by Nicki Ruth
“We’re lucky to come across not one, but two bloodsuckers wandering in the desert. Woo wee!” The man whooped and laughed along with his comrades. He turned to them again and said soberly, “Now, I need you to strip because we’re going to help ourselves to —”
He didn't get a chance to finish. Sand flew into the air around him, and he let out a high-pitched scream. Alexios appeared next to him, holding the man’s severed arm in one hand. With his other arm, he held the wailing man in a headlock.
Alexios had moved so fast that the sand had only just begun to settle back onto the now blood-soaked dune when he spoke.
“Listen to me carefully,” he said clearly enough that everyone could hear him. “You're going to tell your friends to step out of their vehicles, slowly, or else I will remove your spine from your body.”
The man whimpered. Blood spurted from the socket where his right arm had been. The man nodded, and similarly dressed men stepped out of the vehicles around them.
“Good.” Alexios said unflinchingly. “You are to remove your weapons and place them over there, else this becomes a massacre.”
Davina remained where she was, looking on. Thankfully, she hadn’t decided to involve herself like she had a tendency to do, but he would need her in a few moments.
The men stepped up and carefully placed their weapons on the sand a few feet away from Alexios and the whimpering, bleeding man.
“All your weapons. Including those strapped to your bodies. You don’t want to make me angry.”
The men grumbled and removed daggers, tasers, photon rods, guns, and large knives from various parts of their bodies. They eyed Alexios carefully and angrily.
He flashed his fangs and gestured for Davina to come toward him. “If that is all, I will have my lady here help your friend before he bleeds out as a show of good faith for your compliance.” He grinned and paused for effect. “If I find out you have not removed all your weapons, well . . .”
Alexios tilted his head to them, and some of the men stepped back. A couple of men sheepishly placed additional items into the stockpile.
Alexios nodded to Davina, who began to move her outstretched hands over the exposed tissue and bone, miraculously stopping the bleeding as she went. Alexios kept his gaze trained on the others in case some idiot decided to be heroic.
“Alexios,” Davina whispered. “Maybe I can reattach the arm.”
The man, pale and sweating, groaned. Alexios looked at the limb he still clutched in his hand then glanced down with raised brows at the man who had gone limp in his arms.
“Seems like today is your lucky day. You may get to keep all your limbs after all. Don’t ever mouth off to me again, OK?”
The man nodded weakly, and Alexios handed over the limb to Davina then let the man slump into the sand. The man’s companions murmured among themselves as Davina carefully realigned the arm with the exposed socket and moved her hands up and down his arm. Alexios watched in amazement as vein and tissue stitched back together.
While Davina worked, he returned his full attention to the others. “Now, who wants to tell me where we are and how I get to the nearest transit station?” Alexios stood with his hands clasped behind him, looking at each of them, waiting to see who would be brave enough.
After a few moments, a petite figure stepped forward, unwrapping the cloth from its face. A woman was revealed from under the wrapping.
“If you promise not to kill us, we will point you in the direction of the station. Just return Dar’quis to us,” she said, not a quiver in her voice.
Alexios quirked a brow. She must be a commander of some sort or have a close relationship with this Dar’quis. He shrugged. “I have no interest in killing you. I just need off this planet. I assume you have a base somewhere nearby? We would need shelter for the night.”
Disgruntled murmuring rose up among the brigands.
“Silence!” the woman shouted. “If we give you shelter for the night, you must leave at first light and not attack any of us,” she said. Then she added hastily, “Or drink from us.”
Alexios chuckled. “Agreed. And you will not try to attack me or my lady either,” he raised a brow at the woman. Although he was outnumbered, they were no match for him, and he wanted to make it clear that no underhanded attempt at violence would be tolerated.
“Yes, we’re agreed,” she said.
Alexios nodded, and she stepped back into the safety of her circle of companions. Alexios glanced at Davina, who looked up and smiled.
“I think I was successful in reattaching the arm. You made a clean break, so it was not difficult to get the blood flowing into it again.”
The vagabonds whispered behind him, no doubt astonished at Davina’s work and anxious to get their leader back in one piece. Davina kept surprising him.
∞∞∞
“See if you can move your arm,” Davina said to Dar’quis. “It will feel sore or numb for a bit, but you should have movement.”
He leaned forward, cradling his mended arm with the other. Slowly, he tried to lift the arm. Davina crouched by his side, helping. Soon he was able to move it as high as his shoulder, much to the surprise of his companions. The man yanked his face free of the cloth and looked at Davina in amazement. He was young, probably no more than twenty-five.
“It works. You gave me back my arm. Thank you!”
Davina smiled. Dar’quis’ look of amazement turned heated as his gaze raked over Davina. The way she leaned beside him revealed her bejeweled breasts, which tumbled forward out of Alexios’ jacket. Alexios growled warningly, and Dar’quis scrambled back, fear once again taking hold.
He cautiously stood up and moved away from her. Davina cast a chiding look at Alexios, but she quietly crooned in delight. For the first time, his territorial protectiveness pleased her.
Dar’quis stumbled back toward his companions, still clutching his arm. The woman who had spoken to Alexios earlier stood beside the man, steadying him with her body.
“Let’s go,” Dar’quis said, not taking his eyes off Alexios, who stood like a stalking predator before them. “Night comes soon, and we have an hour or so’s ride back to camp.”
Alexios nodded, reaching for Davina, and together they strode toward the convoy of vehicles. “We ride with you and your woman.” Alexios gestured to Dar’quis and his female companion. He winked. “Just in case.”
The woman scowled and pursed her lips while Dar’quis merely nodded, but his gaze lingered on Davina. They got into the vehicle and began their ride in silence. The woman drove, with Dar’quis in the passenger seat. He kept glancing nervously back at them, mainly at Alexios, who wore a sly smile on his face.
Davina decided to lighten the atmosphere. “So, Dar’quis?” She wanted to make sure she said it correctly. He nodded quickly in the mirror perched on the front of the conveyance. “You said we’re on Earth. Have you lived here all your life?”
“Y. . . yes, I was born here.” His voice broke. He made a clearing sound in his throat and continued, this time more steadily. “This here is the outerlands, a wasteland. Legend has it, it used to be a giant sea. There aren’t many left that are native to this planet. Much of it is desert. Is this your first time on Earth, my lady?” he asked reverently.
“Ah, no,” Davina replied hesitantly. “I used to live here long ago. The Earth I remember was lush, all green and blue.”
“You lived here? Where, in Kaldoaivin? That’s the only place with anything blue or green. It’s a place we all wish we could get to,” he said, earning him a scowl and jab in the ribs from his partner.
Davina chuckled. “No, I don’t know that place. I belonged to a kingdom called Zhar. It’s been lost to time now,” she said wistfully, watching the endless sand dunes pass by.
Both Dar’quis and his partner had twisted around and gaped at her. “You’re from Zhar!”
“You know of it?” She leaned forward. They continued to gape at her, until eventually, the woman returned to steering the
vehicle. Alexios nodded pointedly at them and spoke menacingly.
“What do you know of Zhar? It was a kingdom of vampires, lost several millennia ago. Speak!”
Dar’quis swallowed. “Zhar is a legend. There are ruins that many believe belong to that ancient place. Many who go there with sickness have been cured, or so they say. My grandfather went there as boy and believes the stories. He claims there are ancient ones who live like shadows among the ruins.”
“Can you take us there?” Davina asked excitedly.
But Alexios groaned beside her. “Davina, we do not have time to seek out myth and legend. I doubt anything from Zhar remains after all this time.”
Davina sighed and looked out the window. She wanted to see what was left of Zhar. It was her home—the only place she’d known until a few weeks ago. She wanted that closure, but she understood Alexios’ desperation to get back to Damurios. She wanted to get back as well, to find Marius and to make sure Lexi was safe.
“Oh, but you can see it,” Dar’quis said, looking at Davina warmly. “It’s maybe a half a day's hike from our camp.” His companion jabbed him again in the ribs, and he grunted.
Davina perked up and looked pleadingly at Alexios, who said nothing for a few minutes, then addressed Dar’quis. “If this is a ruse of some sort, I will remove your limbs—all of them this time, and those of every member of your camp. Do you understand?”
Dar’quis swallowed and shook his head. “No falsehoods. Zhar’s ruins are nearby. I can take you there myself.” Dar’quis looked adoringly at Davina. “It’s the least I can do for you, in thanks for my arm.” He smiled.
Alexios growled, and Davina laughed.
Chapter 26
The human camp was not what Alexios expected. They lived in tents, with fires burning in scavenged barrels. There were not a lot of amenities, and any hope he had of getting a message to Damurios evaporated. These people lived like primitive nomads. All wore dull-looking rags wrapped around their bodies, leaving only their eyes exposed. As the fleet arrived at the camp, children swarmed them, cheering their return. When Alexios and Davina stepped out, all went silent. Davina smiled at the children, who stared adoringly at her, not knowing what to make of the beautiful stranger.
Dar’quis ushered them forward. “Come, you will greet the elders. I trust you will not harm anyone here.”
He looked at Alexios with worry in his eyes, but Alexios had given his word, so long as they kept theirs. He nodded and ushered Davina forward, who, he noticed, continued to smile and wave at the children, who reached out to touch her.
They were led into a large circular tent at the outskirts of the camp, flanked by armed guards who had escorted them from the vehicles and through the camp. How these people survived, Alexios did not know, but there must be food and water sources nearby to sustain a camp this size.
Dar’quis invited Davina to sit, gingerly taking her arm and guiding her to one of the large cushions on the floor of the tent. Alexios remained standing.
“My grandfather is one of the elders,” Dar’quis said to Davina. “He's frail, but his mind is sharp. He can tell you of his visits to the ruins.”
“That would be wonderful,” she said warmly.
Dar’quis nodded appreciatively. Alexios snickered at how easily she charmed those around her.
Soon, five wrapped and hooded figures entered the tent and took seats on the cushions at the front.
“Dar’quis, you have brought vampires into our midst!” one of the elders said angrily. “You know our rules about outsiders, much less vampires.”
Dar’quis sat before them, bent over and leaning forward. “Forgive me, Elder Mallus. These Damurians are looking for the Zhar ruins.”
“Really? Why?” another elder asked, addressing Dar’quis and not the strangers in their tent.
Dar’quis glanced back at Davina. “The female vampire used to live there and would like to visit.”
“This does not explain why you brought vampires to camp, young’n!” Elder Mallus thundered again.
Dar’quis hesitated. “Elder Mallus, the female vampire—”
“Davina. My name is Davina.”
Dar’quis and the elders all shot surprised looks at Davina, while she sat serenely in the corner, cross-legged on the cushion.
Dar’quis cleared his throat. “Davina healed my arm, and as a token of my gratitude, I offered to take her and her companion to the ruins.” Alexios noticed Dar’quis left out that Alexios had ripped the arm from his body, but if he didn’t feel the need to reveal that, it was fine by him.
“Vampires in Zhar? How peculiar,” another elder said.
“Zhar was actually a vampire kingdom,” Davina said. “My mother founded and ruled it for many years. It was a peaceful kingdom, and all species lived there harmoniously.” Pride imbued her words.
The elders murmured among each other, clearly confused and stunned by the news. Alexios wasn't surprised they did not know the true origins of Zhar. Zhar had been ancient before humans themselves gained any technological knowledge. The queen assisted neighboring human settlements with medicine and tools, showed them how to work metal, and sometimes provided them with food and water in times of need. So naturally, the humans thought her a goddess, and many worshipped her as such.
Alexios noticed one of the elders watching Davina intently. No one paid Alexios any attention since he remained in the shadows of the tent. The man removed his hood and rose shakily from his cushion. The others fell silent as he carefully made his way to Davina and lowered himself before her.
“Who are you, Damurian?” he asked in a soft voice.
“I am Davina, a daughter of Zhar.” She smiled, looking into the older man’s face.
He chuckled. “For years we have roamed these sands and never once thought that those ruins were not of Earth. A vampire kingdom, you say? We thought ancient humans lived at that site.” He paused and looked thoughtful. “I visited the ruins several times as a boy and heard the whispers calling out, echoes of screams and anguish. Sometimes people claim to see faces among the rocks and reflections in the subterranean stream that flows there. When I was twelve, I too saw a face. A face of a beautiful, regal woman.”
The elder peered into Davina’s eyes. “Forgive me. It's been seventy years since I saw it, and my eyes are old and failing. But you . . . your face is like the one I saw.”
∞∞∞
Dar’quis insisted on guiding them to the site, in spite of the unhappy glare he received from Ah’ma—the woman who had driven them to the camp. But Dar’quis made sure to give a wide berth to Alexios, who walked behind them along the rough, steep terrain. Dar’quis chatted away with Davina, explaining the history of their tribe. They were Ilqis, nomads who survived by scavenging fallen cities and crash sites. They hunted small game and sought hidden springs for water.
Dar’quis apologized for trying to relieve Alexios and Davina of their possessions. He hadn't bargained on crossing an ancient and powerful Damurian in the desert.
Davina enjoyed Dar’quis’ bubbly chatter and was amused by the longing looks he gave her. But what Elder Sharla—Darquis’ grandfather—had said kept replaying through her mind. She wondered about the whispers and faces they claimed to have seen. No doubt it was only the fanciful imaginings of humans whose eyes were fried from the desert heat, or maybe it was all just silly superstition as Alexios believed, but something within her compelled her to go there. If nothing else, maybe seeing the ruins of Zhar would allow her to finally and truly be able to close the heavy curtain on her past and begin a new life for herself.
They arrived at the site a few hours before dawn. Dar’quis suggested they make camp and venture into the ruins at first light, but Davina insisted they go right away.
“Are you sure, Davina? It could be dangerous. There may be nocturnal animals about,” Dar’quis said, looking around hesitantly.
“Don't worry. Alexios is the scariest animal here.” She winked at him.
A
lexios scoffed. Dar’quis didn’t dare smile but glared stonily forward.
Davina started toward the site, which lay in a small, rocky valley below. Large boulders and what might once have been pillars lay around, but she did not recognize anything. Dar’quis lit a torch and came forward, but she and Alexios did not need the light.
“Come, there’s a small cavern we can wiggle into.” Dar’quis shone the light toward a small opening near the base of a rocky mound.
Davina moved forward when Alexios’ hand gripped her shoulder.
“Let me go first. We don’t know what’s down there,” he said, watching Dar’quis.
Alexios squeezed into the small opening, and Davina scrambled after him, Dar’quis at the rear with the torch. She marveled at what she saw. It was in ruins of course, but she stood in her mother’s throne room. The walls were wet and mossy, and the floor was covered with debris and sand. Most of the roof had caved in. Old roots and vegetation had once claimed this place, but now they too were petrified relics. But the remaining pillars and half of a wall were still standing, engraved with the hieroglyphics of Zhar.
The sound of trickling water signaled the presence of an underground spring that had created a small stream at the rear of the cavern. In the corner of her eye, she saw Alexios frozen in place, recognizing where they stood.
“We used to play in here when I was younger. And see that rock over there? That was the spot I claimed as my pretend throne.” Dar’quis grinned.
Davina laughed, softly at first, but it soon rolled into an uncontrollable fit. She laughed and shook until Dar’quis looked at her strangely. Alexios wrapped her in an embrace, and her laughter morphed into staccatoed sobs, just as uncontrollable.
She had stood in her mother’s throne room, this very room, just weeks ago. Vibrant colors and tapestries had decorated the walls, and the marble floor had gleamed like a mirror. This was the last place she had seen her mother, just before swords ran her through, screaming at Davina to run—right here by Dar’quis’ rock throne.
