by Selina Brown
“Tweet tweet tweeeet.”
“Fuck!” Jamie shoved the comms back into his jacket.
“Busy signal?” Xavier’s voice was dry.
“His version of it I think.”
“Do you know where we are, aside from some kind of space station?”
Jamie shook his head and said dryly, “I only just got here. This obviously means you don’t know either.”
Xavier slapped him on the back.
“Tell me about Viper.”
Xavier squatted down, speaking quickly. “He told her about other worlds, people who are trapped and abused here, and that he will tell her who she really is if she joins him.”
As Jamie stared at the Aryan Vampire, he knew Xavier didn’t have to tell him that.
Saffron came back. “He also said Ara’s some sort of Vanguard working for Nyx, and muttered something about a male not coming. Viper looked and sounded disappointed by that. Maybe he’d gone to see Ara hoping to trap the male. And he mentioned that the Matter | Antimatter issue was a catalyst for a war of Old | New.”
“Old world fighting a possible new world,” Xavier added helpfully.
“I see.” Jamie looked down at Ara’s cheeky face. Had this been a trap for Trickster rather than Ara? Honeypot came to mind. She was a sweetie, a lying, cheeky one, but a sweetie nonetheless. The thought of losing her disturbed him. He suddenly didn’t care about all the ploys but cared a great deal what it might do to Ara.
“No backup plan?” Xavier asked.
“Just Aven.” Trickster might still come through. Jamie shoved the information aside for now. “My first duty is Ara. My team is ordered to save both our arses.”
Xavier laughed. “You forgot this.” He pulled something out of his pants pocket.
Jamie sighed and pulled it over his head. He turned back to Ara. “Come on, sweetie. This’ll be easier if you wake up.”
“They’re coming.”
“Last stand. We help from the shadows.”
Jamie nodded and accepted a dagger. He looked at it. “That’s mine.”
“I know. You forgot it.”
Jamie had to laugh.
Just as Xavier and Saffron stepped into the shadows, soldiers barged in and surrounded the crate. Jamie had no choice but to stand and raise his hands. There were too many. One of the soldiers picked Ara up carefully in his arms and walked out. Jamie was allowed to follow. They moved down several decks using ramp ways until they entered a room that looked like it was used for large gatherings. There were large, dark shapes around the walls, monitors or holopads, maybe. Ara was placed on the ground, but Jamie was held back by twenty or so soldiers. Soldiers were also lined along the left and right. Three males walked out from a door opposite them. Jamie didn’t recognize any of them. They looked Aryan.
They stopped in front of Ara’s prone body.
“Jamie Livio Raner,” a tall male on the left said, looking at him.
“And Ara Katron,” the male in the middle added, kicking Ara over.
Jamie made a move but a soldier grabbed him and held him until he relaxed again. The male was being berated and Jamie heard something about corruption. Did contamination and corruption mean two different things, physical and mental damage?
“Bezena will not condone you hurting this female.”
The male ducked his head, ashamed. “I will report to Vander and Shavikk.”
“Good.”
Jamie heard Ara groan. He demanded in a tight voice, “What do you want?”
“What do you want?”
Jamie hated the parroting techniques. They seemed to be universal. “To go home with Ara.”
“That will not happen. This one is valuable to our cause. She’s important to the Principals; therefore she becomes leverage for the Mega.”
By the Principals they meant those in the Bellus. Now the Mega? The thousand. Jamie cursed. He was stuck as to how much to tell. He wasn’t a bloody politician. He stood awkwardly, mask net still on his face.
They shrugged. “We have no need of the male. Return him.”
Return, not kill. They weren’t that corrupted or contaminated then. “I’m not leaving Ara’s side.”
Another said, “He knows too much anyway. We should keep him.”
The third signaled someone and a pasty faced female came forward with a hand held scanner. “He’s showing the signs. He may be valuable.”
Damn. His cover was deteriorating.
“Lock them both up. Have we the trigger yet?”
“No,” a voice said to Jamie’s left.
Seething with frustration, he had no idea what was going on. The three turned to one another and consulted. Jamie saw Ara’s eyes open. She looked around. The three noticed and signaled to the pasty-faced female. Jamie was about to lunge forward when he felt a vibration.
Timing sucked.
A. Jamie, can you hear me?
Relief flooded him.
J. Yes, Aven
A. Tell Ara to lower her Inner Guardian
J. Why?
A. Just do it before—
She was cut off. But Ara lost consciousness again. They were dragged off to separate cells. They were actually bedrooms but they were locked in. The Vakar brought food and water, showed Jamie how to use the amenities and entertainment console. They were the nicest enemy he’d imagined. He paced around for what seemed like hours and ripped off his face guard. But he felt a spike. Ara was waking up. He changed his mental tone a little.
“Ara?”
“?”
“I’m your primary guard.”
“What’s happening?”
“No time, drop your Inner Guardian.”
She didn’t even ask. “Done, do I leave it down?”
“Ur … I … I’m not sure.”
…
“Ara?”
J. Ara?
All around him the air stilled, right before a high pitched screech.
The Legendary Damned
Iota
Station: Estancia
Galactic System: Tal
Planetary System: Lavenia
Heito
Jamie clamped his hands over his ears when the high-pitched noise brought pain and nausea. The noise stopped as suddenly as it had started. He looked around and saw a dark tunnel swirling open. A thin male stepped through. He held a device that looked a lot like what Korbet used to save baby Ara on Perza Space Station and that was the only reason Jamie didn’t kill him then and there. Korbet had called it a “stonecon” and the swirling mass was a demon tunnel. “Clear your head, arsehole,” he muttered to himself.
“Jamie, I need your help. My name is Aed. I’m from the planet Lavenia, Heito. Where’s Ara? This was supposed to lead directly to her.” His pale face reflected his annoyance and worry. On his back, he carried two rapiers. On one handle Jamie identified the symbol for the blackbird.
Jamie also noticed a strange sight on the other side of the dark, swirling tunnel. The creature was over seven foot tall, with large eyes, and was bright green. Almost glowing.
Aed gave him a grim smile. “She’s a Songra of the Sounds. Only she could penetrate the Vakar shields on this station. Please, we must find Ara.”
It annoyed Jamie that Aed seemed to know more about where they were than he did.
“She’s in the next room,” the Songra called out in a musical, high-pitched voice. “Regretful is my telling!”
“She’s unconscious.”
Aed strode forward so fast Jamie had just blinked and another tunnel was opening to Ara’s room.
“You’re a Vampire?”
Saffron stepped out. “Hello, Aed.”
“Saffron. Please move aside.”
Jamie saw indecision on the pale face but Saffron nodded and stepped aside. Jamie heard thuds behind him and saw a six-foot humanoid with black skin, which looked almost scaly, and no hair. He smiled at Jamie as he strode past. “Bastra, at your service. I’m Luxon.”
He closed his mouth as Ba
stra strode in and picked Ara up and carried her back to Jamie’s room and then into the tunnel with Jamie running behind. No one stopped him but he stopped short, seeing they were at the end of a strange looking lake. It swirled a myriad of colors. Bastra laid Ara down gently and placed her left hand in the mass. Aed placed a restraining hand on his arm. “You don’t understand I know, but I am of the Legendary Damned. We serve Ara in all things.”
Jamie glanced at Xavier who just stepped out from the shadows. “I have not heard of that syndicate, Aed.”
“The Celestial Legion.” Aed lifted up an arm and a flash of light blinded them all for a moment. Xavier had disappeared by the time Jamie was able to see. Aed turned to Jamie. “We need you to help protect her now.”
“I am,” he said tightly but aware he didn’t seem to be doing a good job of it; then again, neither were Korbet’s top Shadow Warriors. He was sweating too, it was incredibly hot and he suddenly noted there was no sky. They were in some kind of massive cavern. The Songra brought a long bag and Aed rummaged through it. He stood up.
“I mean right now.” Aed handed him a curved blade. “We have incoming.”
Jamie glanced back at Ara who was still unconscious.
“It’s the Lake of Sawol’s—”
Jamie gasped. That was supposedly where all the souls went once a person died. No one knew of its location but it was linked to the Artifacts.
“—they are coming for her.”
He looked back at the tunnel.
“Not them. But we have to return you there.”
“That’s—” Jamie heard the screeches now and ran up, with Aed, to the ridge that ran around the entire circumference of the lake. In the distance, he saw what looked like hordes of dark creatures.
“They are the Angra and the Speed demons, the Hazak Warriors and the Ishlari Tribes. Earth gets the heaven and hell stories from our world you know.”
“I didn’t know that.” He wiped the sweat from his eyes. “This is hell, I take it?”
“Mmmm. The Avatara considered it another way to test control.” He gave Jamie a sharp look as he slid his two rapiers out.
“Aren’t we a little outnumbered?”
Aed nodded and glanced back at Bastra and the Songra. They gave him a small nod. “Almost done but it’s why we have to send you back to the Vakar. No time to create another tunnel and we are, as you say, outnumbered.”
Aed ran towards the frontline attackers. Jamie saw a few break away and judged they would reach them before they could return. Jamie ran with Aed after he saw Bastra pick Ara up and head towards the tunnel.
“We just need to hold for a few moments while Gressen winds up. She’s as powerful as she ever will be. She’s about to shift colors.”
“Okay.”
Since the Songra joined them and smiled coyly at Jamie, battering her long, black lashes, he guessed she was “Gressen”. She was tall and gangly but also looked aristocratic. He noticed her green skin actually shift before his eyes to a blue green. It was evidently some alteration in her life.
“No time for flirting, Gressen. Get ready.”
Jamie moved with Aed as one, what Jamie guessed as a Speed demon, attacked. He had long legs, a narrow body, nasty looking talons that tried to swipe him, what looked like a central horn on his head curved down along his back, and seemed to have a hairless, cream-colored body. Jamie rolled and saw Aed slice off the demon’s head. Another ran to Aed, seeing him as the greater threat. Two ran past Jamie.
Jamie saw Bastra was almost at the tunnel; Gressen was glowing green again. Jamie yanked off his shirt, and pushed out, calling upon his Avatara energy as his wings burst. Power burned through him as he ran and launched soaring close to Bastra who had entered the tunnel. Jamie held the blade ahead and rammed a demon in the back.
Now this was Avatara fun!
He yanked the blade back out and made the feathers rigid to turn and ground him. He ducked just in time as the other demon stopped and made a slicing move to cut his wing. He extended the wing fast, smashing the face of the demon. A blur shot past and tackled the demon down.
“Return, now!” Bastra yelled at him while pounding the face of the creature.
Jamie saw, and then heard, the high-pitched noise as Gressen screamed out her sounds. The advancing hordes, only meters from Aed, turned and ran, holding their ears. Jamie ran into the tunnel and fell; he saw Aed running in with his shirt.
“Can’t have anything different you know.” He winked at Jamie and held out a hand. He helped Jamie stand. “You can’t tell anyone”—he lowered his voice—“and you must be very close to Ara.”
Startled by the quiet words, he asked, “Why do you say that?”
Aed smiled and took the sword from Jamie’s hand. “Because the Songra found two similar signatures that’s why.” Aed ran back and the tunnel started closing behind him. “Jamie!”
He turned and saw Aed grinning in the collapsing tunnel.
“Thanks for not being a pain in the arse! And give Randy the finger for me!”
Jamie almost laughed before he lifted his shirt, and turned. “You’re kidding me!”
They’d put Ara back in the other room and he was in his. But then Aed had made it clear things were to be the same. After taking a few breaths, Jamie was able to relax enough to contract and draw in his wings. After a quick wash, he put his shirt on and sat on the bed, staring at where the tunnel had appeared. What had happened to Xavier and Saffron?
“It’s me, Xavier. We’re back, in Ara’s room.”
“Thanks, X.”
The Legendary Damned? The Celestial Legion? The fact that Aed knew Randy, and that Xavier knew Aed, made him nervous. But the fact that Aed told him to flip his fingers at Randy made Jamie feel somewhat relieved. That was a very “Ara” thing. He was sure Aed said that on purpose.
Why had they placed Ara’s hand in the almost mythical Lake of Sawol’s? There was a dark children’s fairy tale that those who wanted to could touch the waters and disappear. Since Ara hadn’t disappeared he decided it really was just a tale. Thoughts of his earlier blood lust shamed him but it was a choice he’d made some time ago. He had stepped forward many hundreds of years ago to take his place with the Solaris. It was too late to go back.
Natal
An hour later, Jamie’s door opened and a male ran through, one of those in charge. He looked panicked. “Save her, we’re preparing a shuttle for you!”
Seeing the male hovering, trying to make some decision, Jamie moved out. “Why?”
“Because of our actions against Ara we’ve doomed all. We’ve been warned. You must tell others who she is.” Screaming filled the corridor. He ran to Ara’s room, unlocking the door. “Hurry.”
Jamie heard screams outside. He turned to the door and saw the guard being pulled out by a massive, dark red hand. Shit, the Natal. Ara was on the bed with a now dead, pasty-faced female beside her, either Saffron or Xavier’s doing. He didn’t ask questions but picked her up. He didn’t want to meet the Natal as there was anger and stomping, tearing, screaming, sounds of things breaking, and then screaming closer until Jamie heard bones cracking and popping. A portal opened as he stared at the door; Aven was yelling at him to hurry up. He didn’t need another invitation as a dark red foot squashed the guard who had released Jamie. He felt someone tug at his arm.
Cardinal Unit 9
Shaking, he made it through, and fell with Ara in his arms. He was caught by invisible hands. Aven jumped when Xavier appeared holding Jamie. Saffron appeared too. “Sorry about this.”
Saffron stared at Jamie. “Did you see the size of that, I mean those feet?”
“And hand.”
Jamie glanced at Aven, furious with her. Aven knew and maybe she hoped the Natal might kill Ara. The question was whether the Natal came to kill Ara or save her. Jamie struggled with his anger but nodded. Had he known lowering her Inner Guardian would bring the Natal he wouldn’t have told her. Aven seemed to know what was going to happen. A
ll those people dying and for what? What had she done? His pain was great because he felt them dying. He almost screamed in the sheer waste of what happened. For the first time he wanted to reveal his true self and kill something—
A hand touched his cheek, gently washing away his anger. Jamie allowed his chin to fall to his chest and looked into the blue eyes. Her fingers touched his tears. “Don’t—”
“Ara, I can’t do this.”
“Just wait, please.”
Jamie turned his head and snapped at Aven. “Are you going to explain?”
To her credit, Aven just shook her head. “I can’t. You’re not authorized.”
So, ploys within ploys.
He made a note to report his suspicions, and Aven’s comment, to Simon. Xavier helped Jamie after Saffron picked Ara up. They headed for the cart.
Jamie pressed Aven further. “If it was supposed to bring death and destruction then yes. Did you know?”
Her eyes widened. “Not that.” There was fear in her voice and Jamie saw her glance fearfully at Ara as Saffron placed her with him. He cradled her in his lap.
The two Shadow Warriors stepped back into the shadows.
“Are they around all the time?” Aven asked.
Jamie nodded and stared hard at the pale face.
“Maya is afraid of her.” Aven got into the cart and began to drive them. She shook her head then as if trying to clear her thoughts, her voice growing stronger. “Simon is approaching, and they have Vin’s ranger ready to take her home. Diane said to continue the mission. We don’t want the Vakar to know yet that we know. Will they hurt Ara, now that their people have died?”
“I don’t know, Aven. I just don’t know.” He felt suddenly tired; tired of the lies, tired of the mess Ara might have to unravel.
“I’ll dedicate myself to ensuring we keep tabs on them.”
He nodded, determined to keep Aven close if he decided to stay on the mission. “Welcome to the mission, Aven.”
“Thanks, I think.”
Jamie saw her clutching the wheel hard. Her knuckles were white. If Ara was anything it was ignorant of who she was. Why was Ara a Vanguard to Nyx? And who the fuck was “Nyx”?
