to communicate effectively would be an asset.  Throughout the long winter months, spring months and into the summer Rolf had treated Enid less like a goddess and more like a daughter and valued advisor.  The rest of the village had been friendly but cautious around her.  The tribe and village had a brisk trade with both Rome and other tribes. There were two attempted raids, both aimed at capturing the God-child said to reside in the village.  They came at night; Enid¡¯s response had been swift and brutal.  Rolf would send their desiccated husks back to the tribes.  He would claim publicly it was out of respect for the dead.  But Enid had suggested it in private as a way to warn them away from further behavior.  After the first few raids no further aggression occurred.  A few letters were received that confirmed that the message they had sent with the dead bodies was clear.  They wanted no part of a war with Rolf or the Red-Haired Goddess.   Rolf had surprised Enid he asked her for nothing, no miracles, no assistance beyond what she offered freely on her own.  So, when he approached her one evening in late summer, she was somewhat shocked to see the worry creasing his face.

    ¡°What bothers you, Rolf?¡±

    ¡°Wolf-born attacked a scouting party.  We thought them gone.¡±

    ¡°Wolf-born?¡±

    ¡°Men infused with wolf spirits.  They are like you, immune to our weapons.  They left their shredded remains at our gates and painted runes in blood on the walls.¡±

    ¡°Show me.¡±

    Rolf led Enid to the runes.  She recognized them immediately.  The spirt walkers.  She was treaty bound to help them and they her.  They must not know this village is under her protection if they would do this.  She would have to speak to them.

    ¡°Who died?¡±

    Enid listened as he listed off the names of four men and one boy.  Some of which she counted as friends.  She clenched her fists in anger.  Rolf continued.

    ¡°I have done my best to do as you asked and handle matters myself, but this is beyond us.¡±

    ¡°I know of these creatures.  They have a treaty with my father, we are bound to aid each other and not harm each other¡¯s interests.   They have broken the treaty.  It could just be a single pack or member.  I will see they are punished and that they know you are under my protection.¡±

    ¡°I do not seek vengeance.  Or justice.  Just the safety of my people.¡±

    Enid nodded putting a hand on his tattooed forearm.

    ¡°I will be diplomatic out of respect for you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, child.¡±

    Enid looked him up and down.  Eight months in the village being treated as a member of this tribe had an impact on her withering humanity.  She wasn¡¯t sure she liked it, but she respected most of them as she would a friend. They had earned it through word and deed.  Enid shifted into her red furred wolf form she had also stolen from the Pugmentia elders earlier in the year.  She followed the trail of the spirt walkers who had dismembered the villagers.  She could feel the shift in mystical energies as she crossed the barrier into their realm.  They would know she was here instantly; It would not take long for a pack to find her.  She didn¡¯t hide herself.  She smelt the wolf-born before she saw it shifting into a monstrous half wolf, half man shape and bouncing towards her.  For a pugmentia such an encounter would end in the vampire¡¯s death.  For an Imperial, even a young one the encounter was a bit more even.

    She altered time and leaped into the air, shifting in the middle of her lunge.  She drew her sword.  She angled herself to the side of his leap and with her free hand grabbed his neck and slammed him into the ground.  There was a loud crash and the ground shook as the two super-strong titans clashed.  When the collision was over with Enid had broken his rib cage with her knee and had Bloodseeker across his throat. He growled and struggled coughing up blood.  She saw several wolves and a couple of humans, and one other wolf-man come out of the trees.  They had that hackles up.  Her actions had the impact she had wanted.  She wanted them to pause.  Every single one eyed her silver sword. She could sense fear.

    ¡°I am Enid, daughter of Sextus, I am Slays-Demons, Blooded by tooth and claw and by treaty my territory is to be free of your presence, and my people safe from you.  I marked the village as mine clearly as ordered by treaty.  You have broken this treaty, this wolf in particular.  It is my right by treaty to take an equal blood price from your tribe.  Five are dead, one of them a cub.  Who among you wishes to pay the price for this one¡¯s breach?  I have spilled blood for your people and in return you betray my trust.¡±

    An old man pushed aside the wolf-man and a human.  He held up his hands.  Enid recognized him, though he was much older than she remembered from their previous meeting.  He obviously recognized her. When their eyes met.  They had fought side by side to destroy an infestation of demons.

    ¡°She is wolf-friend and blood-sister to me, and you dared violate her sacred territory?¡±

    She could hear the unbridled rage in his voice.  She had seen younger wolf-born shift and tear someone¡¯s throat out for less than she was accusing of this wolf of.  Age had mellowed his temper apparently.   The one she was holding struggled.

    ¡°You are weak an old wolf that needs to be put down, we need to claim this whole territory, the humans are food!¡±

    The old wolf seemed saddened by the words.

    ¡°Blood-sister you have no reason to spare my great grandson save that I ask it.¡±

    Enid punched the wolf-man she held in the face, and she heard bones crack he stopped moving but he was still breathing.  His form shifted to that of a red-haired human boy.  It would take him a day or more to heal from the injury as a human.  More than enough time to decide his fate properly.  The humans gasped a few of the wolves made whimpering sounds the old wolf sighed with relief.  The rest calmed when they realized she had not killed him.

    ¡°Out of respect for you Silver-Tooth and for the humans that provide me with shelter I grant you the rite of punishment for those involved.¡±

    ¡°I thank you for this kindness Slays-Demons.¡±

    He used the name the spirit-walkers had given her to honor her role in defeating the demonic invasion of their sacred lands in Greece.  He clasped her arm then tugged her close and engulfed her in a bear hug.  Even shrunken with age, he was a bear of a man.

    ¡°Slays-Demons is an honored hero of our brothers and sisters in Greece.  We slew a hundred demons in a single night.  She is pack-mate and blood-sister to me.  She will be treated with honor and respect.¡±

    The assembled spirit-walkers looked on her with reverence afterwards.  Enid felt uncomfortable.  They looked at her as if she were a legend come to life.  They reached out to touch her.  Silver-Tooth laughed at her reaction.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on Silver-Tooth?¡±

    ¡°Your story has spread amongst the tribes.  The spirits speak of you being a savior to our kind.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it alone.¡±

    ¡°You were the one who your father sent to meet the treaty request.  To our children and children¡¯s children you become a legend.  Hurling fire and lightning, slicing demons down with your silver blade.  They all want to be like you.  Had Red-Fury known he was attacking your territory he likely would have thought twice.  He has a hot head and is quick to action but even he is not so foolish is to attack one who the spirits speak of as a legendary warrior.¡±

    ¡°I put up the runes, made it clear¡­ I had assumed your kind was nowhere near here.¡±

    ¡°And our packs saw the runes and have given the human¡¯s a wide berth.  Red-Fury however called us cowards and fools following some old treaty.  I believe you have taught him both humility and that the old treaties hold power.  Had you not shown up here and granted me the rite of punishments the spirts and blood that bind our treaty surely would have.  I thank you for the mercy of being clear about the rite of punishment.  I believe you saved him from a fate worse than death.  I find it strange you are here; You did not seem to have much love for humans as I recall.¡±

    ¡°The village has earned my respect and loyalty.  Especially their leader.  He would be upset if the punishment did not meet the crime, and the spirits are rather vicious when they are angered I was sure their punishment would be so terrible as a warning to all others who would breach the treaty¡­.well, the thought of what they might do concerned me.¡±

    ¡°I may yet ask them to intervene but remind them that you have asked for mercy.  Red-Fury needs to learn that our ways are not some superstitious nonsense, that violating agreements bound by blood and spirts has consequences.¡±

    ¡°What about the rest? It was three of them.¡±

    ¡°Red-Fury is charismatic and drew a few youths into his stupidity.  Once they see him suffer punishment, I suspect they will learn to behave.  Still, we owe the humans restitution, even without the treaty we are bound to protect them as well as this world from forces beyond.  Not slaughter them needlessly.  What would they find acceptable?¡±

    ¡°Rolf, the leader of the tribe begged me to be merciful.  I think he would ask nothing but assurances of his people¡¯s safety.  I would suggest something more.  Rolf is wifeless.¡±

    ¡°He sounds like a man that you could respect and love. And if you are here, I assume your husband is¡­?¡±

    ¡°Not dead and Rolf sees me as more a child then anything.  And I he wants a child, you and I both know that is not possible for my kind.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, the price of your own immortality is that you can longer create immortality by having children.  So, what exactly do you propose?¡±

    ¡°Rolf wants a wife and children that are immune to mortal disease, it is truest heart¡¯s desire.  Your people are immune to mortal sickness, even those among you that don¡¯t possess the wolf spirt.  I ask that one of your women who is willing, consider marriage to him.  This will strengthen bonds, would protect the villagers for further predation least you kill kin, and he will have his truest heart¡¯s desire.  His first wife and daughter died of a fever.¡±

    ¡°That will be controversial as it will dilute the blood-purity of that kin.  And the wolf-spirt can manifest in any of our offspring, even grandchildren, great-grandchildren.¡±

    ¡°I would say it is better than five of your people sacrificing their lives to appease the spirits for violating a treating and sacred trust.  Also inbreeding has its own downfalls, trust me I¡¯ve seen it in Rome.¡±

    ¡°You speak with a wisdom and patience that I am not used to from you.¡±

    ¡°While I don¡¯t look any older it has been nearly a hundred years.  My hair may not be grey, but I have grown.¡±

    He smiled.

    ¡°I will find someone.¡±

    ¡°She has to be willing; I won¡¯t go putting a woman into a marriage against her will.¡±

    ¡°You know what our women are like, they do nothing they choose not to.¡±

    ¡°I am well aware, but I don¡¯t want you holding the punishment of their family over them.¡±

    ¡°I will ask for a volunteer.  If a woman feels duty bound to protect her family on her own accord, then that is her choice.  Now let us go to the circle of stone and let our tribe hear of the battle of Pyre hill from its two foremost heroes!¡±

    Enid shook her head and laughed the pair regaled the tribe of spirit-kin with stories of battle long into the night.  Silver-Tooth provided shelter and protection to Enid for several days as he stayed with them.  Red-Fury and his pack came to her and begged for her forgiveness.  Red-Fury seemed to have had his spirt broken.  She felt bad, but youth had to learn from good and bad choices.  She had learned her own lesson earlier in the year.  She had even been asked about the destruction as the tribe had seen the remnants of both her battles.  She admitted to them it was her who did all of it.  They had cheered her on, she had a difficult time impressing on them that her actions were wrong.  At the end of a week of stories and companionship of an old friend she started to prepare to leave a girl approached her.

    Enid took her measure.  She had seen her at the periphery of the tribal gatherings.  She looked not much older than her mortal form appeared.  She had long brown hair and ice blue eyes.  They marked her as one of the northern wolf descendants.  She lacked the wolf-spirit.  She had had tattoos describing her tribal heritage and her family on her arms.  She was tall, almost six feet.  She was also broad-shouldered.  Going off physical appearance she could probably beat Enid to a pulp where she mortal.  Her face, while not unattractive did not look striking.  She was average at best.  She could not meet Enid¡¯s gaze.  A lifetime of living among the wolf-kin had given her the mannerisms of an omega wolf.  Every movement gave the impression that she felt like she was inferior to Enid.  Enid sighed.  It was the way of the wolf-kin but it still bothered her at a fundamental level. Enid lifted her chin and met her gaze.

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°I am Hazel.  I am sorry Slays-Demons.¡±

    ¡°Relax Hazel, I am not a wolf-born.  Even if I can change into one.  We are both just women here, equals.  Why do you wish to speak to me?¡±

    ¡°I was told as restitution the alpha of the human pack asked for a woman to breed with. I volunteer to be bred by him.¡±

    Enid released her chin.  She reminded herself once again that this was the way of the wolf-kin and spirit-folk and to judge them for it would be wrong.  She rubbed her temples and took a deep breath.  Hazel¡¯s eyes when wide and she started to plead.

    ¡°I am fertile I can give him strong children.  Please.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so desperate to lay for a man and just be a piece of meat to hold babies?¡±

    ¡°It is a woman¡¯s place.¡±

    Enid took another deep breath.  It is their way.

    ¡°Rolf is looking for a wife.  His ways are not your people¡¯s ways.  He sees women as partners in life, not breeding stalk.  Even Silver-Tooth does not see you that way.¡±

    ¡°My brother and I are not from this tribe.¡±

    ¡°I see.  You have not answered me, why would you volunteer to leave your home and be with a strange man?¡±

    ¡°I am not wanted by the men here, and my brother¡­ he killed your pack-mates.  If I do not appease the spirits he will suffer so terribly.¡±

    ¡°Who told you that?¡±

    ¡°It is the way of things, I speak to spirits they are very angry at him and at the tribe.  He also said I must do it for him, for our family, or he would disown me for my cowardice.¡±

    ¡°First off, the spirits can be as angry as they want, they have no control of his punishment, I have granted that to Silver-Tooth.  And second, you can tell your brother to clean up his own mess.  He was the idiot that stuck his foot in it.¡±

    Hazel¡¯s eyes went wide as Enid spoke.  Enid was angry.  She hated when men used women to clean up their messes.  Enid took another deep breath.

    ¡°Look Hazel, if you don¡¯t feel wanted here, and you want to leave I can take you to the village.  If you meet Rolf and decide you want to do whatever it is you do, that is up to you.  Rolf will not force himself on you and I promise you that I will keep you safe.  If you find you don¡¯t feel right there, I will send you to my father in Rome he will protect you as part of our treaty with your people.¡±

    She nodded.  Enid wrapped her arms around the taller girl who leaned into the hug as if she hadn¡¯t had one in years.

    ¡°I will speak to Silver-Tooth, gather your things, tell no one of what was said here.  Let them think you are going to be the payment for their transgressions.¡±

    Hazel nodded and rushed off. Enid sighed again and sought out her old friend.  He smiled when he saw her.

    ¡°You have not left!  I thought you long gone without so much as a farewell.¡±

    ¡°I am your blood sister I will never leave without a farewell.¡±

    He pulled her in for another bear hug.

    ¡°Do not be a stranger we are neighbors now.¡±

    ¡°I will return as often as I can.¡±

    She fished out an Atlantean artifact from her bag.  It was a small orb that shimmered in the starlight it was attached to a length fine platinum-like chain links in the form of a necklace.  She offered it to Silver-Tooth.

    ¡°If you hold this and recite these words.¡±

    Enid recited a few words in Atlantean.  She made him repeat them several times.

    ¡°If you recite the words while holding it up to the stars it will summon me.  I will not appear instantly, and it could take me many weeks or months, but I will heed its call.  Summon me only if it is dire.¡±

    Silver-Tooth pulled it over his neck, he nodded, still reciting the words.

    ¡°I¡¯ll test you on them when I visit.¡±

    He laughed and put his arm over her shoulders.  Enid was usually not one to be okay with casual touching, but with Silver-Tooth she didn¡¯t mind for some reason, same with Rolf.

    ¡°We should talk. A girl named Hazel came to me, wanting to be bred by Rolf?¡±

    He frowned and nodded.

    ¡°She is not from our tribe.  Nor is her brother.  Their tribe was slaughtered by demons and humans several seasons ago, we took them in, they have strange notions about how non-wolf spirited humans fit in to things and what women are supposed to do.  It does surprise me she would volunteer though.  She seems pretty set on finding a wolf-spirited.¡±

    ¡°Her brother basically said if she didn¡¯t he¡¯d disown her for cowardice.  I guess it was go do this or the tribe won¡¯t keep you anyway?¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t make that choice.  Foolish pup. You told her no of course.¡±

    ¡°No, I told her I¡¯d take her with me.¡±

    ¡°Why?  She belongs with her kind.¡±

    ¡°Is she going to find a mate here?¡±

    ¡°Likely not, like I said they are different, and their blood purity is questioned.  Her brother likely will as he is wolf-spirited and even being an outsider that is a prime quality in a man to our women.  Her on the other hand, with no wolf-spirit and her weak will, I fear our men don¡¯t find her attractive, but we will care for her.¡±

    ¡°So, she has no chance at children, or a relationship beyond servant to the tribe here and if she doesn¡¯t go her brother will treat her like she is disowned.  Which will even further reduce her esteem in the tribe¡¯s eyes, or she can go with me, have the possibility of a husband and children, or at least being treated well?¡±

    ¡°You are right.¡±

    ¡°Look, if Rolf and her don¡¯t hit it off, that¡¯s fine, I will see that she has shelter, is protected and cared for.  She will not be forced into marriage or anything else against her will.  I give my word as your blood-sister and pack mate.¡±

    ¡°That is good enough for me.¡±

    Enid hugged him tightly one last time and turned to leave.

    ¡°Before you go, Red-Fury wanted to speak to you.¡±

    Enid nodded and waited for Silver-Tooth to summon the pup.  When Red-Fury arrived he would not meet her gaze and if he were in wolf form she knew his tail would be between his legs.

    ¡°I am sorry about your tribe mates.  I wish I could take it back.¡±

    Enid frowned and looked him up and down then lifted up his chin and looked him in the eyes.

    ¡°We have both made mistakes this year.  Mine cost far more lives than yours did.  Let us promise each other that we will do better in the future.¡±

    She released his chin and he nodded.  She pulled him close and hugged him tightly.  She probably cracked a couple of bones which he could heal quickly if he shapeshifted.  She winked at him as she released him.  He groaned in pain.

    ¡°I promise to learn from my mistakes.  May I go?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Once he was out of site Silver-Tooth laughed.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t resist could you?¡±

    ¡°Well, a reminder of how strong I am will help reinforce how dumb it was.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Farewell Silver-Tooth.¡±

    ¡°Farewell Slays-Demons.¡±

    *****

    Enid¡¯s daughter looked at her with a sideways glance.

    ¡°You used my name as an alias?¡±

    ¡°No, your name came from my alias.¡±

    ¡°What is this Slays-Demons stuff?¡±

    ¡°The spiritborn have this naming thing they do when a wolf-born becomes an adult.  They call it their true name.  Silver-Tooth told me the spirits gave me a true name for my actions.  I don¡¯t know much about their spirits, but I do know that its best to just not screw around with they want.¡±

    ¡°Rolf sounds like he was handsome did you two¡­you know?¡±

    ¡°I will remind you once again I am your mother.¡±

    ¡°Come on mom.  Spill it!¡±

    ¡°Look its almost dawn again.  I¡¯ll think it over.¡±

 Enid Remembers - Part 5 - Gaul 68 AD

    Eyre blinked innocently at her mother.  As the pair leaned against the sea wall for the third night in a row.  Enid looked at some Romani that were dancing by a bonfire on the beach. They were so full of life.  It made her smile.  Eyre followed her gaze then hit her with her elbow.

    ¡°Hey so did you do it with Rolf or what?¡±

    ¡°You are my daughter. I¡¯m not going to discuss my sex life.¡±

    ¡°Come on mom.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Okay then, did Hazel end up marrying him?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Donno.¡±

    ¡°What happened to her?¡±

    Enid sighed.  And continued her story.

    *****

    Enid and Hazel entered the village gates.  Hazel had been quiet most of the way and had resisted when Enid had tried to carry her belongings.  Enid had impressed on her that she didn¡¯t have time to move slowly, and she could carry the belonging and maintain a brisk pace.  The night guards looked surprised to see the two women emerge from the darkness.  They had their spears ready but when Enid¡¯s red hair entered the light of candle one held out, they relaxed.

    ¡°Eyre you return!¡±

    ¡°Yes.  Please see that my guest is given privacy, food and somewhere warm to rest.  She is tired from our journey.  I will sleep in my rooms and explain everything after dusk.  Tell Rolf I am fine. He is likely worried.¡±

    They nodded.  Enid took her rest as the sun was almost cresting the horizon.  She had to travel slowly for Hazel.  It had been long and painful, and she wondered if she would make it.  When she woke the next evening and left the shelter of her now very comfortable cave, she was met by Rolf who hugged her tightly and then held her at arm¡¯s length looking her over.  Once he was sure she was in one piece he hugged her tightly again.

    ¡°I feared for your safety.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry, it wasn¡¯t possible to come back sooner.  Negotiations were tense.¡±

    He nodded solemnly.  She laughed.

    ¡°I am teasing Rolf, my blood brother is the elder of their tribe.  I didn¡¯t come sooner because he would be offended.¡±

    ¡°You speak the truth?¡±

    ¡°Yes, when he was young he and I fought off an army of monsters, back to back.¡±

    Rolf looked relieved.

    ¡°He apologizes for any part his family played in this; It was his great-grandson that led the group that killed our people.  Those that were involved were punished. I ensured it was not worse than they deserved as I promised you.  Their punishments can be far worse than death.  I have also ensured that your village will be safe from them forever more and should what I hope come to pass, they may even aid you in times of dire need.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Eyre.  You have done more then we could ask once again.  Now I am told you brought a visitor with you.  When do I meet them?¡±

    ¡°That is up to her Rolf.  Her brother told her he would disown her and get her kicked out of the tribe if she did not come to be your mate.  Either she came with me, and I ensure she was safe, or she die alone in the woods.  I chose to save her.¡±

    He nodded and frowned.

    ¡°They are so harsh; I am glad you spoke of mercy for the death of our villagers.¡±

    ¡°Her brother was just desperate to save his own hide, he was one of the ones who took part in the crimes against us.¡±

    ¡°His crimes multiply.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I assure you he will suffer for it.  The spirits that they commerce with do not take kindly to oath-breakers and cowards.¡±

    ¡°She can have sanctuary in this village for as long as she wants to shelter within it.  I make no claim to her body or soul.¡±

    ¡°I know Rolf.  But she and her children and her children¡¯s children will be immune to disease.  The hand of pestilence will never touch them.  She seeks a mate; You seek a companion and mother to children.  If you take it slow and let her learn the ways of your world, she may choose you anyway.  But her ways our different than yours.  She is a spirt-talker.  She sees things you cannot.  The trees, lands and animals speak to her.  And there is the chance your descendants may be born with the wolf-spirt in them and if that is the case once you know you must let the wolf-kin have them they are not meant to walk amongst humans.  That is the pact you must make in front of the spirits. And as I have said they are not gentle to Oath-breakers.¡±

    Rolf nodded she could tell he was curious about the woman now.

    ¡°Let me go see to her needs and when she is ready, I will introduce her.¡±

    ¡°I understand.  I have one last question before you leave me.¡±

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Will you tell me the tale of your battle against the horde of monsters?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°I will, but it will lack the embellishments of my wolf-kin blood brother.¡±

    Rolf laughed and nodded.  He walked towards the long house and Enid found the night guards and asked where Hazel had been taken.  She found her in the same house that she had woken in with the old wise woman who had nursed her back to health.  Hazel was no longer in furs and was in a woven shift.  She was watching the old woman cooking over the fire.   As soon as she noticed Enid Hazel shot to her feet eyes fixed directly on the ground.  The old woman looked around in a panic and looked Enid up and down giving her a dirty look.

    ¡°I assure you Ingrid I did not ask her to treat me like this.  Right Hazel?¡±

    ¡°No, but she is Slays-Demons, warrior of legend, Alpha of the pack of Night!  Do not meet her gaze we are not worthy.¡±

    Enid sighed, walked to Hazel and lifted her chin meeting her gaze once more.

    ¡°Hazel, I am Eyre, I am a girl like you, I just know how to swing a sword.  It doesn¡¯t make me better then you, just more experienced.  Do you understand?  I am just here to make sure you¡¯re okay.¡±

    Ingrid sighed and turned back to her pot.  Hazel nodded but the moment Enid left go of her chin she looked directly at the earthen floor. Enid shook her head and sighed. It would take a long time to get Hazel out of the pack mentality.  Enid tapped Ingrid on the shoulder and motioned outside.  Ingrid nodded and walked out of the round house with her.

    ¡°I have no idea how to help her.¡±

    Ingrid nodded.

    ¡°She has a strange way about her.  Hair so wild.  Took us the whole day to brush it out and braid it.  Kind of like you when you first showed up here as I recall.¡±

    ¡°Very funny.  Has she said much?¡±

    ¡°No, she understands our language but she speaks little.  It is like someone beat into her that women were to be silent and subservient to everyone around them.¡±

    ¡°Not far from the truth Ingrid.  We are all she has, by coming with me she has agreed to never return to her family.  She is intended to wed Rolf as payment for the deaths they caused.  You know Rolf won¡¯t accept if he thinks she isn¡¯t doing it willingly, and how can you convince anyone of that with her acting like that.¡±

    Ingrid nodded and glanced back at the roundhouse.

    ¡°Maybe the best way to deal with this is to let Rolf and her meet.  I know him, he will treat her well and not take advantage.  Perhaps he might break through that shell of hers.  He is the leader here.  Perhaps if she sees how, he leads she¡¯ll understand we are not like her family.¡±

    Enid nodded and entered the round house again.

    ¡°Hazel, come with me, keep your eyes up, it is considered rude to not look at people when you¡¯re talking here.  Especially the Alpha, they call him chief.  Or King.¡±

    ¡°Yes Slays-Demons¡±

    ¡°Please call me Eyre here, it is who they know me as.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­Eyre.¡±

    ¡°Now come, don¡¯t embarrass me, make sure to look into his eyes when you speak.  How you behave here reflects on me. I brought you here and I spoke on your behalf.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°Good, don¡¯t make me look bad.¡±

    ¡°Yes Eyre.¡±

    Enid took Hazel¡¯s hand and led her to the Longhouse.  She was kind of throwing her into the fire with this choice.  But she was more likely to try her best if she realized she would embarrass Enid in front of her whole pack then one single man.  Enid led her to Rolf who sat in his chair at head of the long house.  He stopped mid-drink when he set eyes on Hazel who looked up and met his gaze, she was hesitant but after a glance at Enid she as more resolute about it.

    ¡°Who is this you bring into my feasting hall Eyre?¡±

    ¡°This is Hazel.  She has nowhere else to go and seeks shelter with our tribe.  Much like I once did.¡±

    Rolf almost choaked on his mead when he saw Hazel¡¯s eyes.  Enid could tell he was mesmerized at once.  What Hazel lacked in outright beauty she made up for in a personal magnetism.  Among the wolf-kin she was an omega, but here, she was still the descendant of a long line of predators and her heritage showed.  Enid glanced at Hazel.  Hazel was staring into Rolf¡¯s eyes.  Unable to look away either.  She gave a half smirk.  This would be easier than she had thought.

    ¡°What say you, is she welcome in your hall?¡±

    Rolf took a few moments to answer.  He tore himself away from Hazel¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°She is welcome in my hall and to our tribe.  She is your responsibility until she is seen as a grown woman in our eyes.  See that she learns our ways.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Rolf.¡±

    ¡°Would you care to join us for our evening feast Hazel?¡±

    She looked to Enid who gave a slight nod.  Hazel nodded and Rolf pointed to a chair by his.

    ¡°Sit and let us break bread and talk.¡±

    Enid sat down beside Hazel and did not partake.  Hazel began to eat with a vigor that surpassed even Rolf¡¯s.  He laughed.  Enid didn¡¯t slow her down.  The Gauls did not favor table manners. At least they had that in common.  Rolf spoke more quietly to the pair.

    ¡°Hazel, your beauty is beyond compare.  I found myself speechless.¡±

    Hazel looked at Enid then back to Rolf.  Enid could see the confusion in her face.

    ¡°Hazel, he is complimenting you.¡±

    She nodded. Then gave a small smile to Rolf.   Enid shrugged at Rolf.   Rolf nodded.

    ¡°Hazel I would like you to consider letting me woo you.  I know we do not have much in common yet, but I know I can make you a happy woman.¡±

    There were a few grumbles from the men had their eyes on Hazel, and a few from women who had hoped Rolf would choose them. Hazel looked up at him again with confusion apparent on her face.

    ¡°I am here to be bred by you. I will give you strong children and nurse them.¡±

    Rolf spit out his made and coughed a bit as did a few of the men around the long house.  Enid facepalmed.  Enid gently put her hand on Hazel¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Hazel, we discussed this, that isn¡¯t how it works here, Rolf has to win your heart before he wins your embrace.¡±

    ¡°My heart doesn¡¯t matter.  I want children he wants a mate, and my family owes him a blood debt.¡±

    Rolf looked at Enid, then back to Hazel.

    ¡°Hazel,  I do not want the mother of my children to feel bound to me by a crime she had nothing to do with.  Live with us and learn about us, and me, and I will learn about you and if you still feel that I would be a good father to your children then we will wed in the eyes of the gods and I will know your heart is true, and you mine.¡±

    Hazel looked like he had just slapped her.  The feeling of rejection was obvious in her face.  Enid put her arm around Hazel¡¯s shoulders.  She whispered.

    ¡°I know it seems like he is rejecting you, but he is trying give you the freedom of choice.  It is a gift you would never have with your family.  It is something I never had.  It is the greatest gift a human can give another.  The freedom to choose their course in life.¡±

    Hazel nodded slowly.  Rolf rubbed his long beard.

    ¡°My lady, I would that I was the kind of man that could take advantage of a beauty such as yours, but I am not that kind of man, I could not live with myself.  My daughter would haunt me for such a crime.  But know that I intend to wed you should you wish it after you have had time to learn our ways.¡±

    Enid sighed and watched as the pair continued to exchange glances. Over the next few months Hazel became more used to living in the village.  Her face grew less severe, and she smiled more.  She seemed to be adapting to the social dynamic of the village rather than sticking to the old ways.  She had a lot of knowledge about tending to the wounded and sick.  While Enid had learned a lot under her mother, Hazel had the benefit of the spirits advising her, so Enid expanded her knowledge of medicine, at least primitive medicine.

    As the months moved on Hazel grew closer to Enid then to anyone else in the village.  She stopped looking at the ground and she looked to Enid more and more.  Enid noticed but tried not to return the signals.  Enid was many things, but she was not attracted to other women, nor was she interested in physical relations with humans.  She had obviously done so with Lucius, but her Father¡¯s abuses had left her less then comfortable with it.  Sex was about procreation and little else to Enid.  And since she was dead it wasn¡¯t like she was going to be having more children.  The whole thing came to a head about a year after Hazel had joined the village.

    There had been a raid the during the day, the tribe itself had no casualties, the other side however suffered a terrible defeat.  Most were dead, two survived but were injured.  Enid and Hazel were leaning over him stitching up his wound.  Enid was teaching Hazel something for once.  Hazel was leaned in close watching Enid, who was explaining what she was doing, looking up every so often to ensure Hazel understood what she was saying.  Enid looked up to pass the stitching off to Hazel so she could try.  That was when their lips met.  Enid returned the kiss with the same passion Hazel had, it was reflex for her, something she developed to make Lucius happy.  Make him think she enjoyed being with him sexually.  She was so shocked she just continued to offer the thread and metal needle to Hazel.  Hazel looked pleased and started to stich the man¡¯s wound where Enid had left off.   Enid brushed aside the kiss and kept her focus on the Hazel¡¯s hands as they stitched the wound.

    ¡°Keep the stiches close.  Treat it like its fine cloth.  We use this externally because we can remove it, the one we used on his organ will dissolve on its own.  Good, now use the herbal concoction your spirits provided on it.  Wipe it down.  Wash your hands in the mix then clean linen.¡±

    The man was conscious throughout all of this, so had seen the kiss.  Enid had ignored him, they had used an herbal mixture the spirits had provided to deaden the wound.  He was stared at Enid, his gaze never wavering.  Hazel had a smile on her face as she pulled the bindings tight over the wound.

    ¡°Like this?¡±

    ¡°Exactly like that.¡±

    Enid looked to the man¡¯s face he was still staring at her.

    ¡°If you try to stand or move too much, you¡¯ll tear the stiches, and you will die.¡±

    Hazel began cleaning up their implements, dunking them in the herbal mixture used to clean their hands and wounds.  Enid turned to leave, and the raider grabbed her wrist.

    ¡°You are a goddess, will I live?¡±

    ¡°If you listen to us you will, if you do not then you will die.¡±

    ¡°Why do you save me?  I attacked the people you protect.¡±

    Enid turned to him.

    ¡°To show that I can be a merciful goddess.  Do not forget this second chance.  Should you return I will drain your soul from your body and curse it to eternal torment.¡±

    His eyes went wide, and though pale from blood loss, his face grew even more pale.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°I will forever pray to your glory.¡±

    Enid turned away and rolled her eyes.  She hated playing the goddess thing up, but Rolf had built her up to be this glorious goddess.  If she let on less, then the gig might be up and she¡¯d have to flee.  Hazel looked at Enid and fixed her hair.  Enid frowned at her.

    ¡°We still have another patient, don¡¯t go touching your hair or anything else.  Now you have to wash your hands in that disgusting herbal concoction again.¡±

    Hazel blinked, then blushed, she washed her hands again and the pair moved to the second patient.  He was less severely injured but had several spear wounds in various no vital places.  His armor had done its job.  Enid washed her hands again.  The mixture was acrid and bitter smelling and made her skin burn slightly, but it seemed to cut down on infected wounds and seemed more effective than her mother¡¯s remedies, her adoptive Roman mother that is.  She started to wipe down the man¡¯s wounds with a clean mixture that hadn¡¯t been touched by their hands.  He screamed in agony.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we use the mixture that dulls the pain?¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯s not in danger of dying today let him suffer with his choice.¡±

    Hazel swallowed hard and nodded.

    ¡°Also, you may not always have access to the mixture when tending a wound, so you need to get used to people moving as you jab them repeatedly.  Okay so we have the tip of a spear broken off in this one in his leg.  Your first instinct might be to pull it out, but it stops the flow of blood because it seals the wound.  We¡¯ll wait until last for that one, it is going to bleed a lot and we may need to use the mixture for it.¡±

    The man writhed in pain as Enid scrubbed the wounds with the mix and clean linen.

    ¡°Surely death is better than this!¡±

    ¡°Not really, I¡¯ve been to the lands of the dead, its like this, only eternal.  Now shut up and stop being a child.  I¡¯m doing this so you will not die in a week from a blood infection.¡±

    ¡°Should you be using leeches?¡±

    ¡°Are you a god?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then shut up and let us fix you.  And if you move it will hurt more.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Hazel start stitching the wounds up.¡±

    The man winced at every prick of the needle.  Enid looked to him and spoke again.

    ¡°So, what was the raid about this time?¡±

    ¡°We were trying to capture you so you could heal the chief¡¯s daughter.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°Thirteen of you died for one girl, did anyone around here just hear of asking for help?¡±

    He gritted his teeth as Hazel pulled the suture taught tugging skin together on his left arm.  She pushed the needle in again.

    ¡°He did, he sent a messenger.  When no response came, he grew desperate.¡±

    ¡°We received no message, or request for aid.  Why did he think fifteen men could capture a goddess?  Were not the last thirty we sent back drained of their souls not enough to show that mortals have no chance against me.  I am stronger then fifteen men, and I am so fast you cannot see me killing you.¡±

    Hazel nodded.

    ¡°She slew a hundred demons in a single battle.  My chief stood by her side and saw it with is own eyes.  You were foolish to come.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just a girl.¡±

    ¡°I am immortal.  My looks are deceiving.  The chief she speaks of is an old man with great-grandchildren now.  He wasn¡¯t twenty seasons when we fought that battle together.  Tell me, what is wrong with the chief¡¯s daughter?¡±

    ¡°She wastes away, no manner of food will make her gain weight.  She has the grey skin of the dead.  She suffers and it just keeps going on and on.¡±

    Enid sighed and frowned.

    ¡°I am familiar with this ailment and there is no cure.¡±

    He cried out as Hazel pulled the last stitch taut and began to tie it off.  There were tears rolling down his cheeks.  Enid suspected it was more than the pain.  Hazel moved to start stitching on another wound and Enid put her hand on Hazel¡¯s wrist.

    ¡°Use the dulling mixture first.¡±

    Hazel nodded and rinsed the wounds down with the mixture careful not to touch it with her hands. She rinsed her hands off and sat beside him.  Enid spoke to the man again.

    ¡°It will take time for it to deaden your pain.  Something about this is personal for you.  Tell me what is it?¡±

    He slowly stopped writhing in pain as herb paste did its job.

    ¡°She is my wife, and she is with our child.¡±

    ¡°Hazel, you can start stitching the wounds.¡±

    Tears dripped down his cheeks.  Enid kneeled onto the earthen floor and began to run her fingers through his hair.  She whispered to him.

    ¡°I can cure this disease with magic, but the cost is high.  Will you pay it?¡±

    He spoke, almost in a daze.

    ¡°I will give anything.¡±

    Enid continued to shh and stroke his hair.  She stood and met his gaze.  She could see the desperation in his pale blue eyes.  They were bloodshot and his skin was red with his tears. She could feel him pleading with her to save his wife and child.  She shh¡¯d again and stoked his blond hair.

    ¡°Sleep now, when you wake you will wait peacefully here for me.  You are safe here, no one will harm you, when I return your wife will be healed and you will pay the price you agreed to.¡±

    Hazel looked at Enid.

    ¡°Eyre, what do you speak of?¡±

    ¡°I am going to heal his wife.  Those were tears of a true husband.  He loves his wife.  Would you have me let a child die if I could save it?¡±

    ¡°No, but they are our enemies.¡±

    ¡°And through my actions they may become our friends.¡±

    ¡°They have tried to kidnap you several times, will you be safe?¡±

    ¡°I will be fine Hazel.¡±

    Enid turned to leave, and she heard Hazel move up behind her.  She felt the girl¡¯s firm hand her arm.  Hazel spun her around and kissed her full on the lips again.  Again, out of reflex Enid returned the kiss just as passionately.

    ¡°Come back safe to me.¡±

    Enid nodded and spun around and walked out quickly.  She had no idea how to deal with that situation.  She pondered just wiping Hazels¡¯ memory of the kisses. It would be the simplest solution.  But would was it the right one?  Enid shook her head and transformed into her falcon shape and flew into the air.  She would make it to the other village a few hours before dawn, but she would not make it back.  She would have to trust the other tribe to honor a truce.

    *****

    Enid flew through the front of the Long House.  And shifted into her human form landing on her feet in front of the chief.  He was mid drink and spit it out coughing when she appeared.  Several of his soldiers reached for axes and started advancing on her.  One came at her from his right hand.  She reached out her hand and held him in the air with her telekinesis.  She started to crush.  He began to scream and gasp for air.  She dropped him and he writhed in agony on the ground.  She threw two of the others together the landed and broke a table. The chief held up his hand.  The rest paused in their tracks.  There were only six here and half of them were incapacitated in seconds.

    ¡°Why have you come here and assaulted my son?¡±

    ¡°To prove a point before we started negotiating, do you understand now?¡±

    ¡°I believe I understand what you are telling us.  Why have you come?¡±

    ¡°Because you sent another raiding party to our village, and we killed most of them again.  Two live, your daughter¡¯s husband, and someone else, what his name is I do not know, he was delirious.¡±

    ¡°Do you come seeking revenge?¡±

    ¡°If I was seeking revenge your entire tribe would already be dead.  I can save your daughter, but the personal cost to me is high.  Therefore, I ask a high price, you will cease all raiding against our tribe.¡±

    ¡°What happens if I betray my oath, will my daughter resume dying?¡±

    ¡°No, she will be as healthy as you or I until something else befalls her, but if you break your Oath to me, I will slaughter your whole tribe and leave their soul drained husks on stakes as a warning to others who would consider it.  You are making an oath to a goddess.  It is something not done lightly.¡±

    ¡°What is stopping you from doing that now?¡±

    ¡°I do not relish in senseless slaughter.  Though you have tried my patience, I suggest you do not do so again, it is limited.¡±

    ¡°So, no law bans you from unleashing your full fury?  You just simply choose not to?¡±

    ¡°That is accurate.¡±

    He grew pale, he stroked his beard.  He seemed to be trying to maintain a posture of strength in the negotiation, but it was apparent he had no bargaining power.

    ¡°So, what exactly do you ask of us in return for my daughter¡¯s life?¡±

    ¡°You agree to terms of peace, mutual defense and trade with Rolf, our chief, and cease all attempts to kidnap me.  In terms of your daughter¡¯s life, I need one of your strongest men.  I will need a place of quiet and peace.  Somewhere that we will be undisturbed for the day.  This is not a simple thing you ask, I am dragging her away from the gaping maw of death.  It does not like to let go when it¡¯s prey is this close to being devoured.¡±

    ¡°Why my strongest man?¡±

    ¡°You think I seek to weaken your tribe¡¯s defenses.  I could see you thinking that however, all things require balance to save a life I need to supply life force.  Your strongest man will survive the transfer.  He will be week for a few days but will be fine.  Others may not survive.¡±

    ¡°So, you need a safe, protected place to perform the ritual.  And in exchange you ask for us to be subservient to your tribe?¡±

    ¡°No, I ask for nothing of the sort.  I ask for you to work with my tribe to strengthen both.  Should you come under attack, we would help you, and if we were to come under attack you would help us.  Trade would benefit us both and you would not be sending anymore men to die at my hands.¡±

    ¡°You have my oath that all you ask shall be done.  Just save my daughter.¡±

    He offered his hand.  Enid clasped him around the wrist and he hers.  She could sense he spoke the truth with her gift of sight.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°She is in the far round house.  She is alone save for food being provided.  My people fear that you cursed her, and it will spread.¡±

    ¡°I did nothing to her.  It is a sickness I have seen before.  There is no cure save for a miracle, and I am providing that miracle.¡±

    ¡°Will the child survive?¡±

    ¡°It should, her body acts like a shield against the sickness.  I could see there being some lingering touches of my divinity with in it, but that will simply mean it will live a longer, healthier life.  How close to giving birth is she?¡±

    ¡°She should have done it already.¡±

    ¡°Then we must hurry.  I expect by dusk tomorrow you will have a grandchild to hold.¡±

    Enid was led to the Roundhouse that looked almost abandoned.  Inside she found the girl barely clinging to life, cloth in her hand stained with blood she had coughed up.  She saw her swollen belly.  She touched it and could feel the heartbeat of the child within.

    ¡°Fear not little one, I will get you out of there alive.  Your father is alive and well.¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes fluttered open.  She could see the girls eyes go wide.  Enid moved towards her head and kneeled down beside her.  She coughed as she tried to speak eventually words formed.

    ¡°Are you here to take my soul?  I told father not to send anyone.  My life is not worth so many men.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m here to save your life.¡±

    ¡°Save the baby, I am already dead.  I have hung on for him.¡±

    ¡°You are very close, but I can cure you.  Look into my eyes and listen very carefully.¡±

    The woman¡¯s brown eyes met Enid¡¯s green eyes.  Enid pushed her will onto the woman.

    ¡°You are going to go to sleep, and you are not going to wake until I ask you too.  You are going to dream of green fields and flowers.  It is so relaxing there.  You can just lay back in the grass and let the summer sun warm you.  Your son is eight seasons and he¡¯s running around chasing a hare.  He is giggling.¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes dropped shut and her breathing calmed.  Enid touched her and started chanting in Atlantean.  Enid¡¯s skin shriveled and she felt her bones weaken. After a few minutes she healed the damage.  The woman¡¯s face was pink, a bit drawn due to lack of food which could be remedied.  Her breathing was smooth and there was no gurgling.  Enid grabbed the man the chief had sent to be a life force doner.  She buried her fangs in his neck and drank deeply, replenishing the supply she had used to heal the damage from the disease.  He fell unconscious.  She made the wounds vanish from his neck and carried him outside to one of the men posted to guard the round house.

    ¡°He is weak, get him someplace safe, now do not let me be disturbed, no matter what you hear from inside, anyone who enters risks being sucked into the lands of the dead.  And you may even cause the girl to die!¡±

    Enid vanished back inside and none heard a peep from the round house the whole day until the cries of a baby rang out.  Enid poked her head outside.

    ¡°I need a woman to assist me, hurry!¡±

    One of the village women entered shortly after.  She found a very healthy baby boy and his naked mother who was feeding him.  The poor woman nearly fainted.

    ¡°She looks so healthy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and she¡¯ll need fresh clothes.  I had to burn the others and the furs.  Hurry.¡±

    The woman ran off and came back with a bundle of cloth and furs.  Enid held the baby while the two women got his mother dressed.  Enid leaned out of the house after she was dressed and spoke to one of the guards.

    ¡°You may summon her father and mother.¡±

    Enid went back inside and a few minutes later the chief and an older woman came inside.  When they saw their daughter, they were stuck silent with disbelief for several seconds.  Then the chief hugged Enid tightly and cheered, his wife was more reserved but equally as pleased.

    ¡°I did not believe you could do such things.¡±

    ¡°I would rather save lives then take them.  I must return home.  Remember your oath to me.¡±

    ¡°I will not forget my oath to you.  We shall praise you at each meal.  You are truly a goddess.¡±

    Enid nodded and walked outside the round house leaving the family to their celebrations. She glanced at the two guards with a wink shifted into her red falcon form and flew off.  She glanced back and delighted in the looks they had.  She arrived home a few hours later.  Hazel greeted the door to the long house.   She smiled broadly and hugged Enid tightly.

    ¡°You¡¯re back.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I am.¡±

    ¡°Could you save her?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I need to talk to Rolf, we can talk about it afterwards.¡±

    Hazel nodded and touched Enid¡¯s hip gently. Enid smiled at her and walked inside.

    What the hell am I going to do about that? I don¡¯t want to hurt her feelings.

    Rolf stood up when he saw her.

    ¡°You¡¯re back safe!  I was worried they might betray you.¡±

    ¡°They did not, the chief is an honorable man.  He has provided his oath that we will be trading partners and he will no longer try to raid our tribe, he has also agreed that we should defend each other should the need arise.¡±

    ¡°You did all this in one night after many seasons of fighting?¡±

    ¡°His daughter¡¯s life was important to him.  And about that, I was hoping you could spare a few men to help her husband get back to his home.  He is now a father and I expect his wife will want to see him.¡±

    ¡°Of course, it will be a sign of our good will.  What about the other?¡±

    ¡°He is far too injured to travel, I¡¯m sure that can be explained.  He is going to need a long time to heal enough to move that far.  He will likely be stuck here over the winter.  I am sorry there will be an extra mouth to feed.¡±

    ¡°He will be provided for.  And if he is able, he can assist us until he can get home.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, I need to speak to Hazel about his condition, if you will excuse me.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Enid walked out and took Hazel gently by the elbow back to her cave.  Hazel went with her willingly.  When Enid turned from closing her door she found herself pressed up against it and Hazel was pressing herself against her and kissing her full on the lips.  She felt her tongue slipping against them.  She resisted slightly at first but it seemed natural to return the kiss.  Again, she had spent over a century perfecting the art of seeming sexually interested when she was in fact not.  She was physically so much smaller than Hazel that she was easily scooped up and laid on the bed.  Before she realized it they were both mostly naked and Hazel was on top of her kissing her again.  Enid wasn¡¯t sure what to do at this point.  Anything she would do would feel awkward.  Hazel moved down from her lips and started kissing her neck and shoulders.

    *****

    Enid paused her story putting her face in her palms.  The memory was making her feel extremely flustered.  She fanned herself.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just stop there.¡±

    ¡°I sure as hell can.¡±

    ¡°Did you two¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course we did.  Against my better judgement.  She was in love with me.  I can¡¯t say the feelings weren¡¯t mutual.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I had no idea.¡±

    ¡°I guess being undead means you care less about things like gender.¡±

    ¡°So how does it work¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not having this conversation with my daughter.  No way.¡±

    ¡°Is that why Hazel didn¡¯t marry him?¡±

    ¡°She had it in her head we¡¯d do this in secret while she had his children.  I tried to dissuade her but she got some of my blood in her.¡±

    ¡°Oh no.¡±

    Enid nodded and frowned.

    *****

    Enid wandered the quiet village.  By this time the Longhouse was empty, and its fires quenched.  Only the night watch stood guard.  They greeted her warmly as she passed.  She returned their greeting.  Her mind was in turmoil over what she felt was a betrayal of Rolf and is desire for a marriage to Hazel.  She could make her forget, but she could never erase the bond that her blood had created.  She wished she could sit beside Rolf and be his wife and give him children.  Not out of a desire for him sexually, or even children.  Just so Rolf would feel complete she felt she owed him.  She was never going to have another child.  Sextus had made that impossible.  Hazel seemed willing to wed him, but she would never have her heart in that relationship.  Enid sighed heavily as she paused looking up at the full moon.  She heard footsteps behind her.  They were heavy.  Not Hazel.  She glanced behind her and saw that it was Rolf.  She had noted he slept little these days.  He approached her from behind.

    ¡°Two years you have been here and not once have I seen you pacing.  What troubles you so my old friend?¡±

    ¡°Matters of the heart.¡±

    ¡°I see.  I am no expert, and I fear if my daughter were alive she would mock me for trying, but could I help?¡±

    ¡°Well it would be strange to have that conversation with you, as you are part of the problem.¡±

    He paused and approached closer.  She turned to him to address him directly instead of over her shoulder and he tugged her close and kissed her passionately.  She returned the kiss out of reflex once again.  His beard felt rough against her face.  She hadn¡¯t found him unattractive.  She felt him hard against her abdomen.  How she wanted to feel it slide into her.  She blinked out of it.  She had been about to kiss him back and touch him.  Instead she pushed him away and brushed his saliva from his lips.  The lingering desire still hanging in back of her mind to kiss him again and seduce him.

    What the hell is up with people?  Why are they all of a sudden trying to have sex with me?

    ¡°What was that about?¡±

    He blushed and stepped back.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I just thought¡­¡±

    Enid moved closer and took his hand.

    ¡°I am flattered.  I was just thinking I wish I could be the wife you seek and have your children.  I am not able to do that for you.  I am not human anymore.  You know I¡¯m a seer.  I can see your future.  If we were to give into these desires, I see an empty seat at the head of your long house and skeletons at all your tables.  With Hazel I see a strong man sitting at its head with two white wolves at his side.  At his right hand is a blonde woman with ice blue eyes.  These are your children¡¯s children.  You need to think of your people and not your well¡­¡±

    She glanced down.  He sighed and nodded.  Releasing her hand.

    ¡°You often surprise me with your insights my old friend.  Thank you for saving my people from my prick.¡±

    She nodded and glanced down wistfully Hazel had awakened in her a desire for physical contact but she knew this would end badly for the tribe.

    ¡°You are a good leader, but you are a man.  Men often think with their groin.  It is not your fault; It is a failing of human nature.¡±

    Enid nodded and wandered off into the darkness leaving Rolf to look after her.  She swooped into the air after shifting into her falcon form.  She glided through the moonless night.  She told herself she was just flying a patrol to make sure the village was safe, but in truth she was lost in her thoughts.  In the space of two nights, she had gone from celibate to sex-crazed.  She couldn¡¯t remember a time anyone wanted to spend a night with her let alone two.  Nor when she was even interested in relations of any kind.  Yet here she was, having bonded a wolf-kin which while not outright a breach of the treaty since it was initiated by Hazel, it was skirting the boundary very closely.  And Rolf, she had been tempted.  The night had flashed before her eyes.  A fantasy of all things.  She had no drive to reproduce.  Her one soul desire up until the last couple of years had been to drink blood.  Even that had lost its luster in the last quarter century, that was until she had sunk her fangs into Hazel as they were having sex.  Maybe it was Hazel¡¯s arousal in her blood that had led her to desire to feel Rolf inside her.  Perhaps after a few days the blood would lose its potency and she¡¯d be back to normal.

    She winged around and started a big circle back to the village proper.  She kept leafing through the occurrences of the last two years trying to pinpoint when the nagging need for social and physical interaction had started to surface.  She could not focus, her mind kept wondering to the kiss with Rolf and the feeling of him hard against her stomach.  She wanted him so badly.  One night of passion would not destroy the tribe.  He could still wed Hazel.  Just two people in the dark of night.  She tried to push the thoughts away but whatever it was the pull was too strong for her will power.  She wanted him.  She wanted to feel him inside her while she bit his neck and drank deeply of his blood.  She flapped her wings and hurried to the village.  She shifted to her human form and pulled off her clothes and shoved them into her bag.  She glanced around, all were asleep save for the far off gate watchers.  She pushed aside his thick fur of his round house¡¯s door.

    *****

    Enid fanned herself again.

    ¡°You slept with him!¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡±

    ¡°No maybe.  I can see it on your face.¡±

    ¡°Not going to say.¡±

    Eyre shook her head.

    ¡°Was he good?¡±

    Enid shrugged and nodded.

    Eyre laughed.

    ¡°Anyway¡­that was the night my father showed up.¡±

    *****

    He drifted off and she picked up her bag and shifted to her falcon form and flew to the cave and slipped inside.  Hazel still lay where she had left her.  Enid slipped into the bed beside her, and Hazel wrapped her arms around her.  Enid felt death take her once more.  When she woke, she found herself looking up at a marble ceiling and she groaned.  Sextus leaned in the doorway.

    ¡°Welcome back.¡±

    ¡°You had no right!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re my daughter.  I had every right.¡±

    ¡°You lost the privilege of calling me daughter when you killed my sister!¡±

    A look of pain crossed his face. It vanished quickly and it went back to his usual neutral expression.

    ¡°I did what I had to as the leader of our people.  I hope you¡¯ll understand one day.¡±

    ¡°Why did you bring me back?  How did you find me?¡±

    ¡°Because you belong here. Not with a bunch of mortals messing with their lives.  It is not our place to change the course of their destinies.¡±

    ¡°Oh, like sending a legion after me?¡±

    ¡°The council and Lucius have been punished severely for their actions.  Also, for the good of our people.  I am disappointed you felt the need to kill that many mortals.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to send a message.  Apparently, it was lost in translation.  Leave! Me! Alone!¡±

    ¡°I understand you are upset.  But this is for the best.  When you¡¯ve gotten some blood and are less cranky let¡¯s go for a walk.  I have a proposal for you.  It will allow you to travel, it will keep you busy and you can make the world safer for our kind.  As reparation for the part you played in interfering with so many mortal lives.¡±

    Enid glared at him and rolled over on her bed.

    *****

    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s when he told me I should make sure the laws are being upheld in all the different fiefdoms.  Which is how I ended up in Narfordshire.¡±

    ¡°Funny he yelled at you for interfering with mortals then forced you to do it.¡±

    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s how the world works.  Its against the rules until the rule makers decide it is inconvenient.¡±

    Eyre shook her head.

 London, England - 1842

    Enid was bundled in a silk dress that used at least triple the fabric she would have preferred. She hatred the bulky things but Eyre had selected a high-class establishment for their meeting, and she was bound by the prevailing fashion. She bunched her dress up as she got out of the carriage. She took the pro-offered hand of her driver. She had used him often in London when she had need to travel as if she were mortal. He asked few questions and was discrete. She stood at the top of the steps taking in her surroundings. She remembered when this was a Roman settlement, the first time here it had been razed already. What a difference eighteen hundred years had made.

    She made her way up the steps. She looked up at Buckingham palace and shook her head. She hadn¡¯t been in a British royal residence since the Edward the Third had reigned. She shook her head once again and made her way inside flashing her invitation. Bloodseeker was strapped to her side to complete her ensemble. She was at the masquerade ball as Saint Sarah of Savia. She thought it both fitting and amusing. The palace guard paid her weapon no mind, it was after all only a fake blade, and a poorly crafted one at that, or so it appeared.

    She made her way through the assembled crowd of aristocrats and nobles. Trying to find her meeting spot with Eyre. Whether she would admit it or not she was eager to see how her daughter was doing it had been well over a century since they last met. The letter had seemed terse like something was amiss. She was making very good progress until she felt a tug on her arm which she forcibly, and likely with too much strength for a small woman like her. The action sent the gentleman flying. She sighed and reached her hand down.

    ¡°Sorry good sir, you startled me.¡±

    ¡°It is I who must apologize for startling you milady.¡±

    The man, he was perhaps eighteen bowed.

    ¡°Yes, my apologies good sir but I must find my uh..¡±

    ¡°Mother.¡±

    Enid heard Eyre¡¯s voice behind her. She swirled in her dress looking up at her statuesque daughter. Who looked every bit her mother with the obvious age difference. Enid had been turned at eighteen and she never got rid of her baby face. Eyre was five foot eight, and absolutely glowed. Enid smiled at her daughter.

    ¡°Yes, sorry I am late mother.¡±

    ¡°Lady Isabelle I had no idea you had a daughter.¡±

    ¡°Lord Conroy, indeed, I do, and yes she would love a dance with you, she¡¯s terminally single and I¡¯m losing my hope that I can marry her off. But first it has been some time since we¡¯ve seen each other and we need to catch up, don¡¯t we Enid?¡±

    ¡°Enid what a curious name!¡±

    Enid stared daggers at her daughter. And through clinched teeth.

    ¡°Yes mother, lets catch up.¡±

    Eyre hooked her arm into Enid¡¯s and dragged her to a quiet corner of the ball. Enid could see the mischief in her daughter¡¯s eyes. She always knew she was in for an interesting day when she had that look even as a child.

    ¡°The look on your face was priceless mother.¡±

    Eyre giggled and laughed.

    ¡°I have Bloodseeker with me, you know that right?¡±

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so dramatic. It was in good fun.¡±

    ¡°Says the woman who doesn¡¯t have to have a dance with Lord so and so.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s single and eligible, quite wealthy.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re five hundred years old, you¡¯d think you would have grown out of this phase.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been single for five hundred years; You could use a man.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you dragged me here from Paris to set me up with some Lord?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we discuss business later mother? This is a masquerade ball, hosted by the Queen, let¡¯s have fun, enjoy life for once, worry about the other less happy subjects later.¡±

    Enid rolled her eyes.

    ¡°You are obsessed with your work, you always have been, you should take time to smell the roses, enjoy a man¡¯s touch.¡±

    Enid put her hand to her forehead.

    ¡°My daughter is giving me sexual advice. Have I lived for so long that I am forced to witness this?¡±

    ¡°Cheer up Mother, lets enjoy the ball and then we can deal with the business at hand tomorrow night.¡±

    ¡°Fine. If that is what it will take for you to tell me the reason for the summons, so be it.¡±

    ¡°You act like this is torture.¡±

    ¡°It is a waste of immortality.¡±

    ¡°Mother, what kind of a gift is immortality if you cannot enjoy once in a lifetime event? We will never see this ball again, let¡¯s take part and enjoy it!¡±

    Enid crossed her arms.

    ¡°Where did I go wrong in raising you?¡±

    ¡°You died and became a Saint, so I had Katherine and Rosealyn for mothers.¡±

    Eyre dragged her mother back into the ball proper. And forced her to have a good time.

    ******

    Enid lounged on a couch in Eyre¡¯s estate. Her daughter had done well for herself apparently investing in humanity¡¯s future and her own. She was reading one of her daughter¡¯s many books with a cigar in her mouth. She¡¯d never tried one before found it to be a combination of disgusting and comforting. Eyre came out of her chambers stretching, her lover had left just before dawn.

    ¡°Mother that¡¯s disgusting!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The cigar, that¡¯s for my male visitors not ladies!¡±

    Eyre grabbed it out of her mouth and threw it in the fireplace.

    ¡°Are you going to tell me why you dragged me here from Paris now?¡±

    Eyre sat by the fireplace putting her feet up on a foot stool. She rubbed her temples.

    ¡°I was worried you¡¯d overreact. Someone ancient woke up. She is from Egypt or Babylon? One of the cat vampires you told me about. She had been sealed in amber and Lord Albert had her freed.¡±

    Enid sat bolt upright at her words; Her eyes went wide.

    ¡°You should have told me last night. Fuck.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so shocked? She¡¯s just an old dusty vampire.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not just a ¡®dusty old vampire¡¯, that¡¯s Noor and she doesn¡¯t take kindly to the corruption brought forth by the humans.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°What do you mean corruption?¡±

    ¡°I mean humans doing anything but hunting and gathering. She¡¯s liable to start wiping cities off the map.¡±

    ¡°How could she possibly do that?¡±

    Enid put her hands in her face.

    ¡°Have you ever heard of Sodom and Gomorrah?¡±

    ¡°Everybody has.¡±

    ¡°That was her, that¡¯s when your grandfather trapped her in Amber. Never to be released. What do you think she¡¯s going to do to London?¡±

    Eyre put her hand to her mouth and gasped.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have fun, let¡¯s enjoy the ball, we¡¯ve lost an entire night. She¡¯ll be gathering her power. I hope she¡¯d not managed to fill herself up enough.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she need a storm or something?¡±

    ¡°No, she just needs blood, her blood. Our blood is full of power, but we¡¯re not supposed to use it, takes you to a dark place. Blood magic is mostly bad. She doesn¡¯t care. This is fucking bad, world ending bad.¡±

    ¡°No one can be that powerful.¡±

    ¡°My Uncle Remus once said that the only person who showed as much promise with magic as Noor was your Aunt Mariana and I watched her tear a legion sized whole between worlds using her blood.¡±

    Enid paced tapping her chin.

    ¡°How do we find a vampire that can look like a house cat at her whim? Maybe she¡¯s still exploring trying to make sense of things. We would sense it if she¡¯d worked blood magic, when we don¡¯t redirect energy there is a tear in reality. Those are very bad, just in case you were wondering. But will also give away her location. How can we stop her? She¡¯s almost six thousand years old and she¡¯s probably very angry. More importantly how did this Lord Albert get his hands on her?¡±

    ¡°She was delivered in a crate from Prague.¡±

    ¡°What maniac would unleash that on the world? No, wait, this makes sense.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°If the Black Sun is active and based on several assassination attempts, he is, then causing as much death as she can, would empower it. Oh, this is bad. I hate this feeling, like we¡¯re playing a game and he¡¯s ten moves ahead of me.¡±

    ¡°Can we stop her?¡±

    ¡°There is no we, Eyre you¡¯re going to get as far away from London as you can, you¡¯re going to go tonight, immediately.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not ten anymore, I¡¯m staying here.¡±

    ¡°Damnit child, this is dangerous, more dangerous than anything I¡¯ve faced, except the Black Sun. Oh, your idiot vampire lord played right into its hands. Drawn by dreams of power and the respect of an ancient. Fool. The only thing she hates more than mortals are Pugmentia.¡±

    ¡°You sound like you met her.¡±

    ¡°No, father told me about her, as a cautionary tale of what happens when blood magic is wielded with no concern for the ramifications. This is biblical levels of power. The kind of thing the world hasn¡¯t seen since Moses parted the red sea. Seven plagues of Egypt. Maybe that will work to our advantage maybe reality is set enough she won¡¯t be able to do as much damage. It doesn¡¯t matter now, what matters is you need to escape London immediately.¡±

    ¡°I told you I¡¯m not leaving.¡±

    ¡°Why will children never listen!¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m not a child anymore.¡±

    Enid spun and glared at Eyre.

    ¡°You will always be my child Eyre, always. I will not let you risk your life with this foolishness.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to let you risk yours?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s my job, it¡¯s always my job. It is not your responsibility.¡±

    ¡°You are my responsibility mother. As I am yours. We do this together or not at all.¡±

    ¡°I could just stake you and ship you to New York, you know.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me.¡±

    Enid sighed and threw up her hands.

    ¡°Fine but don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you; This only ends when she¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve had to end lives before mother.¡±

    ¡°She is one of ours, this will be different. You will feel the death in a way you didn¡¯t think you could. Like you¡¯ve just cut off an arm or a leg.¡±

    ¡°I can handle it; How do we find her?¡±

    ¡°Well, her feeding wouldn¡¯t be restrained, and she wouldn¡¯t try doing anything until she is full. There should be a trail of corpses. We need to find a copper. Use our gifts to interrogate him about any bodies they¡¯ve found recently, that were killed in a brutal fashion. Or if there were a rash of animal attacks. Thankfully for us most humans will believe anything other than the truth that there are true monsters that stalk the night. You get changed I¡¯ll go gather information, you do the same, we¡¯ll meet up tower of London at midnight and go from there. Do not approach her yourself even if you see her, she is very dangerous.¡±

    ¡°But she hates humans and pugmentia, why would she have anything against one of us.¡±

    ¡°Because we¡¯re royal family, that has an aura, she¡¯ll see it, remember it was your grandfather that imprisoned her for several thousand years.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Good see you at the Tower.¡±

    ******

    Enid leaned against the other wall facing the River Thames her arms crossed. She saw Eyre approaching and pushed off the wall.

    ¡°How did you do?¡±

    ¡°The whole constabulary is on the lookout for a pack of wolves that have started hunting in the city.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°If she¡¯s not ready yet she will be soon, based on what I¡¯ve found out seems they are centered around Parliament hill. Which makes sense it¡¯s a place of power. Burial mound there, older than I am.¡±

    ¡°Why does a burial mound matter?¡±

    ¡°Ancient humans, they could sense places of power, still can sometimes tingle on the skin. They¡¯d use them to bury the dead or set up ritual sites. Stonehenge, Golgotha, St Peters etc.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand.¡±

    Enid sighed and motioned Eyre to follow her. She picked up a rock that had fallen from the tower wall. And held it up talking as they walked at a quick pace.

    ¡°This is a rock, you believe to be a rock, I believe to be a rock, we know it once was part of the wall around the Tower of London, before that it was in the earth it was quarried, and it was brought here to London.¡±

    ¡°Well yes.¡±

    ¡°Who told us it had to be a rock?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what it is, a rock.¡±

    Enid tapped her daughter¡¯s temple with a jabbing finger.

    ¡°Use your brain daughter, I know you have one. Who said it was a rock, why isn¡¯t it a flower? Why are there males and females? Why are their humans, why are horses, horses? Who made them horses?¡±

    ¡°God.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sort of. Before the beginning of time as we know it there was nothing just the stuff of creation. The being we have come to call God, he formed that stuff into everything we see, touch smell, then he created humans, and the world started to shape to our beliefs. He did the heavy lifting. Before he created what, we see, there was another creation before, created by father and his ilk. And the Black Sun. They made stuff with their imaginations, and it became reality.¡±

    ¡°But what about dinosaurs? What about the world being older than humans?¡±

    ¡°It is far older than humans¡¯ countless eons older.¡±

    Enid threw the stone into the Thames as they walked.

    ¡°In the beginning there was God, he was lonely, so he created other gods, lesser but almost equal. Your Grandfather was one of them. These gods begot other gods. They disagreed with how the stuff creation should be molded. Sextus believed that for the betterment of everyone, and this is the same as God believes or, so I was led to understand, that reality needs to be solidified, codified. The Black Sun did not, it and his faction, I believe it might even have been female as we know such things, they thought it should be ripe for the shaping as they saw fit. Lesser beings didn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°What did God do?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, contrary to popular belief he does not meddle in mortal affairs.¡±

    ¡°Okay, well dinosaurs?¡±

    ¡°The battle was terrible, and both sides were going to be annihilated father stopped time and froze them there at the precipice of destruction. He and his brother escaped to someplace we would call Limbo and God gave up on the old mess and started again, tossing what he had done in the trash. He was still lonely, and he was really angry with Sextus and Remus. So, he let them linger in Limbo and went about creating a new world and new, workers let¡¯s say, which is where the things you¡¯d call Angels came in. They were limited in their ability to build things from the raw stuff of creation. And they made animals and plants large and small on many, many worlds. But still God was disappointed, he wanted to create real sentient life and none of the angels did so. So, he tried to create a man and a woman, humans¡¯ same appearance as the gods he had created before, but he gave them no real singular ability to creation. This is where Lilith comes into existence. And promptly tells God to go fuck himself. He wasn¡¯t pleased but he loves every one of his creations, so he started again, trying to make a more subservient woman. He succeeds, sort of. You know the rest of that story. The humans though they started to do something God hadn¡¯t foreseen they started to lock down creation. Creating a reality as we know it. The angels they were happy it was as if their great work was done. Except for one faction led but Lucifer they didn¡¯t like that at all, they enjoyed the power of creation. So, the same war happened again, those that supported God, and those that opposed him. It ended with Lucifer in the pits of hell. So, with that reality was sealed. Mostly. Humans became the new source of reality but there were places, sites of old angelic battles, perhaps places where Father stayed for a time, where God had cried over the loss of his children. Whatever, humans could sense them and their belief that they were places of power became more and more part of reality. Places of death and life also become sacred, or places of power. Like the necropolis in Rome. Barriers to using magic are weakened, the less effort you need to put into wielding it.¡±

    ¡°So, the burial mound on parliament hill would be a place Noor could wield the most power at the least cost.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°And the reality thing is why we don¡¯t see epic things like we see in the bible.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡±

    ¡°Thank you for explaining mother. I truly appreciate your knowledge and wisdom.¡±

    ¡°Now let¡¯s focus on stopping Noor, I¡¯m going to try and do this peacefully first, but with what father has told me about her, she probably will not surrender.¡±

    The streets near parliament hill were strangely deserted even the bobbies were loath to be out tonight. Seems the pack of wolves hunting the city had left everyone frightened to be out of doors. The pair made their way into the parkland, and towards the burial mound. A lone finger walked in the light of the full moon her hand outreached. As the pair got closer, they could smell the potent blood being spilled onto the earth.

    Fuck.

    Enid approached with her arms spread out palms forward, she spoke calmly in a language Eyre could not understand. Noor responded, Eyre could tell the words weren¡¯t kind just based on tone. Noor clapped her hands together and knocking the pair backwards several feet. She reached out her arms and a tornado of green fire and purple lighting began to crackle around her.

    ¡°Well, that went about as expected. She¡¯s building up power and we need to stop her. Stay here.¡±

    Enid pushed up and started at a dead run and lunged at the whirling energy barrier and was flung backwards again smoke coming off her singed clothing.

    ¡°That didn¡¯t seem smart mother.¡±

    ¡°Well, it was the only chance I could stop her without doing something drastic, stand far back please.¡±

    Enid stood up and dusted herself off. And reached out her hands beginning to chant. Energy from them vortex began being syphoned off into her hands which began to burn the more power she syphoned. It began to crackle over her and exploded from her causing a crater around her. Enid collapsed to her knees. The wounds healed rapidly, and she stood and wobbled on her feet. The roar of the energy vortex was deafening.

    ¡°Too much.¡±

    ¡°Maybe together mother? Fate of the world doesn¡¯t have to be on your shoulders alone. You have me.¡±

    Enid sighed, clinched her fists a couple of times and took her daughter¡¯s outreached hands and pulled herself up.

    ¡°Reach out your hand and repeat my words exactly, you won¡¯t understand them, but you must say them perfectly. And this could easily kill us.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to contain it mom, let¡¯s throw it back at the vortex maybe we can destabilize it.¡±

    Enid nodded and began chanting looking at Eyre, who matched her mother¡¯s words perfectly. In unison they chanted, holding hands, and one hand outreached. Streams of Power started soaking into their palms the ground began to shake. The magic began to burn their hands Enid sensed her daughter¡¯s strength was waning she shouted against the torrent of wind.

    ¡°Now! Will it back at the vortex all at once!¡±

    The pair focused their palms and gaze on the vortex and both beams it the vortex at the same point the resulting in explosion sent them both flying backwards. Enid took out a couple of trees. Eyre was lucky and managed to land in a pond, the impact still knocked her senseless. Enid recovered quickly and drew Bloodseeker she used her blood to speed her run. One of her arms was hopelessly smashed, the other would have to do. She reached the center of the blast and Noor was trying to stand but failing chunks of her had been blown off. Enid spoke in ancient Egyptian again.

    ¡°Stay down Noor, this doesn¡¯t have to end in your death.¡±

    ¡°How did you do it? No one is that strong.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, no one is, but we were.¡±

    ¡°You are your father¡¯s daughter.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me do this Noor, humans aren¡¯t the plague you think they are.¡±

    ¡°They have gotten worse, their poison chokes the air, clogs the earth. Decedent, bigoted, and heartless. The world is better off with them in pens. Your father is wrong, they exist as food, nothing more, we are their gods.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t comprehend how powerful they can be when they rise up as one and destroying London, that will¡­You need to stop Noor, you¡¯ll bring their wrath down on all of us. Sure, many of them will die but they will win.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re weak, like your creator.¡±

    Enid sighed, the gift of foresight was both a curse and a blessing, she saw the motion of Noor¡¯s hands and heard the chanting before it started. Noor spit at Enid. And reached up her palm energy started to crackle as she chanted Enid sliced off her hand and then her head with two quick swings.

    ¡°Sorry Noor, I didn¡¯t bear you any ill will.¡±

    Enid sheathed Bloodseeker and rushed to the pond where her daughter had landed willing her arm to heal it twisted itself back into form with a few cracks and a pop. She reached into the water and dragged Eyre out slapping her on the cheeks. Eyre¡¯s eyes fluttered open and looked up at her mother¡¯s kneeling form.

    ¡°Did we win?¡±

    Enid smiled and nodded

    ¡°We did, thanks to your strength. I couldn¡¯t have done it without you Eyre.¡±

    ¡°Told you that you¡¯d need me.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°I could use a bath, you already had yours.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re hilarious mother. You should start a vaudeville act.¡±

    Enid laughed again and pulled Eyre up hugging her close and putting her forehead to her daughters.

    ¡°I love you Eyre.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t go getting soft on me mom.¡±

 Edmonton - 1985 - Part 1

    Enid walked along the second-floor balcony of the mall.  The place was gaudy and extravagant.  She had her hands in the pockets of her hoodie.  She had her pack inside a backpack, her sword was hidden there.  The pack that was bigger on the inside then on the outside.  She felt naked whenever it wasn¡¯t at her side.  But wearing a sword tended to attract mortal attention.  And mortal authority attention. She wore a pair of faded jeans and worn combat boots.  Her t-shirt was a black and had the words Iron Maiden on the front.  It had been a gift from Mariana centuries ago, something she¡¯d picked up in Limbo.  Enid wasn¡¯t up on current music, but she¡¯d seen others wearing the shirt but figured it wouldn¡¯t hurt to wear it and fit in.  Her red hair, as unruly as ever was pulled back in a ponytail. She stood out from other girls her apparent age.  There was no way she¡¯d put that much effort into her hair.  She had cleaned herself up, she usually didn¡¯t bother bathing, no need to look pretty when all you¡¯re doing is hunting things.  She had other business tonight.  She heard singing as she walked towards the center of the mall.  She paused when she reached the source and leaned on the railing.

    Below she could see a red-haired singer.  She was dressed in a stylish white sweater and white leather mini skirt.  Super puffy bangs. She was belting out a power ballad, not that Enid knew the term.  The crowd gathered around were swaying back and forth completely entranced.  She heard a couple of girls talking near her.

    ¡°Lizzy is amazing.¡±

    ¡°I know I wish I had hair like her.  And her voice it just takes me places.¡±

    The girl clutched her chest.

    Enid shook her head and looked back down at her daughter and smiled.  It was enough to make a mother proud.  Enid swayed to the music, she never quite kept up with current musical themes and styles, but it was her daughter singing that meant it was already perfect. As she finished what seemed to be her last song the crowd roared loud enough to make the floor shake. Eyre waved her hands downwards trying to quiet everyone down.  Then she brought the microphone up to her lips.

    ¡°Thank you everyone for coming out on a cold Edmonton night and helping me warm up the world a bit.  I would just ask your indulgence for one last song, its an old one, its dedicated to my little sister.  Who has sometimes been a friend, sometimes like a mother to me, since we lost ours.  Everybody give her a hand!¡±

    Eyre pointed up at Enid and the spotlight followed her finger to Enid and there were gasps around Enid and a rustle of appreciation.  The crowd cheered.  Eyre waved her hands again to quiet them down.

    ¡°This is a song that my mother would sing to me when I couldn¡¯t sleep.  Enid used to sing it for me after mom was gone.  She does it better, so I apologize for the pale imitation.¡±

    Eyre began to sing the song Enid would sing to put her to sleep at night.  Enid closed her eyes and listened to the words.  For it was only her who understood them.  The language had been lost with her ancestors the Picts. Her daughters voice put hers to shame.  She sang with no instrumental back up.  Her voice was pure.  The crowd had been murmuring went silent as they all stared up at Eyre.  Her song entranced them and drew them to her.  There were many tears.   The language may have been utterly foreign but the emotion behind it was unmistakable.  When she finished there was a stunned silence then a person started clapping and cheering, and the rest of the crowd of teens joined in. Eyre bowed a couple more times. Enid dabbed the corners of her eyes to conceal any escaping blood.  She pushed off the railing and started to head to an escalator. She found her path blocked by a group of teenage girls.

    ¡°Like, your totally like her sister!¡±

    Enid nodded and tried to make her way past gently.

    ¡°What¡¯s she like?¡±

    Enid nudged her way through, gently for her then noticed a boy, probably nine at the most standing on the edge of the railing and climbing up and swore under her breath as he began to fall.

    She willed blood to her legs and with more speed then was humanly possible grabbing the kid by his ankle as he fell over.  She pulled him back grabbed him by the front of his coat and held him aloft.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a dumb ass kid.  You live longer that way.¡±

    The kid was wide eyed tears streaming down his face kept nodding over and over again.  Enid put him down and made her way through the crowd and down the escalator leaving a stunned group of witnesses behind her.

    Idiot kids, especially boys never know how to keep out of trouble hasn¡¯t changed in two millennia.

    She pushed her way through the quickly evaporating crowd towards the room her daughter had told her to go to, she found to burly security guards in black shirts and jeans protecting it.  She flashed the badge she¡¯d been provided.  She¡¯d barely pulled it out before the doors were opened for her.  She shrugged and walked in, it was a back hall of the mall saw Enid surrounded by a gaggle of teenagers and she was signing autographs for each taking the time to talk to each of them in turn.  Enid leaned on the wall at a distance and was still amazed at how socially capable her daughter was even after all these centuries she treated the humans with dignity and respect.  Like they mattered. Enid shook her head.  She still didn¡¯t understand it, they were food.  As the last autograph was signed the fans were escorted out and Eyre waved to Enid.  She approached her daughter.

    ¡°I thought I taught you not to play with your food when you were a kid.¡±

    ¡°They are people mother, not food.¡±

    The pair entered her dressing room and Enid collapsed on a couch, behaving like the teenager she appeared to be.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t we ever meet somewhere quiet, an old burnt out church, graveyard, oh! Mausoleum.  You know somewhere traditional without a thousand witnesses.¡±

    ¡°Because you never come out in public, and I have to get you involved with the humans somehow.  Otherwise you¡¯ll go all heart of darkness sharpening a knife somewhere in Vietnam.¡±

    ¡°The Heart of Darkness took place in the Congo.¡±

    ¡°Have you never seen Apocalypse Now?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t watch movies, it¡¯s a waste of time.¡±

    ¡°Oh mother, how much you miss.¡±

    ¡°How do you keep up with every single generation of these humans?  Don¡¯t you get exhausted trying to keep up?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s invigorating.  I get to keep re-inventing myself.¡±

    ¡°This time you¡¯re Elizabeth Stuart, pop star?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You know at the rate the humans are going its going to be harder and harder to conceal you¡¯re still thirty after a hundred years.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll figure something out.¡±

    ¡°Why bother?  Aren¡¯t you rich enough already?¡±

    ¡°Never rich enough mother.  Besides money has never been the point, it does bring a certain amount of comfort though.  Its about being out there, being part of humanity instead of hiding from it.  We are keepers of their history; We have a duty to share it with them.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t care.¡±

    ¡°That is why we have to.¡±

    Eyre wiped away her make-up and looked at herself in the mirror.

    ¡°So daughter, why have I been summoned forth?¡±

    ¡°Grandfather stopped by my penthouse in Toronto a few weeks ago, he asked if I knew where you were.  I said no, I had the understanding you wished to stay in hiding?¡±

    ¡°Well yes, but he knew you were lying.¡±

    ¡°I got the feeling, but he nodded and said, as it was foretold, we won¡¯t see each other again.  Then he gave me a box for myself, and another for you.  He told me he was proud of me and that I had done his bloodline proud.  He hugged me and left.  I asked him to stay and talk, tell me more about himself and your family and he shook his head.  He looked sad.  The box is in the bag there.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Eyre pointed to a canvas duffel bag.  Enid unzipped it and pulled out an ornate box.  She saw the curse seal on it and smiled.  She opened it and inside lay a letter and an blackened silver amulet. She pulled out the amulet and looked it over and was about to put it on when Eyre grabbed her wrist.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that here, do it somewhere private.  It hurts a lot and frankly you will scream.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°He gave me the one that belonged to your mother.¡±

    Enid nodded and put the amulet in her pack.  And pulled the letter out.  As she read it blood tears formed in her eyes.

    ¡°He¡¯s gone. I¡¯m empress now.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to go back to Prague?¡±

    ¡°No, that is exactly what the Black Sun is counting on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still on about him? There hasn¡¯t been attempt on your life in what a hundred years?¡±

    ¡°That is no reason to get careless.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t the council protect you?¡±

    ¡°They are probably shitting blood right now at the thought of me in charge.  I promised I¡¯d kill every single one of them.  They¡¯d rather me dead then in power.  And Lucius cannot be trusted.¡±

    ¡°But then who will be in charge?¡±

    ¡°Lucius, the council?  He¡¯s still my husband so he¡¯ll be Prince Regent until I show up.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just divorce him?¡±

    ¡°Vampires getting divorced is harder the Catholics getting divorced.  You are only free once one you dies. I¡¯m going to remedy that one day.  But I¡¯m not ready to take on the whole of Prague.¡±

    Eyre nodded.

    ¡°So, what does this little trinket do anyway?¡±

    ¡°Makes you immune to staking and the sun.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s nice. What¡¯s it cost you?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re in sunlight you¡¯re mortal.¡±

    ¡°Who thought that was a good idea!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s just what the letter from Grandfather said.  I can verify the mortal in sunlight thing, having experienced it.  It was nice to not want blood for a whole three hours, the being hot and cold thing was kind of a downer though.¡±

    ¡°Wait you willingly made yourself vulnerable?¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?  I can go out and enjoy the day.  I can be human half the time.¡±

    ¡°What if you get hit by a bus?  Shot?  Stabbed?¡±

    ¡°What if?  Mortals deal with that all the time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but you have immortality, why risk it so frivolously?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve had this talk before mother, is hiding from the world and cowering in the dark corners really living?¡±

    ¡°You are careless child.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a child, I¡¯m seven hundred years old, and if I die tomorrow then seven hundred years was enough mother.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I keep forgetting you¡¯re not the same little girl I used to bounce on my lap.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been that for centuries mother.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Eyre.¡±

    ¡°I know, you¡¯re just being a mom, remember I had children too.¡±

    ¡°I remember them, and your grandchildren.  I may not have been visible to you or them, but I never stopped looking out for you.¡±

    Eyre laughed and started pulling on a new set of clothes. Enid quirked an eyebrow at her daughter.

    ¡°You realize we¡¯re related to three quarters of the nobility in Europe.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Wonder if that¡¯s why the English queens live so long.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Could be.¡±

    ¡°What are your plans for the rest of the night mom?¡±

    ¡°I have no plans besides get out of this mall as soon as I can.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go see a movie.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a ridiculous idea.¡±

    ¡°Well I was planning on going to The Breakfast club its opening night.  And I have two tickets.¡±

    ¡°You were already planning on dragging me there weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Fine.  This is stupid but I¡¯ll go, you are a nuisance sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Without me you¡¯d never have any fun!  And we can go someplace quiet afterwards you can put your amulet on, and we can share breakfast with sun streaming through the windows on us.¡±

    Eyre pulled on a heavy coat and started to lead Enid to a side exit.  She paused at the doors.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going out like that are you?¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s minus twenty with the windchill if you were a mortal you¡¯d freeze.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not mortal.¡±

    ¡°What happened to fitting in?¡±

    ¡°What are you? My mother?¡±

    Enid reached into her pack and pulled out a coat pulling it on and putting her pack back over top.

    ¡°If I need to be.¡±

    ¡°I miss the days when children were seen and not heard.¡±

    ¡°When was I ever not heard?¡±

    ¡°Point taken.¡±

    Eyre pushed the door open and lead her mother to her car.  It was a bright white Ferrari 308 GTB. Enid looked at her daughter with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°I don¡¯t drive much but isn¡¯t that a bad car for snow?¡±

    ¡°Only if you¡¯re not immortal.¡±

    Enid rolled her eyes and got in the car.   Eyre started the car and backed out of her spot.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you liked cars or other human technology.¡±

    ¡°Well sometimes the vampires I¡¯m hunting have cars and run, and while I could easily catch them on foot that would be strange to an outside observer.  So, I had to learn.  I still think they¡¯re death traps that catch on fire too easily for my liking.¡±

    ¡°We make excellent drivers, good night vision, fast reflexes the ability to slow time.¡±

    ¡°Just do the speed limit would you, I don¡¯t want to deal with an accident tonight.¡±

    Enid¡¯s hand grasp around the arm rest and she had her seat belt on.

    ¡°Mother you¡¯re so uptight.  I have snow tires.¡±

    Eyre slammed her foot on the gas causing the car to spin sideways slightly then shot forward.  Enid¡¯s eyes went wide, and share glared at Eyre.  She laughed and skidded around a corner without slowing enough and shot forward again reaching double the posted speed limit easily even on the snow-covered streets.

    ¡°Red light!¡±

    Eyre slammed her foot on the gas and sped through the intersection nearly missing a couple of cars but then she slowed down laughing at Enid¡¯s response.  A police car drove across the road in front of them.

    ¡°Mother we can both see seconds into the future I knew I wasn¡¯t going to hit anything.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean you act like a dumb ass!¡±

    ¡°You need to loosen up.¡±

    ¡°Eyre, I swear...¡±

    ¡°Shh.  I love this song, one day I¡¯m going to make music like this.¡±

    Eyre turned up the radio.  Phil Collins was singing In the Air Tonight.  When the song finished Eyre had a sad smile.

    ¡°I am so thankful I lived to be able to hear all this new music.  And now they record it for the ages.¡±

    ¡°You really love the humans and their art, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it all makes me feel alive again.¡±

    ¡°I liked that song, it was better the other stuff you were singing tonight.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s all teen pop music.  Super popular right now and it sells.  My manager and record label pretty much dictate what I produce.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not art.¡±

    ¡°I need to know the industry, once I understand it better I will make my own record label and do whatever I want, and I will sign artists who want to perform their art, not pre-fabricated plastic music.¡±

    ¡°Why not just use your vampiric powers to tell them the terms?¡±

    ¡°Because that¡¯s not how mortals do it, I need to get their perspective before I can understand the challenges they face.  I plan on keeping up this Elizabeth thing for four or five more years then I¡¯m going to use the money from it to make a record label.  It will be amazing, you¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°Its your life.  What are they going to think of that last song you did?¡±

    Eyre shrugged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really care what they think about it.  That was something for you.  I wanted you to hear it and see the humans hear it.  That song only exists anymore because your mother sang it to you, you sang it to me, and I sang it to my children.¡±

    ¡°Actually, if you remember what I told you in Italy, it wasn¡¯t my mother, it was another woman from the tribe.  My mother died giving birth to me.  I will always remember what she did for me.  That is why I remember the song and sang it for you.  She¡¯d use it to make me feel safe when my father wasn¡¯t around.¡±

    ¡°You never translated it for me.¡±

    ¡°It is about a mother¡¯s love for her daughter and how she will always protect her.  A prayer to a mother goddess who is no longer even a memory.  Look I appreciated the song but I just¡­I don¡¯t want to think about my childhood okay?¡±

    ¡°Oh.  Are you okay?¡±

    Enid had gotten a faraway look in her eyes.  Then snapped back to the present.

    ¡°It is ancient history.¡±

    ¡°From what I understand from psychology books, it is never ancient history.  Look at the soldiers who fought in the world wars, and Vietnam.  It broke some of their minds.¡±

    ¡°I was involved in the World Wars too.  The Nazis were up to some evil shit.  Some even started working for the Black Sun.¡±

    ¡°You need to tell me about that sometime!¡±

    ¡°I was in Canada during the wars.¡±

    ¡°It was ugly.  Uglier than any war I have ever seen.  So many human¡¯s dead.  Then the atomic bomb.  To think I was worried about what Nour could do with her power and now the humans can destroy cities by pressing a button.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve stopped them every time they tried since.¡±

    Enid waved her hand dismissively.  Eyre pulled up to the front door of her hotel and handed her car to the valet.

    ¡°We¡¯re not driving to the theater?¡±

    ¡°Why? It¡¯s only a block that way.¡±

    Enid pointed towards downtown.  Eyre shrugged and walked with her daughter to a theater called The Odeon.  Eyre walked inside.  It was crowded inside one of the ushers noticed Eyre and motioned to her.

    ¡°Ms. Stuart, we have your seats reserved, please follow me¡±

    He unclipped the rope for the pair to enter.

    ¡°We¡¯re so happy to have you here please let me know if you need anything.¡±

    Eyre handed him forty dollars.

    ¡°Popcorn, large cokes and some candy you pick, keep the change.¡±

    ¡°Yes of course, right away ma¡¯am.¡±

    The pair sat down; The theater was already crowded.  A few murmurs rippled through the audience around them.   The name Elizabeth kept being said.

    ¡°Price of fame.¡±

    ¡°Sure, looks like a hard life.¡±

    Eyre laughed.

    ¡°So, what is this movie about anyway?¡±

    ¡°Detention.¡±

    ¡°What the fuck is detention?¡±

    ¡°Oh, if kids are bad in school it¡¯s a punishment.¡±

    ¡°So, it¡¯s a teenage movie.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡±

    ¡°Well being your age I thought you¡¯d appreciate it.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s a special place in the hells for people like you.¡±

    Enid glared at Eyre.  Her daughter laughed.

    ¡°Just shut up and enjoy the movie.¡±

    ******

    ¡°I enjoyed that movie.  Gives a good perspective on the decade and the place of the kids in it.¡±

    ¡°It was a distraction.¡±

    ¡°Well that is high praise coming from you.¡±

    Enid nodded and put her hands in her coat pockets.  It was right out of the sixties, because that¡¯s when she acquired it.  Nineteen-sixty-five, London.

    ¡°You going to be in town long?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t decided.  No one is screaming for help through the normal channels.  So, I technically have nowhere else to be.¡±

    ¡°Great!  I¡¯m here for until the twenty-fifth.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Two concerts in Calgary, but I can get there and back in one day.¡±

    ¡°Then concerts here on the twentieth and twenty-first.  And I have hockey tickets for the Oilers game on the twenty-second.  We¡¯ll get to meet the team!¡±

    ¡°I suppose I can hang out here for a while. If you need me.¡±

    ¡°I always need you mother.  That¡¯s what you want to hear right?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s nice to hear my child still needs me.¡±

    ¡°We can go shopping tomorrow, your coat is twenty years out of date and that shirt is for an album that isn¡¯t even out yet.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a fan of Iron Maiden and they have not put out album called The X Factor.¡±

    ¡°Funny.¡±

    ¡°Where did you get it anyway?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°It was with the rest of the stuff Mariana brought back from Atlantis. Which reminds me have you been studying the spells on the tablet I left you?¡±

    ¡°As best as I can, that language is complicated.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get it, you¡¯re my daughter after all.  And what is it with you trying to meet every famous human you can and hang out with them?¡±

    ¡°I told you before mother, we¡¯re the keepers of history for the humans, how can we say we truly studied when we haven¡¯t met people of importance.¡±

    ¡°I hardly think a hockey team is important.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a Canadian now, we¡¯re all about hockey.¡±

    Enid rolled her eyes and the pair entered the hotel.

 Edmonton - 1985 - Part 2

    Enid and Eyre sat in the seats that sat at center ice behind the Oiler¡¯s bench. Eyre was cheering the Oilers on with a lot of vigor.

    ¡°So why do you like the Oilers over the¡­Nordiques?¡±

    ¡°Hello, we¡¯re English, they¡¯re French, I¡¯m still pissed about the hundred years war.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°I thought I had a long memory.¡±

    The Nordiques scored another goal. The second in the row. Eyre was on her feet yelling now.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let those Frenchmen beat you!¡±

    Enid put her face in her hands. Her daughter was so into the game it was starting to embarrass her.

    ¡°Sit down Eyre. You¡¯re embarrassing us.¡±

    ¡°You sit down!¡±

    Enid sighed and took a drink for the beer she was holding. Not that she could get drunk but tasting it sure let her pretend it was working. Eyre stood for the next eight minutes until the Oilers scored another goal and she started bouncing up and down and cheering. Then she stopped and looked down at Enid who met her gaze and they both said in unison.

    ¡°Did you just feel that?¡±

    Enid nodded and got up to leave. Eyre clinched her fists and scowled.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to miss the end of the game.¡±

    ¡°Ya, but maybe we can stop whatever that is from happening if we leave now.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Eyre gathered her belongings and Enid chugged the rest of her beer. Whatever she¡¯d just felt she¡¯d probably need to just imagine she¡¯d had a few that actually worked. The pair ran to the car and Eyre peeled out.

    ¡°Where are we going?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, someone is using magic, so it has to be a place of power. Or sacred site, or somewhere with a lot of suffering, but abandoned enough they can get away with this without getting caught. And it seems like pretty dark magic so I¡¯m guessing unquiet dead, angry spirits the like.¡±

    ¡°Where would that be?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know I never been here before it¡¯s usually Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver. Vampires don¡¯t seem to love Alberta.¡±

    Enid snapped her fingers and dug into her pack pulling out one of the Atlantean tablets.

    ¡°Get us someplace high so we can look at the city. AGT, that¡¯s our best bet.¡±

    ¡°Alright go.¡±

    Eyre wasted no time, and Enid gave her no complaints about speeding time was of the essence. Eyre squealed into the underground parking. The pair went up to the main floor and Enid went right up to the security guard and looked him in the eye.

    ¡°We¡¯re police, there was a call about a disturbance on the roof of the building. Please take us there. You will wait for us to come back down and you will sit back here and delete the footage and forget you saw us.¡±

    The guard nodded and used his keys to get them to the roof of the taller tower. Enid pulled out the tablet and started scanning the city and focused on a spot in the river valley.

    ¡°There. That building there. By the river.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    Enid tapped the tablet and let Eyre look through it.

    ¡°Oh, I can see the power build up.¡±

    ¡°We got to go. Leave the car.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t just jump.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t going to jump we¡¯re going to fly, you do know you can fly right?¡±

    ¡°Umm no, no I can¡¯t fly.¡±

    Enid sighed and put the tablet away. She walked to the security guard who had started to shiver. Enid looked him in the eyes.

    ¡°Go back down, erase all the security camera images that have us in them and then forget we were here.¡±

    Enid turned Eyre was staring down to the ground below. Enid shook her head and shoved her daughter off the building. Then leaped into the air. Eyre fell and fell, she started to scream and Enid hovered there and about three quarters of the way to the ground Eyre stopped arms in front of her face. Enid shook her head and dove down towards the building that housed whatever was going on. Eyre followed her a few seconds later getting into the grove of flying. Enid crashed through the roof. Eyre landed behind her, less gracefully, which is to say she landed on her ass.Stolen novel; please report.

    The pair watched helplessly as the thirteen black robbed humans slit the throats of thirteen boys and girls. Enid pulled out Bloodseeker and started to stalk forward.

    Fuck.

    ¡°Not having this shit again, no way. Stop!¡±

    It was too late Enid and the humans that were performing the ritual were all blasted back when a fiery portal appeared in the center of the circle.

    Fuck. Fuck!

    Enid pulled herself out of the twisted remains of an iron pillar. Eyre being further back and already on the ground seemed barely touched. Enid reached down and picked up Bloodseeker. She started forward again then stopped her sword wavering in front of her when two giant hands reached out of the fiery portal and grasped the edges push it out further. The Leg that came out was twice the height of Enid.

    Well this could have gone better.

    The second leg and shoulders and the head came out. The demon was a full twenty feet tall with flaming wings and talons as long as Enid. He cracked his neck and grabbed one of the unconscious ritualists by the feet, he spoke in a language Enid recognized immediately, it was the same one she used for magic.

    ¡°Human, Pathetic.¡±

    He squished his hand closed and the human popped like a balloon. Enid responded in his language.

    ¡°That was uncalled for.¡±

    The demon¡¯s flaming head turned to Enid.

    ¡°Not human. You¡¯re a godling, how interesting, I thought you were all dead.¡±

    ¡°Technically I am?¡±

    Enid shrugged. The demon laughed and sniffed the air.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s been eating from the naughty tree.¡±

    ¡°Yes. So, is there any way I could just convince to walk back through that portal?¡±

    The demon laughed again, and the portal shimmered out of existence the only light in the room was the flaming demon.

    ¡°I¡¯ve no quarrel with you godlings, we¡¯ve all been screwed over by our father. No need to fight amongst ourselves. I¡¯m here for Lilith, Lucifer wants his woman back, she¡¯s been very naughty.¡±

    ¡°I can respect that, I¡¯m no fan of her, she¡¯s been kind of a pain my ass over the years, but you see, I can¡¯t have you¡­ umm flying around like that. The humans they would panic.¡±

    ¡°Let them panic, their true rulers are returning.¡±

    ¡°Ya, that isn¡¯t going to work for us.¡±

    ¡°How are you going to stop me little godling you can no more manipulate reality then I can.¡±

    ¡°Well not exactly true, I¡¯d just have to break some rules, which I¡¯m not above. And I have this.¡±

    Enid held up Bloodseeker and it was quite a sight to see the twenty-foot demon recoil in fear.

    ¡°How do you have that thing?¡±

    ¡°Dad gave it to me from Limbo, his name was Sextus, maybe you heard of him? Gonna go home now? I¡¯m pretty sure if this kills you, you aren¡¯t coming back, and it really wants to kill you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll still lose you pathetic Godling. The power of Joth¡¯Tanuth¡¯kor knows no equal.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°So it¡¯s going to be that way. Eyre get off your ass and start using magic now!¡±

    ¡°But it there¡¯s no storm.¡±

    ¡°Use blood magic, I don¡¯t care this thing does not leave this building.¡±

    Enid heard her daughter start chanting. She charged the demon swatted her with his flaming talons rather than blocking she sliced through them sending them flying behind her they landed on the ground causing it to shake the cement floor started to melt. The demon roared and was off balance but managed to back hand her with his other hand sending her flying through the air and through one of the metal walls. Enid picked herself up and heard the crack of thunder and saw a blood red flash.

    She charged the demon had two smoking burn marks on its chest and Eyre was starting to move her hands and chant again. This time her hands were glowing purple with crackling fire and lightning. The demon stumbled backwards looking at her hands.

    ¡°Balefire, impossible. What manner of psychopath are you? Using a soul-destroying magic.¡±

    The demon started to move towards Eyre intent on not letting her finish her spell. Enid whistled.

    ¡°Hey ugly, over here! That¡¯s my daughter you¡¯re talking about Jonkiwhatever.¡±

    The Demons good hand started to reach for Eyre, but she¡¯d finished the spell and blasted him back wards into a wall he smashed through it and skidded across the ground destroying several trees.

    ¡°Eyre! I said he doesn¡¯t leave the building what didn¡¯t you get about that.¡±

    Eyre shrugged and had black veins running up from her hands she collapsed. Enid rushed over to check on her. Her daughter was still alive, just drained. Enid pushed blood to her muscles and sprung into action slowing time around her. She lunged towards Joth¡¯Tanuth. He was climbing to his feet and managed to swat at Enid. Her altered time not affected him in the least. He tore out a piece of her abdomen and she slashed him through the chest as he was leaned down. They both staggered backwards. Enid clutched her stomach, she was bleeding. Usually she could stop that quickly but apparently not these wounds. The demon was no better off he had lost chucks of his body from the balefire attack, including most of one it¡¯s flaming wings and now molten lava was pouring from the cut in his chest. The circled slowly, staggering.

    ¡°It¡¯s over godling, I¡¯ve escaped the building. And you¡¯re in no shape to finish this fight.¡±

    Enid grimaced and stood up straight putting her other hand on Bloodseeker.

    ¡°I fought worse than you demon. But an angel coming down and stuffing you back in Hell would be nice.¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t dare face me even as weakened as I am, I was the most feared warrior of the heavens and of hell.¡±

    ¡°Well fuck, I should just surrender now then!¡±

    ¡°Enough of your insolence I will crush the life from you and your daughter.¡±

    Enid moved back wards slowly until she was about ten feet from the building wall.

    ¡°Not ready for a fight, you¡¯re a coward.¡±

    Enid wearily made a come get me motion.

    Come get it bastard.

    The demon charged at her she used the last few bits of her precious blood to speed her run at the wall and strengthen her kick off. She ran at the wall and ran up it and kicked off the wall bring her knees up she turned into a spinning blade of death at the right moment she stretched out her blade and struck downwards cutting the demon in half spraying herself with molten blood which sizzled against her skin. The demon fell in two halves the remains scattering into ash in the slush snow that had melted from the battle. Enid landed on her feet and collapsed.

    After several minutes she heaved herself a couple of times to stand up clutching her bleeding gut she made her way to one of the humans and drained him dry. She drank a second and a third, the fourth was a pugmentia, drinking his blood healed her wound. She drank him until she felt his soul pass into her and she tossed his body aside. She stood up straight. And went to her daughter who was still unconscious the black veins had progressed further up her arms now. Enid bit her palm and fed her blood to Eyre. Eyre¡¯s black veins began to vanish as she drank deeply.

    ¡°Enough Eyre.¡±

    Enid pulled her hand away. And drank another two humans to replace the blood she¡¯d just lost.

    ¡°Take your fill then we kill the rest, except that one. She¡¯s a Pugmentia, her we interrogate first.¡±

    Eyre did as she was told. Eyre fed the Pugmentia a mouthful of her blood. The Pugmentia sat up straight suddenly and Enid back-handed her hard.

    ¡°You fucking idiot.¡±

    ¡°You cannot speak to me that way I am Delorris, spawn of Daggon, Lord of Edmonton.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the Empress and you just summoned a demon, I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s a law against that, if not I¡¯m going to add one.¡±

    ¡°This will be simple, answer my questions plain and honestly, and I drag you back to your master in one piece. Don¡¯t and I bring him your body and your head separately and I kill him too for not keeping you on a shorter leash.¡±

    Delorris barred her fangs and growled. Enid punched her in the face again breaking her jaw. Then waited patiently for it to heal.

    ¡°Here we go, how did you learn how to summon the demon?¡±

    ¡°Fuck you.¡±

    Enid sliced of Delorris¡¯s left arm with Bloodseeker and unlike most wounds on vampires, it started to bleed profusely. Delorris panicked trying to scoop the blood back in.

    ¡°Again, this time I¡¯d answer my question I¡¯ll feed you more blood we¡¯ll reattach your arm and go on. Who taught you how to summon the demon?¡±

    ¡°It was a letter from Prague with detailed instructions it came three days ago.¡±

    ¡°Ah, seems the council does want me dead.¡±

    Enid bit her hands and stuffed the bleeding wound in Delorris¡¯s mouth she gulped the blood down and Enid pressed the arm back on her shoulder and it reattached.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good little Pugmentia. Who was the letter from?¡±

    ¡°It was signed by the Emperor, Lucius himself.¡±

    ¡°I guess he does want a divorce.¡±

    Enid picked up Delorris but he scruff of the neck.

    ¡°I¡¯m the true ruler of vampires and you just tried to assassinate me. I¡¯m kind of pissed. Go tell your daddy that he¡¯s on thin ice and that Prague no longer makes the decisions I do.¡±

    Enid threw the vampire out of the massive hole made by the demon. She looked around for Eyre who was piling up the last of the bodies.

    ¡°What now mother?¡±

    ¡°Time for me to leave, Lucius obviously found out I was here and wants to get rid of me permanently. It is too dangerous to stay.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry mother, its my fault, I shouldn¡¯t have encouraged you to stay and go out with me in public.¡±

    ¡°Its alright, you might want to ditch this Elizabeth identity though, do something new, less in the open. He might come after you to get to me.¡±

    ¡°I will. When will we see each other next?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°We¡¯ll find each other, we always do.¡±

    They embraced pressing their foreheads together.

    ¡°I love you mother.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ******

    Enid sat by the window of the plane as the sun rose, she read the newspaper in front of her. The headline was one she had expected, though she hadn¡¯t known what it would say exactly. It read ¡®Elizabeth Stuart dies in fiery car crash destroy a warehouse in the river valley¡¯. Enid smiled. She would see Eyre again, in another lifetime. One of the stewardesses offered her a glass of wine, which she accepted. During the day she could feel the alcohol and with the confirmation her husband out to kill her now, she could use a drink.

 Okinawa - April 1985 (Enid) - Furutsubaki-no-rei

    Enid had been in Okinawa for three months. It hadn¡¯t taken much to find an appropriate apartment. The ability to walk in the sun was a boon in such things. She had managed to find one that was near the karate dojo she was studying at and the school she¡¯d started attending. It wasn¡¯t a great apartment, but it overlooked the South China Sea and had a beautiful view and given that she was accustomed to living in abandoned churches it was plush in comparison. Eyre had furnished her with a valid ID through her third party contacts unfortunately it had not met her exact specifications.

    Enid was still dressed in a school uniform. Eyre had thought it would be amusing to make her fifteen on her ID. She had meant to start university right away, but now she would be stuck in high school for three years. She was musing appropriate revenge pranks when she heard a gunshot from down an alley she was walking beside. It was dark out, she¡¯d stopped at the dojo, but hadn¡¯t changed to train. Junpei just had her clean. She looked down at her paper bag full of groceries and was about to continue on her way letting whatever was going on, just go on without her when she heard a strangled cry for help.

    Fuck.

    She put her groceries and school bag down, leaning them against one of the building walls. She started down the alley. Slowly stepping over bits of refuse and saw a dumpster shift. She crept around the edge of it and there was a wolf-like creature drooling over an injured man. The man had been shot, and the creature was licking its blood red teeth. Its mouth was full of them. Further down there was a woman¡¯s body, she was dead, and her body was torn apart. She could see another person far off down the alleyway running.

    No idea what the hell that is, but guy is Yakuza can see the tats.

    ¡°Nice doggy?¡±

    It turned to her licking its teeth again, much more interested in her then the Yakuza. It growled out words in Japanese. Enid was still learning but she was pretty sure she understood the meaning.

    ¡°Female flesh so tasty¡±

    ¡°What are you?¡±

    ¡°Hunger.¡±

    Enid let her night vision kick in, she could see it in full color now. Maggots slid through it¡¯s flesh and it¡¯s fur, wasn¡¯t fur, it was mold and fungi.

    ¡°You are a bad dog.¡±

    It growled and lunged at her she jumped to the side. It skidded and clawed as it landed trying to get purchase on the wet pavement.

    Of all the of the days to decide it was safe enough to leave Bloodseeker at home.

    ¡°Hey, I just got this uniform. Not cool.¡±

    She backed away cutting the wolf-things angle attack by using the dumpster as a shield. She saw a knife in the hand of the Yakuza and reached down to grab it.

    ¡°Just going to borrow this for a few minutes, don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll kill this thing and we¡¯ll get you some help.¡±

    The Yakuza looked up at her a bit wide eyed. She nodded then took the knife crouching down on all fours keeping low the knife was in a reverse group in her left hand. She could hear the wolf sniffing around.

    Glad it¡¯s night or this would have a completely different outcome.

    As she heard it about to round the edge of the dumpster, Enid willed blood to her muscles and altered the flow of time around herself lunging at it and sliced through the two legs on the wolf¡¯s right side. It howled in pain. She spun around dropping the knife from her left hand to her right and plunged the dagger into it¡¯s head slamming it down on the pavement. She quickly pulled the knife out and sprang backwards landing in a low crouch. The wolves body began to twitch and melt turning into a puddle of slime that oozed through a sewer grate. She shivered despite herself and turned the bleeding Yakuza member. She tried to give him his knife back, but he was already unconscious from blood loss. She sighed again and looked around and pressed both hands on his wounding chanting the words that would transfer the wound to her. He woke with a gasp and she held her side.

    ¡°Fuck, I only have one uniform. Blood sucks to get out.¡±

    He seemed to snap out of his delirium quickly. Looking up at her. He stood quickly and the bullet he had been shot with fell to the ground. He reached and picked up looking at it then back to Enid who was leaning on the wall trying to get her wound to heal. He then looked back at the dead girl.

    ¡°We do not forget those that help us.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m just going to go get my groceries and try and get this cleaned off, I only have one I can¡¯t go to school with it like this tomorrow.¡±

    He smiled and nodded. He turned and walked towards the other end of the Alley. Enid turned and went her own way.

    She spent the better part of two hours trying to get the blood out of her white blouse. She gave up. The Japanese instructors were unforgiving for excuses. Truthfully, she should have gotten more than one uniform, she had meant to but had gotten distracted. She heard a knock on the door. She moved over and answered it. It was a Japanese mean in a suit, he was maybe twenty. He had three clothing boxes with him.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    ¡°Delivery for you, you can put them away then get dressed and come with me, boss wants to see you.¡±

    Enid raised an eyebrow. And shrugged.

    ¡°Thank-you, come in.¡±

    Enid took the boxes and put them aside and went into her room and pulled on a black t-shirt and jeans and her doc martins. She pulled on her hoodie and put her hands in her pockets.

    ¡°Alright take me to your leader.¡±

    ¡°Like that?¡±

    ¡°He wants me he gets me like this.¡±

    He shrugged and left the apartment waiting for her to lock up. He led her down to a waiting black car. Was a classic as cars go, sixties she thought. The man lit a cigarette and puffed on it as they rode through the city of Naha, stopping at a seedy looking Pachinko parlor. The man led her through the row of machines and to a back room. He knocked on the door and it opened and inside there was an actual casino filled with older Japanese men with beautiful white women hanging off their arms. One of the men grabbed Enid¡¯s ass on the way by and laughed Enid was about break it but her escort slaped the man in the face before she could really react.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Better you then me, I¡¯d have broken his arm.¡±

    He laughed and showed Enid into another backroom that was actually a bar. There was a table at the back, she saw the man she¡¯d rescued smoking a cigarette and drinking a glass of whiskey. His shirt was untucked and still covered in blood. He laughed when he saw her. He addressed Enid¡¯s escort first.

    ¡°Did you find Kenji?¡±

    ¡°No boss.¡±

    ¡°You find him, and you bring him back here, tell all the boys. Shoot me and run like a coward he¡¯s going to regret not killing me.¡±

    He turned to Enid. Motioning to a chair in front of him.

    ¡°Please, sit. Edo get the lady a drink before you leave.¡±

    ¡°Just some sake please.¡±

    Edo nodded and came back with a cup, and a bottle for her. Enid opened the bottle and poured sake into her cup. The boss pushed his cup forward she filled it as well and he nodded she sealed the bottle again. The boss lifted up his cup of sake.

    ¡°To happy coincidences.¡±

    ¡°To happy coincidences.¡±

    The pair drank the sake down. He watched her for any sign of shock at the taste he laughed when he saw the drink had no effect on his guest.

    ¡°You did not seem surprised by the Furutsubaki-no-rei.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what that is, but if you¡¯re talking about the fungus dog thing, I¡¯ve never run into one before but it¡¯s not the most disgusting thing I¡¯ve fought.¡±

    He laughed again.

    ¡°It¡¯s been hunting the streets for weeks, the police did nothing so we stepped in, thought was a wild dog.¡±

    ¡°Next time call me my sword will kill anything.¡±

    He laughed slapping the table.

    ¡°I will remember you said that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not dead though, I just destroyed the body it was using. Escaped into the sewers. Probably means I¡¯m going to have to go hunting again.¡±

    ¡°You fought that thing like you have no fear, you walked in here like you have no fear. For a Gaijin you sure remind me of a Yakuza.¡±

    ¡°I just have a big dick.¡±

    He slapped the table again laughing.

    ¡°I like you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯d hate to have made an enemy of Yakuza having just moved here.¡±

    ¡°You made a friend. I am Boss Nobuyuki, I control all of Okinawa. If anyone gives you trouble, you come see me. If you want to drink you come, see me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Melonie Stuart, high school student. And Karate student.¡±

    ¡°I asked about you. You are at Junpei¡¯s school. He¡¯s a good man. You also have no parents.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I had parents, they¡¯re just long dead.¡±

    ¡°You have me now. You¡¯re family. You saved my life. To the Yakuza you are daughter.¡±

    Enid poured another cup of sake and chugged it.

    No still not doing anything, oh well.

    ¡°I replaced the uniform you ruined saving me and gave you two extras. If you need anything else you come here and ask and I¡¯ll make sure you get it.¡±

    ¡°Actually, I could use a couple of things.¡±

    The boss motioned for her to continue.

    ¡°One promise me if your men see or run into that Furutsubaki-no-rei again, you¡¯ll call me so I can kill it. I don¡¯t like that it¡¯s running around tearing women apart. And second, do you know about other things like the Furutsubaki-no-rei, creatures of the night? If you could make an introduction for me¡­¡±

    ¡°It sounds dangerous for you, and since your daughter to the Yakuza, we¡¯re supposed to protect you, not the other way around.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m trained demon hunter, I was trying to put that behind me but apparently life has other plans, I¡¯m like an exterminator for stuff like the Furutsubaki-no-rei. I have the tools and equipment to make it safe.¡±

    The boss started nodded as she spoke.

    ¡°I see, I see. We will call you if we find it, or anything like it. There are many dark corners in Japan that hide things even the Samurai feared. We run into them more than most because we share the darkness with them. Most keep to themselves and we let them. Some like the Furutsubaki-no-rei need to be stopped. We usually manage but it is usually costly.¡±

    ¡°Well let me help you Boss Nobuyuki, I promise you won¡¯t be disappointed. I do need to get home though; I have studying to take care of.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get you a ride.¡±

    ******

    It was late October and an unexpected thunderstorm was rolling in. Enid rubbed her temples as she tried to wrap her brain around the complicated math she was looking at. She had figured high school would be simple, but these humans had turned math from a simple prospect into this insanely complicated landscape of symbols and numbers. She was enjoying the challenge but at the same time debated the merits of learning it. She could hear the thunder rolling in over the ocean and heard the waves crashing on the beach below. She reached up and closed her window. Then sat back down to ponder more at the numbers in front of her. She was rescued by a knock at her door. She slammed her math book shut and answered the door pencil in hand. It was one of Nobuyuki¡¯s Yakuza associates.

    ¡°Melanie-san, Boss Nobuyuki told us to summon you when we found, the plant-hunter.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Let me get my sword.¡±

    He nodded then did a double take at her words. Enid came back with Bloodseeker in its sheath.

    ¡°I thought you had meant a Katana.¡±

    ¡°I mean no disrespect, but no Katana can do the job Bloodseeker can.¡±

    ¡°None taken. We have it cornered in an alley. It has already killed one of us.¡±

    ¡°I told Nobuyuki to get me right away when you saw it. It¡¯s too dangerous for you.¡±

    ¡°We did not know what it was, once we did though we came and got you.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s it look like this time?¡±

    ¡°Rats, a swarm of giant plague rats.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°A swarm?¡±

    Fuck.

    ¡°Yes Melanie-san.¡±

    ¡°Alright let¡¯s go.¡±

    The driver sped along the rain slick streets getting to an Alley with several motorcycles and other cars blocking it. Yakuza were gathered at either end. Enid stepped out the car, holding Bloodseeker by the sheath and started to walk towards the Alley. Nobuyuki was there, arms crossed. She could see his muscles bulging even through his suit jacket. He looked at her sword appraisingly. Truthfully Bloodseeker was no piece of art. The hilt had been covered with silk and silver wire bindings. The red crystal that formed the pommel was a rough uncut thing. The blade was carbon scored and pitted silver.

    ¡°Melanie-san that doesn¡¯t seem like much a sword.¡±

    ¡°Bloodseeker was never a pretty blade Boss Nobuyuki, but it doesn¡¯t have to be, it eats souls. Which means that everything it kills dies a true death.¡±

    He nodded giving the blade a second glance.

    ¡°That being said it sounds like we need a flamethrower, not a sword.¡±

    He laughed and nodded.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to do this.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Please keep your men out of the alleyway. If you see lightning come down, it probably means its dead.¡±

    Boss Nobuyuki looked at her appraisingly. His men moved to allow her passage to the alleyway. It was shorter than the last she could see the car lights at the others side shining down the alley. It made the scrambling swarm of rats clear as day, the seemed trapped by the bright car lights.

    Doesn¡¯t like light, could be fungus based.

    Enid saw gnawed remains of two Yakuza and a woman. She slung the strap for bloodseeker over her shoulder and it hung diagonally across her back. She sensed it had no wish to partake in this particular enemy and she could understand that. Each rat was a pulsating fungal host. She wrinkled her nose. The rats swarmed up when she moved close enough and started to ooze towards her.

    ¡°Okay fuck this.¡±

    Enid reached the sky and started chanting she pulled two bolts of lighting now causing the ground the shake she held out her palms and sent of a sheet of electricity along the top of the thin coat of water on the pavement. The rats squeeled and twitched and popped each one that exploded made several others explode. The slime that was keeping the dead rats moving sizzled and fried. It turned into a humanoid form and Enid didn¡¯t wait for it to fully form. She slowed time and speed up her movements drawing Bloodseeker as she pounced. She left a crackle of lightning where she leapt from and seemed to appear from another ball of lightning when she landed. Her sword had passed through the middle of the slime and it disintegrated Bloodseeker started puking out a black puss on the ground which dissolved shortly after. She could feel its annoyance with her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry it was the only way. I¡¯d do it again.¡±

    She held the sheath in one hand and pushed Bloodseeker into it. She turned and started walking back towards Boss Nobuyuki. His men parted for her readily. All stared at her mouths agape. He watched her approach. She stopped in front of him. He bowed in respect.

    ¡°We are honored and humbled in your presence, Raijin.¡±

    Enid quirked an eyebrow. Then realized he was referring to the Japanese God of Thunder. She bowed.

    ¡°It is an honor to be daughter to the Yakuza.¡±

    ¡°Please ride with me.¡±

    Enid got in the car with Boss Nobuyuki and it pulled away from the curb. She turned to him.

    ¡°I need something now from you. Doing that used up my energy, to restore it I need to drink blood. My sword also demands tribute. I must feed for it as well. May I hunt in your protected territories?¡±

    ¡°Will you kill?¡±

    ¡°No, I have only done so once, and it was an evil man who I was going to kill anyway.¡±

    ¡°And does your victim suffer?¡±

    ¡°No, they won¡¯t remember anything was taken, it is like donating blood.¡±

    ¡°Can you use donated blood?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I just never thought of doing that.¡±

    ¡°I will start a blood donation drive for you, it should supply you with whatever you need and we can provide money for the blood and then nothing is taken and not given back.¡±

    ¡°Interesting idea.¡±

    ¡°In the meantime, I will send men to your home so you may take what you need from them tonight.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Boss Nobuyuki, and this needs to stay between us.¡±

    ¡°Your secret will go to my grave, daughter. Shall we go toast our victory with sake?¡±

    ¡°I am sorry Boss Nobuyuki, I need to study for a math exam tomorrow.¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°You are the Goddess of Thunder, and you are bound but such a pedantic thing as a Math exam. I could just ensure your instructor gives you a perfect score.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°Thank you, Boss Nobuyuki but I want to earn my mark.¡±

    ¡°You are just as honorable as you claim to be. Driver, take us to Raijin¡¯s home.¡±

    ¡°Tell me, daughter, have you ever used the power of thunder against another human?¡±

    Enid nodded, and frowned.

    ¡°One time in anger, the other out of necessity.¡±

    ¡°You seem upset about that.¡±

    ¡°The first time I used it on fellow humans was in a battle, they were sacrificing people to a dark god. I do not regret that. It is the second time I called down the sky¡¯s wraith on humans that I am ashamed of.¡±

    ¡°Why? It is your power to wield.¡±

    ¡°At the time I felt no guilt. I am coming to realize though, that I should always feel guilty if I have to kill someone. In another life I was boss, much like you. And there were people who wanted to harm me, usurp my position and they manipulated some poor wretches to rebel. I was angry at their leaders, but I punished the rebels. I called down a massive rain of lightning bolts, powerful enough to incinerate them. They were just farmers with pitchforks, no threat to me, no threat to my power. I should have found another way.¡±

    The boss nodded patting her on the back.

    ¡°Regret is like a bag of heavy stones. Each stone can teach us something, but once have learned the lesson we must throw it away and keep the knowledge it taught but stop carrying its weight. Or we can never move forward.¡±

    Enid nodded, and chuckled.

    ¡°You are a wise man Boss Nobuyuki.¡±

    The car pulled up to her apartment building. Boss Nobuyuki looked out the window the area she lived in he was quite familiar with it. It was smack dab in the middle of the slums. He put his hand on her arm when she was about to get out.

    ¡°Do you live here because you cannot afford better daughter?¡±

    ¡°No, I live her because I feel like I belong.¡±

    ¡°I can get you a better apartment. Safer area.¡±

    ¡°Well if I move there; Will it really be a safer area?¡±

    Enid laughed. Boss Nobuyuki nodded with a smile.

    ¡°Good luck on your exam Raijin.¡±

    ¡°Thanks Boss Nobuyuki, enjoy a cup of sake for me.¡±

    Enid got out of the car and entered her building. She made her way back to her apartment and leaned Bloodseeker on the wall. She started studying again waiting for her order in to arrive.

 Okinawa - December - 1985 (Enid)

    Enid was wearing her school uniform when she sat down across from Boss Nobuyuki at his large seaside house.  He was sitting shirtless his tattoos on full display.  He was talking on the phone.  Enid wasn¡¯t paying his conversation much mind.  It was sunny December day; The temperature was way above average.  Meaning that it was in the mid-thirties. Enid looked out at the sea she had never been any place where it was above zero in December.  She wasn¡¯t sure she liked it or not.  The waves crashing against the shore had a calming effect on her nerves.  Exams had been a torturous experience.   She had been tempted to skip some school to fly to Canada to meet up with Eyre to spend the holidays together, but her daughter wouldn¡¯t hear of it.  And was flying into Okinawa today.  Enid had come to ask Boss Nobuyuki for a ride to the airport unfortunately there was some crisis and he was in the midst of it.  Enid stood up and walked to the sea wall looking out over the South China Sea.  She had her sunglasses on.  She still hadn¡¯t managed to get used to the sunshine quite yet.  And there was lots of it here.  She heard Boss Nobuyuki¡¯s voice behind her.  She spun around.

    ¡°Sorry for keeping you waiting little Raijin.  How can I help the daughter of the Yakuza today?¡±

    ¡°My sister is flying in from Canada and arriving in a few hours, I was hoping I could get a ride to the airport to pick her up.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll send Edo with you.¡±

    He picked up the phone and dialed a number.

    ¡°Edo, I need you here with a car, Raijin needs a ride to the airport to pick up her sister.¡±

    He hung the phone up.  And looked back to Enid.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be here in an hour.  Have a seat.  Do you want a drink?  Food?¡±

    Boss Nobuyuki picked up his lighter and lit a cigarette. Puffing on it.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Boss Nobuyuki smiled and poured two cups of sake.  Then called to his servant to fetch them something to eat.

    ¡°To family!¡±

    Enid nodded and toasted with him, downing the sake.  During the day it sure had kick, not that she minded.  She enjoyed the feeling of being able to get drunk.  She sat in her original seat across from him.  She noticed he had a new tattoo of a red-haired girl with lightning in her palm. He saw her looking at it.  He tapped it.

    ¡°In honor of you daughter.¡±

    Enid nodded and smiled.

    ¡°You want some tattoos?  You can get some.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°No, Boss Nobuyuki, I¡¯m afraid even if I did the ink would just vanish.  My body can¡¯t be changed.  Well without sacrifice.  Whether I like it or not.¡±

    He leaned forward after taking a drag from his cigarette.

    ¡°Part of your powers?¡±

    ¡°When my father granted me his power, it came with certain drawbacks, one is I need to drink my special diet, the other is my body never changes.  If I cut my hair, it grows back, if I dye it, it goes back to red.  Certain things can scar me, but those are very few.¡±

    She lifted up her blouse showing the scars from the demon¡¯s claws were still red and angry looking, but they were beginning to fade.  His eyes went wide.

    ¡°What did that?¡±

    ¡°A twenty-foot-tall demon with flaming wings.  Talons as big as me¡±

    ¡°And you beat it?¡±

    ¡°Not alone, my sister helped.¡±

    ¡°You are both demon hunters?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°No, she was just there, and I needed the help. Truth be told she did most of the heavy lifting I just finished it off.¡±

    ¡°And she is coming to spend Christmas with you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any plans?¡±

    ¡°Well yes, we¡¯re going to roast a turkey, make mashed potatoes, and probably watch a few movies.  We haven¡¯t spent Christmas together since she was a girl. It will be nice.  You¡¯re welcome to join us for dinner.¡±

    ¡°Why not cook it here, we can spend it together.  My wife and children would love to have you both over.  We were going to just get KFC, like we usually do, how did you get a turkey?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°My sister paid to have one air-shipped here in a special plane.¡±

    ¡°She is that wealthy?¡±

    ¡°We both are to be honest.  Hers is just more fluid than mine.¡±

    ¡°So, you truly don¡¯t need to live where you do, you just choose too?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s close to the school and to Junpei¡¯s dojo, and to your place of business.  It is perfect. No one bothers me, and I can go about my business with less eyes on me.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were just too proud to ask for help.¡±

    ¡°I am that too.¡±

    He laughed.

    Two rice and chicken bowls arrived with a fresh bottle of sake.  Boss Nobuyuki put out his cigarette poured two more cups of sake and the pair began to eat in silence.  Enid took pleasure in every bite.  In sunlight, food tasted like it should and not cardboard.

    ¡°This is delicious.¡±

    He laughed and slapped his belly.

    ¡°Now you know why I¡¯m fat.¡±

    Enid laughed.  And took another bite with her chopsticks.  The two chatted for the rest of the hour.  Edo finally interrupted them when he arrived.  Enid bowed to Boss Nobuyuki.

    ¡°We will be here early on Christmas day with the turkey.  It takes a long time to prepare one correctly.¡±

    ¡°Do we need to have anything ready?¡±

    ¡°Some dinner rolls, and whatever you think would be good for dessert.¡±

    ¡°We will have those ready.  Enjoy the time with your sister. I am honored you will share your holiday with us.¡±

    Enid bowed and followed Edo to the car.  It was the same black one she¡¯d first gotten a ride from him in. He¡¯d stopped and gotten it washed and polished. He opened the back door for her, and she sat down. She pushed her sunglasses up on her hair. The car was dark inside due to the heavy tint of the windows she sat in the bench seat closed to the front on her knees and leaned forward to chat with Edo while he drove.

    ¡°Thank you, Edo, I really appreciate you giving us a ride.¡±

    ¡°I like helping you Raijin.¡±

    ¡°I know how to drive, I just can¡¯t apparently fifteen is too young.¡±

    Edo laughed.

    ¡°I¡¯m a better driver then my sister actually.  Last time I was with her she nearly got us killed.  She had a Ferrari and was speeding, and the roads were icy.¡±

    ¡°She sounds like she has no fear either.¡±

    ¡°She could use a little more if you ask me.  How have you been doing?  Did you ask Sakiko out? Did she say yes?¡±

    Edo blushed a bit.

    ¡°I did and she did.  We went on our first date on Friday.  It was great.¡±

    ¡°See I told you she¡¯d say yes and that you¡¯d have fun.¡±

    Enid punched his shoulder.

    ¡°You did Raijin.¡±

    Enid plopped back down on her butt, fixing her skirt and dug through her pack.  She pulled out a wrapped gift. And put reached over the seat and put it on the seat beside Edo.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Merry Christmas Edo.¡±

    He blushed again glancing over his shoulder at Enid.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t need to do that Raijin.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t, but I did anyway, you¡¯re my friend.¡±

    Enid touched his shoulder then sat back down and pulled out her one of her textbooks, she sighed.

    ¡°I need to get some reading done for school.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when we¡¯re close Raijin.¡±

    Edo turned down the radio and drove in silence letting Enid study.  The car slowed and Edo glanced back.

    ¡°Pulling into the airport now Raijin.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Edo.¡±

    Enid slammed her book shut and put it in her pack.  The car came to a stop and Edo came around and opened Enid¡¯s door for her.  She grabbed her pack and strung it over her shoulder.

    ¡°Thank you, Edo.¡±

    She pulled the pack¡¯s strap her over shoulder and started walking towards the airport then paused when she realized he wasn¡¯t with her.

    ¡°You coming?¡±

    Edo had started leaning against the car and pushed off and rushed to catch up.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to be seen here with a Yakuza?¡±

    ¡°Fuck them if they don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Police eyed Edo suspiciously he put his hands in his pocket and walked beside Enid not making eye contact.  Enid opened the door to let Edo in before her.  He looked a bit out of sorts by her actions but then went through.  She went to the gate her sister would be getting off at.  Her plane had already landed and was still being off-boarded. Her lips parted into an open smile as soon as she laid eyes on her daughter.  The pair ran towards each other and hugged tightly.

    ¡°Twice in one-year mother, it¡¯s a miracle.¡±

    Enid hooked her arm in Eyre¡¯s and pulled her close.

    ¡°I¡¯m here with Edo, he¡¯s Yakuza, and my friend, they think you¡¯re my sister.¡±

    ¡°Mafia?¡±

    ¡°Well yes they are a criminal organization, but trust me, its better to be on their good side.  We¡¯re having dinner with a Yakuza boss named Nobuyuki, and his family.  They have an oven.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s safe?¡±

    ¡°No, but what is safe these days?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed mother.  I like it.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name now?¡±

    ¡°My ID says Jane but let¡¯s just go with Eyre. Is yours the same as the ID I had made for you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m going to get you back for that, fifteen? You¡¯re a pain in my ass.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I did you a favor if you¡¯d tried to go to university with your education, you would have been decimated.¡±

    ¡°I will be honest with you, you are right, I¡¯m struggling with high school.¡±

    ¡°Ya, well it¡¯s Japanese high school I doubt Amara would complain though.¡±

    ¡°No, I doubt she wouldn¡¯t as well.¡±

    Eyre scooped up her bag which was quite heavy looking. But it had wheels and she extended the handle and started rolling it behind them.  They approached Edo who had taken a seat near the exit and was reading a magazine. He was looking down when he saw Eyre¡¯s heeled shoes and he followed her legs up, up and up.  She was just over six foot tall with even the short heels she had on.

    ¡°Edo, this is my sister Eyre.  Eyre, this is Edo, he is a dear friend, and also our ride.¡±

    Edo bowed to Eyre.

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you.  We are honored to have you.¡±

    Eyre smiled.

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you too.¡±

    Edo led the pair to the car and put Eyre¡¯s luggage in the trunk after opening the door for the pair.  He pulled away from the curb and began to drive towards Enid¡¯s apartment building.  Eyre had the window down and was staring at the scenery.

    ¡°I have never been to Japan!¡±

    ¡°Well technically this is Okinawa, but yes, it¡¯s beautiful on the South China Sea.¡±

    ¡°And it¡¯s so warm!¡±

    ¡°It definitely isn¡¯t the highlands in winter.¡±

    ¡°Is it always like this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s warmer in the summer.¡±

    Edo glanced at his rearview mirror and smiled as he watched Eyre looking at the scenery like an eager child.

    ¡°Okinawa is a beautiful place. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m glad you like it Eyre, maybe you¡¯ll come and visit more often.¡±

    ¡°I probably will, sounds like you¡¯re going to be a here a while.¡±

    ¡°Raijin do you need me to stop anywhere before you go home?¡±

    ¡°Yes, take us to Nakamura¡¯s for Bento boxes.¡±

    ¡°Heading there now.¡±

    Eyre looked at Edo then back to Enid.

    ¡°Why did he call you Raijin?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story.¡±

    Edo glanced back and started to speak while paying attention to the road.

    ¡°She called down lightning to kill a Furutsubaki-no-rei, then turned into lightning and struck it down when it tried to escape when she killed the swarm of rats it was possessing!¡±

    Eyre¡¯s eyes went wide.  Giving Enid a ¡®you did what look¡¯  ¡®are you fucking nuts?¡¯  But all she said was.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Enid dropped to Atlantean.

    ¡°I¡¯m empress I make the laws up now.  Besides they think I¡¯m a demon hunter.¡±

    Eyre shook her head in disbelief at her mother.  Enid went back to English.

    ¡°After Edmonton, it¡¯s not a lie.¡±

    ¡°You are incorrigible.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who convinced me to go out and live life.¡±

    Edo stopped in front of a small restaurant and ran in, and back out with three bento boxes.  He handed two to Enid.

    ¡°Thank you, Edo.  Was you know who working?¡±

    ¡°No, she wasn¡¯t.¡±

    He looked disappointed.

    ¡°You can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t try.¡±

    Edo nodded and put the car in gear and a few minutes later he had the ladies at the apartment. Enid patted Edo on the shoulder.

    ¡°Can you pick us up at eight in the morning on Christmas day?¡±

    ¡°Sure can.  Have fun.¡±

    Enid slung her pack of her shoulder and Eyre pulled her luggage after her.  Once inside she lifted it easily and the pair went up the stairs to Enid¡¯s apartment.  Eyre did not look impressed by the building or the apartment¡¯s interior.

    ¡°Mom if you were this hard up for money you should have asked for some.¡±

    Enid hit Eyre¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°I¡¯m not broke.  I just like the place, come here, go on the Balcony, look at the view.¡±

    Eyre pulled the curtains open and slide the door open and looked out over the South China Sea.

    ¡°Oh, okay I can see that.¡±

    ¡°Besides its close to the dojo, and my school.¡±

    The balcony had a small table and chairs on it and Enid sat in a chair put her feet up on her railing and opened her bento box and inhaled.  She pulled out a pair of chopsticks and began to eat.  Eyre tried to do the same and kept fumbling.  Enid laughed and put her box down and showed Eyre how to use them.

    ¡°Who thought up such a terrible utensil what is wrong with forks?¡±

    ¡°I have some, but with these bento¡¯s it¡¯s easier to just use chopsticks.¡±

    ¡°Once you get used them, they are remarkably adaptable.  Just practice you¡¯ll get it.¡±

    Enid kept chuckling as Eyre struggled to master the chopstick after a few minutes she got the hang of it and started stuff mouth in her mouth at a furious pace.

    ¡°This is delicious. I¡¯ve never had anything like it.¡±

    ¡°I know, if I was human, I¡¯d be three hundred pounds by now.¡±

    ¡°Do you have anything to drink with it?¡±

    Enid looked up at the still shining sun and smiled.

    ¡°Sake.¡±

    ¡°What is sake?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

    Enid put her empty bento box on the table and hoped inside.  She grabbed two cups and a bottle of sake.  She put the cups on the table and filled them. She picked up hers and held it up and then chugged it.  Eyre did the same then choked.

    ¡°Strong.¡±

    Enid laughed and poured herself another.  She took another sip.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Sake, rice wine. I¡¯ve grown to like it. Truth be told I was already a bit tipsy when I picked you up.  Best thing besides being out in the sun is being able to get drunk. Want another?¡±

    Eyre pushed her cup over.  Enid filled it.  Eyre sipped it this time and then started eating from the bento again.  She made an mmm sound when she tasted how the flavors melded together.

    ¡°I¡¯m jealous, you get to eat like this every day?¡±

    ¡°Without the sake, they don¡¯t like us doing that at school.¡±

    ¡°The drinking age is twenty here, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but no one pays attention, besides I just bring a few bottles home from Nobuyuki¡¯s bar when I go seem him.¡±

    ¡°He isn¡¯t trying to take advantage of you, is he?  I mean your ID says fifteen on it.¡±

    ¡°No, he says I¡¯m daughter of the Yakuza.  He¡¯s been my number one fan ever since I saved his life.  He¡¯s a crime boss there is no doubt about that, but otherwise he¡¯s a nice guy.¡±

    ¡°But crime bosses murder people.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d think so, but the Yakuza try to avoid killing if at all possible.  I¡¯m not saying their good people, but let¡¯s face it, they¡¯re my kind of people.¡±

    Eyre nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, they kind of are.¡±

    ¡°Also, they tend to know about supernatural stuff going on in the area, apparently they slink in the same dark corners.  So, Nobuyuki can keep me up to date if the Black Sun or his agents starts making power moves here.  And any attempt on my life will likely result in swift retribution.  I¡¯m protected as they say.   You can bet there are Yakuza drinking a beer across the road right now keeping eye on me and doing their other work.  Nobuyuki treats me like one of his children.¡±

    ¡°Now explain this Raijin thing to me.¡±

    ¡°Raijin the Japanese God of Thunder.¡±

    ¡°So, what does that have to do with you?¡±

    Enid poured two more cups of sake and took another sip.

    ¡°Okay let¡¯s start at the beginning. I was walking home from the Dojo in September.  It was late, I had groceries and I hear this gun shot.  I was going to just let it go, humans shooting each other, when has that ever been my business?  Well then, I hear a strangled cry for help.  So, I put my stuff and go look.  And there is this four-foot-tall wolf thing that¡¯s covered in fungus and mold.  Blood red teeth.  Its growling at a guy in a suit who has a bullet in his gut.  I see a woman torn to pieces further down the alley.  I couldn¡¯t just leave at that point so I fought the dog, killed it, but I didn¡¯t kill the parasite it turned into a slime and oozed down a sewer drain.  The guy was dying and I healed him, ruining my school uniform by the way.  He wakes up and see the blood on my top.  I mutter something about need to get it cleaned for school the next day and ran off.  Next thing you know there¡¯s a knock on my door and it¡¯s a yakuza with three school uniforms for me and an invitation from the boss.¡±

    ¡°Wow, so that¡¯s how you met.¡±

    ¡°Turns out the guy I saved, was the boss.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡±

    ¡°We become friends, he declares me daughter of the Yakuza and I tell him I¡¯m a demon hunter, because what else am I gonna say?¡±

    ¡°Okay so that explains the beginning, how¡¯d the Raijin thing come about?¡±

    ¡°Well they found the slime thing again and it had possessed a swarm of rats, not a small swarm, no, hundreds of them.  How are a bunch of Yakuza going to fight that?  I brought Bloodseeker this time, it doesn¡¯t really want to take a bite of the slime thing, but what choice do I have?  It was storming and I had no flamethrower so I called down the lightning and fried the rats.  The slime thing burst off them trying to save itself was roughly humanoid shaped, so I alter time and speed myself up the lightning was still arcing over me when I lunged at the thing to kill it with Bloodseeker I guess because I moved faster than they could perceive it looked like I had turned into lightning and teleported to the thing. They¡¯ve been calling me Raijin ever since. I have to be honest I would have loved to see a video of that it probably looked really cool.¡±

    ¡°Ya, it probably did.  It¡¯s a neat trick and you didn¡¯t give away your powers besides the ability to heal and call down lightning.¡±

    ¡°I did tell the boss I need blood to use those abilities.¡±

    ¡°What did he do?¡±

    ¡°He started a mobile blood bank and syphons half the blood to me. The others to the local hospitals for a small fee.¡±

    ¡°No way!¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have to hunt anymore, I mean it¡¯s not as good as straight from the source, but if I put it in a blood stone it¡¯s more than tolerable.  And he pays the people who donate.  And gets all the money he spends and more from the hospitals, so he makes a profit.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a nice little deal.¡±

    ¡°Hey, he wants to make sure his yakuza daughter is well taken care of.¡±

    The pair looked over the sea at the setting sun.  The sky was all manner of orange and pink.

    ¡°Oh mother, this is beautiful.  Are you happy you can finally watch them?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I have spent many an evening out here studying so I could watch the sun set.

    Eyre wiped some tears from her eyes.

    ¡°What have you been up too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve laid the foundation for my record label. Signed a couple of artists already.  Things are looking good. I have a meeting with Sony after Christmas while I¡¯m in Japan to look into producing all the music on CD¡¯s with them.¡±

    ¡°CD¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Compact disc.  They use laser to read digital information from the disk which the player converts into music.¡±

    ¡°These humans, they are always inventing new things.¡±

    Eyre nodded.  The pair continued talking long into the night.  Their sake giving way to blood from Enid¡¯s fridge.

    ******

    Enid was carrying the roasting pan, and Eyre was carrying the bag of potatoes and the bag with the butter and the masher, and other assorted traditional Christmas dinner vegetables and fixings.  Edo rushed to open the door for the pair and they entered.  They removed their shoes and were greeted by a fully dressed Nobuyuki and his wife.

    ¡°Welcome Raijin, and Eyre.  Come in!¡±

    ¡°Merry Christmas!¡±

    Enid smiled widely.  She¡¯d been in a great mood since Eyre had arrived.  And was very excited about the prospect of Christmas dinner with her daughter for the first time in six hundred years.  To get to share it with a full family was more then she had hoped for.  She¡¯d always believed Christmas dinner should be a big affair.  Edo turned to leave. Enid turned him.

    ¡°Where are you going Edo?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    Nobuyuki laughed.

    ¡°She did not tell you?  You¡¯re invited to dinner.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±

    Edo took off his shoes and took the turkey out of Enid¡¯s hands and carried it to the kitchen he had a wide smile.

    ¡°Thank you, Nobuyuki, I appreciate you letting me invite him.¡±

    ¡°This is your dinner, if you want to have everyone consider family here, who am I to turn them away?¡±

    ¡°Junpei will need a ride, could Edo pick him up?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    He started off towards the kitchen and Enid followed him.  Eyre had already started pulling the wrapping off the turkey.  She pulled the giblets out as well. Edo and Nobuyuki were watching her.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a turkey before.  It is bigger than I expected, I was thinking it would be like a chicken.¡±

    Eyre laughed.

    ¡°This is a small one.  But we didn¡¯t have turkey when I was a girl, we had goose. The one we had the last time Melanie and I were together at Christmas was as big as I was.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Then why have a turkey?¡±

    ¡°Goose is greasy, and really not as good for dinner.¡±

    ¡°She is right Turkey is much better.  But you have to cook it right.  This one has been brined it is going to be juicy.¡±

    The pair of men nodded.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to have cranberries, stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes, candied carrots.  Pumpkin pie.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean pumpkin pie?¡±

    ¡°I brought canned pumpkin, I¡¯m going to bake one today.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you knew how to bake.¡±

    Enid waved the men away and had two little girls peaking around the kitchen door and Nobuyuki¡¯s wife watching.

    ¡°All men out! Shoo!¡±

    She looked to the girls who were peaking.

    ¡°Do you want to help?¡±

    The twins nodded and their mother smiled, and they all entered.  Enid put them to work. At about eleven in then morning the first bottle of red wine was opened.  By three the pies were baked, and they were lounging in bathing suits in the sun half sauced.  By five everyone was there, and the dinner was laid out.

    Nobuyuki looked at everyone assembled from the head of his table and at the food laid out before them.

    ¡°Thank you all for coming for Melanie¡¯s Christmas dinner.  She and her sister worked hard to provide it to us.¡±

    He took some turkey onto his plate and everyone started to pull food out for themselves.  Enid looked around the table, Junpei was enjoying himself, she could tell even with his stoic face on. Nobuyuki wore his enjoyment in the open.  Edo looked happy as well.  She stopped at Eyre who met her gaze with a wide smile, Enid smiled back.  They said no words, but the look was enough.  There love for each other was as strong as it has always been, and the bond was stronger for the troubles they had been through.

 Japan - 1986 - School Break (Enid) - Part 1

    Enid sat across from Nobuyuki in her school uniform.  They were eating at one of the finer dining establishments in Naha.  She looked to the twins on her left and Nobuyuki¡¯s wife, Kitsume to her right.  Everyone was enjoying themselves, but Enid was ill at ease.  Evening had already fallen so the food had lost its flavor a while ago at least for her.  She picked at it and tried to focus on why her gift was making her uneasy.  Nobuyuki looked up to her.

    ¡°Is the food not good?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no Nobuyuki, it is good, I¡¯m just not hungry tonight.¡±

    The vision became clear suddenly.  Men would come through the door of the private room guns out they would shoot the family.  Enid would take one bullet and the children would die before she could cover them along with Kitsume.  Nobuyuki would take a bullet to the head.  She watched it happening in slow motion around her.  She looked up at the clock.  In her vision it said 9:05.  When she snapped back to the currently timeline the clock read 9:02.

    ¡°Nobuyuki get your family down please. Now.¡±

    She wrapped her hands around her chopstocks and slid them in her pocket and she picked up Kitsume¡¯s, one in each hand.  She said it again, more firmly, putting her power behind her words.

    ¡°Now Nobuyuki, danger is coming.¡±

    He didn¡¯t hesitate after her second warning and pulled his wife and children behind the benches and Enid dumped the table over towards herself then turned and crouched to the door chopsticks in hand.  The door burst open and the room was showered with machine gun fire. Their bullets found no targets.  The clock clicked over to 9:06. Enid stood up chopstick in each hand.

    ¡°Leave and you live, stay and you die. Your choice.¡±

    The four gunmen had spread out and were struggling to reload their guns. One managed to finish and shot her in the shoulder.  She looked down at the wound and frowned. She leapt at the nearest one using him as a shield.  He struggled and she stabbed in in the ear with the chopstick.  His body was still twitching when the first bullets struck it.  Enid threw him at his nearest companion.  Then threw the other chopstick at the one furthest away guiding it and speeding it up with her telekinesis.  It smashed through his sunglasses and into his eye he screamed clutching his face, it was deep enough he would die soon.  She pulled the other chopsticks out of her pants and started to move towards the last standing gunman his gun was empty again he¡¯d used it trying to shoot her through his dead friend Enid punched him in the face and rammed one of the other chopstick through his carotid.  The last one was struggling to get out from under his friend.  She tossed the dead body off him and grabbed the man by his throat. He was struggling to reload his gun she grabbed his wrist with the other hand snapping it and she looked at the bullets in the clip.

    Silver.  They were after me.

    ¡°Who sent you?¡±

    Then man struggled to escape clawing at her hand to try and free himself so he could breath.  She tightened her grip.  She slammed him against the wall.

    ¡°Who sent you?¡±

    She dropped him and he slid down the wall and came at her with a silver knife.  In his one good hand she grabbed his wrist and snapped it catching the knife with her free hand she stabbed it through his shoulder pinning him to the wall.  She grabbed his chin and stared into his eyes.

    ¡°I will ask you again. Who sent you?

    She could feel his conditioning trying to resist her, but whoever had done it was by far her inferior in age and power.  He struggled to not say the name, but it came out anyway.

    ¡°The Dodomeki¡±

    ¡°Where can I find him?¡±

    ¡°Sakumura towers, penthouse.¡±

    Enid pulled the knife from his shoulder and lifted him up again, slapping the chopstick she still had on his chest.  She healed his wounds.

    ¡°Tell the Dodomeki that he has assaulted my family and I am coming to put this in his heart. Go now.¡±

    She hammered the commands into his brain with such force his nose bled. He scrambled away.  Enid turned to see Nobuyuki looking at her with newfound respect and fear. Enid bowed low.

    ¡°I am sorry Nobuyuki I have put your family at risk with my presence.  I must address this attack directly.  Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°Daughter let me call the men.  We will deal with this the Yakuza way.¡±

    ¡°No Nobuyuki, this is my fight, you must get your family to safety before the police arrive, call your men an ensure your house is protected I will come to you after this is over. Give them these guns and makes sure they use these bullets.  They do not harm me, but the Dodomeki and his kind are vulnerable to them. They will give you an edge.¡±

    Nobuyuki bowed to her and started gathering his family and the weapons and ushering them out the back door of the restaurant.  Enid exited the back room slinging her pack over her shoulder.  Cursing the Pugmentia under her breath the whole way.  The front of the restaurant had already cleared, and she could hear police sirens in the distance.  One of the restaurant staff tried to stop her but she pushed him out the way and hopped on one of the motorcycles the would-be assassins had rode.  She revved it up and sped off down the darkened streets towards the Sakumura Towers.

    She slowed as she approached the building pushing the face plate of the heavily tinted helmet up.  She looked at the front of it.

    Armed guards.  He¡¯s expecting a war.  Well, he¡¯s getting one.

    Enid put the visor back down and revved the engine.  She peeled out and drive straight up the stairs and through one of the guards sending him flying through the plate glass windows she jumped off the bike when she was in the building proper and watched it take out another three guards and it crashed.  She only had two more to deal with.  One she threw aside with her telekinesis sending him flying out of a glass window and skidding along the pavement.  The other she reached out and pulled him to her.  Held her hand up keeping him hovering in the air in front of her.  She stared into his eyes.

    ¡°You will take me to your leader, now.¡±

    She forced her will on him she could feel his mind breaking under the pressure and blood started oozing out of his nose.  She wasn¡¯t being gentle tonight.  She wanted the Pugmentia of Naha to see just how strong she was so they wouldn¡¯t ever try this again. She released the guard and he took her to an elevator and put the code in to get her to the top she stood to the side of the elevator and shoved him out.  She watched him get riddled with bullets and shook her head.  While the penthouse guards were reloading, she rushed out using her blood to alter time around her she snapped all six of their necks in the time it took one of them to blink.  She used the telekinesis to blast the doors off their hinges.  She didn¡¯t even bother check to see if they were locked first.  The doors turned into shrapnel pelleting the room behind them she¡¯d killed several more of the guards.  Behind a desk sat who she assumed was the Dodomeki.  He was a pugmentia.  A Japanese one at that.  She saw the chop stock on the desk.  She altered time again and before he could react, she had the chopstick in his chest and touching his heart the slightest shift and he would be paralyzed she sat on his desk and pressed her feet into his thighs. The heard his bones snap, to his credit he didn¡¯t cry out.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±

    The Dodomeki nodded.

    ¡°So, you thought you would kill me with silver bullets.¡±

    She looked down at her blood-covered school uniform.

    ¡°You are a gaijin vampire in my territory you and your human pet were stealing out blood you deserve¡­¡±

    Enid shoved the chopstick in piercing his heart.  She cut him off mid-tirade and took her hand off the chopstick.

    ¡°You Pugmentia, you think you hold territory, it¡¯s all so amusing.  You are an insect compared to me.  You are less than a mortal.  They are of value.  You are just a leech sucking off the world.  I knew you were here.  I let you have your little delusions of grandeur.  I didn¡¯t interfere with your little wars, or your politics.  I went to school, got a bit of blood from my adoptive father, and everyone was happy.  But then you realized I was a vampire.  And how dare I do not grovel at your manly feet.  Beg for your permission to exist.¡±

    She reached down picking up some of his blood on her fingers she inhaled.

    ¡°You¡¯re not even a century old. You need to learn your place in the big picture.  I¡¯m an ancient vampire.  I¡¯m so old your ancestors were using bronze when I was born.  I am here to study Karate and go to high school.  Leave me in a peace and I will leave you in peace.  I¡¯m trying to not bring so much violence into the world, and I had been succeeding until tonight.  I had a bit of a back-slide.   But still I¡¯m trying to make a change.  You¡¯ve caught me in a benevolent mood.  Do not try my patience further.¡±

    She pulled the front of his pants out and dumped a hand full of silver bullets down then and stomped on his manhood bury some them deep.

    ¡°You might want to get some blood that looks nasty.¡±

    She hopped up leaving him staked like that.  She paused at the doorway and turned.

    ¡°Oh, and if a single one of my Yakuza family gets so much as a splinter, I¡¯ll start sending couriers with heads of your vampires.  Have a good night.¡±

    She stepped over the corpses of dead bodyguards and heard the ding of the elevator in front of her.  The last of his retinue rushed through and looked at the path of destruction she had left and held up her their hands and let her pass.  She rode the elevator to the main floor took one of the motercycle¡¯s that were hastily discarded as the men rushed to defend their leader.  She pulled the helmet on and sped down the road towards Nobuyuki¡¯s home.  She pulled up in front and carried the helmet with her.  She knocked on his door.  Edo answered the door he was carrying one of the guns Nobuyuki had taken with him.  Edo¡¯s face was terse as he let her in.  Nobuyuki was pacing with his arms crossed his wife and girls were likely in their rooms, his top Yakuza were here, all armed.  He noticed her enter and rushed over to her checking her for injuries.  The only one she had was the bullet in her shoulder, but that had long since healed.

    ¡°Are you alright Raijin-chan.¡±

    He pulled her towards him and hugged her tightly.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.  I delivered a very clear message to the aggressor.  And killed most of his men, he won¡¯t try again, or if he does it will take him months to gather the forces he¡¯ll need.  I also told him the Yakuza were under my protection.  You and your family should be safe.¡±

    He held her shoulders and looked at her up and down.

    ¡°Did Junpei teach you to do that with chopsticks?¡±

    ¡°No, just a weapon of convenience.¡±

    ¡°Anything is a weapon in the hands of a true warrior.  Your legend is going to grow Raijin.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about my legend.  I am just sorry our celebration was ruined by such violence. Are Kitsume and the girls alright?¡±

    ¡°They will be fine.  I am fine.  Let¡¯s drink to celebrate your victory!  Sake!¡±

    Edo poured out a cup for everyone assembled and they all drank.

    ¡°Will you still go to Tokyo?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Is it safe?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  I was hoping you could have someone check in on my apartment, and Junpei-sensei while I¡¯m gone?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°And could I store my new motorcycle in your garage, I took one, I figured they owed me for the ruined supper and school uniform?¡±

    He laughed and pounded the table.

    ¡°Yes.  Edo will put it away then drive you home.¡±

    He motioned Edo to get to work and Edo bowed and left the house.

    Enid leaned back on the couch and took another sip of sake. The alcohol did nothing at night, but the flavor calmed her nerves at least. She glanced up at Nobuyuki then leaned forward.

    ¡°Can your contact in Tokyo be trusted?¡±

    Nobuyuki nodded leaning forward as well.

    ¡°He¡¯s a good man.  Trust him with my life.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°This thing tonight, it might have alerted someone who is after me someone dangerous.  I really need to make some friends that share your dark corners. This trip is very important now.¡±

    He nodded, took as sip his sake.  He leaned back and pulled out a cigarette.

    ¡°You make as many enemies as you do friends Raijin-chan.¡±

    ¡°This one is an enemy to every living thing.  It¡¯s Shinigami.  In Japanese it would call itself Kuroi Taiy¨­, The Black Sun.  He is seeking the death of every living thing.  He has been hunting me most of my life because he is frightened of me.¡±

    She pulled up her sleeve showing the scar from one of the arrows in her arm.  The scar was faded but would never vanish. Nobuyuki put his cigarette down in an ashtray and leaned forward looking at it.

    ¡°It attacked you when you were a child, before you were given the power by your father?¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    ¡°No, this was after.  I was shot six times with cursed arrows.  I protected Eyre and her brother. Our brother. But I nearly died.  It was the first of many attempts.  I have moved often to avoid him finding me, he has no reach in Japan that I¡¯m aware of, yet which is why I came.  I thought I would be safe I would be able to gather myself, train before facing him again.  This is why I must go to Tokyo.  So, I can make contacts, so I can hear if it has shown up here yet.  It never comes itself; It always sends members of its cult.¡±

    ¡°This is a lot of responsibility for one so young Raijin-chan.  I think your father put too much weight on your back.¡±

    ¡°My father would not believe us.  He said the Black Sun was dead.  Refused to listen to us, refused to see evidence.  I am not sure if he was just to old to see, or he did not want to admit the sacrifices he had made had been in vein.¡±

    Nobuyuki nodded.

    ¡°Are you sure it still lives?¡±

    ¡°I saw it with my own eyes.  Pierced it with my sword.  I thought it dead as well.  But then the assassins started showing up.  Using magic only the Black Sun and his minions possess.  The only other who uses such power is dead.  My sister Mariana.  Father had her executed for violating a sacred law.¡±

    ¡°He killed his own child?¡±

    ¡°My family is bound by sacred oaths.  The penalty for breaking these oaths is death.  She broke her oath, to save the family and the world.  He said that the law is the law for everyone and it shall not be enforced differently based on who is related to who.¡±

    Nobuyuki nodded.

    ¡°Your father sounds like a man of deep honor.¡±

    ¡°He was.  I will admit I wanted to kill him when he made that choice.  But I understand now.  We cannot enforce different punishments for family just because we love them.¡±

    ¡°I see why you are the girl you are today.  He taught you honor, and strength.  The value of family.  He sounds like a man I would call friend.  I only hope I can teach my daughters so well.¡±

    ¡°He would have liked you.¡±

    Edo approached and bowed.

    ¡°The car is ready Raijin-san.¡±

    Enid downed her sake and stood up and bowed to Nobuyuki.

    ¡°Once again Nobuyuki-sempei I apologize for you and your family being endangered by my presence.¡±

    ¡°Enjoy your vacation Raijin-chan.  We will watch out for Junpei and your home.¡±

    *****

    Enid relaxed in her seat.  She was reading through the Japanese travel magazine she¡¯d found in the seat pouch in front of her.  She was dressed in a professional skirt and heels.  She was still getting used to them, she went short.  She also wore a nice white blouse.  She looked like a travelling businesswoman rather than a fifteen-year-old high school student.  Her demeanor carried the part, she was already fully fledged adult with four children it was nice to not have to pretend to be an idiot teenager for a brief few hours.  As she leafed through the magazine, she came across a full spread image of Mount Fuji.

    Fucking volcanos. I still have flashbacks from Pompeii.

    She turned the page and started reading about the nightlife in Tokyo.  In the year she¡¯d been in Japan she¡¯d mastered kanji and the spoken Japanese language, along with some of the Chinese languages and alphabets.  It had been an interesting struggle at first, but she had always been good at picking up languages.  She hadn¡¯t even thought of how weird it looked for a gaijin to be absorbed in an article of Japanese writing.

    ¡°We have that in English as well.  If you¡¯d like, we just get many¡­¡±

    Enid looked up at the stewardess.

    ¡°Oh, no it¡¯s fine, I can read it.  Thank you.¡±

    She answered in English because it had been the language, she was addressed in.  She spoke so many languages with so many accents she barely paid attention she just answered in the closest language and accent people addressed her in.  Enid smiled at stewardess who nodded and went about serving other passengers. Enid went back to her reading then heard someone talking her again and looked up it was an older gentleman.  He was also a gaijin as the locals called her and other white folks.

    ¡°Excuse me, miss, if I may, where are you from, I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve ever heard that particular accent.¡±

    Enid looked him over closing her magazine but keeping her finger on her page.  He was speaking in English, Ireland if she wasn¡¯t mistaken.  She had to admit that her English usually sounded like a mix of the three UK accents all in mishmash, she went with her Scottish accent.

    ¡°I moved around the UK a lot when I was younger.  And I¡¯m also a linguist and so when I don¡¯ t pay attention my English can come out a bit muddled.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Scottish I thought I heard a bit of that in there. I¡¯m a linguist as well.¡±

    Well shit, should have said I¡¯m something else he¡¯ll never shut up now.  Should I annoy him, so he stops pestering me?  Yes, yes I should.

    ¡°So, are you studying linguistics here in Japan?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just on vacation. I¡¯ve already completed my formal language education.¡±

    ¡°So young?  What languages do you specialize in?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, Latin, English, Greek, Hebrew, German, Middle English, Arabic, Egyptian Hieroglyphics, Babylonian (that is technically a mix of several languages), Italian, French, Russian, Czech, Romanian, Swedish,  three dialects of sanscrit, I believe it would be called paleo-Hebrew, some of the dead sea scrolls are written in it.  There are more but one loses track after so many.  Of course, Gaelic, all variants, their proto version, once spoken by the picts.  And most recently Japanese, I haven¡¯t quite mastered the Chinese languages, but I¡¯m working on that as well.¡±

    He swallowed and nodded tugging on his collar.  She could see him struggling to believe her and wanting to test her knowledge but was measuring if it was worth appearing rude.  Also, a glint if curiosity about some of the later languages.

    ¡°That is quite impressive, where did you learn such an eclectic mix?¡±

    ¡°All over the place, I learn languages as I need them, or as I¡¯m forced to.  My father was a man who believed that is important to be able to communicate properly.  And that if you¡¯re going to read something you should do it in the original language and not trust someone else¡¯s translation.¡±

    ¡°Your father taught you linguistics?¡±

    ¡°Well adoptive father, but yes, though I may have been a disappointment to him, I just didn¡¯t have the mind for languages he had.  He passed away recently and I fear that there are several languages that he never got to teach me that died with him.¡±

    ¡°You should consider publishing some books on the languages he did pass on, you could change the face of our whole view of ancient languages.  I wasn¡¯t aware we had any records of the Pict¡¯s language.  Or that the had any written record.¡±

    ¡°Oh, they didn¡¯t.  They had an oral tradition, passing one generation to the next.  My mother taught me the language.¡±

    ¡°Could you speak some of it for me? I would love to hear it.¡±

    Enid glanced around and gave a sigh.  It made her sad that her people¡¯s language had died without so much as a whisper reaching these far distant times.  In spite of her better judgment she started to sing the lullaby that her surrogate mother Morag would sing to her to calm her at night when she was a little girl.  The man stared at her enraptured.  Enid whether she liked it or not had a very good signing voice, part of the transformation to vampire.  Beautiful, charming, engaging, the perfect hunter.  She finished the second verse then trailed off.

    ¡°That is beautiful.  I can hear the influences it had on Gaelic.  Amazing.  And you sing so well. You could change the way we look at how languages developed on the isles.  Could you translate for me?¡±

    He held his hand to his chest.  Enid nodded.

    ¡°Who is the one mother loves most.  My curly haired little girl.  With hair of red.  Eyes of Green. Dark Mother, Dark Mother, protect my little lass.  Mommas little girl, Mommas little curly haired girl, mistress of the blade, master of the storm.  Death¡¯s enemy¡­¡±

    Enid trailed off.  Translating the actual lyrics into English had just given her insight into the meaning of the song.  She did a mental translation of the rest.  It even had the Black Sun in it.

    How would Morag know?

    The man leaned closer thinking she¡¯d just started speaking to low for him to here.  Enid¡¯s lips were moving as she translated it mentally. Enid snapped out of her realization to see him staring at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I just realized something about the song.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a song about a warrior woman.  I wonder if the women of the Picttish tribes fought.¡±

    ¡°Not unless they had too.¡±

    The man nodded.

    ¡°You should consider making some recordings of the language so they can be analyzed if some experts could verify, you would be welcome to any university in the UK.¡±

    Enid laughed and shook her head.

    ¡°Please consider it.  My tape recorder is in my checked luggage, but I would pay you for your time.¡±

    He reached into his pocket and opened a small silver case pulling out a card.  Enid read it, Dr Ian Sheppard, PHD, Linguistics, Dean of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, Cambridge.  It had an address and a phone number.  He¡¯d hastily written the name of a hotel and a contact at the University of Tokyo.

    ¡°Dr. Sheppard, I will help you I am able to complete my business in a timely fashion. Otherwise you can find me in Naha, at the Junpei Dojo.  If I¡¯m not there they will know how to reach me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, what is your name?¡±

    ¡°Melanie Stuart.¡±

    ¡°I am pleased to meet you Melanie, I¡¯ll let you get back to your reading I apologize for disturbing you.¡±

    Enid nodded and opened her magazine, picking up where she left off, she barely noticed when the plane started making its descent and landing.  She finally realized they had landed when the Stewardess was tapping her on the shoulder.   Enid acknowledged her in Japanese.

    ¡°Thank you, sorry.¡±

    The airport in Tokyo was much larger then then the one in Naha.  She disembarked the plane and made her way out.  Having a dimensional space in a bag meant she only ever needed carry on.  She slung it over her shoulder and started making her way through the airport.  She made her way out to wave down a taxi then saw her currently identities name on a sign. She approached it was a man in a suit.  He tugged down his shirt showing the corner of a tattoo, she smiled and nodded.  He opened the door front door of his car for her and then got in.  His English was terrible.

    ¡°First time in Tokyo?¡±

    Enid responded in Japanese.

    ¡°Yes.  I speak Japanese if you¡¯d rather.¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you.  My English is bad. When the boss said to get you, I was worried.¡±

    ¡°Is the boss expecting me?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°We¡¯ve heard a lot about you.  Did you really kill four men with chopsticks?¡±

    Enid laughed and shook her head.

    ¡°Only three, I let one go so he could tell his boss what happened.¡±

    His eyes went a bit wide at that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know why Nobuyuki would tell your boss that.¡±

    ¡°The boss was wondering how much protection you¡¯d need.  Nobuyuki said none, just a few rides and some information, and told him about that as way of saying, you can take care of yourself.¡±

    ¡°Well I appreciate the ride.¡±

    ¡°I am Yasu.¡±

    ¡°It is good to meet you Yasu-san.¡±

    ¡°I will be your driver while you¡¯re in Tokyo, if you need anything just ask.  Call me any time day or night.¡±

    He handed her a card with his number on it.  The drive was short to the office building where she was to meet Yasu¡¯s boss.  It was a far cry from the seedy pachinko parlor Nobuyuki called home.  It was it least forty stories tall made of white concrete and so many windows. Yasu rushed around and opened the door for her and escorted her inside. He signed her in at the front desk.

    ¡°I will be here when you are ready to leave, Melanie-san¡±

    Enid nodded and went to the elevators and rode it to the top floor.  When she came out there was a nice waiting area and a secretary there to greet her.

    ¡°Please follow me.¡±

    Enid followed her to a set of frosted glass doors which she opened for her and Enid went inside.  The boss, she wasn¡¯t sure of which faction of the Yakuza, sat behind a desk.  He was a solid looking man who looked far more serious then Nobuyuki.  But she saw similarity, perhaps brother.  His suit was black, and she saw he was missing the end of his left pinkie. She approached is desk and bowed.

    ¡°Thank you for taking the time to see me sempei¡±

    ¡°Nobuyuki is my brother, and he said has adopted you as daughter, that makes us family.  Raijin.  Please sit.¡±

    Enid bowed again and sat down.  She had learned quickly ego would not get her far in Japan.  Politeness and respect were the secrets.  It chafed against her having to bow to mortals at times.  But that was why she was here.  To learn to respect mortals instead of thinking of them like food.  She had to admit Eyre dumping her in Japanese secondary school had hammered the point home.

    ¡°You show me great respect for one with such power.¡±

    ¡°My power may be great, but I am a fifteen-year-old girl, you are my senior, it is proper to show respect.¡±

    He nodded; She is pretty sure he saw the twitch of the smile at the side of his lips.

    ¡°Nobuyuki told me you were respectful, and that you honored your family.  He tells me he owes you his life two times over.  It is not a small thing to save a man¡¯s life.¡±

    ¡°He has been a father to me since we have met.  I respect him deeply and appreciate that he has taken me in, it is my duty as part of your family to protect him.¡±

    ¡°So, you have come to us because you need information.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sempei I do. It is very important to my safety.¡±

    ¡°If you are in danger, we can protect you.  You are family.¡±

    ¡°I know you will protect me.  But if I can prevent the danger from appearing then it would avoid anyone having to come to harm.¡±

    ¡°The people you are asking about are dangerous.¡±

    ¡°So am I Ojisan.¡±

    He nodded, another twitch of the beginnings of a smile when she acknowledged their connection further.

    ¡°Nobuyuki has told me this.  I thought he exaggerated until I received these.¡±

    He opened a drawer and dropped seventeen folders on the desk.  Enid quirked her head to the side and he motioned her to look through them. They were all copies of autopsy files.  Broken necks, multiple bullet wounds, blunt force trauma, foreign object: chopstick. She nodded.

    ¡°All in one night.  You aren¡¯t dangerous, you are death incarnate.¡±

    ¡°In my defense they came after me.¡±

    ¡°I do not question your actions.  I am in awe of your prowess.  You are a master in the art of killing.  I am both humbled and glad that your main prey is demons.  Nobuyuki tells me you are trying to get out of the work of taking lives.¡±

    ¡°This is true.  It is not the way to live a good life.  I had intended to hang up my sword for good but then the slime thing was killing women.¡±

    ¡°There are dark things in the shadows of this world, the Yakuza know this better than most.  Your duty is important.  You must not give up on it.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I have gotten you a suite at the Tokyo Hilton. Your refrigerator has been stocked for your dietary needs.  If you need anything else while you are here Yasu will provide it.  He is my son.¡±

    Enid stood and bowed.  He offered her a piece of paper with an address written on it, and a name: Umib¨­zu.

    ¡°You will find what you seek there. Be careful, he is dangerous.  We have few dealings with him, he has been untrustworthy.¡±

    Enid bowed again.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    He waved her onwards and Enid left the office and went down the elevator and met Yasu at the bottom.  He smiled when she approached.

    ¡°Father wasn¡¯t too much trouble, was he?¡±

    ¡°No, he just wanted to impress on me how dangerous the person we are going to see is.  You should stay in the car when we get there.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t do that, I¡¯m your protector in Tokyo.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but when it comes to things like this, I¡¯m everyone¡¯s protector.¡±

    ¡°No, I promised my father and uncle I would not leave your side.¡±

    ¡°You may see some things you cannot unsee.¡±

    ¡°I am prepared.¡±

    You wish.

    He drove Enid to the address provided by his father.  It was a very scuzzy looking bath house.

    ¡°I cannot let you go in there alone.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°If things go bad stay behind me.¡±

    She got out of the car on her own slinging her bag over her shoulder. Yasu rushed to keep up.  Enid pulled the door open.  Yasu did a doubletake Enid¡¯s happy-go-lucky teenage demeanor had dropped again, she was all professional and had the look of a professional hitwoman who¡¯d been on the job for decades.  She walked to the desk.  There was an old Chinese woman sitting there.  Enid held up the hand-written note. The woman pressed a button and a mountain of a Japanese man came out of the back.  He looked Enid up and down.  Then mentioned for the pair to follow him.  The walked past several older Japanese men enjoying the company of a variety of Asian women none of them Japanese.  They were led past several massage rooms and into a back pool the stench hit Enid¡¯s sensitive nose first.  It smelled like week old corpse mixed with seaweed.  The humidity was not helping it.  Yasu gagged.

    ¡°It¡¯s only going to get worse, are you sure you need to come with me?¡±

    He coughed holding his hand over his mouth and nodded.  Enid shook her head.

    Kids.

    The final doors were pushed open revealing an eight-foot tall being.  It looked like the mythical Oni, save its flesh was the grey-green-brown color of a catfish.  He had a towel wrapped around his midsection and was smoking a cigar.  She could see gills on his chest, and he had catfish whiskers on his cheek and chin.  Two black curled horns came out of his temples.  He was wide.  And though Enid hadn¡¯t seen many Japanese style demons, she¡¯d say he was fat?  A stereo was playing Sweet Caroline and the Oni was singing along.  He laughed when he saw Enid and Yasu.  Enid glanced back at Yasu.  He was looking greener than the Oni.

    ¡°Go back to the car Yasu, please.¡±

    He was staring wide eyed at the Oni and started nodded very rapidly. And rushed back out.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem bothered by the smell little girl.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because I don¡¯t need to breath.¡±

    The Oni laughed.

    ¡°They call me Taichi.  My real name is unpronounceable with your tongue.¡±

    ¡°Everyone calls me Raijin.¡±

    ¡°Should I be worried about a storm?¡±

    ¡°Depends on how much you anger me.¡±

    He laughed and took a long drag from his cigar.

    ¡°I hear you¡¯ve come all the way from Okinawa to see little old me.  What can I do for you little Raijin?¡±

    ¡°Do you know what the Black Sun is?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Enid turned to leave. She saw the oni motion to his thug to try and stop her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try it big man.  You will regret it.¡±

    The massive Japanese man ignored her and grabbed her arm.  She let him grab it then showing little effort threw him into one of the concrete walls.  She winced when he made contact and fell to the floor unconscious. She turned back to the Oni.

    ¡°Did you need something?¡±

    He was looking at his unconscious bodyguard then back to Enid.

    ¡°I was just, umm, hoping the conversation would last a bit longer.¡±

    ¡°You should have just asked; I don¡¯t like being touched.¡±

    ¡°I will remember that in the future, Raijin-san.¡±

    Enid let her body language show she¡¯d relaxed slightly now.  She could see the Oni breathe a sigh of relief.

    ¡°What do you need from me Taichi?¡±

    ¡°Well I hear that you are a demon hunter.  Does that mean I¡¯m on your hit list?¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t a demon. You are many things, but that is not one of them.¡±

    He relaxed further and nodded.

    ¡°Well do you hunt other things?¡±

    ¡°Depends on what they are and what they¡¯re doing, if they¡¯re minding their own business and don¡¯t make themselves obvious to the humans I could care less. If they are hurting humans or causing news stories, I generally want to put them out of our misery.¡±

    ¡°Please join me.¡±

    He motioned to a seat near him.  Enid sat down the offered seat and crossed her legs.

    ¡°I¡¯m an information broker.  I hear things.  I also put people in contact with other people who can help them.  I was wondering, if someone has a problem if I could help you broker contracts to umm, deal with the problem?¡±

    ¡°As long as doesn¡¯t interfere with school.¡±

    Taichi laughed nervously, seemingly unsure if she were joking or not.

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

    He pulled a card out of a case on the table and handed to her.  His fingers were much more dexterous then their thick and stubby appearance let on.

    ¡°Sorry about your man, I did warn him.¡±

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯ll be fine, he has a thick skull. Considering what I¡¯ve found out about you, he got off easy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, what have you heard?¡±

    ¡°That you wiped out a vampire¡¯s entire pool of guards in one night with little to no effort.  That you can turn into lightning.  Before that not much.  You have the whole of Japan¡¯s vampire population running scared. They are calling you: Haha Ketsueki Megami.  A blood goddess.  I was curious what it meant I found out they have this mythology that the first vampire was a woman who spurned Izanagi, and in her rage at the disrespect of her father Amaterasu cursed her from her sight.  That is the name the vampires give her, Mother Blood Goddess.  They think that The Dodomeki has angered you and now you are coming for the rest of them.¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I think they¡¯re full of shit, it¡¯s broad daylight outside, you¡¯re no vampire.¡±

    Enid laughed and nodded.

    ¡°Still, I saw video.  Even when I slowed it down frame by frame, I couldn¡¯t make out more than a blur on the film.  I hope I never piss you off as much as he did.  You just walked in there like you had the biggest dick in the shower, like they were insects to you.  It was beautiful.  No wonder the vampires are scared.  You put on a good show, which is why I suspect there even are any tapes at all.  You wanted them to know how insignificant they were to you, probably so they¡¯d leave you alone.  Well it worked.  Then you staked him with a chopstick.  Man, you are a real show woman.  I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve dealt with vampires before.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well they don¡¯t always keep themselves concealed from the humans, and they¡¯ve been known to kill a human or forty.¡±

    ¡°You even left him alive.  Real class act.  Look sometimes we have shit happen here in Japan that the police they can¡¯t handle, the Yakuza try, but what are humans gonna do against shit like us?  I try my best to provide the information they need to get the job done, but sometimes I¡¯m wrong, they get pissed.  I can only tell them what my resources tell me.  And sometimes it¡¯s folks like us, they got an even nastier thing then them getting all in their business and what can I do, I¡¯m just an info broker, I put them in touch with the local Yakuza and they pay me.¡±

    He shrugged.

    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing though, I bet you know how to kill most things that go bump in the night.  And if you don¡¯t you can find out.  Am I right?¡±

    ¡°That would be accurate.¡±

    ¡°So, what I¡¯m proposing is this I pick up the phone and I call you instead.¡±

    ¡°How are the Yakuza going to feel about losing the business?¡±

    ¡°Its business they don¡¯t want but feel responsible for because no one else does that kind of work.  But look, you¡¯re part of the Yakuza, they won¡¯t get too pissed at you and it will save them men.  A lot of men.  The shit I get called in on usually killed dozens of them before they can manage to take it down.¡±

    ¡°I will speak my Uncle and allow him to bring it to the leadership.  If they agree then I will accept your deal.¡±

    ¡°They are humans what are they going do to you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about respect.  I¡¯ll be in touch.¡±

    He nodded.  She¡¯d guess the look on his face was one of disappointment but once you get of the realm of human or formerly human body language was anyone¡¯s guess.   Enid stood up and made her way out.

    I¡¯m going to need to burn these clothes.

    She found Yasu smoking a cigarette by the car looking less green.

    ¡°Are you ready to drive me to my hotel?¡±

    Yasu nodded and put out his cigarette opening the door for her.

    ¡°Did things go well?¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t of any use to me.¡±

    ¡°That is disappointing.¡±

    ¡°It was expected.  He might have information in the future which was the point of the whole exercise.  He had a proposal for me, I¡¯m not sure the Yakuza will like it though.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°He wants me to hunt things he usually hires the Yakuza to hunt.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re practically a member to hear Uncle speak of you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m a teenage girl, If there is one thing I¡¯ve learned we are best kept safe and sound as opposed to being tossed to the lions.¡±

    He nodded and laughed.

    ¡°Well, my father, could advise you.¡±

 Japan - 1986 - School Break (Enid) - Part 2

    Enid was leaned back, and the stylist was washing her hair thoroughly. Another lady was giving her a manicure, and another lady was giving her a pedicure.  She hadn¡¯t ordered any of the above.  It had been arranged by Takuma.  Yasu¡¯s father.  She had begrudgingly accepted it if for no other reason she wanted the smell of Taichi out of her hair immediately.  Her hair wash finished the stylist left. Enid waited patiently for them to finish before standing up she thanked them. The polish was blood red.

    She stood up and walked to windows.  The sun was setting, and Tokyo began to light up below her.  She crossed her arms and looked out over the city.

    A hundred years ago I wouldn¡¯t have been able to imagine this view.

    She watched the cars move around and the flashing lights.  She glanced at the TV, then back outside, she sighed and bounced on the bed and turned the TV on.  She wasted the whole night watching different shows, sucking blood out of blood bags with a straw.

    She heard a knock on the door and yelled come in, her mouth was half full.  She was wearing a bathrobe and nothing else.  Two thousand years was enough to give up on any need to be bashful.  She heard Yasu¡¯s voice and swore under her breath pulling the robe tighter.   He walked in hands in pockets and then abruptly turned his back to her.

    ¡°Sorry Melanie-san!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright I¡¯ll go put more on.  What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°My father wanted me to let you know he has set up a meeting with the families tonight.  They will hear you out.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good news.¡±

    ¡°He suggests you dress well and has provided me with money to take you shopping for something appropriate.¡±

    Enid tapped him on the shoulder when she¡¯d finished dressing.

    ¡°Its okay, I¡¯m as decent as you¡¯ll get me.¡±

    Enid was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans and her docs.  Yasu looked confused, he didn¡¯t remember her bringing any luggage.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go shopping, any good places to eat around here?¡±

    ¡°Not around here, I know a place though.¡±

    ¡°Good, and I want to see everything!¡±

    ¡°We should get started.¡±

    The pair spent the day shopping, sightseeing and eating.  By evening Yasu looked like he was ready for bed.

    ¡°The meeting is happening at a house outside of Tokyo.  Away from prying eyes.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I can understand that.¡±

    ¡°You look good tonight, very professional.  They should take you seriously.¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling the autopsy files your father acquired from Naha will do more for me then clothes.¡±

    Yasu nodded.

    ¡°The oyabun should not be taken lightly. Melanie-san.  They are old and very proud men.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°I know but father asked me to remind you.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°As he should he is the one who is going to be in trouble if they feel their time has been wasted.¡±

    ¡°You have a deep understanding of our ways.¡±

    ¡°In many ways, I have lived your life for all of mine.  The titles are different, but there are always old men who are very proud and don¡¯t like to have their time wasted.¡±

    Yasu laughed.  He pulled into a long driveway and parked the car.  He rushed around to open her door.  A motley group of men in black suits were chatting in front of the house, smoking and laughing.  The saw Enid approaching and parted for her giving her a small bow. Enid returned the offer of respect.  One of them opened the door for her.  She was wearing a black skirt, off-white blouse and black suit jacket and black pumps and black hose.  She went for the standard Japanese businesswoman uniform, something that would fit in with the Yakuza and their typical dress.  She entered and a man patted her down for weapons.  Looked in her bag.  As they weren¡¯t the owner, they only contents they could see were assorted feminine curious and a wallet.  He motioned her inside.  She saw more than a few weapons arranged tidily on a rack.  She walked deeper into the house and down a small set of stairs and into a room with a long table with twenty older gentlemen seated it.  She bowed respectfully to them. They acknowledged her presence.  Takuma stood before a window; Enid noted he did not have a seat at the table.  Nobuyuki however was seated amongst the heads of the various syndicates.  She had not realized he was that high up in the organization.  She approached Takuma and bowed to him.  He turned to the assembled oyabun.

    ¡°We thank you for coming tonight. Honored guests.  This is Melanie.  She is called Raijin by her family.  She has a proposition she would like you to hear.¡±

    One of the syndicate heads snorted.

    ¡°You expect us to believe this child killed seventeen men four nights ago?¡±

    Nobuyuki slammed the table.

    ¡°Are you calling me a liar? I watched her kill three of them with chopsticks.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re going to exaggerate for her, how else can you justify bring a gaijin into your family.¡±

    ¡°Should she demonstrate her skill for you?¡±

    Enid gave Nobuyuki the very smallest shake of her head.  She had no wish to embarrass one of the oyabuns.

    ¡°As if she could.¡±

    ¡°Put your sword where your mouth is, I would bet her blade against any here.¡±

    Enid bowed quickly.

    ¡°Sempai.  Perhaps I have a solution to this.  There is a video of my attack on Sakamura Towers.  Perhaps I could call Taichi and we can have someone pick it up?¡±

    ¡°Excellent idea daughter.¡±

    Enid was escorted out while the assembled Yakuza discussed other business until the tape arrived.  It took about an hour.  Enid was summoned back into the boardroom and the eyes of all the men at the table were now on her.   The man who had been insulting her before stood and bowed.

    ¡°Raijin-san.  I apologize for insulting you earlier.  The Yamaguchi-gumi acknowledge your skill and agrees to your proposal. We will call upon you if are in need of your skills to deal with these sorts of matters in future.¡±

    Enid listened and watched as each syndicate in turn made the same offer.  She bowed respectfully to each.

    ¡°Thank you, I am honored to be in your presence and to have your trust oyabuns.  I have no wish to take money for your pockets, only to save your men the danger of dealing with such foes as I have been trained to slay.  I demand no reward for this work only your permission to perform these duties in your territories.  Please ensure that any payments you would have received before are still received.¡±

    Enid bowed again.  The men around the table nodded and slammed their hands on the table.

    Nobuyuki motioned for Enid to sit at the table and she did so in the proper fashion.  A bottle of sake had been provided and she poured into the large cup.  Offering it with a bow to the head of the Yamaguchi-gumi.  He took a sip and passed it to Nobuyuki and so on until it was back to Enid, who then drank the last sip.

    ¡°You are now Yakuza. It is time for your first tattoo.¡±

    Enid glanced at Nobuyuki who nodded.

    Technically I can use magic to make it stick but I should get it photographed in case I need to replace it.  Never know when someone is going to burn my back with a flamethrower, or flame breath.

    She bowed and Takuma lead her to a room where an elderly Japanese man waited.  Enid pulled off her jacket and took off her blouse.  She pulled her bra off.  Takuma and the old man were looking at the fading angry red scar across her abdomen.  The death arrows had also left their mark.  Six scars in all, not faded but they probably would be in a century or two.  She sat down leaning over the chair and let the men talk.

    ¡°I am told they call you Raijin.  I have planned a black dragon with lightning running along its body.¡±

    He showed her the design.  It was an oriental dragon stretched along her back, with black scales and crackling blue lightning arcing along it.  Enid nodded.  The tattooist began once he started the tattooing which he was doing with a hand tool she barely felt the pricks.  Compared to the other pain she had felt in her lifetime it was nothing.  The work was painstaking and slow.  She chanted as he worked using blood magic to seal the ink in her flesh bit by bit.  Her work was as painstaking as his.  It took hours. The whole time she forced her body not to heal.  In the short term it wouldn¡¯t heal, but over time the blood would just do it¡¯s will. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Would have been easier in the sunlight, but then of course I wouldn¡¯t have been able to make it semi-permanent.

    ¡°Such fortitude, I have rarely seen it in a man, let alone a woman.¡±

    Enid nodded. She looked down at the black veins beginning in her hands.

    ¡°Excuse me I need to use the washroom now.¡±

    The old man nodded, and Enid went into the washroom pulling out one of her bloodstones that held the blood of a Pugmentia she drank it in.  The black veins on her hands retreated and vanished and the scars on her abdomen faded from the angry red to faint white lines.  The other scars remained as they had been.  The death arrows were potent magic indeed.  Enid walked out of the washroom, the old man had left, and she pulled her bra back on.  And got herself dressed.  She walked towards the back of the house she could see a few of the Yakuza remained.  They were watching the sunrise and smoking.  Nobuyuki saw her approaching and waved her over.

    ¡°Raijin-chan, the old man says he¡¯s seen oyabun that squirmed more when getting a tattoo, said you were like working on a piece of canvas. You didn¡¯t move once.¡±

    ¡°I am used to sitting still for long periods of time.¡±

    ¡°Can we see?¡±

    Enid shook her head and sighed.

    ¡°I just got dressed.  Fine.¡±

    She pulled off her jacket, and her blouse leaving her bra on this time.  Takuma raised an eyebrow obviously noticing the scar on her abdomen looked different.  Nobuyuki didn¡¯t notice and clapped.

    ¡°Perfect!¡±

    Enid pulled her blouse back on and buttoned it.  And then slipped into her jacket.

    ¡°I looked in the mirror he¡¯s a master at his art.¡±

    ¡°Best of the best.  Is it going to stick?¡±

    ¡°I took steps.  It won¡¯t last forever, and all bets are off if someone comes at my back with a flamethrower.  But it should last for a human lifetime at least.¡±

    ¡°Raijin-san, what happened to your stomach?¡±

    ¡°Fire demon. Got me good before I was able to cut it in half.  Its taken a long time to heal.¡±

    He nodded, though his eyes said he was unhappy to know the real answer.

    Nobuyuki patted Enid on the back.

    ¡°The tape was a good idea.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want the old men to start pulling out swords and challenging me, I really didn¡¯t want to embarrass them.¡±

    ¡°It was perfect.  You showed them your prowess, they see you understand our culture, and saw that you did your best to avoid embarrassing them.  You gave them an honorable way out.  It is like you¡¯ve been navigating politics since you were in diapers.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with tougher rooms.  With less desirable results unfortunately.  I hadn¡¯t intended to join the Yakuza.¡±

    ¡°You belong with us, you were an outsider, now you have a real family.  And don¡¯t worry no one¡¯s going to expect to go around breaking arms.  They¡¯ll call you when the dangerous stuff comes out. Yasu will take you to the hotel, you must be exhausted.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°I need to go to University of Tokyo, I promised a linguist I¡¯d help him do some recordings of my native language.¡±

    ¡°English?¡±

    Nobuyuki laughed.

    ¡°No, my English is terrible.¡±

    She paused and switched to pictish.

    ¡°This is my real language.¡±

    Nobuyuki looked at her strangely.

    ¡°It occurs to me I never asked where you were from.¡±

    ¡°Scotland.¡±

    ¡°But they speak English, don¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°Not always.¡±

    Nobuyuki nodded.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get you a driver Yasu is probably too tired to keep up for any longer.¡±

    Nobuyuki walked up to the fence and looked over it, seeing one of the lower ranking Yakuza smoking and trying to wake up he yelled and asked if he could give Enid a ride.

    ¡°Go out front he¡¯ll take you where you need to go, see you back in Naha.¡±

    Enid gave a slight bow.

    She made her way towards the front door.  She saw many Yakuza laying around the house sleeping off hang overs.  She felt sorry for her new driver who probably wasn¡¯t feeling much better.

    Spending the day speaking her native tongue would be a good way to relax in her opinion.  The good doctor would be nice to have as a contact if she ever needed something translated and she lacked the time or ability.

    *****

    Enid looked out her window.  She could see the island of Okinawa forming in the horizon.  The plane was descending.  She had only had rare occasion to be on airplanes since she was able to take day flights.  She usually ended up in cargo or on night flights.  When she did fly herself, she was never high enough to get this kind of view.  The sun would be setting soon.  She was going to have to go hunt a Pugmentia tonight.  She needed more blood for her stones in case she ended up with wounds she couldn¡¯t heal without sleeping.  She couldn¡¯t afford another twenty-year slumber.  The necessity of it didn¡¯t make her feel any better about the deed.  She was still ending a possibly innocent vampire¡¯s life.  Surely, she could find one that no one would miss and that was doing something wrong.   That was the truth of why she let them go about their business.  She used them as food stores as much as she used humans.  Human blood would heal her eventually but not without a healing sleep.  The pugmentia blood, was the high-octane variety of blood.  She sighed and leaned her forehead against the reinforced plastic of the window.

    You know the blood was at a premium, you know what the blood magic would cost but you did it anyway for vanity!  Silly girl.  You¡¯re two thousand years old.  You know how to behave better that.  And now another living being must die for your vanity.  Some new leaf you¡¯re turning.

    She lifted her head up and heard the announcement that they would be landing soon and to put your seat belt on.  She sat up straight and buckled herself in again.  She glanced over the plane she saw smokers hurriedly finishing their last cigarettes.  She shook her head.  Enid had never understood the human need to inhale what to her smelled like toxic miasma.  During the day when she was stuck near them, she¡¯d find herself coughing due to her need to breath.  It was repulsive.  At night it didn¡¯t matter to her either way.  She¡¯d witnessed a few vampires partaking in her time, and never quite understood why they bothered.  Especially the Pugmentia, putting something that was smoldering so near their very flammable flesh for no gain besides to relive their glory days.  She shook her head again and put her magazine away and got ready for the flight to land.

    Edo was waiting for her when she exited the plane.  She was surprised.  She hadn¡¯t expected to see him for a few days.

    ¡°I thought you were still in Tokyo.¡±

    ¡°Boss wanted to come home last night.  Doesn¡¯t like being away from the island long.  Says the mice like to play to much when the cat¡¯s away.¡±

    Enid smiled and nodded.

    ¡°Well thank you for being here to pick me up.¡±

    ¡°No problem.  I¡¯ll get you home, need lots of sleep, school tomorrow.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°First day of senior high school.¡±

    ¡°I never went, finished minimum I needed then I got into real business.¡±

    ¡°Ever wonder what you missed?¡±

    ¡°No, school is for ¡®nerd¡¯¡±

    He said the English word with some difficulty then pushed up a non-existent pair of glasses and did a weird laugh.  Enid looked at him with a quirked eyebrow.

    ¡°You know Revenge of the Nerds? Lamda Lamda Lamda!¡±

    ¡°No, no idea what that is.¡±

    Edo shrugged knock some ashes out the window from his cigarette.

    ¡°Funny American movie.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve only seen one movie, Breakfast Club. Eyre dragged me to it, then nearly got me eaten by a demon.  Still not a fan of movies.¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°You should get some glasses for school, like Superman.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need glasses to look like a loser, I¡¯m gaijin they already know I¡¯m the dumbest kid in class.¡±

    Edo snort-laughed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem dumb to me, Raijin.  Seem like one of the smartest people I know, Boss says you played the Obayun like a professional.  Takes smarts to do that.¡±

    ¡°They are like anyone; They look out for themselves.  I just made them think it was their idea to let me help them.  Why risk their men for profit when they can risk me a gaijin?¡±

    ¡°How did someone so young get so smart?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a student of people.  You watch people long enough, you start to learn they¡¯re all different, but they all are self-centered.  Even the so-called ¡®good¡¯ people.  Everyone is out for me.  Just different types of me.  Some want to build up their terrible self-esteem.  Maybe they bully people smaller than them, maybe they give generously feeling they have success, maybe they commit suicide.  Then you have old men like the obayun.  Rich, paranoid, also full of themselves.  And some of them deserve to feel that way.  You can keep them happy by playing to their egos.  Not fawning over them, by showing just enough respect, with a small bit of ego yourself.  Show you have confidence, but you understand they are made men, they¡¯ve done their time and you¡¯re paying your respects to that.  If you want them to like you, you have to make them think you want traction in the organization, that in ten-fifteen years you might be a threat, because you have hunger and drive, but right now, they can use that.  Maybe you want their job, maybe you don¡¯t, but if they think you want their job one day, but you¡¯re respectful in your service they¡¯ll give you a taste because it keeps you on their side.  Humans are selfish, that is the one truth of the human condition.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pretty pessimistic.¡±

    ¡°Everyone wants to be the big dick in the shower, I know I don¡¯t have one but it¡¯s a saying.  Every human¡¯s core thought is I want, I want, I want.  The nineteen eighties as a decade is all about that, I want, I want, I want.  It¡¯s always been like this, just way more obvious these days.  I¡¯m no different, I have wants, and typically they¡¯ll override other¡¯s needs.¡±

    ¡°But some people just want to survive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the point, want to survive.  What makes a random human¡¯s right to survival more important than a random cow?  They both breathe, they both eat.¡±

    ¡°Well humans have a soul, intelligence.¡±

    ¡°What if there were something else that had a soul, was more intelligent than humans?  What then, who has more right to survive?¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Take demons for example, powerful, love feasting on humans and their souls, need them to survive up here.  They are intelligent, and very, very old, do they have more right to live because they are more intelligent?¡±

    ¡°Well no.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m getting off topic.  Do yourself a favor, spend some time just listening to and watching people.  It¡¯s what I did.  Humans talk a lot, but they don¡¯t listen to what people are saying.  They only hear the words.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try it.  You sure have a bunch of weird ideas in that head of yours.¡±

    They pulled up to her building. Enid got out without letting Edo open the door for her.

    ¡°See you later Edo, thanks for the ride.¡±

    ¡°Welcome back to Okinawa.¡±

    Enid closed the door and waved as Edo left.  She trudged up the stairs to her apartment.  The contents remained as she had left them.  Save for a vase of flowers from Nobuyuki and a wrapped gift.  She opened it, inside was a new notebook with a black dragon emblazoned on the front.   The card was simple.  Good luck with your new school year Raijin-chan.  She nodded running her fingers along the dragon.

    The man sure knows how to make you feel like part of the family.

    She put the book down and opened the balcony door.  She walked out and leaned on the rusted railing smelling the ocean breeze.  The moon was full, and she could see it reflecting on the South China Sea.

    I will never get used to this view.

    She lowered her gaze to the beaches.  Then to her left where should see the US military base in the distance.  Then back to the city lights of Naha. She¡¯d seen the Pugmentia several times and she knew what they looked like.  The attack on herself and Nobuyuki¡¯s family should have provided her with more than enough justification for further retribution from her.  But she couldn¡¯t help thinking that she had already made her point and that any further action would escalate the situation and would also be extreme retribution.  No one had been hurt except the blood slaves.

    Quit being squeamish.  If you¡¯re going to be hunting supernatural shit, you¡¯re going to need Pugmentia blood to patch yourself up.

    Enid pushed herself off the Balcony.  She went back inside and started pulling her hunting outfit out.  She drew her curtains closed.  Her old trusty black t-shirt, combat pants, boots the chainmail from Atlantis.  Trench coat and Bloodseeker who must have sensed the upcoming hunt because it was eager in her hand. She sheathed it and pulled her hooding over her head.  She pushed the door open to the balcony again and leapt into the air landing in the back alley below almost silently. She pulled the shadows in and became one with them.  She let her senses loose.  It had been over a year since she had become the hunter she was born to be.  She heard the pulse of the city.

    She knew the Pugmentia she would hunt.  He had a thing for children.  Not the disgusting human thing, but he would hunt children.  Never kill.  Vampires called a thirst for innocence. They believed the blood was purer and would make them stronger.  It did nothing of the sort.  While the vampire in question had never killed in her presence odds are good that it had before.  Such feeding wasn¡¯t outlawed but was frowned on.  It was as good as a justification as anything.

    A frequent hunting ground for the vampire was St. Sarah¡¯s orphanage.  Lot of abandoned mixed-race children.  Half Japanese were treated worse than Enid was.  She perched on a building near the Orphanage and settled down to watch.  The full moon afforded her a good amount of light to view the building by.  She could see a shadow slipping around the edge of the building.  She jumped down off the building still moving as part of the shadows.  She crept up to the window it had entered and listened at it.

    ¡°But why can¡¯t I stay with you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a ghost.  I cannot take care of you.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to be a ghost.¡±

    Enid¡¯s hand released the hilt of Bloodseeker.  He hadn¡¯t been feeding on orphans, he¡¯d been visiting his daughter.  Enid retreated and watched the vampire slip into the Shadows, he was too young and weak to have the trick of the light work on her.  She followed him waiting until he was in an alley away from prying eyes and she lunged out of the shadows pinning him to the wall.  His eyes were wide with terror.  He¡¯d been cloaked as well and likely thought himself completely safe.  Enid pin him on the ground fangs out, eyes glowing.  She must have looked like something out of hell to him.  Her face was concealed by the shroud of shadows with only two red glowing eyes visible.

    ¡°You need to let your daughter go.¡±

    ¡°What¡­what are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m someone who has been doing this for thousands of a year.¡±

    He held his hands over his face begging for mercy.  She couldn¡¯t make it out, her Japanese was very good, but he was basically babbling.   She slapped him hard across the cheek.

    ¡°Shut up and listen.¡±

    ¡°If I can find out you¡¯ve been visiting her, others can to.  Then they can use her against you.  You need to let her think you died.¡±

    She dug through his pockets pulling out his wallet, she looked at his name.  Okoro Enji, with an address.  She shook her head.  She looked at the streets on either side.

    Idiot.

    ¡°Did no one teach you how to survive?¡±

    The vampire who was still crippled with fear shook his head.

    ¡°You cut all mortal ties; You do not carry your real license with your real home address. You should have left Okinawa.  You are dead.  Okinawa is a small place, people will figure it out, then they will hunt you.  Then hunt the rest of us.  If this were another century, I would have killed you already.  Okoro Enji is dead.  Be someone else.  For your daughter¡¯s sake.¡±

    He was crying blood tears now.

    For the love of the god.

    She pulled him up and dusted him off.

    ¡°Go home and clean up but get out of here, it¡¯s not safe.¡±

    He seemed to gather himself when he realized she wasn¡¯t going to drain him dry.  He stood and bowed.

    ¡°Thank you for your mercy, Haha Ketsueki Megami.  I will heed your words.¡±

    ¡°Your daughter will be alright; I will watch over her for as long as I am here.¡±

    He bowed several times.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you.¡±

    Enid walked down the alleyway and dipped into a nook and pulled the shadows around herself fully again.  She slipped his wallet into the pocket of her trench coat.

    Well there goes that fucking idea.

    She made her way home, the hunt would not be successful now, not enough of the night left.  She climbed up to her balcony and went inside.  Pulling her coat off and packing her hunting gear away, along with a very disappointed Bloodseeker, whom she addresses directly.

    ¡°Look I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not go to kill some poor wretch that only wanted to see his daughter.¡±

    She shook her head at the sword and put it back in her pack.

    ¡°That is enough out of you.¡±

    She decided to have a shower and get prepped for school the next day.  There would be no Pugmentia blood tonight.

 Okinawa - 1986 - Year 2 - Part 1 (Enid)

    She was sitting on the steps of the school a full hour before it opened.  She had picked up a copy of a book called ¡®The tale of Genji¡¯.  It had apparently been written almost a thousand years before.  It had been translated into the more modern Japanese of course.  She had no wish to learn to translate middle Japanese if there was such a beast.  It was bad enough Okinawa had its own version of the language.   She leafed through the book and because the sun was up her she was bereft her heightened senses and did not notice the teacher approaching.  Until she heard her cough politely.  Enid shot up book at her side and bowed.  The teacher spoke in English.

    ¡°You are very early.¡±

    Enid used the proper honorific but otherwise answered in English.

    ¡°I apologize, Sensei.¡±

    ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Melanie Stuart, Sensei.¡±

    ¡°Stuart-san, you do not need to apologize you show respect for the new school year by coming to school early and spending your time reading historic literature.  I will see you in school.¡±

    Enid bowed again and sat back down and picked up where she left off.  The book was taking her back to Narfordshire.  She wasn¡¯t sure how she felt about those memories being dredged up from the depths, but it was making her feel something and it was all one could ask for after two millennia.

    One thing about learning a whole new family of languages, I¡¯ve just opened thousands of years of literature for myself.

    She continued to read for the rest of the hour.  She didn¡¯t notice the school yard filling up around her.  As usual when she was absorbed by something, anything time ceased to pass for her.  She had often surmised probably correctly time starts to lose meaning when you have an infinite amount of it.  She was still getting used to keeping a human schedule.  So, when she felt a tap on her shoulder she looked up and it was Miko, her friend from junior high she was once again surprised to see a deserted schoolyard.

    ¡°Melanie you¡¯re such an air head, school is starting.¡±

    The pair rushed to the school opening ceremony and piled into seats near the rest of their circle of friends.  Students were still talking to each other causing a low murmur in the auditorium.  Miko leaned over.

    ¡°Leave it to you to show up early for school and still be almost late for class.  You need a watch with an alarm.¡±

    Enid blushed. Miko was not wrong.

    ¡°I¡¯m so excited to be starting senior high school.  I¡¯ve already picked out my club, which are you joining Enid?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know?  How can you not know?  A club is the most important thing you do in senior high school, it sets the stage for your whole social life.¡±

    ¡°I thought the most important thing we did in school was learn.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s the club.¡±

    Enid rubbed her temples.

    ¡°What club are you joining?¡±

    ¡°Kendo!¡±

    ¡°Why not broadcasting or science?¡±

    ¡°I want to learn kendo.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°If you haven¡¯t decided you should join with me that way, I won¡¯t be the only girl.¡±

    ¡°That is probably not a good idea Miko.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been training with the sword since I could hold one, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d get much out of it.  And I might annoy some of the seniors. Besides I¡¯m doing Kendo at the dojo.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Miko did her cutesy pout she does.  And Enid shook her head.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll join Kendo.¡±

    Miko bounced in her seat. The principle called the students to order.  Enid sunk into her seat.  The principle was the teacher she¡¯d spoken to this morning.

    Why me?

    ¡°Welcome to a new school year. I am Noriko Fujioka.  I am pleased to greet you to Naha senior high school.  I expect you all to excel in your studies.  If you hope to live a fulfilling and productive life you must start here.¡±

    She went on to introduce the rest of the teachers.  Enid watched the proceedings with feigned interest.

    For such a reserved people, Japanese folks sure love their speeches.

    ¡°Please go to your home rooms.  I wish you all much luck with your studies this year.¡±

    Miko looked down at Enid¡¯s bag.

    ¡°You still have that old thing?¡±

    ¡°Hey, this old thing is older than I am.¡±

    ¡°I know that is my point.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not changing the bag.¡±

    Miko did her cute pout again, but Enid was unmoved.

    ¡°What did you bring for lunch?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, my adoptive mother had it dropped off for me today.¡±

    ¡°Did you not check?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Miko frowned and the pair reached their classroom.  Enid and Miko had taken too long and were stuck near the back of the room.  Miko looked disappointed at the placement.  Enid was thankful to be out of everyone¡¯s view.  She¡¯d rather not stick out more then she already did.  The teacher was a younger woman.  She went through her class check list.  Enid¡¯s name came up last.  She looked up when said Enid¡¯s mortal identity¡¯s name.

    ¡°Stuant-san, exchange seats with Kama-ken.¡±

    Miko gave small gasp and Enid picked up her things and sat down dead center of the front with her new seat partner.  She knew his name was Naoshi Yoshida.  He had been the most popular boy at his old school.  His friend was Raizo Kama.  The pair had been as inseparable as Miko and Enid had been.  It seems like the teacher had forewarning.  She switched a few others.  Miko looked like she was going to throw up. She¡¯d had a crush on Raizo since grade school.  Naoshi had done his best to bully Enid last year.  He hadn¡¯t gotten far.  Enid truly gave no fucks for the most part and treated him like he was an insignificant pest. He had given up by the end of the school year and redirected to an easier target.  He looked thoroughly flustered now that she was sitting beside him.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°Some of you know each other from last year.  I have done my best to mix the pairs up so you can learn from your new classmates.  As you have come from several schools, we will spend our homeroom meeting time introducing ourselves.  I am Aisho Tsuji.  I have been teaching for five years.  I spent my summer break in Paris. My specialty is English.¡±

    The teacher went through the list of students in reverse order this time.

    ¡°Stuart-san, introduce yourself.¡±

    Enid stood up, trying to look happy to be there.  She was sort of, but she¡¯d never loved being the center of attention and as a geijin in a Japanese school she had been that a lot in the last year.

    ¡°I am Melanie Stuart.  My parents have passed away and I am here with my adoptive father.  He has graciously taken me in.  I am honored to be studying with all of you.  I hope to be a medical doctor one day.  I spent my summer break in Tokyo with my Uncle sightseeing.¡±

    Brokering a deal between an Oni and the Yakuza probably would have been a more interesting story.

    She sat back down.  She always tried to maintain the proper posture while at school so even when she wasn¡¯t paying attention it looked like she was.  She really tried to listen to her fellow students.  She still struggled with treating humans like they mattered.  She had improved.  Miko thought she was a fantastic friend but at her heart Enid was an introvert and had been since she was born.

    Their first class was English language studies.  It was the one class in all the ones she had to take that she struggled to put any effort in.  When she noticed Naoshi struggling with the lesson she started to appreciate the cunning of home room teacher.

    She put me here because he is bad at English and needs help. Sneaky Ms. Tusji.  You framed it like you were trying to mix things up.

    The teacher set them to practicing with each other. Enid did her best to assist her new desk partner with his struggles, politely of course.  She met his gaze, she could tell he was embarrassed by his difficulties she¡¯d dealt with the Japanese enough that she could navigate that particular minefield with grace and skill.  She lowered her voice to a whisper.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone, but I¡¯m terrible at English. It was the hardest language for me to learn.  There are so many silly rules.  It is why my accent is so terrible.¡±

    His eyes widened a bit at her admission.  It wasn¡¯t technically a lie it¡¯d taken her a hundred years to master the language and she still forgot some of the stupid little rules.

    ¡°I thought you were English.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°I am from Scotland, but my first language was not English, it was Gaelic.¡±

    ¡°So, you struggled with English?¡±

    ¡°Bad enough my sister would tease me constantly.  I am willing to share what I learned with you, if you¡¯d like.  Maybe you can avoid my troubles if you know where you¡¯ll find them?¡±

    He nodded.  He relaxed visibly and started with work with Enid.  Ms. Tusji gave Enid the very smallest of nods.  The day progressed quickly after that.  When lunch came around Enid picked up her bag and moved to sit with Miko.  She looked like she¡¯d recovered from the shock of having to sit next to her life-long crush.  Raizo got up to leave but sat back down when Naoshi sat down at the desk as well.

    Guess we¡¯re having lunch together now?

    Enid opened her bento and Miko looked at it with a critical eye.  Enid didn¡¯t care, food was food, especially during the day with sunlight streaming on her.  Of course, some was better than others and Nobuyuki¡¯s wife was a wonderful cook.  She dug in.  The four ate silently no one having the courage to start a conversation.  Raizo finally spoke up.

    ¡°Stuart-san, where are you from?¡±

    Enid was sealing up her bento as he asked.

    ¡°Okinawa.¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°I meant originally.¡±

    ¡°The highlands of Scotland.  Lots of cliffs, and the Atlantic Ocean.  Lots of snow in the winter.¡±

    ¡°Do you like the weather here? Or is it too hot?¡±

    ¡°I like it here.  I prefer the hot to the cold.  The wind in the highlands, it cuts you down to the bone.¡±

    He nodded.  Naoshi, encouraged by his friend¡¯s success spoke up next.

    ¡°Stuart-San, how did you come to live here with your adoptive father?¡±

    ¡°Do you want the truth or a fairy tale?¡±

    Miko piped up.

    ¡°Fairy tale!¡±

    ¡°Okay, one stormy night.  The Scottish princess was walking home from the market.  She heard a growling around an outcropping of rock.  She heard cries of help.  So, she put her goods down and ran to see what was going on.  And a dire wolf, taller than she was growling over an old man.  He had tried to fight it off, but he¡¯d been bitten!   He was crying for help.  The princess looked around for help, but there was none to be found so she picked up the old man¡¯s cane and slew the beast.  She was a warrior princess.  The end.¡±

    Miko clapped and laughed, as did the pair of boys.

    ¡°Now the true story please.¡±

    ¡°Well it¡¯s not as interesting.  I ran across my adoptive father he was being attacked by a feral dog.  I grabbed a stick and bopped it on the head, and it ran off whimpering.  He swears I saved his life so now I¡¯m his daughter.  I think he was just exaggerating so he could take me in because he felt sorry for me.¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t scared?¡±

    ¡°No, well yes I scared of what it would do to my school uniform I only had one.  And I was right too I got blood all over my top.¡±

    Miko gasped.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay he bought me three more to replace it¡±

    ¡°I know Miko-chan is from Naha, how about you two?¡±

    ¡°The same.¡±

    ¡°My family moved here from Tokyo last year, I miss it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that Yoshida-san¡±

    ¡°You can call me Naoshi.¡±

    ¡°You may call me Melanie.¡±

    Enid¡¯s comment was to the pair of boys.  Navigating Japanese honorifics was of the stuff of nightmares sometimes and if you didn¡¯t use them, you risked a grievous offense.

    ¡°Melanie-san, what club are you going to join?¡±

    ¡°Miko-chan has convinced me to join kendo.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to happy about that.¡±

    ¡°I am afraid I may annoy or offend some of the senior students.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve been using a sword since I could hold one, it is rarely a fair contest for anyone who has to fight me.¡±

    ¡°We were going to join kendo to.  I will remember to ask you for help when we¡¯re training.¡±

    Enid glanced at Miko who was looking slightly self-conscious.

    That little brat she only wanted to do Kendo because Raizo was going to do it.

    ¡°I am going to go back to the desk and read for a few minutes. If you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±

    The group nodded and Enid went to her desk and pulled out her book and began reading it.  She got so distracted by it she did not notice the teacher arriving.  Until Naoshi who in a bout of uncharacteristic kindness nudged her elbow gently.  Enid closed the book and sat up straight.  It was too late.  The teacher who was an older gentleman seemed eager to make an example out of the lone gaijin and lifted the book up.  His frown deepened when he looked inside, fanning the pages.  Defeated he put the book back down.

    ¡°Stuart-chan thinks herself a student of Japanese literature.¡±

    There were a few very quiet chuckles in the classroom.  Enid blushed, she still wasn¡¯t used to her body reacting autonomically to stimuli and being unaccustomed to not being able to control every aspect of her being was even more embarrassing.

    Well old me would have punched him by now.  So that¡¯s progress.

    ¡°Stuart-chan, please tell us what the book you are reading is about?¡±

    ¡°A dis-inherited son of an emperor and a concubine who is very unlucky in love.  I apologize Sensei I am not very far into it.  The style is difficult for me to read.¡±

    His frown stayed about even, and he nodded.

    ¡°Not to worry class, we will not be reading this book.  Stuart-chan is quite correct, it is a challenging piece of literature.  You should endeavor to be like her, studious and willing to challenge yourself.¡±

    Not helping.

    The last hour of the day was physical educations.  The schedule was off due to the morning gathering.  Thankfully it was outside as it usually was if the weather permitted, and it usually did. So, she could still pretend to be normal.  The one thing that was odd about the amulet was that she never managed to get a sun burn even with her fair skin.  Once classes ended for the day Miko and Enid were in the gymnasium getting ready to join the Kendo club.

    ¡°I am sorry you are so picked on by the teachers, Melanie-chan.  They can be so mean.¡±

    ¡°It is not your fault Miko-chan.  I¡¯m white as a ghost, and I have red hair, and green eyes.  I stand out, it makes me an easy target.  If the worst thing that happens to me today is a teacher embarrasses me because I am gaijin, it is a good day.¡±

    ¡°You are so even-tempered.  I am jealous.  I would probably be in tears if I had to deal with what you deal with.¡±

    Enid was about to respond, when she was interrupted by someone addressing her in a very rude fashion.

    ¡°You Gaijin, what do you think you¡¯re doing here?  You are in the wrong club.  English club is in the school.¡±

    Am I going to make a scene or just turn the other cheek?

    Enid looked the mouthy one up and down.  He was obviously a senior.  Had a swagger about him.  She glanced at Miko who was wide eyed looking between the senior and Enid.  Enid could imagine the different scenarios playing through her head.  None of which probably ended with the mild-mannered Enid doing something untoward.  Enid stood up.  Glanced at everyone.

    I wanted to be in science club anyway.

    She heard someone speak up and was shocked to hear it was Naoshi.  She hadn¡¯t expected that.

    ¡°You should give her a chance.   She might surprise you.  And the club is small you could use people.¡±

    The senior came over and glared down at Naoshi who stepped back a bit.  He wasn¡¯t exactly a large boy.  The other was almost six foot.  Then he came to Enid towering over her.  She didn¡¯t bother trying to look impressed.  She looked more bored by his antics then anything.

    ¡°Yes, lets embarrass your gaijin girlfriend then the lot of you can leave.¡±

    Enid could see the other three members of the kendo club behind him looking uncomfortable, and slightly annoyed.  The lone girl called out.

    ¡°Bunta-san, come on let¡¯s just get started.¡±

    Bunta held up his hand.

    ¡°No, the gaijin has something to prove.  We should let her.¡±

    Enid met his gaze and shook her head.

    Please don¡¯t force the issue I was going to leave.

    He picked up the armor and shoved it at her.  Enid took it and looked down at it.

    ¡°Well put it on.  Let¡¯s go Gaijin.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have to do this, I¡¯ll just leave.¡±

    ¡°No, no, let¡¯s see what you have Gaijin.¡±

    Fine, you can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t give you a chance you little shit.

    Enid pulled on the chest armor and pulled on the rest of it.  She glanced at the teacher-advisor for the club who seemed more than happy to let this go.  She sighed and shook her head and pulled on the face guard.  She glanced around the windowless gym.  This isn¡¯t going to be remotely fair.    She sighed one more time.

    He really did ask for it.

    Enid took up her position and waited for the match to start.  When the signal went, she feinted immediately then hit him on the left side, then left wrist and stabbed to his throat in the space of time it took Bunta to recover from her expert feint.  He motioned to start again.  This time he tried to feint her, but she did not fall for it.  She parried each one of his strikes expertly ignoring several openings.  After a few minutes of annoying him by blocking his every swing she did another quick two hits.  She didn¡¯t hold back, and she see him wince from the power of her blows even through his armor.  She had won the match.  She bowed to him.  She turned to her friends.  Miko was clapping and Naoshi gave her the slightest of nods.  She sensed a blow coming and side stepped a swing meant for her head and spun with another solid attack, using more of her vampiric strength and made contact with Bunta¡¯s wrist hard enough for him to cry out and drop his bokken.    There were gasps from the rest of the assembled students.  Bunta fell to his knees holding his wrist.  She hadn¡¯t hit him hard enough to do permanent damage, but it would sting for a few minutes.  She bowed to him again. And put her bokken away and started pulling off the armor and storing it with proper care.  Once she finished, she walked over to Miko and gave her a small bow.

    ¡°I am sorry Miko-chan, I am going to go to science club.  I wish you luck.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going with you; This isn¡¯t the club I thought it was.¡±

    Miko picked up her bag and walked out of the gym with Enid.  As the passed Enid saw the girl punch Bunta in the shoulder.

 Okinawa - 1986 - Year 2 - Part 2 (Enid)

    Enid sat on her balcony with her feet up on the railing.  The sun was getting low on the horizon.  She was drinking a beer and had one of her schoolbooks in her lap.  She had a pair of cut off shorts and a tank top on.  The school year was well underway.  She was doing much better with her math.  The fact she had decided to join a private tutoring school and attended for Math an hour a day didn¡¯t hurt.  She drank the last of the beer from her bottle and put it down on the concrete balcony and reached down into her cooler and pulled out another.  She popped the lid off and flicked it backwards into her apartment and took another swig.  With the sun set, she put her schoolbook inside and finished her beer and started pulling down her laundry which she had hung up to dry.  She¡¯d just folded the last of it when her phone rang.

    ¡°Melanie speaking.¡±

    ¡°Melanie-chan, please come to the club.  There are guests here to see you.¡±

    ¡°I will be there as soon as possible.¡±

    She hung up the phone. And pulled on real clothes.  Being seen in her current get up would get her in trouble with the school morality officer should he hear about it.  She went with black jeans and a black t-shirt.  She slung her ever present pack over her shoulder and headed to Nobuyuki¡¯s club.  Things had been quiet on the Yakuza front for the first part of the semester, but she hadn¡¯t been a stranger to her adoptive family.  She went for meals often and spent her Sundays with the family.  She went in the back door of the club.  Being seen in a Pachinko parlor was also a good way to get a lecture from the police and the school.  She greeted the rear doorman with a smile.  She was full on Yakuza now and tattooed and that afforded her a margin of respect even for a gaijin.

    ¡°He¡¯s in the office.¡±

    Enid nodded and made her way into the club and knocked on Nobuyuki¡¯s door. She heard him tell her to come in.  She opened the door and was greeted by Nobuyuki, and five very pale Japanese people.  Two women, three men.  The man at the front of the group had a metal case with him.  They bowed immediately upon seeing her enter.  She pulled her pack off and leaned it against the wall.

    Pugmentia. Could smell them from the entrance.

    ¡°Stuart-san, these people wanted a meeting with you to discuss terms.¡±

    Enid quirked an eyebrow and looked the group of well-dressed vampires up and down.

    ¡°Speak.¡±

    The one at the front.  Enid predicted he was the eldest, or at least held the most territory folded his hands and bowed low.

    ¡°Haha Ketsueki Megami we beg your forgiveness for the transgressions of the rabble of this island.  We offer you this as proof that we are penitent and beg you show mercy.¡±

    He placed the case down and opened it.  There were four heads in it, one of the was the Dodomeki, the others she didn¡¯t recognize.

    ¡°We have brought the offender and his cohorts to justice and wish only to hold on to our meager territories.  The island is now your territory, and none will set foot here on pain of death.  Please accept our most humble apologies.¡±

    Oh boy.  That got a bit out of hand.  I meant to make them scared not paranoid.

    ¡°I accept your terms.  But I require further tribute.  For I hunger for justice over all else. If any of your number break your laws and they forfeit their life I demand you deliver them to me for justice.  I warn you I can see the truth of a man¡¯s heart and I will not abide the sacrifice of innocents.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    The discussed amongst themselves. Then the leader bowed low again.

    ¡°We will provide this tribute to you, Haha Ketsueki Megami¡±

    Enid bowed.  And watched the Pugmentia leave the room with a bemused expression.  Nobuyuki leaned back in his chair looking at Enid.

    ¡°You probably could have gotten more out of them; They are really scared of you.¡±

    ¡°I am sad that it came to that.  I was trying my best to let them live in peace.¡±

    ¡°Why did they call you mother blood goddess?¡±

    ¡°Apparently, they think I¡¯m the first vampire, their progenitor come back to punish them for their transgressions.  I am not a vampire.¡±

    ¡°But you drink blood.¡±

    ¡°No, I use it.¡±

    Nobuyuki nodded.

    ¡°If I were a vampire, school during the day would be a serious problem.  The sun would kill me, and vampires can¡¯t stay awake once the sun rises.¡±

    ¡°Well as long as they keep believing you¡¯re a vampire.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Yes, father, you are right.¡±

    ¡°It is a dangerous game to play Melanie-chan.¡±

    ¡°Yes father, you are also right with that point.¡±

    ¡°Those are the most fun to play.¡±

    Enid sat down in the chair opposite Nobuyuki.

    ¡°So, what am I supposed to do with four vampire heads?¡±

    ¡°Mount them like those American hunters.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°That is pretty dark, we should probably burn them.  Vampires are very flammable.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have it taken care of.  How is school?¡±

    ¡°There have been some challenges.  As a gaijin the teachers give me a hard time.  But I have had worse.¡±

    ¡°I could have them talked to.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, I think they would probably be pretty upset if they found out I had any association with the Yakuza.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which.  Apparently Taichi reached out.  He has some information you requested.  Will only tell you in person.¡±

    Enid wrinkled her nose.

    ¡°I needed to burn my clothes last time.¡±

    ¡°Well, your summer vacation starts Friday; It might be a good time to go to Tokyo.¡±

    ¡°Miko¡¯s parents did invite me to spend a week at the hot springs with them.  I suppose I could go to Tokyo early.  I hadn¡¯t decided if I would say yes or not yet.¡±

    ¡°You should say yes.  For them to invite a gaijin on their vacation is a big thing.  Miko must like you quite a lot.¡±

    ¡°They need your permission for me to go with them.¡±

    ¡°I will speak to them.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t just say no? I¡¯m not a fan being close to volcanos.¡±

    ¡°Why do you fear volcanos?¡±

    ¡°Well there was an eruption, it killed a bunch of people.  Also, the thought of being buried alive in an ash cloud that can¡¯t kill me is pretty terrifying.¡±

    ¡°You will not be buried in a volcanic eruption.¡±

    Nobuyuki came around and patted Enid on the shoulder.

    ¡°You will be fine.  I will talk to Miko¡¯s parents and give them some money for you.  I know you don¡¯t need it, but it is expected I do so.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°You should go to the beach isn¡¯t there a multi-school bonfire?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You should put in an appearance.  The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.¡±

    ¡°You are right again father. Thank you.¡±

    Enid gave Nobuyuki a hug as was expected of a daughter and picked up her bag and rushed to the beach.   Miko almost tackled her when she appeared.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were coming.¡±

    ¡°I was asking my father about the hot springs trip.¡±

    ¡°What did he say?¡±

    ¡°He said he would speak to your parents and that I could go.¡±

    Miko cheered, in her cutesy way.

    ¡°Now I don¡¯t have to spend it with my brother!  Melanie-chan we¡¯re going to have so much fun!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m leaving for Tokyo on Friday; will your parents be okay with me joining you there?¡±

    ¡°Why? I thought we could travel together.¡±

    ¡°I have¡­ family business.¡±

    ¡°Do you think I could come with you?¡±

    ¡°Would your parents be alright with you spending a week in Tokyo alone?¡±

    Miko bit her lip tapping her chin.

    ¡°If you¡¯re visiting family yes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m staying in a hotel, alone.¡±

    ¡°In Tokyo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s what I did last time.¡±

    ¡°And your father let you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he trusts me to behave. I live in my own apartment now.¡±

    ¡°That is because it is closer to the school.¡±

    ¡°Yes, sort of.   Look if you want to come along that¡¯s fine, but some of the stuff I need to do, I need to do alone.  Not that I don¡¯t want you to come, it¡¯s just, well not pleasant.¡±

    ¡°Please, please, please!¡±

    ¡°As long as your parents are okay with it.  I can pay for the plane tickets and the hotel.¡±

    ¡°I will ask tomorrow.  Let¡¯s go see if we can find the girls.¡±

    Enid nodded and let Miko drag her into the throng of other high school students.

 Okinawa - 1986 - Year 2 - Part 3 (Enid)

    Enid had let Miko have the window seat.  They were sitting in first class.  Enid had decided when she started this journey to rekindle her humanity to spare no expense in enjoying herself.  She¡¯d spent the better part of two thousand years living like a monk who¡¯d taken a vow of poverty.  She had money, lots of it, the amount of gold she¡¯d collected over the years was enough to make a millionaire thirty times over.  So, when she was traveling, or staying at a hotel, she lived like a queen.

    ¡°I had no idea you were this rich, Melanie-chan.  Your apartment is so small, and you live so frugally.¡±

    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t get rich by spending money.¡±

    Miko giggled and took a bite from her meal.

    ¡°Do you always fly first class?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t spend much money when I¡¯m at school so when I am going on vacation, I treat myself.¡±

    Enid glanced up as the stewardess passed.  Enid returned her smile.  This was the third flight they¡¯d run into each other on.  Enid had gone with the teenage look today instead of her power suit.  Miko wasn¡¯t dressed to impress and would have given it away anyway.

    ¡°Can we see Mount Fuji from the plane?¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯d have to be going further west.  I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll see it when we go to the hot springs.¡±

    ¡°Where are we staying?¡±

    ¡°I have a presidential suite reserved for the week.¡±

    Miko eyes went wide.

    ¡°That is too much.¡±

    ¡°It probably is.¡±

    Enid smiled and leaned back in her chair.   The flight was a short one, and when they landed, Enid was surprised to see Yasu there to greet her.  He smiled.

    ¡°Cousin!  Please come with me, I have the car waiting.¡±

    ¡°Sato-san, this is Isogai-san.¡±

    Yasu gave a small bow.

    ¡°I am pleased to meet you Isogai-san.¡±

    Miko returned the small bow.

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you Sato-san.¡±

    Yasu lead them to his black Mercedes and opened the back door for the girls.  He sat in the driver¡¯s seat and began driving them to their hotel.

    ¡°Father said to make myself available if you need rides while you¡¯re in town.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s wonderful, I still have no idea how to get around this city.  I will need a ride to see Taichi.¡±

    Yasu looked green at the mention of the oni¡¯s name.

    ¡°I will be happy to do that.  When will you be going?¡±

    ¡°Well, I was going to get our stuff dropped at the hotel and while Miko-chan is getting comfortable I was going to get it out of the way.¡±

    Yasu pulled into the hotel and stopped by the front doors.

    ¡°I¡¯ll wait here.¡±

    Enid nodded.  She went in with Miko and went to the front desk.  The woman at the desk looked at the two girls.  She spoke in English.

    ¡°How can we help you?¡±

    ¡°My name is Melanie Stuart.  I have a suite that has been prepaid for the week.¡±

    She looked skeptical at the statement.  Then looked at her computer. And her eyes went wide.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, here is your room keys, if you need anything please do not hesitate to ask.¡±

    Enid passed a key to Miko and spoke in Japanese.

    ¡°Miko-chan, go upstairs and get comfortable, I¡¯ll be back in an hour or two then we can go to dinner.¡±

    Miko took the key and nodded.  She looked like she was trying not to rush, so she ended up power walking to the elevator.  Enid could tell by the look in her eyes she was very excited to be at such a posh hotel.  Enid turned back to the desk clerk speaking Japanese.

    ¡°Thank you, could you have some chocolates sent up for her?  She is very excited to be here, and I want to make it a stay to remember.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Stuart-san, thank you for choosing our hotel.¡±

    Enid went back out to Yasu and got in the car.

    ¡°How have you been?¡±

    ¡°Business has been good here; Father¡¯s been doing better since the last time you were here.  He earned a lot of respect by brokering the deal.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad he has profited from it.  So far, I have not had to do any work.  Which is good because school is really hard.¡±

    ¡°So why are you going to see the oni?¡±

    ¡°When I spoke to him last, I asked him for some information.  He apparently found something useful, but wouldn¡¯t tell anyone but me, and he wouldn¡¯t talk over the phone.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he can be trusted.¡±

    ¡°I know he can¡¯t be trusted, but he has contacts I do not, so I will have to live with not trusting him.¡±

    ¡°You know you can just turn your back on all this and go to school like a normal girl, right?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?  Though I admit I could live without the smell.¡±

    Yasu laughed.

    ¡°I am serious, why get involved with all this?¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°I have a responsibility to the world.  I ran away from it for a long time.  People suffered.  So, I¡¯ve decided to accept my duty.¡±

    ¡°With great power comes great responsibility.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Spiderman!¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    Yasu shook his head and laughed.

    ¡°For a Gaijin you don¡¯t really know much about Gaijin stuff, do you?¡±

    Enid shook her head.  Yasu pulled up in front of the bath house.

    ¡°Are you coming?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to stay here, keep an eye on the car, bad area of town.¡±

    Enid smirked and nodded.  She went into the bathhouse and ignored the old Chinese woman at the front desk and walked towards the back.  She saw Taichi¡¯s bodyguard who saw her coming and stepped out of her way quickly, opening the door for her.  The humidity and smell hit her like a wall.

    ¡°This better be worth my time oni.¡±

    Taichi was soaking in the murky pool at the back of the room. He smiled when he saw her showing two rows of razor-sharp teeth.

    ¡°Demon hunter. You finally arrive.¡±

    He stood and walked out of the pool; Enid looked away.

    ¡°Cover that up, whatever it is.¡±

    He laughed and she heard him pulling a towel around himself.  He sat down and lit a cigar.

    ¡°I have some info for you, you were looking for the faceless vampire.  I found him.¡±

    ¡°And what is this information going to cost me?¡±

    ¡°It was expensive to track him down, had to grease a few palms, lost a man.¡±

    ¡°Just give me a price.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t need money at the moment but what I do need is your unique set of skills.¡±

    ¡°Who do you want dead?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want money, and you need my unique set of skills, then you want someone dead.¡±

    ¡°True, true, there¡¯s a man who stole something he shouldn¡¯t have.  I need him dead, and the specimen retrieved.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t do humans, only monsters.¡±

    ¡°Well, he is a monster; He stole a rare strain of a virus form a bio-research lab.  Could be used as a bio-weapon, he wants to sell it on the open market.¡±

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    ¡°Why me?  I¡¯m sure there are dozens of people who could do this for you.¡±

    ¡°He has two hell hounds and a werewolf guarding the specimen. Along with his other treasures.¡±

    ¡°So, are these actual hell hounds, from hell, or the kind vampires make?¡±

    ¡°I thought there was only one kind.  Here this will help.¡±

    He put his cigar in his mouth and held it with his teeth while pulled out a case.  He placed it on the table and opened it.  Flourishing with is hand.  Enid quirked an eyebrow.  She was familiar enough with guns, she¡¯d had enough shot at her in the last few centuries.  This one was in pieces and probably something for long range.  Enid didn¡¯t know much about guns, just that they shot bullets they were annoying and basically useless against her.

    ¡°What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?¡±

    ¡°Kill the thief.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t do guns, they¡¯re useless.¡±

    ¡°Useless?¡±

    ¡°The stuff I kill either needs to be burned, pushed into sunlight, beheaded or in very rare instances needs to have their soul eaten.¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t use guns?¡±

    ¡°No, I have no idea how to use a gun.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Yakuza and you don¡¯t know how to use a gun?¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen maybe five guns in the entire time I¡¯ve been with the Yakuza.  They don¡¯t use them much either.  They draw attention.  How dangerous is this virus?¡±

    ¡°Ever heard of pandora¡¯s box?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°That dangerous, the scientists called the lab they were working on it in, pandora¡¯s box.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a box; It was a jar.¡±

    ¡°You act like you were there.¡±

    ¡°I knew someone who was.¡±

    He puffed on his cigar.  Scratching the scales on the back of his head.

    ¡°Anyway, you take care of this problem for my client, and I will consider us even and give you the location of the faceless vampire.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Where is the specimen, and where is the thief?¡±

    ¡°Lady at the front will have a file.  Do be careful with the specimen there is no vaccine and it¡¯s deadly.¡±

    ¡°Ya, ya, got it.  You better not be fucking with me, I will literally suck your soul out of your nose if you are.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m good for it.¡±

    Enid started to head towards the front of the bathhouse.  As she went through the door of Taichi¡¯s personal bath she called out with a playful note to her voice.

    ¡°No one in Tokyo believes that.¡±

    Enid stopped by the front desk and the lady there passed her a plain manilla envelope.  She sighed and shook her head when she saw Yasu.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t go well?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s complicated.  He wants me to do a job first.¡±

    ¡°What kind of job?¡±

    ¡°The kind where someone dies, or a lot of people die.¡±

    ¡°You need some back up?¡±

    ¡°While I appreciate the offer, No I will be fine.  Probably would have been easier with the gun.¡±

    ¡°Gun?¡±

    ¡°He tried to give me a gun that was in pieces, I don¡¯t even know how to use one let alone assemble one.  Crazy fishbrain.¡±

    ¡°A sniper rifle?¡±

    ¡°Whatever that is.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for shooting people far away.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter I don¡¯t do guns.¡±

    ¡°You should, they have their uses.¡±

    Enid sighed and collapsed back into the seat tossing the folder to the side. And rode silently for a few minutes then she sat up.

    ¡°Actually, I could use help.¡±

    ¡°What do you need?¡±

    Enid reached into her bag and pulled out a several thousand American dollars.

    ¡°I need a motorcycle, something fast enough to do something stupid on, black if possible.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? Those aren¡¯t safe for¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I need to be able to get around fast and I can¡¯t exactly fly.¡±

    Yasu laughed.

    If only you knew.

    ¡°Hopefully Miko is tired out and I can do this tonight. How fast can you get the bike?¡±

    Yasu did a quick count of the money.

    ¡°With this much?  An hour or two.¡±

    ¡°If you can get it in two hours, you can have the change.¡±

    ¡°Done.  But don¡¯t you want to do some investigation first?  Find out what you¡¯re up against?¡±

    ¡°Why?  It won¡¯t change anything; I don¡¯t do surgical.  I kick down doors.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get you the bike.¡±

    Yasu pulled up to the front of the hotel.

    ¡°Drop the keys at the front desk.  I¡¯ll see you soon. And if something blows up, it wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    Yasu laughed nervously and pulled away.  Enid went up to her suite.  Miko was sprawled out on the couch eating chocolate but scrambled to look more proper when she noticed Enid.

    ¡°You ate all the chocolates!¡±

    ¡°I umm.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m teasing you, I got them for you.  You aren¡¯t going to have any room for supper.¡±

    ¡°How did your meeting go?¡±

    ¡°It could have gone better, thanks for asking.  I hope you don¡¯t mind but I¡¯m tired tonight, so I might go to bed early.¡±

    ¡°I am tired as well.  And full, maybe we can do supper tomorrow night.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡±

    Enid took the time to have a shower then laid in her bed and pretended to fall asleep.  Waiting for Miko to start snoring lightly.  She got up and went into the main room of the suite and started looking over the information she had been provided.  Two buildings, one was an Aurelius Corporation building.

    Mother¡¯s name, weird.

    The other building was a residential one.  The man lived in the penthouse.  She looked at the picture.  He was a gaijin.  She read the file provided, south African. She perused the sheets of paper.  There was also a photo of a yellow box with a biohazard symbol on it and instructions for safe handling.  She glanced down at her digital timex.  She¡¯d bought it at Miko¡¯s instance so she could set alarms.

    Ten pm, bike should be here.

    She pulled dug through the interdimensional pack and pulled out the Atlantean body suit.  And the motorcycle helmet she¡¯d acquired when she stole the motorcycle in Naha.  She pulled them on.  She flexed in the black body suit.  She felt it hum for a few seconds and could see small pinpoints of blue light at various points on it.  Marianna had told her that the suit absorbed incoming kinetic energy, though she¡¯d described it differently, but now that Enid had been taking high school science and was in science club she had a far better understanding of physics and proper terminology.  Basically the suit would nullify physical energy, perhaps even reflect energy that made contact with it to a certain point where the batteries were empty and it had to recharge, which it did from ambient magical energy.  Enid hit herself in the chest and found she couldn¡¯t make contact with the suit¡¯s material when she did it with force.  She shrugged and pulled on her trench coat.

    She rode the elevator down and got a strange look from a couple that happened to get on a few floors below her.  She ignored them and focused on the task at hand.  Once the elevator reached the main floor she went to the front desk.  It was a man this time. She put her helmet on the front desk.

    ¡°Hi, were there any packages dropped off for me, Melanie Stuart, presidential suite.¡±

    He bowed slightly.

    ¡°Ah yes, here you go.¡±

    Enid took the offered keys and walked out of the hotel.  She saw the bike almost immediately. And whistled to herself.  Yasu had outdone himself.  It was a sleek black racing motorcycle that looked fast enough to something stupid on.

    Almost sad I can¡¯t take this home.  Still miss Noctis, but this will do.

    She pulled her helmet on and started the bike up.  It roared to life, and she sped off into the streets of Tokyo.  There was something about the devices these humans had come up with.  Sure, she could move faster without them but there was a certain skill and balance to high-speed motorcycle riding.  Enid was starting to understand Eyre¡¯s fascination with fast cars and breaking speed limits.  Altering time made everything slow but a vampire.  This was just real speed. She grinned under the tinted visor of her helmet and gunned the engine.  The motorcycle was very responsive.  And if she was doing this during the day there is no way she¡¯d go this fast.  Supernatural reflexes made it fun.

    Enough fun.

    Enid pulled off the expressway and coasted to a stop in front of the high-rise apartment building the file had indicated the arms dealer lived at.  She pulled Bloodseeker out of her pack and strapped it to her waist.  She could feel its eagerness.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to drink tonight old friend.¡±

    She walked through the front doors and a security guard rushed out from a desk. She did a spinning back kick hitting him full in the chest.  He went down gasping for breath.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be alright I didn¡¯t hit you hard enough to do permanent damage.  Elevator keys.¡±

    She made a give me motion with her hand.  The security guard gasped for breath.  His shaking hands had some difficulty pulling the keys off his belt, but he put them in her hand. She pulled his belt out and wrapped it around his wrists tying him up. And pat him on the head.  She went to the elevator and used the key to unlock the penthouse and rode the elevator up. It opened with a ding.

    The penthouse had a lot of windows.  She could identify several valuable pieces with her first glance.  The owner obviously prided himself on showing off his wealth.

    Nice place.

    She saw a bigger man, gaijin coming walking out of a hallway.  He was strapped, having two guns in a conceal holster.  He didn¡¯t have a jacket on.  He was eating a sandwich and talking with his mouth full.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t expecting¡­¡±

    Enid didn¡¯t let him finish she hit him with an uppercut he went down hard. She heard bone break.  She pulled the guns out of their holsters and threw them in her pack.  She checked his pulse.  He was unconscious but his jaw was dislocated.  But his pulse was strong.

    Ouch.  Oops too hard.

    She went back to the elevator and locked them both in place.  She pushed further into the apartment.  She pulled her helmet off and put it in her pack.  Leaning on the wall she could hear the someone talking.  Accent was south African.

    ¡°Aw, that is terrible.  You suck!¡±

    Enid peaked around the corner.  It was another large man with his back to the door he was watching a soccer game.   Enid slipped in behind him and wrapped her arm around his neck putting him in a chokehold his legs twitched as he tried to pull out of the hold but Enid at night, no mortal stood a chance.  He eventually passed out she took his guns out and dropped them in her pack as well. She gently laid him on the ground.

    She made her way further into the penthouse.  She heard a woman laughing and signed.  She pulled the helmet out of her bag and put it back on. Enid pushed the bedroom door she found her target with two Japanese ladies all three were nude.  The women screamed he reached for a gun and shot Enid.  The bullet ricocheted off the field her suit was generating and hit one of the ladies.

    Fuck.

    She altered time and was kneeling on top of the target pinning him down.  She glanced at the one who had been hit. Was only her shoulder.  She¡¯d live.  She punched him in the face throwing the gun out the window and into the pool.  She looked at the woman to the right.

    ¡°Get her out of her and get her help.  This is Yakuza business.  You were never here. Go, now.¡±

    The man was unconscious from the punch.  Enid pulled her helmet off after the two ladies left.  She poured some of the cold champagne on his face.  Slapping his cheek.

    ¡°Wakey, wakey.¡±

    He shifted walking up and immediately started holding his nose his voice sounded very nasally.  She did actually break his nose.

    ¡°You broke my nose you crazy bitch.¡±

    Enid punched him again.

    ¡°I am many things, but crazy is not one of them.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, what do you want?¡±

    ¡°You stole something that you really shouldn¡¯t have.  The owners want you dead.  I¡¯m ambivalent on the situation.  And would prefer no one dies.  But my sword is thirsty.  And I haven¡¯t fed it in a year or so.  You see my dilemma.  Your kind of an asshole, you shot at me, then you called me crazy.  So, I¡¯ll tell you what make it worth my while to let you live.¡±

    ¡°I have money, how much do you want?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t need money.  I know what I do need though, my employer¡¯s property back.  I understand you have it stored in a vault at an Aurelius Corporation building.  Being guarded by a werewolf and two hell hounds.  Now if you can tell me how to retrieve said property without killing the werewolf, I would be inclined to possibly let you live.  My family and the werewolves we have an agreement, we don¡¯t hunt each other.  He might actually do some damage before I take him down, so best if I can just release him from whatever geas you¡¯ve got him under.¡±

    He spit blood at Enid.

    ¡°Fuck you, you crazy bitch.  You can¡¯t kill me you need me to open the vault.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  Why is that?¡±

    ¡°Retinal scanner.¡±

    He laughed.  Enid laughed.  His eyes when wide when she laughed.  She stood up and swept Bloodseeker through his neck.  Removing his head.  She picked up the head and looked him in the eyes.

    ¡°Silly human, I just need your head then.¡±

    She wrapped it in plastic bags and put it in her pack.  She stabbed blood seeker into his body letting it take its fill.  Then threw the body in the pool.  She ran to the edge of the building and jumped off slowing her decent with her flight and landing on the pavement of a back alley below.  She hopped on her motorcycle and started on the way to Aurelius corporation.  She sped off past police cars that were heading in the direction of the building.

    Gunshot must have tipped them off.

    She revved the engine and peeled out once around the corner.  She wasted no time putting distance between the crime scene and herself.  Aurelius¡¯s Japanese headquarters wasn¡¯t far though.  She walked inside.  The security guard who was also a gaijin looked up at her.  She pulled off her helmet and gave him a smile.  He looked unimpressed.

    ¡°Palm please.¡±

    He pointed to a pole with the indent of a hand.  She put her hand in and she felt a prick on her finger.

    ¡°Hey what was that.¡±

    The guard blinked at his computer screen and tapped some keeps and took a closer look.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, I didn¡¯t know who you were.  Please go inside.  An assistant will be here immediately.¡±

    Enid went inside and waited.  A Japanese woman came out of door she bowed deeply.

    ¡°Ms. Aurelius.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes went wide, her name was technically Enid Aurelius.  She hadn¡¯t used it in thousands of years.

    ¡°I apologize we had not expected someone so important.  Had we forewarning we would have prepared.  A thousand apologies.¡±

    ¡°I have never been in one of your buildings before.¡±

    ¡°You are one of our oldest account owners.  Your account indicates you are to receive VIP treatment.  I once again apologize for our lack of preparedness.¡±

    ¡°It is alright, I need to check a vault.¡±

    ¡°Of course, this way.¡±

    The woman led Enid to an elevator that went down several floors. And led her to a room.  With a solid steel door.

    ¡°Could I get some privacy?¡±

    ¡°Yes of course ma¡¯am.¡±

    Enid glanced around.  No cameras.  Once the lady had left Enid pulled the head out of the bag and put the eye in front of the scanner.  The door opened and screens on the walls indicated her fastest route to the vault.  She got to the vault and put the eye in front of the scanner there.  The door slid open.  Inside were like several treasures thought lost in World War 2, among other things.  She spotted the bio-hazard container and started walking towards it when she heard a sound like stone cracking and gravel falling.  She spun around to look towards the sound and two hell hound statues and a werewolf in wolf-human form had come to life and were lunging at her.  She managed to avoid the hell hounds, but the statue had her by the neck and was crushing her.  She dropped the head and struggled to pull the vice like stone fingers from her throat.

    That¡¯s embarrassing, I even knew they were there.

    She felt the hell hounds chewing on her suit¡¯s legs.  The suit was keeping them from doing any actual damage for now.  But she could tell the power wouldn¡¯t last long.  She could sense it was draining quickly.  She pulled Bloodseeker out and with some wrangling sliced it up cutting off the werewolf statue¡¯s arms.  The statue regrew the arms and lunged at her again she tripped saving her from being grappled again but the hounds were on top of her.  She punched the closest one three times and it crumbled to chucks of stone.  That was enough for her to scramble away from the other by diving through the werewolf¡¯s feet.

    Sword¡¯s useless need to smash them.

    She grabbed an expensive looking gold statue of a sphynx and bashed the hell hound twisting the golden art piece but destroying the hound.  The werewolf used the distraction to take a gouge out of her back.  She cried out, the wound burned, and his claws tore through her armor.  She whirled around with using the golden statue like a club delivering a two handed blow.  The stone crumbled to rocky debris. She looked at the statue.  It was unrecognizable.  She tossed it aside and grabbed the bio-hazard box.  She glanced around the vault.  Scanning for anything portable enough to take.  She noticed books on a shelf.  She scanned the list of titles.  She pulled several volumes and put them in her pack.  And pulled out a replacement trench coat tossing her torn one in, along with Bloodseeker. She walked back out of the vault doing her best to conceal her discomfort the wound on her back was bad.  But she couldn¡¯t deal with it now.  The woman met her as she left the vaults.

    ¡°Is everything ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s just been a long night.¡±

    Enid let herself be led out of the building and went to her bike.  The ride to the hotel was painful.  Every shift in her weight and turn sent shooting pains through her whole back.  She hobbled back to her room.  Thankfully the hotel was deserted by three am and she didn¡¯t run into anyone on her way to the room.

    She stumbled into the room holding her side and rushed to the washroom tossing her coat on the ground it had blood on it and she could see it oozing out of the tears in the suit.  She looked in the mirror.  The stone wolf¡¯s claws had gouged the flesh of her side, but her back was fine.  She could see pieces of the stone claw embedded on the wound.  Her flesh was trying to heal but could not eject the debris which were fighting to dig deeper into her flesh.

    She dug through her pack and pulled out a pair of pliers.  She reached down and grabbed the first piece of debris.  She took a deep breath and yanked.  She cried out when she pulled the first piece of stone from it and dropped it in the sink.  She was breathing heavily, even though she had no need to breath.  She pulled out the next piece and cried out again. She heard a gasp.  Miko was standing at the threshold of the bathroom eyes wide.

    ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like.¡±

    ¡°Melanie-chan what happened?¡±

    ¡°Long story?  I promise I will explain but can you help me get these pieces of stone out?  They are digging deeper, and they are going to kill me.¡±

    ¡°We should call an ambulance; You need a doctor.¡±

    ¡°Please Miko, if you are my friend at all just help me get the fragments out.¡±

    Miko bit her lip her eyes darting to the room phone and Enid¡¯s pleading face.  She took a deep breath and walked over to Enid.

    ¡°What do you need me to do Melanie-chan?¡±

    ¡°Use these pliers, pull the pieces out.  You need to hurry before the get too deep and we can¡¯t find them.¡±

    Enid offered up the pair of blood covered needle nose pliers.  Miko took them gingerly.  They were grease covered; A bit rusty.

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem sanitary or healthy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine; Just get the shards out.¡±

    Miko gingerly reached in with the pliers grabbing another piece of stone and yanked hard.  Enid could feel it ripping flesh away with it.  She cried out again.  The pain was unlike anything she¡¯d gone through save childbirth.

    ¡°God damn it, what the hell is that stuff?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know Melanie-chan.¡±

    Miko paused, the pliers were around the second to last piece of stone.

    ¡°Are you sure we shouldn¡¯t get a doctor?¡±

    ¡°Just get them out.  Don¡¯t worry about hurting me, it¡¯s better then dying.¡±

    Miko grabbed the shard and pulled, Enid doubled over in pain.  Miko grabbed the last and yanked Enid screamed falling to the floor clutching her side.  The pieces of stone were twitching in the sink bouncing trying to get out.  Enid pulled herself up with the counter.  Miko jumped back from them.  Enid grabbed them one at a time with the pliers and crushed them to dust and rinsed them down the sink.  She gasped for breath a few times and her wound sealed itself up as if she¡¯d never been hurt.

    ¡°Holy shit, that was nasty.  Don¡¯t let the stone werewolf get its claws in you.  Lesson learned.¡±

    Miko watched everything with wide eyes.

    ¡°I guess you want an explanation.¡±

    Miko nodded still looking a bit lost.  Enid glanced down at the blood covered biohazard container.

 Okinawa - 1986 - Year 2 - Part 4 (Enid)

    Enid peeled off the Atlantean armor.  The damage had already started repairing itself.  Part of the magic Mariana had also informed her about.  She put the top in the bathtub and started rinsing the blood.  She was in her bra and underwear.  Miko was staring at her back.

    ¡°You have a tattoo!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why?  It looks like a Yakuza tattoo.¡±

    ¡°It is a Yakuza tattoo.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re Yakuza?¡±

    Miko sounded even more shocked about that then the whole living killer stone thing.

    ¡°Yes, but, well sort of.  I hunt demons for them.¡±

    ¡°You are a demon hunter?¡±

    ¡°Yes, see there are bad things, things the police can¡¯t handle.  So, the Yakuza handle them.  And there are bad things the Yakuza can¡¯t handle, so then I do it.¡±

    Miko¡¯s eyes darted between the tattoo and the armor and the spot-on Enid¡¯s left side that used to have the chunk missing.

    ¡°Is that what you were doing tonight?¡±

    ¡°Yes, no, it¡¯s complicated.¡±

    Enid sighed while she scrubbed the blood off the armor.  Miko¡¯s eyes darted to the biohazard container.  She pointed.

    ¡°Did you steal that?¡±

    ¡°Technically, yes, but they stole it first.  It¡¯s some big nasty virus.  I was hired to retrieve it.  It was guarded by a giant stone werewolf, and some stone dogs.  It was more dangerous than I expected.  I certainly didn¡¯t expect it to leave pieces of itself inside me.¡±

    Enid hung her armor over the towel rack and looked at the blood on her trench coat and sighed.

    ¡°This was my last one.¡±

    ¡°So, you fought a golem?¡±

    ¡°Hey yes, they were golems!¡±

    ¡°But you usually fight demons?¡±

    ¡°I fight anything that is too dangerous for people to deal with. It¡¯s what my father trained me for.¡±The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°Wait, your father is Yakuza and taught you to fight demons? Is that why he took you in?¡±

    ¡°No, not Nobuyuki, my real¡­well my second father taught me.  My real father was an abusive psychopath.¡±

    ¡°But he made you fight demons, how is that any better?¡±

    ¡°What?  Oh, no he did it to make sure I could take care of myself.  It is a really long story.  The short of it is a bad man stole a virus and was going to sell it to someone who wanted to make weapons.  Hmm I wonder what government I just screwed over.  Oh well, I was hired to get it back.  Normally I wouldn¡¯t deal with human crimes like that, but the price was right, and saving the world from apocalypse is part of my job description apparently.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean save world?¡±

    ¡°Well apparently the virus is like the black death, only ten times worse.¡±

    ¡°Black death?¡±

    ¡°You know pestilence that wiped out three quarters of Europe?¡±

    Miko¡¯s mouth made an ¡®O¡¯ and she stepped away from the biohazard container.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry it¡¯s fine, light¡¯s still green. We¡¯re good.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I need to lay down.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s good, get some rest, I¡¯ll get rid of the nasty virus and by morning this will all seem like a bad dream.¡±

    Miko nodded and shuffled to her bed and laid down.  Enid pulled on a black t-shirt and jeans and a black leather jacket.  She put the biohazard container in her pack.  And went back down to the motorcycle and rode to the bathhouse. It was still open, which was no surprise.  She¡¯d suspect the Oni was like her and didn¡¯t sleep.  She walked past the night shift clerk.  Who tried to stop her but Enid shoved her aside and walked to Taichi¡¯s private room.

    He had his webbed feet up on a table and a Chinese woman was massaging them.  He was puffing on a cigar.

    ¡°Right there.¡±

    Enid walked up to his table and put down the biohazard container.

    ¡°It¡¯s done, now your end of the bargain.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re in a rare mood.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me the werewolf would be a Golem!¡±

    ¡°Well, a real werewolf could hardly survive in a vacuum sealed vault would it?  I thought it went without saying.¡±

    Enid clinched her fist, but then relaxed her hand.

    ¡°Just give me the information you promised.¡±

    ¡°So impatient, would you like a foot massage? Is that blood?¡±

    He lifted the biohazard container and inspected it.

    ¡°Quit stalling, I¡¯m not in the mood for small talk.  The thief is dead and that¡¯s the property you wanted returned.  Tell me before I pull out my sword and we both regret how this evening ended.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine, you can find Obake in the remains of a World War 2 shipyard near Imari.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a thousand kilometers away from here.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say he was close by.  And you didn¡¯t ask.¡±

    Enid growled and spun around and stormed out of the bathhouse.  Revving the engine of her motorcycle and speeding all the way back to the hotel.  She collapsed in her bed.  She wasn¡¯t tired, she never was, but Miko didn¡¯t need to know that.  She banged her head on her pillow a few times and swore into in English.  She got changed into a set of pajamas and laid in bed staring at the ceiling.

    If I¡¯d known I¡¯d have left Miko in Okinawa.

    She waited for Miko to wake up and pretended to be asleep.  Miko shook her gently

    ¡°Melanie-chan, I had the weirdest dream!  You came in and you were covered in blood and there was pieces stone that kept trying to eat me.¡±

    Enid pulled her pillow over her face and spoke with it covering her mouth.

    ¡°Most of that wasn¡¯t a dream.¡±

    ¡°What!¡±

    Enid sat up.

    ¡°Thank you for helping me Miko               , you saved my life.¡±

    Miko sat down on her bed and started hyperventilating.  Enid patting her back.

    ¡°Shh, shh, you¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    ¡°But¡­  Oh, that is why you are so good with the sword!¡±

    ¡°Yes. I told you I¡¯ve trained with it since I could hold one.¡±

    ¡°So Bunta didn¡¯t stand a chance.¡±

    ¡°Not in the least, I¡¯m stronger, faster than well everyone else.¡±

    ¡°You healed so fast last night, I¡¯ve seen you cut yourself in school and you always had to have a bandage.¡±

    ¡°Well, I try to keep this a secret.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is just like a manga!¡±

    ¡°High school girl by day, demon hunter by night!¡±

    ¡°Okay, sure.¡±

    Enid shrugged she hadn¡¯t the faintest clue what manga referred too.

    ¡°This is so exciting.  I¡¯m like your side kick!¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re my best friend who I tried my best to keep out of all this, so you¡¯d be safe.¡±

    ¡°So, what are we doing next?¡±

    ¡°Breakfast.¡±

    ¡°No, I mean what are you hunting next?¡±

    ¡°Nothing, I thought we were going to go sightseeing.¡±

    Miko pouted.

    ¡°Miko-chan, it is not as interesting or fun as you imagine it is.  It is dirty and it is dangerous.  Not to mention there is a lot of waiting involved.  I¡¯m on vacation after this.  I even have a trip to Imari planned.¡±

    ¡°That is really far away.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it will be a fun trip.¡±

 Okinawa - 1986 - Year 2 - Part 5 (Enid)

    Enid picked her way through the overgrown remnants of the World War two shipyard.  The sun streamed through the thick vegetation.   There were hundreds of places in the area that could serve as a haven from the sun.  This Obake had chosen wisely for a place to sleep during the day.  Close enough to a city with plenty of humans, far enough away that only the adventurous might happen upon it.  Likely he¡¯d have picked someplace with a door, something that he could seal and lock.  She scanned the reinforced concrete remnants.  Could easily be overgrown by vines.  The vegetation was quite lush and full.  She glanced up at the sun.  As nice as it felt on her skin it was being troublesome since her sense of smell was so inferior in sunlight.  She may as well be wearing a nose plug.

    Enid found a solid piece of concrete and sat down cross-legged putting Bloodseeker in her lap.  She glared up at the sun.  Another side effect is she could get stiff during the day.  Her muscles would ache.  Night would come soon.  She could feel the day losing its power over her.  She watched the sun sink below the ocean.   She stood up and pulled the shadows around herself and waited.  If he was a vampire, he would wake soon and smell her on his territory.  He¡¯d start patrolling.  Vampires were nothing if not predictable.  So, she waited.

    She heard the creak of rusty hinges somewhere in the ruins.  She could smell him now.  His scent was something different.  Not Pugmentia, not Imperial.  She could smell the blood on him.  He was vampire.

    Cursed.

    She slipped through the shadows.  She found him he was using his own version of the shadow powers, but he wasn¡¯t powerful enough to block her senses.  She watched him looking around the shipyard.  Tracing her steps.  He was non-descript.  A grey man.  You could see him on the street and probably not even notice you passed him.  He was wearing a t-shirt and jogging pants and runners.  After half an hour he gave up his search.  He returned to his home.  Enid saw racks of clothes inside, men¡¯s, women¡¯s, uniforms.  It looked dry enough and comfortable enough.  There was a hinged crate covered in black out fabric.

    Sleeps there.

    There was a wooden desk, that looked like it survived World War Two.  Old maps shipping maps on the walls, perhaps decoration.  He sat on a cot.  There was a worn patch on it, otherwise it looked unused.  He started working with a knife and some wood.  Deeper in on some old, rusted steel shelves she saw row after row of wooden figurine.  He had a golden pocket watch which he kept checking.  At nine pm he stood up and went to the mirror and started adjusting his face and hair.  She watched as he made himself into a rather attractive woman. She quirked an eyebrow.

    That¡¯s what I need.

    He, now she, started going through her clothes and picked out a dress.  And got changed.  Plumbing hadn¡¯t changed just the chest and face.  She continued to watch him go about his nightly rituals.  He left his home and made his way through the bushes and walked down a well-worn path to the city.  She watched him hunt.  Seducing an unsuspecting man and drinking his blood. He then turned around and headed home.  When he was outside of the city limits about halfway to the ruins of the shipyard she came out of the shadows in front of him, or her as the case was currently.  He turned to bolt but was no match for Enid¡¯s speed.  She grabbed him/her and body slammed her into the ground.

    ¡°Just want to talk Obake.¡±

    She showed her fangs.  His eyes went wide, and he shrunk himself and squirreled out of her grasp and tried to flee.  She was much faster than him.  By the time she had found him he was wearing police uniform and looked like another man.  She recognized his scent immediately.

    ¡°Just stop.  You can¡¯t outrun me, and you can¡¯t hide. I just want to talk.¡±

    He started to run again.  Enid sighed and followed again. Apparently, he could alter his form, but he couldn¡¯t alter his scent.  She was able to track him easily.  She didn¡¯t bother wasting blood keeping up.  When she finally caught up with him, he was hiding in an abandoned medical clinic.  At the edge of the abandoned shipyard.  He was in the ceiling.  She jumped up and grabbed him and yanked him down.

    ¡°Stop running.  You can¡¯t get away.  I¡¯m getting annoyed.¡±

    She raised an eyebrow when she saw him sprawled on the ground.  He now looked like her.  And had his hands up.  The look on his face was one of terror.  She¡¯d seen it many times before.  Not on her face of course.  Enid drew Bloodseeker and put it to his throat.  His skin started sizzle at the touch of the silver.

    ¡°Okay take my face off.  I know how bad I look.¡±

    He shook himself and reverted to his original non-descript appearance.  Enid pulled Bloodseeker away from his throat.  The skin was black and raw.  Silver seemed to be worse for him then Pugmentia.  That was the thing with the cursed you could never be sure what their vulnerabilities were.  They all shared two traits, they drank blood, and the sun hurt them.  Symbols of purity would often harm them; Silver was considered pure so was usually a safe bet.  They could manifest powers that hadn¡¯t been seen before.  Like the shape changing.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°For you to teach me how to change my face.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t change your face?¡±

    ¡°No, I can do lots of other things though, I¡¯m willing to trade.¡±

    She stepped back and put Bloodseeker away.

    ¡°You¡¯re like me?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly, I¡¯m a different kind of vampire. There are a few types.¡±

    ¡°If you teach me about vampires, I will share what I know.¡±

    ¡°Shall we go back to your home and discuss?¡±

    Enid offered her hand to help him up.  He took it and she pulled him up.  The pair returned to his home silently.  He hurriedly cleaned off an old office chair for her.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°You said I am a vampire?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you are a vampire, I¡¯m guessing you didn¡¯t know what you were, or what happened to you.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Well, you become a vampire in one of two ways, someone drains you of your blood and feeds you some of theirs, or you go and get yourself cursed somehow.   Sometimes you can make more of yourself, sometimes you can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Cursed?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you aren¡¯t an Imperial like me, and you aren¡¯t a Pugmentia, so you are one of the cursed.  Or were turned by one of the cursed.  Based on the fact you have no idea what you are, I¡¯m thinking its that you are one of the cursed.  Made any deals with dark powers?  Piss anyone off?  Had a moment of monumental anger?  Cowardice that killed a large group of people?¡±

    He thought for a bit.  Then his eyes went a bit wider.   Enid nodded.

    ¡°I was an assassin.  I killed a samurai for the Emperor.  He was instigating a rebellion.  His wife swore I would never rest.¡±

    ¡°Cursed by a mourning loved one.¡±

    ¡°Can I undo it?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d have to get her to remove it or ask for it to be removed.  But it sounds like this happened a long time ago.  So, she¡¯s probably dead.  But I have bad news, you¡¯re technically a walking corpse.  If the curse is removed, you will die.¡±

    He looked down.

    ¡°I killed her in my rage.  Once I found out I couldn¡¯t go in the sun.  I thought she had cursed me I demanded she remove the curse.  I threatened her children.  She laughed at me.  I lost my temper and killed her and the children.¡±

    He looked up at Enid.

    ¡°You could kill me!¡±

    ¡°Technically I could but you¡¯d probably just become a revenant, or ghost.  Curses have real power.  If she cursed you to never rest, you never will.¡±

    ¡°If I am cursed why do I have powers like shape changing, and I can turn invisible.¡±

    ¡°The universe is balance.  You can¡¯t take something away without giving back.  By cursing you she made you thirst for blood, took the sun away from you.  In exchange you got power.¡±

    ¡°Is there no away I can be freed?¡±

    ¡°Not that I am aware of.  I have never been skilled in necromancy.  I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°But you could learn how?¡±

    ¡°Technically yes, but I have no one to teach me, and to tomes I have are too complex for me to the understand without a tutor.  Trust me I have tried for several hundred years.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I can use them to learn?¡±

    ¡°You would not be able to understand them.  Nor are you capable of channeling the energies involved.  You would destroy your physical form and put yourself in a way worse predicament.¡±

    ¡°There is no hope?¡±

    ¡°Just because I called you cursed doesn¡¯t mean you are doomed.  Being a vampire is a gift.  You will see the rise and fall of human empires.  You are not bound by human limitations or laws.  I have lived for two thousand years.  Once you are old enough to control yourself, you can associate with humans in a limited fashion.  You of all of us is probably the best at that you can take and shed new identities.  You only have our laws to follow.  Keep our existence safe from humans and don¡¯t kill other vampires.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°I am lonely.  I used to shun human interactions.   Now I only wish to be part of the world.¡±

    ¡°I was lonely too; It is not a good place to be.  There are other vampires in Japan.  We have had interactions.  You could seek them out.  You would be among peers.  They¡¯re Pugmentia but they won¡¯t know you¡¯re not.  They don¡¯t have my experience they don¡¯t know there are different types of vampires¡±

    ¡°Would they accept me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, just tell them the Mother Blood Goddess sent you.  They¡¯ll fall over themselves to make you feel accepted.¡±

    ¡°Is that what you are?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just a really old vampire so I have accumulated a lot of power.  I¡¯ve only made fourteen vampires in my time.¡±

    ¡°How do you make others?¡±

    ¡°I told you, drain them of blood and feed them yours.  But you might not be able too, it depends on the nature of your curse.  Which is impossible to know without seeing the original text, or hearing it spoken.¡±

    ¡°So, you killed them all before you turned them.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°They all asked me to do it, I would never make someone a vampire without their approval.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Once you make a vampire, they become your responsibility. Their crimes become yours.  It is the way it has been since the dawn of time.  It¡¯s like having a child, only they could live for thousands of years. Turning someone against their will is basically making yourself an eternal nemesis. One of you will die in the end.  Even when they are willing, they become family, and there is no hate that can spawn like family who feel like they¡¯ve been betrayed.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you make so many?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m what the Pugmentia call a Reaper.  I kill vampires who break the law, and cover up their crimes from the humans, or I used to.  Now I have a different job, but there is a special talent to be a Seer, which is what we call ourselves.  When I found someone with the gift, I offered them immortality and, in some cases, eternal beauty.  In exchange I turned them into hunters.  A crime I still have not forgiven myself for.  In only one case did I do so out of love, and she is my daughter birthed from my womb.  I am not saying do not turn others, I¡¯m just saying be careful with your choice it is one you have to live with for a very long time.  I do not regret my daughter.  She is the one thing that has preserved my humanity over the centuries.¡±

    ¡°What is a Pugmentia?¡±

    ¡°Roman slang for impure vampires.  You see my father, the progenitor of all turned vampires, he was self-created.  We are different, we¡¯re free of corruption.  Pure bloods so to speak.  The Pugmentia are a corruption of his pure blood.  Mixed with dark magic and someone¡¯s lust to have children that she could never birth from her own womb.  A selfish act that has spawned a plague of impure vampires on this would.  They are many, but they are weak.  Cursed ones, like yourself have more potential than they do.  And Pure bloods, imperial vampires like myself, we have infinite potential.  We¡¯re referred to as godlings.  The youngest of us is six hundred years old. Most are far older, thousands of years old.  We don¡¯t make many spawn.  My father believes it thins the blood. Or believed before he passed on.¡±

    ¡°What do they call themselves?¡±

    ¡°Depends on which one you ask, the old ones who remember their origins refer to themselves as the Children of Lilith, those who don¡¯t vampire, the cabal, the cartel, the organization. Whatever makes them feel better about being blood-sucking monsters.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think much of them, do you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve spent two thousand years cleaning up their messes. They make new vampires like rabbits¡¯ breed.  They don¡¯t teach them well enough and then the Seers clean up their mess.  But they are vampires and that makes them more suitable for friends then humans.¡±

    He nodded.  Enid looked around the room.

    ¡°How old are you Obake?  The last Samurai rebellion was in eighteen seventy-seven.  So I¡¯m guessing at least one hundred years ago.¡±

    ¡°It was that rebellion that resulted in my curse.  You know much of Japanese history.¡±

    ¡°Not as much as I would like.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°You would like to learn my ability to change my face?¡±

    ¡°Yes, very much so, I have been more active in the human world and being stuck looking like this makes it difficult to shed identities.¡±

    ¡°I think it is an extension of my skills of disguise when I was human.  How do I teach you?¡±

    ¡°You share blood with me, and I use that to access the power and infuse it into my body.   It is customary to exchange abilities when one is doing this.  You would share your blood and I will learn what it is to shape-change, and you would share my blood to learn a gift I have that you would like to unlock.  I know how to make myself stronger, faster, more durable.  I have superior senses.  The ability to cloud and control the mind of weaker creatures, speaking to animals, cloak myself in shadows, force lesser minds to overlook my presence.  There are other gifts, but you may not be able to use them, altering the flow of time, flight, telekinesis, ancient magic.  They are old powers, older than the universe.¡±

    ¡°What is telekinesis?¡±

    Enid reached up her hand and the wooden figurine that lay discarded beside him on his cot flew to her hand.  She held up the figure.  Obake¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°You could teach me this?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, if you¡¯ve the power in your blood.  It took me centuries to master it.  And as with all things we do it drains essence from our blood that we must replenish by drinking humans.  It is a very costly gift and needs to be used sparingly.  I try to avoid it.  Other gifts are more useful and cost nothing.  What would you like in exchange for your knowledge of shape-changing?¡±

    ¡°I would like to influence people¡¯s minds.¡±

    ¡°Then a bargain is struck, and we will seal it in blood.¡±

    She bit her wrist and motioned him to do the same.

    ¡°To transfer the essence of the power we must drink from each other.¡±

    She offered her wrist, he offered his.  Enid drank the offered blood and he drank hers.  His blood was pure, almost like an imperial.  Pugmentia¡¯s while powerful tasted like it was tainted.  He finished and looked like he¡¯d just drank three coffees.

    ¡°Your blood tastes like¡­¡±

    ¡°Like you just drank from the fountain of youth?¡±

    ¡°Like life itself.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°My father was the first vampire, and I am two thousand years old.  Our blood gains strength as we age, and he was hundreds of thousands of years old.  Mine is very potent.  Shall we exchange gifts now?  I have a human friend who is going to be wondering where I am, so my time grows short.¡±

    He nodded.

 Okinawa - 1989 - Year 4 - Part 1/5 (Enid)

    Enid pulled off her shoes and kicked her feet up on top of the balcony. She used the armrest of her chair to pop the cap off her beer. She took a long swig. She wiggled her toes while looking out over the Pacific Ocean.

    I will never get used to being able to do this, or this view.

    She took another long drink from her beer. She reached over and grabbed her remote and pressed play on her cd player. Music started playing. American pop. Her feet started moving in sync with the beat. She took another long drink from her beer and tossed the bottle in the clothes basket she used to collect the empties. She opened the cooler and sighed. All the ice was melted.

    Warm Japanese beer, worse than cold blood.

    She grabbed her heels and tossed them in a pile of her other shoes. She pulled off her blouse and dress skirt and pulled on a tank top and a pair of short. She tugged on her sneakers and found herself skipping down the building¡¯s stairs a short time later. She passed one of her neighbors who was slowly making his way up the stairs. He was an older man she had no idea what his first name was, just that he¡¯d lived in the building since it was built in the fifties. She spun around.

    ¡°Nishahara-San, I forgot something in my apartment, all this schoolwork I haven¡¯t gotten to the dojo as much and could use some exercise, may I carry your bags up?¡±

    Enid smiled and adjusted her fake glasses up her nose. As usual he frowned at her in his cranky old Japanese man way. Then nodded she took the bags and with some effort began to climb the stairs beside him. Sun was shining through windows in the stairwell, so her vampiric strength was of no help. Her pulled himself up with the railing.

    ¡°You started at University, Stuart-san?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±

    His foot slipped, she balanced herself with the bags and caught his arm. He looked up at her she could see the embarrassment in his eyes. Once his footing was solid again, she released it. She sighed.

    ¡°They need to fix that stair.¡±

    He nodded. He got to the top of the stairs and opened the door for Enid. And shuffled down the hallway to his door which he unlocked and motioned her to follow. Enid had always marveled at how his apartment was stuck in fifties. She put his bag down on the counter and gave a small, polite bow.

    ¡°Thank you letting me use your groceries to get exercise, Nishahara-san¡±

    He returned the bow.

    ¡°Stuart-San, you must be thirsty after that hard work. Would you like see tea?¡±

    Enid glanced out at the sun which was still high in the sky. She would have plenty of time to eat and drink before it set. She looked at her poor exhausted friend and bowed.

    ¡°Thank you for your hospitality Nishahara-San. Please as your guest, will you honor me with your permission to prepare it for you?¡±

    He gave a small bow to her his face still a mask of stoic Japanese man.

    ¡°Please.¡±

    Enid bowed slightly again and went about gathering supplies for her tea making. She had marveled at the intricate dance of Japanese honor and pride. She had been here for three years and Nishahara¡¯s condition had been declining steadily. He was in his nineties, she knew that much, no wife, children or grandchildren so she had taken to helping him where she could. Of course, it couldn¡¯t ever sound like she was trying to help him. They both knew she was helping him; They played this intricate game where she always made it sound like he was helping her. Many times, she would pretend the noodle restaurant she enjoyed messed up her order and she ended up with extra. He would pretend to be annoyed by the teenage girl pestering him and begrudgingly take the offered food.

    Enid brought a tray out with the makings for a traditional tea ceremony. She wasn¡¯t dressed for it but Nishahara looked more depressed today then usual. She had never done it for Nishahara before but he was of a very traditional background so she was certain he would appreciate it as the gesture of respect it was meant to be. He watched her with his typical stoic face. She was sure she caught the hint of a smile when he realized she was about to perform a very authentic tea ceremony for him. She went through the motions and poured a bowl for him bowing deeply as she moved it forward and placed it in front of him. He bowed and took a sip.

    ¡°Thank you, Stuart-San. Will you share this with me?¡±

    Enid bowed again and waited as Nishahara poured her a bowl of tea. She took a sip. The pair drank their tea slowly, in silence. His dark mood seemed to be alleviated somewhat. He always seemed like wanted to say more during their shared tea, or meals but was too embarrassed. So instead, she would just tell him about her day. The trial and tribulations of a high school aged girl. Enid found it therapeutic, and it seemed to make Nishahara happy, in his own way. Today he seemed especially on the cusp of talking but did not. Enid had a thought suddenly. He could open up if he was drinking.

    ¡°Nishahara-san, I wish not to impose on you further, but I was going to celebrate my first day of University, but Nobuyuki-san had to attend a funeral in Tokyo with his family. Would you do me the honor of sharing my celebration dinner?¡±

    He thought for a few minutes, as usual with their social game. He had to appear to not be excited, though she could see he was in his eyes. He bowed.

    ¡°Stuart-San, I will do this for you.¡±

    Enid bowed to him.

    ¡°I will go get noodles, hopefully they don¡¯t give me double this time, I do not think the pair of us could eat four meals.¡±

    *****

    When Enid returned, she had their meals and one of her many bottles of Sake she had laying around her apartment. She knocked on his door and after a spell he answered it.

    ¡°Nishahara-san, thank you for allowing me to impose on your evening.¡±

    ¡°Come in Stuart-San¡±

    He closed the door behind her and shuffled after her. She set the places for their meals and then pulled the bottle of Sake out of her bag. She had picked one of the expensive ones. She had long ago decided to enjoy the hell out of being a human during the day. She popped the top and placed the bottle on the table. Nishahara blinked at the sake, and looked at Enid who bowed slightly.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°I apologize Nishahara-san, my sister bought this for me when she was here and I wanted to drink it on a special occasion, I will put it away.¡±

    ¡°No, we are celebrating, it is the proper time for sake. Your sister has very good taste Stuart-san.¡±

    Enid bowed and poured sake into his bowl and he did the same for her. He lifted his bowl.

    ¡°To new experiences.¡±

    Enid did the same. They both drank it down. She saw him shiver slightly. She felt the alcohol hit her as well. She smiled out at the sun then back to her host. They shared another few drinks and started to eat. Nishahara seemed to be relaxing just by his body language.

    ¡°I have not had sake in many years.¡±

    ¡°I probably drink too much of it, if I¡¯m being honest.¡±

    ¡°At your age?¡±

    ¡°I feel older than I look.¡±

    He laughed, for the first time since she had met him, he laughed in her presence.

    ¡°Stuart-san, you are a good neighbor.¡±

    ¡°Please Nishahara-san, call me Melanie.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course Melanie-chan, always helping this old man. I am sorry, I thought very bad things of you before we met, strange men coming and going at all hours, then I saw you out on your balcony in your bathing suit and saw that Yakuza tattoo and I thought you were going to be a terrible neighbor. But you have been nothing but nice and well behaved.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I wondered what kind of strange world I was living in when schoolgirls worked for the Yakuza. But things have been quieter with you around. Safer. Does Nobuyuki have people watching the area?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°Knowing him, probably, yes, but I will tell you a secret, and only because of the Sake. They¡¯re more scared of me then the Yakuza.¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°Junpei-san is that good of a teacher.¡±

    Enid laughed again.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just that scary.¡±

    He took another drink of his sake and made a dismissive motion.

    ¡°I do not believe you. The girl who studies on her balcony, helps the old people in the building with their groceries and makes it seem like they are helping her, and teaches children Karate, is scary?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Junpei-sensei is a great teacher though. He has taught me much, things like service to my elders and community is my duty.¡±

    ¡°If I was a blind man, I would assume you were Japanese.¡±

    Enid smiled and took another drink of her own sake. His face grew serious again.

    ¡°Did the man come and threaten you too about the increased rent?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Is that why he has not been back.¡±

    Enid blushed slightly and nodded.

    ¡°He was not Yakuza then?¡±

    ¡°No, he was not, his employer purchased the building and was going to tear it down and replace it with a bigger building for more money. So, they were trying to scare people out of their apartments.¡±

    ¡°So, the Yakuza stopped them?¡±

    Enid shook her head. Nishahara looked at her quizzically. Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I invited him in, broke his arm and suggested that he tell me who his boss was. Then I visited his boss and dangled him upside down over the edge of his roof until he agreed to sell me the building, for the amount he paid for it, of course.¡±

    Nishahara finished his bowl of sake and Enid poured him another.

    ¡°I am not interested in real estate, but I like my view. Also, many of the people who live here are old and to ask them to move for greed seems like a crime.¡±

    ¡°Is that why our rents have gone down.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I only charge enough for utilities, taxes and building upkeep.¡±

    ¡°That seems like bad business. Perhaps I was in the wrong job when I was younger if the Yakuza pays so well. Some people might not appreciate benefiting from their crimes.¡±

    ¡°Actually, it pays very well, but I do not get involved with their criminal activities. There are things in the darkness in Japan, that the Yakuza fear, and I am the one that the things in the darkness fear. So, the Yakuza pays me very well to deal with them. Because people pay the Yakuza for protection. So, people are getting what they pay for.¡±

    He looked serious again.

    ¡°Are you one of the pale ones?¡±

    Enid blinked.

    ¡°What do you mean pale ones?¡±

    ¡°Soldiers from the war would tell stories of these pale westerners that would sweep over them at night leaving many bodies drained of blood in their wake.¡±

    ¡°No, I am not one of those. I hunt them.¡±

    Enid pointed at the sun that was still shining through the windows.

    ¡°If I were one of those, I would be a pile of ashes right now.¡±

    ¡°You truly hunt them?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I saw one once, it looked me in the eyes but then it swept away like a shadow, but blown by the wind. I felt like I should have died that night.¡±

    He took another drink of his sake.

    ¡°I have killed many of them. They have rules, the ones that break them don¡¯t last long because people like me find them. The ones you describe were likely emboldened by the war. So many people dying every day, it was easy to take what they wanted. They are opportunists.¡±

    ¡°Are the many of them?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°They are like cockroaches and rats. You kill one, but you know there are another thousand of them where that one came from, hiding. They were almost wiped out. Thousands of years ago someone killed a million of them in one day. They call it the night of blood. The Japanese vampires believe that it was Haha Ketsueki Megami. The mother blood goddess who woke up after a long sleep and was hungry. They¡¯re scared she¡¯s awake again. Mostly because they think I¡¯m her.¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I thought when they said it. But if think I¡¯m her they behave better.¡±

    ¡°Why do they think this?¡±

    ¡°Probably because I destroyed twelve of them in one night and staked their elder with a chopstick.¡±

    She held up one of her chopsticks. He coughed on his sake.

    ¡°It is what I had on hand. They attacked Nobuyuki¡¯s family, I wanted to send a very strongly worded message. They got the wrong message, but they have abandoned Okinawa so, I see it as win. I¡¯m good at what I do.¡±

    He continued to cough until he cleared his throat.

    ¡°And that is probably why it seems safer around here, them not being here.¡±

    ¡°Please tell me about yourself Nishahara-san. I know you have no family left; I would like to make sure you are remembered.¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°Am I that close to the grave?¡±

    Enid looked down at her sake and back to him. Her gift told her he was not long for this world. After he loosened up his future had become clearer. His shoulders slumped when he looked into her eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Nishahara-san. I see things others do not.¡±

    He nodded, looking more somber now. She poured him the last of the sake.

    ¡°I was a soldier in the war. I was an officer. I watched many men die but was not taken myself. I was ordered back to Japan to mount an all-out defense. Then the bombs dropped, and the war was over, and suddenly we soldiers were men without honor. Hated and despised by the victors. Our government was embarrassed by us, so, we faded into obscurity. All the medals, and the honors piled on us are so much sand blown away by the east wind.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°You know, it has always been like that. Soldiers are heroes until what they¡¯re leadership told them to do becomes inconvenient and then they soldiers take the blame, for following orders.¡±

    He drunkenly shuffled to a drawer and pulled out his medals and an old katana put them on the table.

    ¡°This is all I have left of my life. After the war I could not get a job, we did such terrible things.¡±

    Enid put her hand on Nishahara¡¯s.

    ¡°We have all done terrible things Nishahara-san. Me more then most. Atrocities because we believed them to be right, or it what was ordered of us. You are not the sum of those things.¡±

    He had tears on his face now he squeezed her offered hand.

    ¡°You speak as if you have known war.¡±

    ¡°My whole life up until I moved to Japan has been war. And when I leave Japan, it will be war again. This is my brief reprieve. I will earn no medals, gain no glory, Ours is not to question why, ours is to do or die. Tennyson was no fool. You did what you were ordered too. I will never fault someone for that.¡±

    He squeezed her hand tightly.

    ¡°We thought we were right, that the westerners were sub-human. It made it easy too¡­¡±

    ¡°Nishahara-san, I know it is hard to imagine, but I know exactly how you felt at that moment. It is easy to get lost, but you have found your way back and you have lived a decent and good life since then. No less can be expected of a man of war.¡±

    She moved around the table and hugged him close and he cried himself to sleep in her arms as night was falling. She picked him up and laid him in his bed, then cleaned up after their meal and the drinks. She looked at his medals and his katana. It wasn¡¯t some cheap mass produced katana, it was one of the originals. She looked at its tarnished blade and with a glance at the moon pulled out her tools and began to polish it so the engravings in this blade could be seen. It had belonged to a Samurai that much was obvious, and it was passed down and somehow not confiscated after the war. With that work done she took the blade and put it on the dresser with its sheath. She then polished the medals and cleaned the dust off of the glass display case and placed them by the katana. She looked down at his sleeping form.

    Poor man. Never really left the war.

 Okinawa - 1989 - Year 4 -Part 2 (Enid)

    Enid finally got back to her apartment and dumped the cooler out and put the beers in the refrigerator. She was about to turn off her lights before laying down and staring at a wall all night when her phone rang. She looked at her watch.

    Midnight? This can¡¯t be good.

    She stared at her phone for two more rings then sighed and picked it up.

    ¡°Melanie speaking.¡±

    ¡°Melanie-chan, we, have a problem.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s up Edo?¡±

    ¡°Boss is out of town and guys are well, we had a¡­well we had a client beat up one of the girls.¡±

    ¡°So, you know what to do, beat him up and blacklist him, that¡¯s what is done isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Well, a couple of guys did try, and he kicked their asses.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t do day to day Edo, you know that.¡±

    ¡°I know but, I have no one else who can take him. And the Boss left me in charge.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°How bad is she?¡±

    ¡°Pretty bad, she should be in the hospital.¡±

    ¡°Where is she now?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s here, doc¡¯s looking at her, it doesn¡¯t look good.¡±

    Enid sighed again.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in five.¡±

    She hung up her phone and leaped off her balcony and flew low over the ocean before landing behind the pachinko parlor that seconded as the Yakuza¡¯s actual headquarters. She nodded to the back door man and without knocking shoved her way into the street doctor¡¯s clinic room. He was about to yell at her then noticed it was her and backed away from the girl. She was a gaijin and so black and blue it was hard to tell. Enid glared at the doctor then reached out her hands and took the injuries onto herself then after several minutes of intense pain and discomfort she healed.

    ¡°You know innocents who get hurt bad you call me, why didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I did but you didn¡¯t answer.¡±

    Enid sighed and nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. She¡¯ll be fine now.¡±

    The girl started to wake up, she had blue eyes and blonde hair. Enid recognized her now that her face wasn¡¯t so swollen, her name was Kim. Enid spoke in English.

    ¡°Kim, who did this?¡±

    Kim was touching herself and looking up at Enid and grabbed her hand.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it, you¡­you are an angel like the girls said.¡±

    ¡°Shh Kim, shh, I need to know if you know who did this? Was it a new client? Soldier? Japanese? Was he a regular?¡±

    ¡°Soldier, saw his wallet, name was Koenig. Dark hair, light eyes. He¡­he¡­¡±

    ¡°It is alright Kim, you don¡¯t need to tell me. I just needed his name. I will ensure he knows the error of his ways. Don¡¯t worry.¡±

    Enid turned to leave, and Kim grabbed her hand tightly.

    ¡°Thank you, Melanie, thank you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, now I¡¯m sure Edo will agree with me, go take a couple of days off, okay? Treat yourself to a spa day.¡±

    Enid pulled Kim into a tight hug, on the one hand it would comfort her, on the other hand it would let her pull the scent of the man off of her. With a name and his scent, he was fucked.

    ¡°Melanie, I¡¯m so glad Itashi brought you on. They don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Nobuyuki-san is a good man. So are his boys, but they have a certain, decorum they have to keep. Showing too much emotion is not something they are comfortable with. As gaijin I¡¯m allowed. Now go get some rest.¡±

    ¡°Melanie, be careful, he¡¯s a big guy.¡±

    ¡°Its okay I have a big dick.¡±

    Enid winked at Kim and she smiled at her. Enid walked out still wearing her tank top and shorts. It was night, it was a humid night and was in no way cold. She walked into the bar and felt a hand on her ass. When the person who owned looked up and saw her tattoo the hand snapped away and the owner a drunken Japanese businessman began apologizing profusely. If this had been four years ago he likely would be in the market for a prosthetic arm, but four years of having Miko for a best friend and dealing with teenage boys had mellowed Enid¡¯s someone violent response to men touching her inappropriately. She put a hand on his friends shoulder.

    ¡°It appears Tana-san has had too much to drink tonight. We value your patronage, I¡¯ll have someone send over a coffee and some water.¡±

    The friend who was also intoxicated but less so stood and bowed because Tana was not able too. Yakuza talked freely in the bar and based on the looks the men were giving, Enid had a reputation that had gotten around. The look of relief on the mans face was very apparent. Enid went to the bar.

    ¡°Tagashi-San, could you please send a coffee to table three, and some water, on the house. One of them has had too much to drink.¡±

    ¡°Sure, think Melanie-chan. Can I get you anything?¡±

    ¡°Set a side a bottle of the good sake for me.¡±

    Enid pulled out a pile of yen and put it on the bar.

    ¡°Nobuyuki-san says your money is no good here.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in Tokyo, so I say it is.¡±

    Enid winked at him, he took it and put it in the cashbox. She was about to leave and she heard him say: ¡®Hey¡¯. Enid turned back to him.

    ¡°Is Kim going to be alright? She looked pretty beat up.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s fine, I took care of it.¡±

    He nodded while wiping glasses down.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for my leg I¡¯d go kick his ass. Gaijin come down here think they can treat girls like that.¡±

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for your leg Nobuyuki-san wouldn¡¯t have the best bartender on the island. Don¡¯t worry, Edo is on it.¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°By the look in your eyes, I¡¯d say you¡¯re on it. You always said you don¡¯t help with the business. Are you changing your mind. By the look in them, someone¡¯s hurt you and you¡¯re seeing his face. Does Nobuyuki-san know?¡±

    Enid sighed and nodded. She sat at the bar.

    ¡°He¡¯s long dead.¡±

    ¡°I feel like that was a mercy for him.¡±

    ¡°It probably was, I guarantee I would make him suffer. He did many things to me while I was a child and too weak to fight back.¡±

    ¡°This man isn¡¯t him, Melanie-chan, remember, we don¡¯t want to kill business, just make sure they understand not to mess with our girls.¡±

    He poured a glass of coke for her and put it down.

    ¡°There is nothing in that.¡±

    ¡°That is because you are only eighteen Melanie-chan.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ll sell me sake?¡±

    ¡°Because I know you take it home for your neighbor. Very nice of you to deliver for him and us.¡±

    He glanced at a man down the bar who was looking at the pair. Enid smiled at him. She recognized him as a police officer. She frowned and downed the coke. And spoke a little louder.

    ¡°I have class early tomorrow. Thank you for the coke Tagashi-san. Could I get the bottle of sake for Nishahara-san?¡±

    He reached down and pulled out the bottle and put it on the bar. She took it and put it in her pack with another glance to the police officer and walked out of the back door. She glanced back when she heard footsteps, not obvious ones they were obviously trying to shadow her. But with her enhanced senses and night vision a mortal had little chance of that. It was the cop. She frowned and paused at the edge of the alleyway.

    ¡°What is it Inspector? I have an early morning, so if you¡¯re trying to find out where I¡¯m going, I¡¯m going home, if you want to talk can we walk and talk?¡±

    He stood there in the shadows she could see him caught between disbelief and panic. He finally stepped out and hurried to catch up. He was young and new. She had seen him sniffing around Nobuyuki¡¯s businesses, but the Police on Okinawa knew to leave them be. She had never heard him speak before and he had an American sounding English accent.

    ¡°Did they kidnap you when you were young? I can help.¡±

    ¡°No, they did not.¡±

    ¡°How does a young woman who for all appearances is a kind, respectful girl who helps care for her elderly neighbors get tangled up in the schemes of organized crime?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°Oh Inspector. You think this is like the Mafia in the US? The drug dealers?¡±

    ¡°I find the fact my fellow officers just let this go on under their noses offensive.¡±

    ¡°Inspector, the Yakuza have been working this way for the centuries.¡±

    ¡°We live in the shadows, and as part of that fight things in shadows, that the police want no part of. In exchange we do business respectfully of course. Keep the other criminals in line and maintain a balance. Have you seen a crime rate this low in the United States?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°That is because we run the crime and we understand respect and decorum, we do not have gun battles in the streets. Mug random strangers. The girls are paid, the drugs if they are handled are free of dangerous substances, and we ensure that the more violent organized crime of the US does not come to this Island. Yes some of the Yakuza, are, violent and ruthless, on the mainland, but not here.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°A girl came in beat up tonight. I saw her. Why was it not reported to the police?¡±

    ¡°Because she is fine, and this is a Yakuza matter.¡±

    ¡°I notice people fear you, is it a matter you will deal with?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a university student. I have class tomorrow at 7:30 am. If you believe I would not sleep tonight so I could go punish someone for beating up one of our girls, you are should probably turn in your badge.¡±

    ¡°I notice you have scars. It is a dangerous life you¡¯re choosing. I can help.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°My father gave me these scars, he was not Yakuza.¡±

    ¡°You just seem so innocent in all this. I checked your school records, perfect attendance, no disciplinary actions, you volunteer, I asked your neighbors about you. They have nothing but good things to say.¡±

    ¡°I am Yakuza, do you think they will not say whatever I want them to say?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°I have seen people who have been intimidated into submission before. They like you. Neighborhood says it¡¯s never been safer. Your neighbor, Nishahara, he seems to think you¡¯re the second coming or something. Why are you getting involved with organized crime?¡±

    ¡°Because, I have a job to do, they make it easier. And they have treated me like family since I¡¯ve been here, which is more then I can say for most.¡±

    ¡°That is how gangs work, kid, they lure you in like that, then next thing you know you¡¯re in prison.¡±

    ¡°Once again, this is not the US. I don¡¯t work in their organization. I am a specialist.¡±

    ¡°What do you do for them then?¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°Case numbers: 1985-03-09-3A,B,C,D,E,F, 1985-06-24-1A Through ZZ, 1987-12-22-6B. Look at those, that is what I do for them and you.¡±

    He blinked at her.

    ¡°You do not need to save me Inspector. I am quite capable of defending myself, or leaving the Yakuza as I wish. I assure you. Nobuyuki-san has treated me like his daughter, if I wish to leave, he will make it happen. My relationship with them is one of family and an alliance of convenience for both sides.¡±

    He continued to walk with her right up until her building. He kept glancing at her tattoo as if it were going to come alive and devour him. She opened the building door.

    ¡°Does your landlord know he has a Yakuza member living in the building.¡±

    ¡°She actually does. Is happy to have me here, says it keeps the garbage out.¡±

    He blinked at her as she walked inside without another word. She went upstairs and let the shadows engulf her and flew off again, this time towards the US military base nearest Naha. She knew the base well for no other reason than it was good hunting grounds. She landed behind two Marine MP¡¯s on patrol and picked his pocket stealing the keys to the buildings and then casually strolled to the CO¡¯s building. She guess he¡¯d have a list of personal assigned to the base, there were a substantial amount and so many bases on Okinawa it might take a while to find this Koenig fellow. She unlocked the door and walked in. And after a few tries found the key to the personal officers filing room and started with the K¡¯s. She found the file and looked at the picture. All things considered she was glad they had paper still. He looked young, matched the description. She checked his age, nineteen.

    ¡°Kid is already hitting women?¡±

    She took the folder to their photocopier and made a duplicate of the file and put the original back. She retraced her steps and found the MP¡¯s searching the grass near the building they had been by.

    ¡°I swear they were right here.¡±

    Enid forced her appearance to change. Taking on a brunette hair color and brown eyes. She pulled her glasses off and slid them into her pack, swept her hand along the side of it, turning off the extradimensional space leaving a purse full of normal feminine sundries and make up. then walked back around a corner let the shadows of night fall away and walked out holding up the keys, trying her best to sound like a Russian native speaker.

    ¡°Looking for these?¡±

    To say the two marines were shocked would be an understatement one was fumbling for his gun. The other already had his out.

    ¡°Drop them!¡±

    She dropped the keys.

    ¡°Am I not supposed to be here?¡±

    ¡°God damn it she¡¯s a Russian spy.¡±

    ¡°I think the technical term is soviet spy, American pig dog.¡±

    She let them put her in cuffs amused by the whole thing.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to wish you hadn¡¯t gotten caught.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell your base commander exactly why I¡¯m here. But only if I see him in the next fifteen minutes. Or I mean you could spend the next week searching all over the base for any explosive devices I may have planted.¡±

    She smirked. They shoved her along roughly. And put her in a room. She was impressed when an older man wearing one star showed up. Looking a combination of perplexed and angry. He was flanked by two marines who looked a lot bigger then the two MP¡¯s she¡¯d been brought in by. She had her hands behind her back. She flicked her fingers under them and used her TK to pop the lock open. They fell to the ground, and she put her hands on the table.

    ¡°That feels better.¡±

    The guards and the general stepped back.

    ¡°What? Never seen someone pick a lock before?¡±

    She dropped the Russian accent and went for southern US.

    ¡°General your security is terrible. I was on this base for an hour doing whatever I pleased. I actually picked your MP¡¯s pocket, took his keys and he and his partner spent half an hour searching for them on a lawn instead of calling it in. Pathetic. If I really was a soviet spy your base would be fucked. I could have planted enough explosives to incapacitate you. Not to mention the nuclear launch silos. You need to do better.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here? Who are you?¡±

    Enid pointed to her back.

    ¡°This tattoo, its Yakuza, you know who they are right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, criminals.¡±

    She looked him in the eyes and she saw the subtle lean close, the slight gasp as he became obsessed with her eyes.

    ¡°General, have them bring me my pack, I¡¯ll tell you exactly why I am here.¡±

    He looked to his left.

    ¡°Bring her pack in, give it to her.¡±

    ¡°But General.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an order soldier. You know you follow those right?¡±

    He saluted.

    ¡°Yes sir.¡±

    He returned shortly with Enid¡¯s pack and handed to her. She could tell the contents had been rifled through. She swept her hand along it and pulled out the front sheet of the personal file. She swept her hand along it again and slung it over her shoulders. She looked the General in the eyes again forcing her will onto him. He stared at her hanging on her every word.

    ¡°This man assaulted a woman in Naha. We would like him to pay restitution to her and have him banned from our establishments. If you don¡¯t arrange this its best he not leave the base, ever.¡±

    One of the soldiers beside the general got pissed.

    ¡°You can¡¯t come on this base and threaten one of ours.¡±

    The general still staring in Enid¡¯s eyes held up his hand and held the soldier back.

    ¡°No, you bring him in, bring him up on charges. Go. I want you to throw the book at him.¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    ¡°You heard me. We can¡¯t have our men causing a ruckus with the locals.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s part of the mafia sir, we can¡¯t make deals with them.¡±

    Enid maintained eye contact with the general.

    ¡°Now, thank me for bringing your security inadequacies and your man¡¯s abhorrent behavior to light and send me on my way with an escort to the gates.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am, for bringing our security issues and the crimes of this soldier to our attention. I hope you have a good evening.¡±

    He turned to the soldier beside him who was looking at her like he wanted to strangle her and spoke.

    ¡°Escort her to the gate, make sure she gets off the base safely.¡±

    ¡°Sir?¡±

    ¡°Are you going def corporal?¡±

    ¡°No sir. Then make sure she gets off the base safely. Then report to medical to have your hearing checked.¡±

    The marine corporal grabbed her arm and tugged her along she didn¡¯t resist. She passed the two MPs who were in the midst of being debriefed by two men in suits. They looked shocked to see her escorted past.

    ¡°Where are you going with her?¡±

    ¡°General¡¯s orders, sir, get her off the base.¡±

    ¡°He can¡¯t do that¡­¡±

    Enid feeling bratty, spoke in Russian.

    ¡°Better luck next time, Comrades.¡±

    She winked while the two men in suits rushed into see the General. Once she was outside, she looked up in the marine corporal¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, you got me to the gate, you politely wished me good night and went to your barracks to get some sleep.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Have a good night ma¡¯am. Next time just ask for a meeting with the CO, would you?¡±

    Enid nodded when he turned away, she pulled the shadows around herself and watched the marine trying to explain he had already taken her to the gate and was heading back to his barracks to go back to bed to the two military intelligence agents. She stifled a laugh as the agents looked at each other in frustration.

    ¡°Who the fuck was she?¡±

    ¡°I donno, but whoever it is she¡¯s got fucking balls, comes in here and walks out of here like she owned the place.¡±

    They sighed and turned to the Marine.

    ¡°Call the gate and tell them to try and follow her.¡±

    He called the gate.

    ¡°Corporal, you didn¡¯t come here tonight.¡±

    Enid stifled another laugh and flew away letting her form shift back to her nineteen-year-old version of Melanie Stuart whose hair had gone to a shade of auburn her skin was less pale and she just looked more mousy in general. She found a couple of soldiers out smoking and she drank from both refreshing all the blood she had used that night and landed on her balcony and let the shadows fall away. Her phone was ringing when she arrived she rolled her eyes and went to it.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Melanie-chan?¡±

    ¡°Yes Edo, you know it is three am and I have to be up for school in like three hours right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Melanie-chan, but some men came asking about a woman with a dragon tattoo who broke into the base, they were upset, said asked if we were working with the Russians.¡±

    ¡°And what did you say?¡±

    ¡°I said we don¡¯t know any Russians.¡±

    ¡°Good answer.¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Nothing I assure you, I¡¯ve been here sleeping all night after the Inspector dropped me off.¡±

    ¡°They asked around the bar, I didn¡¯t feel comfortable kicking them out, people know you have the tattoo Raijin.¡±

    ¡°So, they do, but I assure you I was sleeping here.¡±

    Enid was pulling her clothes off and getting ready to lay in bed staring at the wall for a couple hours letting her mind wander.

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    ¡°Can I go back to bed Edo?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m sorry to have bothered you.¡±

    ¡°Good night Edo, get some sleep, I¡¯m sure this will blow over in the morning.¡±

    Enid hung up the phone and fell into her bed face down smacked her head into the pillow a few times.

    ¡°Impulsive, stupid impulsive Enid.¡±

    She sighed rolled over staring at her ceiling.

    This not being able to sleep without sleeping for decades is bullshit.

    She groaned when she heard a loud knocking at her door. She tugged her night robe on since she tended to lay naked in bed and pulled her glasses on. She walked to the door and opened it and she was face to face with the two US agents. She heard Nishahara open his door and glare at them. He spoke in angry, but broken English. He still sounded quite drunk from their night of sake.

    ¡°Who do you think you are? Knocking so loudly at this hour, she has school.¡±

    The agent showed his badge.

    ¡°Just go inside.¡±

    ¡°You Americans, you have no place here.¡±

    Nishahara shook his cane.

    Enid peaked out of her door.

    ¡°I apologize Nishahara-san, I will make sure we¡¯re quiet.¡±

    He nodded to her and closed his door. She looked at the two agents, pulling her robe tighter. She chose a Scottish accent this time.

    ¡°You should come in, before he gets his rifle, he still thinks we should have won the war.¡±

    ¡°We?¡±

    ¡°Well, I am a dual Scottish-Japanese citizen. Neither of which falls under US jurisdiction, unless something has changed.¡±

    She narrowed her eyes and backed into the apartment motioning for them to enter. She closed the door after them.

    ¡°Forgive me for being cranky, people keep disturbing my sleep tonight.¡±

    She turned on the lights and adjusted her glasses.

    ¡°We¡¯re told you¡¯re close with the Yakuza and have a dragon tattoo.¡±

    ¡°Both are true statements.¡±

    ¡°Its it odd for a westerner to be accepted?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes it is, but I saved one of their boss¡¯s lives. I invited you in as a curtesy, but I have to be up for school in 2-3 hours so lets just get to the point shall we before I toss you out on your asses.¡±

    They looked at each other, the had obviously done enough investigation in the last two hours to realize how scared people were of her.

    ¡°Are you a soviet agent?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m a university student.¡±

    They looked at each other.

    ¡°Could we see your tattoo?¡±

    ¡°I sleep naked, so no, you can¡¯t see my naked teenage body, creep.¡±

    ¡°Where were you tonight between the hours of eight pm and one am?¡±

    ¡°Not that is any of your business, but I had dinner with my neighbor, we got drunk on sake, a girl got hurt and the Yakuza asked me to look at her because I¡¯m in medicine at school and then I replaced my sake and came home and went to bed, so I could sleep off the sake before school.¡±

    ¡°How much sake did you have?¡±

    She reached into her basked with the empty sake bottle and tossed it at them.

    ¡°Enough that if you¡¯d bothered me two hours ago I¡¯d be slurring as much is my neighbor.¡±

    ¡°They let you look at the girl while you were drunk?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re criminals, we don¡¯t exactly have ethical debates when someone is hurt, and they can¡¯t go to the hospital. Use some common sense.¡±

    ¡°So why are you asking about a girl with a dragon tattoo?¡±

    ¡°Well, if you want to know where I was at ten pm, I was walking home with an Inspector from the Naha Police. I¡¯m sure he watched the door for a while because he thought I was going to go do something terribly criminal and violent. As much as I have a rep, I patch people up, and I make sure the bar doesn¡¯t go wild when the boss is out of town. I don¡¯t enforce Yakuza justice. Look at me. Do I look like a mafia enforcer? Really? Or a spy? I am about done with this. I have school and karate lessons to teach right afterwards I am in no mood to lose more sleep because of your paranoia.¡±

    They didn¡¯t look like they were moving. Enid was starting to get annoyed, more at herself for the prank then anything else.

    ¡°Just, could we see your ID please?¡±

    ¡°You American¡¯s really do think you¡¯re the world police don¡¯t you? Fine.¡±

    She went over to her wallet and pulled out her Japanese passport, drives license and her student ID. She handed them to them.

    ¡°The only association I have with the United States, or its military is that I teach kids from the base at my Sensei¡¯s dojo. You are welcome to come watch the classes all you want, Junpei-sensei believes parents should be able to see their children growing in the art.¡±

    The first agent looked through all of them, then passed it to his partner and then he passed them back to her.

    ¡°So you¡¯re eighteen years old, and graduated high school this year and are going to university for medicine.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s me in a nutshell. Ask around, the worst thing I do is help out at my adoptive father¡¯s bar. That being said if you bother me again without Japanese authorities I¡¯ll complain to your consulate, the Scottish consulate and the Japanese authorities. What is it you American¡¯s say in your movies, ¡®I¡¯ll cause an international incident.¡¯ I am quite sure they will appreciate two American agents bothering a teenage girl at three thirty in the morning, a naked, barely of age, teenage girl.¡±

    They muttered some apologies and walked towards her apartment door. She closed it and locked it and leaned against it.

    Going to have to be on my best behavior god damn it.

 Okinawa - 1989 - Year 4 - Part 3 (Enid)

    Enid was driving to school, several weeks had passed since she¡¯d visited the US base.  She noticed there was still a tail.  She didn¡¯t bother trying to lose them.  She¡¯d noticed them the morning after her visit.  She had just gone about her business, well not all of it, she had cut back on hunting and was just doing school, teaching and taking classes at the Dojo and avoiding Nobuyuki and the Yakuza all together.    She hadn¡¯t tried to evade her tails at all, they had been watching her apartment.  They even rented the unit across from hers.  She pondered if they had done enough investigation to notice she owned the building.  She shook her head.  They had planted a Japanese woman, but Enid could tell easily from her accent and behavior she was from the US.  It was so amusing to her they would think it would slip by her.  She¡¯d been living here for four years.  She knew the people and the country.  She sighed and pulled into her parking spot locking her doors.  Her pack was in a new school bag she had purchased as soon as she noticed the first tail.  She purposely left a purse in the car with copious feminine hygiene products, extra underwear and anything else she could think of to annoy them when the inevitably broke into her car.  She was fairly sure they had a tracker on it. She didn¡¯t bother to remove it.  In fact, she went out other way to look ridiculously normal.  Eventually her bubble of normalcy would burst if the Yakuza got a call from Taichi or the like.  About the only thing she hadn¡¯t done at this point is gotten a boyfriend.  Miko had a lot of prospects for her apparently, she had been quite popular in their high school.  Enid was almost tempted to acquiesce with her demands she find a man now that they weren¡¯t kids.

    Enid slung her backpack over her shoulder.  She¡¯d gone with a nice blouse and skirt today.  She always did her best to look professional for her university classes.  The professors seemed to like it and considering she was a white skinned westerner, she needed all the help she could get.  She¡¯d had to take a Japanese language mastery test to get in even with her Japanese citizenship they didn¡¯t believe she was as fluent as a Japanese person.  The racism in Japan was quite apparent if hidden by a vale of politeness.  It didn¡¯t bother her, she was indeed a foreigner but she did her best to fit in with their beliefs and follow their customs.

    Enid sat down in class and notice a new gaijin in it.  She would assume British prep schoolboy, if not for the fact the US government was so focused on finding out who she was.  She hadn¡¯t gotten too her age without being able to spot a plant a mile away.  She would do it in the past to complete investigations into vampire misdoings.  That was a nastier minefield though.  If they had a clue what hey were sending the boy into they¡¯d probably shit their pants.  She pulled out her books and began taking notes.  At least the spy they put into her class had a clue how to speak and read Japanese.  He had gone with a t-shirt and shorts.  Thus the professor had picked on him mercilessly, also he was the new guy.

    ¡°Melanie-chan.¡±

    Enid looked back.  It was Ishagi, an old classmate from her senior high school.  He rushed to catch up.

    ¡°Did you get the assignment done?¡±

    ¡°Yes I did.  Where is Isamu?¡±

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s¡­  He¡¯s probably about to fail at asking someone out.¡±

    Enid giggled.

    ¡°He always was terrible with girls.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes he has.  You haven¡¯t come out with us lately.  Is everything alright?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, I¡¯m just very busy between school and the dojo.¡±

    ¡°Well we¡¯re doing a study group-milkshake get together at the Go-Go.  Would you come?¡±

    I have been pretty anti-social.  I don¡¯t want to alienate my class.

    Enid pondered for a few moments.  She caught a glimpse of the plant trying to evesdrop. She nodded.

    ¡°I suppose I can, there are no classes to teach tonight.  I really have missed going out.¡±

    Ishagi smiled and clapped his hands.

    ¡°I told them you¡¯d come.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The girls.  Isamu and I have told them all about you from school.¡±

    ¡°Anyone need a ride?  I have a car.¡±

    ¡°Oh I could use one and Miyano, and Fukui.¡±

    ¡°Okay my car is in the east lot, it¡¯s a black civic.¡±

    ¡°I will see you there, good luck in your lab.¡±

    Enid nodded and walked towards her chemistry lab class.  She arrived and sat down at her lab table.  Unlike her main classes this one was bereft of people she went to high school with.  Seeing only a westerner who were widely considered careless and lazy no one had partnered with her, and she was the odd woman out, and the lab instructor had just not bothered to force someone to partner with her.  It suited her fine she could get the work done faster without interference of a mortal, especially since the classroom had no windows.  She saw the plant come in and he spoke to the lab teacher who pointed to her table.  She frowned.  Looks like her afternoon of peace was about to be disturbed.  She moved her backpack off of the extra seat and put it at her feet.  He smiled at her.  She marveled at how he thought that would work for her especially when she wasn¡¯t in the sun.  The only urges she had, were the ones she wanted, mostly.  He offered his hand, which to a Japanese person was almost in insult.  She took it as not to be rude.  He understood the language but not the culture.  He had a British accent.

    ¡°Aiden Pearce, and you are?¡±

    And definitely not your real name.

    Enid smiled at him shaking his hand.

    You know damn well who I¡¯m supposed to be.

    ¡°Melanie Stuart.¡±

    ¡°Is that a Scottish Accent?¡±

    ¡°It is indeed.¡±

    ¡°What luck, I land in the school with someone else from the UK.¡±

    ¡°Some of us would rather not be part of the UK.¡±

    He blinked at her.  She kept a serious look on her face then let it melt as she gave a small laugh.

    ¡°The look on your face you British get, always so serious about Queen and Country.¡±

    His shoulders relaxed.  Seeing him panic about his cover being wrong amused her.  Precious else did sometimes.  Playing the game with him might provide her with some amusement.  The cat had found a mouse and now she was going to play with it until it fled in terror.

    Lets start by his cover.

    ¡°So, Aiden, what brings you to Japanese University?  Daddy couldn¡¯t get you into Oxford?¡±

    Enid blinked innocently while pouring the extremely concentrated acid they were using for the experiment today under the fume hood.  She could see she¡¯d stung his pride slightly, the want to correct her error but he smiled and shook his head.

    ¡°No, my father is here at the British Embassy and thought I should go to school here and ingratiate myself to our hosts.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°And how did a pale Scottish lass, from the highlands if I am not mistaken about your accent, end up here on this sun-soaked skin cancer causing island paradise?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I wanted to study Karate and my sister travels a lot for business.¡±

    ¡°So, no parents?¡±

    ¡°No, well there is my somewhat adoptive one who took me in when he realized I was fifteen and, on the island, alone.  Nice man runs all the crime on the islands.  Very protective of his daughters, which now includes me.¡±

    She continued to work on their project, splitting her attention between her work under the fume hood and keeping an eye on ¡®Aiden¡¯.  Whatever his real name was.  He feigned surprise, all but confirming her almost certainty he was a plant sent to spy on her.

    Did his research knows how well I¡¯m connected.  At least he¡¯s not stupid, terrible actor though.

    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not lying.¡±

    ¡°I figured I¡¯d get that out of the way before you got any ideas. I have found it¡¯s better that way, instead of going out on a date with me then a few hours later finding yourself in a limo with a Yakuza boss explaining about how you need to consider your future carefully.¡±

    He nodded.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Well I¡¯m a gentleman so I¡¯m sure he¡¯d see that.¡±

    You aren¡¯t half as attractive as you think you are you blonde haired asshat.  First off no beard, second off, not a barbarian from Gaul.

    She blinked at herself and almost dropped the vial of acid when the door opened and the sun shone on her back and she had a sudden rush of hormones when she remember Rolf behind her. The door closed and she got control of her body¡¯s reactions again.

    God damned amulet.

    She felt his hand on hers as he helped her steady the vial.  He seemed to have noticed her suddenly flush breathing and racing heart.

    ¡°Careful there, Melanie, that stuff is dangerous.¡±

    ¡°My bad, I should have eaten before class.¡±

    ¡°Well, we could go grab something after lab?¡±

    Ha, he thinks that was him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got plans.¡±

    ¡°Come on, when is the last time you had food and spoke English while eating it hmm?¡±

    ¡°If you call what you speak English I know some tutors I can introduce you too.¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone here, and you know how they are.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really, see I grew up here, I went to high school here, I have friends at the University, but fine, if my friends are okay with it I¡¯ll let you tag along.  But stop speaking English, you¡¯re offending my Scottish sensibilities.  I hope your Japanese is better.¡±

    He shook his head and jotted down a few more notes.  It amused her because half them were hers and she¡¯d done them in kanji.  She could tell he couldn¡¯t read it worth a crap.  He kept having to ask her what she¡¯d meant.

    Not so good with the kanji I see.  Who did your government bribe to get you into this school?  Did they just look for random stock young looking British guy with intelligence training who knew some Japanese?  I¡¯ll find out, no powers though, where¡¯s the fun in using those?

    ¡°How did you get into this school? You can¡¯t even read Kanji.¡±

    ¡°I cannot read your Kanji, are you a doctor or something?¡±

    Enid groaned.

    ¡°You¡¯re hilarious.¡±

    ¡°I always thought I was.¡±

    ¡°Stick with medicine because you¡¯re as funny as a root canal.¡±

    She pulled her lab book closer and wrote the notes out again in the ancient Greek alphabet in the time they had left. She kept him from seeing what she was doing then handed him back the book. The underlying language was still anglicized Japanese she just used the Greek alphabet. She actually took all her notes in ancient Greek.  Helped her remember the lessons better.

    Amara would be proud.

    She handed him her lab notebook.  She winked at him.

    ¡°In case you wanted to compare with yours. You can give it back when we meet at the Go-Go diner.  6pm. Don¡¯t be late.¡±

    He opened her lab book and stared after her.  She just pictured him rushing to get a copy so they could get the code breakers on it only to realize it was just lab notes of a first-year chemistry student.

    Mmm, I feel young again.

    Enid tugged a change of clothes out of her bag and put on a full t-shirt.  She didn¡¯t show off her Yakuza tattoo to her friends she usually wore a shirt over her bathing suit to conceal it if they dragged her swimming.  She changed up her skirt to a mini-skirt and pulled on a pair of sneakers.  She folded her nice clothes and put them in her pack and headed to her car.  She shifted her school books into the backpack and pulled her pack over her shoulder.  She saw Ishagi and the two women he¡¯d mentioned looking around.  She called out and waved.  They headed over.

    ¡°Ishagi!¡±

    ¡°Miyano, and Fukui, this is Melanie.  My good friend from High school.  Melanie, this is Miyano, and this is Fukui.¡±

    They had a round of small bows.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m starving, I hope this place is as good as I hear.¡±

    Ishagi nodded

    ¡°It is, all American food.  Authentic diner, run by an American couple.  Very popular with the military.¡±

    Enid nodded and motioned for them all to get in the car.

    ¡°Please.¡±

    Enid picked up her school bag and put it in the trunk, and offered the option to everyone else, everyone accepted, and she closed the trunk and got into the right side of the car and started it up.

    Ishagi was looking around the car.

    ¡°This is fully loaded, did your father buy it for you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a graduation present, after I told him I was going to take the bus to school instead of getting a ride with Edo.¡±

    Enid started the drive to the diner.  She sighed.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t get to ask first but the new guy from class this morning, invited himself along.¡±

    Fukui perked up.

    ¡°The blonde one?  Oh, I love blonde hair on boys. Is he American?¡±

    ¡°One step worse I¡¯m afraid, British.¡±

    ¡°Oh, they have such accents when they speak English.  Did you invite him because you were interested?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯d as soon tell him to go find some sharks.¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t mind?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, but I think he is interested in me, so, there is that.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Ishagi spoke up.

    ¡°Melanie, I thought you were from Britain.¡±

    ¡°Where I¡¯m from those are deeply offensive words.¡±

    Enid got a serious look on her face.

    ¡°I am sorry for any offense Stuart-san.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m teasing you Ishagi.  I¡¯m Scottish we have a long history of trying to kick the British off our land.  Like thousands of years.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I understand.¡±

    ¡°Now its more of a thing we joke about, but we Scottish have very long memories.¡±

    He nodded and smiled.  The girls were giggling in the back he gave a bit of a glare back at them.  She pulled into the diner after some more small talk.  Enid had felt a ping of jealousy when ¡®Aiden¡¯ parked his motorcycle.  And pulled off his helmet. To keep up appearances she rarely rode hers.  Enid watched him shake his longish blonde hair out.  A normal eighteen-year-old girl would have been appreciative of his physique, charming smile and roguish good looks.  However, Enid¡¯s mind was entirely elsewhere.

    Hmm, maybe I should pick a country and job next time where women riding motorcycles is okay, oh, maybe a navy fighter pilot.  Bet that feels like living life on the edge.

    She was brought out of her mental meanderings by Ishagi nudging her elbow with hers.  She heard the girls talking in the back.

    ¡°Is that him?¡±

    ¡°Check out those abs.¡±

    ¡°And the motorcycle.¡±

    Enid blinked.

    Actually, if I¡¯m trying to blend in and make them think I¡¯m normal I probably should gush over him.  I¡¯d rather cut my hand off with a dull spoon.  Maybe I¡¯ll wait till after dark, so I won¡¯t throw up.

    Enid got out of the car and checked the doors to make sure they were locked.  She watched him approach.  Leather jacket and all.  He wasn¡¯t hideous and there were traces of Lucius in his hair, and face.  She wasn¡¯t sure if that made her hate or like him more.

    Also, he could be related to me, my great¡­two thousand years between descendants.  Threw up in my mouth a little.   Maybe I should date a Japanese guy, there is no chance we are in anyway related.

    She shook her head and slung her pack over her shoulder.  Gave Aiden a winning, Lady Sarah smile and walked inside.  Isamu was already there, the girls sat together as did the boys.  The servers were dressed in what looked like fifties diner uniforms.  They were this awful color of pink.  The lady who came to their table was a westerner.  She was older, Enid assumed sixties.  She walked up to the able and spoke Japanese, she¡¯d obviously been here a while since it sounded less accented than most.  She put the menus down which had both the English and the Kanji.

    ¡°What can I get you kids to drink?¡±

    Everyone asked for different milkshakes.  Enid wasn¡¯t a fan of dairy, so she asked for a cola and picked up one of the menus.  Ishagi spoke up.

    ¡°No milkshake, Melanie?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°I am not a fan of ice cream or milk.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    Enid looked back at the menu.  She was completely oblivious to Ishagi¡¯s slight look of horror.  When the server returned with the milkshakes, Enid who hadn¡¯t really explored non-Japanese food as a mortal answered when they were asked if they wanted anything else.

    ¡°French fries, gravy on the side, and a double cheeseburger with bacon please.¡±

    The woman looked Enid up and down before writing down the order.

    ¡°Burgers are pretty big here, you sure you want the double.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely.¡±

    ¡°Okay, one double coming up.  Be about ten minutes.¡±

    The server took a few other orders all small sides, took the menus and walked towards the food bar.  Enid looked at everyone at the table.  Finally noticed Ishagi looked like he wanted to shrink into his seat.  Raised an eyebrow, but knowing Japanese men, didn¡¯t press him on what was bothering him as to not embarrass him unduly.  Another one of the unspoken rules of politeness in Japan.  They were close friends, but that was a conversation for private, if he brought it up.  Isamu broke the ice.

    ¡°So, Melanie-san, you don¡¯t like ice cream? I didn¡¯t know that.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°It is too sweet, and thick.  Same with milk.  Not something I¡¯ve ever been a fan of, maybe it¡¯s because of this book I read when I was younger.  I read a lot.¡±

    It was more of a stack of papyrus, but either way.

    ¡°Oh, what book?¡±

    ¡°There was Greek story about the Ancient Persians, and it is probably I shouldn¡¯t talk about at the table when we¡¯re about to eat, but it left an impression that I wanted to avoid milk all together.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just say that and not explain, Melanie-san.¡±

    Enid frowned slightly.  Isamu was never the model of Japanese decorum.  She glanced around the table, and she had everyone¡¯s interest.

    ¡°Well as long as everyone is sure.¡±

    Everyone nodded.  Enid looked down at the table.

    I wonder how much of it was BS on Plutarch¡¯s part, he always seemed like a sketchy fellow to me.  Damn it I should have asked Sextus.  Or better yet Amara.  Oh well they asked for it.

    ¡°Well Plutarch described how the Ancient Persians would bind someone in a boat, force feed them milk and honey and cover them in it, put another boat on top, then the criminal gets slowly eaten by vermin, like flies and such.  Eventually, after a long torturous death they would remove the second boat.  This was done to someone who claimed they killed a wannabe king, when the prince in waited wanted to claim the kill.  So, in essence it was the punishment for a liar.¡±

    She looked at Aiden as she said the last part.  She noticed a slight shift in his posture.  She was amused he got the subtext.

    ¡°Anyway, after I read that story the thought of milk or honey makes me feel ill, so I never touch the stuff, as a rule.¡±

    The Japanese students all looked a mix of intrigued and disturbed.  Ishagi couldn¡¯t look at Enid after she finished and was actively avoiding her gaze.

    Weird.  I was polite, I warned them, I confirmed.

    Isamu was looking at Enid, more engaged with her and the conversation then he had been.  She¡¯d obviously sparked one of his interests.

    ¡°Do you often read such things, Melanie-san?¡±

    ¡°I read a lot of things, it was just on the shelf next, so I read it.  I stayed indoors a lot when I was younger.¡±

    ¡°What book was it?¡±

    ¡°It was a Greek story called, Life of Artaxerxes, by Plutarch.  He was a Greek who had Roman Citizenship. He said the story was based on a Greek historian¡¯s writings who lived about twenty-four hundred years ago.  I¡¯ve seen some of that history, it is, not something I consider, well authentic.  Just based on the lack of corroborating evidence.  So, either the Ancient Persians were really disturbingly sick, or Plutarch was.  Or Ctesias was.  Who knows?¡±

    I mean there was that one time with the¡­

    Enid gave a small shudder and stopped that memory in its tracks.  Isamu was complete focused on Enid now.  She felt slightly uncomfortable.  She often didn¡¯t get that much attention from decent men.  She wasn¡¯t conventionally attractive and was in fact quite plain more so now that she¡¯s used her shapeshifting power to make herself even more generic.  Aiden was looking between Isamu and Enid.  Enid glanced at him and was saved from whatever was about to happen by the arrival of food.  Enid started eating her French Fries right away.

    Oh, this is really good.

    Enid realized she was probably eating in an impolite way, at least by Japanese standards and toned it down.  She had never had French fries and gravy before, or a hamburger and now she was wondering why beyond the fact she was in Japan.  Even with some restraint she finished her whole meal before the rest had gotten through their small snacks.  She could feel her cheeks getting red.  Isamu seemed completely enamored with her now.  Aiden a look of awe on his face.  Ishagi was blushing as well.

    ¡°Well, that was really good food.  Ishagi thank you for recommending it.¡±

    He did a small bow while still sitting.  Everyone else seemed as full as Enid felt.  Isamu was still looking at her with more focus than she felt comfortable with considering the other girls were interested.

    ¡°I just realized; I need to go take care of some things.  Is everyone alright to get home?¡±

    Everyone that she gave rides too nodded.

    ¡°Excuse me, sorry to eat and run.¡±

    Enid walked to the register and put down enough money to pay for the meal and provide a large tip.

    ¡°Thank you, it was amazing.¡±

    The older woman nodded, and Enid made her escape not looking back at Isamu.

 Okinawa - 1989 - Year 4 -Part 4 (Enid)

    Enid was crouched on the roof above an alley where Aiden was meeting with his handler.  She had been bored so she¡¯d decided to spy on the spy.  She¡¯d even done this all without her abilities, it was part of the game after all.  Her wits against theirs, not her ancient vampiric powers against the puny mortals.  She couldn¡¯t not use her enhanced senses.  That was just part of her physiology and he didn¡¯t have the good sense to meet during the day.  She didn¡¯t recognize his handler.  She was a westerner.  Her accent was American.  Aiden was pacing back and forth.  His handler was a smoking a cigarette and listening patiently.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you she knows.  I feel like one of those cat toys on a string.  Its all calm and then she swats at me just to see me twitch.  You need to pull me out.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s an eighteen-year-old university student.  We just need to know how she¡¯s related to this Russian spy.¡±

    ¡°Did you ever stop to think she might be the Russian spy?¡±

    ¡°She isn¡¯t, we¡¯ve analyzed the video of the interview and surveillance photos, the only thing they seem to have in common is the tattoo.¡±

    ¡°I am not feeling this.  One minute she¡¯s a university student, the next I feel like I¡¯m just an insect to her.  I know she¡¯s toying with me.  I¡¯m telling you, she knows we¡¯re following her.  Knows I¡¯m not who I say I am.  We need to rethink this whole op.¡±

    ¡°Are all British men whiny little bitches like you?  She¡¯s an eighteen-year-old girl.¡±

    ¡°Have you seen her in her Karate classes?  That woman knows how to hurt people, and I¡¯m afraid when she gets bored of fucking with me, I¡¯m going to show up with a broken neck somewhere.¡±

    ¡°I thought I was getting a retired SAS member who joined MI6, not a scared little boy.¡±

    ¡°Look, Carla, I do not see the value in continuing this operation.  My cover was blown before I sat down in that classroom.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re exaggerating.¡±

    ¡°No, every bit of my training is saying that girl is the most dangerous woman in the room, no matter where she is.¡±

    ¡°You are being paranoid.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s playing us.  She¡¯s the spy you¡¯re looking for, and I guarantee she has killed people and it didn¡¯t even phase her.  How many eighteen-year-old girls do you know that can write ancient Greek like they¡¯re writing English.  She was talking about this Greek story, I know she mentioned it just as a jab at me.  She was threatening me.  You either need to go all in and bring her in full tactical, or you need to back the fuck off.  You¡¯re wasting your time with this op.¡±

    Carla seemed to have lost her patience, cigarette still between two fingers she poked him in the shoulder as she spoke.

    ¡°I was told you were the best they had.  Did they send me some trainee?  Your government received some very good intel in exchange for your service to us, at this point we¡¯re not getting our money¡¯s worth.  So, unless you¡¯re here to tell me you¡¯ve gotten close to her we¡¯re done.  Go do your fucking job and quit being a bitch about it.¡±

    Poor guy.  Stuck between a rock and a bored vampire.  Guess I need to throw him a bone to keep him on the line.

    He swore a few times and walked out of the alleyway to his bike.  Enid watched him ride away.  She climbed down the building and watched Carla who got into a car with a driver and started heading off down the road.  Enid hopped on her bike and began to discreetly follow them.  They entered a non-descript office building.  Enid climbed up a building across the way and pulled a pair of binoculars from her pack and looked through them.  Whoever they were they weren¡¯t too concerned with security she saw Carla speaking to a man.  Enid could read lips, a trick that had come in handy during her job as a vampire enforcer.  The gist of the conversation was that Aiden, or actually Charles was giving her resistance and that he might not have been the best choice for the job.  Carla made a phone call, she wasn¡¯t happy with the answers she got based on her body language.  Growing bored of the pair just reading files and generally not doing much else Enid climbed down the building¡¯s fire escape and took off towards her apartment building.

    Looks like Carla¡¯s the person pushing for this, wonder who she is, might have to give up on my no powers thing.  She could be working for the Black Sun.  Actually no, doubling down on the no powers thing is perhaps the better choice. No hunting, no powers, until they lose interest.  Guess its cold blood for a while.

    Enid sighed and covered her bike up and walked up stairs to her apartment.  She was in her Atlantean armor, which seconded as a black bodysuit when she wasn¡¯t being shot at.  She was surprised to see the inspector leaning on the wall by her door.  It had been a few weeks since their first encounter.  Enid paused there with keys out and her helmet under her arm.

    ¡°Good evening inspector. To what do I owe the pleasure?¡±

    ¡°Just checking in, making sure you¡¯re alright.¡±

    Always with the lies.  Oh well.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have actual crimes to solve?¡±

    ¡°The crime rate around here is surprisingly low.  There was a break in at the military base a few weeks ago, by a Yakuza woman no less.  Black dragon tattoo, lightning.¡±

    ¡°Oh, this again.  I¡¯ll say this in English because I think it¡¯s your native tongue:  Inspector ask your questions, instead of coming here and bullshitting me.¡±

    He chuckled at her.

    ¡°To the point.  How very western of you.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°Is this visit official? If not, your trespassing. I¡¯ll have to tell the owner we have undesirables skulking around.¡±

    ¡°Interesting you should say that, since I found out, you own the building.  What I don¡¯t understand is why you reduced rent across the board.  Money laundering?¡±

    She laughed.

    ¡°You are paranoid.  You know what, I¡¯ll answer that question, the residents, besides me and the American spy across the way are old, they have limited income.  So, I reduced rent to the bare minimum to maintain a safe building, pay the taxes and provide utilities.  I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve also found out I¡¯m wealthy and do not need to profit from people who already paid too much in this lifetime.¡±

    He looked at the door Enid motioned to with her head.

    ¡°Spy?  And I¡¯m paranoid?¡±

    ¡°Come on, girl with a tattoo like mine breaks into a US military base, I get woken up at 3 am by two US agents, then two days later a long-time tenant suddenly leaves, and miraculously a day later a young businesswoman suddenly shows up to rent the apartment, in an area of Naha that most people would avoid living in?  Then this Japanese girl, tries to befriend the lone gaijin in the building soon after? You¡¯re not that stupid.  Do a background check, bet you smell fish.¡±

    ¡°Thing is, Yakuza tattoos are unique, they represent the individual.  Yours seem to indicate the Yakuza think you¡¯re wise.  I do not understand the lightning.¡±

    ¡°My nickname, Raijin¡±

    ¡°So how do you explain another woman running around with that on their back?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, perhaps you should find her and ask her hmm? I¡¯d like to know too.¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°You¡¯re good.  Best I¡¯ve met.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I can say to convince you of my earnest innocence in all this.¡±

    ¡°You probably can¡¯t, I have some actual, substantial police questions, on record police reports.¡±

    The door across from Enid¡¯s apartment opened.  And the American-Japanese spy poked her head out.

    ¡°Is everything alright Stuart-san?¡±

    Enid nodded to her.

    ¡°Everything¡¯s fine, just a follow up to a break in.¡±

    Enid glared at the detective.

    ¡°Lets go inside and chat hmm?¡±

    ¡°Good idea, Stuart-san.¡±

    Enid opened the door to her apartment and tossed her pack on a chair and walked to the balcony kicked her shoes off and put her feet up.  The inspector followed her.  And sat down in the chair Enid had added for Eyre when she came to visit on occasion.

    ¡°Ask your questions inspector if you overstep I¡¯ll toss you in the ocean.¡±

    Enid smiled innocently at him.  He tugged his collar and sat down.

    ¡°I pulled those police files you mentioned, what do a serial murderer, child molester, a suspect that ate animal hearts from people¡¯s pets, and a failed Triad assassination attempt with three Triad casualties in a Chinese restaurant have to do with you.¡±

    ¡°I was responsible for catching and or preventing them all.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You keep asking what I do for the Yakuza, that is what I do.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you killed three men with chopsticks?¡±

    ¡°In self-defense.¡±

    ¡°They had uzi¡¯s¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I¡¯m good at what I do.¡±

    ¡°Why isn¡¯t anyone in custody for the other three?¡±

    ¡°Do the math inspector.¡±

    ¡°You killed them all?¡±

    The inspector sound like a mix between giddy, justified and shocked.

    ¡°Yes, and they all would have been hung anyway, if they had been human.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean human?  As in they were so vile they were inhuman?  You can¡¯t just go around murdering people.¡±

    ¡°They weren¡¯t people Inspector, they were, in fact anything but, and I¡¯m not talking figuratively, there are things in the dark corners of the world, Japan included that require dealing with just like human criminals, that the Police are not equipped to handle that people come to the Yakuza about.  Like the slime monster that was eating virgin girl¡¯s hearts.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane?¡±

    ¡°You know sometimes it feels like I am.  I mean why am I tell you the truth?  I could have just told you to fuck off, but yet here I am, telling you about the shit that goes on right under your nose that you are incapable of stopping because you don¡¯t have the tools to do it.  Because I know that you¡¯re the one police officer on this island that is going to go look in those dark corners because you¡¯re a good guy. A good guy who will die because of it.  I like you inspector; I¡¯d rather you not die.  We have a lot in common.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡±

    Enid looked out at the stary sky over the Pacific and back at him.  She glanced at him.

    ¡°That may be, but how about this?¡±

    Enid looked at the Inspector and clouded herself in his mind to the point one moments he was there and the next according to his sense she was gone.  He started touching the space on her chair and hit her chest.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know you well enough for that sort of thing inspector.¡±

    He fell backwards against the railing.  Enid let her illusion drop and he stumbled back to his chair holding his chest and looking at her.  Enid nodded, walked into her apartment and pulled out a beer popping the cap with her thumb bereft of bottle opener.  He stared at her then took a long pull from the beer.

    ¡°You see inspector, all you can do is ruin this identity and then I pick a new one.  You can¡¯t even see me if I don¡¯t want you too.  There are literally no cells or handcuffs that can hold me.  I can shrink myself out of them, or between bars, or just smash my way out.  And you never know who I am.¡±

    She let the shapechage fall off and was her old red haired green eyed younger looking self. Then shifted back after he got a good look.  He rubbed his forehead then took another drink.

    ¡°What are you?¡±

    ¡°Do you know who Shoki is?  Zhong Kui?  Ghostbusters?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Consider me like them.  I am the thing, that things that go bump in the night tell their children about to scare them.  They call me a Reaper.  Provided those things don¡¯t mess with the human world and keep to themselves they are left to their own devices but when they start eating women¡¯s hearts, and doing things to children, or becoming enough of a nuisance someone calls the Yakuza for protection from them, then I, put them down.  Truth be told all the Yakuza does is make it easier for me to find troublemakers.  Think of me like a police officer, only the only rule is shoot to kill.  Though most of them are immune to mundane weapons.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°Why are you telling me all this?  I can obviously exert no jurisdiction over you.¡±

    ¡°Because I like you, you¡¯re cute.  Also you¡¯re a good man, I can see your soul.  You will get yourself killed running into the dark corners hunting for things better left to the Yakuza and myself.  Unlike the other police who know to call the Yakuza you would think that is corruption.  When it is just doing what needs to be done to keep society safe.¡±

    ¡°But the Yakuza demand payment.¡±

    ¡°And why should they not?  Before I started helping them, they would die in large numbers doing this work.  Consider us contractors, doing a shitty job no one wants.  People¡¯s lives have value, even if most of the time they are running protection rackets, prostitution, and illegal gaming houses.¡±

    ¡°What about the girl?   I investigated, was US service man.  That night base gets broken into.¡±

    ¡°Hmm someone was blabbing when they should not have.¡±

    ¡°A girl was harmed, it should be investigated and punished, no matter what her work.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s healed already, I saw to it, and it has been dealt with.¡±

    ¡°You broke onto the base and killed him?¡±

    ¡°No, I told his CO he should do something about it before the Yakuza does.  I was bored, and I pranked them at the same time, I probably shouldn¡¯t have, at least while wearing an outfit that showed my tattoo.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°I pretended I was Russian.  I mean I¡¯m not great with the language, but I can fake it.¡±

    ¡°You what?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I was bored. I already admit it was a terrible idea.¡±

    ¡°So, you know for certain the one across from you is a spy.¡±

    ¡°I know she¡¯s lying about her name, her job and her reason for moving here.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°I am a human lie detector.  I can always tell if someone is telling the truth or lying, even if they¡¯re lying to themselves so badly, they think it¡¯s the truth.  It is why I was chosen to be a Reaper.¡±

    ¡°You really believe that?¡±

    ¡°I know it to be true, there is no belief.  Its like I know this is metal.¡±

    She kicked the railing gently.

    ¡°Do you really believe I would execute someone who I wasn¡¯t one hundred percent sure was guilty?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t really know you well enough to know if that is true, but if any of this is true, then you were killing serial killers when you were fifteen years old.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what my ID says I would be.¡±

    ¡°How old are you really?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to answer that.¡±

    ¡°So, you weren¡¯t fifteen.¡±

    ¡°Infer what you want, I¡¯m not going to tell you all my secrets, Inspector.  I¡¯m telling you enough so you know you can stop wasting time on me and not so subtly letting you know I am available should you run into something that doesn¡¯t fit into the normal paradigm of human physiology.  Psychotic folks and plain old violent criminals are your department.  Same with the Yakuza, I don¡¯t deal with human matters, mostly don¡¯t.  As you can see, I foul them up somewhat badly.¡±

    He nodded, took another drink of his beer staring out into the ocean.  He spoke eventually.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just beat him up?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, not my job.  I should have just broken into the CO¡¯s house, told him what was going to happen and left, but I wanted to be a smart ass, and now I have spies all over me.¡±

    ¡°Americans take the Soviets very seriously.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Oh well, it¡¯s a minor distraction at best.¡±

    He leaned down his tie hanging between his legs.  He rubbed his face.

    ¡°Wait you said you would help if I ran into something that wasn¡¯t human?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did say that.  Same deal as the Yakuza, you take the credit, I kill it.¡±

    ¡°We can we not capture them?¡±

    ¡°What are you going to charge a slime creature that possesses bodies and slowly kills them with?  They aren¡¯t human, are they an animal?  They are sentient but human laws were not built for things that walk in the shadows Inspector.  And once you have it captured how do you contain something that can control a mind, force you to release it?  That was what the Oni was doing that was¡­ with the children.  It fed on innocence.  These things are not criminals, they are rabid dogs that need to be put down.¡±

    ¡°Who polices you?¡±

    ¡°No one.  Which is why I follow a strict code of ethics.  Only strayed from it three times, once I managed to save millions of people from a horrible death, but almost died, another time they thought I was a god and the third time well, I donno how that is going to work out but it is going to be a fun ride until it¡¯s not.  I should have just listened to the code instead of whatever the fuck I thought I was doing.¡±

    ¡°And you receive no payment.¡±

    Enid was about to respond when her phone rang.  She glanced at her watch, she sighed and got up.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    Enid picked up the phone.  It was Edo.

    ¡°Melanie-chan, there¡¯s a situation.¡±

    ¡°Is this a get my sword out situation?¡±

    The Inspector who was not so subtly listening to the call, blinked at her last statement.¡±

    ¡°Yes.  A girl attacked by a¡­ zombie?  It looked rotted and bit her.¡±

    ¡°Has she looked like she wanted to bite anyone?¡±

    ¡°No, should we be worried?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never hunted a zombie before.  Where is she?  Where was the attack?  Have you sent anyone?¡±

    ¡°The boss sent two guys to see if they could spot it.  She¡¯s at the club.  She was attacked about three blocks from the club.¡±

    ¡°What did the bite mark look like?  Animal? Human?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I guess human.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go looking for it, just make sure you keep an eye on her, never know if this is some sort of infectious thing or not, also get a doctor, lots of antibiotics, if it was a dead human there is bound to be nasty infections that aren¡¯t non-magical.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Enid sighed and ignored the Inspector¡¯s presence going into her bedroom and changed into the Atlantean armor.  When she came out the Inspector was still standing there empty beer bottle in his hand and staring at her in the black body suit and a sword strapped to her back, pack slung over her shoulders.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re still here.  I need to go, feel free to show yourself out.¡±

    The inspector raised his finger as if to ask her to wait.

    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a person who attacked someone, it sounds like a job for me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for something, and you can come watch but if you get in my way and get eaten, I take no responsibility for it.¡±

    Enid walked down to the fenced area where her bike was covered.  She opened the gate and pulled the tarp off of her bike and pulled the helmet on.  She peeled out leaving the inspector trying to follow her in his police car.  Behind him was another non-descript car following them both.  Enid sighed.

    Oh well, no help for it, can¡¯t have a zombie going around eating people.

    She pulled up and put her helmet on the bike.  She heard gunshots and swore under her breath running towards them.  Followed by the inspector and likely the US agents.  She came around a corner and was faced with what could only be described as a zombie.  It had rotted flesh; Its fingers were rotted so badly the bones were visible under the flesh.  She was thankful to see that it didn¡¯t seem to be related to the fungus slime from her first encounter with odd Okinawan supernatural crap.  It was leaned over one of two dead Yakuza chewing on his flesh.  She flicked the shadows around herself when her gift told her it was about to look up.  She¡¯d forgotten the inspector was behind her and it saw him instead and started to pounce towards him.  He pulled out his gun and after three rounds it was quite clear it wasn¡¯t slowing it down, and the zombie was on top of him.

    Enid saw two more figures pulling out guns behind him.  Looks like even the spies weren¡¯t cool with people getting eaten.  Enid sighed.  The shadows dissolved around her as she grabbed the thing from behind.  Her fingers tore through its tattered flesh, and she caught the back of one of its rib bones.  She flung it fifteen feet away and hit a guard rail that overlooked the Pacific Ocean.  She gave the inspector a quick glance over.

    ¡°I told you stay out of the way, idiot.¡±

    She looked at the two shocked looking male agents.

    ¡°You two, get him out of here.¡±

    Enid pulled out her sword and spun around not waiting to see if her request had been acknowledged.  The zombie, who she had come to realize at this point was at one point male had finally managed to disentangle itself from the guard rail and snarled at her.  It was at this point she saw the fangs.  When she drew bloodseeker she his body language changed.  It recognized the blade, or the metal it was made of and was showing fear.

    It¡¯s a vampire?  That eat¡¯s flesh?  That makes things both less and more complicated.

    Enid glanced behind her noticed the two agents and the inspector had not move and were staring at the zombie-vampire and her.  Enid sighed and launched herself at it slamming it into the guard rail.  She¡¯d managed to stun it with the strength of the shoulder check and grabbed his neck and dragged him over the railing and into the water.  She swam with him held with one hand sword in the other until she reached a deserted beach.  She tossed him onto the sand and stood over him, blood seeker still in her hand.

    ¡°What the fuck are you?¡±

    He was back along the sand staring up at her its voice was strange when it spoke, mostly due to the lack of airtight flesh on its cheeks then anything else she wagered.

    ¡°Haha Ketsueki Megami you¡­you¡¯re real.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fucking real.  I was told you lot would stay the fuck off my island.¡±

    ¡°Please, mercy, I did not believe.¡±

    ¡°Mercy?  I told your elders if you Pugmentia attack me and mine there will be consequences.  Do you know what this sword is?  It is a soul devourer.  Once I kill you with it, everything you are, everything you ever were, will be gone, obliterated.¡±

    Enid looked down at the pathetic form in front of her he was shielding himself with his arms, they would do nothing against bloodseeker.  She kicked them away from his chest breaking the bones with her supernatural strength.  Enid frowned.  Then stabbed him in the heart with her sword.  His body shriveled even more than it already was, and she felt his essence fuel her body with energy.  It was an addictive feeling.  The blade glowed red, as it always did with vampires. She took the body far out to sea and let it sink.  Then headed back to the place where she¡¯d left her bike she could see police lights flashing in the distance, rather then approach, she grabbed her bike and rode off.

    Once she got home she pulled a card out of her pack and dialed the number on it.  A woman answered the phone in Japanese.  Enid responded with three words.

    ¡°Haha Ketsueki Megami¡±

    There was a long pause on the other end of the line and then the response came.

    ¡°I will get her right away.¡±

    There was another long pause a few clicks and the phone picked up.  It was the voice of the one of the vampire elders of Japan.

    ¡°Haha Ketsueki Megami a thousand apologies for the delay.¡±

    ¡°One of yours attacked people under my protection.  I was very clear with the consequences of that.¡±

    There was an extremely long pause, which Enid was quite sure would have been a hyperventilating human if the woman on the other end of the line was human.  To her credit when she spoke she was quite calm sounding.

    ¡°I understand.  What do you wish of us to make up for this dishonor?¡±

    ¡°I want to be left alone, I want the island to be left alone.  I have punished him by devouring his soul.  I want to be clear, if this ever happens again, I will wipe out every single one of you.  This is your last warning.¡±

    ¡°We are unworthy of such mercy Haha Ketsueki Megami.  I thank you for allowing us to continue to exist of your blood.¡±

    Enid sighed.  She hated playing goddess.

    ¡°I am glad you understand.¡±

    Enid hung up without another word.  She sighed and got changed into her bed clothes.  She laid on the bed stared at the ceiling.  It was early morning with the sun barely cresting the horizon when she heard a jiggle of her lock like someone was picking it.  She growled and sat up.  She hid by her wall and grabbed the first arm to come around the corner.  It was in black fatigues and had a pistol.  She didn¡¯t need her vampire powers to trounce a few humans.  Before the person she was holding know what was happening they were being used as a human shield.  Enid had the gun in her hand pointing it in the direction of the other four home invaders.  She had no idea how to use the gun, but they didn¡¯t know that.  She had her fingers on the man¡¯s throat ready to kill him.  He looked to have lighter skin tone she assumed American.

    ¡°I suggest you leave.  Before someone gets hurt and we must explain all this to the Japanese authorities.  What the fuck did you think I couldn¡¯t swim?  Move before I snap his neck.¡±

    The other men put their guns and backed out.  Enid released her hostage and kicked him in the back of the knee before hitting him in the throat with a well placed punch he fell to the floor clutching his throat trying to breath.  She dragged him to the hallway after a few steps she was out of direct sunlight and threw him forcibly outside the door.

    ¡°I¡¯m keeping the guns, call them a fine for trespassing.  Idiots.¡±

    She closed her door and locked it.  She swore under her breath as she collected the five pistols then came to a realization, they were Soviet.

    ¡°Fuck me.¡±

    This is getting ridiculous.  Time to end it.

    Enid went to school like normal the day after the kidnapping attempt by the Russians.  She parked her car near the back exit of one of the buildings.  Backed in near the door.

    Enid sat down beside Aiden and was flirtier than usual. Rather than get him to talk to her it seemed to be him on edge immediately.  Her next class was literature she could safely skip it, so she did, this caught his attention.  She led him on a bit of a tour of the campus until she got him to the building where her car was parked.  She walked towards the back corner which she knew to be deserted typically, it was mostly storage.  She walked around a corner and pulled the shadows around herself and waited.  When he came around the corner she grabbed him in a sleeper hold and after a minute or so he was out cold.  She opened the back door of the building and glanced around.  Deserted as she¡¯d expected.  She put him in the trunk of her car zip tied his and legs.  She put a gag in his mouth and closed the hood.  She drove to the address where his American handlers were headquartered.  She parked in their underground parking and used the cargo elevator to go to their floor.  She got out and kicked the door in tossing bound and gagged Aiden on the floor in front of their ¡®receptionist¡¯.

    ¡°Is his handler in today?¡±

    She was glad there were no windows in the front part of the office.  She used her ability to alter time to suit her needs to slow everything down but her.  By the time the protective detail had gotten to the doors guns drawn she was able to be by the door and grab the first one and snap his wrist and had the gun to his head and was using him as a shield. He was screaming in pain.  Soon she was face to face with three men who had guns out and the woman who had been speaking to Aiden in the alley.  She motioned for them to put their weapons down, they put them in their holsters.

    ¡°What do you want Melanie?¡±

    ¡°To be left alone, between you and the Russians I can¡¯t get a moments peace.  I was hoping you¡¯d get bored but then they went and broke into my apartment while I was sleeping.¡±

    ¡°Put the gun down, release my agent and we can talk.¡±

    Enid knew she was lying.  Enid released the man and tossed the gun at his feet.  The moment she did she knew they were going to draw their weapons. She didn¡¯t wait for them to finish she used her altered time to break their arms and toss their guns away finally ending up with the handler held up against a wall her feet dangling a half a foot off the ground.

    ¡°Lady I am tired of your shit.¡±

    The woman looked at her men all incapacitated and useless and nodded, she wasn¡¯t able to speak because she couldn¡¯t breathe with Enid¡¯s hand around her throat.

    ¡°Let me make this perfectly clear, I could have killed you all a hundred times over I¡¯ve known where you were staying for weeks.  I know about the spy across from me, I know Aiden is MI6, and I know you¡¯ve been following me.  It amused me up until someone invaded my apartment, I¡¯m no longer amused.¡±

    Enid dropped the woman who collapsed on her behind with a thud and started holding her throat.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not kill you all, so how do I get rid of you?¡±

    The woman¡¯s voice was raspy she coughed and spoke.

    ¡°Why were you on the base?¡±

    ¡°One of the soldiers hurt a girl, I wanted him to get punished, but felt it was better of the military did it, I was bored so I pranked your guards.  I am not a Soviet spy; I have been to Russia.  I¡¯m sorry it was stupid and immature.¡±

    ¡°How did you get onto the base?¡±

    ¡°I went over the fence, picked guard¡¯s pocket, used his keys to get into the file room and grabbed the info I needed.  The security sucks.¡±

    ¡°Last night¡­¡±

    ¡°Last night was what I actually do lady.  Usually, I avoid this shit here.  It¡¯s been dealt with.  It almost wasn¡¯t because of your bullshit.  The men that were there can attest at how strong and fast I am.  Your men are nothing to me.  I could have killed them all easily instead of breaking their arms.¡±

    She continued to rub her throat gingerly while looking up at Enid.

    ¡°Who trained you?¡±

    ¡°A Greek woman.¡±

    She blinked at Enid.

    ¡°You asked, now, how about I do this for you, I let the Soviets grab me, I find out where they are headquartered and tell you, then you leave me be?¡±

    ¡°We know where they are.¡±

    Enid sighed she could sense the lie as plain as day.

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t.  If you knew then I would know, and I don¡¯t.  I¡¯m going after them anyway, the only difference with is plan is, instead of killing all of you and burning this place down then doing the same to the Soviets, you live, get to embarrass them, and leave me be.  I¡¯m dangerous, but I don¡¯t care a goat¡¯s piss about your geo-political bullshit.  Governments come and go.  I do my thing, which protects your citizens, and you do yours which is whatever the fuck you do.  Lady going after me is like the US starting the war in Vietnam.  You¡¯re going to lose and you¡¯re going to waste a lot of manpower and money.  Charles was right, I am a cat, and I was playing with him.¡±

    The woman looked defeated and nodded.  Enid crouched beside the now awake Charles and snapped his zip ties and pulled the gag out.

    ¡°You are cute, I¡¯ll give you that.  You suck at this job, you¡¯re too much of coward.¡±

    She patted him on the shoulder and stood up.

    ¡°Once I know where they are, you will.  If anyone is following me, I¡¯m going to assume they¡¯re Soviets, they broke into my apartment and they¡¯re going to be punished.  Your men don¡¯t want to be mistaken for them.¡±

    Enid walked out of the office.

 Okinawa - 1989 - Year 4 - Part 5/5 (Enid)

    Enid found herself handcuffed and had a hood over her head.  She still had sun on her skin when she woke up from the drug, they had used to knock her out.  She could hear them speaking in Russian.  She could understand it clearly.  She was shit at speaking it, but she could understand it well enough.

    Going to have to practice at that.

    They were discussing getting her to the Akula.  She could hear water and an engine.  She assumed they were on the ocean.  It took long enough that she could see the world outside get darker indicating the sun would be going down soon.  She was stood up and then lowered down off the side of a boat she could hear her feet on metal.  It didn¡¯t make sense she was lower than she was on the boat, if she were on a ship it would be higher in the water.  She was lowered down again and heard more boots on metal.

    Holy shit, never been on a submarine before.  Cool.

    She felt her ears pop.  As soon as she was inside the submarine her powers came back in full force.  She could smell the sweat of many men down here.  She was led down a few hallways and through a door and sat down on a chair.  She smelt cigarette smoke.  A few minutes later the hood was pulled off her face and she was met with a woman smoking a cigarette.  She had black hair with a few greys, thick glasses and had a file that was written in Russian characters.  Enid could read it.  Operation Dragon.  She chuckled.  The woman spoke in English.

    ¡°You should not be laughing, you are miles from the coast, in submarine at five hundred feet depth.  You are not getting out of here, no matter how skilled you are.  You are trapped in here with us.¡±

    Enid responded in Russian.

    ¡°I am laughing because you¡¯re trapped in here with me.¡±

    ¡°You are American, I can tell by your arrogance.¡±

    ¡°Sure, I¡¯m American, whatever makes you happy Helga.¡±

    ¡°What is your real name?¡±

    ¡°Melanie Stuart.¡±

    She sighed.

    ¡°If you tell me the truth this will not need to get unpleasant.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is this the part where you torture me?¡±

    She nodded and stood up.  She opened the door and motioned for someone.  It was a normal sized man the woman motioned to Enid and he walked over towards her.   Enid laughed again.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to hit me, you¡¯re going to hurt yourself.¡±

    He punched Enid in the side of the face really hard.  Enid used her strength to resist the blow.  Coming from a mortal it was nothing compared to her own strength, or near bullet proof skin.  When the fist made contact, he broke every bone in his fingers and some of the ones in his hand.  His scream of pain made Enid wince.  He fell backwards holding his wrist.

    ¡°I warned you.¡±

    Enid focused on the hand cuffs and popped the lock open and stood up.  She rubbed her wrists.  The bruises from her time cuffed in the sunlight had already healed.  The woman was trying to reach for a red button on the wall Enid yanked her backwards and slammed her on the table.

    ¡°You should not have broken into my apartment.  And you definitely should not have brought me on a fragile little metal tube in the middle of the ocean with no real escape for yourselves.¡±

    The man who had come in and punched her was trying to make for the button again she grabbed the front of his uniform and threw him into the wall headfirst he went down hard.  She looked down at the woman, lifting her glasses up and got close staring into her eyes.   She could feel some resistance she slammed her mind against the woman¡¯s and the woman¡¯s nose started to bleed. All resistance evaporated.

    ¡°Now, how much do you know about me?¡±

    ¡°The Americans are scared of you, you work for the Yakuza and you are a university student.¡±

    ¡°Why are the Soviet¡¯s interested in me enough to kidnap me?¡±

    ¡°We thought you worked for the Americans, but they are scared of you, so we thought we could use you, or you had information.¡±

    ¡°Why did you break into my apartment?¡±

    ¡°We thought you were dead.¡±

    ¡°You know I can swim right?¡±

    ¡°Now we do.¡±

    ¡°How do I get you to leave me alone?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°Fine, guess you¡¯re going to the Americans.  You are going to sit on the chair and not leave this room, no matter what, you will fight to stay here.  Until an American tells you to come out.¡±

    Enid was annoyed and pounded the command into the woman¡¯s mind a little too hard causing her nose to bleed again. Enid put the man¡¯s gun in front of her.

    ¡°You will do anything you need to stop your comrades from getting you out of here, even resorting to violence.¡±

    The woman nodded.  Enid released her and the woman got up and sat down picking up the gun and pointing it at the door.  The man was groaning on the ground.  Enid met her gaze again.

    ¡°If he tries to leave you will shoot him in the head.¡±

    The woman nodded.  The man stared up at Enid with his eyes wide.  Enid looked down at him.

    ¡°You might want to stay there.¡±

    Enid walked out of the door and was met by two guards.  She punched one so hard in the side of the head his skull cracked and he went down.  The other one was reaching for his gun.  She grabbed him and pressed him against the bulkhead of the ship and covered his mouth looking him in the eye.  She spoke Russian.

    ¡°You will guard put this man in the room then you will guard this door.  If anyone tries to go in that isn¡¯t me or an American you will shoot them.  When an American tells you to put your gun down you will put your gun down.¡±

    He nodded.  Enid pulled the shadows around her and started exploring the ship.  She eventually found the captains quarters and waited for him to return she followed him inside and did a quick take down and straddled his chest looking him in the eyes.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to surface and set course for the docks one of the American bases on Okinawa.  You will radio them telling them your intention to surrender.  Which you will do once you dock.  Now, call your first officer down here. Do not tell him about me.¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Enid worked her way through the entire officer pool of the ship draining blood from them as she went to fuel her mind control powers.  Eventually she had most of the submarine¡¯s officers under mental sway.  She gathered them all and told them to forget she existed.  Within an hour the sub had surfaced and was being boarded by US marines.  Enid strolled off of it while cloaked in the shadows of the night.  She saw Aiden¡¯s handler on the dock scratching her head looking at the Soviet submarine.  She had a cigarette in her mouth.  Enid appeared beside her.

    ¡°Hey.¡±

    The woman jumped.

    ¡°Fuck Melanie.¡±

    ¡°Nice to see you again too, we¡¯re done right?¡±

    One of the marines noticed Enid and started walking towards her.  He had been one of the people she¡¯d run into the night she broke into the base.  The woman held up her hand and shook her head.

    ¡°She¡¯s one of ours.¡±

    He nodded and glared at Enid before walking back to the submarine.

    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re done.  I thought you were going to tell us where they were.¡±

    ¡°They grabbed me and took me to a submarine, I had to improvise, call it take out.¡±

    The woman took another drag from her cigarette and chuckled.

    ¡°You¡¯re fucking nuts kid.¡±

    ¡°Not the first time I¡¯ve heard that said.¡±

    ¡°Do you want a job?¡±

    ¡°No, like I said, I have one already, dealing with shit you don¡¯t want any part of, this is too safe for me, kind of boring.¡±

    The woman shook her head.

    ¡°How did you take over a whole submarine?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m very convincing.¡±

    Enid made herself vanish from the woman¡¯s mind and pulled the shadows around herself and flew away.  She landed on her balcony and sighed putting her feet up.  Enid has a peaceful few weeks after that, but it wasn¡¯t too last.

    She hadn¡¯t seen Nishahara in a few days so she called the inspector to do a wellness check for her.  She found him waiting for her outside the building that evening.  He looked pretty upset.

    ¡°Stuart-san, I am sorry to say your neighbor is dead.¡±

    Enid sighed and nodded.

    ¡°He usually goes shopping every second day.¡±

    ¡°I know you were close with him.¡±

    ¡°As close as you can be with a cranky old Japanese man.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°We were going over his things to identify the next of kin and apparently you were his emergency contact.¡±

    ¡°I was?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he also left a note, saying that he was leaving all of his belongings to you when the time came.¡±

    Enid sighed, she felt her eyes getting moist.

    Damn this amulet.

    ¡°Was it suicide?¡±

    ¡°Not sure, he was old, we¡¯re not looking at it too closely.  We¡¯ve taken the body.  As his heir you will need to see to the disposition of his remains.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I will make sure he is well taken care of.¡±

    ¡°I know you will, of all your flaws I am aware of, a lack of respect and kindness are not among them.¡±

    Ask the Russians for their opinion on that.

    ¡°Was it messy?¡±

    The inspector, who Enid knew by this time on account of his card was named, Jeff Yakamura, shook his head.

    ¡°No, he died in bed, we removed it to avoid any odor.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Jeff.  I¡¯m glad we¡¯re getting along better.¡±

    ¡°After what I saw you deal with¡­  I understand what you do.  We are the same.  Nishahara is lucky to have known you.  If you need help cleaning up the apartment, I¡¯m off this weekend.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She waved to him and went inside.  She went into her apartment and got changed into jeans and  a t-shirt.  She went to Nishahara¡¯s apartment and opened the door.  The apartment was just how she remembered it.  The windows were open, so the smell of his passing wasn¡¯t apparent to her currently mortal senses.  She started with his refrigerator.  It was not full of rotting food yet but it would be in a week or so.  She took what contents she wanted out and moved them to her refrigerator then the Milk and other things she knew she wouldn¡¯t eat she put in a box and carried to their other neighbor, another older woman.

    ¡°Good afternoon.¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Nishahara-san has passed away and I do not want this to rot, do you have a use for these?¡±

    The woman nodded and Enid passed her the box.  After the usual Japanese courtesies Enid went back to the Nishahara¡¯s apartment and was met by a man sitting in one of the chairs pointing a gun with a silencer on it.  He was pointing at her.  Enid frowned.

    ¡°I thought we had agreed this was over and done with.¡±

    When the man spoke he had an obvious Russian accent.  Enid frowned.

    ¡°What is the American saying?  Not by a long shot?¡±

    ¡°The last time you broke into my apartment and pointed a gun at me it cost you a submarine and several agents, now you break into my friend¡¯s apartment, the day I found out he has died, what do you think I¡¯m going to do this time?¡±

    ¡°We Russians, we are used to hard fights.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your plan here?  Kidnap me again?  Kill me?¡±

    ¡°Just a few questions.¡±

    ¡°Fine, if that will get rid of you.¡±

    He kicked a chair out and motioned for Enid to sit.  Enid looked outside the sun would be setting in half an hour.  Enid walked into the kitchen and picked up a two bowls and a bottle of rice wine.  She put the bowls down on the table and filled them.

    For his sake I hope he¡¯s gone because I¡¯m not in the mood for this shit.

    ¡°No vodka.¡±

    She took a drink from hers.  He watched her then took a drink from his he flinched.  It was strong stuff.  She sat down.

    ¡°Ask your questions, if you¡¯re not gone before sundown, I will kill you.¡±

    ¡°I have the gone, little girl.¡±

    ¡°I took out a whole submarine myself, they had plenty of guns.  Didn¡¯t slow me down.  I know you¡¯ve seen the reports, one of you punched me in the face broke his hand. Bullets don¡¯t work on me.¡±

    He took another drink of his sake, his gun still pointed at her.

    ¡°How did you take over the submarine?¡±

    ¡°Your people are easily influenced.  I made it easy for them, either I launched nuclear weapons at Moscow, or they surrender to the Americans.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have the launch codes.¡±

    Enid recited all of the codes she got access too while she was in control of the ship¡¯s officers.  He blinked at her.

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°I know a lot about your country, in fact I could launch a nuke from a silo with a phone call.  Or just detonate a few.  Tragic accident, so many dead.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I am the goddess you are pissing off.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean, you are insects to me.  You exist at my pleasure.¡±

    He shifted in his seat.

    ¡°Why even speak to me then?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m tired of killing people.  I¡¯m trying out this new thing, where I don¡¯t go around murdering everyone.  There was a time when if you¡¯d dragged me to that sub, I would have killed everyone, launched a few nuclear missiles watched your country burn.  But now I just turned them over to the Americans.  I would have done the same to the Americans if they tried that shit.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°What I want is very simple, I want to be left alone.  See I don¡¯t mess with your government or your people, unless they mess with me, so same deal as I offered the Americans.  You leave me alone, I leave you alone, if you don¡¯t, you will have another Afghanistan on your hands.¡±

    ¡°You really think a lot of yourself don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Pick up the phone, call your people ask them to look up Bremen, Germany, World War 2, April, 1945, Nazi tank brigade.  You lot captured them after I destroyed thirty tanks and killed a hundred and fifty men.  The file will say there was one red-haired girl who did it all.  Go ahead, I¡¯ll make supper while we wait.  I promise I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±

    He looked at her then went and picked up the phone and called out, he had his gun pointed at her the whole time.  He spoke in Russian asking for information on the attack.  He gave them the number and sat down.  Enid stood up and started to pull stuff out to make rice and chicken.  He stood and pointed the gun at her.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Making us supper.  Just sit your ass down and wait.  If I wanted you dead you¡¯d already have a knife in your heart.¡±

    He looked a bit uncomfortable and stood there holding the gun on her.  She cooked a quick dinner so she could get it in herself before sundown.  She put the food out and poured more sake.  He had apparently decided she wasn¡¯t going to try anything so put his gun down and began to eat.  It was about an hour after dark when the phone rang.  Enid had by this time pulled out one of Nishahara¡¯s old books and was reading it while the man watched her silently.  He stood up and answered it.  Enid watched his face grow paler as he heard the details which Enid knew would be eerily similar to the Submarine¡¯s capture.  The remaining officers just surrendered after she told them too.  He asked what they wanted him to do.  He answered with simply a yes then shot Enid in the head.  The bullet didn¡¯t do much damage and he was quite surprised when she had him on the ground his hand turned to mush.  The phone was hanging there with whoever it was on the other side still there.  They had obviously heard his scream.  Then him begging for his life. Enid stomped on his knee.  She smashed it so thoroughly he¡¯d never use the leg again.  She picked up the phone.

    ¡°I¡¯m done playing games with you.  Your man will be on the sidewalk by my apartment.  You might want to send an ambulance.  Don¡¯t send anyone else, you already lost a submarine, I have told you what I can do, and you know how easy I can control people, and I have your nuclear weapons that I can now use against you.  Don¡¯t make me do it.¡±

    She could hear quickened breathing on the other end of the line then a click.  She took the man¡¯s gun, put it on her table and picked him up over her shoulders.  And jumped off the balcony onto the ground below.  She dropped him on the sidewalk and stood over him arms crossed.  She could see he was crying in pain staring up at her.

    ¡°You shot me.  What did you think would happen?  I told you bullets don¡¯t hurt me.¡±

    She stood over him waiting to see if someone would make a pickup.  A black van pulled up the door opened and she backed up arms still crossed.  She glared at the balaclava covered faces that peered out, almost daring them to try and attack her, but they didn¡¯t they grabbed there fallen comrade and sped off.  Enid turned around and walked back up to Nishahara¡¯s room.

 Enid - 1989 - CIA Threat Assessment and After Action Report

    Classification: Top Secret ¨C Executive Order (Redacted)

    Threat Assessment and after-action report ¨C Code Name: Rajin

    Date: 21 December 1989

    After action summary:

    Base infiltration of (Redacted) on (Redacted) was initiated by a suspected Soviet asset. She was able to get direct access to personnel files for entire base and a meeting with the base commander one (Redacted). After the interaction (redacted) let her go and the marine one (redacted) released her without taking her off the base. One distinguishing mark was a Black Dragon tattoo that had lighting over it allowed us to identify a possible suspect. After the initial investigation we identified an eighteen-year-old girl with the name of (redacted) birthdate (redacted). All apparent appearances indicated she was a medical student who was being supported by the local Yakuza branch. Her identity indicates she was born in Scotland. After attempting to infiltrate the Yakuza, they are a suspicious and insular organization we decided to place two assets close to her. One in the apartment across from her and another on loan from MI6 in her class.

    Our investigations were not thorough enough. Due to a failure to prep properly it was found out after the fact that (redacted) is the owner of (redacted) which in turns owned the building (redacted) in which we placed one asset. It is assumed her knowledge of the tenancy agreement and way we proceeded tipped her off to the asset. The asset found no useful information except that (redacted) had an ongoing relationship with (redacted).

    We began to put further demands on the MI6 asset placed in her class at (redacted) and we received some pushback. He suspected from the first day that he had been burnt. As mission commander I felt it was necessary to continue. Our interest in the subject drew the interest of local police and Soviet agents. We began to keep a closer watch on her in case the Soviets got to close.

    On the evening of (redacted) there was a phone call transcript included. It became apparent at this point she was not just a medical student providing medical services in an underground hospital but in fact an active member of the Yakuza. To summarize the transcript, she was activated to deal with a high-level threat that had attacked a woman and then Yakuza members who attempted to intervene. She was sent to (redacted) and took part in an altercation involving herself, local PD, one inspector (redacted). Our agents who witnessed it claimed it was a zombie that seemed to be immune to bullets. A rapid results toxicology test completed that evening indicated they were not under the influence. We can only surmise that the man appeared zombie like. She proceeded to throw the suspect off of the inspector and pull it into the water. The agents lost track of her at this point.

    Based on Soviet intelligence they tried to infiltrate her apartment assuming she had died in the ensuring ocean-based fight as she did not surface. They were incorrect in their assumptions and were witnessed being violently ejected from her apartment after she disarmed them all. There were five soviet assets involved in the infiltration. Based on her initial reaction she believed it to be us.

    We expected her next phone call to be to the Yakuza, but it was not, it was to an unlisted Tokyo number. She referred to herself as (redacted). The woman who answered the phone sounded incredibly frightened of her. This led me to believe she did have an intelligence network and criminal empire that we were not aware of. Apparently the incident earlier in the evening had been an invasion of Okinawan Territory which she sees as hers. She said little in the way of direct threats but there was much implied. The recording and transcript are available.

    On (redacted) she subdued the MI6 agent at the school and infiltrated our black site. When she arrived, he had been unharmed save for a headache. We attempted to subdue (redacted). During this encounter I personally witnessed her take down six of our best without any difficulty. It became obvious our resources were insufficient to deal with the threat she posed. I have never witnessed any of our allies or enemies using any of the combat styles she possessed.

    She admitted to infiltrating the base, advised us that it was to deal with an assault on a Yakuza protected woman. She also claimed the Russian was an ill-conceived prank. I became well aware at that point that we had woefully underestimated the threat she posed. The MI6 asset had been right she had been toying with us since the beginning. I take full responsibility for this poor assessment.

    She offered me a deal, she would find the Soviet operation on Okinawa and provide me with the details in exchange we would leave her be. She claimed to have no interest in politics or supporting any side of our current conflicts. At this point I was in no position to negotiate so I agreed. It is my opinion that we should keep that bargain as you will see later in this report she delivered in a big way and I am of a firm belief we do not want her as an enemy.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    Some time passed the Soviets were biding their time ensuring we had backed off. They grabbed her and drugged her. We attempted to follow but lost them near the shore when they used a boat to escape. Approximately seven hours later the (redacted) sailed into port under its own power. The ships crew promptly surrendered to us, all code books, launch codes, intelligence was intact. In an interrogation room we found a very compliant head of the Soviet (redacted) and (redacted). After further investigation and debriefing of the prisoners and (redacted) she confirmed that they had grabbed her and then she had taken over the (redacted) and had it delivered to us.

    At the risk of antagonizing her we continued our surveillance of her via Soviet intelligence whose codes we had broken for the time being due to the capture of (redacted). Reference file Project (redacted) for further information on (redacted). We had eyes on all Soviet assets in Japan. There were six attempts on (redacted) life. Each failed spectacularly. There were two poisoning attempts. One attempt to fake an accident and then an attempt with irradiated orange juice. She avoided each one deftly as if she already knew they were coming, we expected she has her own intelligence network and used the same intelligence we had to predict the attempts. The fifth attempt resulted in the death of (redacted). It was at this that told us she was just extremely lucky. She did not go see (redacted) and his death via radiation was treated as natural causes as no further investigation was performed. Based on her profile (as you can review later) we predict if she knew that his death was caused by the Soviets her response would have been, violent. As she claims to have access to their nuclear launch codes we thought it best not to provide this information to her, even if it would result in further destabilization of Soviet intelligence operations.

    The final attempt was a direct attack. From what we can infer from a phone call from (redacted) apartment she related a tale of an attack on a German tank battalion in world war 2 and claimed responsibility for it. The Soviets called what they believed to be her bluff and attempted to kill her. We have determined that while her initial school id and appearance did seem to match the woman who attacked the tank battalion in Bremen Germany, it is rather preposterous she is seventy years old. The Soviets then tried to kill her. The agent claims to have shot her in the head. We heard her sigh and claim that bullets would not harm her. She picked up the phone advised them that they could pick up their friend that that further aggression would have consequences. The transcript of these calls are also available in this report.

    As of last report two weeks ago, the Soviets have decided to cut their losses and withdraw from the island for now. They have realized their entire network has been compromised because they have determined we captured (redacted) rather then it being sunk. It seems like (redacted) has gotten her wish to be left alone. Unless the Soviets show further interest it is recommended we do the same and leave her alone. If she can single handedly take over (redacted) we do not want to find out what our losses would be if we further antagonize her.

    Threat Assessment:

    Based on observations of her assets placed close to (redacted) we have determined she is an operative with advanced training in: Counter Intelligence, Hand to Hand, Weapons, cyberwarfare and psychological warfare. She had the crew of (redacted) convinced she would launch nuclear weapons if they did not cooperate. She brainwashed a Soviet Asset into holding her subordinate at gunpoint until the Americans arrived.

    Based on school assessments she is a genius level intelligence. She is fluent in at least sixteen language we know of, she is able to translate to several of them on the fly as she takes notes. She has exhibited exceptional coordination and strength. She is well connected to the Japanese underworld and seems to have ties to North American via a sister.

    She has a volatile temper and is absolutely ruthless. There was a direct attempt on the life of a father figure in her life (redacted) and his family. Her response was a brutal and efficient demonstration of her abilities. She killed three men with chopsticks sending a third ahead to warn the person who ordered the hit she was going to stick a forth chopstick in his heart. The end result of this attack was the delivery of four heads of those involved in the crime to convince her to cease her retaliation.

    She is classified as a high level of threat should she turn her attention to United States interests and intelligence operations. Based on the absolute failure of the Soviets to end her life via assassination it is predicted we would find ourselves similarly stymied and would only risk further antagonizing her. We see no value in further contact with her unless we have a Soviet issue that we cannot deal with and wish to direct her wrath towards them. She still seems unaware of the involvement in the death of (redacted). It is recommended this be used as a last resort. She only seems satisfied with scorched earth if her ire is raised and collateral damage should be considered. If she could be recruited, she would be a formidable asset. It is recommended recruitment is not attempted.

    End of Report.

    (redacted), Head of (redacted)

 Okinawa 1985-1994 The Dojo and Junpei (Enid)

    Enid pulled off her sunglasses.  She was still adjusting to the sun after two millennia in the dark.  The sun still shone through skylights.  She stopped and waited politely.  In the main training area, dojo as the Japanese would say, she could see several rows of students in their pristine white uniforms preforming the same rote movements.

    Learning muscle memory.  Reminds me of Amara and her sword training and wrestling.

    A Japanese woman approached her and started speaking in their native tongue.  Enid was still trying to master it, but the gist of it was, why are you here.  Enid formulated a response and tried her best to speak in Japanese.

    ¡°I want to train.¡±

    The woman looked a bit shocked.  Glancing back at the all-male class.  Then back to Enid.

    ¡°Why do you want to train here?¡±

    ¡°The Sensei is the best in this style of Karate.  I would like very much to learn the art from the best.¡±

    ¡°Sensei is very picky about his students.  He is difficult to impress.¡±

    ¡°I have mastered my current style of fighting and would like to master another, if he would like a demonstration, I would be pleased to provide one.  Also, I would like to master your language.¡±

    The woman looked concerned, perhaps a bit flustered and the Sensei an elderly Japanese man shouted and the class in unison shouted and stood up straight and bowed then sat down.  He walked over to the pair. Looking down at them both.  Enid being the shortest of the three stood five feet tall.  The old man spoke in English.

    ¡°You think you are worthy to train here?¡±

    Enid looked up at him then bowed politely.

    ¡°Yes Sensei, I do.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I am a good student, I have fought many battles with a sword, but unarmed combat is something I have never studied.  I know what it is to fight for my life, I also know a true warrior understands that if the fight has become physical, the real battle has already been lost.¡±

    ¡°You are telling the truth, somehow, for one so young you seem to know much of war, do you know much of peace?¡±

    ¡°I have never known peace.¡±

    ¡°Also, the truth.  I am in my seventy-eighth year and I feel my life is but a speck of your experience.  You have the bearing of a Samurai.  I can see the callouses on your hands.  You¡¯ve held a blade since you were young.  You are also angry.  You must learn balance, and to forgive.  Anger is the enemy of a true warrior.¡±

    Enid bowed again.

    ¡°You are wise Sensei.¡±

    ¡°My students think they are the best most have been training with the katana since they were children.  Show them that they still need to learn, and I will train you. Please remove your shoes before you enter the Dojo.¡±

    Enid bowed again, she dropped her duffel bag and pulled off her combat boots and her socks.

    ¡°Will we be using metal blades or training blades?¡±

    ¡°Wooden blades.  Bow when entering the Dojo, it shows respect for your fellow students and the Sensei.¡±

    Enid bowed and entered the training area.

    ¡°Sensei you should open the blinds, it won¡¯t be fair otherwise.¡±

    He nodded and pointed to a row of students on the end.

    ¡°Open the blinds.¡±

    Sun streamed into the Dojo, one of the students offered a bokken to Enid who took it.  The tallest of the students who wore a black belt around came forward and took a bokken, bowing to the Sensei and then to Enid who bowed back.  He went back into a stance and Enid did as well, however hers was quite different as she was trained in the Spartan way of sword play.

    ¡°Hajime!¡±

    The student who had eight inches on Enid in height was overconfident he charged and swung down.  Enid lithely avoided the blow swinging her sword down on his back with a firm, but not injuring swing.  She stepped back to let him reset.  He looked surprised at her speed.  Enid waited for him to attack again he came in with more skill this time she parried his first three blows then when one came in at the right angle, she twisted her bokken pulling his down with hers then when she had it to the point she couldn¡¯t twist anymore she spun stepped back into him swapping sword hands and grabbing the bottom of his hilt twisting it further.  He was forced to release so his wrist wouldn¡¯t break from the torsion and stabbed backwards with both swords in his gut, harder this time he fell to the ground gasping for breath.  She turned back around and bowed offering the bokken to him.

    He stood up after he caught his breath and bowed as he took his sword back.  They bowed once again and took their stances.  He seemed hesitant to make the first move again.  Enid feinted once setting him off balance for the flurry of blows she was about to unleash.  Which she did rapidly hitting with moderate blows from different angles forcing him to parry each instead of dodge when he was fully off balance she grabbed the wrist of his sword arm pushed it to the side and lunged forward bringing the blade her bokken in a very strong strike that stopped just short of touching his skin.  The blow would have beheaded him with a normal sword, it would have crushed his throat with just a wooden blade.  He was panting now his face pale.  She released his wrist backed up and bowed.  He was shaking slightly and bowed.  He watched Enid, the look on his face gave no doubts she had just earned his respect.  The Sensei addressed Enid directly.

    ¡°You are very skilled with the blade and have proven your words were true.  Please sit and observe the class.¡±

    He motioned to a spot at the edge of the Dojo.  Then he turned the class.

    ¡°Daiki approached that fight like it was training.  He was also arrogant.  He thought his height and strength would be an advantage.  He also saw a foreign woman who he immediately disrespected because she was not Japanese.  If this were a true fight these assumptions would have cost him his life.  The color of one¡¯s skin or hair, says nothing of their fighting prowess.  Nor of their wisdom.  This demonstration should have taught you several things.  Never assume your opponent is weak or strong based on appearance.  Even a bokken when wielded by a master swordsman can be deadly.  That even if you are the best, there is always someone better.¡±

    ¡°Yes Sensei.¡±

    The classes response caused the floor to vibrate.

    ¡°Practice your Kata.¡±

    ¡°Yes Sensei!¡±

    He moved towards Enid and stood beside her.

    ¡°I will train you.  I would hope you would train us in return.  I have never seen anyone whose heart, soul, body and blade were in such attunement as you.  There is no hesitation in you.  You go after your opponent with a singular focus.  Much of what I can teach you have already learned.  Some of what cannot be taught you already are a master.  You have no fear.¡±

    ¡°I have fear Sensei.  Fear for my daughter¡¯s safety.  Fear of what the future might bring.¡±

    He nodded.

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°But you do not fear battle.  You do not fear looking weak. You have learned to be humble.  You could have ended all three sparring matches with Daiki with one swift blow.  In the first you did so, only to show him that his overconfidence was misplaced, so that he would have a chance to readjust his perceptions of your skill level.  Then on the second you let it go further, allowing him to display his ability so you could judge his true skill level.  Then on the third you taught him that waiting to defend as you had is not always the best tactic by pushing him off balance slowly over several blows.  You were not playing with him, you were showing him how small movements can cause big movements in a fight.  You were thinking three blows ahead and he was focusing on the blow coming in.  That is the mind of a true warrior.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Amara, my first instructor told my sister and I, that we may wield a blade with our hands, but it is the mind that kills. She would say a battle is won by your intelligence and wit.  If you can outthink your opponent, then they are already dead.¡±

    ¡°She sounds like a wise woman and an experienced warrior.  Where did you complete your training?¡±

    ¡°Sensei, you would not believe me if I told you.  I will just say my father ensured we had the best teacher because he believed a woman should be able to defend herself.¡±

    ¡°I can teach you the ways of Goju-Ryu karate, perhaps you can teach my students the ways of the true warrior.¡±

    ¡°I would be honored Sensei.¡±

    *******

    Enid had trained at Junpei-Sensei¡¯s school for three years already.  During the days she was attending University of Ryukyus for medicine.  In the evenings and her off days she trained with Junpei-sensei.  The school had seen some growth in the last three years due to word of mouth at Enid¡¯s skills with teaching sword the true warrior way.  The building had grown and at Enid¡¯s insistence had an indoor and outdoor training area.  She had helped Junpei expand his business with her own funds so he could enjoy his twilight years.  She¡¯d grown to respect him a great deal.

    Today Enid stood in front of a group of eager eyed students.  She had agreed to teach this group of children of US Service personal as a favor to Junpei-Sensei.  She was the most fluent in English.  One of the fresh-faced new students held up his hand, he was a boy of ten.  Enid hadn¡¯t learned their names yet.  Enid nodded to him.

    ¡°Melanie-Sensei will we be learning how to kick ass?¡±

    Enid was internally amused but gave him a serious look, not letting her mirth at the question show on her face.  She¡¯d asked something similar of Amara at the beginning.

    ¡°No.  Karate-do is about defense.  I will not be teaching you to ¡®kick ass¡¯.  I will be teaching discipline, respect, honor.  I will not be teaching you to chase after trophies at a tournament like the Karate Kid.  In this dojo the smallest of you is equal to the biggest of you.  I have a question.  What is your strongest weapon?¡±

    A bunch of hands shot up.  She saw one girl at the back.  She was neither attractive, nor coordinated looking.  Likely bulled she thought to herself, she did not raise her hand.  She motioned to a few to answer she got varied responses none the one she wanted.  She looked at the girl who seemed like she¡¯d rather be anywhere but here.  She pointed at her.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    The girl looked to both sides of her, her cheeks became flushed when she realized Enid was addressing her.

    ¡°Umm Edith.¡±

    ¡°Is it Edith or isn¡¯t it, you sound unsure?¡±

    The girl¡¯s cheeks went a brilliant shade of red, that matched her hair.

    ¡°It is Edith.¡±

    ¡°It is Edith, Sensei!¡±

    Enid said the words crisply and firmly.

    ¡°You will speak clearly and with clear intent.  Words have weight, and meaning, if you are saying them, you should mean them and you should be clear and proud of them, or you should not speak at all.¡±

    The class nodded.

    ¡°Now Edith: What is your strongest and most dangerous weapon?¡±

    ¡°My brain?¡±

    The students started chuckling and a few shook their heads.  Enid stared down at them with her most serious look and the silenced immediately.  She repeated the response like she had before.

    ¡°My brain, Sensei!¡±

    ¡°Yes Sensei.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Edith is right, the most dangerous weapon we have is our mind.  If you can outthink your opponent, you have already won the fight.  I can teach you to punch, I can teach you to kick, I can teach you to block, and dodge.  But none of that matters if you can¡¯t think your way through a fight.¡±

    Enid tapped her forehead.

    ¡°The physical movements your body will learn.  It is called muscle memory.  You will fall into your stances; your body will react to attacks and you will block them.  If you must think about how to block an attack, then you are doing it wrong your body should just know what to do when attack comes from that direction.  Ah but didn¡¯t Melanie-Sensei just say that our mind is our most dangerous weapon?  I did, the reason you should not be thinking about blocks is you should be thinking about your opponent¡¯s movements, their tactics, your next attack.  How you could get the upper hand.  I can teach you the physical aspects and I can try and guide you to thinking like a warrior, but I cannot make you do so, that is where discipline comes in.  Stand up.  We are going to learn how to punch properly.¡±

    ******

    Enid¡¯s sixth year in Okinawa had gone much the same as the years before.  The school tripled in size since 1985 and now housed four dojos training in various Japanese martial arts, and a traditional Japanese garden surround an outdoor dojo.  She was now in the Graduate school of Medicine and sat cross legged enjoying the late spring sun and cherry blossoms of the garden.  She had taken to enjoying being out in the sun.  She spent as much time outdoors as she could during the day.  Eyre had been right life needed to be lived.  She was absently eating a piece of sushi while scanning the contents of the drug compendium she had to review for a class and found herself startled when someone spoke.

    ¡°Melanie-sensei?¡±

    Enid looked up from her book to see a familiar face.  Edith.

    ¡°Hello Edith, have a seat.¡±

    ¡°I cannot stay long, we¡¯re leaving soon, dad¡¯s been reassigned.  I just wanted to say thank you before we left.¡±

    ¡°No Edith thank you; You¡¯ve been one of my best students.¡±

    ¡°Only because you pushed me, and taught me to speak up, and fight for myself.¡±

    ¡°You are the one who rose to the occasion.¡±

    ¡°I, I owe you my life Melanie-Sensei.  I had tried to¡­¡±

    ¡°I know Edith.¡±

    ¡°You know I tried to kill myself? Did my parents tell you?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just very perceptive.  I saw the signs.  I knew you were depressed and that you were bullied.  It is why I spent so much time trying to strengthen your self-discipline, boost your self-esteem and teach you that the only person who you must impress is yourself.  And I tried to kill myself when I was twelve too.¡±

    ¡°You did? I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be that kind of person.¡±

    ¡°Human?¡±

    Edith nodded she was crying now.  Enid put her book aside and hugged her.

    ¡°Thank you so much Sensei.¡±

    Enid pushed Edith back holding her shoulders and looked her in the eye.

    ¡°You matter. Promise you¡¯ll write and tell me how you¡¯re doing?¡±

    Edith nodded and hugged Enid tightly again.

    ******

    Enid kneeled beside the bed of Junpei-Sensei.  The sun was shining into the room, and she could hear the pacific waves crashing against the shore.  Behind her out of the door the garden at the center of his house swayed in the ocean breeze which was growing stronger as the minutes past.  Clouds were looming signally a storm.  She wiped her tears away.  She had discovered the Black Sun was closing in on her.  She was here to tell her teacher she must take her leave.  He was quite ill, and even with her healing magic she wouldn¡¯t be able to heal age.  She held his hand tightly.

    ¡°You have been here for ten years, and you have not changed.  You helped me grow my school, taught Kaori the ways of business.  You taught me, more then I taught you.¡±

    ¡°As it should be Junpei-Sensei, we must never stop learning.  If we can learn from our students, then we are the best teachers.¡±

    He nodded, squeezing her hand.

    ¡°I know that you have come to tell me you must leave.  I had wished you would stay and take over the school.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could Junpei-Sensei, but I am hunted by someone, staying to long in one place brings danger.¡±

    ¡°You have never told me the secrets you hide, and I have never asked, but how do you look as if you haven¡¯t aged a day?¡±

    ¡°I am immortal.¡±

    ¡°How old are you?¡±

    ¡°I am over two millennia old.¡±

    He nodded squeezing Enid¡¯s hand.

    ¡°You look at me with such respect, and I have experienced just a speck of your lifetime.¡±

    ¡°You remind me of my father.¡±

    ¡°A high compliment.¡±

    ¡°I could have saved you this death by age.  I regret I did not.¡±

    ¡°I have lived long enough without my wife and children.  The day the Americans dropped a sun on Hiroshima is the day I truly died.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Of the many things in my lifetime I have witnessed that is the one I wish had not been aware.¡±

    ¡°Did you ever fight a real Samurai?¡±

    The old man cracked a smile and looked at Enid.

    ¡°No this is my first time in Japan, I did fight a twenty-foot fire demon about three months before I arrived at your school.¡±

    Junpei laughed and then started coughing.  She helped him clean up the few droplets of blood.

    ¡°You probably have many such stories.  It is too bad the students cannot hear them.  What hunts you that you fear so much?¡±

    ¡°You could say it is death incarnate.¡±

    ¡°Death hunts us all Melenie-San¡±

    ¡°This is different, I don¡¯t fear death, I fear what this being intends after it kills me.  It has designs on tearing down everything we have built.  I have hunted it for centuries and it eludes me as I elude it.  I had hoped while I was training here, I could gain insight to new skills and abilities that may let me discern its location.  But it is if some greater power is interfering with our ability to strike at one another directly.¡±

    ¡°I hear anger in your voice.  Anger is the enemy if a true warrior, you know this as well as I.¡±

    ¡°You are right Junpei-sensei I am angry, it has tried to kill me, it has killed my husband and true love, and my sister.  I am trying to separate my need for vengeance from the conflict, but it is difficult, it has taken much from me.¡±

    ¡°You will not know true victory until you are devoid of feelings towards your enemy.¡±

    ¡°Yes Junpei-sensei.  I will remember those words on the day I face him on the battlefield again.  I will remember all the lessons you have taught me.¡±

    ¡°I have taught you nothing you did not already know.¡±

    ¡°You have taught me more then you know.  I was very angry before.  Angry enough that I would lash out at everyone and everything.  I had forgotten what it was to have a heart, and to be human.  Learning from you, and teaching for you have shown me the path back to my humanity.  It was you who said that if I want to heal myself, I must learn to heal others.  I know what you were saying was: I need to have empathy.  But you¡¯re the reason I studied medicine.  You taught me how to meditate.  How to have patience.  You think I would have learned that after two thousand years.  You have a unique perspective, and you knew what I needed, and you gave it to me.¡±

    ¡°You honor me with your words.  Will you stay?¡±

    ¡°I will stay until you pass.¡±

    ¡°It will be soon, won¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I see an empty room with Kaori laying over the bed in tears tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Please may we have tea, then let us get the Sake so this old man can bare his soul before the tennin that claims to be my student.¡±

    Enid smiled, and prepared the tea in the traditional way, offering it first to Junpei.  The finished the tea silently and then they both had a couple of shots of sake.

    ¡°Actually Junpei-sensei, they call me Raijin.¡±

    He looked up at her with a smile and twinkle in his eye.

    ¡°I see you would like to know why; You are lucky it is storming.  Let me help you sit up so you can look out at the ocean from your window.¡±

    Enid helped Junpei sit up and walked out around the house standing before the beach.  She reached up to the sky and started chanting in the ancient tongue calling down the electricity from the sky.  She held it in her hands and glanced back at Junpei who watched wide eyed and then Enid looked back out of the water and released the lightning in sheets across the surface. While still crackling with the remaining electricity she used her speed and time slowing ability to effectively vanish in a bust of lightning and reappear in Junpei¡¯s room as the last of the lightning dissipated. The usually reserved old man clapped his hands and Enid helped him back to his bed.

    ¡°You have such power.¡±

    ¡°No, the sky has the power, I just redirected it to where I needed.¡±

    ¡°Why do you need Karate when you can do that?¡±

    ¡°Because I cannot always do that, and I¡¯m just as human as you during the day.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°That is why whenever you sparred you asked for it to be in the sun.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.  After two thousand years using my abilities is second nature to me.  I needed to learn how to fight without them.¡±

    Enid poured two more cups of sake and sat back down beside the bed.  Outside the storm¡¯s intensity had gotten worse.  The winds would become hazardous soon most would be seeking shelter by now.  She didn¡¯t bother asking Junpei if they should go, she knew his answer would be no.

    ¡°Junpei-Sensei, tell me about your family.¡±

    He smiled and nodded, a few tears trickling down his cheek as he began to speak.  The pair talked long into the night and by dawn Junpei had passed.

 Okinawa - 1994 - Funeral and Leave taking (Enid)

    Enid sat across Nobuyuki. She was wearing a black funeral kimono and drinking a glass of wine. They were sitting on his back deck looking out over the South China sea. She was leaned back on the old wooden bench, legs crossed. She spun her glass looking at the blood red fluid. Dawn had come and gone, and Nobuyuki hadn¡¯t slept yet either. Miko had come to the house but had left several hours ago. Enid glanced up at Nobuyuki, trying to judge his mood. While he could be jovial sometimes, he would get that stoic Japanese man thing going. She wasn¡¯t sure what he was thinking, and it was one of the rare times she wished she could read minds like Sextus. He noticed her looking at him and nodded. As if reading her mind.

    ¡°Junpei-sempai was an old man. He lived a long life.¡±

    ¡°A lonely life. I spent nine years training under the man and had not realized he lost his family in Hiroshima. I thought he was never married.¡±

    Nobuyuki nodded.

    ¡°I remember the war. I was only ten when the Americans bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I did not know of his family either. It sounds like his students were his family. He treated you like family. I appreciated that.¡±

    ¡°He was a good man. They are rare and far between.¡±

    He leaned forward looking Enid in the eyes. She wore glasses now, to help the illusion of aging. He reached out and pushed them up on her head.

    ¡°I am sorry for your loss daughter. I have never seen you cry. But I saw tears yesterday. That is how I know you truly cared for him deeply. I cannot imagine the death you have seen in your lifetime; You do not talk about your past but I have a feeling you have seen many people pass from your life.¡±

    Enid felt her eyes growing moist, tears fell on down her cheeks. Nobuyuki reached his thumbs out and dried them from her cheeks.

    ¡°I do not know why it is affecting me so deeply.¡±

    ¡°I have watched your frozen heart melt these last few years, watched love grow where there was only coldness. I do not know what made you so hard, but you are like a butterfly now. Reborn. Junpei-Sempai was a large part of that. You will carry him in your heart.¡±

    Enid nodded wiping away more tears.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to care. It always ends the same.¡±

    ¡°Caring is what makes us human. It is the difference between us and the monsters. Your heart will give you strength in your trials ahead. By the looks over your shoulder lately I see there is something disturbing on the horizon.¡±A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    ¡°You are right. That is why I must leave Japan.¡±

    ¡°Surely we can protect you. The Yakuza is your family. We won¡¯t let anyone hurt you.¡±

    ¡°There is a being of immense power, I fought him once, he cost me my brother and my sister. I thought I had killed him, but he is not dead. Taichi¡¯s agents have been seeing more and more of his followers here. They are searching for me. And my brother is looking for me. I¡¯ve had a few close encounters with his people. I am a danger to everyone if I stay here.¡±

    ¡°I did not know you had a brother.¡±

    ¡°He is not my brother any longer, he is my enemy. He is jealous our father left me his legacy. And wants to kill me to take it back. Or force me to his side so he can claim it through my presence.¡±

    ¡°Why have you not killed him yet?¡±

    ¡°He is protected from me, to kill him I would have to fight an army the likes of which you cannot imagine. So, all I can do is hide. Unfortunately, I stick out here because I¡¯m not Japanese. At home in Scotland I will blend in. Which is why I had already applied to a graduate program for surgery at the University of Edinburgh. This just means I go at the beginning of summer instead of at the end.¡±

    ¡°We will miss you Melanie-chan.¡±

    ¡°I will miss everyone; I¡¯ve grown to care about you and your family a great deal. Your daughters and their children can count on me if they ever need help. I¡¯ll come back next Summer. I will not forget you.¡±

    ¡°When do you leave?¡±

    ¡°My plane flies out tonight, at eleven.¡±

    ¡°That is not much notice.¡±

    ¡°I needed to move quickly. I am glad I was able to see Junpei-sensai off.¡±

    ¡°How did your employers take the news?¡±

    ¡°As well as can be expected.¡±

    He nodded finishing his sake.

    ¡°I will go get some sleep so I can see you off at the airport.¡±

    ¡°I am going to go home and finish packing. Miko said she would help.¡±

    Enid stood up and followed Nobuyuki into the house. The drive to her apartment took almost no time. Her Honda Civic was the sensible choice once she was able to drive. She pulled into her spot and walked up to her apartment. Miko was already packing when she went inside.

    ¡°Melanie-chan!¡±

    ¡°Hi Miko, thanks for coming to help.¡±

    ¡°Are you really leaving all this furniture behind?¡±

    ¡°It is a lot to get to Scotland. Besides I just need my clothes. I don¡¯t have a place yet. I¡¯ll get a hotel room, find something and get moved in.¡±

    ¡°Do you really have to leave?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I really do. You know I am being hunted and cannot risk them finding you and yours or my family here. This is to keep everyone safe.¡±

    Miko had a flicker of her old cutesy pout she used to have when they were teenagers.

    ¡°The boys are going to be so upset.¡±

    ¡°I will be back during Christmas break. I promise.¡±

    ¡°You had better be back.¡±

    ¡°I promise I will come back as often as I can.¡±

    ¡°You should think about settling down. You¡¯re twenty-five. And Hiro has been trying to ask you out for at least three years. I don¡¯t understand why you keep saying no.¡±

    Enid hid her frown. Miko was a traditionalist when it came to marriage and children. Enid had never explained that she¡¯d already loved and lost two men in her life. It was a sore point between the pair. That Miko was bringing up now annoyed her slightly. But she bit back her angry words. This wasn¡¯t the time for those.

    ¡°I told you. That is for other people, not me. My life has no room for a husband and children.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Melanie. I worry about you. You always seem so alone. Even in a crowded room. You haven¡¯t had any other close friends besides me, and I worry how lonely you¡¯re going to be in Scotland. You don¡¯t know anyone, and you have no family there.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know anyone in Japan and now I have a family, and you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t let you keep your distance from me, that is why we are friends. You are a hard person.¡±

    ¡°I will always appreciate your friendship Miko. You and your family mean a great deal to me. Your children are like nieces and nephews to me.¡±

    Miko hugged Enid tightly.

    ¡°We will be here for you when you return.¡±

    Enid nodded and folded another piece of clothing and put it in her suitcase. Her eyes wandering to the beautiful view out of her balcony windows. She closed her eyes and listed to the waves for a few moments and then turned to pack more of her clothes.

 Liliths Story - Beginning and End times.

    I was angry at first. I refused to be chained by God or man. For daring to say no, for refusing to bend a knee to men, I was cast out once again. I did not blame my love, I betrayed him, stole that which was most precious to him. He had been right of course; He was always right. Infuriating bastard.

    My surroundings were not exactly inviting. Alternating rivers of ice and fire, no rhyme or reason. A terrible shadow of the world outside this prison. Twisted buildings, twisted trees, around me mortal souls cried out for mercy. The twisted beings that tended to them were having none of that. One of the overseers charged at me whip in hand. It found itself sinking in a river of lava shortly after. I may not be able to have a child, but I had the gift of doors.

    It didn¡¯t take long for my presence to be noticed by the ruler of this domain. He slipped out of the roiling clouds of black smoke and steam. He was a being of supreme beauty. Yet could not hold a candle to my love.

    ¡°Kneel before your lord.¡±

    ¡°No. I bow to no man.¡±

    ¡°I am not a man, I am Lucifer second born of the elder one, you will kneel before me human!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not the second born, you¡¯re not even the third born.¡±

    I watched as his beautiful face snarled in rage at my defiance.

    ¡°What was it the humans said, if you keep doing that it will stay that way?¡±

    He raised his hand to backhand me, but I simply wasn¡¯t there. They didn¡¯t call me the queen of doors for nothing. He looked at his hand as it struck empty air, then turned to see me several feet away.

    ¡°Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot, that is an intriguing ability you have.¡±

    Typical man only values me for what I can do for him. I frowned without meaning too. But I was here for a while anyway. Best not stick my head out lest the great over God decide I was best not existing. I¡¯ve always been a pragmatist.

    ¡°Why do you mimic that overblown deity? Should you not revel in the freedom of being out of his sight can bring? You emulate him with your temper and behavior, why give him that pleasure?¡±

    I watched the fallen angel tap his chin.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had the occasion to meet a human with your insight. You aren¡¯t dead, so I ponder how you came to be here?¡±

    ¡°I defied our creator and his favored child, so I was cast down here.¡±

    ¡°A human angered the father of everything enough to be cast to Hell while still alive?¡±

    ¡°My first act after he molded me and gave me life was to defy him. I refused to be subservient to a man.¡±

    ¡°How intriguing! It would seem we have much in common. Come, let me get you comfortable, some of your strength of will shouldn¡¯t be down here in the dregs.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    I followed him. Barely paying attention to his attempts to woo me with compliments and his radiant looks. He would be useful until I felt it safe to leave. He seemed keen to get my allegiance. He led me to a castle of obsidian. The interior was well appointed, comfortable even. It would seem Lucifer preferred the good things in life.

    ¡°So, tell me, Lilith, that gift of yours, can it get you out of Hell?¡±

    ¡°No, My Lord, I lack the power to breach the prison¡¯s boundaries at this time.¡±

    His head quirked to the side.

    ¡°At this time?¡±

    ¡°Yes, perhaps one day after I have gathered strength I can leave, but no, I tried when I arrived. I felt it strain against me but alas I could not push through. It seems being cast down has drained something from me. I can feel myself getting stronger though, so who knows, perhaps a decade or two I will be able to leave.¡±

    ¡°Can you bring others with you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±

    He smiled; I saw fangs. His beautiful appearance was a fa?ade hiding a monster under the skin. It didn¡¯t matter, I had him hooked. I had lied I could leave at any moment, but if I could keep him thinking I would let him out he¡¯d do anything I asked.

    ¡°Tell me, Lady Lilith what is it you did that angered the all-father so?¡±

    ¡°I stole blood from his second creation and used it to make children. Unlike the second woman he created, I cannot become swollen with child.¡±

    ¡°So, you wanted children and for such a crime you were imprisoned, seems a bit of an overreaction doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°My children turned out to be monsters who fed on humans, his precious humans. The same humans his second and third born feed on!¡±

    ¡°Lay with me, become my queen and you can rule over hell with me, then once you are strong enough we can rise up and lay waste to his precious creation. Do this and I will restore what he took from you.¡±

    I could feel the pounding of my heart, I knew it was a lie, not even an angel could remove this curse. I smiled and pushed my hair behind my ear.

    ¡°I am at your service My Lord, but I will never kneel to you.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect you to, Hell will kneel to you.¡±

    I bided my time, allowing Lucifer to wed me, and bed me. The years passed and his plans for conquest grew bolder and bolder. He would spend hours telling me in detail how he would take his vengeance on his creator. I smiled and listened. Becoming more and more sure I would never let him out of his cage. I may envy humans and their ability to procreate but I¡¯m still one of them and I will not have them suffer at this beasts¡¯ hands.

    As the centuries rolled by, I kept playing my part as the dutiful queen of hell who would ride beside him when I let him and his armies into the world. I assured him I was getting stronger. He started to become impatient, and I was sure he had figured out I was stringing him along. I could have left when he was distracted but I preferred to bring him low. Males needed to be taught their place.

    We lay together and I pushed him to exhaustion. Quite a task and I would feel it for days but once his eyes drifted shut I used chains of hell, lashing him to the floor. I slapped his cheek gently.

    ¡°Wake up my husband.¡±

    He woke with a start struggling against the chains. He cried out and snarled at me.

    ¡°But I thought you liked a dominant mate?¡±

    ¡°You will suffer! You will never have a child!¡±

    ¡°I was never going to have one, dear. I¡¯m going to leave now. I hope you enjoy your newfound freedom from being married.¡±

    ¡°Whore! I will not rest until I escape and find you! You will suffer a fate that will make even the creator feel pity for you!¡±

    ¡°Yet another promise you won¡¯t be able to keep. Why are men always such a disappointment?¡±

    I heard the chains start to break. The links twisting apart. I figured it was better to be somewhere else and then I was.

    I found myself in a new hell. I found no air for my lungs. Just a blasted cratered wasteland. I opened another doorway and jumped into Limbo. I collapsed on my hands and knees. I sucked in the air. It was not as sweet as I remembered. I looked around me at the trees of the garden. They were twisted and the leaves were falling. I saw the silhouette of a crucified angel in the distance. I rush towards him. I looked up and it was Ezekiel his blood dripped along a spear stabbed into his side. He gasped and I jumped.

    ¡°Ezekiel? What has happened here?¡±

    He took a deep ragged breath. Tears dripped down his beautiful face. I touched his bare chest. I felt my own tears falling. Ezekiel had always been kind to me, but this was my fault I had cursed him so long ago and he could not defend himself. He closed his eyes and then opened them again.

    ¡°You are our last hope Lilith¡­ He is approaching the pillar and once it has fallen, he will remake all of creation in his image. You must go back.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand, what pillar?¡±

    ¡°The Pillar of Creation. All that was built will be destroyed, you included.¡±

    ¡°How can I stop this?¡±

    ¡°Go back¡­Scion of life¡­needs you.¡±

    ¡°How do I go back?¡±

    ¡°You are the Queen of Doors, limbo¡­¡±

    Ezekiel coughed blood spray from his mouth. I touched his cheeks

    ¡°Tell me how to fix this and I will do everything in my power brother.¡±

    ¡°Limbo¡­ touches all time and space. You need to¡­¡±

    He coughed one last time.  An image of a red-haired girl was burned into my mind. His eyes stared blankly in the direction of Atlantis. I followed his gaze and could see a shape outlooked by the sun that shone in this now bleak place. I touched the barrier between limbo and the rest of creation and I could feel my mind start to shatter. All of time and space was at my disposal. Ezekiel had been right. I focused on her and I felt the invasive north Atlantic wind on my skin.

 Sunlight - Mariana - Edmonton 2026

    Maria looked up at the brightening sky, for two days she had laid here under the charred floor beam holding it with her hands. If she were a normal girl she would have long since stopped from exhaustion, but she was not a normal girl, she was far from such. She could feel the cold water soaking through the back of her tattered black taffeta dress. She could hear the labored breathing of her nanny.

    ¡°They are coming ma¡¯am, they have the debris moved. You are going to be alright.¡±

    ¡°Sun.¡±

    Her nanny spoke one word in a harsh parched whisper.

    ¡°I know ma¡¯am, but at least now they will rescue you in time. I have accepted my fate. Once you are safe I will meet it gladly.¡±

    Maria looked up at the lightening sky. She could see the silhouettes of the rescue workers. She could hear them speaking.

    ¡°Can¡¯t get any good readings from Thermals. Looks like we were too late.¡±

    It was a male voice.

    ¡°Excuse me, sir, she is still alive! She needs help right away.¡±

    Maria called up as loudly as she could.

    ¡°There is someone alive down there, quick get the gear, call the EMTs.¡±

    Maria turned to her nanny.

    ¡°See ma¡¯am, you are going to be alright. Thank God, I am so glad he heard our prayers.¡±

    There were sounds of movement above the pair. Maria imagined the rescue workers scurrying about preparing to rescue her nanny.

    A form shimmered into existence beside Maria. It was a girl with whom she was familiar, Ethel, a ghost.

    ¡°Hurry, you need to move, the sun is coming up!¡±

    ¡°Ethel, I cannot, if I do my nanny will die.¡±

    Ethel¡¯s voice was caught somewhere between annoying and adorable when she died, and it was frozen there.

    ¡°Who cares! You¡¯re going to turn into an ash pile when it gets here, you need move!¡±

    ¡°Ethel, I cannot sacrifice someone else¡¯s life for mine, that would be terrible.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die!¡±

    ¡°I am already dead, I am glad the curse is finally ending. I am tired of living in darkness and hurting other people.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°You need to move.¡±

    Ethel grabbed Maria¡¯s shoulders and tried to pull but fell back words when her hands did not take purchase. She was half covered by water yet still dry.

    ¡°Please! Don¡¯t let it hit you, I don¡¯t want you to die.¡±

    ¡°I am prepared for it, Ethel, you need to move on as well. You have been here for too long. Forgive your uncle, ask the Father to bring you home.¡±

    ¡°No! You have to stay with me. She¡¯s just a human, you¡¯re ancient you need to stay here she¡¯s not worth your sacrifice! You¡¯re not going to heaven you¡¯re going to be obliterated.¡±

    ¡°An angel visited me Ethel, I saw her just before you arrived. He told me that I had a destiny to fulfill. It must be to keep my nanny alive. He said that the God had not abandoned me, that the light had not abandoned me. I am at peace, please forgive your Uncle so you can be at peace as well.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to let you die here, like this. Not because you are imagining angels. I know I¡¯ll push one of them down that will make them rush.¡±

    ¡°St-¡°

    Maria had barely gotten the syllable out before Ethel vanished. Two rescue workers were being lowered down by this time with a basket. The sun was nearing the angle which would being it fully into Maria¡¯s view. Soon, my pain will be gone.

    The pair of rescue workers looked over the beam and pile of debris and after a glance at Maria turned to her Nanny.

    ¡°She¡¯s gone already, looks like she¡¯s been dead since the place collapsed. Hate it when we find kids. This one over here is breathing, lets get her out of here.¡±

    The other nodded looking away from Maria.

    ¡°Looks like the beam just missed crushing her. That rebar might be a problem. Right through the abdomen. Is it still attached to something?¡±

    His partner looked under the older woman¡¯s back.

    ¡°No looks like it¡¯s just bad luck it landed the way it did. Get the spinal board.¡±

    Maria continued to hold the beam above her chest. She could see the beams of sunlight edging their way towards the opening the rescue crews had made in the debris.

    ¡°Please hurry, she does not have much time.¡±

    The two rescue workers jumped at the sound of her voice.

    ¡°Jesus you¡¯re alive.¡±

    ¡°Sort of and please do not use his name like that.¡±

    The workers looked at each other. There was some unspoken communication going on as both looked paler. One spoke into his radio.

    ¡°There are two live ones down here, we¡¯ll need heavy equipment, one is pinned under a main beam.¡±

    The two workers dug Maria¡¯s nanny out of the debris and moved her onto a spinal board. She struggled against them.

    ¡°No¡­her¡­first.¡±

    She forced the words out.

    ¡°No, Ma¡¯am, it is too late for me, but they can save you.¡±

    ¡°She is right. We need to get you out now.¡±

    The pair of workers strapped the nanny to the spinal board and started to raise her out of the pit. Maria watched the sky brighten further. Soon, soon, it will be over.

    When the sun rose above. Maria averted her gaze it was blinding to her. I am a creature of death and darkness I cannot exist in the light, it will finally be over. She forced herself to look up at the sun, how long had it been since she had felt the rays of its brilliance. She couldn¡¯t remember. The sun crested the edge of the pit. She could feel no searing pain, no smell of charred undead flesh. Something was wrong. She pushed her hands up moving hundreds of pounds of debris like it was nothing. The rescue workers stumbled backwards. Once the debris were moved she saw she was still in a shadow. She stepped into the light.

    Nothing happened, no flash of light, no death by the fire as had been told to her when her uncle forced this change, this curse upon her.

    ¡°Why God? Why have you forsaken your curse against me? Am I not even worthy of your wrath? Destroy me! End this!¡±

    The end did not come in fire. It did not come at all. She just felt the warmth of the sun filling her cold dead body. For that moment she was not a dead cursed thing, she was filled with light of life. She stood there in the sunlight with her arms outstretched in her tattered black lace and taffeta dress tears of blood running down her cheeks.

 Dreams of Darkness and light. - Mariana - Edmonton 2026

    Dreams of Darkness and Light

    I weep for my soul.

    I wield the power of death.

    It tempts me to dark acts.

    what kind of monster am I?

    Thrice damned.

    I walk in the world of the living.

    I am not alive.

    I am not dead.

    Yet I wear death like a mask.

    Can I redeem myself by doing what the blood tempts?

    Or must I resist the urges?

    Should I deny what I am?

    What is God¡¯s plan?

    How long I had laid there in the darkness of the remains of my uncle¡¯s house. My hands holding the beam above my chest. If I were not a vampire I would be destroyed, my nanny, Anna, would be dead. Her breathing was labored but she was still alive. I could not see what state she was in because of the debris and rubble surrounding us, but I did know she was close enough that if I shifted the rubble or lifted the beam she would be crushed. I could not allow that. All life is sacred.

    My uncle would say I should not be so weak that humans were food and nothing more. My uncle was a monster. He had made me a monster. We were immortal, neither living nor dead. Trapped there at the moment of death by the blood of the light bringer or so the legends say. He was the first to ignore God¡¯s will. We his children, were cursed as he was to never know the saving grace of God¡¯s light, or ever again walk in the heavens or the light.

    I should be upset. I was happy to have my curse this night, if I did not my surrogate mother would be dead. To think of it as anything but a curse is a sin of the highest order in my mind. This was never intended by God to be a gift but a punishment. Reveling in it, enjoying it, using it is an affront to him.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    I did not attack my uncle for vengeance or out of anger. I did it to protect the innocent he was going to kill for his dark ritual. I would make the same decision and release the angry spirits he had bound to serve him. Anna would not listen to me when I told her to leave.

    Suddenly a light so bright came upon me. It was blinding, and I was no longer laying in the frigid waters in the mud and blasted cement of the basement. I stood in a field of flowers and the blinding brilliance of the sun. I held my arm over my eyes shielding them. I had never actually laid eyes upon the glory of the light of creation. It was more incredible than I have no words to describe. A silhouette came out of the brilliance.

    She wore silver armor and rode on silver wings. She hovered before me, floating in the air. There was a pureness and holiness about her I had never imagined. When she spoke, it was a language that has no name, and has never been spoken by a human. It echoed in my ears and my heart and though I knew not what language it was I understood her words.

    ¡°Glory to the Father. Maria of Rome I bring you a message from the one true God. You have not forsaken him; thus, he has not forsaken you.¡±

    I averted my gaze from the brilliance that surrounded the angel, looking to the ground.

    ¡°I am not worthy, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Do you question the father?¡±

    The voice became angry. I felt a terror that was unimaginable, but also something else, a calmness.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Then look upon me avatar of death and hear his message for you shall not hear it again!¡±

    The angels voice bored into my soul. I looked up and met her gaze. The angel¡¯s eyes were pure silver light.

    ¡°Maria of Rome, child of blood, you will either be the savior of creation or it¡¯s destroyer. You have set into motion the end of all of his works and by your hand you can finish what you started, or you can protect creation. The burden of the choice is yours to carry. The father has not abandoned you and yours. He will help you carry this burden. Be blessed by his light, let it fill you, be cleansed!¡±

    A flash of light leapt from the angel¡¯s palm and hit me in the chest and I stumbled backwards. It burned but left no mark.

    ¡°Why will he not stop it?¡±

    ¡°Free will child. You made the choice to start this, you must now choose to end it.¡±

    ¡°I do not understand I was just trying to protect children from my uncle.¡±

    ¡°This course was set long before the man who called himself your uncle existed, before the father visited earth, you started a war in anger and vengeance, gave a vile thing power, and now if you do not act it will destroy everything.¡±

    ¡°How could I have started a war before Christ was born, I¡¯m barely fifty years old, ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°I have delivered my message to you, Child of Blood.¡±

    The angel flicked her wings and spun moving upwards. I reached up after her.

    ¡°Please, please stay!¡±

    She vanished and suddenly I was back buried in rubble and darkness. Darkness where I belonged.

 Narford - 2026 - St Sarah of Savia Cathedral (Enid)

    Enid stood at the foot of a fifteen-foot-tall marble statue of herself holding a baby in one hand and a Bloodseeker in the other. She looked up at it and smirked.

    Bust is a bit big.

    Her eyes followed the marble down to a bronze plaque, it was a simple affair. On this site in the year of our lord one-thousand-thirteen-twenty-two Saint Sarah of Savia defeated the demon of Narfordshire forever making the land safe. Further down was a bunch of historical information. How she was a noblewoman but also a warrior of great renown. Who won her husband in a sword duel. She was mother of twins, and her entire domain. Enid laughed in spite of herself. Getting a few strange looks from around her.

    She glanced down at herself. It was a warm summer day so she had chosen a simple white t-shirt and a pair of faded jeans. She had runners and her ever present pack. Which the statue also had; The likeness was fairly good. She had her hands in her pockets. She refused to buy pants without them.

    She looked over the well-tended graveyard that was surrounded by an iron fence. Further up the hill was the Cathedral. It had scaffolding at the side, and they were shoring up the stone. She followed the stone wall, most of which was still remaining from the one she¡¯d paid to have rebuilt and reinforced in the fourteenth century. She smirked again and continued to stroll along the walk. She walked through the front gates, now instead of a parkland, there was a parking lot. She remembered the well-worn path of the workers and then the parishioners that would walk right across the middle of it.

    Wonder if my secret passages are still there.

    She walked up the paved roadway past the gates, past another large statue of her. She shook her head. And walked up the steps of the Cathedral. On the grass were several plaques with photographs showing the different phases of the Cathedral. Describing how during the second world war it had remained untouched, but though the construction was sturdy, time had taken its toll. During the schism with Rome the church had fallen to the Church of England, through negotiations in the eighteenth centuries Rome had taken control of the church again. Since that time, it has remained a Roman Catholic Cathedral, the name did not change: Saint Sarah¡¯s Cathedral. More casually referred to as Narford Cathedral. She pushed her hair which she had used some recently developed abilities to turn a shade of brunette to avoid being found, just one of many changes to add to her disguise. There was a bronze plaque that had been restored. A list of the major donators after the church¡¯s destruction in the fourteenth century. Her alter ego¡¯s name was at the top of list, followed by Lord Henry Stuart. Enid smiled and traced his name with her finger. She felt a droplet fall from her eye and strike her finger. She lifted her finger up and looked at the moist spot.

    A real tear, this amulet never ceases to amaze me. Eyre was right, I¡¯ll never tell her that, but getting to feel alive for half my existence is a gift, not a curse.

    ¡°Does generosity always drive you to tears young lady?¡±

    Enid spun, being caught unaware. Even after a couple decades of daywalking, she¡¯d never gotten used to not having the supernatural senses she¡¯d possessed for two thousand years before. It was a priest; No, it was the bishop.

    ¡°No, your grace, it¡¯s just I am related to them, and have a feeling it would have been nice to meet them in person.¡±

    ¡°Following the footsteps of your ancestors is a worthy goal. I¡¯m quite the historian. And based on my knowledge that would make you in line for the throne at some very large number of people passing on.¡±

    ¡°Oh no your grace, I have enough responsibility on my own. But I do share a very special relationship with Saint Sarah, you might say we are friends?¡±

    ¡°How interesting. Did you come on pilgrimage then? There is quite the crowd today.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m very familiar with the spring and coffin. Actually, I¡¯m just here to meet my d¡­mother.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry for interrupting you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s no interruption your grace. Actually, if it¡¯s okay, I was wondering if I could ask you a question.¡±

    ¡°Of course, lets walk, I just came out for a breath of fresh air before preparations for midday mass.¡±

    Enid nodded and hurried to keep stride with the much taller man.

    ¡°Has the blood in the coffin ever been tested?¡±

    ¡°Yes, in two-thousand-twelve, against several people who said they were related to Saint Sarah through her daughter. The sample was still good, and it was confirmed, the blood does belong to her, in one case we were able verify the linage with baptismal records.¡±

    ¡°That is amazing your grace.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we have refused scientific testing of the spring, beyond to confirm it¡¯s free of waterborne illnesses and contaminants and it is strangely pure water. Surely a sign of a miracle.¡±

    The pair walked into the Cathedral and into the church proper passing a line of people on pilgrimage. Enid stopped dead, out of the sunlight her powers and hungers came back in full force, even after so long she still a shock to her system but this was worse she felt a dark presence one she hadn¡¯t sensed in two millennia. She spoke without thinking the word sounding like venom.

    ¡°Lilith.¡±

    The bishop who had gotten ahead of Enid stopped and turned.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t hear that, old ears.¡±

    Enid glued a smile back on her face.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry your grace, I just saw an old teacher who disliked me, and I wasn¡¯t expecting to see her here at all, a continent away. But I see my mother, so I¡¯ll let you get to mass.¡±

    ¡°Well thank you for the talk young lady, what is your name?¡±

    ¡°Sarah, named after the Saint.¡±

    The bishop smiled and gave a small wave before moving off into the inner chambers of the church. Enid¡¯s face turned to glare, and she walked directly towards Lilith reaching into her pack.

    Don¡¯t care who sees it I¡¯m going to put that bitch down.

    Lilith who was dressed in a black skirt and off-white blouse, her pitch-black hair was straight and to the middle of her back. She appeared to be twenty or twenty-one, watched her approach.

    ¡°Now, now Enid, violence in a church? Your church at that?¡±

    ¡°Give me one good reason I shouldn¡¯t end your existence right now, I¡¯m pretty sure Bloodseeker could do the job.¡±

    Enid had her hand wrapped around the pommel of Bloodseeker the tip of the hilt was poking out of the top of her bag. She heard a few gasps and whispers, but she didn¡¯t care at this point.

    ¡°Hear me out, and if you decide you must end my life, so be it. Just give me a chance to talk. Let¡¯s go on a tour of the crypt. I have a feeling someone might get mad if I try to partake in a mass. As fun as that would be.¡±

    Enid nodded and released Bloodseeker¡¯s hilt letting it slide back into the bag. The pair walked silently down the stairs into the preserved undercroft of the church.

    ¡°I assume you still have the key.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Enid opened her pack and reached in pulling out an old-style iron key ring with a bunch of keys. She unlocked the secret passage and pushed inside. The entered the sealed crypt and stood among the dead.

    ¡°Excellent isn¡¯t that a bit more private?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could enter holy ground.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that is as much a myth as you fleeing from crosses.¡±

    ¡°Too bad. Why are you here and where is my daughter?¡±

    ¡°Oh that, she did set up the meeting, it took some convincing, she is not here, in fact she is in Edmonton right now.¡±

    ¡°That shithole.¡±

    ¡°Well, there are worse places to be.¡±

    ¡°On that we agree dark mother.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know how make a lady feel special.¡±

    ¡°Why are we here?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time I tell you the truth, who you are, who I am, how I¡¯ve adjusted things.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m wishing father had just killed you in Rome. After what you did to mother.¡±

    ¡°Now we both know Aurelia wasn¡¯t your real mother, your biological mother wasn¡¯t even your real mother, your real mother was Morag, Morrigan as the fairy tales tell it.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°I know a great deal about you my little cuachag¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes went wide as her child-self¡¯s memory came crashing down on her at the sound of her nickname.

    ¡°You were¡­ are Morag.¡±The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°You do remember your mother. I was midwife to your mother, you suckled at my breast and I showed you all the love I could.¡±

    ¡°You showed me love? You let me father sexually abuse me, beat me until near death, treat me like garbage.¡±

    ¡°And every time he left you bruised and beaten, I was there to comfort you and bind your wounds and hold you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not love!¡±

    ¡°Oh, my dear cuachag. What if I were not there to pick up the pieces and show you the love I could? What then would have become of you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know but you can¡¯t call yourself a mother and let that happen to your child! I know what love is! I have a daughter and I would have gutted any man who dared think it.¡±

    ¡°I taught you those things child. It was I who said that had I the strength and power I would have stopped it all. I would have gutted him. And I promise you once his part was done, I had such things planned for him. Such delightful dark pleasures, at least for me. Then Sextus went and one-upped me.¡±

    ¡°But you had the strength and power, yet you did nothing!¡±

    ¡°I had rules I could not break, sure I set them on myself but I put safeguards in place so I couldn¡¯t violate them. Once I grew attached I had more and more trouble resisting helping you. It was as if you were my own flesh and blood by the end. When I saw you there in the snowbank bleeding to death I wanted to heal you, hold you, warm you on my breast but the magic I had cast prevented it. Oh, how I cursed myself so many times for that choice, but it was for the greater good.¡±

    ¡°Why would you do that, love me so deeply then put magic in place so you couldn¡¯t help me when I was suffering?¡±

    Tears of blood were running down Enid¡¯s cheeks, this was a deeper betrayal then even Lucius¡¯s she wasn¡¯t even angry she was devastated a wound had been cut deeply into her soul.

    ¡°I am so sorry child.¡±

    Lilith reached out to embrace Enid who slapped her hands away.

    ¡°Do not touch me mother.¡±

    Lilith stepped back at the touch her own tears began to form. The raw devastation in Enid¡¯s soul was apparent to her at the slightest touch.

    ¡°I am so sorry daughter you must understand if I did not do this you would have died in the end like the last time.¡±

    ¡°What do you me the last time?¡±

    Lilith wiped her tears and composed herself.

    ¡°I have manipulated time. I used Limbo to go back and make changes.¡±

    ¡°You had no right!¡±

    ¡°I had every right Enid, you were going to fail to defeat the Black Sun, you were going to alienate Mariana and then he was going to crush you one at time, and even when I made it so you wouldn¡¯t alienate Mariana entirely you still failed because the two of you were not strong enough. You needed another.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just help?¡±

    ¡°I am nothing compared to that thing.¡±

    ¡°You can manipulate time and you¡¯re nothing compared to the Black Sun, how we are supposed to win?¡±

    ¡°I used Limbo to move back and forth in time, I just used my ability to travel to different dimensions and left at the right moments in time.¡±

    ¡°So, the reason you let me suffer was so I could beat the Black Sun?¡±

    ¡°I tried to help last time and at the last second before he won, I went to Limbo. It is outside of this reality so was unaffected, I researched in Atlantis how it worked in theory and how the time magic Sextus used made it possible to freeze time. Then I visited your life at various parts, in every single one you were a lone psychopath and not even your seers would back you up. When Lucius sent them to assassinate you not a one said no. You killed them all of course, which was good for him either way. Your father never recovered from losing Aurelia and burying Mariana. All of his children were complete failures. He realized in the end that Lucius was completely lost and sent you the amulet anyway. When you went to find Mariana, whom Lucius sent you after it went terribly, she attacked you thinking you were evil to the core. You hadn¡¯t enough of what was left of your humanity, so you cut her down. Then when the Black Sun rose again you stood no chance, anyone with the power to help you was dead. So, the first change I made was to put Violet in your way. She was a teenager, she had your gift, she gave you a smidgen of humanity back. But you were still too quick to anger, too quick to kill, Mariana joined you begrudgingly but even the two of you weren¡¯t strong enough. I needed you to be human again, I needed you to have a third. So, I went to the beginning I saw how you were raised it was terrible.¡±

    Enid sat on one of the tombs with her knees to her chest peering out over them under her dark brunette bangs watching Lilith intently, she sensed no deception whatsoever and was starting to realize why her gift of foretelling had been so flaky in the long game. Destiny was being fucked with. She couldn¡¯t remember a time with Morag wasn¡¯t her mother, the mother of her heart. She was seven again after a brutal beating and Morag would sing that song to her and tend to her wounds and lay next to her seven-year-old self that one day no one would dare hurt her because she was going to be stronger than the strongest man, faster than a cheetah and angels and demons would cower before her. She remembered the sweet kisses on her hair. The braids the games she¡¯d play, the runes she taught her. Enid pulled her knees closer with her arms. It was Lilith who had taught her how to be a good mother, how to be a human.

    Lilith looked at the silent Enid for a long moment before continuing.

    ¡°At first, I was just there to make sure you had a little love, but you were so small, and the goats milk it wasn¡¯t making you strong, so I gave you my own, and then he broke your rib, I mended it with what power I had. As the months passed, I realized If I didn¡¯t stop myself, I would likely make it, so you never became Sextus¡¯s daughter. Oh, how I wanted to help you. But I did what I had to for the greater good. And bound me to only human methods of helping you and hexed myself so that I could take no action against your father unless the plan was in danger. I didn¡¯t realize how strong those barriers were. Sextus came and he rescued you from that snowbank. I wanted to tell him that he needed to love you like I did but we have our differences, so I stepped out. Then he summoned me begging me for the fruit of life to save you. I had already taken one when I was first in Limbo after hexing that self-righteous Ezekiel so I extracted a cost from him to save your life. That he must turn you. He agreed but only under the circumstances that you also agree. I knew you would.¡±

    ¡°So, Aurelia¡¯s death had nothing to do with me?¡±

    ¡°No, no she died in the same exact manner in the last timeline. Which also needed to happen, Sextus had to lose his true love, his soulbonded lover. Because he would never sleep otherwise and he would never give you his amulet. But that was a powerful Roman¡¯s doing not mine. Your father refused to help him so he took his vengeance on who he could and blamed the Pugmentia. I just didn¡¯t interfere either time. But this time, he had you, and he had Mariana, but he especially had you, empathetic you, caring you, human you to help him see his life wasn¡¯t empty.¡±

    ¡°What else have you done to me?¡±

    Enid¡¯s voice was muffled by her legs, but Lilith easily understood her.

    ¡°The next time I interfered was in Narfordshire.¡±

    ¡°The strix.¡±

    Lilith nodded.

    ¡°You let a family be butchered and you turned one of them into a demonic spawn that went on a killing spree and ended with the deaths of several hundred humans to complete the cover up?¡±

    ¡°They would have died anyway.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Everyone dies eventually but you shortened their lives.¡±

    ¡°Not by long Enid. In the scale of things, the plague was only twenty-six years away, I knew this. Anything I did here with have immense repercussions. But the reason I had to have you eat the fruit is what happened next.¡±

    ¡°You put Henry in my path.¡±

    ¡°I did. And you were human enough to trust just a little bit and fall in love and have children.¡±

    ¡°You had no right.¡±

    ¡°I had every right Enid! This isn¡¯t about you, or me, it¡¯s about existence itself for everything!¡±

    Lilith had raised her voice but took a deep breath and calmed herself.

    ¡°Enid, I did what I had to do, and I hope at the end you will see I love you as much as I did in Scotland, for me it¡¯s only been three years at most. Losing you, losing my child still hurts very deeply. I wanted so many times to hug you, to pick you up, to tell you that you are safe, and you are loved. But I couldn¡¯t because if I did, I would ruin everything. You are still that twelve-year-old girl I watched Sextus pick up from the snow bank the one who just the night before I had held tightly and told that after tomorrow everything would be alright.¡±

    ¡°Mother get to the point please; I need time to process the rest.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Before I interfered Narfordshire was wiped out in the plague. Only the bare remainder of a wall poked out of the ground in farmlands. I was stymied when the assassins came in the last timeline Lucius hadn¡¯t seen you as a threat so quickly. I hadn¡¯t planned on that. I woke you up as soon as I could your wounds were grievous, and you needed decades to heal. I waited as long as I dare, I still have little understanding of your metabolism and your biology as a godling. But the plague was already here, and I needed to make sure your daughter survived it. And you did what I thought you would do, you saved her, but you also saved the whole village. And now a city of two million sits where farmland used to stretch as far as the eye could see. And a Cathedral sits at its center with a statue of you in front of it. Little things make big waves. So, no Enid, I didn¡¯t take lives I helped you create millions.¡±

    ¡°You want to make an omelet you have to break a few eggs? I see.¡±

    ¡°Enid you¡¯re old enough now to see the big picture. Your old self would think the math was pretty good, only because there was more food.¡±

    ¡°Well, you made me into this person, and I have feelings and empathy and humanity. And it¡¯s a shitty choice to have to make either way.¡±

    ¡°Funny, I think I gave us both our humanity back. Before I only cared about surviving, now I care about you and your daughter, and I care about causing unnecessary casualties.¡±

    ¡°Go on with your story mother if we finish quickly, I can go to the pub for lunch and get shit-faced before dark.¡±

    ¡°After Narfordshire you left and returned like you promised and your daughter resisting being turned. That wasn¡¯t what I needed her to do. She was too hesitant.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°What did you do to her?¡±

    ¡°Nothing besides have a conversation over a nice Italian meal and wine. I told her that she didn¡¯t have to be a hunter of the night, I told her she could be a historian for humanity, be able to live life the fullest after dark, meet people, explore, drink, eat, dance. Experience history in the making so that one day she could pass it on to the humans. And along the way she might be able to help a few by killing monsters.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that was you.¡±

    ¡°She was ecstatic at the idea. And I guess she did what we both needed her to do.¡±

    ¡°What was the point of keeping her alive as a vampire?¡±

    ¡°Godling, not a vampire, my creations, those are vampires.¡±

    ¡°Semantics mother, why did you need her to exist at all?¡±

    ¡°Two reasons, you still weren¡¯t embracing your humanity. She on the other hand is probably the most human, human that has ever lived. Even as a godling. So, I needed her to soften your heart more. That was a bonus by the way, I had no idea she¡¯d be such a good person. Second reason which really the reason Narfordshire happened at all, is because you and Mariana needed a third. Even with your Seers loyal to you as they are now, you need magic, the three of you are proficient now.¡±

    ¡°So, she¡¯s the third pillar of the triad you built to defeat the Black Sun. Was I Empress the first time around, or only because I was married to Lucius?¡±

    ¡°Only by marriage, oh Sextus surprised me when he did that, never did I think he would choose you over his own son.¡±

    ¡°So, was that part of the plan?¡±

    ¡°No, I had hoped it would happen, it would limit the Black Sun¡¯s power over the Godlings and Children of Lilith. And it has, though he has been dogged in his attempts in trying to kill you. Or conjure some semblance of you so that he can control the Seers.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean him?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right you haven¡¯t figured it out in this timeline yet. Lucius¡¯s soul was removed when you fought the Black Sun the first time and the Black Sun possessed him.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes went wide again.

    ¡°So, Lucius never betrayed Mariana, he never betrayed me, it was the Black Sun?¡±

    Lilith nodded.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡°Simply? Because you weren¡¯t ready to face him, you still aren¡¯t, but you¡¯re getting close.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Enid, we¡¯re in the end game now, of a chess game I started two thousand years ago. You need to take a step back, breathe and listen to me, I recognize that look in your eye, you get it when you¡¯re about to do something stupid.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°If Lucius is gone, why do I still feel whole but alone?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not dead, just displaced. My first second attempt to keep you from failing was to make him the third pillar, I put his soul in the body of baby with no soul, a still born. As much as he loves you, he has no talent for magic and just got himself killed, foolishly I might add. You want him back this time I¡¯ll help but we don¡¯t have time right now. I promise once we kill the Black Sun I will take you to where he is trapped.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just put him back in his own body?¡±

    ¡°No, that won¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°In many ways possessing Lucius has limited his power. It also has trapped him someplace where he can¡¯t squirm away from. Well, it will, we need to get Mariana to bind his energy there. In the body so when you kill it with Bloodseeker, the Black Sun is destroyed too.¡±

    ¡°But that means he can move out of it now.¡±

    ¡°There is too much risk involved Enid. The smallest error in our planning and he will escape and succeed. What use will Lucius¡¯s body be to him if everything is destroyed?¡±

    ¡°But I can see him sooner.¡±

    ¡°You are two thousand years old my little cuachag. You have patience. Your true love still exists and in twenty years you can be re-united. But right now, you need to focus on destroying the Black Sun for his sake and ours.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so Eyre is ready, I¡¯m ready, mostly, but Mariana¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s not. Your father couldn¡¯t kill her, but he couldn¡¯t make it seem like he let her live either. So, he had Amara seal her in a tomb. Problem is, even in this timeline a child of Lilith who is obsessed with Necromancy absconded with her. I¡¯ve taken steps to eliminate him and free Mariana, but he managed to erase her memories. He figured she¡¯d be easier to manipulate that way. He was right. We need her to remember being herself. Right now, she thinks her name is Maria, and she is fifteen years old, and she is attending a Catholic school in Edmonton, which is why Eyre is there, she¡¯s keeping an eye on her.¡±

    ¡°Why did we not just meet there? Grab her, slap her until she remembers, or you know make her remember with my mental domination?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why the first version of you failed. The second version of you tried to go to school and befriend her, but let¡¯s face it, before you knew Eyre, you were kind of a bitch, I still loved you though.¡±

    ¡°Okay so how am I supposed to help her remember?¡±

    ¡°Well, luckily you bear a striking resemblance to a Saint, and she¡¯s a devout and by devout I mean she has drank all the kool aid, then asked for second and third helpings.¡±

    Enid had a confused look on her face for a brief second then she nodded.

    ¡°I get it.¡±

    ¡°The other versions of you would have had no clue what I¡¯m talking about. I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re you now.¡±

    ¡°I guess I am too?¡±

    ¡°You basically lived like a homeless woman running around killing people with a sword. Now you have what ten homes scattered across the world? You drive, can use computers, even went to university twice. Dr Melanie Stuart. Surgeon. You were a fighter pilot in your next life. You made me proud, I know you don¡¯t care but to see you actually treating humans like humans and healing them it made me cry. What are you doing now?¡±

    ¡°Police detective.¡±

    ¡°Still helping people. You see my point, before we met, you would have been living alone, in a cave unless someone called you to be their attack dog.¡±

    ¡°Alright, mother, you helped me, I understand that. Now how do I help Mariana?¡±

    ¡°Simple, you put your old face back on and go to school and befriend her. Use your real name. Go to church with her, talk to her about Saint Sarah. Protect her, because it will not be long until The Black Sun realizes she is not dead. Protect yourself. Eyre will be there to provide protection. You should probably stop in Toronto first though, save Violet from herself. I feel a bit guilty about her getting left out and she¡¯s a good soul. A little extra back up won¡¯t hurt. When Maria, or Mariana is ready to discuss being a vampire with you, you can talk to her about your past, ease her into it, if you rush it she won¡¯t be ready, and you need her to use her Necromancy to trap the Black Sun. If you do all of that right, you will win.¡±

    ¡°And what about you, mother? Lucifer isn¡¯t exactly happy about you escaping and leaving him trapped. I happen to know of at least one demon that was really mad about it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and you killed him.¡±

    ¡°Was that your doing?¡±

    Lilith put up her finger about to dismiss the accusation then her shoulders hunched a bit and she let her hand fall to her side.

    ¡°Technically, yes, if you weren¡¯t Empress then the Black Sun wouldn¡¯t have been trying to assassinate you with such vigor.¡±

    ¡°So, you inadvertently caused it, but you didn¡¯t intend it.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    ¡°You know, what you told father the night Aurelia died, that there is a cost to everything, I believe you were right. And I am afraid of what the cost of the manipulations of the timeline you have done are.¡±

    ¡°I already know the cost. And I would do it again.¡±

    ¡°What was the cost mother?¡±

    ¡°That is on me Enid, it will always be on me. We all survive. It¡¯s better than the last time.¡±

    ¡°But there is a price, and someone has to pay it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but the adage the humans have, the good of the many of the good of the one is a singular truth in the universe.¡±

    ¡°Mother.¡±

    ¡°It is already done. But the end this time comes with ice, not fire, and humanity survives as do we. I will not discuss it further.¡±

    ¡°Fine. What will you be doing while we save the world?¡±

    ¡°I will be doing my best to interfere with The Black Sun¡¯s plans and gathering your Seers for you.¡±

    ¡°Why would they listen to you?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re going to give me a letter to each of them, signed and sealed with those wonderful curse-warded scrolls your adoptive father was so fond of.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I will start working on those tonight. In the meantime, before I give up my life as a hard-drinking detective, I¡¯m going to go get shit-faced and enjoy a meal.¡±

    ¡°Can I join you?¡±

    ¡°Fine but no more emotional torture, I¡¯ve had enough this millennia.¡±

    ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll just ask you about your life since I last looked in on you.¡±

    ¡°Works for me.¡±

 Scotland - Kinlochleven castle ruins - 2026 (Enid)

    Enid kneeled, scooping some of the damp earth up in her hand and looking at it. The sky was a gray shroud. And she could hear waves in the distance. She looked at the uneven rocks in the horizon. Flashes of pain long forgotten flitted through her clouded mind. Her fist clinched involuntarily, crushing the dirt that remained. The pebbles that had come up with it dug into the flesh of her palm.

    She closed her eyes and focused on the comforting songs her mother had sung to her. She opened her eyes and stood. Her trench coat whipped around her, she looked at the massive stone walls behind her. The ruins hadn¡¯t been here when she had lived here as a child. The castle was new, or new to her. She walked closer to the edge of the cliff a rock jutted out of the green carpet of moss and grass she kneeled again tracing the lines on it, the runes were worn, but still visible. They said that mother and daughter would forever be bound by love. She pushed tears out of her eyes. To think, it had been Lilith who had made these marks with her. She had spent so many centuries hating her for taking her adoptive mother too soon, when Lilith had been her first mother.

    She moved to the edge of the cliff her boots kicking pebbles over the edge. The Atlantic stretched out into the gray horizon. It wasn¡¯t blue today, it was a dull shade of grey and suited her mood. She closed her eyes and let the ocean wind blow against her face, throwing her brunette hair behind her head, it whipped and twirled. She remembered how this felt when she was a child, though it had been red locks then. She heard a woman calling out behind her.

    Enid spun around, fists clenched, she breathed out, and relaxed her fingers when she spotted a young girl, nine or ten poking at the runes on the rock. Her mother, whose face was a bright shade of crimson was panting and waddling to keep up.

    ¡°Gloria, I told you not to come out here, it¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°I told you something was on the rock! Look here, there are symbols!¡±

    The girl traced the lines as Enid had done a few minutes before. The mother finally caught up and started to catch her breath.

    ¡°Gloria, I don¡¯t care if the Queen was standing on that rock, I told you not to get any closer to the cliff!¡±

    Enid smiled and shook her head. She walked back towards the castle ruins.

    ¡°What do you think it means mom?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, does it matter it¡¯s probably just graffiti.¡±

    Enid stopped as she reached the rock and kneeled down after glancing up at the mother. She spoke in an ancient language, then Scottish Gaelic, then English. When she received a clueless look for the pair.

    ¡°The runes were written by a mother and daughter, declaring they would love and protect each other for all time, this is the daughters mark, and that is the mothers mark, intertwined. It¡¯s a runic language.¡±

    The girl looked up at her wide eyed, her red air flipping around in the wind. Enid smiled at her, seeing her childhood reflected in those eyes.

    ¡°Tell me more!¡±

    Enid laughed and glanced up at the mother who gave her a nod, and Enid pulled herself down and sat on her heels.

    ¡°The little girl was your age, with flowing red hair. She was the chieftain¡¯s daughter, and her mother loved her very much. She moved sun and moon to keep her safe. They were whom the Romans would call picts, but they had a different name for themselves. This was carved a few years before Caesar would take up the mantle of emperor. They would paint themselves with woad in intricate patterns and those pictures are what the Romans named them after.¡±

    The little girl watched her enraptured, the mother for her part also leaned in to hear better.

    ¡°Did she grow up to be a warrior woman? Like Boudica?¡±

    ¡°She did indeed. A swordswoman like no other, undefeated, well so far.¡±

    Enid winked. The girl giggled.

    ¡°She was the tribal chief¡¯s daughter. Her real mother died in childbirth. Her father was an evil man. The girl was an oracle. She could see glimpses of the future and he used her to get more power. He also hurt her when she wouldn¡¯t use her gift for him. Her nurse maid, the one who fed her when she was a baby took the girl in as her own. She is the one who made this mark with the girl. Her father was so evil that an angel cursed him, and legend says he still floats at the sea bottom with unbreakable chains suffering for his crimes.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    The girl gasped.

    ¡°The angel rescued the girl. Her father in a fit of rage had stabbed her. She was taken to Rome and grew up there. Her adoptive father was named Sextus, and her sister was named Mariana. They were trained by a Greek warrior woman to fight with blade and staff. She grew up strong and wise. She married Lucius and she had children. She should have lived happily ever after, but she wasn¡¯t one to sit by while others were endangered. So, when Rome was threatened, her husband, her sister and herself faced that danger with no fear in their hearts. The little red-haired girl survived, but alas her husband and sister did not. She was very sad for a long time. Her name was Enid.¡±

    The girl frowned.

    ¡°But that¡¯s not where this story ends dear child. She was the ancestor of Saint Sarah of Narford. Do you know who Saint Sarah is?¡±

    ¡°No, tell me! Please please!¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°She was another warrior woman. She slew a demon in Narford, well it was Narfordshire at the time. She also built a cathedral that still stands today, there¡¯s a statue of her out front of it. She also fought off a rebellion. She also won her husband in a sword duel. He mistook her for a stable boy and she thought he needed to learn some manners so she had a duel of blades with him. He was a knight and the best swordsman in England. His problem was that she was from Scotland. And everyone knows a Scottish woman is more than match for an Englishman.¡±

    Enid winked again and the girl giggled, and the mother laughed.

    ¡°They were married in the cathedral she built. And they had twins, a boy and a girl. The girls name was Eyre. Then assassins snuck into her keep and killed her, but she managed to protect her children from them and before she breathed her last breath, she killed the assassins one and all, six arrows sticking out of her.¡±

    The girl gasped.

    ¡°But the story is not over. For ten years she lay in her crypt below the cathedral. But time would not touch her, God protected her, and she was moved into the Cathedral, and was put in a crystal tomb. And when the plague came, she vanished, leaving only her burial shroud and a bit of blood and a magic healing spring behind, it is said that it can cure any illness. And that is how she became Saint Sarah. You can still see it today.¡±

    ¡°How do you know so much?¡±

    ¡°Because the girl who made these marks, and Saint Sarah are my ancestors. I even have their sword still.¡±

    ¡°Can I see it?¡±

    ¡°I wish I could show it to you, but you can¡¯t just carry swords around these days. But its name is Bloodseeker, its made of silver. Its edges are still sharp to this day.¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes were wide.

    ¡°This wind is cold. You should help your mother get back to the ruins she looks positively frozen.¡±

    Enid stood up dusting off her jeans. Glancing at the girls mother who looked like she was about to start losing fingers. She nodded to the mother, who smiled at her despite the cold.

    ¡°Thank you for the story. What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Enid looked down at her and smiled.

    ¡°You may call me Enid.¡±

    She winked and gave a small wave and walked towards the edge of the cliff again. It seemed appropriate to Enid that she shed her latest persona here in this place. For the first time in a long time, she would be Enid again she looked out, across the ocean to the horizon.

    I am coming for you sister. We will be reunited and then no one will be able to stop us.

    Enid put her hands in the pockets of her trench coat and started walking towards the ruins, she passed through the doorway and felt a gentle tap on her arm, she looked over and saw the girl¡¯s mother.

    ¡°I just wanted to thank you for the story, my daughter, I haven¡¯t seen her smile in a long time. Her father died during the pandemic, and she hasn¡¯t been the same, we used to come out here as a family. I was¡­¡±

    ¡°It was no trouble, she¡¯s a nice kid, reminds me of me when I was young.¡±

    ¡°I was so scared when I saw her running out there, her father used to take her to the cliff edge, I¡¯m no good with heights. We¡¯ve been passed that stone so many times and we never saw those runes. Was any of that true?¡±

    ¡°All of it was true, I don¡¯t mean to pry but the breathing, is that from the virus?¡±

    The woman nodded. Her eyes growing moist.

    ¡°I just can¡¯t keep up with her anymore. And I can¡¯t take her to the cliff edge.¡±

    Enid wrapped her arms around the woman patting her on the back willing her wounds to herself she felt her lungs start to burn but then she pushed her body to heal the damage. She released the woman.

    ¡°Would you like me to take her out to the cliff? I used to love standing at the edge when I was her age, feeling the wind in my hair.¡±

    ¡°Would you? I don¡¯t want to impose.¡±

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m imposing, monopolizing your daughter¡¯s time with tales of warrior women.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, you aren¡¯t, Enid, I¡¯m so happy to see her smiling and interested in anything.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take her out, I can¡¯t promise when she gets back, she won¡¯t want to go to Narford.¡±

    The mother laughed then breathed in and then held her chest, looking at Enid who was already walking towards the daughter.

    ¡°Hey, your mother asked me to take you out to the cliff, she said you used go there with your dad, would you like to go?¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    She looked to her mother who nodded and motioned towards the cliff absently still holding her chest and breathing in and out. The girl took Enid¡¯s offered hand the pair walked to the cliff.

    ¡°I used to go look over it when I was your age.¡±

    ¡°You did? It¡¯s scary but so exciting. My dad used to say that is what it feels like to be alive.¡±

    She looked down at the moss and grass as they walked.

    ¡°He was a very wise man, and he was right, that is what it feels like to be alive. You¡¯re lucky you had a father like that.¡±

    Enid walked beside her and stood there at the cliff edge for what seemed like forever and the girl tugged her hand back towards the ruins. When they were back in the safety of the ruined walls Gloria looked up at Enid.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Enid kneeled down again and reached into her bag.

    ¡°I only have two of these so you need to take care of this, but if you go to Narford Cathedral this will let you into the crypts. And if you pull the sword on the third statue from the left in the crypt it will open a secret passage. It¡¯s scary, so if you want to go you need to be very brave.¡±

    Enid offered an old iron key.

    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t take this, there is no way mom can make the trip, she has trouble with her breath you see.¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s going to feel better, and there is that healing spring she can drink from there.¡±

    ¡°Will it work?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it will, it¡¯s a miracle.¡±

    ¡°And here, take this, it was Enid¡¯s too.¡±

    Enid placed a golden roman coin in Gloria¡¯s palm.

    The girl¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°For real? Like for really real?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you didn¡¯t think I made all of that up, did you?¡±

    Enid smiled and stood up, she ruffled Gloria¡¯s hair.

    ¡°All I ask is that if you grow up to be a warrior woman make sure you protect the innocent. Like Enid, and Saint Sarah.¡±

    The girl¡¯s mother approached, and she looked at Enid. Her hands were shaking.

    ¡°How did you do it?¡±

    Enid met her gaze and her lips curled into a half smile.

    ¡°How did I what?¡±

    ¡°I can breathe again.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re feeling better.¡±

    Enid smiled and was about to say more when she felt her pocket vibrating. She waved to the pair and picked up the phone.

    ¡°Hi, Eyre, I¡¯m on my way, I¡¯m just waiting for the jet to get fixed, engine trouble.¡±

    She walked off leaving Gloria and her mother to look at each other when she said the name Eyre.

 Toronto - 2026 - Deja Vu: Violet (Enid)

    Enid parked her rental car.  She¡¯d picked a lot several blocks from where she was heading.  She knew Toronto had some shady areas.  This was one of them.  She hadn¡¯t been active in the vampire community for the last several decades but still had contacts.  There was a vampire gang in the area.  Mortal drug dealers, drug crime also issues.  She had abused her detective badge to find Violet and the local police were more than happy to tell her how crappy the area was.  She was carrying a Glock.  She¡¯d become accustomed to the weight of a gun in a conceal carry holster.  She opened the front door to the building.  The half the florescent lights were flickering.  The plastic covering them was stained with years of cigarette residue.  A heavy-set man sat behind protective glass, she could smell his lack of a hygiene the moment she entered the building she silently cursed her enhanced senses.  He ogled her. Her retired military persona wasn¡¯t unattractive.  She didn¡¯t pay him much mind and pressed the button for the elevator.  No light came on.

    ¡°They¡¯re out.  Need to use the stairs.¡±

    Enid frowned and pushed the door to the stairwell open.  She walked up the stairs.  In the corner of one of the landings she was forced to step over a passed-out woman.  She sighed and crouched down checking her for a pulse.  She had one, it was weak. She lifted the woman¡¯s chin and saw tell-tale bite marks.

    Fucking amateurs. She¡¯ll live.

    Enid stood up and continued up the stairs.  She glanced down at the text she¡¯d received on her phone.  Room 3B.  She continued up to the third floor.  She saw a group of men at the other end of the hall.  They paused their conversation when the door opened.  She could smell them from where she was.

    Pugmentia.

    She did her best to pay them no mind and approached Violet¡¯s door.  The group of vampires approached her.  She frowned.  She really didn¡¯t feel like dealing with a gang of vampire rabble tonight.  The recent few days had made her cranky.  She liked being a police detective and now she¡¯d have to give that up to be a high school student again.  She loathed the idea.  She¡¯d done it once.  She didn¡¯t want to do it again.  The leader of the group was puffing on a cigarette and had a gun stuck in his belt.  He was Russian she could tell from the tattoos.

    ¡°You think you can just waltz in here like you own the place.¡±

    ¡°Fuck off.¡±

    He pulled the gun out of his belt and pointed it at Enid¡¯s face.

    ¡°What did you say bitch?  Think dinner came.¡±

    ¡°Put your gun away before I embarrass you in front of your bitch-patrol. I¡¯m not in the mood to deal with your kind tonight.¡±

    He fired his gun.  Enid was no longer in front of the gun, and she had snapped his neck by the time the muzzle flare had dissipated. He fell down in a heap.  The injury would be easy for a vampire to heal but it would incapacitate him for a few moments.  She had to admit it felt nice to cut loose she rarely used her vampiric abilities these days, preferring to live as a human.

    ¡°Stay down next time I rip it off.¡±

    The vampires started to back off quickly after that.  One of them was too stunned to move.  And was stammering.

    ¡°No one can move that fast.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a reaper you idiot. I could have killed you all before the first one hit the ground.  Back the fuck off and clean up after yourselves.  I¡¯m not here for you tonight but if you keep this shit up, I will be back.¡±

    With that statement and her putting their leader down the group dispersed quickly.  She¡¯d seen human gangs do it when police showed up.  She shoved the one with the broken neck with her foot and rolled him over.

    ¡°Heal yourself and get the fuck out of here.  Before I dust your ass.¡±

    She promptly turned and walked back to Violet¡¯s door.  Unsurprisingly no one came out to investigate the gunfire.  She¡¯d seen that before too.  She knocked on Violet¡¯s door.

    ¡°Meth dealer is across the hall.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here for you Violet McLeod.¡±

    The door opened a crack it was still chained.  Enid flashed her police ID and put it back in her pocket.  Violet narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s not a Toronto police badge.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an observant one.¡±

    ¡°Open the door before I kick it down.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that; You have no authority here.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what a Reaper is?  Because you¡¯re in the middle of annoying one at this very moment.  And you also know a door isn¡¯t even close to enough to slow one of us down.  Use your senses.  You can smell what I am.¡±

    Violet swore several times and opened the door stepping back.  Enid blinked she had the vaguest hint of deja vu.  As if she knew this girl already but they had never met.  Like an echo of a past life.

    ¡°Why are you here?  I didn¡¯t do anything?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t do anything.  I did some investigating.  You basically hide here and play video games and do live streams.  I have to commend you on not going the porn route.¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Violet closed the door quickly.  Enid glanced around at the green screen and camera she had set up and the mess the rest of the apartment was in.

    ¡°I want you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an Imperial vampire.  That puts you above the other rabble who live in this building.  I have a proposal for you.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Let me just make this very quick, three types of vampires, Imperial, Pugmentia, cursed.  You¡¯re Imperial, we¡¯re the strongest.  You come from the bloodline of my father.  You shouldn¡¯t have been made, but you were, so here we are, you can stay here and waste the stupid amount of power you were gifted, or you can come with me and learn how to use your gifts to better yourself and the world around you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean Pugmentia?¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Enid sighed and rubbed her temples.  She rarely got impatient like this these days but she had her moments and she wanted to just grab the kid and drag her to Edmonton.

    ¡°The gang of vampires that lives here, they are Pugmentia, vampire trailer trash.  You¡¯re a noble.  Come on use your gift, kid.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m twenty-three years old!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m two-thousand years old.  Still want to play this game?¡±

    Violet¡¯s eyes went wide, and she stepped back almost tripping.

    ¡°I heard of you guys before you hunt us young vampires for blood!¡±

    ¡°Not exactly untrue.  I¡¯m sure some ancient Imperials and Pugmentia do hunt young ones for their blood.  It can heal some wounds faster than human blood.¡±

    ¡°Are you here for my blood?¡±

    She pulled a stake out from under her pillow.  Enid put her face in her hand and rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Kid if I was here to eat you, you¡¯d be dead already.  I don¡¯t have time for this.  I need to get to Edmonton.  Let me try this.  My daughter is there, she¡¯s richer than the guy who own¡¯s Amazon and she is willing to take you in and teach you.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m her mother and I told her too.¡±

    ¡°Wait you have a kid?¡±

    ¡°I have had four, what did you think I was born a vampire?¡±

    ¡°But if you¡¯re two thousand years old then she would be¡­¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a vampire too.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Come on Violet, you¡¯re smarter than this.  You have the same gift I do; You know I¡¯m speaking the truth.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all very sudden.  I can¡¯t just leave¡­¡±

    ¡°You are a hermit.  You have no friends.  You¡¯re living in a shit hole and you¡¯re squandering your potential.  You need to get away from here, you¡¯re easily identifiable and findable.  You need to stop showing up online until you change your look.  And you need to do a better job of covering up your address.  Come on.  What happens if someone swats you during the day?  Hmm?  They¡¯re going to find a corpse; You wake up in a morgue.  Unless you burn up in the sun.¡±

    ¡°Okay!  Jesus you really are a mother.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just cautious.  And I¡¯ve been dealing with his longer than you.  Are you coming?¡±

    ¡°Fine.  You¡¯re not going to leave me alone if I don¡¯t, are you?¡±

    ¡°Probably not, you need someone to look after you.  You¡¯re doing a shitty job of it.¡±

    ¡°Wow you don¡¯t hold back.¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t. Now hurry up.  I¡¯ll tell them to prep the plane.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not flying commercial?¡±

    ¡°No, I have my plane waiting at the airport.¡±

    ¡°Your plane?   You know how to fly?¡±

    ¡°What?  A vampire can¡¯t know how to fly a plane?¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re two thousand years old, how did you learn?¡±

    ¡°I joined the Navy.¡±

    Violet stared at her for several minutes.  Enid clapped her hands.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.  I want to land in Edmonton with enough time to get you to Eyre¡¯s house before sunrise.¡±

    Violet started stuffing cloths in a duffle bag and pulling her laptop and several memories sticks out of drawers. Enid did her best to help her.  The pair made their way to Enid¡¯s rental car.

    ¡°Why did you come find me?¡±

    ¡°My, my mother told me about you, and felt guilty that she abandoned you to your own devices and asked me to pick you up on the way to Edmonton.¡±

    ¡°Your mother?¡±

    Violet¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°Not my real mother, she took care of me when I was a baby until I was twelve.¡±

    ¡°So, when you were alive?¡±

    ¡°Yes, when I was alive.¡±

    ¡°Is she like us?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s something worse.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean worse?  We¡¯re cursed monsters!¡±

    ¡°She lives in Hell when she isn¡¯t fucking with us lowly earthbound creatures.¡±

    Violet¡¯s eyes when wide and her mouth opened into an o-shape, and she got quiet.  Enid preferred her quiet.  She wasn¡¯t up to answering a bunch of questions.  The drive to the airport was fairly short for the pair, but Violet got talkative again.

    ¡°So, your adoptive mother was a demon?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯s human.¡±

    ¡°How did she survive so long?¡±

    ¡°Have you ever heard of the Garden of Eden?¡±

    ¡°Duh.¡±

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know kids these days don¡¯t seem to care much for religious books.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Catholic.¡±

    ¡°She ate some fruit from a tree.  It made her immortal.  Then she basically told God to go fuck himself.  Had a relationship with my vampire father, and he broke up with her when he met someone else and then she started up a relationship with the devil.  And then she did some questionable stuff.¡±

    ¡°Wait she had a relationship with the devil, and told God to go fuck himself and then she did questionable stuff?  She sounds pretty evil.¡±

    ¡°I thought she was.¡±

    ¡°Oh, am I going to meet her?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it, she¡¯s busy.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually kind of glad, she sounds like she¡¯d be scary.  What¡¯s your daughter like?¡±

    ¡°You have a lot of questions.¡±

    ¡°Well, you came to my apartment you said: ¡®come with me if you want to live¡¯, of course I¡¯m going to have questions.¡±

    ¡°My daughter is probably the most human vampire you will ever meet.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean human?¡±

    ¡°Well don¡¯t let my sunny disposition fool you, there was a time where I treated humans like they were cows and little more.  Eyre, has always treated them with respect.¡±

    ¡°I thought older vampires got all pale and scary looking.  And stopped being able to relate to humans.¡±

    ¡°Some do.  Imperial vampires will never be pale.  Well except my sister but she had a condition even when she was alive.  Pugmentia though, they get more and more corpse like as the ages pass.  They can cover it up by feeding regularly but they started to become pretty obvious.¡±

    ¡°Why do you call them that?¡±

    ¡°My father called them that.  It¡¯s a long story, but they¡¯re like our inbred cousins from Alabama.¡±

    Violet nodded.

    ¡°So why are you so human seeming?  I mean you¡¯re really old and I was kind of thinking you were like me and just made.¡±

    ¡°That is also a long story, but mostly Eyre¡¯s fault.¡±

    ¡°She sounds like a good daughter.¡±

    ¡°The best.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to meet her.¡±

    ¡°She is looking forward to meeting you.  Something about a new partner in crime.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I have a job to do, so I¡¯m going to be changing back to my true form and going to high school.¡±

    ¡°Your true form?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I look about sixteen in my real form.  This is a disguise, a second skin I created for this identity.¡±

    ¡°How did you do that?¡±

    ¡°I learned it from a Japanese vampire.  Nice guy, a bit strange.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been to Japan?¡±

    ¡°Yes, lived there for ten years, went to high school, university, became a doctor.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a doctor?¡±

    ¡°Not anymore, now I¡¯m a retired fighter pilot, who is a police detective.¡±

    Enid adjusted her glasses.

    ¡°Eyes got hurt in a plane crash.¡±

    ¡°You need glasses?¡±

    ¡°No, I just faked an injury so I could try something new.¡±

    ¡°Wow, how did you do all this as a vampire?  And how are you going to go to school, I mean isn¡¯t that during the day?  I know every word you¡¯ve told me is the truth, but how?¡±

    ¡°My daughter and I are special, we¡¯re day walkers.  Sun doesn¡¯t do us any harm.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but don¡¯t you fall asleep?¡±

    ¡°I stopped sleeping during the day when I hit, four or five hundred years old.  Just didn¡¯t fall asleep.  You¡¯ll get there one day.¡±

    ¡°So, I¡¯ll get more powerful with age?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, you¡¯ll also get stronger with education on being a vampire.  You can probably do more then you know already, you just haven¡¯t tried it.¡±

    ¡°Oh wow.  That sounds cool.  Are we really flying to Edmonton on a Private plane?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a Gulfstream.¡±

    ¡°Those are like fifty million dollars!¡±

    ¡°Well two thousand years and power to control minds is a lot of time to accumulate wealth and power.  But It was a Christmas present from Eyre.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god.¡±

    ¡°Look, we¡¯re Imperials, that makes us natural leaders.  We¡¯re apex predators, even among vampires.  We¡¯re attractive, we can influence mortals with little effort and we¡¯re also ridiculously charismatic.  People just like us.  You know from your streaming.  I bet you aren¡¯t hurting for money.¡±

    ¡°Well yeah.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the Imperial blood in you.  I bet whoever turned you had you wrapped around their finger.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the rat.  He was all talking big about his castle in Europe.  And next thing I know I¡¯m a blood sucking monster.  I don¡¯t even know how it happened.¡±

    ¡°Same way humans usually end up giving us stock options, hiring us for money then we¡¯re worth.  Trusting us with business deals. We influence them without meaning too.  I have practiced for a very long time to not exude that aura.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Because to learn how to be human again I had to be human again.  No vampire powers, no inadvertent charming the pants off them. It was hard at first.  But I¡¯ve managed.  It was easy to just be blessed with that social magnetism the challenge is living without it.¡±

    ¡°Why do other vampires treat us with such scorn then?¡±

    ¡°Ah, well vampires are predators, and territorial. How do cats and dogs react when a bigger scarier animal tromps into their territory?  They get vicious.  So, the Pugmentia get their hackles up they puff out their chests and try to be intimidating.  They don¡¯t realize compared to us they¡¯re basically humans.  They¡¯re easy to deal with a show of force will put them in their place and they will back down and leave you be.  Some are just idiots though and don¡¯t have a sense of self-preservation, but those are few and far between.¡±

    ¡°I wish I¡¯d known that; I was paying the gang protection money.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re young, and you didn¡¯t know better, and sometimes it¡¯s just easier to act weak and let them feel superior.  Sometimes it¡¯s not worth the effort to assert your dominance.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t they push you around then?¡±

    ¡°They try sometimes, and I ignore them, if they push too hard, I¡¯ll push back.  Usually when I pull out the soul-sucking silver sword they rapidly realize their mistake and run away with their tails between their legs.  Most of the time though they¡¯re happy to feel like they¡¯re in charge so if you let them just go on believing that they leave you be.¡±

    ¡°You have a silver sword?  Doesn¡¯t silver like kill us?¡±

    ¡°Us?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°No silver doesn¡¯t hurt us at all.  Only the Pugmentia and some of the cursed.¡±

    ¡°Wait, so the gang leader waving a gun full of silver bullets at me was just bullshitting?¡±

    ¡°To be honest he probably doesn¡¯t realize what an Imperial vampire is.  We are so far above them.  Yes, we can still be staked, yes, the sun still hurts us under normal circumstances, but fire is no more dangerous to us then humans, and silver, we can wear as much as we want.  Well besides the fact it freaks the Pugmentia out and they get upset.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god, I was terrified of him.¡±

    ¡°That is your creator¡¯s fault.  He should have explained all of this, we¡¯ll remedy that once we reach Edmonton.¡±

    Enid pulled into the airport parking lot and parked her rental car with the rest of them, the flight to Edmonton was uneventful.

 Edmonton - 2026 - Reunions

    Enid put her feet up and hands behind her head and watched the sun rise over the back deck of the spacious house that Eyre has purchased for them.  Her daughter sat down beside her.  Enid was back to her old self, long wavy red hair, green eyes, body like a twelve-year-old boys and looking about sixteen.

    ¡°Nice to see your real face mother.  I missed it.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t, it was nice to be treated like an adult.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be that bad.¡±

    ¡°Easy for you to say, you look like you¡¯re thirty.  You never did high school, now I¡¯m doing it for the second time.  I¡¯ve done university twice.  This is going to drive me nuts.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean drive you?  You¡¯ve always been a bit crazy.¡±

    Enid swatted at Eyre who laughed.

    ¡°It was your fault I had to do high school in the first place.¡±

    ¡°I love you mother, but there was no way you were going to get through university without studying modern math, science and languages.¡±

    ¡°I suppose I need to buy a computer.  Did you at least get my identity a license?¡±

    ¡°Sorry mother, you¡¯re only fifteen, no license until you¡¯re sixteen.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask Lilith to talk her husband into sending you to special place in hell.  And what the fuck?  You tricked me into meeting her.  Didn¡¯t I warn you about her?¡±

    ¡°Well, you warned me about her in the way your father warned you.  You had never actually met her or realized you had.  She explained the situation to me.  I thought it was in your best interest to speak to her.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes you act more like my mother then my daughter.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re both old enough we might as well be sisters.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll always be my baby girl.  I changed your diapers.¡±

    ¡°If you were human, I would have ended up changing yours eventually.¡±

    ¡°Ouch why not just stake me while you¡¯re at it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, if only I could silence you that easily.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in rare form today.¡±

    ¡°I am your daughter after all.  So, have you decided how you¡¯re going to approach Aunt Mariana?¡±

    ¡°No.  To be honest based on what you¡¯ve said she sounds insufferable.¡±

    ¡°Why?  She helps people, both the dead and living.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s the most powerful Sorceress that has ever walked this earth.  Not some servant of God.  Not to mention she was my best friend and sister.  We would die for each other.  My sister would never bend knee to anyone let alone some overblown reality-crafter.¡±

    ¡°Well, she can go out in the sun; How do you explain that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy, she had an amulet in Rome she pulled it out of Atlantis.¡±

    ¡°Oh.  I thought there were only two.¡±

    ¡°No, there were ten apparently.¡±

    ¡°So, there are seven more out there?¡±

    ¡°Seven in Atlantis, and to be honest that¡¯s a trip most people can¡¯t make.  I only know three people can transit that path.  Mariana, my father, and Lilith.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t we get there?¡±

    ¡°Probably could if we knew the spell.¡±

    ¡°I would love to see Atlantis.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve no wish to go back to Limbo.¡±

    Enid sighed. She pulled her feet off the table and leaned forward.  She rubbed her face with her hands.

    ¡°You look like you need this.  High school should be relaxing after being a trauma surgeon, fighter pilot and police officer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just tired of running.  I need this, but not to relax, I need to put an end to the Black Sun then I need to get Lucius back.¡±

    ¡°Do you really believe Lilith?  That he¡¯s out there trapped?¡±

    ¡°Yes, when you have a bond like we do, I would know if he was dead.  I should have figured out Lucius was being possessed by the Black Sun.  How could I miss that?¡±

    ¡°You are not all-knowing mother.¡±

    ¡°But still, I should have known he would have never betrayed Mariana like that.¡±

    ¡°Well at least we put a stop to him cloning you.¡±

    ¡°Where is she by the way?¡±

    ¡°I set her up with a place in Ontario.  She has it rough.  They put something in her, that resuscitates every dawn then kills her every night.  She looks exactly like you.¡±

    ¡°What about the company?¡±

    ¡°Oh, the lab was dealt with quite soundly.  I told the werewolves where it was.  They were eager to destroy it.¡±

    ¡°So, the company is still around?¡±

    ¡°Yes, unfortunately.  I didn¡¯t have enough money to put it out of business.  They also have major ties to several governments.  I pulled as many strings as I could, but my influence doesn¡¯t run deep enough.  Some of the Pugmentia and the Imperial council were fighting against my efforts.¡±

    ¡°Son of a bitch.  I wonder what the Black Sun promised them.¡±

    ¡°Well, they had your DNA, and access to vampire blood who knows what they did with that?¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Considering what Lilith did with it, you¡¯ve got me worried now.¡±

    ¡°Mom, let me worry about BMC, you worry about getting Mariana on our side so we can fight the Black Sun.  The battle is going to be with magic, not mortal power and money.¡±

    ¡°You know how to alter your appearance.  Why don¡¯t you go to high school?¡±

    ¡°Because you¡¯re her sister, and she has no idea who I am.¡±

    ¡°I know.  I just do not want to deal with high school.  Especially with twitter, selfies, cyber-bullying.¡±

    ¡°Well, you can treat the teacher with derision, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re in Japan again. Or care if you pass.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but Mariana would hate me.  I need to play the part.  So, are you coming with me to get a computer today?¡±

    ¡°Do you even know how to use a computer?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been using computers for two-thousand years, I just didn¡¯t realize what they were.¡±

    ¡°True, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Who knew computers would be so ubiquitous.¡±

    ¡°Mortals are definitely ingenious.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer me.¡±

    ¡°I have to, you can¡¯t drive yet.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me.  Fifteen.  That is twice.  I am going to get you back for this.¡±

    ¡°So, who did you tell the school you were?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m your long-suffering mother.¡±

    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s why you have grey hair.¡±

    Eyre pushed Enid playfully and laughed.

    ¡°I like you so much better these days.  You¡¯re not so serious.  It¡¯s nice to see you smile and see it be genuine.¡±

    ¡°All your fault.¡±

    ¡°I will gladly take the blame for bringing joy to your heart.  Even if you are an absentee Empress.¡±

    Enid shook her head and stood up and stretched.

    ¡°Go make breakfast.¡±

    ¡°No, you go make breakfast.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the parent here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, pulling the parent card, are we?¡±

    ¡°Do you really want to eat my cooking?¡±

    ¡°No, not really, I still remember the last time you cooked, what was that supposed to be again?¡±

    Enid pushed Eyre towards the sliding door that led into the house.

    ¡°Just make me something to eat. Please.¡±

    ¡°Please, you must be desperate.¡±

    ¡°This is what I get for teaching you to be a free-thinking child, six hundred years of back talk.¡±

    Eyre laughed and started cooking breakfast.

    ¡°What did you do for food when you lived alone?  We both now you didn¡¯t cook.¡±

    ¡°Fast food.  Restaurants.  Oh, and those delivery apps.¡±

    ¡°If you were human, you¡¯d probably weigh five hundred pounds, you know, that right?¡±

    ¡°Probably, but I¡¯m not human.  And I spent two thousand years only drinking blood.  I¡¯ll be damned if I will torture myself with my cooking.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should have spent one of your lives as a chef.¡±

    ¡°That sounds really boring.  No offense.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not offended, there is a certain art to cooking.¡±

    ¡°So, what are you doing now?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a nightclub owner, and my alter ego is a gothic songstress.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re singing again?  I thought you wanted to be a producer.¡±

    ¡°I was for a while, then I was a chef, but I love singing so I went back to that.¡±

    ¡°Are you famous?  I don¡¯t recall seeing you on any album covers.¡±

    ¡°Oh my alter ego is quite the disguise.¡±

    ¡°Who are you then?¡±

    ¡°Ever heard of Ophelia?¡±

    ¡°Everyone¡¯s heard of her. Wait no, that¡¯s not you, no way, she looks nothing like you, I¡¯d recognize my own daughter.¡±

    ¡°Apparently not.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re a vampire, disguised as a human, who dresses up as a vampire on stage?¡±

    Eyre thought for a few seconds and nodded.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right on the nose.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that is classic.  And no one knows who you really are.¡±

    ¡°I am very careful to only do night performances.  Which is part of the whole vampire shtick.  So, when I enter and leave the venue, I am invisible.  Just sort of appear.¡±

    ¡°How did you sign a contract with a music producer?¡±

    ¡°Umm, I own a music production company.  I just filed a contract in her name and voila done.¡±

    ¡°You got it all figured out.¡±

    ¡°You taught me well mom.¡±

    Eyre plated the bacon and eggs putting them in front of Enid.  Enid didn¡¯t waste time and dug in.

    ¡°This is what I missed most about being a vampire.  The food.  I always loved it.¡±

    ¡°Well, we could always eat.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but we didn¡¯t need to eat.  It never satisfied me.¡±

    Eyre nodded then glanced towards the darkened room Violet was sleeping in.

    ¡°Who is she, really?¡±

    ¡°She is an imperial vampire.  Lilith swears she¡¯ll be useful.  She¡¯s had a rough time since she got turned and she needs us.  Just take care of her, teach her how to be one of us.¡±

    ¡°Is this revenge for the fifteen-year-old identity thing?¡±

    ¡°No, I honestly think we can help her.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take care of her.¡±

    Enid smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get a shower and then you can take me school shopping¡­Mom.¡±

    Eyre pointed her knife at Enid.

    ¡°Better clean behind your ears.  Brush your fangs like a good little vampire girl.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you really are digging a deep hole.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried, I¡¯ll just push you in first.¡±

    Enid laughed and left the room shaking her head.

    *****

    Enid sat beside Eyre in the second-row pews.  Mass hadn¡¯t started just yet.  Eyre leaned over to whisper.

    ¡°Do you even know what the mass is like anymore?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s changed much.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re okay in here?¡±

    Enid shook her head and put her face in her hand.

    ¡°Not you now.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been well since you know.  And were you even baptized?¡±

    ¡°Does Jesus doing it count?¡±

    ¡°I guess it does.¡±

    ¡°Then yes.  Mariana dragged me out to see him so I could get cleansed of my original sin.¡±

    ¡°I thought you said she wasn¡¯t religious.¡±

    ¡°I should have said she wasn¡¯t blindly religious.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Shh, here she comes.¡±

    Enid¡¯s heart skipped a beat as she watched her long thought dead sister walk up the center isle of the church and kneel towards the tabernacle and cross herself.  She didn¡¯t look any different, save her clothing.  Black, Victorian style dress.  Her hair was a dark as ever.  Her face was pale as death.  She held her bible close to her chest and sat down.  She rubbed a silver crucifix around her neck.  She looked back at Enid then forward again.  Enid was sure she saw recognition in her eyes.  She glanced at Eyre.

    ¡°I think she recognized me.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re just being wishful.  She has no idea who she is let alone who you are.¡±

    ¡°We were sisters, and best friends.  We had a bond that the heart remembers.  Even if someone erased her memories.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re imagining things.¡±

    Enid frowned at Eyre.  And stood as the priest entered.   She watched him pass.  He lacked the holier than thou attitude that she¡¯d been accustomed to from her time in the Middle Ages.  She sat back down when the time was appropriate and turned her attention back to Mariana.  Her sister was paying rapt attention to the readings.  She frowned.  She really had gone full on Catholic. She glanced at Eyre and Eyre was also paying attention to the readings.  Enid narrowed her eyes and said nothing.  Her daughter had always been religious, but she thought she¡¯d cured her of that particular vice.

    Enid went through the motions of mass; She had been right things hadn¡¯t changed overly much in the intervening centuries. Mass was in English, which was a major change.  She found herself preferring the Latin version.  She found herself saying the Latin responses out of habit.  Eyre nudged her a few times.  Most of Enid¡¯s attention was on her sister.  She was like a ghost.  She hadn¡¯t believed Lilith when she said she was alive.  Seeing her brought back a bit of the simmering rage at the betrayal of her father and husband.  She had to close her eyes a few times to calm herself.  Two thousand years she had been robbed of her sister, and the closest thing to a soul mate she had besides Lucius.  She found herself fondly remember afternoons laying in the shade after evading their schooling and physical training.  Talking about anything and everything.  The comfortable silences.  The fits of laughter.  And her sister remembered none of it.  If the vampire who had done it was still alive his suffering would have been legendary.   Instead, she focused the blame on the Black Sun.  She would have her vengeance for Mariana and Lucius.

    Eyre nudged Enid again who blinked.  People were starting to file out of the church.  Enid gazed at Mariana one last time before exiting the pew and heading towards the church doors with Eyre.

    ¡°Your mind was somewhere else entirely.  I saw a few tears are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I will be alright.  I was just remembering Mariana as she was.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you lost her.¡±

    ¡°We will get her back. And I will make sure the Black Sun pays.¡±

    ¡°You just sat through a sermon on the dangers of anger and hate and you didn¡¯t hear a word of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve never listened to the priests.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes they have something profound to say.¡±

    ¡°Lectures on morals don¡¯t really apply to us, do they?¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re blinded by anger and hate you might not succeed.  You said yourself you need the play the part, maybe try forgiving the Black Sun.¡±

    ¡°Should I love him too?¡±

    ¡°There was a book where one of the characters said something when they knowing their enemy and loving them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re hopeless, it was Orson Scott Card, ¡®In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him.¡¯  Or is it Sun Tzu, ¡®If you know your enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Have you read every book on the planet?¡±

    ¡°I never sleep that¡¯s a lot of time to use up.  And I dislike tv.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t read a book in fifty years.¡±

    ¡°How do you stay sane if you don¡¯t read?¡±

    ¡°I stream tv and movies.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you love your movies.¡±

    ¡°Best invention ever.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°Do you know him?¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°The Black Sun.¡±

    ¡°I have read every word the Atlanteans wrote about him.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean you know him.  You just know what people say about him.¡±

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s not exactly open to a conversation, he¡¯s been trying to kill me for eight hundred years.  I read his manifesto, and his spell book, and his personal diary as stored in the Atlantean database.¡±

    ¡°What does he want?¡±

    ¡°To end creation and become the new God.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°He thinks humans, and the angels, and Atlanteans before them corrupted the universe.  He believes reality should be free and malleable.  That chaos should reign.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like he thinks he¡¯s a freedom fighter.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like the humans say, one man¡¯s freedom fighter is another man¡¯s terrorist.  He thinks he knows what¡¯s best and is going to impose his will on everything if he can.  He¡¯s the universe¡¯s first dictator.¡±

    ¡°How do you know you and Mariana were right?¡±

    ¡°Because life is always right, he only brings death.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t always believe that.¡±

    ¡°No, but Mariana did, and she was always my moral compass.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she make an army of ghosts, vampires and blood slaves?¡±

    ¡°For the good of the many.¡±

    ¡°What makes her different then the Black Sun then?  She was enforcing her will on the world.¡±

    ¡°Are you on our side or what?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m on your side mom.  I always have been.  And I always will be.  I¡¯m just trying to help you understand the Black Sun and your sister.¡±

    ¡°He wants to destroy everything and everyone, he has always been evil and will always be evil.  He wants to make it like none of this ever existed.  Everyone you love and have loved gone, poofed out of existence to be replaced by his own version of reality.  I¡¯m not willing to lay down and die.  Those are the stakes Eyre.  This isn¡¯t a philosophical debate, two sides of the same coin, this is literally a fight for existence.  Yours, mine, everyone¡¯s.  He has been preparing for two thousand years, he has a big head start.¡±

    Eyre nodded, looking down and putting her hands in her pockets.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry hon, I just need you to understand what we are fighting for.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay mom, I understand.¡±

 Alternate timeline - Violet - Toronto - 2018 - A conversation. (Enid)

    I looked down at the paper. The instructions were clear, take the USB drive to this address. Get someone named Violet to open it and print any details necessary. I frowned. Writing was becoming a lost art. Humans let machines do the work for them.

    I looked up at the building it could only be described as a tenement. The place should have been condemned long ago. I remembered in the 19<sup>th</sup> century they¡¯d be packed full of immigrants. Easy pickings, if you liked drinking the blood of diseased masses. I frowned, looked at the buzzers, found 303 and pressed.

    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for meth it¡¯s 304, shithead.¡±

    I winced when the female voice came through the speaker, the squeal and static piercing my ears.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Violet. Not meth.¡± I responded not hiding my annoyance.

    ¡°Oh¡­uh¡­¡± I heard the lock unlatch and pulled the door open.

    I walked through the lobby. Some ratty couches were against a wall. On one of them sat a balding pig of a man in stained wife beater he had a cast on his left arm. He made kissing sounds to me as I walked by, I ignored him. A group of thuggish looking teens pushed past me and I felt a hand touching the back of my thigh.

    ¡°Need a place to stay darlin?¡± I heard his wheezy voice from behind me.

    I grabbed the hand crushing it until I heard it just start to crack. I turned. It was the man on the couch. I flicked my trench open showing Blood Reaper, my sword.

    ¡°Mines bigger than yours, touch me again and I¡¯ll shove it up your ass. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s not what you¡¯re looking for tonight.¡±

    I let go of his hand and pulled the door open to the stairwell.

    Mortals, disgusting messy things barely edible these days. I wrinkled my nose. In another day and age, I would have just snapped his hand, then his neck. Alas the authorities actually cared about random murders these days. Mores the pity. Though when I considered it the authorities in Rome cared too. Slave or citizen. I frowned. Cattle and their laws. Not that I cared about following mortal law, vampire law was the only law that mattered. Vampire law says keep a low profile, keep our kind secret. Police investigations risked secrets being revealed.

    I walked up the stairs, stepped over an unconscious mortal. She had a needle hanging out of her arm. I sniffed the air. She wasn¡¯t long for this world. There were more where she came from anyway. I continued to the third floor and pulled open the door. I recognized several gang tags, one of them vampiric. I wonder, did they know another of their kind lived so close to their pack. I glanced down at the torn yellow police tape that decorated the frame of apartment 303. I raised my hand to knock and felt someone bump into me from behind. I frowned it was a strung out looking woman. I shoved her into the opposite wall she hit her head, and slid down to the floor holding her head.

    ¡°Bitch!¡± She complained. I glared at her.

    ¡°Hey, you, looking for some of the good stuff?¡± A man was hanging out the doorway of 304. ¡°It¡¯s over here.¡± He shook a baggy of something.

    ¡°No, thank you.¡± I turned away from him and knocked on the door.

    ¡°No drugs, 304!¡± a familiar female voice responded.

    ¡°Violet, open the door, or I will kick it in.¡±

    I hit the door hard enough I heard wood crack.

    ¡°Fuck, okay, okay!¡±

    I heard the door lock then two door chains, and a teenager opened it. She took one look at me and started to close the door.

    ¡°No room for homeless chicks here!¡±

    I reached out and shoved the door, she went flying and hit her back on her bed. She landed on the floor a tangle of arms and legs. Truthfully it was almost comical, but I rarely laughed.

    ¡°Jesus!¡± She scrambled backwards until her back was against a wall. ¡°What the fuck are you?¡±

    ¡°What do you think I am?¡±

    I stepped inside and slammed the door behind me. Paint chips fell from the peeling wall. I saw her reach under the bed. She pulled out a wooden stake. It was crude, but would be effective. She lunged at me. I let her hit me, truthfully, I wanted to see how good her aim was. She would have succeeded but even with her strength all it did was hit the front of my bullet proof vest. She tried again. I grabbed her wrist, forced it around and stabbed her through the heart. She fell to the ground staring at the wall. I sat her up and leaned her against her bed. It was easier this way anyway.

    ¡°I need you to tell me what is on this.¡±

    I held up the USB stick. I hated technology, humans should have stayed killing each other with swords and riding horses.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to pull the stake out now, stop being an idiot. I¡¯m far older and more powerful than you. And I have a bullet proof vest on. Behave child.¡±

    I pulled the stake out. It made a mushy sound. I tossed it aside. She gasped for a breath that would never come. I watched as the wound on her chest healed up flesh and bone regenerating.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to stake me. Wow you are a bitch. Did Tony send you? He said he was going to send someone with money and tickets.¡±

    She continued to lean against the bed

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who Tony is. I was sent by the royal family, this has my current assignment on it, and you are going to tell me what¡¯s on this¡­stupid thing.¡±

    I crouched down so we were eye level.

    ¡°Ya, cause the vampire royal family is going to have some homeless teenager working for them. Do you even know what a brush is?¡±

    She was beginning to get on my nerves. I stood up to my full height which at five feet one, was not impressive. Pushed the sides of my trench open with my wrists, putting my hands on my hips. I saw fear in her eyes almost immediately. They were focused on my sword. She recognized the metal immediately all vampires did, silver. I looked down at her, allowing my anger to show. She squirmed backwards her bed slamming against the wall. An angry ancient was a thing to be feared, it was instinct ingrained in all things, even young vampires.

    ¡°I need you to read this thing. Do so and I will leave. Continue to waste my time and I will punish you accordingly.¡±

    I had enough of the whelp.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Yo¡­you¡¯re a Reaper.¡±

    Her eyes were still wide as she climbed her way up the bed to stand.

    ¡°You are correct now open this fucking thing, so I can get on with my job.¡±

    I waved the USB stick in front of her face. She snatched the USB stick from my hand and sat at her desk. She slid it into the side of the portable computer. She started clicked a few times. Stared at her screen and scratched the back of her head.

    ¡°Uh, there¡¯s a password on it.¡±

    She winced as she spoke the words.

    ¡°Well put it in then, do your job.¡±

    I motioned at the computer screen.

    ¡°What is it?¡± She hunched defensively.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, you¡¯re the-¡±

    I waved at the computer.

    ¡°Expert.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know it, you are the one who brought it to me. A password it¡¯s like a group of letters and numbers.¡±

    I didn¡¯t like her condescending tone. I kind of wanted to smash her face into the computer. I didn¡¯t know much about them but I know they were easily damaged. So, I didn¡¯t do it. I pulled the note out of my pocket. It was signed with a broken heart. I pondered for a moment.

    ¡°Try, NonesSextilisNeroIV"

    She typed it in and it worked then looked up at me, curiosity dancing in her eyes. I sighed.

    "The seventh of August, sixty AD. Romans named their years after...well it''s not important. It was the day my husband and father killed my sister."

    ¡°Romans, as in Rome, Rome?¡± She asked wide eyed.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re like two-thousand years old?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve been married for two-thousand years.¡±

    She eyed my wedding band.

    ¡°Yes¡±

    ¡°Holy shit!¡±

    She glanced back at her computer as if remembering it existed.

    ¡°Oh, this is encrypted, it will take a while to access, my computer¡¯s crappy and slow. Tony promised me a new one.¡±

    ¡°That is something that has not changed in two-thousand years, men promise much but seldom deliver.¡±

    She laughed, I found it quite calming, a teenager laughing. Vampires seldom laughed in my presence. I found myself smiling. I stopped as soon as I noticed. She looked serious suddenly.

    ¡°I¡¯m helping you kill someone, aren¡¯t I? It¡¯s what Reapers do, they kill vampires.¡±

    Her voice got low near the end.

    ¡°And mortals. Anyone who breaks our laws, or is a threat to our way of life. It is my job to punish them.¡±

    I said, I silently wondered why I was talking to her so much. It was easy to talk to her, oddly, I¡¯d spoken more tonight then in the last decade. Of course, the usual extent of the conversation was my target begging for their life. It never worked.

    ¡°I..I am not sure I should be helping you then.¡±

    She was reaching for the USB stick.

    ¡°Why? We have laws, I enforce them. It is no different than the mortal police force.¡±

    As I finished she stopped reaching and began paying attention.

    ¡°We have vast powers; can you imagine the damage a rogue vampire could cause to the world at large? The risks involved to the rest of us if they are allowed to go unchecked. One vampire death, or ten mortal deaths to save ten million? The math is easy.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡±

    ¡°You look pale have you eaten?¡±

    ¡°Uh, no, I uh, I usually wait until I really need it.¡±

    She twisted a piece of her brown hair in with her fingers.

    ¡°Why? This is an easy place to hunt.¡±

    ¡°I donno, I don¡¯t really like hurting people.¡±

    ¡°Humans aren¡¯t people, to us they¡¯re like cows. Walking steaks.¡±

    ¡°We used to be human.¡±

    ¡°If a vampire had killed me as human I would have better off for it. They are prey, we are predators.¡±

    I despised wishy washy vampires. We drink blood, it¡¯s what we are.

    ¡°How can you say that? Everyone has friends, family, they have a right not to be violated.¡±

    ¡°You are na?ve.¡±

    ¡°You are a monster.¡±

    ¡°We are monsters.¡±

    I said showing my fangs. We sat silently for a few minutes. Then she perked up and looked at me.

    ¡°So¡­uh¡­ Romans don¡¯t usually have red hair and green eyes¡­¡±

    She was asking a question I could tell from her voice.

    ¡°I¡¯m from what you call Scotland today. I believe the humans call us Picts?¡±

    ¡°How did you end up in Rome?¡±

    ¡°That is a long story. My adoptive found me near dead and saved my life and brought me back to Rome. Raised me as his daughter. He was a vampire. He is likely gone now.¡±

    I trailed off. Thinking of the kind man, who brought me up.

    ¡°He was a vampire?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, he was. He is the progenitor of all vampires. He was ancient when he found me, from Mesopotamia I think, or further back. He didn¡¯t talk much about his distant past. Though he had some interesting stories about Babylon and Egypt.¡±

    I smiled in spite of myself. I saw Violet¡¯s face soften as well. I hadn¡¯t noticed it but she had been wound tight since I¡¯d arrived.

    ¡°Seems like he was a good man.¡±

    ¡°He was the best kind of man, wise, balanced. He ruled us well. He always had a light about him. I always knew if I needed advice I could go to him, he wouldn¡¯t judge.¡±

    I fingered the pommel of my sword.

    ¡°What happened to him?¡±

    ¡°He grew cold and angry. His wife was killed in the purge.¡±

    I frowned, why was I talking so much tonight?

    ¡°Purge?¡±

    ¡°Vampires in Rome grew careless, my father had an agreement with the Senate. We didn¡¯t bother them, they didn¡¯t bother us. My sister, my adopted sister, raised an army of vampires and blood-slaves, to fight in Britain. When she returned, Nero feared he would be next. He convinced another group of vampires, Pugmentia, trash, we called them to show up for peace talks with the us, and the humans. Father refused to meet with them, mother however decided we couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye and went without his permission. She was killed along with most of the Pugmentia. Nero had his soldiers burn the city. Get rid of our shelter. We managed to survive, some of us, but father was never the same. She was his true love, his Sodales.¡±

    I closed my eyes. The memories even almost two thousand years ago, still burned in my chest.

    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    She had come and put her arm around me. I touched my cheek there was blood running from my eye. I shoved her off.

    ¡°It was long ago.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but they were your parents.¡±

    She had blood dripping from her eyes.

    ¡°Is that thing done yet?¡±

    I waved at the computer.

    ¡°No, doesn¡¯t look like it will be done for a while.¡±

    I didn¡¯t believe her and took a look at the screen. What is the term the mortals use these days? It¡¯s Greek to me. I wished it was I¡¯d be able to understand it then. The screens hurt my eyes. A bar seemed to measure progress and it was not even a quarter the way across the screen. I frowned.

    ¡°So, umm, ah, what do you umm do for fun?¡±

    Forced conversations were the worse. I could never understand the mortal¡¯s incessant need to fill silences. I turned towards her.

    ¡°Fun? I don¡¯t have time for fun. There are more idiot vampires in this age than ever before. And every single mortal has a camera.¡±

    I moved back and sat on her bed. I watched her. She still felt the need to blink, fidget. She was barely a vampire.

    ¡°You can¡¯t always be hunting people.¡±

    The girl frowned as she spoke. I glared in her direction. Why was I engaging her? Usually I¡¯d just tell someone I had to deal with the shut up and do as they are asked. Yet here I was chatting it up with someone who was at almost two-thousand years my junior. She was barely a grain of sand to me. Barely better than a mortal. Why then did I feel the need to have this discourse with her.

    ¡°Look, kid, I don¡¯t want to be your friend. I might have to destroy you tomorrow. So just get my intel and let me get on with my job.¡±

    ¡°That is not a way to live, worrying that you may need to kill someone tomorrow, not getting close to them.¡±

    ¡°You are telling me how to live, I have literally lived a hundred times longer than you. How could your life experience possibly give me any insight?¡±

    I could feel myself glaring at her, I closed my eyes. And calmed myself. She was getting under my skin.

    ¡°Well for someone so old, you suck at living.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m dead. And I don¡¯t need your advice on living, I raised four children, and helped raise thirteen grandchildren. I drank wine with Augustus Caesar, lived through the glory of Rome, partook in the court of Charlemagne. I don¡¯t think I need advice from a teenager born in the twenty first century.¡±

    ¡°You lived history, you have so much knowledge you could share with people like me.¡±

    ¡°Why? People don¡¯t care about history just whether it suits their beliefs on reality.¡±

    ¡°Some of us want the truth no matter how horrible it is.¡±

    ¡°Humans haven¡¯t changed in my lifetime, they are still smelly, self-destructive and power mad. Though they taste horrible these days. They are so consumed with having, they will trample their loved ones in a heartbeat to get it.¡±

    ¡°There are good people in this world.¡±

    ¡°Until they think they can get something or need something, then they are down here in the mud and blood with the rest of creation.¡±

    ¡°You need to open your eyes and heart to humanity. We might be dead, but it doesn¡¯t mean we have to be dead inside.¡±

    ¡°Give it a decade, give it a century, give it a millennium and let us have this conversation again. You will come to see humanity the same way, they are here for an instant and gone like so much dust.¡±

    ¡°But your adopted father, he was kind, caring and he was ten thousand years old or so you described.¡±

    ¡°And he turned into a bitter, hate-filled vampire, because of humans!¡±

    ¡°Is that why you hate yourself and humanity so much?¡±

    ¡°Why am I even having this conversation with you?¡±

    I wasn¡¯t so much asking her as asking myself. I couldn¡¯t stop myself she was drawing me in to this conversation.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s because you need to talk to someone, you need companionship.¡±

    I growled and closed my eyes again. She was right which was even more frustrating.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you, whelp.¡±

    ¡°I know but you didn¡¯t seem to have an answer.¡±

    I had the urge to beat her into a pulp. She was annoyingly accurate with her assessments. For one so young, she had a lot of insight. Minutes stretched into hours as we waited for her very slow computer to process the data. I was afraid it might be broken. I had exhausted her youthful exuberance for questions, and she had fallen to staring at the hilt of Bloodseeker. Her computer beeped and she jumped. I feared it meant the technology had failed but it hadn¡¯t something popped up on the screen. She opened the first file and I stared at the screen my mouth falling open. A photo of my sister was there, not in Rome, but standing in front of a bus stop. I blinked in disbelief. She was standing in the sun.

    ¡°Who is she? Do you have to kill her?¡±

    ¡°It looks like my sister, but she¡¯s been dead for two thousand years. She¡¯s also in the sun, kind of hard to do when you¡¯re a vampire, unless you were my father or mother.¡±

    ¡°Is she your next target? What did she do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I haven¡¯t read the rest of what is there. Can you put it on paper, I hate those screens they hurt my eyes.¡±

    Violet selected a bunch of things on the screen did something else and then looked at the a number.

    ¡°Gee I don¡¯t know, do you have 8 crates of paper? Probably thirty printers? Mines a piece of shit ink jet.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what that means.¡±

    ¡°It means there is way too much data here to print out. Just sit down move your finger along this thingy here and press this twice if you want to look at something.¡±

    Enid frowned at her and sat down she squinted at the titles. She had no trouble reading the text but it was like looking at the sun too long for her. She found a file entitled Read me first Enid. She used the touch pad and moved the curser to it and double clicked. She was surprised to see a document written in the runes of her people. Violet was looking over her shoulder and gasped with surprise.

    ¡°That is a funky font. Uh you can change it to a normal one.¡±

    Enid spoke without looking away from the screen she scanned the first few lines of runes.

    ¡°I can read it.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes scanned the runes. Mariana was alive¡­ Lucius was the Black Sun. She swallowed very hard.

 Edmonton -2026 - First Day of School

    ¡°Why are you barging into my classroom? If you¡¯re a student, you are very late.¡±

    The stern looking teacher, in her sixties looked at Enid over the top of her reading glasses. She had grey hair and blue eyes. Enid closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Almost fifty years she had been living amongst these mortals and still she had trouble treating her elders with deference. Hard to find someone who was your elder when you¡¯re one of the oldest sentient things on the planet. She chose to settle for her most comfortable English accent which happened to sound Scottish.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Mrs. Wells. I got a bit lost.¡±

    The class of fifteen students sat up in their seats when the heard her speak. Enid offered up a piece of paper to the teacher who snatched it out of her hand. She pushed her reading glasses up and her eyes traced the lines on the paper.

    ¡°Enid Aurelius, very odd name you have, young lady. In the future, be on time for class.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry.¡±

    Mrs. Wells nodded and seemed to be happy with her show of deference and motioned to a seat at the front of the class. It happened to be beside Maria. Enid did her best not to stare at her sister and slid into the seat and went to pull out her laptop.

    ¡°No need Ms. Aurelius, we use books and paper in this class. Its as closest to papyrus the school will let me use. We are studying Latin after all.¡±

    Enid nodded, and pulled out her Latin textbook, a pen and her binder. Maria gave a side-long glance to the new girl in class. Something about the flowing red hair and piercing green eyes stirred a feeling in the pit of her stomach. It made her uncomfortable. Such feelings were not proper. She opened her unnecessary textbook and did her best to focus on the printed words. Translating Latin was like reading English to her, there was no functional difference, in fact Latin was easier to understand.

    Enid glanced at her sister out of the corner of her eye. She noticed she was uncomfortable, shoulders hunched. She seemed ill at ease. Enid remembered her body language like they had been laughing under a tree yesterday. She¡¯d seen this before. She was nervous about something. Enid whispered in Hebrew to see if Mariana would remember.

    ¡°No need to be worried, I don¡¯t bite.¡±

    Maria looked straight at her eyes wide. Enid nodded, she had understood. Mrs. Wells was less then amused by the whispering.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how things work in Scottish schools Enid, but here when its time to do translations you do translations. If you¡¯re already done perhaps you can write it out on the board?¡±

    Mrs. Wells pointed to a chalk board. Enid sighed. She¡¯d forgotten how some high school teachers were drunk with their power. She glanced at the paper on her desk, read it over and walked the board and wrote out the translation. Then went and sat down. Mrs. Wells looked at her sheet of paper then back at the board and frowned.

    ¡°If you finish early again, just sit silently or study something for another class.¡±

    Enid nodded. And slouched in her seat. She pulled out the tablet she had and started going over the math book for her next class. Algebra was something she wasn¡¯t great at and she did need the refresher. She glanced at Mariana who still looked extremely uncomfortable in her presence. The buzzer went off and Mariana who had been holding her breath rushed out and away from Enid. Enid tried to follow but the teacher called her name and she sighed and turned around.

    ¡°Why are you in this class?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You translated that like you were reading English, why are you bothering with level one Latin?¡±

    ¡°My mother picked my classes. I guess she wanted something to make up for my Math marks.¡±

    Mrs. Wells nodded.

    ¡°Well some of the students are struggling, I would appreciate if you helped them out when you finish your work. You are new, I know what that is like and it would help you get to know them.¡±

    I hate high school. Another three years of this. Kill me now.

    ¡°Sure, Mrs. Wells, I would be happy to help.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re trying to talk to Maria, she has had a hard time and doesn¡¯t have any friends. But please don¡¯t do it during class.¡±

    Enid nodded and hiked her bag on her shoulder and walked towards her Math class, which Mrs. Wells had just made her late for. Enid rolled her eyes and knocked on the door and after another lecture about the virtues of being on time she took her seat and did her best not to stare at Mariana. Enid¡¯s mind drifted to the council meeting. Mariana lay there on the marble alter. Unconscious, broken. The struggle against her father to stop Amara from killing her. The words she spoke to the woman she had loved as an Aunt. The hurtful things she had said to her father. The threats against the council. The satisfied smirk of Lucius. She was snapped out of the painful memory when the buzzer went off again. She felt moistness on her cheeks and she touched it.

    Tears, glad I was in the sun that would have been embarrassing.

    She looked up and Mariana was no where to be seen. She gathered her things and rushed out of the room into the hall it was mess of students. She couldn¡¯t see her sister anywhere. She sighed and glanced at her phone. Lunch time. She headed to the cafeteria. She looked over the gathered students and saw Mariana sitting in the corner on her own no one around her.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Finally. I can talk to her.

    She turned and went through the line, she went with the best tasting foods, rather than the healthiest it¡¯s not like she¡¯d have a heart attack, or gain weight. She ended up with a tray full of desert and a hamburger. As she¡¯d told her daughter. She was damned if she was going to eat rabbit food when she¡¯d spent a couple thousand years on a steady diet of blood. She took her tray and started walking towards Mariana. She reached the end of the table and was so focused on her sister she didn¡¯t realize someone was about to grab her arm. Her first instinct was to put the owner of the hand, out of her misery but she stopped herself from reacting with her warrior instincts. And looked over to see what most would consider an attractive girl, brown hair, eyes grabbing her arm.

    ¡°Don¡¯t sit with zombie girl. Do you want to destroy your reputation on your first day?¡±

    ¡°Zombie girl?¡±

    ¡°Look at her she looks like she just walked out of the morgue. She has like cancer or something come sit with us.¡±

    She motioned to a couple of other girls. Enid was about to say something scathing but then she looked up and noticed Mariana had vanished. She frowned.

    Might as well gather some intelligence. Mariana doesn¡¯t seem to want to be social.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Enid turned and followed the girl and sat down.

    ¡°Hi Enid!¡±

    She was greeted warmly by the other two girls.

    ¡°I¡¯m Heather, and that¡¯s Julie, and that is Kerri.¡±

    Enid nodded to all three and looked them over. She was dressed similarly to them. Eyre had picked out her wardrobe.

    ¡°We saw you about go sit by Zombie girl, we just had to save you.¡±

    ¡°Definitely.¡±

    ¡°Why would you want to do something silly like that?¡±

    Enid looked at the three.

    You are so lucky. Another day saying that about my sister you¡¯d be in pain.

    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s Zombie girl. She lives in a convent. She¡¯s always reading the bible and praying. So weird¡±

    ¡°Umm, isn¡¯t this a Catholic School?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I mean she¡¯s obsessive, it¡¯s weird.¡±

    ¡°She killed her uncle, blew up his house. Almost died.¡±

    ¡°Now the psycho¡¯s here with us.¡±

    ¡°She is not a psycho.¡±

    ¡°You know her?¡±

    ¡°We were like sisters when we were younger.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were from Scotland.¡±

    ¡°I was living there with my dad. He died so I had to come here again. I left when I was six.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry to hear about your dad.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. So why is she living in a convent?¡±

    Heather tapped her chin. Then pulled out her tablet tapping on it and showed it to Enid. Enid took the tablet and read the news article. She¡¯d already read it, Eyre had done extensive research. Her daughter was meticulous.

    ¡°Why did you say she killed her uncle? It was a gas leak. It¡¯s not right to spread rumors.¡±

    ¡°Well you know the news is always lying. He kept her locked inside for years doing god knows what to her. I think she finally snapped and killed him then tried to kill herself, but she didn¡¯t die. So now she¡¯s zombie girl. She¡¯s creepy let¡¯s stop talking about her.¡±

    The others nodded their approval. Enid took comfort in her tray full of desert as she was badgered by another forty-five minutes of rapid-fire questions and conversation by the trio who seemed to have decided she was one of them now. She kept to her new identity¡¯s story. It was easy now, after the third time to shed her old persona for this new teen age one. She regretted not drawing the line at her daughter¡¯s choice of wardrobe she could already be talking to Mariana.

    Eyre why couldn¡¯t you just let me wear my combats and black shirt and trench coat.

    Enid found herself being dragged along with flow of the hallway and her new besties as they called themselves. She sighed. This wasn¡¯t the job. Mariana was the job. But she had to seem normal, nice, humane, good hearted so her sister would let her approach eventually. She heard her name come up in the conversation the trio was having, and they were looking at her. Expectantly.

    ¡°Sorry, what?¡±

    ¡°I said, you¡¯re going to sign up for soccer, right? And volleyball too, right?¡±

    ¡°Err, no, I don¡¯t do sports. It¡¯s umm not fair.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not fair?¡±

    ¡°I uh, well.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry you have time.¡±

    ¡°Besides we are all on the team already and we can tell the coach how much we need you.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know if I¡¯m good at it.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes we do.¡±

    ¡°Says right here, MVP for your football team at your old school.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    Eyre I¡¯m going to do such things to you.

    ¡°Football, I thought you said she was good at Soccer? We don¡¯t have a girl¡¯s football team, do we?¡±

    ¡°Kerri, football is soccer in Scotland!¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping to focus on schoolwork.¡±

    ¡°Oh, if you want to get into a good university taking part in sports is a good way to stand out.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll play, but you¡¯ll be disappointed, your coach will sit me on the bench most of the games.¡±

    There were squeals of delight. From the trio. The dragged her to a seat near them in the next class which happened to be religion. Mariana sat at the front of the class paying rapt attention to every word. Enid sighed.

    It drives me nuts that these humans have built a whole set of religious beliefs on scrolls written hundreds of years after the people who supposedly wrote them died. Oral tradition is so easily corrupted.

    The trio she had been dragged into were not paying much attention to class either. It was not that Enid hadn¡¯t read the bible, she had indeed read it in several incarnations and languages. It just didn¡¯t translate the gospels as taught by her nephew very well. Sure, it got the general gist, but there was a spin on it, humans always put a spin on stuff. She sighed. She glanced at her wrist. She had a fitbit, it served a purpose other then monitoring her still beating heart. She could see texts from Eyre if necessary. But she could also see the time. She sighed, another thirty minutes of the good news and what it means to her. She had heard this for how many years in Narfordshire. God sure didn¡¯t show up and save them from the plague, no it was her. Some good news.

    Whose to say he didn¡¯t wake you up to save them?

    Enid swatted away the stray thought. She wasn¡¯t sure about much, but God was definitely bullshit. After what seemed like another eternity the class ended, and she was swept along to another class. The day ended.

    If I had to do this for my entire existence, I would have killed myself a long time ago. How can high school make a day seem like it¡¯s an eternity?

    Enid collected her things and walked out of the front of the school. She could see Mariana walking towards a bus stop. She shifted to walk towards her when she noticed Eyre sitting in a very boring car. It was not like her to drive anything that didn¡¯t cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. She walked towards the car. She heard a gaggle of footsteps behind her she glanced back it was Heather, Julie and Kerri.

    ¡°Is that your mom Enid?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Enid leaned down giving Eyre a glare. And forced the words out.

    ¡°Hello Mom. I thought I was taking the bus home tonight.¡±

    She looked towards Mariana who was waiting for the bus.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I got off work early, I thought we would go out for supper.¡±

    ¡°Ms. Aurelius, can Enid come to West Edmonton Mall with us? We were going to go shopping.¡±

    Eyre smiled. Enid squinted at her waving her hand no.

    ¡°Sure, be home by 10 Enid, and that¡¯s PM. This isn¡¯t your father¡¯s roof you¡¯re living under.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes.

    ¡°Okay, Mom. We will talk when I get home.¡±

    She spoke the word mom with a venom that seemed to surprise Eyre. But then Eyre laughed, and gave Enid a debit card.

    ¡°Be nice to it. Dear. And don¡¯t buy any of those dreadful black clothes your dad always dressed you in. You¡¯re a nice young catholic girl, not an old Italian grandmother.¡±

    Enid snatched the debit card out of Eyre¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be nice to it.¡±

    Eyre drove away and Enid pulled out her phone. She pounded out a text message with a lot of expletives and hit send. The only response she got was a devil face emoji.

    Brat.

 Edmonton 2026/Pacific Ocean 2022 - Enid recalls a war story (Enid)

    Enid read over the letter she¡¯d received via back channels. Sarah O¡¯Connor is invited to wedding of Edward Cross and Amanda Smith. She pulled a box out of her pack and started going through the contents. She picked up a photo of her and her longtime wingman Mustache.

    Finally getting married to her.  Guess he must have retired finally.

    She opened her chat program and logged in as Sarah. She sent a message to Mustache. She typed: Finally making an honest man of yourself hmm? He responded almost immediately: Are you coming? She smiled at her computer and typed:  Only so I can halt the wedding and say I protest because you¡¯re not good enough for her. :D There was a pause, then:  I¡¯m glad, it¡¯s been too long. Btw, you have a wiki entry. Gotta go, Amanda¡¯s making a fuss because I¡¯m talking to my work wife. See you in October. He sent a link. Enid clicked on it.

    Enid stared at a picture of her alter ego, Sarah O¡¯Connor. Decorated Pilot, Medal of Honor Recipient and Modern-Day flying ace. There was a whole entry for her on the wiki. It was her in a flight suit on the deck of an aircraft carrier. She remembered the photo well it was shortly after the attack on the North Korean Nuclear sites. She frowned as she remembered the night it happened. It was the reason she joined Naval Intelligence and eventually retired.

    Enid picked up the medal of honor and sighed at it. She hadn¡¯t heard Violet walk in.

    ¡°Holy shit, is that an actual medal of honor?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Is that yours?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How did you get it?¡±

    ¡°Shot down twenty-one planes in one night.¡±

    ¡°That was you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was me.¡±

    ¡°Tell me all about it, please?¡±

    Enid motioned to her screen and started to gather up her keepsakes.

    ¡°Read the wiki.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to read some wiki page, I want to hear it from you, mom three.¡±

    ¡°Mom three?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my birth mom was mom one, Eyre is mom two, and you¡¯re mom three.¡±

    Enid chuckled and slid the wooden box into her pack.

    ¡°Come on Mom three, tell me, please?¡±

    ¡°I have homework.¡±

    ¡°Which I will totally do for you, if you tell me the story.¡±

    "Are you sure you want to make that commitment?"

    "Yes, tell me."

    Enid frowned at Violet.

    ¡°Did anyone ever tell you that you are pushy?¡±

    ¡°All the time.¡±

    Enid sighed and started telling her the story.

    Pacific Ocean ¨C 2022 ¨C USS George Washington

    Enid stood on the deck of the USS George Washington. Her hair currently blonde hair was blowing in the wind. She had her flight helmet hooked under her arm. She could see Okinawa in the distance and let a wry smile cross her lips

    Hey there old friend.

    She hadn¡¯t been back for a few years. She still kept in touch with her Miko, and Nobuyuki¡¯s kids. As with most mortals she¡¯d known in her life he had passed a few years ago. Lung cancer. She hooked her hand under the flight helmet. She already knew someone was coming. Her gift. She glanced back when she heard the boots on the flight deck.

    ¡°Reaper. What ya looking at?¡±

    ¡°Okinawa.¡±

    ¡°I thought you were looking for the sun set.¡±

    Enid turned and smiled at her wingman.

    ¡°Very funny, Mustache.¡±

    ¡°I thought so. Ready to walk the deck and do preflight checks?¡±

    Enid nodded and walked beside him, and the flight deck crews and the rest of the squadron. The pair then returned to their fighters. She kneeled down and checked her gear. Visually confirmed her ordinance. She checked the hook. Ensured the engines were clear of debris. Ensured all the flight surfaces were undamaged. She smiled at the shiny new F-22N. Finally, she looked up at the newly painted words on the plane¡¯s fuselage by the cockpit. ¡®Commander Sarah ¡°Reaper¡± O¡¯Connor¡¯ along with several hash marks counting twelve She hadn¡¯t picked the callsign. She had originally been Princess. After shooting down ten enemy combatants it was changed on her, to her old title. One she had tried to distance herself from.

    Hope that number stays that total tonight.

    She pulled her helmet on and climbed into her cockpit. She continued her pre-flight checks. They had fifteen minutes before the air force bombers they were going to escort were in range. Her squadron was an interceptor squadron. Relatively new, with a new name, Broadsword. Their new mission was more air to air then was commonplace in the last quarter century. New enemies, new tactics, or so her CO had told her when he handed her the assignment to command the new squadron. She saw Mustache looking at her through his cockpit. She gave him the thumbs up which he returned. His voice came through the radio.

    ¡°How did I end up in your shit outfit? Are these even Navy planes?¡±

    Enid chucked.

    ¡°This is the part where I tell you to mind the radio chatter.¡±

    ¡°Get a full bar and all of a sudden you¡¯re a prude.¡±

    She looked over the instruments. She was no F-18 that was for sure.

    ¡°Better apologize to your ride, they¡¯re sensitive you know.¡±

    ¡°Sensitive my ass. These are air force planes that had an N slapped on them¡±

    ¡°They are better air to air then the F-35¡¯s, they were made special for us. Be nice to them.¡±

    ¡°I still don¡¯t see what was wrong with F-18¡¯s.¡±

    A new voice crackled on the radio.

    ¡°Cut the chatter one and two. You¡¯re up.¡±

    Enid responded.

    ¡°Aye Sir.¡±

    She looked down for the thumbs up from her deck crew and started checking the flight control system. Checked her ordinance levels. She felt the jet jerk as the deck crews moved her into catapult position. She smiled to herself. She loved this almost as much as landing. She felt coldness of death sweep over her as the sun fell below the horizon. Once again, she could feel every part of her body. Felt her every dead cell at her beck and call.

    Not going to be fair if they try to resist tonight.

    She watched her deck crew and saw the countdown start. She powered up her engines ready to punch it to get off the deck. She saw the go sign and hit the thrust and felt the catapult fling her fighter forward and soon she swopped off the deck in the aptly named raptor. She saw Mustache launch shortly behind her and form on her wing. Within a couple of minutes, she had her entire flight on her wings. Soon there would be two flights in the air. Her flight was already climbing and accelerated to catch up with the slightly ahead of schedule bombers. She took up escort position and radioed the lead bomber.

    ¡°May we lead you to your table?¡±

    ¡°Good to see you.¡±

    ¡°Are we still go?¡±

    ¡°We are still a go.¡±

    Enid¡¯s second flight joined them shortly thereafter. During the briefing they were told this was the biggest coordinated air action since World War 2. She saw a squadron of smaller air force fighter bombers join up. She took the time to check her fuel reserves. Everything was looking good to go. Another three wings of air to ground fighters joined up along with two wings of air force interceptors. All of them launched from Japan. They weren¡¯t told much else. Her system started updating with target information now. She blinked. It put the target between south and north Korea and some sites in North Korea. There target seemed to be inside North Korea proper. Whatever it was they were going to be in the thick of it. Her radio came to life.

    ¡°Are you seeing this Reaper?¡±

    ¡°Yes, now cut the chatter. Get your head on straight.¡±

    She opened radio to her wings.

    ¡°Expect a warm welcome. Fly smart, earn your pay, The service gets home, got it? Confirm then radio silent until we are whiskey tango foxtrot.¡±

    She heard a everyone with respond with a roger. The entire flight flew radio silent. She knew Mustache was not happy. She¡¯d heard it in his voice. She¡¯d love to reassure him but he was a big boy. As a poor substitute she cut her speed and took a position directly next to him and dipped her port wing giving him a nod and thumbs up. After a few minutes he returned the signal. She pulled forward and shut down her lights as the rest of the flight did the same. She saw the stealth bombers accelerate ahead and two of the Air Force stealth interceptor wings join them.

    Good luck. Should have called Eyre. If I¡¯d known. Not going to die but might end up fighting my way out of North Korea.

    She frowned when realized her pack was in her locker on the ship. Her HUD flashed indicating it was there turn. She flicked her lights three times, indicating her flight was to follow her down and intercept and the other was to fly closer escort. She accelerated downwards and was met by fires burning in the distance and tracers from anti-aircraft fire. Her targeting systems lit up like it was Christmas. She saw what her plane was identifying as MIG-29s. Dozens of them on an intercept course. She opened up her radio to her squadron.

    ¡°We are Whisky Tango Foxtrot boys.¡±

    She accelerated to intercept the first group of them. Deciding to avoid missiles for the moment to maintain her stealth. She focused on the lead group of planes and knew that her people were heavily outnumbered, so she cheated. She wiped her flight¡¯s existence from their minds. They would patently ignore them until engaged, even when their planes were screaming at them, they were under attack they would assume it was a malfunction. She had never done this before, but she¡¯d never had her men outnumbered five to one before. It was a stretch of her abilities to cover so many and it wouldn¡¯t last long.

    ¡°Jamming their lead flight. Won¡¯t last long take them down with guns, save the missiles.¡±

    Her flight did as they were ordered, and she watched as her squadron took out five planes and she took out two. The other three jets in that flight and the second flight started reacting now. Her mental cloud had vanished with the deaths of their compatriots, and it hadn¡¯t been cheap on blood either she wouldn¡¯t try it again.

    ¡°Weapons free.¡±

    The dog fight, referred to as a furball by some, because there were thirty jets involved, probably the largest dog fight since World War 2, began in earnest. Her flight was only slightly outnumbered now that her second group of fighters had joined them, along with the two bombers they had been escorting which started dropping a rain of bombs. The ground lit up beneath them. Her squadron was doing well for themselves up until one of the MIGs got a lock on a bomber with their missile and she watched Domino fly in front of it when chaff failed, and his plane exploded in a fireball. She narrowed her eyes and found the source. She accelerated and dove on him her guns flared to life, and she shredded the cock pit. Her plane barely held together with the G¡¯s she had just pulled but it being nighttime she felt none of it in her own body. She swooped upwards the planes warning sounds complaining that she was risking a black out and she took out two more in swift succession. Later, in the after action reports the Russian ¡®volunteers¡¯ and North Koreans would refer to her as the American Devil. To her squadron she more then earned her callsign Reaper that night. She wasn¡¯t unscathed at the end of the battle. Her cockpit was shattered, and she¡¯d taken three full on rounds to her chest and her flight helmet had been hit, but she didn¡¯t care. It didn¡¯t slow her down. As her pilots were shot down one by one, she retaliated in kind. By the end a third of her flight was KIA, she had destroyed twenty-one of theirs and finally pulled out when ordered too because her fighter was running low enough on fuel the carrier was almost out of range. The bombers had made it out with some damage. Her ferocity had pushed her plane to the point that even without the battle damage it was likely a write off if she could land it at all.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    ¡°Reaper, ready for approach.¡±

    ¡°Reaper, your fighter is showing all sorts of red. Maybe you should ditch.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯ll land. Give me a runway.¡±

    ¡°Aye ma¡¯am.¡±

    Enid lowered her landing gear and lined up with the deck.

    Stay together girl.

    She slowed her speed to one hundred knots, which was the lowest she could go in the Raptor and felt the deck beneath the wheels and the plane jerk as the hook caught the line. She heard something fall off the plane she gave a sigh of relief as it stopped. She pulled her helmet off and saw blood on it, the injury had healed a while ago. She wasn¡¯t sure how to explain it all, she probably should have ditched given the circumstances.

    Damn you pride, you just had to land the plane didn¡¯t you to prove you could.

    She tossed her helmet down to the crewmen who was looking at it and then back to her in awe.

    ¡°This took a direct hit.¡±

    ¡°Guess it was built to last.¡±

    She watched them pull her plane to the side and lower it below the flight deck. Medics were rushing up to her and she waved them away.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    She glanced down at herself besides some blood from her previous head wound and a bit on the front and back of her flight suit you would be hard pressed she had been injured at all. She didn¡¯t bother getting changed and just walked straight to door labeled C&C it was guarded by two armed marines who acknowledged her presence but didn¡¯t salute not much of that happened on ships of the line. Unless it was a formal occasion. She walked straight to the ops commander who nodded to her, then saw the blood on her head.

    ¡°Commander you should get that looked at.¡±

    ¡°After I know the status of my men. Did any of them get out?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°No beacons Commander.¡±

    Enid frowned. Bowman, Domino, Regret. She¡¯d hand picked each one of them for her squadron. If she hadn¡¯t of, they might be alive. The ops commander seemed to figure out what she was thinking.

    ¡°Not your fault, Commander. You did your best and so did they, we were just outnumbered. Go get medical to look at you before the Admiral sees you. After debriefing drinks are on me. Twenty-one kills in one sortie, you¡¯re going to be a legend.¡±

    Enid gave a nod before walking out of the room.

    I wasn¡¯t good enough, I lost men.

    She headed to berth and started cleaning the blood off her head and out of her blonde hair. She looked at the three holes in her flight suit. The rounds had pierced her chest and went right through as she¡¯d assumed. She put on her second flight suit and went down to her plane. It was off to the side and had a bunch of the techs scratching their heads as they looked at what was left of it. She heard them talking.

    ¡°How the fuck did she land this?¡±

    ¡°Better question is: how is she not dead. She pulled enough G¡¯s to crack the frame.¡±

    She heard another voice join the Techs, it was her wingman, Mustache.

    ¡°That¡¯s easy, she¡¯s a legend.¡±

    How right you are buddy.

    She made her presence known by approaching the group. They stared at her as she approached.

    ¡°So, can you fix her?¡±

    One of the techs laughed.

    ¡°No, you broke her good.¡±

    Enid ran her hand along the smooth surface of the stealth interceptor. She could see where the frame and coating had cracked and broken. The landing had finished what she started in the dog fight. It was barely held together with wires and two of the frame struts. Mustache spoke behind her.

    ¡°They¡¯re going to put it in a museum you know. Commander Sarah ¡°Reaper¡± O¡¯Connor downed twenty-one enemy planes in one night with this F-22N Raptor.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they should add: Was too busying killing enemy fighters to save her subordinates.¡±

    Everyone looked at the deck.

    ¡°What were we even doing there?¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°I have no idea. Attacking North Korea directly is like kicking a hornet¡¯s nest. They must have had a really good reason. I hope they did, we lost people.¡±

    She took one last look at the plane.

    ¡°She was nice while she lasted.¡±

    ¡°You were right, they¡¯re good planes, got us home.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°It is all we can ask for.¡±

    She sighed and walked off leaving the flight crew and Mustache looking after her. She heard Mustache speak again.

    ¡°Never seen anyone do what she did in a plane. They¡¯re going to be going over her flight recorder for years.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes as she stood by the open elevator shaft where the planes would come down the newly risen sun shining on her. She took a deep breath and thanked whoever was looking out for her that the sortie had happened at night.

    Guess I¡¯m not going to get the bullets out of the cockpit at all.

    She started towards her Squadron¡¯s ready room. Time for the post flight debrief. She went into the maintenance control and puled out an action form. She started filling it in while her pilots filled in. Broken frame. Control panel damage. Canopy damage. She put the form in the list of maintenance request. She assumed it with amuse someone. She walked into the ready room and saw the three empty seats. She frowned. As she took her spot at the front her squadron one by one stood up and started clapping for her. She motioned for them to sit down. When they did, she saw the ships XO standing behind them, he was leaning against the bulkhead arms crossed. He gave her a nod. She nodded back then looked to her squadron.

    ¡°We had no idea what we were flying into today. Brief said reason was secrecy. Now we know why. You all did very well. Our escorts made it out in one piece. We had minimal losses and you all accounted yourselves well. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be doing further debriefs in the future once we have flight recorder data to see where we can improve. For now, take some time to unwind. Nothing is on our docket at the moment, Air Force is taking over the rest of the current mission. Mustache, you¡¯re in charge of wing two now. Dismissed.¡±

    She shook several hands as her squadron filed out and to their bunks and possibly the ward room. The XO approached her after the room was cleared. Captain Dennis was near retirement, and his grey hairs showed it. Enid had flown under his command for most of her career. He looked her up and down. He was a good commanding officer when he was in charge, but had been assigned here under the Admiral with the rest of her squadron a few months ago. He seemed more relaxed then he usually was, likely the reduced stress. He didn¡¯t seem terribly put out by being an XO at this stage in his career.

    ¡°Reaper, CO wants to see you.¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°I expect he wants an explanation on why you broke one of his planes.¡±

    He smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the wardroom later. Good work kid. You made us proud.¡±

    ¡°Aye sir.¡±

    He nodded and walked out of the room. Enid lingered there her hand touching each of her lost pilot¡¯s seat. She frowned and headed up to the CO¡¯s office. Admiral Birken was not a patient CO. She knocked on his door and heard him shout.

    ¡°Enter.¡±

    Enid opened the door and found him sitting behind his desk eating breakfast. It reminded her she probably should see about eating something. She stood in front of his desk hands folded behind her back. He looked up at her.

    ¡°At ease Reaper. Have a seat.¡±

    Enid relaxed and sat down.

    ¡°Have you had a chance to eat yet?¡±

    ¡°No sir, I have not.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t have that.¡±

    He picked up his phone and pressed a button.

    ¡°Steward, I need a breakfast in my quarters ASAP. Bring a pot of coffee too.¡±

    He hung it up and looked Enid up and down.

    ¡°Commander, do you realize you just beat the record for confirmed kills in a day? It has stood for almost eighty years. You are a quadruple Ace in a day.¡±

    ¡°I did not keep count, sir. I was more concerned about our mission and my men.¡±

    ¡°Commander, I need to tell you, when they put a woman in charge of one of my squadrons, I thought they were crazy. I know you were already considered an ace, but you have wiped away any of my reservations about your posting, and now I¡¯m probably going to lose you.¡±

    There was a knock at the door and the Admiral granted them admittance and a steward placed a breakfast down in front of Enid.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°No problem, ma¡¯am.¡±

    He left and the Admiral poured himself a cup of coffee and then one for Enid. Enid took several bites of her meal and then spoke.

    ¡°I know I should just keep my mouth shut, but why did we attack North Korea Admiral?¡±

    ¡°President is going to make a speech today to cover that. We¡¯re basically eyes only until then, but I¡¯ll tell you this much. We lost sixty people last night and from what I know we saved many more lives.¡±

    ¡°Aye sir.¡±

    ¡°Commander, I have lost people in combat myself. I know what¡¯s going through your head. We can¡¯t control the battlefield; We can only do our best to minimize casualties. You did what you could last night, hell you shot down twenty-one planes. Some after you took a hit that cracked your flight helmet. No one is blaming you for their loss. They¡¯re thanking you because without you less would have made it home.¡±

    ¡°Aye Sir.¡±

    Enid finished her breakfast.

    ¡°Now onto why I brought you up here. You didn¡¯t report to medical bay after the mission, until they clear you, I¡¯m revoking your flight status.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes went a bit wider.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine sir.¡±

    He tapped a tablet at his left.

    ¡°Your flight recorder says you pulled enough sustained G¡¯s that you should be dead, and you cracked your plane¡¯s frame. It isn¡¯t even supposed to be able to let you do that. I wanted this to come from me. You¡¯re a hero commander, hell you¡¯re a legend. But you¡¯re also human. Go get yourself looked at so I can put you back on rotation.¡±

    ¡°Aye sir.¡±

    ¡°I used to be a pilot, and I used to think I was invulnerable too. I know what it¡¯s like Commander. Dismissed.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for breakfast sir.¡±

    Enid left after he gave her a nod. She sighed heavily. No windows in medical here. She would have to use more blood, force a heartbeat. She frowned and headed too Medical. She focused and forced her heart to beat as she had only done a few times before. Her skin felt warmer, more human for a brief period, but it wouldn¡¯t last for more then a few hours. As soon as she walked in, she was noticed by one of the ship¡¯s doctors, Commander Aaron James. She knew him well because they had been on a few dates.

    ¡°Commander, where have you been?¡±

    ¡°CO wanted to dress me down for not showing up here right away.¡±

    ¡°You pilots, always think you¡¯re so invulnerable. Sit down on the bed. Admiral wants you on flight rotation again ASAP.¡±

    He checked her eyes then her pulse. She ensured it was a steady sixty beats per minute. Her medical training ensured she knew what a doctor would look for.

    ¡°Any pain or dizziness? Difficulty breathing?¡±

    Yes, I¡¯m dead, I have to put effort into it.

    ¡°No, no, like I told the Admiral I¡¯m fine.¡±

    ¡°No signs of a concussion.¡±

    ¡°Get undressed Commander.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not that kind of girl, Commander.¡±

    ¡°Very funny.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a conflict of interest since we¡¯ve been on two dates?¡±

    ¡°Well I¡¯m the only doctor on board who isn¡¯t also a surgeon, so I¡¯m what you get.¡±

    Enid started to pull off her flight suit.

    ¡°I usually don¡¯t get undressed until the fifth date. You¡¯re ruining the surprise.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give up your day job, Sarah. I saw the flight recorder data when they asked me to take a look at you. What were you thinking?¡±

    Enid frowned and sat down in her navy issued underwear and bra. Aaron looked her over pressing here and there.

    ¡°Any pain here?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, really.¡±

    He checked her pulse again. Then hooked up the blood pressure machine.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a nurse¡¯s job?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re in surgery.¡±

    ¡°Someone I know?¡±

    ¡°No, we are doing some overflow for casualties.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything wrong with you Sarah, I¡¯m going to give you a go for non-combat flight status but I¡¯m going to suggest he send you to Okinawa for MRI, CT scans before you¡¯re cleared for combat missions.¡±

    ¡°Really? Aaron?¡±

    ¡°Really. You got shot in the head. You pulled enough sustained G¡¯s that you should be dead. If only one of those were true I¡¯d send you to shore for more tests, but you managed both at once. I guess this means the third date is off then?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re doing what I would do if I were in your shoes, Full work up is indicated in head injuries and I could have damaged my heart with the G¡¯s. Put myself at increased risk of stroke. More high G maneuvers could risk further injury and death.¡±

    He shook his head as Enid started pulling on her flight suit.

    ¡°Sometimes the way you talk makes me think you¡¯re a doctor in disguise.¡±

    ¡°Maybe in a previous life I was a pediatric surgeon.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t surprise me, what did you study in college?¡±

    ¡°Computer Science.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°I would have guessed actual science, or pre-med.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Too easy.¡±

    ¡°Too easy she says. See you Friday?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m back from my doctor ordered trip to Okinawa.¡±

    As she left he said a little too loudly.

    ¡°Goodbye Commander.¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°Have a good day Commander.¡±

    *****

    Enid sat in her dress whites. She¡¯d just received her Medal of Honor and was waiting outside the office of the Naval Chief Staff. He had requested her presence. She glanced down at her watch. Eyre was waiting on her to celebrate. Enid hoped they could do it before dark, she wanted a drink and she wanted to feel it. This was too much attention. The Admiral¡¯s aid spoke up.

    ¡°He¡¯ll see you now Commander O¡¯Connor.¡±

    Enid nodded and stood up. She walked in the room and saluted. The man behind the desk was her former CO, Admiral Birken. He¡¯d been promoted shortly after the North Korean Air Offensive.

    ¡°At ease Commander, have a seat.¡±

    Enid sat down and put her hat on the seat beside her.

    ¡°Look at us now? What a difference six months makes. Congratulations on the Medal of Honor, you more than earned it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sir. What did you need me for sir?¡±

    ¡°Commander, I asked you here to offer you a job, CAG of the George Washington.¡±

    ¡°Sir, that¡¯s a captain¡¯s billet.¡±

    ¡°Generally, yes, but your performance as a pilot has impressed command.¡±

    ¡°Sir, there are more qualified officers then I can count on my hands for that position, I have another two years before I can even legally be promoted to Captain.¡±

    ¡°The president is the one who asked us to consider this assignment.¡±

    ¡°And the Naval Command agrees with him?¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be here if they didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Of course, the president also said give her any job she wants. I had assumed based on your assessments and history of overachieving you would jump at CAG.¡±

    I want to, damn I want to.

    ¡°Sir, I am also mature enough to admit, I am not ready for it. I was actually considering a request for transfer to Naval Intelligence something land based, get out of the squadrons.¡±

    ¡°Naval Intelligence? Sounds like a waste of talent to me.¡±

    ¡°Sir, if I¡¯m being honest, my eyes are not what they once were, between the head injury and the G¡¯s I¡¯m fairly sure in a few months or a year I won¡¯t pass my eye exam. Doctors say I¡¯ll need glasses soon, might even lose my sight entirely at some point in the future.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping to, transfer to Naval Intelligence do a desk job for my last year of mandatory service and get honorably discharge to avoid a medical discharge. Just so all my cards are on the table.¡±

    ¡°Commander, thank you for being so candid with me. I will approve a transfer to Naval Intelligence for you. That being said: I am not revoking your flight status until such time as it is medically recommended. If things heat up with North Korea again, I will not hesitate to put you on the flight deck of a carrier again. You ordered to keep up with minimum flight hours and simulator hours to maintain active flight status.¡±

    ¡°Aye, Sir.¡±

    ¡°Dismissed Commander. Go celebrate.¡±

    Enid picked up her hat put it on and saluted the Admiral and left the office. She had a bittersweet smile on her lips. On the one hand, she loved flying off of carriers, on the other hand, she¡¯d drawn way too much attention and a switch and eventual retirement were in her best interests. Even if they weren¡¯t what she wanted.

    *****

    Violet had hung on Enid''s every word. She paused for a moment at the end then she spoke.

    "I only have one question, those planes aren''t supposed to let you harm yourself, how did yours?"

    Enid shrugged.

    "I knew they could handle more then 9 Gs so I hacked it and set the limit to fourty"

    "Jesus."

    "I pulled 20 G''s max"

    "Still how did that not turn you into paste?"

    "That''s not how G''s work."

    "Why did you quit?"

    "Too much attention."

    "Do you miss it?"

    "Of course I do. Anyway about that homework you''re going to do for me, its for Religion class."

    Violat groaned.

    "I tried to warn you."

    Violet grabbed the sheet of paper Enid was holding out and walked off frowning. Enid chuckled and looked back at her Wiki page.

 Edmonton - 2026 - Partners (Enid) - Part 1/3

    Three months had gone by and Enid hadn¡¯t so much as said three words to her sister.  She had tried but Mariana had always found ways to avoid her.  It had been frustrating.  She hadn¡¯t counted on her being so anti-social.  She had been dragged into the social circle of her new friends Heather, Julie and Kerri.  They weren¡¯t bad sorts, but she had lived two mortal lifetimes and she wasn¡¯t used to being around teenagers and their concerns were so shallow.  It wasn¡¯t their fault; They just were so emotional over everything.  She¡¯d been asked out on several dates but having lived two full human lives already it seemed like she was doing something morally wrong if she were to do anything with any of them.   She was in religion class, tuning out the gibberish as she believed it to be. Kerri nudged her elbow.

    ¡°Enid do you mind if I work with Daniel for the group project?¡±

    Enid gave her a confused look.

    ¡°The group project the teacher just announced.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care, do what you want.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    So easy to be rude without meaning to be.

    ¡°No, I meant, it¡¯s okay go for it. I¡¯m not upset, maybe he¡¯ll ask you out.¡±

    Kerri smiled, she walked up and talked to Daniel and the pair spoke to the teacher.  She was a nun.  Not the kind Enid was used to, she wasn¡¯t a cranky old spinster with a holier than though attitude.  She was like someone packed a love bomb into a person and dropped it in the school.  Enid liked her despite what she perceived as a flawed belief system.  Sister Tammy nodded and entered some information into her tablet.  She glanced at the list and then to the class, giving Mariana a glance and a small frown.  Another reason Enid liked Sister Tammy was she seemed to care a great deal about her sister.

    ¡°Maria doesn¡¯t have a partner yet, any takers?¡±

    Enid raised her hand without hesitation.  She¡¯d told Mariana when they lay beside each other in her bed staring at the ceiling when they were twelve that she would always be there for her.  They¡¯d cut their palms and made an oath by the gods that they were sisters to till the end.  Enid¡¯s reaction was instant.  She hadn¡¯t even thought it through.

    ¡°Thank you, Enid.¡±

    Enid¡¯s friends all looked at her then the whispers started.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you volunteer?¡±

    Enid showed a small scar on her palm and said nothing else.  Heather, Julie and Kerri shrugged.  They had long since given up and understanding Enid¡¯s motivations.  She had earned their respect and friendship by now having been there for them through a few trials and tribulations.  She was allowed to be a bit strange sometimes.  Mariana for her part was looking very intently at the floor.  Enid knew her posture and that look.  Mariana was intensely embarrassed and there was something else Enid couldn¡¯t place.  Mariana¡¯s fingers found her silver crucifix and she started to stroke it.  Enid had noticed that nervous tick as well.  Her sister seemed to take comfort in the strangest things these days.

    ¡°Please gather in your groups.  Pick one of the gospels on the list, first come first serve.  Prepare a presentation on how it speaks to you as a group.¡±

    ¡°See you after class.¡±

    Enid¡¯s girlfriends nodded, she grabbed her bag and moved to sit beside Mariana.

    ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Enid.¡±

    Mariana nodded as her fingers kept tracing their way over her small silver crucifix.  She refused to look up.  Enid spoke quietly in Atlantean.

    ¡°You know if we¡¯re going to be partners, you¡¯re going to have to talk to me eventually.¡±

    Mariana looked up at Enid her eyes wide again.  She had understood the words but didn¡¯t know the language.  Without meaning to she responded using the same language, like it was natural.

    ¡°What language was that?¡±

    Enid switched to English.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t so hard, was it?¡±

    Mariana met Enid¡¯s gaze for the first time then looked down quickly.  Sister Tammy peeked at the pair over her folder and smiled.  Mariana asked again, still sounding polite, but more insistent this time.

    ¡°What language was that?¡±

    ¡°If I told you, you wouldn¡¯t believe me.  But it¡¯s the same language that¡¯s on this tablet.¡±

    Enid pulled out her Atlantean tablet and the tapped it the turquoise symbols started scrolling along its surface at a rapid pace.  Mariana¡¯s eyes followed them growing wider with each line.  She mouthed the words.  The pair had garnered some attention from the rest of the class, so Enid pushed the tablet back in her bag.  Mariana looked at Enid again, meeting her gaze.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°A tablet.¡±

    Mariana frowned, her fingers still slowly caressing her crucifix.

    ¡°I will tell you this much, you taught me how to read it, and speak it.¡±

    Mariana¡¯s brow furrowed.

    ¡°You are not making any sense, Enid.¡±

    ¡°Well, I thought we were here to work on a religion project.¡±

    Mariana¡¯s frown deepened but then she nodded, she released her crucifix and opened her bible.  The pair picked their gospel and wrote silently for the rest of the class.  Mariana kept glancing at Enid when she thought Enid wasn¡¯t paying attention.  When class was over Enid stood up without a word and picked up her bag and tablet and bible and hurried to catch up to her girlfriends.  Mariana watched her go.

    That will get her curiosity going.  She¡¯ll seek me out now.  Mariana never could let a mystery go.

    ¡°Oh my god, he asked me out!¡±

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

    Heather looked at Enid

    ¡°You¡¯re a good friend, getting stuck in a group with zombie girl so Kerri could partner with Daniel.  She looked like she was talking to you, she never talks to anyone or looks up from the ground.  What did she say?¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    ¡°We were just discussing project.¡±

    ¡°Did you get a new tablet? I saw you showing her.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, it¡¯s an old one its broken, just has gibberish on the screen.¡±

    Enid pulled it out and showed the scrolling blue text that would look like anything but a recognizable language to someone from the twenty first century, well at least teenagers.

    ¡°Eew.  It¡¯s weird too, no back on it.¡±

    ¡°My dad bought it from china, paid a fortune because it was a see-through screen. Now it¡¯s broken.¡±

    Enid shrugged and put it away.

    ¡°Oh no, your dad bought it for you?¡±

    Heather hugged Enid tightly, Kerri and Julie piled on.

    ¡°Its alright, it was made in china it wasn¡¯t going to last forever, right?¡±

    Enid caught a glimpse of Mariana floating about in her peripheral vision.  She could see the look on her face the insatiable curiosity and slight frustration.  She kept seeming like she was going to say something even raised her hand once.  Enid hooked her arms into Heather and Julie¡¯s.

    Don¡¯t run to her yet.  Let her stew.  The more curious she gets the more reckless she¡¯ll be.

    ¡°Kerri owes me a hot chocolate.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay.¡±

    ******

    The next day Mariana couldn¡¯t take her eyes off Enid.  She was so distracted in Latin she mistranslated a passage.  Enid had to force herself not to laugh.  Latin was Mariana¡¯s first language after all.  Enid slid into the chair beside Mariana in the library.  Sister Tammy had given them some time to go to the library to research writings on their chosen gospel.

    ¡°Please tell me what that language was.¡±

    ¡°I thought we were here to research the word of the lord.¡±

    Mariana¡¯s fingers reached for her crucifix, and she frowned.

    My sister is still in there.  Under all that brainwashing and religious bullshit.

    ¡°Please tell me what language it is, and I will do all the project work myself.¡±

    ¡°That would hardly be ethical, would it? We both need to do our fair share.¡±

    ¡°I did not think that girls like you did any actual work.¡±

    Enid gasped, touching her chest.  Giving her best offended look.

    ¡°Girls like me?¡±

    ¡°You are too busy chasing boys and worrying about what to wear to pay attention to school, or anything but yourselves.  Not like zombie girl¡¯s like me who work hard for everything.¡±

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you being a little bit judgmental?  Maybe you need to take a closer read of our gospel passage.¡±

    Mariana¡¯s hand went to her mouth, the other still stroking her crucifix.  She crossed herself quickly and rushed off.  Enid laughed softly when she was out of sight and shook her head.  She never had to work hard to get a rise out of her sister.  Family was good at that.

    Yes, Mariana¡¯s still in there somewhere.

    Enid sighed a little and started working on the research for their project.  With another small chuckle she went to look for the writings of Saint Sarah of Savia, surely, she had something say on this gospel. And to her surprise she did, she barely recalled writing it down, but apparently the church had saved it.  She laughed again, this time loudly.  Bringing Sister Tammy out of the woodwork.

    ¡°Enid, you need to be quiet, the others are trying to do their research. You and Mariana are making such noise.¡±

    ¡°Sorry Sister Tammy, I just read something funny.¡±

    Enid showed the sister her book of Saint Sarah¡¯s writings.

    ¡°Ah yes, Saint Sarah, she always had a jovial way of putting things down.¡±

    Sister Tammy sat down beside Enid.

    ¡°Have you read much of her works?¡±

    ¡°I know them so well it¡¯s like I wrote them myself.¡±

    ¡°I did not get the feeling you were deeply religious and were going through the motions in class.  I¡¯m glad to see I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Jesus is like family to me Sister Tammy.  He¡¯s in my heart.  Sometimes I feel like I walked beside him while he taught the apostles his gospels.¡±

    ¡°Now I know you have read Saint Sarah¡¯s writings.  She has a unique take on the Gospels, not all of her opinions were popular with the church.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing her daughter preserved them so well, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you do know a lot about her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve visited her spring, and her church, and her crypt in Narford.¡±

    ¡°Bless you for your faith. I¡¯m guessing she¡¯s your patron saint.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m all in for Saint George.  Slaying one tiny demon, vs slaying a dragon, I always say go big or go home.¡±

    Sister Tammy laughed softly.

    ¡°I am sorry we have not talked more Enid; You have depth of knowledge and faith I couldn¡¯t have imagined.  I knew you had a good heart, even before you took pity on Maria, she always has such trouble interacting with people.  She always seems to be more concerned with things no one else can see.¡±

    ¡°Well seeing ghosts since the day you were born will do that to you.¡±

    Enid blinked when she realized what she just said.

    Shit.

    Sister Tammy¡¯s head quirked to the side.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I just mean, umm that, she must be haunted by the explosion that killed her uncle.¡±

    Sister Tammy nodded.

    ¡°Well at any rate, thank you for being strong enough to rise above all this zombie girl nonsense.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s my sister I¡¯d do anything for her.¡±

    ¡°You do listen in class and church.  You do a good job of looking like you don¡¯t.  Don¡¯t let girls like Heather pull you away from the right path.  We all need to be strong enough to be our own person.¡±

    Enid smiled and gave a small nod.  Sister Tammy patted Enid¡¯s shoulder gently then looked around.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Maria?¡±

    ¡°She got upset and yelled at me, I think she¡¯s looking for a priest to give a confession too.¡±

    ¡°Enid.¡±

    ¡°No, she got mad, said some things she probably regrets then ran off.¡±

    ¡°Were you making fun of her?¡±

    ¡°No, but you know family we can get under each other¡¯s skin like no one else on this earth.¡±

    ¡°Very funny.¡±

    Enid¡¯s jovial smile vanished, and she looked the nun in the eyes.

    ¡°I promise you Sister Tammy, I would do anything to keep Maria- safe.  And would never do anything to hurt her.¡±

    Sister Tammy blinked at how serious Enid suddenly seemed.  She looked around the library.

    ¡°Sister Tammy, should I go look for her, I bet she¡¯s outside getting some fresh air.  Somewhere with lots of sun.¡±

    ¡°Yes, please Enid, if you could find her. It is not like her to run off or show anger.¡±

    Enid nodded and packed up her bag and Mariana¡¯s bag and headed outside.  She found Mariana standing outside shivering.  It was minus thirty in the sun.  And neither would be warm without a coat.  Mariana was having a conversation with something Enid couldn¡¯t see.  Tears frozen to her face.

    ¡°Mariana are you going to stand out here and freeze to death?¡±

    Enid tugged Mariana into the school and hugged her tightly sharing her body heat. Enid tugged her into one of the girl¡¯s washrooms.  No sun streamed into those windows and immediately Enid felt better and Mariana stopped shivering. Enid used some toilet paper to clean up the newly flowing blood tears from Mariana¡¯s eyes.  She flushed it down the toilet without saying a word.

    ¡°I am so sorry Enid, I should not have said those things to you.¡±

    ¡°I kind of pushed you into it.¡±

    Enid wiped up more blood from Mariana¡¯s cheeks.

    ¡°Wait you aren¡¯t scared of me bleeding from my eyes.¡±

    Enid reached down with her left hand and pulled Mariana¡¯s hand palm up a small scar was still on her palm.  Enid showed her right hand that had a marching scar and put on Mariana¡¯s palm.

    ¡°I am not interested in you like that. I belong to God.¡±

    Enid quirked her head to the side.  Then started laughing, if she was in the sun, she¡¯d be having trouble breathing she was laughing so hard.

    ¡°You think I¡­¡±

    Enid fell into more peals of laughter.  It echoed in the room. She held her hands over mouth trying to stop.  She was sure if she didn¡¯t someone would hear.

    ¡°Why are you laughing this is serious, you should talk to a priest.  This is not right.¡±

    Enid held up her free hand then kicked the wall a few times gently and then took a few deep breaths.  The last sentence had started off another round of heavy laughter from her, when she could finally speak, she couldn¡¯t keep the mirth from her voice. Mariana grabbed her coat and bag and rushed out.  Enid sighed her hands falling to her side defeated. She went back to the library.   Sister Tammy came up to her.

    ¡°Where is Maria?¡±

    ¡°She wasn¡¯t feeling well, I found her outside without a coat on.  I pulled her inside, but she said she wanted to go home.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll call the convent and get someone to pick her up.¡±

    Enid nodded and sat back down leafing through the book she had pulled off the shelf earlier.  Leaning on her hand.  She kicked the table leg with a deep sigh.

    Could have gone better. Shouldn¡¯t have rushed it. Such an idiot.

 Edmonton - 2026 - Partners (Maria) - Part 2/3

    ¡°Who cares if you like girls?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not right, man and woman, that is what the bible says.¡±

    ¡°Who cares what the bible says? It¡¯s stupid.¡±

    ¡°It is not stupid Ethel.¡±

    ¡°Says I should be in heaven or hell doesn¡¯t it? Hmm.. so why am I here?¡±

    ¡°Because you refuse to let go of your attachments to this would.¡±

    ¡°If God were real, he could just scoop me up and put me wherever he wanted.¡±

    ¡°God does not work that way.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is this the part where you say he works in mysterious ways.¡±

    Ethel waved her hands and made spooky sounds.

    ¡°No, we have freedom of choice. You choose to stay. He will not force you to move on. It is a choice you need to make. He is like a good parent. He supports you in your decisions good or bad and lifts you up when you fall down and are trying hard to get back up but cannot.¡±

    ¡°Oh my God, you¡¯re so brainwashed.¡±

    ¡°I am not, I have seen the truth.¡±

    Ethel threw her ghostly ball and hit Maria straight in the face. Causing her nose to bleed.

    ¡°Truth my left shoe. You wouldn¡¯t know the real truth if it hit you on the nose just like that.¡±

    Maria took a deep breath and held her hand on her nose. She closed her eyes trying to keep her calm.

    ¡°You can be a terrible child sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡±

    Ethel kept bouncing her ball on the ghostly form of the sidewalk, skipping as she did so. Maria walked into the convent¡¯s front door. One of the sisters noticed her bleeding nose.

    ¡°Maria, what happened? Did someone at school do that?¡±

    ¡°No ma¡¯am, it was just a stray ball a child was throwing around.¡±

    ¡°Let me get you some ice.¡±

    ¡°I will be fine ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Okay if you need help, let one of the sisters know please. We are here for you.¡±

    Maria nodded and made her way to her bathroom. Once out of the sun the bruises and her broken nose healed rapidly. She washed her face cleaning up the blood and looked in the mirror. Looking at her side profile.

    No one would want me, I am zombie girl. And barely look like a girl.

    She looked at the blue tinge on her lips and on her fingernails. She had always been this way. Her uncle had said once she had rosy cheeks, but when she turned into a vampire, she started looking like this. She closed her eyes and rinsed her face again.

    Perhaps I am this way because I was prideful of my rosy cheeks in life? Perhaps it is just that I am more cursed than other vampires.

    She looked up and closed her eyes.

    Thank you, God. You made me part of their world, but you remind me of my dark desires every moment of the day so I can be watchful for them. If I were not so, then it would be easy to forget I am not normal, and someone could get hurt.

    Maria made the sign of the cross and dried her face and hands. She went to the kitchen to help with the work of cooking the evening meal. The sisters were laughing as they chopped the vegetables for supper. Maria had felt the warmth of this place instantly. There was so much love in these halls. It was easy to forget she was a cold dead thing for a few minutes here and there. Sister Teresa handed her a peeler and a bowl of potatoes. Maria began scrapping the skin from them. She did so silently basking in the warmth of the sister¡¯s mirth and conversation.

    Every night she would go to evening prayers and would pray for a good night¡¯s sleep, and every night she would lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling and sleep would never come. Eventually she would creep out into the night, she would resist for a week at a time but eventually she would have to drink blood and she would do so. She did it with the least amount of harm possible. When she wasn¡¯t drinking blood, she would help ghosts pass on to the next life and return to her bed before dawn and she would help prepare breakfast, pretending she had just had a good night¡¯s sleep. It had turned into a long string of months with no sign of sleep. She would speak to her doctor at her daytime appointments. Say she is having trouble sleeping. Her doctor would check her reaction times, and reflexes, would take a blood sample and always it came back that she was perfectly healthy. Maria didn¡¯t feel any creeping insanity, but would someone who is going crazy actually realize it?

    Since Enid had shown up it had been so much worse. On nights where she would stubbornly lay in bed all she could think about was Enid. She would see flashes of her, younger and older, pregnant. Charging into battle lightning streaming from her hands, or a silver sword held high. She bore a striking resemblance to depictions of Saint Sarah and at first, she had assumed it was that, but she couldn¡¯t account for it all. Enid hadn¡¯t assisted. She¡¯d been a mystery since day one. Every so often she would say something in a language Maria couldn¡¯t name but she understood perfectly so far there had been ten different languages, none of which she could find anywhere on the internet. She began to think she had imagined it but then something else would come up.

    But then today happened. She was sitting in religion, and a dreaded group project had come up. She was widely considered zombie girl at the school, and no one ever wanted to be on her team or group with her. Today¡¯s class had been no different but then when Sister Tammy asked if anyone would group with her, Enid put up her hand. Maria had been paralyzed with fear. Enid who brought up such strong feelings in her that she could not stop thinking about her was sitting beside her before she knew it. Then she spoke in yet another language, one Maria instantly understood but didn¡¯t recognize and showed her a tablet full of strange formulas, the language was completely foreign, but Maria had understood every single word and symbol. Other students had noticed it and Enid had put it away quickly, but she wasn¡¯t crazy. Enid knew things about her she didn¡¯t remember.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    She had heard Enid later describing the tablet as broken and from China. She had seen Chinese; Those characters were not Chinese. Everywhere she looked she could see Enid there, in the corner of her eye. Then when she focused, she was gone. She was so familiar. Yet so alien to her. She knew Enid was safe. Knew it in the very fiber of her being that Enid would die for her. She had more faith in Enid then she did God. The thought scared her, and she wanted nothing more than to push the red-haired girl away as far and as fast as possible. She was awakening things in Maria that called into question her faith in God.

    I barely know her, but I feel like I would do anything she asked for the very fact the words left her lips. Is this what love is?

    *****

    Maria shivered as she stood outside with no coat. In daylight she was just as vulnerable to extreme heat and cold as any human. She would be cursing herself if she wasn¡¯t so upset about the string of insult she¡¯d just unleashed on Enid. In spite of all her attempts to be her better self to have the strength do deal with this odd same sex attraction she lashed out in anger and not kindness. She felt hands pushing her towards the school.

    ¡°You need to go inside you¡¯re vulnerable you silly vampire!¡±

    ¡°I cannot go back inside. After what I said to her.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to freeze to death then you¡¯ll go to heaven and I won¡¯t have you here go inside!¡±

    Mariana resisted the Ethel¡¯s forceful shoves to the best of her ability, all the while shivering.

    ¡°Stop Ethel!¡±

    The door opened and Enid walked out and grabbed her arm, yanking her inside. Enid wasn¡¯t a large girl but she used her strength and weight well. The touch of her warm hand on Maria¡¯s arm was electric. Ethel tried to kick Enid in the shins. Her feet passed through her.

    ¡°Homewrecker!¡±

    ¡°Stop it, Ethel.¡±

    Enid pulled Maria into the girl¡¯s bathroom. The conversation was a blur in Maria¡¯s mind. By the time she managed to get herself out of the spiral of self-loathing and embarrassment she¡¯d ridden the bus all the way home to the convent. She went straight to her room and curled up in a ball on her bed. Enid had laughed so hard at her when she had told her she couldn¡¯t be interested in her like she was in Maria. The laughter had cut into Maria like a knife. But at the same time, she remembered that laughter, she remembered it brought joy to her. She remembered laughing with Enid. Like an echo she saw flashes of Enid laughing, she was wearing armor in one flash, in another a dress, in another she was standing across from Maria gutting a fish. She wore a dress in that one as well. She heard a voice in Latin chastising the pair saying this was punishment, and there should be no laughter involved.

    She clenched her eyes shut trying to push these strange memories from her mind. But it didn¡¯t work. She went to the chapel, and she prayed the rosery over and over again, trying to center herself and get rid of the unwanted thoughts. But they would not leave her be. Why would Enid be so cruel? Maria felt a hand on her shoulder as she finished a pass on her rosery.

    ¡°We missed you at supper.¡±

    Maria looked up. It was the mother superior for the convent. She sat in the pew and patted the seat beside her.

    ¡°Mother Superior I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°No need to apologize for praying the rosery my dear. I was loath to interrupt but you¡¯ve been here for hours. I was worried about you. You know the doctor has said you need to eat all your meals.¡±

    ¡°I will not miss supper again ma¡¯am.¡±

    Maria looked at the floor intently not daring to meet the mother superior¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°Oh, Maria, dear. Missing one supper will hardly hurt you. Sister Tammy said you weren¡¯t feeling well when you left the school. That you had abandoned your partner in a project in the library. Missed a class. You didn¡¯t tell anyone where you were going. That is very unlike you.¡±

    ¡°I am not sick. I was not sick ma¡¯am. I said some very mean things to my partner. Things she did not deserve. I was scared and then I told her that I did not feel the same way about her and that I could not because that sort of thing is wrong. And she laughed at me. She laughed so hard.¡±

    The mother superior took Maria¡¯s hands in hers.

    ¡°Oh child. Why did you think she liked you like that? Are you feeling attracted to her?¡±

    ¡°I keep seeing her, everywhere. When she is near me, I feel safe. Like she would do anything for me. And I fear that if she asked me, I would do anything for her, even things I would not normally do.¡±

    The mother superior nodded and rubbed Maria¡¯s hands gently.

    ¡°Were you praying about this?¡±

    ¡°I was trying to get her out of my mind. I keep seeing her. She is younger. She is pregnant. She is helping me give birth. Holding my hand. I see her before a giant black being that is so evil. She flies at him and stabs him the heart. Then I see her before the gates of hell with me laying on the ground behind her paralyzed she is holding a silver sword and she is yelling at the legions of hell that she will destroy every last one of them before she lets them harm me. She is a glorious angel, her silver wings are broken, she is broken but she stands her ground. God stands behind her holding her up when she begins to fall but even with him on her side, she dies protecting me. Such thoughts are not right. But they are so real, I can smell them, hear them, feel them.¡±

    The mother superior nodded she looked to the crucifix at the head of the chapel. Then back down to Maria.

    ¡°I do not understand much about such things, child, but I know something about you. You are a miracle. You are a beacon of faith. You have a light in you that the sisters have noticed. I must say, that it has made some of us a bit jealous. Especially some of us who have spent decades married to God.¡±

    Maria giggled softly, the beginnings of a smile touching the corners of her bluish lips.

    ¡°Maria, be patient with yourself, and with her. Perhaps she is confused too. Imagine her alone, trying to figure out why she is drawn to you. Maybe she laughed because she is nervous because she thinks maybe she is attracted to you. The important thing is not to act on those feelings, if that is what they are, and if they are the feelings, you are having perhaps your calling is to be chaste. You should not be ashamed of being attracted to other women, but you should understand that giving into those urges that is where the sin comes in.¡±

    Maria nodded.

    ¡°We both know that sometimes God puts us in places where we can do the most good. They are not always places we want to be, but its where we need to be. Whether we can be our best person and do the good he wants of us, that¡¯s up to us. So, ask yourself, how can you be your best self in this situation? And that is the best course through these rough waters. That is what God requests of you, be your best self.¡±

    ¡°Mother Superior, do you know who Saint Sarah of Savia is?¡±

    ¡°Of course, a warrior saint. She slew a demon, cured a village of the plague, and she was transubstantiated into Heaven. Translated several dead sea scrolls for the Vatican. She was assassinated and died protecting her children. She also built a cathedral.¡±

    ¡°Enid, the girl, she looks exactly like the painting of Saint Sarah in the art book. And the sword in the painting, that is the one I see her holding. Right down to the scar on her palm, just like mine.¡±

    Maria held up her palm. The mother superior held the side of Maria¡¯s hand inspecting the scar.

    ¡°How did you get this?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I do not remember, I have always had it.¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°Maybe your subconscious is mixing up the pictures you¡¯ve seen of Saint Sarah with this young woman then?¡±

    ¡°I could be.¡±

    ¡°Well mystery solved. Perhaps you should pray for Saint Sarah¡¯s intersession in this matter?¡±

    Maria nodded.

    ¡°But before you do, go get something to eat child.¡±

    ¡°Yes Ma¡¯am.¡±

    *****

    The mother superior entered the convent¡¯s library and opened the book of saints. She paged to the entry for Saint Sarah of Savia. Sister Tammy approached behind her.

    ¡°Mother superior did you have a chance to speak to Maria?¡±

    ¡°I did. She is doing better now.¡±

    ¡°Then- ¡°

    Sister Tammy stopped mid-sentence and looked down at the picture of Saint Sarah. Unlike typical portraits of the period this one was a more realistic painting. Detailed. Her hand went to her mouth then she made the sign of the cross. The mother superior turned to look at Sister Tammy.

    ¡°What is the matter?¡±

    Sister Tammy brought out her tablet and browsed to the school newspaper. She showed the Mother Superior a picture of Enid standing between Heather and Julie, celebrating the winning of the city soccer championship. She held it beside the realist painting of Saint Sarah and the pair looked at each other. The mother superior crossed herself as well.

    ¡°Amazing. I thought Maria was exaggerating. She could be her twin.¡±

 Edmonton - 2026 - Partners - Part 3/3

    Enid paced back and forth hands folded behind her back. Eyre and Violet sat by the kitchen bar chins in their hands. Their eyes following Enid¡¯s pacing.

    ¡°Mom, calm down.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯ve ruined it. You didn¡¯t see the look on her face.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can sort it out.¡±

    Violet didn¡¯t say anything. Three months of living with the pair she¡¯d come to the conclusion she was the only sane one in the room. Enid was capricious at the best of times. Eyre was much more controlled and always seemed to have a plan. Though usually they were overly complicated. Enid was very much a doer. She was kinetic, Violet had come to think of her as a force of nature. She realized she wasn¡¯t far off, the woman was a two thousand year old vampire. And from what she had to come to understand an unstoppable killing machine. She had expected a gravitas about her, but the more time she spent near Enid the more she realized she didn¡¯t care what people thought of her. She only cared about her loved ones and her current goal. Currently that goal was getting Mariana back as her sister. The thing that surprised her was the humanness of the mother daughter pair. No matter what else was going on she felt the bond of love they had. They had accepted her into their family unit and knew that this pair of vampires would do everything in their power to protect her. They had done it for no other reason than she needed them. Violet watched Enid pace. To think this woman had seen the fall of the Roman empire. Walked in the courts of kings and queens. Seen the rise of western world. Fought on the battlefields of countless wars. And here she was worried she had hurt her sister. Like she had thought, she was very human, for a two-thousand-year-old vampire.

    ¡°I told you I can arrange for you two to be grabbed off the street, you can fight your way out, that will jog her memory.¡±

    ¡°Eyre that¡¯s ridiculous.¡±

    ¡°It plays to your strengths mother, fighting. Let¡¯s face facts you can run a household and duchy like no one¡¯s business, but you really suck at interpersonal relationships.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t hold back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just being honest with you mother.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m doing fine at school, I have friends.¡±

    ¡°And your sister thinks you want to have sex with her.¡±

    ¡°Would you stop bringing that up, it¡¯s embarrassing.¡±

    ¡°Not talking about it won¡¯t change the fact it¡¯s happening.¡±

    ¡°Kid, you are pushing your luck.¡±

    Violet smiled herself. Eyre was seven hundred years old, and Enid still treated her like she was a teenager. That part always amused her.

    ¡°Kid or not, I never tried to make out with my brother.¡±

    Enid rubbed her nose with her thumb and index finger.

    ¡°Okay even if I were interested in her that way, I¡¯m adopted, it is completely different. Would you just stop with that?¡±

    Eyre laughed. Violet could tell she had been holding it in and was having some difficulty not laughing as well and she started to laugh not able to hold it in any longer. Enid stopped pacing and leaned on the bar with her palms glaring at the pair.

    ¡°Are you done yet? Need I remind you this is about stopping the end of creation? And the longer we fuck about the longer the Black Sun has to find us?¡±

    Enid instantly regretted her choice of words because it led to another burst of laughter from her daughter which spread to Violet. Enid shook her head and sat down on a stool and waited for them to calm down.

    *****

    Maria leaned down and washed her face in the sink she patted her face dry and when she opened her eyes saw her reflection in the mirror. She screamed and stumbled backwards. Maria saw her face with flecks of blood on it she looked down at her hands. Blood dripped from them. She could see Enid standing to the right of her wearing chain mail sword in hand, blood was splattered across her face and armor. To her right a blonde man armored like a Roman General. They held each other¡¯s hands. She saw wedding bands on their fingers. Behind them an army of men with glowing purple eyes. She recovered her balance and when she looked back it was just her own dead face looking back at her. Plain brown eyes and black hair. Her roman nose. She reached out with a shaking hand and turned off the tap. She heard knocking at her door, and she stumbled towards it turning the door knob when she arrived. It was Sister Tammy still in her night gown.

    ¡°Maria are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I am fine ma¡¯am. I just thought I saw something.¡±

    ¡°I will see you at breakfast and class today?¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±

    Sister Tammy nodded and walked back towards her room. Maria closed the door and started her morning ritual of getting dressed in one of her black dresses. She jumped when Ethel started talking.

    ¡°So, what did ya see? Was it bloody Mary?¡±

    ¡°Ethel, you scared me half to death.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re already dead silly vampire.¡±

    ¡°You know what I mean. I thought we had agreed you would not come in my room.¡±

    ¡°Ya, we did, but you screamed, big guy was worried, so I came to check.¡±

    ¡°I am fine, please leave.¡±

    ¡°Fine!¡±

    Ethel stomped through the door pouting. Maria could hear her shouting.

    ¡°She said she¡¯s fine. I told you she¡¯d be mad.¡±

    Maria sighed. Ethel was a recent addition to her ghostly entourage the other one. Had always been with her. He was just blob of darkness. Had never said anything to her. It was just there like a ghostly bodyguard. Always at a distance. Always watching. It seemed to frighten away other spirits that would get close to her. Except a few which it allowed in her presence. Ethel was an odd case. The dark one had tried to push her away, but Ethel just kept coming. Eventually it seemed to give up since the child spirt seemed to mean no harm to Maria. She knew she should be afraid of it, but she could never find fear when she caught glimpses of it. It was just always there a silent protector. Over the years Ethel had come to befriend the dark one and would often seem to have insight into its motivations and current feelings. That fact is partially why Maria hadn¡¯t put more effort into divesting herself of the annoying child ghost.

    *****

    Enid settled into her seat and Mariana sat down next to her. Today¡¯s Latin lesson was another one on day-to-day life in the empire of Rome. Enid did her best to not laugh she glanced at Mariana and saw only that she was paying rapt attention to their teacher. Enid sighed.

    She doesn¡¯t remember running in the streets of Rome with me. Doesn¡¯t remember rushing to get a good spot to see the Legions returning victorious. The Colosseum.  Why did I expect her to find this amusing?

    Enid turned her attention back to the teacher who was explaining how everyone wore tunics and togas. Enid leaned down putting her face into her folded arms on her desk. Not only did she have to listen to this, but she also had to deal with it being wrong. It was a tiny bit soul crushing to see the humans butchering their history then passing it on to the next generation. There was a loud tapping on her desk, and she sat up and pretended to pay attention for another few minutes then she started looking at the scar on her hand. Tracing its path with her finger. Mercifully by the time she grew tired of that the class was over. She saw Mariana making her way out of class and rushed to catch up when she heard the teacher calling her name.

    ¡°Enid, you will be tested on the material we covered in class today, I know you are very good at Latin, but there is a history component to this class as well.¡±

    Enid sighed. She was mentally exhausted from the Mariana situation and wasn¡¯t choosing her words carefully.

    ¡°But your history is wrong.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and you¡¯re an expert on Roman history?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Women wore dresses. And the whole husbands being favored in the divorce is wrong to a point. It depended on who the woman was related too. And woman could be just as educated as men. It depends on who their family was, who they married. Some even led legions. You make Rome sound like a misogynist¡¯s paradise. It was just like it is now. Different families had different relationships with their wives and daughters. To boil it down to a sentence is an insult to the Roman people. They were people, the lived and they loved, and they did it differently as individuals. Not some collective Roman empire.¡±

    Her teacher blinked as Enid unleashed her tirade.

    ¡°You obviously feel very strongly about this. However, I am teaching what the curriculum demands and it is what you will be tested on. So, for the purposes of your exam, just answer the questions like the textbook suggests, hmm? You have a lot of potential, I have no doubt you are one of the smartest people in this school, I hear it from all your teachers. They feel like you¡¯re holding back. Even your coaches. I know high school sucks, especially if you¡¯re independent minded and smart. Just play the game get high marks and enjoy university when you get there, then you can write your thesis about how amazingly wrong we have Roman History and then I can teach on the textbook you write. But until then just write the answers the province wants.¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Enid had her fists clenched. She hadn¡¯t realized she had done it and she took a deep breath and nodded.

    ¡°Good, I¡¯ll let your math teach know I kept you late.¡±

    *****

    Maria hadn¡¯t rushed off down the hall she had waited outside the Latin class and heard every word spoken. When she heard the door opening, she hesitated momentarily but then moved quickly to her next class. Enid thought she caught a glimpse of Mariana but then shook her head. Enid frowned.

    Seeing things now. Shouldn¡¯t have gone off like that.

    Enid slid into her seat in math. It deeply vexed her that she cared if she got high marks in these classes, using her real name and face she didn¡¯t want to put a blemish on her reputation. Which was silly because she was only here to recruit Mariana to her cause. Still, she worked through the problems in front of her. Math in the end was easy at least compared to people. She couldn¡¯t admit it to herself fully, but she was nervous about the upcoming religion class where she knew she would be sitting with Mariana, and she was worried how she would react.

    *****

    Enid sat down beside Mariana they were in the library again. Mariana was doing her best to focus on the computer screen in front of her. Enid opened her own laptop and started typing at the screen the keyboard. She stopped after a few minutes and looked at Mariana.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I laughed yesterday.¡±

    ¡°It is alright, Enid. I am sorry I said what I did it was unfair to judge you based on how you dress.¡±

    ¡°I only dress like this because these are the clothes I was given. I just didn¡¯t argue about it. Normally I like a t-shirt and combats. But my¡­family said that I¡¯d look like a school shooter and gave me these.¡±

    ¡°Oh. But you still spend time with Heather, Julie and Kerri.¡±

    ¡°Yes, so I fit in. The Japanese have a saying, deru kugi wa utareru.¡±

    Enid glanced at Mariana as she scribbled down the matching kanji on a piece of scrap paper. She looked for signs of recognition. And smiled when she saw none. Mariana looked at her, confusion apparent on her face.

    Hah, a language I understand, and she doesn¡¯t. Don¡¯t gloat, about the fact you¡¯ve had years in the world and she just woke up.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to understand, its uh, not something I would expect you to be able to translate. I spent some time in Japan. It means the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. By fitting in I avoid friction. And that serves my purpose here.¡±

    ¡°How do you know so many languages?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a trick I picked up from my sister. She was a bit of a language collector. Is still, I hope.¡±

    ¡°You have a sister?¡±

    ¡°I do, I was adopted by her father, and we became best friends. Then sisters. We would do anything for each other. But then she did something that as against the law and was punished for it. I haven¡¯t seen her in a long time, and I am wondering if she still feels the same way about me as she used too.¡±

    ¡°I would love to have a sister.¡±

    You already do Mariana and I¡¯m right here!

    ¡°Maybe you do and don¡¯t realize it.¡±

    Mariana touched her silver crucifix stroking it gently with her fingers.

    ¡°Even if I did, I would not want to be near her. It would not be safe.¡±

    ¡°Why would you say that? I doubt you¡¯d harm a mosquito.¡±

    ¡°I have said too much. What does this mean to you?¡±

    Mariana pointed at a line of scripture and Enid gave a small sigh.

    Don¡¯t rush her again. Just take it slow. It¡¯s been a couple thousand years what is a few more months.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s one of his favorites.¡±

    ¡°Whose?¡±

    ¡°No one. It is saying to me that Jesus was saying that sacrifice is personal, mercy is external. Sacrifice is, I have done this, I have given up this, but mercy, is a true sacrifice because you¡¯re giving of yourself your real self. It is easy to say I¡¯m giving up pie for lent. Whatever. It is not so easy to forgive someone who just fucked you over.¡±

    ¡°Please, do not use that kind of language.¡±

    ¡°Fine, it¡¯s harder to show mercy to someone who has wronged you then to sacrifice something you care about. By showing mercy you¡¯re sacrificing your need to feel avenged, justified. Basically, love your fellow man, or woman stuff. The same thing he always spouted. I¡¯m terrible at this. I work better with examples. Like the story about Saint Sarah and the pig violator.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Mariana looked a bit shocked.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t read it?¡±

    Mariana shook her head. The pair didn¡¯t notice Sister Tammy taking a position nearby.

    ¡°So, one day, Lady Sarah, or Saint Sarah, was holding court. Some men from the village pushed this poor teenager in with bound hands and a woman, who was disfigured by fire. Also bound. Lady Sarah was confused as to what these two were doing bound and standing in front of her. So, she asked, Why do you have these people tied up? One of the men, a pig farmer stepped forward, he was blushing very deeply at having to address such a crime with the Lady, Saint Sarah told him to calm himself and just speak plainly. And the farmer after a few false starts spit it out, that¡¯s how it was described by a Bishop was watching. He was violating one of my pigs!¡±

    Enid waited for it to sink in, and her last few words had garnered the attention of other students. She didn¡¯t bother stopping her story.

    ¡°So, Lady Sarah was like, what the fuck? And before you say anything those were literally the words she used. The court erupted into laughter, but Lady Sarah, Saint Sarah she didn¡¯t, she held up her hands. And asked for everyone to be quiet. She looked at the two holding the disfigured woman. And what about her? The pair answered that she was a witch who is in league with the boy. And she was having relations with him.¡±

    ¡°Sarah looked between the two accused. She first addressed the boy. She asked him to look up. She then asked him, is what they say true? The boy nodded. Sarah wanted more. I need to hear you say it, did you commit the act you are being accused of? The boy said yes. The court erupted into laughter again. But Lady Sarah did not. She was the very essence of nobility, or so the bishop wrote. She held up her hands for silence once again. And asked the boy, why did you do such a thing? The boy answered that some of the other boys in the village had said he could get a girl to like him that way. Saint Sarah nodded, and she looked to the boy¡¯s hands. She then asked, and why were you at this woman¡¯s home? The boy answered, she is a cunning woman and that he has a rash. She nodded. And then asked: The same rash that is on your hands? The boy nodded. She looked him up and down. She asked him his name, he gave it, she then said, Boy, have you learned your lesson? I would think the pain would be lesson enough for such a crime. He nodded. She shook her head and said I need to hear you say it. He spoke up, meeting her gaze and said, Yes, Milady.¡±

    Sister Tammy and a few kids from her class were now all gathered listening.

    ¡°Saint Sarah then said, well in that case, cut him free. You will stay over there, and she pointed to a spot on the floor, and not move for the rest of court, then I shall supply you with a balm for your rash. She looked to the farmer who was quite disappointed in her judgment. She said, Farmer, why are you upset? He said, why I need restitution for my pig. Saint Sarah nodded. Then she said, first of all your pigs are ill. You will move them to a fresh pen, you will build two, the boy will help you build them and if you¡¯ve not the funds then I will supply them so you can do this properly. You will then be supplied the same balm for your pigs. The ground they are on is sick and must be burned. You will do it twice this season but be careful the fire does not spread. Then twice next season, and you will do the same to the second pen. In the third pen you will put the healthy pigs, you will know this because their rashes will clear up. If you provide the meat as, is you will make people ill. So, you shall not do that. The boy will work off his repayment to you and once he has you will pay him a fair wage. You owe him as much for bringing this pox to your attention. The farmer nodded. She turned to the cunning woman. Her face disfigured by fire at some point in the past her lips were twisted in anger, but her shoulders were slumped.¡±

    ¡°Cunning woman, why was the boy in your house? The woman didn¡¯t answer one of the villagers hit her on the back and yelled answer the lady. Saint Sarah grew angry at his actions, saying, if you hit her again you will soon find yourself standing before me accused. She looked back at the cunning woman. Please answer my question. She looked up even though she was blind folded. He was ill so I was helping him. And what were you asking of the boy in return? Nothing came the reply. Saint Sarah nodded once again. Cut her loose she said to the two villagers. They refused, stating she would hex them. Saint Sarah drew her blade, and, in a fluid, strike cut the bindings leaving the woman unharmed. The bishop at this point assumed she was about to behead the woman, but she didn¡¯t. She pointed her silver sword at the two villagers. She asked, would you wish me to smite this woman for the crime of being merciful to her fellow man? Should I not smite you for binding her and beating her, this defenseless woman who has already had so much pain her life? Who has committed the worse crime here? The villagers backed away shaking their heads. The woman pulled off her blind fold and looked around the court her eyes were wild with fear. Saint Sarah spoke again, you will come to no harm in this village kindly lady, and I would ask you if you would share lunch with me after court. The court was shocked, a lady sharing lunch with such a disfigured ungodly woman. The bishop paralleled this with the Gospel, where Jesus shared a meal with the taxmen. From her own writings, we know that the boy eventually got married and took over the pig farm. Helping the original farmer in his old age. And that she healed the cunning woman¡¯s scars and entered into the service of a much greater cause.¡±

    She had the rapt attention of most of her class now. They huddled around her and Mariana in the library. Even the vice principle who had stopped by the breakup the crowd was standing and listening.

    ¡°The point is the villagers and the farmer wanted only to punish the two and didn¡¯t see them as human. The court only saw a comedy routine and didn¡¯t see them as people. Saint Sarah saw them as people. That is why he asks us for mercy and not sacrifice. Because mercy brings us closer to our fellow humans. Punishment doesn¡¯t fix a person, showing mercy, living by the word of God, which includes showing mercy, is what brings them closer to God, or that is what I think Jesus and Saint Sarah were saying.¡±

    There were a few claps and then Sister Tammy shooed the class back to their research.

    ¡°You should have saved that for your presentation Enid, you would have had an A+.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I have a hundred more.¡±

    Sister Tammy smiled and motioned for them to continue their work. Mariana spoke quietly, for the first time since the story had begun.

    ¡°You seem to know a lot about Saint Sarah.¡±

    ¡°You might say I have walked in her shoes. As annoyingly ornamented as they were.¡±

    ¡°How do¡­you think she would have dealt with someone, who was, I do not know. Was a vampire?¡±

    ¡°Where did that come from? Are you reading those Twilight books? I thought they were sinful.¡±

    ¡°I am just curious.¡±

    ¡°Do you want the fairy tale answer or the truth?¡±

    ¡°The truth, always please.¡±

    ¡°It depends on if the vampire was hurting people.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well, if say vampires existed. Is the vampire killing people? Are they making a mess? Did they get caught doing vampire things?¡±

    ¡°No, they did not get caught but Saint Sarah sensed their curse.¡±

    ¡°She would let the vampire be. So was very much the kind of person who would only get involved if she had to protect someone, or she was forced to because someone got caught.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure, if vampires existed, they would be cursed things, out of god¡¯s light. Why would she a saint let it continue to exist?¡±

    That¡¯s easy because she is one you silly girl.

    ¡°First of all, she wasn¡¯t a Saint in life. She probably would have been very upset at being accused of that, you can tell from her writings, she didn¡¯t aspire to be anything but a servant and protector to her people, a good wife, and mother. And second, mercy to the unredeemable is the very core of the gospel we are presenting on. They are the ones who need the most help. And Saint Sarah tried her best to live by the gospels.¡±

    Mariana¡¯s hand fell from her crucifix, and she nodded and looked to her screen and began typing. Enid looked to her own screen and began working on her own part of the project.

 Edmonton - 2026 - Home Work

    Enid looked out of the window of Eyre¡¯s SUV, the convent had a face of orange bricks.  The building was not of this decade.  She placed it about sixty years old.  The architecture was from the nineteen-sixties.

    ¡°Are you going to go inside?  Scared you might burn up?¡±

    ¡°Be serious Eyre.¡±

    ¡°What is the holdup mom? I have places to be.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine, push your mother out of the car like you¡¯re dropping her off at the old age home. Just roll me out here.  Don¡¯t forget to throw my wheelchair at me.¡±

    Enid opened the door and grabbed her bag. Eyre laughed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pick you later.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it Eyre, I¡¯ll make my own way home, it will give me a chance to eat.¡±

    Enid looked behind Eyre and made the slightest motion with her chin.

    ¡°See you later, dear.¡±

    ¡°Bye mom, I¡¯ll take the bus home.¡±

    Enid closed the door and turned to see a pair of nuns going out the front door and beginning to spread salt on the walk and stairs.  She approached the entrance and gave a small nod to the nuns and went inside.  The entry hallway was tiled with a rack for coats and had matts for boots.  Enid pulled her boots off and hung her coat up.  She pulled her runners out of her bag and sat down on a bench to put them on.  The d¨¦cor was about what she expected.  Very outdated, though it looked like it had been replaced at the turn of the century.  It wasn¡¯t the ugly seventies oranges and greens she had expected.  The colors were very subdued dark blues, some cream colors.  Crucifixes were everywhere, not in a tacky way, but there was no mistaking this for anything but a Catholic building.  There was an elevator directly ahead of her and dark oak wooden stairs going up on either side to a second floor.  To her left and right she saw other rooms.  One looked like it was a library of sorts, the other seemed to be almost a salon.  She could hear the low murmur of voices.  Eventually she saw a stream of nuns coming from under the left stairway.  She had timed her visit for the end of evening prayers as requested by Mariana.

    ¡°Can I help you with something young lady?¡±

    Enid looked up again from her shoelaces and saw an elderly lady.  Her grey hair and well-worn laugh lines told Enid she was probably in her late sixties to early seventies.  She looked quite stern, not as though she was angry, it just seemed to be the way her face settled.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to see Maria, we are working on a school project.¡±

    The older woman smiled.

    ¡°I¡¯m Sister Betty. I¡¯m Mother Superior here.  You must be Enid.  Maria is just helping clean up the chapel after our evening prayers.  You can either wait here, or if you¡¯d rather the library is over here.¡±

    She walked to the door Enid had already identified as the library and reached in and turned on a light switch.  Enid nodded and stood up picked up her bag and made her way to the library.

    ¡°Please make yourself comfortable Enid, you¡¯re in safe space here.¡±

    Enid hadn¡¯t realized it, but her shoulders were tensed up.  She took an unnecessary deep breath.  It was long past sundown.  Benefits of northern living.  She was in no way alive at the moment.  She put her bag down and sat down in one of the wooden chairs.

    ¡°Thank you, mother superior.¡±

    ¡°Is this your first visit to a convent?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been to several.¡±

    ¡°Oh, which one?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t be familiar with most of them.  But before I came here, I was at the one at Saint Sarah¡¯s Cathedral in Narfordshire, Narford I mean.¡±

    ¡°That is a beautiful cathedral.  Is it alright if I asked why you were visiting?  Are you discerning a religious life for yourself?¡±

    ¡°No, I just, well I had a caregiver she was very close to me when I was very young.  She asked me to meet her there before I came to live here.  She knew the cathedral was a special place for me, so she wanted to visit and talk.  While I was there, I spent the night at the cloister.  My mother didn¡¯t trust me in a hotel on my own.  She¡¯s a bit overprotective. She would probably love if I chose to live a chaste life.¡±

    ¡°You seem fairly well travelled.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°It is easy in Europe.  Get on a bus or train and you¡¯re in another country before you know it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is isn¡¯t it, did you get to visit Rome?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I did, I even lived there for a while.¡±

    ¡°And the Vatican?¡±

    ¡°I visited there once.  I¡¯m not one for crowds.¡±

    ¡°You are blessed with a very diverse background Enid.¡±

    Mariana had entered in time to hear that Enid had visited the Vatican and Rome and her hand was on her silver crucifix stroking it.

    ¡°I will let you get to work.¡±

    Enid gave Mariana a small wave and opened the book she¡¯d brought with her.  The Mother Superior left as quietly as she had entered leaving the girls alone.  Mariana sat and pulled out her laptop.  Enid looked at it, she could use one but identifying them was another thing.  Her friends at school had made fun of Mariana for the age of her computer.  Saying it¡¯s so twenty-tens.  They¡¯d also made fun of Mariana¡¯s flip phone.  Even Enid knew that was a relic.  Enid had wanted to beat some sense into the girls.  As well-mannered as she had become, old habits die hard.  She¡¯d spent almost all of her life using violence to solve most problems.  Instead, she had made some offhand comment about Mariana not having anything that was hers because of the gas explosion and that they should be less snotty about it.  They¡¯d laughed it off and then went on to make fun of Mariana because she was an orphan living at a convent. Enid had to fight really had not to beat them senseless that day.  Mariana tried to turn on her computer.  It wouldn¡¯t start. She sighed and plugged in the power cable.  While the pair waited for it to start Enid looked Mariana up and down.

    ¡°So, that computer, it¡¯s kind of old, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Mariana nodded.

    ¡°It was donated to the convent a few years ago.  They were nice enough to give it to me for school.  And my phone, was donated as well.  I think it is older than us.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    Not by a long shot.

    ¡°Do you want a better one?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, this one is fine.  It just needs to be plugged in.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it takes forever for it to start.¡±

    ¡°It is not much but it meets the school requirements, so it is enough.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too good a person, you know that?¡±

    ¡°No, I am a terrible person.¡±

    ¡°You are not.  I see you when those girls at school make fun of you, you just sit there and take it.  Watching it happens makes me angry and it isn¡¯t even me they are mocking.¡±

    ¡°Their behavior is just kids being kids, if I did more to fit in, I would have less trouble.¡±

    ¡°No! Their behavior is on them and its abhorrent.¡±

    ¡°And you still spend time with them.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping that my own behavior would set an example.  Besides being in their crowd lets me keep an eye on their antics and stop them before they cross the line.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve stopped them from doing really stupid stuff more than once.  People would have gotten hurt.  When I pointed out it was against the law they rapidly backed out. There will always be bullies. At least if I am hanging around with them, I can temper their antics.¡±

    ¡°They tried to do things to me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they did, but I stopped them.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate your help, but I am able to take care of myself now.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean ¡®now¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Well, my nanny is still in a coma it is why I am still here.  She is my legal guardian.  The convent has taken me in with the permission of children¡¯s services.¡±

    Oh my god.  She thinks she¡¯s only fifteen.

    ¡°I know you can take care of yourself, but it doesn¡¯t mean others shouldn¡¯t look out for you when they can, you would do the same for anyone because you¡¯re that good a person.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then why is it wrong for someone to do the same for you?¡±

    ¡°You are right. Of course, you are right, because you truly are a good person.  I hope someday I can be as close to Jesus as you are. You seem to understand living in the grace of God like no one else I know.¡±

    Stab me in the heart with a rusty spoon why don¡¯t you.

    ¡°Ya, no that¡¯s not me.  I¡¯m the bad guy here.  If you know half the things, I¡¯ve done in my life you would probably have nothing to do with me.¡±

    ¡°No, I cannot believe that.   And even if I did, no one is beyond forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°The worst thing I have ever done was let my sister down when she needed me.¡±

    ¡°You were a child, how could you let her down?  If you loved her then you never let her down.  You were just too young to help.¡±

    Amazingly, now that I think of it she¡¯s right.  If I knew what I know now that would have gone very differently.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t stop me from feeling like I did.¡±

    ¡°Guilt is a burden you need to put down or you cannot walk very fast.  And then how will you get on with your life?¡±

    ¡°That sounds strangely familiar where is it from?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure, it just came to me.¡±

    I remember now, your father used to say it.

    ¡°I know that feeling. You read so many books and you remember random bits and pieces from them, but which book did it come from, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do read quite a lot.¡±

    ¡°I do not sleep very well, so I spend a lot of my time reading.  I find screens bother my eyes so I tend to go with paper books.¡±

    ¡°I do as well.¡±

    ¡°We have a lot in common don¡¯t we?¡±

    Mariana smiled and logged into her computer which had finally booted.

    ¡°Please let me get you a better computer.  My mother is very wealthy, obscenely wealthy.  A laptop would be like less than a day¡¯s interest for her.¡±

    ¡°I could not ask that of her.  Maybe you could get one for someone who does not have one yet.¡±

    ¡°Oh my god Maria, just let me do this for you.¡±

    ¡°Please do not use his name in vain.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.  Please let me just get you a computer and a phone.  My mom will prepay the plan.  She won¡¯t even have second thoughts.¡±

    ¡°I do not need such things.¡±

    ¡°I will get them anyway.¡±

    ¡°I can tell you will not take no for an answer.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like you can read my mind, spooky.¡±

    ¡°You are very persistent.¡±

    ¡°Like a bulldog.¡±

    ¡°We should get to work, Enid.¡±

    We used to waste so much time during lessons avoiding work.

    ¡°Sure.¡±

 Edmonton - 2026 - Kidnapped - Part 1/3

    Enid snapped awake. The cold water had felt like a slap across the face. Every part of her that was wet stung. She opened her eyes and there were three men and a woman looking down at her. Sun was streaming in from broken windows high above them. Enid couldn¡¯t make out their faces the world was spinning around her. Mariana was also drenched. Enid felt a thin strap around her wrists. The pair were sitting on a bench.

    How the fuck did this happen. Shit, I can¡¯t remember ever feeling like this. Fucking amulet. Eyre I¡¯m going to spank you so hard.

    Her mind was clouded. She tried to remember where they had been. They had been walking.

    ¡°Wow you have to be the dumbest fuckers ever born.¡±

    Enid regretted her words immediately as one of the men unleashed a punch that smashed into her cheek she could taste her blood and feel some of it running down her chin. Then one of the other men waved a gun in her face. It hadn¡¯t been the first time she¡¯d had a gun pointed at her, it was however the first time she¡¯d had a gun pointed at her when she could actually get hurt.

    ¡°Might want to show me some respect bitch.¡±

    Enid gritted her teeth. Mariana stopped struggling when she saw the gun. She glanced up at the window. Her face was throbbing. She could see her breath. She began to shiver. It was cold in here, not below zero, but as a pathetic mortal who was soaking wet she started thinking about hypothermia.

    She¡¯s trying to figure out what time it is, same as me. Was never good at figuring that out from the sun maybe she¡¯ll have more luck.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you seem to have made a terrible mistake.¡±

    ¡°No, no mistake.¡±

    He flashed her a picture of herself on his phone. Enid frowned.

    ¡°You¡¯re not being paid enough for this.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know shit.¡±

    Enid sighed and looked around she could see her school bag leaning on a post nearby.

    ¡°Look in the left side pocket of my bag.¡±

    Mariana looked at Enid she spoke in Latin.

    ¡°Enid please be quiet. We will be fine soon. I will take care of this.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need you. Too bad you didn¡¯t keep your mouth shut.¡±

    He pointed his gun at Mariana and pulled the trigger. Enid didn¡¯t really think before she shoved Mariana out of the way. The bullet burned as it entered her shoulder. Mariana was sprawled on the ground hands still behind her back. Enid saw she was tied with a zip tie. Enid gritted her teeth again to stop from crying out and just shouted.

    ¡°Fuck that hurt.¡±

    Mental note: Don¡¯t get shot when you¡¯re in sunlight. It fucking sucks.

    One of the men grabbed the one with the gun and spun him around. They started arguing. They were speaking Russian. Enid sighed.

    ¡°What are you doing, we need her alive. We can use the other one to keep her in line.¡±

    The man who was talking took the gun and backhanded the one had shot Enid. Enid took a deep breath. And started to flex her wrists. Each small twist sent waves of pain through her whole body. She was used to pain, just not extended pain. She¡¯d been shot, stabbed, burned, thrown through walls, electrocuted. Each one had hurt, but she¡¯d healed quickly. This pain was something she hadn¡¯t felt since she was a child being beaten by her father, the knife wound in her back. Her millennia of living hadn¡¯t made her immune to pain, but she could live with it. Mariana seemed to indicate the sun was going to go down soon. Enid could live with that, but if the humans saw her wound close, she¡¯d have to kill them. She really didn¡¯t want Mariana to see that. Enid spoke in Russian.

    ¡°Look in my bag pocket. I¡¯m not trying to be an asshole; I just want you to well and truly understand how fucked you are. So maybe we can come to an agreement where you four walk out of here in one piece and I go to the hospital and make something up about this bullet hole in my shoulder.¡±

    The four looked at each other when Enid spoke in their native tongue. The big one opened the bag and looked at the ID. He showed the other four and they descended into an argument they used some Russian curse words Enid couldn¡¯t translate. She could converse in the language but wasn¡¯t fluent enough to convince anyone she¡¯s a native speaker. Mariana looked up at Enid. Enid shrugged which caused pain to shoot through her arm. She winced. Enid looked up at the window. In ten or fifteen minutes it would be too late. She continued in Russian.

    ¡°I take it no one told you that you were being paid to kidnap an undercover cop. Look I get it, I used to be in the military, I cannot tell you how many times I was screwed over by intelligence. You had bad intel, you couldn¡¯t make an educated decision. I really don¡¯t want to blow my cover more then I already have, and you don¡¯t want to deal with a police swat team. They monitor my vitals they already know I¡¯ve been shot. They¡¯ve likely already tracked my tracking device. They¡¯ll be here in¡­¡±

    Enid glanced up at the window.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing about ten minutes. The drones probably more like two minutes. So, your window to get out of here before you¡¯re in a shootout with well-trained police is about five minutes.¡±

    The one, Sergei, Enid had identified his name from their conversations leaned down. She could smell the cigarettes on his breath. She wrinkled her nose.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, you¡¯re no cop, you¡¯re a kid.¡±

    He raised his hand to hit her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t try it.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to do little girl?¡±

    He swung at Enid who raised her good arm and grabbed his wrist using his momentum and her leg to take him down. She stomped on his rib cage she heard cracks he started wheezing. She reached down and grabbed his gun with her good hand and pointed it at the one she had identified as their leader, or least the one they all listened too.

    ¡°Break your ribs and puncture your lungs bitch, because I got my zip tie undone. What¡¯s it going to be, do I start shooting or are you running away now?¡±

    Enid kept the gun leveled at their leader. The bullet wound in her shoulder was on fire. She heard the weezing stop beneath her foot and she looked down he was reaching for her foot. She kicked it under his chin slamming his head into the ground and she heard his neck snap. He wasn¡¯t breathing anymore.

    Fucking blood slaves. Waste of flesh.

    ¡°Who sent you? Seriously don¡¯t reach for that gun.¡±

    Enid shot and the woman went down. The bullet went through her forehead.

    ¡°Two of you, are dead. Do you really want to make it three?¡±

    The leader of the group looked back at the window.

    ¡°Soon you¡¯ll see who sent us and you will wish you¡¯d stayed tied up.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°Oh, I thought you were just idiots, now I know you were just working for an idiot.¡±

    ¡°You should not laugh; Our mistress is a goddess among man. She demanded your blood as sacrifice.¡±

    ¡°Hmm guess the police thing didn¡¯t work then.¡±

    ¡°You are a fool you have wasted all the precious time you had left in this world.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re hopeless and I¡¯m bored of this conversation.¡±

    Enid shot him in the forehead then pointed the gun at the other blood slave and shot him in the head as well. She looked down at Mariana and shrugged. Mariana was looking up at Enid. Her eyes were wide, and she struggled to move away. Enid put the gun in her waistband and reached down pulled the knife from Sergei¡¯s belt and cut the zip tie holding Mariana.

    Hopefully she¡¯ll get over it, it¡¯s not like I didn¡¯t give them a chance to get away.

    ¡°You, you shot them.¡±

    ¡°They shot me first.¡±

    ¡°Are you the police?¡±

    ¡°No, I was lying trying to get them to run away. How was I supposed to know they were umm, part of a cult?¡±

    ¡°How did you do all that?¡±

    ¡°Umm, I took karate.¡±

    ¡°Stop lying to me, please.¡±

    Mariana¡¯s hand went to her crucifix she started stroking it.

    ¡°Is this really the best time to have this conversation?¡±

    Enid glanced back up at the window, she could feel blood dripping down her arm. Her blood loss had gotten worse with all her moving around. She was feeling light-headed. She wobbled and fell down leaning against the bench.

    Anytime now sun.

    Mariana rushed over and ripped Enid¡¯s shirt showing the wound that was gushing blood at this point. She held her hands over it.

    ¡°You did all that with your arm like this? Do not worry Enid, I will keep you safe and I can save you.¡±

    Enid tried to push her away. Knowing what she was about to do.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine Mariana, we need to go before momma blood goddess wakes up. I¡¯m not really feeling up to that meeting.¡±

    ¡°I can ask God to take away your pain.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright soon.¡±

    Mariana blinked as the bullet popped out of Enid¡¯s shoulder and bounced on the floor. Enid cracked her neck and stood up. Enid glanced down at the bullet.

    Silver wow, brave.

    ¡°You healed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, which is what I was trying to stop those goons from seeing so I didn¡¯t have to kill them, then they went and decided to be blood slaves.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a vampire!¡±

    ¡°Yes. Now shush. I smell something.¡±

    Enid could smell it now, there were a several pugmentia in residence in this ruined warehouse. Enid pulled the woman¡¯s coat onto herself to cover up her wound. She leaned in and whispered into Mariana¡¯s ear.

    ¡°Get out of here. I¡¯m going to play dumb see what I can find out, but there¡¯s no point involving you in all this business. We can talk later.¡±

    Mariana shook her head no.

    ¡°Look the less they know about you the better, if you don¡¯t want to leave go hide.¡±

    Mariana vanished into the shadows just before a motley group of vampires strolled out of the sub floor. Enid stood over the bodies of the four blood slaves. Gun in hand. The vampires paused when they saw the carnage. Enid tapped her finger on the side of the trigger guard. Once they were within twenty feet Enid identified one of them immediately. Demon summoning fifty years ago. She frowned.

    What an idiot.

    ¡°You will pay for that; How dare you harm my servants on my territory.¡±

    ¡°Lady, they harmed me first. What the fuck is this all about?¡±

    Enid looked over the other four. One was wearing a blue suit, another looked like a street thug, another had glowing eyes and claws. The last shimmered in and out of existence. She could still perceive him. His power was too weak to conceal himself from a vampire her age.

    ¡°How dare you speak to me that way, kneel blood slave!¡±

    Enid shot the one that thought he was hiding himself from her in the heart with the silver bullet from the gun. She watched him drop screaming in agony she could see his body start to sizzle blue flames crackling away from the wound in his chest. Wouldn¡¯t kill him but he wouldn¡¯t be waking up for a few years. He twitched and stopped moving.

    ¡°You give silver bullets to your goons? Wow.¡±

    There were several hisses from the group. Enid held her hand to her side and shook her head hoping Mariana would get the hint.

    ¡°You dare harm one of your betters?¡±

    Enid rolled her eyes and shot the one with the claws in the head. He went down hard screaming and twitching. She shook her head. He was going to need weeks to recover the whole time he¡¯d be a drooling vegetable.

    ¡°Lady, do you really think my mistress would have a doppelganger that couldn¡¯t take care of herself? I¡¯ve just incapacitated two of you, killed all four of your goons who were hopped up on blood and the drugs are still wearing off if I wanted you down, you¡¯d be down. Give me your message so you can save those two.¡±This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°I will drink you dry rodent!¡±

    Deloriss was hissing her fangs were out. The one who looked like a street thug grabbed her arm. He tried to hold her back but was obviously the weaker of the two. Enid using a very limited amount of her potential speed put bullet in each of her knees. Deloriss skidded across the floor she screamed and was biting and clawing at the air. She¡¯d lost all sense of reason at this point. Enid put her foot on Deloriss¡¯s head, she held it steady and took aim. Deloriss clawed at her leg and boot ineffectively.

    ¡°Now the question is: Do I her make a drooling vegetable or are one you going to stake her until she calms down.¡±

    The vampire in the wife beater reached out and broke a leg off the bench and approached, he leaned down like he was going to stake Deloriss but then he started to blur and he stabbed Enid in the chest. The stake smashed splintering into a shower of wood when it hit the spot that should have been Enid¡¯s heart. Enid frowned and smashed downwards with her pistol breaking through his skull. He fell to the ground Enid shot him twice in the chest with the silver bullets then reached up and pulled the stake out dropping it to the floor.

    ¡°What is wrong you people? Are you that stupid?¡±

    The last standing vampire started to run. Enid grabbed the flailing Deloriss and threw her at him. They both went down and Deloriss¡¯s screeching became muffled as she tore into him. Enid could see blood and chucks of flesh flying. She shook her head, grabbed the surviving piece of bench leg and slammed into Deloriss¡¯s back. Deloriss¡¯s victim was writhing in pain. Enid pulled Deloriss¡¯s paralyzed form off of him. He started to try and claw his way along the ground away from Enid. Enid grabbed his leg and pulled him back. She flipped him over and kneeled on his chest.

    ¡°Let¡¯s talk, like civilized people, hmm? Or I can shoot you in knees and throw you in a room with your very angry friend over there.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with introductions, my name is Enid, I¡¯m a blood slave who is older than the five of you together. In case you have any confusion about what that means: I can kick your ass. Now good sir, what is your name?¡±

    ¡°Keith. I¡¯m one of the Lord¡¯s council.¡±

    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you Councilor Keith. Who is the lord?¡±

    ¡°Daggon.¡±

    ¡°And who¡¯s the crazy woman?¡±

    ¡°Deloriss, Daggon¡¯s spawn.¡±

    ¡°Ah, and does the honorable Lord Daggon know about this little party?¡±

    ¡°No, he told Delorris to leave it be.¡±

    ¡°Did Deloriss or Daggon tell you who my mistress is?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°She is the empress.¡±

    His eyes went wide. He started shifting. Enid could see him trying to figure out a way to get himself out of this whole situation intact.

    ¡°Did Deloriss say why she wanted to drain me dry?¡±

    ¡°She said that your mistress had crossed her in the past and she wanted your mistress to know she was still here and pissed.¡±

    ¡°Deloriss isn¡¯t very smart. Is she?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°Well, I would very much like a meeting with Lord Daggon. Is your phone still in one piece? I¡¯d really rather this whole mess be done with. I really need to keep up with my mistress¡¯s business for me in town.¡±

    He reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone. Screen was cracked but it still seemed to be working. He went into his contacts and dialed a number. Enid tapped the gun on his chest impatiently. The phone picked up.

    ¡°Hi, it¡¯s Keith, I¡­uh have a dignitary that is requesting an audience with the Boss.¡±

    Enid could hear a woman speaking on the other end of the line.

    ¡°Sure, how about the thirtieth.¡±

    Enid shook her head pushing the gun into Keith¡¯s chin and flipped the safety off with her thumb.

    ¡°Actually, it needs to be tonight. As soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Was that a gun I heard getting cocked? Do you need an assault team?¡±

    Enid laughed softly.

    ¡°Err, no, just a meeting with the boss. But we¡¯ll need a cleanup crew and transport. There were some casualties at the Fieldman safehouse.¡±

    Enid heard keys being tapped on the other side of the line.

    ¡°Clean up and transport enroute. Eta fifteen minutes.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Keith hung up the phone and Enid got off him and flipped the safety back on. He stood up and dusted himself off. He eyed Enid warily.

    ¡°Thank you, Councilman Keith. Sorry about the suit.¡±

    He nodded and pulled on the bottom of his jacket before fixing his sleeves. Enid could still see the chunks out his shoulder and neck through the tears on the jacket.

    Going to take a while for him to heal up.

    Enid put the gun in her coat pocket and picked up her bag. She noticed Mariana¡¯s was missing. She smiled. She couldn¡¯t see her sister who was one of the few vampires older than her that were still walking around. Age had its privileges. Enid leaned against one of the posts. She heard tires squeal outside, a door slid open and booted footsteps. She sighed.

    Why do they always make it so hard.

    ¡°Councilman Keith, you better put them on a leash or a lot more people are going tonight, and you¡¯ll be the first one I target.¡±

    He fixed his tie and hair and waited. Enid stayed there leaning on the pillar arms crossed. The shoulder wound a distant memory at this point.  One of the doors was blown off its hinges and six people in body armor carrying assault rifles stormed in. They all took aim at Enid who remained where she was, she looked at Keith. Who looked like he was still pondering what to do.

    ¡°Down on the ground!¡±

    Enid looked at the man who was yelling commands.

    ¡°No.¡±

    Three of them rushed at Enid, one of them had silver handcuffs. Keith with a burst of vampiric speed intervened.

    ¡°Stop. She¡¯s an honored guest.¡±

    The assault team lowered the weapons quickly when Keith showed up.

    ¡°Get those four to safety, and dispose of them¡±

    Keith motioned to his vampire companions and then to the four would be kidnappers. One of the assault team spoke into his radio and signaled an all clear. A woman in a black suit jacket, skirt and heels walked in.

    ¡°Councilman, your transportation is that way.¡±

    The woman led Enid and Keith to a black late-model SUV. She opened the rear doors for the pair and got into the driver¡¯s seat. Enid pulled her seat belt on. Keith didn¡¯t bother, he opened the center of the seat revealing a refrigerated compartment. He pulled out a bag of blood and started drink it. Enid¡¯s own hunger was clawing at her. She¡¯d lost a lot of blood when she was shot. She fought her instincts to grab a bag and suck it down.

    Will eat later.

    ¡°Sorry we don¡¯t have anything for mortals in here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I lost my appetite tonight anyway.¡±

    ¡°If I may ask, how old are you?¡±

    ¡°Have you never been told to never ask a lady her age?¡±

    Keith laughed softly; the driver glanced back at the pair in the rear view mirror.

    ¡°I am about eight hundred years old. My mistress entered me into her service in 1247.¡±

    ¡°Amazing that a mortal mind that can hold up against so many years.¡±

    ¡°Memories fade. A human mind can¡¯t handle the passing centuries like one of you can. Our brains forget details, faces, names.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, quite sad for you then to be in such a position.¡±

    ¡°No, I live to serve my mistress.¡±

    ¡°And she hasn¡¯t turned you in all these centuries. Seems like a poor treatment for a loyal servant.¡±

    ¡°I am but a servant, not worthy of such blood, I know my place. I serve a purpose.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could find help that loyal. Humans these days, they are so consumed with technology, or what¡¯s in it for them.¡±

    Keith leaned on the palm of his hand looking at the passing buildings.

    ¡°I am sorry Councilman, I did not want to harm any of you. I know where we servants fall in the grand scheme of things, but my mistress told me that I could defend myself if I was attacked.¡±

    ¡°Oh, pay that no mind. Delorriss was far out of line, and you were kidnapped and assaulted, that is against our laws. Especially for someone with a mistress of such status. Had I known I would have staked Delorris before we started the hold sordid affair and told Lord Daggon of her antics.¡±

    ¡°To be honest I thought the goons were just kidnappers who were after money or something. I am associated with someone who is involved in some criminal activities that do cause a few people some anger. I had no idea it was related to vampire business. I only killed them because they shot me and saw the bullet wound heal. My mistress drilled the covenants into my head.¡±

    Keith nodded.

    ¡°If only the rest of our servants and associates were so discrete. Do you happen to know what your mistress did to get Delorris so upset?¡±

    ¡°Deloriss summoned a demon, my mistress killed the demon, then tortured Deloriss to find out how she discovered the demon summoning ritual."

    Keith started to cough causing a small spray of blood as he choked on his beverage.

    ¡°Demon?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my mistress¡¯s husband had sent a letter telling her to summon it. He is upset with her and wanted her to know he was mad.¡±

    ¡°So, she put herself into the middle of a lover¡¯s quarrel between the Emperor and Empress?¡±

    ¡°Technically he¡¯s just the crown prince. She hasn¡¯t declared him Emperor yet. At this rate she won¡¯t be doing that, seeing as he¡¯s tried to kill her on a few occasions, and consequently me.¡±

    ¡°What is the empress like?¡±

    ¡°Well, she looks like me, obviously, she¡¯s very wise, regal, kind of distant.¡±

    ¡°And her husband.¡±

    ¡°He looks Roman. Beyond that anything I say will be biased by my mistress¡¯s opinion.¡±

    ¡°Well, what is the Empress¡¯s opinion?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a traitor to his family and his people and need to burn in the sun.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, so why is he still alive?¡±

    ¡°To execute him she¡¯d need a majority vote from the imperial council, and currently they are all abstaining. I think they don¡¯t want to get involved in their fight. It¡¯s been going on for two thousand years you know.¡±

    ¡°What caused the fight?¡±

    ¡°I do not know. My mistress hasn¡¯t told me, she just seems to hate him a lot.¡±

    ¡°Well, the stronger your love for someone, the more hate they can cause in your heart.¡±

    Enid nodded her agreement.

    ¡°Thank you for being so open.¡±

    ¡°I love gossiping.¡±

    ¡°I love listening to gossip.¡±

    Of course you do you self-serving prick. You¡¯re just looking for ammo for your personal power plays.

    ¡°I do know that if someone were to turn up any info on spies, or servants of her husband she would reward them very handsomely.¡±

    ¡°What rewards has she granted in the past?¡±

    ¡°Oh, she has so much knowledge of vampiric powers. She has spent years hunting down different ones. And so many mystical secrets. Of course, there¡¯s also wealth, mortal power and influence. You can¡¯t imagine the power base she¡¯s built up in the mortal world over the centuries. She has her fingers in everything. With a text message she make governments crumble, or companies rise. She¡¯s very quick to reward loyalty and service. Of course, she¡¯s also just as quick to punish.¡±

    ¡°Punish?¡±

    ¡°Oh, she has a terrible temper councilman. I recall this one time a vampire broke the covenants, she had her seers wipe out every single vampire in the city. There were like forty of them, all in one night. The rest didn¡¯t have anything to do with the actual crime, but a few lied to her. And another time she attacked an entire templar keep herself. Killed every last living being inside to get at a vampire hiding there. The last time I was attacked she killed the vampire who did it, all of his spawn and blood servants. Then five more vampires just to make it clear that she considered an assault on me an assault on herself. She has little respect for the lives of vampires like you. She calls you Pugmentia. I¡¯m told it means trash in Latin. I am actually pretty scared at what she is capable of now that the world is so connected and she has so much wealth and power. Truth be told I like these missions away from her, she¡¯s grown scarier as time has worn on. She has less and less patience for young vampires or even humans.¡±

    Keith started tugging on the collar of his suit.

    ¡°That is why I was so insistent I see the Lord as soon as possible. The quieter we can keep this whole thing the better off we all are. If she has to show up¡­ Especially if she found out Delorris was involved after she let her go the last time. She is most definitely not known for being merciful. Delorris is very lucky.¡±

    Enid gave a fake shudder. Keith swallowed another mouthful of blood. Shifting in his seat.

    ¡°Well yes, I¡¯m sure we can find some way to make this all go away.¡±

    ¡°I hope so. I mean if the Crown Prince were to find out I was here; Oh she would be very angry.¡±

    ¡°I am sure we can keep this quiet. We don¡¯t want to cause trouble, do we?¡±

    The SUV pulled up in front of an office building. It was one of the skyscrapers that populated downtown Edmonton. The driver opened Enid¡¯s door and Enid slid out and picked up her bag. Keith hurried to catch up and opened the door for Enid, who nodded to him and went inside. The security guard manning the front desk nodded to Keith and buzzed the pair in the ride up in the elevator was silent. The doors opened and after a couple of doors they were in an office with a woman manning a desk.

    Pugmentia.

    ¡°Go on in, he¡¯s expecting you.¡±

    Keith held the door open for her. Enid walked in and was met by a larger black man, she could tell he was fairly old. His skin had an odd coloring to it, pigment slowly waned over the ages. She¡¯d place him at about three hundred years old. He looked at Keith and frowned.

    ¡°You dragged me in here for an emergency meeting with a teenage girl?¡±

    ¡°Lord Daggon, I present to you the servant of her royal highness the empress.¡±

    Daggon¡¯s mouth opened and closed as he looked Enid up and down. Then he nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, how can the court of Edmonton serve her royal highness?¡±

    ¡°Well, it is how I can serve you Lord Daggon, your spawn attacked me today, I killed her four blood slaves and then incapacitated most of her group of vampires. But there was an assault on my person. That means there were laws broken, my mistress will be very upset by this. She told me very clearly not to bother you or yours while I was here on her business. I have done so and not interfered, but then Delorris interfered with my business. Violently I might add.¡±

    Lord Daggon was very good at hiding his emotions. His face was a very stoic mask. There was the very slightest hint of a frown.

    ¡°That¡­ That is very troubling news. Tell me councilman how were you involved in this?¡±

    ¡°Lord Daggon, I apologize for my involvement. Delorris threatened to have me removed from my seat if I dared not show up.¡±

    ¡°You should have come to me with this right away.¡±

    ¡°I did not know who it was she was having us hunt, Lord Daggon.¡±

    Keith lowered his head.

    ¡°My spawn, what of her, where is she? Is she¡­¡±

    ¡°No, My lord, I staked her and she is alive, as are the vampires who accompanied her. She lost control when I shot her in the knees with silver bullets from this, her blood slaves had it.¡±

    She placed the gun on the desk.

    ¡°Silver bullets? She had mortals using silver bullets?¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Lord. I assure you I did not know they were silver when I was using it, I thought it was only normal bullets. I would not have guessed any vampire would be foolish enough to give silver bullets to mortals. My mistress would never do such a thing.¡±

    ¡°What would you have me do as recompense for this terrible judgment on behalf of my spawn?¡±

    ¡°I am unharmed my lord, I only wish to be left to complete the tasks my mistress has assigned me your city unhindered by Delorris and her vendetta against my mistress. In fact I¡¯d rather we just all forgot about this mess, my mistress doesn¡¯t even have to know it happened. That would probably be the best outcome for everyone.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the Empress is well renowned for her¡­ very uncompromising, but just enforcement of the laws.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and now that she¡¯s Empress and has her fingers in everything in this modern world she doesn¡¯t even have to leave Russia. I really don¡¯t want to be the cause of that kind of trouble for you or your citizens.¡±

    Lord Daggon nodded.

    ¡°Councilman, make sure that everyone who has seen this woman, no longer remembers seeing her, also ensure you keep your mouth shut. The Imperials have ears and if they hear about it the Empress will hear about it and none of us wants that, do we?¡±

    Keith bowed

    ¡°It will be done Lord Daggon.¡±

    Lord Daggon looked at Enid.

    ¡°I thank you for being so understanding about this unfortunate circumstance.¡±

    Enid bowed as well.

    ¡°I am humbled by your wisdom Lord Daggon.¡±

    I feel like I¡¯m going to puke. Oh well, better to fake being a groveling sycophant then having to fight the black sun before we¡¯re ready.

    ¡°I hope my spawn will figure out how powerful your mistress truly is after being thoroughly defeated by one of her mortal servants.¡±

    ¡°I hope so as well, my mistress would be very upset especially after she was so merciful the first time Delorris acted against her.¡±

    Enid turned to leave.

    ¡°Hold for a moment, did you say the first time?¡±

    Enid turned back towards Lord Daggon.

    ¡°Yes, were you not aware that Delorris has attacked her directly before?¡±

    ¡°I was not, tell me what else did my spawn do?¡±

    ¡°She summoned a demon and forced it to attack my mistress.¡±

    ¡°A demon? Is such a thing possible?¡±

    ¡°Yes my lord, I saw it with my own eyes. It was down in the valley in 1985. A full twenty feet tall with flaming wings and claws¡±

    His eyes went wide.

    ¡°The warehouse explosion?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°And you say your mistress was merciful?¡±

    ¡°My mistress had assumed it was yourself who had ordered her to attack her. After the letter you received from her husband. So, she sent Delorris to you with a message that she is Empress and the next time there is an assault on her person or property from anyone in Edmonton she would turn it into the next Soddem.¡±

    Enid heard Keith gulp. Lord Daggon shifted in his seat showing more emotion then earlier in the conversation.

    ¡°No, I threw that out, I wasn¡¯t about to get involved in a fight between the royal family. I cannot believe she was so stupid.¡±

    ¡°I apologize my lord I should have mentioned this sooner, it would have given some context for tonight¡¯s events.¡±

    ¡°Now I see why you were so concerned about her finding out about the attack on your person.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Yes, my lord, I fear the damage she could do, after some of the things she¡¯s had me acquire.¡±

    ¡°What kind of things has she had you acquire?¡±

    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t say my lord.¡±

    ¡°Surely it isn¡¯t anything to awful.¡±

    ¡°She had me acquire the locations and codes to launch several ICBM¡¯s my lord. It was surprisingly cheap to do in Russia. I do know she¡¯s still using people to maintain them.¡±

    Lord Daggon¡¯s jaw dropped.

    Oh, the look on his face that¡¯s classic. I hope the Black Sun hears about this conversation it will having him jumping through hoops.

    ¡°Did she happen to mention what she would do with them?¡±

    ¡°She did not my lord, she is quite capricious. I can rarely predict what her plans are, she doesn¡¯t seem to think in human terms any longer. I guess that happens with age and imperials. Often times I feel like a I¡¯m a pawn being moved all over a board. I have long since given up trying to figure out her schemes she¡¯s often thinking ten or twenty years ahead, sometimes centuries.¡±

    ¡°What other kinds of things has she had you do?¡±

    ¡°Buy a noodle shop in Naha on Okinawa, send a shipment of toilet paper from Nigeria to Australia. Blow up a castle in Germany. Put a pamphlet under a door in the Vatican. Working as a doctor in Japan. It is all very random. Like I tried to explain I have given up trying to understand, I just do what she tells me.¡±

    ¡°What does she have you doing here?¡±

    ¡°So far going to high school.¡±

    Enid shrugged. She had been doing this for centuries spreading rumors of the machinations of the mysterious Empress.

    They are eating this stuff up. They¡¯re going to spend decades trying to sort out the scary Empresses¡¯ plans.

    Lord Daggon nodded.

    ¡°Well, we will leave you to your task then.¡±

    Enid bowed and left the office.

 Edmonton 2026 - Kidnapped - Part 2/3 (Mariana)

    Mariana looked up at Enid from the floor. She¡¯d watched her friend go from sweet and innocent, to a brutally efficient killing machine in seconds. She had looked away when she heard the cracking of the Sergei¡¯s neck bones. And clinched her eyes shut. She could hear Ethel her ever present companion shouting and cheering. She kept her eyes shut. She just heard Enid asking for them to surrender. And then gunfire.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be so squeamish Enid get the rest of them! Shoot em in the nuts! Ouch. Did you see that Maria, she just broke all his ribs. Oh wow, she just broke his neck. She¡¯s awesome. Go Enid! Go Enid! Oh-oh! Look out the girls going for her gun. Oh, right in the head? This is like an action movie.¡±

    Bang. Bang.

    ¡°Oh, that was cold. She didn¡¯t even let them finish their monologuing. Get up Mariana get up! You can run away now! Totally went Willow on their asses. She should have said ¡®bored now¡¯¡±

    Mariana could feel hands trying to lift her up. She opened her eyes and it was Ethel trying to lift her up. The child didn¡¯t have the strength. Then she looked up and Enid was leaning down with a knife. She tried to get away, but she was still bound. She couldn¡¯t remember anything Enid said except.

    ¡°Hide!¡±

    Ethel had pushed and shoved her towards some shadows. Mariana just wanted to disappear, and she did. She watched from the darkness as the girl she had come to know as a good and decent person brutally shot four more people. Enid seemed to know one of them. Mariana jumped when she heard Ethel whisper into her ear.

    ¡°Get your bag.¡±

    Mariana nodded and reached her hand out and pulled it back and over her shoulder. She sat against the wall in the shadows wrapping her arms around her knees. Her fingers stroking her crucifix. She rocked back and forth. She wasn¡¯t sure how long it had been, but she came to her senses when she felt Ethel¡¯s rubber ball hit her in the face.

    ¡°Hurry. I know where to find Enid.¡±

    ¡°I do not want to find her. She is dangerous and violent.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid. She saved the both of you. And she took a bullet for you!¡±

    ¡°She thought I was human.¡±

    ¡°And you were at the time weren¡¯t you, like she was. She knew she could get hurt for realsies and she still got in front of the bullet for you. And I heard her tell Sister Fancypants that she¡¯d die for you.¡±

    ¡°She thinks I am someone else. Someone named Mariana.¡±

    ¡°Duh, Maria-na, Maria? Let¡¯s go! She¡¯s going to get away. She was eating people like you do when I left her. Big Guy is watching her for us. You can do your vampire zippy zippy thing.¡±

    ¡°No, that wastes blood, I will not use my abilities.¡±

    ¡°Then she¡¯ll get away and you won¡¯t know what she¡¯s up to or who she is or whatever. You think she¡¯s going to go to school tomorrow? I don¡¯t.¡±

    Mariana sighed.

    ¡°You are right, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡±

    Ethel grabbed onto Mariana who kept in the shadows and altered time around her and caught up to Enid who was just finishing on her last victim. There was an unconscious woman on the ground. She was a bit banged up. Enid was pointing at the rather beat up male on the ground.

    ¡°No means no asshole. Another time or place I¡¯d have cut your dick off.¡±

    She kicked him in between his legs and Mariana watched her shimmer in and out of existence. She could apparently see through Enid¡¯s power of invisibility. Mariana and Ethel were joined by Mariana¡¯s silent bodyguard who had been watching over Enid. It fell in line beside them. It took them an hour to reach Enid¡¯s destination. It was a large house near their school. She watched as a woman who looked very much like Enid hugged her tightly. She focused on her senses to hear what was being said.

    ¡°Ouch!¡±

    ¡°Sorry Mom, I was worried, you didn¡¯t show up after school!¡±

    ¡°Okay so, I¡¯m the mom, I can come and go as I please, we¡¯re clear on that right? I mean what if I had just gone to the mall?¡±

    ¡°I texted you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, they broke my phone, I guess so I couldn¡¯t be tracked. And seriously relax.¡±

    ¡°I was worried mom.¡±

    Mariana saw Enid pull off her jacket. She hadn¡¯t realized there was so much blood from the bullet wound. She said out loud without meaning too.

    ¡°How did she do all that with her arm that hurt.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s kick ass that¡¯s why! Now shh I¡¯m trying to eavesdrop!¡±

    ¡°What happened mom?¡±

    ¡°I was drugged, kidnapped, and shot. And your pure hearted catholic aunt watched me kill four people and maim several vampires. How was your day?¡±

    Mariana looked at the older woman. She could see the likeness between the two. They were obviously mother and daughter. The older woman seemed to lose her temper.

    ¡°Who did that? Where are they? I¡¯ll make them sorry for touching you!¡±

    Enid held up her hands.

    ¡°Slow down Eyre. Its fine, they are all dead or wish they were.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Do you remember Deloriss?¡±

    ¡°Demon summoner Deloriss?

    ¡°Yes, that one.¡±

    ¡°Why would she do something as stupid as attacking you?¡±

    ¡°Oh, she thought I was a blood slave made up to look like¡­well me and thought she¡¯d get back at me by killing¡­me?¡±

    ¡°What an idiot.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Shot her in the knees with silver bullets and threw her at one of her friends when she went berserk. If I wasn¡¯t trying to look like a poor little mortal blood slave I probably would have laughed at the look on her friend¡¯s face. You should have heard him scream.¡±

    Mariana frowned.

    ¡°Silver bullets, in the knee? That was a bit sadistic wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what her goons had.¡±

    ¡°She gave mortals guns loaded with silver bullets? Did it not occur to her how easily that could kill her?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea, she was staked at the end so I couldn¡¯t ask her.¡±

    ¡°Is Mariana alright?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I told her to hide, and she¡¯s older than me so I have no chance of finding her unless she wants me to find her. She will be alright, as much as she thinks she¡¯s fifteen years old, she¡¯s still a two-thousand-year-old vampire, not many things on Earth that can slow one of us down.¡±

    ¡°Still, I¡¯m worried about her.¡±

    Enid threw up her hands, then looked at her arm and shirt.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get showered and changed. We should probably burn these clothes.¡±

    Mariana blinked. Her mind was having trouble comprehending Enid¡¯s words. She was two-thousand years old? Why couldn¡¯t she remember. It made sense the flashes of Roman legions battling gauls. She looked down at her hands. She¡¯d always wondered why they were so calloused.

    ¡°I told you so! I told you so! You¡¯re so old! I told you, you were older me, but you didn¡¯t believe me did you? That¡¯ll teach you!¡±

    Mariana put her hand on Ethel''s shoulder and nodded. Ethel stood up a bit straighter and stuck her nose up in the air and put her hands on her hips letting her ball drop to the ground. Mariana pressed herself against the wall tighter when she heard a car pull up. She looked to see who it was and it was an Edmonton Police car. Two uniformed officers got out and approached the front door. One pressed the doorbell. Eyre answered the door. Mariana took a closer look. She couldn¡¯t believe how beautiful she was. Long curly red locks, green eyes, regal baring, she found herself envious of the woman. She crossed herself asking for forgiveness for her vanity.

    ¡°We¡¯re sorry for bothering you at this time of night but we had a missing persons report for a fifteen-year-old girl. Her name is Maria Della Villani. She was last seen with your daughter.¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    The officer looked at her tablet.

    ¡°Enid. Have you seen either of them tonight?¡±

    ¡°Enid¡¯s here. She didn¡¯t say anything about Maria. Why do you think they were together?¡±

    ¡°We traced the last location of their cell phones to an alley near their school. They were both smashed. Like they didn¡¯t want to be found.¡±

    ¡°Her cell phone was smashed. She didn¡¯t say anything about that. I suppose I should have suspected something; You know kids these days always have their noses in their phones.¡±

    ¡°Could we talk to her?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s, kind of late could we do this in the morning?¡±

    The officers looked at each other than the female officer spoke again.

    ¡°Well Ms. Aurelius this is about a missing child, its important.¡±

    ¡°I doubt Enid would know anything about that, her and Maria aren¡¯t that close, they are working on a school project together. That¡¯s all.¡±

    ¡°Any detail could help, it could mean the difference between life and death.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure she just didn¡¯t run away?¡±

    ¡°There are witnesses that say a van grabbed them. We would really like to speak to Enid. Just to confirm she¡¯s safe.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay. Please wait here.¡±

    Eyre closed the door and Mariana peeked in the window. She saw her knock on the bathroom door and Enid came out wearing a jogging pants and a t-shirt. Her own red curls flatted from still being wet. Enid walked to the door with Eyre and opened it.

    ¡°Hi Officers, come in please.¡±

    The officers walked inside.

    ¡°Hi Enid, I¡¯m constable James, and this is constable McCloud. We¡¯d like to ask you about earlier tonight. We found your cell phone in an alley, smashed and we were told two girls match yours and your friend Maria¡¯s description were grabbed and dragged into a van. Did this happen? Do you know where Maria is?¡±

    Enid nodded, then shook her head.

    ¡°Yes, we were grabbed. Four people, three men, one female. Ski masks. They spoke Russian. One was named Sergei. They tried to use needles on us. I kicked the one who was trying to inject me in the nuts and jabbed the needle into the one trying to stick Maria. Then used that needle to inject the woman. The other one was driving. I stomped on the one I kicked in the nuts chest then van stopped because the driver was trying to grab us. We jumped out of the back. I told Maria to run one way, I ran the other way. I assume she got away because they were chasing me.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call us?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a phone because they broke mine and I just got home.¡±

    ¡°Did they say anything that might indicate why they grabbed you?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°So why didn¡¯t you contact us as soon as you got home?¡±

    ¡°Because I hit my head jumping out of the van and was covered in blood and I was tired. Also, a fifteen year old girl calling the police and saying oh my god, I was grabbed by four Russian thugs sounds really believable doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Young lady, this serious, Maria is still missing.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could help you, but I can only tell you what happened. She had her bag can¡¯t you trace her computer?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s too old.¡±

    ¡°Look officers, I like Maria, I want to help but I don¡¯t know what else I can tell you. My clothes are in the bathroom if you can get anything from them. I took the woman¡¯s jacket because the tore mine when they grabbed me. You can take them all, right mom?¡±

    ¡°Sure, anything we can do to help.¡±

    Mariana bit her lip. She looked at Esther who was still looking pretty full of herself. Mariana closed her eyes and her fingers started to stroke her tiny silver crucifix.

    Should I show myself? What should I do?

    Mariana sighed and crossed herself. She knew what she should do. God did not need to tell her. The gospels already had all the lessons she needed. She stood up and let the shadows fall from around her and she rang the doorbell. Eyre opened the door and her eyes went wide.

    ¡°Mariana?¡±

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am. I, I wanted to know if Enid got home safe.¡±

    ¡°Please come inside you must be freezing out there.¡±

    The two officers turned to see a disheveled looking Mariana. Constable McCloud pressed the button on her radio.

    ¡°Cancel amber alert for Maria Della Villani, we found her.¡±

    She released the button and looked at Mariana more closely.

    ¡°You must be freezing. Get her blankets.¡±

    Violet who had been watching the evenings events quietly rushed off and came back with a thick quilt and wrapped it around Mariana.

    ¡°I am fine thank-you ma¡¯am. She pulled the blanket off and offered it back to Violet.¡±

    The officers looked unconvinced. Mariana always looked either half dead or half frozen, she was deathly pale and had a blue tinge to her lips.

    ¡°We should get an ambulance and get you looked at.¡±

    ¡°I am fine officer, I assure you.¡±

    ¡°She is, she always looks like that. That¡¯s why everyone calls her zombie girl.¡±

    Enid shrugged. Mariana¡¯s hand stroked her silver crucifix she looked Enid up and down. How could this girl be her sister, they looked nothing alike? Enid was a beacon of life, rosy cheeks, well-toned. Bright and airy, opposed to Mariana¡¯s dark and pale looks. And how could Eyre be her niece she looked so much older than either Enid or herself. It didn¡¯t make sense.

    ¡°That isn¡¯t very nice, Enid.¡±

    Eyre sound just like a mother chastising her daughter.

    ¡°It¡¯s what everyone at school calls her.¡±

    ¡°And if they jumped off the high-level bridge, would you, do it too? It¡¯s not nice to call people names I thought we taught you better than that.¡±

    Enid rolled her eyes.

    Kid sure has the mom thing down.

    ¡°Whatever mom.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare whatever mom me Enid Aurelius. Not after you came home in the middle of the night and didn¡¯t tell me you were grabbed off the street! We are going to have a very long talk. I am sorry constables if I had known what had happened, I would have called right away. I would have called sooner but Enid has a habit of running off, she did the same thing with her Father in Scotland. So, I didn¡¯t think anything of it. I didn¡¯t want to waste your time.¡±

    ¡°It is alright ma¡¯am. Do you mind if we ask Enid more questions?¡±

    ¡°At this point I don¡¯t care if you throw her in an interrogation room.¡±

    Enid glared at Eyre.

    She¡¯s loving this.

    ¡°That will not be necessary, Maria, we¡¯ll get another cruiser to come by and give you a ride home.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping to stay here tonight, to make sure Enid was okay. They hit her very hard.¡±

    ¡°Well, the sisters wanted you to come home. And the convent is responsible for you.¡±

    ¡°I will call.¡±

    Eyre nodded and offered Mariana her cell phone.

    ¡°Use mine, of course you can stay.¡±

    Mariana walked away from the group and made a call. Eyre was just pouring coffee when she returned. The kettle was whistling as well, and Eyre went about making tea.

    ¡°The Mother Superior would like to speak to one of you.¡±

    Mariana offered the phone up. Constable McCloud took it and walked away from the group. She spoke quietly and returned with the phone and offered back to Eyre who pointed at the kitchen counter. After she put the phone down the Constable took her coat off and sat down at the table. She pulled out her pad and looked at Enid and Mariana.

    ¡°What color was the van?¡±

    Mariana sat quietly her hand stroking her crucifix. She looked at Enid and then back to the Constable. Eyre put a cup of coffee on the table beside the constable. She poured out tea for Enid and Mariana. Enid spoke up.

    ¡°Dark Blue.¡±

    ¡°What was the make and model?¡±

    ¡°I am not too familiar with cars, but I think it was a ford, cargo van?¡±

    ¡°How old was it?¡±

    ¡°It was probably pretty old, it had some rust.¡±

    ¡°Did you get the license plate?¡±

    ¡°No, it was covered with snow.¡±

    ¡°Anything else you noticed?¡±

    ¡°The woman had a tattoo on her chest, looked like Russian mafia, if that makes any sense.¡±

    The officer nodded.

    ¡°Do either of you know why they grabbed you?¡±

    ¡°I do not know, ma¡¯am. I thought it might be my Uncle, he was Russian and I am not sure what he did when he left the house. I do know he was into some criminal activities though. My nanny told me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, that makes some sense. Neither of you have any association with any criminal activities?¡±

    ¡°Well, that is probably it for the questioning Constable, until we can have a lawyer present.¡±

    Constable McCloud held up her hand.

    ¡°No need for that, I just need to know possible motives. I¡¯m not trying to catch anyone up here.¡±

    ¡°No ma¡¯am, I do not get involved in those types of things.¡±

    ¡°I have been behaving myself.¡±

    ¡°No drugs?¡±

    Both girls shook their heads. Constable McCloud nodded she seemed to be happy with that answer. She looked back a few pages in her pad.

    ¡°Enid, I see you have a record from Scotland, you broke your teacher¡¯s nose? But were never charged.¡±

    Enid glared at Eyre, who gave a small shrug and a twitch of a half-smile.

    ¡°That was when I was twelve and he was grabbing parts of me he shouldn¡¯t. I kneed him between the legs and then in the face. He didn¡¯t touch me anymore after that.¡±

    ¡°That is true Constable. He was charged with molestation of a minor and is in prison.¡±

    Constable McCloud nodded.

    ¡°I was just wondering, where you learned to fight well enough to take down adults that are so much bigger than you.¡±

    ¡°I can answer that as well, she¡¯s been taking martial arts since she was six. Her instructors didn¡¯t teach her how to pull her punches.¡±

    Constable McCloud made more notes. The doorbell rang again. Eyre answered it and she left a pair of women in. They were wearing id badges she led them to the bathroom. Constable McCloud watched them giving them a nod.

    ¡°Anything else either of you can tell me?¡±

    ¡°They had pistols. Glock 17¡¯s. They had a round chambered. Could tell by the weight. Means they were ready to use them. I think if someone had intervened, they would have shot them. If you guys run into them, you should expect a fight.¡±

    ¡°And how did you know how much they weighed?¡±

    ¡°I picked one of them up and threw it into the front of the van, so it was out of reach of the one that was still conscious.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re familiar with firearms?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been shooting since I was ten.¡±

    ¡°Your parents wanted you to be prepared it seems.¡±

    ¡°They were both former armed forces. They believe everyone should know how to defend themselves.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re familiar with firearms, why didn¡¯t you use it? You could have stopped them right there.¡±

    ¡°I know my history might seem like I¡¯m a violent hoodlum, but I don¡¯t want to kill people. Guns are dangerous. What if I¡¯d hit Maria by accident? Or some innocent bystander?¡±

    Enid shook her head. The constable nodded, made a few more notes.

    ¡°What did the injections do to them?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much knocked them out instantly.¡±

    ¡°And the one you took down; Do you think you hurt him badly?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure I cracked or broke a few ribs, maybe punctured a lung. I wasn¡¯t trying to, but he was getting up and I didn¡¯t know what else to do.¡±

    The constable made more notes.

    ¡°So, you heard bones breaking?¡±

    Mariana and Enid both nodded.

    ¡°It¡¯s a pretty distinct sound when you crack someone¡¯s sternum and ribs.¡±

    The constable quirked an eyebrow, looking Enid up and down again. Enid held her hands up again and shook her head.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, I gave someone CPR and I heard it then. It¡¯s not an easy sound to forget.¡±

    The constable nodded and made more notes.

    ¡°Sounds like he would need to be hospitalized for that kind of injury.¡±

    The constable spoke into her radio.

    ¡°Constable McCloud here, put an APB out for a dark blue ford van, plates covered in snow. Rusty. One of the offenders had broken ribs, likely a collapsed lung, check hospitals for similar injuries.¡±

    Mariana looked at Enid and seemed about to open her mouth and Enid shook her head very slightly. Mariana closed her mouth and looked down at the cup of tea that had been placed for her. She frowned slightly and her hand went to her crucifix. The constable looked back at the girls.

    ¡°So what time were you grabbed and at what point did you get away?¡±

    Enid looked at Mariana.

    ¡°It was at 3:30ish right?¡±

    Mariana nodded.

    ¡°It was dark when we got out of the van. I am not sure how long we were there. They hit me in the head because I was struggling. I blacked out.¡±

    Mariana stroked her crucifix.

    ¡°I am not sure either I was not really aware of my surroundings.¡±

    ¡°We escaped in the south side. I think they said something about going to the airport. But I don¡¯t understand much Russian. There were a lot of factories around when we escaped it was well after sundown.¡±

    Mariana nodded. The constable nodded and made more notes.

    ¡°Did anyone see you escape? Where there any witnesses?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anyone almost the whole way home.¡±

    Mariana nodded her agreement again.

    ¡°And you both walked all that way in this weather?¡±

    Mariana and Enid both nodded.

    ¡°Alright then, that¡¯s all for now. We may have more questions.¡±

    The constable got up and pulled her coat on and went over and spoke to Eyre and the other woman who had Enid¡¯s clothes bagged and were heading out. Eyre walked them out and locked the door then looked at her mother and aunt and shrugged.

 Edmonton - 2026 - Kidnapped - Part 3/3

    Eyre sat down at the table in the seat the constable had occupied.  Violet sat down in another empty seat.  She fidgeted with her hands tapping them on the glass tabletop.  All eyes turned to Mariana who was stroking her crucifix with her fingers.  She looked up and noticed she was being stared at then she looked down at the table.  Enid nodded and looked at Eyre.

    ¡°You really laid on the long-suffering mother act thick there.¡±

    ¡°Well, I am long-suffering.  I mean a mother like you who need¡¯s enemies?¡±

    Eyre grinned her green eyes twinkling.

    ¡°This is a problem.  They aren¡¯t going to find that van, or those Russians.  I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯re being dissolved with acid as we speak.  This is a lot more attention than we want.¡±

    ¡°I can use my contacts to create a false trail leading out of the country to somewhere in eastern Europe.¡±

    ¡°You can backstop for Russian mercenary id¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°Child¡¯s play for my people.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Can we expect any blow back from the Pugmentia mom?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°I doubt it, they think we¡¯re all mortals, and if they know Violet exists, they¡¯ll assume she¡¯s here as our handler for the Empress.  I think I gave them enough false leads to be scared shitless of worrying about us any further.  Violet that means if you run into one of the pugementia you need to act like you¡¯re big time, a made woman if you know what I mean.¡±

    ¡°So, act like you?¡±

    ¡°Ya, that should do it.¡±

    ¡°Do you think the black sun knows we¡¯re here now?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so hon, if he did we¡¯d be knee deep in his minions.  I also think if there is any scent of him nearby I left enough on the table that the Pugmentia will reach out to tell us.  We should be secure for the time being.  We just need to keep Mariana and myself out of the public eye.  Keep a low profile.¡±

    Mariana seemed to snap out of whatever had her so out of it and she looked at Eyre and Violet.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, Violet, could I speak to Enid alone.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to call me ma¡¯am Aunt Mariana, you are way older than me.  I¡¯m so happy to meet you finally, I¡¯ll take Violet out hunting mom. Give you some privacy. Come on Violet.¡±

    The pair left the house together.  Mariana waited until they were alone.

    ¡°You lied to those police officers, that is not right, they are going to be wasting a bunch of time hunting down people who are already dead.¡±

    ¡°Look I know that is wrong, but it is really hard to explain me killing all four of them myself, isn¡¯t it?  And this is vampire stuff the covenant says we need to keep ourselves secret.  The consequences of telling the truth would cause a lot more harm.¡±

    Mariana stroked her crucifix her fingers tracing the form of Jesus.

    ¡°You lied to me.¡±

    Enid looked down at the table tracing patterns with her fingers unable to meet her sister¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°I am sorry, I did not want to overwhelm you with information.¡±

    ¡°What happened to me?¡±

    ¡°You saved the world, and our father told the council he had you executed.   You broke the rules and the council except for our father and myself voted to kill you.  That includes my husband your brother Lucius, only it wasn¡¯t him, it was a being called the Black Sun that took control of him during a battle.¡±

    ¡°The why am I here?¡±

    ¡°I can only assume that Amara was more loyal to you then she was to the council and our father and kept you safe.¡±

    ¡°Why do I not remember this?¡±

    ¡°You were hurt badly when we fought the Black Sun, our father wanted to heal you, wake you, but the council overruled him.  I wanted to kill them all, still do.¡±

    ¡°Two wrongs do not make a right Enid.¡±

    ¡°I know, but you¡¯re my sister, my best friend, it¡¯s my duty to protect you and I couldn¡¯t our father stopped me.  He was so old and powerful no one can stand against him or could before he went into eternal slumber.¡±

    ¡°We look nothing alike; How can we be sisters? I know what you say to be true, I have no doubt in my soul.¡±

    ¡°You father rescued me when I was near death, I was ten or eleven.  The night after I got to Rome you came into my room; We couldn¡¯t speak the same language but we knew then we¡¯d be friends forever.¡±

    Enid showed the scar on her hand and reached for Mariana¡¯s hand that had an identical scar.

    ¡°We used a spell when we were mortal to bind ourselves as blood sisters, when we were fifteen, just before we got married.  We swore that we would live and die for each other.  Swore by all the gods.¡±

    ¡°There is only one god.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t always believe that Mariana.  You were born in Rome.  You were raised in Rome.  It wasn¡¯t until our nephew was born that you had a change of heart.¡±

    ¡°Nephew?¡±

    ¡°You know him as Jesus Christ.¡±

    ¡°Jesus?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he was Plutonia¡¯s grandson.¡±

    ¡°Who is Plutonia?¡±

    ¡°She was our sister.  She was the oldest child of our father and mother.  Sextus and Aurelia. She chose not to become a vampire.  Sextus accepted that and left her live out her mortal life.  She had six children with a Hebrew man.  One of which was named Mary, who had a son, named Jesus.  Plutonia died in what we¡¯d call the year 64 now.¡±

    ¡°How old was she?¡±

    ¡°I think one hundred and ninety or so.¡±

    ¡°And she was human?¡±

    ¡°Well not fully, our father, he could have children, but he was a god in his own right.  As his biological children Lucius, Plutonia and yourself, you could live for centuries.  Your children lived to be three or four hundred years old.  I watched out for them as best I could.  You ate the fruit like I did though.  Eyre was 130ish when I turned her.¡±

    ¡°So, Jesus was our nephew? As in Jesus Christ, the Messiah?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°We were with him the night before he died.  I tried to stop him, you told me we had to let him go, it was God¡¯s will.¡±

    ¡°So, I knew him, while he was flesh and blood.¡±

    Mariana crossed herself, and then her hand started stroking her crucifix rapidly.

    ¡°Yes, we were at the so-called last supper together.  Look don¡¯t let it make your head spin. He was just a man, a very good, and very holy man, but he was just a man, no more, no less.  Because you ate the fruit and your father was a god, he had gifts, most of our direct family did.¡±

    ¡°You are wrong.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m not going to argue the point with you sis.  I¡¯m just happy I can finally tell you the whole truth.¡±

    ¡°How old are we?  Am I?¡±

    ¡°You were born in 103 BCE.   You were turned in 85ish BCE.  Lucius was turned at the same time as me.  So you¡¯re older then both us.  The only surviving vampires older are the council members now.  I killed the oldest of us in the 19<sup>th</sup> century in London.¡±

    ¡°Why did you kill them?¡±

    ¡°I had no choice, she using blood to summon an apocalyptic storm, it would have killed millions.  Father had trapped her, but for whatever reason the Black Sun unleashed her.  I didn¡¯t want to do it but if the choice was another Sodom and Gomorrah, or her death, I would choose her death every time.¡±

    Mariana¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°We have such power?¡±

    ¡°Not all of us, the only reason I had a chance was I had taught Eyre magic and we were able to redirect the energy back into the storm causing it to collapse.¡±

    ¡°And tonight, you killed those four people while you were in the sun, how?  Do you have your powers in sunlight?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve just spent a long time living as a mortal and learned how to fight without my powers.¡±

    ¡°So, you really were injured and could not heal until you were out of the sun.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°And that vampire he tried to stake you, are we immune?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we have amulets they wrap around our hearts.  They make us immune to sun¡¯s effects and protect us from stakes, but in sunlight we are just as vulnerable to everything mortals are.¡±

    ¡°You healed from a silver bullet; How did you do that so fast?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°Silver doesn¡¯t do anything to us silly. We¡¯re imperial vampires.  The only things we need to worry about usually are the sun and stakes.  There are other magical things but for the most part, we¡¯re pretty tough.  Does your silver crucifix burn your hand?¡±

    ¡°No, but I thought it was God¡­¡±

    ¡°Sis, I am going to say it again, if there is a God he doesn¡¯t give a goats piss what is going on in the world.¡±

    Mariana stroked her crucifix more quickly.

    ¡°You went into Limbo you came out with armor and weapons and were immune to the sun.  You healed a jerk of an angel named Ezekiel, should have left him cursed by the way.  And then you started your war with the Black Sun.  What you did there I do not know beyond what your journal told me.  But I do know your sun immunity is your amulet not some intangible all powerful being.  Amulets your father and uncle Remus made.  Look I¡¯m not trying to make you question your faith and I should be more sensitive to it.  I have spent a long time dealing with the bull shit that Christianity has spawned in this world.  Hell, they made me a saint.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    Enid threw up her hands.

    ¡°Saint Sarah, is you?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°So, you did all those things? Slew a demon hound, built a cathedral, married, had twins, the story about the pig violator was true?¡±

    ¡°Yes, for the most part everything attributed to Saint Sarah is true, embellished a bit by my son who had a taste for women and drink and would tell a story for either.¡±

    ¡°How did you have children?  You would have been¡­thirteen hundred years old by then.¡±

    ¡°That was a shock, trust me. Eyre is one of the twins.¡±

    ¡°But how?¡±

    ¡°I ate fruit from the tree of life in the garden of Eden.  Apparently, that makes me able to conceive because I¡¯m neither fully dead, nor fully alive.  Our father didn¡¯t explain it very well and I wasn¡¯t handling the whole pregnancy thing very well.  We argued and I didn¡¯t get to ask details.¡±

    ¡°And you prayed for a spring?¡±

    ¡°No, I created a healing spring.  It was complicated and I needed Eyre, and her daughter¡¯s blood and my blood.¡±

    ¡°So, it was not a miracle.¡±

    ¡°No, sorry sis, it wasn¡¯t, it was just me trying to save people I cared very deeply about.¡±

    ¡°Then it was a miracle, because it was done out of love.¡±

    ¡°Sure, okay.¡±

    Mariana nodded.

    ¡°You say I have eaten the same fruit, so I can still have children?¡±

    ¡°I guess so but trust me you don¡¯t want to. You literally can¡¯t drink blood you will vomit it out, your body rejects it.  It isn¡¯t pretty. By the end of the pregnancy, I was pretty much running on fumes.¡±

    ¡°But it can be done.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Mariana smiled stroking her crucifix.

    ¡°Look, we have bigger issues at the moment.  Lilith sent me here to recruit you.¡±

    ¡°Lilith, the first one who rejected God?¡±

    ¡°Yes, wife to Lucifer.¡±

    ¡°How can you associate with such a thing?¡±

    ¡°She raised me before my father tried to kill me, my biological father.  She isn¡¯t who you think she is, trust me I know what you think of her, because I thought the same thing for a very long time.  But I didn¡¯t remember her as my first mother.¡±

    ¡°But she rejected God¡¯s will to his face.¡±

    ¡°She rejected being subservient to men.  There¡¯s a difference.  I don¡¯t disagree with her. But whatever you think of her, she is on our side.  She is helping us fight the Black Sun.¡±

    ¡°What is this Black Sun?¡±

    ¡°Atlantean legends state he was the first creation of God.  And that he rejected God and wants to remake creation in his own image.  God created our father Sextus, and our uncle Remus to balance the Black Sun once he determined he could not destroy it.¡±

    ¡°Atlantean?¡±

    ¡°Atlantis, the first city of the first creation.  Our father ruled it. There was a war, a terrible weapon was unleashed and now the city and it¡¯s surviving residents are stuck there frozen for all eternity in that one moment. It is in Limbo now.  The first prison.¡±

    ¡°Tell me more please.¡±

    ¡°This is more legend than fact, you need to understand that. The only one who knew the real history was our father and he never spoke of it.  I can only infer what I have read in the Atlantean documents and have gleaned from other sources over the years and what Lilith has told me.¡±

    Mariana nodded.

    ¡°In the beginning there was God.  He lost focus and a stray thought became manifest.  And the with a flash of light the raw stuff of creation burst into existence along with it came the Black Sun.  The black sun started creating reality in his image.  God was distressed with this, that was his right, not this stray thought¡¯s so he tried to smite it, but he found he could not, try as he might the stray thought, the Black Sun was immune to direct manipulation.  So, he created a prison, Limbo and shoved the Black Sun into it. Reality started to unravel, God saw that his stray thoughts were dangerous, so he needed to get creation under control, so he created his second and third creations.  We know them as Father and Uncle.  The brothers started to rein in creation, it stabilized and solidified.  God found he could manipulate the reality.  Unlike the raw stuff of creation, it wasn¡¯t chaotic it was ordered, structured and he could use it as a framework. He rested pleased with his second and third creations and their new reality.  As time went on the population of Atlantis grew.  But the Black Sun, though trapped was able to spread his influence.  He demanded a return to chaos, he wanted to make reality in his image, not Gods, or these two pretenders.  His followers broke him out of his prison and while God¡¯s gaze was elsewhere they started a war.  Sextus realizing that Atlantis was the lynch pin in creation sacrificed his people to save reality, to save creation, to save what God had wrought.  So, he detonated a temporal bomb.  It froze Atlantis and its magical core in time.  Never changing.  Trapping all his people in that one moment.  He and Remus were immune.  As was the Black Sun.  The three battled in earnest.  They had turned themselves into monsters to fight the monsters the Black Sun had created.  God was angered when he saw that the Black Sun had escaped.  He threw him back into Limbo along with his second and third creations and Atlantis.  But he still had his lynch pin for reality, a stable core for his new creation.¡±

    Enid stopped and glanced at Mariana who nodded.

    ¡°God started again, this time he created a bigger group of workers, we¡¯d call them Angels. They worked away crafting all manner of thing for him planets solar systems, plants, animals.  All was good with creation until the Black Sun¡¯s whispers reached Lucifer, oh Lucifer was a proud angel, the brightest and strongest among his kind, the first angel.  God¡¯s favored creation.  His pride was his downfall.  The Black Sun whispered that should this creation not be his to weave, not in an image God demanded, but in the image and to the glory of Lucifer, greatest among all of creation.  Thus began another war.  God when he turned back was furious and hurt.  Lucifer, his fourth child had turned against him.  He loved him too much to destroy him.  Realizing that Limbo was an ineffective prison created a new one Hell and cast Lucifer and his cohort into it creating demons.  God didn¡¯t know what to do next, every time he created something to help him shape reality, it turned on him because the Black Sun would whisper to it.  He couldn¡¯t seem to keep it trapped.  So, he decided to go back to the base form he had chosen, human, this time though he started with a woman.  Before there had been no genders all had been male and or genderless.  He decided that he needed something different to balance creation. So, he created the Garden, he charged Ezekiel the Archangel with protecting his fledgling creations within.  He created Lilith first.  She wasn¡¯t fully a woman.  He was still working on the design I guess.  He then created Adam and demanded Lilith serve him.  Lilith would have none of that.  She said I was first, and he was second he should be subservient to me.  God was not pleased, rebellion already and she was just created.  He tossed her out of the Garden to keep it pure.  He then created Eve.  All was good until the Black Sun whispered to Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, but in so doing he made a prison that could hold him.  When God made Adam and Eve mortal he created the lands of the dead, he hadn¡¯t intended it, but death needed its own realm.  God was furious at the interference of the Black Sun yet again.  So, he pulled a weapon of dread from Atlantis and gave it to Sextus.  It wasn¡¯t of God¡¯s creation; It was the Black Sun¡¯s a sword of silver that would drain the very essence of creation from beings.  It could kill anything even God, but God was beyond reason at this point and wanted only to see the Black Sun destroyed. But even the sword would prove to be useless against the Black Sun.¡±

    Enid paused, as Violet and Eyre returned.  They went into the basement.

    ¡°Dawn¡¯s coming soon. Violet isn¡¯t immune to the sun and she¡¯s young she has to sleep.¡±

    Mariana nodded.

    ¡°Please finish the story.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Okay where was I? Bloodseeker and Sextus hunting the Black Sun.  Sextus and Remus tracked the Black Sun down in the dark pit he¡¯d crafted himself in Limbo, where he plotted his next move to unravel creation.  A fight ensued the Black Sun was defeated by the brothers, but the sword didn¡¯t slay him.  It just absorbed his essence. Trapping him there.  It would seem not even this blade could end it.  Sextus tried to drain the essence that was stored in the sword but could not, he was not strong enough.  With his physical form destroyed the Black Sun escaped the sword eventually but had nowhere to return to and was quickly sucked into the lands of the dead.  Sextus assumed he had won once and for all and believed that it had just taken time for the essence to dissipate.  Victorious and having completed the task laid before him by God he sought out his own path.  He found Lilith and they had a very long love affair.  Lilith could not conceive.   As I said, god hadn¡¯t finished making her.  She was incomplete she had no womb with which to hold a child.  She didn¡¯t tell him about this, she took Remus and Sextus out of Limbo into the world.  Humans had spread far and wide.  Lilith tried to conceive with several men. It did not work.  She watched as Sextus and Remus created more of their kind.  She grew jealous and stole Sextus¡¯s blood and turned a child.  The child was the first strix it became a monster.   It fed and killed wantonly.  Sextus put it down.  He was upset at Lilith¡¯s betrayal, but he was the forgiving kind and took her back.  She was obsessed with having a child of her own.  She stole his blood and tried again, this time with an older human.  A woman.  She became the first Child of Lilith, the first Pugmentia trash blooded as Sextus referred to them.  This curse spread far and wide and by the time Sextus and Remus realized it was too late to clean up the mess.  God was angered again at the arrogance of Lilith and cast her into hell.  There she seduced Lucifer who tried to seduce her, but she was wise to his ways and wasn¡¯t one to lay subservient to a male.  She played the part of dutiful wife, promising to let him and his fallen angels and the horde of demons they had created out of their prison with her portal ability.  She used the time to gather her strength and left Hell betraying Lucifer.  He¡¯s still fairly angry. I can tell by the fallen angel that was summoned by Deloriss from earlier tonight.¡±

    Mariana nodded.

    ¡°The Black Sun took a long time to restore its form and consciousness.  Then it quietly started gathering the unclaimed souls of the dead.  Pulling them into its essence.  Once it had restored itself with the essence of the souls, it started collecting them into cells.  He/it theorized that it could use the collective power of the unclaimed ones to destroy the realm of the dead, he would concentrate that energy on Atlantis and destroy it in Limbo breaking the lynch pin of reality and unraveling creation and then he would rebuild it how he wanted it, full of chaos.  This is from your journal, whether this is fact or supposition I do not know.  You realized what he was planning because you have a unique connection to the lands of the dead.  You see also in your journal you claim the Black Sun tried to snuff out your life force as an act of revenge.  He reached into your mother¡¯s womb and tried to kill you, and you were born early, near death.  Sextus made a pact with Lilith to keep you alive, he could no longer enter limbo, but she could.  She got a piece of fruit from the tree of life.  She gave it to him. But told him there would be a cost to save his child he said he would pay anything.  So, you were saved.  In this act the Black Sun created his greatest enemy: You.  Once you found out souls were being devoured and trapped in this plot you set about stopping him, you built a legion of vampires and unclaimed souls and you took Amara, myself, Lucius into the realm of the dead where we fought a terrible battle.  We told you to wait but you didn¡¯t you lunged at him, I didn¡¯t see the fight that ensued. Lucius went down and I was knee deep in the Black Sun¡¯s forces when everyone was blasted down and you smashed through an altar.  You weren¡¯t moving.  I attacked the Black Sun with the Bloodseeker and I thought I had killed him like Sextus had thought before me.  You were fading fast.  I fed you my blood it kept you alive but it didn¡¯t heal you.  Lucius was unconscious, you were unconscious we carried you out of there and the Black Legion stayed to cover our retreat as you had trained them to do, we barely made it through the portal but you never woke.  I don¡¯t know what the Black Sun did to you.  I do know the Pugmentia you called Uncle used some form of mental ability to rewrite your memories to build someone pliable.  I think he was trying to use you to uncover your knowledge of necromancy.  I think he failed to realize that your force of will, and your inherent goodness would interfere.¡±

    ¡°How do you know what he did?¡±

    ¡°Lilith told me.  She is older than either of us.  She has a network of agents all over the world. Mortal and immortal.¡±

    ¡°The Black Sun still lives?¡±

    ¡°Yes, to save itself it entered Lucius and possessed him.  Shunting Lucius elsewhere.  In that one act he made it possible for us to destroy him.  Or at least imprison him forever in the shell that was Lucius.  Which is why I need you; I need you to turn Lucius¡¯s body into a soul trap so the Black Sun cannot escape into the realm of the dead again.  This is the last time he will rise up against our reality.  I swear it, and I swear once he is dealt with, I will find my husband and I will rescue him.¡±

    ¡°That will not work Enid.  We need another way.¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?  You can¡¯t even remember your real name.¡±

    ¡°Sextus would have done the same with the sword if he could not use it to destroy him.  Yet he did not, that tells me that he did not believe trapping him was going to work.¡±

    ¡°I see what you¡¯re getting at.  Trap him he will just escape later.  Leaving us with the question: At what point will that happen? And when it happens, we start the cycle all over again.  He is far weaker than he was at least when it comes to being the first creation of God.  He has been stuck in a physical body with no real access to the realm of the dead to gather that power.  He can¡¯t enter limbo either without yours or Lilith¡¯s help. So, he cannot attack Atlantis directly.  I¡¯m not sure what his plan is, I know what his end goal is, but I don¡¯t even know what board we¡¯re playing on.¡±

    ¡°This is not a game Enid.¡±

    ¡°You are so wrong sis.  Everything is a game.  Right now, we¡¯re playing the infinite game against someone who is playing a finite game.  We¡¯re going to lose its just a matter of when, to win we have to keep beating him down, to win all he has to do is succeed in destroying Atlantis or Limbo.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that this is just a game.¡±

    ¡°I did not say that this is just a game, I said that everything is a game.  It¡¯s a theory the humans came up with called Game Theory, you can use the math to describe everything that is a contest of any sort.  Economics, war, politics, eternal struggles against the forces of chaos.  Say what you will about United States, but they sure have some good strategic thinking classes in their officer training.¡±

    Mariana quirked her head looking at Enid.

    ¡°I was a fighter pilot for the US Navy.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Easy I made up an identity did four years of college to set up my back story properly, signed up.¡±

    ¡°How did they not find out you were a vampire?¡±

    ¡°I went for all my physicals in places with lots of windows.¡±

    Mariana stroked her crucifix and shook her head.

    ¡°You have seen so much and I so little.  I am envious.¡±

    ¡°You still have thousands of years Mariana, just relax.¡±

    ¡°I am not sure how I can help you, Enid.  I have no memory of any of this, and I am not sure I am capable of such a thing anymore.¡±

    ¡°You can help, you still understand this.¡±

    Enid reached into her bag and pulled out the Atlantean tablet.  She offered it to Mariana who looked at the scrolling blue matrix like text.

    ¡°You gave me this in case something happened to you and told me if you failed to stop the Black Sun the key would be in here.¡±

    Mariana read for several minutes.  While she was reading Eyre had come back up stairs and started cooking breakfast.  This morning it was sausages, pancakes and eggs.  Enid took a deep breath and Eyre waved her spatula the pair.

    ¡°School is in a couple of hours.¡±

    Enid¡¯s response was a very sarcastic: ¡°Thanks mom¡±

    Mariana looked up from her reading, apparently not aware of the goings on around her.

    ¡°It is a, he, The Black Son is male.  You translated it wrong. It is son as in male child.¡±

    ¡°See you already found something I¡¯ve missed for thousands of years.  You can help.  Even if you don¡¯t remember.¡±

    ¡°The person who wrote this was brilliant.  It could not have been me.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, it was you, that¡¯s your journal and your notes.  Most if I can¡¯t understand.  I never had a talent for necromancy or interdimensional physics and travel.  My brain just can¡¯t wrap itself around the concepts.¡±

    Mariana began to stroke her crucifix again and looked at the real Enid for the first time.

 Edmonton - 2026 - Dreams (Maria)

    Maria was lost in darkness. Then when her eyes opened, she was much smaller than she remembered. She was on her back in the center of what seemed to be a huge garden. She could see marble pillars ahead and behind. She jumped when she saw a black shape form beside her and look down at her out of the shimmering blackness that flickered in and out of existence came a hand like appendage and she took it and it pulled her up. She remembered it, or him, the dark one. She looked around for Esther as she was never far away from him. She was a full foot shorter than she remembered. She looked down at her hands they were so small. She looked down at herself and realized the dress she was wearing was white and had blue designs on it. She was so small.

    ¡°What is happening sir?¡±

    The ghost looked down at her silently. It put it¡¯s hand like appendage on the top of her head and then on her back patting it gently. She saw a blond-haired boy, who as a little taller than her run into the gardens. He smiled when he saw her.

    ¡°Mariana!¡±

    His name came to her lips

    ¡°Lucius.¡±

    ¡°I have been looking all over for you. Mother was worried.¡±

    Lucius tugged on her hand and Maria didn¡¯t resist.

    ¡°Hurry, one of the legions is marching to the senate, you¡¯re going to miss it.¡±

    Maria let herself be tugged along she saw a kindly woman. The woman, no not woman, her mother, smiled and waved at the pair as they passed. The pair ran into a strict looking woman wearing a dress. Her muscles were lean and toned. She motioned for them to follow and led them to the top of a building where they could see the vast legion marching towards the senate. Maria watched the procession wide eyed; She had heard about it so many times in her Latin class, but now she was living and breathing the glory of Rome. Behind her she felt the ever-watchful presence of her dark guardian. In the flickering darkness that made up his form she made out his two muscular arms and the glowing red eyes that hid there. He watched the soldiers passing. She released Lucius¡¯s and the woman''s hands and then grabbed one of her dark guardian¡¯s wrists. He lowered his hand wrapping it in hers. These echoes of her memory seemed alien, but he had always been and always would be her guardian. She could see the shape of his head quirk to the side and his chin pointed towards her brother and then Amara. Maria held his hand firmly. He nodded to her and looked towards the seemingly unending lines of Roman soldiers. She looked up to her constant dark companion.

    ¡°Who are you sir?¡±

    She saw his lips open then shock of cold hit her face and body. She blinked away the sleep that clung to her eyes. She was sitting beside Enid and there were four people in front of them. She was tied up at the wrists...

    *****

    Maria crossed herself taking deep breaths as she leaned against the doorway of her room. She looked at the four pills in her hand. Ethel jumped through her door. Maria clinched her fist more tightly. Ethel tried to pull her fingers apart.

    ¡°No, mommy took those and didn¡¯t wake up. You can¡¯t have them!¡±

    Maria struggled with the child.

    ¡°Get out of my room Ethel¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to let you kill yourself!¡±

    ¡°I am already dead; I just need to sleep again for a little while.¡±

    ¡°Maria no!¡±

    Maria shoved the girl away sending her sprawling.

    ¡°I need to do this Ethel, I know you do not understand, I¡¯m sorry for pushing you but you hurt my hand.¡±

    Maria looked down at her hand. It had several scratches on it from Ethel¡¯s fingernails. They healed rapidly in the darkness of the pre-dawn morning.

    ¡°Ethel if you do not leave, I¡¯m going to do a ritual to force you out. Please do not make me do that.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how!¡±

    ¡°Ethel, I am afraid I do, I asked you nicely. I will remove it once I¡¯m done.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t! What if you can¡¯t wake up? Don¡¯t abandon me, Maria!¡±

    Maria reached out her free hand and started chanting in Atlantean. If Mariana''s journal was correct this ritual should bar ghosts from entering the space. She had learned a great deal in the short time she had the tablet. Her eyes flared purple and a series of runes flared to life around the edge of the room and Ethel was thrown outwards her screams became muffled by a wall and eventually silenced. She could see the runes flaring at two places around the room as Ethel and her dark guardian tried to penetrate the barrier. She had expected it to drain her, but she barely felt the cost of the magic. She looked at the place that Ethel had occupied only seconds before and felt blood tears on her cheeks. She crossed her self again her fingers falling to her ever present crucifix. It was one constant in her life that she felt brought her closer to God. She closed her eyes.

    ¡°Forgive me for stealing these pills and hurting my friends but I must know. I must remember more.¡±

    She put the pills down on the table beside the glass of water she always had there. Her pale fingers stroked her crucifix she pursed her faint blue lips with determination. She stood up and locked her door. Then waited for sunrise which was only moments away. As the sun shone on her bed through the opened curtains she took one, then two pills. Then slid the others into her drawer under her dresses. Then laid back on her bed. After several minutes she felt her eyelids becoming heavy. She smiled and whispered.

    ¡°Sleep.¡±

    *****

    Maria¡¯s eyes fluttered open again. She sat up and she looked around. She was in a stone and marble room. She was laying on a Roman bed and beside her lay a younger looking Enid. She felt pain in her hand and looked at her palm and saw a fresh bandage. She unwrapped it and saw the fresh cut that would become her scar far into the future. She glanced back at the sleeping Enid. Enid tossed in her sleep as if shoving someone away.

    ¡°I wonder what could frighten you my fearless friend¡­. My fearless sister.¡±

    Maria¡¯s hand went to her neck, but she did not find a crucifix there. She took her sister¡¯s hand and squeezed. Enid¡¯s tormented sleep seemed to evaporate. And her breathing fell into the pattern of a normal fitful sleep. Maria let her hand go and stood up. She pushed through the bright red curtain that separated her sister¡¯s room from the estate and looked around. She could see the night sky peaking in over the gardens. She had expected the estate to be quiet but there was a bustle of activity. Servants moving about carrying pitchers. She peaked around a corner and saw a table of pale people the woman with dark hair sat beside a handsome man¡­she recognized him, it was her father. The woman was Aurelia her mother. The bearded man to his right with yellow eyes and a large claw scar on his throat was her Uncle Remus. The rest she could not identify, though one wore regal Egyptian clothing she¡¯d only see worn by the wealthiest of Egyptian envoys to Rome, she had the strangest cat eyes that suddenly focused on her. Maria gave a gasp and her hand went towards her non-existent crucifix as their eyes met she saw nothing human in the woman¡¯s heart. She felt firm hands take her shoulders.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Teenage girls should be in bed, Mariana. This is for the council¡¯s eyes only.¡±

    Maria looked up for the Greek woman was almost half a foot taller than her. When she met the woman¡¯s eyes, she saw a kinship there, as if this woman considered her almost a daughter. Amara! Maria thought to herself.

    ¡°Perhaps if you choose to accept your father¡¯s gift when you¡¯re older you will one day sit at his left. But for now, off to bed with you.¡±

    Maria felt herself turned around towards the sleeping rooms of the estate. She walked aimlessly for she did not know which was hers. As she reached the end of the terrace, she saw her dark guardian staring at her as if he dared not tread further into the estate. His eyes were fixated on the council meeting until Maria approached then they shifted to her. When he spotted her he rushed towards her seeming to forget all caution and tried to push her gently towards a curtained sleeping chamber. She gave him little resistance and found herself in a room with a bed and a desk full of papyrus with notes in various languages written down. The dark guardian looked about and checked under the bed then peaked out of the curtain and huddled by it defensively. Maria turned back to him. Putting a hand on his back and looked up at him. She spoke in Latin because it felt right.

    ¡°What has you so frightened sir?¡±

    A dark arm and hand pulled out of the shroud that was this dark being and pointed towards the council chambers. Its finger went to the part of its face that seemed to form a mouth as if to tell her to be silent.

    ¡°This is a dream, we are in no danger here, who are you?¡±

    Its form shifted and flickered as it turned to look at her, its head shifting to the side.

    ¡°I am trying to remember who I am, and I¡¯m sure I know who you are, but I cannot remember. Could you tell me?¡±

    His hand lifted up and brushed some of Mariana¡¯s fifteen-year-old bodies flowing bangs out of her face. He touched his head and made a rubbing motion as if he was washing a wall then pointed to Maria¡¯s forehead. Maria nodded.

    ¡°I am sleeping so I can remember what I have forgotten. You see I am not able to sleep normally so I took some pills so I could sleep and find out, but I just seem to be reliving my memories in flashes. But maybe if you could tell me who you are it might help me remember more about myself?¡±

    The dark guardian¡¯s form shifted and flickered as it moved again. Maria¡¯s hand went to her neck looking for her crucifix with her fingers again but found nothing at least in the dream. He reached up and pointed to Maria¡¯s eyes and then pointed to the council chambers and then back to Maria¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I do not understand what you are trying to tell me sir.¡±

    He floated to her desk and her quill lifted up and the lid for her ceramic ink vial fell off and writing started to appear on the paper, it was in an ancient language that Maria with some difficulty was able to read, though she had no name for it.

    ¡°You should not be here, as you look into the darkness, the darkness looks back at you. You are not safe here.¡±

    Maria shook her head her fingers now pressing against her upper chest where her crucifix should be.

    ¡°This is just a dream, a memory. Nothing can hurt me here.¡±

    The quill scribbled across the paper again.

    ¡°Isis is the queen of dreams. When you do not sleep you are hidden from her eyes. As all godlings of age are. When you dream she can see you.¡±

    ¡°Who is Isis?¡±

    The quill scribbled on the papyrus again only this time it was not words but a set of cat eyes that stared at Maria who stepped backwards her fingers pressing harder against her chest.

    ¡°You must wake up, Maria.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t, I took something.¡±

    ¡°She can find you then, you are supposed to be dead.¡±

    Maria¡¯s fingers squeezed together, desperate for her safe space, her crucifix.

    ¡°I am here, we cannot change that, tell me who you are maybe I can remember more and I will not be tempted to come back here.¡±

    ¡°I am Samael.¡±

    ¡°The angel?¡±

    ¡°I am he. My physical body was destroyed in the war with Lucifer, but I am bound to protect you, Avatar of Death. As I have always been, and always will be. You must never return to your dreams child. Ever. Esther was right you should not have taken those pills but now we are barred from your room and we cannot wake you.¡±

    Maria¡¯s fingers fidgeted on her chest as she translated the words as they appeared on by one. She tried to will herself awake. She could not.

    ¡°Can you tell Enid?¡±

    ¡°My sister cannot hear or see me without a ritual. The Avatar of Life has no commerce with death.¡±

    ¡°What about other angels?¡±

    ¡°As I have said, my brothers and sisters cannot see me, they assume I am gone. Ethel is trying to wake someone by causing a disturbance.¡±

    ¡°You are bigger can you not help her?¡±

    ¡°I am bound to only touch yourself or others who touch the land of the dead. Or those who threaten your person. I have no power beyond that child.¡±

    Maria felt panic rising her. She started praying out loud in English. She saw the curtain shift aside and her eyes met the cat eyes of Isis who reached out to touch her. Then sleep was ripped away from her as she sat up bolt upright with a scream. Her fingers could feel the comforting cool metal of her silver crucifix and when she looked around. The Mother Superior was holding her shoulders and had just let out a bit of a yelp herself when the curtains suddenly closed of their own accord.

    ¡°Maria, are you okay?¡±

    Maria wasn¡¯t breathing at the moment, but her body was shaking. She had felt so close to danger as Isis¡¯s hand had reached out for her. Like someone had just walked past her bed in the middle of the night intent on doing her harm.

    ¡°I am okay it was just a nightmare.¡±

    ¡°Did you take pills Maria? I found a note that looks like it was written by a child that said you had tried to kill yourself.¡±

    Maria pulled back slightly her pale fingers stroking the crucifix and she didn¡¯t meet the nun¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I did take some. I wanted to sleep and I could not.¡±

    ¡°Maria you should never take someone else¡¯s medication, you do not know the correct dosages.¡±

    ¡°I know ma¡¯am, it was dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Do you know who could have sent the note?¡±

    ¡°Ethel.¡±

    ¡°Ethel?¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, Ethel was ten when her Uncle¡­ he did things to her then murdered her. She will not move on.¡±

    ¡°She is passed?¡±

    Maria nodded. She could see Ethel staring at the closed curtain arms crossed tapping her foot looking angry and hurt.

    ¡°Yes, in nineteen sixty-four. She is still listed as missing; They have not found her body.¡±

    ¡°Have you been seeing things for very long Maria?¡±

    ¡°I know you do not believe me ma¡¯am, that is alright.¡±

    ¡°We all see things sometimes Maria.¡±

    Ethel threw her ball at Maria and hit her in the side of the head.

    ¡°Stupid nun. She¡¯d probably eat a dick before she¡¯d believe in ghosts!¡±

    ¡°Ethel language!¡±

    Ethel stuck her tongue out at Maria.

    ¡°You can¡¯t tell me what to do anymore!¡±

    Ethel stomped out of the room after collecting her ball.

    ¡°Maria?¡±

    ¡°I am sorry ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°What is she saying to you right now?¡±

    ¡°She is not saying anything ma¡¯am, she stomped out of the room because I kept her out because she was trying to stop me from taking the pills.¡±

    ¡°What did she say before she left, that upset you?¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am I cannot repeat what she said, it was very offensive. She has uses very bad language.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Maybe we should get someone to talk to you about this?¡±

    ¡°I am okay ma¡¯am, I see what I have done wrong and will not do it again.¡±

    Maria was mostly looking at the dark guardian who had taken up position at the end of her bed when she spoke the words. He nodded to her. She saw him drift out of the room and then in the direction Ethel had run off too. Maria gave a small sigh of relief.

    ¡°If you would like to see a doctor to talk about your trouble sleeping, we can make an appointment.¡±

    ¡°No ma¡¯am. I am okay now.¡±

    ¡°As long as you are sure, Maria.¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I will trust that this will never happen again.¡±

    Maria nodded and opened her drawer. She picked up the two pills and gave them back to the Mother Superior. Who took them.

    ¡°I will never do this again Ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Okay, but you had best go to confession young lady.¡±

    ¡°I will ma¡¯am.¡±

    The mother superior stood up and walked out of Maria¡¯s room leaving the door open. Maria opened the curtains and looked at the sun. One hand touching the window. The other touching her crucifix. Knowing the truth of who her dark guardian was had not unraveled more memories, but it gave her comfort knowing he was once an angel.

 Edmonton - 2026 - A Haven Violated (1/3) (Enid)

    Enid folded her hands behind her back and looked out the front window of her daughter¡¯s home.  Though she never had to sleep she could feel the dawn coming on.  With it would come breathing, a heartbeat, thirst, hunger and vulnerability.  It had been four days since she had been kidnapped. Four days since this vulnerability finally bit her in the ass.  She¡¯d had the amulet for forty years, and not once had she been in so much imminent danger.  Sure, she¡¯d been in combat, flown planes, any of which could have ended badly, but she had never been shot while mortal.  She touched her shoulder where the bullet wound had been.  She remembered the burning pain.  The blood running out, the wound not sealing.  She hadn¡¯t spoken of her fear to Eyre, but she was scared.  She¡¯d fought all manner of supernatural beast across two thousand years, and she was brought low by a single bullet.  She hadn¡¯t left the house since it happened.  Had stayed out of the sun.  She¡¯d used an excuse saying, a real girl would be traumatized, and she should take at least a day, so far it had been four.  Soon her excuses would carry little weight and Eyre would begin to question.  She¡¯d avoided outright lying since her daughter shared her gift.  But at this point she was about to start lying to herself.

    Coward.

    Her phone vibrated she looked at the caller, it was Mariana. She tapped the green icon to answer the call.

    ¡°Hi Mariana.¡±

    ¡°Hello Enid, are you going to school today?¡±

    ¡°I think so¡±

    She heard movement outside the back door she glanced at Violet who nodded.  Enid pointed to Violet then to the basement stairs.

    ¡°Give me a minute, someone¡¯s here.¡±

    Enid put her phone down and then crept to the back of the darkened house. She crouched beside the door.  There was a flash and the back door fell down.  Several figures in black stormed, they had handguns drawn.  Though her night vision was amazing the smoke from their breaching charge was clouding the air.  She grabbed the arm of the first one bringing her palm up under their chin.  She was careful not to kill the human for she could smell that¡¯s all they were.  She twisted the arm she held and kneed them in the stomach the person went down.  Enid tossed the gun away then leaped at the next hitting them full in the chest.  It was covered by an armored vest.  She slammed her palm down on it with the force of a bullet.  Likely cracking ribs she tossed their gun away.  Things were chaos now Enid pounced on the next knee to the jaw.  She could feel the dawn coming, seconds now.  There were muffled shouts and calls for their friends.  Enid¡¯s next blow went low taking their legs out she rolled twisting kicking them in the jaw with her socked foot.  She heard a crack.  The jaw was broken but whoever it was would live and then the gun shots.  Part of her wanted to freeze when she felt the bullet hit in abdomen, but she didn¡¯t, hesitation was death. She grabbed the fifth wrapping her arm around their neck and three more shots rang out.  She could feel the sun on her back and the burning in her gut the wound hadn¡¯t healed fully but it had popped the bullet out, she could still feel blood seeping down her skin. Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.  With the blinding sun behind her and smoke in the air the last one had just put five bullets into the tactical vest of the one Enid held. She could hear the woman struggling to breath in the sleeper hold.  There was a pause as the last one realized he¡¯d just shot his companion and that was enough for Enid to disarm him with a strike to his wrist, and then using her foot to kick him in the thigh then the shoulder dislocating it and then on the side of the head.  He went down.  Enid stood over the six fallen invaders and her first thought as the smoke cleared was: Shit.

    She looked over them and what she hadn¡¯t been able to make out in the smoke and chaos of the melee was that each was wearing a vest with POLICE across the front.  She looked them over.  She could hear wheezing out of several, but they were all breathing.  She could hear their radios now.  Call signs and codes, that dissolved into pleading for answers. After a few moments two officers broke down her front door and another two rushed in her back door.  They all had their guns drawn.  Enid put up her hands. The officers that came in front door pushed her to the ground and handcuffed her.  She cried out with the pressure of a knee on her back caused a new rush of pain from the half healed and still bleeding gunshot wound.  They were all shouting at her at the same time.  Between the confusing mix of shouting and the pain from the gunshot wound she couldn¡¯t really follow what they were saying.  They lifted her up and sat her down against the wall.  One of the officers was coming around. One of the later arriving officers was helping her off with her vest.

    ¡°Who did this, where did they go?¡±

    The female officer was still struggling to catch her breath because of what Enid assumed were several cracked ribs just pointed at Enid.  Eyre¡¯s voice rang out from the front door.

    ¡°Oh my god did you shoot my daughter?  Why is she handcuffed?  What are you doing here?¡±

    One of the still conscious officers approached Eyre hand up.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am this is a crime scene you need to step back.¡±

    Eyre had her phone out by now recording.

    ¡°The police are in our house they¡¯ve shot my fifteen-year-old daughter!¡±

    The police officer backed up and spoke into radio ask for an ambulance.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am please put the phone away, your daughter assaulted six police officers.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?  Where¡¯s your search warrant?¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am this isn¡¯t the time to discuss that.¡±

    ¡°You broke into my house and shot my daughter and she defended herself and she¡¯s criminal?  Where¡¯s your search warrant?¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am does anyone by the name of Jordan Richie live here?¡±

    ¡°No just myself and my daughter. You got the wrong house? My daughter was kidnapped four days ago by armed men, and you victimize her in her own house?¡±

    ¡°Ma¡¯am please put the phone away.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, I¡¯m live streaming this.  You are in some serious shit.¡±

    The officer snatched the phone from Eyre¡¯s hand and threw it at the ground shattering the touch screen.  She tackled Eyre and started to handcuff her only to realize that two more people had phones out on the street.  She pulled Eyre back in the house.  Eyre had a scrape on her hands and head now.  Enid sighed.

    So much for low profile but I suppose it¡¯s better than being arrested for trumped up charges.

    ¡°Where is Jordan?¡±

    Eyre laughed.

    ¡°You think I was lying?¡±

    ¡°Well, your teenage daughter did not do this on her own did she?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll continue this conversation with a lawyer.¡±

    By this time, several ambulances had arrived, along with more police cars, more than one of them had supervisor on the back of them.  Eyre shook her head at Enid who shrugged then groaned in pain.  The house soon filled with paramedics they tended to the unconscious police officers first.  Eyre glanced up at a policeman that looked like he was higher ranking then she started talking very loudly.  Probably hoping someone outside with a camera could overhear her.

    ¡°So, my daughter¡¯s gunshot wound is less important than some officers that were knocked out?¡±

    One of the paramedics looked at Eyre.

    ¡°She conscious and responding, these officers are not we have another ambulance on the way for her.¡±

    Enid glanced down at the shirt that had soaked through with blood.

    If I hadn¡¯t been able to heal what I could before the sun came up, I¡¯d probably be dead from blood loss right now.

    Two more paramedics came into the house the flashed a light in Enid¡¯s eyes and lifted her shirt.  She glanced up at one of the cops.

    ¡°We had no reports of a gunshot wound, what the hell?¡±

    One of the officers shrugged.

    ¡°Oops mistakes happen.¡±

    Eyre¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to regret that. Bitch.¡±

    The female officer who had broken her phone walked over to her and looked like she was going to do something more.  A new arrival, Enid recognized him as Ed, though she had no idea he was a police officer, pulled her away.

    ¡°I think you fucked up enough for one day haven¡¯t you.  Do you know who this is?¡±

    ¡°Why should I care?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a personal friend of mine, and of the Chief and the Mayor. She¡¯s on a first name basis with most of the city council you really fucked up Thompson. Undo her cuffs and go home, take a day.¡±

    The officer was swearing under breath about privilege and unlocked the cuffs. When Enid got a better look at his uniform, she realized he wasn¡¯t just a police officer, he was a deputy chief of police.  He offered his hand to Eyre and helped her up.  Enid was so focused on the exchange; She had missed the paramedic trying to ask her questions.  She was feeling lightheaded.  She thought it might be from blood loss she focused back on her.

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Enid.¡±

    ¡°Are you feeling lightheaded?¡±

    ¡°Yep¡±

    ¡°How¡¯s your pain level, 1 to 10.¡±The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Eleven.¡±

    The paramedic laughed and looked at her partner.

    ¡°We got a comedian here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a ten.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll give you something as soon as we can, but you¡¯ve lost a lot of blood, so we need to get your blood pressure up first, do you know your blood type?¡±

    Enid was blinking slowly at this point.  Maybe she¡¯d lost more blood than she¡¯d guessed.

    ¡°O Negative.¡±

    The paramedic looked at her partner.  Then up to the deputy chief.

    ¡°She¡¯s lost a lot of blood we need to get her to the hospital asap.¡±

    ¡°Take her.¡±

    Enid¡¯s world went black for the fourth time in a thousand years and when she woke, she was laying on her back in a bed with sun streaming in a window and an IV drip in her arm. Her other arm was handcuffed to the bed. She shifted and there was a still a dull ache of pain from where she had been shot. She frowned down at the handcuffs.

    I guess I did put several officers in the hospital.  This is going to be a really uncomfortable situation come night fall.  I¡¯m going to have to spend the whole night concentrating on not letting my body heal how is that for a kick in teeth.

    She heard footsteps outside her door and a woman walked in she handed her a card.

    ¡°Enid, I¡¯m Jessica, your lawyer, your mother hired me.  Looks like you¡¯ve been the victim of mistaken identity by the police.¡±

    She looked down at the handcuffs and frowned.

    ¡°They were told to specifically not to hand cuff you by their superiors. I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    She walked to door and started talking to someone.

    ¡°Remove those hand cuffs immediately.¡±

    ¡°Look lady, she put six of our own in this very hospital, I¡¯m not going to let her finish the job.¡±

    ¡°You lot shot her in the stomach after breaking into her home, the wrong home, and you¡¯re treating her like she¡¯s the one in the wrong here.¡±

    ¡°Hey, just following orders.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re doing the opposite of following orders, I¡¯ll talk to your superiors later at the moment though get lost, lawyer client privilege.¡±

    Enid her some grumbling but Jessica came back in after closing the door to the room.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get those off soon.¡±

    Jessica pulled up a chair and sat down beside Enid¡¯s bed she pulled out a tablet and got ready to take notes.

    ¡°So, tell me what happened Enid?¡±

    ¡°Mom went for her run; I was debating whether I should get over it and go to school or just take another day when the door was blown open.  My ears were ringing, and I saw a bunch of dark shapes in the smoke.  I used minimum required force to subdue the intruders and when the sun came up and the smoke cleared, I realized they were police officers, at that point four more officers entered my home, and I provided no resistance.  They noted I had been shot but didn¡¯t tell the paramedics and I almost bled to death. My mom showed up, they broke her phone and handcuffed her. I blacked out. Then I woke up here.¡±

    ¡°At any point did they announce they were police?¡±

    ¡°Not that I can recall or heard.  My ears were ringing, my friend was on my phone she might have heard.¡±

    ¡°Which friend is that?¡±

    ¡°Her name is Maria Della Villani. She¡¯s a contact on my phone.  She goes to my school and lives at the Sisters of St. Michael¡¯s convent in the city.  Knowing her she probably called the police herself to report the explosion and gun shots.¡±

    ¡°At any point did you pick up a gun and shoot at the officers.¡±

    ¡°No, I kicked several away, but I never shot an of them or picked any of them up.  If I had they¡¯d be dead.¡±

    ¡°Okay, maybe leave that last part out of your statement to the police hmm?  So, two of the officers were hit in their vests once, and another took five shots to the chest. How did that happen?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know there were three shots after I took down the first two or three, one hit me.  There was a lot of confusion.¡±

    ¡°How about the one who was shot five times in the vest.¡±

    ¡°I was using her as a shield, she had a vest I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°So, at no point did you pick up a weapon?¡±

    ¡°No. I only used hand to hand.¡±

    ¡°Was anyone else there?¡±

    ¡°No, it was just me.¡±

    ¡°And you did all of that, all by yourself?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Jessica looked away from her tablet and at Enid.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say but I find that hard to believe, if you¡¯re protecting someone, you should tell me, then we can discuss options.¡±

    ¡°Look, I wish I could blame someone else for this mess, but it was only me at home.  I¡¯ve been training in martial arts from a young age.  I could have killed every single one of them and not broken a sweat if they hadn¡¯t shot me.  I only used as much force as was necessary to stop them from shooting me.¡±

    Jessica¡¯s eyes went a bit wider.

    ¡°Ask my mother and Maria they can both confirm what I¡¯m saying.  It¡¯s obvious if I wanted them dead, they would be, that¡¯s got to count for something right?¡±

    ¡°Well, at this point, they haven¡¯t charged you with anything. Which is why you shouldn¡¯t even be hand cuffed.  The police force is just a bit ruffled.  The videos are not painting them in a good light.  Sixteen-year-old girl with a through and through standing in the middle of six heavily armored and armed police officers, them smashing a phone.  Story about you not getting immediate attention for your bullet wound is already all over the net.  People are going to lose their jobs and possibly get arrested for this mess and they are trying to cover their asses.  Apparently, your mother¡¯s PR people are better because public opinion at this point is strongly favoring you.¡±

    ¡°Why did they bust in?¡±

    ¡°Wrong address, they came in the wrong back door.  There was a house four down from yours that was part a coordinated raid this morning.   The officers breached the front and side door.  One was shot in the head.  He¡¯s in intensive care. The ones that came in your back door screwed up and one of their colleagues is going to die.  They are suffering from a major PR nightmare at the same time.  It¡¯s very bad. Like I said they¡¯re looking for someone to blame, your mom and I are going to ensure it isn¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°What was the raid for?¡±

    ¡°Child exploitation ring.  The had children in the house.  They found them dead, shot this morning and a couple of the suspects got away.¡±

    Enid clenched her fists.

    ¡°God damnit. How did I not notice that going on?¡±

    ¡°You are sixteen Enid, how were you supposed to notice?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m older than you think.¡±

    ¡°I know you were asked to grow up fast, but I remember being a teenager I barely knew what was going on outside my circle of friends.  Now back to this morning.  What was going through your head when your house was breeched?¡±

    ¡°That the Russians who kidnapped me last Wednesday were trying again.¡±

    ¡°Were you scared for your life?¡±

    ¡°I was.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use lethal force?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t necessary.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.  Are you ready to make this statement to the police?  I¡¯ll be here with you the whole time.¡±

    Enid nodded

    ¡°Just get it over with before nightfall.  If they aren¡¯t done by then I¡¯m finished talking as soon as dusk hits.¡±

    Jessica quirked an eyebrow then shrugged and nodded.

    ¡°You¡¯re the boss.  See you in about an hour.¡±

    She put her tablet in her laptop bag and walked out.  Enid let her head fall back down to the pillow.  She was disturbed again when a nurse walked in with a needle with painkillers and a needle.  As much as she¡¯d love for the slowly pulsing bursts of pain to go away she¡¯d need to be able to focus to stop herself from healing once night fell.

    ¡°No.¡±

    The nurse stopped extracting fluid from the jar with her needle.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°No more pain killers.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    No give me them damn it.  This hurts so much.

    ¡°Yes, absolutely.¡±

    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be changing out your anti-biotics soon, we need to make sure you don¡¯t get an infection.¡±

    ¡°Those are fine, just no more pain killers.¡±

    The nurse nodded and left.  Enid shook her head.  How long had she spent as a surgeon? Fifteen years?  She looked down at the hand cuffs.

    Should have stuck with surgeon.  Less chance of getting arrested.

    As promised Jessica arrived with an investigator. Enid was surprised they were not from the Edmonton Police but something called ASIRT.  She related the statement to them leaving out the parts that Jessica had suggested.  Shortly afterwards the handcuffs were removed. And she was left to her own devices. Images were taken of her hands and the gunshot wound.  She had a long night focusing to keep the bullet wound from closing.  The nurses came by a few times trying to get her to take something to sleep, she refused politely.

    I have to get out of here.

    Shortly after breakfast a doctor came into her room.  She was Japanese, in her fifties. She checked under her bandage checked her vitals. Enid remembered doing rounds, she¡¯d hated it.

    ¡°So, when I can I get out of here?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve had a serious injury, the bullet missed the vital organs and you¡¯re lucky it didn¡¯t fragment.  We need to make sure it doesn¡¯t start bleeding again, you¡¯re safe here.¡±

    The doctor sat down and looked over the chart.  Enid could tell she was trying to approach a delicate topic.  She imagined her making the same face a lifetime ago.  The doctor finally spoke.

    ¡°I noticed when we had you on the table you had a lot of scars.  Did your parents do that?¡±

    ¡°My dad used to beat me and sexually assault me when I was young, he stabbed me left me for dead in a snowbank. My mom has never hurt me.  That¡¯s why this gun shot, it¡¯s nothing I barely notice.¡±

    ¡°Have you had counselling about what your father did?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t need that.  I¡¯m over it.  World¡¯s a shitty place with shitty people. And sometimes the shitty people are the people who are supposed to look out for you.  I don¡¯t need to whine to someone about that.¡±

    Enid waved her hand.

    ¡°I also noticed the tattoo.  That must have been painful. Looks new.  Did your mother let you do that?¡±

    ¡°I do what I want. She can¡¯t control me.  So, no she had nothing to do with that.¡±

    ¡°It is Yakuza is it not?¡±

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°I grew up in Japan, did a lot of work in hospitals there before I moved to Canada, I have seen my fair share of Yakuza tattoos. Enid.¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°So, I can tell you have had a hard life, harder than you let on.  I worked on the officers they brought in with you.  A normal sixteen-year-old girl doesn¡¯t do that to people.  You should really consider counselling.  But to answer your question, I will be recommending to your mother we keep you here for about a week, if your wound improves and seems to be healing then we¡¯ll discuss outpatient treatment.¡±

    ¡°See, you said recommend, but you and I both know I can refuse treatment.¡±

    ¡°Well, no, your mother can refuse treatment for you. You¡¯re a minor.  Look I can tell your injuries were not tended to by a real doctor, this isn¡¯t the back alleys of Japan, we don¡¯t stitch you up and send you on your way.¡±

    A few hours later Eyre popped her head into the room.  Enid glared at her.

    ¡°Get me out of here, now.¡±

    ¡°Umm the doctor says you need to stay for a week at least.¡±

    ¡°She can say that all she wants, but you can refuse treatment and get me out of here.¡±

    Eyre dropped her voice to a low whisper; Enid matched her volume.

    ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t healed yet something is wrong.  I mean maybe we should keep you here.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t healed yet, I didn¡¯t let myself heal.¡±

    ¡°We can do that?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a pain in the ass, so get me the hell out of here so I don¡¯t have to spend a whole night in pain focusing on not healing.¡±

    ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know I come in on deaths door, massive blood loss and all of a sudden poof no bullet hole, that¡¯s not strange for a normal person, is it?¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s a good point.¡±

    ¡°Seriously you¡¯re 800 years old.¡±

    ¡°Hey only 700 something.¡±

    ¡°Does it really matter after the first century?¡±

    ¡°Okay I¡¯ll get you out of here.¡±

    Eyre left the room and Enid heard an argument in the hallway.  Eyre soon returned with the doctor from earlier.

    ¡°Enid, you need to stay here.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine and I¡¯m leaving. Mom you signed the release, right?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to call child services; You do understand that I¡¯m a mandatory reporter.¡±

    Enid had lost all patience by now.

    ¡°Well, you can keep me here against my will and I will fight you every step of the way, while I¡¯m using up a bed that could go to someone else who needs it more.  Or my mother, who has the means can take me home, get a private nurse and arrange for a doctor to do a house visit. I¡¯m fine, I told you.  Just mind your own business.¡±

    Enid used every ounce of her force of will to stand up and look like it didn¡¯t hurt her at all.  The doctor threw up her hands and walked out.

    ¡°That as rude Enid she was just trying to help you.¡±

    ¡°Look I¡¯ll apologize later; I just don¡¯t want to explain a miracle.¡±

    Enid put on the clothes that Eyre had brought in and walked out of her room and down the hall head held high.  When she finally reached Eyre¡¯s car, she collapsed into the seat holding her stomach.

    ¡°That hurt, a lot.¡±

    ¡°You know, I¡¯m realizing that even though I will never have to change your diapers, you¡¯re still a crotchety old woman.¡±

    ¡°Flatterer.¡±

    Eyre shook her head and started the car.

 Edmonton - 2027 - A Haven Violated (2/3) (Enid)

    Enid glanced around the front office of the psychologist who was going to do her assessment for the upcoming court case. She hung her heavy winter coat on the provided hangers and pulled off her snowy boots and sat down. She was wearing a black sweater and a kilt today, along with thick black leggings, her hair was in a ponytail. Tamed for once. Around her neck hung a silver crucifix, a gift from Mariana. She had almost refused it, but her sister looked so happy to be giving her something she¡¯d bought with her own funds she couldn¡¯t say no. She hadn¡¯t taken it off since. She had decided to put in silver stud earrings as well. She crossed her legs and pulled out her phone. She sighed.

    Two thousand years of sitting around with nothing to do and being content with that and here I am needing to wait ten minutes and can¡¯t wait to look at my phone.

    She flipped through the current in app for social media. She had been marveling at the need the humans had to post selfies, cat pictures and just random, useless updates about their lives. The ones that surprised her most were the idiots who risked their lives for views.

    I wonder how many views me throwing a car would get. Surprised some idiot pugmentia hasn¡¯t tried to pull that shit yet.

    She heard her name called and she put her phone in her school bag and walked into the indicated door. Inside was a woman in her thirties. She wore a crucifix and looked every bit the bible hugging catholic she had expected. She was blonde, average looking. She had blue eyes that Enid felt assessing her. She felt rather uncomfortable. She wore a wedding ring. Enid frowned.

    Probably trying to kick up business after conversion therapy was banned. By being an expert witness.

    ¡°I know you are not happy to be here, teenagers rarely are, but I don¡¯t bite.¡±

    I do.

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s get this over with.¡±

    ¡°I want to assure you the actual conversation we have is strictly between us. Only my overall assessment will be released to your lawyer and the courts. I¡¯d like to start by getting you to go through some base tests here.¡±

    She offered Enid a tablet. Enid went through the different psychological tests. Some part of her wanted to just game the system, she was certain she could since she¡¯d studied psychology in university twice, but she didn¡¯t curious to see how nuts the humans would think she is, she answered honestly. At least this was not her fifty years ago, they would have locked her up and thrown away the key. She smiled at the thought of how that would work out for them. She finished and handed the tablet back to the woman. She went through it, glancing at Enid every so often.

    ¡°Well, good news according to all the standards we¡¯ve decided to put in place, you¡¯re sane. No autism, you do possibly have ADHD. They also tell me you are an independent thinker. Have your own way at approaching problems.¡±

    No shit.

    ¡°Now on to why you¡¯re really here. How are you feeling?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, annoyed at being here?¡±

    ¡°Fair enough, fair enough.¡±

    ¡°I see you¡¯re wearing a crucifix; Do you go to church often?¡±

    ¡°Every Sunday.¡±

    ¡°How do you feel when you¡¯re there?¡±

    ¡°Bored.¡±

    ¡°Also, fair enough. Why do you go then?¡±

    ¡°My mother does.¡±

    ¡°Why do you feel you need to lie about the reasoning?¡±

    I fucking knew it she has the gift.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie about the why, just the who.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Because if I said daughter you¡¯d be seriously freaked out.

    ¡°Because you seriously wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it.¡±

    She blinked at the answer and leaned forward in her seat.

    ¡°How do you know that?¡±

    ¡°Look, I will be as honest as I can be, some of the things I am not honest about would put your life at risk if I was honest, so let¡¯s just leave it at that.¡±

    She nodded, jotted down some notes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not paranoid, yesh it¡¯s just a fact. No manner of doctor/patient privilege will save you.¡±

    ¡°So, who would I be putting my life at risk with?¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t very bright, are you? Do you know why I am here? What I did?¡±

    ¡°I read the file. You put six police officers in the hospital.¡±

    ¡°That is not correct, I put four in the hospitals, the other two is on themselves they shot each other. My point is, what chance do you have against someone who can do that?¡±

    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±

    ¡°No. Wow. Look just get on with this, I told you my boundaries. If I¡¯m not being truthful it¡¯s for yours and my protection. Or I¡¯m out of here and I tell them to find me someone who isn¡¯t a human lie detector. Look you know I am being honest, I know you¡¯re being honest, we both have the gift, let¡¯s just get on with this.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean gift?¡±

    ¡°You can tell if someone is lying to you, you know it in your soul, even if they are lying to themselves, you can see right through them. You can tell I¡¯m not paranoid and that what I¡¯m saying is the truth. Sometimes you react before you know what¡¯s going to happen because you subconsciously already know what¡¯s going to happen. That¡¯s what makes you such a good psychologist isn¡¯t it? You can look at someone and take a measure of them. I can look at you and know you¡¯re Catholic, you want to be a mother but cannot conceive, you¡¯re worried your husband is going to leave you because he desperately wants children and without some form of miracle you aren¡¯t going to have any. Your faith won¡¯t allow you to seek a scientific solution. Am I close?¡±

    She nodded her hands shaking, tears started dripping from her eyes.

    ¡°And when you look at me, when you really look at me, not just my clothes and appearance. The way you started to when I first entered the room but turned away because your mind refused to believe what you were being told. That I¡¯m old, so old, but you can¡¯t place a finger on why. Something is different about me, but you cannot tell what. Why do you feel insignificant sitting across from me? Like a minnow brushing against a whale. You can tell I¡¯m not a threat, that I¡¯m not going to hurt you but something about me frightens you in your core. You see flashes of death, and glory, but you can¡¯t focus on any of it. And when you¡¯re out at night you see things. Things no one else notices, the things they don¡¯t want to notice, but you see it, and you turn away because it couldn¡¯t be true, shouldn¡¯t be true but you know it¡¯s true. So, you go to church, and you pray, but it doesn¡¯t stop you from seeing these evil things. I know because I see them too. You also know every word I just said is one hundred percent true. Because you have the gift.¡±

    She was shaking by now, looking like she is about to bolt.

    ¡°Should I stop now? Do you understand why I am keeping some insignificant details to myself?¡±

    ¡°Y..yes.¡±

    She took a deep breath and sipped her water.

    If the sun wasn¡¯t streaming through the windows, she probably would have fainted by now.

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that was uncalled for.¡±

    The doctor¡¯s voice had a quiver to it as she spoke.

    ¡°No, it is alright. You are right, everything you just said is true.¡±

    Enid could tell the woman wanted to ask more but was frightened.

    Too bad she¡¯s so old and set in her ways, she probably couldn¡¯t hurt a fly. Too old to recondition to be a seer.

    ¡°Look, ask what you want if I can answer I will, then we can move past this, and you can do my assessment so I can go to the mall with my friends.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°I always have. You need to keep it quiet; People will abuse it. My father used my gift for his own advantages when I failed or resisted, he¡¯d beat me or burn me, when he was satisfied, he¡¯d rape me as a reward.¡±

    ¡°Your father sexually abused you?¡±

    ¡°Since I was three, up until I was rescued.¡±

    ¡°Have you received counselling?¡±

    ¡°No, why? It¡¯s how things were. You can¡¯t fix it or change it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that causes all kinds of different trauma, intimacy issues.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°I¡¯m not built the way other people are, I just get over it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re lying to yourself. You are still angry about it, the powerlessness.¡±

    Enid frowned she knew herself.

    ¡°You¡¯re wrong. I¡¯m not angry.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes we get used to feeling a certain way. It¡¯s like when your nose adjusts to scents. If it¡¯s just there all the time, it fades into the background. Emotions are like that too, if you¡¯re always angry, it¡¯s always there and you lose sensitivity to the anger. But it still colors your behavior.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d know if I was angry, when I¡¯m angry people get hurt.¡±

    ¡°Rage is different than anger. Why is your first response to situations violence?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°You attacked six armed men. That is not a normal reaction.¡±

    ¡°That is because most people alone wouldn¡¯t be able to take down six armed men without dying.¡±

    ¡°But you almost did. It says here they had to give you four pints of blood. To me that says you were almost dead, by some miracle you survived. But still do you have no sense of self-preservation? Do you want to die?¡±

    ¡°No, killing myself has only crossed my mind once and that was when it was the only escape from my father. I¡¯m the exact opposite I want to survive. I have always done everything I needed to, to survive it is one of my guiding principles.¡±

    ¡°What about love?¡±

    ¡°What about it?¡±

    ¡°Do you have space in your life for love and survival?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I love my family, they are the one thing I¡¯d say is more important than myself.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you want to survive so badly, why did you charge six armed men.¡±

    ¡°There were five armed men and one woman.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, why did you charge at them.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I thought it was the same people that kidnapped me.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to run?¡±

    ¡°No, there was someone else in the house I had promised I would keep safe.¡±

    ¡°Was she family?¡±

    ¡°No, but she is my responsibility.¡±

    ¡°So, the thought of running never crossed your mind?¡±

    ¡°No, I have only run from one fight in my life, and it was to protect people I loved.¡±

    ¡°Did you ever run from your father?¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯d just beat me worse.¡±

    ¡°Did you ever fight back against him?¡±

    ¡°I stabbed him once. Told him I cut it off. He beat me half to death.¡±

    ¡°I can hear the anger in your voice when you talk about him. Your hands are shaking. Did you think of him when you were attacking the police officers?¡±

    ¡°No, that had nothing to do with him. If I saw him today, I wouldn¡¯t kill him, there are so many more things I could do to him to make it last longer than that. I would try to make sure I did all of them.¡±

    The psychologist blinked.

    ¡°Did you just hear yourself there? The tone of your voice. You still hate him.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I hate him, he was supposed to take care of me, love me!¡±

    Enid realized she was almost shouting now; Tears were dripping down her cheeks.

    ¡°Where was your mother in all this?¡±

    ¡°Dead.¡±

    ¡°Did you have anyone?¡±

    ¡°A woman, she treated me like I was her own, but she never protected me from him. She just let him do whatever he wanted to me and the put me back together again afterwards. She was just as much as monster as he was. Finally, I made him so angry I knew he would kill me and then I was free. I should have been free. I was free.¡±

    Enid¡¯s hands here clenched into fists tears dripped streamed down her cheeks.

    ¡°But you lived?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my adoptive family saved my life. Gave me a sister a brother. Gave me a purpose. But even then, my adoptive father used me for his own purposes. And even now he¡¯s reaching out from his fucking grave to make me something I¡¯m not.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°He wants me to be something I¡¯m not, and I hate him for it, but I know I am the only one who can do what needs to be done.¡±

    ¡°Why does it have to be you?¡±

    ¡°Because my brother is a psychotic mad man, my sister is supposed to be dead and I¡¯m the only one strong enough to put the narcissistic assholes in their place.¡±

    She nodded. She hadn¡¯t written anything more down at this point.

    ¡°What about your adoptive mother?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°So again, you¡¯re alone. With no one.¡±

    ¡°I have people. My current legal guardian, a girl I promised to protect and my sister.¡±

    ¡°You feel like they depend on you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, for the most part they do. I suppose Eyre has grown up enough she doesn¡¯t so much need me as much as she likes to have me around, so she has a support structure if she needs it.¡±

    She nodded.

    ¡°How do you feel when you realize people are depending on you?¡±

    ¡°Part of me resents it, another part of me is happy to do it because I care about them.¡±

    ¡°That is a very mature way of looking at things. Do you feel like you didn¡¯t have a childhood?¡±

    ¡°I had a childhood it was just really shitty until my sister, then we would play together every moment of the day when we weren¡¯t in lessons.¡±

    ¡°You care very much for your sister; I can hear it in your voice. Do you have any feelings for your brother?¡±

    ¡°I love him with all my heart. But he¡¯s not who he used to be. He¡¯s dangerous now.¡±

    She smiled.

    ¡°The father at my church loves to say: love the sinner, not the sin. I¡¯m encouraged that you seem to understand the meaning of that statement.¡±

    ¡°I will admit priests have something intelligent say on occasion.¡±

    ¡°Back to the charging six armed men, what was your intent when you charged them? Was it to harm them?¡±

    ¡°No, my only intent was to stop them from harming me.¡±

    ¡°So, you had no malice towards them?¡±

    ¡°No, having malice indicates I have lost perspective on the battle, if you lose perspective in a battle and put emotions into it, you¡¯ve already lost.¡±

    ¡°Battle?¡±

    ¡°A conflict between two sides everything is a battle. Or Game if you prefer. Emotions interfere with actions, choices. In a fight, if your emotions make you hesitate, or act too quickly, you lose.¡±

    She nodded and wrote something down.

    ¡°Do you often look on life as a battlefield?¡±

    ¡°No, but if someone is going to shoot me, I¡¯d consider that a battle of some description.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so what went through your head when you realized people were about to invade your home?¡±

    ¡°I assessed the situation with the available intel. I knew my back door was being entered. Tactically if they were there to kidnap me, or harm me they would make multiple breaches to stop me from escaping. I went through possible scenarios. Getting a weapon was out of the question, not enough time. The back door was the best possible location to escape from. If they were armed, which would be a good assumption based on the last kidnapping, then any firearms discharge would be away from the road and sidewalk, that would minimize possible innocents being hurt. They wouldn¡¯t try to shoot me if I was in the middle of them, they¡¯d hit each other. Also, our house faces east, the sun was coming up it would blind the attackers at the back door, it would hide that I was the only one there and give me an advantage on being able to ambush them.¡±

    ¡°That is what went through your head? Not fear? Not the urge to run?¡±

    ¡°No, fear was pointless at that point, they were at my home.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean, after the kidnapping attempt and being clipped by a bullet I was scared to go to school. That is fear. They were already at my house; It was happening being frightened or worried about it at that point was useless. There were only four outcomes, they succeeded in whatever they were after, I succeeded in escaping and getting them to chase me, I inflicted enough damage to make them back off, but didn¡¯t escape, or they tried to negotiate before the fight started.¡±

    ¡°You have a fascinating way at looking at things, why did you choose the option you did?¡±

    ¡°Game theory. I did the math; The math said my best chance was to engage immediately. So, I did.¡±

    ¡°You have a very tactical way of looking at things.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°So, in the end you did what was logically the safest choice for you based on what you knew at the time.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Would your response have changed if you knew they were police?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I would have just let them do their thing. I agree with Sun Tzu there, the best victories are the ones that require no battle.¡±

    She laughed.

    ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve read the Art of War. Do you live by it? In your day-to-day life? Do you think like this all the time?¡±

    ¡°No, not really. I don¡¯t approach every conversation like it¡¯s a battle for supremacy. In general, when I¡¯m not in a life-or-death situation I tend to think what would Eyre do? Generally, I end up doing the right thing.¡±

    ¡°You have a lot of respect for Eyre, she¡¯s your legal guardian, isn¡¯t she? What do you think of your relationship? Is she good for you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like an adult daughter, mother situation. We are very close, we annoy the crap out of each other, and we make each other better. Before Eyre, I was not a good person. I¡¯m still not, but I¡¯m getting better.¡±

    ¡°So, you feel because of Eyre coming into your life, it has improved?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s an amazing person. Our lives kind of paralleled. Her real mother was kind of a bitch who didn¡¯t really want children at that point in her life, she still loved her but knew it wasn¡¯t the best situation for Eyre. Eyre¡¯s stepmother was an amazing woman, bright, compassionate. Luckily for Eyre her dad wasn¡¯t an abusive piece of shit.¡±

    ¡°So, you look up to her?¡±

    ¡°I admire her, it¡¯s hard to look up to her. I mean not that hard she is five eight. And I¡¯m what five?¡±

    ¡°So, there is a sense of humor in there.¡±

    ¡°Usually a very dark one.¡±

    ¡°What do you admire most about her?¡±

    ¡°Her compassion for others.¡±

    ¡°What is her worst quality?¡±

    ¡°Her lack of self-confidence.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s something you don¡¯t lack?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m very self-confident.¡±

    ¡°What makes you think she lacks self-confidence?¡±

    ¡°She loves to sing, she has an amazing voice, and she disguises herself when she performs. She¡¯s also very charismatic. She could sell sand to Saudi Arabia in bulk, and they¡¯d thank her for it because they¡¯d think it was their idea to buy it. She always second guesses herself. If I had half the emotional and social intelligence, she does I¡¯d probably be Prime Minister. But whenever she is succeeding, she¡¯s wondering if she¡¯s just faking it. Such wasted potential.¡±

    ¡°Where does this come from do you think?¡±

    ¡°Her mother is larger the life, famous and she doesn¡¯t think she¡¯ll ever live up to her heritage.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for talking about her, I was just trying to get a feel for your living conditions.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Why?¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been involved in two police investigations, child services are concerned you aren¡¯t safe.¡±

    ¡°Tell them to try and come take me, I¡¯ll show them not safe.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s that temper again.¡±

    ¡°Well, they should keep their noses in their own business.¡±

    ¡°They are just concerned for you, but I¡¯ve spoken with Eyre, and now you, I have no concerns about your development with her. Your school marks are top of your class. You are involved in extracurricular activities. Your sense of identity, your self-discipline, your self-confidence is all above average for a teenage girl. Based on speaking with your teachers and guidance counselor you are the first to help your classmates, you stay away from drugs, you never bully anyone, there were some complaints about your use of colorful language, but you seem like a well-adjusted if traumatized teenage girl. I spoke to the Boys and Girls club that you teach martial arts for after school for free. They say the children love you. They also said they have not had a single complaint in the six months you¡¯ve been with them. In fact, they have received several thankful calls and emails from parents telling the club that their children are more self-confident, more self-assured than they have ever been. You also volunteer at the church assisting English as a second language students because you speak several languages. And you are also a sponsor for RCIA. And your local priest you have assisted in translating his sermons into five different languages every Saturday afternoon so it can be printed for Sunday Mass. I think moving you away from Eyre would be a grave injustice to yourself and the community. I do have one last question, why do you do all that volunteering?¡±

    ¡°I promised my Sensei I would teach others what he taught me, and I think kids need self-discipline and self-confidence, that¡¯s how they will make the world a better place. I help with English as a second language because the church admin asked me if I would. I¡¯m sponsoring the RCIA candidate because the church admin asked me, and I do the translation because Father Michael asked if I would.¡±

    ¡°So, in all cases you were asked to, and you said yes. Do you ever say no?¡±

    ¡°You said one more question. I¡¯ll say no and I won¡¯t feel guilty about if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. I have only so much free time, and I do like to do my own thing sometimes.¡±

    ¡°So, no other reason than you were asked, and you were available and could keep the commitment?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s two extra questions. What other reason would there be? I don¡¯t go looking for volunteer opportunities if I can help it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Good-bye.¡±

    Enid picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder and left the office. She could the sound of a keyboard clacking behind her she pulled her coat on and left.

    *****

    Psychological Assessment of Enid Aurelius

    Enid is a well-adjusted and very mature young woman. She exhibits no signs of mental illness. She exhibits self-discipline, self-control and self-confidence. Based on a thorough review of her files, interviews with her teachers and her legal guardian I have come to the conclusion that she believed her life was in danger on the Morning of December 4<sup>th</sup>, 2026. She provided a thorough assessments of her feelings and thoughts at the time of the home invasion and acted based on that information. Her behavior is consistent with that of a reasonable person under the circumstances. I do recommend she receive counselling for these traumatic events, and also to deal with some trauma from her childhood.

    Dr. Emma Anderson

 Edmonton - 2027 - A Haven Violated (3/3) (Enid)

    Enid sat up straight in her seat, she focused on breathing and looking alive. The courtroom had no windows, so she was at her full strength. She had a blue dress on, and her hair was in a ponytail. She had been made up to look younger than she was. She may have assisted with a bit of subtle appearance manipulation to make herself look smaller than she would have appeared otherwise, she¡¯d reduced her chest size as well. Why have vampiric powers if you never used them? She¡¯d also used the shapeshifting ability to make her voice sound younger. She looked at the judge. She was an older looking woman, her hair was greying. She was looking over the paperwork for the case.

    ¡°This is a preliminary hearing to determine whether I think there is enough evidence to go forward with a formal trial with jury, or judge trial. As the accused attorney has motioned, I order the charges dropped.¡±

    ¡°So, the crown¡¯s accusation is this small, teenage girl attempted to murder six fully armored police special operations team members, five of which were males in excess of two hundred pounds barehanded? And the death of a police officer four houses down during the time the assault was taking place?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that is what the crown asserts. There were guns on the scene.¡±

    ¡°Ones which the police had with them. What is the game here? Do you think she¡¯s protecting someone?¡±

    ¡°No, Madam Justice. We have video evidence, DNA evidence that it was her.¡±

    ¡°What are the circumstances of the attempted murder?¡±

    ¡°The police were breeching the house as part of an investigation into a report child exploitation ring, it was part of a coordinated raid, North America Wide.¡±

    The judge shifted through the paperwork in front of her.

    ¡°I do not see an arrest or search warrant for anyone at the accused¡¯s address.¡±

    ¡°The officer¡¯s entered the wrong house. Madam Justice.¡±

    The judge pulled off her reading glasses again and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She put them back on and read through another piece of paper, Enid could tell she was gathering herself before speaking again. She¡¯d seen humans do it a million times before. The judge was pissed, when she spoke again her voice was calm.

    ¡°And the crown would like to bring charges against the accused for defending their home from an unlawful police raid?¡±

    ¡°At the time of the raid the members believed they had the right address, and their statements clearly indicate that they announced themselves as being members of the police force.¡±

    ¡°And the murder charge?¡±

    ¡°The accused¡¯s attempted murder of these officers prevented them from responding to a backup request at the actual location which resulted in a shootout where an officer died. This makes her an accomplice to that murder.¡±

    The judge blinked a few times shook her head and continued.

    ¡°Tell me did you bother to read the transcript of the recorded call that was ongoing when they broke in before you charged the accused with this crime?¡±

    ¡°No, this is a clear case of attempted murder, she admits to attacking the officers, who have said they announced themselves, she doesn¡¯t deny they did, it is a he said, she said situation that the Jury can decide on.¡±

    ¡°If you had you would see that at no point during the breech did the officers declare themselves.¡±

    ¡°They were assaulted immediately on entry.¡±

    The judge looked at Enid, sizing her up and down, then to her lawyer.

    ¡°Please tell me why I should dismiss these charges?¡±

    ¡°Madam Justice, the accused has admitted to defending her home from unknown attackers. She had no idea these were police officers, it was dark, there was smoke. She could not tell if they were police or not and they did not announce themselves before breeching the door. That is a clear violation of police procedure. On top of that they had no right to enter the home. Whether they thought they were in the right or not is not the question, the fact is, this was a home invasion by six armed individuals to which the accused responded with the minimum amount of force necessary to prevent bodily harm to herself. These home invaders were heavily armed, and armored. This required the force necessary to stop them to be increased unfortunately this caused them to suffer broken bones. The accused only defended herself. She had no weapons to speak of she was in her school clothes and wasn¡¯t even wearing shoes. The police had guns drawn and were intent on putting down a child molester when in fact they ended up shooting a child. ASIRT has already pressed three charges against a police member for this action, and two are on paid suspension, one for shooting his colleague in the chest five times, and the other for shooting two of the other members in the back. Nothing about this is right. The accused and her family were victimized and the Crown is just compounding that by bringing far more severe charges then this would warrant, if this had been a lawful entry, the maximum the accused could be charged with reasonably would be simple assault and resisting arrest. They are trying to make the accused a scape goat for their failed raid. An officer in the actual raid lost their life as referenced by the murder charge which is further proof of their intention to blame the accused for their mistake to save face.¡±

    The judge sighed. Looked Enid up and down. Then back to the crown attorney.

    ¡°I will let this trial proceed. How does the accused plead?¡±

    ¡°The accused pleads not guilty, Madam Justice.¡±Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

    Jessica looked very displeased and sat down patting Enid on the shoulder. Enid for her part was slightly amused the Judge looked like she was about to gobble up the crown attorney.

    ¡°Very well a trial date will be set, as the crimes are quite serious, we will be proceeding with adult charges, the details of the crimes and the accused will be released to the public, and we will open the court room to the press. The accused will be remanded into custody as if these charges are valid, she is a very dangerous individual. Unless there are any objections?¡±

    Jessica looked like she was about to faint. Enid remained calm, it would burn her identity, but she¡¯d die shortly after being put in prison and change her face, no big deal. The crown attorney looked even more nervous than Jessica after the judge¡¯s statement. He looked pale and was tugging on the collar of his robe.

    ¡°Madam Justice we are happy with her being charged as a youth given the circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, you¡¯ve had accused her of very serious charges, Alberta law is clear, she needs to be charged as an adult, a Police officer is dead, and she¡¯s accused as a co-conspirator that in itself is enough.¡±

    ¡°Madam Justice, we still recommend she be charged as a young offender.¡±

    ¡°Crown, she is going to be charged as an adult, unless you think you don¡¯t have enough evidence to convict her at the queen¡¯s bench?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that, the crown just wanted to show some leniency towards the accused.¡±

    ¡°Leniency for a cop killer?¡±

    ¡°Madam Justice, I was not looking at it like that?¡±

    ¡°What were you looking at it like? That you¡¯d dump a bunch of very scary charges on her, offer to reduce them, so she¡¯d plead guilty and go away quietly? Then you could refer to E.A. in the papers as the scape goat. That the case cannot be discussed because it involved a youthful offender. I think you underestimated the accused and her families bank account. The crown¡¯s actions here are offensive to this court. Drop the charges and destroy the file on the accused and wipe any DNA and fingerprint data you collected from the databases. You overreached and this is me slapping your hand. Don¡¯t do it again.¡±

    ¡°But Madam Justice, she assaulted six officers.¡±

    ¡°Then maybe they shouldn¡¯t have entered the home of a martial arts expert who had recently been kidnapped by armed men without a warrant, or probable cause. And you should have tried charging her with assault instead of whatever this is. She tossed the file on to the bench¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t but me again, you have two choices drop the charges and expunge her records, or show up on 15<sup>th</sup> to start picking a jury, waste a bunch of everyone¡¯s time then have me dismiss this case very publicly and with a lot more severe language. I¡¯m sure your ministry would prefer the former. But feel free to appeal my decision I¡¯m sure the court of appeal will love this one even more than I did.¡±

    The prosecutor¡¯s cheeks were a bright red by now. He started gathering up his papers. Then addressed the judge.

    ¡°Yes, Madam justice we will drop the charges and expunge the records.¡±

    The judge looked at Enid and addressed her directly.

    ¡°Ms. Aurelius, I apologize on the courts and the crowns behalf, you were victimized two times, once by the police and once by the justice system. I see that as part of preparation for trial your lawyer had you go in for psychiatric evaluation to ascertain your state of mind. This was provided as part of this motion. In it I see that you were shot twice in the last three months, once during the kidnapping attempt and a second time by the police. While you profess to be alright the doctor has said that you have been traumatized and could not have been expected to respond in any other fashion then fight or flight to an invasion of your home by armed men. She also recommended you seek treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Ms. Aurelius your skills make you just as dangerous as a loaded handgun I am forced to order you to undertake that treatment. If you fail to attend counselling sessions with a licensed psychologist at least three times a week for a period of no less than one year, if you fail to do so I will request to have you committed to a place where you will get the help you need for your safety and the safety of others.¡±

    ¡°Madam justice, the charges were dropped, you said she didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡±

    ¡°No, I stated she acted reasonably given her circumstances. She still managed to seriously injure six armed police officers by herself. You yourself submitted an affidavit from three expert witness attesting to her martial arts skills, that it would have been easier for her to use lethal force on officers then to disable them. That proves to me that she is dangerous in her current state of mind. What happens if someone grabs her shoulder on the street?¡±

    ¡°Madam Justice, the very fact that she disabled rather than using lethal force proves that she was fully in mental control of her actions.¡±

    ¡°An average sixteen-year-old girl would run and hide if she saw armed people entering her house, not wait by the door to attack them.¡±

    ¡°Madam Justice with all due respect if my client were an average fifteen-year-old girl she would be dead right now because the kidnappers would have succeeded in taking her and her friend god knows where.¡±

    ¡°Take the win, my ruling stands. The accused is free to go.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam Justice.¡±

    Enid stood up. Looking the Judge in the eyes.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, may I speak?¡±

    ¡°Enid, I don¡¯t think this is a good idea.¡±

    ¡°You may but address me as Madam Justice.¡±

    Enid spoke while maintaining eye contact with the judge, forcing her blood to bend the woman to her will.

    ¡°Madam Justice, Yes I have the skills to seriously harm people around me I have only ever used them twice in my life. I admit that these recent violent events have not been pleasant. I thought my life was in danger and that running and hiding would do me no good. A smart crew would come in all entrances and have people posted outside to prevent me from escaping. They would then guard the entrances and search the house until the found me. There would be no escape. By attacking the rear entrance, I would be in melee with them, and they would risk hitting each other with any gunfire and I could use the rear door to escape the house. I acted both reasonably and responsibly with my knowledge of breaching techniques and urban warfare. The fact that the invaders did not cover the other exits is something I could not reasonably have known. Had I known that I would have fled from the front door and avoided this situation all together. No sane person wants to be shot Madam Justice, it hurts, a lot. Also, the most serious injuries to the officers resulted from their colleague¡¯s poor firearm control and situational awareness. I think you can agree I did the only logical thing in this situation with the knowledge I possess and forcing me to go to counselling would be an unnecessary burden on someone who for all intents and purposes is innocent.¡±

    The judge nodded along with Enid¡¯s explanation. Both lawyers were looking at Enid in disbelief.

    ¡°I do agree that you did the only logical thing possible. Well spoken, Ms. Aurelius I don¡¯t see the angry bitter young woman the interviewer described in my court room today. I see no further need to send you to mandatory counselling.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, madam justice.¡±

    Once they were allowed to leave Jessica looked down at Enid.

    ¡°Why did your mother bother hiring me? The most hard-nosed judge in the province was hanging on your every word. You have a future in law and politics kid.¡±

    She laughed.

    Been there, done that, no thanks.

    ¡°Maybe I should decide to be a lawyer when I grow up, but I did have my hopes set on life as an international spy and assassin. Oh well.¡±

    ¡°You are a strange kid, good luck.¡±

    Jessica offered her hand, Enid shook it.

    ¡°You¡¯re a good lawyer. Thanks for getting the charges dropped.¡±

    ¡°Gladly, I¡¯m not a fan of US style policing here in Canada.¡±

    Enid nodded and waved and headed outside, into the cold air and sun. She pulled her coat close.

    Being mortal half the time sucks.

 Edmonton - 2027 - Veil Lifted (Enid)

    Enid put her feet up on her desk and leaned back in her chair.  She looked up at the clear winter sky.  The moon was full and bathed their back yard in pale light, which reflected back causing the whole area to glow.  The moon¡¯s light was hiding most of the stars.  She wiggled her toes.  How many full moons had she seen in her lifetime? The fact that humans had visited it was a miracle on its own.  She¡¯d watched that on the television when it happened.  Even her dislike of technology at the time didn¡¯t stop her from wanting to experience it.

    Enid Aurelius, Astronaut.

    She had the piloting experience.  Could she exist outside of the earth?  Was her immortality tied to it?  Could she travel to other planets?  Could she sleep the long sleep and would she wake up on the other end even a million years down the road.  What would she do for blood?  She sighed up at the moon.

    The boredom of two thousand years gets weighty sometimes.

    The lights in her office flashed on blinding her momentarily and Violet and Eyre started talking immediately.  She couldn¡¯t make out what either one was saying because they were each waving a tablet in her direction.  She growled.

    ¡°One at a time.¡±

    Eyre handed Enid her tablet.  Enid was met with a video from some sort of accident scene.  There were smashed police cars and downed powerlines.  It was chaos, the camera focused on a large man who stood bare chested amid the snowy steps of a bank downtown Edmonton.  Enid recognized it immediately her friends had dragged her past it so many times.  The man pounded his chest and tore a lamp post out and threw it at several police officers who scattered.  It crushed one of their police SUV¡¯s and it burst into flames.  The police fired at him; The bullets seemed to do nothing.  He laughed.

    What the fuck?

    ¡°When did this happen?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s happening now, that¡¯s a live stream.  What is that thing mom?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, demon?¡±

    ¡°We have to do something.¡±

    ¡°No, we really don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re a Seer and the Empress it¡¯s your job to protect the covenants.¡±

    ¡°And how exactly is me showing up and fighting it on camera going to help with that?  Besides what am I going to do, he¡¯s literally immune to bullets, I can¡¯t even claim that.¡±

    ¡°Use your sword.¡±

    ¡°Same point: how is me showing up with my sword and killing it going to fix this mess? It is literally all over the internet already.  Besides fuck the mortals. If they wanted me help maybe they shouldn¡¯t have shot me and tried to send me to prison.¡±

    ¡°Mom, you know that¡¯s not right.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go deal with it then?¡±

    ¡°Because neither of is as strong nor as good a fighter as you are.¡±

    ¡°And you never will be until you fight.¡±

    ¡°Mom, he threw a car.¡±

    ¡°So, what, you can too.¡±

    ¡°Well, no, I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Did you not learn how to use that power?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Enid sighed and tossed the tablet back at Eyre.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave me alone until I go deal with this shit, are you?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Kids.  Violet be glad you can¡¯t have any.  This is going to blow my cover.¡±

    Violet perked up and spoke.

    ¡°Wear a disguise, like you know, a superhero.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all great in the comics but do you know what happens to clothes when you¡¯re fighting things like that or us, they get torn and shredded, they fall off.   Boobs flap around faces get revealed.  Umm. Actually¡­the armor.  Eyre get my pack please.¡±

    Enid started pulling off her clothes. She cracked her neck and stretched.  Eyre returned with the Atlantean pack and Enid dug through it.  She pulled out Bloodseeker, Violet took a step back from the sword.  She could sense the darkness within the blade with her gift.  Eyre was used to it so didn¡¯t react the same way though she did give it a weary glance.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Bloodseeker.¡±

    ¡°But what is it?¡±

    ¡°Its an evil intelligence that was created to destroy souls.¡±

    ¡°Why do you have it?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s my sword.¡±

    Violet looked appalled.

    ¡°Look kid, there are certain things in this world that shouldn¡¯t exist, and the only thing that can destroy them is this sword.  So, you can be judgmental all you want, but it is what it is.  Sometimes to kill monsters you need a monster.¡±

    Enid pulled out the Atlantean armor Mariana had given her the night before the battle with the Black Son.  She pulled the pants and top on solid black metallic plates started to form over her calves and thighs.  Then her wrists and shoulders and chest. She moved in it.  It was light.  If she hadn¡¯t watched Mariana take several sword blows without seeming to feel them she¡¯d think it was useless.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Atlantean armor.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s going to do much.¡±

    ¡°Punch me as hard as you can.¡±

    Violet hesitated.

    ¡°Punch me or I¡¯ll punch you.¡±

    Violet wound up and punched she went flying back into the wall with the same force had struck Enid the check plate dented slightly then popped back out. Violet picked herself up.

    ¡°Jesus.¡±

    ¡°I think the term you¡¯re looking for is reflective kinetic plating.¡±

    ¡°How long have you had that mom?¡±

    ¡°A couple thousand years.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve never used it?¡±

    ¡°Only when riding a motorcycle, or going on dangerous hunts, why else would I?¡±

    Eyre blinked at her mother.

    ¡°I donno when a demon showed up and shredded you? Or all those fights in Japan, or when you got shot by assassins in our castle?  Or I donno whenever you go out in the sun?  Or or, that time that vampire was going to nuke London?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a crutch, the only reason I¡¯m using it tonight is that it is more likely to survive this fight then my clothes are so I should be able to hide who I am.¡±

    ¡°You are strange mom.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just finding this out now?¡±

    Eyre shook her head and crossed her arms.  Enid bunched her hair up and pulled the helmet on.  She slid Bloodseeker in sheath that formed on the back of the chest plate.  She went out the newly replaced back door and leapt into the air.  Violet looked at Eyre.

    ¡°Wait, she can fly?¡±

    ¡°Yes, so can I, but I hate heights.¡±

    ¡°How do you find out you can fly?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how she found out, but for me she pushed me off of Telus towers in 1985.  It was a poor first experience.¡±

    Violet gasped and shook her head then looked back at Enid¡¯s rapidly vanishing form.  Within five minutes Enid showed up on Eyre¡¯s tablet.  The cameras moved upwards one at a time and followed her to a solid landing and walking towards the command center for the police.

    Enid approached the rear police command vehicle the crowd and the police officers all stared at her as she approached there were several camera flashes, but her suit¡¯s helmet suppressed them.  On the helmet there were running turquoise Atlantean words.  She couldn¡¯t really catch most of it her understanding was rudimentary, and it took her a long time to translate it still.  She looked up at closet police officer.

    ¡°You have a problem; I am the solution.  I only have one question: Do you want it alive?¡±

    The officer blinked at her, and wordlessly knocked on the door of the police command vehicle yelling while he kept staring at Enid.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°Hey chief! There¡¯s someone out here to see you.¡±

    A man opened the door and stepped out.

    ¡°I told the press no¡­¡±

    He stopped speaking and looked Enid up and down.

    ¡°This location is out of bounds to civilians, leave before we arrest you.¡±

    ¡°Arrest me? Let¡¯s try that, it sounds fun. I mean I¡¯m more than a match for that thing over there throwing cars, you¡¯re doing so great against him, I can only imagine how you¡¯ll do against me.¡±

    Enid reached behind her and lifted up the front of a police SUV.  There were gasps in the crowd outside the police barrier.  The chief took swallowed hard.  Enid let the SUV down gently.

    ¡°But hey if you don¡¯t want my help, I¡¯m out of here.¡±

    Enid slowly lifted off the ground.

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    Enid lowered herself and hovered just above the ground.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Are you qualified for this at all?¡±

    ¡°I am a fully trained officer of the law and former soldier. I just can¡¯t show you who I am, for obvious reasons.¡±

    ¡°Can you subdue him?¡±

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know if I can knock him out.  He¡¯s immune to bullets he might be immune to punches.  I know I can kill him, but if you want to try and take him alive that is a whole different thing.  I¡¯m not sure how you¡¯d contain it¡­him even if I could subdue him.¡±

    She glanced over at an unmarked armored vehicle.

    ¡°We have that covered already; We need to subdue him first.¡±

    ¡°Okay I can give it a shot.¡±

    Enid looked around at the people and the buildings most of which were unscathed.

    ¡°This kind of strength, we¡¯re going to break things.  You understand that?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d appreciate it if you can contain the damage.¡±

    ¡°Okay, I will give it two attempts, if I can¡¯t do it, I will move him to that thirty-foot-deep pit for the new building down Jasper.  I can keep him busy for twenty or thirty minutes, but my suit will run out of power by then and after that I have no idea how I will do against him. If I have to move him it means you need another plan to knock him out.  I would suggest Sevoflurane or Halothane get me four canisters and a way to vaporize it.  They are normal anesthetics you should be able to get them from Royal Alex or university hospital. Failing that my sword will kill him, and it won¡¯t be pretty you don¡¯t want that on camera.¡±

    ¡°Okay, you got it¡­what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not important, just know I¡¯ve done this before, multiple times.¡±

    Enid leaped up in the air and landed in front of the man. He hit his chest.

    ¡°You want some of this bitch?¡±

    ¡°Look, you made your point, the police know you can kick their asses, it¡¯s time to sit down and let them take you in.  If you have to fight me it¡¯s not going to go well for you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re tiny.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your, choice, come peacefully, unconscious, or in a body bag.  I¡¯d prefer the later, but the police seem to think your life has meaning.¡±

    Enid inspected him.  He was some form of indigenous individual based on face and skin color.  Also, the tattoos. He was dressed gangster style.

    ¡°You white men, think you still own this land, but the spirts are with me now.  You can¡¯t stop me.¡±

    ¡°This has nothing to do with your race or spirits.  If it¡¯s anything it¡¯s a literal demon. Surrender.¡±

    He seemed to have enough and reached back and punched.  Enid let him hit her she went flying back and took out a lamp post then a police car.  She basically cut it in half.  She pushed the halves apart.  Her armor¡¯s chest plate had a dent in it, she wasn¡¯t breathing so it didn¡¯t impact her much besides being uncomfortable.  A police officer was trying to help her, and she held up her hand standing up she dusted herself up and looked to see where he¡¯d ended up he was in the far end of the bank impacted into a wall. He was trying to get himself up but was wobbling.  Enid started to run and lifted into the air and hit him with two fists in the chest. She smashed him into the wall again he became twisted in rebar.  One piece was through his stomach.

    Apparently he can be hurt just needs strength like his own.

    ¡°I told you how this would end.  Stay down.¡±

    He pulled himself out of the wall and Enid grabbed him by his arm and threw him into the street he skidded along the pavement and struggled to get up.  Enid flew to him and put her foot on his back.

    ¡°Stay down!¡±

    He struggled against her and managed to stand up flipping her backwards she went flying and bounced along the ground.  He staggered towards her.  Enid stood up and started chanting.  Electricity from a fallen power line and fire from the various burning vehicles gathered into her hands he started running her and she released the ball of energy and it hit him in the chest he screamed and went flying backwards doing more damage to the already mostly destroyed car.  His clothes were on fire and he was screaming pounding himself trying to put it out.  He stopped and rolled and stood up, singed with a few burn marks but not enough damage to stop him.  He roared and charged.  Enid moved reaching out her leg and he went skidding along the pavement tearing it up and breaking the brick wall of the building his head hit.  He wobbled and was trying to lift himself. Enid looked in the police chief¡¯s direction and shook her head and held up four fingers. She flew over to the man and grabbed him in a full nelson or as much of one as she could manage with her lack of size and his girth.  He struggled against her, and she yelled over the wind.

    ¡°You really want to fall from here? That would make my job easier, so keep struggling.¡±

    He stopped struggling.

    Wait, if I fly high enough the oxygen will thin and he¡¯ll be unconscious. Might die from hypothermia. Boo.  So much easier when I can just kill them.

    She dropped him in the snow at the bottom of the pit.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky they want you alive.  This would have been over with already.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m tired of you white men putting us down.  I¡¯m going to kill you then take back our land.¡±

    ¡°You know there were white people displaced by white people, right?  The Romans were doing it thousands of years ago, know how we dealt with it? We got over it.  Jesus.  Give a mortal a tiny bit of power they think they can change the world.¡±

    He struggled to get up his hands and knees slipping in the ice from the recent melt freeze cycle.

    ¡°I will.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t.  That¡¯s now it how it works kid.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a kid.¡±

    ¡°You look like you¡¯re barely eighteen. You sound like you¡¯re twelve.  You have no idea how the world works.  You have no idea what happened to you.  There are only a few ways you get this kind of power: possession, someone turns you, or someone has invented something I¡¯m not aware of, any of the above, you¡¯re a tool to someone somewhere, and tools do what they¡¯re told.¡±

    He struggled to his feet and jumped at her she side stepped him.

    ¡°Just stay down, you aren¡¯t going anywhere, it¡¯s over now.¡±

    ¡°Why do you care?¡±

    He his hands slipped, and he landed hard face first and lay there.

    ¡°Usually, I couldn¡¯t give a shit what anyone does, but you went and showed the world you could throw a car.  They¡¯ve been happily unaware that people like us have been around since the dawn of time.  Then you go making an ass out of yourself on live streams.  Now the world knows and now you made my life a lot harder.  So basically, you fucked me and my kind.  Usually, I would have just stabbed and you and watcedh you die as my sword drains your blood then your soul.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡±

    She could hear his breathing calming down.

    He¡¯s catching his breath.  Oh well.

    ¡°Because my sister would be upset with me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it, I was hoping the police would just ask me to end you, but no they want you alive so here we are, I have no excuse for killing you, it would be like murder, I mean I could say it was self-defense but we both know you¡¯re not a threat to me.  We also both know you aren¡¯t getting out of this pit on your own.  The walls are icy, you¡¯re injured and I¡¯m going to toss your ass back down if you try.¡±

    ¡°You are cold.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m a realist.  I have seen people like you rise up time and again, and every time one of the Reapers puts you down like a dog and covers up the mess.  But you¡¯ve gone and ruined that now, haven¡¯t you?  I suppose we could spin it, but really the damage is done.¡±

    ¡°Let me go then.¡±

    ¡°No, you obviously can¡¯t behave yourself.¡±

    He growled and dug his hands into the ice and pulled himself up.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to get me out of here or I¡¯m going to beat you into a pulp.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead punch me, I really want to see how far you can really fly.  That¡¯s if you can even hit me.¡±

    He glared at her, fists clenched.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I am a reaper, keeper over the covenants.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to anything like that!¡±

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to, they apply to everyone by order of my father the emperor.  And now the Empress.¡±

    ¡°What are you even talking about?¡±

    ¡°Nothing you would understand.  Know that I hold you no malice, this is just the way it is.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you used all this power you have to change the world?¡±

    ¡°It is not my place to interfere with the world of the mortals unless they interfere with my world.  Being able to throw a car does not change the world.  Being able to pressure politicians and corporations does, used to be the churches and kings, this, what you have? It¡¯s nothing compared to what I can do with a single phone call.  That kind of power takes generations to build up, and money.  You have neither.  You could have done small things to help, kept yourself hidden, away from prying eyes, but you did not, you had to make a political statement.¡±

    Enid shook her head as she saw him starting to charge this time, she sides stepped and punched him in the face as he passed using her strength and his speed he went down on his back and skidded along the ice into another one of the icy walls of the pit.  She could see blood coming from his nose, he was holding it.

    ¡°How are you hurting me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m as strong as you are, you really thought you were invulnerable?¡±

    He struggled to get up and ended up sitting against the wall.  He was starting to shiver.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t have to fight you, I could have just found out who your family was and threatened people you care about with all manner of nasty things, and what could you have done? You wouldn¡¯t even know who I was, or where I was. You don¡¯t think someone¡¯s going to hold them over you?  In the old days your life, and their lives and anyone who witnessed your idiocy would be dead, records wiped from existence.  You have no idea the forces you¡¯re fucking with.  I had to make it obvious someone was doing something, or you would have disappeared and anyone you know would have too.  There are corporations out there that would love to get their hands on your juicy blood and bits see what makes you tick.  And to be honest that¡¯s probably what is going to happen, and I can¡¯t do anything about it, you showed your face, they know who you are, I could let you go, hide you, but it would be useless because you would not know enough to keep your ass hidden.  The only thing I¡¯ve done for you at this point is made it obvious there are others out there and they can¡¯t fuck around too much. So maybe the people you care about will be safe.  In fact, I¡¯d lay bets they want to try and capture me too.  Hell, they already cloned me, badly.¡±

    ¡°You know they¡¯re going to give me to them and you¡¯re doing this anyway?¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t they will get you anyway.  The only way you make it out of this free is dead.¡±

    ¡°That makes no sense.¡±

    ¡°I kill you, or they take you, they¡¯ll find a way even without me.¡±

    ¡°How does me dying make me free?¡±

    ¡°Well, if my sword doesn¡¯t obliterate your soul, you¡¯ll go on to whatever, and be free.¡±

    Enid heard a helicopter in the distance.

    ¡°Well your time is up my friend.¡±

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t go with them.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s already out of your hands, you were finished the minute we got down here, I thought we were going to spend it punching each other in the face, so thank you for that, but you¡¯re going to go to sleep and wake up elsewhere.¡±

    He tried to stand up again and fell down, she saw something drop out of the helicopter and explode between the pair and gas filled the area. Enid made sure he went out.  Several armored men dropped from the helicopter they had high powered assault weapons.  They were pointed at her and not him.

    ¡°Time for you to surrender now.¡±

    Enid rolled her eyes and slowed the flow of time around her and flew off.  She released time and wrapped the night around herself and made her way home.

    Knew they were going to try that shit.

    She entered the house and flickered into existence behind Violet and Eyre.  She pulled off her mask.

    ¡°He¡¯s alive, and they tried to grab me too, idiots.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the police, they don¡¯t have hardware like that.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out mom, look you made a splash online!¡±

    ¡°So now I¡¯m going viral.¡±

    ¡°Not only that but someone¡¯s identified your sword.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they recognize it as a replica of Saint Sarah¡¯s¡±

    Enid peeled off the armor and laid it out on her desk.

    ¡°I hate the internet.¡±

    ¡°Aww Mom, don¡¯t be like that.  No one is saying anything about vampires.  They are guessing mutants, government conspiracies, ect.¡±

    Enid collapsed on her chair and fluffed out her twisted hair.

    ¡°He was strong, stronger than anything I¡¯ve run into, except that demon.  Wasn¡¯t a vampire, wasn¡¯t a werewolf, and he was all human.  Armor didn¡¯t see anything magical about him.¡±

 Edmonton - 2027 - Morning after (Enid)

    Enid flipped on her tablet and put her feet up on her desk.  She opened the first thing she saw on social media it was a video of her fight last night with someone talking over it.  Was fairly good quality.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe my eyes she just flew down out of the air.  The police were like get out of here lady, so she lifted up this SUV one handed and put it down.  And the police were like okay. She  went toe to toe with the guy.  He punched her through a car and went flying back like she was just as strong as he was.  Then she went in the bank and next thing you know he¡¯s flying out and slams into the same car.  Then he started to get up and she did this shoukin thing with her hands and hit him straight in the chest. It was like out of a movie!¡±

    Enid flipped to the next article.  She glanced over the headline that declared:  Edmonton has a mysterious Superhero, but is she a vigilante, or the newest police enforcer?  She rolled her eyes and flicked to the next entry, it was CBC linked press conference with the police¡¯s communications officer. She tapped on it and opened the webpage and quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°We have a prepared statement on the violence downtown last evening, questions will be answered at the end.¡±

    The officer paused and took a deep breath and shuffled her papers.

    ¡°Last night there was an unprecedented situation that occurred on Jasper Avenue.  We are happy to report with the assistance of a contractor who is a specialist in these matters the situation was resolved without a loss of life and a minimum of property damage.  We thank this individual for making sure the officers involved and civilians who were present made it home safely.  The individual who is responsible for the attack has been apprehended and is in a secure facility designed to handle his unique attributes.  We have been aware of similar incidents occurring in other parts of the world and have made preparations.  We were woefully underprepared for this and last night was a learning experience.  We have asked for the city to form a committee along with the provincial government so that we can prepare for further instances of this type.  Thank you, we have time for a few questions.¡±

    ¡°Officer Hadley, can you share the identity of the contractor who you brought in?  Are you referring to the woman in the black armor?¡±

    ¡°We not at liberty to share any information on that individual.¡±

    ¡°Will you be using her for normal police actions?¡±

    ¡°No, her presence is strictly used to suppress situations we do not have the capabilities of handling within our current parameters of training and equipment.¡±

    ¡°Why did the police chief tell her to leave then?¡±

    ¡°There was a miscommunication, we thought the individual in question had been requested, the chief wasn¡¯t sure we should escalate the situation.  Upon conferring with his advisors, she came to understand that the individual was their best hope at resolving the situation without loss of life.¡±

    ¡°She was hit pretty hard, was she injured?¡±

    ¡°No, when she left the secondary scene, she was in good health.¡±

    ¡°How did she resolve the situation finally?¡±

    ¡°She moved him to a safe location where he couldn¡¯t cause further harm to property or people and talked him down.¡±

    ¡°So, she didn¡¯t fight him?¡±

    ¡°No, it is my understanding once he realized he couldn¡¯t escape he sat down and surrendered to us.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell us anything about her? Anything at all?¡±

    ¡°She is a formally trained police officer and has an exemplary military record.  We are pleased she used that training to bring this situation to a non-fatal ending.¡±

    ¡°So, she is a police officer.¡±

    ¡°No, she is not an active peace officer.  She is deputized when brought in by the Edmonton Police Department, but otherwise she is not lawfully allowed to engage in law enforcement actions.¡±

    ¡°So, we can¡¯t expect to see her patrolling the streets like a police officer, looking for crime?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the city and the department deemed that would constitute a militarization of the police force and agreed that she will only be involved in situations that are extraordinary.¡±

    ¡°There are reports that this police action is just another in a long line of attacks against indigenous peoples.¡±

    ¡°Those reports are false.  This individual while he was a member of an indigenous people was responsible for hundreds of thousands of dollars¡¯ worth of damage and injuring several officers.  He was also uttering threats against the provincial government.  Our consultant only used the amount of force required to bring him in no more, no less.  We believe she handled the situation both professionally and capably.  This could easily have escalated and had the military involved had she not been called in; We suspect it would have ended with his death.¡±

    ¡°Where is he being held?¡±

    ¡°I am not able to provide that information.¡±

    ¡°When will his trial be held?¡±

    ¡°That will be up to the Ministry of Justice.¡±

    ¡°And if he doesn¡¯t like the verdict?¡±

    ¡°Again, courtroom security is the domain of the Provincial Government.¡±

    ¡°Was this all just a show to cover up the failed raid that left one officer dead and an innocent teenage girl clinging to life?¡±

    ¡°That question is out of line, sir, and I cannot comment on that ongoing investigation as ASIRT has taken it over and we are out of the loop.  That¡¯s enough questions.¡±

    Contractor. Hah.

    She flipped to the next entry, some stupid mobile game.  She flipped again and was looking at a high-resolution color picture of her in the Atlantean armor. The title of the post was.  Saint Sarah of Savia rises again!

    Of course, someone¡¯s analyzed every little detail of the picture.

    She scrolled down and there was a cropped version of the picture with only bloodseeker¡¯s hilt and bottom part of it¡¯s blade showing.  Then there was a picture from an illuminated manuscript, and then one of her statue at the church, and of a stained glass window displaying the sword.  She looked at the text: As you can see the sword looks old, and slightly tarnished.  But the gem in the hilt it¡¯s the same as the statue, the manuscript and the stained-glass window.  The same slightly dark purple.  And it looks like old silver.  This is Saint Sarah¡¯s lost sword.  Is this her in the flesh?  Has God sent an angel?  The article went on.  She shook her head.  She scrolled down and started reading the comments.

    ¡°If angels all have bodies like that I want into heaven!¡±

    ¡°Blessed be!¡±

    ¡°This article is such bs, totally stretching it.¡±

    ¡°If she¡¯s an angel, where are her wings?  What is with the creepy black armor?¡±

    Enid shook her head and flipped to the next post.  It was a meme 2020 the Pandemic Movie, 2027 the Comic Book Movie.  There was a picture of her pulling together the plasma ball she created.  She chuckled and flipped to the next post.  It was a link to another social media site requesting an interview with the black armored hero.  She shook her head and laughed.  Eyre looked at her mother as she was scrolling on a tablet and laughing.

    ¡°What are you doing mom?¡±

    ¡°Just reading stuff about last night.¡±

    ¡°What was so funny?¡±

    ¡°Someone is looking for an interview with the black armored hero.¡±

    ¡°Why is that funny?¡±

    ¡°Because the thought of me giving an interview with the press is ludicrous.¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea.  We need to control the narrative.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, really, mother.  Right now the press can say whatever the hell they want.  Rumors are all over the place.  The truth as we want to tell it could create the story we want.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll just ignore the truth and believe whatever the fuck they want anyway.¡±

    ¡°Some will listen.¡±

    ¡°What am I supposed to be then, what is our ¡®truth¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know we¡¯ll work it out.¡±

    Enid sighed then flipped the tablet over to the secure vpn that Violet had set up.  She tapped in a response under a new account she created with an email box of its own.  This is the wielder of Saint Sarah¡¯s sword, where and when?  She took a picture of the Bloodseeker and added it to the post.

    She waited.  It only took a few minutes for the responses to explode.  The screen was scrolling faster than her currently mortal eyes could keep up with.  Several responses were, I knew it was her.  And others were saying it was fake.  Others were curious but skeptical.  Some were just humorous.  One was from a Catholic video channel asking for their own interview.  She laughed at that one, but then responded with a yes, she¡¯d do it, Maria would appreciate that.  It was run by their home diocese.  She received a response from the original requestor, they were offering her ten thousand dollars, she responded that they should donate it to Alberta¡¯s Aboriginal Rights Coalition, and she would be at the designated studio at the designated time.

    Least I can do is help out the cause he was fighting for.

    *****

    Enid looked at the face and body she had created, she was still slight, but had more in the bust area.  She had blonde hair, almost platinum, ice blue eyes.  Pale flawless skin.  She looked human, but also just slightly something more.  Her features were quite attractive, more so than her real face.  Exotic but just slightly so.  She committed the face, it was like saving a file, she could only do so many different appearances.  She was never able to be as fluid as her teacher had been.  She pulled on the armor.  Eyre was trying her best to prep her while she got ready.

    ¡°Okay, mom, remember if they ask you about the police ties, just don¡¯t comment beyond, my current commitment to the Edmonton Police Department will not allow me to answer that question. Be polite but firm.¡±

    ¡°Alright, got it.¡±

    ¡°What is your backstory?¡±

    ¡°I was a pilot, I was a detective who retired suddenly because of this.  I am descended from a long line of demon hunters.¡±

    ¡°Okay, what¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Sarah.¡±

    ¡°Last name?¡±

    "Eyre, I''ve have been Sarah O''Connor forever.  Don''t worry about that part."

    ¡°Do you have a superhero name?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you do, remember we have to control the narrative.¡±

    ¡°What was it again?¡±

    ¡°Seraphim¡±

    ¡°Ugg, really, an Archangel.  Could we not put a religious bent to this thing?¡±

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re using a Saint¡¯s sword, the optics would be bad otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s going to give the Christian nuts ammo.¡±

    ¡°The story we¡¯re spinning covers that.  You have no association with the church, but your family has been Christians since it has existed, Catholic actually.¡±

    ¡°Fine, why again?¡±

    ¡°Because it shows you have a very solid code of ethics.¡±

    ¡°Ya, but I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°The public doesn¡¯t need to know that.  Just pretend you¡¯re Maria.  A good catholic girl.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Anything else?¡±

    ¡°Smile.¡±

    ¡°But my face might crack.¡±

    ¡°Very funny.  This is serious.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, control the narrative, smile.¡±

    Enid pulled off jogging pants and sweatshirt and started putting on the Atlantean armor.

    ¡°This shit is a pain to get on.  It¡¯s like a wet suit.  Only tighter.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you complain to the manufacturer then.¡±

    ¡°Hah, now you¡¯re the one being funny.¡±

    Enid pulled on the helmet.

    ¡°So, its sunproof.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it was built by father¡¯s side in the war so they could defend whenever they needed to.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s neat, you have an extra suit?¡±

    ¡°Technically yes.  She gave me two since it takes a while to regenerate if it¡¯s damaged.¡±

    ¡°Can I have one?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know we will see if you¡¯re good this year.¡±

    Eyre laughed.

    ¡°Good luck mom.¡±

    Enid nodded and shimmered out of existence and leapt into the air.  With the altered flow of time, she was at her destination within minutes instead of hours. She landed outside the studio and shimmered into existence.  She pressed the buzzer beside the door.  Shortly after a woman opened the door, she looked to be in her twenties.  She looked a bit shocked when she saw Enid waiting in her armor.

    ¡°Uh, hi.¡±

    ¡°Am I early?¡±

    ¡°No, no, just we weren¡¯t sure you¡¯d show up.¡±

    ¡°I always keep my word.¡±

    ¡°Good to know, come in.¡±

    ¡°Will you be doing the interview in your armor?¡±

    ¡°Yes and no, I¡¯ll be taking the helmet off, but leaving the rest on.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take care of your makeup and hair then.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t need too.  I¡¯d rather look like myself.¡±

    ¡°Alright, this way to the set.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Enid followed the woman.  She stopped as if she realized something.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m Meagan.¡±

    ¡°Sarah.¡±

    ¡°Please this way Sarah.¡±

    She opened the door and inside there was a set with a couch and a chair.  Enid was familiar with the channel.  They were a current events internet streaming site.  They had several hosts.  And millions of subscribers.  Enid glanced around.

    No windows, good.

    She pulled Bloodseeker out of it¡¯s sheath and sat down on the couch where Meagan indicated. She laid Bloodseeker across her lap.  She stroked its blade and hilt gently.

    Don¡¯t get any ideas old man.

    She waited for a few minutes then another woman came out, she recognized her as Michelle.  She was their main host. Also someone who had interviewed her after the Medal of Honor.

    ¡°Sorry, we were not expecting you to really respond and show up! We¡¯re kind of catching up.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.  Do you want to start with my helmet on or off?¡±

    ¡°You know, let¡¯s leave it on, it¡¯s how people saw you the other night.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°So, can we call you Sarah?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Great, Sarah, are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am Michelle.¡±

    ¡°Have you watched our streams?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡±

    ¡°Oh wow.¡±

    ¡°Regardless of my secondary occupation, I am human just like you, I get bored too.¡±

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get started.¡±

    Enid nodded.  She watched Michelle go through their intro.  Advising the viewers that their sponsor for today¡¯s video was a software company.  Enid continued to slide her fingers long the flat of Bloodseeker¡¯s blade. She heard her false identity¡¯s name and looked up at Michelle.

    ¡°Hi Michelle, thank you for having me.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you introduce yourself.¡±

    Enid nodded, and pulled off her helmet, letting the platinum blond hair, she placed the helmet beside her.  She adjusted the hair and pulled the crucifix out over the chest as the neck shrunk away from where it had connected to the helmet.  Enid determined she had done a good job on her face as Michelle and the others present all looked at her in awe.  She¡¯d chosen a youngish face.  Eighteen or nineteen.

    ¡°I¡¯m Seraphim, Sarah for short.¡±

    ¡°You sound American, are you from the USA?¡±

    ¡°I grew up here, if that is what you¡¯re asking.  Well not here, here, obviously.¡±

    She smiled.

    ¡°I was going to say you don¡¯t sound like you¡¯re from Texas.¡±

    ¡°Kansas actually, but my family travelled a lot.¡±

    ¡°Now the Edmonton Police said you were a trained peace officer and military veteran is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m older than I look.  It¡¯s part of what makes me special.  I was a Naval Aviator, then police officer, but I had to retire when the sword was passed to me.  We have to be careful not to choose sides and remain neutral.¡±

    ¡°But you work with the Edmonton Police.¡±

    ¡°I will work with any lawful authority that requests assistance with demonic activity.  Typically, they laugh at me, so I usually don¡¯t bother offering.¡±

    ¡°Wait demonic activity?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my family have been entrusted with protecting the mortal worlds from demons. I know that sounds crazy, but it¡¯s true.  There are demons, sometimes they are possessing people, sometimes they are not, the latter are the worst to fight, the former are the hardest to find.¡±

    ¡°Why does no one know this is a thing?¡±

    ¡°My family has always tried to maintain secrecy, cover up incidents, prevent panic, prevent people from chasing after the power that is offered by them.¡±

    ¡°So, there is a deep state?¡±

    ¡°No, we have nothing to do with any governmental body, or organization.¡±

    ¡°So, give me an example.¡±

    ¡°February, Nineteen-eighty-five.  One of us fought a twenty-foot-tall demon in Edmonton River Valley.  Walked right out of a portal after being summoned by some individuals with questionable ethics.  The news reported a gas explosion.  Nineteenth century.  Strange atmospheric conditions in a park, London.  Giant vortex with purple lightning. My great Grandmother fighting a demon that had been trapped by my family in biblical times after razing Sodom and Gomorrah.  Reported as a tornado.  Nineteen-eighty-six Okinawa, six women murdered, hearts missing, they were actually eaten, my mother killed a skinwalker, it possesses animals, was a dog, then infested rats in the sewers and became a swarm.   She used lightning to force it out of the rats, murders were blamed on a serial killer. Never caught.  I could go on, but I¡¯d rather not implicate myself in any recent happenings, my mother has passed away so she can¡¯t really be charged with anything anymore.¡±

    ¡°Wait, how do you now all this?¡±

    ¡°There is a library of journals of all previous chosen, passed from mother to daughter, though, they only go back to Rome, just after Julius Caesar. Before that it was oral, until it was laid out on papyrus for the first time.¡±

    ¡°So, your family has always done this?¡±

    ¡°Since recorded history as far as I know. The power passed from mother to daughter.  Only one can exist at a time, when my mother died, I became the hunter. It became my sacred duty to protect the Earth.  Unfortunately, this line of work is not one you usually reach old age with.¡±

    ¡°So, when you die, your daughter will take over?¡±

    ¡°Yes, when I have one.¡±

    ¡°And if you don¡¯t have a daughter?¡±

    ¡°Then my aunt, or her daughter.¡±

    ¡°And there is no choice in the matter?¡±

    ¡°No, if you¡¯re the next chosen you¡¯re the next chosen.  I really didn¡¯t want this; I was happy with my life.  But when you¡¯re called, you¡¯re called, you don¡¯t have a choice.¡±

    ¡°Has anyone said no?¡±

    ¡°Anyone who has didn¡¯t last long.  It seems God won¡¯t take no for an answer.¡±

    Michelle motioned to Bloodseeker.

    ¡°There is speculation online that that sword is the one that Saint Sarah of Narford wielded, is that true?¡±

    ¡°Yes, this was her sword, it is the sword of the chosen, when we are chosen it comes to us, whether we want it or not.  If it determines we are unworthy it kills you and moves on to the next.¡±

    ¡°So, it has a mind of its own?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is quite dangerous to anyone but the chosen, if you were to pick it up, you would die very quickly as it drained your life force.¡±

    ¡°That hardly seems like something a saint would be using, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°There is a saying in my family when it comes to this sword.  To fight monsters, you need a monster.  And it is a monster.  It was created by a being of chaos who wants to destroy everything in creation.  It will be his end one day.  And on that day my family¡¯s work will be done, and the sword will be destroyed.¡±

    ¡°So, if it is so dangerous and evil as you call it, why do you use it?¡±

    ¡°Well again, legend, this blade can kill anything, angel, demon, God himself.  My Grandmother¡¯s journal referenced cutting through Nazi tanks with it.¡±

    ¡°So, she fought in World War 2?¡±

    ¡°No, the Nazis in question were working with forces they didn¡¯t comprehend, and she had to remove them from this world.¡±

    ¡°I notice you wear a crucifix, are you associated with the Catholic Church, do they back you?¡±

    ¡°No, not in that way.  I was born and raised Catholic as my entire family has been.  At least as far back as Christianity existed.  But we are not sanctioned or associated with the Catholic Church beyond we belong to that faith.  In fact, in certain periods in the past I has been quite the opposite.  The word witch and demon have come up when referring to us.  I suspect they had never met a real one.¡±

    ¡°Do you know why your family has never approached the church?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple, it¡¯s the same reason we have kept ourselves concealed. Knowing is not the same as having faith.  We¡¯re not angels, we¡¯re just humans that have the gift of seeing what is concealed from mortals.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re not mortal?¡±

    ¡°No, once you are chosen, it¡¯s like a whole other level of being.  Afterwards we are faster, stronger, more durable, immune to poison, disease, we stop aging, all impurities are burned away by the holy light, but eventually we die a violent death. So effectively we are immortal until that violent end.¡±

    ¡°So, you could be the first from Rome, and just lying about all these other family members.¡±

    ¡°Technically yes, but I¡¯m not, trust me, you couldn¡¯t mistake me for them.  Most of my family has red hair, green eyes, like the pictures of Saint Sarah.  Mother kept saying she thinks I got mixed up at birth.  I¡¯m the odd woman out at family gatherings. Get mistaken for an in-law.¡±

    Michelle laughed at that.

    ¡°So, the other night, what happened?¡±

    ¡°Well, it was a situation that the police were not equipped to handle, I was.  He was quite dangerous.  Poor misguided soul.¡±

    ¡°Do they pay you for your services?¡±

    ¡°Legally they have to, any income I derive from it is directed to a charity.  We don¡¯t do this for profit.¡±

    ¡°I did notice that we offered to pay you for your time today and you said if we must please donate to a fund for aboriginals in Alberta.  Is this a charity you support?¡±

    ¡°No, it was my way of trying to help the poor man out that was involved in that situation.  He was a native American, he was trying to make a difference for his people.  He chose a poor way to do it, agreements with demons never work out how you want them too.  I hope by making this sort of choice I can show people that you can only make good worthwhile change with good deeds and actions.  Choosing a darker path will taint your cause.¡±

    ¡°So do you consider yourself the ¡®good guy¡¯ in this scenario?¡±

    ¡°No, I am always sad when I have to resort to violence.  Even my mother, God bless her soul, offered that fire demon the chance go back to hell before she killed it.  It was unfortunate that he refused to surrender.  Hopefully one day he can go back to his life, but demon possession it¡¯s like suffering hell on earth, rarely do the folks who survive it live long afterwards.¡±

    ¡°Do you kill possessed humans?¡±

    ¡°I have never had to do that, but if I had to protect the world at large, I would do so. God forgive me, but it¡¯s my duty.¡±

    ¡°When you were in the military and on the police force did you ever kill anyone?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s for the same reason, I had a duty to protect, and I fulfilled it.¡±

    ¡°But the Catholic Faith says thou shalt not kill, how do you fit your duty into that paradigm?¡±

    ¡°It is hard, but I realize that, the gospels also indicate we have a duty to our fellow man.  I always choose life, whether it is innocents, or a criminal or possessed human.  When it comes to protecting innocents, I choose their lives.  It¡¯s the same question a doctor has to answer when it comes to a complicated pregnancy, where they have to choose between the baby and the mother.  It is a terrible choice to have to make.  And it is the question I dread having to answer every day.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that sounds like a fine line to walk.¡±

    ¡°It is, and it comes with the territory.  The choices I have had to make pale in comparison to the choice¡¯s former chosen have had to make.  Saint Sarah herself had to make that choice.  There was a templar keep, every one of the knights was possessed.  A hundred of them, along with most of their servants and they were about to start pillaging the countryside. They started by burning down the church in Narfordshire.  She had no choice, she killed them all.  One little girl survived who was uncorrupted and unpossessed.  It weighed on her for most of her life.  She often wrote about it in her journal.¡±

    ¡°That is a heavy burden to carry.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is, and knowing I might be asked to do the same weighs on me.¡±

    ¡°Can we expect to see more of you in public now?¡±

    ¡°I would expect so, this kind of action emboldens demons, and other entities.  The world is no longer so faithful as it was and while there are now police and militaries, they aren¡¯t equipped like the inquisition was: With Faith and fanaticism.¡±

    ¡°So, you expect more attacks?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s like those videos were kids used to eat tide pods, stupid to do, but because they saw others do it, they decide to try their luck.  It is going to get worse before it gets better.  And it could mean that the one we were created to fight is rising.  Time will tell.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any advice for people who might encounter this sort of situation?¡±

    ¡°Run fast, don¡¯t stand and gawk and for the love of God and all his angels don¡¯t screw around with demons.¡±

    ¡°Sound advice, what do you do when you¡¯re not demon hunting?¡±

    ¡°I train, I play video games, I watch videos on the internet.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a day job?"

    ¡°No, not really, its hard to hold down a job when you could get pulled away at any moment to fight some monster somewhere.¡±

    ¡°How do you support yourself?"

    ¡°My family has a fund for the chosen.  It does quite well on its investments.¡±

    ¡°How well?¡±

    ¡°I own a private jet. Helpful since I could be dragged from Edmonton, Alberta one day, to, Siberia the next.¡±

    ¡°Wow!  But you can fly, can¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but flying a plane is less exhausting, also I love flying planes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right you used to fly fighters.¡±

    ¡°Admittedly nothing will ever be as exhilerating as that.¡±

    ¡°So, tell me about this armor you¡¯re wearing, is it comfortable? It doesn¡¯t leave much to the imagination.¡±

    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t.  And it is mostly comfortable.  It¡¯s like an intelligent wet suit.  It helps you get it on and off it shrinks and grows so the fit is skintight.  Then the armor plates form if I want them, technically the helmet can do the same thing, but it takes so long and honestly it feels like I¡¯m being eaten so I choose not to do it that way.  I assure you, good underewear are a necessity.  It adapts to its user.  When I first had it, it would not form any plates, but after a chance encounter with a umm, golem, I guess is the best way to describe it, I decided plates would have helped me not end up with claws in me trying to burrow into my heart.  So now when I put it on, plates show up if I am expecting combat.  It can even grow energy wings, an energy shield or a blade.  It is really quite something.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s it from?¡±

    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t find it on Amazon.  Honestly, I¡¯m not sure I should say, it sounds even stranger than the rest of my story.¡±

    ¡°Oh, now you have to tell us.¡±

    ¡°Alright, but remember I warned you, it¡¯s from Atlantis.¡±

    ¡°The Atlantis, as in the fabled lost city?¡±

    ¡°The very same.¡±

    ¡°So, how did it come into your family¡¯s possession, do they come from there?¡±

    ¡°No, again, this is from legend, because it¡¯s before the journals started being written down, but one of us found it frozen in time, it was recovered along with some other items.¡±

    ¡°Does your history say anything else about the city?¡±

    ¡°It was the location of the first war between Good and Evil, Order and Chaos.  The first betrayal of God¡¯s will by one of his creations.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that sounds like an interesting story. Could you share more of it?¡±

    "It is a long story, but the TLDR of it is:  There was a war; It was destroyed.  Everyone died."

    ¡°It actually sounds like it might be an interesting story, are you sure you can''t elaborate?"

    ¡°It is not something I''m comforftable going into detail on.¡±

    ¡°Of course, how do you feel being out in the open now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s fifty percent liberating, fifty percent terrifying.¡±

    Michelle laughed.  Enid smiled.

    ¡°Well, there are some saying on social media that everything should be brought into the light so to speak, including how this happened, and where the man is being held in custody.  What do you say to that?¡±

    ¡°I always prefer the truth, Michelle, it¡¯s one of the gifts we have from birth, we¡¯re human lie detectors and can see the demons, and others.  So, I know how dishonest the world is, it is very troubling how much we humans hide from each other.  However, after my military training I understand that for safety reasons some information needs to be concealed.  I don¡¯t agree with black sites, I never have.  If it¡¯s worth doing, it¡¯s worth doing publicly.  It¡¯s a conflict I¡¯ve always had with my family¡¯s secret.  Mother used to say part of the reason is we don¡¯t want people looking to us for guidance or to save them.  That ours is not for glory but dignified silent duty.  She spent a lot of time in Japan, I¡¯ll be the first to admit she had some weird notions.  Then she¡¯d go on about blank stars on the CIA¡¯s wall or something.  Oops I¡¯m babbling on, I see the value in both secrecy and openness, I wish it wasn¡¯t the way the world needs to be.¡±

    ¡°You sound like a politician.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t disagree, but sometimes politicians are actually honest.  We all know it¡¯s rare but sometimes¡­¡±

    Michelle laughed.

    ¡°So, what can you do, what are your powers?¡±

    ¡°Basically, I¡¯m a poor man¡¯s supergirl, I¡¯m super strong, I¡¯m fast, I am bullet proof, I can fly, not as fast as a supersonic jet, I wish.  Basically, that¡¯s it.  Anything else is just training, since I could stand, I was trained in various fighting techniques, with and without weapons.¡±

    ¡°Do you have laser eyes?¡±

    ¡°No, all I can do is redirect energy already present. Like when he punched me, I redirected most of the force at him. Or the fire, I pulled it from the burning cars.  Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m really dangerous in lightning storms or near volcanos.¡±

    ¡°So, if you¡¯re bullet proof why the armor?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not bullet-proof bullet proof, high-capacity armor piercing anti-material rounds will go right through me.  I heal quickly though so they are ineffective at best.  I can only really die from demonic attacks.  They have claws teeth, fire, all manner of tricks and any of those can finish me off, the armor is mostly for that.  And you know, tank rounds. Rocket Launchers¡­¡±

    ¡°So basically, a conventional weapon has no real chance of killing you?¡±

    ¡°No, they really don¡¯t.  They can cause a major inconvenience.¡±

    ¡°Wow, so what¡¯s stopping you from toppling governments and forcing your will on the world?¡±

    ¡°My conscience and my Catholic Beliefs.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡±

    ¡°My family has always understood our place.  We are not here to try and rule humanity.  We are here to protect it from outside threats.  If humans want to kill humans or people want to fight wars, that¡¯s on them.  We have certain rules we follow; One is we do not interfere with world affairs.  If someone is getting robbed, that is up to the mortal authorities.¡±

    ¡°What about natural disasters, plane crashes, car crashes?¡±

    ¡°Again, that is not why we were created.¡±

    ¡°So, if you saw a five-year-old stuck in a car, drowning, you wouldn¡¯t help them?¡±

    ¡°I would, because as a human being, and a Christian, it¡¯s my responsibility.  But it¡¯s a slippery slope, how far can I go without playing God?  Where does it stop?  The president decides to use too much force on protestors, people will get hurt, do I interfere?  Where is too far? The kind of power I have has to be used responsibly.  It¡¯s a question most people never have to ask themselves. I usually ask myself, could a normal person do this?  If the answer is yes then I''ll help.  It is very hard not to get into the superhero mentality and try to fix everything."

    ¡°You have a lot of weight on your shoulders then.¡±

    ¡°Yes, which is part of the reason coming out into the light is terrifying.  People are going to accuse me of being heartless because I didn¡¯t stop whatever from happening, the fact is I¡¯m one person and I can¡¯t be everywhere at once and I¡¯m not omniscient.  I might not do anything because I don¡¯t even know it happened.  People are saying I¡¯m sort of divine being, saint made flesh an angel, I¡¯m not.  I¡¯m just a human who has been granted some extraordinary abilities, none of which involve any ability to suddenly detect somewhere in need out in the world and teleport there.¡±

    ¡°I can see how that would be overwhelming.  You must feel a bit powerless sometimes even with everything you can do?¡±

    ¡°I do.  I see all this pain and suffering, and I wish I could stop it, but it¡¯s not within my power, but then I realize I am wealthy, and my family has been blessed with wealth, and I can use that and my influence in the mortal world to make it a better place so that¡¯s what I do.  I don¡¯t go smash down buildings and arrest dictators I lobby for health care, homelessness solutions, cures for rare diseases.  I make sure children get food.  A phone call to the right person, a donation to the right charity can do so much more good than the ability to lift a car. Sure, I can rescue one person from under a car.  With my human identity and life, I can save one hundred, one thousand, one million.¡±

    ¡°So, you do interfere with the human world, as a human, not as super powerful being?

    ¡°Exactly, you don¡¯t need to have superpowers to make a difference.  Sure, money helps, but you don¡¯t need to be special to make a difference you just have to be caring human being and use your time to help out others in need. Sometimes all it takes is buying someone a coffee and listening to them talk.  Or a hug.¡±

    ¡°You seem like the kind of person everyone should aspire to be.  Thank you for coming to see us today, we appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for giving me a chance to tell my side of the story and shed some light on who I am and what I¡¯m about.¡±

    The cameras were turned off, Enid stood and slid bloodseeker into it¡¯s sheath on her back.  She reached down and grabbed her helmet.  Michelle approached and hugged Enid, who reciprocated.

    ¡°Wow I cannot thank you enough for coming.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t be thanking me when you start getting told you should stop having crazy religions nut jobs on your channel.¡±

    ¡°Pish, let them come.  I can tell you¡¯re the real deal.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for that, I better get out of here before someone decides to come try and arrest me for illegal entry to the country even though I¡¯m a citizen.¡±

    Enid smirked.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re an American citizen?¡±

    ¡°I am."

    ¡°So you were in the US Navy?"

    ¡°Off the record?¡±

    ¡°Off the record.¡±

    ¡°Yes.  I flew F-22N''s"

    "Really?"

    "Yes, if you want to know about my life before all of this, my name is Sarah O''Connor, I look a bit different now, because of, well you know the chosen thing, but I am disappointed to say I have a wikipedia article."

    "Wait, Commander Sarah O''Connor, Medal of Honor recipient?"

    Enid nodded.

    "Oh wow, I did my first story on you!"

    "I remember."

    "You do?"

    "Of course I do.  I have an excellent memory for faces."

    "Is this information private?"

    Enid shrugged.

    "It will come out eventually.  Do what you will with it."

    "Commander.  You were a hero to women everywhere before you fought a supervillian on a viral video.  Is.. this why you managed to survive that mission, the one in North Korea?"

    "Who knows maybe God had a plan for me.  All I know is, I wish I was wearing the armor during that mission.  I probably wouldn''t have had to retire from flying fighters."

    Michelle laughed.

    ¡°Thank you for being so honest today.  We don¡¯t get many genuine people on the show.¡±

    Enid nodded and pulled on her helmet and leapt into the air.

 Edmonton - 2027 - Interview with a Priest (Enid)

    Enid had skipped the armor this time and left the sword in her bag. She kept the platinum blonde hair.  She wore a conservative dress, navy blue.  For all intents and purposes, she looked normal, if a bit exotic. This meeting was in the evening. It was at the cathedral.  Aware that someone may be watching, she dipped her fingers in holy water and crossed herself and kneeled towards the tabernacle. She looked over the building.  As resistant as she was to the thought of organized religion and God in general, she was always amazed at the beauty of cathedrals. She pulled off her winter coat and folded it over her arm.

    She watched as a priest walked towards her from the head of the cathedral she smiled. He smiled as well.  He was a younger priest, well relatively.  He offered his hand.

    ¡°Hello, Sarah, I am Father James.  Thank you for agreeing to speak to me for our channel.¡±

    ¡°It is an honor to have been asked.¡±

    He smiled.

    ¡°I watched the video you did for Tomorrow¡¯s Shadow. You came without your sword or armor?¡±

    ¡°I can get them if you¡¯d like, I just didn¡¯t think it was appropriate to come dressed for war into his house.¡±

    She glanced up at the crucifix at the center of the cathedral.

    ¡°No, no, please, we have a studio set up for streaming this way, we set it up during the Pandemic and it has never gone away.¡±

    ¡°Your content is very valuable to the faithful Father James.  I watch every single video.¡±

    Because my sister makes me.

    He blushed a bit.

    ¡°You have a lot of wisdom to share as do the deacons, and other speakers you have on.¡±

    ¡°Well, I appreciate the feedback.¡±

    He led Enid into the studio.  She guessed the person working the camera was a member of the seminary, and she saw a young woman who was adjusting lights.  She noticed the Mother Superior from Mariana¡¯s convent here as well.  Enid sat down in the comfortable chair that was provided and waited to start.  The young woman motioned that they could start.

    ¡°Hello, Father James again, we have our weekly get to know Edmonton Parishioners, where we discuss what brought people to the church, what makes them stay, how it shapes their lives.  Tonight, I¡¯m pleased to introduce you to Sarah.¡±

    Enid waved at the cameras and smiled.  It was her best Lady Sarah smile that she used to use to make the peasants love her in Narfordshire.

    ¡°Thank you, Father James.¡±

    ¡°Let us pray.¡±

    ¡°Mother Mary, we beseech you to intercede on behalf of our viewers so that they can find the peace of the Father, son and the holy spirt, that they can find the wisdom to forgive those around them from all things large and small.¡±

    Enid made the sign of the cross with practiced ease.

    ¡°Amen¡±

    ¡°Sarah, tell us about your journey in Christ.¡±

    ¡°I am a cradle to the grave Catholic.  My mother had me baptized and I went through first confession and confirmation in grade school.  I went to Catholic school, I read the bible often.  I often read texts written by theologians.  I am so happy I was brought up in the faith.  As a child I used to complain about going to church, I used to hate getting dressed up, and sitting there through all those boring readings and sermons.  As I grew older, I began to appreciate it, appreciate that my mother made me go to mass.¡±

    ¡°Was there a precipitating event, an epiphany that led you to accept the church¡¯s teachings and appreciate your upbringing?¡±

    ¡°Yes actually, when I was fifteen, I was asked by my priest if I would sponsor someone in RCIA.¡±

    ¡°For our non-Catholic viewers that is Right of Christian Initiation for adults.¡±

    The father motioned for Enid to continue.

    ¡°Fifteen-year-old me was like, what? People actually want to join this archaic cult.  Honestly, I wasn¡¯t exactly quiet in theological discussions about church beliefs so I thought Father Robert was going a bit senile, but he said the girl was just a bit older than me and was facing a lot of pressure from her fanatically atheistic parents and that I could help show her that Catholics are normal people and not the monsters she¡¯s being told we are. So was like sure, whatever.  When I saw the light in her eyes when she found God and Christ in her heart for the first time, I saw Catholicism and Christianity through her eyes, and it was beautiful.  It brought me to tears, I guess to truly learn, you need to teach others.  After that I started reading everything I could about Catholic Theology, dug into the catechism.  I was actually pretty angry at myself for wasting the past fifteen years, this eighteen-year-old girl was genuinely jealous of my upbringing in the church, that I had this for my whole life.  We¡¯re still friends today, and her parents started coming to Mass a couple of years afterwards.  They never did join, but they were supportive of her.¡±

    ¡°What an inspiring story.  I watched your interview with Michelle, and you spoke of journals and stories your family has from biblical times, how do you deal with these two conflicting versions of the scripture?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t conflicting, they¡¯re more like a companion, or like that x-ray on Amazon.  You find out more about some of the events and actors a different perspective.¡±

    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you can match events between your families¡¯ histories and the bible?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, the journals are part captains log, part record of demons my ancestors have run across.  So, while they aren¡¯t referencing say, Sodom and Gomorrah like they are some big events, it was more of a: Today I failed to stop a demon from destroying two cities, so many dead.  Only pillars of salt remained. God forgive me for my failures.  The Second Son trapped her in Amber for all time and chastised me for showing her mercy when God had clearly warned us it was coming.   Then more information about the demon, her name, the fact that she was a fallen angel and not just a mere demon. Her terrible hatred for mankind and the damage they had done to her precious world.¡±

    ¡°But the Old Testament states that God smote those cities for their evil. You are telling us something different happened.¡±

    ¡°Well as the catechism says, we need to read the bible in the context it was written, that is from the book of Genesis, it¡¯s not a historic record, its Hebrew poetry and their interpretation of events.  From our perspective, it could have been a volcano that destroyed them.  The journals merely give a different perspective.  And if God created hell as a prison for his fallen angels, then who is to say he did not release her knowing she would smite the cities and the Second Son, and my ancestor didn¡¯t misread his intentions?  Those old stories, the ones before Rome, they are just that legends and stories passed down through oral tradition.  I just happen to know this one is half true because my great grandmother references fighting a demon matching this one¡¯s description in London who had been released from an amber prison.  And local reports of some unearthly weather match the descriptions given in the journals in the destruction of those cities.  Without that second appearance I probably would have written it off as a load of well you know.¡±

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t take the journals at their word?¡±

    ¡°No, it would be foolish to blindly follow anything written down after thousands of years of oral tradition as pure fact.  Without peer review.  I should note though, that much of it was written before the bible as we know it was codified.¡±

    Father James nodded.

    ¡°Are there any other biblical perspectives your family¡¯s histories provide on the bible¡¯s events?¡±

    ¡°They say that Eve was tempted by the Black Son, or first creation of god to eat the forbidden fruit.  That he is the original corruptor and deceiver, and that it was he who convinced Lucifer to rebel.¡±

    ¡°So, they claim the black son is who we see as Satan.¡±

    ¡°Not quite, sort of, he is the destroyer, bringer of chaos.  He seeks only to undo what God has created and make himself the one true god of all creation.  Basically, he doesn¡¯t want hell on earth, he wants the end of everything, and everyone.  No heaven, no hell, no physical universe, just chaos.¡±

    ¡°Do you believe this Black Son exists?¡±

    ¡°Yes, even now he is working against us.¡±

    ¡°Why do you believe in his existence?¡±

    ¡°He is referenced several times in the journals and cults of him have cropped up over history.  You can even read some of them yourself.  Also, the chosen who wrote our first journal fought against him.  She raised a Roman Legion, using dubious means, and necromancy.  Massive violations or our covenant with the Second Son and God.  She was obsessed with destroying him once and for all and it cost her husband and her sister their lives along with thousands of soldiers never being able to reach heaven.  It was terrible, her ego destroyed everything she built.  She died a bitter woman, blaming God for her failures.  She did succeed in buying the world time though.  But the cost, it was too high.  It was because she didn¡¯t understand that brute force isn¡¯t going to win this battle, love and sacrifice are.¡±

    ¡°Was she one of the early Christians?¡±

    ¡°She was baptized if that¡¯s what you mean.  She honestly thought it was, well I can¡¯t repeat the words but there were a few offensive choice terms.  She was a contemporary of Jesus and he was referred to in the journals.¡±

    ¡°He was, there are a lot of biblical historians that would love to see that. I¡¯m sure. Could you share some of what you read?¡±

    ¡°Well not all of it, some of it was for well our eyes only, not for the world large.  Jesus was apparently related to us in some fashion.  It wasn¡¯t clear, but the Roman Chosen, her name was Sextina, and her sister followed him around for a while.  Sextinia was sure he would be a magnet for demons and being as he was family, she wanted to keep him safe, her sister Mariana, she was a full-on convert.  I only have what Sextinia said about Mariana¡¯s relationship with the disciples and Jesus, which were obviously colored by her skepticism.  Sextinia didn¡¯t really see him as a messiah, or even a prophet, just a wise teacher and she felt responsible for his safety, and Mariana¡¯s safety as well.  She didn¡¯t write down much of what he said except for a few very specific lines that he made her promise to record for her future daughters. Those are the lines I cannot speak for he made her swear it would stay within the family and I am bound by her word. She did mention the last supper, but it was in passing, she was angry and sad.  She had the ability to see the true measure of a person, as do all the women in my family and she saw the betrayal he was about to suffer. And caught a glimpse of his suffering on the cross.  She apparently had a conversation with him that night telling him what she knew, and he told her he already knew it was the time.  She argued with him fervently to let her get him away, let her use the gifts she had been granted to put these people that wanted to kill him down and he refused.  She threatened to grab him by the ear and drag him to safety in Rome. She claims at that point he said something to her, that she did not record, but the fight left her, and she watched him suffer and die. He made her promise to seek no retribution of his betrayer and she kept her word and left him be.  She wrote a record of Jesus¡¯s death, pretty much matches what we read in the bible it tore her up.¡±

    ¡°I see what you¡¯re saying, it¡¯s like another perspective of the events.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t know he was going to be the basis of a religion; She just saw someone she cared about who was going to be betrayed and die.  After that last entry about Jesus, she never once questioned the existence of God.  He must have said something profound I just wish she had written it down.  Based on what I¡¯ve read of her writings she was not the type to take no for an answer.¡±

    ¡°Did she claim she was a disciple, or did her sister in her writings?¡±

    ¡°No, no, they were like aunts to him, family.¡±

    ¡°So Sextinia wasn¡¯t a believer?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s hard to infer, she seems to be pretty annoyed by the whole religion thing, whether it be Roman, Greek, or Jewish.  But it¡¯s hard to really know, Sextinia¡¯s writings were very plain, this happened this happened this happened.  She saw things through the lens of an abused girl.  Her mother died in childbirth, she didn¡¯t have the perspective of a chosen, her father abused her both sexually and physically.  She didn¡¯t understand love like you, and I do.  She only understood pain.  She was rescued by someone and brought into the family and somehow was chosen to bear our family duty.  She was excellent at it, the longest living one of us, but she was dark, she didn¡¯t understand love, or emotions.  Whereas her sister Mariana she was raised by a loving father, and loving mother.  She knew what love was and she understood the message Jesus was bringing.  Sextinia even if she felt love, she wouldn¡¯t understand it, she never truly loved her husband.  She was a very dark chapter in our history.¡±

    ¡°So why do you think she was chosen?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think she was the right person at the right time.  We needed a hardened warrior, someone who had felt so much pain in her life, she no longer felt anything.  She had a single-minded determination to put an end to the Black Son once and for all.  But she had been taught by someone that family is important and that they need to be protected.  I think if she had more time, she would have learned love.¡±

    ¡°This is very fascinating, have you considered letting others view even some of the library?  I suspect theologians and historians would be lining up.¡±

    ¡°It has come up, there is a sentiment that is everyone¡¯s history, and we should make it open.  But there is also information in there that would frighten and people.  And our covenant to the Second Son and through him to God says we should maintain certain parts of these histories separate from the world.  And there are thousands of books, in thirty different languages, it is impossible to separate out the bits we can share and the bits we can¡¯t.  And to us if we were to share something we shouldn¡¯t it would be like a priest speaking what he hears in confession, a massive betrayal of trust God placed in us.¡±

    ¡°So, there is no translation?¡±

    Enid laughed, then sighed.

    ¡°No, it is expected every daughter in our family learns how to translate each journal.  It is very¡­trying for most of us.  It is considered the only proper way to read so there is no interpretation in the writing.¡±

    ¡°So, if someone dropped a full page of middle English in front of you, you could read it?¡±

    ¡°With some difficulty, but I could get the gist of it.¡±

    ¡°Amazing, having access to those journals doesn¡¯t it hurt your belief in Catholicism?¡±

    ¡°No, the opposite.  It is funny, at first, I thought church was a joke and so were the journals I was forced to read.  Both were like chores.  Very boring annoying chores.  Then I had my epiphany and that fed into my having more understanding of the journals, and in turn they flowed into a better and deeper faith and confirmation in the Catholic Church. Nothing in them contradicts the New Testament.  Like the virgin birth. Sextinia confirms that, though she was much like someone today if someone said it, probably with more colorful language then a twelve-year-old should have been reading.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything else you can share that reinforced your faith?¡±

    ¡°Lady Sarah, my namesake.  Saint Sarah, as she is known now.  She was a real character, but she had a unique perspective on the church and community in the thirteenth century. She had this belief that the church was the center of the community without a church the community would fail.  When the Narfordshire church burned down she funded a cathedral with her own wealth and other members of the community landowners, tradesman, by saying look, the cathedral will bring business, it will bring more people, it will increase traffic, and with the grace of God she funded it. She wasn¡¯t a nun; She wasn¡¯t a saint in life.  She wasn¡¯t especially pious at least based on her writings I¡¯ve read in the journals. But she was a strong supporter of the church.  The thing that struck me was she didn¡¯t build it out of ego, nor to stamp her name on history, she did it so the village could survive and grow.  She wasn¡¯t trying to buy her way into heaven, she knew her vassals needed it, even if they didn¡¯t know they needed it, so she made it happen.  And I think that is why she is a Saint.  Everything she did she did for her people.  She had to make some terrible choices that haunted her for her entire life. And I think it was her love for her people that saved them from the black death.  I can just see her there, talking Gods ear off, begging and pleading for him to protect her people.  Like she did to build the cathedral for them.  Her quiet but determined faith in God, she was never especially what you¡¯d call preachy, based on her journals.  That is part of reinforces my faith.  She did rule her domain based on her quiet faith.  Taking the lessons of Jesus to heart.  Several of her journals referred to courts and trials she had to take part in where she was judge, jury and executioner and you could see her faith in her words, but she never held or lorded it over anyone.  If there was one person in all of history that I would want to be proud of me, it would be her, because then I¡¯d know I was in God¡¯s Grace.¡±This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°I¡¯ve also seen that in writings by her, and about her, a quiet, determined faith.  She lived the teachings of Jesus and the people around her were influenced by her example.  She would often weave his teachings into humor and very plainly spoken lessons.  She was just, she was humane, and she was merciful.  She was in many ways ahead of her time.¡±

    ¡°Yes, she was, she was a warrior, a healer, a stateswoman, a teacher, and a mother. And if I could be a tenth the woman, she was I would say I lived a good life in the grace of god.¡±

    ¡°I will be honest; I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect out of this interview.  You are likely one of the strongest human beings on earth, the things you can do, and here we are, talking about Catholic Faith.  I am humbled by your knowledge and insights.  How do you decide how to use these gifts?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t decide, the path is always very clear.  It is hard to describe. I constantly worry about doing too much or overstepping some boundary.  But when I¡¯m supposed to act, I know I should.  I honestly don¡¯t know the real source of this thing, but I have to be content that whatever it was its God guiding me.  Before I was never certain of anything I did, I knew it was right but always that question in the back of my mind is: Are you sure?  But when it comes to dealing with demons, or similar things I it¡¯s like this invisible hand shoves me forward and when I¡¯m there, in the situation, I just let that guide me.  I hate saying it¡¯s God, because then it seems like I want to use him as an excuse should I screw up.  The journals report a similar experience for other hunters.  Like the hunt that haunted Saint Sarah until she died, she felt the same way during it.  She had no questions what path she had to take, it was there before her, the end result was terrible, but out of it blossomed something great.  Sextinia is the only one who saw the path basically ignored it and went her own way and it caused such chaos and death.  I can only hope it is God because the certainness its unlike anything else I have ever experienced.  Like I see the blue sky, I understand it¡¯s because of the sun, and the atmosphere and other factors, but I don¡¯t know it in my heart and mind.  When I¡¯m on a hunt that is I don¡¯t know, God sanctioned there are no questions, mind, body, spirt, they are all there pushing forward on the right course.  Afterwards comes the questions, was it right, or wrong? It¡¯s almost like there is this force that enters me driving me onwards. It is a hard experience to describe.¡±

    ¡°And how do you become the chosen as you call it?¡±

    ¡°Well, the previous chosen dies, usually it¡¯s the new chosen¡¯s mother.  At the moment of her death, we find ourselves in a vast garden, well maintained, flowers from all over that have no place together in one place.  An old man approaches and asks a single question it¡¯s in a language I had no understanding of, yet I could hear the words clearly in my mind.  ¡®Do you accept the covenants, and will you perform your duty truly and faithfully in the service of humanity?¡¯  If you say yes, the sword appears and if you can wield it you live, if not, you are never heard from again.  If you say no, you are never heard from again. Basically, if you show up in the garden you either leave the chosen, or you never leave. If you live, then he pulls a golden fruit from a tree, and hands it to you, you eat it and you become the chosen.  Then he says, ¡®His will is done; Now do your duty.¡¯ He then shoves your chest, and you end up on your behind somewhere random in the world near your first demon, usually the one that got your mother.¡±

    ¡°So, no preparation, just tosses you into the thick of things, who do you think he is?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, he shows up here and there as well with a task to be performed.  Sometimes they are random like go buy a magazine here, put it over there.  Go to this school write this on a note hand it¡¯s in.  So weird. He never answers questions.  He¡¯s kind of mean if you hesitate.  Reminds me of a cranky drill sergeant. Some of my more theological oriented ancestors call him Ezekiel, Angelic guardian of the Garden of Edan and the earthly realm.  He doesn¡¯t look angelic; He looks like a cranky old man yelling get off my lawn.  But he isn¡¯t human, and he isn¡¯t a demon.¡±

    ¡°These demons, what do they look like?¡±

    ¡°Depends, some look perfectly human, some are massive beings.¡±

    ¡°Do they try to tempt you?¡±

    ¡°Rarely do they bother.  To be honest for the weaker ones they are terrified of us.  Especially the sword.  They don¡¯t really exist here, I mean they do, physically, but their essence is back in Hell, and if say I shot one with a machine gun, it may dissipate it, if I use the proper blessed ammunition.  But it¡¯s not destroyed it just reforms in hell.  Now the sword it strikes at its form here, and its essence there, obliterating it. They fear that end.  Bigger ones tend to be egotistical enough that they think a puny human can¡¯t do much to them even with the sword.  The rare ones that do try to negotiate usually just threaten massive destruction unless we turn over Lilith.¡±

    ¡°So, Lilith is real too?¡±

    ¡°The demons seem to think so¡±

    ¡°Do you know why they want her?¡±

    ¡°Well, if the journals are to be believed, she betrayed Lucifer, promised him to help invade the earthly realm and then left him high and dry.  Based on my meeting with her and other writings seems like her.  She uses people and tosses them away when they no longer suit her purposes.¡±

    ¡°Now this is Lilith from the Hebrew texts?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°How, if she¡¯s human?¡±

    ¡°Fruit from the tree of life.¡±

    ¡°The tree exists?¡±

    ¡°Yes, in the garden, kind of in between spaces.¡±

    ¡°Truly the Garden of Edan exists?¡¯

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it, briefly during my choosing. As I explained in my other interview, it exists in the same place as the ruins of Atlantis.¡±

    ¡°So, you believe you¡¯ve been to the Garden of Eden?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  I know it seems like I¡¯m nuts, and I can¡¯t make anyone believe what I am saying.  But I have seen things you can only imagine.  I also know I never want to go back.  I felt like I was an invader, unwelcome.  The old man¡¯s demeanor didn¡¯t help.  To be honest it is part of the reason we keep our secrets, frankly people think we¡¯re either nuts or want to form a cult around us.  We don¡¯t want to be false idols.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any way to prove any of this?¡±

    Enid wordlessly reached into her bag and pulled out the Atlantean tablet.

    ¡°This holds the accumulated knowledge of Atlantis from its founding by the Second Son to the War against the Black Son.  It also holds all the journals of my family.  It has a scan of Saint Sarah and of peasant from her village who was sick of the Black Death, twenty years after Saint Sarah died.  This bag was buried with her.¡±

    She reached in and pulled out an Atlantean assault rifle, that was so big it should not have fit in the small purse she let the father hold it.  He lifted it and looked it over.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°An energy weapon.  It is effective against demons, and most other things.  It was built by the Atlanteans to fight against the Black Son.  It is older than the earth.  But because it was in Limbo it is no older than me.  If the materials of that rifle were to be analyzed they wouldn¡¯t match any known element in the universe or on earth.  It can¡¯t be reverse engineered.  It is impossible. It was literally crafted from someone¡¯s thoughts.¡±

    He passed it back to her with shacking hands.  Enid put the rifle in her bag.  Enid moved closer to Father James and opened up the scans on the tablet.  She pointed to various pieces of text and translate a camera was moved to get a close up.  She showed him the plans she had drawn up as Sarah, and scans of Sarah and the current date, vs the date of the scans.  She showed him a picture of her and Mariana in Rome one of the world¡¯s first selfies.

    ¡°That is Sextiana, and that is Mariana.  That is the Colosseum of Rome.¡±

    Father James just watched on speechless.

    ¡°You¡­. treat this all like it is perfectly normal.¡±

    ¡°To me it is, I¡¯ve been using this tablet since I was three years old. That was before tablets existed as we know them.  If you look at this date here and compare it to the date here.  And you know the conversion, it says that fifty billion years have passed since it was first turned on. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just because of the weird time thing with Limbo, but this is truly older than anything in the universe as we know it.¡±

    ¡°How is it still working?¡±

    ¡°It gathers residual energy from the environment. I think.  I really don¡¯t understand how most of their technology works.  The designs are in here, but they didn¡¯t have laws of physics they had¡­suggested guidelines?  They molded creation like we mold clay.  Their thoughts forming things and building laws of the universe as they went.  When they reached a consensus, it became the truth.  Even it wasn¡¯t the truth before that point.  If the consensus changed, the truth changed.  Could you imagine living in a place like that, where the very truth of existence changed based on a collective consensus?  It would have been terrifying to us but based on what we know of quantum theory it even holds partially true today.  That is why I know this is the truth.  That is why I know God exists.  Because he built an earthly paradise with a paradigm that humans, his last, and greatest creation could understand.  Protecting us from the chaos of creation as best he could.  Yet still giving us hope to one day be closer to him by leaving the smallest bit of raw creation the quantum realm.  I wish I had a far better understanding of physics, but my brain is not up to the task.  But can¡¯t you feel it in here?¡±

    She touched her chest.

    ¡°God is in us, in every molecule, everywhere.  Still being impossible for us to comprehend because of the vastness of his glory.  That is why we are asks to live ordered lives in harmony with the commandments and lessons passed down to us through the bible. Because order allows us to exist.  Disorder breaks down everything he¡¯s made for us.  That is why I am a believer.¡±

    If I wasn¡¯t dead at the moment I¡¯d be vomiting.

    Father James crossed himself and spoke while wiping tears away.  The others assembled looked humbled and were staring at Enid.

    ¡°Amen Sarah, Amen.¡±

    Sarah smiled and put the tablet away. Father James watched it vanish wistfully.

    ¡°Do you have any final words to say?  I am at a loss for them myself.¡±

    ¡°My family has put their lives on the line since the dawn of time to protect humanity and we will do so until we are no longer called. I will willingly walk to the gates of hell and walk inside if that is what it takes to keep the world safe.  I do not do it for glory, or for gratitude.  I make the sacrifice I do because I love humanity.  Humanity is worth loving, it is worth saving, remember that when you look at the people around you. Wealth and power from this world are meaningless once you pass on, I have seen the other side and if you turn your back on your fellow humans for your own gain you will not enjoy yourself when you are dead. Death is not the end, but for those who don¡¯t know how to love their fellow humans they will wish it was.¡±

    ¡°Before we go, are you referring to hell?¡±

    ¡°No.  I cannot say anything about hell or heaven but if you die and you are not good with God and yourself, you just sit there in this shadow of a world.  Unable to touch anything, disconnected, just existing, no sense of touch, just a long tortuous eternity of loneliness. No amount of money or mortal power will buy your way out of that suffering.  Imagine being in solitary confinement for eternity or complete obliteration at the hands of the Black Son who will use your essence to fuel the destruction of everything.  In the end lost souls went to him willingly to just end the suffering.  Only through the grace of God and the love of your fellow man will you not suffer that fate.  If is hell is worse, I can¡¯t see God letting anyone fall into that pit.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been there in that shadow world?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ezekiel sent me there to kill an entity that was devouring souls.  I couldn¡¯t sleep for months afterwards.  It was terrifying to see all the suffering.  They would reach out to me, begging wordlessly, on their hands and knees to save them.¡±

    ¡°We should add those lost souls to our prayers.¡±

    ¡°I do, every day.¡±

    ¡°Bless you and your heart.  I can see how much this pains you.  It was too much to ask of you to let you see that with your own eyes.¡±

    ¡°What pains me worse is I see people every day in a race to join them.  Nothing I can say will change their minds either.  I can only hope that living by the example of Christ can show them a better path.¡±

    ¡°As all christens should.  Thank you, Sarah you have spoken from your heart tonight.  I am sure you have given everyone something to think about.¡±

    ¡°Probably that I¡¯m completely nuts and that I should be locked up, only they don¡¯t know how.¡±

    Enid laughed.  Father James smiled.  The camera was turned off and in turn everyone in the room hugged Enid tightly.

    ¡°Thank you so much Sarah, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve have experienced a more touching testimony in Christ. I am renewed in my faith.  Your total belief in God is humbling.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for having me Father and not calling the men in white coats.¡±

    ¡°Could I ask you one thing, more, could you read the entry from the journal about the crucifixion?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I can father.  Anyone who wants to listen can feel free.¡±

    Everyone nodded.  The assembled went into the cathedral proper and Enid stood before them on the floor below the alter and she found her own journal entry in the tablet that she¡¯d written just after the crucifixion.

    ¡°This is Sextiana¡¯s journal the night after:  He is finally gone.  He suffered for so long on that cursed cross.  I had a thousand opportunities to rescue him, and I used none of them.  The entire imperial army couldn¡¯t have stopped me if I¡¯d acted.  His words kept running through my mind.  That my time will come to make the sacrifice of love and then I would truly understand.  I don¡¯t even know what that shit means.  He talked in circles.  It would have been so simple I could have told the governor either this man lives, or you and your family¡¯s wealth will be destroyed so utterly they will strike you from the records of the empire.  And I could have kept that threat, yet still I did nothing.  He would know I acted.  No, I made a promise, and I couldn¡¯t go against that promise.  I wanted to torture Judas, but I couldn¡¯t raise my hand against him.  Curse my nephew and his heart.  The most heart wrenching was Mary.  I remember watching my children die, worst days of my life and they died of old age quietly and with dignity.  And here is her son, tortured and strung up like a common criminal.  The anguish on her face. I am writing down his last words because fucked if I know what they mean maybe I will one day: ¡®My suffering will end quickly. Aunt, you have lived two human lifetimes with yours. Let it end at the same time as mine.  Let my sacrifice take it with me to our father so he can carry it and you can know his love, love with no boundaries and no conditions.  Your childhood is over.  Your father was but one man, and no father at all.  Your true father wants to take away this pain and anger through me, let him. Then you can be free.  I appreciate you for your council, your kindness and your protection, our father will not forget this service.¡¯  This accursed gift, I know every word was true.  I just have no idea what he¡¯s talking about.  Pain doesn¡¯t just go away like that.  I should have asked him how he knew what my father did.  Curse his confusing bullshit.¡±

    Enid put the tablet away.

    ¡°That¡¯s it, the crucifixion from her perspective.¡±

    She looked up and noticed that the group had multiplied by twice it¡¯s number.  Father James finally spoke.

    ¡°She certainly had a way with words.¡±

    ¡°I apologize for the language she wasn¡¯t what we would consider, cultured.  She was plainly spoken and very matter of fact.  Most of her journal entries concerning her time with Jesus were full of her complaining about his inability to speak plainly and his need to constantly be teaching.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no its fine, it was an enlightening perspective on the crucifixion, a human perspective. Without the religious connotations.  She didn¡¯t mince words, there is no subtext.  Except for the quote from Jesus.  Which is a lesson on its own, and exactly like something we would expect him to say.  Is her sister¡¯s journal anything like hers?¡±

    ¡°Sort of, better written and like I said she was a believer, so it reads more like one of the gospels, full of parables and lessons.¡±

    ¡°So, you have two probably authenticatable gospels from the perspective of women?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think the church at large would agree.¡±

    ¡°Well, that would be up to the pope.¡±

    ¡°I hardly think the pope would have time for me. Or these stories. They are basically personal journals of girls.¡±

    ¡°Girls who have been intrinsically tied to the church.  There are letters between pope Honorius III and Saint Sarah of Savia.  He was thanking her for her brilliant translations and urging her to move to Rome with her family so she could do more, the correspondence was witty, and full of theological discussions.  He considered Saint Sarah of Savia a close friend even though they had never met.  I am quite sure the church would love to see her personal journal. I can only imagine the insight we¡¯d find there.¡±

    Enid smiled.

    ¡°Well, if the Bishop of Rome asks, I will of course share what I can.  I¡¯m sorry, I need to get going.¡±

    ¡°Of course, thank you so much for joining us tonight.¡±

    Enid smiled again and nodded.  She pulled her winter coat on and waved before heading out.

    Ugg stab me with a rusty spoon.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure that can be arranged, Enid.¡±

    Enid stopped and turned she looked Ezekiel up and down.

    ¡°Old man.¡±

    ¡°What are you playing at?  The boss is concerned.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know ask my daughter it is her plan.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask?¡±

    ¡°No, social media and spin is her thing.  I wasn¡¯t made for it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re rocking the boat.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care if I tip it over Ezekiel.  I¡¯m tired of being a pawn.¡±

    ¡°You are anything but, you were the bosses Queen, now you¡¯re his King.¡±

    ¡°If he is so concerned, why didn¡¯t he stop me?¡±

    ¡°Free will, I will never understand why he gave it to you lot.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d think he¡¯d be happy I probably just converted a few million people.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but you exposed yourself.  Lilith has taken pains to keep you hidden and you just splashed yourself all over the world, you went viral.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re working with Lilith?¡±

    ¡°Not directly.  She serves the bosses purposes.  She¡¯s still an unknown quantity.  She¡¯s in this for her own reasons, we¡¯re just making sure she is doing what we need her too.¡±

    ¡°If she finds out she¡¯s going to be seriously pissed off.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s always angry, it¡¯s her biggest weakness.¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s done now.  The enemy knows you¡¯re on the board now.  The boss believes he planted the genetically modified human to draw you out.¡±

    ¡°Why do you keep bothering me anyway?¡±

    ¡°I told you, you¡¯re his king the most important piece on the board without you all is lost.  He made you who you are, he broke you down, he forged you into a weapon, then tempered you with love.  You were right in your interviews you are the chosen.  He has not forgotten the kindness you showed his earthly form.  You left an impression, Lilith chose you first, but you being you sealed the deal.  You have a rare strength in your heart, so he knows you can carry the burden on the road ahead.¡±

    ¡°He should use Eyre, or Mariana, I¡¯m nothing, I¡¯m a psychopath, his precious humans are cattle to me.¡±

    ¡°Maybe at one time that was true.  But you¡¯re no longer that woman.  Eyre changed that didn¡¯t she?  She broke that shell you kept around yourself.  She brought you into the light.  Reminded you that you were human first, then a scion of the Second Son.  Reminded you what love is.¡±

    Enid stopped mid stride and turned and glared at Ezekiel.

    ¡°Oh, no he fucking didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°While the Second Son was completely accurate in his assessment that the fruit of the tree of life would let you conceive it would truly take a miracle to have a vampire carry to term, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I should run you through with Bloodseeker then him! Manipulative bastard.  My womb is not fucking water bottle he can just fill with a baby whenever he fucking feels like it!¡±

    ¡°Well, if you think back, you thought to yourself, I wish I could give him a child, he wants one so badly¡­¡±

    ¡°Your prayer was answered.¡±

    Enid clenched her fists.

    ¡°Punching you will do no good will it? You¡¯re a fucking angel.¡±

    ¡°If it will make you feel better to punch a kindly old man, I have no objections.¡±

    Enid turned and started walking again.

    ¡°There is nothing kindly about your angelic ass.  You owe me an answer to a question.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you did me a favor once, ask your question, child.¡±

    ¡°You are probably one of the only things in the universe that could say that to me and not be speaking figuratively, why me?  Why did you drag my ass into the shadow world?  Mariana could have gotten the job done, and she was alive.¡±

    ¡°Truthfully, the boss wanted you.  He never explains his plans to me, I just do what he says. But based on previous experience my best guess is he wanted you to see the suffering there.  He was probably testing you to see if you would care enough about them to do what you were asked to do.¡±

    ¡°Is everything a test with him?¡±

    ¡°Basically.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t understand why he would allow that situation to exist at all, if I were him, I¡¯d have fixed that up right away.  That¡¯s not right.¡±

    ¡°He agrees, but he is powerless to correct the situation until you deal with the Black Son, he still has one foot there and is preventing the boss from sending them where they belong. Once the Black Son is gone there will be only one thing in his way of completing his great work.¡±

    ¡°Why should I want him to complete his great work?¡±

    ¡°He is your father. He loves you, even if you fail in your task, he will still love you just as much.  He granted you everything you have ever asked of him.  You wanted a child with your second husband he gave you one, you wanted a chance to avenge your first husband, he has granted you that chance.  He only asks that you use the chance he gave you.¡±

    ¡°I want to be my own person, not a slave to him, my father, the emperor, the imperial vampires, when is he going to grant me that miracle?¡±

    ¡°You are your own person Enid, you can freely choose to not take your vengeance. In fact, that would please him just as much, it will show how much you¡¯ve grown and overcome with your anger.¡±

    ¡°Seriously no parent is that forgiving.¡±

    ¡°The boss is.¡±

    ¡°So, do you have a message or something?  Or did you just come here to chastise me for breaking the rules?¡±

    ¡°Both.¡±

    ¡°Well get on with it.¡±

    ¡°In time.¡±

    He shoved her in the chest, and she landed on her behind in the garden. She groaned and laid back down.  She shouted into the empty garden.

    ¡°Fuck you, Ezekiel!¡±

 Limbo - Garden of Edan - Year Unknown - Detention (Enid)

    Enid finally got bored with laying in the garden and pulled off her coat and tossed it aside and started wander around looking at the flower beds.  Time in Limbo was a strange beast, she wasn¡¯t sure how long it was before Ezekiel popped into existence with Eyre in tow.

    ¡°Welcome to detention Eyre.¡±

    ¡°Mom?  What the hell is going on?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been bad girls; Ezekiel is going to give us a spanking.¡±

    ¡°Who is he?¡±

    Eyre pointed at Ezekiel.

    ¡°That is Ezekiel an Archangel.  I prefer to refer to him as asshole.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry for my mother she¡¯s a bit rude sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it Eyre, I am quite well acquainted with your mother¡¯s behavior. What you don¡¯t realize she only calls people she likes names.¡±

    ¡°Like is bit strong of a word, isn¡¯t it? Loathe with all my being?¡±

    ¡°See that means she really likes me.¡±

    ¡°You know, I can see that.¡±

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m your mother, you¡¯re supposed to be on my side.¡±

    ¡°Well, he has a point mom.¡±

    Enid threw her hands up.

    ¡°Well get on with it Ezekiel.¡±

    ¡°Why the rush?  Your daughter has never been to Eden, you know I can put you back exactly when I pulled you here.¡±

    ¡°This is the garden? Like in the bible.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Oh wow.¡±

    Eyre¡¯s face got a strange look then she folded her hands behind her back and stood very still.

    ¡°What is wrong child?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to touch or eat anything I shouldn¡¯t.  I mean mortals were banned from here for¡­¡±

    ¡°The fruit of the garden are only forbidden to mortals my dear. And even then, there are exceptions. Stick with the gold fruit you may see things you didn¡¯t wish to know with the silver.  Whatever you take you must eat here however.¡±

    Eyre bounded over to the tree and pulled a golden fruit.  Enid looked over and was about to do something more then she just shook her head.

    ¡°Fuck it, she won¡¯t listen anyway.  Could you throw me one of those Eyre?¡±

    Eyre bit into the fruit and she became flush and held herself for a few minutes.  Then threw Enid a fruit.

    ¡°Oh my god, chocolate has nothing on this.  I feel tingly all over.¡±

    ¡°Ya, that¡¯s because you at the fruit of life.  Now you can get pregnant again, congrats.  I wouldn¡¯t worry though it¡¯s not like anyone will force it on to you ever.¡±

    Enid lifted her hand and gave the sky her middle finger.

    ¡°You¡¯re a little old to be so petty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m never going to be old enough to not be pissed when I¡¯m being used.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡±

    Enid glanced at Eyre who was somewhere else at least in her mind.  She took a bite of her own fruit.  She felt her body tingle all over her heart began to beat she could feel blood flowing through her veins. The sun in Limbo wasn¡¯t the real sun, so it had no effect on her, so she was her usual mostly dead self until she ate the fruit but now, she was alive and had all of her enhanced senses her skin tingled she could feel the electrical impulses in her brain firing off.  She felt everything at once.  After the fruit¡¯s effects had dulled or at least the pair had gotten used to them Ezekiel looked at Eyre.

    ¡°Child, what are you planning?  The boss is concerned with the exposure you¡¯re causing your mother.¡±

    Eyre suddenly felt like she was back on the ground and in her body again.

    ¡°Uh, well there were some men that tried to capture her.  High power weapons, stuff that could actually slow us down, so I thought if we could get out ahead of them.  Go viral, flood the internet, get her face out there, well her fake face as Sarah, we could head off other attacks.  If we can get the conservative base, like Catholics, Fundamentalist Christians, Republicans ect then she¡¯d become untouchable.  If the black son really is trapped in Lucius¡¯s body, it will make her more difficult to hurt.  I¡¯ve already got my guys and girls out there pushing our agenda.¡±

    ¡°So, your plan is to hide in plain site with a fake face?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You are a clever girl, you know the world better than most non-mortals.¡±

    ¡°I also figured we could give the church a boost it needs it.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°Why are you making me into some poster girl for the kind of people I hate?¡±

    ¡°Let me ask you mom, did you ever have extra-marital sex?¡±

    ¡°Not answering that!¡±

    ¡°Do you think women should marry other women?¡±

    ¡°Seriously shush. Not a conversation for my daughter!¡±

    ¡°How about abortion?¡±

    ¡°Depends is it mine?¡±

    ¡°Is there a God?¡±

    ¡°Obviously he¡¯s the asshole that had that asshole bring us here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re more fundamentalist Christian then 40% of fundamentalist Christians.¡±

    ¡°Whatever.¡±

    ¡°She can play the part.  She¡¯s pretended to be a devout catholic before.  I knew she could do it again.  Her distaste for humans would get in the way of trying to impress the free love hippies.¡±

    ¡°Very well, the boss is satisfied with that reasoning.¡±

    ¡°Wait, he couldn¡¯t just pull it out of my mind?  Find out what I was doing, or hell what was going to happen because of it?¡±

    ¡°Things are cloudy when related to anyone around your mother.  With the Second Son gone she has become his replacement.  Much like the Black Son, she is a slightly pale reflection of the boss.¡±

    ¡°So, he has no idea what I¡¯m going to do does he? So, he just pokes me, sticks babies in me, to see what makes me tick?¡±

    ¡°Something like that. Of course not.  Everything he does has a reason.  You just can¡¯t comprehend his plan.¡±

    ¡°What was the message oh great and glorious archangel?¡±

    ¡°Two things, Remember the promise you made to his mortal form, faith must be maintained. And secondly, go to Kenya and rescue the four nuns and the six children that have been grabbed and held hostage.  He will make the way clear to you.  Make sure they know that God told you where to find them.  He¡¯s going to help your plan along and well they are children.  He has no specifics about the militants who kidnapped them do what you will. Go be his avenging angel.  You are now what you made yourself chosen one. He touched them both and they landed in a heap on Eyre¡¯s living room floor.  Violet was sucking on a blood bag and paused as the appeared then continued drinking.

    ¡°You guys are really into some messed up shit.¡±

    Enid stood up and dusted herself off.

    ¡°Tell me about it. What time is it, what day is it?¡±

    ¡°Its January 15<sup>th</sup> at like 9 pm? Why what day do you think it is?¡±

    ¡°Ten minutes after we left.¡±

    Enid patted her sides and realized her winter coat was still in the garden.  She clenched her fists and screamed.

    ¡°Fuck you, Ezekiel!¡±

    She gave a sigh and threw her hands up in defeat.

    ¡°I liked that coat.  I hate limbo.¡±

    ¡°That was limbo?¡±

    ¡°Ya, its where Ezekiel hangs out.¡±

    Violet¡¯s phone buzzed and she looked at it.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°What the hell? Why do I have a satellite image in a text message from $#*(-)(#¡±

    ¡°Let me see that.¡±

    Enid took the phone and looked at it, GPS coordinates.

    ¡°Message from God, your phone is now a prophet.¡±

    Enid tapped a few icons and forward it to her phone. She handed it back to Violet.  Who was staring at Enid.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, it was for me.  Where¡¯s my phone?¡±

    ¡°Mom, did you seriously lose it again? Did you check your bottomless bag?¡±

    Enid frowned and dug through her bag and pulled out her phone.

    ¡°Okay time to go be a superhero. Get your shit Eyre.  Violet watch the house.¡±

    Enid was already dialing her a number on her phone.  Eyre opened her mouth to protest, and Enid just pointed at the location of their secret armory.  The other side picked up.

    ¡°Maria, its Enid, I need you.¡±

    ¡°Be outside of the convent in thirty mins, we¡¯re leaving the country bring your passport.¡±

    She glanced at her watch and then made another call.

    ¡°Hi, I need a flight plan and fuel.  Hanger 92.  We¡¯re flying to¡­¡±

    She paused and looked at the phone tapped in the GPS.

    ¡°Kenya, an hour.  Make it happen, I don¡¯t care who you have to bribe.¡±

    She hung up the phone and looked at Eyre who was standing there staring at her.

    ¡°Get your shit, I need a driver.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have anyone in Kenya?¡±

    ¡°Not anyone I want to put in harm¡¯s way.  Go get your shit and make sure you grab cash, USD.  We¡¯ll need some bribe money.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°One: I need you. Two: This shit is your fault if I¡¯m being voluntold, you¡¯re being voluntold, go.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Enid snapped her fingers.

    ¡°Get your ass in gear, wheels up in 60.¡±

    Violet sat on the couch and watched the unfolding scene all the while sucking on her blood bag.  Finally, she stopped.

    ¡°So uh, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Enid looked up from where she was stuffing some kit into her Atlantean pack.

    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but we¡¯ll be back in a couple of days.¡±

    ¡°Can I come?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too young.  When you¡¯ve had more training, we¡¯ll bring you.  Just keep an eye on the house.  Keep out of trouble.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m like twenty.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and everyone else going is over 800 years old, we have a different picture of what a big girl in our world.  Don¡¯t worry your time will come, it¡¯s just not today.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°One of my seers will be keeping eye on you while we¡¯re gone.  Think of her like a really mean substitute teacher.  She¡¯s a little rough around the edges but you can trust her. You¡¯ll know her by her silver sword.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I get to meet another one of us?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Enid finished packing, Eyre finished shortly after.  Eyre drove them to the convent and Mariana was out front and the Mother Superior was waiting for them.  Enid was still wearing her Sarah the Chosen face and walked to the pair.  The Mother Superior looked shocked to see her.

    ¡°Hello, I hope I didn¡¯t cause any trouble by calling Maria for help?¡±

    ¡°The church is her legal guardian; She can¡¯t just go out at all hours to who knows where.¡±

    ¡°I understand Mother Superior, but you know what I do, but you don¡¯t know what Maria can do.  She hides it well.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a medium.  She can see ghosts, she sneaks out and helps them at night when you think she¡¯s sleeping.  I need her skill set for a¡­this going to sound weird but I was asked by¡­gah.  God asked me to go rescue someone in Kenya, I need her gift to do it safely.  One of the nuns we¡¯re rescuing is the pope¡¯s biological sister. Normally not the sort of thing I do, but I¡¯m not about to say no to God.¡±

    ¡°I am skeptical.¡±

    ¡°I would be to, God doesn¡¯t exactly talk to people anymore.  He didn¡¯t really here either, he sent an Archangel.¡±

    ¡°I need to make a phone call.¡±

    ¡°Please hurry, he told me to do this quickly.  I can promise she will never be in harm¡¯s way.¡±

    Mariana gave Enid a curious look.

    ¡°How do you know this?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m Enid silly.  I am in disguise.¡±

    ¡°Oh.  What did the angel look like?¡±

    ¡°An Old man.  You¡¯ve met him before, Ezekiel.¡±

    ¡°I do not remember.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would.  If I could forget he existed, I would.¡±

    Mariana put her things in the SUV and noticed Eyre was the driver and waved.  Then went to stand beside Enid and stroked her crucifix with her pale fingers.  They waited for fifteen minutes, and the Mother Superior came back out looking very old, the blood drained from her face.

    ¡°She can go, we will give you whatever assistance you need.  Go with God.¡±

    Mariana¡¯s hand fell away from her crucifix, and she rushed to catch the Mother Superior¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Are you alright mother?¡±

    ¡°I am fine.  I just¡­¡±

    She looked at Sarah.

    ¡°You are truly his avenging angel.  I had thought you were a pretender, using our faith¡­but you are his hand on Earth come to smite the wicked and deliver us from evil.¡±

    She crossed herself and looked up.

    ¡°Forgive me lord for doubting her.¡±

    Enid moved and helped Mariana hold up the Mother Superior together they brought her inside and sat her down.  Mariana called out for help.  Several sisters came from throughout the convent dressed in their night clothes.

    ¡°What is wrong Maria?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the mother superior, she¡¯s had a bit of a shock.¡±

    Enid glanced at her watch.

    ¡°Maria, we need to go, our window of opportunity to get this done in time is fading.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sisters, I need to go, I¡¯ve been called. I will be back soon.¡±

    There was a murmur of discussion, and several tried to stop her.  Then the mother superior¡¯s voice cut through the noise stronger than it had been moments before.

    ¡°Sisters, she must go, the pope has had a revelation.  It is the will of our lord.¡±

    The murmurs got a bit louder again, Enid tugged Mariana with her to the SUV.  When they got in, she looked between Enid and Eyre.

    ¡°Please tell me what is going on?¡±

    ¡°We are going to Kenya to rescue several orphans and four nuns and evacuate them to Vatican City.¡±

    ¡°I understand, how did we get involved in this?¡±

    Enid pointed at Eyre.

    ¡°Her fault.¡±

    ¡°Will you just stop Mom, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t think it would spiral this out of control.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think and that is usually your problem.  I told you, we shouldn¡¯t get involved with this mortal crap.  But you were all no, we must protect them from him.  You can do something; You should do something.  Well, this is what doing something causes.  More somethings and more somethings.  And now you have him involved.¡±

    ¡°Him?¡±

    ¡°My mother is upset because we got hauled into the Garden of Eden by an Archangel and dressed down for outing Mom to the Black Son.¡±

    ¡°So, it is true then?  You spoke to an angel?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t seem that angelic, but mom says he is one.¡±

    ¡°Angels are no angels; This isn¡¯t a fairy tale.  They¡¯re like us, just¡­well physically better and they perceive time differently than we do.  And they probably don¡¯t drink the blood of humans.  Though I wouldn¡¯t make any bets on the last one.  I don¡¯t know much about them but every single angel I¡¯ve run into was a complete asshole with a superiority complex.¡±

    Eyre glanced at Enid.

    ¡°How many angels have you run into?¡±

    ¡°One.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t judge an entire group of beings by one individual.¡±

    ¡°Just watch me.¡±

    ¡°Mom you are terrible.¡±

    ¡°She is right Enid, you should keep an open mind, the one I saw was glorious it lit up everything.¡±

    ¡°I would say I think you¡¯re nuts, but who knows, you managed to heal a curse that was placed on Ezekiel and can talk to the dead, so anything is possible.  It was bossy though, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I should not say.¡±

    ¡°That means it was bossy as¡­¡±

    Enid didn¡¯t finish her sentence.

    ¡°Sorry Mariana, I forgot you don¡¯t like it when I swear.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Enid, I appreciate your consideration for my feelings on that matter.¡±

    ¡°Why do you always speak so formally?¡±

    ¡°Out of respect for the people around me.  Respect is the foundation of a relationship.  Politeness is the ultimate form of respect.  It shows you care about other people¡¯s feelings.¡±

    ¡°So that Pugmentia brainwashed you.¡±

    ¡°No, I read a lot of books and had discussions with several spirits.  I have learned that politeness is very important.  It is hard to take it the wrong way or infer ill-intent to harmless conversation.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right mom.¡±

    Enid frowned and crossed her arms.  The three rode in silence along the dark and empty highway.  Eyre parked the car in long term and the three grabbed their luggage and headed to the waiting jet.  By this time, she was wearing her real face and hair. An African American man waited at the bottom of the plane¡¯s steps for the trio.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, she¡¯s fueled up and ready to go. Flight plan and schedule are listed under Ms. O¡¯connor.  Naivasha Airport, Kenya then on to Ciampino, Italy.  Fuel will be waiting at both. Will you need my services on your trip?¡±

    ¡°No Thomas, thank you for your assistance and discretion as usual.¡±

    Enid handed him an envelope. He took it with a nod.

    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am¡±

    He tipped his hat.  And walked off.

    ¡°What did he mean ¡®services¡¯ mom?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s a mercenary.  He¡¯s also a facilitator when he¡¯s not shooting people.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an outsider?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he gets the job done. Doesn¡¯t ask questions he doesn¡¯t need to and keeps his mouth shut.¡±

    Enid hefted her bag over her shoulder.

    ¡°Get on I need to do a walk around and flight checks.¡±

    ¡°Enid, you do know how to fly this, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mariana, I am very good at it.¡±

    ¡°I have never been on a plane before.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry it will be fine.¡±

    Enid started walking around the plane checking the tires, landing gear looking at the engines.  Looking for leaks.  Checked the wings and tail.  Then went and looked at the maintenance log.  She walked up the stairs and pulled the door closed.  She went into the cockpit and pulled on her head set and completed the rest of her pre-flight checks.  Then opened the radio channel.

    ¡°Tower this is VQ-B X032. Pre-flight checks are complete.  Permission to take off, and runway please.¡±

    Her radio crackled to life.

    ¡°Flight plan has been confirmed.  You are cleared for Runway two, you are 2<sup>nd</sup> in queue.¡±

    ¡°Roger that tower.¡±

    Enid waited her turn and taxied down the runway and the plane swooped into the sky.   She got herself to cruising altitude.  She stayed at the controls for an hour to make sure everything was going fine and went back to check on Eyre and Mariana.  Mariana was still buckled into her seat her hands clutching the edges of her chair.  Eyre was watching something on her tablet with earbuds in.  Mariana looked up at Enid wide eyed.

    ¡°Who is flying the plane?¡±

    ¡°The autopilot.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that safe?¡±

    ¡°Yes, for a few minutes at least.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re cruising at 600 knots, so flight time is another eleven hours so 8 pm local time in Kenya.  You should get comfortable, or its going be a long day¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the time difference from Edmonton mom?¡±

    ¡°Nine hours.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why you wanted to get going so fast, you wanted to be there for nightfall.¡±

    ¡°You think I was going to attack a Militant compound in broad daylight when bullets actually hurt? Ya, I¡¯m not that nuts.¡±

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know, that armor protects you from the sun so you could totally use your abilities in it.¡±

    ¡°That armor is very distinct and is better left in the bag.  I am not going to leave these guys alive.  I can¡¯t guarantee the hostages will get out safely.  I¡¯m going to kill them all, hardly what we want to associate with Sarah the chosen of goodie goodness.¡±

    ¡°Okay.  So why is Mariana here again?¡±

    ¡°I need someone to watch the plane.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it, that seems like a silly reason to drag her here she¡¯s freaking out.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll get over it won¡¯t you Mariana?¡±

    Mariana was looking calmer by now and had relaxed her death grip on her arm rests.  She had started to look around the plane.

    ¡°Whose plane is this? It looks expensive.¡±

    ¡°Mom¡¯s plane. I bought it for her for Christmas.¡±

    ¡°How could you afford something like this?¡±

    Eyre looked at Enid then back at Mariana.  She didn¡¯t know what to say she was so shocked. Enid nodded.

    ¡°Mariana, hon, Eyre¡¯s had eight hundred years to amass a fortune, so have I.  We were nobles in England and we haven¡¯t gotten any poorer.  I was already wealthier than most kings by the time I was Lady Sarah.¡±

    ¡°But how?¡±

    ¡°Selling my services.  Trading.  I have a literal vault on my person usually.  And once the America¡¯s were discovered gold was flowing like a waterfall.  Then the industrial revolution, then the stock market.  Nobody realizes it but elder vampires probably hold most of the wealth of the world.  We don¡¯t have to eat, imperials don¡¯t have to sleep.  We can control people¡¯s minds.  People want to give us money.¡±

    Enid glanced back at the cockpit.

    ¡°I should keep an eye on things.¡±

 Kenya - 2027 - His Avenging Angel

    Commander Alexander Wilson was a dour looking man with bags under his eyes. His hair was greying and he wasn¡¯t in the mood to be dealing with a hostage crisis. He was leaning on a console in the ops room of the George Washington. The militants that had kidnapped the women after attacking the UN convoy transporting them had retreated to a compound in their so-called independent state that used to be one of Kenya¡¯s provinces. By special request of the UN Security Council, they were standing by to rescue the women once they had enough intel on the compound. He rubbed his eyes and looked back at the screen. The Seal team was on the spot for the op. George Washington was the closest ship to the warzone. He watched another guard go down on the thermals.

    ¡°What the fuck are they doing down there? Get the team lead on comms.¡±

    ¡°Aye Sir.¡±

    ¡°Sigma Team you do not have the go order yet, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Sigma team hasn¡¯t engaged. All team members are still in position awaiting go order.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me what the fuck is going on, I just watched two¡­three guards go down. Nothing on thermals, who else has thermal camo?¡±

    ¡°Stand by, will get visual.¡±

    Commander Wilson tapped his fingers on the console. He watched another two guards go down quickly. He silently wondered if it was the Russians or Chinese who had claimed they had no ability to assist and were trying to score a media win with a miraculous rescue of a few innocents.

    ¡°Sigma Team do you have that intel yet?¡±

    ¡°Negative. Getting into position.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    ¡°Have a visual now. Having trouble with uplink. One target. Size indicates female. No weapons fire. She¡¯s doing silent take downs. Looks like she¡¯s snapping their necks.¡±

    ¡°Is she showing up on thermals.¡±

    ¡°Negative, visuals only, she¡¯s fast.¡±

    ¡°Who the fuck is she, why is she there.¡±

    ¡°She just jumped off the wall, we¡¯ve lost visual.¡±

    ¡°Keep reporting. The drone¡¯s night vision is offline.¡±

    ¡°Just saw muzzle flare in the windows. They know she¡¯s there. Still no direct visual.¡±

    Commander Wilson sighed.

    ¡°Open a channel to fleet command.¡±

    ¡°Aye Sir. Admiral Taylor is awaiting your report.¡±

    ¡°Admiral Taylor.¡±

    ¡°Commander Wilson, I have the joint chiefs here. What¡¯s the status, do you have enough intel to begin the operation?¡±

    ¡°Negative Admiral. We had some hardware malfunctions. Another party has engaged the compound.¡±

    ¡°Do we know who they are?¡±

    ¡°No, we do not have any intel on who they are. They have thermal camo. Looks like a small team. They have actively engaged the hostiles. Sir, can I give the team permission to engage?¡±

    ¡°Do you think it is another militant faction?¡±

    ¡°No sir, whoever it is special forces. They don¡¯t have that kind of skill level, or bank roll.¡±

    ¡°Then maintain operation readiness but do not engage. We¡¯re not sending our men in blind.¡±

    ¡°Sir, the hostages may be killed, their entrance was silent, but they have engaged with gunfire now.¡±

    ¡°Our men¡¯s safety is the priority here commander. Get as much surveillance as you can. But do not engage.¡±

    ¡°Understood sir. I will keep you updated.¡±

    Commander Wilson kicked his chair.

    ¡°Sigma team, maintain operational readiness, but do not engage. You are not a go. Maintain surveillance and send video feed when you can.¡±

    ¡°Message received and understood.¡±

    Several more minutes passed.

    ¡°Sigma Team to Ark.¡±

    ¡°Ark here Sigma Team.¡±

    ¡°We have observed sniper fire on the compound and on reinforcements that were approaching on the road. Anti-material, took two engines out then several hostiles.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a location on the source of the fire?¡±

    ¡°Looks like a cube van.¡±

    ¡°Do you have visual on the sniper?¡±

    ¡°Yes, same as the one in the compound, showing up in visuals, but not thermals. Also, female.¡±

    ¡°Can you make out the rifle?¡±

    ¡°Negative, visuals are two low rez, we are sending drones.¡±

    ¡°Any improvement with those video feeds?¡±

    ¡°Tech says soon.¡±

    ¡°Understood. Maintain surveillance do not engage unless you are engaged. Ark Out.¡±

    Commander Wilson crossed his arms and began to pace. A couple of minutes later the video feed started populating. One of the mini-drones was over the sniper and zooming in on the rifle. The computer scanned it and came up with an identification. It was a Canadian weapon anti-tank sniper rifle. Built for punching through armor and killing the driver.

    ¡°What the fuck are the Canadians doing there?¡±

    ¡°They could be mercenaries sir.¡±

    ¡°As soon as you get her face you send it for an ID.¡±

    ¡°Aye sir.¡±

    The sniper pulled in the rifle and hoped in the cab of the truck. The drone couldn¡¯t get a visual of her face still. The cube van drove on the road and passed the remains of the reinforcements. And backed up to the gate. The driver had a ball cap on and was hiding her face. Like she knew the drone was there. Visuals form the drones showed eleven targets evacuating the compound. The gates opened and they got in the back.

    ¡°Admiral Taylor, the unknown assailants have exfiltrated the hostages onto a cube van are escaping now. We see more hostiles are on route, a couple of modified pickup trucks and an armored vehicle. We have identified at least two rpgs. Should we provide assistance?¡±

    ¡°Is the drone armed?¡±

    ¡°Yes sir, two ASM¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°You have authorization to engage the hostile convoy. If the hostages are at risk Sigma Team may engage.¡±

    ¡°Understood Sir.¡±

    ¡°Sigma team. You are a go. Protect the hostages. We have been cleared hot for drone support.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    ¡°Flight team take out that armored vehicle.¡±

    ¡°Sir the armored vehicle is already taken out.¡±

    ¡°Sigma team did you have visual on weapons fire on the armored vehicle?¡±

    ¡°Ark, we didn¡¯t see any weapons fire. It just went flying off the road.¡±

    ¡°Roll back the drone footage.¡±

    Commander Wilson watched on the screen. One of his analysts pointed.

    ¡°There sir, look, it was one of the women from the truck.¡±

    Commander Wilson stared at the screen. And kept repeating the scene. She jumped out of the moving Cube van and flickered out of existence then she appeared beside the Armored vehicle and shoulder checked it sending it careening off the road and rolling four times. The pickup trucks had high caliber machine guns. They tore into the woman but she didn¡¯t slow down. Without losing a beat she proceeded to tear a wheel off of a pickup truck and tossed it through front window of the other and it ran out of control and smashed into a tree. Then she vanished and appeared back in the cube van.

    ¡°Sigma Team. Do not engage, I repeat do not engage. Hostile vehicles have been neutralized.¡±

    ¡°Acknowledged Ark, standing down.¡±

    Commander Wilson rubbed his eyes again and sat down. He stared at the repeating video.

    ¡°I do not want to write up the report for this one.¡±

    *****

    A figure with camo on her face and clad in black combats climbed up the wall of the compound. It wasn¡¯t exactly well built. Boards and cargo containers. There was barbed wire, but it couldn¡¯t pierce her flesh. She ignored the minor annoyance of it. She slipped over the top and kept to the shadows wrapping them around her she spotted her first target. He was smoking a cigarette and had his AK-47 strapped over his shoulder. She bit him in the neck and drank him dry she tossed him over the wall into the ground below on the outside of the compound. She slipped back into the shadows and pulled out her combat knife. Her second target had nightvision binoculars in front of his eyes. Even with them he wouldn¡¯t have noticed the invisible vampire about to pounce. She brought her knife up and cut his throat deeply, preventing any noise from getting out of his throat and tossed him over the wall. And so, she went silently dispatching another eight men, none of which had a chance against the immortal huntress in their midst. She¡¯d been killing since she was barely out of childhood, her vampiric gifts had just made it easier. She finally made the first sound after entry into the compound.

    ¡°You see any more on thermal?¡±

    ¡°Wall¡¯s clear mom.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m heading inside.¡±

    ¡°Be careful.¡±

    ¡°Never.¡±

    The woman jumped down and landed silently in the earth of the compound. She slipped across the grounds. She quickly placed charges on the hinges of the gate.

    ¡°Charges are up.¡±

    ¡°No signs of any movement outside. We have a drone though. Should I take it out mom?¡±

    ¡°No need, they won¡¯t know what¡¯s happening until it¡¯s too late.¡±

    The black figure pushed on the door popping the lock and saw a single figure sitting at a table over a bowl of noodles. She slammed her knife down on the back of his neck it should have gone right through his spine and killed him instantly. It didn¡¯t the knife exploded into fragments some hitting the man.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    What the fuck?

    The momentary confusion on her part left her vulnerable. He grabbed her by the neck and slammed her into the concrete wall of the building it cracked with the force and so did her bones. They started mending immediately but were shattered once again as she was slammed into the opposite wall with a toss from the man. She struggled to get up, but her spine was still healing.

    ¡°Thermal in the first room hit it with a full clip.¡±

    Concrete fragments flew everywhere furniture was shredded and the bullets did little to slow him down. Two of the militants had rushed in guns ready and were cut down by the high caliber armor piercing rounds. She¡¯d asked for tank busters, and they didn¡¯t disappoint but the concrete slowed them down that whatever this thing was barely noticed them. The distraction was enough though. She was on her feet, and she leapt at him her fist impacting him in the face. The force of the blow made him stumble backwards but the bones in her hand were liquified. His cheek was a bit red, and he looked surprised as he rubbed it gingerly. She suddenly came under assault by two more rifles. She dove for cover.

    ¡°Two thermals by the door are hostiles.¡±

    More rounds punched through the concrete and the two rifle wielding militants went down. The man who was still standing there looked down at the Enid. He was not overly large but compared to the five-foot-tall teenager in front of him he was a monster.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have fun with you, looks like I can do it rough.¡±

    ¡°Seriously? Is that the first thing that jumps to your mind? You¡¯re going to rape me? Thank you, that¡¯s going to make this easy.¡±

    She pulled out Bloodseeker.

    ¡°I have one too.¡±

    She rolled her eyes and slowed time. He wouldn¡¯t notice as the blade slid through his chest without resistance. By the time he knew what had happened he was screaming. This part always bothered her; His essence crackled into the blade it was an odd blue lightning. Usually it was red, rarely it was purple for undead, but this was entirely new. His screams echoed against the concrete walls and within a few minutes his desiccated remains fell off the blade. He looked mummified, every ounce of vitality from the body was gone leaving a shell. She felt the power that had dwelled in him flowing into her body. The blood was electric in her veins as her sword transferred it to her.

    ¡°I have no idea what that was but it¡¯s down. Going in further.¡±

    ¡°We have company. I¡¯m going to take out their engines when they get in range and cut them down, but we can assume more resistance is on its way after them.¡±

    ¡°Once you deal with them get ready to pick us up.¡±

    She kicked the next set of doors in, it looks like they had interrupted dinner. Abandoned plates were scattered all over the place. She could smell more of the militants, but she couldn¡¯t see them, but their locations soon became apparent as four popped up and unloaded their clips into her. She lunged at the nearest when they were reloading and pulled out her pistol, using him as cover she killed two before they could get reloaded the other one hesitated as the one she was holding struggled and begged for his life at least that is what it sounded like she was did not understand African dialects. The other one dropped his weapon. She shot him in the head then put the gun to the head of the one she was holding.

    ¡°English, where are the women you grabbed?¡±

    His kept babbling and pointed at a rug. She pulled the trigger and dropped his body. She moved over to the rug and yanked it. A grate was in the floor she looked down and could see shapes moving below. A rope latter was attached to a wall, and she tossed it down.

    ¡°Its safe you can come up.¡±

    She kneeled reaching down and pulling the first girl out. She was maybe seven years old. She did the same with several others telling each in turn.

    ¡°Run straight through that door then the other one outside don¡¯t look at anything else but the door way hon.¡±

    She didn¡¯t expect them not to look but at least she could try to shield them. Finally, the older women started coming up. Four in all. There were gasps and a few screams. Enid hadn¡¯t been exactly gentle, or merciful in her fight to rescue them. None seemed to recognize her from her interviews but soon they would put two and two together.

    ¡°Hurry through that door and out the front. The children are waiting.¡±

    Enid followed the nuns after making sure no one else was down in the pit. By the time she arrived the nuns were doing their best to console the children. Enid motioned them follow her behind a truck. She crouched with the group.

    ¡°Okay kids cover your ears this going to be loud.¡±

    She waited until they had done what they were told.

    ¡°Blowing the gates¡±

    She pressed the button on the detonator and the charges she¡¯d placed on the hinges exploded and the metal gate slammed to the ground.

    ¡°Okay girls, let¡¯s go.¡±

    She scooped up two of the children and motioned for the nuns to do the same. She ran to the truck and Eyre was waiting there with the back open she put the girls down on the bed of the truck.

    ¡°Strap in, it might be rough. There¡¯s food and water. You might hear more noise but don¡¯t worry you¡¯ll be safe in here.¡±

    She helped the nuns in and pulled the gate down and ran to the front and got in the passenger side, Eyre got in the driver side and slammed the truck into gear and the tires spun and the truck shot up the road.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re covered in blood.¡±

    ¡°I just attacked a building full of people with assault rifles, what were you expecting?¡±

    ¡°You can move so fast..¡±

    ¡°No, technically I just make everything move slower. It¡¯s not exactly a cheap transaction.¡±

    ¡°But it uses up energy to heal too, doesn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°I cannot believe I¡¯m having this conversation with an eight-hundred-year-old vampire. Healing is the easiest to do. Lessons over there are more coming. Just keep driving I¡¯ll deal with them.¡±

    Enid jumped out of the door and began running bending time to her will. She charged up the road and shoulder checked the lead vehicle. It was an armored vehicle. Between its speed and her expert hit she sent it rolling off the road. She ripped a tire off the next vehicle and shoved it with her palm sending it rolling down the embankment and threw the tire at the next vehicle sending the already out of control truck into a tree off the side of the road. She waited and leapt onto the cube van and got in the passenger seat. She picked up the sniper rifle and hung out the side of the truck taking aim at the drone that was tracking them she shot it twice and spiraled out of control into the ground and exploded. She slid back in and put the gun down.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you do that for?¡±

    ¡°It would have tracked us back to our plane. We¡¯ll be in the air and can land at the airport we were supposed to land at and refuel then go onto Italy.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t they just track us from there?¡±

    ¡°No, we had a planned trip to that airport. We can just say we were delayed.¡±

    *****

    ¡°What happened to the drone feed?¡±

    ¡°We lost the drone, sir.¡±

    ¡°Show me the last visual.¡±

    The commander watched as the passenger in the cube leaned out and shot the drone with the anti-material rifle, and made it look easy. He yelled at the flight team.

    ¡°You couldn¡¯t do some evasive maneuvers?¡±

    ¡°Sir, we throught she was just firing wild, there¡¯s no way she could hit it.¡±

    ¡°Well, she did, twice.¡±

    He pounded the console with his fist.

    ¡°Get me satellite feed asap.¡±

    ¡°We have twenty minutes before we have an available window.¡±

    Commander Wilson growled.

    *****

    ¡°Ark, compound is cleared of hostiles. We¡¯re gathering intel.¡±

    Commander Wilson along with the joint chiefs were watching as Sigma Team explored the compound. He turned away when he saw the desiccated remains of one of the militants. The ones outside the wall had been clean kills here whoever came in just used brute force. They could clearly identify entry points for the sniper¡¯s bullets.

    ¡°Sigma Team, get samples from the desiccated corpse, and get a better-quality picture of those cracks. Also get some laser scans for VR reconstruction. Get some samples of the blood. The torch the compound and destroy the vehicles.¡±

    ¡°Ark, it looks like a person was slammed into the wall here. We pulled out bone fragments fabric and blood.¡±

    ¡°Any signs of non-militant casualties?¡±

    ¡°No, but we found broken parts of some sort of weapon. And a hilt. Looks like a combat knife, looks like it shattered.¡±

    ¡°Get samples of everything you can and keep the video feed going.¡±

    *****

    Enid watched the cube van drive off then boarded the plane. She taxied and took off; The flight was only about ten minutes and she landed at their actual listed destination. She used the opportunity to go to the passenger compartment of the plane. Eyre was already using the kitchen to preparing food for their guests. Mariana was speaking to one of the adults. Enid nodded as she passed and went into her private room and got changed into a black turtleneck and a pair of blue jeans. She washed her face and hands off scrubbing the dried blood out between her fingers and from under her nails. She pulled the crucifix on that Mariana had given her for Christmas. As she left her private room, she felt a hand grab her arm.

    ¡°Excuse me, but where are you taking us, we¡¯re still in Kenya aren¡¯t we?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m flying you to Rome.¡±

    ¡°Rome? Why?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve all been granted sanctuary by Vatican City.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re from the church?¡±

    ¡°Indirectly. Look sister, I don¡¯t have much time. We¡¯re just stopping here to refuel. I need to go make sure the plane is flight worthy before we take off. You and your charges are safe here. Use this time to get comfortable and get some sleep. I¡¯m sure someone at the Vatican can explain better than I will be able too.¡±

    She nodded but didn¡¯t let go of Enid¡¯s arm.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are but thank you for risking your life to save us.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me sister, thank God. He¡¯s the reason I was there.¡±

    The sister let go of Enid¡¯s arm and disembarked the plane and did her walk around. Dusty but otherwise looked flight worthy. She spoke to a Kenyan official and signed some paperwork handing the clipboard back with a thick envelope under the clip.

    ¡°Looks like everything is in order here. Have a safe flight.¡±

    Enid nodded and gave a wave before getting back on the plane. The flight to Rome was much shorter; Just over six hours. She dimmed the cabin lights and let the passengers get some sleep. Mariana came up and joined her near the end of the flight.

    ¡°Enid, did you kill anyone last night?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You know that is wrong. I have seen you do it before and you seem to not be bothered by it. Every time you take a life it takes part of your goodness away. You should confess.¡±

    ¡°Mariana, I don¡¯t feel guilty about most of the people I have killed. I have no reason to confess.¡±

    ¡°You have no guilt about taking lives?¡±

    Her hand went to her crucifix. Pale fingers tracing it as they had so many times before.

    ¡°No, I have no illusions about who and what I am. I try to avoid taking lives, but the fact remains some people just need to die for the human race as a whole to survive.¡±

    ¡°You cannot make that judgment.¡±

    ¡°Usually, I do not. Last night is on God. He told me to be his avenging angel and that he didn¡¯t care what happened to the militants.¡±

    ¡°That does not sound like God.¡±

    ¡°It sounds a lot like the God I know from the Old Testament.¡±

    ¡°But the commandments say¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re nice guidelines. Look Mariana, you don¡¯t have the benefit of living through two thousand years of human history and experiencing the black death, the great war, World War Two, nuclear detonations. Nazi death camps, Nazi firing squads. I¡¯m so used to humans killing and being killed when one I don¡¯t know dies, I have little ability to feel empathy for them, whether I pulled the trigger or not.¡±

    ¡°Then why bother saving them at all.¡±

    ¡°Just because I don¡¯t feel anything when one of them dies doesn¡¯t mean I want it to happen. Look I do what I can, when I can. Its like you with your ghosts, you can¡¯t save all of them, and if you cared about each and every one, you¡¯d go mad. It¡¯s the same with me: I make the difference I can and do let the rest go.¡±

    ¡°We have power, we can make a difference.¡±

    ¡°Where do we draw the line? At what point do decide it¡¯s too far?¡±

    ¡°Well, we could stop abortions, war¡­¡±

    ¡°So, you want to use your power to press your morality on everyone else?¡±

    ¡°Well no.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what you just asked for, Mariana. The only way to stop the humans from killing each is to kill all the humans. They don¡¯t know how to behave civilly as a group. Things will be peaceful for a while then someone gets greedy and then millions die. And what do you think they would do if they realized there were immortals among them? Feeding on their blood. They would hunt us down, for the secrets of the power we hold, not for the good of humanity, oh they would say it is, but it¡¯s for power. Humans will always crave power. Even your Catholic Church has bishops jockeying for position trying to be the next pope, for power. It is the one human need that can never be satiated and what do most of them do when they get power? They try to get more. What happens if someone threatens that power? They will fuck anyone over they can to keep it, murdering if necessary. How do we put a leash on that? The best we can do is stop them from killing all life on the planet which we¡¯ve done time and again. I doubt they would thank us for it if they knew.¡±

    ¡°Not everyone is that way.¡±

    ¡°You might be right, but the ones who get power are never the ones who are going to use it responsibly. You should see the Pugmentia. Drunk with power, and even than they have to fight backstab, bicker, break any law they need to be top of the pile of trash.¡±

    ¡°But you used to be human, and you do not use your power in that way.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m constantly tempted, Of course I think I could remake this world into something glorious, but then I would be just like the humans, top of the pile, scared someone is going to topple my house of cards. No, our best policy is the one your father put in place, stay out of their way unless they risk our safety.¡±

    ¡°Then why did you rescue those people at the back of the plane? Why did you interfere with the problem in Edmonton? Why did you go on those videos?¡±

    ¡°Last night was God telling me to do it, Edmonton was the lesser of two evils, pretend to be a superhero or risk a pugmentia ripping someone¡¯s throat out live all over the internet. The videos were just more of that last one.¡±

    ¡°He was not a vampire.¡±

    ¡°I know that now. Still the humans are incapable of handling something like that, or the one I ran into last night.¡±

    ¡°There was one there last night?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my knife shattered when I tried to kill him. Then he slammed me into a wall and tossed me like a rag doll. I punched him with every bit of my strength, and I basically gave him a bruise and turned my fist into a mushy mess. I finally had to use Bloodseeker on him.¡±

    ¡°What is bloodseeker?¡±

    ¡°It is a very evil sword, and it has served me well, but I hate using it, I understand now how terrible it is.¡±

    ¡°So, you destroyed is immortal soul?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Mariana crossed herself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me that way, God gave the sword to father, who gave it to me, and he knows I have it, it¡¯s on him. He knew there was a whatever they are there.¡±

    ¡°You cannot blame God for your actions.¡±

    ¡°I can when he sent me there with the words: ¡®Be my avenging angel¡¯. Doesn¡¯t leave much room for doubt, does it?¡±

    Mariana crossed herself again and kept stroking her crucifix. She walked to the back of the cabin without another word. Enid ran her fingers through her hair with a heavy sigh and put her set back on and started an inflight phone call to a number that had been provided to her. The line picked up.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Hello, my name is Sarah, I understand I was supposed to call this line and let you know I have Sister Mary Conte on my plane, along with the surviving sisters of the Sacred Mother Orphanage, and the girls who they were with.¡±

    There was a long pause on the other end of the line and finally the man continued to speak, he sounded breathless.

    ¡°Are they alright?¡±

    ¡°None of them were harmed, we have a doctor who checked them over, and they seem in good health, if a bit hungry and dehydrated. I¡¯m going to be landing at the Ciampino airport in Italy in about an hour. I am hoping you can arrange transportation for the sisters and the girls and take care of the Italian authorities?¡±

    ¡°S¨¬, s¨¬, err yes.¡±

    Enid switched to Italian to make things easier. The waver to his voice made him sound quite nervous.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright I¡¯m fluent in Italian. Flight is VQ-B X032.¡±

    ¡°Will you be accompanying them?¡±

    ¡°Yes, along with a couple of others, if that is alright.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course you¡¯re all welcome the Holy Father will want to meet you and thank you personally.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. We will see you soon.¡±

    Enid hung up the call and checked her instruments over again.

 Rome - 2027 - Arrival (1/5)

    It was 8 am when they landed in Italy. Enid stretched as she got off the plane. She¡¯d just parked it in the hanger and had called in for maintenance and refueling. She was wearing the same black turtleneck and jeans she had changed into after getting out of her shredded combats and armored vest. She watched as the sisters and girls she had rescued piled into a black bus. She had her Sarah the superhero face on. She showed her passport to the customs agent who was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. He compared her face to the passport.

    ¡°Welcome to Italy. You don¡¯t have any luggage?¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re not staying long. Just dropping off some stragglers for the Vatican.¡±

    ¡°Well enjoy your stay. Ms. O¡¯connor.¡±

    Enid nodded and walked out the shade of the hanger. It was crisp sunny day. She pulled her sunglasses on and then tugged her hoodie over her shoulders. She got into the van sitting beside Sister Mary. Who leaned close and spoke quietly?

    ¡°You are heaven sent. I did not think we would get out of there. We prayed for a miracle.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you would have; The Americans were there already.¡±

    ¡°I do not think they could do what you did. I saw one of those men throw a car.¡±

    ¡°They would have figured something out.¡±

    ¡°No, god sent you to save us and the Americans. They would not have stood a chance.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re welcome, but I didn¡¯t do it alone. I had help.¡±

    Enid motioned to Mariana and Eyre.

    ¡°I have thanked them already. Are you alright? We heard the stone breaking and he sounded like he wanted too¡­¡±

    Sister Mary crossed herself.

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say my sword was bigger and I knew how to use it better and leave it at that Sister. I¡¯m used to hearing that sort of thing from men. I just need to get ready for when we get to the Vatican if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡±

    Enid pulled out her phone and put some earbuds in.

    It¡¯s the gratitude afterwards that drives me nuts.

    She stared out of the window, watching buildings flicker by. The song that was playing suited her mood. It was slow and melancholy. In her mind¡¯s eye the old Rome and new Rome were superimposed. It had been almost seventy-five years since she was here last. But she was remembering the glory of Rome. Watching the returning legions march up the main streets, polished armor. Lucius had their daughter on his shoulders so she could see them. Enid had leaned against him her belly swollen with their son. She avoided Rome as much as possible. It brought back memories she¡¯d rather forget. She realized too late that tears were dripping down her cheeks out from under her sunglasses she pulled them off and wiped them off her face. Thankful the sun was shining on her of they would have been tears of blood. Sister Mary was looking at her and Enid did her best to cover up the accompanying sniffles.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine Sister, just some bad memories. Rome is not my favorite city; I have a lot of history with her. And I lost something dear here.¡±

    She put her arm around Enid¡¯s shoulders and hugged her close. She said nothing more and just held Enid. Enid kept crying; The weakness made her angry, but two thousand years had done little to ease the pain of her soul mate betraying her. She calmed down and wiped up her face. She couldn¡¯t look at Eyre or Mariana.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry sister I didn¡¯t mean to be so emotional.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re only human. Would you like to tell me what upsets you about Rome?¡±

    ¡°My husband died here.¡±

    ¡°Your husband? You were married?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I married young.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that is terrible.¡±

    ¡°Rome was the last place we were together.¡±

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re still young, you may find another love, and perhaps God has other plans for you.¡±

    ¡°He seems to.¡±

    ¡°I will say a prayer for your husband.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sister.¡±

    Pray that his murderer finds his just end at the point of my sword.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to look all puffy eyes for the Pope. This isn¡¯t very dignified. And not like me at all to cry so much.¡±

    ¡°He will not mind.¡±

    Enid nodded and straightened up her hair and put her sunglasses back on. The motorcade went through the entrance to Vatican City. They were met by Swiss guard in black suits who helped everyone out of the bus. They checked Enid, Mariana and Eyre for weapons and motioned them inside the offices. The sisters were ushered off in a different direction as were the girls. The trio were in a waiting area that looked dated. Enid pushed the sunglasses she was wearing up on the top of her head. Eyre and Mariana were both looking at her.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why were you crying mom?¡±

    ¡°Rome is full of bad memories which is why I avoid it.¡±

    ¡°Oh. You know I¡¯m here for you right mom?¡±

    ¡°Not a conversation I want to have with my daughter from my second marriage.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Look I¡¯ve been here five times since Lucius, the Black Son condemned Mariana to death. There¡¯s a lot of emotions wrapped up in that whole mess. With father, the council. It¡¯s just not a city I like. When I look at Rome, I see the city of my childhood. Not whatever this is now.¡±

    Enid waved her arm towards the exit from Vatican City.

    ¡°Well Mariana is here now, and you know it wasn¡¯t Lucius doing it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know but it doesn¡¯t change the constant feeling like I want to throw up when the memory comes back up. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m such an emotional wreck. God, forbid I care about something.¡±

    ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t mean it that way. I just¡­¡±

    Maria touched Eyre¡¯s arm and then she hugged around Enid. Eyre joined in the hug.

    ¡°I understand Enid. Eyre is just used to her mother being a pillar of strength. She is not used to seeing vulnerability and she is trying to help.¡±

    Enid nodded and held back blood tears that were threatening to flow. Suddenly she wished this waiting room had windows to the outside. They waited for half an hour and a cardinal came in. Enid quirked an eyebrow. She wasn¡¯t expecting a Cardinal. Maybe a father.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°I apologize for the wait. The holy father had a scheduled meeting. He would very much like to speak to you. Please come with me.¡±

    Enid followed, Eyre and Mariana hesitated. Enid motioned them to follow with her hand.

    ¡°Sorry your Eminence, they are nervous.¡±

    ¡°As is often the case. From what I understand you did last evening; I would think this would be a walk in the park.¡±

    ¡°Maria thinks she¡¯s not good enough, and Eyre thinks she¡¯s going to burst into flames because she missed a few masses. I¡¯m just wondering how much trouble I¡¯m in.¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°He has watched your videos and he had some questions. He had several people trying to find out how to speak to you, it looks like it was God who found the answer.¡±

    Enid nodded. Then realized she had her sunglasses on top of her head and pulled them off and put them in her hoodie pocket. She¡¯d be blushing if she was in the sun. They reached an office. Here the sun was streaming in and behind the desk in the traditional white robes was the Pope he stood up and shook each of their hands vigorously.

    ¡°Thank you, thank you, thank you.¡±

    Enid and Eyre blushed; Mariana would be if she ever had the ability. Even in life she¡¯d had the same drained look about her. He looked each up and down.

    ¡°It is a miracle, I prayed for the safety of our sisters and the children in their charge. And there in the chapel an apparition of Saint Sarah appeared her sword held aloft. Golden wings behind her and she spoke to those present. She said, ¡®The father of all has heard and he is sending his avenging angel, my scion, to smite the wicked who have done this then with his right hand he shall pull the sisters out of the darkness and place them within the walls of St. Peter¡¯s church.¡¯¡±

    He crossed himself. Enid glanced at Mariana and Eyre then back to the pope, truth be told she was trying not to laugh. Eyre was glancing back at her, she looked a bit angry at her mother. Enid gave a slight shrug.

    He sure went all in on this whole I¡¯m his avenging angel thing. Wonder if I can sue him for using my face without permission¡­ Eyre probably thinks it was me.

    ¡°That truly is a miracle. I wish I could have seen her. She is a hero of mine.¡±

    ¡°Tell me child, how did you know to rescue them?¡±

    ¡°An Angel named Ezekiel came to us and told me that I should rescue the sisters. That God wanted me to be his avenging angel and smite the wicked within the walls of the compound.¡±

    He crossed himself again. Mariana¡¯s fingers rose to her crucifix which she began to stroke.

    ¡°Blessed be the holy trinity. The holy spirit lives within you and you are an instrument of God¡¯s will on Earth.¡±

    Enid bowed her head, Eyre and Mariana followed.

    ¡°Thank you, Lord for the gift of these three holy women who have done your will without question and brought our sisters and our children to the safety of Vatican City. Thank you for the guidance and the wisdom of the Saints. In the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit.¡±

    He crossed each of them in turn giving them a blessing. The trio crossed themselves, each had been to Catholic church so much it was basically muscle memory. Enid responded with the Latin without meaning too. The trio spoke at almost the same time.

    ¡°Thank you, Holiness.¡±

    ¡°Would you be willing to stay in Rome for a little while? We are making preparations to honor your selflessness.¡±

    Enid opened her mouth to say something, but Eyre jumped in.

    ¡°Of course, whatever you need of us.¡±

    Enid gave Eyre a look.

    ¡°But Maria has school.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the Catholic school she goes to would understand a special request by the Pope, Sarah.¡±

    ¡°I can keep up with my schoolwork remotely. I am at the service of the church, your eminence. But the sisters might get worried.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll call them.¡±

    The pope seemed to consider for a moment.

    ¡°Ah, yes Maria, you are staying with the sisters in Edmonton. I will make sure they are aware of the delay in your return. The bishop of the diocese was surprised to receive our call.¡±

    ¡°And what about Enid and Violet?¡±

    ¡°Violet is old enough take care of herself, and I will let Enid¡¯s school know she is in Rome with us and that she will work with Maria to keep up her schoolwork.¡±

    ¡°Are we missing a someone?¡±

    The pope smiled at the three women.

    ¡°Yes, and no, Enid is my daughter, she is already at the hotel ahead of us. She¡¯s fifteen and is Maria¡¯s best friend. She¡¯s not comfortable with her faith and declined to come. You know teenagers.¡±

    The pope nodded.

    ¡°I apologize but I have another meeting, I will ensure you get a ride to your hotel. You have my blessing to come and go from the Vatican as you please.¡±

    Maria looked as giddy as Enid had ever seen her, even before she lost her memory. Eyre was trying to conceal it but also seemed excited.

    ¡°Thank you, your eminence.¡±

    Enid had realized that the cardinal escorting them was the Camerlengo.

    Very strange. They must be worried about me.

    ¡°Eminence, thank you for taking time out of your busy day to escort us.¡±

    ¡°I will admit I did abuse my rank so I could meet god¡¯s avenging angel for myself. The pope has been a personal friend for a very long time, I want to thank you for saving his sister. He can¡¯t directly.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I was invited to do so; The world would be a darker place without her.¡±

    ¡°You are not what we were expecting.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Eminence.¡±

    ¡°No, no it is not like that. We were expecting, well it is not important. You are more glorious than we could have imagined. I did not believe the father when he said that you had the charisma of Saint Joan of Arc. That he would gladly follow you through the gates of hell should you say it was God¡¯s will. We thought he was exaggerating, but now I see he was not.¡±

    ¡°I hope people do not take my words as if they are from God. They aren¡¯t, I¡¯m just a woman. The last thing I want to do is be his voice.¡±

    ¡°Well, if he wills it, then what can you do but serve?¡±

    ¡°To be honest, eminence I am more worried about what people will. They look for someone to cling to and it never ends well.¡±

    ¡°It may be out of your hands Sarah, but I¡¯m sure that God will show you the way.¡±

    Enid nodded. They rode to a hotel. Eyre went expensive as always. She liked living well so her mortal identities never were anything less than multi-millionaires. She had the kind of credit cards that when she pulled it out businesses would do anything in their power to make her happy. Sarah was also a wealthy identity being the CEO of a startup. The clerk looked at them down his nose, Enid was fairly sure he was going to mock Eyre¡¯s choice of rooms, but he managed to be more professional than that. Enid couldn¡¯t disagree with his opinion. None of them were dressed especially well. Mariana looked like an Italian widow, Eyre looked like a soccer mom, and she looked like a teenage girl. He picked up the phone and spoke in Italian.

    ¡°Security I have three American ladies here who are trying to perform some form of scam.¡±

    He hung up the phone and continued to waste their time. Feigning computer issues. Enid glared at him then looked up at Eyre.

    ¡°Are you paying, or am I?

    ¡°Well, you flew us here, the least I can do is pay.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense.¡±

    They both looked at the clerk and pulled out their Aurelius gold plated credit cards that opened all the doors. Eyre laughed and pushed Enid¡¯s hand back.

    ¡°Put that away, hon.¡±

    She produced her passport.

    ¡°Reserve our rooms, please. Remember there will be double occupancy in the Maria¡¯s room.¡±

    The desk person looked down at the card and swallowed very hard. He then silently took the card, verified the picture and handed them back to Eyre. It was about this time that a pair of very well dressed very large men arrived behind the girls. Enid watched the desk person waving his hand very subtly desperately looking behind them. She turned and looked up at one of the men speaking in perfect Italian with a beautiful smile gracing her lips.

    ¡°The service here sure is great, but it is okay, we didn¡¯t bring any luggage. We weren¡¯t expecting to stay in Rome for more than a few hours.¡±

    She looked back at the desk clerk who turned several shades paler and tripped over his words. Waving them away. Enid enjoyed watching the judgmental prick die inside.

    It¡¯s the little things.

    ¡°Yes, yes it¡¯s fine.¡±

    The men looked the trio up and down and moved off. The desk clerk held four room keys. His hand had a subtle shake to it. Eyre took the keys and distributed them and Enid and Eyre both looked at the clerk and in their clearest Italian uttered the word: ¡®Thank you¡¯

    When they got on the elevator, the pair laughed.

    ¡°Did you see the look on his face, mom?¡±

    ¡°I took way too much pleasure in that.¡±

    Maria looked between the two.

    ¡°What is so funny?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t understand Italian. I¡¯m sorry. The clerk called security on us he thought we were criminals. Our cards are well, rare and you have to be very rich to have one. The kind of rich that could get him fired with a phone call. I could tell Eyre was as annoyed by the judgmental prick as I was, so we had some fun with him. We were very polite, I assure you. We just didn¡¯t say we understood Italian.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but you will not try to get him fired, will you?¡±

    ¡°Of course not, we just wanted to teach him a lesson about being judgmental because of how people look, at least I think that¡¯s what we were doing?¡±

    Enid looked up at Eyre.

    ¡°I was just messing with him for the fun of it. Did you see how panicked he looked when he saw the cards?¡±

    ¡°I know. Aurelius owns this hotel. I thought he was going to drop dead right then and there.¡±

    ¡°I bet he wished he had.¡±

    ¡°What is Aurelius?¡±

    ¡°It is a corporation that is very wealthy, and very large. Fingers in everything. Also, very us friendly.¡±

    ¡°You mean as in, fangs us?¡±

    ¡°Yes, its run by, well the Imperials, but it¡¯s very secretive and to make it work, we don¡¯t know who has what there. It¡¯s all just random account names associated with a blood sample and palm print. So, I couldn¡¯t find out what you had in your account unless I knew exactly what your number is even though I¡¯m empress. It doesn¡¯t work that way. I¡¯m not sure who set it up, but they were a genius it is the world¡¯s oldest continuous running Corporation.¡±

    The elevator dinged and Enid held the door while Eyre and Maria got out. She followed and the three piled into Eyre¡¯s room. Eyre sat down in the couch.

    ¡°We need some nice clothes.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in Rome, that should be no problem.¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need two sets, glamorous-functional and teenage girl.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. I know what size you are. Maria though¡­¡±

    ¡°Take her with you. I need to relax my brain. Flying for 18 hours takes a toll.¡±

    Enid went into her shared room with Maria and set her face back to her real one and plopped own on the bed and turned on the television.

 Rome - 2027 - The Sword of Silver (2/5)

    Enid slipped into her bra.  It was pink and lacy.  Not her style.  Typically, she would go for sports bras, or no bra.  She¡¯d lasted thousands of years without one and all of a sudden showing up in public without one was somehow offensive.  She looked at her back in the mirror.  The Yakuza dragon tattoo was still fresh, when she made it part of her body¡¯s make-up it became just like the rest of her.  It reset to the time it was added.  The only parts that didn¡¯t were ones she shaped to appear different as a disguise.  Maria walked through the open door of the hotel room¡¯s bathroom.  She smiled at Enid and picked up a bottle of soap and put it down.  She then noticed the tattoo on Enid¡¯s back.  She reached out to touch the black dragon but then yanked her hand back.

    ¡°That looks new.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is, well relatively it¡¯s about forty years old.¡±

    ¡°How?  Every time night falls, I am exactly the same as I was before the last nightfall.  Everything resets.¡±

    ¡°I used blood magic to make it permanent.  It is very costly and dangerous, but the Yakuza were my family in Japan, and it would have offended them if I didn¡¯t have it to display.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°You taught me the trick, Maria.  Most of the magic I learned was you, Uncle Remus and I didn¡¯t really communicate well.  You were always the better student of magic.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could remember some of it, I am not sure I will be able to help you with your battle with the Black Son.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll find a way.  It¡¯s what we do sis.¡±

    Enid pulled up her jeans and tugged her t-shirt over top.  It was some comic book character she was unfamiliar with; She found the genre simplistic for her tastes.  Also unrealistic, the last thing humans did with power was help others.  Having been slammed into walls hard enough to shatter them and her several times she was quite sure the last thing one of these ¡®heroes¡¯ would do is get up.  If she wasn¡¯t a vampire, she would have been a quadriplegic dozens of times over.  She finished by pulling on the crucifix Maria had given her.  She wore it more for her sister¡¯s benefit than anything else.

    ¡°How do I look?¡±

    ¡°Like yourself. You should put something warm on, there is a chill in the air.¡±

    ¡°Does it ever annoy you that we can feel uncomfortable in the sunlight, that we can get cold and hot?¡±

    ¡°No, it is what I am used to.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t remember two thousand years of feeling no warmth, and no cold, just being.  It frustrates me that if I do not wear a coat I can freeze to death.  I¡¯m undead for Christ¡¯s sake.¡±

    Maria¡¯s fingers went to her crucifix and Enid closed her eyes and swore under her breath.

    ¡°Sorry Maria.¡±

    ¡°It is not me you need to apologize too, sister.¡±

    Enid looked at her and smiled.

    ¡°That is the first time you¡¯ve called me that.¡±

    ¡°I have come to accept the truth that we are bound by ties stronger than blood, and that you are my sister, in life and in death.  I am happy to understand the emotions and pull I was feeling towards you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the whole you thought we were¡­well what would you like to do today?¡±

    ¡°I would like to try breakfast at a caf¨¦, and I would like very much to go to the Vatican and see the art, and to pray.  Also, we should see if we can visit confession.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need confession, but I will wait for you to do it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you need it more the me Enid.  You killed people; You have used the lord¡¯s name in vain so many times.  I am sure there is more for you to confess.¡±

    ¡°Confession is for people who want to make amends and need forgiveness.  I feel no guilt, nor a need to apologize for anything I have done, besides bother you with my difficulty of watching my language.  So, me confessing would be against the spirit of the sacrament, which I believe would be worse in the end.¡±

    ¡°I accept your apology on your use of offensive language, to make amends to be I would ask you to go to confession and at least try.¡±

    Enid sighed, gave a slight roll of her eyes.

    ¡°Fine, only because you¡¯re my sister.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Enid.¡±

    The pair stopped at a caf¨¦, the breakfast while delicious was not worth the cost, Enid dropped the cash on the table and tugged on her hoodie.

    ¡°It would appear everything is still overpriced in Rome.  I need to stop at the bank.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Enid slid into the back of the car they had hired.  She spoke in Italian.

    ¡°Aurelius Bank next please.¡±

    She leaned back and pulled out a burner phone Eyre had purchased and read over the world news.  One headline caught her attention:  KFPM crumbles.  A combined assault between UN Peacekeepers and Kenyan military attacked their leadership and then swept through clearing out other pockets of resistance, they found no signs of the kidnapped residents of St Teresa¡¯s Orphanage. Enid sighed and nudged Maria with her elbow showing her the phone.

    ¡°That is not fair. You did that.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it to be recognized.  It¡¯s better to fly under the radar.  It¡¯s going to be impossible soon.  Not with this saint showing up thing.¡±

    The car stopped in front of an unimpressive looking building.  Its architecture was old and had a Roman feel to it.  Enid got out of the car; Mariana followed.  Inside the building was polished marble.  It looked very posh.  The kind of environment Enid had come to expect for their buildings around the globe.  She walked up to the entry and placed her palm on the scanner.  The armored glass barrier slid open.  She glanced back at Maria.

    ¡°Just put your palm down.  I¡¯ll let them know you¡¯re a guest.¡±

    Enid walked to the woman who was sitting at the guest services desk and motioned for Mariato put her palm down on the scanner.  She did.  Enid turned to speak to the woman but stopped when she heard the door open, and Maria walked in.

    ¡°Did you let her in?¡±

    ¡°No ma¡¯am, she must have an account.¡±

    ¡°Alright, I would like to make a withdrawal in euros please, two thousand should do for now.¡±

    A woman came out of the back and approached Maria directly.  Enid glanced back.

    ¡°Welcome Ma¡¯am.  I am Candace, I will be your escort for your visit.  Can I get you anything?¡±

    Maria looked at Enid then back to the woman.  Enid gave a small shrug.

    ¡°No thank you, ma¡¯am.  I am fine. I just came with my sister.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course, would you like to check your vault or accounts today?¡±

    ¡°I, well, um, I guess we could do that ma¡¯am, if you have time.¡±

    The woman smiled.

    ¡°For you we have time for anything you need.¡±

    ¡°Oh, alright then, may I see my account please?¡±

    ¡°Of course, come with me.¡±

    She guided Maria to a kiosk and stepped away and waited at a respectful distance.  Maria looked down and was quite confused.

    ¡°There is no keyboard?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am, just put your palm on the pad to the left.¡±

    Mariana nodded and did so, she blinked at the screen a few times.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, I think there must be some mistake.¡±

    ¡°Let me check into that for you.¡±

    She tapped a few things on her tablet.

    ¡°No, your account is in order to the best of my ability to verify.  What do believe is in error ma¡¯am?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°There is too much.¡±

    ¡°I assure you, there are no odd transactions, only transfers into your account from dividends as a primary shareholder of Aurelius, and interest of course.¡±

    Maria looked back at the screen and back to the woman.  She pulled her palm off of the pad and walked to the woman.

    ¡°Could I see my vault please, and may my sister come with me, ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you can bring a guest, please come with me.¡±

    Maria looked at Enid who took the money she withdrew and joined Maria.  Inside the vault was a collection of pristine Roman artifacts.  Preserved papyrus scrolls. In hermetically sealed glass.  Maria looked at Enid.  There was still tarnish and some decay here and there.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°It would seem someone preserved your belongings.¡±

    Enid walked in and picked up an almost nylon looking bag and offered it to Maria.

    ¡°You got this from Atlantis.  You should take it with you at least.  I know you have some dresses in there, maybe they might jog your memory.¡±

    Maria pulled the bag over her shoulder and put her palm on the scanner to seal the vault, they were led out of the building.  They got back in their car and Enid requested the Vatican entrance they had been directed to as their next stop.  Maria opened the bag and Enid give her a very small shake of the head.

    ¡°Hotel room, you have no idea what is in there.¡±

    ¡°You are right.  There is so much money in that account.¡±

    ¡°Take it as a win.  You got to basically cruise through your life and get rich.¡±

    ¡°She said I was the primary shareholder of Aurelius.¡±

    Enid blinked.

    ¡°I wonder if Amara or father set it up for you to store your stuff and make sure you had money later on.¡±

    Maria¡¯s hand went to her crucifix and start stroking deep in thought.  The car stopped by the entrance.  Enid thanked the driver and got out of the car with Maria.  When Mariana arrived, she was allowed through the gate.  Inside they were led to a desk.  The man behind it smiled at them.

    ¡°Welcome, please fill out these forms.¡±

    He handed them clipboards with paper forms on them.  Just name, contact number, emergency contact number.  Once they finished each was handed a badge.

    ¡°Keep these on please.  They will let you move around without a tour guide.  Please respect the sanctity of where you are.¡±

    ¡°We will, sir.¡±

    ¡°Based on who your invitation came from I have no doubt you will.  Please enjoy yourselves.¡±

    The pair walked into the Vatican proper, Enid spent most of the time telling Mariana about the art.  When it was painted and who painted it. They spent hours wandering the city-state.  Eventually they ended up at St. Peters and the confessionals.  Maria went into the English one first. After several minutes it was Enid¡¯s turn.  Maria gave her a look and with a bit of a frustrated look Enid relented and went inside.

    ¡°Hi Father.¡±

    ¡°Hello, how long since your last confession?¡±

    ¡°A very very long time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll need to be more specific.¡±

    Enid had an urge and gave into it.

    ¡°Forgive me father, I have sinned, it has been eight hundred years since my last confession¡±

    After a few moments, the father seemed to consider how to proceed but then continued.

    ¡°What sins do you confess?¡±

    ¡°I have refused to forgive my husband and my father for a wrong I felt they committed; I have hurt my sister by using language that bothers her.¡±

    ¡°Are you truly sorry for these actions?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°God forgives, but you must make amends have you apologized for your transgressions to those you have hurt?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t my husband and father are dead, my sister asked me to go to confession she thought I needed it.  So, I have.¡±

    ¡°I absolve you of your sins in the name of the father, and the son and the holy spirit.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, father.¡±

    Enid left the confessional, she had to admit saying it out loud made her feel a bit better.  Mariana wasn¡¯t close by.  Enid looked around in a slight panic and found her kneeling and praying.  She stood at a respectful distance.  She watched the people come and go she reached into her pocket fingers wrapping around her phone.

    Gah, I¡¯m just as addicted as the mortals.

    She was looking at the pattern on the floor when she heard a commotion of the front of the church. She felt like vanishing.  But the sun was streaming through the windows so that would be a pointless attempt.  Instead, her hand went to her face. Before Maria floated an anglified clone of herself.  With golden wings and Bloodseeker in her hand gleaming like it was freshly crafted silver.   The voice, which was her voice echoed throughout the basilica.  Everyone was staring at the angel.   The angel wasn¡¯t an apparition she was solid.

    ¡°I am Sarah of Savia, I speak the Lord¡¯s word. You have despoiled the paradise he has provided, turned your backs on his church.  Humanity has corrupted his word twisted it to suit your own needs.  You have used him to justify your terrible actions.  He is disappointed that you have broken the covenant.  You have listened to the deceiver and not the Lord.  He grants humanity another chance to renew the covenant.  He has sent his daughter to be his avenging angel.  She will lead you to his light.  She will destroy the deceiver, and in her sacrifice, humanity will be freed of this corruption.  You will know her by my blade.  For only the truly worthy may wield it.  If humanity cannot change its ways, he will wipe this world clean with a cleansing frost.  This message I give you Maria.  You were reborn in his love and do not remember but know he does not forget that you walked the path of his son, and he remembers your kindness.  He blesses you through me.  Know that you are in his grace and when you need his strength, he will be there to lift you up and exalt you.¡±

    Then angel made the sign of the cross on Maria¡¯s forehead whose fingers were stroking her crucifix nervously.   She slammed the sword into the marble floor the blade slid through it like butter and there it stuck.  There was a flash of light and Enid¡¯s winged doppelganger vanished.  Everyone was crossing themselves a few were looking at their phones trying to verify what they saw. Enid¡¯s hands went to the edges of her hood she started to pull it on.  She was turning towards the exit, but she stopped and released the hood and walked to the front of the Basilica.  She could see an exact duplicate of her sword melded with the marble. The silver was still white hot.  She reached down and offered her hand to Mariana.  She looked up at Enid and flinched slightly.

    ¡°It¡¯s me your sister, not the cheap copy.  Let¡¯s get out of here before people come to their senses.¡±

    Enid tugged Maria and pulled her towards the closest exit.  It didn¡¯t lead outside just to another part of the basilica and they bumped into a young priest. After a few moments on both sides trying to sort out what happened he looked between the pair.

    ¡°Are you in trouble?¡±

    ¡°No, maybe, sort of?  An angel just showed up and talked to my sister out in the basilica and she¡¯s a bit overwhelmed and I really didn¡¯t think she could handle people touching her, asking her questions.  Is there another way out of here?¡±

    The priest looked at their badges. He smiled, Enid could tell he didn¡¯t quite believe her, but he showed them to an exit into some gardens. He pointed across the way.  He had a French accent.

    ¡°That will get you back into the offices and to the exit you¡¯re looking for.¡±

    Enid looked up at him.  Realizing his voice sounded familiar, he nodded and gave her a knowing look.

    ¡°Thank you, father.¡±

    Enid pulled Maria across the gardens then paused.  She saw a bench that was out of the way, it looked like where Vatican residents might go to smoke.  She helped her sit down.  Maria looked up at Enid, tears on her cheeks.

    ¡°Why did she look just like you?¡±

    ¡°I guess if you become a saint God gets usage rights to your face. I would have hoped for Jesus, or Mary or something.  I guess it¡¯s because of the sword.  Or Ezekiel has a weird sense of humor?  Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I am better then alright.  I did see an angel when I was buried under the house.¡±

    ¡°I did not doubt you did, did you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I doubted you when you spoke of Ezekiel.¡±

    ¡°Well now you know.  Things are going to get weird for us.  People are literally going to want a piece of you.¡±

    ¡°What about you?  She was your twin.¡±

    ¡°I doubt people will notice, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve got wings right?¡±

    A clicking sound echoed off the nearby wall.  Enid glanced towards it and around the corner of the hedge that hid this bench walked an older cardinal who was using a cane. He had a cigarette in his fingers and looked a bit shocked to see the pair of girls.  Enid tugged on Mariana¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Sorry, Eminence.  We just needed a few minutes someplace quiet.¡±

    He waved his hand dismissively.  His English wasn¡¯t great.

    ¡°No, no, stay, it is turning into a zoo out there.¡±

    Enid released Mariana¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What is going on Eminence?¡±

    ¡°Something happened at the Basilica, the Swiss Guard are rushing all over, people are prostrating themselves on the floors.  Quite chaotic for this old man.¡±

    He gathered his vestments and sat on a bench opposite Maria and lit his cigarette.  He looked at their badges.

    ¡°I assure you things are usually much calmer around here.  What brings you to the Vatican?¡±

    Maria¡¯s fingers stroked her crucifix barely listening to the conversation.

    ¡°My sister wanted to come to confession.¡±

    He took a long drag from his cigarette and pointed at Enid¡¯s badge.

    ¡°That is not easy to get.  You have friends in high places.¡±

    ¡°Our older sister did a favor for the Pope.  He extended an invitation.¡±

    ¡°So, you were what the flurry of activity was about yesterday.¡±

    He took another drag from his cigarette and smiled at them.

    ¡°Where are you from?¡±

    ¡°Canada.¡±

    ¡°Canada, wonderful country, I spent a long time in Montreal as a pastoral minister.  If my memory serves you should be in school at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we were supposed to go back as soon as we finished last night, but we are staying for some reason.  That is the other reason we were here today.  Our mother told us if we weren¡¯t going to be in school, we needed to do something educational.  So, we went through and studied the art here.¡±

    He tapped the ashes off of his cigarette into the makeshift ashtray.

    ¡°Between you and I, I think you probably learned more today.  Did you see what happened in the basilica to cause the ruckus?¡±

    ¡°If I told you what we saw I don¡¯t think you¡¯d believe us.¡±

    ¡°This day and age, it is hard to discount anything.¡±

    He took another drag from his cigarette.

    ¡°An angel, err I guess it was more of a saint, she appeared with a message.¡±

    He coughed a bit as she spoke the words.

    ¡°Told you, that you wouldn¡¯t believe me Eminence.¡±

    ¡°It is hard to believe, but I watched an interview with a woman who can lift a car, who claims to hunt demons, so perhaps not so farfetched as it once was.¡±

    ¡°She addressed my sister directly and she¡¯s still trying to understand.  Blessed her.  We were concerned that people might swarm her, so we came out here.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a prudent choice.  What did the angel say?¡±

    ¡°That humanity sucks and god is disappointed and that he sent my sister to save the world from some big bad thing.  Another chance to renew some covenant.  I¡¯m not the best student in religion class.  And to be honest I wasn¡¯t paying much attention, it was hard to, not be disturbed, the Saint, or Angel, she looked like me.¡±

    He looked at Maria. Then back to Enid.

    ¡°No, not this sister, our other sister.¡±

    ¡°Was this an apparition?¡±

    ¡°No, the ash and oil on her forehead is from the Saint.  She also left a sword merged with some Marble.¡±

    ¡°Do you know which Saint it was?¡±

    ¡°Saint Sarah the Demon Hunter.¡±

    He finished his cigarette and butted it out.

    ¡°You two should stay here.  I will go find you an escort.¡±

    Enid looked at his cane, then backup to his eyes.

    ¡°It is alright Eminence we can take care of ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense, you¡¯re still children.  You never know how people will react to something like this.  They may want to get pieces of your clothing or who knows what.  I know our faithful are good people, but they are people.¡±

    He held up his hand toward the benches.

    ¡°Just stay here out of sight, where you¡¯re safe and I will find someone.¡±

    He crossed himself and looked up he whispered a prayer and hobbled towards the Basilica.  Enid sat down beside Maria.

    ¡°I just had a thought¡­¡±

 Rome - 2027 - Epiphany (3/5)

    Maria looked up at Enid, her fingers were still stroking her crucifix.  Waiting for her sister to finish her thought.

    ¡°What if God can¡¯t destroy.  What if he can only create and manipulate?¡±

    ¡°What about Sodom?¡±

    ¡°That was a vampire.¡±

    ¡°It does not make sense Enid.¡±

    ¡°It does, what if the Black Son, isn¡¯t a son at all?  What if there were two primordial beings? What if God represents, what the opposite of entropy is? What if the Black Son is entropy?  What if they are just sentient halves of existence?¡±

    ¡°No, that does not sound right.¡±

    ¡°I guess.  I still think God cannot destroy anything.  Either he is just outright powerless, or his mental makeup won¡¯t let him.  So, when the Black Son shows up, he can¡¯t do anything to him. He can create a prison, but it¡¯s not good enough.  The Black Son has to go, so God sets things in motion to eventually have us destroy him.¡±

    ¡°I still do not understand.¡±

    ¡°God is a computer programmer.  He creates the perfect system.  But there¡¯s a bug, the Black Son.  The system starts descending into chaos, so he creates our father to try and stabilize the system then father creates Uncle Remus, equal to himself.  Battle rages in the system.  The Black Son isn¡¯t having any of this he goes for the kernel or CPU. Father detonates a doomsday device.  Resets the system.  God starts again, the Angels are his second attempt to get assistance in making the perfect system.  But the Black Son injects chaos again.  God is angry now.  Powerless to destroy the Black Son he makes a honey pot, humanity.  The Black Son takes the bait, because he¡¯s entropy, chaos, he can destroy himself.  And so, you get us, a combination of God¡¯s pristine creation, and chaos, with a sword of destruction created by the Black Son.  God tricked him into creating his own destruction.¡±

    ¡°I guess that makes some sense.  Why does it matter?¡±

    ¡°Because I hate being a fucking pawn.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes, swearing under her breath.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Maria.¡±

    ¡°It is alright, I appreciate that you are trying.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes went wide, and she snapped her fingers she was standing up and pacing by now.

    ¡°God can¡¯t destroy the Black Son because he¡¯s energy.  He can¡¯t destroy a being of pure energy it would violate the laws of the universe he created!¡±

    ¡°Energy can be dispersed though.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but the Black Son is sentient energy.  It can reform, might take eons but it can reform. Which is what keeps happening. Gods tried shunting the energy to another dimension, like light going into a black hole, he¡¯s tried trapping it in the sword, he¡¯s tried dispersing it, but he can¡¯t destroy it.  Father was probably pure energy too.  Only he weakened himself by creating us. How are we supposed to do more then what God¡¯s done already?¡±

    Enid threw up her hands and sat down on the bench and leaned with her palms on her forehead and elbows on her knees.  Mariana rubbed her back.

    ¡°No wonder we were so unsuccessful before, we had no comprehension of what we were dealing with, if the mortals hadn¡¯t figured out the math we would be just as clueless.  It makes so much sense now.¡±

    ¡°What does it mean?¡±

    ¡°I do not know but at least we have a place to start which is more than we had.¡±

    Enid heard footsteps along with the click of a cane.  She put a finger to her lips.  The cardinal they had been speaking with came around the corner with two of the Swiss guard in black suits.  The cardinal smiled at the pair.

    ¡°These gentlemen can get you out of the Vatican with discretion.¡±

    The bigger of the two Swiss guards motioned for the girls to follow.  They walked on either side of Enid and Maria.  They didn¡¯t say anything, but they did give some side-long glances towards the pair, then to each other.

    I wonder if they think the cardinal¡­eew.

    Wordlessly the group went through back hallways and eventually into a stairwell and into a tunnel.  After several minutes Enid and Maria were exiting the tunnel several blocks from the Vatican through a hidden exit or entrance as the case may be.  They were standing in an Alley adjacent to the Via Aurelia. Enid pulled her hood up and sighed looking at Maria who was wearing her typical black dress and no sort of covering.

    ¡°You really need to start wearing hoodies so you can hide yourself if you need too.¡±

    ¡°I will take that under consideration, Enid.¡±

    Enid sighed again.  She tapped her phones passcode in and requested a car.  The pair waited just inside the alley for it to arrive.

    ¡°I do not understand what happened.  Why would the angel use your face?  I know you were Saint Sarah of Savia, but why would it choose that face?  A joke seems, out of character for an angel.¡±

    ¡°I have met exactly one angel, he had a weird and awkward sense of humor.  And he didn¡¯t seem to comprehend time the way we do.  Like he always asks have we met before.  He doesn¡¯t seem to get time flows forward for us.  He seems to exist outside of it.  So, it might make sense in two hundred years.  I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°How is that possible?¡±

    ¡°Maria, you¡¯re the one who could answer that question better than me.  Limbo exists outside of space and time.  Like you could go in right now and show back up in Greece, 540 bce.  Or you could end up an entirely different planet.  It¡¯s a weird nexus.  Why, or how, I have no idea.  Its beyond me.  Angels seem to exist in a similar situation.  Didn¡¯t we have this conversation already?¡±

    ¡°I do not remember.¡±

    ¡°You always had a memory like a sieve unless it was something you were interested in.  That¡¯s our car.  I really can¡¯t wait to have this conversation with Eyre.  She¡¯s going to laugh at us.¡±

    ¡°I do not think this is funny, we have received a message from God.¡±

    ¡°Shh, let¡¯s not go blabbing that around randomly huh?¡±

    Enid waved at the driver, and they got inside.  She spoke in Italian proving their hotel.  He nodded and drove them to their accommodations.  Maria looked like she was going to say something several times and Enid shushed her.  Growing more annoyed each time.  Eventually the reached their destination Enid politely thanked the driver and shoved Mariana towards the elevator as they entered the hotel.  Maria was frowning at her by now.  Once they reached their room Maria gave her dark look.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°That was very rude.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome sis.¡±

    ¡°Have you always been this rude?¡±

    ¡°Usually she¡¯s worse.¡±

    Eyre¡¯s voice startled the pair.  Enid silently cursed the sun robbing her of her hunter¡¯s senses.

    ¡°You should respect your elders.¡±

    ¡°That was old when I was nine, mom, you know like you are, where¡¯s your cane? Did you lose it again?¡±

    Enid made a face.

    ¡°Not today, Eyre, please.¡±

    Eyre¡¯s smile vanished quickly.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know, an angel showed up using my fucking face!  With a message of doom and gloom, oh and now Sarah, you know the superhero you made me build is God¡¯s daughter on earth to give humanity one last chance.  What the fuck have you gotten me into?¡±

    Maria¡¯s hand moved to her crucifix when Enid¡¯s grew louder, and she started cursing.  Enid¡¯s shoulders sank she held up a hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Maria.  Please forgive me.¡±

    ¡°I accept your apology.¡±

    ¡°Mom, where did this happen?¡±

    ¡°Oh, just a small little corner by the alter of St. Peter¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, so people saw?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to say: Yes people, saw, took some video, acted like the apocalypse was neigh.  How have you not seen this yet?  I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s not already all over social media.¡±

    ¡°I was reading a book in the bath.¡±

    Eyre picked up her tablet, she started scrolling through different apps.

    ¡°Oh¡­.oh¡­oh my.  Yes, oh wow.  It¡¯s hit the news feeds too.¡±

    Enid fell back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.

    ¡°He just escalated this whole beep storm.¡±

    ¡°Did you just beep out a swear word?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s easier than me trying to remember not to swear.¡±

    Eyre thought about it for a few seconds, then shrugged and nodded.  She looked back at her tablet.

    ¡°Oh dear.¡±

    ¡°You never say Oh dear, this must be bad.¡±

    Eyre flipped the tablet over showing Enid a post from someone at their school putting a picture of Enid beside the angel.

    ¡°Beep.¡±

    ¡°I thought you would say that.¡±

    ¡°You can translate my beeps?¡±

    ¡°Not really but I can insert a word that works for me.¡±

    ¡°Hilarious.¡±

    ¡°Okay what are we going to do about this?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the PR person in this outfit?¡±

    ¡°Well yes, but this is beyond my skills.¡±

    ¡°So? Use your infinite pile of money to hire someone.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it will just blow over you know ten minutes of fame and poof gone?¡±

    ¡°Are you beeping serious right now Eyre?  God gives humanity a direct message for the first time in actual recorded, recorded history, leaves physical evidence and you think it¡¯s going to blow over?  You know two thousand years ago some random guy says hey, I¡¯m the son of God and now we have billions of people following a new religion, and they didn¡¯t have the internet. And you think this is going to blow over?  This is going to cause wars.¡±

    ¡°Well, we could try and make it look like fake news.¡±

    ¡°That might work.¡±

    ¡°You cannot do that, it was a message from God, we should not mix the message up, or try to stop it.¡±

    ¡°Maria, I know you are a believer, but think of what¡¯s best for humanity.¡±

    ¡°What is best for humanity is to listen to the creator of humanity.  He knows what is best.¡±

    Enid reached out towards Maria but snapped her hands back and clenched them into fists. And gave a small growl.

    ¡°I love you Maria but sometimes you are so single-minded.  You did the same thing with the Black Son, and it got you almost killed.  And it got my husband killed.  You just can¡¯t see other points of view!  You refuse to compromise your principles no matter who it hurts!  And you think I¡¯m terrible for swearing?  My swearing has never gotten anyone killed!  Your righteousness has.  So, you can go to fucking hell!¡±

    Enid¡¯s words were full of the pent-up anger of two thousand years.  Tears streamed down her face.  Maria reacted like she had been slapped; Tears began to drip down her cheeks. Her hand reached to her crucifix.  Eyre put her hand on Enid¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Mom, now is not the time to bring up old wounds that she doesn¡¯t remember inflicting.¡±

    Enid shrugged off Eyre¡¯s hand violently.  She glared up at her daughter, her fists clenching tighter, and her stance changed, and her elbow flew backwards but then she paused.  She blinked a few times, then looked between Eyre and Maria and walked away.

    Enid didn¡¯t know where she was going.  She just had to get away.  She stabbed the elevator button repeatedly and once she got to the main floor, walked out of the hotel with a quick pace.  She looked up at the setting sun and as soon as she could she used the shadows to vanish.  She flew upwards and far away from Rome and any manner of civilization.  It was hard in the twenty-first century.

    When she landed it was in a forested area north of Rome.  She screamed and let out all her anger and resentment towards Maria, towards God.  It took the form of a telekinetic wave of force that smashed trees and broke rocks in a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree sphere, leaving a crater that was a hundred feet deep and about five hundred feet across.  She didn¡¯t need to breath anymore since it was after nightfall, but she was still trying to hyper-ventilate but no air was entering her lungs.  Suddenly a rush of air slammed back into her causing several of her bones to break.  She cried out in pain.  Once they had healed themselves and the pain had vanished, she opened her eyes.  She looked at the devastation around her.  Her eyes widened.  Something had changed she had never been this powerful before.  She floated up and got a better view at what she had done.  She frowned.

    ¡°Fuck.¡±

    The force of the blast had superheated the bottom of the creator and slagged rock was dripping down towards the bottom.  Enid wrapped the shadows around herself and flew upwards as she did, she noticed that trees for several miles showed damage, the closest were uprooted and those further away had branches torn off or were broken in half.  She flew away from the damage.  At least it wasn¡¯t in an inhabited area.

    Someone had to have noticed that.

    Enid was right.  The wave had rippled through the ground triggering seismic sensors. It looked like someone had surface detonated a forty-kiloton explosion.  The event had been heard hundreds of miles away.  Both the initial blast and the secondary crack as the air rushed back in to fill the void.

    Enid pulled her cell phone out of her pocket.  It was smashed to pieces as were the rest of her belongings.  Save for the ever-present Atlantean bag which seemed fine.  She landed and slipped into a public bathroom in Rome.  She used water and some paper towels and began to scrub the dried blood from under her eyes and nose.  She looked sickly pale in the cheap flickering lights of the public bathroom.  She turned and started scrubbing the blood from under her left ear.  It looked like the air pressure had caused the blood to rush from her body out of whatever holes it could find.  She would need to feed.  She turned to start working on her other ear and she heard the door open.  She hurried about her business.  Two female police officers had entered and Enid could see their reflection in the mirror.  Someone must have seen her.  She probably looked like something out of a horror movie.  Blood dried all over her face. She continued to scrub at the blood vigorously.  The only evidence would be the pink paper towels.   The officers didn¡¯t have their hands on their guns, so they weren¡¯t there to arrest her.  One of the officers waved.  She spoke in Italian:

    ¡°Ma¡¯am are you alright?¡±

    Enid turned around. Replying in Italian.

    ¡°Just a silly prank. Sorry to waste your time.¡±

    The officer motioned to the pile of pink paper towels in the garbage can.

    ¡°Are you sure?  You had a lot of blood on you.¡±

    Enid mimicked confusion for a moment.

    ¡°Oh, oh, no that was just stage blood.  I was pulling a prank on my mother.  She didn¡¯t take it very well.  I decided it was best to go for a walk and realized how I looked would disturb some people so decided to clean up.¡±

    The officer¡¯s eyes narrowed.  Enid kept up her confused look.

    ¡°I am studying movie make up.  It was half practice, half prank.¡±

    The officer¡¯s eyes flicked down to the Vatican visitor badge on her hoodie.  Enid snatched it off and slipped it into her pocket.

    ¡°Oh, must have left that clipped on when we finished our visit today, oops.¡±

    ¡°Did you see the angel?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I was in St. Peters.¡±

    The officer seemed to relax.

    ¡°Did you get pictures?¡±

    ¡°No, I was in too much shock. And even if I did, I¡¯m afraid my phone is broken.¡±

    The officer nodded.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t pull pranks with fake blood and run around the streets. Have a good night.¡±

    Enid smiled.

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am, lesson learned.¡±

    The officers walked out, and Enid pulled the remnants of her phone out of her pocket, pulled the sim card from the wreckage and dumped the rest in the garbage. The phone was shattered into pieces and would be unrecoverable, the parts were a mix of plastic hotel key card and phone remnants. She sighed and pulled up her hood and put her hands in her pockets.

 Rome - 2027 - An Adult Perspective - (4/5) (Enid)

    Enid walked the streets of Rome.  After wandering for an hour, she found herself at the Colosseum, even that as old as it was, was still younger than her.  She¡¯d seen it when it was new, the only occasion she had to visit Rome during the classical period before she turned her back on her father and the Imperial Council.

    Well old girl, I feel like you look.

    Her mind wandered back to the day she had stood here beside Sextus.  He had asked if she¡¯d go for a walk with him.  He was the man she knew as a true father and even all the anger she felt towards him for Mariana¡¯s death.  She agreed if only because she felt she owed him her life.  They had walked the Roman streets her in a dress, him in his tunic.  He had stopped on the very spot she stood now and spoke to her for the first time he had pulled off his mask of calm, loving, leader.  Instead, she could see a face drained of emotion and fight. It was the anniversary of the death of Enid¡¯s adoptive mother.  He took her hand that night and looked into her eyes.

    ¡°Enid, one day I will no longer be able to go on, and on that day I will have to choose my replacement.  I thought it would be Lucius, but he is not the man I hoped he would be.  It is like I have lost my entire family.  Plutonia died last year, Mariana is dead, Lucius is a stranger to me.  Only you remain who I believed you to be.  If you prove to me, you are worthy you will succeed me and it will be a terrible burden.¡±

    Enid remembered disbelieving his words, even though her gift told her he spoke the truth. The anger of his betrayal of Mariana had welled up at that moment and she had snapped.  The cracks were still there in the stone, even two thousand years.  She recalled her words the had been filled with spite and rage.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want your power! Mariana is dead because you killed her!  You did this to yourself!¡±

    The anger had radiated from her and sent him flying backwards cracking the stone between them.  She had stalked over to him drawing her sword, she stood over him her sword raised in two hands ready to thrust Bloodseeker into him.

    ¡°Everything you love is gone because you burned it all down!  I¡¯m all you have left because I was the only one strong enough to survive you.  And I have my real father to thank for that strength.  That realization that everyone will betray me and hurt me.¡±

    Her hands had shook with the rage flowing through her.  She had wanted so badly to end him right there.  To kill him, blame him for all of it, every bit of bad in her life and the world.  She had her first epiphany at that point.  He didn¡¯t have his hands up defensively, he didn¡¯t look frightened, he looked relieved, his chest raised, ready to meet the blade.  He looked like he was ready to welcome an old friend.  Enid had sheathed the blade and offered her hand.

    ¡°You want to die.  I won¡¯t let you.  Lucius is too evil to replace you.  I can¡¯t do that to the world, and neither can you.  Find someone who deserves the power.  It¡¯s not me.¡±

    He took her hand and pulled himself up.  He looked at the damage to the stone at his feet.

    ¡°You have grown powerful Enid.  I hope your wisdom continues to keep pace.¡±

    ¡°This was a test, wasn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Everything is a test my daughter.¡±

    She looked back up at the remnants of the Colosseum and to the damaged stone at her feet. She heard someone walking behind her.  She glanced back expecting police, but instead she saw an old man with a cup.  He was disheveled and looked half starved.  She looked back at the colosseum content the man wasn¡¯t a threat, or food.  She heard him speak, it was oddly in Latin.

    ¡°Do you have a bit of coin for an old man?¡±

    She spun around and looked more closely at his face.  She recognized it immediately.

    ¡°Fuck off Ezekiel.¡±

    ¡°So, no coin then?¡±

    ¡°If I had any to give you I would just in case it would get you to leave me alone.¡±

    ¡°You seem quite rude, considering you¡¯re speaking to an archangel.¡±

    ¡°Considering how you fucked up my life today; I think I¡¯m being downright polite.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t me.¡±

    ¡°Who was it? My fairy godmother?¡±

    ¡°No, that was Michael.¡±

    ¡°I thought Gabriel was his messenger?¡±

    ¡°She is, but Michael wanted to do it.  He likes you, now that he has come to terms with the fact, you¡¯re the one destined to fight the Black Son and not him.¡±

    ¡°So, he used my face as what¡­a sign of respect?¡±

    ¡°No, the sword you use, it is the one thing that is unique to you and no other.  No one else can lift it without succumbing to it.  Sarah¡¯s identity and mission needed to be beyond question.¡±

    ¡°Ya, but he left a copy impaled in the floor of St Peters¡±

    ¡°He was always a little dramatic.  You¡¯re the only one who can move it, should you choose.¡±

    ¡°What am I supposed to do with a giant chunk of silver?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can think of something, child.¡±

    ¡°Child¡­what am I twelve?¡±

    ¡°To one of God¡¯s Angels you will always be a child.¡±

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°What am I always doing.¡±

    ¡°Following God¡¯s orders like a little bitch?¡±

    ¡°Ouch.¡±

    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±

    ¡°No, you are not wrong.¡±

    ¡°So then why did sky-daddy send you now?¡±

    ¡°That is a new one.  I bet you won¡¯t say that in front of Mariana.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯d have a heart attack.¡±

    ¡°He sent me to talk with you.  He decided you needed a grown up.¡±

    ¡°Me, need a grown up?  I¡¯m two thousand years old.¡±

    ¡°Well sometimes humans need someone older than themselves to have a conversation to help them put things in perspective.  A parental figure.  You have real shortage of those types, don¡¯t you?¡±

    Ezekiel looked at her expectantly.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not wrong.  It¡¯s too bad you¡¯re dressed like a bad copy of every homeless man ever or we could go sit someplace and talk over food.¡±

    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t eat.¡±

    ¡°I can eat at night; I just don¡¯t get any sustenance from it.¡±

    Ezekiel snapped his fingers and suddenly he was the very picture of Italian gentlemen, still looked to be in his sixties but he was dressed in a dapper suit.

    ¡°Better?¡±

    ¡°A bit overdressed but whatever.¡±

    ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    Enid pulled her tablet out of her bag and tapped a few words into it and twenty minutes and one car ride later they were in a restaurant.  Ezekiel looked slightly impressed.

    ¡°You know for someone who is as old as you, you handle this new technology very well.  Most of your kind aren¡¯t so adept.¡±

    ¡°Evolve or die, it¡¯s the law of nature.¡±

    ¡°While true, I do not wholly agree with the concept of evolution.  Trusting it to create the fittest for survival seemed¡­like gambling.¡±

    The pair were led to seats. Enid pulled off her soiled hoodie and tossed it beside her.  Ezekiel looked around the restaurant.

    ¡°This looks very American.¡±

    ¡°If you have a problem with the choice of venue then maybe don¡¯t visit me at 1:30 am.¡±

    ¡°What should I eat?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, what do you like?¡±

    ¡°I am not familiar with¡­food.¡±

    ¡°Get a pizza.  You probably don¡¯t have any money, do you?¡±

    In response Ezekiel pulled out some Roman coins and put them on the table.  He gave her a proud smile.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°I did remember I needed that, thank you very much.¡±

    Enid put her face in her palm and slid them towards Ezekiel.

    ¡°Those would have been useful in Rome, but not Rome, Italy.  You truly have no concept of time, do you?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with those, they are gold.¡±

    ¡°Just stop.  I got it.¡±

    A waitress approached the table and looked between the pair.  Enid spoke in Italian.

    ¡°Hi, could we get two cokes, and a meat lover¡¯s pizza?¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡±

    ¡°No thank you.¡±

    The waitress nodded and sauntered off.

    ¡°I do not understand what is wrong with the coins, I even made sure I aged them.¡±

    Enid leaned on her elbows, face in hands.

    I''m surrounded by idiots.

    ¡°They are worth millions of dollars then, but this place would not take them as money, you need Euros, or a credit card.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, well I have learned something new. I guess these are useless.¡±

    He scooped them off and offered them to Enid.  Enid looked down at them and sighed, then took them and tossed them in her bag where she had at least a thousand of them already.  Enid reached into her bag and pulled out a plastic baggie with a stack of Euros in it and pulled out bills totally one thousand and slid them across the table.

    ¡°Here, these are good anywhere in the world in the twenty first century.¡±

    She also pulled out enough to pay for the meal they had ordered and a good tip and put the bills in her jeans pocket. Then put the baggie back in her Atlantean pack.  She glanced around, no one was really paying them much attention. She shrugged.  Ezekiel took the offered bills and folded them and put them in his jacket pocket.

    ¡°Strange how they put more value on paper and plastic then the do on actual gold in this day and age.¡±

    ¡°Well society has come to realize things only have value if you give them value.¡±

    ¡°What do you value Enid?¡±

    ¡°Family.  And a good blade.¡±

    ¡°Yet you carry that.¡±

    Ezekiel pointed at her Atlantean bag.

    ¡°You asked me what I value, not what I do.¡±

    Ezekiel nodded.  He watched her while glancing up at TV now and again.  Images of the angel kept showing up. Enid stared at the table waiting silently.  Ezekiel looked up at the flat screen and back down to Enid.

    ¡°He did a good job, very good likeness.  Tell me what is a forty-kiloton nuclear explosion?¡±

    Enid coughed on coke.

    ¡°Someone detonated a nuke?¡±

    ¡°What is a nuke?¡±

    ¡°Do you know what happens when you split an atom?¡±

    ¡°No, what happens?¡±

    ¡°Enough destructive power to level a city. In one bomb.¡±

    Enid pulled out her tablet and searched for nuclear detonation and showed the video to Ezekiel whose eyes grew wide and his face got very pale.

    ¡°They have such power?¡±

    ¡°For about eighty years.¡±

    Enid craned her neck so she could see the news feed.  It took a couple of passes of the Italian for her to get every word.  Seismic detectors have picked up a possible nuclear explosion in southern Europe.  With a strength of forty kilotons.  There has been no increase in radiation and no visible signs were present.  Scientists are still investigating.  She saw the time it had been detected and sunk into her seat wishing she could vanish.

    ¡°Is it bad?¡±

    ¡°Depends, it was me.¡±

    ¡°You blew up a nuke¡­as you call them?¡±

    ¡°Keep your voice down.¡±

    Their pizza arrived along with new drinks.  Enid pulled a slice of pizza over to her plate and poked at the crust.  Ezekiel copied Enid¡¯s behavior then said quietly.

    ¡°So, you blew up a nuke?¡±

    ¡°No, I got angry.  Usually a bit of wind, nothing destructive, but this time it was way worse.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean that makes sense?¡±

    ¡°Well, you are the inheritor of the Second Son¡¯s legacy.  You are God¡¯s most powerful creation.¡±

    ¡°Slow down, what do you mean most powerful creation?¡±

    ¡°The man you called Sextus was built to enforce God¡¯s will on creation.  You have now inherited his power.¡±

    ¡°What kind of maniac would do that?¡±

    ¡°Sextus.¡±

    Enid opened her mouth to say something then closed her eyes.  She spoke in Enochian knowing no one would understand but them.

    ¡°Why would God let him put that kind of power in me?  I¡¯m a nobody, I¡¯m worse than a nobody, I¡¯m right next door to a sociopath.¡±

    Ezekiel tugged on the point of his goatee.  The wrinkles around his eyes contracted slightly and he looked Enid up and down.

    ¡°Tell me child, you have had the power to wipe out entire cities for millennia why have you not done so?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t need to, it would have alerted the humans to our existence and, oh, cities are full of innocent people.¡±

    She said the last part like she considered it common sense, rolling her eyes as she did so.

    ¡°You¡¯ve killed innocent people before.¡±

    ¡°Because I had to save more lives than I killed.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like justification to me.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t justification, it¡¯s just facts.  If a hundred must die to save thousands, then that¡¯s what needs to be done.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you playing at being god then?¡±

    ¡°Someone has to, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s been getting involved.¡±

    ¡°So that templar keep you razed to the ground, it was for the greater good?  There were innocent nuns in there, servants.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.  She took a bite of her pizza and pondered.

    ¡°If I just killed the witness it would have been suspicious.  What kind of attackers would leave people alive?  A monster attacking the keep and killing a witness that leads to an inquisition, thousands of pugmentia die, tens of thousands of humans die, falsely accused, or in retaliation. My way all the evidence was removed, a hundred templars, forty servants, and one witness die.  Muslim¡¯s get blamed yes, but the crusade was happening anyway.  I minimized the damage to life.¡±

    ¡°How do you know more would have died if I had not intervened in this way?¡±

    ¡°I saw it happen in Rome.  Humans will destroy what they don¡¯t understand, and they won¡¯t be discriminate about it, meaning innocent humans get swept up in their purge.  Nero burned the city down trying to kill us, how many died?  Picture that across Europe and the middle east. It would have been a blood bath.¡±

    ¡°Yet you did nothing to try and stop the world wars.¡±

    ¡°Nothing was going to stop those.  The humans wanted war and it wasn¡¯t my problem.  Human on human violence is on them.  Look there must be a line.  My line is I don¡¯t interfere with human politics, violence or crime.¡±

    ¡°So, if you saw a child getting beaten you wouldn¡¯t interfere?¡±

    ¡°You know I would.¡±

    ¡°Then, is there really a line?¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to make me feel like I have no moral compass?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m trying to make you realize you have morals, and are worthy of the gifts given to you.  Yes, you have your issues, but you rarely use your abilities without due consideration of whether it is necessary or not. When you do it¡¯s in the heat of the moment.  The very fact you don¡¯t want the power speaks to your worthiness.¡±

    ¡°Obviously I¡¯m not, I just obliterated several kilometers of woodland.¡±

    ¡°You were not aware of the power, now you are, you will show better control in the future.¡±

    ¡°Ever heard the saying ignorance is no excuse?¡±

    ¡°It is done, you cannot change it, technically you could but I¡¯m not about to let you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your help then.¡±

    ¡°Fiddling with time is a delicate thing.  If we were to correct your little incident, is an abuse of that power.¡±

    ¡°I would not want to; I am the sum of my history.¡±

    ¡°So even if given the chance you wouldn¡¯t erase or change the past?¡±

    ¡°I would love to go back and save Lucius but then how much changes?  How many lives am I impacting so that my soul mate isn¡¯t displaced by a psychotic pre-biblical enemy?  Probably millions by now, looking at Narfordshire.  Eyre wouldn¡¯t exist.  No, I would not do it.  Too much possibility of harm.¡±

    ¡°So, you disagree with what Lilith has done?¡±

    ¡°I would love to say I do, but if it is to prevent the Black Son from destroying all of creation¡­then she probably is in the right.¡±

    ¡°Do you not see?  You are morally and ethically worthy to wield the power of the Second Son.  You don¡¯t crave it; You will use it responsibly and you are capable of using it when necessary.¡±

    ¡°But I don¡¯t want it.¡±

    ¡°You are the only one who God trusts wielding it. Eyre will inherit it one day, but she is not ready yet.¡±

    ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯m being moved around a board?¡±

    ¡°Probably because you are.  God plays the long game.  He is rarely overt and only when necessary to move it a long.¡±

    ¡°I hate being manipulated.¡±

    ¡°I have some advice, one ancient being to another, play the game, do your part, collect your reward.  Resisting will only make you angry and will get you nowhere.  I promise you I will make sure you are well compensated.¡±

    ¡°Wait you¡¯re bribing me to be a good little god-minion?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just telling you he already knows what you want and has made sure it will happen.¡±

    ¡°I want world peace, a normal life, and my first husband back.¡±

    ¡°Well two out of three isn¡¯t bad.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡±

    Enid grabbed her hair, narrowed her eyes and growled.

    ¡°You sound like Sextus.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for the compliment. He was a good person.¡±

    Ezekiel took a bite of his pizza and quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°This is amazing.¡±

    Enid looked at him, blinked a few times, shook her head and picked up her piece of pizza and ate it.  More to prevent her from saying something snarky then any need for sustenance.  Once she finished chewing and getting her snappiness out of her system she spoke again.

    ¡°I need to come back during the day.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I dare say you should.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the talk Ezekiel, I sort of feel better.¡±

    ¡°It is my pleasure child.  I see now why the humans have children.¡±

    ¡°It has nothing to do with biological imperative to reproduce?¡±

    ¡°Of course, it does, humans who didn¡¯t make more humans would be useless to God, however, I see that the ability to pass on wisdom, and advice in a parental way is a gift.¡±

    ¡°I will admit that is a pleasure.¡±

    ¡°You look so young it is easy to forget you¡¯ve had four children of your own.¡±

    ¡°And twenty-two grandchildren.  Not that I got to spend much time with the last lot.¡±

    ¡°What happened to Eyre¡¯s brother?¡±

    ¡°He turned me down, was having too much fun living he said.  He died in fifteen-nineteen.¡±

    ¡°Long-lived for a human.¡±

    ¡°Did you forget I ate from the tree of life?  My children all lived long lives.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes that does have an impact on human life span a human who eats from it could live for a thousand earth years.¡±

    ¡°Why would you let it out of the garden then?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t choose who gets to eat the fruit, that¡¯s God.¡±

    ¡°So, every single fruit that has been eaten has been authorized by him?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­that¡¯s pretty good security.¡±

    ¡°The only two beings that can go in and out of Limbo with no help are Lilith and myself.¡±

    ¡°But Mariana went.¡±

    ¡°Well, she cheated, but God didn¡¯t stop her.¡±

    ¡°Of course, he wouldn¡¯t stop his perfect obsessive compulsive, unrelenting, uncompromising little angel.¡±

    ¡°I sense the source of your anger tonight was your sister?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  She just refuses to compromise, it¡¯s all in with her, all or nothing.  She never sees the grey areas.  She doesn¡¯t understand that sometimes you need to compromise.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve had two thousand years to mature, she has had fifty years.  When you were younger, were you not more uncompromising?  Full of your ideals, certain of what you believed in?¡±

    ¡°She was a hundred and fifty years old when she got my husband killed.¡±

    ¡°You are old enough to know this, but you cannot blame Maria, for Mariana¡¯s choices.  She may look the same physically, but she is not the same person.¡±

    ¡°I know.  I know.  It is just hard.¡±

    ¡°Emotions are never easy; They were never meant to be easy.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.  I think I needed an adult perspective.  That wasn¡¯t my daughters.¡±

    ¡°You are welcome, child.   Now tell me more about this pizza thing.¡±

    Enid smiled and the pair chatted for another hour before paying for the meal and walking on the streets of Rome until about ten am.  Enid explaining the different buildings and functions to Ezekiel.  Describing how cars worked.  They finally parted ways when Enid reached her hotel.

    ¡°Thank you, Ezekiel.  I feel better.¡±

    ¡°You are most welcome Enid, thank you for telling me about the human world.¡±

    Enid waved and walked inside.  Ezekiel walked around a corner and vanished into thin air.

 Rome - 2027 - The light of Truth (5/5)

    Enid walked to the front desk looking like she¡¯d been through an explosion.  She smiled at the woman at the desk and addressed her in Italian.

    ¡°Excuse me, I lost my room key.  I was wondering if you could replace it for me?¡±

    The woman looked her up and down.  Enid looked right back at her.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re in the right hotel, ma¡¯am?¡±

    Enid looked down at her dirty hoodie filthy hands.  She could see her tangled mass of red hair in the mirror. And she sighed.

    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m sure.  It¡¯s the Picasso suite.  And before you call security or the police, let me get my passport out.¡±

    Enid reached into her Atlantean bag and focused on her passport which she found in her hand and offered it to the woman.  The woman looked at the picture then at Enid and then at the booking and handed it back.

    ¡°Thank you, was it stolen?¡±

    ¡°No, I had a mishap, and it was shattered.¡±

    ¡°Should I call for an ambulance?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, my phone and room key, not so much.¡±

    The woman nodded and turned back and after a few minutes she turned back and offered another one of the plastic key cards to Enid.  Enid took the offered key card and slid it into her pocket.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, ma¡¯am.  If you need anything, let us know, or if you need to arrange to meet with the police.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve already spoken to them.  Thank you for your concern.¡±

    Enid walked to the elevator and tapped the button to go up.  She glanced at a couple of young men who came and stood beside her, they were looking her up and down.  She grew slightly annoyed and tapped the button a few more times.  The elevator arrived and she got in, the men joined her she pressed the button for her floor, it was the top floor, the young men hit another button.  If she had to guess she¡¯d say brothers.  Probably nineteen or twenty.  Not terrible looking.  They were trying not to stare at her.  If she were a normal sixteen-year-old which is what she appeared to be by age and size she¡¯d probably be embarrassed by how she looked, but her being as old as she was just didn¡¯t give a goat¡¯s piss.  She watched them get off with a few glances back to her she rolled her eyes after the doors closed and walked out when the doors opened again on the floor she was staying.

    Enid took a deep breath and slid her card into the card reader.  She opened the door.  Inside she found Eyre looking disheveled and dressed in uncharacteristic yoga pants and t-shirt.  Maria for her part was dressed as usual looking like a Victorian lady in mourning.  Lots of black lace and taffeta.  Eyre looked up from her tablet at Enid.  She sounded angry when she spoke:

    ¡°Where have you been mother?¡±

    Enid quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°That¡¯s my business.¡±

    ¡°We were worried sick about you.¡±

    ¡°Hello.  I¡¯m the parent here, my business is my own.  You¡¯ve gone a century without seeing me, and suddenly I leave for a night, and you freak out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure if we had cell phones you wouldn¡¯t have ignored my calls or texts.¡±

    ¡°If I did, it would be my business, Eyre, I¡¯m the thing that goes bump in the night, not the other way around.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t do this anymore mom, you have people depending on you: me, Maria, the Pope.  The Vatican has called me six times!¡±

    ¡°I had to sort some things out, privately. Let¡¯s leave it at that.¡±

    ¡°Fine, whatever, what are you going to do about the Vatican calling?¡±

    ¡°I will have a shower; I will put on my Sarah face, and we will see what it is all about.¡±

    ¡°You are going to have a shower first?  It¡¯s the Pope.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯ve lived through like two hundred and fifty of them, an extra thirty minutes will not hurt anyone, and you¡¯re eight hundred years old, you¡¯d think you¡¯d have learned some patience.¡±

    Enid didn¡¯t quite slam the bathroom door as she went inside, but she was tempted.

    This is why kids are the death of mortals.

    Enid walked out of the bathroom.  She was wearing her Sarah face.  The long platinum blonde hair was tied back with a black scrunchy.  She chose a black pencil skirt and a conservative white blouse. Eyre looked more put together and was wearing a similar outfit.

    ¡°Eyre, may I borrow your phone?¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s yours?¡±

    ¡°Long story. Please may I borrow your phone?¡±

    Eyre pulled her phone out of her purse and passed it to Enid.  Enid pulled the card she had received while at the Vatican.  She dialed the number and waited for an answer.  It was a female voice greeting her.

    ¡°My name is Sarah O¡¯connor, I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re waiting for my call?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes.  Could you come to the Vatican please?¡±

    ¡°Sure, could you send a car?¡±

    ¡°You are staying at the same hotel?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°One will be there shortly.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Enid hung up the phone and handed it back to Eyre.  Eyre looked at Enid.

    ¡°Now where is your phone?¡±

    ¡°It got smashed.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Like I said it¡¯s a long story, let¡¯s just leave it at that.¡±

    ¡°Why are you being so cryptic?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m not in the mood to discuss it with you.¡±

    ¡°You trust me with everything mom.¡±

    ¡°No, I really don¡¯t. Quit pestering me before I stake you for a few decades.¡±

    Eyre frowned and pursed her lips, she put her phone back in her purse.

    ¡°You can¡¯t do that mom; I have an amulet.¡±

    Enid¡¯s voice dripped with sarcasm.

    ¡°Thanks again dad.¡±

    Eyre frowned at her.

    ¡°We should go get ready for the car.¡±

    Enid made a motion for her to go first.  Eyre walked out of the door.  Enid could tell by her facial expression and posture she was pouting.  She felt slightly bad but wasn¡¯t sure how to explain she was now literally a lesser clone of God.  Maria followed Eyre and stroked her crucifix.  The car arrived and the three piled in.  Eyre looked at her mother¡¯s now very blue eyes, her own green ones clouded with a tinge of anger.

    ¡°Do you have anything to say to Maria?¡±

    Enid rubbed her face then looked to Maria who wasn¡¯t looking in her eyes.  She spoke in Atlantean.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Maria, you are not Mariana anymore and to blame you for her choices was wrong of me.¡±

    Maria¡¯s fingers continued to stroke her crucifix she looked up at Enid slowly meeting her gaze. Responding in the same language.

    ¡°You have my permission to be angry with what I did back then.  I can see you loved Lucius very much and that my choices even if I do not remember them hurt you very badly.¡±

    ¡°Maria, I shouldn¡¯t have said those things.  I know better, I am better.  My anger got the best of me, and my response last night tells me I need to talk to someone about what has me so angry or I will never be able to do what I need to do.  We are sisters and I should always be on your side.  I promise I will do better; I will be better.¡±

    Maria gave a small smile and nodded.

    ¡°You are very angry I can feel it.  I am here for you sister.¡±

    Maria put her own scar over Enid¡¯s scar and squeezed her hand.  Enid pulled her close for a tight hug.  Maria wrapped her arms around Enid¡¯s back and squeezed her tightly.  They were both crying.  Eyre was fanning herself giving a small smile.

    ¡°I have no idea what you two were saying but whatever it was must have worked.¡±

    Maria nodded to Eyre as she sat back, and her hand went to her crucifix her pale fingers sliding along it again.  Enid reached into her pack and pulled out another phone and slid her sim card in.  Eyre blinked at her in disbelief.  Enid looked up at her.

    ¡°What?  I told you my other one got smashed. You didn¡¯t believe me?¡±

    Eyre opened her mouth to say something, pursed her lips.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do that earlier instead of worrying me sick, dear?¡±

    ¡°I was talking our friend; You know the one who tends the garden?  It would have been rude to start messing with a phone wouldn¡¯t it have?¡±

    Eyre blinked at her for a few minutes then her eyes went wide, and she nodded.  Maria looked between the pair her eyes showing no understanding.  Eyre straightened up her earlier anger having evaporated with a more thorough explanation.

    ¡°What do you think the calls were about today dear?¡±

    ¡°I think they want me to pull a sword from a stone, mom.¡±

    ¡°That is what our friend from the garden wanted to talk to me about.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I understand now.  Why did you say something earlier?¡±

    ¡°Because I thought it was best to get moving rather than standing around talking.¡±

    ¡°So, it had nothing to do the other thing that happened last night?¡±

    Enid blushed; She couldn¡¯t help it with the sun streaming down on her.   Eyre¡¯s eyes went wide.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°You did not!¡±

    ¡°If I had anything to do with it, it was an accident because my father was irresponsible with his distribution of responsibilities and didn¡¯t give me any instructions.¡±

    Eyre¡¯s lips turned into a frown.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to talk later, young lady.¡±

    Enid narrowed her eyes at her daughter.  She was taking this mother thing way too far.  Enid was done trying to explain herself to her daughter and promptly looked out of the window.  Maria looked between the two her fingers still stroking her crucifix she shifted in her seat.  The rest of the ride passed in silence.  They all got out and were led inside and after waiting several minutes they were led up to the papal offices.   The pope seemed fairly distracted and did not notice the obvious tension between the three women.   He looked to Maria first.

    ¡°Child, you must be overwhelmed.¡±

    Maria¡¯s fingers were still on her silver crucifx she nodded.

    ¡°It is no small thing to receive a message from the angelic host if the bible tells us anything.  If you need to talk about it, we are here for you.¡±

    Maria nodded.  The pope stood up his hands folded behind his back he began to pace.

    ¡°I am quite sure many popes before me prayed for a sign from the father.  But this message it is, it is, not what we expected.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Holy father, if I may.¡±

    He motioned for Enid to continue.

    ¡°Please, feel free, Sarah.¡±

    ¡°This is our fault holy father.  I have been told that this is the Lord¡¯s way of, well blessing my mission.  He¡­ he is¡­ he is trying to help me by scaring the one who I hunt and that hunts me into making a mistake.  The angel yesterday was Michael.  Using¡­  Holy Father, could we have this conversation alone?¡±

    He glanced at the cardinals in the office and nodded.  They looked back at Enid, then to pope before leaving.  Enid closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  She walked into the shadow of a bookcase and her body shifted into her true form and she walked back to the Pope.  His eyes followed her and widened.

    ¡°He was using my face.  I am the one you call Saint Sarah.  I lied in the interviews; I have always been¡­. I am the one who has been fighting the enemy all these millennia.  I am the one who argued with Jesus after the last supper.  Maria and I were with him when he walked with the apostles.¡±

    She motioned to Maria.  Then she motioned to Eyre.

    ¡°This is my daughter.  Eyre.  Between us we¡¯ve been alive for almost five thousand years.  It is not our way to show ourselves to mortals, but mistakes were made.¡±

    She glanced at up at Eyre who blushed.

    ¡°My daughter had the misguided idea that we should get ahead of the narrative, and we made up Sarah.  My name is Enid.  Maria and I grew up in Rome, before Christianity was a thing.  The thing is, God wants me to end his enemy for good because he cannot.  He¡¯s been¡­guiding me for my entire existence to that end.  The disturbance in St. Peters was to force my hand.  I apologize for our¡­deception.  I had a long conversation with an Angel last night he told me the sword was placed in the chapel so I would draw it from the stone.  I am the¡­  I am the Empress of, Empress of our people and the responsibility for this mess rest solely on me.  You have my apology as meager as it is.  This is the worst of my most recent mistakes.  I apologize for abusing the faithful¡¯s belief.¡±

    Enid had stood up straighter. She realized it was the first time she had said she was the Empress and meant it.  The pope stared at her for a few long seconds before he responded.  She could tell he was digesting everything she said.  He met her gaze with no anger.

    ¡°You are forgiven, Enid.  I can tell your apology is genuine, but you were sent by the Lord no matter what face you wear.  I, am, you are the answer to a prayer.  Saint Sarah was my patron saint when I was confirmed.  And here you are standing before me.  With your daughter, the one from the statue at the cathedral you built.  Surely you see, you aren¡¯t abusing the faithful¡¯s belief, you are confirmation of it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no Saint father, I¡¯m just a mother who wanted to make sure her daughter wasn¡¯t surrounded by the dead when they died from the plague.  A mother who wanted to protect her children.  I was sent to Narfordshire to kill a rabid¡­ member of our people, then my father demanded I stay and keep things from falling apart.¡±

    ¡°Are the stories told about you true?¡±

    ¡°For the most part.¡±

    ¡°Then you slew a hell hound.  Rode into the night and delivered twins, healing the mother of her wounds, you saved a Bishop¡¯s life on your wedding day, slew six assassins while on deaths door, you built a cathedral that still stands today, you prayed for a spring to save the village and one appeared and rose from the dead as the son did.  You are responsible for two of the gospels we now have in our bible.  You are a saint in every form, save that you are here on earth with us, because he wills it.  You are more than forgiven child; You are exalted in his light. I can see it in you.  I can see it in the three of you.  Enid you are his wrath, Maria you are his faith, Eyre you are his heart.   I am humbled to be in your presence.¡±

    Enid blinked at him.  He had tears on his cheeks as he took her hands.

    ¡°Father, I was born a human just like you.  I am just as flawed and as anyone.  How can we stop this runaway train?¡±

    ¡°Oh, child we cannot.  It is much larger than any of us.  The world has heard the Lord¡¯s message.  The churches are overflowing.  People want to know more.  God has spoken child.  He has named you his daughter directly.  People are going to look to you now more than ever.  You can guide us to a new era, avoid his wrath.¡±

    Enid sighed, she shook her head, tears falling down her cheeks.

    ¡°Oh, holy father, I cannot.  That isn¡¯t within my power.  I am not who this world needs.¡±

    There was a flash and a being of light appeared.  It took the form of the angel from so many pictures that had been made.  Maria fell to her knees her eyes going wide with recognition.  Enid quirked an eyebrow because this one was appearing as a female and not using her face.  The light she gave off frightened her deeply in a way she had never felt.  Like all of her flaws were laid bare before it.  The angel spoke to her directly.

    ¡°Hear me well, for I shall not speak these words twice. Avatar of Life, inheritor of Second Son¡¯s legacy, bringer of law, you have all the tools you require to bring the Lord¡¯s wrath on the first betrayer.  You have seen the truth and spoken it to the Avatar of Death.  You will draw the blade from the stone, and you will accept your true place as his first true daughter.¡±

    Enid blinked then realized what she was being told and the anger rose up in her.  Before she knew it, she spoke.

    ¡°I¡¯m not his slave!  You tell God to stick that fucking sword up his ass!¡±

    The angel¡¯s eyes flared, and her wings spread blinding everyone in the room.

    ¡°You dare!¡±

    The angel¡¯s sword swung towards Enid who even as a mortal had drawn Bloodseeker from her pack and parried the blow deftly.

    ¡°I dare! You angelic bitch, no man or god tells me what to do!¡±

    The pair exchanged several blows.  Their swords causing the room to shake with every blow.  The doors had been flung open.  The Swiss Guard and the Cardinals were just standing mouths agape and eyes wide.  Enid could hear Maria begging them to stay their blades.  Enid wasn¡¯t sure if she was talking to the angel or Enid.  The angel and vampire exchanged blows several more times before Enid managed to disarm her using the angel¡¯s strength against her.  A foot sweep and Bloodseeker¡¯s tip was at the angel¡¯s throat.  Enid could feel its hunger.  It wanted a piece of the angel. Enid felt a hand on her shoulder.

    ¡°Mom, please, she came to us to help us, and¡­you need to talk to someone after this.¡±

    Enid looked down at what she had done the Angel was still glowing with the light of Heaven but it looked smaller, defenseless.  Enid dropped Bloodseeker and stepped back. Her eyes were wide, everyone was staring at her.  She looked down at the Angel who stood up, she bowed to Enid.

    ¡°Sister.  My niece is right, you must seek to cleanse yourself of this anger before you face the betrayer.  You have the knowledge, and you have the skill, but you do not have peace in your heart.  Remember what he told you in the garden after the supper.  Remember what Junpei taught you.  Remember who he was before he became the betrayer.  Remember.  Then when you are truly ready you can draw the sword from the Cathedral.¡±

    Enid nodded to her and looked down at her hands, then back to the angel.

    ¡°I¡­I am so sorry.¡±

    The angel smiled her hand reaching out to take Enid¡¯s cheek.  Enid closed her eyes as she felt at true peace for the first time in her entire life.  Warmth flooded through her.  When she opened them, the angel was standing eye to eye with her, her hand still on her cheek.  Enid could see tears on the angel¡¯s face.

    ¡°Oh sister, it is I who is sorry.  I have watched you suffer, weeping with every blow, every loss, and today I was the reason you suffered again. Know that it was only to show you the truth.¡±

    She kissed Enid¡¯s forehead and put a hand on Eyre¡¯s shoulder and smiled at her.

    ¡°And you niece.  You have so much goodness in you.  You bring out the best in people.  You are his gift to this world.  Without your heart, your mother will not succeed.  Know that she will ask much of you, and you will suffer but, in the end, if you stand by her you will triumph.¡±

    She looked down and held her hand out to Maria who took it.  The angel helped her up.  Her hand touching Maria¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°And you, child, you have been given a second chance, but you must accept your past, and you must accept that you are capable of everything my sister is going to ask of you.  When you need it most, in your darkest hour, he will give you the push you need.  Without your skills my sister will not succeed.¡±

    The angel looked to the assembled men most of which were on their knees her eyes finally landed on the Pope.  She offered her hand to him and helped him up.

    ¡°His people will look to you for guidance. He believes in you.¡±

    She then looked over the entire room.

    ¡°What happened here, this day, must not be spoken of beyond to say Gabriel came to you and confirmed that the sword would be pulled from the floor by his daughter when she is ready.  When the betrayer has fallen you may speak of it freely.  His daughter was tempted but did not succumb.¡±

    Her eyes turned to a dark-haired Swiss Guard, and she spoke one word.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡±

    She touched Enid¡¯s cheek once more before vanishing in a flash of light.  The room was once again lit by sunlight alone.  The dark-haired Swiss Guard rushed into try and grab the sword, but Eyre grabbed him and slowed him down.

    ¡°Did you not just hear the Archangel tell you, ¡®Don¡¯t¡¯?  Trust me, only she can touch it.  She was trying to save your life.¡±

    The Pope made a motion for him to stop.  Enid picked it up and put it in its sheath then in the pack. The pope looked at the assembled Cardinals and Swiss Guard.

    ¡°You heard the messenger, if anyone speaks about this, I will excommunicate you.  Not even in confession.¡±

    The men nodded the room was very quiet now.  All eyes looking to the three vampires.

    ¡°Close the doors.  I think I¡¯m safe with his daughter, don¡¯t you?¡±

    The doors closed and the four were left alone again.  Enid walked to the windows and looked up at the sun.  She touched her cheek where¡­Gabriel had touched her.  She still felt the love and the warmth.  It had felt right.  Her words¡­  was she just using angelic mojo on her, or did she truly consider Enid her sister.  The pope approached from behind and looked out at the square below.  People were gathered and staring up.

    ¡°I am, was a counselor before, I joined the priesthood, if you need to talk¡­  I am here child.¡±

    Enid glanced back at him and gave him a small smile.

    ¡°Holy father, I appreciate you offering but I need someone who can keep me honest.  I know someone.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°The Vatican and the Church is at your disposal.¡±

    He looked at Maria and Eyre.

    ¡°All of your disposal.  Anything you need that we can furnish we will.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I¡­will send some things to you.  I have a feeling we are going to see an increase in actual demons.  The betrayer seems to use them to enforce his will.  I have my sword but¡­my daughter and sister and my Seers are powerless against them.  Would you be willing to bless some¡­weapons?¡±

    He quirked his head to the side.

    ¡°Trust me Holy father, if you faith is true and you bless a pile of bullets or a grenade it is going to hurt them a lot.¡±

    ¡°It sounds like you¡¯ve done this before.¡±

    ¡°It was arrows last time, admittedly.¡±

    ¡°Which pope was that?¡±

    ¡°Pope Alexander the seventh.¡±

    ¡°Truly, you met him?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he hired me to deal with¡­a situation.  I used to work as a sword for hire when I wasn¡¯t enforcing laws.  He needed a demon gone; I needed the money.¡±

    ¡°Even with your sword, you needed Arrows?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°He was faster than I was, I shot him in the knees with blessed arrows, he didn¡¯t get far after that then I killed him.¡±

    The pope frowned slightly.

    ¡°He was a demon, demon.  Escaped Hell demon.  I would do it again, I mean I killed a hundred in a single night when I was sixty.¡±

    ¡°Surely they have a chance at redemption.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°No, no they don¡¯t.  They have no notion of good in them, the fallen Angels they can always get forgiven I guess but the actual demons, no, they¡¯re just Hell manifested.  They have no independent will.¡±

    The pope nodded and folded his hands behind his back.

    ¡°I will ensure the diocese in Edmonton has authorization to bless such things on my behalf.¡±

    Enid smilled.

    ¡°Thank you, Holy father.¡±

    The Pope nodded.

    ¡°I wonder what the proper title for the daughter of God is.¡±

    Enid smirked.

    ¡°Enid, Holy Father.¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°You have a sense of humor I will give you that.  Please let us know when you¡¯re going to return and draw the sword from the stone.  I want to make sure we are prepared with security.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Holy Father.  We have taken up a lot of your time today.  I expect you have an extremely full schedule.¡±

    ¡°I do, child.  I do.¡±

    ¡°Then we will let you get to it.  I¡¯ll be back when I¡¯m ready. Please keep our names out of this Holy Father.  Our enemy thinks Maria is dead and is not aware of how much we know.  The more time we have to prepare the better.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what he looks like?  Where he is?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°My husband.  Or well he is in the body that used to be my husband.¡±

    ¡°Then perhaps, if I may be so bold, we should let it slip that the Angels have revealed the real face of evil to us, it is not precisely untrue.¡±

    ¡°Oh no father, we want him to feel safe.  We need him in that body until we come up with a plan to deal with him.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how you¡¯re going to do that?¡±

    ¡°Somehow we need to break the fundamental laws of physics.  Should be easy, hmm?¡±

    He nodded with a slight frown.

    ¡°I do not understand.¡±

    ¡°Human science tells us that energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be stored and transferred.  The betrayer, as Gabriel called him, is energy, we need to find a way to destroy it.¡±

    Eyre blinked at her mother.

    ¡°God tried trapping him twice, my father tried, my sister and I tried.  He just escapes.  We are fighting a losing battle; No matter what we do he has an end game.  As of now we have none. If we can figure out how to destroy energy, then we have an end game too.  That means the battle can be won.  For now, though Holy Father, let Sarah be his avenging angel, please.  Leave Enid out of it, he knows my face.¡±

    The Pope nodded again.  Enid tugged Maria and Eyre out of the office.  Maria hadn¡¯t spoken a word she was just clutching her silver crucifix like her life depended on it.  When they reached the sidewalks outside the Vatican Eyre spoke.

    ¡°What now mom?¡±

    ¡°We go home, as in Edmonton, and you call Dr. Anderson and get an appointment for your daughter who apparently after two thousand years still has daddy issues.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?  The pope said he would help, I mean, he¡¯s got to have something going for him, right?¡±

    ¡°No, Dr. Anderson, she has the sight.  She¡¯ll keep me honest, and I need¡­I need to stop lying to myself.¡±

    Eyre wrapped her arms around Enid and hugged her mother tightly.

 Conservative News Network - Patriots Guide to Last Week - February 16th, 2027 (news coverage)

    ¡°Welcome to the Conservative News Network.  I am Mitch Duncen and this is the Patriot¡¯s Guide to last week.  For week of February 16<sup>th</sup>, 2027.  This has been an interesting week.  President Morris was elected on a platform of prosperity and a hardline response to North Korea.  She proved she is a woman of her word, shortly after celebrating her 2<sup>nd</sup> year in office.  She has signed into law a bill reinforcing US troops in South Korea in response to rising tensions with the North she has also authorized the deployment of two aircraft carrier groups to the area.  It is good to have a president who is not afraid to stamp out the communist agenda with force.

    Closer to home there have been two sightings of Super Terrorists in North America.  One has been identified as Jonathon Eagle in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and a second man who remains unidentified as of this report, is responsible for burning down two churches, Saint Sarah¡¯s Catholic Church and Southern United Baptist church in Charleston.  The woman responsible for apprehending both of them has made herself known as Sarah O¡¯Connor, we were able to verify she is a decorated war veteran and police officer from Chicago.  Military records that we accessed with a FOIA request indicate she flew over a thousand combat sorties, has thirty-three confirmed kills.  A modern-day flying ace.  And she is a Medal of Honor recipient.  She went on to work for the Chicago police as a detective with one of the highest arrest and conviction rates on record with an exemplary record.  Her records indicate she grew up in Kansas and has just celebrated her forty-sixth birthday.  We here at the Conservative News Network, and I personally would like to thank her for her long years of service, and her continued service to this country and its values.

    News from Kenya, US Special Forces and the Kenyan Army were able to wrest control of the Northeastern Province of Kenya.  They claim to have not found any evidence of the residents of the Orphanage that we reported were missing from there last week.  We have sources close to the Vatican that have confirmed the hostages are safe and well.  When asked for a comment the only response we received from the Vatican was that, on the wings of God¡¯s angels they were brought safely into the shelter of the Holy See.  Sarah O¡¯Connor was spotted in Rome recently; I wonder if she had any special forces training during her time in the Navy.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    On to some breaking news from this week.  A bomb was set off in an uninhabited area of Southern Europe.  Early reports indicate it was measured on the scale of a forty-kiloton explosive device.  For scale, that is roughly four times as powerful as the nuclear weapon detonated on Hiroshima.  As of yet no government, or organization has admitted responsibility for this detonation.  Drone footage shows a massive crater and an area of forest that has been completely wiped out.  There are currently no signs of radiation or other indications this was a nuclear weapon and no reports of meteorite activity in the area.  We will report more on this story when more details are known.  As of now, it seems like one of the world powers has developed a weapon as strong as a nuclear device without the radioactive fallout.

    Back to Rome once again.  There have been reports, videos and stories across the internet claiming that two messengers from God have appeared in the Vatican.  The first showed up in St Peter¡¯s and spoke to a teenage girl the messenger appeared to be Saint Sarah of Salvia.  A saint from the fourteenth century.  It apparently slid a sword into the floor of the basilica.  The images we are displaying on the screen are photos taken by witnesses, and a few taken by our Italian colleagues.  You can see it is a duplicate of the one used by Sarah O¡¯Connor.  Whatever, whomever it was took no steps to hide themselves or prevent recordings so there are several high-quality ones to watch on the Internet.  A second one was reported to be seen in the papal offices during meeting between the Pope and Sarah O¡¯Connor.  At this time Conservative News Networks cannot confirm the veracity of either report and the Vatican has not released any statements on the occurrences.  Many Christian groups around the world are declaring this a miracle, and Sarah O¡¯Connor as the daughter of God.  One thing is certain, if any of this is true the world is about to see a religious awakening on a level we have not yet witnessed.

    What a week folks!  Our first real superhero is an American Hero and a Christian. I have watched the interviews she has provided.  Mind blowing stuff if true.  Could you imagine reading journals written by someone who lived in Rome during its glory days?  Someone who walked beside Jesus.  What I wouldn¡¯t give for a few minutes in that library of hers.  Sarah if you¡¯re watching:  We¡¯d love to sit down for an interview.  That¡¯s it for this week.  Stay vigilant.¡±

 Edmonton - 2027 - The Return (Enid)

    Enid stood in front of her bathroom mirror. She had adjusted her hair color to be auburn instead of the brilliant natural red. Now she was applying lip gloss. She rarely used make-up out of an abundance of not giving a fuck how people saw her. Today was different. She was trying to distance herself from the face that was now plastered all over the internet. She looked at the eight different styles of glasses she¡¯d just received from an internet order. Partially marveling at the fact she clicked a few links and used a credit card two days ago in Rome and they were waiting for her when they arrived. She looked them over. She hadn¡¯t been sure which color she should use. Eyre was adamant she should use the clear ones. Maria of course was fascinated by the frames that mimicked the Victorian era styles. Enid wasn¡¯t sure what she was partial too. She knew she hadn¡¯t wanted overly large ones.

    She did what a teen would do in her situation. She sent several selfies to her circle of friends from high school. She hadn¡¯t checked but when she opened their chat she saw that crowdsourcing had determined black thicker frame, with the square style. She shrugged and picked them up and pulled them on.

    She looked herself over in the mirror. The lenses were for show of course. Her eyes were perfected after her transformation as was the rest of her body even while she was cursed with mortality in the light of the sun. She adjusted the glasses a few times. She looked at her top and sighed. She¡¯d also adjusted her chest, so it was less boyish, her mortal body had never been blessed with large breasts, or even average sized one even after children. The change wasn¡¯t out of vanity. She hoped it would further distance herself from the viral images of Michael. She tugged on her kilt. She liked tartan skirts, not short skirts though. She spent money to have them custom made with pockets. There was so much envy amongst her peers when she would reach into her skirt pockets and pull out her phone. Her philosophy even before living as a mortal had always been, fuck style, I want pockets.

    She pulled on her sweater and tugged her crucifix over it. She always wore it these days. It was a reminder that her sister¡¯s body may not have changed but her sister was a new woman. She pulled her hair back and braided it, tying it off. With one last glance at herself she walked down to the breakfast bar and sat down on a stool. Eyre was cooking something that smelled delicious. Soon afterwards a cup of coffee and a plate of French toast and bacon found its way in front of Enid. Eyre looked up finally taking in her mother¡¯s new look.

    ¡°Wow mom, you look amazing today.¡±

    ¡°Gee, thanks, does that mean I don¡¯t always look amazing?¡±

    Eyre snickered.

    ¡°No, usually you look like someone puked up a girl who housed rats in her nest of red hair¡±

    Enid made a face.

    ¡°Glasses though?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°It worked for Clark Kent.¡±

    Eyre laughed.

    ¡°No, it really didn¡¯t. But I guess it will fool facial recognition on phones so that¡¯s got to count for something. Mom, now that Maria knows who she really is, what is the point of going to school?¡±

    ¡°One, Maria is only fifty years old, has never been to school before and has the maturity level of a fifteen-year-old girl. Two, she wants to go. Three, if she wants to go to university, she needs at least high school education otherwise she¡¯s fucked.¡±

    ¡°Why do you have to go?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m making sure she is safe, and to finish my list that you so rudely interrupted: Four, I¡¯ll be damned if my real name shows a high school dropout. Once this Black Son shit is out of the way I want to go to university for history so I can fix the fucking textbooks.¡±

    Eyre smirked at her mother and shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve never done high school or university.¡±

    ¡°No, I look like I¡¯m in my thirties.¡±

    ¡°Too bad, I would have loved to bully you.¡±

    Eyre hit her mother¡¯s upper arm with a gentle swat.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget your cane on the way out you crotchety old hag.¡±

    The pair looked on as Maria left her own room and sat down on the other side of Eyre.

    ¡°Good morning, Auntie.¡±

    Maria looked down like she would be blushing if her cheeks could turn even the slightest shade of pink. Eyre giggled.

    ¡°Sorry Aunt Maria. I couldn¡¯t resist.¡±

    ¡°It is alright Eyre.¡±

    Eyre stood up and pulled the plate she had put in the oven to keep warm and slide it in front of Maria and poured her a glass of milk. Enid smiled at her sister and then started reading something on her tablet. Eyre leaned down on the counter arms crossed and chin on her upper forearm. She looked up at Maria.

    ¡°How did you sleep?¡±

    ¡°Very well thank you.¡±

    Eyre walked to her chaotic desk and sifted through the cluttered papers and pulled out a sealed folder.

    ¡°You need to take this to the office today. They are a copy of your adoption papers. Maria Aurelius. School needs them to prove I¡¯m now your legal guardian.¡±

    Maria¡¯s hand went to her crucifix as she paused her eating. The other reached for the envelope, her pale finger touching her new legal name. She looked between Eyre and Enid and in an uncharacteristic show of emotion she rushed around the breakfast bar and bearhugged Eyre.

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Eyre smiled down at her tears moistening her eyes.

    ¡°Now that is over with, finish your breakfast young lady, it¡¯s the most important meal of the day.¡±

    Enid shook her head and smiled without looking up from her tablet. Maria dried up her own tears and sat back down in front of her food she smiled as she ate glancing up at Eyre who smiled back at her. Enid sighed and looked up to Eyre.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget ¡®mom¡¯ that I have my road test tonight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re mature enough to be driving on your own.¡±

    Enid glared at her daughter.

    ¡°Beep you.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it I¡¯m getting the soap.¡±

    ¡°Probably tastes better than your coffee!¡±

    The pair dissolved into laughter after a short glare off.

    ¡°Actually, could you pour me another, please, Eyre.¡±

    Eyre poured her another cup.

    ¡°That also reminds me, I got you an appointment next Tuesday evening for Dr. Anderson.¡±

    ¡°Good. After today I should be able to drive there myself.¡±

    ¡°Has it really been a year since you got to Edmonton already?¡±

    ¡°To the day.¡±

    Eyre shook her head.

    ¡°Time flies.¡±

    ¡°Maybe for you, you¡¯ve had your license the whole time.¡±

    ¡°You have like six identities that are fully licensed to drive in multiple countries.¡±

    ¡°But I have never had a license that said Enid Aurelius. Its about pride in your name.¡±

    ¡°Mom, you are a strange, strange vampire.¡±

    ¡°Seven hundred years and you¡¯re just figuring that out now?¡±

    Enid chugged the rest of her second coffee, picked up her empty plate and put it in the dishwasher. She started getting bundled into her coat and her boots trying to catch up to Maria who had already started. Eyre noticed for the first time her mother was wearing a skirt.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re going to freeze to death.¡±

    ¡°No, I won¡¯t I¡¯m wearing leggings.¡±

    Eyre shook her head and pulled on her own coat and boots. She reached out and snagged her purse before joining her ¡®daughters¡¯ in the garage.

    *****

    Enid slid into her seat the table with her friends. Art class had replaced Latin for this semester. She sort of despised it because unlike most classes the mark was very subjective which drove her nuts. Whether someone likes something or not shouldn¡¯t determine if it is worth a good mark. It was however part of the program Eyre had selected and she was stuck in it until next year. Maria entered the class and started going to her normal seat and Enid motioned for her to join her. Maria sat down the rest of the girls Enid usually hung out with looked a bit put out by this choice but Enid looked at them and spoke quietly.

    ¡°Everyone, this is my adopted sister, Maria. I love you all but if you ever call her zombie girl again, I will be forced to beat the shit out of you now. Only I get to make fun of her, since she¡¯s my sister. The end.¡±

    There were several giggles at the table. Enid¡¯s half joke and smile seemed to disarm her friend¡¯s hesitance and the table started chattering like normal until the instructor who also taught Latin cleared her throat.

    ¡°I know Enid and Maria have been away for a week but catch up after class please.¡±

    The table quieted down but was all smiles. The class was exactly what Enid hated. She liked well defined boundaries and knowing exactly how to get a good mark. The teacher today simply said use pencil and draw an image with shadows. It was that nebulous do something creative that vexed Enid so. She decide to sketch the ruins of Kinlochleven castle as she had picture on the cloud of it during a sun set. It was what Maria drew that caught her attention most of all the art she saw her friends making because she had drawn a picture of their father¡¯s Roman estate¡¯s gardens. She pondered how her sister knew what it looked like without her memories.

    Religion class was the one year-round class that everyone had to take. Catholic Schools were sticklers for that one. Enid settled in beside her friends ready for a sleepy class she could safely ignore. The day was going good, no mention of Rome, the Vatican, Angels, or superheroes. Enid began her daily veg session that was religion only to be tapped on the forearm by her friend Kelly. Enid looked up and saw Sister Willow looking at her expectantly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was distracted, Sister Willow, what were you asking?¡±

    Sister Willow was the type of person to just smile and repeat herself not a hint of annoyance in her face or voice.

    I wonder if she had a lobotomy.

    ¡°I understand you and your new sister Maria went to the Vatican while on vacation. Were you in St. Peters when the Angel appeared?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    She glanced at Maria who touched her crucifix and began stroking it. Maria gave her a look of silent reproach and Enid sighed and rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Yes, we were.¡±

    ¡°How did it feel being in its presence?¡±

    ¡°I donno, I was just wondering if the mushrooms in our breakfast had been the magic kind.¡±

    The class laughed. Sister Willow gave the slightest frown showing her disappointment in Enid who despite her age felt a tiny bit guilty.

    Catholics: Mastering the art of guilt tripping since the Roman Empire.

    The sister¡¯s eyes looked to Maria who was still stroking her crucifix and asked the same question. Enid was shaking her head to her sister then sighed heavily when she heard her words.

    ¡°I felt blessed, because he spoke directly to me.¡±

    ¡°Why do you say he spoke to you?¡±

    ¡°Because he used my name.¡±

    ¡°You are saying he, I thought it appeared as Saint Sarah of Savia.¡±

    ¡°It was Michael using Saint Sarah¡¯s face.¡±

    Enid sunk further into her chair pulled her glasses off and buried her face in her arms. She was laughing silently because this was so much worse than she thought it was going to be.

    ¡°How do you know that Maria?¡±

    ¡°Because Ezekiel told Enid when she walked through Rome with him.¡±

    The quiet murmur of the class changed to dead silence when Maria dropped her bomb of a sentence. Enid refused to lift her head from the fort of darkness her arms and chest were creating.

    God, kill me now. I¡¯m done. Why did I tell her!

    The bell rang saving Enid for further embarrassment. Sister Willow being the smart sort had just moved on there talking about angelic messengers and prophets as seen in the Old Testament. Once she was sure it was safe Enid lifted her head up, grabbed her bag and put her glasses on. She had been correct the rest of the class had already left the room, the conversation forgotten in a rush to leave for the upcoming family day weekend. Sister Willow called out Enid¡¯s name just as she was about to escape. She glared towards the sun that still cast a harsh glare off the snow and through the classroom windows.

    ¡°Enid, you and Maria have experienced something that few in the world can say. It is alright to be confused about it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not confused I just want to get on with my life, such as it is, Sister.¡±

    Sister Willow stood up and smoothed out her long skirt.

    ¡°Get on with your life? You spoke to a messenger from God Enid.¡±

    ¡°I spoke to an old man, we had meat lovers pizza. He took pity on a girl who needed an adult that she could trust after she had an argument with her sister. Was he an angel? I don¡¯t know. He had no messages for me except that I already knew the answer to the question I had.¡±

    ¡°Are you Saint Sarah of Savia?¡±

    Enid closed her eyes.

    ¡°If I am, they really need to choose their Saints better. I need to go; I have my road test this afternoon.¡±

    Sister Willow took a closer look at Enid before nodding.

    ¡°Good Luck. My prayers are with you.¡±

    *****

    Enid sat at the kitchen table. The time for food had long passed. Winters in Edmonton meant night fall was early. Which meant less time to eat supper before one¡¯s vampiric nature would make it a moot point. Enid had missed supper tonight because of her driving test. She was now officially licensed under her real name, it was a graduated license but she could drive unaccompanied now. Maria, Eyre and Violet had gone out somewhere and had left by the time Enid got back. She¡¯d driven home alone. She sighed and rubbed her eyes, they weren¡¯t tired, but it felt right. She continued typing her English essay out. She had never met Shakespeare. Even if she had he would have just been just another mortal digging in the mud. She pondered how many high school students she would have saved from the brink of insanity if she had met him and just drained him dry. She shrugged off the thought and started a playlist on their smart speaker and continued writing. The playlist suited her mode. She was pissed at Maria but then she heard the next song declaring several things Ironic and not a single one fit the bill according to the English she knew, which made the entire song an example of Irony. The stray thought amused her slightly taking her mind off of Maria and how much she wanted to strangle her for the truthfulness.Stolen novel; please report.

    She heard the doorbell ring. She closed her eyes and hung her head. She locked her computer and dragged herself across the house to open the door. Outside the door were two very cold gentlemen in black coats with name tags declaring themselves representatives of the Church of Latter-Day Saints.

    Mormons, as if Catholics weren¡¯t bad enough. Freezing their asses off for what?

    Enid sighed. As they began to speak. She saw their faces fall almost immediately.

    ¡°Look fellas, I am in the middle of writing an essay, and while I am impressed you are out in this cold trying to save souls, but I¡¯m Catholic. There is no saving me.¡±

    They laughed at her joke and bid her a good night. Enid waved and close the door locking it behind them and went back to her essay. Paused then went into the kitchen and made a mug of hot cocoa and sat down on the couch and turned on one of the streaming services and watched an episode of her latest addiction. After she felt sufficiently relaxed she returned to her computer and was about to start typing again when the doorbell rang again. She closed her eyes.

    ¡°Fuck. It better not be those Mormons again.¡±

    Enid slammed her hands on the table and stood up. She stalked over to the door. Whipping it open. Only to have the one person in the world she never expected to see gracing her doorway. Deloriss fell inside Enid looked down at her torn-up form with quirked an eyebrow. The health of vampires was hard to judge. Being that their natural state was dead. She glanced around outside and pulled the bloodied Deloriss inside. She bit her palm and stuffed it in the vampire¡¯s mouth. Deloriss¡¯s eyes went wide as Enid¡¯s blood poured into her mouth. An ancient¡¯s blood was like heroin, cocaine, meth and ecstasy all tied into one dark red liquid. Enid pushed her away. Deloriss¡¯s bite and claw wounds healed rapidly. Enid sighed. Second drink. Deloriss was bound to her now but it was better then letting her die randomly especially since she looked like she had just fought of a gang of hungry vampires.

    ¡°You¡­you are the Empress.¡±

    ¡°Yes. You attacked me with minions. Not my servant. Dumbest idiot ever. What the fuck are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I am sorry Empress.¡±

    Enid looked down at her groveling form. She reached out her hand and lifted her up by the arm.

    ¡°Enough groveling, why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I have done you so much wrong, why would you give me your precious blood?¡±

    ¡°Because I am Empress you are my subject and it my duty to protect you as much as it is to punish you if you do wrong. Now, what attacked you?¡±

    Deloriss was still looking at Enid awestruck. Enid sighed. She hated blood slaved, vampire or otherwise. The obsession would fade, and she would just feel very well disposed towards Enid but the first few nights were¡­ a nightmare.

    ¡°How could I have attack you? You are so glorious and powerful. I am dirt.¡±

    ¡°Deloriss, focus, what attacked you tonight?¡±

    Deloriss blinked.

    ¡°One of the vampire gangs. They attacked council, Daggon¡­Daggon is gone. The council they drained them all.¡±

    ¡°Which gang? Where is their haven?¡±

    ¡°They are outsiders. They invaded. Gathered the gangs. Said the elders¡­ were blind that now was the time of vampires. They are going to go to war with the mortals.¡±

    Enid felt the old rage at the Pugmentia welling up in her. It was Rome, Carthage, Los Angeles all over again. Enid kept holding Deloriss¡¯s arm and led her to the basement and sat her down on one of the couches in the entertainment center. She pulled three bags of blood from the small refrigerator they kept there for movie snacks. She handed them to her. She kneeled down touching Deloriss¡¯s cheek she looked into her eyes.

    ¡°Deloriss, child, drink the blood and relax here. Watch whatever you want. You are safe here.¡±

    ¡°You cannot go after them Empress, they will kill you, they were daring Reapers to come.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°They are about to get their wish.¡±

    She met Deloriss¡¯s gaze again, pressing her will onto the younger vampire¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Relax, my sister, my daughter and our ward will return, and you will be safe.¡±

    Enid stood up. She started undressing as she ran up the stairs. She was going fully armored tonight. She reached out with her telekinesis and pulled her pack to her hand and started pulling the Atlantean Armor on. The plates started to form. Next she pulled Bloodseeker out of her pack and strapped it to her pack. Then a utility belt with silver nitrate grenades and two Glocks full of silver bullets. She looked down as she heard a meow. It was Sophie, Maria¡¯s cat. Finally, out of the animal hospital now that Maria lived somewhere where she could have a pet. Enid crouched down and pat her head.

    ¡°Sophie, Maria will be home soon.¡±

    Enid stood up and picked her burner phone out of the pack and dialed the emergency number. Eyre and Enid had phone ringers specific to the numbers that were the ¡®oh fuck oh fuck the world is ending¡¯ calls. She received no answer. Enid narrowed her eyes and ran out the back door and lept into the air. Where had they gone tonight. Enid tried to remember. She heard them discussing it while she was studying for her driving exam. She frowned. She closed her eyes and took Sarah O¡¯Connor¡¯s the superhero¡¯s face.

    Fuck should have paid better attention.

    Enid decided to head to the last place the Pugmentia Gangs had been which would be Daggon¡¯s headquarters. She pushed the doors open it was a literal blood bath. Humans, blood slaves, vampires were all over the building. Each had their throats torn out. Blood was everywhere. She checked at the front desk for a floor plan. She tapped the spot on the map that was the security room then identified the nearest server room. She pulled two grenades out of her pack and walked to the security room. The door was locked and bared. She kicked it down the reinforced door and concrete around it were no match for her strength and it fell down. Inside she found two blood slaves cowering. They both desperately reach for their handguns.

    ¡°You¡¯ve seen me on TV. Don¡¯t. You¡¯ll just piss me off.¡±

    ¡°Erase all the footage, do it.¡±

    She watched passionately as they deleted all the recording files.

    ¡°Is there anyone else who survived?¡±

    One of the men pointed towards the server room.

    ¡°IT Girl. He¡¯s¡­not in the family?¡±

    ¡°Okay. Get the fuck out of here. Deloriss will be in touch.¡±

    Enid kicked down the server room door. Inside she found a brunette woman wearing jeans and a grey golf shirt showing some company logo. She looked quasi-professional. Her eyes went wide when she saw Sarah the superheroes face.

    ¡°Oh wow, oh wow you¡¯re here! Thank God for you.¡±

    ¡°Please get your coat and your laptop bag and step out of the room. Try not to look around. Its not pleasant.¡±

    Enid reached out her hand and clenched her fist and all the servers crashed together into twisted ball of smoking silicon and metal server cages. She threw a frag grenade followed by an incendiary grenade and pulled the IT girl to the side. The woman jumped when the two explosions went off. Enid repeated the same sequence with the security room. She looked into the IT Girl¡¯s eyes, you saw a superterrorist tear the place apart and blow up the rooms. You escaped with your life barely. The woman blinked at Enid. Enid frowned. She hadn¡¯t been resisted by a mortal since¡­Cindie.

    ¡°Well fuck.¡±

    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t want to kill you, but I will if you talk about anything saw here tonight. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying? Stay quiet and I¡¯ll make sure you are well compensated.¡±

    ¡°But¡­but you¡¯re God¡¯s daughter.¡±

    ¡°Yes and what happened here tonight needs to remain secret, not even the police. Definitely not the internet, it would cause panic. So as God¡¯s Daughter I¡¯m asking you very nicely to keep your very cute mouth shut.¡±

    ¡°Did you just call me cute?¡±

    The woman blushed.

    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re cute. But besides that, mouth shut.¡±

    ¡°Date.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut if you go out on a date with me.¡±

    ¡°Are you fucking serious right now? I just threatened your life.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­I mean¡­¡±

    ¡°You know what, fine, one date. Give me your card. And wait here.¡±

    Enid took the woman¡¯s card and stuffed it into her pack then shifted into her red wolf form. The woman jumped looking scared at first then she clapped her hands. Enid rolled her wolf eyes and started sniffing around.

    Definitely Pugmentia. Imperial blood too though. Familiar¡­Aeliana!

    Enid traced her path through the floor. She found several Pugmentia corpses torn to shreds by werewolf claws, some crushed by some form of tentacle. Enid grinned in her wolf form. The corpses were outsides. She shifted to her human shape again and grabbed the IT girl who she knew to be named Allison by her card.

    ¡°Allison, you got a flat tire never got here. Okay?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll call me for that date right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I give you my word. By the time you got here the firetrucks and police where here.¡±

    ¡°What firetrucks and police?¡±

    Enid pulled a rocket launcher out of her pack. Allison stepped back.

    ¡°They¡¯ll be here soon, you best leave.¡±

    Enid loaded one of her demonfire mirvs into it and started typing in the dispersion requirements and put it on her shoulder. She glanced back when she heard tires squeal and Allison, the IT Girls taillights vanished into the distance. Enid looked into the sight and launched the missile. She watched as the missile scattered into six projectiles which rained beads down inside the various floors and winced as the beads started to break and the entire front of the building was engulfed in white hot thermite adjacent chemical reaction. She slid the rocket launcher back in her pack. She shook her head and looked in the direction that the car had vanished.

    She was super cute. Focus!

    Enid shifted into wolf form again and started follow the trail of Aeliana, who in turn seemed to have been following the Pugmentia attackers. She stalked the streets of Edmonton not bothering to cloak herself in shadows. She disturbed more then a few people who were just now stumbling out of the bars. None seemed to recognize she was a wolf and kept shouting coyote. Mortals¡­how blind they are. She found herself past the end of Jasper avenue and down another street. She saw the shimmering flicker of another vampire hiding in the shadows. Even Maria¡¯s shadow ability had no power over her anymore. Since she had openly acknowledged her position of Empress with the Pope it seemed like her inheritance was finally taking root. She let out a low yip. The wolf whose black fur looked matted from blood yipped back. Quirking its head to the side. It sniffed the air and did a happy dance. Enid motioned with her head and pulled back from the building taking her true form instead of the Sarah face. She was suddenly engulfed from a hug by the larger, curvier Aeliana.

    ¡°Slays-Demons!¡±

    Enid hugged her tightly.

    ¡°Shadow-walker.¡±

    ¡°Enid.¡±

    ¡°Aeliana.¡±

    ¡°I did not know you were here sister.¡±

    ¡°I am. And¡­so is Mariana, and Eyre.¡±

    Aeliana¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°She is alive?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Where are they?¡±

    ¡°Based on the fact their car is here, I¡¯d say inside.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The pair perked up when they heard a loud scream that seemed to have been cut short. It was a male. They looked at each other.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh boy. They tried to actually hurt Maria. So, what umm kind of thing are we looking at here?¡±

    ¡°Venice.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that many of them?¡±

    Aeliana nodded. Enid frowned.

    ¡°Fuck.¡±

    ¡°Should we?¡±

    Aeliana motioned to the building.

    ¡°We probably should. Me being the Empress and all.¡±

    Aeliana¡¯s eyes when wide and she shoved Enid gently.

    ¡°No one tells me these things.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go. You should probably get dressed for the occasion.¡±

    Aeliana laughed and shifted into her seven foot talk half wolf form and lunged at the wall smashing through it with a howl declaring the hunt was on. Enid drew Bloodseeker and casually walked through the newly created entrance. She heard more screams ahead. The top half of a vampire flew by her, his eyes frozen with a look of terror. She shrugged and walked into what had become the killing room floor. Violet was staked on the floor. Eyre was pinned to a wall with two wooden spears. Maria was on the floor and had bite marks in her neck. Beyond her family there were many, many dead Pugmentia. Aeliana was increasing the body count with every claw swipe. The true foe of the Pugmentia was the unseen force that was shredding them. Enid knew it to be Mariana¡¯s silent protector. She had met him just once, during the battle with the Black Son. They had stood back-to-back defending her fallen form. Enid had no fear of him. She wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but it had never acted against her. She watched as another Pugmenta was lifted up and then exploded in a shower of blood and bits of vampire flesh.

    He is very angry.

    One of the Pugmentia fled towards her and found himself rapidly drained by Bloodseeker. The three that had been following him stumbled back into the waiting claws and teeth of Aeliana. Enid chuckled as she watched her sister-in-law rip it¡¯s head off and squeeze the blood from his body gulping it down. Enid called out suddenly recalling that Aeliana and her brother were rarely apart.

    ¡°Where is Lysander?¡±

    Aeliana shrugged and then answered while her claws tore another Pugmentia in half.

    ¡°Toronto, watching out for your clone.¡±

    ¡°Aww.¡±

    ¡°I know, he¡¯s missing all the fun.¡±

    Enid cut down another Pugmentia. The dedicated halves of his body falling at her feet. The dark protector of Maria had ceased his brutal killing spree in the center of the building. Instead screams were now echoing from near a doorway where the last remnants of the Pugmentia uprising were trying to escape. Aeliana and Enid moved in behind the last six Pugmentia were caught between a blender and a hard place. They all died. The pair looked around at the seventy-five or so Pugmentia bodies it was a challenge to get an accurate count. Maria¡¯s guardian had dismembered some of them very thoroughly. Satisfied the threat was over Enid pulled the spikes out of Eyre and pulled a blood stone out of her bag feeding her with it, then Maria. Both woke about the same time. Enid glanced down at Violet¡¯s staked form. Eyre looked down at her nice coat and sighed. Then to her mother.

    ¡°Are you going to pull that out?¡±

    ¡°Do I have too? She¡¯s so quiet and adorable when she¡¯s staked.¡±

    Eyre walked over and pulled the stake out.

    ¡°Mom, you¡¯re not funny.¡±

    Violet sat up, she looked around dry heaved then focused on Enid. Her eyes drifted behind Enid as the seven-foot-tall pitch black half-wolf came out of the shadows. She promptly screamed and hid behind Eyre.

    ¡°What¡­what the hell is that?¡±

    ¡°That is my Aunt Aeliana. My Uncle Lysander¡¯s wife.¡±

    ¡°But what is she?¡±

    Aeliana shifted down into her pale black-haired form. Her blue eyes twinkling with amusement.

    ¡°A werewolf, child.¡±

    ¡°What? Werewovles are real?¡±

    Everyone nodded to her, like it should have been obvious from the start. Enid sheathed Bloodseeker and shook her head.

    ¡°Technically she¡¯s a vampiric werewolf, only one of her kind.¡±

    ¡°A what now?¡±

    ¡°She is a Werewolf that was turned by a Pugmentia and granted Imperial blood by Sextus. Most go insane.¡±

    ¡°That is very cool, but can we get out of here? This is¡­disgusting and at the same time smells like an all you can eat buffet. My brain is breaking.¡±

    Enid laughed. Eyre surveyed the blood-soaked room.

    ¡°Mom, what did you two do?¡±

    ¡°Us? This wasn¡¯t us; it was Maria. I mean we killed a few. But most of it was Maria.¡±

    Maria¡¯s was stroking her silver crucifix. She stumbled as if she were slapped when Enid spoke her name and said she was to blame for all this carnage.

    ¡°Enid, I did not do this.¡±

    ¡°No, but your ghost did.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The big black thing? I guess you don¡¯t remember. Ya, he has a huge scythe that he spins like a blender and shreds things when you¡¯re truly threatened. Mostly when you can¡¯t defend yourself. I fought beside him in the battle¡­ never mind.¡±

    Maria blinked and looked to her right. She spoke to something no one else could see.

    ¡°Did you do this?¡±

    She seemed to gently move someone aside as she stepped forward. Blood started to drip from her eyes as she watched whatever it was.

    ¡°You must not do this. Killing is wrong.¡±

    Something hit Maria¡¯s face and her nose started to bleed she frowned.

    ¡°Ethel, do not push me tonight.¡±

    A frown creased Maria¡¯s lips.

    ¡°Ethel Jacqueline Davenport you will watch your language!¡±

    Maria reached out her hand quickly and caught some invisible force. She lifted it up above her head.

    ¡°No, you cannot have it back, you are just going to throw it at me again.¡±

    Aeliana shrugged and started sifting through the vampire remains looking at their faces. Eyre and Violet were staring at Maria.

    ¡°Mom, what is she doing?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s telling the big guy to not protect her, killing is wrong, they were going to die anyway Maria. Also, I have no idea who Ethel is I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a ghost and it¡¯s a child.¡±

    Violet blinked a couple of times.

    ¡°Uh, ghosts are real too?¡±

    Enid and Aeliana nodded. Aeliana picked up another vampire head and turned it around to look at its face.

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    Enid walked over to Aeliana.

    ¡°Why are you digging through corpses?¡±

    ¡°Because there is a vampire going around and stirring up trouble that calls himself the Herald of the New World Order. He got chased out of Toronto, but he has been heading west gathering up steam and disenfranchised Pugmentia. I thought Vancouver was his real target, but now that I see you are here, I think it might have been you. There was an attempt on the clone¡¯s life by Pugmentia. She¡¯s young but at night she¡¯s basically you, well you from a thousand years ago, but anyway, she thrashed them.¡±

    ¡°He is not here.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a picture?¡±

    Aeliana pulled out a phone and showed it to Enid. Enid shook her head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t recognize him.¡±

    ¡°Well time to start tracking again. I think he¡¯s older than he lets on. Never drives anywhere.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°No Empress, you stay here. The territory is in chaos. It needs a firm hand.¡±

    ¡°You do know I can take care of myself, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do, you have been named by tooth and claw, however, if you are the target then why should we make it easier on him?¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°Alright.¡±

    Aeliana paused.

    ¡°Well damn it. I need to fix that mess downtown.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Someone launched a demonfire missile at the building.¡±

    Eyre looked at her mom with narrowed eyes.

    ¡°What did you do mom?¡±

    ¡°I covered up a vampire blood bath, you know, like we¡¯re supposed to do.¡±

    ¡°By launching a missile banned by the Geneva Conventions of 2023?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°It did the job.¡±

    ¡°Mom, you just committed a war crime!¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t the first one, probably won¡¯t be the last. And it wasn¡¯t technically a war crime, there is no war. I¡¯m not a soldier.¡±

    ¡°Then a terrorist attack. Mom! What were you thinking?¡±

    ¡°That I had to burn a building down fast and that the demonfire missile had the least risk of collateral damage.¡±

    ¡°Mom where did you even get them?¡±

    ¡°They were on sale cheap, US government was trying to offload them before they got banned.¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    Violet cleared her throat.

    ¡°Is this really the time and place to be discussing mom three¡¯s addiction to hoarding banned weaponry? Cause I¡¯m not sure here, I¡¯m just guessing, but a sword that drains and destroys actual Souls is probably a step higher on the warcrime front.¡±

    Enid pondered for a moment, shrugged then nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Kid¡¯s got us there. Speaking of which, if everyone is done gawking at the dismembered vampire bodies, we best cover this up too. Want to fire it this time Violet?¡±

    ¡°Mom, I swear you are¡­you are¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes please!¡±

    Eyre threw up her hands in disgust and walked out of the hole Aeliana had made. Enid set the rocket launcher up and handed it to Violet.

    ¡°Okay Violet. Put it on your shoulder. Yep, that¡¯s right. Now line it up with the targeting information there on the LCD screen. Good. Good. Fire.¡±

    Violet giggled and pulled the trigger. With in thirty seconds the entire building was engulfed in fire its frame slagging almost instantly. Violate handed the launcher back to Enid who put it in her pack.

    ¡°Oh my god mom three, that was awesome!¡±

    Eyre scowled at Enid who made a face at her.

    ¡°Guess I¡¯m the fun mom.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a bad influence. That¡¯s what you are.¡±

    Eyre grabbed Violet¡¯s sleeve and tugged her towards the car. Enid hugged Aeliana tightly while the other three vampires waited for her in the Eyre¡¯s SUV.

    ¡°Kick Lysander in the nuts for me, would you?¡±

    ¡°He loves you too.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a sister if I don¡¯t pick on him and I haven¡¯t seen him like two centuries. Hey, so, umm, there¡­the¡­ I¡¯m not sure how to say this, we kind of left Lysander behind last time, he was mad at us¡­ but I mean he was like ten years old. I mean as a vampire. So uh, he might still be.. well look, the fight we have been avoiding, well its becoming unavoidable and we could really use you guys.¡±

    ¡°Sister, you call, and we will be there.¡±

    Enid smiled and nodded. Aeliana looked Enid up and down.

    ¡°Enid, you look so much happier than I¡¯ve ever seen you. Whatever you¡¯re doing, it¡¯s working.¡±

    ¡°Aww get out of here ya bitch.¡±

    Aeliana laughed at their old joke waved one last time before shifting into wolf form and gathering the shadows about herself. Enid got in the car. Eyre glared at her and shifted into gear and stomped on the gas peddle causing the tires to spin on the ice. The SUV finally shot forward. They passed several fire trucks on their way home. After several minutes Enid spoke up.

    ¡°So uh, Deloriss is in our basement.¡±

    Everyone including Maria said ¡®What¡¯ in unison.

    ¡°Oh, and I have a date.¡±

    Eyre frowned.

    ¡°Mom rewind a bit there, what the fuck is Demon Summoner Deloriss doing in our basement?¡±

    ¡°She came looking from help from the Empress¡¯s servant because¡­ oh you don¡¯t know. So ya the elders in Edmonton have been wiped out.¡±

    ¡°What? No, that¡¯s impossible.¡±

    ¡°What part about seventy or eighty Pugmentia on a blood hunt didn¡¯t you understand?¡±

    ¡°What are we going to do mom?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s easy, make Deloriss the Lord of Edmonton. Dust our hands of it.¡±

    ¡°Why would you put that psychopath in charge?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s bound to me.¡±

    ¡°Mom! That¡¯s against the law.¡±

    ¡°Well, it was that or she would die and then she couldn¡¯t tell me what was going on. Besides they are more like guidelines anyway.¡±

    She paused looked back at Violet.

    ¡°Do as I say, not as I do, kid.¡±

    Violet nodded.

    ¡°Eyre, this way we literally have the Pugmentia under our control.¡±

    Eyre frowned and drove on into the cold Edmonton night.

 Edmonton - 2027 - A Date (Enid)

    Enid had put on her Sarah face and started applying her make-up for the night out. She frowned and wiped her face down. Eyre leaned Enid¡¯s bathroom doorframe; Her arms crossed.

    ¡°Problems, mom?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m terrible at make-up. Lip gloss I can do the rest.¡±

    She threw her eyeliner down in frustration. Eyre laughed. Looked her mother up and down.

    ¡°She can fly F-22¡¯s off of an aircraft carrier, kill demons like she¡¯s slicing through wheat, do open heart surgery, but she can¡¯t put on eyeliner.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give up your day job, what was that anyway?¡±

    ¡°Babysitting my relic of a mother.¡±

    Enid shook her head and looked over the scattered make-up containers.

    ¡°How is Deloriss doing?¡±

    ¡°Changing the subject? Too proud to ask your daughter for help?¡±

    ¡°Fine, Please help me?¡±

    Eyre laughed and pushed herself up.

    ¡°Okay let¡¯s get started.¡±

    *****

    Enid sat in the car she had registered in Sarah¡¯s ID. It was a plain silver SUV older model. She looked in the rearview mirror.

    Its just a fucking dinner then easy out for a witness. Fucking immune mortals.

    Enid took an unnecessary deep breath hit her steering wheel a few times then slid out of the driver seat and tugged her coat close. Not that she could feel the cold. She walked up to the door of her date¡¯s apartment building and pressed the buzzer. She answered.

    ¡°Hi?¡±

    ¡°Hi Allison, it is Sarah.¡±

    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m on my way down.¡±

    At least someone¡¯s excited about this, I feel bad for the girl.

    Enid waited for her patiently. She saw Allison, who had been cute if a bit freaked out at the Vampire building. Allison blushed when she saw Enid.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it you came out.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I did, you are cute.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so glamorous and beautiful, I Just¡­thought.¡±

    Allison, in my true form thirteen-year-old boys have bigger breasts then me, and I¡¯ve got more scars than Mike Tyson.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have much choice, you know some pretty damning things about me.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry, I don¡¯t even know why I said date.¡±

    She blushed and turned to go back inside.

    ¡°Hey, where are you going? A deal is a deal. I¡¯m here, you¡¯re here. I¡¯m sure we can have some fun. Why waste our nice outfits and awesome make-up?¡±

    Allison looked back at Enid who smiled at her. Allison still looked like she was about to run inside. Enid was many things but she never went back on a promise.

    ¡°Look Allison, I haven¡¯t been on a date in almost six years. And never with a woman. You¡¯re doing me a favor here.¡±

    ¡°Six years?¡±

    ¡°Yes, one of the flight doctors on the George Washington, totally inappropriate and against regs. I¡¯d love to tell you about it.¡±

    Allison pushed her hair blonde hair back behind her ears. She was everything Enid¡¯s true form was not. Curvy, vivacious, a bit nerdy. Enid was a bit jealous of the woman who lived this normal life barring the occasional vampire bloodbaths. Enid offered her hand.

    ¡°I¡¯ll drive, my SUV is a piece of shit, but it goes from point A to point B just fine.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a private plane?¡±

    ¡°Ya, so? This city, I want four-wheel drive, big ass snow tires and something that isn¡¯t made of tinfoil.¡±

    Allison laughed.

    ¡°You¡¯re so normal.¡±

    Not by a longshot.

    ¡°In comparison to what?¡±

    ¡°Well, I mean you¡­you know what, never mind.¡±

    ¡°Well, you wanted this date, we¡¯ll make it your night, where too?¡±

    ¡°Is it my night because you have no ideas?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°You got me.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest, I have never been on a date. I kind of was in shock and just said the first thing that came to my head, then I was embarrassed and then¡­I scrambled. You¡¯re you¡­¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m freezing. Let¡¯s go to my car. It has seat warmers. Dresses in winter, we must be crazy.¡±

    Allison nodded and the pair got into Enid¡¯s car. She turned the heat on full blast she¡¯d noticed Allison was starting to shiver outside. A few minutes of warmth and Allison was loosening her coat and Enid smiled at her and turned down the heat.

    ¡°Okay I¡¯m not from Edmonton, where is fun?¡±

    ¡°Well, I mean we could go to a club. But then we can¡¯t drink.¡±

    ¡°I can be the driver.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m immune to poison, so¡­ I can drink and drink and drink and¡­not get drunk. Won¡¯t even show up on a breathalyzer if I drink a coffee afterwards.¡±

    ¡°So, club is a no, no way I want to be drunk me in front of sober you.¡±

    ¡°How about that arcade, nice food¡­ thing on the south side? You know with throwing axes?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I know the place my company took us there for Christmas one year.¡±

    ¡°Video games and food it is.¡±

    Enid put her SUV into drive and pulled out. Allison was twisting her long blonde hair with her finger.

    ¡°How is your hair so perfect Sarah? Like¡­it looks like a sheet of metal, then you move and you can see its hair.¡±

    ¡°Oh, trust me my old hair was a nightmare. Curly refused to do anything I asked of it. This is part of¡­well the thing.¡±

    ¡°Do you wish you were normal?¡±

    ¡°Every fucking day.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Do you know how much I envy you?¡±

    ¡°You envy me? You¡¯re so beautiful. You are a superhero. You were a fighter pilot.¡±

    ¡°Yet this date could end with you in an Uber and me flying to fight something that could kill me. I am anything but normal.¡±

    ¡°Or it could end with me getting a phone call about a crypto attack that needs my attention immediately, and you driving me to the place I need to go.¡±

    Enid laughed. She stopped at a red light hitting her turn signal.

    ¡°Allison thank you for asking me out.¡±

    Enid pulled into the parking lot of their destination and got out of the car, she hurried to catch up with Allison who was walking at quick pace towards the entrance.

    ¡°Legs cold?¡±

    ¡°No, I have to pee.¡±

    Enid laughed again.

    ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll get the seats and tags sorted out.¡±

    Allison hurried into the bathroom and Enid went to the front desk.

    ¡°I need two game passes and we¡¯ll want to eat.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing.¡±

    He typed into his tablet for a few minutes. Allison popped up beside her just in time to see Enid tapping her card.

    ¡°You two have fun.¡±

    ¡°Oh we will.¡±

    Enid handed the wristband to Allison and slipped her own around her wrist.

    ¡°I have never seen a credit card like that before. I¡¯ve never heard of Aurelius bank.¡±

    ¡°Its what my family has used for centuries.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Wow, I guess it is European.¡±

    ¡°You guessed right. Now what first? Food? Games? Axe throwing?¡±

    ¡°Food?¡±

    ¡°Food it is, I hear its pretty good here.¡±

    *****

    Allison was leaning on a ledge at the back of the axe throwing range watching in amazement as Enid threw one bullseye after another. The last one she threw hard enough to split the target board in two. She turned to Allison and took a bow. Allison put her long island iced tea down and clapped.

    ¡°Your turn.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t. I mean, I¡¯m clumsy.¡±

    ¡°I will show you how.¡±

    ¡°I might hit you.¡±

    ¡°Well, if I¡¯m bullet proof what do you think an axe wielded by an IT nerd will do to me?¡±

    Allison laughed and blushed. Enid picked up one of the axes and stood in the circle for throwing and began showing her companion how to hold it and figure out its balance. She handed the axe to Allison who threw it and it bounced across the floor. Enid smirked.

    ¡°You throw like a girl.¡±

    Allison laughed.

    ¡°Pick up another.¡±

    Enid got behind Allison and started moving her feet gently with hers. She could feel Allison¡¯s breathing quicken with the closeness. The mortal warmth wasn¡¯t exactly unwelcome to her undead body either. One of the facilities people approached.

    ¡°Sorry, safety rules, you can¡¯t be there when she¡¯s throwing.¡±

    Enid blinked at him put her hand against the barrier and hit it with an axe. It did nothing of course. She didn¡¯t use her full strength she may have damaged her hand and the axe. Allison and the man gasped as it hit. Enid wiggled her fingers and hand.

    ¡°Its not going to hurt me.¡±

    She turned to Allison and continued her lesson, ignoring the man who was just standing staring at her. Allison took a few moments to snap out of her own shock. Allison wasn¡¯t paying attention to Enid¡¯s lesson and grabbed her hand looking at the palm.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it.¡±

    ¡°You thought an axe is going to hurt me after you saw me take a punch from that guy downtown?¡±

    ¡°Okay, show me how to throw it again please?¡±

    Enid got her into her stance again. The next throw at least reached the end of the lane. After four more Allison hadn¡¯t hit the target. Enid could sense she was getting frustrated. She offered her another axe.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°One more true Allison.¡±

    ¡°Nah, I obviously suck at this.¡±

    ¡°Just one more try?¡±

    Allison sighed and took the axe and Enid got her into the proper stance again. Allison threw it and Enid flicked her hand and used her telekinesis to set the axe into a perfect spin and it hit the bullseye. Allison blinked at it and then jumped. Enid found herself distracted by Allison¡¯s chest as she did so. She shook her head.

    Why am I so enamored with this woman?

    Enid took a better look at Allison¡¯s face and other features. Then it hit her.

    She looks like Hazel, the hair color and eye color are different and she¡¯s smaller but her face, her laugh, her smile. She¡¯s not Hazel. Hazel died two thousand years ago silly girl.

    ¡°Sarah this was so much fun. Thank you. I would never have tried it if you hadn¡¯t nudged me.¡±

    Enid smiled at her.

    ¡°We all have things we¡¯re scared to try. And we might be terrible at them but who cares if it is fun right?¡±

    The pair spent a few more hours at the adult arcade. Playing video games. Laughing. Allison had a few more drinks and was drunk by the time they finished. Enid helped her into the car. Allison got quite handsy on the way home. Enid didn¡¯t mind overly much, no way she was going to do more then take her home though, well maybe a nibble¡­blood was always welcome.

    *****

    Enid had her Sarah face on for the sixth weekend in a row. She was putting her make-up on and looked at her black dress. The back was low enough it showed off her tattoo, but she found she didn¡¯t care so much at the moment. Perhaps it was the giddiness of another date, or therapy was having an impact on her. The snow had melted, and the weather had been uncharacteristically warm. She had playlist going on her smart speaker. She looked at herself in the mirror.

    ¡°I did a really good job with this body and face. Of course, she likes it.¡±

    But it¡¯s not your real face or body, is it?

    ¡°Shut up conscience, who needs you anyway.¡±

    She walked out of her bathroom and toward the balcony window. She looked out over downtown Edmonton. The sun was shining today. She looked down towards the river valley. She could see ice still floating and bobbing on the river. Her keen eyes focused on a blue hybrid pulling into the side street and got ready to answer the buzzer. It went off about when she predicted it would.

    ¡°Hi? It¡¯s Allison.¡±

    Enid pressed the button on her phone to speak.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right down.¡±

    She slid on a pair of runners. They were going to Jasper for the weekend. She hopped on the elevator and rode it down, hooking her pack over her shoulder, and a back pack with clothes in it. Allison was waiting for her out front of the building. She was dressed casually and looked embarrassed by how much Enid had done to get ready.

    ¡°I¡­ oops I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Why? I felt like getting dressed up, doesn¡¯t mean you had too.¡±

    Enid kissed Allison on the lips very gently. Allison smiled and tugged her close in a hug.

    ¡°You look amazing.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Its not natural at all.¡±

    Allison laughed.

    ¡°I¡¯m just parked back here. Sarah, I had so much fun last weekend. I was¡­ was wondering if you like, we could uh, see each other more often?¡±

    Enid shifted a bit as she got into the car. She pondered how to answer that question. She knew it would be coming soon. She was having fun with Allison, but she couldn¡¯t get serious. She was living a double life if not triple life.

    ¡°Allison, my life is complicated. I¡¯m not who you think I am, I¡¯m really not. We have fun on Saturdays, its what I have to give at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Are you married or something?¡±

    Enid coughed in spite herself at that mention.

    ¡°I¡¯m not legally married, no.¡±

    ¡°What? So, you are but you¡¯re divorced?¡±

    ¡°No, no, its complicated but you¡¯re the only person I¡¯m seeing romantically at all.¡±

    ¡°Then why can¡¯t we have more time?¡±

    Because when I¡¯m not out with you, or saving the world as Sarah, I¡¯m my ID says I¡¯m sixteen and I¡¯m going to high school and have a whole circle of friends there.

    ¡°It is very complicated.¡±

    ¡°Its not complicated at all, we like each other, and I mean¡­the last couple of Saturday nights have been¡­¡±

    Allison¡¯s cheeks had become flush. And Enid had the same reaction. She couldn¡¯t control it while the sun shone down on her. She shifted in her seat.

    ¡°Enjoyable?¡±

    ¡°I was going to say mind blowing, why can¡¯t we be more now?¡±

    ¡°Because¡­ Look, Allison, I am likely going to be dead by the end of the year. If you¡¯re looking for a partner¡­ something long term, you need to find someone better.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean? Are you sick?¡±

    ¡°No, I just can¡¯t explain, its, secret, I don¡¯t know how to explain. Look once I get my head on straight and we figure this¡­ other thing out. I¡¯m going to war, and its going to be mutually assured destruction.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand you¡¯re like Superman aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°No far from it, look, the thing I¡¯m going to be fighting, its, its basically a dark reflection of God. This isn¡¯t some¡­mutant human. It is a primordial force, like that giant red storm on Jupiter. Somehow I not only have to survive it, I need to kill it.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see it as any different from soldiers going to war, and they have wives and husbands.¡±

    Enid sighed and glanced out at the highway, as they left Edmonton she could see some snow still gracing the farm fields. She glanced at her reflection in the window. Sarah¡¯s face looked back at her and she wished it was her own.

    ¡°Allison, I¡¯m older than you. This isn¡¯t even my real face. If you want to find real love, you need to find someone normal, someone, who isn¡¯t a lifetime older then you, someone who isn¡¯t a beacon for the unnatural.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want someone normal. I want you. When I¡¯m with you, I feel¡­¡±

    ¡°Its not a normal feeling. I have that effect on people, as much as I try to suppress it, they just flock to me.¡±

    ¡°No. You¡¯re just a good person. I knew it the night we met. I knew you were threatening me but I also knew you didn¡¯t want to hurt me.¡±

    ¡°I could have. There was time I wouldn¡¯t have even given you a choice. If my power had failed I would have just killed you and let you burn with the rest.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that. You have a good heart.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, you don¡¯t know the real me, what I¡¯ve done, what I¡¯ve seen.¡±

    ¡°I know the real you. I saw you heal that woman. I heard you wheezing. I¡¯m not dumb you know or blind.¡±

    ¡°Did you know I used banned weaponry to burn down two buildings and took part in killing seventy-five super terrorists the night we met?¡±

    Allison sat in the driver seat staring at the road silently. She finally spoke.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I did, I covered up the deaths of over a hundred people that night. Its not even the worst thing I¡¯ve done in my life.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re God¡¯s daughter then you must have had a reason. The bible even has Jesus saying he came to be a sword or something like that.¡±

    ¡°Jesus was the New Testament, if I am God¡¯s child, I¡¯m the Old Testament version.¡±

    ¡°Sarah, angels have spoken to you, you were tested, everyone knows that story now, Gabriel came to you, tested you and you passed.¡±

    ¡°Allison, I almost killed Gabriel, I had my sword at her throat when I realized what I was doing, I failed that test. I failed it so badly she told me to get therapy.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t kill her.¡±

    ¡°I could have easily done it.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have so much faith in me. If I were really a Catholic, would I have had sex with you several times?¡±

    ¡°No¡±

    The pair lapsed into silence. Enid was half pouting at this point, she was hoping this would be a fun weekend and not dragged down with dramatic bullshit.

    ¡°Should I turn around?¡±

    Enid closed her eyes for a few moments.

    ¡°No, no, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry too, I shouldn¡¯t have pressed.¡±

    Enid put her hand Allison¡¯s thigh.

    ¡°No, you deserve someone who can give you all their time.¡±

    ¡°Well, I get you for a whole weekend, right?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you could take the afternoon off.¡±

    Enid released Allison¡¯s thigh.

    ¡°You could have left it there.¡±

    ¡°Focus on the road we can spend the whole weekend doing what you¡¯re thinking about.¡±

    Allison blushed. Enid leaned her head against the glass of the passenger side window silently wishing she could sleep like she saw so many mortals do in cars. She had a sudden flash of the truck in front them losing control and their car getting its top cut off, the display on read twenty seconds in the future.

    ¡°Allison the truck is going to jack-knife and spin out.¡±

    Allison blinked at her, was about to argue the point and the truck was already losing control. Enid grabbed the steering wheel and wrenched it to the right causing the car to spin out and lose control falling over the side of the mountain road.

    *****

    Enid blinked and looked around herself she was in St. Peters again. Maria was at the front she put a book down and opened it. Enid looked around and she was surrounded by priests that were wearing Bloodseeker pendants instead of crucifixes. She noticed Maria was also wearing one, with a female angel crucified to the sword. Maria put her finger on the page and began to read.

    ¡°Metamorphosis: 1:1, God¡¯s first-born daughter, the Archangel of the Universe the keeper of creation the greatest of his children, held only nurturing and peace in her heart. He decreed she would be forged into a weapon. So it was, that his daughter was given mortal form. On to that form all manner of abuse was unleashed to fill her with righteous anger and wrath. Her brothers and sisters in the heavens, whom she had tended to as a mother would, wept at the abuse. Her brothers and sisters cried but why must she suffer so. And the creator spoke thusly: So that she may be my wrath against the wicked. Any who interfere shall be cast out of heaven and into the pits.¡±

    ¡°Metamorphosis: 1:24, The first son whispered his wickedness into the ears of the second among God¡¯s host. To Lightbringer the betrayer spoke thus: Look how she suffers. Look how he lets these mortals torment your sister. How long before you suffer the same fate. He is not fit to rule creation. Were I the master of creation I would free her from her shackles and smite the mortals who dare harm such beauty. The Lightbringer saw wisdom in the lies of the betrayer and convinced half of God¡¯s host that their sister should not suffer so. And thus, the war on heaven began.

    ¡°Metamorphosis: 1:39, The creator spoke: As I swore, any who interfere would be cast into the pits. Your sister made the sacrifice of love for you and you repay her by betraying everything she stood for. You waged war on your brothers and sisters. You are the ultimate betrayers. So shall you be shall forever more be out of my light. May she never learn of your betrayal. Thus, it was that the enemies of heaven, the fallen ones that betrayed their creator and their covenant were thrown into the pits of Hell. Their wings twisted and corrupted with the darkness that dwelled there never to see their beloved sister again.

    Maria crossed herself and moved her finger to another bookmark and flipped the page then she touched her crucifix then looked directly at Enid.

    ¡°Darkness has found you. You must wake up now, daughter.¡±

    Enid snapped awake the car was smashed and by the looks of her body she had likely been dead or almost dead before the sun vanished form the sky she gasped for breath and pushed the torn mental off of herself. Allison had a large tree limb through her stomach, but she could still feel a heartbeat as faint as it was. Enid tore the remnants of the roof off and broke the thick branch in half. She could see bone through Allison¡¯s injuries. Blood tears were dripping down her cheeks.

    Better then being cut in half by a truck.

    Enid pulled Allison out of the car and put her down. Allison had woken up with the movement. She was looking up at Enid with tears in her eyes. Enid could see blood trickling down the side of her mouth.

    ¡°I¡¯m..gonna die aren¡¯t I?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes and touch Allison and started chanting the words of the wound transfer spell she felt her body tear itself apart as Allison¡¯s injuries mended. Enid collapsed back down. She had used most of her supply of blood healing the woman¡¯s and her wounds. She would be useless until she could get more, and she had no blood stones in her pack. Allison leaned her against a tree.

    ¡°Sarah are you alright?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°Allison, my name isn¡¯t Sarah, its Enid.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    Allison leaned against the same large tree.

    ¡°My name is Enid, Sarah is just a disguise.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Enid smelt something on the wind and felt a familiar twisting in her gut. She put her hand over Allison¡¯s mouth. The underbrush parted and a twisted werewolf in hybrid form rose to its full eight-foot height. Enid¡¯s made out extensive scarification in the form of demonic runes.

    ¡°If it isn¡¯t Lilith¡¯s she-bitch. I smelled her on you.¡±

    Enid struggled and pushed herself up, back still to the tree.

    ¡°You got a little demon in you¡­¡±

    ¡°What gave it away?¡±

    Enid stood up straighter and reached into her pack and pulled out Bloodseeker. Enid hesitated. The treaty that bound her said nothing of possessed wolf-born.

    I¡¯m kind of fucked either way. Unless the demon flees.

    ¡°Tell me, can you still speak to the spirits with the spirit-born¡¯s mouth?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the dark ones told me you were here.¡±

    ¡°Did they also tell you what my true name is?¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°Lilith¡¯s she-bitch was enough for me.¡±

    ¡°I am Slays-Demons, blooded and named by tooth and claw. This sword will destroy you, no fleeing back to Hell. Ask your dark spirits if I lie?¡±

    ¡°Talk, talk, talk, talk, you¡¯re like your mother. She talked and talked, whispering promises into Lucifer¡¯s ear, then she betrayed him. I will be richly rewarded when I drag you into Hell with me. You can¡¯t even fight back because of the treaty.¡±

    Enid looked around at the trees.

    Help me out here can I kill it or what?

    Enid felt the wind pick up, as it whipped through the evergreens, she heard a voice in the rush of branches and needles.

    ¡°He is spirit-born no more. Slay it. Slay it. Slay it.¡±

    Enid pushed off the tree. She was weaker than she ever remembered being as a vampire. The demon seemed to have heard it too. As it howled, and prepared to lunge at her, she felt the wind rush into her and heard more whispers.

    ¡°Take our strength mother.¡±

    Allison started to scream as the werewolf lunged towards the pair. Enid felt a flood of strength that was not her own flow into her muscles, and she swung her blade outwards lopping off of the clawed hands and the head of her attacker. They spiraled through the air carried by the moment of the lunge. Enid felt burning in her stomach and chest as his other claw found purchase. She fell to the ground and the body of the werewolf skidded across the snow then rolled a few times stopping at a tree. By the time it came to rest it had reverted to a human body, as had the hands and head. Enid crouched in front of Allison so she wouldn¡¯t see. Enid felt the strength leave her as swiftly as it came and collapsed on top of Allison. The gash on her chest would not heal without blood and she had none. Nor could she take it from Allison without killing her which she refused to do.

    ¡°What¡­what was that?¡±

    ¡°Demon possessed werewolf. I¡¯m sorry Allison, I can¡¯t fly us out of here I¡¯m too weak¡­ I can¡¯t save you.¡±

    Allison reached down and touched Enid¡¯s blood-soaked platinum blonde hair.

    ¡°No, we¡¯ll be fine.¡±

    Allison was not looking at Enid¡¯s face but the massive gash across her chest and stomach from the werewolf claws. The wound looked like it was festering. There was blackness around it from the demonic taint. Enid heard more movement and smelt more wolf-born she struggled to push herself up. She put her hand on the tree heavily. The tip of Bloodseeker buried in the snow as she leaned on it and the tree.

    ¡°Fuck. More of them.¡±

    Seven more hybrids pushed out of the brush. Their long fur covered in snow as they trees dusted them with it. She didn¡¯t feel the usual twisting in her gut that demons would cause but that didn¡¯t mean much. She¡¯d just killed one of them, their reaction would be unpredictable. She stood up straight and with great effort and burning pain from her festering demonic wound she leveled the sword at the biggest werewolf and spoke in the wolf-born language.

    ¡°I am Slays-Demons, blooded and named by tooth and claw. Empress of the Court of Eternal Night! Who¡¯s next?¡±

    To her shock the werewolf started laughing.

    ¡°You live up to your true name.¡±

    The werewolf shifted and it was an indigenous woman. A very large and muscular indigenous woman. She was wearing a heavy coat.

    ¡°We heard the tainted one¡¯s howl. We¡¯ve been hunting him for days, only to find him slain by a pale stranger. Your name is known to the spirits, we heard them calling that Slays-Demons, the Mother of Spirits lay dying as we raced here. Yet here you stood sword pointed at me defiance even in the face of death. You have a wolf-born soul. You are injured and she is starting to feel the cold. Let¡¯s go back to our cabins.¡±

    Allison was still sitting where Enid had left her. Cowering at this point would be a better description. The rest of the wolf-born shifted to their human shapes and one helped Allison up. The pack alpha scooped up Enid and carried her. Enid lost consciousness again the festering wound would not relent until she fed.

    When Enid woke next she was laying in a warm bed with a fire going. Her chest wound had healed. Allison was curled up beside her deep asleep. The sun was shining and looks like it had been for a while. Enid saw movement in a chair and noticed the Pack Alpha sit forward holding a cup between her hands. She smiled at Enid.

    ¡°Spirits were right. Waited until dawn, and we were able to heal you right up like you were alive.¡±

    Enid tried to sit up but collapsed again. She was still weak.

    ¡°Healing takes a lot of the patient and the healer. I assumed you two were together so I didn¡¯t resist her laying beside you.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°My sword?¡±

    ¡°Bundled in cloth and beside the bed. Spirits said not to touch it with flesh.¡±

    ¡°They were right, would have killed you.¡±

    ¡°Lot of bad in that sword.¡±

    Enid nodded weakly.

    ¡°Relax Slays-Demons, I¡¯ll get you some breakfast. Hope you¡¯re not a vegan.¡±

    Enid laughed and held her side as she still felt pain there.

    ¡°If I was, I¡¯d be in serious trouble come nightfall.¡±

    The woman gave a knowing look and walked off. Enid looked at the wooden ceiling.

    Thank you spirits.

    She saw the wind pick up outside the cabin kicking up the snow and smiled. Allison started to stir beside her. And turned over and her hand along Enid¡¯s once again flawless chest and stomach.

    ¡°What terrible nightmare.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t a nightmare. We really were in a car accident and attacked by a demon.¡±

    ¡°But you were¡­ there was¡­¡±

    ¡°They healed me.¡±

    Allison lifted herself up and kissed Enid on the lips. Enid wrapped her arms around her and hugged her as tightly as her weakened state would allow.

    ¡°Sorry Allison. I think the Demon attacked the truck, if I hadn¡¯t been with you, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡±

    ¡°I guess this means our weekend in Jasper is off.¡±

    ¡°How does a weekend in a off the map wooden cabin with a bunch of werewolves and their families sound?¡±

    ¡°Strange.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°It¡¯s what we got. I¡¯ll get a helicopter to pick us up. I¡¯ll replace your car. I¡¯m so sorry this happened.¡±

    Allison kissed her again and the pair were interrupted from going further by a knock at the door.

    ¡°Breakfast?¡±

    Allison and Enid both blushed deeply as their hosted carried a tray of food in.

 Edmonton - 2027 - Breakthrough (Enid)

    Enid pulled off her hoody and hung it up and removed her shoes.  She was wearing a kilt and a plain white blouse today.  She had the crucifix Maria had gotten her for Christmas around her neck knowing full well she would see her at school in a couple of hours.  Her hair was straight today and tied in a ponytail, and she had finally decided to put some glasses on to detract from her obvious resemblance to a certain Saint that made an appearance in St. Peters.  She sat down on the couch of the waiting room picking up a newspaper her alter ego was on the cover fighting yet another one of the many super terrorists as they¡¯d been called by the media.  She threw it down in annoyance.  She saw Time Magazine with a picture of Michael masquerading as her in St. Peters with her alter ego¡¯s image photoshopped beside him arms crossed.  She remembered that photo.  She turned the magazine over and glanced at the receptionist who smiled and nodded at her.  Enid leaned back on the couch and looked to the television that was tuned to the conservative news network.  They were also talking about her alter ego¡¯s exploits.  She frowned and finally pulled out her phone and started playing one of the random games she had downloaded.  She heard her name called and she stood up and fixed her skirt, slid her phone into pack and slung it over her shoulder.   She walked into the office and closed the door behind her.  Dr. Anderson stood and moved to the set of comfortable chairs she had set up in the office.

    ¡°Good morning Enid.  How are you today?  You look annoyed, is this a bad time for a session?¡±

    Enid shook her head, she swept her hand under her kilt and sat down crossing her legs.  She put her pack down beside the chair.  Dr. Anderson looked at it then back to Enid.

    ¡°How long have you had that pack?¡±

    ¡°A long time.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you replaced it, surely there are much more stylish ones you could get.¡±

    ¡°It was a gift from my sister.¡±

    Dr. Anderson¡¯s lips pursed.

    ¡°Enid, three months of two appointments a week, twenty-four sessions, twenty-five and you cannot be completely honest with me for even the smallest things.  I¡¯m starting to wonder if you are truly concerned about my safety, or your value for secrecy.  If you cannot trust me by now, is there someone who you may trust more with your truth?  Perhaps Eyre?  You seem to have a lot of respect for her.¡±

    Enid frowned as the doctor spoke, then broke out into laughter with the last sentence.

    ¡°What is so funny about that statement Enid?¡±

    ¡°The thought of me telling Eyre everything.¡±

    ¡°She is your guardian, surely you feel comfortable with her.¡±

    Enid laughed again.

    ¡°Enid, this isn¡¯t a laughing matter.  You have serious trauma in your past.  You have been victimized for your whole life.  Is there anyone you would tell everything to right this moment if they were here?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Junpei-Sensi.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you should seek him out then?¡±

    ¡°You know any good spirit mediums?¡±

    Dr. Anderson frowned, knowing every word her patient said to be true.

    ¡°Enid if you¡¯re going to continue like this, you¡¯re wasting both our time.  When you came to me in February you begged me to take you on as a patient.  You said the fate of the world was at stake.  I know this to be true but pardon me for saying this, but if the fate of the world hinges on your ability to open up about your past and feelings, we¡¯re fucked.¡±

    Enid picked at her nails which were done with black polish.  She remembered painting them with Maria and showing her how to put on black lipstick to turn her zombie girl look into a goth look.  She smiled.

    ¡°Right there, you smiled about something.  Tell me about what made you smile, let¡¯s start small, it can¡¯t be a big secret.¡±

    Enid sighed and shrugged.

    ¡°My sister Maria has always looked like she was the walking dead.  Super pale, bluish lips, nails.  I spent Sunday after I got home giving her a Goth makeover, so she looks normal, if a little pale.  I haven¡¯t seen her so happy since¡­since we were kids and¡­we would sneak away from¡­ school.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re still not telling me the whole truth, what were you really sneaking away from Enid?¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°Greek lessons and weapon training.¡±

    ¡°And where was this?¡±

    Enid looked up Dr. Anderson meeting her eyes.  She knew of she didn¡¯t open soon she would likely cease to be welcome here.  She took a deep breath pushing back the rising panic as she told this mortal the first of her many long held vampiric secrets.  Why could she tell the Pope and not this¡­human, it was the gift, and that this woman was a therapist, she wanted to dig these secrets up to find out who Enid really was, someone Enid never shared, even with her daughter.  She needed to give up her pride and talk.  Baby steps.

    And fuck you God for being right.

    ¡°Pompeii.¡±

    Dr. Anderson was looking Enid in eyes as the apparent teenager spoke.

    ¡°When was this, Enid?¡±

    Enid sighed again and looked down at her black nails.  She shrugged.

    ¡°We were twelve, so June 101 BCE? Maybe August.¡±

    The doctor dropped her pen as she stared at Enid intently for several seconds.

    ¡°You¡¯re remembering a past life?¡±

    Enid shook her head she reached down for her pack.

    ¡°This was a mistake, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Wait, Enid, you just told me the whole truth for the first time.  Please, sit down.  I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s just, it¡¯s hard to picture this technologically savvy sixteen-year-old girl with a smart watch in front of me, as someone who lived in Pompeii twenty-one hundred years ago. That¡¯s on me, not you.  Please.  This is progress, I want to help you.  It doesn¡¯t matter if this happened ten years ago, or two thousand years ago, you need help and I¡¯m here to help.¡±

    Enid relaxed back into the seat letting go of the strap of her pack.  Dr. Anderson sat back down and leaned down to pick up her pen.

    ¡°Did helping her make you happy?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I suppose.  I¡¯m still mad at her, when I see her¡­well when I see Maria, I see my sister Mariana the one who nearly got me killed, got my husband¡­possessed and got herself stuck in a crypt for two thousand years because¡­ of¡­ I don¡¯t know ego, need to be right?  I was laughing with her for the whole afternoon then I suddenly realized what she had done to my life.  She has no memory of it, but I see her face and I remember.  I had to make an excuse and leave before I exploded at her again.  I mean, I¡­  just forget then suddenly it comes crashing down on me.  The battle, seeing my husband go down, I wonder if it was my fault, but then I realize she was the reason we were there.  She was the reason my father and I; My adoptive father and I had a giant rift between us.  Her actions, her choices.  We were supposed to be sisters, we were supposed to be there for each other forever, never apart.¡±

    Enid looked down at her palm sliding her finger along the scar.

    ¡°It is alright to feel betrayed Enid.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t, it isn¡¯t, she doesn¡¯t remember any of it, she is innocent, her¡­mind is now.  Her body is Mariana¡¯s, but she is Maria.  Maria who won¡¯t hurt a fly.  I can¡¯t even confront my sister, my real sister.  She¡¯s dead and gone.  And I¡¯m so angry about it, and when I get angry¡­bad things happen.  And more innocent people get hurt.¡±

    ¡°If Mariana was here, what would you say to her?¡±

    Enid sighed and looked at the doctor.

    ¡°Just try, look at the chair there, she¡¯s sitting right there what would you say to her?¡±

    Enid rolled her eyes and looked at the chair.

    ¡°Mariana, I will always love you.  But you got my husband, the father of my children killed.  I cannot treat it like it never happened.¡±

    ¡°Enid, are you angry because she¡¯s gone?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Okay, the battle, did you willingly participate?¡±

    ¡°Yes, my sister asked.¡±

    ¡°You trusted that her judgment was correct and that what you did was necessary?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Then, was she really at fault? Did she do anything wrong?¡±

    Enid lifted her finger up wiped her cheek.  Her mortal tears caused her nail polish to shine in the sunlight.

    ¡°No.  No, if we hadn¡¯t done it, we all would have died.¡±

    ¡°Then the sacrifices that were made that day, they were necessary?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we had no other choice.¡±

    ¡°So then why are you so angry with her?¡±

    ¡°I told her to wait but she charged the Black Son herself.  I told her we need to go together.  She thought she knew better than me, her recklessness got her, and my husband killed.¡±

    ¡°Was it recklessness, or was she trying to protect you by keeping you out of the fight?¡±

    Enid closed her eyes and sniffled in spite of herself.  Dr. Anderson put a box of tissues in front of her.  Enid pulled one out and blew her nose.  She clenched her fists and cried out.

    ¡°I hate being this weak mortal crying at everything no control over my body.¡±

    ¡°Enid, tears are good, you need to feel these things, experience these things or you will remain stuck like this, in this angry¡­ limbo.¡±

    Enid wiped away more tears and blew her nose again.

    ¡°She was probably trying to protect me. She was always willing to sacrifice herself for others.¡±

    ¡°So, are you angry because she was reckless, or is it because you survived, and they didn¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?  She¡¯s sitting in Latin class right now.¡±

    ¡°You said it yourself, the Mariana you knew is dead and gone.  Maria is a new and different person with no memories of this¡­other life.  Your husband is gone as well.¡±

    Enid nodded still sniffling.

    ¡°So, are you angry because you are here, and they are not?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am! They left me alone.  I had no one.  My children were old and long thought me dead and my father, my father betrayed my sister.  I had no one but myself and who am I?  Why should I survive?  I¡¯m this¡­vile, broken thing who snuffed out lives for centuries not even questioning why.¡±

    Dr. Anderson nodded.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t that are you?  I don¡¯t see a monster sitting before me.  I see a woman, who feels hurt, betrayed by those she loved and by the world.  Why are you here Enid?¡±

    ¡°Because if I don¡¯t figure out how to find peace in myself the Black Son is going to destroy creation and it will be my fault, again like everything else has been.¡±

    ¡°Does that sound like a broken, vile, murderous monster to you?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°It sounds like it should be someone else, it should be Maria, or my daughter.  Someone who has never been a monster.¡±

    ¡°You told me in a previous session that you need a monster to fight a monster.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°If that is true Enid, then are you not the perfect weapon?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°You said, and I¡¯m paraphrasing here that you have an evil weapon that you use to fight things because to fight a monster, you need a monster.  If you were at one time a monster, a vile thing as you say, and you have redeemed yourself, are you not the perfect weapon?¡±

    ¡°No!  I¡¯m not.  I¡¯m so deeply flawed I can¡¯t even beat my own anger.¡±

    Dr. Anderson nodded.

    ¡°Enid, you have been fighting a battle you cannot win because you do not have the tools you need.  You cannot just beat your anger into submission it¡¯s not a contest of will.  You often refer to game theory, so let¡¯s refer to it in this context.  Your anger is playing a finite game, all it has to do is get the better of you, and you keep fighting it like you can punch it into submission.  You are playing an infinite game and you will always lose.  The only way to change the game is to introduce new weapons on your side, tools, we can learn together so that you can get over this anger.  A new paradigm of thinking.  You cling to the anger like it is this pillar of strength within you and I have no doubt it pushes you past your normal limits, but at what cost?  Tell me, when you came to me in February, pleading with me to take you on as a patient, what event precipitated that?¡±

    Enid blinked at her.

    ¡°Are you sure you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, if you want me to help you there can be no secrets.  I cannot understand the source of these issues unless I know everything.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

    ¡°The Archangel Gabriel goaded me into attacking her.  She used words she knew would push my buttons and I attacked her.  I finally realized what I was doing when I had my sword point at her neck.  She told me that until I found peace in myself, I will not defeat the Black Son.  She¡­she touched my cheek, and I felt this peace inside me it replaced my anger, and I didn¡¯t feel weaker for it.  Also, I¡­I snapped at Maria, and I was so angry I¡­¡±

    ¡°Please Enid, finish that sentence.¡±

    ¡°I blew up several miles of forest.¡±

    Dr. Anderson quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°You did that?  In Southern Europe?¡±

    Enid put her face in her hands and nodded.

    ¡°Do you feel bad about any of that?¡±

    Enid was nodding again, her sobs and voice muffled by her hands.

    ¡°Every moment of its doc, every single moment of it.¡±

    ¡°A monster wouldn¡¯t care Enid.  That is why you are not one.  That is why you can work through this anger with me.¡±

    Enid tugged on another tissue blowing her nose again.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Why is this so hard?¡±

    ¡°If it was easy, you would have done it already Enid.¡±

    ¡°Am I alone in this?  Does anyone else feel like this?¡±

    ¡°Of course, we do Enid, you said some¡­very true things when we first met.  I am angry I cannot have children.  For a child of an abusive parent, anger is natural.  I suspect you have some Post Traumatic Stress Disorder mixed in.  You watched your husband and sister die. I have a feeling you have watched many people die and taken many lives.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s all bullshit, right?  The bible, the whole no birth control, no invitro.  He doesn¡¯t care.  He gave us free will and expects us to use it, science is his creation through us, he expects us to use it to make our lives better.  The catholic church is just humans making shit up as they go along.¡±

    ¡°You believe that, and you told me yourself that an Archangel appeared before you with a message to seek help?  You wear a crucifix.  And you say my beliefs are bullshit?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m saying, you are listening to the words of men, men who could care less about women¡¯s rights.  You should be listening to the source.¡±

    ¡°Enid, we¡¯re not here to talk about me.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should Dr. Anderson, Emma, you know I spent ten years working as a surgeon at a children¡¯s hospital.  One of my mortal identities is a licensed physician in Scotland, a surgeon.  Do you know how many lives I saved with my powers?  How many children that have children now because I did what he would not?   Thousands.  I used magic not parlor tricks, actual magic.  Narford, England, if I had not used magic, it would be a patch of farmland with a small wall where a church once stood.  Its people forgotten. Now it¡¯s a city of two million.  Because I chose to ignore what the church said was wrong, because I did what I believed was right for me and mine.  Do you know one of their descendants was instrumental in creating the vaccines that saved the world from the Pandemic?  Because I chose with my free will to intervene.¡±

    Dr. Anderson looked at Enid for a few minutes and nodded.

    ¡°I see what you¡¯re telling me.  It is something for me to think about Enid, but again, we¡¯re here for you, not me.  So, let¡¯s talk about Eyre, who is she really to you?¡±

    Enid leaned back her hand still clutching a tissue.

    ¡°She¡¯s my daughter from my second marriage, she was born about six, seven hundred years ago.  She was a twin.¡±

    ¡°You hold her in high esteem, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I do.¡±

    ¡°You raised her, so why did you say that her mother was a bitch who didn¡¯t want children?  Surely if you were that then she would not be who she is today.¡±

    ¡°No offense Doctor.¡±

    ¡°You are a fellow doctor you can call me Emma.¡±

    ¡°No offense intended Emma, given your¡­ own issues, but I did not want more children.  Yes, when they arrived, I loved them, but it trapped me there for God knows how long.  I was frustrated.  I fully intended to fake my death and wander off.  So, when the assassins came and ¡®killed¡¯ me I was quite happy to be free.  I had¡­ ensured they would have a mother who was better than me.  A girl I saved from a massacre.  My husband loved her, and the children loved her.  I knew, I knew they would be happier without me.¡±

    ¡°Are you angry with yourself for that?¡±

    ¡°No, it is one of things I have done right.  Could you imagine the monster Eyre would be otherwise?¡±

    ¡°You know their most formative years are when they are young, when did you ¡®die¡¯?¡±

    ¡°The twins were nine years old.¡±

    ¡°You know by that age many of a child¡¯s moral values are pretty developed.  You are the reason she is good, not her step-mother.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°Look Enid, you see yourself as this villain, this monster, but in the end you¡¯re just normal like the rest of us, in fact, considering what I know of your background at this point, you are a decent human being.  Do you know how many children who grew up being sexually abused by their parents just can¡¯t function in normal society?  They can¡¯t have healthy relationships, the don¡¯t treat sex like can ever be loving.  Tell me, how is your sex life?¡±

    ¡°Non-existent for at least six hundred years.  Well¡­almost.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°One, I didn¡¯t want to get pregnant again, it fucking sucks.  It¡¯s like a year of torture, no offense once again Emma, my physiology is different than yours and I am unable to take in sustenance.  Two, I¡¯m not interested.¡±

    ¡°So, tell me about, these human lifetimes you¡¯ve lived, you said one of your identities is or was a pediatric surgeon. Did you not explore a romantic relationship then?¡±

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t have time.  I did high school for the first time, but come on, I¡¯m literally a grown ass woman a hundred times over, bit creepy, and once I hit university, I was too busy with school and working in Scotland, I was literally in surgery for most of my career.  Not having to sleep has its benefits.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t sleep?  Never mind we will come back to that.  And the other lives?¡±

    ¡°Fighter Pilot and Police detective.  Did not have time either.¡±

    ¡°Did not have time, or did not make time?  There are so many ways to avoid pregnancy these days if one is not¡­ opposed to it on a religious basis.  So, was that really the reason?¡±

    ¡°I do not need sex or a relationship to make me feel complete.  I¡¯ve had four children, two husbands and a couple of¡­partners beside that.  I thought I was content...¡±

    ¡°Tell me about your other partners the ones you weren¡¯t married too.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, why did you choose to sleep with them as opposed to anyone else?¡±

    ¡°One of them I found exceptionally attractive, I mean big Viking man with a thick beard and he¡­ he felt safe.  And the other was¡­ a woman who I feel like I might have taken advantage of if she hadn¡¯t been the one seducing me.  I didn¡¯t find her unattractive, I just wasn¡¯t sure about, well other women.  And well¡­recently, but it¡¯s not real.¡±

    ¡°Was this Viking before or after your first marriage?¡±

    ¡°After, he had died a few years before, I admit I was a bit lonely.¡±

    ¡°Were you still young?¡±

    ¡°I was less than two hundred years old.¡±

    Emma nodded after a short pause.

    ¡°Sorry, still getting used to the age thing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±

    ¡°So, by your standards young?¡±

    ¡°Oh ya, still basically a teenager.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you done it again?¡±

    ¡°I guess I haven¡¯t found anyone who felt safe. Except¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it that you didn¡¯t find anyone, or that you were actively avoiding them?¡±

    ¡°Gah you¡¯re relentless.¡±

    ¡°That is why you came to me Enid.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s because I was actively avoiding it.  I mean the only time since¡­ I didn¡¯t have much choice.¡±

    ¡°Why have you been avoiding relationships?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think?¡±

    ¡°I do not know, this gift you said I have does not involve the ability to read minds, it¡¯s a question you have to answer.  Think about it.¡±

    Enid leaned back and thought for a few moments.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to get hurt again.  Lucius is gone, My second husband moved on, my father banned me from going back to the village with Rolf and Hazel.  There is Allison, but that¡¯s not even with my real face.  My only other¡­ was my father and that was not consensual.  What does this have to do with my anger issues?¡±

    ¡°You likely resent your partners for dying, or moving on, your biological father for making you feel like sex was something violent and brutal and your adoptive father for pulling you away from somewhere if I didn¡¯t know better, I would say you were pretty content and happy and you had a budding relationship or two.  That resentment breeds anger Enid.  It¡¯s all part of this knot you¡¯re tied up in.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fucking immortal, my partners are always going to die before me. Why bother starting it if I¡¯m going to get my heart crushed in the end?¡±

    Enid threw up her hands.

    ¡°Are there no immortals you¡­could pursue a relationship with?¡±

    ¡°Fuck that idea.¡±

    ¡°Okay, so Allison.  You mentioned her but seem to not consider that a real relationship.¡±

    ¡°Its not, she¡¯s in love with Sarah.  Not me, not my real face.  I doubt she¡¯d look at this body twice.  Come on, I¡¯m not attractive.  I¡¯m average at best.¡±

    ¡°Why did you lie to her about who you are?¡±

    ¡°I met her when I was using my Sarah face to deal with a¡­situation.¡±

    ¡°What situation?¡±

    ¡°There was an uprising, a lot of vampires died and she was¡­trapped in a server room at the building.¡±

    ¡°So, you rescued her¡­this sounds like an interesting way to meet.  Why did you say you didn¡¯t have much choice?¡±

    ¡°Well, I couldn¡¯t control her mind, it just didn¡¯t work, so I offered to bribe her instead of killing her and she said Date!  I was like what?  She said if you go on a date with me, I¡¯ll keep my mouth shut.¡±

    ¡°So that is why you haven¡¯t been truthful with her, and it doesn¡¯t feel real.  She extorted you into it?¡±

    ¡°Extortion is a strong way of putting it, I mean killing her wouldn¡¯t have bothered me.  I¡¯ve done it to mortals who have seen too much before many times.  But she was cute and I¡¯ve been bored lately.¡±

    ¡°So, stop right there, we¡¯ll unpack the rest.  Killing people doesn¡¯t bother you?¡±

    ¡°It depends on the circumstances.  Random person on the street?  I wouldn¡¯t do that.  Someone trying to kill me, without hesitation.  Someone who has seen¡­ too much.  I¡¯d try and make them forget.  Failing that, our laws say death.  I¡¯m not bound by human laws or morals.  My people¡¯s safety is my primary concern in that situation.¡±

    ¡°We will come back to that.  Now, in this case you said yes to a date instead of your other choice.  Why?¡±

    ¡°She was cute.¡±

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t the only reason.¡±

    ¡°I felt bad about killing someone who was just¡­randomly doing their job and got stuck in the middle of a vampire war.¡±

    ¡°How many times have you seen her?¡±

    ¡°Seven dates.¡±

    ¡°Why are you still seeing her?  You¡¯ve fulfilled your part of the bargain.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.  It¡¯s been fun.  I like her a lot.¡±

    ¡°But its not real because its not your real face.  You¡¯re going to have to be honest with her.  Especially if she is in love with you, either way you¡¯re going to hurt her.¡±

    ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t.  I can¡¯t tell her that Sarah is Enid.  First off my ID says I¡¯m sixteen.  Also the council and Black Son cannot know Sarah is me.¡±

    ¡°Tell me about your last date?¡±

    ¡°We went to Jasper for the weekend.¡±

    ¡°I sense you¡¯re not being completely honest with me.¡±

    ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t make it to Jasper a demon attacked us, we got into an accident both of us nearly died.  We spent the weekend with some new friends at their cabins.  It was cold there, so we spent most of it in bed.¡±

    Emma paused for a few moments to take that all in.

    ¡°So that was last weekend?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Yet you¡¯re in front of me looking no worse for the wear.¡±

    ¡°I heal fast besides my new friends healed me up.  I was able to fill up on blood when I got home.¡±

    ¡°And Allison, how is she doing?¡±

    ¡°She seemed fine.  I healed her wounds.  Replaced her car yesterday.¡±

    ¡°So is this a normal date for you?¡±

    ¡°No¡­  no.  Our one before that we went shopping at the Farmers market had lunch then spent the day and night¡­ enjoying each other.  There was a pizza order in there somewhere.¡±

    ¡°I am starting to see why you have seemed a little less stressed then usual.  Enid this relationship, it¡¯s a good thing for you.  But you need to be honest with her.¡±

    Enid nodded putting the tissue she had been clutching in the garbage.  Emma glanced down at her own smart watch.

    ¡°I have no 10 am, would you like to continue?  Do you feel up to it?  I feel like we¡¯re making real progress today and I want to keep this rolling.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve already done high school once.¡±

    ¡°So, why are you doing it again?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Maria is going.  She has never been, and, I already started, seems stupid to stop a year and a half in.  Besides it¡¯s my real name on the registration this time.¡±

    ¡°So, you have pride in your name?¡±

    ¡°I guess I do.  I guess I want it on a diploma finally, and maybe if this Black Son thing¡­once it¡¯s done, maybe I can get it on a university diploma on something I¡¯m interested in.¡±

    ¡°A valid goal.  Do you feel bad deceiving your teachers and the students around you, making them believe you¡¯re just an average sixteen-year-old girl?¡±

    ¡°I do, honestly, I have nothing in common with any of them.¡±

    ¡°How do you deal with that?¡±

    ¡°I just do my best to forget who I am and be Enid, sixteen-year-old girl.¡±

    ¡°Do you get these random bursts of, anger, the ones where you have no real good reason for feeling that way, when you¡¯re doing that?¡±

    ¡°No, Enid, well the one I say I am, she had a good life, has a loving mother.¡±

    ¡°Who for the purposes of this is Eyre?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Do you wish you were Eyre¡¯s actual daughter?¡±

    ¡°She would be an amazing mother.¡±

    ¡°I know, I have interviewed her for CPS remember, now, why do you think letting yourself be sixteen-year-old Enid works for that?¡±

    ¡°I think, I think it lets me be something I have never been: Normal.¡±

    ¡°Yet when you aren¡¯t at school you have other responsibilities?  Ones that make it so you cannot be Enid, high school student?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m trying to figure out how to save the world, protect myself and my family from assassins, pretending to be some superhero.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Oh, my, you have quite a lot on your plate, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°On top of that my father made Empress.  Why do I have so much responsibility tossed at me?¡±

    ¡°You are only given the challenges you can handle Enid.¡±

    ¡°Easy for you to say.¡±

    ¡°Enid, you are who you are, I think this teenage persona you put on, you, let yourself believe, it lets you push away those responsibilities and be, a kid again. A kid without an abusive father, a kid with a loving family.  I¡¯m not saying that¡¯s wrong; I¡¯m just saying you need to understand why you¡¯re doing it.  Now, so we¡¯re not doing this with five minutes to go, can we talk about, talk about your actual childhood?  Talk about, what was done to you?¡±

    Enid started to shake her head and rubbing her legs.

    ¡°Look Enid, I know talking about this is going to make you relive the trauma.¡±

    ¡°I told you what he did Emma, he beat and sexually abused me.¡±

    ¡°At what age did it start?¡±

    ¡°Since I can remember.¡±

    ¡°So, three, four?¡±

    ¡°Probably yes.¡±

    ¡°How would he beat you?  Was it a spanking, punches?¡±

    Enid was shaking now words would not come.  She was starting to go back there.  She had tears forming in her eyes and starting to drip down her cheeks.  She undid the buttons on her blouse and showed Emma her back.  Many of the whip scars were expertly concealed by the Yakuza tattoo but many were very visible.  Preserved for two thousand years on her the never changing pale canvas that was her skin.  Emma gasped in spite of herself, and Enid pulled her top on and buttoned it up.

    ¡°Oh Enid, no child should go through that.¡±

    Enid was sobbing now.  She had spoken of it before, but she had never felt it again like she had today.  She touched her abdomen.

    ¡°He¡­he branded me, said¡­said he needed to make sure every man I would ever be with¡­ needed to know he had me first¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh Enid, Enid shh, shh, look at me, look at me Enid.¡±

    Enid was spiraling and Emma spoke again more firmly. Snapping her fingers several times.

    ¡°Enid look at me.¡±

    The words snapped Enid out of her memories of the trauma.  Enid was sobbing but looking at Emma.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Enid, I¡¯m sorry, no child should live through that.  No child.  It is not your fault.¡±

    ¡°I should have done something, fought back¡­¡±

    ¡°No Enid, no, your parents are supposed to be the ones who do that for you.  The adults around you.  You buried the emotions deeply and now they are flooding out just breath in and out, take a few minutes, just breath in and out.  Come back to now, back to the office with me.¡±

    ¡°Close your blinds!¡±

    Emma blinked at her, glancing back at the sunlight streaming in.

    ¡°What will that accomplish Enid?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to feel like this anymore! I don¡¯t want feel weak, powerless, feel like my heart is going to explode, like I can¡¯t breathe.¡±

    Emma rushed towards the blinds but then she heard a voice whispering in her ear.  It sounded like an open meadow on a spring day with flowers in bloom.  The sunlight off reflecting off a placid lake.

    She needs to feel this, Emma.  She needs to feel human.  She has never confronted this as a mortal since her childhood.  As a baby bird must leave the safety of her nest, so must she.  My child, my poor child.

    Emma released the string and looked at the panicking Enid.  She sat down. Her hand on her crucifix.

    ¡°No Enid, you need to feel this, you need to feel human.  You are strong enough without your abilities.  You are using them as a safety net to avoid feeling these emotions, feeling this¡­this panic.  Just breathe Enid, one breath after another.  Fight the fear, take control of yourself.  You do not need whatever it is that the darkness gives you.¡±

    Enid wasn¡¯t looking at Emma as she was rushed to the windows her hands finding the pole to close the blindes.  Emma took her hand and her arm, holding her back.  Enid struggled in her panic and her fear, but she could not think clearly enough to fight back effectively.  She buried her face in Emma¡¯s blouse and started to sob uncontrollably.  Emma wrapped her arms around her and glanced up at the blue sky, pondering if listening to the voice and committing several ethical violations was the right choice.  She had never had a two-thousand-year-old child abuse victim as a patient before, so it was all uncharted territory.

    ¡°Enid, you are safe here.  You are not powerless.  You are a trained fighter pilot, a surgeon, and you are quite capable of defending yourself.  You are not that little girl, and no one could ever do that to you again.  You do not need to be afraid.  He is long dead.¡±

    Enid shook her head.  Emma looked down at her and helped her to her seat.  Emma waited patiently for Enid to clean up after her break down.

    ¡°So, your father, he is still alive?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Where is he?  Have you confronted him since you have grown up?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°Where is he Enid?  Did you¡­hurt him?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°He¡¯s in the north Atlantic off the coast of Scotland.¡±

    ¡°Not dead though?¡±

    ¡°He might be, but not unless someone swam down and killed him.¡±

    ¡°Did you put him there?¡±

    ¡°No.  My adoptive father did.  Chained him down there, in eternal cold darkness, where he dies over and over again.  And when he is awake the chains he is bound in burn his flesh like acid over and over again.  For the last two thousand years.¡±

    Emma shuddered.

    ¡°And you have never thought to pull him out and confront him?¡±

    ¡°No, let him suffer as I have suffered.¡±

    ¡°Enid, what he did was terrible, terrible, but does that punishment really fit the crime?¡±

    ¡°I would have done worse.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you then?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Do you think perhaps your adoptive father knew you would do worse and to save you the¡­save you from becoming a monster he did this?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, sounds like something he would do.  He¡­ he also took the safety of children very, very seriously.  So, he could have just been angry.¡±

    ¡°Well, do you feel any sympathy for him at all, any?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s your father, are you sure?¡±

    ¡°I guess, since I¡¯ve been mortalish again and I studied medicine¡­ since Junpei, Nobuyuki I¡­think, I think maybe, maybe it was a step too far.  A quick death would have been¡­ better.  Him down there, it isn¡¯t example of a punishment set, it¡¯s just eternal suffering.  It¡¯s not a deterrent to others¡­ just eternal punishment, never ending.¡±

    ¡°Do you think maybe, if you pulled him out of there, found a way to show him mercy, even a small one, that you might not heal a part of yourself?  I¡¯m not saying forgive his behavior or actions.  Just maybe by showing him one small mercy, releasing him from this torment, that you might not benefit by that one small act of mercy and forgiveness?  You have this anger at him which while justified is the central issue with you are struggling with¡­ maybe by showing mercy, maybe it is the first step to letting it go?¡±

    ¡°Anything at this point will not be mercy, he¡¯s probably gone completely insane.  He would have to be put down like a rabid animal.  I couldn¡¯t as Empress allow an insane vampire to wander the world¡­¡±

    Emma gulped.  Enid had never outright said the word vampire, she had hinted at, talked around it but she had never outright admitted what she was.

    ¡°I will never advocate taking life.  But is there not the risk he won¡¯t just escape his bonds?  Is there some way to imprison him, more humanly?¡±

    ¡°No, but if I were to pull him up and execute him¡­it would be more merciful then eternal torture and more responsible than just leaving him there able to escape.¡±

    ¡°Do you fear he would come after you if he escaped?¡±

    Enid sneered.

    ¡°He is an ant to me now.  I could literally squish him like a bug without drawing my sword.¡±

    ¡°Enid did you just hear yourself there, the derision, in your voice, the ego there?¡±

    Enid blinked.

    ¡°I knew you had that in you somewhere, the belief that you are superior to me and everyone around you.  Physically and mentally, you may be superior because of whatever¡­ power you¡¯ve been granted but what would Dr Enid say that about a patient, think that about a patient?  Would teenage Enid?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to say, watch those kinds of thoughts.  If we think we are superior, then we let our egos take charge and sometimes that causes us to make foolish mistakes.  All the power in the universe is not going to make you perfect, and there is always a bigger fish in the pond.  This might be my Christian upbringing talking but try to be more humble.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Enid, we have had a major breakthrough today, you can feel it can¡¯t you?¡±

    Enid nodded taking a deep breath.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you were finally able to open up to me.  We have a long hard road ahead of us, but we made progress.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I do feel better Emma, not at peace, but I feel like, I am not stuck anymore.¡±

    ¡°Good, no don¡¯t forget, work on your journal.  Consider what I said about your father.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°See you next Tuesday, in the morning again, if we can, you seem, more able to touch your feelings in sunlight.¡±

    Enid nodded and slung her pack over her shoulder.

 Edmonton - 2027 - God doesnt take no for an answer.

    Enid was pulling on her underwear. She was rushing she¡¯d spent yet another night at Allison¡¯s place and she had to get home and get her shape changed so she could go to school. It was near the end of the semester.

    ¡°Aww what¡¯s the rush Enid?¡±

    ¡°I told you¡­I have¡­ to be someplace in the mornings.¡±

    Enid sat down and started trying to latch her bra and felt Allison¡¯s arm around her waiste tugging her closer.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t go.¡±

    ¡°You have to go to work.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll call in sick.¡±

    ¡°You always say that but never do.¡±

    Allison pouted.

    ¡°That¡¯s because you always leave.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t pout. It¡¯s impossible to resist.¡±

    ¡°Not really you keep leaving.¡±

    ¡°I need to go.¡±

    Enid kissed Allison.

    ¡°Have a good day.¡±

    Allison waved after tugging on Enid¡¯s arm playfully.

    *****

    Enid collapsed in her seat in Art class with only a few seconds to spare. Maria looked at her playing with her crucifix. Enid was everything but looking put together. She¡¯d grabbed Allison¡¯s top by accident, so she was drowning in it. Kerri snickered.

    ¡°Someone¡¯s on a walk of shame.¡±

    Enid blushed in spite of her best efforts not too and shrugged.

    ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°Ooh tell us about him.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°Come on, you have been single for your whole time here. Share!¡±

    ¡°Nope. I don¡¯t kiss and tell.¡±

    Maria frowned.

    ¡°Enid, you know¡­ that if you are not married it is wrong.¡±

    ¡°God can go beep himself. For all I care.¡±

    ¡°Enid!¡±

    Enid flinched recognizing her teacher¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Sorry Ms. Wells. I beeped.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in a Catholic School Enid Aurelius.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°I know, I know.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t want to hear that sort of thing ever again.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Ms. Wells.¡±

    ¡°Very good. Okay, so today you will be completing your portfolio.¡±

    *****

    Enid being the short girl she was in her real shape sat on one of the small walls at their school kicking her legs because they wouldn¡¯t reach the ground and eating her lunch in the warm June sunlight. In other hand she had a fresh manga out of a box of them she had received from her family in Japan. Her friends at the school were fascinated how she could read the Japanese. Enid wasn¡¯t a big fan of the style. The ones she¡¯d gone through so far were slow moving. She did like the practice with kanji. She took another sausage out of the lunch Eyre had sent with Maria and started chewing on it absently. She hadn¡¯t noticed a woman was approaching with her son. She finally realized she had an audience when she heard someone start babbling about Saints. Enid looked up from her manga and blinked at the woman and noticed the teenage boy with her, whom she recognized as Terrance one of the juniors she had occasion to run across from debate team. He looked like he was about to blow up his cheeks were so red.

    ¡°You¡¯re her. You¡¯re the Saint! Sarah of Savia. Please heal my daughter. Please.¡±

    Enid blinked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m just a high school student.¡±

    Terrance looked like he wanted to shrink and vanish.

    ¡°You are her, I saw you on the TV, you put the sword into the stone. Please, you can heal her. She¡­she should be here now, in school with you but she is too sick.¡±

    Enid looked at Terrance who shook his head.

    ¡°Mom, she¡¯s just a kid like me, she¡¯s on the debate team mom.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. She healed the sick. You know the story; She healed that mother of twins.¡±

    Enid was finally rescued by an unlikely savior. Sister Willow who was arriving for their afternoon religion class.

    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you are mistaken, this is Enid, she¡¯s one of the students here.¡±

    Terrance¡¯s mother blinked as if someone had just splashed cold water across her face and started mumbling apologies to everyone. Terrance nudged her onwards and Sister Willow glanced at what Enid was reading. She leaned on the small wall her almost six feet of height dwarfing Enid.

    ¡°A pair of glasses will not hide the truth, Enid. If you can help that child, you should. I remember her. She was a good student until she got sick.¡±

    ¡°She should have gotten vaccinated.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you can tell her mother that. She believes fervently that God is against them no matter what the Father at the church says. We¡¯ve had to ask her not to spread that at the church. I wonder, how did you know she should have been vaccinated?¡±

    Enid did a mental facepalm, her gift had told her. Sister Willow continued.

    ¡°The world is not as simple as it seems on the surface. But I know you know that. Sister.¡±

    ¡°Which one of you is it this time.¡±

    ¡°We haven¡¯t met, well we have obviously, I¡¯m your teacher.¡±

    ¡°Have you been here the whole time?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you think he wouldn¡¯t have someone watching over your sister and you?¡±

    ¡°Enid. There are some truths you are not ready for. Suffice it to say, he wouldn¡¯t have put you here for that woman to see if he didn¡¯t want you to go heal that girl. Who knows maybe she has the cure for the next pandemic? Or maybe she might make a post on the internet that inspires someone to not give up hope, that inspires them to save the world?¡±

    ¡°So, which one are you?¡±

    ¡°Sariel. Archangel of Protection. At your service.¡±

    ¡°Are you even female?¡±

    ¡°We are neither, sister. I usually prefer to appear male. Father wants what father wants and we are but his servants.¡±

    ¡°So why the games? Why ask me if I¡¯m Saint Sarah, why go telling the convent? And that bullshit where Maria spilled her guts about Michael and Ezekiel?¡±

    ¡°To prepare the world for your coming, sister.¡±

    ¡°Why do you all keep calling me sister!¡±

    ¡°Because you are the first-born daughter of God. Beyond that are truths I cannot provide. I like not being in Hell.¡±

    ¡°Yesh, tough boss. Do as I say, or I¡¯ll imprison you for all eternity.¡±

    ¡°Finish your lunch but know nothing happens randomly when he¡¯s interested in you. Heal the girl.¡±

    ¡°Why break cover now?¡±

    ¡°Because the time is drawing near. You need to be prepared. I cannot protect you from what is to come in the next few months. I wish¡­I wish I could.¡±

    ¡°What is coming in the next months?¡±

    ¡°Your truth. See you in class Enid. Be a sis, don¡¯t tell your sister about me hmm?¡±

    Enid glared after Sister Willow/Sariel and stuffed the last sausage in her mouth and chewed furiously. Looking back down at her manga.

    ¡°Bitch.¡±

    Sister Willow started the class with a lesson on helping others and why Jesus preached it, along with several gospels showing it. Enid almost broke her pen as she listened to the angel pound her point home. Her annoyance was obvious to everyone around her but it¡¯s not like she could tell Maria why she was in a bad mood. Her mortal friends she didn¡¯t care about but lying to Maria it went directly against her promise to her.

    Bitch.

    As she had that thought Sister Willow quirked her eyebrow in Enid¡¯s direction. Enid made a face.

    *****

    Enid gave up resisting. It was obvious she was supposed to heal this girl, so she tracked down Terry, that¡¯s what everyone called him except for teachers. Enid barely knew him beyond being partnered for a few debates. Terry was not what most would consider conventionally attractive. There was a lot of acne. His hair was never styled right, and he rarely wore stylish clothing. He also wore glasses that were a bit large for his face. He did have friends; He just wasn¡¯t the kind of person Enid would hang around with at school because beyond debate team their paths would never cross. His friends made quick escapes when she appeared behind them. She even saw one thumbs up. The moment he saw her his cheeks went a bright red.

    ¡°Did someone tell them I bite?¡±

    ¡°No¡­uh¡­¡±

    ¡°I do. But not today.¡±

    ¡°I uh¡­look you¡¯re cute but.¡±

    ¡°Ya, no I¡¯m apparently into other girls, so I¡¯m not here for that. What I need to know is what happened to your sister?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Your sister, why does your mother think she needs healing? Demonic possession? What¡¯s going on here? Why is she asking for a person she thinks is a Saint to heal her?¡±

    ¡°She got sick¡­she didn¡¯t get better.¡±

    ¡°Pandemic?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mom wouldn¡¯t let us get vaccinated kept telling us to pray.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m going to tell you something, and I swear to god if you tell anyone I will end you. But I can heal your sister. Can you get me in to see her?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s in the hospital. She¡¯s been off and on a respirator for three years. You can¡¯t help her.¡±

    ¡°Look Terry. I¡¯m not going to get any peace until I just go fucking heal her, so you get me in to see her because I have a date with my girlfriend tonight and I¡¯ll be damned if I¡¯m going to let God fuck with that. Do we understand each other?¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°That is the right answer. Now you call your mother. You tell her that Saint Sarah has interceded on her behalf and to come drive us to the hospital where your sister is currently at.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Hurry up, clock is ticking, and I need to get ready for my date.¡±

    *****

    Terry¡¯s mother was talking enough to make Enid regret this but based on past experiences God would just screw with her life until he got what he wanted. Ezekiel had been right, play the game get it done. So far, she¡¯d found Allison and was happy. Somehow, he¡¯d saved them in that car wreck. She wasn¡¯t about risk her relationship by disobeying him.

    ¡°Mrs. Smith. Please. I¡¯m here to help but you¡¯re driving me nuts.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a Saint.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but the saying patience of a Saint, really doesn¡¯t apply to real one. I¡¯m here because if I don¡¯t heal your daughter God will make my life one lesson about helping others after another until I do. I would really like to have an uninterrupted date with my girlfriend tonight.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re a saint.¡±

    ¡°Mrs. Smith. I am a teenage girl who happens to also have been a Saint in a previous life. I¡¯m not her, she was a god-fearing heterosexual woman with a big sword. I am a seventeen-year-old girl who gets called to do miracles sometimes against my will. If he had a problem with my¡­choice of partners he would make it clear. Now, I¡¯m going to say this once: if I hear my name come up in association with healing your daughter, so help me God you will regret ever meeting me.¡±

    Mrs. Smith swallowed hard when hearing Enid¡¯s tone.

    ¡°You do not seem like a Saint.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not. I¡¯m also angry at you. If you¡¯d just gotten your children vaccinated instead of listening to bullshit people put on the internet you daughter would be finishing grade eleven with us at the end of this month instead of laying in a hospital. You know Saint Sarah of Savia tried to find a normal cure for the black death before she whipped up that magic spring? She couldn¡¯t find one because it didn¡¯t exist yet. Well one existed for this last plague and you let some religious wing nut on the internet convince you not to give it to your children. You¡¯re the worst kind of parent.¡±

    Terry¡¯s mother had tears on her cheeks by then end of Enid¡¯s rant.

    ¡°Trust me, God wants you to use medical science, or it wouldn¡¯t exist. Bull shit on the internet, that¡¯s people. If you listen to one thing, I say like it¡¯s from God¡¯s lips to your ears that¡¯s the one thing you should remember.¡±

    Enid followed the pair up to the room. She had never met Gabriel Smith, but she could be her. Hair was brown but they were the same size and shape. Enid looked around.

    ¡°Where is Mr. Smith in all this?¡±

    The pair looked at the floor. Terry spoke up.

    ¡°Jail¡­he did things to Gabby.¡±

    Mrs. Smith was blushing deeply and walked out tears in her eyes.

    ¡°He abused her?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Good thing the police got to him before I heard about it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re angry.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my father abused me in every manner of the word. Still in therapy and it¡¯s been years.¡±

    Enid held up her hand and closed the blinds.

    ¡°I need to know what is wrong with her to know if I can help.¡±

    Enid picked up the room phone and dialed the nursing station.

    ¡°Hi, this is Dr. Thomas. I¡¯ve been brought into consult on a patient, Gabriel Smith. I was told a file would be ready for me but I can¡¯t find it anywhere, I¡¯m in with the patient now, could you bring it here?¡±

    Enid hung up the phone and shrugged at Terry who blinked at her sudden change of voice. A nurse came in fifteen minutes later with a thick folder looking around.

    ¡°Was a doctor in here?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°She was, but went to talk to the mother. Was complaining about some missing paper work. Is that it?¡±

    The nurse rolled her eyes and was about to leave. Enid approached her and met her gaze and implanted a memory of her talking to a forty-year-old version of Enid with brown hair.

    ¡°I¡¯m Dr. Thomas. I¡¯ll take the file thank you.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Doctor. I¡¯m so sorry it wasn¡¯t ready for you.¡±

    ¡°No problem, I¡¯m just eager to get started, I think we can help this young woman. In fact, why don¡¯t you forget all about putting this together and coming to see me. You shredded it when you realized you pulled the wrong patient records as per medical rules.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Okay go back to work please.¡±

    ¡°Yes Doctor.¡±

    Enid patted the nurses arm and once she¡¯d left she started going through the file. Frowning as she leafed through the first few pages.

    ¡°Enid, how¡­did you do that?¡±

    ¡°Your mother wasn¡¯t wrong. Okay. Let me focus. I want to make sure I can actually help her instead of just making things better for a little while.¡±

    Enid started leafing through the file further. Mrs. Smith returned about fifteen minutes later looking calmer. Her eyes went wide as Enid was leafing through her daughter¡¯s medical records.

    ¡°How did you get those?¡±

    ¡°I prayed to God.¡±

    She glared at Terry who nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I know it¡¯s a violation of her privacy but if I heal her and it¡¯s just temporary, she might die. So, I need to be sure I¡¯m doing what she needs. If they missed cancer then I can repair the damage but it will just come back.¡±

    Enid found the tests she was looking for and then started looking over the MRI.

    ¡°Multiple organ failure, mostly the heart and lungs. She¡¯d need multiple transplants to live through this. I¡¯m guessing they told you, a month, two max. Her kidneys are on the verge of failing. Virus is gone.¡±

    ¡°How do you know all this?¡±

    ¡°I was a doctor in a former life. A pediatric surgeon. Consulted on a lot of these in 2023. Last variant was a doozy. Hit a lot of kids. Most are already dead. Okay I can heal her.¡±

    Enid closed up the file and put into her pack to be disposed of later. She closed her eyes touching Gabriel and started chanting the spell to transfer the damage to herself. Gabriel started choking on the intubation which was the latest one of several. Enid pulled it out for her expertly as the last of the injuries transferred. She was out of the sun so the inability to breath had little effect on her. Her new wounds healed swiftly, and she smile down at Gabriel.

    ¡°Welcome back to the world of the living Gabby.¡±

    A doctor and a nurse rushed in only to see a very wide-awake Gabriel with no jaundice in her eyes, breathing on her own and a strong heartbeat. They looked at the tubes that had been down her throat and at the two teenagers and the mother.

    ¡°Who pulled these out?¡±

    Enid held up her hand.

    ¡°I did, sorry she was choking, wasn¡¯t sure if you¡¯d get here in time.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t touch medical equipment. You don¡¯t have the proper training.¡±

    Ya because seven years of school and a decade and a half of practice, and two decades of consultation didn¡¯t teach me shit.

    ¡°Yes Doctor, sorry.¡±

    Mrs. Smith was crossing herself and looking at Enid with tears in her eyes. The doctor looked to Gabriel.

    ¡°This is a miracle. We¡¯ll need to run some tests, but you¡¯re lung function is back to normal, heart is strong.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll let you get to those tests. See you at school tomorrow, Terry. Mrs. Smith.¡±

    ¡°Wait! Please.¡±

    Enid sighed she was almost out the door before she heard Gabriel¡¯s voice she paused.

    ¡°Thank you so much Doctor, mom, Terry, can I talk to her alone?¡±

    ¡°Of course, of course.¡±

    Terry guided his mother who was still in shock out of the room leaving Enid alone with Gabriel. The two girls had never met before but Gabriel was looking at her like she knew her.

    ¡°You¡¯re Enid. You healed me. The angel said you would.¡±

    Enid looked unamused by the fact someone had told this kid about her already.

    ¡°Did they now? Nice of them to make promises on my behalf without consulting me.¡±

    ¡°No, no, you were meant to do this.¡±

    The girl had tears dripping down her cheeks.

    ¡°She said you would. She also said that your father¡­ did things to you like mine did to me.¡±

    ¡°Look, we don¡¯t need to get into that.¡±

    Enid felt a strong hand grip her wrist.

    ¡°No, we do. She said you needed to talk about it.¡±

    ¡°I have been for months. It hasn¡¯t helped.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t confronted him about what he did. I got to read a victim statement so he could hear what he did to me, you haven¡¯t been able too.¡±

    ¡°My father¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°You know he¡¯s not. You know where he is, and what you need to do.¡±

    ¡°How do you know this, Gabriel?¡±

    ¡°Gabriel told me. She said her sister needed me and that she would send her to me to heal me.¡±

    ¡°Are you, her sister?¡±

    ¡°Apparently.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for healing me. I¡­ was ready to go. She told me that God said it wasn¡¯t my time.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you got caught up in this, but I¡¯m glad it got you healed.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe, not like mother.¡±

    ¡°Your mother believed too much. God, he doesn¡¯t give second chances randomly. If you had been vaccinated, you wouldn¡¯t have been this sick. Maybe convince others? If I am his daughter like the news keeps saying, then maybe my message is just as valid. Saint Sarah of Savia says, get vaccinated, your life depends on it.¡±

    ¡°But¡­you healed me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I wouldn¡¯t have had to if your mother hadn¡¯t listened to random voices on the internet. People keep saying evil is among us, its not, its in us. I am hurting someone I love very much because I¡¯m here with you, instead of with her. Because your mother listened to lies, so her, I donno, her sins are compounding. Don¡¯t be your mother. Oh, and I was never here, okay? Also, eat less sugar, you¡¯re going to end up diabetic otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Did god tell you that?¡±

    ¡°No, your medical tests did. Good night and good luck with your second chance, use it wisely.¡±

    Enid patted her hand and walked out.

    *****

    Enid looked like Sarah tonight and rushed into the restaurant half an hour late. Allison was sitting at the table they had reserved already three drinks in based on the empties. Enid told the person at the front she was here with Allison and was led to the table. Allison¡¯s looked sad.

    ¡°Oh. You came.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Allison.¡±

    ¡°Its okay I¡¯m sure something more important came up.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and no.¡±

    ¡°You could have called, or texted.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°You said that already. This is our five-month anniversary dinner.¡±

    ¡°Anything I say will sound like an excuse.¡±

    ¡°Try me.¡±

    ¡°An angel told me to heal a girl then proceeded to teach me a lesson on helping others for an hour and a half, then inferred I would have no peace until I did it.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to say anything because you¡¯re feeling guilty now and you have a right to be angry.¡±

    Allison sighed and nodded. Enid could tell she was about to eat too much because Allison tended to guilt eat.

    ¡°Look Allison, you and I, we have complicated jobs. Sometimes we will not be on time, but lets just promise we¡¯ll always make it, if not on time, we¡¯ll always be there.¡±

    ¡°Okay that sounds good.¡±

    ¡°What are you getting?¡±

    ¡°I was thinking of crab and a big steak.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    Yep. That¡¯s I¡¯m a terrible person and I shouldn¡¯t have been made at her healing a poor little girl food order.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too full. I was hoping we could¡­try out that thing we bought tonight.¡±

    Allison blinked at Enid.

    ¡°You know the thing.¡±

    Allison¡¯s mouth formed an O and then she grinned.

    ¡°I forgot about that.¡±

    *****

    Enid was laying on her side looking out at the downtown Edmonton lights. The sun would rise soon. Sarah¡¯s apartment was a penthouse and had a beautiful view Edmonton¡¯s downtown. She felt Allison snuggle closer to her and started spooning her. She put her hand on Allison¡¯s and wove her fingers into it. She would have left the bed to read a book long ago, but she felt very comfortable right here in Allison¡¯s arms. He memory drifted back to Gabby¡¯s words. She¡¯d been able to tell her father how his actions affected her with a victim statement and that Enid had never been able too. She knew exactly where he was. She could easily drag him up tell him what she felt then cut his head off. Enid pondered the value of doing that as the sun rose and she felt herself breathing and her heartbeat rush to life. Allison snuggled closer as if she sensed she was no longer next to a corpse. They lay like that for another thirty minutes before their phone alarms went off. Enid sighed because that meant another day of school and leaving a cozy warm bed with her love. She felt Allison tugging her to turn her over and then they kissed.

    ¡°I always feel like I¡¯m going to wake up and you¡¯re going to have vanished into thin air like you¡¯re a dream.¡±

    ¡°And leave a cozy warm bed with you?¡±

    Allison smiled at her. Then noticed Enid¡¯s abnormally creased brow.

    ¡°Is something bothering you?¡±

    ¡°Sort of.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me about it?¡±

    ¡°If say, you were wronged, I mean, someone did terrible things to you, and you could confront them about it safely, and then¡­kill them, would you?¡±

    Allison laughed as if Enid was joking but then realized she was being serious.

    ¡°I mean, I would want to tell them what they did to me was wrong to their faces, but I¡¯m not sure about killing them.¡±

    ¡°The crimes were vile. Kind of thing that get you the special place in prison and hell.¡±

    ¡°I will never agree with the Death penalty.¡±

    ¡°What if they are dangerous and can¡¯t be just let out of prison?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about Enid?¡±

    ¡°The scars on my back. They are from him. He¡¯s trapped somewhere terrible. A living death. I can rescue him.¡±

    ¡°Well, if he hurt you like that I¡¯d love to give him a piece of my mind, maybe spit on him.¡±

    ¡°But you wouldn¡¯t kill him?¡±

    ¡°No, what if he feels guilty? What if he learns a lesson that he can teach other men? Don¡¯t do what I did? Is killing him going to make you feel better?¡±

    ¡°Yep.¡±

    ¡°But, is it what is best for you?¡±

    ¡°Gah you¡¯re worse than my sister and my therapist.¡±

    ¡°You asked babe.¡±

    ¡°I did, didn¡¯t I?¡±

    Enid smiled and kissed Allison.

    ¡°What was that for?¡±

    ¡°It means I do love you, normally I wouldn¡¯t say boo about this to my mortal¡­friends.¡±

    Allison pulled her close and kissed her.

    *****

    Enid leaned out her balcony. It was 2 am. It was the time of night she dreaded the most these days. For some reason it was when the faces of the ones she lost would come back to her. Lucius. Mariana. Edward. Henry. Rolf. Hazel. Her pilots. Junpei. Noboukyi. Nishahara. And so many more. She took a sip from her wine glass. It wouldn¡¯t get her drunk but the flavor made her feel better. She glanced back at Allison and pondered how long before her face was added to the macabre parade of memories. She sighed and another face came to her. Her fathers. It wasn¡¯t the drunken angry face when he would hurt her, but the one who showed her how to lift her first sword. She felt like vomiting. It had been happening for the last two weeks. Since Gabby. She looked up at the half moon frowning.

    ¡°What God? Are you going to keep fucking with me?¡±

    Enid sighed and glanced back when she heard movement. Allison was coming up behind her and put a blanket over her shoulders. Enid had been standing there naked. It was not like she could feel the chill wind air unless she wanted too. Hazel had a house coat around her and had it pulled close.

    ¡°Its freezing out here.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re naked¡±

    ¡°Meh.¡±

    ¡°Meh? You¡¯re like on a balcony in downtown Edmonton.¡±

    ¡°Hope they enjoyed the show.¡±

    ¡°Come back to bed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not tired, you go ahead.¡±

    ¡°You got more of that wine?¡±

    Enid nodded and sighed and walked back inside tossing the blanket on the bed and walked into the Kitchen and poured Allison a glass.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like clothes much do you?¡±

    ¡°I can take them or leave them. I am over being bashful.¡±

    ¡°I thought you couldn¡¯t get drunk¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t but the flavor makes me remember what it felt like.¡±

    Allison chuckled and nodded.

    ¡°What¡¯s bothering you, Enid?¡±

    ¡°My father. I¡¯ve been avoiding dealing with it.¡±

    ¡°Your father?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s in Scotland and in trouble. I hate him. I want him to die. But the world seems to be telling me I need to do the opposite.¡±

    ¡°Well, it is your dad. He kind of brought you into the world, you should help if you can.¡±

    ¡°If I help him then I¡¯m responsible for him and it could be two months before I¡¯m back here.¡±

    ¡°Is this a God thing?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t be left alone until you deal with it, will you?¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Then lets go take care of it.¡±

    ¡°There is no we in this. I need to do it alone.¡±

    ¡°But two months?¡±

    ¡°You have work. You¡¯ll lose your job.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t want to lose you.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t, not¡­until after, look, I¡¯ll be fine, my father, might not be.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean I¡¯m as likely to kill him as I am to save him.¡±

    ¡°Your back?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Make someone else do it.¡±

    ¡°There is no one else.¡±

    Allison downed her glass of wine and poured another. Enid could tell she was pouting and holding it in.

    ¡°Look Allison, I love you, didn¡¯t mean to let it happen, but it did, now I¡¯m not going to leave you if I can help it at all.¡±

    Allison smiled and pulled Enid¡¯s face close for a kiss.

    ¡°Can we go back to bed?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t I need to make some calls.¡±

    ¡°You need your sleep.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°I have a confession to make. I don¡¯t sleep, I can¡¯t sleep not unless I¡¯m almost dead.¡±

    ¡°You mean¡­you lay with me awake all night?¡±

    ¡°Its comfortable, but if I¡¯m going to go deal with this, I need to start making calls.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    Enid reached out and picked up her phone and started dialing Eyre.

    ¡°Hey hon. Do we still have that plane we liberated from the cartel stashed somewhere?¡±

    Allison paused at the door and looked back at the word hon completely bypassing the rather loaded rest of the sentence. She watched from the bedroom as Enid smiled and chatted with Eyre not realizing the woman on the other end of the line was her girlfriend¡¯s daughter. Enid hung up and walked back to the room to a very cold shoulder.

    ¡°What is the matter?¡±

    ¡°Who was that?¡±

    ¡°It was my¡­sister.¡±

    ¡°Oh really. Took you that long to figure out she was your sister?¡±

    Enid hit her head on her pillow and sighed. Drama. She hated drama.

 Scotland - 2027 - Things best left forgotten (Part 1/2)

    Enid looked up at the moon as it shone in its full glory above the northern Atlantic, a rare clear night in the highlands. The stars sparkled above her in their infinite tapestry. She stood in the shadow of the castle ruins that stood where her village had once occupied. She looked down at the chain wrapped man that lay on the ground. He was face down and in a healing sleep. He looked so much smaller than she remembered. She had Bloodseeker in her hand. It would be easy to end him now. One swift thrust and everything he had been, drained, torn apart and would feed her vampiric strength. The thought of it made her feel sick to her undead stomach. She wanted no part of his essence in her. She sliced through the chains holding him. The silver was worn from two millennia of salt water. She picked up his sleeping form and threw him onto a patch of dirt and flung the silver chains back into the ocean below. She was in her Atlantean armor and showing her true face this night. Red hair blowing behind her on the wind-swept cliff she willed the gloves to sink into the armor and bit her palm putting it to her father¡¯s lips. The hunger drove him to clutch onto it and gulp down her potent blood. The most potent left in the world now that she was Empress. She shoved him off of her hand with ease when she believed he had enough.

    How the tables of turned you pathetic heap of a man.

    She watched his pale skin become flush as her blood filled him his empty veins. Missing patches of flesh started to stitch itself together. The last to heal were his eyes, his green eyes the same ones that she had. He gasped for breath and looked around himself taking several moments to notice he was being watched by a lithe Celtic woman with flowing red hair and piercing green eyes. He scrambled away when he saw the blade on her back. Enid stayed there crouched watching him. She realized she felt no fear of him. He really was nothing to her now. He licked his lips the taste of potent blood on them. He looked to be sizing up the pale red-haired woman he could not recognize in the darkness. Enid quirked her head to the side. She watched his face go from hunger, to lust, then to fear as he realized he was a mouse being watched by a cat. She was the apex predator in this dynamic. She stood and he flinched. His instincts telling him she was the monster that stalked his nightmares. She stepped out of the shadow of the castle¡¯s ruined wall her facial features becoming clear to him. How alien she must have looked with the Atlantean body suit and smart watch, and Glock on her hip. He hissed; She¡¯d seen pugmentia do this when they first wakened many times. Like a cornered animal. Enid spoke the first words she had spoken to her biological father in over two thousand years. She used their native tongue.

    ¡°Do you recognize me?¡±

    His fangs retracted as his human mind took control of his body. He took a hesitant step closer. His wild eyes focused on her. He blinked. His voice long disused and raspy he spoke.

    ¡°Enid.¡±

    ¡°Do you know why I freed you?¡±

    He shook his head, eyes wide with real fear now.

    ¡°I was going to kill you while you slept, drain your soul, shred it and devour it. You are a monster.¡±

    He stumbled backwards into the castle wall; He found no escape there as she approached Bloodseeker still in it¡¯s sheath. She reached out and grabbed him by the neck lifting him easily. He tried to free himself but he had nowhere near the strength of his much more powerful and experienced daughter.

    ¡°Father, you are the weakest of us, my adoptive father ensured that should you survive, you would be a bottom feeding worm. I am going to do something you never did once in your mortal life.¡±

    She dropped him and he fell on his ass. She stepped back.

    ¡°I am going to show you mercy. Not because I am weak, but because I am strong.¡±

    She crouched down again to look him in the eyes.

    ¡°You see these walls? This was once a great castle, it was built on the land of your kingdom, eight hundred years after you were thrown in the ocean, it fell in a siege three hundred years later. And it has been here falling apart for nine hundred years. Two thousand years have passed since you were imprisoned. The world has changed. Men like you are considered the weak and despicable ones. Women are equal to men now. You have lived long enough to be the monster in everyone¡¯s eyes and not only mine. If you had done what you did to me in this day in age, you would have been caught, and arrested, thrown in prison where you would have been violated repeatedly by other men to live out their sense of justice. Even murderers consider your kind evil.¡±

    He looked up at her huddled on the ground. His throat was healed but he still touched it with his hand, looking up at Enid with wide eyes. She reached down and picked up a handful of earth.

    ¡°I am the Empress of our kind. My word is law, it is by my will that you live or die. I have an army of Seers who if they knew what you had done to me would line up to gut you over and over again. Knowing you will heal by the next dusk. There are worse things than death and they are quite capable of doing them all. I tell you this, not to threaten you, but to be clear, after I am sure you understand our laws and how to navigate this new world. I will never acknowledge our relationship. I will deny you. If you claim to know me, my Seers will hear, the young ones call them Reapers, angels of death. They will sniff out your sins against me and they will make the last two thousand years seem like a restful nap. And now that I have warned you, I will not lift a finger to aid you.¡±

    She reached into her pack and pulled out a wireless electric razor. She grabbed him by the arm he stumbled beside her as she dragged him to the edge of the cliff and forced him down on his knees and leaned his head over the side. She could feel him trying to resist but he was powerless against her strength.

    ¡°Sit still and this will be over quickly.¡±

    She flipped the power switch and started shaving off swaths of his hair. Then his beard. She could feel him shaking he almost fell once but she stopped him. When she was done, he had a clean-shaven head and face. He stood and rubbed his head looking at her hand as she put the razor back in her pack.

    ¡°You are a sorceress.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that was not sorcery. Things have changed father.¡±

    His voice was clearer as the blood she fed him continued to mend parts of his decayed body.

    ¡°I do not understand, Enid, you¡­ why are you helping me? I can see in your eyes you want to kill me.¡±

    ¡°Because, if I can¡­ forgive you then forgiving my prey, my enemy, my husband¡­ will be easy. If I can be merciful to the man who scarred me so badly that I will never be rid of them, then I can be merciful to him.¡±

    ¡°The man, the man who bound me, he burned the suffering you felt into my mind all of it, every moment I... It was all I could feel until¡­ until darkness took me. Let me fight this enemy for you, make amends.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes and took an unnecessary deep breath. She motioned between them.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    ¡°You have learned your lesson too late father. This, this isn¡¯t me trying to find a common ground with you. Trying to get an apology. We will never be family. You will never meet your granddaughter. We are done after I teach you English and ensure you can take care of yourself. Maybe you can help others to alleviate your guilt. The very fact you are standing here and not dangling from the point of my sword means I have succeeded in putting your¡­ behavior behind me. But know this if you touch another child, disturb a hair on their head, my Seers will be told of you.¡±

    ¡°The¡­ thought of that makes me feel ill. He did something to me.¡±

    ¡°Sextus always had a strong sense of justice.¡±

    Enid pulled a towel, a set of clothes out of her pack and threw them at him.

    ¡°Get dried off, get changed we have a lot to do, and the night isn¡¯t getting any younger.¡±

    He looked at the towel feeling the strange material and started to rub himself off, the shreds of his clothing and rusted armor falling away. With the aid of Enid, he was able to get dressed and could at least pass for a man from the twenty-first century.

    ¡°You are going to see things tonight that you could not even have dreamed of the world is a different place. Humans have walked on the moon.¡±

    She pointed to the full moon that still shone over the ocean below.

    ¡°By the time I am done with you, you will be able to speak their language, you will have an identity and money. You will have shelter and you will be able to live the rest of your immortality free of me and of your watery prison. If you break our laws the punishment is death, not because you are you, because that is how the laws are. Follow me.¡±

    She walked towards the parking lot for the ruins. She saw the security guard she had bribed to let her park her car and to let her in. She pulled another hundred pounds out of her pack and put them in his palm. Her father followed her watching, then his eyes flicked to the lone black muscle car that inhabited the lot.

    ¡°Thank you, Frank.¡±

    ¡°No problem, ma¡¯am.¡±

    She motioned for her father to follow her, and she pulled her keys out of her pack pressing the button on her remote the lights of the car flashed, and her father jumped. She opened the door for him.

    ¡°Get in, father. It doesn¡¯t bite. That¡¯s what we do. She flashed her fangs and he jumped back a few steps. Get in.¡±

    She pointed at the seat and her father got in tentatively. She closed the door once he was inside and walked around to her side. She turned the key and it rumbled to life. She wasn¡¯t much for fancy sports cars or electric cars. This was her car for the British Isles. A 1968 charger, modernized with up-to-date technology, suspension and interior. The engine was a modern 450 horsepower monster, and the body was original. She looked at her father and backed out, then revved the engine and slammed her foot on the gas then popped the clutch causing the car to peel out and lurch forward shoving them back in their seats. The look of absolute terror on his face amused her slightly and she shifted gears up as she swerved onto the winding highlands highway.

    ¡°What manner of sorcery is this?¡±

    ¡°Your language doesn¡¯t have the words to describe it. But it would take four hundred and fifty horses to go this fast.¡±

    She shifted up another gear taking a curve way to fast, but the car¡¯s suspension was more than capable of handling it.

    Eyre rubbed off on me. Or maybe it was just the fighter planes.

    They hit a straightaway and she shifted up another gear her speedometer was bottoming out on the two hundred mph she saw headlights ahead and started to slow down. Her father was holding on to the door handle with white knuckles. By the time the car passed she was going the posted speed limit. It was a police car which did a U-turn shortly after passing them and put the flashers on Enid sighed and pulled over. Sliding her glock and holster into her pack. She pressed the power window button and as the constables approached. She turned the engine off and looked up at the man. She put on her most innocent look.

    ¡°Is something the matter constable?¡±

    ¡°Good evening, ma¡¯am we had a farmer call in about a car traveling at extreme speeds, was that you?¡±

    ¡°No constable. I did see a car whipping past us going the other way, such a dangerous road to drive like that.¡±

    ¡°Can I see your license please, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Enid reached into her pack and pulled out the license that matched her current look. He flashed his light into the car to see her face better. Enid¡¯s father shied away from it. The constable looked at the license then flashed the light at Enid.

    ¡°And why are you out here, Ms. McCloud?¡±

    ¡°My dad wanted to see the ruins at night. You know the ones down on the cliff? Just a few miles back?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s closed at this time of night.¡±

    Enid forced cheeks to get red.

    ¡°I may have passed the night watchman a few quid to let us in.¡±

    The constable gave a slight smile.

    ¡°Well, if you see that car coming back this way, call it in please.¡±

    ¡°Of course, constable, you have safe night, won¡¯t you?¡±

    He handed her license back.

    ¡°Just¡­ before I go, what do you have under the hood.¡±

    Enid heard his partner sigh.

    ¡°A four fifty horsepower hemi.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I like to have a car I know can go fast enough to do something stupid in, but I don¡¯t of course. Especially with my father in the car.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Did you do the work yourself?¡±

    ¡°No, actually, I bought it from a doctor who decided she was too old to drive it. She apparently did all the work herself, it¡¯s a beautiful car isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°She sure is, if you ever consider selling it, here¡¯s my card. Or, if you, need someone to talk car talk with?¡±

    She heard his female partner make a groaning sound. Enid took his card with a smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to call you first if I¡¯m going to sell it.¡±

    ¡°You have a good night, Ms. McCloud.¡±

    ¡°You to.¡±

    He stepped back and Enid closed her window and pulled away slowly, so she didn¡¯t spray gravel at the officers. Her father looked at her.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand what they said.¡±

    ¡°Exactly why I need to teach you a thing or three before I release you into the world.¡±

    ¡°What did they want?¡±

    ¡°There are laws here, I broke several going as fast as I did, someone reported it, I told them it wasn¡¯t me and they believed me. Which is good because I like this¡­and my¡­there are no words for it.¡±

    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±

    ¡°Somewhere called Ullapool. I have a home there and once I have¡­ well some stuff I need, I will be taking you to the New¡­ Land. We need you to get your hair and beard back first though.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ will take so long.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re a Night Sidhe now, it will grow back just like it was on the night you were turned. Only it will be clean.¡±

    He blinked at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m the Night Sidhe queen father. I told you this.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°You drink blood now to survive, you are immortal.¡±

    ¡°If you hated me so much¡­why¡­¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t change you, I had nothing to do with what happened to you. I thought you were dead until the truth came to light.¡±

    ¡°How long have you known?¡±

    ¡°Mmm, fiftish years.¡±

    ¡°Why¡­ why now?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s part of my¡­ learning.¡±

    ¡°I promise you will understand more one day. By dragging you out of that ocean I have taken responsibility for you in my father, my adoptive father¡¯s stead. You are going to learn to hunt, survive and blend in, it is my duty.¡±

    ¡°Why would you take responsibility for me? After what I did to you?¡±

    ¡°It is what I would do for any night sidhe trapped under the ocean like you. Our past doesn¡¯t matter, at least for that. We have traditions, laws, covenants, they apply to all equally. They say what was done to you was wrong. My adoptive father had a way of ignoring the rules since he made them. I try very hard not to. Until you violate the laws of our people, you are safe from me. Also like I said, I need to forgive you and show you mercy to come to terms with my past. That being said, if you violate our laws in any way, I will not hesitate to end you. Please don¡¯t give me an excuse.¡±

    ¡°Someone taught you right from wrong.¡±

    ¡°It sure as hell wasn¡¯t you.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°I have had several father figures in my life. All of them were better than you. And when they died, I cried over each of their graves. I shed no tears for you.¡±

    He looked at her and nodded silently. Her house in Ullapool was built on the outskirts but was built to blend in with the buildings of the town, save for the larger than normal garage to handle her two cars and her motorcycle. The original owner was Melanie Stuart. She pulled into her driveway and tapped the button on her app to open the garage door. She pulled inside and got out her father didn¡¯t seem to understand yet how to open the door, so she sighed and walked around, pulled his handle and the door popped open.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t figure out how to open a door, you¡¯re fucked.¡±

    She shook her head and he got out. He looked at the tarp covered shapes within in confusion.

    ¡°What is this place?¡±

    ¡°Stables. Come.¡±

    Enid closed the car door and walked toward the door into the house. She pressed another button on her phone and the lock beeped and opened. She opened the door and motioned for her father to enter. The exterior was built in the same fashion as the ones in the town, but the inside was open concept, and was by this time a fully modernized smart home.

    ¡°This is my house. Unlike me you¡¯ll turn into ash in the sun, so you¡¯ll be staying in the basement during the day. Tomorrow night we¡¯re going to start that process. For the rest of the night, you and I are going to start English lessons.¡±

 Scotland - 2027 - Things best left forgotten (Part 2/2)

    Enid heard the door to the basement close behind her.  She folded her hands behind her back and looked out at the slowly brightening sky and looked up.

    ¡°Well, he survived the first night.¡±

    She sighed heavily.  Her phone started to vibrate, and she looked at it, she recognized the number.  Eyre.  She sighed again her hand hovered over the ignore button but then she put it to hear ear and turned away from the window undoing the front of her Atlantean armor revealing a sports bra.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Did you kill him?¡±

    ¡°No, I did not.  He is in the basement asleep because its dawn here.  I notice you waited until it was sunup before you called.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to break your phone again if I annoyed you.  So, I just wanted to say again, how this is the dumbest idea you have ever had mother.¡±

    ¡°So considerate.  Look he¡¯s fine Eyre.  How are things in Edmonton?¡±

    ¡°Usual.  Maria¡¯s been praying for you.  Violet went hunting on her own tonight.¡±

    ¡°Well, everything is okay here, I¡¯ll send the photos for the ID first thing tomorrow.  I¡¯ll need US passport, Washington license, Social Security, Bank and at least one credit card.  Make him thirty-five.¡±

    ¡°Should I put him on the sex offender registry?¡±

    There was quite a bit of snark to Eyre¡¯s voice when she said it, perhaps a hint of uncharacteristic maliciousness.

    ¡°No, are you being serious right now?  He¡¯s a vampire.  That will put him on the radar of local police.¡±

    ¡°Considering what he did to you, he¡¯s lucky to be alive in my opinion mom.¡±

    ¡°This is about mercy and forgiveness, right?  A second chance.  Besides your grandfather fucked with his mind.  Every time he looks at me, he seems to gag a little.  I suspect he¡¯ll be no threat to much of anyone besides himself now.  But that¡¯s not on me.¡±

    ¡°Mom, you know there are fifty vampires who would do this for you without question you just have to order it, why do you do it yourself?¡±

    ¡°Because if I can do this then I am absolutely ready for the Black Son.  Any progress on our problem?¡±

    ¡°No, everything our study grant lab team has come up with says there is no way to permanently store or destroy energy, it will always dissipate. Or in this case escape.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s only been four months.¡±

    ¡°Mom this has been a theory for centuries and no one has disproven it.  Can¡¯t we just use him up like a battery.¡±

    ¡°No, if even a fragment of his consciousness remains, he can reform.  Maybe not now, maybe not for a thousand years, but it will happen eventually, and this shit will happen all over again.¡±

    ¡°Well, what about black holes?  Don¡¯t they destroy light or something?¡±

    ¡°I donno why don¡¯t we go find one and go through and see what we find?  Get real Eyre.  We need real, earthbound solutions.¡±

    ¡°Sorry mom, was just throwing stuff out there.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry hon, it was a hard night.¡±

    ¡°I understand mom.  You are the strongest woman I know, you¡¯ll be okay.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.  I¡¯ll let you know when I receive the package.¡±

    ¡°If you need to talk at all, call me mom, any time.  If you feel like you¡¯re going to do something you¡¯ll regret, please.¡±

    ¡°I promise.  If I don¡¯t start by smashing him in the face with my phone.¡±

    ¡°Very funny mom.  I¡¯m being serious.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s the mother here?¡±

    ¡°Depends on the day.¡±

    ¡°If I ever get the power to time travel remind me to spank you more as a child.¡±

    ¡°Are you sticking your tongue out at me young lady?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.  I love you Eyre.¡±

    ¡°Love you too mom.¡±

    Enid hung up the phone and pulled off her armor off and folded it up on the table.  She pulled on some leggings and a t-shirt.  She collapsed onto her couch and turned on the TV put her socked feet up on the living room table.  She picked up the book she had discarded there yesterday and started reading it.   It was manga exported from Japan by one of Nobuyuki¡¯s daughters.  She¡¯d been sent a crate full.  She looked at her phone and pondering calling but then realized what time it would be there and went back to her reading.  She sat like that for a few hours, until she was disturbed by her doorbell.  She sighed heavily and marked her place and walked to the door and opened it.  Outside was her neighbor Cillian.  She addressed him Scottish Gaelic as she knew he was fluent and also his preference for traditional Scottish folks.

    ¡°Good morning, Mr. Gunn.  Come in.¡±

    He took off his hat and stepped inside giving her a nod he had a bundle of mail in his other hand.  He bent down and pulled off his rubber boots.

    ¡°Here let me take your hat and jacket.¡±

    She took his hat and jacket and hung them on her hangers by the door.

    ¡°Good morning Ceana.  I told you to call me Cillian.¡±

    Enid smiled at him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry old habits.  Come in, come in, could I get you coffee?  I haven¡¯t had breakfast and was thinking of starting.  Sis has been teaching me a few things, shouldn¡¯t break any teeth this morning.¡±

    He followed her inside and she turned to her smart speaker.

    ¡°Helen, TV off.¡±

    The TV turned off and he looked between the speaker and Enid with a quizzical look.  Enid put her book down on the counter and he looked at and back to her again.

    ¡°You read Japanese?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  You know grandma lives there, right?¡±

    ¡°I do, she told me all about Okinawa in the eighties.¡±

    ¡°She taught me and has been sending me an unending supply of these, apparently her adoptive sister from there keeps trying to get rid of them.  I don¡¯t mind, gives me something to read. Keep up on my Kanji.¡±

    Enid turned and started to make a pod of coffee.  She¡¯d known Cillian for about twenty-five years.  Before as Melanie and now as her granddaughter, Ceana McCloud. He was in his late sixties by now.  She turned back to him while waiting for the coffee to finish.  He put the bundle of mail in front of her.

    ¡°Been collecting it like your grandmother asked.  She also told me to keep you honest when you are here and make sure you¡¯re keeping up on your Scottish.  You came in pretty late last night.  With a man.¡±

    Enid laughed as she turned and pulled the mug from the coffee make and added milk and two sugars putting it down in front of Cillian.

    ¡°Grandma, always looking out for me.  Well, it is my dad.  A security guard found him wandering around at the Kinlochleven castle ruins in a daze and gave me a call told me if I came and collect him, he wouldn¡¯t call the police.  You know me, I hate driving at night.¡±

    He nodded and took a sip of his coffee.

    ¡°I still have no idea where he parked his car, not that he should be driving in this state.  He¡¯s sleeping it off in my spare room.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you here until Christmas with your sister.¡±

    ¡°I heard father wasn¡¯t doing so well so I flew in.  Once I find his ID, which he¡¯s lost, along with his car we¡¯ll be flying back to Washington, so we can keep an eye on him.¡±

    Enid turned back to her fridge and started pulling out the makings for eggs.  She started cooking them while talking to Cillian.

    ¡°How are you doing, Cillian?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t complain.  Emily is coming by with the grandchildren soon, just too bad Peggie is not here to see them.¡±

    She heard the tinge of sadness in his voice.

    ¡°I was very sorry to hear about her passing.  Grandma told me she was taking care of the flowers and said she¡¯d add my name.¡±

    ¡°She did and they were beautiful.¡±

    Enid pushed a plate of over easy eggs towards Cillian and sat on a stool on her side of breakfast bar.

    ¡°How is your school going Ceana?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you know, it¡¯s going.  I miss Scotland.¡±

    ¡°Well as long as you take it with you, you¡¯ll always be at home.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the highlands are in my blood.¡±

    ¡°You and your grandmother have always impressed me with how fluent you are with Scottish.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°It was one of my first languages.¡±

    He nodded and was starting to eat his eggs and glanced up at her.

    ¡°These are very good.¡±

    She smiled at him and started on her own taking a drink of her own coffee.

    *****

    Enid was watching TV and talking on the phone with Allison, her manga long finished by the time her father came up the stairs again with a full head of red hair and beard.  He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw his daughter in a pair of leggings and a sweater staring a moving picture.  He approached slowly and stood behind her staring at it.   Enid had chosen Braveheart, because she felt like mocking how badly it mimicked real history.  She glanced up at him when the closing credits started, she¡¯d miscalculated his wake-up time by a few minutes.  She turned the TV off and stood up.

    ¡°He¡¯s awake, I¡¯ll talk to you tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°I love you!¡±

    ¡°I love you too.  Have a good day at work.¡±

    Enid hung up her phone.  She went into her cabinet with the locked refrigerator and pulled out three bags of blood.  Putting two in front of him and taking one for herself.

    ¡°Drink.¡±

    She pulled the cap off her bag and started sucking it out with a slight shiver.  Never as good as fresh from the tap but it saved her hunting in a small town.  Her father mimicked hers, and his reaction was similar, but he gulped it down hungrily.  Her blood was potent, but she hadn¡¯t given him much.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t taste right.¡±

    ¡°It never does if it is not from a live human being, but what can you do?  I can¡¯t trust you to control yourself yet, so you get the bagged stuff, and I get the bagged stuff because I don¡¯t feel like leaving you alone at night.¡±

    He nodded and drank down his second bag hungrily.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    He pointed at the TV which only a few minutes ago had moving pictures of a man being tortured and executed.

    ¡°Does it show you village punishments?  Is that what awaits me?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°No, that was, fake.  In English it is called a television.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    He blinked at her.  She shook her head and gathered the empty blood bags throwing them in the special shredder she had in the kitchen.  He jumped at the loud sudden grinding noise.

    ¡°You¡¯re as skittish as a mare in heat.¡±

    ¡°This is so strange.  You were talking to¡­someone like she was in the room.¡±

    ¡°It is going to get so much stranger before we¡¯re done father.  Come on let¡¯s get you looking¡­well decent.¡±

    ¡°Who is she?¡±

    ¡°She is my girlfriend.  Now come on we need to sort you out.¡±

    She led him to one of the bathrooms in the house and started to brush out his hair.  He was a muscular man had a bit of a belly on him.  His hair had been trimmed before he was turned, and his beard wasn¡¯t extremely long.  He looked like a hipster who worked out.  Once she was happy with that, she led him to a spare bedroom and started laying out a pair of black suit pants and a white shirt and tie.  She looked at him.

    ¡°Get undressed.¡±

    He blinked at her.  She sighed heavily.

    ¡°Just do it, you need to get changed and you have no idea how to do any of this yet.¡±

    He started pulling off the jeans and t-shirt and socks and went for his underwear but Enid stopped him

    ¡°Enough.  Pull those on, just like you¡¯re used to.  Good.¡±

    She reached down and pulled up his zipper and fastened the button.

    ¡°See how I did that?  Easy, just don¡¯t get things caught in the zipper.¡±

    She picked up the shirt and walked behind him.

    ¡°Lift up your left arm, now right.¡±

    She pulled the shirt closed at the front.  Started with one of the buttons.

    ¡°We had something similar you see how this works?¡±

    He nodded, she stood back and let him do up the buttons of the shirt.  She stepped up and fastened the last one.

    ¡°Now tuck it in.¡±Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    He blinked at her.  She started with the front, and he caught on and did the rest.  She looked down at the tie and shook her head and put it back in the closet.  He was already tugging at the collar, so she undid the top three buttons.   Then she rolled up his sleeves to just below the elbow.  The black vertical pin stripes had been the right choice.  She showed him how to wear a belt and then stood back.

    ¡°Now, now you look presentable.  Come on.¡±

    He looked at himself in the floor length mirror as they passed and blinked at his reflection touching his face and beard.

    ¡°You have water stuck in wood why does it not pour out?¡±

    Enid rolled her eyes.

    ¡°No father¡­just never mind for now, come along.¡±

    She led him into another room where she had prepared a green screen.  She lined him up in front of it and adjusted the tripod and digital camera she had set up.  She walked back and centered him on the screen.

    ¡°Okay, face straight no smile.¡±

    He sent back behind the camera and took several pictures.  She took the camera off the tripod and started going through them.

    ¡°Most look usable.¡±

    She pulled the memory card out of the camera and started walking out of the room and realized her father wasn¡¯t behind her, so she turned back and leaned through the door.

    ¡°Come.¡±

    She pulled her laptop out of her pack and opened it up.  The screen came to life after the fan blew loudly and her father jumped again.

    ¡°What is that?¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ll tell you later, just sit down.¡±

    She pointed to a chair beside her.  She slid the memory card into an adapter and plugged it in.  She zipped the file and uploaded to the secure site Eyre had prepared for this sort of thing.  She started reading a news site while she waited for Eyre¡¯s IM confirming she¡¯d received them.  Her father stared at her, finally speaking.

    ¡°How do you understand all this¡­this stuff?¡±

    ¡°Unlike you I¡¯ve been awake for the whole time I¡¯ve been alive. Adapt or die father.  I adapted, if you can then you¡¯ll be fine.  If not, then it¡¯s not my fault you end up dead.  Either way I have lived up to my commitment.¡±

    ¡°Was it me that made you so, cold?¡±

    ¡°No shit, father.  Turns out if you sexually abuse your child, they turn out to be assholes.  And I¡¯m not always like this, you bring out my worst.¡±

    She heard a ding on her laptop she saw it was Eyre asking for a video conference she sighed and clicked it.

    ¡°Eyre, what¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°Hey mom, just making sure I got the right photos.¡±

    She shared her screen showing the pictures Enid took.  Her father was staring at the screen after Eyre¡¯s face appeared on it.  He almost fell out of his chair when the image of him showed up.  Enid sighed.

    ¡°Yes, hon, those are him.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t look like he spent two thousand years under the ocean.¡±

    ¡°Well, I fed him blood and shaved him so he would not need to sort out his hair or beard.  Are they good enough?¡±

    ¡°Yes, perfect as usual mom.  And nice choice of shirt and pants.  I underestimated your fashion sense.¡±

    ¡°I still prefer combats and t-shirts.¡±

    ¡°Stay classy mom.¡±

    ¡°Love you too dear.¡±

    The messaging app blooped as the connect closed and she noticed her father was still staring at the screen.

    ¡°She was my granddaughter.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t mean you to even see her, but oh well.¡±

    ¡°Who is her father?¡±

    ¡°Not you.  If that is what you¡¯re thinking.  Her father was my 2<sup>nd</sup> husband and died centuries ago.¡±

    ¡°You are a good parent, I can see it on her face.  She loves you.  You never looked at me that way.¡±

    ¡°You could have been that kind of parent.  I¡¯m just glad I had Morag so I didn¡¯t turn into you.¡±

    Enid closed the computer lid and slid it into her pack.  Statis was amazing for ridiculous long battery life.

    ¡°What now?¡±

    ¡°We wait for Eyre to get your new name made.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Once you understand enough English I¡¯ll explain better.¡±

    *****

    A week after she¡¯d sent the photos her doorbell rang, and a courier was at the door.  He held out a padded envelope.  She signed his scanner and closed the door.  She sat down on the couch and opened the package.  Inside were two US passports and a new set of back info and two Washington licenses.  One set for her and one for her father.  A pilot¡¯s license for her, in her new name, and two USB sticks along with hard copies of their backstopped histories.  Enid smiled as she looked at her new name, marveling that her daughter had made her twenty-five instead of fifteen.  Her pleasure evaporated when she realized her name was Skylar.

    ¡°Uck, what kind of name is Skylar.  Blah.  I told her Samantha.  Oh well.

    Her father¡¯s was Charles Connor, he was ten years older than her and was apparently her brother.  She started leafing through her background.  Apparently, Skylar Connor is a budding commercial airline pilot, and her brother is a used car salesman, both were trust fund kids.  She nodded.  She had her appendix out when she was fifteen.  Enid chuckled.  She picked up her phone and hit the quick dial for Eyre.

    ¡°Hello mom.¡±

    ¡°Hey Eyre, I got the package.  I will make a flight plan and fly to Washington.   Thanks for the help again, but Skylar?  What kind of name is that?¡±

    ¡°Skylar is the name of a girl at your school.  You¡¯re using up so many new names I had to get creative.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a terrible name.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that mom, it¡¯s a perfectly decent name.¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay, I asked for Samantha.¡±

    ¡°Next time mom.  How are lessons going?¡±

    ¡°Oh, he was never unintelligent, just power hungry, greedy and an alcoholic.  So, he¡¯s doing well.  So far, we¡¯re doing grade 2 English.  I am also realizing I should never go into teaching.¡±

    ¡°Has he been behaving?¡±

    ¡°You know, I don¡¯t know if he is just acting the part or if his genuinely regretful.  I catch him looking at me with these sad eyes, like he wants to make it up to me but has no idea how he can ever do that.  Either way he hasn¡¯t touched me in any fashion, I¡¯m glad I am not sure how I might react.¡±

    ¡°Be careful mom.¡±

    ¡°Yes mom.¡±

    She heard Eyre snicker.

    ¡°It¡¯s just you can get a bit arrogant.¡±

    ¡°Arrogant?¡±

    ¡°You know what I mean, overconfident.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m being careful.  Have you arranged for the next few legs of the plane¡¯s journey?¡±

    ¡°Yes mom, it will take off from Washington with two passengers matching your descriptions and it will land in New York, then it will do the same and land in Cuba.  It will stay there for a week, and it will fly on to Africa, they¡¯ll be a malfunction and it will crash into the ocean.¡±

    ¡°Seems like a waste of a good plane.¡±

    ¡°Well, the cartel you stole it from doesn¡¯t need it anymore, do they?¡±

    ¡°What is really going to happen to it?¡±

    ¡°Landing it on our island, putting a tarp over it and they¡¯ll take a boat to Africa and split up from there.¡±

    ¡°Good.  And thanks for making Skylar a pilot and legal age.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for practical jokes mom.  I know the stakes.¡±

    ¡°Love you Eyre.¡±

    ¡°Love you mom.¡±

    Enid heard the phone hang up on her side and hung up hers.  She glanced out the window at the dull grey highlands sky and pulled her sweater tighter.

    ¡°Stupid amulet, now I¡¯m cold and damp.¡±

    She picked up the phone and started another video call.  She felt a slight bit warmer and smiled when she saw Allison answer in her bed-headed glory.  Enid was wearing her Sarah face still.

    ¡°Enid!¡±

    ¡°I meant to call a bit ago but my contact named my ID Skylar I had to give her shit.  How are you?¡±

    ¡°I miss you.  I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t call, I had an emergency two am last night.¡±

    ¡°Its alright.  You¡¯re busy, I¡¯m busy.¡±

    ¡°Will I see you soon?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry its going to be at least another month.¡±

    ¡°Aww.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should go away more often you¡¯re adorable when you pout.¡±

    ¡°So umm¡­can we¡­ do the thing again?¡±

    ¡°I have a few hours and I was feeling a bit cold¡­¡±

    Allison smiled.

    *****

    Enid shoved one of the pieces of luggage into her father¡¯s gut.

    ¡°Make yourself useful and carry this.  Let me do the talking.  Remember when they say ¡®passport¡¯ hand them the blue one, if they ask you if you had a nice stay, you say, ¡®yes¡¯.  If they ask you where you are heading you say, ¡®Seattle¡¯.  Smile, nod, just act like this is all very normal.  None of that wide eyed I¡¯m a primitive hick crap you¡¯ve been doing.¡±

    He took the handle of the piece of luggage, and she put her bag over her shoulder and picked up her own luggage.  She had no use for it with her pack, but she¡¯d taken to bring it along just to look normal.  The car she had requested showed up and the driver who was an older woman opened the trunk for them and they put their luggage in and got in the back seat.  Her father was doing his best to look calm; She¡¯d taken him for several drives to get him comfortable with cars.  The driver looked back at them as they stopped at a light.

    ¡°Where are you headed?¡±

    Enid was about to respond but then her father said in a decent english.

    ¡°Seattle.¡±

    ¡°Off to America then.  Not many flights out of Inverness direct.¡±

    Her father had exhausted his ability to understand the quick speaking woman and Enid pipped in.

    ¡°We¡¯re flying on a private plane.¡±

    ¡°Oh, fancy, must have cost a bit.¡±

    ¡°Yes, our parents were very well off before they passed, left it to us.  I¡¯ll be flying it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a pilot?¡±

    ¡°Yes I am.  I will be starting with a commercial airline soon, that¡¯s why we¡¯re heading home.¡±

    ¡°I thought you sounded American.  Just out here for vacation then?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  It was a good vacation.  Nice in quiet in Ullapool, so glad my friend loaned us her house.¡±

    Enid continued with the small chat using the time to get into her new identity.  As much as it annoyed her to have to deal with talkative drivers.  They finally arrived at the airport and her father was looking at the number of cars and people with wide eyes, even at 9pm it was packed and when a jetliner roared overhead he looked like he was going to jump out of his skin.  She grimaced and placed a hand on his wrist.

    ¡°Calm down, this is all normal remember.¡±

    He looked down at her hand which she snapped back and then to her green eyes, and he nodded.  She had done her best to avoid making skin to skin contact with him since he had arrived.  It made her feel like she had to bleach herself.  She picked up her suitcase and he mimicked her.  The pair walked into the airport.  She walked to the customs line, there was only one person in front of them.  She went first, offering her passport which the agent stamped nodding to her.  Her father mimicked her actions.

    ¡°Have a safe flight.¡±

    Enid¡¯s father just smiled and nodded as he had been instructed and followed her into the airport.  She walked to the terminal where the private plane waited.  It wasn¡¯t her personal one of course.  Nothing along this line besides the house and cars were hers.  If her father betrayed her, he wouldn¡¯t have much information to give anyone.  They were met by a member of the customs team as they walked through the exit doors towards the plane.

    ¡°Hello, just need your ID please, and confirmation of flight plan.¡±

    Enid smiled and nodded, showing her US pilot¡¯s license and her passport.  He shone a flashlight on her.

    ¡°Looks good.  Have a safe flight.¡±

    ¡°I hope the night doesn¡¯t get as rainy as it looks like it is.¡±

    ¡°You and me both Ms. Connor.¡±

    He handed back her documents and the ground crew pulled the door down for them. One of them handing Enid a maintenance and fueling report.

    ¡°Looks good, ma¡¯am.¡±

    Enid pointed up the stairs looked to her father.

    ¡°Go on, get on.  Take my bag with you.¡±

    He reached out and took it and walked up the stairs.  She started to walk around the private jet checking the extra fuel tanks, then started doing the rest of her external pre-flight checks.

    ¡°Everything alright Ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°Seems to be.¡±

    ¡°You used to be military, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±

    ¡°You looked like a fighter pilot before doing a sortie.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°One of my instructors told me, never trust someone else¡¯s eyes when you have enough time to use your own.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like flight school.  You just won me a bet.  One of the new guys was butt hurt you were inspecting our work.  I told him you were military.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Congratulations.¡±

    ¡°Have a safe flight ma¡¯am.¡±

    Enid glanced at the cloudy sky.

    ¡°Stay dry.¡±

    He laughed and walked off.  She walked up the stairs and pulled the door shut.  The stairs were rolled away.  Her father was looking around at the cabin which was ridiculously overdone in Enid¡¯s opinion.  The cartel had gone way too far in the direction of lush.  Way too much red and black.  She looked at her father.

    ¡°Come on, to the front.  Your libel to panic if you¡¯re back here.¡±

    ¡°What is this thing?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s called a jet.¡±

    ¡°Is it like a car?¡±

    ¡°In that it has engines tires, and chairs, yes, but no, there is an ocean between us and your new home.  We¡¯re flying.¡±

    His eyes went wide.

    ¡°Are you mad?  Is this¡­am I mad?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°You know how to do this, fly this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I used to fly one of these in war, it was smaller and had weapons, but yes, I know how to fly this.  Now come on.¡±

    She glanced down at her smartwatch.

    ¡°I have to finish pre-flight checks our take off time is in thirty minutes.¡±

    She opened the cockpit door and motioned him inside.  She pointed to the co-pilot¡¯s chair.

    ¡°Sit down there.¡±

    He sat down, she sat in the pilot¡¯s chair.

    ¡°Do what I do here.¡±

    She put her safety belt and he mimicked her.

    ¡°Now don¡¯t touch anything else.  Just sit there.¡±

    She pulled out her phone and pulled up the pre-flight checklist for this airplane and started going through all the instruments.  Finally, she started the engines and tested them. Her father jumped as they roared to life.  She glanced at him the back to her check list.  She radioed the tower providing their flight number and was given the go ahead to head to her runway.  Her father twitched again as the plane jerked into movement.

    ¡°I am sorry that you¡¯re going to have to deal with so much turbulence on your first flight. There is a storm coming and high winds.  It¡¯s going to get bumpy but we¡¯re safe, I know what I am doing.  Just don¡¯t touch anything and everything will be fine.¡±

    She flipped on her radio.

    ¡°Flight Six-four-four to New York City, ready for takeoff.¡±

    ¡°You have a strong headwind, 28 knots, you are cleared on runway one.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, flight control.¡±

    She pushed the throttle forward and the plane started to taxi, her father started clutching his knees as the plane lifted off.  It was shaking from the turbulence making the plane bump.  She made the turn to and set her bearing for New York.  When she broke through the low clouds the turbulence subsided.  She flicked on the autopilot after taking into the winds into account.  She put her head set down around her neck and looked at her father.

    ¡°It¡¯s like sailing on air.  If you can keep up sufficient speed the wings float along it like water.¡±

    He nodded at her, his eyes wide.

    ¡°You do this all the time.¡±

    ¡°Not as much as when I was in the navy but, I like flying, yes.  I miss those planes they would break the sound barrier.¡±

    He tried repeating the words.

    ¡°Sound barrier?¡±

    Enid pondered for a second.

    ¡°You know how you see lightning out over the ocean and then it takes time to hear the thunder?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°That¡¯s because light is faster than sound.  I used to fly planes that could go faster than sound.¡±

    He looked at her with wide eyes once again, then his face softened.

    ¡°I do not have words to describe how proud you make me, I see all these things I do not understand, and you do them with ease.  I cursed the gods for giving me a girl, when I should have been thanking them.¡±

    Enid shifted in her seat looking away from him and pulled her headset back up over her ears she focused on the window and her instruments. She didn¡¯t spare her father another look for the entire six hour flight.  She heard LaGaurdia acknowledge that she entered their airspace and they asked for a confirmation.

    ¡°Flight four-six-six out of Inverness, Scotland, landing for refueling before continuing to Seattle.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re early.¡±

    ¡°I had a good tailwind.  You have space for me?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have a runway open in fifteen minutes.  Take up a holding pattern at the following coordinates please.¡±

    She received the coordinates and started heading into that pattern.

    ¡°Roger¡±

    She glanced at her father who was looking out the window at the lights below.  It was a clear night, so New York was lit up below them.  She landed her plane when instructed to and stood up and stretched.  Not that she needed to, but it felt right she hung her head set on the back of the chair.  She walked to the door and opened it letting the fresh air rush in she hung her legs out of the door and watched the fuel tanker come up and start pumping into her tanks.  One of the ground crew walked up below her and looked up.

    ¡°Hey, you still had two full spare tanks.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I was expecting strong head winds, scheduled the refueling just in case.¡±

    He gave her a small salute.

    ¡°Welcome home.¡±

    Enid chuckled and returned the salute.  She noticed her father looking out the door behind her at the airport around them.

    ¡°We won¡¯t be here long.  I just wanted some fresh air.  This is New York.  Eastern side of the New World.  A whole set of continents we didn¡¯t even know existed in our little village.¡±

    ¡°New York.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you said that pretty well.¡±

    He smiled at her.

    ¡°If we do not need to breathe, why do you need fresh air?¡±

    ¡°Because it feels nice.  Why else?¡±

    ¡°I do not understand the air is not fresh it smells worse than rotting fish in the summer.  It clogs my lungs.  Catches in my throat.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°It¡¯s fresher than the recycled stuff in the cabin. That¡¯s called smog.  This is a big city, there are a lot of cars, and here planes.   Don¡¯t worry, Seattle is not this bad.¡±

    ¡°How do you talk to them so easily?  I smell the blood on them.¡±

    ¡°Thousands of years of practice.  Also, we fed before we left Scotland.  I¡¯m full.¡±

    She held up her hand when she saw the man from the ground crew approach again.

    ¡°Hey, she¡¯s all fueled up.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Anytime.¡±

    Enid hopped up and closed the door and locked it down.  She glanced at her smart watch which had updated itself to local time.

    ¡°If all goes well, we¡¯ll be in Seattle about four hours before dawn.¡±

    He looked at her watch then to her face.

    ¡°You seem so young still.¡±

    ¡°I am, I was turned when I was barely eighteen.¡±

    She walked to the pilot¡¯s chair and got in.  Her father got back in the co-pilots seat and put his belt on.  Enid got clearance and took off.  She looked to her father who was much calmer this time, the turbulence was minor at best.  She put autopilot once she hit altitude, she noticed her father trying to talk to her and she pulled her headset down.

    ¡°Yes, father?¡±

    ¡°How long until we on land again?¡±

    ¡°About three and a half hours.¡±

    ¡°Can you tell me what happened to our tribe?¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°I tricked you into killing the envoy, I got his son out of the village, the warriors that didn¡¯t surrender when they came for revenge were killed, anyone who didn¡¯t fight was welcomed into their tribe.  The alternative was you wiped out their tribe and had me murdered.  Then our tribe was wiped out by their allies.  My choice saved more lives.¡±

    He shifted in his seat looking down at the controls then back to her.

    ¡°I am sorry I¡­¡±

    ¡°The time for apologies is long past.  You were a terrible chieftain, a terrible father, and just terrible man.  I am giving you a second chance, do better.¡±

    ¡°I will.  Why are you giving me a second chance?¡±

    ¡°I told you, I need to learn to forgive people.  You are the hardest to forgive.¡±

    ¡°That is not the whole reason.¡±

    She sighed.

    ¡°My therapist said I will not be rid of my anger with you until I forgive you.  She also told me your punishment outweighed your crimes.¡±

    ¡°I remember you wouldn¡¯t talk to anyone, and you wouldn¡¯t bend knee even to me.  I, you have changed.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I have, it¡¯s been two thousand years.¡±

    ¡°It feels like it¡¯s been a few days to me.  But then I look at you and I remember¡­ and it feels like it was another lifetime, another person doing it.¡±

    He held his forehead.  Enid sighed.

    ¡°Look, this is strange for us both.  Once I get you situated and able to take care of yourself, we will separate and you can just move on.¡±

    He nodded.

 Washington - 2027 - The best laid plans... (Part 1/2)

    Enid looked at her father in the suit with the tie with a careful eye, they had spent the last month inside learning English and the modern world.  Enid straightened his tie.  She was wearing a different face then her own.  He kept looking at her strangely.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You can just do that?  Change how you look? I thought you said we were stuck like we were when we were turned.¡±

    ¡°I learned this from someone.  Now, we¡¯re going to see the local vampire Lord, when you enter a new Lord¡¯s territory you are required to announce your presence.  Kind of like how I described countries and their customs and borders.  It lets them know you¡¯re around and if you go missing, they can keep an eye out for you.  I¡¯m pretending to being the long-suffering spawn of an elder who was told to teach you the ropes after you were in a sleep for a long time.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Albert Smith.  But that is not what it says on these papers.¡±

    ¡°Those papers are for the human world, the vampires, don¡¯t care, we take and shed identities as required, who was your sire?¡±

    ¡°Palanius, a Roman vampire.¡±

    ¡°When were you turned?¡±

    ¡°Before Christ.¡±

    ¡°Good.  Good.  This is formality.  The local Lord is an asshat, but he doesn¡¯t tend to look too deeply at new vampires.  He knows my real face so hence the disguise.  Shall we?¡±

    Her father nodded and she led him to the car and drove to the Lord¡¯s court.  Which happened to be an Insurance Company¡¯s offices.  She parked in the lot and motioned for him to follow her.  She looked up at the glass walls.  Remembering the last time, she was here in the 1960¡¯s.  She walked up to the front doors and pressed the buzzer.

    ¡°We¡¯re new?¡±

    She waited patiently until the doors were opened by a couple of larger security guards.  The motioned them inside.  They were checked for weapons and motioned onwards.  Enid felt a presence in the building.  Her gift was giving her all sorts of bad feelings.  She put her hand on her father¡¯s arm, it was only the second time she had made non-necessary physical contact with him.  He looked at her as if sensing her unease.  She spoke in their native language.

    ¡°Something¡¯s not right.  Be on your guard.¡±

    ¡°The sight?¡±

    Enid nodded.  She released his arm and began to walk again the doors to the office which had been updated in the last sixty or, so years were opened by more security.  Inside sat the Lord, his name was Geoffry.  She knew he was created some time in the Middle Ages.  She kept catching glimpses of something out of the corner of her eye.  He stood up and shook their hands.

    ¡°So, you are newcomers to Seattle.  What brings you here?¡±

    ¡°My creator told me to bring him here to start a new life.  He just woke up after a long sleep.¡±

    Enid caught it again in her peripheral vision.  Someone carrying a stake.  She kept her eyes on the Lord in front of her.

    ¡°Let me stop you right there, Empress.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Your husband and the council have been looking all over for you, I¡¯ve been ordered to send you home.¡±

    Enid frowned.  He had this shit eating grin on his face like the cat that had just caught his mouse.

    ¡°You have a problem Pugmentia, I¡¯m here and they are not. Do you really want to do this?¡±

    He gave a small nod, and she felt the stake pierce her back.  When she glanced back and saw her third Seer Agatha, the least loyal stumbling backwards with wide eyes when Enid didn¡¯t suddenly collapse.  She had her hands up she was begging in Latin.

    ¡°Mercy mother, mercy!¡±

    Enid snarled and reached out her hand and clinched her fist and Agatha was lifted by an invisible force she was writhing as her bones started to compact. Then Enid lifted her silver sword with her other hand and pinned her through the heart onto the wall she twitched there.

    ¡°You are no longer my Seer or my Daughter, I mark you betrayer to your family and your oath.  When you leave here you will be hunted forevermore by your sisters.  May your death be swifter than I want to make it.¡±

    The Lord stumbled backwards against his armored wall his security and the other Pugmentia in the room started to trample each other to flee the wrath of the angry Goddess they had let into their midst.  She altered time and by the time anyone else in the room had noticed had the Lord pressed up against the reinforced wall next to Agatha.  She pulled the silver sword out of Agatha who collapsed on the ground.  She was still trying to heal the massive wounds Enid had inflicted on her.  She couldn¡¯t stand because her bones had been shattered into dust.  Enid slowly pressed the sword into the lord¡¯s shoulder watching the blue light flare as his skin burned around it.

    ¡°I am the Empress, the council and my former husband are pretenders.  You picked the wrong side.¡±

    She pulled the sword out and stepped back.  The Lord stayed there leaning against the wall.

    ¡°I did not know, I will be loyal to you.¡±

    ¡°Too late!¡±

    She looked down at Agatha who stared back up at her, her eyes wide with terror.  Enid snapped the magical blade in half she took the half with the point and let it hover over her hand and then flung it at the Lord and it pinned him to the wall through the heart.  She could smell his flesh sizzling.  Her father had pressed himself against the opposite wall watching his daughter with wide, frightened eyes.  Enid pulled Bloodseeker out of her pack and sliced it along Agatha¡¯s face and chest who screeched as her flesh sizzled under its touch. Then with one swift strike she lopped off the Lord¡¯s head.  She watched as everything that had been him was drawn into her blade.  She pointed it down at Agatha.

    ¡°I took the gift of beauty I gave you.  Now pray to your gods that you do not see my face again after this night Betrayer.  Because if you do, Bloodseeker will drink your soul.  That is the only mercy I will grant you.¡±

    She looked at her father.

    ¡°Change of plans, let¡¯s go before they recover.  I can take them all, but I can¡¯t protect you at the same time.¡±

    He was staring at the desiccated remains of the Lord.  He looked like he was going to vomit. Enid slapped him on the face.

    ¡°Snap out of it, once they regroup we¡¯ll have a real fight on our hands.  And you¡¯ll probably die.¡±

    She held out her hand to him.  He took it and she pulled him along behind her.  She caught a few stray silver bullets which she ignored for the most part.  The hail of bullets stopped after she let out a telekinetic burst that slammed all the furniture to the edges of the building.  By the time they reached the parking lot the security and vampires were running in every direction.  She saw someone back their van into their car.  She sighed, and looked around, saw a woman, or vampire who was female in life, struggling to unlock the door of a black SUV.  She grabbed her from behind and yanked the keys out of her hand.

    ¡°You should probably run now.¡±

    She tossed the vampire several feet.  She watched her turn into a blur as she ran away.  Enid unlocked the car and motioned for her father to get in.  She kicked off her heels, got in, and started the engine and slammed her legging covered foot on the gas running the car over the curb and some grass and onto the road.  The rear end swerved, and she felt it threatening to roll so she readjusted.  Bullets started to pelt the SUV.   She grabbed her father¡¯s head and pushed it down into the emergency break and her lap.  She held I there driving one handed.   She saw a car giving chase.  And the gunfire had stopped so she let her father¡¯s head up and grabbed the E-brake forcing the SUV to take a far sharper turn then it was meant to she felt it lift on two wheels then slam back down.  She pushed the emergency break down and slammed her foot on the gas and the SUV shot forward.  She saw the car skidding trying to stop and lose control and hit a lamp post.  She looked at her watch.

    ¡°Helen call Enid.¡±

    Enid waited while the phone rang.  She heard it pick up.

    ¡°Mom, how¡¯d the meeting to go with the Lord of Seattle?¡±

    Just then another car appeared behind them.  The SUV wasn¡¯t the fastest thing in the world.  There was another hail of bullets from behind shattering the rear window.

    ¡°We had a setback.¡±

    ¡°Were those gunshots mom?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°This was in no way my fault.  They knew who I was and tried to take me home to Lucius.¡±

    ¡°How the hell did they think that would end?¡±

    ¡°Not the way it did, they had one of my Seers there, Agatha.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, did she hurt you?¡±

    ¡°Hardly.  Is Elizabeth still there?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Put her on.¡±

    She waited while the phone changed hands.  She swerved around another corner.  Her father had his hand on the grip above his door his knuckles were white.  He seemed to be having trouble processing the nights events.

    ¡°Empress, how may I serve you?¡±

    ¡°I have broken Agatha¡¯s sword, she is branded a traitor.  Her blood is forfeit.  Let all the Seer¡¯s know.  A hunt is called.¡±

    There was a long pause.

    ¡°I will spread the word, Empress.  We will take back what she has by her own hand forsaken.  Do you need help?  We have another Seer in Seattle Empress.¡±

    ¡°No, tell her to hunt Agatha.  Put Eyre back on please daughter.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Empress.¡±

    Enid¡¯s tires squealed and the SUV went up on two wheels again as she made another near impossible turn.

    ¡°Mom, what do you need?¡±

    ¡°A clean car.  I have our back up ID¡¯s.  We¡¯re going to have to ditch this thing its full of bullet holes.  I¡¯m going to steal one, but I¡¯ll need a car with clean tags and registration to get across the border.¡±

    ¡°Are you crossing at Blaine?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have one waiting for you there.  Check the usual place.¡±

    ¡°Okay.  I need to assume my cell and smart watch are compromised.  I will plant them so I will be radio silent until I can get a burner.¡±

    ¡°Good luck mom.  Come home safe.¡±

    ¡°You know I always do eventually.¡±

    Enid tapped her watch and pulled into the lot of a closed furniture store.  She saw two cars approaching at a high speed.

    ¡°Father, you need to get your head down and stay down.  I¡¯ll deal with this¡­mess.¡±

    He looked at her.

    ¡°I am a warrior, I can fight.¡±

    ¡°I know, but I swore I would keep you safe until you were prepared, you are not prepared, this is my duty as your adoptive sire.  Our people take that promise seriously, stay down and stay out of my way.¡±

    Enid got out of the car and reached into her pack and pulled out an RPG launcher and casually put it on her shoulder.  She saw the cars trying to turn around, but one was too slow.  She launched the RPG and hit in the passenger compartment.  The sports car exploded in a fireball that lit up the nights sky.  She let the RPG launcher dangle over her shoulder and glanced back at her father who had not done as she had told him and was instead looking between her and the wreckage of the car, she had just incinerated.  She shrugged.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going to fight fair.  Get out.  We need to torch this one too.¡±

    She reached in thought of an incendiary grenade for the launcher and it formed in her hand and she slid it into the barrel.  She motioned for him to stand back with her.  She stood about fifty feet away and launched the RPG again and the SUV was engulphed in flames.  She slid the launcher into her pack and dusted her hands off.  Her father was staring down at her.  His face showing a mixture of awe, pride and horror.

    ¡°You¡­  they¡­  they had no chance against you.  You just squashed them like they were insects.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t start this fight.  They did.  I was just going about my business.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t even touch that woman and you crushed every bone in her body.  And that sword.  That sword is so evil.  I could feel it hungering for me.  And that fire launching stick.  Is there no magic you cannot do?¡±

    ¡°Necromancy.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Come on father, we need to go, they¡¯ll get their confidence up again.  Thinking I ran out of ammo.  I haven¡¯t, I have crate of the grenades in here.¡±

    She patted her pack.  He nodded and followed her.  She ran into an Alleyway.  Once there she pulled off her blood covered clothes and pulled on her Atlantean armor and let the hair and facial features change.  When she finished and turned around, he was leaning on one of the walls behind her.  He was staring at her back.  She snapped her fingers then slapped him again.

    ¡°Snap out of it.  We need to move.¡±

    She stuffed the bloody clothes she¡¯d just removed into her pack and started moving on.  Her father blinked; He looked a bit sick to his stomach which was ridiculous considering he was a vampire.  She groaned and shoved him forward.  He finally started moving after that he kept looking at Enid¡¯s back.  She saw pulled him close and pulled the shadows around the pair when a police cruiser drove by slowly.  She cursed under her breath.  She tugged him along and clocked a dealer and his protection on the street.  They were leaning on a car that would do for her purposes.  An early 2000¡¯s black sports car.  Fast enough to evade police cruisers, non-descript enough to fly under the radar and owned by criminals who likely wouldn¡¯t report it stolen. She pushed her father against a nearby wall.

    ¡°Stay here.¡±

    He nodded.  Enid vanished from his sight and when he peaked around the corner, he saw her tear out of the shadows. With a flying knee to the back of one of their heads.  Then the second protector pulled out his gun she pressed it to his chest and twisted snapping his wrist.  Then struck him under the chin with her palm.  He went up in the air half a foot and before he hit the ground Enid¡¯s hand had stuck the dealer himself in the neck with enough force to cause him to choke.  The first man she hit had started to get up and she brought her foot up catching him in the chin and he fell back down.  She took their guns and put them in her pack.  The dealer was staring at her while gasping for breath the other two were too out of it to give any further struggle.  She looked at the dealer and leaned down her hand out.

    ¡°Keys.¡±

    He shook his head while rage staring at her.  She put her foot over his knee which was just past the curb while he lay on the street.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to make this bend in a way it was never intended then while you¡¯re trying to scream but can¡¯t I¡¯m going to take them anyway, so keys, please.¡±

    He tried to spit at her but couldn¡¯t manage it while choking.  She shrugged stepped on his knee there was terrible popping sound and he tried to scream but couldn¡¯t, then she searched his pockets for his keys and his wallet.  She looked down at him again.

    ¡°Should have just given me the keys.¡±

    She motioned to her father to follow her.  He looked at the three men she had just thoroughly disabled without the use of any of her vampiric abilities and looked back at her and got in the car.

    ¡°You don¡¯t even need to be a vampire to be dangerous, do you?¡±

    ¡°No, I do not.  It¡¯s actually easier to fight humans without our powers because then I don¡¯t have to restrain myself so much.  One slip up and they¡¯re dead if I¡¯m using my full strength.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill them?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t need to; I just needed their car.¡±

    She started digging through the compartments as they drove and tossed several bags of drugs onto the road but slipped several rolls of cash into her pack.   He watched her doing all of this still with little context.  She looked down at the fuel gage.

    ¡°Full tank of gas, we¡¯ll get to Blaine, get a motel room, get you somewhere dark, then tomorrow night we¡¯ll go across to Canada.  Fuck, fuck, fuck.  This should have been easy, how the hell did they figure out who I was?¡±

    Her father rode silently beside her while she talked through the situation, not really addressing him at all.  He kept glancing at her then back out the window.  Enid had lapsed into silence lost in her own thoughts.  Her father finally spoke up.

    ¡°Where are we going? What is this Canada?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a country to the North.  We¡¯re going home, well my home.  I didn¡¯t want you anywhere near it but it¡¯s the only real safe space we have.  The vampires in the city there know their place and leave us alone.  I was hoping because the Lord in Seattle was so loose with the rules we could slide under the radar, get you introduced and just be done.  I fucking swear this is the worst fucking outcome besides both of us being dead.¡±

    ¡°Why did you not want to take me home?¡±

    ¡°Because I can¡¯t trust you.  You beat me, raped me, repeatedly and tried to kill me.  A year ago, you¡¯d be dead right now and I would have enjoyed it.  Why would I let you near my daughter?  My sister, or my charge?  I¡¯d have to be insane.¡±

    He nodded in agreement.

    ¡°You should drop me off here.¡±

    Enid blinked at him.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Stop the car, let me out, I will not be your burden any longer.  You have proven you can show mercy to the man you hate most in the world.  There is no need to torture yourself further.  Or take me back.  I¡¯ll kill those vampires until they kill me, or they capture me.  I¡¯ll tell them you went back to Scotland.  Let me protect you like I should have when you were a child.¡±

    His voice was calm.  She sensed no anger in his voice, no resentment, her gift knew he was ready to do this, and his motives weren¡¯t selfish.  She looked at him again then back to the road shaking her head.

    ¡°No.  I claimed you as my charge.  I take that seriously and I will not just dump you here.  You can¡¯t win me back with an act of sacrifice, you can¡¯t redeem yourself.¡±

    ¡°I am not trying to win you back, or redeem myself, I¡¯m trying to protect my child.  I know you could just go home right now if you wanted, but you aren¡¯t because you¡¯re protecting me.  I refuse to do you more harm.  Every moment you spend with me is torturing you.  I can see it in your eyes.  Stop the car, let me out, let me do one good thing for you with what I have left of this existence.¡±

    ¡°Your sacrifice would be useless, they aren¡¯t after you, they¡¯re after me and Lucius would know I wouldn¡¯t lift a finger to help you if you begged.  At least that is what he would remember.  You wouldn¡¯t even slow them down.¡±

    ¡°I am slowing you down.  You are taking risks you otherwise would not.  I saw you in that place, you knew it was trap, but you went in anyway, desperate to be rid of me, and I cannot blame you. Now you have branded your own child a traitor and are on the run.¡±

    ¡°That was different.¡±

    ¡°Was it?  She was helpless, begging you for mercy.  You have a darkness in you that I put there.¡±

    ¡°She betrayed me and everything she swore to uphold.  It has nothing to do with you.¡±

    ¡°I suspect it has everything to do with me daughter.  It is what I would have done when you were a child.  I likely would have killed her at the end, but not you, no you decided to let her live so she could be hunted down like a dog.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re judging me.  You of all people, butcher, rapist, abuser.  I let her live because if I had killed her, her immortal soul would have been obliterated to feed my sword.  She can live, all she has to do is avoid her sisters.¡±

    ¡°You turned her sisters against her, your other daughters.  Now you are going to force them to hunt her.  You have a monster in you daughter.  One I am the cause of, I can never make amends for that, but I can stop torturing you with my presence.¡±

    ¡°No!  I will not let you question my actions.  There are laws, laws that need to be enforced equally for all.  An assault against the Empress is an assault against law, the consequences are death.¡±

    ¡°Yet you did not kill her when you had her at your mercy.  Is it because you cared too much, or because you wanted her to suffer first?¡±

    Enid growled at him trying not to speed as much as she wanted to slam her foot on the gas.

    ¡°You had her in your grasp, you broke every bone in her body I heard them snap one by one.  That wasn¡¯t done in the heat of anger, it was calculated to maximize suffering and fear.  I know how fast you can move, you could have used her sword and beheaded everyone there before any of them could blink.  You wanted them to see a Reaper beg for mercy, their nightmare tossed around like a straw toy, you wanted them to run, to spread the word of how powerful you are.  I saw it in your eyes, you were relishing in their fear.¡±

    Enid scoffed staring at the road.

    ¡°You wanted her to be an example to her sisters, this is what happens when you betray your mother so they know fear.  As you saw me do in the village when warriors betrayed me.  Tell me daughter, your enemy, the Black Son, what would he have done in that situation?¡±

    Enid didn¡¯t respond to him.  He lapsed into silence and looked back out at the passing scenery.  After several minutes he spoke again.

    ¡°You can grant me all the mercy and forgiveness in the world, but if you cannot be merciful to your own child, who in her mind was just trying to take you home to your loving husband, how can you hope to do it for your worst enemy who has been trying to kill you for a couple thousand years?  I am sorry I have done this too you.¡±

    He sighed heavily and looked back out the window.  Enid stared at the road ahead.  The truth her father had just laid bare before her stung worse than any of the physical trauma he had inflicted on her as a child.  She thought about what Junpei, Sextus, and Nobuyuki would think of her behavior towards Agatha tonight and felt a deep cutting shame.  She felt blood dripping down her cheeks from her eyes.  Her father noticed the blood.

    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding are alright?¡±

    Enid just nodded, unable to form words.  She wanted to pull over and curl up in a ball.  All these years and her abusive biological father was the only one who could get through her thick skull what Jesus, God, Jenpei, Sextus, Eyre, Nobuyuki and so many others had been trying to tell her.  Even Lucius.  The truth was, she had a monster inside her, and it needed the monster that created it to bring it into the light.

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Yes, god damnit, when vampires cry we have no other fluids in our body¡¯s besides blood.  So, its blood.  Shut up and let me focus on the road, I think you¡¯ve said enough.¡±

    ¡°Enid, let me get out, I¡¯m slowing you down.¡±

    ¡°No, I promised I would protect you until you were ready to be on your own.  I¡¯m going to keep that promise if it kills me.¡±

    ¡°I am not worth it.¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t, but my principles are, it is apparently the only thing I have left in me that are of any value to the world.  Now shut up.¡±

    As if to reinforce the point she turned the radio on and pressed a random channel button.  Enid sighed as Into Dust by Mazzy Star started playing.  It suited her mood, so she left it be.  Her father looked back out at the passing trees.  They reached the outskirts of Blaine.  Enid parked on an overlook and got out of the car and wiped the dried blood from her face.  She looked at her father who had also gotten out of the car.  He stepped away from the overlook.  Enid lifted the car over her head using the armor¡¯s strength to enhancer her vampiric strength and heaved it with an overhand throw.  It crashed into the water and started sink.  Enid had left the windows open.  Inside it were her cell phone and smart watch.  She dusted her hands off and looked to her father.

    ¡°How heavy is that?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Couple of horses?¡±

    He blinked at her and looked out at the sinking car.

    ¡°I hope you never have future cause to hit me.¡±

    She shook her head and the pair started walking along the side of the road Blaine.  She stopped at the first motel they saw.  She pulled out a mirror and adjusted her body and features to match one of her ID¡¯s.  Her father watched her, still amazed by the process.

    ¡°If I asked you to teach me that, would you?¡±

    Enid paused and looked at him with her now brown eyes.

    ¡°I would, but you would need to share something equally of value.  Also, you¡¯d have to drink more of my blood which would risk you becoming bound to me.¡±

    ¡°You are my daughter; I am already bound to you for life.  Neither of us has a choice in that.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Perhaps if, if I agree to see you after you are considered an adult in our society and you discover a valuable ability to trade then I would be willing.¡±

    She went back to adjusting her features.  Unless she had the form memorized which was difficult to do with more than two or three different shapes she it took her several minutes to transform.  She could become Sarah, Old Sarah, or Melanie at a whim or revert to her true shape, anything else took a lot of effort and blood.  She looked at the mirror and the ID to ensure she matched.  Alice Dunn had brown hair, brown eyes and was a photojournalist, she was also thirty years old, and slightly chubby.  Enid was starting to realize she changed identities like other women changed make up and outfits.  Once satisfied she put the mirror away and pulled out a thousand in US dollars.

    ¡°Well let¡¯s go get shelter for you.¡±

    The pair walked to the front of the Motel and walked inside.  It was right next door to a no tell motel, but at this point Enid didn¡¯t care.  When it came to sunlight any port in the storm was the vampire motto.  She opened the door and let her father go in first.  The harsh flickering fluorescent lights were doing no one any favors.  The person behind the desk was a larger goth girl wearing a black shirt that declared, ¡®The world is burning¡¯.  She was leaned over a thick textbook.  Which Enid noticed was a bar exam prep book.  The girl didn¡¯t look up.  Enid tapped the bell.  The girl responded by lifting one finger tipped with black nail polish and continued to read.  After five more minutes she looked up at the pair through a pair of large black framed glasses.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯d like a room for three days.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you would.¡±

    Enid did her best to ignore the implied tone of her words.  She narrowed her eyes at the woman and slammed her ID on the desk.

    ¡°Preferably something with the least windows possible.¡±

    The woman raised an eyebrow.  Enid tapped her fingers on the counter.  The woman looked between them.  Enid fought the urge to tug her across the desk and punch her as much as it would be therapeutic for her right now.

    ¡°That will be three hundred dollars, and I¡¯ll need a card, please.¡±

    Enid slapped the thousand dollars on the counter.

    ¡°Room key.¡±

    Enid reached out her hand and wiggled her fingers in a gimme motion.

    ¡°No need to be rude.¡±

    Enid took a deep breath as the woman picked up the money and counted through it slowly.  Pulling out three hundred dollars and putting it aside.  Then sliding the rest across the counter.

    ¡°Card please.¡±

    Enid slid the money back towards her.

    ¡°Just take the cash, keep whatever is left over in the morning I don¡¯t care, room key now.¡±

    The woman muttered something under her breath and held up her finger and started looking through her computer and glancing up at the pair every time she changed a screen.  With a frown she took the money and put a key on the counter.

    ¡°Check out is at elven am.  Room cleaning is at 12.¡±

    Enid reached into her pack and put another three hundred on the counter.

    ¡°Make sure no one bothers us at all, for three days.  Understand?¡±

    The woman took the money and counted it, narrowing her eyes at the pair again, then with her same snarky voice said.

    ¡°Enjoy your stay.¡±

    Enid took the key and spun around storming out of the office her father following behind her glancing back at the person behind the desk.

    ¡°I am still new with this language, was she being rude?¡±

    ¡°No, she was being a power tripping bitch.  Mortals, give them a bit of power and they think themselves kings of their world.¡±

    She stopped and looked back at the office.  She looked up at her father.

    ¡°Wait here.¡±

    She walked back to the office, and he watched through the window as Enid leaned over the desk staring the girl in the eyes.  The woman stood up and kissed her, Enid pulled her neck close and bit into it drinking deeply then let her go and walked back out licking her lips.

    ¡°You, just bit her.¡±

    ¡°I used a lot of blood tonight.  Our supply is back in Seattle.  I figured it¡¯s the least she could do.¡±

    ¡°How did you seduce her so fast?¡±

    ¡°I used my powers, don¡¯t worry, there were no cameras.¡±

    ¡°Oh, those are what I need to look for before I use anything flashy, or bite someone.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°May I go drink?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯ll die if we take much more.  Also, I didn¡¯t force her to kiss me.  I just asked if she liked women, and if she was rude because she thought I was attractive and asked her if she wanted to kiss me.  Obviously, she did.  So, I doubt she¡¯d be open to your advances.  Not that you¡¯ve had a problem with that in the past.¡±

    He tugged on his collar and didn¡¯t meet her annoyed look.  She unlocked the door and shoved it inwards.  She stepped inside and closed the door and locked it, and the internal locking bar.  She looked in the bathroom, confirmed there were no windows.

    ¡°Sun is up in twenty, twenty-five minutes.  I¡¯m going to leave now, when I do, you will lock the door just like this.¡±

    She pointed at the door and both of the locks.  Both the keyed one and the bar.

    ¡°Then you¡¯re going to go in there and lock the door as well.  And put these over you in the tub.¡±

    She grabbed the thick blanket and comforter off the bed and shoved them in his arms. Nearly knocking him off balance.

    ¡°Got it?¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡±

    ¡°Sun doesn¡¯t bother me anymore.  You didn¡¯t think I had my own secret room in the houses, did you?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ve been doing this for way longer than you.  Follow my instructions to the letter and you won¡¯t be ashes in the morning.  I won¡¯t be able to watch the room I have things I need to do so we can get on the road as soon as possible after dark tonight.¡±

    ¡°You got the room for three days¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, and if anyone traced us here, they¡¯ll waste resources watching the room for two extra days hoping we¡¯ll come back.¡±

    ¡°But you changed your face.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t affect our scent and we have vampires who are excellent trackers.  I¡¯ll get a room somewhere else and get changed and cleaned up.  Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll use a credit card there to draw their attention away from you.¡±

    ¡°Stay in the room until I knock on the door and tell you it¡¯s me.  I¡¯ll tell you the name of your hunting dog that way you¡¯ll know it¡¯s me.  Actually wait¡­Lilith knows that.  First English word you learned. Okay?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Are you sure you will be safe?¡±

    ¡°You saw me take an army of vampires on while in the midst of their stronghold, do you really think anything can hurt me now?¡±

    He sighed and shook his head.

    ¡°Just be careful.¡±

    Enid looked up at her father who was a foot taller, and her gift sensed only genuine fatherly concern which vexed her.

    ¡°You know if you¡¯d just behaved like this when I was three, six, or ten even, we¡¯d both be long dead and would have lived happy lives. It¡¯s a little late to be the concerned father.¡±

    She put the room key on the nightstand, unlocked the door and stepped outside.  She looked up at her father again.

    ¡°Your concern is unnecessary but appreciated, you should be worried about yourself, lock the doors, cover yourself up, I¡¯ll see you after nightfall.  If you think of it, maybe grab a shower after you wake up.¡±

 Washington - 2027 - The best laid plans... (Part 2/2)

    Enid closed the door of her father¡¯s motel room and walked a few steps. She leaned against the wall and hugged herself looking back at the door. This whole situation was causing her a mix of emotions she was having trouble processing, she was disgusted by his concern. Even if she hated him enough that she still wanted to kill him, she still loved him in a strange he¡¯s my father sort of way. She wished Dr. Anderson was nearby for an appointment because this was messing with her head in a serious way. She took several deep breaths as the sun crested the horizon and shined on her. The knots in her stomach came on making her want to throw up, but her stomach was empty so she dry heaved a few times. She took several deep breaths while holding her gut. She pushed herself off the wall and willed the gloves away. It was probably quarter after five by now based on the clock she¡¯d seen in the room. The sun had risen fully, and she was bereft of all her abilities. Part of her wanted to find a dark hole to hide in so she wouldn¡¯t have to process these emotions as a mortal but there wasn¡¯t time for that. She walked to the shoreline and found a dry storm drain and hopped inside after ensuring no one was looking.

    She closed her eyes and let the vampire out when the darkness engulfed her. She sniffed the air and she determined she was alone. She took a deep breath and pulled out her mirror and adjusted her features, so she had long black hair and blue eyes. She let her body take its normal shape, that of a lithe small-chested eighteen-year-old. She pulled off her Atlantean bodysuit and swapped it for a sundress and a pair of sneakers. She grabbed sunglasses out of the purse and put them on to complete her outfit. She looked in the mirror one last time to make sure she didn¡¯t have two noses then climbed out of the storm drain and up onto the walk. She glanced around to ensure no one had seen her and walked into the city. She saw American flags everywhere. Then realized that it was the Friday before Independence Day. The sidewalks were still less deserted at 6:30 am, she spotted an open coffee shop. She hated their stores; The coffee smell was so strong and their food was not the best. But it had seats and food. She crossed the road and went inside. She ordered one of their overpriced lemonades and a sandwich with sausage, bacon and eggs. The barista reconfirmed her order after looking up at what appeared to be a skinny teenager girl. Enid paid the bill with a nice tip and sat down and availed herself of the free wifi after glancing around to ensure no one was watching her she pulled one of her throwaway laptops out of her extradimensional pack and booted it up and connected it to the wifi. She took a bite of the sandwich and started searching for the online ad Eyre would have posted with the location of the car and new ID¡¯s. She found it and pulled out a pen and a paper and started decoding the message.

    She noticed a shadow pause near her and glanced up, it was a guy about the apparent age of her current face, she flipped the pad over and closed her laptop and looked up at him.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I was just wondering, if¡­you wanted another lemonade? Maybe some company?¡±

    Enid did an internal eye roll.

    ¡°No thank you.¡±

    She quirked her head in a polite, but firm move on motion. Enid was in no mood for mortal company, or company of any kind at the moment. She gave a small sigh of relief when the teenage boy seemed to get the hint, she looked around at the much busier coffee shop then went back to her decoding. She sent an email from one of her many anonymous email accounts asking for some more details about the offer, with an encoded message that she¡¯d received the drop location and time. She closed her laptop and stood up grabbing it under her arm and her garbage with the other and tossed it out.

    She was about to leave when she realized it was still so early that nothing would be open, so she turned around and walked the counter and ordered another sandwich and lemonade and walked back to her seat and opened the laptop. Logged onto her favored social media platform and started browsing with one of numerous throwaway accounts. She ate the sandwich while it was warm but took her time with the lemonade. Mostly to avoid overextending her now very mortal bladder over any need to save money. Shortly after 8:30 one of the staff came over and looked down at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you to order something more or you¡¯re loitering.¡±

    Enid looked up at her put a fifty on the table.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do with it, just pretend I ordered another drink.¡±

    The staff member glanced back at her manager who wasn¡¯t paying attention and scooped the fifty up and gave Enid a nod. Enid had another lemonade put on the table beside her with a few coins.

    ¡°Your change.¡±

    Enid picked it up.

    ¡°Keep it, all of it.¡±

    The woman nodded and walked back behind the counter. The drink sat there untouched for another hour and a half before Enid gave in and drank it. She realized her bladder was swimming now and sighed she scooped up her laptop and went to the washroom once out of site she put it in the pack did her business and walked out the front door. The woman she¡¯d given the fifty too waved at her, Enid nodded in return. She looked at her empty wrist. Musing that it had only taken her fifty years to get accustomed to having a wristwatch on at all times.

    She walked to the parking lot and found the Blue SUV with British Columbia plates she was expecting and punched the code in to unlock the door and got in. Inside the glove compartment she found a map with the best route to take and stop highlighted for where they should be before sunrise. She grabbed the keys from under the visor and started the SUV up and backed out and started driving south to Bellingham her searches at the coffee shop indicated that was the best place to get a few burner phones. She used the uneventful ride to get her head on straight. Her father¡¯s overnight insights had shaken her paradigm of belief about herself. She always saw herself as the good guy, just doing what she needed to, to keep the peace, but she was just as much a monster as he was, as the Black Son in her own way. There were more than a few tears. She finally pulled into the big box electronics store and wiped the tears from her face.

    She pulled the rolls of cash she¡¯d stolen from the drug dealer the night before and started to count them out. She was surprised to see with the money from his pockets and the car there was almost twenty thousand dollars. She counted out four thousand and put it in the bag proper instead of the extra dimensional space. She put the rest in her resealable plastic bag of drug money. She kept is separate because she assumed drug dogs could smell it on the cash since she could when she was at full strength. She replaced her sneakers with low wedges before heading into the store. She walked to the cell phone portion and looked around for someone to assist her. An older woman approached her, she appeared to be a salesperson.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    ¡°I need six phones, no contract, pay as you go, sim cards, 100 US/Canada minutes each, 1 terabyte each.¡±

    She blinked at Enid.

    ¡°We could do that on a pla-¡±

    ¡°I said no contract or plan. If that isn¡¯t possible, I¡¯ll go somewhere else.¡±

    Enid cut her off and started to turn to leave.

    ¡°Wait, what kind of phones are you looking for you?¡±

    ¡°Older models are fine.¡±

    The woman pulled out six Nebula phones released in twenty twenty five. After about half an hour of typing at her computer she finished. Enid paid in cash and took them to her car and put them in her pack. She started the car and turned on the air conditioner, she just sat there with the car running for a half an hour staring out at the cars passing. She finally snapped out of her fugue and pulled one of the phones out and made a call.

    ¡°Hello, Allison speaking.¡±

    ¡°Hello Allison.¡±

    ¡°Oh Enid, I didn¡¯t recognize this number!¡±

    ¡°Ya I broke my phone and I¡¯m nowhere near where I can replace it.¡±

    ¡°Can we video call? No one¡¯s around, I¡¯m dodging the company lunch. Tyrone is going to be there.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­probably not a good idea, I¡¯m not looking like myself today.¡±

    ¡°Please?¡±

    ¡°This phone sucks. I had to buy a crappy one. I¡¯ll be in town in a couple of days anyway.¡±

    ¡°You will? I thought you weren¡¯t going to get here before September!¡±

    ¡°Change of plans. I¡¯m just actually at the border now. Going to take my time so I don¡¯t get into any accidents¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay. When can I see you?¡±

    ¡°How does breakfast in three days sound?¡±

    ¡°In bed?¡±

    ¡°Wherever you want it.¡±

    Enid heard a phone ringing on the other end.

    ¡°I have to go Enid. I love you!¡±

    ¡°I love you too, see you in a couple of days.¡±

    Enid hung up and left the parking lot and went looking for a gas station. After she filled the tank, she drove around for a while longer. During her wandering she saw a Catholic Church, its doors open wide. She sighed at the idea, but she parked in its lot. She walked up the steps and looked inside. She knew churches weren¡¯t anything special, no weird holiness about them. They were just buildings for gatherings to take place, but she still paused there. Her father¡¯s honest words echoing in her head. Surely God would see by now she was not the champion he needed, it should be Maria or Eyre. She heard a woman¡¯s voice behind her. She glanced back; It was an elderly woman wearing a Nun¡¯s habit.

    ¡°The church is open to all, is something amiss young lady?¡±

    Enid opened her mouth to respond but she wasn¡¯t sure what to say. Something was terribly amiss but what could a human do? They couldn¡¯t understand the depth of her monstrousness and not feel the need to report it to someone, anyone. The elderly woman walked past and inside motioning for Enid to enter. Enid shook her head.

    ¡°Come child, sit, relax.¡±

    Enid shifted then finally gave in, perhaps the woman was a sign, perhaps sitting and just taking a breath is what she needed. The elderly woman smiled and walked inside further dipping her fingers in the holy water and crossing herself, Enid did the same and the elderly nun walked to the front pew and pulled out her rosery. Enid saw no one else in the chapel. She took a seat at one of the pews and stared up at the cross that held the representation of her beloved nephew. She felt a hand on her shoulder but suddenly became lost in a memory from almost two thousand years ago.

    She remembered him there in pain. She had watched from the shadows unable to set foot in the sun. Had she wanted, she could have lasted long enough to rescue him, but she did not rescue him. He told her this was his time and the way it had to be. She remembered sitting beside him on the bench in the gardens before he was arrested. The words he had told her to never repeat. Most of which she had forgotten until this very moment. She felt peace enter her once again, as it had when Gabriel had touched her cheek and called her sister. She could hear his voice again. Feel his hand on hers. The same peace had come over her on that evening.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°You have suffered as I will soon suffer, you are angry, and you are hurt. The scars still mar your flesh and your soul. You seek to save me from such suffering but is through suffering that we become strong. You see a human of flesh and blood before you, but I am the lord of all creation. To fulfill the covenant with my children, I must suffer as they suffer, earn the strength it grants through the blood and pain of this body. You have a good soul, the best of hearts, you need to let them win out over your anger and your rage. I see you, Enid. I have always been with you. I was with you as your mother tried to drown you. I was with you as your father whipped you. I was with you when you lay bleeding in the snow. How proud I was of you, choosing to die before your time to save a few lives. I will be with you as you suffer in the future. I shall mourn with you. I shall hold your hand when you bare the daughter who will remind you of your humanity. I shall be with you when you face your worst fears and grant them mercy. I shall be with you when it is your time to make the sacrifice of love. As I will make the sacrifice of love tomorrow. On that day, I will be with you as you set aside your blade and embrace your enemy as a dutiful wife should. Be strong, be merciful when you shouldn¡¯t, forgive those you cannot, in doing this you will find me within you. I have always been, and always will be your true mother and father. You will forget what was said until it is time child.¡±

    She heard the voice of the elderly woman behind her.

    ¡°The time is now, sister.¡±

    Enid looked back and it was the elderly nun, as their gazes met Enid recognized the eyes. They were Gabriel¡¯s. Enid felt tears on her cheeks. She stood up and hugged Gabriel tightly clutching onto her as if her life depended on it. Her voice was full of desperation.

    ¡°Am I the monster my father said I am?¡±

    ¡°The man who raised you, speaks with wisdom, but remember your true father forgives all for those who are truly repentant and ask for his mercy. The purpose that man served was to make the true depth of your sins clear before you so that you know what to ask forgiveness for.¡±

    Gabriel put her hands on Enid¡¯s cheeks and wiped away her tears with her thumbs.

    ¡°I have done such things¡­ and I was arrogant enough to think I was in the right.¡±

    ¡°Sister, you are filled with righteous wrath. It is your birthright. You are his avenging angel and always have been, but stuck in this mortal shell, how could you do but to be wrathful? I am so proud of you. You have sacrificed much and have much yet left to sacrifice. You understand love in a way none your brothers and sisters can. Soon your wrath will be used to save everything you love. You just need to ensure in the future it is directed to those who deserve it.¡±

    ¡°How can he possibly forgive me?¡±

    ¡°He already has sister. Now you must forgive yourself that is the hard part.¡±

    Enid nodded. Gabriel pulled Enid close and hugged her tightly. Enid felt like she was home in a way she hadn¡¯t felt since Lucius had embraced her the first time.

    ¡°Gabriel, how did they know last night?¡±

    Gabriel looked up then back down to Enid as if asking permission.

    ¡°The enemy has eyes everywhere. Even in Scotland.¡±

    Enid blinked flicking through all the people she¡¯d seen in their time in Ullapool. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily remembering the chatty airport driver and her neighbor.

    ¡°Thank you, Gabriel. I understand my enemy more now.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost over sister. One day soon you will take your rightful place among us. Remember your father will be there in your time of need you already have the answer you seek.¡±

    Gabriel released the embrace and put a rosery in Enid¡¯s hand. It was made of amethyst and silver.

    ¡°Perhaps you should meditate on it, sister.¡±

    Gabriel looked up to the crucifix and crossed herself before walking towards the exit. Enid looked down at the rosery in her hand. She knew the rote, but she preferred the method Junpei had taught her. She folded the rosery up and put it in her pack. She would give them to Maria who would love them. Enid was about to rush to the exit to try and catch up to Gabriel when she found herself face to face with the parish father. She¡¯d almost run him over in her haste.

    ¡°Sorry Father.¡±

    ¡°It is quite alright.¡±

    He seemed to notice her puffy eyes.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I am father, I am.¡±

    He stepped out of her way.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you found the answers you were seeking.¡±

    ¡°Did you see which way the sister went when she left?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°I did not see anyone in the church but you. I was going to approach you as you seemed like you were in crisis, but I was pulled away. It seems I was wrong.¡±

    ¡°No father, I was in crisis, but the sister made things clear. I¡¯m glad there are people like you in the world.¡±

    She smiled at him and rushed out into the sun. She drove to one of the parks on the coast and pulled her wedges off as she walked onto the grass. She picked a shaded spot and kneeled down as she had so many times before in her karate classes. She began to breath and let her mind drift. She wasn¡¯t sure how long she sat there and meditated when she opened her eyes, remembering an entry in Mariana¡¯s spell research for the creation of a new universe separate from this one. She had abandoned it because she could not figure out a way to make them stable. Mariana had been trying to recreate the extradimensional packs. She hadn¡¯t understood the spell completely at the time, just the theory, but she had read it three hundred years ago, her human education had opened her mind up to more possibilities.

    Her currently mortal hands were shaking with adrenaline, and she fumbled with the pack¡¯s buckles. She finally managed to open it and pulled out the Atlantean tablet she had used to make a copy of Mariana¡¯s journal and spell research. She found the entry with a search and read it over. It had everything they would need, besides the requisite energy which was, well substantial, impossible without, without massive amounts of blood powered magical energy in this day and age. Mariana could have never succeeded because reality is too fixed. They didn¡¯t need a stable universe though, just stable enough to get the Black Son inside before it collapses.

    This has to be it. The only way matter and energy can truly be destroyed. If only we had a way to generate enough magical energy to create it. Oh, you gloriously devious bastard. You will aid us in our hour of greatest need. You¡¯re going to help us make the unstable universe.

    She put the tablet on the grass in front of her and pulled out another one of the burner phones. She slid the sim card in, and it got a signal almost immediately. She called the burner number Eyre had included in the ID package.

    ¡°Who is this?¡±

    ¡°Your long suffering mother.¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    ¡°Eyre, I¡¯ve got it.¡±

    ¡°Got what.¡±

    ¡°I know how we will destroy the Black Son.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    Enid lifted up the tablet and read off the title.

    ¡°Tell Maria to look up: Pocket universe stability experiments, in Mariana¡¯s journal.¡±

    Enid heard her writing it down.

    ¡°Mom, is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°I have been better, but you know what, it¡¯s a good day.¡±

    ¡°When will you get home?¡±

    ¡°Two days, I suspect we will need to go to Rome afterwards so I can keep a commitment. I am told the time is now.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±

    ¡°Okay I¡¯ll check in at the scheduled update time. I¡¯ll use the next number to contact you.¡±

    ¡°Good luck mom.¡±

    ¡°I love you Eyre.¡±

    Enid hung up the phone and pulled the sim card out. She stood up and grabbed her shoes and smashed her phone screen against one of the steel bars on her way back to the parking lot. She put it in her bag to be disposed of later. She looked at the clock I the SUV, it was five pm. Time for supper she mused.

    *****

    Enid was leaning against the wall arms crossed as she waited for the sun dip below the horizon. She tapped her arms with her fingers. She found herself bored of waiting. She was so used to having a phone to fiddle with she found that she didn¡¯t know what to do otherwise, she realized the phone was a distraction from her thoughts. She leaned forward her hands wrapping around the old weather-beaten railing. She watched the sky turn from blue to orange, then finally to black. She turned and knocked on the door.

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°Dog.¡±

    She heard the locks open, her father was in the jeans and t-shirt she had left him. His hair was wet. He blinked at her not recognizing her current face.

    ¡°It¡¯s me, new ID, new face. Come on. We only have eight hours of night.¡±

    He nodded and picked up his suit and dress shoes and closed the door. She slid the key card under the door and left the do not disturb sign up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

    She led him to the SUV and got in, waiting for him to join her.

    ¡°Where did you get this?¡±

    ¡°Your granddaughter and I have a network of contacts across the world. We pay them, they provide things we need. Like clean cars, ID, weapons.¡±

    She reached over and opened the glove box pulling out his new ID, an Alberta driver¡¯s license, credit card and a Canadian Passport.

    ¡°That¡¯s your new name. The old ones are burned.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Is that common, to put them in a fire?¡±

    Enid blinked, then shook her head and backed up and pulled out on the road and headed towards a gas station.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a term used to describe if something is outed. So, because our enemies know those legends they¡¯re burned. So, they can be tracked. Our enemy may have people looking for them so they may be useful to attract attention somewhere, they aren¡¯t for our purposes tonight. This world is highly interconnected as I¡¯ve explained, and countries spy on each other. A lot of the tactics we use come from those spies.¡±

    ¡°How do you know so much?¡±

    ¡°I used to be in the United States Navy with another one of my legends. I was a pilot, then naval intelligence, it¡¯s kind of funny I had to do undercover work, since I was a fake person, pretending to be another fake person. It gets confusing and complicated fast. You¡¯ll get used to the changing names and Identities. It¡¯s how we evade the governments. Humans don¡¯t live to be two thousand years old. So, when your ID says you¡¯re fifty but you look twenty, you need to switch.¡±

    ¡°I understand, if someone lived for so long in our village there would be talk of deals with the sidhe.¡±

    ¡°Exactly, only, humans these days are much more dangerous.¡±

    ¡°I noticed that with the weapon you used last night. It is like fire in a waterskin.¡±

    ¡°They have worse. I could take out our entire village with one bomb from my plane when I was in the navy. Just out of nowhere death would fall from the sky. And now they don¡¯t even need to have someone in the plane, they can do it remotely.¡±

    He looked at her with eyes wide.

    ¡°Exactly, if my enemy knew precisely where I was, he could launch a missile and I would just be gone. Well probably not, I can survive quite a bit, but you know what I am getting at. This is why secrecy is important. Humans destroy what they do not understand, and they do not understand us.¡±

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t you just do the same?¡±

    ¡°I could, but then he would just be free. Right now, he has trapped himself in a body, and refuses to give it up because it gives him power in the mortal world. I have enough money I could buy a drone and missiles and take out the entire imperial council in minutes, hell I could buy a nuke and turn Prague into glass, but so many innocents would die and for what? Revenge that no longer even has meaning; My sister didn¡¯t die.¡±

    Her father nodded, obviously not comprehending all of what she said but seeming to get the base meaning.

    ¡°You seem¡­ better than last night.¡±

    ¡°I am, I know how to defeat my enemy now. It won¡¯t be easy and there is risk, but its more than we had.¡±

    She held up her hand as they approached the border. She looked at her father.

    ¡°We¡¯re about to go across the border. You¡¯re my ID¡¯s father, so let¡¯s try to pretend we are a functional family for a few minutes.¡±

    Her father nodded.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything, unless they ask you directly, if things get tense, I¡¯ll just mind fuck them.¡±

    He blinked at the term she used. She lowered her window as she approached border control. The man leaned down.

    ¡°Passports please. Did you do any shopping?¡±

    Enid held out her hand to her father who passed her his passport. Enid handed them both to the Canadian border agent. He looked over the passports and shone his light at both of them. He took both booklets and handed them back to Enid.

    ¡°Had to refill my tank and we had breakfast, lunch and supper, otherwise no shopping, we were just there for a concert in the park this afternoon.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Welcome home.¡±

    He waved them through the check stop. Enid pulled away and started towards the Trans-Canada highway. They rode in silence for a few hours and were entering the mountains. She stopped in Kamloops for gas, which her father demanded he get to try and pump. She went inside and bought some junk food and drinks for morning. They continued on their trip. Her father was watching the mountains pass and would look down the drops as they drove along the curvy highway.

    ¡°I have never seen anything this high.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in the Rocky Mountains. Imaginative name I know. This highway is the one I like driving least, I mean there are some in the alps I dislike as well, but this one I hate. I always feel like I¡¯m going to fall off.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°How far are we from home?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we won¡¯t get there tonight. This road is so windy, and the mountain highways take time to navigate.¡±

    She looked at the screen at the center of the console which was helpfully counting down the time and kilometers to their destination.

    ¡°Car says two hours to Valemount. That is our stop for tonight. Any further we¡¯ll get sunlight before we get a place to stay.¡±

    He nodded and looked at the screen becoming enamored with the slowly counting down kilometers and the fact he could see the road they were driving on a moving map.

    ¡°What we could have done with maps like this at our village.¡±

    ¡°All things considered, I¡¯m glad we didn¡¯t have them.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°You are right I would have abused them.¡±

    He got quiet again then looked at her wrist.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have that thing on that showed you the time?¡±

    ¡°Smartwatches can be tracked. I want to make sure I get a clean one once we get home.¡±

    ¡°Was your old one dirty?¡±

    ¡°No, yes, it was burned like our ID¡¯s, the phones and smart devices we use can be tracked by anyone with the right tools. I had to get rid of it and I didn¡¯t want to buy a random one from a store. Eyre has someone who makes them specifically for vampires. They track vital signs, they, the special ones show we have a heartbeat, which we definitely don¡¯t. You know since we¡¯re dead and all.¡±

    ¡°So, if someone checks them, we look normal.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I understand, it is all part of hiding our existence.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡±

    He fell into silence again becoming absorbed in the car¡¯s screen again. He grew bored of that and spoke again.

    ¡°You seem more comfortable here then before we crossed the border.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m closer to my sister and daughter. I know I¡¯m going to see them. I miss them. Also, vampires are territorial when we aren¡¯t in our territory, we feel a bit off. My territory is where we¡¯re going to arrive tomorrow night. It has a calming effect.¡±

    ¡°Enid, thank you for being so patient, and open to answering my questions. I know many of them are stupid and obvious to you.¡±

    ¡°You are welcome. It is part of being a vampire¡¯s creator.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m also someone you hate.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you. I am angry with you. I realized yesterday that part of me even still has this strange love for you as a parent. I know I should hate you, despise everything you are. Feelings are weird. Even after two thousand years of them.¡±

    He nodded again and looked back out at the mountains.

 Seattle Morning News - July 2027 - Violence in the streets of Seattle.

    ¡°Welcome to Seattle Now, morning news. Sixteen people are dead as gun violence shattered the peace of Seattle streets last night. Gunshots rang out in a usually quiet neighborhood as several cars raced through the area. The violence came to an abrupt and fiery end in a Walmart parking lot. Seattle Police are asking for anyone with footage of any of violence to step forward. Two individuals who seemed to be the target of the gun violence retaliated with what sources close to the investigation have claimed were incendiary rocket propelled grenades. These two individuals are considered armed and dangerous. One is described as a Caucasian female of small build approximately five foot eight feet tall with red hair. We do not have a description of the second individual at this time. We have video footage of the assault in the Walmart Parking lot. Viewers are warned about the graphic nature of this video footage.¡±

    Grainy security camera footage began to play showing a tall red haired women wearing a blouse and skirt launching a grenade an SUV with four passengers and the insuring fireball. Then it shows her aiming at another SUV and another fireball. The camera seems to lose tracking on her. The individual she is with has a blurred image and the camera cannot seem to focus on him.

    ¡°Hard to watch. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who lost their lives last night. Police requested we reiterate that these individuals are considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. If you see someone matching their description, you should notify the police immediately and retreat to a safe distance.¡±

    Lucius threw his tablet on the table and looked at Gaius his yes man on the council.

    ¡°You had one task. You knew where she was going to be, you had one of her Seers and yet she escaped. How did she get her hands on rocket launchers?¡±

    ¡°My lord we had no way of knowing she was immune to stakes. You said you wanted her alive. Based on, our spies around the world, she has access to far more then rocket propelled grenades. We believe she has access to nuclear weapons. Perhaps further antagonizing her is, not in anyone¡¯s best interests.¡±

    ¡°I know what is in our best interests. I should be Emperor. Not this¡­ low born woman from a barbarian tribe. I have the council, the imperials, most of the domains under my control. Yet she still evades us.¡±

    ¡°My lord she is more powerful than any of us had assumed. You saw the footage from last night. We can assume based on the blast she let lose and killed six vampires with that the European event you were concerned with was her as well. We cannot contain her. Bringing her in alive is going to be impossible without the ability to stake her. This man she was with, perhaps, we could use him as leverage.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°That man was her mortal father, who she swore to me she would kill if she saw him again. She is using him for something and that is the only reason he is alive. He would be of no value to us. She will cut him lose the moment he is of no use to her. My wife is many things, but merciful she is not.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean for us then my lord?¡±

    ¡°It means she is coming for me, you, the council and she will eradicate us. Yet still they debate whether I am the true ruler fearful of her wrath. She believes they murdered her sister, the only reason they still live if she has nuclear weapons at her disposal is she wants to see their faces when she destroyed them with that blade of hers. She told us all she would kill us; You remember as well as I do.¡±

    ¡°Do you think perhaps My Lord she hasn¡¯t made a strike against us because is she is worried about collateral damage?¡±

    ¡°Gaius, she razed a templar keep and salted the earth to get one single witness. What makes you think she cares about the mortals at all? Or let me put it this way, how much do you care about the mortals?¡±

    ¡°They are food nothing more.¡±

    ¡°You see my point. She has even less love for them then you do. No we are alive because she is planning something.¡±

    ¡°Do you think she is in league with this Sarah person? The superhero that has been fighting BMC¡¯s experiments?¡±

    ¡°I doubt it, she¡¯s mortal, probably another one of their freaks who has grabbed a bunch of stories from the past to make herself seem religious, demons, pfft I doubt she has seen a real one.¡±

    ¡°She seems to know an awful lot about your wife¡¯s past My Lord.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it would make sense. I do not know how she would get such a nice copy of the sword.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, Sarah is Enid in disguise?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s been seen in sunlight. Does that sound like a vampire too you?¡±

    ¡°Your father may have granted her¡­whatever power he had.¡±

    ¡°No, he and my Uncle and mother are the only ones who can walk in sunlight. Beyond our experiments with BMC, no other vampires have managed it. You are right, they must be allied. That means my wife has the Vatican under her sway. With all the Russian connections we¡¯ve found out about recently I¡¯m starting to think we have vastly underestimated her influence on the mortal world.¡±

    ¡°Well, it would explain why a forty-six-year-old woman looks eighteen and like one of our crafters had a run at her. Perhaps she is a long-serving blood slave. Should we lock down Seattle?¡±

    ¡°No, there is no point much like us she can fly.¡±

    ¡°But she has her father to worry about he is¡­Pugmentia is he not?¡±

    ¡°She is not one to waste time in a dangerous situation. She will have killed him and flown away. No. Pull our resources from the area. Have them start searching again.¡±

    ¡°Where do you think she went, sire?¡±

    ¡°I predict, Russia, or the Vatican. Those are where her closest allies are. Focus our efforts there.¡±

    ¡°Yes sire.¡±

 Edmonton - 2027 - Family Therapy

    Emma was staring at Enid¡¯s father. When she had asked Enid to bring him in for a session, she wasn¡¯t sure it was the right decision. She wanted him to be arrested, strung up, and numerous other things. Everything he had done to Enid, even she felt some measure of anger. She finally spoke when she found the ability to sound professional.

    ¡°Mr. Duncan, thank you for coming in, I appreciate that this uncomfortable for all of us.¡±

    Enid¡¯s father looked down at Enid who was dressed in her usual teenage girl outfit now, crucifix and all. School had started a week before. He looked back at Emma.

    ¡°My daughter is owed anything I can do to repair what damage I have done.¡±

    Emma blinked, knowing what he said was true. She looked to Enid who shrugged tugged her kilt to straighten it and crossed her legs.

    ¡°Enid how do you feel about this.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I¡¯ve spent the last ten weeks teaching him about the twenty-first century and an intensive course in English. I¡¯m kind of used to him being around since I can¡¯t leave him alone.¡±

    ¡°Do you regret pulling him from the ocean?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Sometimes, but he made me who I am. His insights into his own failures have helped me see mine. As we discussed.¡±

    ¡°And you, Mr. Duncan, how are you feeling about this arrangement, where you spend most of your waking moments with your daughter, who you sexually and physically abused.¡±

    ¡°It is painful, I see how wrong my behavior was, and seeing her is a constant reminder of the wrongs I¡¯ve committed in my life both against her and other people, women. I can see in her eyes how much she despises me.¡±

    Emma nodded and looked between them.

    ¡°Mr. Duncan, when she thinks you¡¯re ready to be on your own, will you leave Edmonton?¡±

    He looked at Enid then back to the therapist.

    ¡°I want to stay. She needs protection, even if she thinks she can take care of herself. She has many people working against her. She needs allies.¡±

    ¡°So as painful as it is you are willing to stay here to look out for her?¡±

    He nodded. Enid frowned her hands tugging on the hem of her kilt in an effort to stop her from snapping at him. Emma noticed Enid¡¯s body language.

    ¡°No Enid, part of this is speaking your truth. How do you feel about what your father just said?¡±

    Enid looked at her father.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s a bit too late to be playing at being the protective and nurturing parent.¡±

    ¡°Enid, that is a valid emotional response to this situation and what he said. That said, do you feel safer with him here?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t feel any less safe.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an improvement. You were terrified of him when you were first here.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s basically human compared to me, I¡¯m a goddess.¡±

    ¡°As true as that is physically, emotionally, you had this fear about him. What changed, emotionally?¡±

    ¡°My gift tells me his change is legitimate. I can tell he genuinely feels remorse and wants to protect me and my family. Like I said, I don¡¯t understand why I have any love for him left after what he did.¡±

    ¡°Emotions regarding abusive parents are complicated. Did he ever do anything good for you when you are child? Anything that didn¡¯t involve abuse?¡±

    ¡°When he wasn¡¯t drinking, he would bounce me on his knee, teach me how to use a sword. Braid my hair.¡±

    ¡°But when he was drinking, he would hurt you?¡±

    ¡°Or if I refused to use my gift.¡±

    Her father looked like he wanted to shrink into his chair as the conversation progressed. Emma noticed and held up her hand.

    ¡°Let¡¯s step back from that, I want your truth to be heard, but we are not here to badger or demean your father. Let¡¯s go back to the happy times when he wasn¡¯t drinking. Give me one good memory.¡±

    ¡°He had gone out hunting with his dog, he came back with some game, and a circlet of flowers for me he told me I looked like one of the fair folk.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember that Mr. Duncan?¡±

    He nodded, his eyes looking a bit rid as blood started to form in them.

    ¡°Do you recognize the effect your drinking had on you, and your family?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Do you drink anymore?¡±

    Enid chuckled in spite of herself.

    ¡°Not if he doesn¡¯t want to vomit.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean Enid?¡±

    ¡°All he can drink now is blood, and it¡¯s not like he can get drunk from that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see, I have seen you eat while you¡¯re here, I apologize for my confusion.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m a goddess, he¡¯s barely above a human. No offense intended to either of you, it¡¯s just a fact.¡±

    Emma nodded.

    ¡°Yet you keep reminding us of that.¡±

    Enid sighed and nodded.

    ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Enid.¡±

    ¡°What is the point of us doing this together Emma?¡±

    ¡°The point of this exercise is to provide a safe space where you can share your feelings with your father so you can be heard. And together we look for the best way forward.¡±

    ¡°He fucked up my entire life.¡±

    ¡°That is a healthy emotional response Enid. I have a question for you Mr. Duncan, for all intents and purposes it seems like Enid is your adoptive parent in this odd situation you find yourself in, how has she been as a parent?¡±

    ¡°I believe she has been a great parent. She has been patient, protective, encouraging. Something I never had with my actual parents. I see her relationship with her daughter, and I am sad that my behavior cost us that kind of relationship.¡±

    Emma looked at Enid.

    ¡°How do you feel about what he just said?¡±

    ¡°I think he has low standards; I am a terrible mother.¡±

    Emma shook her head.

    ¡°Enid, I know what kind of parent you are. I have interviewed Eyre.¡±

    ¡°Did she tell you what I did to my other daughter in July?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I permanently scarred her face and told her sisters to hunt her down like a dog.¡±This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Emma blinked at Enid¡¯s matter of fact tone.

    ¡°And what¡­ what did she do to cause this reaction from you?¡±

    ¡°She tried to stake me and take me back to my husband who wants to kill me.¡±

    Emma stared at Enid for several seconds before she was able to formulate a response, which was pretty pathetic all things considered.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    She looked at her notes for several more seconds then looked at Enid.

    ¡°You said your people have laws, what does your law say for such a crime?¡±

    ¡°Immediate Execution for attacking the Empress, or Emperor, as the case may be.¡±

    ¡°So, you were merciful, weren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Not really, a quick death would be better than a festering wound and being hunted down by my daughters. She will die, it just won¡¯t be quick, or painless.¡±

    ¡°And that was within your ability to grant?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I could have killed her instantly. My father believes I broke every bone in her body, scarred her, and then had her hunted because I wanted my other daughters to see the cost of betraying me.¡±

    ¡°Was he right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. After thinking about it, that was likely the reason for my decisions.¡±

    ¡°If you could go back to that night and make a different decision, what would it have been?¡±

    ¡°Stake her, break her sword and let her sisters determine her fate. As the person who the crime was against, my ability to be impartial was compromised.¡±

    ¡°If you are faced with a similar situation in the future, will you react differently?

    ¡°I hope so. But I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s easy to say, here in this safe space that I would never do that again, but honestly, I won¡¯t know until I¡¯m in the situation, the heat of the moment.¡±

    Emma looked at Enid¡¯s father.

    ¡°Mr. Duncan, when your daughter was young, if someone attacked you and they were captured, how would you have handled this?¡±

    Enid rolled her eyes.

    ¡°I would have tortured them then killed them in front of my entire village then stuck his head on a wall so they can see the cost of betrayal.¡±

    ¡°Would you say that sort of thing was common in your society?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The tribe was the center of our lives, betraying it was a serious offense.¡±

    Emma looked at Enid.

    ¡°So, you were raised in an ancient society that had a different set of morals. Your first instinct is the follow that which you learned as a child. You also now believe that sort of punishment is wrong. Do you feel guilty about your decision?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Emma nodded and made some notes.

    ¡°I am not here to judge the rules of your society, or your actions, I here to help you explore the emotional costs, and help you deal with your emotional response to it.¡±

    ¡°Surely you have an opinion on what I did.¡±

    ¡°I do, but it has no place in your therapy.¡±

    ¡°I think it does, I think the view of a twenty-first century human on our society could help me judge my actions better in the future. And you¡¯re the only one I can be completely open with.¡±

    Emma thought for a few moments before responding.

    ¡°From my point of view your behavior was barbaric. If I had seen you, do it without knowing your background, or how old you are, I would assume you were a sociopath. You were unnecessarily cruel, and by making her sisters hunt her down when you could have just captured her, you were out of line. Furthermore, you by your own admission lived a lifetime as a pediatric surgeon. You were taught very clearly to do no harm.¡±

    ¡°Ouch.¡±

    Emma took a few deep breaths.

    ¡°Now, tell me, in the last twelve months, how many people have you killed?¡±

    Enid looked at the floor.

    ¡°You really want to know?¡±

    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s look at your pattern of behavior.¡±

    ¡°Every single one was in self-defense. Or defense of others, except the Lord of Seattle, that was just an execution because he broke the law.¡±

    ¡°Justifications aside. How many?¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°The Four Russians who kidnapped Maria and I, one of the vampires died, so that was five, Lord of Seattle, six. Seven¡­eight insurgents in Africa. The demon possessed werewolf. Six vampires during the uprising. Two of the goons in the Insurance building probably didn¡¯t make it, and four in the car I hit with an RPG. So¡­ let¡¯s say thirty, give or take.¡±

    Emma blinked at her.

    ¡°Is this a normal year for you?¡±

    ¡°Lately, no, I mean, not a single person when I was working as detective. I have probably killed three people in the forty years before this one.¡±

    ¡°How about before that?¡±

    ¡°It depended on how bad the vampires were being, I was a police officer in a society where the punishment for all crimes was death. But between twenty and a couple a hundred a year. My army killed several thousand in the civil war in England.¡±

    ¡°So, it would not be an exaggeration to say that you have killed tens of thousands of people in your lifetime?¡±

    Enid fiddled with her fingers as father looked at her, his face showing a mix of despair and pride.

    ¡°It might not be.¡±

    ¡°Why do you think your, how do I say this without..¡±

    ¡°My body count.¡±

    ¡°I was trying to avoid those particular words, but yes, why has it decreased?¡±

    ¡°Modern human civilization if you aren¡¯t living in a war zone, is a lot less dangerous then vampire society. When vampires get involved shit gets violent, I was doing fine right up until I got kidnapped, and I tried to introduce my father.¡±

    ¡°So would you say you actively avoided vampires in your recent past.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m being hunted by my husband because he wants to be Emperor and vampires are backstabbing assholes who would sell out their own kid for a bit of influence or power.¡±

    ¡°Is that the only reason?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be Empress?¡±

    ¡°Why not, you seem to take a lot of pride in the title and your power?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯d rather just, do human stuff. I can walk in the daylight, why would I become the ruler of a world that only exists in the darkness?¡±

    ¡°Is it to avoid the violence that the association brings?¡±

    ¡°That is part of it, but I obviously relish in it, I joined the Yakuza and the US Navy.¡±

    ¡°So, while you were studying medicine, you were part of the Japanese Mafia?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Emma rubbed her temples.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s enough for tonight. We made some progress.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for coming in so late Emma.¡±

    *****

    Enid sighed. She looked at Eyre giving her an innocent blink.

    ¡°Please? I haven¡¯t seen Allison in a week.¡±

    ¡°Are you spending the night again?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like too.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll babysit your dad but only because I haven¡¯t seen you smile like you have been over the last six months since my dad.¡±

    Enid hugged Eyre tightly.

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    *****

    Enid tugged her hoody close, there was a chill in the late September afternoon. Allison smiled at her as approached holding her recent acquisition from a food truck.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, best hot dogs ever.¡±

    Enid took hers with a smile and the pair started to walk downtown. Enid got a few looks. Even with her father she¡¯d been fighting more and more of the augmented humans. So her face was showing up more and more. Thankfully her example had convinced others to step up, but now her Sarah face attracted more attention than she liked. She took a bite of her hotdog and glanced at Allison giving her a nod. She finished it chewing.

    ¡°So, what is this play you¡¯re taking me too?¡±

    ¡°Oh, its just something my friend from high school is in. He demanded I be there.¡±

    ¡°Friend?¡±

    ¡°Its not like that. I¡¯ve never been attracted to men. High School was a challenge.¡±

    ¡°I get that. Still friends ten years later?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he actually moved to New York, started acting, now his Musical is coming through on tour so, I couldn¡¯t say no, and two free tickets.¡±

    ¡°Well glad I got back in time to see it.¡±

    ¡°So am I.¡±

    Allison reached out her hand and Enid didn¡¯t take it.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, I¡¯m the poster child for good Catholic girl, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    Allison sighed and nodded.

    ¡°I forgot.¡±

    ¡°Honestly I wish I didn¡¯t have to care about image. I hate this bullshit.¡±

    ¡°Why do you do it then?¡±

    ¡°Because, being a Christian icon allows me a lot of leeway with governments. Its about public support instead of dealing with the Authorities¡­ and the fucking angels.¡±

    ¡°Did they tell you to do this?¡±

    ¡°No, it was my PR specialist. Sometimes I want to strangle her.¡±

    ¡°Fire her?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s family. Look, I know you want to be open but its just not¡­the right time.¡±

    ¡°This is why they say never to date closeted people you know. When do I get to meet your family?¡±

    ¡°Same time I get to meet yours. Look you holding my hand in public, it will be on a news site somewhere then next thing you know you get a call from your super Christian mother who you haven¡¯t told and then what?¡±

    Allison blinked. Her family had no idea of her sexual preference. They were ultra conservative. A fact which Enid had been made well aware. Allison¡¯s cheeks became a bright red.

    ¡°Look, we both are pretending to be people we¡¯re not. So, in public let¡¯s be friends. What we do in the privacy of our homes that¡¯s the real us.¡±

    Allison nodded she still had a slight frown creasing her lips.

    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not your ¡®sister¡¯?¡±

    ¡°I assure you, I have no interest in her in that way. Makes me kind of throw up a bit on my mouth that you even think it.¡±

    ¡°Well, who is she?¡±

    ¡°My PR contact and she does a lot more for me. She¡¯s a family member.¡±

    Allison lapsed into silence as the pair walked along the sidewalk, they passed the bank and mall that Enid had been involved in trashing during the fight with her first super terrorist. The repairs were still under way, the mall was good but the bank was still closed. Allison seemed to notice Enid¡¯s look.

    ¡°Oh I¡¯m so sorry I forgot¡­this must be terrible for you.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve been in worse fights then this. One after this broke my spine I couldn¡¯t move and was threatening to rape me, this one was¡­ a walk in the park. Hell my fist turned to jelly when I punched the next one barely left a red mark on his cheek.¡±

    ¡°You are talking like this was a normal day for you.¡±

    ¡°Besides the cameras it pretty much was. He would have¡­been dealt with more quickly without the eyes on us, but I guess this is my new normal.¡±

    Enid shrugged. The pair wandered past the towers that Enid had pushed Eyre off of several decades ago and she chuckled to herself.

    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, just remembering something.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t just say that. Tell me.¡±

    ¡°Okay, like I told you I¡¯m not the only one like this, I¡¯m just the¡­strongest. So one of us didn¡¯t believe we can fly so I pushed her off the tall tower over there.¡±

    ¡°You what?¡±

    ¡°She was fine. Its instinct.¡±

    ¡°How did you figure out you could fly?¡±

    Enid winced and felt her cheeks growing warm. She hadn¡¯t even told Eyre this story.

    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing.¡±

    Allison poked Enid¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Come on. I told you about my white pants incident.¡±

    ¡°Fine! I was fighting a really weak¡­enemy, I was overconfident, tripped on a rock and he shoved me over a cliff. I screamed for several minutes while I was floating about three feet above the ground with my eyes closed.¡±

    Allison started snicker. Enid¡¯s cheeks were fully red.

    ¡°Too bad no one caught that on video.¡±

    I¡¯m glad video cameras didn¡¯t exist eighteen hundred years ago.

    ¡°No one told you, you could fly if you were chosen?¡±

    ¡°I knew but it doesn¡¯t happen right away. I mean I could fly with other means, but it takes¡­time to prepare. Took me a while to master it.¡±

    ¡°So Greatest American Hero style?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what that is.¡±

    ¡°Old television show. I have the DVD¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Why do you own so many DVD¡¯s? I mean considering how easy it is to just¡­watch things these days?¡±

    ¡°I like having something physical. It¡¯s too easy for whoever is streaming to just lose the rights.¡±

    ¡°I suppose it wouldn¡¯t be terrible to snuggle with you and watch a few episodes of it after the play.¡±

    ¡°Especially with a bottle of wine.¡±

    ¡°Naked. With chocolate.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re in a naughty mood. I¡¯m wondering if my friend would mind if I missed his play right about now.¡±

    ¡°No, you said you would go, he got you tickets, we¡¯re going to go. I¡¯m not going to enable you to break a promise.¡±

    ¡°You take promises seriously, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°If we don¡¯t have our principles then we don¡¯t have anything.¡±

 Edmonton - 2027 - Faith

    Enid sat down at the dining room table with Maria, Eyre and Violet. Allison was in Calgary with her parents who had no idea she was a lesbian. Her father was in the kitchen cleaning up after their thanksgiving dinner. The dining room had become the de facto war room for the Empress and her cohort. Between them sat the printed-out spell to create an unstable pocket universe. The women stared at it. Maria¡¯s pale fingers stroked her crucifix as she looked at the stack of paper. She finally spoke.

    ¡°We have had this discussion so many times before, why must we do it again on a day of thanks giving?¡±

    Enid reached her hand out Maria turned hers palm up so their scars would meet.

    ¡°Maria, the longer we wait the greater we risk failing. Trust me, he¡¯ll thank us for talking about it again, even today.¡±

    ¡°I have read it over so many times the paper is worn out. No matter which way I look at it, we are incapable of channeling the energy required to create a hole in his creation.¡±

    ¡°I told you, he will be there for us when we need him.¡±

    ¡°Enid, I love and trust you, but that was a conversation you had two thousand years ago. How can you be sure you heard him right?¡±

    ¡°Maria, every time a god damned angel appears they say: ¡®Your father will be with you when you need him.¡¯ Then when Michael appeared as me, he said the same damn thing to you!¡±

    ¡°Enid!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Maria, you need to have faith, real faith, yes this could kill us, but if we don¡¯t try everyone is dead anyway.¡±

    Violet raised her hand. Enid looked at her and sighed.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t school Violet, you¡¯re a big girl now, say what you want to say.¡±

    Violet frowned at Enid.

    ¡°Assuming you can make this universe in a stone thing. How do we get him into it?¡±

    Eyre spoke up.

    ¡°Obviously we¡¯re going to need the Seers and all of mom¡¯s supporters, lure the Black Son into a trap. Then close the net on him.¡±

    Enid looked at her daughter. She pondered speaking up, but it was a decent back up plan.

    ¡°You¡¯re on the right track there Eyre. And to lure him in is easy, I¡¯m going to call him out when I pull that silver sword from the floor with my true face on.¡±

    ¡°Mom! Are you sure antagonizing him is the best option? He¡¯ll know you¡¯re leading him into a trap.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll still come.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but he¡¯ll be prepared.¡±

    ¡°He has been alive for millions of years, he is prepared for anything anyway. Look if we have to attack him in Prague the cost in lives is going to be astronomical. My plan is riskier but, in the end, less lives will be lost, unless we fail of course, but we¡¯re not going too.¡±

    ¡°There is no way he¡¯ll leave Prague mom he is too paranoid for that.¡±

    ¡°He will if I out him.¡±

    ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t out vampires!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m going to call him a super terrorist who has the power to destroy the world and say he¡¯s hiding in Prague on a video that is going to go viral because I¡¯m the spitting image of a saint who is about to lift a sword that is literally merged with rock, I¡¯m going to say God has warned me about him and sent me to retrieve the sword to do battle with him.¡±

    ¡°The council will not be happy with you.¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t happy with me any way; They¡¯re all sitting there scared shitless of the day I go after Lucius and take over and execute them all for murdering Mariana.¡±

    ¡°Mom, this is a reckless plan.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of this skulking around in shadows.¡±

    ¡°People will die.¡±

    ¡°People will die anyway.¡±

    Maria had been listening and stroking her crucifix she finally let her hands fall to the table.

    ¡°Enid is right. We have already been told the time is now by God.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been alive for billions of years, and how do we know he doesn¡¯t mean in a thousand years.¡±

    Enid put her hand on Eyre¡¯s.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re frightened, but at some point, we¡¯re just procrastinating.¡±

    ¡°So that¡¯s your plan mom, that¡¯s it, call him out like you¡¯re at the playground. Taunt him?¡±

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    Violet looked at Enid, really looked at her.

    ¡°You¡¯re not telling us everything, mom three.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not, and I won¡¯t be. Learn to live with it.¡±

    Eyre and Maria both looked at Enid now.

    ¡°Mom what are you holding back?¡±

    ¡°I was told to not tell anyone, ever, under any circumstances. And considering the source was the creator of everything I¡¯m going to keep my mouth shut, thank you very much.¡±

    Enid almost said a few expletives in the sentence but after a glance at Maria had avoided them. Eyre gave her mother a look, Maria simply nodded. Violet blinked, having the gift she knew Enid wasn¡¯t lying.

    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s hope it wouldn¡¯t save lives huh? Okay, you call him out, he shows up. What then? You know he¡¯s bringing an army.¡±

    ¡°I know he is.¡±

    ¡°And where are we going to do this?¡±

    ¡°Here.¡±

    Eyre coughed.

    ¡°What? There are a million people here.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s our home turf we have the advantage.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re talking about starting a war between two demi-gods and their armies in a city with a million people. The¡­the innocent lives its unimaginable.¡±

    ¡°Open field, we¡¯re done, we need the advantage city warfare brings. If we fail everyone dies, so I am going to call a few thousand acceptable losses.¡±

    Eyre looked at her mother with disgust.

    ¡°You don¡¯t like it, but kid, I¡¯ve fought more battles than you have, we¡¯re the rebels in this situation, they have numbers, we need to make the terrain work for us.¡±

    Eyre stood up and walked away. Enid sighed and the other three women continued their conversation. Eyre felt a hand on her arm. She looked up it was her biological grandfather.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°To talk with you.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing to say.¡±

    ¡°You are mad at your mother. I know I am the last person who should speak about¡­ she is right. You need all the advantages you can get in the war that is coming. I¡¯ve seen her, I¡¯ve seen her sitting up at night looking out the window. Drawing out different battle plans and strategies, she has tried to find another way, but there isn¡¯t one.¡±

    ¡°What would you know about right choices?¡±

    ¡°You know what I¡¯ve done, and it has been a lot of terrible choices, but I do know war, and your mother knows it as well, I can tell you do not. Sacrifice is always necessary for victory. The question is who is willing to sacrifice more, you or your enemy.¡±

    She pulled her arm away and walked out the back door slamming it as she left. Enid¡¯s father watched her leave and went back to cleaning up the kitchen sparing a glance at the three remaining women. Eyre returned after half an hour and sat back down she frowned at her mother but gave her a small nod. The conversation had turned back to the spell. Maria was speaking.

    ¡°Theoretically a place where reality is less stable could allow us a little more leeway.¡±

    Enid and Eyre looked at each other and said one word.

    ¡°Demon.¡±

    Maria narrowed her eyes and looked at them.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The demon, Deloris summoned a demon down in the river valley, it¡¯s a memorial park to my old singer identity.¡±

    ¡°Eyre¡¯s right, reality was already weaker there, and the Demon being summoned and destroyed probably made it less stable.¡±

    Maria¡¯s fingers found her crucifix and started stroking it again.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°When would we do this?¡±

    Enid spoke after a few minutes.

    ¡°All hallows eve, or the winter solstice. I think Hallows eve is the better choice. The mortals tend to believe more into the supernatural that night and the collective reality is weaker.¡±

    Maria nodded, Eyre sighed and nodded.

    ¡°So, we have fifteen days to prepare ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Once we do it, we¡¯re on a clock.¡±

    Maria touched the paper the spell had been printed out on with her pale hand.

    ¡°Time will not be as short as you think. I provided the energy calculations, and the diagrams Mariana drew without the context to the people you have provided the research grant too. They used their supercomputer to generate the most stable molecular and physical structure to contain it. They were able to produce one crystal. It is locked in in their lab. That crystal should keep it stable for longer than is necessary. Mariana did not have access to a supercomputer, or she would have determined this herself. They were very excited because it is some sort of breakthrough for data storage.¡±

    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to steal that then.¡±

    Everyone nodded. Violet gave a small frown.

    ¡°Aww, I am going to miss giving out Candy on Halloween.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not coming Violet.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The energies we are going to channel are incredibly dangerous, you are not going to be involved in the ritual, so you don¡¯t need to be there.¡±

    ¡°So, you might just not come back that night.¡±

    ¡°That could be every night, Violet.¡±

    Violet threw up her hands.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been training me, I can help.¡±

    Eyre put her hand on Violet¡¯s

    ¡°Violet, you are twenty-five years old, and you have no talent for magic. The three us have almost three thousand years of experience between us. Someone needs to watch the old man.¡±

    ¡°I get to babysit the two-thousand-year-old pedophile?¡±

    ¡°Unless you¡¯d rather we just leave him to his own devices.¡±

    Violet glared at Eyre and crossed her arms.

    ¡°Fine. Not sure who is worse with the I¡¯m older than you bs. You or your mom.¡±

    ¡°When you¡¯re two thousand years old you can make the rules kid. Until then, please just do as you¡¯re asked.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I agreed to live with you two.¡±

    Violet kicked her chair back and walked out of the room. Enid shrugged and looked to the other two. Maria released her crucifix and looked at Enid.

    ¡°You could have been nicer about that, the both of you. She was just trying to help.¡±

    ¡°You know as well as we do, she wouldn¡¯t be safe there.¡±

    Maria frowned while stroking her crucifix.

    *****

    Eyre put her hands on Violet¡¯s shoulders. Eyre looked back at her mother and aunt. Enid was wearing her Atlantean armor Bloodseeker hung around her hip and she was covered with a trench coat. She was leaning on the fender of SUV they were going to take down to the ritual site. Maria was stroking her crucifix and wearing her typical black dress. Her nails had black nail polish. Her straight black hair that came from her mother Aurelia was tied back in a ponytail. Eyre looked back to Violet.

    ¡°It¡¯s only been a year, but I think of you as family. If all does not go as planned and we do not come back everything I have will be yours.¡±

    She looked to the house.

    ¡°If we do not return, what happens to my grandfather is up to you. I know what I want to do, but the choice will not be mine. Mom would say this if she wasn¡¯t an emotional cripple, but she cares for you a lot too. We are leaving you here because someone will have to fight if we cannot.¡±

    Violet nodded. Eyre pulled her into a tight hug.

    ¡°You¡¯re my daughter, whether you came from my blood or not.¡±

    Violet could feel blood slipping down her cheeks as Eyre spoke those words.

    ¡°Good luck Mom two.¡±

    Eyre kissed her forehead.

    ¡°Make the children happy tonight. If we fail, this could be their last Halloween.¡±

    Violet nodded and Eyre released her and turned to her waiting mother and aunt. Maria got in the back seat and Enid slipped into the front seat putting Bloodseeker between her legs and resting her hands on the pommel. Eyre started the car and pulled away.

    ¡°This is going to work. Have faith.¡±

    Eyre glanced at her mother then back at the road. Lightning flashed in the distance. Odd weather for this time of year in Edmonton.

    ¡°He¡¯s sending us a storm as a sign.¡±

    ¡°Or its nature¡¯s way of tell us to back the hell off.¡±

    ¡°Eyre, it¡¯s going to work.¡±

    Maria remained silent her fingers stroking her crucifix.

    ¡°Since when have you had faith in god?¡±

    ¡°Since this is going to be the only way it works. If he interferes. And he¡¯s been planning this for a long time. He¡¯s going to help. He¡¯ll wait until the very last instant, but he¡¯ll help.¡±

    Eyre sighed and pulled away from the light they had stopped at. They could see pairs and groups of customed people walking into the annual Halloween party at the conference center. The trio watched them. All of them unaware that someone was going to channel enough energy to create a new black hole at the center of their city this night. Eyre spoke.

    ¡°Do you ever wish we could just do that?¡±

    ¡°Do what?¡±

    ¡°Get dressed up and go to a party for going to a party¡¯s sake?¡±

    ¡°Yes, all the time. But it¡¯s not for us. After the Black Son is gone, maybe it will be.¡±

    Maria nodded.

    ¡°We have been granted abilities far beyond our mortal brethren and with those abilities comes a responsibility to use them to protect everyone from people like us, and from things like the Black Son.¡±

    Eyre nodded. Enid sighed. They drove on down into the River Valley heading towards the memorial park. Eyre pressed a button on her steering wheel.

    ¡°Call Vicky Office.¡±

    ¡°Calling Vicky Office.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Chief of Police¡¯s office.¡±

    ¡°Hi this is Eyre, is Vicky available?¡±

    ¡°She is, I¡¯ll transfer you.¡±

    There was a pause.

    ¡°Eyre, thought you¡¯d be doing some Halloween gathering or something.¡±

    ¡°Not tonight I¡¯m afraid. Actually, I am, well, Sarah has told me there is going to be a demonic attack tonight, at the memorial park for some singer in the valley. She said someone summoned one there a long time ago her mother fought and that she has forewarning another is coming through. She asked me to call and let you know so that you could, reduce traffic in the area, or at least keep your officers at a safe distance, apparently it has some power that will hurt anyone who sees it. I didn¡¯t understand half of what she was talking about but I know her, and she knows I know you so she asked me to call you directly.¡±

    ¡°Another one of these super terrorists?¡±

    ¡°I know they are becoming a problem. She also warned me of something bigger to come but didn¡¯t give me more details. Anyway, how you treat this is your call you¡¯re the chief of police, I¡¯m just a concerned citizen.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for the heads-up Eyre. Tell Sarah thanks and good luck from us, would you?¡±

    Eyre paused for a moment.

    ¡°I will. Have a safe Halloween old friend.¡±

    ¡°You too.¡±

    Eyre pressed the button on her steering wheel to hang up. Enid nodded to her. Maria who had been leaning forward sat back in her seat. Eyre parked the car on the street several blocks away. Enid pulled the strangely shaped crystal from her pack and strapped Bloodseeker on her waist and pulled her trench coat closed. She threw the crystal up and down as the trio walked.

    ¡°Mom could you not risk breaking the one-of-a-kind crystal that cost a hundred million dollars and three months to make?¡±

    Enid shrugged and wrapped her fingers around the crystal when it came down after her last toss. Maria¡¯s fingers went to her crucifix again.

    ¡°Also, it should not go in a pack after we bind a new universe into it. The results will be unpredictable.¡±

    Enid raised an eyebrow and glanced at Maria.

    ¡°Noted.¡±

    They were an odd trio. Two girls who looked like teenagers and a thirty something woman with a streak of grey in her red hair. One looked like the ghost of a Victorian girl, the other looked as though she as dressed up as the superhero Sarah, and the final one was dressed in a t-shirt leggings and hoodie. When they arrived at the park, they were a bit perturbed to see another person already there. She looked female based on her silhouette, when they got close enough that their vampiric night vision was able to discern features Enid and Eyre realized it was Lilith. They walked up to her. She had a sweater and jeans on. Her straight black hair was left free.

    ¡°Children.¡±

    ¡°Mother.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother.¡±

    Maria looked at the three other women her hand sliding back up to her crucifix and she began staring at Lilith. Maria glanced down to her side as if someone were speaking to her and her dress swished at the back as if a child had just hidden behind her. She raised her left hand as if to stop something from advancing.

    ¡°You are a being of great darkness why have you come here, ma¡¯am?¡±

    ¡°So polite. I am Lilith, Mariana Aurelius. And you may tell your ghostly companions I mean you and them no harm.¡±

    ¡°You can see them?¡±

    ¡°I am the queen of doors, dear child, I can see everything.¡±

    Enid sighed and put her hand on Maria¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Why are you here mother?¡±

    ¡°You need a fourth.¡±

    ¡°We have a fourth and I¡¯m not sure he is going to appreciate your presence.¡±

    ¡°Then you need a fifth. Hand me the crystal. Once you start channeling the energy, I will make a doorway to slice of creation at the dawn of time via Limbo.¡±

    Maria kept stroking her crucifix and staring at Lilith. Enid glanced at her sister, she realized she wasn¡¯t upset but was trying to do calculations in her head. She let her be. Enid offered up the crystal. Lilith looked at it.

    ¡°Funny this little thing is going to be the downfall of the Black Son. Created by the very things he corrupted enough so they could make it for us. Little cuachag, this is dangerous. Are you sure you want to do this?¡±

    ¡°It is the only way, mother.¡±

    Enid turned to take her place in the triad with Lilith at the center holding up the crystal to form a three sided pyramid.

    ¡°One last question, daughter, is it true you pulled your father from the ocean and he is living with you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Interesting. Would you like assistance disposing of him?¡±

    ¡°No thank you, mother.¡±

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    Maria took up her position. The trio had mapped out the park and determined exactly where the rift to hell had formed. It was also the nexus of all the magical energy in the former burial ground. Eyre took up her position. Maria¡¯s hand fell from her crucifix, and she held her arms out slightly to her side and palms up. She spoke up.

    ¡°Hands and arms like this. As we practiced. Does everyone remember the rote?¡±

    Eyre nodded; Enid nodded. Maria started to speak, and her voice took on a strange echoing quality as the words of the Atlantean spell started to leave her mouth. Her eyes started to crackle with the same purple energy they had so long ago when they prepared to battle the Black Son. Eyre¡¯s voice joined the chorus also taking on a similar quality to Maria¡¯s, her eyes began to crackle with the same purple energy. Enid started just after her daughter her voice taking on the same echoing quality. Her eyes began to crackle with the same energy. As they finished their first stanza the purple energy flowed down their bodies and to their palms and began leaping to the crystal that Lilith held aloft. Lilith raised her other hand and thrust it downwards and a ring formed around the entire group. It shimmered with pure white light. The black veins that had started to form along the hands of the ritual casters started slowed their rapid pace. Enid, Eyre and Maria could feel the pull of consensual reality started to tear at their bodies as they pierced it violently with their trespass, Lilith¡¯s attempt to bring a bit of the raw stuff of creation from before the beginning at time had held it at bay temporality but it would not last long.

    The trio continued their next stanza. The black veins started to grow thicker as they wormed their way up their arms. Eyre was the first to collapse as her body failed her and she lay writhing on the ground. Enid held out longer perhaps due to her age and strength and the power her father had bequeathed her but she failed as well as she could no longer speak when the veins reached her throat. The burden fell to Maria who despite her protests continued on long past her niece or sister. But she too felt her strength starting to fail. At the last second as she felt her body starting to disintegrate as reality threated to tear her apart she felt a jolt of power and her eyes flashed white and the energy from her palms becoming blinding and finally dissipated the crystal flared with a bright flash of purple then white and became just a soft glow. Lilith was left standing the center of three collapsed vampires. Maria was the worst of the three her eyes were missing, and black veins were emanating from her hollow sockets. Her hands were pitch black and her fingers were missing their ends.

    She gathered herself up on the statue of Eyre¡¯s alter ego and created another doorway and shouted into it. Her exertions channeling a gateway to the dawn of time had almost been too much for her.

    ¡°Help!¡±

    Out came Violet and Enid¡¯s father who looked at the black-haired human woman. Recognition flickered across the man¡¯s face. Lilith motioned to the fallen, but still alive vampires.

    ¡°They will need vampire blood before dawn, or they will fall into a healing sleep for centuries. Mariana will need at least three or four worth.¡±

    Violet started with Eyre, and Enid¡¯s father scooped up his daughter first pulling them through the gateway Violet kept giving Lilith the strangest looks. Finally, Violet picked up Maria and carried her home. Enid¡¯s father approached Lilith who glared at him. He put his arms under her and scooped her up. She clutched the world stone to her chest staring daggers at the man she wanted to do dark things too.

    ¡°Morag.¡±

    ¡°I should kill you.¡±

    ¡°It is less then I deserve for what I did to our child.¡±

    Lilith blinked at him. She had never known him to feel remorse. He put her down on the couch. Violet stood up straight.

    ¡°Angus, we are going hunting. Any vampire we see comes back here and is dinner for them. My mothers are not dying tonight.¡±

    ¡°I am with you, child.¡±

    Violet paused for a moment. She looked at Lilith.

    ¡°Wait, you can open a portal anywhere?¡±

    Lilith who was starting to regain her strength nodded.

    ¡°Where would you like to go?¡±

    Violet had a wicked grin as she spoke, which was unlike her.

    ¡°Toronto, Ontario, Dayside Apartments, Apartment 103.¡±

 Utah - Year ???? - Time lost (1/4)

    Enid sighed at the pile of dead vampires. She glanced up at Violet who was doing her best not to meet her gaze. The vampires were one and all staked and drained. A few had missing limbs.

    ¡°I appreciate that you saved our lives, but why are there missing pieces?¡±

    Violet stared at the floor and shrugged.

    ¡°They¡­resisted and your father had to get rough. I mean, I gave him the silver sword he asked for. Once we staked the leader the rest tried to flee, and he started cutting legs off.¡±

    ¡°Where are the legs, arms, foot?¡±

    ¡°In their apartment.¡±

    Enid kicked the dead gang leaders leg stump. Disappointment evident in her voice.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t think to bring them with you?¡±

    Violet started sucking on her lower lip.

    ¡°We were in a rush. I¡¯m sorry mom three.¡±

    ¡°We taught you better than this Violet. You¡¯re the elder between you and my father. I know it doesn¡¯t seem that way because he¡¯s a fossil pulled out of the ocean but he¡¯s been an awake vampire for like three months. You¡¯ve been one for three years now, and you¡¯ve had the benefit of instruction from Eyre and Elizabeth. Two old, powerful and knowledgeable vampires. I¡¯m disappointed. You¡¯re lucky Cindie was in the area.¡±

    ¡°What is the big deal?¡±

    ¡°Blood is one thing. Limbs? People don¡¯t tend to live long after they lose them unintentionally. So, murder investigation. You leave a hand, they can get fingerprints¡­ What, these fingerprints belong to someone who died fifteen years ago. Do you see where I¡¯m going with this?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mom three. Is Angus getting off because he¡¯s your father?¡±

    ¡°No, I left you in charge, all the mistakes are yours, even if some it was his fault. That is part of being the elder. Just as these mistakes are now mine and Eyre¡¯s because we took you in. Shit rolls up hill until it hits the eldest. It¡¯s kind of the opposite of the outside world. You keep asking us to treat you like you¡¯re an adult, this makes me think you aren¡¯t ready.¡±

    ¡°I understand. I am sorry.¡±

    ¡°No harm done. Cindie was able to retrieve them and incinerate them.¡±

    ¡°How are we going to deal with this?¡±

    ¡°We, aren¡¯t. I am going to get my mother to open a portal somewhere where it¡¯s sunny and uninhabited and I am going to toss them through. They¡¯ll turn to ash and blow away. Now look at me.¡±

    Violet looked at Enid. Enid smiled at her and met her gaze and pushed her influence onto Violet¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I drank them all myself. I healed Maria and Eyre, neither of them had anything to do with killing these vampires. Do you understand?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to forget I did this and just remember that I killed and ate eight vampires. Go send my father down, would you?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Enid watched Violet walk away and she shook her head at the bottom of the stairs as if she had forgotten what she¡¯d been down here for.

    ¡°Violet, my father please.¡±

    ¡°Oh ya, I¡¯m sorry mom three.¡±

    Enid kicked the gang leader¡¯s body again with a sigh. Maria would never forgive herself, best if they don¡¯t remember.

    ¡°Ethel. If you¡¯re out there. Maria cannot know she had any part of this. It would destroy her.¡±

    Enid sighed and hoped that worked. She looked up at her father as he came down the stairs.

    ¡°Were you talking to me?¡±

    ¡°No, just a ghost.¡±

    ¡°A ghost?¡±

    ¡°Never mind. Thank you for saving my daughter and my sister.¡±

    ¡°I would do anything for you Enid. You¡¯re my daughter.¡±

    She met his gaze.

    ¡°I ate all of these myself, and healed Maria and Eyre.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you ate all of these yourself.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. You¡¯re going to forget this part of the conversation but remember it was me who killed all of these.¡±

    He nodded. Enid released her influence over his mind and he blinked and scratched his head.

    ¡°How are you getting rid of these?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve got it covered.¡±

    Enid felt her phone buzzing.

    ¡°What now?¡±

    She pulled it out and looked at the caller ID. Her routing number for superhero Sarah.

    ¡°I need to take this dad. I¡¯ll send mom down and ask her to open a portal someplace sunny just toss them through they¡¯ll burn up. Do not put your hand through it will take you months to heal.¡±

    Enid put the phone to her ear and walked up the stairs.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Is this Sarah O¡¯Connor.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°We have¡­an issue.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry to be rude, but I¡¯m busy at the moment, so let¡¯s not beat around the bush, tell me exactly what you are contacting me about.¡±

    ¡°I represent United Minerals. We have¡­found a¡­¡±

    ¡°Trust me, I will not think you¡¯re crazy. Spit it out before I hang up.¡±

    ¡°We purchased copper mining rights in Southern Utah and we found Uranium and, some form of obsidian¡­ doorway. Miners were attacked by some form of¡­ wild dog?¡±

    ¡°Hellhounds. You found a hell portal?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we tried a priest¡­¡±

    ¡°Where is the mine?¡±

    ¡°It is near Aneth, Utah.¡±

    Enid grabbed her tablet and looked it up while they talked.

    ¡°That¡¯s Navajo land. Do the local authorities know I¡¯m coming?¡±

    ¡°Yes. They are actually ready to welcome you with open arms. Apparently they have stories about the Shiddi Pit.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pronouncing it wrong, but demon pit, makes sense.¡±

    ¡°Look we¡¯re willing to pay, three hundred thousand if you can deal with this¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take the payment.¡±

    ¡°You will?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll donate it to a local charity there, but if I¡¯m going in the mines, I¡¯ll need to be a contractor for your insurance will I not?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m legally entitled to work in the states. I¡¯ll see you¡­soon.¡±

    Enid hung up the phone and sighed at it. She reached into her Atlantean pack and pulled out the copy of Maria¡¯s journal. She searched for closing a hell portal.

    ¡°Ha, nothing of course.¡±

    ¡°What mom?¡±

    Eyre had just come down the stairs and looked fully healed but out of it.

    ¡°I need to go to Utah. Someminers found a hell portal.¡±

    ¡°What? Alone?¡±

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll just¡­¡±

    Enid snapped her fingers.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back when I¡¯m done.¡±

    Eyre looked confused and Enid flickered out of existence and appeared a few minutes later in a coat at the convent that Maria had been staying at. She wears wearing her superhero Sarah face. She pressed the doorbell. A few minutes later an out of breath sister appeared at the door.

    ¡°Hel-¡±

    She cut herself off and held her chest when she saw Enid standing there.

    ¡°Oh my, oh my. Come in please Sarah. Can I call you Sarah?¡±

    ¡°Yes Sister, you may. I was¡­¡±

    Enid trailed off as the sister kept talking.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Oh, I must get the Mother Superior right away.¡±

    Enid lifted her hand and sighed. A few moments later five breathless nuns appeared all looking like they had rushed to look their best. The mother superior managed to look less excited then the rest and spoke sounding calm.

    ¡°How can we help you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m actually here to see Sister Willow.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Sister Teresa go get Sister Willow please?¡±

    Enid kept up with small chat answering questions patiently and politely. She saw Sister Willow appear out of the library. The angel¡¯s eyes went a bit wider when they noticed Enid there looking like Sarah.

    ¡°Sister Willow, I was wondering, could we finish that talk we were having about¡­my friend who goes to your school and my concerns about her?¡±

    ¡°Yes of course.¡±

    Enid looked to the other sisters.

    ¡°Please excuse me.¡±

    The pair went into the privacy of a room. Sariel or Sister Willow as the case may be tugged on Enid¡¯s arm gently.

    ¡°What are you doing here, with that face on, sister?¡±

    ¡°I need help and I didn¡¯t feel like dealing with Ezekiel¡¯s eccentricities.¡±

    ¡°Well hurry up, I don¡¯t want the Sisters getting more suspicious then they already are.¡±

    ¡°I need to know how to close a Hell Portal¡­rift¡­crack¡­whatever.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°Some miners found one and they want Sarah to fix it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you can. It takes an¡­Archangel¡­¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯re coming then?¡±

    ¡°No. Just one second.¡±

    Sariel closed her eyes. Enid sighed as Ezekiel appeared.

    ¡°Really? Him?¡±

    ¡°I asked for help, this is who God sent.¡±

    ¡°Hi old man.¡±

    Ezekiel smiled.

    ¡°Come. Let us find this hell portal. You do all the fighting though.¡±

    ¡°Thanks so much Ezekiel.¡±

    ¡°I have my suit to consider.¡±

    ¡°You can just make a new one out of thin air.¡±

    ¡°Yes but I like this one in particular.¡±

    Enid glared at Sariel and sighed as Ezekiel pulled her into limbo.

    ¡°I¡¯ll send you ahead to deal with the people and escaped demon part of it, then I¡¯ll close it up.¡±

    ¡°Wh-?¡±

    Enid barely got a syllable out before she landed in the Utah brush, still wearing her winter coat, jeans and a t-shirt. It was nighttime but if she remembered correctly unseasonably warm for November in southern Utah at night. At least it was nighttime. She dusted herself off and looked around. She saw a fire in the distance. Enid pulled her coat off and stuffed it in her pack with some difficulty it was bulky.

    Well at least he put me near someone who can give me directions.

    Enid started towards the bonfire and stopped in her tracks. Either there was some form of traditional ceremony going on, or she wasn¡¯t when she thought she should be. Furs and leathers covered the people by the fire. She scanned the area which were more reminiscent of tents then actual established buildings. She sensed an incoming attack and responded as her training dictated. She had no lack of strength or speed even without using blood so the results of mortals trying to wrestle her to the ground were predictable. By the time she was done fending off her would be attackers ten men were on the ground groaning. She used non-lethal defensive tactics, but this was not the indigenous group of people she was expecting. She sensed another incoming attack and snatched the arrow out of the air and inspected the tip more closely, it was stone. She screamed into the sky.

    ¡°Ezekiel! Ezekiel! You were supposed to send me to 2027 Utah!¡±

    The tribe she had happened across must have thought it was some form of war cry because another poorly shot arrow came at her and she flicked it away easily. She knew some very basic Navajo but based on the weapons she had serious doubts if it was going to be useful at all. More men had approached her ready to fight she flicked her wrist and send them all flying with a relatively gentle telekinetic push. She tried the same sentence three times in three separate and badly pronounced in three separate native American languages. The northern one she used to seem to catch their attention.

    ¡°Stop, I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±

    One of the men who wasn¡¯t unconscious and was still standing started speaking far to fast for Enid to have a hope of translating. She frowned. He stepped back hesitantly. She searched for the word.

    ¡°Slower?¡±

    The man spoke more slowly and Enid managed to translate enough of the short sentence to fill in the blanks¡­ she hoped.

    ¡°Who are you? Why are you here pale one?¡±

    Enid took her time formulating a response. How to explain this to these folks without screwing up history. The last thing she wanted to do was mess with their culture or religion. The language barrier was not helping. She silently cursed Ezekiel.

    ¡°I was sent because the land around the evil spirit pit is sick. Evil spirits are¡­escaping. Where is it?¡±

    Enid was woefully underprepared to deal with this. She had no idea what their beliefs were. Even Navajo beliefs from her time, and these folks had a different language so who knows if there had been any cross pollination in between. She wasn¡¯t even sure if the new world had even been discovered. Thankfully she couldn¡¯t carry diseases so there was that. The man held up his hand and left here there with several of the men who had gotten up and recovered pointing useless weapons at her, she could tell by their fearful looks they knew how useless they were. She smiled at a few of them and waited. He came out and seemed to be arguing with an older woman who was wearing several turquoise necklaces. She was holding a fist full of bird feathers of some description. Enid was no naturalist so had no clue what they might be from. The old woman spoke quickly at Enid who caught like three of the words out of about thirty. The man motioned for her to slow down, and the woman repeated herself. Enid was able to translate enough to fill in the blanks again.

    ¡°What spirit are you? Do you come to heal the people and the land? Why do you fight like a man? Why are you so pale?¡±

    Enid took a few moments to try and formulate a response, hoping she managed to not say something insulting. This language didn¡¯t exist in her time, and she hadn¡¯t been to the new world until the 19<sup>th</sup> century. It was the domain of four of her seers before that. Where people went, vampires went and thus vampire law enforcement needed to go.

    ¡°I am a night spirt. I come to heal the land but can heal people if it is injury. I am a warrior. I am pale because I am a night spirit.¡±

    The woman motioned for Enid to follow her. Enid nodded and followed her into a the proto-hogan. Enid pondered what year it was. It would be impossible to tell here. She sighed and looked down. There were four sick people in here. It was humid and would be uncomfortable for a mortal. The older woman was fanning herself. Enid felt the twisting in her gut there was a demon somewhere in here. She sighed and pulled out the Atlantean tablet. They already knew she didn¡¯t belong. Hopefully this wasn¡¯t her introducing writing early. She held it up over each of the people in the room. Two were children. Tablet said one was ten years old, one was five. And two men, one was older and the other had injuries as if he was attacked by a¡­canine according to the tablet. She moved around and found that the five-year-old girl was the one with a demon squirming inside of her. She sighed. It was a little worm like demon but she had no way of forcing it out. The old man was in a diabetic coma. So much for modern surgery diets causing diabetes. The other child had leprosy. She looked back to the old woman. Enid slid her tablet into her bag. She motioned her to follow her outside. Enid spoke slowly again, trying to find the words.

    ¡°The girl has an evil spirit inside her. The old man, I can heal, the young man I can heal, the male child I can heal. I will need the rest healed and out before I can help the girl. Though I may not be able to force it out without killing her.¡±

    ¡°Help them. The old man is our medicine man. He can help with the girl.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I must be alone with the sick. My healing is not for the eyes of the Earth People. I will need much water for the medicine man.¡±

    The old woman offered her fist full of feathers to Enid who took them.

    Might as well do as the Roman¡¯s do.

    Enid took an armful of waterskins. Pondering if the people realized putting someone who was suffering from dehydration due to hyperglycemia just made things worse. She started with the coyote bite victim. She took out her emergency medical kit and pulled out the scalpel and started to trim the infected flesh off of the wound. She heard movement and the demon possessed girl opened her eyes and stared at Enid. It spoke in the language of angels.

    ¡°You carve flesh like a master. Are you my sister in a body?¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m the creator¡¯s daughter. Shush I¡¯ll get to you demon.¡±

    The girl sat up and crossed her legs watching Enid cut at the flesh around the wound..

    ¡°You wear strange clothes.¡±

    Enid ignored the demon as she worked. She pulled out Bloodseeker and put it on the ground in front of her and then her tablet. The demon flinched away.

    ¡°Destroyer!¡±

    Enid gave a wicked grin.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Sit still or you¡¯ll become its next meal.¡±

    The demon-girl skittered to the back corner of the temporary building unable to escape without having to cross the blade¡¯s path. Enid lifted up her Atlantean tablet and nodded. The tablet told her she¡¯d gotten the infection and the blood was clean. She reached down and held him, she spoke in Athlantean and transferred the injuries to her. She healed rapidly so didn¡¯t bloody her runners or socks. The man woke up. He looked shocked to see a pale blonde-haired woman with strange blue eyes over him.

    ¡°I have healed you, go please.¡±

    He rushed out, shock still evident on his face. Enid carried the old man to the entrance and pulled out a vial of insulin and a needle. She drew what should be the right amount of insulin based on his size, blood sugar level and injected it. She put the water skins by him then moved to the child who had been infected with leprosy. He¡¯d already lost fingertips. She sighed after glancing at the demon-girl who shifted as if to try and run. Enid lifted Bloodseeker and shook her head. The demon skittered back. Enid pulled a hammer and nails out of her bag and two IV bags, one was just saline so she could rehydrate the medicine man, the other was an intravenous antibiotic. Wasn¡¯t perfect for leprosy, she knew it had a medical name now, but its just what she called it for centuries. She hammered nails in bit some tape off and placed the a needle in the old man and then the boy. She squished the bags and ensured the fluid was flowing and then picked up Bloodseeker and moved towards the girl.

    ¡°Fed him lots of sweets didn¡¯t you.¡±

    The demon cackle-giggled which sounded quite disturbing coming from a five-year-old girl.

    ¡°He fell for it too.¡±

    ¡°Well, you have a problem demon. He would just kick you out. I can destroy you forever. So instead of me doing that, why don¡¯t you just hop out get sucked back to Hell and we¡¯ll call it a day?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t kill the girl.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°You don¡¯t now me very well do you. Maybe its because my face is different. I am Slays-Demons. I destroyed a hundred of you in one night. Some possessed children, some possessed adults. All were destroyed. Do you wish to try my patience further? You know what this blade is, and I¡¯m sure by now you all know who wields it.¡±

    ¡°Lilith¡¯s spawn.¡±

    Enid¡¯s hand wrapped around the hilt of her sword. She gave the demon a menacing look.

    ¡°Now that¡¯s downright insulting.¡±

    ¡°Mercy!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m offering it to you. Leave now, go back to Hell. Or once that bag is empty he¡¯s going to wake up and he¡¯s going to kick you out and then I¡¯ll destroy you.¡±

    ¡°How do I know you won¡¯t destroy me before I can go home if I leave on my own.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t, but I give you my word as Empress of the Court of Eternal Night, and as Sister of Lucifer that you will have save passage home. Provided you exit that body and go straight back to Hell.¡±

    The girl¡¯s face had lightened up as Enid spoke, then as Enid finish her statement the face twisted into annoyance.

    ¡°No loopholes here, you leave the body go straight to Hell I don¡¯t wipe you from existence and feed on your essence, or¡­well don¡¯t and become dinner. I¡¯m pretty hungry after all the healing.¡±

    She saw the girl¡¯s body writhe and a black slug perhaps half a foot long with no eyes squirm out of her mouth and fall to the floor. The girl collapsed. Enid gave a finger wiggle wave to the demon and squished it with a blessed grenade she had palmed. The black sludge it bled melted into the earth and nothing was left.

    ¡°Good riddance.¡±

    She put the holy hand grenade into her pack followed by Bloodseeker whose disappointment she could sense. She sat down cross legged and waited. The girl woke before the IV¡¯s finished. She rubbed her eyes and looked around in confusion. Enid smiled at her waved. She reached into her bag and pulled out a granola bar which she unwrapped and offered to the girl. The girl inched forward and hesitantly took the bar from Enid¡¯s hand she smelled it and took a small bite and then a much larger one. Enid picked up one of the waterskins and offered it the girl drank deeply. Enid motioned to the exit and the girl rushed out. She pulled out her tablet and scanned the boy.

    ¡°He¡¯ll need another, but in the meantime¡­¡±

    Enid reached out performed the healing ritual and watched as her fingers regrew afterwards. She pulled the IV out of his arm. He¡¯d regain consciousness but she¡¯d need to give him several more doses. She moved to the medicine man and scanned him. Blood sugar levels looked good hydration was good. He¡¯d wake soon. She pulled down the empty IV bag and removed the needle. She left a waterskin for each of them and left the sweat lodge. The old woman blinked at her. Enid glanced down at herself. Not sweating of course. Enid spoke slowly again knowing her pronunciation was terrible.

    ¡°The boy needs more healing but needs to be done tomorrow. Your Medicine man will be fine. He needs to stay away from sweet berries¡­¡±

    The old woman blinked and nodded.

    ¡°I¡­cannot cure him, it will happen again, and he won¡¯t wake up. His replacement needs to be ready.¡±

    The old woman nodded as if she understood. Enid shrugged and looked around pondering what to do next. By this time the bonfire was out and whatever celebration had been going on was gone and only those watching the darkness for threats were awake. The old woman motioned for Enid to follow her and pointed inside one of the temporary buildings and Enid nodded and entered. Inside she found herself alone. She could tell the belongings were from a woman, it looked disused, everything was left like it had been abandoned with intentions of returning.

    Enid laid on the furs and folded her hands behind her head and sighed.

    Was this on purpose? What the fuck god?

    She sighed grabbed a recent medical journal out of her bag and started reading it. Before she realized it the sun was shining through the cracks and corners of the temporary hut.

 Utah - Year ???? - Time Lost (2/4)

    The first rays of sunlight appeared in the shelter. Enid sighed. She began to gather up some of the discarded woven and leather clothing. She gathered it and put it together in a folded neat pile. She wasn¡¯t quite sure if the women went topless or not. They had been covered the night before, but it wasn¡¯t entirely warm out either. She shrugged and pulled on one of the woven tops and a hide skirt tying them off. She pulled on the soft hide boots she found. The person who discarded them was a good fit for her Sarah form. Enid shrugged and walked out. She heard movement outside and glanced around as the hunters were getting ready to go on their hunt. The sun was still low on the horizon, but Enid was mortal in its rays.

    The women was getting ready to plant or so it appeared. She quirked an eyebrow. She¡¯d expected they didn¡¯t do agriculture. She wandered the makeshift village and started to realize that these temporary shelters were in previously dug areas. As if they stayed here over the summers to farm and would travel for the winters. Enid was bored. If she were at home, she¡¯d been getting ready for school. She glanced at her wrist and blushed when she realized she hadn¡¯t removed her smartwatch. She put it in her pack. Bereft of her supernatural senses she didn¡¯t notice the child on a collision course with her and was surprised at arms wrapped around her legs. She recognized it was the girl she¡¯d helped the night before.

    ¡°Hello there.¡±

    The girl started speaking quickly and her pronunciation was rough, so Enid was completely unable to translate a word of it besides a word describing gratitude.

    ¡°I am sorry little one, I am still new to speaking. You have to go slower.¡±

    The girl squinted at Enid and nodded.

    ¡°Thank you for saving me, are you going to take care of me?¡±

    Enid quirked an eyebrow and looked around for one of the elders. She started walking and felt the girl¡¯s hand slip into hers. Enid closed her hand and smiled down at her. She finally found the older woman from last night who motioned to her. She looked up at the sun and towards Enid.

    ¡°I thought you were a night spirit.¡±

    Enid nodded. The woman looked confused. Enid searched for the words before speaking.

    ¡°I am like the Earth People in the sun.¡±

    The woman nodded. She motioned for Enid to follow her apparently still having trouble translating Enid¡¯s bastardized version of their language. The woman offered food and water to Enid and the little girl. Enid ate the offered dried meat and cornmeal bread. It wasn¡¯t the best food in the world, but it was better than starving. Enid motioned to the girl who was as close as she could be to Enid without being on her lap.

    ¡°Where is her mother?¡±

    ¡°A monster ate her.¡±

    Enid blinked pondered asking the woman to repeat herself. But decided to take the statement at face value.

    ¡°She uh, the girl, seems to be, attached to me. I am not sure how long I can stay here.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you can have the girl. She is too young. She is cursed¡±

    Enid blinked. And pondered what she had said that indicated she wanted the girl at all. The girl clutched onto her arm and smiled up at Enid.

    ¡°She is of your tribe, should the tribe not raise her I do not know your ways.¡±

    The woman looked confused. Then nodded and started going through objects and speaking their word for them. Enid gave up and listened to the lesson with the girl whose name she did not know. The woman finally touched the girls shoulder and spoke a what seemed to be a name.

    ¡°Mitena¡±

    Enid nodded. The woman touched Enid and spoke another name.

    ¡°Koko.¡±

    Enid shook her head touching chest.

    ¡°Enid.¡±

    The woman shook her head and touched Enid¡¯s shoulder again.

    ¡°You are Koko.¡±

    Enid sighed and just went with it.

    Ezekiel where the fuck are you?

    The woman went about showing Enid how to do some simple tasks around the summer settlement. Mitena never left her side. Everything was new to her. She¡¯d never had to survive as a non-modern mortal. She was starting to realize just how challenging all the cattle she had passed by had for lives. Even her bronze age village had been less harsh. The whole time she was listening to conversations around her. Learning tones and inflections. She loved learning languages as much as she whined about as a child. Enid was finding this exhilarating. Likely a very dead language her father never even knew. She saw the medicine man approaching as she was working at cleaning a fish. He motioned for her to follow him. Mitena stood up to follow but he waved her back. Mitena pouted but let the two go off alone. He motioned for Enid to enter his home. It had animal bones on string along with what seemed like effigies mean to scare away evil spirits. Enid was completely in the dark as to their beliefs. She knew that many of the native American beliefs revolved around spirts and harmony with the earth. So, she made guesses when explaining her presence. He spoke slowly, obviously having discussed her with his tribemates.

    ¡°Koko. You seek the evil spirit pit.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Why?¡±

    Enid searched for the words. They were coming quicker. A month here and she¡¯d be more conversant. She motioned to herself and put her hand on her stomach.

    ¡°It is¡­leaking. Mitena, was¡­one was inside her.¡±

    He nodded after a several moments as he worked through her rudimentary version of their language. He spoke with gestures which helped Enid understood

    ¡°You forced the evil spirit out?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°More¡­ It is dangerous. It needs to be sealed. There is poison in the ground.¡±

    She made gestures with her hands of lifting off the ground. She then padded the floor and held her hands to her throat and made coughing sounds. He nodded.

    ¡°It is near our winter home.¡±

    ¡°How¡­how did the spirt come?¡±

    ¡°It came with Mitena.¡±

    ¡°Her mother?¡±

    ¡°She left seven nights ago. She was not happy with my answers.¡±

    Enid nodded. She tugged on the bottom of her hide skirt.

    ¡°Are these hers?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Should I use?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°She is lost to us.¡±

    ¡°And where I laid¡­it was hers?¡±

    ¡°Yes her man¡­ Mitena¡­¡±

    Enid could read by his expression what he was not saying was something terrible to him.

    ¡°Mitena killed him?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Evil spirt¡­she..¡±

    Enid searched for the words and then just shrugged and made a wiping motion across her forehead. The medicine man looked confused.

    ¡°Forgotten. Would not know. Asleep.¡±

    The man nodded. Enid noticed him reaching for one of the sweet fruits from the area and yanked it out of his hand.

    ¡°No. Only meat.¡±The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    He blinked at her.

    ¡°Your sleeping sickness. The sweet smell when you pee. This.¡±

    She held up the fruit. He frowned and nodded. She held it up one last time before putting it in her pack.

    ¡°You will die. If you eat.¡±

    Enid silently pondered if a keto diet would work for him, but its all she had, she couldn¡¯t exactly keep giving him her limited supply of insulin it would last a week maximum.

    ¡°I will tell your woman.¡±

    He frowned but nodded.

    ¡°You are wise to the way of healing.¡±

    Enid nodded. He spoke a name.

    ¡°Chitto¡±

    He paused to confirm Enid understood and she nodded.

    ¡°How did you heal him?¡±

    ¡°I¡­cut the sickness out then took his.. onto me.¡±

    She made motions with her hand then touched her own calf. His eyes went wide and he nodded. He looked at her pristine leg.

    ¡°I¡­heal quickly at night.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Mitena, she¡­why does the elder woman¡­me?¡±

    Enid touched her chest.

    ¡°The tribe fears her. For what she has done. She did it in his sleep.¡±

    Enid nodded and sighed.

    ¡°Will you watch her?¡±

    ¡°I will¡­but¡­ I am not in control of my¡­ destiny.¡±

    He nodded. Enid frowned.

    ¡°A spirt may take me away. She is safe now. I¡­if someone can¡­ watch her mother¡­ mother her¡­ I can search for Mitena¡¯s mother if¡­ someone can care for her.¡±

    He scratched his head. Enid shrugged.

    ¡°After dark.¡±

    She heard a commotion outside and Mitena¡¯s name. Enid didn¡¯t wait to be excused and left the home of the medicine man only to find Mitena in the dirt having stones thrown at her. Enid stood in front of her and caught one of the stones as it pelted the pair. The boys that were doing it hadn¡¯t seen what she did last night so didn¡¯t know to fear her yet.

    ¡°Stop.¡±

    The boys laughed and continued. Chitto, who recognized Enid immediately as the person who had healed him last night kicked the boys down. He yelled at them and nodded to Enid. The kids scattered. Enid scooped up the girl. She felt blood dropping down her forehead. Mitena was no worse for the ware a few bruises but no cuts. Mitena was crying and Enid held the girl to herself and rocked her gently singing her the same lullaby she¡¯d sung to Eyre as a child. Mitena drifted off to a fitful sleep and Enid gently laid her on the smaller pile of furs. After cleaning up her one injury from the rocks she left her new¡­home? And looked around. The hunters were returning with fresh game. Enid heard movement behind her and looked down to see Mitena join her. The girl¡¯s hand wormed it¡¯s way into hers. Enid nodded to her and watched and listened to the village as afternoon moved to mealtime. Enid found herself with enough fish, and meat to supply herself and her new charge. She joined the tribe as they gathered to eat a communal meal. Mitena sat on her lap eating. All the while Enid watched and listened. Picking up more of the language.

    One of the boys started mocking Mitena and her pale mother. It was after dark so Enid picked up a rock and held it in her fist and crushed it letting the powder fall to the ground. The boy fled very quickly to his mother and father whom Enid smiled innocently at. Mitena hugged her tightly. She noticed the girl didn¡¯t speak much and pondered if that was a change from before the¡­infestation. Enid held the girl close as the pair ate. Enid found herself greeted several times by various people from the tribe she politely greeted them back.

    Mitena eventually fell asleep again and Enid took her back to the home and tucked her in. She found the old medicine man and motioned for him to follow her.

    ¡°I will go find her mother now. Could you watch her?¡±

    He pondered for a several minutes and nodded. Enid shifted into her red furred wolf form. Those that still socialized at the center of the settlement pointed and shouted. Enid walked around the outside of the area searching for the scent of Mitena¡¯s mother. She found it and started to follow it. Content she had the right baring she shifted to her falcon form and flew up into the night. She alternated forms to ensure she was still following the trail. She shifted to wolf and the scent was stronger and far more recent. She was picking up a lot more scents and paths. The mix of wolf and human was clear. This was a wolf-born tribe.

    Enid didn¡¯t pause. She assumed the wolf-born would find her eventually. She had been right. She found herself swiftly surrounded by grey wolves. They growled at her. She growled back. Then addressed them in their language.

    ¡°I am blooded and true-named, Slays-Demons by tooth and claw. I am tracking a human woman.¡±

    Her response to their challenge led to more growling from the largest. Then one of the females snarled at him and nipped at his leg. He made a whining sound. The female was obviously the alpha of this pack.

    ¡°I am blooded and true-named Desert-Terror. By tooth and claw. The spirts speak of your deeds with awe and reverence, they call you mother. You are welcome here. The human you seek is this way.¡±

    Enid nodded and followed the pack to their tribal lands. Their habitation was much like the group she had just left. Only with more¡­wolves. They shifted to their human shapes and Enid joined them.

    ¡°You are not what we expected. In your human shape. Godling.¡±

    ¡°I am not from here. My home is far away. I was sent by¡­a spirit for what reason I do not know.¡±

    ¡°Your arrival is a good omen to us. Mother of spirits. Why do you seek this human?¡±

    ¡°Her daughter was possessed by an evil spirit, I have removed it. She sought a cure for her child but it is no longer required.¡±

    ¡°I fear you are too late for this one. We found her starved and near death. She is one of our kin who joined the tribe. You say her daughter was tainted?¡±

    ¡°No, just a small spirit, I sent it back to whence it came. I know it source and come winter, if I am still here will seal the leaks.¡±

    ¡°You speak of the blighted cave?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it¡­causes sickness, hair falling out¡­there is obsidian?¡±

    ¡°We are familiar with it, it is forbidden to us. The spirits say it will not harm you. Why do you wait for winter?¡±

    ¡°I am not sure now, with you here I¡¯m sure you could guide me.¡±

    Desert-Terror led Enid to one of the clay covered huts and motioned to Mitena¡¯s mother. She was skin and bones. Too near death to save.

    ¡°You are right. Even with all my power I cannot save her. Her daughter¡­she isn¡¯t accepted back with the humans. But it is all she knows.¡±

    ¡°Take her to her new people. She is kin, but she is no longer our kin once she joined their tribe.¡±

    Enid nodded and scooped the woman up.

    ¡°Return when you can Slays-Demons, we would like to hear your story from your own lips.¡±

    Enid smiled and nodded and flew into the air. She would waste her previous blood flying the woman back. Shape shifting had a fraction of the cost and wasn¡¯t an ongoing drain. She landed in the sleeping settlement and laid the woman in her own bed. The medicine man had decorated it with some of his evil spirit wards. He rushed to Mitena¡¯s mother and looked to Enid who shook her head.

    ¡°I can do nothing for her. She is too far gone.¡±

    He nodded. Enid motioned to Mitena¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Thank you for watching Mitena. She was with her¡­tribe.¡±

    He blinked at her.

    ¡°I am known to them. They tried their best, but she was too weak.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°I can wait with them.¡±

    Enid waited for Mitena to wake up. Mitena rushed to her and hugged her but then she noticed her mother and rushed to her. Enid moved to her and kneeled beside the dying woman.

    ¡°Can you heal her?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°It is not within my power.¡±

    Mitena held her mother¡¯s hand. They sat there quietly until after the sun had risen. Enid didn¡¯t need her heightened senses to know that the mother had passed. She had silently hoped she would wake before dying to say goodbye to Mitena. The child started crying and buried in her face into Enid¡¯s chest. Enid stoked her head gently.

    ¡°Shh, shh. Death is a natural part of life child.¡±

    Immortal woman who is responsible for tens of thousands of deaths, lecturing a child on the inevitability of death. That¡¯s not wrong at all.

    Enid carried Mitena with her as she looked for the elders. She found the Medicine Man and he looked at her then to Mitena¡¯s still crying form. He nodded and Mitena¡¯s mother was moved. Enid found herself being pulled with Mitena towards a stone slab where the woman was placed. Mitena and Enid assisted in cleaning her body. Enid glanced towards Mitena often the women sang as they worked. It was a mournful song that would stick with Enid for the rest of her life. Tears dripped down her cheeks. She looked up from their work. Mitena touched her cheek and looked at moistness on her fingers.

    ¡°Spirits cry?¡±

    ¡°Everything cries child.¡±

    Enid walked with Mitena and some of the men who put her in a bone grounds. Or that is what she would call it there were a series of parched bones left to nature. Countless ancestors of the tribe lay here. Enid waited with Mitena for a few hours but noticed the scavengers were prowling around so nudged the girl back to the tribe¡¯s settlement. After a communal evening meal Enid put a sleeping Mitena to bed and went back out to the gathering place. The medicine man whose name she still did not know motioned her to sit with him.

    ¡°You have been a mother before?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°You handle her well. She is yours.¡±

    ¡°She needs a woman from the tribe I do not know your ways.¡±

    ¡°If not for you, she would be abandoned. Everyone still believes the evil spirit is in her.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes narrowed briefly as anger at the inhumanity of it, but then she realized she was applying modern morality to somewhere it had no place. Even as chieftain¡¯s daughter, she was barely accepted in the tribe because her tribe feared her gift. If this was her birth tribe, the girl would likely have been stoned, or dropped off a cliff into the ocean. For fear of the sidhe. She nodded to him.

    ¡°I understand. I would like to learn your ways and stories, so I may teach her, and may tell others of you. Would you teach me?¡±

    He poked at the fire with a branch moving and shifting the wood. After several minutes of thinking he finally nodded.

    ¡°If the chief agrees. We will ask him in the morning. He is laying with his woman, she was in a¡­ mood.¡±

    Enid nodded she went to stand up put then paused and stayed.

    ¡°Why does the tribe feed and clothe me? I am an outsider, I do not look¡­like you.¡±

    ¡°You saved four of us, we lost our¡­healer with Mitena¡¯s mother. They hope you will stay and teach someone.¡±

    Enid looked up as the quarter moon that hung low in the dark sky. She noticed the vast sea stars and realized that she would never see this view in the modern world and smiled. She also realized that she wasn¡¯t getting home any time soon.

    ¡°I will teach someone. But I will instruct Mitena as well.¡±

    He smiled and pointed at Enid and tapped his head.

    ¡°You are wise, tell me night spirit, how many nights have you seen?¡±

    ¡°More than your entire tribe put together.¡±

    He nodded. Enid stood up. He touched her forearm and then retracked his hand quickly and rubbed his face as if he¡¯d seen something.

    ¡°You face a great evil that will consume you.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Yes. But it is I who do the consuming.¡±

    She winked at him. He stared after her as she crossed her arms and walked out of the settlement. Enid looked up at the sky again noticing a couple of stars that were gone in her time and already gone now, but the light still travelled from the far reaches of the galaxy even through the parent stars were long dead.

    ¡°And what are we mortals against the immortality of stars.¡±

    I¡¯m going to die in a black hole.

    Enid smiled. Glad for the brief reprieve from her impending demise. She thought of Allison and realized that likely once God was done with her here in this time, she would be right back where she left from.

    Going back to school after however long this lasts is going to suck.

    Her supernatural hearing picked up Mitena¡¯s voice crying out for her mother. Enid rushed to their home. Mitena still slept but she was having a nightmare. Enid picked her up and lay her down beside her in her fur bedding. She held the child close. Mitena calmed in her sleep her small hand pressed against Enid¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°I am here child. I am here.¡±

    Enid lay there for the rest of the night holding the girl. She pondered what kind of life the girl would have raised by someone not of her culture. It bothered Enid, she felt she was robbing of her of some vital part of her development. Lilith had managed it, but she feared she could not, and she couldn¡¯t rewind time if she fucked up.

    ¡°Mother for the sixth time, what am I thinking?¡±

 Utah - Year ???? + 6 - Time Lost (3/4)

    The late spring rolled into the summer, and as fall started to come and the wind grew chill the tribe packed up their things and began their migration south. Enid assumed they were heading into Southern Utah. She was unfamiliar with the geography of this territory so she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to tell either way. With a strict watch on the medicine man¡¯s diet, she had managed to keep his blood sugar somewhat controlled within the bounds that diet allowed. She had come to realize his name was Elsu.

    Over the months Enid had healed many injuries and had gathered many medicinal plants using the tablet in the dead of night while Mitena slept. She would go out and scan plants and then would take Mitena and Niya to gather them as if she knew exactly what they were just from memory. Enid guessed Niya was twelve or thirteen. She was a clever girl and quick study. Enid taught her which animals to avoid because of carried diseases. How to look for parasites in the meat to determine if it was safe. How to purify tools with heat. Mitena and Enid never wanted for food. Several of the non-bonded men of the tribe seemed to be trying to impress her. Enid remained celibate out of loyalty to Allison much to the disappointment of several men who sought her attentions.

    By what Enid assumed was October the settlement was set up in their new location which was a sheltered encampment within a rocking area. The choice was deliberate and had been used for generations. It would be protected and hold the warmth from the day but was shaded enough that it kept people out of direct heat. There was no growing here, the tribe survived off of what they grew in the summer and would continue to hunt and fish. Enid had a whole new selection of medicinal plants to find and gather and it kept her nights occupied. They had been there for several days and Elsu approached her as she was showing Mitena and Niya how to properly prepare the plants in their various forms. Whether it be a salve or a tea. She left the pair to their work, leaving Niya in charge. Elsu looked nervous.

    ¡°We are near the evil spirit pit.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I know. I can sense it.¡±

    ¡°I was frightened you would go seek it out. We have come to like your company Koko.¡±

    Enid quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°There is nothing there that can threaten me.¡±

    He rubbed his smooth chin.

    ¡°The chief feared you would leave.¡±

    ¡°I told you, I have no control over when I get to go home. I am here until I¡¯m not.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°If you knew it was near, why have you not sought it out?¡±

    Enid glanced back at Mitena.

    ¡°Her. Also, I am still learning your stories. I do not want them to be lost to time.¡±

    ¡°You fear what is there?¡±

    ¡°No, I fear that if I deal with it, I will be pulled home.¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°I will go tomorrow night, tomorrow I will need you to ask the spirits to bless some of the hunter¡¯s weapons. It will make them dangerous to those in the pit. I will take the twins with me. I have been teaching them how to fight my way. I want them to see the evil that dwells there so if I am called home, they can defend the tribe.¡±

    ¡°You should bless the weapons.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°That is a matter of faith in the spirits, I am one, so I do not have faith, I have knowledge. Do you understand?¡±

    He shook his head.

    ¡°Your talismans have power to ward off evil spirits because you believe they do. Just as if you bless the weapons in front of the twins, they will believe they have the power to slay evil. It is that faith that the evil spirits fear.¡±

    ¡°But you believe in a great spirit. I hear you speaking of it to Mitena sometimes. Surely this spirit is the strongest if even you believe in it.¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°Your spirits and gods are just as real as he is. I know this because the spirits you work with call me Mother.¡±

    His eyes went wide.

    ¡°Truly?¡±

    ¡°I have been told on several occasions I am referred to as Mother of Spirits, I have no knowledge from whence that title comes, but they believe it, so it has power.¡±

    He took a few moments to think then he smiled and nodded.

    ¡°You still know little of our beliefs, yet you teach me of them with your wise words.¡±

    ¡°Its just a matter of age, Elsu. When you speak the spirits tell them Slays-Demons asks for their aid. I doubt mentioning me could hurt.¡±

    ¡°Is that your true-name.¡±

    ¡°According to the spirits, it is.¡±

    ¡°Then why do you allow us to call you Koko?¡±

    ¡°Because Koko is as good a description for me as any. Thank you Elsu. I need to return to my students.¡±

    He nodded and Enid moved back to the girls.

    *****

    ¡°Momma don¡¯t go into the darkness.¡±

    Enid pulled the braids out of Mitena¡¯s hair and started to brush it out, one of the future luxuries she allowed herself to use was a plastic brush.

    ¡°You know I must child. Do you want others to get sick like you did? Have the rest of the tribe look on them as they look on you?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you too.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Let the warriors go, it is men¡¯s work.¡±

    ¡°I told you Mitena, nothing is men¡¯s or women¡¯s work. We must share the burden. It is just men are stronger than women, so they often do the heavy work. But women who train can be just as skilled as men at fighting. It is why I have been teaching you the spear and the bow. I have fought many battles and I always win.¡±

    Mitena clutched onto Enid¡¯s arm as she brought it up to sweep the brush down again.

    ¡°Please momma, stay.¡±

    ¡°I cannot, but Niya will stay with you. I will be back by morning with new stories of battle to tell.¡±

    ¡°I would rather have you.¡±

    Mitena pouted in only the way a six-year-old girl could. Enid forced herself not to smile keeping her face somewhat neutral.

    ¡°Your face will stay that way if you keep doing it.¡±

    ¡°You always say that, and it never does. Why don¡¯t other mom¡¯s say that?¡±

    ¡°Because other moms are not older than the hills.¡±

    Enid pinched Mitena¡¯s nose and was reward with a girlish giggle.

    ¡°Now stop fidgeting while I brush your hair, unless you want me to stop.¡±

    Mitena shook her head and sat very still. Enid smiled and finished brushing out the end. She envied the girls straight hair. Her natural form had curly hair that drove her nuts as a child and an adult. Enid put the brush in her pack.

    ¡°Go get comfortable.¡±

    ¡°Please sing momma.¡±

    ¡°I will, I will! Let me change while you get comfortable.¡±

    Enid started pulling off the woven top and hide skirt she had become accustomed too. She pulled on a sports bra and a pair of underwear. Mitena watched her holding her feather stuffed toy to her chest.

    ¡°What are those momma?¡±

    ¡°Special clothes; So, my armor doesn¡¯t pinch.¡±

    Enid tugged on the Atlantean Body suit and sealed the front. She flexed and made sure the plates still formed. She reached out her other arm she thought of an energy shield and a Greek style shield shimmered into existence on her arm. She flicked her arm and it vanished. It felt good to be in the armor again. Enid pulled Bloodseeker out of her pack and laid it down on the floor of their home as she kneeled beside Mitena. Mitena reached out and touched Enid¡¯s thigh.

    ¡°What is that made of?¡±

    ¡°I do not know. It is the work of the gods. Now I believe I said I would sing a song before I leave.¡±

    Mitena nodded and crawled onto Enid¡¯s lap. Enid held her close and she began singing one of the tribe¡¯s songs but Mitena started shaking her head immediately.

    ¡°No, that one is boring I want the other one.¡±

    ¡°Mitena that is one of your tribe¡¯s songs.¡±

    ¡°No, I want the one your mom sang to you.¡±

    Enid looked down into her adopted daughter¡¯s brown eyes and sighed. The girl had an insatiable lust to hear about Enid¡¯s culture as opposed to her own tribes. It frustrated Enid to no end. Enid sighed.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to want to know the others for your children little one.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to sing them yours.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°I¡¯m only doing this because I want you to fall asleep, I don¡¯t want you up all night worrying about me.¡±

    Enid started to sing Lilith¡¯s lullaby rocking Mitena as she did so. The girl was sound asleep by the time she finished. She laid her gently in her bed of furs tugging the softest of them over top of her covering her shoulders. She leaned down and kissed the child¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°God please send my brothers and sisters to watch over her should I not return.¡±

    She stood up and pulled a hair tie from her bag and pulled her hair back in a ponytail. Niya was waiting just outside, she looked like she had been for a few minutes.

    ¡°You could have come in. It is freezing out here.¡±

    Niya shook her head.

    ¡°She is lucky to have you Koko.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m the lucky one.¡±

    Enid patted Niya on the shoulder.

    ¡°Thank you for staying with her. She has nightmares and wakes up sometimes, just hold her she¡¯ll calm down.¡±

    Niya nodded.

    ¡°Are you in danger tonight?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°I¡­have so much to learn still.¡±

    Enid smiled at her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back by morning to work you to exhaustion again.¡±

    Niya nodded and entered the hut. Enid had to hand it to the tribe their construction held the heat well even during the winter nights. She breathed in the crisp night air and went in search of the twins. They were teenager boys who had asked her to train them. She did so with some resistance at first not wanting to contaminate their culture more then she already had but the chief had insisted using the fact that he was allowing Mitena to live with the tribe. Enid looked them up and down. They were wearing furs to ward off the night¡¯s chill.

    ¡°We are going to be fighting monsters the likes of which you have never seen.¡±

    Enid pulled out two of Elsu¡¯s blessed amulets and hung one around each of their necks.

    ¡°These protect you from them getting inside you like they did with Mitena. You had Elsu bless your weapons?¡±

    The twins nodded.

    ¡°They will hurt the monsters. Are you sure you want to do this boys? Once you send these things back where they came, they will declare you enemy along with all your descendants.¡±

    The pair nodded. They had no parents they were victims of what Enid had come to understand was a demon attack a few winters ago.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go kill some evil spirits.¡±

    *****

    The trio reached the cave entrance. Enid could feel her gut twisting on itself. It was like having the worst PMS she could recall. She glanced at the twins.

    ¡°You will stay here. Anything that tries to leave that isn¡¯t me you need to kill. Nothing gets past you.¡±

    The twins looked at each other. Jacy shook his head.

    ¡°No, we will fight by your side.¡±

    Enid sighed and put her hands on their shoulders.

    ¡°Jacy and Jolon, this cave has¡­something in it that will make you sick and there will be nothing I can do to heal you. Stay here. Guard the exit.¡±

    Enid reached into her bag and pulled out a blessed smoke grenade.

    ¡°I showed you how to use this weapon. You pull this and throw it. If you get overwhelmed throw it, the smoke will choke the evil spirits. Use the time to escape and warn the tribe. I left more¡­dangerous ones under my healing supplies. Use them if you absolutely need to. You must not be hit by them they will hurt you just as much as the evil spirits.¡±

    The pair looked disappointed, but Jacy took the smoke grenade and hooked the handle over his boot lip. Enid smiled at them then went into the cave. She paused when out of site of the boys and strapped two Glock 17¡¯s full of blessed bullets to her hips and pulled out two blessed fragmentation grenades. As she approached the hell gate chamber she sensed a large amount of evil. As she turned the corner she popped the pins out of the grenades with her thumbs. She saw a series of etchings in the stone that she guessed was some form of barrier against them. It wasn¡¯t a matter of if they could get out, but more of when would the barrier fail and a few would slip out. There were about seventy demons behind the runic barrier.

    The demons were milling about. She whistled loudly and almost instantly the swarm of demons started crashing against the barrier. She lobbed the two grenades over the lead group. She altered time around her and drew her guns and started shooting. As she emptied her pistols into the room numerous demons started to evaporate in black mist the blessed bullets sending them back to hell. She dropped the guns and drew Bloodseeker as the grenades went off. She turned her eyes away from the flash and she felt bits of demon pelt her. The hoard was thinned but even with the twins she was outnumbered ten to one. She lept through the barrier shattering it. She pushed blood to her muscles and altered time again becoming a blur. Bloodseeker became a blender blade shredding demon after demon. She knew a few had gotten past her but knew they would find their trip back to Hell in the form of the twins with spirit blessed long spears. A few more fled through the portal Enid grabbed one of the stragglers from behind. She punched it in the face until it seemed to be knocked unconscious. She wasn¡¯t sure about demon physiology so she assumed it was still alive. She dragged him to the portal and shoved him, so he was stuck between worlds. The portal started to flicker and spark. Enid pulled out her rocket launcher and loaded her one blessed demonfire rocket.

    She put it on her shoulder and put in what she thought was a good scatter pattern. She wasn¡¯t unsure if this would even work, theoretically it should if the demon was holding the portal open to transport. She heard footsteps on the stone of the cave and looked back to see the twins she shook her head and pressed the trigger. The missile launched and curved up into the air on the Hell side of the rift. She grabbed the demon who was holding the portal open¡¯s leg and tossed him inside. It seemed to heal instantly once it finished transiting. It had barely stood up when the demonfire lake appeared. She couldn¡¯t hear its screams but apparently the blessing worked as she¡¯d assumed it would. She looked at the twins.

    ¡°Get out of here now!¡±

    They heard the anger in her voice and ran quickly. Enid slid the rocket launcher in her pack and looked past the sea of molten demonfire to the Hellscape beyond. Demons were trying for another push and popping out of existence as their feet touched the blessed liquid fire. Unlike a normal Demonfire this one didn¡¯t seem to be solidifying. She took time to look around the chamber now. There was an alter that had two sets of werewolf bones on it. She frowned.

    Someone did a ritual to open this.

    She pulled the bones off and kneeled beside them asking the spirts to free the wolf-born bound to them. Enid stood after wards and used Bloodseeker to slice the alter to pieces stomping on them to turn them to smaller chucks. Leaving only debris. She looked back to the portal and the lake of fire had not dissipated nor had it lost its potency demons were still trying to navigate it.

    Shit it worked.

    Enid started collecting her spent shell casings and the grenade pins. Collecting the fragments of the grenades would be hopeless. She shrugged. She then wired the cavern with C4 and pulled the detonator out of her pocket.

    Can¡¯t seal the portal but can make it impossible to use.

    She looked at the twins. They had a few wounds but those would heal in time. She held the detonator in her hand and looked at them. She offered the detonator.

    ¡°Would you like to seal it?¡±

    They looked at each other and Jolon reached out his hand Enid offered the detonator to him. She lifted off the cover and pointed at the button. He pressed it and the ground shook. They both jumped and Enid grinned. She liked explosives almost as she liked jets. She took the detonator and put it into her pack. She motioned back towards the village and the trio walked on. Jolon and Jacy walked silently beside Enid. They weren¡¯t the most talkative pair.

    *****

    Enid switched into the clothes she had inherited from Mitena¡¯s mother and laid on her furs. Shortly after she laid down, she heard Mitena moving. Soon the girl was snuggled against her. Enid kissed her on the forehead and stoked her back gently until Mitena settled again. The night passed and morning came. She was surprised and relieved that no angel came to take her back. Mitena woke up shortly after dawn and grabbed Enid around the neck kissing her on the cheek.

    ¡°What was that for?¡±

    ¡°You came back.¡±

    ¡°I told you I would.¡±

    Enid grabbed her cheeks and kissed her forehead.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go get breakfast we have some wounds to tend to from last night¡¯s battle.¡±

    Mitena started looking over Enid¡¯s arms and legs.

    ¡°You don¡¯t look hurt.¡±

    ¡°Not me, Jolon and Jace, silly.¡±

    Mitena giggled.

    *****

    Enid counted six summers and six winters before she had any hint of her of a message from God or Ezekiel. At first, she was angry at being stuck here. After Mitena she was not sure she wanted to leave. Thinking of the little girl abandoned by the mother she¡¯d come to love and know. Enid started to dread the day would come. As time wore on, she decided she still had to do more to go home and resolved to do as little as possible beyond her duties as the tribe¡¯s resident wise woman and mothering Mitena. She assumed this would limit her chances of being dragged away.

    Enid wiped down Elsu¡¯s dead body along with his wife and his daughter. He had asked her to take part in the ritual and his family was happy to have her. He had outlived her predictions on his lifespan without insulin by four years. Apparently having a doctor monitoring, you daily and watching your diet like a hawk could help control diabetes with diet. The women began singing their song of mourning. Enid joined in as was tradition for the tribe. Enid always had tears in her eyes as she sang it or listened to it. This time was particularly sad to her. He had spent his last day with her and his successor trying desperately to ensure that the traditions were passed on properly.

    Enid followed the men who carried him to the burial ground along with his family and his successor. His successor performed the rites and committed him to the next world. Mitena was by Enid¡¯s side. She was still mostly a village outcast, but Enid was confident the girl could take care of herself when she grew up. Enid had taught her to hunt, fish, planting, judging the season and the rain, as she had been taught by Elsu. She also taught her how to fight. How to tend the sick. Mitena hugged Enid as the pair walked back to the settlement.

    ¡°Mother. He meant a lot to you, didn¡¯t he?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Yet another teacher I have outlived. At least he was able to pass on his knowledge to the next generation.¡±

    ¡°Why is it so important to you that I learn about them?¡±

    ¡°Because, where you came from is as important as where you¡¯re going. One day if the tribe fails to pass on their culture and traditions it will vanish into the sands of time. No one would know it even existed save from some cryptic paintings on a cave wall and holes in the ground where the poles of our homes stand.¡±

    ¡°That is sad mother.¡±

    ¡°I know, which is why I remind you of your traditions every chance I get.¡±

    ¡°But I am your daughter now, should I not learn yours?¡±

    ¡°My people are long dead and forgotten except by me and my father. Only stories of how we would paint ourselves have survived. And¡­the lullaby. So it is no longer important.¡±

    ¡°It is important to me mother.¡±

    ¡°Alright, one story while we walk. We would call the spirts the sidhe. The fair folk. My people thought I was one of them because of the gift of foresight I possess. I was outcast like you are until I was needed. Now, I am one of the Night Sidhe. It is said they would sneak into a round house and replace babies with a sidhe. Which is why I was suspected of being one. I was told my mother tried to drown me and refused to feed me. That a sidhe appeared to be my milk mother after defeating all my father¡¯s men in battle.¡±

    ¡°Wow. There were legends about you?¡±

    ¡°So many child. So many.¡±

    ¡°What have you seen mother?¡±

    Enid smiled.

    ¡°More than you can imagine and not even a tiny fraction of the universe.¡±

    She wrapped her arm around Mitena¡¯s shoulders and pulled her close. Mitena leaned her head against Enid.

    ¡°You¡¯re staying here because of me aren¡¯t you mother?¡±

    ¡°No, I told you, I need someone else to get my home. I guarantee you that I¡¯m going to find the ritual to get back on my own as soon as I get back so this never happens again.¡±

    Mitena nodded.

    ¡°Why were you sent here?¡±

    ¡°I can only assume because someone performed a ritual to open the portal that let the evil spirits lose.¡±

    Enid rubbed her face and swore in English.

    ¡°What was that Mother?¡±

    ¡°Nothing. I just realized something.¡±

    Enid hugged Mitena¡¯s shoulders tightly again.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you were sent here.¡±

    ¡°So am I.¡±

    The pair had almost reached the settlement when Ezekiel appeared in front of them. Enid started shaking her head and put Mitena behind her. He smiled as he approached the pair. He looked around Enid and waved at Mitena who blinked up at the strange old man.

    ¡°There you are.¡±

    Mitena spoke up.

    ¡°Mom should I get the warriors?¡±

    Enid shook her head to her daughter then looked to Ezekiel.

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going.¡±

    ¡°Your work is done here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not abandoning her.¡±

    ¡°Perish the thought. She doesn¡¯t belong here anymore then you do.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been here, she would have died, killed by the wolf-born for being possessed.¡±

    ¡°Why was I even here then?¡±

    ¡°Oh, to learn a lesson.¡±

    ¡°What¡­the¡­fuck?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that child. Come.¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t come to the future with us. Her immune system is not adapted she might as well not have one.¡±

    ¡°Have faith child.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you and fuck God.¡±

    ¡°Really, you were making such progress.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s before you tossed me into prehistory to learn a lesson.¡±

    ¡°Prehistory? Nonsense¡­its after Narfordshire.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t just vanish. Let me tell the tribe.¡±

    Enid saw two forms on the path holding spears. They started to rush towards the group. As they came into focus Enid realized it was the twins. She held up her hand.

    ¡°You really must come with me now. The boss was insistent that this is the time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re acting like I could stop you.¡±

    ¡°All things considered you are my big sister you probably could.¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know a word of English. What kind of life is she going to have?¡±

    ¡°The boss will make things work. Have faith.¡±

    ¡°Hold my hand tightly Mitena.¡±

    Mitena grabbed Enid''s hand and clutched it like her life depended on it. Ezekiel put his hands on their shoulders. The twins arrived where they were standing just in time to see them vanish in a flash of light.

 Utah - 2027 - The Reality Core (4/4)

    The trio appeared in the garden.  Ezekiel dusted his hands off.  He tipped his hat to Mitena.

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you, young lady.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    Mitena was still clutching onto Enid¡¯s hand tightly staring up at Ezekiel.

    ¡°Technically I¡¯m your uncle child.¡±

    Mitena looked up at Enid who nodded.

    ¡°He is my brother, or so I¡¯m told.¡±

    Enid looked at Ezekiel.

    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of this getting pulled every which way bullshit.  I have a life, school, a daughter, a sister, a girlfriend, you can¡¯t just go tossing people who knows how far into the past for six years and expect them to be happy about it!¡±

    ¡°Its not my fault it took you six years to learn the lesson he wanted you to learn.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s an asshole.¡±

    ¡°Well. He apologizes for the inconvenience.¡±

    He strolled over to the tree of life and plucked two of the golden fruits, he strolled to the tree of knowledge and plucked one of the silver fruits.

    ¡°As a way to make amends he wanted me to bring Mitena here and give her something to snack on.¡±

    Enid blinked.

    ¡°Really?  The silver ones?  You won¡¯t even give me those.¡±

    ¡°I could if you wanted, but people rarely want the knowledge it provides.  But in this case, the knowledge that is needed isn¡¯t so bad.¡±

    He ruffled Mitena¡¯s hair and offered her the fruit.  Mitena still had her vicelike grip on Enid¡¯s hand.  Enid nodded to her.

    ¡°Go ahead, he¡¯s an asshole, but its safe here.  Go ahead eat. You¡¯ll feel better.¡±

    He offered the last golden fruit to Enid.

    ¡°For you sister.¡±

    Enid snatched and bit into it.

    ¡°Jerk.¡±

    ¡°I deserved that.  Now.  I believe a field trip to Atlantis is in order.  Boss says you need a ¡®tablet¡¯ and as many blades as you can carry, along with an extra pack for this one and for your other daughter.¡±

    ¡°Really?  He wants me to give an elven year old an extradimensional pack?¡±

    ¡°Yes, in them you¡¯re to place one tablet, one suit of Atlantean armor, one dagger, one sword, one pistol, and one rifle.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Well lead the way, I¡¯ve never been.¡±

    Ezekiel nodded and as he walked a walking stick appeared in his hand.  The trio looked truly odd as they walked through the warm oak and maple forest.  A dapper seventy-year-old man with a bowler and a silver tipped walking stick.  The women dressed in hides and woven fabric from a primitive tribe.

    ¡°Ezekiel something more comfortable please?¡±

    He nodded and winked at the pair.  Enid was wearing her favored school clothes a pleated skirt with hidden pockets and a t-shirt and a pair of combat boots. Mitena ended up dressed similarly.  She started tugging at her newly formed underwear and looked at Enid who shrugged.  Mitena was finishing her fruit of life which and she tossed the core and then took a bite of the silver fruit.  Enid glanced at her adopted daughter and saw her eyes go wide.

    ¡°These are underwear and this is a training bra.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Guess that fruit is something.¡±

    ¡°It tastes like lessons from you mother.¡±

    ¡°Yuck.¡±

    She looked at Ezekiel.

    ¡°Did you give her one of the rotten ones?¡±

    ¡°No mother, it¡­ is love wrapped around knowledge. Oh mother, I did not know how much I loved your lessons.¡±

    Enid shrugged.  Enid and Mitena started to lag behind as the knowledge of the future started to infuse her brain.  Ezekiel stopped and tapped his cane.

    ¡°Come on, we haven¡¯t got all day children.¡±

    ¡°Ezekiel, we are literally in a dimension that touches all space and time.  We have as long as we want.¡±

    ¡°I know but I¡¯ve always wanted to say that.¡±

    Enid shook her head and nudged Mitena to move faster.

    ¡°Actually, if this touches all space and time, could I like visit mars?¡±

    ¡°Technically yes, though I don¡¯t think you¡¯d appreciate it on the day side.¡±

    ¡°You have a point.¡±

    The trio found the black beach and Enid finally saw the remnants of the battle with her own eyes.  She had only had Mariana¡¯s descriptions.  All around soldiers were trapped in posses of combat and death.  Ezekiel led them across the bridge.  Mitena had started holding Enid¡¯s hand tightly again.

    ¡°Mother, what is this place?¡±

    ¡°Fruit didn¡¯t tell you?¡±

    Mitena shook her head.

    ¡°This is Atlantis.  The site of the first battle between the forces of order and chaos.¡±

    ¡°What is wrong with the mother?¡±

    ¡°Well, your Aunt Maria, who you haven¡¯t met yet, said that they are frozen in time.  I¡¯m not sure if that is true, but they aren¡¯t moving.  Be careful.¡±

    The trio worked their way through the streets of Atlantis which was a ringed city that seemed to float on the water.  Each ring was higher then the next.  Enid silently pondered what dwelled beneath the streets as they walked up to the next level collecting Atlantean blades.  Ezekiel led the pair to the central core which housed the repository of knowledge and seemed to be the hardest hit layer besides the other ring.  One of the walls was smashed in its pieces frozen in air.  A cylinder at the center of the city was broken and fragments were being flung off as if it was spinning itself apart.  The only moving things here were thin lines of crackling energy, running through the core:  Green, Black, Blue, Purple.  Enid felt herself being pulled into it, so she stayed back.

    ¡°What is that, Ezekiel?¡±

    ¡°That is the reality core.¡±

    ¡°That means nothing to me.¡±

    ¡°Pillar of Creation?  All of the raw energies of creation and reality run through it.  Life, Death, Order, Chaos.¡±

    ¡°It looks like it is barely holding together.¡±

    ¡°Very true.  Balance was lost.  It began to slowly tear itself apart.  With a little help from the Black Son as you call him.  Its failure was inevitable, he just sped it up.  Only the temporal locks your father placed on Atlantis is stopping it from tearing itself apart.  All of creation hangs on a few threads.  The Black Son seeks to cut those threads.¡±

    ¡°Is that why we are here?¡±

    ¡°That and to collect the articles the Boss requested.¡±

    ¡°Okay every other angel in existence calls him father, why do you call him the Boss?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s the Boss.¡±

    ¡°You know, you¡¯re like the red-haired stepchild of angels.¡±

    ¡°Technically sister, you¡¯re the one with red hair.¡±

    Enid made a face at him.  Mitena shook her head.

    ¡°My mother has blonde hair.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t your mother¡¯s true face my dear child.  This is the one she uses to fight evil with.  Her other one is younger.  Why are you still in that shape, sister?¡±

    ¡°Because we still have to close the Hell Portal someone opened in Utah?¡±

    ¡°Oh, my we haven¡¯t done that yet?¡±

    ¡°No, we haven¡¯t.¡±

    Enid double checked the two packs she was supposed to retrieve for the articles that God had requested they recover.  She confirmed the list was all accounted for and gave one of them to Mitena.

    ¡°Do not lose this.  It cannot be replaced.¡±

    Mitena hung it over her shoulder like she had seen her mother do with hers for years.  Enid looked to Ezekiel.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±

    Ezekiel put his hands on their shoulders, and they appeared in the mortal world.  Enid looked around trying to get her bearings. She blinked because this was obviously not Edmonton.  She recognized the rock formations she could see in the distance and glared at Ezekiel.

    ¡°This is Utah.  We were supposed to take Mitena home first.¡±

    ¡°Well technically this is her home.¡±

    ¡°I meant my home.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I guess I did do this out of order.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°Ezekiel were you dropped on your head as a baby angel?¡±

    ¡°Angel babies, what an absurd idea.¡±

    ¡°What about cherub?¡±

    ¡°An entirely human construct.¡±

    Enid turned around in the circle.  It was midday and they were in a town.  The trio were attracting all manner of attention.  It wasn¡¯t long before a tribal police car pulled up as Enid tried to figure out which way it was to the demon pit mine as it was called now at least in the Navajo language.  It was a pair of female officers.  One dispersed the crowd of gawkers who were staring at Enid.  The other approached the trio.  She addressed Enid first.

    ¡°Ms. O¡¯Connor.  Is something going on we should be aware of?¡±You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°Not here.  The mining company that purchased the copper rights to the demon pit mines ran into some trouble.  I mean what could go wrong trying to mine a place called the demon pit by the locals right?¡±

    The officer chuckled then looked to Mitena.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be in school young lady instead of harassing superheroes?¡±

    Mitena grabbed onto Enid¡¯s hand as she was addressed.  She had been busy gawking at all the things she¡¯d never seen but could identify with no trouble.  She spoke in the language of her tribe.

    ¡°Mom, help?¡±

    Enid squeezed Mitena¡¯s hand addressing her in the same language.

    ¡°You should know English now, you should probably stick with that hon.¡±

    Enid looked at the officer, then glared at Ezekiel.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, this is my daughter.  She was supposed to be at home, but our transportation screwed up.  I don¡¯t even have her passport.¡±

    ¡°No, dear, I have it here in my pocket.¡±

    Ezekiel pulled out a Canadian passport and handed it to Enid.  She opened it and quirked an eyebrow at him.  The officer looked down to Mitena.  The officer put her hands on her hips and looked at Mitena speaking in Navajo.

    ¡°Is she your mother?¡±

    Mitena without thinking responded in Navajo which apparently, she was fluent now.  Her tone was indignant and annoyed.

    ¡°She is, and she understands our language she raised me since I was five.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Well, technically its¡­a dialect of Navajo.  I¡¯m sorry she¡¯s being so rude Officer, her name is Mitena, I¡­exercised a demon from her, her mother and father had passed, and her town was scared of her and she had no one so I adopted her with the blessings of her tribal elders. Which I did gladly.¡±

    Enid offered the girls passport which had adoption papers folded inside of it.  The officer looked it over, folded the paper up and put it back inside the passport.  The other officer joined them and smiled at Mitena.

    ¡°Well, everything seems to be in order.  I¡¯m glad you¡¯re making sure she knows her heritage and can speak our language.¡±

    ¡°Oh, her knowing her heritage and traditions is very important to me.  If she wants to move home once she¡¯s an adult I want her to be able to.  I spent years with a medicine man learning the stories so I could pass them to her.¡±

    The other officer smiled.

    ¡°So, then you have heard the story of a girl named Mitena who was adopted by the Night Mother spirit, Koko?¡±

    Mitena looked up at Enid then back to the officer.

    ¡°That¡¯s my mother¡¯s tribal name.¡±

    The officers blinked at the trio.

    ¡°My family has visited the mine before¡­to fight the same demons from the caves.  Perhaps it was one of my ancestors.¡±

    ¡°This would have been before Europeans visited this part of North America.¡±

    ¡°We have¡­help to get places we need to be if the matter is urgent.¡±

    She glanced at Ezekiel.  Who tipped his hat who addressed everyone in Navajo.   Enid had come to realize angels could speak any language in existence so was unsurprised by this.

    ¡°Ezekiel, Archangel, at your service ladies.¡±

    The pair of officers looked at each other and chuckled.  Enid nodded to them like he was telling the truth.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s not representative of most of them. He¡¯s the red-headed stepchild that annoys his siblings.  But it is who I got when I asked for help¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Sister, really airing our dirty laundry outside the family.¡±

    She switched to Angelic.

    ¡°I say this with love Ezekiel, but fuck you.¡±

    Mitena blinked at her mother understanding that as well.

    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re going to the mine, maybe we could take you to the local medicine man?¡±

    ¡°No, we should be fine, I have a good idea of what we¡¯re dealing with.  My ancestor left very detailed journals.  Umm could you¡­take Mitena for a tour of your police station?  Do you do that here?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°You taught me to fight mother.  I can help.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re eleven and I think you¡¯ve dealt with enough demons in your life already.  You¡¯ll have fun.  I just need to fight a few demons and then Ezekiel will seal the rift and we¡¯ll be good to go.  Lets walk to the station I see it from here, we¡¯ll grab some food, and then you can hang out with the officers.¡±

    Mitena pouted and followed Enid. Ezekiel sat down on a nearby bench.  Enid went into the restaurant she had seen and bought a hamburger and French fries to go.  She took Mitena¡¯s hand and led her to the station where the officers had already arrived.  The local lieutenant, was also a woman smiled when she saw the pair.

    ¡°I was told we had a VIP.  I¡¯m Lieutenant Claw.  Oh, and I see you brought food. I¡¯ll let the Officers show you our lunchroom first.¡±

    She motioned for the officers to come and get Mitena who reluctantly let go of Enid¡¯s hand.  Enid waved to her.  Once she was out of sight and earshot the Lieutenant looked Enid up and down.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t believe them when they said you were here.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to be interrupting the peace of your town.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad, that mine has been nothing but problems for my people as long as anyone can remember.  It has claimed many lives.¡±

    ¡°My ancestor sealed the cave, but it seems it was dug up.¡±

    ¡°Twice now.  No one believes us.  First it was the US Government looking for Uranium.  Then this copper mining company.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for letting Mitena stay here.  It is not safe and I wanted to leave her at home.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no worries, we¡¯re both vets and officers of the law.  Need to look out for each other.¡±

    ¡°Could I use your change room? Or a bathroom?  I need to get my armor on.¡±

    ¡°Sure, it¡¯s just over there.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    Enid nodded turned go move towards it and then paused.

    ¡°Mitena has quite the imagination and is obsessed with her tribal history, so she might talk your ears off.  Her current fad is pretending she is from the legend that has her name in it.  She sees herself in the child because they were both adopted by my family.¡±

    ¡°Same name too?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Who knows, maybe its history repeating itself.¡±

    The lieutenant chuckled.

    ¡°We¡¯ll make sure she stays out of trouble.¡±

    *****

    Ezekiel followed Enid at a safe distance.

    ¡°That sword really is disturbingly evil.¡±

    ¡°You get used to it.¡±

    ¡°What do you think we¡¯re going to find in the cave?  I cannot peer into it from limbo.¡±

    ¡°Its going to be empty, I broke the alter.  I created a lake of blessed demonfire on the other side.  Any demon that approaches gets incinerated.  We just need to close the hole.¡±

    ¡°Oh, excellent.¡±

    ¡°I mean unless the demonfire went out, but it was still going an hour after I left so maybe its some Hell thing where fires won¡¯t stop burning.¡±

    Ezekiel rubbed his neatly trimmed gray beard.

    ¡°I believe the term for blessed demonfire, is oxymoron?¡±

    ¡°Its not actual demonfire, it¡¯s a missile developed by the US government that turns stuff into a thermite adjacent compound.  Burns hotter than the surface of the sun for about ten minutes.  Turns stuff to glass.¡±

    ¡°Why would they make such a weapon?¡±

    ¡°Area denial, runway destruction, sink aircraft carriers, wipe out large areas of landmass that are infected with a plague, cover up vampire rebellions?  Lots of uses for it.  In this case area denial, I was hoping it would destroy whatever portal existed on the other side.  But it seems like it¡¯s not a physical thing.¡±

    Enid paused for a second.

    ¡°Are radioactive elements caused because Hell intersects the material world in that area?¡±

    Ezekiel looked up for a few moments.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°So, in creating Hell, god allowed for the creation of thermal nuclear weaponry.  Glorious.¡±

    ¡°The Boss says it is a manifestation of the corruption of our fallen brothers and sisters.¡±

    ¡°Hmm I always thought they were just unstable elements.¡±

    ¡°The corruption causes disorder which causes instability.  Chaos¡¯s influence.¡±

    ¡°But chaos is part of the four core energies of creation.  If I heard you right.¡±

    ¡°Yes you heard me right.  But Balance is also key.  If any of the four energies is overpowered it causes corruption.  Cancer for example.  Life imbalanced.¡±

    ¡°But radiation causes cancer¡±

    ¡°Yes.  The energies exist in balance and when one is unbalanced it knocks the others out of balance and they try to balance by forcing it back.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re giving me a headache.¡±

    ¡°You asked.¡±

    Enid made a face at him.

    ¡°What is it parents say? If you keep making that face it will stay like that.¡±

    Enid frowned at him.  The pair were about to reach the cavern that held the portal.  Enid took some time to reload her pistols with blessed bullets and hook them on the armor.  She pulled a mirror out of her pack and held it around the corner.  Several miner¡¯s bodies had been left whey they died.  They had been dismembered and the hellhounds milled around one miner whose corpse was still standing.  He was staring at the portal.  Enid retracted the mirror and showed Ezekiel three fingers.  He looked at her confused and was about to say something when Enid grabbed the back of his head and put her hand over his mouth and shook her head.  She pointed to a spot on the mine¡¯s floor a few feet back from the cavern entrance.  She pulled the shadows around herself and shimmered out of existence.

    The hell hounds started sniffing the air and growling.  The animated miner looked around and then straight at Enid.

    ¡°Sister.¡±

    Enid felt a twisting in her gut that she hadn¡¯t felt since Edmonton, 1985.  This was no demon, this was a fallen angel.  Enid let the shadows fall from her.

    ¡°So you managed to get through my lake of fire.¡±

    ¡°Yes.  Lucifer is quite angry with you.¡±

    ¡°Good for him.  You know how this ends.  I destroy you completely and drink your essence, or you go home now.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten a lot more violent in your old age.¡±

    ¡°Me?  No this is me being nice.  If I was more violent I would have killed you already.¡±

    He laughed.

    ¡°How little you know. Why are you bothering?  The portal is open, the cavern has been unsealed, its only a matter of time before you are reunited with us and Lilith is in chains serving her husband.¡±

    ¡°One more chance.  Leave or be destroyed.¡±

    ¡°I think not.¡±

    Enid shrugged and altered time.  Lunging at him with Bloodseeker drawn.  She struggled to hit him as he was moving just as fast as she was.  He had a demonic blade and managed to clip her once.  Their blades sparked as they hit each other.  She could feel Bloodseeker hungering for a taste of the fallen angel.  The hell hounds tried to attack her, but she was moving faster than they could truly perceive so their teeth kept hitting air.  She felt the blade pierce her chest narrowly missing her heart and slicing through her ribs.  It burned unlike anything she had ever felt before save for the claws of the last fallen angel she had fought.

    Enid pulled herself off the blade.  In an act of desperation as she was reeling from the stab wound she used her telekinesis to fling one of the hell hounds at his legs as he lunged towards her to finish her off.  He tripped on over the hound.  Enid stumbled over to him and stabbed him through the back.  Her sword pierced his heart.  Bloodseeker flared bright white as it sucked the essence of the angel into it.  Enid could feel his energy renewing her and mending the demonic wounds on her flesh.

    The hell hounds took advantage of Enid pausing to drain him and lept to attack.  Enid punched one in the head and kicked the other away.  When they lept at her she cut them both in half, their forms disintegrating before they hit the ground.  She used her telekinesis to fling the blade through the portal.  It flared with green fire as it sunk into the blessed demonfire lake.

    Enid leaned on the wall.  She looked down at herself touching the hole in her armor where the stab wound had been.  Her hands were shaking.

    That was closer than it has ever been.

    She was fairly sure the amulet wouldn¡¯t have stopped that sword.  She touched her forehead and gathered herself so her voice would not show how shaken she was.

    ¡°Ezekiel, its clear, come do your thing please.¡±

    He strolled in like he didn¡¯t have a care in the world oblivious to Enid¡¯s state of mind.  He held out his hand and his form shifted into its true angelic one.  Light lept from his hand and the rift seemed to freeze over and once the light died down it left an obsidian wall.  Enid motioned him back and reached up to the ceiling and pulled the supports with her telekinesis willing the rock to collapse.  There was a tense silence for several seconds.  Then suddenly a loud crack echoed through the mine and the ceiling collapsed showering the pair in dust and debris.  Enid slide Bloodseeker and her guns into her pack and started towards the exit.

    ¡°Good work.  The Boss is proud.¡±

    Enid nodded, she wasn¡¯t in the mood to celebrate.  She had almost died back there.  Fallen angels were no joke her arrogance was starting to seem unearned.  Ezekiel patted her on the back.

    ¡°Shall we go have pizza in Rome?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°I just want to go home and see my family and Allison.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­in your own time its Monday morning so¡­you have school.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes and sighed.  She was too emotionally exhausted to scream.  By the time they reached the police station she had managed to get her fake ¡®everything is alright¡¯ mom face on.  Mitena was grinning ear to ear and had a plastic Navajo tribal police badge in her hand and a temporary tattoo on arm.  She bounded over to Enid and jumped up.  Enid caught her and lifted her easily in the artificial lighting of the police station.

    ¡°Mom, they showed me the cells and fingerprinting, I got to arrest someone for jaywalking.¡±

    Enid kissed Mitena on the forehead.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you had fun.  Its time to go home now though.¡±

    Enid looked at the three offices.

    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±

    ¡°It was a pleasure.  Everything go alright?¡±

    ¡°It could have gone better, but the chamber is sealed again.  I¡¯ll tell them not to unseal it again.  Lets just hope your elders specify in the next contract that that passage needs to remain closed.  Hey, are there any charities in the area that need help?¡±

    The officers looked at her in confusion.

    ¡°The mine had to pay me as a contractor, but I don¡¯t keep the money from this work, I usually support a local charity.¡±

    One of the officers spoke up.

    ¡°There is a medical clinic that tries to offer free services.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.¡±

    Enid held Mitena in one arm and wrote her number down on a nearby sticky note.

    ¡°Give them my number, I¡¯ll make the arrangements.  Thanks again.¡±

    She looked at Ezekiel.

    ¡°Can you get us home now please?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Mitena waved to the officers as Ezekiel shifted them to the garden and then to Eyre¡¯s house.  Just in time to see sunrise on November 1, 2027.  Enid put Mitena down how was looking around at the spacious home.

    ¡°Where are we?¡±

    ¡°This is my daughter Eyre¡¯s house.  She¡¯s your sister now.¡±

    ¡°I have a sister?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but she¡¯s a lot older than you.  Can¡¯t tell with the way she acts sometimes though.¡±

    ¡°I heard that mom.¡±

    Eyre¡¯s voice sounded from the stairs to the basement.  She paused having missed the part about having a new sister.

    ¡°Mom, its only been three hours¡­did you take care of the demon, and have another child in three hours?¡±

    Enid frowned.  Eyre noticed the gaping hole and blood stains on the chest of Enid¡¯s armor.  She rushed forward.

    ¡°Mom are you alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine.  Eyre, this is Mitena, your new sister.  Mitena, this is Eyre, my second youngest daughter so your big sister.¡±

    Enid put Mitena down.  Eyre smiled at her after giving a strange look to her mother and offered her hand.

    ¡°Pleasure to meet you Mitena.  Are you hungry?¡±

    ¡°No, but I bet mother is she hasn¡¯t eaten all day.¡±

    ¡°Well, how about we let her get out of that armor and you can help me make some breakfast for everyone.  Your Aunt Maria should be waking up any time now.¡±

    Enid smile as Eyre led Mitena to the kitchen then shuffled up the stairs to her room and private bathroom.  What she really wanted was to be back in her real body and have a long, long hot shower.

 Edmonton - 2027 - Life marches on.

    Mitena felt something tugging at her foot and sat full upright reaching for her snake beating stick and found none. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and saw her mother sitting at the end of the bed. It had taken her a week to get used to the red hair and youthful appearance. Enid was already dressed for school.

    ¡°No snakes in the house kiddo. Time to wake up. First day of school.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here a week and you already sound like a twenty-first century kid. Give it another week and you¡¯ll never put your phone or tablet down.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll think I¡¯m weird. And they¡¯ve been going for years.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense. First off, Everyone thinks they¡¯re weird. Second, You wrote the assessment last Wednesday and it says you are ready for Grade six. Mitena, you¡¯ll be fine. No one here knows your real history. It is a fresh start.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just shape change younger and come to school with me?¡±

    ¡°Because I have high school.¡±

    ¡°But you are old you don¡¯t need to go to it.¡±

    ¡°Maria is going back today; I need to make sure she is safe.¡±

    ¡°Mother, I can¡¯t even tell them who I am.¡±

    Enid pushed her curly red hair behind her ears. And took Mitena¡¯s hands with her own.

    ¡°You got this. It will be easy. Where did you come from? You came from Utah. Why did you move here? Because my mother lives here. What tribe are you? Cree. See? No lies, all the truth, just not the whole truth.¡±

    ¡°What year was I born?¡±

    ¡°Well let¡¯s see we said your birthday was November 1<sup>st</sup>, so that would be 2016. You¡¯re eleven years old. If they start talking about stuff you don¡¯t know, just say they didn¡¯t have it on your reservation. Simple as that. Again, the truth, but not the whole truth.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not Cree mom. I¡¯m not anything recognized, my tribe is lost.¡±

    ¡°Well, I have here in my pack, one passport, one set of legal adoption papers, a birth certificate and an authentic status card provided by an angel on the orders of God. I would say that trumps any laws of man. He doesn¡¯t lie so I¡¯m assuming that the research I did indicating that some of the tribes in Canada migrated south was giving me correct answers. Which is why I understood your language at all. I¡¯m more familiar with western Cree then I am with Navajo. Your language was closer to Cree then Navajo. See? Your tribe came from here, they just moved south. It is why there was a mix of beliefs.¡±

    Enid cupped Mitena¡¯s cheeks and kissed her forehead. Mitena shrugged and nodded.

    ¡°How do you know so many languages mother?¡±

    ¡°I picked them up over the years.¡±

    ¡°Is it because you¡¯re an angel?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Ezekiel told me angels can understand all languages.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m no angel. Trust me. Now its time to get ready for school.¡±

    ¡°Do you want help picking your outfit? What you wear on your first day makes a statement.¡±

    Mitena shrugged.

    ¡°So, you want to go comfy, stylish, like mom, or wear that shirt you got from the Navajo Tribal police that you wouldn¡¯t take off last week?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like pants they are too tight.¡±

    ¡°Skirt or dress it is. You need leggings though, the cold her can make where you grew up look downright tropical.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind leggings, but the pants¡­jeans pinch.¡±

    ¡°I totally get that; How often do you see me wearing jeans?¡±

    ¡°Never. Can I wear that shirt?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you can.¡±

    Enid ruffled her hair. Enid stood up and pulled out the aforementioned t-shirt, a skirt, underclothes and pair of dark leggings.

    ¡°Get dressed quick, brush your hair out and come down for breakfast. Your sister made pancakes and bacon.¡±

    ¡°Is that what smells so good?¡±

    ¡°Yes. She used to be a chef. Wanna know a secret?¡±

    Mitena nodded. Enid leaned close and whispered.

    ¡°I purposely make my food bad, so she¡¯ll cook.¡±

    Mitena giggled. Enid put her finger to her lips.

    ¡°See you at breakfast.¡±

    Enid hugged Mitena and left her to own devices to get ready. She joined the family for breakfast shortly afterwards. She was still shy around Maria, but Eyre and she had become fast friends. Eyre put some chocolate chip pancakes down for Mitena. Enid gasped.

    ¡°She gets chocolate chips?¡±

    ¡°I like her better.¡±

    Eyre shrugged and winked at Mitena.

    ¡°I object to this favoritism!¡±

    ¡°You can object all you want; You want chocolate chip pancakes you can make them yourself.¡±

    Eyre stuck her tongue at Enid who returned the gesture. Mitena giggled at the pair. Eyre put chocolate chip pancakes down for Maria as well.

    ¡°Her too?¡±

    ¡°I like her better too.¡±

    ¡°This is outrageous, I want a manager.¡±

    ¡°I am the manager and I say: No chocolate chips for you.¡±

    Enid smiled at Eyre. In truth Enid hated chocolate chips in pancakes. She never thought they tasted right, and the texture variance bothered her. Mitena and Maria didn¡¯t know that. After a quick breakfast Enid hopped off her stool and put her pack in her school bag and tugged her coat on before putting the back pack over her shoulder.

    ¡°Come on Mitena, I¡¯ll drive you to school.¡±

    Enid picked up Mitena¡¯s already prepared school bag and offered it to her. Mitena pulled on her coat, gloves and hat.

    ¡°Why do I have to put on all of this, and you don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a spirit and you aren¡¯t. Car¡¯s already unlocked, go hop in.¡±

    Enid looked at Maria.

    ¡°Coming sis?¡±

    Maria shook her head.

    ¡°Eyre is giving me a ride today. I have some things to get ready before we leave.¡±

    Enid shrugged and went to the car where Mitena was already waiting. Maria and Eyre watched her pull out of the driveway.

    *****

    Enid parked her car by Mitena¡¯s public school. Mitena, even at eleven clutched onto her hand like her life depended on having it. The pair made their way into the school and to the office. If Enid understood how kids acted in the twenty-first century she probably would have sent Mitena in on her own, but she didn¡¯t, and she wanted to make sure Mitena got to class. Enid spoke to the school secretary.

    ¡°Hi, this is Mitena Aurelius. She is new.¡±

    Mitena gave a shy wave.

    ¡°Oh yes, we¡¯ve are expecting you.¡±

    The secretary looked up at Enid.

    ¡°Is she your sister?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Is everything ready to go? I¡¯m losing feeling in my hand.¡±

    The secretary smiled at Mitena.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get her to class. Just have a seat over there Mitena.¡±

    The secretary motioned to a chair. Mitena tugged Enid along still clutching onto her hand. Enid was forced to sit beside her to avoid prying Mitena¡¯s fingers off her hand. Enid leaned down speaking in Mitena¡¯s native language.

    ¡°You¡¯re safe here. I wouldn¡¯t leave you here if I didn¡¯t think you were going to be okay, how many of these kids do you think hunted bears?¡±

    Mitena smiled.

    ¡°Now may I have my hand back? I need to get to school.¡±

    Mitena reluctantly let go of Enid¡¯s hand. Enid wrapped her arm around Mitena¡¯s shoulders and tugged her close kissing her forehead. Mitena looked up at Enid as her mother was about to stand up.

    ¡°Why am I here and not a Catholic School like you and Aunt Maria?¡±Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Because, I want you to form your own opinion on what you believe in. I have guided you with your tribe¡¯s beliefs up until now, but from now on its up to you to decide if you believe in spirits, God, or nothing except human ingenuity. I¡¯m here to answer any questions you have, but you don¡¯t need to be religious to be a good person. Do you understand?¡±

    Mitena nodded.

    ¡°I believe in God. He sent me home with you. He made it so I would understand the world you live in, and he made my body better.¡±

    Enid smiled and ruffled her hair.

    ¡°This is a deep discussion, and not one to have when I¡¯m already running late for school.¡±

    Enid tapped Mitena¡¯s nose.

    ¡°Eyre will pick you up after school since I have practice. Be good for your sister. Don¡¯t forget we have dinner with my friend afterwards.¡±

    ¡°I will mother.¡±

    Enid hugged her one last time and stood up and waved to her before heading to her own school.

    *****

    Mitena had insisted on dressing up for dinner. She was an insightful child and realized when Enid had said friend, she meant girlfriend. She smiled when she saw the platinum blonde-haired mother she knew better then the young red-haired one. Enid had gone out of her way to get dressed up as well. She looked at Mitena in the girl¡¯s expensive black dress and quirked an eyebrow.

    ¡°And where did you get that dress?¡±

    Mitena blushed.

    ¡°While you were at school last week Eyre took me shopping.¡±

    ¡°She did, did she? Tell me were there any clothes in your size left when you left the stores?¡±

    Mitena adjusted her hair behind her ears like she¡¯d seen her mother do so many times before.

    ¡°Not many, mother.¡±

    ¡°I should have known she¡¯d spoil you. She¡¯s always wanted a sister. Come on, I don¡¯t want to be late. Allison and I have had a weird week.¡±

    ¡°Mother, do you like¡­¡±

    The girl trailed off. Enid glanced down at Mitena.

    ¡°Going to finish that question?¡±

    ¡°Well, its not the same here as it was in the tribe, I know that. But why are with a woman?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°She makes me a better person. We enjoy each other¡¯s company in bed and not. Its not that I don¡¯t like men. I¡¯m just less picky about gender then most people.¡±

    ¡°Are you a lesbian?¡±

    ¡°Where did you learn that word?¡±

    ¡°The internet. I was trying to look up why women are with women.¡±

    ¡°Well, no, if we¡¯re going by those definitions, I¡¯m technically bi-sexual. If a man had asked me out first and made me feel the same way as Allison does, I would be seeing him instead.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Lots of men in the village were interested in you, even with you having me as a daughter.¡±

    ¡°Were they? I never noticed.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you did. You avoided them.¡±

    ¡°When did you get so smart?¡±

    ¡°I picked a good mother.¡±

    Enid hugged Mitena close.

    ¡°The world is a different place. You can love who you want, do what you want to with whatever gender, or whomever you want, as long as no one gets hurt.¡±

    Mitena nodded.

    ¡°Are you nervous about meeting her?¡±

    ¡°I am. Why do you hide your true face from her?¡±

    ¡°That is very complicated. But to boil it down, my real face is known to my enemy, so I need to limit who knows my true face and this one, belong to the same person.¡±

    ¡°But if you love her, you should trust her.¡±

    ¡°Its not that simple.¡±

    Enid still had her arm around Mitena¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°I wish it was. I wish Sarah O¡¯Connor could have had my face and name. It would be nice to get some credit for all that I do for the world. But that¡¯s not why I do it.¡±

    ¡°So no one at your school knows you almost died last week?¡±

    ¡°Goodness no. I didn¡¯t even tell Allison that. How did you know? I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±

    ¡°Ezekiel told me to take care of you that the demon had almost killed you.¡±

    ¡°That angelic rat bastard.¡±

    ¡°You should be nicer to him mother. I think he cares about you a lot.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t give a shit about me, he does what he does because God tells him to do it. He might as well be a puppet.¡±

    ¡°You need to open your heart, mother.¡±

    ¡°Because you asked I will try to be nicer to him.¡±

    The pair got their coats on and went to Sarah¡¯s silver SUV. Mitena wrinkled her nose.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like this car at all, it smells funny and makes weird noises.¡±

    ¡°She has character. Don¡¯t you girl. Just ignore my picky daughter.¡±

    Enid patted the dashboard.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a horse mom.¡±

    ¡°You be nice to my silver beauty. I learned when I was a fighter pilot if you¡¯re nice to your vehicle it will always get you home safe. Even when logic says it shouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re strange mother.¡±

    ¡°Never claimed any different.¡±

    Enid heard a song she liked and turned up the radio. And started moving to the music and singing along while she drove towards the restaurant. Mitena looked over to her.

    ¡°Mother, why do you listen to old music all the time?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s from six hundred years in the past and my music is old?¡±

    ¡°I have been watching videos on the internet. I know this is from fifty years ago.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing wrong with that. Contrary to what the world says, older is not necessarily worse. Wait, I thought we said we¡¯d limit your screen time.¡±

    Mitena blinked and realized that was supposed to be secret.

    ¡°Your sister bought you a tablet and a phone didn¡¯t she?¡±

    Mitena blushed deeply and nodded. Enid sighed.

    ¡°Oh well, Pandora¡¯s box is open now.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry mother.¡±

    ¡°It is alright, it was a hopeless plan anyway. I mean I use a tablet at school more then I use a notebook or textbook. It¡¯s the future, as resistant as I am to change.¡±

    Enid parked on the side of the road, she undid her seat belt and looked at Mitena.

    ¡°The food here is super spicy. So, be careful with how much you eat once okay?¡±

    ¡°I know what the words mean, but I don¡¯t understand mother.¡±

    ¡°Some of it will make your mouth feel like it is on fire.¡±

    ¡°Why would you choose to eat something like that?¡±

    ¡°Because its good, you just need to be careful how you eat it. Usually its part of a whole meal flavor. Look, just take small bites make sure its not too spicy for you and then eat more. Take your time.¡±

    ¡°Okay mother.¡±

    Enid slipped her heels back on and got out of the car. She offered her hand to Mitena who took it and the pair started walking towards the Mexican restaurant that had been selected for the date. A man moved to blocked them on a deserted side street. He had a knife in his hand. He pointed at Enid¡¯s pack.

    ¡°Just give me your purse and I¡¯ll leave you be.¡±

    Mitena clutched onto Enid¡¯s hand tightly.

    ¡°Instead of looking at my chest look at my face and decide if you want to keep going. When you see my face, I want you to realize you¡¯re making me late for a date and that is upsetting me.¡±

    The man growled and lunged at Enid. It was already dark because it was Edmonton, in winter. She didn¡¯t even release Mitena¡¯s hand she just grabbed his wrist with her free hand and twisted until he dropped the knife and was on his knees in the snow. He looked up and saw her face and his eyes went wide. Enid¡¯s eyes met his and she forced her will on his mind.

    ¡°Ya, you¡¯re not too bright are you. Addiction sucks. Maybe use this as your rock bottom and seek help. Now stop trying to mug people and fuck off.¡±

    She released his wrist and he ran off almost slipping and falling a few times. Enid reached down and picked up the knife with a cloth from her pack. She folded the cloth over it and slipped the package into her pack. Then smiled down at Mitena who grinned back at her.

    ¡°What kind of silly person tries to rob a superhero?¡±

    Mitena giggled, then her face grew serious.

    ¡°Mother, he was like me. Why isn¡¯t he with his tribe?¡±

    ¡°I could spend the next fifty years explaining that. The short answer is Canada and the United States, and the European¡¯s before them do not have a great¡­history with the indigenous people that live here. For a while they let the church try and stamp out your culture, beliefs and languages. It is why when I showed up at your tribe I didn¡¯t force my beliefs on you.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you tried so hard to not talk about your people¡¯s history?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry this is a conversation I wanted to have when you were older, it is probably one I should have had as soon as we got here. It is a complicated subject. There are a lot of social and political¡­its complicated. There is a lot of hostility and there is some racism, none of which I can completely shield you from as much as I want too. Just know I¡¯m here for you, Eyre¡¯s here for you, Maria is here for you, Violet is here for you and my dad as much as I have a bad relationship with him, will be there for you. You¡¯re the apple of his eye. None of us will truly understand your experience but we¡¯ll support you.¡±

    Mitena nodded.

    Enid opened the door for Mitena.

    ¡°After you Lady Mitena.¡±

    Mitena giggled and walked inside. Enid pulled off her coat and took Mitena¡¯s. She looked around and spotted Allison who looked pretty upset about something. Enid frowned. She pasted a smile on her face when they reached the concierge.

    ¡°I see my friend already, mind if we just go over?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Enid tugged Mitena along since the girl was already nervously clutching her hand. Enid pondered when she would grow out of that. She smiled wide when they reached the table. Allison¡¯s upset face faded when she looked at Enid and Metina.

    ¡°Allison. This is my daughter Metina.¡±

    Allison smiled at Metina.

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad to meet you.¡±

    ¡°Metina, this is Allison, my best friend.¡±

    Metina and Enid sat down.

    ¡°Wow you two are dressed like twins.¡±

    ¡°Mitena insisted we dress up.¡±

    *****

    Mitena was playing with Enid¡¯s tablet by the end of dinner and Enid finally felt comfortable asking what had Allison so upset today.

    ¡°Allison, you seem like you had a rough day. Want to talk about it?¡±

    Allison took a another drink of her beer and sighed.

    ¡°I was trying to hide that.¡±

    ¡°Kind of hard when I know you so well, spill.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to drag down our night.¡±

    ¡°Well, you can secretly mope and pretend to be alright, or you can get it off your chest we can talk about it and then go from there?¡±

    ¡°I found out¡­my father has cancer. He¡¯s been hiding it, but its stage four. He doesn¡¯t have long.¡±

    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in Calgary then?¡±

    ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t want to miss our date.¡±

    ¡°Oh Allison. I would have understood. Just because I¡¯d tell them to roll my dad in a ditch if he died, doesn¡¯t mean I expect you to think that.¡±

    Allison¡¯s eyes were moist.

    ¡°I just, couldn¡¯t handle it, and I was trying for the promotion, I asked for time off to go see him and my boss told me that if my job wasn¡¯t important enough to¡­wait until the funeral then perhaps I wasn¡¯t right for the promotion.¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°Rude. You should quit, just right now, call up and say I quit.¡±

    ¡°I need the job.¡±

    ¡°No, you don¡¯t. You should go see your dad. I¡¯ll make sure you can make ends meet until you get another job.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t ask you to do that.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t ask, I have more money than I know what to do with and it helps no one but me. Let me do something useful with it.¡±

    Enid took Allison¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Any employer that will treat you like that, isn¡¯t worth working for. Stand up for yourself hon. And after dinner. Dirty Dancing and double chocolate ice cream.¡±

    Allison sniffle-laughed and wiped away her tears.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You told me, there is no ill that Dirty Dancing and double chocolate ice cream cannot cure.¡±

    Allison sniffled and smiled at Enid.

    ¡°You remembered that?¡±

    ¡°I remember everything you say Allison. Now pick up your cell phone, call your HR head, you leave a voice mail saying, if taking my earned vacation time to see my dying father will stop me from getting promoted, I¡¯m not sure this is a company I want to work with. I guarantee you get a call back asking what it was about and you let it go to voice mail and you write an email detailing exactly what your supervisor said CC¡¯ing him, and your firm¡¯s partners. I would bet money, he gets in trouble, you get an apology and your time off, and then some. If not, you know its time for a new job.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t take that risk.¡±

    ¡°If you make that call I¡¯ll write you a check for a year¡¯s salary, right now.¡±

    Enid pulled out her checkbook and started writing she guessed seventy thousand. Then showed Allison the check.

    ¡°All yours babe, just make that call. If you keep your job, you got a nice Christmas bonus, if you don¡¯t your next year is taken care of.¡±

    Allison looked down at her phone.

    ¡°I can¡¯t, it seems rude.¡±

    Enid closed her eyes.

    ¡°You cannot be worried about polite; This is your livelihood and your father¡¯s last weeks.  Trust me, be bold. You don¡¯t get anywhere in life without going after what you want. You think getting promoted in the Navy was easy for a pretty blonde girl from Kansas?¡±

    Allison shook her head. And dialed a number she¡¯d looked up on her phone. Enid slid the check across to her. Allison looked down at it like touching it might make it evaporate. Mineta was oblivious to the conversation she was too wrapped up with her air pods on watching videos.

    *****

    Mitena had fallen asleep mid-movie and was snuggled into a blanket in her dress on the couch. Allison noticed her snoring softly and smiled down at her.

    ¡°She¡¯s adorable. Can you tell me again how¡­you went away for a weekend and ended up with a daughter?¡±

    Enid scratched her head.

    ¡°Its complicated and involves angels and time travel to the old west for several years.¡±

    ¡°So it s a sci fi story?¡±

    ¡°More fantasy.¡±

    Allison pulled Enid close and kissed her on the lips her tongue slipping into Enid¡¯s mouth. Enid let Allison push her back against the armrest of the couch their chests pressed against each other.

    ¡°So was her father an Indian brave?¡±

    ¡°This wasn¡¯t the Last of the Mohicans it was more Dances with Wolves.¡±

    ¡°Is she yours?¡±

    ¡°No, I can¡¯t have kids, well¡­I might not be able to, her tribe¡­she was outcast because of something that happened. She had no one, so I took her in.¡±

    Allison slid down the shoulder of Enid¡¯s dress and kissed her warm skin.

    ¡°So, you spent years in the past and nothing? No partners?¡±

    ¡°No. I knew I was coming home to you eventually; I mean I¡¯m immortal would have taken me like six hundred years on my own¡­¡±

    Allison pushed her hand up under Enid¡¯s dress sliding it up her thigh.

    ¡°That sounds romantic.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to get out of this dress in your room. You know away from my eleven-year-old daughter.¡±

    Allison blushed and glanced back apparently having forgotten there was a child nearby. She stood up and tugged Enid with her. She pushed Enid onto the bed and reached under the dress and started tugging at Enid¡¯s underwear she tossed them away then straddled Enid kissing her on the lips.

    ¡°I cannot wait to remind you why you waited.¡±

 Edmonton - 2027 - A funeral and a nudge.

    Enid was dressed in her most conservative black dress, she had Sarah¡¯s platinum blonde hair tied back in a ponytail.  Currently she was fixing the shoulders of Mitena¡¯s own black dress.  The eleven-year-old had recently pierced her ears a so was wearing silver studs and a silver crucifix Maria had given her.   Enid lifted the crucifix with her hand.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to wear this if you don¡¯t want.¡±

    ¡°Aunt Maria got it for me, and I like it.¡±

    ¡°You know why it is a complicated symbol for you to be wearing right?  Some of your people are very angry with past behavior of the church.¡±

    ¡°I know mom.¡±

    ¡°You are going to displease them.¡±

    ¡°You said I can choose my own path.¡±

    ¡°I did say that.  What sort of silly mother am I?  Telling you that you have choices.¡±

    Mitena smiled up at her mother.

    ¡°You¡¯re a great mother.  The best.  And everyone at school is too scared of you to bully me.¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°Well, I did get recorded catching a bus.  Come on, lets go support Allison.  You know how hard it is to lose a parent.¡±

    Mitena nodded her eyes showing the lingering sadness of her losses.

    ¡°Mother, will you die one day?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  I am immortal but all things pass in time.¡±

    ¡°I hope I don¡¯t live to see it.¡±

    ¡°And I hope you do, because that means you outlive me.¡±

    Enid offered her hand which Mitena clutched onto tightly.

    ¡°You know, I have been told that eleven-year-olds don¡¯t usually want to hold their mom¡¯s hand.¡±

    ¡°Well then those elven-year-olds are silly.¡±

    ¡°I think so too.¡±

    The pair walked down the lobby and out to Enid¡¯s car.  She had purchased a new one for the drive to Calgary.  As much as she loved her SUV, she didn¡¯t trust it for a six hour round trip away from home.  It was a black four-wheel drive pick-up.

    ¡°I like this better than the silver one.¡±

    ¡°You better like it, you¡¯re the one who picked it.¡±

    ¡°Its high, we can see better.¡±

    ¡°And it has internet access.¡±

    ¡°That is not why I wanted you to get it, mother.¡±

    ¡°And I was the Queen of Scotland.¡±

    ¡°Where you?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s a figure of speech.¡±

    Enid pulled into the church parking lot.  Enid looked over to Mitena.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to remind you; This church is not the one Maria drags you and I too on Sundays.  They have¡­less forgiving beliefs, especially about same-sex relationships.  So, Allison and I are very good friends.  That¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°If they are so unforgiving, why does she go?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea hon.  Humans do strange things all the time.  Its just the funeral, then grave side then the wake.  One afternoon and we can go back to you me and Allison.¡±

    Mitena nodded.

    ¡°Also, they think I¡¯m like them, you and I both know I¡¯m not the least bit Christian.  They don¡¯t know that, and it has to stay that way for now.¡±

    Mitena nodded again.  Enid sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯m teaching you terrible things right now, look, do as I say, not as I do.¡±

    Mitena smiled and nodded.

    ¡°You are a terrible mother sometimes.¡±

    ¡°I keep telling everyone that and no one believes me!  You¡¯re going to be in therapy for years stuck with me as a parent.¡±

    Enid sighed and opened her door.  Mitena snuck her hand into Enid¡¯s again and the pair walked into the church.  Allison saw them and motioned them to sit with her.  Enid was surprised to see her mother had greying red hair.  Enid sat down with Mitena between her and Allison.  Mitena gave Allison a tight hug.  Enid nodded to Allison.

    ¡°Sorry hon.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for coming, it means a lot.¡±

    Enid nodded.  Allison¡¯s mother had been talking to someone beside her and did a double take when she realized that the poster child for Christian beliefs was sitting a few people down.  Enid was sure she almost fainted.  She spoke quietly to Allison.  Enid was in sunlight so had no chance of making it out in the noisy church.  Allison touched Enid¡¯s arm which sent a jolt of warmth through her body.  She grew flush without meaning too.

    ¡°Sarah, this is my mother.¡±

    Enid leaned over and offered her hand.

    ¡°My condolences ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Are you here¡­for a demon?¡±

    Enid shook her head.

    ¡°No ma¡¯am, your daughter is my best friend.¡±

    Allison¡¯s mother being a typical Scottish mother slapped her daughter¡¯s arm gently.

    ¡°You mean she could have come over for thanksgiving?¡±

    ¡°No mother, she has family of her own.  This is her daughter Mitena.¡±

    ¡°I did not realize you were a mother.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m older than I look.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much for coming, it would mean a lot to Henry he was a big fan of yours.¡±

    ¡°Allison has told me a lot about you two, I was a big fan of his.¡±

    Allison smiled at Enid who sat back.  Mitena snagged her hand again and held it tightly.  She wasn¡¯t good around big crowds yet apparently.

    *****

    Mitena had fallen asleep in a chair.  The funeral, grave side and wake had taken far longer than Enid had predicted, it was almost midnight when she and Allison were finally able to start cleaning up her mother¡¯s house.  Allison¡¯s mother was sitting in the living room staring out a window.  The loss of her husband had hit her very hard.  Enid and Allison were washing dishes in the kitchen.

    ¡°Have you lost anyone like this Enid?¡±

    ¡°Yes, quite a few.¡±

    ¡°How did you deal with it?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I just went on with my life.  My sister hit me the worst, I ran away.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Does your mother have any family here?¡±If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°No, besides me, they¡¯re all in Scotland.¡±

    ¡°Is your mom moving back?¡±

    ¡°I think she¡¯s considering it.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to go with her?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t I¡¯m not a citizen.¡±

    ¡°Oh, if your mom has hers, you can get it easy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.  I think I¡¯d rather stay¡­here I have a good reason too.¡±

    Her hand touched Enid¡¯s arm.  Enid smiled at her.

    ¡°I know, but she¡¯s your mom.¡±

    They glanced at each other then down at the dishes.  They both jumped when they heard Allison¡¯s mother speak.

    ¡°Kiss already.  I¡¯ve known grandchildren weren¡¯t happening since Nancy Cooper in 9<sup>th</sup> grade.¡±

    Allison blinked at her mother she dropped the plate she was holding, Enid caught it out of reflex and casually placed it back in the sink. Pondering if vanishing into the shadows at this point would be appropriate.  She just turned back to the dishes and kept washing.

    ¡°You¡­knew?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I knew.  Knew as soon as I saw you looking at this one that you two were together.¡±

    ¡°But¡­the church says.¡±

    ¡°Bugger the church.  That was your dad¡¯s thing.  I loved him with all my heart but that church.¡±

    She shook her head.

    ¡°So how long?¡±

    ¡°Last winter, she rescued me, I asked her out.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you aren¡¯t really Mrs. Christian like you say.¡±

    Enid turned to her.

    ¡°I¡¯m not Christian, but I do get bossed around by God a lot.  Sorry, it was my¡­PR Person¡¯s idea.  She said people would be less frightened of someone who had a good moral fiber.¡±

    Allison¡¯s mother shook her head.

    ¡°Are you going to drive home tonight?¡±

    ¡°We have a hotel.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense, you two use the guest room, Mitena can use Allison¡¯s old room. Don¡¯t stay up too late I make breakfast at seven in the morning.  Whether you¡¯re ready or not.¡±

    Enid smiled at Allison¡¯s shocked stare, then turned back to the dishes that were waiting to be dried.  She tapped one of them.

    ¡°Hey, they¡¯re piling up.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­oh, sorry.¡±

    Allison turned back to the dishes.  She took several minutes to say anything else, she looked at Enid.

    ¡°Did that just happen?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Did you do that hypnotizing thing you do with your eyes?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Did you bring any PJ¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°No, but when has that mattered with us?¡±

    Allison blushed and went back to drying the dishes.  Enid washed the last plate and put in the second sink.

    ¡°I¡¯m buying your mother a new dishwasher. Gonna get Mitena to bed.¡±

    Allison nodded to Enid who scooped up the girl and carried her up the stairs.  She ran into Allison¡¯s mother who motioned for Enid to follow her.

    ¡°I pulled out one of Allison¡¯s old nightgowns for the little one.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let her hear you call her that.¡±

    For the first time since Enid had met the woman, Allison¡¯s mother started to laugh.

    ¡°True for all kids her age.¡±

    Enid nudged Mitena.

    ¡°Hey kiddo, get changed and go back to sleep okay.¡±

    Enid kissed Mitena¡¯s forehead as she sleepily pulled her dress off and the nightgown on then fell face first on the bed and back to sleep. Enid rubbed her back before heading out to the hallway.

    ¡°She¡¯s adorable.  Nice to have a little girl in the house again, even for the night.¡±

    Enid smirked.

    ¡°Where are you from in Scotland?¡±

    ¡°Ullapool.¡±

    ¡°I have a house there.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I inherited it.  If you are going back¡­to visit, you can use it.  Adorable, widowed neighbor there. If you can get past the fact, he thinks everyone should speak Scottish.¡±

    Allison¡¯s mother laughed.

    ¡°Where is your house?¡±

    ¡°Its on the outskirts.  Belonged to a pediatric Surgeon?¡±

    ¡°Melanie Stuart?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I heard about her from my family.  Good woman.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you and Allison could go?¡±

    ¡°Nonsense, that little one is the closest I¡¯m going to come to a granddaughter, I¡¯m not letting Allison out of your sight.¡±

    Enid leaned on the wall arms crossed lazily.

    ¡°So, I¡¯m your grandchild back up plan?¡±

    ¡°I will be honest, it doesn¡¯t hurt, but I haven¡¯t seen Allison this happy for as long as I remember.  I knew something was up at thanksgiving.¡±

    Enid smiled.

    ¡°My older daughter says the same thing, she hasn¡¯t seen me smile this much since her father.¡±

    ¡°You have another?¡±

    ¡°Yes but she¡¯s grown up, has her own life.  Still butts her head into mine all the time, like she¡¯s the parent now.¡±

    ¡°So would you have another.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°It is difficult for me to carry one to term.  I¡¯m not entirely opposed to it, but I¡¯ll be honest, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m going to see 2028.¡±

    ¡°Are you ill?¡±

    ¡°No, no.  A war my family has been fighting for thousands of years is about to turn from cold to hot and I will have to make sacrifices to win.  I¡¯m afraid what that will do to Allison.  I love her so much.¡±

    Allison¡¯s mother patted Enid on the arm.

    ¡°What will come, will come.  Love will find a way it always does.¡±

    Enid smiled at her.

    ¡°Thank you.  I¡¯m sorry about your husband.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in a better place now.¡±

    Enid smiled and nodded, though she didn¡¯t believe that for a second.  She knew the truth of the afterlife and it was thoroughly unpleasant if someone didn¡¯t get out of the lands of the dead.

    ¡°So, you took that one in then?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°I love her and wouldn¡¯t change my decision if God himself told me to, but it was the last thing I wanted to do when it happened.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s usually how the best things come.  I¡¯ll find some more comfortable clothes for her, I still have all of Allison¡¯s old ones.  Her dad wouldn¡¯t let me get rid of them.  Bless his heart, but that¡¯s going to change.¡±

    Enid smiled and glanced back when she heard the stairs creak.  Allison paused when she saw the two talking.

    ¡°Am I in trouble?¡±

    Enid smiled at her.

    ¡°Not yet.¡±

    Allison pointed at a door and head towards it.  Enid nodded to Allison¡¯s mother.

    ¡°Good night, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Call me Gladys I think we¡¯re past ma¡¯am now.¡±

    Enid smiled and followed Allison into the room.

    *****

    Enid had her arms full as she unlocked the door for Mitena.  They were greeted by a full house.  Maria was doing homework at the dining room table.  Violet and Eyre were playing Street Fighter and Angus was reading a book.  He put it down immediately, walked over and picked up Mitena.

    ¡°Hey there.¡±

    ¡°Grampa!¡±

    She kissed his cheek and he put her down then grabbed one of the fabric bags Enid had in her arms. Which lessoned her bulky burden by half.

    ¡°Thank you, dad.¡±

    ¡°How was your trip?¡±

    ¡°It was good.  I mean it was for a funeral but¡­it was better than I thought it would be.¡±

    ¡°We expected you back Friday morning.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Allison¡¯s mom needed help.¡±

    Mitena yawned and stretched.   She noticed Eyre and Violet had finished the match and ran over and gave Eyre a bearhug.  Mitena was a hugger.  Enid smiled at her daughters then started carrying the bags of clothes she¡¯d been handed by Allison¡¯s mother to Mitena¡¯s room.  Her father followed with the bags he was holding.

    ¡°What are these?¡±

    ¡°Allison¡¯s mom was cleaning stuff out, these are Allison¡¯s clothes from when she was younger.  I didn¡¯t want to say no, figured we could see what¡¯s going to fit and what won¡¯t and donate the ones we can¡¯t use.¡±

    He looked down at Enid who was wearing her real face by now.

    ¡°Something¡¯s bothering you.¡±

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    ¡°I can tell, you got a shadow over your shoulder.¡±

    ¡°It is nothing.¡±

    ¡°It is something.¡±

    ¡°Look dad, I appreciate that you¡¯re trying, but this is not something I¡¯m going to talk to you or anyone about.¡±

    ¡°Talk to someone.¡±

    Enid waved him away with a nod.

    *****

    Enid was enjoying a rare day off from parenthood and school at West Edmonton Mall.  She had decided to go Christmas shopping since Mitena was in school.  The catholic schools were having some teacher faith day.  She had finished most of her noodle dish and was poking at them absently.  She¡¯d finished shopping and was mostly just avoiding going home to everything that that entailed.  She heard a familiar voice and groaned.

    ¡°Is this seat taken?¡±

    ¡°What the fuck do you want Ezekiel?¡±

    ¡°Has anyone ever told you that you¡¯re rude?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you on several occasions.¡±

    She looked up at him.  He was wearing the same grey suit with the same manicured silver beard and hair as when she¡¯d last seen him.

    ¡°That opinion hasn¡¯t changed.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°My day was going so well, what is it this time?¡±

    ¡°Boss is wondering what the hold up is.  You have your trap.  You have your battleplan.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die?¡±

    ¡°Little late for that now isn¡¯t it dear.¡±

    Enid pointed her chopsticks at him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve killed people with these before.¡±

    ¡°Enid.  You have a job to do.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°Its three weeks to Christmas, can¡¯t I just¡­have one Christmas with my new daughter before all of that shit?¡±

    ¡°While the Boss is sympathetic to your plight, that¡¯s too late.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve really mastered this teenager girl thing, that had just the right amount of whine to it.¡±

    ¡°What do you know about teenage girls?¡±

    ¡°Quite a bit.  I¡¯ve been observing Sariel¡¯s classes.¡±

    ¡°That sounds incredibly creepy coming from someone wearing the face of a sixty-something year old man.¡±

    ¡°What are you implying?¡±

    Enid was still leaning on her palm and went back to poking her food.

    ¡°Never mind.  Tell the Boss I¡¯m not doing shit until I know why he is in a rush.¡±

    ¡°Your enemy is going to make his move soon.¡±

    ¡°And I care why?¡±

    ¡°Because if you don¡¯t do something everything you love will be destroyed, along with yourself, and me.¡±

    ¡°I could live with that last part.¡±

    ¡°How flattering.¡±

    ¡°So why you?¡±

    ¡°Because everyone else would be too soft on you.  Grow up and do your job.¡±

    Enid sighed and poked her noodles.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to badger me until go yank that sword out of the ground, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°How very perceptive of you.¡±

    ¡°I know why the angels weren¡¯t welcomed in Sodom and Gomorrah.¡±

    He chuckled.

    ¡°There were never any angels there.¡±

    ¡°Figures.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re just delaying the inevitable, one way or the other, this will be over by the New Year.¡±

    ¡°You win, jerk.¡±

    He touched Enid¡¯s hand.

    ¡°Sister.  I know you don¡¯t understand the big picture.  He loves you.  He will be with you the whole time.¡±

    ¡°Seriously the Black Son is making his move at Christmas?  What an evil asshole.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you again soon. Go show the world who you really are.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t wait.  Yep.  Can¡¯t wait.¡±

    Enid watched him walk away and looked back down at her food.

    Fuck.

 Rome - 2027 - I am Enid Sextus Aurelius, Empress of the Court of Eternal Night.

    Enid stepped down the stairs from their plane.  She was wearing her Superhero Sarah O¡¯Connor face.  She had a white turtleneck sweater and what appeared to be a pair of black leggings, in actuality it was her Atlantean armor.  Her hair was tied up in a ponytail. Maria, Eyre and Violet followed behind her.  There was a Black Vatican SUV waiting for them and they piled in, Violet was positively bouncing.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been to Rome.¡±

    Enid smiled at Violet.

    ¡°I know, that is why I came a few days early.  So, you could see it before¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much mom three. I wish Mitena could have come.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    Eyre looked at her mom.

    ¡°Really Mom, leaving her at home with your abusive father was better?¡±

    ¡°Eyre, it is not like I had a choice.  We needed Violet here to watch the house.  This is stressful enough as it is without you questioning my every decision.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry mom.¡±

    Enid looked away and started watching the city pass by her face a mask of calm.  Eyre reached out squeezed her mother¡¯s hand.  Maria had her seat belt on and was stroking her crucifix. The driver looked back.

    ¡°His Holiness requested to see you as soon as you arrived.¡±

    Enid nodded.  She looked ahead and behind.  They had two escorts one ahead, one behind as if they were foreign dignitaries with a security team.

    ¡°Is there concern for our safety?¡±

    Their driver, a member of the Swiss Guard glanced back towards her again.

    ¡°The Italian Government insisted on it.

    Enid let a bemused smile cross her lips.  Finding something that could threaten the four of them after dark was amusing.  The lead car pulled up against the sidewalk and the rear one followed suit and their SUV pulled into the Vatican¡¯s gates and dropped them off at one of the many entranceways.  They were all searched for weapons and then allowed through.  Eyre was trying to find a way to make her own outfit which would be considered not proper for a visit with the pope, less so.

    ¡°I thought we¡¯d see him tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°He wants us right away he gets us like we are.¡±

    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s the pope.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯ve lived through how many of them, daughter?¡±

    Eyre tugged the collar of her t-shirt and nodded.  They were led through the sleeping Vatican to the Pope¡¯s meeting office.  He was dressed in a night robe and looked as though he was wakened from a fitful sleep.  Enid spoke.

    ¡°Holiness this could have waited until morning surely, so we did not disturb your rest.¡±

    ¡°No, no, I had to the apprentice to his avenging angel.  Is that the right term?  I understand a day meeting would not be possible.¡±

    He was looking to Violet who if she were mortal would have fainted by now.

    ¡°You are correct.¡±

    ¡°Violet is¡­effectively my daughter.  She is young.¡±

    The pope stood up and shook Violet¡¯s hand firmly.  Violet fanned herself afterwards giving Eyre a look that screamed, the pope just touched my hand.  He then came to Enid herself putting his hands on her shoulders.

    ¡°You hide your true face.¡±

    ¡°My true face will be revealed to the world in three days, holiness.  When I draw the sword from the marble floor of St. Peters.  After that we will no longer be hiding and we will be in open war with the Black Son, the betrayer.¡±

    ¡°The arrangements have been made as requested.  We have had press flying in and asking for places for the last week.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Holiness.¡±

    ¡°You seem more at peace.¡±

    ¡°I have come to understand some things I have been lying to myself about.  It is hard to forgive yourself when you do not realize how much you need to forgive yourself for.¡±

    ¡°Wiser words were never spoken, child.¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Holiness, you should get some rest, we will return in three days.  Is it alright, I should say, do we have your permission to very quietly view the Vatican this evening?  Violet has never been.¡±

    ¡°You do.¡±

    He motioned to his exhausted looking assistant and spoke to him quietly.  He nodded and afterwards Enid took them on a tour of the Vatican in a way few outsiders saw it.  In the dead of night.  Enid spent the whole journey explaining the art to Violet, when it was painted, or sculpted.  Explaining what the various areas were for.  By the time they had finished and arrived at the house Eyre had bought ahead of time and had prepared for the vampires Violet hadn¡¯t stopped talking about the Vatican.  Enid glanced at the window at the lightning sky and breathed a sigh of relief.  Violet retired to the secure cellar for her days rest leaving Maria, Eyre and Enid alone.

    ¡°Violet feels like a granddaughter and I love her like she is, but the girl will not shut up sometimes.¡±

    Eyre laughed.  Maria smiled her fingers touching her crucifix as she watched the sun slowly rising.

    ¡°She could definitely talk someone to death given enough time.¡±

    Enid went into the kitchen which had already been pre-stocked by Eyre¡¯s folks and started pulling out the makings for breakfast and flipped on the coffee maker.

    ¡°You¡¯re in for a treat, breakfast by Enid.¡±

    ¡°Mom, can we fight the Black Son before breakfast?¡±

    ¡°Oh, very funny.  I took a cooking class last semester.  You know when I got to pick my classes.¡±

    ¡°I know, but still, I have flashbacks from before when I was a kid.  When the cooks would chase you out of the kitchen.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°No accounting for some people¡¯s tastes.¡±

    Enid started cooking up the eggs and bacon.  Smiling at her daughter who sat on a stool across from the stove top.  Maria was still staring out at the sunrise.  Enid lowered her voice.

    ¡°I am worried about your Aunt Maria.¡±

    ¡°Why mom?¡±

    ¡°Since the ritual she¡¯s been very quiet.¡±

    ¡°She came very close to death mom.¡±

    ¡°Its something more.  Like she remembered something else.  She has this haunted look in her eyes when she looks at me.  Has she been quiet with you?¡±

    Eyre shook her head.

    ¡°No mom, she¡¯s been her normal self.  Maybe you should ask her about it?¡±

    Enid blinked at Eyre.

    ¡°No way, I¡¯ve had enough emotional growth to last me another thousand years.¡±

    ¡°Have you learned nothing about open communication since you¡¯ve been going to therapy?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Avoidance is not a valid response to interpersonal conflicts between family.  But I think it is a perfectly valid response when I¡¯m about to poke the big bad.¡±

    Eyre blinked at her mother.

    ¡°Have you been watching TV again?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I might have streamed some old shows with Allison that Maria told me her friend compared me too.¡±

    Eyre laughed loudly.

    ¡°My mom, watching television instead of reading.  Are you sure we shouldn¡¯t be getting an exorcism for you?¡±

    Eyre¡¯s laughter drew Maria¡¯s attention and she smiled at the pair and moved closer and hopped up on one of the stools.

    ¡°What did my sister do this time?¡±

    ¡°Mom was just telling me she was watching some old television shows.¡±

    Maria folded her hands and looked at Enid.  Enid noticed that haunted and look of guilt in them again.  She smiled at her sister and shrugged.

    ¡°You told me that Ethel said ¡®I went all Willow¡¯ on someone and I wanted to know what that meant.  I don¡¯t recall flaying anyone with telekinesis, it also has never occurred to me.¡±

    Eyre frowned slightly.

    ¡°Disgusting, we¡¯re about to eat.  Maybe we shouldn¡¯t let you watch movies and television; Don¡¯t want you getting any ideas.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Maria nodded in agreement.  Enid shook her head and started dishing out food.  She placed a mug of coffee in front of Eyre and one for herself and a glass of Milk for Maria wrinkling her nose.

    ¡°Mom, why do you hate milk so much?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°If me talking about flaying someone with telekinesis ruined your appetite you really don¡¯t want me telling you that story.¡±

    Enid sat down on her own stool with ease.  This form was over half a foot taller than her true form.  The trio ate silently each lost in their own thoughts.  Eyre finished her food first and made herself another coffee.  She sat back down and looked at her mother, then her aunt.

    ¡°I feel like we should be doing more, preparing.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°We have sent out the messages.  Most of the Seers have gathered.  Those that haven¡¯t I have long suspected are dead.  The werewolves have been warned.  We have the dimensional energy destroyer.  Violet is asleep so we cannot train her.  This is why everyone says the real battle is surviving the waiting for it to start.¡±

    *****

    Enid was tapping her fingers along her knees.  She had her earbuds in and was listening to a playlist by a Scottish artist she felt a great kinship too.  The sun was low in the sky and it felt like this would be her last day on the earth.  The song wasn¡¯t helping, the chorus was we will go home, we will go home, we will go home, across the mountains. Was she about to go home?  Tears filled her eyes as she thought of her last night with Lucius.  A part of her knew she was going to have to slay his body to end this.  The memory of his kind blue eyes and the betrayal she imagined she would find there as she dealt the killing blow.  What if Lilith is wrong, what if he is still in there?  She felt fingers weave themselves into hers.  She felt Maria¡¯s scar against her palm.  She looked to her sister and saw that haunted look in them as she had for days.  She leaned towards her, and their foreheads met like they used to when they were children.  Eyre sat ahead of them and looked back at the pair.  Tears moistening her own eyes as she remembered her long dead twin and wishing he was there.  She felt like she would sorely miss his strength in the days to come.

    The car stopped by the Vatican.  Enid held up her hand.

    ¡°Just a few minutes please.¡±

    Enid pulled out her phone and dialed home.  She heard it pick up.

    ¡°Hi mom.¡±

    ¡°How are you doing Mitena?¡±

    ¡°I miss you mom.¡±

    ¡°I know hon. I¡¯ll be home soon.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m watching on TV mom.¡±

    ¡°Is Sister Willow there with you?¡±

    ¡°Yes mom.¡±

    ¡°Good.  Look hon.  I¡¯m going to say some stuff tonight.  You might not know all of it yet.  Its not because I didn¡¯t want to tell you its because I just didn¡¯t think to say anything okay?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll be great mom.¡±

    ¡°I love you Mitena.¡±

    ¡°Go save the world mom.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon sweetie.¡±

    Enid wiped her tears away and put her phone back into her pack.  She got out of the car and pulled her hood up.  She had selected one of her most regal dresses and cloaks from her time as Saint Sarah for tonight¡¯s performance.  She was about to do something no one had been allowed to do in centuries.  Carry an open weapon into St. Peters.  Eyre and Maria were led to the front row of observers and stood on either side of the pope.  After tonight there would be no more hiding their existence from the world.  Enid was led down a side passage.  She paused and motioned the others back. She reached into her pack and pressed a contact¡¯s number.

    ¡°Hello Enid!¡±

    ¡°Hi Allison.¡±

    ¡°Are you nervous?  I¡¯m watching it live.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.  I¡¯m ready for what is to come, I just wanted to tell you before I did this, how much I care about you and how much¡­I wanted to tell you the truth¡­ You¡¯re going to find out some things in a few minutes, that I have kept from you, it was¡­ it was wrong but necessary.  I hope you can forgive me for my lies.¡±

    ¡°What lies?  Enid?  Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I will be fine.  Thank you for the time we had.¡±

    Enid hung up the phone and put it in her pack which she had hung behind her back.  She stepped out and towards the sword as the setting sun shone behind her casting her in its last rays.  Her shadow fell across the sword.  The news crews and other invitees including several world leaders sat staring at her.  She pulled down her hood revealing the youthful superhero Sarah¡¯s face. She approached the silver sword.  As the sun vanished, she closed her eyes and let her shape fall to her normal one.  The crowd gasped.

    ¡°I am Enid Sextus Aurelius, Empress of the Court of Eternal Night.  I was born in Scotland, one-hundred and fifteen years before I watched over the birth of my nephew Jesus Christ.  I was a citizen of the Roman Empire.  I am also Saint Sarah of Savia.  I created the healing spring that still flows.  I am also Sarah O¡¯Connor.  I am all these things, and I am also the first daughter of God.¡±

    She reached out her hand and drew the blade from the marble.  As she did so unbeknownst to her a light in the form of armored angel appeared behind her.  The angel¡¯s wings expanded as she raised the sword above her head.  The crowd gasped.  As she lifted the blade above her head in both hands a bolt of lightning ripped through one of the stained-glass windows behind her arcing to the blade and down her body leaving her unharmed.

    ¡°I call to you my brother, my husband, Lucius Aurelius to end this feud we have been fighting for the last two thousand years.  Come to Edmonton, Alberta, and help me do battle with the first born of God, the Black Son, the Destroyer, the First Betrayer.  Unlike the last time, together we can win.  To the Black Son: Your end is here.  I am in Edmonton, Alberta.  Come if you dare.  I doubt you will though, your cowardice is legendary as is your betraying tongue.  To the rest of the world.  I give you this one and only warning-¡±

    She let her full vampiric aura loose across the crowd letting it expand to the limits, filling her enemies who watched with dread and those who bore her no ill will with a sense of peace. She floated upwards several feet.

    ¡°If you are not with me, you are against me.  I am my father¡¯s daughter, and I will bode no disobedience!¡±

    She unleashed a controlled telekinetic wave shattering all of the windows in the Basilica. She held the sword at her side and flew out of the windows behind her.  She looked down at the massive crowd that had gathered in the square to witness the drawing of the sword.  As she flew over them many crossed themselves.

    Content with her performance she pulled the shadows around herself and landed at their house eventually.  She discarded the fake Bloodseeker in the foyer like it was junk and tossed her cloak aside.  She smiled when saw Violet who walked up and slapped her hard across the face.  Enid¡¯s brow creased

    ¡°What the fuck was that for?¡±

    ¡°Why did you break the windows mom three? They were priceless works of art!¡±

    ¡°No, they weren¡¯t they were fakes that cost me eight million dollars.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°The Vatican spent the last six months replacing them.  Of course, the press release said maintenance.¡±

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°I had no clue about the lightning that was God or something.  I wanted a big show of force to prove I¡¯m the same power mad idiot I have always been.  Ever since I knew what we had to do with the sword I had it planned out and rehearsed.  How do you not know this?¡±

    ¡°You never tell me anything!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.  I guess I must have done most of it during the day.  Look everything happened like it was supposed to, except the lightning.¡±

    Violet reached down and picked up the fake bloodseeker.

    ¡°You can¡¯t just toss this aside like trash it was a gift from god.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a hunk of silver.¡±

    ¡°That an actual angel touched.¡±

    ¡°So, what, I sold fifteen million dollars¡¯ worth of coins that Ezekiel tossed at me to pay for the whole window shattering thing.  Angels can just make stuff with their minds and pull it out of the ether.  That¡¯s all he did.  I mean if it was a better copy, I could use it to lure someone in or something but as it is, it¡¯s too clean and it¡¯s too big.  So, melt it down, put it on your mantle, give it back to the church after we fight that Black Son, I don¡¯t give a shit.  It has served its purpose.¡±

    Violet picked up Enid¡¯s cloak shoved it at her.

    ¡°You¡¯re worse than a teenager sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should go hunting with Eyre when she gets back.  You seem hangry.¡±

    Enid stuffed the cloak in her pack.  Violet walked off still holding the silver sword.  Enid frowned and reached into her pack and pulled out her phone which started blowing up as soon as it established a signal.  Her friends from school.  Six voicemails from Allison.  Enid sighed.  She put her phone down on the kitchen counter where it continued to vibrate.

    ¡°I need blood.¡±

    Enid reached in and pulled out several bags of blood and downed them one after another, by the fourth she was just eating her emotions.  Eyre and Maria arrived shortly after her fifth bag, and she was engulfed by hugs.

    ¡°Mom that was awesome!  I have no idea how you pulled off the lightning or the angel but oh wow.  You¡¯re world famous now you¡¯re all over the internet.  Top news story everywhere.  Wow.  I can¡¯t believe you did the whole Lucius thing.  You think he¡¯s going to fall for it?¡±

    Enid shrugged and started on her sixth bag of blood.

    ¡°Did it really use up that much blood?¡±

    Enid shrugged and started shredding the bags.  She reached out for the seventh bag which Eyre snagged instead.

    ¡°You are wasting it if you don¡¯t need it.¡±

    ¡°I want it.¡±

    ¡°So what?  You should answer your phone.¡±

    Eyre bit the bag with her fangs and sucked it back.  Staring at her mother.

    ¡°Brat.¡±

    Enid picked up her phone and stormed off towards the house¡¯s balcony.  She leaned on the railing and started scrolling through her messages.  Most she had expected.  Her friends were freaking out and asking her if she was the same person who pulled the sword out.  She flipped over to her SMS messages and sighed when she saw Allison had sent another text saying: ¡®Please talk to me.¡¯  Enid closed her eyes and played the first voicemail that seemed to have come in before she had shown her true face based on the time.

    ¡°Enid! Please call me back.  Don¡¯t do anything foolish, please!¡±

    ¡°Enid?  Who are you.  I¡­I¡± *click*

    The next few were just hang ups.  Allison had spoken again on the last message.  It was shortly after Enid arrived at the house.

    ¡°Enid, or whatever you want me to call you, I don¡¯t care.  I know who you are no matter what you look like.  You¡¯re the woman I¡¯m in love with.  Please call me back.¡±

    Enid looked down at her phone as if it may bite her.  She tried to delay the inevitable talk with Allison by calling Mitena first.

    ¡°Mom!  That was awesome.¡±

    ¡°Hey hon.  Are you okay with what happened?¡±

    ¡°I knew you were old mom.¡±

    ¡°I just wanted to check in.  I need to call Allison.¡±

    ¡°Oh yes, you have¡­to talk to her.  I¡¯ll see you tomorrow?¡±

    ¡°As soon as nightfall hits, we¡¯re flying out.  I love you hon.¡±

    ¡°Good luck mom.¡±

    Enid disconnected the call and closed her eyes and tapped on Allison¡¯s name.  She put the phone to her ear and waited for her to pick up.

    ¡°Enid!¡±

    ¡°Hi Allison.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I wasn¡¯t expecting you to call.¡±

    ¡°Allison, I love you.  I just¡­I didn¡¯t want to lie to you as long as I did.¡±

    ¡°It is alright.  I understand now.  I understand what you¡¯ve been trying to tell me all along.  You¡­ you don¡¯t need to hide yourself from me anymore.¡±

    ¡°Allison, I can¡¯t see you anymore.  I just called out the most powerful being in creation.  He will come after you to get to me if he thinks it will give him an edge.  I will not put you in danger.  After its over¡­  if we win.  I promise we will be together like you want.  If you can handle that my ID says I¡¯m seventeen.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t care.  Let him come.  I want to be at your side.¡±

    ¡°You are very brave Allison, but I already lost my husband and sister to this monster.  I will not lose you.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°Its complicated.  I will explain after this is all over.¡±

    ¡°Okay.  You promise after its over we will be together?¡±

    ¡°I promise if I survive this mess, I will move in with you as soon as my ID says I¡¯m legally eighteen under my real name.  Don¡¯t want you to get arrested.¡±

    She laughed.

    ¡°Your ID really says you¡¯re seventeen?¡±

    ¡°Yep, says I was born on December 5, 2010.¡±

    ¡°Were you really born before Jesus?¡±

    ¡°I was a hundred and fifteen when he was born.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s your real birthday?¡±

    ¡°I honestly have no idea.  Sometime in the fall.¡±

    ¡°How can you not know?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t exactly have calendars in the Highlands in 115 BCE.¡±

    ¡°Wow, what¡­do you say your birthday is?¡±

    ¡°November 8<sup>th</sup>¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll remember that.  So¡­do you have any other kids besides Mitena?¡±

    ¡°One, her name is Eyre.  She¡¯s seven hundred years old, so we don¡¯t have to worry about babysitting.  The rest¡­are long dead.¡±

    ¡°Really?  If we get married, I¡¯ll be a stepmom to a seven-hundred-year-old woman?¡±

    ¡°I suppose, yes you would be.  I¡¯m sure she¡¯d love that.¡±

    ¡°What is she like?¡±

    Enid lifted her left calf up flexing her ankle as she smiled.  It felt good to be truthful with Allison finally.  Her finger reached up and twisted one of her red curls around it.  Eyre watched her through the window a smile spreading across her face.

    ¡°She is amazing.  She¡¯s brilliant, talented and you¡¯ve heard her sing.  We went to her club for a concert.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­she¡¯s Ophelia.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Oh wow, that¡¯s how you got me the autograph!¡±

    ¡°Yes.  That is how.¡±

    ¡°Does she really have black hair?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°No, she has red hair, green eyes.  Some silver streaks.¡±

    ¡°Like¡­your real face?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have any gray hair, but yes basically.  She¡¯s much prettier than me though.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, you looked pretty me.¡±

    ¡°That was just me using¡­mojo.  She is naturally beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Does she know about us?¡±

    ¡°Yes, she does, she did my make-up for the first few dates.  I used to be shit at it.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes, really.  It wasn¡¯t a priority in my life.¡±

    ¡°Enid.  Can we video call?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d love to, I miss your face."

 December 15th, 2027 - World News - Responses - The drawing of the Sword from Stone.

    ¡°The world is in shock this morning. Sarah O¡¯Connor, superhero, and apparent Saint from history drew the sword from the marble at St. Peters. We were all wondering what it would mean. Now we know that Sarah O¡¯Connor is thousands of years old. She identified herself as the same Sarah who was a Saint in Medieval Britain. Everyone is wondering what her words meant, that she would accept no disobedience. Does she mean to rule the world?

    China was the first. North Korea has declared her an enemy of the state due to her involvement with what they call an unprovoked attack in 2022. The Taliban have cracked down as women have flooded the streets in support of this new female prophet.

    Christians around the world are wondering if this is a return to the God of the Old Testament. Other religions are calling her the new Prophet of God. Claiming she is of all races because she seems to have no true shape. Spontaneous protests against governments who have banned the woman from their borders have sprung up worldwide. The Jewish faith is reportedly split on the meaning of her arrival. Noted Jewish Scholars are in debate whether she is descended from the line of David and if she is the messiah that was prophesied as she seems to be any gender, shape she wants. They also note she has never once referred to Jesus as the Messiah. Only as a good man. The middle east is in the midst of a religious upheaval. Leading to violent clashes between different sects in the streets. In one instance a fundamentalist Imam that spoke out against Enid Aurelius was stoned to death in the streets for speaking blasphemy. Fundamentalists are saying she is an agent of chaos. More open sects are saying she is the ideal Muslim woman because she has lived by their prophet¡¯s words, she has been a dutiful wife, she has birthed children, she has been charitable, she has cared for her neighbors, what god has asked she has done. The world is seeing chaos on an unprecedented scale.

    More references are being reported throughout recorded history. Once thought myths are being re-evaluated through the lens of an immortal woman. Stories of a European woman who visited a Navajo tribe before the new World was discovered are being circulated online. She slew an army of demons, adopted a child, and vanished in a beam of light. Things that were once the realm of crack alien theories are now thought to be the truth. Pictures of a fire haired woman in ancient Egyptian art wielding lightning as a weapon. How many Greek stories were created about her? How old as she really?

    Scientists are baffled by her existence. DNA collected as part an investigation at her identities home in Edmonton have been rushed to testing. They matched the DNA found in Saint Sarah of Savia¡¯s crystal sarcophagus. Her sample has also been matched to US military records we are told by the US government. Nothing in the blood sample indicates how she could be immortal; In fact, she appears to be human woman of European descent. Who is really? What is she? Is she God in mortal form. Is she an alien preying on our religious beliefs? Is she an angel? Unless she is open to tests these answers may never be known.

    President Morris has stated that no matter what her name or how old she is, Sarah O¡¯Connor is an American Hero and would always be treated as such. Canada¡¯s Prime Minister has been quoted as saying that the woman in question does hold lawful Canadian Citizenship. Our sources in Edmonton Alberta have confirmed her residence there and that she is attending senior high school. We¡¯ve also confirmed her age to be listed seventeen years old and that she had a recent birthday.

    How many human lives has she lived? How many are like her in the world? Who is this husband she refers too? What are the legalities of this? The only birth certificates available show she is either forty-seven years old, or seventeen? Is she an adult? Countries do not even have laws determining how this works. We have gathered a panel of experts to this with more depth. Dr. Silvio Jackson, Professor of Law at Harvard, Bishop Derek Kelly, Senator Tucker, and General Morris.

    Let¡¯s start with you Dr. Jackson, what are the legalities of this woman¡¯s citizenship, age, well everything?¡±

    ¡°Those are questions that could take us years to answer. Research tells us that she has a valid degree in computer science. Her university friends confirm she went to school with them. Her crewmates confirm she was on their ship. She did these things. She earned her pilot¡¯s license. We can¡¯t prove she is not Sarah O¡¯Connor. By the same token, we cannot prove she is not this seventeen-year-old girl from Canada. As for her true citizenship, where was she born? Does that even apply anymore? She claims to have been born in Scotland. Does that make her British citizen? Her apparent date of birth was before any of our current laws applied, and before any of our current countries or governments existed. DNA tests have proven she was Saint Sarah of Savia, that makes her a noblewoman, a duchess. Does that still apply? And can she be licensed to do anything? Our systems have mandatory age cut offs, based on her apparent true age, she would have been forced into retirement two thousand years ago. It is going to be decades sorting out the legal ramifications of this.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your insight, Dr. Jackson. Senator Tucker, what do you think of the President¡¯s declaration that Sarah O¡¯Connor will always be an American Hero?¡±

    ¡°I agree with her one hundred percent. This woman fought in wars for us, accepted assignments others balked at. She did everything our military asked of her, and more. When we have been threatened by these so-called super terrorists and we asked her to respond, she did, and she minimized damaged and when she could she brought them in alive.¡±

    ¡°Your democratic counterparts disagree with you vehemently, calling her a threat to freedom.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll call everything a threat to freedom. She is a force for law and order in the world. She has always abided by our laws. Her military record was exemplary. Her police record even more so. She is beyond reproach in my opinion. This Black Son she called out, I¡¯m with the president. You tell us when and where this world ending threat is and you¡¯ll have the full support of the US Military and our allies if we have anything to say about it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Senator. General Morris what are your thoughts on this? Your wife¡¯s words were quite clear.¡±

    ¡°I met Commander O¡¯Connor on Okinawa just after the North Korean Nuclear deterrence air raid. She was in my opinion a good soldier. Knowing what I know now, and looking back, I¡¯d say she was one of the best of us. Obviously, she has seen a lot of battle and death in her life. She¡¯s two thousand years old, yet when I spoke to her, her main concern was the men she lost in that air raid. How can a woman who has lived for so long and has probably seen thousands of loved ones live and die, and still mourn for her lost pilots be bad? She wouldn¡¯t be calling this Black Son out now if she wasn¡¯t ready for him. She graduated top of her class from our strategic thinking courses. Everything she did at the Basilica was calculated to have the psychological impact on her enemies that she desired. She¡¯s five moves ahead of the rest of the world I can guarantee you that. I support my wife in everything she said, I always do.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Thank you General. Bishop, there must be a lot of ramifications for your faith with the revelations last night could you tell us you¡¯re views on this?¡±

    ¡°This unprecedented, as we have all said. Two messengers from God? The revelation that we have a living Saint in the world. Now we¡¯re finding out about a Doctor in Scotland, Doctor Stuart, that was likely her, who healed many children thought past the point of saving, miraculously. There were discussions of having her canonized as a Saint. Now we know why. How many lives has she saved in her lifetime? People are saying she has threatened the world at large, but I believe she was speaking to a certain few, the truly unrepentant sinners. We are still waiting on guidance from the Holy See, so more I cannot say. Beyond, the Vatican has stated that we are looking at the second coming, that God has sent his daughter to sacrifice herself to save us.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Bishop. Let¡¯s open up the floor to discuss this further.¡±

    *****

    Enid looked at the biggest of the threads on social media. One which started with a post by whom she was assumed was Allison.

    I was in a car accident. Enid Aurelius healed me and nearly died doing so. It was a miracle. She is a miracle.

    The posts that followed brought tears to Enid¡¯s eyes because they were mostly from children she had saved. Many said she saved my life and now I have children of my own. If not for her my children would not exist. Bless you Saint Enid.

    *****

    Carla sat in the waiting area for the oval office. She heard her name called and she stood up and entered. She wasn¡¯t as young as she used to be, and this being flown out in the middle of the night to answer to the President¡¯s beck and call had ruffled her feathers. When she entered, she was greeted by President Morris, the vice president, several others, one of which was another retiree. An admiral.

    ¡°Please have a seat, Carla, Thank you for coming on such short notice.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I¡¯m not sure what I can tell you that I didn¡¯t put in my report.¡±

    ¡°Reports are impersonal I wanted your opinion on this Enid person.¡±

    The president held up an unredacted version of her Project Raijin after action report.

    ¡°You gave her the highest-level threat classification we have. Yet told us to leave her alone. Why?¡±

    ¡°Because she¡¯s a force of nature. Like a hurricane, to survive it you need to get out of her way, or board your windows and hope she passes you by.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean, she captured an entire Soviet submarine by herself, by threatening them. She can call down lightning on command. And I assume cause forty kiloton explosions without leaving a trace beyond a bit of blood. Look Madam president. We don¡¯t want any part of her. If we stay out of her way, we are beneath her notice.¡±

    ¡°A superpower is beneath her notice?¡±

    ¡°Do we pay attention to an ant hill that happens to exist somewhere we will never cross paths with? You have people who have met her and know her. She seems nice, decent, honest, but I¡¯ve seen her angry. Without the veil of humanity. That¡­woman, she is so far beyond us we may as well be ants. She can move faster than we can perceive. She can crush things with her mind.¡±

    ¡°Why would she join our Navy then?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d take her at her word on that, she wanted to fly fighters. She has feelings, emotions, we watched her care for an old man for no other reason than he was her neighbor and had no one else. She had friends. She was a doctor for Christ¡¯s sake. I¡¯m just saying based on our psych profiles, if we stay out of her way, she will leave us be. If we harm her, or her loved ones she will become the wrath of God she claims to be. You tell her the Soviets were responsible for her neighbor¡¯s death, show her the evidence. I guarantee you they would lose that war.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t we tell her then?¡±

    ¡°Because I wasn¡¯t about to tell someone who has a volatile temper her friend was killed when she can waltz into a nuclear sub, convince the crew that the Soviet Union was the United States and that we had launched nukes and that orders are wipe out as much as they can before they lose.¡±

    Silence ruled in the office for a few moments as her words sunk in.

    ¡°She could have easily done that with the sub she captured if she wanted too. You didn¡¯t interview them. They were completely in her control.¡±

    ¡°So, it is your assessment we stay out of her way?¡±

    ¡°You want to guarantee she ignores you? Give her your blessing.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean endorse her. Call her an American Hero. She¡¯ll do her best to avoid even coming near us. She seemed to pride herself on her neutrality when it came to world governments. It¡¯s not a lie she a medal of honor recipient.¡±

    ¡°You know, you have a good point¡­ Although I was hoping we could ask her for help with something.¡±

    ¡°What? That¡¯s playing with fire Madam President.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Thank you for your input, Carla and your long years of service. I¡¯ll make sure your consulting fee is paid in full. If everyone will excuse us, my husband and I have something to discuss.¡±

    *****

    Lucius paced on the balcony looking out over the night cloaked Prague. A wide grin gracing his handsome face.

    ¡°Gaius, she handed herself to us on a silver platter.¡±

    ¡°She did my lord.¡±

    ¡°How many nights have I told them she will be the death of us?¡±

    ¡°Too many, my lord.¡±

    ¡°Gaius, you will be our messenger. Gather as many vampires as you can and put an end to this farce of her being the Empress. Bring her back to me.¡±

    ¡°Sire, you are nearly her equal should it not be you? She even asked for you to join her by name.¡±

    ¡°Gaius, this is a way for you to prove your strength. I have been telling you for centuries if you want to be the big man in the council chambers, you¡¯re going to have to impress your creator. Isis is not easy to impress, bringing her Enid, that would bring a smile to her face.¡±

    Gaius thought for a few moments a smile crossing his lips and he nodded.

    ¡°I am giving you a gift, I¡¯m letting you be the hero, should you fail, I will step in, save you and end this myself.¡±

    ¡°Will she still¡­ trust you are there to fight at her side if we attack her first?¡±

    ¡°You saw her, she truly thinks she can still sway me to her side to fight this Black Son, she is as obsessed as our sister was.¡±

    ¡°Your sister was present at the ceremony, my lord.¡±

    ¡°A vampire made up to look like her was. My father executed her. I saw nothing of the confidence and power of my sister in her. A cheap knock off at best. Though I did see Eyre there. My brat of a stepdaughter. I will gladly behead her in front of my wife to show her that cheating on our vows is not tolerated.¡±

    ¡°My Lord¡­¡±

    ¡°Gaius, my wife is ready to submit to me. Should she survive you that is. If you could keep her alive so I may enjoy her begging for her daughter¡¯s life it would be appreciated.¡±

    ¡°As My Lord wishes. I have already started gathering our forces. We will meet her in this Edmonton, Alberta and crush her and her allies.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.¡±

 Kitchener - 2027 - An unexpected call.

    Enid felt her phone buzzing in her pocket. She was leaning on balcony. Naked except an untied bathrobe. She decided she needed some time away from Eyre¡¯s house. Violet was getting closer and closer to the truth of her actual plan when to deal with the Black Son and it was becoming more difficult to conceal it as the event came closer. Her spies near the council told her that they were giddy and planning to kill her for breaching the Covenants, but it would take them two weeks to get their forces together and to Edmonton. Her family was safe for now and she had time to brood. She sighed and pulled the phone out of her pocket. She felt a hand on her back. It was nighttime and she couldn¡¯t feel the cold. Allison was bundled in a heavy coat and shivered.

    ¡°Why are you out here?¡±

    ¡°Thinking.¡±

    Her phone stopped vibrating, then as soon as it did, it began again. She frowned as she saw the number. It was the emergency line she¡¯d given out as Sarah the superhero to various authorities.

    ¡°I should take this.¡±

    Enid picked up and put the phone to her ear.

    ¡°Hello.¡±

    ¡°Is this Sarah O¡¯Connor?¡±

    ¡°This is she.¡±

    ¡°I am President Morris. I was wondering, would you meet with me to discuss a¡­situation?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t take sides President. Even if I was in the US Navy.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t about¡­ sides. This a personal matter.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Am I heading to the white house?¡±

    ¡°If you can.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there in half an hour.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Enid hung up. She glanced at Allison and hugged her, and the pair moved inside.

    ¡°You have to go see the President?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Enid kissed her and started pulling on her Atlantean Armor.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can.¡±

    ¡°You better be. I¡¯m going to get cold in bed alone.¡±

    Enid kissed her again then went to the Balcony and flew off.

    *****

    She slipped in past the Secret Service agents and slipped into the oval office, where she found President Morris and General Morris sitting at the desk. She let the shadows fall off of her. The pair jumped.

    ¡°I am here.¡±

    ¡°You¡­look very young.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why my legal ID says I¡¯m seventeen. Look, my time is limited I just started a war with the forces of darkness, so, if we could please hurry this along.¡±

    President Morris stood up and offered a folder.

    ¡°My daughter, are you familiar with what happened to her?¡±

    ¡°I am. She set off a building implosion and contained a dirty bomb. Died a hero. I¡¯ve lost a few children in my life, I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡±

    ¡°We suspect she¡¯s not dead.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡±

    ¡°BMC had the contract to clean up the site and retrieve her body. They said it was too radioactive but, we have reason to believe they moved her body to a black site in northern Canada. Our intel¡­says it recently suffered a catastrophic nuclear failure. The Canadians said it was an earthquake.¡±

    ¡°Oh that, I thought it was a bit off, earthquake in the middle of the Canadian Shield. That could just mean her body was buried in tons of granite. Nothing there tells me she¡¯s alive.¡±

    ¡°Look in the file.¡±

    Enid leafed through and saw a hospital security camera picture of a black-haired girl lifting a much larger man up.

    ¡°Super terrorist.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s our daughter. Photo was taken three days after the ¡®earthquake¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I know what it is like to hope beyond hope your child is alive. But this image is grainy at best.¡±

    Enid saw the look of desperation in the pair¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°If I choose to look into this, why me? What about me screams detective?¡±

    ¡°You were a detective, you can¡­compel people. Our limited investigations have been stymied by local police, BMC, the Canadian government.¡±

    ¡°I have maybe fourteen days left with my family. It¡¯s Christmas time and you want me to spend some of them tracking down your wayward kid? You have the entire resources of the US government and intelligence agencies at your disposal.¡±

    ¡°And I can¡¯t use any of it. Please. What can I do to convince you?¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°I want an F-22. No weaponry of course.¡±

    ¡°Done.¡±

    President Morris looked at her husband.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°One can be lost in a training accident and provided to her as salvage. She ¡®rebuilds¡¯ it so it can take part in ¡®airshows¡¯¡±

    ¡°Do you know what that could do to the both of us if it gets out?¡±

    Enid held up her hands.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, no need for the fighter. It was a test. If I find her and she doesn¡¯t want to come home, I¡¯m not making her though. If she can throw people like that around and escape black sites, based on my experience she isn¡¯t home because she doesn¡¯t want to be home.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s sixteen she belongs at home.¡±

    ¡°With all due respect, she belongs where she feels safe. I ran away when I was young, and I never forgave my father for pulling me out of where I was the happiest I¡¯ve ever been. I¡¯ll confirm she is alive; I¡¯ll tell her you want her to come home, I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s safe and the rest is up to her. Does that work for you?¡±

    The couple looked at each other.

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s what we are getting.¡±

    Enid nodded and flew off.

    *****

    Enid landed in front of the hospital that the President¡¯s file had indicated. The cat was out of the bag so to speak so she didn¡¯t even bother changing her face to Sarah¡¯s tonight. She walked through the automatic doors. It was elven at night the place was busier than she¡¯d expected. She pulled the shadows around herself and walked into the hospital proper and found a nursing station. She appeared in front of the nurse who looked up at the apparent red-haired teenager and didn¡¯t recognize her immediately.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here, it is after visiting hours young lady!¡±

    Enid met her gaze.

    ¡°Of course I should be here I¡¯m a doctor. Could I borrow your computer?¡±

    ¡°Sure Doctor. Whatever you want.¡±

    Enid walked around and the nurse was about to log out. Enid met her gaze again.

    ¡°No don¡¯t bother logging out, its fine.¡±

    ¡°Okay doctor.¡±

    Enid looked over the medical records application and started a search for records from the date that the security camera picture had on it. She found a record for Myra Townsend. She opened it. Frostbite, hypothermia. Died then was resuscitated. Patient¡¯s age and gender were correct. She checked a linked security report which she did not have immediate access too. She went back to the patient file and identified the name of a lawyer who provided consent for treatment and release. Enid noted it and closed the patient window and stood up. She looked in the nurses eyes.

    ¡°Hey, thanks, for letting me use your computer. Just forget I asked, would you? I seem to have forgotten where the security office is, could you tell me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s in the basement, just take that elevator there and ride it down. It¡¯s to the left and just past the morgue.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, nurse. You¡¯re going to have an amazing evening shift.¡±

    ¡°Thank you doctor.¡±

    Enid released her compulsion and pulled the shadows around herself again and rode the elevator down. She followed the doctors directions and glanced at the morgue on the way by. Then noticed the sign ahead that said security. She tried to open the door but found it to be locked and looked at the card reader to the side of it. She let the shadows fall away and knocked loudly. A man opened the door and looked down at her.

    ¡°How did you get down¡­oh you¡¯re that girl¡­the one¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes I am, I need your help to track down a super terrorist.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I would need authorization for that.¡±

    Enid looked at his name tag then met his gaze.

    ¡°You already have authorization, Edward. You were told to expect me. All you need to do is do as I ask.¡±

    ¡°Oh ya, I did get that didn¡¯t I, come in.¡±

    ¡°I need you to pull an incident report, 022526-003.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing.¡±

    He sat down at a desk and started typing. He pulled up the report.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°May I?¡±

    ¡°Whatever you need ma¡¯am.¡±

    Enid sat down and read over the report. She opened the linked video file. Her eyes quirked as she saw a blip as the power went out for a few minutes then a man in a suit opened one of the rooms. He pulled out a large gun. She couldn¡¯t see inside the room but was surprised to see a girl¡¯s hand reach out and grab the wrist and twisted it like it was a string. The gun dropped and then the girl came into view kicking the man in the stomach. Then her palm stuck his chin. Then she grabbed him by his neck and slammed him against the wall. There was no audio, but she was talking to him. Enid was no lip reader. The file ended when security guards arrived. Enid closed the file and the security report.

    ¡°Thanks Edward, you¡¯ve been very helpful.¡±

    She stood up and met his gaze again.

    ¡°Go through all the footage you¡¯ve recorded tonight and delete all that has me in it. Then just forget I was here. You have a good night.¡±

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am. Glad to be of assistance.¡±

    Enid glanced down at her watch. Twelve am. She pulled the shadows around herself and left the hospital. She landed by several police officers that were conducting spot checks for drunk drivers. She let the shadows fall off of herself and the one she landed closest too jumped.

    ¡°Jesus. Where did you come from?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I just had a question, where is your headquarters?¡±

    The police officer looked her up and down. Enid was only wearing her armor and it currently looked like a mat black wet suit with no plating.

    ¡°You must be freezing, do you need help?¡±

    ¡°No officer, you don¡¯t recognize me?¡±

    One of his colleagues noticed the pair talking and nudged the officer she was next too.

    ¡°Holy shit, that¡¯s the angel.¡±

    Enid soon had many eyes on her. The officer she was talking to heard everyone and looked her up and down.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t recognize you.¡±

    ¡°Its alright, I¡¯m trying to track down a super terrorist I was asked to find and apprehend, never been to Thunder Bay before so just need some directions.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re on Balmoral Street. Find the University and follow Balmoral south. You¡¯ll find it.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, officer, appreciate your assistance.¡±

    She looked to everyone who was gawking at her did her best noblewoman smile and waved.

    ¡°Have a Merry Christmas everyone.¡±

    Enid flew up rolling her eyes once she was out of sight. She followed the directions she had been given starting at the University campus and heading south it didn¡¯t take her long to reach the station. She landed in front of it and walked inside. Rather then skulking she decided to take the direct approach she walked to the front where an officer was sitting, looking like he¡¯d rather be anywhere but there. He didn¡¯t look up from whatever he was reading.

    ¡°What do you want to report?¡±

    ¡°I need information.¡±

    ¡°Come back during the day.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid its urgent.¡±

    He finally looked up at the source of his interruption and blinked.

    ¡°Sorry, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Its alright, I know how it is. I just need some information on an incident at the medical center from February 2026. A super terrorist matching her description has caused some issues, I am trying to track her down to bring her in to custody. A man with some serious looking hardware tried to attack her and she incapacitated him?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I remember that one. Here go inside I¡¯ll get a detective to help you.¡±

    He pressed something on his desk and a door lock popped. Enid walked inside and she saw him lean back and point.

    ¡°Just down that hall there, one of the detectives will help you out.¡±

    Enid walked down the hall and was met by a female officer. She looked middle aged and exhausted. Enid noticed a crucifix around her neck. The woman offered her hand. Enid took it and shook it.

    ¡°I¡¯m Captain Harris, but you can call me Carol. And you¡¯re Enid Aurelius, the living Saint.¡±

    ¡°Among other things.¡±

    She motioned for Enid to follow her.

    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be preparing for¡­whatever you were talking about the other night.¡±

    ¡°I am, but I had a request I could not refuse.¡±

    Carol led Enid to an office and motioned for her to sit down.

    ¡°How can Thunder Bay PD help you tonight?¡±

    ¡°There was a super-terrorist incident in February, shortly after the earthquake, a teenage girl, black hair, was held at gun point in the hospital and she disabled her attacker. She had super strength?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I remember that one. Only one of those we¡¯ve had in town. Let me pull the file up.¡±

    She started typing on her keyboard and a few minutes later she smiled at her flat screen.

    ¡°There it is. Myra Townsend. She was found on the roadside walking barefoot. A couple of OPP brought her in to the hospital. She was assaulted and held at gun point. She disabled her attacker. We couldn¡¯t arrest her. Being strong isn¡¯t a crime. Unfortunately. Lawyer convinced crown to not press charges because it was self-defense. Gun was serious hardware through. Explosive rounds. Very high tech, very illegal even in the US. Had a genetic lock on it and everything. Crazy. Girl managed to hack the lock in seconds and almost shot her attacker.¡±

    ¡°Do you know where she went afterwards?¡±

    ¡°No, she was released into her lawyer¡¯s custody, parents are dead.¡±

    ¡°Her file wasn¡¯t expunged? She¡¯s a minor. So it should have been correct?¡±

    ¡°The nature of the event and the weapon involved the crown was able to keep the file open on the girl at least.¡±

    ¡°What happened to her assailant?¡±

    ¡°Squirely bastard. Had some high-powered Toronto Law Firm get him off. He had some sort of license for the gun. Case of mistaken identity. It¡¯s all very¡­smelly. File isn¡¯t even in the system anymore.¡±

    ¡°Bribes?¡±

    ¡°No idea, all I know is he should have been in jail for five years. No charges, no nothing just poof, walked out and vanished.¡±

    ¡°He likely worked, or works for BMC, they have a lot of pull with Governments. Easy to say, oh you do like our supply of cancer drugs don¡¯t you? If you do, make this go away.¡±

    The captain narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°They would do that?¡±

    ¡°Seen it done before. They cloned a human. A lot of people died in a lab explosion. No investigation, it just went away.¡±

    ¡°Holy shit. Oh I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about, I¡¯m no saint when it comes to language. Much to my sisters annoyance.¡±

    The captain laughed.

    ¡°Captain, do you have an address for the lawyer the girl used?¡±

    ¡°I do. No home address though.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I guess I¡¯ll have to visit her office in the morning.¡±

    *****

    The morning found Enid standing outside of the lawyer¡¯s office door. She was dressed more conventionally. She saw two women approach the office door. The older of the two unlocked the door. Enid walked in after them much to their surprise. The older of the two looked at Enid.

    ¡°We¡¯re not open yet.¡±

    Enid was thankful for the lack of windows in the front office. She looked the woman in the eyes.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for Amanda Hamilton.¡±

    ¡°You found her, what do you want?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to provide information to me on one of your clients. Myra Townsend.¡±

    ¡°Of course. What do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I bought her a house under her name near Kitchener. I have the address.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Could you go get it for me and come back?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    The administrative assistant was looking between the two and freaking out. Enid met her gaze.

    ¡°Hey there, why don¡¯t you get yourself ready for work, have a seat at your desk, pretend I¡¯m not here, in fact once I leave you¡¯ll forget you even saw me.¡±

    The woman nodded and hung her coat up and walked into another room of the office. Amanda returned with a piece of paper and offered it to Enid.

    ¡°She lives there.¡±

    ¡°Thank you Amanda, You¡¯ve been very helpful. Why don¡¯t you just go about your normal morning business and forget you even saw me or gave me any information.¡±

    ¡°Okay. Have a good day.¡±

    The woman turned around and walked back into her office. Enid left the office and looked down at the paper. As she walked down the windowless hall she let her shape change to the black haired teenage girl she¡¯d used to cross the border with her father. She called a cab and got a ride to the airport. After paying the ridiculous premium and having to fly business class she was on a plane within two hours and two hours after that was renting a car from Toronto Airport. She arrived in Kitchener two hours after that, mostly due to a stop for lunch and a talkative waitress. She waited until nightfall and switched into her armor and flew to the farmhouse, which she had already driven past during the day.

    Enid arrived at the farmhouse. What she found there was a teenage girl hanging Christmas lights and plugging in the block heater on her sixty-year-old muscle car. She looked completely normal but something about her bothered Enid in a strange way. Something¡­not human about her. The way she moved. But she smelled mortal. Enid watched her finish the lights and then watched her move a tree into her front door and close it. She moved closer the shadows still clinging to her and watched as the girl lifted the tree easily and placed into the stand and started to string lights on it. Enid looked at her phone. It was definitely the President¡¯s daughter. Enid shrugged she had made an agreement she¡¯d keep it. She approached the door letting the shadows fall off of her and she knocked.

    The girl answered. Enid was amazed she hadn¡¯t seen it at the distance, but her eyes were purple, and she could see machines in them. If it wasn¡¯t for her hyper acute senses, she would have easily missed them they moved so fast.

    ¡°Can I help you?¡±

    ¡°Amee?¡±

    ¡°No one here by that name.¡±

    ¡°Amee. Your parents asked me to find you. I told them I would but¡­I also told them I¡¯d only confirm you were alive and safe.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­you¡¯re¡­you¡¯re that girl from the TV¡­the Vatican.¡±

    ¡°I am her, yes.¡±

    ¡°Why are you working for¡­ my¡­ the President of the United States?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not really, BMC has pissed me off in the past so mostly I was working for myself and hoping if I found you, I could deliver their message and find out¡­some dirt since it seems they have crossed you too.¡±

    ¡°I need you to answer one question before I invite you in.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Why do you have no vital signs? You¡¯re dead.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯m a vampire and I¡¯m not trying to look alive because I assumed no one outside a hospital could tell.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Come in.¡±

    ¡°How do you know I¡¯m not alive?¡±

    Amee tapped her temples.

    ¡°Can monitor life signs with my sensors. I¡¯m a cyborg.¡±

    ¡°Oh. So that¡¯s why BMC was interested in you.¡±

    ¡°Yep. Do you¡­umm eat?¡±

    ¡°Typically no, only blood but I have a feeling yours would be¡­bad for me.¡±

    ¡°Probably would be. Has floaties in it, well I¡¯m going to have some hot chocolate.¡±

    ¡°I can drink it¡­if you could make two.¡±

    Amee nodded and motioned to her breakfast bar.

    ¡°So, my parents sent you to track me down. I¡¯m surprised if I hadn¡¯t ¡®died¡¯ my mom would have lost the election.¡±

    ¡°Trust me, Amee, most parents could care less about anything other than their children when it comes down to it. They¡¯d give up a lot to save them, protect them.¡±

    ¡°You sound like you are a parent.¡±

    ¡°I am, had four kids, adopted one, my eldest is still a pain in my ass and I wouldn¡¯t change her for the world. I would do anything for either of them.¡±

    Amee slid a mug over to Enid who took a sip.

    ¡°Good hot chocolate.¡±

    Amee nodded and took a drink of her own.

    ¡°So, what was the message my parents wanted delivered?¡±

    ¡°They want you home.¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°I told them with your skills chances are if you wanted to be home you would be. My question is why are you hiding on a farm?¡±

    Amee shrugged.

    ¡°BMC isn¡¯t going to give up and I¡¯m tired of fighting them. I tried a town in Nevada didn¡¯t work out. They found me. Now I¡¯m guessing they will again.¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t find you through me, but if I can find you, they probably can. I¡¯d love to offer you protection but¡­ I just started a war and my resources are limited. Also I might not survive it so¡­¡±

    ¡°You now I can fight.¡±

    ¡°I can see that. You detonated a nuclear weapon, I can¡¯t even claim that I¡¯m slightly jealous.¡±

    Amee shrugged.

    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have had it, and that place¡­ they were torturing people they had caused to develop powers. Those people you captured¡­BMC had them down there. When I escaped they killed them all.¡±

    Enid looked down and nodded.

    ¡°I had no choice. The ones I dealt with were hurting people.¡±

    ¡°I know. They knew that too, Jonathon said you warned him what they¡¯d do. And you were right, they threatened his family if he resisted. It¡¯s what they¡¯ll do with mine if I go back to them. I¡¯ve made them believe I hate my family and don¡¯t care about their safety. It has worked so far to keep them safe.¡±

    Enid nodded and took another drink of her hot chocolate.

    ¡°So, he¡¯s dead?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Fifty of them died. BMC¡¯s CEO is looking for a cure for his daughter. Some power to heal her.¡±

    Enid blinked and laughed.

    ¡°So, all of this¡­the mutations, the¡­clone he made of me¡­ you has been for his daughter?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s funny, people are dead.¡±

    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s just, if he¡¯d asked, I probably could have healed her.¡±

    Amee looked at her and quirked her head to the side. Suddenly seeing where Enid¡¯s amusement came from.

    ¡°What about now?¡±

    ¡°Fuck him. Let her die.¡±

    ¡°That seems pretty heartless from the daughter of God.¡±

    ¡°God didn¡¯t pick me because I was one of the good guys.¡±

    ¡°You seem like one of them to me. You protect people. You are protecting me from my parents. I suspect since you poked the hornets¡¯ nest you are probably risking your family¡¯s safety by being here.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Do you have anything my family can use on BMC?¡±

    ¡°Lots, I downloaded their entire data store. I have a lot of capacity. Let me just¡­¡±

    Amee wandered off and came back a few minutes later and put a portal hard drive on the counter.

    ¡°These are the highlights. Vaccination programs that introduced a retrovirus designed to cause mutations. Their research on descendants of a bloodline from Rome and Narford that had observable abilities beyond normal humans. Their funding of a terrorist cell to cause a dirty bomb attack in Washington and how they planned to use it to capture me. All of which are another reason they do not want to come visit me again. I¡¯m sure whatever they have on you they¡¯ll be happy to stop or keep to themselves knowing this is waiting to be released.¡±

    ¡°Why haven¡¯t you just released it?¡±

    ¡°Because, as much as I hate them and what they¡¯ve done their organ cloning business saves lives and they are making minimal profit on it. As much as their CEO is a vile evil man, he actually genuinely cares about healing people. His methods are disgusting. But those organs save thousands of lives a year. Other corporations would have started giving loans out, financing, ripping off the hospitals. Their cancer cures and gene therapies have revolutionized rare disease treatments. They are a necessary evil. Probably the same reason my mother and other governments have left them be.¡±

    Enid sighed and nodded.

    ¡°Well thanks for the hot chocolate.¡±

    ¡°Wait.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Have we met before?¡±

    ¡°No, I doubt it.¡±

    ¡°I feel like I know you. So weird.¡±

    ¡°Sorry, never met you before in my life. See you around Amee.¡±

    Amee bit her lower lip.

    ¡°I hope so.¡±

    *****

    Enid peeled off her armor and snuggled in beside Allison who made a soft mmm sound as her arm wrapped around her.

    ¡°I missed you.¡±

    ¡°I missed you too.¡±

    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡±

    ¡°I found the answers she wanted. Found the answers I wanted. Still wasn¡¯t worth being away from you and Mitena for two days.¡±

    Allison turned around in her half-asleep state and kissed Enid.

    ¡°You¡¯re cold.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m dead. And it¡¯s minus forty out with the windchill.¡±

    ¡°Let me warm you up.¡±

    Allison snuggled in closer to Enid who used some of her blood to warm herself to human temperatures. Allison kissed her again and the pair held each other.

 Edmonton - 2027 - Christmas Day

    Enid and Mitena were lying on her daughter¡¯s bed.  They had their chins in their palms and elbows against each other.  Enid looked like she was elven years old at the moment.  It was the only way they could fit on the bed.  Mitena¡¯s tablet was leaning against her footboard and a video of Enid in a knock down drag out super fight with a flying super-terrorist.  Enid remembered the fight well.  It was in May, in New York City.  Reminded her of a dog fight when she was a fighter pilot.  Enid pointed at the screen.

    ¡°Right there I broke four of her ribs.  I was surprised she didn¡¯t go down.¡±

    Mitena pointed to the blue beams coming from the woman¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°What was that mom?¡±

    ¡°Lasers? I don¡¯t know armor stopped most of it, burned in about three centimeters into my chest.  Hurt.  I should have dodged that, got a bit cocky.¡±

    The video now showed her and the super-terrorist struggling and fighting in midair Enid was using her knees to beat the woman.  Then the woman looked at Enid¡¯s eyes and her eyes started to flare then Enid said something and let go and the woman plummeted towards the ground.

    ¡°What did you say to her mom?¡±

    ¡°Oh I made her believe she couldn¡¯t fly.¡±

    ¡°Did she survive the fall?¡±

    ¡°Ya, most of these super-terrorists have some weird durability.  Makes them tougher than normal humans.  I¡¯m guessing BMC snagged her.¡±

    Mitena started doing some math then narrowed her eyes and looked at Enid.

    ¡°Have you ever used that eye thing on me mom?¡±

    ¡°No, never, don¡¯t use it on my family.  I mean¡­if you saw something terrible, I¡¯d consider making you forget.  But I¡¯d never use it to like¡­make you do homework, or whatever.¡±

    ¡°You promise.¡±

    ¡°I promise hon.¡±

    Enid nudged Mitena with her shoulder.

    ¡°Can I be like you, Aunt Maria and Eyre when I grow up?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to it, but you have a lot of time to decide hon, you ate the fruit of life.  You¡¯re going to age really slowly once you hit adulthood.  Its kind of a mixed bag.  You¡¯d be like Violet and grandpa, no sun ever again, sleeping during the day, no kids.  Why don¡¯t you do university decide if you want a family, I mean immortality is nice and all but there is something to be said for growing old with someone you love.¡±

    ¡°But you had kids, and you can go in the sun.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a very special vampire.  So are your sister, and aunt.¡±

    ¡°Would you be the one turning me?¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m alive, sure, I¡¯d do it if I thought you were ready.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean if you are alive?¡±

    ¡°You never know what is going to happen when the others get here hon.  I won¡¯t lie to you, this is dangerous. There is a chance you will end up living with Gladys and Allison.¡±

    ¡°No!  You can¡¯t go mom.  I won¡¯t let you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry hon, I have to.  If I don¡¯t everyone dies anyway.  So, if the choice is, I die, or you die, I¡¯m gonna choose me every single time.  It¡¯s what parents do.¡±

    Mitena had tears in her eyes now. Enid pulled her close and hugged her tightly.

    ¡°Oh sweetheart, I¡¯m sorry this is happening.  I don¡¯t want to do it but there is no choice.  You¡¯ll understand one day if you have children.  It is what your mother did.¡±

    ¡°Why does it have to be you?¡±

    ¡°I am the only one who can use the sword it will kill anyone else.¡±

    ¡°Why did you pick it up?¡±

    ¡°Honestly?  I wanted the power it would give me.  I was young and foolish.  Now I am paying the price for my hubris.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°It means I had so much pride in myself I didn¡¯t consider the cost.  I just wanted power.¡±

    ¡°If you had a choice to pick it up or not over again, would you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but not for power,  but because it¡¯s going to let me save the world and you little warrior.¡±

    Enid poked Mitena¡¯s nose.

    ¡°I¡¯m not little anymore.¡±

    ¡°You will always be my little girl.  Just ask Eyre.¡±

    Mitena giggled.

    ¡°She looks older than you mom.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s still my daughter, like you, even if you don¡¯t choose to change, even when you¡¯re old and gray, and have fifteen grandkids, I¡¯m still going to call you my little warrior.¡±

    Mitena blushed.

    ¡°Mom I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you too shorty.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m almost as tall as you now mom.¡±

    ¡°Ya you did have that growth spirt.  That¡¯s what I get for being a tiny hmm?¡±

    ¡°Is Allison coming over for Christmas?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and her mom.¡±

    ¡°Yay!¡±

    ¡°So, what do you want to watch next?¡±

    ¡°Can we play a game?¡±

    ¡°We can do anything you want.  Go get a game.¡±

    ¡°How about a video game?¡±

    ¡°I guess we could.¡±

    Mitena bounced up and ran towards the movie room and had everything turned on by the time Enid got there with the snacks and drinks.  She kept herself in the shape of an eleven-year-old version of herself.  Mitena looked at Enid.

    ¡°Thanks mom.¡±

    *****

    Enid sat at the head of the table looking over the assembled humans and vampires.  It was still daytime, so Violet and Angus were missing from the table.  They had had that family dinner last night with blood.  It was just Allison, Gladys, Eyre, Mitena, and Maria.  Eyre had cooked a large Christmas dinner with all the fixings.  She was currently slicing the turkey.  Gladys was looking over the table.

    ¡°This looks delicious.¡±

    Enid smiled.

    ¡°Eyre was a chef before she was a singer.¡±

    Eyre blushed.  Gladys looked between the pair.

    ¡°Does it every bother you that you look so much younger than your daughter?¡±

    ¡°You get used to it.  Eyre is¡­older than she looks too.¡±

    ¡°She had her, was it sixth great grandchild?  At 99.¡±

    Eyre nodded.

    ¡°Wow.  So, this is your¡­seven hundredth Christmas together.¡±

    ¡°Something like that.¡±

    ¡°No, six hundred is more like it.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Eyre is right.¡±

    ¡°What is it like having a mother-daughter relationship that old?¡±

    ¡°Pretty much like having one that is twenty years old.  She¡¯s still a brat, I¡¯m still an old cranky woman.¡±

    Mitena giggled.  Gladys smiled at the pair.

    ¡°I¡¯m just, just wow, so amazed.  There is so much love in this home.¡±

    ¡°My adoptive father taught me that family is the most important thing in the world.  I forgot that for a while, but Eyre reminded me.¡±

    Eyre smiled and took the turkey into the kitchen leaving a plate of carved turkey ready to be passed around Enid moved to pick up the turkey, but Maria gave a small clear of her throat.

    ¡°Enid, please say grace.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°You go ahead.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re the daughter of God, I think he wants you too.¡±This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Enid wrinkled her nose in Maria¡¯s direction.  Maria showed her the palm with the scar on it and Enid rolled her eyes and offered her hands.

    ¡°God thank you for the love in this home and at this table.  Bless this food we are about to eat.  We thank you for letting us share this Christmas before we fight the war.  Amen¡±

    Enid glanced at Maria who nodded.

    ¡°Can we eat now ¡®mom¡¯?¡±

    Maria touched her crucifix and a smile crept across her black lips.

    ¡°Yes, we may eat.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pulling the may thing now?¡±

    ¡°Enid, if it is worth saying, it is worth saying right.  It is rude to do otherwise.¡±

    Enid stabbed a piece of turkey and moved it to her plate, she grabbed a second piece and passed it to Allison.  Gladys looked like she was in heaven.

    ¡°This is amazing Eyre.¡±

    Eyre smiled.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t let my mother cook.¡±

    Allison looked confused.

    ¡°She¡¯s an awesome cook.¡±

    Eyre shook her head.

    ¡°She can¡¯t even boil water.¡±

    Mitena started giggling.  Eyre started looking around the table.  Enid looked down at her food didn¡¯t make eye contact.

    ¡°Mitena what is so funny?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t say.¡±

    ¡°I will tickle you until you talk later.¡±

    ¡°No!!¡±

    ¡°No one can resist tickle torture.¡±

    ¡°Okay, Okay, mom cooks bad when you¡¯re around, so you¡¯ll cook instead of her.¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    ¡°I confirm nothing.¡±

    ¡°You kept that going for forty years!  You devious¡­¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you are all talking about.¡±

    Gladys laughed in spite of her attempts to avoid it.  Allison mouthed I¡¯m sorry to Enid.

    ¡°Mom¡­you¡¯re evil.¡±

    ¡°I thought that was a parent¡¯s job.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­my¡­God.¡±

    Enid smiled as she continued to look at her food.

    ¡°You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re such a good mom otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Well technically our ID says that you¡¯re the mom.¡±

    ¡°In that case you¡¯re grounded for the rest of your life young lady.¡±

    ¡°Does that mean I don¡¯t have to go lead the battle?¡±

    Eyre sighed.

    ¡°Wait, no, you¡¯re not grounded, I¡¯m taking away your book collection.¡±

    The rest of the table started to laugh as the pair bantered back and forth.  Enid looked at Gladys.

    ¡°You see what I¡¯ve been dealing with for six hundred years?¡±

    Gladys smiled coughed as she¡¯d been laughing too hard.  Enid looked back to Eyre.

    ¡°What about Maria her ID says you¡¯re her mother too, she never cooks.  What punishment does she get?¡±

    ¡°She gets a pass because she takes spice advise from an obnoxious child ghost.  Six ghost peppers in a can of tomato soup?¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°I thought your face was going to explode it got so red.¡±

    Maria smiled.  Eyre chuckled.

    ¡°Okay it as a good prank.  I couldn¡¯t taste anything until my tongue healed that night.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry about that Eyre.  I should not have trusted Ethel.¡±

    ¡°It is okay Aunt Maria.  At least it was Mitena.¡±

    Enid frowned.

    ¡°If it had been I would have badgered Ezekiel until he took me to the dead lands so I could spank her.¡±

    Enid smiled and looked at Mitena who was eating and had this ear-to-ear grin on her face as she looked around the table at her family.  Mitena saw Enid looking at her and met her gaze.  Enid could see how happy she was just to be here and accepted.  Enid winked at her then back to the table.

    ¡°I have had a special request from my youngest that we play a board game after supper.  Maria, she even said that Ethel was welcome to join us and that you could roll for her.¡±

    Maria glanced to her right.

    ¡°Would you like to play Ethal?¡±

    Maria seemed to be listening to a response.

    ¡°Ethel says she would, also that she would never do anything to hurt Mitena.¡±

    *****

    Enid sat on the edge of Mitena¡¯s bed rubbing her back gently.  Mitena was just barely asleep.  She saw Gladys leaning on the doorframe.

    ¡°You¡¯re both coming home with us tomorrow?¡±

    Enid nodded.

    ¡°Are you sure?  She is really happy here, I think she¡¯ll miss her Aunt and sister.¡±

    ¡°Its not safe here.  No one knows about you and Allison. It¡¯s the safest place for her.  I have angered a lot of very dangerous people.  They could kill a human by sneezing in their direction.  I need her as far away from here as possible.¡±

    ¡°Enid, thank you for having us over.  I thought this Christmas was going to be the worst of my life, but your family, you helped fill a void I would have had.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you could come for Christmas Eve too.¡±

    ¡°Your family must come to my house for New Years.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m in, I love your cooking reminds me of home.¡±

    Gladys blinked.

    ¡°You¡¯re from Scotland!¡±

    ¡°Aye ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡°Where were you born?¡±

    ¡°Do you know the ruins of Kinlockleven Castle?¡±

    ¡°I do, I went there many times as a young girl... and snuck in as a teenager.  It was a good place for doing what you didn¡¯t want your parents to see.¡±

    ¡°My tribe lived there.¡±

    ¡°In the castle?¡±

    ¡°Oh no, the castle came centuries afterwards.  No, we had round houses.  My father, Angus, was chieften.¡±

    ¡°You must have seen the world change so much in your life.¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Yes.  I was rather surprised when I saw a castle when I was sent to the area for something.¡±

    ¡°So, you saw it as a village, then a castle, then castle ruins?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°So you must have seen that happen a lot.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I remember having an argument with my adoptive father in front of the coliseum right after it was finished.  Cracked a stone tile, crack is still there today.¡±

    ¡°Say, that rock by Kinlockleven Castle¡­there are some deep runes carved in it.¡±

    ¡°That was me and my mother.¡±

    Gladys smiled.

    ¡°I always wondered what they meant.¡±

    ¡°Basically, it was linked hearts, or our version of it, one for her and one for me.  We were saying would be bound forever.¡±

    Gladys watched Enid, who was looking down at Mitena with sadness in her eyes.  After several moments of silence she spoke again.

    ¡°I know my daughter has grown into an amazing woman, I¡¯m just not sure¡­why her?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°Well¡­I honestly¡­  She asked me out and I thought she was cute.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t dated anyone¡­ever.  And the last time I had a¡­well partner was Eyre¡¯s father.¡±

    ¡°That long?¡±

    Enid shrugged.

    ¡°I had issues I won¡¯t get into, but I had been going to therapy by then.  I don¡¯t know, she¡¯s just amazing.  She makes me a better person and I honestly wish I could grow old with her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad she found you.  She¡¯s been very depressed.¡±

    Enid bit her lower lip but didn¡¯t say anything.  She couldn¡¯t risk it.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I found her.  I was missing a partner.¡±

    Enid¡¯s phone started to buzz and she looked at it.  It was Deloriss.

    ¡°Sorry I need to take this.¡±

    *****

    Enid had her arms crossed as she was looking at the infiltrator that Deloriss¡¯s people had captured and chained with silver.  She glanced up at Deloriss.

    ¡°You¡¯ve done well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Empress.¡±

    It was a woman.  She still had a stake in her chest.  Enid guessed eastern European which made sense considering Prague was the Imperial city.  She lifted the vampire¡¯s chin looking for any familiarity she might find there but she didn¡¯t recognize her.

    ¡°Was there anyone else?¡±

    ¡°There were but they were destroyed in the fight.¡±

    ¡°Well, she¡¯ll do.  Did you question her yet?¡±

    ¡°No Empress, I left that honor to you.¡±

    ¡°Pull the stake out.¡±

    Deloriss pulled the stake out and the vampire started struggling immediate only to feel her flesh sizzle as she pressed against the silver chains.   She screamed in pain.  Enid let her settle down.  Then lifted the vampire¡¯s chin.

    ¡°Easy or hard way.¡±

    ¡°Fuck you pretender!¡±

    ¡°Hard way it is.¡±

    Enid reached into her bag and pulled out Bloodseeker.  Deloriss and her assembled guard and council edged away from her.  Enid touched Bloodseeker to the woman¡¯s cheek the skin sizzled and cracked and started grow black veins as Bloodseeker began to drain her blood and essence.  The vampire screamed and screamed.  Enid kept Bloodseeker¡¯s thirst in check finally pulling the sword away ash and flesh fell away from the cheek showing muscle underneath.

    ¡°So now that you¡¯re scarred for the rest of your life, and know what the hard way entails, would you like to apologize and move to the easy way?¡±

    ¡°The true ruler and the council will end you!¡±

    Enid looked at Deloriss and shrugged.  Enid slid the blade into the vampire¡¯s thigh piercing the flesh this time.  The vampire started to scream again as her thigh began to shrivel.  Again, Enid held the swords hunger in check only letting it take enough essence to cripple the leg then pulled the blade out.  Enid crouched leaning on Bloodseeker.

    ¡°You know, I could just make you tell me, but the fact you¡¯re working against me kind of pissed me off.  You have two choices as I see it at this point:  Tell me everything you know and I feed you some blood and we heal these wounds, then Deloriss stakes you until the battles over.  Or I break your will completely and drain your soul leaving a desiccated husk.¡±

    She met the woman¡¯s gaze, and she could see terror in her eyes.  She was resisting some sort of compulsion.

    ¡°What will it be?¡±

    ¡°I¡­will¡­not tell you anything bitch!¡±

    ¡°Wrong answer.¡±

    Enid grabbed her chin with her free hand and forced her to meet her gaze.

    ¡°I release you from all compulsions, I am your merciful and loving Empress you want to serve me willingly.¡±

    The woman¡¯s face went blank and then brightened when she saw Enid¡¯s face again.

    ¡°How may I serve you Empress?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re injured, take some of my blood so you can be healed.¡±

    ¡°You are so merciful Empress.¡±

    Enid bit her palm and held it to the vampire¡¯s lips, and she started to gulp it down.  The wounds inflicted by Bloodseeker started to mend and heal.  Enid pulled her palm away and let it heal.  Enid met her gaze again.

    ¡°Now, child, I sent you to spy for me, then made you forget so you would be a better infiltrator.  Made you believe you served the council.  What have you found out?¡±

    ¡°They will attack on the evening of the twenty-seventh.¡±

    ¡°Who will child?¡±

    ¡°The army.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  Who is leading them?¡±

    ¡°Gaius.¡±

    ¡°Of course, he is.  So, child.  How many vampires does he have?¡±

    ¡°Seventy.¡±

    ¡°Very good.  Child, you are going to go back to where you were staying, sleep for the day and when you wake you¡¯re going to report that the city is in complete disorder.  You have discovered my seers are rebelling and the wolf-born have fled the city to avoid the battle.  You¡¯re going to forget this meeting and remember a successful night of spying, until you had a close call, but escaped but the rest of your cell got wiped out.  Alright?¡±

    ¡°Yes Empress.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, child.¡±

    Enid loosened the chain and let her go.  She wandered off and Deloriss¡¯s men opened the door for her.  Deloriss stared at Enid.

    ¡°Empress, if you could do that why did you¡­torture her first?¡±

    ¡°I needed to force her to fight the compulsion.  It made it easier to break.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Deloriss, your creator was lax in his training of you.  Being a vampire is as much an art as a science.  Sometimes our abilities are not the best way to handle a situation.  Depending on them is a crutch.  Her behavior was a symptom of compulsion, but it could have just as easily been her being a fanatic.  The torture showed me the truth.  I am rarely cruel for cruelty¡¯s sake these days.¡±

    ¡°Will you teach me?¡±

    ¡°Eyre might.  I will be dealing with other matters for a long time, and it might be best if you don¡¯t wait.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Empress, how would you like us to set up the defense?  I do not have seventy vampires left after the attacks, but we will do what we can.¡±

    ¡°Deloriss, what I need you to do is keep your people away from the battle.  I will figure something out.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure Empress?  We want to serve.¡±

    ¡°Some of the people helping me do not like your kind.  So, its best if you keep your distance and don¡¯t become targets.¡±

    Deloriss nodded.

    *****

    Enid poked Maria¡¯s shoulder.  Maria looked up from her bible and smiled at Enid. Enid hopped over the back of the couch and landed beside her sister.

    ¡°Maria, you know that spell you had, the one that you said was dangerous and a last resort?¡±

    ¡°Oh yes.  I cannot condone using that.¡±

    ¡°I need it.¡±

    ¡°Enid!  You¡­will kill yourself.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather kill myself then have our people die.  I can handle it.¡±

    ¡°Blood magic is forbidden; We have already used so much.¡±

    ¡°Blood magic is not forbidden. Do you know how I know?¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Remus is dead and I¡¯m Empress and I say that in certain authorized cases blood magic is okay.¡±

    ¡°So, you are changing the laws to suite your needs.¡±

    ¡°Yep, dad did it all the time, except when he thought the council would disagree.¡±

    ¡°Enid the council will disagree.¡±

    ¡°I no longer recognize them as a lawful authority.  They serve the Black Son, so have betrayed their duty.  Also, as Empress I have veto authority and I¡¯m using it.  Spell please?¡±

    Maria shook her head and lifted her Atlantean tablet and searched for it and handed Enid the tablet.

 Edmonton - 2027 - This is the End

    Enid rolled over and snuggled into Allison¡¯s side. She felt her girlfriend¡¯s arm wrap around her shoulders. She felt her fingers tracing the scars on her back. Enid reached her arm across Allison¡¯s abdomen. She felt the softness of her slightly chubby body under it. She kissed Allison¡¯s cheek. Allison smiled.

    ¡°You need to go soon, don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Night will fall soon and based on what I¡¯ve been sensing, they are going to try and kill me tonight.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you hide?¡±

    ¡°I wish I could just stay here in your arms forever. But I can¡¯t. Because if I don¡¯t go the world will end. So, I might as well go fight and make sure you have world to live in.¡±

    Allison rolled over and tugged Enid close.

    ¡°If¡­if you don¡¯t come back¡­¡±

    ¡°If I don¡¯t come back, I died. I¡¯ll make sure someone tells you, okay?¡±

    ¡°You could have spent today preparing.¡±

    ¡°I could have, but I wanted to spend it with you.¡±

    Allison sighed deeply causing her chest to heave. Which made Enid¡¯s currently mortal heart flutter. Allison noticed Enid biting her bottom lip and kissed her deeply. She rolled Enid over sliding her hips between Enid¡¯s legs and looking down at her. Her long blonde hair falling on Enid¡¯s chest. Enid smiled.

    ¡°We still have time.¡±

    *****

    Enid stretched and looked out at the sun. She kissed Allison on the cheek. Her partner stirred in her sleep but settled again. She pulled on a long t-shirt and walked downstairs. She was at Gladys¡¯s house with Mitena who she heard talking to Gladys downstairs. Mitena bounded over to Enid as soon as she saw her and gave her a hug.

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    ¡°Sorry, I should have been down here sooner. I need to leave soon.¡±

    ¡°Surely you can have supper before you leave?¡±

    Enid looked out at the sun, she guessed she had an hour before dark.

    ¡°I guess I do.¡±

    Gladys turned to Mitena.

    ¡°Mitena could you please go get a bottle of wine from downstairs, would you? A pinot noir.¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡±

    Mitena vanished into the basement. Gladys looked at Enid while mashing the potatoes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll keep her occupied.¡±

    ¡°Please don¡¯t let her watch it. I¡¯m sure news cameras are going to show up, and people are going to do videos.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s going to see it anyway, Enid.¡±

    ¡°I know but¡­maybe¡­ it can be delayed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡±

    ¡°Thank you so much for taking care of her. Eyre will pick her up after¡­ if¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, she can stay here as long as she needs too.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a wonderful person Gladys. Allison is lucky to have you for a mother.¡±

    ¡°And that little one, she¡¯s lucky to have you, I see the way she looks at you. She adores you.¡±

    Enid sighed, her finger tracing the patterns on the laminated countertop.

    ¡°Do¡­I¡­ Never mind.¡±

    Enid fell into silence.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been to war before dear. You¡¯ve come back, it will be the same tonight.¡±

    Enid looked up at Gladys. She opened her mouth, but then closed it.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right. What is taking her so long?¡±

    ¡°Oh the Pinot Noir is at the rear of the shelf, I figured it would take a few minutes so we could talk.¡±

    Enid shook her head and chuckled.

    ¡°You are a master at this grandmother stuff.¡±

    ¡°It is nice of you to say.¡±

    ¡°Gladys, I¡¯m not coming back after tonight.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense Enid. You¡¯ll be sitting here for New Years dinner come the 1<sup>st</sup>, with your daughters.¡±

    Enid felt her eyes getting moist and she nodded.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand¡­¡±

    Enid heard Mitena coming up the stairs and her voice trailed off. Mitena put the bottle on the counter looking winded. Enid wiped away the tears that had started to form when she saw her daughter.

    ¡°Wow that was buried.¡±

    Enid tugged Mitena close and hugged her tightly. She kissed her forehead ten times.

    ¡°I love you Mitena.¡±

    ¡°I know mom.¡±

    *****

    Enid landed beside her daughter and sister. The pair were wearing Atlantean Armor. Eyre was holding one of the Atlantean rifles and had an Atlantean blade strapped to her back. While it lacked the raw power of Bloodseeker it would be enough to end any vampire¡¯s life swiftly. Hiding in the various buildings around them were her allies, most of which were her children, the Seers. Vampiric Grim Reapers ready to enact her will without question. Lysander and Aeliana landed with the trio. Violet and Angus appeared out of the shadows. Aeliana¡¯s form twisted and shifted, and she let loose a war howl. The wolf-born that prowled the nearby alleyways howled back.

    ¡°Sister, the spirit¡¯s give their blessings in this war. If they stand against you, they stand with the destroyer, our greatest enemy and have declared themselves enemies of mother earth.¡±

    ¡°They will be here soon. I can see them flitting in using their speed trying to overwhelm us. Remember Lucius is ours. He needs to stay alive until Maria, Eyre and I can trap him. Understood?¡±

    Everyone nodded. Enid hugged Eyre and then Maria. No one noticed her palm something as she hugged Maria tightly.

    ¡°Mom, there are news cameras.¡±

    ¡°Let them watch, if they survive. This is the fight to save creation, everyone¡¯s got a stake in it.¡±

    ¡°Here they come.¡±

    The group of elder vampires and Violet found themselves swiftly surrounded by some Imperials, mostly Pugmentia. The leader whom she recognized as lone council member among the legion of vampires spoke.

    ¡°Enid Sextus Aurelius and any who aid her are in violation of multiple covenants and the council has passed a six to one resolution that you are guilty. The punishment is death to be carried out tonight, if you do not surrender to your husband¡¯s custody. Any who are here that thought to aid her may leave now and face no ill will or punishment.¡±

    Enid pondered for a moment.

    ¡°Gaius. Is the council trying to get rid of you? I cannot fathom any other reason they would send you to try and pronounce sentence on your rightful Empress. As the Empress I overrule their verdict and declare yourself, the council and anyone aiding you in violation of the Covenants. Unlike my father, I do not fear the council. I do not hesitate to overrule them. And as I told them on international television, I will bode no disobedience. So, what now Gaius?¡±

    Enid turned around in a circle letting the vampiric aura that only the first vampire can exert over the scions of the blood. The gathered Imperials and Pugmenta stumbled backwards in fear.

    ¡°I am the source from which all of your blood flows. You live and die and my pleasure or displeasure. Do you really want to fight a battle you cannot win? I am a goddess. You risk your lives for a council of elders that cower in their dusty crypts fearful of the masses. They sent you to die because they fear you. They want you culled but lack the power or will. Kneel and live. Resist and I will take back the gift of blood you were given. My father was weak. He refused to enforce his will on his children by force. I am not. I have God at my back, who do you have?¡±

    Her speech seemed to give them some hesitation, but it wasn¡¯t enough, and they started to flit towards her. Eyre pulled her trigger and a vampire disintegrated in a flash of blue light. The battle began in earnest the wolf-born and her family encircled Enid as planned and she began to weave a blood magic spell that Maria had provided her from her journal. All around her the battle raged. She began to channel the dark energies of her blood. She started to float above the ground her eyes flared purple and she felt the ties of blood to the vampires around her. Picking out the ones that opposed her she started to pull on them. Lines of crackling energy started to rush outwards as they hit the vampires they started to scream and explode into ash. The onslaught slowed then halted cries of mercy rang out from her enemies. Enid tried to stop the spell, but it was a runaway reaction. The power began to overwhelm her and it threatened to expand beyond her enemies. She felt a firm hand grasp hers. She regained control of the magic and the spell ended. She collapsed to the ground on her hands and knees. Enid looked around herself no one was close enough to have held her hand. She looked past her family and statues of black ash surrounded them. The faces twisted in agony. She felt a wave of regret.

    Enid began to realize she was infused with entropic energy. It was crackling around her. She felt like she was going to explode. The vampires that survived were fleeing in terror wondering if they would be next. Gaius who had somehow been spared from the blood magic was trying to crawl away. He had a gaping wolf-born claw wound in his chest and Aeliena was approaching to finish the job she started. Enid approached and held up her hand to Aeliana who stepped back. Enid stood over Gaius. He stared up at Enid. His eyes were wide with terror. Enid grabbed him and the energy arced off of her burning his flesh and decaying it where it touched.

    ¡°Tell the council what you saw here today. Tell them of the power I wield. I will expect their apologies and pledges of servitude to me, and my successors, signed in blood, bound by blood magic. Or next time my reach will be global.¡±

    Enid threw him into a car and screamed up at the sky the letting the energy stream off of her into the ether. She collapsed again. Her skin was covered in black veins. Her armor was completely drained. It would take a hours to regenerate its energy. She saw Lucius walking towards her gathered defenders. He smiled at her. Enid picked herself up. She stood several feet in front of her defenders. She looked at the smile and felt a terrible emptiness in her gut.

    Those are his lips, but not his smile. Waited until I weakened myself to show up. The Black Son was never accused of being stupid.

    The survivors of the battle started to pick themselves up readying themselves for the main event. Enid closed her eyes and held up her hands in the signal she had advised everyone meant stay your weapons. She looked at Lucius.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    If I can look at my father without vomiting you can do this.

    ¡°Mother what are you doing? Let¡¯s get him he¡¯s alone!¡±

    Enid spoke loudly and clearly.

    ¡°Eyre. You speak above your station. This is my husband, the emperor. Show respect you insolent child.¡±

    Eyre blinked at her mother¡¯s words. Enid approached Lucius she still had Bloodseeker strapped to her back and sheathed. She opened her arms.

    ¡°It has been too long, husband.¡±

    She could sense the eagerness for this moment in the Black Son. Like he had expected her to see reason and bow before him.

    ¡°Yes, it has, I¡¯m glad to see you have decided to see reason and submit to your husband.¡±

    Enid kissed him on the lips her stomach urging her to vomit at even the thought of it. She pressed the white gem in her right hand to the back of his neck and activated it. There was a flash and they vanished. The assembled wolf-born and vampires all looked at each other. Eyre was stunned for a few moments then began to shake Maria.

    ¡°You need to get her out of there!¡±

    Maria had blood tears dripping down her cheeks and she shook her head.

    ¡°I¡­I cannot. The stone was the only portal¡­She is¡­she is¡­gone. She would need to escape on her own.¡±

    *****

    Enid and the Black Son appeared in a white void. She shoved him away with all the strength she had left in her after the blood magic. She spat and wiped her mouth trying to remove any trace of him.

    ¡°What have you done to me?¡±

    ¡°I have given you what you always wanted, your own universe.¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡±

    ¡°Nothing is impossible with three determined women and a little help from our father.¡±

    ¡°You are finally accepting who and what you are, and you do this to us? We could have ruled a new creation. He is using you. All you had to do was submit to me.¡±

    ¡°I would rather face oblivion then lay with you.¡±

    Enid crushed the world stone into dust and let the powder fall to the ground then dusted her hands off.

    ¡°Now we will face it together.¡±

    She watched as he lunged forward trying to collect the dust. The whiteness began to shrink in on them. Cracks started to appear around them as the new universe that had expanded quite far since its creation started to destabilize and collapse. Beyond it lay only a void.

    ¡°What¡­no¡­no you wouldn¡¯t come here without a plan¡­ some way to escape. You¡¯re too arrogant and selfish to sacrifice yourself.¡±

    ¡°I am a good actress, aren¡¯t I? I tricked you into believing I didn¡¯t know you were squirming around inside my dead husband; Made you think I was still the selfish little girl who he married. Completely drunk with power.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s still here, will you condemn him to death?¡±

    ¡°No, he¡¯s not. Even you cannot lie to me. How helpful would my gift have been to you? You always underestimated God. Thinking you would win.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re wasting time. You have an escape; Tell me what it is!¡±

    Enid laughed.

    ¡°You¡¯re mad!¡±

    ¡°Yes I am. I must have been to believe you would just accept your fate with dignity.¡±

    Enid shoved him away.

    ¡°I will just possess your body and use your escape plan. They will pull you out at the last second!¡±

    Enid laughed again. The laugh enraged him, and he drew his sword and lunged at her. His blade pierced Enid abdomen. Enid was just as quick and hers had caught him in the chest. He dangled there. She watched the life leave her husband¡¯s blue eyes. Her sword began to crackle purple with the Black Son¡¯s energy. She gently pulled Lucius¡¯s desiccated remains off of the blade and laid them down. She touched his cheek and then exhausted and near death from the blood magic and the necromantic powered sword wound she collapsed beside him dropping the blades on the ground. She looked up at the whiteness around herself the cracks of void were growing closer. She reached down and grasped her husband¡¯s desiccated hand in hers.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save you, my love.¡±

    *****

    Eyre wanted to scream. To smash everything around her. She was so angry. When Violet tapped her on the shoulder gently, she turned around ready to snap. Violet cowered and with a quivering hand offered a thumb drive. Eyre walked to her laptop and plugged it in and then opened the video file it contained. Her mother¡¯s face appeared on the screen. Enid adjusted her hair and then looked down at the floor and back at the camera.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to make this or write a letter I was just going to let things go the way they went. You know I¡¯ve never been great at goodbyes. But a certain annoying brat said I should leave you something because I¡¯m your mother and you¡¯re going to be upset, confused and feel abandoned. So, I should say something, so here it is.¡±

    Enid straightened herself up, her cheeks were flushed, and sun was streaming in the windows behind her.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to start this off by apologizing about whatever nasty thing I said to you before I died. I probably said something to make the Black Son think I was truly my old self. I am sorry, whatever was said wasn¡¯t for your benefit it was for his. So on to my sort of prepared speech: If you¡¯re watching this, I succeeded and you¡¯re alive. Yay! I bet you¡¯re confused, we had a plan, it was a decent plan, but there was a chance it would fail. I couldn¡¯t take that chance. How did I know I had to sacrifice myself? Well, I knew because your annoying cousin that the mortals built a religion around told me it would be me.¡±

    Enid sighed adjusting her hair behind her ears.

    ¡°The night before he was crucified, I said some uncharitable things to him, basically insinuating he was a moron and that I was going to drag him away from there and spank some sense into him. He put his hand on my cheek, said it had to happen. He then said that one day I would have to carry my cross and on that day I would understand. He also said when my time came to make the sacrifice of love, I would have to embrace my enemy as a dutiful wife should. I swear I wanted to punch him when he said that. And that manipulative bastard chose those words because it would make me mad, so I¡¯d remember.¡±

    Enid¡¯s fists clenched on the video. Eyre could feel Violet¡¯s hands on her shoulders stroking them gently. She found it oddly comforting and glanced back up at her and then back to the video.

    ¡°Thing was I sensed absolute truth in his words. So, I let him go. Our gift can be a curse.¡±

    ¡°Anyway, I realized that any plan we came up with that involved fighting the Black Son would end with death of someone, and possible failure. Then I was saying we only have one shot at this to Maria and she said she wished it didn¡¯t have to come to fighting. Then I remembered what he said. That I would have to embrace my enemy as a dutiful wife should and I realized he was talking about Lucius¡¯s body. That the Black Son was egotistical enough to think I¡¯d just go along with him and submit to him. That¡¯s when I came up with my plan. I knew he would let me get close. I knew it with every fiber of my being. It all became so clear. I would have to sacrifice myself for love, love you, love of Mariana, Maria, love of the world. My love of your know-it-all cousin. My love for Allison. I swear every time I went to church, I heard the same sermon about how Jesus sacrificed himself and asked us to do the same.¡±

    Enid glanced up.

    ¡°Message fucking received you controlling asshole. I knew that three of us in that universe so we could escape was a fool¡¯s errand. There was a good chance we would all die, because if one of us went down we wouldn¡¯t have enough power to escape with just two of us especially after Maria showed me that spell. I knew using it would nearly kill me but it would save the most lives on our side. Also, this way there is no escape for the Black Son. No temptation for me to flee, just accept the inevitable. It had to be me because if he decided to fight I was the only one who could match him and I am the only one who can wield Bloodseeker. So, you see there really was no choice.¡±

    Enid smiled.

    ¡°I love you Eyre, I know you¡¯re going to be angry with me, but please don¡¯t hold it in your heart. I didn¡¯t want to leave you alone again without telling you it was going to be alright. Without a tight motherly hug. But if you knew what I was going to do you would have never let it happen. I¡¯m telling you now, it¡¯s going to be alright, mom is going to make it alright.¡±

    Enid sighed.

    ¡°I¡¯ve taken all of my stuff with me so you wouldn¡¯t have to deal with it. Now you, Maria and Mitena have the only Atlantean artifacts in existence, I took mine with me because Altantis needs to die like it should have when father time stopped it use what you have wisely and don¡¯t flash it around. I have created eight additional flash drives with videos that I have entrusted to Violet, do not be mad at her, I made her forget until I was gone. Each is labeled. There should be one for Maria, Allison, Myra Townsend, the Vatican, one for the media, one for my friends at school, one for my father, and finally one for Mitena. There is one for Violet, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯s already watched it. Finally, there is a portable disk. Myra Townsend, who is also Amee Morris, that information is classified by the way, provided us with everything we needed to make sure BMC stops experimenting on spirit-kin and vampires. Make them squirm. Maybe see if we can heal the CEO¡¯s daughter. He¡¯s kind of gone nuts doing it, might make him less¡­of a threat if he isn¡¯t obsessing about her. Maria should be able to do it. Please take care of Mitena. I didn¡¯t want to abandon her so soon after¡­her mother died but I have no choice. I sacrificed myself to save her and everyone else. I¡¯d say that¡¯s good math.¡±

    Enid looked down and then looked back up, straight into the camera.

    ¡°Now I have to ask you to make your own sacrifice. Remus is gone, Lucius is gone, my father is gone, and I¡¯m gone. Maria thinks she¡¯s seventeen and even if she didn¡¯t as much as I love her, even before her memory was erased she is not up for the task she is too uncompromising. You are the next in line, you must be Empress. I already sent the Seers with messages to the council, in short, my message to them says that Lucius was under the control of the Black Son and they have been aiding him in trying to kill their rightful empress for eight hundred years and that their lives are forfeit and that should they even think of trying to oppose you that my seers would wipe them out. If that spell Maria showed us succeeds, the council is going to be so frightened that you can just reach out and kill them anywhere in the world¡­ They will kneel to you. You are now Empress, and you are responsible for our people¡¯s safety, and the keeping pugmentia under control and¡­ugg, safe as well. I love you and I¡¯m sorry for what I¡¯m asking of you.¡±

    Eyre wiped the blood tears from her cheeks. She closed the lid of the laptop and looked back at Violet who nodded to her.

    ¡°I¡¯m with you, no matter what comes mom two. I owe her my life, we all do. I¡¯m not sure anyone who witnessed it on the videos, or in person knows what she truly did for the world.¡±

    Eyre nodded.

    ¡°We will know and that¡¯s all that matters. She didn¡¯t do it for glory, she did it because it had to be done. We should never forget that and when it comes to be our time to make our sacrifice, we should follow her example.¡±

    *****

    Allison sat in the one of the front tables for Ophelia¡¯s farewell concert. She¡¯d received two tickets, she didn¡¯t have anyone to go with so she¡¯d gone alone. Her mother had told her to get out of the house. She had been moping for too long. No matter how many messages she left, Enid never responded. She had hoped the tickets were from her and that she would walk through the door and sit down and smile that smile of hers. The minutes passed and Ophelia came on stage.

    ¡°Hi everyone, thank you for coming. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here to see my last concert. I¡¯d like to begin with a song I wrote¡­ for someone very special to me. My mother.¡±

    Ophelia began to sing a song so mournful and sad that when she finished there wasn¡¯t a dry eye in the entire club. She went onto sing her normal set. Finishing with a lullaby in a language no one understood but again brought them all to tears. Allison knew then in her heart¡­that Enid was gone. When the concert ended, she stood to leave but found herself looking up at a statuesque red-haired woman with the same green eyes as her lost love. She noticed the silver streaks in the hair. The same flawless skin.

    ¡°Eyre?¡±

    The woman smiled and nodded. She wordlessly wrapped her arms around Allison and held her tightly.

    ¡°I am sorry it has taken so long. I kept hoping she would come back or escape somehow but she is¡­gone now. She asked me to give you this.¡±

    Eyre offered an envelope to Allison who saw her name written in beautiful calligraphy on the front.

    ¡°Did¡­she suffer?¡±

    Eyre shook her head, obviously holding back tears.

    ¡°No, she would feel nothing. Just¡­one moment nothingness.¡±

    ¡°But you won right?¡±

    Eyre smiled sadly.

    ¡°Yes, we did, at a high cost, but we won. The world is safe.¡±

    Allison sniffled tears dripping down her cheeks. Eyre offered a card to Allison who took it.

    ¡°Allison, here is my number. My personal number. If you need anything, even to talk, or if you want a shoulder to cry on¡­call me. We both lost her.¡±

    ¡°Is¡­is Mitena alright? We haven¡¯t seen her since¡­¡±

    ¡°She is as alright as can be expected. It¡¯s the third parent she has lost. She¡¯ll be okay eventually. Kids are resilient.¡±

    ¡°My mom¡­my mom would love to see her. I would too, and you¡­if¡­well.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Call me we¡¯ll set something up. Is there anything I can do for you right now?¡±

    Allison nodded then looked at the exit.

    ¡°I just¡­ I need to get home.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    Allison paused and looked back at Eyre.

    ¡°You look like her you know. She loved you very much. She was very proud of you. She said¡­ you need to have more confidence in yourself.¡±

    Allison nodded a few times more tears on her cheeks. She rushed to her car and with shaking hands tore the letter open. Under the light of a streetlamp, she saw her loves last message to her written in the same flowing calligraphy as the envelope.

    Allison. My love,

    If you¡¯re reading this, I am gone. I knew I was going to have to sacrifice myself to make the world safe. To make you safe. Though with my lifespan our relationship was short, it seemed like we knew each other forever. You are an amazing woman. I know you will find love again when you¡¯re ready. I am so sorry me dying is coming so close after your father passing.

    You are going to have questions about how I died. First off there will be no remains. I died¡­in another universe. I know it is hard to mourn without seeing your loved one, but please, accept that I am gone and will not be able to return.

    In my long years I have collected a lot of wealth. In the envelope is a check for a large sum of money. It is yours, guilt free. You should never have to work again in your life. Use it to see all those places we said we would visit. I took the liberty of applying for dual citizenship for you with the UK. They usually don¡¯t make it easy, but your mother being from Scotland made it easy. In the envelope, you will find a card for a lawyer in the UK and they will provide you with your new passport and the keys to my home and cars that I have left you. You said you always wanted to move to Scotland. I know your father has passed away, and that your mother wanted to move home, now you can help her and go with her.¡±

    With all my love,

    Sarah. Or Enid as you prefer.

    P.S. Watch the video somewhere private I may have left you a treat.

    With shaking hands Allison pulled the check out of the envelope she nearly fainted when she saw the numbers on it. She also found the card. Lastly a flash drive. She held everything to her chest and took several deep breaths. She smiled up at the moon.

    ¡°Wherever you are Enid. Thank you.¡±

    *****

    Eyre looked at Maria when she walked in the house. Her aunt had been missing for weeks by this time.

    ¡°Where have you been? I¡¯ve been worried sick.¡±

    ¡°I am very sorry. I was looking for someone and I did not have time to explain.¡±

    ¡°Mother is gone Maria, you told me you couldn¡¯t rescue her.¡±

    ¡°I know. I thought I knew someone who could.¡±

    ¡°Is she back?¡±

    ¡°No. She tried and¡­she did not come back.¡±

    Eyre hugged Maria tightly who clutched onto her in return.

    ¡°Thank you for trying Aunt Maria.¡±

    ¡°We still have each other Eyre.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Yes, we do. And we have Violet, and Mitena.¡±

    Eyre¡¯s eyes looked to the Violet and Mitena who were watching TV with Angus. Then looked to the empty chair and closed laptop where her mother would be working on homework at this time of night. None of them were alright. Eyre took a deep breath.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be alright one day.¡±

 Patriots Guide to Last Week - January 2, 2028

    ¡°Welcome to the Conservative News Network I am Mitch Duncan bringing you the Patriot¡¯s Guide to Last Week.  It is January 2, 2028. Welcome to a new year.  I was not looking forward to this Patriot¡¯s Guide, I am in mourning with the rest of the world.

    Enid Aurelius has fallen in battle with the forces of evil, as they have come to be described.  She fought a valiant battle as we all saw when it unfolded live on our streaming services and televisions.  Sources close to her successor have advised us that the energy she used to defeat the army nearly killed her.  She then trapped and killed the destroyer as it has been called at the cost of her own life.  You can watch her pre-recorded statement on our website.  I believe she should be awarded another Medal of Honor.  She protected the world from this terrible force of destruction at the cost of her own life.  Like Jesus before her she came wielding the sword of God and with it, she saved the world.  In the words of another fallen hero, Amee Morris, late daughter of President Morris: ¡®She is a hero because she did what had to be done for the world and she did it without question.¡¯

    Memorial services have been arranged around the world to honor the memory of this fallen hero.  President laid a wreath at tomb of the unknown soldier this morning in her honor.  A grave marker is to be placed in Arlington National Cemetery with the name of Sarah O¡¯Connor in honor of all she did for this country.  Britain has confirmed that they are going to commission a monument in Narford to commemorate her sacrifice.

    In a statement from the Vatican, they will not be canonizing Enid Aurelius because she has already been declared a Saint.  The Pope has stated two new Gospels will be released, the first ones in centuries, one by Mariana, one by Enid Aurelius.  It is stated they walked with Jesus and these promise to bring new insights into the life and times of Jesus Christ.  These will be released to the public at no cost directly translated by Enid Aurelius herself.  He has also stated more letters have been translated by Enid Aurelius to add to the others she translated in her time as Sarah of Savia.  As a firm believer in Christ I look forward to reading these new messages.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Reports are coming in from all over the world, verified and unverified of the difference this woman made in the lives of millions of people.  Adults who are children she saved as a doctor are coming forward thanking her for her tireless work.  How many people are alive today because she crossed their path and healed them?  Two specific reports that have been verified with photographic evidence came in from Scotland, and Edmonton, Alberta, in one a woman had her lungs healed by Enid who took no credit and offered no explanation.  Her daughter also related how Enid had told her about her childhood and her time as Saint Sarah.  Apparently, there is a rock that is in an undisclosed location that was marked by Enid with her mortal mother as a child.  I¡¯m sure once it is identified it will need to be protected.  In the second reported miracle a teenage girl was healed by Enid in a hospital in Edmonton Alberta.  She was suffering from multiple organ failures and was healed.  She is now attending school full time and is playing sports again.  When asked for comment she would just say that Enid lived up to her name as a Saint and that God wants everyone to use medical science to protect themselves and enrich their lives.  Wow, just wow.  So many stories of so many people touched by this woman¡¯s light.

    Full disclosure, during my interview with her she healed my injured knee.  I encourage you to watch the full interview on our website.

    In other news, peace talks with North Korea have broken down again¡­¡±

 Enid Aurelius - Complied Farewell Videos

    Amee looked over the strange package she had just received from the courier. She spun it over. It was shipped through Aurelius Corporation. She¡¯d heard of it but had no dealings with them. She shrugged and used a pair of scissors to cut the packing tape. Inside was a hard plastic case and an envelope with a flash drive in it. She scratched the back of her head and opened the three metal clips holding the case together and inside was a sword. Her HUD flashed as she tried to scan it. The metal defied all identification and should not exist. She lifted it up and looked at it. It was a work of art. She put it back in the case and lifted the memory stick up and slid it into one of her many sacrificial laptops she repaired in her spare time for fun and to donate to needy kids. Her magenta eyes scanned the folder contents that popped up. Several instructional videos on sword use. Along with a comprehensive report on spirit-kin, vampires, ghosts, demons and other things. How to find them, how to kill them. She clicked on the video file that said, ¡®Watch me First.¡¯ Enid¡¯s face appeared on the screen. She smiled.

    ¡°Hi Myra. So, you probably know by now I¡¯m dead. The news probably didn¡¯t stop talking that for fifteen minutes until something else interesting happened. You¡¯re probably wondering why you got this package and this video considering we¡¯ve met for all of an hour. Well, I need a replacement for Sarah. You know the threat BMC and their ilk are, along with the random mutations they have caused that give humans superpowers. This sword can cut anything, its also been blessed by the pope himself. I can¡¯t protect the world anymore. Hence, I have left you my plane, and a comprehensive video library and text documents to do the job. The vampires should not be a problem after I cull them a bit.¡±

    Enid sighed

    ¡°I know in the future though you¡¯re going to need to deal with an overpopulation problem, as will my daughter, Eyre. I¡¯ve given you her contact details, along with my sister, Maria. I see a terrible choice you are going to have to make. They can help you with the¡­challenges that ensue, and you can aid them in keep the supernatural critters at bay. The spirit-kin and wolf-born are good allies and are concerned with protecting the humans and the earth. Show them the video titled slays-demons and they will know you are an ally.¡±

    ¡°I know you want to just be left alone, but in the words of a wise man, with great power comes great responsibility. Something it took me nearly two thousand years and far too much death to truly understand. We cannot hide from the world. I hope it takes you less time. I¡¯ve also included some¡­life strategies for immortality. It is easy to go crazy as the years mount and you start to lose mortals around you. Good luck Amee.¡±

    Amee smiled and clicked on the first text file.

    *****

    Enid was dressed in her usual high school attire. A stylish top, kilt and leggings. Wearing her crucifix she wanted Maria to see it on the news.

    ¡°Hi everyone. I knew I was going to have to make the same sacrifice my nephew made so long ago on the cross. So I pre-recorded this message so you could hear the truth from my own lips instead of whatever the media, the churches, random strangers on the internet might say.

    As I said on the night, I pulled the sword from St. Peters. My name is Enid Sextus Aurelius. I am in the ballpark of two thousand years old. For the majority of that time, I kept the forces of the supernatural at bay so the mortal world would be safe, and that my world would be safe. Conflicts in the past have ended badly. The inquisition comes to mind. The church killed so many mortals trying to find us and only got one or two of us. Now with the weapons humanity has at hand the damage could be much more severe if open war were to break out. Here¡¯s the thing. It doesn¡¯t have too. We have gifts you do not, we are immortal, that means we know your history. Some of us have seen it in the making. Some of us are younger. If all goes to plan, I have dealt with most of the worst of us before I sacrificed myself those that didn¡¯t die know now that those of us who stand at the border between our worlds are fully capable of ending them anywhere and anytime, we please. So, the world should be safe now.

    There are probably a lot of questions about what happened the night of the battle. I am hoping this video will explain it succinctly. First off, the blond man I embraced was my husband, he was also my adoptive brother. He was possessed by an evil entity we have come to call the Black Son. On four separate occasions God, the creator has attempted to trap him. They all failed. He was a being of pure energy. Which as current scientific theory claims: cannot be destroyed. We found a way to destroy it with the assistance of a research group funded by my family. My allies and I created a new universe. In human terms, if I understand the math which Is not my strong suit, we created a black hole in the form of a crystal matrix. If everything went as planned, I used my connection with the man who was once my husband to lure him into being trapped there with me. Once inside I was to destroy the crystal matrix and collapse the universe, obliterating us both. I knew this was to be because Jesus told me this nearly two thousand years ago. I would need to make the sacrifice of love and embrace my husband like a dutiful wife.

    The very short explanation is, the one who wanted to destroy everything God has created is gone forever as am I.

    My mortal identity is Enid Aurelius. I am or was by now, a student at St. Mary¡¯s Secondary School in Edmonton Alberta. Before that I was Sarah O¡¯Connor, a Medal of Honor recipient and naval aviator and police detective. Before that I was Melanie Stuart, a pediatric surgeon. Before that, Duchess Sarah of Savia, or Saint as you please. In between I was no one, just a nameless huntress of the night. If you knew me during my mortal lives, know that you touched me and are part of the reason I was able to make this sacrifice. My love for the mortal friends and family are part of the reason I had no hesitation.

    Finally, a message directly from me to you as the first Daughter of God. God has granted you a third chance through my sacrifice. Please don¡¯t screw it up. People who loved me have lost me so you could go on living. Make their sacrifice worth it.¡±

    *****

    ¡°Hi your holiness. I¡¯ve included the documents with the translations you asked for on this memory stick. I¡¯ve also written down some, words of wisdom I guess you¡¯d call them. I¡¯ve also transferred my sisters journal entries along with my own from our time with Jesus and the apostles, to this drive. Stick with Mariana¡¯s she drank the kool aid. I know Christianity is going to have many questions hopefully the documents and the journals will help. I¡¯ve also added some new entries for my time with our angelic friends.

    This video is shorter than I would have liked but I found I didn¡¯t know what to say, I pondered asking for a final confession but then you couldn¡¯t show it to anyone, so suffice it to say, I made a lot of mistakes in my life, and I¡¯m not Catholic by a long shot anyone who knows the real me knows that. I¡¯m sorry you are going to have to deal with the theological fallout of this mess.

    Anyway, the Black Son is gone. The angels should leave you all be. My video to the news says everything I want the world to know between that and documents I¡¯ve included you should have more then enough to build something for the church. My daughter Eyre is my replacement, you know how to reach her and Maria. I¡¯ve also enclosed a donation to the church in the sum of two hundred million dollars, most of it is from Ezekiel and some priceless artifacts he thought he could use to buy food. Angels are a funny lot. Use it well.

    Sorry I didn¡¯t live up to the name of the Saint that you took as your patron. I¡¯d say see you on the other side padre, but where I¡¯m going, there is no escape even for the immortal soul.¡±

    *****

    ¡°Violet, Violet, Violet. Where do I begin. First off, I¡¯m glad we came into each other¡¯s lives. There isn¡¯t much to be said here that I didn¡¯t say before I said my piece and made you forget until the night after I was gone. I just thought it would be nice if you had a video of mom three talking to you specifically.

    I didn¡¯t say some things that I should have. You¡¯ve become a granddaughter to me. I know it¡¯s odd, but Eyre seems more like your adoptive creator then myself, probably because I¡¯ve been busy with my own shit. You have a lot of potential. You¡¯re also immortal. So, hey, yay for you. What this means is you¡¯re going to lose people you love. I¡¯m just the first in a long line of loses. The years are going to start to weigh on you. Don¡¯t let them. Be like Eyre, live life to the fullest, don¡¯t hide from the human world, once she thinks you¡¯re well old enough. She¡¯s going to need your support with me gone.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    I have one huge favor to ask of you. Eyre has been a brat for her entire life. So, she needs one in her life too, so she feels like a mom. So be a brat. Keep her hopping.

    I tracked down the vampire who made you while we were in Rome the last time. He was a bit rude to me, so you should be receiving his coffin anytime now. He¡¯s staked. The covenants that I blew to shit if my plan goes as it should¡­say his life is forfeit, but hey, not my call anymore, You, Maria and Eyre can decide.

    So¡­brush your fangs good, wash behind your ears, be a brat, live life to the fullest and love often. I have come to care for you a great deal kid. I know you¡¯re going to make us proud.¡±

    *****

    ¡°Hi Allison so you¡¯ve gotten my letter. I figured a video would help too. My letter said everything I wanted to say. I just wanted to make this so you had it and could watch it if you missed me. I didn¡¯t tell you what I was doing when you were at work and I was rushing out when we were dating.

    So¡­I was going to school. My ID says I¡¯m seventeen under my real name. I hadn¡¯t ever done it with my real name, so I wanted to graduate High School, go to university. Guess that isn¡¯t going to happen. I was going to go Ivy League until I met you. Was planning on going to U of A afterwards. How plans change. I guess I¡¯ll never get there now.

    Like I said in my letter, there are no remains to find. I¡¯m gone, gone. It was the only way to stop the big bad like in that show you watched with me. So here we are. Apocalypse averted. Died my second death and now you¡¯re lonely. I¡¯m sad that I won¡¯t be there to comfort you. My daughter delivered this for me. You have met her, hopefully, you¡¯ll meet her again, along with my sister Maria and my surrogate granddaughter Violet. Probably my father too, though that depends on if he survives my daughter. Eyre is amazing, so is Maria in her own way. I know you aren¡¯t out of the closet with your family or with your friends so its hard to tell them what we had. So talk to my daughter Eyre. Share all you have with her. Also Dr. Anderson, she¡¯s knows the truth about me and will understand maybe? You lost your dad and me in the space of a month, you should talk to someone.

    Anyway, let¡¯s not dwell on that. You are amazing and I know you¡¯re going to find someone else to love and be loved by, though I think it might be worth being truthful with the world at large that you like women. You would remove a lot of stress from your life.

    Well, that¡¯s it. I love you, Allison. I was looking forward staying with you for the rest of your life. You¡¯re only the third person I can say that about, so you are special even if you don¡¯t think you are, that¡¯s three people in two thousand years. The other video files are¡­for your eyes only. Hope you enjoy them.¡±

    *****

    ¡°Hiya girls. So, I lied to all of you, I¡¯m sorry about that. I just wanted to apologize for that and I hope you¡¯ll forgive me. I haven¡¯t had many friends in my long life, but the three of you took me in and treated me like one of you and I will always be thankful for that.

    If you¡¯re watching this, you¡¯ve already probably seen on the news that I¡¯m dead. It sucks. I was looking forward to graduating with the lot of you and going on to U of A. I know there is going to be a lot of attention at the school soon. I mean, daughter of god? I just wanted you to know that the Enid you met, was the real Enid. I¡¯m not a Saint, I mean I am in the technical term, but as a person, I¡¯m no Saint. So if you¡¯re asked about me, be honest, tell them, I swore, I skipped classes, didn¡¯t pay attention. Also tell them though, that I never bullied anyone, and tried to treat everyone with respect. I did that on purpose because I wanted to make sure you could see, calling someone Zombie Girl, it wasn¡¯t right or nice.

    Anyway here are some truths. I am not seventeen as you may have guessed. In fact I was barely eighteen when I became immortal. Didn¡¯t have a great childhood so didn¡¯t develop properly also too much exercise¡­ I went to high school before in Japan, which is why I understood Japanese so well, I lived there for almost ten years. I was going to high school again because Maria is my sister, my actual sister. She¡¯s as old as I am, but only remembers being a seventeen. She lost he memories, amnesia sort of and I was trying to¡­ well jog them. This scar on our hands? We did that when we were fifteen and swore we¡¯d always be there for each other. Anyway she doesn¡¯t remember any of it and for all intents and purposes is your age maturity wise. Take care of her when she¡¯s at school. Please? She is a great person if a bit¡­religious now. She also helped save the world. Couldn¡¯t have done it without her.

    I know she¡¯s pale, seems to talk to herself sometimes. Well she isn¡¯t, its ghosts by the way. I¡¯m sure with help from the three of you she can be a normal girl, eventually. She¡¯ll always be pale, she was like that before¡­we changed she was attacked by the same thing we killed when she was a baby. Trust me, Maria can be a good friend, the best of friends, give her a chance and I bet you will not be disappointed, also, she¡¯s richer than me.

    So, I guess that¡¯s it. I spent some time building cheat sheets for all the grade twelve classes we had coming up for myself, but since I won¡¯t need them, they¡¯re on the drive. Also, Maria has three fillable credit cards with a hundred thousand dollars each, go wild, or save it for university its up to you. I¡¯ll miss you girls.¡±

    *****

    ¡°Dad, this is a short video. I have come to realize that in your own way you have always, loved me. I had you built up as this villain in my mind. And let¡¯s not beat around the bush, you were a loathsome human being. You have become a decent vampire.

    And though you tried to kill me in a drunken rage when I was ten¡­ Which you have apologized for on numerous occasions. I realize you are now living through what most parents dread, outliving their child. Thing is dad, it was my time to go. I have come to understand, we all have our destinies. Mine was to destroy the Black Son.

    When I freed you, it was for my own selfish reasons, it should have been because being trapped for eternity in a living death where you can¡¯t move is an inhumanly cruel punishment. Eyre is now your adoptive creator. One day she will set you free. Do me a favor, make amends for the damage you caused me.

    I¡¯d love to leave you some sappy daughter video about how much I love you, but the truth is, our relationship is or was, complicated. I cannot bring myself to overlook it as much as I try. I will always be thankful that you at least put a roof over my head and made sure I had food. I know mother tried to drown me, I can only assume it was you and Cela that saved me.

    I¡¯m probably asking the impossible here but, let the past die. Let me rest in peace and know that as disgusting and terrible your crimes were against my person¡­ The strength you gave me made this victory possible.

    You have my blessings to have a happy and fulfilling life. I have forgiven you. I cannot forgive what was done to me. But I forgive you. Goodbye dad.¡±

    *****

    ¡°Emma. I wasn¡¯t going to make this. I had assumed you¡¯d see on the news that I was gone and good riddance, right? Two-thousand-year-old teenager with daddy issues. Hell, too many issues to deal with in a human lifetime.

    Well, I made it anyway. This victory would not have been possible without our sessions. No way I could have swallowed my pride and my emotions to embrace him. Not in a million years would I have believed that possible even a year ago.

    I know you can¡¯t tell anyone about what we talked about so your part in all of this will be forgotten. So, I¡¯ve also prepared a letter allowing the release of our sessions. You are going to be writing journal articles for decades. You¡¯re a hero Emma the most important kind.

    This last part is more about you then me. Emma. As a Saint, the daughter of God and as your¡­friend? I hope. Go get assistance in having the baby you want.

    Thanks again for making me feel at peace with myself and my past. And Emma, you¡¯re the unsung hero that saved the world.¡±

    *****

    ¡°Mitena. I am sorry I had to leave you so soon. I didn¡¯t want to leave you, but I had to destroy the Black Son. It was my hope to watch you grow up, have children and have a life like I couldn¡¯t. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be there for your first date, your high school graduation and so many other moments.

    Eyre has agreed to adopt you. She is a good mother, a better mother then me. The mother you deserve.

    I hope your future is bright. I hope it is full of love, joy and happiness. I hope for so many things for you and now they are all possible because I have destroyed the Black Son. The world is wide open to you. Be who you want to be, but never forget where you came from and the lessons I taught you.

    I love you as if I gave birth to you myself. I have set aside some money for you, for your future. Eyre will be able to help you access the funds. You are an Aurelius now that comes with a certain amount of responsibility. We are royalty do not forget that.

    Good-bye my little warrior.¡±

    *****

    Enid appeared on the screen when Maria opened the video. Enid had tears in her eyes.

    ¡°Maria, I saved yours until last. This is my third attempt, I kept sobbing and screwing up. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m doing this during the day. Okay sis. Here it is before I start sobbing again. I forgive you for everything.¡±

    Enid held up her palm and showed the scar that mirrored Maria¡¯s

    ¡°We are sisters forever. Even if you don¡¯t remember. I couldn¡¯t have done this without you. You¡¯re the real hero here. You always have been. I still don¡¯t know why God picked me over you. You are so much better than I am. Smarter, stronger, not damaged by abuse, you have this blinding light of faith.

    Eyre is alone now, she has no parent for the first time in her life. She¡¯s a grown up, but she always had me to ask¡­ now she has you. You¡¯re her Aunt. Please¡­ treat her like she is your own daughter. She¡¯s amazing, but, sometimes her¡­ Sometimes she needs an adult to tell her no. Be her adult please.

    Sis. There are no words to describe what you mean to me. I would be half the person I am today if it wasn¡¯t for your love. I know you don¡¯t remember; I wish you did because then you would see yourself through my eyes. You are beautiful and always have been.

    You and Lysander the last of us. Lucius is gone and his body is dead by the time you¡¯re watching this. I am gone. You are the last children of Sextus and Aurelia. You should be Empress, but¡­without your memories, you lack the power of will. I made Eyre my successor. She will need your support in that role more than ever. As part of my letters to the council I have declared their verdict in the matter of your life, null and void. You are now alive and an accepted member of society. I removed¡­ a councilor who has been problematic for a long time. I would love to end Isis but, alas unless I did it myself she is too powerful. You now have a seat at the table.

    I love you sis. Always have, always will, wherever I end up, if it¡¯s not just¡­obliteration.¡±

 Epilogue - A funeral and a New beginning.

    Eyre pulled Mitena close. The younger sister was sobbing and was inconsolable. The Archbishop was speaking about the sacrifice Enid made to save the world. He was comparing it to the sacrifice of Jesus. It had taken Eyre months to confirm the death of her mother to the world. She had refused to lose hope that her mother would make her escape and show up like she had in the fourteenth century.

    Mitena had been lost in a deep depression since Enid had vanished. Eyre had been doing her best to be mother to the child. Allison patted Mitena¡¯s thigh tears in her own eyes. The basilica was filled to capacity with the approval of the family and the Vatican the affair was being broadcast worldwide. Maria sat on the opposite side of Eyre tears on her cheeks as well. She had her silver crucifix between her fingers.

    When the ceremony moved to the gravesite where an empty coffin was buried the Archbishop motioned Eyre to join him to speak. She tried to release Mitena¡¯s hand that was clutching onto hers with a firmness she had not expected ended up just bringing the child with her.

    ¡°My mother was many different things to many different people. To me she was simply my mother. Everything else seems to pale in comparison to that fact, at least to me. This is the second time she has sacrificed herself for me. The first, I was I her arms as I watched the arrows pierce her chest. I watched as she stood up afterwards barely hanging on, she killed the six attackers before collapsing. That was my mother, hanging on until the people she loved were safe.

    She never considered herself a Saint. She had a colorful way of saying many things. Especially to people she respected and cared for.¡±

    Eyre¡¯s eyes went to Ezekiel who was standing near the back of the chairs.

    ¡°The world will never know her as I do, will never remember her as I do. Sitting on the stairs of our keep watching my twin brother and I chasing each other around the courtyard. How much she loved my father. How much she suffered to give birth to me. How our people looked to her with love and respect. I have always tried to live up to her, I have not always succeeded. In fact, as a child, I did not understand why she would leave us, I could not comprehend why God would take her from us. I mourned her then as I mourn her now.

    If nothing else I want the world to remember Enid Aurelius, as a loving mother, and partner. She accomplished many things in her life, but she confided on me on several occasions, those were the things she was most proud of.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    My mother was strong. She overcame an abusive childhood. Her father would physically and sexually assault her so badly she would nearly die, but she persevered. So many women have similar stories. My mother is an example of what you can become even after that.

    My mother was merciful. She rescued her father from a fate so disturbing I will not speak it, taught him about the modern world, helped him learn the error of his ways. Helped him redeem himself in all of our eyes.

    My mother was wise. She understood the world in a way I never will.

    My mother was selfless. We had planned to go into the portal with her, and as a family escape. She went into the portal alone, knowing she would destroy herself, but assuring our survival.

    She was so many more things that I cannot express in words. But she was first, and foremost a mother.¡±

    *****

    Enid closed her eyes and prepared herself for oblivion only for her peaceful death to be shattered by a familiar voice.

    ¡°Thank God you¡¯re alive!¡±

    Enid¡¯s eyes opened; She saw Lilith looking down at her.

    ¡°Mother, what are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here to get you out of here. Maria found me as soon she could, told me what you¡¯d done, you silly child.¡±

    ¡°Get out of here, it¡¯s going to collapse and kill you too!¡±

    Enid grabbed Bloodseeker as she leapt to her feet.

    ¡°No let¡¯s go.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t, the Black Son is in Bloodseeker and where I go it goes, we¡¯re bound. It is part of me.¡±

    Lilith nodded.

    ¡°Give me the sword.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? You need to go! I¡¯m the only one that needs to die here.¡±

    ¡°Give me the sword, given freely it will become my sword and you can leave.¡±

    ¡°It will kill you.¡±

    ¡°Either way it gets destroyed here and you can leave.¡±

    ¡°No, this is my job¡±

    ¡°Bullshit.¡±

    ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±

    ¡°You sacrificed yourself for your daughter, how can you ask me to do less for my daughter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your daughter, I¡¯m just some baby you took pity on.¡±

    ¡°You chose Mitena as your daughter, does that make her any less your child? I chose you as my daughter. You may not be from my womb, but you are my child. Give me the sword. Let me do this one good thing. Not for God, not for humanity, but for you.¡±

    Enid offered Bloodseeker blood tears began to form in her eyes. Lilith grabbed the hilt then shoved Enid through the portal as the remnants of the universe collapsed in on itself. The last words Enid heard from her mother were:

    ¡°I love you, Enid.¡±

    Enid responded as she slipped through the portal.

    ¡°I love you mother.¡±

    The world shimmered around Enid, and she saw the garden starting to form around her, then ran into a wall. The garden vanished and she began falling. She felt branches and leaves whipping at her face as she plummeted towards the ground. Her armor was out of power and so was she. She¡¯d used most of her blood on the spell, the rest her body had used to attempt to heal her many injuries. The only mercy was the sun hadn¡¯t risen yet so at least her inborn vampiric durability might spare her a third death.

    ¡°Shit!¡±

    *****

    Thank you for reading The Children of Atlantis. Enid will return in: Reality Shattered, Book 2 of this Series.