by P. Mattern
Schiuster smiled, but only inwardly, at the silence his response had created. Serves them right, he thought. It was his personal opinion that this meeting could do without any bleeding heart concerns about rare complications having to do with the RFID. He continued,
“The Citizen’s Protection Corps has actually been in existence as a secret branch of Homeland Security for awhile. Due to reorganization it will now be an integral part of the Domestic Defense Department.
Which brings us to Percy… Percy? Would you mind outlining the procedures for us?”
The President shifted in his seat, wishing he had a cigarette.
It was going to be a long meeting.
Ian Tanner hadn’t been seen since the evening of his last confrontation with Castor Noble. Orry and Makenna had run into him at the Cavern Club, where he was seen partying with a group of meatsuits and launching into spontaneous renditions of bawdy Welsh drinking songs periodically while making out with a half-fay woman who was drinking just as heavily and singing along with him in sweet dulcet tones.
According to V-net gossip he hadn’t been seen since that night. Rumors abounded that he had had his heart broken by Mitzi Noble when she had resumed her marriage with Cass. Cass was just happy that Ian had been seen publicly, and more importantly, ALIVE, after their confrontation at the portal. Most of the V-net vamps speculated that he had taken off for parts unknown to resume his mercenary career and nurse a broken heart.
They couldn’t have been more wrong.
Ian was sitting in a sterile security cell in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was one of the first of special holding cells designed specifically for the detention of Resident Non Alien Vampires, or’ R-navs ‘. All the grey walls surrounding Ian, including the plexiglass front facing the two guards assigned to watch him, were electrified by necessity to prevent him from using his formidable strength to break out of the building.
The room contained a stainless steel toilet and a sink and a cot. Blood bags were brought in at intervals for him to drink from, which he had refused at first, noting the many cameras and the guards and not wanting to satisfy their prurient curiosity. But as he felt himself weaken he decided it wouldn’t serve him to starve to death either.
All of the guards were equipped with ramped up long handled tasers… one of the few weapons that could disable both humans AND vampires. Ian had rushed one of the guards and been summarily tazed early on, so he knew that not only was it painful and debilitating but he’d also found that it affected his other abilities for hours afterward. He had no idea why he was there, dressed in a ridiculous and ill-fitting orange jump suit, other than it had something to do with his being a vampire.
‘Damn the humans” he thought. ’And screw technology.’
He wondered if the ceiling could be used as an avenue of escape. It seemed to be faceted together like a geodesic dome design. But having been stunned he found he could no longer hover, and he had no idea whether that state was temporary or permanent.
He had lost track of time somehow. Periodically a repeating bell sound signaled that someone was about to enter his cell, and it was required that he remove himself to the far corner. He heard the signal and after he stepped to the far left corner of his cell he was startled to see an attractive brown haired woman in a gray uniform enter with four stun gun armed escorts.
She walked over toward him briskly, showing no fear whatsoever.
When she was standing in front on him she opened her mouth widely and emitted a sound that seemed halfway between a warble and a hum.
Ian just looked at her.
She closed her mouth. ”You don’t speak Fay I take it?” She said politely, as if they knew each other and were making conversation.
“No, I don’t.” Ian answered. “Can you tell me why I’m being held here?”
“Yes Mr. Tanner. You are an ‘ R-nav’, a Resident non alien vampire. You have been deemed a threat to the human population and so you have been removed from it, for your own safety as well as theirs. You will be studied while a guest of the city. After that-your fate is uncertain. I am here to get blood samples… and urine samples if you are able. It may be too long after your alcohol binge but I’m sure that you will cooperate to the best of your ability.”
Ian looked into the woman’s eyes. Even in the stark military style uniform she had a lovely shape, and her eyes were the green of Welsh meadows and moss, her lips perfect cupid bows, her skin unnaturally fair, reminding him of….
“You’re a FAY!” Ian cried, shocked. ”A fairy! How did you get involved in this debauchery?”
“HALF-fay.” The woman answered matter of factly, taking his arm and pushing up the sleeve to feel for a vein that wouldn’t roll when she took his blood sample,” I’m surprised it took you this long to realize it, Mr. Tanner. You strike me as the type that has dated extensively cross-phylum. I would expect you to know quite a lot about females of many phylums.” She wrapped a pressure strap around his upper arm.
“Just a prick now,” she said sticking him.” Ian wasn’t sure if she meant the needle stick or if she were giving her OPINION of him as he watched his blood fill the tube. It looked very very dark. Nearly black. He must be dehydrated he thought.
She winked as she removed the pressure strap. ”Thank you for cooperating Mr. Tanner.”
Ian never took his eyes from her face. He felt as if he were waiting for something, and he was not disappointed
Not aloud, but as if someone were speaking into his mind, he ’heard‘ the voice of the half-fay woman in his head.
“I know you can hear me.” She said, ”I have to leave now, but do not fear. I am Ruthie Lily -I will be in touch.
…and I will get you out of here!” she finished, just before turning to leave, the four guards flanking her, two of them half turned in order to monitor Ian’s behavior as they left the enclosure.
Ian gazed at her retreating back as she disappeared down a long hallway, not sure whether to believe the silent exchange that had taken place. Could there be hope that he might be released from this place?
He watched his reflection in the plexiglass side of his cell. They hadn’t physically done anything to him, at least not yet. He still had his mop of curly brown hair, and his face was the same. But something within him had shifted, opened, and awakened him to new possibilities.
He knew at that moment that he wanted her…Ruthie Lily. Despite her scathing commentary he felt that she might want him also, in the way male and female energies were wont to playfully intermingle.
It was going to be an interesting, and perhaps very dangerous time, he was sure of it.
Charley had, with Fress’s help planned a wonderful housewarming party at Mitzi’s house. It was, he felt, time to make some new uber-pleasant memories to counter some of the unhappy ones, and he had his own plans to fix up the place for his future… hopefully with a wonderful female energy. Charley had been doing a lot of thinking, had gotten his bloodlust more or less under control, and was starting to contemplate starting a family of his own. It was something he knew he’d always wanted, and he was pretty sure his mom Mitzi would be all over the concept of Charley Rabbit settling down to be a family guy.
Fress and Mitzi had come over early to lay out eats. Cass and Lux had volunteered to do the heavy lifting and arrange tables and chairs. Fress had brought Jaxon, the 9 year old vampire that had been turned by his own mother’s vampire boyfriend. Recently his mother, who had been Turned by the same rogue vampire, had signed papers to make Jaxon Fress’s ward. The younger vamps, Carey and Kimbra and Channing and Avinash and his girlfriend Neerja had come early also, volunteering to look after the twins and play games with them. Both the twins were approximately the age of 5 year olds now, both very physical and competitive and willing to at least ATTEMPT to best any adult that would engage in swordplay, soccer, and basketball (a game at which both Ab and Cory cheated horribly, feeling that they should be able to fly up toward the basket to make up for their lack of height.
)
Because they had a plethora of willing young adults, and Jaxon of course, to play games with in the huge backyard of Mitzi’s former residence, the twins asked to play baseball, which they had watched on V-vision but never played. Ab, the bossiest twin, decided that he and Cory would be team captains and choose their players from those present.
Both the twins were wearing baseball caps. Cory was wearing his cap frontwards and pulled down visor style. His brown hair, though still curly, had lightened appreciably in the summer sun until it was not only shades lighter but streaked with light blonde streaks. Absolam was wearing his cap backwards, his silky blonde hair sticking out along the sides. As always, he had a folded copy of both the twins favorite storybook, ”Sam Saddlebags, Movie madness” hanging out of his back pocket. Ab loved the story of the horse detective so much that he carried a copy with him at all times in the same way that some children never wanted to let go of their blankets.
All the young adults hid smiles with their hands as Ab called for the groups’ attention.
“Okay I’m choosing first , and I choose… Carey! Come over here Uncle Carey!”
Carey, an amused look on his face, trotted dutifully over to stand by Ab.
Next it was Cory’s turn to choose. Cory placed a finger to his lips as he thoughtfully considered the limited pool of choices. Suddenly his eyes lit up.
“I choose Channing!!!” he said jumping up and down a little in his excitement.
Channing raised her arms up in a V for victory as if to celebrate being chosen first and gave Cory a big hug that made him giggle and blush. Channing knew exactly why he’d chosen her first-she’d told him through Carey by signing that she’d played on the varsity baseball team at her school, and that she had a great pitching arm.
She was tickled that Cory had remembered… he was obviously a smart little kid.
The twins took turns choosing until there were four players on each team-Ab had chosen Carey, Kimbra, and Jaxon, and Cory had Channing, Avinash and Neerja as team members.
After the toss, which Ab won by calling ”tails!”, Channing stepped up to the pitchers mound and summarily struck her sister Kimbra out. When Carey stepped up to the plate, however, he had gauged the speed and direction of Channing’s fast ball and was able not only to connect the ball with his bat on the second pitch , but hit a home run, knocking the ball into the nearby woods and strolling leisurely around the bases, his hair hanging over one eye, a smirk on his face and his hands nonchalantly in the pockets of his cargo shorts.
Jaxon had played on little league baseball and T-ball teams and was able to punt and make it to first. Kimbra came up to bat and managed to hit one of her sister’s pitches and make it to first base, but Avi tagged Jaxon out as he came around to second base.
When Ab came up to bat Channing wasn’t sure if she should cut Ab a break or not. Sizewise he seemed so cute and defenseless, but when she homed in on the steely look in the child vampire’s eyes she quickly decided to strike him out.
Her ‘fast ball’ was about to get faster-supernaturally fast.
The first ball came at Ab with the velocity of a torpedo, and startled, he stepped aside and let it whiz by. Such a ball so forcefully thrown might have caused a severe injury to a human child, but was allowable because of the extraordinary abilities of the players involved.
When he stepped up to the plate again his junior sized fangs were protruding slightly.
Knowing that Ab, and all the others, could probably hear him, Carey stage whispered to Kimbra, ”Look out Team Cory, Absolam is now officially pissed!”
Channing wound up with as much strength as she could muster. The ball soared through the air at a fearful velocity, a little high, but Ab was not about to let it get past him.
A the last minute he rose , hovering, and struck the ball full on, propelling it back past Channing and into the back field . It looked like a home run for sure.
And probably would have been, if Cory hadn’t jumped up and caught it in his glove.
“YER OUT!!!!” Cory practically screamed in exultation. He also was screaming because his hand inexplicably hurt, and when he looked down he found that there was a round hold in the center of his baseball glove.
And one halfway through his hand.
“OOOOOWWWWWW!” He wailed. But as all the young adults gathered around him to make sure that he was okay, his hand healed spontaneously right in front of them. By the time a sweaty and very apologetic looking Channing wrapped her arms around him, unable to verbalize her concern, he was definitely all right and enjoying the attention.
After a short break the teams switched places since Ab’s team had gotten their three strikes. The game continued peacefully. Avi was the pitcher for Cory’s team and he had gotten everyone to agree to keep the game as human( and humane) as possible.
The teams were tied at 1-1 when Mitzi called out into the back yard for everyone to take a break. “Special guest!” she cried, practically jumping up and down and motioning them into the house.
Just inside the patio doors in the kitchen there was a table set up displaying frosty beverages of all kinds including carbonated beverages and carbonated blood beverages, lemonade, daiquiris and flavored margaritas in tall frosted glass pitchers and many kinds of chilled waters including Perrier, Voss. Evian and others. Good old fashioned hand squeezed lemonade and pink lemonade were available as well as mango, cranberry, guava, and tart cherry juice.
After availing themselves of the refreshments, the sweating ball players drifted up to the foyer where apparently a distinguished guest had just arrived. The crowd parted just enough as they entered so that they could see a very tall and handsome male with sun streaked blonde hair to the collar of his white Polo shirt, startlingly green eyes under dark brows and a wicked grin that showed off perfectly white teeth and a dangerous smile.
It was Byron Chance.
It had been nearly a year since Byron had assisted in rescuing Mitzi from Faquier Hall –the castle carved out of a mountainside in Motuo County China, one of the most inaccessible regions on the planet. The owner of the castle, Lord Earl Adrastos, had tricked Byron into assisting with Mitzi’s abduction from her home in the Midwest by ‘infecting’,i.e., implanting him with a demonic entity.
Byron could have been killed when the demon had arrived back at the castle with Mitzi and then was extricated from Byron, because Byron was dhampir, a half human, half vampire. As it was Byron had luckily survived the extraction process.
What happened several weeks after that to Byron at the hands of an enraged Adrastos, furious at Byron’s betrayal in facilitating Mitzi’s escape was much, much worse. Adrastos had tortured Byron by burning him with a supernaturally hot fire that turned his lower limbs to ash almost instantaneously, and then threw him over the outdoor terrace balcony onto the rocks below. By the time Cass had discovered Byron, he was incredibly close to death, his half-vampire body too daunted by his wounds to be able to do anything other than keep his heart beating
Byron had spent the better part of a year in a coma at a V-net Wet wear Repair and Rehabilitation Center in Michigan. It had been a painstaking process to regrow his missing tissues, piece by piece, until he once more resembled his formerly handsome and athletic self. Most of each of his legs had been regrown, including bone AND tissue. Byron was pleased that his manhood in all its glory had not been affected, and seemed to work just fine.
Well actually BETTER than ‘fine’-at least according to the Center nurse that had insisted on following him to a temporary off-campus apartment after his release. She later told him (after many hours of test driving his new body) that he was the best lay she’d ever had, and then some.
This was not really news to Byron, who loved women serially in an ethereal sense, thought them marvelous creatures no matter the size, shape, age, coloring or phylum, and had been a Dhampir Cassonova in his own right before being so severely injured. Women could never resist Byron, and he didn’t want them to. He considered th
at making each one feel completely physically loved and enjoyed was his sacred immortal calling.
And he was more than up to the task. And pleasing them (and himself while he was at it) was all he ever really wanted to do.
Byron loved being the center of attention and the vamps gave him a glorious homecoming. Cass (who had regained the greatest part of his memories by then) looked in particular relieved that Byron had returned.
After Cass, followed by Lux, Daniel, Orry,and Charley had fist bumped Byron and given him a one armed hug, he stood back to look at the reconstructed Byron from head to toe.
“Hey man, one of your knees is bigger than the other.” Cass quipped teasingly, a mischievous look in his eye.
This brought chuckles from the rest of the vamps as well as Byron himself.
Well Cass,” he drawled back,”They had to do that for stability because when they reconstructed my ‘love wand’ they accidently made it twice as long!”
All the guys cracked up, while the lady vamps rolled their eyes.
Fress made a suggestion.
“Why don’t we all attack the buffet before the gentlemen start comparing their members!” she suggested cheerily, half afraid that they would do exactly that since many of them had been drinking. Lux would never do anything so embarrassing, but Cass she was unsure about. He was in a particularly good mood after having gotten back together with Mitzi , and with a few drinks in him there was never any telling what he might do.
Byron was filling up a double paper plate with delectable looking chicken wings when a lovely face caught his eye from across the buffet table. She looked younger than many of the females-he guessed that her turning date might have been on her 18th birthday. She was tall-about 5’9”, statuesque with a medium build, wearing a long multilayered white lawn skirt that swayed around her hips nicely. It was nearly, but not quite see through. Her sleeveless top was lacy and a summery coral color that brought out her auburn hair, blue eyes and fair complexion. Her hands were long and artistic. He stood for a moment watching her spoon macaroni salad onto her plate as she talked and giggled with Fress, and decided it was the perfect time to ask Fress for an introduction.
